Reverse Chapter 2: Book One: Water 'The Avatar Returns', an avatar: last airbender fanfic

…Reverse…

/Warnings: This chapter contains: cursing, a little bit of sadness, a little bit of violence, lots and lots of feels, Sokka making his debut (Even if it was for five seconds), Azula being a little shit (As usual), and some bonding moments! All reviews are appreciated.

P.S.: This story is a role-reversal story of 'Avatar: The Last Air Bender'. This story takes place in the ATLA's timeline to some extent, but with many major changes, such as it being a role reversal, Aang being aged up to sixteen, and other things. Fair warning, English is not my first language, and I am still unsure about the story, but I will try my best to give this fic the attention it deserves.

Chapter 2: Book One: Water… 'The Avatar Returns'

It was impossible… That was the only thing Aang could think of as he gazed into the distance, feeling like any minute now, he was going to lose his mind because of what he had heard and the implications that had been told to him earlier that night, all but driving him crazy because it was wrong… so wrong… something impossible and out of the realm of possibility. How? Just how did Aang end up disappearing (Trapped?) for over a hundred years in a dormant volcano when Aang could have sworn it was just yesterday that he and Appa were flying toward Caldera to meet up with Kuzon (Kuzon… whom Aang was going to tell the truth -About being the Avatar- before saying his final goodbye. Kuzon, whom Aang felt guilty about leaving, considering the possibility that this might be the last time Aang would ever see his friends for years to come, because the monks would take him to the Northern Pole, where he was going to learn Water Bending and start his Avatar training… Kuzon, who probably thought Aang had died with the rest of his…).

It was crazy… That's what Aang felt like after hearing everything that was told to him, almost laughing himself silly because of the craziness that was imparted to him by the boy who looked at him with a grave but hopeful look on his face. Aang almost snorted out loud hearing this, a second away from asking the boy point blank if he was crazy or something because nothing of what he had said made any sense. Staying inside the volcano for a hundred years aside (Aang could attribute it to the Avatar business or something spiritual that would go even over his head), but a war taking place, and a war that lasted a hundred years? That was too much, to the point that Aang all but rolled his eyes then and there. Really, nothing but craziness through and through, and what's worse was when the boy his age said that the war started because of the Water Tribes (Granted, even if the Water Tribes and their culture were a 'Meh' most of the time -The Northern Tribes that was, because the Southern Tribes were lovely people- they were still kind and loving people who would never wage war against someone, especially not the Air Nomads!) attacked the Air Temples, killed the Air Nomads, and later attacked and took over the Fire Nation (Except Caldera, which was protected by high walls made of metals, the only reason the entirety of the Fire Nation hadn't fallen).

You are lying… That's what Aang all but said to the boy point blank before he nearly packed up and left then and there, planning to find Kuzon. He wanted to tell him about the insanity that this boy revealed, perhaps have the two of them laugh at the absurdity presented to them, because no way! No way was the boy who looked at Aang with expectant eyes (Eye? After all, the boy was blind in one eye; the eye that bore a burning scar encompassing half of his face. Aang didn't stare at it too long so as not to be rude and cause discomfort; no doubt the boy had many people gaze at his scar with lingering curiosity, some even rude enough to point it out), sane enough to have told him the truth…. But… something stopped Aang from doing just that; something that shone in the boy's eyes (The sincerity and desperation that shone in the boy's eyes and actions) stopped Aang from doing just that and in the end, he stood rooted in his place, listening to a tale that all made him crazy because how and why and when? Did all of this take place?

How… How did you know I was the Avatar when no one other than the Air Monks knew? …That was the first question that Aang wanted to blur out; before the tale of madness that was told to him, before the boy looked at him and told him about the war, before he even said that the Air Nomads and Air Monks were… Aang was lost, and he was worried, and he wondered how the boy knew who he was when no one before (Not even his closest friends Bumi and Kuzon) knew who he was. A tight-knit secret that was kept under wraps ever since Aang was twelve years old, when the monks told him who he was and what he would be, and then later told him they were going to send him away to learn better because obviously he didn't know any better considering the way he frolic and play around (…That was the first time Aang tried to run away, he tried to run away because he was terrified; everyone was trying to send him away because they believed he was something that he wasn't… they tried to send him away… but then Monk Gyatso found him, he promised him he would protect him, he promised he would never allow them to do this to him, he promised… and Gyatso kept his promise, he kept his promise for three years and it would have been more, but then Gyatso… he…). As it stands, no one should know that Aang was the Avatar, and no one should have even guessed who he was, not when he wasn't introduced as the Avatar to anyone out there, not when Aang ran away from the Southern Air Temple before Sozin Comet's festival where Aang was going to be introduced as the Avatar to everyone presented in there, leaders of the other nations included (But Aang ran away before they could; he ran away before the festival even took place. He just wanted a few hours of respite and calmness before he was thrust into the scary world out there, where everyone wanted him to take over and protect. So Aang ran away, promising himself that he would return; he just needed to find someone to talk to who would understand and not condemn him for what he was… he just wanted… Kuzon came to mind, and Aang then sat a course to the Fire Nation, knowing deep down that he would accept any punishment coming his way from the Air Monks, who no doubt would be furious at such disrespect Aang showed to the point he made them lose face. Aang would have accepted any punishment, but for now, he needed someone to talk to and would not judge him, and Kuzon was the only person who never did… it would have been their last goodbye… something inside Aang just knew that, so he rushed to Caldera with Appa that night, but then… the storm came…).

Please, tell me you are lying… Aang all but begged the other teen when the boy finally gathered the courage needed to look him in the eye and tell him that the Air Nomads were extinct and that Aang was the last surviving Air Bender known to their world. Something that when Aang heard the first time, he laughed and laughed and laughed in the boy's face, thinking him mad and a touch insane, but… the way the boy continued to look at him even when discomfort shone clearly in his eyes, the way the boy held sincerity and desperation in his gaze, the way… Aang's laughter tapered off, and he could only gaze at the boy and feeling like his world was unrevealing then and there, and the ground he was standing on was pulled from underneath his feet before it was slammed on top of his head because what? What did the boy mean by his people being killed?! That was impossible! It was impossible! The Air Nomads could never be completely wiped out, right? Air Nomads were always on the move, they never settled, never stayed in one place too long, always flying high in the sky like birds migrating from land to land, and rarely came down to earth because what was earth other than a shackle that kept them down, and the sky was their true freedom and love? Air Nomads were Masters of evading and escaping, and no matter how much people liked to think that they could catch Air Nomads off guard, it was impossible (The Air Temples were a different matter completely, as they were homes… sanctions… places for children to grow up and learn before facing the world. They were fixed points that were put on this earth as guiding lights to help the children as they grow up; the nest that every child would one day grow up and leave, and those who stayed accepted the burden of raising the new generation, and that was that… the Air Temples were different, impossible to reach, just like…)…

A hundred years had passed… Something inside of Aang hissed and informed him that no matter what he thought about this mad situation, and no matter how much he wanted to snap at the boy before disappearing and returning to the Southern Air Temple just to prove him wrong. Something told Aang that the only thing he would find was nothing but disappointment and pain, because the boy was not lying to him… he was not lying to him… Aang could see it in his eyes, could see it in the boy's body language, could hear it in his voice, and the way that Aang felt the vibration of air around. The teenager was not lying to Aang, he was telling him the truth. The unadulterated truth that all but drove Aang mad just hearing, and he almost wondered if he was hallucinating or something else, for even entertaining the thought of what the boy told him to be a fact… a hundred years… did a hundred years really pass? A hundred years of Aang being trapped in a volcano, and the Water Tribes (How? Just how and why?!) attacked the world and destroyed everything until it was in ruins… the Air Nomads were extinct and no living person of them had survived. The Great Fire Nation Isles was besieged, and what was left of it was only its capital, Caldera (And that only happened because of metal walls erected to protect the people). The Earth Kingdom was also in ruins, more than a quarter of its lands under the Water Benders' rule, and more would fall to them as the fight continued to rage.

They attacked… the Water Tribes attacked my home during Sozin's Comet Festival… Aang all but went sick then and there as he listened to the tale from start to finish. The Water Tribes attacked during the Sozin's Comet Festival, and destroyed his home, killed his kin, and slaughtered everyone present at the festival. The Air Nomads were no more after that day; hunted day and night for the next hundred years until they went extinct, never to be seen again, including their Flying Bison and their Culture, which was burned to the ground. The leaders presented at the Festival (Where Aang would have made his first debut as the Avatar) were also targeted by the Water Tribes; that night, Fire Lord Sozin was killed (Not even the power of the Comet managed to protect the man, and his people as they had not expected to be attacked and betrayed that day), and the only survivor was the Emperor of Ba Sing Se who spread the news and told everyone that the Water Nation went rogue, and even he, had only managed to survive for a month before his fatal injuries managed to claim his life and he died. After that, the Fire Nation was attacked next, an easy target to the Water Nation considering they were islands connected and were surrounded by water on all sides; the Fire Nation fell, and the only surviving City was Caldera. After that, instead of wasting their time, the Water Tribes went after the Earth Kingdom and tried to claim the lands there and rule the people… after that… no one was left unscathed…

I did all of this… it was my fault… that's what Aang ended up concluding as it finally dawned on him that it was his fault from start to finish because he was an idiot who decided to run away and forsake everything just so he could find some respite and peace before being forced to uphold his duties as the new Avatar where Aang would discard everything and anything, even his autonomy and identity to become the Avatar, Master of all Elements, and the Bridge between the Mortal and the Spirit World… it was his fault, that he was sure of, and Aang would forever hold into the guilt that all but consumed him then and there when he listened to the teenager tell him that truth that all but made bile raise in his throat the longer he continued to listen to and all but lost his sense hearing it. It was Aang's fault, because if he had stayed that night and hadn't left the Festival, then he would have been there when the Water Tribes attacked, and he could have protected his people, he could have protected everyone there… if Aang had stayed and didn't run away… no one would have died.

What… what happened to my friends? … That was Aang's only thought that night as he stared into the distance, watching the glowing lights from a distance. The lights that the other teenager ("Zuko," the boy had introduced himself as, while his sister was named "Azula") told him were coming from Caldera. A hundred years had passed, years that were spent in war; a hundred years had passed, and Aang didn't know what happened to his friends from the other nations. What happened to Kuzon during these years? Did he manage to go to safety when the Water Tribes attacked the Fire Nation, or was he killed by them or captured like the rest? What happened to Bumi when the Water Tribes directed their sight toward the Earth Kingdom? Did he survive the attack, or was Omashu's proximity to the sea a chance for the Water Benders to win Omashu and kill everyone there? What about his other friends scattering around? Did they survive or did they die during this war? What about his friends from the Southern Water Tribes? Did they know about the attack? Did they participate in the war and kill the innocent? Did they oppose their tribesmen and women to protect the people from the other nations? Or was war and glory the only thing they cared about, and didn't care about the innocent blood that soaked their hands? …This was a nightmare… that was the only thing Aang could think of as he gazed at the stars that night, feeling like he was going to be driven insane any minute now…

Aang could only pray to Lung-ta that this was just a nightmare…

Now, here Aang was, gazing at what once used to be a lush forest and fertile land… a fertile land that was filled with greenery and animals, a land he used to come to very often as he and Kuzon would frolic and go play in the forest every time he came to Caldera; a land that was one of his favorite places after the Southern Air Temple… a land that was now, nothing but a wasteland. A desert filled with nothing but dried trees here and there, and the bones of animals and humans broken and scattered around. A place in which every part of Aang's whole being was rejecting completely, because this was not Caldera… this was not Caldera! …Aang knew Caldera, he knew that place, and he used to sneak every two months or so to the Fire Nation to come here, and this is not the Caldera he knew of! Aang had just visited Kuzon four months ago, and this… this was not the place that Aang knew.

As much as Aang didn't want to believe Zuko when he told him, as much as he wanted to call the boy a liar and end everything then and there, as much as Aang wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Aang never believed Zuko as much as he believed him now, when he finally had the time to stare at the aftermath of the war that took place and stayed for a hundred years without an end. Aang never thought he would have it in him to believe someone who told him that his people had died, but staring at the evidence in front of him, he stopped every word of protest and every denial that manifested.

Caldera was a paradise… that's what Aang knew deep in his soul ever since he was a child, and he had come to the Fire Nation for the first time with Monk Gyatso. Aang was eight when he came into the Fire Nation for the first time, he was eight when Monk Gyatso packed his bags for the first time to take Aang to travel with him (Aang's first ever trip outside of the protective walls of the Southern Air Temple… Aang should have known back then that something was amiss, because why would the monks allow an eight-year-old child to travel around? Even if the said child was a gifted Air Bender… Aang should have known that there was something amiss… but he was too excited and happy and…).

Caldera was a paradise… that was Aang's first thought as he gazed at Caldera from high above in the sky. His eyes were wide, and he almost fell off the saddle of Monk Gyatso's Flying Bison; his amazement, his awe, they could have filled oceans and oceans, and there would still be more because Caldera was just… it was just breathtaking… a fertile soil and land due to its proximity of many volcanos (Most are dormant, and those that weren't, were never really a danger to anyone around). Greenery of all kinds and shades was found on every surface of the land, thanks to its favorable climate, which allowed everything planted to thrive and grow. Animals and life of all kinds were found within the forests and the shores, leaving everyone amazed at the bountiful paradise that was the Fire Nation Isles, and then… Dragons… the Fire Nation's treasures and pride of joy; the dragons that filled up the sky and perched on every mountain or nested in their burrows. Dragons who roared and lived in harmony with humans and were companions to the Fire Nation people, just as Sky Bisons were the companions to the Air Nomads.

Caldera was a paradise…

…But now? Now everything was destroyed…

Aang, as he sat on the volcano's rim, near a small campfire, Zuko had made that night when he noticed how his sister was dozing off. He couldn't help but look at the distance with an almost dazed look, as everything finally sank in. "You know…" Aang began, keeping his gaze fixed on the distance, surveying the wasteland bathed in the moonlight, feeling his heart clench painfully at the sight of the desert before him. Zuko, who finally managed to put his sister to sleep, turned toward Aang and gave him his full attention, but even then, Aang's eyes could not leave the eerie sight that every molecule in his body told him was wrong and it shouldn't exist. "This volcano used to be in the center of a lush forest that gradually tapered into a grassland… right about there." Aang pointed with his hand to where the edge of the forest had been and where the grassland began. Part of him was thinking that maybe if he spoke too loud about what Caldera used to be and how it was nothing but a paradise, this nightmare would finally break off, and the real Caldera would show up.

Aang felt tears stinging his eyes, but he refused to blink, continuing to stare in the distance, hoping that the illusion would break off any minute now. The forest was right there. The forest where Aang and Kuzon spent most of their time whenever Aang came into the Fire Nation. Hide and seek was played within the trees (Something that Kuzon always won because he always had this uncanny ability to hide even in plain sight), many adventures and exploration trips inside had taken place, as Aang and Kuzon went treasure hunting, trying to find something interesting within the forest (Every time they went inside, they would come out with something wonderous. Rare flowers, dragons' scales, colorful river rocks, sea glass, and even gold that one time). There was the grassland, where Aang used to land Appa, where he and Kuzon would race from the border of the forest, to Kuzon's summer home (Aang always won, and Kuzon always complained and pouted like mad, accusing Aang of cheating because who could ever beat an Air Bender in a race?). The grassland where shepherds guided their animals to graze, looking so happy and content as they lay under the sun while their animal grazed to their hearts content; so peaceful, so tranquil, Aang more than once just laid in the grass and dozed off, feeling happy as the breeze ruffled his clothes and the sound of life rang around him.

"This volcano… it used to be a hot spot for dragons. Every summer, dragons would come here and make their nest." Aang's breath hitched as he remembered the times he and Kuzon would sneak here, trying to see the dragons from far away, enchanted by the majestic creatures that chose this place to lay the next generation. Dragons from all around the Fire Nation chose this spot and flew here every summer, filling the sky and rivers, and when autumn rolled once more, they left with their offspring only to return next year. "…My friend and I, we… we used to come here to pester the dragons to fly us around… it didn't work most of the time, but…" Aang's words trailed off, and he didn't dare to say anything more, even when he felt Zuko's eyes on him, all but burning him alive then and there.

"…For as long as I remembered… this place was nothing but a wasteland. A desert where my people had fallen, and the Water Savages roamed around during the night, waiting for children to steal or adults to kill." Zuko whispered after a while of heavy silences, making Aang take a harsh inhale, hearing his. "Dragons were nothing but an extinct myth… grassland is something surrounded by walls as high as the sky, and a forest? Two trees standing together were considered a forest to us." Zuko swallowed several times, hugging his legs tightly. "All that we knew was high metal walls, desert surrounding us, and the enemy roaming as they wait for us to let our defense down… for as long as we learned, they told us that water was life, but for us? Water was nothing but death. An expert Water Bender could pull water from the plants. Grass, trees, flowers, leaves. As long as it contained water, no matter what it was… an animal… a human… it was a fair game." Aang's heart all but stopped then and there, and he turned to look at Zuko, who was gazing intently at the fire, refusing to look Aang in the eye. "A forest with Water Benders? The trees and plants are just dry logs and a fire hazard, and well… we are Fire Benders." Zuko then raised his hand and pointed in the direction of what used to be the forest. "The forest… it was burned down fifty or so years ago, by then it was nothing but dry wood and dead plants." Then he pointed at the grassland. "Fire Lord Azulon ordered the military to burn the grassland, a better way to stop the Water Benders by cutting one of their water sources." Then Zuko pointed to something bright in the distance that looked like a bright line of some sort. "The burning nets were the only thing that managed to keep the Water Benders from breaching Caldera using the sea, but even then, it's a matter of time before they finally succeed." Zuko once more hugged his legs tightly, still not looking at Aang.

"Oh…" That was the only thing that Aang managed to choke out, feeling his heart all but clench tightly, and the breath in his chest left him then and there. The stinging in Aang's eyes intensified, and his lips couldn't help but tremble. Aang wanted to cry, he wanted to cry; he wanted to shed tears for the beautiful paradise that was ruined then and there because of him. Aang didn't, though, he didn't, just as he refused to blink his eyes because if he even dared to blink, then he knew the tears would start falling. Instead, Aang just focused on the distance, gazing at the line of fire he saw and refused for any tear to escape… Aang had no right to cry for what happened to this paradise, not when it was his fault in the first place that it was ruined.

"…But you are here now… You are here." Zuko breathed out, an almost chuckle left him, making Aang turn to gaze at the boy who was looking at him with wonder and something else that Aang didn't know what it was, but it was enough to make a shiver run down his spine. "…Mom was right…" The boy switched to the Fire Isles language, and part of Aang didn't think the boy even noticed he wasn't speaking in the Common Tongue or that he had spoken at all if the distant look in his eye was anything to go by; Aang, as much as he wanted to point this out to the boy, he held back, feeling curious about what the boy would say. "She was right… If we believed, you would come back… and you are back… You are here…. Mom was right all along…" Aang swallowed, hearing this, unable to take his eyes off the boy who seemed to have lost himself in thoughts.

To believe… Aang almost started laughing then and there, because deep down, he knew that believing was something that everyone had forgotten and forsaken in this scary new world that was to kill and be killed… believe… Aang deep down, knew that after his disappearance for a hundred years, no one would believe of a legend turn myth, and some would even feel disgust and hate at the mere thought of allowing themselves to believe in someone who abandoned them… believe… something everyone would lost the ability to do, even Aang himself if they managed to see what happened to this paradise now, and what it used to be a hundred years in the past… believe… deep down, Aang felt like the boy sitting on the other side of the fire was the last believer in the Avatar as everyone no doubt had lost hope years and years ago… the last believer in a deity that long had forsaken this world and disappeared decades ago… Aang didn't know what to think or feel about this, and part of him couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be the last believer of someone who everyone no doubt hated for allowing the world to become like this. Was he scorned? Bullied? Hated for reminding everyone of the reason this war started? Laughed at? Many questions played in his mind, and many more started to crop out, but still, Aang didn't say anything and continued to gaze at the boy with wonder.

Against Aang's will, his lips couldn't help but quirk up into a small smile, and his manners softened a bit as he gazed at the boy, despite what he thought and felt and how everything inside of him was warring with one another. "Yeah… I am here." That was the only thing that Aang managed to say. With that, Aang closed his eyes and leaned his head back, taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down. Aang was here, no matter if it was a hundred years in the future in a war-torn world or the past where everything wasn't ruined and lives weren't taken; Aang was finally here, and he could right the wrongs that happened because of his indecisions that caused many to lose their homes and lives… Aang was here… and this time, he would stop this war and make things right, because…

Aang was here…

…(A hum left his throat as he peered through the telescope. His heart was pounding in his chest like a war drum as he followed the movements through the lenses. Disbelief, hope, joy, and many more emotions were warring inside his heart as his eyes traced every move made not that far away from the shore.

Two men, a little girl, and a huge animal that everyone had believed to have gone extinct after the Water Tribes hunted them down for sport and meat. A worthy gift for a warrior, one that would prove to everyone out there that he was a man, a warrior, a Chief, and a future leader. A worthy gift for his father and little sister, who were waiting for him to end this pilgrimage and return home.

"The Avatar!" An almost manic laughter left his throat as he turned around and gave his telescope to one of his crew, grinning happily when he saw his Gran-Gran sitting near the table, sipping her tea, and gazing at Sokka with curiosity in her eyes. "We found him, Gran-Gran." Sokka's grin widened even more when he saw the woman blink in surprise as if not believing that they would actually find the relic that everyone thought didn't exist in this world anymore. "Head a course to the shore and cut them from reaching Caldera!" Sokka ordered before giving his Gran-Gran a nod, his heart was pounding in his chest as he rushed toward his room, planning on getting ready to face the Avatar and defeat him.

Finally, finally… after all these years of the fruitless search and traveling across the land to search for a children's story that was nothing but a myth, Sokka had finally found the Avatar! All those sleepless nights searching for a phantom thought nothing but a myth; all those books that Sokka devoured and left no crumbs. All those temples he visited and searched from top to bottom; the rumors he followed around like a hound, refusing to leave nothing unaccounted for and unsearched. Those three years of pilgrimage that Sokka undertook to prove to everyone in his home that even being a Non-Bender, he was a man and a leader to the Great Southern Water Nation… all of it was finally coming to an end!

As Sokka sat in his room, dressed in his armor and prepared to apply his war paint, he couldn't help but close his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. He was finally going to return home; after these three years, Sokka was finally going to see his father and sister. With the Avatar's head, and his companions imprisoned, Sokka was going to return home and prove to everyone who ever doubted him that he was worthy of being the next chief and leader, but first…

Sokka had an Avatar to capture…)…

"Why are we walking?!" Azula's irritating voice resonated across the shore, making Zuko (Who was trying to guide their party to Caldera as safely as he could without the Ice Savages noticing them) sigh tiredly and throw his sister a nasty look, ordering her to keep quiet. "Like come on! What's the use of this giant fluffy monster if it can't fly us home?" Azula huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, and Zuko twitched, hearing these words, feeling annoyed about how his sister insulted the Avatar's animal companion then and there.

"Well, we have to do this because an idiot whose the first letter of their name is 'Azula' had decided to be more stupid than they already were and sound Caldera's alarms. Ring any bells?" Zuko retorted in irritation, glaring at the little girl who stuck her tongue at him and muttered something under her breath that was too low for Zuko to hear. "Unless we want to alert the Water Savages about our location, or get attacked by friendly fires flying across the great walls, our only safe passage back to Caldera is through the Great Gates of Azulon. So, zip it!" Zuko ordered, glaring at the girl who puffed her cheeks in irritation.

"Now, now!" The Avatar laughed nervously, raising both of his hands and trying to calm the irritated siblings down, standing between the two of them, and forming distance between the two. "No need to fight. Appa will fly us across the gates easily after resting for a bit, everything will be fine." The Avatar tried to cajole his sister, something that only made the girl roll her eyes and stomp her feet on the ground like the little brat she was.

"You said that early this morning, and the fluffy monster didn't fly!" Azula whined as she pointed at the Flying Bison that let out a growl and expelled a harsh gust of wind toward his sister before marching on and ignoring the squeak that Azula let out when she fell on her butt following the harsh gust of wind.

"Now, look what you did, you hurt his feelings." Zuko huffed in irritation while pointing at the Bison that was walking forward with a head held high (Looking as haughty as a cat as it did so, while the Avatar looked at the bison then at the siblings with an amused smile). "If you think you are better than the Avatar's companion, then I dare you to sleep for a hundred years and then try to bend or fly; see if you have the gall to be able to- Ekkk!" Zuko couldn't help but screech when he felt a huge tongue lick his back and head, causing him to jump away, only to see the Flying Bison with its tongue sticking out and its tail wagging.

"Awe! Appa likes you! Don't you, buddy?" The Avatar questioned his companion, an amused grin on his face as he gave Zuko a wink, ignoring how the boy was shuddering in disgust as he felt the animal's spit all over his head and armor. Azula, that annoying menace, fell to the ground while screeching her laughter to everyone in the world to hear, clutching her stomach from how hard she was laughing as she pointed at Zuko with too much delight on her face, it was a burden on being unhealthy. "Appa is not the type who likes or trusts someone easily. It seems you are the exception, isn't that so, boy?" The Avatar then baby-talked to his bison, while Zuko's eye twitched at that.

"How… nice…" That was the only thing that Zuko could spit out as he started to wipe away the spit from his head and hair, shivering in disgust at the slimy feeling he was subjected to. Zuko had half a mind of just jumping in the ocean not that far away and let the salty water wash away all this disgust and stink off of him, but he held himself back in the last moment, knowing that if he did so, then his armor would be twice as heavy than it already was and let's not forget his sister who would smirk in satisfaction and make fun of Zuko for the next century or so. "Next time, a simple noise of appreciation will work well, no need for all of this!" Zuko hissed, scrunching his nose and glaring at the bison, which tilted its head, like a confused boy, tongue still sticking out.

"Why? Afraid of ruining your pretty hair?" Azula, the menace she was, cooed and blinked her eyes innocently, making Zuko's eyes twitch once more; in retaliation, Zuko flicked his hand (That was ladled with spit) toward the girl, grinning mockingly when Azula screeched when the spit landed on the front of her armor.

"What? Afraid of ruining your armor?" Zuko mocked back, watching how the little menace snarled and almost sent a fire blast his way if the Avatar didn't once more stand between the two, raising his hands and trying to solve the problem as peacefully as he could. Not that it would work, his sister was a menace through and through, and no one, not even Ozai (Not that the man cared about how Azula acted, and in fact, would encourage her sometimes) had managed to soften her wild nature.

"Now, now, please stop fighting and let us…" The Avatar once more started only to pause in his place as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, making Zuko frown and look where the man was staring. When Zuko finally managed to spot what the man saw, he couldn't help the harsh inhale that left him, and how his eyes widened then and there.

"The… Ice Savages…" Zuko could only choke out, all of his instincts blared in his mind, demanding that he do something, pull Azula and hide her behind his back while thinking of a way to get out of this unscathed with his sister safe and sound, not captured and stolen by those monsters.

"…Get on Appa's back." That was the only thing the Avatar spoke after a while before turning to look Zuko in the eye. "Now!" It was that order, followed by whatever the Avatar said in the Nomadic language next, that made Zuko's body move, and with that, he whirled around and took Azula's hand in his (Ignoring the brat's protests) while running to the Sky Bison, who lowered himself and allowed Zuko and Azula to climb on his back and settle on the saddle.

Zuko's heart was pounding in his chest, dread and something else took hold of him as he watched the Avatar stay rooted in his place, not coming over or climbing the beast so they would fly. Instead, Zuko could only watch the large vessel getting bigger and bigger the closer it got to them. "Avatar?!" Zuko cried out, unable to help the terror mounting inside of him anymore as he glanced between the ship and the Avatar who turned to glance at them and motion with his hand for them to be quiet and calm down; a strange look on his face made Zuko pause for a bit and wonder what the Avatar was up to.

What are you doing? Are you stupid? Why are you staying there? They could attack you! Just get over here so you can fly the bison! Do you want the savages to kill you? …Many questions and sentences ran inside Zuko's mind, and he could only clench his hands around the rim of the saddle, feeling agitated and worried the longer he gazed at the Avatar, and then at the ship that finally ducked near the shore. Unable to help it, Zuko glanced at his little sister worriedly, watching how Azula was scrunching her nose and clenching her fists, smoke emanating from the girl's hands, informing Zuko that his sister was prepared to launch an attack then and there if she saw any sudden move from the Ice Savages.

Still, Zuko remained in his place, his hands inching slowly toward his Dao Swords while his eyes did not leave the ship in front of him not one second. The bow of the ship opened and creaked forward, and Zuko tensed, his breath hitching as he watched how, with a burst of steam, the bow lowered to form a walkway that hit the ground, causing a cloud of dust and steam to rise. Zuko, noticing the shapes of figures cloaked in the cloud of dust, could only grip his sword tightly; a plan after a plan was already forming in his mind, his desire to secure the Avatar and his sister's safety almost overpowered everything and made him leap off the saddle and chase off the Water Savages. Instead of doing what he wanted to do, Zuko remained in his place, knowing that jumping off the saddle would only make his sister do something stupid, such as doing the same and joining the fray.

No… Zuko needed to trust the man standing before them; after all, this was the Avatar, Master of all Elements and not even a ship full of Water Benders would be able to defeat the man, not when he could make the earth swallow them, or form tsunamis to drown then, or burn them to crisp or fling them to space… yes, it would be alright, everything would be fine, after all, the Avatar was there, and he would be able to stop the savages and win this war.

"Zuzu… are those…?" Azula whispered, pointing out to the top of the walkway, making Zuko narrow his eyes as he watched the person who finally emerged from the cloud of dust. Furrowing his brows, Zuko leaned closer to see the person who was flanked by guards on each side, walking down the walkway until he stood not a few paces away from the Avatar.

The person in question (Because he was clearly a person, even with that horrid face paint that made Zuko wreck his mind trying to place which tribe of Ice Savages paint their faces for battles) was wearing armor of some sort that was all leather and fur, with weapons strapped to his back and waist, and crossing his arms over his chest, a sneer clear on his face that was painted white/black/grey. "The Ice Savages," Zuko answered his sister, putting his hand on her shoulder to stop her in her place when he saw her scowl and prepare to jump and attack. "Don't act up now!" Zuko hissed, tightening his hand around her shoulder and giving her a harsh look that meant business. "If you do anything, you could compromise the Avatar!" Azula looked like she was going to protest then and there, but a harsh glare from Zuko and tightening his hand further on her shoulder stopped the girl from doing something stupid and ruining everything.

The Water Benders who descended the walkway and stood near the edge, gazing at the Avatar, who had his staff in front of him and was not even taking his eyes off the savages who looked at the Avatar and his bison. "Avatar!" The Ice Savage with painted face cried out, and Zuko could only furrow his eyebrow when he saw the man point at the Avatar and shout something.

"What are they saying?" Azula hissed then and there when they saw the Water Bender scowl when the Avatar gave no outward reaction to his screeches, but instead, the Avatar only seemed to tense and furrow his eyebrows. Zuko, who had spent his whole life with his head in books, learning everything he could learn and trying to perfect the languages of the other nations, could only furrow his brows, failing to understand what the jargon the Water Bender was sputtering then and there.

"I… I don't know? It's like… It's a hybrid language of some sort… There are some Earth Kingdom dialects, in addition to the Water Nation and the Common Tongue… It's hard for me to translate." Zuko disclosed to his sister, tilting his head and trying to hear what the man said better. So far, Zuko managed to understand a few words out of all the jargon the savage had sputtered, words such as 'Elements', 'Avatar', 'Hiding', and 'Man?'; Zuko honestly didn't know and was lost about what was said by those people.

"…Great… just great. This is the second time you and those books of yours failed us again…" Azula grumbled to herself, and Zuko only rolled his eyes at her, not even deigning to answer her as he tried to focus on what was said. If Zuko, with all of his knowledge and books that he devoured daily, couldn't understand what was said, what about the poor Avatar who spent a hundred years in the volcano?

Zuko could only tense and almost jumped out of the saddle when he saw the Ice Savage let out a battle cry and charge at the Avatar with his club, looking ready to start fighting. Before Zuko even managed to jump off the saddle and do something, the Avatar let out an ear-piercing whistle; Zuko could only curse as he slapped his hand on his working ear, feeling it ringing from such a loud noise, that rendered almost everyone motionless as they slapped their hands on their ears to muffle the insane noise.

The Sky Bison shifted, and Zuko could feel it rumble before it launched into the air, causing Zuko to squeak in surprise and shoot his hand to grip the railing of the saddle, feeling his heart all but jump in his throat as they bison rose in the sky higher and higher, to the point that Zuko could no longer deny the fact that they were flying… They were flying! …Was what screeched in Zuko's mind when he finally regained his barriers enough to peek over the railing of the saddle to see the Avatar down below with the Water Benders.

The Avatar in question, after letting that piercing noise, had used his ability to Air Bend to create a large cloud of dust and send it at Ice Savage (Sending their troops in disarray) before launching himself in the air, and the staff he was holding in his hand snapped into a glider. Zuko could only watch in amazement as he saw the Avatar land on the Sky Bison's head, taking the reins, and chirping something in the Nomadic Tongue making the Bison growl and then move so fast that Zuko could only squeak and tighten his hand around the saddle and later his sister who all but tumble out of the saddle because she didn't have a good hold on the rim.

In the end, Zuko could only be left staring at the Water Benders, his eyes wide as wonder and delight unfelt before took hold of him, especially when Zuko saw the Water Savages run after them, but failing to catch them as the Bison flew so high, everything down below turn into nothing but dots lettering the ground. "Wow…" Zuko could only breathe out as it finally registered in his brain that they were flying so high in the sky that they were like the birds around.

"Where to?" The Avatar's question finally snapped Zuko out of his reverie, and he turned to give the Avatar his focus, his heart still pounding in his chest, but still he pulled Azula in the middle of the saddle while inching carefully toward the front near the Avatar to show him which way to take.

Crawling to the front of the saddle, Zuko couldn't help but peek over the rim until he saw where they were, and with that, he felt confident enough to give the Avatar the direction needed. "Fly high as to not be seen… there! Azulon's Gates, fly even higher if you could, avoid the Fire Missiles. From there, head forward until we reach the Palace." Zuko gave the Avatar the directions needed, feeling confident with every word that left him.

After that, Zuko could only lean back, gazing at the clouds and feeling wonder deep within his heart as the wind ruffled his hair. A shift came from beside him, and Zuko could only turn to gaze at his sister, whose eyes were blown wide as she finally gathered the courage to peek up from over the edge of the saddle and see the earth below. His sister's reaction was amusing, but at the same time was the same one Zuko felt, and unable to help it, his lips quirked into a smile as he saw his sister grin in delight.

Zuko decided then and there to turn his attention to his sister (Mainly to stop her from being the menace she always was, but also to see her reaction because it was fun to see Azula caught so off-guard like she was now), almost snickering then and there when he saw his sister stretch her hand, feeling the wind in the palm of her hand, something that caused an instant reaction of the girl grinning and waving her hand around, stretching her arm and trying to touch the clouds that were within their reach but still far away.

Zuko's soften a bit at that sight and he leaned his chin in his hand, content to watch his sister for once letting loose and actually relaxing as she laughed and stretch her arm once more, trying to reach the clouds, and this time, her fingers actually managed to almost graze one of the clouds, causing the girl to gasp in delight. A huff of amusement was heard behind him, and Zuko couldn't help but glance at the Avatar, who had an amused smile on his face even when he wasn't looking at them. The next time, Azula stretched her arm, she managed to pass her hand through the cloud, and Zuko couldn't help the smile that broke over his face, especially when Azula all but squealed in delight, but managed to catch herself in the last minute.

Still, his sister was a kid, and when the next time the Avatar flew them through a cloud, the girl finally let go of her restraints and started laughing happily. "Zuzu! Look! We are flying!" Azula laughed, looking so happy… a joy on her face that was so pure, Zuko couldn't help but soften even more.

"Yeah, Zula…" It was then that it finally sank into Zuko that everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours was real, and that they had really found the Avatar after a hundred years… They found the Avatar, and the proof of that was in front of them… "…We are." Zuko felt his eyes sting, but still, the relief and contentment could only soak him as it finally sank into him that all along, Zuko was right in believing his mother's word. In the end, out of everyone, it was his mother who was right when she told him to believe in the Avatar and believe that the war would end…

His Mom was right…

Zuko believed… and the Avatar came back…

…(Zuko… was smiling?

That was the first thing that registered in her mind as she opened her eyes and looked at her brother, his breath frozen in her chest at the sight before her, as she felt her world shifting and turning around when the sight of her brother smiling finally made sense to her. Azula could only gaze at her brother with wide eyes and pounding heart, feeling a lump in her throat, not knowing what to say or do as she saw her brother smile happily, looking so content for the first time since… Zuko was smiling… was the only thing running inside of her head, over and over again, in a loop that turned her world around.

Ever since their Mom died, years and years ago, Azula never believed she would see this sight in her life ever again; Zuko, smiling genuinely, that was. The thought of her brother smiling or grinning or feeling happy was something so foreign and strange that Azula had to actually pause and do a double take to make sure the sight she was seeing before her was real and not one of her imagination.

…Zuko was smiling…

This was not one of his sarcastic smiles, or smug smiles, or the ones that he smiled for her to try and trick her (And everyone around) into believing that he was fine. This was not the smile of an actor her brother had perfected a long time ago to trick everyone and anyone that he wasn't hurt and that his whole being wasn't made of anger and rage. This was not one of the smiles that her brother had designed for those annoying people when he once more was forced to lower his head and apologize on Azula's behalf for the thousandth time. Nor was it the smile he would paste on his face as people talked about him behind his back forever bitter and angry at her brother and blaming him for their mother's death even when the one who was to be blame was their father and the Water Savages and not a child who couldn't defend their 'Oh So Beloved' Fire Lady.

…Zuko was smiling.

…And that only happened because after a hundred years of war, they managed to find the Avatar. Zuko had managed to find the Avatar (Even if it was Azula and her insistence to go to the volcano to find that stupid Lily. A stupid lily that Azula only wanted to rub it in Mai's face that her brother had went outside of Caldera and brought that flower for her -Even if it was a lie- to show Mai what she had lost when she decided to listen to her stupid parents and think her brother was useless like everyone dared to do), and because Zuko found the Avatar, then the war would finally stop… just like Zuko always said…

Azula couldn't help but glance at the Avatar who was flying them toward Caldera, with wonder and something else even she didn't know how to interpret. The Avatar made her brother smile, the Avatar whom her brother always raved about and told her would be back one day was here; the Avatar made her brother smile just by being here… Maybe… just maybe… Azula could allow herself to believe in that man, just like Zuko always told her to do so, because Zuko believed the Avatar would be back, and he was… that meant all along Zuko was right, and Zuko knew he was right because…

Zuko was smiling…

Something Azula lost hope of ever seeing after that cursed Agni Kai…)…

As soon as they entered Caldera and headed, Aang could only tense, looking around the place and preparing for any fight that would break out at the sight of him. If what Zuko had told him about Caldera's situation was right, then the people no doubt would attack first and ask questions later; their fear and terror of the unknown and the Water Tribes would have ruled them into snuffing out the slightest threat they felt toward their home and people.

As Aang flew over Caldera, he couldn't help the deep frown that painted his face as he saw the metal walls dividing the once great city from the outside world while trying to form a protective barrier from the Water Tribes. Aang's heart couldn't help but give a painful squeeze as he saw the paradise he used to always visit every time he was in the Fire Nation, turn into a shell of its past self. A shell that made tears once more sting his eyes, as the realization that he did this sank into him and all but made him cry.

Aang, in the end, took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down; no use crying over something like the past. Instead, Aang should look to the future and stop the war so that Caldera would once more thrive like it was in his time. So, Aang sat course to the Fire Palace, planning on finding the royal family and introducing himself, promising them that he would stop this war and make everything right (Trying to stop himself from making a sharp turn and go to Kuzon's home, hoping that his friend would be there, and that this was just a nightmare he would wake up from soon, after seeing his friend).

So, Aang flew toward the Fire Palace, feeling his heart all but leap into his throat as he wondered what to say or do when he was going to meet the royal family; his mind already imagining the various reactions he was going to be subjected to and how to overcome them. From being locked in a dungeon to rot, to having the people accuse him of their misfortune, Aang prepared himself to face the people who had every right to attack him.

A shift from behind, and a squeak followed, making Aang turn his head to see Azula had jumped her brother, putting her hands on his ears and dodging his hands; it wasn't a second later that the girl screeched on top of her lungs in the Fire Isles dialect. "You fuckers!" Her voice was so high and shrill that Aang couldn't help but wince, and put one hand on his ear, trying not to wince at how fast the girl was shrieking that her words became all tangled and unrecognizable. All Aang managed to understand from the girl's screech was 'Zuko', 'Find', and maybe 'Avatar'? Aang didn't know what that was, only that his ears were ringing and that the people down below had noticed them, and because of that, a wave of panic spread.

"The fuck, Azula?" Zuko managed to snap after finally freeing himself from his sister's choking hold, and Aang could only wince once more as he got a front row seat to how the teenager bonked his sister on top of her head, looking so furious as he leaned out to see panic spreading around. "What did you do? Scratch that! What did you make people notice us?!" That was Aang's exact same thought, and he turned his head forward, preparing for any upcoming attack.

"Pssht! They would have noticed us sooner or later, better now than have them blast us with fire or something!" The girl rolled her eyes, not even looking worried or guilty. In fact, Azula just stuck her tongue at her brother, and Aang could only let out a tired sigh as he made Appa fly higher so as not to catch a stray Fire Blast their way.

In the end, they finally arrived at the Fire Palace (A shadow of its former self that as soon as Aang saw it, he couldn't help but frown softly), and not to Aang's surprise, the palace was full of guards, and as soon as he landed Appa in the courtyard, they were surrounded by dozens of Fire Benders who took their position preparing to fight. Aang, seeing this, clutched his staff tightly, preparing to intervene if they were attacked.

"Hold your fires!" Zuko's voice resonated across the courtyard, and Aang could see the exact moment everyone froze in their tracks and paid real attention to who was on Appa. It wasn't long before Zuko's name was being called out, and a man with the Fire Lord's robes and crown pushed people aside, calling out to Zuko, who jumped from Appa's back with the cry of. "Uncle!" Making Aang blink several times as he tried to understand and make sense of what he had heard, and when he did, Aang could only curse internally because what? What?! Zuko and Azula were from Caldera's royal family?!

"Uncle, Zuzu found the Avatar." Azula snorted from behind Aang, before she too jumped from Appa's back, a smirk on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest (Though, Aang managed to spot the glare, the little girl sent toward the people when they started whispering and looking at Zuko, Azula, and then Aang who was sitting on Appa, making Aang frown harshly as he felt nothing but discomfort). "I guess a promise is a promise, hmmm, 'Oh Greatest Dum-Dum' to ever live?" Aang could only watch in fascination as Zuko turned to glare at his sister, hissing her name under his breath and giving her a warning look.

Aang not wanting the siblings to start bickering once more, and wanting to finish his talk with the Fire Lord fast (It wasn't because Aang was desperate, wanting to finish everything so he could go and see Kuzon's old home, maybe even hoping that Kuzon somehow managed to survive and live a long happy life… no, not at all…), hopped from Appa's head, using his Air Bending to slow his descend to the ground, and then bowed to the Fire Lord. "Greetings, Fire Lord of Caldera," Aang spoke using the Common Tongue before he finally rose, looking at the man whose eyes were blown wide as he looked at Aang with shock and something else. "My name is Aang, and as the… Royal Siblings said, I am the Avatar." Aang tried to smile, feeling the taste of ashes on his tongue when he finally admitted what he had refused to admit in the past, which had caused everyone in this world so much pain and death and blood.

"Agni and Taiyou above…" The Fire Lord opened and closed his mouth several times, looking so confused, lost, and bewildered. "An Air Bender's tattoos… You really are the Avatar!" That made a hush silence befall the courtyard, before it exploded with noise as everyone started talking at the same time, whispering, shouting, and just generally talking. Disbelief and shock on every face, and Aang even managed to spot a few who sneaked off, no doubt planning on spreading the news.

...…By nightfall, all of Caldera was buzzing with the news of how the Royal Siblings (Specifically, Prince Zuko… an inside source from the palace -Azula- managed to disclose this information) found the Avatar, and that the beam of light seen yesterday was the signal of the Avatar being found by Prince Zuko (Who another source disclosed -Again, Azula- had went to the dormant volcano to find a rare flower that only grow there, and he hoped to display it in Szeto Festival this year) who found the crystal the Avatar was trapped in for a hundred years, and freed him by breaking his prison. Needless to say, by the end, people talked for days to come about the Avatar's arrival, and how they were excited to see him during the Szeto Festival, as the Avatar would stay in Caldera until the festival ends before going on his journey to stop the war, after all…

The Avatar had returned…

So, what do you think?

Finally, an update! The second chapter is here, and we have to learn many things!

We finally met Sokka… and what a meeting it was!

Azula and Zuko bonding? Yes, there are many bonding moments between these two, even if Azula is a menace most of the time.

Aang is an overwhelmed boy, not even being able to deny he was the Avatar because Zuko just info-dumped him about his people being all extinct and him being the only Air Bender, automatically qualifying him for the Avatar's position….

Yeah, Zuko didn't give Aang a chance to deny it and all but choked the man until he admitted the truth…

Worldbuilding and some important notes to follow!

The language barriers/different language thing, I will go into it in more detail in the next chapters! For now, you need to know that Aang (In addition to Air Nomads language) knew the old form of the Common Tongue from a hundred years ago before the war (It changed during the Hundred Years War), and the Fire Nation's old dialect (Thanks to Kuzon who hounded Aang until he understood the Fire Isles Language, but still when Fire Benders talk fast, Aang lost his concentration and had a hard time following what they said), and some Omashu's dialect from the Earth Kingdom (The Earth Kingdom is vast and hold many cultures and different dialect so many difficulties is awaiting our heroes there; Bumi managed to teach Aang some of the Earth Kingdom's phrases -Specifically Omashu's- but it changed during the hundred years of war which would make it even hard for everyone around).

The only reason Zuko, Azula, and Iroh were able to understand Aang and communicate using the Common Tongue was that Caldera had isolated itself for a hundred years to protect its people. That meant everyone in Caldera communicated using the old form of the Common Tongue and the Fire Nation language, not the new form of the Common Tongue and the Fire Nation's language developed under the Water Tribes (Which is a mix of Water Tribe language and Earth Kingdom).

That's why Aang and the fire siblings didn't understand what Sokka was saying, and as soon as Aang saw the man prepare to attack, he immediately retaliated and made an escape route, thinking the worst would happen.

Also, for the timeline of this story… I think the events of this story will stretch and span. So, instead of the events taking place in one year like in canon, it could possibly stretch and would take place during two years, possibly three, and that mainly depends on the flow of the story.

The reasons for that are easy. One, it is the Water Tribes who attacked, not the Fire Nation, so there is no deadline pressuring everyone like with Sozin's Comet and the danger of burning the Earth Kingdom. Two, Azula and Zuko found Aang at the beginning of summer (Zuko is fifteen going sixteen, and in canon he was seventeen when Sozin's Comet arrived), and Sozin's Comet will not show this summer, but the next. So, yeah, many more adventures would take place as the gang traveled around.

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And tell me what you think…

Nazaki-Sama