The giant, abnormally round iceberg that had suddenly surfaced effortlessly captivated all the attention on the ship. Sakura gazed with a gleam in her eye as she watched the ice start to glow and a bright light emit from the center. But that split second of wonder had been erupted instantly as the battle ship rocked back and forth. It was more gentle this time, like rocking a baby to sleep in a cradle.

"It can't be..." Murmured a low voice, "The Avatar - I've finally found him."

Sakura whirled around, turning her attention back on the Fire-Benders. She glared, conspicuous at the Fire-Bender who had muttered under his mask. He mustn't of thought that he had said it out loud; he took no notice of her.

It was impossible, Sakura quickly thought. The Avatar cycle had been broken over one hundred years ago, there was no way that there was any chance that the Avatar still existed. Even knowing that, she continued to analyze the particular Fire-Bender with suspicion, noting that he was not attacking her.

He sounded so sure..

A loud ringing 'thunk' resounded in her eardrums as she watched with surprise as the Fire-Bender suddenly flopped forward. Behind him stood an Earth-Bender, juggling coal in her right hand and a large smirk on her face. Sakura was swiftly tossed large clumps of coal, who caught them with a stutter.

"What are we waiting for? Everyone, now is our opportunity!" Tsunade screamed, the veins in her neck bulging. Not a second later, cheers resounded among the healer, and soon later battle cries.

"So, this is the kind of opportunity you were waiting for?" Sakura tried to joke, but it came out as plain disbelief. The ship suddenly careened violently to the left, causing Sakura to force the coal as a foot-step.

The Fire-Benders had no such utility and were contrived to Fire-Bend to keep themselves upright. They horizontally pointed their fists upward and let loose a violent stream of fire to pivot and stay upright, but unfortunately they were very vulnerable this way. Sakura and Tsunade watched with a detached gaze as Earth-Benders stole the chance and sent them plummeting into the frozen depths below.

A low groan growled beneath Sakura's bare toes, followed by the sound of metal armor grinding against solid steel. Sakura leapt for the Fire-Bender's body that was slowly being dragged across the deck. With all the coal in her possession, Sakura made a barrier for her and the Fire-Bender from falling.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Tsunade yelled, all the while trying to balance on her own weight.

"This man! He knows something!" Sakura tried to reply, but her call fell on deaf ears as Tsunade's attention was not on her anymore.

In the distance Sakura heard the screams and gasps of breath of helpless men as they breached the cold water. One Fire-Bender even flew past her, barely knocking her with him and hitting the silver rail.

With a final tackle from a fierce wave, the battle ship started to gain leverage and even out. As fast as her muscles could react, Sakura Earth-Bended the coal so that the Fire-Bender in her grasp was chained down tightly. His wrists, neck, and ankles were tightly braced. It wasn't until she was done, that she let out a breath she had been unknowingly holding.

"Hurry! To the lower decks, do not let a single Fire-Bender survive!" Someone howled. Light, but thundering footsteps followed suit and heavy iron doors swung open with a loud clap.

"I can't believe this," Sakura breathed out, "Did we really...?" Suddenly, the cold arctic air didn't feel like sharp daggers in her lungs and the sun seemed to be shine brighter. The adrenaline that had pumped through her was gradually draining her energy, but her hands wouldn't cease to stop shaking.

"T-teacher?" She looked behind her, a smile slowly starting to etch its way across her rosy cheeks. The ship was littered with coal and dying flames. Sakura spotted her without effort; there weren't many loiterers on deck but the injured. Tsunade had run over and began treating the Earth-Nation as soon as the ship had calmed.

With everyone distracted, Sakura hatched a relatively-good idea. She whirled her head around, her eyes searching. The iceberg. It was a lot closer now. She flung herself at the silver railings, glancing below and across the ocean only to see padded ice with layered snow coated on top as far as she could see. It was broken up near the hull, but she was sure she could get to the iceberg safely if she just watched where she stepped.

With one last hesitant glance at the Fire-Bender, who still laid unmoving under her braces, Sakura carefully descended onto the ice below. Taking a little leftover coal, she Earth-Bended it into stepping stones along the ridge of the ship, faintly reminding her of climbing the hill side in her village. With a final leap of fate, Sakura landed on her butt with a loud 'smack'. Seconds ticked by as she fearfully waited with an iron spine for the ice to crack beneath her. It never did.

"Ow..." She sighed. Rubbing her backside, she slowly got to her feet that were now bright red. If she closed her eyes, it might as well be needles that she was standing on. "I-I need t-these, I g-guess," with a flick of her wrist, the coal snapped off the side of the ship. Hurriedly, she smoothed out the bumps and ridges of the coal and glued them to the bottom of her soles. Satisfied, Sakura eagerly began to make her way to the glowing light in the distance.

As she got closer, she couldn't explain the pulling sensation that the iceberg enchanted. Perhaps it was her own curiosity of what it contained inside - if it contained anything at all. Or perhaps it was some other worldly force that beckoned her. Either way, her heartbeat continued to pound against her chest like a wild platypus-bear trapped in an iron barred cage.

She stepped up on the platform that the iceberg had merged with. Carefully, Sakura put her face against the round sphere. The light was blindingly bright, but she forced herself to adjusted her pupils quickly.

Eventually, she was able to spot something. "Someone..there's someone in there," She heard herself whisper. She pressed her face against the ice even harder, ignoring the painful sting that spread across her head. Her green, vibrant eyes danced across her vision, searching.

Sakura thought for a moment, reminding herself of what that Fire-Bender had said on the ship.

"If this really is the Avatar.."

Taking the clumps of coal from her feet, she molded it into a sensible size and flung it as hard as she could bend at the iceberg. A small, but visible crack appeared and began to make branches down the middle. Again, she threw it at the crack. Again and again until the crack began making a whining sound. Finally, a large piece of ice broke off. Immediately, a violent wind of frigid steam shot out and knocked her down, almost sliding her off onto another glacier.