Chapter 15- Rescue Time!
Lana had just landed on an island off the coast of Australia. It seems like only yesterday that she was trapped in that bender's prison. She waited a few hours outside the prison wall, waiting for a guard to pass by. Just then, she heard a guard or two, and it sounded like they were passing this way.
Meanwhile, Kero was held up in his prison cell, weakened by the endless hours of torture. The guards decided to leave; they thought that Kero was too weak to do anything. While Kero laid on the floor of his prison cell, a teenage boy came in. The boy was the prince of the fire nation. Zuko Jr. Unlike his sadistic father, he wished that the fire nation ruled with less of an iron fist. When he read about the stories of the avatar, and how the four nations were all equal at one time, he wished to do what he could to help the other nations. But his father stopped all his plans, making Jr afraid of trying anything. In fact, his father had forced Zuko Jr. to change, so now he is almost as cruel as his father. He still wanted to see an avatar in person, so he went into the prison cell. He walked up to the bars.
Zuko Jr.-sarcastic-So your the "amazing avatar?"
Kero just laid there, with his back facing the teenager. However, he could still hear him, and listened.
Zuko Jr.-It's no wonder you couldn't save the world all those centuries ago. You are so weak. So useless.
Kero-weakly and quietly-Just like you?
Jr. heard him, and got so enraged, that he blasted blue fire right above Kero. After a second, Kero forced himself to sit up and face the fire prince.
Kero-quietly-See? You only attack me when I'm weak and unable to defend myself. In fact, I've seen you before. You're the fire lord's son. You tried to come in earlier, but your father stopped you, and you bowed and begged for forgiveness, just because he yelled at you, nothing else. You are afraid of him aren't you?
Jr.- So what if I am? You are too, aren't you? Just look what he did to you. He will make it worse each day, and keep you barely alive.
Kero- No, I'm not, and neither should you be. You have the right to be happy, and do what you think is right. I can tell that you aren't like your father. What are you really like?
The fire prince just stood there, pondering on the avatar's words. He was a kind and generous man, but his father wants him to be just like him, so Jr. acts cruel to others. He was deciding whether making his father happy was worth more than making himself happy. Without saying a word, Prince Zuko walked out of the room, still thinking. A guard has passed him, however, this was no ordinary guard. It was Lana, who had knocked out the two guards and took their armor and keys. She looked at the door that Kero was behind, marked "Dangerous Criminal." She opened the door, and saw that Kero was sitting against a charred wall. She removed her fire nation helmet and ran towards Kero's cell.
Lana-Kero? Are you ok? It's me, Lana. Wake up! Please wake up!
Kero's head looked up and showed that he had tears across his face.
Kero-You came back... for me? I told you not to. You'll be killed if you're found out.
Lana opened the cell, and went over to Kero, and gave him a big hug. She then came up to his ear and began to whisper.
Lana-whisper-You're worth it to me. Now let's get you better.
She then took out water from her water sack, and began healing Kero's burns and whip slashes.
Lana-Just relax, we're getting out of here.
Just then, Jr. came back in. As soon as Lana saw the fire prince, she grabbed him with a water whip, and stuck him to the wall inside the prison cell.
Zuko Jr.-Wait. I want to help you! I swear!
Lana-Lies! I ought to crush you right now.
Kero-Wait, Lana, let him speak.
Zuko Jr.-I've thinking about what you said to me, and I want to help you. All my life, I wanted to go out into the outside world, and visit all the places, but I just walk around the prison, and the prisoners yell and insult me, just because I'm fire nation. I don't want people to criticize and insult me while I travel, and I want to make friends with others, so I wanted to rule with kindness and restore balance to the world. But when my father found out about it, he forced me to change, by torturing me, and threatening me. So I changed, and became better friends with only my dad. Now I want to help out, and become the new fire lord, but I need the avatars to help me, so I decided to betray my father, and I'm asking if I can come with you. I can teach you everything I know. Please? I want to help.
Kero-What you say seems to be the truth. I will allow you to join us.
Lana-Fine, but I got my eye on you.
The three then escaped on a bison, and flew into the clouds, with the moonlight shining on them.
Lana-Now we must get that other frozen earthbender, so back to the village Kero.
Kero-Ok, but I wish to speak to Roku and Iroh. Join me Lana.
The two sat together, meditating until they finally reached the spirit world. The two went into the giant hall, filled with all the avatars.
Kero-Where is Roku and Iroh?
The two then appeared to Kero and Lana.
Roku-Is there a problem?
Lana-I want to know if we can trust the fire prince Zuko Jr. He says he's good, but I don't believe him. Can we trust him Iroh? You're like, his great-great-great-grand-uncle or something.
Iroh-If what he says is true, about him being good, you must give him a chance. He must have good in him, for him to want to betray his father for the better good.
Lana- I guess I will try to trust him.
Kero-Thank you Iroh. But I had another question. Where is your frozen body? We need you to help with our firebending training. You definitely have more tricks than Meyumi.
Iroh- I agree. I will help you save the world.
The room then disappeared, and the world appeared at their feet. It then zoomed into an ice cap, where an piece of floating ice passed by, containing Iroh.
Iroh-There is my body. Boy, I must say, I kind of feel glad to see the world again. I hope there are more types of tea.
Lana- Thank you. Now we must get going. We will unfreeze you as soon as we unfreeze another person.
The two then exited the spirit world, and found themselves back on the Bison, with Zuko sleeping.
Kero-Learn to trust him, Lana. He has good in him.
When the bison reached the edge of town around morning, they saw that it had become a military outpost for the fire nation. Kero, Lana, and Jr. left the bison hidden, and went into the outpost, with Kero and Lana in the fire nation armor Lana stole. As the three walked to the entrance to town, one of the soldiers came to them.
Soldier-Prince Zuko? Why are you here?
Jr.-I'm here to check up on things. These are my bodyguards. Let us inspect the entire town, and go on with your daily routine, no need to alert anyone about us. Got it?
Soldier-Uh Sir, yes, sir!
Once the three got past the guard, they ran to the lake, and swam to the underground cave. They saw that there was another block of ice, mostly covered by dirt, but still able to reveal the earth kingdom person. The three shot fire at the block, and made the ice melt. When the ice melted completely, a girl fell to the ground.
Girl-Oww! Why you do that for?
Kero-Hey we just saved you from being an iceberg for all eternity! Be grateful!
Girl-Really? I didn't know. My name is Toph. I ran away from home at some point. Then I got on a boat to explore the world, But then there was a storm, and I guess I fell off and drifted into the ice.
Lana-That's so sad.
Toph-Not really. My parents were suffocating me, and I needed to get away from them.
Kero-Anyway, that belt that you have, does that mean you're an earthbender?
Toph-You got it big guy. Not just an earthbender, but one of the greatest. What's with the fire nation guy? You capture him or something?
Kero-No he's helping us. But since you're an earthbender, can you help train the avatars?
Toph- Do I get to travel the world?
Kero-Um... sure, why not?
Toph-Ok then. Tell me your names and then let's get going.
Kero-I'm Kero. I'm one of the avatars you're going to be teaching. I know some earthbending already though.
Lana-My name is Lana. I come from the hidden air temple of Thailand. I'm also an avatar.
Jr.-I'm Prince Zuko Jr. I'm here to teach the avatars extreme firebending.
After introductions, the group evaded any fire nation soldiers, and got back to the bison.
Toph-Okay, are we flying? cause I can't feel the ground anymore.
Kero-Duh. What are you, blind?
Toph-Yup. All my life.
Kero-Oh. Well, yeah, we're flying. Flying to the north pole to be exact. That's where Iroh was.
The group then flew all the way to the North Pole. They saw what was left of the northern water tribe. Melting structures and floating debris from the many raids of the fire nation.
Lana-It's so sad. How can the fire nation do this?
Jr.-By thinking they have the right to. But it will all change soon.
Kero-That's true Zu... wait, I feel some kind of energy around here. It feels like fire, but calm and cool. It's coming from the right. Wait.
Kero then sat down and began to meditate. His dragon tattoos then glowed and left Kero's skin and flew to a floating iceberg.
Lana-That's must be Iroh! Let's go!
The bison then flew to the glowing piece of ice. Kero snapped out of the avatar state, and bended the ice onto the bison, where Lana and Jr. were beginning to melt the ice. After a few minutes, Iroh woke up, and began to steam himself warm, as he was shivering on the saddle of the bison. After a few seconds, he sat up and began to talk.
Iroh-Thank you avatars. It is so nice to finally meet you in person, and you too, dear great-great-great-great-grandnephew. Now then, you must catch me up a few hundred years.
Kero-We would love to, but let's get back to headquarter's first.
That's chapter 15! Yeah, I kinda made it so it's more current.