The next day they immediately went back to stealing and scamming in the town, collecting all the money they could.
Sokka, Toph and Aang went on their own to go around the town cheating the games people had as Zuko had his alone time but still made money his way, or collected other things that didn't happen to be money.
Zuko couldn't find the three trouble makers so he went to go back to camp to empty his pockets. He didn't see a reason why he had to stick around in the town.
Only to be confronted by Katara, alone, with no back up.
"Oh look, the thief and cheater 2 is back," Katara was doing her own yoga with her alone time.
"Darn I'm in second place?" Zuko sighed sarcastically, she glared back.
"Did you steal today? Aang said you've been doing it at every village?" Katara stood back up and crossed her arms disappointed.
"Katara it's in a matter of life and death, we stole these clothes, same thing, I do still have morals," Zuko groaned a little annoyed.
"People need their money though," Katara tried to reason.
"We need money too, and it's not like it'll be forever, just while we're on the road, when I had a place and job in ba sing se I didn't steal," Zuko explained and she sighed looking down.
"You guys are just so out of control," she huffed irritated turning her back on him.
Zuko scratched his head with a sigh, he looked over his shoulder trying to find an escape. Luckily the three came back with bags of money.
"Sparky my man, you missed out we didn't even scam the scammers, we got the rich now too!" Toph smiled proudly as they all sat by appa who was resting. They didn't realize Katara was close, Sokka and Aang looked nervous as Toph and Zuko didn't seem phased by her rage.
"Guys I think these scams have gone far enough," Katara sighed with hands on her hips.
"If you keep doing them something bad is going to happen," she tried to have them listen to her concerns.
Toph, Aang and Sokka rolled their eyes at her.
"I thought you would've talked to her Zuko," Sokka mumbled, Kataras eye twitched as she started to tap her foot in anger.
"I'm not the boss of her," Zuko frowned. "Don't try putting me in the middle cause you all can't find a compromise,"
"Says the one that's stealing no matter who says what!" Katara snapped harshly.
"That's my own business," he put his hands up not phased by her yelling.
"Could you stop being such a sourpuss and lighten up?" Toph scoffed.
"Oh and you think think I should be more like you?" Katara glared.
"Duh, then you would see how great we have it, I mean look at us, we're traveling around the world, making easy money, having fun with no parents to tell us what to do," Toph stretched her feet out and leaned against a rock.
"Oh, ohhh I see what this is about, you're acting like this because of your parents," Katara paused and smiled a little.
"Whatever," the youngest huffed.
"They were controlling over you so you ran away and now you act like like your parents don't exist, you act like you hate them but you don't," Katara tried to sympathize with her but Toph just got angry.
"I do hate them," she snarled.
"I don't think so, I think you miss them," Katara pursed her lips.
"I ran away to help Aang!" Toph got to her feet.
"You know what it doesn't matter, these scams put us all at risk, and we don't need that," Katara shook her head. "We already got that third eye freak after us,"
"Speaking of that freak, I think I've come up with a name for him, sparky sparky boom man!" Sokka intervened the fight. No one reacted.
"Just think about it," he grinned at the name but Zuko kicked at him a little.
"We have enough money, you need to stop this," Katara turned back to Toph.
"I'll stop when I want to stop, and not when you tell me!" She raised her voice.
Toph stormed off and made a earth shelter for her to be alone while Katara shook her head disappointed. She looked at Zuko who seemed tired of the fighting.
"I think I'm going to go into town, spend a little of this money," Sokka walked off quickly with the sound of coins jingling in his pockets.
"Youre not going to step in?" Katara narrowed her eyes at Zuko when it was just them and Aang who hung around awkwardly.
"You two are the only ones that are fighting, I think it's something only You two can resolve," Zuko sighed tiredly.
"So your on her side?" She laughed dryly rolling her eyes.
"Katara I think your taking this to personal, what if we all went down the river and trained for a bit to clear our heads?" Aang offered trying to help the tension.
"Sure, that sounds fine..." Katara rubbed her face frustrated.
——
Over the couple of hours without anyone fighting, Katara and Aang were training their water bending while Sokka was shopping and Toph was doing whatever Toph does.
Katara eventually went to make lunch as Zuko continued to help Aang with his water bending training, using it to defend himself from zukos fire bending instead.
"You know Zuko this is nice, we never get to hang out just us," Aang smiled as he was wiggling his arms with octopus water arms around him.
"Sure," Zuko crossed his arms watching Aang goof off a little.
"Is there any fun fire bending moves that are like this?" He swirled around a little.
"Uh no I don't think so, fires pretty dangerous we don't play with it," Zuko shook his head.
"Not even as a kid?" Aang smiled.
"Um no, my sister tried playing a game where You shoot apples off your head with fire but that never ended well," he shrugged knowing it would be trouble when he was a child.
"You have a sister?" Aang gasped surprised.
Zuko paused looking at him. He didn't know? He didn't remember.
"Uh yea.. I have a little sister.." Zuko gulped.
"Where is she? I thought your parents weren't around," the avatar seemed to perk up interested at his past.
"You don't... I don't- I don't know where she is, we're not.. close," Zuko looked at him unsure what to say. What to believe. Was he faking it to see if he was lying?
"Maybe when the wars over You can go find her," he offered.
"The people in my family, they're not good, full of evil fire benders," Zuko shook his head. Aang tilted his head to the side confused.
"But youre not evil, maybe they just need a second chance," Aang smiled kindly.
"Sure, maybe," Zuko pursed his lips touching his shoulder where Azula struck him with fire. She'd tried to kill him again. She would make sure to do it right this time.
The two went back to camp above as Aang was getting hungry but they could hear arguing from Katara and Toph again.
"They're fighting again?" Aang whined as Zuko picked up into a jog to see what the problem was.
"Where did you get that?!" Toph yelled as she was across from Katara who held a wanted poster.
"It doesn't matter where I got it-" "you went through my stuff!" Katara was cut off quickly as Toph was angry now.
"You had no right," the youngest spat.
"Your stuff was mess and I was just straightening up, I stumbled across it-" "that's a lie, your lying Katara!" Toph put her finger in the water benders face accusingly.
"Fine it's a lie!" Katara pushed her hand out of her face. "But you've been so out of control lately I knew something was up, I knew you were hiding something and you were,"
Toph ripped the wanted poster out of Kataras hand and stormed off.
"Don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you!" Katara gasped.
"Oh really mom? Are you gonna send me to my room?" Toph taunted her as they now stood with the three boys between them.
"I wish I could," Katara huffed.
"Well you can't because your not my mom and your not their mom either," she pointed back at the boys who waited for the fight to be over.
"I never said I was," Katara got flustered from embarrassment.
"No but you certainly act like it, you think it's your job to boss everyone around but it's not, your just a fucking kid, so stop acting like you can tell me what to do, I can do whatever I want!" Toph snapped harshly not holding back anymore.
"I don't act that way," Katara took a step back, her stomach twisted in guilt.
"Sokka do I act motherly?" She looked at her brother who sat with a bird on his shoulder.
"I'm staying out of this one," Sokka put his hands up.
"What do you think Aang? Do I act like a mom?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Well- I- uh-" "stop rubbing your eye and speak clearly when you talk," she barked making the avatar jump surprised.
"Yes ma'am," Aang straightened his back.
"Zuko?" Katara looked at him for help. Her throat felt strained as she could feel herself losing.
"Stop bitching them out, your nagging doesn't do a thing," Toph spoke up before Zuko had the chance.
"We don't need your shit," she spat.
Katara looked at her but finally stayed silent. Toph scoffed and shook her head.
"I can't be around You," the blind girl walked away.
"Good," Katara rolled her eyes walking in the opposite way.
"That was messy," Aang whispered awkwardly.
"When the hell did you get a messenger hawk?" Zuko looked down at Sokka confused.