fandomhigh | Ethics [Monday, January 15, 5th period]

Precisely on time, Darth Vader swept into the room and slammed the door firmly behind him.

"Today we talk about lying," he said, his masked face scanning the faces in front of him as he prowled around the classroom.

"Everyone lies," he stated flatly. "To hide things, to manipulate others, to avoid...unpleasantness." There was a definite hint of scorn in his voice at that last example. "In class today, you are required to pair up and only tell the truth." His cape whirled behind him. "And I can tell if you are not. Such disobedience will result in detention."

He paused for a moment. "And I don't believe in that axiom where if you cannot say something nice, you don't say anything at all. I do not require you to be nice. I require you to be honest." He glanced down at the student roster. "If everyone comes to class today, there will be an odd number. That final person will be interrogated by me."

He crossed his arms over his chest, his mechanical breathing the only sound for a moment. "Name. Place of birth. Classes you are taking," he barked out. "Proceed from there."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It didn't make sense for the Avatar to suddenly leave his companions and Zuko paused for a moment. "He tossed you aside?"

"You didn't answer my question," Katara said stubbornly.

Zuko clenched his fist, but he hadn't exactly been making it a secret why he had come here. "To learn lightning bending. Now answer."

Her eyes widened at the answer, not liking the implications. "No." Katara realised he'd take that the wrong way. "He didn't," she added.

"Why couldn't you learn it in the Fire Nation?"

Zuko bristled. "You don't need me to answer that. Where is he?"

"None of your business," she snapped.

"And sorry, I don't have your life story engraved on my eyelids. I don't care that much," she said, partially lying that time. "Why not?"

"I don't have to answer if you're not going to," Zuko growled and glared at her.

"I did answer," she said, glaring back. "With the truth even."

"None of your business isn't an answer, waterbender," he leaned forward. "Or maybe you don't know."

"Maybe I don't know what?" Katara asked, crossing her arms and not leaning back an inch. "What an answer is?"

"Where the Avatar is," Zuko clarified, not backing off. "Maybe you lost him too."

"Too?" Katara replied scornfully. "He was never yours to lose, firebender."

"You're really dim, but then that's what's to be expected for a water tribe peasent," he spat back.

"Can't even think up new insults?" She rolled her eyes.

"Why should I? It already says everything," he threw back.

"That just shows your limited brain," Katara snapped at him.

"I prefer to save my breath on creating fire," Zuko growled. "Talking your enemy to death doesn't exactly work."

"Have you ever won a battle?" she asked.

Zuko sneered. "What's wrong, Katara? Hit your head at the North Pole?"

"I said battle, not a fight, Zuko," she sneered back, trying to look like she'd meant that all around. "In the end, you were the one trying to sneak out of the city without being found."

"One set back," he said, annoyed at having his failure pointed out like that. "Your Avatar is still very far from winning the war."

She crossed her arms and looked distinctly satisfied. "So are you."

"You've been in Fandom too long, little girl. You're already getting delusional," he mimicked her stance.

"Oh? Tell me how it could possibly be otherwise when Ba Sing Se and the North Pole still hold fast?" Katara asked, voice even, eyes flashing. "You've been out of the world for what, five months now? And you think I'm delusional."