They hadn't been following the lemur for long yet when the first obstacle loomed ahead. The hill before them was steep, and Zuko extinguished his flames to help Sokka keep their footing. As they began their descent, they realized the snow concealed a layer of ice, but it was too late. Zuko slipped first, flailing for any grip. He tumbled down, Sokka following close behind, losing his balance as the firebender fell. They crashed down the slope chaotically, in accompaniment of Momo panicked screeching.

When they stopped, the hunter groaned, reaching for his leg with a pained expression. Zuko hissed in pain and rolled onto his back, reaching for the protruding object that was pinching him. It was long and slim, and he easily managed to pick it up to take a look.

"Is it... Aang's glider?" he asked out loud, and with sudden realization he pointed an accusatory finger at Momo "Did you lead us to this thing instead of the others?!"

"What?" Sokka finally took a look at the object Zuko was holding, recognizing it immediately "Ohh, Momo! We need to get back! Where's Aang and Katara? And Appa?"

The animal just looked at them, cocking his head innocently.

"That dumb rodent!" Zuko snarled, tossing a fistful of snow in its direction. The snowball fell short, and the lemur merely watched it with confusion. Suddenly, it flattened its ears and gave a loud squeak before flying away from the boys in a rush.

"I really get the frustration, but I don't think it was necessary-" Sokka began, turning to give Zuko a scolding look, but then he gasped "WHAT THE-?!"

His yell drowned in a loud high-pitched roar, and as Zuko whipped around to see what the Water Tribe boy was looking at, he saw a big polar owlbear swooping towards them. Instinctively, he threw a burst of fire in its direction. The beast halted mid-air with a powerful beat of its wings, generating a gust of wind so strong that the hoods of both boys were blown off their heads.

Sokka reached for his boomerang weakly, already suspecting that he wouldn't do much damage even if he managed to hit it. His gaze flicked to Zuko "Try with more fire!"

He didn't have to tell him that, as the firebender has already started to prepare for a stronger blow. Taking a deep breath, he executed a practiced movement and launched a towering column of fire. It wasn't as massive as when he combined his efforts with his uncle, but it still shot high into the sky.

The owlbear barely managed to avoid the worst of it, but the fire still seared its wing. Never having been faced with the fire before, the natural fear kicked in as the beast gave the boys one last look before flying away.

Zuko let out a deep sigh of relief, leaning forward with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The exhaustion was starting to weigh heavily on him, his limbs feeling like lead.

"You ok?" Sokka asked, limping slowly in his direction, but the firebender raised his hand in a calming gesture.

"I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

The warrior nodded, understanding the need for a moment of recovery. He kept a wary eye on their surroundings, scanning for any other threats, and Momo used this moment to descend on his shoulder silently. The boy just sighed, petting its head stiffly.

"Alright, still, if Momo's here, then the others have to be close too." he noted "Maybe he'll actually start flying back to Aang now that we have this staff."

The prince gave him a grumpy look. Even if this was going to come true, he was still mad at the lemur.

"It better-"

"SOKKA!"

The cheerful call sounded, and both boys turned towards the familiar voice. Aang was already racing down the hill, with Katara following behind.

Sokka turned towards them with a relieved grin "Katara! Aang! You found us!"

The kid skidded to a stop in front of them, a huge grin plastered across his face "Are you alright guys? And you found Momo too!"

"Actually, it was him who- Oww!" Sokka began, but his words turned into a yell of pain as his sister barreled into him with a big hug, making him accidentally put weight on his broken leg.

Katara quickly pulled back, her eyes wide with concern. "Sokka, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

He grimaced a little, but managed a reassuring smile "I think I broke my leg, but I'm fine. How did you find us?"

Without the need to ask, she threw his arm over her shoulder to give him support.

"We saw that big beam of fire. Was it you?" she asked, looking at the firebender. He just gave a nod, but Sokka took over the explanations.

"Yeah! It seems he remembered how to firebend. It really saved our asses - twice actually."

"It's great, Zuko!" Aang exclaimed happily "How did you do it?"

"I'm not sure. The important thing is I have it back." he replied, flicking a small flame around his fingers.

Apparently they accepted such an explanation, but they didn't notice the firebender's expression fade as he realized what this meant. He had his bending back, which meant he was free to leave their group whenever he wanted. He watched in silence as Aang rejoiced in finding his glider, and then Katara who noticed one of their bags nearby in the snow after nearly stumbling on it. She bent down to pick it up, which forced her to let go of her brother for a moment. Zuko took over it without hesitation, assuming it would be easier for her to carry the bag than supporting her brother's full weight. Sokka didn't protest either, adjusting the grip naturally as if he was used to it.

The girl watched it curiously, but she didn't comment on that. She suddenly realized that they were probably moving like this for a while before she and Aang found them. A warm smile entered her lips, yet she assumed there would be time to thank the firebender for taking care of her brother later. Instead she asked "Why are you wearing each others' coats?"

"Ahh, you know. These Fire Nation guys have like no tolerance for cold temperatures, though they probably won't admit it." Sokka said teasingly, finally agitating Zuko's verbal response:

"I told you, you can take it back!"

"I'm just kidding! Relax!"

Aang and Katara both couldn't hold their laughter any longer. It was good to have everyone back together.

It turned out they weren't that far from Appa after all. They followed the ice trail and soon they could settle down by their beloved bison, and this time nothing interrupted their sleep. That is until a few hours later, when suddenly the ice below them started to rumble.

"What again?!" Sokka yelled, as he tried to dig himself out of Appa's long fur.

The walls around them started to shift and in a moment they morphed into icy spikes surrounding them. The group sprang up to their feet (well, Sokka at least tried to get up), despite the grogginess from the short time of rest. Behind the ice they noticed a group of people dressed in blue coats.

Zuko was mentally preparing to fight, when suddenly Katara exclaimed:

"Waterbenders! We found the Northern Water Tribe!"

The excitement in her voice must have confused the waterbenders as much as the firebender. It took a moment for Zuko to realize that her reaction was the right one. These warriors had to be tribe members, which meant they found exactly what they were looking for.

"Keep your hands where we can see them!" a sharp voice could be heard, and from the way it sounded, it was clear that the man was not used to resistance.

Aang took a few steps ahead, raising his hands "Actually we were looking for the Northern Water Tribe, can you take us there?"

"We're the ones asking questions. Who are you?"

Sokka finally managed to stand straight with Appa's help and he pointed dramatically at the airbender. "Duh, can't you see he's the Avatar?"

The warriors were taken aback, and they started to whisper among themselves frantically. Aang, unfazed, took a few more steps forward, smiling widely.

"Hi, I'm Aang!"

The leader of the waterbenders, an older warrior stepped forward, his expression skeptical but curious. "The Avatar, you say? We've heard rumors of your return, but seeing is believing."

Katara stepped beside Aang, her voice steady. "We came here looking for a master to teach Aang waterbending. We've traveled a long way."

The leader hesitated, then nodded. "Very well. If you truly are the Avatar, Chief Arnook will want to meet you. Lower your weapons." he instructed his warriors shortly and returned his gaze to the kids. "We will take you to Agna Qel'a."

Waves were lapping against the side of the ship, and the girl watched it idly. The view wasn't changing much, but at least the air on deck was fresher than in the crowded cabin. After a few days spent here her stomach had finally calmed down a bit, but she still marveled at the Water Tribe warriors that they were able to literally live on board. Another wave lifted the ship, and the next second Nyima had to close her eyes, feeling her stomach drop together with the boat.

"It takes some getting used to." a warm voice said. She turned around and saw the chief Hakoda smiling at her.

"It's already much better than at the beginning." she responded with a tired smile "How long have you been here, chief?"

"Not too long, I also went outside just now." he said, walking towards the railing. "So, you're catching some air, huh?"

She gave him an awkward smile, which told him he probably needed to explain the pun "You know, because you're an airbender, so..."

"Yes, I got that." she said kindly "I am catching some air. I don't mean to be rude, but it's a bit stuffy inside."

"Ah, yes. It gets like that sometimes."

They stood in silence for a while more, and finally she had to ask "Is there something I could help you with?"

"No, no." Hakoda denied, with an awkward laugh "I just... You remind me of my daughter. I-"

"Oh? What is she like?" Nyi asked curiously.

"Well, last time I saw her she was just a sweet girl, struggling with waterbending. She never complained, always doing all her chores, but it was hard to watch her struggle with no one to teach her. But it couldn't really be helped. And then suddenly I hear that she's travelling with the Avatar, fighting-"

"Wait, that was your daughter? She was amazing! When she froze that beast with ice- or, she was putting down the fires in our abbey! I thought..."

The chief listened to her talking with fondness. His little girl wasn't so little anymore apparently. He didn't even notice when a middle aged man walked up to them, one of the airbenders from what Hakoda recalled. He nodded towards the chief respectfully, and turned to the girl.

"Nyima, it's your turn."

"Okay. Thank you, Jian, I'll be there in a minute." she responded. He took it with a nod, and made it into the cabin. Hakoda watched the exchange curiously, and once the man was far enough, he asked "Actually, do you all call each other by name, or he's a family member?"

"You mean Jian? Well, he is my father, but we all call each other by name usually. We're all equal after all."

She said it with a smile but the shocked expression on the chief's face worried her, and she asked immediately "Is something wrong?"

"Uh, no. I just..." Hakoda struggled to word kindly what was on his mind "You just said it so casually. We're not really formal in our tribe too, but, well..."

"Oh, that's just how we do it. We're actually all one big family, so our parents are the family members just as much as the others, I think. And actually, I really just met him recently. The last time I saw him I was too little to remember. But he seems nice, I guess."she said thoughtfully, looking at the cabin's door. Then she whipped her head up with realization.

"Right, I should be going. It's my turn to, uh, 'wind' up those sails!" she said with a smile, leaving to the ship's stern.

Hakoda gave a hearty laugh "Hey, that's a good one!"

He watched her leave with a smile, but it soon faded as his thoughts went back to his children. He had to leave to protect them, and they understood it. At least he hoped so. But it didn't mean he didn't miss them every day he was away. One day, when this is over, he'll try to make it up to them.

"Good morning, chief Hakoda." The familiar voice sounded. The chief was doing his best to memorize all the new faces, or at least the ones that were on his ship, but this one was hard to forget.

"Ah, good morning, Lhawu." he responded with a smile.

"I told you, you could call me just Wu, or Aunt Wu."

"So you can skip the title too, ma'am."

She chuckled "Fair enough. How far away are we?"

"We should arrive at Garbin Harbor in a few days. I know these areas are rather safe, thanks to general Fong's efforts, but may I ask why it is so important to stop there?"

"I know it's a bit of a detour in your plans, but it's really important."

"It's not that big of a deal, really. I'm more concerned as to why you insisted on hiding it from Mother Lhamo?" he asked skeptically "Isn't she your leader?"

She surprised him with a soft laugh "Don't call her 'Mother Lhamo', please."

"But- Bato said she's Mother Superior." the man defended, suddenly embarrassed he said something wrong.

"Well, technically she is. But outside of the abbey it would probably be better to use just our names." she said with a chuckle, but then she got serious "As for why I asked you not to tell her... Well, it's for the best. But it's nothing bad, I promise. There is just someone she should see."

Soon the Gaang found themselves being escorted into the Northern Water Tribe. One could say it was deja vu, since they already were in such a situation once involving Jeong Jeong's warriors quite recently, although now the Gaang had varying reactions. Katara and Aang were obviously excited to finally meet the waterbending master, with Sokka sharing their joy. He was also curious about their northern sister-tribe.

But Zuko had a really bad feeling about this. It was too late to lie about his identity, since Aang had already introduced him with his real name to the warrior that was in charge, before the prince had a chance to remind him that he really shouldn't do it. And the warriors have already sent a word ahead of them, so he'd be expected there. Already he couldn't shake off the distrustful looks of the warriors escorting them, despite Aang's reassurances that he's a friend. It was a good thing he managed to switch coats with Sokka before they went to sleep, despite the boy's protests, because he would feel like an impostor now. A very inept one. It was already too late to leave too, so in the worst case he'd have to figure something out. So a usual plan for him.

They swimmed past the next floating iceberg, and the next thing they saw was an impressive ice wall. Sokka stared at it with envy, although he suspected it would be impossible to build such a wall in their homeland without the help of waterbending. He glanced at his sister with wonder, suddenly having the feeling that one day she could be the one to create it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the giant gate rising into the air, revealing a breathtaking sight: Agna Qel'a, the great capital city of the Northern Water Tribe, built entirely of ice. Their eyes hurt from staring at the white shiny walls and streets, and yet they couldn't take their eyes off it. Even Zuko's grim thoughts stopped for a moment as he watched the ice houses, bridges and sculptures they were passing by.

"It's beautiful!" Katara finally voiced their thoughts.

They were told to swim the main canal all the way until they find themselves in front of the palace, where more guards awaited them. They must have already been informed, because they didn't ask them any questions, instead leading them straight in, where they were supposed to meet with the chief. Chief Arnook, as the senior warrior said.

Aang must have finally noticed what was on the firebender's mind, as he said quietly "Don't worry. We'll explain it and everything's gonna be alright."

Zuko gave him an annoyed look, and answered in a hushed voice "Easy for you to say. I'm literally the son of the Fire Lord. How is he supposed to think I'm not their enemy?"

"Well, I try not to do it too much, but I'll pull the Avatar Card." the kid reassured with a smile. Zuko's confused look must have told him he needed to elaborate "I mean, if I tell him I'm the Avatar and I vouch for you, he won't say no. I think."

"You think...?" Zuko sighed "It's not always that easy."

"Trust me. I have a good feeling about this." Aang said confidently.

The prince didn't share his optimism, but he knew he had no choice but to go along with it. Perhaps the Avatar's authority would hold sway here. Still, it would only mean he owed Aang even more.

As they entered the grand hall of the palace, the icy walls and intricate carvings reflected the glow of torches, casting a warm light that belied the cold surroundings. Chief Arnook sat on an elevated platform, his presence commanding and dignified. He rose to greet them, his eyes wide with awe and reverence.

"Avatar Aang" Chief Arnook began, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and solemnity "It is an extraordinary honor to welcome you to Agna Qel'a. The return of the Avatar brings hope to us all."

Aang bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Chief Arnook. It's an honor to be here."

Arnook's gaze then shifted to the siblings, his expression warm. "And welcome to you, Sokka and Katara, members of our sister tribe from the south."

They both bowed respectfully, feeling a sense of belonging despite the grandeur of the setting. Katara spoke first, her voice full of admiration "Thank you, Chief Arnook. Your city is beautiful."

Arnook nodded graciously, but his expression darkened as his gaze shifted to Zuko. The warmth in his eyes cooled to wary suspicion. "And you must be Prince Zuko." he said, his voice measured and cautious. "The son of Fire Lord Ozai."

Zuko met his gaze steadily, though he could feel the weight of the Chief's distrust. "Yes, that's right." he replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Chief Arnook's eyes narrowed slightly. "You understand, of course, that your presence here raises many questions. The Fire Nation has been our greatest enemy, and now we find their prince in our midst. Can you explain this, Avatar Aang?"

Aang stepped forward, his demeanor earnest and calm. "Chief Arnook, Zuko is with us because he helped me escape from the Pohuai Stronghold when I was captured by Admiral Zhao. He was injured in the process and is wanted by his own nation now, which is why he's with us. I believe he deserves a chance."

The Chief's gaze flicked back to the prince, studying him intently. "Is this true, Prince Zuko? Are you willing to stand against your own nation for the sake of the Avatar?"

Zuko's jaw tightened, as he knew what he was about to say could not end well for them, but he couldn't bring himself to lie. "No. I won't betray my country or my father. I was declared a traitor because I helped the Avatar, but I still believe in the Fire Nation."

Chief Arnook's expression hardened. "Then why should we not see you as an enemy?"

Aang apparently wanted to intervene, but Zuko was faster. "Because the only thing my country and my father want from me right now is to see me dead." he said gravely "I'm not a threat to your tribe."

Chief Arnook's distrust remained evident as he watched him in thought. His eyes flickering, almost as if calculating. Finally he said "Very well. You will stay under close watch. Any sign of betrayal, and you will be dealt with accordingly. Do you understand?"

Zuko nodded, accepting the terms. "I understand."

"Good." Arnook said, his tone firm. He then turned back to Aang, Katara, and Sokka, his demeanor relaxing. "For now, you are all welcome guests in our city. We will provide you with shelter and supplies. Avatar Aang, your presence here really brings hope to our people. We'll do our best to aid you in any way we can."

He glanced at Sokka, noting his injury. "We will also send a healer to take care of your leg, Sokka. You are in need of immediate attention."

"Thank you, Chief Arnook." Aang replied, bowing respectfully. "We are grateful for your hospitality."

Sokka added "Yes, thank you. We really appreciate it."

Chief Arnook nodded, signaling the end of the audience. "Rest now, and recover your strength. We will speak more in the coming days. Tomorrow is an important day for our tribe, and we'd be honored to have you as our special guests."

As they were led through the palace's maze of corridors, the grandeur and elegance of their surroundings became more apparent. The walls were adorned with intricate ice carvings, as well as high ice columns. Their guide, a young water tribe warrior, led them to a set of spacious guest accommodations, each room beautifully crafted from ice and furnished with warm furs to keep out the cold. It reminded Aang of Bato's room in the abbey, where he had similar thoughts about putting dead animals' skins on display, but he supposed they were actually more necessary here, with everything made out of ice.

On the way, Sokka was still leaning on Katara for support. She had insisted she was capable on helping her brother as well, and the compromise was that they would switch with Zuko once in a while. The girl almost regretted it, when suddenly her brother almost tripped, and she had to try really hard to keep him upright - it turned out that on the way he caught a glimpse of a young woman with long, flowing white hair and striking blue eyes. She moved gracefully, her presence commanding yet serene. Sokka's jaw dropped slightly as he watched her disappear around a corner.

"Wow." he muttered under his breath. "Did you see her? She's... beautiful."

Katara rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling at her brother's awe. "Focus, Sokka. We've got more important things to worry about right now."

They finally reached their rooms, and the warrior informed them that a healer would arrive shortly to tend to Sokka's leg. As soon as he left, Katara helped Sokka sit on the nearby couch and turned to the prince, her expression stern.

"What were you thinking, Zuko? You shouldn't have spoken so boldly back there. Why didn't you just let us explain everything?"

Zuko frowned, leaning against the icy wall. "I wasn't going to lie, Katara. I won't pretend to be something I'm not."

"But you could have phrased it differently." Katara insisted. "You made it sound like you're still loyal to the Fire Nation. That didn't help our case."

"Let it go, Katara." Sokka said, eyeing the prince carefully "He knows what he's doing."

Aang stepped between them, trying to defuse the tension. "Sokka's right. Zuko shouldn't have to lie about who he is. We just need to show Chief Arnook that he can trust us. Trust Zuko."

Katara sighed, crossing her arms. "I know. It's just... we need to be careful. One wrong move, and we can all get in trouble."

Zuko's expression softened slightly. "I get it. And just so you know, you don't have to risk your reputation here for me."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"I mean they clearly see me as an enemy, and probably rightly so. Seeing you with me will just lower their trust in you."

"But how are we supposed to not be seen with you?" Katara raised an eyebrow, puzzled by his logic.

But to Zuko it was perfectly logical. Chief Arnook made him realize it - if he wants to really redeem his honor he might have to betray them some day. And another thing he realized was that he didn't want them to suffer because of it.

"We just have to ask Chief Arnook for a boat to send me away." Zuko suggested reluctantly.

This statement hung in the air, met with stunned silence.

"Send you away? What? Why?" Aang finally asked, his eyes wide with shock.

The prince cleared his throat, before anwering nervously:

"Well, I have my bending back... Wasn't that our agreement? That I would leave once I regained it...?" the hurt expression on their faces weighed heavily on him, and his voice grew quieter with each word.

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. The healer had arrived, a kind-looking woman with dark brown hair and a warm smile.

"Hello!" she greeted warmly, her voice carrying a soothing tone. "My name is Nali, I'm a healer. I was told about your injury. May I take a look?"

Sokka nodded stiffly, shifting to allow her closer. He gave Zuko a look with a clear intention that they'll continue this conversation, before turning his attention towards the woman. She immediately went to work on his leg, her hands glowing with the soft blue light of waterbending. Katara walked closer, observing it with interest.

"You're healing with waterbending, Nali!" Katara noted with excitement, the previous worry pushed aside for now. "Can all your healers do that?"

Nali nodded with a smile, continuing her work on Sokka's leg. "Yes, most of us were trained under Master Yugoda's guidance. Healing is a sacred duty in our tribe, and I am honored to serve."

"I learnt to do that too! I healed Aang once."

"You mean, without a master to instruct you?" the woman asked curiously "Perhaps you should visit our master later. I think she would be happy to teach you. You might have a real talent."

Katara smiled delightedly at the thought. She came here to learn how to fight, but being able to use her abilities to something as sacred as healing was filling her with joy. She was actually going to try healing her brother's leg herself in the morning, but she was grateful there was someone properly trained to take care of him.

"Thank you! I would love to!"

Meanwhile Sokka winced slightly as Nali worked. At least Katara had a reason to be happy. Trying to distract himself, he looked for something else to think about, and the first thing on his mind surprisingly was the girl he had seen earlier. Without much more thinking he decided to just ask about her while he had a chance.

"Hey, um, sorry, can I ask you something, Nali? Who was that girl with the white hair? She... uh, she seemed really important."

Nali smiled knowingly, her eyes twinkling "That would be Princess Yue, Chief Arnook's daughter. She is very special to our tribe."

Sokka's eyes widened "Princess, huh? Well, she certainly looks like one."

Katara nudged him playfully "Really, Sokka? Is that all you care about?"

Sokka grinned sheepishly, wincing slightly as Nali continued her work. "Yeah, yeah. We've got more important stuff to worry about, I know. But it doesn't hurt to appreciate the view once in a while, right?"

Once the initial treatment was complete, Nali got up with a satisfied smile.

"Master Yugoda will want to see you later to ensure everything is progressing well, but try not to put weight on this leg yet, alright?" she added before leaving.

They all said their goodbye, and once the door shut after her, the silence that fell in the room was deafening. They knew the previous conversation was still waiting for them to pick up, but none of them knew where to even start.

Aang tried to find some righteous words at first, but eventually he gave up on it and just blurted "I know we said it's a deal, but can't you just stay with us? You don't have to leave. We can handle the chief-"

"What do you want from me?!" Zuko stopped him angrily "Can't you see this is for your own good? They were all right from the beginning. You shouldn't trust me. I am still loyal to the Fire Nation. Have you actually stopped at least once and thought about what that means? That chief is right not to trust me."

"What is going on? Did something happen...?" the kid asked, trying to see through the firebender's words. He couldn't be right about this and Aang was sure of it. The genuine worry in his voice only deepened Zuko's turmoil.

"You- You don't get it. You don't have a home. A family. But I do, and there just has to be something I could do to be allowed back in it. But this- I don't believe there is such a thing for me to do that wouldn't make us enemies. If I leave now, at least I won't harm you or this tribe." He said, and Sokka's eyes widened in realization. Before he could say something, Aang retorted:

"See? Even you don't want that! You don't have to do anything bad, if you don't want to! I know you're not a bad person, Zuko."

"Wait, really? That's what you made out of what we had talked about? I can't believe this!" Sokka asked incredulously "So now you're just going to, what, conquer the world to regain your honor? It sounds like your dad might like that, but how is that honorable, dude?"

Zuko's face twisted with frustration "I don't know! But I know it's my destiny! I have a literal reminder burnt on my face! I will prove myself, and I will be welcomed back!"

Sokka's eyes widened again as he put the pieces together. "Wait... your father did that to you? He gave you that scar in that Agni Kai?"

Zuko froze, his anger dissipating into a cold, painful memory. He looked away, unable to meet their eyes. "Yes. He did. But-"

"That's horrible! Your own father... How is that even a family?" Katara asked shocked "He burnt you, he wants you dead, and you still try to impress him?!"

Zuko was taken aback by her blunt question, his inner conflict evident in his eyes.

"You said I don't have a family, but Katara, Sokka and I are a family. Would it be so bad if you just stayed with us and became a part of it too? I know they would agree with me." Aang added softly.

Zuko's froze as he looked at him, his turmoil replaced with utter dismay "I... What are you even- Are you insane?!"

Not that long ago Sokka would have agreed with him. But now he found himself saying "Well, maybe we're not as cool as the ruler of a whole nation, but you get to speak whenever you want."

Katara and Aang gave him a confused look for saying something so odd. And although Sokka intended it as a joke, the worst part of it was that Zuko actually caught on to it. However, the humorless laugh he gave didn't sound like he enjoyed it.

"Yeah, very funny. So what, you want me to just turn around and be a goody two-shoes, like you?"

The other teen seemed to understand he might have taken his jokes too far "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"You don't understand." Zuko said, his voice breaking slightly. "I've spent so long trying to regain my honor, to prove myself. If I let that go, just like that, I'll prove that I'm a failure, and a coward."

"But, didn't you fight like a squadron of soldiers to defend what's right? I think that's how it went, right, Aang?" Katara offered with a small smile "It doesn't sound like a coward to me."

"Yeah!" Aang quickly caught on "You-"

"Except I failed to actually make any difference." the prince cut him off, and started to walk away, annoyed.

The boy watched him, a sad, knowing expression on his face.

"I know what it's like, to feel like you failed. I really do, Zuko. I've failed so many people as the Avatar already; and I'm supposed to help them. To fix the world! And I'm just one kid!" he said, and both siblings stepped closer to him, hearing the pained tone in his voice "But, knowing I'm not alone really gives me the strength to keep going, and, you know. To try my best."

It made Zuko pause, and he looked over his shoulder at them, with a resigned look "But I can't just go trying. I'm supposed to be better, to be a worthy heir."

"Everyone fails at who the're supposed to be. We can only be who we are and do our best." Katara said quietly, and the prince seemed to think on her words.

"And I'm afraid you actually are a good guy. So why won't you give it a try?" Sokka added with a smile.