Walk The Path

Chapter Eight

Zuko: Hey man, down for some COD tonight?

Aang turned away from his laptop and reached for his phone. He smiled and quickly texted back.

Aang: Sure! I'll let Gyatso now. Hmu when you're on your way.

A pang of guilt hit Aang as he wanted to add "I'm assuming I can't go over to your house since your dad wants to kill me and everyone else". He frowned and shook his head, regretting even thinking about it. It's been four days since his birthday party and he was still uncomfortable with the new information he gleaned from Azula. While his friendship with Zuko hasn't changed since that night, there was a certain level of awkwardness between the two from not addressing the elephant in the room. Aang didn't want to bring it up and as far as he could tell, Zuko didn't want to either. He wondered how long they could go on this way. Things would have to be brought to the light eventually. Aang began thinking back to Monday afternoon when he met Zuko, Mai, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Azula at the basement of the Jasmine Dragon. He wasn't sure why Zuko's uncle was so nice to them, especially since he was Principal Ozai's brother. The jolly old man insisted everyone call him "Uncle Iroh" and Aang couldn't help feel an instant comfort with him. He gave him and his friends free tea and snacks for their meeting, for which Sokka was undeniably grateful.

"Katara, it'll be okay, she'll be here. She's only a couple minutes late," Aang said while tightening his arm around her waist. His girlfriend gave him a frown, but couldn't resist the small smile forming on her face. The waterbender made ice little ice daggers underneath the table, "I'll try, but she gets five more minutes before we start without her, " she smiled at her boyfriend, "You're so optimistic, I keep forgetting that." He felt a darkness fall over him as his smile faltered, "Yeah, I kind of have to be." Katara noticed the serious tone squeezed Aang's hand in reassurance. She reminded herself that Aang had been through so much that if he didn't have hope then he would barely be able to function. The heavy door was swung open dramatically by a sighing teenage girl. "Oh, great, the Royal Bitch is here," a bored Toph said loudly from her seat at the table. Azula smirked while bending lighting at her fingertips, "Okay, that's it!"

Before Azula could strike, an exasperated Zuko ran to stand in front of his sister with his arms folded. "Azula, you're only gonna make things worse. Do you want to stop Dad or not?" The crackling of the lighting stopped as her hands fell at her sides. She whispered with a scowl on her face, "Fine, but that gross pothead needs to quit it, or I'm done." Zuko nodded and walked apprehensively back to the group at the table. After the siblings sat down, Zuko addressed the group to break the silence. "I think we need some ground rules. What do you think, Aang?", he asked looking directly at his friend.

Aang gulped at everyone staring at him expectantly. He felt like a bright spotlight was on him and he should just be a leader automatically. He turned towards Katara who was giving him an encouraging smile. "She's perfect," he thought to himself. Aang knew he would have to be a leader on some level, he just didn't think it would be so soon. He steeled himself and cleared his throat to keep his nerves at bay. "I think that's a great idea, Zuko. I think the first rule should be to leave whatever feelings you have about each other outside of the room. I'm not asking all of us to be friends, but we have to respect each other. So, I think that and taking turns talking are great rules to start. Anyone object to that?," he asked, staring at Toph and Azula. Both of the girls looked away from Aang but made no objection. Aang breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, so let's get started."

Azula came prepared with print outs of her dad's emails, just as Sokka asked. This made Aang happy to see people who disliked each other put aside their differences for this cause. Toph made progress with surveillance devices from Teo's dad, who happily obliged in exchange for an afternoon with Aang. "That kid is pretty cool but it's a shame about his creepy dad, Aang. You down to entertain some old dude with a hard-on for airbenders?",Toph asked with a grin. Teo's dad did have a weird obsession with airbenders but Aang thought he could manage. "It's okay, Toph. I think having to talk to him for an afternoon will be worth it." He smiled and sought an update from Zuko and Mai, who both visibly showed no emotion at all. They told the group that since talking with other Fire Nation kids, they found out a lot of parents meet up with Ozai Friday nights at a different location every week. Suki nodded at this information, "Perfect, can you send me the names of these parents so I can research them?" The gloomy couple obliged.