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Chapter Text

Black snow rained from the skies, and Sokka knew. His village was in danger. The Fire Nation was attacking. 

His father had told him stories of when this happened back when he was a young man, before Sokka was born. They were looking for Waterbenders. They’d taken their tribe’s last adult Waterbender then, and she was never heard from again. And Sokka knew that it didn’t matter that he was only thirteen and Katara had just turned eleven, or that Sokka was a warrior first, bender later. 

He had to get Dad. 

“I’m going to find Mom!” Katara yelled, running towards their home. He nodded and ran in the opposite direction. 

The warriors were already assembled at the foot of the Fire Nation’s navy. There were more soldiers on just one of those ships than there were in the entire village, but none of the warriors looked fazed. Sokka’s father stood at the front, his jaw set. Whatever happened, they were ready for it. 

Sokka knew that he was young, but he drew his boomerang. You were never too young to take out the Fire Nation. 

But just as quickly as they came, they retreated. And Sokka knew he should be happy about this, thrilled that his tribe was so fearsome to the raiders that they retreated after being there for such a short amount of time. But something felt wrong. The black snow lingered, and Sokka watched the ships leave, wondering if he should feel triumphant. 

Maybe they already got what they wanted , a small voice in Sokka’s head whispered. 

No. That couldn’t be it. The Fire Nation was skilled, their navy large and menacing, but they knew they couldn’t hold their own against the Water Tribe on their own turf. They probably figured they should retreat before they froze to death. That had to be it. It had to be. 

Sokka’s father looked over his shoulder and saw him. He immediately enveloped Sokka into a hug. Sokka had never seen his father cry before, but when a drop of water fell on Sokka’s shoulder, he knew it wasn’t melted snow. 

Dad released him and looked deep into his eyes. “We have to find your sister.” 

But they were too late. 

When they found Katara, she was crying outside of their tent. Dad bent down and hugged her. “Oh, thank the spirits, Katara, I’m so glad you’re okay.” 

But Katara wouldn’t stop crying. She clung to Dad with everything she had. Sokka resisted the temptation to look into the tent. His intuition was telling him that something was wrong. Something was deeply, deeply wrong. 

“Katara, where’s Mom?” 

Katara started sobbing even harder. “They took her!” she said finally, her dark brown eyes tinged with red. “They were looking for the Avatar, and she told them it was her and they took her!” 

Dad stood up. “They must have wanted to distract us while they took her away.” 

Sokka’s blood ran cold. Without thinking, he ran, across the village, to where he could see the ships—the ships with his mother on board—sailing away. 

“Sokka! SOKKA!” he heard his dad yelling, but he didn’t care. Dad would thank him later. He would come back to the village with his mother in tow, a hero. He didn’t have a plan, but he knew he had to get her, he had to save her —

And before he knew it, he was flying. 

Well, not flying, exactly. He was running and the mist was coming up to meet him, supporting his weight just long enough that he could make it to the next. He didn’t even know how he was doing it. 

Was he doing it? 

He had to have been. Nobody else could be bending for him. Not even Katara knew this move, whatever it was. He was alone, in the ocean, running on water, but it felt like someone was pulling him along, guiding him. He felt more powerful than ever, better than any of the “waterbending lessons” he and Katara had done. Those had drained him, but this, this made him feel incredible. 

He felt a gust of wind, and then another, and then another, carrying him along with the mist. He felt like he was controlling that too, but of course that—that couldn’t be. Nobody had seen the Avatar in almost forty years, ever since he tried to take the Air Nomads underground and presumably died in the process. There was no Water Tribe Avatar. Both tribes had searched for decades. Everyone knew that looking for the Avatar was just a dirty Fire Nation trick to raid Water Tribes, to keep them weak.
“Sokka!” Dad yelled. “Stop!” 

Sokka had no intention of stopping, but the fear in his dad’s voice made him hesitate. And with that, whatever power that had come into Sokka’s body left, and he plunged into the water below. 

_____________________

He woke up to Katara breathing on him. He wanted to yell at her, but he found he didn’t have the strength to do more than whisper. “Katara...gerroff me.” 

Her eyes lit up. “You’re alive!” she said, crushing him in a hug. 

Spirits, she really was crushing him. Sokka didn’t know how a little girl’s weight could make his whole body ache and groan like this, but whatever she was pulling, he hated it. 

“We thought you were dead,” she whispered. “You were asleep for three days. Three days , Sokka.”

Sokka tried to say something, but maybe for the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to say. And he didn’t want to say anything. He’d failed. His mother was still on those ships, and he was here, half-dead, all powers gone from him. 

“Sokka?” Katara said. “How did you learn to do that move?”

He looked up at her. “What move?” he asked blearily. 

“The thing with the mist,” Katara said. “When you were running after… after the ships. I didn’t even know you could do that.” 

Sokka shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe… maybe Mom being gone fueled my bending. Or something.” 

“Maybe.” Katara hugged Sokka again. “I’m going to get Dad. He told me to get him when you woke up.” 

“I’ll go get him, let me just—”

“You can barely move, Sokka,” Katara said. Her eyes were a deep rich brown, like the dark, mysterious depths of the sea floor. Like his mother’s. “I’m going to get Dad. Stay here. Don’t move. Promise?” 

Sokka nodded. “Promise.”

Sokka stared at her as she left. Somehow, in those three days since… whatever had happened to him, she’d grown up. She was still his little sister, but she no longer seemed little. That had been taken from her. Sokka closed his eyes and swore on his own life that the people who made his little sister grow up, the people who took his mother away, would pay for what they did. He’d find a way to protect her. 

He opened his eyes to see Dad entering. He sat down at his bedside. “How are you feeling, Sokka?” 

Like death warmed over . “Fine.” He put on a brave face, trying to mimic what he’d seen his father do in front of the Fire Navy. But Dad didn’t seem to be that man anymore. There were dark circles under his eyes, and Sokka could see gray hair starting to sprout. His beard was more scraggly than it had been just a few days ago, and his cheeks were hollow. “Are you okay?” 

Dad laughed. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that.” He put a hand on Sokka’s forehead. “Good, the fever has passed.” 

“I had a fever?” 

Dad sighed. “We were worried about you, Sokka. You can’t just go unprepared into battle like that. You know that. You need a plan.”

Sokka nodded. “I know. I just… Mom.” 

Dad turned his face away, and Sokka wondered if it was so that he could cry without Sokka seeing him. Katara could have probably felt it—sometimes she could feel that there were tears on people’s faces without seeing it, she just knew . But whether there were tears in Dad’s face or not, Sokka didn’t know, and he assumed his dad preferred it that way. 

Dad turned back to him. “Yeah. I know, kid. I know. I wanted to run after her too.” He put a hand on Sokka’s shoulder. “A man has to go where he’s needed. And after this raid, it’s clear to me that the Fire Nation is getting stronger, and the world needs the Southern Water Tribe men to help more in the effort.” 

Sokka swallowed, but he knew he wasn’t scared. “So we’re going to fight the Fire Nation?” 

Dad blinked and took a deep breath. “Son, there’s… there’s something your mother and I kept from you. We were going to wait until you turned sixteen, but… clearly, that option has been taken from us.” 

“What is it?” 

Dad looked at him like it was the last time he would ever see him. “You’re the Avatar.” 

Sokka blinked for a few moments in disbelief. “I’m the… I’m the what now ?” 

“The Avatar, master of all four elements, bridge between the Spirit World and our own. Or at least you will be. I’m sending you and Katara to the Northern Tribe to learn Waterbending. Once you master it, you’ll journey to the Earth Kingdom to learn Earthbending, and… and so on.”

Sokka’s head was reeling. He had a million questions, but instead of asking any of them he said, “Mom told them that she was the Avatar to protect me.” 

Dad’s mouth was pressed into a thin line. “Your mother has always believed in the power of the Avatar. When you were born, she made it her mission in life to protect you. To protect the world. Since nobody outside of the Water Tribes knows when Avatar Aang died, she knew she could tell the raiders that she was his reincarnation and they’d believe. But I’m sure—” he gulped, then began again “—I’m sure her ruse will be discovered soon enough.”

“What’s gonna happen to her?”

Dad shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Sokka blinked the tears away. His mother was a hero. His mother was probably gone for good. Because of him. 

“But, Dad, if I can master the four elements, I should help you in the war effort, right?” 

“Sure, son. And you will. I know you and Katara have been trying to teach yourselves Waterbending, and you’ve been doing well, but you need a real teacher. Both of you.” 

Sokka scrunched up his nose. Katara loved Waterbending, loved playing with her magic water and doing tricks with it. But Sokka… bending was fine and all, but—

“I’m a warrior,” Sokka said. “I’m a warrior that bends, maybe, but I’m a warrior first. Like you.” 

Dad smiled sadly at him. “I know you are. And you will fight, someday. But right now, I need you to be a man and go where you’re needed. Do what the world expects of you.” 

Sokka wanted to say no. Wanted to insist that he go on the front with his father, or go to the Fire Nation prisons and use his Avatar powers or whatever to save his mother, or something useful. It didn’t feel right for him and Katara to go up to the Northern Water Tribe to do some magic tricks while the men of his tribe risked their lives against the Fire Nation and his mother rotted in some prison, waiting for those bastards to uncover her lie. But the look on his father’s face was enough to convince him. 

“Okay, Dad,” he said finally. “I’ll go.” 

“Thank you, Sokka. I’m sending Bato with you both to chaperone. He’s responsible for you, and you’re responsible for Katara, got it? Protect each other. You’ll leave in two days, when we do, okay?” 

Sokka nodded. He could do this. He had his sister, he had Bato, and he had a destiny. 

Master the four elements. And then, unleash vengeance upon the Fire Nation. Make them wish Sozin had never been born. 

___________________

Two days later, Sokka, Katara, and Bato were ready to leave home behind. 

Dad and Bato had made it clear that it wouldn’t be forever, of course. They would come back one day. But while he’d been awake and confined to his bed by Katara, he’d read up on past Avatars. The Southern Water Tribe didn’t have a library, but there were a few records of the most recent Avatars. Avatar Aang started bending at three and didn’t get his airbending tattoos, which symbolized mastery in Air Nomad culture, until he was twelve. It took him another four years to master the other three elements. Avatar Roku was even worse, spending twelve years traveling the world to master Air, Water, and Earth. It seemed like it hadn’t taken Kyoshi as long, only two years, but two years was still a long time to be away from his tribe during a war. 

And then, Sokka had found the records on Kuruk. 

Apparently, Kuruk was a prodigy, gifted at every bending style he tried. And he was good-looking too. A warrior. But he spent too much time away from home, started drinking, fighting. The spirits got angry with him and took his fiancee, Ummi, and he died of heartbreak not long after. He was only thirty-three. 

So this was what the Water Tribes had to offer. 

Like him, Kuruk lived in the shadow of a great Air Avatar. Like him, Kuruk was a warrior. But Sokka wasn’t a prodigy, not like Kuruk, definitely not like his sister. If this is what happened to the perfect Water Avatar when he left his tribe, what would happen to Sokka? 

He shouldn’t be the Avatar. It should be someone like Katara, someone who could adapt to a bad situation easily. Or Bato, who was strong, courageous, and wise, someone that everyone could depend on. Or someone like his mother, who always knew what to do, who could always do her duty without thinking of herself. Or his father, who always knew where he was needed. 

What was Sokka good for?

He helped Katara carry provisions onto the boat. Dad had insisted on them having provisions. He and his men would hunt their own food on the way there, but it was absolutely imperative that Sokka make it to the North Pole as soon as possible. It would be four months’ journey at top speed without stopping, and the way Bato made it sound, they weren’t going to stop. 

Bato tried to get him excited about the journey by telling him that when there was calm weather and icebergs were out of sight, he and Katara could practice Waterbending. Fantastic. Just what he wanted to hear. 

Bato saw the look on his face. “You turn fourteen in a month right? I can take you and Katara ice dodging.” 

Sokka smiled a little at that, but he knew it wouldn’t be the same as their dad taking them. 

He sucked up his disappointment. It didn’t matter if his dad took him ice dodging. He needed him. The world needed him. Sokka’s feelings didn’t matter anymore. He had to be the Avatar, and the best Avatar the world had ever seen. Better than Kuruk, better than Aang, better than Kyoshi if he could manage it. He had to do what was expected of him. His tribe depended on it. 

“That would be great, Bato. But you don’t have to do that.” He looked towards the boat. “We should go.”

Chapter Text

Zuko’s hands were shaking. Lu Ten put a hand on his shoulder. 

“You don’t have to do this.” 

Zuko scoffed and shoved his shoulder away. “Just because you lost your honor doesn’t mean I have to lose mine.” 

As soon as he said it, he knew it was unfair. The only reason Lu Ten’s honor was in jeopardy was because of his father, Iroh. Azula said Lu Ten stayed at the palace because of their father’s mercy, but Zuko knew it was to keep him in line. That’s what Father did: keep everyone in line. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it,” Zuko said. Lu Ten nodded. 

“It’s okay, you can say it. Everyone else does.” Lu Ten looked toward the hall, where Zuko would soon fight. “Does the general know that you can’t… y’know?” 

Zuko scowled. “Don’t be ridiculous. Everyone knows.” 

Lu Ten looked at the ground. “I didn’t know people challenged nonbenders to Agni Kai,” he said quietly. “It doesn’t make sense.” 

Zuko clenched his jaw. The great shame of the family. Iroh may have been the worst Firelord in Fire Nation history, but it would never matter as much as Zuko not being a bender. Nothing would ever matter as much as that. Father had been visited by bad luck and dishonor, and he never let his son forget it. 

“I’m the Crown Prince,” Zuko said, his voice firm. “The heir to our nation. Bender or not, I have to maintain my honor.” 

Lu Ten looked toward the hall again. It was designated solely for Agni Kai, and it was used often, but members of the royal family hadn’t touched it in years. Since Father fought Iroh. 

“And you’re sure this is how you maintain your honor?” Lu Ten said, not looking at Zuko. 

“Yes,” Zuko said, and he felt it down in his bones. Agni Kai were an ancient tradition, a test of will for the strongest in the nation, duels usually only meant for Firebenders. But by challenging him to an Agni Kai, the general whom Zuko spoke against in the war meeting last week had only confirmed his strength. He could see it now, the legend of the young nonbender Crown Prince who’d defeated a general in an Agni Kai, earning his country’s respect and his father’s love. 

Lu Ten looked warily at where the fight was to take place. “Okay. But I’m your second.” 

Zuko smiled at him. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Since this was already a break in tradition, Zuko was allowed his swords. He knelt with his face turned to the wall, waiting to make that general pay for what he said. How dare he attempt to sacrifice untrained soldiers like that? Their nation would be nothing without its people devoting themselves to helping them liberate the rest of the world from evil and corruption. When he was Firelord, soldiers would be treated with kindness and compassion. They would be treated as heroes for the services they provided, protecting the Fire Nation and helping the world at the same time. 

Lu Ten was in the audience, but Zuko could see his face. His expression changed from mild apprehension to outright horror in a second. Zuko had no idea what the general could have done to make Lu Ten, who was rarely afraid of anything, look like that, but whatever it was, Zuko was determined not to be afraid. When the bell rung, he turned, shrugging his shoulder garment off, drawing his swords, and—

The swords clattered to the ground. Zuko fell to his knees. 

The man who stood before him was not the general he had insulted, but his father. 

“Please, Father, I only had the Fire Nation’s best interests at heart! I’m sorry I spoke out of turn!” 

Father kept walking towards him at a slow, steady pace. Was he giving Zuko a chance? An opportunity to grab his swords and defend himself? No, no. Father would never want to see his son disrespect him like that. 

“You will fight for your honor.” 

Zuko sank lower to the ground. “I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son.” 

It didn’t work. Father kept walking towards him, picking up the pace slightly. “Rise and fight, Prince Zuko.” 

Zuko looked up at his father. A giant of a man. The most gifted Firebender of the century. He knew his father loved him, and was trying to teach him something important, but Zuko couldn’t fight him. 

“I won’t fight you.” 

Father inhaled, and when he exhaled, there were wisps of flame. “You will learn respect.” He raised his hand and pointed it toward Zuko’s face. “And suffering will be your teacher.” 

Zuko saw the flame, and the world went white. 

The legend of the nonbender Crown Prince’s Agni Kai would be very different from what he imagined. 

_____________________

Lu Ten was the first person Zuko saw when he woke up in the infirmary. 

“Oh, thank the spirits, you’re alive!” He hugged Zuko. “The healers said you might lose vision in one eye, and your hearing might be impacted. Can you hear me?” 

“I can hear you,” Zuko said. It was quieter, he thought, than before. But he could hear Lu Ten. “Maybe it would be easier to talk to me if you move to my right.” Where Father spared me. 

Lu Ten got up immediately and moved to Zuko’s other side. “Is that better?” 

Zuko tried to nod, but his face hurt from the effort. “Yes,” he said. “Thank you.” 

“Of course. Your sister came to visit earlier.” 

Zuko laughed, but it came out more like a sob. “Why would Azula come to visit?” 

“Because she… cares about you?” 

“Tell me the truth.”

Lu Ten took a deep breath. “She asked me if she was next in line for the throne now.” 

Now that’s the Azula I know. 

“Don’t worry about her. I talked to your old swordfighting teacher, Master Piandao, remember him? He said he could start training you to cope with—um, he said you two could restart your training whenever you’re ready. And then we could—” 

“Will you shave my head?”

Lu Ten’s face blanched. “What?” 

Zuko tried again. “Will you please shave my head?” 

“Why?” 

“That’s what the losers of an Agni Kai do, isn’t it? The ones who get to live?” he added bitterly. 

Lu Ten shook his head. “You didn’t lose. You refused to fight. That’s different.” 

“I lost, Lu Ten. Look at me. This is what happens to the losers of an Agni Kai.” 

Lu Ten still looked unsure. Zuko should have expected this. Nobody liked to say it, but Lu Ten was just as soft as his father. Zuko had just lost his honor, and Lu Ten was focused on Piandao, training, whether his sister had come to visit him. He should have shaved Zuko’s head already. He would have, if he actually cared about him. 

Lu Ten looked at Zuko, and Zuko saw his dark brown eyes, smoldering like the ashes of a recently forgotten fire. 

People whispered that when Zuko was born, there was no spark in his eyes, no smolder, and that was when they knew that he would never amount to anything. In lower tones, they muttered that his father wanted to throw him over the wall the minute he saw. But of course, those were just rumors. 

When his sister was born, her eyes sparked immediately. They handed her loose tinder minutes after her birth, and she set it ablaze. 

Azula was born lucky. He was lucky to be born. 

And now, not only was his good luck gone. So was his honor. 

“Lu Ten. Please.”

He nodded. “All right then. If that’s what you want. But I’m leaving the topknot. You may have lost this fight, but you haven’t lost your honor.” 

“But—” 

“That is my compromise, Zuko. Take it or leave it.” 

He got out his obsidian knife—a gift, Zuko remembered, from his weakling of a father before he disappeared—and began. 

____________________________

A week later, he and Lu Ten knelt before Father’s throne. 

“We received your summons, your Majesty,” Lu Ten said. 

“Do not speak until spoken to, young man. The Firelord has no time for childish disrespect from a man who knows better.” 

Zuko could see the sweat running down Lu Ten’s wrist, but he chose not to pay attention to it. “My apologies, your Majesty.” 

“Zuko,” Father said, and his shoulders went tight. “I see you have altered your appearance in a manner befitting of your new station.” 

“His station hasn’t changed,” Lu Ten said. 

“Silence! I am not speaking to you!”

Lu Ten went quiet, and Father continued. 

“The citizens of the Fire Nation do not want to see an honorless coward as their leader. They did not stand for it when Lu Ten’s sniveling father was on the throne, and they will not stand for it when I die and they are expected to follow Firelord Zuko, the first nonbender ever to ascend to the throne, the dishonorable weakling who would not even stand and fight when his own father asked him to do so.” 

Zuko saw Lu Ten’s knuckles turn white. 

“So, Prince Zuko, I have a task for you, and you are not to return home until you have completed it. Some months ago, a portion of the navy in the southernmost corner of the world raided the South Pole, searching for the Avatar. They found a woman claiming to be Roku’s latest incarnation, and we’ve since believed that we had the Avatar in our grip. But just recently, we discovered that the woman is a fraud. She can’t bend at all.”

The flames of his father’s throne room danced before Zuko, taunting him. Just like you , they seemed to say, that Southern peasant woman is just like you.  

“She has been killed for her crimes, along with the men responsible for her capture. Clearly, you can’t just trust anyone to capture the most powerful being alive. Which is why I am entrusting you with the task.”

It took everything Zuko had not to scream with joy. Father trusts me. I still have a chance.  

Lu Ten stood to his feet. “Firelord, with all due respect, you can’t—” 

“Stand down, boy,” Father snarled. 

For one terrible moment, Lu Ten stood, in complete defiance of the Firelord. Zuko pleaded with the spirits to make his cousin kneel, to make sure that Father couldn’t do anything to him. 

Lu Ten knelt. 

“I ought to challenge you to an Agni Kai for that,” Father mumbled bitterly. “But out of respect for your dear beloved father, I will show mercy.”

He spat at the word beloved. The flecks landed at Lu Ten’s feet.  

“Thank you, your Majesty, for your kindness and generosity,” Lu Ten said. “I am honored to receive your mercy.” 

“As you should be, boy, lest you end up like my son,” Father snarled. Zuko cringed. He was terrified of what could happen to Lu Ten once he was gone. They treated Zuko poorly, but at least he was Ozai’s son. Lu Ten was the son of Iroh, and Zuko knew if he wasn’t around to protect his cousin, terrible things could happen to him. People whispered in the daytime, but at night, they acted. 

Father continued. “The Fire Sages tell me that the person we’re looking for is younger than we thought, possibly your age. From the Southern Water Tribe, though we have no idea where this person is now. While the navy was dealing with its own incompetence, the Avatar could have run anywhere.” 

“I will scour the earth until I find them,” Zuko said. “No stone will be left unturned.” 

Father smiled. “I’m glad to hear that, Zuko. Search like your throne depends on it. Because now, it does.” 

Zuko nodded. “I will not disappoint you, Father.” 

“Permission to speak, your Majesty,” Lu Ten said. 

Father stared at Lu Ten. “Permission granted.” 

“Thank you, Firelord. Please, may I go with him? I’m the most esteemed Firebender in the palace after your Majesty and her Highness Princess Azula, and I’m highly trained in combat. I could help him.” 

Zuko scowled. So Lu Ten wanted to infringe on Zuko’s glory, did he? 

“How very impertinent,” Father said. “I give my son a mission of utmost importance to myself and to our nation, and you dare interfere? I thought you at least were honorable.” 

“I thought I could protect him, your Majesty,” Lu Ten said. “The Avatar is bound to be a very powerful bender. And the prince is so young. Surely, you wouldn’t want to risk the potential heir to the Fire Nation being hurt?”

Zuko’s eyes stung. He expected this from the servants, from the generals, from Azula . But never Lu Ten. Not his cousin, who he trained with daily, who taught him just as much about surviving in this world as Master Piandao did, who was at his bedside when he woke up after his humiliation. Lu Ten was supposed to be the one who believed that Zuko could be more than what he was born as. 

“Zuko,” asked his father, “what do you say to this? Do you agree with Lu Ten’s assessment? Do you need his protection on your mission?” 

“No,” he said. “I am capable of hunting the Avatar alone. I will capture him and bring him to your feet, Father. I will not let you down. And you.” He stood, facing Lu Ten, who turned to face him. “You have betrayed my trust, and I never want to see you again.” 

Lu Ten’s eyes watered. “You don’t mean that.” 

“I do.” He knelt back down before his father. 

“I believe you have heard your answer, Lu Ten,” Father said. “But you certainly seem eager to prove yourself. I admire that,” Father said. 

“Eager to keep my cousin out of harm’s way, your Majesty,” Lu Ten said. “He’s like a brother to me.” 

Zuko felt a twinge of guilt at that, but he shoved it down. It was just Lu Ten manipulating him. Keeping him from his destiny, just like Father had always said. 

“I never found brotherhood worth much,” Father said. “But if you are so eager to protect Zuko, I might have another way for you. I want you to command the siege on Omashu.” 

“Omashu, sir? What about Ba Sing Se?” 

“Ba Sing Se may be the Earth Kingdom’s capital, but Omashu is the real seat of power. The Earth King is weak. No one follows him. But the King of Omashu is powerful, and he was the Air Avatar’s companion. When he sails to the Fire Nation and threatens our borders, the whole world will follow. That is why it is imperative that you capture the city and make an example of its king. For the good of our family.”

Lu Ten looked at Zuko. He was a man, ten years older than Zuko, but in his eyes then Zuko saw a trace of the boy he used to be. He turned back towards Father. “I will not let you down, Firelord.” 

____________________________

Zuko wasted only a day packing his things. There wasn’t much. His swords, which he would need in his battle with the Avatar. Clothes, food. He gathered a crew to sail the ship he had chartered, named after his great-grandfather Sozin. 

“That was my father’s favorite ship, you know.” 

Zuko turned to see Lu Ten. “I told you to leave me alone.” 

“I told you to train with Master Piandao,” Lu Ten said, gritting his teeth. “Wait to regain your strength. But no, you’re off on a fool’s errand to find the Avatar. How could you?” 

Zuko didn’t say anything. He owed Lu Ten nothing, less than nothing. He was the Crown Prince, the heir, and it didn’t matter if Lu Ten had a command or bending, because he would never be the heir again. 

“Do you know what Azula said to me, when I told her that you were being sent away to go find the Avatar?” Lu Ten growled. “She said ‘I can’t wait to be Firelord.’”

Zuko glared at him. “You lied to me,” he said. “You told me that I could do whatever I set my mind to, bending or no bending, yet you told my father that you don’t trust me to take care of myself. Which is it then?” 

Lu Ten pressed his mouth into a thin, white line. “You are thirteen years old. Your father just burned you, and we have no idea what the lasting effects are going to be on your sight and your hearing.” 

“I can see fine.” 

“Can you? Grab my arm, Zuko.”

Zuko tried, but when he grabbed, his hand found only air. Lu Ten scowled. “Zuko, I just told him what I thought he would listen to. It’s not your lack of bending that’s going to keep you from finding the Avatar. It’s the fact that you don’t have enough discipline to wait and train so that you will be able to take them down when you face them.” 

Zuko clenched his teeth. “The Avatar isn’t even a real bender!” he yelled. “Not yet! There are no adult Waterbenders left in the Southern Water Tribe, which means that there are no master benders in the Southern Tribe to teach the Avatar their own native element. This is my time to strike!”

Zuko expected Lu Ten to be angry, but he just looked tired. “You’re determined to do this, aren’t you?” 

Zuko nodded. Lu Ten sighed. “I thought so. Here, hold out your hands.” 

Zuko scowled, but he did as he was told. Lu Ten placed a blue mask into his hands, a cartoonish face with tusks and a strange smile. “This was your mother’s. Here, try it on.”

Zuko put it on his face. Suddenly, Lu Ten came into clear focus, closer than Zuko thought he’d been before. 

“Do you like it?” Lu Ten asked. “I had the healers commission little magnifying glasses to insert in the eye holes. It’s neat, isn’t it? And it’s a good disguise too. I’ve heard that out in the world, people are wary of Fire Nation citizens, and they might recognize you as the Crown Prince, so it’s good not to reveal yourself.” 

Zuko looked up at Lu Ten in shock. “Why would you do this for me? I—I embarrassed you in front of Father.” 

“Yeah, and then he gave me the most important command in the entire military,” Lu Ten retorted. “I think I’m just fine as far as Uncle Firelord is concerned. Besides, you’re important to me, too, little brother.” 

“Thank you,” Zuko said. 

Lu Ten wrapped his arms around Zuko and squeezed. “Just… promise me you’ll be careful out there.” 

Zuko hugged him back. “I promise.” 

Shortly thereafter, Lu Ten headed to the front, and Zuko set off in search of the Avatar, certain they would never see each other again.

Chapter Text

Sokka groaned. “There’s nothing around, and there’s been nothing for miles.”

They had been on this boat for four months, making only occasional stops for supplies. They’d kept their heads down, not wanting to alert anybody of Sokka’s identity. It had been a long time since Sokka had spent more than a day on land, and he was sick of it.   

“Actually, there’s plenty around,” Katara said. “You know what’s around?” 

Sokka rolled his eyes, He knew what was coming next and he didn’t like it. 

“Water. So you can practice your Waterbending.” 

“Ugh,” he groaned again. “We practice Waterbending all the time. I’m still not good at it.”

Katara put a hand on her hip. “Come on, Sokka, how are you going to learn the other three elements if you can’t learn your own first?” 

Kuruk wouldn’t have even had to try, Sokka thought. It seemed like most of the Avatars were naturals at their home elements at least, and prodigies at the other elements. Even Kyoshi, who had struggled with Earthbending, only struggled because she was too powerful, not because she wasn’t powerful enough. Water just wouldn’t do what he wanted it to do, no matter how hard he tried. 

Nevertheless, he knew his sister was right. “Fine. What was that move you were practicing earlier? The water streaming whatnot?” 

Katara rolled her eyes. “It’s called streaming the water .” 

“Yeah, that. Show it to me again?” 

Katara took a deep breath, and pulled a thin stream of water out of the ocean, twirling it around and over her head before sending it back into the ocean. “Here, you try.” 

Sokka took a deep breath, and bent his wrists just like he’d seen Katara do. He pulled at the water… and nothing happened. 

Spirits, how could he be the Avatar when he was barely a bender?

Katara smiled encouragingly at him. “You have to keep practicing, Sokka. It took me two months to learn that move. You’re not going to get it in a day.” 

Sokka frowned. “Avatar Aang got it in a day.” 

Katara rolled her eyes. “I knew we shouldn’t have let you read those records.” 

“How were you going to stop me?” 

“You were on bed rest , you shouldn’t have been able to reach those records, let alone read all of them before we even left! And why did you take them with you? Why do you need to know what Avatars from a hundred years ago did?” 

Sokka crossed his arms. “Because I want to do what they did!”

“Kids, kids, settle down,” Bato said. “What’s the matter?” 

“Sokka won’t practice Waterbending,” Katara said, the absolute snitch. 

“It’s hard to practice when I don’t even have a real master and we’ve been sailing for months with no break and also somehow I’m the one that’s supposed to be saving the world even though my baby sister’s a prodigy!” 

Bato just laughed, the nerve of him. “You know, my mother used to tell me stories of when her friend Hama was first learning Waterbending. Tui and La, she couldn’t stand it. The pushing and pulling and meditating didn’t sit right with her spirit. But she knew we needed every bender we had, so she kept at it, and eventually, she was able to chart her own path.” He put a hand on Sokka’s shoulder. “Kid, I can’t say I’ve ever met anybody quite like you. The way you and your sister approach bending is going to be different. It has to be. But I have no doubt that you can do what you were born to do. And, Master Katara—” ugh, she preened at that “—keep up the good work. The world needs it.” 

Katara smirked at him. 

Other Avatars had the finest benders in the world as their companions. Or pirates. Or both. And of course, he was stuck with his little baby sister. 

“Again,” she said. “This time, try working with the water, not controlling it. It’s not a weapon, it’s a part of you.” 

Sokka put on the biggest, fakest smile he could muster. “Oh yeah, don’t treat the thing that people use to fight like a weapon, of course, that would be ridiculous!” 

Katara raised an eyebrow at him, her expression stern and motherly. “Avatar Aang wouldn’t treat the water like a weapon.” 

Sokka glared at her. “I hate you.” 

“Be nice to your master,” Bato said. 

And yet again, Sokka groaned. He needed to get off of this boat, and soon. “ Fine, I’ll do what she says.” He looked down at the vast, gaping ocean ready to swallow their boat. Okay, so this is a friend. Not a weapon. A friend. Work with me, water, my pal, my buddy, my bro. 

He took a deep breath, and streamed the water. 

It was trembling in his hands, shakier and less sure than Katara’s had been, but it was working. He slowly twirled it above his head, around his body, trying to feel the push and pull in his spirit, maintain control of—collaboration with—the water. With more than a little apprehension, he gently sent it back into the ocean. 

Thank you. 

Katara beamed at him. “See, look at that! I knew you could do it.” 

Sokka grinned, somewhat at peace with the gaping nothingness surrounding them. He could bend. 

Just then, a wall of ice came up in front of their boat. 

“Uh, Sokka?” Bato said. “Whatever you’re doing, could you do it a little less?” 

Sokka’s eyes widened. “That’s not me. Katara?” 

She shook her head. “Even I can’t do that.” 

Another wall of ice came up from the right, encroaching on their boat, and another from the left, trapping them in ice. A procession of people clad in blue approached them on a magnificent ship, eyeing them distrustfully. 

“Who are you?” an old man said, looking Sokka up and down. He had the same deep, bottomless brown eyes that Sokka and Katara shared, the mystery of the ocean’s depths inherent within them. Sokka gulped. 

“We’re from the Southern Water Tribe!” Katara said quickly. “My brother’s the Avatar!” 

“Chief Hakoda sent us!” Bato yelled. 

The man narrowed his eyes at him further. “Avatar Sokka?” 

Sokka sighed in relief. “Yeah, that’s me. Just trying to accomplish my Avatar duties, learning the elements and all that.” 

The man nodded, and unfroze the boat. “Come with me. It is an honor to host the Avatar and his family in the Northern Water Tribe. I am Dakan.” In a lower tone, he said “I was sorry to hear what happened to your mother.”

Sokka nodded. “Yeah.” He’d had to beat back the sting of his mother’s loss every day, but like those ice walls, it grew closer and closer, and there was nothing he could do about it. But Sokka resolved to stand firm anyway. His mother needed him ready with a plan, not sobbing in a corner somewhere. “We have a plan to save—” 

“Oh,” Dakan breathed. “You don’t know.” 

Katara’s shoulders tensed. “What don’t we know?” 

He fixed them with a steely gaze. “Your mother… she’s dead. The Fire Nation killed her. My deepest condolences.” 

Sokka was frozen. Katara shook her head. “No. No, they couldn’t have. They wouldn’t— ”

“The Fire Nation sent us the message themselves,” Dakan said. “Said they knew they had been duped, the decoy had been executed, and they were on the lookout for the real Avatar, and if we were harboring them we’d better give them up, or else. Chief Arnook’s contacts in the Earth Kingdom got even more dire threats. Apparently, those who would dare hunt the Avatar believe that you are looking for an Earth master, not a Water master.” 

In a different time, Sokka might have sulked at the fact that the people who were looking for him expected him to have already mastered Waterbending. But now, all he could think about was his mother. Decoy , they’d said. Like she was just a placeholder for the real weapon they were looking for, not a person. He looked over at Katara, who had begun to cry. “Executed?” he said in a small voice. 

Dakan looked at the three of them. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “The Avatar is gifted with great power, but great tragedy often accompanies it.” 

Sokka punched the side of the ship. “This isn’t about the Avatar!” he screamed. 

But isn’t it? a small voice in his head said. They captured her because she said she was the Avatar. They killed her because she wasn’t. 

Dakan’s ship reached the dock. Sokka tried to reach out to Katara, and she flinched. 

“I think I want some time alone,” she said quietly. 

Sokka nodded. This is my fault, and she’s the one paying for it. “Yeah, sure, whatever you need.” 

As soon as Dakan showed them where they’d be staying, Katara left, her face stony. Sokka felt his eyes watering, and hid his face. Bato came over to him. 

“Sokka,” he said. “You don’t have to hide it from me. It’s okay.” 

Sokka blinked them back. “I’m a man now. I’m the Avatar.” He turned away. “I bet nobody ever saw Kuruk crying.” 

Bato pulled Sokka into a hug. “I’m sure someone did. He was human.” He rubbed Sokka back. “And you’re just kids. You deserve to see your mother grow old and weary.” He squeezed Sokka tighter. “She loved you so much, Sokka. She would be so proud of you.” 

Sokka gripped Bato’s shirt weakly. What would his mother be proud of? An Avatar who could barely bend. A son who couldn’t save her. A warrior who didn’t fight hard enough for her.

He wanted to get up and fight. He wanted to find whoever it was in the Fire Nation who had killed her and kill them. He felt something coursing through his veins: the simple, powerful energy he’d felt when Waterbending, turned to a need for blood. 

Today, he’d mourn. Tomorrow, he would focus all of his attention on learning the four elements. Four tools to seek revenge. 

___________________________

He and Katara still hadn’t spoken when they woke up bright and early to go see the Waterbending master, Pakku. Bato was still sleeping, but he told Sokka he would be spending the day with Chief Arnook, and that he and Katara needed to focus on their studies. 

She was twelve now. They’d both celebrated birthdays on a boat, no land in sight, for months on end. While Sokka and Bato had helped steer the boat, Katara had taken on all the duties their mother had done in the tribe—sewing up holes in their clothes, cooking their food, cleaning, laundry. Sokka wished they’d brought along another woman to help her. Maybe Gran-Gran. 

“Where were you last night?” he asked. 

Katara didn’t look at him. “Out.” 

“That’s it? Just out?” 

“Just out.” 

Sokka turned his gaze to the path in front of them. “You know, you’re not the only one hurting.” 

Katara was silent, but he could feel her glowering at him. Still, he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. What was he supposed to do to help her? 

They approached the school, a wide, open area where a bunch of boys around Sokka’s age were practicing Waterbending forms. They looked like forms that would be useful in a fight, too. Exactly what Sokka was looking for. 

Katara frowned. “Where are the girls?” 

Sokka shrugged. “Probably learning something different.” 

“Why?” 

“I mean, in our tribe women do different things than the men. Just because this tribe has more Waterbenders doesn’t mean that that would change.” 

Katara got a steely glint in her eye and marched straight up to the school. An old man regarded her with disdain. 

“Hi, are you Master Pakku?” she asked. He nodded. “I’m Katara, and this is my brother, Sokka. We’re Waterbenders from the Southern Tribe, and we need training.” 

Pakku pursed his lips. “We are honored to train the Avatar and his sister. Truly. Sokka, you stay here with me, learn the fighting forms. Katara, if you go down the path, you’ll find Mistress Yagoda and the other Northern female Waterbenders, who are training to be healers.” 

Katara frowned. “But I want to learn how to fight.”

There was no expression on Pakku’s face. “In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn how to fight using Waterbending. It’s improper. But many of the great healers of the world were trained right there. If you are disciplined and respectful—” 

“Improper?” Katara got right up in Pakku’s face, but the man didn’t move. “I’m a better bender than he is. I always have been.” 

And that, that stung. Even if she was right, Sokka wished she hadn’t said it in front of the master. 

“So I’m sure you will be an incredibly gifted healer.”  

“I’m a fighter,” Katara said, raising her voice. 

Pakku barked a laugh. “I think you’re looking about this all wrong, little girl. Healing is an art, an incredible gift for female Waterbenders. Water has a dual nature, and humans do as well. Masculine energy is more suited for fighting, for protecting women and children, while feminine energy is best suited for nurturing.”

“But all I’ve done the last five months is nurture him !” Katara yelled. 

Pakku’s lip curled. “Well, then, you must be excellent at it. I have no doubt you’ll make a fine student for Mistress Yagoda.” 

“But—” 

“Katara, please, a word?” Sokka bowed to Master Pakku and took Katara aside. “Haven’t you stopped to consider that maybe the guy is right?” 

Katara fumed. “Of course. You’re just like him.” 

“I’m just saying, maybe it would be best for you to learn how to heal. You heard what he said. It’s an incredible art. And… people are looking for us. You never know when healing ability might come in handy.” 

Katara’s nostrils flared. “How could you say that women shouldn’t fight when Mom sacrificed her life to save yours? Do you think this is what she wanted for me? To waste away in some old lady’s healing classes while you learn how to save the world?” 

The way she said “you” made it really clear what she thought of his ability to save the world. Sokka tried not to take it personally. She’d always been closer to their mother than he had been, and she had to be processing this differently than he was. “I’m the Avatar,” he said slowly. “And in case you didn’t notice, there’s a war going on. Everybody has their place, and right now, mine is fighting, and yours is healing. I have to be a man, and that means going where I’m most needed.” 

Katara huffed. “You’re fourteen.” 

“Sokka,” Pakku called. “I don’t know how they do things in the Southern Tribe, but here, we like to begin class on time!” 

“I’ll be there in a second!” Sokka yelled back. He turned back to Katara. “Katara, please. You know Mom would want me to learn all of the elements as quickly as I can. And Pakku’s a great master.” 

“Pakku’s a sexist pig,” Katara spat. “You two deserve each other.” 

And with that, she turned and walked down the path towards Mistress Yagoda’s. 

__________________________

As soon as they started training, Pakku made no secret of how subpar he thought Sokka’s skills as a Waterbender were. Apparently, in the Northern Water Tribe, a bender would never make it to fourteen years of age without being able to complete basic forms, and the fact that Sokka could barely control water at all made Pakku fiercely angry. 

“Just like the Southern Tribe, to let the Avatar stumble around like a fool with no training while the rest of the world waits in vain for his return,” Pakku muttered bitterly. 

Sokka felt like punching a wall. He thought about telling Pakku about the Fire Nation taking Waterbenders from their tribe for years, how the Southern Tribe was defenseless while the Northern Tribe was sitting pretty, protected by their walls and their navy and their customs. How his only Waterbending master before Pakku had been Katara. 

His stomach sank, thinking of her, but he shoved the feeling aside. They were both exactly where they were supposed to be. She would be happy, learning healing. She’d be a great healer. The best in history. He knew she could do it. 

So he left Pakku at the end of the day, his exhaustion seeping into his bones, and not really a better bender for it. Not really a bender at all. 

And then, he saw her. 

Her hair was white, done up in an elaborate style. Her black eyes seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, something serene and utterly beautiful. She had four vertical black lines tattoed on her chin. On her left wrist was the symbol of the full moon, while on the right was a new moon. She was laughing and smiling the loveliest smile he had ever seen as she talked to… his sister?

Wait a minute. 

“Katara?”

Whatever happiness there had been on Katara’s face just a moment ago was completely drained away as soon as she saw him. “Sokka,” she said tersely. “How was your day?” 

Awful. “Great.” He looks over at the beautiful girl beside Katara. “I’m so sorry, where are my manners? My name’s Sokka. And you are?” 

“Princess Yue,” the girl said, smiling. “Your sister was just telling me about you,” she said. Oh no. “You’re the Avatar, right?” 

Sokka grinned. “Yup, that’s me!” Could Avatars get dates with princesses? Maybe. Probably. He puffed up his chest. 

“So did you girls meet in Mistress Yagoda’s class, or…?”

“Oh, I don’t bend. But I always wished I could,” Yue said. “Katara was just showing me some of the moves that she learned in Mistress Yagoda’s class. She’s amazingly talented.” Yue looked down at the ground shyly. “But I’m sure as the Avatar, your bending must be even more extraordinary.” 

“It’s actually not,” Katara cut in. Sokka scowled at her. “Unless Pakku’s such a great teacher that you were able to get over all your Waterbending hangups in just a few hours?” 

Great. So she was still mad at him. “Master Pakku is incredible,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll master Waterbending in no time.” 

“Okay,” Katara said, before streaming some water at him and freezing his right hand. “So did Master Pakku teach you how to get out of that?”

The ice was so cold it burned. Sokka tried to concentrate on getting out of it, but it was hard between Katara’s stony, smug expression and Yue’s giggling. He resorted to waving it around, hoping the ice would just fall off, but alas, no such luck. 

He remembered that thing Katara said, about treating the water like a friend. Pakku didn’t use that style, preferring to tell Sokka to think of the water like an extension of his own power, like a fist, but clearly that wasn’t working. 

Please, he thought. Can you help me? 

A peace set over him, and slowly, painstakingly, the ice melted. Sokka immediately stuck his hand inside his parka. 

Katara raised her eyebrows. “Well. I suppose Pakku must be good for something.” 

The knot of guilt in Sokka’s stomach grew larger. Pakku isn’t good for anything. You are. 

“Anyway, Yue and I are going out tonight. I’ll be back late. Don’t wait up,” Katara said breezily. “Come on, Yue.” 

“It was nice meeting you, Sokka!” Yue said, turning to face him as Katara tugged her along.

Sokka frowned. Tonight, huh? He’d find them, and he’d figure out what was going on with Katara. 

That night, as soon as Bato fell asleep, Sokka snuck out of their room. The moon was half full, a guiding light as Sokka traipsed through the city of Agna Q’ela. 

Their architecture was different from the Southern Water Tribe. Long waterways crisscrossed the city, and tall buildings made of ice lined the waterways. It wasn’t exactly to Sokka’s taste, but he could see how the Northerners, with their emphasis on tradition and formality, might like their city to look like this. 

He snuck into a beautiful garden, with a white fish and a black fish circling one another in an endless rhythm. The moonlight was brighter here than it was anywhere else in the city. The energy of his Waterbending was vibrating out of his skin, as if it was drunk with power. 

And there, under the moonlight, Sokka saw Yue and Katara. Bending . Both of them. 

Yue’s form was stunning. The water bent to her will like they were one, completely in sync. She looked so serene, her eyes glowing as she twirled the water around her. Katara’s eyes were shining, and even though she couldn’t imitate Yue’s grace, she made up for it with power. 

Sokka grit his teeth. It was the same form that Pakku had been trying to teach him all day. And of course, Katara got it before he did. 

“Hey, what’s going on over here?” 

Both of them dropped their water immediately. “Nothing!” Katara said. “Just, you know, two friends, hanging out, like friends do—” 

“Katara, he saw,” Yue said. 

“What’s going on?” Sokka yelled. He pointed a finger at Yue. “You said you couldn’t bend!” 

“Nobody knows I can,” Yue said. “And they can’t know.” 

“Why not? What’s going on?” 

Yue pursed her lips. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone.” 

Sokka weighed his options. Tell people he’d seen Yue bending, and potentially ruin the only thing that’s made Katara happy, or keep the secret, and let them continue this. “Fine.” 

Yue looked up towards the moon. “I wasn’t supposed to be able to bend. Nobody thought I could. I was too weak as a baby to even live on my own. My parents took me to all the best healers, but they all said there was nothing they could do for me. So my father took me here, and begged the Moon Spirit to give me another chance at life. And she did. My hair turned white, to show that I had the blessings of the Moon Spirit.

“Later, when I was a little girl, the Moon talked to me. She told me to come here, to her sacred place, on the night of the full moon, and she would teach me Waterbending. I wasn’t a bender—or at least, I thought I wasn’t. But the Moon is. And since I have her blessings, I have her abilities. She’s taught me more about Waterbending than anybody else in Agna Q’ela knows.” 

“The Moon was the first Waterbender,” Katara said. “She pushed and pulled the tides, and we learned from her. It only makes sense that Yue would be the best Waterbender in the village.” 

Sokka was dumbfounded. “But why keep it a secret?” 

Katara scowled. “Because the Northern Tribe’s Waterbending is corrupted.” 

“Not the whole tribe,” Yue said gently. “Katara said that when you both went to Pakku this morning, he said that water has a dual nature, and so do people? That’s not true. Water… water is everything, Sokka. It’s life and death and adventure and serenity and everything in between. It’s totally fluid. People are the same. The Moon says that if people like Pakku and Yagoda knew about my gifts, my bending would become locked, traditional, like everyone else’s is around here. So I keep it quiet.” 

“Come on, Sokka,” Katara said. “You have your days with Master Pakku. Let me have my nights with Yue. I took care of you for months. It’s only fair.” 

Sokka shook his head. “It seems wrong.” 

“Do you know what the Moon told me?” Yue said. Sokka gulped. “She said our destinies are intertwined. The night you were born, there was a blue moon. That’s how we knew the Avatar had returned. She kept the secret from those who wished to harm you, but she told us. And now, I’m telling you her secret. You can keep her secret from those who would harm us, right, Sokka?”  

Sokka didn’t know if he was being hypnotized or what, but he wanted to do everything Yue asked of him, and more. “Your secret’s safe with me,” he said. 

Yue beamed. “Thank you. You know, you’re more than welcome to train with us if you want. Water is meant to be shared equally with everyone.” 

Sokka thought about how he’d only been able to bend when he thought in terms of kindness, how Yue’s face was a beacon of peace while she was bending. 

“I should get back to bed. Big day with Master Pakku tomorrow.” 

Katara rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure.” 

Sokka stalked back off to bed, thinking only of Yue, bending in the silver light. Her light, he realized. Moonlight.

Chapter Text

Zuko was known to speak out of turn. The same fire that was absent in his blood spewed out of his mouth instead. At every moment, people in court whispered that Zuko hadn’t been granted firebending because he had no respect, no piety towards his elders, his country, his throne. A fit Firelord would know when to shut their mouth. 

But now, aboard Sozin’s Honor , he rarely spoke. He was surrounded by strangers, crew members he had picked for their skill and cunning but whose names he barely knew. They were responsible for his safe passage to Agna Q’ela. His life was in their hands. Once upon a time, that wouldn’t have mattered to him. Anybody responsible for the death of the Crown Prince would be executed, or imprisoned in the grimiest prison cell the Fire Nation had to offer. 

But now? Now, he wasn’t sure what would happen if the crew suddenly turned against him. And he wasn’t eager to find out. 

So he stayed holed up in his room. Practicing forms. Staring at the mask Lu Ten had given him, the lenses inside. He had hoped he wouldn’t need it, but his first few days aboard Sozin’s Honor had been characterized by constantly misjudging distances. His servants had learned to set his food in front of him instead of allowing him to take it from their hands. Twice, one of his dao had clanged against the wall while he was practicing without the mask. 

He knew he should wear it. It helped him significantly, and despite what he’d told Father, he knew he needed that help. While the Avatar was only an unskilled Southern peasant child, there was no telling who they were surrounded by, especially if they were already in Agna Q’ela. Avatar Aang had the mentorship of a monk named Gyatso, the most powerful Airbender ever to watch over the Earth, in addition to King Bumi, a Fire Nation traitor named Kuzon, and a Southern Water Tribe woman named Hama, whose mystical powers had driven the guards in her prison mad. It only made sense that this new Avatar would soon accumulate companions just as fearsome as these four, and when they did, Zuko had to be ready to defeat them all. He needed the mask. 

But he could only look at it with disgust. 

Zuko stared at the mask. This was your mother’s , Lu Ten had said. As if there was any honor in that. As if that was supposed to make it better. She was an actress, a professional liar,  and a coward. Her whole genealogy was made up of cowards. Father had only married her so she wouldn’t suffer so much at court, and he had paid for it—first, with a nonbender as his firstborn, and then with the way she had dealt with Firelord Iroh. 

When Zuko was young, his mother had encouraged his weakness. Told him he was right to speak his mind. Told him that kindness was the only way. Told him that Iroh, the shame of their nation, was a great man. 

An honorless dog. That’s all she was. Zuko would never—could never—be like her. 

And yet, he kept the mask. Used it, from time to time. If he were stronger—if he were like Azula—he would throw the mask into the fire, where it belonged. But he didn’t. Lu Ten was right. It would be best, he thought, to disguise himself. And Lu Ten was right about his sight, which didn’t seem to be coming back even as the wound began to heal into a (ugly, obscene) scar. 

Zuko reached out and held the mask gingerly in his hands. For a moment, he wished it would burn. He had done this so often as a child, prayed to Agni that one day his body would just light up in flame, more dazzling and magnificent than anything Azula or his father had ever produced themselves. And if it happened this time, it would take the mask away from him too.

But of course, his hands didn’t burn. The mask was intact. He slid it onto his face, and blinked once or twice to get used to the change in his vision. Then, he grabbed his dao, and began to practice. 

He supposed it was poetic, in a way, to use the tools of an honorless dog to capture the filth that was the newly incarnated Avatar. From the ashes of this squalor, he would rise to greatness. 

_________________________

The first crew member that Zuko ever spoke to was one of his servant girls. She was bringing in his tea while he was practicing his forms, and he’d nearly knocked her over. 

“My deepest apologies, your Highness,” she said, bowing deeply. “I’ll come back later.” 

“No need,” Zuko said, breathing heavily. “I don’t need any tea.” 

The girl narrowed her eyes at him. “Permission to speak above my station, your Highness?” 

He narrowed his eyes back. “Permission granted.” 

“You haven’t drank anything in over a day,” she said sharply. “And the whole crew knows that you haven’t been sleeping. If you’re going to practice your forms late into the night, at the very least you need to drink something. I can bring you water, I can bring you tea, but I will bring you something.” 

Zuko glared at her, but she did not back down. He ought to have her thrown in the brig for this indiscretion. Azula would. 

“What’s your name, girl?” he snarled. 

Her back was completely straight, and her brown eyes brimmed with fire. “Akemi, your Highness.” 

He set his swords down. “Bring me some water,” he said. “Please,” after a moment.

She nodded. “It will be done at once, your Highness.” 

“Thank you.” 

She bowed quickly, and left, returning only moments later with a cup of steaming hot water in her hand. Zuko was sweating from having practiced so long, but when Akemi sat the water down in front of him, he drank it greedily. Akemi remained. 

“Is the temperature to your liking, your Highness?” she asked. “I heated it up myself.” 

Zuko immediately understood her meaning. A common servant has more gift for fire than the Crown Prince. And to have already mastered heat without fire, when she couldn’t be any older than Azula—well, it felt exactly like being at home. 

“Too hot,” he said. “Control yourself next time.” 

“Of course, your Highness,” she said. “The next cup of water I bring you will be cold.” 

“I don’t need any more water,” Zuko grumbled, wiping the sweat off of his brow. 

Akemi glared at him, and he glared at her. He’d never known a servant to be so bold, and he wondered briefly if Lu Ten had somehow snuck a spy onto his vessel. But no, even Lu Ten wouldn’t want Zuko to be disrespected like this. 

“Fine,” he said. “Bring me cold water.” 

She bowed, smiling a little. “It will be done at once, your Highness.” 

He had more exchanges like that with Akemi over the next few days. She must have been just as much of a talker around her fellow crew members as she was around him, if not more, because word seemed to spread. Guards relaxed in his presence. The cook smiled at him. Once, Zuko could have sworn the captain was looking at him with an expression of pity. 

Zuko scowled. Azula may only have been eleven, but he knew her presence would strike fear into the hearts of everyone here. They would respect her. If she said she didn’t need any water, they would believe her. 

But no, every person aboard the ship looked at him with sympathy. Like his mother used to look at him. 

When he couldn’t take it anymore, he called a meeting. 

“I am the Crown Prince,” he said. “You will treat me with respect. That means no speaking unless you are spoken to, no unnecessary smiling, no looking at me unprompted. Do you understand?” 

The crew members averted their eyes. Captain Fukuhara swallowed thickly. “Permission to speak above my station, your Highness?” 

Zuko scowled. He should say no. His father would say no. His sister would say no. 

But he could picture Lu Ten now, looking at this woman kindly, smiling at her, thanking her for her service to his nation. To his little brother. 

“Permission granted, Captain.” 

She took a deep breath. “I can’t speak for the rest of the crew, but I personally respect you more than I can put into words, your Highness. I can’t thank you enough for speaking out against the horrible treatment of the new recruits fighting in the Earth Kingdom.” 

Zuko flinched. “You… you know about that?” 

“Everybody knows about it, your Highness,” Captain Fukuhara said. “We are so lucky to have such a courageous and kind Crown Prince.” 

Zuko scowled. “Do you know the second part of that story? Did that spread through your ranks as well?” 

Captain Fukuhara hesitated, looking down at her hands. Finally, she replied, “Yes, your Highness.” 

So they did pity him. Just as he had suspected. Perhaps he could do something to strike fear into their hearts. He couldn’t do anything to Captain Fukuhara, seeing how she was the only one who could get them to Agna Q’ela, but perhaps he could make an example of that girl Akemi. Surely she was the one instigating this improper behavior. 

He reached out to grab her, but his hand stopped short. Lu Ten would be so disappointed in him if he did what Azula would do. Spirits, he’d be disappointed in him for even thinking about it.  

Besides, he didn’t have Firebending. Akemi did. If he made an example of her, all he would do is demonstrate false superiority. His own weakness would be the center of attention. 

“You’re all dismissed,” he said finally. “Go back to your posts, and let’s not have this conversation again.” 

_______________________

Zuko had been aboard Sozin’s Honor for three months when they docked at Runako, the Fire Nation’s northernmost sea colony, seeking repairs to the ship. 

“Now remember,” he said to Captain Fukuhara, “my mission to capture the Avatar is top secret. We mustn’t discuss where we’re going while we’re here.” 

“Mustn’t discuss going where, your Highness?”

Zuko turned, and his blood boiled. “Captain. What a pleasure.” 

Zhao’s lip curled, and Zuko resisted the urge to scowl. He was a prince. He was above scowling at commoners, no matter how high up they were in army ranks. 

“It’s Commander, actually,” Zhao said. “I got promoted.” 

“Congratulations,” Zuko said, glaring at him. Even though Zhao was only a captain— commander , he corrected himself—he and Father had a special relationship. Zhao was a prodigy, like Father had been, and Zuko supposed that was the reason Father had seen something in him. He often got invitations to court, where he was permitted to approach the Firelord in ways that nobody but fellow world leaders were supposed to. And every time, Zhao found a way to undercut Zuko, say something about his lack of bending, or his hot temper, or his mother. “Well, we must be going.” 

“Oh, so soon? You know, Prince Zuko, you’re the talk of the court. I simply must hear about your adventures. Perhaps over a cup of tea?” 

Zuko’s blood boiled. How dare Zhao refer to Zuko by his first name like that? Regardless of the results of the Agni Kai, regardless of how Zhao viewed Zuko personally, it was a terribly disrespectful thing for him to refer directly to a royal by their first name. Even if Zuko was just some common peasant, like Captain Fukuhara, it would be grounds for an Agni Kai. But of course, that didn’t matter to Zhao.

“I’m sorry, Commander Zhao,” Zuko spat. “But we must be on our way.” 

Zhao smiled. “What about you, Captain? What would you say to a nice pot of tea? Perhaps you can convince your young charge to stay awhile.” 

Somehow, “young charge” was worse than the insult prior—Zuko wasn’t anybody’s charge, least of all Captain Fukuhara’s. Zuko looked over at her. Her eyes were wide, her face white. She seemed transfixed. 

“The prince and I would be honored to join you for tea,” she said. 

Zuko whipped around. “Excuse me?” 

“You heard the captain,” Zhao said, smirking. “Please, come join me. We have ginseng.” 

“Commander, I did not agree to this—” 

“May I speak to you for a moment, your Highness?” Ichika said quietly. 

Zuko glowered. “Fine.” 

She pulled him aside. “Permission to speak above my station, your Highness.” 

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Seems like all I’ve been doing is giving my crew permission to speak above their stations.” 

“It’s important, your Highness. Please.” 

Zuko squinted at her. In most instances, Captain Fukuhara was a formidable woman—a strong bender, a strong navigator, respected in the military. Tall and broad-shouldered and muscular. As commanding as anybody could be at sea. But now, all he saw was a quivering figure, weak as he was. 

He sighed. “Permission granted.” 

She pursed her lips. “You tried to save my son’s life. I beg of you, do the same for me.” 

Zuko frowned. “What are you talking about?” 

“My son was part of the regiment you spoke up for,” she said quickly. “He was—he was just as you’d think he would be. Loyal to the Fire Nation above all else. Above me, even.” She straightened. “As, of course, I am. It may have been the dirty Earthbenders who dealt the final blow, but it was the General who killed him, as far as I’m concerned. You were the only one who wanted him to live.” 

Zuko frowned. “What does that have to do with Zhao?” 

She clenched her jaw. “Zhao has done… unspeakable things to me. Things children shouldn’t hear about.” 

“I’m not a child,” Zuko growled. 

The captain stared him down. “The point is, Zhao could ruin my reputation. He could take away my honor. My career. My life.” 

Zuko frowned. “What does that have to do with me?” 

“You can stop him,” she said, as if it were obvious. “You’re the Crown Prince, after all. You need me to get to the North Pole, and I can’t do that if I’m stripped of my captaincy and left to die in the mountains of the colonies. Right?” 

Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “What is it that Zhao holds over you?” 

Captain Fukuhara bristled. “I told you, it’s none of your concern.” 

Zuko stepped closer to her. “Captain, I swear to you, there is nothing that you can shield me from that I haven’t already seen.” 

The captain shook her head. “Your Highness, with all due respect, there is much that you haven’t seen.” She began walking back toward Zhao. “And just so you know, I wish you had seen less.” 

___________________________

“So tell me, Prince Zuko, why are you so far north? You know the new Avatar is from the Southern Water Tribe, don’t you?” 

Zuko raised his eyebrows. “My team received word that they are traversing the northernmost edges of the Earth Kingdom, so that’s where we’re headed.” 

“Yes, that does seem to be the common suspicion,” Zhao said. “Though my team hasn’t actually received reports of the Avatar’s whereabouts. Would you mind sharing your sources?” 

I wouldn’t mind sharing my fist. “No need, Commander. My father has entrusted me with the task of finding and capturing the Avatar. I’m sure you have other duties to attend to.” 

Zhao chuckled. “You know, as a Fire Navy commander, I do have quite a few duties. But one of them is finding the Avatar.” 

Zuko’s blood ran cold. “What?” 

“Oh, surely you didn’t think the Firelord would only put his thirteen year-old son up to the task of finding the Avatar? You can’t even bend. How would you even defeat them?” 

Zuko rose, but Captain Fukuhara cleared her throat, and he sat down again. 

“I have a plan. My father trusts me to find the Avatar and defeat them.” 

Zhao rolled his eyes. “How very courageous, your Highness. Especially for a boy who couldn’t rise and fight when challenged to an Agni Kai.” 

Agni forgive him, if the captain hadn’t been sitting right there, Zuko would have throttled Zhao right where he stood. But she was, so he clenched his fingers around his chair. “So what is your plan, Zhao? For capturing the Avatar.” 

Zhao’s eyes glowed like a forest aflame, the deep, rich brown blazing with intent. “I don’t pretend to be the smartest person. The strongest, maybe, but not the smartest. I am, however, smart enough to find the person with the most information about the Avatar’s potential whereabouts, and when I do, I intend to make him talk.” 

Captain Fukuhara folded her hands in her lap. “Commander, surely you don’t mean the prince knows the Avatar’s whereabouts? How could he? He’s nothing more than a boy.”

Zuko turned sharply to glare at her. “What is the meaning of this, Captain?” 

“Stand down, my prince,” Zhao sighed. “She’s correct, of course. Wishful thinking on my part.” He turned to Captain Fukuhara. “You are a brave soul, to supervise a boy like this.” 

There was no expression on Captain Fukuhara’s face. “It is my honor to serve my country in any way my Firelord sees fit,” she said. 

Zhao nodded. “As it is mine,” he said. “Speaking of, how is your son doing on the frontlines?” 

She went ashen again. “He died in service to our nation just three months ago.” 

A barely concealed smirk rested on Zhao’s face. “What a shame,” he said. “No doubt Agni will reward him in the Spirit World for his bravery. And you, when your time comes, for forgoing your mourning period to serve the prince.” 

Captain Fukuhara nodded. 

“Tell me, Captain, why did you take on this journey, if the prince has no idea where he’s going?” 

Zuko cut in. “I specifically requested her,” he said. “This captain is the finest our nation has ever had.” 

Zhao’s expression turned cold at that. “I think you’ll find that many disagree with that statement, Prince Zuko,” he said. “After all, Captain Fukuhara has a dishonorable discharge in her record.” 

Zuko nodded. He’d known about that when he sought her out. But she was an incredible navigator nonetheless, and besides, he was in no position to judge the state of anyone else’s honor. 

Captain Fukuhara clenched her fists. “I reenlisted, Zhao,” she said. “Earned a captaincy on the state of my own merit. My honor is intact.”

“Oh, but of course, Ichika,” Zhao said, and Zuko’s blood boiled once more. “I just wonder if you ever told the prince what happened.” 

The captain didn’t even flinch at hearing her first name fall out of Zhao’s mouth as easily as spit might. She sat straighter. “If the prince ever wants to know, he is, of course, free to demand that information from me. So far, he hasn’t seen fit.” 

Zhao nodded. “And tell me, your Highness, why haven’t you seen it fit to demand to see Captain Fukuhara’s records? There could be anything there. Treason, embezzlement… impropriety.” 

Zuko looked over at Captain Fukuhara. Her posture remained rigid, evidence of her superior Academy training, but, briefly, he saw her eyes water. His vision went red. Before he knew it, he was on his feet, in Zhao’s face. 

“If you won’t listen to me, then I’ll repeat myself,” Zuko said. “The captain is the finest our nation has ever had, discharge or no. Her ship is run as well as the Fire Palace, if not more so. Our course to the Northern Water Tribe—” 

Zuko stopped short. Zhao grinned. 

“Your father had hoped that that scar of yours would keep you from running your mouth,” Zhao said, “but I suppose you haven’t learned your lesson.” He turned to his men, eyes glimmering with heat. “Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe!” 

“No!” Zuko yelled. “I am your prince, and I demand—” 

Zhao laughed. “My prince? Child, your word has no pull anymore. You’ve been banished. Your father called you a disgrace, the product of your mother’s bloodline and not his. The only demands I listen to are those from my superiors, and you are not one of them.” 

Zuko staggered back as if he had been pushed. “You’re lying,” he croaked. 

“No,” Captain Fukuhara said quietly, “It’s true. We received word a month ago.” 

A month ago. A—a month. So that’s why he’d been getting all those pitying looks from the staff back then. A month ago. A month. They’d kept this news from him, and now—now he didn’t know what to do. 

“You’re a disgrace to your father, and to the Fire Nation. You have the scar to prove it.”

And at that moment, Zuko got up in his face. “Maybe you’d like one to match!” 

“Is that a challenge?” Zhao asked, smiling. 

Is it? Should it be? He was hotheaded, he knew it, but perhaps this was too far, even for him. He tried to gauge the distance between his fist and Zhao’s face. “An Agni Kai. At sunset.” 

Zhao rolled his eyes. “No.” 

“No?” Zuko’s nostrils flared. “You can’t say no to an Agni Kai challenge.” 

Zhao thought about it a moment. “I think I just did,” he said. “Last I heard, nonbenders didn’t fight in Agni Kai.” 

At that, Captain Fukuhara drew her sword and pointed it at Zhao’s throat. “Captains do,” she said casually. “Even disgraced ones.” 

Captain Fukuhara was taller and more muscular than Zhao by far, but he didn’t seem afraid at all. “Are you sure this is a wise move?” he said in a low tone. “Your only protection is the banished prince. I could end you, Ichika. I could make you wish you had never been born.” 

“You already have.” She stuck her sword back in its sheath. “We’ll do it at sunset.” 

He smirked. “Sunset it is then.” 

Zuko’s eyes went back and forth between the two of them, absolutely furious. Azula would have probably already figured out what happened between them by now, would have already known how to use this tension to her advantage. But all Zuko could say was, “I’m her second.” 

Zhao preened. “Very well. As the prince wishes.” 

________________________

Captain Fukuhara put on the shoulder garment and sighed. “Lee would be disgusted with me.” 

Zuko frowned. “Who’s Lee?”

“My son,” she said, kneeling at his feet. 

The gong sounded, and Captain Fukuhara turned around to face Zhao, the shoulder garment sliding off of her. 

He started with the first attack, going for her face, but she ducked. In one fluid motion, she dropped to the floor and swept Zhao’s leg, fire curling away from her leg. He yelped, and punched more fireballs in her direction, all of which she avoided. 

She carried herself with the deftness of someone much smaller, perfectly dodging his attacks while going for his weak points. Zuko remembered watching Azula, careful and controlled in her firebending, and Captain Fukuhara was the same way. 

Zhao, on the other hand. Zhao was intent on destruction.

His fire raged all around them, with no thought as to how he would win, where the fire was going. There was no calculation to it at all. It was wild, free, eating up the world around them without a care as to consequences. 

Almost as if Zhao didn’t think there would be any. Or at least, any that mattered. 

Captain Fukuhara stood, panting. 

“Oh, Ichika,” Zhao chided. “I do hope Lee wasn’t so hopeless in battle.” 

Captain Fukuhara’s eyes blazed, as did her arms and the ground around her. She pushed towards Zhao, unyielding as stone now. 

Zuko was beginning to think that Zhao had miscalculated, until he remembered something that Master Piandao had said to him. 

You will always fight opponents who are stronger than you. But their strength can also be their weakness. 

Faster than Zuko could blink, Zhao knocked Captain Fukuhara off-kilter, using her solidity to jab towards her until she had no choice but to step back. In that step, Zhao burned her raised foot and sent her flying. 

She landed on the ground with a sharp thud. Zhao held his hand over her face, as if to burn it. Zuko looked away. 

But no fire came. 

“I know your type, Ichika,” Zhao said. “You make one mistake and spend years and years trying to convince yourself you’re worth something still. You bruise and batter your body, hoping that its lackluster state will make up for your past sins. But it never will. Burning you wouldn’t be punishment enough.” He drew away his hand. “Nakamura!” he yelled, turning to face his second. “Seize Prince Zuko’s ship! Captain Fukuhara will navigate us to the Northern Water Tribe, where we will find the Avatar.” 

“You have no right, Commander!” Zuko yelled.

Zhao’s lip curled. “Oh, and arrest Prince Zuko for speaking out against a Fire Nation commander.” 

Two men grabbed Zuko from behind. He struggled against them. “I am the Crown Prince, and I will not be treated this way!” 

Zhao grinned. “You have no authority in this town, Zuko. Runako is mine. And I intend to use it to get you out of the way. The glory of capturing the Avatar should belong to a commander, overflowing with honor, not a disgraced captain and a dishonored prince. Don’t you think so?” 

“Release him!” Captain Fukuhara yelled, already back on her feet, nursing a giant ball of flame. “Send him into town, send him back to his father, I don’t care, but Agni forgive me, I will kill you all if you send him to prison.” 

The men stopped and loosened their grip on Zuko, though they didn’t release him. Zhao stood still, seeming to calculate his options. 

“Fine,” he said. “Release him to the streets. He won’t survive long anyway.” He turned to Zuko. “You know, I’ll even give you time to pack your things. You have an hour. Be out of my sight by then or something far more terrible than a scar is in your future.” 

Zuko nodded and ran towards Sozin’s Honor . His face was completely dry. 

Akemi met him at the dock. “What happened? What’s wrong?” 

“Get out of my way!” Zuko shouted at her. She recoiled from him, and he used his

opportunity to rush towards his room to grab his few belongings: extra food, extra water, extra clothes, his dao, and—

The blue mask stared at him. 

This was your mother’s. And yet again, his mother’s inferior lineage failed him. Yet again, he was being made to suffer for what she did, for her choices. Your father called you a disgrace, a product of your mother’s bloodline and not his. 

“Your Highness.” 

Zuko turned to face Akemi and Captain Fukuhara. “What? What is it? I only have a limited time, please don’t—” 

“My daughter and I have a plan,” Captain Fukuhara said. “We’re going to stow you away.” 

Zuko frowned. “What? How?” 

“Simple, your Highness,” Akemi said. “We’ll keep you in the brig—I know, not quarters fit for anyone, especially a prince, but we have to make do. I’ll bring you food and water and keep your whereabouts safe from the Commander. Mama will keep him distracted, and when we reach Agna Q’ela you’ll escape under the cover of night and—oh, perfect! You have a disguise already.” 

She pointed to the blue mask. 

“That’s a horrible plan,” he muttered.

Captain Fukuhara rolled her eyes. “My apologies, your Highness. It’s the best we can do on short notice.” 

“Why are you helping me?” he said suddenly. “Your loyalty is to Zhao now, not to me. I have—”

I have nothing , Zuko realized, but he didn’t say it aloud. 

“I will never be loyal to Zhao,” Captain Fukuhara said. She swallowed, but stood firm. “He was—when I was a private and he was a lieutenant, he—he tried to begin an inappropriate relationship with me, I told him no, and he—well, he did what he wanted. The discharge came when they found out about Akemi and Lee.” 

Akemi turned away from her mother, but then, Captain Fukuhara rubbed her hand on Akemi’s shoulder. It wasn’t your fault , the gesture seemed to say . I’m not sorry for you. Zuko’s eyes burned. 

“I am devoted to the Fire Nation, above all else,” Captain Fukuhara said. “As was my son. As is my daughter. That does not mean devotion to Zhao. That means devotion to our nation’s values. To courage. And to the royal family, no matter their current state.” Her eyes blazed with determination. “Now, your Highness, get to the brig.” 

For once, Zuko did as he was told. 

_________________________

A month later, a helmswoman on night watch stared blearily into the night. Sozin’s Honor had reached its destination, the luminescent city of Agna Q’ela. In the morning, they would search for the Avatar. But now, everybody was asleep, except for her. She was close to it though, almost nodded off when she saw a flash of blue. She sat straight up, but by the time her eyes were adjusted, whatever she’d seen was gone. 

A blue spirit , she thought. They’d have to keep an eye out for that. 

Chapter Text

Sweat lined Sokka’s brow as he dueled with Hahn, the best student in the class. He didn’t understand why they were doing it. Every time Pakku set up a duel between Hahn and Sokka, Hahn knocked Sokka to the ground in thirty seconds flat. And every time, Pakku yelled at Sokka to get back up and go again. 

It wasn’t that Sokka hadn’t gotten better at Waterbending in the two months since he, Katara and Bato had reached the Northern Tribe. He just hadn’t gotten good enough . Every time he dueled anybody in the class (but especially Hahn) he got knocked on his butt. He’d tried everything—using the water as a weapon like Pakku wanted him to, talking to the water like Katara had told him to. It was useless. The water didn’t bend to his will and it didn’t cooperate with him. It just abandoned him the second he needed it. 

Sokka stood up again and took a deep breath. Hahn smirked. 

“Oh, shut up, Hahn, not all of us are naturally gifted,” Sokka groaned, shifting into a fighting stance. Hahn rolled his eyes. 

“You’re the Avatar, genius. You should be more naturally gifted than any of us. ” And then, with a flick of his wrist, Hahn sent a stream of water flying into Sokka’s face, knocking him down. 

“Again!” Pakku yelled, barely missing a beat. Under his breath, he muttered, “This is Kuruk’s heir?” 

Sokka’s shoulders tensed up. Pakku made no secret of how little he respected Kuruk. He called him a disgrace to the Northern Water Tribe every chance he got. But by the tone of his voice, Sokka could judge that whatever Pakku thought of Kuruk, his thoughts on Sokka were ten times worse. 

As they should be. People expected Sokka to be able to fight Fire Lord Ozai one day, and restore balance to the world. And he was supposed to do that by mastering the four elements, and yet he got stuck at element number one. The one he was supposed to be naturally gifted at. 

That night, Sokka pored through the Avatar records again. The Northern Water Tribe’s book collection was a little more substantial than the Southern Water Tribe’s collection (probably because Firebenders didn’t burn their city to the ground every so often), but still, there weren’t very many records of Avatars going past Szeto. Sokka scrunched his nose up at the thought of him. Szeto was a bending prodigy from birth, both gifted and hardworking, and he’d thrown it all away to be an administrator. The guy may have been Sokka’s past life, but they were nothing alike. 

The only Avatar in recent memory who’d had any trouble with bending their native element was Earth Avatar Kyoshi, but if anything, her problem was that she was too powerful. Sokka stared at her image in the records, clearly lovingly rendered by an admirer. She was wearing the makeup of the daofei, white face paint with red over the eyelids and mouth, as well as a big gold headpiece and flowing green robes. Her long black hair flew in the wind, and her expression was stern. Behind her, the artist had drawn scales and labeled them “justice.” 

Sokka sighed. If he could follow in any Avatar’s footsteps, it would be hers. Avatar Aang’s wisdom was unmatched throughout history, and Roku’s mercy and kindness were legendary, but still, it was Kyoshi for Sokka. So many scholars had written her as this bloodthirsty take-no-prisoners killer, but the way Sokka saw her, she was taking the steps no one else would take. She was the one to call when diplomacy failed, when wisdom failed, when mercy and kindness failed. She was justice. The world needed her right now, somebody strong and true and unwavering, somebody who could bend a crevice in the earth so deep a peninsula became an island. 

Not for the first time, Sokka wondered if he could contact her. He was supposed to be able to contact his past lives through deep study and meditation or whatever, but while Sokka could stay in the Northern book collection for hours barely moving, he couldn’t get his mind to stay still long enough to make any deep connection within himself, let alone a deep connection with a past life. 

He turned the page, and was startled to see something he recognized, though he couldn’t quite remember from where. A pond, where two fish circled one another. 

Tui and La, push and pull, the book said. Long ago, the Moon and Ocean Spirits gave up their lives in the Spirit World and their immortality to live among humans. The pond in which they live, Aniu, is considered sacred. 

Sokka’s eyes went wide. He knew where that pond was. 

_______________________

  The moon was nearly full, and it enveloped Yue and Katara in a hazy glow. Sokka moved quietly so as not to disturb them. 

He and Katara rarely saw each other anymore. From sunup to sundown (and even a few hours besides) Sokka was either practicing his bending or reading about past Avatars, searching for answers. And then, from sundown to sunup, Katara was out doing… Spirits knew what. 

Sokka gritted his teeth. No. He knew exactly what Katara was doing. Bato had told people not to draw attention to it, but everyone saw: the bruises on her arms, the way her muscles had grown lean and unyielding in the past few months. She was fighting, and everyone knew it. 

(Strangely, there was never a spot anywhere on Yue, at least as far as he could see. But maybe she was just that much better of a bender than Katara.) 

And then, to top it all off, a couple months prior, Katara had been away for days, only to come back one morning with tattoos, four black vertical lines on her chin, just like Yue had. Once Bato had gotten over the shock and anger around her disappearance, he had been thrilled for her. When he asked who she’d gotten to do them for her, Katara looked a little sheepish telling him that it was Yue. Of course, Bato didn’t know the details of what Katara did when she left at night, and Sokka was sure that if he did know, if he knew that Katara was fighting when she hung out with Yue, it would crush him. And the fact that she went out and got them without telling anybody she was going to, almost as if she wanted it to be a secret—well, Sokka didn’t like it. 

Deep down, he knew that if things were normal, Katara’s tattoos would have mainly been something she discussed with their mother, not with him or Bato. It was something they’d talked about all the time, when they thought Sokka, his dad, and Bato weren’t around—the different designs Katara wanted, who would do them for her, when she would get them done. He wanted to be happy for her that she was able to do it without their mother. But still, it stung that she did it without him too. 

He crept behind a bush and watched Katara and Yue. Katara’s face was set, determined. Yue looked absolutely at peace. 

“Come on, Katara,” she said softly. “Let’s see your form.”

With a look of concentrated effort, Katara shifted through a few stances, bending a stream of water with her. It wasn’t that different from the move she’d shown Sokka just a few months prior, but now, she and the water were completely in sync. 

Without missing a beat, she transformed the water into seven tiny ice daggers, all aimed straight for Yue’s heart. 

Yue smiled a little as she evaporated the ice daggers from where she stood. A fog enveloped her. Sokka could make out what was happening until a sheet of ice shot out from the cloud around Yue, knocking Katara over. 

The fog disappeared, and Yue stood atop a small iceberg. She shot out a tentacle of water and gripped Katara’s hand, pulling her toward the iceberg. Sokka’s heart leapt, but Katara quickly turned the tentacle to ice and snapped it in a moment. She raised her hands, and Yue’s iceberg melted. 

As Yue fell, an icicle sprouted from Katara’s hand and quivered right next to Yue’s neck. “I think I win,” Katara said.” 

Yue laughed. “I think you don’t.” 

Ice encrusted Katara’s feet, rooting her in place. Sokka stood up. 

“Okay, that’s enough!” he yelled. 

Yue jumped back, but Katara just rolled her eyes. “Were you really spying on us?” The ice around her feet melted in an instant, and Sokka glowered. 

“No!” he said, scrambling for the actual reason he’d come beyond Katara’s probably almost mastered Waterbending by now and I haven’t done anything, she could probably beat Hahn with her eyes closed— “I’m looking for Tui and La. To help me bolster my connection with the Spirit World. I want to communicate with the past Avatars but I’m not good enough at meditating yet.” 

Katara scoffed. “Yeah, I’m sure you were really hiding behind that bush to do important Avatar stuff.” 

Yue put a hand on Katara’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Katara. We’ll help him out and then we’ll go back to what we were doing.” She smiled at Sokka, and he felt his knees turn to jelly. “You wanted to meditate by Tui and La, didn’t you?” 

His brain felt like it had fallen out of his head. “Yeah,” he said, completely detached from any thought. Spirits, had her hair always shone in the moonlight like that? Was it a special Moon Spirit thing or was it just that she was a pretty girl? 

She led him to the pond. “That’s Tui,” she said, pointing to the white fish with the black spot. “The Moon Spirit. My mentor. And that’s La,” she said, pointing to the black fish with the white spot. She studied him for a moment. “You’re having trouble connecting to the Spirit World? That’s not good for an Avatar.” 

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the blush spreading across his cheeks. “Well, it’s not that I’m having trouble, per se, it’s just—” 

Katara groaned. “Oh, please, just admit it, you came here to spy on me, not for some meditation training.” 

That sent Sokka over the edge. “Look, I don’t know what your deal has been the last few months, but contrary to what you believe, not everything is about you! Bato’s been going crazy trying to figure out where you go every night—” 

Katara’s face blanched. “You didn’t tell him, did you?” 

Sokka made a fist at his side. “No, but I should! Katara, what you’re doing is against all of the laws the Northern Tribe has—” 

“The laws are stupid! ” Katara shouted. “What, a girl can’t learn to fight, even though a girl is bonded with the Moon Spirit? There’s no telling what Yue or I could do against the Fire Nation, but instead we have to practice in secret while you get training from a certified master! And then what? You’re going to save us? All your life, you’ve barely been able to bend, and now we’re supposed to count on you to learn all four elements and save the world?” 

“Katara, stop.” Yue’s face was stern. “I understand that you’re hurting, but your behavior towards your brother right now is disrespectful both to him and to the Avatar Spirit.” 

Sokka turned away from them and slumped down on the nearest rock. “No, she’s right,” he said quietly. “I’m not a bender, really. I mean, I am , I have to be, but I always cared more about being a warrior than a bender.” 

Yue sat next to him. “You don’t have to choose, you know. Some of the greatest warriors of the Water Tribes have been benders as well. Our last Avatar was a great hunter.” 

Sokka scowled. “I know.” 

Yue studied his face, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight. “Are you sure you’re not good at meditating?” 

Sokka’s leg twitched. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

Yue frowned. “Sokka, I can sense incredible spiritual power in you. Incredible bending ability too,” she said. 

“Great, so all of my troubles are in my head? Thanks, Yue.” Ugh, so now he was making sarcastic remarks at the pretty girl? That fight with Katara had really thrown him off. 

To his surprise, she giggled. “Well, I didn’t mean—” She laughed. “Well, maybe that’s exactly what I mean. You might be overthinking this, or you may need to look at the problem from a different angle.” 

She took his hands and stared deeply into his eyes. Sokka gulped. Yue’s eyes were so beautiful. Wide and black and glimmering, moonlight shining through them. She smiled. 

“You’re still,” she said. “Come on, close your eyes and breathe with me.” 

Sokka closed his eyes. He could feel the moon overhead, and for the first time, he could feel the water around him. Like Katara could. 

“A Waterbender’s powers get stronger with the full moon,” Yue said. “Your powers are stronger too.” 

Her hands left his, and Sokka tried not to cringe at the loss. They were so soft.

“Katara, come sit with your brother,” Yue said. 

“Do I have to hold his hands?” Katara groaned. Yue laughed, and then stopped. 

“Well, actually—” 

Sokka opened his eyes. “I’m not holding Katara’s hands, Yue.” 

“Oh, come on, I don’t mean like that,” Yue said. She bent some water out of the pond where Tui and La were circling one another. “This is spirit water. It’s been blessed by Tui and La. You can use any water to heal injuries, but spirit water will heal injuries quickest and most effectively.” 

“Which is why everyone comes to Agna Q’ela to get their injuries healed,” Katara said. “Spirit water can bring the dead back to life.” 

“Though we always hope we’re not in a situation where it has to be used for that,” Yue replied. She was still bending the water right above her hands. “Go on, take it from me, Sokka. Katara has bruises that need healing.” 

Sokka’s eyes went wide. “What? But I’m not a healer, I’m a fighter. Girls are healers. You should heal Katara, or—or Katara can heal herself.” 

Katara scowled. “Says the guy who couldn’t beat me in a fight if I had my eyes closed.” 

Sokka glared at her. “You heard what Pakku said. Healing is a great art and you’re ignoring it and breaking the rules and now you’re gone all the time—” 

“If healing is such a great art then why don’t you want to try it, Sokka? Oh right, it’s because you can barely bend and you definitely can’t take care of yourself, let alone anybody else.” 

“I’ve been taking care of you since Mom—” 

“Since Mom sacrificed herself for you?” Katara growled. “Right. And yet I’ve been the one washing and sewing up your clothes and cooking and cleaning for you—” 

“That’s what girls do!” Sokka yelled. 

“Really? Then why don’t I do Bato’s laundry? Why does he repair his own clothes? It’s just you, Sokka. The only people I’m taking care of are me and you.” 

Sokka dug his heels into the ground. “Really? You’re taking care of me? Is that what’s happening when you’re gone every single night? Bato has no idea where you are or what you’re doing, he’s worried about you—” 

Katara bent a huge stream of water towards his face. “I can take care of myself!” 

Sokka held his hands up, trying to bend it away, but he prepared for it to hit him. Hahn’s water always hit him. Why wouldn’t Katara’s? 

But strangely, it didn’t. 

Sokka was holding the water with his bending. It bubbled a little, but it stayed put, right where he wanted it. He smiled. 

Katara stood still, in shock. He could hurl it back to her. Do to her whatever she was planning to do to him. But he remembered her face after Mom had been taken. And finally, he understood. 

He let the water fall to their feet. 

“What are you doing?” Katara mumbled. 

Sokka streamed Yue’s spirit water away from her and held it over Katara’s arms. They were littered with bruises, cuts, scars. She’d been training hard, he realized. And she’d been running from her feelings. Just like he was. 

“I’m going to heal you,” he said, a strange calm washing over him. 

It wasn’t like fighting, the push and pull between him and the water, the way they were always out of sync with one another. This felt like deep breathing, calm and focused. Like he was doing what he was born to do. 

When he finished, there wasn’t a blemish on Katara’s arms at all. 

Katara stared at him, openmouthed. Her necklace, a gift from their mother, glinted in the moonlight. “How did you do that?” 

He smiled. “It was easy. I just thought about Mom.” 

Katara blinked at him, holding back tears. “I think about her sometimes when I’m fighting,” she said. “But—I’m angry with her. For leaving.” And, in a smaller voice, she said, “For picking you over me.” 

Sokka immediately pulled her into a hug. “She didn’t pick me over you,” he said firmly. “She would never do that. She picked the world. And that means she picked both of us. She did what she did to save both of us.” 

Katara gripped him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Sokka.” 

“No, I’m sorry. Dad told me I was responsible for you and I didn’t act like it.” 

“Dad told me I was responsible for you,” Katara said. “And I hated you for it.” 

Sokka pulled back and smiled at her. “You didn’t hate me.” 

She smiled back. “No. I didn’t.” 

He looked down at her chin. “Your tattoos look good, by the way.” He turned to Yue. “You did a good job.” 

Yue grinned. “Thanks.” She sat down beside them. “You know, in the beginning, all Katara wanted to do was fight. But then she got curious about healing, so I started trying to teach her, and she got stuck.” 

Sokka laughed. The great prodigy herself got stuck. 

“Water always starts somewhere,” Yue said. “But it’s fluid. Both of you are incredibly talented benders, and I have no doubt that in due time, both of you will be great healers and great warriors.” She turned to Sokka. “Your problem is that you were trying to be somebody you’re not.” 

Maybe it was her special moon powers, but it was eerie to Sokka how much Yue knew about him when she barely knew him at all. She could read him as well as anybody could back home, and they had known him practically his whole life. 

“Will you be my master, Yue?” Sokka asked. “Pakku’s great and all, but… you’re better. I think I’m destined to train with you.” 

Her eyes sparkled. “Are you sure you’re destined to learn from a girl?” 

Sokka smiled. “Yeah, I think I am.” 

Yue nodded. “In that case…” She bent a stream of water towards him. “Training starts now.”

______________________________

The next evening, right before Katara and Sokka were about to leave, there was a sharp rap at their door. Bato answered and saw Pakku, steam practically flying out of his ears. 

“Where’s Sokka?” the old man said sharply. 

Bato frowned. “He’s right over there, do you need—” 

Pakku pushed past Bato while he was speaking and marched straight over to him, grabbing him by the parka. “And just who do you think you are, Mr. Avatar? Skipping training? Do you not understand that the world needs you to learn Waterbending and yours is absolutely pathetic?” 

Katara got between Sokka and Pakku. “Don’t talk to him like that.” 

Pakku glowered at her. “Out of my way, little girl.” 

Sokka got between Katara and Pakku. “Don’t talk to her like that.” 

Pakku frowned at the both of them. “You know, Katara, I talked to Mistress Yagoda. She says she hasn’t seen you at her healing sessions since the very first lesson you attended, months ago.” 

Katara bristled. “I decided I didn’t want to learn,” she said. “I’ve been helping Bato out while Sokka trains.” 

“Mmm. Well, it’s a good thing for a girl to help out around the house, I suppose,” Pakku said. He looked at her closer. “Are you sure you’re getting enough sleep? You look tired.” 

“I get plenty of sleep,” Katara said evenly. “I’m not tired at all.” 

If Sokka hadn’t known for a fact she wasn’t lying, he never would have suspected. She’d always been good at lying when she really needed to be. But Pakku still seemed skeptical. 

“What about you, Sokka?” he said. “Is that what you were doing all day? Sleeping in?”

“Yes, Master Pakku,” he replied. It wasn’t a lie. Yue’s training was brutal, but he also wasn’t about to go fight with Hahn for eight useless hours when he could rest up to meet her again. 

“Did the fate of the world should you not master Waterbending ever cross your mind? Did it appear in your dreams, perhaps?” 

“Sokka,” Bato said. “I know you must be tired, but it’s important that you train.” 

“I am training,” Sokka said. “Just… you know. Maybe Master Pakku isn’t the right fit?” 

Pakku’s nostrils flared. “Not the right fit? I am the greatest living Waterbender, Sokka. Trust me, you will not find a better fit in any corner of any of the four nations.” 

Sokka weighed his options. As much as he wanted to tell Pakku that Yue was a better Waterbender than Pakku could ever dream of being, he knew that Yue kept her gifts secret for a reason. It wasn’t his story to tell, even if he wanted to shove it in Pakku’s face. 

So he stepped back. But Katara didn’t. 

“A great Waterbender wouldn’t turn away another great Waterbender just because she’s a girl,” she said. “Kuruk respected people of all genders. He listened to everyone’s wisdom. His Firebending master was a woman, and he never questioned her for a second.”

“Kuruk let the world crumble to pieces on his watch!” Pakku yelled. “I’m trying to make sure that the Avatar doesn’t soil the Water Tribes’ pride again , and you disrespect me like this?” 

“You disrespected me first,” Katara said, her voice cold and deadly. “You thought teaching me was beneath you because I’m a girl and because I’m not the Avatar. But trust me, you’re not the greatest living Waterbender. You never have been.” 

Katara pulled a stream of water from a pot at the door and used it to hit Pakku in the face. Pakku stood very still. 

“You’re not worth my time, little girl.” He glared at Sokka. “I expect to see you at training, bright and early, tomorrow morning.” 

He left, and Katara followed him. She made a big wave out of the snow, knocking Pakku off of his feet and sending him flying. 

“Am I worth your time now?” She threw up a column of ice and started throwing razor thin disks of ice at him. Pakku dodged them all, but for a moment, Sokka could see fear in his eyes, and he loved it. 

Pakku took a breath. “Fine. You asked for it.” 

He bent a large stream of water towards Katara, turning it into daggers in the air. Katara smirked, shifted her weight, and the daggers shattered. 

“You’re not getting me that easy,” she said, shifting her weight again and turning the snow under Pakku’s feet into ice. 

Pakku slipped and fell, and it took everything in Sokka not to cheer. But then, Pakku spun around, and a large ice sheet rammed straight into Katara. 

Sokka ran to her, but she put a hand up. She turned to the side and spit the blood out of her mouth, leaving a red spot in the snow. “This is my fight, Sokka, stay out of it.” 

“Your sister’s right, Sokka,” Pakku said lightly. “Besides, with the way you fight Hahn, I can’t imagine it would be much of a fight anyway.” 

Sokka grinned. “You know, you say you’re the greatest living Waterbender, but I think you’re just full of it.” 

Pakku cocked his head to the side. “Is that so?” 

“Yeah,” Sokka said. “And my sister’s about to prove it.” 

A large snowbank of Katara’s creation fell on Pakku’s face. She morphed it into ice, chaining him to the ground. She left his face open so he could breathe, but without being able to move, there was nothing he could do. But just in case, she piled ice daggers on top of him. 

Bato’s eyes went wide. “Katara?”

Katara turned to face him. “I go out at night to practice Waterbending in secret. The girl who’s teaching me Waterbending also did my tattoos. And now she’s teaching Sokka.” 

Sokka was expecting Bato to go ballistic, but he just smiled. “And this is Princess Yue we’re talking about?” 

Sokka’s jaw dropped. “You knew?” 

Bato laughed. “You kids are not half as subtle as you think you are. Come on, let’s get inside.” 

“What about me?” Pakku yelled. “You’re just going to leave me here?” 

Bato cupped a hand to his ear, and turned back to the door. “You know, it’s so funny, I thought I heard something about the greatest living Waterbender saying he needed help getting out of an ice trap.” 

For the first time in months, Sokka saw a real, genuine smile on Katara’s face.

________________________ 

When Sokka saw Pakku in town three weeks later, the Waterbending master narrowed his eyes at him before walking over. 

“Good afternoon, Sokka,” Pakku said. “You know, class has been so productive without you there. I let all my students go early now.” 

Sokka clenched his jaw. “That’s great, Pakku. Glad your teaching style works for some people.” 

Pakku smirked. “You know, I have half a mind to spread word about your little secret to the whole tribe. I’m on the council. Chief Arnook could know that his daughter is bending without his permission and teaching others in a heartbeat. You would have no one to teach you.” 

Sokka glowered. “What do you want, Pakku?” 

“Your sister has something of mine. I want it back.” 

Sokka rolled his eyes. “You only talked to my sister twice, how could she have something of yours?” 

“I lost it a long time ago,” Pakku said. “It was stolen from me a long time ago, actually. Her necklace.” 

Sokka laughed, but there was an edge to it. “Her necklace? What do you want with a twelve year-old’s necklace?” 

“It’s a betrothal necklace, not that you uncultured Southerners would know,” Pakku said. “I gave it to my betrothed years ago. When she left, she took it with her. And then, Katara, or perhaps your mother, stole it.” 

Sokka wanted to destroy Pakku where he stood, but he knew that would only be further leverage for him. And he could use that leverage to hurt Yue. 

“That’s my grandmother’s necklace,” Sokka said evenly. “She gave it to my mother, and my mother gave it to Katara. I don’t know where Gran-Gran got it, but it doesn’t matter. Katara’s not giving it back.” 

“That’s fine,” Pakku said. “I’ll schedule a meeting with Arnook today.” 

Sokka grabbed Pakku by the shirt. “Don’t you dare.” 

“Unhand me you little—Kanna.” Pakku’s eyes went wide. “Kanna, I—I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” 

Sokka frowned. “What are you talking about? And why are you saying my Gran-Gran’s—oh.” 

Oh. 

He let Pakku go. The old man staggered on the ground and brushed himself off. Sokka stared at him. This man could have been my grandfather. 

The first thing he was going to do when he got back to the Southern Water Tribe was hug Gran-Gran. She deserved it. Maybe he’d buy her something sparkly to boot. 

“She grew up here,” Pakku said. “Everything seemed fine to me. But then one day, she just… left.” 

Sokka crossed his arms. “Yeah, maybe there’s a reason for that.” 

Pakku’s gaze turned hard and flinty, cold as ice. “I know you must think I’m so terrible, for what I did to your sister. But all I was trying to do was follow our way of life. So go ahead, make me the bad guy, but once your precious master gets married and leaves you behind, just remember this moment. You had the chance to follow the right path.” 

Sokka’s mouth opened, and for a moment, nothing came out. Then, all too quickly: “What do you mean, get married?” 

Pakku rolled his eyes. “Ask Princess Yue. I think you’ll find that her necklace is very similar to your sister’s.”

_______________________ 

Yue’s eyes brightened when she saw Sokka. “You’re early,” she said breathlessly.

Sokka stared at her, at the moon tattoos on her wrists, the lines on her face. Of course. Yue was of a marriageable age. He just didn’t think—

“We need to talk,” Sokka said. 

Yue nodded, her smile still bright. “Yes, we do. I have something I need to tell you.” 

“Me too,” Sokka said. “You want to go first?” 

She shook her head. “No, you go.” 

Sokka took a deep breath. “That necklace you’re wearing… what does it mean?” 

And just like that, Yue’s face fell. “Who told you?” 

“Doesn’t matter,” Sokka said. “Yue, why didn’t you tell us you were engaged? And who’s the guy?” What does he have that I don’t? 

Yue stared at the floor. “It’s Hahn. And it’s an arranged marriage,” she said. “They did it when I was a baby. And I didn’t mind so much, before. It’s a part of our culture and I want to be a part of it. But, Sokka—teaching you and Katara has been so wonderful. I feel like I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. And if—when I get married, I’ll have to stop.” 

Sokka took her hands. “Hahn’s a great Waterbender,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll be able to recognize that you’re a great Waterbender too.” 

Yue laughed bitterly. “He’s just like Pakku,” she said. “Like all the men in my tribe. They don’t understand that this isn’t what the Moon wants for us. That we’ve strayed.” She stroked Sokka’s hands. “You understand, don’t you, Sokka?” 

She let go of his hand to stroke his cheek. She was so close to him. Her breath was so warm. 

“Yeah, I do,” Sokka said. And he leaned in at the same time she did.

Yue was clumsy, but so was Sokka, and her mouth was soft and earnest and it felt incredible. But there was a pit in his stomach. Yue was spoken for, and Sokka should be honoring that. He shouldn’t be doing this. 

He pulled away. Yue smiled at him. 

“You know, when you leave the Northern Water Tribe to find an Earthbending master, you should take me with you,” Yue said. “Think about it. We can see the world together.”

Sokka wanted to promise her that. He wanted to promise her the world and more. But this couldn’t be right. It couldn’t be right to convince Yue to break her promises like this. 

“Yue, I—” 

And that’s when he saw it. His eyes went wide. 

“Yue, we have to go!” 

He grabbed her hand and ran, ran like his life depended on it. Because it did. First, his mother had sacrificed herself so that he could be the Avatar. Then, Yue had broken a commitment for him. Now, he’d put her in danger. They were all in danger. 

All around them, the black snow fell.

Chapter Text

As soon as Zuko reached Agna Q’ela, he dove into an alley and stowed his mask away. He needed to blend in. 

Akemi had come up with his secret identity: a refugee. From Runako. The Northern Water Tribe wasn’t necessarily known for taking refugees, but it was the closest non-Fire Nation city, and Zuko assumed that even the notoriously protective Northerners would have to have sympathy for a child with half his face burned off. 

The story wasn’t even entirely false. Zuko was banished, and he was a fugitive from Zhao. He didn’t have anywhere else to go. 

Lu Ten would pity him. Coddle him. Tell him stories of his mother. But that wasn’t what Zuko needed. 

What Zuko needed was to capture the Avatar. Regain his honor. Get his throne back. 

A small part of Zuko worried that his hunch was off, that the Avatar was far away, training somewhere else. But even if they were, Zuko would do what he had to do in order to find them. He would do it. He had no other choice. 

The Avatar would be around his age, Father had said. A Southerner, the records said. There couldn’t be too many Southerners in the Northern Tribe. Grandfather had made sure of that. Spreading propaganda, spying, slowly turning the sister tribes against one another. Division made them weak, and weakness could be conquered. 

Zuko stumbled. It was taking some time for his eyes to adjust to his new surroundings. He looked up at the sky to see a nearly full moon looking down at him. In just a few days, the Waterbenders would be at full capacity. 

Zuko smiled. That was one advantage to not being a bender, he supposed. He was always at full capacity.

He knew Zhao’s plan was a direct attack. Attack Agna Q’ela head on. Bully them into handing over the Avatar, use whatever means necessary. He had a way of doing things that was over the top, not calculated or precise in the slightest.

Azula had hated him almost as much as Zuko did, but for different reasons. “Ugh,” she’d say when she saw him at court functions. “I don’t know why Father regards that man so highly. He’s absolutely incompetent.” 

And Zuko would snort. “You could do better than him.” She was still a kid, but it was true. It always was. 

Her eyes flashed, like a lightning strike. And then she smiled. “You’re right, ZuZu,” she said. “I could do better than him. And someday I will.” 

That’s when he and Azula had been at their best. When they had a common enemy.

What would Azula do if she were here?

Bend was Zuko’s first thought. But no, that wasn’t true. “Fire spreads,” she used to say. “You have to make sure that it only spreads to where you want it to go.” Zhao could burn Agna Q’ela to the ground, but if the Avatar got away, it wouldn’t matter. The Avatar was Zuko’s age, but Zuko had trained in sword fighting since he was six and had already been in an Agni Kai. Azula was younger than him and closer to mastering Firebending than many twice her age. She wouldn’t underestimate this Avatar. She would find them, figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and use them to her own advantage.

And in the meantime, she’d lay low. Stick to the script. Lie as much as she had to in order to get where she needed to go. 

Zuko pulled his hood over his eyes. 

He could do that. He could do better. 

For once, he could win. 

He walked up to a group of old men playing pai sho. Word in the Fire Nation court was that his uncle used to play. Apparently, it was all the old man was good for. 

“May I join you?” Zuko said.

One of the old men peered up at him. “I’m sorry, do I know you, boy?” 

Zuko scowled. “No, you don’t,” he said. “I’m seeking refuge. From the Fire Nation.” 

The man considered him for a few moments. Zuko could feel his gaze landing on his scar. “Pull up a seat,” the man said. “What’s your name?” 

“Lee,” Zuko said, too quickly. Shit, why hadn’t he thought of a name beforehand?

The old man raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a Fire Nation name.” 

Zuko cursed himself. He knew a million perfectly fine Earth Kingdom names. Akemi talking about her brother at all hours of day and night must have gotten into his head. “My mother defected,” he said. “That’s why I’m on the run.” 

Half-truths always make the best lies . That’s what Azula said. 

The old man narrowed his eyes. “And I suppose you think that makes you trustworthy?” 

Zuko narrowed his eyes right back. “You don’t have to trust me if you don’t want to.” 

“Pakku,” one of the other old men groaned. “He’s just a boy. Plus he’s—” the man looked at the scar briefly, gulped, and started over “—haven’t you had enough of upsetting kids this week?” 

Pakku glared at the pai sho board. “I suppose you have a point, Dakan,” he said bitterly. He moved a piece with a white flower on it. Dakan put his head into his hands. 

“How is it that you always use that move and somehow you beat me every time?” he said. 

Pakku smirked. “Sometimes, the old ways are just better.” He turned to Zuko. “Care to play?” 

Zuko nodded. Pakku set up the board again. 

“So,” Zuko said. His voice felt hollow in his throat. “You upset some kids?” 

Pakku barked out a laugh. “You have a way with words, don’t you, boy?” He moved one of the tiles. “I’m Agna Q’ela’s only Waterbending master. The children were insolent students of mine.” 

Dakan sighed. “Students. That’s one way to put it.” 

“Do you have many students, Master?” Zuko made sure to emphasize the “master” part. Adults liked it when Azula really emphasized their titles like that. 

Pakku narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know? Are you part Water Tribe? Are you a bender?”  

Zuko scowled. “No, I’m not a bender,” he said coldly. “Just making conversation.” 

Dakan looked at him with an expression of pity, which only made Zuko scowl harder. “You know, Pakku used to train the Avatar?” 

Pakku scowled at him. “That boy doesn’t deserve to be the Avatar. He and his sister are both a disgrace to Waterbending.” 

Dakan raised his eyebrows. “Is that why she was able to trap you under an incredible amount of snow?”

“The Avatar’s here?” Zuko asked. 

Dakan smiled. “What, you an Avatar fan?” 

“Perhaps he idolizes the child Avatar to make up for his own lack of bending ability,” Pakku said, moving another piece on his side of the pai sho board. “Certainly wouldn’t be the first.” 

Zuko was certain that he and the Avatar’s sister didn’t have very much in common, but at that moment, he very much wished he could bury Pakku under the snow. “The Avatar is important to the war effort,” he said, the disdain plain in his voice. “He’s just as important to me as anybody else.” 

Pakku raised an eyebrow. Lie . Azula would know it from a mile away. She would see the way his shoulders tensed up when he talked about him, and she would find a way to use it. 

But Pakku merely sighed. “Children,” he mumbled. “I’m telling you, the Avatar’s not worth much. If it were up to me, I’d wait around for his next life. But if you want to find him, tonight he’ll probably be training by Aniu, with his sister and our very own chief’s daughter.” 

“I can’t believe Arnook doesn’t know,” Dakan said. “His own daughter, all these years.” 

“Like I said, the boy’s a disgrace,” Pakku said. “Kuruk was many things, but he didn’t disrespect our customs. He knew not to do that.” 

Zuko frowned and moved his own pai sho piece. “Aniu?” 

Pakku pinched the bridge of his nose. “See, this is why we shouldn’t take in outsiders,” he said. “They don’t take the time to understand our culture. They dilute it into nothingness.” 

Dakan smiled. “Don’t listen to him, son. He’s just a crotchety old man.” 

Zuko glowered. “I’m not your son.” 

Dakan directed that same look towards him again. Pity. That’s all anybody had ever thought of Zuko. That was all anybody would think. Especially now. 

I wish I had your advantage , Azula used to say. Nobody expects anything from you. You can do anything to them . 

But you have that advantage too, Azula. 

Hm. True. But every time you have the chance to use your lack of ability to your advantage, you squander the opportunity. I would never do that. 

Zuko turned away from Dakan. “My mother died before she could teach me these things. I’m sorry.” 

Pakku frowned. “I thought she defected?” 

Dakan punched Pakku in the arm. “You’re terrible, you know that?” He turned back to Zuko. “Aniu is the name of the pond that Tui and La swim in. It’s in the center of Agna Q’ela. You can’t miss it.” 

“Thank you so very much, sir.” He got up from his place and rushed over to the center of town. 

“Aren’t you going to finish the game, boy?” Pakku yelled after him. 

“Let him go,” Dakan said. “You were going to beat him anyway.” 

And yes, Zuko probably would have lost to Pakku in pai sho. But the real game was only just beginning. 

_____________________________

There were a girl and a boy running from Aniu when Zuko got there. 

“Sokka, what are we going to do?” the girl yelled. 

“Fight them!” the boy—Sokka, Zuko presumed—yelled back.

That was all Zuko caught of their conversation before they whizzed past him, back into town where he had just been. 

When he reached Aniu, nobody was there. But there was ash on the ground. Zuko looked out and saw that the Fire Nation ships were in naval formation. 

He took a deep breath. He had less time than he’d thought. Soon, Zhao would attack, and in the chaos, the Avatar would have the opportunity to slip away. 

He peered at the boy and the girl as they ran, holding hands. They had just come from Aniu, where Pakku had said the Avatar would be. If Pakku hadn’t said that the Avatar was a boy, Zuko would have assumed that the girl was the Avatar. There was something otherworldly about her, something so potent that he could pick it up even in just that quick interaction. But Pakku had specifically said that the Avatar was a boy. 

Could it be that boy? He fit the description well enough. But surely there was more than one boy in the Northern Water Tribe that was about Zuko’s age. And this boy seemed like any other. Wouldn’t the Avatar be special? Wouldn’t someone be able to pick them out in a crowd, squint and know in an instant that’s the one favored most by Agni? 

And then, Zuko remembered. 

Sozin had said that he could never remember how Avatar Aang looked. 

Don’t you think , Azula would say, that if someone could blend in, they would?

Roku’s own wife said he had a forgettable face. 

The greatest strength is your opponent not knowing how strong you really are. 

When Kyoshi wasn’t wearing her daofei makeup, nobody had any idea who she was. 

The greatest strength is feigning weakness. Pretending not to be as extraordinary as you really are. Her lip curled. Not that you would know anything about being extraordinary, Zuko.  

He darted into an alley to put on his mask. Then, he climbed up a wall and ran on top of it, in search of a boy whose face he had already forgotten. 

But the girl. The girl was unforgettable. 

Zuko looked around wildly for her, and saw her, braids flying in the wind, her dress almost floating below her.  

And he took off running. 

Zuko couldn’t do half the things Azula could do. He couldn’t bend a flame or a person to his will. He couldn’t muster up a spark in his eyes. But what he could do—the only thing he could do better than her—was run. Run like his life depended on it, run so fast that in a blink of an eye, he’d be gone. He was quicker than her, always had been, and he used it now. 

He could outrun Azula. He could outrun his father. And now, he needed to outrun the Avatar. 

The girl and the Avatar stopped at the shore, looking at the ships. The Avatar looked at them with a hard expression. 

“I have to stop them,” he said.

The girl shook her head. “Sokka, you’ve barely scratched the surface of Waterbending, you can’t—” 

“I’m the Avatar!” he said. “I brought them here!” 

Zuko pulled out of the shadows. “Yes,” he said. “You did.” He drew his swords. 

He expected the girl to cower in fear, but instead, her eyes hardened. She stepped in front of the Avatar. “Who are you?” 

Zuko said nothing, just attacked. 

Surprise, surprise, the girl was a bender herself. She threw disks of ice his way, but he dodged, growing ever closer to her. A piece of ice sharp as shattered porcelain nearly found its way into his stomach, but he moved out of the way right as it was about to hit him. The girl was aiming to kill. He could respect that, but it didn’t suit his plans. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, putting his swords in front of his face to block another ice shard. “I just want him.” 

“You can’t have him,” she said, bending a stream of water towards his neck, but her footing was off. Zuko used it to his advantage, and knocked her to the ground. 

She cried out in pain, but she moved to get up, and in that moment, Zuko drew his swords up to the Avatar’s neck. 

“If you move a step closer I’ll kill him!” he yelled, hoping she didn’t hear the tremor in his voice. 

“Yue, they’re bluffing!” the Avatar said. “Why would they want to kill me, huh? I’ll just be reborn in the Earth Kingdom. They’d have to find me all over again!” 

Zuko drew his swords closer to the Avatar’s neck. “Is that a bet you want to take?”

The girl’s eyes were wide with fear, meaning that his ruse had worked. The Avatar struggled, but Zuko held him firm as he walked backwards, towards the ship that, hopefully, Captain Fukuhara had prepared. 

It was a dangerous gamble, he knew, taking the Avatar hostage while not knowing if he had anywhere to take him. But this whole situation was rife with risk. Zuko just had to take it in stride. 

He was so focused on his goal that he didn’t notice his hands were freezing until it was too late. 

The Avatar struggled out of Zuko’s grasp and assumed a fighting stance. “You can’t have thought I would go that easy, did you?” 

Zuko sighed. “Trust me, Avatar,” he said, swords at the ready. “Everything will be so much simpler if you come with me. I won’t have to hurt anybody.” 

At that, the Avatar struck, a stream of water hitting Zuko’s side. Zuko struck back, but the Avatar raised his hand, covered in ice, to block. “You already hurt Yue,” he said. “I just want to make sure you don’t hurt anyone else.” 

The Avatar shot a stream of water at Zuko, but he dodged easily. Quick. The Avatar started moving into another stance, crouching, but Zuko crouched faster and knocked him off balance. He didn’t fall, but he was shaky, and Zuko used his momentary hesitation to draw his swords towards the Avatar’s chest and get him back in a hold. 

“Trust me,” Zuko said. “If you come with me, I won’t hurt anybody.” 

He realized, with a start, that he meant it. 

But the Avatar still struggled against him. “You don’t really expect me to fall for that, do you?” 

Zuko hit him over the head, knocking him unconscious. “You should have.” 

Unfortunately, the Avatar was easier to drag struggling than he was as dead weight. The moon was low in the sky, and nearly full, and Zuko pleaded to Agni that Zhao would bow to common wisdom and not send his army into a city full of Waterbenders right before a full moon. But trusting Zhao to follow common wisdom was like trusting Azula—futile. He had to move quickly. 

Zuko remembered when Piandao had put him through weight training, how he had groaned and argued that he would never need to carry anything heavier than his two swords, that it was boring and useless. Piandao may not have foreseen this particular situation, but Zuko couldn’t thank him enough for insisting he go through it anyway.

He dragged the Avatar through the snow, forcing himself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. He didn’t run warm like Firebenders did, and he hadn’t prepared for the cold weather of the North Pole as much as he should have, but he kept pressing on, despite the way the cold bit into his skin. 

The Avatar was warm. At least he had that going for him. 

When it felt like he had been walking for hours, he saw Sozin’s Honor approaching him. He stiffened, ready to be found out, ready for Zhao to pick a fight. But then he saw who was at the helm. 

“Captain!” he yelled. 

Fukuhara beamed at him briefly, but then put a finger to her lips. She disappeared from the helm, and a few moments later, the gangway lowered, and she ran down it and grabbed the Avatar, lifting him easily. 

“Hurry, we don’t have much time!” she whispered. And then she took off running, over the gangway, inside the ship. Zuko followed. 

Captain Fukuhara led him to a room. She sat the Avatar down in a chair and tied him up. Zuko took off his mask. 

“No, don’t do that!” Fukuhara hissed. “What if he wakes up? What if he escapes? The Avatar always has friends in high places. You think they won’t go after you?” 

“I’m a prince —” 

“You’re a fugitive.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, your Highness. You are the rightful heir to the throne, and Zhao nor your father can change that. Forgive me.” 

Zuko glowered. “No, you’re right,” he said. “One of the Avatar’s friends is the daughter of the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. From what I heard in my brief time in the city, his sister is a powerful bender as well. I don’t think he’ll escape, but you’re right. We should be careful.” He put back on his mask. 

Captain Fukuhara nodded. “A wise decision, your Highness.” 

The mask sat heavy on his face, but it felt right. The Avatar shouldn’t know his real identity until he could claim it properly. Until his father claimed him. 

“Set a course for the Fire Nation,” Zuko said. “We’re going home.” 

Chapter Text

Sokka didn’t dream. Not usually. He’d barely slept since his mother had been taken, and when he did, it was fitful. He was thankful that the time he spent sleeping was short enough to avoid the nightmares. 

But not this time. 

He saw Agna Q’ela, but it was colorless. Everything except the moon, which had turned bright red, in fury, or anguish. He saw a fish being cut open and thrown away, wasted, left to rot. 

And then, he saw Yue. Beautiful. Dressed in white, glowing, soaring up into the sky. 

The dream changed, and he was on the back of a sky bison. Next to him was a kid, probably no more than twelve, with a big grin on his face. 

He turned to Sokka. “Isn’t it beautiful?” 

Sokka frowned. He was about to ask what the kid was talking about, but then, he saw it: a giant temple, with sky bison and Airbenders flying all around it, filled with light and warmth. He could hear so much laughter. 

“Yeah,” he said, taking it all in. “It’s amazing.” 

The kid’s grin, somehow, grew even brighter. “I’m glad you think so.” 

Another kid approached them on their own sky bison. “Hey, Aang!” the kid said. “Do you and that Water Tribe boy want to race?” 

Sokka’s eyes widened. Aang? Avatar Aang? 

“Yeah, let’s do it!” Aang said. They turned to Sokka, smile bright. “You ready?” 

Before Sokka could answer, Aang yelled “Yip, yip!” and his bison started flying at twice the speed, zipping through tunnels and crevices and soaring high above the temple. Sokka took great care not to look down. 

The other kid was fast, but Aang was faster. When they both landed, the other kid pouted at Aang. “It’s because you’re the Avatar, isn’t it?” 

Aang laughed and pointed to Sokka. “He’s the Avatar too, and I’d bet anything he can’t fly a sky bison.” 

Sokka huffed. “We don’t have sky bison anymore, of course I can’t fly one.” 

The other kid’s eyes started watering at that. “No sky bison?” 

Aang rushed over to them. “It’s okay, Temba,” they said. “There are still sky bison. They’re just hidden away. They’re safe!” 

Temba wiped their eyes. “Promise?” 

Aang nodded vigorously. “Promise.” 

All at once, Temba’s face brightened up. “I’m gonna tell Senge!” they said, running toward their sky bison. 

Sokka frowned. “How is Senge going to know what Temba’s saying?” he asked. 

Aang shrugged. “Appa always understands me. Don’t you, Appa?” he asked, petting his sky bison. Appa purred. “See?” 

Sokka spent a moment trying to make sense of what was happening, found that he couldn’t, and asked, “Wait a minute, what’s going on? ” 

Aang grinned at him. “You’re having a spirit vision, helpfully provided by your spirit guide, me!” 

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “But aren’t you… older?” 

Aang rolled their eyes. “In those stuffy paintings I am, yeah. But I figured this whole spirit thing might be a little less intimidating if I appeared to you the way I looked when I was first starting my Avatar journey. And then I could show you how the temples used to look, before—” 

Something passed over Aang’s face—anger, guilt, despair maybe—but it passed before Sokka had a chance to make sense of it. 

“Anyway, when Roku first appeared to me, it was so… proper . He was old and he had a long white beard and fire swirling all around him and he told me Sozin was coming for the temples, and it was all just… a lot, I guess. So I thought, well, if I have to be the bearer of bad news for you, I can at least give you a ride on Appa!” 

Aang was smiling so brightly, and Sokka was having a hard time reconciling Avatar Aang, the great Air Avatar, who defeated Firelord Azulon and died trying to save his people, said to be the wisest Avatar of all time, with the kid in front of him who said they were softening some bad news by giving Sokka a ride on their sky bison. 

“What do you mean, bad news?” 

Aang’s eyes softened, and he put a hand on Sokka’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I never wanted this for my successor. I wanted—for you to know peace.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Sokka muttered, frowning at his shoes. “It’s the Fire Nation.” 

Again, that look on Aang’s face. Sokka couldn’t quite make sense of it. “Yeah,” they said finally. “I guess it is.” He swallowed thickly. “Sokka, you know how the job of the Avatar is to bring balance to the world? Between the Four Nations, and between the Spirit World and the physical world?”

Sokka nodded. “Yeah, that’s what the texts say.” 

Aang laughed. “Oh, right, I forgot how much you read about it. Spirits, the only one I know who reads as much as you is Szeto. He’s real fun at parties.” 

Sokka frowned. “Look, I have to figure out how to be a good Avatar, and there’s no—I don’t know how.” 

Aang smiled. “That’s because there’s no one way,” they said. “There’s as many ways to be a good Avatar as there are Avatars.” 

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “You really believe that?” 

Aang thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I really do. Now, how history remembers you is a different question. But trying to bring peace and balance and light to the world—that’s good, Sokka. That’s as good as anybody can get.” 

Sokka bit the inside of his lip. “I think we’re talking about different things.” 

Aang nodded. “I think so too. The point is, you’ve got your own path ahead of you. You’re going to do things in a way the world hasn’t seen before, face challenges the rest of us haven’t had to deal with. Like the Moon Spirit.”

Sokka’s hand tightened into a fist. “What about the Moon Spirit?” 

Aang pursed his lips. “The Moon and Ocean Spirits, Tui and La, they gave up their immortality so that they could live together on Earth. Which means, they can be killed. Most wouldn’t dare, but—there’s a general, coming for Agna Q’ela, who might.” 

Yue. 

“So what do I have to do to stop him?” 

Aang shook his head. “That’s not my place, Sokka. But you have to. Without the Moon Spirit, the whole world will be thrown out of balance. There won’t be any hope left.” 

The temple, the sky bison, the setting sun began to dissipate. Soon, Aang was the only thing left, and they were disappearing quickly as well. They had that same bright, innocent smile on their face. So self-assured. 

“I know you can do it, Sokka,” he said, disappearing into the mist. “Be good.” 

_________________________

When Sokka woke, he was alone. 

His head was pounding. He tried to move his arms, and felt a shooting pain in his biceps. He looked down, and saw that he was tied up. Tight. 

Damn it.

The last thing he remembered was trying to keep that man—boy— thing —from hurting Yue. What had it said? “I won’t hurt anybody.” And here Sokka was, tied up, sweaty, and bruised, in a dark room, alone. 

There was a cup of tea on the table. Sokka scoffed. Here he was, tied up, unable to move, and they’d set a cup of tea on the table. How was he supposed to drink it?

Just as he was thinking that, a girl walked in. She couldn’t be any older than Katara, and he could see that she was carrying herself a little bit like Katara did—like she was grown up. But unlike Katara, where you could see what she was feeling from a mile away, whatever the girl was feeling, she kept it hidden beneath her wan smile. Her skin was a light tan, and her clothes were red and gold, with Fire Nation insignia embroidered onto them. 

“Good morning, Avatar,” she said. She looked over at the tea. “Did you not like it?” 

Sokka narrowed his eyes. “I couldn’t drink it.” 

The girl laughed, high and cold. “You’re a Waterbender, aren’t you? Bend it.” 

Sokka’s frown deepened. “Bit hard to bend when I’m tied up, you know.” 

The girl studied him for a moment, then took the tea in her hands. “I wonder if I would still be able to bend if I were tied up,” she said. “I think so. My mother taught me how to bend from my breath, like Firelord Iroh used to.” She covered her mouth, looked to the door, and whispered to Sokka, “Don’t tell anyone I mentioned Firelord Iroh. They would hate that.”

Sokka scowled. “Why? What’s in it for me?”

The girl thought for a moment, then brought the cup to Sokka’s mouth. “Drink,” she said. 

But Sokka didn’t. “I’m not thirsty.” 

The girl pouted. “Come on, you must be, you’ve been here for so long, and you’re sweating like a coal miner. I’ll help you drink, and you won’t tell anyone I talked to you about Firelord Iroh.” 

She brought the tea closer to his face, but Sokka turned to the side. “Why would anyone be mad at you for bringing up Firelord Iroh? Isn’t he dead?” 

“Probably,” the girl said. “But still, we’re not to bring him up in conversation. It’s high treason.” 

“High treason? To mention somebody’s name?” 

“The Fire Nation is quite different from your tribe, Avatar,” she spat. “Now drink.” 

Sokka wanted to say something about the way she said tribe, but he kept the ruse up, making a move as if he was going to take the tea. Then, he stopped. “You know, I prefer to drink tea with my own hands. Do you think you could loosen my ropes a little?” 

The girl scoffed. “Absolutely not.”

Sokka smiled. “What was that? Firelord Iroh is the greatest Firebender of all—” 

She slapped a hand over his mouth. “Sssshhhhhh!” She looked back towards the door again. “You have to promise you won’t try to escape.” 

Sokka smirked, and twisted his finger a little to the left. The ropes fell, and Sokka silently thanked his father for the long summers spent repairing the knots in fishing nets. “Sorry, kid, but I think I’ve got you beat.” 

The girl threw a fireball directly at Sokka’s head, and he dodged. Then, he looked over at the cup she was holding, and smiled. 

“You know, on second thought, I think I will take some tea.” 

As quick as he could manage, he grabbed the tea and bent it into a water whip, towards her feet. She dodged, but Sokka, using both the whip and his own hands, grabbed the rope that had held him and tied her hands up. 

She smirked. “Well, this will be a test of my skills, I suppose.” 

The fire came at his face, and he just barely dodged it. Then, he funneled the tea whip into her mouth and quickly tied a gag over it. She could still breathe, through her nose, but instead of a large blast of fire it was just tiny, frustrated gasps of flame, no bigger than a candle. Sokka smiled. “Hope you enjoyed your tea!” 

He sprinted towards the door, leaving the girl behind. Somebody would get her eventually. And it didn’t matter how young she was. She was Fire Nation. She’d grow up to be exactly like the rest of them. 

As he ran, he looked back at her. She was still struggling. 

He shoved down his guilt. Good.

_________________________

Sokka prepared to fight against guards, but the ship was, curiously enough, unmanned. As he ran up to the deck, he looked around, but there was nobody. 

You’d think the Fire Nation would be able to have a larger crew , he thought. But there was something off about this ship. He looked toward the rest of the fleet, in formation and ready to attack Agna Q’ela. Meanwhile, the ship he was on was far from the rest, and the only people on it seemed to be him and a little girl. 

He looked down. Just water below. Maybe he could—

A sword came up to his neck. “Not so fast.” 

Sokka gritted his teeth. This close, he could see that whoever this was, it wasn’t a spirit. Just somebody in a mask. Somebody with swords. 

“You can’t pitch yourself off the side of the ship,” the boy breathed. His breath smelled like rotting fish. “We need you alive.” 

“Fat chance.” Sokka elbowed him in the ribs and took his momentary surprise as an opportunity to jump off the ship. 

He wasn’t able to do that thing with the mist and air that he’d done a few months ago in the Avatar State, but he was able to call up a wave. Sokka ran on top of it, towards the Fire Nation fleet. If he’d been able to keep up a bigger wave, he would have drowned each and every ship, but for now, it was enough to just run. 

Keep moving. Keep moving. 

Sokka wished that he was like Aang, that he cared about the Moon Spirit, about balance. But every time he tried to focus on the task at hand, Yue filled his thoughts. 

My father took me here. 

Begged the moon spirit to give me another chance at life. 

The Moon was the first Waterbender. She pushed and pulled the tides, and we learned from her. It only makes sense that Yue would be the best Waterbender in the village.

Maybe nothing would happen to Yue. Maybe that transaction was already done. But Sokka didn’t want to take that chance. 

He knew the Fire Navy could see him just as well as he could see them. They got their cannons ready to point at him, but by the time they were ready to fire, he was already gone. Then they hurled their own bending at him, but he put up walls of water, watching them evaporate into steam. It was clear: none of the Fire Navy actually had a plan for what to do with him, while his plan was clear. Find Yue. Protect Yue. 

Someone shot an arrow at him, and the water caught it. He kept running. The water deposited him onto the shore, and he kept running, towards Aniu, towards the Moon Spirit. Hopefully, not towards Yue. 

When he got there, he saw a middle-aged Fire Nation man in military dress, holding Tui. 

“Stop!” Sokka yelled. “Stop! Stop!” 

The man smirked at him, his eyes glimmering with heat. And then, he looked past him, to someone behind him. “The Avatar, I presume?” 

Sokka looked behind him and saw Yue, panting. 

“Yue, get away from here!” 

“No, boy,” the man growled. “Let her watch. She’s the one with a deep spiritual connection. I’m sure she’s the one who will suffer the most when I kill the Moon Spirit.” 

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” Sokka got into a fighting stance. “Killing the Moon Spirit hurts everyone, not just the Water Tribe.” 

The man laughed. “That’s what they tell me. ‘Zhao, no one should dare kill a spirit.’ ‘Zhao, you wouldn’t dare attack a city full of Waterbenders during a full moon.’ I think you’ll find that your arguments are not persuasive.” 

And with that, he cut Tui in half.

Chapter Text

As soon as Tui died, Yue sank to the ground, hissing in pain. 

The moon turned from a pale white to blood red. The sky filled with red light, casting everything in a shadow. Zhao’s smirk turned lethal. 

And Sokka—Sokka was boiling. Sokka was running red hot, anger flaring in his chest like a candle turned to wildfire, Sokka was—

Sokka was Firebending. 

It was that same sensation, the feeling of leading and being led at the same time. It was Sokka’s body that was moving, but his mind was somewhere else, present but not all the way there. There was a gust of wind and a familiar face flashing in his vision. Aang . The gust of wind— Airbending, Sokka was Airbending —threw Zhao against a block of ice, and he crumpled. 

“You—it was you?” Zhao groaned. 

Sokka clenched his jaw. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” 

He half hoped that Zhao would say something about his plan being foiled now that the real Avatar was here, but Zhao just laughed. “No matter, little Avatar. You’re too late.” 

Sokka Waterbended, and ice cuffs bound Zhao where he was. Then, he turned back to Yue, the power leaving him almost as quickly as it had come. He wanted to crumple too, but right now, Yue needed him, and so he willed himself to stay upright. 

She was crying over Tui’s body. “Sokka, oh Spirits, Sokka— ” 

“Are you okay?” he asked.  

She trembled. “Your eyes… they were glowing.” 

“They do that sometimes. Are you okay?” 

Yue shook her head. “Sokka, we have to do something. The world depends on the Moon. If Tui… if Tui is… there must be some way to bring her back.” 

Sokka stared at her. “Come here.” He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. He knew that this was indulgent, that Fire Nation soldiers could come in at any moment looking for their leader, looking for the Avatar. But Yue needed this, and he was going to give it to her. 

“I’m—I was closer to Tui than I was to anyone here,” Yue said quietly. “Without her, I would have been completely alone.” 

Sokka stroked her hair. “I know.” 

“How could he do this?” she whispered. “How could anyone do this?” 

“They’re monsters, Yue. They won’t stop until they take everything from us.” 

She pulled away from him, cradling herself. When she looked back at him, her eyes suddenly fierce. “They can’t take the moon. They can’t.” 

Sokka took her hand. “You’re right. We’ll find a way to fix it, I know—” 

“No. I’ll fix it.” 

She stood and marched towards the pond. La was still swimming. Yue set Tui in the water and closed her eyes. 

“Yue, what are you doing?” 

“The only thing that can be done,” Yue said, her voice eerily calm. “I was given time. It’s only fair that I give it back.” 

Sokka’s eyes grew wide. “No, no, Yue, there has to be another way—” 

But clearly, she had made up her mind. Her face was stone cold. “Tell your sister that I’ll miss her, and that I love her.” 

“Yue—” 

“She knows everything I know about Waterbending, Sokka. She can train you.” 

He stepped closer to her. “Yue—” 

She walked up to him slowly and kissed him, lingering like she would never have another chance to do so. “I love you, Sokka.” 

“No!” 

And even though just minutes before he had been exhausted, ready to fall apart at the seams, he felt invigorated again. There was nothing, nothing in this world that was going to keep him from doing this. 

“Yue, stop! There’s another way.” He stepped towards the pool and breathed in deeply, a thousand other Avatars breathing with him, and looked up toward the moon. And then he cradled Tui’s body in his left hand, and started to bend with his right. 

“Sokka, that’s not—” 

He kept going. Beads of sweat ran down his face, and for a moment, he felt like he was drowning. The strain of what he was asking his body to do was threatening to kill him. But he kept going, and going, and the cut turned into a scar and then to nothing at all. He set Tui back in the water, watching the light turn from red to silver. Moonlight. 

Yue’s eyes widened in shock. “Sokka,” she said, touching his face. “Your hair.” She gulped. “There’s a white streak there now.” 

“There is?” But just as he went to look at his own reflection in the pond, he saw her hair changing. What was once silvery turned black as night right before his eyes, shining like the depths of the sea at midnight. 

“Yue.” Just then, Sokka’s newfound vigor left him, and he collapsed onto the ground. 

“Sokka!”

But Sokka was already deep in slumber, nothing but the feeling of Yue’s hands on his cheek. 

_____________________________

When Sokka awoke, he was in Yugoda’s home, covered in sweat. Yue was by his side. 

“How—how long was I out?” Sokka whispered. 

Yue turned to him, her eyes softening. “Just a little while.” She frowned. “But Katara said the last time you did something like that, you were out for days. ” 

“Maybe I’m getting stronger.” 

Yue stared at him, her face contorted in a way he couldn’t read. “Maybe it was Tui. You’re bonded with her now.” She pursed her lips. 

Sokka frowned. “I mean, I’m not—” 

“Your hair,” she said. “Your hair has a white streak and mine is black. And my Waterbending doesn’t feel…” She trailed off and looked at him. “Thank you, Sokka. For saving her. For saving me. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” 

A sound bubbled out of his throat, half laugh, half sob. “Just the Avatar, doing my Avatar thing, right?” 

Yue laughed, but it didn’t sound like the other times Sokka had made her laugh. The real times. It sounded like she was being polite. “I will be.” She paused for a moment, and looked at him. “You know, Sokka, you’re a really powerful Waterbender. Even the Avatar shouldn’t have been able to bring Tui back from the dead.” 

Sokka hissed in pain. “If I was such a powerful Waterbender, I’d be able to get up right now.” 

“Be serious.” 

“I am being serious.” He groaned again. “Yue, you know I’m not as good a Waterbender as you or Katara.” 

“Your skillset is different, maybe. But you shouldn’t have been able to save me like that. And yet somehow, you did.” 

Just then, Yugoda came over to his bedside. “Here, drink this, it will help.” 

Sokka gingerly took the cup in his hand and drank. It was cool and bitter, and he felt some of his joints soften when it reached the back of his throat. “Thank you.” 

“Tell him, Yugoda,” Yue said. “It’s a tremendously powerful feat of Waterbending.” 

“That he saved you? Of course it is.” Yugoda turned to Sokka. “You know I’ve told Pakku, once or twice, that I had problems with how we taught Waterbending. What would have happened if the next Water Tribe Avatar was a girl? Would she have been expected not to learn how to fight? And what would happen to our world, if she didn’t have the strength to take down the Fire Nation? What would happen to us?” She looked at him, her gaze stern. “It turns out the opposite was true: the male Water Tribe Avatar was expected not to learn to heal. And you have a great gift for healing, Sokka. And you’ve already used it to save us once. Imagine what would have happened if you didn’t have Yue to teach you.” 

Sokka stared at both of them. Maybe it was true. Maybe it was like Yue said: water is fluid, and people are too. But then he thought of his mother. Healing the Fire Nation wasn’t going to save her. He could heal the whole world, and nothing would ever bring her back. 

Besides, when he looked at Yue, he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him. Something was wrong. He hadn’t fixed everything. 

“You said something about your Waterbending earlier, Yue. What was it?” 

Yue shook her head. “It’s not important.” 

Yugoda rubbed her back. “I’m sure it’s only temporary, child. Even the greatest benders can lose themselves momentarily.” 

Sokka tried to sit up, winced, and lay back down again. “Yue, it’s okay. You can tell me.” 

But Yue shook her head. “It’s fine, it’s not important. I just—I feel a little disconnected, that’s all.” 

Yugoda raised her eyebrows. “That’s not what you told me.” 

“Well, it’s what I meant!” Yue said sharply. “How am I supposed to feel? Tui taught me. Tui has been mentoring me my whole life. Tui has been the only friend I had my whole life. Giving myself up for her was destiny.” 

Yugoda shook her head. “It’s never destiny for a young woman to suffer for the world.” 

Yue glowered. “I wouldn’t have suffered!” 

“You’ve been given another chance, and you’re wasting it,” Yugoda said, tsking at her.  “This young man, the Avatar if you remember, gave you everything he had, and you’re not grate—” 

“I am grateful!” Yue yelled. “I am, I am, but—I feel like a part of me is missing. Like I’m never going to find my way again.” 

Sokka stared at her. “You don’t think—you didn’t lose your bending, did you?”

Yue’s eyes shimmered with tears. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. But it’s different than before. Like I said, disconnected. Like I don’t have a root anymore. A reason.” 

Sokka bit the inside of his lip and reached out for her hand. “Do you think I could heal that?” 

Yue shook her head. “It’s deeper than the body.” She smiled at him. “Thank you, though.” 

“It’s the least I could do.” He touched her arm. “I’m so sorry, Yue.” 

She smiled at him. “It’s not your fault, Sokka. You did everything you could. If anything,  it’s Zhao. Zhao’s the one who did this, and if you hadn’t stopped him, he would have done worse. He would have erased Waterbending from the world.” 

“We can’t have that, or else I’d be out of a job,” Yugoda said, her voice dry as sandpaper. “Kid, how are you feeling?” 

Sokka got up, stretching a little. “Good. Whatever you gave me, it’s working. I feel,” he 

said, cracking his back. “Better than ever.”

“Oh, excellent.” She yanked him out of bed. “I’m happy to hear that. We need all the help we can get getting the Fire Nation out.” 

Sokka stared at her. “They’re—they’re still here? But I thought—” 

“You thought wrong, kid,” Yugoda said tersely, drinking her tea. “Can you fight?”

At that moment, Sokka didn’t feel like standing, much less fighting. But a man went where he was needed. “Yeah, I can fight.” 

He stepped outside, and his first thought was smoke . It filled his senses, his nose, his lungs. It burned his eyes. He took shallower breaths and hoped he’d be able to get the air he needed. 

He looked towards Yue and Yugoda. “Come on, I think it’s time we make a little rain.”

Chapter Text

Yue ran outside with Yugoda and Sokka. Ash was falling in waves, filling her lungs, and even though she tried to ignore it, it lodged itself in her. She coughed, and kept coughing, and couldn’t stop. 

Sokka looked over towards her, his eyes brimming with concern. “Are you okay?” 

Yue smiled weakly. “Fine.” 

It was a lie, but apparently one he was willing to accept. Yue knew that when Sokka tried, he had a gift for reading people, for finding their secrets and weaknesses in a moment. But clearly, right now, he had other things on his mind. And how could he not? Her people were being attacked, a Fire Nation general had tried to kill the moon spirit, and in the process of bringing it back, Sokka had—

No. 

No. 

She wasn’t going to think about that. Sokka had saved her. She was alive, and as long as she was still alive, she could fight. 

Yugoda turned to them. “I’m going to find the injured. See if there’s anything I can do for them.” 

Yue nodded. “Good luck.” 

Yugoda smiled softly at her. “You too, kid.” 

She patted Yue’s shoulder and disappeared into the smoke. 

Yue’s eyes stung, but she pushed through it. The haze coming from the smoke and dust clouded her vision. She coughed some more, and rasped, “Sokka?” 

There was no answer. She tried again. “Sokka?” 

Again, nothing. 

Yue spun around, coughing, looking for him, but all she saw was an array of carnage. The Fire Nation soldiers tearing down their buildings with their fire, unmitigated glee all over their faces. She could barely see the stars, the moon, the ocean. Ash was everywhere, smoke was filling her lungs, the snow was black, the sky was black. 

And then her eyes caught on someone. Dark black hair, sideburns that stretched into jowls, a Fire Nation uniform. His hair was a little more out of place than it had been earlier, and his eyes were roaming the landscape wildly. Searching for something. 

A way out, she realized. 

Yue sprinted towards him. There wasn’t a thought in her mind, just the pounding of her heart in her ears, the feeling of a dry, ash-filled emptiness in her soul. Sokka hadn’t taken that from her. Zhao did. 

He was on the ice bridge. Yue stared him down, feeling nothing but emptiness. A slight breeze cut through the ash and grime, but once it left, she remembered. She was nothing anymore. 

“Zhao!” she yelled out into the darkness. He turned to her, and his eyes filled with fear. She raised her arms and kicked up, pushing towards him with every fiber of her being, willing the water to overtake his body. 

Nothing happened. 

“Oh, tut, tut, little girl,” Zhao said, grinning from ear to ear. “You know, I hear the Northern Tribe is so barbaric that they don’t allow their girls to learn bending. Is that what happened to you, sweet?” 

Yue grit her teeth. “I am a Waterbending master,” she said slowly. “I am the greatest Waterbender of my generation.” 

“Are you?” Zhao asked, his eyes lighting up. He seemed to be having too much fun toying with her to do anything. “You couldn’t save the Moon Spirit. You had a chance to defeat me then, and another chance to defeat me now. Under a full moon, no less. And yet, both times, I beat you. It seems that you couldn’t do anything at all without the Avatar’s help.” He lit a fire in the palm of his hand and hurled it towards her. She jumped out of the way. “Where is he?” He threw another, and she dodged. “Where is the Avatar, little girl?” 

“Zhao, stop!” somebody yelled from the other side of the bridge. Zhao’s grin got even wider as he turned to face her. 

“Ah, Ichika, so nice of you to join us,” Zhao said. 

Yue looked up. The woman was tall and squarely built, with broad shoulders and a clenched jaw. Her hair was shoulder-length, messy and wild except for the topknot, which didn’t have a single hair out of place. She had on a Fire Nation uniform, similar to Zhao’s— it must be the uniform of a high-ranking officer , Yue thought—and she was snarling fiercer than a polar bear dog when you took away its dinner. 

“You will refer to me as Captain Fukuhara,” the woman said, her voice low and deadly. “And you will leave that girl alone.” 

Zhao’s eyes widened. “Ichika, surely you know this girl is the daughter of Chief Arnook. She’s a prisoner. I will take her back to the Firelord, and he will keep her as…” He paused, his lip curling in a way that made Yue’s stomach turn. “As a pet.” 

Captain Fukuhara ran to Yue’s side of the bridge and stepped in front of Yue. “Stay away from her.”

Zhao shook his head. “No, I don’t think I will.” 

He punched through the air, a blast of fire shooting out from his fingertips. Fukuhara dodged, flipping through the air like she weighed nothing and shooting a flame at Zhao’s neck. He dodged, but only barely. She kicked out at him again, using her elbow to send a sheen of flame flying towards his face. He ducked and shot some fire at her feet. 

Fukuhara turned to Yue and grabbed her arm. “Run!” 

Yue followed her for a short while, until Fukuhara pulled her into an alley. Sweat gleamed all over her face, and she panted. 

Yue scowled. “Why did you help me?” 

Fukuhara smiled up at her. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” 

“How can he be your enemy when you’re on the same side? You’re destroying my home too.” 

The captain’s face turned deadly serious. “I’m defending my country,” she said. 

“Oh, defending it ? From what? Not once in our history has the Northern Water Tribe attacked the Fire Nation, and yet you come to our home and destroy—” 

“All we want is for you to have the same rights and privileges that we do!” Fukuhara wasn’t quite yelling, but her whisper was loud. “In the Fire Nation, every woman with even a shred of Firebending ability is taught to the fullest of her potential.” 

“So she can grow up to colonize other nations who are doing just fine without her presence, just like the men do? I’ll pass.” 

“It’s a mutually beneficial partnership,” Fukuhara said. “We will bring peace to the world.” 

Yue crossed her arms. “Your peace took the moon from me. I want no part of it.” 

Fukuhara looked at Yue like she had just slapped her in the face, and coughed. “Look, do you want me to help you or not? Zhao’s after you, and I promise you, he will not stop until he gets a piece of you. When he said you would be the Firelord’s pet, he meant that.” 

“I don’t need your help.” 

“Your bending is suffering. I can tell.” 

“My bending is none of your business!”  

“What I’m saying is. If you let me help you, we can punish him. For what he did to the moon. For what he did to me.” 

Yue quirked an eyebrow. “What did he do to you?” 

Fukuhara smiled. “None of your business. So, do we have a deal?” 

Yue’s eyes stung. She couldn’t stop looking at the gold trim on Fukuhara’s uniform. Years ago, a traveler from the Earth Kingdom told horror stories of the Fire Nation colonies, how they all but enslaved the villages they conquered, forcing them to labor for long hours making things by hand for Fire Nation citizens to buy cheaply. Books, shoes, light fixtures. Uniforms. 

“If I let you help me,” Yue said, her voice clear and firm for the first time since her connection to the moon had been severed, “you will leave my tribe. You will never come here again. We don’t want your freedom. We’re fine on our own. Do I make myself clear?” 

Fukuhara swallowed. “Yes.” 

The enemy of my enemy is my friend . “Good. Then let’s go find Zhao.” 

“Oh, you won’t have to look very far,” Zhao said, his voice dripping with malice. 

Yue whipped around to face him, getting in stance. 

“Are you going to try to bend again? Not a wise move, considering your… condition.” His eyes glittered. “This should be fun to watch.” 

“I’m glad you think so.” Yue got up close and personal, landing an elbow in his stomach. Her hand to hand had never been as good as her Waterbending, but it would do in a pinch. 

A spiral of fire hit Zhao’s back just as he was recuperating from the hit in the stomach. He winced in pain. Fukuhara smiled at Yue. “Not bad.” 

They continued fighting him together. Yue dodged his blasts of fire, focusing on attacking his base, knocking him off guard. Meanwhile, Fukuhara kept bending towards him. It seemed as though they were going to get the upper hand, until Zhao landed a hit on Yue’s hands. Her wrists lit up, and she screamed, tears running down her face as she crumpled to the floor. Zhao smirked. 

“Normally I wouldn’t send damaged goods to the Firelord, but there’s something so beautiful about you this way,” he sneered at her. “I think he will be quite pleased.” 

Yue held her wrists close to her face, writhing in agony, wishing, hoping against hope, for Tui. But Tui didn’t come. 

But there was something deeper inside her, something alive and glowing. She saw it, unfurling inside of her, just out of reach. She grasped for it, and—

The fight between Fukuhara and Zhao was still raging, beams of light and heat flashing out of their hands. Yue stood, her face eerily calm, her eyes dry. A peace fell over her, relief washing over her smooth, newly-healed wrists. 

She raised her hand, and an ice dagger shot out, stabbing Zhao square in the back, going clean through him, and stopping just at Fukuhara’s chest. But only just. 

Zhao dropped to the floor, a scream dying with him. His eyes were glazed over and lifeless, rolled into the back of his head. 

Fukuhara looked over at her. “How did you do that?” 

Yue shook her head. “I don’t know.” She tried to bend again, but nothing came of it. “I think it was one last gift from the moon,” she said slowly. “We were connected from the moment I was born, and I thought we would be connected for eternity.” She looked up at the sky. “But I guess not.” 

Fukuhara’s shoulders softened. “That’s why you’ve been having trouble with your bending, isn’t it?” 

Yue nodded. 

“Firebenders have something similar. We draw our power from the sun. It’s why we’re a lot more powerful during the day. But even at night, when I can’t see the sun, I know she’s there.” 

“Yeah,” Yue said, her shoulders slumping. “I guess I have to learn how to do this all over again.” 

Fukuhara smiled. “I have nothing but faith in you.” 

“Thanks,” Yue said. She looked at Zhao, or rather, at the blood dripping from his body, coloring the snow red. “So. I told you my secret. What’s yours?” 

“It’s a grim story.” 

 “Grimmer than what I just did?” Yue asked, choking out a laugh.  

Fukuhara’s eyes misted. “He was a captain when I was a private, and he—he wanted—”  A tear fell from her face into the snow, and she didn’t bother wiping it away. “He’s the father of my children,” she said finally. “And I didn’t want him to be.” 

Yue opened her mouth, but no sound would come out. She stared at Zhao’s body on the ground. 

“Does this feel good to you?” 

“You’re the one that did it,” Fukuhara said, her voice cracking at the last syllable. “Did it feel good? To hurt him the way that he hurt you?” 

“Nothing will ever be enough to hurt him the way he hurt me,” Yue whispered. “The way he hurt my people. If it hadn’t been for—” 

And then Yue remembered that her enemy was dead, and his enemy was alive. Wearing the gold trim sewn by the people she claimed she was liberating. 

“Our business is done,” Yue said. “I won’t—I won’t kill you now. But if I ever see you again—” 

“I know,” Fukuhara said. “We’re on opposite sides of this war. You’ve made that perfectly clear.” She held out her hand. “In hopes that we never see each other again.” 

Yue looked at her, and then shook her hand. “In hopes that we never see each other again.” 

_____________________

It was time to find Sokka. 

Yue had no clue where he could be. He had to be fighting, but what if somebody had gotten to him? Spirits, what if somebody had killed him? What if, once she’d turned her back, the boy who’d saved her people and the world in one fell swoop had been taken away? 

The smoke still filled her lungs, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. She’d stopped running a long time ago, gingerly stepping through the wreckage of her city, hoping that around every corner she’d find him, beating up a Fire Nation soldier or healing one of their own. But he was nowhere in sight. No matter how hard she looked, she just couldn’t seem to reach him. 

That was, until she saw it. 

A scream died in her mouth at the sight. It was a giant dark blue spirit, lit up from the inside, curling around Fire Nation soldiers and tossing them into the sea with not a concern in sight. Her fear softened when she saw the careful way it sidestepped Northern Water Tribe structures as it swatted Fire Nation ships to the side, sending half the navy flying into the shadowy depths of an ocean that wanted them to pay for what they’d done. 

And then she saw Sokka at its core, his eyes glowing again, his arms moving as the creature moved. She smiled. He’d done it. 

Katara stood beside her, watching as the Fire Nation fled. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?” 

All Yue could do was nod. 

The last of the Fire Nation ships disappeared over the horizon, and the people of the Northern Water Tribe gathered at Aniu to celebrate their victory. Her father stood in front of them, beaming, with Sokka beside him. 

“This has been a great victory for the Northern Water Tribe, with the help of the Avatar from our sister tribe, Sokka, and his companions, Katara and Bato!” 

The crowd applauded for Sokka, but Yue looked for Bato in the crowd. He could barely stand, it looked like, and though he was smiling, she could tell he was in a lot of pain. Clearly, she wasn’t the only one to lose something in this great Northern Water Tribe victory. 

Katara was fine, thank Spirits, as was Sokka, but Yue couldn’t help feeling that something was wrong. Off-kilter. Maybe it was just her lost connection, her new reality forging a life not as a vessel of Tui, but just as herself. And yet, there was something else. There had to be. Something was coming. 

Her father smiled. “However, sometimes with great victory comes great loss.” 

Yue’s stomach sank. He couldn’t know, could he? Had Sokka told him? Sokka wouldn’t tell him. He wouldn’t betray her like that. 

Would he? 

Yue pursed her lips into a thin line. She hated this feeling, that Sokka had somehow been wrong for saving her life, that Sokka’s heroic and noble actions were somehow bad just because she had been disconnected from Tui. What did it matter if she had a connection with Tui? Tui was alive . The world still had Waterbending. The Northern Water Tribe had beaten the Fire Nation, the Avatar had proven himself worthy and was well on his way to defeating the Firelord. This was good. This was a happy ending. 

Her father continued. “In our case, that loss is many things. It is the injuries that Bato of the Southern Water Tribe sustained, injuries that our best healer Mistress Yugoda hopes to heal fully in the coming months. It is also the loss of Sokka and Katara, whom we in Agna Q’ela have grown to love.” 

The first thing that Yue registered was Pakku’s deep frown, and she smirked. He wasn’t the Waterbending master he thought he was, and he never would be. 

The second thing she registered was that Sokka and Katara were leaving. Already. 

And she would be here. 

“Now, because of Bato’s injuries, we are asking for a brave warrior to do their due diligence and accompany Sokka and Katara to the Earth Kingdom, so that Sokka may find King Bumi, Avatar Aang’s Earthbending master and the greatest Earthbender living, to teach him. Is there anybody willing to accompany Sokka and Katara on this journey? It will be dangerous, but the reward of going down in history is no match for—” 

“I’ll do it.”

She said it before she even realized her mouth was moving. Like she was compelled. 

It was her destiny, she realized. She may have lost her connection with Tui, but her connection to Sokka and Katara was only just beginning. She had to see it through. 

Her father faltered. “Yue, I… well, it would probably be best for a Waterbender to—” 

“I am a Waterbender,” Yue said, her voice clear and booming. “In fact, I am the greatest Waterbender in the world, apart from the Avatar. And I taught him everything he knows.” 

Sokka cracked a smile. “She’s right, you know.” 

Pakku’s frown deepened. “Arnook, surely you can’t allow your own daughter to traipse around the world without supervision.” 

Yue’s father nodded. “No, I cannot. Yue, please. You are too young. You know nothing of what the world is really like.” 

“I killed General Zhao.” 

The crowd went dead silent. Her father’s eyes widened in shock. Pakku’s jaw dropped. 

“He threatened not only our home, not only our people, but our entire way of life,” she continued. “He attempted to kill Tui the Moon Spirit, and the Avatar, in perhaps the greatest feat of Waterbending ever performed, brought her back from the dead.” 

Sokka looked down at the floor, embarrassed, and Yue smiled despite herself. “However, Zhao escaped. I found him, and with my own Waterbending stabbed him through the chest.” 

She didn’t mention Fukuhara. She wasn’t sure if she ever would. The more exciting, more inspiring tale was her defeating a powerful Fire Nation general all by herself, savior of her people. There was no room for “enemy of my enemy” in that. 

“I may be young, but until yesterday I was bonded with one of the oldest beings in the universe. I am not innocent of the world. And I will do whatever it takes to protect the Avatar, and to save the world.” 

Her father stared at her. “Yue, my daughter, you have been through so much, and in time, we will help you process the horrible atrocities you’ve witnessed, but your place—” 

“Is with the Avatar,” she said firmly. “In saving Tui’s life, he saved mine as well. I owe him a debt.” 

Arnook blinked, and for a moment, no one said anything. Then Sokka spoke. 

“I don’t know about this whole ‘owing me a debt’ thing,” he said. “After all, saving people’s kind of my job. But, if Yue wants to come with us, there’s no one I trust more than her to protect us.” 

He grinned at her, and she mouthed a silent thank you. 

Chief Arnook sighed. “Well, I suppose, if this is your wish, Avatar Sokka, I have no choice but to grant it.” 

Sokka patted him on the back. “You always had a choice, Chief,” he said. “I’m just glad you picked the right one today.” 

Katara beamed at Yue and ran to give her a hug. Yue noticed that her necklace was missing, and made a mental note to ask Katara about it later. “I’m so happy you’re coming with us,” Katara mumbled into Yue’s shoulder, and she felt her heart fill with light. 

“Of course,” she said. “I’d never let you leave without me.” 

Sokka grinned at her and pulled her into a hug. “You were absolutely amazing,” he said. “And I can’t believe you killed Zhao.” 

“I can’t believe it either,” she muttered darkly. “I never thought I’d be a killer.” 

Sokka shook his head. “Me neither,” he said. “But this is war. It was either us or them. You did the right thing.” 

Yue pictured Zhao, bleeding out on the ground as Fukuhara told her what had happened to them. She saw herself again, shaking Fukuhara’s hand, promising to never see her again. Something twisted in her chest. 

“Yes,” she said. “I suppose I did.”

Chapter Text

This time, being smart meant waiting. 

They were all three Waterbenders, and, at least Zuko suspected, all three killers. There was no way that Zuko could get his honor back if he were dead. 

So he tried a different tactic. What would Azula do? Wait for exactly the right moment to strike. Be cautious until it was the right time to be bold. Calculate every move. Think things through. And that’s what Zuko did. He shaved his topknot (what use was there for it, anyway? He should have shaven it a long time ago) and blended in as much as he could, doing odd jobs for food and shelter, keeping a low profile. It wasn’t hard. He was a scarred Earth Kingdom refugee, and beyond that, no one really asked questions. 

As soon as Zhao’s army had gotten word of his death, another man, Lieutenant Takahashi, had assumed command. The first thing he’d done was promote Fukuhara to lieutenant and ask that she join him in retreating back to the Fire Nation. Fukuhara told Takahashi that she needed a night to think it over, and she, Akemi, and Zuko talked it through, under the cover of night. 

“We don’t have very many choices,” Fukuhara said gravely. “Maybe—maybe I can get Takahashi on our side.” 

Akemi scowled. “Politics? That’s how we’re doing this? Who’s to say Takahashi’s any better than Zhao?” 

“Takahashi is loyal to my father,” Zuko said. “He will follow his word.”

“Takahashi is an honorable man, your Highness—” 

“But I’m not honorable!” Zuko yelled, slumping in his seat. “Father will never accept me back. Not unless I capture the Avatar.” 

He saw Akemi reach out, maybe to hug him, but he glared at her, and she slinked away. There was fear in her eyes, and he immediately felt his stomach sink. Azula had sometimes looked that way, when she messed up on a kata and Father scowled at her. That is not our way, Azula. 

That was back when she used to mess things up. She never did anymore. 

Fukuhara pursed her lips. “I’m going with Takahashi back to Caldera City, and Akemi is coming with me,” she said finally. 

“Fine. Leave me then.” 

“We’re not leaving you, your Highness,” Akemi said. 

“This is the best way,” Fukuhara said. “If I can get Takahashi’s support, I can come to the Firelord with a request for you to come back. I’ll tell him how brave you were, how you supported Akemi and I. And Takahashi will vouch for you.” 

“But the Avatar—” 

“Looking for the Avatar is a fool’s errand,” Fukuhara said tersely. “I saw what that Water Tribe girl did to Zhao. Clean through the chest like he was nothing. You’re just a boy.” 

“They’re just children too,” Zuko grumbled. 

Fukuhara’s nostrils flared. “No, Akemi is just a child,” she said quietly. “Those three are killing machines. The way they bend? It’s horrifying. What would the Fire Nation do if its Crown Prince was killed by three Water Tribe brats?” 

“Azula’s set to be Firelord now anyway,” Zuko muttered. 

“The princess is not meant to be Firelord,” Fukuhara said. “It would disrupt the line of succession.” 

“The line of succession has already been disrupted,” Zuko growled. “Or have you forgotten how my father rose to power?” 

Fukuhara’s eyes went wide. “I—my prince, I apologize, I misspoke, I’m so—” 

“No matter.” He looked between Fukuhara and Akemi, his eyes stinging. “Go with Takahashi. Talk to my father or don’t. I don’t really care.” 

And with that, he set off on his own. 

He paid careful attention to what Fukuhara had said, about the Avatar and his companions. They would destroy him in a second if they got the opportunity. He knew it. So he disguised himself. The mask would do in some scenarios, but he needed another disguise, to blend in. 

He thought of how he’d called himself Lee, back in the Northern Water Tribe. He wasn’t sure what Fukuhara would think, but it didn’t matter. Lee was dead. And judging from what Fukuhara had said, he would be happy to know that even in death, he could serve the Fire Nation. 

That night, he stood over a river, a knife up to his topknot. But he couldn’t bring himself to cut it. 

That is my compromise, Zuko. Take it or leave it. 

Where was Lu Ten now? Fukuhara had talked to a few people in Zhao’s army, and none of them had heard from him. Zuko kept telling himself that it was the fact that they were so far away, that the Earth Kingdom’s mailing systems were inconsistent region to region and Lu Ten hated hawks with a passion. Lu Ten had no idea where Zuko was. 

But he should have written to Zuko by now. 

His eyes filled with tears, and in a flash, he cut the topknot, letting the hair flow down the river. 

Lu Ten was the son of a coward. Of course he was a coward himself. Zuko had no honor. He’d never had any honor. The only thing he had left now was the mask, his sword, and a path towards his future. There was no turning back now. Fukuhara and Akemi wouldn’t save him. But if he lay low, if he plotted and planned, if he kept his anger and impulses in check. He could do this.

One thing was certain: he had underestimated the Avatar once. He would not do so again.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, in Caldera City, Azula was celebrating her thirteenth birthday, alone. Mai and her family were at Ember Island, waiting for word on what colony they would be governing once her father received her promotion. And Ty Lee had run off to join the circus, bringing shame to her family and everyone who had ever associated with her. 

Azula wasn’t sorry about them missing her birthday. She wasn’t. 

A servant had brought her some green tea mochi, which she was happily chewing on. It was so rare that Father allowed her sweets. Only on her birthday. He said that too much sugar disrupted one’s Firebending, and one must never do anything that might disrupt one’s Firebending. In your body, you hold all the Firebending talent of all the Firelords that have come before you. Do not waste it. 

Azula licked the melted ice cream off her fingers and grinned. 

Someone knocked on the door. 

“Yes?” 

A servant entered and bowed. “Your father requests your presence, your Highness.” 

Azula considered the servant. “Take me to him.” 

As they walked down the many winding passageways that separated her bedroom from the throne room, she watched as the servant grew paler, his brow sweating, every step of his growing shakier. And she smiled. Watching how people feared her father—watching how they grew to fear her more every day, just like they feared him—was a favorite pastime of hers. She smirked as he showed her to the throne room and ran as quick as his feet could carry him. 

The room was ablaze with light, and she knelt before the throne. “Hello, Father.” 

He looked towards her. “I trust you haven’t been eating too much mochi?” 

She shook her head. “No, Father.” 

“Good. I have a task for you. It seems your cousin has brought shame to our family and deserted the army. Do you know what the punishment is for deserters?” 

She smiled. “Death, of course.” 

He nodded. “Precisely. Your task is to find Lu Ten. He’s hiding somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, but my men report that he’s gone feral in his absence. You know what association with Earth citizens does to good, upstanding people. Imagine what it could do to him. You’re the only person I can trust with this mission.” 

“I will make you proud, Father.” 

“I’m certain you will. Oh, and another thing. It seems your brother has failed in finding the Avatar and bringing him to justice. I want you to take care of it.” 

Azula blanched for a second, but she quickly recomposed her expression. “The Avatar, Father?” 

Father raised an eyebrow. “Yes, the Avatar, master of the four elements, do you need a history lesson?” 

“No, no, it’s just—” What? Too much? Nothing was ever too much for Azula. “Your wish is my command, Father.” 

He smiled. “Good. And Azula?” 

“Yes, Father?” 

“See that you move quickly.” 

“Yes, Father.” 

She left the throne room, trying to beat back the sinking feeling in her chest. Of course he hadn’t said happy birthday. He was the Firelord. He had much more to worry about than birthdays. It was silly of her to think that he might remember. 

Mai and Ty Lee’s absence had to be rectified immediately, of course. They were the only two she could trust with a mission of this importance. She would send a letter to Mai, but Ty Lee—Ty Lee had to be approached in person. It was the only way.

She set a course for the town where Ty Lee had written that the circus was stopping next. This would be fun.

Chapter Text

Sokka grumbled as another tree branch hit him in the face. All three of them were carrying giant packs of food and supplies on their backs, but somehow it was only Sokka who was getting stuck with the tree branches. He’d say it was because he was taller than Katara and Yue, but unfortunately, he very much was not. 

“I hate walking,” Katara grumbled. “This makes me miss the boat.” 

He snorted. “You don’t miss the boat.” 

“On the boat there was water everywhere,” Katara said, her eyes shining. “I could practice any time I wanted.” 

“I was bored out of my mind,” Sokka said. “At least in the forest the air doesn’t smell like salt.” 

“No, it just smells like tiger pigeon droppings,” Yue murmured under her breath. “Can we please take a break? I’m exhausted.” 

Before Sokka or Katara could say anything, Yue moved to a rock and sat down, fanning herself. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve never walked so far before—” 

“You’re okay, Yue,” Sokka said, smiling at her. She winked in response. Katara groaned. 

“At this rate we’re never going to reach Omashu,” she said. “And then you’ll never learn Earthbending and the world will be taken over by Fire Nation soldiers and—” 

“Calm down, Katara,” Sokka said. “Take a deep breath, okay? Bumi’s not going anywhere. The guy’s been in Omashu for at least a hundred years now.” 

“Maybe he’s not going anywhere,” Katara muttered darkly. “Maybe the Fire Nation’s going to come to him.” 

Sokka laughed. “Even if they did, they wouldn’t be able to take the city. Omashu’s the Earth Kingdom stronghold. Anybody who wanted to conquer it would have to get through the thickest walls in the Earth Kingdom, plus the guy who trained Avatar Aang in Earthbending and his whole army of the most elite Earthbenders in the world.” 

“What if he just dies?” Yue asked. “Do you have any backups?” 

Sokka shook his head. “I want Bumi.” 

It wasn’t just about the Earthbending for Sokka, although he was excited about that, and he knew that Bumi really was the greatest Earthbender in the world. But more than that, Bumi had known Aang. More than that, he’d been Aang’s best friend. He’d fought in this war before, and his city had only grown stronger under his reign. There were plenty of other people who could teach him how to Earthbend, but only one person who could teach him how to win this war. 

“Plus, Kyoshi lived for two hundred and thirty years,” Sokka said brightly. “It’s like I said. Bumi’s not going anywhere.” 

“Sokka, I really don’t think you’re thinking this through,” Katara said. “Maybe you’re not meant to have Bumi as your teacher. It’s best if you have a backup plan.”
And Sokka knew she was right, he knew she was, but he wanted this plan. “You don’t need a backup plan until your first plan falls through. Bumi’s our best bet, I promise.” 

Katara shook her head. “You don’t even want to talk about other options?” 

“What other options? Do you have any spare Earthbenders just lying around?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Of course I don’t, but Sokka. Think about it. You thought that Pakku was meant to teach you Waterbending, and you stuck with that for months until finally realizing that it was Yue who was meant to teach you all along. What if it’s someone else who’s meant to teach you Earthbending? What if there’s something you’re not seeing?” 

“I’m seeing everything just fine, Katara.” Sokka scowled. “It’s Bumi. It has to be.” 

“Nothing has to be, Sokka,” Yue said gently, squeezing his hand. “I thought I had to give myself up to save the moon. You showed me that I didn’t. Destiny isn’t always the straight line you think it is, Sokka.” 

He took a deep breath. “Why are you both pushing me on this?” 

“It just doesn’t seem like a safe bet to put all of our hopes into this one guy when anything could happen,” Katara pointed out.

“Agreed.” Yue got up and brushed herself off. “We should start thinking of alternatives.” 

“We don’t have alternatives, remember? We’re Water Tribe. We don’t know any Earthbenders.” 

“We don’t know any Firebenders either,” Katara said. 

“Or Airbenders,” Yue added. “Do you have a plan for finding a teacher for every one of the elements?” 

The truth? Sokka hadn’t gotten that far. It wasn’t that long ago that he hadn’t thought he would ever master Waterbending, let alone the other three elements. As far as anyone knew, Bumi was the only one of Aang’s original teachers who was still alive, so getting Kuzon or Monk Gyatso to teach Sokka Fire and Airbending was out of the question. And Spirits, where was he going to find a Firebender who would actually teach the Avatar? Was he going to have to trick somebody? And then there was the small matter of finding the last of the Air Nomads, who had been lost for at least a generation, and getting one of them to teach him Airbending. A simple feat for anybody to accomplish, especially for Sokka, who had a masked freak waiting to capture him the moment he let his guard down, not to mention the entire Fire Nation military. Plus his girlfriend had killed a Fire Nation admiral. That couldn’t be good for their traveling prospects. 

Earth was the easy one. Earth he could do. If they just stuck to the plan, everything would be fine. It was a good solid plan. It had worked for Aang, and it would work for Sokka. 

“Maybe the right Earthbender will come along when we’re not looking for them,” Katara said, looking around her as if some rogue Earthbending teacher would come out of the bushes. 

“Or maybe the right Earthbender is the one we’re traveling towards. Trust me,” he said, moving another branch aside and stepping into a clearing, “my Avatar instincts say that we’re going in the right—” 

He stopped as he looked at who was in the clearing. Twenty-six Fire Nation soldiers by his count, all gathered around a bonfire, their food still in their mouths. For a second, both parties stared at each other, hardly believing their luck. 

And then the Fire Nation soldiers jumped up, and attacked. A blaze started at Sokka’s feet, and he realized with a start that all of the soldiers were after him. 

If only I had an Earthbending teacher, he thought bitterly. I could pummel them with rocks. 

“Stay back, or we won’t hurt you!” Sokka yelled. 

“What are you doing,” Katara whispered. 

“Bluffing,” he whispered back before assuming an authoritative stance. He tried to put on a booming voice like what his father used to rally the troops, but it just sounded childish. “I am the Avatar, and I will not hesitate to use my… Avatar powers. If you come any closer—” 

One of the soldiers shot a blast of fire at Sokka’s face. He ducked just in time. But oh, that was way too close. 

“Looks like we need another plan!” Sokka yelled. “You got anything, destiny girl?” 

And of course, she did. She pulled out a canteen and unscrewed the top, letting water flow out and pushing it towards the guy who was attacking her, sending him flying. “Where’s yours?” she yelled. 

“It’s in my pack!” 

“Why is it in your pack?” she screamed, fighting another guy off. Sokka hit the guy who was attacking him with his trusty boomerang. 

“I thought it was for drinking, not bending!” 

“Why would you think it was for drinking when we have other drinking water?” 

“How was I supposed to tell the drinking water from the bending water?” 

“Guys!” Yue yelled, and Sokka turned to see six guys closing in on her. “I can’t—I’m not—” 

“I’ve got you, Yue!” Sokka ran over to help, but in a flash, all six guys fell where they stood, arrows stuck in their backs. 

“Attack!” 

Sokka looked up to see a bunch of kids hiding in the trees. There was one with a conical hat who was holding a bow and arrow (whom Sokka assumed had six less arrows to his name now). Beside him was a girl with shoulder length shaggy brown hair and red paint on her face, holding a knife, which she used to take out another Fire Nation soldier. A little tiny kid with a helmet jumped onto a Fire Nation soldier’s head and rode around, knocking him to the ground. Two other kids took out four soldiers with little more than brute strength, and the one who had yelled for them to attack (their leader, Sokka guessed) held hook swords in either hand, using them to flip over a Fire Nation soldier behind his back, yelling “Down with the Fire Nation!” 

And all Sokka did was stand there. 

The kids moved with incredible speed, knocking out Fire Nation soldiers in record time. Katara got a few herself with her canteen (why had he put the canteen full of bending water in his pack? why?) and even Yue managed to land a punch. In just a couple seconds, the soldiers were all down, and the kids were grinning at their handiwork. 

The leader, a kid who couldn’t be much younger than Sokka, with shaggy brown hair, brown skin, and a huge smile, turned to his crew. “Great job, everybody, we couldn’t have planned it better.” 

Katara walked up to them. “Hi,” she said shyly. “You were really brave out there.” 

Sokka wanted to puke. 

“Thanks,” the kid said, flashing her a wide, shining grin. “You weren’t so bad yourself.” 

“Thanks,” she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Sokka couldn’t do this anymore, he really couldn’t. “My name’s Katara,” she said, sticking out her hand. “What’s yours?” 

Sokka didn’t like the way he looked at her. It made his neck itch. “Name’s Jet,” he said. “And these are my Freedom Fighters, Longshot,” he said, gesturing towards the guy with the bow and arrow, “Smellerbee,” he said, gesturing to the girl with the knife, “Sneers, Pipsqueak, and the Duke,” he said, gesturing to the short, muscular kid, the tall, muscular teenager, and the tiny child. 

Yue giggled. “Pipsqueak’s a fun name!” she said. 

The giant guy stood, towering over her. “You think my name is funny?” 

Her eyes widened. “Ah, well—” 

“It is!” he yelled, laughing so loudly Sokka was certain they could hear him in the next village. 

“This is my brother, Sokka, and his girlfriend Yue,” Katara said. “We’re traveling in from the Northern Water Tribe.” 

“The Northern Water Tribe, huh?” Jet smiled. “That’s pretty far. We don’t normally get people coming in from that far off. You must be a long way from home.” 

Katara blushed, and at that, Sokka knew it was time to step in. “Look, Jet, it’s been nice talking to you, thank you so much to you and your crew for saving us, but it’s probably best if we take off. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us.” 

“You going to Omashu?” Sneers asked. “We get people going to Omashu all the time.” 

“Yeah,” Katara said. “Sokka’s the Avatar, and we’re trying to get him an Earthbending teacher.” 

Jet looked Sokka up and down and whistled. “The Avatar, huh? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Sokka smiled back at him, but it was an effort. “Thanks, it’s a pleasure to meet you too. But you know, this whole learning Earthbending thing is pretty time-sensitive, so—” 

“Of course,” Jet said. His voice was an easy drawl, but his eyes grew hard. “We understand. We’ve been fighting the Fire Nation since we were kids. They’ve taken over this whole valley.” 

“That’s terrible,” Yue said. “They tried to take over the Northern Water Tribe just a little while ago. We defeated them.” 

Jet smirked. “I’m sure it helps, having the Avatar on your side. The six of us are just a few nonbenders trying to land a punch.” 

“Clearly you landed a lot of punches.” Yue was grinning widely at Jet, and Sokka wanted to groan. There was something off about this kid, something that Katara and Yue weren’t seeing. 

Jet shrugged, as if in modesty, but there was clear pride in his voice when he said “We do the best that we can with what we have. Which isn’t much. Leading a revolution and feeding six kids going through puberty isn’t the easiest thing, but we manage. You know, if you want,” he said, looking directly at Katara, “I could show you our hideout.” 

Sokka said “No” at the same time Katara said “We’d love to see it!” 

Jet sighed. “Well, maybe another time.” 

Katara rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course we’re going to see it. And we’re going to help you in any way we can. It’s the least we can do after you saved us. Right, Sokka?” 

Sokka narrowed his eyes. “Katara, I really don’t think—” 

“Mind if I talk to you, Sokka? You know, warrior to warrior?” 

And even though Sokka knew that something was up with this kid, even though he knew that it wasn’t safe for them to stay here, he perked up at being called a warrior. Even if Yugoda and Yue said he was the greatest Waterbending healer in generations, he was a warrior first. A planner, a leader, a protector. And it seemed like everyone around him had forgotten that. 

Jet didn’t know him at all, and yet somehow, he seemed to know that. 

So he nodded. “Sure.” 

Jet grinned and pulled him off to the side. He looked over at Katara again. “Sokka, I think I know what this is really about.” 

Sokka frowned. “You do?” 

“Yeah,” Jet said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re worried about Katara. I can see it in your eyes.” He looked towards the Freedom Fighters. “You know, Smellerbee may not be my blood, but she’s my little sister, same as Katara is for you.” 

Sokka nodded. Everyone in the Southern Water Tribe knew that you didn’t have to be blood to be family. They were all family. Maybe Jet was no different. 

“We’re not that different,” Jet said. “Trust me, if Smellerbee met some guy in the woods and started talking to him the way Katara’s talking to me, I’d be pissed too.” 

Sokka scoffed. “Okay, so I’m pissed about you and Katara talking. You got me. What do you want me to do about it?” 

Jet smiled. “I’d ask you to trust me, but I’m trying to put myself in your shoes. I don’t trust anyone, and I don’t expect you to either.” 

Sokka frowned. “What about the other Freedom Fighters?” 

“I’d do anything for them. I’d give my life for them.” His eyes misted. “They’ve been through so much. When the Fire Nation took this valley, they burned everything. One of their captains killed my parents right in front of me.”

Sokka looked down. “They took our mother away. It’s been less than a year. They were raiding us, looking for the Avatar, and she told them it was her.” 

“I’m really sorry to hear that, Sokka.” His voice was full of concern, and when Sokka looked up, he saw real understanding in Jet’s eyes. “Please, come to the hideout. I really think we could help each other.” 

Sokka felt the tension leave his shoulders. “Fine,” Sokka said. “But don’t you dare hurt my sister.” 

Jet laughed and clapped Sokka on the back. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

___________________

Sokka had to admit, he was impressed with the Freedom Fighters’ setup. It was a sprawling mass of treehouses, linked together by ropes and pulleys. He whistled. “You guys built this all yourselves?” 

Pipsqueak grinned. “We’ve been doing it for years,” he said. “At first, it was just a treehouse for the four of us, before the Duke and Smellerbee got here, but then Jet decided we needed a real base of operations. Over there’s where we store food,” he said, pointing to his right, “and over there’s where we store weapons,” he said, pointing to his left. 

“That’s our comms base,” Smellerbee said, pointing in front of her. “We keep in contact with other revolutionary movements in our area, help as best we can, and ask for help if we need it.” 

“Not that we do, usually,” the Duke said, smirking. “We’re pretty much fine on our own.” 

“Don’t get cocky, Duke,” Smellerbee said, but she was smiling. “You never know what could happen. I mean, today we met the Avatar.” 

“Today, of all days,” Jet said. “Smells like destiny to me.” 

“What do you mean?” Yue asked. 

“Tomorrow, we’re going to rid the valley of the Fire Nation,” Jet said proudly. “We’re going to rig the dam so that it floods their base of operations, and give control back to the people.” 

“The Earth King must be so pleased with your work,” Yue said. 

Jet scowled. “We don’t work for the Earth King. When we take back this valley, we’re giving it to the people. It’s the Earth King’s fault that we’re in this mess to begin with. The villages can govern themselves without his help.” 

He must’ve seen the look on Yue’s face, because he very quickly changed the subject. “C’mon, let’s go get dinner,” he said. “To celebrate you coming here.” 

Sokka could feel his stomach growling. “I could use some grub,” he agreed, and followed Jet and the rest of the Freedom Fighters to the food storage. Katara caught up with him. 

“He’s amazing, isn’t he?” she whispered in his ear. “I mean, look at this!” 

“I have to hand it to him, this is pretty impressive,” Sokka said. “But what about that whole ‘not working with the Earth King’ thing?” 

Katara shrugged. “We don’t live in the Earth Kingdom. Maybe he’s right. I mean, can you imagine if there was just one guy ruling the Northern and Southern Water Tribes?” 

She had a point. “Do you think Dad knows?” 

Katara shook her head. “He couldn’t. Otherwise he and everybody else would be with the Freedom Fighters.” 

Sokka nodded. “When we see him again, we should tell him. I think Jet could learn a lot from Dad.” 

“And Dad could learn a lot from Jet,” Katara agreed. “They could help each other. And you.” 

“We could actually win this war.” 

Katara grinned. “See, I told you this was a good idea.” 

He smiled back at her. “Maybe I should listen to you more often.” 

“Maybe.” She coughed. “Have you thought any more about finding another Earthbending teacher? Just in case Bumi isn’t the one?” 

And just like that, the good mood was over. “I told you, I don’t need another Earthbending teacher,” he said quietly. “We’re sticking with the plan. Bumi or bust.” 

“The world doesn’t have time for bust, Sokka,” Katara said. “Maybe Jet knows somebody.” 

“Drop it, Katara,” Sokka warned. 

“I just—” 

“Everything okay with you two?” Jet asked. 

Katara gritted her teeth. “Just fine,” she growled. Sokka rolled his eyes. 

The Freedom Fighters had a large, open setup, complete with cushions where they could sit down and have their meal. It was Earth Kingdom food, stinky tofu, egg dumplings, and steamed stone frog. Sokka had never had Earth Kingdom food, but he made it a point to try a little bit of everything, and to his surprise, all of it was really excellent. 

In the middle of dinner, everybody hushed, and Jet stood. “Today, we dealt an important blow to the Fire Nation!” 

Everybody cheered. Jet smiled. 

“The Fire Nation has not learned to fear us yet, and right now, we use that to our advantage,” he said. “All of us have a score to settle.” Sokka saw his eyes mist again, saw him swallow. “As most of you know, my parents were taken from me when the Fire Nation invaded my village. One of their captains killed them right in front of me. I’ll never forget it. She was so tall, taller than Pipsqueak even, but she moved quicker than anyone I’ve ever seen. And just like that, they were gone.” 

Beside him, Yue’s face grew pale. 

“All of us have stories like that. Stories of the Fire Nation’s brutality against our families, against us. But tomorrow, we take back this valley. And with the Avatar on our side—” he gestured toward Sokka, who preened in spite of himself, “—we take back the world.” 

He sat down, and they all cheered again, save for Yue, who was looking down at her shoes, biting the inside of her lip with something that looked a lot like worry. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Sokka whispered.

She nodded. “Fine.” She looked both ways before whispering in Sokka’s ear “We need to talk later.” 

She moved away from him, smiling briefly, but it was clear that something was wrong. 

“Hey, we’ll be right back,” Sokka said. “Yue?” 

She got up quickly. Jet waggled his eyebrows at them. 

“Don’t go too far,” he said, smirking. “I want to talk to you guys about tomorrow. We could really use your help.” 

Yue nodded, but it was clear she wasn’t listening. “Yeah, sure.” She scurried into the woods far away from everybody, and Sokka followed her. 

“Yue, what’s wrong?” Sokka asked as soon as Yue stopped. 

She was holding back tears, Sokka could tell, but she took a deep breath. “Sokka, remember when I said I killed Zhao?” 

A shiver ran down his spine as she said it. There was nothing wrong with killing Fire Nation soldiers, but up until then she had seemed so casual about it. Every time she mentioned it, Sokka felt like she was holding something back, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. 

“I wasn’t—” Yue exhaled, trying to maintain her composure. “I wasn’t alone when I did that.” 

Sokka frowned. “What do you mean?” 

“I had help,” she said. “A tall, Fire Nation woman who moved quicker than anybody I’ve ever seen.” 

Sokka’s stomach dropped. “You don’t think—” 

“I don’t know. But she fits the description. And I—I know she thinks the Fire Nation’s cause is just. And I know the lengths she’s willing to go to for a cause that she believes is just.” 

Sokka put his head in his hands. “Why, Yue? You had to know—” 

“Of course I knew!” All at once, her face had grown hard and wild. “Believe me, if I could have killed him by myself, I would have done it in a heartbeat. But my bending—” 

Not this again. “For the last time, Yue, I’m sorry!” 

“I know you are, Sokka, and it’s not your fault, but it happened.” She looked down at her hands. “The only thing I’ve been able to do since it happened was deliver the final blow. But before that, she protected me. And in return, I let her go.” 

A million emotions passed through his heart: anger, fear, hurt, sadness, despair. “So she’s still out there? The woman who burned down Jet’s village—” 

“We don’t know it was her!” 

“It may as well be!” Sokka was fuming now. “It’s her people that did this to him. To all of them. Spirits, to us! She was attacking your tribe, same as the rest of them. Her army killed my mother and they’re after me. How could you—” 

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” she said coldly. “We had a common goal: protecting ourselves and killing him. That was all that mattered.” 

Sokka stared at her. “You don’t really believe that, do you?” 

She turned away from him. “I don’t know. Maybe. All I know is that I nearly died twice that day. You saved me the first time. She saved me the second time.” She closed her eyes. “Please don’t tell Jet.” 

Sokka took a deep breath. “I won’t, I promise.” He looked around, at what the Freedom Fighters had built, how they had channeled their anger towards goodness, towards freeing the world. “Jet said there was something we could help him with. We should ask him about it.” 

She nodded. “I agree.” 

They walked back to camp hand in hand, not looking at each other. Jet grinned and waved them over to where he and Katara were sitting. 

“So nice of you to join us!” he said. “Katara and I were just discussing the plans for tomorrow. You’re all Waterbenders, right?” 

Yue coughed. “I, um. My bending’s a little… unpredictable at the moment.” 

Katara shook her head. “Yue’s the best Waterbender in the whole Northern Water Tribe, and probably in the whole world.” 

“Katara, I—” 

“You don’t need the moon, Yue.” The way she was looking at her was determined, earnest. 

Jet frowned. “Don’t all Waterbenders need the moon?” 

Yue smiled. “I’m a bit of a special case.” 

Jet laughed. “All right, no questions then. I know how it is. Benders are weird. Anyway, the plan for tomorrow is that you guys will wipe the Fire Nation soldiers out by flooding the valley.” 

“It’s just Fire Nation soldiers in the valley, right?” Katara asked. 

“Just soldiers,” Jet said. “They’ve made this valley one of their main bases in the Earth Kingdom. Once we do this, we’ll have dealt a tremendous blow to their army. You guys in?” 

Sokka looked over at Yue. She seemed to be hesitating. 

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ll do my best.” 

“So will I.” 

“Me too,” Katara agreed. “Tomorrow.” 

_____________________

Sokka was dreaming. 

He saw a man in a Fire Nation military uniform, playing pai sho with an old man clouded in shadow. And then he saw that same man in the uniform, now being crowned Firelord, smiling down at his people. And then, there was only fire. 

He woke up in a cold sweat and saw Yue crouching down next to him. “Hi.” 

“Hi,” he said back. “What time is it? It’s not time to go yet, right?” 

“No, no, I just—do you want to go check out the Fire Nation town? Make sure Jet’s telling the truth? About there being no Earth citizens in the village?” 

Sokka’s first thought was no, because why would Jet lie to them, because they needed him, because he was going to help them win this war. But then he stopped and thought about it. He’d had a bad feeling about Jet from the moment they’d set foot there, and his bad feelings usually weren’t for nothing. 

“Okay.” 

She smiled. “Get dressed.” 

He did, and they set off into the night, towards the village that they would be flooding tomorrow. Sokka looked over at Yue, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d betrayed him, somehow. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Was that what they were doing now? Choosing to align themselves with people just because they had an enemy in common?
That’s what we did with Jet, Sokka thought. But no, Jet was different. There was a difference between fighting against Fire Nation imperialism together and fighting alongside a Fire Nation soldier. What Yue had done was wrong. Wasn’t it? 

“What was she like, Yue?”

“Who?” 

“That woman who helped you kill Zhao—did you catch her name?” 

She averted her eyes. “He called her Ichika, but she said she preferred to be called Captain Fukuhara.” 

He nodded. He’d read something about it being impolite to refer to someone by their first name in the Fire Nation. “Did she hurt you?” 

Yue shook her head. “No, she was… she was nice to me. I don’t know. She said terrible things.” 

“What things?” 

Yue swallowed. “That the Fire Nation is liberating the world. That if I were Fire Nation, my bending would be nurtured, and I wouldn’t have to hide it.” 

Sokka scowled. “The world was doing just fine before the Fire Nation attacked. And if you were Fire Nation—” 

“I know,” Yue said. “And I told her I wanted no part of her agenda. Believe me, Sokka, I’d give up my bending forever if it meant that my people would be safe. You know that.” 

He did. He might have already forced her to give it up. 

“There it is,” Yue said. 

It was late, so there weren’t really people bustling around, save for a few Fire Nation soldiers patrolling. 

“Jet was telling the truth,” Sokka said. “Come on, let’s go back.” 

“No!” Yue grabbed Sokka’s arm. “Let’s just look around more.” 

“Jet said there were Fire Nation soldiers and we’re seeing Fire Nation soldiers,” Sokka said. “What’s the problem?” 

At that very moment, a lantern turned on inside a home near them, illuminating a mother and a tiny baby, both wearing Earth Kingdom green. The mother nuzzled her baby’s nose and the baby laughed in delight.

“That’s the problem,” Yue said. “We have to warn them.” 

Chapter Text

Normally, Katara was a late sleeper, but that morning she was up with the sun. At the same time Jet was. 

Her stomach flipped a little seeing him in the early morning light, even though it didn’t seem like he’d slept well. He just looked so soft like this, in a way she couldn’t really pin down. 

“Good morning,” she said, smiling at him. 

He smiled back. “Have you seen your brother and his girlfriend?” 

She shook her head. “I’m sure they’re just off preparing for the raid today.” 

He nodded, but his eyes were restless, scanning the forest for any sign. Finally, he sighed. “Let me know if you hear from them, okay?” 

“Will do.” She took his hand. “Today’s going to be great.” 

And he was looking at her, but Katara got the distinct impression that his mind was elsewhere. “Thanks, Katara,” he said, before gently shaking his hand out of hers, leaving her alone. 

Luckily, that wasn’t a new occurrence for her. 

Not that Katara minded. She’d always been a social person, but lately, she’d needed her space, and that was something that people were more than willing to grant her. First, Sokka and Yue had left her alone when the invasion started, and then she’d been on her own, fighting Fire Nation soldiers and fending for herself, while Sokka had turned into a water spirit and Yue had apparently killed Zhao, all by herself. And that was fine. Katara could handle herself too. 

And just the past couple of days, Yue had taken Sokka aside, and they were always whispering to each other, never letting Katara in on the secret. And that was fine too. They were dating, and they seemed to really like each other, and Katara didn’t want to be around while they were kissing or whatever. But sometimes, she remembered when it had been just her and Yue in the moonlight, Waterbending under the stars, pushing and pulling with one another. It had been great, and Katara missed it. And Spirits above, she missed Sokka , even though he was annoying and insecure and lazy and (now that he was the Avatar ) always going on and on and on about what Kyoshi or Aang did and how he could do it just like they did—even though he was the worst, she missed him. A lot. 

Katara had thought that maybe, once he learned Waterbending from Yue, he would start actually taking her seriously. And he did, sometimes, but other times he insisted that she just couldn’t understand what he was going through because she wasn’t the Avatar. Like you had to be the Avatar to understand that depending on an old man who taught the last Avatar Earthbending almost a hundred years ago shouldn’t be your only plan. Tui and La, plans were Sokka’s thing and yet he was still clinging to an impractical idea just because—just because Aang had done it? 

He was scared. It was written all over his face, every time she saw him. If she ever saw him. She stepped into the forest, listening to the leaves crunch under her feet. He couldn’t have gone far. He wouldn’t leave her. 

Or maybe he would. She didn’t know anymore. 

And then, through the trees, she saw Sokka and Yue approaching, running for dear life. 

“Katara!” Sokka yelled, his eyes wild. 

She crossed her arms. “Where have you two been? We’re about to start the raid and we need you—Jet needs you— ”

“Jet’s been lying to us,” Yue said, panting. “There are Earth Kingdom families in that town. He’s going to wipe all of them out, not just the Fire Nation soldiers.” 

Katara’s eyes went wide. “What? How do you know that?” 

“We went down to the village,” Sokka said. “We don’t know how many of them there are, but it’s enough. If we do this, it won’t just be soldiers that Jet rids this valley of, I promise you.” 

Katara scowled. “And why should I believe you? You haven’t liked Jet from the beginning.” 

Sokka grimaced. “Katara, I had a bad feeling about him, and when Yue said that there might be something off about this plan—” 

“Oh so this was your idea?” Katara was fuming now. “You know, I knew that you didn’t

like Jet from the moment we got here. I know you’re a little out of your depth here, Yue, but Jet’s doing a good thing—” 

“Why are you trusting him over me?” Yue asked. “I don’t need to be goaded into fighting the Fire Nation, they attacked my home—” 

“No, you just need to be goaded into fighting certain individuals,” Sokka grumbled under his breath. Yue whipped around to face him. 

“Sokka, this is not the time, we have to act, and fast—” 

Katara recoiled. “Wait, Yue, what are you talking about?” 

“She’s talking about how she betrayed me,” a voice from behind Katara said. “And how she convinced your brother to do the same.” 

And there was Jet, hook swords drawn, glaring at them. “Go on, Yue,” he growled. “Tell Katara how you partnered with Fire Nation scum in Agna Q’ela. Tell her how you chose your Fire Nation friend over her.” 

“I didn’t choose anybody!” 

“You chose the woman who took my parents away from me!” Jet yelled, lunging towards her. 

Sokka stepped in front of her. “Jet, please. Calm down. Yue made a choice to survive. You get that, don’t you?” 

Jet ground his teeth, his brow lined with sweat. “I do get that. I get that every Earth Kingdom family in that village that you’re so worried about wouldn’t spare a crumb for me, or for anybody else here. They’re not innocent. They left all of us to die.” 

Katara blinked. “So you are planning to kill them. Sokka and Yue are telling the truth.” 

Jet clenched his jaw. “It’s the cost of war, Katara. You should know. They took your mother away. Wouldn’t you do anything to get her back?” 

Quicker than she had ever moved before, Katara pulled out her flask and opened it, bending a stream of water into Jet and watching it freeze him onto a tree. “I will never do that,” she whispered. “I’m sorry that they hurt you, I am, but you can’t let that control you.” 

Jet struggled against the ice, but it bound him to the tree. “Katara, please, I didn’t—” 

“Katara, wait.” Yue stepped in. “You can’t do this.” 

“But he was going to—” 

“I know,” Yue said quietly. “But I suppose I deserve it.” 

Sokka touched her arm. “Yue—” 

“Don’t,” she said, walking over to Jet. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you and I’m sorry—I didn’t think I had a choice. But you always have a choice.” She turned to Katara. “Come on, unfreeze him, please. For me.” 

Katara crossed her arms. “If I unfreeze him, he could still hurt the village.” 

“He said he needed Waterbenders.” Sokka touched a finger to his chin. “If we don’t help him in the raid today, he won’t be able to carry out his plan. The village will be safe.” 

“The village will be overrun by Fire Nation,” Jet spat. “Maybe now the Fire Nation soldiers aren’t hurting the Earth Kingdom families, but they will. I promise they will. It’s only a matter of time.” 

Sokka nodded. “So we change tactics, then. Save this village. Let the people do as they please.” 

“And let Jet go,” Yue said firmly. 

Katara pursed her lips. “He lied to us, Yue.” 

“I lied to you, too.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t kill Zhao by myself, Katara. There was—she said her name was Captain Fukuhara, and she was Fire Nation.” 

Jet’s hands clenched into fists. “Yeah. That’s her. She killed them, right in front of me.” 

Yue swallowed. “I thought that it would be okay because we had a common enemy, but—” she looked over at Jet “—it’s not. That woman, the whole Fire Nation army, needs to be stopped. And Jet and the Freedom Fighters are our best chance of making that happen.” 

Sokka started tapping his chin with his finger, looking at Jet with a frown. “Katara, wait on letting him go. We’ll come back for him.” 

Jet’s eyes went wild. “You can’t do that!” 

“Katara was going to let you stay there until it melted, Jet,” Sokka said coldly. “Trust me, you can do much worse. We’ll let you go after we save the village, and we won’t help you.” 

Katara walked up to him, her arms crossed over her chest. “And you should think about what you’re really fighting for.” 

Jet narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m fighting for the kids under my wing. Sorry that isn’t enough for you and your Fire Nation accomplices.” 

Katara moved towards him, but Yue stopped her. “Don’t, please.” 

“He’s not worth it, Katara,” Sokka said, a hint of sadness in his voice. “We can’t change him.” 

“It’s not that,” Yue said, her jaw set. She looked towards Jet, and then back at Katara. “He doesn’t have to forgive me, ever. I wouldn’t forgive me if I were him.” 

“But—” 

“No,” Yue said quietly. “Please.” 

And so Katara stopped. But she knew, deep down, that there was nothing Yue could do that would keep Katara from caring about her. Yue could leave her alone, Yue could keep secrets from her, Yue could fight alongside a Fire Nation soldier—but to Katara, she would always be Yue. Katara could feel the way water moved beneath her fingertips because of Yue, Katara could breathe freely because of Yue. Nothing else mattered other than that. 

Katara remembered her shining dark brown eyes, the way light seemed to pour out of her every step. How she took her aside, said there are things about Waterbending that only I know. Things the men around here can’t even begin to comprehend. But I can show you, if you let me. 

Yue may not have had the moon with her anymore, but the light was still there, gleaming brightly at all hours of the day. There was nothing that could tamp it down. 

And so Katara resisted. Because Katara had always fought, had never backed down from anything, not once. But Yue wanted her to, so she did. She could learn anything new with Yue teaching her. 

“Okay,” she said finally. “For you. Not for him.” 

Jet scowled. “You don’t understand, Katara! She lied to me! To all of us!” 

Katara took a deep breath. “Goodbye, Jet.” And with that, she turned her back on him, and set off for the village. 

___________________________

Gaipan was an old village, crumbling and worn. There were bags under people’s eyes as they held their children closer, furrowing their brows at the three of them as they walked through the village. It reminded Katara, a little starkly, of home. 

Yue looked back and forth furtively, worry set in her gaze. “So how are we going to do this?” 

Katara frowned. “What do you mean, how? We’ve taken down Fire Nation soldiers before. We just have to do what we did last time again.” 

“That was when we had Jet’s help,” Sokka said darkly. “Plus, this time we’re trying to save Gaipan, remember? We don’t want anyone getting hurt besides—” 

“Besides who?” a voice inquired behind them. Katara turned to see a man dressed in Fire Nation red, armed and smiling. Her blood curdled. “Pardon me, but we’ve been told to stay on alert for three Water Tribe kids who might pass this way. Apparently, one of them’s the Avatar.” 

Sokka blinked. “You know, it’s funny you say that, because we just saw three other Water Tribe kids going that way,” he said, pointing behind the soldier. “You should probably check them out, I think I saw one of them Earthbending.” 

The soldier narrowed his eyes. “Unusual, to see six Water Tribe kids in a small Earth Kingdom village on the same day, don’t you think?” 

“We’re not who you’re looking for,” Katara spat. 

“Well, then, you shouldn’t mind sticking around just a little while so we can verify that claim,” the soldier said. “Perhaps we can even squeeze in a little discussion about the proper way to speak to your elders.” 

Yue’s spine straightened. “We’re perfectly capable of speaking respectfully to our elders, but thank you so much for your concern.” 

The soldier rolled his eyes. “I had heard how little they educated your kind in the poles, but it really is a sight to witness for myself. You should be grateful that we’re taking time out of our lives to improve yours.” 

Katara saw red. “Sokka, we don’t have time for this.” 

“Katara, wait!” 

But Katara had already sprung into action. She uncapped her flask and lifted up her arm. And with that, a stream of water crashed into the soldier’s chin. He toppled backwards, crumpling on the floor. 

“Katara, what are you doing?” Sokka yelled. Before she could reply, they were surrounded by the soldier’s friends, a dozen men ready to strike. 

“These are them, these are the kids I told you about!” one of them said, pointing towards Sokka. “The boy’s the Avatar! I heard him say so when they attacked us in the forest!” 

Another smiled. “Good work, Abiko,” he said, before punching a blast of flame directly towards Sokka’s face.

Katara drew her water back, extinguishing the flame before it could reach him. “Are you okay?” 

Sokka grunted. “I would be a lot better if you’d waited until we had a plan!” 

“I have a plan: duck!” Yue screamed, as more blasts came towards their faces. She maneuvered herself towards one of the soldiers and twisted herself so that his feet were in between her legs, before twisting again and sending him clattering to the ground. She stood and punched another one in the face, whirling around to hit another one in the nose with her elbow. 

Sokka, miraculously, had managed to remember to keep his flask on his person. He whipped a stream of water towards the soldier closest to him, sending him flying, and then shifted his weight so that another one fell down. But a third managed to blast at him, and even though Sokka ducked, Katara could smell the scent of his hair burning. 

“We’re outnumbered!” Sokka yelled. He was sweating, his eyes wide and hopeless. “Katara, I don’t think—” 

But before he could finish his sentence, a girl shoved a Fire Nation soldier and started beating him with a broomstick. The soldier yelped before kicking her roughly, but she continued on. The rest of the town gathered to watch, confused expressions on their faces, and Katara saw her chance. 

“People of Gaipan!” she yelled. “This is my brother, the Avatar. We’re fighting against the Fire Nation and we need your help!” 

An older man with a young kid recoiled from her, looking on them with wary eyes. “How do we know we can trust you?” 

“Yeah!” a woman with short hair yelled. “We don’t know anything about you. Wouldn’t be the first time we were lied to.” 

The girl stopped beating the soldier and turned to face the rest of the village. “Who cares?” she yelled back. “The Fire Nation has been terrorizing this village for months, and they were fighting back! They took down six of them in just a few minutes!” 

A stern woman with silver hair frowned deeply. “Li Jing, stand back. You shouldn’t be involved in this.” 

“So we just let them win?” Li Jing yelled. “Bullshit! I’m sick of this and I know all of you are too, so let’s end it!” She shot Katara a small smile. “We can take this valley back together!” 

But her words sparked nothing but silence and disapproval. The silver-haired woman frowned even more. “I don’t know how they do things in the Water Tribes, but I don’t want my children working with scammers. You could get killed.” 

In the commotion, one of the Fire Nation soldiers moved towards Sokka, but Yue knocked him in the head, and he fell over. 

“We’re not scammers!” Sokka yelled. “I really am the Avatar!” 

“Oh yeah? Prove it,” said the old man. “Firebend at them and end this!” 

“I can’t!” Sokka groaned. “Listen, any moment now they’re going to start attacking us again, so the best thing you can do for yourselves is to help us!” 

“Not helping a fake Avatar,” the short-haired woman said. “Better your life than mine.” 

Sokka’s eyes flashed, and Katara felt the ground stir and shake around her. Oh no, is it water spirit time again?

A sphere of air formed around him, and he rose, his eyes glowing white. “I am the Avatar,” he said, booming with a thousand voices. “I am your past, your present, your future. I am your greatest hope. And I need your help.” 

The village of Gaipan fell to their knees. “Kyoshi, Roku, and Aang, he’s really here,” the old man breathed. “The Avatar is back.” 

Li Jing smiled. “You heard him! The Avatar needs our help!” She pointed her broom towards the remaining Fire Nation soldiers, who had been trying to sneak away in the chaos. “Get them!” 

And just like that, the villagers ran, grabbing sticks and dirt and anything else they could find to take the last few soldiers down, Li Jing first among them, forming a flurry around the soldiers and taking them to task. Sokka crumpled to the ground. 

“He needs a healer,” Yue said quickly. 

“I doubt we’re going to find a healer here.” 

Yue shook her head. “Katara. You can heal him.” 

Katara’s eyes widened. “No, I can’t—Yue, I’m not a healer.” 

“Yes, you are ,” Yue said, grabbing her hands. “Listen to me. Water is fluid, yes? Water is steam and ice and everything in between. So are you. ” 

Katara gulped. “Are you sure about this?” 

Yue stared at her, her eyes gleaming. “I’ve never been more sure about anything.” 

Katara nodded, breathed, and opened up her flask again, streaming out some of the water and holding it over Sokka’s chest. At first, nothing happened. Katara closed her eyes. Come on, you idiot, you’re not allowed to die now. 

The water began to glow, and Sokka sat upright, coughing. “Wh—What happened? Is everything okay?” 

Katara pointed in the direction of the villagers, who were now stepping away from the bruised and battered Fire Nation soldiers groaning on the ground, smiling at their handiwork. “You went into the Avatar state and we started a revolution. With the help of Li Jing.” 

Sokka rubbed his head. “Broom girl?” 

“Yup.” 

“So… everything’s okay?” 

Katara looked around. Li Jing was grinning from ear to ear as she hauled one of the Fire Nation soldiers’ limp concussed bodies out of the road, and others were cleaning up, laughing and talking to each other with an air of freedom. “Yeah. Everything’s okay.” 

Sokka pursed his lips. “Good. Because Aang just came to visit me in a dream. We have to go to the Northern Air Temple. I have to speak to him.”