Aang didn't stop walking when he passed a curious Zuko. He was headed for the entrance, and he wasn't going to let anyone get in his way.
"Hey," Zuko exclaimed and hurried after him. "Aang!"
Then, Aang suddenly stopped at the entrance of the prison. The cold wind whipped him in the face, and he needed a moment to prepare himself for it.
"Hey!" Zuko frowned with worry. "What happened? Did you do it?"
"No," Aang whispered.
Zuko gawked at him. "Why not?"
"I can't. Not right now."
"Aang, what's wrong?"
"Look," Aang growled in frustration. He couldn't find the words, so he resumed his escape and took a step into the bitter opening. The coldness made him gasp, but he couldn't stop now. He had to get away before he did something he'd regret.
"What?" Zuko said behind him. He was shocked.
Aang sighed. Of course, Zuko would follow him. What was he thinking? "I can't just walk in there and do it. I thought I could, but I can't. It's not that simple."
"Why not?" Zuko shouted with growing frustration. "You did it to my father when you were just a kid!"
"That was different."
"Aang, we've been over this already! There's no other choice."
"I can't do it today, Zuko."
Zuko had had enough. He grabbed Aang by the shoulder and made him look at him. He wanted to shake him, but he didn't. "Aang, she's dangerous!"
"If I do this, everything isn't going to be magically fixed!" Aang argued back, his facing growing red with anger and embarrassment.
"I'm not asking for it to be magically fixed. I'm asking for help!"
Aang shook his head and closed his eyes. He brought his hands up to his temples and winced with pain. "I will help, but not today."
"Think for what she did to Toph and Mai," Zuko tried to persuade him. "She's killed so many people and has tried to kill all of us, multiple times. She didn't even pity the kids! Think of them, Aang!"
"Zuko, knock it off," Aang grunted. "I'm not going to lose myself in order to take away Azula's bending. What don't you understand? She can beat me! It's not as simple as you all think!" His arms were flailing, and his voice was raised.
That was the end of their conversation, and Aang continued his escape without another word. He left Zuko standing there- dumbfounded, frustrated, and dismayed.
I shouldn't have let him go.
Katara was standing on the top step of the palace's main entrance. She was pacing anxiously back and forth, trying to find comfort in the open air. A few people passed and wondered why she was acting so crazy. Appa was also there, at the bottom of the steps. He was resting there and got quiet a few curious glances himself.
Neither of them cared.
I shouldn't have let him go.
This was the same place she had challenged Pakku all those years ago. It made her feel nostalgic as she tried to distract herself. Her fingers were twisted in her hair, and her eyes were glued to the ground. Snow was falling, and she pulled her coat closer to her.
I shouldn't have let him go.
Her mind wondered to her last conversation with Aang. He had turned her away, and she let him go.
Why did she do that? She should have stopped him or went with him.
He wasn't okay, and she knew that. He tried to convince her all morning, and she had been willing ot believe at first. But now, she couldn't shake the signs away. She should have offered him a healing session first.
But his words played over and over in her mind. His voice, his eyes, haunted her as she tried to not think about what was happening at the prison.
The strange look in his eyes when he told her he loved her made her worry more. His smile was half empty and sad.
How could she let him go without her! It was Azula, a manipulative, ruthless, cunning, monstrous Azula! She'd crush him in an attempt to save her bending. She deserved it, but even Katara couldn't imagine being in her shoes. If she lost her waterbending, she'd be devastated. She'd do everything she could to keep it, and she was actually sane and had morals.
Would Aang be able to handle her in the state he was in? He had no time to recover. Suppose he believed that he was better than he actually was? Would he regret it? She couldn't bear the thought that he might have pushed himself to do something that would haunt him forever. She could have prevented it. She should have done something.
Katara sat on the step with a huff and gazed in the direction of the prison. She wished with all her might that Aang and Zuko would emerge and come back to her. When it didn't work, she got up and started pacing again. Maybe she should go there and make sure everything was alright.
But what would Aang think? He wanted to do it alone. He wanted to do his job and be the Avatar again. But they had been gone for so long, and he was carrying so much on his shoulders. She knew that he had to do this, and then he could come back to her.
But it was so hard to sit back and wait. She had been looking forward to this day for so long and did so much for it to happen. Now, all she wanted to do was hold onto him and protect him.
But he needed space. He needed to do it and on his own.
Why did it have to be Azula? There was something different his time. It wasn't just the five year long burden. She didn't know what it was, but it had to be something. It was serious.
I shouldn't have let him go.
But what else could she have done? Tried to stop him? She did that. She did all she could, short of physically restraining him, but that was crazy. He probably already thought she was crazy after the way she acted when he didn't tell her where he went. She couldn't drag him back against his will either.
No, the decision had to be his and only his. She couldn't protect him from everything, and he was generally good at making the right decisions. She trusted him, even in this slightly altered state. He was still his good- natured self.
A nervous sigh escaped her. She hoped there was no reason to worry, but Azula was unpredictable. Her blue flames and lightning bolts still gave Katara nightmares. All she could do was hope that Aang would be okay, and then they would finally have some alone time together.
Then, a thought crossed her mind. What were they doing now? It was a strange questions, but it was one that had been growing since she kissed him in the stables. They had so many things to talk about, and they had so many things to say to one another. They were together, obviously. There was no question there, but what did Aang want to happen? Did they want the same thing?
Why did he give her that look before he left? She couldn't stop thinking about it. It was full of doubt, and it showed in his voice.
What did it mean?
It was almost as if it meant nothing to him, and he thought she would understand. It was as if he wished they weren't true and caused him a great deal of pain.
Katara shoved her hands in to the pocket of her parka. It was then, and only then, that she realized something was missing. Her eyes grew wide, and she gasped. Both of her hands grabbed the liners and pulled them out. There was nothing there.
Her necklace was gone.
She had carried it with her for five years. She even wore it occasionally, but most of the time it stayed in a pocket of her dress or her coat.
Her mind froze, and she felt her heart began to race.
The last time she had worn her jacket was in the Spirit Oasis. She took it off before she headed into the pond. When she returned, it was gone. She didn't wear it to the healing house, but it was in her room when she went to sleep that night. She didn't bother to wear it around the healing house. Her room was around the corner from where they were keeping Aang. The building was designed to shelter them from strong winds, and she was used to cold weather.
So, the last place was in her room.
Katara took off in a mad dash.
Katara felt like she might get sick. The necklace was not in her room, in the room that Aang was in, and none of the healers remembered seeing it. Every room she left looked like a tornado had been through it.
She was on her way to the Spirit Oasis when she caught sight of Zuko. In an instant, she ran to him and threw her arms around him in a relieved hug. "Zuko!" She cried. Then, she pulled back suddenly. She had just realized he had returned alone. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Where's Aang?" She asked. Her voice was scared.
Zuko gave her a bewildered look. For a moment, he just stared at her. "What do you mean? He's not here?"
Katara's heart sank. "You don't know where he is?" She asked him in frantic tone. The icy ground around them quaked.
Zuko flinched at her shout, and suddenly remembered the last time Katara had used that tone with him. She was fourteen, and she threatened him if anything happened to Aang. He was scared she was going to hurt him or even kill him. He couldn't respond to her.
"What the hell happened?" She thundered. "Is he hurt? Was it Azula? How could you lose him?"
"Katara, nothing happened!" He grabbed her by the wrists and made her listen to him. He scowled at her. After being abandoned by Aang without an explanation, he had walked back to into the city to break the news to everyone. "I didn't lose him! He just ran away, so stop yelling at me."
She ripped her hands away from him. "Did something go wrong?"
"I-I don't know," he growled. "Aang went in, then he came back and said he didn't take her bending away. Then, he just ran off. I don't know hwy."
"He didn't take her bending away? Why not?"
"I just said that I didn't know why!" Zuko sighed.
"Was he upset or angry?"
"No, he just said he couldn't do it today."
Katara's eyes narrowed at him. "And you just let him run off?"
"What was I supposed to do?" Zuko was furious. "He's a lot faster than me, and I thought he would come back here. How was I supposed to know?"
Katara scoffed. "You just didn't care enough to see what was wrong with him. All you cared about was fixing your own problems that you didn't notice something was off about him!"
Her words wounded him. "You know that's not true."
"Did it ever occur to you that Aang is going through a lot right now. I know we are on a time limit, but can you even imagine what he's going through right now?"
"But he agreed-"
"Because you were hounding him. He said that Azula could overpower him, but you kept pushing it!"
"He's perfectly capable of saying no, Katara! He's not helpless!" Zuko ran a hand over his face. "You're acting crazy, no wonder he ran away!"
Katara looked like he had slapped her in the face, and he might as well have. His words were a combination of all of her worst fears.
Zuko pressed his fingers to his eyelids and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"I'm going to look for him," she announced and turned on her heel. She ran off quickly to find Appa. She didn't look back at Zuko.
As she neared Appa, she could hear footsteps behind her. A quick glance back confirmed that it was Zuko. She didn't slow down, and she used waterbending to lift herself onto Appa's head. Only then did she glance back. She could see Zuko stopping a few feet away. He made no move to join her.
He gave her a small smile. "You'll find him, don't worry."
She frowned at him. "Thanks, but are you going to be okay?"
Zuko closed his eyes and grimaced. "The Chief won't be happy, so we will probably have to leave soon. I'll talk to Uncle before I talk to him."
Katara didn't reply, but she felt bad for yelling at him. Aang had a lot to deal with, but Zuko did too. That and the fact that something had changed between her and Zuko. Their connection was severed, and it made her feel sad but relieved. Relieved that Zuko was one step to letting her go. Perhaps he will truly heal this time instead of thinking of her as a lifeline.
"I'm sorry, Zuko," she muttered.
His eyes dropped to the snow. "Me too."
They both fell silent. Their apologies meant nothing and would probably have to be repeated.
Katara grabbed Appa's reigns and commanded, "Yip yip."
Aang had no idea where he was going. All he knew was that he needed to get far, far away.
As soon as he felt like he was far enough away from the prison, he stopped running. He was dragging his feet through the snow, and they grew heavy the farther he went. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew that he had made it to the furthest side of the market.
Failure.
Weakling.
Coward.
Those names played over and over in his head. Surely everyone was waiting at the Chief's palace for the good news, but he couldn't bring himself to go there. They had trusted him to keep them safe, but he couldn't do it. It was his job, and he failed. Every step he took made it harder to remember why he didn't do it. All of his reasons seemed flimsy.
As he crossed over a canal and into the market, he felt his head throb again. He almost ran into a person passing by him, but they moved out of his way and gawked at him.
It wasn't the only time someone gave him an odd look. The further he went into town, the more people stared at him and whispered his name.
He wished they'd stop looking at him. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered him, but it did today because of everything that had happened. He felt like a spectacle and wished to become invisible.
His skull continued to feel like it was being split, and it only grew worse as he continued. His eye slight was beginning to blur, and he felt that strange coldness again, not that it had ever left. He felt sick but more than sick. He didn't know what it was, but it felt like his heart had darkened while he slept. The coldness felt like it originated there and spread out all over his body.
What was wrong with him?
He never felt like this. He was angry and wanted to hurt someone. He never felt like that. The only other time was when Appa was stolen by the Sandbenders, but he was young then. He had grown a lot since then.
But Azula wasn't like anyone else. She was heartless, but she still bothered him after he had left the prison. His rage had come so abruptly that he almost couldn't contain it. Something in him wanted to hurt her for her awful words and attempts to murder the people he loved. If she were there now, he'd probably strike her, and no one would be able to stop him from doing what he was supposed to do.
That terrified him.
He was terrified of himself.
The lack of self-control and violent rage wasn't him. He didn't know where it came from, but he knew it didn't belong. Something was wrong with him. This wasn't an ordinary sickness, so it must be a side effect from the Spirit World. He also needed to sleep. Getting your face stolen, having Katara and Yue bring him back, and aging five years so rapidly had to have taken a toll on him.
Aang shuddered and trembled with the annoying chill. He wanted it to be temporary. Maybe Katara could heal him or he could sleep it off. The idea of it being permanent made him uneasy.
He stumbled over his feet, and he had to lean against a building. His body began to feel numb as black spots danced in his vision.
Subconsciously, his hand drifted to the necklace that he had placed in his robes. He remembered making it like it was yesterday, and he remembered ask her like it was yesterday. Her rejection was still fresh, and it didn't help that he now held a memento of the nightmare. His fingers closed around it, and he willed himself to move forward. He needed to get to the healing house.
He couldn't go back to the palace and face everyone yet. He couldn't pretend like he was fine anymore. He needed to rest. Someone, maybe Katara had to heal him.
Suddenly, everything in him ached for Katara. She was all he wanted. He watched to hear her soft voice and feel the warmth of her fingertips. He wanted to tell her everything that was wrong with him, fears and weakness. He wanted to stop pretending. He wanted to tell her how much he was hurting. He needed her.
The healing house wasn't too far. He could see it in the distance. He had to get through the market, pass through the courtyard, and he'd be there. Someone could help him the rest of t he way. He could send for Katara, and she would find him there. She would heal him.
She always did.
Except for the time she ripped your heart out.
Pain shot through him like lightning, and he gripped the necklace tighter. At this point, everything hurt. There was no one source anymore.
He hesitated to take another step, but he did it anyways. He had to get to the healing house.
He glanced up and suddenly saw an outline of Appa in the sky. He was flying over him.
Aang's feet stopped, and his breath caught in his throat. Katara was probably on his back.
Appa began to lower when they neared the healing house. Aang tried to force his feet forward, but it was no used. They wouldn't move. His eyes burned with tears- hot and angry tears. He was hurting all over, and he couldn't remember the last time he didn't hurt or the last time he didn't feel completely alone. This day had dragged on for years.
The past no longer mattered to him. Katara had rejected him, but she wouldn't do it again. Not this time, he could feel it. The past didn't matter anymore.
He loved her.
He wanted her and only her.
He needed her.
His head felt like it was splitting open, and his body was overcome with that coldness again. He could hardly see past his swirling vision, but he had to get to get to the healing house. Katara would be worried about him.
By now, she had to have known that he had failed to take Azula's bending away. What would he tell her? There was no way she'd think he was responsible anymore. He had lied to her about being okay. How could she trust him to watch over her and their son? He had been foolish and overconfident, and she knew that from the beginning. No wonder she didn't want to marry him.
His negative thoughts made him change his mind. He couldn't face her. Not right now. The thought of it made his stomach turn.
Aang turned quickly and almost fell over. Then, he ran as fast as he could and away from the healing house.
Tenzin was perched on a wall outside of the healing house. He was staring in the direction of the palace, waiting to catch a glimpse of his parents returning. Momo was beside him, lazily scratching himself. Tenzin was unconsciously petting him on the back.
It had been a while since his mother had stormed past him in search of her pretty blue necklace. Time seemed to stop and torment him into boredom while he waited for his father to return. He felt anxious. Today was the first day that he had a father, and it was slipping away. He didn't get to do any of the things he wanted to do with Aang. Everyone else needed him, and they had barely seen each other.
There were so many things to do like airbend together, go on adventures, and hear Aang tell him stories. He wanted it more than anything, and he could only imagine that Aang wanted it too. He promised.
Tenzin felt pride that his father was such an important person. He knew that there was Avatar business to attend to, and he'd be back as soon as possible. Then, nothing would steal his attention away from Tenzin.
He heard footsteps crunch in the snow behind him, but he didn't dare to look. He might miss Appa's arrival if he did. A moment later, someone sat beside him.
"Spot anything interesting yet?" It was his Uncle Sokka.
Tenzin sighed and replied, "Not yet."
"I'm sure they'll be back soon. Don't worry, buddy."
"I'm not worried," Tenzin declared, trying to act more grown-up. "They're doing something important, and they'll be back when it's done."
Sokka studied Tenzin for a moment, but Tenzin kept his eyes straight ahead.
"What do you think is taking so long?" The little boy asked.
"Azula is a tricky person," Sokka told him. "I expected it to take a while."
"Do you think he'll take her bending away like he did with the mean Firelord?" A spark lit up in Tenzin's eyes as he envisioned the scene. His father in control in the Avatar State, and Azula shaking in fear.
"Maybe," Sokka shrugged. He was there the last time Aang used energy bending. He had been one of the only people to see it. He was expecting two large beams of blue and red again, but then he remembered they were in a prison. Maybe he wouldn't be able to see it this time.
"Maybe he's already done it!" Tenzin said in an excited voice.
Sokka stayed quiet. He had been thinking about Aang a lot since he had left to find the Chief. He could see that Aang was hesitant, and it made Sokka feel bad for pressuring him. There really was no other option besides death. It would be Azula or one of them.
Sokka understood Zuko's urgency to take away her bending. It would be easier for them to transport her without her being able to burn them, but it wasn't worth losing Aang. Azula was evil and unpredictable… He really hoped Aang was okay.
Tenzin's shriek pulled Sokka from his thoughts. "There!" He cried. "Appa's back!"
In an instant, Tenzin leaped into the air and landed with ease. He took off towards where Appa had landed. Sokka was, less gracefully, following behind him.
Tenzin's eyes were shining as bright as the moon on a starless night. He skidded to a stop in front of Appa. When he realized that his mother was the only passenger, his face fell. "Where's daddy?" he asked.
Katara slid off of Appa's back and gave her son a worried look. "He didn't come back here?"
Tenzin shook his head.
For a second, Katara didn't say anything. When Sokka caught up to them, she asked him, "Where else would he go? Why didn't Aang come back here?"
"Katara, what's going on?" Sokka asked her.
Katara didn't have time to explain everything to him right now. She was about to have a panic attack. "He's missing."
"Momma?" Tenzin tugged on her skirt. "Where's daddy?"
Katara took a deep breath. "I don't know. I saw Zuko, and he said Aang had already felt the prison."
Sokka's eyes went wide. The North Pole was a dangerous place to get lost. Before he could comment, Katara spoke again.
"He's got to be somewhere. He couldn't have gone far. I thought maybe he had come back here."
"I haven't seen him," Sokka told her slowly. He feared that shed burst into tears.
"This is all my fault," she whispered.
Sokka tried to console her, "It's not your fault."
"I knew something was wrong. I shouldn't have let him go…"
"Katara," he told her softly. "You couldn't have guessed this would happen. Like you said, he couldn't have gone far."
"Yeah," Tenzin added, taking hold of one of her hands. He was confused. Why did his father run away? "Maybe he just got lost?"
Katara took another deep breath and calmed down a little. She wiped a tear away from her eye and looked down at her son. "Do you want to come with me to look for him?"
"Yes!" Tenzin cried.
She rose to her feet and looked at her bother. "Will you-"
"Tell the others and stay here in case he comes back?" Sokka finished her thought for her. "Of course, I will. Go find him."
"Thanks, Sokka." Then, she climbed back onto Appa's head as Tenzin airbended himself into the saddle. "We'll be back soon. Yip, yip!"
Sokka ran into Zuko first. He was having a conversation with Chief Arnook in the courtyard. Sokka didn't care about formalities right now. His friend was missing… again. He ran to them. "Aang ran off? Why?"
Zuko sighed. "I don't know."
Chief Arnook remained silent, but he studied Zuko. A deep frown line was visible on his forehead.
After a long pause, Zuko continued. "I mean, I guess he got cold feet. Maybe he felt sorry for her. He just said that he couldn't do it, and then ran away."
"Great," Sokka sighed and shook his head. "She probably got into his head by saying just the right thing. She always messes everything up."
"It's her gift- well, one of them," Zuko said distastefully. "I was afraid this would happen."
"Well, if he said he couldn't do it today, maybe he will do it another day?" Sokka tried to sound hopeful.
"I guess," Zuko stared at the ground. During his walk back, he had gone over the meaning of Aang's words many times. He didn't say never, just not today. But he couldn't shake the feeling that that day may never come.
Zuko knew Katara was right. Aang was dealing with a lot right now, and they should have waited a little longer. They pushed him. Still, the situation was urgent. The Chief expected it to be taken care of. Zuko had brought Azula here, and any death would be on him. He could tell that they were about to overstay their welcome.
But Zuko couldn't be mad at Aang. Sure, he was frustrated. Aang was supposed to be the keeper of the peace, but he didn't do it. It made Zuko aggravated that the Avatar was the only one able to perform it. He was even more angry that Aang had left him to inform the Chief alone. He could've at least taken responsibility for it himself instead of disappearing.
Zuko sighed and gave Chief Arnook a sincere look. The old man hadn't said a word since Zuko explained what had happened to him. "I'm really sorry about all of this, Chief Arnook. I know I promised it would be taken care of, and I want her out of this city as much as you do, but we can't risk moving her right now. She's too dangerous."
"Hm," Chief Arnooked murmured, but he didn't say anything else. He continued to stare Zuko down. He was unhappy with this entire situation. His patience was wearing thin, and he wanted to get the Azula situation over with quickly. He didn't understand why they wanted to spare her life. He wanted to execute her and get it over with.
Zuko doubted himself. Maybe he should have her killed. He was making this too difficult, and he was risking his alliance with the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko stole a glance as Sokka. He also looked uneasy with this situation. He was glad that someone else felt the same way as him.
He knew he couldn't kill her.
Zuko clenched his jaw. He was weak. He was a coward because he wouldn't do what was necessary to keep everyone safe and to prevent conflict between himself and Chief Arnook. He had relied on Aang too much. He wanted the Avatar to fix this mess, but he failed too.
What else could they do?
"Well," Sokka exhaled to break the tension. "The Fire Nation ship is ready to leave whenever we are."
Zuko sighed again. He was too scared to make eye contact with the Chief as he said, "If it is alright with you, Chief Arnook, I'd like to hold off our departure until we can come up with a plan to get Azula out of here. It'd be a shame if she took out the Avatar and the Firelord at the same time."
Chief Arnook spoke up at last. "Firelord Zuko, I hoped it wouldn't reach this point, but I must put my foot down. I must protect my people. Your sister cannot say here any longer. She is too dangerous, and my people should not have to carry the burden of confining her any longer. You are a respectable man and an honored guest, but I'd like to keep our diplomatic relations."
"I'd like that as well," Zuko stated.
"However," the Chief continued with a grave tone. "I think it would be best to do so at a distance. You are still young and have seen a great deal in your lifetime. You have brought the Fire Nation a long way, but I have lived a lifetime of war. The memory is still very clear for some of us. Now, here you are with a ship full of soldiers in my harbor. It is making my people uneasy. I don't mean any disrespect, but I do not want to spoil our peace."
As the Chief spoke, memories of black soot and a red moon in the sky hit Zuko like a ton of bricks. He understood the Chief's sorrow of losing a loved one. He couldn't imagine losing Ursa. No matter what Zuko and his people do, the horrors are still associated with them.
For this reason, Zuko couldn't be angry with Chief Arnook. If anything, it explained the Chief's hostile behavior. They had come to do their mission of finding the Avatar. Now, it was time to leave. Azula was just a random obstacle, and she was Zuko's responsibility.
Still, it took a lot of self-control for Zuko to hold back his bitter feelings. That would be very, very bad. Instead, he said, "I understand, Chief. The last thing I want is unnecessary tension between our people."
"Thank you for understanding, Firelord Zuko. I ask that once the Avatar is found… again… that you and your family and soldiers depart. Anyways, I'm sure your nation would like to have it's leader back as soon as possible."
"But Chief Arnook," Zuko insisted. "You have to understand the larger problem here. Even restrained, putting Azula on a ship is dangerous. She could kill us."
"I'm sure you will find a way. I have given you dozens of my best guards. You can't wait for the Avatar to solve all of your problems."
As if Zuko wasn't feeling humiliated enough, hearing the Chief say it only made it worse. It was like he was accusing Zuko of being lazy, like he couldn't do it himself.
Zuko wrestled his temper. He took a second to look at Sokka's expression. He was awkwardly looking between the two leaders and rubbing the back of his head. He looked very uncomfortable, embarrassed even.
In a steady voice, Zuko said, "Well, this is your city, and we are your guests, so we ill respect your wishes. As we look for the Avatar, my people will not cause any trouble, and we will get Azula out of here as soon as possible."
"You should let your friends search for him," Chief Arnook said in a stern voice. There was no suggesting. "Until then, you should mind your soldiers and prepare a plan to return home." The Chief turned to Sokka and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sokka…"
Sokka surprised a wince and asked, "Chief?"
"You should find out what is holding the Avatar back. If anyone can change his mind, I'm sure its you."
"Um," Sokka stuttered. He gave Zuko an apologetic look. "I'll see what I can do.
"Thank you," said the Chief. "We should all keep in mind that the Avatar's cooperation isn't guaranteed despite how convenient it may be."
Zuko bit his tongue and gave the Chief a brisk nod before turned away.
Sokka caught up to him. "Katara and Tenzin left on Appa to search. I came from the healing house, but I'll search there again."
"Good, and I'll have my guards keep an eye out at the market and harbor. If you see Uncle, tell him I'm there."
"Got it! And good job, by the way."
Zuko stopped walking. "For what?"
"Not losing your temper. I don't know if I would have been able to if I were in your shoes. So, good job, Hothead." Then, Sokka slapped him on the back and took off before Zuko could react or reply.