A wide smile spread over Sokka's face and he pulled the firebender into a hug.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"My father thinks it's a punishment to be sent away from the palace, so Uncle and I have been trying to see if we can help the Earth Kingdom citizens here."

The younger boy's eyes widened. "Your uncle?" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "As in the former Fire Lord uncle?"

Zuko smiled and nodded. "That's the one. I can introduce you two."

Eagerly, Sokka followed his friend into the crowd. Iroh was studying some people's forms as they sparred.

"You're too tense," he told one of them. "Try to relax your body or you will become rigid and more vulnerable to injury."

The pupils agreed and began adjusting accordingly. Iroh turned his head to the boys. It did not take long before he put the pieces together.

"Uncle, this is my friend, Sokka. We met in the Southern Water Tribe."

Sokka grinned. "Hi. You're one of the only members of Zuko's family I've heard good things about."

Iroh laughed at the innocent delivery of that information. "It's a pleasure to meet you. It seems like you and your friends have had quite the adventure."

"You're not wrong about that," Sokka admitted. "We've been to more places in a few months than I'd ever been in the entire first part of my life."

Something occurred to the prince as he turned to his friend. "Did you just arrive?"

"Yeah, we landed earlier today and then found Toph."

"Landed?" Zuko asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh yeah! You never saw Appa. Aang's got a sky bison, so he's how we've been traveling. He's pretty fluffy, but he sheds a lot too. I guess it's just a price to pay for having a lot of fur. He flies smoothly enough, so we can sleep in the saddle sometimes."

"In that case, you probably don't have a place to stay. There are too many soldiers here for the saddle to be a safe spot to sleep."

He glanced up at his uncle, asking a question with his eyes. Iroh had already been thinking the same, but there remained one issue.

"You three could stay with us," Zuko offered. "We could sneak you in and out. Then when…Aang," he said, waiting for the smile in reply to make sure he had gotten the name right, "learns more earthbending, it'll be even easier for him to get in by tunneling underneath the building."

Sokka considered the suggestion, but he shook his head. "It would probably be too risky until then. People would be watching you closely and we really don't want them looking at Aang too much. It's hard enough to hide his tattoos. If soldiers are actively trying to find something to use against you, they'd probably see a bit of blue and run to tell the Fire Lord."

Although a little disappointed, Zuko nodded. "That's a good point. Where will you go?"

"They could stay here," Toph chimed in. "The firebenders can't access it and if they want to leave before I show up, it'll be more incentive for Twinkle Toes to learn earthbending."

Sokka shrugged. "Well, I guess it's better to be trapped here than by the soldiers. I'll talk with Katara and Aang to see what they think." The boy's expression became curious. "Do you have a moment for us to catch up?"

"Definitely."

The pair moved away from the others, heading to a corner of the area without so much noise. Sokka's face took on a look of concern.

"If this was a punishment and you're turning it into an opportunity to start a rebel uprising, what'll happen when your dad finds out?"

Zuko looked off towards the training people. "Nothing good probably, but I can't stop."

"What caused him to send you here anyway?"

This put a small smile on the boy's face. "I was thinking of leading like you and I'd talked about."

"I like the sound of that," Sokka said, grinning. "You told everybody who's boss? Or who's going to be anyway?"

"I don't know if I'd call it anything that bold. I worked with some of the other kids I know and we tried to stop civilians from being sent into war. It didn't really work, though."

Sokka put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe not, but I'm sure the people here are happy you were sent out this way."

"I hope so. What have you been up to since leaving?"

"Well, buddy, do I have a tale for you."

The younger boy began to inform the firebender of his group's exploits while they had been away. Zuko's eyes seemed to widen more with each addition to the story. As the friends caught up, Toph went over to Aang.

"Alright, so I heard Zuko call you 'the Avatar.' Is he right?"

"He's right," Aang told her. "That's why I need to learn earthbending. I just learned waterbending recently."

"Can you do any earthbending at all?"

"I can move a few rocks and make some cracks in the ground."

Toph gestured to the ground. "Show me."

Aang demonstrated and Toph began to frown.

"Your earthbending doesn't have any intensity behind it. It's like you're asking the ground if it wouldn't mind if you decided to move it. Be more commanding."

The Avatar looked uncertain. "That's not really me."

"And that's why you're not really earthbending."

"Hey," Katara said. "He's trying."

"I didn't say he wasn't. He just needs to know that earthbending isn't like airbending or waterbending."

"How do you know? Aang's the only one here who's actually done all three."

"Because I've heard about the people. Earth Kingdom people are generally different from both of your groups. Airbenders are pacifists. Earthbenders aren't pacifists. Waterbenders are flexible. Earthbenders aren't that either. We make things do what we want. We don't have to charge in without thinking or anything, but we're no pushovers. We do the pushing. You need to embrace that."

"I don't know if I have that in me," Aang admitted.

Toph frowned. "With that attitude, you won't ever do it."

"I want to," the boy insisted. "It just might take some time."

"Well, we don't have time, Twinkle Toes. The soldiers are here now, so I can teach you what I know and you can learn it, or I can focus on the other students here who already fight with all they've got."

The Avatar's head lowered slightly and Katara put an arm around the shorter girl's shoulders.

"Aang's last earthbending master was really harsh on him," she said. "Maybe it would help if you were a little gentler."

Toph smiled. "Oh, so be sweet to him."

"Exactly. I think that would work better. It did before when he wasn't able to bend any earth at all, then we were able to help him start."

The earthbender nodded, then stomped, making some of the earth slide Katara over to the other side of the area. She yelped and Aang started to hurry after her, but Toph blocked his path.

"Sweetness isn't hurt," she assured him. "I just needed her to not be here and interrupt." Her expression became serious. "I'll help you learn earthbending, but you have to work with me. If you won't even try to be hard core with this, I'm not wasting my time."

After a moment, Aang nodded. "I'll try."

"No, Twinkle Toes. You'll do it. Okay?"

The boy nodded, a determined frown on his face. "Okay. I'll do it."

"That's more like it. Now, let's begin."

The new pupil got into his stance, immediately having it be corrected by Toph. She could already tell he was going to be the toughest student to teach, but she was up for the challenge if he would pull his own weight and do his best. As they commenced the lesson, Sokka was wrapping up his story. Zuko just blinked at him in awe.

"You did all that?"

"Pretty cool, huh?"

The prince nodded, still feeling like he had just been told almost too much to believe. "I guess you two have gotten pretty close with Aang then after going through so much together."

"I'd say so. He's a cool kid. Kinda goofy, but I'm just impressed he can manage to be with so much pressure on him."

"Does he seem like he'll be able to end the war?"

"I think so. We're just trying to go through all the steps to make that happen. Since he'll need to learn firebending…" Sokka nudged Zuko with a grin. "What do you say?"

"You'd probably be better off asking my uncle. He's a much better firebender than I am. He'd even be able to teach Aang lightning bending."

"Honestly, I doubt Aang would even use lightning. He doesn't seem to be much of a killer."

Zuko's eyebrows lifted in shock. "Then, how is he going to stop my father?"

"No clue. Katara and I have been trying to gently nudge him towards the less merciful side of things, but until I see him actually take out an enemy instead of just taking them down, I won't know."

"My father's going to go for the kill," Zuko said, certain. "He's not going to care if Aang is young. He wouldn't have cared if he aged like he was over a hundred years old either. He just wants to make sure he isn't a threat. The best option is that he takes Aang captive, but that would probably just lead to a miserable life."

"You don't have to convince me. I'm all for the idea of us saying goodbye to the Fire Lord once and for all." Sokka sighed before he noticed something new. "Hey, you've got two swords now. Neat!"

Zuko grinned and drew them to show his friend. "Uncle got them. I actually think I prefer using two. They're thinner, but I feel more agile when I'm using these."

"Oh, so you give me the one sword and then get better ones. I see how it is," the other boy joked.

The prince chuckled. "And you're not getting these, so you'll just have to be happy with what you've got."

Sokka feigned a sad expression and they continued to talk. Some time passed before the firebenders and Toph had to return to the surface.

"I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar," the earthbender commented on the way up the staircase.

"Well, I don't really know him," Zuko admitted. "He's friends with Sokka, though. Think he'll be ready with earthbending soon?"

Toph shrugged. "Not sure. I guess we'll find out. I have to get back before my parents notice I'm gone, so I'll see you two tomorrow."

The firebenders said goodbye to Toph as she hurried back to her home. When she entered, she stopped. Through the earth, she could sense her parents walking around. Normally, they would be sound asleep at that time. She hoped they had just stayed in the back of the home while she was gone. Toph quietly went to her room and tried to seem like she was resting in case anyone came in. Before she had successfully drifted into slumber, the door opened. The couple ran over to the bed and a pit started forming in Toph's stomach.

"Where were you?" her father asked.

"I just went walking," Toph said. "I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake either of you up, so I thought I would stay nearby."

"No, you weren't nearby. Your mother and I looked everywhere and couldn't find you. So, where were you?" the man repeated, voice becoming more concerned.

Toph was quiet as she considered what her options were. She could feel her parents' hearts beating faster and faster.

"I was with some friends," she said.

"You can't do that, Toph," the mother stated, turning pale. "One of the soldiers might have seen you."

"So what if they did?" the girl suddenly asked.

The parents regarded her in surprise. They were unaccustomed to the fierceness in her tone.

"We're in the middle of a war. Really in the middle. It's right here at our doorstep and you just want me to do nothing?"

"What could you possibly do?" her father asked. "You're a blind child."

"You're the only ones who think that means I'm helpless."

This caused the pair to become suspicious.

"What do you mean? What have you been doing?"

Toph got quiet again, but she thought over Iroh's words. She still doubted her parents would handle it well, but maybe he was right that keeping the lie forever was as unfair to them as it was to her. The earthbender wanted to know what her parents would think of the real her, even if the result was not preferable.

"I know how to earthbend," she said. "I don't mean move around small rocks. I'm the best in all of Gaoling. Honestly, I'm probably the best in the world and if I'm not right now, I will be."

"What are you talking about? We've seen your lessons."

"What I'm saying is that everything I did in those was a show. I've been in fights and won all of them. I'm teaching people how to earthbend and I really think we could drive out the soldiers just like the Water Tribes did." Toph let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. That little girl who's timid and likes wearing fancy dresses isn't who I really am. I just didn't think you'd love me if you knew the truth."

It became eerily silent and had Toph not sensed her parents through the floor, she would have assumed they had vanished. Suddenly, they hugged her.

"We'll always love you," her mother said.

Toph felt her throat becoming sore. "Really?" she asked almost doubtfully. "I was scared you wouldn't be alright with this."

The embrace ended and the parents moved back.

"We aren't," the father stated. "Whatever you've been doing out there, it's going to stop immediately."

Toph's heart sank. "I can't stop. We're trying to fight in the war."

"Do you even hear yourself? You're trying to fight in a war? You're our little girl, Toph. You might have led yourself to believe that you're a warrior, but you're still a child. We aren't going to let you get yourself killed."

"I'm not going to get killed," Toph insisted.

"You don't know that."

"We'll all get killed if I don't do anything!"

"Toph, this discussion is over. Tomorrow, let your friends know that you won't be joining them anymore. That way, they won't start an attack because they think you've been captured or anything like that. After that's settled, we won't let you out of our sight. We've clearly been too neglectful if you had time to start a rebellion."

Toph's face scrunched miserably, but she did not say anything else. Her parents were already returning to their own room. The earthbender angrily hit the bed with her hand. She knew telling her parents would have led to nothing but issues. Toph left the home early the next morning. She waited until no one was looking, then separated a small part of the ground so that Zuko dropped down. He felt concerned at first, but he saw Toph hop down with him and move part of the earth over them, creating a tunnel of sorts.

"We've got a problem," she said, frowning.

"What happened?"

"My parents found out what we're doing and they don't want me to be a part of this."

Zuko's eyes widened and he struggled to come up with something to say. They needed Toph and she knew that. Before he decided on his next sentence, she spoke again.

"Do you ever just think of leaving? A life on the run, you know? No parents or anyone else to tell you what to do."

The prince exhaled quietly. "A few times," he admitted. "I just wouldn't want to leave without my uncle."

"We could bring him too. He's not like the other adults. He's…understanding." Toph's hands clenched into fists. "They think they can just control every part of my life like I'm some baby. I say we do it, Zuko."

"Hold on–"

"Why? Things aren't getting better. Uncle Iroh, you, me, and the new trio. We could just leave and fight the war however we want to. You wouldn't have to worry about the soldiers watching your every move and I wouldn't have to worry about being treated like some prisoner in my own home. You already said you've thought about it. Well, what's a better time than now?"

"It's different for me," Zuko said. "I can't just abandon my nation."

"You're not abandoning it if you're still trying to make things right in the world." Toph started moving some of the earth over them. "I've made up my mind. I'll work with Twinkle Toes to get him ready, then head out with them after the soldiers are driven off." She leveled out the earth again, starting to walk away. "You can go back to the Fire Nation when that's done or you can come with us. It's your call, Zuko."

Toph left the boy to his thoughts. His mind traveled around the world, landing on the people he could potentially help if he did not have to do so in secret. Finally, it landed in the Fire Nation. As it did, the Fire Lord was in his chambers, looking at a table which should have had an important scroll on its surface. He wanted it to give him news of an assassination. It was odd that no one had targeted the crowned prince. The people of Gaoling did not know him. They had no reason to show the boy mercy. Were they truly so broken by the war that they would not leap at the chance to free themselves, regardless of the moral cost? Suddenly, an idea came to Ozai and he smiled. He left his chambers to go find his daughter. Proudly, he heard that she was not asleep. She was practicing her lightning, controlling it so that she could use two fingers and not set anything in her room on fire. Azula heard the knock on her door.

"Dad?" she asked, going to answer. "Is everything alright?"

Ozai entered, looking grave. "It seems my plan for your brother needs some adjustments." A twinkle shone in his eyes. "What would you think of traveling to Gaoling?"

A grin spread across Azula's face as she answered. "I'd consider that an honor."