Golden Angel

Mizu breathed out after she landed, and it was white as it drifted into the air like a cloud.

Sitting up, she looked around at the iceberg she landed on.

‘Where am I?’

Standing up, she saw the rolling ocean, the mountains of ice, and the bright blue sky.

“Well…I guess I’m not in New York anymore…” She muttered.

Freezing a slab of the water into ice, she jumped aboard and used a small wave to propel herself forward.

Something moved under the surface, and she jumped up as a large set of jaws tried to swallow her whole.

Landing feet-first on an iceberg, she froze her feet to it as she looked at whatever it was upside-down.

It looked like a serpent-like reptile with sharp teeth and large, thick scales that hid gills.

“Whoa…”

It roared, looking around for her with large yellow/red eyes, before it spotted her…

“Oh no…”

The creature lunged for the black-haired girl, and she freed her feet before jumping away.

The massive ice mountain shattered, and the reptile looked back at her with what sounded like a hiss.

“Um…I come in peace?”

Another roar, and it charged at her again…

“GUESS YOU DON’T WANT TO BE FRIENDS!!!”

Bringing up water, she wrapped it around the mouth and froze it into a muzzle.

Running along the water using her Waterbending, she dodged the large body, but was pulled under by the tail.

Making an air bubble around her head to breathe, she made an ice blade and made a deep gash between two large scales.

A shriek reverberated through the water, and she swam straight up to the surface.

Gulping down air as she managed to lever herself above the water, she tried to gather herself as the water trembled beneath her hands.

‘Crazy dragon-thing isn’t stopping…’

Jumping up, she managed to avoid sharp teeth, and flipped into the air, bring a whip of water to move around her like a blade.

It deflected a sharp tail, and blue eyes widened when the strange dragon shot a beam of water from its mouth.

“SHIT-!”

Landing on an iceberg, she stopped the beam easily, reflecting it back and pushing the creature.

“Why can’t you leave me alone? I haven’t done anything!”

A large spear flew, catching the creature in the face, and Mizu blinked in surprise.

“Come over here!” A voice shouted, and the blue-eyed girl spotted a group of humans on permafrost nearby.

Not about to argue about getting away from the momentarily-distracted dragon, she moved the water under her feet as fast as she could.

Once on solid ground, a large man grabbed her arm and pulled her after them as they ran into the stunted pine forest.

Once they stopped, the Waterbender was panting, trying to catch her breath.

“Okay, what was that?”

“A water dragon. He’s been terrorizing our village for decades.”

The eldest, a man holding a large walking stick.

“Who are you, stranger?”

“I’m Mizu. I’m sorry if I inconvenienced anyone…”

“We are just glad you are alright.”

“How did you do that?”

“What? Waterbending?”

“Waterbending?”

“I can control water…”

She sighed at the amazed looks, feeling uncomfortable.

Unlike Kasai, who would blush and hide from strangers when they even glanced her way, Mizu was only embarrassed when people looked at her like she was some kind of god.

Or a freak.

She was self-conscious only about things important to her, like Don and her bending, and she didn’t enjoy such things being gawked at.

“You fought the dragon alone?”

“I suppose…”

The group settled on pines and rocks, and she carefully sat on the ground.

“He’s been terrorizing us for so long…We’ve never been truly able to stop him…”

“He destroyed our village and killed most of our people…we’re all that’s left…”

Mizu felt bad for them, and wondered why they were telling her this…

“We’ve fought bravely, but…”

A young woman looked up at the black-haired girl…

“We can’t defeat it. Not even close.”

“But you were close…”

She finally registered where it was heading…

“I couldn’t possibly kill it. I don’t take the lives of anything.”

“Please. You’re our only hope.”

Mizu looked up at the sky, worried and scared now…

‘What would Donnie do?’

She really thought about it, closing her eyes.

‘Probably think of something to stop the dragon without killing it…’

Opening her eyes slightly, she sighed…

‘Maybe I could lead it to open ocean…’

Standing up, she clenched her fists and headed back around…

“I’ll do it. But I’m not going to kill it.”

Marching off on her own, she simply tried to breathe.

If Don could get through this without losing his cool, she could manage.

‘Donnie…’

She really worried about him right now…

More worried than she expected…

Like she FELT he was in trouble, and her heart was aching…

‘Is this how Artemis feels?’

She remembered the gold-banded turtle often saying that whenever Leo was troubled or IN trouble, it was like her heart sensed it and ached, twisting in her chest.

Artemis often said that the love she shared with Leo was so strong she could almost feel his emotions and hear his thoughts.

That there was a bond between them that could only waver, but never break.

Was her love with Don evolving now, strengthening and growing?

Connecting them?

She was dislodged from her thoughts once she reached the shore, and looked out at the water.

Mountains, showing an exit to the sea, and icebergs scattered within the large, enclosed space of water.

Bringing up water, she jumped onto it and moved it forward slowly, trying to lure the dragon out of its hiding place…

A short hiss, and she catapulted herself towards the ‘exit’ as the dragon lunged for her.

It chased her as she moved as quickly as she could manage, and came out as fast a bullet.

‘Come on…Come ON…’

It followed, probably adrenaline-hyped from the chase, and she flipped backwards straight over the scaly reptile…

‘What I wouldn’t give to have Artemis here to help me…’

Landing between the two mountains, she brought up her hands, making a thick wall of earth.

Freezing it fast, she let the ice travel down to the bottom, crystallizing solid.

The dragon rammed into the wall, but it only shook, vibrating slightly in its hold.

Breathing out, she was a bit surprised at a strange pulling feeling, and nearly fell through the water before it left her.

Looking around in confusion, expecting to see a strange laser-gun of some sort, she turned to head to shore.

‘Mizu…’

The blue-eyed girl stopped, stunned.

‘Donnie? Donnie, sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you okay?’

‘I’m okay…’

She could already tell he was hiding how he really felt, and tried reaching that calm inside her…

‘Tell me the truth. Please. You know I hate it when you lie to me.’

‘I…I can’t tell you the truth…’

‘Why?’

‘…It hurts too much…You have to understand…’

‘Donnie…’

She almost felt the tears in her eyes, and she was sure some soft sobs made it through their temporary connection…

‘Are you hurt?’

‘No…I’m not…’

That tone wasn’t comforting…

But the connection was almost gone, and she shouted something through her thoughts before she couldn’t feel him anymore…

‘I love you!’

It was the first time she’d actually SAID it…

She hoped he’d heard…

That pulling again…

But this time, it pulled her away, and she closed her eyes…