Ban, Not Banishment

~Zuko~ Zuko was very rudely woken up by his sister yanking on his arm. "Zuko, Zuko! Wake up this instant! Do you know what day it is??" Zuko groaned and put his palm flat on his sister’s face, pushing her away. He mumbled, "I’m awake, Lula, ’m awake.." "Get up, Zuzu! I’m performing for the crowds today and YOU need to be there!!" "Okay, okay, let me get ready for the day." But when Azula closed the door behind her, Zuko sighed and put his head in his hands. He had promised his sister months ago that he’d be there to watch her show, but now that it’s happening, he’s less sure. He hasn’t firebended in three years, since that day, and watching her do it so freely can be painful. Mentally and physically. But he did promise. And Father certainly won’t be going. So he pushed his discomfort aside and got up, going to get dressed and ready. ~Aang~ Hair sucked. That much was clear to Aang. Wearing this headband over his arrow was even worse. But Sokka had insisted and Katara had convinced him that it was for the best if people thought he was dead. Again. A flash of blue caught his eyes, a burst of flame from somewhere ahead. Sokka shrieked and Toph said "What? What?" "Fire," Katara told her, nodding meaningfully at Aang. "Someone who’s good. Maybe, maybe…?" "What?" Sokka demanded, looking a bit flustered from his earlier reaction, which Aang found a bit funny. "Maybe they’ll be perfectly willing to betray their entire nation?" "Yes!" Aang said, glad that Sokka got it. Toph snorted and said, "You don’t always get sarcasm, do you, Twinkle Toes?" Katara sighed and rolled her eyes. "Let’s just go take a look." The four of them made their way to the crowd surrounding where the blue fire was coming from, and Toph shoved her way through and dragged the others with her. The firebender making the fire was a girl around Katara’s age but not, in Aang’s opinion, as pretty. She was dressed in Fire Nation clothes, had black hair in a bun with two strands framing her face, pale skin and gold eyes. A boy who looked a bit older was loitering behind her, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed, and it took Aang a second to notice the scar on his face. He felt Katara wince beside him and could tell that she saw it too. But then he tore his eyes away from the scarred boy, looking back at the exciting firebending display. The girl’s tricks were very impressive. She shot a fire dragon into the sky, and Aang’s jaw was practically on the floor. Toph had a slight frown on her face, and her feet angled more towards the boy instead of the girl making the show. But Aang was much too invested in the movement of the blue flames to notice that, or to see how the boy flinched a bit each time the fire came too close to his face.