Chapter 5: New Allies and New Enemies Part 2
Ricky wasn't sure if he could trust the man, but at the same time that he can. Without hesitation, Ricky began to speak his name.
"M-my name is Ricky," he stammered.
The old man began to look at him with confusion, but then changed it with a smile on his face.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Ricky" he said, "My name is Iroh."
Ricky started to show a little smile on his face, but started to fade thinking about Aang, Katara, and Sokka.
"What's wrong Young Ricky", General Iroh asked.
Ricky snapped out of his daydream and began to look at the old general, hoping to make an excuse.
"Um, I'm worried for my friends", he said.
"Ah, you mean the airbender?"
Ricky's eyes began to widen, how did he know about Aang?
"H-how-"
"How did I know", he answered, "My nephew told me about a young kid bending blue fire was protecting the Avatar."
Ricky was confused about him 'bending blue fire', but that's when he realized that same blue light was coming from his hand. He looked down at his right hand, the same hand that was holding the blue light. But for some reason, he doesn't know how he brought out the fire.
"I can help you with your firebending, if you want", General Iroh requested.
Ricky looked at him with excitement and confusion.
"R-really", he asked, "Why?"
"I have a feeling that you were here for a reason, young friend. Plus, I believe you have a lot more experience than my nephew, Zuko."
Then, for a split second, the door sprang wide open revealing a firebender soldier with a worry expression on his face.
"General Iroh, the Avatar has escaped", he said.
General Iroh sighed, and then got up slowly from his chair.
"I will be there in just a minute."
The soldier then quickly scampered away from the room, while no one was looking (except for Ricky of course), Iroh started to grab something from his long sleeve. It what looks like a scroll with a Fire Nation emblem on the stamp
"You better hide this" Iroh said, "You don't want to anyone seeing this would we."
Ricky quickly grabbed the scroll from General Iroh's hand and placed it inside his inside his light hoodie's pocket. Iroh quickly turned around, to see if anyone would be coming the door. Then he turned to Ricky, to see if he's still there.
"Ok", he said, "I'm going to leave this door open for you, so you can escape with your friends."
Ricky slightly nodded his head and Iroh left the room, leaving the door slightly open. Ricky began to think about General Iroh's plan; why did he want to help him, was he really here for a purpose, or how come he can bend fire? But he didn't have time to think; he had to escape. Ricky began to move towards the door and began to peek inside. Luckily, no one was near the door and he can escape towards the main deck as quickly as possible. Ricky began to slowly open the door, hoping not to get attention. After the door was open, he began tiptoeing away from his prison cell, and looking for an exit. But before he could find the exit, two firebenders and Aang were running towards his way. Aang widen his eyes to see Ricky in the hallway, he began to reach out his hand and grabbed Ricky. Ricky and Aang began running across the hallway for at least a minute.
"What are you doing in here", Ricky asked.
"I surrendered myself to the Fire Nation, so they can stop harming the village", Aang replied.
"Are you crazy", He yelled, "Why would you do that?"
"Don't worry", Aang yelled back, "I got an idea."
They stopped at the end of the corridor, leaving them cornered. The firebenders finally caught up to the two boys and they began to attack, but it backfire when Ricky launch a huge blue fireball from his fist. The firebenders were blasted away from a few feet away from the two boys. Aang's eyes widen in surprise and in confusion.
"How did you do that", he asked.
"I don't know" Ricky answered, "It just happened."
Aang didn't want to argue with him, so he just nodded his head and grabbed Ricky's hand. The two boys began looking for an exit for at least two minutes, until they found a room with Aang's staff in it.
"My staff", he yelled.
"AANG NO!" Ricky yelled, but Aang quickly went to grab his staff, but the door was slammed right behind him, revealing Zuko standing in the room.
"It has seems that I underestimated you Avatar", he said.
Ricky kept banging on the metal door but to no prevail. He begins to panic until he looks at his hand and snaps his fingers, showing a small blue fire from the tips of his fingers.
"I hope this works", he told himself as he looks at the door and breathes deeply and begin to concetrate.
Zuko began to shoot out the fireballs directly at Aang, but he quickly dodging almost all the attacks, until the third fireball hit him straight towards the wall. Aang slowly raised his head up, seeing Zuko in the middle of the room preparing to attack, but the door began to explode from the hinges. The prince turned around to see Ricky standing right in front of him. The prince started to smirk, thinking that the boy would actually stop him.
"You think a weird looking boy like you would stop me?"
Ricky didn't say anything for a minute, and then he began to smirk.
"Oh you have no idea."
Ricky then released a huge blue fireball at Zuko, showing a huge explosion outside of the side of the ship. Aang and Ricky began to escape from the giant hole that Ricky made. Ricky was coughing for a few seconds, then seeing that they were surrounded by five firebending foot soldiers. It wasn't long for Zuko to get on top of the docking area, he was very furious. Ricky began to fear for a worse, until they heard a large roar from the distance. Zuko looked up to see a giant six-legged creature coming towards them.
"What the heck is that thing?"
Aang looked up, to see what was the prince was talking about. Aang began to smile widely.
"Appa!"
Zuko then quickly turned towards the two boys and began to blast at them, but Ricky quickly went in front of Aang in defense. The fire blast began to hit him directly towards his chest, making him collide with Aang, making them both fall overboard. Katara widened her eyes, to see them fall overboard.
"Aang! Ricky!"
She began to close her fearing for the worst, but then a giant light came out of the water showing a giant multi-color fireball coming straight out of the water. Then it revealed Aang and Ricky, with their eyes glowing white. Then Aang began to bend her the giant wave of water and Ricky bending a giant multi-color fireball, they began to release it coming straight towards the firebenders. Before Zuko could react, the giant wave and fireball began to collide together, knocking Zuko and the firebenders off the deck. Katara and Sokka's jaws began to drop to the floor.
"I don't believe it", Katara murmured.
"Now THAT'S is waterbending", Sokka proclaimed.
Aang and Ricky finally came down after their attack on the firebenders, leaving them exhausted. Katara quickly caught Aang and Ricky, before they could hit the metal floor. Aang slowly opened his eyes, seeing Katara holding him.
"Thanks guys", he said tiredly, "Thanks for coming."
"Well, we can't allow you take all the credit", Sokka replied.
After a while, Ricky began moaning and slowly raising his head up. He turned his head around to see Sokka quickly grabbing Aang's staff, pointing directly at him.
"Wha-what's going on?"
"What do mean 'what's going on'? You just bended blue fire in front of the village and then you bended a giant massive rainbow fireball!" Sokka yelled.
Ricky widened his eyes in confusion; he didn't want to be treated like an outcast like back at home.
"Look, can we discuss this some other time?"
Before Sokka could retort, Zuko began to climb up the boat and heading straight towards them. Ricky quickly reacted and threw a blue fireball directly towards the prince, pushing him directly off the ship. Sokka was dumbfounded, while Ricky smiled triumphantly.
"Come on, let's go."
The three kids nodded and ran straight towards to Appa. Ricky began to shoot out fireballs at the firebenders, just for to give enough time to escape. Aang went on top of Appa's head, grabbing the reins, and started whipping it.
"Yip-yip Appa! Yip-yip", Aang yelled.
Appa began to lift off, leaving the ship behind. Ricky began to climb on Appa, seeing Katara's hand reaching out for him.
"Grab my hand", she said.
Ricky grabbed her hand, began lifting him up towards the saddle. Aang turned around to see a giant fireball coming towards them.
"Ricky!"
The young teenager turned around to see what Aang was looking at. His eyes widened in fear. He started to run towards it and started to throw a hand-size fireball towards the giant glacier. The glacier than exploded making a giant pile of snow began crashing on the Fire Nation ships. The kids cheer, leaving the ship far behind. Zuko looked at the kids with an anger expression on his face.
"Look on the bright side Zuko; the Fire Nation's greatest threat is a boy", Uncle Iroh joked.
Zuko then scowled at his uncle.
"That BOY did all of THIS! And how did that weird kid get out of his cell?!"
Uncle Iroh stayed silent for a moment, since he's the one who helped him escape. But Zuko didn't thought about it for a moment; he was still upset about his failure (again).
"Follow them", Zuko commanded, but the soldiers were too busy cleaning up the mess, "As soon as you finish that."
Meanwhile
Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Ricky began to celebrate their victory for escaping the Fire Nation's grasp. Katara always wanted to know why Aang never told them about why was he the Avatar or why Ricky is a firebender.
"So Aang", Katara said, "Why didn't you say that you were the Avatar?"
Aang turned his head away from his friends with a saddened expression on his face.
"Because… Because I never wanted to be the Avatar."
It was silence for a few seconds, but then Sokka turned his head towards Ricky, lost in his mind.
"So Ricky" Sokka said, "Why didn't you tell us why you're a firebender?"
Ricky then looked at his new friends; he wanted to tell them why. But at the same time, he also wanted to know why.
"I wish I knew Pony Man."
Sokka's eyes began to twitch to hear that nickname again. Katara and Aang began to chuckle when they heard Ricky still call him that.
"Don't worry about it Ricky" Aang said, "I bet that my old mentor, Monk Gyasto will tell us everything why you're here."
Ricky smiled; hoping that what Aang is saying is true. Ricky looked at the sky, hoping everything will be all right.
"I hope so Aang, I hope so…"
Author's Note: Finally it's done; now our adventure will begin. Chapter six will begin shortly. See ya'll soon.
