𝙄𝙉 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀 ⤁ prince zuko

twenty two | thank you universe

"After what happened in Ba Sing Se, We had to get you to safety." Sokka explained to Aang while the rest sat around him eating breakfast.

"We flew back to Chameleon Bay where we found my father and the other Water tribe men. The Earth King decided to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone. Soon, the bay was over run with fire nation ships. Rather than fight them all, we captures a single ship and made it our disguise. Since then, we've been traveling west. We crossed through serpents pass a few days ago. We've seen a few fire nation ships, but none have bothered us."

"So what now?" Aang asked

"We've been working on a modified invasion plan." Hakoda replied.

"It's Sokka's invasion plan." Katara said sternly.

"Yes, Sokka's plan." Hakoda corrected. "We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable."

"So we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke." Sokka said, as one large boy with one tiny one eating on his shoulder came into view.

Mari had never met them before but she'd seen them on the dock quite often, so she assumed they were two of the people the Avatar and his friends had met along their way.

"And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage! We have a secret." Sokka leaned in closer before whispering. "You!"

Aang looked concerned. "Me?"

"Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead! Isn't that great"

Katara and Mari exchanged disapproving looks, knowing Sokka could have broken the news in a easier way.

"The world thinks I'm dead? How is that good news? That's terrible!"

"No, it's great! It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore! And even better, they won't be expecting you on the Day of Black Sun!" Sokka insisted.

"No. You have no idea. This is so messed up!"

"Guys.." Katara cut in. Everyone turned to see a fire nation ship approaching.

"I'll handle this. The Avatar is back." Aang said grabbing his glider before clutching his side in pain.

"Aang wait- They don't know we're not Fire Nation." Mari reached out to him

Hesitantly, he put the glider away.

"Don't worry, Bato and I will take care of this." Hakoda said, putting on his fire nation helmet.

Mari pulled on her black robe to cover her usual green Earth Kingdom attire as Pipsqueak and The Duke led Appa to a square hole in the dock of the ship, and covered him with a tarp. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Mari, Momo, and Toph climbed under as well.

"I hate not being able to do anything." Aang grunted

"Hopefully you won't need too." Toph responded.

From under the tarp, Mari heard the crew from the other ship board their own, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

After a while, Mari heard footsteps leading back to the other ship. Before Toph rose slightly, hearing what they were saying.

"They know!" She exclaimed. She jumped up smashing her fingers into the deck of the ship, which caused the metal bridge that connected the two ships to crush, sending three men into the water. Mari gasped at Toph, for she had never seen someone bend metal before, let alone even know it was possible. Katara ran past her, bumping into her shoulder, breaking Mari from her thoughts. The waterbender ran to where the bridge used to be, bending a large wave to separate the ships. , before their own sped off.

As the other ship began to close in on them, it began to catapult boulders set on fire. "Mari!" Toph called, as Pipsqeak, the larger boy set down large boulders.

Mari nodded and ran to her. Toph stomped her foot, molding the rock into a flat disk before shooting it towards the fire nation ship, taking out the first catapult. Simultaneously, the second catapult released another flame boulder to which Mari quickly deflected by bending another rock disk in it's direction. The two earthbenders continued to bend rock in attempt to throw the ship off, but it was only gaining in faster.

Mari's eyes widened as the fire troop ship behind them shot a large anchor attached to a chain, which punctured a hole in the bottom of their ship.

"Katara!" Mari shouted.

"On it!" The girl shouted back. Katara ran to the railing of the ship and sent a blast of ice to conceal the hole. "I'm gonna give us some cover." She said while bending the water below them into a thick fog surrounding both ships.

Although the fog helped conceal their ship, it also terminated their vision of the other ship, so flaming fire balls began to spit through the fog, in different directions. All they could do now was duck, and down the flames.

"How we doing?" Toph shouted as both ships emerged from the fog, now both visible.

"Things couldn't get much wors-" Sokka continued before a large splash was heard behind him. Everyone whipped around to see a giant snake like sea creature emerge from the water, hissing.

"The universe just loves proving you wrong." Mari gasped.

"He makes it too easy." Toph scolded.

Before the sea creature could attack their ship, a fire ball was thrown at it from the other, causing it's anger to shift in another direction.

"Thank you universe." Sokka smiled as they sailed off, away from the other ship .

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