Chapter 1:The Girl in the Cave

I was about 14. My Mom and I were visiting Aunt Melody in the hospital. The visitors' room was stuffy and hideously decorated. The furniture looked like it was manufactured in the 40's.

We walked down a long yellow hallway with ugly brown carpeting and lined with green doors, but the inside of each room was startling white, making it feel like everything was too sterile.

My aunt was sitting on the edge of her bed. It was neatly made with a fluffy white comforter, but I had the feeling it wasn't comforting in the least. She looked up at us, a smile spread across her face. She looked haunted, dark circles surrounded her blood-shot eyes and she was too thin, but even so, the genuine smile she had made her look so much better.

We walked with her back to the stuffy visitors' room. We made small talk, about the weather, about how I was doing in high school now and about mom's new client. Luckily mom didn't bother her sister by complaining about how 'rebellious' I was becoming. And no one dared to mention Aunt Mel's condition. It was a good visit.

That is until Aunt Mel screamed.

She was looking outside. She began mumbling under her breath about how they were coming after her, how they were mad at her for not going with them. She started crying and apologizing profusely for how she couldn't do it again.

A member of the staff got there as soon as they could, trying to calm her down by reminding her that no one was there and no one was mad at her.

"Of course you can't see the spirits, no one else is burdened with it but me!" she snapped, still crying.

I looked in the same direction as Aunt Mel. I could almost see something glimmer, but it was faint.

Something made Melody completely break. Pushing off the nurse that was trying to calm her down, she tried to make a break for it. Other nurses blocked her off. She fought them off the best she could, as thin and fragile looking as she was.

I couldn't stand to see her like this. We always seemed to have this special bond, like we understood and trusted each other. So, I went closer to try to calm her down.

My efforts proved to be mistaken though. Aunt Mel didn't recognize me. She pushed me away like the others, with a strength I never would have thought possible from her. I tumbled backwards, falling and landing on my side, but my head crashed into the corner of a coffee table.

The memory faded.

The sound of flute music could be heard. In the distance I could see the rising sun. I was flying. I felt free and happy. Laughter escaped my lips. Beneath me was a forest, green and just as happy as I was. This was so different compared to the memory I had just experienced.

"Oh, hello Roku, nice day to fly isn't it?" I conversed with the man flying on a dragon as If I did this every day. They were the same spiritual blue I was.

"Follow me." He said and then sped in front with Fang. Soon we were down below in the forest. Shadows loomed between the foliage. Sometimes I could see faces in the shadows, other times I could only see their intimidating eyes.

Avatar Roku took me to a large clearing in the forest. "Do not be afraid." He advised.

From the edge of the forest appeared a bluebird the size of me and someone who looked too much like a cougar. The cougar person carried an ornamental wooden box.

"Accept their gift." Roku advised me again. I nodded quickly in response, bouncing on the balls of my feet, still high on my happiness from flying.

"Wake Up…" Everything went still, frozen in time.

" Who's that?" I looked about me, but everything began to disappear in puffs of blue smoke.

"Lucy…"

"That's me…"

"Wake up Lucy." The disembodied voice pushed my arm. The next thing I know my head is splitting from falling on the side of a bus.

"OW!"

"Shut up." My best friend, Scarlett, hushed me, "It's time to get off the bus."

"Right… I had a weird dream." I commented, rubbing a bump on my head that I'm so blaming Scarlett for later.

"What happened? Sometimes dreams can give us hints to our future, I've read about different dream interpretations in a book my mom got."

"I'm not entirely sure, I was reliving a memory and then suddenly I was talking to Roku and he was telling me to accept some gift from this cougar-lady" Scarlett thought about it for a second.

"The Avatar and a cougar-lady? That is a weird dream…"

"Hush students," one of the chaperones, Ms. Laverne, commanded over the voices of 70 or so teenagers. "Before we head into the lodge I need to remind you to stay in pairs, and to remember that while we are here you all represent our school and community. As a reminder of the safety rules…"

As Ms. Laverne went on I began tuning her out, opting to check out the Ski resort we were lucky enough to go to instead. The mountains are huge, all I can think is 'dear god, I'm going to try to ski down that!' I can hardly see the ant sized people making their way down. Then I looked over to the ski lift and the people expertly getting on and then glanced back to their destination, wondering how I was going to do that myself.

"Come on Lu." Scarlett looped her arm in mine, dragging me along with her, "After we leave our luggage in our room we're going skiing."

"But I've never skied before Scar —"

"Nonsense!" She cut me off, "I'm experienced enough for the both of us, and I can teach you. Besides, don't you want to stick together?" Of course it would be way more fun with my best friend.

"Alright let's do it." I agree without another thought.

Ok, so Scarlett taught me the basics. We completely disregarded the bunny trail and I think the beginner trails too, but that's ok. This'll be fun as long as I don't die.

"Are you ready?" Scarlett asks. Now that I've had time to think about this I'm starting to realize that this might not be the best idea, but she only sees me nod my head. "Alright, let's go!" She quickly starts skiing down the slope; I lift off slowly, but begin to pick up speed. Soon I forget about all my inexperience and worries and I feel like I'm back in my dream, flying and happy and giggling.

Too soon, I see people getting closer, and I turn so I don't hit them. Unfortunately I turn the wrong way and end up going off the trail. Clearly it's my lucky day, because after skiing through the forest for ten seconds I haven't hit anything yet. I attempt to slow down, but can't, I'm going straight toward the open mouth of a cave. Obviously I've forgotten how to stop.

I fly straight into the cave. I anticipate some painful crash and end up mostly buried in several feet of snow upside down. While I'm trying to wiggle free the cave starts to glow a bright blue.

"What the…" RUMBLE…RUMBLE the snow that I was still semi-buried in gave way to a hole in the cave, dragging me down with it.

I didn't even have time to scream before everything went black.

It was freezing and my ski jacket wasn't helping at all.

Waddle… Waddle… Waddle...

I opened my eyes to be met with a pair of black charcoal-like eyes.

"Ahhh!" I momentarily forgot that it was like a million below zero and jumped up, pressing my back to the cave wall. A strange penguin with four arms waddled back almost as fast as I did. "Oh, it's just a penguin…I think."

"Come on, Appa. Yip yip." I heard Aang's voice from outside the cave.

"First mutant penguins, now I'm hearing voices from my favorite show… I'm either dreaming or crazy." I mumbled to myself. I decided to move outside to get some blood running through my veins and to see if anyone was actually out there.

Of in the distance, swimming in ice-cold water, a loud growl could be heard from a giant bison with an arrow on his head and Aang, Katara, and Sokka on his back. I really hope this is just a dream and I'm not insane.

"Hey!" I yelled loud enough for them to hear me. "Hey! Help me! I'm lost!" Katara noticed me first, and pointed me out to Aang who steered Appa towards me. I ran the rest of the way to meet them.

"I don't think picking up random strangers is a good idea." Ah, Sokka, always the pessimist.

"She doesn't look dangerous Sokka." Katara said.

"So?! For all we know she could be a firebender!" Sokka reasoned, "Besides where did she even come from?"

"Thanks for getting me." I said as Aang helped me up Appa. "I don't know what I would've done if you guys weren't around."

"Freeze to death probably." Sokka said bluntly.

"What are you even doing down here in the South Pole?"Katara asks.

"Skiing." I answered, not realizing they probably don't ski in the Avatar world until they gave me weird looks. "I-I mean Penguin sledding." Aang's eyes lit up.

"Do you want to go penguin sledding with me?" he asked excitedly.

"Sure." I always wanted to ride a penguin.

"You're really odd." Sokka scrutinized me. "I mean what's with your hair? It's such a weird color." He cautiously touched my blonde hair to emphasize that it was weird.

"Umm… I the spirits blessed me." Thinking back to Yue, I guess that would fit. Even though it's just a dream I don't want to stick out too much and have to explain too many things.

"And what's with those clothes?" I looked down to my torn and tattered ski clothes that aren't really doing much for me now as I sit shivering.

"They're supposed to keep me warm in the snow, but they got too torn when I crashed… my penguin." I started playing with my bangs subconsciously.

"Oh, I guess they don't really know how to make clothes for the South Pole in the Earth Kingdom." Katara assumed. I didn't bother to correct her, if she thought I was from the Earth Kingdom because my clothes are green, that's just fine with me. "Don't worry; we'll get you proper clothes as soon as we get back to the village."

"Thanks, Ka…um…" I stopped myself before I made that mistake and made Sokka think I'm a fire nation spy or something. "You know what? We never properly introduced each other, I'm Lucy."

"I'm Katara," I shook her hand, "And Mr. Big Nose over there is my brother, Sokka." He first refused to shake my hand, mumbling about how I even have a weird name, but grudgingly took it after Katara glared at him.

"And I'm Aang!" he exclaimed from Appa's head, who then growled. "Oh, right and this is Appa. Sorry Appa, I wasn't going to forget you."

I woke up, surprisingly warm and wrapped in blankets. I must have been half asleep when we arrived last night.

"Oh, you're up. Good morning Lucy." Katara greeted, "I brought you some warmer clothes."

"Thanks Katara I-"

"Ahhhh!" Aang screamed from another tent.

"I'll check on him." Katara quickly left.

I got dressed in my new water tribe gear: a light blue short-sleeved kimono-like dress, dark blue leggings and undershirt, dark blue pants, an amazingly warm fur coat, and fur-lined mittens and boots. I actually looked like I belonged here.

'I'm going to be so freaking warm.' I thought happily. 'Now I just wish my hair was longer so I could braid it. Oh well…'I left it down, my bangs hanging limply over the right side of my face.

"Lucy hurry, the village is waiting." Katara called from outside. I hurried out, almost tripping over the snow in my rush.

"Aang, Lucy, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang and Lucy." Katara introduced us. I examined the small crowd of women and children. They look kind of sad.

From my peripheral vision I see Aang bow, I attempt to copy him but the entire village pulls back, giving us weird looks. As if Sokka didn't make me feel like a freak already

"Uh... why are they all looking at us like that?" Aang whispered to Katara. An old woman in a purple coat stepped forward, she must be Gran Gran.

"Well, no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct until my granddaughter and grandson found you." Gran Gran stated.

"'Extinct'?" Aang reiterated in shock.

"Guys, this is my grandmother."

"Call me Gran Gran." She turned to me now, "And where exactly are you from?" She looked at me with an unnerving stare. I know I must look like I'm not from around anywhere.

"Um… the Earth Kingdom." I hope Gran Gran won't ask too many questions. I was already starting to play with my bangs.

"What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this." Sokka questioned Aang on his glider, hopefully getting the heat off me as everyone would watch Aang airbend. Unfortunately, Gran Gran wasn't done with me.

"What happened to your hair? It's quite an unusual color." Great, I have to lie again.

"When I was young the Spirits blessed me and my turned this color." Gran Gran didn't look like she believed me yet.

"Which spirit?"

"Um…" I'm at a loss what to say; since this is probably just a dream I guess I could just make it up, but-

"Oof!"

"Oh! My watchtower!" Sokka gasped. Attention shifted over to Aang on the ground from crashing into Sokka's tower of snow. I let out a relieving breath of air, happy that Aang's antics disrupted Gran Gran's 20 questions.

"That was amazing." Katara told Aang. While she helps Aang up, Sokka examines the damaged tower, only to be buried in a bunch of snow. I laugh at him, good-naturedly, of course.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, together you can just waste time all day long." Sokka said, poking out through the snow.

"You're a waterbender!" Aang exclaimed to Katara.

"Well... sort of. Not yet."

"Alright." Gran Gran interrupted, "No more playing. Come on, Katara, you have chores." She led Katara away.

"Here Sokka let me help you." I offer after I finished laughing at him.

"Thanks." He said curtly.

"You know Sokka, bending isn't a waste of time."

"Oh no, are you a bender too?" He asked wearily.

"Well, no, but—"

"Great." He cut me off "Now you can help me rebuild the watchtower, or" Sokka glanced just behind me, "waste time with Aang all day."

I looked over to Aang who was entertaining the village children "Sthee?" Aang slurred, "Now my tongue ith thuck to my sthaff."

"Um…What can I do to help, Sokka?"

I gazed at the afternoon sky, sitting at the top of the newly fixed watchtower. It's nice to relax after helping the village people with their morning chores. Below, Sokka paces back and forth, addressing an audience of six young children.

"Now men," Sokka addressed them, sounding a lot like a drill sergeant, "it's important that you show no fear when you face a firebender. In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?"

"I gotta pee!" One of the Little Boys called out. I tried to stifle my laughter.

"Listen!" Sokka said seriously, "Until your fathers return from the war, they're counting on you to be the men of this tribe. And that means no potty breaks."

I started laughing out loud.

"And what is so funny about our training lesson?" Sokka addressed me.

"They're still just little kids Sokka, let there be potty breaks."

Sokka sighed, "Okay... who else has to go?" All the boys raise their hands causing Sokka to slap his forehead in disgust, making me laugh again.

"Have you seen Aang?" Katara asked, "Gran Gran said he disappeared over an hour ago." With perfect timing Aang came out from the bathroom to be greeted by the water tribes little soldiers.

"Wow!" Aang gestured over his shoulder at the bathroom, "Everything freezes in there!" The children laughed, and me along with them. What can I say? Laughter is contagious, even for a bad joke.

"Ugh!" Sokka sounded exasperated, "Katara, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only. And you!" Sokka pointed to me as I tried to stop laughing. "Stop undermining my soldiers."

"Wheeee!" exclaimed one of the kids using Appa's back and tail as a slide to land in a pile of snow. Soon everyone is laughing except Sokka.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" Sokka shouted, "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on."

"What war?" Aang asked confused, "What are you talking about?"

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka said disbelievingly.

Aang's attention shifts toward the horizon. "PENGUIN!" He cried. The penguin, now aware that it's being stared at, makes a waddle for it. Aang uses his airbending skills to run as fast as the wind after it.

"He's kidding, right?" Sokka turns to me as Katara starts after Aang.

"I don't think so Sokka." I hop down from the tower, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

"How does he not know about the war?!" Sokka exclaimed, "Where's he been for the last hundred years."

"Frozen in ice?" I offer.

"You don't think…?"

"Yeah, I think."