Chapter 1:The Boy In The Iceberg & The Avatar Returns Part 1

The seventeen year old inhaled sharply,

breathing in the frigid cold air of the Southern

Pole. AIl she could see for miles was blue and white. And honestly, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

When she was a child, she used to dream about coming here. Under different circumstances, obviously. In another life, she would have been born here. Could have been happy.

But this was not that life.

Azra was Fire-Nation. A wolf in sheep's

clothing. And for the first time in her life, she felt intensely alive, at the sight of the water. Of the lull under her skin, the way that it pulsed and pushed within her veins.

Like the very blood that gave her life.

Two and a half years of this, of being free from the Fire Nation. It shouldn't have been such a joy, such an adventure for her. But she had made it, against all odds. Against Hama's wishes.

She had survived, and if she had her way, she was never going back.

Avatar or no.

"It's cold out here," Came the firm and warm

Voice of General Iroh.

Azra glanced to the side, smiling warmly at the General. He, much like her, had volunteered for this task. For this fool's journey, to hunt down the avatar. Their motivations couldn't be more different.

But they did share one thing in common, and

that was Zuko. Well that, and their mutual love and appreciation for tea.

"It doesn't really bother me" Azra admitted,

shrugging her shoulders slightly. It was true, the cold just felt peaceful to her. Like a safety

blanket of ice and mist that would surround her.Protect her.

Iroh smiled. "That must be the fire in your

blood."

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Azra just gave a laugh. "And yet, here I am, a

nonbender, amongst Prince Zuko's crew."

Another lie to spill from her lips. Sometimes, Azra wondered if she lied more than she spoke truths. If lying came more naturally to her than telling the truth. It certainly felt easier at times.

"Oh, you know you're more like family, child" Iroh insisted, shaking his head at her.

"And you are too kind to me, General.!" Azra said, watching the water pulse and push against the ship again.

"The water is dangerous, but it is beautiful." Iroh said, pulling his robes closer to his skin.

"I never thought l'd see this much blue

anywhere." Azra admitted quietly. "My father

told me of his travels, but it didn't quite compare."

"Ah yes, your father. Quite the General, isn't he?" Iroh mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

She just turned to face Iroh. "Can I help you set up your Pai Sho board?"

He beamed warmly. "My dear, it would be an

honor"

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Standing at attention and watching General Iroh play Pai Sho, sometimes she felt out of place. Well, most of the time. He would've invited her, but she already felt singled out from the crew.

Perhaps it was the fact that as a 12 year old, she had managed to escape Hama's grasp and had been invited to attend the Fire Nation Academy with the Fire Lord's very own son. Perhaps it had been the fact that she had become fast friends with him, hiding the very essence of who she was.

Perhaps it was the fact that upon facing the

prospect of returning to care for Hama, she had immediately volunteered herself to join Prince Zuko in the search for the Avatar. Perhaps it was the fact that their friendship, however tumultuous and confusing at times, continued to this very day.

Or perhaps it was the fact that she was a dirty liar and she was the only one who could see it.

Or perhaps it was the fact that she was Zuko's right hand woman, never far from his side, always acting on his orders and having his back.

Whatever the case, Azra did her best to keep her distance. To keep quiet, to keep out of sight, and to cling to the hope that one day, she would be able to just be.

As they sailed through the ice caps, a brilliant beam of light shot up from a distance. Azra's eyes immediately shifted towards it, widening at the sight. Something like that, that was powerful.

Something like that had to be the Avatar.

She hadn't believed in it before. Hadn't believed or dared to hope that it was true. Hope was dangerous. It got you killed, got you hurt.

But now?

Zuko turned, eyes narrowed at the sight of Iroh continuing to place his Pai Sho tiles. "Uncle, don't you know what this means?!" He demanded.

Iroh let out a weary sigh. Two years of false

hope hadn't left him with much to go on either. "I won't get to finish my game?" He asked ina knowing tone.

"It means my search, it's about to come to an

end" Zuko continued. Iroh set down his tile,

dark eyes set on Zuko. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the Celestial Lights! We've been

down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." Iroh insisted. "Please sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?" He offered.

Azira could practically see steam rolling off of Zuko. " don't need any calming tea!" He roared. "I need to capture the avatar!" He turned, ever so-slightly. "Helmsman! Plot a course for the light!"

Iroh set down the last tile, eyes straying over to Azira. They seemed to meet eyes, the same weary expression on them. Every single time. This is what he was like. He yelled. He never apologized. And they didn't really expect him to.

Azira peered at the game. "You're quite close to being finished."

The man just grumbled. "Quite close is not the same as being finished."

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With hours to go on their journey towards the

light, Azra found sleep more than elusive. The push and pull of the boat, the way the water felt just beneath her skin, it should have been more than enough to put her right to sleep.

But she just felt on edge. Like she was on the

brink of making a choice. Azra didn't necessarily believe in fate or destiny. She didn't even have faith in things. If there was one thing she believed in, it was herself.

Right now though, she felt like a rock being flung into a river, rapidly moving. Unsure of which path to take. If the Avatar was real, then it would change-everything.

It wasn't that she believed the Fire Nation to be evil. But this war? It needed to end. And the

things that they were doing, they weren't right. The Fire Nation was full of good people. Good people, like her father, even if he was fighting the war.

If the Avatar was real, then she could choose to put her faith in something. Something more than herself. Something bigger.

Quite frankly, that scared her.