"I'm not one to complain," Sokka started to whine as Appa soared lazily over the ocean and past several jagged ice peaks, "But can't Appa fly any higher?"

Aang turned his head to glare over his shoulder at the older boy, "I have an idea! Why don't we all get on yourback and you could fly us to the North Pole!"

"I'd love to." Sokka retorted sarcastically and began shaking his rear at Aang, causing Katara and Xiaodan to sigh in exasperation, "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff."

Momo jumped onto his back and chittered. Xiaodan to snorted and kicked the young Water Tribe warrior's in the butt with the bottom of her foot, causing Momo to jump away when Sokka began to flail around. Sokka turned around and glared at the smirking white-haired after regaining his balance, shaking his fist threateningly at her.

"Look," Katara started, trying to keep the peace between the irritated trio, "We're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."

"And for what?" Sokka demanded as he gestured with one arm as Momo hopped into his lap, "We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here!"

The sound of water splashing drew the four teens' attention and Aang turned around just into to see a large ice spike appear in front of Appa.

"AHHH!" Aang screamed as he jerked Appa's reins to the side and Appa growled as he began to swerve sharply around more ice spikes.

Katara, Sokka, and Xiaodan all screamed and clung to the rim of Appa's saddle as the bison nearly turned completely on his side while flying in the air. Appa tried to fly higher into the air to avoid another spike but the ice seemed to move of its own accord and grabbed onto one of his paws, causing him to spin out of control with Aang clinging desperately to the reins as he swung off Appa's head.

The large bison grumbled as he hit the water on his side the shifted so he was on his belly. He roared loudly as the water around him suddenly froze, keeping him in place.

"They're Waterbenders!" Katara shouted excitedly when she saw the numerous boats begin to surround them, "We found the Water Tribe."

"It's more like they found us." Xiaodan groaned as she moved into a sitting position in Appa's saddle and rubbed the back of her head where she had bumped it against Sokka's when Appa was careening out of control.

The white-haired girl looked at the numerous Waterbenders and warriors on the boats surrounding Appa then casually plucked at the hem of her Earth Kingdom shirt, looking at the matching loose, brown pants.

"I guess it was a good idea we stopped at that village and bought me these clothes..."

"He's heading north, the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao explained coolly as he turned away from the map of the world to look at his advisers with his hands clasped behind his back, "The Avatar needs to master Waterbending. He's looking for a teacher."

"Then what are we waiting for?" One of his advisers asked impatiently, "Let's go get him!"

"Patience, Captain Li." Zhao chided condescendingly, "This isn't some little Earth village we can just march into. The Water Tribe is a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war. The frozen tundra is treacherous, the landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force."

Zhao had started walking around the other side of the low table his advisers were sitting around as he spoke and stopped at the head of the table, looking at each of his advisers coldly as he finished talking.

"There's it is!" Aang exclaimed excitedly as he pointed towards the magnificent wall of thick ice that surrounded the Northern Water Tribe's city.

Xiaodan leaned forward against the front of the saddle beside Katara, no longer interested in making faces at the Northern Water Tribe members that were escorting them towards the city.

"The Northern Water..." Katara said in an awed whisper as she held one hand to her chest in amazement.

"We're finally here." Sokka added, his own voice sounding surprised as he gazed at the wall.

The four watch as a couple Waterbenders in one of the boats Waterbended a portion of the wall. One of the Waterbender's smiled as the four teens looked over at him and he held his hands out, gesturing for them to enter the tunnel that had been made in the wall. Aang grinned and snapped Appa's reins, urging the sky bison forward.

"Whoa..." Xiaodan muttered in wonderment as Appa stopped in the middle of a large square area in front of another wall and Waterbenders standing atop of the walls used Waterbending to simultaneously lower the wall in front of them and add more water into the square area, raising the water level.

"I can't believe how many Waterbenders live up here!" Katara commented as she looked around, the water around them rising steadily.

"We'll find a master to teach us, no problem." Aang agreed, grinning over his shoulder at the dark-haired girl.

The water stopped rising and the wall in front of them lowered completely, allowing Appa to swimming into the channels of the city. Xiaodan grinned widely and waved at the villagers who were staring at them in surprise as Appa swam past them. Aang grinned as well and started doing the same as he let Appa follow the boat in front of them. Xiaodan glanced to the side and quirked a brow when she saw small canoe with a white-haired girl sitting primly at the front while a Waterbender sailed it through the water past them. Apparently, Xiaodan wasn't the only one to notice the girl because she caught Sokka's eyes go wide and a blush form on his face.

"This place is beautiful." Katara commented as she looked around.

"Yeah..." Sokka said dreamily as he looked after the mysterious white-haired girl after moving to stand on Appa's tail, "She is..."

Katara looked in the direction her brother was staring then she looked at Xiaodan, who grinned at her and the two girls began to giggle quietly at Sokka's love struck expression.

"Winter, Spring... Summer and Fall..." Iroh sang as Lieutenant Jee played a lute and two other crew members played their own instruments while two of the engineers danced around the small fire on the main deck, "Winter, Spring...Summer and Fall...four seasons...four loves...four seasons...four loves..."

Lieutenant Jee accidently played a high-pitched note when he caught sight of the two soldiers along with Admiral Zhao board the ship and the other crew members turned to look at the smirking man, practically frozen in their positions. Iroh paused in his sing and glanced behind him at Zhao, his expression calm and collected.

Xiaodan sat the long table between Aang and Katara with Sokka on his sister's other side, her legs crossed with her elbow on her knee and her chin resting in her palm as she listened to the drums being played. She smirked slightly when she saw four men carry a large platter of seaweed over to Appa and the white-haired girl bite back a snicker as the men ran away with small screams when Appa growled and began eating the seaweed. Both Xiaodan and Sokka grinned widely at the sight before turning back to look at the Arnook, the Northern Water Tribe's chief, stood up and the drums stopped playing.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe. And they brought with them one of the last Airbenders and someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now...The Avatar! Not only have they brought the Avatar, but one of the last Airbenders as well!" Arnook said grandly, gesturing first to Katara and Sokka then Xiaodan, and finally to Aang as four men lowered a giant crab into a pool of boiling water and the crowd cheered and applauded, "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!'

The white-haired girl Sokka had been ogling early stepped forward with two older women walking on either side and slightly behind her. Princess Yue smiled and briefly bowed her head demurely towards her father.

"Thank you, Father." She said graciously then addressed the crowd, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times!"

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Arnook exclaimed, gesturing with one arm towards the three men standing on a raised platform across from the head table.

The older man, Master Pakku and the two younger men began Waterbending to significant bubbles of water from three large jugs in front of the raised platform, completely captivating Katara and Aang as the two applauded. Xiaodan smiled and shook her head, her grin widening when she saw Princess Yue walk over and sit down at the end of the table beside Sokka, who was shoveling food in his mouth. Xiaodan giggled quietly behind her hand when she glanced over and saw Sokka swallow his mouthful then brush his hands off and lean one elbow against the table, looking at the princess nonchalantly.

"Hi, there." Sokka greeted in an attempt at suaveness, "Sokka, Southern Water Tribe."

"Very nice to meet you." Yue replied with an inclination of her head, then the two looked away from each other awkwardly.

"So...uhhh...you're a princess, huh?" Sokka stuttered nervously then cleared his throat, trying to sound confident, "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a prince, myself."

"Ha, prince of what?" Katara quipped with a snicker as she leaned over her brother's shoulder slightly.

"A lot of thinks!" Sokka said defensively, "Do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"My apologies, Prince Sokka." Katara drawled sarcastically then turned to giggle quietly with Xiaodan, who had witnessed the whole thing.

Sokka glared at the two girls for a moment then turned back to Yue, "So, it looks like I'm going to be in town for a while. I'm thinking...maybe we could...do an activity, together?"

"Do an activity?" Yue asked, slightly confused as she laughed quietly.

Sokka blushed in embarrassment and shoved some food in his mouth to cover it up.

"Very smooth..." Xiaodan whispered to him as she leaned slightly over Katara and the two girls snickered in amusement.

Aang glanced over at his sister and Katara as they ate and teased Sokka then he followed Arnook when the older man motioned for him to. Arnook lead him over to where Master Pakku was still standing on the raised platform and stood the side as the two benders faced each other.

"Mast Pakku, meet your newest student, the Avatar." Arnook introduced with a smile as he indicated the young Airbender, who bowed to Pakku respectfully.

Pakku looked over the boy standing in front of him critically with his hands folded inside his robe sleeves, "Just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment."

"My friend and I can't wait to start training with you!" Aang replied after giving the man a confused look, "After we relax for a few days."

"If you want to relax then I suggest visiting a tropical island." Pakku stated drily as he looked around in disinterest, "If not, I'll see you both at sunrise. Good night."

Aang watched in surprise as the Waterbending master walked away.

Iroh eased open the metal door to his nephew's cabin and poked his head inside, instantly noticing Zuko leaning against the wall with his arms crossed while glaring into a corner where a familiar looking staff was leaning.

"For the last time. I'm not playing the tsungi horn!"

"No, it's about our plans." Iroh said worriedly as he looked at his nephew carefully and stepped further into the dimly lit room, "There's a bit of a problem."

Zhao stepped into the room then, standing slightly behind Iroh as he stared at the banished prince coldly.

"I'm taking your crew." The Admiral stated matter-of-factly.

"What?!" Zuko demanded, pushing himself a way from the wall and moving to stand a foot or so away from the older man.

"I'm taking them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said with a smirk as he walked around Iroh and stood in front of the seething prince.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked in disbelief as he looked over Zhao's shoulder at his uncle.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." Iroh confirmed then covered his eyes with his arm in sadness, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar." Zhao sneered down at the prince, "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko growled and charged towards Zhao with fire burning his eyes only for Iroh to move forward and stop him by putting his hands on his chest.

"No!" Iroh gasped, keeping his hands raised slightly as he and Zuko watched Zhao walk towards to crossed broadswords hanging on the wall of Zuko's cabin.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao stated with feigned interested as he picked up one of the swords, remembering how the Blue Spirit had used the same kind of swords back at Pohuai Stronghold to rescue the Avatar.

"I'm not." Zuko replied and looked off to the side, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Zhao scrutinized the prince skeptically then began examining the broadsword in his hand as he addressed Iroh, "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors." Iroh answered flippantly, "I don't think he's real."

"He's real alright. He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation." Zhao stated as he walked towards the other two then twisted the sword so the blade was facing down as he held it out to Iroh, who took the broadsword from the Admiral's hand.

"But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon." Zhao continued as he walked towards the door to the cabin and paused in the doorway with one hand on the door, "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands...if you change your mind."

Zuko's jaw clenched as he and his uncle watched the other man leave the room, closing the metal door behind him.

"I've waited for this day my whole life!" Katara said excitedly as she, Aang, and Xiaodan walked up to the palace, "I finally get to learn from a real Waterbending master!"

Xiaodan chuckled and skipped forwards a few steps to keep pace with the two excited younger teens.

"We can tell, Katara." The white-haired Airbender teased good-naturedly as reach the place where the feast had been held the night before, where Master Pakku was currently bending a stream of water with his back to the three teens.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang greeted loudly with his arm raised in a wave, his loud greeting causing Master Pakku to drop the water.

"No, please, barge right in." Pakku stated drily in an annoyed tone as he lowered his arms, "I'm not concentrating or anything."

Xiaodan giggled behind her hand at the obvious grouchiness of the old Waterbending Master, something that reminded her of a grumpy banished prince that she knew. The white-haired girl shook her head slightly to rid herself of those particular thoughts quickly.

"Uh..." Aang replied unsurely then grinned and gestured towards Katara standing between him and Xiaodan with a hand, "This is my friend, Katara. The one I told you about? And this is my sister, Xia, she wanted to watch you teach us."

Katara bowed slightly in respect, her hands clasped behind her back as she tried to keep her eagerness in check while Xiaodan gave her own brief bow of respect to bending Master. Pakku looked from Aang towards the two girls then turned away, Waterbending a block of ice to use as a seat.

"I'm sorry, I think there's been a misunderstanding." Pakku stated, not sounding even remotely apologetic as he basically dismissed both girls, "You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbiddenfor women to learn Waterbending."

"Say what now?" Xiaodan asked in confusion.

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" The dark haired girl demanded angrily at the same time as she stalked towards Pakku, "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!"

"No." Pakku said coolly as he looked at the dark-haired girl dispassionately.

"But there must be other female Waterbenders in your tribe!" Katara protested, still upset as she put her hands on her hips and glared at the older man.

"Here, the women learn from Yugoda to use their Waterbending to heal." Pakku replied matter-of-factly, "I'm sure she would be happy to take you as he student, despite your bad attitude."

Xiaodan's eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline and she stared at Pakku in disbelief.

"He's joking right?" She muttered to Aang, giving the younger Airbender a sidelong glance.

"I don't think so, Xia." Aang answered just as quietly, his eyes never straying from the fuming Katara.

"Wow," The white-haired girl mumbled as she shook her head in utter bewilderment, "I didn't think it was possible for someone to be more sexist than Sokka..."

"I don't want to heal!" Katara shouted furiously, throwing her arms out to express her agitation, "I want to fight!"

"I can see that." Pakku commented drily as he looked at Katara with superiority, "But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well, your rules stink!" Katara retorted with a huff.

"Yeah, they're not fair!" Aang agreed as he moved to stand beside the dark-haired girl, glaring at Pakku, "If you won't teach Katara, then-"

"Then what?" Pakku asked impassively as he stood and stared Aang down.

"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang shouted and turned, leaving Xiaodan and Katara to stare after him in surprise.

"Well, have fun teaching yourself!" Pakku scoffed as he watched the younger Airbender walk away, "I'm sure you'll do a great job."

"Wait! Aang didn't mean that!" Katara said quickly to Pakku then rushed after Aang, leaving Xiaodan standing near Pakku.

The white-haired girl looked over at the older man, her arms folded over her chest, "You're a horrible old man, I hope you know that?"

Pakku's eye twitched slightly and he glared down at the female Airbender.

"And you, missy, have even less of a reason to be here than the other girl." The Waterbending Master snapped, waving his hand in a condescending shooing gesturing, "Run along now."

"Horrible and bitter." Xiaodan mused and shook her head as she began to rock back-and-forth on her heels with her hands now clasped behind her back, her orange eyes watching Katara as she ran towards Aang, "Clearly you've never had kids or been married..."

Meanwhile, Katara reached Aang and put her hand on Aang's shoulder, turning him to face her.

"You can't risk your training for me." Katara said to the younger Airbender urgently, "You have to learn from Master Pakku, even if he is a big jerk."

Aang hesitated a moment then nodded his head in agreement. Katara smiled a little sadly and patted his shoulder gently in assurance then turned to look over at where Xiaodan was still standing near a clearly annoyed Pakku.

"Come on, Xia, I'm sure Master Yugoda will be morewilling to let you watch me train." Katara called out to the slightly older girl, motioning for Xiaodan to follow her.

Xiaodan glanced over at Pakku and scrunched her face up at him then walked over to where Katara was still waiting beside Aang near the top of the stairs.

"Train hard and have fun, little brother." Xiaodan said, rubbing Aang's head affectionately as she walked past him and down the stairs with Katara.

Aang watched the two girls leave sadly, his staff loosely held in his hand.

"Why don't we get started, then?" Pakku asked rhetorically then smirked as he blasted Aang with a stream of water when the boy turned to look at him, nearly causing Aang to fall down the stairs.

"Princess Yue, good morning!" Sokka called out when he saw the Northern Water Tribe princess's gondola pass under the bridge he'd been standing on and he quickly ran down the steps and along the small path beside the canal until he caught up with Yue's boat.

"Hey, how about that picnic last night?" Sokka questioned as he slowed to a walk alongside the princess's boat and rubbed the back of his head as he caught his breath, "Boy, your dad sure knows how to throw a party."

"I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." Yue replied sincerely with a slight smile as she looked at the boy.

"Well, it wasn't as much fin after you left." Sokka said then blushed which caused Yue to blush as well.

Sokka cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "So, I'm still hoping we could see more of each other."

"Do an activity, you mean?" Yue asked in amusement as she watched the boy from the corner of her eye, her lips curled in a small smile.

"Yes!" Sokka agreed eagerly, then awkwardly continued as he gestured with his hands, "At a place...for some time."

"I'd love to. I'll meet you on that bridge tonight." Yue said with a light laugh as she pointed towards the bridge in front of her.

"Great! I'll see you-Ah!" Sokka's happy reply was cut off by him yelping as he walked off the small ice path and into the water.

Yue giggled behind her hands, peering behind her as the gondola continued moving forward.

"Sorry." She apologized and waved slightly with one hand.

"That's okay, it was worth it." Sokka replied with a grin as he climbed out of the water and waved to the pretty princess, "See you tonight."

"That was very smooth."

Sokka yelped and spun around which caused him to slip and fall back into the water. The Water Tribe boy resurfaced, spitting water out of his mouth as he glared up at Xiaodan who was peering down at him with a cheeky smile on her tanned face.

"Sometimes I really don't like you." Sokka grumbled as he pulled himself out of the water again, still glaring at the white-haired girl, "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you would be watching Aang and Katara train or something."

"Yep, Katara and I were on our way to the healing hut when I saw you. I thought I'd say hello." Xiaodan answered then smirked at Sokka, "Hello."

"Yeah, I really don't like her right now..." Sokka muttered to himself as he watched the white-haired Airbender snap open her glider and fly off in the direction she had just come from.

"I'm very impressed." Zhao said as he rested his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers beneath his chin, looking up at the group of men standing in front of him, "You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind."

The pirate captain smirked and pulled the small chest sitting on the desk towards him then opened it. The pirate barker picked up a piece of the gold and bit down on it curiously.

"That's some tasty gold." He commented with a grin only to pout slightly when his captain snatched the gold piece from his hand and put it back in the chest.

"What do you need us to do?" The pirate captain asked Zhao after closing the small chest and pushing it slightly to the side with one arm resting atop it.

Zhao smirked at the man, "I believe you're acquainted with prince Zuko."

Xiaodan landed beside Katara just as the younger girl reached the healing hut.

"Where did you go, Xia?" Katara asked curiously as she walked up the steps of the hut.

"Oh, you know, scaring Sokka like usually." Was the white-haired girl's vague response.

Katara shook her head slightly with a smile as she entered the hut where a gray-haired woman was sitting on a small platform in the middle of a large basin of water, showing the young girls sitting around her how to heal using Waterbending on a wooden dummy.

"Uhhh...Hi." Katara said somewhat reluctantly as she looked at the older woman, "Are you Yugoda?"

"Are you two here for the healing lesson?" Yugoda asked with a maternal smile on her face as she looked at the two girls.

Katara looked at the all the young girls then sighed, her tone disappointed, "I guess I am."

"I'm just here to watch, if you don't mind Master Yugoda." Xiaodan said respectfully with small bow.

"Of course, welcome, welcome both of you." Yugoda stated, her tone still motherly as she gestured for both girls to take a seat.

Xiaodan smiled at the older woman and followed Katara as the dark-haired girl walked further into the room and took seat beside her with her hands folded her lap and her glider resting behind her.

"You're moving the water around but you're not feeling the push and pull." Pakku criticized as he heated some soup with Waterbending without looking at Aang who was working with a stream of water.

"I'm trying..." Aang muttered as he continued to bend the water in front of him, sweat trickling down the side of his face.

Pakku glanced at the struggling boy out of the corner of his eye and slurped up some of the soup.

"Maybe that move is too advanced for you." Pakku commented mockingly, "Why don't you try an easier one?"

Aang scowled and slammed the water down in frustration as he glared at Pakku, who merely continued to eat his soup, unperturbed.

"Thanks for the lesson." Katara said to Yugoda after walking to stand in front of the older woman while the young girls carried out the wooden practice dummy and Xiaodan wondered over to stand beside her.

Yugoda smiled and glanced at the necklace around the girl's neck, "So, who's the lucky boy?"

"What?" Katara asked, sharing a confused look with Xiaodan then looking back at Yugoda curiously.

"Your betrothal necklace." Yugoda replied and gestured towards the blue choker around Katara's neck, "You're getting married, right?"

"Ah...no. I don't think I'm ready for that yet." Katara said in shock as she looked at the woman with wide eyes, her hand instinctively going up to touch the necklace, "My grandmother gave my mother this necklace and my mother passed it down to me."

Yugoda leaned forward and looked closer at the carving on the necklace, "I recognize that carving! I don't know why I didn't realize this sooner, you're the spitting image of Kanna!"

"Wait," Katara said in confusion as backed away slightly from the woman, "How do you know my Gran-Gran's name?"

Xiaodan shifted slightly, looking between the two interestedly just as curious to know how Yugoda knew Gran-Gran as Katara was.

"When I was about your age, I was friends with Kanna." Yugoda explained as she gave the two girls a serene smile, "She was born here in the Northern Tribe."

"Really?" Xiaodan questioned completely intrigued now and Yugoda nodded, still smiling slightly.

"She never told me..." Katara murmured, looking off the side sadly and Xiaodan put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're grandmother had an arranged marriage with a young Waterbender." Yugoda continued in attempt to help Katara maybe understand why her grandmother never told she was from the Northern Water Tribe, "He carved that necklace for her."

"If Gran-Gran was engaged, why did she leave?" Katara asked in surprise and Xiaodan cocked her head to the side, giving the older woman a curious look.

"I don't know. That's always been a mystery to me." Yugoda replied, sounding slightly sad, "She left without saying goodbye."

"Good luck!" Iroh called out to the crew standing on the dock from the main deck and the crew bowed to him.

Iroh sighed quietly as he watched the men leave then headed back into the command tower, towards his nephew's cabin.

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels." Iroh said to his nephew as he walked into the dimly lit room.

"Good riddance to those traitors." Zuko snapped in reply, his arms folded tightly over his chest as he lay down on his sleeping mat and glared at the ceiling.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head." Iroh suggested hopefully then sighed when he got no response, "Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy."

Iroh left the room and headed towards the main deck, where he disembarked from the ship and headed towards the beach to enjoy the pleasant night air.

The three pirates looked around carefully then hurried onto the banished prince's ship and towards the other side where two other pirates were sitting in a small dingy with two barrels of blasting jelly. The three pirates quickly tossed down rope with hooks on the end and pulled the jelly onto the deck.

"Careful with that blasting jelly!" The pirate barker hiss when one of the crew almost dropped the blasting jelly back into the water.

The barker hurried in front of the other two pirates carrying the jelly and started to turn the metal cogwheel on the door leading into the command tower, only to freeze when the cogwheel squeaked loudly. He quickly finished opening the door and urged the other two pirates inside to place the blasting jelly inside, making a small fuse trail as they went.

Zuko jerked upright and swung his legs off his bed, looking at the door after hearing the loud squeak.

"Uncle?" He called out carefully as he got to his feet and walked over to the door, opening it and peering into the hall, "Uncle, is that you?"

Zuko jumped into the hall in a bending stance as he looked around warily for a moment then continued to walk along the halls, his hands still raised in Firebending stance.

The pirate barker quickly lit the fuse and the three rushed down the ramp and off the ship, without looking back.

Zuko looked around the navigation room curiously, rubbing the back of his head in slight confusion as he turned to walk over to the windows.

"Rawwk!"

Zuko's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly when he saw the familiar reptile-bird that had belonged to the pirate captain. He and the reptile-bird stared at each for a moment then the animal flew away. Realization dawned on the scarred prince and his good eye widened further. An explosion rocked the ship and Zuko gasped as he spun around, just in time for a blast of fire to shoot up from the porthole.

"Ah!" He screamed as the navigation room exploded and he was sent flying out one of the windows.

Iroh spun around and his eyes widened when he saw the fire shooting into the air.

"Zuko!" He shouted and ran all the way back to the harbor, skidding to a stop when he saw the destroyed ship, "Zuko..."

Sokka smiled happily as he raced up the steps of the bridge where Princess Yue was waiting.

"Hi, Princess Yue." Sokka greeted happily as he stopped beside her, "I made you something. I carved it myself."

He showed her the roughly carved piece of wood in his hand and Yue looked at it curiously.

"It's a bear."

"Actually, it's supposed to be fish." Sokka said, slightly embarrassed as he flipped the carving around, "See, it has a fin."

"Oh...I'm sorry, I made a mistake." Yue said sadly as she turned away from Sokka, her eyes glittering with tears, "I shouldn't have asked you to come here."

Sokka stared in stunned silence as the white-haired princess raced away from him. His surprised expression morphed into an angry one and he threw the carving into the water then stomped back to where he and his friends were staying.

"How's warrior training going?" Katara asked from her sitting position on her sleeping bag as Sokka entered the room.

"That bad?" Aang asked when Sokka kicked his bag then fell face first into it.

"No, it's Princess Yue." Sokka growled angrily as he glared at the wall in front of him, causing Xiaodan, Aang, and Katara to exchange confused looks, "I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me, and the next she's telling me to get lost."

Sokka scowled for a moment then changed the subject as he turned to Katara, "So, how's Waterbending training?"

"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl." Aang answered for the dark-haired girl as she fell face-first onto her sleeping bag with her parka's hood covering her head, a scowl on his face.

"Why don't you teach her, Aang?" Sokka suggested matter-of-factly and Xiaodan sat up from her sprawled out position in front of the three.

"That's brilliant!" She said with a laugh as she looked at the Water Tribe boy, "Sokka, you're genius."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Katara exclaimed excitedly as she sat back up and turned to face Aang, "Every night, you can teach me whatever moves you learn from Master Pakku! That way, you have someone to practice with, and I get to learn Waterbending! Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not happy." Sokka mumbled in irritation.

"Are you ever?" Xiaodan quipped with a snicker and Sokka glared at her.

"Come on, Aang." Katara said eagerly as she jumped to her feet and left the room.

Aang grinned and followed after the dark-haired girl, leaving a grumpy Sokka at the mercy of Xiaodan's teasing. The older teens sat in silence for a moment then Sokka turned his head to look at the white-haired girl.

"Hey, Xia, you're a girl, right?"

Xiaodan gave him an irritated look and Sokka quickly backtracked when he realized how his comment had sounded.

"I mean, uh, what I meant was that because you're a girl, you understand them, right?"

"I guess..." Xiaodan replied as she looked at Sokka warily, "Why? Is it about Princess Yue?"

"Well, yeah..." Sokka said then shifted uncomfortably not really sure how to ask what he wanted to.

"And, you want to know why she's acting weird?"

"Exactly!" Sokka exclaimed and rolled onto this back with a groan, covering his eyes with his arm, "I just don't understand it. I thought she liked me and now she's telling be to get lost. I seriously don't get it!"

He rolled over onto his stomach again and looked at Xiaodan almost pleadingly, "Is she just playing hard to get or something?"

Xiaodan looked at him a moment then shrugged, "I don't know, Sokka. She could just be feeling unsure about the reason why you like her or there's something else that's causing her to push you away."

"So what should I do?"

"Dunno, talk to her maybe?" Xiaodan suggested with another shrug as she raised her hands up in an unsure gesture, "Find out why she's pushing you away, something like that."

"That's really helpfully and at the same time completely not helpful at all..." Sokka grumbled as he hid his face in his arm and Xiaodan snickered at him with a shake of her head.

"Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating." Aang explained as he bended some water from the canal they were standing beside in the shadow of large wall then he sent the water over to the Katara.

"I got it!" Katara exclaimed quietly in excitement as she began bending the water only to freeze as the water began swirling around her by itself.

"That was amazing!" Aang gaped, his hands on his head as he looked at Katara in shocked awe.

"That wasn't me." Katara replied, lifting her arms in confusion and the two looked up at the bridge near them, gasping when they saw Master Pakku standing there with the water hovering between his hands in a ball.

The two stare in shock and trepidation as Pakku froze the water into spikes which he dropped onto the edge of the bridge with a simple motion of his arms as he glared down at the two teens.

"I was just showing Katara a few moves." Aang tried to explain but Pakku silenced him immediately with a harsh look.

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture." Pakku growled angrily and Aang hung his head slightly.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"You are no longer welcome as my student." Pakku barked, cutting Aang off mid-apology then he turned and walked away, leaving Katara and Aang to stare after him in shock.

"What do you want me to do?" Chief Arnook asked as he looked at the four teens standing in front on him, Yue, Master Pakku, and four other family members, "Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"

"That would be nice, yeah." Xiaodan quipped from beside Sokka only to be shushed by her brother and Sokka.

"Yes." Katara said from in front of her three friends as she looked at the Northern Water Tribe chief pleadingly, "Please!"

"I suspect he might change his mind," Arnook began as he looked at the dark-haired girl standing before him, "If you swallow your pride and apologize to him."

"Fine." Katara agreed reluctantly and turned to face the condescending Waterbending master.

"I'm waiting, little girl." Pakku commented with a sneer, causing not only Katara to bristle at his patronizing tone but Xiaodan as well.

"No." Katara said through clenched teeth as she clenched her fists and the ice began cracking around her as her anger grew, "No way and I apologizing to a sour old man like you!"

Xiaodan jumped when two nearby pots shattered, her orange eyes widening slightly as she looked at the cracking ice, to the pots, then back to the furious Katara.

"Uh...Katara?" Aang questioned warily as he took looked at the angry dark-haired girl.

"I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me." Katara challenged Pakku with her own sneer, causing Yue to gasp in shock.

Katara stalked angrily out of the Chief's temple, leaving Xiaodan, Aang, Sokka, and the Northern Water Tribe members to look after her in stunned silence.

Aang looked back at Pakku and the chief with a sheepish look on his face as he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, "I'm sure she didn't mean that."

"Yeah, I think she did." Sokka deadpanned causing Xiaodan to snicker in amusement.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko." Zhao said as he looked at Iroh in consoling manner as they sat across from each other with teacups in front of them, "Just...devastated."

"The Fire Lord will not pleased when he learns who was responsible." Iroh stated, looking at Zhao impassively over the rim of his teacup.

"You know who was behind the attack?"

"Yes..." Iroh replied as he angrily slammed his fist on the low table, "Pirates, we had a run-in with them awhile back. They wanted revenge."

Zhao sipped his tea and looked at Iroh curiously, "So... Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"Yes, I accept." The older man said with a slight bow of his head, "It will be an honor to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!"

"To victory!" Zhao chorused and the two raised their teacups.

Xiaodan twirled her staff idly as she followed Katara down the palace stairs with Aang and Sokka.

"Are you crazy, Katara?" Sokka demanded as he looked at his angry sister worriedly, "You're not going to win this fight!"

"I know!" Katara replied as she took off her parka and tossed it at her brother, "I don't care!"

"You don't have to do this for me." Aang said carefully, just as worried as Sokka, "I can find another teacher."

"I'm not doing this for you!" Katara snapped as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "Someone needs to slap some sense into the guy!"

Pakku walked down then and Katara sneered at him, "So you decided to show up?"

The Waterbending master didn't reply as he walked past the four teens with his head held high.

"Aren't you going to fight?" Katara demanded as she glared at the man's retreating back.

"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong." Pakku said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he continued walking away.

Katara's fist clenched and she created a water whip in her hand, using it to hit the back of Pakku's head. The master bender flinched slightly as he stopped then straightened.

"Fine. You want to learn to fight so badly? Study closely!" Pakku growled as he turned around to face Katara, bending two streams of water from nearby pools.

Katara charged towards Pakku but was knocked back when the man sent the two streams of water at her. She landed in a kneeling position, watching with slightly wide eyes as Pakku encircled them both in powerful ring of water that was slowly shrinking, forcing Katara to move closer to the master bender

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." Pakku sneered as he watched the girl inch away from the water at her back.

Katara scowled and edged away from the ring then forcefully redirected away from her, accidently sending the blast at Sokka who was knocked backwards with a yelp. Katara created another water whip and charged at Pakku, who made a wall of ice in front of him in defense. The dark-haired girl slid up the curved wall and flipped over Pakku's head, landing on one of the posts at the end of the stairs and stumbled to one knee.

Katara turned her body just in time to see Pakku melt the ice wall and send the blast of water at her, causing her eyes to widen slightly. The Southern Water Tribe bender straightened and encased her feet in ice up to calves as the water charged towards her as she redirected the blast away from her.

"You can't knock me down!" Katara shouted at Pakku in determination, her hands raised in a bending stance.

"Go, Katara!" Aang and Xiaodan shouted as some of the crowd that had gathered cheered with them.

Katara unfroze her feet and charged towards Pakku, who created another wall of ice in front of him but Katara liquefied it and began punching at the older man. Pakku dodged each of her hits easily then knocked her to the side with a blast of water, sending her into one of the pools.

Katara emerged from the water and shook her hair out, earning the approval of the gathered crowd as they cheered for the dark-haired girl. Katara then bended a round pillar of ice from the pool and began sending thin disks of ice at Pakku, the man either knocking or breaking the discs with his wrists. Pakku jerked backwards in surprise, just barely avoiding a disc that almost hit him and he turned to give Katara an irritated look.

Katara jumped out of the pool, bending a large stream of water from it as she moved to stand a few feet in front of Pakku. The dark-haired girl sent the stream of water at Pakku but he merely bended the stream around his body and made it larger then sent it charging back at Katara as she ran towards him, sending her back several feet.

Katara hung her head as she rested on her hands and knees, panting heavily for breath. The dark-haired girl lurched to her feet suddenly and caused the two ice-obelisks to topple over Master Pakku. Pakku looked up in surprise then quickly raised his hands, bending the falling ice-obelisks into a dusty mist of snow.

"Well, I'm impressed." Pakku commented as the mist cleared and he shifted back into a Waterbending stance, "You are an excellent Waterbender."

"But you still won't teach me, will you?"

Pakku gave her a stern look, "No."

Katara scowled and sent a wave of water at Pakku which she changed into ice a moment later. Pakku dodged the ice wave by raising himself up onto a pillar of ice, which he then liquefied as he charged towards Katara from atop it. Katara sent a powerful stream of water at the wave of water, knocking it off course as Pakku froze the stream of water and slide across it, striking Katara as he passed.

Katara gasped as she fell, her necklace flying off as she hit the ground. Pakku easily leapt of the ramp, flipping through the air as he landed on the rim of one of the pools. Katara pushed herself up and panted, her hair hanging loosely around her as she watched Pakku bend a tower of water from the pool. The older man bended the stream of water until it hovered over Katara then he froze it into shards of ice which he sent down at the dark-haired girl. Aang, Sokka, and Xiaodan stared in horror as the crowd gasped, one child even looking away in fear as Katara still-form was trapped in the flurry of frozen daggers.

Katara lifted her head and began to struggle, trying to pull her arms free of the ice daggers they were trapped between as Pakku casually strolled away from her.

"This fight is over."

"Come back here!" Katara shouted as she continued to struggle violently, "I'm not finished yet!"

"Yes, you are." Pakku replied then paused when he saw the necklace on the ground and he picked it up, "This is my necklace..."

"No, it's not!" Katara yelled angrily, "It's mine! Give it back!"

Pakku stared at the necklace in astonishment, "I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life... for Kanna."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked in stunned surprise as she unfroze the ice.

Iroh walked casually down the hall of one of Zhao's ships, pausing beside one of the masked Fire Nation soldiers.

"Our plan is working perfectly." Iroh stated calmly, "Zhao doesn't suspect a thing."

Zuko removed the mask from the helmet and looked at his uncle from the corner of his eye, "You didn't have to do this."

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup." Iroh replied chidingly as he looked at his disguised nephew.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Iroh looked down the hallway when he heard a door open, "Someone's coming. Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck."

Iroh continued his languid walk down the hall while Zuko replaced the helmet's mask and headed in the opposite direction.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged." Pakku said quietly, his back to Katara and the others as he held the necklace in his hands, "I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arrange marriage." Katara stated, her tone not unkind as she walked closer to Pakku, "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage."

Xiaodan blinked and watched as Yue ran away with tears streaming down her face.

"Go get her." Aang said to Sokka and Xiaodan pushed the Water Tribe boy to urge him after her.

Sokka hesitated a moment then ran after the white-haired princess, leaving Xiaodan and Aang to watch him go.

Later that night, Sokka walked up the stairs leading to the bridge he had met Yue on the night before where the princess was standing now.

"What do you want from me?" Yue asked in sad exasperation as Sokka walked over to her.

"Nothing." Sokka replied as she turned to face him, "I just want you to know, I think you're beautiful, and, I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me."

"You don't understand." Yue said sadly as she looked at the ground.

"No, no. See that's the thing." Sokka stated with a shake of his head, "I think I do understand now. You're a Princess, and I'm...I'm just a Southern peasant."

"No, Sokka-"

"It's okay." Sokka said gently, "You don't have to say anything. I'll see you around, okay?"

He moved to walk away but Yue lurched forward and grabbed his arm, spinning him to face her. Yue placed a hand on his cheek and pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss, pulling away a few moments later.

"Okay, now I'm really confused." Sokka said as he looked at the princess with a flabbergasted expression and held one of her hands in both of his, "Happy, but confused."

"I do like, a lot. But we can't be together, and not for the reason you think." Yue said, her tone sorrowful as she looked at Sokka, "It's because...I'm engaged."

The white-haired girl pulled down the furred collar of her dress, showing him the blue betrothal necklace she was wearing. Sokka recoiled and dropped her hand, staring at her with a shocked and slightly hurt expression.

"I'm sorry." Yue apologized brokenly and ran away from his again, the tears glistening in the fain light from the crescent moon as she once again left Sokka standing alone on the bridge.

Pakku watched as Aang bending a sphere of water around his body then turned it into a stream and sent it awkwardly off to the side.

"Not bad, not bad." Pakku said with a slight chuckle as the boy looked at him with a proud expression on his face, "Keep practicing and maybe you'll get it by the time you're my age."

Aang growled in annoyance and turned around, only to smile a moment later when he saw Katara coming up the stairs.

"Hey, Katara!" Aang greeted the dark-haired girl happily as he waved at her.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Pakku demanded, causing Katara to look up at him with a stricken look on her face and the older man smirked, "It's past sunrise. You're late."

Katara smiled slightly and continued forward until she was standing beside Aang.

"Good to see you here." Aang said to the girl, still grinning widely as he shifted into a bending stand.

"You, too." Katara replied with her own smile as she did the same and Pakku began his class.

Xiaodan stood beside Sokka on the bridge he and Yue had been on the night before with her hand resting consolingly on the despondent Southern Water Tribe boy's shoulder, providing the boy with the silent comfort that only an older sister could give. Two older teens watched the sun rise in silence, both of their thoughts wondering to two very different people.

"My fleet is ready." Zhao stated as he stood beside Iroh at the top of the lead ship in the Admiral's fleet, "Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe."

The captain nodded and the ships began to fire up as they prepared to set sail