The Lost Waterbender (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction)

Stowaway(s)

I decided to wait for a few days until revealing myself.

Those days sucked, of course. It's already been established I'm a waterbender who gets sea sick. Kind of ridiculous.

I stayed huddled on the lowest deck among barrels and boxes of supplies. Occasionally I heard people come down, but I was always careful to stay hidden. But this early in the voyage there weren't many needs for supplies.

Sitting below have me a lot of time to think. I realized I wouldn't have Raiko in this battle with me. He'd been with me for nearly every major fight I'd been in. The infamous heist, the invasion, the protection of Moon Jade Valley, the escape from the Black Forest, even bullies at school.

I shook my head. You'll be fine. You're perfectly capable without him.

The two of us had been through so much together. Thick and thin we'd stayed by each other's sides. It was almost as if we were each others armor.

For the first time is occurred to me I might not make it out of this battle alive. To reconquer the Earth Kingdom capitol would be a fight I couldn't even comprehend. And if I didn't make it out, then I would die with Raiko upset at me, and that devastated me.

I felt silent tears running down my face. I just wanted the two of us to be together, happy and care free like in the old days of the hideout. Before Kachi. Before my limp. Before my family.

In my state, I didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs until they were right in front of me. And by that time it was too late.

"Hey!" A rough hand grabbed me and pulled me out from my hiding spot. "What do you think you're doing?!"

I desperately pulled away. "Let me go!"

He kept an iron grip. "No ma'am. There are no stowaways on my ship. You're coming with me."

"Please! I know Piandao!" I protested. "He'll tell you who I am!"

"Just come on, missy!"

He hauled me up the stairs and onto the deck. For the first time in days, the sun hit my eyes. I flinched and squinted my eyes as the light blinded me.

"Hey! I've got a stowaway!" The man gripping me yelled.

I heard people gathering around us. I prayed to the spirits someone who recognized me would show up before they threw me into prison.

"Qing-Han! Release her. She's with me."

My eyes finally adjusted as Qing-Han loosened his grip on me. I pulled free and ended up falling into my butt as Piandao pushed through the curious crowd of adults.

I smiled and looked up, eager to see Piandao. He didn't look eager to see me. In fact, he looked rather angry.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked. "You're supposed to be back at the camp!"

I stood up, my legs shaky on the moving ship. "I came to help."

Piandao sighed. "Badger, this mission will be exceedingly dangerous, even for you."

"You've seen me in battle," I said. "You know I can handle it!"

He shook his head. "No. The day this is happening the Fire Nation will be twice as powerful as they already are, and therefore twice as dangerous."

"I can handle it!" I protested. "Let me fight. This is where I'm meant to be!"

"Meant to be...?"

"You said everyone has a part to play in this war," I said firmly. "This is mine. I can't just stay in the Fire Nation when I know I'm supposed to be here helping to reconquer Ba Sing Se."