Welcome to my story. As the summary explains, it follows the adventures of Aang's twin sister, Ame. Her presence in the story allows me to delve deeper into the story line and motivations of each character. The events of the show will remain unchanged, simply told through the eyes of an outsider. I appreciate constructive criticism, so please feel free to leave a review or contact me personally. Each chapter will be titled after the episode it takes place in, to provide a framework of what is happening. Enjoy!

(I have begun the process of reviewing and rewriting my story. I apologize for any discrepancies in the meantime.)

Updated 3/9/2019

In the middle of a barren clearing, a young girl labored. Hardly sixteen, and half dressed, she was throwing everything she had into her Earthbending. Her lower half was clad in the dark green fitted pants and shin guards of an Earth Kingdom soldier, with the tunic folded down at the belt around her waist. Her top half was covered in simple breast bindings, worn and heavily patched from excessive use. The rest of the armor lay abandoned near the edge of the clearing. The contrast between her heavily clothed lower half sharply accentuated her pale skin, and the light blue streak up her back. Her undefined muscles did nothing to convince one that this girl was fit to be an Earthbender. A few beads of sweat would roll down her back as she shifted stances; any hair that had escaped her topknot was matted against her skull.

The last rock dropped much too heavily, rattling the leaves that still clung stubbornly to their branches. Ame finally let herself rest, panting as she fell backwards to the ground. Her body did not land with a heavy thud, rather drifting to meet the ground. After all the work she had put into training, and that was the best she can do. Giving herself a few minutes with her eyes closed to catch her breath, she could feel the way her chi throbbed through her body. Inhaling the crisp air, she let her gray eyes snap open.

Rapidly approaching dusk greeted her. She had lost track of time during her practicing, and she gasped to herself. Hopping up, she rushed over to her stuff. Quickly winding cloth around her torso to conceal her more feminine features, she then pulled on the rest of the armor. A quick check to the back of her hands satisfied her as she slid the metal hat on over her hair.

Ame ran as fast as she could out of the secluded part of the forest, only slowing down as she approached the training grounds. The buildings were all built partially underground, to blend into the hillside better. There weren't even walls around their compound, being too noticeable from a distance. Unfortunately, she couldn't slip into the barracks as intended. A fellow soldier, patrolling the perimeter, spotted her.

"Stop right there!" He called out to her.

She skid to a halt, teeth clenched tight. Taking a formal stance she bowed without meeting the man's gaze. "I am sorry, sir, I lost track of time." Her answer was stated plainly in a low voice, her own exhaustion giving it a rough edge that was befitting of the man she was pretending to be.

"Han?" The soldier inquired, recognition softening his tone. She lifted her head. "How many times does that make it this week?"

She grimaced in response to his frown. "Uh…" Her eyes cast down to her bare toes. "Maybe four?"

Binh shook his head. "You are too uncertain about everything. This is the third. As such…"

Ame interrupted, meeting his green eyes. "I know, no rations for me tonight or tomorrow morning." She kicked herself for not foraging anything from the woods when she was out.

He nodded in response. "This must be, what, your fourth time?" He asked as he resumed his patrol, skirting the outskirts of the compound.

"It's only the second." There was a little indignation seeping into her tone as she started following him, indirectly heading to the barracks.

Binh let out a low laugh. "Want me to sneak you some food later?" His pace was slow and easy, but each step was firmly placed on the ground. Hers seemed to barely touch it.

Biting her lip, Ame finally conceded. "No, they'll just extend the punishment." Her stomach growled loudly as if to make her regret her decision.

"I'll see what I can do. Now get to the barracks before someone else catches you." Binh urged, shaking his head in amusement.

Ame complied without another word. As she skirted the mess hall, the smell of stir fry wafted around her. If one thing were to be said for this place, it was that they had some delicious vegetarian meals when meat was difficult to acquire.

Ame paused in the doorway of the barracks for new recruits. A dozen beds lined the walls, a simple footlocker at the foot of each for personal possessions. Not for the first time, she wondered why she was here as she stared down the confined room. It was draining, pretending to be Han, a young Earthbender who wanted to join the army and fight against the Fire Nation. Everything was dirt and stoic and bullheadedness. She missed feeling light, pliable and easygoing. She rubbed at her face with a hand, careful to avoid her forehead even in the absent minded gesture. Time was running short.

Rousing herself, she moved to take off her armor before the rest of the men came back from dinner. The standard issue pajamas were too big for her, but she appreciated the way they hung loose on her body. She slid into bed just as several men came into the room. They all filed in quietly, nothing but shuffling as they changed into their pajamas and slid into their bunks.

The first couple of weeks, her bunkmates had been fun-loving farm boys and shepherds who loved to out-prank each other. But now, after a month of having to unlearn everything they knew and filling the gap with how to be a soldier, they were anything but. Almost hourly they were all reminded that they were fighting a losing war, and that if they could not stand and fight, everything would be lost.

The breakfast bell woke everyone up early in the morning, and they all dressed in unison before marching back to the mess hall. Ame had to watch as everyone else ate their breakfast of rice porridge. Binh was kind enough to skip the meal in solidarity, making the way her stomach collapsed in on itself less painful.

He was the only one who tried to get to know her, who would try to help his friend Han in training sessions or encourage him to finish drills. He was the only one who knew that her eyes weren't brown, like they appeared at first glance, but a stormy gray. From the first day, he had taken her under his wing, treating Han as a younger brother. It wracked Ame with guilt that he didn't know who she truly was.

"Are you ready Han?" Binh asked quietly, his green eyes searching her face as she turned to the noise of his voice.

She blinked a few times, wondering what he meant. He gave her the tiniest eye roll. "Evaluations are today." He explained, causing her heart to drop.

Wide-eyed, she gazed around the room. Everyone else had already filed out. "I thought… those were weeks from now?" A shadow passed over his face at her question, but quickly became a stony mask.

"They were. But the Fire Nation captured the Serpent's Pass. There are concerns they are poising to attempt another attack on Ba Sing Sei." Binh explained, his voice carefully neutral. "We will get our assignments today."

Ame found she was shaking her head, her emotional fog tightening around her as her hands clenched. "I've wasted too much time." The words slipped through, finding her voice, her true voice. Binh slid away from her on the bench, trying to study her face, his own expression troubled.

"There's no need to be upset." He told her, mistaking the change in her tone. Reaching out, he squeezed her shoulder in a bid to comfort her. Ame scrunched her face, having realized her slip up too late.

It was a few heartbeats before she could answer, her eyes on the table in front of them as her mind worked. If evaluations were today then she knew her time here was up anyway. Growing bolder as she formulated her plan, Ame answered, "Yeah, you're right." She abruptly stood up and strode out of the cafeteria.

Binh scrabbled to follow her, the sound of her normal voice temporarily freezing him. He caught up to her, matching her steady pace only because of his long strides. "Han, what are you doing? Evaluations are the other way."

"My name is not Han. It's Ame." She stated. Anxiety coiled around her spine at finally dropping her act, but she comforted herself with the knowledge that she could outrun him if necessary. Confident that all the other men would be at the arena for evaluations, she strode boldly through the abandoned complex, making her way to the barracks.

"Alright, Han, you're scaring me. If this is a practical joke, it's not funny." Binh replied, striding in front of her. She halted, staring up into his face expressionless.

"It is not." was her simple reply as she sidestepped him. He watched her, mouth hanging open, as she flung open her footlocker. Rustling under the extra sets of clothing and armor, she found the small, gatorskin rucksack at the bottom. It contained the makeup she used to cover her tattoos, carefully sealed away in a clay jar, a Pai Sho piece, and the smattering of bronze, silver, and gold coins she had managed to save.

Looping her arms through the rucksack and settling it comfortably on her back, she cast one last look at her discarded belongings. Loosening the chin strap, she removed the helmet from her head, setting it gently on the bed. Ame took one last breath, before finally meeting Binh's gaze again. He had managed to close his mouth, but he was blocking the door.

"If it's true, you shouldn't be telling me this. You know that women are not allowed in the army. I could turn you in, and you would die."

The statement was flat, and she couldn't bring herself to feel threatened by him. Ame forced herself to shrug, feeling the gesture was appropriate. "If we ever meet in the future, and I hope we will, I want you to know who I am." She crossed the room, warily watching him to see how he would react. "I wish you good luck, Binh, as you go fight in this endless war." With this, Ame breezed around him, slipping through the small space left between him and the doorway.

She had made it to the edges of the forest when he cried after her. "Wait!" She hesitated, turning to see him running towards her. For a split second she considered rushing into the security of the trees, but then she saw the bag he clutched in his hand. Skidding to a halt in front of her, he took a minute to pant his way back to a normal breathing pattern.

"You can use this… better than I can." He wheezed, holding up the bag. It was his coin purse, almost as full as hers.

Ame took a step back towards the trees, shaking her head. "I can't accept this, Binh. You earned that money."

Straightening up, he pushed it towards her. "And I'll die before I can spend it. You know I don't have any family. I belong to the army now, and they'll provide everything I need for as long as I live."

Ame started blankly at the green bag. It was true that he had no family to leave it to, and with how good he was at Earthbending, there was little doubt that he would be sent to the forefront of the war, most likely never to return.

"Please, Ame." Hearing her name spoken aloud was odd. It had been since her time with the swamp benders that anyone had said her real name. He took advantage of her stunned silence to reach out and grasp her hand, pressing the bag into it and wrapping her fingers around the cloth. "Consider it as your winnings."

Her eyes flicked up from the bag, gazing at him curiously.

He let out a small chuckle. "I'd bet the men at the beginning of this that you were something special. They thought I was crazy once we all saw you Earthbend." He rubbed the back of his head, giving an embarrassed laugh that made his eyes crinkle into lines. "None of us could have guessed this though."

Ame's cheeks flushed at the idea of them betting on what was wrong with her. Nevertheless, she gave him a formal bow. "Thank you, Binh. I will use it wisely." And with that, she slipped into the woods.

"Good luck, Ame." He called softly after her, barely audible over the sound of her bare feet pounding against the forest floor.

She started to sprint through the trees, ducking her head against the branches that whipped past her face. A journey that would take a normal person most of the day took her just about an hour. Moving quickly, she followed the path into the town's square, ignoring the stares of the townspeople.

Ame ducked into the first clothing shop she could find. The tailor was startled by her appearance, but gave a quick bow. "How can I serve you today?" His husky voice asked, the few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth drawn tight. Those faded into an easy grin when he saw the green money bag still clutched in her hand.

She walked out a little while later, with a set of male travelers clothing, and a 'present for his twin sister'. Her cheeks still burned a little at the encounter, but the tailor had asked few questions as he measured and deftly altered a few ready-made items for the appropriate height. There was a small gathering of people outside the door, but they quickly dispersed as she emerged onto the street. Using the leftover money from Binh, Ame borrowed an ostrich horse, suddenly grateful that the compound trained their soldiers on how to ride one.

She rode the bird as far away and as far north as she could. By the time she turned it back in at the last depot, she had long abandoned the Earth Kingdom uniform in favor of the simple Earth Kingdom clothing. From there, she continued on foot, grateful that she was allowed to wear shoes now that she was no longer a soldier.

Persistently she stuck close to the shore, where the Earth Kingdom's continent met the Great Sea. It was easier to keep her bearings that way, and as she advanced further north she encountered more and more towns that were under Fire Nation control. The first such village she had encountered, the tailor happily accepted her Earth Kingdom coins in exchange for the red dress. The next town, she purchased a set of men's clothing, explaining it was for her twin brother. The shopkeeper here was humorless, making her trade two days' worth of sewing for the tunic and pants rather than accepting Earth Kingdom currency. But it made her feel safer, knowing she had options.

Ame found work where she could, trying to build up a reserve of the bars of precious metals that the Fire Nation traded with. Most jobs allowed her to continue traveling, or lasted a short while so she could get on the move again. A few of those jobs she completed as a boy, simply because the Fire Nation seemed to trust men more than they did women. But no matter who she masqueraded as, everyone refused to teach her about their culture and show her Firebending.

Three weeks after deserting the Earth Kingdom, Ame had traveled as far north as she dared. Beyond this point lay the Fire Nation colonies, and she needed to stay close enough to the Earth Kingdom to escape if need be. As it were, this port was a little too Fire Nation for her comfort. Still though, she established herself in a small tea stall. As a port town, there were ships constantly passing through and restocking. But none of them needed a soldier or deckhand or anything. She wasn't able to find anyone to teach her Firebending. Though this could have been a result of her not trying very hard. Firebenders still scared her.

Ame would usually part ways with her fellow attendant, Kiona, in the evenings after they had searched the nearby wilderness for more plants. It was when she was alone that Ame felt truly herself again, away from the gossiping and nitpicky attitude of her fellow attendant. It was there, out in the woods, that she could practice her bending in seclusion. She would sleep in the trees, her gatorskin rucksack swinging from the branches above her.

It was a very slow day, with few ships coming into their harbor. Ame was crouched behind the stall counting the packets of plants in preparation for the evening, trying her best to tune out the rants and complaints that Kiona was so good at.

The girl in question was leaning against the wood building behind the stall, but she suddenly straightened up. Ame glanced up to see her arrange her features into a huge, welcoming smile, and her voice was sickly sweet. "Welcome! Is there anything I can help you with?" Ame felt some tension drain out of her shoulders. It was nice to get some customers, if only to give the other girl something to do.

Someone with a deep voice, rough with age, responded, "I hope so! I need some Ginseng tea leaves, if you don't mind. My nephew here needs to relax a little, and I am hoping this will help him."

She could hear a young man growl, even through the thick wood of the stall. "I don't need to relax! I am fine!" Ame's fingers paused in her work of flipping through the paper packets. The Fire Nation had seemed to revere their elderly, and to overhear such a display of casual disrespect shocked her.

There was a chuckle from the first man. "I don't think that is what the man you threw overboard this morning would say!" The elder man had laughed off the slight. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"He deserved it!" Came the hot reply. She felt her face twist, reflecting her aversion to the behavior. Sure she had met some hotheads during her time in the Fire Nation, but they always conceded to their elders. It was one of the very clear rules of their society, much like her own culture. To see it so blatantly ignored pricked at her.

Kiona nudged her roughly. "Hey, I don't have any up here. Do we have any down there?" The question caused Ame's fingers to jerk. She hadn't realized how caught up she was in the conversation of strangers.

She shuffled a few packets, plucking the requested paper from its place, before standing up. Kiona took it from her, addressing the man and completing the transaction. Ame used this as an opportunity to glance at the customers. The older man was nothing too remarkable; he was just an elderly Fire Nation man, a little on the heavy side. The appearance of his nephew, however, was far from unremarkable. He was bald, save for a high ponytail wrapped with red cloth. His pale skin made the angry slash of red over his eye impossible to ignore. He had a scowl on, his arms crossed over his chest like a petulant child. She pitied him for the scar, and assumed his companion must have as well. It would explain the good natured way he suffered the verbal abuse.

Both men were engaged in an argument about the teenager's anger, unaware of her presence. Remembering herself, she ducked back down before they caught her staring. Her fingers refused to continue their work, gripping the wood shelf in front of her, and she scolded herself for getting caught up in the unusual pair.

Her coworker looked at her in confusion, but quickly composed herself. "Excuse me," She said, interrupting the argument. She handed the wrapped packages over to the old man, speaking as she did so. "My friend Ame needs work, either for her or her brother. Do you think you have a place for either of them?"

Ame looked up at the girl, dimly shocked at her behavior. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked quietly, fingers tightening painfully upon the wood.

The other girl shrugged, before answering, "You have asked every other person that has stopped at our stall. I figured, why let an opportunity pass?"

The old man replied, a grin in his voice, "As it so happens, we do need another soldier!" Ame slowly stood, her insides twisting. "Would your brother be up for the job?"

The teen broke in, and Ame's eyes flicked to him of their own volition. "We don't need another soldier! We just need to leave and continue south, Uncle!"

Ame let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. South meant they weren't going to be a part of the active front. Maybe they were part of a transport team. She stole a glance at the scarred teen, otherwise keeping her eyes trained on the elder man. After a month of no luck, she finally had an opportunity to work as a soldier. How could she pass up the opportunity now? She couldn't let some uncertainty stop her now.

"Prince Zuko, there will be few opportunities to recruit another soldier after we leave this harbor. Let us meet the boy before you dismiss him." The old man stated, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. He turned his lined face towards Ame, causing her mind to go blank. "Now, why don't you retrieve your brother so we can meet him?"

After a few heartbeats, Ame gave a quick nod. She really didn't know what she was about to get herself into, but there was a kindness in the eyes of the old man that she found encouraging. Racing out of town, her feet finding the path easily. She grabbed her bag from where she had stashed it in the tree. Yanking her male disguise out, a loose tunic and pants, she pulled them on over her clothing before slinging the bag over a shoulder. She readjusted her hair, pulling it into a high topknot that kept her fringe out of her face. Not wasting any time, she rushed back, patting and adjusting the clothing as necessary, hoping the quick transformation would fool them.

When she got back to the stall, the two were still arguing whether or not they needed another soldier. She tried to remember to stand tall and firm as she approached, to quell the doubt in her disguise that was welling up.

Kiona noticed her first. "Han! I… I didn't know you existed." She burst out. Ame stopped beside the girl, barely looking at her from the corner of her eye. The glower caused the girl to stumble over her words. "I mean, Ame kept saying she had a brother, but no one ever saw you… Where have you been?" The girl grilled, eyes flicking up and down Han.

Ame pursed her lips. Everything she had ever said or done here was kept intentionally vague, being an expert at dodging questions. But she was about to leave anyway, so there was nothing stopping her. "Didn't Ame tell you that I worked at the docks? You must not get out much." She turned her back to Kiona, bowing to her new employers.

"My name is Han. My sister, Ame, said that you might have some work for me." Straightening her body, Ame took the opportunity to study the two men across from her. She kept her jaw square, her face expressionless as they surveyed her back. Her focus was just on keeping her body language firm, remembering what she had learned in the Earth Kingdom.

The old man's face broke into a grin, as he said, "Ah, yes. This is Prince Zuko, and I am his Uncle Iroh. I am hoping you will agree to work on our ship." Ame gave a curt nod, signaling her agreement. This time, she managed to keep her eyes on Iroh.

The elder man's smile widened as he continued. "Splendid! I do apologize, but we must be leaving now. May I ask, have you had any formal military training?" He gestured for Han to follow, and started walking towards the docks.

Ame trailed after the old man, not sparing a sideways glance towards the scarred teen as she passed him. He had remained oddly quiet throughout the exchange. It was difficult for her to believe that this all happened so quickly for her. That this was all it took for her to join a crew. "I have, actually, but nothing to train my Firebending." Her heart started pounding at the thought of learning the last element, but she settled her breathing into a steady rhythm to calm herself. Now was not the time to dwell on what she was about to do.

"You can Firebend? Excellent, just what we need!" Iroh said, grinning. He cut through a side street, away from the larger ships waiting at the forefront of the dock. Looking ahead, Ame saw the ship they must have been heading towards, a small warship dwarfed by the others they had passed. It made her falter in her steps, but the prince scoffing behind her caused her to hasten. When she had matched the older man's pace again, he continued. "I will train your Firebending, if you do something for me." Ame glanced at him, apprehensive. "Promise to come to Music Night!" he explained, and laughed.

"What about your sister?" Prince Zuko had finally decided to make his presence known. Ame's shoulders tightened. Why did the boy decide to say something now? The older man had stopped, looking back to the scarred teen.

She had a plan for this though. It was the same lie she used every time she received work. Tilting her chin down towards her neck, studying her boots, she replied. "Ame is… afraid to stay here alone. She is going back to our home." She barely met his eyes as she responded, her body perpendicular to his.

"And where is that?" He snapped again. Her back tightened at the follow up question. It hurt her voice to speak like this, and she was afraid she would give herself away. They were so close to the ship now, just standing in the street. She could feel prickles of sweat in her armpits.

"Uh…" She couldn't keep the uncertainty out of her voice this time, and it cracked awkwardly. "We don't really have a home. It's more like… she just doesn't want to stay here."

The old man took the opportunity to start walking back to the ship. "And who would want to stay in a harbor full of rowdy men without their brother around?" Ame watched his retreating back, before trailing after him.

"How do you not have a home?"

"We never knew our parents. We've traveled from village to village for as long as I can remember. I don't know if we ever had a home." The truth of the statement made Ame's eyes sting. She dug her nails into her palms, trying to stop the tears from spilling. Briefly she met the boy's lopsided glare. Him being a prince explained his attitude, but as she met his glare with her own steady gaze, she found it hard to believe.

Iroh called out to them. "Are you both coming?" Prince Zuko's lip twisted as he looked to his Uncle. "I wouldn't mind doing some more shopping!" The old man added, a grin breaking across his face.

The teen growled, brushing past her roughly. Ame took his lack of response to mean that she was free to come along. Trailing after the prince, they met Iroh at the top of the ramp. As he passed his uncle, Prince Zuko curtly snapped, "Let's go Uncle." He disappeared into the darkness of the ship, and the old man chuckled and shook his head.

Iroh delayed long enough to give her a kind smile. "If I were you, I'd go to the cafeteria, second floor of the tower. I'm sure you will find someone to properly show you around."

"Uncle!"

"I will be in the helm if you have any help. Although it may be wise to wait until my nephew has had time to plot our course before you venture up." Iroh gave a quick wink, before also disappearing into the ship.

Ame gave a quick bow as the man followed his nephew into the darkness. Now alone, she stared blankly into the abyss in front of her. She glanced over her shoulder at the light coming in from the open front of the ship, trying to fight the urge to run. It felt bizarre to be willingly walking into a Fire Nation ship, where she would be confined for days on end with these men, possibly spreading war and hate as they went. But she could not make her feet move, could not turn around and bolt out of the ship.

She had managed to fool them, for now. But with all the questions the scarred teen had about Ame, she had a feeling that maybe he wasn't so convinced. And that old man had introduced him as Prince. At the time she hadn't questioned it, but now it seemed less likely to be just a term of endearment. Nobody talked much about the Fire Nation, but she swore they didn't have a prince, just a princess.

A loud hissing startled her, and she held her breath as the front of the ship rose, enclosing her in the room and enveloping her in darkness. Letting out a breath she did not know she was holding, Ame squared her shoulders and marched down the hallway into the bowels of the ship.

As her eyes adjusted to the red lamps lining the halls, she could already feel claustrophobia settling in. This was the first time she had been inside one of the metal monstrosities the Fire Nation had created. The narrow hallways and red lights were bad enough, but the vents set into the floor would hiss sporadically, and the pipes running over her head vibrated angrily.

Trying to ignore the sounds pressing against her, she continued through the bowels of the ship, wishing she had followed the old man through or insisted on him showing her around first. She passed several doorways as she went through the cramped hallway, but she was too uncertain to open any of them. She paused, looking back to the end of the hallway she had come from.

Ame was saved from any further wandering by a door opening, flooding her hallway with light. She squinted against it, eyes already accustomed to the red lanterns. Three figures entered the hallway, laughing amongst themselves.

"There you are!" One of them declared, addressing her. He grinned, one of the most stunning smiles Ame had ever seen. It caused his eyes to soften and his features all seemed designed just to accentuate the smile. "I can't believe Iroh just left you all by yourself down here!" He shook his head, and she tore her gaze away from his young face. He was dressed in the armor of a Fire Nation soldier, the helmet denoting Firebenders tucked under his arm.

The other two were dressed similarly, with one wearing the helmet of the infantrymen, lacking a facemask and leather flaps draping over the shoulders. The other was carrying his helmet, his fingers looped into the eyeholes of the facemask.

Ame gave a quick bow, trying to remember how to place her hands in the Fire Nation way. The leader of the three gave a small laugh at her behavior. "Man, they must have put the fear of Agni into you!" He turned to his companions, laughter in his voice. "When is the last time someone bowed to you Shino?"

The other two men laughed, and Ame's face burned. "Can someone show me to my quarters?" Ame bit out, voice low, as she straightened up. It was easier to be confident as Han, and she used that to her advantage. Let these men know early on that she was not here to make friends.

"Uh, sure." Yukio said, their laughter dying. He turned to the other two. "Go get Simbu's quarters ready for him. I'll get him some armor." They rolled their eyes at his orders, but went back the way they came.

Yukio turned away from her, going further down the hallway, not waiting to see if she followed. She did though, unwilling to be left alone in the dim hallway. As she caught up to her new fellow soldier, the ship lurched, and she lost her footing.

She crashed into Yukio, his cold armor biting into her warm flesh. She pushed off of him, trying to regain her footing and fighting the queasiness in her stomach.

Yukio chuckled, and her face flared hot. "First time on a boat, huh?" He faced her, almost expectantly, just as she regained her footing. "The reversing definitely takes some getting used to."

Ame was about to bite out a reply, but the ship lurched again, this time in the opposite direction. Anticipating it, Yukio reached out and steadied her, gripping her forearms. "And there we go." Ame unwillingly latched onto his forearms, the vibrations of the ship as it moved rattling her teeth. "Relax into it. Soon you won't even notice." Yukio advised.

Her eyes were boring a hole into his chest plate as she fought against embarrassment and nausea. As the ship settled into its cruising speed, Ame willed her way into relaxing. The rumbling under her feet was still disconcerting, but she was able to step away from Yukio and keep her balance.

Giving her a friendly smile, Yukio then turned around and pulled open a nearby door. He dove head first into the closet, rummaging through the armor and throwing aside pieces. "Um, nope." He said, as he held up a set, visually sizing her to them. He threw them inside and pulled out a smaller set. "This is the smallest set we have. You are really tiny, Han. How old are you?"

Ame took the armor from him, her face still burning. "I am close to seventeen. But I promise, I will be a good soldier." Sure it was a bit of a lie, but she didn't know how old she really was anymore.

Yukio laughed at her, forcing Ame to look at him bewildered. "I am sorry, but you don't need to worry about that." He explained, once he had control over himself. "We are not very active in the war." Abruptly he stopped, his smile flashing across his face before he continued in a lower voice. "You see, we are actually on a top secret mission. It's so important, it is led by Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, and his uncle, the Dragon of the west, esteemed General Iroh. One that determines the fate of the whole world!"

He leaned in close to her, even though she stepped away. Bringing a hand to his mouth, he whispered into her ear. "We are after the Avatar." The words froze her, her blood running cold. No one was supposed to know she was alive. She hadn't told anyone who she was, and as far as she knew no one had managed to figure it out. Bewildered, she stared at him.

"I know, right!" Yukio said, his face breaking into that grin again. "The Avatar has been gone for over a hundred years! How are we supposed to find him? It's ridiculous!" He chuckled to himself. "You should see your face Han. It's like you just saw a ghost."

Ame relaxed, realizing that there was no way they would know. She faked a laugh also, and Yukio chuckled again, shaking his head before turning to continue down the hallway. As he spoke, she willed her heartbeat under control again. "I know our ship is small, but it works for us. Down there is the komodo rhino stalls, and behind that are the river boats. One of these doors leads to the catapult, but we haven't had to use it yet." He rattled off, gesturing vaguely to each item. He opened a door seemingly at random, revealing the bright hallway he had emerged from.

He passed through it, still talking. "Down at the end there are the prison cells. But you are more likely to be thrown overboard than into one of those." He led the way up a small flight of stairs, and Ame slowed as she followed him up them.

The bow of the ship loomed in front of her, its long spike casting a shadow across the deck. Yukio's voice faded into the wind that rushed around her ears as they mounted the top of the stairs, and she turned to look around her. She had never been on a ship before. Metal encased the deck, the railings standing a few feet tall. Most impressive was the looming tower though. Her head craned back to look up its length.

Yukio had noticed, and gave a low chuckle. "Impressed?" She pulled her mouth closed, and he chuckled at her again. "Just imagine what a real war ship looks like." He said wistfully. The thought was sobering, and she looked down at the metal below her feet. She trailed after him as he continued forward, this time ignoring his chattering.

She followed him mindlessly into the tower, only noticing when the light dimmed around her. Yukio was mid-sentence. "This is where the kitchen is, and most of the machinery for the engines. Upstairs is the mess hall, and above that are where our quarters are." She pretended to be preoccupied with studying her surroundings to avoid meeting his enduring grins. He led her up two ladders, coming out into another hallway with a multitude of doors. He led her to the far end, rattling off names as he did so. "And this one is mine that one is Hisoka's, and Kino lives there." He stopped at the end of the hall.

"Well, here you go! Home sweet home." He swung the door open, standing to the side to let her enter. The room was small, with metal bunks on the opposite wall.

"Wait, we don't have to share rooms?" Ame asked, slightly confused.

Yukio snorted, and said, "Are you kidding me? We all get our own rooms. There aren't enough men on this ship to fill all these rooms."

He watched as she peered around the doorway, astonished at how all that space was hers. "I'm sure there are a few guys that wouldn't mind sharing, if you would prefer that. I think I could shove some things aside, make room-"

She cut him off. "No, thanks. This will be perfect. I just, have never had my own room before." She took a few steps to enter. The truth in the statement seemed to ring with each footstep.

"Well, I'll leave you to get dressed. Come meet me in the mess hall when you are done." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand, turning to leave her to it.

"Wait." Ame burst out, the sudden outburst leaving her no time to deepen her voice. She cleared it roughly as Yukio paused, looking back at her over his shoulder. Shuffling the armor, refusing to meet his gaze, she admitted, "I don't know how this fits together."

Rather than laughing at her as she had expected, he gave her a lopsided grin. "My bad. I should have figured, at your age, you wouldn't have put on a uniform yet." He approached her, rustling through the pile in her arms while she shifted desperately to avoid dropping anything.

From the middle of her bundle, he pulled out light gray cloth, tossing it onto the bottom bunk. He took the rest of the items from her, grazing against her torso as he did so. Not noticing her blush, he dumped everything into the top bunk, standing on his toes to do so. "Put these on while I sort out the rest of this mess." He directed her, holding out the gray cloth.

With his back turned, she quickly pulled the gray clothing on. She hoped three layers of cloth would be enough to keep everything concealed. Yukio turned around, holding a breastplate. He walked her through putting it on, how to tie the strings, and how to fit the pauldrons on over it. He walked her through, piece by piece, filling the silence with his instructions and inane chatter. She didn't even need to reply to his questions, he didn't wait for her to.

"There! All done!" He stepped back, and she traced her fingers over the vambraces, feeling the seam of where they slid together. "Now! Give me your best runway strut!" He struck a sassy pose, looking back at her over his shoulder with a dramatic pout. She stared back, stone-faced.

Yukio frowned at her lack of response. "No reaction? Really?" He shook his head at her, before stepping around her muttering to himself. "Can't even take a joke. I know I'm funny. Uptight little brats running around nowadays." Reaching the door, he dramatically pulled it open. "I can tell when I'm not wanted!" He cried, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "I can tell when my jokes aren't appreciated!" Looking back to her, Yukio winked. "Meet me in the mess hall after you've had some time to settle in." And with a dramatic flourish, he was gone, the door closed behind him.

"Uuuuuuuuuah." The noise that came out of Ame startled even her. The process had been slightly invasive, Yukio a little too friendly with her body, but it was over now. She looked down at herself, pleased with the armor and how it fit. She glanced at her discarded bag, deflated from lack of contents. "Unpack, yeah right." She muttered, giving it a kick across the room. It slid to a stop under the bottom bed. "All done."

She headed back the way Yukio had led her. Reaching the double doors, she heaved one open just enough to slip in before it thumped closed behind her. Confronted with the individuals in the room, she wished she had left it open.

A dozen or so men were standing in a line, waiting for her. Automatically she took a step back, pressing against the door. "So, everybody, this is the new soldier." Yukio announced, stepping towards her. He gestured at her as he continued, "As you can see, he is just a child. He claims to be nearing seventeen years of age, yet he looks hardly twelve." He took Ame's arm, pulling her away from the door as his hand encircled the wrist guard. Holding her arm up for all to see, he continued. "I'm not sure where they found him, but this is what we have to work with."

They all murmured to each other, shaking their heads at her as Yukio rejoined them. "I am afraid, men, we have our work cut out for us with this one." He turned on his heel to face Ame, hands clasped behind his back. "I believe we have to convince this young man to lighten up, get the stick outta his ass. We don't need two Prince Zuko's running around, after all."

"On my mark." The men shifted, pulling out dripping, sudsy sponges from behind them.

Ame finally realized they were putting her through an initiation. "Ready!" Yukio called out. She crossed her arms, and glared at Yukio. "I do believe he is daring us." He responded. He grinned, winked at her, and then yelled, "Fire!"

A volley of water and soaked sponges rained down towards her. She knew she couldn't let them touch her, they could wash away the makeup and reveal her tattoos. In a split second she took a deep breath, and sprang into action.

She dodged the first few, spinning on her toes out of the way. Another two she managed to catch, a spray of water and suds dousing her from the impact. Tossing these back at another two that were about to hit her knocked them out of the air. Another twist to the side and stooping low allowed her to survive their first attack.

"Keep throwing!" Yukio called out. Her muscles felt the strain from the added weight of the armor as she rocked back on her feet, letting a few harmlessly strike her chest. She managed to kick another bundle, hitting Yukio square on the forehead with it. He dramatically clutched at his head, grumbling for someone to avenge him.

She had to remind herself to use restraint, that moving too freely could reveal something she was trying to hide. It didn't really matter though. Everyone was breathless with laughter, having turned the initiation into an all-out war amongst themselves. She stood back and watched it, a small smile on her face. Young or old, it didn't matter. They all played together.

Yukio was the first to approach her, and from the looks of things he had been the focus of several attacks. He bowed, a hand behind his back, and said, "You have proven yourself." Ame let her smile grow, before bowing in response.

He looked deviously at her as she bent, and he took the opportunity to lunge forward. He tried to shove a sponge down the back of her armor, but Ame managed to use his momentum against him and he went crashing to the ground. She shook her head at him, as more laughter sprouted in the crowd. They didn't notice the door open.

"It looks like Han is fitting right in!" Iroh laughed as he closed the door behind him. Everyone scrambled up, bowing to the retired general before a rush of chatter broke out. The men started picking up the discarded sponges, wiping down the tables and chairs as they collectively told Iroh what had happened. Ame joined them, not wanting to appear lazy before the old man.

He didn't stay long, and upon his departure everyone slowed their work, some dropping sponges entirely. They were working on the floor now, some crawling on their hands and knees to get to under the tables. Let in relative solitude, the rush of activity and movement caught up to her, leaving her mind spinning. If this was how every day was going to be, than she would really have to loosen up. That, or she would have to withdraw completely. But looking around the room, she knew she didn't want to.

There we are, first chapter done. I appreciate reviews! Next chapter will take place in 'The Boy in the Iceberg'.