With Fire Lord Zuko on the throne and the breach between the nations beginning to heal, Team Avatar knew the world's need for them was drawing to an end. The first major task for Avatar Aang was repairing the earth kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se, and with it, the lives of many refugees who had found homes and had decided to remain to help rebuild the Earth kingdom. So on a warm brisk day, just two weeks after Sozin's comet, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph, found themselves in the Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop.
"So, Aang? What's our next move?" Sokka's voice rose above the murmurings of the small pai sho gathering at the table next to them. Aang continued to look outside the window, a wistful expression. Katara cast a knowing glance at Sokka and approached Aang, resting her hand over his arm. This caught his attention and his mind returned to where he was and what he had wanted to tell them.
"I'm sorry Sokka, I was thinking about this past summer. I don't know if there's going to be a next move for us –"
"—Aang, what do you mean?" Katara looked at him, alarmed. He slid his arm off the window sill, carefully avoiding the vase, and turned around. A couple heads turned, feeling the sudden change of atmosphere in their cozy tea shop. Toph listened quietly, she had expected this and was wondering when he was finally going to be out with it. The tea server, noticing their nearly empty cups, paused in deliberation, eventually moving on to another table.
"There isn't anything here that the earth benders can't handle anymore. The walls and the buildings were the easiest to repair. The broken houses and families will take more time, but I think we've done all that we can. I was thinking of taking Appa and Momo back to the Southern Air Temple" Aang replied, looking down at his small porcelain tea cup.
"Basically what Twinkletoes here's trying to say is that we're splitting up. In fact, my mom replied to my letter and my dad's sending a servant to pick me up. He should be here in a few days if the roads are in good condition." Toph added quickly. She didn't want to admit it but she did miss her parents, despite their over protectiveness. Sokka stopped stuffing his face and looked up,
"Team Avatar's splitting up?" He groaned. "I finally came up with a name that stuck and now…" He groaned again and smacked his head on the table in defeat, earning a few more stares. Face still pressed on the wooden table he managed to mumble, "Now it's just going to be me and Miss Water Fountain over there?" He pointed accusingly at a table to the right of Katara.
"Good one, Sokka!" Aang grinned widely.
"Sokka! Hey!" Katara objected. Toph fell off her chair, laughing. Katara glared at Toph and Aang.
"Sorry Katara but it is kinda funny!" Aang covered his mouth to stop from bursting out laughing. The pai sho game beside them had ended and the older men shuffled out of the shop. They didn't notice a group of old ladies had also moved to another table, further away. Katara sighed.
"I guess I should've seen this coming. We couldn't be a happy family forever, eventually we'd have to go home, to our own families and repair our own cities. Everyone was touched by this war. Besides, Dad and Gran Gran are waiting for us." Sokka sat up and smiled.
"Don't forget Granpaku!" They couldn't all help but giggle. Katara, Aang, and Toph shared a grin. "What's so funny?" Sokka looked back and forth, between the three of them. He shrugged and raised his tea cup to his lips only to discover it frozen solid. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Katara. They bursted out laughing until Aang knocked a teapot to the floor, where it broke into a dozen pieces. Their eyes all met each others', then turned slowly towards the shop owner.
"OUT, GET OUT!" Iroh pointed towards the door. Normally a calm man, the former Prince of the Fire Nation shooed them out of his small shop with a bit of fire power. "Avatar or no avatar, that was an exquisite teapot not to mention such a waste of wild swamp rose tea!"