After Aang Vanished

Chapter 1: Sunset

It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time before all this happened when we were just normal kids, and everyone was happy. I refuse to let the memory of what this place once was fade. I can still see it all, in my memory the fruit trees are green and teeming with fresh mangos with winged lemurs hanging from their branches, young air benders are training in the courtyards under the watchful eye of their guardians, and sky bison are soaring all around, that's how it was supposed to be, how it used to be... before... that day. – Hotaru Inouye

100 Years Ago:

August 24th, 1 BG

Doragonzu (An Island in the South-Eastern Fire Nation)

Hotaru Inouye's large, dark blue eyes burst open, she sprang to an upright sitting position, having instinctively grabbed and unsheathed her sword from its display hooks above her bed. Silently, holding her sword at the ready, she got up and moved towards the door. She heard a creaking sound coming from somewhere down the hallway, sliding the door open, she made her way towards the source of the sound.

"Aang? Is that you? I knew you'd show up eventually..." She said, but there was no answer. Aang would have answered her. She stiffened. There it was again, a solitary creaking footstep. "Who are you?" She asked, but still, the intruder didn't answer. She could just make out the shape of someone slightly shorter than herself coming toward her. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword as she prepared to defend herself if necessary. "Show yourself!" She demanded. "I'm warning you!

"Hotaru, calm down. It's me." Said a familiar voice. Then a small flame burst to life, seemingly in midair, until a young fire bender with a stocky build and a wide, round, face came into view.

"K-Kuzon?" Hotaru stammered. "What are you doing? It's late! You can't just break into someone's house and sneak around in the dark! You're lucky I didn't attack you before I saw who it was."

"I know. I'm sorry for scaring you but; I need your help. Something terrible is about to happen, and I can't stop it on my own. You're the only one in the Fire Nation I can trust with this Hotaru." Kuzon replied.

"What are you talking about?" She pressed.

"I heard my Dad and Grandpa talking earlier. My dad said that the Fire Lord has given him orders. They're planning to attack the Air Temples, and Dad's been assigned to lead the assault on the Southern Temple." Kuzon admitted.

He wouldn't meet her eye, his fists were balled so tight Hotaru was surprised he wasn't bleeding yet, and his carotid artery was pulsating rapidly. She couldn't blame him. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have your own father not only participate but lead an attack on your best friend's home.

Hotaru's eyes were the size of melons, her jaw dropped, seemingly to the floor. Every hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Then, seeing the expression on her friend's face, she pushed away her initial shock. "Kuzon," Hotaru began softly, "you're not responsible for his actions."

"But what am I supposed to do? I know Aang isn't there but-but what about Monk Gyatso and the others?! They'll all be killed! I can't just sit back and watch, but I can't fight them all on my own either. I'm just one kid!" Kuzon's voice was raised in both pitch and volume and Hotaru could hear an undercurrent of anguish beneath the fear.

She grabbed him at his shoulders and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Calm down. Listen to me. You won't have to fight them alone, and we're not going to let them get away with it. Understand me? You came to me for help, and you have it. We'll put a stop to this, somehow..."