"Aaargh!" Sokka screamed as it looked like he had become a fire bender flames nearly coming out of his mouth. "How can you eat this?!" he asked Zuko. "I'm me. I eat everything and I can't eat this!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should just have listened to Lee when he told you not to go for the Super spicy hot bowl."

"But he ordered it!" Sokka exclaimed gesturing at Zuko right next to him.

Didn't look like Zuko even heard him. Zuko looked like he was in heaven as he slurped up noodles. "Three years." he whispered. "I haven't had anything like this for three years." and he happily dug in again.

Aang blinked as he looked at Sokkas bowl. Then slowly reached forward and picked up one of the vegetables floating around in it. Then carefully tried to put it into his own mouth. For a moment he sat there and then Aangs eyes widened as they watered. He grabbed for the water and emptied out the whole glass. "So that's how Zuko can eat sea-prunes." Aang gasped under his breath. "He burned off his taste buds ages ago."

Katara glanced around at the other tables and couldn't help but note that the exact bowl Zuko was so happily eating seemed to be the most popular item on the menu.

Zuko had warned them though. He told them that people from the earth kingdom usually didn't really like those items and they should probably order the items labelled mild.

Only for Sokka to note that only the children around them ordered those and proclaimed he was a man, he could take it.

And here they were.

Zukos bowl was already emptied and he looked sadly at it only to glance at Sokkas bowl. "So erhm. I guess you wont be eating that?" he asked.

"Have at it." Sokka muttered pushing his own bowl towards Zuko. Who happily lightened up and grabbed the bowl as he smiled.

"Thanks."

Sokka winched by the sight, now knowing for sure there was no cheating involved. This was the same bowl Sokka had taken a taste from.

"Wow." Katara blinked. "I have never seen Sokka willingly give up food before."

"You don't know Katara." Sokka wheezed for breath. "That was like a volcano in my mouth."

"His entire body temperature rose two degrees." Toph noted as she was calmly eating her own mild bowl of veggies and sea food. But even she seemed to be working up a sweat.

Aang was the same. "Pretty amazing just how many vegetarian options there are though." he noted. "That's great." he smiled.

"There is no winter season here." Zuko replied. "So there are always some sort of vegetables that are ready to harvest."

"So it's just always hot here?" Sokka asked. "Hot weather, hot water, hot food, hot volcanos. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

Zuko looked at Sokka. "Do… Do you ever get tired of nothing but ice?" he asked.

"No." Sokka said.

Zuko shrugged. "I suppose you got your answer." he said.

"Fair point." Sokka admitted just as Zuko reached out to what looked like some sort of small bright red fruit that laid in a bowl on the table and gnawed at it. Smiling as he chewed and swallowed.

Sokka glanced at the small bowls of the fruit put on all the tables, apparently like some sort of side dish and he picked one up and glanced at it. He sniffed at it…. Seemed fine.

And then Sokka took a bite.

First then did Zuko notice and he looked up. "Erh Sokka I don't think that…."

It was to late. Sokkas face was rapidly growing more and more red, tears emerged from his eyes. And then he got up and ran straight to the fountain throwing himself in only for people to laugh and Katara glanced up only to see the owner of the shop draw a line on his chalk board filled with lines.

Katara squinted her eyes as she tilted her head to read the title written on top of the board. "Number of colony visitors." she read out loud.

"Well…" Aang blinked. "At least we didn't actually draw that much attention to ourselves." he commented.

Afterwards they tried to take a walk. And Zuko smiled as the others seemed to be impressed with the architecture as well.

The elaborate roof tops in read with beautiful gold finishes. Statues and art work freely displayed where people could see. Vendors selling their goods.

And it was all so familiar to Zuko. The houses, the art, the streets, the scents of the food. This really was the fire nation! He was actually here! That was unreal.

Zuko smiled as he turned his head only to yell in shock as he jumped back.

For there, as if starring down at him with judgemental eyes was a giant banner with a man on it. His giant face looking mad and angry and for a moment Zuko had gotten a minor heart attack just looking at it.

"You okay there Lee?" Sokka then glanced up. "Woah. Someone seems to be over compensating for something." he commented.

"I don't even know what's happening here. What happened?" Toph asked.

"There's a giant banner of a guy right next to us." Katara informed. "Zuko didn't see it so he got a bit shocked." she smiled amused. "You're fine Zuko. It's just a painting."

Zuko sighed deeply. "Well… yeah." he said. "Guys meet my father." he gestured at the painting. "father, the guys." he muttered sarcastically.

"Wow." Sokka blinked as he looked up at the banner with renewed interest. "… I'm sorry. Fragile ego much?" he asked.

"Huh." Aang looked at the giant banner and then at Zuko. He looked at the banner again and then at Zuko. "You don't look like him at all."

"Re-Really?" Zuko asked.

"Nice chin beard thing he has going on there." Sokka commented then tilted his head. "I do see some Azula though. It's in the eyes." he said. "She has his crazies."

Just then a man called.

"Fire lord merchandize! Get your fire lord merchandize here! Portraits and cups! Special coins! Honour the royal family by decorating your home in their respect."

Sokka, Katara and Aang all looked at each other and then darted over to the merchant curiosity clearly burning in their eyes.

Zuko groaned as he covered his face with his hands. Why? This was a whole new level of having an embarrassing father!

"I wont lie. I kind of wish I could see it." Toph admitted amused.

"You're not missing anything." Zuko assured and then groaned. "Better go make sure they wont get into trouble though." he groaned deeply as he moved forward.

"Man." Sokka pouted as he held up a smaller portrait. "These are all just the same. What a cheat."

"Does he have to look so mad on all of them?" Aang asked.

Zuko sighed deeply as he shook his head how-ever then he glanced at Katara who was silent, looking at a tiny portrait she had found.

"What have you found there?" Zuko asked and Katara looked up at Zuko.

"There's no doubt." Katara commented. "This has to be your mother right? You look just like her!"

Zuko halted, it got everyones attention and finally Katara handed the picture over.

Zuko gasped as he looked at the portrait. Of a woman glancing down, with a soft yet sad smile on her lips. "Yeah… You're right." he said. "You could actually see that?" he asked.

"Azula also looks a lot like her." Katara admitted. "Though clearly you are the one who got the eyes."

Zuko couldn't help but smile. Katara was right. Both Ursa and Zukos eyes had always been a brighter colour of gold that was considered quite rare, even among fire nation. While Ozai and Azula was more like deep amber.

"She sure is beautiful Zuko." Katara whispered.

"Lee… Remember it's Lee." Zuko commented absent-mindedly. "Heh thanks." he gave the picture back to Katara. "It was nice seeing her."

"We can buy it if you want." Katara offered.

"Njah. Everything we have we need to transport by ourselves. I'm sure I'll be able to find others later." Zuko assured. "There should also be plenty at the fire palace itself."

"You sure?" Katara asked.

"I am." Zuko said. "And no going behind my back like with the Zingiber salve okay? I am very sure."

Katara smiled amused. "Fair enough."

Then Zuko turned to the stand with all the rest of the merchandize which was mostly just Ozais face over and over. "In fact let's not buy anything from here." he asked. "I don't think I would be able to sleep with one of those in our camp."

"That's entirely fair." Sokka said. "I never even met the guy and I wouldn't be able to either. I mean look at that." he gestured back at the huge banner right behind them. "Creeps me out man." he shivered.

"You don't seem to be here at all." Aang muttered disappointed looking over the items looking for some sort of Zuko portrait apparently.

"My Uncle and I are labelled traitors. I am pretty sure any merchandize with us is banned and it would be deemed a prison offence to even have it." Zuko commented as he rolled his eyes only to gasp as Aang picked something up.

"Except this!" Aang held up a portrait only for it to showcase a very unflattering caricature of Zuko, sporting his bald phoenix tale look from the old days and him sticking basically his entire hand up his nose while big red letters writing.

"If you don't have fire nation honour. You don't have any honour. Don't be like Zuko."

Zuko looked at the portrait then he looked up at Aang. "You are going to put that thing down, we are going to step away. And then no one will speak of this again."

"Okay that's fair." Aang put down the portrait then grinned his best innocent smile. "Sorry."

Zuko rolled his eyes as he walked away the rest willingly following him just to get out of that awkward situation.

"What…" Toph began asking only for Sokka to shake his head.

"Yeah don't ask." Sokka asked.

"I'll tell you later." Aang whispered in her ear as they all walked away.