Disclaimer: etc.
Summary: A three chapter prelude (well i'm planning that it will have three) to other stories i might get around to writing. Starts right after the season finale with some banter and goodbyes.
I Owe You One Life Changing Field Trip
Rebuilding the world was always going to be more difficult than destroying it even officially declaring peace was proving nigh impossible. Rumours ranging from plausible to ludicrous were spreading tongue to cheek without prejudice, in fact the more absurd the faster they spread. Within a couple of days of Fire Lord Ozai's defeat some of the more reclusive areas of the Earth Kingdom believed that the Avatar's sky bison had learnt the four elements too and had defeated the Fire Lord. Others enjoyed arguing over whether the Avatar was a woman or not, and whether he/she was engaged to 'that Water Tribe girl' (you know that one who can magic water out of thin air, they say her mother was the moon spirit) or the new Fire Lord (they say he can shoot fire balls out of his left eye- no it's his right one, don't you know anything?). But it was the rumours that the Avatar had perished in his epic fight against Ozai that made peace difficult, some still thought that he had never returned and that it was Fire Nation propaganda aimed to draw the people out into one last battle to destroy what was left of the world.
When all regional nobles of the Earth Kingdom could be found, the land being so vast, they and representatives of the Water Tribes and Fire Nation gathered to negotiate the terms of peace in Ba Sing Se. Throughout most of the war the great city had been a beckon of hope to the people of the Earth Kingdom and even in the stories that reached the Water Tribes so it was a reasonable choice. The original idea had been to sign peace in the Fire Nation capitol as a symbol of freedom, allowing all nations into the palace where no other nation had been for over a hundred years. Aang had been the first foreigner in the palace city since the earlier years of Sozin's reign, on the day of Black Sun. Unfortunately the majority of the inner city was under restoration after Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai, rumours about that liked to include all sorts of mischief and any truth in them had been guessed, Zuko kept the events of the dual close to his chest and had asked Katara to do the same.
Damage to the Upper Circle of Ba Sing Se had been minimal, most of the battle with the Order of the White Lotus being in the lower rings as the occupying forces had rushed to the walls to meet what eye witnesses had described to their commanding officer as a small group of really old wizards.
Zuko was obviously representing the Fire Nation, he had kept a few of the royal advisers purely for the information and data they could provide and had little value for their advice which sounded too much like his fathers. He had also brought as many documents and scrolls he could find concerning the last hundred years of war, many of them courtesy of the Dragon Bone catacombs, unfortunately any evidence of the Fire Nations more disreputable crimes had been burnt. Chief Arnook and Master Pakku represented the Northern Tribe with Chief Hakoda and Bato for the Southern. Hakoda had asked Sokka to sit beside him saying that he had more than earned it. As for the Earth Kingdom it was a little more complicated, King Bumi generated a lot of respect and the Council of Five had regained control of Ba Sing Se (the Earth King and Bosco still roaming around the wilderness) and held a lot of weight in Earth Kingdom affairs, but it was the rabble of self assured local nobles and desert chiefs all reaching to grab a larger slice of peace pie who argued in greed. Aang just felt overwhelmed trying the convey the wishes of a dead culture and at the same time do his diplomatic duties of the Avatar, he'd spent his last year training for war, not peace. In his eyes he had just assumed that when Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated everything would be easy, that all the nations would be desperate for peace, but while some had grown fat and prosperous off the war others had starved and demanded revenge or fatal justice against the Fire Nation. The fact that he had spared Ozai's life did not bode well for some.
Aang sighed quietly to himself and returned his attention back to the meeting where Chief Gashuin of the Sandbenders was yelling for Zuko's head claiming that justice could not been done until the Fire Nation pays it in blood.
The girls were lounging in one of the private rooms of the Jasmine Dragon at Iroh's request, conversation was slow at first as everybody's mind kept on drifting to the fact they they were all to leave soon and find their place in the world. But in accordance with the universal laws involving teenage girls where conversation equals gossip and gossips equals boys, it wasn't long before the giggling began. Hot off the town crier was what Toph was referring to as The Day of Lip Passion.
'I can't believe twinkle toes finally plucked up the courage and puckered up, I didn't know he had it in him.' Toph was comfortably splayed on the marble floor with her back up against a chaise that Katara was reclining. Suki and Mai were at the Pai Sho table neither concentrating on the game much.
'Actually that wasn't the first time,' Katara said whilst nervously plaiting and twisting parts of her hair.
'Well, you have to tell us now.'
'Spill it, Sweetness.'
'You dark ostrich-horse, Katara.'
'Okay okay,' she blushed furiously and was unable to look anyone in the eye, 'um... I guess the first real time was when he kissed me at the invasion.'
'You managed to keep that a secret, even from me.'Toph was only mildly surprised, the whole group had secrets and she new most of them or at least she knew pretty much all that happened around the camp through her earthbending or acute hearing. Some of which that went on she didn't want to know about but it's hard to turn off your feet.
'What? In the middle of the eclipse of something?' Suki needlessly lowered her voice to impersonate Aang, 'Hey baby, you're my forever girl,' and made kissy noises at Katara who backed away. 'bleurgh, save it for Sokka.'
'That was your Aang impression? Leave it to the professionals, Honey.'
'So you could do better?' her eyebrow raised.
'Naturally, though I meant the actual professionals- the Ember Island Players. They got him spot on, me too for that matter.'
'What was it like?' Mai asked as the other girls either cringed or snorted.
'Awful, they had a woman playing Aang and some massive muscle man playing Toph.'
'Your just jealous because your character banged on about hope and wept all the time.'
Katara sighed at the memory putting her chin in her hands, 'she was fat too.'
'Priceless.'
Mai had surprised herself, the group had been welcoming and she found herself joining in with the idle chatter and actually smiling. Oh Agni, if her mother saw her now being sociable she would think her daughter possessed by some odd spirit of being normal, not that these girls were particularly normal- more a shamble of warriors and benders. But here they were after the battle of their lives laughing and talking about boys, well would be if Katara wasn't dodging the question, something Mai thought to rectify.
' Miss Katara of the water tribe,' she addressed her in a jokingly serious tone, 'I do believe you have avoided our questions.'
'We want all the details.'
'And there's no point trying to lie.'
Katara pulled her feet up from the marble floor and tucked them under herself for all the good it would do, Toph could probably still feel her heartbeat because she was right next to her.
'Nice try Sweetness, with your feet on or off the marble you're a terrible liar.' Katara huffed and lowered her feet again, 'Give me some credit, haven't I been around you long enough to pick up a few things?'
'Credit where credit's due, you're not the worst liar in the world. That title remains firmly with Zuko.' Mai found herself smiling at the mere mention of her boyfriend's name then checked herself, she loved him and was almost certain that he felt the same but both were too awkward to tell each other. She sighed inwardly, he'd been so busy this past week that they had hardly had a chance to see each other. When he wasn't in peace negotiations he was reading in preparation for them, she understood completely and just wished that she could help. When she drew her attention back to the conversation Toph had managed to get Katara talking;
'-it was odd and I was too surprised to kiss him back. Argh, he must of thought I was so stupid.'
'I doubt it, he probably couldn't believe his luck that you hadn't stopped him.'
'Or slapped him.'
'Then he just flew off, I had no time to think about it.
After some more grilling and giggling Katara was found void of any real gossip despite at points blushing so much she appeared glowing.
'Sugar queen, you are hopeless.'
'Oh come on, what do you expect? We kissed yesterday it's hardly time to bring out the wedding parade.'
'He is 113 Katara, he's not getting any younger.'
'I think that it is someone else's turn, I've suffered enough,' she said throwing a cushion at Suki who had made the last remark. Toph grinned evilly causing Suki to bite her bottom lip in concern. 'Lets not get too hasty, I'm sure Katara doesn't want to know... um how soppy her brother can be.'
'I can help what my feet see-'
'Toph-
'She's right though, I really don't want to know. Ew.'
'Well I guess that leaves you, Mai, and our very own illusive Firelord.
'Illusive?'
'We didn't even know he had a girlfriend until Sokka told us about how you saved them at the Boiling Rock.'
'He must be pretty good for you to stand up to Azula for him.'
'Good at what?' Mai smiled with an eyebrow raised, the look on Katara face was priceless, 'well sorry to disappoint you ladies, but Zuko still blushes occasionally around me.'
'Zuko can blush?'
'Sorry Mai, but it's hard to imagine Zuko being anything but serious or angry.'
'He does confused well.' Toph added.
Katara was thinking back to the Agni Kai, she hadn't spoken to anyone about it because Zuko had asked her not to, saying that if people knew he had been almost fatally injured it could jeopardise his place on the throne, 'weakness has it's price in the fire nation' he had said. She didn't fully understand, and weak was the last thing she saw him from when he was an enemy to a close friend. During that day she had seen many sides of Zuko, he was a complicated person and blushing and being normal around his girlfriend was not all that surprising.
'...besides, he's been so busy, everyone has, I'm lucky if I can get a conversation from him.'
'I heard that you share a chambers with him.'
'Is there anything you don't hear, Toph. I'm listed as his personal bodyguard.'
'Is that what they're calling-'
'Shush. The meeting's over, they're coming.' Toph had her palm on the floor but as she said it the others could hear footsteps.
'Who? Everyone?'
'No just Twinkles, Sparkles and Snuggles.'
'Why am I snuggles all of a sudden?' The three entered and took seats next to their respective girlfriends.
'Because Snoozles wasn't demeaning enough to your man pride.' Sokka frowned and put his arm round Suki.
'I guess that makes you sparkles, or is it the sparkle lord now?' her tone was light-hearted but he looked tired and she knew he had been working last night when he should have been sleeping.
'Don't you start,' he slipped off his crown and made himself more comfortable next to Mai, his fingers gently touching hers, 'I think I preferred sparky.'
'Just jerk was good too.'
'Thanks Sokka.'
The sound of clattering china could be heard and a moment later Iroh entered laden with tea, Toph who was closest got up and helped him pass round the brew. 'My it's packed down there, which is good of course but it's time to give these bones a break.' he sat down heavily with a cup of his favourite ginseng tea and let the idle chatter wash over him, the afternoon sun was warm and heady and he found the company soothing.
'How are the negotiations going?' the question was directed at Zuko.
'Better, the Peace Treaty has been drawn up and most have signed it. Some of the Earth Kingdom War ministers or noblemen are holding veto.
'Why? Don't they want peace handed to them.'
'No, they want an unconditional surrendered of the Fire Nation.'
'What does that mean?' Katara had wanted to help represent her tribe in the talks but each tribe was designated a certain number and it had meant more to Sokka.
'That as a direct descendant of Firelord Sozin the war is my responsibility. In a surrender the treaty wouldn't be formed on equal terms and the other nations could basically liquidise the economy of Fire Nation throwing us into a recession. But it won't go that far because if I surrender my place on the throne is already unstable and who knows? The old counsel will probably take control and break the armistice to try and launch another war while the comet is still close enough to have some affect.'
'So no pressure then.'
Zuko smiled slightly, 'it's fine. I'm meeting again with the few who still won't sign with the counsel of five in half an hour and it might just take some under the table bribes.' Katara frowned no one else was really listening or having quiet conversations of their own, Sokka and Aang having become bored of politics, and Iroh's breathing suggested that he had fallen asleep bathed in the sunlight from the window. 'What? Katara don't act surprised you saw what brought Ba Sing Se to it's knees, corruption is worst in the highest ranks.'
'I know, but it feels like it's tainting this peace.'
'I don't like it either, it's not how I want to start my reign, but to be honest yesterday they were still calling for mine, Azula's and our fathers execution. But we're so close now to an agreement and the celebration is being held tonight.'
'Oh yeah,' Sokka perked up and announced to everyone, 'The big celebration thingy, the lower rings have been partying all week but now that the war is officially over the capitol is holding a massive shindig in the upper ring tonight. Oh and Katara, Master Grandpakku bought you down some ceremonial water tribe dress to wear for it, to represent the women of our tribes or something like that.'
'Wow, that was kind of him.'
'Yeah well, he didn't bring anything for me, it's just blatant favouritism.'
'Urgh. I have to wear a dress again.'
'Toph it's can't be that bad. Zuko wears a dress.'
'It's not a dress, it's a robe.'
Aang sniggered at the banter, 'come on guys, tonight will probably be the last time we have the whole gang together for a long time.' Everyone was quiet for a moment, contemplating which paths will lead them away from and hopeful back to each other. An image of the swamp came to mind for Aang.
'So what is everyone going to do now you've saved the world? It's pretty obvious that I'm going back to the Fire Nation, it's not going to run itself.'
Sokka was the first answer, 'I guess I'm coming to the Fire Nation too, Master Piandao has invited me to finish my apprenticeship, which reminds me: can we hitch a ride on your blimp?'
'We?'
'I'm coming too,' Suki added, after seeing the world Kyoshi island seemed a little small, though she new that she would return if only to see how Ty Lee was doing as the new leader of the warriors.
'I don't see why not. I thought you might be going back to the Southern Water Tribe.'
'I won't be much needed, I've spoken to dad about it, he wants me home but agreed that its an opportunity I can't miss out on. It's not forever.'
Katara was returning to the Southern Water Tribe at least for a little while, Aang would be doing his duties as Avatar and that would take up all his time for the next few months or until things had stabilised somewhat. She hoped he'd have time to visit her and perhaps travel with him at times. Aang had said that when there was a chance that he would like to resume his training of the elements, he'd mastered the Avatar State but it wasn't the same as learning them for himself. Katara wanted to try and teach him some healing techniques and Toph still had a few skills up her sleeves, metal bending was one and as for fire bending he still had a lot of work to do.
'So what about you Toph.'
Up until then Toph had kept uncharacteristically quiet, 'I guess I'll go back home. I said I'd earth race the Boulder and the Hippo.'
'Actually I was hoping that you would let me escort you.'
'Zuko? Why? I don't need an escort.'
'Because I owe you one life changing field trip, and I have a plan.'
'Oh great, because they always work.'
'Don't you want to hear it?'
'Not really.'
'That's a really stupid plan.'
'Well, are you in?'
'Of course.'
(A/N: next chapter: everyone gets their groove on for the celebrations. please review it brings joy)
