Chapter Text
Dad always said I had a knack for getting in trouble. He meant it in a bad way. Like a polar bear dog destroying a tent or eating its own poop. But I choose to take it as a compliment. It means I'm good at something, right? I’d rather be known for being bad than be forgotten.
Also, fun fact: Dad used to call me “Polar Dog.” I loved it as a kid. I thought it was a cute nickname. I would sit and draw pictures in the snow of us as a family of polar bear dogs, with me riding on his back. Until one day he told me that he always hated polar dogs because they make a mess and ruin everything you let them near. After that, I didn’t find it cute anymore.
Anyway, I’m not looking for trouble tonight. Just because I’m sneaking my best friend out in the middle of the night doesn’t mean I’m trying to be a bad kid. I’m just helping him with his bending. Helping him preserve our culture. That’s a good thing.
The snow crunches under my feet as I walk to Luca’s tent. He lives way closer to the rest of the village than I do. Dad moved us far away after Mom died. It’s a miracle I ever met Luca, really.
For most of my life, I thought I was the only waterbender in the South Pole. Dad had said the others were all wiped out years ago and there hadn’t been any more born in the tribe since. Then Luca happened to wander down to where I was practicing my bending. When I found out he was a bender too, I agreed to teach him, and the rest is history. We’ve been inseparable for over two years now.
Luca is already waiting outside when I arrive. As usual, he looks nervous and jittery. He worries too much. I don’t blame him though. His parents control his every move and act like he’s helpless on his own. Of course he’s scared.
“Ready to go?” I ask.
He nods. I set off for the water’s edge. He follows.
“Are you sure we should be doing this?” Luca asks.
“It’s fine, Luca. If any Fire Nations ships show up, we can just sink them!” We’ve never done anything quite that impressive, but I’m sure we could if push came to shove.
We walk by the large shipwreck, the one the old waterbenders took down as a warning to the Fire Nation. Back when there were other waterbenders. I think it's cool, but Luca hates it. He once said it reminded him of death.
We wade into the ice-cold water up to our knees. I stopped really feeling the cold ages ago. I’ve become numb to it.
I point at the glowy fish in the sky. “Hey, Luca. See that big fish in the sky?”
Luca squints up at the fish. “Yeah.”
“That’s where we get our powers.”
“Really?” Luca stares down at his hands.
“Yup.” Over the years, I’ve noticed my powers getting stronger when the fish is at its biggest and brightest. I don’t know why that’s true, but it is. And I think it’s pretty neat that I figured that out on my own. Luca seems to also, because he looks at me like I’m the smartest person in the world. Maybe I am.
We start bending, doing the same moves we always do. Making waves, passing water droplets back and forth. That’s all waterbending is, at least as far as I know. I think if there was anything else, I would have figured it out by now. I’ve been practicing it on my own for probably three years now.
Suddenly, Luca grabs my arm. “Alberto! Look!”
Something’s on the horizon. A large ship. A Fire Nation ship, spewing black smoke into the air.
“Alberto, we should get out of here!”
“No.” They think they can come here and bully us? We should show them what they’re really messing with. “Let’s drive them away and make them sorry they came here! Like the old waterbenders who sank that ship!” They’re going to kill us anyway, so we might as well go down fighting. Besides, it’s just one ship.
The ship docks, and Firelord Syndrome himself walks out. Spiky orange hair, stupid cape, and all. Soldiers follow him. He looks around and sees us. “Hey! Do you live here?”
What does he think? That we’re tourists?
“Yeah,” I say. “And you don’t. So get out of here.”
Luca gulps and hides behind me.
Syndrome chuckles. “Cool it, kids. Chill.”
So he’s making dad jokes now. That’s better than burning us to a crisp where we stand, I guess.
“I’m just here for a waterbending teacher,” Syndrome says. “Take me to your strongest benders.”
Luca and I glance at each other. Syndrome probably expects us to bring him to our Chief or something.
“That’s us,” I say.
“Be serious,” Syndrome says.
“I am. We’re the only ones.”
“We’re not very good,” Luca says.
Syndrome laughs. “I can’t believe this! We came all this way, and the only two waterbenders here are stupid kids?!”
It’s not exactly our fault the Fire Nation wiped out all of our benders. In fact, it’s his fault.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that this poor dirty shithole doesn’t have any talent,” Syndrome says.
Oh, he is going to regret that. I lift my arms to bring up a huge wave and drown him. Only a few droplets come up. I look at Luca for help, but he’s just staring at Syndrome, terrified. I give up and let the wave splash back into the water.
Syndrome orders his soldiers to burn down the village. They pause for a second, then walk forward and set fire to the tents. I should run over and stop them, but I’m frozen. By shock, obviously. Not fear.
“Maybe we’ll have better luck in the north,” Syndrome says as they get back on the ship. Then they’re gone.
“Luca!”
Uh-oh. It’s Luca’s mother. “Luca, where are you?”
His parents rush over and hug him. I watch awkwardly.
“Luca! What are you doing out here?” Mrs. Paguro cries. “You could have been killed!”
He hugs her and mumbles something. Probably “sorry.”
“It’s not safe here for you anymore.” She pulls away. “Luca, from now on, I want you to stay hidden in the shipwreck. Don’t come out for anything.”
The shipwreck? The one he hates? That shipwreck?
Luca stares at her in horror. “What? Mom, no!”
“Yes. Dad and I will bring you food and watch over you every second of the day.”
He backs away like a cornered animal. “No! I can’t!”
“Don’t argue with me, Luca. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
I need to stop this. This is my fault. I’m the one who dragged Luca out here. “Mrs. Paguro, you don't have to—”
“You stay out of this!” she screams. “You take my son out here and put his life at risk, then try to tell me my actions to keep him safe aren’t necessary? I always knew you were a bad influence on him.”
“Bad influence?” She doesn’t know anything about me or my friendship with her son. “I didn’t make him do anything. He disobeyed you because he wanted to.” I know she’ll never believe that, since he’s her perfect little angel, but it's true. He wouldn’t have come if he didn’t want to. “He’s not a baby. He can make his own decisions.”
And then she slaps me. Right across the face. I hit the ground, more from shock than the force of the actual slap.
“Mom!” Luca cries.
“Daniela!” his father gasps.
She points at Luca. “Your father and I will be getting the ship ready for you. I want you to be cooperative when we get back.” She storms off. Mr. Paguro follows.
I sit up, rubbing my stinging cheek. “Crazy bitch.”
“Alberto!” Luca snaps. Like I’m being outrageous. Like I’m the one who just slapped a teenager.
“What? She is.”
A shadow falls over us. We both tense. It’s an airship. It lands nearby. Luca hides behind me again.
I look at the ship curiously. It doesn’t have a Fire Nation emblem on it.
Three people run out. A thin girl who looks about my age. A tall boy with poofy, curly hair, kind of like mine but black. A larger boy who looks older than both of them.
“Firelord Syndrome is coming!” the older boy yells.
A little late, guys.
“Yeah, we know,” I say. “You just missed him.”
“Oh.”
“What did he want?” the younger boy asks.
“To burn down our village, I guess,” I say with a grunt.
“He said he was looking for a waterbending teacher,” Luca says.
“I don’t know why, since he’s a firebender,” I say.
“He must be training Jack-Jack in all the elements!” the girl exclaims. I have no clue what that means. “Did he say where he was going next?”
“The North Pole,” I say.
They run back to the airship.
I follow. “Wait! Can we come?”
“What?” Luca cries, looking at me like I’m insane.
“Come on. There’s nothing left here.” His village was just destroyed. “And your parents are going to lock you in that awful shipwreck if you stay.”
Luca nods reluctantly.
“So, can we come?” I ask.
“Okay, sure,” the older boy says.
Luca and I run onto the airship. Then Luca’s parents come back.
I turn to the others. “Get us out of here.”
“Luca!” Mrs. Paguro yells, waving her arms. “Stop! Come back!”
“Get off that thing NOW!” Mr. Paguro screams.
I wave triumphantly as the airship takes off. “I don’t think so! He’s outta here!”
“Sorry, Mom! Sorry, Dad!” Luca shouts.
I pump my fist. “Yes!” There’s no stopping us now.
Luca and I stare out at the open sky as we fly away. We've never been in an airship before.
The cold air whips my face and hair. I close my eyes and breathe it in. I have no idea what we got ourselves into, but whatever it is, it’s going to be new and exciting.