Afterward Adventures (ATLA Zuko X OC)

Chapter Thirteen - The Rift Pt. 2

"Oh, no... this... this is where the meadow used to be," Aang said in disbelief and sadness.

Iris snarled angrily. Of course, she shouldn't be expecting something better. She kicked a stone on the ground powerfully, trying to push out her anger. They walked in the town...

"None of this is supposed to be here. This is... was a sacred place," Aang said totally freaked out.

"A hundred years have passed, sweetie. A lot can change," Katara said.

"No, no, no, no, you don't understand. If this town stays here, that means-" Iris tried to say but Sokka cut her saying excitedly.

"Meat!" Sokka said and then he turned at the others "I'll enjoy the Air Nomad Festival a whole lot more on a full stomach! We'll be right back!" and he with Toph started walking away.

While Katara started talking with some others, Aang and Iris kept their gazes locked on the same direction. It wasn't just Yangchen's spirit trying to tell them something, but her Defender was beside her as well. Iris couldn't recognize him but he was in Air Nomad clothes, air bending tattoos and black hair covering his head instead of being bald like the monks used to be. They were both talking, referring to them, but none of the two air bending siblings could hear them.

"Do you see it, Aang?" Iris asked.

"Yeah, what are they saying?" Aang asked.

"I can't hear them," Iris answered.

"Me neither," Aang said.

"Avatar Aang, Defender Iris?" Xin Ying asked from behind snapping them both out of it.

"What are you guys seeing?" Katara asked.

"Yangchen and her Defender just appeared to us again," Iris answered turning at the others.

"Behind the refinery?" Katara asked as Aang pointed at it.

"Yeah, come on," Aang said and he started walking towards it.

The smell that came out of the refinery was the worst thing they'd ever allowed pass their nostrils. Iris had never been close to refineries, it was a whole new kind of thing for the world.

"We have to get on the other side," Aang said looking one meter high fence.

"Aang, I know it's frustrating, but this is a private property, we can't just break in," Iris said.

"I don't care. This place was sacred to our people, Iris, I can't allow them do stuff like that in here!" Aang said angrily as he bent five rocks for the others to step on and blast them on the other side.

"But doesn't the fence supposed to mean we're not supposed to be here?" Xin Ying asked.

"No, the fence wasn't supposed to be here," Aang said.

"Make sure to have your knees bent," Iris added as the two air bending siblings used their earth bending and blasted the others on the other side of the fence.

They came flying on their gliders to the other side, meeting their friends. The smell from the refinery was even worse inside, but still the Air Acolytes were excited.

"Ugh, it's ten times worse now," Katara complained pinching her nose with her fingers.

Iris didn't mind the smell. After everything she'd been through, something like that wasn't going to bother her. But her attention fell on the river. It was a hundred times more polluted than the river at the Fire Nation town they were hiding in a year ago.