Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish I was, I'm not; Meaning that I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Rating: RT (Teens)
Prologue: A girl from the Earth Kingdom follow the Prince of the Fire Nation and soon joins the Prince and his uncle on their journey. What do you think will happen?
In the Fire Nation outer islands, daytime, a mysterious cloud is scudding rapidly over the water. As it lights on one of the islands, voices emanate from it.
"I think I see a cave below," Aang's voice came from the cloud.
"Shhush... keep quiet!" Sokka's voice came out as well. The cloud disperses with a blast of airbending to reveal the kids, riding Appa. Sokka dismounts and begins a furtive reconnaissance.
"Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut," Sokka says to the gang
"Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in," Zuko says sarcastically
"Hey! We're in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds," Sokka points upward to four of the enemy, perched on a rock just behind him. One hops down onto his head and squawks plaintively. The kids laugh. Sokka is not amused. They walk toward the cave, Sokka lurking behind. All of a sudden, he leaps over their heads to ward off some [entirely imaginary] threat. Peering suspiciously about, he dashes into the cave, followed by the rest of the gang.
"Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave... after cave... after cave..." Sokka says as his head drops further to his chest with each repetition of the word.
"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need is some new clothes," Katara says to her brother.
"Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave," Aang says
"Plus... They have real food out there. Does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave-hoppers?" Toph says, and Ama sitting next to her punches the cave wall and several hoppers hopped out. Momo catches one and begins chowing down. The kids appear revolted.
"Looks like we got out voted, sport," Sokka says to Momo, "Let's get some new clothes," he then says to the rest of the group.
The gaang found a Fire Nation laundry nearby. Several items of clothing are hung on lines outdoors, suspended over steam vents. The group, hiding in some rocks close by, survey the scene.
"I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody," Aang says
"I call the silk robe!" Katara says as she leaps from the rocks, runs to her prize and snatches it from the line.
"But if it's essential to our survival... Then I call the suit!" Aang says
Plunder ensues. The laundry's lone attendant, stealing a nap in the doorway, is oblivious.
The gang are trying on their new duds, near a secluded beach.
"Ta-dah! Normal kid," Aang says as he turns around revealing what he is wearing.
"Hmm... I should probably wear shoes, but then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry shoes!" Toph says as she sits down, brings her knee up to her chest, pulling on the shoe's upper and popping out the sole with her foot, which propels it into Sokka's face. She stands up and evaluates her new customized footwear.
"Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender," she says
"How do we look?" Katara asks, as she and Ama comes into view, making everyone look at them.
Katara was wearing a red crop top with one sleeve and a skirt that fell to her knees. Ama was wearing a skirt similar to Katara's but it was black and orange, her top was grey and had a gold band tied to her waist. Ama's hair was down showing how long it grew; it grew all the way to her knees.
Zuko and Aang, smitten, blushes at the ravishing Fire Nation beauty. Aang then suddenly realizes a problem.
"Uh... your mom's necklace," Aang says to Katara, which takes Zuko out of his trance emitted from Ama.
"Oh... oh, yeah. I guess it's pretty obviously water tribe, isn't it?" Katara says chagrined. She reluctantly removes it.
"Don't worry, Katara. If you want, we could go and get a new one to replace it for the time being," Ama says to her friend
"Alright then," Katara says
They went to the bazaar of a nearby town, where Katara buys some new, more fire-themed neckware. Toph, Ama and Sokka try on their own new accessories - a new headband for Toph, a topknot clasp for Sokka, and a white fire lily comb pin for Ama. Aang just smoothes down Momo's ears and tucks him beneath his coat.
"I used to visit my friend Kuzon here a hundred years ago. So everyone just follow my lead and stay cool. Or as the say in the Fire Nation - 'Stay flamin'!" Aang says
Aang saunters out, the rest following. A man is eating a meat shish kebab on the sidewalk. Aang waves to him as they walk by.
"Greetings, my good Hotman!" Aang greeted the man
"Uh, hi. I guess?" The man says
"Uhgg, we don't say that anymore!" Zuko says to Aang a little offended
Aang blushes sheepishly and rubs the back of his head, "Oh, rite. I guess my lingo is a little out of date, huh?" He says a little embarrassed
"You think," Zuko says
Sokka lead the way to a butcher's shop.
"Oh, we're going to a meat place?" Aang asks
"Come on, Aang. Every one here eats meat... Even the meat!" Sokka says pointing to a nearby cow-hippo, greedily scavenging a pile of fly-blown fish.
"You guys go ahead. I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage," Aang says unconvinced
They enter. Aang turns around and begins dispensing affable greetings to his new countrymen.
"Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman"
Three imposing, official-looking figures approach him
"It's over, we caught you," one of the officers says to Aang
"Who me?"
"It couldn't be more obvious that you don't belong here," the officer says. Aang cringes, expecting the worst, "Next time you play hooky, you might want to take off your school uniform," the officer finishes
"Heh, heh. Uh!" Aang is seized by the collar and pulled away.
Later on that day during the night, Aang slides down the roof of the cave to its entrance and walks in. The rest of the group are seated around a fire.
"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Katara says to Aang
"I got invited to play with some kids after school," he says
"After what?" Sokka stands up, flummoxed
"I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow," Aang says happily
"Enrolled in what?!" Sokka sounds displeased
"Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea. But is sounds...really terrible," Sokka says to Aang
"Yeah, we got our outfits. What do you need to go to school for?" Toph asks
"Well if you think about it, Aang could be learning some valuable information on the Fire Nation. I mean, schools talk about politics rite?" Ama says turning to Zuko a questionable look on her face.
"I'm not sure. I was home schooled," Zuko says to Ama
"Ama's rite, every minute I'm in that classroom. I'm learning new things about the Fire Nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai," Aang holds it up towards the group, "and here's one that I made out of noodles!" He displays his masterpiece to the group.
"Impressive, I admit. But I still think it's too dangerous," Sokka says to Aang
"I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then. It goes right to the Fire Lord's palace. We were supposed to learn about it in class tomorrow..." Aang says deviously
"Hmm... I am a fan of secret rivers," Sokka says relenting, "Fine, let's stay a few more days," he finally says
"Flamey-o, Hotman!" Aang says as he runs off in excitement
"Flamey-o?" Sokka turns to Katara
"Mmm-mm?" Katara shrugs her shoulders
The next day Aang went to school again.
"Good morning, class. Recite the Fire Nation oath," the teacher, Ms. Kwan says.
The students all turn to the larger-than-life portrait of Ozai that dominates the room's rear wall, bow Fire Nation style and begin reciting. Aang stands up awkwardly, a few beats behind everyone else, and does his best to follow along.
"My life, I give to my country. With my hands, I fight for Fire Lord Ozai and our forefathers before him..." the students say in unison
"Fire Lord...Forefathers..." Aang is having trouble keeping up
"With my mind, I seek ways to better my country, and with my feet..."
"Firebenders... Fire Lord...blah, blah, blah, blah," Aang says desperately
The other students stop reciting and begin giggling helplessly. Ms. Kwan scowls. The kids turn back around and sit down.
Rising and striking the open book before her with her ferrul for emphasis, "Since it's obviously hilarious to mock our national oath, we'll begin with a pop quiz on our Great March of Civilization," Ms. Kwan says
The students groan and take pens and paper in hand.
"Question one: What year did Fire Lord Sozin battle the Air Nation Army?"
Aang raises his hand. The teacher acknowledges him suspiciously,
"Kuzon?"
Rising, "Is that a trick question? The Air Nomads didn't have a formal military. Sozin defeated them by ambush," he says
The entire class stares open mouthed at this brazen heresy.
"Well, I don't know how you could possibly know more than our national history book. Unless you were there a hundred years ago," she says to Aang
"I'll just rite down my best guess," Aang says, thinking better of it and sitting down.
Aang was in a different classroom now, at band practice. The music teacher taps his stand and the amateur orchestra commences playing. Aang, armed with a Tsungi horn, pauses a few moments to draw in a deep breath and suddenly lets fly a boisterous blast of something resembling music, maniacally dancing in place as he does so. The rest of the class stops playing, dumbfounded.
"Kuzon?" The music teacher questions Aang
"I know. I'm a terrible Tsungi hornist," Aang says
"No, child. That hullabaloo going on with your feet. Is that a nervous disorder?"
"I was just dancing. You do dances here in the homeland, right?" Aang asks
"Not really, no," a boy sitting beside him, named Shoji, says
"Dancing is not conducive to a proper learning environment. Young people must have rigid discipline and order," The teacher explains
"But what about expressing yourself?" Aang questions
"I know sometimes we're so moved by our love for our nation, that we can't control our own bodies," Overcome with emotion, he claps his hand to his face and reconsiders, "If you must, you may march in place quietly next time the urge hits you," the teacher finishes
The orchestra recommences, Aang marching quietly as directed but clearly malcontent.
In the school courtyard, it appears to be recess, or lunch, and kids are scattered about the yard. As Aang exits the school building and enters the yard, the kids spot him and begin whispering; clearly, he has caused a sensation.
"Oh, hi, Kuzon. I really liked that crazy dance you were doing," a girl named On Ji says to him
"Thanks, On Ji. I could show it to you again, if you'd like," he says
Aang starts and yells as a blast of fire hits him from out of nowhere. Everyone turned to see that it came from another boy named Hide
"What'd you say, colony trash? You're gonna show her something?" he asks as he approaches them
"Just some dance movements," Aang answers
"Nobody shows my On Ji anything, especially movements," Hide lunges at Aang, who steps neatly out of the way. For the next several seconds, Hide tries to land a blow on Aang, who is too quick and agile to be caught. At last Hide is propelled by his own momentum onto the ground. At this unfavorable juncture, the School Headmaster enters the scene, and naturally assumes that Aang has been bullying Hide, rather than the other way around.
"Picking fights on your second day? We need to have a conference to discuss your punishment. Bring your parents to my office after school," the Headmaster says to Aang
"Parents? But..."
"Don't be late," the Headmaster turns and leaves, followed by a smirking Hide. Aang is momentarily crestfallen - but suddenly appears to have an idea.
After school, in the Headmaster's office, the Headmaster is sitting directly beneath an obligatory portrait of Ozai on the wall.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs..."
Sokka, Aang, and Katara, in that order, were seated facing the Headmaster. Sokka is wearing a fake moustache and beard. Katara's hair is tied up in two buns on either side of her head, and her waist is padded to mimic pregnancy.
"Fire! Wang Fire. This is my wife, Sapphire," Sokka says in a weird voice
"Sapphire Fire, nice to meet you," Katara says
"Mr. and Mrs...Fire, your son has been enrolled here for two days, and he's already causing problems. He's argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class, and roughed up my star pupil," the Headmaster says
"My goodness! That doesn't sound like our Kuzon,"
Indulgently, "That's what any mother would say, ma'am. Nonetheless, you're forewarned. If he acts up one more time, I'll have him sent to reform school... by which I mean the coal mines. Are we clear?"
"Don't you worry, Mr. Headmaster. I'll straighten this boy out somethin' fierce," Sokka then blusters in Aang's face, "Young man, as soon as we get home, you're gonna get the punishment of a lifetime!"
"That's what I like to hear," the Head master says with an air of subdued sadism.
The kids rise and leave, Sokka swaggering proudly... the role of overbearing father figure seems to suit him.
They were all in the cave now. Sokka, still bearded, bends over Aang and rants at him.
"That settles it. No more school for you young man!" He straightens up and strokes his beard imperiously.
"I'm not ready to leave. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time," Aang says
"Ha, ha," Toph says mockingly, which makes Sokka scowl.
"Listen, guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we wanna change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom," Aang says
"What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters? No offense, Zuko," Sokka says
"None taken," Zuko responds
"I'm gonna throw them..." Aang does a quick tap dance flourish, "... a secret dance party!"
The group is stunned. Sokka is the first to recover.
"Go to your room!" Sokka says pointing
In the interior of the cave, later that same night, Toph and Ama earthbends a bandstand from the cave floor.
Sokka was arranging candles and Zuko lighting them.
"I can't believe we're having a dance party. It seems so... silly," Sokka says
"Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork," Aang says demonstrating his fancy footwork.
Katara is in the background bending a beverage into an earthbended punchbowl.
"I think it's a wonderful idea! I always wanted to know what it's like to have a party!" Ama says
"They're coming! Everyone stop bending!" Toph says as everyone stops.
Aang moves Appa further into the cave, "Sorry, buddy. You should probably wait out back," Appa grumbles and shuffles into a tunnel at the back of the cave, "I know, you've got fancier feet than anybody... and six of 'em!" Aang says to his bison.
Aang helped the band of Fire Nation kids playing various musical instruments on the bandstand, set up. Aang leaps in front of them exultantly and, facing them, spreads his arms wide.
"Ladies and gentlemen, The Flamey-os! Yeah, this ought to get everybody moving," he turns around. It hasn't. The Fire Nation kids are standing, huddled together, uncertain.
"Now what do we do?" Shoji asks
"This is when you start dancing," Aang says
"I don't think my parents want me dancing in a cave," a boy says as his head disappears into his collar like a turtle inside its shell.
"Yeah, what if someone finds out?" another boy says as he looks around anxiously and scuttles off.
"Oh, boy. Listen, guys... dancing isn't something you think about. It's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you," Aang explains
"Maybe it was different in the colonies, Kuzon. But we don't do that here," Shoji says
"Sure you do. You have for generations. It just so happens that I know several classic Fire Nation dances. A hundred years ago, this was known as 'The Phoenix Flight,'" Aang demonstrated as he runs in a circle, squatting and kicking his legs in the fashion of Russian folk dance, his arms stretched straight out behind him in imitation of wings. The students ooh and aah.
"And this was the 'Camelephant Strut'," he hops on one foot toward the students, alternating feet with each hop, passing his palms in front of his face as he does so.
He turns a somersault through the air and lands in front of two girls, who giggle, embarrassed. He somersaults backwards and lands expertly on one foot, bowing. The students are amazed.
"Who knew Twinkletoes could dance?" Toph says taking a drink from her beverage
Aang, somersaulting through the air, lands in front of On Ji, who is looking away bashfully. A friend nudges her and she looks up at Aang, who extends his hand to her. She blushes as he leads her out to the dance floor.
"And this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se," Aang passes his arms in an undulating motion across his chest, stepping from side to side as he does so. On Ji imitates him.
"Wow, they look pretty good together," Sokka says
"Eh, if that's what you like," Katara says dismissively, looking away. She steals a jealous glance at the couple.
More of the kids join Aang and On Ji. The crowd is loosening up.
"Yeah, that's it. That's the sound of happy feet. All right, go with that. Everybody freestyle!" Aang says and everyone starts to dance. One of the students starts doing a lengthy, elaborate "freestyle" dance, reminiscent of juba dancing.
Ama gasps in excitement, "Come on Li!" She says happily as she drags the surprised Prince into the dance floor.
"Ama, I don't want to dance. There's too many people," he whispers
"Don't be such a party pooper" Ama says as she stuck her tongue out at him.
Knowing Ama for sometime now, Zuko knew he couldn't get out of it. He sighs in defeat,
"What did you have in mind?" He asks
Ama whispers it in his ear.
Zuko grunts, "You owe me big time," he says
"Yeah, yeah,"
They stretch out their arms and touch wrists, circling around the axis thus formed. They begin an elaborate dance that seems to be based off capoeira, cartwheeling through the air, crouching, and kicking over one another's heads. The crowd stops dancing and watches them, entranced.
They finished with Ama in one of Zuko's arms as if he just caught her from falling backwards. They were panting and sweating heavily.
"This is incredible. It's like my inhibitions just disappeared," a student says. Just then the Headmaster and his entourage enter the cave, and the dancing grinds to a halt. The boy's head shrinks back into his collar, "Okay. They're...back again,"
Aang, oblivious, dances across.
"He's the one we want, the boy with the headband!" The Headmaster pointed at an alarmed Aang.
The truant officers make a beeline for Aang.
"Uh-oh" Aang dashes into the crowd, an officer following close behind. The crowd parts in front of the officer to reveal a lone figure with his back turned, wearing a headband.
"Got ya!" The officer says as he grabs the figure by the shoulder and turns him around. It is Shoji who has tied his belt around his head in imitation of Aang.
"Looking for me?"
"That's not the one! He's here somewhere. Don't let him leave the cave!" The Headmaster demanded.
The officers dart through the crowd, the Headmaster joining them. Headbands are multiplying everywhere. One by one the officers snag them, only to discover one wide-eyed innocent face after another.
"Yes?"
"Hi there,"
"How we doing?"
"Looking for someone?"
The officers, disoriented, back into a small knot in the middle of the cave as the students encircle them. By now the entire student body has morphed into replicas of Aang.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Do you need something?"
"Over here,"
The gang is escaping down the tunnel Appa disappeared into earlier. Aang, last out, stops and turns back for a moment. Shoji, at the edge of the crowd, turns and winks at him. Aang bows, Fire Nation style, and runs down the tunnel. Two walls of rock abruptly slam across the tunnel's entrance, sealing it off. Shoji gages as he realizes his new friend is a despised Earthbender.
"We're safe, Sokka. You can take off the moustache, now," Katara says to her brother
"Oh, no, I can't. It's permanently glued to my skin," he replies smugly as he strokes the moustache, unaccountably pleased with himself.
"Way to go, Dancypants. I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free," Toph praised the Avatar
"And it was so fun. Right Zuko?" Ama asks happily. Zuko just shrugged and looked away shyly
"Sure," he says. That's all Ama needed to hear
"I don't know. It was just a dance party, that's all," Aang says modestly
"Well, that was some dance party, Aang," Katara says before she leans over and kisses him on the cheek. Aang blushes.
"Flamey-o, sir. Flame-ee-o," Sokka says rocking lazily back and forth and clapping his hands slowly like a trance-out beatnik.
