#thus why I'm rating it M already on the other sites

[seyaryminamoto]

Scenes of a Peaceful World: Sokkla Saturdays 2024

Day One - Travel

Rated: G

On FF.net//On AO3

A flock of dragons crossing the sky had yet to become something common, or normal, across their world. But it even more uncommon to glimpse a group of magnificent creatures carrying the members of a human family on their backs, as they traveled through the sky…

The populace of cities and towns below them gazed in amazed wonderment. The occasional cheers and cries of admiration reached their ears: Sokka snickered as he leaned back over Xin Long’s saddle, watching the townsfolk scurrying about, children rushing to give chase to the shadows that their dragons projected across their world.

“We always do make an impression,” he smiled, hands reaching over to clasp his wife’s waist: as it ever was, he would ride Xin Long behind Azula, who smiled at him over her shoulder.

“And we shouldn’t make that much of one. No groping when we’re in plain sight of the masses,” she said: Xin Long, below her, huffed in agreement. Sokka laughed, shaking his head dismissively at her words.

“Do tell, love: what’s the point of being as admirable, powerful and independent as we are if it’s not to make the most of all those things… by being as inappropriate as we please?”

He squeezed her flanks, and Azula squirmed.

The consequences for his teasing made themselves known when Xin Long spun on himself, startling his riders by making the world upside down for them briefly before spinning to fly upright again.

“X-Xin! No need for that…!” Sokka squeaked. “I was just teasing!”

“Well… maybe tease me when we’re on land next time,” Azula suggested, with an awkward smile: Sokka pouted as he leaned forward, dropping his chin on her shoulder. Meanwhile, Xin Long chuckled wickedly. “And you… you have an example to set, Xin! No crazy flying maneuvers, understood? If your siblings dare do anything like this, I…!”

Oh, she refused to finish that thought: she’d probably jump off Xin Long’s saddle without a second thought to snatch Yuuna, Shun or Hotaru in midair, should any of them fall off their saddles.

But it seemed unlikely to happen, at least, so far: where Xin Long often joined in the banter and bickering of his riders, the kids got along wonderfully with their dragons… even Yuuna, who, in virtue of being a waterbender, couldn’t fully bond with hers through the ancient ritual where firebenders offered their flames to a dragon, linking them for life if said offer was accepted.

Yuuna’s dragon, Yachi, was pale blue, matching the girl’s preferred colors neatly. Their communication proved surprisingly effective even if they lacked the bond that her brother and sister did develop with their respective creatures: Shun’s dragon, Zhan, had auburn scales instead, whereas Hotaru rode the biggest of all the younger dragons: a yellow creature she had named Taiyang.

Technically, the three dragons’ names also ended in ‘Long’, much like Xin Long’s did, by Azula’s demand and design. Sokka had poked fun at her for it, but she had been as unyielding about the naming this time as when they had first found her own draconic companion. The kids had no problem following her rule, though they usually called their dragons by their first names, regardless.

This was their first long flight with the creatures – they wouldn’t travel too far today, aiming towards visiting a memorable location of Sokka and Azula’s past – and they had behaved surprisingly well thus far. The dragons, while smaller than Xin Long, carried the weight of all kids without much struggle, with Shun even daring do some light pirouettes in the air with his own partner. The laughter of the three children reached their parents, who flew last to keep tabs on all kids.

“I love this,” Sokka smiled, his head still resting on Azula’s shoulder. His hands slid over her abdomen, but Xin Long didn’t tease them about their closeness this time. “We promised this one we’d find more dragons… and we did. Didn’t expect so many would want to bond with our kids, though…”

“And why wouldn’t they?” Azula smiled. “We’re part of this dragon family as well. Their leader thus decreed it, long ago.”

“Heh. How’s the old boss doing, Xin?” Sokka asked, patting Xin’s side. Even nowadays, Azula had to translate some of Xin Long’s thoughts to Sokka, and she did so quickly.

“Seems he’s been on a rather reckless run of late… trying to see how fast he can cross the Earth Kingdom,” Azula smiled. “So far his record is… three days? Well, damn…”

“You’ll beat him at it someday,” Sokka smirked. Xin Long huffed proudly and nodded.

“But for now… he babysits his siblings,” Azula smiled, gazing upon the three smaller dragons fondly.

“And… he gets ready to eat tons and tons of spicy ramen. That, too.”

Azula laughed and nodded. Xin Long shivered in unrestrained joy, eager to take part in a unique challenge no dragon before him had ever confronted… the legendary Spicy Ramen Challenge that his own rider had failed to overcome once. Both Azula and Sokka intended to hold their rematch against Jiare’s spicy cooking, as well as with each other, on this trip.

“I won’t falter at it, myself,” Azula warned her husband. He smirked. “Didn’t eat breakfast in preparation, as you know…”

“I wonder if that’s going to be enough… whereas I? I’ve been building up my spice resistance like never before!” Sokka said, eyes aglow with excitement.

“Now, the only problem will be convincing our kids that they can’t join too,” Azula laughed. “But I suppose this can become a family tradition for us. A rite of passage. Once you’re old enough… you take up the Spicy Ramen Challenge.”

“Honestly? The best Fire Nation tradition I’ve ever heard of,” Sokka smirked. Azula laughed, turning her head to kiss him softly.

Four dragons, ridden by a human family, flew across the sky on that day, a rare sight that, in time, would become far more common throughout their world.