In a dark room in the royal palace in the Fire Nation capital, Prince Zuko tosses and turns in his sleep. Unable to beat the insomnia, he heads outside cloaked and hooded to a tower/prison. There he is spotted by a guard, he says nothing and silently turns away.
Later, the gang fly through the air on Appa who is disguised as a cloud. Once landed, they decided to blend in with their surroundings and steal Fire Nation attire from a near-by clothesline after they make camp in a cave, something that Sokka is not pleased about. In town, they buy some more accessories while heading to a meat stand for lunch. Aang would rather eat lettuce from the garbage than then consume meat and waits for the other outside. Guards come forward claim Aang is skipping school (he inadvertently stole school uniform from the clothesline). Without another word they drag him away. He is taken to a school and there finds nothing but discipline and strictness. After school, a girl named On Ji treats him kindly and he is invited to hang-out with some kids.
When he returns to the cave that night, they immediately round on him. Aang tells them what happened and expresses the wish to return, do to the normal childhood that his status deprive him of. Sokka immediately shoots him down but Aang gains his support by claiming they will be learning about a secret river that leads right to the Fire Lord's palace. They agree.
Elsewhere, Zuko returns to Iroh's prison where he is confronted by the guard from the previous night. Upon recognizing Zuko, the guard yields and Zuko orders him to say nothing of their encounter. In the cell Zuko has a one-sided conversation with Iroh in which he justifies his decision. Iroh is unresponsive, and Zuko storms out of the prison in anger.
The next day in school starts off badly for Aang, under the false name Kuzon. At the beginning of class he spoofs-up the oath to the Fire Lord thus earning a pop quiz from his teacher. In the quiz, he speaks out at a question which states that the Air Nomads had a standing army. In music class Aang dances to the beet of the song which gains unwanted attention from the instructor who states that dancing and other forms of self-expression or highly discouraged in the mainland. At the end of the day, after being complimented on his dancing by Onji, her paranoid boyfriend confronts him. Aang effortlessly dodges each blow to the point that the other boy beats himself up. The teachers find Aang standing while the boy lies on the ground half-conscience and ask to speak with his parents.
Aang's "parents" (Sokka and Katara) Chen and Saphire Fire speak with the headmaster who claims that if Aang slips one more time he will be sent to the coal mines. In the capital Zuko and Mai share a moment together before it's interrupted by Azula who uses reverse phsycology to get Zuko to admit he visited uncle. She says she'll keep it a secret and is actually looking out for him. She also warns him not to do anything foolish.
Back in the cave Sokka, acting very much like a father, scolds Aang and demands they leave. Aang protests and says he wants to help these kids who are forced to be servants to the Fire Lord. He wants to throw them a dance party. Once again he wins out and they set up for the party in their cave.
The school kids enter and are wary of dancing for fear of who will catch them. Aang coaxes them to dance by sampling classic Fire Nation dances. Impressed by his skills in dancing they begin to join him.
Zuko revisits Iroh in the prison and is still ignored, Zuko pours out his heart and frustration to his uncle but it falls on deaf ears. Angered, he leaves the prison and Iroh sheds a tear.
In the cave, Aang teaches a partner dance to the group with Onji which catches Katara's eye. Next Aang offers his hand to Katara who is nervously reluctant at first but Aang convinces her with a simple "Take my hand" They preform a synchronized martial arts dance in front of everyone. But the party is broken up when Onji's boyfriend leads the headmaster to the cave. The other kids give Aang cover as he escapes.
Once safe, Toph and Sokka congratulate Aang on his party and Katara thanks him for the dance with a kiss on the cheek. Elsewhere Zuko hires an killer known as the Combustion Man to kill the Avatar whom he believes is still alive.
