Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of its characters.

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Arie Kozonoko is the daughter of a past general of the Fire Nation. As the daughter of a very well respected general, Arie was allowed to be brought up in the Royal Family's household. She was the same age as their son, Prince Zuko. She and Zuko were enemies since age 5. Zuko was first learning firebending when he accidentally torched Arie's favorite doll. It had been given to her by her mother, who had died earlier that year. At age 7, Arie and her father went away from the palace to perfect Arie's firebending skills. Her mother had also been part waterbender, which she passed down to Arie. Arie also perfected her martial arts skills and could give an Admiral(cough) a run for his money. It has now been 9 years since she left the Fire Nation. She is now 16.

Arie was sitting on the shoreline, near the home she had stayed at for 3 years now. Her father had died when she was 12, four years ago. Arie noticed a ship heading toward the shoreline she was at.

"Fire Nation," she said, getting up as the ship docked.

Off the ship came 20 men, a fat man, and a young teen with a scar around his left eye. Arie recognized the boy straight away as Prince Zuko. She also remembered the fat guy as Iroh. They had noticed her and were heading her way. When there Zuko looked her up and down, as if analizing her.

"Are you a friend of the Fire Nation?," Zuko asked, coldly.

"Zuko, have manners, she is a lady," Iroh said," Miss, what pray tell is your name?"

"I am Arie Kozonoko, daughter of the late General Kito Kozonoko," she replied.

"Not her," Zuko groaned.

"Arie! My have you grown!" Iroh said.

Arie smiled, sweetly.

"Yeah, into a-," Zuko started to mutter.

"I don't think you want to finish that sentence, doll torcher," Arie said, glaring icily at him," You're probably no better yourself."

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, YOU MORON!," Zuko said.

"DON'T CALL ME A MORON, YOU-!," Arie shouted.

"As amusing as this is, can we ask you a favor, Arie?," Iroh asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, of course," she said, kindly.

Zuko snorted at her quick change of tone, making her send him a death glare that returned.

"Arie, do you mind if we camp at your home?," Iroh asked," We have been on a long journey and we still have a long way to go."

"Of course, but...I have a favor to ask of you," Arie said.

"NO, no favors," Zuko said.

"What is it, Arie?," Iroh said, speaking over his nephew.

"I would like to accompany you on your journey," she said," I have no where to go and I'm all alone. I could help you as I am also part waterbender along as a firebender. I am also a fighter."

"Uncle, no," Zuko said," I will not have her on my ship."

"Prince Zuko, as much as you may despise me, please do not let it cause you to be SO unkind," Arie said.

He glared at her.

"I'll give you my decision tomorrow," he said.

Arie nodded.

"This way," she said.

She led then to her small house.

"It has 1 spare bedroom, your men will have to camp," Arie said.

"You heard her," Zuko said to the 20 men.

"So, which one of you gets the last room, unless you plan on sharing it?"

Zuko started to argue with his uncle.

-After 20 minutes-

Arie was getting aggrivated from the bickering. She got a fireball in her hand and threw it at Zuko, torching his pants.

"AHH! PUT IT, OWW, OUT!," he yelled.

Arie waterbended a bunch of water over him, puttin out the fire, yet drenching him.

"That was not funny, Arie," Zuko said to the laughing girl.

"I'm so sorry, Prince Zuko," Arie said, sarcastically bowing," If you two are done arguing, I don't mind sharing a room with you, Prince Zuko."

He looked at her suspiciously.

"Don't you dare try to kill me," he warned her.

She led him up to her room. She lit a fire in the fireplace.

"You might want to dry off by that," she said, coldly.

She was meaner since Iroh or any others weren't there. Her room was pretty bare. There were a few belongings on a dresser and in it. There was one bed and a few chairs.

"Do you have a problem?," Zuko asked, sitting by the fire.

"Yeah, you," she said, sitting on her bed.

Zuko turned to face her.

"It was just a doll, Arie, goodness," Zuko said," Get over it."

"Hmph," Arie said," So, what is your journey for?"

"I'm trying to get the Avatar," he said," If I get him, I might be let back into the Fire Nation with my honor restored."

The last part he said very quietly.

"Why do you always try to please your father?," Arie asked, sincerely.

Zuko looked at her, then bkac at the fire.

"Because I do," he snapped," Why do you care?"

" I don't," Arie said," It was only a question."

"Yeah, well, keep out of other peoples business," Zuko said.

"That is something you still need to learn," she snickered.

Zuko gave her the evil eye. Arie shook her head.

"Goodnight, Prince Zuko," Arie said, lying on her bed.

She fell asleep quickly.

"Oh, sure, don't even-," Prince Zuko started, but looking over in the corner of the room, he spotted a cot.

Zuko stared at the sleeping girl.

-I just don't understand her- he thought -One moment she is so evil, the next downright sweet. GRR!-

Zuko went over to the cot, lay down, and fell asleep.

Arie woke up to find Zuko still asleep on the cot she left for him.

-He looks...kinda peaceful...asleep- she thought -Oh, HECK NO!-
-Mentally slaps herself-

Arie got up and went down the stairs ans out of the house to a lake for a bath.