It was with concerned eyes that Iroh looked towards the horizont... And a sun that was beginning to set. Making the mountains and trees cast long shadows.

He wasn't the only one looking worried.

"They have been gone for a long time..." Sokka pointed out. "To long."

Iroh bit his lip but he could only agree.

"I hope nothing happened to them." Katara said as she worried twisted her hands.

"I knew it." Sokka hissed. "I knew trusting Zuko was a bad idea! Don't you see what happened? We left Aang alone with him! Why wouldn't Zuko turn around and capture him huh?"

"He wouldn't do that!" Toph exclaimed.

"Believe me. He would." Sokka informed. "You have no idea what lenghts he used to go to, to get to Aang!"

"I don't believe it. Mr. Iroh!" Toph adressed Iroh. He though turned his head away.

"See! Even Iroh thinks it's a possibility." Sokka pointed out.

Iroh squinted his eyes. "I can't deny it." he said. "Zuko... He wants it so bad. To redeem himself. It's all that kept him going for three years. His only life line... It's not something you just give up."

"He would even leave you behind?" Katara asked, a hint of disgust in her voice.

"If he believed I was in danger. No. I don't think he would." Iroh said. "How-ever... I am not in any danger am I?" he asked. "I just don't know."

"He would really just leave you behind?" Katara asked again. Disaproval in her voice.

"I would like to believe he wouldn't." Iroh said. "But that isn't the truth. He tried to leave me behind many times. And has acted on his own without telling me anything about what he was up to. Acting in secret is not out of th enorm with him. I cannot tell what is going through his mind. I'm sorry."

"Hey! Aren't you guys jumping to conclusions?" Toph asked. "Maybe they are just lost! Maybe Zuko just isn't done sulking yet and Aang is looking after him like he promised! And hey. Aang is the avatar! You think Zuko can overpower him that easily?"

Iroh smiled a little sadly. "You underestimate my nephew." he said. "He is stronger than even he knows. If he were to face Aang in a match now. I do not know who would win."

"Why aren't standing more up for your nephew?" Toph asked frustrated.

"You missunderstand me Toph." Iroh said. "I am not saying that Zuko has done anything wrong. We don't know that! As you so correctly said. They could just be lost. Or they could finally be talking things out. But it is still the truth that all options are possibilities. I shall not deny it. It is important to be very honest with yourself, even about those you love... Perhaps even. Especially about those you love."

Sokka sighed deeply as he stood up. "We should probably go look for them. Just to be sure." he said.

Katara nodded also standing up. "I swear. If he did something. Even after all the help we gave him! I'll never forgive him."

Iroh closed his eyes. "That's understandable." he said. Then he stood up, hissing slightly. "I to shall go look."

"You'll be okay?" Toph asked.

"Yes." Iroh assured. "I rested enough."

Sokka sighed deeply. "Toph. Stay with Iroh. I'll stick to Katara. We'll meet back here in three hours. Understood?"

And everybody nodded

"There is Desirees house." Yue gestured in front of them to what could be described as a small valley and a little house in the middle. "I'm sorry. I can go no further. This is his territory."

Aang nodded as he looked at the strange house. Not one single wall or window looked straight. The colors were all miss matched and all around the place. The grass was... Purple? And the flowers had green heads. It was all very weird.

"Be careful." Yue asked. "Remember. He feeds on disharmony."

Aang swallowed as he nodded. "Thanks Yue." he said as he placed the turtleduck on his shoulder and took a deep breath. Then he started to walk, down the crooked path and finally he stood in front of a tall, slim and crooked door.

Aang inhaled deeply and then opened the door. It opened with a loud screeching sound, alerting anyone inside of the house and Aangs eyes squinted. So much for sneaking in.

As Aang stepped in he blinked. What he saw looked almost like a normal living room with a large chair, a fireplace and a small table.

Except for the walls being covered in shelfs, and on those shelfs were bottles! Thousands of bottles all containing colored swirling masses that glowed in the semi dark. "Zuko?" Aang asked. "Zuko are you in here?" he asked. "Come on we need to get out of here."

"What's this!"

Aang turned to the chair, now seeing it occupied by Desiree himself. Casually sitting with one knee over the other. Leaned comfortable back.

"The avatar himself on a visit. But he didn't even knock!" Desiree held up a finger. "Rude."

"You took something from the human world. Zuko. I'm here to get him back. Hand him over." Aang demanded.

Desiree smirked as he leaned over. resting his chin in his hands. "No." he said.

Aang frowned annoyed. "You had no right taking him. Give him back!"

"Absolutely not." Desiree replied evenly. "Do you know how rare it is to find a specimen of that calibre?" he asked. "I should be so lucky to find one every hundred years or so."

Aang sucked in a deep breath and then stood steady. "What does it take for you to give him back?"

"Nothing is worth as much as his disharmony. He is not for sale." Desiree replied and then finally stood up. Proving himself to be tall and slender. "You see this? My collection." he whispered as his hand slid over the many bottles. "Music... destilled and bottled for my consumption. Ah this is a fine one." he said pulling out a bottle where blue and yellow was swirling around. "A young man. So in love with a young woman. But she is of the enemy tribe! His heart says to love her and his mind says to kill her! Though I will say the novelty wears off when it's so common." he sighed deeply putting the bottle back.

Aang frowned deeply.

"War... Is music. So much disharmony. It turns brothers into enemies. Children into snitches turning their families in, the people they used to care the most about! Young men and women does what they in their heart know is wrong! But they try to convince themselves that it's for the greater good!" he gestured at all of his bottles. "And when their souls are nearly being torn apart by the conflict within! Music!" he grinned.

Aang frowned. "Where is Zuko?" he asked.

Desiree turned his head to Aang. A wide grin going across his face. "He's almost done." he said. Then behind him a door opened and Aang gasped.

For in there the young Prince was laying on his back with his eyes closed. There was though a golden light all around him. Swallowing him up. And right above him was a bottle with the light pouring inside.

Aang gasped. "ZUKOO!" he shouted running inside only for Desiree to grab his arm.

"I just wanted you to see so you wouldn't bother me anymore." Desiree said. "He's almost done."

Wide-eyed Aang looked up. Seeing the light swallowing Zukos whole body and then he just disolved into the light, and vanished into the bottle which fell down on the table with all the colors swirling inside of it.

Desiree grinned as he let go of Aang and walked inside, picking up the bottle. Then nestled his cheek against it. "Oh! I hadn't had such fine music for centuries!" he cried. "Good and evil. Pride and morality! Heart and mind! All in disagreement and it's all here!" he almost cried.

Aang didn't know what to say. He was wide-eyed looking at the bottle... Was Zuko dead? Had Aang just seen him die? No! That couldn't be right!

"It's beautiful!" Desiree sniffed.

Then... Aang acted instead of thinking. He rushed forward and head budded right into Desiree who stumbled back dropping the bottle. "Urgh!"

Barely did Aang manage to grab the bottle before it hit the ground. Then wide-eyed he stood up.

Desiree seethed. His teeths now looking more sharp than a moment before. "Give it to me! The disharmony!" he demanded. "It's mine!"

Aang shook his head. "NO!" he shouted as he turned and ran.

"GET BACK HERE!" Desiree screamed as Aang ran into the living room and grabbed a shelf pulling it out so all the bottles fell to the ground and splintered.

Desiree screamed. "NOOOO! MY MUSIC!"

But Aang didn't stop. He just ran outside.

Desiree looked up from the floor filled with broken bottles, he seethed as all his fur stood up straight. "You wont get away with that! You'll pay!"

"AANG!" Yue shouted as Aang came running towards her.

"Yue help!" Aang shouted. "I got Zuko! But Desiree is after me!"

Yue nodded as she stepped forward. "I'll hold him off as long as I can! Just run!"

Aang nodded as he ran right past her and Yue raised her arms raising a wall of ice trapping Desiree who screamed.

"Moon spirit don't interfere! That's mine!" Desiree yelled.

"Humans are not spirit property!" Yue replied. "You will not have him!"

And Desiree screamed.

Run! Run! Run! Aang had to run! But to where? How did he get out of the spirit world? And what was he to do with a bottled up Zuko?!

In his mad dash Aang didn't keep an eye on the ground and suddely tripped over a rock making him yell in surprise as he let go of the bottle. "Noo!" the bottle flew across the air and then hit the rocky ground. And shattered upon impact making three lights burst out.

Wide-eyed Aang looked up at the shattered remains of the bottle now empty for its contents. "Oh no." he gasped. "Oh no I killed him!" he shouted. "I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!" he cried.

"What are you crying about?" A young voice asked right next to Aang.

Aang blinked as he turned to see a young boy. The boy had to be Aangs own age. Around twelve. He was wearing fine fire nation clothes, looking neat and expensive. His long black hair was neatly collected in a bun on his head in best fire nation fashion.

The boys yellow eyes narrowed as he looked at Aang. And his face which was perfect and unblemished with not a single scar or mark on it wrinkled at Aang.

Aang gaped at the boy his own age as he sat up. "Who?" he asked then his eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. "Wait... Zuko?!" he exclaimed.

"That's Prince Zuko. Peasent!" The young boy exclaimed loudly. "You are to adress me with my proper title. I am the firelords oldest child! So that means that one day I will be firelord! Show respect!"

Aang gaped as he sat up looking up at the boy. "What in the world." he gasped.

Only for his little friend the turtleduck to appear on his shoulder.

The young Zuko glanced down then his eyes widened. "A turtleduck!" he exclaimed with an excited grin on his face.

Aang blinked. "You like turtleducks?" he asked.

"Well... They are all right I suppose." Young Zuko commented as he crossed his arms and knowingly turned away. "It's not like great warriors has time for stupid things like turtleducks."

Slowly Aang removed the turtleduck from his shoulder and held it in his hands. "Do you want to pet him?" he asked.

Young Zuko halted. Then he turned to Aang. "Can I?" he asked.

"Sure." Aang said. "See. He's not dangerous."

Zuko smiled as he walked forward until he was right in front of Aang. Then he hesitated. "Urhm."

"It's all right. He wont hurt you." Aang said.

"I know." Zuko said in a warm smile. "As long as you don't attack them first. Or attack their children. They are really nice." then with a very gentle finger he touched the turtleducks head. Very gently petting. "What's his name?" he asked.

"I don't know yet." Aang said. "Maybe you can help me figure it out?"

Zuko looked up. "Really?" he asked as he smiled brightly.

"Heh." Aang smiled nervously as he allowed the young Zuko to dote on the turtleduck. Okay. Maybe this could work out. So he had de-aged Zuko somehow. That wasn't so bad! they could work with this.

"What are you doing!"

"ARGH!" Aang shouted in fright by a very familiar raspy voice and he turned to see another person pointing a sword right at him. "A... Another Zuko?!" Aang exclaimed.

As true enough. There was Zuko! Seemingly the right age but still different! Nearly his entire face was covered by a massive scar. He was bald again with one phoenix tail and wearing a bright red armor as he was burning with fury. "You are not to fraternize with the enemy!" The scarred Zuko shouted. "That's treason! The Avatar must be captured!"

"Why?" A third voice asked and Aang turned to see a third Zuko sitting on the ground.

This Zuko had the normal scar on just one side of his face. Also he looked sickly thin. Starved in fact. He was wearing nothing but rags and looked like all life had just been beaten out of him.

"You've seen it out there." The raggedy Zuko spoke in a tired voice. "It's just death and misery. Starvation and desperation. Is this all there is? Is the war really worth... All of that?"

"Do not be weak!" Scarred Zuko yelled. "Weakness is what brought us here! The firelord knows what is right!"

"Father?" Young Zuko asked. "Yeah. He'll protect the people. He just wants to help."

"The firelord." Scarred Zuko corrected him. "Is strong as he needs to be! He does what needs to be done! There is no room for compromise! This is war!"

"But why?" Raggedy Zuko asked.

"Shut up!" Scarred Zuko yelled. "It is for the greater good!"

"It's not." Raggedy Zuko sighed in a tired voice. "Why did those people have to die? Just to spread more misery?"

"By the end it will all be better! For everyone!" Scarred Zuko insisted.

"Father wouldn't betray his people! He would never do that!" Young Zuko shouted desperately. And they all continued arguing with each other.

Wide-eyed Aang was just looking at this mess.

He had three Zukos in front of him! And they were all in complete disagreement with each other! Yelling at each other.

Okay. Aang had to admit. If this really was what had gone on inside of Zukos heart. He sympathized. That had to be exhausting!

And it didn't help at all as the shouting match continued... This was a complete and utter mess!