Summary: Three months have passed since Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai and restored peace to the world. Despite progress being made, it seems that the world is still reeling from the last 100 years, and with news of Zuko's mother and crops of uprising against the Fire Nation, Team Avatar will have to reunite again in order to truly bring peace to their world.
Three Months Later
Book of Air
Chapter One: The Fire Nation
Fire Lord Zuko crouched over a wooden table staring at the length of a rather fat scroll that had been delivered that morning, a tick forming in his brow. Before him were lines of ongoing scrawls detailing the new plans to rebuild the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation's political and social stance in the process to be further discussed at a meeting sometime next week. Zuko offered all of his nation's resources in attempt to help start the bridge of peace, but the lines of script painted ever so neatly on the parchment were making it difficult for construction of the bridge to begin. It took all of his limited restraint not to scribble a burning X across the scroll and reveal in his problems dissolving into a neat pile of ashes that he could ceremoniously dump in the trash can beside him. Instead, he kicked the can aside, finding some relief in minor temper indulgence, before sipping his uncle's famous tea. He sighed, closing his eyes, and leaned back allowing the aroma of spice and jasmine to drift about like a haze.
Iroh had actually tampered a bit with the tea he had given his nephew, a coronation gift on Zuko's first day as Fire Lord. "For those days when the world seems too much to bear," Iroh smiled gently, resting a sizable bag of tea leaves in Zuko's hands.
"Thank you, Uncle," Zuko bowed, cradling the tea like a newborn child. "It smells very fragrant, different from what you normally serve."
"Yes, yes! I'm glad my nephew has finally come to appreciate tea," Iroh exclaimed, clapping his hands together, "It is mostly the same as my famous tea, only with an enhanced aroma in order to help sooth you still between sips. I'll have a refill waiting for you at the end of the week."
Zuko was looking forward to the end of this week. It hadn't been too long since he had ascended to the throne of his nation, a few months, really. And not much time before that had he seriously questioned whether or not he would live in order to succeed his father. What truly amazed him, though, was that a few months ago he and his new friends had saved their world from complete destruction, nearly losing his life to his crazed sister in the process, and currently wished for nothing more than to never look at rebuild plans ever again. He had endured the most harrowing experience of his short life and could somehow still, after making it through the blaze of shame and horror begun by his great grandfather over 100 years ago, feel contempt for the process of truly bringing peace.
Mai had never faulted him for it, patiently weathering his frustrations during their private time with her normal poised indifference. "Zuko..." she began on a particularly rough night accumilating in her distraught boyfriend searching for something stronger than Iroh's special tea. Zuko popped the cap off of something distinctly bitter, his nose scrunching a bit as he tested the drink. Her only indignation came in the form of a small sigh as Zuko finally sat beside her, his hair already down from his formal top knot and tousled by irritated hands.
She brushed bits of dark hair away from his eyes, smoothing strands along the side of his face in order to admire their golden color. "Did you expect it to be easy?" He gruffed in reply, shifting his gaze elsewere that didn't involve her gaze.
"The Great Fire Lord Zuko is expected to pull the honorable Fire Nation back onto the path of good, to rebuild our honor and our pride, to show the world we are still part of it while still maintaining the grace and poise of a nation seeking forgiveness in the face of adversary and disdain." Zuko slouched under Mai's weight as she carefully placed herself ontop of his lap, removing the bottle of burning liquid from his laxed grasp.
"But you are not my Great Fir e Lord, you are just Zuko, the boy I happen to like." She kissed him lightly on his scar. He shuddered slightly from her touch. "So tell me, Zuko, what's troubling you."
He hesitated, her tall and thin figure leaned over him, forcing him to look up into her gaze. "I'm just the boy you happen to like?"
"No..." she replied, biting the corner of her lip as she straightened her back, pulling her body away from him. "You're the boy I happen to...love."
Zuko grinned a bit sheepishly as he took another sip of his tea, his newly flushing face matching Mai's from that night as he had quickly embraced her and answered her feelings in many different ways as the hours normally reserved for sleeping had progressed. She had been quite appalled with herself the next morning waking up beside him, entwined in the burgundy dyed sheets embroidered with golden silk usually tucked neatly in his bed, until he whispered that he loved her, pulling her back inside.
"Fire Lord Zuko!" bellowed a voice in conjuncture with a rapid tap against his chamber door. Zuko choked on the tea, nearly dropping the porcelain cup in surprise. "Fire Lord Zuko?"
"It sounds like someone's choking."
"Is anyone else in there with the Fire Lord?"
"I haven't let anyone into his chamber except for the Fire Lord himself."
"Well, if Fire Lord Zuko is the only person you let in, then he should be alone...and he's choking..."
"...someone's trying to assassinate the Fire Lord!"
Zuko rolled his eyes, still trying to recover from the murderous tea lodged in his lungs, as two Fire Nation army members burst into the chamber and began searching for the reason why their nation's leader was in a fit of dying. Zuko waved his hand, his other pounding against his chest in hopes of combating his herbal enemy as his guard continued to survey the room. "I'm fine," he rasped, "Just drank some tea a little too quickly."
Zuko found himself quickly flanked by gleaming red armor, the guards not heeding his honesty, "Don't worry, Fire Lord Zuko, we won't let them harm you again."
Zuko firmly grasped both of the guards' shoulders, patting the cool steal warmly. "Really, I'm fine, just drank some tea too quickly. You were knocking earlier, what did you need me for?" he asked quickly in hopes of deterring the guards from calling for additional security against his uncle's tea.
The guards immediately stood at attention, the one who had knocked on his door thrusting a scroll before him. Zuko took it, nodding his thanks, noticing the distinct seal he knew all too well etched in wax upon the parchment. The deep lines of swirling waves and a stylized boomerang sat perfectly within the seal, almost too perfectly, Zuko noticed, chuckling quietly as he broke the wax, his eyes quickly scouring the length of the paper. "It's from Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe," the guard informed after Zuko had completed his quick read through.
"Please inform the members of my council that I need to speak to them immediately. We must arrange a welcome for our guests by the end of the week."
"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko," the guards saluted, turning to leave.
"Oh," Zuko called after their retreating backs.
"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko?" the guards turned, speaking in unison.
"Thank you for coming to my aid earlier," he nodded. The guards paused a bit before bowing and shutting the chamber doors quietly behind them. Zuko smiled softly to himself as he sat down and poured over the letter slowly, helping himself to a fresh cup of tea.
"Sokka, are you up there?" Suki called stepping onto the staircase, her fur-lined boots thudding heavily against the icey building material. She had been at the South Pole with Sokka for a few months, helping reestablish the diminishing Southern Water Tribe villages into one fortified city. With the help of Master Pakku, mostly at the insistence of his new wife's refusal to relocate, most of the village had be converted into a small town reminiscent of the Northern Water Tribe's homeland. Ice was being bended in to shapes of larger, spacious dwellings by new benders under the teachings of Pakku, though each home still retained a bit of the Southern roots developed during the war, fortified with skins and furs.
Despite the fortifications, Suki still felt cold. Sokka had layered her in a multitude of clothes once he noticed her shivering on the second day, and despite looking like "the prettiest polar leopard ever," she could still sense a bit of chill in her bones.
"Yep, just finishing up the letters," Sokka replied as Suki entered the doorway to their room.
He had wasted no time decorating it, the walls covered in mementos of being part of Team Avatar, as he put it, and items salvaged from his childhood. His beloved "space" sword made of meteorite hung on an intricate ice plaque, a gift from Katara before she had left with Aang on his new journey of public relations. He had encourage Suki to do the same, even going so far as to hang up a few of her Kyoshi Island trinkets before she could stopped him.
"Why not, Suki?" he had asked after she had snatched back one of her training fans, he giving her his sad eyes and lip quiver, an expression she loved and hated at the same time.
"Because..." she started, pausing as she ran her fingers over the length of the fan. Well, because why, really? She asked herself, bringing the fan to a close. She enjoyed being with Sokka and seeing his home, watching his face light up every time a new piece of his childhood was reconstructed before his eyes, albeit a bit different than before. His excitement was still sweet, though, even if he was a bit insistent to how things were to be. Pakku had actually chased Sokka out of the town at one point due to Sokka's very spirited objections. But it was cold and she missed Kyoshi, she missed her girls, and she was afraid that at the way their relationship was progressing, would she have to stay...
"Suki?" Sokka questioned stepping towards her, resting a hand on her arm.
She could barely feel the weight of his hand through all of the padding, but it was enough to pull her out of her thoughts. "Because I wanted to help," she smiled, moving towards Sokka's space sword, where he had intended to place her fans. He grinned and jumped beside her holding a block of ice and some kindling. "Uh, Sokka, what's that for?"
"Well, I can't water bend and Katara isn't here, and Gramps-akku already told me to stay away today, so I thought I could construct my own display shelf with some fire and what I like to call 'refreeze' bending." He sat down and began to work the kindling into his desired fire. "Now would be the time to have Zuko around..." he mumbled to himself as wisps of smoke threaded into the air.
Suki laughed, "Maybe we should wait until Master Pakku allows you to speak to him again." He gave her an indigent look as she kissed his forehead.
Sokka sat at the desk rolling up the scrolls and sealing them with a bit of wax, stamping them with his new favorite gift he had received from Zuko at the last meeting, Suki's fans resting next to his elbow as he still hadn't been able to convince Pakku to construct something for them. She felt a bit of relief and guilt swell inside of her upon seeing them unmoved, forcing herself to instead focus on Sokka's smiling face, humming and tapping his toe to the tune before holding both letters up triumphantly. "Do you think the letter will get to Aang and Katara in time?" she questioned as Sokka made his way towards his messenger hawk.
"Sure, Hawky can deliver anywhere at the speed of...something speedy," Sokka dejected slipping the letter onto the hawk's back and releasing him through the window. "The one for Zuko, on the other hand..." It had been agreed upon that Sokka's father, Hakoda, shouldn't stray from the village so soon upon returning and that Sokka would act as a envoy for the Southern Water Tribe in his place. Sokka was due to travel for a meeting concerning the Earth Kingdom rebuild and Other Important Worldly Matters That Needs Attending by Sokka, as Sokka put it, by next week. But after the last correspondence with Aang and Katara about their travels, it seemed prudent to call them back for the meeting and bring up the social issues that had too long been avoided. Issues that everyone knew Zuko had been doing his best to combat on his own and that hopefully, after this meeting, he wouldn't have to any longer.
"Well, we depart tomorrow, and it'll take close to a week to make it to the palace. He should receive it at least a few days before we arrive despite having to send it through different means," Suki assured.
"I just hope it gives him enough time to round up all the necessary dignitaries. It's not that I'm not excited to see him and everyone again as soon as possible, but I wish it were for just that reason..." his shoulders heaved into a slouch. Suki lightly patted them as she led him towards the door.
"Come on, it's lunch time," she offered cheerfully. Her excitable boyfriend whooped as he sped down the stairway leaving Suki to her sinking joy of being able to leave the cold behind and the heat of shame rising with it.
It was nearly sunset when Zuko's messenger hawk finally made it to the Jasmine Dragon, handing over the Fire Lord's urgent letter in return for a tea cake. Iroh thanked the hawk quite graciously, much to a rather petulant Earth bender's annoyance, and quickly retreated into the back room.
"What's so important that has the Fire Lord's pants on fire?" Toph asked, pushing back the doorway curtain, already having provided the messenger hawk with a large platter of cakes, its happy chirps unsettling a number of the patrons.
"It seems that you shall need to postpone returning home a bit longer," Iroh answered rerolling the letter.
"And I was so looking forward to returning home," Toph drawled.
"At some point, my child, you will need to confront your parents," Iroh advised while boiling a fresh pot of water, "You cannot avoid them forever."
"We'll see about that," Toph muttered as she sat herself at the back table, her round face planted firmly in her small hands. Iroh gave her a whithering look, which she matched with an eye roll behind her long bangs despite not being able to see his expression. "I know, I know, I need to see them eventually...I just wanted a little more time..."
"Time does not always heal old wounds, with out proper attention they can continue to fester and grow."
"Hey, I did send them a letter like you wanted me to...more like threatened, really, so at least they know I'm alive," she guffed, crossing her arms.
"That you did," Iroh relented with a bit of a sigh while tending to his tea leaves.
"So when do we leave?"
"Tomorrow. I think it would be best if we met Fire Lord Zuko as soon as possible."
Toph grinned, glad to not have only drawn out not returning home, but also being able to travel even further away as possible. "Does this mean Sokka and Suki will also be there?"
Iroh nodded, "Yes, it is coinciding with the rebuild meeting next week."
"Boooring," Toph groaned, throwing her head back into a deep sigh.
"Maybe so, but your audience has been requested."
"Flame Boy wants me in on the meeting? Why?" Toph choked, startled by Iroh's statement.
"Not necessarily by my nephew, but by The Avatar," Iroh revealed. The table shook from Toph's wild handslap of surprise against the wood surface. "Sokka will be sharing news from Aang and Katara and they requested your help."
Katara yawned, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she shluffed off a blanket. Something small and furry quickly gathered the blanket and settled back to sleep. The water bender giggled, rubbing behind Momo's ear, the lemur chattering pleasantly in response. "Where are we?" she asked, leaning over the side of a large furry bison.
"Nearing the Fire Nation, shouldn't be too much longer now," came a response from the top of the bison's head. Aang, the only known Air bender and current Avatar was seated firmly at the base of Appa's neck, reigns in hand, as Katara crawled to the edge of the saddle nearest him, her long wavy hair whipping behind her.
"Have I really been asleep that long?"
"Yup," his bald head nodded, turning back to look at her. "You were snoring."
"I do not snore!" Katara objected, flustered. "It must have been the wind rushing by."
"Well, I don't remember you ever having snored before, but I've never heard wind quite like that."
"Is that twelve year old you speaking, or the several centuries old you speaking?"
"Almost thirteen year old me," Aang corrected, then paused, "Though I suppose I could ask my previous selves if the wind has ever snored. However, I'd like to point out that I am an Air bender."
"...that's true..." Katara stammered, turning away from Aang, her body curled into itself in attempt to hide some of her embarrassment. She felt a light press on her burning cheek, the sensation mixed with a slight tingle, and quickly turned to find Aang's smiling face leaning towards her. The warmth in her face erupted even further, but she couldn't help but shyly return his smile.
"It was kind of cute," he reassured, "For right now, anyway." He laughed as Katara playfully punched him in the shoulder while he turned back to steering Appa.
"Well, what do you think, Appa? Was it cute?" Katara asked, leaning over the side of the saddle in order to properly address the flying bison.
Appa bellowed in response. "See, Aang? I think I should make Appa my new boyfriend."
"Hey! I said it was kind of cute!" the air nomad protested, turning back with a rather aghast face that Katara swiftly cupped with her dark hands. She pulled him in for kiss, now having fully abandoned the saddle. Aang loosened his grip on the reigns and drew an arm around her slim waist.
Appa made another bellowing noise breaking the two from their embrace. "I still like you, too, Appa!" Katara laughed, patting the top of the bison's head.
"Oh hey, we're a lot closer than I thought!" Aang announced pointing towards the steady creep of the Fire Nation's island capital coming in to view. The brown shores were dotted with autumn red, and smalls specks of dwellings and commerce were taking shape against the land. "Momo, time to wake up!" Aang called, coaxing the lemur from sleep. Momo responded by diving further into the blanket.
"I hope Sokka was able to message Zuko in time," Katara worried, "I'm sure the last thing he needs right now are unexpected guests."
"Well, even if he didn't, I think Zuko wouldn't be too upset to see us," Aang assured releasing Katara in order to firmly grip the reigns. "Momo, wake up! We're nearly there. Katara, prepare for landing!" Katara nodded, climbing back into the saddle with a reluctantly awake Momo.
Bellow the volcanic land of the Fire Nation expanded and rose, once small saplings now twisting into looming trees as the flying bison flew past. In a matter of minutes the nation's capital bloomed before the group, figures clad in reds and browns hastily stopping their business in order to peer up at the large shadow washing over them, as Aang steered Appa into the clearing before the castle. Fire Lord Zuko came rushing out through the front doors, his attendants chasing him with his formal robes and headpiece, Mai following quietly behind looking rather bemused. "Aang, Katara!" Zuko breathed as Aang jumped to the ground.
"Hi Zuko!" Aang greeted back after helping Katara down, "Did you get Sokka's message?"
"I got a message from him, but it didn't mention you two arriving," Zuko replied, annoyance slipping between his smile.
"Figures Sokka would forget that part," Katara sighed, crossing her arms.
"It's okay, though, I'm glad to see you both again," Zuko replied gesturing Aang, Katara, and Momo towards the castle entrance, completely bypassing his frantic attendants as Mai hooked her arm on to his.
"It's about time you guys came back," called a sharp feminine voice as Zuko lead his guests into the green room decorated in various plants with large windows meant to capture the landscape. It had been Mai's idea to create a more zen infused chamber not long after Zuko began his duties, the two often spending their evenings together by the windows when time permitted. Towards the back of the room sat Iroh and Toph relaxing in plush wooden chairs, a pot of tea between them.
"Toph!" Katara squealed racing over to hug the smaller girl.
"Not so tight!" Toph laughed returning the greeting, following suit with Aang.
"When did you guys get here?" Aang asked settling in a chair and snatching a few biscuits from the tray with Momo, his cheeks already filled.
"A few hours ago," Toph admitted sitting back into her chair.
"We left as soon as we received my nephew's message a day ago," Iroh explained pouring cups for the new arrivals.
"How did you get here so fast?" Katara marveled, slightly bowing as she accepted the cup from Iroh.
"Yeah, we got Sokka's message a few days ago and we've been flying ever since."
"Except for that 'brief' detour to ride some seahorses..." Katara reminded, cocking an eyebrow.
"Well, there was that..." Aang relented, eating another biscuit, carefully avoiding his girlfriend's gaze.
"And the rabbitlope," Katara continued.
"Hey Katara, you should try one of these biscuits!" Aang interjected holding the baked good up to her mouth.
"Sounds like you guys hurried straight here," Toph commented dryly as Katara relented to Aang's insistence, only to have the biscuit snatched by Momo.
"No, Momo, I need that!" Aang cried jumping up to chase the lemur.
"They arrived by a hot air balloon," Zuko commented, ignoring Aang's rather un-Avatar like behavior behind him while Mai watched the antics curiously. Squeeks and cries of indigence piped through the air as the group sipped at their tea.
"I have been using it to travel back and forth between the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se," Iroh clarified.
"It must be nice to be able to see each other so quickly despite living far away," Katara mused.
"Well, yes..." Zuko hesitated, "Uncle has proved a valuable resource for many reasons. One that I hope to address at the next meeting so he can spend more time at his shop- no offense, Uncle."
"None taken, though it is my pleasure to help my nephew on his path," Iroh smiled, his eyes softened.
"Now all we're missing is Sokka and Suki," Mai piqued, "Katara, did your brother mention any additional details about his arrival other than a vague 'end of the week sometime maybe' he gave us?"
"No, but I'm sure Suki is keeping him in line," Katara replied. A crash and a large thud emitted from the side of the room, Aang tangled in an overturn table and chair while Momo perched above him, biscuit in hand, peering down at his unamused face.
"Maybe she'll keep him in line, too," Mai suggested.
A banquet style dinner was held later that night ("Sokka's going to be really upset when he finds out he missed this!" Aang mused) followed by Iroh's insistence on a music night until even he was too fatigued to carry on a simple tune. As night stretched on into morning, and morning into day and steadily progressing into the next, the once traveling companions found themselves touring the Fire Nation capital at the guidance of Mai while Zuko finished preparations for the meeting. "I wonder where Sokka is," Katara pondered quietly, flaming meat stick in hand, looking out to the docks, Mai having brought them to the city market near the water.
"He should be nearly here," Aang replied popping a few kernels of bright orange ember corn into his mouth, "Let's relax and enjoy ourselves while we're here."
"You're right, but I can't help but worry..."
"Typical," Toph confirmed, "But the war is over, it's not like the Fire Nation is hunting him down right now. More importantly, which dress?" Toph held up two particularly interesting looking garments before Katara, she stuttered in response.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Mai mono-toned, coming up from behind the group.
The group laughed. "You're actually rather funny, Mai," Aang observed, chuckling some more.
"No, really, I wouldn't be so sure," Mai repeated looking out towards the water while the group stared at her, wide eyed. "It's something Zuko hasn't mentioned publically, though we all know it's happening. Parts of our nation have gone rogue, and there are groups out there more than willing to hurt us in return for the war- including harming our allies."
"Maybe we should take Appa out for a little tour..." Aang suggested.
"That may be wise," Mai agreed, the others nodding, as she turned to lead them out of the market and back to the Palace.
"Any other ideas?" Suki quipped as Sokka was rebound and thrown next to her by the mast of the ship, the rest of the crew grouped around them in varying states of roped security.
"Always...ask me again in a few minutes," he answered, his voice muffled from his face having landed firmly on the wooden planks of the deck.
AN: Sorry I'm lame and decided that my first Avatar fic should be a sequel, like that's never been done before! I powered through the entire series in a matter of weeks and just couldn't leave the universe alone. So here I am, writing my little fic, just so the characters can live for me again. I hope they live a little for the rest of you as well. :) I'm attempting to follow canon, so canon pairings apply.