Author's Note: This takes place during the Day of Black Sun.
The sun has risen and it is now the day of the Solar Eclipse.
Zuko, the former Fire Nation prince had stood close to the edge of a cliff, staring at the ocean beneath him. His pet hawk, Summer was standing on Zuko's right shoulder. He held the eyepatch that he had worn, since fleeing Ba Sing Se.
Zuko had kept reflecting on his past and all of the times when Azula and Ozai had mistreated him.
Zuko had sighed and closed his eyes, briefly. "This is it. Today is the day." Zuko had dropped his eyepatch off the cliff and into the ocean.
Later That Day...
Prince Zuko had met up with lots of different Rebels from the Water Tribe, to the Earth Kingdom, to the swamp, to the Freedom Fighters. And some rebels were from different colonies.
Before the start of the invasion... Zuko had stood on a stage in front of his now allies. He has prepared a speech after Chief Hakoda.
"Uh, hey. Zuko, here." Zuko had waved a bit. "As you all know, I'm the prince--well, former prince of the Fire Nation and my father is the--" Zuko had stopped for a moment to see a mixture of weird looks at him. He then looked to Aang, who shrugged toward him. He then sighed. "Look, I'll just get to the point." Zuko had pressed his right fist down in his left hand. "Ever since my father banished me, my one and only goal was to capture the Avatar and restore my honor. But now, I realize that no one can give you your honor. It's something you have to earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right. And also, on my three year journey... I've came to realize that the Fire Nation wasn't what I had grown up thinking. When I was a kid, I was taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, this war was our--THEIR way of sharing their greatness with the rest of the world." Zuko had corrected himself by saying the word, "Their."
Katara had blinked.
"But in reality, that was just an amazing lie. I've came to terms that the world hated the Fire Nation and that you all have every right to hate the Fire Nation." Zuko said. He then started think back when he and his uncle, Iroh were on the run.
"It's okay. I have one, too." Song's words had played in his mind.
"No! I hate you!" Zuko had remembered Lee's words.
"Those guys are Firebenders! You can't trust them!" Zuko had then remembered Jet inside of Ba Sing Se.
"I don't want the world to destroy itself. And the only way to do that is by ending this war and starting a new era of peace and kindness." Zuko had said.
A few rebels within the crowd had begun to cheer.
"Like all of you, I, too want to put an end to this war and to my father's reign! Will you all help me do it?" Zuko shouted and raised his right arm high in the air. Punching the sky.
Everyone had begun cheering as they felt the same way Zuko did.
Zuko had smiled at the cheering and hyped crowd.
Half an Hour Later...
The entire rebel army had begun their secret invasion by traveling on boats. They successfully had breached the Fiery Gates of Azulon by using submarines. Now, the real invasion will begin, soon.
Many rebels had stood on a boat, stretching and preparing to fight the Fire Nation on land. Including Team Avatar. They were all dressed for battle.
Zuko had worn Fire Nation that had been previously stolen, a few months prior when rebels raided a Fire Navy ship. And he had his dual swords.
"So, this is it, huh?" Aang had asked his friends.
Sokka placed a hand on Aang's right shoulder. "Are you ready to onow that the Avatar's alive?"
Aang had nodded, surely. "I'm ready."
"I'm coming with you." Zuko told Aang.
Aang had looked to Zuko. "Zuko?"
"Yeah. It's time that I faced my father--after all these years." Zuko said with a serious look. "And also, if you're heading to the royal palace, then you're going to need a tour guide."
"Thank you, Zuko." Zuko smiled and nodded.
Zuko gave a confident smile.
Aang the hugged Zuko, which confused Zuko a bit. Sudenly, Sokka,Katara and Toph had joined in. Hugging both Zuko and Aang.
"I hope you both kick some serious Fire Lord butt." Toph smiled. "Especially, you, hothead." Toph chuckled.
"Yeah." Zuko nodded.
"Everyone, listen up!"
The group stopped hugging when they heard Chief Hakoda's voice.
Chief Hakoda had gained everyone's attention. "The next time we resurface, it'll be on the beaches. So, stay alert and fight smart." He said while looking toward all of his comrades. "Now, break time's over. Everyone, to the subs!"
Almost everyone had listened and entered the submarines. Except for three people.
Aang, Katara and Zuko. They stood their, silently.
"I..." The three benders said, then stuttered. "You..."
Zuko quickly covered Aang's mouth with his hand. "Let's let Katara go first."
Aang's eyes glanced to Zuko.
"Thanks." Katar told Zuko, then looked to the both of them. "The three of us had been through so many things, together. And I've seen you both grow as people."
Zuko let go of Aang's mouth.
Katara focused her gaze to Aang. "Aang. You're not that goofy little kid I found in that iceberg."
Aang smiled.
Katara had then turned her gaze to Zuko. "And you, Zuko. You're not that fiery hothead whose obsessed with capturing Aang, anymore."
Zuko had smiled, as well.
Katara had twiddled her fingers, together. "What I'm really trying to say is..." She then hugged both Aang and Zuko. "I'm proud of the both of you."
"Thanks." Aang said as a small blush appeared on his face.
"I appreciate that, Katara." Zuko had replied, then thought back to the matter at hand. "We should get going." Zuko said after the hug had ended. "Aang."
"Right." Aang had opened the wings his new glider. He then looked to Zuko. "Hang on, Zuko."
Zuko had nodded. He then looked to Katara. "Katara. Can you take care of Summer, while I'm gone?" He asked as he raised his right arm forward to where Zuko's hawk, Summer had landed on his lower arm.
"It will be my pleasure."
Sometime Later That Day...
After flying for half an hour to the Fire Nation royal palace, due to the weight of Zuko riding on the top of Aang's glider as Aang had glided beneath... the two benders had finally arrived at the front doorstep of the royal palace.
"Are you ready, Aang?" Zuko had asked Aang.
Aang had inhaled air, then exhaled. "I am ready." Aang had then pushed his hands forward, using Airbending to push the doors open. He and Zuko quickly ran inside of the royal palace.
"The Avatar is back!" Aang had yelled as he wielded his staff in a combat stance.
Zuko had quickly pulled out and wielded his dual blades. Prepared to for battle.
"Huh?" Aang gasped.
"Wait, no one's here!" Zuko stated as he had realized that no one was within the halls. The halls and the throne room were completely empty. Not a single soldier. Not a single guard. Not even the Fire Lord, himself had appeared.
Zuko and Aang had looks of shock and confusion on their faces. They walked deep into the halls.
"You are indeed correct, Zuko."
Both Zuko and Aang had gasped, surprisingly when they heard a third voice.
"This can't be right! My father was supposed to be here! Unless..."
"Unless what, Zuko?" Aang had asked Zuko.
Zuko had silently gasped. "They knew that we were coming." He said with a serious face.
"I don't know how, but they must've somehow known about the Solar Eclipse invasion..."
"You are indeed correct, Zuko."
Both Zuko and Aang had gasped, surprisingly when they heard a third voice.
Zuko's right eye had widened. '
'That voice... Aang had thought.
Zuko had thought. 'Could it really be--'
Zuko's thought process was interrupted by flames igniting on the Fire Lord's stage throne.
Aang and Zuko had quickly looked to the stage to see the stage ignited with orange flames.
Within the next ten seconds, Two dozen Fire Nation guards armed with spears had surrounded Aang and Zuko.
Zuko had gasped. 'That voice! It really is--' Zuko had looked back to the ignited throne. But this time, he and Aang saw a man. A man that Aang and Zuko had searched for, since the fall of Ba Sing Se. It was Fire Lord Ozai and he was sitting on the Fire Lord's throne.
Aang had stared at Ozai's facial structure and saw that he had a long black pointy beard and long smooth black hair and a pair of golden eyes.
"And it is also nice to finally meet the long and living Avatar." Ozai said as he stood from his throne and pointed his nose down at the two of them.
To Be Continued... Part 2 Coming.