"I can't believe we're having a dance party. It seems so...silly." Sokka said as he and I arranged candles around the cave, everybody getting ready for the dance party after Aang's third day at school. Thankfully nothing had happened, but everybody had talked about how Hide had been found almost totally naked with pictures and rude things written all over his body, and when Aang heard, he had immediately looked at me but I pointedly ignored him, feigning any knowledge of the matter.

"Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork."

"You know I'm always up for dancing. This is going to be great!" I beamed as I spun around, my long tailed coat flaring outwards as I spun so that the embroidered birds and flowers caught the light prettily, Aang dancing as well with some fancy footwork which made me giggle. When Toph warned that the kids were coming, Aang quickly ushered Appa to hide out back with Momo.

"Sorry, buddy. You should probably wait out back." Appa grumbled in response, seemingly upset that he had to miss out on all the dancing. "I know, you've got fancier feet than anybody, and six of 'em!" When the kids started to arrive, I greeted them warmly and invited them inside, the musicians setting up their instruments and beginning to play as Aang grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, The Flamey-os!" He declared, introducing the band before nodding his head with satisfaction. "Yeah, this ought to get everybody moving."

No one moved. It was like they didn't even know how to respond to the music, which was something completely lost on me. How could someone just not know how to dance? Wasn't it instinctive for everyone, or was that just me? "Now what do we do?" One of the kids from Aang's class asked nervously, everyone looking like they wanted to go home. Well, they all came here, so it was a start at least.

"This is when you start dancing."

"I don't think my parents want me dancing in a cave."

"Yeah, what if someone finds out?"

"Oh, boy." Giving Aang an encouraging nod he turned back to the kids and addressed them all. "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."

"Maybe it was different in the colonies, Kuzon, but we don't do that here."

"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'." Lifting my head as I recognised the name, I watched Aang as he squatted down and kicked out his legs as he held out his arms like wings, circling around as everybody watched him curiously. "And this was the 'Camelephant Strut'." Demonstrating the dancing moves, I giggled lightly as I watched Aang make his moves. Not bad, not bad at all. He'd make a fine performer with some training.

"All you girls, watch me!" Flicking out the ribbon batons I'd prepared, the long strips of red silk began to spiral as I leaped off one of the mounds Toph had made and joined Aang in the centre of the cave, dancing with elegant flicks and twirls as the girls all oohed at my movements, eyes practically sparkling as I showed them some simple movements they could all copy. Aang gave me a bright smile before he somersaulted through the air and landed in front of that girl, On Ji, offering her his hand and drew her out of the crowd to demonstrate some moves.

"And this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se." Making a rolling motion with his arms whilst simultaneously sidestepping, On Ji copied Aang and the two started to dance together as I handed one of my ribbon batons to one girl and the other to another before springing away, twirling several times on the tips of my toes as they giggled and fluttered the ribbons whilst beginning to move their feet. As more kids started to gain confidence, they joined in with the dance as I followed Aang's lead. "Yeah, that's it. That's the sound of happy feet. Alright, go with that. Everybody freestyle!"

With a laugh I let myself loose, dancing freely with elegant lines and movements which people started to copy, following my example before I started to dance with different girls and boys, showing them how to dance together before joining them up, helping everybody get into the groove until I noticed Aang and Katara dancing together. Soon enough everybody was watching them together as they danced, and I carefully looked at Aang's face. He looked so happy, completely besotted with Katara and she seemed to hold a great deal of affection and warmth towards him too. What a cute couple they made.

When the song ended, Aang and Katara were labouring for breath but looking very happy, enjoying themselves to the fullest so I took a moment to just enjoy the scene when it suddenly became ruined by the arrival of the headmaster, Hide and two guards. Damn it! "Toph, Sokka! We have to get out of here!" I warned them as I leaped over, taking Toph's hand as she was already standing up, sensing the new arrivals through her feet.

"All this dancing is making it difficult to see!" She complained as I ushered her towards the back of the cave.

"Well, then you'll have to trust us and follow the sound of my voice. Let's get Aang and Katara and split."

"He's the one we want. The boy with the headband!"

"Damn it." Slapping a hand to my face, the guards made a dash for Aang who yelped and quickly disappeared into the throng of kids, attempting to make an escape as they quickly covered him. Several of the kids even took off their belts and wore them around their head to confuse the guards, making it impossible for them to tell which one was the kid they were looking for. See? Isn't dance just the most awesome thing ever?

With our escape covered, Aang quickly met up with us and we left through the back exit in order to leave without being found out or caught, though I guess some of the kids must have been surprised when the wall slammed closed behind us when Aang sealed it with earth bending.

"We're safe, Sokka. You can take off the moustache, now." Katara said to her brother after we'd taken off and put some distance between us and that place.

"Oh, no, I can't. It's permanently glued to my skin." He informed us all whilst stroking his beard rather proudly. A little disturbing, but okay.

"Way to go, dancy-pants. I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free." Toph congratulated Aang who frowned with uncertainty.

"I don't know. It was just a dance party, that's all."

"Well, that was some dance party, Aang." Leaning over to kiss his cheek, Katara smiled at him before pulling back and turning away, missing the blush on the smitten kid's cheeks so I smirked to myself.

"Flamey-o, sir. Flame-ee-o." Reaching up, I grasped my head in exasperation.

"Agh! For the last time, no one says that anymore!" Everybody broke out into rambunctious laughter, which eventually became infectious and I soon joined in, everybody in a light hearted mood as we sailed through stars and clouds far into the night.