Zuko let Katara be the one to explain the reason they returned to the palace followed by several guards who towed what looked like a pair of ice sculptures behind them. Iroh seemed troubled by the fact that assassins had actually attempted an attack, but Zuko deftly reminded his uncle that it was to be expected, since not everyone was happy with the fact that the war was finally over and that peace was being restored to the Four Nations.

Sokka had remained quiet and thoughtful throughout the explanation, only inquiring once about the fact that the two didn't use their bending against the assassins.

"Well, we didn't want to damage the newly replanted garden," Katara explained. "Besides, after Kaiya provided the distraction, it wasn't that difficult to subdue them with a minimum of bending."

"Distraction?"

Katara launched into a detailed description of their "fight" and Kaiya's role in it, and by the time she was finished Sokka was fairly shaking with suppressed laughter while Zuko found himself fighting back a scowl. It wasn't that he wasn't proud of Kaiya's bravery (if you can call it that, he mused) but that Sokka took great delight in needling the formerly banished Prince about his little "attachment" that went everywhere with him.

"So, in a nutshell, you two were saved by a hissing ball of cuteness!"

Yep, Zuko had called it. Sokka was off and running, and he wasn't even sure one of Toph's ultimate earthbending moves would be able to stop him.

"Wait, wait, I have it. Kaiya can be a new Fire Nation secret weapon! Here's how it would play out. You're surrounded by villains, see, and Zuko, you distract the bad guys by being, well, yourself. Once they're all focused on your annoying jerkhood, you LAUNCH THE HISSING BALL OF CUTENESS!"

Katara was trying very hard not to laugh, especially since Zuko's face had started to darken in annoyance, but Toph and Aang's mad giggles were coming close to setting her off. Even Iroh was snickering quietly to himself.

Sokka wasn't even near finished, however, as he quickly took down his "warrior's wolf tail", mused his hair over his forehead, and squinted his left eye while scowling in an eerie imitation of Zuko. "Or better yet, here's how it'll go! Zuko, you're surrounded, fifty to one," here he changed his voice to match Zuko's roughest growl, "I see I am left with no choice but to use my most powerful and forbidden attack...!"

The object of Sokka's amusement let out his own soft growl, but this, of course, didn't faze the Water Tribe boy. Sokka began to flap his arms around like some deranged bird before bellowing, "GO! HISSING BALL OF CUTENESS ATTACK!" As he said this, he pointed to Kaiya, who stared blankly back at him.

"I don't think Kaiya thinks much of your ideas," Katara giggled while Toph and Aang practically rolled on the ground. Zuko, for his part, had been doing an admirable job of keeping his temper when Sokka's next suggestion caused it to snap.

"You know," he said while contemplating his boomerang, "I think she'd be even BETTER as a long range weapon!" He looked up, fully intending to share his brilliance with the room, only to find Zuko standing in front of him, his out stretched finger a hair's breadth away from his forehead.

"I will burn all your hair off from inside your head if you ever consider strapping her to one of your boomerangs," he snarled, the look in his eyes giving truth to his words.

"Or . . . maybe not," Sokka replied with a huge grin, his eyes filled with mischief. "Guess I won't tell you about my plans to kidnap her once you get her fattened up EEEK!"

Sokka didn't even get to finish his train of thought (and no telling where it would have lead) because Zuko quickly set fire to his pants before stalking out of the room, Kaiya riding in her place of honor at his back. Iroh gave the frantically dancing Water Tribe boy an exasperated look before hurrying after his nephew.

"Geez, he can't take a joke at all!" Sokka whined, then let loose another yelp of surprise when Katara used the water she used to douse the flames to turn Sokka's pants into blocks of ice.

"It was funny at first, but you went too far," Katara chided. "You need to stop teasing him about Kaiya."

So saying, Katara swept out of the room herself, leaving Sokka, still frozen by his pants, staring blankly at Aang and Toph.

"We thought it was funny," the two said in unison, while Sokka grumbled a, "Thanks, now get me out of here!"