A Naive Child’s Dream I

The chill cuts deeply into the fur coats of the water tribe youths. Katara attempts to direct the path an ice-koi is taking near their canoe. Just as she gets it floating over the canoe, Sokka pulls back too far and bursts the small bubble she had contained the ice-koi in, causing the water to pour all over Sokka and the ice-koi to slap him on the way down...

"Damn it Katara, stop doing your water magic around me! I'm sick and tired of getting soaked!" Sokka shouts throwing his spear down in the canoe.

"It's not magic! It's bending, and it's not my fault I'm the last water bender in the tribe!" Katara shouts back, her anger rising like the currents around the canoe.

"This is exactly why girls shouldn't go hunting, you always scare away the fish!" Sokka shouts turning to see the ice field they had drifted into.

"Oh shit! Look out!" Sokka shouts as he attempts to maneuver through the ice field. They weave in and out, with the end almost in sight, when they crash into another iceberg rising up from the waves, shredding the canoe, and stranding Katara and Sokka on the iceberg.

"That's just great, you happy now Katara! Your freaky water magic has gotten us stranded in the middle of an ice field!" Sokka says shouting at Katara.

"How is this my fault?! You were the one steering! I'm sick and tired of you always blaming me! After Mom died I'm the one who had to step up and do the cooking and cleaning while you were out playing soldier!" Katara shouts, flailing around, behind her a large glacier begins to crack in time with her motions.

Sokka notices and shakily says, "Katara, I think you should calm dow-"

"No! I will not calm down! I do everything for you and get zero respect! I mean, do you know how disgusting your socks are?! They are revolting!" With a final slam of her fist, the glacier behind her shatters to pieces causing a tidal wave to knock them back.

After their little iceberg stopped shaking, Sokka say, "Congratulations Katara, you've gone from weird to freakish Katara."

Looking up in awe, Katara says, "Wait... You mean I did that?"

"Yup, you weirdo," Sokka says sarcastically as bubbles and a glowing light starts to rise from far beneath the water. Leaping back in fear a glowing spherical iceberg bursts up from beneath the surface. From deep within the ice, a small glowing figure opens its eyes.

"He's alive?!" Katara gasps. "We have to help!" Katara says, taking the club off Sokka's back.

"Katara! Get back here! We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka shouts, chasing after her. Hopping across the small floating chunks of ice between them and the large iceberg. Pulling back her arms with all her might, Katara smashes the club repeatedly into the side of the iceberg. Until they hear a loud crack and a massive gust of wind blows them back. Sokka was just barely able to anchor them on the iceberg with his spear. The crack races along the iceberg, growing rapidly, before shattering it with a massive beam of light shooting into the chilly arctic sky. Creating a beautiful aura borealis.

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Far off in the distance, a Fire Navy ship spots this light. A middle-aged man stares at it in disbelief... "Captain, change our heading to match that light!" he shouts.

"But commander, there's nothing out there but snow and sea-lions." The captain responds.

"Did I ask for a report of our surroundings? No! I told you to get us to that light! That light came from an incredibly powerful source, it could only be the Avatar, the man the Fire Nation has been searching for, for the last 100 years! To think, I've found the Avatar after only a couple weeks of this accursed station. Capturing the Avatar will guarantee my promotion to Admiral!" The man shouts in almost euphoric glee... "Now helmsman! Plot a course for that light!"

"Of course! Right away Commander Zhao!" The helmsman shouts back, changing course.

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Back at the iceberg, a glowing figure emerges from the cracked iceberg.

"Stop!" Sokka shouts as the figure ceases to glow, and it falls from the top crease of the iceberg like a puppet with its strings cut. Katara gasps as she rushes forward to catch the falling figure. Holding the young tattooed boy in her arms, Sokka begins poking him with the full end of his spear.

"Stop it!" Katara shouts, pulling the boy in closer, turning him to get a better look at his face. He slowly begins to twitch, his eyes opening just barely...

In a dry creaking voice, he says, "I-I need to ask you something..."

"What?" Katara asks.

"Please, come closer." The boy whispers.

Leaning in close to hear what the boy has to say, Katara listens intently.

The boy's disposition changes like a switch, as he says, "Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

"Uh, sure? I guess?" Katara responds, slightly confused. The boy leaps... No, more accurately, he floats up. Sokka freaks out and waves his spear at the boy.

"What's going on here?" The boy says, looking around confusedly.

"You tell us! How'd you get into the ice?! And why aren't you frozen?" Sokka shouts at the boy while poking him with his spear.

Patting the jabs aside, the boy responds. "I'm not sure?" With a look of shock on his face, the boy clambers up the iceberg to get back in the center.

A growling noise can be heard on the other side as the boy can be heard saying, "Appa! Are you alright? Wake up, buddy."

Walking around to another opening, Sokka has a look of disbelief as he sees a giant, fuzzy, six-legged monster lick the boy from the iceberg. Who then shouts excitedly, "You're okay!" hugging the fuzzy creature.

"What is that thing?" Sokka asks accusingly.

"This is Appa, my flying bison." The boy responds rather matter-of-factly.