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madsthewordclown · 3 years

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Fire Lily | Pt. 14

Warnings: violence

a/n: I am so sorry this chapter took so long, but it’s here now! I am so grateful to all of you for being patient with me. I feel like I wrote this chapter line by line, quite literally. Enjoy!

Masterlist

The few weeks they had before the invasion flew by much quicker than Y/N could have anticipated. Her days were spent sparring with Sokka, and, with the occasional time to herself, attempting to throw fireballs at the walls of various caves they had called home. The hook swords felt so natural in her hands now, and Katara quickly extinguished any accidental fires. She wasn’t quite the fighter that everyone else was, but she could hold her own. She would be ready for the invasion.

Y/N supposed she didn’t have much choice, enjoying the quick, tight embrace from Hakoda as they met on the beach. Y/N glanced up at the sky. It was so clear—it didn’t seem fitting. Y/N’s stomach churned. They’d be okay. They had to be.

Sokka was talking—or, attempting to talk about—the plan. Y/N tried to pay attention, but all she could hear was humming. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from her foot that was tapping on the sand. She and Sokka had gone over the plan together a million times, but he couldn’t seem to speak in a full sentence. She couldn’t remember much herself, other than that the eclipse only lasted 8 minutes.

Aang had eight minutes to defeat the Fire Lord, after one hundred years of war. Eight minutes where the Fire Nation would be most vulnerable. Y/N tried to push another intrusive thought to the back of her mind; she’d be most vulnerable, too.

Y/N sensed Sokka’s dejected presence at her side as Hakoda took over, and she wanted to comfort her friend, but the words wouldn’t come. Y/N scanned the rows of fighters instead. Mostly blue-clad Water Tribe men, the swamp benders with far too little clothing for Y/N’s comfort. Some Earthbenders, including a boy with a rather unfortunate mustache.

“We will have control of the Fire Nation capital, and this war will be over!” Hakoda cried, raising a fist in the air. The crowd cheered, but the world seemed to sway under Y/N’s feet. A bird crowed, not a care in the world.

The group dispersed to prepare, and Y/N found herself sitting and observing the others as she sharpened her blades. Katara filled her waterskins, and Toph was back in her Earth Kingdom style armor. Y/N realized she was the only one left wearing red.

Y/N focused on sharpening the blades of her swords and adjusting the fasteners of her belt. After this, the war would be over. She could find her brother. She could return home, although she wasn’t sure what she would do once she got there. Y/N stood and slid her swords into place. She wished Jet were there to see it.

“What are you doing, Y/N?” Sokka approached, Katara at his side. His face was covered in Water Tribe warrior paint, the traditional armor making his look so much older. The sight stung.

“Don’t worry, I’m ready to go,” Y/N replied hastily, tightening her ponytail. There were just a few stragglers left on the beach.

“What about your armor?” Katara asked, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“This is all I have,” Y/N shrugged, tugging at the hem of her deep red shirt. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“You seriously thought we’d let you go without armor?” Sokka’s eyes widened in shock. “Come on.”

---

“We asked Dad to make some armor for you before we split up,” Sokka explained. “I would’ve made it myself, but I figured I wouldn’t have the materials, and I was busy working on Appa’s armor…”

Y/N’s eyes stung as she looked at the deep blue leather armor in Sokka’s hands. The crescent moon emblem on the chest was replaced with a simple embroidery of the Earth Kingdom symbol in plain brown thread. Y/N gingerly reached out to touch it, the white fur lining soft in her fingers.

“Are you sure?” It was Water Tribe armor. Maybe it was made purely out of necessity, but this was their culture, their family… but the Earth Kingdom symbol was there. For her.

“We made it for you, dummy,” Katara laughed. “I added the embroidery last minute, I hope you don’t mind.”

“You know we think of you as part of our family. Not just us, but Toph and Aang, too.” Sokka gently pressed the garment into Y/N’s hands. “The Earth Kingdom symbol was Katara’s touch. We know you’re fighting for your family, too. Back home.”

“Thank you,” Y/N didn’t know what else to say, pulling the siblings into a tight hug.

“Well, I’ve got to go meet with Dad. I’ll see you guys soon, okay?” Sokka pulled away, giving you and Katara one last quick squeeze before the walking out of the belly of the ship where he had led you earlier.

“Here, let me help you,” Katara offered as Y/N pulled the armor over her head. It was so much lighter than the Fire Nation armor… Y/N turned, letting Katara do the work of tying the armor in place.

“Thanks.”

Katara finished securing the armor and sidestepped to look at Y/N’s face. “You ready?”

Y/N reached a hand up and ran a hand through her ponytail. “Actually, could you help me with one more thing?”

Katara was good with braids. Y/N’s eyes fluttered shut as Katara’s fingers ran through her hair, twisting it into a simple braid. It was like being home. Y/N could almost imagine her mother leaning over her shoulder, talking about the lilies she had planted in the garden that spring.

“The panda lilies are doing so well this year, aren’t they, darling?”

“All done,” Katara secured Y/N’s braid and laid it over her shoulder.

“Thanks, Katara.”

“If we’re going to save the world, we might as well look good doing it,” Katara joked lightly.

Y/N took a shaky breath.

“We’re going to make it, Y/N,” Katara reassured solemnly. “I know it.”

---

The beach felt less steady than the submarines. Even when she couldn’t see what was happening above her, and even with the lurching and tilting under fire was better than this. Between Katara and the swamp benders, they had a huge advantage on the water. Y/N hated how the walls rose up around the beach. She knew they wouldn’t, but it felt like they could fall on them at any moment.

Y/N kept her eyes on the battlements as she pushed forward with the other behind the Earthbenders’ protection. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for yet. But as they pressed forward, instinct overtook anxiety. Y/N wondered if this was what battle always felt like to the others. Almost like a dance.

Y/N tailed Haru as he diverged forward and left, throwing a large boulder at a Fire Nation tank, hitting it squarely. The metal let out a horrible screech, the tank being forced to a stop. Y/N rushed forward, lifting herself up over the top of the vehicle just as the Fire Nation soldier began to climb out of the top of the tank.

Y/N brought her hook swords down in a quick rhythm, sending the soldier falling onto the steel. The man recovered quickly, hopping up to stand and raising his fists. Y/N anticipated the flame, ducking as the man shot a burst of fire over her head. Y/N swung a hook around the man’s leg, sending him to the ground again.

“Haru!” Y/N shouted. Haru seemed to get the message, a chunk flying from the boulder, forming a band of stone binding the man to the tank. Y/N hopped down onto the sand, running by Haru’s side back to the nearest Earthbending tank.

Enemy fire continued to rain down from the battlements stationed on the walls on either side of the beach. Y/N grabbed Haru’s arm, dragging him down to the dirt as one got a direct hit on the vehicle carrying their boulders, sending bits of rock flying over their heads.

“I want the tanks in a wedge formation!” Sokka commands, “Warriors and benders in the middle. We’re taking that tower and heading for the Royal Palace.” Sokka points to the battlements perched on the wall. The warriors close in behind the tanks, Y/N joining them.

Sokka was built to be a leader, and it was easy to see. He had come up with this whole plan himself, and they were making ground. And while he had struggled in his speech to their small army earlier, he could take command in the field. He’d proven that.

Y/N watched Haru disappear somewhere in front of her to help propel the tanks along. The pace was dreadful—it was slow, leaving them all feeling a bit too vulnerable, but fast enough to where it was difficult to analyze what might be coming your way. Y/N could hear the screech of a Fire Nation tank somewhere forward and to the left. The men on either side of her pressed further in.

Y/N wanted to cry when she felt her feet hit solid ground. They were out of the sand, finally. Y/N could feel fire, and she wasn’t sure whether it was the fire running through her own veins or a result of the enemy fire that was no doubt being rained down on the tanks. She could see small streaks of flame peeking out over their heads from time to time, reaching over the tops of the tanks they were using for cover. But there didn’t seem to be much damage, so they pressed forward.

“Cover the back!” Bato shouted. Y/N couldn’t see where the voice was coming from but turned around. They were started to scale the incline up to the palace and wouldn’t want to chance someone from the beach possibly being on their tail.

“Let us handle it, sweet pea,” a voice to Y/N’s left said. A tall Water Tribe warrior stood next to her; his face obscured by his wolf helmet. Y/N’s blood boiled.

“I think I can handle it just fine,” she replied coolly, already stepping forward as she noticed the small band of soldiers advancing up the hill after them.

Y/N picked up her pace to a run, swords clashing with the metal armor of the soldier in a matter of moments. The soldier raised his arms, fire spewing from his fists. Y/N sidestepped, feeling the heat barely miss her side.

Y/N brought the sharp pommel of her right blade down, the soldier catching her wrist in his hold. Y/N lifted her leg, delivering the highest kick she could manage to the soldier’s gut. He stumbled back, pushing her away and sending her falling to the dirt.

Y/N fell to her back, the impact knocking the breath out of her. The soldier was recovering more quickly, already raising his arms. Y/N thought back to that night in the alley, the silver flashing in the night, as the world suddenly seemed impossibly bright.

Y/N dropped her swords and split the soldier’s fire with a flame of her own, using the soldier’s shock to spring to her feet. The soldier’s face plate had fallen to the ground in their struggle, Y/N’s heart twisting when she saw his face. He wasn’t much older than her. Y/N thought of Jain, of Bihun. Of Sokka, Katara, Toph, Aang. This boy shouldn’t be fighting.

“Traitor,” the young soldier seethed, his face contorted with rage. Y/N quickly retrieved her hook swords from the ground, shoving them into her belt. Y/N felt her own anger bubble. She was never, would never, be one of them.

Y/N let the rage release through her hands in a ball of flame, watching the boy retreat as more Water Tribe warriors descended in their direction.

Y/N jogged to catch up with the tanks that was continuing their steady climb up the hillside as she saw Appa’s large shadow descend. Y/N felt the relief flood her as her friends came into view. Hakoda was obviously injured, but alive. They were all alive. And they were winning.

“Y/N!” Katara rushed forward, pulling the other girl into a tight hug.

“Everything’s going smoothly, and the eclipse hasn’t even kicked in yet,” Sokka was saying. Katara pulled out of Y/N’s grasp, looking off into the distance.

“Let’s hope our luck holds out,” Katara muttered. Y/N could see the worry in Katara’s eyes, following her line of sight.

“Is that Aang?”

---

Y/N wandered away absentmindedly as Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Hakoda discussed their next move. She couldn’t help but to feel disheartened, but as she looked out over the beach battlefield, the pride in her chest swelled. They were winning. Y/N ran a thumb over the handle of a hook sword at her waist.

“He’d be really happy,” a voice to her left said. Y/N turned to see Pipsqueak, looking at her with an unreadable expression. “Those are his, right?”

“Yes,” Y/N answered, a little breathlessly. Her eyes stung a bit. She’d forgotten that Pipsqueak and the Duke had been Freedom Fighters, too. Before. Y/N met Pipsqueak’s eyes. “I just wish he were here to see it. It was his fight, too.”

Pipsqueak thought for a moment. “He’s here. With the Duke and me. And you.” Pipsqueak looked to the swords at Y/N’s hip again. “And a piece of him is here, on the battlefield.”

Y/N listened to the light breeze pass by, and for a moment, she thought she could sense it, too.

“Y/N!” Sokka called, breaking her from her reverie.

“Thank you,” Y/N said hastily, giving Pipsqueak’s arm a quick squeeze before going to meet the others.

Toph gave Y/N a swift punch in the arm to greet her. “Ready to go kick some Fire Lord butt?”

Y/N wanted to say no. “Yeah, of course.” Wait. “Where?”

“There are tunnels underneath the palace,” Sokka explained. “We’ve decided to keep going. We’ll finish what we started.” Sokka’s gaze turned from determined to compassionate. “If you’re okay with it.”

Y/N nodded.

“I want you to come along with in case we run into any firebenders before or after the eclipse,” Aang added. “Even if you aren’t a master bender, we could still use the extra help.”

“You’re a good fighter, Y/N,” Sokka agreed.

Y/N did feel like she’d proven herself, at least a little bit. And she wouldn’t be completely helpless without her bending during the eclipse—it wasn’t her main fighting tactic, anyway, and how many of the benders holed up underground could say the same?

Katara would stay back—Y/N got the sense that Katara wasn’t overly happy to let all four of them out of her sight—but Hakoda needed the help. Y/N promised Katara that she’d look after the others.

Y/N, Sokka, Aang, and Toph landed Appa further up at the mouth of the large volcano that Caldera rested on.

“Do you feel anything down there?” Aang questioned as Toph knelt to the ground.

“Yep. There are natural tunnels criss-crossing through the inside of the volcano,” Toph confirmed.

“Is there a structure anywhere?”

“There’s something big, dense, and metal in the middle of the volcano.”

“Sounds like a bunker to me,” Sokka stated. Toph sent dust flying as the pulled the earth away, leaving a gaping hole in the ground.

“There’ll be magma channels through there,” Y/N pointed out. It was a volcano, after all.

“Well,” Sokka gulped, looking down into the dark, “what’s the worst that could happen?”

---

As it turned out, the worst that could happen was nearly being dunked into a pool of magma. Aang had barely managed to get the four of them across the pit on his glider. Y/N never wanted to leave solid ground again.

“Couldn’t you bend some of this heat away?” Sokka asked, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm.

“Don’t you think I’d already be doing that if I could?” Y/N quipped. Honestly, she wasn’t entirely sure if that was something firebenders could do at all. She’d only ever met two, and…

Y/N’s stomach sunk further with each step closer to the bunker. What if she saw him? Y/N had blocked Zuko from her mind for so long—and she didn’t really think she’d be here, under the palace, giving chase to the Fire Lord. Y/N prayed that she wouldn’t have to face Zuko. She wasn’t sure if she could.

“Hey, Captain,” Toph said. It took Y/N a moment to realize the earthbender was talking to her.

“What?”

“You don’t need to be so nervous. Your heartbeat is so fast it’s giving me a headache.”

“Sorry,” Y/N murmured quickly. She hadn’t noticed, before, but now she was hyperaware of the pounding in her chest.

When they finally reached the metal door of the bunker, Toph pried it open with little effort.

“I am so glad we added you to the group!” Sokka exclaimed, gesticulating wildly as they climbed into the bunker. Y/N groaned—even more passageways, albeit a bit nicer than the dead magma channels. Toph pointed to the left, and they set off.

“Why does every capital city have to have underground tunnels?” Y/N wondered aloud. It was like Lake Laogai and the Earth Kingdom palace all over again. The memory of her pounding head was in the back of her mind, when Zuko had practically shoved her away down the dim passageway.

“I love it,” Toph pronounced proudly. “Finally get to be the eyes of the group,” she joked, directing them around another turn.

A Fire Nation soldier stood in the hallway. His eyes widened upon seeing them. “The Fire Lord is that way, down the hall, to the left, and up the stairs,” the man rambled fearfully. “You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks!” Aang replied joyfully. Y/N held back a giggle at the Avatar’s never-failing friendliness.

Sokka pulled out his timer from his pocket. “Thirty seconds until the eclipse.”

“Do you think it’ll feel different?” Y/N wondered aloud again. Y/N didn’t like to talk about it, but she could feel fire. Brimming, underneath the surface. All the time. Would it be gone?

No one responded—Y/N supposed they wouldn’t have an answer, and it wasn’t exactly the most pressing question in the world. And as the large doors to the Fire Lord’s chamber appeared in front of them, Y/N felt the question fade to the background, feeling a hum in her ears.

“I’m ready,” Aang said with determination. “I’m ready to face the Fire Lord.”

The doors flew open with a burst of air, sending up a small flurry of dust. Y/N squinted, expecting fire, before remembering that the eclipse would have started by now. She still felt fire under her skin.

“So, you are alive after all.” Y/N recognized that voice. Azula sat on the throne, smirking sharply. “I had a hunch that you’d survived. But no matter. I’ve known about the invasion for months.”

“Where is he?” Aang demanded. “Where is the Fire Lord?”

“Aw, I’m not good enough for you?” Azula pouted, rising from the throne haughtily. “You’re hurting my feelings.” Azula’s golden eyes scanned the four of them, finally landing on Y/N.

“Oh, you picked up a little stray?” Azula raised an eyebrow, looking Y/N up and down. “I figured she was taken care of in Ba Sing Se.”

“Stop,” Y/N spoke, willing her voice to sound commanding.

“You’re powerless right now, so you’re in no position to refuse,” Sokka agreed, his expression steely.

“I can tell if you lie,” Toph threatened. Azula looked up for a moment, thinking.

“I am a four hundred feet tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings.”

Toph’s smug expression faltered. “You’re good,” Toph said, moving her arms, sending a cage of earth around Azula. “But you should consider telling the truth anyway.”

Almost as soon as the stone had solidified around the Fire Nation princess, it crumbled away, Azula brushing off the dust from her clothing casually. “When I came home from Ba Sing Se, I brought a souvenir.”

The shadows of two Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling, landing gracefully on the stone floor to flank Azula.

Y/N stuck to Sokka’s side. Azula was at a disadvantage without her bending, but so were they. Earthbenders held all the cards in an underground battle. Y/N and Sokka ran after Azula as Toph and Aang held back the Dai Li.

After a few moments, Aang flew by them in a whirl, attempting to catch Azula as Toph secured cuffs of earth around the girl’s feet. Sokka slowed, realization dawning on his face.

“Aang, stop! She’s just wasting our time.”

“Are we just supposed to leave her?” Aang called back. Azula had stopped running, looking at them with yet another amused smirk.

Sokka was right. They were wasting valuable eclipse time chasing the princess, and it was clear she wasn’t about to talk.

“We have to go and find the Fire Lord ourselves.”

Aang nodded in agreement as they turned to walk away. Y/N didn’t like turning her back on the Fire Nation princess, but a quick attempt at lighting a flame in her hand reassured her that they would be safe.

“It’s a trap. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Azula’s voiced called coolly.

“Ignore!” Sokka shouted back, raising a hand to emphasize his point. A beat passed.

“You’re Sokka, right?” Azula asked casually. Y/N noticed Sokka’s steps slow ever so slightly. “My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time.” Sokka stopped dead in his tracks, glaring back at the princess.

“Sokka, let’s go,” Y/N whispered, giving Sokka’s sleeve a light tug. Azula continued.

“She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course,” Azula sighed, “you never came, and she gave up on you.”

“Sokka,” Y/N muttered in warning and concern, watching her friend’s eyes well up with tears.

Sokka sprinted back towards Azula, pinning the girl to the stone wall. Y/N looked at Aang, who looked completely helpless to the situation. “Go!” Y/N shouted, before running over to Sokka.

“Where. Is. Suki?” Sokka demanded, pressing harder on Azula’s shoulders. Y/N slowed as she approached, keeping her right hand poised on the handle of her hook sword.

“Where is she?!?” Sokka repeated, rage evident in his voice. Y/N had never seen him like this. It was difficult to keep a level head.

“Sokka, we have to go,” Y/N said shakily, “she won’t talk.”

“Where are you keeping her?” Sokka asked again, his voice shaking with anger and hurt. Azula didn’t address him, turning to Y/N.

“I’m sorry you survived, Y/N,” Azula drawled, “having to find out the truth about your little boyfriend like that. Although I don’t know why he’d associate himself with a commoner to begin with. Good thing his girlfriend hasn’t found out about you.”

“Sokka, let’s go,” Y/N insisted, finally grabbing Sokka by the shoulders and wrenching him away. Y/N didn’t let go as they started to walk down the hall, feeling her own body shaking as much as his.

“Oh,” Azula’s voice said again, “guess the firebending’s back on.”

Y/N and Sokka whipped around as Azula send a flash of blue flame their way, propelling herself out of her restraints. Azula sent another wide blast of fire their direction. Y/N instinctively pulled Sokka behind her, using her own flame to block the strike.

Azula’s eyes widened. “Oh, Zuzu didn’t tell me you were a traitor, too…” Azula glanced down for a moment. Y/N’s adrenaline surged. “Dad is all the way at the end of the hall and then down a secret stairway on the left. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to see you now.” With that, Azula turned and ran down the hall.

“I used up all our time.” Sokka hung his head in shame.

“It’s not your fault. Azula had everything planned out,” Y/N reassured. Azula had just outsmarted them. Again. “Come on,” Y/N started jogging down the hall. “We need to find Aang and Toph.”

---

“I can still face him!” Aang insisted when Y/N and Sokka reconvened with Aang and Toph.

“We need to leave, now,” Y/N argued.

“We thought we had surprise on our side, and we didn’t,” Toph agreed. “It just wasn’t our day.”

“We’ll get another chance,” Sokka insisted. They had to.

“We need to get back up to the surface and help the others,” Y/N pressed. She wanted out of this tunnel before they ran into yet another member of the royal family. Y/N felt claustrophobic, the tunnel walls seeming more like a trap by the minute.

“Okay,” Aang agreed sullenly. “I guess you guys are right.”

Toph wasted no time in leading them out of the tunnels, luckily through a different route than where they had come. Y/N enjoyed seeing the sky again, but she could smell the smoke in the air. That wasn’t good.

War balloons cast dark shadows over the ground as they flew Appa back to the other troops. They were so far up the hillside now—the beach was so far away.

“We have to get back to the beach!” Sokka shouted as soon as they were in range to be heard. “Azula knew we were coming, we have to go!”

Appa landed with a grunt, and Y/N slid down from the saddle, feeling a bit more sting than normal as her feet hit the ground.

“I can try to slow them down,” Aang said, opening his glider before quickly taking off into the air. Momo flew off after him as Katara climbed up onto Appa’s saddle.

“Appa and I can help, too,” Katara said with a steely resolve. “Yip yip!”

“Let’s get back to the subs!” Sokka commanded. Y/N took off with the rest of the group into a sprint down the hillside.

Y/N heard the crashing of airships behind them, but soon enough their shadows could be seen on the ground in front of her. Sokka was shouting something about cover, and Y/N hit the ground hard as Toph bent the earth to form a shield around the three of them.

Dust and little pieces of rock fell on Y/N’s head as the stone shook from an impact. Suddenly, the pain in Y/N’s leg felt sharper. Stinging.

Toph pulled the stone away when the bombs finally stopped falling. The war balloons had already flown past them.

“They’re heading toward the beach…” Aang trailed off. “They’re going to destroy the submarines!”

“How are we all going to escape?” Sokka hung his head.

“We’re not.” Hakoda looked out as the bombs dropped down into the water. “You kids have to leave. You’ll escape on Appa together.”

“We’re not leaving you behind.” Katara stepped forward.

“You’re our only chance in the long run.” Hakoda’s eyes were sad. “You and Sokka have to escape with Aang. It’s the only way to keep hope alive.”

“The youngest will go with you,” Bato agreed. “The adults will surrender. We’ll be prisoners, but everyone will survive.”

Y/N wanted to protest, but they were right. The submarines were long gone, and the war balloons would be coming back their direction.

The goodbyes were tearful, and Y/N envied the pride in Hakoda’s eyes as he hugged Katara and Sokka. Sokka climbed up onto Appa last. Hakoda met Y/N’s eyes, raising his hand to give a salute.

Y/N returned it with a sad smile as Aang thanked them all. “I’m gonna make this up to you,” Aang promised. Appa lifted into the air with quite some effort from the extra weight. Y/N kept her eyes on the remaining soldiers until they disappeared over the next hill.

Masterlist

taglist: @kaylove12, @akariblue, @wolfiemichele, @aquatickanye, @sunflowerr-mami, @nadiblue. @la3divine, @sarsky, @aangsupremacy, @good-ones-are-taken

#atla #atla fanfic #the day of black sun #zuko x reader #eventual zuko x reader #zuko x y/n #gaang x reader #avatar: tla

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