The sun began to rise over the rocky quarry located in the southeastern part of the Earth Kingdom, the faint rays barely peaking over the edge of the quarry to shine down on the four sleeping teens, sky bison, and lemur. As soon as the sunlight touched him, Aang woke up, an eager expression appearing on his face as he jumped to his feet.

"Today's the day!" He exclaimed excitedly as he jumped over Appa and twirled in the air before landing lightly on his feet near where Sokka was sleeping, "Can you believe it? After all this time searching for a teacher, I'm finally starting Earthbending! And this place, it's perfect, don't you think? Sokka?"

The Water Tribe boy grumbled in annoyance as he glared over his shoulder at Aang, upset at being woken up so early.

"Oh, you're still sleeping, huh?" Aang questioned obliviously and Sokka grumbled again as he pulled his sleeping bag over his head, "Sorry."

The ground suddenly began to shake and the earth tent on the other side of the abruptly disappeared back into the ground, revealing a chipper-looking Toph.

"Gooood morning, Earthbending student!" The blind Earthbender greet Aang loudly, waking up Katara and fully awakening Sokka, much to his annoyance.

"Good morning, Sifu Toph." Aang replied respectfully with a bow as Toph approached him.

"Hey, you never called me Sifu Katara..." Katara muttered in slight disappoint and Aang turned to look at her.

"Well, if you think I should..."

Sokka grumbled angrily and pulled his sleeping bag tighter over his head in an attempt to block out the sounds of his friends talking.

"Sorry, Snoozles, we'll do our Earthbending as quietly as we can." Toph said sarcastically then she Earthbended a rock under the Water Tribe boy, sending him flying into the air.

Sokka screeched as he went up in to the air then came back down, landing heavily on the ground with a grunt. Still in his sleeping bag, Sokka jumped to his feet and hopped over to Aang, mumbling incoherently at him before hopping over to Toph to the do the same. Continuing to mumble to himself, Sokka then hopped away from the other three, hoping to find a quiet place to sleep.

Aang blinked at Sokka's retreating form then bounced over to stand beside Toph.

"So what move are you going to teach me first? The rock-a-lance? The Trembler?" Aang asked eagerly as he gestured the moves with his arms, "Oh, maybe I could learn to make a whirlpool out of land!"

Toph shot her hand out and stopped Aang in the middle of his spin, "Let's start with...move a rock."

"Sounds good, sounds good." Aang said, his excitement not in the least bit dampened as he clapped his hands eagerly while Toph walked away.

"The key to Earthbending is your stance." Toph explained as she and Aang stood in front of two boulders then she took on a horse-stance, "You've got to be steady and strong. Rock is stubborn element. If you're going to move it, you've got to be like a rock yourself."

Aang stumbled slightly when Toph suddenly pushed him and he rubbed his side.

"Like a rock." He mumbled, still rubbing his side, "Got it."

"Good." Toph praised lightly, "Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple."

Toph moved out of her horse-stance and turned sideways, then she swiftly moved back into her horse-stance and thrusted her fist out, Earthbending the boulder in front of her into the canyon wall. She straightened and turned her head in Aang's direction.

"Okay, you ready to give it a try?"

"I'm ready." Aang said confidently as he turned sideways and shifted into a horse-stance.

Aang stared at the rock through narrowed eyes, his expression determined then he thrusted his fist out towards the rock in an attempt to move.

"Ahh!" Aang yelped as he was forced backwards into Appa's side, the boulder remaining perfectly in place.

"Rock beats Airbender!" Sokka called out in amusement from his perch several yard away from Toph and Aang, still wrapped in his sleeping bag.

'Iroh laughed as he ran up a hill with a small tree on it with his young son running after him, laughing loudly.

"I got you, Dad!" Lu Ten exclaimed as he pretended to Firebend at his father.

Iroh turned around and gasped, his hands coming up to grasp at his chest as he pretended to be hit and he fell onto the grassy ground. Lu Ten laughed happily and playfully jumped onto his father, causing Iroh to gasp in surprise. Lu Ten began to giggle manically as he sprawled out across his dad's stomach and Iroh began to laugh along with his young son.

Iroh bowed his head and closed his eyes as he sat in front of Lu Ten's tomb beneath the same tree on the hill they used to play on, the rain pouring down around him.

"My beloved it Lu Ten...I will see you again." Iroh murmured sadly as he opened his eyes and stared at the grave marker...'

"Uncle?"

Iroh opened his eyes slowly when he heard his nephew's voice, the memories of his son fading as he began to regain consciousness.

"You were unconscious." Zuko stated worriedly, "Azula did this. It was a surprise attack."

Iroh winced as pain flared on the right side of his chest and shoulder.

"Somehow, that's not so surprising." Iroh commented then groaned as he tried to force himself into an upright position.

Warm hands suddenly began helping him sit up and Iroh turned his head, staring in surprise when his gold eyes met mischievous orange orbs.

"Careful, I just changed those bandages." Xiaodan quipped lightly with a small grin on her face, though her eyes betrayed her worry and Iroh smiled gratefully at her.

"Xiaodan," Iroh exclaimed happily after the white-haired girl had helped him prop himself up against the wall of the depilated house they had taken refuge in, "I must say it is a pleasant surprise to see you again."

"It was a rather...unexpected turn of events." Xiaodan replied with a light chuckle as she folded her hands in her lap.

Zuko suddenly held a cup of tea out to his uncle, returning Iroh's attention to him. Iroh smiled in a pleased way and took the steaming cup.

"I hope I made it the way you like it." Zuko said as Iroh took a sip of the tea.

Xiaodan covered her mouth with a hand to hide the smile that was tugging at her lip as she watched Iroh's face contort into a grimace when he swallowed the tea.

"Mmm...Good." Iroh said then hurriedly down the rest of the tea and tried not to gag as he handed the cup back to his nephew, "That was very...uh...bracing."

Zuko smiled happily and took the cup then turned back to the small fire where the teapot was resting over. Xiaodan leaned forward slightly with a small apologetic smile on her lips.

"I'm sorry." Xiaodan whispered quietly, "I tried to make the tea, but he insisted."

Iroh smiled quickly at the white-haired girl in understanding then took the proffered second cup of tea Zuko was holding out to him. Zuko looked way to pour two more cups of tea and Iroh quickly tossed the tea in his cup over his shoulder and out the window behind him, much to Xiaodan's amusement.

"So, Uncle, I've been thinking." Zuko commented as he poured two more cups of tea and handed one to Xiaodan, who hid a grimace behind her hair as she took the cup.

"Thank you..." Xiaodan muttered, hesitantly staring at the steaming liquid in the tin cup and Zuko nodded in her direction before focusing his attention on his uncle again.

"It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced Firebending if I want to stand a chance against her." Zuko continued his train of thought then hurried to explain, "I know what you're going to say; she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her."

"No..." Iroh denied as he put the empty teacup on the ground beside him and placed his hands in his lap, "She's crazy and she needs to go down."

Zuko looked at his uncle in surprise and Xiaodan snorted into her cup as she pretended to drink Zuko's awful tea which she hurriedly put down when Iroh began to get to his feet.

"Iroh!" The Airbender chided lightly as she grabbed Iroh's elbow and helped him to his feet, "Be careful, you silly old man."

"I'll be fine." The older man said dismissively then faced his nephew, "It's time to resume your training."

Xiaodan sighed and threw her hands up in exasperation as Iroh led Zuko outside of the depilated house. The white-haired girl crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in annoyance before trailing after the two Firebenders, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"I don't understand what went wrong." Katara stated in confusion as she stood beside Toph next to the boulder that Aang was unable to move while the boy himself approached them, "He did it exactly the way you did."

"Maybe there's another way..." Aang said hopefully, "What if I came at the boulder from a different angle?"

"No!" Toph refuted his theory sharply, grabbing onto the collar of his shirt when he tried to walk past her, "That's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an Airbender. There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickety-trick that's going to move that rock. You've got to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this..."

Aang and Katara stared in surprise as Toph jumped up and slammed her head onto the boulder, completely shattering it.

"Whoa!" Aang gasped as he jerked backwards slightly in shock, then his shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment.

Katara glanced over at Aang's disappointed face then hurriedly ran after Toph, who was walking away from them.

"I've been training Aang for a while now." Katara said as she came up beside Toph and touched her shoulder, halting her in her tracks, "He really responds well to a positive teaching experience. Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction."

"Thanks, Katara." Toph replied as a smirk began to form on her lips, "A gentle nudge, I'll try that."

"Keep your knees high, Twinkle Toes!" Toph shouted at the top of her lungs a few moments later as Aang struggled to hold a rock on his back while Earthbended up the ground into small pillars beneath his feet.

Aang gritted his teeth as he spread his legs to keep his balance, turning one knee inward slightly. His eyes widened when the large boulder on his back caused him to the tip to the side and he stumbled in an attempt to get his balance back only to crash into ground with a yelp.

Toph rubbed her hands together quickly then pulled one arm back before thrusting it forward into the hard rock in front of her, her fingers easily digging into the rock. Aang watched her for a moment then turned to the rock in front of him. He quickly rubbed his hands together then thrusted one hand forward, only to cringe violently as his hand smashed into the hard rock.

Toph sighed quietly and led him out of the small overhang they had been standing up and back into the canyon.

Aang stood in his horse-stance, nervous sweat dripping from his forehead as he waited.

"Rock-like!" Toph shouted suddenly as she jumped out of the ground and landed beside Aang

"Ah!" Aang yelped in fright and fell onto his back, his eyes wide.

Toph's expression became flat and she kicked up a small earth pillar that pushed Aang back to his feet then she poked him in the head when he was standing next to her again, causing Aang to wince slightly.

Sokka grunted and struggled to grab his club back from Toph, but the blind girl was easily keeping the weapon away from him with one hand while her other was pressed against Sokka's face. Toph finally sighed and shoved Sokka away, causing him to stumble backwards a few steps. Sokka pouted and glared at Toph for a moment then stomped away from her and Aang.

Toph smirked slightly and handed the club to a blindfolded Aang, who took the club warily. Nodding once, Toph quickly walked over to a boulder and jumped on top of it, then she began Earthbended up small rock pillars while Aang tried to smash them with the club. Aang missed the first four rock pillars but was finally able to smash the fifth one that appeared in front of him, causing Toph to close her eyes and nod approvingly.

Toph jumped from the rock as Aang took of his blindfold and she moved to stand several feet across from him. Moving on to their next session, Toph Earthbended two tall walls of rock on either side of her and Aang, then she used Earthbending to draw a line in the dirt in front of her. Aang watched her warily then gaped in shock when Toph bended a suit of rock over her body, her blind eyes the only thing visible on her person. He gasped loudly when Toph in her rock suit began sliding across the ground towards and he quickly threw his hands up with a grunt when she reached him, pushing him back several feet before he was able push her backward towards the line she had drawn in the dirt. Toph pushed back which caused Aang to push against the rock suit harder until he successfully managed to push her several feet across the boundary line.

Toph let the rock suit fall off her body and she nodded on in approval again then she quickly lowered the rock walls to begin the next part of Aang's training. She led Aang over to a circular rock with a smooth top where she had him stand in the middle then she bended two pillars beneath his feet then she created a rock weight and tossed it up to him. Aang caught with both hands and looked down at his teacher expectantly.

"Toss it from hand to hand while keeping your balance."

Aang took a deep breath and began tossing the rock weight from hand to hand, while Toph stared blankly up at him. Fifteen minutes passed and Toph moved to stand in the middle of the two pillars while Aang continued to toss the rock weight back-and-forth.

"Rock-like!" She barked loudly then used Earthbending to shake the pillars.

Aang held the rock weight with both hands, a determined expression on his face as he held a solid stance without losing his balance. He looked at Toph curiously when she appeared next to him on another rock pillar then he smiled happily when she nodded in approval.

In a different part of the canyon, Sokka perched in a tree and stared down at the little animal innocently munching on a patch of grass below him.

"You're awfully cute, but unfortunately you're made of a meat." Sokka quipped to himself as he gestured with his machete, "Just a bit closer..."

The animal moved to another patch of grass closer to the tree and Sokka jumped from the tree with a shout, his machete raised above his head. The Water Tribe boy grunted when he landed in a crack that was in the ground, the little animal standing in front of him. The animal blinked then stepped closer to Sokka, its little tail wagging happily as it sniffed him,

"Gotcha!" Sokka exclaimed after a moment and raised his machete above his head again, only to sink up to his shoulders into the crack.

Sokka struggled for a moment then glared at the little animal, pointing an accusing finger at it.

"You are one lucky little meat creature." He stated then scowled when the little animal crouched and began wagging its tail playfully at him, causing Sokka to huff.

"Xia would be laughing her head off if she saw this..."

"Lightning is a pure expression of Firebending, without aggression." Iroh explained wisely as he sat across from his nephew while Xiaodan sat to his right a tea kettle boiled over a small fire in front of them, "It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other Firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind."

While Iroh spoke, Xiaodan silently picked up the tin kettle and poured the hot liquid into Iroh's clay teapot then she poured the tea into three cups. She quietly handed on cup to Iroh then held the second one out to Zuko.

"I see." Zuko said quietly in understanding as he took the cup, "That's why we're drinking tea, to calm the mind."

"Oh yeah, good point!" Iroh exclaimed with a grin after he took a sip of his tea then he quickly corrected himself, "I mean, yes."

Xiaodan giggled quietly and took a sip of her drink, resisting the urge to shake her head at the old man. The three finished their tea in companionable silence then Iroh stood, gesturing for Zuko to follow him as he walked out of the depilated house towards the cliff edge that overlooked the valley where the abandoned village he had been wounded in was. Xiaodan got to her feet and shuffled forward to sit on the porch in a cross-legged position while Zuko trailed after his uncle.

"There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang." Iroh continued to explain, folding his hands in front of his chest for a moment before looking at his nephew and holding up one finger then another finger of the opposite hand, "Positive energy and negative energy. "

"Only a select few Firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance." Iroh described as he turned to face Zuko fully, gesturing with his hands as Xiaodan wander a little closer, "The energy wants to restore balance, and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together. You provide release and guidance, creating lightning."

Iroh gestured for Zuko to take a few steps back then Zuko and Xiaodan watched with anticipation as Iroh turned to face the cliff edge and began making circular motions with his arms, lightning sparking at his fingertips. A few seconds later, Iroh thrusted his hand outward and lightning shot from his fingertips away from him, Zuko and Xiaodan.

"I'm ready to try it!" Zuko said eagerly as he stared in awe in the direction his uncle had shot the lightning.

"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it." Iroh instructed as he began to gently massage his bandaged shoulder and Xiaodan stepped forward to inspect it worriedly, "You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first."

Xiaodan stopped her worried inspection and shifted to look at Zuko as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes before exhaling. The white-haired girl watched alongside Iroh as the banished prince performed the same circular motions Iroh had a moment ago then Zuko thrusted his hand forward, but instead of generating lightning, he created an explosion that launched him backwards over to where Iroh and Xiaodan were standing.

Iroh closed his eyes and shook his head in vague disappointment while Xiaodan kneeled beside Zuko, her caring nature forcing her to make sure he was alright, though he snarled and pushed her away from him angrily. Xiaodan huffed once and crossed her arms over her chest, fixing a heated glare on the scarred teen as he got to his feet.

"This time we're going to try something a little different." Toph stated as she stood at the bottom of the canyon with Aang and Katara later that day to continue Aang's Earthbending training, "Instead of moving rock, you're going to stop a rock. Get in your horse-stance!"

Aang hurriedly shifted into his horse-stance and Toph nodded once then pointed up at the steep slope with a boulder at the top.

"I'm going to roll that boulder down at you." Toph said calmly as Aang stared up at the boulder in horrified shock, "If you have the attitude of an Earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock. Like this!"

Toph moved into her own horse-stance beside Aang and stretched her arms out towards the steep slope, her palms facing outward.

"Sorry Toph," Katara apologized as she interrupted and Toph straightened to face her, "But are you really sure this is the way to teach Aang Earthbending?"

"I'm glad you said something. Actually there is a better way." Toph replied then took Aang's cloth belt from his waist and blindfolded him with it, "This way, you'll actually have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you, Katara."

"Yeah, thanks, Katara." Aang stated sarcastically as he turned his head to look at the dark-haired girl.

Katara giggled nervously, a sheepish smile on her face as Toph Earthbended herself to the top of the canyon beside the boulder. The dark-haired Waterbender hurriedly walked several feet away, her hands clasped worriedly to her chest as Momo perched on her shoulder, his head peaking over her own.

Toph pushed the boulder down the slope towards Aang, who was facing it with a worried and nervous expression on his face. Katara gasped quietly and covered her mouth with her hands and Momo pinned his ears against his head and crouched down further while Toph merely stood at the top of the slope and crossed her arms as the boulder rapidly approached Aang.

Aang clenched his teeth and nervous sweat dripped down his face as he listened and felt the boulder's approach. The boulder was almost upon him and at the last second, Aang swiftly jumped into the air, the boulder rolling past harmlessly. Katara let her hands and she watched with a slight frown as the boulder rolled past her and slammed into the opposite canyon wall with a loud crash. Aang landed beside the trench the heavy boulder had made and pulled off his blindfold just as Toph ran up to him, her nose nearly touching his.

"I guess I just panicked." Aang hurried to explain as Toph glared at him, "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say, you blew it!" Toph shouted angrily then she pushed him down, "You had the perfect stance and the perfect form. But when it came right down to it, you didn't have the guts!"

"I know." Aang murmured as he hung his head in disappointment, sitting cross-legged on the ground, "I'm sorry..."

"Yeah, you are sorry." Toph snapped derisively as she got in Aang's face, "If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you can at least give it the pleasure of smashing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face the rock like an Earthbender?"

"No," Aang replied with an ashamed expression, "I don't think I do."

"Aang, it's no big deal." Katara said reassuringly as she approached and put her hands on Aang's shoulders, "You'll take a break and try Earthbending again when you're ready. Besides, you still have a lot of Waterbending to work on. Okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Aang stated gratefully as he got to his feet and let Katara lead him away from Toph.

"Yeah, whatever, go splash around until you feel better." Toph snarked scathingly as Katara and Aang walked away, "Xia would have had what it takes to stop that rock!"

Aang flinched slightly and hung his head further slightly, silently wondering if Toph was right. Even though his sister had been raised the same way he had been, she had always been the more brazen one.

Xiaodan calmly sat beside Iroh as they watched Zuko try and fail to generate lightning for what seemed like the hundredth time, the smoke from the explosion billowing up towards the sky.

"Why can't I do it?!" Zuko demanded angrily as he clenched his fist then he turned to look at Iroh, "Instead of lightning it keeps blowing up in my face...like everything always does."

Xiaodan frowned slightly at the despondent tone in the usually proud teen's voice.

"I was afraid this might happen." Iroh sighed as he got up and approached his nephew with Xiaodan watching him from the beside the house, "You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you."

"What turmoil?" Zuko demanded angrily and Xiaodan couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly at that.

"Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame at all." Zuko replied stubbornly and stared at his uncle, "I'm as proud as ever."

"Unfortunately..." Xiaodan muttered drily to herself and rolled her eyes again.

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source." Iroh explained sagely, "True humility is the only antidote to shame."

"Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately..." Zuko murmured, turning away from his uncle with a miserable expression on his face.

Iroh looked off to the side for a moment then looked back at his nephew when an idea hit him.

"I have another idea. I will teach you a Firebending move that even Azula doesn't know." Iroh stated then grinned widely when Zuko turned to look at him curiously, "Because I made it up myself."

Zuko gave his uncle a small, grateful smile and Xiaodan blinked.

'He should smile more often...' Xiaodan thought to herself then flushed slightly and shook her head to rid herself of those silly thoughts.

"You probably think I deserve this, don't you?" Sokka, still stuck in the hole, asked the little animal rhetorically as it curled on the top of his head and peered down at him, "Look, I'm sorry I hunted you, but that's just the natural order of things. Big things eat smaller things, nothing personal. But this time it didn't work out that way."

The little animal yawned widely and turned a circle on Sokka's head then began rubbing at its face with a paw.

"I admit it, you're cute." Sokka commented as the animal cleaned its face, "Okay, you convinced me, if I get out of this alive, it's a karmacally correct, vegetarian existence for me. No meat, even though meat is so tasty."

Sokka stared sadly at nothing as the little animal hopped off his head and disappeared behind some bushes. A fly suddenly began buzzing around his head and Sokka attempted to swat at it, then groaned when it landed on his forehead. His dismayed expression suddenly brightened when he saw the little animal running towards him and he lifted his head, the fly buzzing off from the sudden movement. The little animal stopped a foot or so away from Sokka and dropped the apple it was carrying in its mouth on the ground then it used its nose to nudge it towards the trapped boy.

"Hey, looks like my karma's already paying off!" Sokka said happily as the apple stopped several inches from him, "That's okay, I got."

Sokka wiggled around a bit until he managed to pull his boomerang from the sheath on his back, then he tossed it towards the apple, where it landed with a dull thud beside it.

"Now, come back boomerang." Sokka ordered as he pointed at the weapon, which didn't move and the little creature began to wag its tail again.

A frog rested calmly on a rock in a small pond in the canyon then it croaked loudly when it was suddenly picked up. Momo held the frog curiously as it croaked and began to wiggle until it managed to slip out of Momo's grip and hop back into the water. Momo screeched in protest and leaned forward, waving his hands around in an attempt to grab the frog again, only to lose his balance and fall face first into the water with his tail sticking straight up.

Several yards away, Aang and Katara stood in the pond, Waterbending a single glob of water back-and-forth between each other in a circular motion.

"You know this block you're having is only temporary, right?" Katara asked carefully as she moved the water back towards Aang.

"I don't want to talk about it." Aang muttered in reply, passing the glob of water back to her.

"You do realize that's the problem, don't you?" Katara stated calmly, "If you face this issue instead of avoiding it-"

"I know, I know, I know, I know!" Aang interrupted with a shake of his head as he let his hands fall to his sides, causing the glob of water to fall back into the pond and he turned away from Katara, "I get it, alright? I need to face it head on like a rock, but I just can't do it. I don't know why I can't, but I can't."

"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" Katara questioned gently.

"I guess it's earth."

"That's why it's so difficult for you to get his." Katara explained easily, "You're working with your natural opposite. But you'll figure it out. I know you will."

Katara smirked and reached behind, breaking off a piece of the reed behind her.

"Think fast!" She called out suddenly as she threw the reed at Aang.

Aang's eyes widened momentarily and he quickly bended up a wave of water that sliced the reed in half before it could hit him. Katara smiled and put her hands on her hips, a proud expression on her face.

"Excellent." She praised him, "You have the reflexes of a Waterbending master."

"Thanks, Katara." Aang said with a smile then he bowed to her, "Sifu Katara."

Katara smiled and bowed back.

Xiaodan sat cross-legged on the cliff edge several feet away from Iroh and Zuko, her back to the valley below as she listened to Iroh instruct Zuko. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply as she meditated to the sound of the older man's soothing voice.

"Fire is the element of power." Iroh stated as he stood before his nephew and drew the symbol for Firebending in the dirt with a long stick then drew a box around the symbol, "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want."

"Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth King are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring." Iroh said as he drew the symbol for Earthbending then he started drawing the symbol for Airbending, "The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom."

Zuko glanced away from his uncle over to where Xiaodan was meditating several feet away, seeming to be ignoring him and his uncle.

"Also, they apparently had a pretty good sense of humor!" Iroh commented with a grin as he looked at his nephew, who turned back to stare at him blankly and Xiaodan chuckled quietly under her breath.

Iroh's amused expression turned serious again and he continued his explanation of the four bending elements.

"Water is the element of change." He stated then drew the Waterbending symbol, "The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

Zuko stared at the four symbols then looked up at his uncle, "Why are you telling me these things."

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale." Iroh stated then drew two lines that divided the four insignias into separate sections, "Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole."

As he finished speaking, Iroh drew a circle around the four insignias to demonstrate what he was saying.

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff." Zuko commented and Xiaodan opened her eyes to look at him warily.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful, too." Iroh replied calmly then he smiled slightly, "You see the technique I'm about to teach you is one I learned by studying the Waterbenders."

Xiaodan cocked her head curiously at that then she shrugged and returned to her meditation, her thought drifting to what her brother and friends were doing. She hoped they were okay.

Aang sat cross-legged on a flat rock in the canyon with his eyes closed as he tried to meditate, the sun beginning to set behind him while Momo slept by his feet. Toph suddenly came over and sat behind him on the rock, a small bag in her hand.

"Aang, I found these nuts in your bag. I figured you wouldn't mind." Toph stated as she held the bag of nuts up for Aang to see, "And besides, even if you did, you're too much of a pushover to do anything about it."

Aang pursed his lips slightly and glanced over his shoulder at the blind girl.

"As a matter of fact, I don't mind. I'm happy to share anything I have." He stated calmly then closed his eyes to return to his meditation.

"You know, I'm really glad you feel that way." Toph said slyly as she turned and held up Aang's staff, twirling it slightly, "Because I also have this great new nutcracker."

Aang blanched and turned his head just in time to see Toph slam the end of his staff down on a nut, effectively cracking it open.

"Actually, I prefer if you didn't-" Aang started then cringed when she slammed the staff down on another nut, "That's an antique, handcrafted by the monks-"

Another crack and Aang's voice rose an octave, "It's a delicate instrument!"

"It's not the only delicate instrument around here." Toph quipped as she popped nut in her mouth while Momo perched on her arm and ate some of the other nuts in her hand.

Toph wiped her mouth then stood and began walking way, hitting Aang's staff off the rocks as she walked. Aang scowled at her retreating back then turned faced forward again, pressing his knuckles together.

"Ohm..." He muttered as he tried to continue meditating.

"Hey Aang, have you seen-"

"Meditating here!" Aang cut Katara off, his brow furrowing in annoyance.

"It's important." Katara stated then continued when Aang turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, "It's almost sundown and Sokka isn't back yet. I think we should search for him."

"We'll find him faster if we split up." Aang said as he Airbended himself to his feet then jumped off the rock in one direction while Katara ran in another.

"Okay, karma person or thing, whoever's in charge of this stuff. If I can just get out of this situation alive, I will up meat and sarcasm. Okay?" Sokka pleaded slightly as the little animal yanked on his warrior's wolf tail until it managed to rip the band out of his hair, "Ow!"

Sokka stared up at the sky and continued pleading with the universe, "That's all I've got. It's pretty much my whole identity. Sokka, the meat and sarcasm guy. But I'm willing to be Sokka, the veggies and straight talk fellow. Deal?"

Aang suddenly appeared several feet in front of him and Sokka's expression brightened.

"Aang! Thank goodness!" The trapped Water Tribe boy exclaimed happily, "Have you got any meat?"

"Sokka!" Aang shouted in relief as he ran towards the older boy and stopped in front of him, "Are you okay?"

Without waiting for a reply, Aang grabbed Sokka's hands and tried to pull him out of the crack he was stuck in.

"Aggh, stop, stop!" Sokka protested loudly, "You're going to pull my fingers off and I don't think the rest of me is coming!"

Aang stopped pulling on his hands and rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmm...I bet I can Airbend you out of here."

The young Airbender took a deep breath and brought his hands up to his chest then he thrusted them downward, sending a powerful gust of wind into the crack but Sokka remained trapped. Sokka grunted as his boomerang and machete came down and smacked the top of his head.

"Seriously Aang, I know you're new at it, but I could use a little Earthbending here." Sokka said desperately, "How about it?"

"I can't..." Aang replied ashamedly as he looked away from Sokka, "I can't do it.'

"Well, if you can't Earthbend me out of here, go get Toph."

"I can't do that either."

"You can't?" Sokka asked in confusion and exasperation, "Why not?"

"I would just be really...uncomfortable." Aang replied without looking at the older boy.

"Uncomfortable?" Sokka parroted in disbelief then continued sarcastically, "Well, I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable..."

"Thanks, Sokka." Aang said gratefully, Sokka's sarcasm going right over his head as he sat down beside the trapped boy and wrapped his arms around his knees, "This whole Earthbending thing really has me confused. There's so much pressure. Everyone expects me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position."

"Awkward position, I think I know the feeling." Sokka commented drily, wiggling his hands slightly.

"If I try, I fail." Aang continued despondently, "If I don't try, I'm never going to get it. I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place."

"Hmm...How 'bout that." Sokka muttered then sighed when the little animal suddenly returned and he gestured towards it with his hand, "Aang, this is my friend, Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang."

"Awww," Aang cooed as he got to his feet and picked up the little animal, "What a cute name for a baby sabertooth moose-lion cub."

"Really? He looks nothing like a sabertooth moose-lion cub." Sokka said in slight surprise as he looked up at the cub.

"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in." Aang explained as held the sabertooth moose-lion cub in his hands, "Whatcha doing out here, little guy? Did you lose your mama?"

The cub blinked at him, its tongue sticking out of the side of its mouth slightly.

"Grrr-aar!"

Aang's eyes widened and he turned his head to stare nervously at the large mother sabertooth moose-lion that was standing behind some short bushes behind him and Sokka. The mother sabertooth moose-lion growled then roared again.

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A Waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them." Iroh explained as he and Zuko made a pushing and pulling motion that Xiaodan had seen Katara use while Waterbending, "I learned a way to do this with lightning."

Zuko stopped and smiled slightly in eagerness at his uncle, "You can teach me to redirect lightning?"

Xiaodan quirked an eyebrow and she looked up at Iroh curiously from her sitting position a few feet away from the two Firebenders. The white-haired girl jumped to her feet nimbly and walked closer to Zuko and Iroh, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." Iroh explained, nodding slightly at Xiaodan when she came to a stop beside Zuko, "You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach."

Zuko and Xiaodan watched intently as Iroh raised his left arm diagonally, two fingers pointing outward while he dragged his left hand up his arm to his shoulder then to his stomach.

"The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi." Iroh stated then he smiled slightly and patted his rounded belly, "Only in my case it is more like a vast ocean."

Iroh laughed at his joke and Xiaodan giggled along with him. Zuko gave them both a blank look and they stopped laughing. Iroh's face became serious again and he moved back into his previous position, his left arm raised diagonally while his right hand pointed at his stomach.

"From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm." He continued to explain how to redirect lightning then he raised his right arm diagonally from his body to demonstrate what he meant.

"The stomach detour is critical." Iroh stated firmly as he lowered his arms and approached Zuko and Xiaodan then he pressed two fingers to his nephew's chest, right where his heart was, "You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly."

Zuko looked down at his chest then back at his uncle, a grave and understand expression on his face. Xiaodan smiled slightly, unable to stop herself from admiring the sheer tenacity that the grouchy prince displayed. Not that she'd ever tell him that she actually admired something about him, his ego was big enough.

"You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathways', like this." Iroh suggested then began to demonstrate.

He shifted into a horse stance, raising his left arm diagonally with two fingers pointing outward while raising right arm parallel to his left. Zuko shifted into a similar position and after a moment of consideration, Xiaodan did as well. Iroh gave a short nod of approval then dragged his right hand down his left arm towards his shoulder and down to his stomach, turning his body slightly as he thrusted his right arm diagonally upward, his fingers pointing outward while Zuko and Xiaodan easily mimicked his motions simultaneously. They repeated the motion in the opposite direction and Xiaodan grinned when she felt her energy almost following her motions.

"Now, are you focusing your energy?" Iroh asked as he began to slowly do the motion again, "Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?"

Xiaodan hummed in agreement as she let her body flow through the motions, feeling her chi flowing with her.

"I think so..." Zuko muttered, slightly unsure as he continued practicing, his eyes closing briefly as he concentrated on his energy.

"Come on, you've got to feel the flow." Iroh stated with a smile as he began doing a wave like gesture with his arms.

Xiaodan laughed lightly and Zuko rolled his eyes, though his lips twitched slightly in amusement and the three of them continued practicing for several more minutes as the sun began to set in front of them.

"Excellent!" Iroh praised as he dropped his arms and straightened, "You've both got it!"

Zuko and Xiaodan straightened and bowed respectfully to Iroh.

"Great!" Zuko said eagerly as he straightened from his bow, "I'm ready to try it with real lightning!"

"What, are you crazy?" Iroh asked in surprise and Xiaodan gave Zuko a look that clearly said she thought he really was crazy, "Lightning is very dangerous!"

"I thought that was the point!" Zuko stated matter-of-factly, "You teaching me to protect myself from it!"

"Yeah! But I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh exclaimed in exasperation and worry then he turned his back on Zuko, his hands clasped behind him, "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all!"

Xiaodan watched as Iroh walked back towards the depilated house then she turned to look at Zuko, who was scowling darkly as he stared at the encroaching storm clouds in the distant.

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning." The banished prince snapped as he stomped over to the ostrich-horse.

Iroh closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly as his nephew rode away, towards the storm clouds. Xiaodan pursed her lips slightly as she watched Zuko disappear around a couple rocks then she turned to Iroh and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't get himself killed." She muttered then walked over to where her glider was leaning against the depilated house's porch.

"Thank you." Iroh replied gratefully as the white-haired girl snapped her glider and took a running start then jumped into the air, soaring in the direction Zuko had gone in.

"Hey there," Aang said nervously to the enraged mother sabertooth moose-lion then he held her cub out to her, "We found your cub!"

The sabertooth moose-lion cub wailed slightly and its mother's black eyes narrowed in on Aang. The young Airbender swallowed quietly then placed the cub on the ground and it ran underneath its mother, disappearing into the bushes behind her.

See, we have no problem with you! We're friendly!" Aang said in an attempt to sooth the angry sabertooth moose-lion mother, who roared then shook her head angrily.

"Aang, this is bad!" Sokka exclaimed as he peered over his shoulder at the enraged animal, "You've got to get me out of here!"

The mother sabertooth moose-lion gave a short roar then charged at Aang and Sokka, the latter screaming in terror. The mother animal got closer to them and Aang quickly Airbended the charging animal over their heads, her claws just grazing the tips of Sokka's hair. The sabertooth moose-lion landed on her feet and skidded across the dirt then she whirled around and roared at the two boys again.

"This is really bad!" Sokka stated in a high-pitched voice as he looked over his shoulder at Aang, "Please, Aang, you have to Earthbend me out, there's no other way!"

Aang looked away then took a deep breath, his expression becoming determined. He quickly shifted into a horse-stance then tried to Earthbend Sokka from the hole he was stuck in, but nothing happened. Sokka glared up at him slightly and Aang gave him a sheepish smile, then both of them blanched when the sabertooth moose-lion roared again. Their eyes went wide as the mother sabertooth moose-lion began pawing at the ground in preparation to charge again.

"Oh no!" Aang gasped and he quickly jumped onto a tall rock a few feet away from Sokka, "Woo-hoo, look at me!"

The Airbender began dancing atop the rock in an effort to distract the sabertooth moose-lion, but she only spared him a brief glance before turning to look at the still trapped Sokka. The Water Tribe boy paled considerably when the sabertooth moose-lion roared again then charged towards him. Aang quickly stopped dance and jumped off the rock, knocking the sabertooth moose-lion to the side with a gust of air just before she reached a terrified Sokka.

"Please, don't leave me again." Sokka pleaded, his eyes wide and his face pale as he looked over his shoulder at Aang, who was standing protectively between him and the enraged mother animal.

"I won't." Aang promised as he stared at the sabertooth moose-lion.

The sabertooth moose-lion growled then charged again and Aang shifted into a firmer stance, his arms raised in preparation as he stood his ground against the enraged mother animal. The sabertooth moose-lion lowered her head as she approached and prepared to gore the two boys. At the last second, Aang thrusted his fists forward and sent a powerful blast of air at the sabertooth moose-lion, sending her flying several yards away. The sabertooth moose-lion rolled to her feet and shook her head once then trotted away into the bushes. Aang slumped forward in relief then whirled around when he heard someone clapping him.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka demanded as he stared at Toph sitting atop a rock several feet away from him and Aang.

"Just enjoying the show." The blind girl replied flippantly with a small smirk.

"What?" Aang demanded as he straightened and his brow twitched slightly in annoyance, "You were there the whole time?"

"Pretty much."

"Why didn't you do something?" Aang shouted angrily as he pointed accusingly at Toph, "Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could have gotten him out and helped us get away!"

"Guess it just didn't occur to me." Toph responded lightly as she tossed a nut on the ground and prepared to crack it with Aang's staff.

"Enough!" Aang barked as he stormed over to her and yanked his staff out of her hands, "I want my staff back!"

Toph stood and jumped from the rock to land in front of Aang, "Do it now!"

"What?" Aang demanded in annoyance as he looked slightly down at the blind girl in front of him.

"Earthbend, Twinkle Toes." Toph clarified then poked Aang in the chest, "You just stood your ground against a crazy beast. And even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff."

"But-"

"Do it!" Toph ordered, cutting him off before he could doubt himself.

Aang quickly leaned his staff against the rock then slammed his foot onto the ground and thrusted his arm forward, sending boulder into the canyon wall.

"You did it!" Toph exclaimed proudly, "You're an Earthbender."

"I can't believe it!" Aang gaped in disbelief as he as stared at the destroyed rock he had just Earthbended.

"Awww, this is a really wonderful, touching moment." Sokka snarked sarcastically from his trapped position in the ground, "So could you get me out of here so I can give you both a big, snuggly, hug?"

"No problem, Sokka!" Aang said happily as he prepared to Earthbend his friend out of the ground, only to be stopped by Toph.

"Actually, you should probably let me do that." Toph said in explanation, "You're still a little new to this. You might accidently crush him."

"Yeah, no crushing, please." Sokka mumbled worriedly.

Toph quickly stomped her foot, kicking up the ground beneath Sokka's feet which pushed him a foot or so out of the whole he was trapped in then she grabbed him by the hair and yanked him the rest of the way before letting him fall onto his stomach.

The three walked back to the section of the canyon where they had made camp as night began fall, Aang supporting Sokka while Toph held Aang's staff.

"You found him!" Katara cried out happily as she ran towards the three then embraced her brother tightly after Aang had let him go and Momo leapt onto the Airbender's shoulder with a happy chitter.

"The whole time I was in that hole, not knowing if I was going to live or die." Sokka said quietly as he looked at his sister tiredly, "It makes a man think about what's really important. I realize-"

"Hey Katara, look what I can do!" Aang interrupted Sokka then Earthbended a rock from the ground and slammed it into the canyon wall.

"You did it! I knew you would!" Katara said happily then leaned down to whisper to Toph, "You tried the positive reinforcement, didn't you?"

"Yep, it worked wonders." Toph replied gleefully then she addressed Aang, "Xia would be proud of you, Twinkle Toes."

Aang beamed joyfully at her praise and he turned to Appa.

"Appa, Appa, I can Earthbend now!" Aang exclaimed excitedly as he shifted into a horse-stance in front of the sky bison, "The key is being completely rooted. Physically and mentally unmovable!"

Appa grumbled and licked roughly, sending the bald boy flying a few feet where he landed on his chest with his legs sticking up behind him. Sokka started laughing hysterically, clutching at his stomach as he pointed Aang's sprawled out form. Aang pushed himself up and rubbed his head as he laughed along with Sokka.

Zuko stood at the top of a small cliff and glared at the storm clouds in front of him while the storm raged around him.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me! Well, I can take it and now I can give it back!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

The banished prince glared at the gray clouds and lightning flashed, briefly lighting up the gray clouds but lightning strikes didn't come near him.

"Come on, strike me!" Zuko roared as loud as he could as the storm raged around him, "You've never held back before!"

His eyes shifted from side-to-side, but no more lightning flashed across the sky and Zuko closed his eyes tightly as tears began to stream down his cheeks. He screamed wordlessly at the sky then fell to his hands and knees as the rain continued to pour around him. His shoulders shook slightly as he continued to cry when warmth suddenly enveloped him and he unconsciously leaned into the embrace.

Zuko lifted his head and his breath caught slightly in his throat when his gold eyes met familiar molten orange orbs. Xiaodan stared back at him with a soft expression on her tanned and tattooed face then she purposefully looked away, letting him keep his pride intact even as he took the comfort she silently offered with her embrace.