"I still can't believe that you just let Zuko go," complained Sokka. "What if he'd gotten out first, then what would have happened? Do you think he would have returned the favor?"

"Actually, yes, I do," Aang told him.

"Sokka's right, Aang," Katara said. "Zuko would have locked you up and taken you to the Fire Nation, not let you go."

"I just can't believe that he's completely evil," Aang protested. "I mean, Zuko's nice, once you get to know him, and get past all of the…"

"The Fire Bending?" asked Sokka sarcastically. "The vengeful honor obsession? The fact that he's trying to kill us?"

"Yeah. Once you get past all that, he's really a nice guy. I dunno, I just think there's a side of him that's…"

"A homicidal murderer?"

Aang rolled his eyes. "Yes, but I mean the other side of him. His good side."

"Zuko has a good side?" asked Katara. "Well, I'm sure you're the only one who's ever seen it."

"No," Aang shook his head. "Iroh, and probably some others, too. He's really just a kid."

"Teenager."

"Whatever. I dunno, I just believe that, deep down inside, Zuko's really a good person."

"Well, if so," Katara said, "It's very deep down inside."

"Very, extremely deep!" shouted Sokka. "As in, the core of the Earth kind of deep! Hugely far down there. Completely invisible to the human eye. Tiny little heart deep down inside!"

"But I'm glad you got a chance to see it," Katara finished, shoving Appa's reigns into her brother's mouth.

"Yeah," muttered Aang. "So am I."

Spitting out the reigns, Sokka rejoined their conversation by changing the topic. "So, exactly how far have we gone off track in order to rescue Aang from the clutches of the not-evil Prince Zuko?"

"Umm," Aang looked at the map. "No idea whatsoever. Where are we?"

"We're… here," Sokka said, pointing at a spot on the map. And we're heading… here."

"Odd." Katara leaned over and looked at it. "That," she pointed at the second spot Sokka had marked "Is the South Pole. That," she pointed at the first spot "Would be Kyoshi. We've already been there."

Both boys stared at her. "So… what does that mean?" asked Aang.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Sokka. "It means… the world has been turned upside-down!"

"Or, you're holding the map the wrong way," Katara suggested, flipping it rightside-up.

"Oh. I knew that."

"So… where are we, by the-world-has-not-been-turned-upside-down terms?" asked Aang.

"It's very easy, young Avatar," Sokka said. "The answer to all questions is always the same."

"So… two plus two and what should I eat for dinner are the same? Two plus two is nuts, or I should have four for dinner?"

"No, I mean the way to find out the answer!" snapped Sokka, losing his calm demeanor.

"Which is… what exactly?"

"You want the short answer, or the long one? I can't keep this dignity thing up forever."

"Short answer, please."

"Ask Katara," Sokka said, shoving the map in his sister's face.

She groaned. "Why can't you for once ask me a question normally?"

Aang answered that for Sokka. "Katara, my friend, you live on a six legged giant bison that flies when you say 'yip-yip'. You are a self-trained Water Bender, who lives with her loudmouthed brother…"

"And a bald twelve-year-old monk who looks like a monkey," grumbled Sokka. Aang ignored him. "And we have a crazy teenager with a messed up scar and an obsession with vengeance and honor trying to kill us," continued Sokka. "The fact that he's a Fire Bender is not helping matters."

"And you live off nuts and nut-shaped rocks," finished Aang. "Get me a dictionary; I don't remember what 'normal' means."

There wasn't much they could say to that.

Zuko glared at the water. Stupid Avatar. Now that he had saved his life, he would have a lot of trouble killing him. Whoa, that was confusing. Howabout… Now that Aang had saved Zuko's life, Zuko would have a lot of trouble killing Aang.

The idea wasn't to kill him, stupid, it was to capture him.

Well, he didn't save your life, either. But he let you go; therefore you're going to have a hard time capturing him. More than usual, that is.

What do you mean, 'more than usual'?

Look, since I am you, I'm not going to do a cat-and-mouse dance trying to spare your feelings. I'll just be blunt. Before you couldn't capture the Avatar because he's smarter than you, now you can't capture him because you like him. Simple deal there.

Well, there's not much I can do if I do like him! I have to get home, and the only way is with Aang. He'll understand.

No, he won't. But that doesn't matter, does it? He has to grow up, it's a harsh world and he has to get used to it.

Right… hey! I'm not a cynical crazy kid who's obsessed with trying to teach other people how terrible the world is.

You said it, not me.

Great, though Zuko. My conscience is sarcastic.

Iroh wandered up onto the deck, waving absently at the half-asleep helmsman on duty. The rest of the crew was more than half asleep, as it was the middle of the night. If Zuko had any sense, he would follow their example, buy no-oo. He had to be awake all the time, whining, or looking for the Avatar, yelling, or sulking. Did he ever do anything else?

What was that? Zuko seemed to be moving a little more than he usually did when sulking. Iroh moved closer, until he could hear a soft noise that seemed to be coming from his nephew.

"The fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

The fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

I have the fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

'Cause my slippers are very fuzzy!"

Oh. Well, it looked like Zuko did do something besides whine, look for the Avatar, yell, and sulk. He sang about fuzzy slippers. Slightly… odd, but at least it was something.

It was a pity that Aang wasn't here. He'd have loved to hear Zuko finally sing about fuzzy slippers.

"Look!" Sokka pointed warningly at a ship sailing just beneath them.

"Fire Nation!" cried Katara.

"Zuko," added her brother. "Aang, come on!" he exclaimed, as he noticed that the Avatar was sitting completely still, listening to something.

"Shhh," hissed Aang. "Listen."

"The fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

The fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

I have the fuzziest slippers in the neighborhood!

'Cause my slippers are very fuzzy!"

"Was that… Zuko singing?" asked Katara in disbelief. Aang nodded.

"The evil Fire Nation exiled prince singing about fuzzy slippers," commented Sokka, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I never thought about it at all," his sister said. "The idea that Zuko would do something that… ridiculous is just… insane. Totally beyond anything I've ever dreamed I'd see. It's weird, that's was it is. Just plain weird."

Aang grinned. "That's what makes it fun!"

Yes, I borrowed the last line from the first episode for this one. I love how they ended it. Anyway, I'm home sick today, so that's why I managed to update while I was supposed to be in school. I'm pretty sure I'm done (did you know that this story is fifty pages long?) but I'm thinking of adding an epilogue. What do you think? What do you think should happen? Ohh, never mind! I just had a great idea on what's going to happen, and I know what it is, but it'll probably be totally wrong with what they say will happen! Whatever, while I'm using 'w's. Anyway, hope you liked it, look out for the epilogue soon.