The Avatar and the Firelord Part 2 of 3
At midnight in the Fire Capital, most were fast asleep, but Avatar Aang and his best friend, Prince Zuko were wide awake. The boys were seated side by side in front of rows and rows of secret knowledge that the Fire Nation possessed. If anyone caught them here they could be in a lot of trouble, but that didn't bother them. The Avatar held an ancient scroll from the Southern Air Temple, his old home. The Fire Prince held Firelord Sozin's Last testament, a journal of his great-grandfather's last years alive.
"Did you know that Firelord Sozin and Avatar Roku were best friends?" Zuko said, smiling.
"Just like us," Aang grinned, looking up from his scroll. He was in the best of moods right now. He'd discovered so much about his culture in only a few hours and there were dozens of other scrolls and books behind him. As he read, more and more memories came back to him. Slowly, he saw faces of his old friends, the head monks and, most importantly, Gyatso.
Gyatso.
A single tear made its way down Aang's cheek. Gyatso was the only man that would be that close to a father to him. Ozai tried, but he was much too cruel to be a real father- even to his own children.
Zuko looked up and noticed Aang's sudden sadness. He searched for something in the scroll he was reading to cheer him up. "Sozin was Roku's best man at his wedding. If our lives are really based off of theirs, then you'll have to make me your best man at your wedding," Zuko joked, nudging the Avatar.
Aang smirked and placed his fist to his heart. "Avatar promise."
"Oh no, you never stick to those," Zuko reminded him. "Remember that time we went to Ember Island and you gave me your 'Avatar promise' that you wouldn't eat any Fire Flakes. Then later you ate half of Azula's bag at that awful play."
Aang laughed. "Oh yeah, I spent the whole night burping fire."
"And I spent the whole night ducking from those said burps."
The best friends spent quite some time reminiscing before turning back to their quest for the forbidden knowledge they'd uncovered in the Catacombs. Sadly, their readings were very different. As Aang began reading of Air Nomad's love of Fruit Pies, Zuko began reading about Sozin's plans for war and ultimately, his betrayal to Avatar Roku. He left his best friend for death and dealt the first strike against the other nations by destroying all four Air Temples and everyone who resided in them.
A chill ran down Zuko's spine. How could you be so cold as to kill an entire Nation searching for one person, who you don't end up finding anyway? The Prince looked at his best friend, who was reading a new scroll with a genuine smile.
Would he ever betray Aang like Sozin did Roku?
Zuko shook the thought from his head. He wasn't Sozin. He wouldn't do that to anyone, but for now he chose to keep that piece of information about the Avatar and the Firelord's relationship to himself.
"And I also learned that the original Airbenders were the sky bison, like Appa," Aang babbled on as him and Zuko walked down the hallways of the palace. Aang's arms were filled with scrolls and books he'd insisted on taking with him. He was very excited about his new knowledge. Zuko felt the opposite about what he'd discovered. Aang noticed Zuko's solemn mood. "What's wrong? Didn't you find out a lot about Sozin?"
Zuko sighed. "Well yes, I did. But there's something that's bothering me- two things, actually."
"What is it?"
"Well, the scroll that was left on my bed said, I'd have to find out the truth about my great-grandfather's demise, but there was nothing about Sozin having a mysterious death. From what we were taught he died in his sleep, when he was very old," Zuko told him.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Aang assured the prince. Zuko nodded. "What was the other thing bothering you?"
"Oh," Zuko said, deciding to continue keeping that information a secret, "Nothing." The young prince said goodbye to his friend and disappeared swiftly down the hall where his room was located. Aang continued, with his arm full of scrolls and books, back to his own room.
Upon reaching his room he noticed a small figure sitting on his bed.
Katara groaned as a ray of sun hit her in the face. She turned over and threw her covers over her head.
"No, Katara. Get up," Liana said, shaking her.
"Ugh!" Katara pushed the quilt down and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and quickly got out of bed. After getting dressed she hurried to Aang's room with his breakfast, excited to see him. When she approached the door, she knocked respectfully, not wanting to walk in on anything. Aang came to the door, quickly and pulled her inside.
She was about to question him when she noticed that they weren't alone in the room. Toph was lounging on Aang's bed, Sokka sat on the floor and Suki was in the chair next to the table.
Katara shoved the tray at Aang and ran to throw her arms around her brother. "I'm so happy you guys are okay!"
Toph blew her bangs out of her face. "The Fire Nation Capital Prison has some crappy guards."
The waterbender turned around to face the rest of them. "How did you get out?"
"Don't look at us," Suki told her. "It was Toph."
Katara looked at Toph in disbelief. "How?"
"Well, if you must know, Sugar Queen, I've been teaching myself a new technique during my time in prison. I, Toph Bei Fong, have become the first metalbender. After bending the bars open all I had to do was knock out a couple of guards and sneak into Sokka and Suki's rooms. Then together we found a way outside and tunneled underground with my handy Earthbending skills until we reached the palace," Toph explained. She yawned. "Easy peezy, lemon sqeezy. And besides, we had outside help…" Toph didn't elaborate on it anymore, so Katara and Aang didn't ask.
"We'll have to leave in a moment, though. Guards are bond to come to relieve the ones we knocked out or they could found out we aren't there when they go to serve breakfast," Suki said.
"But we had to come to get you first," Sokka said, pointing at Katara.
His sister shook her head. "I'm not leaving, Sokka."
The warrior's eyes almost popped out of his head. "What? Why not?"
"I'm not without Aang and Zuko. We'll leave when the Fire Nation decides to deal another strike, that way we'll know when and exactly where they're going to attack. But as of right now the war is kind of standing still."
"Katara, you have to come with us. Dad will kill me if he finds out I've come this far and I left you here," Sokka insisted.
Katara frowned and determination set in her features. "No," she said in a stern voice.
Sokka put his face in his hands. "I hate it when you get like this."
Suki walked over to him and put her arms around him, while on the other side of the room Toph made gagging noises. Suki ignored her new young friend. "Sokka, I think Katara knows what she's doing. She's old enough to make her own decisions. Let's go, you guys."
Sokka looked up at his sister as Toph moved to stand by him and Suki. "One last chance, Katara."
Katara turned and looked at Aang. With one look at him, she knew she was making the right decision. "I'm staying, Sokka. But I'll see you soon. Tell dad and Gran-Gran that I'm okay."
Sokka sighed and walked over to his sister. He wrapped her in a warm hug. "Bye, Katara."
A tear slid down Katara's face. "Not goodbye, see you later," she corrected.
"I'll see you guys when it's time. Come on, guys. We gotta go catch up with 'The Dragon'," Toph said, winking. She opened the glass doors and jumped off of the balcony. Suki followed behind her and Sokka, reluctantly, jumped last.
Katara then turned to Aang in confusion. "The Dragon?"
When Zuko returned to his room hours before, he also noticed that he wasn't alone. He immediately stepped into a Firebending stance. "Who are you?"
The hooded figure stepped out of the shadows and dropped his hood.
Zuko's 'good eye' widened. "Uncle?"
Another chapter coming up quickly after this, if my internet stops acting up. -_-