EDIT: Decided to rewrite the ending of this chapter. I also added some new endings to the past chapters! :D Read them all again so it would transition well! :)
EDIT 2: Made some other subtle changes as well! ;D
- In a Taxi Carriage -
"-and then, he just made a big gust of wind from his hands and shot upward! I was taken by surprise, of course, and I was a little worried that he would land on the ground rather painfully. However, he kept his poise while in the air, and even did a backflip while he was in the air! ...I think he was showing off that point, honestly. Either way, while Ong was falling, he basically pushed the air downward again, giving him the momentum to soften his landing, and landed pretty spectacularly!" Aang excitedly told Toph as they rode in the taxi carriage.
Toph patiently listened to the accounts that Aang was describing to her with a friendly smile, not once interjecting or saying anything when needed, as she did love to hear Aang's excitement when he told her about the Air Nomads and the Air Acolytes learning airbending.
"Ong's teachers did really well in teaching him those airbending basics! Heck, he could even be better than Zaheer!" Aang said to her with enthusiasm.
Toph snickered, "Would you say Ong is better than you?"
Aang pouted, but he then smirked as he teased, "Well~, I wouldn't say that...but he's close!"
Toph laughed, "Hahaha!" she pushed on Aang's arm with her hand playfully, "Oh, Twinkles, you slay me!"
Chuckling, Aang said, "Oh dear. I hope that's a good thing?"
"I hope it is. That's what these kids are saying now these days. Basically, I'm just saying you make me laugh hard."
"Heh. Well, wow, I'll take that as a compliment. I would think you would be kind of hard to humor with."
"Says who? The workforce? Pfft! You and everyone else that I know always make me laugh!"
"Even Sokka?" Aang smirked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ha! Even Sokka and his corny-as-heck dad jokes!"
Now Aang laughed, "Hahaha! Well, I'll at least take that as an honor!"
"Oh come on, I'm not that hard to please!" Toph waved him off. "If anything, you make me laugh the hardest!"
"Really?" Aang smirked as he raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm flattered you would say that, Chief Bei Fong!"
"Oh please, don't call me by my profession," Toph rolled her sightless eyes, "Just call me by my name, Twinkletoes!"
"Like how you call me by that name?" Aang teased.
"Oh, you would give me a nickname, wouldn't you?" Toph challenged him.
"Well, if I could give you a nickname, I would give you the perfect name!" Aang assured.
"Oh really? And what may that be?" Toph raised a brow.
"Why, I would call you Tophie!"
"...Tophie?" Toph had to blink at that.
"Yeah! You know, the new Earth Kingdom candy that was just invented! It's a chocolate candy with hardened caramel in it, and tastes great! The reason I would call you that is because you're hard around the edges, but you're really sweet on the inside." Aang explained with a smile.
"Oh...oh, okay! Heh, that's...actually a pretty creative name there, Twinkles!" Toph said as she pushed back a lock of hair behind her ear, turning her head to her right, away from Aang so she would let him see her blush.
Aang chuckled, "Thanks! Maybe I should call you that sometime?"
Toph tried really hard to stop her heartbeat from going so fast, which resulted in her face being even redder. "Haha! Uuuh, how about no?" she punched him in the arm without even looking at him.
But Aang just laughed as well, oblivious to how Toph is acting. She listened to that mature-sounding and husky voice of Twinkletoes while his laugh died down into more chuckles.
"Well, maybe someday," Aang shrugged as he smiled in a goofy way at her.
"Pfft! Don't count on it," Toph said with a smirk of her own, not facing him.
They sat there in the taxi carriage and were quiet. Now letting her heartbeat return to normal, Toph turned away from her right and 'looked' forward. Aang was silent as he looked out to his left to see out the window.
"Ah. We're just about in our neighborhood," Aang said with a smile.
"Heh. Goes to show we're all one big happy family since we all live close by," Toph comments.
"Heh-heh. Well, this neighborhood is supposed to be where the big leagues are living, so I think we did pretty okay to keep in touch with one another...well, except for Zuko. He still lives in the Fire Nation," Aang frowned in thought, "I wonder how long he'll be staying? I mean, I'm glad he's taking breaks every once in a while, but he's the Fire Lord! He's kind of risking his whole Nation to come here! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love seeing ol' Zuko, but...I mean, Mai can only do so much!"
"Hm. And you think Knives and Sparky would've hooked up by now, instead of Mai being Zuko's advisor."
"Yeah...I wonder why they haven't yet?" Aang wondered.
"...Beats me," Toph shrugged.
"Hm...still, most of us are pretty close-knit now."
"Ah, I'm basically like two miles away from you guys and Bumi, as well as Sokka, Suki, and their kids. It's a big neighborhood, ya know?"
"Well, that's because your house is set on the outskirts of the neighborhood."
"But the neighborhood is still in development."
"Well, that's true..." Aang looked out the window, and turned back to Toph, "By the way, um...speaking of family, how is...your Mom?"
"...Well, Mom is always gonna be Mom, of course. She mothers me, she advises on how to act more ladylike, and she gives me advice on how to...find the right guy or something," Toph blushes a bit.
"Oh...well..." Aang clears his throat, "Well, I hope you do find that...right guy."
"...Thanks, Twinkles," Toph smiled sadly...
...Silence...
"...I do miss him, you know?" Toph said.
Aang blinked at Toph, "Um..."
"My Dad," Toph clarified.
"...Oh..."
"...I know sometimes we don't always see eye-to-eye, my Dad and I," she snickered softly, "Wow, two puns in one sentence. I might as well be the next Snoozles."
Aang smiled solemnly at that.
"Anyway, he may have been a little over-protective and paranoid about my well-being back then...but I do know he was always proud of me either way..." Toph smiled softly.
"...And he also loved you too, Toph."
"...Yeah...I know...I just..." Toph gave a somber frown, "I wish I could've said that to him myself...before he was gone...before that illness took him."
Aang also frowned somberly and put a hand on Toph's shoulder. "Toph...he knows you love him. I'm pretty certain he does."
"...It's just...I never properly said goodbye to him..." Toph's eyes shimmered as she let emotions hit her. "If phones were invented back then..."
"Hey, hey, hey, Toph..." Aang said as he pulled her into a hug, "It's alright...it's okay..."
Toph just let herself loose and wrapped her arms around Aang...
They sat like that for a while...in each other's arms...
Then, the carriage stopped.
Sniffling, Toph let go of her embrace on Aang and wiped the tears away from her sightless eyes. "Thanks...Aang..."
Aang smiled reassuringly as he put his hand on her shoulder, "Hey, anytime."
Toph smiled back at him, and chuckled, "Man, I was really gonna let some waterworks out, was I?"
Chuckling, Aang assured her, "Just know you got your mother, and us."
"...I do...thanks again," Toph said as she turned her head to 'look' at him.
The Avatar smiled warmly at his good friend.
Then, the door to the carriage opened, and the driver said to them, "Here we are! The residence of Sokka, Chief Engineer, and Suki, Captain of the Kyoshi Warriors!"
"Thank you!" Aang smiled.
"Yeah, thanks," Toph smirked, "Here, get yourself something nice," she then got a good portion of money out and gave it to the driver.
The driver's eyes bulged out as he looked at how much he was given. "Oh, um, thank you Miss Beifong!"
"No problem! You kept the ride smooth!" Toph got out of the carriage and walked out of it.
"Oh, wow," Aang blinked at how much Toph gave the driver, "Well, this sum makes me feel inadequate," he dug in his pockets and got out a moderate but big sum of money. "Um, would you take this?"
The driver's eyes widened as he saw more tip money. "...Uuuh...yes?"
"Oh good!" Aang smiled as he gave him the amount, the driver's hands being a lot heavier. "Seriously though, great driving!" Aang said as he got out of the carriage.
The driver looked at them both, stunned as he said, "Um...no, thank you two. I hope to drive you all again!" He grinned and pocketed his money as he went up on the driver's seat to hold onto the reigns and snapped them on the ostrich horse, saying, "Let's go get a cow-hog steak, buddy! Woohoo!"
And then he left, leaving the two in front of Sokka and Suki's grand home.
Aang turned to Toph with a smirk, "You had to one-up me, didn't you?"
"Whaaat? What do you mean? I just learned to be giving like you, Twinkletoes." Toph said with a teasing smirk.
Aang laughed, "You know what? I'll take that as a compliment."
"I see Dad! Oh! And Auntie Toph is there with him!" Bumi exclaimed in excitement as he looked out the window.
"Auntie Toph and Uncle Aang are here!?" Hako also exclaimed as he looked out the window with Bumi.
"Yeah!" Bumi grinned at Hako, his cousin grinning back at him too. They backed away from the window and rushed over to go to the front doors, almost running into Kana who was holding a Kyoshi doll as they passed her by.
"Hey! Watch where you're both going!" Kana called out to them.
Bumi turned around in his run and told Kana, "Sorry! But Dad is back and Auntie Toph is here!"
"Really!?" Kana said with excited eyes. "Alright! Wait for me!"
The kids are at the front doors, waiting anxiously for when they come in. Katara and Suki came into the foyer to see their kids waiting in front of the doors.
"What are you kids doing?" Suki asked them teasingly, knowing why they were waiting there in the first place.
Hako turned to his mother with a smile, "We're waiting for Uncle Aang and Auntie Toph!"
"You're the one that's waiting for Auntie Toph, Hako!" Kana teased her older brother.
"Nah-uh! I'm also waiting for Uncle Aang!" Hako shot back.
"You like Autine Toph a lot more though! At least I greet Uncle Aang first!" Kana said with her head held up high and her arms crossed, the Kyoshi doll still in her hands.
"Be quiet, Kana!" Hako pouted at her.
Bumi stood there, excited to see his father come through those doors...and as well as Auntie Toph, he's not going to lie.
Katara giggled at her niece and nephew's banter while she looked at her son, who was waiting in anticipation.
Yes...your father is home...
The grand doors opened, and in came Aang and Toph.
"Daddy!" Bumi exclaimed.
"Auntie Toph!" Hako shouted.
"Uncle Aang and Auntie Toph!" Kana shouted both their names.
All three went to the adults, with Bumi and Kana going to Aang, and Hako going to Toph.
Bumi went up to Aang first and hugged him tightly.
"Daddy!" Bumi exclaimed happily, "You're home!"
Laughing at his son's enthusiasm, Aang patted his son's back, "Hey Bumi! I sure am, little guy!" he smiled down at him, "You haven't been giving your mother a hard time, have you?"
"Nah-uh!" Bumi shook his head as he looked up at his father with a smile as well, "I was a good boy and I looked over Mommy like you said!"
"Well, that's great, Bumi! That's very responsible," Aang looked up and saw his wife, Katara, "Katara! Sweetheart!"
Katara smiled warmly, "Aang..." She came up to him and gave him a one-second peck on the lips.
Toph, who was hugging Hako, sensed the interaction between Katara and Aang but didn't say anything...although, she felt a tug on her heart.
"Hey, Uncle Aang! Auntie Toph!" Kana said with an eager wave.
Toph, thankful for the distraction, let go of Hako and said, "Hey Squirt! Have you been keeping your big brother in line?"
Kana turned to Toph and giggled, "Yep! I sure have!"
"Hey! No, you haven't!" Hako retorted, "Mom has!"
Toph snickered, with Suki coming up to them. The earthbender said to the Kyoshi Warrior, "Well, at least he's honest."
"I raised him well," Suki chuckled.
"Auntie Toph!" Bumi exclaimed as he went up to her next, giving her a big hug, his head to her big bust in an innocent way.
Laughing at the attention, Toph hugged him back and said, "Hey there, Sport! Just so you know, the bad guy has been caught, so you can go back to your home and play out in the streets again!"
Bumi let go of Toph and looked up at her with a big smile. "I heard from Dad! You and Daddy must've beaten him up real good!"
"Well, Toph mainly did all the beating up," Aang chuckled.
"Oh, stop, you weakened the guy for me," Toph complimented with a smirk, "I just gave him the finishing blow."
"Wow!" Bumi said in excitement, "You're all heroes!"
Aang and Toph both chuckled at the praise, while Katara looked at the two for a moment, her husband and her good friend.
You know...they do make a good team…
Shaking her head, Katara remembered something, "Oh! Aang, Toph, I want to let you know that Zuko is coming over right now as we speak!"
Aang and Toph turned their attention to Katara, Aang blinking at that bit of news, "He is?"
"Yeah! Uncle Zuko is coming over!" Bumi said enthusiastically.
"He is?" Hako tilted his head curiously, but he soon gave out a smile, "Hey, cool! I wanted to spar with him again!"
"Zuko? Oh, oh, I got to look nice!" Kana said in a rush, dragging the doll with her as she dashed her way back to her room...only for her to come back and say to her mother, "Mom? I might need some help!"
Suki chuckled, "Okay, Honey, sure thing!" she turned to the rest of the adults and kids, "Well, I need to help little Kana look nice for our surprise visitor. Uh, is his family coming as well?"
"No, just him for now," Katara confirmed with a shake of her head, "He was worried about us back here in Republic City."
Suki smiled at that, "Oh that Zuko. Always a worrywart."
Aang chuckled at that, "Heh-heh, well, Zuko really shouldn't worry too much about us. I mean, he has a Nation to rule, he should worry about that instead!"
"Well, still, it's a sweet gesture," Katara said with a smile, a smile that looked...warm...
Toph felt Katara's heart rate going up...
"Momma! Pleeease! I need to look good for Zuko!" Kana said as she impatiently waited.
Laughing softly at her daughter, Suki turned to her and walked over to where she was, "Okay, okay, Honey, I'm coming."
As Suki left, Hako said to the adults and Bumi, "I got to get ready too! I want Zuko to know that I'm responsible and all that junk!" he dashed his way to his room.
Bumi turned to Aang, "Hey, Dad! My waterbending has improved! Do you want to see? Oh! Hey, can we go to the park so I can show you how good I've gotten with my waterbending?"
Aang smiled warmly at his son, "That's a great idea, Bumi. And hey, maybe you can spot some turtle-ducks on the lake!"
"Ooh! Yeah! Hold on, Dad, I'll be right back! I got to put my shoes on!" Bumi rushed over to the living area.
Aang chuckled and turned to the two women, "My goodness, it's great to be back," he looked at Katara, "Sweetheart, do you think we should head back to our home after we come back from the park? Just so you know, Appa is at our home right now after he dropped me off so I could fight that criminal. And don't worry, he really has been apprehended..." he frowned when he thought of the man named Yakone, "...He was trying to target you and Bumi. I...I shouldn't have made the trip to the Eastern Air Temple in the first place. There were people already...already gone, and-"
"Aang," Katara said with a hand raised to let him stop, "You couldn't predicted that. And besides, you had to teach the new acolytes airbending."
"...I probably should've gotten Ty Lee to fill in for me on that, though," Aang said, a little ashamed.
"Hey," Toph interrupted, causing them to turn to her, "Don't beat yourself up. Ty Lee was at the Northern Air Temple with Teo and their kids, and she could only do so much. She has a family too, and she had to teach the Air Acolytes airbending as well. You don't need to blame yourself for anything. Besides, you came at the right time," Toph smiled, "You saved one person at least. As well as ten thousand-something residents in this city that weren't in the crosshairs of that maniac."
Aang looked at Toph...and couldn't help but smile tenderly at his friend. "Thank you, Toph..."
"Okay! I'm ready to go, Dad!" Bumi said as he rushed up to his father.
Turning to his son, Aang smiled at Bumi, "Alright then! Do you want me to get Appa over here, or do you want me to get a taxi carriage? Or heck, do you want to ride on my back and I'll run us over to the park?"
"Hmm..." Bumi made a thinking face...and said with a grin, "I like for you to carry me over to the park with your super fast speed!"
Aang laughed, "Well then, hop on, Bumi!" he said as he turned around and let his back face him, squatting so he could climb on his back.
"Alright!" Bumi cheered and jumped on Aang's back, wrapping arms around his neck, as Aang wrapped his arms around Bumi's legs.
"Hey, how is that giant furball, by the way?" Toph said with her arms crossed under her chest with a smirk.
"Oh, he's getting older, but he's still as lively as ever!" Aang chuckled.
Katara smiled, "He's still looking good, too!"
"But I'm better looking, am I?" Aang said with a teasing raised eyebrow.
Bumi snickers, while Toph tries to hold back a comment. Katara rolled her eyes with a smirk, "Well, that beard is really scraggly."
"Oh come on, not you too, Katara!" Aang pouted.
Katara raised a curious but teasing eyebrow as well, "Oh, so people are saying the same thing I said?"
Toph froze for a moment.
Oh boy...best not to, uh…tell your wife that I touched your face, Twinkles.
And as if he heard Toph's thoughts, he sputtered and said, "U-Uh, well, I...I mean, I was asking a lady Acolyte if this beard looked manly, but she said...n-no..."
Snickering, Katara said, "Well, I for one, have to agree with her."
Toph smirked. Thanks, Kat. Also, thanks for the save, Twinkles.
"What? I mean, it really doesn't look good? But I've been growing it ever since!" Aang said in surprised disbelief.
"I think it looks good, Dad!" Bumi said to him from behind.
"Thank you, son," Aang said to him with an appreciative smile.
"Oh, don't be a big baby about it, Aang," Katara waved her hand at him with a smirk, "If you want to let that thing grow, then okay, I won't stop you."
"...Even if you don't like it?" Aang asked her hopefully.
"Well, you're going to grow it either way, so I guess so."
"...Okay...thanks, Sweetheart," Aang gave Katara a peck on the lips and told Bumi on his back, "Come on, son, let's get going to the park! Just hold on tight!"
"Yeah! You bet!" Bumi cheered.
They exited the home through the front doors and closed the doors behind them.
"Well, there they go," Toph said as she sensed Aang running off to the park with Bumi on his back. She turned her attention to Katara, "So, how are ya Sugarqueen?"
Chuckling at the old nickname, Katara said, "Been doing well. I'm really glad you and Aang got this maniac off the streets."
"Eh, all in a day's work for me," Toph said with a shrug and a smirk, "Twinkletoes did help out though in tracking him down."
"Well, I bet you had a lot of reporters on you."
"Tch! Tell me about it! I think one of those reporters have the hots for me, or something."
"Really? Uh...man or woman?"
"Pfft! A man, of course!"
"Okay! You never know these days!"
Toph laughed as well as Katara, each sharing their sisterly connection as they interact with each other.
After her laughter died down, Toph then asked, "So, speaking of men, you said Zuko is coming over soon?"
Katara paused for a second, and said, "Um, yeah! He called us at our home first and he called Suki and Sokka's house a while later. I talked to him a little bit..."
"...Did you enjoy it?" Toph asked her, her expression neutral.
"What?" Katara blinked, "I mean, yeah, I haven't...seen Zuko for so long, that it was great to hear from him."
"...Okay," Toph shrugged.
...All of a sudden, they stood there, a little awkwardly...
"...H-He was just wondering if we were okay. Me and Bumi...a-as well as Sokka, Suki, and their kids!"
"I wouldn't put it past him to check up on them," Toph said simply.
"Uh...right..."
...Silence...they still stood there in the foyer...
"...Are you nervous?" Toph asked Katara, not technically in a questionable way, but in a way that sounded like she was really checking on her.
"..." Katara looked around the foyer to see if anyone is around, "...Yeah...I-I am..."
"..." Toph raised a hand and patted Katara's shoulder, "Just don't make it too obvious."
"..." Katara sighed, "You know I hate to go on this...whole...you know, this whole charade, do you, Toph?"
Toph nodded, her expression serious, "I know..."
"...I...I told Zuko that Bumi looks like his father..."
...More silence...
"...What did he say?" Toph asked.
"...He said...he hopes not..."
"..."
"...I was just trying to make him feel better, and-"
"Hey," Toph interrupted her, "...Don't worry. The most important thing is...is that you don't break Aang's heart, okay?"
Katara looked at her friend, "I know...I won't...I love Aang..."
...Toph nodded once more, patted Katara's shoulder with her hand, and said, "Well...I might need to go back to the station. I can't trust those knuckleheads to get things done all on their own."
Katara smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Toph. Really..."
"Hey, no prob," Toph said with a reassuring smile of her own, "Tell Suki and the kids that I had to go. Oh, and tell the tykes that I love 'em."
"Will do, Toph," Katara nodded with a warm smile.
"Well, I'm off," Toph walked ahead to the doors, opening one of them to exit the house, until she paused midway. "...Seriously though, Katara...don't break Aang's heart."
Katara frowned, "I won't, Toph. I really won't."
"...Okay then. I'll see ya later, Sugarqueen," Toph said as she left the home, closing the door behind her.
...Katara stood there, alone in the foyer...
...She sighed and went over to Kana's room to see if Suki needed help with her daughter's primping.
- In Another Taxi Carriage -
Zuko felt nervous...
When his airship landed at the airport, he told the pilot he could come back when summer vacation was over, and to let his family come on the airship around tomorrow morning so he could fly them over to where he was. He soon flagged a taxi carriage, which the driver seemed to recognize him when he approached the carriage.
"Wow! You're the Fire Lord! Well, I'll be spirited away! Fire Lord Zuko in my taxi carriage! What are the odds of this happening?" said the driver of the vehicle in excitement, the ostrich horse pulling the carriage at the reigns. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I'll let this ride by as smooth as possible!"
"Um, thank you," Zuko said to the driver.
Zuko looked out of the window of the carriage as it drove to its destination, which was Sokka and Suki's home.
To be perfectly honest, he didn't bring anything with him on the trip. He was just there early because...well, a maniac was causing havoc in the city where Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and...Katara live...
Either way, he wanted to check up on them...and the kids as well...
...Especially Bumi...
He'll get Iroh, Azula, and his mother to get his stuff...
"So, I have to ask, but what's the occasion that you're here in Republic City?" the driver asked Zuko.
The Fire Lord turned to the driver, "Oh, just...you know, summer vacation. I, uh, I came for a much-needed early break from all the work I had back at the Fire Nation. I'm meeting up with my friends. I, um, I would think you'd know them."
"Oh yeah! Your war hero buddies! Avatar Aang, Master Katara, the soon-to-be Mayor Sokka, just to let you know I'm voting for him, his lovely bodyguard and wife, Captain of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki, and the RCPD Chief, Toph Beifong!"
"Yes, that's right," Zuko nodded, thinking about his friends...and one other particular woman.
...I need to properly apologize to Katara. I knew she was trying to cheer me up, but...
"Well, hey, glad you're here in Republic City! This city sure is growing quite a bit, and I think it will continue to get even bigger! I hope you'll have a good time around here!"
"Thank you. I...certainly will," Zuko said, almost hesitant to continue his sentence.
Right...I will...I'll have a good time with the ones that...I care about...
Zuko looked out the window of the carriage again, seeing all the people walking by and the other carriages going past them. Just watching them go by, like everyone else in life...
...The carriage was going around a park...it was then he spotted some people...
Eyes widening, he recognized the two people, one an adult with yellow and orange robes, and the other a boy, a child that was wearing an orange shirt and pants with a red belt...
And that child was waterbending near the park's lake.
Bumi...
Zuko turned to the driver, "Um, s-stop the carriage, please!"
"Hm?" the driver hummed in question, "Uh, okay."
He stopped the taxi carriage, letting Zuko get out his money and pay the driver. "Here. I also gave you a tip."
"Oh?" the driver took the money and looked at his earnings. "Um...wow. Uh, okay then. Have a good time at Republic City, Fire Lord Zuko!"
"Um, yeah, I-I will. Thank you again," Zuko nodded a farewell and got out of the carriage.
"Wow, Bumi! You're doing really great with your waterbending!" Aang praised his son.
"Thanks, Dad!" Bumi said as he waved his arms around to control the water he was bending.
Aang chuckled, "I kind of wished you were an airbender, just to see how well you would do with that element. But I would think you're just like your mother!"
"Oh! Am I gonna be as good as Mom someday?"
"Well, we'll see! You might need to practice with your mother a bit more, though. But you're getting there, Sport!"
"Alright!" Bumi cheered as he maneuvered the water in his hands. As he was doing so, he turned his attention to someone walking up to them. "Huh?"
"Hm?" Aang looked up and saw...
"Uncle Zuko!" Bumi exclaimed as he tossed the water and ran over to Zuko.
"Oh! Zuko! Hey there!" Aang said with a happy smile.
Zuko walked up to them with a small smile...and was soon collided by the small form of Bumi. "Oof! Um..."
"Uncle Zuko!" Bumi exclaimed in joy, giving him a big hug.
The Fire Lord looked down at the boy...and smiled down at him in warmth.
"Hey, Bumi. It's...It's good to see you again," Zuko said to the boy as he hugged him back.
Bumi...you really are happy to see me...
"Hey, Zuko!" Aang came up to them, waving his hand at him. "You seem to be early!"
Zuko looked up and smiled at Aang, "Uh, yeah. Just...well, I heard of the situation down here, and I wanted to see if any of you are okay. That and you might need some help with this, uh...this bad man?"
Bumi let go of Zuko and looked up at him with a smile, "Oh, you don't have to worry about that bad guy, Uncle Zuko! Dad and Auntie Toph took care of him!"
"Oh?" Zuko said to the boy, and looked up at Aang, "You, uh, you and Toph did?"
"Yeah!" Aang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Well, I would say Toph was the one that took him down since she was the one who saved me from being, uh...controlled by the guy."
"Controlled? You mean, he bloo-" Zuko paused as he looked down at Bumi. Thinking quickly on how to say it delicately, Zuko just said, "Um...really?"
"Heh, uh, yeah...but no worries, Zuko! We're all a-okay!" Aang then decided to change topics, "Anyway, did you just land?"
"Uh, yeah. I got a taxi carriage and...well, I saw you and Bumi and I decided to...um, say 'hi'."
"Aw, okay then!" Aang nodded with a smile, "Is Mai taking charge over there?"
"Oh yeah, she is," Zuko said, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.
"Huh. I mean have you two tied the know yet, or...?"
"Uh, n-no! I mean, not...particularly..."
Bumi made a face, "I don't think you should. Mai is boring."
Zuko and Aang looked down at Bumi, blinking at his opinion. The Fire Lord then just chuckled, while Aang couldn't help but snicker.
"Well...you're not too wrong, Bumi," Zuko told him.
"But seriously, Zuko," Aang said as he frowned, "Are you sure you want to leave behind your Nation for a while just for us? I mean-"
"Aang, don't worry. Mai and my other advisors are very trained and they can keep the Capital afloat. I really want to see you all. I haven't seen any of you, since...Bumi's sixth birthday," Zuko said as he looked down at the boy.
Bumi smiled big at Zuko.
The Fire Lord smiled back at him, his smile filled with sincere warmth.
"Well...okay," Aang said, trusting his friend's decision. He gave a smile to his friend also, "Either way, it's good to see you, Zuko!"
"Yeah...it's great to see you all as well," Zuko said with a smile and a nod back at Aang.
"Hey, Uncle Zuko! Look, I'm wearing the shoes you got me on my sixth birthday!" Bumi said as he got his leg out, showing the red shoes he was wearing. "They were a little big when you got them for me, but now they fit!"
Zuko looked down at the shoes that Bumi was wearing, and couldn't but feel...moved.
"You...You're wearing my gift? Y-You like them?" Zuko asked, trying not to tear up.
"Of course! They're really cool!" Bumi said with a happy smile.
"...I'm so glad to hear that, Bumi," Zuko said with a sincere and touched smile.
"Heh, yeah, Bumi really wanted to wear them until he grew into them. Which wasn't long," Aang said, "He still has your big fluffy turtle duck plush in his room as well as the other toys you gave him on his third birthday."
"That...That's great," Zuko felt touched. He turned to Bumi, "I...I'm sorry I couldn't give you anything for your fourth and fifth birthday..." his face expressed shame, "I'm really sorry, Bumi."
Bumi shook his head, "No, don't feel bad, Uncle Zuko. I know you have a lot of work to do back at the Fire Nation. Momma told me you have a big job being the Fire Lord, especially when the airbenders came out of hiding!"
"Oh...your mother said that?" Zuko asked, his heart swelling up.
"Yeah! Dad also couldn't come to my fourth and fifth birthday because he had to help out the airbenders, so I understood that!"
"Um..." Aang rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah...I-I'm really sorry for that as well, Bumi."
Bumi turned to Aang, "Oh, don't worry, Dad. I know you had to rebuild your people and get the Air Nomads going again! Besides, you were working with Uncle Zuko at that time, right?"
"Oh, well...yeah, at times. I mean, we meet up," Aang said with a sheepish smile at Zuko.
Zuko just smiled and nodded, "Yeah, your...father and I meet up whenever we have the chance. I met all of the descendants of the surviving Air Nomads, by the way."
"Really? Oh cool! Were they nice to you, Uncle Zuko?"
Chuckling at that, Zuko said, "They were definitely the real deal, so yes, they were nice."
"Well, hey, here we are then!" Aang said with his arms wide open, "You're here Zuko, we're here at the park, Katara is back at Sokka, Suki's, Hako, and Kana's place, Toph is likely back at the station again, and I would think Appa is back at our home relaxing! We're all back together again! This will be great! And the birthday boy here is gonna be seven in two days!"
Zuko smiled at that, "Yeah...that's right."
"Yeah! Just in time for my seventh birthday!" Bumi cheered. He looked over at the lake, "Ooh! Look! Turtle ducks!"
Zuko and Aang turned their attention to the lake and saw a herd of turtle ducks swimming in the lake.
"Oh, yeah! Aww, isn't that something?" Aang said as he looked at the turtle ducks.
Looking at the turtle ducks, Zuko also watched them, as there were two adult turtle ducks, most likely a mother duck and...a father duck. Behind them were about seven ducklings following their parents...
"...It certainly is," Zuko said in an almost melancholy way...
He looked down at Bumi who was next to him, awed and entranced by the turtle ducks.
...Zuko smiled.
He couldn't ruin this...he can't...
He just had to keep smiling…
...Smiling at and for his boy...even if he was far apart from him...
It certainly is.
Ho-ho-hoooo...some drama...
The so-called powerful Avatar doesn't even know...
Heh-heh-heh...fool...
And poor, sad, little Fire Lord...he can't be close enough to his offspring...
Not to say that the Avatar isn't doing it better...teeeeee-hee-hee-heeeee!
Well, either way, the bastard child looks...delicious.
I wonder what his fear is?
...Soon...when all is said and done for today...I will feast on scared flesh tomorrow!
I just...can't...wait...
But I will...until then...
I will listen to those thoughts...and fears...
Hm-hm-hm-hm-he-he-he-he-he...ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa! HAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAA!
...It awakened again.
It's been doing that a lot lately.
It has become quite frequent...Avatar Roku, do you think Avatar Aang should know of this...presence?
...We can only tell him when he's in the Spirit World, Avatar Kuruk. Whenever he decides to visit for whatever reason...we shall tell him about this...anomaly.
But what will happen when it strikes again?
...All we can do, Avatar Kyoshi, is pray that it won't affect anything in the living world...
...Just...what is this thing? It's...neither living nor dead...not in the Spirit World sense, but...it certainly is an anomaly.
I'll tell you this, Kyoshi...whatever this is, it makes Koh seem...friendly in comparison.
And that is what's so troublesome...you and Roku feel it too, right?
Indeed. Avatar Yangchen felt it as well. It was so...vile. It was as if this thing only had one emotion...a need, a hunger...like Koh, but...this is even more...sadistic. From what I sensed, this...I don't even think I can call it a Spirit or a thing. It seems so...monstrous. Like an actual monster...primal, like most Spirits, but...this one feels like it enjoys doing whatever it wants to do.
Kind of like Koh.
Yes, but...Koh would at least be honorable...this thing feels...just evil.
...We must know more about this creature.
But how though, Roku? I don't even think it's part of our very own world.
...There are other beings out in the Stars that are of higher position like us, Avatar Kyoshi. We may not know what they are, but they are there. Some could be higher than the Avatar...however, this thing seems to have just appeared...by accident...
But even then, who could've sent this creature?
...That, Kyoshi...I feel like our answer would come from this creature itself...
...So we know nothing of this thing as of now?
It would appear so...should we be wary of this thing, Kuruk?
...That's the thing with otherworldly creatures and encounters, Roku...we don't know what they'll do until they strike again.
BOOM! I finally updated this! XD But yeah, sorry for the long wait everyone, I was kind of having writer's block on this, and I had to do other stories. D: But I'm glad I updated this, even when it's two days until the Netflix Avatar: The Last Airbender show drops! Can't wait for that! :D
But yeah, I got nothing else to say, except I would love to hear what you think! Give me a fave, follow, and most importantly, a review! :)
Thank you all for reading and keep on rocking everybody! :D
-TSP