We had to be careful to make sure no one saw Appa. So before we landed Katara waterbended a cloud around us.
"I think I see a cave below." Aang said
"Sh! Keep quiet." Sokka said
"Yeah, I mean how many clouds talk or descend to the ground." I said
Sokka just glared at me, and Toph just smiled. We land and the cloud disappears. Sokka jumps to the ground from Appa and reconnoiters, before crossing his arms and looking towards us.
"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." Sokka said
"That's what I said, and you glared at me." I said
"Yeah,, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in." Toph said
"Hey, we're in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds." Sokka said
Sokka points to four toucan puffins standing on a rock behind us. One of the toucan puffin jumps onto Sokka's head and screeches. We rest of us laugh, and walk towards the cave, with Sokka following behind us.
"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 said
"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need is some new clothes." Katara said
"Yeah, blending in is better than hiding put. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we would be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave." Aang said
Toph 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?" Toph asked
Toph punches the cave wall, causing cave hoppers to jump put, Momo grabs one ad eats it. He turns around and spits out a cave hopper limb.
"Look like we got outvoted, sport. Let's get some new clothes." Sokka said
We leave the cave and go look for a place to "buy" clothes. We find a Fire Nation home near a waterfall, next to the home, clothes hang out to dry on clotheslines over natural steam vents. We hide behind a rock wall.
"I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody." Aang whispered.
"I call the silk robe." Katara said
Katara jumps out from behind the rock wall and grabs two outfits.
"But if it's essential to our survival…that I call the suit." Aang said
Aang then jumps over the wall. Sokka, Toph, and I followed behind them. I grabbed a pair of pants, an undershirt, and a top that had bow in the back. Aang puts a headband on.
"Ta-dah! Normal kid." Aang said
"Hm… I should probably wear shoes. But then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry, shoes." Toph said
Toph pulls on the shoe, launching the sole at Sokka's face, leaving a red mark.
"Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender." Toph said
"How do I look?" Katara asked
Aang blushes and scratches his head.
"Uh… your mom's necklace." Aang said
"Oh, oh, yeah. I guess it's pretty obviously Water tribe, isn't it?" Katara asked
Katara takes off her necklace, and holds it in her hand. Once we are all changed into our new outfits we head into the city. Katara puts some money on a head-wear display. She put on a Fire Nation necklace. Toph puts on a weird crown thing, and Sokka wears a top-knot. I tie a ribbon in my hair. Aang pats down Momo's ears and hides him in his shirt.
"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 said
We all walk around the building corner. To a man eating meat on a stick.
"Greetings, my good hotman." Aang said
"Uh, hi. I guess…" the man said
"Oh, we're going to a meat place?" Aang asked
"Come on, Aang, everyone here eats meat. Even the meat." Sokka said
He then points to 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 said
We walk into the store to eat. When we are done eating we wait for Aang but he doesn't show. We start to get worried. We walked around town but still couldn't find Aang. So we all headed back to the cave to wait for Aang. He was gone for hours. He hear a noise and see Aang slide down the hill and enter the cave.
"Where have you been? We've been worried sick." Katara said
Aang undoes his headband.
"I got invited to play with some kids after school." Aang asked
"You went to school." I said
"After what?!" Sokka asked
"I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow." Aang said
"Enrolled in what?!" Sokka said
He then falls backwards in disbelief. I splash some water on his face and he bolts up and starts mumbling under his breath. He sits down in front of the fire.
"Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea, but it sounds…really terrible." Sokka said
"Yeah, we got our outfits. What do you need to go to school for?" Toph asked
"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. And here's one that I made out of noodles." Aang said
"Impressive, I admit, but I still think it's too dangerous." Sokka said
"But he could learn something of value." I said
"Yeah, I mean if I stop I'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
"Hmm, I am a fan of secret rivers…fine, let's stay a few more days." Sokka said
"Flamey-o, hotman." Aang said
With that he turned and off.
"Flamye-o?" Sokka asked
"I guess it was something that was said 100 years ago." I said
"Well I don't think it is used now a days." Katara said
On Aang second day of school he got in trouble and when he did come back he told us how he got in trouble and needed parents. So Katara and Sokka dressed up as his parents. Sokka was going to go by the name of Wang Fire, and Katara was Sapphire Fire. When they arrive back at the cave. Momo attempts to pounce on birds, but he misses and they scatter.
"That settles it! No more school for you, young man." Sokka said as he strokes his beard.
"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." Aang said
"Ha ha." Toph said
"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." Aang said
"What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?" Sokka asked
"I'm gonna throw them, a secret dance party." Aang said
"Go to your room." Sokka said in his Wang Fire voice
In the end Sokka gave up and Aang was able to throw his party. I let all the candles, while Toph earthbends a stage and some table and chairs. Aang puts on his headband.
"I can't believe we're having a dance party. It seems so…silly." Sokka said
"Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork." Aang said
"They're coming. Everyone stop bending." Toph said
We can hear people approaching the cave. We all turn and look at Appa.
"Sorry buddy, you should probably wait out back. I know, you at fancier feet than anybody. And six of 'em." Aang said
Everybody enters the cave, a few kids have the instruments and get up on the stage. Aang jumps in front of the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Flamey-O's! Yeah, this ought to get everybody moving." Aang said
No one is moving, or dancing. All of them are just standing on the edge of cave. On of the boys walks up to Aang.
"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 different one said
"Yeah. What if someone finds out?" student two asked
"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." Aang said
"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'." Aang said
The students ooh and aah as Aang runs low to the ground.
"And, this was the 'Camelephant Strut'." Aang said
Aang jumps from side to side and does a 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. Katara, Toph, and I sit at one of the tables and drink from the ice cups.
"Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance?" Toph asked
"Just think the statement over. You nicknamed him Twinkle Toes because he was light on his feet." I said
Aang is still dancing, spinning through the air. Aang offers his hand to one of the girls 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." Aang said
He starts tapping his feet from side to side. Sokka walks over to us.
"Wow, they look pretty good together." Sokka said
"Eh, if that's what you like…" Katara said barely hiding her envy as she watches.
"Yeah, that's it. That's the sound of happy feet." Aang said
The rest of the kids start dancing with them.
"All right, go with that. Everybody freestyle." Aang said
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. Aang runs over to Katara and holds his hand out to her, inviting her to dance.
"I don't know, Aang. These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and i-I'm not sure that I know how to-" Katara said
"Just go for it." I said
"Take my hand." Aang said smiling
"Okay." Katara said smiling back
Aang 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. I can hear her and Aang talking.
"Aang, everyone's watching." Katara said
"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 are both panting, sweating, and smiling at each other.
"This is incredible. It's like my inhibitions just disappear." student one said
We all see the Headmaster come into the cave, and student one stops dancing and attempts to shrink into his robes.
"Okay, they're back again." student one said
Aang continues to dance past as everyone else stops until the Headmaster talks.
"He's the one we want. The boy with the headband." the headmaster said
"Uh-oh." Aang said
Aang starts running away through the crowd as the soldiers chase him. One soldier sees a boy with a headband and grabs him. We start to move towards the back of the cave. The soldier's start to grab children who have headbands wrapped around their heads, but none are Aang.
"That's not the one. He's here somewhere. Don't let him leave the cave." the Headmaster said
We continue to head towards the back of the cave. Before we leave Aang smiles because all of the children in the cave now have a the band wrapped around their heads. Aang smiles and we headed out the back of the cave. We climb onto Appa and fly away.
"We're safe Sokka, you can take off the mustache now." Katara said
Sokka still has his Wang Fire mustache on and begins stroking it.
"Oh, no I can't. it's permanently glued to my skin." Sokka said
"Way to go, dancy pants. I think you really did help those kids, you taught them to be free," Toph said
"I don't know, it was just a dance party, that's all." Aang said
"Well, that was some dance party Aang." Katara said
"Flamey-o sir, flamey-o." Sokka said
"So Sokka when you're ready for me to help take that beard off let me know. Because it will soon start to ick." I said
Two Hours Later…
"Get it off. It itches so bad." Sokka said
"No I think Kida should make you leave it on a little longer." Toph said
"No please." Sokka said
He was trying to pull it off his face but it wouldn't come off. We all just started to laugh. I moved over and used a mix of heat and cool to get the beard off. Once it was off, they was a shadow of where the beard once was.
