Xiaodan darted into the teashop and dove behind the counter, waving sheepishly at Iroh's stunned and surprised look.

"Xia, what are you going here?" The former Fire Nation general asked in confusion as he looked at the white-haired girl's blushing face, "Today is yours and my nephew's day off, remember."

Xiaodan coughed and rubbed the back of her head, a nervous giggle escaping her as she avoided meeting Iroh's eyes.

"Well, um, you see, I was just so bored and didn't know what to do, so I figured I'd help you out." She explained quickly as she jumped to her feet and grabbed her apron, tying it around her waist.

Iroh eyed her curiously, taking in her blushing face and the way she kept glancing at the front door every few seconds.

"Did something happen between you and my nephew, Xiaodan?" He asked interestedly and a smile began to spread across her face when her fading blush returned much darker than before.

"No!" Xiaodan replied hurriedly, waving her hands in front of her as she shook her head, "No, no, of course not. I mean, nothing out of the usual happened between us. You know, him being grouchy and me making fun of him..."

She stopped rambling and coughed awkwardly into her fist, staring off to the side to avoid looking at the knowing smile that Iroh was currently giving her.

"Well, uh, yeah, I'm just gonna-" Xiaodan started to say only to stop a moment later when the front door of the teashop was thrown open and Zuko appeared in the doorway, "Oh monkey-feathers!"

"You!" He shouted as he stomped towards her, ignoring the strange looks the customers and Iroh were giving the two teens, "I need to talk to you."

Xiaodan quickly backed away from with her hands held up pacifyingly in front of her, "Um, yeah, well, I suddenly remembered there was something I had to do. Bye, I-Mushi!"

Xiaodan quickly corrected herself and she waved to a very bemused Iroh and darted into the backroom of the teashop, slipping out the backdoor and into the alley while ignoring Zuko's shouts for her to stop. She was just about to duck into the street when warm fingers wrapped around her wrist tightly and she squeaked in surprise as she was spun around, her wide molten orange eyes meet Zuko's narrowed golden ones.

"Er...Hi?" She stuttered, giving him a sheepish smile and she tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp, "Can I have my arm back?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

Xiaodan cleared her throat and waved her free hand in a flustered attempt at nonchalance, her cheeks darkening as she blushed at his blunt question.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Firebug." Xiaodan replied with a poor attempt at casualness.

"Don't avoid the question, Xiaodan!" Zuko snapped as he scowled down at her in annoyance.

The two stood in silence for several moments, neither one willing to back down on the matter. The banished prince stared at her with narrowed eyes as she ducked her head and mumbled something unintelligible under her breath. He narrowed his eyes further when she glanced up at him from under her messy bangs and the way her cheeks had darkened with her blush.

"What was that?"

"I don't know, okay!" Xiaodan snapped loudly as she lifted her head up to glare at him, "I don't know why I kissed you, it just kinda happened. I guess it could it was because I like you or maybe I have Midnight Sun Madness, though I'm not sure you can get that anywhere but in the South Po-"

Warm lips cut her off mid-ramble and Xiaodan stared into Zuko gold eyes in surprise, the kiss an almost comical role reversal from earlier. The two pulled away and stared at each other unsurely, neither sure what to do now. Xiaodan ducked her head slightly and looked up at him from under her lashes, feeling uncharacteristically shy after what had just happened. Zuko cleared his throat and looked off to the side, trying to will away the blush burning his cheeks.

"So..." Zuko trailed off self-consciously and he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, his other one still holding onto Xiaodan's wrist.

Xiaodan smiled slowly, reassured that she wasn't the only feeling a little insecure and unsure about what was happening between them. The white-haired Airbender bit her lip and reached out, gently touching his scarred cheek, causing him to flinch slightly and look at her wide eyes. Xiaodan smiled sweetly at him, her orange eyes glittering with their usual mirth and mischief as she looked up at him, her hand still resting lightly on his cheek.

"Wanna go get something to eat?"

"Uh, sure."

Xiaodan smiled again and let her hand fall from his face then she slid her other wrist from his loosened grasp, lacing their fingers together. Zuko stared at the back of her head with an unreadable expression on his face as she led him out of the alley and into the street, his thoughts whirling around what had just happened and what it meant for the two of them.

Iroh smiled softly as he watched his nephew and young Airbender friend as they awkwardly avoided each other's gaze as they moved around the teashop, serving the customers. He found it infinitely amusing to observe the two as they tried to act indifferent around each other, while stealing glances at each other. The former general wasn't quite sure what exactly happened between the two teens on their day off a few days ago that caused them to act so strangely around each other, though he did have a few suspicions. He was happy for them both either way.

Xiaodan gasped quietly when she bumped into Zuko, who had turned around after placing the clean teacups on to the shelf. His hands came up and covered hers as he steadied the tray she'd been holding, his gold eyes catching hers.

"Sorry." Xiaodan mumbled awkwardly as she ducked her head and looked up at him from under her messy bangs, "Um...I should go put these in the back..."

"Right..." Zuko replied slowly and he let her hands go, stepping to the side so the white-haired Airbender could slip past him and he watched her as she disappeared into the back room where the tea was prepared and the dishes were cleaned.

Iroh chuckled lowly and Zuko turned his head to glare at his uncle, his brows furrowing as he grabbed another tray with a fresh pot of tea and stomped into the front of the teashop to serve the tea.

"What's his problem?" Xiaodan asked Iroh curiously as she reappeared, smiling briefly at a customer as he placed a couple of coins on the counter, "Thank you, sir. Please come again soon."

Iroh smiled slyly at the young white-haired girl as she grabbed a rag and began cleaning the counter, "Oh, I don't know. I think he might be having girl troubles."

Xiaodan made a choked noise of surprise and she cleared her throat, causing Iroh to chuckle. The former Fire Nation general patted her shoulder as he passed her and disappeared, leaving her to gape at his back before she shook her head and went back to cleaning.

In a completely different part of the city, Sokka hummed idly as he laid on the raised platform in the house he shared with Aang, Katara, Toph, and Momo in the Upper Ring, drawing pictures of Appa for the missing posters. Toph was sitting nearby with her hands behind her head and one leg resting on her bent knee, Momo licking her foot.

Aang and Katara suddenly burst in to the house and ran over to their two friends with ecstatic expressions on their faces.

"We found a printer to make our posters!" Katara exclaimed cheerfully and she held out the professionally done missing poster with a detailed picture of Appa on it while Aang pointed eagerly at the poster.

"Hey! I thought designing the lost Appa poster was my job." Sokka whined with a small pout, "I've been working all day on my Appa!"

He held up his crudely drawn picture of Appa and Katara covered her mouth to stifle her laughter while Aang ran his hands down his face.

"Sokka, the arrow is on Appa's head." The young Avatar pointed out exasperatedly as he looked at the picture.

"This is his head." Sokka deadpanned flatly.

Katara grabbed the picture and gave it a confused look, "Why are feet coming out of it?"

"Those are his horns!" Sokka snapped as he snatched his picture back then he stared at for a moment and sighed, "I haven't seen him in a while, okay?"

"It looks just like him to me!" Toph called out mockingly as she bobbed her foot slowly and Sokka beamed at her.

"Thank you, I worked really-" Sokka started only to stop when he remembered that Toph was blind, "Why do you feel the need to do that? As if being teased by Xia wasn't enough, I have to deal with you too..."

Toph just smirked while Katara giggled quietly.

"Let's just stick with the professional version." Katara suggested mildly while trying not to smile when Sokka angrily ripped up his drawing.

"C'mon!" Aang said excitedly as he pulled out a bunch of pamphlets and held them up, "Let's get busy! The soon we get spread these around the sooner we can find Appa, and if Xia's in the city, she'll know where we are if she finds one of the fliers!"

Momo climbed onto Aang's shoulder and the young bald boy left a bunch of the fliers in the house then he ran outside. He hands Momo a few fliers then the lemur leapt into the air, Aang snapping his glider open a moment later. The two worked together to drop dozens of the posters all over Ba Sing See.

Iroh smiled faintly as he poured three nicely dressed gentlemen a cup of tea each then he wandered over to serve another customer while the three men drank their tea. The three men smiled at each other then stood.

"So, you're the genius behind this incredible brew." The nicer dressed man exclaimed as he and two other men approached Iroh, "The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well."

Iroh smiled serenely at the man, "Good tea is its own reward."

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward." The man replied with a grin, "How would you like your own teashop."

"My own teashop?" Iroh asked in shock, unwittingly catching Pao's attention as he stopped conversing with another customer, "This is a dream come true!"

Pao rushed forward to stand between the three men and Iroh, "What's going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea-maker?"

Xiaodan paused in serving a customer some tea to glance over at Iroh and the men with a curious expression, her head tilted slightly to the side. She flashed a smile at the customer she was serving then moved over to stand slightly beside Iroh.

"Sorry, Pao, but that's business for you." The man replied lightly with a smug smirk, "Am I right?"

"Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you assistant manager." Pao said then hurriedly came up with a better offer, "Wait, senior assistant manager!"

Xiaodan looked at Pao then back at the finely dressed men before her curious gaze rested on Iroh, who was looking a little starstruck. Shrugging to herself, the white-haired girl wandered over to help Zuko as he cleared a table of the cups and teapot on it, taking a rag out of her apron so she could wipe the table down. The scarred teen glanced over at the female Airbender before going back to what he was doing.

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring." The man offered easily, causing Zuko and Xiaodan to glance at him over their shoulders, both now more interested in the conversation, "The teashop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom."

"I even get to name the shop?" Iroh asked eagerly, little stars practically appearing in his eyes.

"Of course!"

"Uh, senior executive assistant manager?" Pao tried one last time, only to hang his head in defeat when Iroh handed him the teapot he'd been holding.

Iroh bowed to the man, agreeing to his terms. Zuko shuffled past them with Xiaodan moving to stand beside Iroh while Pao walked sadly towards the back of the shop.

"Did you hear, nephew? Xia?" Iroh asked Zuko eagerly as the banished teen paused, "This man wants to give us our own teashop in the Upper Ring of the city!"

"That's right young man, young lady," The nobleman said as he looked from Xiaodan to Zuko, "Your lives are about to change for the better."

"I'll try to contain my joy." Zuko deadpanned sarcastically as he placed the tray of cups on a table and stormed out of the shop, slamming the door behind him.

Xiaodan sighed in exasperation then smiled and bowed politely to the nobleman, "Thank you, sir, it is very kind of you."

Zuko scowled as he stomped outside and leaned against the wall of the teashop by the door, his arms folded over his chest. His eyes narrowed when a paper fluttering on the breeze and he reached out, catching it easily. Zuko stared at it for several moments then his eyes widened and he looked up at the sky, stepping in the middle of the street to see if he could catch sight of whoever had dropped the flyer. Not seeing anything, he climbed to the top of a nearby building, his eyes narrowing when he saw several of the fliers falling to the ground. He looked around for any sign of the Avatar then he looked back down at the flyer, a determined expression appearing on his face.

"Zuko?"

The banished prince's eyes widened slightly and he tucked the flyer into his shirt just as Xiaodan jumped onto the rooftop beside him.

"What are you doing up here, Firebug?" She asked curiously as she walked over to him, her head tilted slightly to the side.

"Nothing."

Xiaodan stared at him for a moment in confusion then shrugged and walked around him, giving him a teasing smile as she stood in front of him.

"Well, hurry up Firebug, your uncle and I are going to need help packing up the apartment." She said then lithely hopped off the roof.

Zuko stared after her then he pulled the flyer from his shirt and glared down at it, determination burning in his gold eyes.

Sokka and Katara were playing a game of Four Nations while Toph was lying on the floor and tossing a ball at the wall when Aang finally burst into the house after dropping all of his fliers across the city with Momo.

"I just finished dropping all of the leaflets." Aang said excitedly as he rushed over to the table where the Water Tribe siblings were playing while Momo flew to sit beside Katara, "Has anyone come in with news about Appa?"

"It's only been a day." Katara commented as she concentrated on the tiles in her hands, "Just be patient."

Aang huffed and sat down, folding his arms on the table and resting his chin on them. A knock suddenly sounded and he jumped up excitedly.

"Wow, you're right! Patience really pays off!" He shouted as he ran to the door and opened, his happy expression becoming confused when he saw who was at the door, "Joo Dee?"

"Hello Aang, and Katara, and Sokka, and Toph." The woman greeted slowly as she stepped inside the house while Katara, Sokka, and Toph walked towards the door.

"What happened to you?" Sokka asked curiously as he came to a stop a foot or so away from the strange woman with Katara and Toph on either side of him, "Did the Dai Li throw you in jail?"

"What? Jail?" Joo Dee asked in confusion then she smiled at the four teens, "Of course not. The Dai Li are the protectors of our cultural heritage."

"But you disappeared at the Earth King's party." Toph pointed out confusedly.

"Oh, I simply took a short vacation to Lake Laogai, out in the country." Joo Dee replied lightly with a dismissive wave of her hand, "It was quite relaxing."

"But then they replaced you with some other woman who also said her name was Joo Dee." Katara stated, now feeling even more confused as Sokka looked at the woman suspiciously.

Joo Dee looked at Katara in surprise, "I'm Joo Dee."

"Why are you here?" Aang cut in quickly and he looked at Joo Dee with slightly narrowed eyes.

Joo Dee smiled and pulled one of the fliers out of her sleeve, showing it to the four, "Dropping fliers and putting up posters isn't permitted within the city. Not without proper clearance."

"We can't wait around to get permission for everything." Sokka commented firmly as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared slightly at the woman.

"You are absolutely forbidden by the rules of the city to continue putting up posters." Joo Dee recited and she smiled blankly.

"We don't care about the rules and we're not asking permission!" Aang shouted angrily as his face began to turn red and he forced Joo Dee to back out of the house, "We're finding Appa and Xia on our own and you should just stay out of way!"

He slammed the door in her distressed face, his face still red from angry as he glared at the closed door.

"That might come back to bite us in the blubber." Sokka quipped idly from behind the younger boy.

"I don't care!" Aang snapped then he took a deep breath as he started calming down, "From now we do whatever it takes to find Xia and Appa!"

"Yeah, let's break some rules!" Toph cheered as she lifted her arms ecstatically then she turned and took out a side of the house with Earthbending.

Unbeknownst to the four teens, two Dai Li agents watched as Momo flew out of the newly created whole in the side of the house, while Aang, Katara, and Sokka rushed out the house from the house roof across the street. The two glanced at each them slid down the roof to inform Long Feng.

"I'm very disappointed in your work with the Avatar and his friends, Joo Dee." Long Feng commented calmly as he sat in front of the woman he had originally assigned to keep an eye on the Avatar and his friends in the library, "I had hoped that you would be able to control this situation."

"I am so sorry, but they don't trust me anymore." Joo Dee replied in a distressed tone and her eyes began tearing up, "I don't think I can keep working like this!"

Long Feng looked at the sobbing woman impassively, "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

Almost immediately the woman stopped sobbing and her pupils dilated, nearly covering her whole iris.

"I am honored to accept his invitation."

"Good." Long Feng said with a small nod, "Now go await further orders."

Joo Dee stood and shuffled over to the library doors, passing the two Dai Li agents standing guard as if they weren't even there. Long Feng waited until the doors closed behind her then he stood and moved to stand in front of the fireplace, picking up a scroll as he went.

"If the Avatar keeps searching for his bison, it could upset the delicate balance we've worked so hard to achieve in this city." Long Feng stated as he stopped in front of the fireplace, the light from the green flames dancing across his face, "It could even cost us control of the Earth King."

"Should we take care of him?" One of the Dai Li agents asked impassively.

"No." Long Feng denied easily as he looked at the scroll in his hand, "It's much too dangerous for us to confront him directly. Let's see if we can still handle this quietly."

"Where's Xia?" Zuko asked after he had entered the apartment he, Xiaodan and his uncle would be moving out of and he looked around for the white-haired girl.

Iroh glanced up from where he was packing things away in preparation for the move, smiling faintly at his nephew, "I sent her to grab some groceries for our new place."

"So, I was thinking about names for my new teashop." Iroh continued speaking as he paused in his packing, "How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it."

Zuko ignored what his uncle was saying as he walked towards him, taking the flyer from his shirt and showing it to his uncle, "The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison."

"We have a change for a new life here." Iroh said slowly as he looked at Zuko, who had moved to stand by the window after his uncle had taken the flyer and looked it over , "If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us."

"Good things that are happening to you!" Zuko snapped angrily as he whirled around to scowl at his uncle, "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?"

"Do you not see the blooming relationship between you and Xia as a good thing, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked calmly then he continued, "There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life and why."

Zuko pursed his lips and turned away from his uncle to stare out the window again, not wanting to acknowledge the thing between him and the white-haired Airbender,

"I want my destiny."

"What that means is up to you." Iroh replied wisely, watching as Zuko walked further into the apartment, then his face brightened as another name for the teashop came to mind, "The Tea Weevil!"

The former Fire Nation General frowned and shook his head, "No, that's stupid."

Neither of the Fire Nation men were aware of the female Airbender standing outside the apartment door, her orange eyes staring blankly at the door in front of her after hearing the end of Iroh's and Zuko's conversation.

Sokka brushed the glue on the wall then put up the poster, Toph leaning against the building beside him while Katara and Aang put up more posters.

"We'll split up to cover more area." Sokka said after he finished putting up one of the posters and he turned to look at Toph, "Toph, I guess you should just come with me."

"Why? Because you think I can't put up posters on my own?" Toph demanded and she angrily took the paintbrush of glue from Sokka, roughly brushing some glue on the wall then slapping one of the posters onto the glue. Unfortunately, the poster was backwards.

"It's upside-down, isn't it?" Toph asked with a sigh and she handed Sokka the brush back, "I'll just go with Sokka."

Sokka patted her shoulder and the group went separate ways, Toph following the older Water Tribe sibling.

Katara hummed quietly as she put up a poster on a short, stone water tower beside a canal.

"Katara?"

The dark-haired Waterbender gasped and whirled around at the familiar voice, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously when she saw Jet stepping out of a nearby alley.

"Katara? I think I can help you." Jet said as he approached her, only to gasp when she bended the water from the canal and launched it at him, "Katara, I've changed!"

The wave hit the brown-haired teen and threw him back into the alley he'd just come from. Katara ran forward and bended the water remained from the wave she created.

"Tell it to some other girl, Jet!" She spat angrily as she turned the water into ice then she threw the ice shards at him.

Jet quickly brought up his hook-swords and deflected the ice shards, stumbling backwards as he did so.

"I don't want to fight you, I'm here to help!" He pleaded with her and he dropped his swords on the ground.

Katara stared at him in surprise, looking at the swords then him and her stance relaxed slightly. She tensed again when Jet reached for something behind his back and she quickly fired more ice shards at him, pinning him to the wall behind him.

"Katara!" Sokka called out as he, Aang, and Toph ran towards her, "What is it?"

"Jet's back." Katara replied as she straightened and glared at the trapped boy, "We can't trust anything Jet says."

"But we don't even know why he's here!" Sokka protested as he looked between his sister and Jet in confusion.

"I don't care why he's here!" Katara retorted angrily, still feeling spiteful after what happened between her and the Freedom Fighter, "Whatever the reason is, it can't be good!'

"I'm here to help you find Appa!" Jet exclaimed and he opened his hand slightly, the missing Appa poster unfurling.

"Katara, we have to give him a chance." Aang stated calmly as he looked at the dark-haired girl.

"I swear, I've changed!" Jet pleaded, trying to prove to the group that he had changed, "I was a troubled person and I let my anger get out of control, but I don't even have the gang now! I've put all that behind me!"

"You're lying!" Katara shouted furiously, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides.

Toph sighed and walked forward, putting her hand on the wall Jet was pinned too, "He's not lying."

Sokka looked at the bling girl in confusion, "How can you tell?"

"I can feel his breathing and heartbeat." Toph explained easily, "When people lie, there's a physical reaction. He's telling the truth."

"Katara, we don't have any leads." Aang implored the dark-haired girl, "If Jet says he can take us to Appa, we have to check it out."

"Alright." Katara agreed with a small nod then she turned to glare at Jet angrily, "But we're not letting you out of our sight."

Xiaodan stared at the flyer in her hand then looked up at the large house in front of her, taking in the ruined wall. She tucked the flyer into her tunic and walked towards the large hole where she jumped lithely into it, a smile beginning to form as she touched the broken stone.

"Toph." Xiaodan mumbled and she shook her head fond amusement before walking into the main hall of the house, taking in the emptiness of it, "Well, Aang and the others were definitely here, but it looks like they left in a hurry..."

The white-haired Airbender frowned and put her hands on her hips as she stood in the middle of the raised area at the back of the main hall after exploring the entire house. Voices suddenly reached her ears and Xiaodan quickly slipped out the window she was standing in front of, somersaulting across the ground and landing in a crouch. Creeping back towards the window, Xiaodan peeked over the sill and watched with narrowed eyes as two Dai Li agents escorted five men into the house.

"Cover this and start repairs, Long Feng wants it to be repairs as soon as possible." One of the Dai Li agents ordered brusquely, "He wants no evidence of the destruction the Avatar's friend caused."

The five men bowed and the two Dai Li agents left. Xiaodan pursed her lips and slunk away from the house, keeping low to the ground until she was far enough away, then she snapped open her glider and took to the air.

"What kind of trouble have you gotten into, little brother?" She muttered to herself as she flew back to the new apartment she was sharing with Iroh and Zuko in the Upper Ring.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph followed Jet to an abandoned warehouse not too far from where Katara had attacked the brown haired teen.

"This is the place I heard about." Jet stated as he lead the group into the warehouse.

Aang ran forward and looked around eagerly, his expression falling a moment later, "There's nothing here."

Katara bended the water out of her canteen threateningly, "If this is a trap-"

"I told you, I work nearby!" Jet exclaimed in exasperation, "Two guys were talking about some giant furry creature they had, I figured it must be Appa!"

"He was here!" Toph suddenly shouted from where she had crouched down and she stood, showing the others the clump of Appa's fur she had picked up.

"We missed him..." Aang mumbled despondently as he took the fur and gently touched it.

"They took that big thing yesterday." An old man commented flatly as he swept the stone floor of the warehouse, "Shipped him out to some island. About time, I've been cleaning up fur, and various, uhh...leavings all day."

Aang darted over to the man with a hopeful expression, "What island? Where's Appa?"

"Foreman said some rich royal type on Whale Tail Island bought him up." The old man replied as he stopped sweeping for a moment, "Guess for a zoo or such. Though, could be the meat that'd be good."

"We've got to get to Whale Tail Island!" Aang said urgently then he paused and his tone became dejected again, "Where's Whale Tail Island?"

"Far, very far." Sokka responded in dismay as he looked at his map then he put it on the ground, the others gathering around him, "Here it is. It's near the South Pole, almost all the way back home."

"Aang, it will take us weeks just to get to the tip of the Earth Kingdom." Katara said gently as she looked at the young Airbender, "And then we'll need to ding a boat to get to the island. Plus what about Xia, we still haven't found her either."

"Xia would understand, Katara. We have a change to find Appa! We have to try!" Aang retorted passionately.

"Xia?" Jet questioned, but was ignored when the old man spoke up as he swept past them.

"Must be nice to visit an island. I haven't had a vacation for years."

Katara whirled around to glare at the man, "Don't you have some more hair to clean up?"

"Shuffle on, I get you." The old man sighed and continued to sweep, "No more need for Old Sweepy."

"You're right, Aang, right now our first concern has to be finding Appa." Katara stated as she turned to look at the young Airbender again, "We can come back and look for Xia when he have him."

Aang nodded tensely in agreement.

"Alright, let's get moving." Sokka said after he had rolled up his map and tucked it away then he began leading the group out of the warehouse.

"I'll come with you." Jet offered hurriedly as he rushed to walk beside the Water Tribe boy.

"We don't need your help!" Katara snapped angrily from behind Sokka and Jet, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Why won't you trust me?" Jet asked in mild exasperation as he walked out of the warehouse with Sokka and Aang.

"Gee, I wonder." Katara muttered drily with a huff and she looked off to the side.

Toph turned her head slightly towards Katara, "Was this guy your boyfriend or something?"

"What?" Katara gasped in outrage and she blushed, "No!"

"I can tell your lying..." Toph replied in a sing-song voice, a smile spreading across her face.

Katara gaped at her then huffed again before running to catch up with the boys, causing Toph to laugh louder as she trailed after the other girl.

"We can take the train out to the wall, but then we'll have to walk." Sokka commented as he led the group, plus Jet through the city.

"Don't worry, on the way back, we'll be flying!" Aang said excitedly, a happy smile on his face.

"We're finally leaving Ba Sing Se." Toph quipped happily from the back of the group and she tossed her arms in the air, "Worst city ever!"

"Jet!"

Katara stopped and turned around, her eyes narrowing when she saw Smellerbee and Longshot running towards them.

"I thought you said you didn't have your 'gang' anymore!" She snapped accusingly, glaring angrily at Jet.

Jet spun around and looked at Katara then Smellerbee in confusion, "I don't!"

Smellerbee collided with Jet and wrapped her thin arms around him in a tight hug, Longshot following her at a slower pace.

"We were so worried about you!" The short-haired girl gasped and she pulled way to look at the older boy in confusion, "How did you get away from the Dai Li?"

"The Dai Li?!" Katara squawked in shock, her face paling slightly.

"I don't know what she's talking about!" Jet exclaimed in confusion and he looked at Katara almost pleadingly.

"He got arrested by the Dai Li a couple of weeks ago." Smellerbee explained after she had stepped away from Jet, "We saw them drag him away!"

"Why would I be arrested?" The shaggy haired teen demanded, "I've been living peacefully in the city."

Toph crouched down and put her hand on the ground, "This doesn't make any sense. They're both telling the truth."

"That's impossible." Katara denied in a bewildered tone.

"No, it's not!" Sokka remarked loudly, pulling everyone's attention to him, "Toph can't tell who's lying because they both think they're telling the truth. Jet's been brainwashed!"

"That's crazy! It can't be!" Jet snapped and he glanced to the side as the others began closing in on him, "Stay away from me!"

Later that night, a Dai Li agent patrolled the streets quietly, his hands folded in the sleeves of his robes.

"Out of my way, skinny!" A man suddenly snapped as he roughly shoved the Dai Li agent when he ran past him.

The Dai Li agent scowled and lifted his hands, preparing to use his rock gloves, but the disguised man darted into an alley. The agent ran after the man and quickly launched his rock gloves when he saw what looked like the man that had run into him. One of the rock gloves struck the figure's chest and the other hit the figure's head, knocking it clean off and causing the figure to slump to the side.

"Huh?" The agent muttered in confusion then he stiffened when he felt cold metal press against his neck.

"If you don't want to end up like him, you'll do what I say."

The Dai Li agent gulped quietly, sweat forming at his brow.

Xiaodan tilted her head and watched as the mysterious Blue Spirit was led out of the alley by the Dai Li agent he'd captured a moment ago. The white-haired Airbender pursed her lips and stealthily followed after the Blue Spirit and the Dai Li agent, keeping to the rooftops and the shadows.

"The Dai Li must have sent Jet to mislead us, and that janitor was part of their plot too!" Katara exclaimed as she, Sokka, Aang, Toph, Smellerbee, and Longshot stood surrounded a seated Jet in Smellerbee's and Longshot's apartment.

"I bet they have Appa here in the city." Aang said eagerly, "Maybe he's in the same place they took Jet! Where did they take you?"

"Nowhere!" Jet replied exasperatedly, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"We need to find a way to jog his real memories." Aang suggested slowly as he tapped his chin in thought.

"Maybe Katara should kiss him." Sokka quipped with a smirk, "That should bring something back!"

"Maybe you should kiss him, Sokka!" The dark-haired Waterbender snapped angrily at her brother, steam practically coming from her ears.

"Hey, just an idea!"

Aang scowled faintly, "A bad one..."

"Ohh, wait! I got it!" Sokka crowed and he ran toward the mattress in the corner, taking a piece of straw from it and sticking it in Jet's mouth.

"I don't think it's working..." Jet muttered then spat the piece of straw out.

"Try to think of something from your past that triggers your emotions." Toph suggested from where she was standing beside Katara with her arms crossed.

"The Fire Nation!" Smellerbee gasped and she took a step towards Jet, "Remember what they did to your family!"

"Close your eyes." Katara instructed softly, "Picture it."

Jet sighed and closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as sweat began to form on his forehead as he remembered his village burning before his eyes when he was younger.

"No!" The brown haired teen hissed and he snapped his eyes open again, "It's too painful."

Katara moved until she was standing behind Jet and she quickly bended some water from her canteen.

"Maybe this will help." She said as she put her water-covered hands near Jet's ears, using healing to help clear his mind.

Jet closed his eyes slowly, inhaling sharply as his mind was assaulted with images.

'A large lake, the blue water reflecting the sunlight and in the middle of the lake stood Long Feng with his hands clasped behind his back and an impassive expression on his face. Long Feng stared at him and Jet was abruptly being submerged under the lake and into an underground room. He was strapped down to a chair and a Dai Li agent stood in front of him, a lit lantern spinning repetitively around his head...'

"They took me to a headquarters under the water." Jet said slowly as his mind cleared and he looked up at the other teens, "Like a lake!"

"Wait!" Sokka exclaimed as a thought occurred to him and he held up a finger, "Remember what Joo Dee said? She said she went on vacation to Lake Laogai!"

"That's it!" Jet agreed eagerly as he got to his feet, "Lake Laogai."

"So where's this secret headquarters?" Sokka asked as he, Aang, Katara, Toph, Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot stood at the edge of Lake Laogai the next morning.

"Under the water, I think." Jet replied and his brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the calm water of the lake.

Toph pointed to the side, "There's a tunnel right there by the shore."

The others watched curiously when she started to whistle as she walked to the edge of the shore a few feet away then she jumped up slightly and thrusted her fists in the air, Earthbending up a slab of rock with a closed, circular entrance at the end. The blind girl jerked her fists upward again and Earthbended the rock covering the entrance out of the way, then she and the rest of the teens walked over to the whole and peered down. Momo chittered and leapt off Aang's shoulder, flying away.

The group glanced at each other, then one by one, they each climbed down the tunnel. Jet peered around the corner then nodded at the others, signaling that the coast was clear and the seven teens began walking down a long hallway.

"It's all starting to come back to me!" Jet whispered as he looked around the hallway, the group sneaking past a room where a member of the Dai Li was brainwashing group of women.

"I'm Joo Dee." The Dai Li agent stated slowly, "Welcome to Ba Sing Se."

"I'm Joo Dee." The group of women chorused blankly, "Welcome to Ba Sing Se."

"We're so lucky to have our walls to create order."

"We're so lucky to have our walls to create order." The women repeated, their voices as blank as their gazes.

Sokka shuddered and shook his head as he quietly snuck past the room after the others.

"I think there might be a cell big enough to hold Appa up ahead." Jet commented and the group came to a stop in front of a large door, "I think it's through here!"

He reached out and slowly opened the door.

Appa's eyes snapped opened and he stood with a growl when he heard his door open. He growled louder when he saw someone he didn't recognize standing in the doorway.

"Expecting someone else?" Zuko, disguised as the Blue Spirit asked coldly as he closed the door behind him and he unsheathed his swords, stalking towards the growling sky bison.

Xiaodan pursed her lips and looked around the Dai Li's underground headquarters, her orange eyes narrowed as she silently walked down the hall she thought she saw Zuko go down in. She tensed when she heard a noise come from around the corner and she quickly pressed her back against the wall, her staff held defensively in her hand. Xiaodan crouched and spun around the corner on the balls of her feet, swinging her staff and sending a crescent of air at the legs of the person who had been about to turn the corner.

The Dai Li agent went down with a small yelp and in a flash, Xiaodan was standing over him with her staff held threateningly to his throat.

"Where's the Avatar's bison?"

The young Dai Li agent swallowed quietly as he stared up into the white-haired girl's furious molten orange eyes.

Jet led the group into the large stone chamber, all of them looking around warily. Suddenly the door closed behind them and Sokka gasped as he and Smellerbee whirled around to look at it. Light abruptly filled the chamber and the seven teens looked up, staring in surprise and dismay at several Dai Li agents hanging from the ceiling above them, plus a few agents that were on the ground with Long Feng.

"Now that's something different." Sokka remarked faintly as he looked at the agents.

"You have made yourselves enemies of the state." Long Feng stated coldly as the teens began unsheathing their weapons or preparing to bend, "Take them into custody."

The Dai Li agents jumped off the ceiling and quickly surrounded the teens, two agents firing rock gloves at them, but Toph pushed herself to the front of the group and used Earthbending to break the gloves. She shifted her feet and lifted her fists, sending the two agents flying through the air with rock pillars a moment later.

Jet scowled and ran towards two other agents, breaking the rock gloves they launched at him with his hooks swords, then he slid across the ground and snagged one of the agent's ankles with the hook of his sword, yanking the agent of his feet.

Aang thrusted his fist towards another Dai Li agent, Airbending the man out of the way then he spun and did the same to a second agent, Two Dai Li sent their rock gloves at Sokka and Katara, who easily destroy them, but a second pair of rock gloves grabbed them and yanked them forward.

Toph quickly intervened by creating a wave of rock in front of the siblings, destroying the gloves then she spun around and faced the two Dai Li agents. The Dai Li agents sent their own wave at the blind girl, but Toph merely lifted herself on a large rock pillar, prompting the two agents to do the same while a third and fourth ran up the wall and Earthbended pillars from the wall straight at her. The blind Earthbender hit the first two Dai Li agents with two rocks then she leapt up and onto the two horizontal pillars the third and fourth agent launched at her, quickly knocking those agents of the pillars with two rocks when they charged her.

Toph was suddenly yanked off the pillar by a rock glove, which yanked her towards the ground, but before the Dai Li that had launched the rock glove could get her, Jet swung by and freed her. The Dai Li agent followed their movements and kicked the rocks on his feet them, but Longshot fired an arrow that destroyed the glove before it even reached Jet or Toph. Jet quickly let go of Toph, who flipped and landed on her feet behind Longshot while Jet landed in front of the archer, his hook-swords raised to hold off more of the Dai Li's rock attacks.

Aang snarled slightly as he knocked away two Dai Li agents with Airbending and he spotted Long Feng escaping thought a door which immediately closed after him.

"Long Feng is escaping!" Aang shouted and he and Jet ran after Long Feng, Aang easily Earthbending a hole in the wall.

They raced down another tunnel after the man and into another part of the headquarters, looking around for the man. Aang and Jet whirled around when they heard rock slid into place and they saw that Long Feng had sealed them in the chamber and was standing in front of them with a hard expression.

"Alright, Avatar, you've caused me enough problems." Long Feng snapped at Aang, "This is your last chance...If you want you bison back."

Aang scowled and pointed his staff at the man threateningly, "You do have Appa! Tell me where he is!"

"Agree to exit the city now, and I'll waive all charges against you and allow you to leave with your lost...pet." Long Feng replied coldly, a small smirk on his face.

Jet shifted into a fighting position with his swords raised, "You're in no position to bargain."

"Am I not?"

"You're definitely not!" Aang shouted back as he took an Airbending stance with his staff raised.

"Jet." Long Feng stated calmly, "The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

Jet's face suddenly went blank and his pupils dilated, "I am honored to accept his invitation."

Aang looked at the older boy in confusion then he yelped and ducked just in time to avoid having his head cut off by Jet's swords when he suddenly attacked. Aang gritted his teeth as he spun around Jet and lifted his staff defensively in front of him to fend another attack.

Zuko watched impassively through his mask as the Avatar's sky bison roared and stomped one foot, the chains around his six legs preventing him from reaching the banished prince.

"You're mine now." Zuko said then whirled around and assumed a fighting stance when the door suddenly opened behind him.

"Uncle?" Zuko questioned in confusion when he saw Iroh standing in the doorway.

"So, the Blue Spirit." Iroh mused with false thoughtfulness as the door slid shut behind him and Xiaodan, "I wonder who could behind that mask..."

Zuko sighed and took off the mask, "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Iroh stated and his voice began firm, "What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him? What about Xiaodan? What do you think she'll do when she finds out that you've taken her brother's bison?"

"Xia wouldn't be a problem because she wouldn't find out." Zuko replied flippantly as he turned back to look at the still growling sky bison, "But, first I have to get it out of here."

"And then what?! You never think these things through!" Iroh demanded furiously and he pointed at his nephew, "This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!" Zuko shouted as he whirled around to face his uncle again.

"No!" Iroh yelled right back, "If his friends hadn't found you, you have frozen to death!"

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!"

"Is it you own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"

"Stop it, Uncle!" Zuko shouted desperately and he turned back to the bison with his swords slightly raised, "I have to do this!"

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions." Iroh said, his voice lowering to a normal volume, though it was still just as firm as before, "Who are you, and what do you want."

Zuko's shoulders trembled slightly then he suddenly gave a wordless scream and threw down his dao blades and the Blue Spirit mask.

Xiaodan paused in front of the door the Dai Li agent had led her to, her orange eyes narrowed.

"For your sake, this better not be a trap." She said grimly then she abruptly swung her staff, catching the agent upside the head and knocking him unconscious.

Xiaodan dropped her staff and caught the young man before he hit the ground then she gently lowered him the rest of the way, propping him up against the wall in a shadowed corner.

"Sorry about that." The white-haired girl mumbled sincerely, picking up her staff and turning towards the door.

Xiaodan took a deep breath then exhaled it slowly as she reached out and opened the door.

"Oh monkey-feathers!"

"Jet, it's me, Aang!" Aang shouted as he ran away from the brainwashed Freedom Fighter after he dodged a swing from his hook-swords, "You don't have to do this!"

"I'm afraid he no longer has a choice." Long Feng remarked coolly, a cruel smirk on his face as he watched Aang continued to avoid Jet's swings.

Aang gasped and ducked another swing, quickly using Airbending to send the other boy back. Jet used his hook-swords to stop himself from going back any father and he panted, sweat beading at his forehead and his pupils still wide.

"Jet, I'm your friend!" Aang pleaded as he stepped forward and put a hand over his chest, "Look inside your heart!"

Jet closed his eyes and turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing deeply.

Long Feng narrowed his eyes and barked out, "Do your duty, Jet!"

"He can't make you do this!" Aang tried again, looking at the older boy desperately when Jet took a few steps toward him with his swords raised, "You're a Freedom Fighter!"

Jet froze abruptly and his eyes widened, a memory of Longshot, Smellerbee, Pipsqueak, Sneers, and the Duke assaulted his mind. The memory was rapidly followed by another one of him and Katara as they were pulled up to the Freedom Fighters' old hideout, then another of the other Freedom Fighters cheering as they sat down to eat together. Memories of him with Longshot and Smellerbee on the ferry to Ba Sing Se, of him sitting down with the teens he knew as Lee and Xin and Lee's uncle Mushi, him handing out food to the other refugees on the ferry, his village burning down, the orange light the Dai Li used to brainwash him, and finally coming to a stop on Long Feng's face just before he was taking to the secret headquarters.

"Do it!" Long Feng barked furiously, "Do it now!"

Aang watched as Jet suddenly spun around and threw one of his sword at Long Feng, only for the older man to sidestep the blade then launch an uplifted rock at him. The dust from Long Feng's attack cleared and Aang gasped when he saw Jet lying limply on the ground in front of the uplifted rock. The young Avatar quickly ran forward and dropped to his knees beside the older boy, his eyes worried.

"Foolish boy." Long Feng muttered as he Earthbended a pillar and lifted himself up to a pipe high in the wall, "You've chosen your own demise."

"I'm sorry...Aang." Jet rasped weakly after Long Feng had escaped into the pipe.

"Don't be." Aang replied sadly, glancing up when he heard the rock door slide up and the others rushed towards him and Jet, shocked and sorrowful expressions on their faces as they gathered around Jet.

Katara quickly kneeled beside him and tried to heal him, stopping a moment later with a dismayed expression, "This isn't good."

"You guys go and find Appa." Smellerbee whispered as she kneeled beside her friend, tears glimmering in her eyes, "We'll take care of Jet."

"We're not going to leave you." Katara protested weakly.

"There's no time. Just go." Longshot ordered calmly, speaking for the time as he looked at the others from under his straw hat and they stared at him surprise, "We'll take care of him. He's our leader."

"Don't worry, Katara." Jet said quietly as he looked up at the dark-haired Waterbender with a small smile, "I'll be fine."

Katara hesitated, but after a moment she, Aang, Sokka, and Toph stood and began walking away slowly.

Toph bowed her head, her voice full or sorrow as she whispered to Sokka, "He's lying..."

Smellerbee cried quietly as she kneeled beside Jet, Longshot standing guard beside her as he notched and arrow in his bow just in case.

Toph quickly opened the stone door to the cell Appa was supposed to be in and the group walked in, staring in dismay and surprise at the empty room.

"Appa's gone!" Aang cried out in despair, "Long Feng beat us here."

"If we keep moving, maybe we can catch up with them." Sokka suggested and the group run out of the chamber and back into the hall, none of them noticing the unconscious Dai Li agent leaning against the wall in the shadows.

Toph quickly found another way to exit the underground headquarters and she quickly Earthbended it up above the lake, destroying the stone door that was in the way. As the group ran down the beach, Aang glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened when he saw several Dai Li agents exiting the tunnel and running after them.

"You think we can outrun them?" Sokka asked when he noticed the Dai Li agents.

"I don't think it's gonna matter!" Aang replied back and he gestured in front of them where another group Dai Li agents, plus Long Feng, were standing several yards in front of them.

Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Katara slid to a halt and the Dai Li agents boxed them in, lifting up the ground in front and behind them while another group stood on the wall of the cliff to their left. Momo suddenly appeared and flew down to Aang, landing on his shoulder and chittering rapidly.

"What is it, Momo?"

Momo took off again and the four teen watched as he briefly disappeared in the glare of the sun before a loud roar could be heard and Appa came flying toward them.

"Appa!" Aang shouted ecstatically, watching with a gleeful smile as the sky bison barreled through the wall of rock the Dai Li had erected in front of and behind the teens, scattering the agents.

Aang and Toph quickly used Earthbending to knock the other agents off the cliff wall and into the lake while Appa flew back around and landed in front of Long Feng. The sky bison growled furiously as he crouched slightly in front of the man, his lips curled back to show his teeth.

"I can handle you by myself." Long Feng growled and he charged at Appa, but the sky bison grabbed his leg with his teeth and tossed him towards the lake, causing Long Feng to skip across the water a few times before disappearing under.

Appa snorted and spat Long Feng's shoe from his mouth, just before Aang leapt onto his face. Sokka, Toph, and Katara ran after the young Airbender, cheering and shouting happily as they embraced or touched the sky bison.

"Yeah!" Sokka cheered as he rubbed Appa's head, "Appa!"

Aang smiled as tears of joy slid down his face, "I missed you buddy."

Appa rumbled happily and closed his eyes, reveling in affection the teens were bestowing him.

Katara somberly looked over Lake Laogai as Appa flew over it after the group spent several moments celebrating the sky bison's return. She quickly wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes when she felt someone put their hand on her shoulder and she turned, giving Aang a watery smile. Aang smiled back at her sadly then gently pulled her into a group hug, all of them feeling Xiaodan's absence in that moment as they embraced.

Zuko climbed out of the main entrance to the Dai Li's secret headquarters, turning around and helping his uncle out a moment later.

"You did the right thing, nephew." Iroh said gently and he watched as Zuko took the Blue Spirit mask from his belt and looked at it, "Leave it behind."

Zuko sighed quietly and dropped the mask into the water, watching it sinking to the bottom of the leg. Suddenly, something hard hit the top of his head and he hissed, unsheathing his dao blades as he whirled around to face whatever or whoever attacked him. The scarred prince instantly straightened and dropped his arms to his sides, staring at Xiaodan's familiar tanned and tattooed face as she glowered at him.

"Xia?" Zuko questioned and he ducked just in time to avoid another hit to the head, "What was that for?!"

Iroh surreptitiously edged away from the two teens and turned his back, pretending not to pay attention to either of them, not that they really noticed since it seemed that they had forgotten he was there.

"That was for trying to kidnap Appa, you jerk!" Xiaodan snapped back with a scowl that smoothed out into a small smile a moment later as she took a step towards him, pressing a chaste kiss to his scarred cheek, "And that was for not kidnapping him. Thank you, Zuko."

Zuko opened his mouth to say then closed it a second later, bowing his head slightly instead while a small, almost nonexistent smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at her. Iroh watched them with a faint smile on his lined face then he turned away again