Accidental Avatar 3.5: The Burn Book

Sun Offerings

A/N: Good morning, my lovelies. I would be sorry for the long wait, but... what is time, really? There is even a Norwegian island that abolished it! So, Here is a totally not late chapter update that is right on time because a wizard is never late... So, vote, comment, subscribe, follow, stalk, track, capture the avatar, regain your honour, finally be accepted by the FireDad, realize you're still not happy, have gutwrenching guilt about your special lady friend that you inadvertently killed, leave your dad, join the avatar, learn the secrets of the fire and have fun with your new friends, one of whom looks like your special lady friend's twin brother... but like... 6 years younger... (return of the WHY boner... with a vengeance...)
And have fun storming the castle, boys!


"You had to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you?" Aang grumbled.

"To be fair, if I could, I absolutely would have," Amaya threw in.

"That doesn't make it better!" Aang yelled.

"At least I made something happen," Zuko responded. "If it were up to you, we'd never have made it past the courtyard."

"Help!" Aang yelled loudly.

"Nobody's lived here for centuries, and there's no guarantee that Mangetsu is close enough to hear you," Zuko grumbled. "So why do you think that's going to work?"

"Well, what do you think we should do?"

"Think about our place in the Universe?"

"Bad idea!" Amaya said. "That's how you end up with existential crises and spiral!"

Aang sighed deeply when someone stepped up to the grate.

"It appears there really are others here," someone said.

The boys stared in awed surprise at the man that had appeared in their line of sight.

"Oh, look, locals! Wait, why are there locals?"

"Um... hi?" Aang smiled awkwardly.

Soon, the two boys were set free while giant ant-eater-like creatures licked them clean. The locals turned out to be the Sun Warriors, who brought a disgruntled, bound and gagged Mangetsu along with them. Through a series of muffled grunts and deep scowling, it was clear that Mangetsu was mad at them for the shenanigans that unfolded.

There were now many other locals, some of which had fire in hand, all watching the three of them - apparently, Mangetsu was deemed the biggest risk, on account of him being the only one they bothered to tie up. The gagging was probably on account of his habit of biting at anyone with fingers too close to his face. Which also begged the question: how did they gag him without losing a finger?

"Amaya, focus," Zuko whispered.

"I was monologuing, be quiet!"

"Mpphh nnnghhphm," Mangetsu growled at her.

"I knew you tried to bite someone!"

Another growl.

"You are a savage little bundle of rage. You know that, right? You're like a human chihuahua."

Another growl.

"Amaya, Focus!" Zuko whispered more harshly.

"For trying to take our Sun Stone, you must be severely punished!" the obvious chief declared, his eyes narrowing at Zuko for the random whispering.

"We didn't come here to take your Sun Stone," Zuko insisted.

"Zuko, you got something on your chin..."

"We came here to find the ancient origin of all firebending," Zuko ignored her.

A man stepped out from behind the chief; the Sun Stone held close to his chest as he glared at the boys.

"Yeah, right," he said snootily. "They are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures!"

There was a series of grunts and growls from Mangetsu.

"That's not nice; apologize!"

A deep growl was Mangetsu's only response.

"Please, I don't normally play this card, but..." Aang put a hand on his chest and looked up confidently. "I'm the Avatar."

Confused looks are passed around, uncertainty causing the crowd to shuffle anxiously. Aang stood up with a weak smile.

"Just hear us out," he said softly.

"My name is Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Or at least... I used to be," Zuko said. "I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fueled by anger and rage."

"Excellent motivator, also ten out of ten would admit to accidentally murdering friends with said method."

A muffled grunt.

"You're right; that was uncalled for."

"But now I want to learn the true way," Zuko ignored the exchange, though there was a new hint of sorrow and pain in his expression. "The original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun warrior civilization was secretly alive. Mangetsu did warn that there were likely still people in the area, based on the traps we came across... but still... to think that it would be a civilization long thought dead..."

Mangetsu grunted, looking smug despite the gag.

"I am truly humbled to be in your presence," Zuko and Aang bowed their heads respectfully. "Please, teach us."

"If you wish to learn the ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao," the chief said sternly.

"Ran and Shao?" Aanf questioned. "There are two of them?"

The chief stepped in front of them and waved for someone to untie Mangetsu.

"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you," he said while Mangetsu scowled and rubbed his wrists. "They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry."

He stepped towards Zuko, towering over him.

"If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you," he said, as Zuko's expression became worried. "If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot."

He stepped away, and Zuko and Aang shared a nervous look.

"Good luck, guys," Mangetsu said. "Don't mess up because I don't plan to be some kind of weird offering to the sun."

"You're more likely to be eaten by a dragon than sacrificed to the sun," Amaya said offhandedly.

"Can't be eaten by something extinct," Zuko assured Mangetsu softly.

"You know what? With the kind of luck I've been having, they'd come back from the dead just to eat me," Mangetsu threw his hands up with an annoyed expression. "Let's go."