You're Not Alone Zuko x Reader

=Chapter 23=

We all got up and got ready for the invasion force to arrive.

"So, what's your strategy for taking him down?  Gonna get your glow on and hit him with a little Avatar State action?" Toph asked Aang.

"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," Aang explained sadly.

"You know what I just heard? Blah, blah, spiritual mumbo jumbo blah, blah, something about space," Toph waved her hand. I let out a small laugh.

"Oh, no. Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Katara asked. I looked at the foggy horizon.

Sokka stood up. "No. That is the invasion!" As he said that five ships appeared out of the mist. I got down to the cove and Earthbent five stone docks. The others followed close behind. Sokka and Katara ran to greet their dad. I fixed my eyes on two men in green earth kingdom clothes. 

"Hi, katara," The younger of the two men said.

"Haru! It's so good to see you!" She ran and hugged him. No way!? My jaw dropped. 

Aang saw me, "Y/n, This is Haru-" 

"Y/N!?" He started to tear up. 

"Haru!" I hugged him as tight as I possibly could. We were both crying at this point. I pulled away to see the confused expression on my friends' faces.  "This is my older brother, Haru," Their jaws all dropped. I turned to see the other man. "Dad!" I ran to hug him.   

"I can't believe it! My little girl! You're all grown up," He smiled down at me.  "When these kids helped free our village," He gestured to Aang and the siblings. "I was devastated when I found out you were taking away," 

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Sokka tried to explain the invasion plan but failed miserably. Hakoda stepped in and did it perfectly. 

"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.  To gain sea access to the Fire Nation capital, we need to get past our first major obstacle here, 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," Hakoda explained to the whole group.    

"Excuse me. The Boulder is confused. Isn't the point to invade during the eclipse, when the firebenders are powerless?" A man in the front asked.

"The eclipse only lasts eight minutes, not enough time for the whole invasion. And the Royal Palace is heavily guarded by firebenders. So that's where we'll need the eclipse's advantage the most. When this is finished, the Avatar will have defeated the Fire Lord. We will have control of the Fire Nation capital, and this war will be over!" Hakoda announced. Everyone cheered. 

Zuko's pov  

 I took my hairpiece out making my hair fall onto my face. I removed my armor and placed it on my bed. I walked over to my desk and began to write a letter. 

I went into Mai's room and put the letter on her bed. 

"I'm sorry Mai," I whispered into the empty room. 

I frowned at the painting of the two of us. Neither of us looked happy in it. We were both just staring forward with no expression. Nothing like the one of me and Y/n... I felt a pit in my stomach just thinking about her. I miss her so much. It's killing me knowing she probably hates me now.     

Y/n Pov

"Everyone in position. Earthbenders, into your tanks. This is gonna be a rough ride." Hakoda shouted. We did as he said. Sliding one by one down the ladder of the submarine.  We arrived on the shores of Azulon. 

Along with Toph and The Bolder, I shot rocks at the watchtowers.    

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I looked up to see Aang flying Towards us. 

"Yeah. Is that ... is that Aang?" I asked. Pointing into the sky.

"What?" Sokka looked up as Aang landed in front of us. " Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down?"

" He wasn't home. No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned." Aang kneeled. 

Sokka furrowed his eyebrows, "They knew," 

"t's over. The Fire Lord is probably long-gone; far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse," Aang said hopelessly.

"No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker; somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation," Sokka stated. 

Thanks to Toph's help we found a hidden bunker. We made it through to the throne room. Aang blasted the doors open reviling... Azula.

"So, you are alive after all. I had a hunch that you survived. But it doesn't matter.  I've known about the invasion for months," She had a smug look on her face. 

"Where is he? Where's the Fire Lord?" Aang shouted.

"You mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings." She pretended to pout as she stood up. 

"Stop wasting our time and give us the information. \You're powerless right now, so you're in no position to refuse," Sokka pointed his sword at her.

"And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying," Toph said in a threatening voice.

"Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar. I am a four-hundred-foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings," She smirked.

"Okay, you're good, I admit it," Toph shrugged. I trapped Azula in stone but it started to crack. Just then Dai li agents dropped from the ceiling. A fight broke out. We had her cornered in a hallway. We trapped her and started to walk away.

"Oh Y/n, you really did a number on little Zuzu. He wouldn't leave his room for weeks after you abandoned him. Well, that was until Mai came along..."  I tightened her restraints. She turned her head to Sokka. "So, Sokka's your name, right? My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time. She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you,"  

Sokka started to tear up. He ran to Azula and pinned her to the wall. "Where. is. Suki!?" He demanded. He kept yelling at her for a bit. But when we finally convinced him to go. She started fire bending again. Sokka felt incredibly guilty.

We found the rest of the warriors and they told us to get on Appa along with some freedom fighters, Haru and a few others. I said a teary goodbye to my father as the adults stayed to get captured.  We were headed to the Western air temple.