*Asami's P.O.V.*

It was a start of a good morning, and Iroh, Zuko, Kai and I were in the dining room drinking tea. After the news of Zhao becoming Admiral, Zuko was been a little down lately. Even more than usual. I tried to cheer him up, but it always ended up with him sulking about not having captured Aang yet and then to us screaming at each other for it. Him wanting to capture Aang and me not wanting Zuko to capture my brother.

But today, Iroh suggested that we all sit together and have a nice, relaxing cup of tea. "Ah!" Iroh exhaled with big smile after taking a sip of tea. "See Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well-being." He said and started pouring tea in each of our cups, Kai's cup getting poured first. Kai yipped his thanks and started drinking his tea out of his small tea cup. "Thank you Uncle Iroh!" I said with a smile and took a sip of tea before moaning when I tasted the delicious tea.

Feeling in a cheerful mood today, I was dressed in my orange dress, the dress I thought Iroh got me, but actually Zuko did. I also had my teardrop sea star necklace on as well. To be honest, I never actually take the necklace off, unless sometimes at night, but I'm slowly getting used to sleeping with it.

Zuko looked down to his cup of tea with doubt. "Just try it! Please?" I asked as I picked up his cup and placed it in his hand. Zuko looked to his cup for a moment before looking to me and gave a small smile, which I returned. He raised his cup up and went to take a sip, when the ship suddenly shook and caused the tea in the cup to go flying, straight into his face, soaking his face and hair.

My eyes widen in shock for a moment before I burst into laughter. Zuko growls in frustration and pushed his ponytail out of his face and shot me an annoyed glare. "Hey! Don't glare at me! It was funny!" I said through my laughter, but he just shot me another glare before standing up and stormed outside. Both Iroh and I looked to each other for a moment before we both laughed for a moment and went after Zuko.

"Get back! We're after a stowaway!" A women with long black hair exclaimed as she rode a giant mole like creature onto our ship with a whip in her hand. "There are no stowaways on my ship." Zuko said with a glare as he got outside, along with Iroh and I, with Kai on my shoulder. When Kai saw the giant mole creature, he squeaked in fear and hid his face in my hair as he wrapped his arms around my neck. "It's okay Kai!" I said as I petted him on his back as I eyed the creature nervously. "I'm sure the creature is friendly."

Not a second after I spoke, the creature tears off a chunk of the metal deck flooring and hurls it in our direction. "Watch out!" Zuko yelled out as he grabbed me and pushed me down before either of s could get hit. I stood back up on my feet after the metal piece flew over our heads and checked on Kai to see if he was okay, before looking back to the creature. "Never mind then." I said with a slight glare. "Not friendly."

The creature placed its head inside the hole it just created and growled viciously. Then, out of the blue, a guy in Earth Kingdom clothing climbed out of the hole and run away in fear. "Apparently we do have a stowaway." I said as I crossed my arms while watching the guy run away. The creature removed its head from the hole and gave out a huge roar before running after the guy.

As the creature run after the guy, the creature opened its mouth and a long tongue shot out and it hit the guy on his neck. Not even a second later, the guy just drops there on the spot. "What the heck?" I exclaimed in shock as Kai squeaked again and hid his face in my neck. "He's paralyzed." Zuko exclaimed in shock as he and the rest of us stared with wide eyes at the now paralyzed man.

"Only temporarily." The woman who rode the creature said after getting off her not so friendly creature. She walked over to the paralyzed man and picked him up by the collar of his shirt with her one hand. Monkey feathers, she is strong! I thought to myself as I watched her with shocked eyes. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour." She said and threw the guy over her shoulder. "But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

So she is a bounty hunter. I thought to myself as I watched her walk back to the creature and threw the paralyzed man onto it. "But how did you find him on my ship?" Zuko asked her with a slight frown and glare. "My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." The woman answered as she patted her creature proudly, which I now know is a shirshu, before climbing back on its back. "Well, I'm impressed." Iroh said with an impressed look.

The woman cracks her whip before she and her shirshu boulted, jumping off of the ship right onto the dock and run back into the town. "Very impressed." Iroh added with a smirk as he stroked his beard. Zuko looked at his uncle with a disgusted look while I looked at him with frown while Kai gave out an annoyed yip and shook his head at Iroh in disapproval. Iroh looked over to us before chuckling cheekily.

Zuko rolled his as eyes and shook his head before he got that look he always get when he gets an idea. My eyes narrowed for a moment before they widened when I connected the dots and realized what his idea was. "No." I said firmly as I crossed my arms and turned to him as I gave him a pointed glare. "No what?" Zuko asked as he looked over to me with his signature glare. "You know exactly what I mean about no!" I snapped as I glared at him, getting a growl from him.

"This can be my one chance of finally capturing the Avatar!" Zuko exclaimed as he shot me a glare, but I didn't flinch. "No, you are not hiring her to track down Aang and capture him." I said as I deepened my glare and putting my foot down firmly. "Here we go again." Iroh muttered under his breath with a groan in frustration, along with Kai who yipped in irritation, but Zuko and I just ignored them both as we continued arguing.

If I haven't told you already, and if Iroh's comment and Kai's annoyed yip didn't make it obvious enough, Zuko and I argue a lot about my brother. Him trying to capture Aang, and me trying to talk him out of it. These arguments happen almost everyday and they always end with either or both of us screaming at the top of our lungs. Sometimes the argument ends okay, sometimes it ends with us giving the silent treatment for a few ours or the whole day.

"You know how I feel about you trying to capture my little brother!" I exclaimed at him in frustration as Iroh walked over to me and took Kai from my shoulder before walking back inside the ship with Kai on his shoulder. "And you know why I have to capture him, Asami!" Zuko snapped at me, making me scoff and death glared at him. "The Avatar the only way for me to regain back my honor and return back home to the Fire Nation!" He snapped as he waved his arm to direction.

"Zuko! Aang is my brother and the Avatar! As his sister and his Protector, it is my duty to keep him safe at all cost and to keep any harms or dangers away from him!" I snapped, while stopping myself from grabbing my hair and pulling it out of my head in both frustration and anger, and also irritation. But Zuko just kept looking down at me with his signature glare, making me scoff in disbelief.

"Why would you want to return back to the Fire Nation in the first place?" I finally asked him, softening my glare to a frown. Zuko flinched, softening his glare slightly as he crossed his arms and looked down with his eyes. "After what your father did to you?" I continued as my frown deepened, uncrossing my arms and pointed to his scar on his left eyes. "Your father burned you just for speaking out of place." I finished before wrapping my arms around me as I tried to hold back my tears.

"Where am I suppose to go then, Asami?" Zuko snapped as his glared deepened again and uncrossed his arms as he pointed to himself. "I am the Prince of the Fire Nation! The Fire Nation is my home! It is where I belong! And the Avatar is my one-way ticket to regain my honor and return home!" He yelled as his golden eyes almost turn into fire. "The Avatar is my little brother and I'm the Avatar's Protector, Zuko!" I yelled in both anger and frustration.

"I was trained to protect him from threats and dangers at any cost since I was six years old! The second you capture Aang, you'll force me into doing the duties as the Protector! And you know it's true!" I exclaimed, softening my yelling for the time being. "And besides, I have already told you before, home is where the heart is, home is what you want it to be!" I exclaimed and pointed at his chest.

"I thought you hated being the Avatar's Protector." Zuko said without breaking his glare, purposely ignoring about what I said about home is where the heart is. This annoyed me even more, and made me roll my eyes in irritation. "I hated the Protector's way of living! Not being the Protector!" I snapped as I pointed to myself. "What's the difference?" He asked in irritation as he crossed his arms with a shrug, still glaring his signature glare at me.

"Oh, trust me, there is a big difference!" I exclaimed in anger as I waved my arms before I crossed my arms again. "Being the Protector means protecting Aang from any dangers in the world, which, by the way, I promised to myself and to him that I will do on the day he was born! So, technically I've been the Protector since I've been four years old!" I exclaimed in both anger and frustration, my voice rising slightly as I uncrossed my arms and placed my hands on my hips.

"The Protector's way of living, literally means living a life where the Avatar and the Avatar's safety comes first for everything! And I do mean everything!" I continued as my glare deepened. "Trust me, if I lived the Protector's way, I would only have had Aang in my life! I wasn't allowed to have friends or anybody in my life! Only the Avatar, only Aang! Heck! I wasn't even allowed to have Kai for crying out loud!" I yelled in anger, which was aimed at both Zuko and the Monks who tried to make me live like that.

Zuko's eyes widen for a moment in both shock and surprise at what I just told him, before it went back to his signature glare. "Oh! And let's not forget that if I lived the Protector's way, I would have gotten rid of you and your crew already!" I yelled, making Zuko's eyes widen even more, but I just scoffed and wave my hand at him. "Don't pretend to be surprised! I just literally told you that the Avatar safety comes first! Meaning getting rid of anything or anyone that's a threat!"

"Besides your father, Zhao and the rest of the Fire Nation, you and your crew are on the very top of the threat list for trying to capture Aang!" I yelled out and placed my hands on my hips. "And it's all just for honor!" I snapped, making Zuko groan in annoyance and roll his eyes at me, making me more annoyed as well. "You're going through all this trouble just to return to a home that's not really a good home, to get respect from a man who's a terrible man, father and leader!"

"Hey!-" Zuko yelled out, about to defend his home and his no good of a father, but I just raised my hand up to his face, showing him I'm not finished, making him stop in mid sentence. Why he would defend them after everything that had happened to him, I would not know! "And your trying to regain your honor when there are other ways to get your honor back!" I finished with a pointed glare at him and crossed my arms.

"Yeah right!" Zuko scoffed as he glared down at me. "How would you know?" I looked up to the scar prince with a 'really' expression, before shaking my head. "Incase you have forgotten," I started saying, lifting up my right arm and showed him my air arrow tattoo. "I've also been dishonored." Zuko flinched slightly as he remembered and looked down for a moment in shame before looking back at me with his signature everyday glare, while I lowered my arm back down.

"The Monks took away my title as a Master Airbender, my honor and my freedom just for loving somebody." I said as I crossed my arms again. "I could have gotten them all back by just accepting the Protector's way and by living it, and by also leaving Zian, the person I loved with all my heart." I continued as my expression softened after placing my left hand on my chest. "But I refused to live the Protector's way, and I refused to leave Zian."

I sighed and took a step closer to Zuko as I stared deep into his golden eyes with my grey eyes. "Like you, I have been dishonored and was told how to regain my honor back." I said without looking away from Zuko's eyes. "Unlike you, though, I chose a different way to regain my honor." I said and raised both arms up and showed my arm arrow tattoos, before pointing down and showed him my leg arrow tattoos before turning around and show my back arrow tattoo.

"Like me, you can choose a different way to regain honor." I said and turned back around to face him. "You can choose a way where you don't have to choose between love or honor." I added and took his hands in mine. "You can choose a way where you can have them both, honor and love." I said as squeezed his hands in mine and laid my forehead against his. "You don't have to lose the one or the other." I said as we both closed our eyes.

"You can have both... You can have us both." I said softly before giving him a small pick on the lips. Zuko squeezed my hands, which I returned. He pulled slightly away from me and stared deep into my grey eyes with his golden eyes with conflict feelings. I could see clearly what he was feeling. He wanted both. He wants both love and honor. He doesn't want to lose either of them.

I don't want to lose him either, but if he continues going down this path, continues trying to capture Aang, we'll both be force to choose between love and honor. And as much as I hate to admit it, I unfortunately can't choose love this time. Because if I choose love, I will be betraying not just my brother, but the whole world. If Zuko chooses honor over love, I will be force to choose honor as well. We'll be forced to go from lovers to enemies again.

And that scares me...

***

Much to my dismay, Zuko went to the town in search of the bounty hunter and her shirshu. Yeah, I know, boyfriend of the year! Anyway, knowing Zuko, both Iroh and I, along with Kai, went with him into town to keep him out of trouble. As we searched for her, we found out the bounty hunter was at a tavern. We also found out both her and the shirshu's names, June and Nyla.

Seeing that we were going to the town, I quickly changed into gloves, boots and scarf before we left to hide my tattoos. I switched from my flats to my black knee high boots. I just stayed in my orange dress and got a yellow shoulder scarf and orange fingerless gloves. Having a feeling that I might be fighting today, I brought along my tessen fans, also known as war fans, which I got from Sokka on Kyoshi Island, and hid them in my boots.

The tavern was crowded by people when we got there. The crow was busy cheering and betting on people who was arm-wrestling. When we entered the tavern, we saw in the middle of the room, that it was June and some big muscly guy arm-wrestling. From the looks of it, June wasn't having any trouble at all, while the big guy was sweating like a wooly pig as he tries to keep his hand up. Wow! She is even stronger than I thought previously!

"Out of my way!" Not even a minute, and Zuko is already moving towards June, pushing people out of his way and snapping at them. "Step aside, filth!" As well as insulting them. I mentally groan at Zuko's rudeness and shook my head at him as Iroh and I followed after him, with Kai on my shoulder. "He means no offense!" Iroh said apologetically to the person Zuko just pushed and insulted. "I'm certain you bathe regularly!" Then accidently insulted the person as well without realizing it.

"They're gonna start a bar without even realizing it." I groaned, getting a chirp of agreement from Kai as we followed after the banished prince and retired general. Zuko soon got to June, who is still busy arm-wrestling with the big muscly guy. "I need to talk to you!" Zuko snapped at June with his signature everyday glare as Iroh and I soon reached to them. I rolled my eyes at Zuko and shook my head again as I crossed my arms.

Without even flinching or batting an eye, June looked calmly over to us and smirked. "Well, if it isn't my new friends!" She said and looked back in front of her. "Angry Boy, Tattoo Ferret Girl and Uncle Lazy." She added as the big guy she was arm-wrestling with started crying as he tried to get the upper hand. Iroh laughed when he heard his nickname, while Zuko's glare just deepened. Me, I nervously tugged my glove up, before frowning when I remember the full nickname.

"Tattoo Ferret Girl?" I question with a frown before Kai yipped from my shoulder. "Yeah," June said with a chuckle while slowly pushing her opponent's hand down. "You have tattoos and a fire ferret on your shoulder. The nickname seemed fitting." She finished and slammed the big guy's hand down on the table, winning the arm-wrestling and earned a cheering crowd as they started throwing money to her, the winner.

"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back!" Zuko snapped at her as June collected her winnings. "Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." She answered with a smirk. I frowned at her response while Kai yipped his confusion as well. "But you just won money." I said as I watched her collected her money she just won. "I know." She said with a smirk before calling out to the crowd.

"Drinks on me!" Everybody cheered and went to collect their drinks. Oh, she's good! I thought as I smirked at her impressed and crossed my arms. June smirked back at me before she got herself a drink and was about to take a sip, but Zuko grabbed her wrist in anger and glared down at her as she death glared up at him. "Money isn't what I had in mind." He with a snarl, making me roll my eyes at him in irritation before we all went outside.

"I need you to find someone." Zuko said the second we got outside and took Katara's necklace out of his pocket. I shot Zuko a disapproving glare as I crossed my arms and shook my head at him. " What happened, your girlfriend run off on you?" June asked sarcastically with a smirk as she crossed her arms and laid against the shirshu, before her eyes flicker over to me. "Isn't one girlfriend enough for you? Or is that one not doing her job right, if you know what I mean?"

"Excuse me!" I snapped as I shot her a glare as Kai growled at her from my shoulder. I took a step towards her to give her a piece of my mind, but Zuko grabbed me above my elbow and held me back. "It's not the girl I'm after, it's the bald monk she's traveling with." Zuko said without moving his glare away from her. "Whatever you say." June said and shot me another smirk, making both Kai and I growl in anger and annoyance.

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for." Zuko said as his glare deepened and continued holding my arm. June hmphed as stood up and turned the shirshu. "Forgot it." She said and started climbing up Nyla. "Bounty hunters..." I muttered under my breath. "Never work for free." Iroh must have heard me, because what he said next caught June's attention. "Plus, we'll pay your weight in gold."

June froze halfway up from Nyla before jumping down and walked over to us. "Make it your weight, and we gotta deal." She said and pointed to Iroh's stomach. Iroh burst out in laughter as he held his stomach before answering to her. "You got it!" June turned to Zuko and took Katara's necklace from his hand. "Get on!" She told us and walked over to Nyla. Both Iroh and Zuko walked over to the shirshu and started climbing up the creature.

"Asami, come on!" Zuko called out to me as he waited for his uncle to climb up first before he got on. "Uh huh!" I said stubbornly as I crossed my arms and shook my head. "I'm not getting on that animal!" "I thought Air Nomads love animals and love riding them." Zuko said with a frown. "We do. I just don't want to ride on the shirshu and chase after my brother!" I said, getting a groan of frustration from Zuko. "Not this again." He muttered under his breath and walked over to me.

"Yes, this again!" I said as Zuko walked over to me. "I told you from the beginning that I'm against this plan, yet you still through with it." I continued as Zuko stopped in front of me and took Kai from my shoulder and placed him on his. "Why did you take Kai?" I asked, frowning in confusion, as Kai yipped his. "So that he doesn't fall off." Zuko answered, making me frown even more in confusion. I went to comment, but I yelped in surprise when Zuko lifted me up and threw me on his other shoulder.

"Zuko!" I exclaimed in both anger and surprise as the scarred prince walked over to Nyla. Not again! I thought to myself in irritation and rolled my eyes. "Seriously?!? This again!?!" I snapped and glared at him over my shoulder. "Yes." He answered as he stopped next to Nyla and handed Kai over to Iroh, who placed Kai on his shoulder. "You brought this to yourself." He added before taking me off his shoulder and threw me onto Nyla's saddle.

I yelped in surprise again as I flew in the air before landing on the saddle with a oomf. "Yeah, go ahead," I muttered to myself as I moved myself to sit properly on the saddle. "Just throw me up on the shirshu." I finished and shot Zuko a glare from over my shoulder after he got up and sat behind me, but he just gave me a smirk. "And of coarse you are smirking at my ranting." I said as I shook my head at him and rolled my eyes.

"Are you trying to get me on my bad side?" I asked him with a 'not impressed' expression. "Never." Zuko answered with a proud smirk and wrapped his arms around my waist. I couldn't help but chuckle at his comment with a smile and shook my head slightly. "You sure about that?" I asked with a knowing smile. "Absolutely." He answered and kissed my cheek, making me smile brighter along with a blush.

"Well aren't you two just cute!" June said to us with a mocking smirk before showing Nyla the necklace to get the scent. The shirshu took a big whiff from Katara's necklace before Nyla started sniffing the air, jumping up eagerly to chase after its new target. June soon after jumped up onto her shirshu and grabbed the reins before Nyla took off, almost throwing all of us, except June, off the saddle. This is gonna be a long ride.

***

We've been riding on the shirshu all night and the sun has already raised up for the next day, and we are still riding, following Katara's sent trail. "Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?" An old lady with a fluffy white cat asked us after we stopped next to her in an old town. "We're looking for someone." Zuko answered her with his signature glare. I shook my head at Zuko's rudeness and swat him on his shoulder. "You can answer her nicely!" I said to him as he looked at me with offended glare after I hit his shoulder.

"I hope it's not Miyuki!" The lady said half worriedly and looked down to her fluffy cat. "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation, again?" She asked her cat, but Miyuki just meowed and hid behind the lady. I laughed softly at the scene in front of me before reassuring the lady. "Don't worry mam, Miyuki isn't the person we're looking for."

"Well isn't that a relief!" The lady said with a big smile, which I returned. "The Avatar's been through here." June said to us and took out her whip. "Let's keep moving." She added and whipped her whip, ordering Nyla to started moving again. "Bye lady! Bye Miyuki!" I called out to them as we took off again on Nyla, and got a weirded look from Zuko. "What?" I asked innocently, but Zuko just shook his head along with an eye roll.

***

We soon got to a different village, and Nyla was going crazy all over the village! It's as if Katara walk everywhere here, especially in front of a shop that was called Aunt Wu's Shop. Nyla soon stopped in front of the shop, where an old lady, most likely Aunt Wu, was standing. She was standing there very calmly though, as if she knew we were coming. Maybe she can see the future! I joked to myself with a smile.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko asked annoyed when we stopped in front of the shop. "Because the girl must have spent a lot of time here." June answered, which made me curious. "I wonder why? What kind of shop is this?" I asked curiously, along with Kai who yipped from Iroh's shoulder, but didn't get an answer when Zuko got frustrated. "We have no time for this!" Zuko snapped and grabbed Katara's necklace from June and got off Nyla.

Zuko walked over and stood in front of Nyla and hangs the necklace in front of the shirshu's face. Nyla took a few sniffs before growling suddenly. "Might wanna duck Zuko." I warned with a smirk. Zuko's eyes widen when he heard me and realized what was about to happen. He quickly ducked down swiftly before the shirshu's long paralyzing tongue could touch him. "Hey! Watch it!" Zuko snapped at Nyla after he jumped back up.

"Oh look, he likes you!" June said with an amused smirk while both Iroh and I, Kai as well, were laughing our butts off and our breaths away. "Looks like I have competition, huh Kai!" I joked, getting a yip of agreement from Kai and making Iroh laugh even more. "Not funny Asami!" Zuko snapped as he walked back over to us. "It kinda is!" I said with a chuckle, getting a growl of irritation from him, making me laugh again.

Aunt Wu calmly approaches to us and looked up to Iroh with a smile. "Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" She asked Iroh, kind of flirting with him making him smile, making me smile that he has an admirer before my eyes widen in surprise as I realized my joke that she can see the future might actually be true. "At my age, there's really only one big surprise left, and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery." Iroh answered without breaking his smile.

"You can't actually see the future, can you?" I asked curiously as Zuko got back onto the saddle and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Well, I do try my best Protector Asami." Aunt Wu answered me with a knowing smile, making both Zuko and I's eyes widen in surprise, while Kai squeaked his. "How do you know my name?" I asked her. "Your brother probable told her about you when he and the Water Tribe siblings were here." Zuko said, but his voice said he wasn't quite sure as well. "Yeah... probable." I said, but I wasn't quite convinced myself before we took off again.

***

Not long after we left the village, we arrived at an abbey. As Nyla crashed through the doors and sniffed the area for Katara, the nuns hid behind big pots in terror. "We're getting close!" June said before whipping her whip, ordering Nyla to move. Nyla roared and run out of the abbey, straight into the woods. As we run deeper into the woods, the knot of discomfort tightened and tightened as we past every tree.

"Please stop this." I suddenly said as we run deeper into the woods. "What?" Zuko asked while Iroh and Kai looked at me over their shoulders. "We don't have to do this." I said and looked over my shoulder at Zuko. "You don't have to do this." I begged, but Zuko's expression just turned from confusion to his signature glare before he looked up in front of him. "You know and understand why I have to." Zuko said with his signature glare without looking at me.

"Zuko, the second you try to capture Aang, you'll force me into doing the duties as the Protector..." I said with sadden eyes. Zuko's glare soften slightly, but he still refused to look at me. "I can't choose love if you choose honor Zuko." I continued, but he still refused to look at me. "I will not betray my brother." Zuko's eyes flickered over to me for a split second before he looked back in front of him. I looked down with a sadden sighed and looked back in front of me in heartbreak over his decision.

The journey continued in silence until we caught up to them, but it was only Sokka and Katara, no Aang. Before I could question where my brother is, Nyla jumped behind the siblings and roared, getting their attention. Sokka and Katara turned around and looked at Nyla in fear before turning around again and tried to run away, but Nyla chased them both against hill and blocked them from running away.

"So this is your other girlfriend." June said as Zuko jumps down Nyla and walked over to Sokka and Katara, while I looked around the trees, trying to spot Aang before Zuko does. "No wonder she left, she's way too pretty for you." She added before looking over her shoulder at me with a smirk. "My vote is on Tattoo Ferret Girl!" Zuko ignored her while I rolled my eyes as Iroh chuckled behind her with Kai still on his shoulder.

"Where is he? Where is the Avatar?" Zuko asked them with his signature glare. Sokka glared back at him, while Katara stared at Nyla in fear before her brother answered the banished prince. "We split up. He's long gone." "You WHAT!?!" I yelled out in both anger and surprise, catching the Southern Water Tribe siblings attention, both who looked down ashamed in themselves. "You left my brother alone to travel while the whole world is after him!" I yelled at them as the anger in me raised, while Kai shook his head at them in disappointment.

"They're bluffing Asami." Zuko said to me over his shoulder before looking back at the siblings with a glare. "How stupid do you think I am?" He asked them as his glare deepened. Sokka smirked proudly as he answered that question. "Pretty stupid." He said before grabbing his sister's arm and shouted, "Run!" The Southern Water Tribe started running away, but they didn't get far before Nyla slashed his paralyzing tongue against their necks, making them drop on the spot.

"Katara! Sokka!" I screamed in worry before jumping off the shirshu and run over to them and checked to see if they were okay. "You guys okay?" I asked them gently as I kneeled next to them. "What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko asked while I checked the siblings. June clicked her tongue and moved Nyla closer to the three of us. "It's seeking a different scent. Perhaps something that the Avatar held." She said as Nyla sniffed around us.

Nyla knocks the map off Sokka's pack and smells it. "Got it!" June said and held Nyla back, stopping him from running after the scent. Zuko nodded to her and walked over us and picked up the siblings and threw them over Nyla's saddle. "Come on! We need to keep moving." He said as he looked down at me, while I still sat kneeled down on the ground. I looked up to him with a glare before standing up and walked over to Nyla and climbed up.

We took off again after Zuko got up behind me and went straight back to the abbey. Nyla burst through the wooden doors again and started sniffing around the abbey. But as the shirshu sniffed around, I soon realized Nyla was sniffing around a circle. "What's with Nyla?" I asked as I looked to Kai with a frown, but the fire ferret just yipped and gave a shrug. "What's it doing? It's just going in a circle." Zuko stated realizing it as well.

Nyla raised his head up and growled. I looked up and saw Aang flying in a circle above us. Nyla growled and stood up on its hind legs and shot his paralyzing tongue at Aang, but Aang flew up higher before the tongue could hit him and flew over the shirshu's head. Nyla started losing his balance and threw us all off his back as he tried to get balance back, but he just ended falling to the ground. Just one word after the fell... ouch!

Katara looks up and smiled brightly in both relief and happiness. "Aang!" She called out happily as June stood back up on her feet, while I checked on Kai. "Up!" June ordered Nyla and whipped her whip. Nyla immediately jumped back on its feet and waited for June to climb up before she and Nyla charged right at Aang, who landed in the middle of the abbey. "Aang watch out!" I called out as I jumped back onto my feet and run over to him.

June and Nyla was closer to Aang than I was, but luck was on my side. Because before they could reach Aang, Appa showed up and knocked into the shirshu's side and send both June and Nyla into a house. Appa growls at the bounty hunter and her shirshu with an angry glare and snorts air out of his nostrils. Both Aang and I smiled proudly at our sky bison before looking to each other in relief and happiness.

"Asami!" Aang called out happily as he run over to me and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I laughed and wrapped my arms around him as I hugged him back. "It's good to see you little brother." I said and tightened my arms in the hug, which Aang quickly returned. "I missed you so much!" Aang muttered in my chest as he refused to remove his arms from me. "I missed you too Aang." I said with a smile.

But my smile soon fell and turned into a glare when I saw Zuko standing in front of us, a small flame shooting out his fist as he glared at us. I pulled out of our hug and stood in front of Aang, glaring warningly at the scarred prince as I took out my tessen fans from my boots. "Don't do it Zuko." I warned him as Aang got his staff ready to defend himself. Zuko's glare soften for a moment before hardening it again and got in firebending stance and shot a blast of fire at me.

Aang reacted quickly and moved next to me and waved the blast away with his staff before it could hit me. I shot Zuko a death glare and growled in anger before blasting air at him. Zuko quickly sidesteps away from it and shot a fireball at me, but I blocked the fire with my tessen fans and waved it away. As I blocked the fire, Aang shot an air blast with his staff at Zuko, but he just sidestepped away from it and shot another fire blast at Aang's feet before shooting another at me.

I quickly airbended the air away from the fire, killing it before it could hit me, while Aang quickly jumps to avoid the fire from burning his legs and feet. Before we knew it, Zuko run over to us and kicked a fire blast at Aang's head. Aang quickly ducks down from it while I jumped up when Zuko tried to trip and blast fire at me with his leg. As I jumped up, Aang went to hit Zuko with his staff, but Zuko blocked the hit and knocked the staff out of Aang's hand.

Before Zuko could attack Aang again, I landed back on the ground with a split and went to trip Zuko with my leg, but he jumped up to avoided my attack. I twirled myself back on my feet and blocked a fire blast he shot at me with my tessen fans, before shooting an air blast, but he sidestepped away from it. Zuko then punched and kicked fire blasts at Aang's and my head, but Aang ducked down and moved behind Zuko, while I blocked the blast with my fans again.

Zuko spins and tried to kick Aang's head with a fire blast, but Aang ducked down and moved in front of Zuko. I moved forward and shot an air blast at Zuko's head with my tessen fans in a slicing motion, almost like I'm trying to slice his head off. Zuko dodge down backwards before standing up straight again and firebended with a spinning back kick, but I quickly ducked down and back flipped away from the other blast he send at me.

Both Aang and Zuko bended at the same time and shot their blast at the same time, and literally created a large explosion. I stared with wide shocked eyes at the mushroom cloud, unable to believe the explosion they just created, even though I saw it with my own eyes. I quickly snapped out of my shock when I saw both Aang and Zuko flying and falling on to different roofs. My heart hitch to my throat as I looked from Aang and Zuko, arguing with myself to decide on which I check on first.

Remembering that Zuko will attack Aang the second he wakes up, I decided to check on Aang first. I dropped my tessen vans and run over to Aang's roof before I airbended myself up onto the roof and landed next to an unconscious Aang. "Not the time to be sleeping little brother!" I said and started shaking Aang, trying to get him awake and conscious again. Aang soon groans and lifted his head up. I sighed in relief and brought him into a hug.

Aang groaned again as he held his head before gasping. "Asami!" I pulled away from the hug and saw Zuko. He was charging right at us across the roof, arm in the air shooting out fire before he moved it in front of him and shot at us with a battle cry. Both Aang and I quickly jumped high into the air, right over Zuko and landed on the other side of the roof. Here we go again! I thought as Zuko charged at us again and shot fire at our feet.

Both Aang and I jumped up and we each shot air blasts at him. Zuko jumped up to evade the blasts and shot fire at us. Catching us both in surprise, Aang and I fell on the roof on our backs, but we quickly used airbending to kill the fire before we both jumped back on our feet and shot a strong blast of air at Zuko, sending him straight into the wall. As Zuko groaned in pain, I charged at him, copying the move he did when Aang woke up, only with air.

Zuko moves out of the way slide down the roof, and jumped back to the ground. I followed after him, with Aang following me as well. But before Aang could jump down from the roof, Nyla jumped onto the roof and started chasing after him. "No! Aang!" I yelled in worry, turning to run over and help him, but was grabbed by the arm and held me back. "Let go of me Zuko!" I shouted, already knowing who grabbed me and held me back.

As I was about to turn around and kick Zuko, I saw Appa turn around, slamming his tail hard on the ground and send a huge blast of air at the shirshu. "Great! Protective sister and pet!" Zuko muttered under his breath with a groan. "Yeah, but the sister is more dangerous!" I exclaimed as I jumped up, twisting my body, wrapping my legs around his neck and pulled him to the ground. The second we hit the ground, I released my legs from him and jump onto my feet.

Zuko groaned from the ground and shot me a glare. "What? You should have seen that coming." I said with a smirk and with my hands on my hips. "Yeah, I should have..." Zuko said in slight annoyance before getting up and stood in battle stance. I stood in battle stance as well and waited for Zuko to attack first. But his glare went away and looked at me with sorry full eyes. "I'm sorry." I frowned at his sudden comment and was about to question when something wet hit my neck and I went crashing down to the ground, paralyzed.

"What the heck!" I exclaimed and shot Zuko a death glare when I realized he ordered June to paralyze me. "You are so dead!" I exclaimed as I tried to stand up, to move, or anything at all. "I'm sorry," Zuko said again as he walked over to me and kneeled down. "Please don't hate me." He said and picked me up. "Too late for that!" I snapped and shot him a death glare. Zuko slightly flinched with me in his arms before walking over to Nyla and placed me on the saddle.

"When this wears off, you better watch your back!" I snapped, making Zuko flinch again before he run over and started attacking Aang again by a well. "Let me guess," June started as she got back on Nyla. "He's sleeping on the couch?" She asked with a smirk and got her whip ready in her hand. "He'll be sleeping with one eye open when I'm done with him!" I stated with a growl, getting a chuckle from her before she whipped her whip and made Nyla move.

"You've got something I want!" I suddenly heard Aang exclaim. I looked over, as best as I could, and saw Aang between the four wooden beams of the well, trying to get Katara's necklace from Zuko's wrist. It was hard for me to watch, but what I was able to see, was just glimpses of how Zuko punched fire at Aang, but was able to move around the beams to evade the blasts of fire. Seeing that Aang was at an advantage with the beams, Zuko breaks the well's beams and kicked rest of the structure away.

Aang jumped into the air to avoid the flames before landing onto the well's circular stone structure. Zuko soon jumps onto the well. The two of them started fighting each other with bending, ducking and dodging each others attack around the well, sidestepping over the well's hole, keeping them from falling in. As the fought, I noticed Aang was still trying to get Katara's necklace from Zuko, but he keeps on missing as Zuko keeps on shooting out fire.

Zuko lunges himself at Aang, but Aang jumps over him and kicked Zuko on his back, sending him off the well. As Aang flew in the air, I saw him use his foot to grab the necklace from Zuko before picking it to his hand and grabbed it. After grabbing the necklace, Aang dived right into the well instead of landing onto the stone structure. My eyes widen in fear when Zuko jumped onto the well and shot a big blast of fire into the well.

"No! Aang!" I cried out after Zuko shot fire into the well. But not a second later, water shot right out of the well, which send Zuko flying right into the air. Aang soon jumps out of the well and landed next to the well. The water that shot out of the well soon fell down like rain, before Zuko falls down hard onto the ground as well. "Nice waterbending Aang!" I called out to my little brother from the shirshu, impressed. "Thanks Asami!" Aang said as he stood up straight.

Zuko soon got back on his feet with a growl and started shooting fire at Aang again. Aang jumped and flipped backwards as he evaded the blasts. Zuko run towards Aang, but stopped when Appa walked towards the banished prince with a growl. "Good boy Appa!" I called out with a smirk as I watched Zuko walk backwards while Appa continues walking towards him growling. But my smirk soon fell when Nyla turned and slashes his tongue at Appa.

"No!" I cried out as Appa roars at the shirshu. "Leave him alone!" I yelled as I tried to move, but I was still paralyzed, I could only feel my toes. June ignored me and whipped her whip again, ordering Nyla to continue his slashing. Nyla's tongue shot out and slashed Appa twice. Appa groaned and tried to keep on standing, but his feet fell in under him, and send Appa crashing to the ground. "No... Appa." I said with a whimper as I stared with sad eyes at my and Aang's trusted sky bison.

The shirshu turned around and headed straight towards Aang. Both Zuko and Nyla cornered Aang with flames and a paralyzing tongue. Aang tries to run, but gets stopped with flames from the right, and a paralyzing tongue on the left. Seeing that my little brother was trapped, my heart clinched in sadness as I realized that Aang will be captured today, and that I will be forced to do the duties as the Protector once the toxins wears off on me.

Suddenly, a huge wave of liquid fell on us. From the smells of it, it was a mixture of different scents of perfumes mixed together. The second the smell hit my nose, I felt my body and was able to move again. "Whoa!" I exclaimed and sat up straight on the saddle. "I can move again!" I exclaimed excitedly, but my excitement soon disappeared when Nyla started whimpering in pain. "Uh oh!" I said as I soon realized that Nyla sees with his nose, and that all this perfume falling on him is making him blind.

"Not good!" I exclaimed as I grabbed on tightly to the saddle when Nyla started shaking his head rapidly and scratching his nose. Unable to see, Nyla shot out his tongue and hit Zuko with it. Zuko fell down immediately on the ground next to Iroh, paralyzed. June jumped off the saddle and checked on her shirshu in concern. But Nyla couldn't see his owner and slashed his tongue on her as well, paralyzing her. "June! No!" Iroh called out as he grabs her and falls to the ground.

"Asami, get off that thing!" Sokka called out to me as I held on to dear life onto Nyla's saddle as the shirshu runs around. Before I could try to jump off, Nyla runs into perfume pots and made him roar in pain. "Not good!" I screamed and held on tighter to the saddle when Nyla stood on his hind legs and started scratching the roof. Nyla then climbed onto the roof and jumped off on the other side, running straight into the woods.

"Whoa!" I screamed and held on tight as Nyla run away from the abbey. "ASAMI!" Aang screamed to me in worry as he watched me ride away. "Don't worry about me Aang!" I yelled out to him. "I'll catch up with you guys soon!" I added as I got further away from the abbey. "Don't wait for me!" I quickly added before I got to far for them to hear me.

***

"Nyla! Nyla please stop!" I screamed after finally grabbing the reins and pulled back as hard as I could. But Nyla was still whimpering in pain and refused to stop. Okay, only way for me to get him to stop is to get him to see again. But how do I get him to see again? He sees with smell, and he's covered with mixed perfume! I thought to myself as I tried to think of a plan, when it hit me. He's covered with mixed perfume!

Tightening my legs on the saddle, I raised my arms and shot air at Nyla's head, drying his fur and shooting most of the perfume off of him. Nyla soon stopped when he realized he wasn't smelling perfume anymore before falling down exhausted. "You poor thing!" I said as I petted his side before jumping off the saddle and walked over to his head. "You must have been so scared not being able to see!" I said as I sat down and gently petted his head.

The shirshu whimpered his answer before raising his head laid it onto my lap. "It's okay boy." I said and continued petting him. "You rest and get you strength back." I added as Nyla's breathing slowed down a bit. "As soon as your done resting, I'll take you back to June and make sure that no perfume gets close to you again." Nyla groans his thanks before cuddling deeper with his head onto my lap.

***

After Nyla rested for a bit, he got back onto his feet and waited for me to get on his saddle before he walked back to the abbey, still a bit tired. Luckily, we weren't so far from the abbey and got their before sunset. Nyla stopped in front of the abbey's doors and whimpered in fear. "Don't worry boy!" I said as I patted his side and got off. "You don't have to go inside." I said and went inside.

When I got inside, I saw the nuns cleaning up the perfume while Zuko, Iroh and June laid on the ground, paralyzed. I frowned when I saw Iroh laying there with June on top of him, wondering why he's paralyzed. "Uncle Iroh," I started as I walked over to them. "I didn't see you get hit by the tongue." Iroh smiled up to me cheekily before placing a finger on his lips. "Shh!" He shushed before placing his hand back on the ground, acting paralyzed.

"Of coarse." I said plainly as I shook my head, while June shot Iroh a death glare. "Are you okay?" Zuko asked me from the ground. "As okay as I can be." I answered him with a glare. "Where's my shirshu? Where's Nyla?" June asked as she looked to me with worried eyes. "He's outside the abbey." I said and pointed with my thumb to the doors. "He's to afraid to get in here." June sighed in relief.

I smiled down to her before frowning when I realized someone's missing. "Where's Kai?" I asked. Not long after I asked, I heard a squeak behind me. I turned around and saw Kai rolling a bottle towards us with his nose. "There you are!" I said happily as I knelt down and picked him up when he reached me. "What do you got here?" I asked as I placed him on my shoulder and took the bottle. I opened the bottle and took a whiff.

"Perfume?" I said with a frown before remembering how perfume took my paralysis away. "Good thinking Kai!" I said and smiled brightly to the fire ferret, who yipped joyfully. Knowing June doesn't want to be laying on Iroh anymore, I walked over to her first and brought the perfume bottle under her nose. June sniffed the perfume and immediately jumped up, off of Iroh. "Never again!" She exclaimed and gave Iroh a pointed glare, but he just smiled with a shrug before standing up.

I walked over to Zuko and brought the perfume under his nose. Zuko took a sniff and got up from the ground. He looked to me nervously and scratched his neck when he saw my glare and crossed arms. "I'm in trouble aren't I?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "Oh, you know you are!" I answered, shooting him another glare, before turning around and headed to the doors with Kai on my shoulder.

Zuko run after me and grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry." He said as he interlocked our fingers and pulled me to a stop. "Please forgive me?" He begged as he looked deep into my eyes. I stared back with a glare for a few moments before sighing. "Seeing that you got paralyzed as well, I'll think about it." Zuko smiled and went to kiss me, but I stopped him by placing my hand against his chest. "Hey, I said I'll think about it. You're not out of the woods yet!" I said with a smirk before walking back to Nyla.