Pain erupted throughout the seven year old's body. A silent scream escaped from her lips as she fell to the concrete. Her back felt on fire, and as she turned her head to look at it, she realized that was the case. She buried her face into the concrete, the pain unbearable. Not too far away, a ten year old boy stood and stared at his sister, regret filled his face. He ran over and dropped at her side. He tried to reach for her but she moved away at his touch.

"Rei, I'm ... I'm so sorry..." He tried to apologize. She flinched at his words and tried to raise herself up using her arms, only for them to give out and tumble back down to the ground. Tears filled her eyes. Her body began to feel numb as her brother lifted her up on to his back. The scenery began to blur around Rei as her brother ran frantically towards their house. Not long after, darkness took over.

Rei sat up swiftly, her face pale with a cold sweat. She calmed her breathing and looked around. She frowned when she saw the dimply lit hallways consisting of bookcases. She felt a pain in her back and looked around to realize she had slept on a pile of books. It's nothing compared to that time though... Rising to her feet she stretched out her stiff limbs. Once finished, she looked behind her to see Airon, a white materialized spirit stag. They had become companions almost six years ago, when they had discovered each other after wondering off from their own families. Their bond was strong, one not easily broken. They went against challenges together, and both have gotten hurt by the other before; but it's the hard times that strengthen the bond. Rei smiled as she lightly shook him awake. Opening those bright blue eyes, Airon shook his head before rising onto his hooves.

"Why'd you have to wake me so early?" Airon asked. Rei smiled at him. When standing, excluding the massive antlers, Airon was easily taller than Rei by half a head. Rei smiled and rubbed his white furry neck. He nuzzled Rei in response, clearly still tired. Picking up her backpack, Rei searched through for some food. Pulling out an apple she tossed it into the air. Airon caught it in his mouth without fault. Rei pulled out her own apple and started to eat. Tossing the backpack onto one shoulder, she exited the row of bookshelves with three books at hand. Books she hoped she'll be able to take with her. There's just too much information in them to remember. Rei and Airon searched around for the library owner and later found him roaming around. His head turned 360 degrees around towards Rei. A shiver ran down her spine as those dark eyes stared towards her.

"Yes?" he asked, almost annoyed yet patient.

"Um, I'm sorry to disturb, but what are the chances that I can keep these books?" The librarian narrowed his eyes before making his way over to inspect the books. Just he coming over was quite menacing, since he's a large owl spirit and all. He took the books with his large wing and stared at them before looking up at her.

"Why would these subjects interest you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well because six years ago -," Rei was cut off as he abruptly turned his head around.

"I knew I couldn't trust those humans..." he mumbled before taking off towards the mechanical calendar room, the books falling from his grasp. Airon quickly jumped towards them and caught them in his antlers. He turned towards Rei with a questionable look.

"What are the chances that Wan Shi Tong will allow us to keep the books?" Rei asked, looking at Airon. He sighed.

"Probably none."

"Well then, let's make a run for it," she said and they both sped off towards the only entrance to the surface. On the way Rei jumped onto Airon's back and hurriedly placed the books inside her backpack. She held on tight as Airon's legs dematerialized and he rode upwards towards the opening, floating upwards. Bursting through, Rei and Airon landed on the sand. She jumped off of Airon and made sure she had all three books in, but looked up as someone suddenly spoke.

"Who are you?!" A girl wearing Earth Kingdom clothes asked, preparing a stance. Behind her a large white bison yawned. Rei didn't have time to answer as the library suddenly began sinking. The girl rushed frantically and placed her hands on the tower to try and keep it from sinking. Rei was amazed at the strength this girl showed.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Help me!" the girl yelled.

"I'm not a bender. Everything I try will be futile. Let's just hope your mortal friends make it up in time." Rei was honest when saying that. Too many mortals have become stuffed heads in the library. It wasn't exactly the nicest decorations. Suddenly a sound resembling wind blowing sounded from behind.

"What is it now?!" the girl screeched in annoyance. Rei turned to see two sandbending ships approaching.

"Sandbenders," she answered before narrowing her eyes. "And they don't look friendly." Suddenly sand was bended around the large bison, Airon caught in the whirling vortex of sand.

"Airon!" Rei called, her arm over her eyes to block out the sand from entering. Airon responded by grunting loudly.

"Put a muzzle on him!" She heard from the inside. She tried to make her way inside the vortex but a sandbender used sand to slam her out of the way. The back of her head hit the tower and she sunk to the sand. The girl made attempts to stop the sandbenders but instead focussed on keeping the tower up. Rei tried to move but stopped as dots entered her vision. Reaching behind her head she felt blood. The last thing she saw was the bison and Airon get tied up, and pulled away by the two ships.

Rei sat up swiftly once she regained consciousness, regretting it soon after when dizziness took over and she collapsed again.

"Hey, take it easy! That's a bad head injury you got there." Rei blinked and turned her head towards the speaking. A female wearing Water Tribe clothing. Realizing that they were moving, Rei sat up carefully and looked to see them on a sandbending ship, instead fuelled by airbending. Rei's eyes widened at the young boy wearing Air Nomad clothing and had blue arrow tattoos. It's him... Rei turned to see the earthbending girl and another boy wearing Water Tribe clothing.

"Hey, thanks for helping me." Rei spoke.

"It's okay. I managed to heal it in time but you still have to take it easy." the Water Tribe girl spoke. Rei nodded.

"Hey little lady, how you liking the forest so far?" the Water Tribe boy spoke as if in a daze and Rei swiftly looked to the Earth Kingdom girl.

"Cactus juice." she explained.

"The needle on this compass doesn't appear to be pointing North according to my charts." Tribe girl explained.

"It's broken. Great." the Earth girl spoke.

"No, it's not broken. It keeps pointing in one direction." Rei looked over the sail and saw a kind of mountain ahead.

"Could it be that?" she asked, pointing towards it. The Tribe girl gasped.

"A rock. That must be it. The magnetic centre of the desert."

"A rock? Yes! Let's go!" the Kingdom girl cheered.

"Maybe we can find some water there!" the Tribe girl exclaimed happily.

"Maybe we can find some sandbenders." the Nomad boy said menacing. They later stopped at the base and got off.

"I'll stay here and watch the ship." Rei offered, not seeing the fun in climbing the thing to the top.

"No! We can't trust you yet! Come on!" the Tribe boy yelled, clearly feeling better, taking her by the arm and yanked her up. She felt dizzy and almost fell if he hadn't caught her.

"Sokka! She's still injured!" the Tribe girl yelled and came to her aid.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine. He just caught me off guard is all." Rei explained. The girl nodded reluctantly and they all went to the base where they took a path up. So we wouldn't have climbed anyway.

"I'm Katara by the way, and this here is my idiot older brother, Sokka." the Tribe girl introduced.

"I'm Rei." Rei introduced.

"I'm Toph, and that's Aang." the Earth girl introduced them both, pointing towards the silent, grouchy looking Nomad boy. Katara came to her side and whispered to her.

"He's usually not like this. He's just upset because the sandbenders stole Appa, his bison." And that's when it her. The events that took place. Her eyes widened in anger.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Katara asked her with concern.

"The sandbenders took Airon." she said through gritted teeth.

"I knew you weren't alone!" Toph yelled out, almost in relief.

"Who's Airon?" Sokka asked. Rei contemplated on how much to tell them, since she just met them and all.

"My best-friend." she answered and they entered a cave.  

"Look!" Sokka yelled and grabbed what can almost be described as honey from the side of the cave and licked it. Rei shivered. He and the weird lemur on his shoulder started to spit it out.

"Ugh! Tastes like raw penguin meat!" he exclaimed. "Aww I feel woozy."  

"You've been hallucinating on cactus juice all day and then you just lick something you find stuck to the wall of a cave?!" Katara exclaimed. Clearly she's the more mature sibling.  

"I have a natural curiosity." Sokka explained. Rei snickered and looked ahead at the airbender who examined the surroundings in a deep thought.

"I don't think this is a normal cave. It was carved by something." Toph explained.

"Yeah, look at the shape." Aang agreed. Rei narrowed her eyes as a faint buzzing entered her ear drums.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?" Aang questioned.

"There's a buzzing in here... and it's heading towards us!" Toph yelled out and they all bolting out. Not long after, large wasp like creatures surrounded them. Everyone started to attack, while Rei helplessly stood in the middle. Aang was using his airbending and Toph earth but she seemed to be struggling for whatever reason; something about them being airborne. Sokka was still hallucinating and Katara was out of water. Great.

"We have to get out of here!" she screamed. Then, the flying lemur got snatched up.

"Momo!" Aang yelled out as distance spread between them. "I'm not losing anyone else out here." he said and used his wind glider to catch up.

"Come on, we're going down." Katara said and they went down, Katara directing Toph to shoot rocks in the air. Sokka cheered once she hit the wasp, then questioned if she had or if it was another one of his hallucinations. They ran down and another swarm came when explosions like erupted and scared off the wasps. Appearing before them were sandbenders and their ships. Aang landed in front of them.

"What are you doing in our land with a sandbender ship? ‌From the looks of it, you stole it from the Hami tribe." a sandbender accused.

"We found the ship abandoned in the desert. We're travelling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen and we have to get to Ba Sing Se." Katara explained. Rei's eyes shot to Aang's back. This is the guy who caused it... An argument brewed between two of the sandbenders, Toph recognizing one's voice.

"I recognize the son's voice. He's the one that stole them." she spoke.

"You sure?" Katara questioned.

"I'm sure. I never forget a voice."

"You stole Appa! Where is he? What did you do to him?!" Aang yelled as he walked up to him, his bow ready. I would do anything for Airon, even kill, but this is just dangerous...

"They're lying! They're the thieves!" the son accused. Aang then destroyed one of the ships.

"Where is my bison? You tell me where he is now!" He destroyed another ship. Rei could not do much but stand by.

"What did you do?" The father asked his son accusingly.

"It wasn't me!"

"You said to put a muzzle on him." Toph said, and Rei narrowed her eyes at the man.

"You muzzled Appa?!" Aang entered the Avatar state, destroying another ship.

"I'm sorry! We didn't know it belonged to the Avatar! P-please! I swear! We didn't muzzle the bison, we muzzled the stag!" Rei's mouth hung as she heard that statement.

"Tell me where Appa is!" Aang spoke, sounding menacing and double-voiced in his Avatar state.

"I traded him, to some merchants. He's probably in Ba Sing Se by now. They were going to sell him there. Please! We'll escort you out of the desert; we'll help however we can!" the son begged. Sokka grabbed Toph and Rei and pulled them with him as Aang formed a heavy sphere of air around him. Katara went in and calmed him down. Toph and Sokka went back to their side while Rei glared at the son. He shivered under the glare.

"Is Airon also in Ba Sing Se?" The son stared up at her before fear filled his face, the colour draining. "Well? Are you going to answer me?" Rei said, trying hard to not shout. The son nodded sharply.

"Y-yes... To the King directly..." Rei narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she demanded.

"Y-you're eyes... They're glowing..." Rei closed her eyes and reopened them; this time sure she was in control.

"Why that's nice of you to say." She smiled and turned swiftly and went back to the others. The son was left frozen in fear.

"What was that all about?" Sokka questioned once she reached them.

"Oh just finding out what he did to my dear Airon. Seems he was sold to the King directly." He nodded.

"We better get a move on then."