Four Elements High School: Junior Year

Chapter 22: Culmination

Katara, Aang and Azula stood outside of Lo and Li's history classroom, waiting for Toph and Ty Lee. The other students were filing out of the classroom and heading to their next class, but the two girls were nowhere to be seen. 

"The bell rang three minutes ago!" Aang complained, "What's taking them so long?" As if on cue, the door opened, and Toph and Ty Lee walked out, with the same grins on their faces. Ty Lee was holding up a sheet of paper, that with closer inspection, was her history exam (Toph had done hers orally). Katara looked at the score.

"100 percent!" she said excitedly. 

"We talked to Lo and Li, and they're going to vouch for us at the PTA meeting!" Ty Lee exclaimed, before doing a cartwheel right there in the school hallway. 

"That gives us eight out of 15 votes," Azula said, "The PTA meeting is tomorrow, so I think we're ready!"

~~~

It was the Sunday after the PTA meeting, and Azula was sitting by the window in the Jasmine Dragon, sipping Ginger Tea and reading a book. She had gotten an email earlier that said they would receive the full budget allotted to them for Prom. As soon as they heard the news, they immediately started paying for the venue and the catering.

Azula turned the page and took another sip of her tea, when a bell jingled and the door opened. She glanced up from her book, but immediately glanced down again. 

Her father was in the tea shop. 

Maybe if I hide my face he won't notice me. 

"Azula." Azula slowly, reluctantly turned to face him. 

"So this is where you've spending your time," he said poisonously, "Grab your things, we're leaving."

"No," her voice was barely audible. Her father's eyes narrowed. 

"You've caused enough trouble as it is, Azula," he said, "You've had your fun. Now it's time to go home."

"No," Azula said, a little louder this time, "I'm 18. I'm legally an adult, you can't control me anymore," she felt herself become more courageous, "You know, I went to see Mom, with Zuko back in February." Ozai's face contorted with anger.

"You saw Ursa? Where is she?!"

"Like I'd ever tell you!" Azula screamed. She felt herself smiling as years of pent up anger and emotions finally erupted out, "I'm friends with the Avatar now! I'm friends with the daughter of the Beifongs! I'm going to Prom with Ty Lee on May 20th. There is going to be a Prom on May 20th, and there is nothing you can do to stop it, just because you're jealous of your brother. He's more of a father to me than you ever were-"

"Enough!" Ozai shouted, and Azula's courage was gone. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door, "We're going home!"

"Ozai?" walking slowly into the room from the kitchen, was Iroh, "Leave. Now, or I'm calling the Police. I doubt that you'd want to have your reputation tarnished, considering that reputation is more important than the well being of your own children." For a moment Azula thought that Ozai was about to start firebending at his brother, but then he simply stalked out of the tea shop.

"Why don't we have a relaxing cup of tea," Uncle Iroh said, comforting her.

"I already had tea, Uncle," Azula said with a roll of her eyes.

"But there is always room for more," Iroh ran into the kitchen, "Would you like to try a particular blend I've been working on?" Azula smiled a little bit, took one last look outside and saw that Ozai's car was gone, and followed him. 

~~~

"I can't believe you dragged me into this," Zuko sighed as he parked his gray Audi in front of the Gaoling Country Club. 

"We just need to confirm our reservation, and then we can leave," Katara said. She was sitting in the front, and Aang, Sokka, and Toph were in the back. 

"But why did you make me drive you here?"

"Because no one else wanted to drive, Snoozles!" Toph barked. They stepped out of the car and headed into the foyer of the country club, where they got several irritated looks from the wealthy-looking members. They were a bunch of teenagers in jeans and graphic tees in an upscale club, so it wasn't like they expected anything else. 

A few of the staff quickly ushered them into the back garden, saying that they would be right with them. 

"Well this is... interesting," Katara said as she examined their surroundings. The garden looked like it was undergoing maintenance. They were the only people there, and there was a pile of weeds on the ground, a hose and a bucket of water. Katara knelt down next to some of the droopy looking roses on the perimeter. Aang grinned and tried to use waterbending to splash some water on her, but Toph earthbent a wall to block it.

"Nice try Twinkletoes!" She laughed. Katara spun around and retaliated, bending the water out of the roses and sending it right towards Aang, but he made an ice wall around himself and Sokka. From then on it was complete and utter pandemonium. 

"Airbend at Toph to distract her, then destroy the barrier," Sokka commanded. 

"You know we can hear everything you say, Sokka," Katara said, rolling her eyes while dousing her brother with water. Zuko stood, adorably confused in the center of it all, until Toph pulled him over to her and Katara's side. 

"Melt the ice!" Toph screamed. Zuko sent a blast of fire towards the other side, but Aang deflected it. 

"This isn't fair!" Zuko complained, "He's the avatar." 

"Well, Sokka can't bend, so they cancel each other out," Katara said playfully. Sokka frowned, but then he spotted a frisbee sitting in the corner of the garden. He grabbed it, threw it with a perfect angle, and hit Katara in the back of the head. 

"Hey!" 

When another one of the staff came to confirm the reservation, he found the five teenagers screaming and laughing and completely soaked. The garden was in upheaval, not that it had been in good shape in the first place. There was mud everywhere, and were those... scorch marks on the cobblestones?!

"We are so, so sorry," Katara said, dusting herself off. 

"Speak for yourself," Zuko said, "I haven't acted that immature since I was five. That was amazing." Toph handed the staff member a wad of cash. 

"I assume this will pay for the damages." 

"That... won't be necessary," he replied, refusing to come within two feet of her, "Just leave through the back door. You're all disgusting." Katara quickly signed off on a sheet of paper to confirm the reservation, and they headed out with their heads held high.

~~~

Thanks for Reading!

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