A/N: Alright this is my very first Avatar Fanfic so please be nice. I just watched all of the episodes recently and I thought that it would be good to write about my favorite character Zuko! His soul is so tormented…it makes a girl sad! Well here is my first shot at an Avatar fanfic, and one of my first Anime fanfics that I have put up on . Please feel free to leave comments and reviews. I love those! With the new movie in theaters I hope that this doesn't ruin it for those who only watch the movies and don't care to watch the Anime. Have a great read!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with the Avatar Anime or movie. I just altered it the way I wanted it because that is what fanfiction is all about. The only people in here that I own are Kaidakoto and anyone whose names you have never heard of in the Anime or movie. Some of the places I own too, but anything Avatarish…that is a big NO!

Battles Within

Chapter One: The Glass Former

I walked down the street of Ba Sing Se, the wondrous city that was impenetrable to everyone, even my Uncle Iroh. It was very odd to be walking on enemy soil that was not already owned or taken over by the Fire Nation army. These people ignorant that a Fire Nation prince was walking right beside them were peacefully going along their daily lives, or what is left of their lives after the Fire Nation took their homes and made them into refugees.

Funny how things work out as they are, I myself am a refugee now because the Fire Nation, my own home and my own father cast me out and forbid my return. I had a hope until he sent out my prodigy sister to find the Avatar. Now I am without hope, home, or the life that I rightfully deserve being the only son of the Fire Lord.

Today I was on my way to the shop for my uncle. He said we were out of tea and that we needed more. Why he couldn't just have gotten some from the tea shop we worked at was the question on my mind when I bought the tea he wanted. A crowd had grown around a shop at the far end of the street as I walked out of the shop. Curiosity got the best of me before I could will my legs to stop following the crowd of Earth Kingdom refugees. Murmuring around me sent chills up my spine.

"She is the best fire bender I have ever seen."

"She is a wonderful woman, and so young too."

"Shame she was put out of her home just as we were by fire nation."

"At least she isn't like the other fire nation people."

"They gave her hell when she came in and announced that she was fire nation."

"They watched her for years, but she was only a child then."

"Did you see how she touches it as if it is nothing?"

I pushed my way to the front of the crowd and looked for myself at the woman, clearly Fire Nation from her appearance. She was smiling as she shaped molten glass in her hands as if it were clay. A little boy watched with his mother at his side. I almost dropped my things when I saw fresh flames sprout from her finger tips. She was fire bending in a city where everyone feared flames.

Once she was finished she placed her creation on the table beside her. She had collected the heat from the little glass figure and reclaimed it as her own. The little boy went to touch it but her skilled swift hands reached out and cupped his hand in her own.

"No little one, you will burn yourself. We wouldn't want that." The little boy giggled and replied quickly before his mother swept him off. "It will be done cooling within the hour ma'am." The crowd was dispersing as I stood dumbfounded in front of this woman. She looked to be my age. The mother nodded and passed what looked to be only a few coppers, nothing to the amount to which this grand piece of glass deserved. I must have been standing too long past when the others left because next thing I knew she was looking at me with glittering amber eyes.

"Can I help you sir?" She asked touching the glass tiger gently. "Still hot." She said to herself and collected it in the palms of her hands. Her voice was beautifully angelic.

"You're a fire bender." I said stupidly. She obviously knew she was a fire bender. I saw the flinch when I said fire bender. "I didn't mean it like that." I said putting the sack of tea on the ground as I stretched out my back. She looked at me and I could tell she was watching my every move now that I had said that so bluntly.

"You're a new comer I see." She said just as bluntly as I had claimed she was a fire bender. I smiled at that. She has the attitude of one.

"Yea, my Uncle and I just came in on the boat." She looked back to me after she placed the tiger on the table.

"Well, you aren't afraid of me. I guess that is a good thing. Unless you plan on killing me in my sleep, like others have tried to do. I guess than it wouldn't be a good thing." She spoke of her own death and the attempts of others murdering her as if it were an every day thing. Something hard in her was closing in around her and I didn't like it.

"No I don't plan to kill you in your sleep. My uncle and I work at a tea shop down the street." How could I kill another out casted fire bender. Why did I just tell her where I worked? I saw her cover her mouth with her fan that she produced from a pocket only moments before. She was laughing at me. No, she was blushing!

"I'll have to come and see this tea shop sometime then. Perhaps I would have a cup of tea. Is it the one the locals are chattering about, the one with the new fabulous tea maker?" So she had heard of my uncle, but she hadn't heard of me. That's alright; I'm not prince Zuko here. I'm Lee, just another refugee without a purpose or place.

"That is my uncle. I'm sure he would love another customer." As I would love to see her face around more often.

"Why don't I come by tomorrow; perhaps around noon during my lunch break?" She looked at a lump of glass that was multi-colored. It looked as if it was recycled from glass she had found in the trash, only cleaned and melted.

"That sounds fine, when ever you see fit to come by. We are open later than most tea shops." She nodded and looked around the street before looking back up into my eyes.

"I'll be there then, during my lunch break, and maybe even after I'm done work." She stood and brushed off her red kimono, sand falling off of her lap, like water off of a glass bowl. She held out her hand and offered me a hand shake. I looked at it for a moment and shook her hand. She smiled and I could tell that I had gained her trust and from what she had seen I had hers.

I picked up the bag of tea and began to walk off. I stopped mid stride and turned around to see her walking back into her shop. Instead of yelling down the street I walked back and peered inside her shop. Shelves lined the walls with glass set carefully on top of them. She turned around when she saw my shadow fall across the ground.

"I never got your name." I said gaining another smile from her red lips.

"Kaidakoto, but most people call me Kaida." I blinked at her obvious Fire Nation name. I couldn't quell the urge even after I knew it was coming.

"Zuko." She blinked and waited for me to say something else. Truth was I couldn't believe I had said that. I wonder how many people had heard me.

"Your secret is safe with me, Price Zuko." She turned and walked into the back of her shop. She didn't yell, scream, cry. She only said goodbye with a promise of seeing me later and the promise to keep my identity safe. The spirits only know I couldn't keep it from this alluring woman.

As I walked back to the shop I yawned from tiredness. The sun was setting and I still had two hours of work to be doing. Uncle was awaiting me by the door with a frown.

"You are late Nephew." He said hands crossed over his chest and resting on his large belly.

"I was watching a street performance." I said and passed him into the shop. Placing our own personal bag onto the floor in the back room I put on my apron and got back to work. Giving my Uncle a we-need-to-talk-later look I began serving tea to the unsuspecting Earth Nation people.

A/N: WPPH First chapter! I think that, that was a really good first chapter. Well anyway it was long and very good. I am glad that I could get that out. You know it kind of upset me that they didn't make Uncle Iroh fat in the movie…I guess they neded to make it easier for the actor. Wouldn't want a fat man to have to get really skinny and buff really fast….hmmmm….Anyway I hope you liked that first chapter and please read on my pretties! REVIEW PLEASUMS!

~*Morna*~