Sitting on the beach with her knees pulled up to her chest and her toes buried under the cool sand, Xiaodan watched the sun begin to rise over the horizon. Coming to the beach to watch the sunrise had been almost a tradition for her since her and her friends and brother had taken to hiding in the Fire Lord's beach house in Ember Island; ever since she'd sat Zuko down on the pier not even a yard away from where she asked him to tell her about Mai.

Xiaodan closed her eyes and sighed, resting her forehead on her upraised knees as she remembered their conversation.

'Xiaodan sat on the edge of the pier, letting one leg dangle while pulling the other close to her chest and wrapping her arms around her it. When Zuko sat beside her, mimicking her position, she stated quietly, "Tell me everything."

And that's what he did. Xiaodan listened attentively as he told her what had happened after she and Katara had escaped from the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se, how Iroh had been declared a traitor and taken into custody and Azula had ordered the Dai Li to take the walls down, allowing Fire Nation soldiers to into the once impenetrable city. He told her how he had spent days afterwards convincing himself that what he'd done had been right, allowing his sister to manipulate him into return back to the Fire Nation when he would have stayed in the Earth Kingdom.

And with some reluctance, Zuko explained how he and Mai had gotten together.

"I wanted to forget." Zuko explained in a soft voice tinted with shame. He rested his forehead against his raised knee and closed his eyes, "Every time I closed my eyes I saw you, your face as you looked at me in the Catacombs. I couldn't get you out of my head."

Xiaodan swallowed thickly and bowed her head, trying to ignore just how pleased his words made her. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly whispered, "I know the feeling."

Zuko stood at the top of the staircase that led down from the beach house to the beach and looked at Xiaodan, his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn't sure if he was the only that had noticed her habitual trips to the beach to watch the sunrise, but he was pretty sure he was the only one that knew the reason behind them. Ever since their talk on the pier when they had first arrived at his family beach house, she'd been quieter than usual, more introspective.

He sighed quietly and let his arms fall to his side, his own thoughts drifting to their talk.

'"I know the feeling."

Zuko glanced at her brief then looked away, regret filling him. If thinking about her had hurt him, he couldn't imagine how much it must have hurt her to think about him. He sighed and forced himself to continue even though that was the last thing he wanted to do right then.

"I had seen Mai a few times, but hadn't really talked to her. Too busy trying to tell myself that I hadn't done anything wrong and that you and Uncle had betrayed me and not the other way around." He snorted and shook his head in disgust, "It wasn't until Azula and Ty Lee practically forced us together that I realized she was still interested in me...And that I was sort of interested in her."

He glanced over at her and the expression on her face made his heart clench. It was sad, hurt, and at the same time understanding. It was the understanding he saw in her eyes that really made what he had to say that much harder. Looking away from her so he didn't have to see her expression as he spoke, he continued.

"We had liked each other before when we were younger and before I was banished. I thought it would be easy to fall back in those feelings." Zuko gave a humorless chuckle, rolling his eyes slightly as he remembered that it hadn't been easy, not at all. He'd spent the first few weeks during his and Mai's relationship unconsciously comparing her to the girl sitting next to him before he'd managed to push her from his thoughts completely. At least for a little while...'

Xiaodan lifted her head up when she heard sand crunch beneath someone's feet. She turned slightly and saw Zuko standing a less than two or so feet away from her, staring at her with concern. She offered him a weak smile and looked back at the horizon, closing her eyes. She heard him come closer and sit beside her, but she didn't open her eyes.

'"I thought it would be easy to fall back in those feelings."

Xiaodan felt her heart lurch then plummet to her stomach at his words. Her chest felt tight, a lump forming in her throat, and she exhaled heavily from her mouth in an attempt to dispel it. Suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear about his and Mai's relationship. Wasn't sure if she was even ready to hear about it. Xiaodan wasn't really given the choice because Zuko began speak again and she forced herself to listen, despite her heart rebelling against the decision. It didn't want to deal with the inevitable pain that would come from hearing about how the guy she liked, possibly loved, had been seeing someone else.

He'd fallen quiet after his last statement and Xiaodan tentatively, hesitantly prodded him, "Was it?"

"No." Zuko exhaled harshly and looked at the sun, now more than halfway below the horizon, "It wasn't. Not at first. It got easier the more time we spent together though. I still thought about you, but it was easier to push the thoughts away."

"I see." Xiaodan murmured, pulling her other knee up and wrapping her arms around both of them. She did see. Even though she hadn't used quite the same method of distraction as he had, as the weeks went by, it had gotten easier and easier for her to push Zuko out of her thoughts and focus on other things, like her brother and their friends. He was by no means gone, but she got better at ignoring his presence in the back of her mind until it was like he wasn't there at all.

"Did you..." She trailed off then sighed and stated bluntly without looking at him, "Did you care about her?"

Zuko didn't answer for several long moments, just sitting silently and watching the sun sink lower and lower below the horizon. Finally, when XIaodan was about to repeat the question, he spoke with a sigh.

"Yeah, I cared about her."

Jealousy, strong and burning, surged through Xiaodan, startling her in its intensity. She was not normally a jealous person, in fact if took a great deal to make her feel even a tiny bit jealous. Apparently, Zuko was the exception to that and Xiaodan frowned slightly in consternation at herself. She didn't want to be jealous of Mai, realized that she didn't really have a reason to because Zuko was here with her and not back in the Fire Nation with Mai, as selfish as that thought was. Shaking her head, Xiaodan stood up abruptly, causing Zuko to look up at her in surprise.

"Xia?"

"I have to go." She muttered. She needed time to think. To think about everything that he'd just told her and her reactions to it and she really couldn't do that with him around, clouding her thoughts and distracting her...'

"Are you okay?"

Pulled from her thoughts, Xiaodan tilted her head towards Zuko when he spoke, peering at him from behind the curtain of her hair. She debated on how to answer him. In a sense, she was alright, had managed to make peace with the hurt and jealousy her talk with Zuko had stirred up inside her, but on the other hand she was still coming to grips with the other realization her two weeks of introspection and avoidance of him had caused.

Finally, she answered, "Yeah, I'm alright."

Zuko eyed her, unconvinced by her more than hesitant response. "You sure?"

He remembered just as well as she did, how she had left abruptly after he'd disclosed that he cared about Mai. He had tried to stop her from leaving, having felt the need to explain that while he did care about Mai, he cared about her more and that he'd even kept her glider, the one she'd left behind in the Catacombs because he couldn't bring himself to get rid of the only thing he had that belonged to her, but she had told him she needed time to think over everything. So he'd let her go and she'd spent the next two weeks avoiding him at all costs. It had been both irritating and disheartening.

She laughed suddenly and he looked at her in surprise, before a small smile graced his lips. Xiaodan looked over at him and decided to answer honestly. She wasn't completely okay yet, not after her newest revelation, but she would be and that's what she told him.

"Don't worry, Firebug. I'll be fine."

Zuko scrutinized her for a second, the sincerity in her ember-colored eyes convincing him that she would be alright. He decided to ask her another question that was bothering him, "And us? Are we okay?"

Xiaodan felt her lips quirk. Were they alright? She found the answer to that was a resounding yes. She may not be ready to admit that she was in love with him to anyone but herself quite yet, but that didn't mean her and Zuko's relationship couldn't progress.

Twisting around in her seated position, Xiaodan leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. When she moved back, she grinned at the surprised look on his face and stated lightly, "Yeah, we're alright."

Blinking himself out of his stupor, Zuko smirked and rolled his eyes in playful exasperation, "Good."

The two looked back at the horizon as the sun rose higher in the sky and stained the ocean a reddish-gold, both unconsciously leaning against each other.

"Well, it's about time." Toph muttered from where she leaned against a large rock, hidden from view along with Sokka, Suki, Katara, and Aang. "I thought they'd never make up."

"What were they even fighting about this time?" Sokka muttered, peeking over the rock the group hid behind to stare at the two oldest teens in the group.

Katara and Aang exchanged looks and grinned slyly, while Toph snorted. Xiaodan had confided in all three of them after they had cornered her a week into her 'Lets be suspiciously quiet and avoid Zuko' tactic and demanded answers. Well Toph demanded answers, Katara and Aang had more requested that the dualbender talk to them.

"Does it matter?" Suki questioned, giggling girlishly as she peered over the boulder with Sokka. Whatever her initial feelings of dislike towards Zuko had evaporated when he'd helped get them all out of the prison and when she saw the way he interacted with Xiaodan. She thought they were adorable together. "They are so cute together."

"I guess." Sokka shrugged then ducked down with Suki when the two teens they were spying on stood up, turning towards them. He leaned his back against the rock and looked at the others, "I mean Xia could do worse than an angry jerk who really likes his honor."

"Thanks Sokka, so glad you approve."

The Water Tribe boy squawked and spun around, flailing his arms in surprise. The others, minus Toph, looked up at Xiaodan sheepishly as she rested atop the boulder they were hiding behind with Zuko crouched beside her.

"Uh...hey, big sister." Aang grinned abashedly and rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks stained pink.

"How long have you been standing there?" Suki asked, equally as embarrassed as Sokka, Aang, and Katara at being caught spying.

Toph, being the only one who'd been aware of the two older teens' approach, answered sardonically. "You guys are about as subtle as a three legged komodo-rhino."

Xiaodan just giggled in amusement while Zuko rolled his eyes as the others made sounds of protest. She loved her friends, but they could be so predictable sometimes. Huffing irritably, the former prince jumped off the boulder and addressed Aang sternly, "Since you're up, let's go. We have training to do."

"Aw man." Aang whined, throwing his head back with a groan. He mock-scowled at his sister when she laughed at him, "You should be training too, you know."

"He's right." Zuko stated as he stood on the staircase in front of hte others and crossed his arms, smirking over at Xiaodan who had stopped laughing and was staring at him in disbelief, "You're coming too."

Xiaodan cursed at him and hopped off the boulder, sulkily following her brother and Zuko back to the beach house while Suki, Sokka, and Katara stared after them.

"They really are a cute couple." Katara commented, smiling slightly as she and the other three watched Xiaodan jumped onto Zuko's back halfway up the stairs, nearly causing the former prince to fall down while Aang laughed at them.

"Yeah, yeah, they're adorable." Toph snarked with a dismissive wave her hand and she began walking after the other three, "Enough of the mushy-girly stuff, I'm starving."

Katara rolled her eyes and followed after the blind girl, Sokka and Suki trailing after them.

Moving in perfect sync with each other, Zuko, Aang, and Xiaodan practiced their firebending forms in the central courtyard of the Royal beach house. They sent three blasts towards the unused fountain in the center then took two steps back, bringing their right legs up in a crane position for a moment before lowering their feet and bringing their left fists around, creating sweeping arcs of fire that dissipated into the ground.

Xiaodan lifted her left leg and arm, thrusting them forward and firebending two streams of fire from her palm and heel with Zuko and Aang mimicking her simultaneously. Together, they leaned forward and kicked their raised legs out behind them, bending two more streams of fire from their palms and feet.

They straightened and turned on their heels, assuming their final stance with their arms raised, one just above their head and the level with their stomach, then they closed their eyes and relaxed their stances, each taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

Xiaodan opened her eyes first and grinned, turning to face both Zuko and Aang and bowing to them. The two boys returned the gesture then bowed to each other before Zuko turned towards the unused fountain, interlocking his fingers and cracking them. The dualbender eyed him apprectiavely as he stretched his arms above his head as he walked past her. Both he and Aang had taken their shirts off before they started practing and while Xiaodan had seen him shirtless several times in the past, she had never really appreciated the view he presented until now.

Shaking those distracting thoughts from her head, Xiaodan spun on her heel and skipped over to where Katara was sitting on some nearby steps with Toph napping beside her. Smiling gratefully when Katara held out her own disguided Fire Nation top, she asked cockily, "Pretty impressive, huh?"

Katara tilted her head to subtly look around the older girl at Aang, who was massaging his shoulder, "Yeah, it was great." At Xiaodan's amused snort, she looked back up at the dualbender and tried not to blush, quickly changing the subject, "Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?"

"Little bit." Xiaodan agreed, holding her thumb and index finger a few centimeters apart. She slipped her top on over her head, adjusting it so it covered her strapless sarashi as she continued, "But Zuko said it was safe."

"Yeah," Zuko grunted from where he was sitting at the fountain, rubbing the sweat from his hair with a yellow towel, "Like I already told you guys, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago." He glanced around and shrugged, "It's honestly the last place anyone would think to look for us."

"You guys are not going to believe this!"

Xiaodan glanced over at Sokka and Suki, dressed as in Fire Nation disguises, as they came running into the courtyard, excited looks on thier faces. She wandered over towards the fountain and sat down beside Zuko, leaning against his shoulder as Sokka pulled a rolled up parchment from his pocket. "There's a play about us."

"We were just in town when we found this poster." Suki explained as Toph and Katara joined the others by the fountain. She nudged Sokka, "Show them, Sokka."

Practically dancing in place, Sokka snapped the parchment open, revealing a stylized drawing of Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Xiaodan in fighting stances with Zuko's face in the background. Canting her head to the side, Xiaodan sat up on her knees and leaned forward for a closer look, her hand resting on Zuko's shoulder for balance. She was pretty sure Zuko's scar was on the left side of his face and not the right. She glanced over at the former prince then looked back at the poster for confirmation.

"Uh..." She bit back a snicker and nudged Zuko, nodding towards the poster, "They goofed your picture, Firebug."

"What?" Zuko muttered in confusion. He hadn't really been paying much attention, but now he glanced up at the dualbender leaning against his shoulder, his brows furrowed in befuddlement. "What are you talking about?"

Katara started talking before Xiaodan could reply, "How is that even possible?"

"Listen to this," Sokka said as he turned the poster back around so he could read it, pulling both Zuko and Xiaodan's attention to him as he began to read aloud, "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se." The others glanced at each other in bemusement before looking at Sokka again as he continued, "His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgable merchant of cabbage."

Suki leaned over his shoulder and read the last line, "Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players."

"Ugh..." Zuko groaned and made a disgusted face as he leaned back against Xiaodan, rolling his eyes in annoyance, "My mother use to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year."

"Sokka," Katara sighed in exasperation, giving her brother a bland look as she asked, "Do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?"

"C'mon!" Sokka replied in an almost whine before looking at her persuasively as he unrolled the parchment again and showed it to her. "This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!" He smiled at her encouragingly and Katara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and looking away with a nonplussed expression.

"I have to agree with Sokka." Xiaodan commented, shrugging when Katara gave her a look of disbelief, "I'm just saying we've been so busy hiding out and pretty much fearing for our lives that it would be nice to, y'know, do something fun."

"Fine." Katara agreed with a reluctant sigh, rolling her eyes at the excited grin that spread across her brother's face.

Xiaodan, wearing a spare cloak that Zuko had found for her with the hood up, gave a soft whistle as she walked onto the private viewing box on the second level of the theatre later that night, the rest of the group following her. "This place is packed." She whispered in surprise, peering over the railing at all the people sitting down below.

"Yeah," Zuko muttered as he came up behind her and grabbed her hand, gently tugging her away from the rails to the bench seat where Katara and Toph were already seated. "It's great. Now get away from there before someone sees you."

Xiaodan made a face at him, but let him pull her to the first row of seats. They both sat down just as Aang was about to sit beside Katara.

"Hey, uh..." Aang faltered as he was forced to stand back up. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to act casual as he said, "I wanted to sit there."

"Oh," Xiaodan said when she realized she had taken the seat beside Katara and he wanted to sit next to the Waterbender, "Sorry Aang, I'll move."

She went to get up, but Zuko stopped her then lowered his hood and glanced at Aang strangely, "Just sit next to Sokka, what's the big deal?"

"I was... just, uh..." Aang stuttered and glanced over at Katara, who was peering at the two curiously before looking back at the stage. He looked back at Zuko and cleared his throat, "I wanted to..." He sighed and moved up to bench seat behind the other four where Suki and Sokka were sitting, "Okay."

Xiaodan gave him a sympathetic look over her shoulder then hissed under her breath at Zuko, "You should have let me move, Zuko."

Zuko grunted when she elbowed him in the ribs and scowled at her slightly, muttering just as quietly, "So? I wanted to sit next to you."

Xiaodan sighed and looked towards the stage, both touched and annoyed at his statement. She wanted to sit next to him too, but she would have gladly moved because she knew exactly why her brother wanted to sit next to Katara. It was too late to change seats though, so she sat back and crossed her arms.

"Why are we sitting in the nose bleed section?" Toph demanded, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat at the end while the theater lights dimmed. "My feet can't see a thing from up here."

"Don't worry," Katara stated in amusement, glancing at the younger girl from the corner of her eye before focusing on the stage once more, "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

Toph didn't bother to respond, having heard the curtain being drawn up. Xiaodan sighed and leaned back in her seat, folding her arms over her stomach as the curtain was completely lifted. Sokka excitedly grabbed his sister's shoulder and pointed between them as their actor portrayals were revealed.

"Sokka, my only brother!" Actress Katara exclaimed with a loud, melodramatic sigh as she pretended to row a canoe throught moving cut-outs of waves. The actress had too much blush on and was older and more robust than the real Katara, and her clothes far more revealing too. She gestured with her arm as she exclaimed, "We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas and yet never do we find anything fulfulling!"

Actor Sokka, who was buck-toothed and thinner than the actual teen drawled, "All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!"

"Is food the only think on your mind?" Actress Katara asked in melodramatic dismay after the audience had stopped laughing.

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind," Actor Sokka retorted and pointed to his mouth, "And into my mouth. I'm starving!"

(((LINE)))

"This is pathetic." Sokka complained, leaning over his sister's shoulder and waving his hand towards the stage, "My jokes are way funnier than this."

Xiaodan and Katara exchanged glances, the older girl drawling out slowly, "Well..."

"I think he's got you pegged." Toph quipped with a laugh, and Sokka glowered at her in reply then sat back with a huff to continue watching the play.

Actress Katara stood up dramatically at the bow of canoe while Actor Sokka continued paddling with a disinterested expression. "Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears. Still we cannot give up hope!" She placed her hand to her chest and began to sniffle, "For hope is all we have," Her voice wavered with choked tears as she dropped down to hang over the side of the canoe prop, "And we must never relinquish it. Even...Even to our dying breath."

She burst into fake tears, hanging her head. Actor Sokka looked at her blankly and continued paddling.

Katara huffed and crossed her arms without amusement, "Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that at all."

Xiaodan cleared her throat and bit her lip to keep from giggling while Sokka and Suki laughed quietly behind her, covering their mouths to surpress the sounds.

Toph had no such compunctions and was clutching her stomach as she giggled maniacally, "Oh man, this writer's a genius!"

Katara scowled at the younger girl and stuck her nose in the air, closing her eyes in indignation.

Back on stage, Actress Katara was still bawling over the side of the canoe as a round iceberg prop slowly moved towards the center of the stage, being positioned behind the two actors portraying the Water Tribe siblings. Inside it, a cut out figure of Aang swayed from side-to-side, its eyes glowing.

Actress Katara stopped crying and sat up, turing to stare at the iceberg prop with wide eyes, "It appears to be someone frozen in ice. Perhaps for a hundred years!"

"But who?" Actor Sokka questioned loudly, "Who is the boy in the iceberg?"

Xiaodan and Aang glanced at each other excitedly, the younger Airbender leaning forward to grasp the back of Zuko's seat in anticipation. Zuko glanced over at him then looked at Xiaodan, rolling his eyes in bemusement at the excited looks on their faces. Sighing, he leaned back his his seat and crossed his arms, fixing a bored expression on his face.

Actress Katara climbed onto the iceberg prop quickly, her Sokka counterpart climbing it at slower pace. She made a slashing motion with her arm and cried out, "Waterbend, hai-ya!"

The silhouette disappeared from view as the iceberg prop split in half, smoking spilling out of it. A petite woman wearing a lot of blush and a bald cap with a blue arrow on it leapt out of the smoke, landing between the two 'Water Tribe siblings'. She struck a pose, placing one hand on her hip and winking at the audience.

"Who are you, frozen boy?" Actress Katara asked in awe, reaching out as if to touch the other actress while clasping her other hand to her chest.

The petite actress laughed and said in a high-pitched voice, "I'm the Avatar, silly!" She balanced on the toes of one foot then twirled around, holding her arms out with another cheery giggle, "Here to spread joy and fun!"

Aang cringed and closed his eyes for a second before leaning further over Zuko's shoulder, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. He made a choked noise, "Is that a woman playing me?"

"Aw, I always wanted a sister!" Xiaodan giggled then bit her lip when her brother whipped his head around to glare at her over Zuko's head. She stage-whispered, "Sorry."

Aang scowled and sat back in his seat with an irate huff, crossing his arms and glowering at the stage.

A crude costumed-version of Appa suddenly burst up from behind the trio of actors portraying the three friends with an older, third actress wearing a ridiculously messy white wig perched on the prop's head as loud festive music beginning to playing. The third actress jumped off the Appa-replica's head as it began swaying from side-to-side and she landed beside Aang, peering around with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Whoa... this place is really blue..." The woman drawled out in a slow, mellow voice. She furrowed her brow, distorting the squiggly lines that had been drawn on her face, and looked between Actress Aang, Actress Katara, and Actor Sokka before frowning slightly, "Hey...who are you guys?"

"Xiao!" Actress Aang exclaimed, bouncing up onto the toes of her right foot and flinging her arms around the much taller Actress Xiaodan. "My beloved sister!" The petite actress gave a high-pitched giggle and smiled cheekily as the Appa replica made growling and roaring noises before leaping off the iceberg prop, revealing the three actors wearing furry pants to represent the sky bison's six legs. The replica landed to the right of the stage and ran across to the left side then disappeared behind the iceberg prop again.

"Airbenders!" The Katara actress gasped in awe, turning to look at the two other actresses after watching the replica run around. She glasped her hands to her chest and dropped down to one knee as she exclaimed, "My heart is so full of hope, that it's making me tearbend!"

She started bawling and grabbed onto Actress Xiaodan's leg, clinging it to emotionally while the older looked down at her with glassy eyes, her mellow expression perplexed. She patted Actress Katara's head and commented blandly, "There, there. The time for tearbending will pass like a leaf in a storm."

"My stomach is so empty that it's making metearbend!" Actor Sokka wailed as he threw his arms up hopelessly then dropped to his knees, clutching onto Actress Aang's leg and starting to cry just as dramatically as Actress Katara. "I need meat!"

"Uh...Xia?" Katara whispered tentatively as she eyed the older girl who's clenched fists began smoking. "You're fists are smoking."

Xiaodan felt her eye twitch and she gritted her teeth. "They made me old. I am not old! And I don't sound like that! And it's Xia not Xiao!"

"Well, your hair is white and you are over a hundred..." Sokka said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "And old people tend to have white hair, so it's not thatsurprising..." His eyes widened when the older girl whipped around in her seat to glare fiercely at him, fire practically shooting out of her eyes. "I mean, uh, of course you don't look old. You look young, very young and fresh and, uh," He looked over at the others pleadingly, "A little help guys?"

"Oh shut up, Mister Meathead." Xiaodan snapped and turned back around, slumping in her seat and touching her hair self-consciously. Zuko reached over and grasped her hand, pulling her hand away from her hair locking their fingers together. Still feeling self-conscious, Xiaodan leaned against him and glowered at the stage. Stupid play, she wasn't old.

Giggling cheerfully, Actress Aang released Actress Xiaodan from her embrace and ducked down, putting her arm around Actor Sokka's shoulders after he had let her other leg go. She pointed upward with a cheeky smile, "But wait! Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?"

"Where?!" Actor Sokka asked excitedly, shielding his eyes and turning away from the petite actress in search of the alleged dumplings. "Where, where?"

Actress Aang laughed and shifted so she was sitting on the edge of the iceberg prop, jovially swinging her arm around as she chirped, "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?" She crossed her legs and smiled cutely and winked at the laughing audience.

"I don't do that!" Aang growled irritably as the audience continued to chortle, "That's not what I'm like! And-and I'm not a woman!" He threw his hands up in frustration then smacked his forehead against the back of Zuko's seat.

Toph cracked up and turned her head towards Aang, "Oh I think they nailed you, Twinkle Toes!" She continued laughing when Aang growled at her, lifting his head up to glare in her direction.

Xiaodan gave him a sympathetic look, equally unimpressed with her own actress' portrayal. Simultaneously the two spirit-siblings turned back to continue watching the play.

The scene changed and a Fire Nation warship appeared on stage, the actor portraying Zuko poised near the front of the ship, looking through a telescope while a portal man who was meant to represent Iroh, stood in the middle of the ship. His scar was noticeably on the wrong side of his face.

"Prince Zuko," Actor Iroh called out as he held up a whole cake minus one slice towards the other actor, "You must try this cake."

"I don't have time to stuff my face!" Actor Zuko, dressed in armor and with a long ponytail, snapped in a voice rougher and deeper than the actual former prince as he turned towards Actor Iroh, lowering the telescope as he did so. He turned towards the audience and clutched his fist in an assertive manner, "I must capture the Avatar and regain my honor!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice." Actor Iroh stated then held the cake up higher before bringing it towards his face and proceeding to gobble it down noisily.

"You sicken me!" Actor Zuko spat in disgust, turning away haughtily to look through his telescope again.

Zuko scowled and gestured towards the stage with his free hand, "They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

"Actually," Katara commented in complacent amusement as she crossed her arms, "I think that actor's pretty spot on."

"I'll say." Xiaodan snickered quietly and she glanced at the teen next to her, "You were pretty stiff back in the day."

Zuko swung his arm out and protested, "How can you say that?"

"Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages!"

"How can you say that?!"

Katara and Xiaodan smirked and looked at Zuko smugly, the older girl quirking a brow as if to say 'told you so.' Zuko grumbled and slumped down in his seat, frowning sullenly at the stage.

"Hey look! I think I found something!" Actress Aang exclaimed after the scene had changed once more, the background now a drawing of the Southern Air Temple. The petite actress tiptoed towards a bush where a striped tail was sticking out of while behind her Actor Sokka scratched his head and glanced at Actress Katara, who shrugged while Actress Xiaodan watched with a bored expression. Actress Aang let out an exclamation of delight as she pulled out a Momo-prop, which was a rabbit-monkey puppet and stuck it on her shoulder. "It's a flying rabbit-monkey! I think I'll name him, Momo!"

She laughed cheerfully then made the hand puppet talk in a high-pitched voice, "Hi everybody, I love you!"

"Ugh..." Aang groaned, slouching in his seat with his feet resting against the back of Zuko's. He rubbed his temple with two fingers, face scrunched up in disgust at what he was witnessing. His frown only deepened as the scene changed to Kyoshi Island.

"Does this make my butt look fat?" Actor Sokka, dressed as a Kyoshi Warrior, called out as he backed up towards the actress portraying Suki in her own Kyoshi Warrior uniform.

Suki giggled and glanced at Sokka, who blushed brightly and looked away from her. In the front pew, Xiaodan snorted, straightening slightly from her slouch to continue watching the play.

"Riddles and challenges you must face," An actor wearing a muscled body suit and looking a lot like Bumi exclaimed as he stood on a rock in front of an Omashu backdrop, "If you are ever to leave this place!"

Actor Bumi began to laugh hysterically from atop the rock prop while Actor Sokka ran across the stage as he was chased by someone dressed in a Flopsie suit.

"Ugh. Ooooh." Actress Katara, surrounded by fake gree jennamite crystals sighed loudly and melodramatically several times before disappearing behind the prop crystals as they rose up to hide her completely from view.

A fake rock swung from a rope towards Actress Aang, who was tackled out of the way by Actress Xiaodan.

"That's too dangerous, Aang!" The tall actress shouted, acting far more dramatic than she had during any other scene except whenever Actress Aang was in danger, and she held the petite actress away from the swinging rock, "I'll protect you from the riddles and challenges!" She proceeded to flail around the stage, making a general nuisance of herself while trying to 'protect' Actress Aang while the audience laughed loudly.

"Get away from my brother you overgrown spirit!" Actress Xiaodan screeched, charging at a crude replica of the forest spirit Hei Bai in his monstrous form and kicking it away from Actress Aang, who had been standing in front of it.

"No, Xiao!" Actress Aang exclaimed and she chased after the other actress as she chased after the Hei Bai replica. "We have to calm him down not make him angrier!"

"Take that!" Actress Xiaodan shouted, ignoring the petite actress as she flung blue-white ribbons that were meant to represent airbending at the replica then she kicked out at the replica, "And that! Nobody messes with my brother!"

"Oh you have got to be kidding me..." Xiaodan muttered, hiding her face behind her hand and shaking her head as she slumped down in her seat in embarrassment. Katara made a noise of agreement, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

Toph chortled, "That is so you, Featherweight."

"Shove it, Toph."

The blind Earthbender just laughed harder.

Back on stage, the scene had changed and now had a pirate ship in the background while Team Avatar, minus Actress Xiaodan, stood in the middle of the stage. Six pirates, holding weapons in the air, ran on stage from both sides and surrounded the three actors, pretending to attack them while the three actors squat down.

A few seconds later, Actress Aang slid out from underneath one of the pirate's robes, followed by the other two while the pirates continued to wave their weapons around as they moved slowly off stage.

"Why did you have to steal that waterbending scroll?" Actor Sokka exclaimed, clutching an oversized boomerang prop.

"I lost all hope when Xiao was capture by Prince Zuko!" Actress Katara wailed then began bawling, "And it just gave me so much hope!"

"You will tell me where the Avatar is!" Actor Zuko shouted as he loomed over Actress Xiaodan threateningly after capturing her.

"Or what?" Actress Xiaodan drawled mellowly then elaborated when the Actor Zuko just stared at her, "See, those kinda threats usually have an 'or' attached. Or an 'and'. Y'know a, 'Tell me and I won't roast you' kind of thing."

"Enough of you insolence!" Actor Zuko shouted and he flung his arm out towards the three men acting as guards, "Take her to the brig!"

The fake guards seized Actress Xiaodan and dragged her behind the ship prop while Actor Zuko stomped off stage.

"Did that actually happen?" Sokka asked as he stuck his head between Xiaodan and Zuko, turning it to look between them.

Zuko grunted and pushed him away, "Of course not."

"Yeah," Xiaodan quipped sardonically, "It was more like 'Tell me where the Avatar is headed, girl, and I won't hurt you.'" She mimicked Zuko's voice almost perfectly, smirking at him when he scowled at her. "He also kept trying to get me to spar with him because I wouldn't say anything."

The others eyed them strangely while Toph snorted and commented drily, "Yeah that doesn't sound like the you at all."

Zuko growled wordlessly and crossed his arms, sulking while the others laughed quietly.

Lightning flashed though the stage followed by fake sounding thunder, created by a stage hand wobbling a sheet of metal.

"The Avatar is mine!" Actor Zuko shouted triumphantly as he stood in front of a raised platform Actress Aang was tied to while fake Fire Nation guards stood at the bottom. He looked to the left and pointed with a shout of surprise, "Wait, who's coming?"

A spotlight swung to the left, illuminating an actor wearing a large Blue Spirit mask that covered his whole body. "I am the Blue Spirit!" The actor shouted as he clashed his dual dao blades together and danced in place, "The scourge of the Fire Nation here to save the Avatar!"

Waving his swords around, the Blue Spirit actor walked across the stage, the fake guards falling down as he past them. Actor Zuko ran around the platform and came up behind the Blue Spirit actor, throwing a red ribbon that symbolized firebending at the Blue Spirit actor's feet. The Blue Spirit actor jumped back to avoid the streamer then thrust his sword at Actor Zuko, who ran off stage.

"My hero!" Actress Aang cried out, pulling her hands from her fake bonds and jumping off the platform to land on the large Blue Spirit mask, the Blue Spirit actor dancing off stage with her.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder Aang, the two giving each other embarrassed looks before quickly looking away. The former prince caught Xiaodan's eye and blushed slightly at the smirk she was directing at him.

The backdrop was changed to that of the Freedom Fighters former hide-out in the trees and Actress Katara along with an actor portraying Jet, stood on a small platform attached to a rope that was hanging a few feet above the stage.

Actress Katara began to mock sob loudly and Actor Jet, with a rose in his mouth held her close, "Don't cry baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for youuuu." He pointed at the stage briefly then lifted Actress Katara's chin up while a stagehand dressed in black pulled a large, blue sheet that was supposed to represent water, across the stage beneath them.

"Oh Jet," Actress Katara cooed in a sultry voice as the platform was raised, "You're so bad."

Xiaodan made a strangled noise and hid her face against Zuko's shoulder, her own shoulders trembling as she struggled not to laugh. Zuko glanced down at the top of her head and smirked, rolling his eyes in amusement.

Beside the dualbender, Katara blushed brightly and ducked her head, bringing her hand up to hid her face in embarrassment while Toph giggled unabashedly.

"Look," Actress Aang exclaimed enthusiastically as she sat on a saddle inside a prop-Appa's head, pointing down at the stage, "It's the Great Divide. The biggest canyon in the Earth Kingdom!"

Actress Katara looked down with a hopeful expression while Actor Sokka glanced down then shrugged disinterestedly, "Meh, let's keep flying."

"You will tell me where the Avatar is heading!"

"Nuh-uh..."

"Tell me, peasant!" Actor Zuko demanded then flung a red ribbon at Actress Xiaodan and she danced away, ducking behind Actor Iroh.

"Prince Zuko, instead of trying to roast your prisoner, perhaps you should roast this duck instead." Actor Iroh said as he held up a plate with a fake duck on it, causing the audience to laugh loudly.

"You really need to mellow out." Actress Xiaodan drawled as she stepped out from behind the rotund actor. She began swaying in place and smiled serenely at Actor Zuko, "You gotta be like a leaf and just go with the wind."

"Put the prisoner in the brig!" Actor Zuko shrieked, flinging his arm towards a fake Fire Nation guard.

"Be the leaf, man!" Actress Xiaodan called out as she was led off stage by the guard.

"This is ridiculous..." Xiaodan muttered as she leaned against Zuko after he had wrapped his arm around her shoulders and glowered at the stage vehemently. She really, really hated the actress portraying her. "I don't act like that. Pfft, be the leaf, how stupid is that? I'm not a freaking leaf."

Zuko snorted quietly and muttered under his breath, "Yeah, you were more like a raging tornado. Oomph."

"Shut it." Xiaodan grumbled after elbowing him in the side. Zuko made a face then smirked, rubbing his sore ribs with his free hand while looking back at the stage as the scene changed to a backdrop of the Northern Water Tribe.

"Don't go Yue!" Actor Sokka exclaimed from on stage, where he and an actress dressed as Princess Yue, who was wearing a white wig that was even more exaggerated than Actress Xiaodan's, were standing on fake bridge that looked like it was from the Northern Water Tribe. "You're the only woman who has taken my mind off of food!" The two kissed audibly before Actor Sokka pulled back, gagging and sticking his tongue out in disgust, "Wait, did you have pickled fish for dinner?"

"Goodbye, Sokka. I have important moon duties to take care of." Actress Yue said breathily as she was lifted slowly into the air, their clasped hands being pulled apart. She was lifted higher into the air, revealing that the actress was sitting on crescent moon prop. "And yes, I did have the picked fish."

Actor Sokka held his arms up to her as she disappeared above the stage.

Suki giggled and looked over at Sokka, "You never told me you made out with the Moon Spirit."

"Shh!" Sokka shushed the Kyoshi Warrior, placing a finger against Suki's lips without taking his watery eyes off the stage, "I'm trying to watch."

He sniffled and Suki harrumphed, crossing her arms in annoyance and looking away from him.

The scene was still set during the group's time in the Northern Water Tribe and small cut-outs of Fire Nation ships were being pulled across the stage before Actress Aang, dressed in large costume of the Ocean Spirit, stomped on them.

"The Avatar is back to save the day! Yay!" She laughed, waving around a doll replica of Commander Zhao as she jumped up and landed on another ship cut-out. She cackled and proceeded to kick another ship cut-out off stage, stomping around and destroying the remaining cut-outs before the weight of the costume caused her to fall on her stomach, the curtain falling a second later.

The audience stood, cheering and applauding as the curtain finished lowering, hiding the fallen Actress Aang in her Ocean Spirit suit from view.

Aang groaned and leaned forward, thumping his forehead against the back of Zuko's seat repeatedly. Shaking his head Zuko pulled his hood over his head and crossed his arms while Sokka palmed his face, features set into a displeased expression. Toph was the only one who looked amused by the closing scene of the first act.

"What the monkey-feathers?" Xiaodan muttered, giving voice to her friends' thoughts as she stared at the lowered curtain in bewilderment, Katara's and Suki's expressions mirroring hers.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko grumbled as he leaned against railing of the flight of stairs that led to their viewing box. Sitting on the step below him, Xiaodan pressed her forehead against his leg with a groan of agreement. The whole play made her head hurt.

"Apparently, the playwright thinks I'm an idiot." Sokka complained as he walked down the stairs with a bag of spicy jerky, taking a seat next to Suki a few steps from the bottom, "Who tells bad jokes about meat all the time!"

"Yeah," Suki drawled in amusement and a hint of sarcasm, "You tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics too."

Sokka bit off a piece of jerky and exclaimed around it as he chewed, "I know!"

"At least this Sokka actor kinda looks like you." Aang retorted from his seat on the bottom step, Toph standing in front of him with an amused look on her face, "That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all."

"I don't know," Toph quipped with a sardonic grin, "Youare more in touch with your feminine side than most guys."

Xiaodan laughed, but fell silent when Aang stood up angrily with an annoyed sound, crossing his arms and scowling at the ground. Smiling sheepishly, the dualbender apologized, "Sorry, little brother, but hey at least your not some old hippy lady who wants to," She moved her arm in wavy gesture and finished drily, "Be the leaf and then makes an idiot of herself trying to protect the Avatar. We all know I don't do that." Toph opened her mouth, but Xiaodan slapped the ground, "Don't even start, Toph."

"Relax, you guys." Katara chided lightly from the top of the stairs, smiling gently at Aang when he looked up at her with a frown. "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches hope all the time." She frowned when the others just looked at her skeptically, "What?"

"Yeah," Aang muttered, rolling his eyes slightly as he sat back down on the step, "That's not you at all."

Toph shook her head, amused at how bent out of shape her friends were getting over the whole play. She decided to clear things up for them a little. "Listen, friends. It's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

Xiaodan's eyes narrowed on the younger girl and she demanded, "Are you saying I'm old and an idiot?!"

"Well here we are in the Earth Kingdom." Actress Katara said as she stood with Actor Sokka, Actress Aang, and Actress Xiaodan next to a large rock in front of a background painted to look like Earth Kingdom buildings.

"I'd better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher." Actress Aang chirped happily, opening up her miniature air glider prop and jumping into the air while a cable lifted her up.

"Be careful, little brother." Actress Xiaodan called out in her mellow drawl, "I don't want you flying into anything and getting hurt. You can't find an earthbending teacher if you end up crashing into a flock of flying rabbit-monkeys, you know."

Actress Aang giggled and saluted the older actress, "You got it, Xiao!"

Toph leaned forward eagerly, "This is it, this must be where I come in!"

"Would you be upset if I lit the stage on fire before your debut?" Xiaodan questioned, sounding half serious, as she leaned around Katara to peer at the young blind girl. The dualbender got her answer when Toph shushed her, focused intently on what was happening on the stage below them.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Xiaodan sighed and leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest sullenly. Her mood brightened slightly when Zuko slipped his arm over her shoulders, bringing the play's schedule to hide his face as Actress Aang flew around the theater and over the audience before landing back on stage.

"I flew all over town, but I couldn't find a single earthbending master!"

"Here it comes..." Toph muttered, clenching her fists in anticipation.

The boulder the foursome were standing beside on stage was held up by a well built man wearing Toph's outfit as he rose out of a trap door the rock prop had been covering.

"You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground." The man rumbled in a deep voice as he threw the rock prop over the foursome's heads.

Katara clapped her hands over her mouth to hid her laughter, Suki mimicking her while Aang, Sokka, and Xiaodan laughed freely and Zuko dropped the parchment in shock.

"Who are you?" Actress Aang asked as she pointed at Actor Toph.

Actor Toph spat off the side and rumbled, "My name's Toph because it sounds like tough." He flexed his muscles, "And that's just what I am."

"Wait a minute." Toph frowned and turned her head to the side, straining to hear the words before using her pinkie finger to clear out her ear, "I sound like a..." She made a shocked noise, "A guy. A really, really buffguy."

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth." Katara commented snidely, smirking smugly at the blind girl, "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Are you kidding?" Toph exclaimed as she grinned from ear to ear, "I wouldn't have cast it any other way! At least it's not a flying bald lady or an old woman."

"Hey!" Xiaodan scowled and reached around Katara, who appeared annoyed at Toph's statement, to swat at the younger girl.

"So, you're blind?" Actress Aang asked curiously as she waved her hand in front of Actor Toph's eyes, which were covered by his overly long bangs.

"I can see you doing that." Actor Toph laughed then gestured with his burly arms, "I see everything that you see except that I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth." He turned towards the foursome, opened his mouth and screamed loudly at them, causing them to lean back and their clothes to flutter from the strong vibrations.

Xiaodan clapped her hands over her ears as the actor's scream reverberated throughout the theater, causing the entire audience to cringe and grimace. Behind her, Suki and Sokka hugged each other in terror while Toph held onto the railings with an excited expression.

"There." Actor Toph said contentedly after he finished screaming, "I got a pretty good look at you."

Actress Aang giggled and clapped, promoting the audience to do the same while the other three actors stared at Actor Toph in awe.

"Zuko, it's time we had a talk." Actor Iroh said slowly as he stood on a metal bridge with Actor Zuko, who was now wearing a wig with long, flowing hair. Actor Iroh pointed at him, "About your hair. It's gone to far."

"Maybe it's best if we..." Actor Zuko flicked his hair as he turned his head away, "Split up."

He turned and walked away, Actor Iroh heading in the opposite direction.

"Azula, my sister!" Actor Zuko exclaimed as he cornered Actress Azula along with the other actors portraying the group and Iroh, "What are you doing here?"

Like the other actresses, the one portraying Azula wore heavy makeup and was wearing pink torso armor instead of the real princess' red. Actress Azula smirked and raised her hands, "You caught me. Wait. What's that?" She pointed at the ceiling above the audience, "I think it's your honor."

"Where?" Actor Zuko shouted, turning along with the other actors to look at the audience while Actress Azula opened a trap door in the backdrop and escaped through it.

"She escaped." Actress Katara gasped when they turned back and found the empty corner, "But how?"

Xiaodan frowned and leaned more heavily against Zuko's side, watching with disinterest as the actors acted out the time Azula tried to use a Fire Nation drill to get into Ba Sing Se before she was defeated by Aang.

"If she continues drilling this wall will come down for sure!"

"Haha, yes! Continue drilling! The city of Ba Sing Se can hide no longer! Muahahaha!"

"I'm starting to wish I had a drill like that." Xiaodan muttered to Zuko under her breath as the scene continued playing out with Actress Aang throwing rocks at Actress Azula, "So I can drill away the last few hours of my life from my mind..."

Zuko snorted in agreement, leaning his head against hers as the scene changed to how the Blue Spirit had freed Appa from Lake Laogai while Actress Xiaodan attacked a Dai Li agent and forced him to take her to the same lake.

Xiaodan coughed awkwardly when the actors portraying her and the Blue Spirit were romantically involved before implying that she was also involved with the Fire Nation prince. She caught Zuko's eye and flushed, smiling shyly when he smirked at her. Both of them ignored the way Sokka made kissy-sounds from behind them and looked back towards the stage.

Still under Lake Laogai, but know with Actress Aang, Actress Katara, Actor Toph, and Actor Sokka, Actor Jet flailed around between the group, slashing his hook sword arm props around, while wearing a pair of crazy eye glasses, the tiny beads the represented his pupils spinning around to show that he had gone crazy.

"No, Jet!" Actress Aang exclaimed as Actor Jet spun around before standing like a goat-gorilla while the other actors looked on with horrified expression. Actress Aang placed her hands on her cheeks and gasped, "What did they do to you?"

"Must." Actor Jet swiped his hook-sword arm towards Actress Aang unsteadily, "Serve. Earth King!" He spun in place and swiped at Actor Sokka, who ducked, "Must...Destroy!" He fell to his knees and started making various agonizing noises as a rock prop floated down from above, forcing him to crawl around to ensure that it landed on him. "Oh!" he gasped as he fell onto his stomach, the rock prop covering his upper body before he pulled his legs underneath it.

"Did...Did Jet just die?" Zuko asked in disbelief, gawking at the stage with Xiaodan.

"You know, it was really unclear." Sokka replied with a small shrug before going back to watching the play.

"Well, that was, um, unexpected..." Xiaodan muttered under her breath.

Actress Katara with a backdrop of the Crystal Catacombs, smiled in a sultry manner as she approached Actor Zuko, "I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive."

"You don't have to make fun of me." Actor Zuko spat harshly as he sat on a crystal prop with his legs crossed one over the other. His harshness caused Actress Katara to cringe before fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"But I mean it." She sat down beside him on the prop, "I had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

"Wait," Actor Zuko jumped to his feet and moved away from Actress Katara, "I thought you were the Avatar's girl?"

"The Avatar?" Actress Katara laughed coyly as she stood up and approached Actor Zuko, "Why, he's like a little brother to me. I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way. And besides," She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "How he find out about this?"

Actor Zuko let her hold him for a moment before shoving her away, "I already have a girl!"

"What?" Actress Katara wailed, pretending to cry dramatically, "No!"

Aang stood abruptly and stalked out of the viewing booth, Xiaodan glancing over at him worriedly.

"You're getting up?" Sokka whispered as Aang walked past him, "Can you get me some fireflakes?" He settled back in his seat and put his arm around Suki's shoulders before sitting up to whisper again, "Ooh, and some fire gummies!"

Xiaodan looked away from the curtain her brother had disappeared behind and she glanced between Zuko and Katara, both of whom looked extremely awkward and were avoiding all eye contact.

Zuko cleared his throat and muttered to her, "I swear that didn't happen."

"That's good." Xiaodan replied back quietly, eying him in amusement, "'Cause then you'd have some serious explaining to do."

Zuko swallowed thickly and cleared his throat nervously, nodding once. His nervousness evaporated as the scene continued into where Azula had manipulated him into betraying both his uncle and Xiaodan. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, only opening them when Xiaodan touched his hand, taking it in hers.

"Well, my brother, what's it going to be? Your nation, or a life of treachery?"

"Choose treachery, it's more fun." Actor Iroh said with a wink and a thumbs up.

Xiaodan squeezed Zuko's hand when the actor portraying walked up to the Iroh actor and shoved him down before walking over to the Actress Azula.

"I hate you, Uncle! You smell and I hate you for all time!"

Katara looked over at Zuko in surprise and asked warily, "You didn't really say that, did you?"

Zuko looked down and away, "I might as well have."

Xiaodan let go of his hand to wrap her arm around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder in silent comfort. The play continued on all the way to when Azula hit Aang with lightning, but neither were really paying attention anymore. They didn't need to see to see their memories being twisted on a stage where the people portraying them twisted their actions for comedic purposes. Especially when the audience began to applaud loudly after Actress Azula had exclaimed that the Avatar was no more.

Because of their inattention, they didn't realize that when Actress Xiaodan saved Actress Aang and Actress Katara, she didn't firebend. The others did though, and they exchanged confused and slightly worried glances. None of them wanted to speculate on why their friend's dualbending hadn't been included in the play.

"This play sucks." Xiaodan muttered flatly as she sat on the floor beside Zuko during the second intermission, her knees pulled up to her chest. It was completely ridiculous to be so irritated over something that wasn't even real, but she couldn't get over the fact that she was being portrayed as some old, hippy lady who freaked out and made mess of things when her friends were in danger.

"It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive." Suki commented from her spot leaning against the wall beside the dualbender, her arms crossed over her chest, "I mean, you guys lose a lot."

"You're one to talk, Suki." Sokka retorted and he turned to look at her sarcastically, "Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did."

Suki frowned at him and asked seriously, "Are you trying to get on my bad side?"

"I'm just saying." Sokka muttered matter-of-factly.

"Would you both be quiet?" Xiaodan demanded and she pressed her forehead against her knees, the hood of her cloak hiding her whole head, "You're giving me an even bigger headache than that stupid play." She sighed and relaxed slightly when Zuko rubbed her back soothingly.

"Someone's grumpy." Sokka huffed and leaned his shoulder against the wall beside Suki.

Xiaodan growled, but was prevented from actually doing anything to him when Katara walked into the corridor, looking around with a small frown.

"Does anyone know where Aang is?"

"He left to get me fire gummies, like ten minutes ago." Sokka replied then pouted in irritation, "And I'm still waiting."

"He's outside on the balcony." Xiaodan replied without lifting her head, but she did raise her arm and point to the left, "That way."

"Thanks. I'm going to go check him" Katara said, walking in the direction Xiaodan had indicated.

Xiaodan grunted and Zuko leaned closer to her, asking quietly in concern, "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not." The dualbender replied bluntly then exhaled heavily and lifted her head, brushing a couple stray strands of hair from her face, "I don't want to watch this stupid play anymore." She pushed herself up to her feet and muttered, "I'm gonna go get something to drink."

"Wonder what her deal is?" Sokka muttered with a perplexed frown, crossing his arms as he looked at her retreating back as she stomped down the hall.

Zuko remained quiet as he watched her leave and contemplating going after her before deciding against it. He could tell that she wanted to be alone for the moment and he understood that, so he remained sitting on the floor. He looked up and quirked his brow as a little boy dressed up as Aang came running out of a door down the hall, his arms spread out as he squealed happily.

Sokka stared at the boy as he ran past him and Suki and shook his head before looking over at the Kyoshi Warrior leaning against the wall in front of him. "Hey Suki, what are the chances that you can get me backstage? I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me."

Suki straightened and stared at him with a serious, no-nonsense expression as she intoned flatly, "I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth." Her expression changed instantly and she smiled brightly at him, "I think I can you backstage."

Sokka blinked at her for several seconds then swallowed thickly and smiled at her nervously, "Great, let's go." She nodded and followed him down the hall, leaving Zuko and Toph in the hall.

"Jeez." Toph shook her head in exasperation as she leaned against the wall between Zuko and the entrance to their viewing box, "Everyone's getting so upset about their characters, even Xia is wigging out about it." She turned towards Zuko and smirked, "And you, you seem even more down than usual and that's saying something."

"You don't get it." Zuko muttered and he looked up at Toph with a frown that she couldn't see, "It's different for you. You get a muscle-y version of yourself taking down ten bad guys at once and making sassy remarks."

"Yeah," Toph snickered, "That's pretty great."

Zuko huffed and looked away from her, folding his arms on his upraised knees and staring at the wall across from with a regretful expression, "But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shoves them back in my face. My uncle...He's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him?" He lowered his head to his knees and closed his eyes in shame, "With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret now and I may never get to redeem myself."

He shook his head in disgust, "And I did the same thing to Xia. It's a miracle that she even forgave me after what I did."

"You have redeemed yourself to your uncle." Toph stated matter-of-factly as she crouched down beside the older teen, resting her arms on her thighs, "You don't realize it but you already have."

"How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy." Toph replied, smiling a she remembered meeting Iroh after storming off and leaving her friends while they were being chased by Azula and her two friends. "All he would talk about was you."

Zuko lifted his head and lowered his hood, smiling slightly as he asked quietly, "Really?"

Toph snickered, "Yeah, and it was kind of annoying."

"Oh," Zuko looked away, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Sorry."

"But it was also very sweet." Toph continued as if he hadn't spoken at all. "All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud of you." She smirked and punched him on the shoulder.

"Ow!" Zuko hissed, rubbing his shoulder and frowning over at her. "What was that for?"

Toph smiled, "That's how I show affection. Just ask Xia."

The little boy form earlier ran out of the same door as before and came to stop in front of Zuko. He smiled at Zuko and commented, "Your Zuko costume is pretty good but your scar's on the wrong side."

"The scar's not on the wrong side!" Zuko shouted angrily as the boy ran off then yanked his hood back over his face with scowl while Toph laughed beside him.

"What can I get you, miss?"

Xiaodan stopped inspecting her sandal-clad feet and looked up at drink merchant, noticing that the couple in front of her had moved away. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Xiaodan walked up to the stall and asked quietly, "Do you have jasmine tea?"

The older man behind the counter nodded with a smile, "Sure do. That'll be two copper pieces please."

Xiaodan dug out two copper coins from the pouch tied at her waist, mentally reminding herself to thank Zuko for providing them with some money as she handed them over to the drink merchant. The merchant took the coins and pocketed them then turned to the small stove with a tea kettle on it.

The dualbender moved off to the side and leaned her back against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest and looking around at the other audience members milling around, talking about the play. She grimaced as she heard some of the more enthusiastic responses. Apparently, Xiao and 'Sokka' were fan favorites.

"Excuse me?" A soft voice called out timidly and someone tugged on the bottom of Xiaodan's cloak.

The dualbender glanced down and smiled gently at the little girl clutching what looked like a stuffed rabbit-monkey toy. "Yes?"

"I like your Xiao costume." The little girl shifted and smiled shyly, her bronze eyes bright, "You look even prettier than the actress!"

Xiaodan blinked and touched her hair, mentally cringing when she realized that her hood had fallen down. She looked down at the little girl again and felt her heart melt at the awed look on her young face. She crouched down and gestured towards the little girl's stuffed toy, "Thank you. I like your rabbit-monkey toy."

The little girl beamed and held out the toy proudly, "I named him Momo, after the Avatar's rabbit-monkey."

"Well, he is very cute." Xiaodan replied then glanced up when an older woman called out, the little girl turning around to wave at the smiling woman.

The little girl looked back at Xiaodan and smiled brightly, "That's my mommy, I better go. It was nice meeting you pretty lady."

Xiaodan stood up, watching with a soft expression as the little girl ran over to her mother, clutching at her skirts and holding up her toy before pointing towards the dualbender. The older woman glanced over at Xiaodan and smiled gratefully, causing the young woman to blush and wave with a sheepish smile.

"Here's your tea, miss." Xiaodan turned towards the drink merchant, taking the cup of tea from him with soft thank you. The merchant smiled at her, commenting just as she turned to leave, "You know, the little girl is right. You look a lot prettier than the actress." He winked at her.

"Ah," Xiaodan blushed and coughed awkwardly. The guy was almost as old as Iroh. "Thanks."

The merchant nodded and went back to making drinks while Xiaodan hurried out of the concession room, yanking her hood up over her head with one hand as she went.

"That's the last time I walk around with my hood down..." She muttered under her breath then took a sip of the tea, making a slight face. "Eh, Iroh's is better."

Aang frowned as he leaned against the railing of the balcony he'd escaped to before the second intermission. He heard the door opening behind him, glancing over his shoulder briefly to see Katara walking towards him before looking back at the ocean.

"Are you alright?" Katara asked gently as she came to a stop behind him, her brow pinched with worry.

"No, I'm not." Aang replied curtly and he threw the hat he was wearing to cover his arrow on the ground by his feet, "I hate this play."

Katara sighed and walked forward, coming to stand beside him. "I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting."

"Overreacting?!" Aang exclaimed indignantly and he threw his arm out towards the night sky, "If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!"

Katara bit her lip and sighed again when he leaned heavily against the balcony railing, his face fixed with an irritated expression. Aang suddenly turned towards her, staring at her unsurely as he asked. "Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?"

"In where?" Katara asked, turning to lean against the railing and giving him a confused look, "What are you talking about?"

"On stage, when you said I was just like a..." He paused and clenched his fists before saying through clenched teeth, "A brother to you and that you didn't have feelings for me?"

"I didn't say that." Katara frowned and gestured back towards the theater, "An actor said that."

"But it's true, isn't it?" Aang persisted, looking down with a dejected expression. "We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were going to be together, but we're not."

"Aang..." Katara sighed and looked back at the ocean, crossing her arms unsurely over her chest. She shook her head and mumbled, "I don't know."

Aang jerked his head up and stared at her almost desperately, "Why don't you know?"

"Because we're in the middle of a war." Katara replied seriously, frowning at him then turning to look at the door to the theater, "And we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time right now."

"Well, when is the right time?"

Katara frowned slightly at his impatient tone and looked down, her expression morphing and becoming thoughtful. She bit her lip and tugged her hair, closing her eyes as she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Aang, but right now, I'm just a little confused."

Aang exhaled heavily and looked to the side for a moment before facing Katara again with a resolute expression. Steeling his resolve, he stepped forward and pressed his lips to her in a quick kiss. Katara snapped her eyes open and took a shocked step back, bringing her fingers to her lips as she stared at him incredulously.

Her shock dissipated and she snapped at him in annoyance, "I just said I was confused, Aang!" She huffed and turned away, stomping back towards the door, "I'm going inside."

"Whoa!" Xiaodan gasped and spun nimbly around the door that was just thrown open, her tea sloshing in the cup. She blinked in surprise as Katara stormed through the open door and slammed it shut behind her, her face twisted with displeasure. "Uh... You alright, Katara?"

"You're brother is an idiot." The younger girl snapped and stomped off, leaving a very confused Xiaodan in her wake.

The dualbender glanced between the retreating Waterbender and the door before carefully setting her half-filled cup on a nearby table and opened the door, stepping out onto a balcony.

"Argh! I am so stupid!"

Confusion mounting, Xiaodan watched her brother smack his head against the balcony railing several times before he just rested his forehead against it. The dualbender eyed his back perplexed as she shut the door and approached him warily, "I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm assuming it has something to do with why Katara stormed back inside and called you an idiot."

If possible, Aang's shoulders slumped even more and he sighed, "I think I messed up Xia."

"Yeah, I kinda got that from the head smashing thing you were just doing." The older girl replied lightly as she walked up beside him, hopping up onto the railing and straddling it. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

He sighed and lifted his head, staring forlornly up at the sky as he replied, "I kissed Katara..."

"Again?" Xiaodan questioned then winced, smiling sheepishly at her brother when he gave her an annoyed look, "Sorry. Continue."

"I just-I just wanted to know if she had feelings for me." Aang explained, turning to look at her with plaintive eyes. "I wanted to know if she really believed what actress her said on stage about me being just like a brother to her." He looked down at the railing and muttered.

"So you kissed her?" Xiaodan asked, tilting her head in puzzlement when he mumbled something. She leaned forward and frowned slightly, "What did you say?"

"She said she was confused!" He burst out, throwing his arms in the air before crossing them defensively over his chest. "I thought kissing her would make her not confused."

"And why did you think that would work exactly?"

Aang huffed and looked away from her as he muttered, "Seemed to work for Zuko."

At that comment, Xiaodan groaned and hung her head, covering her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook for a second with suppressed laughter and Aang glowered at her. She let her hands drop to the railing and she looked at her brother archly, "Aang, you may be the Avatar, but you have a lot to learn about girls." She hopped off the railing and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, leading him towards the door, "C'mon, let's get some tea and I'll explain some things."

Aang sighed and nodded in acceptance, listening intently to his sister as she led him back inside the theater.

Tiptoeing down the stairs that led backstage, Suki and Sokka peeked around the corner, looking for the actor that played Sokka. Suki's eyes widened and she looked over at Sokka, "He's coming this way."

Sokka quickly stepped around Suki and hurried over to the actor, who was walking towards them, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression. He faltered and stared at Sokka in surprise when he popped up in front of him.

"Uh, can I help you?" the actor asked warily, eying the grinning teen strangely.

"Actually, I think I can help you." Sokka replied, pointing at the actor then making a fluttering motion with his hand. "I'm a big Sokka fan, but I don't think you're representing him quite as well as you could be."

"Oh no..." The actor groaned and he brought his hand to his head, rubbing his forehead in mild annoyance before turning and starting to walk away, "Another fan with ideas."

"Just hear me out." Sokka pleaded as he swiftly stepped in front of the older man and held his arms out in front of himself. When the man just sighed in resignation, he dug around in his pocket and pulled out several cue cards shuffling through them for a moment. "Here's something I think the real Sokka would say." He picked on of the cue cards then cleared his throat, "'What does the cabbage merchant use to fix his cabbages?'"

He held his arms out and grinned, "'A cabbage patch!'"

Standing behind the actor, Suki smacked her forehead and closed her eyes, shaking her head at her boyfriend. She snapped her eyes open and stared in disbelief when the actor actually began to chuckle.

"That's actually pretty good. Let me see those." The actor complimented, causing Sokka to smile and offer him the cue cards. He took them and began flipping through them. He chuckled again as he read one of them, "Haha. Rocky relationship. Not bad."

Sokka grinned proudly and stepped up beside the actor, slinging his arm over the thinner man's shoulder as he suggested, "Also don't be afraid to make up some phrases. Especially before an attack. Something like 'flying kick-a-pow!'"

"Who are you, anyway?" The actor asked with a chuckle as they began walking, Suki watching in amused disbelief.

"I'm just a guy who likes comedy." Sokka replied nonchalantly with shrug. He paused when the woman playing Xiaodan walked over to them.

"Hey Naufal," the woman drawled in the same mellow voice she used in the play. She nodded towards Sokka curiously, "Who's the kid?"

"A fan who had some ideas." The actor, Naufal smiled at the woman and showed her the cue cards when she rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Yeah, I didn't think they would be any good either, but you have to check these out, sweetheart. They're hilarious, Anoki!"

Suki and Sokka could only gawk as the actor kissed the wig-wearing actress's cheek after she took the cue cards. His jaw hanging opening, Sokka pointed between the two of them and asked in a strangled voice, "You and-and you?"

Anoki just gave him an unimpressed look then handed the cue cards back to her boyfriend without really looking at them, "They're great, honey, now let's go. Intermission's almost over."

Sokka and Suki watched as the two actors retreated, hand-in-hand. Slowly, Suki looked over at her stunned boyfriend and stated with complete seriousness, "That didn't happen and isn't to be mentioned to anyone ever."

"Agreed." The Water Tribe teen replied, completely disturbed by the idea that the two actors portraying him and Xiaodan were a couple. He shuddered. It was just wrong.

Intermission had already ended when Aang and Xiaodan returned to the viewing box, both taking their previous seats. Aang sat down at the end of the first pew and pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them while Xiaodan sat in front of him next to Zuko.

Sokka leaned towards the younger teen and whispered just loud enough for Aang and Xiaodan to hear him, "Here's what you guys missed. We went to the Fire Nation and you got better, Katara was the Painted Lady, I got my sword, Xia caused that landslide while we were on that train." At that the dualbender blushed and slouched in her seat, bringing up her hand to hid her face. Sokka smirked and continued, "Oh and I think Combustion Man died."

His glanced towards the stage and his expression brightened, "Ooh, look! The invasion's about to start.Shh!"

"Did you really cause a landslide?" Zuko asked under his breath, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

Xiaodan gave him a look and muttered, "It was an accident and I don't want to talk about it."

Actress Katara stood on a fake submarine prop with Actress Aang, "I just want to let you know Aang, that I'll always love you." She placed her hands on her chest and sighed deeply with a smile, "Like a brother."

"I wouldn't want it any other way!" Actress Aang replied happily then she shook Actress Katara's hand, both of them nodding at each other in a friendly gesture. Still beaming, Actress Aang snapped open her glider prop and raised it above her head as a rope pulled her up into the air while Actress Katara waved.

Aang gawked at the stage for a moment then blushed and yanked his hat down over head face, hiding behind his knees. Katara glanced over her shoulder at him then looked away sadly, unaware of the way Xiaodan was looking between the two.

Sighing silently, she looked back at the stage, making a face when she saw the actors, minus Actress Aang, were standing on the submarine and looking around.

"Hey Toph, would you say you and Aang have a...rockyrelationship?"

The audience began laughing loudly while the other actors just looked at him strangely. In the first pew, Sokka was going ballistic, laughing loudly to himself while Suki just watched him in exasperated amusement. Still giggling to himself, Sokka leaned over to Aang and lifted his hat up.

"I told him to say that!" He said excitedly, oblivious to the way the younger boy just gave him an annoyed look as he put his hat back on his head.

"I hope everyone's ready for the invasion!" Actor Sokka said loudly then pushed past the other actors still standing on the submarine and flung his arms out with a grin, "Slap-a-pow!"

Xiaodan shook her head and slapped her forehead as she listened to Sokka crack up behind her. Sometimes it was hard to believe how smart he actually was.

"We finally made it to the Royal Palace!" Actress Aang cried out as she was dropped to the stage from above while Actress Katara, Actress Xiaodan, Actor Sokka, and Actor Toph entered from the right side of the stage as the curtain was raised, revealing the backdrop of the Fire Nation Palace's throne room. Actress Aang looked around curiously, "But no one's home!"

"Actually," Actor Zuko, now with short, spiky hair, said loudly as he walked on stage, stopping just short of the others as Actor Sokka raised his boomerang threateningly, "I'm home and I want to you!"

Actress Xiaodan threw her arms up in a cheer as she drawled, "You've finally become the leaf, man!"

Actor Sokka lowered his boomerang and looked back at his companions with a defeated expression, "Then I guess we have no choice. Come on!" They all ran off stage while Actress Aang was lifted into the air.

"I guess that's it." Sokka commented as he stood up and stretched, "The play's caught up to the present now."

"Wait," Suki whispered, yanking Sokka back down and pointing towards the stage, "The play's not over."

"But it is over. Unless..." He trailed off and rubbed his chin thoughtfully before his eyes widened and he whispered in an overly dramatic and spooky voice, "This is the future!"

The others looked at each other in confusion then turned back to the stage, which was now pitch black. They all watched in slight trepidation as an evil looking actor portraying Fire Lord Ozai walked out of the shadows with the single light coming on to illuminate his face.

"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no on will be able to stop the Fire Nation!" Actor Ozai proclaimed evilly as an orange paper lantern was pulled across the now dimly light stage, the fake comet passing over fake throne.

"Father!" Actress Azula called out stiffly as she ran onto the stage and kneeled before oversized throne, "Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace! They are trying to stop you."

"You take care of Zuko." Actor Ozai pointed towards her and ordered harshly, before placing a hand on his chest melodramatically, "I shall face the Avatar myself!" He raised his hands, a cloud of smoke shooting up from his feet.

Actress Azula stood up as the smoke cleared, revealing that the Actor Ozai had disappeared. She turned just as Actor Zuko and Actress Xiaodan ran on stage from her left while Actress Aang was lowered to stage behind her.

"Aang, you and Xiao fight the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off!" Actor Zuko instructed theatrically. Actress Aang nodded once and was pulled up by the rope hooked to her belt while a rope was hooked to Actress Xiaodan's waist by a masked stagehand before being pulled up after the other actress, leaving Actor Zuko and Actress Azula alone on the stage.

"You are no longer my brother!" Actress Azula exclaimed, clenching her fists before flinging her arm out to the side. "You are an enemy!"

"No," Actor Zuko retorted and he pointed at Actress Azula, "I am the rightful heir to the throne!"

Actress Azula smirked slyly and narrowed her eyes, "We shall see."

She whipped out the blue ribbons used to represent her blue fire and flung them towards Actor Zuko, who took out his own red ribbons while dodging the blue ones. He leapt over Actress Azula's head, taking her original spot while the actress ran towards the spot he'd been standing in a few moments earlier.

Actor Zuko flung his red ribbons towards the actress, but she ducked and jumped over him, the two retaking their original positions on the stage. The actress smirked and whipped her blue ribbons around her body in an arc then stretched her palm out towards Actor Zuko, fake fire props made of paper popping up from the stage floor. The fake fire props headed straight towards Actor Zuko, increasing in size until the last one reached him and hid him from the audience's view.

His silhouette still visible through the paper, he raised his arms as if in pain and wailed, "Honor!"

Actress Azula turned towards the audience and bowed as Actor Zuko, along with the fake fire prop, was lowered through a trap door.

Xiaodan made a strangled noise as the audience began to cheer and applaud after Actor Zuko's apparent 'death' at the hands of Azula. She reached out and grabbed Zuko's hand, squeezing it tightly as he stared in stunned disbelief at the stage.

Dread began to fill the group as they continued to was as the scene was changed, the backdrop painted to resemble a red dragon's face.

Fake fire props popped up along the stage's edge as Actress Aang and Actress Xiaodan walked on stage, both of them peering around warily while Actor Ozai sat in a chair in the dark, the fake comet moving slowly overhead.

"So, you have mastered all four elements."

Both actresses jumped and turned towards Actor Ozai, Actress Aang pointing her mini-staff at the actor. "Yeah and now, my sister and I are going to take you down!"

"No," Actor Ozai growled as he stood and towered over to the two actresses threateningly, "It is you two who will be going down!" He gestured towards the orange lantern moving slowly across the stage above him as he exclaimed, "You see, you are too late! The comet is already here and..." He laughed evilly, "I amunstoppable!"

He flung out his red ribbons towards Actress Aang and Actress Xiaodan, forcing them to jump away, the ribbons hitting the floor in a puff of smoke.

"Don't worry, Aang! I'll protect you!" Actress Xiaodan shouted as she leapt forward, flinging a set of white-blue ribbons at Actor Ozai.

Dodging the ribbons, Actor Ozai laughed maniacally and advanced on the white-wigged actress, "Fool! Now you will perish!" He flung his hand out towards Actress Xiaodan, sending a blue ribbon that represented lightning at her. The actress caught the blue ribbon and pretended to spazzing much like Actress Aang had when Actress Azula struck her with her own fake lightning before dropping to the ground.

"No, Xiao! My beloved sister!" Actress Aang wailed dramatically before turning towards Actor Ozai and pointing at him accusingly, "You'll pay for this, Fire Lord!" Blue-white flags popped up on either end of her mini-glider prop and she began twirling it around her body while walking towards him.

Walking towards the actress, Actor Ozai began twirling his red ribbons around his own body in arcs as well before throwing them towards Actress Aang. The petite actress flew over him, still spinning her staff as she landed behind him and turned. They both spun their prop weapons and walked towards each other again. Actor Ozai threw one of his ribbons at Actress Aang, but she ducked and attempted to swipe at the actor's legs with her staff before jumping away.

She landed in a crouch and Actor Ozai began shooting short ribbons at her from his sleeves, forcing her to jump in the air and fly over her his head while he continued to shoot more ribbons at her. Actress Aang landed on the other side of the stage behind Actor Ozai, who whirled around thrust his palms out towards her.

A large blast of fake fire made from reddish-orange cloth shot out from behind the actor towards Actress Aang, wrapping around her like a sushi roll and forcing her to drop her staff prop.

"Nooooo..." Actress Aang wailed as she was circled with in the cloth before the rope detached from her waist and she fell to the ground, the cloth spread out around her prone form.

Actor Ozai stared at her with a cruel smirk then glanced over his shoulder as Actress Azula walked up behind him.

"It is over, Father." Actress Azula stated as she raised her arms triumphantly, "We've done it."

"Yes, we have done it!" Actor Ozai exclaimed and punched his fist into the air melodramatically before the space he was standing on began to rise up while fake fire popped up behind and in front of him, "The dreams of my Father, and my Father's Father, have now been realized!" He threw his arms out and the Fire Nation banner unfurled behind him, "The world ismine!"

The audience rose up with a cheer, applauding and cheering loudly as they gave Actor Ozai, still in his victory stance a standing ovation.

"Spirits..." Xiaodan rasped before turning in her seat and hiding her face against Zuko's chest, the former prince wrapping his arms around her as he stared at the stage in speechless disbelief. Aang swallowed thickly and looked away from the stage.

"That...wasn't a good play." Zuko muttered walked down the worn path away from the theater with Xiaodan at his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Terrible." The dualbender spat, slipping her arm around the former prince's waist and resting her head on his shoulder, her other hand grasping her brother's tightly.

"I'll say." Aang added flatly from his sister's other side, his hand held tightly in hers.

"No kidding." Katara muttered, crossing her arms and glaring at the ground as Suki added from behind her, "Horrible."

"You guys said it." Toph quipped with a scowl, stomping her feet as she walked beside Katara.

"But the effects," Sokka shrugged and waved his hand around matter-of-factly as he walked beside Suki, "We decent."

Xiaodan lifted her head to glare at the other teen over her shoulder, growling wordless at him. Sokka blanched and held his hands up in surrended.

"I mean it was terrible. Everything about it was absolutely terrible."

"Enter."

Azula stalked into the the throne room and kneeled before her father's dais with her head bowed, "Father," She smirked cruelly as she spoke, the maniac excitement at finally having everything she needed carefully hidden from her voice. She has spent the past two weeks since her attack on the Western Air Temple compiling all the information she'd found on the Airbender known as Xiaodan, having made sure previously that all her sources had been kept silent on the matter. And now all her careful gathering of information was going to come to fruition. "I have information regarding one of the Avatar's companions that you might find interesting."

Ozai's eyes narrowed with interest as he peered down at his daughter from behind the flames dancing in front of his throne. "Proceed."

Azula lifted her head and met her father's eyes, her lips twisting into a cruel smile. Yes, her plans were coming along perfectly