More Than Friends // zukka

Where Life Takes You

Aang wasn't particularly keen on interviewing the bandits they had captured two days ago. The fact of the matter was that these people probably wouldn't talk, and he really didn't want to waste his time trying. But Katara had her heart set on getting all the information she could out of these people, and he knew that trying to go against her would be even more exhausting than just joining her on her mission. The prison of Ba Sing Se still looked gloomily depressing and Aang hated being underground where the air felt sticky and claustrophobic. Sighing, he followed Katara towards the cells.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" he asked for the third time.

"Aang, they will talk. I am sick of seeing you like this and if I can do anything to wrap this up sooner, I will!" she said fiercely and opened one of the cells.

After they had talked to four different men, Katara brought the first woman into the meeting room. By this point, Aang felt like he could fall asleep right then and there. Yawning, he shifted in his seat as the woman walked in and sat down across from him. Surprisingly, she looked even more exhausted than Aang, and he immediately felt somewhat comforted.

"So, why do you do this? Attack the Generals?" Katara went straight to the point.

"That's what you're worried about?" the woman asked.

"How about you start by telling us your name?" Aang chimed in, smiling.

"My name is Dayiu and I'm an Earthbender," she said monotonously.

"Nice to meet you Dayiu," Aang replied, "Would you tell us why you joined the Shadow Bandits?"

"Well, you're taking my friends away from me in your stupid mission for peace!"

"Your friends?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow, "You mean the Fire Nation colonies?"

"Yes, we've learned to live together and became friends," Dayiu explained, "and now you're taking them away again. What is that about?"

"Well, Fire Lord Zuko thought it to be the right thing to do after what his nation has done to the Earth Kingdom. Do you disagree?"

"Yes, I do. You can take away the military, but why the rest?" she asked.

"She has a point, Katara..." Aang agreed.

Aang could see that Katara was not at all amused by this. She had grown to like Zuko and wanted to defend him in any way she could. And Aang knew that she would take any attack on her mission personally. But Dayiu made a fair case in saying that removing the regular Fire Nation citizens could be avoided. After all, didn't they want the nations to live in peace together? Wasn't building friendships what this mission wanted to accomplish? Suddenly, Aang felt an overwhelming wave of guilt washing over him. He felt that they should've asked the people what they wanted instead of just deciding for them like Fire Lord Ozai had done for the longest time.

"Hey Aang, can I talk to you for a second?" Katara whispered and dragged him away.

"What do you think we should do?" he asked her.

"Well, I don't know if she's telling the truth," Katara said earnestly, "Maybe we should wait for Zuko to come back and get his opinion?"

"Okay, but we can't leave them locked up, can we?" Aang pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe we can ask them to stay in one of the Guest Houses?"

After Aang had talked to the group of Shadow Bandits and explained to them what they were going to do, he was surprised to hear united voices agreeing with him and thanking him. Of course, they understood that there would be guards around at all times, but Aang got the feeling that he had a chance to repair the damage and earn their trust by asking for their opinions and working together.