I'm really sorry for the delay. I finally started my vacation and got stuck trying to figure out how to continue the chapter. Tomorrow I'll upload part two (which is longer).
The northern sky split open beneath the uneven flight of a massive sky bison; on its broad neck lay a boy with an excited smile.
Behind him, seated on the large saddle, were the siblings from the South.
Sokka, as usual, carefully scanned the scenery around them—clouds, wind, and the growing clusters of ice.
Katara, meanwhile, was practicing her waterbending, shaping a liquid sphere into various forms; it was training Sokka had recommended to her long ago.
"Do you think this water is colder than the one back home, Katara?" Sokka asked with calm amusement.
Katara paused her bending. Her brain needed a couple of seconds to process the stupidity she had just heard.
"Do you see those icebergs? That means the water is freezing," she answered with absolute obviousness.
"I know, but I mean…" Sokka cut himself off as he suddenly felt a large group of people surrounding them.
Katara tensed immediately at her brother's alert. She looked around nervously just as massive volumes of water rose, forming a dome around them.
"What's happening?" Aang asked, alarmed.
"Katara," Sokka barked with iron calm.
She hesitated for a second. She doubted herself… until she remembered he trusted her. And that was enough. With a few fluid, firm motions, she extended her arms outward, and the dome split and collapsed as if remembering who controlled it.
The Northern waterbenders stared at her, shocked.
"Stop your attack. Can't you see we're allies?" Sokka demanded, irritated, gripping his weapon.
"People have been arriving lately claiming to be the Avatar. We must remain cautious," replied an older warrior with restraint.
"Please follow us. If you truly travel with the Avatar, then there is nothing to fear."
"Fine. Aang, follow them," Sokka ordered, lowering his spear.
"Okay," the young Avatar answered, guiding Appa after the countless boats.
"He said others have come claiming to be the Avatar?" Katara asked, incredulous.
---
POV Sokka
"It's probably some trap the Fire Nation set up," I said, deducing it was Azula's plan. And I had to admit, it was a pretty good plan.
I looked at Aang. His fingers dug into the leather saddle. He was angry. Or frustrated. Or both.
Katara thought for a moment before resuming her practice with the water sphere.
The trip was short, but long enough to notice how… proud these men were. Proud and cautious. As if those stupid old canoes were something worth boasting about.
I was genuinely surprised at the amount of arrogance they carried. In the show, in the comics, in the books… here as well. Their economy, while stable in their own land, meant nothing outside of it. Their infrastructure, traditions, and combat skills were frozen in time for at least eighty years.
Outdated. Greedy. Incompetent.
Exactly what I needed right now.
After a few minutes, we reached the massive ice wall protecting the tribe. Aang and Katara stared at it, amazed.
"It looks incredible, though it seems thinner than the one in…" Katara stopped when she felt my gaze.
"Thinner than the one where?" an elder asked, alert to the sudden silence.
"Thinner than the one in Omashu," I replied with a light laugh, pretending some clumsiness. "We went there not long ago and the walls were really thick… though I guess that's because they were made of rock."
The old man studied me, searching for lies.
He found none.
Because pretending to be a fish-brain is easier than it looks.
Katara looked at me, and I met her gaze with amusement.
"What was that, Sokka?"
"I could ask you the same. How could you go around talking about our tribe?" I replied, incredulous.
"What are you talking about? They're Water Tribe too," she said, annoyed.
"Yeah, but they're from the North. Our tribe hasn't seen them in a hundred years. And that's how I want it to stay."
"Why?" she asked, confused.
"It's complicated. But they think our tribe is a hopeless pit. Backwards. Savage."
She frowned at how blunt I was.
I couldn't explain the full politics behind my plan in a couple of minutes, but I could give her the basics.
"If they believe that, I can use it to our advantage. But for that, they need to keep thinking we're stuck in the mud," I whispered seriously. "So don't mention anything about the new tribe. Nothing about the buildings. Nothing about the walls. When you get the chance, tell Aang the same."
I glanced at the kid. He was fascinated by the ice structures as if they were shiny toys.
"Better tell him right now," I added.
Katara nodded. She didn't understand everything, but her trust in me was enough.
"Good. Step down. We'll guide you," the elder said.
We nodded. Aang gave us a questioning look, Katara whispered something to him, and he nodded with a goofy smile.
My little sister already knows how to use her feminine persuasion.
Either that, or Aang is a hopeless crush.
Either works, as long as he keeps his mouth shut.
"Is all this really necessary?" I asked when two dozen soldiers surrounded us with bone spears.
"Yes," the elder replied coldly. "As far as we know, you could be Fire Nation infiltrators."
His arrogant tone was starting to irritate me.
But the posture of those "soldiers"…
Spirits. Each one was a monument to incompetence. Rigid, misaligned, full of openings. Pathetic.
So I smiled as if I had just understood something profound.
"Oh, of course. Now it makes sense…" I nodded slowly. "It's super common for Fire Nation infiltrators to arrive on a giant flying bison, accompanied by a waterbender and a boy with blue arrows on his head. Yes, yes… people in the North are truly brilliant at spotting spies."
I said it with innocent naturalness.
The elder nearly exploded.
"Why do I bother with people from that backwards tribe…?" he muttered angrily.
"This bastard," I thought, holding back my rage.
Backwards?
Them. Them!
A firm voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Welcome."
I looked up. Seated on several ice chairs were Yue, Chief Arnook, and Pakku. Warriors stood around them.
"I understand you call yourselves 'the Avatar's team,' correct?" Arnook said with arrogant disbelief.
"We don't call ourselves anything," I replied calmly. "Showing the Avatar should be enough. Aang, please."
The kid looked at me, surprised by my tone, but nodded.
"Uh… yeah. Hi, I'm Aang and I'm the Avatar."
The air reacted to him—whirlwinds, currents, dust rising. Some people closed their eyes, others gasped.
Yue smiled with an innocence that was almost pleasant to see.
"As you can see," I continued, with my signature sarcasm, "aside from the giant flying bison we have… there's no doubt. This is the Avatar. Though of course, he's now a full airbending master and still a beginner in waterbending."
"That's true…" Aang admitted, embarrassed.
"Well, let's hope you can teach him waterbending."
"It will be an honor," Arnook said. "Master Pakku is the best there is."
"Thank you! I'll do my best," Aang said, bowing.
"Perfect," I added calmly. "I'd just like to know if he can train one more besides the Avatar."
I opened my arms slightly. Katara understood immediately; the others didn't.
"Of course," Pakku replied. "But I will not tolerate laziness."
"There won't be a problem," I assured him with a smile.
"Tonight we will hold a celebration banquet!" Arnook declared.
The guards finally lowered their weapons.
But my focus was already elsewhere.
The energy radiating from Tui and La was unmistakable—a beacon even brighter than light itself.
And Yue… her chi was almost identical to Tui's. Only small differences. Very similar to the special energy I could use.
And the way she looked at me, at the white streak in my hair…
I think she felt it too.
"Please follow me. I'll guide you to your lodging," said a man I decided not to remember.
As we walked, I offered Yue a smile—without any second intentions.