Chapter Text
Even with the Lost Age merging, 21st-century technology was still very much a part of this reborn environment. One type of example of that was there was every variety of music playing on the radio. Furthermore, that very morning while one of the most magnificent sunrises ascend on the city, a tune played on the radio of Republic City that seemed to perfectly fit everyone's spirit and the message for one and all were feeling.
It was a week before school would recommence, and Team Avatar had elected to give that last weekend to themselves to get caught up and go on a group date. After all, they'd not seen each other pretty much all summer. Given they'd been assisting their families or close friends that were like family with moving. Furthermore, all the other life-altering developments and transformations going on universally in Republic City.
Consequently, they'd seriously required just one day to kick back and unwind before beginning their second year at Avatar Wan High. Just an opportunity to be themselves and hang out with their friends. Therefore their group date was just a simplistic date of them having a cookout at the park.
Everyone had brought some kind of food along with their musical instruments plus a few kites and Frisbee to play with later. And, of course, Aang brought his pets along with him. So the group date had started in the early afternoon, and now it was about 4:00. Over the course of the afternoon, it had been a ringing triumph and considerably enjoyable and delicious all around.
Thus, following the boys had worn themselves out flying with their kites and the girls with the freebies, they're all just ready to sit down on the vibrant green lawn and play a few melodies and just chat till it was time to go home. So as the late summer zephyr blew pleasantly around them and the coppery sun was shining its life-giving radiance down on their bodies, they just sat back like typical lazy happy-go-lucky teenagers and chilled out.
"So what number should we play this time? We've really not got to practice all summer for our band. What number should we play?" inquired Aang as he adjusted some things on his keytar. He really had missed playing music with his friends, but helping with all those renovations had come first.
Furthermore, his new sister hadn't even told him if she was proficient in jamming on any musical instruments yet. So it wasn't like he could harmonize with her if she weren't forthcoming with any information. Though honestly, he was still somewhat frightened to ask his sister to tell him more about herself. Therefore not knowing if she had any musical ability was a little of his own fault, not just hers.
"Well, you ever gonna write your own songs or just gonna keep playing other people music is a question I liked answer first, Aang?" inquired Sokka's gorgeous girlfriend Suki as she sampled her lemonade and fiddled with her golden fan.
Suki was a beautiful Earth Kingdom girl descended from Kyoshi Island's Lost Age island and knew all about the Legendary Warriors of Avatar Kyoshi. Unknown to anyone but her boyfriend Sokka, the Spirit of Avatar Kyoshi had visited her one night long ago. Furthermore, that visit from the ghost of an ancient avatar had transformed her life in ways no one could ever predict.
Suki's own personal objective in this new age that the world had been reborn into was to bring back the ways of the Kyoshi Warriors. Since she'd been secretly studying and training in them since she was eight. She wasn't about to let the customs and traditions of the Kyoshi Warriors eternally remain extinct and disremembered, especially not after Kyoshi herself had come to visit her!
Suki, has it been mentioned, was Sokka's second girlfriend after his first love, Yue, daughter of the other Water Tribe City Hall member, had passed away early this year from cancer. Yue had personally requested Suki to take her place as Sokka's girlfriend, and it appeared Sokka and Suki did make as perfect a couple as Yue and Sokka had.
But back to where the gang was in the park at the moment, Aang just looked at the young Kyoshi Warrior, who was already adamant about her dream to resurrect her culture and warriors ways, and smiled at her before answering. "When we find someone who can write song lyrics and original songs maybe, Suki. Right now, we can't find anyone who can write the song or the music."
"Well, hopefully, you will soon, Aang. You're all gifted in music. Sokka, you're the best drummer I know," she batted her pretty long eyelashes at her boyfriend, who blushed redder than a tomato which he actually had a piece of stuck in his teeth from the salad she'd made for the picnic.
"Thanks, Suki, and I'm so happy that my sister Katara found her voice again," to which Katara blushed at her older brother's praise of her, which he didn't do often enough.
"Well, I guess we owe thanks in part to Zuko and Akiko's true father for that. If he hadn't forced us to become friends and without their help, I would've ever truly found closure over Mom's death and found my passion for singing or figure skating again," she confessed to what was the truth from what happened in the previous year.
"Well, Uncle is very much a miracle worker in many ways. We are so thankful for him and Aunt Kim. She helped us a lot too." Zuko acknowledged the truth about two of the most influential people in his life who'd encouraged him and others so much. They're as close to miracle workers as this world would ever see in his mind.
"Yep, your Aunt Kimmy and her enchanting garden of phenomena sure work its own magic, that's for sure, Sparky!" laughed Toph loudly regarding the fact Kimana bred hybrid flowers and had helped them through growing plants. Also, her unshakable faith was another factor that had supported them all so much in the past year as well.
"Well, Aunt Kim's name means "butterfly," and Aunt Nurita is named after a flower," Akiko informed them of what the two aunts' names meant. This seemed to spark everyone's interest a little.
"Really? Their names go together like that? Is that a coincidence?" Sokka wanted to know. He was the one with the brains in the group, and being smart and brainy was what he prides himself on. Seeing as he and Suki were warriors and nod benders. He felt he needed to prove brains trumped bending at times. Especially since bending had returned to the world, he really felt he needed to prove that fact.
"It has to with the fact their family for generations have been botanists and worked with plants and also breed butterflies, Sokka. All their family names have something to do with their family line of work," explained Zuko calmly about his aunt's family.
"Wow, that's neat. Anyone else knows something cool about someone's name? Since names are such a fascinating topic. Like I learned my mother's name "Akanke" means "To meet her is to love her," Aang informed them as he scratched Momo's ear.
Momo had grown even more to look like a flying lemur since that day at the gardening storehouse. Likely by wintertime, he and Appa would complete their transformation back to their hybrid animal forms. It would be reasonable to assume it be an extraordinarily long time before Appa was the size of a full-grown flying sky bison. He was still only approximately the size of a calf during his intermediate transformation at this moment in time.
"Really? What does your new big sister's name mean?" inquired Aang's girlfriend Katara curiously. Aang looked a little abashed when she mentioned his big sister like an extraordinarily awkward topic talking about his recently discovered sister. Which others might not understand why.
"Um, "Holy," he mumbled in a barely understandable voice while looking at his feet.
"Why are you mumbling, Aang?"
"Because Katara, Ari, and I still aren't connecting well. Summer is almost over, and we still really aren't like you and Sokka! Or no offensive to you, Zuko but even you and Azula are more of a brother and sister then me and mine!" he declared in exasperation, and he looked really bothered by the fact they weren't bonding well.
"Well, Aang, we've known each other our whole lives. So we've had the whole chance to get to know each other, to learn about one another and to the teasing, inside jokes, and all that silly stuff," Sokka pointed out sensibly.
Aang didn't seem comfort by the Water Tribe boy's words, though. Seeing that, Zuko took over and asked him his own question. "Yeah, do you want a real hostile relationship like Azula and I've had for years? One that is only now slowly getting better now that she's in therapy and getting the help she's needed for years?" Zuko inquired to the young 13 going on a 14-year-old boy.
"Or you like our relationship, which is an immature overprotective, and annoying older brother and mature, responsible, and more grounded sister?" Katara wanted to know as she tried to comfort the love of her life. She was the only one who could calm the mighty Avatar or turn his frown upside down, but today she didn't have that ability to charm him.
"I'd just settle if Ari and I could just have some type of relationship of any kind. Or my family could act like a family. But between the renovations and Dad being super busy with the rest of the city bigwigs, it's not like there been a lot of time for bonding," he confessed dejectedly. He still looked rather despondent that his family wasn't close yet as this was his only dream, and it wasn't turning out the way he'd dreamed it would. Not yet, anyhow.
"Well, at least I don't believe your parents will compare you and your sister. That they're not gonna, have favorites, or make you compete for attention or have a favorite child, Twinkle Toes. Consider yourself lucky on that front!
my cousin Brock and I had to deal with that our whole lives! Ugh, it's bad enough to have to compete with a sibling when that's going down. But to be compared to my cousin and all that bullshit? Ugh!" Toph growled in anger, and the earth rumbled a little in response to her bottle-up anger.
"No offense intended, Toph, but your parents or Aunt and Uncle just seem clueless and snobs," Suki pointed out a well-known fact to try and soothe her, so they did not have an earthquake.
"Way to point the obvious! All those boneheaded snobs ever care about is looking prissy and perfect blue-blood and don't care about their kids just being themselves! Brock and I are finally making amends with each other after a lifetime of animosity. However, our stupid parents just can't stop meddling!" as she strummed her guitar anger, and again the earth quaked in response to the powerful Earthbender's passion.
"Just once, I wish they weren't so blind and deaf and saw the truth in front of them! Man, I hate being a Beifong!" she spat on the ground before finally seeming to calm down, and so did the earth around them. This made everyone take a big sigh of relief for a moment thought they wondered if this was the calm before the next aftershock, given Toph's temper when it came to her family. Once she got ranting, it was hard to know when she was done venting.
"May I ask a question and know I'm not gonna be buried six feet under for asking it?" inquired Akiko gingerly towards Toph, who nodded begrudgingly to Zuko's hot girlfriend.
"Sure, what's up, Akiko? What do you want to know?" she asked in a sharp and tightly controlled voice.
"Well, not to make you feel left out, but all of us are with our significant other, and give your parents and their parents, I've got to ask. Do they have rules about dating or whom you can date?"
"You're asking why I have not shacked up with anyone yet or if I'm restricted?" she looked cross when she asked that. And now everyone feared they just kicked over a hornet's nest, and the big one was coming.
"I'm sorry, I should've asked please don't bury me..."
"No, I won't, Akiko, I'm actually just glad someone finally did ask. Because yeah, being a Beifong, you do have rules of who you can as they use the old fashion word can 'court,' and the rules are stupid as the rest." Toph seemed to really just need an outlet for her anger, and it looked like she wants to vent about this subject for a long time. Look like tonight was the night to vent and get this one out.
"How so?" the group asked delicately, and Toph blew her black hair out of her face in irritation. Still looking irritated and wanting to hit something, she just settled for crossing her arms and legs and began to launch into what was her family ridiculous rules on dating and courtship.
"Brock and I aren't actually permitted to date or even think of anything to do with love till we are sixteen years of age. Then we're only permitted to date our 'own kind' Translation? Rich shallow bitches and arrogant moneybag asses.
All dates must be chaperoned, and then you can only do approved dating activities that have been approved two weeks ahead of time by your parents. You can't do anything physical at all with your date. Not even hold their hand or hug them till your a legal adult. And absolutely NO kissing!
And of course everyone has to save themselves for their wedding night, and no one ever gets a divorce, and everyone must keep the name of Beifong." she finished explaining how dating and romance worked in the Beifong family, and well, Sokka just spit it out.
"What century is your family living in? Because it sure ain't the 21st or even with the Lost Age merging with the 21st, that doesn't sound at all fair in any which way and not even fair to how love works!"
"That sounds worst the being a Fire Nation Traditionalist and all but arranged marriages! Sick! Like mail order bride or groom if you can't even really choose who you want to date! Ugh!" spat Akiko in revulsion at the way Toph's family handled their love lives.
"Yeah, because that style of thinking and arranged marriages didn't do our mothers any favors. It's what led to Akiko's mother's death and her becoming an orphan. As for me? Well, you know what happened to my family. I don't need to remind any of you of that!" Zuko said in a disgusted voice as he looked sick, as did Akiko.
"Now you don't," they all agreed as no one would forget Ozai ever. How could anyone forget a monster and death on this earth? Especially after the night he almost killed them all? No one was ever gonna forget Ozai, and all were looking forward to the day of his execution.
"So, how about we get off the topic of my horrible family and talk about something a little cheerier?" Toph suggested as she tried to change the subject and bit into a large apple simultaneously.
"Well, I'll admit this year is gonna be hard on all of us for any reason. Me in particular again as I'm suddenly the reborn Avatar. And the whole city expecting us to protect the city and keep the balance."
"You won't have to do that alone, Aang. We all agreed we started as a team will do this as a team." Katara reminded him compassionately.
"Besides, if you're all worried about the whole bending or relearning your warrior skills you'll need in aiding the city, don't you forget that's partly why City Hall made some of the changes they did?" reminded Suki of some of the major changes in the City.
"Yeah, I remember. They did establish two separate Academies. One for the Bending Arts and the other for Warrior Training. We're just fortunate they're people who made it their business to study for years all the information of the Lost Arts from the Lost Age," Aang whispered in a grateful tone. If they hadn't, they'd been really screwed when the world was reborn.
"Yes, we are so lucky on that part, and some of the new benders are just natural masters. Even if it means some of the teachers at the school have to do their duties teaching at the high school and also teaching at these two Academies," Katara was playing with some water in her hands.
She was very eager to master waterbending and been practicing any chance she got. Just like they all had been practicing any chance they got. Even though they had proper teachers and lessons, learning independently was a lot of giving and take and more failures than success. But where there a will, there is a way. And they're all determined to master the gifts the reborn world had granted them.
"Well, we know, sis, it won't be easy for Gramp-Gramp, but right now, he's the closest thing the City's got to a Waterbending Master," Sokka spoke up as he finally fished out what been stuck between his teeth.
"Don't forget the other teachers from the school staff, Sokka, we've Bumi, Jeong-Jeong, and our godfather Piandao promise to train others in the way of the sword," Akiko acknowledge wanting to give credit where it was due to everyone it was owed too.
"But who gonna be an Airbending Teacher?" Sokka countered as she had failed to list an Airbending master.
"Well, they are still being stubborn about changing their ways or fully joining the rest of the city.
Mom told me it was hard enough to get them to consent to allow all the Air Nomad kids to be allowed to attend the high school. On the other hand, they are still insisting they'll teach all the kids airbending on the island and not mixing them with other kids," Aang reported gloomily about his own people.
"Are they still trying to spite your family for leaving the island and breaking tradition?" Katara demanded as she put her hand on his shoulder. It was common knowledge that the Air Nomads weren't happy with Aang's family for breaking tradition or leaving the community. Especially given Aang was the Avatar, and they seemed highly disappointed in him.
"I'll repeat it, guys. I don't think the rest of the Air Nomads were too elated that I'm the Avatar or any of my other family secrets once they came out in the open," he confessed to his friends and girlfriend. Katara waterbended his tears from his face again, doing her best to cheer him up.
"That's just awful they want to spite your family just for wanting to be a family," she told her love with her arms crossed.
"Some people are just hardcore to their culture and customs, Katara, or just refuse to change. You can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink from it, you know that, very well," Akiko benevolently reminded her as she sighed, thinking about her own people being that way sometimes.
"I know, but shouldn't people embrace the good and bad? Or that things always change? I mean, Dad was telling us last night when Bato and his family were over for dinner how the city wants to use bending to provide clean energy to the city."
"Yeah, they want benders to use their bending to provide all forms of energy the 4 elements can provide at different power plants, then the energy from those plants will go to relay stations to one huge battery and then transfer all the power to the whole city.
Thus clean energy and power to the whole city. They're also thinking of using bending in other areas it could be used for. Like construction, making goods, farming. You know anything that bending could be useful for they want people who are benders to help with."
"That's all peachy, Sokka. What wasn't peachy was when everyone had to report downtown to be part of the new Republic City Register. That was a pain in the ass," Zuko recalled in agitation about what happened only two weeks ago for all of them.
"Come on, Zuko, it wasn't that bad." Sokka tried to downplay what had transpired, but Zuko snorted flames at his friend's desire to downplay it.
"Oh, you don't think to be poked, prodded, and having every detail of your life being invaded wasn't so bad? That now every single person in the city DNA, dental, fingerprints are on file?
Along with all their personal information, plus if they can bend or not. What weapons and fighting style they own and can do? You don't think that wasn't a pain in the ass?" the handsome but scarred Fire Nation boy challenged the handsome Water Tribe boy who could see he was in hot water.
"Okay, it was, no joking about that. But what do you expect? It's a way to have an order over chaos," he responded as if that was the obvious answer to the city's new laws.
"Well, we still don't have to like it! So do tell us what has been going in your family over the summer? Or do you wish us to go first?" Akiko asked as Zuko started to brush her waist-length jet-black hair. She had a look of pure bliss on her face as he did this.
"Well, let's do it in the reverse order of the Avatar Cycle, so do tell us what's been going on in your guy's family?" Aang asked the Fire Nation couple.
"Well, it's beyond elation to have our mother back in our lives and to know she's finally married to her one true love," Zuko began with a huge smile on his face thinking about his mother Ursa and stepfather Noreen.
"But even though that was surprising, I don't think anyone was foreseeing 5-year-old Kiyi. She's sweet, adorable, and full of charm. I know both Mom and Xiaoying are genuinely concerned about both Kiyi and Xiang next week when the school year begins," Akiko informed then jerked, "Ow! Zuko! That hurt!"
"Sorry! But you had a knot in your hair, and I didn't mean to pull that hard to get it out!"
"Okay, but it still hurt!"
"Sorry, my Fire Lily. But as Akiko said, both our mother and godmother are anxious about my little sister and our god cousin. Since Kiyi is enrolled in kindergarten and Xiang gonna have to be in daycare."
"You know since both her parents have to be at the school for a majority of the day and then the Warrior Academy has lessons from 4:00 to 7:00 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?
Xiaoying is still both vice principal and the owner of her boutique/cafe and the mentor to people who work under her, and Piandao is the Creative Writing Teacher."
"Plus, my mom and stepfather just purchased the old abandoned Ember Theater Hall and planned with some help to restore it. They hope once it's renovated to teach a new generation of performers in performing arts." Zuko explained what his mother and stepfather planned to do with their day and what exactly their dreams were.
"And Aunt Kim and Aunt Nurita got to run the Jasmine Dragon while still working in their spare time in the greenhouses in the backyard of the manor," finished Akiko explaining what the adults in their family dynamics were going to be doing.
"So what about your other sister? And this new cousin of yours?" the gang asked about as they'd been fully informed of everyone in the picture now.
"Azula has therapy sessions 3 times a week with both Dr. Ayano and Dr. Sata, like us will be attending bending classes when they are held and doing community service with her friends as part of her therapy." Zuko quickly replied what was going on with his first sister.
"Furthermore, we both promised to take care of Ember and help her get on her feet. Sort of mentor her. She's had a tough life being pretty much destitute and devoid of friends for a majority of her life, and we promised Aunt Nurita we'd help her get settled." Akiko explained what they'd be doing for cousin Ember.
"I guess you could say me and Brock are in the same boat. But we mostly stick together as I'm showing him the ropes at Avatar Wan High and helping him learn to stand up for himself.
And also just learning to be not so much a wimp and be a bit more a rebel. So we have better chances against our parents if we stick together. So that's why we are sticking together."
"Same with us. We both promised our dad's best friend Bato and his wife, Kameko. We help their daughter Nita get settled and make some friends at Avatar Wan High."
"Well, Ari and I are supposed to look out for each other, but little help from all of you should make it all-around better."
After a few more moments of talking, they finished up their time together and quickly hurried back home to get ready for school and to help their families get ready for school.
Everyone was extremely apprehensive and excited for countless reasons when the first day of school finally arrived. Parents, teachers, students, the whole city was on edge again. Not for the same reasons as last year, but it was that same kind of tension so thick you break the knife instead of cutting it.
At the magnificent manor home where the principal lived, everyone was once more in the house's dining room, taking great pleasure in an enormous breakfast. Xiaoying's family had come over beforehand to join them and brought breakfast from her shop. Xiaoying again was a woman of numerous skills, and she was the best culinarian and fashion designer in all of Republic City, no doubt in that claim.
"Are you feeling okay, Xiaoying? Is everything alright, my old friend?" Ursa inquired sympathetically to Xiaoying while all the children were occupied by getting their backpacks packed in the living room.
"I'm so worried about my baby, Ursa. She's just so little, and even though I did extensive research into this daycare, I'm so anxious. She's just never been away from me since the day she was born! And I've never been separated from her and..." she was just going on till Ursa grabbed her best friend's arms and got her to look at her and calm down.
"Xiaoying...please calm down. I know exactly what you're going through. Believe me. You'll feel this again when Xiang is old enough to attend school. But you knew having a career and family was gonna be a hard thing to balance, right?" she spoke softly and smoothly, one mother to another.
"Correct."
"Look, the daycare center is just down the street from both the elementary school and only six blocks away from where Noreen and I'll be all day. I promise I'll go and check on Xiang for you.
We've already promised to pick Xiang up for you and care for her till you get off work, haven't we? I'm a mother of four children. I've 3 blood children and kept the agreement and raised Akiko well.
We're all family and will help each other raise all the children together. That was our agreement, was it not?"
"Yes, we are family and friends and will always help one another. Especially with our children." Xiaoying acknowledges in a soft voice as she was slowly calming down and slowly common sense was returning.
"Alright. So don't fret. Now we'll drop off both Kiyi and Xiang where they need to go while my husband and I meet the others who've agreed to help us. Then I'll check on her during my lunch break.
Then when the school day ends for Kiyi, who gets out earlier then the High School, I'll pick her and Xiang, and we'll come back here and spend the day here. And then we'll all meet up at the Jasmine Dragon for tonight. Back to school/welcome to the family party, okay?"
"Alright. I just need to calm down and relax. Am I acting stupidly?" she questioned her best friend, who only smiled knowingly and shook her head.
"No, you're just a normal new mom. Now let's get Xiang's baby bag packed up, okay?"
"Alright," as the two best friends and moms went to get the baby things ready.
In the far corner, Noreen helped Kiyi get ready for her first day going to school.
"Now remember to mind your manners, Kiyi. And also, remember everyone is just as nervous and as awkward as you. So just be yourself and remember to smile."
"I'll try, Daddy. Did you remember to pack Kiyi in my backpack?"
Chuckling, he nodded, "Yes, Little Kiyi is in your backpack. Now Mommy and I will only be a little way away from doing grown-up work. And your big brother and sisters will be at the big kids' school today."
"Okay, does their school have a lot of fun toys and a playground too?" she asked excitedly.
"Um, no, Kiyi, we do more work than play. But we can't wait for tonight to hear all about your first day of school. Just be your sweet, adorable self, and you'll do just fine," Zuko, who knelt to his half-sister height and ruffled her short brown hair.
Just then, the sound of boots was heard, and looking up, they saw Azula. She was smiling, but it was a human smile, not her old demonic smile. "Hey, Kiyi, I have got a special gift to give you," she was actually talking in the way you'd expect a caring big sister to talk to her little sister. Things indeed had changed in a few short months. Also, therapy certainly seemed to be improving Azula.
"What is it, Zuly?" Kiyi asked her sister in the name she always used. Old Azula wouldn't have tolerated anyone getting her name wrong or silly nicknames, but the brand-new friendly Azula didn't mind.
Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out a black rock with swirling rings of color that looked like fire. She bent down and placed it in Kiyi's right hand and closed her hand over it.
"Now, Kiyi, this very important, so listen carefully. This is magical firestone. Mommy first gave it to Zuko on his first day of kindergarten and then to me. I've held onto it, and now it's your turn.
If you need any kind of help or are feeling bad at all, just give this stone a rub, and everything will get better." Azula told her what Ursa had told both her and Zuko on their first day of kindergarten when she'd given them the firestone.
"Really?" the five-year-old little girl asked her big sister, who nodded vigorously.
"Yes, I promise you the power this firestone hold is very much real. It turned both my and Zuko's luck around on our first day of school and made everything so much better. So hold on tight. Promise you won't lose it."
"I won't, Zuly! I won't lose Mommy's special magical rock!"
"Good. Now I've got to go get ready for school. Good luck," as she hugged her and kiss.
Ember was watching Zuko and Azula take care of their little half-sister as Akiko finished making sure her hair was restyled correctly.
"Wow, they really care for little Kiyi a lot. Isn't that wonderful? To have brothers and sisters, Akiko?" Ember asked as Akiko finished getting Ember styled correctly.
"Yes, and Azula's not lying about that stone magic, which is a surprise. Azula always lied in the past, and now she's not lying anymore. Um, turn around, let me look at you," she gazed at Ember from head to toe.
"You look perfect. Now, remember Daddy and Xiaoying have done their best to put you in classes with at least one member of our friends. Now all classes hold two grades at once. Avatar Wan High is 8-12. So classes are 8th and 9th graders, 10 and 11th, and 11th and 12th. So just be prepared, okay. As Zuko and I are 17, we won't be in your classes, but we should see you at lunch, okay?"
"Yes, Okay. So is someone giving us a ride?"
"Yes, I will be getting a ride. Don't worry about it."
"Well, I don't mean to worry any of you, but we do have a bit of a tight schedule to worry about. So Ursa and Noreen will be in one car with Kiyi and Xiang, Iroh will take Zuko and Azula in his car, Xiaoying and Piandao will take Akiko and Ember and Nurita, and I will take my car," Kim said who was going in which vehicle as they really need to get out the door now or they risked being late.
With that, everyone said their final goodbyes and left to go their own way. The rest of the gang members were all given rides themselves by their respective family members.
Katara and Sokka still rode with their grandparents though they gave Nita a ride. Toph and Brock rode in the family limo, and Aang's family recently acquired a car SUV. Akanke dropped her husband at work before taking the kids and herself to school. She was all smiles as they pulled up, and everyone arrived at the same time.
Of course, everyone wanted to introduce the four new people, but as it was, that had to be held off for now. First came finding their lockers, then getting their class schedules, followed by a whole school assembly to welcome the students back to the school and inform them of the new rules.
Like how the school had once again updated security, no weapons, and absolutely no bending on school property, and they had access to the Republic City Database so they'd know. They spoke about how they wanted to continue keeping the peace and all needed to help keep the peace and balance of this world and all in this new age rebirth. So a lot was going on.
Afterward, it was then time for school to start. For this year, Aang's classes were he still had art with his mother, which he was happy about, and math with Katara's grandfather. But he also had the Mechanistic for Shop, Professor Zei for History, Guru Pathik for Social Science, and Lio for Biology.
Toph was in all the class as Aang except for Shop and Social Science. For those times, she had Yangchen for Home EC and Hue for Health Classes.
Katara's classes were Kishi for Drama, Sha-Mo for Social Studies, Oyaji for Computer Science, her grandfather for Math, Bumi for Chemistry, Auntie Wu for English, and Jeong-Jeong for Philosophy.
Sokka and Suki, like everyone else in the school, all had a math class with Sokka's grandpa as he was the sole math teacher. They also had PE with Saura and Rei, Music with "Crazy Nomads" Foreign Languages with Laghima, Creative Writing with Piandao, Art, and Philosophy.
Zuko and Akiko classes were Math, Art, Chemistry, Creativity Writing, Philosophy, P.E.
As for their family members? Arianna and Brock were in the same Drama, Social Studies and Computer Classes as Katara. Nita and Ember wherein the same Math, Art, and Creative Writing Classes as Sokka and Suki.
Their other classes didn't overlap with their family members, which did bother them. At least everyone was having lunch simultaneously, and on that first day, the first-day jitters were made a little less as they ate together.
The four new kids introduce themselves the same way the gang did themselves last school year when they were forced to spend time together, and at least the first day of the new school year was looking like it start better than the previous year.
Elsewhere, their family members had their own problems. City Hall, of course, had its own problems with this new rebirth of the world. Again there was gonna be a lot of money that needed to be transferred because of the world-changing.
That's why they're hoping to save money and taxpayers' dollars if the newly reborn benders could use their bending for making goods, power supply, and other things besides as a martial art form.
Which is what they spent half the morning talking about. They talked about the new Registry and Database needed to keep track of everyone in the city and if it truly was wise to open these new academies.
Even if in the long run they did need to with the world reborn need to relearn this lost knowledge and it would benefit themselves, the populous, and the world in the long run.
Also, at the Jasmine Dragon, business was booming more than normal, which didn't give Kim and Nurita a lot of time to prepare for the huge dinner they're supposed to hold that evening for everyone.
Still, Kim did remember to call her husband and Ursa twice to check in on them, and finally, as the day came to a close, the huge family and friends of Team Avatar came. It was a proverbial feast of all the Four Nations celebrating what should a promising year of peace, hope, friendship, family, and love.