A really long A/N: Okay so obviously I don't own the show lol
This is actually the first thing I've written in all of my life, and in retrospective it's pretty bad but it gets better... I think.
I feel the need to clarify some things first, it indeed does take place in 2K15, but I decided that the four nations become an invididual country of the Asian continent, the nations becoming regions instead and republic city being like the main region/capital, now where they live is just like a small city from republic city, it sounds confusing but I'll let y'all figure that one out.
Now for classes: Sokka (17), Suki (17), Zuko (18), Mai (17), Ty lee (17) are seniors. Katara (17), Toph (16), Aang (16), Azula (17) are juniors, I didn't want there to be like a really big age gap because and I doubt a senior would be friends w/ a freshman LBR.
And now for personality... there is no war, they're not warriors, so obviously some things personality wise are going to change but not that much, in general they are more shallow, undecisive and promiscuous than in the show because you know... they are teenagers instead of kids.
Some characters are purposely OOC (mostly minor characters), and now looking back at it a lot of the characterization is wrong, but I'm definitely trying to get it right as the story progresses.
Also all pairings are canon, and TyZula omg, but other pairings will make appearances too first, but it's def mostly one-time things.
Katara was sitting on her brother's blue soccer mom Honda Civic, waiting for the owner himself. Her dad was out of town and she just got her driver's license. Sokka wanted to drive, but there was no way she would let him, he only got his license a month ago after nine tries, and she really desired to arrive to her first day of school in only one piece.
The girl was painting her nails, carefully trying not to ruin her favorite teal dress.
"You know sokka! We could be a little more late if you want!" Katara shouted. She closed the baby blue bottle of nail polish and turned on the radio, working her way through various stations until she finally found one that was playing what had to be the latest hit.
Sokka finally stepped into the car, sporting a ponytail that drove attention to both shaved sides of his head. He wore ripped jeans, a plaid blue shirt above what had to be the most hideous T-shirt ever.
"Wait a second, is that a boomerang man shirt?" Katara pointed at his brother. "You have got to be kidding me."
"Hey, chill! What's wrong with it?" Sokka raised his hands up to his torso signaling the piece of clothing.
Katara rolled her eyes. "Forget it, We're late anyways."
"I could always go get changed if you are so embarrassed!" Sokka stated mockingly; wanting to bother her, he started smooching the air around her.
"Stop!" The blue eyed girl started moving her arm all around him trying to shove him out of the car.
"Hey katara! Stop doing that, we're going to be late," He teased. Then started to tap the front of the car as if it were a drum, creating a rhythm that complemented the song.
Katara squinted at him, trying to figure out what was his intention.
"Love me like you do, Lo-Lo Love me like you do! Touch me like you do..." Sokka's voice was really off key, which made Katara cringe to no end. She couldn't help but cover her ears.
"Shut up... You sounds like a walrus."
Sokka patter his sister on the head. "Thanks, I happen to love walruses."
The road was clear, showing no sing of cars but a pink convertible with a license plate that read TYLOVE. Inside the car there were four teenagers, all dressed in variants of the color black and red.
The girl riding shotgun didn't hesitate to complain to the driver. "Ty lee, could you drive this thing any faster?"
"What's the problem Azula? It's not like we're late," The pink girl rejoiced.
Azula scoffed. "I just want to arrive fast so we can finally stop listening to this Miley Cyrus nonsense!"
"What's so wrong with her? We could always listen to One D, if you want!" Ty Lee smiled, always so optimistic.
Two teenagers sitting on the backseat of the pink car snickered.
Azula gave a smirk to one of them through the rear-view mirror. "ZuZu, I'm sure you hate this kind of music as much as I do, but are you willing to support it just to be sitting next to Mai?"
Mai rolled her eyes and sighed
"You know what? That's IT," Zuko snapped. "It's your fault I have to ride with you! In case you haven't noticed. So Ty lee, stop the car! I'll drive and we will listen to MY music!" He was tired of his sister's schemes, it was enough with the constant favoritism in his house, he shouldn't get to be humiliated in front of his sister's friends, that was just straight up pathetic.
Despite not being any of their friends, none of Azula's friends were shocked at Zuko's sudden outburst of emotion, in fact, they were used to his hot-blooded nature due to the many years of friendship they shared with Azula.
Mai figured that letting him drive in his actual state wouldn't be a good idea- actually him doing anything in his actual state would be a bad. Knowing Ty Lee's ineptitude regarding everything, Mai interfered before she let Zuko do anything stupid. "I'll drive and we will listen to Azula's music, is that okay with you Zuko?"She asked as if she were dealing with a slow child, because technically she was.
"Um, sure?" Zuko said as he scratched his neck.
Ty lee giggled. "Mai you're so good at solving problems!"
The school was already open for students, so they could acquire their schedule and locker combo. Thanks to this, the front patio was practically abandoned except for a few students, who worked as tour guides for new students.
A short blind girl and a tall bald boy with arrow tattoos all over his body, were sitting on a concrete bench.
The girl dug through the pockets of her leather jacket a cigarette. She didn't hesitate to stuck it between her lips and light it up with her new Cuban lighter. No smoking was allowed on school ground, but most teachers were at the teacher lounge and the inspectors were making sure there was no trouble on the hallways and considering that ninety percent of the people giving tours around school were nerds looking for extra credit, there was supposedly no danger around this area that should be taken care of. Even if there were inspectors around, it's not like she would care if she got caught, after all, she was already in detention and they couldn't give her more punishment, especially not to the daughter of the school's biggest benefactor.
The bald boy flinched upon the smell of smoke. "Toph if you're going to smoke, could you like, not blow it in my face?" The boy demanded lightly.
Toph rolled her eyes and proceeded to comment, "This wouldn't happen if you weren't vegan."
"What?" They boy furrowed his brows in confusion and tried to figure out what kind of relationship both things could have.
"Whatever," Toph grunted. Then added, "Aang if you're still mad about the whole detention thing, I honestly think you should get over it." The girl blew some more smoke at his face.
"Could you please stop doing that," Aang said, his annoyance levels rising, and shoved the smoke out of his way before he could breathe it in.
"I can't help it! I'm blind," Toph defended herself.
Aang sighed. "Sorry for snapping at you. I'm not complaining about showing students around, but when you're doing it out of obligation, I don't see what's worth it. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't listened to you."
Toph irked at his last comment. "Aang I already said I'm sorry but you have to understand, I did not make you do the prank! It was you choice!"
"Because you manipulated me," Aang retorted.
Half and hour passed and the friends kept fighting.
"Oh and for your information, orange is not your color!" Toph exclaimed, "It makes you look bloated- DIBSONTHEGIRL."
"How is orange not my color! I've worn it all my life! And why are you calling dibs?" Aang was both offended and confused.
Suddenly two students approached them.
"Hey are you guys our guides?" The girl wearing a blue dress asked sweetly.
Aang smiled. "My name is Aang and that's Toph-"
"Hey," Toph said with a monotone voice.
"-And we will show around school and-"
"Yeah, yeah! I know that!" The boy tried to speed up the process. The girl elbowed him and told him not to be rude.
"The girl is with Toph and you are with me." Aang pointed at the guy. "Also what are your names guys?"
"I'm katara and the idiot is my brother Sokka." The girl with blue eyes pointed at his brother with her thumb.
"Katara, that's a nice name."
Sokka raised one eyebrow.
Aang sighed. "And so is Sokka."
Sokka smirked. "So what do you have planned for us today LoverBoy?"
"I'm going to show you around school, what else did you expect?" Aang questioned him.
Toph interrupted. "Hey Sugar Queen, we could skip school if you want?"
"What?" Katara was taken aback by sudden suggestion.
"Chillax, it was a suggestion. Plus it's not like we have classes, at least not real ones," Toph joked.
"Katara, live a little!" Sokka demanded. "Maybe we could exchange partners. Don't you think?" The brother suggested.
"Thanks?" Aang crossed his arms.
Toph shook her head to decline. "It's against the rules."
"Aww come on!" Sokka pleaded. Suddenly he felt a tug on his shirt.
"You heard her buddy, let's go!" Aang walked to the school's entrance with sokka dragged by the shirt.
"Ty lee are you sure the GPS works?"
"Of course!" Ty lee smiled.
Mai grimaced, unsure of Ty lee's answer.
"Ty lee, I swear to god, if we arrive late I will personally kill you," Azula stated while devouring the whole package of fire flackes.
"There shouldn't be anything wrong with it." Ty lee announced. "In fact, it's brand new so it hasn't been programmed or anything!"
Zuko and Azula groaned in unison.
"You idiot!" Zuko yelled. " That's why we're going nowhere!"
"Hey!" Azula smacked zuko in the head with snack's bag. " Don't shout at Ty lee like that! I'm the only one who can do that!"
Mai looked disgruntled. "Azula, I don't want any trouble. Could you please drive?"
Mai stopped the car and traded places with Azula, Once in the car, Azula left in full speed to where the school was supposedly located, no one really knew due to the fact that they were pretty much carried around by their personal chauffeur (except Mai, who took the bus) the privileges of being rich.
It was Ty lee's idea to drive her friends to school, she wanted to show off her "new" car. The car was like a family tradition, every time one of Ty lee's sisters graduated, the car was passed onto the younger one, so she was pretty excited. At first Azula was a little skeptical about joining Ty lee, but when she found out that Mai had asked for a ride, she purposely canceled on their personal driver in order to make Zuko join them. Azula had taken an habit to bother both Mai and Zuko once she found out Mai had a crush on him on 2th grade, her crush lasted a week.
"Azula, I think you should slow down," Mai suggested, uninnterested. "You don't have your license yet."
"Well, I'm getting it next week, so why not practice a little." Azula winked.
Suddenly, a grey smoke leaked out of the car's hood, its heat made the windows foggy making unable any view of the road which ultimately made Azula crash Ty lee's car against a tree.
"Toph, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but you suck at touring," Katara claimed as she tried to open her locker. "God! Why doesn't it open!?"
Toph put on a pair of earphones and rolled her eyes. She was beginning to regret not taking up Sokka's suggestion of changing partners. "I had that locker two years ago, it always happened. I wish I could tell you how to open it but I don't remember."
Katara sighed and threw her blue kanken backpack to the floor in defeat. "Maybe if we hadn't taken a shortcut, we wouldn't have been late to pick our lockers!"
Toph ignored Katara. She took out her Ipod classic and skipped a few songs Aang put on her device to "expand her musical horizons". It annoyed her that he would mix up her Kanye West with his Coldplay. Most of the time she would try to make him feel guilty by saying he was taking advantage of her blindness- though, lately he has been more keen of ignoring her comments, if things went right with Katara maybe she would replace Aang as her personal guide dog, at least when it comes to uploading music into her Ipod.
"So what now?" Katara asked as she picked up her backpack.
Toph tilted her head to the right. "I don't know, what do you want to do?"
"I have history next, you could show me where my class is," Katara suggested.
"History? So do I." Toph took out her earphones and asked, " But are you sure you want to go?"
Katara sighed again. "Let me guess? You want to skip class."
Toph grinned and nodded in approval.
Katara loudly retrieved, "Well, that's not going to happen!"
Toph's jaw dropped, maybe Aang will stick with his guiding dog position after all. "Why not?" Toph asked, although it sounded more like a plea.
"Because it's irresponsible!" Katara barked. She placed the Kanken on her back and marched trough the halls.
Toph followed Katara behind, or at least what was close to her. "How is having fun irresponsible?!" The blind girl argued.
"It just is!" Katara tried avoiding the topic.
"Ugh Katara! Why are you so Bigheaded?" Toph crossed her arms and furrowed her brow.
Katara turned around dramatically. "Bigheaded?!"
"You heard me!"
Katara stood there pouting until she finally gave in. "Fine, we'll go, but just an hour."
Toph hugged Katara's arm and cheered. "I knew you would do it!"
Katara rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Aang," Sokka said as he unfolded his schedule out of his green backpack, "I would normally make fun at you for being such a dweeb and arrive early for this locker thing, but I have to admit, having a good locker for once is nice!"
Aang grinned. "There is nothing wrong with following rules every once in a while."
Sokka observed the schedule and scowled. "I have science." He quickly changed his facial expression. "Do you want to-"
"We're not skipping school. There is a lot of people going to the mall already, do you really want to risk getting caugh-"
"Yes," Sokka responded without giving it a second thought.
Aang sighed. "Well, I don't. I'm going to show you your class."
"But Aaaaaaang," The water tribe boy pleaded. He was almost dropping to his knees.
"And that's final," Aang declared.
"Fine!" Sokka relented. he crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue to Aang.
Aang chuckled and patted Sokka's back. "Come on, you don't want to be late for science class."
Sokka grunted.
"Is everyone okay?" Zuko asked, he stood out of the car, fixing his ruffled hair.
"Yeah," Azula and Mai assented at the same time with a shrugg.
"I'm not!" Ty lee sobbed.
"What's wrong?" Mai joined Ty lee on the backseat to see if she was injured.
"My car is ruined!" Ty lee reported in between cries.
Azula blew out a strand of hair off her face in annoyance. Mai expressed the same feeling with a creased brow while she took a nail file out of Ty lee's backpack.
"Wow okay." Zuko held up his hands making a calm down gesture.
Azula side eyed him. "Don't be annoying, I bet you would sound worse if this happened to you."
Ty lee interrupted, "Can we focus? You just crashed my car into a tree, we have no gas and we're LATE!" Ty lee kept sobbing. "There goes my perfect attendance."
Azula's eyes widened. "I forgot about school."
"Should I call the police?" Zuko suggested.
"If you do that Azula will get arrested for driving without a license," Mai explained as she filed her nails.
"So?" Zuko said, followed by a smile. That would be the best case scenario.
Mai ceased her nail file and sighed. "I'll call my dad, he can probably get us."She didn't really want to call him... but he was their only option left, she just hoped she wasn't interfering in any life threatening business as her dad called it, lawyers are so dramatic.
Azula directed her voice at Mai. "You know I did not crash car, right? It was the car that failed so technically it was Ty lee's fault."
Typical azula, persuading poor little helpless Ty lee into feeling guilty. Now Ty lee sobbed even louder than before. "I'm sorry guys! Azula is right, it's all my fault."
"See!" Azula pointed out.
Mai wasn't appalled by Azula's lousy behavior, it was a part of her routine nowadays, sometimes she wished Azula would stop being so irritating but it's better to just let it be rather than to create petty fights, but despite that, she always felt the need to put Ty lee's good aura a priority on her list.
Mai rolled her eyes and shifted her eyes off her phone. "Azula, it isn't her fault the car was in bad state either."
"You're right, it wasn't her fault the car was in such state, but it was her fault the GPS wasn't programmed. We could probably be at school right now." Azula directed the blame at Ty lee again.
Mai disagreed, "You think that's good? We would have crashed in front of everyone and that would have been embarrassing." Mai took the IPhone 6 out of her ear, sulking. "I don't have signal. Do any of you?"
The tree of them checked their phone, shaking their headsl.
"Great," Mai muttered as she ran her hand through her long untied hair.
Suddenly Azula came up with one of her great plans. "We're not far from the mall, maybe someone could look for Uncle Fatso at his weird store and help us out."
Azula stared at Zuko waiting for him to offer joining the search party. Once Zuko caught her indirect, he just shrugged. "I'll do it if you come with me."
Azula quickly objected, "I can't Zuzu, I have to comfort Ty lee." Then, she ordered, "Mai, go with Zuko, I don't wan him to get lost."
Mai yawned. "Whatever, just let me get my backpack first."
"So how are we going to the mall?" Katara asked while being dragged uncomfortably -due to height difference- hand in hand by Toph.
"Don't worry, I know a couple of people who can see enough to not crash." Toph winked and Katara smiled at her eagerness.
After wandering around the parking lot for 5 minutes, the girls found a group of teenagers, all wearing Blue Adidas tracksuits with red stripes on the sides, sitting on a table.
"Jet!" Toph called. "Wanna skip?"
"Who are they?" Katara mumbled in question.
They were five teenagers, judging by their sportswear, part of some kind of team. The leader, Jet, had dark skin and messy hair. Next to him was a girl, with a really weird haircut, she was talking to a guy, who seemed to listen yet never talked back. Behind them there were two guys, a chubby one and small freshman, having a burping contest.
"They're the freedom fighters, the school's debate team," Toph replied.
"Toph! Long time no see." Jet extended his fist to Toph, who hit it with a punch. "Who's the friend?"
"That's katara." Toph erroneously pointed at her friend. "I met her today. I was so supposed to guide her, but I convinced her to come." Toph whispered to Jet, "Be careful though, she's a saint."
"Hey!" Katara exclaimed with irritation. She accepted going on this "field trip", how much more rebellious could she get.
Jet gave the water tribe girl an amicable laugh. "Katara, don't worry we've all been there. You just got to loosen up, I promise we will have a good time."
Katara turned around to hide her blush. "I guess so."
"We don't have much time left," Toph reminded. "Let's go."
"Katara, Toph, since you guys are the smallest, shotgun is available for both. The others will go in the backseat."
The freedom fighters groaned.
Jet opened the car door for the girls. "Suit yourselves, ladies."
Toph rolled her eyes. "You are such a gentleman," The blind girl said with sarcasm.
Jet smirked. "I do what I can, don't I?"
Sokka slammed his head into Aang's locker repeatedly. "That was the longest class I've ever been to!" Sokka grunted. "Remind me not to go to school ever again!"
Aang laughed. "Don't be so dramatic."
Aang and Sokka wandered through the halls until a girl bumped into Sokka.
"Hey! Watch it!"
The girl had auburn hair and blue eyes, she was really beautiful and Sokka would have probably flirted with her if she wasn't so mad, or looked like she could punch him.
"You were the one that bumped into me!" Sokka defended himself.
Aang interfered non-threateningly once he realized who the girl was. "Hey Suki!"
Suki directed her view at Aang and showed him a kind smile. "Hello Aang! I didn't see you there! I was busy fighting this idiot."
"I'm right here!"
Suki ignored him. "Anyways how was your summer?" Suki asked. She gave Sokka the cold shoulder and made a friendly posture to Aang that implied she was all ears.
"Oh, it was fine, you know same as always," Aang replied.
The pair talked for a few more minutes. Suki had to leave, for she was late for soccer practice.
"Rude much?" Sokka whined.
"Not really, Suki is great once you get to know her."
"Yeah, whatever." Sokka punched Aang in the arm. "Why didn't you tell me there was a soccer team?!" Sokka exclaimed excitedly.
Aang rubbed his arm trying to stop the pain. "Because I doubt you would made it in, you just bumped into the team's captain."
"A girl!?" Sokka scoffed. "But girls don't know how to play soccer!"
Aang grimaced. "Sokka, Suki has led 15 championship trophies home, I'm sure she can play."
Sokka's jaw dropped. "Aww man! I'm doomed."
"You can try out if you want to, though I don't guarantee you anything."
Zuko would probably kill his sister right now, if he wasn't so far away, if he wasn't so terrified of her, if he could come as close as to compete with her. He was not going to lie, his feet where hurting a lot but he couldn't complain, Mai was wearing platforms and didn't suffer, but then again, she only wears a straight face, so probably she wasn't showing it. Despite being friends with Azula, she was the least annoying of her friends, mostly because she would actually leave him alone, unlike Ty lee, so he was glad that Azula made her come instead.
The silence that was going on was bothering him, he was surrounded by his sister's screams all the time, so the change of background was unrecognizable to put it that way. He didn't want talk, but for some strange reason he did.
"So um... How far do you think the mall is?" Zuko asked.
"I hope not far enough," Mai replied.
Zuko narrowed his eyes in confusion, he didn't know if that was an insult or not.
The next few seconds were followed by awkward silence.
"Nice weather?" Zuko tried breaking the ice once again.
"Is that a question or an statement?" Mai raised her brows in question. "No offense Zuko, but if you don't want to talk, you don't have to."
He really thought that Ty lee was the one that reads auras, was it that obvious he was nervous? It's okay, he was kind of more at ease now.
"Oh.. Okay," Zuko smiled with more confidence.
Mai smiled back.
Ty lee laid on the backseat of her car. She flipped the pages of a magazine, stopping every once in a while to comment to Azula how good she would look wearing certain outfits she found complemented her figure. Azula ignored most of her comment and continued trying to fix the car's motor.
Suddenly the hood of the car fell and hit Azula on the head. She groaned and held her hands to her head trying to make the pain stop.
"Ty lee! Make yourself useful and hold the hood please!" Azula ordered.
"Oh! Azula, you know I don't do such manly things!" Ty lee said as she flipped another page of the magazine.
Azula glared at Ty lee.
"Don't look at me that way! You were the on that crashed my car, you should fix it," Ty lee pouted and resumed her "reading".
Azula took one hand out of her head and gasped at the sight of blood. "You have got to be kidding me!"
Ty lee perked her ears up upon hearing Azula's cry. "What's wrong?" Ty lee asked, never leaving her eyes off her magazine.
"Just tell me where the first aid kit is!"
"But what happened?" Ty lee dramatically put down her magazine.
Azula bowed her head to show a medium sized scratch. Ty lee being a gymnast, she has experienced worse, so naturally she just shrugged it off and tossed her the kit.
Again, being a gymnast, Ty lee's strength was different so when she threw the kit, she wouldn't have imagined it would hit Azula hard enough to leave her unconscious.
"Azula!" Ty lee jumped off the car and rushed her to her side. Azula didn't show any vital signs so she slapped her to see if she regained consciousness, but she did not move.
Ty lee gasped. "Oh my god! I think I just killed someone!"
Jet's car was full. Katara was holding Toph on her lap with a worried face, she didn't want jet to get into trouble for carrying to much people.
"Katara relax," Toph exclaimed, "You're acting like those massaging couches, stop moving!"
Katara apologized.
The car was crossing now a more secluded road.
The girl with a weird haircut squinted her eyes to look a little better. "Wait, is that Ty lee?"
"I think so. Wait, what is she holding?" The small freshman pointed out.
"I think it's Azula." Jet slowed down the car's velocity.
Katara was astounded. "I think she is dead!"
Jet kept staring at Azula's alleged dead body, then, he laughed when the dead girl winked at him. "False alarm, she's just playing."
"Oh." sighed The girl in the backseat. Apparently everyone hated Azula.
"Shouldn't we help them?" Katara asked. "I mean, their car is stranded."
Toph rolled her eyes. "Please, Azula would rather die than get in Jet's shitty car... No offense Jet."
Jet shrugged. "None taken."
The car moved a few kilometers until Jet slowed down again when he found a couple traveling down the road.
"Get a room you guys!" Jet shouted.
Mai rolled her eyes and Zuko got flustered. "Shut up!" Zuko yelled.
"Are you lost?" Jet asked with amusement.
"No, but our car broke down," Mai explained.
Jet grimaced. "Sorry but I don't know how I could help with that."
Zuko tried to keep up with car's pace. "You could drive us to the mall."
"Sorry Zuzu, we only have one spot left and I would rather give it to Mai anyways." Jet winked at the gloomy girl, who crinkled her nose in disgust.
"Don't be gross Jet! Just take us to the mall!" Zuko exclaimed with a sour face. He was about to jump into the car and beat up Jet.
Mai quickly caught up with Zuko and put a hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, let it go. Let's just walk. We need it anyways, we skipped Gym," Mai said soothingly.
"Aww..!" Katara cooed.
The two teenagers glared at her, she hid in shame behind Toph.
"Anyways... Bye Jerko. Bye babe!" Jet shouted before speeding off.
Zuko flipped him off.
"Who were they?" Katara asked Toph.
"The guy is Zuko, the girl is Mai. Zuko's dad works along my parents, and he has a sister, the one everyone thought was dead. Mai is friend with Azula, along with the pinky girl that was carrying Azula. They're really popular by default, except Zuko, who is like... just there."
"What do you mean by default?"
"They're rich, they're good looking and they're smart, so naturally people will like them. That's why Zuko isn't as popular, compared to his sister, he is practically an idiot," Toph explained.
"Aren't you all those things Toph? Doesn't that practically makes you popular by default?" Jet questioned the blind girl.
"Well, yes! Especially the good-looking part. But not everyone knows I'm rich. And the reason I'm not popular by default is because I'm blind, yet I'm still popular, but because I am a great person, unlike them," Toph elaborated.
Jet objected, "I don't think they're mean, Azula maybe, but because she is naturally a bitch. Ty lee is actually really nice and in Mai's defense, she doesn't care about anything."
"Since when is not caring about anything nice," Katara commented. "And you guys said I needed to loosen up."
"It's not the same Katara, we don't even know you that well and you're acting pretty uptight," Toph confessed.
"Uptight?! I think you should be careful with who you are talking to Toph, I could literally throw you out the window right now," Katara threatened.
Jet widened his eyes in shock. Toph laughed cynically. "If you aren't as snotty as you say, then maybe we could do something..." The blind girl challenged.
Katara raised one eyebrow in question. "What kind of something?
"Oh, you'll see. Only cool people do these things."
"Okay maggots! Form a line and focus. I'll be right back," Suki informed.
Suki sprinted into the nearest table and chugged down a whole bottle of water, she almost choked on it when she saw Aang and his friend arrive.
"Aang! I didn't know you wanted to join the team!" She was surprised, Aang wasn't into this kind of stuff, like team playing, which was kind of suspicious, he had a lot of musculature for someone that didn't do anything sport related.
"Actually, I came to-"
"Actually we're both joining the team," Sokka interrupted
"What?!" Aang froze at the spot.
Suki pressed her lips together in annoyance. "You guys are late for try outs."
Sokka lowered his head in disappointment while Aang internally thanked the spirits.
"-But I've never seen Aang play before, I guess I'll do an exception." Suki smirked. "Follow me!" She threw the empty water bottle into the trash can and motioned them to go where the other team players stood.
"Sokka!" Aang clenched his fist. "What did you do!?"
"You owe me! My sister is off to god knows where, meanwhile I'm stuck in school, the least you could is sacrifice your dignity so I could join the school team. You heard Suki, you're the only reason I'm even allowed to try out."
"Fine, I'll do it, but don't expect me to do anything. Also, that was kind of clever," Aang said with amusement.
Sokka grinned. "Can't expect nothing less from the best!"
"I still can't believe that idiot ditched us," Zuko fumed.
Mai sighed. "You can stop ranting now. We arrived."
The couple entered the mall and quickly stepped into the mechanical stairs.
Mai brushed a hair off her face and looked at Zuko awkwardly. "Before we met up with your uncle... I was wondering if we could go to H&M? I need a pair of shoes, these didn't survive."
"H&M? Umm, Sure. It's not like uncle is leaving this place." Zuko faked a smile. He wanted to go home as soon as possible, but he liked Mai and she accompanied him this far with no complaints. They still had a lot of time left, Zuko could wait for Mai to do her thing, she seemed less vapid than Ty lee, so he doubted she would take too much time.
"Great," Mai said, her voice less blunt than before. She grabbed his arm and dragged him upstairs. Her sudden approach made Zuko blush and grin like and idiot.
Ty lee was pacing around, rubbing her temples. Could this day get any worse, she thought. Probably!
"What do I do? What do I do?" She repeated over and over fearfully.
"If I stay with the body, I get tried for murder."
Think Ty lee, Think!
"I could say it was self-defense, that she tried to kill me by crashing the car! God, I'm so smart!" The girl kept talking to herself.
Her lightbulb quickly got shattered. "Crap, Mai and Zuko were in the car!"
She kicked the car's tire in frustration. "I guess I only have one solution left."
She held up Azula's body and crossed the road. It was pure "luck"that they got stranded in a rural area, where rocky hills could work as body disposals.
Ty lee placed Azula's body on the barrier dividing the road and the hill, now tearing up like crazy she decided to make a "little" speech.
"Azula, you may not be the greatest friend, you were rude, inconsiderate and sometimes annoying, you practically gave me a chronic migraine, but still, you were my best friend and despite what everybody said, you were the best." Ty lee made a pause to breathe and wipe the tears out of her eyes and the snot that was clogging her nostrils. "I will never forget all those moments we had! Like when we pushed Mai and Zuko into the your pool, or when we stuffed Jet into his locker after trying to hit on us! Or when we made out in your couch after watching that movie about-"
"I can't believe your still hung up on that, it happened like a week ago, get over it."
Ty lee gasped. "Oh my god! Now her ghost is haunting me just like in the movie!"
Azula rolled her eyes. "I'm not dead Ty lee, I just wanted to scare you. It was entertaining until you started getting all emotional."
"Oh!" Ty lee cried of happiness as she hugged Azula. "I missed you! I thought I was going to jail!"
"Ugh, clean your face. You look awful." Azula took out of her pocket a deposable handkerchief and handed it to Ty lee.
As if this day wasn't weird enough, when
Ty lee went to grab the object, she tripped on a rock and fell down the hill.
"Ty lee!" Azula screamed in horror. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"
"Azula! Calm down."
Azula looked down the barrier and saw Ty lee hanging onto a rock, safe enough to support her for an hour, maybe two.
"Oh. I thought you might have died," Azula said nonchalantly.
"I might as well die if you don't get me out of here!" Ty lee shouted.
Azula rolled her eyes as she slouched against the barrier. "Just wait, I'm sure that idiot Zuko would have found Uncle Fatso by now."
The debate team plus Toph and Katara, sat on a table located on the food court. The group were splitting two KFC combos. Katara wouldn't admit it, but she was having a good time, they were very welcoming. Her relationship with Toph was a little rocky but she wouldn't deny having a soft spot for her, not taking her dares in count, she really showed affection to Katara, the small girl could be a pain in the ass but Katara accepted her no matter their differences.
"Okay, so what were your names?" Katara asked, pointing at each freedom fighter with a fry.
The girl with the weird haircut was Smellerbee. The mute boy was nicknamed Longshot. The big guy was Pipsqueak and the freshman kid was The Duke.
"Katara, where are you from?" Pipsqueak asked.
"I'm from the southern tribe," Katara replied as she dipped her fries on hot sauce.
"No kidding, why so much hot sauce then?" Jet joked, then asked, "Why did you move to Republic City?"
"My father partnered up with some guy named Ozai, so that's why we're here."
"That's the same guy my parent work with! Zuko's dad!" Toph commented while putting a handful of fries in her mouth.
"Do you have sisters by any chance?" The Duke wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Katara laughed, "No, sorry! I have a brother, now if you're into that..."
"No thanks!" The duke answered with no hesitation.
Everyone laughed.
"I wonder what kind of stuff are your brother and Aang doing now?" Toph said with her mouth full.
Katara put a hand on Toph's shoulder. "It's better if we don't know."
Aang fell to the ground when the ball Sokka kicked hit his head. Sokka ran where Aang laid, his tongue out, drooling, and a giant red mark on his forehead. Sokka put three fingers up and asked Aang how many fingers he held.
Aang sat up and laughed. "Sokka relax, I just slipped, I don't have a concussion."
"Oh, Okay. Sorry I kicked the ball so hard." Sokka scratched his back.
Suki blew her whistle signaling the boys to come. Sokka picked up Aang and they jogged to the center of the field, where she was. Suki was carrying a wood board with papers attached. She was scribbling down something.
"What's up coach?" Sokka asked with confidence. He thought he did a pretty good job.
Suki stopped scribbling and looked at both of them with an intimidating face, then back at Aang with disgust. "Aang, I'm sorry, but you suck. Letting you join the team would be like self-sabotaging."
Aang pretended he was sad. "Oh, but suki, I wanted this so badly!"
Sokka softly chuckled behind his ear.
"You didn't want it bad enough apparently." Suki frowned.
Aang and Sokka's jaws dropped by the harshness of her words.
Suki, now, made eye contact with Sokka, who was sweating like a pig, both from playing and the fear Suki made him feel.
"Saúl-"
"It's sokka," he corrected.
"Right. Sokka," Suki continued, "Your kick is awful. Your force is uncontrolled, you almost gave Aang a concussion, and your posture sucks... you bend too much."
Sokka grimaced.
"But, you have potential." Suki ripped a page of her wood board and handed it to him. "Here's your schedule, you start tomorrow."
Sokka jumped with a fist in the air and then pulled Aang and Suki into a hug, "Thank you Suki, I wont disappoint you!"
"My head!" Aang muttered.
Suki grunted, "Personal space please!"
The hug dissolved quickly.
"Sorry, I forgot." Sokka laughed nervously.
"It's okay, just don't do it ever again." Suki smiled cynically. Aang agreed.
"Not that I don't like hugs Sokka, I just don't want them when I'm having a brain spillage," The boy secured his words.
"Okay!" Sokka put and arm around Aang's shoulder. "Bromie."
"Bromie?" Aang questioned.
"It's a mix of bro and homie."
"Oh, okay. Bromie!"
Zuko could barely see with all the shopping bags blocking the way.
"Sorry, I didn't know they would have a sale," Mai apologized.
"It's okay Mai, no problem," He threw a fake laugh.
"I could have gone shopping with Ty lee, but I bet she would rather go rub Azula's feet or something."
"That's gross," Zuko said. Barely being able to move, he walked into whatever direction his feet could step into.
"Watch out!" Mai warned.
Zuko was astonished by the fact that Mai actually spoke higher that her usual tone of voice, he didn't pay attention to neither what she said or where he was going. Without wanting to, he lunged into a fountain.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Mai extended her hand to Zuko, which he grabbed.
For Zuko's luck, his frenemy, Jet, was just around the corner. At the sight of a wet Zuko, the boy couldn't help but burst into laughter. The sound of laughing made Zuko distracted and pulled Mai's hand hard enough to let her fall face flat to the Fountain's bottom, half of her lower body sticking out.
Jet laughed even harder. Mai pulled her head out of the chlorinated solution and spat some water in repulsion. Zuko gaped at her with fear, thinking of what her cold soul would say to him.
"I guess we're even now," Was all Mai managed to say.
They both let out a small giggle to indicate no hard feelings.
"Sorry for ruining you clothes." Zuko bowed his head in shame as he handed Mai her bag.
"Don't worry, I have a washing machine," She joked.
Jet rushed their side. "Are you guys okay? That was hilarious!" He beamed.
Mai and Zuko emerged from the fountain. "We're fine." Mai threw him a shopping bag. "But you should help us out," The girl ordered.
"Where's everybody?" Zuko asked. Now he carried less bags than before.
"The guys left to the arcade while I was peeing, now I'm searching for them. And Toph is with her new friend."
"Do you think it's a good idea to leave Toph alone with a girl she barely knows?" Zuko asked.
Jet tilted his head to the right and thought for a few seconds. "You are right. We should stop her before she does something stupid."
"Azula! Tell me! Does it say anything about what kind of face mask works for my type of skin?!" Ty lee shouted from here she was hanging.
"Um, no!" Azula replied. She flicked the fire of her lighter and burnt the tip of the cigarette on, Then, flipped a page of the other magazine she found in the backseat of Ty lee's car. "But they talk about scrub, does that work for you?!" Azula shouted back.
"Yes! Please! Just read all of it!" Ty lee pleaded.
"Alright! No need to fret! Okay, Here we go: 8 TIPS FOR GIRLS WITH GREASY SKIN BY SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE."
Katara and Toph waltzed arm by arm through the various stores, stopping in a few every once in a while to stop Katara's nerves, which didn't work because they only got intensified once they found what they were looking for: The Tattoo Parlor.
Before they could go inside, Toph grabbed Katara's arm and stopped her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes! Now can we get this over with?!" Katara replied with anger.
"You know if you don't want to you don't have to do it, right?
"I know!" Katara stomped into the store.
Toph got an old Nokia cellphone out of her pocket and dialed a number. "Twinkletoes, are you still with Samuel? -Oh sorry, I meant Sokka. Anyways! This is an emergency!"
Sokka ran along the paring lot with Aang searching for his car. Sokka tossed his car keys to Aang, he couldn't drive, he didn't know where the mall was.
"On the bright side, we did skip school after all." Aang commented brightly as he put the key in the ignition.
Sokka groaned, "This isn't time for jokes Aang. Just drive!"
"Okay, but first, seatbelts!" Aang quickly secured himself with the safety belt and put his hands on the steering wheel.
"You're kidding right?"
Aang stared at him with furrowed brows. "Do I look like I'm kidding?"
Sokka fastened his seatbelt. "Now?"
Aang nodded and turned on the radio. "I love this song!"
Sokka moved his head following the beat. "Me too!"
And with that, the boys drove away while humming Truffle butter by Nicki Minaj, Drake and Lil' Wayne.
For a tattoo store, it wasn't THAT bad. Sure, it smelled horrible, but it was probably those bikers with nasty pits that came to gossip here. The music wasn't awful either, listening to Pony by Ginuwine (a song frequently played at strip clubs) was way better than Metallica blaring on the speakers.
The bell made a *ring* sound,announcing that Toph entered the store, shortly followed by three other consecutive rings.
"Toph, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Katara, along with the entire store but the blind girl, turned around.
"Hey! If you're going to yell please take it outside!" The owner called out.
"Sorry." Jet, Zuko and Mai apologized simultaneously.
"What are you doing here? How did you find us?" Toph raised her eyebrows. "And why are you two wet?"
"Long story," The couple muttered. Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Wait, how did you know?"
"You guys smell like wet cat."
Jet stood tall, trying to show his dominance over Toph. "We came here to make you take back whatever dare you made Katara do! Also... it wasn't that hard to find you, we just had to think about the dumbest place in this mall."
The owner grunted.
"No offense," Jet added.
"I tried! But she won't listen!" Toph gulped. "I didn't think she would actually do it."
Meanwhile, Mai and Zuko took Katara to the other side of the store.
"So Katara... right?" Mai asked.
Katara nodded.
"What kind of tattoo are you getting?" Mai raised an eyebrow in approval.
Katara was about to answer but the boy with the scar interrupted.
"Don't encourage her!" Zuko mumbled in between gritted teeth.
"Why not? I think it's cool."
"That's not why we're here! We're supposed to help her not do something stupid," Zuko insisted, louder this time.
"Actually you're right, that's not why we're here. We came searching for help," Mai pointed out.
"Right! I forgot!" Zuko put a hand to his forehead worryingly, which he soon retracted. "Nah, actually, I don't care. This is more entertaining." The boy then proceeded to ask, "How do you girls think I would look with a tattoo?"
"Good? I guess?" Katara answered a little unsure, she didn't want to offend the gloomy girl, in case they were anything.
Mai stared at him with amusement. "Maybe you should get a teardrop under your eye to showcase your sudden rebellion... you know Azula is going to kill you, right?"
"I'll take the risk," Zuko smiled.
"Azula?" Katara asked. She heard that name before, she just wasn't sure when.
"She's my sister," Zuko replied with disgust.
Katara's face lit up when she recalled. " Oh! The one that's dead?"
The pair looked at each other in shock. "dead?"
"Not really though, she was fakin-"
"We gotta go! Nice to meet you Katara, I hope you have a good school year, or something!" The boy and the girl rapidly stormed off the store.
"Wait, Mai!" Jet shouted as he peeked half of his body out the door of the shop with bags in both hands. "You forgot you bags- Oh whatever, she's too far anyways."
"Though luck." Toph took the bags away from jet and lurked through them.
"Azula! The rock is about to collapse!" Ty lee cried out.
"What do you want me to do?! I'm in as much stress as you!"
Ty lee rolled her eyes. "Azula, you are not the one who's going to die!"
Azula was trembling. "God! Why can't these idiots hurry up!"
Suddenly, a car parked right in front of her, and out came Zuko, Mai and Uncle Fatso.
Zuko's smile faded when he saw Azula was alive. "Close one," he mumbled under his breath.
"Azula, why did the new girl say you were dead?" Mai asked, a little confused as to how they knew each other.
"New girl?"
"I think so? Unless I haven't noticed her existence before. She was hanging out with Jet and Toph," Mai explained.
"Well, that explains everything. I'll tell you later."
"Azula!" Ty lee screamed.
"I forgot! Ty lee is hanging to her death and surprisingly... I don't know what to do."
"Don't worry azula." Uncle Iroh ruffled her niece's hair, which she fixed afterwards in annoyance. "Nothing the dragon of the west can't handle."
Azula turned around to show them where Ty lee was. Her jaw dropped when she observed Ty lee sitting on the barrier, grinning mischievously with her arms crossed.
"Ty lee! What the fuck!" Azula yelled in rage.
"Azula, your manners!" Uncle instructed.
"But -But I -I" The girl stuttered as she held her index finger in shock.
"Azula, this is no different than the rock climbing we do in GYM. Just consider this a little payback." Ty lee smirked, then asked happily, "Why are you guys wet?!"
The couple sighed. "Does it matter?"
"Yes! It does!" Ty lee rubbed her hands. "Tell me everything!"
Azula's eye twitched, "Ty lee! Shut up!"
"We should go home now." Iroh put his arms around both nephews.
"Yes, please!" The siblings agreed.
"Katara! You're next!" The owner of the parlor shouted.
"I guess I'm doing this." Katara smiled at Toph, who was biting her nails in worry. "Wish me luck!"
The door of the store opened abruptly.
"Katara! stop what you're doing right now!"
Katara rolled her eyes and turned around. "Sokka! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Uhh... actually, I called him," Toph intervened with a nervous pitch.
The owner of the store exclaimed, "If you need to talk please take it outside!"
"Right! Sorry!" Toph apologized.
The group, except for Jet who already left to meet his other friends, walked outside the store. Sokka grabbed Katara by the shoulders and sat her down at the nearest bench.
"Look Katara, I don't understand what you're trying to prove," Sokka said. "Toph already said you didn't have to do it, you really want to do this to yourself?"
Katara rubbed her right arm and gazed at the floor, biting her lip. "This is not about Toph."
Sokka sat next to his sister and put an arm around her. "Then what is it about? When I said you needed to relax, I didn't mean it this way."
Katara's eyes started to water a little. "Sokka, I wanted to do this for mom, just have a reminder of her, I owe it to her."
Sokka grimaced. "Katara, I understand, but there a lot of ways to pay tribute to our mom that doesn't involve you making a possible mistake."
Aang and Toph glanced at each other, regret in their eyes. "If I may," Aang turned to the siblings and spoke up, "I don't think there's anything wrong with her choice. Some people may look at my tattoos as something wrong, but only I know what it means, they're supposed to show the pride I have of being who I am, and a reminder of what I've been through. I feel like, Katara wants to show the same."
Katara smiled sweetly and wipped off her tiny tears with her arm. "Sokka, I know this isn't the best idea ever, but it's what I want."
Sokka grabbed her sister's hand. "Then, we'll do it together."
Katara and Sokka hugged and stood up, walking back to the store. Toph followed behind them, until Aang grabbed Toph's arm, flipped her around and gave her a suffocating hug.
"I'm really, really, really sorry Toph, you're right, the joke may have been your idea but I decided to do it." Aang's voice cracked. "I can't believe I didn't talk to you this whole summer over something so stupid! You're my best friend Toph, and I hope you can forgive me."
Toph sniffled. "Aang, it was my fault too! I was too hard on you and I'm sorry for that! I hope YOU can forgive ME!"
"But it was more MY fault," Aang reassured.
Toph shook her head, "Um, no, it was more MY fault!"
Aang frowned. "No, it was MINE!"
Toph gave him a sly smile. "Well, if you insist!" Aang sighed and extended his arm for Toph's to grab.
Before they could go inside, Katara and Sokka came out. Both wearing clenched jaws and fists.
"Can you believe that guy!" Sokka fumed. "How does he even dare to ask for ID's when he probably has killed someone before!"
"You know, I would normally scowl at you for doing false accusations, but you are right! Who does he think he is?!" Katara crossed her arms and pouted.
Toph punched Katara in the arm. "You better show him, Sugar queen!"
Katara laughed and punched Toph's arm back. "So, where to now?" Katara asked.
"Nowhere for us. Too much for today," Aang said. "But we could go to the arcade tomorrow, I'm close to beating my record in Crocodile Hunter!"
Sokka grinned. "Yeah! See you guys tomorrow!"
The gang hugged each other, and parted their ways, all of them grinning.
Zuko sighed as he jumped onto his bed. He gazed at the ceiling with a blank stare, his concentration destroyed once he heard his sister's annoying high-pitched voice.
"Had a great time, apparently," Azula commented as she leaned against the door's frame with her typical smug grin, examining her French manicure.
Zuko blushed. "It could have been worse."
"Yeah, it certainly could have. Mai must really not hate you if she didn't kill you for pulling that little stunts of yours."
"It was an accident," Zuko reassured. He ignored his sister and observed the white ceiling again.
"Whatever." Azula rolled her eyes. "Also, aren't you going to take a shower? You stink. I would suggest you wash off that blush of yours while you're at it."
Zuko groaned and threw her a pillow. "Get out!"
Azula moved to the side, the pillow flying past its target, crashing into the hall's wall. "Missed me!" Azula cackled. "I'm going to Ty lee's, see you later, idiot!"
Once Azula left the room, Zuko grabbed another pillow and screamed into it to release all the stress his sister caused today.
Sokka laid his feet on the coffee table of the living room, he focused his fingers on the control remote, changing channels every 2 seconds. He stopped and laid back when he found the channel that played Law & Order. "We find ourselves together once again, miss Benson," Sokka said to himself as he chewed on a protein bar.
Katara cringed with disgust when he heard Sokka's comment. What a weirdo. She took out her Pink Iphone 5C and opened the HayDay app, she hasn't fed her horses in ages.
Sokka's stomach grumbled. "Hey K! Did you bring dinner?"
Katara looked up from her phone and widened her eyes. "Shit, I knew I forgot something."
Sokka patted her in the back with force and laughed. "Gotcha! I brought some. Hope you don't mind eating pizza, it's what I could find in short therm."
He got the pizza box out and handed Katara some napkins. Katara grabbed a slice of pizza, she quickly put it down. "It's cold. I should go heat it up." Katara observed the kitchen in the back while standing up, then she shrugged and sat down.
"Ugh, whatever, we won't die of hypothermia if we don't microwave the pizza at least once."