Dark eyebrows furrowed in concentration as a young woman's hazel eyes narrowed as she looked at a Pai Sho board.

"I do not know how you always win," She said shaking her head laughing, "but one day I will beat you."

"You just need to learn strategy, Izanami." Her opponent told her, smiling as he sipped his tea. Izanami smiled softly at him before looking over her shoulders, only to find no one on deck.

"Iroh," She said softly, "when do you think we will be out of the South Pole?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Whenever Prince Zuko says that he wishes to move on, we move on.

Izanami sighed, clutching the blanket that was around her shoulders tighter to herself. "It just so cold all the time. I cannot keep myself warm like the rest of you. The nights are especially the worst."

Iroh laughed as he took off the blanket that was around his shoulders and handed it to her, "Well, talk to Prince Zuko the next time you see him. I am sure he would not mind keeping you warm."

"Iroh!" She screeches, her face heating up. Her relationship with Zuko was one of secret, as he did not like to put it on display. But Iroh was the only one who would tease them constantly about it. She rolled her eyes before continuing, "I'll be happy when we leave. We didn't find anything last time we were here."

"Yes, but the ice is always shifting and changing."

Izanami merely nodded, about to reply when a large boom sounded from behind her, followed by a large gust of air. Izanami turned around in alarm to see a large blue beam shooting straight up in the air.

"What is that?" Prince Zuko called as he stalked out to the main deck, hearing the noise.

"I was just about to ask the same question." Izanami said as she walked towards him.

"It might be the Avatar." Zuko said quietly as he frowned, this was his first real shot at finding the Avatar and he didn't want to get his hopes up like he had before.

Izanami looked at Zuko before nudging him with her shoulder, making him take his eyes off the beam and look at her. She gave him a small smile, which made him stop frowning. She quickly laced their hands together and gave his a tight squeeze before letting go.

"Uncle, do you realize what this means?" Zuko asked the old man as he turned to face him.

"I won't get to play another game of Pai Sho?

"It means my search- is about to come to an end." Zuko looked at Izanami once more before he turned to star at the beam as it began to fade and disappear. "That light came from an incredible power source. It has to be him!"

"Or it could have been the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you both enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?" Iroh said, waving over the steaming pot.

Zuko bristled at his uncle's lack of enthusiasm, even though he himself did not want to get excited. But this could very well be a lead! "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar. Helmsman, head a course for the light!"

Izanami jerked her head back at Zuko's loud voice, "Zuko! Do not yell at your uncle."

Zuko glared at her before stalking further up the deck, causing Izanami to roll her eyes at him.

"I will take some more tea if you don't not mind, Iroh, and enjoy it in my room." Izanami said to Iroh, who nodded and began to pour her a cup. "Wake me up if anything happens!"

Zuko did not acknowledge her, but she knew he had heard her. Shaking her head, she made her way over to him.

"Zuko." She called out to him, sighing when he ignored her. "Zuko, so help me spirits if you ignore me, I-"

"Yes?" He turned around rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me." She took a sip of her tea but never took her eyes off of him. "I'm going to bed."

"Okay, sleep well."

"Zuko!" She narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't act like this. Not to me."

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I'm sorry."

"That's better." Izanami smiled, "Now give me a kiss."

Zuko stared at her before sighing at her, but leaning down nevertheless and kissing her forehead.

"There we go." Izanami leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Now wake me up if you need anything."

Zuko watched as Izanami walked away until she was out of sight. Once she was, he pointed at her with both hands, looking exasperatedly at Iroh. Iroh laughed and smiled, muttering something about "young love".

~00~

Izanami woke up to the sound of her door opening. She rolled to face it to see Zuko entering and shutting it behind him.

"Are we already there?" She asked, her voice husky because of sleep.

"No, I just came to speak with you." He said, leaning up against the door. She nodded, sitting up and patting the space next to her.

"You worried about it not being the Avatar?" She said as she yawned, beginning to section of her hair to pull it back into two braids.

Zuko shook his head as he sat down next to her, "No, after all these failed attempts, I'm not going to get my hopes up about it actually being him."

"So you're worried about it actually being the Avatar this time." Zuko looked over at her in confusion.

"Why would I be worried about that? That's been the reason for my entire search! To find him!"

She looked at him with her eyebrows raised as she finished one side of her hair and began braiding the other, "Yes, but your father and your grandfather, even your great-grandfather all searched but could not find him. You could just be scared about actually finding him."

"I'm not scared!" Zuko yelled at her, rolling his eyes.

"Don't yell at me, okay?" Izanami said, shaking his hand off her thigh, but Zuko put it right back where it was. "If you're not scared, then maybe you're just timid. Nobody has seen the Avatar for over one-hundred years and they've had plenty of time to master all four of the elements. Nobody is going to blame you if you're hesitant to get involved."

Zuko sighed, leaning back and landing his head on her lap. Izanami looked at Zuko before finishing her two braids and putting them into a low bun. After she was done, she took Zuko off her lap and laid his head down on her pillows, laying down next to him as well. After a few moments of silence, she turned on her side and looked at him.

"What?" He asked after she was silent for a few moments.

"I still cannot believe you did that to your hair." Izanami laughed as she leaned her face into his shoulder.

"What? You don't think it looks good?" Zuko asked, feeling a tad bit insecure.

"I'll like you no matter what you look like. But you've spent the past two years growing out your hair and then you suddenly decided to shave it off. Except for the one little diamond pony tail. It looks kind of silly when it's down too." She laughed again and she got herself more comfortable on his chest.

"Well, I like it." Zuko said, bringing his hand to lay on her stomach because she was laying sideways.

"Then I love it." Izanami wrapped her hand around his and squeezed it.

They laid in silence for a few minutes before Izanami untangled their hands together and sat up.

"Where are you going?" Zuko asked, opening his eyes.

"I'm going to go meditate." But she leaned over the bed and grabbed her shoes that were on the floor. "But you are going to stay here and take at least an hour nap. No arguments."

Zuko said nothing, just stretching out his hand to rub across her back until she stood up. He then turned to lay on his side and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep as she left the room.

~00~

Hours later, as the sun was setting, both Zuko and Izanami stood shoulder to shoulder, leaning over the railing as they look out into the distance where the beam once was.

Iroh looked at the both of them for a moment before he spoke, "I'm going to bed now." He yawned, "Yep, a man needs his rest."

Iroh looked to see if the two would get his hint but wasn't acknowledged, "Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you are right, and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed."

Izanami felt Zuko stiffen before he spoke, "Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years of hiding are over."

Iroh sighed before looking at Izanami exasperatedly, who nodded, silently telling him that she would make Zuko get some sleep. Iroh nodded before telling them both goodnight and leaving.

She turned to Zuko and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her head lay on his back, in between his shoulder blades. They stayed like this for several minutes before Zuko turned to her and Izanami let go of him.

Zuko leaned down and held her face, gently kissing her lips. Izanami sighed into the kiss and placed her hands on his waist. When they pulled away, Zuko pulled her into a hug and leaned back onto the railing.

"You promise me you will go to bed tonight?" She asked and he nodded at her. Izanami smiled at him before she leaned on the balls of her feet, gently kissing him once more. "Then, I will see you in the morning. Do you want me to wake you?"

Zuko nodded at her, staring into her eyes with a small smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Zuko." Izanami smiled at him and turned around, walking back to her room.

Zuko sighed once she was out of sight and turned back to face the water.

This was the Avatar; he could feel it.

~00~

The next morning, Izanami and Iroh watched as Zuko trained viscously with two members of his crew.

"Again!" Iroh called out to Zuko.

Zuko blasted fire from his hands at the crewmembers, but he missed. The guards shot fire back at Zuko, but he dodges, flipping them both and landing behind them.

Iroh sighs at Zuko and stands up, "No! Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." As he finished his sentence, he shoots out fire towards Zuko, who doesn't flinch as it does not touch him. "Get it right this time."

"Enough." Zuko said hotly, "I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready."

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics." Iroh insisted, "Drill it again!"

Zuko growled in anger and kicked his foot back, shooting fire at a guard. The guard fell back as he tried to defend himself from the surprise attack, causing Izanami to stand up.

"Zuko! What in the sprits is wrong with you!" She said as she raced over to help the fallen guard up.

Zuko ignored her as he stalked towards his uncle, "The Sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You will teach me the advanced set!"

"Zuko!" Izanami yelled at him over by the guard, causing Zuko to look back at her before turning his attention towards his uncle again.

"Very well." Iroh said, reaching down and grabbing a bowl filled with meat. "But first I must finish my roast duck."

Zuko rolled his eyes before he looked back towards Izanami, who was stomping towards him in anger.

"What in the bleeding hogmonkeys was that?!" She cried out as she stopped right in front of him, causing Zuko to take a step back.

"Now Izy-" Zuko tried to speak, but was quickly cut off by her.

"Don't you 'Izy' me!" Izanami went to speak once more, but quickly remembered the two crewmembers that were behind them. She turned to them and smiled sincerely as she could. "If you gentlemen would like, you may go down to the kitchen and get a drink of water. But be back in five minutes."

The both of them realized that it was a shadowed command, and quickly left. Once they were out of sight, Izanami whirled back at Zuko.

"What in the spirts name makes you think that you can treat those men like that?"

"They are my men!" Zuko growled to her, "I will do with them as I please."

"No you will not!" Izanami cried out, "Because that's what they are. Men. Mortal Men. And just because you are angry that you cannot accomplish basic firebending does not mean that you are allowed to take it out on two crewmembers, who so graciously volunteered to help you train!"

She took a deep breath before continuing, "I realize how frustrating it is to go up against an opponent who is ten times better then you could ever dream to be. But if Iroh says that you are not doing the basic set right, then that means you need to calm down and retry. If you continue to the next set without mastering the first, not only will you be sloppy, you will be unbalanced and easier to defeat."

Izanami looked into Zuko's eyes and saw that he was calmer then he was before. "Please, Zuko. Do not yell at Iroh for trying to help you.

Zuko looked back at Iroh, who was looking up at him and Izanami, and nodded at him in apology. Iroh smiled slightly and nodded backing, knowing that was as good of an apology that he would get with him like this.

"Thank you." Izanami whispered softly, "Now, I will go down to the kitchen and send up the crew to help you train and also to get some tea for when after your training is finished. Take some calming breaths from now until they come up so that you will be better focused, okay?"

Zuko nodded at her and she smiled before walking down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"She will make an amazing advisor for you one day." Iroh commented as he saw his nephew taking deep breaths. "And an even better Firelady."

Zuko turned towards his uncle, but did not say anything. True to his word, Zuko kept on with his deep breaths until both crewmembers came onto the deck, looking wearily at their Prince.

"Alright." Zuko said to them, "Let's start with the basics once more."

~00~

At the end of the day, both Zuko and Izanami were, surprisingly, meditating on the upper deck. Thought it was very short-lived as a flare went off in the sky, causing Zuko to rush towards the telescope and Izanami to peak one eye open.

After a few seconds of looking around, Zuko spoke quietly to himself, The last airbender. Quite agile for his old age." Zuko leaned over the railing to call out to the men below who had gathered around because of the sound. "Wake up my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar."

Zuko went back to looking through the telescope, finding a tiny village not too far away from where the Avatar was. "As well as his hiding place."

Izanami stood up and came behind Zuko. She looked at him until her turned back to look her.

"Are you ready?" She asked him, staring at him directly in his eyes.

"I'm ready."

A/N:

So I haven't updated his story in almost two years. So if you're new- welcome! If you received a notification that this story updated- wowzah you are dedicated. I'm reuploading this story chapter by chapter starting with the first one, and then weekly uploading new chapters unless otherwise stated. Im thinking about every Saturday (except for this post lol) so this coming Saturday I will upload chapter two and then so on.