Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or the ATLA universe because I'm a broke-ass college student. Sue me, you won't get anything.
Big shoutout to my new Beta Reader, TheMeister7. This dude helps me out so much and has some great revisions to what I've written. Also, he's on my ass to get the new chapters out during winter break so everyone go thank him for this chapter.
Also another big shout out to MonsieurL.A. This guy is helping me with some of the more complicated events and he just has ideas where I'm like, damn why didn't I think of that, big props he's mad creative.
Previously:
"The point is you need my help since your bison was stolen. I've talked with Aang and he agrees with me. So you can either shut up and come with or die in the desert your choice."
"Why are you being so helpful?" Sokka questioned suspiciously, Katara nodding in agreement.
"If I wanted, you'd be dead already. I haven't tried to kill you yet and I'm not now either. You can stay here if you want, but I feel like getting the hell out of here," Percy responded.
There really wasn't any other good option. Percy began walking back in the direction of his sand skimmer with Aang. The members of team Avatar began grudgingly following behind him. Sokka and Katara knew that they had to get out of the desert, they were the only ones that knew about the eclipse. Toph wanted to get out of the desert too but that was mostly because she wanted to kick a lot more ass before she died.
( - )
Azula was always in control. Always. So, when she was stuck watching herself in a dream, unable to wake up, she wasn't very happy.
It had started like any regular dream does. She was trying to kill her best friend. Not actually, it was just another sparring match between the two of them. Percy's smirk was easily visible as he danced just out of the range of her fireballs before it quickly disappeared as he dropped to the ground, lightning shooting over his head.
"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a light, fun spar," Percy complained.
"Winning is fun, my dear barbarian," she smiled as she charged another lightning bolt.
Percy smiled at her as he tensed himself in preparation. Then the dream quickly became a nightmare. The sparring arena transformed into the Agni Kai courtyard, the sky was blood-red above her. Azula watched as her father entered the picture.
He strode in with all the confidence of a king. Garbed in opulent golden armor, he walked behind her dream-self and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Azula watched as a wicked smile lit up her face as her father smirked before walking over to sit down on a throne, 10 yards away from the courtyard.
Her attention was quickly drawn to Percy as he called her name desperately. The Percy from before was gone. Now he looked like a shell of his former self. The tall imposing figure looked curled in on himself. His armor was gone, burn scars visible on his bare skin. His face was impassive but his sea-green eyes betrayed him. They were filled with fear. Percy was scared.
Azula shook her head. This was all wrong. Her bodyguard was many things, but scared wasn't one of them. She suspected that even death would laugh in amusement at Percy's trademark troublemaker grin as he tried to spin some ridiculous story about dying in a bathtub or whatnot.
Azula watched as her dream-self showed no hint of emotion at Percy's calls. Her mask was set firmly in place, cold and emotionless. A true princess. A gong rang and Azula wasted no time in attacking him.
Percy scrambled out of the way as he reached out for the water held in the grates. A look of pure terror crossed his face. Percy had no water to fight back with. That's when Azula realized what was happening. This wasn't an Agni Kai. It was an execution.
Her dream-self laughed aloud at Percy's look of terror. "You stupid savage. Did you honestly think this would be a fight? You will die like the rest of your pathetic family. Alone and desperate. Nobody will save you. You. Are. Alone," she growled, taking pleasure in each flinch as her words struck home.
Azula wanted to blast herself. Nobody talked to Percy that way. Nobody. He wasn't alone, he had her. She wouldn't allow this nightmare to continue. She stepped in between ready to slap some sense into herself, only for her dream-self to walk right through her as fake-Azula advanced on Percy.
Percy charged barehanded, as she knew he would. He would never go down without a fight, even with the deck stacked against him. Azula watched helplessly as the biggest flame she'd ever seen in her life erupted from her hand, washing over Percy in an instant. His screams of pain seemed to echo throughout her head as she rushed over to his curled-up form. He looked barely recognizable, his skin disfigured, a pained groan was the only sign he was alive. By all accounts, he should be dead already.
Something inside her broke from seeing Percy like that. It was as if her insides had been ripped out, struck by lightning, and then shoved back in.
Azula looked over her shoulder at her. The monster that was causing the best thing in her life all this suffering. Dream-Azula's smile was malicious as she looked back at their father sitting on his throne. His smile was clear to see and his voice rang out even clearer. "Kill him, Azula."
She turned back towards Azula and Percy. Her eyes gleamed in anticipation as she began a kata to deliver the final strike. Azula watched with wide eyes as the biggest bolt of lightning she'd ever seen erupted from that thing's fingertips, rushing towards them. That wasn't what scared her the most. No. It was the smile on her face.
Even with the largest bolt of lightning coming towards her, she couldn't get the smirk she'd seen on her dream-self's face out of her mind. It was cruel. It took only pleasure in bringing pain and misery, an unholy weapon, heavenly uninspired to a hellish extent. It was a smile she'd seen in the mirror before.
Azula closed her eyes as she bent over Percy's prone form. Tears leaked from her eyes as she awaited the lightning to hit them.
( - )
Azula awoke with a start. She immediately illuminated her room with a fire in her palm as she scrambled out of bed, her breath heavy and her body soaked in sweat. She leaned against her bedroom wall as she tried to compose herself. The nightmare had felt so real. She needed to clear her head. She quickly changed out her clothes as she made her way outside.
Training had always been the best way to distract herself. Pushing herself to her limits and exceeding them. It was hard to describe the peace she could find in her element. Percy had always understood. Percy. She could still hear his screams echoing in her ears now it felt like.
Crack! The lighting boomed from her fingertips, able to be heard for miles.
Azula's hair fell around her head in a mess. This wasn't about being perfect with a single hair out of place. No, this was about forgetting the nightmare she had just experienced.
Crack!
She'd been ignoring the sensation in her gut that had been irritating her ever since Percy had left. What was she thinking about letting him go off without her. They were a team. A dynamic duo. Fighting with Percy was so natural now to her. They fell into a natural rhythm so easily after spending nearly every day for 3 years together. She felt invincible with him at her side.
Crack!
The lightning lit up the entire sky above her. It was the middle of the night she should be sleeping. She should've gone with him on his half-baked quest. No. Her father was counting on her to take Ba Sing Se. Ba Sing Se could've waited until she had returned with Percy. It had stood strong for 20 years since her uncle had breached the walls, it could've waited another month and it wasn't going anywhere.
Crack!
Azula jumped backward at the sight of Ty Lee & Mai standing outside now too. When did they come out? How hadn't she noticed them?
"Azula," Ty Lee called her name.
Azula stopped her kata as she began walking towards her friends. Suddenly self-conscious that her hair was a mess and her training gear hadn't been washed in a few days.
As soon as she got close Ty Lee surged forward bringing her into a hug. Azula tensed before relaxing. She'd never admit it, but she needed a hug. After a moment Ty Lee pulled back and looked into her eyes, "Azula, let's go talk."
( - )
"Look, we're here for you, just tell us what's on your mind," Mai said, the normally silent girl speaking up to try and help her friend.
"Yeah, Zula! We're your friends. You can tell us anything," Ty Lee added, just trying to make the princess feel better.
"Well," Azula started. "I had a nightmare."
"We were able to get that from the messy hair and the lightning you were making," the gymnast deadpanned, only to receive a death glare from Mai. That level of living death, you only saw when someone insulted Red Week, Mai's favorite musical quartet.
"What Ty Lee means to say, is that we understand that you're upset because you're always so calm, so collected, so well... you. The sapphire of the Fire Nation. The nightmare must've been terrible, huh?" Mai attempted to console her, all the while making sure her energetic friend didn't overstep a line and make Azula angry.
"Well, it was about… Percy."
Mai leaned in slightly, trying to give all of the cues that she was paying attention to, while Ty Lee's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, ready to hear more. Secretly, they had been trying to push Percy and Azula together since they had started the journey with the duo.
"It started in a spar, and I was having fun. He was doing his regular waterbending thing, while I was sending fireballs at him. Then, I fired off a bolt of lightning, nothing that would badly hurt him, but still a decent-sized one. He dodged it, as expected, but that's when it started getting worse. It was a perfectly fine dream until this point." Azula felt herself getting sucked back into the memory.
She continued to recount the night terror. When she got into the part about the 'Agni Kai,' Mai gave a slight, but noticeable flinch. Of course, she would've, because everyone close to her knew about her secret crush on the exiled prince, and that was the very cause of his banishment. Azula's mouth kept moving involuntarily, describing everything that happened, while she got lost in the dream again. However, this time, she couldn't even move over to his side. She couldn't do anything as Percy burned, as his skin was charred from her blazing blue flames, as he curled up in a ball, ready to die, as he was hit with that final, evil bolt of lightning.
"Percy!" she shouted. "No, please! Spare him, please. Please, no, no, please, no, plea—"
She was cut off by her friends crying out her name. "Azula!" she heard as she snapped out of her mental prison. Mai had a distressed expression covering her face, while Ty Lee's eyes were watering. The last girl in the room, however, was the worst. Her face was covered in tears, her eyes red, and her throat creating the most heart-wrenching sobs that the three of them had ever heard.
Ty Lee wasted no time quickly bringing her friend into a tight hug as Mai joined in too. They stayed that way for a long time patiently waiting for their friend to calm down. After a long while, Azula's cries subsided as she regained her composure.
Mai withdrew from the group hug as she got ready a cup of tea, bringing it over to Azula. Azula took the cup reluctantly, slipping back into her royal facade.
"Look I don't want to talk about it," Azula interrupted, trying to get out of spilling the beans to her friends.
"Zul—"
"I said, I don't want to talk about it."
Ty Lee and Mai shared a long look before the former leaned forward, putting her hand on Azula's knee.
"Azula, you don't have to hide your problems with us," Ty Lee said "We're here for you. You don't have to be the princess of the nation. Be the 16-year-old girl, who's talking with her friends. You don't have to hide around us. You're our friend."
Azula stared at her tea like it was the sole cause of all her problems while her friends lapsed into a comfortable silence. Then, her shoulders slumped, and as if a plug had been removed, everything came rushing out.
"Why does my nightmare revolve around Percy? Why do I miss him every day he's not here to crack a terrible joke every minute? It's only been a few days," Azula asked, wanting to just get answers to her questions for once.
Azula looked up from her tea to see Ty Lee and Mai trade knowing looks.
"What?" Azula whined as small smirks appeared on their faces. Ty Lee was the one to speak up.
"Azula, be honest with yourself for a moment. Do you have a crush on Percy?"
Azula frowned at the question as she squinted her eyes at her friend, "A crush? On Percy? Ty Lee, have you been drinking cactus juice? No way. Not a chance. I do not have a crush on that ridiculous goofball."
"I agree. Ty Lee, we might have to take drastic measures. It looks like more than just a crush," Mai piped up.
Azula blinked at Mai's words. Mai was never one to indulge in gossip or tease about these sorts of things, yet here she was, acting like a teenage schoolgirl. Mai was wrong, she had to be. Percy was a nobody. A savage fished from the sea. He was reckless, impulsive, and headstrong. He was the opposite of Azula. She was cold. He was warm. She was patient. He was spontaneous. Everything about him seemed upside down and yet… it felt so right. He brightened the room every time he walked in. He constantly broke through her barriers and made her smile. She felt untouchable, like a goddess with him at her side. He'd been gone a short while but it felt like she was missing something every day he wasn't there.
Azula's cup of tea slipped through numb fingers, breaking on the ground below. Azula came to a startling revelation… Mai was right. "Oh, Agni, this is bad. This is really bad," Azula whispered aloud.
"Azula are you okay? Is something wrong about Percy?" Ty Lee asked her in a rush.
"Is something wrong?" Azula laughed hollowly as she repeated the question. "Yes, something is wrong. I have feelings for my bodyguard. A nobody. An uneducated, crude waterbender. Me. The crown princess. An elegant, sophisticated firebender. I have responsibilities. I'm supposed to strengthen the Dragon's throne. A waterbender? My father will burn his skin off his body for fun. Kill him to teach me a lesson. He's already picked Raijin for me that disgusting arrogant prick. Oh Agni…" Azula trailed off as she put her head in her hands.
There was a long silence before anybody said anything. "Azula… we don't have any good answers for you. But we promise we won't tell a soul. We're here for you," Ty Lee said as Mai nodded her head in agreement.
Azula's mind was miles away, but inside she felt a small flame of happiness amidst the turmoil. Her friends were loyal to her, even over the Fire Lord. It felt good to have such companions.
Ty Lee however was remembering an old conversation with Percy she'd had.
(Flashback)
"Do you ever think about it after the fighting is over?"
Percy looked over at Ty Lee, a bit shocked she would ask something like that out of the blue, especially from her tone of voice she was being serious.
He and Ty Lee were always a handful together when they were alone. They were both energetic and constantly curious which often got them into fun situations. Ty Lee also had a habit of using him as a punching bag in hand-to-hand combat sessions and teasing him constantly. But even so, they got along so well together. He respected her sense of independence for wanting to stick out from her family, and her constant cheerful optimism. Envied it sometimes even. She was always there for him to go prank people with and he knew she'd have his back anytime.
Their bond was much different from his and Azula's, but he'd be the first to say it was much more family-like. More than once he had fought with Azula, and Ty Lee was always there to help put things back on track. She'd tell him plainly she cared for Azula and him equally and wanted them to be happy. But even as she said so, she would turn her head the other way, and he could swear she was blushing. He was thinking it was much less of a friend trying to help out and a younger sister trying to coax her older brother towards her friend.
So, if he was, to be honest with himself, he would admit that her question caught him completely off guard. He had never expected it, much less from her. It was quite shocking to him, once he looked at her and realized that at that moment, she was every bit the 16-year-old girl who had seen too much of what war brought. It was quite disconcerting. Kind of like waking up on Christmas Eve and finding your parents putting gifts under the tree and eating the cookies out for Santa.
He looked over at the view in front of him. They were sitting on a wharf by Harbor City, watching the beautiful sunset in one of their rare quiet moments. They were waiting for Mai to join them since Azula was locked away in a political meeting to go into the royal city.
He was brought back to reality by Ty Lee mumbling in a small voice.
"You don't have to answer. Not really."
Percy turned his gaze back to her and felt a sudden wave of sympathy rush through him. He knew what she was feeling right now. She, just like him, had to make tough choices in her life at a young age. Hard, important decisions, that changed completely the course of their lives. And sometimes... well, it was impossible to resist looking back on them and asking yourself if you did the right thing.
He wasn't quite sure what made him speak in the end. Whether it was the confusion he could feel radiating from her under that quiet demeanor, or the startling realization that he had never actually talked to anyone about this, and it was starting to form a ball on his throat, or even the fact that he was near water, and that always put him at ease. Whatever the reason, he ended up confessing.
"Sometimes," he admitted, finally. Her head snapped back in his direction, with a surprised look, either for his answer or the fact that he had answered at all.
"Sometimes?" she urged. He nodded quietly, staring at the horizon ahead.
"Sometimes." he repeated, and then added in a confidential tone, "After a particularly bloody fight. I ask myself if what I'm doing is right. If I deserve to decide who lives and dies."
He could feel rather than see her stunned face. It was actually a bit funny. She had been expecting him to coddle her, keep her blanketed in the decision that of course, it was right. But he was being honest. They were teenagers who had assassins gunning for them every time they left the Fire Nation. War was hell.
He shook his head a bit sadly, and let himself fall back, lying on the old wooden wharf, relishing in the warm glow of the setting sun. The whole atmosphere was calm, and it was quite soothing. It matched his mood. Right now, he was pretty much at peace with himself.
His mind wandered back to that mass of ebony hair and snappy behavior he fondly called his best friend. She was probably tearing nobles apart with their ridiculous arguments and claims they brought forward. A silly smile appeared on her face that Ty Lee was quick to notice.
"You're crushing hard."
He looked up at her, only to see her grinning at him with what looked like a mixture between amusement and... pride? He could only shrug and smile sheepishly at her, he couldn't really argue with her she was immovable when it came to this. He sent her a look that said "What do you think?"
She sat upright and straightened her shoulders, that grin turning into her usual happy smirk. Her gray eyes looked brighter than before. In a second she had grown back into her usual glory, and he wasn't sure if he was more relieved or terrified.
"Well, now that we are finished with this awkward gushy talk that you will never mention to anyone since you surely wouldn't like to have your chi blocked and be unable to feel your arms for a week... How about we go spar in our spot?"
"How come you change moods so quickly?" he moaned aloud, not wanting to leave his spot.
"It's called versatility Percy," she smiled at him.
"It's called bipolar disorder actually," he mumbled back, crossing his arms. She wasn't supposed to hear it, but she did anyway.
"D'you wanna not be able to move your legs either? Because I can definitely take you in hand to hand," she teased with humor.
(End Flashback)
( - )
Percy would be the first one to say that the journey back on the sand skimmer was tense. Aang was sitting by himself, quiet and brooding, the Water Tribe siblings sat huddled together whispering, their earthbending friend was below deck, and the sandbenders were looking at him like he was the newest thing since sliced bread. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, so when the water tribe girl started to head towards him, it was a good distraction from his thoughts.
"Hey," Katara called when she was a few feet away from him.
"Yes?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Um, can I talk to you?" she asked as she sat across from where he was sitting.
"Sure thing, what's on your mind?"
"Well, I heard about your mother from Iroh. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss. I know what it's like to lose a mother at a young age," she said, looking him in the eyes.
"Don't be, it wasn't your fault, but, thanks. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your mom too," he replied, trying to shy away from the topic. His mother wasn't exactly on his list of top 10 things to talk about with his former enemy.
"Yeah, she was killed in a Fire Nation raid," Katara said bitterly.
Percy eyed her warily. Her 'conversation' seemed more like half-formed accusations. He didn't respond.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Katara spat at him.
"What else do you want me to say? I said sorry, I wasn't even in the Fire Nation during that time it's not my fault," Percy defended himself heatedly.
"The Fire Nation is filled with power-hungry monsters, you and Zuko are just the next generation."
"You don't know what you're talking about. Zuko has suffered his whole life, he's never had anything given to him. Life has dealt him one of the worst hands possible."
"Face it, the Fire Nation is evil. They don't care about the lives they destroy. All they want is power, but you're too blind to see it, you damned traitor," Katara spat at him.
Percy rose quickly getting in Katara's face. "Watch. Your. Tone. I know what it's like to lose a parent. Don't you dare put your mother's death on me. You claim the Fire Nation just wants to destroy and care about power but you're a hypocrite. When have you ever built anything in your little crusade? All you've done is destroyed towns and kill Fire Nation soldiers during your journey."
"That's not true!"
"An entire Fire Nation fleet was destroyed at the North Pole. You think they just swam home through freezing waters?" Percy's drawled sarcastically, "What about all the orphans your father has caused with raids on Fire Nation ships?"
"Don't compare my father to my mother's killer!"
Percy continued unheeded, "You're jealous because I'm stronger than you because I have more power than you ever will. You act like a child. An annoying, tantrum-throwing, prejudiced child."
Katara couldn't keep her mouth shut, "You're wrong, you don't know anything about me!"
"Oh, no?" Percy questioned dryly, "Well, I think that you're an insecure child throwing a hissy fit because you couldn't move on. You blame everyone but yourself when there's a problem. You can't accept any critiques about yourself because you think you know better than everyone. The sheer lack of maturity is staggering."
"You take that back! That's not true," Katara tried defending herself.
"A one-gimmick hack. The most useless member of your team, who can't bend a droplet of water against me. You think you can take down the Fire Nation elite? You can barely hold together your own group. The Fire Nation will hunt you down like a dog. It won't be pretty," Percy laid into her, holding nothing back.
Katara snapped, lunging at him, but Percy was expecting it and wrestled her to the ground. He pressed it to the small of her back, and she quickly stilled, not wanting to be impaled. Sokka noticed and rushed to his sister's aid, but in the blink of an eye, Riptide was out and at his throat.
"Control your sister or you can walk the rest of the way," he said frigidly before sheathing his weapons and heading below deck. He ignored the wary gazes of the sandbenders as he walked away. At least Aang hadn't gotten involved, somebody had common sense in the group. He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Katara was just so naive and stubborn, it felt like she went out of the way to get on his nerves. He sprawled out on the wooden floor as he let his mind wander.
"Sugar Queen get on your nerves?" the earthbender's voice called out.
"Sugar Queen?" Percy asked in amusement.
"Better than the alternative. So, what'd she say to piss you off?"
Percy snorted, "She tried to blame me for the death of her mother. I swear, for being 16, she acts like a child."
"Yep. She and I tend to argue a lot," she shrugged, "It's whatever. I can handle myself."
Percy laughed aloud, her bluntness was like a breath of fresh air and he liked it. "So, what's your story?"
"Nothing too crazy. Crazy, rich, overprotective parents. Young, tough, headstrong teenager. Didn't mix well, go figure. I left and haven't looked back. Now I'm traveling the world with new friends on top of a fluffy, flying tank. What more can a girl want?"
Percy chuckled at her words, "I don't know, maybe some sight?"
Toph burst into laughter, "Okay that was good, I'll give you that one."
Percy smiled easily, "Thanks."
"So besides being a badass, what's interesting about you?" she asked him after she stopped laughing.
"A badass?" Percy questioned amused.
"Trust me, when Aang goes into the Avatar state, it's scary, even I'll admit it. You beat him, Water Boy. That's straight badassery, and as a master of badassery, I can respect that."
Percy laughed loudly, "You know, I think I can see us being friends."
"You're the only one, I can't see, remember?"
The duo's laughter floated up the steps as they neared the edge of the desert.
( - )
Percy and Toph made their way above deck as they reached the end of the Si Wong desert and back to civilization. Aang came to stand by Percy & Toph while the Water Tribe siblings kept their distance. The previous argument between Percy and Katara would take some time to blow over.
Percy approached the sandbenders as they coasted into the rugged outpost. He reached into his bag, pulled out his money pouch, and gave it to him. "The other half as promised. Thank you for all your help."
The sandbenders looked at him for a long moment before accepting the payment and responding, "A deal is a deal. We are men of our words, and despite all the absolute havoc you've caused since hiring us, we've had worse, especially from others of the Fire Nation."
Percy nodded, these sandbenders had exceeded any expectations he had by letting him bring along with Avatar and his friends without a complaint. Honorable men were hard to find, as shown by their counterparts who had stolen the bison, leaving the gang for dead.
He stretched out his hand to the sandbender in a firm handshake. "May the gods keep the wolves in your hills and the women in your beds," he well-wished, before turning and disembarking the sand skimmer.
"Perseus," called one of the sandbenders, "If you're looking for the bison, there's an exotic merchant on the far east side of town. If the sandbenders came here to sell the animal, they would have gone there."
He shouted a 'thank you' over his shoulder as he jogged after the Avatar who had quickly begun to make his way in that very direction.
( - )
The sandbenders were right on their suspicion. The thieves who stole Appa were around their sand skimmers, but the bison was nowhere to be found. The Avatar didn't waste a moment as he destroyed a skimmer immediately with a blast of air from up above, announcing their presence. The sandbenders tried to defend the sand skimmers, being their only escape route, but the keyword was tried. Aang quickly blew two more back with massive gusts of air, rolling them onto their sides. Percy and Sokka quickly rushed the remaining sandbenders, knocking them off their feet. Katara stayed alongside Aang because they didn't need the Avatar state to occur in the middle of a populated town.
Percy used his water to surround the remaining sandbenders as Aang stepped forward to question their leader. He looked to be a few years older than them, in his early 20's. "Where is Appa?" the Avatar growled.
"We don't know what you're talking about," the sandbender tried to claim before he was cut off by the Avatar.
"Stop. Lying!" Aang shouted at them, his right hand clenched into a fist as the air began to swirl around him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know it belonged to the Avatar!" the sandbender pleaded.
"I don't care, tell me where Appa is!" Aang shouted.
"I-I sold him. To some merchants. They've probably taken him to Ba Sing Se by now. They were gonna sell him there." the man pleaded with the Avatar.
The Avatar's tattoos beginning to flicker was the clearest sign the sandbender could get that he was in mortal peril. "Please! We'll help however we can! We're sorry!"
Aang wasn't listening however as he started to rise off the ground in an air sphere. Percy tensed, ready to stop him with another desert performance if need be before Katara stepped in. She reached up, pulling Aang down for a hug. The winds died down as Aang regained control, touching down to the ground, a new resolve filling him, one that would whoever had Appa in Ba Sing Se run for their lives.
( - )
Percy folded up the map before handing it back to Sokka. He shouldered his bag, restocked with food and water as he stood up. "Alright, I think now's as good as any to split up."
"Thank La," Katara muttered aloud.
Percy ignored the disgruntled waterbender. "Why right now? You can travel with us to the ferry port," Aang asked him.
"Yeah, no can do," Percy drawled, "This Fire Nation symbol is kinda a dead giveaway, I don't have a shot of getting through," he said, tapping the symbol on his chest. "Besides, I have to get back to my friends. They're probably worried about me."
"Oh right," Aang responded, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
Percy stepped forward shaking the Avatar's hand firmly. "It was good to meet you. Don't expect any special treatment next time we meet though, I'll still crush you on the battlefield," he said with a crooked smirk.
Aang smiled as well, "Next time you'll be fighting me, not a 1,000-year-old spirit possessing my body. I'll blow you away."
Percy laughed, Aang was a good guy, in another lifetime they would've been good friends. He gave a nod to Sokka, ignored Katara entirely, before giving Toph a small wave. "I know you can't see me but you should know that I'm waving goodbye, short stuff."
Toph laughed before walking up and socking him in the arm. "Just because I'm not a six-foot-tall freak like you doesn't mean I won't kick your ass next time I see you," she warned with a smile on her face.
"Then, let's hope that the next time I see you, I'll have my friends to back me up."
He smiled at Aang and Toph before he used the water in his pack to create an ice bridge above the ground, quickly moving away.
( - )
Percy's journey was a going lot slower than he originally expected. What he thought would be a short hike, now looked like a multi-day trip by foot. He'd been spoiled traveling with Azula where transport was always provided. It'd been a while since he'd last had to walk with all his armor, food, and water over a long distance. He sighed deeply as he stretched his limbs. The beginning of the Serpent's Pass was right in front of him, but it was dusk already, better to wait until morning.
He stepped into the ocean, sinking to the bottom quickly. He created an air bubble around himself before freezing it into an ice dome. He was not going to camp right where anyone could run into him. Plus, usually, he wouldn't be able to maintain an ice dome all night, but in the ocean? It was like he was constantly drinking a Red Bull, filling him with strength and energy. He laid down on the sand bottom as his mind wandered. A few more days and he'd be back with his friends.
( - )
Percy had been walking for over 2 hours along the trail before he heard the sound of a boulder striking the mountain range. The path he was on shook, it had to be only a few 100 yards back, where he had passed the Fire Nation ship patrolling.
He shouldered off his pack as he quickly backtracked his steps, turning the corner before he saw them.
( - )
Suki tried to dodge the falling debris, forgetting that she was on a narrow pathway. She slipped, and before she knew it, she was falling off the cliff. She flailed as she fell before she was caught softly, a hand made entirely of water stopping her fall. Sokka's face popped over the cliff edge worriedly.
"Suki!" he yelled.
"I'm okay," she assured him as the watery hand slowly brought her back up to the path.
She stepped off, back onto the trail, before the ocean erupted between them and the Fire Nation ship. It was massive, towering nearly 100 ft high, completely blocking the ship from view and harm's way.
Sokka whistled, "Damn, nice work, sis," he said, staring at the wall of water.
"It wasn't me, Sokka," Katara said angrily, glaring at someone in front of them.
Suki turned to see a young man with his hands aloft. He was tall, with blue armor and black messy hair. He turned to look at her and she saw bright green eyes. If it wasn't Katara, this was the man who had saved her. She stepped towards the front of the group to thank him.
"Careful, Suki," Sokka said, grabbing her arm, "He's Fire Nation."
She tensed and unconsciously began to reach for her fans. It was more instinct than anything at this point. The man had noticed her movement as he kept one hand aloft, the other slowly creeping towards his pocket.
"Water Boy," Toph's voice rang out, cutting through the sudden spike in tension.
"Toph," Percy's voice filled with amusement, "I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon."
"Hey, Percy," Aang smiled at the man.
"How's it going, Aang?" he replied easily.
Aang shrugged, "Not too bad, anymore, that is. Thanks for saving our friend."
Suki was getting whiplash from the whole situation. First, the Fire Nation ship was attacking them, then she was falling off a cliff. After the fighting stopped, Sokka said the man was Fire Nation, but Toph and Aang didn't seem worried at all. She was confused by the whole situation.
The man didn't reply to Aang's statement as he watched the group carefully. Despite maintaining an enormous wall of water, he didn't seem to be struggling at all, she noted to herself.
"So, I'm guessing that our temporary truce is back on?" Aang asked hopefully.
"Not exactly, I was just wondering why the path was shaking and came to investigate," Percy responded carefully.
"Yeah, and you saved Suki and stopped the fight. Also, we're traveling with a pregnant woman and her family," gesturing to the family among them, "Besides, do you actually want to fight us?" Aang pleaded his case.
Suki continued to eye the newcomer warily. He looked to be slightly older than them, with a deep tan and a muscular build hidden by his armor. A warrior for sure, she recognized the anticipation in his stance before he relaxed his posture. She let go of the fan she was gripping but remained alert.
Percy looked to the sky exasperatedly, "Oh gods, Azula is going to kill me," he muttered before walking back the way he came. He looked back over his shoulder when nobody followed, "Well, are you coming or not? This is an active war zone after all."
"So...is the truce back on?" Sokka asked.
Percy rolled his eyes at the question, "Yes, Sokka."
( - )
"What do you think of Percy?" Aang asked as they sat alone around the fire. Sokka & Suki were off flirting, Toph was sleeping, the teen in question was already sleeping, and Katara was the only one sitting with him.
"He's a total jerk. He's rude, stubborn, cocky, and most importantly, our enemy, Aang."
Aang sighed aloud, "I know that, Katara. But, just because you don't like him doesn't mean he's a terrible person. He could've killed you in Omashu, but he didn't. He could've killed you when Zuko & Iroh helped with Azula, but he didn't. He could've left us to deal with Wan Shi Tong alone, but he didn't. And, he stopped me while I was in the Avatar state and got us out of the desert. Face it, Katara. He's a good person, even if he fights for the Fire Nation."
Katara closed her eyes as she let out a long breath. "I know Aang, it's just…" she said softly, "Before I met you, everything was much more simple. The Fire Nation was bad, we were good. It was easy, but now it's all changed. The Water Tribe has killed soldiers in their sleep. Iroh and Percy fight for the Fire Nation, but have helped us. Jet tried to kill innocent civilians, just to get rid of the Fire Nation. What happened to good and evil? Light and dark? Now, it all just seems… gray."
Aang was quiet for a moment before responding, "The monks always taught us that life is never simple. They used to say, "We all have light and dark within us. What matters, is the part we choose to act upon." I think a lot of people we've met show the truth to that teaching."
"How do you do it, Aang? How aren't you consumed to strike down every single person in the Fire Nation? To avenge your people and family?"
Aang sagged and at that moment, he didn't look like the Avatar. He looked like a kid. He carried the expectations of the world on his shoulders and it showed. His eyes were old and weary. But it was true, Aang was just a kid who had seen and gone through too much, forced to grow up too fast, a victim of war. He looked tired.
"Who said I'm not, Katara? Some days are worse than others. Sometimes, I just want the Fire Nation to suffer. To feel what I do. And even when I do, for all my strength, all my power, I don't think I could do it. It goes against all my beliefs and honestly, I can't beat the Fire Nation alone. The Avatar state was always supposed to be my trump card, if I couldn't do it, my past lives would. But then, Percy beat me in the Avatar state. If Percy can do it, how am I supposed to beat the Fire Lord, even with the Avatar state?"
Katara was shocked. Aang never seemed to waver on his convictions. He'd saved Zuko's life after he was kidnapped and nearly killed by the banished prince at the North Pole. He seemed so pure, for lack of a better word. But now, he seemed like one of them. A regular person, who was stuck as a soldier in the war. It made Katara look at her friend in a new light.
Aang stared into the night sky as he continued, "I'm so grateful for my upbringing. The monks were deeply spiritual. There was an older monk who said, "Vengeance blackens the soul. It's an abyss. It whispers promises of peace and justice, but it lies. If you walk the edge of the abyss, sooner or later you fall in. And in that one moment, you become everything you fought against." I hear that warning, every time I begin to walk that path."
Katara said nothing, contemplating her friend's words of wisdom.
"For me, being the Avatar isn't about being someone who decides right and wrong. I can't diminish the value of one life without diminishing the value of all life. I am not the judge, jury, and executioner. The world needs to heal, it needs peace, but I'm not the one reason that will make that happen. I am only the harbinger of change. I'll do everything in my power to end this cycle of war, but I won't become what I set out to destroy. Vengeance consumes Jet, it runs rampant like a disease. I don't want to see it consume you too, Katara," Aang spoke earnestly as he looked at his friend beside him.
A long silence fell between the two as the night sky twinkled above. After a while Aang yawned, slowly climbing to his feet. "Good night, Katara," he said as he withdrew to his tent for the night.
"Good night, Aang," she whispered, as she was left alone by the fire to contemplate her friend's words.
( - )
Percy came to a sudden stop as the group halted on the path in front of him.
"The water's completely covered the path," Sokka exclaimed.
"Everybody, single file. I'll create a bubble around us and we'll just go right under," Katara called from the front.
"Yeah, not happening," Percy called as he moved to the front, "I don't think that your abilities are enough to make sure that we don't drown."
"What, you don't trust me?" Katara asked him heatedly.
"Nope. Now get in line, I got this," Percy said confidently as he split the water with a wave of his hand and began to walk into the ocean, a bubble of air easily surrounding him. After some uneasy glances, the group followed him.
Katara was pissed, here was another sign of Percy's dominance over her because he was right. She would've needed Aang's help to make this bubble for the group.
"Hold up," Percy called sharply as the group came to a halt. A giant shadow passed over the top of them slowly.
"What is it, a sea serpent? Wait, really? I've never seen one before," he wondered aloud to what seemed like no one in particular, but he had to be talking to someone.
Aang looked back at the group with a clear question across his face. Who was Percy talking to? The fish?
Suddenly Percy spun around, hands splayed as the bubble became a solid dome of ice in an instant. The shadow collided with the ice dome, shaking everyone inside, but it remained intact. "Toph," he called to her, "Take us up right now!"
Toph used her earthbending to force the rock around the ice dome out of the ground and straight up to the top of the lake. There was a tense moment of silence as everyone stared at the green fins circling their floating rock. "I'm going to freeze the water to make a path," Percy said. "I'll distract it, and while I'm doing that, everyone make a break for it."
"Hold on, did he say, a sea serpent?" Sokka exclaimed.
There was a loud screech as the giant serpent burst through the surface, towering above the group as if answering Sokka's question.
"Sea serpent!" he whimpered, grabbing Momo and holding him above his head.
Aang hit it with a gust of air, knocking it back. "Everybody, go now," he yelled to the group. Percy didn't waste a moment, quickly freezing the water for the group to cross with a snap of his fingers. He turned and began to surf over the water towards the serpent trying to eat Aang.
He blasted it with a jet of water, getting its attention. He stood his ground as the serpent advanced on him. Shoving his hand upward, he formed a giant wall of ice, the serpent bashing headfirst into it with a pained hiss.
Then, Percy's face scrunched in concentration, the sea turning into a full whirlpool moments after, confusing the serpent. Aang used this momentary confusion to add to the whirlpool with his airbending, then to use the air as steps to the run-up to the top of the serpent's head, bashing it with a fist of air, then springboarding off its nose, flying a couple of feet away. Percy's eyes widened with that display of power because even he could admit, running on the air was frickin' impressive. Nevertheless, Percy didn't let the advantage go to waste, as he sent a 20 ft. tall wave barreling at the serpent, completely sending it under the water. Hopefully, it was down for the count. He was wrong.
The serpent shot up from underneath the wave, coiling itself around Aang quickly. Aang tried to airbend, but he couldn't do the motions with his arms pinned to his sides.
"Hey!" Percy yelled. The serpent looked at him in confusion. "Just wondering, how does ice feel?" Cue two blunt spears of ice striking the serpent's tail, forcing him to let go, Aang immediately flying out of his grasp.
"You, pesky human, are trying to talk to me? What is this?" the serpent hissed.
"Oh, nothing. Just trying to get your opinion on something. Does a brick of ice feel better on the back of your head or the center of your face?"
"Why you—"
"Okay, back of the head it is." Just as Percy finished speaking, as if on cue, which it was, a block of ice the size of a Wan Shi Tong struck the serpent in the back of his head, promptly knocking him out, sending him down for sure this time.
Finally, the serpent was out of their way. Percy turned to Aang who was now flying above on his glider. "Not bad," he said with a nod.
Aang smiled widely at him, "Thanks, that ice trick was pretty cool too."
( - )
It wouldn't have been a journey if Percy's bad luck didn't strike again. Of course, the pregnant lady had to give birth before the end of it. She couldn't wait another hour or two to be in an actual building, no, she was giving birth in a tent made out of pure, earth-bent stone.
Percy sat beside Aang as they waited. The mother's pained shouts died down as a new baby entered the world, cries echoing loudly. Percy peered at the Avatar beside him, chewing on his thoughts before asking him, "Hey, Aang," the Avatar turned to look at him. "You told me that everything was gone when you woke up. Did you have any parents?" he asked softly.
Aang stared at him before gazing off, "The monks separated kids from birth, to encourage freedom, just like our element. But one of the monks, he raised me. His name was Gyatso, he was everything I ever could've wanted in a father."
"Do you ever think about what life might have for us after the war?"
"Sometimes, yeah."
Percy was silent for a moment before continuing, "I never knew my real dad, he left before I was born. My stepfather was terrible, he treated my mother and I like trash, I hated him. But then I met Piandao. He gave me a home, raised me like his own, taught me all I needed to know. I never really thought about what would come after the war for me, but here this couple is having a kid. Do you think one day we'll make good parents?"
"The monks used to say—"
"No," Percy cut him off, "I don't want to hear what the monks said. You and me. Two loners from a different place. We've fought against each other and fought with each other. What do you think, Aang?"
"Honestly? I don't know. I think we will be, but that's kind of the whole thing. Thinking isn't enough, you have to do it. So, I can think about all this stuff, but until I go out there and do it, I'll never know for sure. And that's alright, not knowing what tomorrow brings is good, it helps us appreciate the now. The monks had a saying..." he paused, looking over at Percy, but he waved him on this time.
"They used to say, "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift. That is why it is called the present," he finished.
Percy raised an eyebrow at this, he was pretty sure that was from an old turtle, but now wasn't the time.
"Yeah, that's true, but it still doesn't stop me from being scared of the future, you know? I've seen so many bad fathers, and I don't want to be like that. My dad left me. Azula's dad scared her brother and banished him—"
"Wait, Zuko's scar is from his dad?" Aang questioned, shocked.
"The Fire Lord is a cruel, abusive, manipulative bastard. I've spent many nights cursing his name," Percy revealed evenly. He didn't fight for the Fire Lord and he wanted Aang to know that. He fought for Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, and Piandao. His friends and family, not Azula's deadbeat father.
"What happened between Zuko and the Fire Lord?" Aang asked him.
"That's not any of your business, Aang. It's Zuko's story to tell and nobody else's," Percy came to his friend's defense.
An awkward moment of silence stretched on for a moment before Percy continued, "Anyway, what scares me even more than being a bad father is losing my kid. Having to go through what Iroh watched and experienced. Losing your own kid? I can't even imagine that. I don't want to bring a kid into a world and life of war."
"So, then we won't," Aang said confidently.
"You don't know that," Percy responded.
"You're right, I don't know for certain. But, I never will know, unless I act. You and I are some of the most powerful people in the world right now. Let's end this conflict."
Percy eyed him up and down, "I see what you did there by bringing what you just said into that statement, but it's not going to work. I'm not joining you and betraying Azula."
"I didn't say you had to. But I do know that we can stop this war. Either your side or my side. But for a war, one side has to win. You say you want to bring any kids you have without the war looming over their every step. We can do that."
Percy sighed deeply, "Look, Aang. You're a great guy. You've gone through some stuff I couldn't even imagine and yet you're one of the most optimistic people I know. I don't want to have to kill you."
"I don't want to kill you either. I don't want to kill anyone. I want a world of peace, where I can have kids who can go outside without having to worry about an enemy attacking our home. I've seen some of the most amazing things this world has to offer, but in that tent right now, that couple is feeling something I can never dream of. The most beautiful thing this world has to offer can't be seen or touched; they're felt within the heart, and that, my friend, is a world worth dying for."
( - )
Percy sat there for a long time, contemplating Aang's words before he was disrupted by a waterbender sitting beside him. The silence and tension stretched on for a minute before she spoke.
"Look, Percy. I know we started on the wrong foot and haven't gotten along, but I did come over here to apologize. I can be… immature sometimes, I know. I didn't mean everything I said on the sand skimmer. I'm still learning to not judge others so quickly. So, I wanted to apologize to you. Despite being a Fire Nation, you're a good person. You saved us in the Si Wong Desert. You helped us find out where Appa is. And now you've helped us get through the Serpent's Pass. Thank you."
There was a long pause where Percy didn't say anything. Katara got up, ready to leave before he spoke. "Listen, Katara," he groaned aloud before continuing, "I get that you're not a child throwing a tantrum all the time, but I can't exactly just change my opinion of you like that." Her shoulders sagged a bit before he continued. "But, I am willing to let bygones be bygones, and start again. Wipe the slate clean, invert the record, and start anew. So, to start things off, hi, my name is Percy," he said, holding his hand out.
Katara's face lit up with a brilliant smile. "Hi, Percy. My name's Katara."
As they shook hands, they could hear Toph's mocking comments from the room over. "Damn, Water Boy. Didn't realize you knew the meaning of invert, let alone bygones. Did you read up on your 10-year-old vocabulary?"
This time, they fell into a comfortable silence, before Katara broke it once again, but with a question, and not an apology. "But, why can't I bend against you? Why are you so strong? I mean, you held up the huge wall of water so easily without breaking a sweat. How does that work?" she questioned curiously.
A crooked smirk appeared on Percy's face. "I'm afraid that's a trade secret, Katara. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. But, you know, maybe it's just," she leaned in, eager to hear some semblance of an answer. "Maybe it's just that I was born awesome, who knows?"
Katara frowned, then laughed, before walking away, never knowing that in fact, she'd kind of gotten her answer.
( - )
Percy's stomach growled as he shouldered his bag. The avatar and his friends were heading to Ba Sing Se, while Percy would be splitting up from them. After all, he needed to meet back up with Azula, she definitely wouldn't be in the Earth Kingdom capital already.
He watched as the new girl, Suki, walked over to him. He hadn't gotten a read on her, yet. She was a warrior, he knew that from the way she held herself and her reaction to Sokka revealing he was Fire Nation, but they hadn't talked at all yet. She'd been off conversing with Sokka when they camped for the night, and Percy hadn't been particularly chatty during their walk. "I heard you're not going to Ba Sing Se?" she asked when she got closer to him.
"Nope, I'm going to rejoin my friends, it's been too long," he responded.
"Well… I'm not going to Ba Sing Se either. You're welcome to travel with me for a bit. It's the least I can do to repay you for saving my life," she offered him.
"Thanks but no thanks. I think I've spent enough time-" Percy was interrupted by his stomach growling loudly again. He knew he shouldn't have doubled down on his rations, he was starving.
Suki raised one eyebrow in amusement, "I have food," she remarked offhandedly.
Percy's green eyes focused on her with new appreciation, "I don't suppose you have any Komodo chicken?" he questioned hopefully.
She smiled, "Nope. Just some military-grade rations."
"It's a deal," Percy remarked. Because after all, who would journey without food.
( - )
Author Note - Alright everyone so this is the end of chapter 11 of Percy Jackson & The Sapphire Flame and I hope y'all enjoyed it. Give it a review or follow if you'd like to stay up to date on this story. A few things I'd like to address.
- Guys, I'm SORRY this chapter took so long. I came in psyched to write and I just hit a wall on 3 different scenes. Finding the sandbenders who stole Appa, the gaang catching up to Percy on the pass, and the ending scene after fighting the serpent. I could've had this chapter out 3 days ago if I just cut the scenes but I refuse to give y'all anything less than my best efforts. Also, I had no wifi at all for a bit too which sucked.
- This chapter was the first time I hit major blocks in some writing scenes but I just want to say I love you all and the support you give. Whether it's reviews, follows, favorites, or pms; it means a lot and it's why I'm so frustrated when the scenes don't work the way I want them to because I want you guys to enjoy every scene. Anyway, I hope y'all have an amazing Christmas!
- I loved writing the Azula nightmare scene. So much fun to show her psyche and just do bits of foreshadowing like the comet even if nothing else happens later on.
- Guys, I can't tell you how badly I wanted Aang to do some Darth Vader force choke shit with his airbending like Zaheer on the sandbenders, unfortunately, it's completely against his beliefs. I decided to go with being more faithful than a badass scene.
- So there are 2 different movie quotes in this chp. One is word for word from a movie and the other follows a pattern I adapted for the book because it's such a badass speech. Lmk if you find it, maybe I'll give you a preview of future events or throw in a quote or scene for ya if you're first ;) (And no the Oogway doesn't count I literally said it was from a turtle that's a dead giveaway)
- Finally, please leave a review, guys! A follow or favorite would mean a lot for me too. I'm always open to advise on being a better writer and I'm looking forward to entirely new chapters from now on.
( - )
B/N: So, one quick thing which popped into my head is energy bending, the thing Aang got from the Lion-Turtles. I was just thinking if he can do it to Ozai, what about Percy? But, then I realized, Percy's power isn't bending, it's direct control, over the domain, in his blood. The rest of the people, as per this storyline, are just blessed with the powers. For him, it's a part of him, his godly side. So, this was just a quick clarification to assure that there won't be any energy bending whatsoever with Percy because it doesn't work. If Aang tried, he would fail, because there'd be no bending power to take.
If you notice any errors, feel free to PM Silas, or me at TheMeister7. Hope you enjoyed the story.
Finally, If you come up with a ship name for Percy/Azula, leave it in a review. Trying to think of one, but Perzula is still on the eh side. It's always Pereyna, Perzoe, Perlia, Percabeth, Pertemis, and I hope Perzula isn't added to the list. If you have something better, please let us know!
TheMeister7
( - )
Duces