I had posted this story a while ago and just hadn't gotten to updating it. Truthfully I had given up on it. I had no inspiration. Well last night I read through some awesome avatar fics and my muse was reborn.

I will be changing pairings though. This will be a partly Maiko but mostly Maang. I'm going to be uploading a few of those. (I love Mai)

Anyway enjoy...

"Hi, you must be Aang. I'm Sokka Shui."

Aang nodded back and shook his outstretched hand. "Hi, Aang Feng."

"Well, Aang. I'll be your guide around the school since I am the most accomplished freshman around here." Sokka smiled but instantly moved both of them to the side of the wall as a group of boys came down the hallway.

"Don't even bother, if they find out you're new…"

"Why? What will happen if they know?" Aang shook Sokka's shoulder.

"You don't want to know."

One of the boys, the head boy at least glared at Sokka but continued on his way.

"Whoa! Who is that?" Aang was staring off into the opposite direction.

Sokka had seen that look plenty of times. "Please don't be looking at who I think you are." Sokka turned and sure enough he was staring at her, the beauty that seemed to steal everybody's heart.

"You're new and the first girl you crush on is her? What are you soft in the head?" Sokka knocked on Aang's skull, "that is Katara Shui, the most unattainable girl in school. She is by all definitions under total lock and key and she will stay that way until Graduation."

"She's beautiful."

Sokka rolled his eyes and dragged the besotted boy away. "I know but she's off limits. Pretend she's fire nation." Sokka said and patted him wisely.

"Wait, a minute. How do I know you don't like her too and are just getting rid of opposition?" Aang asked crossing his arms and glaring at his new friend.

"Did you hear the last name? Let me repeat, Shui as in Sokka Shui. She's my sister and if you ever suggest I like my sister that way, you'll be wearing that headband like chocker, ok?"

"Ok, just making sure. What about her? She's probably a senior but she's equally nice looking." Aang said though he was still admiring Katara as she passed by them.

"Hey Sokka, who's your friend?"

"Leave off, Katara. Don't torture the boy. You know how dad is."

"I know, doesn't mean I can't say hi. See you around new boy." Katara waved at Aang, her group of friends giggling behind her.

"I swear she has gotta be part Fire Nation." Sokka muttered and snapped his fingers in front of Aang's eyes. The glaze look disappeared and the boy grinned sheepishly and redirecting the conversation, "so what other girl were you talking about?"

"The one that just stopped to talk to Katara." Aang pointed out.

"Oh, man. What are you special? Seriously? You had to go and pick her. Why? For the love of Roku, Why?" Sokka mumbled.

Aang would have been mildly offended as Sokka's assessment of his taste, except that Katara had turned at the moment and waved at him. The girl with Katara waved also but Aang was pretty sure that the smile she was sending him was sarcastic even from this distance.

"The other girl is Mai Shui. My other sister and she is total poison to any guy. She doesn't date at all. She is the reason Katara doesn't date. And if you know what's good for you, well you'll stop even looking at either of them."

Somewhere a gong sounded cutting short any other wisdom Sokka may have imparted to the new kid. Grumbling the student body shuffled them around the hallways and both boys were poured back into their respective rooms. "Come on, what class you have first?"

"Wood and Iron?" Aang looked at his paper.

"Good, that's my first class too. I've been dying to begin a sword. Master Piandao is one of the best sword masters. He always shows us his collection of swords." Sokka rubbed his hands, dragging along Aang.

They made it to their class just as the second gong sounded. Aang was on his way to a seat when the teacher caught him. "Ah good! A new mind to be molded, stand up straight and state your name."

"Um…I am…" Aang stuttered.

"Great another colonial. Well what is your name or should I just call you Colonial." She snapped.

"That's a bit long to write, I could go by Co." Aang smiled but the woman didn't even twitch. "I mean my name is Aang Feng." He bowed smartly but the teacher tapped his shoulder angrily.

He looked up confused but one glance at the girl in the front helped him out. She shook her head and made a fist with her left and curled her right palm over it. Aang repeated the action and the teacher inclined her head. The girl smiled shyly.

"Find a seat, Mr. Feng. You've interrupted my class long enough."

Aang sat next to Sokka, who was diligently taking notes. He held up his parchment and Aang muffled his laughter at the very accurate drawing of the teacher scolding Aang.

"Something amusing, Mr. Shui?"

"No ma'am." Sokka rose and saluted her.

She smiled unpleasantly, "well then a pop quiz should be just fine with you then. Class thank Mr. Shui for the pop quiz you are all about to enjoy."

The class glared at Sokka, Aang among them. "Yeah, thanks Sokka."

Sokka shrugged but he was hit with at least two origami squares. "Ow, those were sharp."

"Question, Mr. Shui?"

"No."

The gong signaling the end of class was never a more welcome relief to either boy. Only one day and already Aang wanted to head back home. He missed Bumi and wanted to go back to the Earth kingdom but this was the deal they had struck so if Aang wanted to continue visiting his people's temples, he'd have to stay another three months.

"Sorry about the pop quiz, man. Especially on your first day." Sokka handed him a bowl of meat and rice. "To make up for it." Sokka explained motioning to the bowl.

"Um…thanks." Aang carefully ate around the meat. Several times the meat juices stained the rice and Aang was forced to forgo another piece.

Sokka took a glance at Aang's bowl giving him a funny look. "Why are you eating that way?"

Aang put down his chopsticks and handed back the mostly full bowl, "I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat. I'm actually a monk. Well I was raised by them."

"Oh. Are you…" Sokka looked around and leaned in. "...an Air Nomad?"

Aang scratched at his head covering, "Yeah."

Sokka, although having to be in the same grade as his younger sister because of the family business was by no means dumb. He had his suspicions about the new kid and he wanted to test if he was right. He put one bowl in the sink and "accidentally" dropped the other.

Aang caught it in an air sphere to protect his uniform but then realizing what he'd done, let it fall. It bounced harmlessly off the stone floor and Sokka looked on in triumph. "You're an airbender. I knew it but why are you hiding it?"

Aang looked away but answered honestly. "The last airbender was seen a long time ago and whenever people find out that I am one, they act weird."

"That makes sense," Sokka said wiping the mess the fallen bowl had made on his own shoes.

"Seriously don't tell anybody ok. I don't want people looking at me funny. I got enough of that at my old school." Sokka said as he washed his hands in the large water tubs. "I won't tell. My sisters have weird habits too and I've managed not to spill those yet."

Aang dipped his hands in the water scrubbing at the meat stain on his boot. He hoisted up his sleeve revealing a thin blue line that ended on an arrow tattooed on his hand. "Interesting tattoos," Sokka whispered catching sight of the arrow. "Do you know who the avatar is?"

"No. Shush. Look I just…I don't…I mean…"

Sokka watched the boy tug at his sleeve making sure the edge covered his arrow. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything. You can count on me." Sokka smiled. "I'll give you all my vegetables and rice if you give me all your meat portion, deal?"

Aang smiled and shook Sokka's hand, "it's a deal."

"Hey, Sokka. Sokka!" Both boys turned to see a pretty girl about Aang's age running towards them. "Sokka, guess who just showed up in school."

She came to a halt and practically plastered herself to the older boy. "Come on, Toph. You gotta do that every single time. You know where I am and you are not that light."

"Whatever." Toph answered but didn't peel herself off him. "Who's the new guy?"

"I'm Aang." Aang extended a hand but the girl just stared at the ground head cocked to the side. Aang awkwardly retracted his hand but she nearly pulled his arm out of its joint when she grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down. The ground seemed to rattle but Aang realized that he was indeed bouncing up and down.

"You're an Earthbender!" Toph let go of his hand and proudly threw her head back, her bangs parting enough for him to see her filmy green eyes, "and you're blind?"

"Why to state the obvious. Clearly your new friend is brilliant." Toph muttered to Sokka.

Aang was about to comment that he was right there but their attention was taken by the mutterings that had gotten louder. "What's going on? What's everybody whispering about?"

Sokka got closer to the crowd and for once was glad of his superior height. "No way, he's back. Toph, why didn't you say anything?" He said smacking the girl lightly on the arm.

"I was trying to but twinkletoes here kept interrupting me. Anyway I was going to tell you that not only is he here but rumor is that his psycho sister will be here in the middle of the year." Toph crossed her arms smugly.

"Katara is gonna be angry though Mai might be ok about it." Sokka muttered standing on tiptoes to get a better look.

"Who is it?" Aang asked. Toph pulled him so close to her he was practically on top of her.

"Watch the hands," Toph said and hit the ground with her heel. The spot they had been on rose about a foot lifting them neatly over the crowd.

"You earthbended, that's not fair Toph." Sokka whined from beside them.

Aang scanned the crowd but nobody leaped out enough to make an impression. Maybe Fire Nation schools were different. They didn't have this type of commotion in Omashu.

A good looking kid was walking thought the agitated crowd so Aang examined him. The boy had a dark hair and was very pale. He was wearing the school uniform underneath another cloak and on his back was sheath with double swords in it. He was older about Sokka's age.

The boy didn't look terribly extraordinary though if he was the reason for the commotion Aang couldn't figure out why. Then the boy turned and looked over at his group. Aang gasped out loud, the right side of the boy's face was smooth alabaster but the left side was another issue. It was angry and red, like his cloak.

It was a burn mark and only one person Aang knew had a mark like that. "Zuko?"

Toph fell off her perch and thankfully landed on Sokka. Both pair of eyes were glued on Aang. "You know Zuko Huo? Oh, man and I though you liking my sisters was trouble." Sokka muttered.

"You like Katara and Mai and you know Zuko? Sokka and I are gonna have to be your friends. You're gonna need us." Toph said agreeing with Sokka wholeheartedly.

"Why?" Aang asked curiously.

"Because you are going to be in big trouble otherwise," she affirmed.