Meanwhile in the Southern Water Tribe, Hakoda stood by himself as the sun rose over the icy tundra and the light bathed the little village in what small amount of warmth it had to offer. He was preparing to say goodbye to his son; Aang had sent a letter saying he would be visiting them soon and would need Sokka and Suki to return to Ba Sing Se with him as well as revealing Katara's pregnancy to them. It seemed as though the war had just ended yesterday and already Hakoda would again be separated from both his children. Though he realized he had to get used to it; they had both come of age years ago, they were adults. How they lived their lives was their choice.
"Good morning Hakoda" said the voice of Master Waterbender Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe. 4 years ago, Master Pakku had married Hakoda's elderly mother Kanna and was now his stepfather.
"Pakku" the Chief merely said.
"I'm worried about Katara too" Pakku said in a way that seemed like forced understanding. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you know, newly married with a baby on the way. It's the stuff that keeps a father up at night. You probably wish you could be there for her right now, or that someone asked you to."
Hakoda impatiently raised an eyebrow as he said, "My mother told you to come out and talk to me didn't she?"
"What would make you think that?"
"You've been living in this tribe and married to her for four years and you've maybe said 5 words to me. Now all of sudden you're talking to me as if I'm your stepson?"
Pakku, clearly out of his element while trying to continue, replied, "Well...you are my stepson...aren't you?"
"Since when do you care?"
"...W...what do you...I'm not sure I know what you mean" the aged Waterbender stuttered. "I'll be honest Pakku, I never liked you" Hakoda explained simply.
"W...why not?" asked Pakku.
"My mother leaves the Northern Water Tribe and travels from one side of the world to the other in the effort to avoid marrying you, 60 years later you show up with your fancy betrothal necklace, and it just happens like that all of a sudden."
"...Well in the Northern Tribe it was an arranged marriage but she didn't realize that I truly loved her but when she saw I had held onto her necklace for so long...well I guessed she thought it was sweet."
"Whatever" scoffed the Chief of the small tribe. "That's not the only problem I have with you." "Well then please explain" urged Pakku.
"You said you're worried about Katara too. Did you even notice that Sokka is leaving today as well? Do you even care?" Hakoda asked scornfully.
"What?" Pakku asked as though he was clueless.
"Do you know that you've never once hugged Sokka or even called him your grandson? But you were so eager to tell Katara the wonderful news when you and my mother got married! I don't think a good grandfather plays favorites with his grandchildren."
"...Well...I don't mean to."
"Of course you don't; it's just in your nature." "Excuse me?"
"I know your type" Hakoda said disdainfully. "You're a bender-supremacist."
"...I'm sorry, what?" Pakku said shortly, now losing the patience he had forced himself to have.
"Don't play stupid" Hakoda responded. "You don't care about Sokka because he isn't a Waterbender. Even though you're also sexist you still favor Katara because in your eyes a woman Waterbender is better than a regular man."
Pakku seemed to resent his stepson's tone. "If I was a bender-supremacist as you claimed then why would I love your mother, who is clearly not a Waterbender?" he asked.
"Like I said, your sexist too" replied Hakoda. "If she's not a Waterbender you feel like you're in charge, that you're the significant one. You're a sour, old inferior-feeling man who needs to feel important. That's why when she left you needed to become the best Waterbender in your village, to compensate for how empty you feel inside."
It could be seen on Pakku's face that he was dismayed and offended. "Look Hakoda, I know that I'm not the friendliest man on Earth, but I'm trying here, I'm your father now."
"You are not my father understand?!" shouted Hakoda. "My father was a proud warrior who died protecting this village from the Fire Nation while you and your Waterbenders sat by and did nothing! You don't care about anyone but yourself. You wanted to marry my mother because you see her as a possession, you don't care about Sokka because you don't have any use for him and you only care about Katara because she's a Waterbender so you see her as an extension of you, and you're only trying to be a father to me because my mother wants you to."
Pakku gasped in astonishment as this tirade escaped Hakoda's mouth. His head sunk lowly for a minute as he felt genuinely hurt. He placed his hand gently on Hakoda's shoulder and said, "Look...son."
Hakoda shrugged off his hand. "I don't need a new father" he said. "And I don't want one."
Hours later Sokka, Suki, and their infant son waited at the edge of the tribe as the time Aang promised to arrive drew nigh. Their grandmother Kanna, also known as Gran Gran, Pakku and Hakoda were waiting with them.
The Southern Water Tribe had changed in the years subsequent to the war. Rather than being a miniscule bunching of tents guarded by a thin layer of snow it was more like what it had been previous to the war. Large igloos and buildings of ice had been restored by the Northern Waterbenders who had journeyed with Pakku to help the tribe rebuild. Though most momentous of all, native children had been discovered to posses the gift of Waterbending and now unlike the others who had been born during the war, now had people to teach them.
"I can't believe Aang told you Katara was pregnant and not me" Sokka said slightly bitterly to his wife.
"Don't get upset Sokka; he wanted it to be a surprise" Suki replied comfortingly.
"I guess. But come on I'm the brother! When someone finds out with Spirit magic that they're going to have a baby they tell the brother."
A low grunting sound emitted from the air above, indicating that Appa was approaching.
"Looks like Uncle Aang is here" Sokka said as he tickled his son while Suki held him in her arms, causing the baby to giggle happily. "Is your Uncle Aang here? Yes he is, yes he is."
"You always know how to make Little Hakoda laugh Sokka" Suki said as her grin grew wider. "You're a natural father all right" said the baby's grandfather from who his nomenclature was
derived. As he said this comment that indicated a man without bending could have worth he shot Pakku a condescending look.
"....Uh yes Sokka" said his step-grandfather. "You certainly are an excellent parent."
"Uh...thanks Pakku" said Sokka in a way that suggested that he was as shocked as if he had just seen Aang, a vegetarian, eat a giant bloody steak.
"Please, call me Gramp Gramp, or Granpakku, I know you like that name" Pakku invited with forced sincerity.
"...You said if I ever called you that again you would skewer me with an icicle like a fish" Sokka reminded as if he was trying to snap Pakku out of a trance.
"Oh you're always so funny too!" Pakku exclaimed as he made himself laugh, "...grandson." "Is he drunk?" Sokka whispered to Suki, who shrugged in response.
With that the mighty sky bison Appa landed with a thud, the Avatar atop his head.
"Hello family-in-law!" Aang proclaimed as he leapt from the buffalo's head and landed in the snow.
"There's my little brother!" Sokka boomed as he embraced Aang and rubbed his had with his fist affectionately.
"Hi Aang" Suki welcomed as she hugged Aang.
"Hello Aang" Hakoda greeted as he extended the same salutation.
"Hi Sokka, Suki, Hakoda" Aang responded as he strained to breathe under the weight of the group hug.
"How many times do I have to tell you to call me dad before it sinks in?" Hakoda asked when they pulled away.
"Sorry dad" Aang politely apologized. "Hello Aang" Kanna then greeted.
"Hi Gran Gran" Aang replied. Kanna then hugged Aang too. Not being as familiar with her, he felt awkward, but got over it quickly. Kanna had much respect for Aang; his return had restored hope to her heart as well as the rest of the world.
"Hello Master Pakku" Aang then said, bowing respectfully. "Hello Pupil Aang" returned Pakku as he bowed.
"So...getting back to business" Sokka started, "...looks like I'm going to be an uncle!"
"You sure are Sokka" Aang confirmed. The emotional Sokka crushed Aang's ribs in a joyous hug. "So Katara's going to go through her pregnancy in Ba Sing Se then?" Suki asked.
"Yes" Aang nodded. "But I have something very important I need to take care of that will take a while. That's why I asked you two to come with me; she'll need some company."
"Not a problem at all Aang" Sokka assured. "Little Hakoda will love Ba Sing Se (he began tickling the infant and speaking in baby-talk again) won't you? Yes you will! Yes you will!" "Are you coming with us Chief H...sorry....are you coming too dad?" asked Aang.
"No" Hakoda replied sadly. "I wish I could but we're still rebuilding. I'm the chief so I have to be here to look after the tribe. Tell Katara I love and miss her though."
Aang nodded. "Will do dad."
"Well we aren't going to get to Ba Sing Se standing here" declared Sokka. After many hugs and goodbyes Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Little Hakoda soared through the air on Appa's back.
Hakoda, Pakku, and Kanna stood looking after them.
"See, I can be friendly to my grandson" Pakku said proudly.
"I didn't ask you to patronize him" Hakoda snapped as he turned around and began walking away.
Pakku snarled in anger. His patience was gone. "You know, you seem to have little trouble asking Aang to treat you like his father!" he shouted.
"He never had a real father" Hakoda said, mostly to himself as he disappeared from their sight. "That boy just won't ever accept me" Pakku sighed.
"Don't take it personally Pakku" said Kanna. "He's been through much with the war. He admired his father greatly. But it's not only that; unlike Aang he is grown. He doesn't really need a new father now, but there may still be a place for you in his heart, if you can find it."
"Maybe you're right" Pakku conceded. "But I don't think he wants me to find it."
Five days later, the previous Fire Lord Ozai sat lazily in his cell, another of his many incarcerated days filled with nothing more than the impatient wait for death's merciful embrace.
The guard in charge of bringing food entered the room and lazily dropped the tray of nourishment on the floor.
The guard then removed his keys from his belt and approached Ozai's cage, which was something out of the ordinary.
"What do you want now?" said Ozai idly as his cell door swung open, remembering being forced into the interrogation room days prior.
Quick as a flash, a cruel, stone hand snared Ozai's throat.
"The Dai Li does not appreciate squealers" Jing's voice said. "You're Majesty!" The screams of agony permeated the entire prison.
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NOTE :
So Ozai gets a peaceful and quick demise .... Jee i don't think that was peaceful it was quick but not peaceful
Give me some feedback and if you don't like my story then kindly F off now I have to add IT xD