I do no own PJO or A:TLA

Chapter 35

"I understand that there are people who still support my father and want him on the throne." Zuko rationed to the gang, along with Percy and Pete. "But maybe if I just do a good job as Fire Lord they'll see how much better we can be? Once we get all those people from the Earth Kingdom colonies and bring them home to the Capital, they'll see that the Fire Nation is different and better and stronger than it was before."

"I don't know, Zuko." Aang said softly. "Pete said these guys were talking about war and murder. I'm not sure they'll wait around to see how good you'll do as Fire Lord."

Zuko thought for a few moments. Percy was struck by how much better he looked. There was something about the way he carried himself in his fancy robes and the way he pulled his hair from his face and wore it up with the sparkling Fire Nation crown. There was self-respect and honour on his face and in his body.

Zuko truly was the rightful heir to the throne.

"What do you guys think we should do?" He asked the gang.

"Tell 'em that Ozai was CRAZY and that if they still support him, they're crazy too." Toph said enthusiastically. "Maybe set up a few blockades..."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Civil war sounds like a great idea."

Toph shrugged. "These guys had it easy under Ozai. Show 'em who's boss now."

"I don't think an aggressive approach would be best either." Aang interjected. "We need to keep thinking."

Sokka groaned from behind them. He was leaning against a wall with a damp cloth over his face. "Can you debate the inner-fighting of the Fire Nation a little quieter?"

"I told you to stay in bed!" Katara snapped at him in annoyance. He had been sobered up by quite a few snowballs to the face and wasn't in a good mood, which put Katara in a bad mood.

"Excuse you, the Fire Lord asked for me personally."

"It's just Zuko, Sokka. And he asked for all of us."

"Yeah, but I'm the Plan Guy."

Everyone groaned and rolled their eyes at him. They tried to be kind to him to makeup for his lack of bending, but if he declared himself the 'Plan Guy' or a 'Motivation Bender' one more time, someone (probably Toph) was going to roll his head.

"Okay, Plan Guy, what do you got?"

Sokka took the cloth from his head and stared at them. "Isn't it obvious? Bring suspicious people in, people that were high-up in Ozai's favour and get Pete to tell you if they're plotting treason or not."

"That's... actually a good idea."

Sokka pointed at himself and put the cloth back on his face. "Plan Guy."

"It's good, but, like... we do have to finish fixing the wall." Percy finally spoke up. "More and more monsters are crossing over here and they could be dangerous to the people. I need to go home and be with Annabeth and my mom. I can't stay here forever."

"He has a point." Aang admitted. "I'm sorry, Percy. I almost forgot about your quest. We can go into the Spirit World and get you and Pete home right away. You've already done so much for this world. Thank you." He bowed low.

A pang of regret stabbed Percy in the chest. He really had come to love the kid in front of him. "I want to help..." He started to say.

"I know you do." Aang looked up. "But you were right about the monsters. You need to go home now."

Percy was touched and his homesickness swelled. "Thank you."

He grinned up and Percy was again amazed at how at peace and happy Aang was. After everything, he carried no bitterness or trauma. He simply loved and fought for peace and let bad things go. It was incredible.

"Let's get you two home!"

Zuko nodded. "We'll figure out what to do about the plotters later. We have a quest to finish."

As they all left the courtroom together, Pete pulled Percy back a couple paces. He was taller than Percy, but more lean and lanky. He didn't look much like what the sons of Ares back home looked like, all muscle and beef.

"What's up?" Percy asked.

"I dunno, man." Pete said. "What's everyone talkin' about? The wall and the quest and everythin'?"

Percy shrugged. "It's kind of a long story, but basically, I got sucked into this world a couple days ago because there are these two walls separating our worlds and they're breaking. I got a quest to fix them but we got sidetracked because this war that they had going on kind of had a timer on it. If we hadn't stopped the quest for the war, the old Fire Lord would have killed the whole Earth Kingdom."

"Why are they all named after the four elements? And why can some people control the elements?"

Percy laughed by blowing air through his nose. "You're less freaked out by the fact there there are other worlds than I was."

Pete shrugged. "I've seen a lot, man... Look, do you like this world?"

"Yeah, yeah. I really do." Percy nodded sincerely. "They're great people here. And the culture and food and the bending, that's what they call moving the elements by the way, is all so cool. I think I'd almost like it better than our world if it weren't for the lack of McDonalds and Annabeth."

"That your girl?"

Percy couldn't help it. He grinned boyishly. "Yeah..."

Pete nodded and half smiled. "Must be nice... been on my own a lot, ya know."

Percy shook his head. "I'm so sorry. When we go back, we'll talk to the gods and try to let you back into Camp. They don't really like me, Ares especially, but they've got to listen to reason. We'll figure something out, I'll make sure you don't go back to the streets."

Pete shook his head. "Nah, man. Look, that's really nice but it's not worth it. They don't want me there, no big deal."

"I'm sure that's not true. A lot has changed. I made a deal with the gods after the war, they're going to start treating their kids better."

Pete fully smiled now, but it didn't reach his eyes. His eyes still looked sad.

"That's really nice." He said again, and the two walked out into the sunlight.

-LineBreak-

"So, I'm not really sure how this works but I'm sure we can figure it out!" Aang, always the optimist, said.

They had all traveled up to a secluded mountainside to work out how to get Percy and Aang into the Spirit World to find and fix the spirit wall. The warm summer wind was blowing and the sweet smells from the grass and the trees wafted up at them, as well as the clean, crisp mountainside air that just made your lungs feel clean. They had decided to walk up, leaving Appa behind. Either because it was such a beautiful day and they all wanted the stretch, or because they wanted to spend just a few more hours together, Percy wasn't sure.

He joked and earth bended with Toph, laughing at how accurate and precise she was while the earth he tried to bend always just exploded. At one point he had her on his shoulders so he could win at some contest, while she screamed at him to put her down so she could see well enough to kick his ass.

He walked and talked weapons with Sokka, admiring the sword Zuko had given him from the Royal Armory and lamenting the loss of his beautiful space sword. Percy also listened while Sokka talked about his fears and inabilities as a protector and gave advice when he asked if he thought he could be a good boyfriend to Suki, an obviously very strong, capable, clear minded-girl.

He walked in between Aang and Katara, just to make them feel awkward, and told them about when he and Annabeth first properly kissed and the camp threw them in the lake. Or the one time his step-dad walked in on the making out on the couch, or a few other horribly embarrassing stories about their relationship. "It's awkward sometimes..." He told them. "But just be honest and keep loving each other. You guys are good together."

And finally, Zuko. The two hadn't had much of a chance to click as much as the others, due to Zuko's intense nature and focus and well-deserved, inner angst. But the two playfully walked and talked. Percy taught Zuko a few jokes, just because he had overheard him butchering a funny story to Mai earlier that day. After learning the science behind knock-knock jokes, Zuko's favourite ended up being ''the interrupting cow", which surprised them all. The two older boys also hesitantly and awkwardly talked girls, as Zuko blushed his way through explaining how he had escaped Mai's uncle's prison and humiliated her and was the reason for her unjust imprisonment the past few months. "Dude." Percy full-on belly laughed at the hilarity of it all. "If she still likes you after that, you gotta marry that girl."

"Yeah..." Zuko laughed a little too. It was funnier now that it was in the past. "I think I might do that."

And finally, Pete.

He traveled slightly behind everyone, talking a little and asking questions about their world. Looking around with big eyes, continually fingering the leather bracelet on his wrist.

He breathed deeply the clean, fresh air and sweated a little through his clothes. But as his face gleaned with sweat and his cheeks turned red, Percy noticed his eyes got brighter and his back straighter. He looked healthier than he had when they found him covered in garbage like a street rat.

But aside from the nostalgia and camaraderie, Percy felt excited. He was going home. In a few hours, he would see Annabeth and kiss her so hard. He would eat his mom's blue cookies until he wanted to burst and use running water and electricity and drink coke. He would be back on his home turf and just feel a little less out of place and awkward all the time.

"This place ain't half bad." Pete said quietly to Percy.

Percy choked back a sarcastic 'no shit, Sherlock' and just smiled. "Yeah, they've been good to me here."

Pete just nodded and looked around, drinking up the scenery and indescribable landscape.

Percy finally dropped down and sat facing Aang, who looked all wise and spiritual with his robes and bald head and tattoos. He mimicked Aang's crossed legs and peaceful pose.

"Now, just clear you mind." Aang instructed as Katara led the group more up the mountain to set up a campsite for lunch. "Let your spirit become unattached from your body, like the wind."

Percy breathed deeply, a small burst of panic exploding in his mind instead of peace. He started jiggling his leg and his nose was suddenly very itching. The light seeping in through his shut eyelids was too bright and the sun felt like it was burning him. That one really old jingle for goldfish popped up in his mind and he couldn't stop singing it.

Finally, he flopped on his back and stretched out his aching limbs. "Aang, dude, I'm trying. But I have ADHD and this is boring."

Aang peeked one eye open and looked at Percy's body, unimpressed. "Well we have to do this somehow."

"What if we offer a sacrifice or something?"

"A sacrifice?" Aang yelped. "We can't offer a living sacrifice! I'm the Avatar, protector of all living things?!"

Percy sighed deeply and sat up again. "Okay, fine. I'll try again. But I don't think it'll work."

This time, instead of letting his mind wander, he focused on his energy and power. He felt the gurgling mountain creek and the way it moved. It pushed and pulled and the river spirit braided her hair and splashed her feet at the small minnows. the smell of saltwater suddenly washed over him. When Percy opened his eyes, the entire scenery had changed. He and Aang now sat on two opposing rocks in the middle of swamp. It was foggy and the air felt muggy. Percy felt an uneasiness creep over himself. This place reminded him of the Fields of Asphodel in the Underworld. Stagnant, depressing and overwhelming in it's underwhelmingness.

"Did we do it?" Percy asked. His voiced sounded loud and sharp and echoed eerily.

"We sure did!" Aang jumped up on his rock and beamed at the dreary place. "If you were a wall, where would you be?"

Just a side-note, I'm picturing Pete as Egyptian for some reason, haha. Like, the mummy guy from The Night Of The Museum? Idk why but that's what he looks like in my mind and I didn't know how to subtly put that in the story. lolz

Helllllooooooooooooooo my babes.

BTW I'm the beta of a story called Percy and the Princess by BentThatGuy. It's an Avatar/Percy Jackson crossover if any of you wanna go check it out!