Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Air bender. All character and rights belong to Nickelodeon.

Authors Notes:

Re-Edit

This is my first Avatar fic, so bear with me and understand that the characters are going to be a bit OOC but not so much that they will not feel true to themselves.

Please Read and Review, your reviews will dictate whether I continue with this story or not. Constructive criticism is welcome, but flames will be ignored.

Sokka's Journey

Chapter I

He had been away from his friends and family for the past eighteen months, training and studying around the world. This was only the breakup with Suki. It was something that he felt he needed to do after such a hard breakup. However, sister didn't like the idea of him being on his own and traveling, but of course that was Katara for you. Even after all these years she was always still mothering him. This was part of the reason he had to get away and on his own. Toph had offered to go along with him, but Sokka refused the company.

[FLASHBACK]

"Look I appreciate the offer, but this is something that I need to do on my own," Sokka told his friends.

"I understand Sokka, but take this with you just in case," his best friend Zuko said handing him a pendent with the royal seal on it.

"Thanks Zuko." He responded with a nod, taking the offered gift.

With the last of his goodbye taken care of, Sokka boarded the airship and began his journey to better himself and overcome the pains of his past.

[END FLASHBACK]

In the eighteen months since he left, he had only had to use that pendent once, and it was not for him that he used it was to help a family that he come across in his travels. They were hungry and tired. From what they had told him they had left there village after bandits attacked it with only what they could carry. Sokka helped them to a close-by Fire Nation Outpost and saw to it that they were fed and taken care of, giving orders to the Commanding officer of the outpost to look after them before he was on his way again, but not before tracking down those bandits and dealing with them.

It was two days later that Sokka found something in the high mountains of the Earth Kingdom that would change his life. He had been climbing a small path through the mountains. The path was rough and the climb was tough going. To make matters worse for him he noticed a storm moving his way. It was times like these during his travels that he wished he had Appa again, but of course he belonged to Aang, and it was not as if he could ask his friend to use him in his travels. That was the whole part of taking this trip, being able to do things on his own.

He decided to go on as far as he could before the storm was upon him. This was not long seeing how the the winds really began to howl through the path he was walking through, and it soon started to rain. Sokka started cursing whatever spirits or gods that hated him by doing this. However, no matter what he thought of the spirits and how much they hated him, luck was on his side and he quickly found a cave that he could take shelter in.

As he ducked into the cave, he noticed that there was a lot of broken tree limbs and other debris scattered around the cave floor. He knew at the time that he should have investigated more seeing how it was clear some sort of animal had drug this debris in, but being soak to the bone there was only one thing on his mind, and that was to get dry. So quickly grabbed up debris that he could found laying around in the cave and tried to make a fire. He was just grateful that it was midsummer and not winter, or he would have had to deal with snow. Not that would have been an issue for the Southern Water Tribesman. However, summer or not it was still cold up in the mountains, and he was soaked; if he didn't get warm and dry soon, he would get sick.

After a few tries, Sokka got a fire going and was soon sitting in front of it drying off and getting warm. He had taken off his cloths and hand them hanging over a makeshift drying rack near the fire. The cave was good size but small enough to keep the heat from the fire close to him and keep the cool air from the rain outside at bay.

Hours had passed, and the rain was showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. It aggravated him some that the rain would delay his next leg of his journey, but Sokka was no dummy and knew better to stay out of the rain. With that thought in mind he pulled out his sleeping bag and tried to get some sleep. He laid there for a while and, his mind started drifted to his friends, family, and what they might be doing. He had no doubts the Katara was worried sick about him being out on his own. Then he start to thing about the two women he loved in his life, and how much he missed them. As well how much losing them hurt him deeply. Then, for some unknown reason, Azula came to his mind. He could not even fathom why his mind drift to her, seeing that during the way she had come close to killing him and his friends.

At first, she came to him kind and sweet, which Sokka knew was very odd, and not like her at all. Yet the way she was treating him and touching him, made his mind completely forgot about all the negative that he knew about her. There was a part of him that wish she had been like his thought of her were right now instead of how she really was. He had to be a fool not to realize how attractive that the former Princess was and how much he would like to get to know her better - if it had not been for him trying to kill him or his friends at every encounter.

It was this thought that made Sokka push her off him in his dream, which only irritated Azula and had her shooting lighting at him. He tried to dodge them but was soon hit, and as he was, he bolted awake from real pain, and the smell of something burning. He soon realized that it was him that was burning. He quickly jumped up out of his sleeping bag and started stomping on the end of it, putting out the smolder embers on his bag.

"Now how the heck did that happen?" Sokka asked himself,with a puzzle look on his face.

He had placed his sleeping bag far enough from the fire to keep that from happening. As he stood there scratching his head,and trying to figure it out it happened. It was then that he heard a rustle in his bag of food. All thought about how his bag caught fire went out of his mind. All his focus was now on whatever animal was getting into his rations of dried meat. He picked up his new black sword and walked over to the bag. With the tip, he started to poke around at the bag.

What popped out at him, knocked him back on his butt. In fact it was larger than he would have expected it to be, in fact much bigger. Sokka put up his sword to defend himself from the creature. However, it just looked at Sokka and cocked it head to one side as if studying the young man. Then, much to Sokka's surprise it start to walked over to him. As the creature got more into the light of the dying fire, Sokka was able to get a good look at it. What he saw puzzled him in more ways than he could put word to.
It looked like a giant lizard, yet there was something was different about it. There was something on its back that he swore could be bat wing, and it looked to have small but sharp horns on the back of its head. It body was covered in scales like any other reptilian creature he had seen before. Yet something about this were different. As the two studied each other something clicked in Sokka's head at what he was looking at. Yet if his guess was correct, this one was nothing like those in the painting, and drawings he had seen in the Fire Kingdom. Added to the fact that according to all reports they had all been hunted and killed for sport. Yet there it was standing no more than a foot away from him, a Dragon like none have seen before.

The Dragon stopped right in front of where Sokka was still seated and looked at him. It cocked its head again from side to side as if studying in again now that it was closer. As it studied him, Sokka did the same to the creature in front of him. It had a slender body yet with a broad chest. It's front legs seemed to be just a big longer than the read. It tail had to be at least made up a third of it's body while the neck and head made up that other third. The two studied each other for a few moments and as Sokka looked into the dragon's eyes, he could have sworn there was an intelligence beyond that of a normal animal.

Soon however, it moved away from him and went back to what it was doing, before Sokka interrupted it. It took him a few moments to realize what it was doing. After all it was not every day that one run across a young dragon, and one so different from all those painting he had seen before. However, soon he was on his feet.

"Hey, now wait a one minute that's mine," Sokka said getting up quickly and pulling the ration bag away from the young creature.
It looked up at him and gave out a sort of whine, as if it knew that it was doing something wrong. Sokka looked down at the critter and noticed the sad look in its eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed. It was normal for him to be affect by an animal, well that is unless it was Appa or Momo. Yet as he looked down at the young dragon something inside him wanted to reach out to it and help it.

"Alright, I'll share with you, but I don't have much left, and it needs to last till I can make it to the next town," Sokka said reaching into his bag and pulling out a piece of meat then ripping it in half.

The Dragon raised its head, which came to about chest high to Sokka. He handed the meat to the critter who took it from his hand a lot gentler then Sokka expected. He just watched almost swallow it whole before looking back up and him as if begging for more.
"No that's all for now," Sokka told it and tied up the bag to keep it out of it again.

He walked back over to his sleeping bag and sat down while he finished his meal. he looked outside the cave and noticed that it was starting to tapper off. Which meant that he would be able to press on till his next destination. As Sokka looked out the cave and thought about his next destination he was surprised that dragon had walked over towards him, then lay down next to him. He sat there wondering what it was going to do next and was startled when it laid it head in his lap.

"Looks like I've got another mouth to feed on my trip," Sokka said finishing his meat while he started rubbing its head with his other hand. Which only gave him another surprise when he felt a gentle purring sound come from it throat like a cat when it was content.

Ever since that day, the Dragon that he named Yue after the moon spirit and his first love, never left his side. It had caused a few comical moments as well as a few problems in their travels together. However, as the time passed, Yue grew rapidly, and before long Sokka found that he was riding her more than walking. As she grew, Sokka noticed that Yue's scales slowly started to change color to a deep blue like the vast open ocean from the drab grey color when they first met.

Now, nearly four years later, Sokka and Yue were on the terrace of Iroh's teashop overlooking the Earth Kingdom's Capital city of Ba-sing-se. Sokka was sipping on a cup of tea while Yue was lying down next to him as well looking over the city. Both had grown; Yue was now full grown and her scales in full display. Sokka, for his part, grew taller, almost pushing six feet tall, as well as bulking up in muscle mass, but not to the point where he was overly built. With the start of a small beard on his chin.

He wore armor from the scales that Yue had shed as she grew. It didn't cover his entire body, but it was enough to protect the more vital areas. Of course, the armor was a moot point when Yue was always around to protect him. Even to this day, he was unsure what fate brought his companion to him, but he was grateful that she was there. She had been a life saver both in the life and death but as well as to his broken spirit before she came along.

"You know, when I saw you nearly four years ago with Yue in tow; I never expected to see you this as you are now sitting here." Iroh said walking up behind Sokka.

Sokka set his cup down and looked up to the older man who had become mentor and uncle as he was to Zuko. he was grateful to Iroh for a lot of things. He rubbed Yue's head and a small smile crossed his face before looked back to Iroh and answered him.

"Well, a lot has changed in the past four years, since I've met her," Sokka said, referring to his constant companion. "I'm not sure who and what brought her to me but I'm very thankful for it." He told him.

"How has your sister and the rest of you friends? I've not heard much of them since your sister and Aang got married last year," Iroh asked taking a seat across from Sokka.

"They've been doing well, at least from what I heard last from her. I know that Katara would like to start a family soon, but with Aang traveling all over the world doing his Avatar thing. Kind of hard I would think." Sokka told him.

Sokka was going to ask Iroh how Zuko had been, when Yue raised her head and started sniffing the air. As long as the two had been together Sokka knew her well enough by now to know that it could mean one of two things. Either a friend was approaching, or it was trouble. The difference was if it was a friend, and someone she knew, she would just sniff the air a few times then goes back to whatever she was doing. However, on this occasion, Yue did the opposite, which could mean only trouble of some kind. He looked in the direction that she was intently staring, only to see nothing out of the ordinary, but he knew better not to think nothing was wrong.

Sure enough, a group of men in Fire Nation Uniforms soon came into view. They were being escorted by Earth Kingdom soldiers. Sokka and Iroh watching them walk up the steps to Iroh's tea shop, and wasted no time in heading towards where they were seated. Yue didn't care for one of the Fire Nation Uniforms, for some reason, and started to get up but was stopped when Sokka put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hold, let us see what they want first okay." Sokka said getting up from the table.

"Lord Iroh," the lead solider said, giving the elderly man a respective nod then turning to Sokka. "Master Sokka, you have been requested by the Fire Lord to come to the capital at once," he said handing Sokka a scroll, and eyeing Yue as she watched him intently.

Sokka took the scroll and unrolled, he began to read what Zuko had sent him. He read over it a few times and didn't like each time he did. He looked up from it and then looked to Iroh. Iroh had known Sokka long enough now and worked with him long enough to know the look on his face didn't mean that Zuko had sent him good new. Iroh got up from his chair and took the offered scroll from Sokka.

"Send a hawk to Zuko and let him know I will be there in three days," Sokka said and turned to walk from them.

"Sir we are to…," The solider started but was cut off when Yue got between him and Sokka.

"I would suggest, Captain, that you do as Master Sokka says and send the message to my nephew," Iroh said standing next to Yue.

"But my Lord, I have orders from the Fire Lord himself!" The Captain protested.

"Trust me Captain. He will be there as he said."

"Yes sir."

Iroh watch them leave then looked to Yue next to him. He was just as worried about the letter his nephew wrote Sokka as much as Sokka was himself. The request that his nephew made of his friend was deeper then asking a favor. With Sokka a full member or the Order of the White Lotus, what Zuko asked came close to breaking the vow Sokka had made to stay neutral. On the other hand, if he did nothing, it could in turn throw the world into war again.

Even Yue could sense the strain from her human companion. It upset her that she did not completely understand what was going on or what she could do to help him. Iroh could sense this from her and gently patted her neck.
"Just be there for him like you have over the years," Iroh said. "He is going to need your friendship."

"Why Zuko? Why out of everyone you could have called in for this job that it had to be him," Mai said in disgust. "He's incompetent and acts like a fool more times than not."

"And he has always been my best friend, and aside from Aang he's the only one I could trust with her safety," Zuko told his wife. "Lets not forget that he's a full member of the White Lotus."

Mai shock her head and then let out a heavy sigh. "She'll never go for it, you know that as much as I do. As well how much she could not stand him back then," Mai said. "Just let me put some of my people on it."

"Mai, she needs to be protected not to feel like she can't be trusted; putting your men on this task would only make things worse for her healing," Zuko said walking up to his wife and putting his hands on her shoulders. "It took a long time to break her of what my father had done to her and to build her trust again. I don't want to ruin that. Sokka maybe a lot of things, but he's loyal and can be trusted," Zuko said pulling her closer to him. "Besides, I think being around him will do her a lot of good."

"I still think this is a mistake," Mai said and rested her head on her husband's chest, as he wrapped her arms around her.
"Only time will tell." Zuko said, just holding his wife. He was just as worried as she was about the threats on his sister's and his own life.

It seemed that a radical group of Fire Nation soldiers that longed for the old days had decided that the best way was to take the current rulers out of power. While some might have wanted to use Azula to overthrow Zuko from power. However, it seemed that those plans changed as the spies reported back. That Azula had changed and was now agreed with some of the things that her brother was trying to do. So that left them with only one option - to kill them both and put another in a seat of power that agreed with going back to the old ways.

Hence the threats on both of the royal siblings, and why Zuko called his best friend to guard his sister. There was no one else he could trust to look out for her. Granted he was not a bender, but his reputation as a warrior had grown over the years. He just hoped that with Sokka's reputation and his companionship around the palace that it might deter the would-be assassins.