I apologize for taking as long as I did on this chapter, it went through several revisions before I was happy with it. I also got distracted with the game Battlefield 3 (its really amazing), but with the new Avatar comics and the new series, my love for A:TLA has returned anew!
Don't forget to review, they keep me motivated to write more! XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Aang was sad, he felt like he lost a part of him. But now, he needed to move on – prove that could live without Katara. There were moments that Aang thought of his own self as crazy and that he was letting his hurt feelings ruin what he had with Katara. He often asked himself was acting like an Airbender the best choice?
"Katara once said to herself, either I'm too weak or too strong. I do however know that by not facing her I'm doing this for her, to let find herself." Aang said to himself, he believed that it possible to not love Katara and still be himself. But it would take time, but for the moment he was meditating the room by the window. Then Aang heard a knock on the door and a voice calling his name.
"Come in!" the person opened the door, which was one of the Fire Sages.
"Prince Zuko has requested for you to accompany him during his coronation."
Aang bowed in approval "Tell him I would absolutely love to."
"As you wish, Avatar Aang." The Fire sage bowed in return, then left Aang's apartment.
"Ugh, what am I getting myself into?" Aang put his palm on his forehead.
A week passed, and the moment that the free world has been waiting for had arrived. All of the men, women and children that helped end the 100 year war stand outside the Fire Nation palace, awaiting Prince Zuko being crowned the new Fire Lord of the Fire Nation. At this time, Sokka and Katara are looking for their father, Chief Hakoda. Both of them haven't heard from him since Azula attacked the Western Air Temple, they can only pray to the spirits for his safe return.
They finally found him, and both of them cannot contain their relief "Dad!" Katara and Sokka exclaim in unison.
Hakoda and the young water tribe hero's embrace in a family hug "I heard what you two did; I am the proudest father in the world." Hakoda said.
Hakoda then looked at his daughter "And your mother would be proud too." Katara felt a happy feeling that made her cry.
"There's my favorite warriors! I have to admit I kind of missed the face paint! So how does it feel to be back in uniform again?" Sokka said.
Then Sokka heard what he never expected in millennia "It feels great!" Ty Lee said, and this blew Sokka's mind.
"Careful Suki! Ty Lee is pretending to be a Kyoshi warrior again." Sokka pointed one of his crutches at Ty Lee.
"It's okay, she's one of us now." Suki said, and this left Sokka speechless.
"Yeah, and the girls and I really bonded in prison, and after a few chi blocking lessons they said I could join their group!" As Ty Lee put her arm around the other two Kyoshi warriors.
"…we're going to be best friends forever!" Ty Lee said with her trademark goofy smile.
Inside the palace, Aang was waiting for Zuko to finish getting ready for the coronation. When Aang heard footsteps, he knew who it was.
"I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down and now…" Zuko said, trying to find the right words to describe today.
"And now were friends." Aang said with a smile, and this made Zuko smile as well.
"Yeah, we are friends." Zuko admitted.
"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now." Aang said.
"And it's going to be even more different when we rebuild it together!" Zuko said and they embraced.
Both Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang walk out to the alter of the Fire Nation palace, the crowd cheers when it see's soon-to-be Fire Lord Zuko.
Zuko puts up his hand, to pause. "Please, the real hero… is the Avatar." Zuko gestures for Aang, when he appears the crowd cheers even more loudly. Aang smiles to the croud.
When Katara see's Aang's face, her heart drops and she remembers. As for Aang, try as he might… he cannot avoid Katara's gaze. Aang could see that Katara looked as lovely as ever and she looked at him with pleading and sad eyes.
It wasn't until Zuko made a speech that Aang was knocked out of his day dream, Katara as well "Today, the war is finally over!" Zuko said and the crowd cheered again.
"I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging, a hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace." Zuko said as he kneels down to receive the crown.
The high Fire Sage exclaimed "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" as he planted the royal crown of the Fire Lord in Zuko's hair. Then Zuko gets up walks over to the stairs and gestures for Aang to come to show themselves a little closer to their adoring crowd.
Aang and Zuko spent most of their time shaking hands with other hero's and world leaders, they eventually they finally made their way to where the rest of their friends were.
"You guys look great up there!" Sokka said.
"Thanks! This is for all of us."
"My feet could tell you were nervous up there twinkle toes, Sparky should be the one considering he was just crowned Fire Lord in one of the biggest responsibilities in the world…" Toph commented.
"I… uh, well…" Aang rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Eh, don't worry about it too much!" Toph enveloped him into a hug, and so did Sokka and Suki.
Hakoda and Bato walked up to Aang, "I want to thank you Aang for keeping my children safe, through your journey. For all that you've done for us, the Southern Watertribe is forever in debt to you." Hakoda shook his hand in a Watertribe handshake.
"That means a lot to me, Chief Hakoda." Aang said.
"It's an absolute honor to meet you again, Aang." Bato and Aang shook hands.
"The honor, is mine." Aang smiled.
Hakoda turned to his daughter; he wasn't expecting her to say absolutely nothing to Aang. In the past, the Watertribe chief could tell that Katara had a great affection for Aang. So it was an odd occurrence. "Honey, aren't you going to say something to Aang? You haven't said a word to him since he came here."
"I… uh, already said… something to him! Before he… uh, before the coronation!"
"Yep, she did! I guess…"
"Katara, are you feeling alright?" Sokka said.
"I should go, Zuko and I have some people to talk to…" Aang and Zuko just left, leaving an air of awkward tension.
"Well, that was weird." Sokka said.
"It was, wasn't it?" Suki said.
"Very." Toph said.
"It's been a long day, lets ask Zuko if there is a place in the palace to rest." Sokka said.
"Sokka!" Katara said.
"Whoa, someone woke up since Aang left!" Toph said.
"I think someone is day dreaming!" Ty Lee said.
"What? I do not think of Aang that way!" Katara said, blushing with her hands waving about.
"Thanks a lot Ty Lee, but now I have the oogies of Katara being in love with Aang! Totally do not want to picture that!" Sokka said.
"Spirits, I'm not attracted to Aang you guys!" when Katara said this, Toph smiled.
"Thank Yue you don't, now I don't have the oogies…" Sokka said, Katara covered her face in embarrassment.
"Sokka, stop teasing your sister." Hakoda said.
"I've got to get out of here!" Katara exclaimed, and ran away from the group.
To be contined...
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