Chapter 4- Love Will Release The Past

"Yo Boomerang, hate to be a complainer, but we went through this way last time," You crossed your arms and leaned against Appa as Sokka grumbled while looking at his map about how it doesn't make sense.
"We don't need a map, we just need love. The little guy and little Volc-A knows it," Chong calmly said.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't mind a map also," Aang shrugged, and you listened inside the caves, wondering if you could figure out where you are.
'If only I could fully master on seismic sense,' You thought with a groan.
"Maybe I could see if I could bend our way out of here," You told them, and got ready to split a wall open, but then froze.

"(Y/N)? What's wrong?" Aang asked worriedly. You turn to them with a serious look.
"The tunnels, they're changing. I could feel it," You explained, and then suddenly the cave started to shake.
"The tunnels, they're a-changin'. It must be the curse! I knew we shouldn't have come down here!" Chong said in a panic.

"Right, if only we listened to you," Sokka rolled his eyes, which made you punch him in the arm. There was then a low snarl into the darkness, which Katara grabbed the torch to look closely. Twig hissed as he ducked behind you, and then a giant flying creature flew over to attack.

"It's a giant flying thing with teeth!" Chong yelped, as you all ducked.
"No! It's a wolfbat!" Moku said scared. You lifted up rocks to spin them until it was lava, and then made a circle around the group to protect them.

The wolfbat charged at Sokka, who dropped the torch and accidentally burnt Appa's foot. He bowled in pain as you dropped the lava and it turned to stone. The wolfbat then ran off, but not before Appa ran around in pain, hitting pillars in the cave and the ceiling. You tried to push the rocks up to prevent any from falling, but Appa kept moving  and pushed you to fall.

Twig whimpered as he clutched onto you, and the rocks fell, separating you from everyone else. It was just you, Twig, Appa, and Momo.
"Appa! Appa! Calm down!" You pleaded with the bison, who eventually calmed down, but kept making noises.

"We'll meet each other out!" You yelled out, hoping someone could hear you.
"Seismic sense, I need to learn it in the future. But right now I can't mess with this mountain, for respect the two lovers," You sighed, patting Appa in his leg to make him move.

You lit a torch Chong gave you and walked down the tunnel, hugging Twig close with Momo on your head.

"I hope the others know where they're going, because I hate being alone,"

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Sokka wasn't having a good time with your "uncle" Chong, who he and his crew kept playing and dancing their songs.
"Oh, don't let the cave-in get you down! Don't let the falling rocks turn your smile into a frown! When the tunnels are darkest, that's when you need a clown, hey!" Chong sang while walking next to Sokka.

"Don't let the cave-in get you down, Sokka!" Sokka groaned and clutched his hair.
"How on earth did (Y/N) ever had to deal with you all these years!" He yelled in frustration, in which Chong paused, but smiled at him.

"Don't let little Volc-A fool you with her humble appearance, she wasn't always like that you know," He explained, still strumming his Lute.
"What do you mean?" He asked the older man, a little confused but still annoyed.

"She wasn't always the happy and bold spark as she is now. When we first met her, she was merely 10, scared, shaking, crying non stop, and never let us get near her. It was a sight where I never want to see again," Chong told him, his happy tone turned to a more serious one.

"Eventually she told us what happened, a long time ago, she lived with her big happy family in the Fire Nation," He started again, slowly strumming his Lute.
"When she was five years old, her father died by a terrible accident, causing her family to move near Ba Sing Se, leaving her only friend behind," Sokka remembered the time he yelled at you about knowing Zuko, feeling guilty.

'Zuko was her only friend, and I berated her for it,' He gave a sigh, listening closely.
"Three years later, her brother framed her and got her exiled when she was eight. Sad story so far. And for two years while she was running and trying to find a home, she got captured by a Fire Nation and someone hurt her so badly," Chong sadly said Sokka immediately thought of Zhao, which made his clutch his torch.

"That someone did something so terrible, it made me saddened by her aura which had fear, shame, and anger. We took her in and raised her to be who she is now. We call her Little Volc-A because of her lavabending, we love it when she bends. I think she loves it too because it makes her no longer afraid of her bending," Sokka raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Afraid? Why would she be afraid of her bending?" He asked, making Chong shake his head.

"Because she killed someone a long time ago,"

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"Okay, try to remember the legend," You mumbled, onto top of Appa and led him down the cave.
"Two people from two different villages fell in love, but the two villages were at war. They learned Earthbending from badgermoles, and made this labyrinth so no one would find them. The man died and the woman ending the war with her bending, giving peace." You mumbled to yourself, petting Momo and Twig.

"Omashu was named after the two lovers, and live will find a way out of here, or else you'll get lost," You shivered at the thought of being alone down in the caves.
"Well, I'm not fully alone, right guys?" You gently smiled at the three animals, who made noises to comfort you. The torch you had started to go low, making you gulp in fear.

"Love is a funny thing, you know?" You chuckled, patting Appa's back.
"The first time I experienced love, was when I first met... well, Zuko," You snorted, remembering when you first met Zuko.
"I'm pretty sure he had a puppy love crush, and... well, maybe I did too," You blushed softly.

"Then came Azula, we met when I finally convinced him for me to meet her and her friends. Not the greatest idea, since Azula immediately declared me as her girlfriend, which made Zuko mad, and her friends started to grow attached to me, and..." You trailed off, shivering at the memories.

"When... well, when everything else happened, I met Suki, and she was my, legitimate girlfriend, but I made a mistake that I still regret," You sighed sadly.
"Then, well then I met the Gaang, I don't know about my feelings yet. I felt more closely to the two siblings, but I still don't know how to feel about all three. Then Yue, then what happened back at the Earth Kingdom base, then- UGH!!" You yelled out and laid on Appa's saddle.

"Love is a very powerful thing for me... I just want someone to hold me," You muttered, smiling softly as the torch started to go out, with Twig and Momo huddling close to you.
"I want someone I could hold, give kisses, and be the big spoon. How could I ever use love to led me out of here if I can't even lead love to my heart?" You sighed, as the torch finally gave out, making Appa whimpered.

But then suddenly, the cave was brightened by lights that wasn't from your torch, and your eyes widen at the beautiful crystals illuminating the cave.
"That's how the two lovers found each other. They just put out their lights and followed the crystals!" You said with a big smile.

"Let's go Appa!!" The bison roared and raced down the cave, following the crystals and saw a brighter light that led outside. The sun blinded you, but you didn't care, as you saw the Gaang and Uncle Chong and his crew.
"(Y/N)!!" The Gaang shouted with excitement and relief. You hopped off Appa as he laid on his back, with Momo and Twig cooing with happiness.

"How did you get out?" Katara asked as you walked up to them.
"I questioned my sexuality and the lights came up," You bluntly said, putting your arms behind your head. Katara simply laughed and hugged you, the others hugging you too.

"So Boomerang, how was Uncle Chong treating you back there?" You smirked, remembering how Sokka was annoyed with him, and Sokka gave a soft smile.
"It actually wasn't that bad, I learned a lot," He just said, blushing slightly.

"Little Volc-A, we hope to see you once again, and never forget that love will be in your heart, either it's family or partners," Chong gave his lazy smile and you hugged him tight, grinning.
"I'll never forget," You said as Chong and his crew walked off while singing.

"Even if you're lost, you can't lose the love because it's in your heart. Da, da, da," You sighed as you and the Gaang walked along a cliff, Omashu getting near.
"The journey was long and annoying, but now you get to see what it's really about: the destination." Sokka grinned.

"I present to you the Earth Kingdom city of O" You tilted your head in confusion, but then looked over to see Omashu, but it had a Fire Nation flag hanging in front of it.

"Oh no,"
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Ooooooooo, Family reunion is near!! Y'all ready to meet your big brother?

But first, here's little you with Uncle Chong!