Changing Traditions

This is a sequel to Karma's Punishment. Katara and Zuko keep their promise to travel through the Fire Nation to mend the problems that were caused by the war. Remember, this sequel will be the end of the war and the Epilogue of Karma's Punishment.

...

Chapter One: Operation Clean Up

"No Momo! Let go! My boomerang! Ow!" Sokka rubbed his nose where his boomerang smacked him after the lemur let go and took flight.

Toph was laughing. "Snoozles, as many times as I've seen you fight with that lemur I've never once seen you win."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He snapped.

"Only that a lemur is smarter than you." she said dryly.

"I... you... Katara!" he whined.

"Oooh, yes get Sugar Queen to protect you." Toph snickered.

"Toph, do you have to antagonize him? You know he whines enough without it." Zuko sighed.

"I do not whine!" Sokka pouted. "Aang, tell them I don't whine!"

The young air bender pretended to be deaf. "So, you guys think the plan to keep the end of the war silent worked?" He asked trying to ignore Sokka's cries of "Not you too!" as he sat his tea cup down.

"I'll know in about two days. Smellerbee and Longshot said they'd take care of it since they have so many forces throughout the nations." Katara said as she turned from the turtle ducks in the pond.

Though it had only been two weeks since the end of the war, the group started to grow anxious with sitting around the Fire Nation palace. The members of the White Lotus, and some of the leaders from each nation were still here. What they were talking about behind those closed doors, no one knew except those inside.

"I'll say one thing," Toph frowned. "Those old geezers sure know how to make us feel like little children. They barely did any of the work and we get shoved aside when it's time to decide how to clean up the mess Sparky's family made. No offense."

"None taken." Zuko waved her off. "But I do know one thing, Katara and I are definitely going back to that island near the Western Air Temple."

"Yes we are. We saw entirely too much suffering at the hands of people who think they can lord over the 'peasants'. We just didn't have enough time to get to them all before..."

"Well, I'm going with you this time!" Sokka interrupted. "We can use the names we did when we posed as Aang's parents!"

"Aang's... parents?" Zuko asked in confusion.

"I got into some trouble when I attended school here in the Fire Nation, and they wanted to see my parents." Aang blushed.

"You attended school here?" Came Ty Lee's voice as she cart wheeled in. "I bet Sokka played a great dad."

A muffled giggled caused everyone to look at Toph. "I might not be able to see, but even I know he didn't play his part well. He can't even play Sokka well."

"Wh- I'll have you know, I played a fine Fire Nation father!" Sokka said irritably. "Wang Fire! And my pregnant wife, Sapphire Fire."

There was the sound of choking all around the small table. "You're not serious?" Zuko said trying to clear the tea out of his throat.

"Yes, he's serious." Katara huffed as she sat down. "And Sokka, you won't be going with me. We're going to split up into three groups. I already decided that, and the group in that meeting room can't change it."

Ty Lee beamed. "So, how did you split us up? Do I get to be with Sokka?"

"Yes." Zuko smirked. "We figured you have the most patience. And if he gets too out of hand, you can just knock him out."

"That won't be needed." Sokka said worriedly. "When did you decide all this?"

"The night of the ball." Katara replied as she turned to Toph. "I figured the Blind Bandit could take care of the losers in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko knows of a few towns that could use it."

"Great, I need some practice. All this sitting around makes me feel like I'm losing my touch." Toph cracked her knuckles.

"I think you're crazy, our practice sessions aren't any less violent." Aang laughed, but let out a painful yelp as he caught a rock to the chest.

Katara looked at Zuko and shook her head. "I hope we didn't make a mistake."

Zuko blinked as Toph started firing more rocks at the air bender. "I hope so too."

Momo landed next to Sokka only to grab his boomerang again. "No! MOMO! Get back here!" The warrior shouted as the lemur took to the air.


The conference room was turning into a whole new war. Iroh rubbed his forehead. When would these people realize they wouldn't be able to force the young ones to do anything they didn't want. He smiled as an old hand settled on his arm.

"Headache Master Dragon?" Came the old voice of Aunt Wu with a wrinkled smile.

"You could say that." He sighed. "I think it's time to bring the young ones in. All that is happening here is old men trying to keep traditions alive that have died long ago."

Aunt Wu nodded as she listened to the two Water tribe chiefs and master water bender argue back and forth. On the other side of them, the two Earth Kings were bickering about who would get the young metal bender to be their heir.

"Sokka will take over once I'm ready to step down." Hakoda said hotly. "What don't you understand?"

"I don't understand how you allow him to run around ignoring his responsibilities! He should be on his way back to the South Pole to begin his training! But you're going to allow him to clean up the messes left behind by this war?" Said an irritated Chief Arnook.

"The war only ended two weeks ago." Pakku interrupted. "I don't..."

"Stay out of this!" Hakoda and Arnook snapped. Pakku crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"Sokka won't do me any good right now even if he did come home." Hakoda sighed as he rubbed his temples.

"And why is that?" Arnook growled.

"Because he is dead set on trying to help his friends fix..."

"You are his father and his chief! He will follow orders if you don't give him an option!" Arnook said rather loudly causing the others in the room to stop what they were saying.

"I will not force my son to come home until he is ready. He is very protective of his sister, and I know he won't leave without her." Hakoda frowned as he knew what this would bring up.

"That's another thing, Katara is old enough to wed now. If she doesn't marry soon no man will want her. It's time you reigned your children in. I have quite a few young men who would be excellent suitors, plus Katara will be coming up North eventually."

Pakku and Hakoda both blinked in shock. "W-what?"

Arnook stuck his nose in the air. "I need a new heir, and since you have your son, I think it's only fair your daughter moves to the North."

Bumi's eyes grew wide. "Hit the dirt!" He shouted as he dove under the table.

They all thought he was just being his usual self until they heard it. The conference door flew off its hinges and fell loudly to the floor, causing dust to kick up. Each and every adult stared in wide eyed shock as the dust cleared to reveal a smug looking Toph and a very angry Katara.

"Excuse me, I hope we're not intruding or anything." Toph sneered. "But I couldn't help but hear your plan for Sugar Queen."

"This doesn't concern you Miss Bei Fong." Arnook snapped.

"No, but it concerns me!" Katara said loudly. "And I'll be damned if you're going to force your stupid traditions on me!"

Pakku was eying the flower vases around the room cautiously. He had witnessed first hand what happens when you upset his new granddaughter, and that was before she became a master. He elbowed Hakoda who was staring in shock.

"She's right." Hakoda cleared his throat. "The South doesn't follow your traditions."

Bumi poked his head up from under the table. "And for good reason. Forcing a girl to marry a man she doesn't love."

Foot steps echoed from outside the room, Aang and Sokka stumbled into the room panting. Zuko and Ty Lee walked in casually as they took in the scene.

"I guess we missed the fun." Zuko gave a crooked smile towards Katara.

"No, this old fart is going to make Sugar Queen move to the North Pole and marry some weirdo." Toph said kicking the ground and making Arnook tumble off his chair.

Aang gave a sigh as he watched the metal bender ready another kick, but Ty Lee whispered something to her and she stopped only to smirk evilly. That was a look Aang hated to see, even if it wasn't aimed at him. It promised pain, and the young air bender did the only thing he could think of, got to higher ground. Zuko and Ty Lee raised an eye brow at the air bender's hasty retreat.

Sokka's face grew red. "And who the hell said she would?" He glared at his father.

Hakoda held his hands up and shook his head. "I tried to say no..."

"Stop caving into them! You are their chief! Make them listen!" Arnook stood up angrily.

"Oh shut your trap!" Toph said kicking the ground again.

"Listen, and listen well. All of you!" Katara said in a strained voice. "The world has changed drastically in the last one hundred years. And it will change again, but only if we put a stop to the corruption still going on. We have already decided who is going where and how long they'll stay there. We are the ones that did the most work in this damn war I think we have more jurisdiction then you old stuffed shirts! No offense Iroh."

Iroh cleared his throat. "I'm glad someone could decide something."

"Yes, all these fools could do is argue." Aunt Wu sighed.

"Well, we've already put a stop to the spread of the war being over." Zuko replied calmly. "We plan on leaving in the next two days to start..."

"No."

"Excuse me?" Katara said dangerously to Arnook.

"I believe it is time you children return to your homes and allow the adults to take care of the mess." He said haughtily.

Pakku smacked his palm to his forehead. "You never learn."


A/N: I know this is short. But I just wanted to get the plot out to see what everyone thinks. Let me know. I know I made Chief Arnook a little... jerky, but he is from the North. And even though Pakku has seen the light, it doesn't mean the rest of them have. It's only the first chapter, so I'm up for suggestions.