dive and disappear without a trace (ATLA x BNHA)

Chapter Fifteen

This one was pretty fun to write, ngl. I'm dedicating this chapter to all the people who commented on the last chapter, especially Giveitupgirl2020 and james174628 (happy super super late bday)!!!

Also I feel so bad, I said that I was going to publish this weeks ago, but then I went on this big 2 week trip and forgot all about it!! This one is extra long to make up for it, alkdfjakdjfas

Hope you enjoy this chapter!!

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"You guys are gonna love Omashu," Aang promised as they walked through the gates of the city. After the less-than-welcoming interaction they had had with the guard at the gate not even five minutes ago, Shouto somehow doubted that, but he refrained from voicing his opinion.

He craned his neck to take the city in, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun in order to fully appreciate the architecture. If Izuku were here, Shouto was sure he would be talking his ear off about his analysis of various aspects of the city's construction - aspects that he was surely missing right now, like the purpose of the specific type of building material they used or potential reasons why the city was positioned so precariously over the chasm.

But he wasn't, so Shouto followed silently along as Aang led them around the bustling city, dodging persistent salespeople and the more obvious con-artists. "That's Omashu's delivery system," Aang said, pointing to the intricate, sloping chutes that crisscrossed the city. "Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them back down." Aang's description was punctuated by one of the bins zipping past them at full-speed, and Shouto had to admit the efficiency was impressive considering the lack of digital tools.

Then, Aang's eyes somehow seemed to...enlarge, shimmer, even, and Shouto steeled himself for the predictably bad idea that he was about to suggest. "But...there's an even better use for these chutes than delivery..."

"What's that?" Sokka asked, indulging Aang. Shouto really wished he wouldn't.

"You'll see!"

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Shouto watched them all pile in the bin, Katara and Sokka significantly less enthusiastic than Aang. He sighed irritatedly. They didn't have time for detours, especially ones that promised nothing but negative consequences. They had to focus their very limited time on finding a way to defeat the Fire Nation, preferably within the next century. At this rate, it would take two. They might as well be proactive and name it the "Three-Hundred Year War."

Okay, there was a chance he was being dramatic, but his point still stood. If they didn't take the mission seriously, this world would continue to live in the midst of a war, and Shouto would end up returning home as an old man. That, or not at all.

"Shouto? Are you coming?" Katara asked, oblivious to his annoyance. To her credit, though, he did have a pretty good poker face.

"Don't you guys think we should be looking for information or something to help defeat the Fire Nation?" Shouto said in lieu of an actual answer. "The longer we wait, the more people get hurt. We don't have the time."

There was a tense silence when he finished. Aang looked particularly chided.

"Well, this should only take a few minutes, right, Aang?" Katara said placatingly. Aang nodded. "After that, we can go around the city and ask around."