I do not own any of the original Avatar characters.
Invasion
Sado sighed as he walked through the street. He and Sokka had both received "warrior training." Mostly, that meant that they were handed a club made of bone and then told to beat a trained warrior of the Northern Water Tribe with it. Sokka had quit after barely two days, instead choosing to spend his time with Yue, who, come to find out, was engaged already. Sado had stuck with the training, graduating from a jawbone club, to a jawbone dagger. He excelled at the training, mostly because he already had weapons training. For the most part what he was learning was the specific fighting style. He did, however, managed to get a pair of knives about as long as his old pair, these ones actually metal instead of jawbone like everything else he had seen at the North Pole. He had also received bo staff, spear, axe, flail, and hammer training. So far, no one had been able to beat him after three fights with a new weapon.
"I must say, Sado," the warrior in charge of his training said, watching Sado twirl a bone spear around himself. "You're a natural with weapons. I grant that you've been trained with a lot of them before, but even the ones you haven't been you pick up quick."
"The fundamentals are all the same," Sado said. "The balance of the weapon, the length of the weapon, and what part to hit with is all that changes."
"I wish a few of our younger guys would learn that," the warrior chuckled, looking over to where the junior warriors were training.
One hotshot who thought he was the spirits' gift to the Earth, Hahn, was glaring at Sado, since Sado had only spent one day training with that group before moving on to more advanced training.
"Looks like Hahn wants a rematch," the warrior chuckled.
"Sure," Sado said, stopping the spear diagonally behind himself. "I had a lot of fun beating him to a pulp before."
He turned to Hahn, motioning for him to make a move and Hahn grinned, turning and charging at him with a staff. As soon as he was in range, Sado's spear flashed out, sweeping Hahn's legs out from under him before driving itself into the ground beside his head.
"Dead," Sado said, leaving the spear there and backing away, drawing his knives in reverse grip.
Hahn flipped to his feet, charging again with his staff, swiping at Sado only for Sado to duck under it, getting inside of the next slash before spinning around Hahn, slicing the ties on either side of his pants' waist, dropping them around his ankles, then kicking him from behind, knocking him to the ground and kicking his staff away. He put his knives away as well, walking over to his spear and picking it up as he looked up, smile fading as he watched soot begin to fall, the water around the city turning black quickly.
"What is this?" the warrior training him asked.
"Soot," Sado said. "I saw it before my home was attacked. The Fire Nation is here."
The warrior stared at him before nodding once and turning, running away from the training ground to report to the chief. Ten minutes later, the entirety of the tribe had gathered. Sado sat with Katara, Sokka, and Aang off to one side as the chief spoke, praying to the ocean and moon spirits.
"I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission," the chief said, Sokka standing instantly.
"Count me in," Sokka said.
"Sokka!" Katara said.
"Be warned, many of you will not return," the chief said as Sado also stood.
"I'll look after Sokka," Sado said.
"Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task," the chief said, all of the volunteers walking forward.
There weren't many. A handful of seasoned warriors, Sokka, Sado, and Hahn. Sado rolled his eyes at that. Hahn was going to get himself killed. But hey, at least he had guts. As they reached the chief, he drew three vertical, squiggly lines on their forehead and they turned to their right, walking out of the room. Sado stayed near the building they had gathered in, the highest point in the village. After roughly a half hour, a single fire nation ship arrived, beginning to launch boulders at the village. After the first couple, Aang and Appa took off toward it. After a minute, the boulders stopped, and a moment later, water benders had the ship suspended over the water with ice spikes. Then, Appa was on the way back. Sado knew it wouldn't be only one ship. Not with that much soot.
"Hey, you're on the mission?" a warrior asked from behind him.
"Yeah," Sado nodded.
"Get to the armory," the man said. "Do you know of any more?"
"Check the wall," Sado said. "The Southern Water Tribe boy is also on it. He should be there."
The man nodded, running of and Sado turned, heading for the armory. The other volunteers arrived in groups of two or three until Sokka arrived, always the last one. Except, Hahn wasn't there. Sado grinned. He must have gotten scared off by the boulders. But then his smile faded. Hahn wasn't that smart.
"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation Navy," the tribe's chief said. "And that means you'll all need one of these uniforms."
Hahn stepped into view, wearing an authentic Fire Nation uniform, from nearly a hundred years ago. Sado snorted in amusement while Sokka laughed.
"What's your problem," Hahn demanded.
"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that," Sokka said.
"Of course they do," Hahn said. "These are real Fire Navy uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers."
"You mean those were the uniforms about a hundred years ago," Sado corrected. "The current uniforms don't have shoulder spikes anymore. They're more streamline."
"How do we know we can trust these guys?" Hahn asked, glaring at them. "Such bold talk for a couple of new recruit."
"This coming from the guy who has lost to one of the new guys twice now," Sado reminded him. "Besides that, I've had more experience with the current Fire Navy than you have had experience with weapons. Probably why you suck so bad."
Hahn growled angrily.
"That's enough, Hahn," the chief said. "Now, our first priority is to determine the identity of their commanding officer."
"His name is Zhao," Sokka said.
"Admiral Zhao, to be exact," Sado said. "He's a skilled tactician, an excellent fighter, though he lacks any form of restraint, a powerful firebender, once again with no restraint. He's middle-aged and has brown hair in the customary high bun with large sideburns. He also has a temper almost as big as Hahn's ego."
A few of the warriors int he room snickered as the chief stared at Sado.
"Sokka, Sado, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn," the chief said. "Hahn, I want you to show them your utmost respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law."
Sokka stared at Hahn in shock, Sado blinking before doing the same.
"Explains the ego," Sado sighed.
"Princess Yue's marrying you?" Sokka asked.
"Yeah, what of it?" Hahn asked.
"Nothing, congratulations," Sokka said.
"No wonder she's so unhappy," Sado said, saying exactly what Sokka wanted to.
"Excuse me?" Hahn snarled.
"She hates you," Sado shrugged. "Can't blame her. You're a worthless prick. But hey, maybe you'll do us all a favor and make the mistake of attacking Zhao alone. That way you die, I don't have to deal with you, and Yue doesn't have to get stuck married to you."
"Why you-"
"I wouldn't," Sado said, holding one knife behind his back as Hahn reached for a spear. "Wouldn't want the chief to know his future son-in-law is nothing but an overgrown child who attacks the Northern Water Tribe's guests and allies right before a very important mission."
Hahn growled in rage, setting the spear back against the rack. Sado turned to the other warriors.
"Now, since you're all the useful ones, here's what we know about Zhao and his fleet."
Sado glanced sideways, seeing the chief enter the room and walked over to him.
"Sir, I need a favor. And I know I have no right to ask, but this will work out best for both of us."
"Alright," the chief said. "What is it?"
"I want you to take Sokka off of this mission," Sado said.
"Why?" the chief asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. "He's a very capable warrior."
"I agree," Sado nodded. "Which is why he should be protecting Yue."
"Explain," the chief said.
"Even if our mission is a success, even if we eliminate Zhao, the next-in-command will simply take over and the invasion will continue until the Fire Nation is driven out and forced to retreat," Sado said. "And make no mistake. They are going to break through the wall. They are getting into the city. And once they do, who do you think they'll be more concerned with? The peasants that surrender instantly to save themselves, or the princess in charge of those peasants?"
"You're saying they'll target Yue?" the chief asked.
"Yes," Sado nodded. "They'll target Yue. So you should have Sokka guard her."
The chief nodded. "Alright."
"Chief," Sado said, the chief looking at him. "To be perfectly honest, I don't think any of us will survive this mission. I fully expect all of us to die. Sokka's a good man. He doesn't deserve that fate. I don't mind dying on this mission. I have a fatal condition that'll kill me inside of six months anyway."
"Why are you telling me this?" the chief asked.
"If I'm right and we all die, you'll need to find a new future husband for Yue," Sado said, the chief raising an eyebrow at him. "She and Sokka care for each other. Sokka may not be rich, but they would be happy. And he's a natural leader. And if you're really concerned with appearances, you could say it was to strengthen ties with the Southern Tribe."
The chief chuckled. "You've really thought this through."
"I'm from a family that somehow manages to care about appearances enough to disown their only son because of a fatal illness," Sado said. "Thinking about political things comes naturally to me. Besides...knowing approximately when you'll die makes you...reconsider your place in the world. Makes you want to do as much good as you can in the time you have left."
The chief nodded, smiling. "I'll consider your advice. And, if the worst should come to pass, I may actually find that I agree with you. Of course, this is all assuming we win the battle and survive the invasion."
"Of course," Sado nodded. "Thank you, Sir. Hopefully I'll see you when this is all over."
Just then, Sokka tacked Hahn, the two beginning to roll around, Hahn pulling Sokka's wolf tail while Sokka tried to choke Hahn. Sado sighed, walking over and pulling Sokka off of Hahn, then slamming his foot down on Hahn's chest as he tried to stand, pinning him to the ground.
"That's enough!" the chief said, stepping up behind Sado. "Sokka, you're off the mission!"
As he turned to walk away, Hahn stood, grinning broadly.
"Alright, everyone listen to me and this mission'll be over in no time," Hahn grinned.
"No," Sado said, Hahn stopping mid-stride. "You're not in charge. I am. I know how to sneak on to a Fire Nation ship. I know how to navigate it without being seen. I know where Zhao will be. And I'm the one getting us useable disguises. I'm also the better fighter. I'm taking charge of the mission. If you follow my plan, you might survive this and be able to marry Yue. Though I highly doubt you'll survive since you don't listen to anyone."
Hahn glared at him before seeing the warriors in the room nodding. He sighed, crossing his arms. "Fine. What's the plan?"
Sado picked up a knife and tossed it to Hahn. "Know how to use one of these?"
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