Okay, a pain-of-an-ass chapter to write, here it is.
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Occupied Earth Kingdom territory
Offshore of a port and fisher town of the Earth Kingdom, the ship of Princess Azula was by now waiting. On deck waiting was Kori Morishita watching the fishermen's town that was only an eye's distance away from her.
It was the first time that she had left Yu Dao for an extended period. Previously, she had only ventured into the countryside or traveled to the Fire Nation. With her new exposure to the lands controlled by the nation she was proud to be part of, Kori received orders not to enter the town due to the latest news.
Two guards on duty discussed the situation openly, wielding spears and wearing helmets that concealed their identities.
"Ever since the Avatar returned, Earth Kingdom Partisans and the regular army have unleashed multiple offensives," The first guard said to his comrade, "Both from the front and inside the controlled territories."
"I've heard about those offensives too, I have a cousin who's close to Ba Sing Se." The second guard mentioned, "Told me in a letter how all leave was canceled because of the renewed fighting, all while they are supposed to try and take control of the Serpent's Pass."
The first guard was surprised, "They're that close to Ba Sing Se?"
"Yes, but at a high cost, if I may add, and already half of his battalion is out of action," the second guard replied, shaking his head. A ship got attacked and sunk into the sea, and the Earth Kingdom troops showed no mercy."
"Vile animals…"
Her eyes narrowed when Kori heard those remarks as she then paid her attention back to the view, knowing fully well from both experience and common knowledge some within the Fire Nation had negative views of those different from them, something she had experienced from up close given many visit Yu Dao, not knowing of its culture they were unaware of.
"Move back!"
Kori then noticed the two guards were in a defensive stance and ordering an incoming fisherman ship that had four people on it, all men of elderly age who happened to be in close distance to the metal Fire Nation ship, the current happened to bring the wooden ship close to their location.
"Move back or we will destroy your ship!" One firebender in red armor approached the scene, joining the two guards, and preparing himself into a bending position, "Last warning!"
The ship soon changed its course after the warning, but not before one spotted the red and green garments on the Yu Dao native Kori, with him watching her in disappointment and shaking his head.
Collaborator was a word Kori was familiar with. Many of the Earth Kingdom's population still fought against the Fire Nation, and many had experienced hardship or unfair treatment by locally occupied governments. She was already judged by those who did not know of her or her home, which had been part of the Fire Nation for over a century. Yet, if given the information, they'd still consider her a traitor, which did nothing to her.
How can she be a traitor to people she was never born with?
"Lady Morishita."
The brunette turned to her right to see the ship's captain had called her and even bowed to her.
"The princess wishes to speak to you."
…
In the dimly lit confines of the princess's private quarters, Azula sat in solitude, her sharp gaze fixed on a scroll before her. The parchment, weathered and inked with meticulous detail, contained alarming intelligence from the local authorities. It disclosed the ongoing defiance of the Earth Kingdom armies, who stubbornly held their ground against the encroaching forces of the Fire Nation. The relentless resistance from these warriors on the frontlines had been bolstered by fierce partisan activities in the occupied territories' vast, shadowy forests and towering mountains. This persistent insurgency had wreaked havoc on the supply lines and garrison defenses, leaving the troops vulnerable and frustrated.
As she processed the information, a part of her—perhaps the soldier within—was tempted to admire the tenacity and fervor of those who opposed her. Yet, she quickly suppressed that thought; Azula loathed these acts of rebellion, sharing the same disdainful sentiment as her father, the high-ranking generals, and the privileged elite of the Fire Nation capital. The memories of miscalculated predictions regarding Fire Lord Sozin's comet loomed large in her mind, an ominous reminder of how that error had spiraled the conflict into a chaotic frenzy that threatened to engulf them all.
Then the steel door opened and Kori walked in and asked, "You summoned me, miss?"
"Ah, Morishita. Thank you for coming," Azula said, holding her hand out and asking, "Mind closing the door?"
Doing so Kori did so and closed the steel door behind her, she continued to then kneel in front of the princess and make a bow to her before rising up.
"What do you wish to discuss with me?"
"Oh, I just found out about one of my friend's locations," Azula pulls out another scroll and opens it before laying it over the other open one, "It took us a while but they've been moving around given the continued fighting in the area."
"Okay?" Kori's response was short, but then she asked, "Who do you wish to recruit?"
The princess's smile wasn't exactly cold, but it wasn't polite either. "My old childhood friend—Ty Lee."
"The one who said her calling was with the traveling circus?" Kori asked the princess, "The very same one who could kick all of our asses as a non-bender besides miss 'I wanna stab everyone cuz I am bored with life' Mai?" she asked, causing Azula to merely chortle.
"Yes, that is the very one," Azula admitted, and that was also pretty damn accurate for her description as well.
"Okay, when do we go find her?"
"Right now."
Meanwhile
Katara and Aang are on a grassy plateau that is elevated above the surrounding area. A gentle stream flows beneath it. Katara busies herself by folding one of their sleeping blankets while Aang lies on the root of a tree. Suddenly, Momo screeches as he lands on the plateau, just as Sokka approaches. Meanwhile, Naruto has not yet returned from his turn gathering food.
"Great, you're back!" Aang leaps off the root with his airbending, landing beside the Water Tribe siblings as Sokka digs in his bag. "What's for dinner?"
"We've got a few options." Sokka kneeled and went through the bag, "First; round nuts. And some kind of oval-shaped nuts?" Sokka showed a few nuts before going into the bag again, pulling out, "And some rock-shaped nuts, that might just be rocks." he said sarcastically, only to take a closer look at them.
Proceeding to throw a rock-shaped nut aside, it landed right next to Momo who decided to check on the item.
"Dig in!" Sokka said as he plopped onto the ground while Aang and Katara looked at each other and then back at Sokka.
"Seriously ... what else have you got?"
"We got something!"
The three turned around to see Naruto and Jin, their current fellow travelers from Omashu, coming from the other side. Naruto was holding the bags, and Jin was carrying a basket of vegetables.
"Hey, where did you get those?" Sokka asked, "I thought you went out hunting."
"We did, but we then came across a town and did some little shopping." Naruto said opening the two bags, showing meat and chicken ready to be cooked, "We got enough funds thanks to King Bumi."
"I hope it's enough for all of us," Jin said, pulling some apples from the basket and handing them to Katara. What do you think, Katara?"
Katara took one and smiled seeing some real food, "Oh sure, thank you."
Momo coos, and sniffs the rock-shaped nut, before taking it with one of his paws and slapping it against a stone twice. Attempting to break it, he takes it with both paws and slams it down on the big rock.
*BANG!*
The moment he does so, however, the entire earth quakes underneath them, making Momo shriek and his hair stand on end.
"What was that?" Sokka reacted first as he stood up with his boomerang at the ready.
Momo, believing he may have caused the quake, cautiously drops the rock to the ground in the test.
*BANG!*
The quake returns, causing Momo to leap away. Everyone else reacts, with Aang and Naruto standing up and readying to fight if need be.
"It's coming from over there!" Aang said as he was first to run towards the cause of the quakes.
Katara followed up, with Sokka being the only one aside from Naruto to sit there, with Appa and Momo, "Shouldn't we run away from huge booms? Not toward them?"
Naruto stood up but noticed Jin sighing as she shared a look with the blond.
"Don't look at me like that." Naruto says as a dull look comes over her face, "It was only one time, and we got caught by Bumi." he told her.
Her look remains and he grunts in annoyance, "Fine, but only this once." he says as he chases after the trio while she stays behind to watch the small camp they have set up.
Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Momo close in on the loud crashing sounds and quickly hide behind a fallen tree to investigate where the sound is coming from.
In the ravine, a young boy in green Earth Kingdom clothing bent a boulder into the air before punching it into the side of the ravine.
"An earthbender!" Katara says in surprise.
Aang grins in excitement, "Let's go meet him!"
"He looks dangerous," Sokka advised against it, "so we better approach cautiously."
"Hello there!" Katara, however, was already standing a few feet in front of them, excitedly addressing the earthbender. "I'm Katara! What's your name?" she said, a smile blooming on her cheeks as she approached him.
The young boy turns his head around and gasps in surprise. He drops the boulder and bends it to the ground, shaking it.
Realizing she had shocked the earthbender, Katara just watched as he turned where he fled quickly, bringing down an avalanche of boulders with his bending to block his exit.
"Nice to meet you!" Aang shouted out while approaching Karara from behind with an annoyed tone.
"See what happens?" Naruto questioned, "When you randomly sneak up on people like that katara?" questioned
Katara gave a confused look, "I just wanted to say hi." she responded.
"This is an occupied territory by the Fire Nation. It's strictly prohibited to use any bending abilities, as it can be seen as a form of rebellion." Jin said to the water bender, "It's more common than you think of young earth benders testing their skills in secrecy, far away from onlookers"
"Hey! That guy's gotta be running somewhere. Maybe we're near a village?" Aang suggested while turning to Katara, "And I bet that village has a market!"
"Which means no nuts for dinner!" Katara sounded excited as she and Aang ran ahead, much to Sokka's annoyance when hearing that.
"Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts!" Sokka groaned at them for not appreciating his work.
Just then as Momo flew over them and muttered something, Sokka responded in a defeated tone, "Yeah, I hate 'em too."
As the others went up ahead, Naruto and Jin stayed behind just as Appa was entering the scene with Kurama sitting on the Bison's head.
"Did they just forget we bought a whole bunch of food for them?"
Naruto felt his head droop, "Yeah… yeah they did…" he admitted.
"Idiots." the fox huffed, smirking, "Also…too easy to joke about."
Naruto just shook his head as he went ahead with Jin giggling about Kurama's mention, with only Appa giving a neutral roar as he followed at last.
As they emerged from the rugged ravine, the Gaang stumbled upon a quaint village within the foothills. The small, bustling community was home to a tight-knit mining community, evident by the various mine shafts visible from the town. A vibrant market filled with colorful produce and trinkets greeted them, along with several shops and stalls selling goods to the townspeople. It was a quintessential Earth Kingdom village, complete with traditional architecture and friendly faces.
Katara and Sokka stroll through the mining village's streets while Aang speaks with a shopkeeper under a terrace. Trying to bargain a hat for some nuts while Sokka and Katara just walked up and watched the airbender's attempt.
Naruto watched from nearby and tried not to groan. Given he was unnecessarily attracted to himself by some of the locals who noticed the outsiders; he puts his hat on to cover his blond hair, much to Jin's amusement.
"It fits with you."
"Oh, please. Since when are you a stylist?" Naruto smirked at her as she lightly punched his shoulder.
"You're the only person on this planet as far I can remember who's got that hair color, and just now you want to cover it up?" Jin chuckles as she continues, "Perhaps I should do something about those whiskers of yours."
"Get a room you two," Kurama popped his head out of Naruto's cloak, "And pay attention."
Noticing the small banter between the two, Katara ignored it for now and spotted the boy she had seen in the ravine, entering a building.
"Hey…"
…
The boy enters the wooden building, revealing it to be a shop, walking over to the counter where a gray-haired woman is busy working.
"Hi, Mom."
The woman turned around and began, "Where have you been, Haru? You're late!" The middle-aged mother asked her son, ordering him in her motherly strict tone, "Get started on your chores."
Just then Katara enters the shop's front door and spots the earthbender. "Hey. You're that kid. Why did you run away before?"
Startling Haru, he responded by playing innocent, "Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid."
"No, she doesn't." Aang said, entering the shop with Sokka, he told him, "We saw you earth bending."
…
*SLAM!*
As they waited for the others, Naruto, Jin, and Kurama stood under the shade of a fruit vendor, watching as the doors and windows were quickly shut. Kurama, in particular, was relishing the cool shade as he lay on Naruto's bag on the ground.
"Of course, they've mentioned bending. Why else do they close everything down," Kurama lazily said while stretching his tail, "How long did you say the Fire Nation has been in this village?"
"Very recently I'd say around five years," Jin said, sighing as she explained, "Because of the mines in this region, the Fire Nation took an interest in occupying the town and the surrounding settlements."
Naruto's eyes turned to Jin, "There was resistance at first, right?"
"Yes, there was, many of the local earthbenders initially revolted against the Fire Nation, but they got defeated very quickly and everyone involved got arrested and deported."
"Deported to where?"
Jin shook her head, "That I do not know, they keep that a secret - especially for earthbenders. But it's somewhere away from solid earth or ground. After the revolt was crushed, they kept on taking coal and put heavy taxes on the population."
"Speak of the devil." Kurama's voice is filled with dread as he spots movement in the distance. "Look there."
In seconds, armed Fire Nation soldiers surround the small shop where their friends are. The leader pounds on the door while two guards stand guard, their weapons at the ready. But it's the fourth soldier, a menacing firebender with a mask covering his face, who sends chills down Naruto's spine as he scans the area for potential threats.
Without hesitation, Naruto grabs a nearby hat and pulls it over his head, hoping to conceal his identity.
"Come here."
But before he can even register what's happening, Jin presses her lips against his, effectively blocking the view of the soldiers. In that split second, she has turned their innocent moment into a calculated move to protect themselves from being caught by the enemy.
As they kiss, Naruto can feel Jin's heart beating rapidly against his chest, matching his frantic heartbeat. They are risking everything for this one moment of secrecy, knowing that if they're caught, it could mean certain death for both of them.
The masked Fire Nation warrior took a closer look at the kissing couple but then felt his shoulder being tapped by another soldier who gestured to him inside, to which the Fire Nation soldiers did, seeing that their officer already walked out with some coins in his hand before they all left the shop.
This caused the two to break their small act of deception, much to the blushing faces of the blond and brunette and to the amusement of the small fox, who jumped down from the bag and began walking over to the shop.
"Jin…I…"
"Don't mention it," Jin's flushed face was joined with a smile before she left to follow Kurama, "Let's go inside."
Naruto followed after and couldn't help but watch Jin's swaying hips, obviously to tease him as he went inside as the last.
What a woman~
Meanwhile
Iroh sits cross-legged at a low table in his dimly lit quarters aboard Prince Zuko's ship. His weathered hands move gracefully, brushing words onto a scroll. The flickering candlelight casts over as he strokes his beard thoughtfully.
Across from him, Lieutenant Jee kneels silently, his eyes darting between the General and the sealed door. The lieutenant keeps watch as he observes his superior—not in rank, but in wisdom as a member of the White Lotus—preparing a message that must be sent soon.
Iroh resumes writing, the soft scratching of brush on parchment the only sound save for the distant creaking of the ship.
"Are you done?"
Without saying a word, Iroh completed his message by using shape-coded phrases and symbols that were meaningful only to his fellow members of the Order of the White Lotus. With a final flourish, Iroh set down his brush and examined his handiwork. Satisfied with the result, he carefully rolled the scroll and sealed it with wax, imprinting it with his ring, which bore the symbol of the Fire Nation.
Without a word, he passes the scroll to Jee, who bows his head reverently as he accepts it. Their eyes meet in silent understanding of the scroll's vital importance and the secrecy that must be maintained. In mere moments, Jee will slip away to ensure the message reaches its intended recipient, while Iroh resumes his genial demeanor as Prince Zuko's seemingly carefree uncle, grabbing himself a pot of tea and cups and putting it on his small table, just as then he got visitation.
"Uncle?"
Looking up, Iroh saw his nephew Zuko enter the premises through the open steel door. He was in his red sleeping cloak, as he had asked.
"Mind if I join you? For a cup of tea?"
Smiling at him, Iroh gestured his hand, "Of course, sit."
Later
As evening approached, the Gaang was permitted to sleep in the barn belonging to Haru and his mother, who were kind enough to shelter them for the night, under the condition that they promised to leave early the next morning.
The family's kindness was especially poignant given the impact the war had on their lives. The Fire Nation imposed heavy taxes on Haru's mother's business, even though they were barely making a living. This reality was common for many residents of the mining town. Katara also brought up an uncomfortable truth about Haru: the reason he couldn't earthbend was tied to his father's fate. Haru's father had participated in a rebellion and was subsequently arrested, never to be seen or heard from again.
While the others stayed in the barn, trying to keep Appa from eating all the stored wheat, Katara stepped outside with Haru to discuss his father, feeling guilty about having followed his path.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier." Katara apologized, she and Haru were walking away from the home and farm as they were alone for a moment, "I didn't know about your father."
"That's okay. It's funny," Haru said to calm her, not bothered by it. "the way you were talking back in the store? It reminded me of him."
Katara was a bit flattered, "Thanks."
"My father was very courageous." Haru began, speaking high of his father, "When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one. But they fought back anyway."
Karara complimented, "He sounds like a great man."
The two approach the top of a cliff, gazing out to the setting sun beyond. With the sun going down in an hour, Haru stops.
"After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender, and took them away." Making a brief statement of what happened, he kneels to the ground, "We haven't seen them since."
Katara figured it out and said, "So that's why you hide your earthbending."
"Yeah. Problem is …" Haru began to earthbend two stones in a circle above his hand, "the only way I can feel close to my father now," He crushed the stones to sand with his hands. The sand blows away from the palm of his hand, "is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know."
Katara Sits beside Haru, sets her fingertips on her necklace to show it to him. "See this necklace? My mother gave it to me."
Haru smiled, "It's beautiful."
Katara mentions sadly, "I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid." She mentions it to him hangs her head and turns away. "This necklace is all I have left of her."
Haru questions, "It's not enough, is it?"
"No…" Katara said somberly as she and Haru continued to look at the view.
…
The scene switches to Katara and Haru who have continued their walk along the dirt trail.
*BOOM!*
A loud boom sounds and rock and dust blasts from a distant mine entrance. The two heard a cry for aid.
"Help, help!"
"The mine!" Haru yelled as he ran, Katara following him.
Upon arriving at the entrance, which has collapsed, a tremendous pile of rocks is pinning the old man to the ground on his stomach. Sand continues to pour down, with rocks intermittently falling.
The old man pleads while trying to get out, "Help me!"
Haru braces his back against the mine entrance while Katara tries pulling the old man out from underneath the rubble, even when it was pouring down more and more, the weight of it all was heavy.
"Ugh! It's not working!" Katara tried, turning to Haru. "We have to get help!"
Haru held his back against the collapsing mine, "There's no time, pull harder!"
Katara then suggested, "Haru. There's a way you can help him."
Haru knew immediately what she meant by, but he feared, "I can't!"
"Please, there's no one around to see you." Katara pleaded, seeing it was only them and the old man, "It's the only way!"
After listening to her, Haru made a decision and leaped away from the falling debris. He turned to face it and took an earthbending stance. With a sudden, powerful motion, he shouted.
"HAH!"
With a mighty push, he sent the rocks tumbling down the tunnel, freeing the old man and stabilizing the passageway. Katara looked up with a smile, while the old man gazed back in shock.
"Haru! You did it!" Katara excitedly exclaimed. Holding the old man.
Haru smiled as he joined the two, stepping beside the old man and helping him walk away from the mine to safety, making the journey back to the village where they would bring him to recover.
…
At the barn, Katara is sitting up in her bedroll with a lamp in her lap. Sokka is lying on a square bale of hay with his blanket over him, and Aang is sprawled out on Appa's head with Momo lying on his back.
"It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man," Katara said holding candlelight.
Aang gave a wide grin, "You must have really inspired him." he told her happily.
Katara gave a soft smile of her own, "I guess so." She responded to the airbender.
Sokka clapped his hands as he walked past them, "Everyone should get some sleep, we're leaving at dawn." he announced.
Katara glared unhappily, "Dawn?! Can't we sleep in for once?" she asked.
Sokka, shaking his head at her, spoke commandingly, "Absolutely not! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops. If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Goodnight." he stated with a sense of finality.
"I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts," Katara said, giving a wry smirk.
Sokka gave a scuff remark, "Goodnight!"
Katara and Aang share a few playful chuckles before she is about to blow out the lamplight to get some rest, she then asks. "Wait, where are Naruto and Jin?"
"They're still at home, talking to Haru and his mother," Sokka briefly turns his head around to say, "They needed to discuss something. Just go to sleep, they'll come back soon."
Katara gave them a suspicious look before she then blew out the candlelight.
…
Inside the home, Haru's mother and Haru himself were counting the money they were just given, and they were surprised by the amount they were given.
"We…We cannot accept this."
On the table lay fifty silver pieces and ten golden ones, all Earth Kingdom currency that Naruto gave and what Jin carried, as this was something both insisted on giving the Earth Kingdom villagers what they felt like they owed for giving them a place to sleep for tonight.
"We heard about the taxation rates, so it's only fair we pay you something," Naruto said in return, in kindness. "It's the least we can do."
Naruto sat on a chair and had a smile on his face at the conversation that was being held between Jin and the small family, with Kurama sitting at the table, he had decided to compensate them.
Haru's smile didn't fade and turned to Naruto and bowed, "I cannot thank you enough, I-"
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
The knocking on the door caused everyone inside to then tense up, with Haru's mother quickly turning to the door.
"Who can that be at this hour?" she questioned in confusion.
"I'll go check it out," Haru said as he approached the door. He turned to the other two and warned, "Hide, and don't come out until I say it's clear."
Obeying his instructions, Naruto and Jin moved away from the windows, careful not to be seen, while Kurama continued to sleep on the table before he got grabbed by Jin and hid in a different part of the house, elsewhere from Naruto.
As they watched, Haru opened the door and gasped in shock at the sight of Fire Nation troops. Among them was the same old man they had saved earlier, who immediately began to speak.
"That's him!" The old man pointed at Haru with an accusatory tone, "That's the earthbender!"
The Fire Nation leader shoves the old man out of the way and approaches Haru, grabbing him by the shoulder and then dragging him outside, for Haru's mother to follow him.
In the shadows where they hid, they could hear Haru's mother trying to scream before a muffled sound could be heard, let alone Naruto could see from the window how a Fire Nation soldier happened to cover the mother's mouth as Haru was cuffed and taken away by two others as then the Captain - it being the tax collector from earlier, entered the home.
Once inside he spotted the money on the table, shocking not only him but also the old man who followed the captain inside.
"That's a lot of coins!"
"That it is indeed," The captain said, sticking his hand in the small pile of silver, smiling as he turned to the old man and handed him a handful over, "For your contribution to the Fire Nation."
"No, NO!" Haru's mother barged back inside her home and threw the old man aside as she bumped into the Fire Nation captain, "That does not belong to you! Out of my house, both of you!"
"Silence, woman!" The tax collector/captain threw her to the ground, positioning himself to bend fire against her.
Watching this escalate, Naruto began to reach for his coat, as he was going to intervene, he'll take out the captain first-
"It's mine!" Jin revealed herself from her hiding spot. Having just hidden Kurama somewhere, she exclaimed, "That is my money!"
Having just ousted herself, the Fire Nation captain was joined by two of his men, who held spears aimed at her. The old miner stood up and pointed urgently.
"Wait, I recognize her!" the old man shouted as he pulled a wanted poster from his trousers. "She's wanted by the Fire Nation - look!"
Upon seeing the poster, the captain recognized her and ordered, "Men, arrest her!" The soldiers approached her, and he added, "Take her along with the earthbender—for espionage!"
Then the soldiers grabbed Jin by her wrists and held her in a lock as they escorted her outside the captain observing this, watched as he followed them out of the home, while the old man informer was too busy looking down at his earnings in his hand before he then also exited the building.
Once the coast was clear, Naruto walked right out of his hiding place and then walked over to the now-unconscious mother of Haru, who by now had just lost not only her husband but also his son to the Fire Nation - the emotions must've been too much as she laid passed out.
"Kurama, come out."
Jumping out, Kurama landed on the table and watched as Naruto placed the mother on the table. For then the fox to see Naruto open the door once again.
"What are you-"
"Stay here and watch out for her - I'll handle this."
"Hey, wait-"
*SLAM!*
Closing the door behind him, Kurama was left behind with Haru's mother and what he could sense from the blond, the fox's ears twitched as he realized.
"Oh…shit."
Next morning
Unbeknownst to those who had slept in the barn, the Gaang were preparing to leave soon. Katara was seen carrying a jar outside.
She sets the pot down beside a water pump and walks over to the spigot, drawing water into the waiting container. After filling it, she picks it up and prepares to return to the barn—until something catches her eye.
It's Haru's mother, standing with her back to her and gazing toward the distant ocean. She is accompanied by Kurama, who watches her as she slowly turns around, revealing a tearful expression directed at Katara.
Realizing what just happened, Katara's fingers slipped and-
*CRASH!*
The pot shattered into numerous pieces.
…
Inside the dimly lit barn, Sokka and Aang busied themselves with folding blankets and meticulously preparing for their imminent departure. The air was thick with hay and the scent of worn-out leather. Suddenly, the stillness was shattered as Katara burst through the doors, her entrance abrupt and filled with urgency, catching both boys by surprise.
"They took them!" Katara's voice echoed in distress, her eyes wide with panic. "They took Haru away!"
"What?" Aang exclaimed, springing to his feet, his expression mirroring her shock.
"The old man turned him into the Fire Nation—it's all my fault—I forced him into earthbending!" Katara's words tumbled out in a rush, her voice tinged with guilt and urgency.
"Slow down, Katara," Sokka interjected gently, stepping beside her. He took her hand in his own, his other hand resting supportively on her shoulder, his touch steadying her. Realizing that panic would not help, he spoke calmly, his voice a soothing contrast to the chaos. "When did this happen?"
"Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight," Katara replied, her voice quivering but determined. Sokka's gaze shifted to the barn's open doorway, where the first light of dawn was peeking through.
"Then it's too late to track him," he said, his eyes scanning the horizon and resigned. "He's long gone."
"Its not…just him…" Katara struggled to bring it up and said, "They-"
"Jin also got arrested."
Instead of Katara breaking the news, Naruto walked right into the barn with Kurama on his shoulder. His sudden presence surprised everyone inside, especially Katara, who quickly turned around to hear his voice.
"Naruto! Where were-"
"I'm okay, Katara, no need to worry about me. We need to figure out how to locate Haru and Jin. and I just happened to find out where they were." Naruto said as he revealed, "They were put on a boat and were going out the sea."
"The sea…" Sokka thought it out for a moment, "The sea, that means-"
"They are being brought to a prison rig somewhere offshore, but we do not know where." Naruto: "We, however, have an idea how to start tracking them—by one of us getting ourselves arrested."
Aang stood confused and asked, "And...why would they do that?"
"Simple, one of you brats is going to be arrested for Earthbending."
Later
Now that the whole group had arrived at some abandoned mines, Sokka, Naruto, and Katara were working together to push a boulder overtop an air vent on a rocky road.
"I thought you were crazy at first, Naruto, but this might work." Sokka said after having figured out a working plan, "There are ventilation shafts throughout these mines. All Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here." Sokka said, pointing to a few mineshafts that were visible for them to see, "The boulder levitates and ta-da! Fake earthbending."
"Hmm, seems plausible," Naruto said at this plan, Kurama however had a different take.
"I doubt it will work."
Katara's response is propping her hands off her hips and turning her head.
"Aang? Did you get all that?"
Aang was lying against a rock, snapping small puffs of air at a sooty butterfly; dismissively listening while Momo was watching on, "Sure, sure. I got it."
Sokka asks him, "Do you remember your cue?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just relax." Aang kept snapping puffs of air at the butterfly, "You're taking all the fun out of this."
"By this, do you mean intentionally being captured by a group of ruthless firebenders?" Sokka asked, a little bit aggravated by Aang not taking this seriously.
"Exactly!" Aang stoll snapped air, humored as he turned, "That's fun stuff!"
"Take this seriously, brat. Or else I'll swallow that butterfly." Kurama threatened, "And I will do so - so pay attention!"
Sokka then happened to spot what looked to be a patrol of Fire Nation with spears coming up the road.
"Here they come! Get in your places!"
Aang stops playing with the butterfly, and Momo tries to catch it as it flies away. Naruto and Kurama hide behind a rock, watching as the little act starts once the patrol arrives.
As the group of spear-wielding Fire Nation guards approaches the scene, Katara and Sokka make a show of walking into one another by their stomachs before they emphatically begin to make a quarrel.
Sokka angrily points at Katara "Get out of my way, pipsqueak!"
The soldiers watch in confusion. One of them even raises an eyebrow.
Katara angrily hunched over to shout, "How dare you call me pipsqueak, you giant-eared cretin!"
"What did you call me?"
"A giant-eared cretin!" Katara went overdramatic as her hair loopies moved around with her motion, "Look at those things! Do herds of animals use them for shade?!"
"You better back off!" Sokka towers over his sister, but also slips his hand over his mouth to mutter, "Seriously, back off."
"I will not back off!" Katara yelled back to her brother, who cowered a bit down, "I bet elephants get together and make fun of how large your ears are!"
Sokka spoke back, "That's it! You're going down!"
"I'll show you who's boss with some earthbending!" Katara exclaims, raising her fist confidently, but the boulder remains unmoved, leading to a slightly awkward pause.
Naruto glanced over and saw Aang, who was still distracted by a butterfly. Annoyed, he tossed a small pebble at the air nomad.
"Ouch," Aang winced as the pebble struck his head, turning to face Naruto, "Hey—"
By then, Katara shouted again, "I said earthbending style!"
Realizing he had missed his cue, Aang gasped softly. The young Airbender stopped playing with the butterfly, sprang into action, and sent a powerful burst of air into the ventilation duct. This sudden move lifted the boulder into the air, revealing the unfortunate sight of him standing behind it, arms raised and licking himself.
"That lemur!" The guard up front pointed in surprise, "He's earthbending!"
Momo just looked up in confusion, with his tongue out, the little Lemur just made a small sound. Katara eyes the guard in surprise.
Sokka on the other hand, angrily, waves his arms toward her. "No, you idiot, it's the girl!"
"Oh," The guard blushes out of sheer embarrassment, "Of course."
Sokka steps beside Katara, laying his hands on her shoulders as the boulder falls to the ground.
"I'll hold her," Sokka said to the Fire Nation patrol before whispering to his sister. "You've got twelve hours to find Haru. We'll be right behind you."
The guards escort Katara away, leaving Aang, Sokka, and Momo to watch as she takes a final glance back at her brother and friends
Sokka unhappily tugs at his ears, testing their sizes, he then turns to the Lemur sitting on Aang's shoulder.
"Momo," Sokka points to him, "you have some big ears!"
Momo folds his ears back and hunches down, while Naruto and Kurama on his shoulder walk up, and see the patrol has already left with Katara.
"I swear, the soldiers these days are getting dumber and dumber."
"Be glad he took the bait in the first place. Now, part one is done," Naruto said, turning to his friends and saying, "Let us now follow her."
Following Katara, she found herself in a small port town under Fire Nation control, riding in the back of a Fire Nation transport with other Earth Kingdom prisoners. Dressed in a brown, worn-out prison uniform over her blue Water Tribe attire, she gazed sadly downward.
Unaware that Sokka, Naruto, and Aang were in the crowd, each wearing conical yellow hats as they tried to discreetly monitor her transport. Katara glanced wistfully over her shoulder as the cart moved along the pier, making its way toward a ship waiting on the ocean.
…
riding Appa through the clouds. They were following the transport ship that was making its way to a rig, a prison rig that was in the middle of the water, with smoke coming out and guarded by several ships patrolling the surrounding areas.
Sokka was leaning over the saddle and noticed Aang staring nervously at the transport ship carrying Katara to the prison.
"She'll be fine, Aang. Katara knows what she's doing."
According to the plan, Appa took off away from the prison, as they were going to get Katara in twelve hours. Naruto and Kurama looked at the prison rig, and the two of them shared a small whisper.
"You think Jin is here?"
"She is…I can feel it."
…
After the transport ship arrives at the rig, it doesn't take long before the six prisoners, including Katara, line up on the prison's deck. Spear-wielding guards stand at either side to keep guard on them, just as an elderly man with a smug grin, most likely the man in charge of this place, approaches them.
"Earthbenders. It is my pleasure to welcome you aboard my modest shipyard." The man introduced himself with a smug aura coming from him, "I am your warden. I prefer to think of you not as prisoners, but as honored guests."
The demoralized prisoners just listened on as the warden continued, with Katara trying to not stand out.
"And I hope you come to think of me as your humble and caring host." The warden said as he slowly walked past them, including Katara, You will succeed here if you simply abide-,"
He, however, was suddenly interrupted by a prisoner, an older one who was clearly not well, who was in line coughing briefly.
This got the warden, with no forewarning, to leap into the air as he aimed a blast of fire at the prisoner's legs in anger with said person cowering away for safety as the Fire Nation warden stood defiantly toward the man, who was nearly burned, as a warning.
"What kind of guest dishonors his host by interrupting him?!" The warden angrily barked at the coughing man before sending him away with a swift gesture, "Take him below!"
Some guards escort the man away, where he would be getting an unfair punishment for an innocent interruption.
"One week in solitary will improve his manners." The warden muttered to the prisoner before continuing his smugness to the other prisoners. "Simply treat me with the courtesy that I give you-"
He approaches Katara, kneeling to stare into her obstinate expression. She crosses her eyebrows, scowling coarsely at the man.
"And we'll get along famously."
The Fire Nation warden says as he and the Fire Nation Guards proceed to take the prisoners on a tour of the facility as they spot more and more prisoners doing some manual labor.
"Now, you will notice, Earthbenders, that this rig is made entirely of metal. You are miles away from any rock or earth." The warden explained as they continued on, with them seeing other prisoners busy working on the rig.
Close to the end of the tour, Katara glances over to the ocean, and the distant land where she previously was, hearing the warden's 'kind words' as he wrapped up.
"So, if you have any illusions about employing that brutish savagery that passes for bending among you people...forget them. It is impossible. Good day."
Once finished speaking, the warden left as the prisoners were forced to go through the only entrance that led to the prison courtyard, with the gates closing behind them once they went through, Katara briefly looked around to see it finally closed, and then to the courtyard.
In the metal yard, countless prisoners of various ages appeared weary and dejected. As Katara walked briefly through, she was soon recognized by a familiar face.
"Katara?" Haru, who was standing, called out.
"Haru!" Katara exclaimed with joy, rushing to embrace the young earthbender, who was surprised by her presence.
After they parted, Haru asked, puzzled, "What are you doing here?"
Katara responded apologetically, "It's my fault you were captured. I came to rescue you."
Haru looked surprised. "So, you got yourself arrested?"
"It was the only way to find you," Katara stated bluntly, prompting Haru to cross his arms.
"You've got guts, Katara, I'll give you that."
"But first, I need to know," Katara glanced around, "Have you seen Jin? Is she here?"
Haru shook his head, "No, I haven't seen her. They separated us when we arrived."
"To where?"
"START TALKING!"
*WHOOP!*
The Fire Nation soldier raises the whip again, its leather tip whistling through the air before cracking against Jin's already raw and bleeding arms. She flinches but remains silent, her jaw clenched tight against the pain. The dim light of the prison cell by the small candle fire above her, flickers across her face, illuminating the determination in her eyes.
The soldier circles her, boots scraping against the metal floor. He pauses, studying Jin's stoic expression for any sign of weakness. Finding none, he lashes out once more, the whip leaving another angry welt across her skin. Jin's muscles tense, but still she utters no sound, only a seething puff out of cope.
Frustrated, the soldier barks, "Tell me, girl! Where is Uzumaki!?"
*WHOOP!*
Whipped now against her back, slightly shredding her clothes even further, Jin stares straight ahead, focusing on the metal wall, willing herself to stay strong. She knows lives depend on her silence.
"Pesky little Earth Kingdom sl-"
"Stand down, soldier."
The interrogation halted for now as the interrogator heard the order, as the Fire Nation warden came walking in, seeing that the girl had been given a lashing more than any other prisoner would be given on a bad day, he was impressed by her endurance.
"I see you have yet to yield, girl. That's commendable."
Jin just muttered, "Up yours…"
Hearing that response, the defiance in her tone was not lost on the warden as he grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look up at him. Instead of cowering or showing fear, Jin met his intense gaze head-on, her eyes blazing with perseverance.
The warden was impressed by her resilience and strength, but he also knew that she wouldn't last much longer under their interrogation techniques. He had come to offer her a way out, but he needed to play his cards right.
"I will break you."
Later that night while she was sleeping, Katara tried so after facing the reality that was inside this prison - that of people having lost hope and conceded. The father of Haru told it to her in person, Tyro, had already given up and hoped the war would end, as were many others inside the prison, even when trying to rally them up at the late meal, the Water Tribe teenager was met with no results.
It was indeed demoralizing to hear, but then she felt something tuck her shoulder, waking up, she saw it was Naruto, with Kurama on his shoulder, along with Aang, coming to wake her up.
"Naruto-"
"Shhh, Katara, follow Aang to Sokka." Naruto silently instructed her, "I'll catch up with you guys later."
"Wait!" Katara sat up, "Where are you going?"
Naruto however already sneaked off into the darkness, with Aang taking her hand and taking her to safety - towards Sokka to be exact.
…
Stealthily evading the piercing searchlights and vigilant guards, Aang and Katara pressed on, their hearts pounding with urgency. At last, they arrived at the edge of a platform, where the gentle thrum of Appa's wings created a steady breeze, and Sokka waited anxiously in the saddle, his expression a mix of worry and impatience.
"Your twelve hours are up; where's Haru?" Sokka whispered urgently, glancing over his shoulder. "We've gotta get out of here before they catch up!"
"I can't," Katara replied, her voice barely above a whisper as Aang deftly leaped onto Appa's broad head.
"We don't have much time," Sokka pressed, stretching out his hand toward her, his eyes wide with concern. "There are guards everywhere. Get on!"
But Katara stood frozen, her gaze distant and troubled.
Aang, gripping the reins with a furrowed brow, turned to her, worry etched across his face. "Katara, what's wrong?" he asked, sensing the unease that radiated from her.
"I'm not leaving."
Aang and Sokka share a questionable look.
"I'm not giving up on these people." Katara clarified to them.
Entering through the steel hallways of the interior of the prison, Naruto and Kurama managed to get themselves inside after having entered through the ventilation system, having made sure to remain as stealthy as possible, they both were lucky no guards were around at this very moment.
"You sure we're going the right way?" Kurama questioned as he kept looking back, watching the blond's rear side, "We're running in blind."
"I am sure."
Once reaching the end of the hallway, Naruto peaked and saw that two guards were standing there, Firebenders to be exact, stoically standing there in front of a metal door.
"…Jin…"
…
Inside the dimly lit cell, Jin lay sprawled on the cold, unforgiving metal floor, clutching her battered body. Her clothes hung in tatters, shredded from the hem of her dress to the fabric across her back. The interrogator's relentless whipping had left a tapestry of angry welts and bruises across her skin, but the true agony had been inflicted by the warden.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, Jin looked down at her hands. They were a testament to the warden's merciless fire bending, scorched and blistered from his severe methods of extracting information. Her fingers, knuckles, and palms were a landscape of raw, open cuts and dried blood, a grim and painful reminder of wounds that refused to heal.
"Damn firebending...animals..." Jin seethed, her voice a strained whisper, "I will never...talk."
"Hey, quiet down you…"
"Look out!"
"Step back—Ugh!"
*BAM!*
The heavy metal door crashed inward with a jarring force, the sound reverberating through the dimly lit cell, startling Jin. She jerked her head up, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Stand—"
*THUD!*
A dull thump echoed, followed by a tense silence, lingering ominously in the air.
...
…
*Click!*
The metallic click of the lock shattered the silence, and Jin's heart raced as she watched the door slide open with a low creak. The first figure to enter was Kurama, his fox paws entered first as his eyes quickly fell upon Jin, a mix of relief and concern etched into his features.
"Kurama," Jin breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Jin... Oh no..." Kurama murmured, closing the distance between them with hurried steps, his expression darkened by the sight of her condition. "Kid, come in here."
Once the door was fully open, Jin spotted Naruto walking over to her and kneeling to her, but she didn't pay attention to him and Kurama trying to help her - instead, she looked at the guards.
They lay there unconsciously, groaning through their lips as if they were paralyzed. Feeling dizzy from all the pain she endured, the Earth Kingdom girl was close to fainting until she saw a light beam from her hands, wondering what it was.
It was Naruto who was the source, his hands to be more precise, as a light-blue light laid over her hands, she felt something happen to her brutalized hands that caused some pain.
"Just stay calm…we're getting you and everyone out of here…."
But by then, Jin passed out and all went blank.
*THUD!*
On the elevated catwalk of the prison—a narrow metal pathway high above the dark corridors—a strange occurrence stirred the night's usual monotony. Several guards noticed something amiss, and soon the Captain and one particularly jittery guard found themselves summoned for an audience with the imposing warden.
As the warden pivoted sharply to face them, his gaze hardened with authority. "Tell me exactly what you saw," he demanded, his voice echoing off the cold steel walls.
The guard, swallowing hard, replied, "It was a Flying Bison."
The warden's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" he retorted, the question hanging in the tense air.
The guard stammered, "It was a giant flying buffalo, sir," and with added emphasis, he continued, "It had an empty saddle, almost as if someone had left it behind."
"Well, which was it? A buffalo or a bison?" the warden pressed, his tone a mix of curiosity and irritation.
Uncertain and visibly flustered, the Captain interjected, "Uh, I'm not sure what the difference is, but that's not really the point, is it, sir?" His voice trailed off into uneasy silence.
"I'll decide what the point is, fool!" roared the warden, his temper flaring. In one swift, brutal motion, he seized the Captain by the collar and hurled him overboard.
"Ahhhh!" rang out the Captain's cry as he plummeted, his body disappearing into the shadowy waters below with a resounding, echoing splash.
Stunned by witnessing his superior officer's violent ejection, the lower guard trembled visibly. At the warden's sharp command, he snapped to attention in strict formation.
"You!" the warden barked, his voice cold and commanding. "Wake up the captain. Search the entire rig, now!"
The guard hesitated, "Uh, sir," his voice barely carrying over the murmurs of the crew.
"What?" the warden snapped, his irritation deepening.
Pointing accusatorily, the guard explained, "That was the Captain… you just threw him overboard."
"Then wake up someone I haven't thrown overboard and search the rig! Something is going on here and I don't like it," the warden ordered with a seething intensity.
From behind some crates, Momo popped his head out to see if the coast was clear, as by now Sokka, Katara, and Aang were trying to talk about how to get out of this situation.
"We don't have much time. What are we gonna do?" Sokka said.
"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane," Aang said as everyone looked at him with weird looks and expressions.
"The warden would run away and we'd steal his keys." Aang finished with the idea.
"Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?" Sokka asks, poking some holes in his plan.
"I'm just throwing ideas out there," Aang said, throwing it out.
"I tried talking the earthbenders into fighting back but, it didn't work." Katara said, mentioning her previous speech to them, "If there was just a way to help them help themselves."
"For that, they'd need some kind of earth or some rock. Something they can bend." Sokka said.
"But this entire place is made of metal!" Katara said as she laid her hand over the metal plates on the floor.
"No, it's not." Aang pointed out where the smoke was coming from the top of the rig, "Look at the smoke. I bet they're burning coal. In other words, earth."
"Guys."
The exclamation broke the group's focus, and they quickly turned to see Naruto approaching them. In his arms, he carried Jin, shrouded in Naruto's coat, her hands wrapped in bandages that spoke of recent hardships. The sight left all three of them visibly shocked.
"Jin..." Katara stepped closer, her eyes filled with concern as she examined the unconscious girl, trying to make sense of her condition. "W-What happened to her?"
Kurama, the small yet formidable fox, leaped into their midst and explained. "Bastards tried to make her talk - and she refused to do so," he growled, his voice a mixture of admiration and anger. "Do not worry about her, Naruto patched her up for now."
Sokka and Katara exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of anxiety and relief, as their gaze returned to Naruto. He was intently focused on Jin, his hand gently resting on her forehead. The look on his face was one of determination, yet beneath it lay a shadow of something deeper. Aang, sensing the tension, hesitated before asking.
"Naruto... are you alright?"
Naruto's blue eyes, usually bright and full of mischief, now seemed stormy as they met the trio's concerned stares. His response was calm, yet it carried the weight of his resolve.
"I'm fine... once this prison is destroyed."
Morning arrives, Sokka and Katara are alone by an air duct. Sokka is peering down into it, while Katara kneels beside it with her hands on its rim, she begins to ask.
"It's almost dawn. We're running out of time. You sure this is gonna work?"
"It should. These vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're gonna do the same thing but on a much bigger scale." Sokka said looking up to the top of the rig, "There's a huge deposit of coal at the base of the silo. And the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending the coal only has one place to go, right back here."
Katara asks further, "And Naruto?"
"He says he'll do his part."
"There's the intruder!"
The two siblings then jumped back to their feet, seeing they were surrounded by several spear-wielding Fire Nation guards. The prisoners have gathered a safe distance away from this spectacle, observing what is happening, with Sokka pulling out his boomerang.
"Stay back! I'm warning you!" Sokka puts his back against his sister.
"Katara, stop!" Tyro, Haru's father warned her to stop roughly, "You can't win this fight!"
"Listen to him well, child." The warden arrived, warning immediately with some of his guards arriving, "You're one mistake away from dying where you stand."
Katara just stood her ground, looking briefly at a shocked Haru before then turning to the warden with an angry look.
"Then be it-"
Suddenly, a rush of air fills their ears as the facility shakes violently. The ventilation shaft bursts off its hinges, and an immense blast of coal erupts into the air, crashing down into a large pile and shocking everyone around.
Finally, Aang leaps out of the barren ventilation shaft, landing atop the coal pile. He coughs, covered in soot and dirt, with Momo following closely behind and landing on his arm.
"Here's your chance, earthbenders!" Katara runs up to the coal, turning to face the earthbenders and grabbing one to lift it, "Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!
Haru bolts ahead without hesitation, prepared to bend, but his father Tyro throws his hand up, bracing his son's chest to halt his advance.
Nobody moved…
The warden bursts out into highly amused laughter. "Foolish girl. You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people?" He questions her before turning to the prisoners, "Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago."
Katara's expression dims as she does as instructed, staring at the forlorn prisoners.
"Oh, but you still believe in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy little girl. You failed." The warden finishes his speech by turning to take leave of the facility.
As he does so-
*PUCK!*
a single piece of coal sails through the air and pelts the back of his head. Outraged, the warden spins back to see who dared to attack him.
It was Haru who stood out, defiantly levitating three pieces of coal above his hand. Not being afraid anymore.
The warden was about to react-
*BOOM!*
A loud unexpected explosion erupted that caused everyone in the courtyard to duck down for cover, prisoners and guards alike, even Aang looked surprised as he turned around to where it came from.
What he saw was the tower exploded with pieces flying everywhere, with some debris falling to the other parts of the prison, but none landed near or even on top of the yard where the prisoners were.
"Aang!" Katara called out, falling down the pile of coal, "What did you do?"
"This is not my doing, I swear!" Aang full-out denied it being his fault.
By this point, the warden was at a boiling point of anger, and he was going to unleash it now, by then turning around and sending two handfuls of blasts of fire at where Katara stood.
"Look out!"
*VOOM!*
but the fire is blocked, and just in time Naruto came in between the fire and Katara, having landed there, dispersing the flames away then his presence was noticed by the Fire Nation, and they reacted swiftly.
"It's Naruto Uzumaki!" The warden called out, lined up with them, and ordered his men, "Show no mercy!" as they all collectively sent a burst of fire against him.
as the newly invigorated Tyro raises a wall of coal in his defense.
By then Tyro and two earthbenders worked together by hauling a sizable mass of coal to block the fire in front of the blond.
"For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" Tyro called out before he slammed his hands to the floor.
The ground trembled as Tyro's earthbending attack sent chunks of rock flying toward the Fire Nation guards. Several of them were taken out by the barrage, but the warden and a handful of his men managed to deflect the rocks with their firebending.
The battle immediately flared up as prisoners joined in, using their earthbending skills to create walls and barriers while others threw punches of coal at the guards. Naruto stood back, observing the fight and waiting for an opportunity to strike, he watched as his friends did their part. Like Sokka fighting on the guards with the spears, chopping their tops off before throwing them to the flying Momo who caught them one by one.
As more guards fell to the combined forces of Tyro and the other prisoners, the warden began to panic. He had not expected such fierce resistance from a group of "weak" earthbenders. Seeing that his men were struggling, he took matters into his own hands and charged towards Tyro with flames blazing from his fists.
Tyro was ready for him though, and countered with a massive wave of coal that slammed into the warden with full force. The impact knocked him back but he quickly recovered and continued his attack. However, this gave Naruto the opening he was waiting for.
With a determined look on his face, Naruto ran towards the warden as well, weaving between rocks and dodging blasts of fire along the way. As he closed in, he focused by then avoiding another fire blast and then-
*CHOP!*
Hit his index and point finger into the warden's left arm, paralyzing him from one side, then he kicked him right in the gut, sending him crashing into another firebender, temporarily taking him out.
"Let's go!"
Tyro and Haru synchronized their efforts, their movements precise and deliberate, as they compressed the gathered coal into a formidable, dense mass. With a shared nod of determination, they dragged and positioned the hefty lump at the courtyard's sole entrance.
*CRASH!*
The coal was hurled with immense force through the doors, the impact echoing like thunder as it smashed through, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. The guards stationed atop the entryway were caught off guard, tumbling down in a chaotic heap.
Tyro's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, "Get to the ships! We'll hold them off!"
Nearby, the warden struggled to his feet, his face twisted in fury, cradling his limp, paralyzed arm. "Do not let them escape!" he bellowed. His men, fueled by his rage, began launching fireballs at the retreating prisoners.
Aang halted abruptly, whirling around with a determined glint in his eyes. He conjured an air funnel, a swirling vortex of wind that danced between his hands, and called out to Katara and Sokka.
"Guys! Throw me some coal!"
Responding swiftly, Katara and Sokka dumped heaps of coal into the swirling air funnel, which Aang manipulated precisely. The coal shot out like bullets, rapid and relentless, targeting the warden and his fellow firebenders. The barrage began with a few pieces and quickly escalated to an overwhelming torrent.
One by one, the firebenders were knocked to the ground, the warden himself doubling over as a barrage struck him square in the gut and face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Tyro and two other earthbenders joined forces, their focus intense as they manipulated the earth beneath their adversaries. Suddenly, the ground shifted, and the coal lifted, carrying the firebenders into the air. Panic seized them as they hovered, helplessly levitating away from the rig and toward the vast, waiting ocean.
"No, please!" The warden began to plead, sitting among his men and saying, "I can't swim!"
"Don't worry. I hear cowards float." Tyro coldly said as he stopped his bending position.
By this, the levitating coal crumbled down and all the Fire Nation men and the warden fell into the ocean, screaming and yelling in fear before they plunged down the deep blue water.
On the fleet of stolen Fire Nation ships were all the prisoners who had escaped en masse, heading back to the mainland to their homes, overjoyed to be free.
Katara was happy to see everyone happy as then Haru and his father Tyro approach Katara on the deck.
"I want to thank you for saving me. For saving us." Haru said to her.
Katara turned to face Haru and was humbled, "All it took was a little coal."
Haru shook his head, "It wasn't the coal, Katara. It was you."
By this Katara blushes, but then Tyro speaks and places his hand on her shoulder, "Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara of the Water Tribe. My family and everyone here owe you much."
Katara simply put, "So, I guess you're going home now."
Tyro nodded, "Yes. To take back my village." He then raises his voice to the crowd on the lower deck and to everyone in an ear distance away from all the boats, "To take back all of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"
Many cheered on Tyro's words as they all were overjoyed by not only being free - but also taking back their homes in doing so.
However, Naruto wasn't feeling the same joy. He sat next to the unconscious body of Jin, who was being treated by him, Kurama, and one of the female earthbenders who had some medical experience and was keeping an eye on her condition. As they worked, Naruto turned to ask a question, with Sokka, Aang, and Momo watching nearby as Appa was carrying them all.
"What do you think, ma'am?" Naruto asks the lady, "Can she move?"
"She's in pain, but not in danger," The earthbender lady said laying something of a wet rag on Jin's forehead, "She can rest in our village until she is better."
"I'll stay with her, and so does Kurama," Naruto said turning to the others, surprising them, he assured them, "Do not worry, we'll be seeing each other again."
Aang looked unsure, "You sure about this?"
"Do not worry about us, baldy." Kurama said to the Avatar, "Brat and I can handle ourselves, just try to get closer to the North Pole."
Seeing this got Katara to look slightly worried, seeing her friend depart for now, but she was happy to know Naruto did so for a good reason.
"Come with us," Haru urged Katara.
"I can't. Your mission is to reclaim your home, while ours is to get Aang to the North Pole," Katara replied.
Both the waterbender and earthbender gazed over the railing and saw Momo join Aang atop Appa's head, floating in the ocean. Aang was airbending a piece of coal when Momo jumped into his lap.
"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar," Haru said, realizing this for the first time. He continued, "Katara, thank you for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I would see him again. I only wish there was some way…"
"I know…" Katara murmured, her fingers instinctively reaching for her necklace, a cherished reminder of her mother. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, only to be swiftly replaced by panic when she noticed the empty space at her throat.
"My mother's necklace! It's gone!"
Back on the prison rig, Katara's necklace is shown lying amid coal sparsely on the metal floor of the deserted courtyard, until someone picks it up.
It was none other than Zuko, as he stared at it grimly at the sunset - knowing he was close.
…
Unbeknownst to the prince, or even the Avatar - another ship was seen descending down to the same area as they were, after having made their final stop - Azula was in an especially good mood.
"My luck for today - I have my team," Azula said while looking out to the window, "Now its time to come for you - Naruto."
Next chapter will be Naruto focused mainly, one of its first - and I am going to enjoy this.
See you all next time.