AMS

CLOSE CALL

Halfway to the Fire Nation, the tension in the air among Quey and the airbenders eased as they all allowed themselves to enjoy the ride, knowing their plan is destined to work. The spirits were on their side. They could feel it.

"So how old are you again?" asked the second youngest airbender.

"Six. What about you?" replied Quey, blushing.

"I'm eight," smiled the airbender.

"I don't think I caught your name," said Quey.

"Ah. How rue of me. I'm Lena," said the girl.

Even though Quey felt a romantic pull towards this girl, it was clear she did not look at him the same way.

"Have you been able to get in contact with your past life?" Lena asked, propping her head up with her hands.

"Yeah, though it was unintentional. I wasn't even trying to get in contact with her when she finally did show me something. It's all so frustrating. I'm extremely spiritual, so I should be able to contact her with no problem," sighed Quey.

Lena nodded.

"You'll figure it out though. Don't give up," offered Lena with a gentle smile gracing her features.

Her skin was dark like water tribe, but her eyes were a deeper green than Quey has ever seen before. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Even though Quey was younger than her, she was smaller than him. Opal noticed right away how her son was looking at Lena, and she disapproved. Lena was not the nicest or wisest among the airbenders. She would much rather him be with the youngest soon-to-be airbender, Murina. Sure she was only one, and just learning to walk, but at least when she gets a little older, she can be taught right away to be gentle and nice. Lena was only being nice to Quey because he's the Avatar.

"I've read about Avatar Aang's journey. He never learned metalbending, and Korra never really mastered it. But then here you come, mastering metalbending right off the bat! I assumed you would have had the most trouble with earth and metalbending since you started off airbending, but you really showed me wrong, hehe," chuckled Lena.

Opal twitched her hand subtly and used air to smack Lena across the face. Lena just assumed it was from the fact they were high in the air on a flying bison since the air smacking often happened to her, but not the way she thinks they happen.

"Well, my personality is like a peaceful monk, but the things I've been put through until recently forced me to not run away and face problems head on. Couple that with the fact I'm related to a whole family of metalbenders, and it's not that much of a stretch really," shrugged Quey.

Lena nodded enthusiastically.

"Uh huh yeah it does make total and complete sense when you put it like that," said Lena before adding, "Once you become a master airbender, think you could help me become a master too?"

"Absolutely!" promised Quey.

Now Opal felt the need to speak up.

"That's great that you want to help your fellow airbenders master air and all, Quey, but for now, please focus on your own training and stopping those bloodbenders. We can't risk stopping for you to train anyone else other than yourself," said Opal sternly.

Lena rolled her eyes.

"Don't listen to her. You're the Avatar. You can do what you want," suggested Lena.

"Excuse me?! The very fact he is the Avatar just means he should take his training seriously and not converse with the likes of you! Who are you to tell him not to listen to me? I am his mother!" shouted Opal.

Lena glanced over at Quey who looked surprised to see Opal get so protective and angry. She took the opportunity, and cried on cue like a baby.

"Avatar Quey! She's being mean to me!" sobbed Lena.

A dispute among airbenders, one being part of his family. He breathed in and out.

"You got this, Quey. You can solve this dispute," he thought to himself.

"Lena, she does have a point. Though she could have been nicer about it, you really don't have any authority to tell me not to listen to my own birth mother. Mother, the yelling was unnecessary. As an airbender, you should practice with being more patient and calm. Now both of you, apologize to each other," spoke Quey, feeling proud of himself for how he sounded and what he said.

Opal was impressed. Lena, on the other hand, was seething since she couldn't turn Quey against Opal.

"You're defending her? She gave you up, Quey. Gave you to a family who was murdered. How can you stick up for her?" asked Lena, scowling at Opal.

Opal decided to listen to Quey's advice and do breathing exercises to calm herself before she knocks Lena off the bison. Quey sighed and shook his head at Lena, making her feel small.

"It's not about sticking up for her, Lena. Yes, she did give me up as a baby, but for obvious reasons. Yes, the family I grew up with was murdered, but my mother did not participate in their murder, nor did she know that would happen. This is about taking responsibility for one's actions here, and admitting you were wrong to try and take away her authority. Just because I'm the Avatar doesn't mean I get to disrespect my mother and other respectable adults," responded Quey.

Lena bit her tongue.

"I have to play my cards right if I want to successfully tear him from Opal to me," Lena thought.

"You're right, Avatar. I'm sorry Opal. I was wrong," Lena said.

No one could tell she was lying. Well, no one except for Quey. Toph had taught him how to be a truthseer on top of his seismic sense. Even though it was minuscule, he definitely felt her heart rate spike a little when she told her lie. He didn't say anything though, as it would just cause his mother and Lena to argue again, and they did not have time to argue as he noticed the Fire Nation come into view.

"It's a good thing you're all in costume. Okay, Tenzin is going to land us right in the middle of the Fire Nation. Firelord Izumi's palace is far enough away to where we can find a firebending master, a few firebending couples, and get out of there," said Quey, reminding everyone of the plan to which they all nodded.

"Oogie, down," instructed Tenzin. Once they landed, Quey noticed there was no one around yet. He took the time to flip the earth Oogie was on, trapping Oogie underground so he was out of sight.

"It felt so right wearing those airbender robes. Now I'm back in my old Ba Sing Se clothes," grumbled Quey quietly.

Quey stomped his foot on the ground while closing his eyes before pointing in a direction.

"There are a lot of people over in that direction. Let's go," said Quey.

Everyone noticed how Quey didn't bother to put his shoes back on. He had taken them off when on Oogie, but he never put them back on. To boot, now he had strips of metal around his elbows. When they made it to where the people were, they noticed they were in a shopping district. Tenzin, too, was in disguise. He was wearing Earth Kingdom clothes and he had shaved his beard off, and is wearing a hat to cover his arrow. Quey looked around until he saw General Iroh doing business with a shop keeper. Quey smiled and walked up to him.

"General Iroh?" he asked.

Iroh stopped talking to look down at Quey.

"Hey kid. How do you know me? You're from the Earth Kingdom right?" asked Iroh as he noticed the Earth Kingdom clothing on Quey, plus the metal strips.

"I am from Ba Sing Se, but I saw you in the newspaper," smiled Quey.

"Oh right. Sometimes I forget I'm famous, haha. But anyway, what's an Earth Kingdom citizen doing in the Fire Nation? Shouldn't you be in Zaofu for protection? There are bloodbenders in Ba Sing Se, and we just got word that they will head out this way soon," asked Iroh.

Tenzin and the others stiffened as they saw Quey talking to Iroh. Tenzin bent down to whisper in Opal's ear.

"Maybe he has a plan for talking to General Iroh?" whispered Tenzin.

"He is a master firebender, and can bend lightning, but I doubt he'll agree to leave with us to teach him firebending," whispered back Opal.

Without wanting to look suspicious, all of them decided to go window shopping to leave Quey to his talking with Iroh. Quey looked left and then right, then motioned for Iroh to bend down. Quirking his eyebrow, Iroh bent down.

"Don't make a scene when I tell you this. Promise?" whispered Quey as he looked up at Iroh with pleading eyes.

Iroh had a sense that this kid had some top secret information for him. Possibly about the bloodbenders. Thinking that was the case, Iroh nodded, pretending to zip his lips.

"I'm the new Avatar," Quey whispered.

Iroh's eyes widened, but quickly went back to normal when Quey gave him a look that warned him.

"I'm here with a group of airbenders who are currently disguised as Earth Kingdom citizens. Our plan is to find me a firebending master, and a few firebending couples to take with us back to Zaofu. No one can know I'm here though. So, please let us know if you see bloodbenders approaching the Fire Nation?" explained Quey.

Iroh thought for a minute before smiling.

"I'll leave to go with you. I can easily command my army from a distance, so that's not a problem. Come on, let's go find those firebending couples," whispered Iroh before standing back up.

"Hey Iroh! Where ya going?" asked the shopkeeper.

"Ah, I have to go help this kid. I don't know when I'll be back," answered Iroh as he left with Quey.

The shopkeeper huffed but quickly put back on a smile when another customer arrived. Quey and Iroh set off in a jog, rounding a corner to where the airbenders were waiting. They were all confused.

"Hey guys. I can come with you to Zaofu to train the Avatar. But until then, let's find the couples to bring with us so the world doesn't run out of firebenders," said Iroh.

"Just like that? Don't you have an army and a responsibility towards your nation?" asked Tenzin incredulously.

"My grandfather left behind his own father and country to train the Avatar. Drastic times call for drastic measures. My mother and country will forgive me for leaving right now, as long as it's for the right reason, which is to train Quey. Less talking, more walking. We don't know when those bloodbenders will arrive. It could be any minute," sternly said Iroh.

"Alright. Where can we find firebending couples?" asked Opal.

"Well, you won't find many firebenders around this part of the Fire Nation. Most people around this part are nonbenders. Either on the far left, or the far right are where the most firebenders live. But how are we gonna get there without being noticed? Regardless of the disguises, it will still look suspicious that a group of Earth Kingdom citizens are running around with me in the mix," said Iroh.

Without another thought or word, Quey opened a hole underground.

"Everyone get in. I can guide us underground," ordered Quey.

"I can provide light," nodded Iroh.

Without another thought, the airbenders, Iroh, and lastly, Quey, all jumped into the hole. As soon as Quey closed the hole, Iroh opened his palm where he created a small flame for light. Quey pushed his way to the front of the line so he can bend the earth. Iroh went right behind Quey.

"It's an honor to meet you, Avatar Quey," said Iroh.

Quey smiled back at Iroh.

"It's great to meet you as well! I feel like I already know you, somehow," laughed Quey.

"Well, we technically did meet before. When you were Korra. The first time I met her was when she saved my life. She had someone send me a morse code signal, asking for my help in fighting against Amon and the Equalists. However, they were one step ahead of us. I nearly drowned, and that was when Korra pulled me up to the surface and got us back to land. Korra was extremely brave and strong. Just as you are brave and strong for coming here like this. Honestly, I thought the Avatar either died in Ba Sing Se and was a baby in the Fire Nation, or that the Avatar was still just a baby or toddler in Zaofu among the other earthbenders hiding there from Omashu," said Iroh, chuckling.

Quey chuckled too.

"I was raised in Ba Sing Se, but the bloodbenders spared my life. I was surprised. I had to stay there for one year. If I planned to leave before then, Noatak warned me he would use his bloodbending to kill me," shuddered Quey.

Iroh furrowed his brows together.

"They spared your life? Was it because you didn't know how to earthbend yet and they thought you were a nonbender?" asked Iroh.

"Oh no. I could bend at the time. Just not earth yet. See, I just recently learned earthbending, and mastered metalbending," replied Quey.

Iroh was shocked that Quey didn't learn earthbending first.

"So then, they thought you were a waterbender like them?" asked Iroh, pressing for details.

"No, I can't waterbend yet," Quey said, shaking his head.

Iroh's eyes widened in sudden realization and he laughed at the irony.

"What's so funny?" asked Quey as he cleared more earth for them to walk.

"You learned airbending first? I'm laughing because it's so ironic how different each Avatar can be from the last. Korra had such a hard time learning airbending, and you taught yourself with no problem," explained Iroh.

"Well, a couple things helped. One, my mother is Opal. Two, I was born shortly after Harmonic Convergence," shrugged Quey, clearing more earth.

"Ah! Yeah, that does make sense now. So then, who's your father since you picked up earthbending with no problem?" asked Iroh, intrigued.

"Bolin's my father," grunted Quey as he was now beginning to break a sweat from the constant having the clear earth. It was not a short tunnel. It was long since the Fire Nation was so big.

"Opal and Bolin. If I remember correctly, Opal's grandmother is Toph Beifong, right?" asked Iroh.

Quey nodded, panting.

"Do you need to take a break?" asked one of the airbenders.

"No time for taking a break," grunted Quey.

When they made it halfway through the tunnel, Iroh's radio began buzzing. Using his free hand, he picked it up as Quey stopped earthbending. No one, especially not the United Forces, could know Quey was here in the Fire Nation with their General.

"Yes?" asked Iroh.

"Sir! The bloodbenders are here! What are your orders?" asked the man on the other side. He sounded slightly panicked, but ready for anything at the same time.

Everyone's breath hitched in their throats. Quey mentally kicked himself in the rear end for that one day he spent avoiding everybody in Zaofu. That one day could have made a huge impact in his training, and they could have made it here a whole day earlier than the bloodbenders. Iroh gritted his teeth as he weighed his options. One option was blatantly attacking the bloodbenders with everything they had. Another option would be safely evacuating the Fire Nation citizens into the secret bunkers that were a short boat ride away. The second option would be too risky since in order to evacuate everyone, they would have to delay attacking the enemy, and bringing them to the United Forces boats to go to the bunkers, and that would most likely make the enemy follow them. The third option, was do nothing, which he couldn't afford them not to do.

"Attack!" Iroh ordered.

"Roger," replied the man.

Iroh hung up the radio.

"Get us above ground now! All of you have to use your airbending to get us to the left side as quickly as possible. At this point, it doesn't matter if my mother or anyone sees through your disguises. If we don't go quickly, the bloodbenders will reach the firebenders before we do!" shouted Iroh.

Quey understood and brought them all above ground. All the airbenders together used their bending to take them all to the left side of the Fire Nation. When they made it, the bloodbender ships stopped midway as the United Forces started firebending blasts at them like crazy. The bloodbenders, Noatak included, all jumped out of the boats. Using their waterbending, they dodged the fire blasts as they propelled themselves towards the Fire Nation. When they all made it to the land where the United Forces boats were near, Noatak and the bloodbenders made icicles and pierced them through the ships, leaving holes, preventing them from escaping. Continuing to dodge fire blasts, they all then moved in sync to put each ship in giant icebergs. Not one layered either. The people closest to the shore began running away in a panic, but were stopped by bloodbending. Landing gracefully, Quey felt vibrations in the earth. He stomped his foot on the ground to use his seismic sense, and saw bloodbenders and Noatak killing random citizens of the Fire Nation. The scene brought back too many painful memories as he began sweating and gasping for air.

"Quey! Are you okay?" asked Iroh.

"I'm fine. We need to grab some firebenders and leave immediately!" shouted Quey, clearly panicked.

He didn't want Noatak finding him and the airbenders there, and he certainly didn't want the firebenders to be eradicated from existence. He definitely did not want to die from being bloodbended to death. Quey placed his hand on the ground, and rose himself up on a pillar.

"Listen everyone! The bloodbenders are here! In order to save firebending, we can take up to six people with firebending with us! Any volunteers?" shouted Quey.

He could feel that Noatak and the bloodbenders just got a little further into the Fire Nation. They needed to get back to the middle where he hid Oogie before they do.

"The bloodbenders are here?! Already?!" shouted a man.

"Yes! We can take up to six firebenders with us to escape now! Raise your hand if you're a firebender!" shouted Quey, losing his wits and patience.

Nearly everyone in the group of fifteen people raised their hands. Nodding, Quey lowered himself back on level ground. Then he stomped his foot, and raised his fists in the sky. Under six of the fifteen people that raised their hands, they felt themselves being lifted on a floating piece of earth.

"Don't worry! This is just to get you back to our flying bison to escape quicker! Hang on to each other!" instructed Quey.

On each floating piece of earth were two firebenders. Each having one male and one female. Keeping his concentration on bending the earth with people on top with them, the airbenders did what they did last time, using their airbending to travel back to the middle of the Fire Nation in record time. Once they made it back to the middle, Quey lowered the people back on the ground, then quickly resurfaced Oogie who looked extremely bothered and confused, but let out a happy moan when he saw Tenzin and the airbenders. The airbenders helped the firebenders, including Iroh, get on the bison's back before they each propelled themselves on top as well. When Quey made it on the top of Oogie's back, he suddenly felt very afraid he could no longer see where Noatak and the other bloodbenders were. They had already killed so many people. Noatak then appeared just as Oogie was already five feet in the air. He noticed there were some Fire Nation people on top, and for the first time in a long time, showed true anger as he took his bloodbending stance and was slowly dragging the bison back down. The firebenders and airbenders were yelling, scared out of their minds. That's when Quey took it upon himself to bend the strips of metal on his elbows at Noatak. Noatak's eyes widened when he saw Quey bending metal at him.

"That airbender's the Avatar?!" he thought to himself. "I let him get away!"

Before he could have the chance to bloodbend Quey, the pieces of metal cut through Noatak's skin, causing him to yell out in pain and lose his bloodbending grip on the bison. Quey took that opportunity to make the metal he threw at him trap his feet and hands on the ground. He growled and yelled out in frustration as the bison flew off in the direction of Zaofu, too high up and now too far away for his bloodbending grip. He tried yanking his hands and feet out of the metal, but to no avail.

"Sir! What happened?" asked a concerned bloodbender. One of the bloodbenders who killed Quey's adopted parents.

"Remember that airbender in Ba Sing Se?" growled Noatak whose eyes were wild looking.

"Yeah," nodded the bloodbender.

"He's the Avatar! And he's already learned earth and metalbending! One of you stay behind and help free me while the rest of you get on the boats and start heading towards Zaofu! Now!" ordered Noatak.

The rest of the bloodbenders ran back to the boats immediately while the one stayed behind and used the water from his pouch to slice back and forth across the metal.

"Thank you, kind metalbender. Although, why? And why is General Iroh with you all? And did you steal this bison from Tenzin?" asked the firebenders.

Tenzin up front took off his hat and revealed his tattoos.

"Oh! So Tenzin was disguised among you all. We knew the rest of you were airbenders since that's how you transported us," said a woman.

"Yes. Us airbenders disguised ourselves. We're bringing Iroh with us to teach the new Avatar firebending," explained Opal.

The firebenders perked up.

"The Avatar? Is the Avatar back in Zaofu as we speak?" asked a man.

Quey raised his hand, making the firebenders look at him.

"I'm the Avatar," announced Quey seriously.

Just then the firebenders had so many more questions about where Quey came from, how he escaped from Ba Sing Se, how he felt when his parents were killed. Quey told them everything, and enjoyed their reactions upon finding out who his real parents are and who his great grandmother is, and how they reacted when he told them he started airbending first before earth and metal. Just then Quey heard a razor sound and looked below, eyes going wide.

"Tenzin! Bloodbenders below and following us!" yelled Quey.

"Oogie! Faster!" commanded Tenzin.

The firebenders began panicking.

"Oh no! They won't get us will they? Quey, can't you waterbend their boats away?" freaked out a firebender.

"Unfortunately, all I know are airbending, earthbending, and metalbending," winced Quey as he saw the hope from the firebenders' faces melt away upon hearing that.

He looked at his one elbow. He only had one metal strip left, and it would not be enough to stop the four bloodbenders on their trail. Just then he remembered he could fly.

"Okay, I got a plan," Quey suddenly said, getting the attention of everyone on Oogie's back.

"What is it?" asked Iroh seriously.

"I'm going to fly to Zaofu and tell them to have the domes almost closed up, but to leave the very top of it opened so you all can get through. That way, we don't have to worry about landing where the bloodbenders can get you," explained Quey as he stood up.

Iroh and the firebenders blinked.

"Can all airbenders fly?" asked Iroh.

"No. This is something I attained by letting go of my earthly tethers. The death of my adopted parents and the earthbenders helped me do that," replied Quey. "Stay high up in the sky where their bloodbending grip can't reach you!"

Without another word Quey ran to the front of Oogie next to Tenzin and jumped off. Everyone's breath caught in their throat until they saw Quey rise back up in the sky and fly off towards Zaofu faster than the wind. Then they all sighed in relief, allowing themselves to fully relax.

"Oogie, go higher. Above the clouds," commanded Tenzin.

Oogie groaned and went above the clouds, completely hiding themselves from the bloodbenders.

"Tch! They think we don't know where they're going. But was it just me, or did someone jump off the bison and fly?" asked one of the bloodbenders who killed Quey's adopted parents.

"I saw someone fly most definitely. Probably to go warn Zaofu. Which, I don't get that. If their plan is to have Zaofu close the domes, how are they supposed to get in?" asked the other one who helped in the murder.

"I bet ya they're gonna land on top of the dome and wait until we get bored and leave or something," smirked the other guy.

Back in the Fire Nation, Noatak was finally freed from the metal he was trapped in. The anger caused his adrenaline to rise drastically as he moved more quickly around the nation, killing anyone in sight. He used his heart sense to kill the people who were hiding. By the time Noatak could no longer feel a single heart beat other than Izumi's, he smirked.

"Time for the Firelord," Noatak announced to the few bloodbenders who were left with him.

Quey landed in Zaofu right where he saw Suyin, Toph, and Lin at.

"Guys! Close the domes, but leave the very top of this one open for the others to land in!" shouted Quey.

"What? Why? What's going on?" asked Suyin.

"If I had time to explain, I would have done that first! Now hurry!" shouted Quey exasperatedly.

Nodding, Suyin rushed over to tell Kuvira the orders. Soon, the dome was nearly closed, except for the very top for the bison to get through.

"Crap! Land ahead!" shouted one of the bloodbenders on the boat.

"No problem. All we gotta do is just make sure we make it to Zaofu. They're gonna just land on top of the dome. And even if that's not the plan, we can infiltrate Zaofu with the domes open and kill them all since it takes a minute for the domes to close anyway," said the other bloodbender.

All the boats came to a halt whereas the bison kept flying. Each one bended the water out of their pouches and used it to make an ice platform where they stepped on and bended it forward.

"Man, they just don't give up," stated Iroh with furrowed brows.

"Look! Zaofu is just up ahead, and it looks like Quey made it in time to tell them to leave just the top opened up for us!" pointed Opal happily, clearly relieved.

"See? The domes are closed. They're gonna land on top since there's literally no where else in the world where they will be safe," snickered the bloodbender.

The other bloodbenders laughed out loud even as the bison began its descent. They all stopped laughing and stopped moving when they saw the bison disappear below the dome. Then they all heard a loud metallic sound as the dome moved further in on itself to close completely.

"Damn it! They got away!" cursed the bloodbender angrily.

"I'm too scared to tell Noatak we failed! What do we do?!" shouted one of the bloodbenders.

"We have no choice. We'll have to escape back to the North Pole if we want to survive," said a bloodbender as he looked down in shame.

"I'm so glad you all made it back safely. Now, what was that plan for?" asked Lin.

General Iroh came down from Oogie, causing short gasps of surprise.

"There were bloodbenders on our trail," explained Iroh.

That was all it took to explain, and they understood immediately.

"So the bloodbenders attacked while you guys were looking for firebenders and a master. So, who's the master? Is it that combustion bender over there?" asked Suyin as she pointed to a teenage girl with black, wavy hair and the third eye tattoo.

No one had even noticed she was a combustion bender during all the commotion.

"You're not evil, are you?" asked an airbender accusingly.

The girl flinched and hid behind a man.

"You can stop hiding from behind your boyfriend and tell us if you have good intentions or not," snapped Toph.

"Uh, she's my little sister," awkwardly said the man she was hiding behind. "Renee, stop being shy when now is not the time to be shy!"

The girl known as Renee stepped out from behind her brother, hands clasped together and her head bowed. She walked up to Quey who took a small step backwards. He and everyone else, except for the local firebenders, expected her to snap her head up and blow Quey to bits and pieces. But to their surprise she bowed deeply.

"Thank you for saving me and my brother," she humbly thanked before standing up tall. "I want to return the favor, and teach you combustion bending when you're done learning normal firebending from General Iroh."

Quey's eyebrows raised.

"You want to teach me combustion bending?" he asked, pointing at himself.

"Yes!" chimed Renee excitedly.

Back at Varrick's place...

"Congratulations everyone. You're all already halfway finished to mastering bloodbending. Soon, you'll all be able to learn how to use it for healing," announced Tarnok happily.

Umi was now able to bloodbend dogs and cats without the full moon now. Ritoy can now bloodbend, but just rats and mice since he never bloodbended before in his life, without the full moon. Veena can make Varrick, a full grown adult, stiff and stand still, but she can't yet make him levitate or move him without risking hurting him or worse. Bean has better control over her anger, and can now bloodbend everyone in the household a little without the full moon. Tarnok and Saika smiled at them and at each other. Their students were making progress, and they were happy about it.