The Southern Trench
21:20
Just after they go over the top
The captain blew the whistle, and ten thousand men charged at the fire nation trench, Aang and Sokka fell into the hole as soon as they climbed the ladder out of the trench. Men started falling as machine guns fired from the opposite trench, bullets whizzed above the hole that Aang and Sokka were in.
"We need to get out of this hole," Sokka said
"We can't move without getting ripped apart," Aang said cautiously
Just then a body fell into the hole they were in, the body had no arms, and its eyes had pieces of shrapnel in them and it had a hole in its stomach.
"Jesus Christ" they both said
"Now do you believe me?" Sokka said
Aang quickly nodded and they both started to move. Another soldier signaled them to come over, they ran to a short, black-haired girl wearing a standard earth kingdom tunic.
"I need one of you to get these coordinates to the artillery captain," she said " the other one is going to help me suppress enemy fire"
I'll take the coordinates to the captain" Sokka quickly said
"Good, get going." the girl said "you cover me"
She abruptly stood up, lifted a boulder using earthbending, and threw it into a pillbox. Aang looked on in shock, he had never seen earthbending in action before, snapping out of it he found a small foxhole, took cover, and fired his rifle at the other trench. Behind him, the girl was taking out pillboxes with earthbending. 20 minutes later 2 whistles were heard from the southern trench. Then soldiers started rushing back towards the southern trench.
"Were retreating, twinkle toes" the girl said
"Don't call me that, my name is Aang" he said
"And my name is Toph, great we know each other, now get back to the trench"
Aang and toph rushed back to the trench as artillery fired on the charging fire nation soldiers taking advantage of the retreating water tribe and earth kingdom soldiers. It was announced that, of the 10,000 men that went over the top, only 4,243 came back and half of them were wounded. Aang went to his assigned bunk and fell asleep
Fire Nation Trench Charlie
22:00
After the battle
"WHO ORDERED YOU TO CHARGE!" the commander yelled
"I did sir," the captain said sheepishly
"WHY" the commander yelled again
Silence
"I guess you should be dishonorably discharged for this action," the commander said a bit calmer
"Commander Zhao you have to understand, I had no way of knowing there was going to be a-"
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU KNEW OR NOT," Zhao said angrily
"What's going on here?" a voice said from the threshold
"General Iroh, Sir," Zhao said bringing his hand to his forehead in a salute
"Is everything going well?" Iroh asked
"Sir, this captain ordered a charge into no man's land in when there was an artillery bombardment underway, I recommend dishonorable discharge for this insubordination"
"That will not be a necessary commander." the general said
"What, but he authorized a charge without my permission," Zhao said confused
"It was a mistake Zhao, we are all human, something you need to learn," Iroh said
Commander Zhao Leaned back in his chair and contemplated this "You may go captain" Zhao said defeated.