Hakoda's cove isn't as well-hidden from sight as I would have expected. However, it is easily defended, and had they not spied Bato speaking casually with me, I'm sure that instead of helpers for mooring, we would have received a far colder welcome. Even so, I would not have worried, but Hakoda is said to be a genius, and genius I am not. So, in a way, I am thankful not to have to measure my ability against his mind.

"Bato! You're alive!" He hugs the man, and then his eyes settle on the crew of the stolen pirate ship.

Beside me stands Mai, brother on her hip, and looking both wary and relieved. I do wonder whether it's from standing on solid ground, or from sensing a way to remove herself from my presence. But then again, should these people find out about her identity, she could end up once more in a hostage situation. Even I wouldn't forcefully free her if it came to that. It's just a matter of allegiance.

Slightly behind us stand Gorou and Circus Girl, neither particularly happy. Haruto is hiding in the crow's nest, since it's once again safe there. The other two pirates have elected to remain on board. There is no way they could leave the cove without us, and so I don't worry.

"Good afternoon," I greet, and Hakoda narrows his eyes at me. In response, I widen mine with a bit of a smile. It seems that dislike of me the instant we meet runs in the family.

"Hakoda, these people rescued us from the wreck. Even now you could not have risked more men to find us. This is-"

"Kaito?" A young, incredulous voice asks.

It's Katsuo. I haven't seen him since the invasion. He looks different. Older. Stressed. Somehow responsible. Although he always was, more than I. He wasn't usually the instigator of any mischief we got up to. He tool his place as Pakku's student too seriously for that. The prestige that came with it went hand in hand with expectations he rarely defied.

"Katsuo," I greet. "Bato told me you were here," I say, and move to meet him two steps forward where we grasp each other's forearms. This is far more pleasant than what I expected. "You look good."

"Thanks," he smiles, and it's in parts pleased, in others simply a smile. There is none of the gloating I'd have seen a few years ago. "You look… aged."

I laugh. "I have," I don't deny it. There are faint lines around my eyes and mouth now, "Life outside of the city is different."

We both know what I mean. We were both privileged beyond belief. Here, as strangers to all others, we survive only on our own merits. It is both invigorating and exhausting.

He leans in and lowers his voice as he puts a serious face on. "I know we were never close. But, for all it's worth, I'm sorry about the princess."

Since only he can properly see, I grimace. "It was Yue's choice," I say lowly, careful not to let my anger at that failure and loss of mine show, "And it is only thanks to her that we are alive." After all, she did not have to sacrifice herself, and her prospects for this. For us. She was confident that we would win this war, with her contribution. Certainly, I would be little better than a soldier with constant phantom pains. There is much I am grateful to her for.

"Still," he insists, "Everyone felt as though if we had done more, fought harder, it would never have had to come to that."

I shrug, and squeeze his arm before letting go. "You don't have to tell me. I was only a minute away when it happened."

He nods, looking like he understands better now, with this titbit of information about that night. There was never an official announcement beyond the fact the Yue had given her life to save the moon, and therefore the entire world. "So, how did you end up here? And in that storm, no less! I mean, you always were a prodigy, but that? That was insane, man."

I smile. "La visited."

He gapes and then begins to laugh. Slowly at first, until it grows into a full head-thrown-back laugh that draws stares from all around us.

The southern watertribesmen look various degrees of freaked out to exasperated.

Bato chooses this moment to introduce the others. "These are Mai, her brother Tom-Tom, Ty Lee and Gorou. They all need food and water."

Finally, he looks at me again. "Kaito wanted to speak with you. I'd be interested in his story, as well. I'm sure Katsuo is, too."

"Yes," Hakoda agrees, eyeing me with less suspicion than before. It seems he likes Katsuo, and Bato hasn't made any overt signs that he distrusts me yet. "Come inside, all of you. There is food, and warm furs. And you two," he jerks his head at Katsuo, who is still chuckling, and me, "Follow me and Bato."

The other shipwrecked are taken into their respective tents, and Gorou and the women are taken into one of the larger ones that must be somewhat communal.

Inside Hakoda's tent, there is a pot of stew half-prepared. The vegetables are still un-chopped, and the squid needs cleaning.

Hakoda seats himself by the cooking utensils, and takes up the knife. Bato settles next to him, and Katsuo and I sit across from them.

"Sokka and Katara, last I saw them, were fine. They and Aang left Omashu before the fighting began."

Something in Hakoda's motions becomes smoother. He nods. "What happened before then? I had thought General Fong would teach the Avatar earthbending, and you would remain there until he had mastered it."

I tilt my head. "So we thought. It turns out General Fong had plans to awaken Aang's Avatar State forcibly and so shape him into a weapon he wanted to use immediately. His explanations were faulty, and unreasonable," Hakoda's eyebrows rise as he drops the chopped vegetables into the pot with small plops.

"I'm sure Sokka had less reasonable things to say about the man," Bato comments, and earns a smile from me before I continue.

"Naturally, we left. Aang thought that perhaps his old friend Bumi had descendants in Omashu who could teach him instead. It was fortunate news to find out that the man himself was still alive. Less fortunate was that the Fire Nation had just taken the city," this is older news to them. It seems no one in General Fong's base was kind enough to inform their allies of what exactly happened, but Omashu was big enough of an incident that they would hear.

"During investigations, we made contact with the resistance that had gone underground into the city's tunnels after King Bumi's surrender in the face of the Fire Nation's numbers. And a plan was made to re-take the city. Somehow, the governor's son ended up in our camp. Returning him was more problematic that we first thought. You see, we had arranged for King Bumi's release in exchange. But the Fire Nation princess Azula did not seem to agree. During multiple confrontations, Aang activated the Avatar State. Only Katara could stop him, and by then it was possible to escape the city with King Bumi."

Hakoda sighs. "Of course she was the one to calm him down."

"But the city is back in Earthkingdom hands," Katsuo says, "You must have gone back."

I nod, "I did. Aang, Sokka and Katara left before they could take part in the war properly. The city was re-taken, with heavy losses for both sides. But the Fire Nation no longer had access to the canyons. If any one of them enters, they are buried beneath landslides and rubble before they can even reach the city."

"So what happened after that?"

"Well. I was captured by pirates when I was travelling down to the coast in hopes of gaining passage to Ba Sing Se. They didn't know I was a bender," I shrug and accept a cup of tea from Bato with a smile.

"So that's how you gained control of the ship. But there aren't any pirates left, are there?" Katsuo thinks out loud, and I wonder if he's playing into my story this easily on purpose. "But what's with the death wish? You couldn't have known La would show up."

I nod. "I had little choice. There weren't any acceptable coves within reach. And so I took my chances. I knew with the way the storm caught up and energised me, we were more likely to survive riding the storm. And I was right."

Katsuo chuckles once more as he shakes his head. "Insane. I always knew you were, but this is proof."

"Insanity," Hakoda says, "And brilliance are often the same thing."

I wonder if this is his approval showing or if he just enjoys saying things like that.

...

Don't forget to throw some power stones :)

...

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