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AN: Hey all how's it going? Sorry about the delay, I've been quite busy recently. On top of which I foolishly started another story, a Percy Jackson/ Game of Thrones one called the Frozen Throne. Though to be fair I had an interesting idea and couldn't help myself. Still I found enough time today to write this out, which was helped along by the fact I had this planned out a few weeks ago, I just never got around to writing it.

But yes, anyway here is the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it and leave plenty of reviews and what not, they are very helpful when it comes to planning out my story, and the encouragement helps me keep focused on writing.

Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or Percy Jackson.

(Last Time)

"Finding the Avatar is a new priority, send word to all of the military base across the world, I want information gathered on him and a warrant for his capture drawn up." Ozai finally said after a few minutes of silence, his golden eyes shifting over to the other occupants of the room.

"Fire Lord!" Several of the Admirals and Generals said, even as they then began issuing orders of their own.

As all this was going on Ozai turned back to look at the messenger, his golden eyes narrowed and the flames in front of him growing hotter as he did so. "As for the murderer of my son, I want him tracked down and his head brought to me, the honour of my Household demands nothing less. However the capture of the Avatar is the priority for the moment, I want him brought before me, alive! For now though, bring my daughter to me, bring me Azula!"

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Chapter 8

( - )

(With Percy and Suki, on the mainland)

"So do we actually have a plan here, or are you just winging it?" Suki asked dryly as she looked over at her companion, Percy, the teenage girl no longer wearing her standard green battle kimono, makeup and golden headdress. All of which was a bit too noticeable, with her instead choosing to wear a simple faded, green tunic, and beige trousers, with a thick leather belt around her waist, holding on it a pair of folded up, sharpened battlefans and a three foot long sword.

With the brown haired, blue eyed girl keeping the rest of her armour and belongings in a large canvas bag, one which was currently tucked safely under her chair, safe from the prying eyes and sticky fingers of those around her.

From across the table, Percy gave Suki a wry smile, reaching out with his hand as he did so and picking up the mug of ale from in front of him, before giving her a mock cheers. "Absolutely."

Suki rolled her eyes at that, before she sent Percy an unamused look, her odd, yet lovable companion having chosen to wear a similar outfit to her, what with him wearing a worn, green tunic and breeches, as well as a leather belt containing a simple steel sword, one which looked somewhat dated in comparison to the one she carried, but still very functional, and likely also very deadly in the hands of someone as skilled as Percy.

Though of course this was what Percy wore more often than not, with him not having a uniform and not owning any armour to speak of, not that he would likely need any armour to begin with, what with him being a very talented Waterbender, as well as an apparent Airbender too. Not that Suki had brought up his apparent affinity for two elements, yet. Though she would, once they found quieter, less crowded surroundings.

It had been two days now since the two of them had left Kyoshi on an adventure, and in that time they had reached the mainland, and sold their boat, earning a reasonable amount of copper coins for it, probably slightly more than it was worth. With Percy's abilities, the entire journey had only taken them around twelve hours or so, with his unerring knack for sailing and control over the water making their voyage an absolute doddle.

Following on from that the two had then travelled inland by foot, following the well-worn path from the small trading outpost they had docked at to a nearby Earth Kingdom village. Which was little more than two dozen ramshackle wooden huts, and a large inn. The tiny settlement acting as more of a stop of point for travellers, as oppose to an actual place to live, though obviously some people did live here, and they probably made a pretty penny from the travellers who came and went too.

With a portion of their income likely coming from Percy and Suki as the two had been in the village for a day and a half now, or rather they had been in the inn for a day and a half, solidly camping out a slightly wobbly table in a dark corner of the dingy, and dirty tavern.

"Please tell me you're just saying that to mess with me?" Suki asked as she looked over at Percy, pushing down the sudden surge of warmth she felt when she looked into his amused green eyes, her mind momentarily flashing back to when she first kissed him a couple of days ago, they still hadn't' properly spoken about that either.

In response to that Percy sent her a bright, cheeky smile. "I have a vague plan in mind."

"And that is?" Suki asked, rolling her eyes as she did so, before she reached out and grabbed her own drink, a mug of plain water. With Suki, ever the consummate warrior abstaining from alcohol, after all alcohol made you sluggish and slow, and furthermore it could affect your judgement and lead to you making mistakes. That and she thought it tasted foul.

"Well I am waiting for the right people to come in." Percy replied slowly, a slight frown on his face now as he took another drink. "We don't really know our way around the mainland that well, and the maps we have are mostly coastal."

"So what you're looking to buy a map of the Earth Kingdom from another traveller?" Suki asked, nodding her head in understanding now.

"That or I am looking for a group travelling north, one which might need to hire mercenaries for protection against bandits, deserters or the Fire Nation." Percy shrugged, his gaze roving over the current occupants of the tavern, some of whom looked like just farmers, no doubt stopping in on their way to sell their produce. Whilst others looked more grizzled, likely ex-soldiers looking to pick up work, or refugees hoping to link up to a bigger group for safety as they fled danger.

"I still don't see why we couldn't have just kept the boat?" Suki asked, a slight frown on her face now, not that she was opposed to Percy's plan, it was more the inconvenience of travelling by land as oppose to the ease at which they could have travelled by sea. Then again a journey just by sea would probably have been a little boring, and hardly the adventurous exploration of the massive Earth Kingdom that the two of them wanted.

"The boat was good for short journeys, but isn't bigger enough to hold the provisions we would need to cross the ocean to the Northern Water Tribe, nor was the boat itself strong enough. I mean it barely made it across the channel from Kyoshi Island, and those were easy, warm waters. No, that was a fishing boat, meant for day journeys and coastal waters, out on the wide sea it would have been ripped to pieces." Percy replied with a smile, understanding Suki's confusion as he did so, Suki had been a Kyoshi Warrior not a sailor, sure she had been on the boats fending off pirates and the like, but her experience of actually sailing was only limited.

"But couldn't you use your Waterbending?" Suki asked contemplatively.

"For a while yes." Percy nodded, having thought of this himself. "I could speed our progress for a while and calm the seas, but my stamina is not indefinite, I would have tired over the course of the voyage, and then we would have been fucked."

"Alright, alright, I get it." Suki replied rolling her eyes again. "But you could have at least dropped us off further down the coast."

"Maybe." Percy shrugged, before he grinned, reaching out as he did and taking Suki's smaller hand in his own. "But we're not exactly in a rush are we, why not make an adventure out of it."

Suki's cheeks went a little pink at that, though she didn't pull away. "Yeah sure, whatever."

Percy grinned at that, before he could say anymore on the matter though, he was distracted when the doors of the tavern were thrown open and an unfamiliar group of people walked in.

The new group consisted of a mix of men, women and children, all of them looking pale and gaunt, wearing worn, threadbare clothing, and walking with hunched, defeated postures, as if they had the weight of the world on their shoulders, which considering the currently climate of unending warfare and conflict, was probably unsurprising.

"What do you think?" Suki muttered as she eyed the new group up and down.

"Refugees." Percy muttered, taking a sip of ale as he did so, his own gaze on the group. "No doubt travelling to safety, trying to escape the war."

"Are they the kind of group you're looking for?" Suki asked uncertainly as she saw the group shuffle into the room, all of them looking a bit anxious and nervous, save for one man, a broad shouldered man with a shaved head, a thick, bushy black beard, heavy set facial features and fists the size of small boulders.

The man in question was also wearing a set of plain coloured clothing, with a few scraps of rusty and battered iron armour over the top of his shirt, all of which looked to be salvaged from both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers, and on his hip there was a large, single handed hammer swinging from his belt.

"Maybe." Percy muttered, sipping his ale again as he did so, before placing it gently down on the table.

"They don't look like they have much money, certainly not enough to afford the service of mercenaries." Suki muttered, watching as the heavy set leader of the group approached the tavern's bar, whilst the rest of his group shuffled to one of the corners of the building, led by a hardy, tough looking woman who looked to being her mid-twenties, their tenseness not easing up for a moment as they continued to look warily around at the inn's inhabitants.

"No, but all we need is bed and board." Percy replied after a few moments, his expression softening as he looked at the group and noticed their awkwardness and the range of ages that made it up, the youngest being twelve or so, and the oldest in his fifties. A very eclectic group, and one in much need of help.

"You just want to help them don't you?" Suki replied, turning to look at Percy speculatively as she did so, her full lips twitching upwards for a moment as his green eyes shifted back onto her.

"Is that so wrong, besides if they are heading north then why not, we help them on their way north do our good deed for the day and then once they are safe we continue heading north." Percy shrugged, shifting uncomfortably under Suki's penetrating gaze. It seems somethings never changed, if he saw a chance to help the weak and vulnerable, those that desperately need help, he would step up and do it. It was just who he was, and what he was born to do.

A more cynical person though, they would call his actions foolish, and a waste of time as if they waited around they might come across a wealthier group, one that could pay them, or they could even join a company of mercenaries who they could temporally link up with. With either option being more beneficial for them in the long run, unfortunately though Percy was too sentimental for his own good, and so when he saw vulnerable people in need, he couldn't help but think of the times when he had been weak and in need of help, and when others had done the same for him.

"Then let's talk to them then." Suki replied decisively, slamming her hands down on the table in front of her as she did so, more than happy to be doing something, as oppose to just sitting in a tavern all day making small talk with Percy and eyeing up the tavern's clientele.

Percy nodded in response to that, before he drained the remnants of his ale and gently placed the tankard down. After which he then got up and followed Suki as she approached the group of travellers, the two of them giving off a distinct air of confidence, one which only those who are trained in the arts of battle, combat and killing are able to exude.

"Can we help you?" The leader of the group, the heavy set man asked gruffly as he eyed Suki and Percy warily, his hand unconsciously drifting down to the hammer swinging from his belt as he shifted around, placing his hulking, heavily muscled body in front of his group as he moved to intercept the duo after seeing their intent.

"Easy, we're not here to cause trouble." Suki replied calmly, raising her hands to show she was unarmed as she did so, or rather not going for the weapons on her belt, her instead gaze trailing over the small group, taking in their ragged, travel worn appearances, the gauntness of their faces and that look in their eyes, one that spoke of hardship and weariness.

The large man nodded at that, his hand remaining on his hammer and his guard not lowering as he looked from the small, slim Suki, to the tall, tanned Percy. "Okay, so who are you, and what do you want?"

"My name's Percy, and this is Suki." Percy then spoke up, his tone casual and relaxed, unbothered by the larger man's obvious hostility and distrust. "And we're just saying hey."

"Percy." The larger man replied, a frown on his face at how unfamiliar the name sounded, before he nodded. "Okay, well I'm Hef, and these are my people."

Percy paused for a moment as he heard that, waiting for more, only to moments later realise that this was all the man was willing to share, the man instead sending Percy a flat stare, as if to tell him to 'fuck off'.

"And where are you headed then Hef?" Suki spoke up, her expression earnest as she gave one of the younger members of the group a slight smile.

"North." Hef responded stoically, his face practically carved from granite as he eyed the two of them suspiciously.

Tilting his head as he heard the man's tone and saw his obvious wariness, Percy decided to just be blunt, it was what he was best at anyway. "You're refugees aren't you, fleeing from the Fire Nation attacks on the southern coast."

Hef scowled at that, but didn't deny it. Of course by this point the other members of his group were beginning to get impatient.

"Yes, we packed up our entire village a month ago and started heading north, all fifty or so of us, including men, women and children. Hopefully we'll either find a large town, or if not, go to the City of Omashu, where we'll be able to find sanctuary." A plain looking girl in her mid-twenties spoke up, her tone brusque and to the point, as she elbowed Hef in the side before looking at Suki and Percy, her own gaze slightly wary, but holding more warmth than Hef's. "By the way I'm Hana."

"A pleasure." Percy replied with an amused nod as he saw the sour look Hef shot the younger girl, before his suspicious gaze once again fell on Percy, as if daring him to say a word.

"So now you know that, what is it you actually want?" Hana then continued brusquely, her arms folded in front of her modest chest as she looked between Suki and Percy.

"To offer you some aid in reaching your destination." Suki replied with a shrug. "We're looking to head north too, and were hoping to do so in a group, for at least a while, or sat least until we get the proper lay of the land down."

"And you want to tag along with us?" Hana asked bluntly, her eyes narrowing as she eyed the two of them up and down, taking note of their athletic forms, the weapons they carried and the confidence of their stance.

"That's the general idea." Percy replied with a nod. "We both came over from Kyoshi Island, and so aren't all that well travelled, or knowledgeable about the mainland. Hell all of our maps just cover the coasts."

"Kyoshi Island, what are a bunch of neutral islanders like you doing on the mainland?" Hef suddenly asked, his tone somewhat condescending now.

"We're ideally hoping to head to the Northern Water Tribe, but want to see more of the Earth Kingdom on the way." Suki shrugged, before she looked over at Percy, unsure what else she could really say.

"So you're travellers." Hana asked with a nod, before her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "It's a bit of a dangerous time to be travelling for no reason don't you think? Besides why do you want to go to the Northern Water Tribe?"

"So we can meet some of the Waterbenders there, Percy is a Waterbender after all. Besides this war has been raging on for a hundred years now, is there ever a good time to travel!?" Suki replied, the faintest hints of irritation entering her tone now at the way these people were speaking to them. They were offering them help, and these people were being arseholes, it was starting to piss her off.

"You're a Waterbender?" Hana asked in interest her tone changing now, her gaze locking onto Percy, looking him up and down as she did so, some of her wariness fading as she heard that. Her mind automatically linking Percy as a Waterbender in with the Water Tribes, which would also make him an enemy of the Fire Nation. "That's interesting, I've never met one before. Though Hef here is an Earthbender, the only one in the village, or at least the only one over the age of ten. After all the older ones were all conscripted to the war effort, like Hef was a few years back, before he came home."

"Hana!" Hef snapped, his eyes flickering down to the smaller and younger girl.

"Yes I am." Percy nodded, before he turned to Hef, eying him up and down as he did so, taking in his large, solid build and the aura of strength he seemed to exude "I have to say though I've never met an Earthbender before."

Hef grunted at that, but eventually nodded, after which he quickly redirected the conversation. "So you want to join our group as we head north?"

"Until you either reach safety, or until we naturally part ways, yes." Suki nodded, after sharing a look with Percy. "We're both skilled and trained fighters, and so can help out with protection and stuff."

"We don't have anything to pay you." Hef replied bluntly, obviously not all that keen on Percy and Suki joining them.

"Food and board is all we need." Suki shot back at him, her eyes brows furrowing again at the man's attitude.

"Hmm." Hef hummed, his eyebrows knitting together as he eyed both Percy and Suki suspiciously.

"We'd appreciate any help you would be willing to give us." Hana then spoke up for the group.

"Hana!" Hef snapped, only to twitch when the smaller girl sent him a scowl.

"We came here for a reason remember, to re-provision and hopefully get some more protection as we head north. You're the only Earthbender in the group old enough to fight, and the only one with any experience or training in fighting." Hana replied, her tone blunt and to the point. "These two are offering us their help getting north, and don't ask for much in return. How can we say no!?"

"I don't trust them!" Hef shot back at her, ignoring both Percy and Suki now.

"You don't trust anyone, besides you've only just met them." Hana returned fire, her hands now resting on her hips as she scowled up at the truculent older man.

"It's a gut feeling." Hef replied somewhat lamely.

"Well I do trust them, and I also can appreciate a stroke of luck when it happens." Hana replied, her tone filled with finality now, before she turned to look at Percy and Suki, her expression slightly apologetic. "Sorry about him, we've been travelling for a while now and things have been tense. We've not been attacked yet thankfully, but we had a bit of a rough time of it before we moved away. The Fire Nation were raiding the coast, attacking the village and burning our fields. It's been happening all up and down the southern coast, the attacks are all swift and they don't kill many, if any, but they wound those who oppose them, and purposefully attack the crop fields and store houses."

Percy nodded at that, understanding the Fire Nation's tactic as he did so. The Fire Nation were purposefully driving people from their homes, and destroyed the fields and food resources. They were trying to force the people into the cities, corralling them into the larger settlements, where they would be a drain on resources, and would contribute to the spread of disease and famine.

Obviously the straight forward assaults on a country as cast as the Earth Kingdom were not working, so some bright spark had come up with new tactics, all so they could force the populace away from the rural areas and into the cities. That being said Percy felt like there was something missing, some piece of their tactics he hadn't quite figured out yet.

"So is that a yes then?" Suki asked, a smile on her face, oblivious to Percy's inner thoughts.

"Yes, we'd love it if you come with us. We'd appreciate all the help we can get." Hana replied, ignoring Hef's grumbling as she did so.

"Good, then it looks like we have a common goal." Percy nodded after a few minutes, his lips twitching upwards, after all he was all starting to get bored of just hanging around in this dark, dingy tavern all day.

( - )

(Within Fire Nation waters)

The cool ocean air blew over the large, iron hulled battleship as it forged its way through the choppy seas, leaving a trail of dark smoke in the air behind it as its coal fired engines chugged away. As the ship continued on its way, the shore of the Fire Nation mainland could be seen fading into the distance, as the warship continued its journey, proudly flying its flag of a black flame on a red background, proclaiming its allegiance for all to see.

Standing on the deck metal warship, looking disinterestedly out over the sea was a beautiful, dark haired girl of around fifteen years, the dark hair flying free and unbound, swirling around behind her as the cold ocean breeze gusted over the deck.

The girl in question was currently wearing dark red robes, with a black, silk band tied around her thin, yet firm waist. A far cry from the red and black, spiked armour, with golden inlay that she usually wore. Traditional Fire Nation light armour that was of a quality that not even the admirals and generals of the Fire Nation army wore, armour that had been crafted by the Fire Nation's finest artisan, taking him well over a year to finish.

But then again that was not surprising, after all she was Azula, the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, and now the only child of the Fire Lord, Ozai. Though that last bit was only recent, after all it had not been long since her 'beloved' brother, Zuko, had gotten himself killed by some Water Tribe mongrel many miles from his homeland, on some dingy, dirty Earth Kingdom island, an ignoble death, for an exiled Prince.

A soft sigh left Azula's lips at that thought, even as she rested her hands on the ships cold railing, her breath misting in front of her as she stared out to sea, looking off in the opposite direction of her homeland. Her brother was dead, and even now she still didn't know how to feel about it. Her hands clenched the railing tighter at that thought, making her porcelain skin even paler than normal, as her golden eyes narrowed.

She and Zuko had never been close, she knew that. In part this was because he was a cowardly, weak, little mommy's boy, whilst she had been a stone cold bitch, a monster. Suffice to say that combination had never worked, and had meant that the two of them had always been somewhat estranged and antagonistic towards one another.

This hadn't been helped by the fact that their father was a distant and unloving figure in their lives, whilst their mother had feared and despised Azula, whilst also doting upon the weak willed Zuko, something which had caused a lot of resentment, and dare she say it, hatred, to build up within Azula as she grew up, and not even their mother's disappearance had assuaged it, as she instead had to vent her deep-seated anger in other ways.

But still despite their uncomfortable relationship, Azula had found herself feeling oddly numb after hearing of her brother's fate. It wasn't sadness, she knew that, she hadn't even shed a tear, but at the same time it wasn't satisfaction either, instead it was just emptiness. A feeling Azula had never had before, and which had at first left her confused, only for that confusion to turn into anger and frustration.

It was partially for this reason that she was standing out here alone on deck, her red robes whipping around her in the ocean breeze, and goose bumps spreading over her exposed flesh. She needed a bit of fresh air to help her think, sitting in her luxuries, palatial cabin brooding was no help, especially when there were so many thoughts swirling around her mind.

But these thoughts were not just about her dead brother. No, they were also about her current situation. She had just recently been dispatched on a mission by her father, a mission of absolute importance, which was to track down the Avatar and bring him back to the Fire Lord alive.

On top of which she was to kill her brother's killer if she came across him, but that was only secondary to her main objective, and was more about restoring the royal family' reputation than avenging her brother, after all his death had besmirched the family's reputation, and dishonoured her father, and only through brutally executing his killer could their honour be regained, and their reputation restored. That and the complete subjugation of the killer's tribe, which was likely the Northern Water Tribe, considering the purge of all the Waterbenders from the Southern Tribe.

But still, her main objective was to track down the Avatar and capture him, something which should be simple enough. Or at least that was what she had thought before she had been given more information from her father's spy master, courtesy of a Fire Nation merchant who frequented Kyoshi Island.

Apparently there were now two potential Avatars roaming the world. One of whom was some Airbending child, one who had been on Kyoshi Island when Zuko had met his fate, along with some Water Tribe peasants and a Sky Bison. That being said, although he was an Airbender, he had apparently shown no ability with the other elements, which made it possible that he might be the descendant of some Airbenders that had escaped the purge of their race a hundred years ago, a relic of a bygone age. Still it was possible that he also the Avatar, after all history said that the next one in the cycle, after the Fire Nation born Avatar Roku, was supposed to be an Airbender.

Of course there was now another possibility, apparently the Waterbender who killed Zuko, according to the Fire Nation merchant, who himself had heard it directly from some of the more gossipy islanders, had apparently used the element of air as well as the element of water when fighting her uncle and brother. With her uncle, Iroh, still being missing in action, though he was presumed dead, not that she cared all that much about him.

But anyway, this unsubstantiated information could be both good news and bad news for the Fire Nation. Good, in the way it meant that Zuko's killer had been the Avatar, a far more worthy opponent that some Water Tribe peasant, which meant his death might not be as damaging politically and socially as her father first feared. However it was also bad in the fact that this was apparently a grown man, as oppose to some Airbending child, which inevitably meant that he would likely be strong and more experienced with bending the four elements than the child, which would make capturing him alive quite a bit harder.

Azula scowled at that, this information had only been given to her mere hours before she had departed the mainland, and even now she was unsure which one she should pursue. After all the Airbender was apparently travelling by a giant sky bison, whilst the Waterbender was travelling by boat. The both of them having left the Island of Kyoshi pretty sharpish after Zuko's death, likely fleeing the inevitable backlash they would face when the Fire Nation found out about the death of their Prince, even though he was exiled.

Azula let out a huff of irritation at that, a burst of blue fire erupting out of the air in front of her lips as she did so. She wasn't sure what to do, which was a strange thing for her, as usually she was very decisive, making snap decision with ease and sticking with them.

Now though, she was confused, off balance, and uncertain.

Azula grit her teeth at that thought, her silky black hair blowing about her as she glared up at the silvery moon overhead. She didn't like this feeling, it left her feeling weak, like Zuko had been. She needed to decide on a course and stick with it, who would she pursue, the Airbender, or the Waterbender?

( - )

AN: So Percy and Suki have started their own original arc as they head north, one full of peril, adventure and romance. It'll certainly be fun to write their adventures, though rest assured they will occasionally cross over with the canon timeline where it still occurs, and will eventually join with a very different timeline at some point, the death of Zuko and all that entails having a large impact on the plot of season two and three, where he plays a pivotal roll. All of which will be fun to play around with, when including Percy and the other changes I have made.

Yes suffice to say I have got some interesting ideas I want to explore, including delving into the spirits and into just what 'maintaining the balance' means, something the Last Airbender only touched upon, though it was explored a lot more in the Legend of Korra.

On top of that I have set Azula on a new path, where I can play around with her character, and the fascinating psychological issues and background she has. With her being one of my favourite characters in the show, on a par with Suki, who is a criminally underused character in my opinion. Followed closely by my other preferred characters, Sokka, Iroh and Zuko, all three of which have a lot more depth to them than most characters. Then again you could say that for all Last Bender characters, as that show is just awesome.

But yes, this was the chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it and leave a comment or review. That or check out my other stories if you fancy, a lot of which are also Percy Jackson crossovers.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you later.

Greed720.