Every day brings us new experiences, whether positive or negative. After my encounter with the closed "door" to the spirit world, I certainly didn't expect to wake up on a makeshift bed made mostly from various animal hides. They created some ethereal softness, so I need to remember to ask my hospitable hosts what kind of beasts have such soft fur.
Checking my body for various injuries, I discovered my sources, which looked quite "sluggish." Moreover, the energy flowing into them seemed to be going not toward filling the reservoir itself, but toward reviving them.
At the moment of collision with the barrier, I felt my considerable reserve of energy dissipate in just a few seconds. After the impact, relying more on my feelings, I rushed toward where I sensed the energy of the human world.
Now it became clear why passing through the barrier didn't work. If I were a spirit inside, it would have calmly let me pass to the other side. But I wouldn't have been able to get back into the human world through it... The barrier doesn't allow spirits to pass into the human world, and from the other side, humans also can't pass into the spirit world — such "smart" protection.
The next point: my spirit and body are no longer two separate elements — now they're an inseparable whole. From this it follows that the barrier didn't know what to do with me... My persona caused some duality in it, though I felt how the protection stretched under my pressure... just a bit more strength and a passage would have been made. In my case, "more" means already a higher spirit, and without the feast I could throw for myself in the spirit world, reaching that rank will take a long time.
Continuing to sort through all memories from my past life related to Avatar, I managed to find mention of the solstice. In Avatar's world, during winter and summer solstices, the connection between the human and spirit planes becomes thinner, which should theoretically give me the opportunity to enter it while having the powers of a middle spirit. I should find out from knowledgeable people the exact dates of these events — for now, this is one possible option for getting to the other side.
Finally, my thoughts gathered together, and I decided to check where exactly I was. First, I tried to open my eyes, and for this seemingly ordinary action, I had to exert considerable effort. After all, I had never completely exhausted both sources to depletion before, and I knew for certain that nothing good would come of it — now I can't even lift my eyelids. I had to spend several minutes circulating life energy through the channels so my body would start obeying at least a little.
Soon my eyes were presented with the picture of traditional Water Tribe living quarters — an igloo. Despite the small area, everything was furnished very cozily. Raising myself slightly, I could see that something resembling fish soup with unknown spices was cooking in a small pot. As soon as the aromatic smells hit my nose, I felt simply ravenous hunger — it even became interesting how long I had slept, since my stomach was rumbling as if begging me to feed it quickly. [ image ]

At this time, ordinary-looking children entered the house... who in the future would decide the fate of this world, or help decide it. The main thing is that here they should be among the main characters. Though with my arrival in this world, I had already begun changing the future...
Recognizing Sokka and Katara was simple — they were exact copies of their prototypes from the series. Katara, a sweet girl, was drowning in a blue coat that was somewhat larger than herself. She still had childishly chubby cheeks and eyes untouched by the harsh adult world. On my personal scale of endearment, Katara confidently reached Yue's level, which says a lot. Behind her, carrying a bucket of water, walked Sokka, who even at a young age carried that devil-may-care expression.
Last to enter the house was a grown-up version of Katara. [ image ]

For authenticity, I even looked back and forth several times between little Katara and the older one, until I noticed some differences. I still remember from the animated series how Kya, Sokka and Katara's mother, looked, and that image doesn't overlay at all with the woman I'm seeing now. Yes, there are some similarities, but that's where they end.
What shocked me so much? This girl — and I can't bring myself to call her a woman — has a very shapely figure that even thick winter clothing can't hide. Full breasts of at least a third size, a rounded butt outlined by her coat, and all this seasoned with a face very similar to Katara's, only with a less round head shape. Hakoda is really a lucky guy to snag such a treasure — you really have to be kissed by fortune.
It turns out she's about twenty-one or twenty-two years old. As far as I know, in the Water Tribes, girls marry around sixteen. And if Sokka looks about five years old, it means in this world Kya is much younger than her animated series prototype.
While my eyes wandered over Kya's beautiful contours, my mind was forcibly analyzing and connecting facts. Kya here is too young — I wouldn't give her even twenty years, this is definitely the first major non-canon element.
Next, the portal threw me out at the South Pole, which already looks more or less logical. Portals to the spirit world are located precisely at the south and north poles.
There's also supposedly the Valley of Lost Souls. Thus, trying to exit that space between worlds, I set myself the goal of passing into the human world, but I didn't even specify in which exact place I could emerge. Of course, it would have been good if I had ended up near the Spirit Oasis, but I have to admit that meeting the main characters of the cartoon is much better.
"Ahem, especially with their young mommy" — again my thoughts went in the wrong direction...
At this moment, Kya saw me awake.
"I hope I wasn't staring at her too obviously," I thought belatedly.
"Are you alright?" asked Kya with visible concern. "My children found you near our tribe unconscious. My name is Kya, and these are my son Sokka and daughter Katara." She pointed in turn to the boy and girl.
"Nothing serious, there's a little weakness, but I think it'll pass in a day or two. Thank you for your care," I said gratefully. "My name is Yuki, and I'm from the Northern Water Tribe."
"Don't be so formal with him, Mom. He looks very suspicious," Sokka interjected "warriorly," drilling me with an unfriendly look. "And how can you prove your connection to the Northern Water Tribe? Especially since they haven't been seen here for a very long time."
"Sokka, you shouldn't be rude to someone without getting to know them better," said Kya, but it was perfectly clear that the boy only slightly reduced the negativity in his gaze. "Sorry for his behavior. It's just that usually visiting people aren't too friendly to us," she said with a somewhat strained smile.
That's how diplomatically she referred to Fire Nation people, who I think still come here with not entirely benevolent intentions.
And their mom is no pushover. When my gaze stopped wandering over her figure, I decided to look into her eyes, and despite her quite benevolent attitude toward me, there was also a bit of well-hidden caution there. Even her hand in her coat pocket seemed to be holding something...
Little Katara throughout the entire conversation only peeked out curiously from behind her mother's back, and when I started looking at her, she immediately hid back. Someone was quite the shy one in childhood.
"Let's talk after we eat. You're probably hungry too — after all, you spent two whole days in bed," and as soon as she mentioned food, my stomach made a very loud sound. I didn't even expect such a thing from myself, but it did well to defuse the situation. Katara started giggling, Kya began serving food with a smile, and Sokka assumed a slightly less "warlike" pose.
At the beginning of the eating process, a small problem arose — moving my hand was very difficult: while the spoon with soup moved toward my mouth, it lost ninety percent of its contents... Kya had to help me eat. I felt somewhat embarrassed about this. This feeling doubled when the children started looking at me with amusement, but my empty stomach dictated its terms.
I really felt ashamed when I ate more than everyone else combined, and this food might have been what they planned to eat for several days. I have to admit, I ate like I was beside myself, but I couldn't help it — my body demanded energy.
As soon as my strength returns, I must definitely repay them for everything many times over!
After the delicious lunch, we had our long-awaited conversation, in which we took turns telling about ourselves. And as the dialogue progressed, you could say the ice was broken — after all, only someone who grew up and lived with the Water Tribes their whole life could know so many traditions and peculiarities.
In the evening, toward the end of our conversation, we noticed that Sokka was already fast asleep, and Katara, who was sitting between me and Kya, was lying with her head on my knees, tightly holding onto my waist with her little hands. Kya, looking at us, seemed to remember something from the past and didn't move for several minutes. And I think I understood why.
"That's how she loved to fall asleep on Hakoda's knees," she confirmed my thoughts.
From her story, I learned that here the Fire Nation saw no point in leaving the combat-capable part of the population, so almost all men were either taken to prison or executed on the spot for resistance. Two years ago, adult men were still with them, but it wasn't for long...
A month later, two Fire Nation ships sailed to them: they demanded they hand over the waterbender, claiming they knew they definitely had one. They pull such stunts every few years to completely exterminate the Southern Water Tribe. If there's no waterbender, they simply choose a random person to provoke the tribe into attack. [ image ]

That time they encountered overly brazen soldiers. They wanted to take half the able-bodied men with them. The people, knowing that the Fire warriors might not stop there, decided to give them desperate resistance. They managed to defeat them, but at what cost — only a few men survived, and even then remaining crippled for life.
There were too many firebenders with them then. It was already a miracle that simple hunters, who only slightly outnumbered the enemy, managed to win in the end. That's what it means to fight for your home and loved ones!
It turns out only women, children, elders, cripples, and a few teenagers remained in the tribe. So Sokka and Katara didn't even really get to know their own father. After all, they were only three or two years old then — not exactly a conscious age. Very sad... I hope I can figure out how to use the portal and help this tribe. They definitely won't survive another Fire Nation raid.
There are differences in this world, and that's already a fact, so I should be prepared for unexpected turns.
I told them about my life at the North Pole, not focusing too much on any one thing. I think there will still be time to get to know each other better. About my mysterious arrival here, I simply decided to stay silent — I can't tell them about my nature, and I can't blame everything on Tui and La. But I'll be honest, I had the thought to blame everything on them this time too...
***
The next two days I also had to spend in bed. The weakness recedes too slowly, and only by the end of the second day could I eat by myself and move around. It seems I disappointed someone with this. At least Katara looked a bit disappointed.
On the second day, while Kya was busy with her affairs, Katara volunteered to feed me, and she was only too happy to take care of me. After all, I had become much closer to her during this time. And I have to admit, I also began to feel about them if not like family, then somewhere close, and this in just two days...
Everything about this is strange. Maybe because of the cartoon I once watched, my subconscious is playing with me this way, or I've already gotten so deeply into the role of the Northern Tribe Chief's son that I consider them someone close...
Katara was interested in a new face and really wanted to hear how people live in my tribe. And in general, when she stopped being shy around me, she became more of a question-asker than Yue. Sokka was also around all the time, supposedly protecting his sister, but Katara and I could see how sometimes he himself got caught up listening to my stories.
For someone who read an entire water library, where authors spend at least half the book telling their adventures, making up fairy tales for children is very easy.
That's how the kids entertained themselves, forgetting to go outside for two whole days.
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