Disclaimer: I own nothing! It's all Byrke's!
"Please, Mai? It's one little harmless prank. You're the only one who can pull it off without alerting him."
"Zuko, this is ridiculous. What made you feel like you needed to do this?"
"…he insulted my hair."
"I'm sure he was joking."
"Which is why it's okay for me to get back at him with a prank."
"Fine! I'll set it up. But only because you keep pestering me. Can we go to sleep now?"
"Thank you."
And there was silence.
Aang stepped up to the door, tentatively prodding through the ground to the other council members. Something was off. They weren't…acting as they normally were. He allowed his search to go further, even pulling off his shoes to feel deeper.
Ah, there it was. A bucket of water rigged to fall on him the second he walked through the door way. The only person in the room whose emotion resembled giddy was none other than the Firelord, and so it was with that that Aang hatched a new plan.
With a few simple bending moves, the bucket had flown off its rigging system, and straight at the Firelord. A crash and groan later, followed by several snickers that were trying to desperately be hidden by lifted hands, found the Avatar sauntering into the room with a pleased smile in place.
"Nice try, Zuko. But I think a cool down would be good for you."
Slowly Zuko lifted the bucket off his head, glaring daggers at Aang. Aang only twisted his wrist in a few rotations, and the next thing Zuko knew, he was air dried. His clothes were cold and stiff, and his skin was tight. He reached up with a cold hand and felt at his head. Spiky hair. Not unlike which was given to him in Sokka's portrait from so many years ago.
"Aang, you will pay for this. I swear it!"
The rest of the council members laughed, none more boisterously so than the Blind Bandit herself.
"Aang, you really shouldn't provoke him."
"It's just a bit of harmless fun! C'mon, Katara, they're just pranks."
"Pranks. Great. I married an incurable prankster."
"You know you love me for it."
"More and more every day." There was a sigh. "Alright. You have my blessings in this prank war of yours."
"Thank you, Katara!"
"Oh, and Aang? I wouldn't put it past Zuko if he – And you're gone. Great."
She shook her head and went back to watching Sokka train with Suki.
The next week was filled with Aang and Zuko each taking up arms against the other, and each earning respective nerves that made them jump and even the sound of a mouse scurrying past them. (Zuko would have to get Sokka to deal with the rat problem – no way was he going near them.)
Zuko earned a fruit pie in the face when he failed to check the corner he turned.
Aang earned an ink ring around his eye when he looked into a telescope that Mai was showing him.
Zuko was given a new pillow from an anonymous source. He was assured it had been tested for poisons and other such lethal items. He woke up the next day with an itchy head.
Aang had fallen asleep in a council meeting after a late night with his newborn daughter. Zuko had leaped across the table with a nimble kick and dunked his brush into the ink at Aang's portion of the table. The rest of the council members snickered when it was revealed Zuko had written, "I'm with stupid!" across the Avatar's arrow.
As retaliation, Aang convinced Sokka to release newly thawed frozen frogs into the palace instead of getting rid of the pest problem. Zuko lost several hours worth of sleep, while Mai adjusted quickly. He was bitter for the next twenty four hours until he hired a professional to wipe out the pests.
Zuko decided it was time for something…more.
It took a month, but a portrait of the Avatar had finally been done across a rather large canvas. The two artisans whom Zuko had put up to the task were paid, and they were quite happy. It was done just in time for the anniversary of the fall of the Phoenix King.
At the celebration, Zuko called a toast. He toasted to their good fortune and the plans for their new city, he toasted to Aang and his family and their good health, he toasted to his friends and his own family, and once that was over, he toasted to the new portrait that would forever hang in the halls of his palace.
If the Avatar didn't like it enough to take it home with him, of course.
So it was a narrow eyed look from Aang and a giggling Katara beside him did Zuko call for the curtains at the side of the room be drawn back. With a loud swish the two servants pulled the gold threaded ropes, and the rose red curtains swept to their respective sides.
Aang's narrowed eyes widened, his jaw fell. Katara burst into giggles and went red from her lack of breath, Mai smiled, Sokka went absolutely wild, Toph just frowned, and Suki grew a wicked smile. "What?" cried Toph. "What is it?"
Katara did not regain her composure in time to tell her. It was Sokka, who finally wiped the tears from his eyes. "It's a painting of Aang. He's overly buff, overly tall, and he's got a really long beard. Also his arrow is too swirly. His eyes are too narrow, and his face is all pinched and serious."
At Sokka's description Zuko smirked, tossing the look carelessly to the Avatar. Aang, ever so tempted to just throw another pie in the Firelord's face, pulled he together in a snap and stood. "Thank you, Firelord Zuko, for feeling the urge to gaze upon my glorious face every day. I'm sure your kids will love hearing the story of the Avatar! The one who you admire enough to paint a picture of…?" He let it drag off with one of his own devious smirks.
The party guests were either horrified or laughing as hard as Katara. Every time Mai or Suki prodded at her she'd only hold up a finger as a sign that said, "Wait. I'm not done yet." When the party ended, Katara was still chuckling, smiling as she walked out clinging to Aang's arm.
"And no, Zuko, do not ask if we want to take it home. It's terrible!" she called.
And Zuko's own response was, "Terribly funny!"
It was what truly started the Great War of Good Fun.
They stood together as they watched the ceremony. Katara clung to her son's arm as she watched it occur. Tenzin could only hold back his own tears, his own pain, as his mother wept silently.
Later they grouped together, each holding their own drink. Sokka, chosen for this very purpose, was reading the final letter written by Aang to all of them.
"Dear friends and family, I am sorry to say that once you read this, I won't be alive any more. Someone new will have taken my place, and I'm sure the new Avatar is going to be a Southern Water bender. Sure of it.
"To Katara, I love you. I loved you since the moment I set eyes on you, loved you even more when you said yes to going penguin sledding with me. We practically grew up together from them. I saw you grow, you saw me grow. I'm sorry for anything I've ever done that hurt you. It was never my intention. My only intention was to see you safe, and to see you happy. It was an added bonus when I learned I could supply that happiness for you.
To Sokka, you are my brother. Not my brother-in-law, my actual brother. Even if you didn't like me very much at the start, I feel as if there was a brotherly bond there from the start. Thank you."
Sokka had to pause for a moment before continuing.
"To Toph, I love you, too. Like a sister that finds it hilarious to torture me continuously. A really mean older sister that you love anyway because they involve you in their life. Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for everything.
To Suki, take care of Sokka. He wouldn't be here if not for you, nor would Toph. You have my upmost gratitude.
To my children, take care. Live a good life. Be as happy as your mother and I were. Don't let something like this pull you down. Stay as happy as you can be. Find people who suit you, marry them, and get me some grandchildren. I'll be watching, don't you dare defy me.
To Tenzin, you are going to train the next Avatar. There is no doubt within my mind that this Waterbender is going to be fierce and determined. Do not say no to this person. If you do my Avatar Spirit self will come out and bother you until you do say yes.
To Mai, thank you. Really, thank you for everything.
And to Zuko, I hope you never give up, trying to fix the world. You'll just have to make do without the Avatar for a few years. I know you can do it. I believe in you. And also…just because I'm dead doesn't mean the prank war is over!"
Katara's eyes snapped open, astonished, and she snatched the paper from Sokka's hands. She read over the last line multiple times, trying and failing to contain her laughter. "Oh, Aang," she said, handing the paper to Zuko so he could see.
When Zuko looked up, grinning, even Tenzin knew something was going to happen.
"And I'm the one in charge of your memorial plans, Airhead."
The windows burst open, and for some reason, Zuko was the only one majorly affected by the cold.
Several years later, there stood a teenager in front of an isolated statue. She was gazing up at it, overwhelmed by both its sheer size and the voice within her own mind struggling to be heard.
She squashed it down, wincing as it pushed back. She felt herself sit, and she felt Naga poking her nose at her face. Something detached from her, and she recognized it as the same sensation from when she first entered the Spirit World.
There, standing there and waiting for her with arms crossed, was the Avatar before her: Aang.
He was tapping his foot, watching her with a critical eye. "Korra," he said, voice sharp. But she wasn't about to be scolded. Aang didn't get mad when he scolded. He was only ever like this when he was about to burst with what others might find hilarious, but she personally found exhaustingly often.
"Did you deface Zuko's portraits yet?" he said, face bursting into a grin.
She groaned, burying her face into her hands. Mumbling around the tiny limbs she answered, "No, Aang, I did not. That would be disrespectful."
He waved a hand at her. "Please, did you know he once had a portrait that made me look I really needed to go the bathroom? Also like an Earthbending body builder?" Korra peaked through her fingers as Aang shifted his weight to one leg. A finger tapped at his chin as he pondered what to say next.
He snapped at his sudden thought. "Oh! Make sure to tell Zuko's grandkids that I threw a pie in his face once! Yeah, that ought to embarrass him well enough. We still hang out every so often in our own little corner of the Spirit World. You should come back with me once." He was smiling.
Korra was glaring at him, hands halfway dragged down her face. "Can I leave now?"
"Well of course you can leave. Anyone can leave. It's all just a matter of picking up your feet and walking away. But will I let you leave…?" He was still grinning.
Korra dropped her arms to her sides and groaned, letting her head droop as well.
"Look, Aang, I get that you're really respectful and all and you're all about 'having fun.' But I've got a Bending society to save, 'kay? So I'm just gonna turn around and start walking until I leave the Spirit World," she said.
Aang waved her off again. "Alright, alright, go. Just don't ruin the city I helped build. Again."
Korra turned, and exasperatedly threw her hands out beside her. "I told you I was sorry!"
He laughed before he turned and dissipated. When she felt herself in her body again she stood, leaning on Naga for support, and glared at the statue. "I should dump pie on your head, Aang." A chuckle in the depths of her mind made her frown grow and she turned, with Naga close behind her.
AN: Literally all this is meant to be is funny.
There was discussion on Tumblr about how Aang probably wouldn't have wanted a big statue, like the one that's in Republic City, and how it was probably Zuko's idea.
That led to a discussion about how Aang and Zuko were stuck in a prank war, and how it would affect Korra.
Which led to this.
So basically it's a sort of parody on Aang's statue. It was fun to write. Except for that Reading of Aang's Final letter thing. That put me down. Sort of.
Enjoy~