Footsteps echoed throughout the narrow, confined structure of the corridors. A heat permeated within the very air that was in direct contradiction to the cold, eerie stillness of amongst the burning torches and flickering shadows. Upon reaching the cell where a recumbent man of long, grisly black hair and tattered clothes lay against the far wall, the footsteps silenced.

The man's eyes shimmered with unconcealed loathing and a twisted smirk glared at the source of the footsteps. "Back again so soon? I'd imagine the ruler of an entire nation would have much more important matters to deal with than visiting me in this filth of a prison cell. Or have the weight of your undeserved position finally make you realize how much of a weak, pathetic wretch you are?"

Zuko snorted hotly, fixing the man a cold glare. "Hardly. It's amazing how a network of trusted friends and confidences can pull you through even the most difficult of situations. But you wouldn't understand any of that, would you?"

Ozai exhaled from his nostrils sharply and turned away in contempt. "Hmph. Support beams for the weak. Equally as brittle."

Zuko almost rolled his eyes as he stooped down to Ozai's level, gold eyes flashing dangerously. "You know why I'm here, now talk."

Ozai chuckled darkly. "Do I, now? I'm afraid you're making undue assumptions of my memory." He said nothing more, merely fixed him a discourteous stare.

Zuko glowered at him in return, and the air between them seemed to distort and vibrate subtly more intensely.

"You think you're so clever, that this'll be your final descent against me that I can never hope to brunt. But just because you dangle it before me, doesn't mean I'll take the bait."

He slowly rose to his full height, staring at the man coldly. "There are ways to make a man squeal."

Ozai grinned at him wickedly. "Why, Fire Lord Zuko, you would even resort to unseemly methods? I wonder what your subjects and friends would think of you if they knew."

Zuko bared a toothy grin. "Please, just what are you insinuating? Torture? As if."

He motioned to the guards outside. They nodded and disappeared from view briefly, and brought with them more footsteps.

"Remember what I said about friends?" Zuko questioned, "I've got one that has a seven-inch skull, but oddly enough, ideas tend to pop out of his brain at the most opportune times. His name is Sokka. You'll need to know that when you're cursing his name and mine."

Just as the Fire Lord finished speaking, a group of bizarre looking humans dressed in loose, peculiar clothing and wearing ridiculous ornaments appeared next to the scarred teen.

The apparent ringleader of the group was a man who had eyes that were drooping as much as his body stance with unregulated hairs sticking out to and from. In his arms, he held an uncommon music instrument that Ozai couldn't quite recognize—wait, a pipa?

"Whoa," the apparent ringleader expressed, "dark and creepy, maaan. Kinda reminds me of a song. Now how did it go…?"

"W-wait," Zuko interjected, "not yet."

He gestured to the guards, and one of them hastily unlocked the sturdy, iron gate to allow the Fire Lord to scurry outside, and sealed it upon Zuko's crossing, leaving only Ozai and the assemble of strange creatures.

Ozai blinked.

"Okay," Zuko said through the peephole, "you can go ahead now. By the way, that man in the, um, lounge is a fan of folksongs."

A twinkle flashed across the ringleader's unfocused eyes. "Really? Well, I've got just the song for you……."

"—and so the singing groundhogs daaaanced—uh, wait, Lily, how did that part go again?"

"ZUKOOOOO!!" Ozai screamed wrathfully, face lodged between the bars of his cell, "IF YOU'VE EVER THOUGHT OF ME AS A FATHER, YOU WILL KILL ME!!"

"Tell me where Mommy is, and I'll make it stop!!" Zuko demanded through the peephole.

"NEVER!!"

"Suit yourself!! Hey, Chong! Secret tunnel!!"

"Uh? Oh, yeah. I think I remember something like that. Secret tunneeeeeeelllll…secret tunneeeeeeelllll……"

"AAAARRRGGGHHH!!"

AN: Welp, that's it. I'm finished with this. As in, forever. Goodbye.