Avatar: Things Are Not The Same As It Once Was || Book 1: The World In Flames

Familiar faces

"We've got tons and tons of regulars. 

When they saw we were open, they were thrilled. 

It's a familiar place and a familiar place."

- Tammy Shrank 

🌊⛰🔥🌪

(Y/N)'s POV
The sky looked peaceful with the clouds below us and the sky blue. Aang, Sokka and Katara were riding on Appa, while me and Miku flew on our own. Momo would join in on the flying a few times, then went back on Appa after a bit.

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft, cottony heap?" Katara spoke somewhat dreamily. I looked at Aang, who was sitting on Appa's head with a twig in his mouth lazily. "Maybe you should give it a try." Sokka mocked with a smile on his face. "You're hilarious." Katara said sarcastically.

I looked at Aang again, he looked back and we thought of the same plan. "We'll try it!" Aang jumps off Appa with his staff, I slide off Miku sideways, Miku following in pursuit. Me and Aang laughed as we fell, doing the spread eagle as we made contact to the cloud. But instead of landing on the cotton cloud, we went straight through it. Aang opened his glider and went back up, while I still fell.

I saw the ground getting closer and closer. Until I saw Miku under me, spreading her wings and catching me at the last second before crashing at the ground. We went through the forest at a quick speed, dodging every tree we passed. "Whoo!" I cheered as we whizzed through. We had to stop as soon as we saw stone instead of trees. We trekked and found a beautiful hot spring.

"Well, I was expecting my nephew to find any moment now. But it is always a pleasure to see another familiar face." A voice spoke as I got off Miku. I turned around, seeing a face I missed so much. "Iroh?"

"Hello, miss (y/n)." He smiled warmly at me. "I would ask if you would join me, but that would be weird." I chuckled, agreeing with him.

"So, what have you been up to?" He asked. I walked up next to him outside of the water. "Well you know. Met a crazy king that turned out to be Aang's old friend and a nice kid that turned out to be my old friend's granddaughter. She's really cute by the way. And we recently saved a bunch of earthbenders from a Fire Nation prison ship." I explained. He looked to be really interested in it, "Sounds like you've had some adventures. I've just been playing pai sho with the crew." and jealous too.

"I missed your company, (y/n). Zuko has too." Iroh said in a slightly sad tone. "I missed you too, Iroh. And I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Princey." He laughed heartily, I joined in. Then I heard shouting from a distance, it was Zuko. "I need to hide." I said in a quiet voice to Iroh. he pointed to behind him, which I did. "Miku, come here."

"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" Zuko shouted as he got closer. "Stay quiet and low if you don't want to be caught." Iroh advised softly, before telling Zuko where he was.

"Uncle? We need to move on. We're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him." Zuko said.

"Are you sure it's just the Avatar you want. Not anyone else." Iroh chuckled, I felt my face warm up thinking that he was implying me to his nephew. "Yes, I want to have (y/n) with us as well, uncle. But that won't happen if you're in a bath in a hot spring." He admitted, it made me feel bad for leaving by how he said it. I missed him. His voice. His face. His company. Him being my friend. Should I stay with him?

"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles?" Iroh offered "My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!" Miku nearly jumped out of my grasp, but I shoved her in my shirt before she could get our hiding spot exposed.

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." I heard steam being added to the water, I'm guessing Iroh used his firebending to heat it up. "Enough! We need to leave now. Get out of the water!"

"Very well!" I covered my eyes, even though I'm not where Zuko is standing right now, once I heard the water move. I heard Zuko give a small, disgusted shout before speaking, "On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes? But be back at the ship in a half-hour or I'm leaving without you!" Iroh sighs and whispers a sorry to me. I got up and looked at the direction I thought Zuko was, "You should go back to your brother." Iroh said. I nodded sadly. "I wish to stay with you both."

"Maybe you should let Zuko capture you. That way your brother wouldn't think you betrayed them." He suggested, making me happier than before. "Okay. I'll see you both then. And we can play pai sho." I gave a peck on the cheek and hopped on the now grown Miku. "I'll like that a lot." Iroh said as he waved goodbye at us, then we were in the sky.

"Now, if I was Aang, where would I be?" I said as I scanned the area of where my brother could be as we flew. Then I spotted a small village up ahead. "Wait. I bet he is in that village. What do ya say, Miku?" She growled in agreement, then we setted course straight to the town.