(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Prologue

Rana can't believe what she did. She can't believe she did it. She can't wrap her head around how easy it was to do it. To turn against her people. Who she thought was her people. Her ears flicker and shift around as she takes in the sounds around, just in case they were followed. Clouds above and below her as she stares upwards, trying to get her head around what just happened. She literally threw away her life. Her childhood. Her teen years. Her father. She won't be protected now. She'll be attacked on sight. She groans and presses her hands into her eyes. She was an idiot.

"What did I do?" She complains as she lays back against Noivern's back as he flies along beneath her, ferrying them away from danger. He makes a noise of agreement. She can't believe she did that and it didn't take much. Some drawing in a book turned her against the people that raised her. "Maybe I can go back" She wonders. "I'm sure they'll accept an apology" Noivern makes a disapproving sound. "They might!" Rana argues. Noivern chuckles under his breath and she narrows her eyes before they sadden. She realises what this has done. Not just to her but to Noivern. "Noi" She whispers. "Noi, I'm so sorry" He rumbles something and she smiles. Always so thoughtful. Noivern, formerly known and looking like a Noibat, has been one of her most devoted pokemon. He was the first egg that hatched. The first one that attached to her. There is going to be a lot of emotion there. "I should have thought it through" She adds. "The others?!" She then asks alarmed suddenly remembering that Noivern isn't her only companion.

"Noi" Noivern offers a soft reassurance as she sits up to look for their friends. A small fox-like creature, Vulpix, is curled into Rana's side, sleeping. That's why she was feeling rather warm there. That's good. She glances around seeking out the rest of them, she finds her blue turtle, Squirtle, first, he is blowing bubbles, entertaining himself, sat on Noivern's head and finally, Rockruff. A little dog-like being, who is sat watching her, tail wagging as he waits for her attention. Rana lets out a breath and sits up. She needs to come up with a proper plan. Running away from the Fire Nation is only going to work so long and she has to keep them safe. She has no idea what she was thinking. Putting them at risk. She doesn't care about herself, but these guys are her babies. She holds out her hands towards Rockruff who pads to her and leans into her hands, rubbing his rocks against her.

"Everyone okay?" She asks and looks at each of them. They each nod and mumble in assurance. "Good" Rana whispers softly. At least they all made it out in one piece and without harm. "That's good" She ruffles Rockruff's fur on the top of his head. She is very relieved that they are all okay. She doesn't know what she'll do without them. She lets out a breath and opens up the book into her lap. This book talks about her people. The history of them. Their customs. She's never met another one of her kind before, but she knew they did once exist, obviously. She touches the page, the sketch of a nine-tailed Vastaya at full power. The legendary True Elemental. Destined to aid and protect the Avatar on his journey to absolute knowledge. She knows this is her. She can feel it. She felt it the second she touched the book. The second she picked up this orb thing. She looks to the orb resting against her knee. A glass ball on a chain. A necklace. She scoffs. None of this makes sense. Zhao had to know this about her. That this is what she was destined for. He's seen her tails before. All of them. A meltdown when she was a child is the only time she's unleashed her true form. He knew what she was and he kept it from her. Just more reasons why her life sucked. Why she should have been smarter. More aware of what was going on around her. But she wasn't. She lets out a breath and looks down at the book, shaking her head slightly. It doesn't make sense. No one's seen an Avatar in 100 years, why would she have been born a True Elemental if they were gone? She then groans, remembering just how she'd left. Flashes of fire and clashes of swords flick through her mind. She attacked her own Fire Nation entourage. The team of men sent with her everywhere she went to protect her. She is Commander Zhao's daughter. A prominent figure. A protected figure. She knows that she was a novelty piece. A Vastaya in the Fire Nation. Controlled. On their side. Well...not anymore. Not after the way they treated the Arkalan people. She'd never seen them in that light before. It's like touching the book woke her up. Allowed her to see the Fire Nation for what it is. The way they stole food. The way they bullier and beat the old, the young, the infirm. She has no idea how she ever ignored it for so long. Maybe it was because it was her village. Because it was her people. She couldn't let it stand. She realised the sort of person she was, the sort of person she had become...and hated herself. Hated what she was turning her back on. So she made a stand. Fought back. Freed the village. And then ran. They could be back under Fire Nation control for all she knows. She hopes not. She hopes it wasn't for nothing. That would make all of this worse. She lets out a sigh and picks up the glass ball. "What do you think this does?" She asks, turning the ball around in her hand. Rockruff barks and then follows the movements before she touches her nose to it. Instantly disappearing with a puff of blue energy. "Ahh" Rana lets out and drops the ball. Vulpix lets out a surprised noise and stares at the ball as Squirtle drops down next to her. The three of them watching the ball. "Rockruff?" She asks and tests a poke at the ball. It rolls but nothing happens. "Oh no," She whispers sadly. Squirtle makes a noise and then reaches out for the ball, reaching out for his friend. "No" She scolds Squirtle, grabbing his hand to stop him. "Don't touch it" She pulls him back from the ball. "Don't touch it" She adds softer, pulling him closer to shield him. "Just in case"

"Squirt" Squirtle whispers and then nods, settling into her lap. Rana huffs a little and picks up the book. There has to be something in here that explains what just happened or a way for her to get Rockruff back. Noivern makes an alarmed noise which causes Rana to turn, to follow his line of sight as a huge shaft of white-blue light shoots straight into the sky. Rana's eyes widen as she stares at it. It's power, whatever it is. A lot of it. The light from the light shaft dissipates. Rana leans closer to Noivern's head.

"How far do you think that is?" She asks him. He makes a noise of unknowing. She hums slightly. Sliding the book and the ball into her satchel, she turns to sit properly on Noivern's back, to ride him, Rockruff is going to have to wait until she figures out what's going on ahead. Squirtle and Vulpix move to find a more stable place to sit. They can tell when Rana shifts into serious mode. "Quiet and quick, Noi," She tells him. "Higher into the clouds" Noivern makes a noise of agreement and then takes them higher into the clouds.