Little Soldier Boy

Day of black sun : part 3

Zuko and Katara followed Aang to the sky as they saw the smaller war balloons ahead, tearing the sides to make them go down, each of them using their bending to take down the air balloons.

Aang went to try taking down the larger one but they realized it was a metal that the war balloons were made of. They were being blasted at with no sign of stopping as they were the only targets in the sky. There was no way they'd be able to take them all out.

"There's to many of them!" Katara called out to Aang.

"Let's join the others, this is going no where," Aang groaned in disappointment as he flew ahead with them following behind.

"What a bust," zuko tsked a little looking behind at the war balloons.

By the time they returned to the others they were already speeding down the ballys mountain as they left a few tanks behind to be faster.

"Hey try and find cover! I think we're going to see bombs!" Sokka notice the bottom of the war balloons opening as appa landed.

Toph was on it and formed a roof above the group as other earth benders followed her lead to cover from what's coming.

Everyone guarded their heads as bombs were dropped around them as it shook the ground and caused some of the earth coverage to crumble before Toph sturdied it.

But soon it passed.

"Why aren't they turning around?" Katara noticed they just kept going.

"They're headed for the beach.. they're going to destroy the submarines!" Aang connected the dots.

But they were helpless to just watch the inventions get bombed and absolutely destroyed.

"How are we all going to escape?" Sokka sighed not sure what to do.

"We're not," Hakoda was leaned against bato for support of his injury.

"Then our only choice is to stand and fight, we have the avatar, we could still win," Sokka turned to them still hopeful.

"Yes with the avatar we could still win, on another day," Hakoda offered.

"You kids have to leave, you have to escape on appa together," he told them in a fatherly tone.

"What? We're can't leave you behind, we won't leave anyone behind," Katara argued immediately.

"Your our only chance in the long run, you and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe, it's the only way to keep hope alive," Hakoda held his daughters hands as tears welded in her eyes.

"The youngest of our group will go with you, the adults will stay behind and surrender," bato agreed while Hakoda looked at his children sadly. They were suppose to be together after today, to be a family again.

The children all felt guilt for their safe escape while the adults will be prisoners but at least they'll be alive.

Toph helped the son of the mechanist, teo, up to appa as he was limited to his wheelchair, they said their goodbyes not knowing how long it'll be.

"I'll stay behind, smeller bee You stay with Jet," long shot stated as pipsqueak and the duke were saying goodbyes as well.

"why? youre a kid," smellerbee hugged him hugged as they were close.

"Long shots older, he's 18," Jet shook his head disappointed.

"If there's space you'll come with?" Smellerbee asked sadly.

Long shot hugged her back and patted the back of her head. Jet touched his friends shoulder as he was going to miss the trio of them.

"We'll be fine and dandy, take care of the duke for me," pipsqueak set his large arm around long shot.

"We will," Jet smiled nodding. They were the freedom fighters together, they would take care of their own no matter what.

Katara and Sokka hugged their father tightly as they didn't want to part. Even if Sokka was older than the other teens he was still only sixteen and they needed him to win the war.

"We lost today, but we've never been so close, we tasted victory, and that counts for something," Hakoda reassured his children.

"We'll miss you dad," Katara sniffled.

"Bye dad, we won't be apart for too long this time," Sokka hugged him back.

Aang sat on top of appa as tears ran down his face, this isn't how it was suppose to end. Katara boarded and sat with Aang, she looked at him softly but he couldn't look at her. The avatar wiped his tears and stood to the warriors below.

"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong, I'm going to make this up to you," Aang said as his farewell while Katara sat in the saddle with the others, she offered a small smile to haru and Zuko who joined the the children.

And with that they took off to escape.

Aang flew quickly through the clouds as they got far from the capital. He looked back at Sokka and Toph. Sokka gave him a look but said nothing yet.

"I know just the place where we'll be safe for a while, the western air temple," Aang told the others so they know where they were heading.

His stomach twisted at the news that was revealed to them previously. There was so much more to learn but no one wanted to bring it up.

But they all know one thing.
Never trust Azula.