I walked over the hill and saw it.
Omashu just wasnt Omashu anymore, it was controlled by the fire nation.
"Holy crap" I said. It was basically a breath because I was speechless. This was one of those moments where you really thought it was gonna be okay but then it wasn't.
"I can't believe it. I know the War has spread far, but Omashu always seemed ... untouchable." Aang said and sat down on the grass.
"Now the only strong hold left is.."
"Ba sing Se." Sokka finished my thought.
An old song came into mind at the name of the city. Iroh used to sing it on music night.
It's a long long way to Ba sing Se but the girls in the city they look so pretty.
Missed that man.
"We have to move on." Katara said putting a hand on Aangs shoulder. She was right. There was no hope for us here.
"No, i'm going to find bumi." Aang said and stood up hitting his stick to the ground all hero-like.
"Aang i love you but Bumi..." I started. We all knew what probably happened and I knew better than anyone how ruthless the fire nation was.
"BUT BUMI WHAT?" He yelled at me. Not gonna lie I teared up a bit. Aang doesn't yell.
"We don't know if he's ... around." Sokka said.
"I know you had your heart set on Bumi, but there are other people who can teach you earthbending." Katara said.
"This isn't about finding a teacher. This is about finding my friend." Aang said. Damn, I guess we were going back to Omashu.
We found a secret passage that was just a large pipe. Aang knew where it was and I began to question reality because I didn't thinking plumbing existed 100 years ago. Anyway.
"Why didn't we use this last time?" Sokka asked in confusion. But then he opened it up and we became COVERED in sewage.
"That's a reason." I said trying to get the literal waste off my body. We all climbed in and began dragging through the thick sewage.
When we finally made it into the city we changed clothes. There were a few issues with the fire nation being here. The Earth kingdom was all fine and dandy about letting different cultures in the city. But Omashu is in lockdown and none of us exactly look like we are from here...
So that might be an issue.
"AHHH" Sokka yelled and we all put a hand over his mouth. He pulled a baby pentapus off he arm.
"It's just a baby." Aang said putting it back in the sewer. I saw he had the suction up marks on his face as well. Nice.
"HEY WHAT ARE YOU KIDS DOING OUT PAST CURFEW!" We all turned to the booming voice.
"Sorry sir," I immediately started. "We were just taking our friend home. He's real sick sir. He got...."
"Pentapox." Katara helped me out. "We're real sorry."
"Pentapox! Isn't that was your cousin died from?" One of the men asked the other.
"Act sick." I whispered through my teeth at Sokka.
He began acting like a zombie and the men ran off.
"Okay so in situations such as this there's usually a form of resistance. A movement working underground. Which might be a literal statement considering where we are." I was just thinking out loud.
" There is indeed one. You kids need to come with me." We all turned to an Omashu guard who held his hand out at us.
He led us to the place. It was a building and it was the home of the resistance. Everyone who wasnt fire nation was there basically.
"Bumi? Wheres Bumi?" Aang asked and him and the soldier began conversing about that.
I walked away from the group and to the people. There were mothers with children and elderly who were just sitting in here. I felt Katara behind me.
Her concern was as great as mine. I was never a princess but I sure as hell kissed babies.
I walked over to a family, Katara behind me and I looked around at them. A mother with a toddler and a baby. The toddler was whining and the woman was crying.
"Here maam, let me take the baby." I said holding my arms out. She looked surprised but nodded and handed it over and began tending to her other child.
"Katara, can you make it a bottle?" I asked and she nodded grabbing some of the fruit from the bag the woman had and pulling water from the air.
She shook it up and handed it to me. "Water benders.." The woman said. She was even more shocked.
Her other child hooked on to Katara and the woman stood up. "Go take a walk ma'am. It'll be nice for you." I reached into my pocket and handed her a copper piece. "Go get something to eat."
Katara picked up the child and I kept feeding the baby. It was so small and seemed like it just finished breast feeding. The other child was just old enough to make sentences . 5-6 but she was shy.
I knelt down and smiled at her. "Hi darling what your name?" I asked and she peaked out a bit from Katara.
"Nola." She whispered. I smiled at her and she held on to Katara a bit stronger.
"Hi Nola, Im Y/N." I said to the little girl. "I love your name. What's the baby's name?" I asked.
"Her name is Dahlia. That's my moms name. Im Nola because my dad was Nolen." She explained.
"If you don't mind me asking, where is your father?" I asked.
"Momma said he is angry at the fire nation so he went to tell them to leave our home. But he didn't come back." She said.
I felt a tear fall down my cheek and I stood up. Dahlia came back and I handed her the baby and we walked off after saying bye.
I looked around at all the families. Similar to Dahlias situation. Babies and mothers and fathers. We walked around and listened to their stories.
They were all the same. They had lost something or someone to the fire nation. Me and Katara kissed the heads of babies and hugged mothers in pain.
We were like saints to these people.
But after, I realized how mad I was at the fire nation but also the resistance for allowing their people to live this way.
Me and Katara stomped back up to where the man who brought us here was.
I pushed him against the wall and with tears running down my face. I was extremely upset about this whole thing.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING??" I yelled. "THESE PEOPLE ARE STARVING AND SUFFERING!"
"W-we can't do anything ma'am. King Bumi let the city go." He said.
"What?" I asked whispered.
"B-Bumi didn't let us fight back." He said.
"He knew we were coming..." I said.
"What?" Aang said.
"Bumi is smart, a little too smart, he wouldn't let his city go to shit. He knew we'd be back to help." I realized. "Aang, we need to lead these people to safety."
"No i need to find Bumi." Aang said. "I already told you that." He sounded mad at me.
"Fine then I will." I said sternly. "You!" I said looking at the guard. "Get these people together and let them know that the resistance is leaving Omashu."
"Hey, Y/N." Sokka tried to stop me I could feel it.
"Don't hold her back." Katara said to him. She had her mom tone on.
"Sokka I need you and Katara to go get me a bucket of those pentapuses" I smirked. "I have an idea."
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I stuck a pentapus to each of the citizens faces and began my master plan. Operation; pentapox.
"Alright remember when we get out there, act like zombies. Gets em everytime." I shouted as I pressed the last pentapus.
"And we're just gonna walk out there?" A man asked and I turned to him and nodded.
"They'll stay away if we look sick." I smirked and Katara looped our arms together and we pushed open the doors.
Everyone began to groan and cried were heard in the street. Perfect. Plus everyone but Aang was on board with this plan.
"They're actually falling for it." A guard said to me.
"I knew they would." I smiled.
"JUST LET EM OUT SO THE CITY DOESN'T BECOME INFECTED." We heard a soldier yell.
Great.
The gate of Omashu opened and the resistance flooded out. This would have been even better if Aang was here.
I'm not sure if me and him were okay though. He's never yelled at me before and I know I shouldn't be upset because he's younger but Aang is my friend and I really never expected that.
We made it back to the cave and on the hill. I asked a guard to do a head count.
"Go you." Sokka whispered and kissed my cheek. Then we saw something in the sky.
Aang.
"I can't find him." He was crying and I wanted to hug him but he backed away.
"Y/N" The guard came back with a look of great concern on his face.
"Oh lord did we loose one?" I asked. We could've lost anyone.
"No but we have an extra." He moved to the side to reveal a baby just old enough to walk.
"Hi little dude." I went over and picked him up. This baby felt familiar somehow. I looked at the bottom of his shoe. The last name or guardians name were put on babies shoes in the fire nation.
"Governor Mali ." It read.
"Holy crap. Mais brother?" I said out loud.
"Who?" Katara asked.
"No worries, I have a feeling we will be dealing with her soon." I said. The baby did resemble her in some ways. The nose and ears especially.
Me and Mai were never simpatico but that's just because she sucks and i'm great. She constantly throws negative energy out. Plus she was always up on Zuko. Like okay best friend...personal space mama.
Now I was here with her brother playing with my hair. He was a good baby and didn't cry but the resistance was still in trouble.
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"Com- Y/N. We got the letter." The man said.
"What does it say?" I asked. The baby had fallen asleep on Sokka who fell asleep on me. I played with the babies hair.
"Tomorrow, you trade the baby in for King Bumi." He said. What?
Aang looked up and to me. I mean of course I was gonna turn the baby in. I wanted to see my old friend Mai. But the governor had Bumi?
"Time?" I asked.
"When the sun is at the highest point of the sky." He said and and I nodded.
"We give the baby back, get Bumi, but then what? Omashu is still under power." I said.
"But at least Aang has an earthbending teacher." Katara said.
I looked back at Sokka and the baby. Sokka held the baby in such a gentle way. I've never wanted children. Well i've just never exactly thought about it. When we were little that's all Katara would talk about is having children of her own one day. She wanted 2 girls and 1 boy. She probably kept it up after Kya died. Don't know, wasn't there. But me? I cant even imagine. I mean i grew up in a almost all female village and they all had children. I've seen the beauty of birth and i've even assisted gran gran with it.
It looked painful. But the cry of a newborn baby is beautiful. And then you watch it grow. Children can be annoying but life itself is beautiful. I do want children. Not now obviously. That's why I thank the spirits that I was able to leave the tribe or me and Sokka would have 8 children. I just want one or two. A nice place to live in, and lemur. Yes a lemur.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Katara smirked at me.
I almost said "your mom" but i stopped myself.
"Life, evolution, children." I smiled.
"You want kids?" She asked.
"Possibly. What's it to you?" I asked.
"Well if you have kids my kids and your kids could be best friends and hang out with the next avatar." She was so excited.
"Sick." I yawned.
"Go to sleep Y/N. I have a feeling we are in for it tomorrow." She sighed and slowly my world turned black.
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The next morning we got together and decided to use the mail way to get us into the city. Of course I chickened out because I literally sliced my face open last time.
And I was I was in charge of tiny Mai.
"Me and Y/N will meet up with them at the main entrance way. After all she had the baby." Sokka said.
And that we did. Some fire nation guards were aware of the situation and let us in.
And standing there was the least expected person I thought I should be seeing.
Princess Azula.
"Oh Y/N did you get taller?" She smiled. Two old friends of mine showed up behind her. Ty Lee and Mai.
Now neither of them were benders but Ty Lee was dangerously strong. And Mai thought her knives were cool i guess.
"Azula." I said. "It's nice to see after...what 3 years?" I smiled at her. Me and Azula were never close but she was my friend in a way.
"Yes, now...the baby." She smirked at me.
"For the king?" I asked.
"Unfortunately no." She said. I felt my knee give out and the baby was snatched from me. Ty Lee.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and I gave her a smile. She's always been the sweetest.
"It's okay Y/N. You can come with me. You don't want to be with the avatar anyway, you just wanted freedom from ZuZu." She implied.
"ZuZu?" Sokka asked.
"Oh he doesn't know?" She asked. "Princess Azula of the fire nation, nice to meet you." She kept making small talk.
"Only if you give back the king." I winced in pain. Ty Lee had hit my leg really hard.
"Aw well, guess you'll have to stay with your water tribe peasants." She lifted my head to her face with her finger. I began to see stars and my vision was caving in. "Well looks like I should just go ahead and finish the job huh?" She said and I passed out with the last feeling of mine being a punch to the face.
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I woke up with a pounding headache and weakness in my body. I was on Appa and the sky was dark.
"YOURE AWAKE!!" Katara rushed over to me.
"Shut the hell up." I said sitting up and holding my head.
"Sorry. Okay so I just need to heal your head one more time and it should stop hurting" She smiled at me.
As she moved the water around my head I felt pressure on my leg. It was Aang.
He had fallen asleep with his head on my leg. I noticed Katara smiled at him and then me.
"He waited up for you but ended up asleep." She kept healing my head. I saw Sokka on the far side of Appa steering him through the sky.
"Wheres Bumi?" I asked.
"He wanted to stay." She sighed.
"So Aangs not mad at-" I started to ask.
"No, he's been worried to death. I think Omashu is your bad luck charm." She laughed.
Once Katara was done she removed Aang from my leg and laid him down by Momo. Sokka stopped steering and came to sit by me.
All I could think of was Azula.
"Goodnight guys." I whispered and then everyone closed their eyes.
But tomorrow had a lot in store.
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A/N- Bye, this chapter was so choppy. Anyway just a reminder that you can request things. I don't mind at all.
Also i'm a queer author and it's pride month. So I try to add some gay properties into it with Yue. Expect more next chapter.
You're so loved <3
-Marley out:)