Disclaimer: I'm only gonna say this once; I do not own Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, or the OCs that appear in this story.
SOLACE IN THE STARS
BOOK I: WATER
The galaxy is in turmoil. The Sith have executed their long-planned revenge and destroyed both the Galactic Republic and their ancient enemies in the Jedi Order, leaving only a few to escape their grasp. Among this handful are two Jedi Padawans, who have managed to evade legions of clone troopers and the Sith Lord, Darth Vader. With the fall of the Galactic Republic, a new Galactic Empire has risen to take its place.
Meanwhile, on an uncharted planet in the unknown regions of the galaxy, the young Avatar, Aang, who is destined to save his planet from a brutal war that has engulfed his planet for nearly a century, has embarked on a journey to master the elements of air, water, earth, and fire.
As fate would have it, the two Padawans arrive in the planet's orbit, aboard a heavily damaged starship. Although they do not know it, their arrival will change the course of Aang's journey and the fate of the planet forever...
Chapter 1:
The Warriors From the Stars
The endless expanse of space seemed to stretch on forever, a serene and silent void punctuated only by the distant twinkle of stars and the stately arc of a nearby planet. Suddenly, a small and damaged ship appeared, breaking the silence as it emerged from light speed and headed towards the planet. Two young men were inside the ship. One looked to be around thirteen years old with brown hair and brown eyes. The other appeared to be around fifteen years old, with black hair and blue eyes that flickered over the controls as he worked to steady their turbulent course.
"Unidentified planet! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is Commander Neo Sumdac of the Grand Army of the Republic, requesting permission for an emergency landing!" he said into a communicator but received no response.
The younger boy looked concerned. "What do we do, Master?" he asked.
"I'm not your master," Neo replied. "But we have no choice but to make an emergency landing. So, strap in."
As the ship entered the planet's atmosphere, flames began to surround it. Neo maneuvered the ship towards the planet, passing through the clouds and approaching a vast ocean. An impact was imminent.
"Prepare for impact," Neo ordered.
"Yes, Master," the younger boy said.
"For the last time, I'm not your-" Neo was cut short as the ship crashed into the ocean.
"Alright, dessert for breakfast!" Aang cheered excitedly, as he stuffed a pastry into his mouth. "These people sure know how to treat an Avatar!"
Aang grinned and held out one of the pastries to the girl who was sitting next to him. "Mm, Katara, you've got to try these!"
"Well, maybe just one bite," Katara said as she took the pastry from Aang.
"What's your problem, Sokka?" Aang asked as he redirected his gaze to an older boy, who sat on the floor with his back against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest.
"Not hungry," Sokka snapped.
"But you're always hungry!" Aang exclaimed as he looked at Sokka in confusion.
"He's just upset that a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday," Katara explained to the young Avatar.
"Right," Katara drawled. "And then they kicked your butt."
"Sneak attacks don't count!" Sokka snapped, jumping to his feet and stalking out of the room. "Tie me up with rope, I'll show them a thing or two..."
A moment later, Sokka walked back into the room and took a few desserts from the table.
"I'm not scared of any girls. Who do they think they are anyway?" he mumbled as he shoved one of the pastries in his mouth. "Mm, this is tasty."
"What's he so angry about?" Aang asked. "It's great here. They're giving us the royal treatment."
"Well, don't get too comfortable. It's risky for us to stay in one place for too long," Katara warned.
"I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, did you see how happy I'm making this town? They're even cleaning that statue in my honor."
"It's good to see you excited about being the Avatar, but I hope it doesn't all go to your head."
"Come on, you know me better than that. I'm just a simple monk," Aang replied, walking over to the window. A bunch of girls screamed in excitement when they saw him, causing him to smile, while Katara rolled her eyes.
Near the shore of a large island, Neo and the other boy were walking through a forest. Neo was holding a backpack full of supplies, including his and the boy's lightsabers. As they walked through the forest, the younger boy turned to Neo.
"What do we do now, master?"
Neo looked at the boy. "We need to look for civilization. Also, why do you keep calling me master, Eli? Can you stop?"
Eli looked down. "We're the last of the Jedi, aren't we? Doesn't that make you my master by default?" he mumbled.
Neo thought for a moment. "I know it seems pretty bleak right now, but I know we'll make it," he said, trying to cheer the young Jedi up. "But that still doesn't make me your master. I'm still a padawan, just like you. We both have a lot we need to learn."
As Neo said that, Eli's face lit up.
"Master- I mean, Neo, look!"
Neo looked, and his face broke into a smile. "Ah, smoke, and where there's smoke?"
"There's fire?"
"Yes! And what does fire mean?"
"That there's smoke?"
Neo deadpanned. "Well, yeah, obviously, that too, but also civilization."
"Oh, yeah."
"Let's just hope that this civilization is made up of humans, or near-humans because I get the feeling we're going to be here for a long time..."
Eli giggled and directed his gaze to the forest. Suddenly, he stopped.
"Do you sense that, master?"
Neo nodded. "We're not alone," he said as he handed the backpack to Eli.
Just then, four warriors wearing green dresses and white makeup jumped down from the trees, surrounding him and Eli. The two Jedi and the four warriors studied each other for a moment. Then, Neo attacked.
Using the force, he created a powerful wave that sent the warriors flying across the forest in different directions. "Run, Eli!" he called out as he began running himself.
The warriors pulled themselves off the ground, shocked and confused.
"Did he just... push us back without touching us?" one warrior asked.
The warriors took off after them.
Neo and Eli kept running through the woods
Neo looked up and saw four scary-looking females wearing green dresses with white face paint falling from the trees surrounding him and Eli, ready to strike. The two Jedi and the four warriors looked at each other for a moment. Then, the girls attacked.
Neo threw the backpack at Eli. "Get down!" he yelled as he used the force to push the four girls back. "RUN!"
He and Eli took off running as the girls got up, shocked.
"Did he just push us back without touching us?" one girl asked.
They then took off after them.
Neo and Eli kept running through the woods when Neo noticed the warriors in the trees.
"Keep going, I'll slow them down," he said.
Neo jumped to a tree, spun around, and did a flying kick to one of the warriors. Then he grabbed one of the arms of another and threw her into the other blocked a hit from the last one threw her over his shoulder and took off by jumping from tree to tree.
"Who the hell is this guy?" one girl asked as the four took off after him.
Meanwhile, back in the village, Sokka was still peeved about the previous day and decided to show off for the ladies by acting cool and tough. Walking up to the dojo, he saw the girls practicing motions with their fans.
"Sorry, ladies, didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson," he said cockily. "I was just looking for somewhere to get a workout."
"Well, you're in the right place," the leader, Suki, said.
"Sorry about yesterday. I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar," Suki said.
"It's alright. Normally, I'd hold a grudge, but seeing as how you're a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception."
"I should hope so. A big, strong man like you... we wouldn't stand a chance."
"True, but don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village."
"Wow, best warrior, huh? In your whole village?" Suki asked teasingly. "Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a demonstration."
"Well, I... I mean..." Sokka stammered.
"Come on, girls. Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" Suki asked, and the girls giggled in response.
"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be happy to," Sokka said, overconfidently. "Alright, you stand over there. Now, this may be a little tough, but try to block me."
Sokka attacked her, but Suki simply blocked him by hitting his arm with her fan.
"Ah, good. Of course, I was just going easy on you," Sokka said.
"Of course," the Suki said, amused.
"Let's see if you can handle this!" Sokka cried out, swinging a kick at Suki only for her to slide forward and knock him into the air with her arm.
The Kyoshi Warrior snapped open her metal fan and began fanning her face, looking down at Sokka's sprawled-out form on the ground of the dojo.
"That's does it!" Sokka snapped, lunging to his feet and swinging his fist at the girl.
Suki easily pushed his fist away, grabbing his forearm with one hand while her other pressed into his shoulder and she began swinging him around in a circle. She swung him the other way then jerked his arm back, snapped his belt off, and tied it around the arm in her grasp and his raised ankle. Suki then stepped back and watched as the young man began hopping forward, trying to keep his balance before falling on his face with a yelp.
"Is there anything else you want to teach us?" Suki asked smugly as she stood over Sokka's prone form, while the other Kyoshi Warriors giggled at his predicament.
Sokka blushed furiously and looked up at the girls with wide, embarrassed eyes.
Suddenly, Suki saw someone she didn't recognize run past the door. "Who's that?" she asked.
Suddenly, something crashed through the back wall, causing the warriors and Sokka to look up. They saw a young man with black hair get off the floor and look up.
"How many of you are there?" he asked. He glanced behind him and saw the warriors that had been chasing him coming, causing him to start running again. He slid through the group and jumped out the door, then took off.
Three of the warriors continued to chase him, but just as the leader was about to follow, the fourth warrior stopped her. "Suki," she began. "There's something you need to know about that boy."
Neo kept running until he came to a building, then he jumped on it and climbed, causing the warriors to follow. He ran from rooftop to rooftop until two warriors got in his way. He jumped over them and kept running, making the two look at him in shock.
Eli ran behind some buildings until he came up to a giant white furry beast. As soon as he realized it was alive, he turned to go the other way, only to run into a bald boy with an arrow on his head who was being chased by a group of girls.
"Hi," Eli said sheepishly.
"Hello," the bald boy said. Eli and the boy just stared at each other for a moment. Eli then took off again.
"Who was that?" one girl asked.
"I don't know," the boy said. "Let's follow him."
They took off after Eli.
Neo kept running on the rooftops as the warriors caught up with him. One of them was about to strike him with her fan, but, using the force, Neo lifted the warriors into the air and threw them off the roof. One of the warriors cried out in pain. Then, he jumped down. He then slid down the roof, grabbed the edge, and jumped through a window.
When he looked up, he saw a girl manipulating water, making it float in the air. Neo and the girl looked at each other for a moment before the warriors charged in, causing Neo to jump out of the window and roll on the ground, the warriors surrounded him
One warrior attacked him, but he blocked each hit and swiped her feet from under her. Two more warriors attacked, and he jumped over them. When another warrior started to attack, he grabbed her arm and threw her into the other two.
"Neo!" he heard someone say. He looked over and saw Eli come running with the backpack and a group of children after him. One of them was a boy with a blue arrow on his head. This boy caught Neo's attention as he could feel something emanating from him.
The next thing he knew, he was smacked in the back of the head and knocked out by Suki.
"Tie them up," she said.
Neo found himself amid a chaotic scene, a voice urgently urging him to run. But he refused to abandon his master, his loyalty unwavering. The clash of lightsabers echoed around him, intensifying his sense of danger.
As he surveyed his surroundings, a female voice cried out in desperation, her fear palpable. Neo's heart raced with adrenaline as he searched for a solution, but his thoughts were jumbled and his mind clouded with confusion.
Suddenly, a name echoed through his mind, a name that he could not forget. "Celestia!" he shouted out in anguish, his voice choked with emotion.
Neo woke up gasping, only to find himself tied to a pillar next to Eli. There were several other people in the room, including an old man, a young, bald boy with blue arrow tattoos across his face and arms, a girl and a boy both dressed in blue and the girl who had knocked Neo out. The girl and the elder loomed over them.
"Suki, they're awake," the elder said before glancing at Neo and Eli. "You two have some explaining to do."
The girl, Suki, moved closer to Neo until they were practically nose to nose. "Who are you?" she asked. "Where did you come from? Why are you trespassing on this island? Are you Fire Nation?"
Neo flashed her a smile. "Look, this is all just a big misunderstanding. We're not Fire Nation. This boy and I are simple fishermen from across the sea. A storm blew us to this island and sank our ship."
Suki snapped her metal fan open and bludgeoned Neo in the face with it. "You're no fisherman- my warriors say you can do magic and that you fight like a demon. Tell another lie like that and we'll feed you to the unagi."
A trickle of blood ran down Neo's face. "Doesn't sound so bad."
Suki moved closer to Neo. "Look's like the unagi's gonna be eating well tonight."
The girl dressed in blue pulled Suki back. "That's enough Suki!"
Suki glared at her. "Is it, Katara? You saw what he did to my warriors. He broke one of their legs!"
"Did I?" Neo asked. "If I did, I can assure you that it was an accident."
Suki fanned herself. "Maybe I'll be more forgiving if you tell me what's really going on here."
Neo looked uneasily at everyone in the room. Eli shrugged.
"There's no way you're going to believe me," Neo said.
"We won't know until you tell us," Katara said.
"Well, technically, I wasn't lying when I said I was from across the sea. But I don't come from across a sea of water, but a sea of stars. That is to say, I come from another planet."
Neo looked around the room. Katara wasn't smiling anymore.
Then, the boy in blue started laughing. "Wow, man. That might just be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. A sea of stars? Another planet? If you actually believe that, you're crazy!"
Katara looked at Neo. "Ignore my brother, Sokka. He can be a real jerk sometimes. I thought you sounded poetic when you said that."
"Wait!" Neo said. "I can prove it!"
Suki turned to the elder. "I think we've heard enough. Let's feed them to the unagi."
The elder nodded in agreement.
Neo looked around the room in desperation until his gaze fell on the bald boy with blue tattoos, who seemed to be lost in thought.
"Wait!" the boy yelled. "Let him talk!"
Everyone fell silent and looked at the boy.
"Aang," Suki said. "This... demon is dangerous. You saw what he did to my warriors. And we know he's a liar. What makes you think this isn't a trick?"
"I don't know..." Aang said. "I feel like... like I've heard this before. Like, in a past life. Maybe Kyoshi met someone like him?"
Suki nodded. "Alright, Avatar... I hope we don't regret this."
"Give me my backpack, untie me, and I'll prove it," Neo said.
Begrudgingly, Suki cut Neo down and placed the backpack in front of him. He reached into it and pulled out a glowing blue cube. Then, he placed the cube in the palm of his hand and closed his eyes in concentration. To the amazement of everyone in the room, the cube split into multiple pieces which seemed to float in the air. Instantly, a map of the galaxy appeared in light blue miniature. Everyone in the room took an instinctive step back.
"Don't worry," Neo said. "It's not dangerous- it's just a hologram."
"A hologram? Wha- What is it showing?" Katara asked as she gazed at the map in wonder.
"The galaxy in which we all live," Neo replied.
The elder looked skeptical. "So you're saying you're from another planet, correct?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."
Sokka snickered. "You both look human to me."
"Just because we're human doesn't mean we're from this planet," Eli said. "Humans are the most common species in the galaxy. You can find them on almost any planet with a breathable atmosphere."
"So... what are you?" Suki asked as she studied the two of them.
"We're Jedi, the sworn protectors of the Galactic Republic. Using the force, we handle all sorts of situations, such as ending conflicts between systems, preventing crime syndicates from becoming too powerful, and just generally keeping the peace across the galaxy," Neo explained.
"And the force is?" Sokka questioned.
"The force is what gives a Jedi power. It's an energy field created by everything in the galaxy. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together."
"Oh, so it's just a bunch of cosmic spirit nonsense."
Neo rolled his eyes. "You will now bang your head on that wall," he said as he waved his hand in front of Sokka's face.
To the shock of everyone in the room, Sokka proceeded to do just that.
"That's called a Jedi mind trick. It only works on the weak-minded," Neo said smugly.
Katara giggled. "So why did you two come to this planet?"
Neo and Eli glanced at each other.
"Something... happened," Neo said slowly. "Recently, the galaxy has been engulfed in a massive war, the likes of which haven't been seen for over a thousand years. We Jedi were tasked to be generals in the Grand Army of the Republic, an army of clone troopers sworn to protect the Republic from all threats. But then, a few days ago, we were betrayed. The clone troopers overran the Jedi temple and slaughtered every Jedi that could find. Our mentors, our companions, everyone we knew and cared for... they've all been killed."
The room was silent for a moment.
"But weren't there other Jedi across the galaxy? Couldn't they have survived?" Katara asked.
Neo shrugged. "Maybe. But they're all over. And if we were attacked on our home turf, chances are they were attacked by their clone troopers too. Eli and I could very easily be the last of the Jedi."
That last sentence made Aang look down in grief, for he too knew what that was like.
"So what's going on on this planet? Why would it matter if I'm Fire Nation? And what is the Avatar?" Neo asked. He had spent the entire afternoon answering questions about the galaxy, the Jedi Order, and the force, but Suki had allowed them to take a break so that they could eat lunch.
"Well, this planet is called Earth," Katara explained. "It's divided into four nations- Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Each nation has its own culture, people, and bending style associated with the elements. Only the Avatar can master all four elements. It's his job to maintain balance between the four nations. But then, a hundred years ago, the Fire Nation attacked the four nations, and the Avatar wasn't there to stop him. Now, the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war."
Eli shoved a pastry into his mouth. "And Aang is the Avatar?"
"Yeah. Turns out, he was frozen in an iceberg for the past hundred years. A few days ago, my brother, Sokka, and I found him there. Now, we're trying to get to the North Pole so that he can learn to waterbend. You guys can come with us if you want."
Eli perked up at that, but Neo shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but first thing tomorrow morning, we're heading to the mainland to find our way in this world. Surely you understand- after the Clone Wars, the last thing we want to do is get involved in another conflict."
Just then, Aang walked into the room with a mischievous look on his face. "Katara, remember when the Unagi almost got me yesterday?" he asked coyly.
"Yeah," Katara said. Neo sensed the tension in her.
"Well, I'm gonna go ride it now, and it's gonna be really dangerous," Aang said.
"Good for you," Katara said.
"You're not gonna stop me?" Aang asked, surprised.
"Nope, have fun," Katara said, clearly upset.
"I will."
"Great."
"I know it's great."
"I'm glad you know."
"I'm glad you're glad."
"Good."
"Fine!"
Aang then walked away, saddened by the exchange between him and Katara. Katara felt the same.
Eli then got up and started going after Aang. "Where are you going?" Neo asked.
"I'm gonna go watch Aang," Eli said.
Neo sighed. "Just be careful."
Eli nodded and left.
"You know, you seem to care more about him than you let on," Katara said to Neo.
"Of course I do. Besides me, Eli may be the last of the Jedi. You care about him, don't you?" Neo asked.
"Who, Eli?" Katara said, confused.
"No, Aang," Neo clarified.
Katara blushed a little before answering. "He's the last of his kind and has no one but Appa. So, me and Sokka sort of became his new family. I just don't want him to get hurt. I mean, he's the Avatar, and the Fire Nation wants him dead. I just don't think he seems to understand what that means. Eventually, they'll find out he's here and come for him, and it makes me worry."
"I understand. If Aang is as important as you say, he has a huge responsibility," Neo said.
Katara nodded.
"But you need to remember one thing," Neo continued.
Katara looked at Neo, confused.
"He's still a kid, a child, and like any child, he's gonna act up, he's gonna act immature, and not always take things seriously. But when the time is right, he'll realize it's time to grow up and take responsibility, and when he does, it will all work out in one way or another."
Katara stared wide-eyed at how wise Neo was for his age. After thinking for a bit, she decided to go check on Aang. "I'm gonna go check on Aang and Eli," she said.
"Of course," Neo replied.
"And...thank you."
"No problem."
After she had left, Neo sat there for a bit before he started sensing something he was all too familiar with. It wasn't the warriors or Aang; it was something along the lines of anger and despair. Neo frowned. The feelings seemed to be getting stronger, almost as if whatever they were resonating from was getting closer to the island.
Getting up from his spot on the floor, he looked outside and looked toward the sea. Hopping out the window and onto the roof, he ran and jumped from rooftop to rooftop and over to the statue of Avatar Kyoshi. He climbed to the top and looked out to sea, watching for whatever was coming.
Over at the shore, Aang was in the water waiting for the Unagi to come, while the girls and Eli waited on shore. The girls were getting impatient.
"What's taking so long?" one girl asked.
"I'm sure it will be here any second," Aang said.
He then pulled a marble out and started spinning it in mid-air.
"What about this?"
"That's so awesome," Eli called out.
But the girls were not as impressed.
"Not that again...boring," another girl said.
"Where's the Unagi? It's getting late."
"Where are you going? Don't leave," Aang said.
"Sorry, Aang. Maybe next time," the girls said as they left, leaving only Aang and Eli.
As they saw Katara walking up to them, they both turned to greet her.
Aang spoke excitedly, "Katara, you showed up!"
Katara smiled and replied, "I wanted to make sure you were safe. You really had me worried."
"But back there you acted like you didn't care," Aang said.
"I'm sorry," Katara said.
"Me too. I let all that go to my head. I acted like a real jerk," Aang admitted.
"Well, get out of the water before you catch a cold, you big jerk," Katara ordered.
"On my way!" Aang complied.
Eli then interrupted, "So, are you two like a thing or something?"
Katara blushed. "No, why would we be a thing? We barely know each other!"
"I was just..." Eli trailed off when he noticed something following Aang in the water. "What does the Unagi look like, exactly?"
Katara looked out and saw the unagi following Aang. The unagi rose from the water and revealed itself to the three.
"Whoa!" Eli exclaimed. "That thing is huge! Aang, you might want to get out of the water!"
The unagi started spraying water at Aang, who hid behind one of the fins. Then the unagi went to jab at him, and Aang grabbed one of its whiskers. The unagi started swinging Aang around while he held on for dear life.
"Hang on, Aang!" Katara yelled.
"Don't think he has much of a choice," Eli said.
With a ferocious grunt, the mighty Unagi hurled Aang into the air like a ragdoll, sending him soaring before plummeting into the dark depths of the water. A deafening thud echoed across the tranquil bay as Aang's limp body crashed into the water's surface, rendering him unconscious.
The Unagi's triumphant screech pierced the air as it darted towards its prey with lightning speed, ready to snatch Aang in its powerful jaws. Panic gripped Katara and Eli as they watched the Unagi closing in on Aang. Without a second thought, Katara plunged into the water and swam towards her fallen comrade.
Just as the Unagi was about to strike, Katara's desperate cry rang out, propelling her and Aang away from the creature's grasp. The Unagi's jaws snapped shut, capturing only the water where the duo had just been moments before. The force of its attack sent a massive wave surging towards the shore, crashing Katara and Aang onto the jagged rocks.
In a fit of fury, the Unagi unleashed a barrage of water streams toward the shoreline, its rage palpable as it vanished beneath the murky waters once more.
Relieved, Katara looked over the rocks they were behind and saw a ship coming to the island.
"That's Zuko!" She exclaimed.
"Um... should I know who that is?" Eli asked.
"He's the prince of the Fire Nation! He wants to capture Aang. We'd better warn the villagers about this."
Katara went to wake up Aang and bent the water out of him, causing him to cough.
"Katara, Eli?" Aang said weakly. "Don't ride the unagi, not fun."
"You need to evacuate the village and get everyone to safety now," Neo said. When he saw the warship approaching Kyoshi island, he rushed to warn the villagers about it.
"I already have the girls preparing to face them," the elder replied.
"No offense, sir, your girls fight all well and good, but even they won't be able to hold them alone."
"What, you think we can't protect ourselves because we're girls?" Suki asked defensively.
"No," Neo replied. Suki looked at him, confused.
"Because if these guys are as strong as you say, you'll need my help. I've fought alongside some female warriors in my time, and there were even some powerful Jedi who were female and on the council."
This caught everyone by surprise. This young man actually respected women who could fight.
"Now," Neo continued. "We can hold them off long enough for Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Eli to escape."
"What?" a voice from behind said.
Neo turned and saw Eli with Katara and Aang.
"Are you not coming with us?" Eli asked Neo. Neo placed his hand on top of Eli's head.
"I'll do what I can. Now go with them and get everyone to safety," Neo said, urging Eli to leave with Aang, Katara, and the elder to evacuate the village.
"Good luck, Neo," Suki said.
"You too," Neo replied.
"Yeah, good luck with handling these guys," Sokka said sheepishly before walking away.
"Hey, Sokka."
"Yeah?"
"Nice dress."
"Hey, it's a warrior's uniform."
"Worn by girls."
"Why, you little..." Sokka trailed off as Neo laughed.
"May the force be with you, Sokka," Neo said before putting his hood on and jumping to a nearby building, while Sokka got into position.
A short time later, the firebenders rode into the village. "Come out, Avatar," the Zuko yelled. "You can't hide from me forever."
Suddenly, the Kyoshi warriors started attacking, and Suki made her way to Zuko. Just as he was about to shoot a fireball at her, he noticed something in the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw a hooded figure sliding off the roof and falling towards him, delivering a kick that knocked him off his rhino.
Zuko looked up and saw that his attacker was wearing a hood to cover his face. He shot fire at him, but Neo dodged every strike. As Zuko was about to fire again, Neo blocked the hit and then punched him in the gut. He threw Zuko over his shoulder and looked to see the village catching fire.
As Zuko was getting up, Neo used the Force and pushed him back, much to Zuko's shock. Then he went looking for Eli and the others as the warriors continued to fight.
Neo found Eli with Aang and Katara by a house. "Look what I brought to this place," Aang said sadly.
"It's not your fault," Katara tried to cheer him up.
"Yes, it is. These people got their town destroyed because of me."
"Then go," Neo said, walking up to them. "Leave this place. Zuko will follow you. It may feel wrong, but you'll save a lot of lives."
"I'll call Appa," Aang said.
"Suki, call everyone back," Neo said.
"But this is our home," Suki argued.
"We're not giving it up. I'm not telling you to, but pull everyone back, and I'll handle the rest." He then turned to Eli, reached into his backpack, and pulled out a shiny metal cylinder.
"Now go with them," Neo ordered.
Eli shook his head. "But..."
"Don't worry. I'll be right behind you. I promise."
Eli nodded and reluctantly followed Aang and Katara toward Appa.
"What is that, some sort of weapon?" Sokka asked.
"Sokka, I'm about to let everyone in on a big secret," Neo said, then walked past him and Suki and made his way to Zuko.
"There's no time to say goodbye," Suki said.
"What about 'I'm sorry'?"
"For what?"
"I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior."
"I am a warrior." She then surprised him by kissing him on the cheek, causing him to blush. "But I'm a girl too. Now go."
Sokka then got on Appa with the others, and Aang said "Yip yip" as they took off.
Meanwhile, Neo came face to face with Zuko and the firebenders, who began firing at him. Neo stepped aside with each blast that came, causing Zuko to order his men to stop. Neo then took off his hood and took out his lightsaber, causing it to come to life in a green blade. He got into a fighting stance as Zuko ordered his men to attack.
One bender fired a ball at him, which Neo dissolved by slashing it. He then used the lightsaber to cut a rhino's leg, causing its rider to fall to the ground and cry out in pain. He cut another soldier's spear in half, and, using the force, lifted the last two soldiers into the air and slammed them into the Kyoshi statue, leaving Zuko alone. Then, he pulled Zuko towards him and forced him to his knees.
Zuko came to his senses and found the green blade in his face. Feeling that the end was coming, he closed his eyes and braced for the final blow. Instead, he heard a "swoosh" and opened his eyes to see that Neo had put the blade away.
"I know you don't really want to do this. I've seen the look in your eyes before..." Neo said. "Despair."
Neo then walked past him and went into the woods, leaving Zuko and his wounded alone.
Neo eventually sprinted to a cliff, where Appa came and picked him up. After climbing into the saddle, he saw the confused faces of Aang, Sokka, and Katara.
"What?" he asked before glancing at his lightsaber, which was hanging from his belt. "Oh, this. It's a lightsaber. Think of it as a sword of fire that can cut through nearly anything. It's the preferred weapon of a Jedi Knight."
The looks of confusion faded, and Aang looked back and watched as flames slowly began to consume the village.
"I know it's hard, but you did the right thing," Katara said, seeing this. "Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if we stayed. They're gonna be okay, Aang."
But instead of listening to her, Aang jumped off Appa and into the water.
"What are you doing?" Katara called out.
"The right thing," Neo said.
Aang then rode on the unagi out of the water and put out the fire. After that, Appa came and picked him up.
"I know, I know, that was stupid and dangerous," Aang said after climbing back on.
"Yes, it was," Katara said, to which she then hugged him, much to his enjoyment.
"I already asked," Eli whispered to Neo, who just nodded.
"So what about you guys?" Sokka asked.
"Yeah, still wanna go out on your own?" Katara asked.
Eli looked to Neo, who looked back.
"Actually, we don't really know anything about this world, and I did just fight the Fire Prince, so I think it might be best if we just stayed with you guys."
"YES!" Eli shouted.
"Great, welcome to the family," Aang said.
"Thanks, and I think it might be a good idea if we gave our full names. I'm Neo Sumdac."
"And I'm Eli Tal-Gunn."
With everyone happily introducing themselves, Appa took off into the sky, soaring over the ocean and toward their next destination. As they flew, Aang couldn't help but feel grateful for the new friends he had made on this journey. He looked over at Katara, who was still holding onto him tightly, and smiled. This was exactly where he was meant to be - fighting alongside his friends to save the world from the Fire Nation's tyranny. With Neo and Eli now joining their ranks, Aang felt more confident than ever that they could win this war and restore balance to the world. As they disappeared over the horizon, the group felt united and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Alright, there you have it. The first chapter of my first story. If you're confused about why it's so much like Bend-Fore, that's because it's essentially an adaptation of it. Although the original version of Bend Fore version amazing, and I absolutely recommend you read it, it was plagued by a slew of grammatical errors that made it nearly unreadable in some places.
Since Bend-Fore is the intellectual property of the Agent of Literature, I contacted him, and he gave me permission to rewrite the story and make any changes that I thought were necessary. And now, here we are!
I'll try to update the story once a month, but I can't make any promises because you know, life.
Also, if you could follow, favorite, and review this story, I would greatly appreciate it. It would make a man like me very happy.
Anyway, this is RabbiSlimThot, signing off.