Frozen Heart, Melted Ice

Chpt 28 - The Day of Black Sun

The day of the invasion came faster than Y/n expected. As she pulled on her Water Tribe clothes she felt a deep pit in her stomach at the thought of storming the Fire Nation capitol. It felt nice to be back in her usual clothes, to be able to braid her hair up again, and to wear her wrist wraps. Y/n strapped on the wrist and shin guards she had been given by the Southern warriors as Aang came barreling out from behind Appa.

"Top of the morning Momo!" Aang cheered as he landed between Y/n and Toph.

"Sounds like you slept well," Katara said, turning away from the maps her and Sokka were hunched over.

"Like a baby moose-lion. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord," Aang announced.

"So what's your strategy for taking him down?" Y/n asked.

"Oh!" Toph shouted, "Are ya gonna get your glow on and hit him with a little avatar state action?"

Aang's face fell, "I can't. When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all the cosmic energy in the universe."

"You know what I just heard? Bla bla spiritual mumbo jumbo, bla bla something about space."

Y/n giggled and walked over to join Katara and Sokka by the maps.

"Oh, no," Katara gasped. Y/n looked up at the horizon to see a huge fog cloud covering the majority of her view, "Do you think the fog will delay the invasion?"

Sokka stood up, crumpling the maps into his hand as he did so, "No, thar is the invasion."

The group climbed down to the alcove of the island where Toph and Aang used their earth-bending to make five docks for each of the Water Tribe ships. People wearing all colors spilled off of the boats in a mass of blues and greens and browns. Katara and Sokka ran to greet their father, Aang spoke to some kids that Y/n had never seen before, while Toph was talking to two of her former competitors. Despite the hundreds of people around her, Y/n suddenly felt so alone. Apart from her small group of friends, she didn't have any family or friends anywhere. Her family in the North Pole resented her, her closest and only real friend in the North Pole was dead, and the only family member of hers who was still alive was missing. All of her friends would have a place after today, after the war, she wouldn't.

^ ^ ^

Within minutes of docking, Hakoda was able to corral every soldier, warrior, and child into an organized searing arrangement that was divided by nationality and bending style, Water Tribe warriors, swamp-benders, earth-benders, and non benders from the Earth Kingdom. Sokka stumbled nervously to the stage at the front of the crowd, tripping as he did so and scattering his maps everywhere. Y/n stifled a laugh.

Sokka quickly got up and tossed his maps onto the makeshifts bulletin board, dropping them thrice more in the process. Sokka began his speech, flipping and stuttering through multiple maps and scrolls before he finally landed on the correct one. He stumbled through the days plans, explaining them all out of order and backtracking multiple times before deciding he would start from the beginning.

"Katara and I discovered Aang frozen in an iceberg, now I didn't like Aang at first but grew to love him over time, then we went to the Southern Air Temple where Aang used to live and then we met Suki, She dressed me like a woman and then she kissed me, and then Aang's friend was a crazy old king and..."

"Wow, when he says the beginning he means the beginning beginning," Katara whispered, Y/n held back another giggle as Hakoda slowly got up and approached Sokka, who was still rambling.

"... And then Katara got Haru arrested and then now he's grown a mustache which if you look at him in the front row you can see it ..."

"Thank you, Sokka," He put a hand on his son's back, "It's okay why don't you take a break?" Sokka stepped off the stage and sat in Hakoda's place with a huff, "Let me just clarify a few points for everyone. Today, is the day of black sun, and I want to thank you all for your self-sacrifice, and your courage. There are two steps to the invasion, a naval stage, and then a land stage," Y/n sat straighter, though Sokka had gone over the plan multiple times a day with her, she listened intently, "To gain sea access to the Fire Nation capital, we need to get past our first major obstacle here," Hakoda pointed to the map. There was a small straight of water that was blocked by a thin black line, "The Great Gates of Azulon. Next, we hit the land, and we hit hard. We must fight past their battlements and secure the plaza tower. Once we do that, it's up to the Royal Palace. At that point, the eclipse will begin."