I don't own Star Wars Rebels or anything associated with Star Wars in general which belongs to Disney and Lucasfilm nor Avatar the Last Airbender which belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. This story is strictly being done for pure fun and in no way is an attempt to profit of the properties involved.
Hey everyone. So now we're here with the next chapter. To all those who have reviewed so far then thank you. If there's anything I'm doing wrong or you think could be improved upon please let me know. Anyway if you're still reading or are reading for the first time then I hope you enjoy.
Overhead of an unidentified forest area
Appa was, flying through a gray sky over a large forested area, covered somewhat by a fog, and that looked rather menacing.
The Ghost was flying behind them. Zeb was sitting in a chair with Sabine playing a game while Kanan and Ezra meditated, Rex being in the back.
Hera was steering the ship as she noticed Appa was going down as she contacted Aang on his communicator "Hey Aang heads up you're going down." When he didn't respond she asked a second time "Aang?"
Aang finally picked up and was confused "What? I didn't even notice."
Sokka's voice came through on the comm. "Are you noticing now?"
Katara was concerned "Is something wrong?"
Aang still seemed somewhat dazed by the swamp. "I know this is going to sound weird, but I think the swamp is calling to me."
"Is it telling you where we can get something to eat?" Sokka asked
Hera rolled her eyes at this as Kanan and Ezra stepped up to the comm.
"What's going on?" Ezra asked
"Aang says the swamp below us is calling to him" Hera explained.
"Aang what's it telling you?" Kanan asked
Aang stuttered as he thought of his answer "I ... I think it wants us to land there."
There was a moment of silence before Sokka answered "No offense to the swamp, but I don't see any land there to land on."
Aang was conflicted "I don't know. Bumi said to learn earthbending I would have to wait and listen, and now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?"
Sokka, Katara and Momo looked over Appa's saddle down at the swamp as Sokka answered "Yes."
Katara was unsure "I don't know. There's something ominous about that place."
Sabine seemed to agree as she gazed out the window "Not exactly the best place to trek through"
"See, even Appa and Momo don't like it here." Sokka spoke having seen Momo hide in Appa's saddle at the prospect of going there.
"What do you think Kanan?" Ezra asked his master.
Kanan contemplated the decision. Ultimately it was Aang's but he couldn't help but feel it's call also. He then heard a voice "You must come. Come to me"
"Kanan?" Hera asked concerned.
Kanan snapped out of his trance "Whatever the decision is it belongs to Aang."
Aang having heard resignedly responded "Okay, since mostly everyone feels so strongly about this I guess we're leaving. Bye swamp. Yip, Yip!"
Appa groaned as he flew upward, away from the swamp as the Ghost followed behind. Suddenly a tornado suddenly emerged from out of nowhere, heading right for Appa as the Ghost picked up the signal as Hera picked up "Aang watch out! Tornado on your six!"
Appa started to fly faster, attempting to avoid the tornado, however he was not fast enough to get away. As the tornado began to move closer to Appa, the wind pulled Sokka right off from the saddle as Katara managed to grab his hand, holding him back from flying into the tornado.
The Ghost tried flying away but Hera was unable to pull out "Come on! Chop see if you can boost stabilisers"
Chopper grumbled as he did he was told.
Aang jumped up onto Appa's saddle and created an air shield around Appa, stabilizing the air and allowing Sokka to fall back into the saddle, uninjured. The wind sucked Appa, who was still protected by the air shield, into the tornado. Aang struggled to maintain the air shield, however as it shrunk, one of Appa's legs slipped from the protective air, thereby breaking it.
Aang, Katara, and Sokka proceeded to fall off Appa. The Ghost opened up as Kanan and Ezra used the Force to grab them and try to pull them back to the ship as Rex came down with a rope and helped them grab on as they were pulled inside while Appa and Momo were thrown elsewhere in the swamp.
"Everyone hang on!" Hera yelled as the Ghost proceeded to crash into the muddied waters.
"Another great landing" Ezra said with a smile as Zeb looked at him annoyed.
"Karablast" Zeb groaned as he looked around "Of all the places."
"How do you think I feel?" Sabine asked sarcastically a swamp wanting to be the last place she'd end up at the risk of it damaging her paint job.
Everyone got up and exited the ship except for Kanan and Hera as the former asked the latter "How long do you think we'll be down?"
"Well now that I've got the necessary tools it'll be easier to fix then before when we had nothing but it'll still take sometime." Hera answered.
"Well just be careful." Kanan said
"You kidding? I used to play in areas like these." Hera said "I kind of wish I could travel with you."
Kanan smiled at her which she returned as he then exited the ship.
Aang was at the top of the trees, looking for his animal friends as he used the height to search for them. "Appa! Momo!"
Katara glanced at her elbow before looking up at her brother. "Sokka, you've got an elbow leech."
Sokka spun around, panicking, trying to find it. "Where? Where?"
Katara crossed her arms as she sarcastically responded "Where do you think?"
Sokka ripped off the elbow leech and throwing it behind to Katara as he cried out angrily. "Why do things keep attaching to me?!" He then gulped as Zeb stomped up to him and dropped the leech to the ground, having accidently thrown it at him. "Um sorry."
Aang swung over the muddied water on a vine, waiting for it to stop moving so he could land.
"You couldn't find them?" Katara asked
Aang jumped down into the muddy water. "No, and the tornado ... it just disappeared."
Katara and Sokka turned to face the darkness in the swamp.
"So what now?" Ezra asked
"We'll have to navigate it. Of course since it's a swamp plenty of angry fish and monsters will come after us. If they're like the ones on Naboo." Rex said remembering how he navigated such areas in the past.
"Well I guess there's no time to move if we don't want to be monster chow." Sokka said slightly scared as he began cutting through the vines.
Through the jungles of the Swamp, Team Avatar and the Ghost Crew
Sokka was cutting the vines with his machete. "We better speed things up."
"Maybe we should be a little nicer to the swamp." Aang answered
Sokka didn't seem to understand as he continued to cut the vines. "Aang, these are just plants. Do you want me to say "please" and "thank you" as I swing my machete back and forth?"
"Maybe you should listen to Aang. Something about this place feels ... alive." Katara said agreeing with Aang.
"You're both right." Kanan told Aang and Katara "The Force is connected through all living things. People, the rock, the tree and every creature. The river and rain can even be considered part of everyone. Some areas are more in tune with the Force then others."
"And you think this place is?" Aang asked
Kanan was uncertain how to respond as it seemed the area was giving off strange vibes as he heard the distant call again.
"I'm sure there are lots of things that are alive here and like Rex said if we don't wanna wind up getting eaten by them, we need to find Appa as fast as we can while Hera fixes the Ghost. Just in case he didn't make it back" Sokka said as he continued to slice through the vines.
Katara and Sabine shared an annoyed look as everyone trekked on although unbeknownst to them someone was looking at them.
In another part of the swamp, Appa ang Momo
Having landed in another part of the swamp, Appa and Momo were initially stuck before Momo freed them both. Appa was walking on the wet, muddy ground, trailing his footprints behind, carrying Momo on his back. A tree trunk happened to be in Appa's way, as the bison collapses to the ground, unwilling to attempt flying over it or crawl beneath it. Momo proceeded to take Aang's bison whistle and blow it to make Appa move. The bison ignoring it the first time, growled angrily, as Momo then blew it a second time as he used his tail to squash the lemur. Dazed from the blow, Momo swayed as he collapsed.
Suddenly the tree began to move as both Appa and Momo hung from it as they then fell and stood up as something faced them as Appa growled as Momo cowered before looking up curiously.
It turned out the branch was part of a larger being with blank eyes making him blind. He then spoke in a friendly tone "Hello. I am the Bendu. Who might you two be?"
The swamp, Team Avatar and the Ghost.
Aang, Katara, and Sokka, now walking through a foggier part of the swamp.
Katara yelled out tono avail "Appa! Momo!"
"There's no way they can hear us and no way we can see them. We'll have to make camp for the night." Sokka said as flies surrounded Sokka as he swung his machete at them trying to shoo them away.
At that moment, a huge bubble of swamp gas rose from the muddy water below them. The gas grew suddenly grew closer to them.
"What was that?" Katara asked
"Nothing, just swamp gas." Sokka said dismissing them Look, there's nothing supernatural going on here.
Everyone groaned as the smell reaches them, with Sokka waving his hand in front of his nose as Katara clamped hers shut.
"Times like these I'm glad for my helmet's system." Sabine said as she put on the night vision to see if anything else was close as Rex did the same.
Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a terrifying scream, causing the three kids all to scream and huddle together, looking around wide-eyed for the source which turned out to be a small, grumpy-looking white bird as it t opened its beak extremely wide, emitting the terrifying scream, before fluttering off.
Sokka's voice cracked as he sweat a little "I think we should build a fire."
Sokka quickly ran off to a nearby tree and cut pieces of wood from its roots.
Aang and Katara walked up to Sokka as the former advised him "Sokka, the longer we're here, the more I think you shouldn't be doing do that.
"No, I asked the swamp. It said this was fine." Sokka said as he grabbed a nearby root. "Right, swamp?" He then shook the root and faked a reply. "No problem, Sokka!"
Sokka continued to chop up the roots, as Aang looked somewhat annoyed as he groaned "Karablast it all Sokka."
In another part of the forest, Darth Vader
A Lambda-class T-4a shuttle had landed in the swamp where a squad of Death Troopers were examining the area.
Their leader General Scar stood to attention as Darth Vader approached him. "My lord, the area seems very treacherous and endless. It'll be difficult to navigate the area."
"Your troopers were trained to navigate such areas am I not correct General?" Vader asked "Then I trust you can survive such dangerous paths. But I have also heard many live up to your squad's name. Continue your sweep of the area."
"Understood my lord." General Scar said with a bow.
Despite being assigned to work with her, Vader also had orders to leave whenever he wished if something important came to his attention. This obviously annoyed the Fire Nation Princess who felt the partnership was beginning to become one sided but so long as she kept hold of Kallus she still felt she had a stake in things.
Vader had done some investigating into the city of Ba Sing Se which seemed to be the most important city in the Earth Kingdom. He was about to continue when he heard a mysterious call which led him to this swamp. It was connected to the Force. But it's nature was conflicting. He felt the Dark Side and also something else that was possibly the light.
Vader then trekked on his own as he moved further into the swamp.
Another part of the swamp, Team Avatar and the Ghost crew
Everyone was around a fire as Katara glanced around at the swamp. "Does anyone else get the feeling that we're being watched?"
"Yeah maybe." Ezra said having sensed it as he looked at Kanan gave him a look indicating he did as well.
A fly buzzed around Sokka though he didn't seemed scared anymore. "Please, we're all alone out here."
Sokka used his machete to try and scare the fly off. The fly turned into a big, shining ball of light. It then flew away from the gang, illuminating over a dozen pairs of eyes staring at them as they turned around to see them.
"Except for them." Aang said as they turned back around and huddled together while the Ghost crew stood to protect them.
Sokka's calm demeanor had vanished "Right, except for them."
Another part of the swamp, Appa and Momo
Appa and Momo stood below the Bendu who looked down them curiously as the strange being studied them "In all my thousands of years I encountered your kind a couple of times young one." Appa seemed confused as he looked up at the Bendu. "The Airbenders and I had many long days. Where are they now?"
Appa seemed saddened as he let out a sniff and then sighed as he sprawled on the ground.
"Ah I see." The Bendu said understanding. "Tell me where is your master? Where is the Avatar?"
Another part of the swamp, Team Avatar and the Ghost Crew
Aang, Katara, and Sokka were sleeping by the fire that was beginning to die out.
The Ghost Crew were all gathered close by vigilant to wake if something disturbed them. Sabine and Rex had just traded the watch duty as the latter stood up while the former slept near Ezra and Zeb.
Kanan was talking to Hera via comm. link "How's the repair coming?"
"I look to be close. How are you guys holding up?" Hera asked him.
"This area is unsettling them." Kanan said referring to Aang and his friends. "To be honest it's getting to me too."
"Really?" Hera asked slightly concerned "Is it related to the Force?"
"This place is filled with the Dark side and the light. It's like a conduit for both. I think whatever is lurking around. Maybe we were..." Kanan said before suddenly he heard a noise.
"Kanan?" Hera called to him "Kanan!"
The comm. link then cut out.
Kanan looked up as everyone was tied up by several vines. "Guys wake up!"
They all awoke screaming as the vines simultaneously yank them all away from each other.
Kanan looked around as he saw a several vines spreading out having grabbed the other Ghost crew members who were struggling as Sabine tried firing on it as Ezra slashed it with his lightsabre.
"I know we said no to hitting the vines but...?" Ezra asked
"Permission granted." Kanan said as he used his lightsabre to cut him free along with the others as Sabine flew away using the fire on the jetpack to burn them away.
The Ghost crew landed safely as they then saw the three dragged into the mist.
"What do we do now?" Zeb asked
"We'll split up." Kanan said as he looked at Zeb and Sabine "You guys look for Sokka. Rex go look for Katara. Ezra and I will find Aang while trying to see if Hera can pick us up."
Everyone then split up in different directions hoping to find the trio before it was too late.
Another area of the swamp, close to Appa and Momo
Appa's footprint, was now filled with swamp water. Two figures looked down at the footprint. Due was tall and skinny, while his friend Tho was short and fat. Both were wearing small, animal skin loincloths and had a single, large leaf on their heads to serve as a hat. Tho was carrying a stick, and used it to indicate the animal track.
"What'd you reckon make a track like that, Tho?" Due asked him.
"Don't know, Due." Tho said as he pointed his stick at the footprint. "Some'in with six legs. Pretty big'uns too."
"Leaves a nice, wide trail to folla'." Due said point out a trail of Appa's tracks.
"You know what's at the end of that trail?" Tho asked
Due shook his head in the negative.
Tho grinned "Dinner."
A Death Trooper was examining the two hunters. He was about to fire before suddenly a tree branch grabbed him and swung him as he screamed in terror.
Another part of the swamp, Appa and Momo
Appa was swimming in the marshy water. Momo meanwhile chased a fly before unknowingly landing on the back of a catgator. He tried to escape as it pursued Momo as he flew back to Appa. After Momo and the crocodile reached Appa, the sky bison's mouth the catgator proceeded to swims right Appa's open mouth which he held for a moment before spitting it out. Momo and the catfish crocodile hissed at each other for a moment before the Bendu commanded it to leave as the crocodile swam away.
"Away with you. Find something else to eat." The Bendu said "It seems we are getting close to finding him" The Bendu then pointed "It seems he might be that way."
Appa and Momo quickly headed in that direction separating them from the Bendu. The Bendu then realised an error "Perhaps I was mistaken."
Another part of the swamp, The Ghost ship
Hera was fixing the last of the repairs "Well that's the last of it."
Chopper grumbled at how long it took.
"The important thing is that it's done." Hera said before she sighed "I just hope Kanan and everyone alright." Hera thought about how the message cut out and began to consider if she should go search for them.
Suddenly Hera heard a whisper. She then turned around to see an apparition of an adult Twi'lek woman. Hera remained initially stone faced before she broke with a slightly gasped "Mom?"
"I'm here Hera." Hera's mom spoke.
Hera had heard what Kanan said about the Swamp and it's connection to the Force. She wasn't initially a non believer in the Force but she also knew a little bit of what it was capable of and knew of strange visions. "I don't think you are."
"You can choose to believe I am if you wish. What matters is I'm here to see you." Hera's mother spoke "I'm proud of how much you've grown."
Hera smiled "Everything I've done is because of you being a part of me."
"I know daughter. But that doesn't mean you need to sacrifice other things." Hera's mother spoke. Noting her daughter's face she continued "You have a family and you care for them. All families can come from somewhere no matter how broken they are in the beginning. There will always be someone there to hold them together"
"To be honest I say to Kanan I am but there are days where I'm not. He asks how long will the fight go on? How long until we come home permanently?" Hera asked "But maybe I don't want to come home."
"And why's that?" Hera's mother asked
Hera spoke with a quiet whisper "Because I'm worried about what I'll lose and when I do. Nobody will be waiting or coming back."
"You are strong. You've stood in the face of adversity for so long." Hera's mother told her "I did the same. And I will always treasure the need to fight and you must as well but my greatest accomplishment was teaching you. So when I let you go I knew you'd be okay. When it's time to let them go you'll know."
A tear ran down Hera's face.
Hera's mother's eyes and smile were as warm and comforting as her daughter's "Even if you one day let them move on. That doesn't mean there's room for another."
Hera stood in silence and looked down at Chopper who was silent before she looked back to see her mother gone. She allowed herself to laugh but then cry at seeing her mother again as Chopper whirred in comfort to her as he held her hand.
Finally the comm. link came on "Hera, it's Kanan. We've got a situation."
Another part of the swamp, Darth Vader
Vader walked through the swamp as he then came across the Death Trooper squad. All of them were dead sprawled and crushed under trees and branches. He walked around to find General Scar clinging to life.
"My lord... I don't know how to explain it they came out of nowhere we stood no chance." Scar said as he panted with breath.
"So it would appear your troops live up to your name after all." Vader said about their type of designation.
"My lord... if you can just help me... the next squad will be better prepared." Scar said trying to coax him to help.
Vader stood there silent for a moment before he pulled Scar out using the Force. Scar's relief was short lived however before the Sith Lord crushed and damaged his armour removing it before tossing his body to a nearby broken tree branch, impaling him on it and killing him.
Vader suddenly saw a light from the darkness of the swamp. He then entered to see the face of Padme Amidala his deceased wife who he longed to be reunited with. Not that he would let his master know that.
Suddenly a lightsabre emitted which led to a circle of them being emitted as Jedi of the past attacked Vader as he effortlessly slaughtered them one by one. A voice that sounded faintly like Qui-Gon's called out to him in vain calling him by his former name but he didn't listen.
Finally one remained their face obscured by shadow as Vader duelled them. This one seemed more skilled but Vader eventually killed him. The man's face was young but he did not recognise it. Vader had killed many in his time so him forgetting a face or two was to be expected. But this face felt familiar but still he didn't know it. Perhaps it was his future? Whoever this person was. He'd have to look out for them. The blond hair gave something but not enough.
Vader then exited as he stood around the area. He then called for his ship which arrived as he entered it and took off. He had seen enough.
Another part of the swamp, Aang
Aang, had been wandering the swamp calling the names of his friends for what felt live ever and he was beginning to think he wouldn't find them. "Katara! Appa!"
Upon wading through the swamp, Aang noticed an unfamiliar girl in a dress standing on a hill, accompanied by a winged pig. "Hello? Who are you?"
The pig flew off as the girl giggled, before turning around and running away as Aang called for her "Hey, come back!"
Aang jumped to the top of the hill, only to find she had completely disappeared from his sight. Hearing her laugh again, Aang turned around only to see her running across the limbs of another tree. He then used the vines, however before he could even reach his destination, the girl had moved and was now running across the ground as Aang continued his wild chase through the treetops.
Another part of the swamp, Rex
Rex had been wandering through looking for Katara. The swamp seemed to be the same as others as he encountered in the past. And yet he was lying if he didn't say felt more disturbed then he had ever felt before. The former Captain didn't realise he was so far in his head when he carelessly tripped and fell in the mud and dirt.
Rex groaned as he got up "If one of the boys caught me doing that during the war I wouldn't hear the end of it." Rex moaned.
"It's okay Captain I won't tell." a voice said
Rex was shocked "Heavy?"
Rex saw what looked to be an apparition of Heavy as the rest of Domino Squad surrounded him.
"You're getting old Captain. It happens nothing to be ashamed of." Echo said "Although given what happened to me I wonder if it was possible for me to age?"
"You've done good Captain." Fives said "But now it's time to come home. You said it yourself how you've seen all of us die. How tired you were of living through the tragedy. But you don't need to anymore. Imagine the laughs. Don't you want to share them again?"
Rex had been paying attention to Kanan's thoughts on this place. Having travelled with the Jedi he knew not to dismiss such theories as nonsense but he also knew there was a possibility there was a reason behind this. He only had one question "If this is the apparent land of the dead. Then where's Cody?"
The former Rookie squad stood silent as more dead Clones emerged behind them.
Rex had searched for Cody for years after the Clone Wars even bringing the Bad Batch with him. Beyond this fact though he couldn't let this get to him "The Fives I knew wouldn't give up. Because the Fives I knew died in my arms to secure my freedom! For the freedom of our brothers! No I'm still alive and I'm going to keep fighting."
Rex then saw the visions dissipate as Katara, Sokka, Sabine and Zeb ran up to him.
"What's going on?" Rex asked.
"We still haven't found Kanan, Aang or Ezra." Katara said as she saw Rex's face look solemn. "Rex?"
"I'm alright. Let's go find them." Rex said.
Another part of the swamp, Aang
Aang, was still chasing the girl. "Who are you?"
Peering through a wall of vegetation, Aang saw the girl on a small hill. Running after her, it was too late to stop as he noticed she was gone.
Suddenly he noticed something in front of him as he saw the Bendu appear as he startled and stepped back "Are you a spirit?"
"I have met your spirits. But I am as living of a creature as you are child." The Bendu explained as he introduced himself "I am the Bendu. The one in the middle"
"Middle of what?" Aang asked
"You call them the light and the dark. Long ago known as the Ashla and Bogan. I'm the one in the middle of both sides. The Bendu. It's quite easy to follow." The Bendu revealed.
"My friends. Do you know where they are?" Aang asked
"They are here around you. You need to become in tune with your surroundings. The moment you let go. Only then can you find them." The Bendu revealed "But you will have to let go of many things."
"What do you mean?" Aang asked confused
"The future. I see it. It is clouded and filled with uncertain images. I'm afraid to say anymore as I cannot see anymore of it yet." The Bendu told him.
Aang sighed with slight frustration. He still needed to find everyone "Do you have anything to teach me?"
"I may. In the future. Which will eventually become the past. I just needed to see the next Avatar. Your people stopped visiting us? Why?" The Bendu asked him.
"Well I got frozen so I couldn't come see you. Sorry." Aang said not realising what he missed.
"You did not focus on the important detail." The Bendu said to him.
Aang then realised "My people? You're saying people from my planet have been to space before me?"
The Bendu knew the information he had to give was little. If he overloaded him with knowledge it could consume such a young fragile mind "Your people were more in tune with the universe and everything. They claim to understand but all they know is their own world not realising there is more to look for then just one planet. Is it not the Avatar's job to protect everything?"
"I didn't think that related to the universe sir." Aang said "It's been hard enough to protect just my world."
"You believe yourself to be the only one who will bring balance. But there was another. They will bring balance to light and dark. You must learn to work with both. Only then can you realise they can be one." The Bendu said
"Anakin Skywalker seems to be gone from what Ahsoka told me." Aang said "But how can light and dark come together? I thought the Sith was bad?"
"The power you possess does not make you evil. Only one's actions and what you can consider a dangerous acts can determine that. The temptation of power. Forbidden knowledge. Even the desire to do good can lead you down a dangerous path." The Bendu warned him.
Aang didn't know what to feel. But he still knew he had to find his friends "What do I need to see to find my friends?"
"If you can see yourself. You will see what stands in front of you." The Bendu said "Farewell Avatar. I must return to my domain."
"Wait you don't live here?" Aang asked "Then how did you get here? Why were you here?"
"I came from my home to seek an answer and I received it. I do not like to leave. But you did not stay where I was. So I had to find you. And in time. You will find me again as will your friends." The Bendu told him.
Aang looked down wondering if he could spot the girl "So where are you normal..."
The Bendu had now vanished.
Another part of the swamp, Ezra
Ezra held his lightsabre as he carefully wandered through "I'm not afraid of this place. Everything is meant to scare me and I don't need to be scared."
An unsettling voice crept through "Oh no? Fear. Fear attracts the fearful, the strong, the weak, the innocent, the corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally. And it can be yours too Ezra"
Ezra then saw himself holding some kind of object with yellow Sith eyes as he then clashed sabres with the vision before dissipating it as he fell to the ground.
He then heard voices cry "Save us!"
The voice spoke "Save us. A cry heard throughout time. The Jedi. The Republic. The Empire. Your Rebellion. Everyone cries out for miracles. For others to solve their problems never truly asking if they can solve their own? They have become complacent. Relying on a saviour to save them. And when that saviour does not come? They give up. They cannot become self sufficient. But they can be forced too. Only then will they finally feel free and be their own selves. Not someone's else slave to another ideal.
"Change needs to happen naturally. Not through aggression." Ezra said
He then saw his parents who spoke with sadness "Why couldn't you save us son?"
Ezra sat there silent as everything was gone.
Suddenly Kanan came across him. "Ezra?"
"Kanan" Ezra said relieved "Where is everyone?"
"We're right here." Sabine said as everyone approached them.
"What do you guys think you're doing!? I've been looking all over for you!" Sokka said annoyed
"We were all looking for you once we met up." Sabine reminded him.
"Well it didn't start that way. Once we got separated things got weird." Katara pointed out.
"I was chasing some girl." Aang admitted deciding to forgo mentioning the Bendu feeling they'd find it too strange to deal with right now.
Katara hadn't heard him mention this yet "What girl?"
"I don't know. I heard laughing and I saw some girl in a fancy dress." Aang explained
"Well, there must be a tea party here and we just didn't get our invitations!" Sokka sarcastically said with a gesture of his hands.
"I thought I saw Mom." Katara admitted having seen a vision of her mom before finding Rex.
"Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here." Sokka said trying to rationalise this.
Katara was surprised "You saw something too?"
Sokka looked away for a moment, before turning back and taking a step closer to his sister. "I thought I saw Yue. But, that doesn't prove anything. Look, I think about her all the time, and you saw Mom, someone you miss a lot."
"I saw all my dead men. They wanted me to join them in death." Rex said.
"I saw my people die." Zeb admitted "But I know there's a future for them. It's still a painful memory."
Sabine didn't seem to share her memory but Kanan looked at her face indicating uncertainty.
"I thought I saw my future." Ezra said with his voice sounding surprised but a little terrified which Kanan also picked up on.
"What about me? I didn't know the girl I saw. And all our visions led us right here." Aang said as he began walking around, as if looking for something.
"Okay ... so where's here? The middle of the swamp?" Katara asked
Aang looked around, his gaze finally resting on a massive tree growing right next to him. "Yeah, the center ... it's the heart of the swamp. It's been calling us here. I knew it."
Sokka wasn't sure however "It's just a tree. It can't call anyone."
"The Jedi had the Great Tree at the centre in it's temple. Some believed it had ancient properties. It allowed us to be in tune with the nature that surrounds the Force. Like I said before, just because it can't speak Sokka doesn't mean it's not alive. The river and rainstorm could also be considered related to you." Kanan said reflecting on nature and how it related to the Force.
"Look Kanan I respect your belief but I'm saying this for everyone else's sake. There is nothing after us and there's nothing magical happening here." Sokka said as he tried stressing his point.
As Sokka finished his tirade, a seaweed monster jumped out from the water. The gang huddled together and screamed, separating as the monster began to attack them.
The Ghost crew split up with the trio as the seaweed monster went after Sokka first. Sokka was picked up and swung around, only being released as Aang used airbending to slice part of the monster's arm off.
The monster then went after Aang, flicking the monk away and into the surrounding trees. Sabine, Rex and Zeb then fired at the monster which did little damage. Kanan and Ezra tried slicing at it as Ezra then tried to stop and communicate with it before the monster wrapped around his hand as Kanan then cut him free.
Sokka fought with the vines that had him captured only seconds ago, and so intent was he at destroying them, he failed to notice a column rising behind himself. The column then attached to the seaweed monster, swiping Sokka from the ground.
Katara came to his rescue as she sliced at the monster's arm. It did not have the desired effect, as more vines grew to patch up the hole her waterbending created. She then managed to push the monster back a little, however it wasn't long before she was flung away. Aang stopped to watch her, giving the monster time to attack him.
Sokka was then absorbed into the chest of the monster as Sabine and Zeb tried to pull him out to no avail.
Another part of the swamp, Appa and Mom.
Appa had been successfully captured by the Foggy Swamp members and was now trying to escape. Momo proceeded to throw objects at them from the back of his friend, attempting to slow them down.
One of these such items was a shirt that appeared to belong to Sokka at a Foggy Swamp member, resulting in the boat that member was on to spin out of control.
Tho was confused "Now, what would a lemoo need a shirt fer?"
Tho managed to capture Momo after the latter hit a low tree branch and was thrown backward. The loss of his friend encouraged Appa to run faster.
The middle of the swamp, Team Avatar and the Ghost Crew
After using a tornado-like airbending move, Katara froze Sokka in place before shooting him with water, expelling him from the monster's body. The fight ended as Katara began to waterbend repeatedly at the monster, slicing through the vines and not allowing the monster to regenerate.
Sokka then noticed something "There's someone in there! He's bending the vines!"
With a final slice, Katara cut through the mask on the seaweed monster, the whole top half falling off. However, this didn't stop the monster, as the vines sprung out of the marsh, capturing Katara high on a pillar.
Aang airbended over to the monster and, using his native bending, proceeded to rip apart the vines. "Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us!?"
"Wait!" the person said as the vines dropped to reveal a slightly larger man wearing nothing but a leaf loincloth. "I didn't call you here."
Aang shared a look of confusion with Sokka, who was also in an offensive stance. "We were flying over and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land."
Aang then wondered if it was the Bendu? But he didn't say anything about it when met him. He said he wanted to see him but he didn't mention if this was his doing. In hindsight he should have asked.
"He's the Avatar. Stuff like that happens to us a lot." Sokka explained to the man about what he heard.
The man was surprised "The Avatar? Come with me."
Everyone dropped their stances and looked at each other.
Near the giant tree, Team Avatar and the Ghost Crew
Huu was leading the gang to the top of the giant tree Aang noticed earlier.
"So, who are you then?" Katara asked
The man named Huu bent a vine out of the way. "I protect the swamp from folks that want to hurt it, like this fella with his big knife. Or those soldiers with those strange weapons that fire light from them."
"See, completely reasonable." Sokka said as he finally put his machete away. "Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it."
"Oh the swamp is a mystical place all right. It's sacred. I reached enlightenment right here under the banyan-grove tree." Huu said as he sat on the tree, looking at the group as he explained "I heard it calling me, just like you did."
Sokka wasn't convinced "Sure you did. It seems real chatty."
Kanan looked at him annoyed.
"You said soldiers with weapons? You took down Storm Troopers?" Sabine said
Huu pulled out one of their helmets as he tossed it to her "They thought like he did. But they didn't realise you shouldn't anger the surroundings."
"Well if it took down Death Troopers then it must be quite the angry swamp." Sabine said as she tossed the helmet to Ezra for the collection.
As everyone looked at the swamp they realised how large the banyan-grove tree was compared to the others, but at the final magnification, it was impossible to distinguish it from the other trees as Huu explained further "See this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles. Branches spread and sink, take root, and spread some more. One big, living organism. Just like the entire world."
Aang looked at Huu slightly sceptical. "I get how the tree is one big thing, but the whole world?
"Sure. You think you're any different from me or your friends or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together." Huu said as they listened to the noises and surroundings "You can feel everything growing. We're all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots and we are all branches of the same tree."
Sokka shared a look with Kanan remembering what he said. He seemed to begrudgingly accept it but was uncertain as Zeb got in his face to scare him.
Katara was still uncertain about one thing "But what did our visions mean?"
"In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to them. Time is an illusion and so is death." Huu explained
Aang still wasn't certain "But what about my vision? It was someone I had never met."
"You're the Avatar. You tell me." Huu said
Aang looked down as he tried to understand. "Time is an illusion. So, it's someone I will meet."
Huu nodded.
"Not all the visions were pleasant. I've sensed the Dark side surrounding this place." Kanan said "But I also sensed the light. The Force feels in balance. Like both are connected here but are still fighting for what we should believe."
"If that's what you call it. Sometimes our own fears and manifestations come out in dramatic ways. The only way to confront them is to be literal about it." Huu said.
"Sorry to interrupt the lesson, but we still need to find Appa and Momo." Sokka reminded.
"I think I know how to find them." Aang said as he knelt down and placed his hand on the tree. He remembered the Wookiees doing the same in the Spirit World. "Everything is connected." Energy travelled from Aang's hand to Appa's location as he saw him being captured by the Foggy Swamp members. "Come on! We've got to hurry!"
Another part of the swamp, Appa and the Foggy Swamp members
Appa was trapped inside a net while Tho sang and tapped the side of his canoe while Momo struggled inside a sack. "Set my lines by the river bed! Caught ten fish and I killed 'em dead! Cut 'em and gut 'em and I tossed the heads in the water to keep them catgators fed."
The boats then stopped when a jet of water appeared and destroyed the boat next to Tho and Due's. The two people from the destroyed boat flew into the water as Aang appeared on a tree branch.
"Appa!" Aang cried as he airbended a stream of air, throwing Tho into the water and freeing Momo who was being held by Tho.
Kanan and Ezra used the Force to push the boats to shore, overturning them.
"We're under attack!" Due cried as he scooped up a puddle of water and sent it toward Aang and Katara. The three became engaged in a waterbending fight, with neither side gaining an advantage.
Katara realised something "Hey, you guys are waterbenders!"
"You too! That means we're kin!" Due realised as he ceased waterbending, followed by a slightly disgusted Katara. He then watched as Sokka, the rest of the Ghost crew and Huu ran up to the branch Katara, Kanan, Ezra and Aang were standing on. "Hey Huu! How you been?"
"You know, scared some folks, swung some vines, the usual." Huu said nonchalantly.
Suddenly the Ghost arrived as Hera stepped out of it.
"What do you call that?" Due asked
"A spaceship. You guys have a settlement?" Hera asked
The Foggy Swamp Tribe
Everyone was sitting around a fire. There was a member waterbending some liquid in a pot to stir it, as Due grabbed a fish from the pot before moving over to the fire. "How you like that possum chicken?"
Sokka was grateful for the food "Tastes just like arctic hen. So why were you guys so interested in eating Appa?" [He then indicated the catgator lying behind Tho. "You've got plenty of those big things wandering around."
Due was appalled "You want me to eat old Slim? He's like a member of the family! Due then pulled the fish off the branch and gave it to Slim.
"Nice Slim!" Sokka said slightly scared as he threw a bug at the catgator as it bounced off his nose and he growled at Sokka, who cowered slightly.
Due laughed "Oh, he don't eat no bugs! That's people food."
"I like him." Zeb said as he smirked.
"Where'd you say you was from?" Tho asked
Katara smiled as Sokka as chewed nonchalantly next to her. "The South Pole."
Tho was surprised "Didn't know there was waterbenders anywhere but here. They got a nice swamp there, do they?"
"No, it's all ice and snow." Katara explained.
"Hmm. No wonder you left." Tho said not understanding why anyone would live there.
Sokka turned to Katara "Well, I hope you realize now that nothing strange was going on here. Just a bunch of greasy people living in a swamp."
Katara was still unsure "What about the visions?"
"I told you, we were hungry. I'm eating a giant bug!" Sokka protested as he held up said giant bug, taking a bit of its abdomen. He then swallowed it with some difficulty before exhaling sharply, sticking his tongue out.
Aang fed Momo and still was uncertain "But what about when the tree showed me where Appa and Momo were?"
"That's Avatar stuff, that doesn't count." Sokka said as he looked Kanan "And neither does Force Jedi stuff. Again trying not to offend Kanan." He then turned to Huu. "The only thing I can't figure out is how you made that tornado that sucked us down."
Huu was just as confused "I can't do anything like that. I just bend the water in the plants."
Sokka seemed to be at peace with this "Well, no accounting for weather. Still, there's absolutely nothing mysterious about the swamp."
Across the river from the camp te white screaming bird from earlier landed on a visible tree branch and let out its horrible cry. A nearby vine suddenly up and bat the away. This indicated otherwise. Mysterious? Maybe not.
The Ghost crew sat in silence as they contemplated their visions. Hera shared a look with Kanan. The latter had seen his master and saw something that confused him. He like Aang was told not everything would be revealed by his eyes. He needed to look within. And yet he didn't know who that voice was? Little did he realise he would eventually but Aang already knew it from his encounter.
Sabine sat with a solemn face. She saw her mother. She hadn't spoken to her since she fled the academy with Ketsu. She knew it was a vision and yet the words spoken. Wanting her to come back to reunite seemed genuine. But the possibility of a genuine family reunion was behind her now. But something the vision spoke still lingered. She knew her brother sided with her family even though it pained him to do so. So why did she say what she said? Not to mention what she also mentioned It played in her mind.
"There is so much you don't know Sabine. When you bring your brother and sister home. I can finally be honest?"
Brother? Sister? The question is who? And where?
Author's Note: So yeah that's that chapter done. Again I should stop making promises I can't keep. It's just some chapters are harder then others to navigate and I didn't think this one would be. Given everyone was separated throughout this plot I knew I couldn't show every story because otherwise we'd just be repeating the episode with no significant changes. Same for why the Zuko and Iroh story was cut since I didn't think I could add something with it.
When it came to choosing what visions we'd see it came from what ones I thought would be interesting and what ones would get a message across without sounding like a repeat for another character and in the case of Sabine not revealing too much.
The Bendu showing up again was an idea that came partially so Appa and Momo could still be there for a bit but again cutting around them also. Appa's Lost Days is going to be great to do. Text can't convey sarcasm I know. It also made sense as an environment for him to appear. Now I don't know if he would just up and leave but again I mostly did it for that and also to introduce him early but not to Kanan and even then Aang isn't sure what to make of it.
And that comment about how the Avatar world has more ties to the wider galaxy? Part of the growing connection as we reveal history has been forgotten. You'll continue to see that and how one former Jedi had a connection to the Avatar world in the big way. They dabbled in the dark too.
Vader was also added admittedly purely so he could experience visions as well. I don't think they'll have any wider implications on this story but it was my way to reference the visions he has in the comics even if I'm not reading them.
Rex's vision was me referencing the probably PTSD he has from the war we didn't see much of because well that's a bit too heavy for something children watch but given the darker things we've done we could tackle it. I think the Bad Batch show will probably do that. It's also based on a scene from Avengers EMH with Captain America and thought the dialogue fit.
Anyway I think that's it for now but knowing me I've forgotten some stuff. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and again any feedback you leave is appreciated. This is your friend Steve993 and I'll see you next time.