The Next Generation : Chapter 4 By: Juria Notes: Any characters you do not recognize in this story probably belong to me, unless you've never seen Avatar. Other than that, I'm done, so enjoy! Quick re-cap of updated ages: Mia : ( Toph and Zuko's daughter ) 9, Hitome : ( Sokka and Ty Lee's daughter ) 8 , Saito : ( Sokka and Ty Lee's son ) 12, Takumi : ( Mai and Jet's son ) 10 , Yin : ( Aang and Katara's daughter ) 10, Gyatso and Ozai : ( Aang and Katara's, and Toph and Zuko's sons respectively ) 5.
Intro: Five years have passed since Ozai's birth. However, just as things settle down and get truely at peace, as usual, the world that these kids and their parents know is about to be turned upside down once again.
Saito leaned against a tree just a few feet from the adult's tent, intentivly listening in on bits and pieces of the adult's conversation. Most of it was stuff he already knew, like how skilled a fighter and hunter he was becoming, or how his sister was following in her mother's footsteps, becoming more stealthy each day.
However, this peacful silence was suddenly broken, as was Saito's afternoon nap, with a scream, coming from Mia. "Mom, Dad, OzaiandGyatsoaretryingtopettheonagi!" the young girl frantically screamed out. Toph shook her head and sighed. "Excuse me, boys and girls, I have to go kill my child." she muttered, storming out of the tent and towards the beach, all of the other parents following, while Aang rushed off to get Appa.
"Ok, where are they?" Katara grumbled, then she eyes got wider and wider when she spotted the boys, floating on a platform of ice in the middle of the ocean. Before she could say her name, Yin was already running up to her. "Mama, I'm so sorry. I just ment to make a little ice, not to put my brother in danger!" she broke out sobbing.
Katara sighed, then knelt down and took her daughter's hand. "We'll talk about it later honey, now, can you help me make another platform out to your brother?" she asked. Zuko stared silently at the two boys, watching as Gyatso would airbend them further away. Suddenly, a panicked look crossed his face. "There's no time, I can see it from here!" he shouted "And if my son doesn't get back here, his backside is going to be black and blue!" he shouted, getting a laugh from his son. 'Dammit! He doesn't understand what he's doing!' Zuko thought to himself.
Katara turned to Toph. "Can you make an earth-bridge out to them?" she asked. "Don't you think I would have done that already?!" Toph shouted back, then, she muttered "Fuck it" and lept into the water, not caring that she couldn't see at all, not realizing that her own instinct was forcing her to swim, swim to her child. She got about half-way out into the water when she heard it, the roar of the Onagi, the screams of the boys, then, she felt earth, and heard Aang shout to the boys. Shaking, Toph stood up, wondering how in the hell an earth-platform had rose out from under her.
Zuko's jaw hit the floor the instant he saw his wife dive into the water. Longshot was the only one who took action, trying to hit the Onagi from the shore, each shot coming up short. Everyone else was in shock and awe. However, the instant the pillar of earth came up through the Onagi's jaw and skull, impaling it just inches from the two boys, even Longshot got distracted.
As soon as the two boys got off Appa, Longshot watched as a swift swat from their parents sent both boys running, Gyatso to Aang and Katara's make-shift home, Ozai bolting back to the Fire Nation ship, with his father following. Smellerbee sighed and shook her head. "Boys." she muttered. Longshot couldn't help but chuckle, getting him a punch in the arm.
Toph groaned as she stood up, panic in her voice. "Where's Ozai, and how in the hell did I end up on the ground?" she asked to everyone. "He's running from his old man, and Mia did it." Takumi said with a smile, the smile leaving when he saw Mia laying on the ground, unconscience. As Saito and Takumi argued over who was going to carry Mia, and then Saito and Hitome argued because she took Takumi's side, Toph knelt down and placed her hand on her daughter's chest. "She's fine, she just fainted." she said, gently lifting her up in her arms, and carrying her back to the ship. "Hey, Toph, if you need anything, we're here for you." Mai said in a calming tone. Toph sighed deeply, then smiled where she felt her friends were. "Thanks guys." she said, before walking into the ship.
Once she laid her daughter down to rest, she heard the sounds of her husband shouting, and her son crying. Toph, not in the mood for any more crap today, walked past Haku and Kyo, who she could tell were both prepared to plaster Zuko to a wall, and spun her husband around. "What the hell is going on?!" she shouted, Zuko jumping backwards. "Our son won't open the damn door!" he shouted. Toph grabbed the leather strap out of Zuko's hands and glared at him. "Go talk to Iroh, now!" she shouted.
Zuko ignored her, until he started to speak again. "Why, so you can baby this..." Zuko managed to stop himself before the words flowed out. He stepped backwards, and stared at himself, then at his wife. "What the hell am I doing?" he asked, cringing as he heard his father's voice in his head. Toph sighed, then put the strap in his hands. "Put that up, then go talk to Iroh." she said, this time in a calmer, but still firm, tone. Zuko sighed, then nodded, gently kissing his wife on the lips. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around." he whispered, before walking off to find Iroh, stopping in front of Haku and Kyo.
Zuko dropped the leather strap into Kyo's hands. "Please, put that back in the weapon's hold, and if I ever raise that to either of my children again, put my through the wall, without hesitation." Zuko said calmly. Haku and Kyo both nodded, then watched as one parent went off to find his mentor, while another proceeded to discipline her son. "Remind me never to have children." Haku muttered, getting a small grin from her partner.
Meanwhile...
Zuko calmly walked into his uncle's chambers, bowing before the elder man. This got a raised eyebrow from Iroh. "You don't act this way unless things are bad. I heard about my grand-niece and nephew. Are they alright?" he asked, a worried look in his eyes. Zuko nodded. "They're fine. Ozai tried to see the Onagi up close, and I guess Aang's boy helped him. Also, I'm not sure, but I think Mia can earthbend as well as firebend. I'll know more later. Right now, Toph's handling Ozai, and that's what I wanted to talk to you about." he said, sighing deeply.
Iroh nodded his head. "I am listening, my nephew." he said. Slowly, Zuko spoke. "Well, it started once Aang got the boys back on land. It's hard to believe, but when Ozai ran to his room, I actually went down into the weapons hold, and got one of the leather straps used to sharpen the swords. I was actually going to whip my own son. I feel like such a monster." Iroh sighed. "Prince Zuko, raising a child is not an easy task. You must decide for yourself what you feel is the best way to get the child to understand he has done wrong, without injuring him."
"When your cousin, Lu Ten, was growing up, I punished him on a number of occassions, but never with an object, never in public, and never over a certain amount of times. But, just because that was how I parented, didn't make it right or wrong. In the end, the choices are your own. If you wish for your wife to take over the responsiability of being the disciplinarian, then there is no shame in it." he stated calmly.
Zuko nodded. "I understand, but, there's more to it then that. It wasn't the physical that worried me, as much as what I almost said to him. I heard my father's voice in my head, felt his words grasping at my throat. I don't know what to do. I thought, after all this time, I would finally have this thing under control, if not killed off, and I don't, and it scares me." at this, Zuko's lip quivered slightly. "I don't want my children to be raised the way I was raised. I want them to love me, not fear me, both of them." Zuko stated, trying his best to hold back tears.
Iroh smiled at Zuko. "You have already shown that you are more of a man then my brother ever was. You don't scold your children for being children. You don't hit them when they talk to you. You are nothing like him. Of course, from time to time, you will hear him speaking to you. Your life was filled with tragedy and suffering, and that is something that will remain with you for the rest of your life. It is up to you to fight it off. I know that, with your wife by your side, there is nothing the two of you can not accomplish." he stated. Zuko stared at his uncle, listen to his words, then embraced him. "Thank you uncle. I needed that."
Iroh returned his nephew's embrace, then watched him leave. "Zuko, you are stronger than you know." he said softly, coughing slightly as soon as the door was shut. Iroh sighed, then stared into a mirror hanging on the wall, a man older, but wiser, staring back at him. "You will have to be."
Several hours later...
Mia awoke to her mother and father by her side, with Haku and Kyo standing outside her door. "Ow, my head." she groaned. "Thank the spirits. Can you stand dear?" Toph asked, taking her daughter's hand. "My head hurts. I'm hungry mama." Mia said. Zuko smiled at his daughter, then gave a nod to Kyo, who rushed off to the kitchen. "Well, it's good to see you're awake." he said. Mia slowly looked around the room. "Where's the onagi, and Ozai?" she asked. Zuko grinned. "Well, if you must know, the onagi is dead." he said proudly.
However, his grin faded when Mia started crying. "I killed it, didn't I? I was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen." she said, sniffling and crying. Zuko cringed at his own stupidity, then sat down on the bed beside his daughter. "Honey, listen to me, you had no other choice. Thanks to you, your brother and Gyatso are both alive. I don't think either one of them will be sitting for a while, but they're ok. You did what you had to do Mia, and I'm proud of you for protecting your brother." he said calmly.
As her father's words came out, Mia calmed down. She still didn't like the idea of killing something, but she knew that she had no choice. Slowly, Mia hugged her father, getting his loving embrace in return. Once he released her, she rested her head on her pillow. "So, does this mean I can train with both of you?" she asked with the curiosity only a child can muster. Toph smiled proudly at her. "Of course dear, but for now, stay in bed, and you can see your friends later." she said. Mia hugged her mother, then laid back down. Toph gently kissed her daughter's forhead, then walked out of the room. "It's good to see you're alright, honey." she said. Zuko soon followed, giving her a soft smile.
Zuko and Toph walked back to their chambers, and almost collapsed. "Some day, huh?" Zuko asked. Toph chuckled. "Yeah. So, did you talk to Iroh?" she asked, a sternness in he voice. Zuko almost nodded, then remembered she was blind 'Great, Sokka-moment!' he thought to himself, stiffing a laugh. "Yes, and I'm sorry for my actions earlier. I should have remained calm, and not"
Toph finished his statement. "turned into a complete asshole?" she asked, a smirk on her face.
Zuko chuckled at that statement. "Yeah." Toph gently wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck, pulled him down to her level, and kissed him. "It's ok. Next time, I'll just kick the crap out of you." she said with a chuckle. Toph giggled as Zuko's kisses worked their way down her neck. "Should we be doing this?" he asked. Toph rolled her eyes. "Kyo and Haku are watching the kids, the door is locked, Ozai is asleep in his room, what more do you need?" she asked a grin, licking her lips. Zuko grinned, then passionatly kissed Toph once more, laughing as she shoved him on to their bed.
TBC...