Before we left, I asked Zian if he wanted to come with us one more time.

"Uh . . . " he glanced at the tea shop where I dared not enter.

"Is it Jin?" I smirked, punching his arm slightly.

He shrugged. "I just found her again. I think I should stay. And what can I say, she's warming up to me."

I grinned. "Whatever."

"You're not gonna say bye to Zuko?" He asked.

I scowled. "Never in a million years."

"I see. Well, bye," Zian smiled. I reached out and pulled him into a hug.

"Bye," I said into his shoulder, "for like the third time."

He laughed, and then let to of me. "Good luck, Ayame."

"Thanks." I pursed my lips. "I'll need it."

Aang wanted to talk to me after. "Well, I guess the king is doing okay."

"And his bear!" Katara called from behind.

"Certainly you mean his pet skunk bear?" Sokka interjected.

"Or his armadillo bear?" Toph suggested.

"Gopher bear?" Aang put in.

"It's just, 'bear'." Katara shrugged. "That's what it said on the invitation." There was a short pause.

"This place is weird," Toph said.

I smiled. "Well . . . ?"

"Well," Aang shrugged, "I think we should split up for some time. You know. I need to . . . do stuff. and I bet you guys'll too."

I raised my eyebrows. "You. . . you want to split up?"

"Sure, if you want," Aang said. Katara sat near us. "There's this guru I need to meet."

"Guru." I repeated. "And that's what?"

"Some knowledgeable guy," Aang grinned. "So."

"So, you need me to know because . . . ?" I trailed off, still confused.

"He's going to teach me about the spirit world. Maybe I could speak to him about you."

My eyes widened. "You'd do that?"

"Sure."

I grinned. "Okay then."

He grinned too. "Okay then."

♋♋♋

Jet had seen him. On his way to Ba Sing Se, he had seen the old man warm his tea cup without a visible fire. He'd seen it, he was sure, with his own eyes.

And here Jet was, standing in front of the Jasmine Tea shop and waiting.

He was going to kill that firebender, and whoever he was in league with.

Smellerbee ran up to him. "Jet, we need to talk."

"What? Oh great, it's you guys! Where have you been‌? I could use some help with surveillance here!"

"We've been talking, and we think you're becoming obsessed with this. It's not healthy," Smellerbee spoke, Longshot by her side.

"Oh, really? You both think this?" Jet set his jaw.

Longshot placed his arm on Smellerbee's shoulder in agreement with her statement.

"We came here to make a fresh start. But you won't let this go. Even though there is no real proof!" Smellerbee argued.

"Well, maybe if you'd help me!" Jet yelled, his voice rising.

"Jet, you gotta stop this," Smellerbee tried again, but Jet was having none of it.

"Maybe you've forgotten why we need to start over." Longshot and Smellerbee looked down at their feet guiltily. "Maybe you've forgotten about how the Fire Nation left us all homeless‌. How they wiped out all the people we loved. If you don't want to help me, I'll get the evidence on my own," he said, walking away from them and towards the tea shop.

Inside, Iroh was pouring tea for a customer.

"This is the best tea in the city!" the customer exclaimed.

"The secret ingredient is love." He waved a hand through the steam coming from the teapot and walked toward the back of the shop where the owner was, while Zuko shot him a disgusted look.

Pao, the owner of the tea shop, waited inside. "I think you're due for a raise."

Suddenly, Jet burst in through the door.

"I'm tired of waiting!" he pointed an accusing finger at Iroh and Zuko. "These two men are firebenders!

Jet unsheathed his hook swords and prepared to fight. Iroh and Zuko quickly exchanged a look, not knowing what to do.

"I know they're firebenders, I saw the old man heating his tea!"

"He works in a tea shop," the customer said, stating the obvious.

"He's a firebender! I'm telling you!" Jet said angrily. He looked quite insane. Zuko stared at him, waiting for a threat, a chance to act.

The customer stood up, along with another man, scowling. "Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy."

Jet turned to Zuko. "You'll have to defend yourself. Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do."

Jet slowly walked toward Zuko and Iroh with his swords. Just as one of the customers was about to draw his own swords, Zuko stepped in front and grabbed them from him instead.

"You want a show?" Zuko yelled. "I'll give you a show!"

Zuko took the customer's broadswords and entered a fighting stance. He then pulled a table in front of him with his foot and kicked it at Jet, who sliced the table with his swords and jumped over it. As he landed, he swung both hook swords at the Fire Nation prince, who deflected the attack and jumped backward on to another table, swinging one sword through the middle of the table. Zuko stepped onto one half of the table and balances on one foot. Jet cut the legs of the table and Zuko flipped off, clanging his sword against Jet's.

They reached outside.

"You must be getting tired of those swords," he grinned evilly. "Aren't you gonna show me some fire tricks?"

"Please, son!" Iroh said from the doorway. "You're confused! You don't know what you're doing!"

Zuko swung his swords at Jet but he deflected it with his hooks, knocking Zuko back. Zuko stepped back to defend himself as Jet circled him.

"Bet you'd need a little help from a fireblast right about now." Jet smirked.

"You're the one who needs help," Zuko sneered, lunging forward and pinning Jet to the ground. In all the clashing, they both lost a sword each.

"See that?" Jet shouted. "That's the fire nation trying to silence me. It'll never happen."

He sent a flying kick towards Zuko.

Zuko ducked, cutting upward. Jet blocked the swipe and rolled onto the ground.

Suddenly, two Dai Li agents showed up.

"Drop your weapons," he ordered.

Zuko and Jet back away from each other.

"Arrest them, they're firebenders!" Jet repeated, pointing at Zuko and Iroh.

"This poor boy is confused, we're just simple refugees," Iroh said in his lazy drawl, sending a look towards Zuko.

Pao, the owner, nodded. "This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!"

"It's true sir, we saw the whole thing." the same customer put in. "This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."

Iroh blushed. "Oh, ho, ho. That's very sweet." Everyone else ignored him.

The two Dai Li agents walk up to Jet, who looked at them angrily.

"Come with us, son," the Dai Li agent sighed, but his voice was firm.

Jet swung his hook sword at the agent, who caught the sword with his rock gloves. The other guard disarmed Jet, and both guards pulled his arms behind his back, binding his wrists together using their rock gloves' stones. They dragged him towards a wagon specially made for criminals.

"You don't understand! They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!" Jet cried in anger. "Just let me prove it to you!"

Everyone slowly began to leave. Zuko watched Jet who was on his knees, staring at him right in his face with an angry look. The doors slammed shut and Zuko turned away, walking back towards the tea shop.

But Smellerbee and Longshot watched the wagon disappear, hidden amongst the crowd.

♋♋♋

Azula, Ty Lee and Mai and followed the fur trail of Appa and found the Kyoshi Warriors who were taking care of him at the time. Following them down, they met up with the Kyoshi Warriors, who said that any friend of the avatar was a friend of theirs.

And then successfully captured them, sending them to the most guarded fire nation prison. The Boiling Rock.

Along with the leader, Suki.

And then they made their way to Ba Sing Se.

"Hello," Azula smiled, her face painted white and little red streaks above her eyebrows the way the Kyoshi Warriors did it. She knelt in front of the King.

"Who are you?" he asked, eyeing her and her two minions, Mai and Ty Lee.

"We," Azula looked up at him, a smile creeping across her face, "are the Kyoshi Warriors. Here to protect and serve."

🔥🔥🔥

Toph got a note from her mother. She was going home to meet her. Sokka somehow managed to find his father and went ahead to meet him, and Katara went to plan with the Council of Five for something I didn't really understand.

And me?

I don't really know.

I felt so out of place, so . . .  left out.

So much had happened and here I was. I'd finally get an answer to my weird bending powers and then what? Then I'd go home?

Was this really what I'd come here for? Was it what I wanted? It seemed like, all the way till now, the only one who cared about me was my grandmother. Or was she?

I was alone, on my own for now. So I decided to do what I did best; be nosy and curious.

I decided to meet the Kyoshi Warriors.