Percy Jackson and that kid in the iceberg

Sokka tries to teach a bunch of babies (Percy)

"Percy, chores."

"Oh, Gran-Gran."

I was sulking like a little kid, and I knew it. But it was so annoying. We find an actual live Airbender but life still has to carry on as usual? It just wasn't fair.

We had reached the village. It was tiny, just us three, a bunch of babies, and their mothers. And Gran-Gran, who wasn't technically my grandmother, but everyone called her that anyway.

"You too Katara, enough playing." She told her.

"I told you, he's the real thing Gran-Gran. I finally found a bender to teach me and Percy." Katara said, excited.

Doleful as ever, Gran-Gran shook her head. "You two better not pin all of your hopes on this boy."

"But he's special. I can tell," Katara's eyes shone with hope. "I can tell he's filled with much wisdom."

Me and Gran-Gran looked at Aang, who currently had gotten his tongue stuck to his air glider.

"Yeah, that kid is just oozing wisdom," I snickered.

Katara gave me a dirty look. "You're as bad as Sokka."

"I am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!" I scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it at her.

She let out a howl and was about to throw another when I heard a familiar:

"Percy!"

"Mom," I spun around.

My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world, even prettier than Katara. She's an amazing lady, who deserves a lot more than life gave her: dead parents, a run-off husband, and a lazy son who can't stay focused for more than a second.

"So you found an airbender, did you?"

"Yup," I said. Or at least that's what I tried to say. What came out was "Yu-aarrreeek!" because Katara had snuck up behind me, pulled down my hood, and stuffed snow down my neck.

"Chores!" Gran-Gran demanded.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Katara sighed.

"Mom," I said, brushing snow out of my parka and giving a few glares in Katara's direction. "I can't do chores right now. Sokka said he needs my help to train the kids."

Mom frowned. "Okay, but get to work right afterward."

I gave her my most innocent smile, which admittedly isn't that innocent. Katara grumbled something about boys leaving women to do all the work and stomped off. I felt kinda guilty.

I do tend to skip out of chores a lot. I just can't focus. I'll be gutting fish and then oh look! A sea bird! And then I'll have gutted myself instead. Classic Percy.

I didn't like Katara mad at me either. We had always been close, the only waterbenders in our tribe. She was also the only girl around who was my age. The last few years that fact had added a complicated level to our friendship. A level I tried not to think about, because it made me feel nothing but awkward. I thought she was amazing and beautiful and strong. She probably just thought I'm goofy Percy. There wasn't anything actually there.

I don't know why I didn't like that bald kid much.

——————

Sokka was trying to turn the babies into soldiers. About half a dozen kids, from three to five, all staring at Sokka as he paced up and down, giving what would have been a rousing speech for a different audience.

"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a firebender. In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing! For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?"

Six kids gave him blank looks.

"Here," I said, smirking. "I know what to do. To work on your reflexes-" I tossed a snowball at one kid. "Dodge the snowballs!"

"Percy!" Sokka shouts, and the kids start running around, screaming, and throwing snowballs at each other. "You're ruining-"

He got a snowball in the mouth.

"That's it!" He started throwing snowballs too.

Chaos reigned. Just when I thought things couldn't more entertaining the aribending kid appeared.

"Can I play?"

"No," Sokka snapped. "This is a training exercise. It's very serious and-"

I nailed Aang in the face and he laughed, airbending a pile of snow onto Sokka.

Maybe this Airbending kid wasn't so bad after all.

"Snowball fight!" Katara squealed in delight, joining in the fun.

I laughed and managed to dodge one of her's, only to be hit by another from Aang.

"Stop it" Sokka shouted. "We don't have time for this with the war going on."

Aang laughed. "What war?"

Me and Katara abruptly stopped and stared.

"You're kidding, right?" I managed.

Aang blinked in confusion and then shouted "Penguin!"

The three of us watched him speed off to the penguin.

"He's kidding, right?" I repeated.

"I'll go after him," Katara said.

"I'll go with you."

"You will do no such thing," I swallowed as mom stalked toward me. "How is this-" she gestured to the ongoing snowball fight. "Teaching them anything."

"It's Percy's fault." Sokka unhelpfully interjected.

I threw a snowball at him.

"Percy!" Mom glared. "Chores. Now."

Stupid chores.