#sotnpof

A new chapter of Songs of the Northern Prince of Fire is finally up!

The Zoo

All week, Aang pesters him about the zoo he’s created in the middle of Ba Sing Se.

“He just made a zoo?” he asks Toph.

“Are you surprised?” she shoots back.

“You have to see it, Zuko!” Aang insists. “I want all of us to go.”

“On my day off,” he promises.

His day off comes, and Aang doesn’t forget. The five of them plan to spend the day at the zoo. Katara packs a basket for lunch. She even packs a sheet for them all to sit on.

“You’re going all out,” Zuko says as he helps her fold the sheet.

“Come on, this is the first thing he’s been excited about since Appa . Try to be a little more enthusiastic.”

“I guess he is happy about it.”

“Exactly, and we’re going to be happy with him. We’re his family.”

Family , he repeats to himself cautiously. He’s never thought of them as his family. Friends, of course, but family - family is such a strong word. But isn’t that what they are? Hasn’t Katara said the truth of it? He’ll sacrifice himself for any one of them here. He’ll live in Ba Sing Se under a fake name just to help them. He’ll listen to Sokka speak in haikus without punching him in the face. He’ll help Toph convince Sokka their house is haunted. He’ll fold a sheet if Katara asks him to just because a day at the zoo will make Aang happy.

“Is the family getting a new member?”

“What?” he asks, thrown out of his thoughts.

“Jin? You never told me how it went.”

“You never asked.”

“I just figured you would tell me.”

“I don’t think we’ll go out again,” he admits.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “Don’t be. I bought a mask.”

“A mask?”

“Yeah. It’s from a play. My mother’s favorite play.”

She smiles as she tucks the carefully folded sheet into the basket. “Can I see it?”

“Yeah.”

She thinks it’s beautiful. Her fingers trace the details as she stands in his room, holding it reverently.

“It’s not supposed to be beautiful. It’s the face of the Dark Water Spirit. It’s supposed to be menacing.”

“I still think it’s beautiful.”

“Zoo time!” Sokka shouts from the front door. “Lee! Katara! Let’s go already!”

Here’s a selected scene from the chapter:

“So, in case you thought I was going to let you live it down, I just wanted to remind you that you were going to kiss Sokka’s cheek,” he comments to Toph.

She blushes a deep pink. “Shut it, Princey. Like you wouldn’t be trying to kiss someone who saved your life.”

“It’s never occurred to me.”

“Probably because you’ve never kissed a girl.”

“That’s not even true! I’ve kissed girls!” More accurately, girls had kissed him. But he liked those kisses.

“Oh, yeah? Name one.”

“Why? They’re all from the North. You don’t know them.”

“That’s convenient.”

“Wait, there is one you know.”

“Really?”

“Mai.”

“The knives girl?” Toph exclaims.

“Yes, the knives girl. She’s been my sister’s best friend forever. Azula dared her to kiss me one day. She was nine, and I was eleven. That was my first kiss.”

Full Story

Selected scene: 

The Honored Guests

The three honored guests sit at the head table on the right side of Chief Arnook and Yue. He sees one of the boys talking to Yue, whichever one isn't the Avatar.

He watches the other two, the Southern girl and the Avatar, who look on at Master Pakku’s display in absolute awe. There is an empty seat beside the Avatar from one of Pakku’s students. He decides to take it.

“Pretty cool, right?”

“So cool,” the Southern girl echoes.

“Master Pakku’s the most renowned bender of our tribe.”

Yue leans over when she notices him there. “Avatar Aang, may I introduce you to Zuko? He is a member of Master Pakku’s house.”

“Wow, nice to meet you, Zuko.”

“And you, Avatar.”

“I’m Katara. Nice to meet you.”

Yue says, “Zuko, this is Katara’s brother, Sokka.”

“Does Zuko look familiar to any of you?” asks Hahn, seated beside Yue as he often is now. The three guests look over in confusion. “If he does, it’s probably because he’s the Fire Lord’s son.”

Sokka chokes on the bite of food in his mouth. Katara’s eyes widen.

“You’re Ozai’s son?” she practically spits at him.

“Technically.”

“Well, that seat’s taken,” she says, scowling at him through the bright blue eyes of the Water Tribes, “technically.”

“Katara,” the young Avatar admonishes, but Zuko’s already getting up from the chair. Five years here has given him the ability to recognize when someone is determined to hate him.

Pakku would be furious if he lost his temper, especially during his students’ display, so he says nothing as he bows his head deferentially to Yue.