XX/ Burnt forest
Resuming the journey toward the North Pole after freeing the earthbenders from that awful Fire Nation prison and helping them to retake their home was very peculiar for Elsa, even with her short lessons to advise her friends on how interacting with people of her standing or holding a position of authority.
Looking at her clothes, she revered the green clothes Haru's mother gave just before their departure. While Elsa still kept her dress, she took advantage of the gift as she knew it would lessen any strange reactions or suspicions of people her companions and she would encounter, especially when dealing with the Fire Nation. She knew that Katara still had the dress she used to infiltrate that awful prison rig, but didn't use it as Sokka didn't use the Kyoshi warrior armour. She could understand why they didn't, but thought those belongings might be useful in the future.
The young queen looked at her companions who were seated with her on the saddle while Aang was lazily laying on Appa's head. Katara was observing the clouds around her. The young queen looked fondly at the young girl who was mesmerized by the sight of the clouds so close to them. It reminded her a bit of how Anna and Olaf loved to settle on a nap to admire the sky. Thinking of her sister and of her creation provoked a small pang in her chest, thinking of how and when she would be able to return home.
"Those clouds look so soft, don't they?" Katara commented in a dreamy voice, her gaze fixed on the sky above them. "Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft, cottony heap?"
Chasing away the plaguing thoughts in her mind, Elsa smiled softly at Katara's observation, her own eyes wandering over the billowing clouds. "They do," she agreed with a small smile, finding a moment of peace amidst their journey.
Sokka, ever the playful one, turned to his sister with a mockingly exaggerated smile. "Maybe you should give it a try."
Katara shot Sokka an annoyed look, her sarcasm evident as she looked away. "You're hilarious."
Meanwhile, Aang, caught up in the excitement of the moment, exclaimed, "I'll try it!" With a big smile on his face, he grabbed his staff and leaped off of Appa's head, spinning once around his axis with a wink at his companions before falling spread-eagled, laughing joyously. "Yeah!"
Elsa and the siblings popped their heads over the rim of the saddle, peering down in the direction Aang had gone. As he glided through the air, Katara looked somewhat worried, while Sokka's eyes widened as he gazed at the point where the young airbender vanished.
Elsa, too, leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of Aang's gliding form. She felt a mix of concern and amusement at his antics. Even now that she was taking responsibility for the group, she was always torn between worry and fondness for the airbender's free spirit, considering the previous situations at Kyoshi Island or Omashu. But she had also noticed that Aang was slowly implementing her advices and lessons, which was a warming thought to her. It was a testimony of the trust he had in her and of the impact she was having on him and his friends. She was reminded again of Anna with the way Aang was, but it was as if he was a little brother to guide, to help and to support.
Suddenly, they all heard the snapping noise of Aang's glider being closed behind them. Turning around, they watched as he plopped down on the saddle, legs spread apart and a wide grin on his face, dripping wet.
"Turns out, clouds are made of water," he remarked, looking at himself with a chuckle.
Elsa couldn't help but smile at his exuberance, her heart lightening at the sight of his carefree spirit. She chuckled softly, appreciating Aang's light-heartedness. "Seems like you had fun."
The young Avatar smiled at her before taking a deep breath and slammed his balled fist against his stretched hand, creating an expanding air ball around him that dried his clothes in an instant. As he leaned back, he looked contentedly at Momo, whose fur had gotten all fluffed up.
Sokka remained unimpressed, but Elsa couldn't help but be impressed by Aang's control over his bending. "That's quite a trick," she commented, nodding approvingly.
Aang looked at her gratefully. They all suddenly heard Katara asking with curiosity, "Hey, what is that?"
Sokka, catching the direction of Katara's gaze, glanced over his right shoulder, following her line of sight to the front of Appa's saddle. Elsa also reacted, turning her head to see what had captured Katara's attention.
As they peered over the rim of the saddle, they all spotted a large, dark patch of burned land standing out among the lush green of the forest. Aang and Sokka joined Elsa and Katara in looking over the front rim of Appa's saddle, their expressions reflecting surprise and concern.
"It's like a scar..." Sokka muttered, his voice trailing off as he took in the sight before them.
Elsa felt a pang of sadness and horror as she looked at the scorched landscape. She wondered what happened there. What is natural or the result of people? A part of her thought of the Fire Nation and of the possibility it could have played a part. She straightened up, not wanting to let her mind be plagued and biased because of what she had witnessed.
Aang's expression mirrored Elsa's emotions, his normally cheerful demeanor clouded by the sight of destruction and despair. "We should go check it out," he suggested, his voice tinged with determination.
Elsa nodded in agreement, her sense of responsibility urging her to investigate the scarred land and ensure that no more innocent lives had been lost.
"Appa, yip yip!" the young Avatar said, his tone earnest.
The sky bison let out a low rumble of assent before veering toward the burnt patch of forest. As he landed in the blackened area, Elsa moved into action, helping Katara and Sokka to land safely by creating ice stairs for them to climb down. Aang simply airbent himself down to the ground, landing with a graceful flourish.
The four of them stood in the middle of the gray, barren patch, surrounded by burnt trees and charred earth. Elsa's heart ached at the devastation before them, her mind filled with thoughts of the suffering endured by those who had once called this place home.
Sokka broke the silence, his voice filled with anger and frustration. "Listen. It's so quiet. There's no life anywhere."
Elsa listened and observed their surroundings, her eyes scanning the desolate landscape. The air was still faint with an indicible scent of smoke, and the only sound was the gentle rustle of ashes stirred by the wind. She suddenly heard Katara's voice, filled with concern, "Aang? Are you okay?"
Elsa turned her gaze towards Aang, noticing his downcast expression as he slumped over, seemingly overwhelmed by the sight before him. She heard Sokka commenting angrily behind her, "Fire Nation! Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for –"
Katara's voice interrupted him with a sharp "Shhh!"
Sokka whispered, his tone still filled with anger, "What? I'm not allowed to be angry?"
Ignoring the two siblings, Elsa approached the young boy, her concern evident in her voice. "Aang?"
He looked up, his expression burdened by sadness and guilt. He sighed heavily and picked up some ash, watching as it slowly seeped through his fingers and dropped to the ground.
"Why would anyone do this? How could I let this happen?" His voice was filled with despair.
Elsa reached out, placing a comforting hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you."
Katara, who had joined them, nodded in agreement. "Elsa's right. This isn't your fault."
Aang's gaze shifted between Elsa and Katara, his expression still clouded with doubt. "But it's the Avatar's job to protect nature. I don't know how to do my job."
Elsa's heart clenched to his disarray. She also thought about her own situation as the Fifth Element and felt once again close to the young airbender, both of them having a duty for the balance in Nature.
Katara smiled softly. "That's why we're going to the North Pole. To find you a teacher."
Elsa let out a small smile, albeit her eyes still expressed concern as she looked at Aang. The young boy absently nodded. "Yeah. A waterbending teacher. But there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me."
Elsa remembered the statue Aang had been observing back at the Southern Air Temple, understanding the significance of Avatar Roku to him. Behind them, Sokka interjected, his voice tinged with doubt, "The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago; how are you supposed to talk to him?"
Elsa's mind raced with questions, agreeing with Sokka and wondering how past Avatars could communicate with the previous one. But before she could voice her thoughts, Aang responded quietly, "I don't know."
As Momo came up to Aang and settled in his lap, offering silent comfort to his distraught friend, Elsa was observing him with a concerned glance. A part of her couldn't grasp what was going on in his mind, but she knew he felt burdened and guilty due to his position and his peculiar circumstances. And while she didn't know how he could contact the previous Avatar or find a spiritual teacher, she also knew that being burdened and feeling the weight of the world was not something he should handle on his own, Avatar or not.
"Aang, do you remember when I told you, there had been I was afraid of my powers?" Elsa began softly, her voice tinged with empathy.
Aang glanced up, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "Yeah," he replied quietly, his shoulders slumping a little.
"Well, back then, I had no one to teach me how to handle my powers," Elsa continued, her tone gentle yet filled with understanding. "Not even my parents knew how to help me and they did their best."
Aang listened intently, his expression reflecting understanding mixed with sadness. Elsa's heart clenched as she thought of her parents and how much they did to help, even if it almost cost her everything.
"But part of the solution came from the love I have for my sister, and the love she gave me," she continued, her eyes conveying a depth of emotion. "Love can be a powerful force, Aang. It helps us find strength in the darkest of times."
Aang nodded slowly, seeming to grasp the weight of Elsa's words. "But that won't help me contact Roku," he pointed out, his voice tinged with frustration.
Elsa acknowledged his point with a nod, her expression thoughtful. "No, it won't," she agreed. "But my point is that you are not alone to solve that challenge, Aang. We can figure it out together."
Aang's expression softened slightly, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. "Thanks, Elsa," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
With a small smile, Elsa gave Aang's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before stepping back, giving him the space to ponder their conversation.
Moving away, the young queen noticed that Katara was looking around. Observing again at the ruined area, Elsa wondered if she could find some answers to what happened here. She then remembered what she achieved back in the Enchanted Forest and her parents' shipwreck. With a determined expression, she made her way to the center of the scorched area, her movements purposeful yet graceful.
Sokka watched Elsa's actions with a mixture of curiosity and admiration, his eyes following her every step. "What's she doing?" he asked, his voice betraying his intrigue.
Katara looked in the direction of Elsa and saw her kneeling on the ground and seemingly focusing on something. With honed concentration, Elsa tapped into her powers, drawing on the memories of the forest at the moment of its destruction.
In mere seconds, water surged from beneath the ground, swirling and coalescing into lifelike forms. Katara and Sokka gasped in astonishment as the scene unfolded before them, revealing the events that had led to the forest's demise.
Icy statues representing Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers facing each other stood tall in a fighting posture, some in a bending stance. They were standing as if they were frozen in time.
Katara observed the figures in stunned and impressed glances before looking back at Elsa. "Elsa, what is this?" she asked, curiosity evident in her tone, especially after witnessing the drops of water rising from the ground to form the statues.
Before Elsa could answer, Sokka interjected, his curiosity piqued. "Yeah, what are these statues supposed to represent?" he asked, his eyes flicking between the young queen and the frozen figures.
Katara shot her brother a brief glare, slightly annoyed by his interruption, before turning her attention back to Elsa, awaiting her explanation.
Elsa reassured Katara with a gentle smile before turning to address Sokka's question. "These statues represent what happened when this area was burnt," she explained calmly, her voice carrying a hint of sadness.
The Water tribe siblings exchanged surprised glances before turning their attention back to Elsa, eager to hear more.
"How?" Katara asked with curiosity.
"Water has memory," Elsa continued, her voice tinged with a mixture of wonder and solemnity. "It can show us what occurred in the past, like a living record."
Katara and Sokka exchanged another glance, their expressions reflecting their amazement at Elsa's explanation.
"So, you mean these statues represent the moment this area had been burnt?" Sokka clarified, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to comprehend the significance of Elsa's words.
Elsa nodded in confirmation, her gaze focused on the frozen figures before them. "Yes, and it looks like there was a battle between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom," she deduced, her voice heavy with sorrow at the thought of the conflict that had ravaged the forest.
"Well, there was no need to use that magic trick to find out the Fire Nation did that," Sokka commented while making a nonchalant gesture.
Elsa looked at him with a serious glance. "Just because the Fire Nation is at war with your people and everyone else doesn't mean they were the reason this place burnt. I was trying to see how it happened and to see if it was the Fire Nation's doing," she replied pointedly.
Katara stepped forward, placing a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Elsa's right. She may have confirmed they were behind the destruction here, but she could have revealed something else."
Sokka's eyes widened as he realized his mistake, and he quickly backtracked. "I-I'm sorry, Elsa. You're right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions. It's just that we've been dealing with the Fire Nation for so long, and they've caused so much destruction..."
Elsa's expression softened, understanding Sokka's perspective and thinking about the brutality of the Fire Nation soldiers in Haru's village. "I understand, Sokka. From what I've witnessed since I joined your group, they did a lot of wrongs. But do not let the war blind you to other possibilities and perspectives that can explain a situation."
Katara and Sokka absorbed Elsa's words in silence, their expressions mirroring the weight of the revelation.
After a moment of contemplation, Katara turned to Elsa, her eyes shining with curiosity. "How... how are you able to do this?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.
Elsa smiled softly at Katara's question, grateful for her curiosity. "It's a power I discovered when traveling to the Enchanted Forest," she explained, her voice gentle yet confident. "I used my powers and concentration to raise the water present beneath the ground and visualizing what I wanted to find out allowed my powers to recreate an instant of the past."
Katara's jaw dropped. While the lessons Elsa gave her had helped her to understand how her powers worked, she didn't expect the young queen to be able to raise water from the ground. She exchanged a glance with Sokka, his expression mirroring her own astonishment. Sokka interjected, his eyes widening with realization. "Wait a minute, isn't this similar to waterbending?" he asked, his voice tinged with stupefaction and intrigue.
Katara shot her brother a brief glare, slightly annoyed by his interruption. "Sokka, this isn't waterbending," she scolded gently, turning her attention back to Elsa. "You have seen with how much ease she creates ice and snow without the moves I would have used and she didn't need water for that. What she did here might be an exception."
Elsa nodded to the young waterbender, "You're right," she replied, "It's the only instance I can manipulate water outside of ice and snow. But since it's tied to my powers, I don't know if a waterbender, or even Aang, could replicate it."
All eyes turned to Aang, who remained kneeling in quiet contemplation. The weight of the past, the burden of his destiny, seemed to press down on him even heavier now. The young boy seemed unaware of what Elsa had achieved. Katara nodded in understanding to Elsa's words. "You're probably right," she said, albeit a bit disappointed by the fact she wouldn't likely replicate such a technique.
"Alright, let's say it's tied to your powers. But how can water hold memories?" Sokka questioned, his voice laced with intrigue and skepticism.
Elsa met her gaze, a knowing glint in her blue eyes. "Water is everywhere, Sokka," she explained as her mind dwelled on Olaf with fondness and a pang. "A friend of mine that accompanied my sister and I to the Enchanted Forest, told me that water went through anything and anybody. It flows through rivers, gathers in oceans, and even resides deep within the earth. Because of that, it holds memory of all that happened in any place."
Katara's mind raced with the implications of Elsa's words. Water was everywhere, even in places they hadn't considered. She looked at Elsa with newfound understanding. "If water is everywhere does it mean I can bend it from anywhere?" she asked, excitement creeping into her voice.
Elsa nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Possibly," she replied. "It might be something you can explore further, Katara, at least when you feel confident enough to waterbend."
Katara's eyes sparkled with the prospect of unlocking new possibilities in her bending. "I will," she said earnestly, a sense of determination evident in her voice.
Sokka cleared his throat, breaking the momentary reverie. "As fascinating as this discussion is," he interjected, "we need to keep moving. And maybe," he added, shooting a glance at Aang, "we can help Aang get out of his shell."
Katara shot Sokka a brief glare, slightly annoyed by his interruption. "Sokka, this isn't the time for jokes," she scolded gently, turning her attention back to Elsa. "But he does have a point. We can't stay here forever."
Elsa's expression softened as she regarded Aang, sensing his inner turmoil. "Let's give him some time," she suggested gently. "I can't imagine how it must feel for him with his situation and dealing with what is plaguing your world."
The young queen however pondered whether she could understand Aang because of her own situation as the Fifth Element. But she couldn't be certain and she felt it was also tied to the fact Aang was trapped for one hundred years and was now dealing with a world that was totally different from his, challenging his memories and beliefs. The closer thing she could think of was how Anna must have felt when overnight it went from their close childhood bonding to separate and minimal to zero contact and interactions without any explanation. At that thought, Elsa still felt some guilt for having inflicted that to her sister.
A momentary silence descended upon the group, broken only by the mournful sigh of the wind rustling through the charred remains of the trees. Suddenly, a flurry of movement caught their attention. Momo was darting around, digging at the ground with unusual fervor. Katara's curiosity piqued as she approached the winged lemur, observing his actions closely.
"He seems to be onto something," Katara remarked, her eyes narrowing with intrigue.
As she neared, Momo stopped digging and looked up at her with his bright, intelligent eyes. In his tiny mouth, he held a small, blackened object. With a gentle nudge, he dropped it at Katara's feet. A spark of realization flickered in her eyes as she picked up the object, brushing away the dirt.
Elsa noticed the waterbender's demeanour shifting positively and optimistically, before moving around to scan the area. Elsa exchanged a puzzled glance with Sokka, wondering what Katara was up to. She observed the waterbender picking something small from the ground but couldn't discern what it was.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Katara's lips as she turned towards Aang, her voice brimming with newfound optimism. "Hey, Aang! You ready to be cheered up?" she asked, her voice a beacon of light in the gloomy atmosphere.
Aang, however, barely acknowledged her greeting. "No," he mumbled, his voice devoid of emotion. His response was punctuated by a surprised yelp as a small object – another acorn – struck him squarely on the head. He turned around, stunned by what Katara did and was further stunned when seeing the icy statues standin tall nearby.
Sokka, unable to contain himself, let out a chuckle. "Cheered me up," he quipped, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin as another acorn found its mark. "Ow. Yeah, I probably deserved that."
Shaking her head at Katara's way to attract Aang's attention, Elsa twitched her lips with amusement as she observed the exchange between the siblings. Having noticed the acorn on the ground near Sokka, the young queen was having an inkling of what Katara had in mind but observed her interactions with Aang.
Ignoring Sokka's grumbles, Katara knelt before Aang, placing the retrieved acorn in his hand, and gently closing his fingers around gesture distracted Aang from the sight of the ice statues as he looked at his friend.
"These acorns are everywhere, Aang," the young waterbender explained, her voice warm and reassuring. "That means the forest will grow back! Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back."
Aang looked down at the acorn in his hand, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "Thanks, Katara," he replied with a small smile.
Elsa's heart swelled with warmth at the sight, a silent acknowledgment passing between her and Katara. She also thought on the fact that while the forest was burnt, the ashes that resulted from the disaster would help the forest grow back. But before she could comment on that aspect, Katara gasped, her attention drawn to an approaching figure.
Elsa followed Katara's gaze, her expression shifting to one of curiosity as an old man emerged, his weathered face etched with intrigue. He shuffled towards them, his ragged clothes hanging loosely on his thin frame. Elsa tensed a bit, but maintained a composed demeanor, observing the newcomer with cautious attention.
Sokka, ever the inquisitive one, stepped forward. "Hey, who are you?" he asked, eyeing the old man with intrigue and suspicion.
The old man stopped a few paces away from them, his rheumy eyes scanning their group. His eyes widened when looking at the icy statues behind them, and then at Elsa, but his glance focused on Aang.
"When I saw the flying bison," he started to reply, "I thought it was impossible! But, those markings ..." He trailed off, his gaze fixed on Aang. "Are you the Avatar, child?"
Aang looked at Katara, seeking her opinion. Katara offered him a reassuring nod, a silent confirmation that this man seemed genuine. He then glanced at Elsa, searching for her opinion.
While Elsa was a bit cautious, the fact the man recognized Aang as the Avatar and seemed friendly made assuage her protective demeanour. She gave him a small, supportive smile.
Aang, emboldened by Elsa and Katara's encouraging support, finally met the old man's gaze. "Yes," he simply answered.
The old man's face broke into a relieved smile, a spark of hope replacing the earlier desperation. "My village desperately needs your help, Avatar!" he implored, his voice gaining strength with his newfound certainty.
Aang's heart tugged with sympathy. The weight of his responsibility settled heavily upon him, but the hope in the old man's eyes fueled his determination. He glanced back at Elsa, his eyes pleading for her guidance.
Elsa understood the silent question in his gaze. Stepping forward, she addressed the old man directly. "Sir," she began, her voice firm yet polite, "before we can offer any assistance, we need to understand the situation. Perhaps you could introduce yourself and tell us more about your village's plight?"
The old man, grateful for her calm approach and still intrigued by her, bowed his head slightly. "Forgive my rudeness. I am Kay-Fon. Elder Jiaoran, the leader of our village, can give you the full story. Please, follow me." He gestured towards the charred remains of the forest, his weathered face etched with worry.
Aang glanced at Elsa, his expression a mixture of determination and concern. "We'll help," he assured, his voice steady despite the uncertainty lingering in the scorched air.
Elsa nodded, a sense of responsibility settling over her. "Lead the way," she said, her tone firm yet compassionate.
Kay-Fon nodded and began to move. The group followed him through the scorched area and before joining the rest of the forest. Elsa glanced back at the icy statues she created and was tempted to erase them, but she held back. While Kay-Fon sounded innocent and a good person, she didn't want to revealed too much of herself.
As her companions and she were walking, that feeling went true as the old wandered turned to her and asked her, "Forgive the curiosity of an old man, but are you a spirit?"
Elsa was feeling a wave of contradictory emotions. She was certain the man was only intrigued because of her unique appearance, possibly the presence of the ice statues, but his question hit the nail on her status of fifth element. She wasn't how to answer the question, considering that she might be spiritual, she was also human. And considering she never told her friends about her unique situation outside of her powers, she wasn't sure to answer positively, not to mention the issue of not mentioning where she was coming from. King Bumi might have guessed, but he was unorthodox and very experienced to think any possibility, including the strangest ones, but their guide was a simple man and she didn't know how knowledgeable or not he was.
Aang answered for her, "Elsa is a person who found herself lost. She helped us as much as I'm trying to help her to find her way back home."
Elsa was torn between relief and uncertainty. She was glad the young Avatar gave a truthful answer without revealing too much. But she wondered how Kay-Fon would react, even though he seemed a good person.
Kay-Fon listened intently to Aang's response, his weathered face showing a mix of understanding and curiosity. He nodded slowly, processing the information. "Ah, I see," he said, his voice filled with empathy. "You must be far away from your home, young lady."
Elsa acquiesced, though thinking the wandered was far more than right about that issue, considering she was from a completely different reality. A part of her wondered what kind of magic brought her here. A faint voice seemed to echo in her mind, like an overlooked memory as the thought.
As they walked through the woods, Elsa looked at Sokka, aware he was the one who was the most obsessed with the schedule in regard to their journey, but he seemed intrigued and determined by what was plaguing Kay-Fon's village. The same curiosity and determination were etched on Katara and Aang's expressions. She was intrigued by what was plaguing this village.
A part of her was worried about the possibility it was tied to the Fire Nation, but Kay-Fon's demeanour wasn't like someone oppressed or threatened. It was something else and she hoped they would be able to help his people. While it was obvious they were looking for Aang due to his position, she wouldn't let him on his own as he was still a child and still learning what responsibility meant. Hopefully, her presence and experience would help him to grow into this position he shouldn't be in at such a young age.