Broken Promises • Zuko x OC

XI

"Alright people! This is what we've trained for! No lallygagging! Fight like your life depends on it!" Sokka shouts.

"Okay, Sokka. You can dial it down a bit." Katara scolds, embarrassed by her brother.

"Don't let them know you're afraid of them even though you totally are because my men are children!"

"Sokka!"

"Right! Sorry."

Sokka runs to his tent and prepares for battle. He dons gloves, boots, bindings, and applies face paint. After necessary preparations, he puts his boomerang away on his back.

Meanwhile, Bai couldn't help at all because she was too nervous. Sure, she's ready for battle; she'd do anything to protect her tribe. But she knows the Fire Nation probably better than anyone here. She knows what they're capable of. They're fierce. They're battle-hungry.

They betray.

She shook those petty thoughts away. She doesn't have time for that. Her people could be in danger. How can she think about some little crush at a time like this?

Still, she couldn't help but remember at a time where the people of the Fire Nation was her people.

Suddenly, a loud, cracking noise emerges from the distance. Surrounding villagers turn around in fright to see what the source of the noise was. One of the children of the tribe, sitting on a log by a camp fire, rises and gasps for air. Suddenly, the ground begins to quake and a rumbling sound is heard in the distance. Sokka looks down to his feet and sees bits of the wall cracking and breaking off. One of the mothers carries her child slowly backs away in fright.

Oh my stars. What have Aang and Katara done?

A watchtower on the wall cracks under the pressure of the trembling, and completely collapses.

"Oh man!" Sokka cries.

The villagers begin to run away in terror. Bai and Katara try to keep them calm and point them to a safe spot, but they both know it's no use. No one is safe at this point.

Suddenly, the noise becomes louder and a enormous battle ship comes into view. The ship is twice the size of the village and is filled with men who have only one motive- destroy everything and everyone on sight.

"Oh maaaaan...."

Bai looks and see Sokka is still standing at the entrance of the village; even though an unwanted visitor is quickly approaching the beloved community.

"What is he still doing out there?" Bai questions.

"Sokka! Get out of the way!" Katara cries.

Sokka doesn't back down despite his sister's request. He  stands on the wall, while the bow of the ship plows through the snow. Sokka raises his club in defense, ready to strike. Before he can make his move, however, the bow crumbles a large portion of the wall into snowy ruins. The snow slides downward, pushing Sokka several feet back before he lands to a halt. With a loud hiss of steam, the ship comes to a halt as well.

"Idiot." One of the children whispers.

Slowly, Bai, Katara, and  the villagers begin creeping closer to the ship. Frightened and curious, they try to see who has come to bring their doom.