Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. This episode originally written by John O'Bryan.

Book 3: Fire; Chapter 22: The Firebending Masters

Zuko leaned on a column, brooding over the loss of his firebending. What was that about? He hadn't had trouble with firebending for years, not since he was a child. And he needed it, now more than ever, when everything hinged on him helping to equip the Avatar. He peered around the column at the campfire where everyone was gathered for dinner. He knew he had to tell them, no matter how humiliating it might be. He took a deep breath and walked over to the group, standing between Sokka and Toph.

"Listen everybody," Zuko said, "I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff," he confessed dejectedly.

Toph held up her hands. "Don't look at me," she said. "I didn't touch your stuff."

"I'm talking about my firebending," Zuko clarified. "It's gone."

Everyone looked back at Zuko with a mixture of surprise and confusion, but their attention was suddenly diverted to Katara who let out a bitter laugh. Zuko looked at her in annoyance. How could she laugh at him at a time like this?

"I'm sorry," Katara explained. "I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you'd lost your firebending a long time ago."

"Well it's not lost. It's just … weaker for some reason," Zuko replied.

Katara held her soup bowl near her mouth and glared at Zuko over it. "Well that's perfect then. You can teach Aang the forms without actually being able to hurt anyone."

"Ouch," Toph said with a sarcastic smile.

Suddenly, Zuko had an idea. "I bet it's because I changed sides."

"That's ridiculous," Katara dismissed, taking a sip of soup.

"I don't know," Aang mused. "Maybe it isn't. Maybe your firebending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to."

Sokka leaned toward Zuko, pointing his finger in the air. "Sooo, all we need to do is make Zuko angry. Easy enough." And he began poking Zuko with his sword hilt repeatedly and laughing.

"Okay, cut it out!" Zuko lost patience as Sokka's sword flew from his hands. "Look, even if you're right," Zuko continued, holding the bridge of his nose, "I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source," Toph said. "I recommend the original source."

...

Aang and Zuko finished demonstrating the Dancing Dragon form to the rest of the group.

"With this technique the dragons showed us," Aang said brightly, "Zuko and I will be unstoppable." The observers applauded as they finished.

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there," Sokka teased.

"It's not a dance," Zuko retorted. "It's a firebending form."

Sokka didn't let up. "We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord."

Zuko marched toward Sokka. "It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

"Oh yeah?" Katara jumped in. "What's your little form called?"

"The Dancing Dragon," Zuko said as he cringed in embarrassment. The others chuckled, but Aang frowned. He needed his friends – new and old – to come together as a group, and this constant hassling of Zuko wasn't getting them anywhere. Aang supposed that Sokka's teasing was mostly intended to be good-natured and came with the water tribesman's easygoing personality. But Katara's was just spiteful and angry. If they were going to fight together for peace in the world, they would have to have peace within the group. Aang knew that from a selfish point of view, it could be risky to push Katara and Zuko closer together, but he also knew that this tension and infighting could not be allowed to continue. For the sake of victory, they would have to set aside their past grievances, and Aang would have to set aside his jealousy.

As the moment died down and everyone dispersed from Aang and Zuko's presentation, Aang held Katara back to speak with her privately.

"You're being pretty hard on Zuko, don't you think?" he confronted her.

"No more than he deserves," Katara answered defensively.

"Who's to say what any of us deserve?" Aang countered. "I've never seen you like this," Aang prodded, "except maybe with Jet."

Katara didn't like what Aang was implying by comparing her treatment of Zuko to someone who had deceived her and broken her heart. She would never admit to Aang of all people how close to the mark he was, but her anger gave her away.

"Do you have a point you're making?" she challenged.

"Yes," Aang said without hesitation. "I think that in your anger, you've gone too far teasing Zuko, and I think you should apologize."

Katara was indignant. "I am not apologzing to him!" she protested.

"Then at least try to be a little nicer, okay?" Aang pleaded. "If not for him, and if not for me, then for the sake of the group." He had a point. Katara could see how the open antagonism between her and Zuko would make it difficult for everyone to work together as a team. She could be the bigger person here, couldn't she?

"Fine," Katara said reluctantly. "I'll try."

"Thanks," Aang said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "That's all I ask." He backed away as he began to leave.

"You're asking a lot, you know," Katara called after him.

Later that night, as everyone was heading to bed, Katara approached Zuko's room and stood in the doorway. He still hadn't joined the rest of the group in sleeping around the campfire. She supposed he felt as awkward about being there as they did about having him.

"Hey," she said a little timidly.

"Hey," Zuko answered over his shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you earlier," Katara began as she walked further into the room. "A lot of actual dances are based off of martial arts forms; it's nothing to be embarrassed about. But I guess we sounded pretty irreverent. I didn't mean to be disrespectful of—"

"Forget it," Zuko cut her off coldly. "It's fine."

"Okay, well, goodnight then," Katara said, backing off defensively.

What am I doing? She's finally making a peace offering I'm shutting her out? For what? Zuko sighed and took a step towards Katara's retreating form.

"Katara, wait." She stopped and turned back around to face him. "Look, I don't have anything against dancing, okay?" He smirked, "Except maybe not with Aang." Katara felt a smile tug at her lips, but fought it back. The prince went on, "This was just a really life-changing experience for me, I mean, it was really amazing and—"

Katara held up a hand to stop him. "I know," she said. "Sokka jokes around all the time, but my timing usually stinks. I'm not known for being the funny one in the group."

"No, it was really okay," Zuko took another step and reached a hand toward her impulsively. Then he caught himself and pulled it back. "I mean, yeah, I was embarrassed but I'm also just not used to having people to joke with. It's nice to feel like part of the group."

Katara backed toward the door again. She was willing to apologize for stepping out of line, but a friendly chat with the prince of betrayal was still too much. "Goodnight, Zuko," she said.

"Goodnight." He watched her go, and then flopped down on the bed, wondering what on earth just happened.