Fire and Aether

Chapter 44: The Promise

       Water...earth...fire...air...aether...
      Long ago, the five nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all five elements, along with her Guardian, could stop them. But when the world needed her most, she vanished.
    A hundred years passed and a pair of siblings--Katara, the last waterbender of the South Pole, and Sokka, the best warrior in the South Pole--found the missing Avatar and her Guardian: an aetherbending princess named Rosalia and an airbender named Aang. 
   This group would then leave the South Pole and travel the world, collecting more members--a seer named Aurora, an earthbender named Toph, and the Fire Nation prince himself, Zuko. The world's fate was left in the hands of this ragtag group of teenage misfits, but Katara always believed that Rose and Aang could save the world...
   And she was right!
   With the help of their friends and loved ones, Rose defeated Fire Lord Ozai and ended the hundred-year war. Zuko, Ozai's son, Rose's soulmate, and Team Avatar's ally, became the new Fire Lord and immediately celebrated this by finally proposing to Rose.
   Together, with Earth King Kuei, Rose, Aang, and Zuko promised to restore the five nations to harmony. But, although the battle has ended, the fight has only begun...
    The day following Zuko's coronation and the announcement of his engagement to the Avatar, Team Avatar stood around a map, going over their plans of what to do at this point in time.
    "I never realized the Fire Nation had built so many colonies in the Earth Kingdom." Aang said as he pointed at the map. 
    Rose sighed. "I had an idea but I didn't know how bad it had gotten."
    "Yes. For the earth people, they're a constant reminder of the war, like an old scar." the Earth King said, then remembering one of the people he was talking to. "Oh! I...I--Fire Lord Zuko, I meant nothing personal!"
    "No, Earth King Kuei. You're right." Zuko said. "After all the pain my father has caused, it's my duty to bring healing to the world." He looked down, contemplating everything that had happened thus far and what he had learned during his banishment. "I'll remove these colonies." He said at last. "I'll do whatever it takes."
   "You'll need my help." Rose said, turning her attention to her fiancé. "I can oversee everything and make sure it all goes peacefully, my love."
   "Really? You'd want to do that?" Zuko asked, happiness covering his features.
   "Of course. As the Avatar, it's my job to make things go peacefully. And this will also show that we're united as equals for the purpose of what is essentially our kingdom." 
   Zuko blushed as red as his future queen's hair. 
   "Wonderful!" the Earth King announced. "The Avatar's personal involvement will give the entire process an air of hope!"
   "I'll come too." Aang announced. 
   "You will?" Zuko asked in surprise.
   "I'm her Guardian. Helping the Avatar is kind of my thing."
   "We'll help too!" Katara announced, Sokka muttering about visiting his girlfriend on Kyoshi Island.
   "It'll be a movement." the Earth King said. "A movement towards harmony. We'll call it--"
   "The Harmony Restoration Movement!" Sokka finished for him.
   Rose snorted in laughter. "Really, Sokka? The Harmony Restoration Movement? Why not the Peace, Love, and Harmony Restoration Movement?" she asked, sarcastically.
   "That sounds a little too hippy-ish."
   "Seriously what is it with you and your goofy names for everything?" Toph added.
   Sokka huffed. "Does anybody else have a better idea?"
   The Earth King spoke. "Harmony Restoration Movement it is!"
   After that, Earth King Kuei planned a celebration where he would announce the Harmony Restoration Movement. Before the festivities began, Team Avatar decided to visit the Jasmine Dragon, a tea shop run by Zuko's Uncle Iroh, a friend and valuable ally. During the visit, Sokka painted a terrible portrait of the friends: Rose, Zuko, Aang, Katara, himself, Toph, Aurora, Iroh, and Suki.
   As the group found imperfections in their portrait, Aang snuck away for some privacy. That's when Katara joined him. There, they figured out what they meant to one another. As they shared a private moment, so did Rose and Zuko. 
   The moment was perfect...until Sokka interrupted.
   "Hey guys." Sokka started to say until he started screaming.
   "Nothing! We're not doing anything out here!" Aang said in a panic.
   Katara rounded on Sokka. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking, Sokka?"
   "First of all, you're supposed to knock before you go inside not outside. And secondly, as my sister, you really shouldn't be kissing anyone in front of me! It's your sisterly duty to avoid giving me the oogies! It's bad enough seeing the two weirdos make out!"
    Rose spoke up. "Firstly, I'm not your sister and I'm nearly a hundred years your senior so you don't tell me what to do. Secondly, really? Oogies?"
    "'Oogies'? You are so immature sometimes!" Katara yelled at Sokka. "What about you and Suki?"
    Rose, Katara, and Sokka began arguing. "C'mon, guys! This is ridiculous!" Zuko said. At which point, all three turned and yelled, "Shut up, Zuko!" 
    Eventually, Aang got their attention. "What'd you come out here to tell us?"
    "I was wondering that too." Zuko added.
    "Oh! Right! We're about to head out." 
    With that, the group piled onto Appa and took to the skies once again. As Rose cuddled with Zuko, Aang with Katara, Sokka with Suki, and Toph and Aurora sat on their own, the fireworks began, and the group celebrated that things were finally winding down for once in their lives.
    "So," Rose said with a smirk, "can we assume that Kataang is a thing now?"
    "Kataang?" Katara asked.
    "I was talking to Iroh earlier and he told me about this new thing he's doing. He meshes the names of people in relationships together into one word. He calls it shipping." She laughed. "He's been calling me and Zuko Ruko since we got back."
    The group burst into laughter.
    At one point, Zuko suggested that Rose take Crystal out for a ride. She shrugged, smiled, and gave him a kiss before hopping off Appa. Crystal took to the skies, growing in size, and grabbing her master as they took off again.
    Zuko's smile faded as she left. Aang was the only one to notice, telling his royal fire-ness to cheer up. 
    Zuko then confessed, "I visited my father in prison the other day. I've been meaning to ask you for a favor, Aang. If you ever see me starting to turn into my father, I want you to...end me."
    "What?"
    "Even now, after everything that's happened, even after getting a chance at a happy ending, my family's legacy is still a part of me. That's why it's my duty to heal the scars that the Fire Nation has left on the world, but the Fire Lord's throne comes with a lot of pressures. And, if I'm honest with myself, I need a safety net. The world needs a safety net. That's what I need you to be."
    "Zuko, you're not your dad! You're my friend! And what would Rose think? She loves you."
    "And I love her and admire how she can be with someone like me." Zuko said, running his fingers through his hair. "But she will never do this because of her feelings for me and she will never accept this decision. That's why it's important that she never knows about this."
   "That's why you sent her to ride Crystal by herself. So she wouldn't know."
   Zuko nodded. "As your friend, I'm asking you--if you ever see me go bad, end me. You're the only person I trust to do this. Promise me, Aang."
   Aang looked to the others. Katara nodded. No one else acknowledged him.
   He sighed. "Fine. I promise."
   Zuko let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
   Moments later, as Rose rode close to them, Zuko climbed onto Crystal with her, wrapping his arms around her as he sat behind her. 
   As the fireworks went off, they shared a kiss and Aang immediately regretted making his promise....