How long has it been? A few days? A few weeks? A few months?! Where was Aang?! Where was my baby brother?! The next thing I remembered was waking up on a sheet of snow, I felt cold and tired. I saw two Water Tribe members looking down at me, one of them was paranoid while the other was worried.

Girl: Oh good, you're okay!

Boy: Who are you?! And what are you doing in the South Pole?!

The South Pole?! What was I doing in the South Pole?! And where was my brother?!

Girl: I'm Katara, and this is my brother Sokka.

Sokka: Hey...

Katara: You never told us your name?

Intro?! Fine, only because I want to stay polite.

Me: My name's Maybelle...quick question, where's Aang?

Katara: Aang?

Me: Yeah, bald kid, 12 years old, has an arrow on his head.

Katara: Oh...is that his name?

Sokka: He's over there

When I looked to where Sokka was pointing, I saw my brother unconscious next to Appa! What had happened to him?!

Me: Aang!

I immediately ran up to him and held him in my arms, he wasn't hurt, but I was afraid something awful happened to him.

Me: What...happened?!

Katara: Maybelle...

I blasted the two kids with a strong breeze, demanding to know what happened to Aang.

Me: WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER?!?!?!

Sokka: Hey!!! Cold breeze!

Me: Oh sorry, I didn't mean to freeze your eyeballs! Now what happened?! There's more where that came from!

Katara: You're...you're an airbender!

Me: Good job, you finally recognized me as a bender! Now tell me what you did to Aang!

Katara got up and put her hand on my shoulder.

Katara: You need to take it easy, Aang's not hurt, and thankfully, neither are you.

Sokka: Yeah well, what about us, Katara?! We did get blasted with a frozen gust of wind.

I was happy to hear that my brother was okay, but I still didn't know why he was out cold.

Katara: We found him in a block of ice, I did try to get him out, but he managed to escape on his own, he was about to tell us something when he fell.

Sokka: Yeah, are you forgetting to mention that he has a very big monster the size of a mountain?!

Me: He was in a block of ice?!

Katara: Yeah...and so were you.

What?! I was frozen solid?! For how long?! How did that even happen?! And right after we hear about the whole Avatar news!

Me: This can't be right! This is ridiculous!

Sokka: You and me both sister, I'm going home!

I looked around, all I saw were chunks of ice and freezing waters.

Me: I could give you guys a lift home?

Katara: Really?

Me: I don't have my own bison, but I know how to handle Appa.

Me: I took my brother in my arms and leapt onto Appa. Oh, if any of you are wondering why I don't have my own bison, it's because the monks didn't think I needed one, I was already a skilled bender, and I was always taking care of Aang after our mom died, so a bison wasn't necessary.

Sokka: No way, I'm not getting on that thing!

Katara: Are you hoping some other giant monster will give you a ride?! Y'know, before you freeze to death?!

Sokka: ...Fine!

Sokka got onto Appa, I smiled.

Me: Okay guys, Appa, yip yip!

Appa lept off the ice, but instead of flying, he crashed right into the freezing water. What? Why wasn't he flying?

Me: Appa? Appa, what's wrong?

Sokka: Wow...that was truly amazing.

Me: He's supposed to fly, I don't know why he isn't.

While I was wondering, I heard a soft moan behind me, Aang! He was waking up! He sat up and rubbed his head.

Aang: May...? May!

He instantly ran to me and hugged me, I was glad he was okay.

Aang: What's going on? Where are we?

Me: It's okay, Aang, we're in the South Pole.

Katara: Aang?

When Aang got a look at Katara, he gasped and froze in shock, he stayed that way for what...30 seconds. I could tell she was getting uncomfortable

Me: Aang, this is Katara and Sokka, they found us trapped in ice.

Aang: Hi Katara, hi Sokka

Sokka: Yeah...hi.

Katara: ...Why are you smiling at me like that?

Aang: Oh, I was smiling? Sorry.

Me: Aang, don't worry.

I sat my brother down next to me and hugged him.

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When I saw Katara and Sokka's home, my heart shattered, it was small, there were only a few igloos and a lot of tents. There were no adults, all children, where were their parents? That brought back a lot of bad memories of what happened to my mother. Aang doesn't understand, he never met our mom, and also he was sleeping in one of the tents.

Katara: This is the Southern Water Tribe. My brother and I grew up here.

Me: Really...? That's awful, it's so empty here, there's a lot of lonely children.

I could tell Katara looked sad.

Me: Katara? I'm sorry, did I offend you?

Katara: No, you're right, it is empty. Most of our tribe left to help the Earth Kingdom in battle, my father was one of them.

Me: Battle? What battle?

Katara: The Fire Nation started attacking the other nations 100 years ago, they're nearing victory and almost took all of the Earth Kingdom. They came to our tribe and killed my mom 6 years ago.

100 years?! Is that how long we were stuck in the ice for?! That's awful! There was a war going on and I didn't even know it! I don't think Aang knows earlier!

Me: 100 years of fighting?!

Katara: The Avatar was supposed to help, but he disappeared 100 years ago.

I felt terrible hearing Katara speak.

Me: ...Katara, I'm so sorry about your mom...I really am...um...there's something I need to tell you?

Katara: What is it?

Me: See...Aang is my little brother and I love him. We're both airbenders, he just hasn't done any yet. And I know how you feel...I've been protecting Aang since our mother died in childbirth. And it never seems like enough no matter what you do.

Katara: I know what you mean, I was forced to grow up quickly when my mother was killed by the Fire Nation. This necklace is all I have left of her.

I saw Katara put her hand on her Water Tribe necklace, I had no way of remembering my mom, I was much younger than Katara was when I lost my mom. But that necklace must've meant a lot to her, it was special.

Me: Sometimes what I do isn't enough.

Katara: Why not?

Me: See...Aang, he's the-

Aang: Katara!

My brother's voice interrupted our conversation, he was outside the tent waving, and the villagers were all staring. Katara walked up to him and smiled.

Me: Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang.

No reply.

Aang: Why is everyone staring at me.

?: No one has seen an airbender in 100 years, we thought they were extinct.

An older woman walked in front of the crowd.

Katara: Aang, Maybelle, this is my grandmother.

?: Call me Gran Gran.

I looked around again. Aang took out his glider and opened it up. The kids were all in awe and thought it was magic.

Aang: Not magic, airbending!

He demonstrated and flew around the village laughing, he suddenly crashed into a tower of snow.

Sokka: My watch tower!

Aang started laughing and the kids surrounded him. Yup...my brother was back to his annoying ways. I saw Gran Gran pull Katara aside and listened in on their conversation.

Gran: Katara, try not to put all your hopes on this boy.

Katara: But I'm sure he can help us, I sense he's filled with much wisdom.

Ha! My little brother filled with wisdom?! He can't even tell a turtle duck or a seal turtle apart!

Aang: Thee? Now my wand ith thuck to my tongue!

See what I mean? He's a 12 year old boy, not a master! Well, unless you count master airbender, but still!

Me: Aang, I think you should-

Aang: PENGUIN!!!!!!!!!

My words were cut off when my brother ran into another direction.

Me: What are you doing?!

Katara and I ran after Aang, when we caught up to him, he was chasing a flock of penguins.

Aang: Come back here, little guy! I just want to play!

It wasn't working, I don't know if he was trying.

Katara: Aang?

Aang: ...I have a special way with animals.

Then, he started making penguin noises and waddling. My little brother loves animals, but any animal that's not a bison, he has no idea how to handle other animals. Katara giggled and smiled at my goofy brother. I couldn't help but laugh as well.

Katara: Aang, I'll teach you how to catch penguins if you teach me waterbending

Aang: Isn't there someone here that can teach you?

Katara's face turned from cheerful to hopeless. Why was she upset?

Katara: You're looking at the only waterbender in the whole South Pole.

My heart shattered when I heard those words.

Me: Katara, you're the only bender here? That's horrible, how's that possible?

Katara: I don't know, all I know is that the Southern Water Tribe is known for having no waterbenders, I'm the only one.

Aang: Katara...what about the North Pole? I'm sure it's filled with waterbenders!

Katara: Maybe, but we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time.

Aang: Well, what if you went to the North Pole to find a master?

Katara: I don't know, Aang, I've never left home before.

Me: Katara...if you want to become a master, you have to get out of your comfort zone.

Aang: My sister's right, Katara, we're gonna find you a master!

Wow, that's the first time Aang admitted that I was right about something, maybe he-

Aang: Now, about those penguins!

Never mind.

Katara: Okay, listen closely, my young pupil, catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art. Observe.

Katara took a fish out and tossed it to Aang. Within seconds, he was surrounded by a bunch of them.

——————————

Soon, we started doing something that proved to be a lot of fun! We were penguin sledding! Aang and I used to ride penguins when we were 7 and 5, but it's been a long time since! And I felt so alive!

Katara: I haven't done this since I was a kid!

Aang: You still are a kid!

Me: Hey guys, check this out!

I took my penguin and steered it through a tunnel and up a ramp.

Me: Get ready for an epic airbending move!

I led my penguin up a ramp and it leapt off. I jumped off its back and onto the clouds, only a true airbending master can do this: I ran through the clouds, then I jumped off and formed a big tornado riding on top of it. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, I fell off and crashed into the snow. Aang and Katara caught up with me.

Katara: May! Are you okay?!

Aang: What an amazing move! And I thought I've seen it all!

I rubbed my head.

Me: I was supposed to leap back onto the penguin at high altitude, guess I didn't anticipate that it would run away or something.

Aang: ...What's that?

When I looked up, I saw a huge Fire Nation ship trapped in ice.

Katara: It's a Fire Nation ship.

Me: But what's it doing out here?

Katara: Gran Gran told me that our tribe managed to defeat the Fire Nation and sealed this ship in ice, but I don't know anything else after that.

Aang: Let's go check out!

Me: Aang, are you crazy?!

Katara: May's right, Aang, we shouldn't go in there!

Aang: If you want to be a waterbender, you have to let go of fear.

Wow, big words coming from my 12 year old brother. I knew there was no talking him out of it, so Katara and I decided to go with him. The ship was big, but also very spooky inside. Katara wasn't kidding about the Fire Nation attacking.

Katara: This ship has been haunted ever since Gran Gran was a little girl.

I noticed my brother's smile disappear and turn into a depressed frown.

Katara: Aang, what is it?

Aang: Why would the Fire Nation do this? I know they would never hurt the other nations.

Katara: Aang, how long were you in that iceberg?

I knew the answer to that, as long as I was...but how would I explain it to him?

Aang: I don't know, a few days maybe?

It was way more than just a few days.

Me: Aang...

Aang: What?

Me: It's been 100 years.

Aang: What?! 100 years?! Do I look like a 112 year old man to you?!

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

Me: Yeah, you look like you don't have a lot of time left. Possibly only a few hours.

Aang: What?!?! I need to find a mirror!

Man, Aang has no idea what sarcasm is. He ran off in a random direction.

Katara: He knows you were kidding, right?

Me: No...he doesn't speak sarcasm.

Katara: That's how Sokka is all the time, he always needs to be sarcastic and make fun of my bending.

Me: I could tell your brother was kind of a jerk. At least we understand each other. We both have annoying brothers. Believe me, sometimes I wish Aang would get hit by an ostrich horse or get struck by lightning. But I still love him, he's my only family.

Katara: I know what you mean, I feel the same way about Sokka.

Our conversation was once again cut off when we heard a loud explosion outside the ship.

Katara: What was that?!

Me: Aang?!

I went to find Aang, but when I did, he had his foot on top of a loose floor board, and he looked stiff and shocked.

Aang: ...I think I adjust set off a trap.

Me: You what?!

Katara: Gran Gran was right! This ship really is boobytrapped! We need to get out of here! The Fire Nation might find us!

Aang: But we haven't finished explo-

I grabbed my brother and thrusted him over my shoulders.

Aang: Hey! Put me down! I'm not 2 anymore!

We all got off the ship as quickly as we could and hurried back to the village. I hope nothing happened and that the flare wasn't noticed. It would mean trouble...