Reincarnation

Chapter 8: Pressure

Chapter 8: Pressure

Zuko came back to the campsite with Appa, making everyone besides the shinobi crowd the sky bison.

"Where's Katara?" Sokka immediately asked the banished prince as he lept off of the giant beast.

"I left her at Ember Island. I thought she could use the time to think a bit," Zuko explained. "Pack your things. We're changing hideouts."

"Wait, what happened with Katara and the Southern Raiders guy?" Sokka continued to pester.

Zuko stopped walking, simply looking at the ground as if he was still processing what had happened. "She didn't do it. She couldn't," he finally answered, making the others sigh in relief.

"Why couldn't she?" Toph asked.

"He's a messed up guy. He was practically offering his mother in his place," Zuko explained, causing the others to look disgusted by this idea.

"He's heartless," Sokka said with a tone of finality before going back to their campsite to start packing the tents. The others followed silently and started to help Sokka out.

As soon as the group dispersed, Aida gave a nod to her team, signalling them to help the others out before making her way to Zuko.

"How are you?" Aida asked as she approached Zuko as she immediately sensed the turmoil by the expression he showed.

"I guess this experience really got me thinking as well," Zuko said with a small smile.

"About?" Aida pushed on.

"This war. My nation. My family. My father," Zuko enumerated, refusing to look at the girl in front of him.

"I'm just here if you need someone to talk to. Or a drinking buddy," Aida teased, landing a soft punch on the prince's shoulder.

Zuko chuckled before ruffling the girl's hair. "Thanks, Aida," Zuko said, finally looking at the girl in the eyes.

"Come here," Aida suddenly said, opening her arms wide.

When Zuko only gave a confused look at the girl, she sighed and simply stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the male. It took him a while but he returned the hug he didn't know he needed.
   
Once they pulled away, Aida immediately turned and made her way back to the campsite, not giving Zuko enough time to actually talk to the girl.

~

As soon as the sky bison landed on Ember Island, Sokka went back to his peppy self, immediately running for the house they were going to stay at along with Naruto to call dibs on the room they were staying at. Aida simply chuckled at his brother's actions as she helped the others unload their things.

"Aida?" she suddenly heard Aang call out, making her turn to the young monk and the prince. "Can you come with us to check on Katara?"

"Wouldn't it be better if you brought Sokka? I mean, they are siblings," Aida asked in confusion.

"I think she sees you as a big sister even though you've just recently met," Aang said with a grin. "You always were like that, I guess."

Aida jumped off of the bison and landed in front of the two guys with a small smile and said, "I haven't done anything but point a knife at prince hotman over here."

"What is with you two and calling me hotman?" Zuko suddenly asked, making the other two laugh.

"Right. Trained-to-kill Aida. Not monk-Aida," Aang suddenly commented as he rolled his eyes despite the idea of his sister killing people made him cringe.