AN: I don't know if I ever mentioned this before, but I imagine Gumi to be more of a 'Toothless' kind of dragon, only much bigger, rather than the traditional ones in the show. I understand that might be harder for some people to visualize though, so feel free to imagine Gumi however you want! 

"Nice try, Pupil Sangok. A couple more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." Master Pakku snaps as the student struggles against the icy trap Katara had trapped him in. With a sigh and a motion, Master Pakku waves his hand, freeing the poor boy.

"Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" He looks to the group of boys, all well over the age of 18, quivering in their boots. 

"I will!" It's Asha who steps forward, Katara laughing as they do. This would be their fifth rematch. So far, both girls have won two battles. 

"Very well, then. Onsra Asha, Pupil Katara... Begin!" Master Pakku looks to each girl as he says their name, both glaring at each other. 

Asha is first to move. She runs to Katara, bending a long whip of water to her side, Katara preparing herself and an ice sheet in front of her in defense of this. Yet, Asha predicted this, jumping on top of the sheet, only to jump again, gaining double the height with a little air bending. Katara looks up to her in shock, then changes it to a smirk as she bends a loop for the girl to fall to. The air bender stays on two feet as she enters, sliding down and around with ease.  Using the water whip, Asha snaps at Katara's feet, making her stumble back. 

It's as the two run to a fountain on either side, the battle comes to a close.  Katara using the same trick as the one she used fighting Sangok and Asha locking her feet, hands and neck in a handcuff like structure, rendering both unable to bend resulting in a tie.  Pakku unfreezes the water, freeing them both as the girls laugh at their fall.

"Very good, girls. Katara, you have advanced more quickly than almost every student I have trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough."  With the last part, he looks over to Aang who is playing with Momo. 

"Pupil Aang!" Said boy shoots up, looking over to the trio, carefully prying Momo from his head.

"Yes, Master Pakku?" 

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered water bending."  

Aang quickly air bends himself to his feet. "I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out!"  

The watch as Aang covers himself in snow, making him look like a traditional snowman. Only to fall as Momo pounces on him.  

Katara and Master Pakku glare at Asha as she laughs at her fellow air bender, Pakku shaking his head in disgust. 

___

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!  I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." Chief Arnook stood at the front.

Word had gotten back from Sokka and Princess Yue that the fire nation were closing in, and fast. The chief calling a meeting almost immediately, most likely to gather fighters for the incoming battle.

"Count me in." Sokka stands up, Katara looking to him with shock. 

"Sokka!" 

"Me too!" Asha stands next to Sokka, Aang immediately trying to yank her back down. But this was the hill she was going to (Hopefully not) die on. She owed this kingdom so much, and if it meant fighting for them she would. 

"Ash, please!" Aang urgently tries to pull her  down, only to stop as more men stand up after Asha. 

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task. " 

Asha is first, Sokka behind her. The chief approaches her, a bowl of red ink in his hand.

"Your brave, Asha. A lot braver than most of these men." He smiles at her, remembering when Princess Yue first ran into his room, claiming a girl had washed up on their shores. He remembered clothing her and feeding her, watching her recover. Like an injured animal coming back to protect those who protected them he supposed; pondering this thought with a grim face as he uses three fingers to make three red lines across her forehead. 

"I wasn't there when my people died. I'm gonna make sure Yue doesn't go through the same thing I did." Asha declares, soon walking to the side. 

___

Aang watches over the city walls. His mind racing with thoughts about the fire nation, the incoming battle, Asha. The girl had wanted her freedom, and Aang granted her it. Free from the tradition of the Onsra and Avatar being together. Freeing her from him.  He wanted to scream at the world and it's cruel sense of humor. 

"The stillness before battle is unbearable." Chief Arnook stands behind him, voice solemn with the impending battle to come.  "Such a quite dread." 

"I wasn't there when the Fire nation attacked my people. I'm going to make a difference this time." Aang is fierce as he talks, glaring at the horizon before him, as if that was the source of all his hurt and anger.

"I heard a girl about your age say near the same thing earlier today. You both were meant to do this. Fight for what's right." Chief Arnook lets out a small chuckle, despite the circumstances. 

___

All is quiet and calm. The sun bright in the sky, the waters still. Inside of the palace, a row of warriors stand tall and proud. Their faces painted in traditional war paint. Appa and Aang stand at the front of the army, Gumi and Asha landing beside them, the brunette's face painted a dark crimson red, racoon patches around her eyes with thin lines connecting them to her hairline and jaw; her hair in a high ponytail, bangs clipped back, clad in armor that matches that of the guys.  Not even looking when she feels a presence beside her, she glares at the mocking water in front of her. She does flinch, however when she feels a kiss pressed to her temple, 'good luck' whispered into her ear. With bright red cheeks, she turns to see Aang back on Appa, returning the smile she gives only for it to fall as a single battle ship rises over the horizon.  

It launches a single fireball which strikes the center of the wall, blowing a huge hole through it. Starting the battle for the North Pole. 

Appa recoils and lets out a roar as more fireballs fly into the wall, Aang quickly yelling the command to fly with Asha following closely behind. 

Aang drops down sooner than Asha does, the girl daring to go to the further ships.  As she lands, several soldiers enclose on her. Thinking quickly, she uses a wave of air to knock them down before running to a catapult type weapon, grabbing a nearby hammer on the way. Shoving the hammer between the gears, she successfully jams it, causing a small explosion as she air bends her way onto another ship. This time however, jumping on the soldiers' heads as she makes it to a similar weapon. Moving quickly, she nearly gets hit by another hammer, the large soldier growling at her. He swings again, this time Asha baiting him to hit a gear. Which he does. 

She jumps to another ship, this time, no weapons are seen. Only fire. Fire is thrown at her from all angles. It's as a string of fire is shot at her, like a bullet from a gun, Asha panics and throws her arms out and to the ground in a last ditch effort. Surprising herself, the fire crashes onto the wooden deck, igniting the fire that will burn the ship.  Asha goes to jump to another ship, but falls as a hand grabs her ankle, pulling her down with a rough yank. She looks the the soldier, trying to kick him away, but it's no use.  He crawls to her further and smirks as he grabs her other knee, stopping the kicking.  Asha still tries to crawl away though. She stops however when the man is grabbed by the boot and thrown into the ocean behind them. There stands her dragon, raptor in the pouch on the saddle, her staff in Zulu's mouth.

"Good reptiles. " Asha smiles as she quickly hops onto the saddle, taking the reigns. Gumi's large wings fanning the fire before a final takeoff; the wind blowing the fire to other ships.  Letting out a breath, Asha pulls Zulu into her arms, wrapping the other around Gumi's neck (or as much as she can). "Thank you so much you two." 

She looks up to see Aang watching the ships behind her. 

"You have got to be kidding me." He gasps, face dropping as both look out at the sea of ships headed their way.

___

It was no use. There were too many. As if for every ship they destroyed too more took it's place. Even with the North pole water benders fighting with everything they had, they were out numbered ten to one.

"Aang! Asha!" Katara runs up to the two as they land. Appa falling on his side the second he lands, Gumi immediately laying beside the bison in support (Don't worry, I heard ya'll in the pre-edited version ;)).  Asha laid Zulu beside Gumi, falling beside the raptor onto her dragon.  She does look up in time to see Aang flop onto Appa's paw in the same manner.

"I can't do it." He throws his hands to his head. "I- no- we just can't do it." 

"What happened?" Katara sat beside Aang, looking to both benders.

"I must have taken out a dozen navy ships, Asha doing more, but there's just too many. We can't fight them all."  Aang throws his head back again. 

"But, you have to! You're the Avatar!" 

"So? Asha's the Onsra, and even between the two of us, it's too much. We're just two kids." Aang groans, pulling his hands away, only to look to Asha whose head is buried in her arms, shoulders shaking.

"We're still just kids." 

___

Asha sat beside Sokka as he sharpened an ax, running it against a stone wheel. Asha herself tying together stones and sticks to create more weapons that are too be sharpened.  Hahn, Princess Yue's supposedly betrothed, is doing the same; yet Sokka's is the only one that sparks. 

Asha had originally planned to stay on the battle ground, but the chief said she was needed in the weaponry more. So there she was.  Sharpening weapons. Sometimes she hated it here. 

"Let me tell ya, Soka." Sokka grimaces as his name is mispronounced, Asha looking to the cocky man. "I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest- and she comes with the most perks." Hahn smirks.

"Perks?! What does that mean?!" Sokka's eyes bulge in anger as he pushes harder on the Ax. More sparks fly, almost to the point that Asha scoots further. 

"I mean, Yue's nice and everything, but the points I'll get with the chief aren't bad either." His smirk widens as Sokka nearly growls in anger.

"Princess Yue is wasted on a self absorbed weasel like you!" 

"Whoa. Hang on. What do you car? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. What would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense." 

Asha barely has time to react as Sokka yells and tackles Hahn to the ground. She jumps up as Sokka sits on top of the other teen and raises a fist, punching Hahn.

"You're just a jerk without a soul! No offense!" Sokka raises another fist, but Asha grabs it before he can throw another punch. 

"Let me go! Asha, you heard this guy!" He looks to her, still trying to bring his fist down. 

"I know, and as much as he deserves it-" She cuts herself off as Chief Arnook pulls Sokka, who drags Asha with him, off of Hahn. 

"That's enough! Sokka, Asha, you're off the mission!" He growls at the two, Hahns wearing an arrogant smirk. Asha gapes as Sokka grumbles angrily. 

"All right, fall in men! Everybody listen to what I say and we'll take out this Admiral Jo in no time." Hahn walks out, his troops following.

"It's Admiral Zhao!" Sokka calls. 

Asha slumps to the ground, angrily throwing a nearby rock. She hated it here most times. 

___

Sokka sharpens his boomerang with the same spinning wheel from earlier, but he can tell somethings amiss. Asha stays slumped against the wall in the corner. Thoughts running through her own head. She quickly perks up as the Chief approaches though, walking over to Sokka. 

"Is something wrong, you two?" 

"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission for while I'm here sharpening my boomerang, Asha not even doing that. Everything's fine!" Sokka pushes harder on the poor piece of metal.

"Listen to me. I took you and Asha off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you." 

Sokka whips around in anger, "What? You want us to scrub the barracks?!" 

" I want you two to guard my daughter, Princess Yue." The chief looks to the two. Asha nodding her head with a furrowed brow as Sokka stutters a reply.

"Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard, right Ash?"  

She didn't answer.

___

When Katara wakes up, Gumi and Appa are landing in front of her, Asha, Princess Yue and Sokka jumping off as they run to her.  They kneel before her, mouths as Katara's hearing comes back slowly. Too slowly for her liking.

When it does come back she can hear the anxiety in Asha's voice, the Onsra asking about Aang as her eyes look around anxiously.  She seems so scared. So unsure.

"What happened Katara? Where's Aang?" She squabbles, snapping her fingers to make sure Katara is actually hearing her.

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under me! Aang was in the spirit world and Zuko came."  Katara looks near tears as Asha furrows her brows, a deep frown setting in on her face.

"Where did they go?" Sokka looks over to Momo who stands on the other side of the pond. 

"I don't know, I don't even know if Aang is still alive-" Katara is interrupted.

"Wait! Aang said Asha was the Onsra, and stories say that the Onsra can do just as much as the Avatar, so Asha can monitor him from the spirit world! Can't she?"  Princess Yue looks to Asha, whose eyes are closed as she thinks.

"Asha has never been to the spirit world- at least to our knowledge- and she's just finding out about the whole Onsra thing, so whose-" Sokka begins. 

"I'll do it." Asha looks to the two, eyes narrowed and a dangerous look on her face.