Aang's shocked expression grew as the flames approached him. Acting swiftly he twirled his staff in a defensive pattern to deflect the flames.

"Hey guys the war's over, remember?" Aang tried explaining only to be answered with another wave of fire.

Ducking quickly around the corner and watching as the fire passed through the alleyway, Aang realized his mistake too late.

"My cabbages!" screamed the street vendor as his cabbage cart burst into flames.

"Sorry," Aang cried as he rushed to the salesman's aid.

Focusing on the fire and with a swift motion of his hands, the flames that had spread over the cart of cabbages extinguished completely. Turning, Aang could see his attackers fleeing down the alleyway and dashed off in pursuit.

"I should have known better than to try selling in the Fire Nation!" the cabbage man sobbed cradling a still smoldering cabbage in his arms as Aang disappeared.

Aang rounded a corner in the alley and could see the fire benders up ahead. Looking over their shoulders, the men seemed to put on an extra burst of speed.

"This'll slow him down," one of them said, knocking over several stacks of crates.

A moment later Aang jumped the obstacle in a single gliding bound, hot on his attackers' heels.

The chase continued down the side streets as the distance between the pursued and the pursuer grew less and less. One man tried slowing Aang down by throwing a smoke bomb over his shoulder, but it quickly became clear that this was also useless. With a quick blast of air Aang blew the smoke away revealing the men rounding yet another corner.

Scurrying out of the alley they separated and dissolved into the crowd, pushing and shoving their way through. Aang, stopping a moment to try to pick them out amidst the crowd, spotted three of them moving together further down the street on the other side of the crowd. Taking a running jump, he flipped his glider open and attempted to fly over to them.

Unfortunately at that very moment several shopkeepers began raising a small pavilion in the center of the street. Aang flew directly into it and, completely tangled up in the cloth and ropes, fell back down into the swarm of people. Sending an air blast emanating from his body he managed to break free, sending the canvas and ropes flying and astounding those around him. Catching site of his targets, Aang resumed the chase.

"Excuse me, sorry, coming through!" he shouted, squirming through the crowd.

The three men pushed over several vegetable carts in front of a side street, igniting them as they passed by with quick fire blasts. Bending the water out of a nearby ceramic jar, Aang quickly doused the flames as he launched himself over the obstacle. Seeing the men running ahead to what looked like a dead end, he took a side alley hoping to cut them off.

"Gotcha!" he cried, skidding out of the alleyway only to crash into a stack of barrels.

Lying in the splintered wood, Aang dizzily looked up as the fire benders escaped onto the rooftops from a ladder mounted on the wall. It took only a moment for him to snap out of his stupor and, hopping to his feet, he leaped to the top rungs of the ladder in a single bound aided by his airbending, and nimbly pulled himself onto the rooftop.

The firebenders were close now with seemingly nowhere to go. Taking a fighting stance and holding his hands out in front of him, Aang used earth bending to pull up a few red roof tiles and sent them flying at the men. He hit two of them in the backs of their legs, causing them to collapse face first onto the roof. The third man whirled around to face Aang and protect his fallen comrades.

"Who are you, and why did you attack me?" Aang demanded angrily, pointing at them with his staff and hoping to end the pursuit.

Ignoring him, the standing man gritted his teeth in determination and punched several bursts of fire at the Avatar while the two men lying face down quickly pulled themselves to their feet, launching a flurry of flames at the boy in the same motion.

Aang was ready for the first blast, but the second barrage almost knocked him from the roof. He was only able to recover by bending the air behind him as he tilted backwards over the roof's edge. The men took this opportunity to escape and rolled off opposite the end of the roof.

"Everyone wants to do it the hard way," Aang complained as he regained his balance and resumed the chase.

Taking a running jump from the roof edge, he hoped to surprise them with an aerial attack. Unexpectedly, he was met with a blast of flames followed by the swing of a pole from the men strategically hiding on a ledge below the rooftop. Aang plummeted to the ground below landing with a splash in an animal's watering trough.

"Lets bag him now while he's down," one man said harshly.

"No," another man replied worriedly, "We weren't even supposed to be here. Look, we're already attracting a crowd, lets get out of here."


"Ughh," Aang moaned, slowly opening his eyes.

He lay half in and half out of a watering trough. Next to him a horse like animal was drinking its fill. Noticing Aang rubbing his head, the beast turned and stared Aang in the eyes.

Face to face with the beast, Aang quickly realized what kind of animal it was as the Panther Mule bore its fangs and let out a threatening growl. Wide eyed, Aang struggled to get away but only managed to tumble out of the trough, flipping it on top of himself in the process.

"Aang, is that you?" Katara's voice sounded from someplace.

Tilting the trough up slightly, Aang peered out to see the Panther Mule's owner leading it away while Katara and Sokka approached him. Toph, struggling under a mountain of packages, followed them from behind.

"Hey guys," Aang said standing up, completely soaked and rubbing a noticeable bump on his head.

"Aang what happened?" Katara asked with concern while bending the water from Aang's clothes.

Sokka looked at Aang questioningly and Toph wore a similar expression as she set down the packages in her arms.

"I was chasing some firebenders--"

"Firebenders?" Sokka interrupted, "I thought we were done fighting the Fire Nation," he finished sarcastically, remembering the conversation they had early that day.

Ignoring Sokka, Aang resumed, "As soon as they saw me they attacked and ran. I tried to catch them, but with the crowd in my way I just couldn't get close enough. The last thing I remember is jumping from the roof."

"Looks like you got knocked over the head," Sokka mused, poking at the sizable bump on Aang's head making him wince, "Haven't you heard the expression 'look before you leap'?"

"Whoever they were, they obviously don't want to be caught," Toph stated, pushing Sokka away from Aang, "Did you recognize any of them?"

"I don't know who they were," Aang said honestly, then adding, "Its weird, but while I was unconscious I had the strangest dream that someone was looking for me."

"That is weird," Katara agreed with a look of concern, "What do you think it means?"

"It was probably nothing, I have weird dreams all the time," Sokka offered pragmatically.

Katara shot him an annoyed look and Toph laughed, "Yeah, you must Snoozles, you're asleep all the time."

"I'm serious," Sokka defended himself, then continued seriously, "Dreams are one thing, but these fire benders are definitely something to worry about."

"I suppose there's nothing we can do about it," Katara said, glad that her brother was finished goofing off, "They're gone now and Aang doesn't know who they were."

"Yeah," Aang replied uneasily, "What're we going to do?"

"As much as I'd like to go find these guys, we should probably get back to the palace. I'm sure Zuko and Iroh will want to know what happened," Sokka offered.

"Good thinking," Toph complimented as Aang and Katara nodded, "But before we do anything lets work out a better plan for getting your packages back."


Luckily the streets leading to the palace courtyard were much less crowded than the rest of the Fire Capital. As they made their way to the palace, Katara walked with Aang ahead of Sokka and Toph, who were arguing about the load Sokka had insisted only Toph was strong enough to carry. In the end, they agreed to each carry half, and though Sokka fought bitterly he relented and agreed that Toph could keep one of the many gifts meant for Suki.

Katara, trying to ignore Sokka and Toph's friendly bickering, could see Aang was upset over his recent defeat against the renegade fire benders. She hated seeing her best friend so down and her caring nature immediately took action.

"Don't worry about those firebenders, I'm sure they'll be caught. Don't forget Zuko is fire lord now, he'll find out what's going on."

"But what if it's more than just a few firebenders; what if Azula is back?" Aang questioned fearfully.

He had barely defeated Fire Lord Ozai just weeks before and he knew that Azula was just as powerful if not more so. Zuko and Iroh assured them that she would be found, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

"No one has seen Azula since the battle," Katara said and then added, "Zuko has started sending troops all over the Fire Nation to find her, but its like she just disappeared."

"Even if it's not Azula, I'm the Avatar," Aang insisted, "It's my responsibility to maintain balance and order in the world, not to mention peace among men. I can't just ask Zuko to fix my problems."

The new seriousness that Aang had recently taken with his Avatar duties was almost surprising to Katara. He had definitely become more than the carefree youth she had first met at the South Pole, though his boyish nature still clung to him.

"We're your friends, and your problems are our problems too. Zuko will want to get to the bottom of this just as much as you," Katara explained, hoping to convince her friend that he didn't have to hold the world on his shoulders alone.

"You're probably right," Aang replied still downcast.

"Hey, when have I ever been wrong?" she joked, smiling reassuringly and throwing an arm around him.

Aang's gloomy face broke into a grin. It was great to have a best friend like Katara.

"Come one, I'll race you back!" she said, knowing that Aang wouldn't refuse a challenge.

"You're on," he said, "Last one back has to wash Sokka's socks!"

"Hey, I heard that!" Sokka hollered from behind as Aang and Katara raced ahead.

"Wait for me!" Toph yelped speeding past Sokka in a cloud of dust.


As Aang and Katara raced into the palace courtyard, followed closely by Toph and Sokka, they were all greeted by Zuko and Iroh.

The two firebenders had just finished a game of Pai Sho, something they barely had the time for but forced themselves to have time for it, and as they moved away from the board Zuko could be heard muttering something, the only audible bits being 'lotus tile', 'cheating', and 'fat hog monkey'. Iroh bore a huge grin clearly labeling him the victor.

"Where have you all been? You missed my glorious victory over Zuko," Iroh spoke cheerily, slapping his nephew across the back sportingly. Zuko winced and glared at his uncle.

"Isn't it obvious," Toph said holding up the load in her arms, "Sokka's been dragging us around buying things for his girlfriend!" As she finished, she emphasized her disapproval of Sokka's actions as she abruptly dropped everything in her arms.

"Careful with those!" Sokka yelped, dropping everything in his own arms and scrambling to make sure nothing in the bunch Toph had dropped was broken.

"What's that?" Zuko asked, observing as Sokka picked up a small peculiar machine.

"This," Sokka began, using his most rational and logical tone, "Is a machine operated makeup applier."

Zuko's eyebrow shut up in amusement as he turned to Katara for a sensible explanation.

"Don't ask me, Sokka picked that one out," she said rolling her eyes.

"Seems pretty cool to me!" Aang said as he pressed the button on the small contraption, causing the device's inner springs and levers to click into action and instantly plaster his face with white makeup.

Everyone started laughing, even Zuko couldn't help but chuckle. Aang cut a comical pose as he pretended to be Suki.

"Sokka, how thoughtful, I look just like Avatar Kyoshi herself! Now let me give you a big kiss!" he said in the best girl voice he could muster and making a kissy face at Sokka.

"Eeww, no!" Sokka cried as he ran from the pursuing Aang. They circled Appa several times before the bison woke up.

"Appa, Aang's gone crazy, help me!" Sokka shouted as he halted in front of the bison's huge furry face.

Appa yawned and then gave Sokka a huge slobbery lick.

"Not me!" Sokka groaned wiping the slobber from himself and pointing at Aang, "Him!"

Appa turned and licked Aang too, wiping the makeup clean off his face. Aang fell to the ground laughing uncontrollably. Now that the danger was over, Sokka started laughing too.

"Thanks Appa, I don't know what I'd do without you," Sokka said patting the bison on the head.

"Yeah, thanks buddy, I don't know what came over me!" Aang said pulling himself up and giving the huge bison the best hug he could.

"Don't forget to tell Zuko what happened in town," Katara said seriously as everyone's fits of laughter came to an end.

"What happened?" Zuko asked with a concerned look, seeing the sudden change in Aang and Katara's former happy expressions, "What's wrong?

"While we were in town, I was attacked by a group of men—firebenders," Aang explained.

"What!" Zuko shouted as his temper flared, "Who was it! Some of my men? I'll have them sentenced to--"

"I got the sense that they were rebels, not your soldiers," Aang interrupted quickly, cowering from the heat of Zuko's outburst.

Iroh attempted to restrain his enraged nephew, but Zuko shook off his hand and breathed deeply, "Sorry, I just got carried away."

Zuko had always been subject to over reacting in bursts of anger on occasion and he had developed a very protective attitude towards his friends, though he'd never admit it. An attack on Aang was an attack on himself as far as he was concerned. They had come along way from being hunter and hunted less than a year ago.

Continuing, Zuko asked more calmly, "Did you recognize any of them?"

Aang shook his head disappointedly.

"Well there isn't much we can do now," Iroh pointed out, then turning to his nephew, "But, if you don't mind my recommendation, Fire Lord Zuko, we should probably increase the number of palace guards and city patrols."

"I was thinking the same thing," Zuko stated, then facing Aang and his friends, "We'll put a stop to these rebel benders one way or another."

"Glad you'll be able to handle things without us this time," Toph teased, shoving Zuko playfully. Zuko, who wasn't ready for this, fell to the ground and lay sprawled in an undignified manner.

"Well as long as you're sticking around I don't see why we can't put you on patrol. Many of our soldiers are out searching for Azula and other dissident soldiers and we could use everybody," Zuko countered with a smirk while picking himself up.

"I'd love to," Toph said sarcastically, "But we got business at the South Pole. We'll be leaving in the morning."

"You're leaving so soon?" Zuko asked completely shocked.

"Well, after the signing of the treaty tonight, we figured we wouldn't be needed around here anymore," Katara explained, "Sokka and I have been wanting to get back to the Southern Water Tribe. Dad and Gran Gran must miss us so much."

"I see," Zuko said a bit downcast but trying to sound unmoved.

Over the short period he had actually been friends with them, Zuko found that he was actually happy. They had become like the family he never had, because in reality he didn't have a family. His father who never cared for him: deceased. His mother who loved him more than anything: deceased. His sister who loved torturing him: missing. Uncle Iroh would be the only one left, Zuko thought, and it would be nice to have family members that didn't want to drink tea and play Pai Sho all the time.

"Don't worry," Katara offered, seeing through Zuko's charade of being indifferent, "We'll come back to visit."

"Of course," Toph agreed, "Life without my two favorite firebenders would be just awful."

"We'll be back," Aang spoke up cheerily, "Don't think you can lose us that easily."

Zuko smiled weakly at his friends remarks.

"Well, if everyone's parting ways in the morning," Iroh said merrily, "Then lets make this a night to remember!"


"Bumbling idiots," General Tze barked as he kicked out at the kneeling men before him, "You're lucky he didn't catch you. What were you doing in the streets anyway?"

"Well, uhm," one the men sputtered, "We thought we should, uh, that is, we thought it would be a good idea to spy on the Avatar."

Tze shot out a wave of flames forcing the kneeling men to fall backwards and stumble away from him.

"Fools! If you had been caught the plan would be ruined," Tze stormed and then began pacing.

"I have worked every bit of this out carefully," he began, then stopping at a table with all a manner of weapons on it. Picking up blowpipe like weapon, he continued, "Do you know what this is?"

The men on the ground didn't know whether it was a rhetorical question or not and simply shook their heads no.

"This is a Fukiya, not a very effective weapon, but with this," Tze said leeringly, picking up a small dart, "It will do the trick. This is a Chi blocking poison. It took years to create, ingredients had to be gathered from all four corners of the world, but we finally succeeded."

The five kneeling fire benders looked at Tze fearfully, comprehension of his plan dawning on them as he continued, "With the Avatar in my possession, Fire Lord Zuko will be helpless to my demands."

Smiling wickedly, he finished, "And it all begins tonight."