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

Entering Fire Nations waters

"Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is.

Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."

- C.S. Lewis

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(Y/N)'s POV
Sokka and Katara came to me and told me what Aang told them earlier. I told them that he might leave without us, so we went to check. And I was right.

We stood and watched as Aang was trying his best to get Appa to move by pulling on his reins, but he just roared in protest and sat down. "Look I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka and (y/n) aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If any of them got hurt, I'd never forgive myself." He said in a sad tone, but then he turned stern, "So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" He jerks the reins, stretching them out, but is flung to the ground when the ropes pull him back as Appa did not move a muscle, sitting spread-legged on the ground while glaring at his bison. I tried my best to not to laugh.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell ya something." Sokka said, making Aang gasp in surprise and look at our direction as he got up. "Please don't go Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." Katara pleaded desperately.

Aang looked away in sadness, "But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means! I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!" he then airbends himself atop Appa's head, looking back with a sad expression on his face as he prepares.

"Aang wait." I said in a serious tone, that startled him. I looked at him dead in the eye and then smirked, "What's the point of you having anyone travel with you if you just leave them?" he looked at me confused. "I'll tell you. It's because you don't abandon them. You travel the world with them, you get into trouble with them. The point is, we're not letting you go into the Fire Nation, Aang. Not by yourself, that is." I airbended on Appa's saddle, with Miku on my shoulder.

"We got your back." Sokka said before Appa licked him, making him look angrily at the bison, "Ew!" I laugh at the little interaction between the two.

"It's a long journey to the Crescent Island." The village leader said to Aang while handing him a small bundle, "You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck." I bowed my head as Aang tried to say his 'thank you' to them but he was cut off when the leader shouted at him to go while pointing in the direction of the ocean. Then Appa takes off with our gang on board.

~~Time Skip~~

Third person POV
Later that morning, the Senlin Village leader exits a building, but he stops in his tracks upon finding Zuko standing in his path, making a gasp leave . In the background, Iroh is sitting on a komodo rhino.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Zuko asked sarcastically, before pushing the man through the door, knocking him down. "See the Avatar and his sister lately?"

~~Time skip~~

Aang's POV
Day has come now while we flew over the ocean on Appa, watching the water fearfully. "Come on boy, we've got a long way to go. Faster!" I said to Appa. "Aang. We've got trouble!" Katara called in a fearful voice. "Yeah! And it's gaing, fast!" Sokka panicked.

"Fireball!" Katara yelled. I was about to get up and stop it but (y/n) beat me to it, bending back to where it came from. "We have to get out of Zuko's range, before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" She shouted, grasping her nose, I grasped mine and I think Katara and Sokka did the same. "Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka asked in the weird voice people make when they squeeze their nose. "Yeah. but there's just one little problem." I answered, gesturing to the two-row line of Fire Nation ships stretching across the ocean as far as I can see, looking ready to fire at us. "A blockade." (Y/N) gasped.

"If we fly north, we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade! It's the only way."I suggested but Katara said that there's no time. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to come! It's too dangerous!" I said, "And that's exactly why we're here." Katara countered, then Sokka bodly ordered to run the blockade. "Appa, yip-yip!" Appa roared sounding ready then moved forward quicker.

As we drew closer to the blockage, the sky became littered with flaming fireballs aimed at us. We all screamed by the attacks getting closer to us, but Appa managed to dodge them. That was until one fireball that exploded in front of us, forcing us to go through its smoke. Once we did get through it, Appa's fur was darked but at least the others helped by slapping the embers off. "Appa, are you okay?" I asked, to which he roared a reply.

I pull the reins, making us go above the clouds, which was a mistake. Many fireballs came from all directions, making it almost impossible to dodge. I hear Sokka screaming, me and Katara shouting after him. "Miku, hut-hut." (y/n) commanded, then she jumped off to get Sokka. I whip the reins, making us go down and chase the three.

~~~

Third person POV
Zhao watched as one of the team Avatar's members fell through the air with a smile. The kind of smile of satisfaction of someone that isn't on his side is dying. His smile faded into a face full of shock when he spotted something else fall down. A dragon. A real living dragon. And someone riding it, someone he has met before and he got bested by in an Agni Kai. "(Y/N)."

However at Zuko's ship, Zuko looked worried about Miku and her rider being exposed to the whole Fire Nation. "Hey, isn't that (y/n) and Miku diving down to that blue dot there?" Iroh asked as if it was a casual question to ask. Zuko said nothing but replied with a nod while watching the two through his telescope.

Meanwhile, Sokka noticed the dragon diving his way. "Need a lift?" (Y/N) asked in a singsong voice, making Sokka roll his eyes. She reached for his hand, grabbing it just before he hit the water. "Miku, let's bring in the heat." (y/n) commanded, then Miku flew over the ships and brought hell on their decks. "(Y/N), you're amazing. You too, Miku." Miku growled happily at Sokka's compliment. Sokka smiled, but it was gone by a fish appearing out of nowhere and slapping him square in the face. "Looks like someone's not happy." (y/n) teased, then Appa appeared on their left, heading towards the ship Zhao is on.

"Ready ..." Zhao said while holding up his hand, issuing his command. Aang and (y/n) shared a glance then looked back at the ship with determination overcoming them. "Fire!" Zhao commanded. Two fireballs are sent directly toward Appa and Miku. Aang airbends off Appa's head and uses a powerful airbending kick, exploding the boulder in a large smoky blast, Aang falls back but Katara caught him safely. (Y/N) ran on Miku, jumping off and used her earthbending, breaking her boulder into pieces, she flipped over and landed back in front of Sokka. Both the bison and dragon managed to make through to the other side of the blockade. "We made it!" Aang cheered ecstatically. "Remember guys, we are in the Fire Nation's waters now. If we get caught, we will get killed and the world will have more lost hope." (Y/N) reminded, making Sokka say great in a meek voice.

~~~

Zuko's POV
The Avatar and (y/n) managed to get through the blockade, but the question is how are we getting past?

Then two ships sail in the opposite direction towards each other, closing the path in front of me at any moment. "We're on a collision course!" Uncle exclaimed, but I looked ahead with determination, "We can make it!"

But the two ships suddenly halts, allowing us to glide by. I shared a hateful glare with Zhao as we went past.