That same day...
Y/n POV
I found Sokka and the others fighting Azula but I was too late, the eclipse was already over.
"Dad's all the way at the end of the hall and down the secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now," Azula said smugly before running away.
"I'm sorry, I tried to come back after I figured out where the Fire Lord was hiding, but I got caught," I said dejectedly.
"It's not your fault, Y/n. Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out," Toph said.
"Maybe it's not too late. The eclipse is over, but I can face the Fire Lord anyway," Aang suggested. Sokka shook his head.
"I don't think that's a good idea," he said but Aang protested.
"The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time. We thought we had surprise on our side, but we didn't," I said.
"It just wasn't our day. What we need to do now is go help our friends," Toph added. Aang sighed and agreed.
"You'll have another chance . I know you will," Sokka said to Aang, placing a hand on his shoulder. Aang nodded. "Let's get back up to the surface," he said. He reached to grab my hand but stopped when he remembered it was injured. I smiled and give him my other one, earning a smile from him too.
We ran out of the tunnel, and I was surprised how easy it was considering Toph could see through the whole volcano. We got on Appa and flew down to the Imperial city.
War balloons and airships flew through the sky with us, and I got a sick feeling. We landed in the city and Katara ran up to us. She smiled when she saw me but when she saw our faces the smile dropped.
"It was all a trap. Azula knew we were coming, and she's plotted out every move," Sokka said as he jumped out of the saddle. "We just gotta get to the beach as fast as we can."
I jumped down after him and looked up to see Aang going off to attack the air ships. Katara went off with him, and Sokka ordered everyone back to the submarines.
We ran out of the Capital City and and down the volcano. The airships opened up over us and let out some bombs, but not enough to wipe us out. They kept going, not turning back to finish the attack.
"Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?" Katara asked. I gasped.
"They're gonna destroy the submarines," I realized.
"How are we all going to escape?" Sokka asked and for the first time since I've known him, he looked truly hopeless.
"We're not. With the Avatar we could still win on another day. You kids have to leave, you have to escape on Appa together," Chief Hakoda told us.
"What? We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind," Katara said.
"You're our only chance in the long run. You and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe. It's the only way to keep hope alive," Hakoda argued.
Bato added that the youngest of the group should go with us, while the adults surrendered. Sokka shouted all of a sudden.
"They're at the beach already!" He yelled. We all turned and watched the airships destroy the submarines, and our last chance of escaping all together. We have no choice...
All the younger kids got into Appa's saddle. My stomach twisted as all the family goodbyes got to me. I watched Katara and Sokka hug their father and I felt horrible. If only I could've done more.
"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm gonna make this up to you," Aang said to the adults and then we took off.
An airship appeared on our tail, but they didn't follow us. We flew off in a northeast direction.
"I know just the place for us to go where we'll be safe for a while. The Western Air Temple," Aang told us. Katara came over to me.
"What happened to you?" She asked, already pulling out water to try and heal my arm. I exhaled, the adrenaline rush wearing off and the pain really starting to flare up.
"After I got to the capital, I found the military base with all the weapons prepared. That's how I knew the Fire Nation knew at least about the invasion. I stayed and tried to sabotage as many of their weapons as possible," I told them.
"It did work. A lot of tanks just fell apart on the beaches," Toph told me and I smiled, glad that I had helped.
"But then I realized that if the city was empty, then Ozai had probably gone into hiding. I found my way into the volcano bunker, but that's when Azula found me and shot my arm full of lightening," I said and I winced as Katara continued trying to heal me.
"Well thankfully it was just your arm. It's gonna scar but you should recover in a few days," Katara told me and I thanked her for her help.
"Hey guys, we have to get off," Aang shouted back at us. We landed on flat, open land, and Aang let us know we would have to walk to the Western Air Temple from here.
We walked for hours, the sun beaming down on us.
"This is humiliating," Katara said.
"Do you mean getting thoroughly spanked by the Fire Nation, or having to walk all the way to the Western Air Temple?" Sokka asked sarcastically.
"Both," I answered for Katara and she nodded in agreement.
"Sorry, guys, but Appa get's tired carrying all these people," Aang said. We couldn't blame Appa, we just had to keep moving.
After a few more minutes, Toph announced we were here. We had stopped at the entrance to what looked like a sheer drop off, thousands of feet down. Where's here? I see nothing.
"She's right, we are here," Aang said happily. Sokka and I looked at each other confused.
Aang had us all get on Appa and after flying down into the opening, we saw it really was the Western Air Temple. The buildings were built into the sides of the opening, seemingly upside down but yet still beautiful.
We landed on a platform with a fountain and finally sat down. Katara held Aang back from exploring so we could talk future strategy.
"So what's the new plan?" Aang asked, already wanting to leave.
"Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan. You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes," Sokka said simply.
"Oh, yeah, that's great, no problem, I'll just do that," Aang said dismissively.
"Aang, no one said it's gonna be easy," Katara reminded him. "Y/n can you start teaching Aang firebending again?" She asked me. I've been thinking about this since the failed invasion.
"To be honest, if it's possible, Aang should learn it from someone else. I've tried but I don't think I'm the right teacher for him," I said honestly.
"Great. Where am I supposed to get another firebending teacher? This is the second one I've failed to learn from," Aang said. I think it's more like I failed you, but...
"We could look for Jeong Jeong," Katara suggested.
"Yeah right, like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again," Aang said rolling his eyes. How do they know the Deserter? "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody. Why don't we just take a nice tour around the temple?" Aang said, jumping up with excitement. He took off on his glider immediately.
"Sorry guys, I feel like I could've handled that better," I apologized. Katara shook her head.
"No, you're not wrong. Aang's pretty particular about his teachers, but that doesn't mean you should take it personally. You can vet whoever we find next," she reassured me and I nodded.
We all agreed to call it a day, going to find our own rooms in the temple. I found a room and was settling in when there was a knock at my door.
"Y/n, can we talk?" Sokka said through the door. I walked over and opened the door, finding him standing there with a serious expression.
"Sokka, are you ok?" I asked, thrown off by the severity on his usually lighthearted face. He nodded and asked if he could come in. I nodded and led him to the bed, patting the spot next to me. He sat down.
"Y/n, before the invasion a messenger hawk came with a message from you saying that you and everything with the plan were alright. But then we got to the Fire Nation and I figured out that our surprise invasion wasn't a surprise anymore. And then I realized what that meant about your message," he started.
"That I didn't send it. It was probably Azula, though I don't know when she found me," I told him. He took my uninjured hand, squeezing it tightly.
"It meant that you weren't ok. That I had potentially lost you. That although you had promised me, you weren't coming back," he corrected me. I looked in his blue eyes and noticed tears starting to form. "And then you did. When you showed up out of nowhere in that cave, after I was thoroughly convinced that Azula had taken you, I was so happy," he told me. I smiled and squeezed his hand.
"I was happy to see you too. I was glad that even though you weren't going to surprise them any more, you were still able to beat back the Fire Nation even a little and figure out their plans. You're brave and smart like that," I said and I could feel the embarrassment filling me. Sokka cupped my face with his warm hand.
"You are too, which is why I don't want to ever have to be without you again. You're beautiful, smart, funny, and one of the most selfless and kindhearted people that I know. Y/n, what I'm trying to say and probably messing it up, is that I love you. Will you please be my girlfriend?" He asked me. I sat in shock for a few seconds before I realized. I've always thought he was cute and funny, but when I discovered he was clever and courageous and an excellent leader, I think I fell in love too. I nodded.
"Sokka, I love you too. I will be your girlfriend," I finally told him. He squealed in happiness and pulled me into a tight hug. He pulled back and looked me in the eye with a giddy expression.
"Do you mind if I kiss you?" He asked excitedly but politely. I shook my head and smiled, leaning in as he did. His lips pressed against mine and I couldn't help but smile against them.
I never thought my first kiss would happen like this. On the run with the Avatar, in the Western Air Temple, planning the destruction and rebirth of my birth nation.
Sokka pulled away to breathe first and gave me the cutest, goofiest, most joyful-est grin I'd ever seen. With a boy from the Southern Water Tribe.
It's strange, unorthodox, and if you told me this was the way it was going to be when I was five, I would've laughed at you.
But now I wouldn't have it any other way...
To be continued...
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