Chapter 6:
The Waterbending Scroll
Commander Zhao sat in his quarters, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He had been so close to capturing the Avatar, and yet, Prince Zuko had ruined everything. He could feel his anger simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment.
Suddenly, the door to his quarters opened and a soldier entered, saluting as he approached. "Commander Zhao, I have a message from the Fire Lord," he said, handing over a scroll.
Zhao took the scroll and broke the seal, his eyes scanning the words quickly. "Lord Aurelius," he muttered to himself. "I don't recall ever hearing that name before."
The soldier stood at attention, waiting for further instructions. Zhao thought for a moment before speaking. "Tell the helmsman to set a course for the Fire Nation. We leave at once."
The soldier saluted again and quickly left the room to deliver the message.
As Zhao paced back and forth, his mind raced with questions about Lord Aurelius. Who was he? What did he want with him? Was this a promotion or a demotion? Zhao's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his door opening once again.
"Commander," said one of his soldiers, stepping into the room. "We're ready to set sail whenever you give the order."
Zhao nodded, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Very well. Tell the men to prepare for departure."
As the soldier left, Zhao leaned back in his chair and let out a heavy sigh. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this situation. He had a nagging suspicion that he was being set up, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
Nevertheless, he knew he had to go to the Fire Nation and meet with Lord Aurelius. Whatever the outcome of this meeting, he was determined to come out on top. He was Commander Zhao, after all, and no one could stand in his way.
The vast, rolling hills of the Earth Kingdom stretched out as far as the eye could see below Appa's powerful wings. The majestic sky bison soared through the clear blue sky, his shaggy fur ruffling in the wind as he carried the Avatar and his friends towards their next destination.
Aang's restlessness was apparent as he paced around the saddle of Appa, breathing heavily.
"Would you just sit down already?" Sokka scolded him from his seat on Appa's back. "You'll fall off if we hit a bump!"
"That's why I'm the one flying Appa, not you," Neo interjected.
"What's going on, Aang?" Eli asked.
"It's about what Avatar Roku said, isn't it?" Neo guessed.
"Yes! I have to master all four elements before the comet arrives!" Aang exclaimed, his anxiety mounting.
"Well, you already mastered Airbending, and that only took you 112 years," Sokka said with a sarcastic smirk. "I'm sure you can learn three more elements by next summer."
"But I haven't even started Waterbending, and we're still weeks away from the North Pole!" Aang fretted, resuming his pacing and grasping his head. "What am I going to do?"
Sokka winced as Neo smacked him on the back of the head, wiping the smirk off his face.
"Relax, Aang. Everything will be fine," Neo reassured him.
"Yeah," Katara agreed, taking Aang's hands in hers. "If you want, I can teach you some Waterbending."
"You'd do that for me?" Aang asked, a hint of a smile on his face.
"Of course," Katara replied with a genuine smile. "But first, we need to find a good source of water."
"Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in," Sokka quipped with a grin.
As the group landed near a large waterfall and river, Sokka grumbled, fixated on the water. "Nice puddle," he muttered sarcastically, while Aang and Katara marveled at their surroundings and Neo and Eli chuckled.
Suddenly, Appa plunged into the river, drenching Momo and almost knocking him off his perch. The lemur shook himself off in annoyance as Appa floated on his back, blissfully enjoying the water.
"Yeah!" Aang cheered, already stripping down to his underwear. "Don't start without me, boy!"
"Remember why we're here," Katara reminded him sternly.
"Right," Aang said, sheepishly pulling his pants back up. "Time to practice Waterbending."
Sokka drawled sarcastically, "So what am I supposed to do?"
"You could...clean the gunk out of Appa's toes!" Aang offered, holding out a branch with leaves on the end.
Sokka frowned, "So while you guys are playing in the water, I'm supposed to be hard at work picking mud out of a giant bison's feet."
"Mud and bugs," Aang corrected with a grin.
"Okay," Sokka said, grabbing the branch and walking over to Appa, who was still floating on his back in the water.
"Yeah, don't get too happy," Sokka stated as he stood on Appa's stomach and brushed a branch between the bison's toes. "You've got to do me next."
Appa merely moaned in pleasure and wiggled his other toes.
Off to the side, Neo and Eli sat in meditation. But while Neo seemed relaxed and at ease, Eli struggled to find his center. After a few moments, Eli let out a frustrated sigh and spoke up.
"I think I'm doing it wrong," he admitted.
Neo opened his eyes and turned to face Eli, his voice tinged with annoyance, "There's nothing to do. Let your mind clear and open yourself up to the force."
Eli hesitated before suggesting, "Can't we just practice dueling instead? I mean, I'll have forever to try and master the force, but I'm not a skilled lightsaber duelist like you."
Neo's patience seemed to be wearing thin as he replied, "Then you need to know how to fight without your lightsaber. Remember, fighting your enemy is more about brains rather than brawn. You should only use your lightsaber as a last resort."
Eli frowned, "But... when would I not use my lightsaber?"
"I don't know, Eli," Neo said, his voice sharp with annoyance. "Why don't you meditate on it?"
Frustrated, Eli stood up abruptly. "Nope, still not clicking. I'm gonna go see what Aang and Katara are doing," he declared before storming off, his heavy footsteps disturbing the once-peaceful ambiance of the waterfall.
Neo sighed as he followed his apprentice.
Sokka grumbled as he surveyed the wreckage of their supplies floating down the river. "You just practiced our supplies down the river," he muttered, glaring at Aang.
"Uh...sorry," Aang apologized, looking sheepish.
"What happened?" Neo asked, approaching the group.
"Aang made a really big wave," Eli explained.
"Really? Great job Aang," Neo praised, smiling at the young Avatar.
"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without Katara," Aang replied, gesturing to his friend.
Neo noticed the forced smile on Katara's face and made a mental note to talk to her about it later.
"Well, maybe we can find somewhere to replace all the supplies," Neo suggested, trying to be optimistic.
"My life was hard enough when you were just airbending," Sokka complained, still staring at the lost supplies as they floated down the river.
"Shut up, Sokka," Eli said.
As the group prepared to set off, Neo reached out and gently grasped Katara's arm, causing her to turn towards him.
"Hey," he said softly, "Is everything alright?"
Katara's lips curved into a smile, but Neo could that it was, once again, forced. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, trying to brush off him off.
Neo wasn't convinced, but he decided to let it go for the moment. Situations like these usually worked themselves out.
Neo looked around the port's marketplace warily, taking in the rather intimidating people surrounding the stalls. Sokka and Katara looked just as wary as he did, but Aang and Eli were looking around in wonder, their eyes wide with amazement.
Sokka announced, "We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely."
Aang reached behind his back and pulled out a white, bison-shaped whistle. "Uh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka.
Neo pinched his nose and frowned as he looked down at Aang. "Aang, what did you do?"
I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Aang replied with a sheepish grin as he pulled a whistle from his pocket
Neo raised an eyebrow at the whistle and watched as Aang blew into it, producing a feeble sound.
"It doesn't even work," Sokka said.
Momo screeched in annoyance and Sokka groaned.
"See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."
Katara held out her hand and said, "No offense, Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Aang handed over the two copper pieces with a pout.
Eli couldn't help but laugh at Aang as the group continued to walk through the marketplace.
"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here!" A man with brown hair dressed in green and standing in front of a ship, called out to the passing people. "Don't be shy, come on by!"
Sokka, Katara, Neo, Eli, and Aang walked past the man but he ran up them. "Oh! You there, I can see from your clothing that you're world-traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?"
Aang walked back to the man with a grin, "Sure! What are curios?"
"I'm not entirely sure…" The man muttered. He then grinned and steered Aang towards the docked ship behind him. "But we got 'em!"
"Hey... Neo?" Eli whispered. "Why is that man wearing lipstick?"
"Be quiet, Eli." Neo hushed. "He probably just has very pink lips."
"He also has excellent hearing," the man said, clearly unhappy with what he had just heard Neo and Eli say. Neo and Eli looked at each other in surprise as they quickly followed Aang, Katara, Sokka, and the man onto the ship.
Neo looked around the inside of the ship curiously for a moment and leaned against a table, keeping an eye on the other four as they searched the ship.
Aang grinned and leaned down to look closely at an object on a shelf before becoming confused. "Huh?"
Katara stared eerily at an ornate monkey statue with red gems for eyes on another shelf before shaking her head and walking away from it. Neo watched her for a moment then looked back at Aang as he walked beside another shelf, pausing to look at another object.
"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur," a man suddenly said, startling the five as he walked into the light with a colorful reptile-bird perched on his shoulder. "That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in... bartering."
Aang grabbed Momo from his shoulder and held him protectively to his chest. "Momo's not for sale."
Neo moved forward, placing his hand on Aang's shoulder, and scowled at the seedy-looking man.
Meanwhile, Katara had wandered further into the ship and paused when she spotted a shelf where a couple of scrolls were kept, grabbing one that had the Waterbending symbol on it. The dark-haired girl opened the scroll and gasped quietly in surprise when she saw diagrams and writings for Waterbending.
"Look at this, Aang! It's a Waterbending scroll!" She called over excitedly with a smile as Aang walked over and peered over her shoulder. "Check out these crazy moves!"
Aang turned to look at the man excitedly. "Where did you get a Waterbending scroll?"
The man slammed his hand on the scroll and snatched it from the table, rolling it back up. "Let's just say I got it up North, at a most reasonable price... free."
Neo's eyebrows rose and he narrowed his eyes at the man as he placed the scroll back on the shelf.
"Wait a minute… Sea-loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise," Sokka spoke, his eyebrows raising as his voice rose. "And pet reptile birds?"
Eli gasped and turned around to face the pink-lipped hawker from the street, nearly spitting in his face. "You guys are pirates!"
The hawker put his arms around Eli's shoulders. "We prefer to think of ourselves as... high-risk traders."
Neo's eyes narrowed and he walked over to Sokka and the man quickly, plucking the pirate's arm from Sokka's shoulder.
"I'm sure you do…" He drawled sarcastically as he tugged Eli away from the greasy pirate and over to where Katara and Aang were leaning against the counter that the captain was standing behind.
"So, how much for the, uh, traded, scroll?" Katara asked sarcastically as she looked at the two copper pieces in her hand.
"I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom," The captain said coolly then his voice turned less serious as he looked down at the two. "Unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on you right now."
Aang turned and whispered quietly to Katara, "I know how to deal with these guys, Katara. Pirates love to haggle."
Katara quirked an eyebrow but placed their last two coins into the bald boy's hand.
"Watch and learn," Aang said with a smirk as he sauntered over to the counter then leaned against it, and began talking in a pirate-like voice. "Let's say to the price of, one copper piece!"
Aang smiled and dramatically presented a single copper piece, causing the captain to laugh hysterically. "The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle on items this rare."
Aang smirked confidently and continued talking like a pirate, "Okay, two copper pieces!"
"It's not amusing the second time, boy," the pirate captain snarled, leaning forward slightly to glare at the Aang.
Katara stepped forward and touched Aang's shoulder, whispering quietly, "Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we're getting weird looks."
Aang snatched his staff up from where it was leaning against the counter and still talking like a pirate said, "Aye, we be casting off now."
Neo sighed and grabbed Eli and Aang by their arms, dragging them from the ship after Sokka and Katara.
"What was that all about, Katara?" Aang asked the dark-haired girl curiously as they walked down the ramp.
"Yeah, I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection," Sokka complained.
Neo watched as Katara shrugged and hugged her arms to her chest, her expression looking slightly worried. He frowned. Something was definitely up.
"I'll just feel a lot better once we get away from here, okay?"
"Katara, what did you do?" Neo asked.
"Hey, you!" The pink-lipped man from before suddenly shouted at them from the front of the ship. "Get back here!"
Aang smirked as he turned around, "Well, well, well. Look who's finally come to their senses." Aang looked back at his friends. "Told you the haggling would pay off."
Neo quirked an eyebrow when he saw Katara's expression suddenly turn fearful and she began to back away slightly. His eyes narrowed as he looked back at the pirate ship. They widened again when he saw the armed pirates jump out of the ship and rush towards them.
"I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us!" Katara cried out as she, Sokka, Aang, Eli, and Neo turned around and negan run away, the pirates chasing after them.
The four ran through the market, turning a corner sharply and Katara froze a puddle behind them, causing one of the pirates to slip. Sokka and Katara ran down an alleyway, bumping into the cabbage merchant. Aang jumped through the small space between the top of the cart and the cabbages while Eli and Neo merely flipped over the cart. Neo then used the force to push the cart back, throwing it into the pirates that were right behind them.
"My cabbages!" The merchant shrieked. "This place is worse than Omashu!"
"Him again?" Eli asked.
"Keep running!" Neo yelled.
Eli yelped as another group of pirates leaped out in front of them and began chasing them back down the street the four had just come from.
"I hope that lemur of yours has nine lives!" One of the pirates shouted as they chased the four teens around a corner and into a dead end.
The man with pink lips expertly twirled his knives and asked in a sinister tone, "Who shall have the privilege of feeling the steel of my blade first?"
"You guys stay back," Neo said to the others, "I'll handle this."
As Neo said that, the pirates quickly sprung into action and ran towards him.
Neo dodged the incoming attacks from the pirates with ease, his movements almost too quick for the eye to follow.
He used the Force to anticipate the movements of the pirates, sidestepping their swings, and effortlessly disarming them with precise telekinetic movements. He sent their weapons flying out of their hands and crashing into nearby crates, creating a cacophony of splintering wood and metal.
As the pirates closed in, Neo used the Force to create a powerful blast, knocking them back and creating an opening for Eli, Katara, Aang, and Sokka to escape. They quickly took advantage of the opportunity, making a run for it, while Neo remained in the middle of the fray, deflecting the pirates' attacks with the Force, using it to push them away and keep them at bay.
Neo's movements were fluid and calculated, his mastery of the Force evident in every gesture.
With a final surge of power, Neo unleashed a wave of telekinetic force that sent the remaining pirates sprawling in all directions. As the dust settled, he quickly rejoined his friends, who were waiting at the end of the alleyway.
The group darted away from the bustling port, their footsteps pounding against the ground as they sprinted towards their camp. Their breaths came out in quick gasps, their hearts racing with adrenaline as they moved with urgency.
"I used to kinda look up to pirates," Aang commented as he sat on the ground, leaning against a rock. "But those guys were terrible."
Eli nodded in agreement and as he flopped onto his back and tossed his arm over his eyes with a slight groan.
"I know. That's why I took…" Katara began as she reached into her pocket. However, it seemed like whatever it was she was looking for wasn't there.
"Looking for this?" Neo said as he pulled the scroll out of his robe.
"No way!" Aang gaped in surprise and lurched to his feet.
"That's crazy!" Eli agreed.
"No wonder they were trying to hack us up!" Sokka yelled angrily." You stole their Waterbending scroll!"
"I prefer to think of it as high-risk trading." The dark-haired girl joked, causing Aang to laugh.
"Good one, Katara."
Neo, Eli, and Sokka all glared at Katara, clearly not as pleased as Aang was.
"Guys, where do you think they got it?" Katara asked rhetorically as she looked between the three teens. "They stole it from a Waterbender!"
"It doesn't matter," Sokka snapped. "You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes!"
"These are real Waterbending forms." Katara stated in an attempt to justify her actions, "You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn Waterbending!"
"Alright guys, enough." Neo began, trying to defuse the situation. "Katara might have put all of our lives in danger, but what's done is done. Now that we have the waterbending scroll, we might as well use it. However, we shouldn't stay here for too long. The pirates are almost certainly searching for us as we speak. Force knows what would happen if Zuko happened to land at this port and team up with the pirates."
"Dude, seriously?" Eli said. "Do you actually think Zuko's gonna land at the port we just so happened to be at today?
"Oh, this is handsome!" Iroh exclaimed as he looked at the bejeweled monkey statue. "Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?"
The pirate captain's lieutenant stood in front of the captain near the back of the ship. "We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with."
Zuko turned around when he heard the pirate and stepped forward. "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?
"I just want to try this one move first and then it's all yours." Katara said, then handed the open scroll to Aang, "Here, hold it open for me. The single water whip. Looks doable."
Neo, Eli, Aang, and Sokka watched as Katara attempted the move but only ended up hitting herself in the forehead, leaving a red mark.
"Ow!"
Sokka started laughing hysterically at her and Eli giggled behind his hand, ducking his head when Katara turned to glare at the two of them.
"What's so funny?" The dark-haired girl demanded.
"I'm sorry, but you deserved that." Sokka stated mirthfully then turned to Aang, "You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself."
"Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" Katara snapped angrily before attempting the move again. This time she smacked Momo's backside, causing him to screech angrily at her. "Ugh! Why can't I get this stupid move?" She yelled.
"You'll get it," Aang said reassuringly as he put the scroll on the tree stump and walked closer to the river, not noticing the glare Katara was giving him. "You just got to shift your weight through the stances."
Aang mimicked the moves on the Waterbending scroll and created the water whip on his first try.
"There, see?" Aang said with a smile. "The key to bending is—"
"Will you please shut your air hole?!" Katara screamed angrily as she loomed over Aang. "Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes. Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted?"
"Katara, that's enough!" Neo exclaimed from behind her.
Katara turned around to see Neo, Eli, and Sokka all glaring at her. "What?" she demanded as she turned to look back at Aang. Aang looked back at her, tears in his eyes, making Katara feel guilty.
"Oh my gosh, Aang, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. But you know what? It won't happen again." Katara then handed Aang the scroll. "Here, this is yours," she said softly. "I don't want anything to do with it anymore."
"It's okay," Aang said with a forgiving smile.
"What about Momo?" Sokka asked with a slight grin as he gestured to the lemur rubbing his backside. "He's the real victim here."
"I'm sorry, Momo," Katara apologized, kneeling behind the lemur and rubbing his ears.
"And what about me?" Sokka asked gesturing to himself, "There was that time you—"
"No more apologies!" Katara snapped at her brother, giving him a dark look.
"Had to push it, didn't you?" Eli said, giggling at Sokka.
Sokka glared at him.
"Hey, Neo, I was just thinking," Eli said. "Why didn't you use your lightsaber back there? I mean, we were being attacked by those thugs, and you had your lightsaber. Wouldn't it have been much easier for you to use it instead of fighting off those pirates with your bare hands?"
Neo sighed and leaned back against a tree. "Eli, it's like I told you earlier. Sometimes the best way to defend yourself is to not use your weapon," he said.
Eli frowned, clearly puzzled.
"But we're Jedi, Neo!" he protested. "We're supposed to use our lightsaber to protect ourselves and others."
"Yes, that's right," Neo said. "But being a Jedi means more than just using a lightsaber. It means knowing when not to use it, too. I had to weigh the situation and make the best decision for all of us. In that moment, not using my lightsaber was the right choice."
Eli nodded thoughtfully, starting to understand Neo's reasoning. "I think I see what you mean," he said. "Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, but sometimes it's knowing when not to use your weapons at all."
"Exactly," Neo replied. "Being a Jedi means making the best decisions for everyone, even if it means not using our weapons. We need to be able to read the situation and act accordingly."
Eli smiled back, feeling much better about the situation. "Thanks, Neo," he said.
"Anytime, Eli," Neo said, smiling.
Later that night, Katara looked around the camp quietly as she checked to see if Sokka, Aang, Neo, and Eli were asleep. Breathing quietly, she slipped out of her sleeping bag and walked over to the bag where the Waterbending scroll was, carefully pulling it out. Katara then silently backed away from the camp until she thought she was far enough away. She then turned, finding herself face-to-face with Momo, who chattered at her.
"Shh, Momo! Go back to sleep!" Katara whispered firmly to the chattering lemur as she walked past. "Shh!"
Neo's eyes popped open. He rolled to his feet noiselessly and stared in the direction Katara had gone in.
"Ah!" Katara gasped as her water whip hit her skin again. She was struggling to perfect the move, but it seemed like the water was not cooperating.
She muttered to herself, "Come on, water. Work with me here." But her efforts only caused her more pain and frustration.
Suddenly, a voice whispered from behind her, "Don't give up now."
Katara spun around, her heart beating wildly in her chest. It was Neo.
"Neo! Hi," Katara exclaimed, trying to hide her blushing cheeks. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing, but I think I already know the answer," Neo replied with a small smile.
Katara tried to act nonchalant, but Neo could see right through her. With his piercing gaze, he asked, "What's going on, Katara? You've been distracted since we arrived and started training Aang."
Katara let out a sigh and looked up and Neo. "I guess...I'm a little envious of Aang. He's able to master bending so easily, but it took me years just to get a little bit of it right. And he learned a new move in seconds, something neither of us has ever seen before. It's just so frustrating to see him pick it up so easily."
Neo stepped closer to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's because Aang had help, while you had to learn everything on your own. You were the only waterbender in your tribe, and there was no one to teach you. You had to figure it out all by yourself, and that's something to be proud of. So don't be too hard on yourself, Katara."
Katara felt a warm feeling spread inside her chest as she stared at Neo, grateful for his support.
"Thank you, Neo," she whispered softly, her eyes shining at him.
But their moment was interrupted when Neo suddenly stiffened. "We're not alone," he warned.
Out of nowhere, a pirate appeared and attacked them, but Neo used the force to push him back. "Katara, run!" Neo ordered, as he prepared to fight off more attackers.
Katara ran as fast as she could, trying to escape the pirates who were pursuing her. But in her haste, she collided with someone unexpected... Zuko!
"I'll protect you from the pirates," Zuko said as he restrained her.
"Katara! Let her go!" Neo shouted as he ran towards them.
But before Neo could intervene, he suddenly felt naseous. Then, everything went dark.
Neo found himself standing alone in the middle of a snowy city on a clear and starry night. The ground beneath his feet was covered in a blanket of snow, and the air was crisp and cold. He took in the breathtaking scene around him, admiring the way the snow sparkled in the moonlight, and feeling the chill seep through his clothes.
As he stood there, gazing up at the sky, something strange happened. The moon, which had been a brilliant white, suddenly turned a deep shade of crimson, casting an eerie glow over everything. Neo couldn't believe his eyes, wondering if it was some sort of trick of the light or if something more ominous was happening.
Just then, two figures appeared in front of him. The first was a woman, her skin as white as the snow that surrounded them. She had long, flowing hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes shone like stars in the night sky. The other figure was a man, his skin as dark as the night itself. His features were sharp and angular, and his eyes were piercing.
As Neo watched in awe, a fireball suddenly shot through the sky, hurtling towards the woman. Neo cried out in horror as it struck her, sending her flying backwards and landing heavily in the snow. The entire scene was bathed in a red light, casting everything into darkness.
Neo stumbled forward, his heart racing with fear and confusion. He felt a sense of urgency, as if he needed to reach the woman before it was too late. But as he approached her, he saw that she was already gone, leaving behind nothing but a smoldering heap in the snow.
Shaken to his core, Neo couldn't comprehend what had just happened. The moon was still red, the snow was still melting, and the man with dark skin was still there, staring at him with a cold and calculating expression. Neo tried to back away, but his legs wouldn't move. He was trapped, alone in this strange and terrifying place, with no way out.
Neo slowly regained consciousness, groaning as he blinked his eyes open. As he looked around, he realized that he was tied to a sturdy tree trunk, with thick ropes biting into his skin. A wave of panic washed over him as he frantically tried to remember how he ended up in this situation.
Beside him, he saw Katara, looking pale and scared as she faced a group of menacing figures. Zuko, was there too, flanked by several Fire Nation troops and pirates. Neo felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized that they were all in serious trouble.
"Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your friends," Zuko stated persuasively from in front of where he had Katara and Neo tied up.
"Go jump in the river!" Katara snapped back angrily as she glared at him before looking away.
"Try to understand," Zuko said after a moment of thought as he approached Katara. "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost... my honor." Zuko came around to her side and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost."
Neo's eyes widened when he saw Zuko hold up Katara's mother's necklace to the Water Tribe girl's neck briefly, the necklace she had lost when they had freed the Earthbenders from the Fire Nation prison rig.
"My mother's necklace!" Katara exclaimed, looking down at the necklace as Zuko dangled it in front of her for a moment then walked back over to his soldiers with a smirk. "How did you get that?!" she demanded, straining slightly against the bonds around her.
"I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering," Zuko taunted as he turned to face the captured girls. "Tell me where he is."
"No!" Katara shouted defiantly.
The pirate captain suddenly stepped forward. "Enough of this necklace garbage! You promised the scroll!"
"I wonder how much this is worth…" Zuko said as he took the Waterbending scroll from behind his pocket and held it over the fire dancing in his other hand, smirking as the pirates gasped in fear. "A lot, apparently. Now, you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."
"Fine." The pirate captain growled as he turned around, scowling darkly as he and his men began doing as the banished prince ordered.
"Is capturing a twelve-year-old really going to bring you honor and get you back in your father's good graces?" Neo asked incredulously, his eyes darting back and forth between Zuko and the Fire Nation troops.
Zuko narrowed his eyes at Neo, recognition flickering across his face. "I remember you from Kyoshi Island," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But you weren't at the Fire Temple."
"I was preoccupied at the time," Neo replied casually, as if discussing the weather. "But in all seriousness, would you really stoop so low as to ally yourself with barbarians such as these? The moment they realize who Aang is, the scroll will become nothing more than a memory, and they'll leave for another big score, just as all pirates do."
"Then you'd better keep your mouth shut if you hope to leave this place alive," Zuko hissed, stepping closer to Neo.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Neo asked, "How did you get the scar?"
Zuko's one good eye went wide with surprise, then narrowed with anger. "Why do you want to know?" he demanded.
"Curiosity, I suppose," Neo said with a shrug. "If I had to wager, and I'm not a betting man, I'd say that wasn't a battle scar for the ladies, but some kind of punishment, huh?"
Zuko's face twisted with rage, and he brought a fiery fist close to Neo's face, but then stopped, his expression softening slightly. He turned and walked away without another word.
"I see," Neo said mockingly. "I'm so sorry."
Sokka rolled over in his sleeping back and yawned as he began to wake up.
"Huh?" He muttered when he noticed that Katara's sleeping bag was empty. "Where did she go?"
The Water Tribe boy crawled out of his sleeping bag and reached into the satchel he had bought at the market, digging inside for the Waterbending scroll only to come up empty-handed.
"I don't believe it." He muttered as Aang sat up, yawning.
"What's wrong?" Aang asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly then frowned when he noticed several people were missing. "Where are Neo, Eli, and Katara?"
"She took the scroll!" Sokka stated exasperatedly as he dumped out the bag, "She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep—AH!"
Sokka's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled against the rope that bound his wrists. He had been caught off guard by the sudden attack and was now being dragged along the forest floor, the rough terrain tearing at his clothes and skin.
He managed to roll over and scramble to his feet just as the pirate lunged at him again. Sokka's quick reflexes allowed him to dodge the blow, and he wasted no time in grabbing his trusty club.
With a fierce battle cry, Sokka charged towards the pirate, determined to defend himself and his friends. He swung his club with all his might, aiming for the pirate's head. But the pirate was quick, and he managed to dodge the blow.
Sokka's frustration and anger only grew as the pirate attacked him again and again, each time narrowly missing his mark. He couldn't let this continue, he had to do something to turn the tide of the fight.
Meanwhile, Aang was in a similar predicament. He had quickly recognized the danger he was in and had gotten into an Airbending stance, ready to defend himself. But he had underestimated his opponent.
A pirate with a net attached to two crossbows had appeared out of nowhere and fired at Aang. The net hit him with surprising force, and Aang felt himself being lifted off the ground and captured.
He tried to use his Airbending skills to free himself, but the net was too strong. The pirate quickly rolled Aang to another pirate, who grabbed him roughly and began dragging him away.
Sokka was knocked off his feet by another pirate, who had been running after the one dragging Aang.
"Oh, what?" Sokka shouted as he got to his feet, "I'm not good enough to kidnap? AH!"
Sokka yelled as another net was shot at him and he was dragged in the same direction Aang had been taken in.
Moments later, Eli emerged from the bushes with a pained expression on his face, rubbing his butt furiously. "Ow, ow, ow!" he muttered. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted those bushes."
As he looked around, he realized the others had disappeared. "Guys?" he called out. "Where are you? Did you abandon me?"
He started walking in circles around the camp, still wincing with pain. "I swear, if I get a thorn infection or something, I'm blaming all of you," he grumbled to himself.
"Nice work," Zuko praised as he stood in front of where the pirates were gathered with the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy tied up in front of them.
"Aang, this is all my fault," Katara said sadly as she looked at Aang.
"No, Katara. It isn't," Aang said, trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah, it kind of is," Neo and Iron both countered
Zuko took a few steps towards the pirate captain, the Waterbending scroll in hand. "Give me the boy."
"You give us the scroll." The pirate captain retorted without moving.
Sokka looked up at the pirate captain in mock surprise. "You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?"
"Don't listen to him," Zuko ordered, glaring at the Sokka heatedly. "He's trying to turn us against each other!"
'Nice thinking, Sokka,' Neo thought to himself.
The pirate captain ignored Zuko and looked down at Aang, but addressed Sokka. "Your friend is the Avatar?"
"Sure is," Sokka confirmed with a sly grin. "And I'll bet he'll fetch you a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll."
"Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko snarled angrily.
"Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth." Aang whispered at his friend.
Sokka shrugged. "I'm just saying! It's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar! You guys would be set for life."
"Yeah," Neo chimed in with a smirk. "What was it you were asking for the scroll? Was it for a measly two hundred gold pieces? Please, I'm sure you could get at least four hundred gold pieces for the Avatar, or hell, maybe even a million gold pieces if you play your cards right."
"Keep the scroll," The pirate captain sneered at Zuko, "We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid."
Zuko's eyes narrowed as he watched the pirates turn their back on him. "You'll regret breaking a deal with me."
"As I said before, for a pirate, the promise of a bigger score always outweighs any sense of honor," Neo remarked.
Zuko and his two soldiers advanced towards the pirates, a wave of fire erupted from their palms, causing the pirates to stumble backwards. Amidst the chaos, the man with pink lips dashed forward and tossed a smoke bomb onto the ground, immediately disappearing into the cloud of smoke. The pirates wasted no time in retaliating, and a fierce fight broke out between the two groups.
Meanwhile, Sokka and Aang struggled to free themselves from their ropes. Just as they were making progress, three of Zuko's soldiers charged towards them. However, their attempt to capture the two boys was thwarted by four pirates who emerged from the shadows and surrounded Sokka and Aang. Without hesitation, the pirates threw a smoke bomb, instantly enveloping the area in a thick haze of gray smoke.
Neo and Katara struggled against the rough rope that bound them tightly to the tree. "What can we do?" Katara questioned, her voice filled with desperation.
As they wriggled and writhed, they suddenly heard a sharp swoosh sound, and before they knew it, they were both untied. Confused and bewildered, they turned to see Eli standing between them.
"Hey guys, what did I miss?" Eli said, looking around with a curious expression.
"We have to leave now," Neo said urgently, grabbing Eli's arm as they darted around the raging battle, trying to make their way to the pirate ship.
Within the cloud, Sokka yelled out, crawling on the ground as he attempted to cut through the ropes binding him. "Aang, you there?"
"Over here!" Aang's voice echoed back. "Follow my voice!"
Sokka tried to locate Aang's voice amidst the chaos, but a blade suddenly landed before him. He used it to slice through his restraints and then shouted again, "Where are you?"
"I'm right here!" Aang called out, causing Sokka to crawl towards the voice. Suddenly, Aang scowled and Airbended the dust away, revealing a group of pirates surrounding him. He quickly Airbended the smoke and dust back around him.
"Forget it, I'll find you!" Aang yelled as he disappeared back into the smoke.
Emerging from the smoke cloud on his hands and knees, Sokka saw Aang vaulting over him in a full sprint.
"Run!" Aang shouted over his shoulder as Sokka jumped to his feet and ran after him.
"Guys, you're all right!" Aang exclaimed with relief as he and Sokka found her, Neo, and Eli attempting to push the pirate ship back into the water.
"We need to get this boat back in the water so we can escape," Katara instructed briskly, and the two boys immediately joined them in pushing the boat, but their efforts were in vain.
"We'd need a team of rhinos to budge this ship," Sokka declared as the three stepped back.
"A team of rhinos," Aang added, gazing thoughtfully at the ship. Then, he turned to Katara, "Or two Waterbenders."
Katara grinned at him, and they stood opposite each other, preparing to bend. They began to push and pull the water in perfect synchronization, causing the boat to rise steadily until it was floating on the water once more.
"Quickly, everyone on board!" Katara commanded, and they all clambered aboard the pirate ship.
"Are you so busy fighting that you cannot see your own ship has set sail?" Iroh demanded after pulling Zuko and the pirate captain apart.
"We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!" Zuko snapped as he turned to his uncle in annoyance.
"It's no proverb," Iroh stated drily as he pointed towards the pirates' ship that was sailing away.
"Bleeding hog monkeys!" The pirate captain cursed and ran after the ship.
Zuko pointed and laughed at the captain only for his laughter to dissipate when he saw the pirates had hijacked his own boat, the pirates taunting him as they sailed after the Avatar and his friends.
"Hey! That's my boat!" Zuko shouted and began chasing the stolen boat.
"Maybe it should be a proverb…" Iroh mused as he watched the boats sail downstream while his nephew raced after his stolen boat.
"C'mon, Uncle!" Zuko shouted. Iroh sighed and hurried after his nephew.
"Sokka, can't you make this thing go any faster?" Neo asked as he looked back to see pirates gaining on them.
"I don't know how," Sokka called back as he tried to steer. "This thing wasn't made by the Water Tribe."
"We have another problem, guys," Eli stated.
"What now?" Sokka asked sarcastically.
"There's no rum! Oh, why is the rum always gone?"
"Eli! This is not the time!" Neo yelled.
Just then, the pirates caught up to them and managed to pull Zuko's boat even with theirs. With a loud thud, they jumped aboard.
"Sokka," Neo called out, his voice firm with determination. "Keep the boat steady if you can." He scanned the deck, sizing up the attacking pirates. "Everyone else, hold these thugs off and protect this ship."
One of the pirates lunged at Neo with his sword, but Neo reacted quickly. He twisted the pirate's arm, making him drop his weapon and sending him overboard. He picked up the sword and engaged another pirate.
Meanwhile, Aang and Katara were busy defending themselves against the other pirates. With a swift motion, Katara used waterbending to create a whip and sent another pirate flying overboard. Aang looked at her in admiration.
"Hey, you did the water whip!" he said.
"I couldn't have done it without your help," she replied.
"Would you two quit congratulating each other and help me out!" Sokka shouted as he found himself being overrun by the pirates.
Eli saw an opportunity and jumped on one of the pirate's shoulders, hitting him on the head and causing him to release Sokka. But the sudden release caused Sokka to lose his balance and hit his head on the floor.
"Ow! I said help me, not- woah!" Sokka's words were cut short as another pirate threw him into the sail post. Neo rushed to his aid and used his force to push the pirate into the water.
As they retreated back to the others, they found themselves being cornered by the pirates who were now wielding more weapons.
"This isn't going well," Katara said with a hint of worry in her voice.
"All this for a stupid scroll!" Eli exclaimed in frustration.
"I said I was sorry," Katara responded with a sigh.
"A sorry won't mean anything if we're dead!"
"Eli, you said you wanted to improve your lightsaber skills, right?" Neo asked, with a serious expression on his face.
"Yeah!" Eli replied eagerly.
"Well, I do believe this is the type of situation that would call for a lightsaber," Neo said, as he pulled his lightsaber from his robes.
"Alright!" Eli exclaimed as he pulled out his own lightsaber.
both he and Neo ignited their blades, creating a bright glow that illuminated the deck of the ship.
"Take out their weapons, but don't kill them," Neo instructed Eli, who nodded in agreement.
The pirates looked at the two Jedi with a mix of confusion and amusement, and started laughing.
"What are you gonna do, hit us on the heads with those..." one of the pirates began to say, but his words were cut short when Neo and Eli ignited their lightsaber and charged at them. Their lightsabers were a blur as they sliced through the pirates' weapons.
In a matter of seconds, the pirates were left defenseless, their swords and spears cut in half or destroyed completely. Neo and Eli stood there, their lightsabers still glowing, while the pirates looked on in fear and disbelief.
"The rumors are true!" one of the pirates exclaimed. "There are warriors with flaming swords traveling with the Avatar!"
With that, the pirates fled the ship, jumping overboard in a desperate attempt to escape the two Jedi.
Neo and Eli turned off their lightsabers, and the glow that had filled the deck of the ship vanished.
"Well, that was easy," Eli said, putting his hands behind his head.
Neo was scanning the horizon when he spotted something.
"Hey, look," he said, pointing to a dark mass on the horizon.
"Oh no," Katara groaned.
As they got closer, the group realized they were heading straight towards a waterfall.
"We've got to keep the ship from going over," Sokka shouted.
"Nay, belay that! We need to stem the tide!" Eli said. Everyone looked at him, clearly confused. "I mean, do something that'll prevent our situation from getting worse!"
Aang began to blow into his whistle, but Sokka looked at him incredulously.
"Have you lost your mind? This is no time for flute practice!"
"We can stop the boat," Katara said. "Aang, together."
The two Waterbenders then started to use their skills to maneuver the boat away from the waterfall.
"It's working!" Eli exclaimed.
"It's slowing down, they're doing it," Neo added.
"Keep it up, guys, just a little longer," Sokka encouraged them.
Just when it seemed like they had avoided disaster, Sokka noticed another problem.
"Uh, we have another problem," he warned.
"What now?" Katara asked, worry etched on her face.
They looked in the distance and saw the pirates approaching in a Fire Nation boat.
"Uh oh," Aang said, dread creeping into his voice.
Before they could react, the steamboat collided with the pirate's boat, and both vessels went over the waterfall with a thunderous crash.
"Jump!" Aang yelled, and the group leaped from the boat, falling onto a passing Appa.
As they landed safely on Appa's back, they watched the pirates fall into the river below. "Haha, that was a great adventure!" Eli exclaimed, but his celebration was short-lived as Neo quickly silenced him.
"I knew buying a Bison whistle would come in handy," Aang said, pulling out the whistle. "Thanks Appa," he added as Appa grunted in response.
"We owe you one," Sokka said to Appa.
Taking a deep breath, Katara spoke up, "Aang, I still owe you an apology. You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger, I'm sorry."
Aang quickly forgave her, responding, "That's okay Katara."
Katara then added, "Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?"
Katara then spoke up, apologizing to Aang for putting the group in danger due to her competitive nature. Aang forgave her, and the group realized that they no longer needed the stolen scroll.
"Is that how you really feel?" Sokka asked, holding up the scroll.
"The scroll!" Aang exclaimed.
"What did you learn?" Sokka asked.
"Stealing is wrong," Katara replied as she took the scroll from Sokka. "Unless it's from pirates!" she quipped, earning a chuckle from Aang.
"So she learned... absolutely nothing," Neo remarked with a smirk, bringing the adventure to a close.
As Neo's mind dwelled on the recent events, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. 'Too bad we didn't get her necklace back,' he thought, recalling the valuable item they failed to retrieve.
But as he pondered further, his thoughts shifted to the strange vision he had experienced earlier. It played back in his mind like a broken record, leaving him with more questions than answers. "What did it mean?" he wondered aloud, hoping to make sense of the cryptic scene that had flashed before him.
Back in the Fire Nation, Commander Zhao kneeled before Fire Lord Ozai, waiting anxiously for his meeting with Lord Aurelius. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the whole situation. He wondered who Lord Aurelius was and what he wanted with him.
The Fire Lord sat on his throne, his face expressionless as he looked down at Zhao. "Commander, you have been summoned back to the Fire Nation to meet with Lord Aurelius," he said. "He has important business to discuss with you."
Zhao nodded, unsure of what to expect. "And where is Lord Aurelius?" he asked.
The Fire Lord smiled, and just as Zhao turned around, a figure emerged from behind him. Lord Aurelius walked up to Zhao, accompanied by five men and women, each one wielding a sword that seemed to glow red.
"Commander Zhao, it's a pleasure to meet you," Aurelius said, extending his hand. "I am the leader of the Fire Nation elite guard."
Zhao shook Aurelius's hand, and tried to get a better look at his face. Unfortunately, it was too dark for him to make out much.
"And who are these people with you?" Zhao asked, motioning at the people all around Aurelius.
"These are members of the elite guard," Aurelius replied, his voice deep and menacing. "They will be traveling with you on your mission, and they will be able to defeat the warriors of the flaming swords. You will not be able to defeat them on your own."
Zhao was taken aback by Aurelius's words. "And who are the elite guard?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
But Aurelius just smiled enigmatically. "You will learn more in due time, Commander," he said. "For now, know that you have been chosen for a special mission, and you will require the aid of my elite warriors to succeed."
Zhao felt a sense of unease creeping over him. He didn't know what this mission was, or why he had been chosen for it. But he knew he had no choice but to go along with it.
"Very well," he said, his voice betraying none of his doubts. "I will do what is required of me."
Ozai nodded, a satisfied look on his face. "Good," he said. "Lord Aurelius has my full trust, and I expect you to work closely with him and his elite guard to achieve your goals. Failure is not an option... Admiral."
With those words ringing in his ears, Zhao stood up and bowed deeply before leaving the room, feeling a sense of elation wash over him. He could hardly believe that he had been promoted to admiral. The Fire Nation had recognized his hard work and dedication to the military, and now he was being entrusted with even greater responsibility. However, he couldn't help but feel more uncertain than ever about what lay ahead.
What was his mission?
Who were the Elite Guard?
And most importantly...
Who was Lord Aurelius?
Alright, guys. First of all, I want to apologize for the delay in releasing the latest chapter of the story. Life has been quite hectic lately, but I'm really happy with how the chapter turned out.
Also, thank you so much to everyone who has left a review, followed, or favorited this story. It really means a lot to me, and I appreciate all the support and patience from you guys.
Moving forward, I wanted to let you know that I will be updating the story every two weeks instead of every week for the foreseeable future. I believe this will give me enough time to maintain the quality of the story while also ensuring that I can keep up with regular updates.
That being said, I'll see you all next time!