Disclaimer: All I own is 5 dollars, a giant chocolate bunny, and some pocket lint. Haha, just kidding…or am I..?

A/N: Alright, alright. Don't kill me. Please. I'm back from my long, homework-filled "vacation" and somewhat ready to write. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

And now-to the chapter!

"Okay, so do we have the plan covered?" I ask, pumping the last of the footballs with air.

"Sure do Boss." Zuko replies, loading the paintball gun.

"Yep. You're gonna set up the football for me to kick at the nearest passing car, we're going to act innocent and that we were just playing a good ol' game, and if the victum threatens us or advances on us, Zuko will snipe them from the roof of the High School." Sokka recites, lacing his dark blue and white Vans.

"Very good. Now to get Sparky on the roof…" I look up at the top of the building then at the blackness of the school through the front widows.

This was going to be awesome.

Not only are we gonna hit the peaks of our dear citizens' nerves, but we get to break into school after hours.

Maybe we'll run into the principle on our way up!

Ah, I'm living every prankster's dream right about now…

"So we know that there are emergency stairs in the back of the main building. The question is how I get in." Zuko speaks my exact thoughts.

"You could climb in through Mrs. Johnson's classroom window."

"Snoozles, Zuko is not breaking your Biology teacher's window to pull a prank."

"No, we don't need to break it. She's always opening it, saying that fresh air is 'a great stimulant for the minds of learning children'. I bet twenty dollars that it's wide open." He explains already starting for the side of the building.

"Fine, you're on!"

So we reach the window.

And guess what??

The flippin' window is open!

Wow the "higher beings" must hate me.

"Ha-ha! Well what do you know? Ahem, cough it up." Sokka demands in a mocking tone, holding out his hand.

"Ugh, that's twenty bucks I'll never get back… Fine. Sparky-in! Remember to use the walkie-talkie if there are any problems and if not-wait for our signal." I instruct, regretfully handing over the money to Sokka.

I grab onto Snoozles arm and head towards the street.

"Ow, ow, ow! Toph-that hurts!"

"Aww poor, weak Snoozles. GET OVER IT!" I yell at the whimpering baboon beside me.

"Whatever…hey look! He got up!" I turn to the school and see Zuko waving his arms like crazy.

"Haha, nice. Let's do this, shall we?"

We smirk at each other in response.

Picking up one of the balls, I crouch down and set it up for him to kick.

"You better not, and I mean NOT, miss the ball. Got it?"

"Ahah..ha.. Yes ma'am!"

Haha. A look of fear. That's what I was aiming for.

After a couple rounds of street football, something... interesting happens.

"Yellow Lamborghini coming in from the right." Sokka announces getting into ready position.

"And…par!" I shout out some random sports line, not knowing what they really say.

And just like that, Sokka hits the target dead on.

Maybe too dead on…

As in 'through-the-window-and-smacking-the-guy-right-on-the-side-of-the-face' dead on.

"What the heck?! What're you kids doing?!"

And to make things worse-it happened to be the enormous man-handler from the theater.

"Uh oh…" I take a couple steps back with Sokka right beside me.

"Get out of there!" I hear Zuko's voice from the walkie-talkie.

"YOU!" The guy says.

Oh crap.

Just thinking about The Mission causes my leg to hurt.

"Heh-me…" I say sorta (not really) enthusiastically.

This is gonna be interesting.

"You're one of the kids that trashed the theater. You know I had to pick it up myself…" He sneers advancing on Sokka and me.

"Did you now? Well, as my mom always says, "Hard work is good for learning responsibility"…am I right?" I offer, discreetly sending Zuko the signal.

"Don't be a smart-ass. Now, you wanna know what I do to kids that get on my nerves?" He threatens.

"Um, no. Not exactly." I reply.

Stay calm.

Don't act like he's getting to you.

Be tough.

For Sokka.

Focus.

"Well I'm gonna tell you anyway. Wait-no. I'm gonna show you." He rears back and I instinctively close my eyes.

No impact.

"Don't even think about it!" I hear Sokka growl at the AMC employee.

I open my eyes to see Sokka wrestling with the man.

Suddenly, five different colors of paint burst on the giant's shirt and he goes limp in Sokka's arms.

Throwing him off to the side, Snoozles asks, "You wanna crack at him?"

"Wha-oh. Sure."

Giving the man a nice blow to the gut (just like old times), I walk over to Sokka.

"Um…tha-no…uh…"

Geez, this apology thing is hard.

"Haha, no worries. I didn't even realize what I was doing…" He comments offhandedly.

But I saw the sadness in his face.

Sigh.

"No. It's not okay. I've been nothing but a pain-in-the-ass to you. I'm sorry. And thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it." I reply looking down at my hands.

Huh…the first line was hard, but then it got easier…

Being nice really isn't all that hard…

Obviously shocked, Sokka manages to say, "Um, no problem. Any time."

I look up and we smile at each other.

My stomach just did a back flop.

A big one.

"Well, well, well. Is it just me or do I see some fireworks?"

We jump slightly, but calm down when we realize it's Zuko.

"Lord, Zuko. How do you get down from the roof so fast?!" Sokka asks still trying to recollect himself.

"Yeah. Why's it take less time to get from the top of the school to the bottom than loading a paintball gun?" I shoot at Zuko.

Ha, I turned the tables on him and he knows it.

"Well, you see…I-uh… Sorry!" He shrinks away. "You're lucky Sokka was here, 'Mrs. I'm not scared of anything'. We could've had matching bruises!" He adds hoping to divert the attention from him.

"Yeah. I'm really lucky…," I say softly. "Anyway, I think an announcement is in order! Sokka Mizu-I now dub thee a member of the amazing… Super Bad Pranksters of Awesomeness! Do you accept?" I add in a voice that all three of us could hear.

"Definitely! That was the most fun I've had in ages!" He replies laughing.

"Alrighty then… Now what?"

"How am I supposed to know Sparky?" I snap, crossing my arms impatiently.

"I guess it's back to my house. If we think of anything else, we can leave."

"Ah, great idea! The longer I'm away from The Rents, the better." I comment, throwing the footballs to Sokka who, in turn, puts them into the mesh-bag that Zuko's holding.

And with that done, we head off to the Mizu House.

A/N: And done! Wow, it finally came together for me. Again-sorry for the wait. For the past couple nights, I've been working from 4:30 to 10:00 and have been getting up at 6:30 to finish homework before school (which starts at 8:30). Man, am I tired. But enough excuses. Got any comment, questions, concerns, criticism, etc.-send a review! Please (if you don't want to wait for months) send ideas. Haha.

Till next chapter,

-The Runaway