Chap. 6

Meet the Parents Part 2

"Uh,… well… um…" Zuko stammered as he tried to get an explanation across to the tall, burly man that could only be Jin's father. He was dressed in a simple green robe much like his daughter's, and stood at about six feet tall. His face was covered by a thick beard, and unfortunately for Zuko, curled into a snarl.

"I'm waiting!" the man snapped as his squat, angry, face pushed into Zuko's. The former prince gulped, as his mind went utterly blank. Disgusted, the man reared back as if he was going to slap him.

"Daddy, stop it!" Jin yelled, stepping in front of her father and grabbing his hand. "I'm sorry ok? We were having a good time and I lost track of the candle. You don't need to yell at him!"

"I'll yell at whoever I want, young lady!" Jin's father replied, turning his attention over to his daughter. "I told you when you needed to be home, and I was told that this boy would be trustworthy enough to make sure it happened!"

"Dad, it wasn't a date! I want over to Li's house for dinner with him and his friends."

"Yeah sir, " Aang added, trying to calm things down. "And I can tell you that everything was perfectly…"

"Did I ask you?" the man snapped at Aang. "And who in the hell are you supposed to be, baldy?"

"Can't you tell, Kinjo?" a voice said suddenly from the front of the house. Everyone turned around to see a woman, middle-aged but still slim, standing by the door. She wore a light yellow robe, and her long brown hair was tied into a ponytail that was slung over one shoulder.

"Aia, I'm trying to talk with our daughter here." Kinjo said, turning to his wife.

"No, you're yelling at the boy who took her to dinner, and you're mouthing off to the Avatar." Aia replied.

"What are you woman, crazy?" Kinjo said with a laugh. "The Avatar? Some bald kid….. with arrow tattoos….. and a staff….(there was a animal grunt at this point) and that's a flying bison over there isn't it?"

"Yep." Aang said.

Kinjo shut his eyes, rubbed them very hard, then turned to Aang and asked, "How much groveling should I do right now?"

"An apology will do fine." Aang replied with a smile. Kinjo nodded weakly, bowed, and mumbled an apology.

"My apologies for my husband. He has a very hard time with his temper." Aia replied, as she walked over to the group. Moving to Aang and Zuko, she said, "I'm glad my daughter has found someone responsible enough to escort her home late at night, Li. And it is truly an honor to have you in our home, Avatar Aang."

Both boys bowed at this show of respect, as Jin whispered, "Thanks Mom."

"Now then, would you boys like to come in for a moment? I have some cookies and a hot pot of tea brewing."

Zuko grimaced a bit at the mention of tea, but both he and Aang accepted the invitation, not wanting to insult their hostess. "Come in then." Aia said, gesturing towards her open door. Nodding, everyone quickly moved inside, with Aang gesturing for Appa to wait outside.

The inside of the small house turned out to have the same warmth as its mistress. While the furniture was a bit thread worn, and it was certainly less then the temple-raised Aang and palace raised Zuko had been used to, they both had to admit that it was quite homey. "Come in, please, make yourselves at home." Aia said, as she moved over to the firepit to check on the steaming pot of tea. Zuko and Aang moved to sit at the table, while Kinjo stood in the back and muttered something. But Jin shut her father a hostile glance and he quickly moved to the table with her.

Zuko kneeled down at the low, chair-less table, while he took a cup from Aia. As he looked around the room, he suddenly noticed a pair of eyes looking at him from behind a chair. Before he could say anything, Zuko felt the ground violently move underneath him and toss him to the ground. Kinjo chuckled a bit, but Jin gasped and quickly moved to help Zuko back up. Aia turned, took one look at what had happened, and called out, "Hita, you come out of there right now young man!"

"Aw mom, it was just a joke." Muttered the voice from behind the chair as a messy, dark haired twelve year old came out from behind it.

"I don't care. How many times have your farther and I told you, only use your earthbending for defending yourself!" Aia said sternly to her young son. "Isn't that right, Kinjo?"

"Wha.. Yes of course." Kinjo said, as he dropped a quick wink at his son. Zuko shook his head in exasperation as he looked at the exchange between father and son. However, a moment later, Aia said, "Now you apologize to Li, or else no lessons this week." Hita rolled his eyes, but apologized anyway.

"Sorry Li, he's a little overprotective of me." Jin said as her brother moved over to a chair.

"It's ok. I just wish he couldn't use the earth to demonstrate it." Zuko replied

"So Li, how did you and the Avatar meet anyway?" Aia asked, as she moved over to the table and poured the two of them their tea.

"We met in a circus a few months ago." Zuko said. "My uncle and I were working there at the time, and Aang and his friends ended up traveling part of the way to the city with us."

"I must say, it sounds exciting." Aia said. "Seeing so much of the world, and I'm sure the circus must've been amazing every night."

"I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it." Aang replied as he sipped his tea.

"What sort of acts did they have?" Aia asked.

"Oh the usual." Zuko replied. "Acrobats, animal acts, clowns, everything you'd expect."

"There was even a Firebender there, who'd come over from the Fire Nation." Aang said.

But at that, Aia suddenly looked nervous. And with good reason, as Kinjo suddenly yelled out, "What the hell kind of Avatar are you?! You're supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation, and you worked with one?!"

"It isn't exactly like that…." Aang began, but Kinjo slammed his fist down on the table and cut him off. "So you actually support those crazy bastards! I knew this Avatar crap was too good to be true. You're just another pawn of theirs!"
"Dad, that's enough!" Jin said, jumping to her feet. "With all due respect sir, I think she's right." Zuko said.

"Don't you start with me boy!" Kinjo snapped, whipping around to face Zuko. "You're not out of the clear either. I'll bet you hired that filthy Firebender, didn't you? You probably wanted to use him to force a little extra payment out of your customers, didn't you?"

"Kinjo, that's enough!" Aia yelled, slamming the teapot. "These boys are our guests and they deserve our respect. Do you really want to insult the Avatar and his friend in front of our children? Besides, you know that the Avatar preaches balance, not annihilation. I know you're angry about today, but keep your hatred of the Fire Nation in check for one night."

Kinjo was silent a moment, as he stared angrily at his wife. Then he sighed and said, "You're right, you're right. Li, Avatar Aang, I apologize. I had no right to take out my frustrations on you, and now I've dishonored myself in front of you."

"It's ok sir." Aang said. "But what happened to make you so angry?"

Sighing, Kinjo said, "I needed to get clearance from the Dai Li today in order to leave the city tomorrow, for a ceremony in my home village. But they wouldn't grant it."

"Oh no Dad. They won't let us out for Hai Ceto Day?" Jin asked in shocked disappointment.

"No, they say it's too dangerous for anyone to go outside the city right now." Kinjo said in disappointment. "Now I'll have to send word to the village saying we can't come."

"Maybe, maybe not." Zuko said. "What is this Hai Ceto Day?"

"It's an ancient blessing that happens in my village every year." Kinjo explained. "According to legend, the founder of my village once vanquished a powerful demon that was threatening the land. But he couldn't destroy it, only lock it away. So each year, everyone in the village, past and present, gives a tribute in order to keep the creature locked up and insure a good harvest. No one's ever missed it, but now I get to break the cycle."

"I don't think so." Zuko said. Turning to Aang he asked, "Appa could carry them, right?"

"I'd be shocked if he couldn't." Aang replied.

"Excuse me, what are you talking about?" Kinjo said.

"The Avatar has a flying bison that we used to take Jin home." Zuko explained. "He could take you to your village faster then you could reach it on foot. And the Dai Li has given us the privilege of leaving and re-entering whenever we wish."

"The only thing is, my friends are likely going to want to come." Aang added. "We've been in the city for a long time, and we could all use the break. Would that be all right?"

"Are you kidding? That would be perfect!" Kinjo said with a grin as he reached over and pumped Aang and Zuko's hands. "Thank you both so very much! I can't believe that you would do this after how badly I insulted you."

"That's the kind of person they are Dad." Jin said with a smile and a look at Zuko.

"Of course, we'll need to check this all out with our friends tonight, but I'm sure it won't be a problem." Aang said.

"Of course it won't! A toast, family, to the glory of the Avatar, and the long life of his friends!" Kinjo said, grabbing a cup of tea and raising it high. The others quickly joined in, as everyone drank to the good health of Avatar Aang and Zuko, former Prince of the Fire Nation.