Sokka wasn't buying Crow's story.

The new airbender was talking to Aang energetically as they all walked through the temple. Elodie, Katara, and Yusei were close behind, but Sokka lagged behind, staring at the back of the orange head suspiciously. Not even his growling stomach could distract him from his concerns.

There was no way Crow wasn't born an airbender. That was impossible, wasn't it? If Sokka had been able to learn to water bend, he would've long done it already, though he would never admit it to Katara. He understood why Crow would keep it a secret, but why was he lying about his abilities? Was he afraid of revealing other airbenders as well, so he refused to say what air temple he was really from? But then why were Yusei and Elodie covering for him? And how had the three of them gotten so spread apart from this supposed "ship wreck"?

Sokka may have made mistakes, and he may be a bit of a cynic, but he wasn't a fool. He knew when he was being lied to. He wanted nothing more than to confront the three of them and get the truth out of them, but, strangely enough, he couldn't bring himself up to do it at that moment. They were in Aang's home, this was Aang's day, and Sokka didn't want to do anything to hurt the little airbender more than the Fire Nation helmet would have.

Aang should have seen the helmet. He needed to know the Fire Nation had been here before they discovered something worse. Sokka knew Katara meant well in keeping the truth from him, but all that would do is hurt him even more in the long run. Did Crow know what had happened to the airbenders? He must, if he'd been hiding from fire nation soldiers here for a week; he would've seen something, right? Would he keep that a secret as well?

Sokka broke off his train of thought when he realized the group had stopped in front of a huge wooden door at the end of the corridor. There were three Air symbols arranged in a triangle set in the door, as well as two long, twisting horns connecting them together.

"But Aang," Katara was saying, "no one could have survived in there for a hundred years."

Katara was, of course, referring to the person Aang said would help him figure out his role as the Avatar. Apparently his teacher, Monk Gyatso, had told him someone was waiting for him…. A hundred years ago.

"It's not impossible," Aang replied, ever the optimist. "I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"Good point."

"I never really thought to look behind this door," Crow said curiously, stepping forward and running a hand over the aged wood. "It just felt… sacred somehow. Off-limits. This is the only part of the temple I haven't explored. I never thought a person would be inside of it!"

"Whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!" Aang exclaimed excitedly.

Aang and Crow exchanged knowing smirks. Aang turned a smile to the Water Tribe boy and proclaimed, "The key, Sokka, is airbending."

"Bruno? Bruno…. Bruno!"

"Huh?" Bruno mumbled, looking up from the half-made blade laying on his work table. Chief Arnook, Yue's father, had come into his workshop unnoticed and was now standing before him, a gentle smile on his wise face. Putting down his tools, Bruno stood respectfully and said, "Sorry, Chief Arnook, I was just working. Is there something you need?"

Chief Arnook chuckled. "Relax, dear boy. I just wanted to check up on you. Are you enjoying the workshop?"

"I am indeed," Bruno replied with a smile, looking around him. Multiple tools, stones, and pieces of wood were scattered and stacked around him, along with several newly made weapons that Bruno had spent the past week working on. When Yue and presented Bruno to her father, the chief asked him what he was good at, and Bruno had immediately replied that he was good at building things. Since that had been the only thing Bruno was able to recognize about himself when he really had amnesia, he saw no harm in admitting that. Arnook had immediately set him up with the tribe blacksmith, and though it was not the kind of work Bruno was used to, he caught on quickly and was soon given his own workshop. The pretend-amnesiac now knew how to build several weapons and hand tools, as well as how to chisel and carve stone, wood, and even ice into different shapes and objects.

"I cannot thank you enough for giving me a place to stay with your tribe," Bruno continued gratefully. "I don't know what I would have done without it."

"It was my pleasure, Bruno," Arnook replied with a smile. "How are the healing sessions with Madam Yugoda doing?"

Bruno sighed, looking away from the chief to try and hide his guilt. He knew Madam Yugoda was becoming more and more suspicious about his amnesia act, and he hated having to constantly lie about it. "No luck yet."

Arnook nodded solemnly. "Yes, that is what Madam Yugoda said. I think I might have an idea that might help you, though."

Bruno looked up in surprise. "What idea?"

"I was just talking to Yue. She said she found you in the Spirit Oasis sanctuary, right?"

Bruno went pink at the mention of the princess. His relationship with Yue had been becoming closer and closer over the past week; she came and visited him every day after his blacksmithing lessons, and she had already showed him every single feature of the Northern Water Tribe. Despite the size of the tribe, it was nothing compared to New Domino City, so Bruno learned the layout rather quickly – even with Yue distracting him the entire time (not that she knew she was doing that, of course).

"Yeah, she did. What about it?"

Arnook leaned against Bruno's work table, his expression serious. "That sanctuary is the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole. It is the dwelling place of the Ocean and Moon Spirits. They have helped me before, and I believe they may help you."

Bruno's eyebrows flew up into his hair. "Um…. Spirits…. Right. What did they help you with?"

Arnook sighed heavily, looking Bruno over with critical eyes. "I suppose you know her well enough… "

"Who? Yue?"

Arnook sighed again and replied, "Yes. You know how white her hair is?"

Bruno frowned for a moment. "Yeah, that was one of the first things I noticed. And now that you mention it, I've never seen anyone else with her hair color, either." Or any hair color other than black or brown, he added in his head.

"Well, when she was first born, her hair was dark brown, but she didn't cry or open her eyes. She looked like she was asleep. Our healers all told us she was going to die. I went to the Oasis and prayed to the Spirits to save her, and then I placed her in the pool. Her dark hair turned white, she opened her eyes and began to cry, and my wife and I knew she would live. That's why we named her Yue: for the moon."

Bruno blinked in sat back in surprise as the story sunk in. "Wow… that's… I don't know what to say."

Arnook nodded in understanding. "Don't tell her I told you, okay? I don't know how comfortable she is with other people knowing about her connection to the Spirits. The reason I told you is because I believe the Spirits might help you with your memory."

"So… you're going to set me in the pond?"

"No, of course not," Arnook chuckled. "We are going to visit the Oasis and meditate. It is possible that if we wait there until nightfall, when the moon is out, the Spirits may be merciful and give you your memory back."

"He did it?" Azula cried, sitting up so quickly that she splattered the servants combing her hair with water. "Jack actually managed to firebend?"

"Yes, your majesty," Jeong-Jeong confirmed, bowing to the princess. "He did it just yesterday. He is out practicing in the courtyard right away."

Azula got to her feet, ignoring her dolefully indignant servants, and demanded, "Show me."

Jeong-Jeong bowed again and led the princess outside to the courtyard. Still dressed in her bathrobe and her hair wet, Azula was careful to keep herself hidden in the shadows as she peered around a pillar to watch Jack Atlas practicing.

To her immense shock, she saw Jack was indeed firebending. He was going through the motions Jeong-Jeong had taught him with ease, kicking and punching at the air as bright orange flames soared out of his pores. She could see the muscles flexing in his arms and bare chest, see how steadily he was breathing through every motion. His movements were fluid and even, but powerful, and though his violet eyes burned in concentration, there was a satisfied smirk upon his face at his accomplishment.

The sight made Azula furious. Her head literally began to steam as the water in her hair dried under the heat of her anger. "He wasn't supposed to actually learn how to firebend!" Azula hissed and the Jeong-Jeong, turning her fury on the poor old man. "He's just a peasant! A non-bending peasant! How is this possible?"

"I have been asking myself that since he created his first fire blast yesterday," Jeong-Jeong replied calmly.

"Yesterday?" Azula gasped. "This started yesterday? So why did you wait until now to tell me about this?"

"If you do recall, your highness, you were with the Fire Lord and the war counsel all day. I tried to send a messenger in with the news, but Fire Lord Ozai's guards insisted the meeting would not be interrupted."

Azula growled and turned her flaming amber eyes back to Jack, who had just finished his drill and straightened, pressing his hand down in front of his chest and exhaling slowly. With another self-satisfied smile, he moved over to the edge of the pond and sat down cross-legged, grabbing a towel lying in the grass and wiping the sweat from his hairline.

"He has been practicing tirelessly all day," Jeong-Jeong informed the princess. "I had to force him to stop at sunset yesterday and get some rest, and before the sun was over the mountains he was up and at it again. In all my years, I haven't seen such determination in all of my soldiers; nor have I seen such immediate skill and ease."

Azula turned a furious glare to the old master. "Is that admiration I hear in your tone?" she hissed.

Jeong-Jeong bowed meekly. "With all due respect, princess, I do not understand why you are so upset about this remarkable turn of events. You wanted the boy to become a soldier for you, and now you have something better: a soldier who can firebend."

Azula turned away, grinding her teeth in frustration. She hadn't forgotten the deal she had made with Jack, but she was supposed to have gotten the better end of it. The only reason she had agreed to let the yellow-haired peasant be trained in firebending was because she was certain he would never be able to actually do it. The two of them were now shared a skill in common, and if he continued to be instructed, it was very well that he could turn against her.

Then again, the reason Azula had wanted to keep Jack was because she thought he would make a useful pawn. Perhaps this would, as Jeong-Jeong was suggesting, make him even more useful. Just because he could spout flames from his fists didn't make him a threat; he had one day of training under his belt while Azula, a prodigy since she was eleven, had years. And if she trained him herself from here on out, she could ensure that she had total control over his actions.

"Perhaps you're right, Jeong-Jeong," Azula muttered thoughtfully, watching Jack through narrowed eyes as he began twirling a small flame between his fingers like a marble. "I admit this was not what I had expected, but I still might be able to keep the odds in my favor." She turned to face the old general again. "I will be the one instructing him from now on. And send word to the Fire Sages at the Temple that Jack and I will be arriving there shortly."