"Oh it looks like we're the first ones back," Katara saw the cave was empty of people but appa was sleeping in the back.

"The suns going to be setting so maybe they'll be back soon," Zuko went to his bag and grabbed a torch to light.

"Hey Zuko," the water bender crossed her arms over her bare torso as he lit the torch and held it in a hand.

"I just wanted to say I had a lot of fun today," she smiled kindly.

"Oh, uh yea it was nice," he awkwardly avoided looking at her.

"Where the hell have You two been?!" Sokkas cries echoed the cave making them both jump and appa wake up.

"Hey Sokka, hey Toph," Katara waved as Zuko stood up.

"We lost you and couldn't find you guys for hours!" Sokka yelled frantically as Toph yawned hearing this rant earlier.

"He made us walk the whole island," Toph laid in the dirt.

"Where's Aang?" Zuko noticed them missing someone.

"He's not with You?" Sokka looked around.

"No? He was with You!" Kataras voice raised in a motherly worry.

"You all disappeared at the same time I thought you three were shopping without us!" Sokka cried out.

"I'm sure Aang will be fine, let's wait till the sun goes down then we'll go and find him," Zuko waved them off as he and Toph were snacking on fire flakes together.

They heard someone walking outside and Aang walked in the cave covered in mud and an unapologetic smile on his face with momo.

"Where have You been?" Katara turned to him.

"I got invited to play with some kids after school," Aang took off his headband and everyone heads snapped to him.

"After what?!" Sokkas voice went high.

"I enrolled in a fire nation school and I'm going back tomorrow," the avatar said casually as Jet and zukos jaws dropped.

"You enrolled in what?!" Sokka screamed.

"They're gonna eat You alive," Zuko raised a brow.

"That sounds risky," Toph ate more fire flakes.

"I'm learning a lot and it can be useful knowing more about the fire nation, no offense Zuko but you might be out of touch with the trends here," Aang sat while they made a bigger fire with the torch.

"With preteens yea probably, but the civilians and the country probably no," Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"Aang I'm trying to be mature and support your idea but it sounds really really terrible," Sokka rubbed his face frustrated.

"We got outfits and our personal fire nation guide, why do you need to go to school?" Toph didn't understand.

"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," Aang grabbed a rolled up paper to show the group.

"And here's one I made out of noodles," he showed another with excitement.

The older teens didn't look thrilled still.

"Impressive I admit but I think it's to dangerous," Sokka waved him off.

"I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then, it goes right to the fire lords palace," Aang grinned deviously, knowing it would perk sokkas interested.

Zuko tilted his head to the side trying to remember what river, the little creek to the pond of the royal garden?

But before Zuko could give his input but Sokka was already convinced.

"I am a fan of secret rivers..." Sokka stroked his chin. "Fine let's stay a few more days,"

"Flamey O hot man!" Aang exclaimed jumping up and running to appa.

"Flamey O?" Sokka looked at Zuko and Katara confused.

"Why does it feel like an insult?" Zuko whispered distraught.

—

While Aang was in school the rest of the group broke up in two groups to stay close to the school, Sokka, Katara and Toph went to get more supplies for their traveling while they let Zuko hover around the outside of the school on opposite sides in case Aang got in trouble.

"Zuko there you are!" The fire bender heard as Aang ran out of the school.

"Agni why are You running?" Zuko stopped him before Aang collided with him.

"So the craziest thing happened and I need you to be my dad," Aang smiled awkwardly and Zuko immediately let him go.

"What? No? I'm like three years older than you," zukos face scrunched up.

"Yea but I don't have parents," Aang whined.

"Why do you need parents?" Zuko was baffled still as some kids started to walk out of the school at the end of the day.

"Kuzon are You okay?" Some kids noticed them and Aang turned around smiling.

"I'm fine," Aang gulped feeling zukos glare.

"Who's this?" A girl blinked confused seeing the tall teen with the scary scar and a scowl behind the smaller boy.

"Oh uh this-this is my brother, my older big brother," Aang lied quickly and Zuko crossed his arms.

"What happened in school?" Zuko growled at Aang.

"I uh I might've gotten in a fight and now the headmaster wants me to bring my-our parents to see him later," Aang explained nervously. Zuko tapped his foot.

"That's not gonna happen, is this headmaster old and traditional?" Zuko looked at the other kids and they nodded frantically.

"Can you just come in with me? Not tell our other... siblings?" Aang gulped.

"Headmaster won't be satisfied with just an older brother kuzon, he'll want your parents," the sweet girl said concerned.

"Kuzon and I lost our parents, I'm his guardian," Zuko put his hand on aangs shoulder and gave him a squeeze in a warning of his rage.

"Y-yea, hes been taking care of me that's why we came to a new school, leaving the colonies," Aang played along with blush on his cheeks seeing how much the girl cared for his well being.

"Well maybe with that, does your brother have a wife? He's very old school," angi tilted her head to the side.

"You brother looks old enough that he's at that age of marriage," she smiled at Zuko and he glared.

"Wife?! Marriage?!" Aang cried out.

—

"Thank you for coming mr..." the headmaster sat in his office with Zuko, Aang and Katara in front of him.

"Lee," Zuko glared.

"And this is..." he raised a brow at Katara.

"Im Lee's fiancé, Lily," Katara crossed her legs and sat straight.

"And is there a reason Kuzon couldn't bring your parents here today? Instead of two young adults that aren't even married?" The head master glared.

"Don't got parents, father died in the war and mother passed away last summer, I had to come back from serving to take care of Kuzon," Zuko tilted his head to the side with a scowl.

"Lee calm down," Katara shook her head.

"I'm sorry, it's still a sensitive topic for them," she placed a hand on her chest.

"We came to discuss your brothers behavior," the headmaster frowned back.

"Your brother has only been enrolled for two days and he's already argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class and roughed up my star pupil," the elders tone got more aggressive towards the end.

"Shocker, an orphan with behavioral issues, we moved to this nice town and put him in a nice school and is immediately bashed without any empathy? He's just a kid," Zuko shot back but Katara nudged him.

"Our little Kuzon has been down a tragic path after his mother passed away, we've come a long way, which is why we moved to the mainland and put him in such a structured school, like my fiancé was trying to say," Katara tried to explain to the old man, playing good officer.

"Do you both fight as soldiers?" The headmaster questioned.

"Just me sir, all the first born men in our family have volunteered to the war since fire lord sozins ruling," Zuko nodded calming down.

"We're loyal, which is why I am so upset with Kuzons actions but also with your lack of patience for him, the colonies were hard for us," he sighed sitting upright again.

"Our father raised us to be responsible for our own accountabilities and Kuzon explained to me what happened in the court yard, he will be punished accurately as soon as we get home," Zuko raised a brow hoping that'll satisfy the headmaster.

"I do like to hear that, I hope Kuzon will follow in your footsteps and join the war when he is of age," the headmaster grinned making Aang shrink in his chair.

"If he continues this unacceptable behavior he will, we're a very strict home," Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Good cause if he keeps it up we'll have to send him to reform school, by which I mean the coal mines," the headmaster slammed his fist on the table making Katara and Aang jump.

"My father was very stern, I'll straighten the brat out," Zuko nodded.

Katara kicked at him and he smirked a little.

"Well then You are excused, thank you for having this talk with me, I hope to see Kuzons progress," the headmaster waved them off.

"Let's go," Zuko grabbed aangs arm and practically dragged the boy out as Katara rolled her eyes at the two.

"Sokkas gonna kill You," Katara yawned a little as Zuko let go as soon as they left the school grounds.

"I didn't hit him," Aang groaned.

"Did he hit you?" Zuko asked.

"No," he shook his head.

Zuko nodded in approval as he tucked his hands in his pocket.

"Why we're You so aggressive and mean when you spoke to the headmaster about our fake family?" Aang perked up curiously, he didn't understand why Zuko behaved so strict.

"Old pricks like him love it when students are punished, thinks it teaches kids respect, that suffering is the only teacher," Zuko nodded casually.

"Just how the elders think, especially higher power ones, they're so annoying," he yawned a little stretching his arms up.

"Yea master Pakku has a similar mindset for woman not being allowed to fight," Katara agreed.

"Huh air nomads were always understanding and open minded, but I guess some of the elders thought I needed to be taking my training more serious too," Aang remembered with a hand on his chin.

"Old people," Zuko nodded.

"Tell me about it," Katara groaned.

"No kidding," Aang put his arms behind his head as they got to the cave where the others were waiting.

"Someone got in trouble~" toph sang as Sokka was pacing back and forth and Jet was poking the fire.

"It's handled," Katara sighed.

"No more school for You young man, that is final!" Sokka pointed accusingly.

"But I'm not ready to leave, I'm having fun, I get to be a normal kid, you don't know what it's like Sokka, you get to be normal all the time," Aang told him hopeful.

"Ha ha," Toph commented.

"Listen you guys, those kids are the future of the fire nation, if we wanna change this place for the better we need to show them a little taste of freedom," he continued while they listened to his idea.

"What could You possibly do for a country full of depraved little fire monsters? No offense Zuko," Sokka waved him off. Zuko threw his hands up in defeat.

"I'm gonna throw them a secret dance party!" Aang bounced excitedly.

They all look horrified at the avatar.

"I don't wanna be here anymore," Zuko covered his face.