AUTHOR'S NOTES—there will be times where I need to explain a few things as the story progresses, since this is not just a rewrite of the show with different character personalities/nationalities. This will be done [obviously] through Author's notes. Foremost, I would just like to inform anyone reading this that Book 1 (Water) will probably be the closest to the series, Book 2 (Earth) will branch much farther out, and Book 3 (Fire) will be dramatically different from the show. So those who were worried about this being a mere re-write can breathe calmly again.

As far as shipping and the likes, I do know that at least one pairing that happened in the show is not going to [be able to] happen. As for what DOES happen, I'll let it play itself out, and so we'll see…

Also note that there will be a few OCs throughout the series. Make of that what you will.

AVATAR: THE LAST FIREBENDER

BOOK 1: WATER

CHAPTER 2-1: THE AVATAR RETURNS, PART 1

Southern Water Tribe Capital City, midday

The preparations were done in swift, efficient order, and soon the entire fighting force of the Southern Water Tribe was ready for the upcoming invasion. They were not all in one position, but rather, their troops were scattered throughout the capital city and the surrounding villages and were armed with durable catapults, sturdy towers used to give anti-aerialists some altitude against their airborne foes, and the seas were lined with powerful battleships from the Water Tribe Navy.

Zuko and Aang were manning one of the catapult towers on the northeastern wall, while Iroh was standing atop one of the Water Tribe battleships. Iroh could be seen from Aang and Zuko's tower, and Aang in particular took interest in an orange-clad figure that stepped out. It was an Airbender with a thin frame, long, brown hair bunched up in a spiky ponytail, and airbender tattoos. In her hand was a glider, which was marked with various drawings and such. Aang was slightly appalled at seeing the marks on the woman's glider, even though he couldn't tell what they were. Furthermore, what on earth was an Air Warrior doing among the Water Tribe ranks?

"That's Xilingshi," Zuko told him to answer his question, "she's on pour side. She's marked here glider in defiance of the Air Warriors, and also so our own guys don't accidentally shoot her down. She's an expert dogfighter, and that really hits the Air Warriors where it hurts."

Aang suddenly smiled. "She and I would probably get along well," he remarked, "I loved dogfighting back at the Southern Air Temple. Most of the time I only did it for fun, but after the invasions started, I took a more serious approach. I think I know how I'm going to counterattack them now."

Zuko smirked. "We need more airbenders like you," he remarked, "that's probably what Iroh is talking to Xilingshi about. We wouldn't want her accidentally cutting you down."

Aang chuckled, but he did not find that part very funny. He did not doubt Xilingshi just yet, sine he and she hadn't met. He did pull out his glider and watch the horizon for the approaching armies.

"There they come," Xilingshi pointed as Iroh finished explaining to her about Aang. She twirled her glider a few times before taking to the skies. Her initiative inspired Aang to do the same, and he swooped off the tower and out towards the north, where silhouettes of ships, zeppelins, and gliders were starting to appear. Aang flew at a faster pace than Xilingshi, but only so he could catch up with her. She noticed him and glanced his way.

"You've got guts coming this far out, Avatar," she remarked, "We don't want you to get wiped out just yet. They'll tear you apart if you don't know what you're going up against."

Xilingshi neither knew nor cared how much Aang knew about the war, but Aang's knowledge of said war was actually much more than he let on to even Iroh and Zuko about. The two airbenders continued their flight until they had enough distance between them and the tribes to be a disorganizing force, but they remained close enough so that the Water Tribe catapults and battleship attacks could still hit their opponents.

"I doubt you'll have to worry about me that much," Aang remarked, and a few moments later, the first encounters with the Air Warriors occurred.

They had not changed much since the last time Aang remembered them, except perhaps now they looked much fiercer. Owing to their southerly location and the associated cold climates, the Air Warriors were wearing thicker clothing than usual, but it was still significantly different from the Air Nomad robes that Aang was used to back before the warriors at the Eastern and Western Air Temples rose to power. Ultimately, they looked and dressed much like Xilingshi did.

Aang's claim was not just confidence. His skill, along with Xilingshi's, showed as they started raining their fury down upon the approaching Air Warriors. Granted, two airbenders were not enough to take on the entire legion, but it did frustrate the advancement of the Air Warriors for a while.

Xilingshi was diving and dodging through the hoards of Air Warriors looking for someone, as Aang took a more defensive approach, and came off as the victor against a few war balloons and gliders. Soon, however, Xilingshi started pulling back as the advancement drew closer. Furthermore, she had found who she had been looking for.

"Azula's there," she warned Aang, "get back to the tribes!"

While Aang neither knew who Azula was nor wanted to retreat, he did so anyways, as Xilingshi was pulling back as well. He figured Iroh would know who Azula was, and so while Xilingshi took to a different part of the skies closer to the defenses of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang landed on deck, where Iroh was issuing commands to his soldiers operating the catapults.

"Azula," Iroh stated in answer to Aang's question, "is one of the highest ranking Air Warriors in service. She is the one that is adamantly looking for you. She is not the leader of the Air Warrior Confederation, but she is definitely an heir to that position. She is also Zuko's sister. She will probably use you as her excuse for attacking us again; your best bet would be to avoid her unless you wish to be captured."

Aang nodded, and suddenly wondered who their parents were. He figured he would worry about that later, and worry more about the war that was in front of them.

"Hold Close" Iroh ordered, and the warriors stood their ground. Zuko was issuing similar orders from the towers on the walls, and the onslaught commenced into an all-out war. The Air Warriors seemed indifferent of those in their ranks who fell, and not all of them were even airbenders. Some were glider-operators that used mechanical gliders instead of ones based off of airbending.

Azula was suddenly much more noticeable in the crowds of Air Warriors—and she couldn't be much older than 18. She had located Zuko, and the two were dueling on the wall. Azula was fast and furious as she fought, but the 20-year-old Zuko was slower and much more patient. His defenses worked well against Azula's vicious offenses for the time being. Zuko's intent was to stall her as long as possible before she ordered her troops to scour the tribes for the Avatar, but he was not sure how long he would be able to hold…