It was undoubtedly the biggest family gathering since Toph's funeral. Everyone, literately everyone, was at the island and they were all there to meet his long lost brother and wish him a happy birthday. Poor Mako was very out of place in this crowd, and it didn't help when the family huggers, namely Kya and Bumi, squeezed him without cause or warning. Now they were in the dinning hall and all eyes were on him because someone had asked the famous question, 'where've been all this time'. Mako froze, in a room full of world leaders, powerful benders, war heroes and soldiers...he really didn't want to answer that. Bolin put a hand on his brother's shoulder and gave him a comforting look,
"I got this one, Bro." he stood up and told them the complete story, "...So we got another former criminal in the family."
"Ah...a thief under an alias. That takes me back." Zuko said as he stroked his beard, "In my troubled days I was the mysterious thief known as Blue Spirit." Mako's eyebrows shot up into his hairline as his jaw hit the ground. Bolin tried not to laugh...he really did,
"What'd I tell you, big bro? Every member of the family over the age of ten has a record."
"Except Iroh ll." The current Firelord corrected, "Such a little goody-goody."
"And Pema!" Kya called, putting her arm around Lin's shoulder. "Despite our best efforts." Sad part was, Pema actually looked a little ashamed of herself for not having a criminal record.
"You think she's gonna give Lin a good reason to throw her in jail?!" someone shouted from across the room. The roaring laughter could be heard by the docks.
"Few days in a cell wouldn't kill her." Lin sneered.
"Yeah...in this family, you're weird if you haven't been arrested at least once." Everyone responded in agreement before turning to their own conversations.
...
"Can't believe he actually reached the kid with those letters." Bumi admitted to Lin and Kya.
"Neither can I."
"It was destiny."
...
"Did you hear the game last night?"
"Yeah. Tigerboars! Ha! More like bunnymice. Can't believe they call themselves Probenders!"
...
"How many times you've been arrested?" Mako asked his little brother.
"Me? Technically once, for stealing bread." Bolin answered.
...
"So Tenzin, what do you have on your record?" and Pema's innocent question caused two dozen conversations to stop at once. Disapproving glances, questioning gazes, knowing smiles and a sadistic Beifong smirk bore into the airbender's head.
"Well, um...we'll discuss that later." Tenzin assured his wife as he blushed from head to toe.
"Aunt Toph arrested him for being drunk and disorderly and for public indecency." Kya blurted out as her little brother didn't have the backbone to do it himself. A lot of people stared as all words and thoughts left them, "Oh, it gets better." she snickered, "If Toph had been a minute later the airhead probably would've publicly lost it to a fiftysomeodd -year-old, heavy set, ill-tempered woman named 'Keiko'." Eyes around the room got as big as saucers. Bolin almost asked what the old lady almost stole from his uncle before realization dawned on him and he started to turn red as Tenzin.
"Lost what? Jinora inquired.
"His glider." Katara answered before anyone else could even come out of shock.
"And that is why it is never a good idea to drink alcohol, Jinora." Her father decided to make a life lesson out of his terrible experience, "It will make you do strange things."
"And you wouldn't want to lose your glider." Bumi laughed. Everyone glared at him, "What? She wouldn't."
"And neither would Tenzin."
"Wh-why were you even drinking?" Pema stammered. It was against the very principals of the Air Nation.
"It's not like it's the only time he's ever drank, Pema." Kya came to his defense.
"Yes, but I can understand last time; I mean, Toph would have laughed but...why did he drink that time?"
"Well, you see, Lin was getting married the next day and she wanted me to attend her party. I was just trying to be supportive."
"And I spent the entire morning arguing with Father Superior about that. Apparently it's my fault he can't hold his drink." She rolled her eyes.
"Is that when he started to hate you, Mom?"
"No, he hated me long before that."
"I think..." Bumi stroked his beard in thought, "it really started when you were twelve and you...", every adult gave him the 'say it and die' glare. "never mind."
"If everyone's finished...maybe it's time to go visit outside for awhile." Katara 'suggested'.
"Yeah, that's a good idea." Bolin nodded enthusiastically, "There's something we swore we'd do when we found Mako."
...
"You want me to do what?!" Mako asked as he stood in a huddle with his brother, Asami and, surprisingly, Iroh.
"We're going to play avatar." Bolin repeated, "Come on...don't you remember playing when we were little? I was Aang, you were Zuko...good times..." he gave Mako the polarbear pup look, "...good times." he whispered sadly for dramatic effect.
"And you two are going along with this?" They nodded and he decided that he was going insane, that was the only reasonable answer.
"Okay, so Asami will be Katara, I'll be Aang, Iroh will be Iroh, and you can be Zuko."
Meanwhile, the majority of the family watched with curiosity. Each coming up with their own conclusions as to what terrors the four were planning to bring upon the island. For a good five minutes the group just stood in a tight circle before all of the sudden, Asami and Bolin took off as fast as their legs could carry them. Exactly ten seconds later, Iroh and Mako followed suit.
"Are they playing...tag?" Zuko asked as he watched the four run about. His inquiry was answered when Bolin created a wall between his team and their opponents.
"No...that's not 'tag'." His daughter said disbelievingly as they continued to watch three adults and a near-adult play like children.
"Who's who?" One of Iroh's cousin's asked,
"Bolin's always been Zuko or Sokka and Asami's always Katara or Azula."
"So, 'Katara and Sokka' vs 'Zuko and, I'm guessing, Iroh'."
"I'm the Avatar, you'll never catch me!" Bolin shouted, hurling a boulder at Iroh, who calmly bent down and picked a flower, completely avoiding it, seemingly without even knowing that he did.
"That does look like something Uncle would do."
Iroh, in his experienced wisdom, realized that the avatar and the master waterbender were far too fast to be caught on foot, so he advised his nephew that this mission required tact...a trap of sorts. They'd hide in the trees and when their prey came through, they'd jump down and tie them with some rope used for bison reigns.
"How long do we have to wait here?" Zuko whispered irritably from his branch,
"Patience, Prince Zuko, the avatar will be yours soon enough." And sure enough, they saw the avatar and his friend walking in their direction. Bolin knelt down and slammed his palm against the ground.
"Zuko, we're about to be discovered!" He whispered quickly,
"They're around here somewhere, but I can't see them." he pondered this for a moment, "They've gotta be in the trees!"
"Now!" Iroh jumped down and tried to tie Katara's hands behind her back, but she slipped out of his grasp...the fight was on. Zuko landed right beside the avatar and tackled him, making him move backward. This avatar was an master earthbender, but if Zuko could just drive him five more feet to the east...there a small pond had been found, one that only existed after several heavy rainstorms, all he had to do was get the novice waterbender in it and...splash!
In the end, with his uncle's help, Zuko had successfully captured the avatar and a waterbender as a bonus. They proudly carried their prizes back to the Fire Nation.
...
Lin raised an eyebrow as she saw Mako come back with his brother tied and gagged and thrown over his shoulder. Iroh was hoisting Asami back too, but at least in a more dignified way, merely carrying her in his arms though she was also tired up. Mako raised his fist in a victory pose and shouted,
"I captured the Avatar! My honor is restored!" Everyone clapped for Mako, but no one could deny that they clapped and shouted louder to annoy Zuko. It was true, he would never, ever, live it down.
"So Iroh...you playing with children now?" His cousin teased as he rejoined the group of older adults.
"It's just that I gave my word. One day, years ago, Bolin came to me and-"
"He suckered you into it." Lin shook her head. Damn polarbear pup look.
...
"Bolin, I got a question for ya." Mako said as he pulled up the covers.
"What is it, Mako?"
"Do you realize how crazy your family is?"
"Yep." Bolin did't even blink.