Avatar: Rites of Passage Chapter 2: Hakoda, an avatar: last airbender fanfic

I want to thank Wavebreeze and A711owner for their reviews. Although I only got 2 reviews, I felt Ch. 1 was generally a success, as it was fairly well received. So here's Ch. 2, with a different character and a different way of maturation. Let's see how this goes.

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The entire Water Tribe froze and stared skyward as the grey clouds and small snowflakes were contaminated with black ash and soot. The dark flakes intermingled with the snow already on the ground as complete silence descended onto the land. A bunch of Water Tribe warriors, clad in their traditional blue parkas and dark boots, all gathered at the forefront as several dark objects grew nearer. "Hakoda, this could be an invasion. Should we get into defensive position?" one man turned to ask me.

"Yes, we must get ready," I responded, pointing at various directions and directed my people to each place. It wasn't easy being the leader of the Southern Water Tribe in these times of war. The Fire Nation had waged this battle against the world for nearly a century now, and we were amongst the last people not to be entirely conquered by their vicious army. As a result of this, the Fire Nation often sent in troops to raid our tribe, depleting us of our resources, and taking many of our best water benders prisoners. Their cruelty and ruthlessness were so great that suspicion of the Fire Nation ran deep in our tribe, so much so that many older warriors willingly volunteered to defend us, even as their fighting abilities were limited and would most likely become victims themselves.

And this raid was no exception as the Fire Nation boats slammed into our snow and ice-covered land. The familiar red triangular flags, with the sea raven design in the middle, signified one of the most terrifying naval units of the Fire Nation: the Southern Raiders. "Get everyone to safety, take the children inside," I shouted to the women as blurs of blue rushed past, "Frontline fighters come with me and gather at the waterfront, while backline defenders hold the line at the gates," I pointed at several snow pits, one of which contained my children Sokka and Katara. Their fun snowball fight was interrupted as the raid began, and I could see Katara race off deeper into our village. She went in the direction of our home, where my wife Kya was at the moment. "Stay safe, alright?" I murmured, taking one last look back before I took off for the water.

Before our team could even line up into formation, the Fire Nation troops charged forward. Bright orange pumped out their fists, contrasting against their dark uniforms and the snowy ground as they roared in fury. The darkly-dressed, masked figures raced our way just as the descending soot thickened, the ocean winds suddenly dying down as we had the battle of our lives at hand. Letting out our own battle cry, our warriors, armed with bladed clubs and spears, advanced to meet our foe, ready to protect our homes.

Fire balls zinged through the polluted air as the Raiders bombarded us, forcing us to change tactics and breaking up our group. Lucky for us, most of our warriors were also trained in hand-to-hand combat. Should their initial long-range fire projectiles miss, we would have a chance to get closer to each Raider, and employed our own set of weapons on them. "They outnumber us, so be careful!" I heard one of my fellow tribesman shout.

Gritting my teeth, I could feel my body's every muscle tensing. With only the thoughts of my wife and children in my mind, I met my assailant head-on. The impurities in the air made it difficult to see very clearly, but the black helmet and red face protector could not be more evident. The bright flames wavering at his right fist grew hotter and brighter as he swung it towards me. I could feel my surroundings heat up, the snowflakes falling by my head melting instantly as the fire punch came right at my face. Thinking fast, I had to do something to divert that shot.

Using the oldest water bending technique, I turned my defensive manoeuvre into an offensive one as I observed the motion of the soldier's flaming arm. Despite having no water bending abilities of my own, I was very much aware of my tribe's water bending training, and constantly incorporated some of their techniques into my battle style. Just as the punch came up, I guided it away by slipping my left hand near the attacker's elbow and pushed upward. The fire sailed into the air, scorching harmlessly through the cold.

The opened position of the Southern Raider I faced made it perfect for my attack. Ramming my right shoulder into his midsection, I channelled all the energy he had from his attack back against him. The armoured plates clanged as I hoisted him up and hurled him over my shoulder, causing him to sail across the battlefield. I tilted my head around just in time to see the assailant fly head-first into a snow barrier, slumping to the ground as my son pelted him with a snowball. Sokka, always the goofball, I thought.

But the appearance of another Fire Nation soldier brought my attention back onto the battlefield, as double barrel flame shooting sliced through the air and nearly scorched me. I ducked and dodged both shots, the embers trickling to my face and nearly burning my goatee. That only brought the assailant on the offensive as he continued rumbling at me, quickly pushing me near a snow bank. "This isn't good," I murmured to myself.

Yet, the white, crunchy material behind me also gave me an idea. What if I used that to disable the fire bender? Getting back into my fighter stance, I waited for his fire attack. Knowing that fire benders usually had a pattern, I could predict what they might employ for their finishing moves. I kept a hawk's eyes on the attacker, who swung his flaming arms around, repositioning himself before charging at me again.

This time, no such luck for him as I timed the punch perfectly. I stepped in to the flameless side and, using the same trick I did on the first assailant, diverted the fireball into the air. Again I aimed for the defenceless midsection, flipping the Southern Raider over my shoulder and away from me. But this time, I added a little extra to the attack, as I grabbed the soldier by the armour and shoved him head-first into the snow bank. Only a muffled groan could be heard from within as white fluff tumbled further down, burying his head completely and nullifying the threat. Not bad for an improvised move, I thought.

But the one voice I never expected on the battlefield called for me from above. "Dad, Dad! Please, I think Mom's in trouble!" My eyes shot up just in time to see Katara run up, her hair braids waving as she screeched to a halt on the top of the snow bank, "There's a man in our house!" She reported, her voice filled with fear and desperation.

My face froze, the sounds of the battlefield nothing but slurs as I focused in on the little girl before me. Earlier, we knew the Southern Raiders outnumbered our warriors by a fair margin, but we handled ourselves surprisingly well. Even without all of our fighters, we managed to keep them in check; it was as if we had an even number of combatants on the battlefield. But my daughter's message made me realize why, as the Southern Raiders merely split into two groups. One group would battle us to create a distraction while the other entered our village. "Kya!" I managed to eke out the name of my wife, before hurrying back with my daughter. In my mind, only the worst scenarios played themselves out as I wondered what atrocities they had in plan for her.

Everything blew past like a winter storm as I followed my daughter through the village and into our home. My mind was so flustered that I didn't have time to check if any Fire Nation soldiers marched by. But smoke billowed ominously from a few houses, and I knew they must have gone through here. "Kya, hang on, I'm coming!" I muttered.

But when Katara and I burst through the entrance, the mysterious Fire Nation soldier that Katara mentioned was no longer there. In fact, there was complete silence as my eyes gazed through the darkness. There were only two weak flames lighting the entire chamber, but they were enough to illuminate a body on the floor. "Kya?" I called, gently edging forward and squinting into the room. The body was motionless, but from the dim lighting I could make out a blue parka riddled with scorch marks.

"No, Kya!" I whispered. I charged in and gripped the body, flipping it around and getting a good look at the face. The smell of burnt skin penetrated my nose as dark red and brown patches disfigured the face. The front of the parka was in even worse shape than the back, as fibres and strings tore apart on impact. I took a look under the outermost layer, and saw that she had been burned through and through. "Kya, speak to me. Are you alright?" I asked, slightly shaking the body and slipping a finger under her nose.

There was no response as I could not feel any air exit her nostrils. My arms shook involuntarily as I felt real fear for the first time in my life. Throughout my training with the other Water Tribe warriors, I was told to never be afraid of death. Given that the war had been going on for nearly a century, we were to expect battles with the Fire Nation on a regular basis. I knew all my life that I was to defend my homeland and loved ones, and that carried with me even as I was named tribal chief. But now, seeing the one I loved and cherished the most becoming the latest victim, I was truly devastated.

"Dad? Will Mom be okay?" Katara's meek voice snapped me out of my trance. I turned to face my daughter, who half-huddled near the entrance, her body split evenly between shadow and light. Her eyes were watery, and there was a slight shiver from her shoulders as Katara's gloved hands rubbed each other nervously. My mother always said that children were extra sensitive to traumatizing events, and they had a way of knowing even without being told what happened. Seeing the way Katara acted right now, I knew her suspicions were there, and I must do something to diffuse the situation.

"Go get your grandmother, Katara," I told her, trying to mask my shaky tone with a calm voice, "tell her we need anyone who can heal to come here immediately." I could only stare on as my daughter left the hut. I could hear the sounds of battle ease as Fire Nation troops withdrew from their raid. This might be a regular, expected battle, but the results were anything but. We might have won the fight, but I lost my greatest treasure.

"Hakoda, here's what I think will work best in our defence of Chameleon Bay," I watched my lifelong friend Bato move some boat figurines around, trying to picture our latest attack plan against the Fire Nation navy in my head. This was a strategic location just outside Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom. So far, the walled city held its own against the Fire Nation's attacks, including one led by General Iroh, the infamous Dragon of the West. But now, knowing the Fire Nation was on the offensive again, it was only a matter of time before the final Earth kingdom stronghold fell.

I cupped my chin with my left hand, imagining how the ships would handle each location. Everything was just a blur to me, my fellow Water Tribe warriors all blocked out of my vision as I focused on the large map on the ground. Being a Water Tribe chief, I had expertise in not just naval manoeuvres, but also naval interception and combat. In our hands was the largest naval invasion by the Fire Nation navy. We had to do all we could to prevent them from fulfilling their goal before their reinforcements arrived.

Suddenly, Bato, who was to my right, gently nudged my shoulder with his elbow. It snapped me out of my train of thought, just in the midst of complete silence in our tent as I looked up. There was a sight I hadn't seen in two years. "Sokka!" I greeted my son.

Instinctively, I got to my feet, my knees shaky like gelatine as I took a long glance at the figure standing at the tent's opening. Even though the entrance was drawn closed, I could still make out the features: dark brown hair tied to a ponytail, blue sleeveless shirt with dark fingerless gloves, dark leggings and brown boots. Add the tan, round face to the mix and it reminded me of my obligation other than a chief and war general: father.

As I approached, I could see Sokka's determined face weaken, the muscles all relaxing as his emotions took over. "Hi, Dad," he squeaked out, trying hard to contain himself. Immediately, we pulled each other into a tight embrace. It was two years ago since I left him, telling him that, as the oldest male left, he would have to defend our tribe. He was so young, barely into his teens, but now, he had all grown up. Taller and leaner than the short stubby boy he was when I left, he was ready to fight our foes.

We finally released each other as I took another long look at my son. Although we were still in an important meeting right now, I didn't hesitate in bringing him in with us. If he were to succeed me as tribal chief one day, then at least he had to know the ways of battle. "We were just going over some plans to repel the Fire Nation navy," I told Sokka, "care to stick around and let us finish before I show you some of our equipment?"

Sokka nodded, barely eking out a word as I escorted him to the group currently gathered around the centre map. Despite not saying anything, I was very proud of the progress Sokka had made. In the beginning, he was a determined warrior with limited skills. When I first decided to leave the tribe to fight in the war, Sokka was so intent on coming along that it would meant there would be no more men at the tribe. But I told him that the most important mission for him was to do the best he could to accomplish his mission. "Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister," I recalled saying to him.

But there wouldn't be any worries of protecting the village. Not only did Sokka and Katara do everything in their power to defend themselves, but they also travelled the world helping those affected by the war. Even as the Water Tribe strategists went over the details, my mind was only partially on the planning. My eyes were on my teenage son standing before me, his poise and posture resembling very much the warrior-in-making that he was. One day you'll be a leader Sokka, I thought, one day.

As the planners finished their explanation, I proceeded to adjourning the meeting and bringing my son outside. "There are some new inventions that I've wanted to show you," I described, taking him away from the war tent and into the open area. The golden sand crunched under our feet as more sea breezes brushed against our skin. The climate at Ba Sing Se was much more moderate than our home in the Southern Water Tribe, meaning most warriors were in shorts sleeves as they worked on the beach. "Take a look at this," I said, pointing to some large balls.

Sokka's eyes narrowed as he suspiciously glanced at the dark and round objects. "What the…ugh," he cried, wrinkling his nose after taking a couple of sniffs, "What's that smell?" he demanded, his hands shooting up to cover his face.

I chuckled as I dropped to my knees, signalling Sokka to do the same. I pointed to the other side, opposite to the direction where we came from as Bato marched up holding a series of materials. "This bay leads directly to the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, and we've been using these tangle mines to stop Fire Nation ships from getting through," I reached to the top of the container and unscrewed it, opening the drum and letting Sokka get a peek inside. Sokka cocked an eyebrow as he reared his head towards the opening, still unsure of what to expect from its stinky interior as he squinted into the darkness below.

Before the stench swept over Sokka's body, Bato edged forward and poured in the secret formula for the mine. "Your father invented tangle mines himself," he mentioned as the thick liquid with various chunks clunked its way to the bottom.

Bato moved on to fill another mine once the one we were at was full. Sokka, seemingly understanding the purpose behind this invention, dipped his head forward again. "Destructive, buoyant, and…" he listed off, taking another glimpse, "Ah, argh, terrible smelling." He concluded as another wave of the nasty odour shot into his face.

I smiled and nodded. "Very perceptive," I responded as I screwed the cap back on, "the mines are filled with skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller, and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship," I took out my short sword and scooped away the solution that overflowed from the cap being squeezed on, scraping it off the sides and flicking it to the sand, "I call it, the stink and sink." I concluded, beaming proudly at my son.

Upon hearing that, Sokka burst into giggles, clutching his stomach and pointing at the tangle mine as he complemented the joke. From the other mine, I could hear Bato remark, "You're definitely your father's son." I looked on at Sokka as I pondered all the things that happened in the past years. Sokka was born, raised, and lived in a state of fear thanks to the Fire Nation raids on our village. Even simple pleasures like having a family to enjoy time with were rare due to the constant state of emergency preparedness I had to get the village into. But now, to see my son and I laugh to the same jokes, it truly brought me a renewed sense of pride, reminding me how important my role as a family man was.

But our joy was short-lived as one of the lookout warriors rushed to me. "Hakoda, our scouts have spotted four Fire Nation ships." He reported. That got the attention of everyone as the men around me all got to their feet, waiting for the next set of orders.

I stared around me, doing a quick count of the people while strategizing more in my head. Slipping my blade back onto my waist, I turned to my best friend. "Bato, get these mines loaded up," I instructed him, knowing that the mines were crucial to our success. Turning to everyone else, I declared, "The rest of you men, prepare for battle!"

As the warriors rushed off, my gaze was on the horizon. If the Fire Nation was intent on making their final assault, then we were intent to make things very difficult for them. But before I could take another step, Sokka asked, "What should I do, Dad?"

My gaze dipped downward at the figure still kneeling on the sand. His face was droopy and his back slightly hunched. It was a scene I had seen from the day I left our village to fight in the war. Sokka was determined to tag along, but I told him to stay at the village. He was so disappointed at first that his entire body pretty much deflated. And now, knowing that there was another battle, he probably felt he would be rejected again.

But I made sure that didn't happen as I stared right into his eyes. In a clear voice, I told him, "Aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle." Just to make my point extra clear, I tilted my head slightly to the direction of the water.

Immediately, I could see Sokka's face light up as he heard my orders. Nodding enthusiastically, he bounded off to the waterfront, intermingling with the other warriors as we waited for the Fire Nation fleet. It felt so awkward that my first bonding experience in years with Sokka had to be in a battle, but it felt so right at the same time. He would be our chief one day, and it was only right that I observed his skills. I must also test out his progress, just to see where he was at. As I saw him set the boats with the others, I knew this was his time to shine. "If peace were to be restored in the world, it would be up to my children and the Avatar," I decided, "they are the new blood, and they are the new hope."

Our preparation went throughout the afternoon and into the evening, just in time for the Fire Nation navy to arrive. Our watchmen announced that the naval force was at the edge of the horizon, creeping that much closer to the bay. Receiving the message, I trotted back down the beach to find my son Sokka. Even with the limited light at dusk, I could make out the figure of my son grabbing his final equipment. "Ready to go knock some Fire Nation heads?" I asked as Sokka picked up his blade and club.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Dad," Sokka replied, standing up straight and staring right into my eyes. Even with his determined tone, I could sense some hesitance in his voice, almost like he was afraid he might not live up to expectations, "I'll make you proud, and I'll finally prove to you what a great warrior I am."

Hearing that, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sokka, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm already proud of you, and I've always known that you're a great warrior," I assured him. It was the least a father could do to show his pride, especially one who had been absent from his children's lives for years. I could feel a few hiccups coming as I fought back tears of joy. "Why do you think I trusted you to look after our tribe when I left?" Wrapping an arm around his shoulder, I guided Sokka to our boat.

But before we could board, a low grunt echoed from behind us. We turned just in time to see a white, furry, six-legged animal land onto the beach. On the back of the large mammal was Avatar Aang, showing us a look of fear that sent shivers up our spines. My son edged forward gingerly, looking up at him before saying, "This can't be good news."

The Avatar didn't speak as he beckoned Sokka to get on. My son paused for a moment, his eyes alternating between the Sky Bison and the boat. I stood on the plank and stared back, my face relaxing as my eyes remained neutral. "You have to do what you have to do to save the world," I announced, "in times like these, you must prioritize."

Sokka nodded gravely. Much as he would like to go on this attack with us, both he and I knew that whatever was happening at Ba Sing Se must be of utmost importance. I could only look on as Sokka boarded the bison and took off with Aang. My eyes never left them even as they sailed into the night sky, knowing that my son now had his own responsibilities. He's really growing up, I thought, he's really growing up.

"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan," I explained as my children were gathered on the deck of our ship. During our attack on the Fire Nation navy, we managed to capture one of their ships to be used as our own. Because of the way their navy was positioned in the bay, it was increasingly difficult for us to go out freely. So for us to capture one ship to be used as a disguise, it was a real blessing for us.

I kept my eyes on the Avatar, who I heard had been seriously wounded in an attack by the Fire Nation. Their fighters were craftier than I anticipated, as both the Fire Prince and Princess sneaked into Ba Sing Se undercover to weaken the Earth Kingdom capital's defences from within. I was about to continue when my daughter interrupted me. "It's Sokka's invasion plan," she stated, shooting me a dark look. Apparently, she seemed upset by something, and I made a mental note to myself to find out more later on.

"Yes, Sokka's plan," I acknowledged meekly, trying to diffuse a potentially explosive situation. Refocusing on the task at hand, I described, "We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable." Recalling the dates that Sokka retrieved from a hidden underground library, I knew the timing had to be perfect for our attack.

To my right, the seated Sokka nodded enthusiastically. "So we're planning a smaller invasion, a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke," he gestured to his right, signalling to the heavyset man wolfing down his meal and the little boy sitting on his shoulders, both of whom greeted the young Avatar. "And the best part is: the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret: you!" he whispered excitedly with a hand over his mouth.

Aang seemed confused by that statement, but that soon became complete and total shock as Sokka unloaded a bomb. "The whole world thinks you're dead. Isn't that great?" he declared, shooting out from his seat and pumping his fists in the air.

Aang could only rant incoherently and paced up and down the ship, wrapping his hands on his now hairy head as he berated everyone for letting this rumour be spread. I could only look on and wondered what this young man was going through, imagining the ultimate responsibility of balancing the world on his shoulders. I was an adult, and even I had difficulty still in handling large priorities. Now, to set this onto a preteen, who barely survived with his life, still nursing his injuries, and knowing that his failure in Ba Sing Se led to our group being hunted like fugitives? It was simply too much for him.

My train of thought was shattered as a Fire Nation patrol ship crossed our path. As usual, their sailors boarded us and demanded why we were at our current location, as all Fire Nation ships were expected to be at Ba Sing Se supporting the occupation. Bato and I tried to lie, telling them that we were making deliveries. "Next time we'll send two hawks to be sure you get the message," I stated with a smile, assuring the Fire Nation admiral of our objectives and that our presence was merely due to a miscommunication.

Fortunately, our blind earth bender Toph, whose other senses were enhanced due to her disability, overheard the Fire Nation admiral instructing his troops to sink us. Toph burst from her hiding spot and, using metal bending, the ultimate form of earth bending, crushed the plank connecting the two ships. Katara then took over, water bending a huge wave to push their ship away from us. The tidal wave slammed into the side of the enemy boat, tilting them away like a broken plank as we pressed full steam ahead.

But our troubles weren't over yet as the enemies pursued us, launching flaming projectiles at us in their attempt to send us to the bottom of Serpent's Pass. The crew and I could only focus on piloting, employing all the seamanship we learned from our past days. All male Water Tribe warriors participated in a maturation ritual known as ice dodging, where we were to navigate a ship across an iceberg-filled body of water with the help of two friends. As usual, I chose Bato as one of my assistants when I went through the ritual, and Bato, of course, chose me. But right now, those skills could not be handier as we tried to avoid the relentless attacks from the Fire Nation ship behind us. "Let's try and go faster," I muttered, tilting my head just in time to see Toph earth bend a large rock up, sending it crashing into a projectile and exploding safely in the air.

But even with the increased speed, and Katara using a modified water bending move to create steam to distract the Fire Nation crew, it was getting fruitless. The Fire Nation boat almost pulled even with us, nearly scrapping our port side and landing some good hits on us. Had it not been one of the projectiles hitting the Serpent that lived in these waters, we might not have made our escape. The long and green denizen of these waters was slammed in the face with one of the Fire Nation attacks, squealing angrily and in pain. That ended up providing enough of a distraction for us to escape, scurrying into a nearby port to pick up supplies while said Serpent coiled itself around the enemy boat. "Make sure we have everything required for the next part of our journey," I ordered my group, "food, water, repair equipment, you name it. If it's useful, buy it up."

My Water Tribe warriors all departed, leaving Bato and I to inspect the damage on our ship. Sokka, Toph, and the others all left to get food, leaving Katara at the bottom deck healing up a still-injured Aang. "Let's make sure everything's alright," I told Bato.

By the time we were finished our work, darkness had already descended upon us. Bato and I strolled back to the main deck, still mulling over our next move when Katara burst from below and raced up to me. Sensing her emotional state, with her body shaking and breathing rate increased, Bato offered to leave us alone. Nodding, I turned to my daughter, who stared at me with helpless eyes. Even in the darkness, I could always sense the feelings portrayed by those blue pools. "What's wrong, Katara?" I asked gently.

"He left. Aang, he just took his glider and disappeared," she replied, squeezing her eyes shut and refusing to look directly at me, "He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, and that it's all his responsibility." The wind swirling around us didn't diminish the anger and frustration that carried from Katara's voice.

I glanced at Katara glumly. I heard from Sokka that she truly cared for Aang, as she was the first person he saw since being broken out of that iceberg he was trapped in for a century. Knowing she treated Aang like a loved one, I had to calm Katara down. Trying to ease her out of the situation, I told her, "Maybe it was his way of being brave."

But that only backfired as Katara erupted into an all-out rant. "It's not brave. It's selfish, and stupid!" She roared, the floor resonating as she took a big stomp forward. "We could be helping him, and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much that we need him too? How can he just leave us behind?" She concluded, the wind howling past again as I rebalanced myself from the verbal onslaught.

After taking every word to the face, I reconsidered her position. The one she cared for the most just left her, making not only Katara, but everyone else, feel helpless. It was eerily similar to another situation, of another loved one who left Katara a few years back. "You're talking about me too, aren't you?" I responded, only returning a side glance.

"How could you leave us, Dad?" She demanded, her voice laced with hiccups as droplets spilled from her eyes, reflecting the moonlight from her cheeks, "I know we had Gran Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you." Katara angrily wiped a tear away as she thought about her grandmother, my mother, who took over parental duties for me when I left. I approached gingerly and wrapped an arm on her shoulder. When there was no negative response from Katara, I officially apologized to her.

Immediately, she collapsed into me, letting it all out as I embraced her. "I understand why you left, I really do," she sobbed, lifting her head slightly to stare at me, "I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad, angry, and hurt."

Upon hearing this, I could feel my emotions crawling up from my stomach, threatening to spill out as well. "I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world," I replied just as moisture crept through my eyelids. Shutting my eyes as the wind slammed into my back, I soothed my daughter, rubbing her back gently as I told her, "I thought about you every day I was gone. And every night, when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much that it would ache."

And the two of us would continue standing there, drinking in the love that was so absent for the last few years. It was right there that I realized I had to do something more for my family. Winning the war was one thing, but what I would give to win back the trust and respect of my children. Swallowing hard, I was determined to make it happen.

"Let me just clarify a few points for everyone," I announced, relieving my son of the war plan explanation duties. Being one of the chief planners of the invasion plan, it was only right that Sokka would be the one to describe our idea to all our allies. Indeed, after my children and Toph found Aang again, they decided to go off on their own for a while, scouting the Fire Nation lands before meeting up again for the invasion. During this time, my group went around the world collecting all of our former allies. Most of them were known to Sokka and Katara, and they were anxious for the main event.

But Sokka ended up stumbling badly in his explanation, almost like he was overwhelmed by the large crowd. He dropped all the maps as he was about to reveal them, and several times he flipped to the wrong one. He tried to calm himself down by going back to the beginning, and ended up going off on a tangent. To prevent further humiliation, I had to relieve him. "Today is the Day of Black Sun, and I want to thank you all for your self-sacrifice, and your courage," I proclaimed, scanning the faces of the Earth Kingdom and both Water Tribes. This was truly a world effort, as everyone had to play their part for peace. After a century of battles, it was something we all longed for.

Turning back to the map, I continued, "There are two steps to the invasion: a naval stage, and a land stage." I described how we had to go through the Fire Nation naval blockade defending the Great Gates of Azulon, and stormed the beach leading to the entrance of the Fire Nation capital. "The eclipse only lasts eight minutes, not enough time for the whole invasion. And the Royal Palace is heavily guarded by fire benders, so that's where we'll need the eclipse's advantage the most. When this is finished, the Avatar would have defeated the Fire Lord. We will have control of the Fire Nation capital and this war will be over!" I finished in a flourish, raising a fist in victory.

That got the crowd all riled up as they cheered and hollered. My eyes scanned the group as they all got into battle positions, but the corner of my eye caught onto one figure that seemed down about all this. Sokka's head hung low, his face almost in tears as he refused to even look up. Realizing the problem, I made a mental note to speak to him on this issue after the invasion. You might be a bad speaker, but you're a fine warrior, son.

But my main thoughts were with executing our plans as our fleet of five ships set sail for the Great Gates of Azulon. In my lead ship, I asked Katara and her friends from the swamp to whip up cloud and fog, encasing us and giving us the cover we needed. Just as the moisture condensed onto our skins, a shrill alarm sliced through the air. We shot our eyes to the front as a net was raised on either side of the statue of Azulon, father of the current Fire Lord Ozai. It reached across the ocean and onto two dragon statues at the edge of the bay. Flames shot through the netting, creating a wall of fire and blocking us. I promptly ordered everyone below deck. "Let's hope your invention works," I told Sokka.

The Fire Nation navy did not know it, but at the bottom of each of our ships was a new invention designed by Sokka, dubbed the submarine. By creating a container that let us travel underwater and be propelled via water bending, we found the perfect way to get past the guards, as the netting from the Azulon statue did not reach the sea bottom. From inside the submarine, I beamed with pride, "You've really outdone yourself this time."

Amidst Toph's moans about how this type of travel was terrible, Sokka refused to take full credit, stating it was our Mechanist friend who currently lived at the Northern Air Temple who created it. But still, the Mechanist and I both agreed that had Sokka not came up with the plan, we would never succeed. "There is one problem I couldn't fix," the Mechanist explained, unfurling Sokka's original design sheet, "The subs have a limited air supply, and before we land on the beaches, we'll need to resurface."

After a quick break on the surface, we re-entered the water, this time going nonstop for the beaches. From the lead sub, I had my eye glued to the periscope, waiting for the gates to come into sight. My heart pounded as I scanned around, my muscles tightening as I pondered over the fight of my life. This was the moment we had all been waiting for, wasn't it? Should we win this, the war would be over and we could finally go home again, knowing that the Fire Nation would no longer attack or raid us.

Just as I pondered my life after, the entrance was right in sight. There was a large fort-like pier with two large silver walls lining each side. Each wall had a red and white watch tower on top, with guards at the ready to intercept any intruders. "Everyone into positions; earth benders, into your tanks," I barked, turning around to face the green-capped fighters behind me, "This is going to be a rough ride."

Instantly, harpoons were launched from above, trying to hook onto our subs and drag us out. Our water benders dodged and weaved around the attacking machines, ploughing straight for the gates as I ordered torpedoes to be launched. They were frozen spears with explosives in them that could explode upon contact, and could be shot out from our subs by earth benders who could manipulate the earthen elements within them. A couple shots from each ship soon made quick work of the gates as we set sail for the actual land, the water benders steering the subs hard onto the surface as the front gates of each opened. With the earth bending tanks at the ready, the invasion was about to begin.

It was sheer pandemonium as we raced towards the gate, our tanks coming under a deluge of fire. I was among the group of foot soldiers in the middle of the formation, and even though the tanks protected us from the attacks, we were still in danger. I could see our supply team drop off boulders at strategic locations, just in time for our earth benders to launch them at the watch towers. But just as the towers were disabled, in came the Fire Nation tanks, blasting their hot flames at us as the cavalry of Komodo Rhinos followed. I could see Sokka charge at one, scaling it by the horns and unseating the rider.

But I barely got enough time to admire my son's valiant effort as two Fire Nation foot soldiers charged at me. The double attack knocked my shield away, but I recovered just in time. With a quick spin move, I whipped my opponent's spear into my hands, and brandished two weapons around as I created a circular area of defence. I disarmed a few more soldiers before hopping onto Sokka's animal, observing the scene along the way. Our troops were under heavy fire as at least one tank and the supply trunk driven by the Mechanist were blown apart. "Sokka, we've got to take out those battlements." I said.

But Sokka was one step ahead of me as he flagged down Katara, who had already begun an aerial assault on the watch towers. Aang chose to fly onto the capital on his new glider only, leaving the Sky Bison, now sporting a new coat of armour, for our use. Sokka and I climbed onto the large animal as we took to the skies, slashing off all the shooting mechanisms in the towers with my spear, Sokka's new black sword, and Katara's mighty water bending skills. By the time we landed onto the mountain ledge, there were only two left, one to either side of us. "You two take out that battlement," I told my kids, pointing to the one at our right, "I got this one. Watch each other's backs." I warned, hurrying off.

I scaled the side of the tower, climbing in from the roof and ambushing the men inside. They tried to put up a fight, but my bladed club did its quick work, slashing at their bodies and throwing them to the side. But I would soon regret that move as one body landed on the explosives they were launching. The entire tower erupted into flames, with shrapnel and other debris shooting into me. Although I couldn't see it, I knew I had been cut and burned, my entire right side numb as I staggered out of the station. Opening the door, I could feel my vision blurring as the sounds of battle faded. My children rushed up to me, but my legs just gave way as my body collapsed onto the grass.

I could feel Katara and Sokka rush me onto Appa and fly me to ground level. They landed onto a quieter part of the battlefield and laid me on the ground. Katara then whipped out some water, using healing abilities to apply the fluid onto the wound. I could feel the right side of my ribcage sting as she pressed her hands onto me. "You're hurt badly," I heard my daughter report to me, "you can't fight anymore."

I tried to protest, but to no avail. The pain had overtaken me as I could barely move by myself. Even with blurred vision, I could hear Sokka and Katara arguing about what had to be done. Katara assured him that she was doing all she could, but then Sokka dropped his own bombshell. "I'll lead the invasion force," he declared as he got up, "the eclipse is about to start and we need to be up that volcano by the time it does."

Hearing this, I had to say something to ensure he succeeded. "You can do this," I muttered, fighting through the cuts on my side, "I'm proud of you, son." I could only look on as Sokka climbed aboard Appa and flew off while Katara healed me. My eyes wandered to the skies above me, wondering what things would be like once we got home. My two children were now capable people in their own right; one was a warrior who could lead any army into battle, while the other was a healer who could mend the wounded. As your father, I'm proud of you, I thought, both of you.

By the time the pain subsided enough for me to at least trudge along with Katara's help, we had already made it past the final gate and onto the road heading to the volcano. It was then that the Avatar returned, informing us the palace city was empty, indicating that they had known about the invasion. Nonetheless, Aang was intent on finding the Fire Lord, even with the limited amount of time left. Even though there were some doubts on the results, I assured everyone the mission would go ahead regardless. "Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission." I stated.

It was decided that Aang would get Appa back, and fly himself, along with Sokka and Toph to the Fire Lord. Meanwhile, Katara and I continued lumbering up the hill. In my weakened state, I couldn't fight, but every fibre in my body told me to edge forward. We were so close to success, and I wanted to be there to enjoy it. As time ticked past, the shadow of our moon slowly draped over the sun, creating a darkened landscape where we could barely see the person before us. "The eclipse is starting," shouted the Mechanist, who survived the bombing of his truck, "everyone put on your eclipse glasses."

Katara and I paused, slipping a hand into our clothing and pulling out a pair of dark shades. Placing them over our eyes, we turned to gaze at the sun, which was covered by a dark circle in the middle. The troops around us all clopped up the mountain, going over the crater and charging below. As Katara and I reached the edge, we glanced at the city before us. There were regular residential units and commercial shops around, but the only thing that caught my eye was the large castle with the red towers in the middle. "The Fire Nation royal palace," I commented with pride and joy, "we've come so far."

But even with the peaceful parade through town, some of our fighters were unsure of the situation. The eclipse was already halfway finished, but there were still no signs of the Avatar. Just as Katara leaned me against a tank, Bato hustled up to me. "Shouldn't something have happened by now?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Just as I replied, a series of Fire Nation airships took to the skies. The gargantuan dark ovals loomed ominously above us, overshadowing whatever little light the sun could give off. Nobody moved a muscle as we felt like prey being cornered by a large predator. The silence was only broken as Appa returned, with Sokka jumping off and telling us all to return to the subs while Aang and Katara provided distractions for the air fleet.

We hurried down the mountain as quickly as we could, with Bato being my crutch this time as Sokka led us out. Above us, the dark airships blocked out the lights as the earth benders kicked out chunks of rock for shelter from the aerial bombing. Soon, rock, dirt, and other debris shot through the covers as the airships bombarded us. While the rocky roof rumbled and shook, they held somewhat steady. We only exited from under them as the airships hovered past, dusting ourselves off as the airships headed straight for our submarines. Just then, it hit us all: our only hope of getting out safely was all but lost.

Just then, I made the biggest decision of my life. "You kids have to leave," I told my children and the other young ones, unhooking Bato's hold of me, "you have to escape on Appa together. You're our only chance in the long run." I knew this was one sacrifice I had to make. If it meant ensuring my children's survival, plus the ensuring the hopes of the world in the Avatar remained, then I was willing to be a Fire Nation prisoner.

As we boarded our children onto Appa, the Fire Nation bombs slammed into our submarines, turning the fruits of our labour into rubble. "We've lost today, but we've never been this close," I told my children, kneeling down to stare them in the eyes as the winds slowly returned, "we tasted victory, and that counts for something."

There wasn't a single person without teary eyes as Katara and Sokka boarded the Sky Bison. Aang turned to us one last time, thanking our support and promising to make it up to us. As the large animal took off, we could only look back at the mountains. The Fire Nation troops would be down here any minute, ready to take us into their cells. I swallowed hard, realizing for better or for worse, the world was no longer in my hands.

"It's good to see you again, Hakoda," my friend Bato greeted me with a hug as we waited in the courtyard for the main event. We received news that the war was finally over, as the Avatar Aang managed to defeat Fire Lord Ozai in a fierce battle. Knowing that the new Fire Lord, the former Prince Zuko, was intent on reconciliation with the other nations by releasing all the prisoners of war, I half-expected Bato to show up.

"So did they let you out of the Boiling Rock?" Bato asked as we released each other, "I heard it's inescapable, so you must be released somehow, right?"

A coy grin crawled up the edges of my lips. "That depends on the definition of 'letting you out' of the prison," I replied, "the warden was with me when I left, but then again, my son Sokka was there as well…"

"So where's Bato? Where's everyone else from the invasion?" Sokka asked me, his eyes scanning back and forth through the peephole in my cell. It was truly a surprise to see my son at the Fire Nation's supposedly impenetrable prison, the Boiling Rock, but knowing Sokka, he would have a plan to break me out of here.

"The others are being held at a prison near the Fire Nation palace," I replied from my seated position on the hard ground. My cell had four dark walls and was only illuminated by a single fire lamp. "They singled me out as their leader and sent me here. But before I left I met some young women who said they knew you."

I tried recalling their name, but ended up butchering it entirely, causing a grin from Sokka as he corrected me. "Kyoshi Warriors. Their leader Suki is here," my son explained, taking a seat next to me, "and she's going to escape with us. And do you know Prince Zuko? He's here too, and he's on our side now." Sokka concluded with a grin.

I could only cock an eyebrow at Sokka. How could the son of the Fire Lord, heir to the throne be friends with my son, who led the very invasion to destroy his palace? But Sokka put all that to rest as he told me Zuko's story. "He's really proven himself, and I never would have found you without his help." But as he finished this, Sokka's head dipped to his knees, his eyes in the same position as when he failed his first major speech. "I don't know if there's another way off this island," he said, recalling his first attempt to get out, and how it failed because some other prisoners got involved.

Knowing my son and I had to work together again, I immediately patted him on the shoulder. "Sokka, there's no prison in the world that can hold two Water Tribe geniuses." I boldly declared, causing us both to burst into chuckles.

After some careful consideration and long discussion, it was decided that we were to escape on the gondola, the same one that the Fire Nation used to bring me into here. A distraction in the form of a prison riot would be used to take the guards' attention away from the gondola. As extra insurance, we would take the warden of the Boiling Rock as our hostage onto the gondola, ensuring that the guards would not cut the line on us. "I'll have to get them to open the gates first," Sokka described, putting his Fire Nation helmet back on, "they're in lockdown mode right now, so wait until the doors are opened."

What seemed like an eternity passed as the doors opened again, letting me out of my cell for the last time. I wandered to the open area with the rest of the prisoners, still waiting for the so-called distraction. Sokka, who met up with and brought Suki over to me, insisted that the riot must start now. Turning around, I targeted the tallest and most likely strongest man in my corner. "I'll show you," I stated. Rushing up to him like a Komodo Rhino, I shot out my hands and shoved him into a crowd.

But for some reason, that prisoner remained calm, claiming that he had to control his anger and refused to fight. Embarrassed, I saw a new prisoner approached Sokka. I couldn't hear what they said, but it was becoming clear that this new man with flattop hair and a goatee would provide our distraction. Picking up an older prisoner with grey hair, he yelled at the others to riot. Within seconds, fire balls shot through the air, causing the pandemonium that we hoped for. "Impressive," I commented monotonously.

As bodies flew past, we sneaked behind a wall, observing the way to kidnap the warden. Zuko, who we were told had been taken to an interrogation room, managed to escape and catch up to us. Upon hearing that Sokka had no plan to grab the warden, the Fire Prince immediately berated him. "I thought you thought this through," he scolded.

Upon hearing that, Sokka's reaction was more volcanic than the boiling crater. "I thought you told me it was okay not to think everything through!" Sokka wailed, his eyes bulging out and throwing his arms about at the Fire Prince. Their argument would last for a bit more until Chit Sang, the prisoner Sokka recruited, pointed at Suki, who was already on her way up the tower. Her body was a blur, her stealth and balance, the result of years of training in the Kyoshi fighting style, allowed her to scale it with ease.

After tying the warden's hands and gagging his mouth, we hurried onto the tower where the gondola station was. Most of the guards didn't dare to attack us as their own supervisor was in our hands. Zuko told us to board the gondola as he worked the controls on the ground, trying to get the machine started. From my position on the side closer to the station, I could see Zuko kicking the handlebar until it snapped, letting the metallic wire uncoil freely and letting us off the prison. He finally got on himself when he made sure no one would follow, boarding the ride with a gravity-defying leap. As Sokka helped him on, the Fire Prince justified his actions. "I'm making it so they can't stop us."

I could hear Sokka commenting on Zuko's ability to think ahead. A small smile curled up onto my face at that remark. While my son was an able warrior with a brain to match, the Fire Prince won the battle of getting results from a plan. You still have much to learn, I thought as I turned back to observe the exterior. I could see the guards all get to their knees and bowed to a young woman in a black and dark red, modified version of the Fire Nation military uniform "Wait, who's that?" I demanded, pointing at her.

Zuko took a gander, and instantly identified them as his sister and her friend. In seconds, the smaller girl in a pink belly shirt scaled the top wire and charged at us. The Fire Princess, on the other hand, grabbed a set of handcuffs from the closest guard and propelled onto the bottom wire. Using blue flames jetting from her feet, she hooked the cuffs onto the wire and used it to shoot herself towards us. I could only stare in awe at the mighty power of the fire benders. No wonder we had so much difficulty against them.

Zuko and Suki climbed out of our cab and onto the roof. Sokka soon followed, telling Chit Sang and I to keep an eye on the warden. Chit Sang and I raced to the gondola's either side, trying to get an upward view. There was no wind to speak of, as the volcano's thick steam smothered the outside air. It meant all the sounds of battle could be heard; the sounds of swords swishing, the whoosh of fire, and the stomping of feet trying to stay balanced. The whole cab shook and rumbled during the fight, causing Chit Sang and I to hold the bars, neither one paying attention to the warden standing between us.

That proved to be costly as the cruel old man managed to wriggle free from his binds. Ripping the gag on his mouth, he stuck his head out the side and ordered his men on the station to cut the line. Chit Sang finally caught on and grabbed the warden while I tried to tie him back up again, but it was too late. I could feel the gondola screeching to a halt, our momentum grinding down as we were thrown off balance. Amidst the sounds of scratches coming from the station, I could see the two Fire Nation girls hop onto a cab coming from the other side. "I hope this thing floats," I said to the kids as they returned.

But as sudden as the halting of the gondola was, it unexpectedly started up again. Zuko was the first to charge to the opening, staring out in shock as he reported on the progress. "It's Mai," he gasped. I got over just in time to see a dark-haired young lady in a dark red robe disabling the guards with sharp projectiles. We watched this all the way to the top, our gondola entering the outside station as we reached our safety.

We hurried out of the cab, rushing as far away from the station as possible. I signalled to Chit Sang to toss the warden back into the gondola. Glancing at the nasty, arrogant individual who taunted me when I first arrived, I made sure to take a shot at his so-called perfect record. The old man claimed nobody had escaped from the Boiling Rock under his watch. "Sorry warden, your record is officially broken." I told him.

Bato chuckled over the story, marvelling at the ingenuity Sokka and I showed. I also beamed, basking in the warm sun as I realized my freedom had been achieved all thanks to our hard work. But just then, two teenage voices interrupted my thought. I turned just in time to see my children rush up to me. Katara seemed healthy and in good shape, but Sokka hobbled over with a crutch. Seeing my pride and joy advance forward to me, I couldn't help but pull them into an embrace as well. "I heard what you two did," I told them, "I am the proudest father in the world, and your mother would be proud too."

A large gong banged to signal the entrance of the Fire Lord, its sounds echoing through the members of different nations as we cheered the scarred young man. Zuko took centre stage, acknowledging the crowd before giving way to Aang, who he dubbed the real hero. "A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided, but with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path." Zuko announced.

We looked on as the final headpiece was placed onto Zuko's head, officially making him Fire Lord Zuko. Applause erupted as Zuko embarked on this new journey to reunite the world. For me, this coincided with my own reunification, one with my own family. After so many years, I finally realized what it truly meant to be a father. Not only did I see my own children grow up, they also surpassed me in their abilities and spirit. It was perhaps the right time for me to let go, and let them take the lead in rekindling our Southern Water Tribe with the other nations. After all, with these young ones, there was no shortage of ideas, and the world was truly in their hands. As my eyes alternated from my children to Aang and Zuko stepping towards us, I had only one thing in my mind.

My name is Hakoda. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.

And here is Ch. 2. Although there isn't a "game" in here per se, I think it can still count as the cointuation of the challenge. Too bad my counterpart still hasn't taken any action, nor did they come read this at all. I'm not going to force the issue, but I just hope they at least feel somewhat ashamed that even today they haven't gotten anything done.

As usual, I want to thank my editors Wavebreeze and Legend of Zelda 4 Life for looking through this. My focus is mainly on Hakoda having to juggle his parental duties with the war. I'm glad it worked for both of you, and I'll see you again when I start Ch. 3.