ATLA: The Dragon Warrior (Zuko x OC) BOOK 1

The Avatar Returns PART 1

BOOK 1

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Back at the village->

Akiko finally made it back to the village, she and the leopard were catching their breath for a moment, then started walking towards the villagers, who were staring up at the flare. She walked up to Sokka grabbing his shoulder turning him around while frantically asking questions, "What happened?! What's going on?! Where are Aang and Katara?!" He was about to answer but turned back around when the children cheered that Aang had returned. Both of you going up to the air and water bender, Akiko was running while Sokka walked. Akiko ran up to Aang and Katara engulfing them in a hug, "I was so worried! Where did you two go? You guys aren't hurt, right?"

They shook their heads and were about to answer the other question when they looked down and saw the peregrine snow leopard sitting next to you. "I see you made a new friend," Aang said while putting his hand out for the leopard to sniff, while Katara just backed away a bit scared. The feline smelled his hand then started to nuzzle it and purr. "I'll tell you how I found this guy after you tell me where you were young man," Akiko said in a loud overprotective mom voice. He was about to answer but Sokka came out of the crowd infuriated. "I knew it. You signaled the fire navy with that flare. You're leading them straight to us, aren't you," he questioned us as we walked up to him and the villagers.

Katara spoke up defending the air bender, "Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." ; "Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and, well, we— we boobied right into it," Aang said nervously seeing the look of fury Akiko was giving him. "What ship, Aang," she asked the young monk in a low voice. Aang lowered his head a bit when he heard the tone of her voice and answered nervously, "An abandoned fire navy ship." Akiko smacked her forehead and groaned, pissed at her friend's statement. "Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger," gran gran chastised her granddaughter.

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault," Aang says taking all the blame for his new friend. "A-ha! The traitor confesses," Sokka says angered and then looks at Akiko pointing at her accusingly, "I bet you were in on his little plan too, weren't you?!" The leopard growled at him for the false accusation but was stopped by Akiko's hand on his head. Akiko had enough of Sokka's 'higher than thou BULLSHIT' attitude and was about to blow up at his face. But Aang stood in front of his older sister figure and defended her, "No! Akiko wasn't anywhere near us when we got to the ship! It's not her fault!"

At this action Akiko started to calm down and put her hand on her little brother figure's shoulder. "It doesn't matter Aang, I should've been there with you to stop something like this from happening," she said being disappointed at herself. Sokka then calls to the children still around us, "Warriors, away from the enemies! The foreigners are banished from our village." The children walk back dejected as Katara speaks, "Sokka, you're making a mistake." ; "No, I'm keeping my promise to dad. I'm protecting you from threats like them," Sokka says pointing at the two foreigners, as he called them. But Katara tried to reason with him, "Aang and Akiko are not our enemies. Don't you see? They've brought us something we haven't had in a long time — fun and courage."

Akiko looked at their water bender with a soft smile, but that quickly went away when Sokka started talking again. "Fun? We can't fight fire benders with fun. Plus, I don't see how Akiko could be courageous," he said annoyed at his sisters stubbornness, completely forgetting that the raven haired girl came back with a dangerous animal. "You should try it sometime," Aang said with a smile but yelped softly when Akiko pinched his arm hard. "You of all people shouldn't be doing that at all," the ravenette said through gritted teeth. "Get out of our village now," Sokka demanded us. "Alright, we get it! We know when we're not wanted! C'mon Aang, let's go," Akiko said starting to walk with the young monk and leopard towards Appa.