BOOK 3: FIRE
CHAPTER 2: THE HEADBAND
Night has fallen over within the Royal Caldera city and all is well. All except the Prince Zuko who tossing and turning in his bed, unable to sleep. The voices in his head echo and overlap until he opens his eyes and gets up, donning a cloak and runs off into the night to the rim of the volcano where the Capital City Prison resided as Zuko walks toward it and stops to looking above to the tower. This place wasn't the worst prison but it did give a sense of disturbing atmosphere for the many who were incarcerated within being thieves, murderers and traitors. A guard walking around a balcony, who spots him, calls out to identification. "Who's there?!" Zuko, without speaking a word, turns around and walks away. The guard, seeing Zuko leave, resumes his patrol. Much darkness in that place Zuko could feel it.
Elsewhere to the coastal islands in the morning a mysterious cloud goes toward one of the islands at an abnormal speed. The cloud in question begins "descending" on one of the islands. Team Avatar created this disguise to sneak in, undetected.
"I think I see a cave below." Aang pointed out from inside the cloud.
"How can he see through this?" Atreus asked.
Toph shrugged, "Beats me."
"Sh! Keep quiet!" Sokka stated in a commanding tone.
Aang airbends the cloud surrounding Appa as the flying bison lands, Sokka jumps to the ground from Appa and reconnoiters, before crossing his arms and looking toward Team Avatar. "Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud that knows how to keep its mouth shut." He reconnoiters again.
Toph mimic Sokka's reconnoitering." Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in." She said sarcastically.
"Or shoot us down." Dante added.
Sokka turns back toward the other six. "Hey, we're in enemy territory. He points above his head to four toucan puffins standing on a rock behind him. "Those are enemy birds."
One toucan puffin jumps onto Sokka's head and screeches. The other six laugh, and walk toward the cave, with Sokka following behind. Suddenly, he jumps above them and comes "diving" down. They stop wondering what he was doing. He looks suspicious, he runs into the cave, followed by the rest of the group.
"Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave after cave after cave ..." Sokka head drops each time he says the word, "cave".
"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need is some new clothes." Katara states the wisest course of action.
"A splendid idea!" Mimir said.
Aang nods. "Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we would be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave."
Toph, who is sitting down with her legs slightly folded. "Plus, they have real food out there. Does anyone want to sit in the dirt and eat cave hoppers?" she punches the cave wall, causing cave hoppers to jump out, and Momo grabs one and eats it. He turns around and spits out a cave hopper limb, nasty flavor.
"Looks like we got outvoted, sport. Let's get some new clothes." Sokka said to himself.
"Is your brother always … like this?"Atreus whispered to Katara.
"You have no idea." Katara replies
At a simple Fire Nation home near a waterfall some clothes hang out to dry on clotheslines over natural steam vents. Team Avatar hides behind a rock wall as the case the scene in front of them.
"I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody." Aang said not wishing to steal from those who need it.
"I call the silk robe! Katara jumps out from behind the rock wall and grabs two outfits.
"But if it's essential to our survival ... then I call the suit!" Aang and everyone else jumps over the wall.
Aang and Toph run across, grabbing clothes. Sokka stands still, examining the reds, blacks, gold, burgundy shirts on the clothesline and grabs the third one, V picks some out and lays them over his left arm, Dante throws some on his back and Atreus walks over and swipes some from the line, all the while the a man sleeps on his porch.
Aang puts on a headband, revealing his whole new Fire Nation disguise. "Ta-dah! Normal kid."
"I guess." Griffon commented.
Toph looked ponders on the nature of her shoes, "Hm ... I should probably wear shoes. But then I won't be able to see as well." She sits down pulls on the shoe, "Sorry, shoes!" she pushes and launching the sole at Sokka's face, leaving a red mark. "Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender."
"How do I look?" Katara asked stepping out. She was dressed in a red skirt and top while showing off her slim toned belly. Her hair was loose and long from the usually braid she had it in, and topped with a topknot.
Aang blushed like crazy while scratching his head before he noticed something off, "Uh ... your mom's necklace." He said.
"Oh, oh, yeah. I guess it's pretty obviously Water Tribe, isn't it?" Katara Touches necklace in understanding and takes off the necklace and holds it in her hand solemnly. With that in mind in the city, Katara puts some money on a head-wear display. She puts on a ruby Fire Nation necklace. Toph puts on a crown to go with her dark tank-top emo bad-girl look. Sokka wears a top-knot to go with his handsome stranger look. Aang pats down Momo's ears and hides him in his shirt, which by the way was ticklish. Dante summons his Kyoshi Island katana and puts in his belt to complete his traveling ronin look. Valen puts on some robes, beaded necklace around his neck and wrist while turning us sliver cane into silver staff to complete his monk look and Atreus put on his wolf fur vest with the shirt and pants he found hanging on in a store to complete his hunter look, but he needed a bow and arrows (Which he will be sure to find at some point). Atreus decided the best disguise is to put Mimir in a bag with a hole so Mimir can see. Finally without further ado they were ready to enter Fire Nation Society.
"I used to visit my friend Kuzon here a hundred years ago. So, everyone just follow my lead and stay cool. Or, as they say in the Fire Nation, "stay flamin'". Aang walks around the building corner and greets a man eating meat on a stick. "Greetings, my good hotman."
The Fire Nation man was confused, but greeted the boy all the same. "Uh, hi." Sokka shrugs at him as he passes. "I guess ..."
"Don't ask." Dante said to the man.
"I smell good wholesome food." Mimir said from inside the bag.
Aang looks at a meat display. Disappointedly. "Oh, we're going to a meat place?"
Come on, Aang, everyone here eats meat. Even the meat! [Points at a hippo cow eating a piece of meat swarming with flies.
"You guys go ahead. I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage." Aang and Katara wave each at each other as the rest enter the shop. Aang turns around to greet random people on the street. "Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman."
Everything was going rosy until three soldiers approach Aang. "It's over. We caught you."
Aang gave them the most guilty (the 'What 'dit I do') face he could give. "Who, me?" he said.
"It couldn't be more obvious that you don't belong here. Next time you play hooky, you might wanna take off your school uniform." Aang laughs nervously and the soldier grabs Aang, who mouths the word school. The two guards push Aang to the school into a classroom. The teacher in charge of the classroom Ms. Kwan and she was a strict bitch to say the least.
"Oh. Is this a new mind ready for molding?" Ms. Kwan said unsurprisingly.
"That's right." Aang knocking on his head. "Let the molding begin." The two guards turn away to leave. "Wait a minute. You're not from the Fire Nation." Ms. Kwan walks around Aang. "You share traits with those hybridized in foreign lands. Clearly you're from the colonies."
Aang nods "Yeah, the colonies, of course. The Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom." The two guards walk away seeing everything is okay.
"Your etiquette is terrible. In the homeland, we bow to our elders." Ms. Kwan walks in front of her desk. "Like so." She bows to show for example.
"Sorry, ma'am." Aang bows to her in respect. She taps his hands to correct him. A girl sitting in the front row shows the correct way to bow. Aang bows the proper way this time.
"And we don't wear head coverings indoors." Kwan reminds him.
Aang quickly thought of an answer to a question that could lead to his capture. "Um ... I have a scar. It's really embarrassing."
"Very well. What is your name? Or should we just call you "Mannerless Colony Slob"?" Ms. Kwan stated insultingly.
Aang chuckles at that. "Just "slob" is fine. Or, uh, Kuzon." Aang faced the class, in memory of his friend.
The school bell rings and the students walk out of school. Momo peeks out of Aang's school uniform. "We made it through the day Momo, and it was pretty fun." Aang said quietly.
"Don't let the headmaster catch you with that monkey." A girl from behind Aang said.
Aang turns around, trying to act innocent. "What monkey?" he asked.
"Don't worry, I'm not a tattletale. My name's On Ji. I like your headband, by the way." She said.
A kid walks past Aang, slightly bumping him away and puts a hand around On Ji's shoulders. "On Ji, you don't have to baby-sit the new kid."
"Wow." Aang Bows. "You must be one of those popular kids I've been hearing about."
"That's right. Now listen, friend. I know you're from the colonies, so I'll say this slowly. My name is Hide. On Ji is my girlfriend. Don't forget it." Hide pokes Aang's chest after he finished telling him what's what. Momo tries to get out of Aang's shirt and Aang pushes him back in. Aang pushes Momo back as Hide signifies to Aang that he is watching him and begins to leave
Aang waved goodbye to On Ji and Hide. "It was nice meeting you."
Another kid approaches Aang in disbelief. "I don't believe it, he didn't beat you up. Not even a little."
"I guess I'm just lucky." Aang shrugged jokingly.
"My name is Shoji. We were on our way to play hide and explode. You wanna come?" Shoji asked.
"I'd love to." Aang said happily. Shoji, his friends, and Aang all run off to play the game.
After a few explosions Aang slides down the hill and enters the Team Avatar's cave, covered in dirt.
Katara jumped up and went over to Aang, concernedly. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."
"I got invited to play with some kids after school." Aang said undoing his headband.
Springs up to his feet in shock and runs over crashing into Atreus as he was making a complicated tower of sticks. "A little warning when you're going to demolish the construction site." Mimir said as he sat on a rock.
"After what?!" Sokka said.
"I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow." Aang explained.
"Enrolled in what?!" With an exasperated facial expression Sokka falls backwards in disbelief.
Across the country at the Capital City Prison Zuko decided to give this another try and walks through the halls until a guard is alerted to his presence and readies his spear, with it pointed directly at Zuko. "You again? Stop where you are!" Zuko raises his head looking at the guard. He wished to do this quietly but he guessed it can't be helped. "Prince Zuko ..." the guard realized it was his lord staying before him. Zuko grabs the guard by his collar and slams him against the wall.
"I'm going in for a visit. You're going to stand guard here, and no one is going to know about this." Zuko whispers before releasing the guard who snaps to attention in obedience. Zuko enters the dim torch lit passage to the prison cells; this prison in particular was home to the most dangerous criminals in the Fire Nation today. The Boiling Rock may be home to such but here in the heart of the Fire Nation is where the worst of the worst are housed. Murders from small to mass, rapists of the most despoiling acts, embezzlers of mountains of stolen wealth, deceivers of false society "norms", and traitor of a rebellious natures that spawn protest and sedition. Zuko enters where the level reserved for the traitors and this level is perhaps the most haunting for the fact that those who belong here have done every other crime before this level. Zuko stops at one them see a woman standing as if she was waiting for him.
"Good, evening. Prince Zuko."
Zuko knows who she was all too well. Her name is Xion who was a respected colonel in the fire Nation Home Guard, now she is one of the most feared criminals to have every existed. So much so that guards have to feed her by the tray with a metal rod to the edge of her cell where she eats through the bars; she's in her for taking part in the plan assassinate Ozai during Operation: Phoenix. She escaped and began to cannibalize on men and women who support Ozai.
"Colonel Xion." Zuko said. He never met her but he heard what happened. What she was a part of. What she had done. Meeting her made his skin crawl.
"It is so pleasant to hear you have returned … Avatar slayer …They say you did what need to be done. Your finally became the prince they wanted." she said in a polite manner.
Zuko cleared his throat before speaking. "I need to know where they taken my uncle."
Xion smile faded as she walked over to bar look at Zuko in the eye. "So it is true." Xion said in a curious tone. "I would never have believed it, but my eyes and ears did not deceive me. The Dragon of the West is condemned to the pit with the rest of us."
"I'm only here to find my uncle." Zuko said again.
"And what will you say?" Xion asked.
"I don't know." Zuko said.
Xion leaned forward until the light of the torches illuminates the colorless of her eyes. "I'm sure you will find the words, handsome. He is down the hallway behind the door on the right." Xion reached out to touch Zuko. "And I am here, also." Zuko on reflex to a step backwards; it was smooth and sudden that Zuko almost wasn't paying attention. Xion eyes seem to have a hypnotic power that could distract those who get close to them. He wasn't sure is that's what she was doing on purpose or not.
"Do not touch me." Zuko stated sternly.
"I have no intention of hurting you." Xion reassured.
"Tell that to victims you eaten." Zuko retorted.
Xion didn't respond to that but wave him off. "Run along to your uncle, my Prince."
Zuko walked down the hall while Xion called after him. "Be nice, he's looks like he had a really bad day."
Following Xion's directions Zuko found Iroh's cell entered inside. Though the bars he saw was only a pale, tired shadow of his beloved uncle. Defeated and betrayed once again by his family. Zuko approaches him. "Uncle, it's me." Iroh, sitting on the floor, turns away from Zuko with a scowl on his face. He expected betrayal from his younger brother or heavens forbid his niece but his nephew who he had been teaching all these years. Iroh was truly alone.
"You brought this on yourself you know. We could have returned together. You could have been a hero!" Iroh shifts but does not look at him. "You have no right to judge me, Uncle. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me." Iroh continues ignoring Zuko which only made him more enraged. "You're not going to say anything? He kicks up a small stool and destroys it with firebending. You're a crazy old man! YOU'RE CRAZY! And if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in a gutter!" Zuko leaves, slamming the door behind him as Iroh's head drops slightly and he closes his eyes.
Zuko stormed down the hallway until his rage subsided and he was walking at a normal pace. He then hit the side of the cell with the side of his fist with a scowl on his face. He continued on until he walked past Xion cell. She appeared to be drawing something on sheet of paper. "Have a nice pleasant day, my prince." Zuko continued on until she called after him with a question. "Oh, could you pass on a message to your sister, Azula? I wish for her to visit sometime."
Zuko shifted a little before moving on. "Tell her yourself." He said as he moved on.
Meanwhile at the cave Team Avatar hid in Sokka finally got himself together for the 27th time passing out and waking up from leaving Sokka-size craters on the cave floor. As the morning came everyone was sitting around the fire.
"Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea, but it sounds ... really terrible." Sokka gave his finally verdict.
"Yeah, we got our outfits. What do you need to go to school for?" Toph asked, obviously not like school of any kind.
"Knowledge is power." V said while reading his. "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom."
"Does he always do that?" Atreus asked.
"Eh." Dante said.
"Every minute I'm in that classroom, I'm learning new things about the Fire Nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai." Holds up the picture of the Fire Nation leader. "And here's one that I made out of noodles!" Aang holds up his picture of Ozai.
"Impressive, I admit, but I still think it's too dangerous." Sokka repeated.
"I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then. It goes right to the Fire Lord's palace. We were supposed to learn about it in class tomorrow." Aang said uncaringly to try to sway Sokka's favor.
"Hmm, I am a fan of secret rivers ... fine, let's stay a few more days." Sokka relented.
"Flamey-o, hotman!" Aang said and runs off.
"Flamey-o?" Sokka said to Katara.
Katara shrugs and murmurs an "I don't know."
"I think it splendid." Mimir says while sitting on his rock. "The pursuit of knowledge can give you a tactical advantage in the long run."
The school has start with the class assembled inside. Kwan walks in, and the class collectively rises to bow. "Good morning class. Recite the Fire Nation oath." Kwan sits down at her desk. The class turns to face a large painting of Ozai at the back of the class.
My life I give to my country, with my hands I fight for Fire Lord Ozai and our forefathers before him. With my mind I seek ways to better my country, and with my feet may our March of Civilization continue.
Aang glances around the room as the class recites the oath. "Fire Lord ... forefathers ... Firebenders ... Fire Lord ... wah, bah, blah, blah." The class snickers at him as they sit down as the teacher looks on with a stern expression. "Since it's obviously hilarious to mock our national oath, we'll begin with a pop quiz on our great March of Civilization."
The class groans and picks up their pens. "You see, this is why we hate teachers." A student said in the back.
Ms. Kwan ignored that remark and went ahead with the quiz. "Question one: What year did Fire Lord Sozin battle the Air Nation army?" Aang raises his hand. "Kuzon?"
"Is that a trick question? The Air Nomads didn't have a formal military. Sozin defeated them by ambush." The entire class stares at him, dumbfounded.
"Well, I don't know how you could possibly know more than our national history book. Unless you were there a hundred years ago." Ms. Kwan said ironically.
Aang aka Kuzon just decided not to press it. "I'll just write down my best guess."
The day goes on and the music class starts; in the room the music teacher standing at a podium with the rest of the class before him, playing instruments. Aang suddenly plays loudly on his tsungi horn in very discordant notes, dancing while sitting.
"Kuzon?" the music teacher asked.
"I know, I'm a terrible tsungi hornist." Aang said.
"No, child. That hullabaloo going on with your feet. Is that a nervous disorder?" the music teacher points out.
Aang looks down at his feet before realizing what the teacher meant by hullabaloo "I was just dancing. You do dances here in the homeland, right?"
"Not really, no." Shoji answered.
"Dancing is not conducive to a proper learning environment. Dancing is only for outside these walls. Young people must have rigid discipline and order inside these walls."
"But what about expressing yourself?"
"I know sometimes we're so ruled by our love for our nation that we can't control our own bodies." He puts his hand to his face at what he is saying before continuing on. "If you must, you may march in place quietly next time the urge hits you."
He settles back down to the podium and the class resumes playing. Aang plays a few notes while marching in place, and stops, looking very dismayed at this. In the school yard Aang is walking through it, and all the other students stop and stare at him, murmuring among themselves about Aang's antics.
On Ji Waves at Aang wanting him to come over. "Uh, hi, Kuzon. I really liked that crazy dance you were doing."
"Thanks On Ji. I could show it to you again if you like. Ah!" He jumps as a blast of fire hits the ground at his feet.
"What'd you say, colony trash? You're gonna show her something?" Hide barked.
"Just some dance movements." Aang said nervously.
"Nobody shows my On Ji anything, especially movements!" Hide attempts to strike Aang, but Aang easily steps out of the way. The other students gather around to watch. Hide continues trying to punch at Aang, but he continuously evades with ease, much to Hide's frustration. Aang gets behind Hide's back and moves to the side to match Hide's movements. Aang knocks back Hide by butting him. Hide tries to strike Aang two more times, but Aang slides behind Hide through his legs. Hide tries punching Aang two more times and falls down as Aang side steps and trips him. The Headmaster arrives, and Hide sniffles as he gets up to his knees. He is seen with tears in his eyes as the Headmaster talks.
"Picking fights on your second day? We need to have a conference to discuss your punishment. Bring your parents to my office after school." the Headmaster said.
Aang became worried. "Parents? But-"
"Don't be late!" the Headmaster reminded him. The Headmaster walks off and Hide smirks behind his back.
A private parent teacher conference on the second day of school? Aang was certainly a weird son of a bitch. But in light of that he needs someone to play the parents. He broke the news to his team and they jumped to his defense.
When it was time the Headmaster sat at his desk at his office meeting with Aang and the 'parents' he brought; Sokka is diguised with a large fake beard, and Katara in disguise with a different hairstyle and appearing pregnant, Dante's face is bandaged up while sitting on the left side of Katara with Griffon sitting on his shoulder, with Aang sitting between them.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs ..."
"Fire. Wang Fire." Sokka introduced with an exaggerated accent while stroking his beard "This is my wife, Sapphire."
Katara induced herself and Dante. "Sapphire Fire. Nice to meet you. This is our bodyguard, Sen."
"Sen. A pleasure. Forgive my appearance, sir. I stopped an asshole from throwing scolding hot water on my mistress's face. I succeeded, but lost my face. " Dante introduced.
The Headmaster nodded "Mr. and Mrs ... Fire, your son has been enrolled here for two days and he's already causing problems. He's argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class, and roughed up my star pupil."
"My goodness! That doesn't sound like our Kuzon." Katara gasped.
"That's what any mother would say, Ma'am. Nonetheless, you're forewarned; if he acts up one more time, I'll have him sent to reform school - by which I mean the coal mines. Are we clear? The Headmaster stands up upon reaching his conclusion.
"Don't you worry, Mr. Headmaster. I'll straighten this boy out somethin' fierce!" Sokka aka Mr. Fire turns to Aang. "Young man, as soon as we get home you're gonna get the punishment of a lifetime!" Aang Katara and Dante are visibly alarmed.
"That's what I like to hear." the Head Master said in satisfaction.
Back at the Fire Nation Capital, Zuko and Mai sitting on a cliff side together, watching the sunset. They rarely had a private moment with each other so they had to steal a moment with each other.
"Orange is such an awful color." Mai commented.
"You're so beautiful when you hate the world." Zuko said sweetly.
"I don't hate you." Mai whispered.
"I don't hate you too." Zuko whispered.
They kiss, but are interrupted by Azula clearing her throat. They turn to look at her, clearly annoyed. "Zuko, could I have a word with you?"
"Can't you see we're busy?" Zuko stated. They kiss again only to have Azula attack at a different angle.
"Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid." Azula said to Mai.
Mai recognized the tone and stands up, smiling. "Sounds pretty serious." She leaves, but throws an angry glance at Azula behind her back. Azula just loves being the boss.
"So, I've heard you've been to visit your uncle fatso in the prison tower." Azula began.
Zuko stands up, angrily. "That guard told you."
"No. You did. Just now."
Zuko sits back down realizing she must have seen him go out. "Okay, you caught me. What is it that you want, Azula?"
"Actually, nothing. Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you. If people find out you've been to see Uncle, they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, Dum-Dum." Azula walked away.
"Azula?" Zuko called after her. "Maybe, you can go pay a visit to the prison yourself."
"I have no real reason to visit uncle. Why would I stoop so low as to visit him?" Azula asked.
"Not uncle. Colonel Xion wishes to see you."
Azula was always one that remained calm even if the situation was out of her control. Zuko saw a reaction, it was about a faint as searching for a tree in the heavy fog in the area, and it was almost unnoticeable.
"What would a cannibal like her want with someone like me?" Azula asked with curiosity.
Zuko said and walked past Azula to find where ever Mai when. "Why don't you pay her a visit? I'm sure you're not doing anything important."
Back to the cave where the Team is gathered things where a bit … odd. Momo attempts to pounce on birds, but he misses and they scatter.
"That settles it! No more school for you, young man!" Sokka shouted still acting as Wang Fire before Stroking his beard like narcissist.
"I'm not ready to leave yet. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time."
Toph, Dante, Griffon and Valen suddenly began to laugh out loud, Sokka glares at them but they continue on until it gets out of their systems.
"Listen guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we want to change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom."
"What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?" Sokka asked bluntly.
"I'm gonna throw them, A SECRET DANCE PARTY! Aang declares causing everybody stares at Aang.
"I'm in." Dante stood up.
"Me too!" Atreus said excitedly.
"I so do love parties! Can't remember since the last time I danced." Mimir added.
"Go to your room!" Sokka shouted In Wang Fire voice.
After Sokka blew a hole in his pants the team went to work around the cave with candles on the sides with Toph earthbending a stage. Aang puts on his headband to hide his identity for their party guests before coming over to see how Sokka was doing.
"I can't believe we're having a dance party. It seems so ... silly." Sokka complained while placing a candle.
"Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork!" Aang starts dancing to emphasize the point.
Toph was adding the finishing touches when she felt their approach. "They're coming! Everyone stop bending."
The preparations were ready as they ever would be as the guest's arrival. Several kids brought instruments and were told to sit on the earth platforms as the others filter into the room.
Aang Jumps in front of the stage to welcome his peers. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Flamey-O's!" He looks around at the kids standing shyly at the edge of the cave.
"Now what do we do?" Shoji asked.
"This is when you start dancing." Aang said.
"I don't think my parents want me dancing in a cave ..." a student muttered shyly hiding his face behind his collar.
"Yeah! What if someone finds out?!" another students starts to panic and looks around nervously.
Aang sighed. "Oh boy. 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." Shoji said.
"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'."" The students 'ooh' and 'aah' as Aang runs low to the ground. "And, this was the 'Camelephant Strut'." Aang jumps from side to side and does rolls close to two nearby girls as they giggle. Aang finishes the dance with a back flip, landing on one foot. The boys stare in awe at Aang.
"Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance?" Toph said to Katara, Dante, Valen, Atreus and Mimir (the latter was concealed under a cloth on the table).
Aang is still dancing, spinning through the air. Aang offers his hand to On Ji, who blushes and accepts. He pulls her to the middle of the room. "And this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se." He starts tapping his feet from side to side and On Ji joins him.
"Wow, they look pretty good together." Sokka said watching as Aang dances with On Ji.
Katara barely hiding her envy as she looks away. "Eh, if that's what you like ..." She looks back surreptitiously.
"Somebody's suddenly green-eyed like an earthbender." Dante whisper to Toph, Valen, Atreus and Mimir.
"Yeah, that's it! That's the sound of happy feet." The rest of the kids start dancing with them. "All right, go with that! Everybody freestyle!" Aang shouted.
One student dances crazily. Another student, standing amid a group of non-dancers, starts moving his arms and Shoji sways his head with the rhythm. Basically they were dancing like a person with a full body of dry heaves set to the music, if one is to be honest.
Aang runs over to Katara and holds his hand out to her, inviting her to dance. She looks away nervously. "I don't know, Aang." She starts nervously pulling her hair. "These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I-I'm not sure that I know how to-"
Aang understands but insists with a smile. "Take my hand."
She smiles back. "Okay." He pulls her out into the room and whispers into her ear, and everybody stops to stare at them as the two extend their arms to each other and begin circling each other and performing dance moves.
Katara looks around at the crowd. "Aang, everyone's watching."
"Don't worry about them. It's just you and me right now." Aang said.
Katara blushes as they began to move around each other in an elaborate dance. The dance incorporates different moves including kicks and flips. At one point they come close together as if they are about to kiss, both just smile and continue on. Aang finishes the dance by catching Katara as she leans over his arm. They smiled at each other as they pant and sweat.
The Headmaster and several soldiers approach the cave. "It IS a dancing party. You did the right thing by telling me, Hide." The Headmaster said.
Hide bows, "Anytime, Headmaster sir."
Back inside the party rages on. One kid couldn't help voice out. "This is incredible! It's like my inhibitions just disappear!" He then sees the Headmaster come into the cave, and immediately stops dancing and attempts to shrink into his robes. "Okay, they're back again."
Aang continues to dance past as everyone else stops until the Headmaster talks. "He's the one we want! The boy with the headband!"
"Uh-oh." Aang starts running away through the crowd as the soldiers chase him.
"Party's over." Dante said.
In the crowd of kids one soldier sees a boy with a headband, and grabs him. The boy turns, but the guard is confused upon seeing a different boy there.
"Looking for me?" Shoji asked.
"That's not the one. He's here somewhere. Don't let him leave the cave!" Headmaster orders the soldiers. One soldier sees another kid with a headband, and turns her around. He is again confused upon seeing her face.
"Yes?" On Ji asked.
Another soldier sees two more children standing next to each other with headbands and turns them both around.
"Hi there."
"How're we doing?"
The Headmaster sees who he thinks is Aang in the crowd, and goes after him himself. Shoving people out of the way, he scoops up the boy in the crowd, or so he thinks.
"Looking for someone?" the little girl asked happily.
The Headmaster looks around in horror as he sees all the children are now wearing headbands. They all asked questions like: "Who are you looking for?" or "Do you need something?"
The students completely surround the soldiers and the Headmaster as Aang escapes through the back of the cave. Shoji winks at Aang, who bows in return. Aang leaves and earthbends the back of the cave shut, at which Shoji drops his jaw in astonishment.
Headmaster surrounded by guards where two of them have started dancing. "Stop that! STOP THAT!"
Suddenly there was a rumbling outside and everyone headed outside the cave where they see a fire blazing in the direction of the school.
"What the-" Headmaster uttered shocked at what he saw.
Hide started screaming and everyone turned to see him hang from a pole with his undergarments on a hook giving him a powerful wedggie. "How did he get up there?" one of the soldiers asked.
Team Avatar flies away on Appa as they watch the scene below.
"How did the school explode?" Sokka asked.
"Nobody was in it. So ... School's out for the summer." Everyone looked at Dante as he smiled to himself, played his gishgudi contently.
"We're safe Sokka, you can take off the mustache now." Katara said.
"Oh, no I can't. It's permanently glued to my skin." Sokka stokes his Wang Fire beard and mustache.
" Way to go, dancy pants. I think you really did help those kids, you taught them to be free." Toph said to Aang.
"I don't know, it was just a dance party, that's all." Aang said.
"Well, that was some dance party Aang." She kisses him on the cheek, and Aang blushes.
Sokka claps lightly. "Flamey-o sir, flamey-o."
Elsewhere back at the prison Zuko returned to Iroh cell sliding food into Iroh's cell as Iroh keeps his back to him. "I brought you some komodo chicken. I know you don't care for it, but I figure it beats prison food. I admit it, I have everything I always wanted, but it's not as all how I thought it would be. The truth is, I need your advice."
Iroh remained silent but listens to his nephew. "I think the Avatar is still alive, I know he's out there, I'm losing my mind." Iroh does not respond. Desperately Zuko pleads with him. "Please, Uncle, I'm so confused I need your help. Iroh still has nothing to say to him. Zuko gets angrier as he discovers his uncle's defiance. "Forget it, I'll solve it myself! Waste away in here for all I care!" Zuko turns but glances back before leaving, and a tear slides down Iroh's face. What can one say when the other is like this?
Sometime later Zuko walked alone in a dark alley which leads to that industrial section of the capital. He hears the sounds of someone emerging from the shadows and turns to face them. Zuko lowers his hood as a huge man with a metal leg stood there him. Zuko wasted no time and got to the point.
"You're sure you weren't followed? I've heard about you. They say you're good at what you do, and even better at keeping secrets. The Avatar is alive. I don't know how but he is. I also have a reason to believe he is helped by someone you know. During the siege on Ba Sing Se you were part of a tank crew and he was your commander. What happens to him is of little concern. But the Avatar is. I want you to find him, and end him."
The silent mercenary understood and walked off to track the new trail. Back in the prison Xion began to draw a picture of Zuko as well of every other member of the royal family, and if things go well Zuko or Azula may return just in time to see them.