Aang, Zuko, Sokka and Appa found themselves in a cave somewhere in the
South Pole tundra. They were all huddled by a fire in the middle of a cave. Zuko was curled up in a ball. He was freezing.
"Sokka when we get out of this remind me never to trust you again. I should be with my wife and kid right now but instead I'm in some cave out in the middle of the South Pole freezing to death" Zuko said angrily.
"It's not too bad…" Sokka tried.
"No it's pretty bad" Aang said.
"Guys guys when have I ever steered you wrong?" Sokka asked.
"All the time! Like now!" Zuko said.
"Well you know what I'm the leader here and you'll do what I say" Sokka said.
"Wait since when does the Avatar and the fire lord do what you say?" Aang said.
"I am in charge here; if you don't like it do something about it!" Sokka said.
Five minutes later Sokka found himself in a sleeping bag in the snow outside the cave.
"Kick me out of my cave, I'll show them. Just because they are the avatar and the fire lord doesn't mean they can boss me around" Sokka thought to himself.
Sokka drifted off into a cold sleep. The next morning the boys decided to take off back toward the city. The ride was quiet. Each was thinking of what to say to their respective women when they got back. Appa finally reached the city. They landed in the center of the city. As they stepped off Appa they were met by the girls. Katara, Mai, and Suki stood in front of them with their arms crossed.
"Hi guys" Aang said trying to smile. The girls just glared at them.
"Okay we messed up" Zuko started.
"Go on" Mai said.
"But it was really all Sokka's fault. He didn't tell us where we were going and Zuko and I were going to leave when you guys showed up. We got scared and took off" Aang said quickly. The girls started glaring at Sokka.
"What that little…trying to pin this on me…when I get out of this so help me I am going to kill him" Sokka thought to himself.
"Is this true?" Suki asked Sokka. Aang and Zuko looked at Sokka expectantly. Sokka looked nervous for a second.
"Yes" he said tilting his head down as if he were a child getting scolded by a parent.
"Well in that case you are forgiven" Katara said giving Aang a hug. Aang's face lit up and his signature grin covered his face. He reached into his sash and pulled out an ornament. It was in the shape of a flower. It had red pedals. It looked like a hair piece He handed it to Katara.
"What is this Aang?" Katara asked.
"When I was at the eastern air temple I found this. It's usually worn by air bending nuns who have achieved happiness. I want you to have it. Someday maybe you'll find that happiness" Aang said handing it to her. Katara smiled.
"I already found happiness, in you" Katara said kissing him lightly. Sokka started to fake gag and Zuko, Mai, and Suki glared at him for interrupting a tender moment. Aang put the ornament in her hair. They smiled at each other. The hands intertwined and they turned to face the others.
"Sorry about that" Aang said rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.
Zuko turned to Mai hopefully. He pulled out a box and handed it to her.
"Here I wanted to give this to you, its special, only you will understand it" Zuko said handing it to her.
Mai opened in the box. Inside was a dagger holster. The holster was specialized for a specific dagger. Mai saw the symbol on it. It was the exact same symbol as the dagger Zuko had given her when they were kids. A smile came on her face for split second before going away quickly. Only Zuko caught it though.
"Thanks, I forgive you" she said.
Suki turned to Sokka expectantly. Sokka froze.
"Since when were we giving apology gifts? How did I not know of this? Wait last night when they kicked me out the cave. They must of came up with a plan and didn't tell me. Oh man Suki's gonna kill me if I don't come up with something" Sokka thought to himself as he stuck his hands in his pocket. "Lint, lint, boomerang, leftover seal jerky, come on pockets have something… think, think, think…" Sokka panicked.
Sokka turned toward Suki with a smile on his face.
"Baby I'll never need candy again because you give me all the sugar I need" Sokka said trying to sound smooth. Within a second Sokka had been slapped by Suki.
"Okay I probably deserved that but I didn't mean it and it will never happen again" Sokka said. Suki stared at him for a second before her face softened.
"I forgive you…" she started.
"Oh thank you thank you thank you" Sokka started, cutting Suki off and preceding to hug her.
"On one condition" Suki said.
"What?" Sokka said pulling out of the hug.
"To prove your innocence, the girls and I get to go to your bachelor party" Suki said. Sokka's jaw dropped. He was about to argue when he pulled himself back together.
"Fine" Sokka said.
"We should be getting back to Iroh. He'll awake any minute now" Mai said pulling Zuko off.
"Sokka we have to go finish the wedding plans" Suki said dragging him off. That left Katara and Aang.
"Want to do something" Katara asked.
"I can't I have to prepare Appa for the trip to Kyoshi Island" Aang said.
Katara's face fell.
"But we'll hang out later, I promise" Aang said.
Sokka and Suki were sitting discussing the wedding plans.
"Okay so this will be our house here in the south pole. Katara's moving out to the house next door. I also got us a house on Kyoshi so you can be close to the girls when you need to" Sokka said.
"Sokka there is no need to" Suki started.
"What do you mean? You need to be close to the other warriors so you can keep training them" Sokka said.
"Well not necessarily" Suki said.
"Suki I know we can handle two homes. I don't want my life and home here to take you away from your home in Kyoshi" Sokka said.
"Sokka" Suki started again.
"Besides the girls need you" Sokka said.
"Sokka I should have told you" Suki said.
"Told me what?" Sokka said.
"Kyoshi warriors don't get married; it's part of our code. In order for us to have no distractions we aren't supposed to get that attached to anyone. That's why it's an all female group. To keep from relationships starting. After we get married Ty Lee will succeed me as leader of the Kyoshi warriors" Suki said.
"But Suki I can't let you do that, it isn't fair. We don't have to be married to be together. If it means you can keep your position. I would feel awful about taking that away from you" Sokka said.
"Sokka I have already made the decision. I'd rather be married to you. We can still keep the house on Kyoshi though as a summer home. It would be nice to spend the summers on the beach rather than freezing. You can make me more sand sculptures. Besides don't think I am going to become some house wife. You and your warriors could use some more training" Suki said.
"I see you gave this a lot of thought" Sokka said.
"Yeah" Suki said.
"Well I did want to open a fighting school here in the tribe for the future warriors. We could open it together. I could teach sword fighting and other water tribe weapons while you teach them the basics and the principals of Kyoshi fighting. We'd be an awesome pair" Sokka said.
"Yeah it would be great" Suki said.
"Did I mention I love you" Sokka said.
"You could say it more often" Suki said.
They grinned and kissed.
"Now on to the food. I was thinking an unlimited meat buffet, and humungous cake, I mean so big that the Unagi could be fed…" Sokka said as Suki rolled her eyes at her fiancé.
"He may be a loveable oaf but he's my loveable oaf" Suki thought to herself as Sokka ranted about the food.
Zuko and Mai were sitting on the balcony of their apartment talking. Iroh was napping in his crib. Ursa had left already with Azula back to the fire nation. Zuko had her in maximum security just in case. Mai was sitting in Zuko's lap. They were sitting and enjoying each other's company.
"So are we all packed?" Zuko asked.
"Yeah I just packed a couple days worth of clothes and some diapers for Iroh" Mai said. They were leaving that night for Kyoshi for the wedding. They would be back however since there was the chief's challenge and they still had peace meetings. The leaders had postponed the meetings to allow time for Sokka's wedding. That of course took a lot of convincing from the avatar and fire lord and promises of wedding invites.
"So what's on your mind" Mai asked Zuko.
"a lot" Zuko answered.
"Tell me about it" Mai said.
"I don't know it just feels like we're running out of time. Soon we'll all be split up again" Zuko said referring to the gang.
"I know but we all have to move on and grow up. Start our own families. We already started. They'll always be our friends but we all need space to grow up. Soon Sokka and Suki will have a family and I wouldn't be surprised if Katara and Aang got married soon and started a family. He does have a nation to repopulate and who knows about Teo and Toph" Suki said. Zuko chuckled.
"Yeah I think you're right" Zuko said.
"Besides Iroh might get some playmates" Mai said.
"The future looks bright for us" Zuko said.
"Yeah I know it's so different from when we were young" Mai said.
"Well we grew up in a war. We all did except Aang but he had to become the hope of the world at twelve. Now our kids can grow up in a world of peace the way Aang did" Zuko said.
"Yeah Aang did grow up in peaceful times. You can tell by how he acts. War has changed him no doubt but he still has some innocence. I hope to give that to Iroh" Mai said.
They looked out toward the setting sun. Both of them were thinking the same thing. They didn't see the sun setting as the end but a new beginning because they knew it would rise again. Just like the world would rise again to its previous peaceful state.
"Oh crap sunset" Zuko said aloud.
"What's up?" Mai said.
"We need to get to Sokka's. He sent me a hawk saying that's when we would meet up to leave" Zuko said.
"Okay then I'll get Iroh and you get the bags" Mai said.
The couple headed out.
Aang and Katara sat in the main room of Sokka, Suki, and Katara's house. After Aang had dealt with Appa they had went out swimming with some other kids. Aang had made another pool and they enjoyed themselves. Soon after they got a hawk saying to meet up here at sunset. They left on time and arrived. Toph and Teo were here and so were Mai and Zuko. Suki was sitting and Sokka had disappeared. They had loaded their luggage on to Zuko's ship and had already sent it off. The sun had already been long set when Sokka walked in.
"All right boomerang squad this is the plan. We'll be riding Arrow Boy's bison Appa to Kyoshi. Bullseye you'll be taking care of little sparky as well as you scarface. Blind bandit and glider boy if you don't mind can you fly in glider boy's glider for part of the trip to give Appa a little help. Fan girl and me boomerang man will be navigating. Arrow boy and splash girl will be driving. Okay good" Sokka said.
"What?" Toph said confused.
"Wait what?" Suki asked also confused.
"Sokka who and the what now" Zuko said.
"Okay I gave the whole boomerang squad nick names. Mai is bullsyes, Zuko is scarface but if he wants to change he can be hotman or Sparky, Aang is arrow boy, Katara is splash girl, Toph is blind bandit, Teo is glider boy, Suki's fan girl, and I'm boomerang man or super swordsmen, your choice" Sokka said.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard" Mai said.
"Hey" Sokka said.
"Sokka we don't need code names" Aang said.
"But it's cool" he whined.
"Whatever but I am not being splash girl" Katara said glaring at her brother.
"Scarface!?" Zuko said angrily.
"Zuko its self explanatory" Sokka said.
"Well I don't care" Toph said.
"That's because you got a name you liked because Sokka was afraid you'd earth bend him into the next dimension once we got on dry land. I think that also gave Teo some protection" Katara said. Toph shrugged.
"Okay boomerang gang lets move out to appa" Sokka said.
"No more team names please" Mai said.
"How about the Aang Gang" Sokka said and everyone rolled their eyes. "The avatar's creed, the extraordinary eight" Sokka said to no avail.
"I liked them" Suki said comforting him. Sokka grinned and put his arm around her shoulder.
The gang walked out to find Appa waiting outside. The stars were showing and Aang smiled at the view. Aang and Katara water bended to make some stairs up to Appa's saddle. Mai carried Iroh onto the saddle and the others followed. They made themselves comfortable up top. Katara and Aang were sitting on Appa's head.
"Okay boy we're about to pull an all nighter, you ready" Aang said.
Appa grunted back. Aang nodded, "Yip yip"
Appa took off into the sky leaving the tribe behind. About an hour later only Aang and Sokka were awake. Katara had fallen asleep on Aang's shoulder. Zuko and Mai had fallen asleep cuddled together with Iroh in their arms. Teo and Toph had took off gliding to take some weight off Appa. Suki was asleep in Sokka's lap. The two boys were talking to each other.
"I keep feeling like I forgot something" Sokka said.
"Yeah me too" Aang said.
"But what?" Sokka said.
"If it was important we would remember" Aang said.
"You're probably right" Sokka said.
"Well I'm gonna get some sleep" Aang said. He closed his eyes and cuddled closer to Katara.
Back in the South Pole Jet and Haru stood at the dock.
"I can't believe they left without us" Jet said.
"Yeah that isn't cool" Haru said.
"What now?" Jet asked.
"I say we hitch a ride on the next ship. Most of the ships make stops in Kyoshi" Haru said.
"I guess it can work" Jet said.
