Renegaded Spirits

News

"Hey look at this," Aang beamed running to a stand that sold newspapers. It's been weeks since the earth kingdom fell and almost another week since Aang woke up from his take down from Azula. The gaang broke off from the water tribes ships as they would meet again at black sun in the future.

Katara, sokka, and toph followed Aang over to the stand as the man who owned it and Aang chatted about the recent news while katara picked up a paper of the news.

She gasped covering her mouth dropping the paper as everyone turned to her confused.

"Katara what happened?" Toph picked up the paper even if she couldn't read it.

"Tragic news ain't it young lady," the man knew what she read.

"What? What's tragic news?" Sokka looked over tophs shoulder at he paper.

"Prince Zuko was murdered,"

No one seemed to want to move as the thought sunk in. The boy who hunted them since the South Pole was now dead. He wouldnt nor couldn't bother them anymore.

Sokka felt guilt in his chest thinking about how Zuko was his age, they both where sixteen and fighting this war, only one might be finishing it. Although it was relieving that Zuko wouldn't be on their asses anymore, it didn't feel right to have something just happen.

Aang was sad, Zuko was a teenager, only a few years older than himself and was murdered. Probably won't even get a proper burial in his own home, won't be remembered. Even if Zuko was a horrible person, he didn't deserve to die, he still was brave in some ways... But Zuko kinda helped Azula kill him... He wasn't a saint.

Toph was also sad, she held nothing against Zuko, sure he wasn't the nicest with chasing them all the time but iroh told her the kind and good side of Zuko. And when iroh was hit by Azula she could tell Zuko loved his uncle as his heart raced in fear of loosing him. He wasn't a monster to her, she would have given him a chance.

Katara... Didn't feel anything, but she also felt everything, angry at who ever could kill someone who wasn't even an adult, angry at his choices he made, sad that she wouldn't be able to smack sense into him next time they meet, confused... She was so confused what happened that night when Zuko 'changed', confused what happened when she escaped with Aang. She was also scared, scared that she was the last person of them that saw Zuko and heard him fighting against Azula. Nothing felt right.

"How did he die?" Katara asked with no emotion in her voice.

"His uncle betrayed him and shot the prince with lightning when the avatar was slayed, that old man was crazy from the beginning," the man signed sadly.

"Did you know him?" He looked at katara seeing grief on all of their faces.

"Yea, from the colonies, we're travelers," Aang spoke up as no one knew how to answer at the moment.

"We should keep going guys," Katara walked away.

"Are you okay?" Toph walked up to her as the boys took a moment longer.

"I was the last one who saw him Toph, now Zukos dead," Katara sighed.

"It's not your fault, like how jet wasn't yours either, things just happen," Toph told her softly.

"It wasn't an accident, it was murder, so was jets," Katara glared softly at the ground clenching her fists.

"I'm going to go check on appa, you guys can hang out here for a little longer, just don't be stupid," Katara smiled gently at Toph even if she couldn't see it.

"When have we ever?" Toph smirked back and slowly walked away, hesitating due to how katara was acting, she couldn't go and avenge someone at this moment, especially not iroh, and especially not for Zuko. Katara hated him.

They all knew of Zukos betrayal against them as he had the choice of helping them or fighting them again. He made that choice. He made his choice. No matter what happened to him in that cavern he made a choice of his fate.

And look where it got him.