Fortunately, I don't own Avatar, only Tenzin. Avatar belongs to Bryan, Mike, and Nickelodeon. Trust me, if I had these guys in my hands, they'd be doomed xD

Chapter One - Black Mask, White Hair

A sixteen year-old figure walked slowly through the dense trees, careful not to step on any twig in sight. Once more, their shoulder-length hair got caught on yet another branch, making them recoil slightly. The silently sighed as they removed the black mask they were wearing and the silver band from their wrist to tie their hair into a loose ponytail. Replacing the mask and moving forward again, they found what they were looking for. They saw a large open space with tents put up everywhere, all bearing the symbol of flames; in other words, a Fire Nation camp, and it was crawling with Fire Nation soldiers. Perfect

Grinning, the figure crouched behind a bush waiting for its moment to attack. Breathing hard, the figure leaped from behind the bushes and charged at the soldiers, withdrawing their dual swords swiftly. They knew the soldiers' destination, Ba Sing Se, and the figure's intentions were to frighten them to turn back, not to kill them. The figure fought and slashed their swords at the men, but it was outnumbered and the men were stronger, much stronger. The figure was now pinned to the ground, their only protection being the dual swords crossed as a shield.

Feeling the heat of the soldiers' fire becoming more intense, the figure struggling as hard as they could. One of the soldiers laughed coldly when they saw the figure up close.

"It's just a kid! A skinny, runty boy! Ha! Not much of a fight there-" the soldier's words were cut off by a large rock hitting his head, causing him to fall. The soldiers turned to find a much taller figure, one in a blue mask instead, with dual swords and another rock in their hand. The figure dropped the rock and withdrew his dual swords, sprinting at the soldiers and causing them to scatter. The black-masked figure nodded at the other, silently thanking them. The 'Blue Spirit' nodded back. Both faced the soldiers, swords at the ready. Most of the soldiers ran for the hills, but two stayed behind, standing their grounds in fighting positions. The black-masked figure moved forward and slashed their swords with such precision, that in the next moment, one of the soldier's pants fell to his ankles. Frightened, both soldiers grabbed their bags and ran (and hobbled).

--

Zuko looked to the masked figure next him, impressed by their skill. But his admiration quickly turned to distrust. The only other person he knew to have dual swords was that pathetic excuse for a freedom fighter, Jet. He had to know…

"What's your name?" he demanded, not removing his mask.

"Tenzin. Yours?" the figure asked, not removing their mask either. Zuko wondered whether or not to reveal the identity of the Blue Spirit…

"Lee," he lied, and he took off his mask now that he had said his name.

"Interesting," the figure said, removing their mask as well. Zuko expected to see a thin of a boy. Instead, he gave a small gasp.

The black-masked figure was actually a lean, thin girl. But she was no ordinary girl. This girl had sleek, white hair and glowing red eyes. If she had not been so beautiful, Zuko might have believed in demons for the first time. She smiled as Zuko blush lightly and quickly look away.

"You expected to see a boy, didn't you? I get that a lot…" she said, dropping her mask to the ground, replacing her dual swords back into her belt, and sitting down on a rock by an extinguished fire. Zuko realized what she meant and looked at her, furious.

"I never meant anything like that! It's just… I didn't expect a peasant to be so… so… untraditional…" Zuko finished. Tenzin snorted.

"Traditional? Lee, traditional left my vocabulary a long time ago," she said, scraping two rocks together in attempt to start a fire, "Damn it, this stupid fire won't light!" Zuko raised an eyebrow as the girl cussed. Zuko wondered whether he should use his bending to light the fire or not take the risk. He spotted her blood red obi and thought of something.

"Are you a fire bender?" Zuko asked, gesturing towards her obi.

"Nah. I'm an earth bender," she replied, still not taking her eyes off the rocks.

"Then why-" but Zuko was interrupted.

"I'm banished from any Earth Kingdoms, I'd rather not like to endanger the Water Nation, and only one air bender remains and obviously, I'm no Avatar," she grinned to herself as she replied his question.

"Banished? But why?" Zuko asked, completely dumbfounded. Why would anyone want to banish her? he asked himself, observing her working figure once more. She looked up, startled at his question.

"Have you seen me? White hair. Red eyes," she gave a short laugh, "My people thought I was a demon child. They banished my family from our town and so we moved to Omashu. When I was ten, the Fire Nation raided Omashu for a night. It was complete chaos. They killed few, but, unfortunately, my mother and father were part of that few. Not to mention my younger sister. She was only a year old…" she looked away for a minute, blankly blinking. She looked back to Zuko, "After that, without the constant support that I wasn't 'evil' from my parents, my people banished me, letting all other Earth Kingdoms know about me, the 'demon'. I grabbed what I thought a ten year-old would need and fled. I've been living in forests ever since." Zuko sat on the ground next to her, stunned at what his, and her, nation did. He was brought out of his thoughts by her frustrated voice.

"Damn! These things still won't light!" she threw the rocks on the ground. Zuko was surprised at her temper. He then thought of something.

"Close your eyes," he commanded. She looked up, a skeptical look pulled across her face.

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Zuko growled. She looked skeptical once more, but closed her eyes. Zuko blew a fireball at the pile of logs, creating a roaring fire. Hearing the fire, Tenzin's eyes flew open.

"How-?" Tenzin started, but as she glanced up at Zuko, she stopped and smiled, "Why didn't you tell me you were a Prince?"

"W-what… H-how did you-?"

"I should have recognized you earlier: the scar, the black hair, the amber eyes. You're Prince Zuko, aren't you?" she grinned a bit wider at the shocked look on his face, "Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to attack you or anything. You were, what, twelve years old when your nation attacked mine? I don't blame you for anything. Frankly, I don't blame the Fire Nation for a lot; I just blame them for not wanting peace between the nations. But then again, it's not like the other nations help all the time either," she smiled again and got up to grab a package of meat from her knapsack. Zuko ducked quickly into a tent and changed out of his 'Blue Spirit' clothes and into his green obi and black pants.

--

When Zuko came back out, Iroh was standing against a tree, smiling at Tenzin. He looked up and saw Zuko appearing from a tent, brushing himself off.

"Have I missed something, Lee?" Iroh said, striding forward towards Zuko, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your lady friend?"

"Drop the act uncle," said Zuko, throwing his clothes into a heap next to a nearby tree, "she knows we're fire benders; and she knows I'm a prince." Zuko sat down next to the tree and pulled off his obi, beginning to meditate. Iroh's face became slightly pale, but he quickly dismissed the worried look from his face when he saw Tenzin's warm smile.

"Still, that is no excuse why there is no introduction," Iroh said, smiling at the annoyed look he received from Zuko. Tenzin quickly sprang to her feet.

"No need. I'm Tenzin Bae," she said, shaking Iroh's hand.

"My name is Iroh," said Iroh, shaking her hand, "Lady Tenzin… What an interesting name… What does it mean?" Iroh asked thoughtfully.

"Protector of Dharma," she said, giving a small smile, "But trust me, I have no clue who Dharma is. My parents only liked the name because it had the word 'protector' involved."

"Speaking of your family, where are they?" asked Iroh, looking around her as though expecting a family to pop out of nowhere.

"Dead. They died six years ago," she replied calmly, as though being an orphan was normal. But Iroh was not used to this. Refugee or not, someone needed a family to stand by them. Even Zuko had some support that he was willing to accept: Iroh himself.

"Now we can't have that," Iroh replied, putting an arm around her shoulders, "how about you travel with Zuko and me for a while, or at least until we find another city?" Zuko eyes flew open and he opened his mouth to argue with his uncle.

"Thank you, but no," Tenzin said politely, "I travel alone. And I couldn't go to any earth kingdom city for that matter because of just who I am. I'd get you two into trouble."

"Don't worry, we are already in our own trouble," Iroh chuckled. He looked at her hair, "I do see why you are banished, though. You are an albino, if I'm not mistaken?" Tenzin nodded. "Shame they banish something as unique as you, albinos are rare people, and they are especially uncommon in China."

"I prefer the term skin and hair color challenged," she said, cracking a smile. Iroh laughed heartily and he even heard his nephew chuckle as he was meditating.

"Ah, you know a young lady is very humorous and pretty when she can get Prince Zuko to laugh," Iroh said, grinning evilly as Zuko immediately stopped laughing and blushed furiously. Tenzin, however, smiled at Zuko.

"Are you really that hard to please, or do you just like to act cold and miserable most of the time?" she asked, smiling and sitting next to Zuko. Zuko glanced at her, neither snarling nor smiling at her, but only looking at her with a face of surprise. Iroh, feeling as though he should leave the teens be, excused himself for a bath at a nearby spring.

--

Zuko was surprised at Tenzin's response to his uncle's statement. She had not blushed or flinched or anything. He did not think she was really expecting an answer, so he went back to meditating. Though, seconds later, he felt a small, warm hand touch his shoulder.

"Well?" He looked back at her. She wore a cocky and expectant expression.

"Neither," whispered Zuko, closing his eyes. He was really beginning to like this girl, whether he was accepting it or not. She acted a bit like Azula but knew when to stop pushing his buttons, she had an attitude, and she never acted in a traditional manner. She seemed to be taking everything a woman was expected to do and she did the exact opposite. And, for some reason, her eyes held Zuko's interest the most. Whenever she was angry or sad, her eyes seemed to be ten times fiercer than her voice or face. Zuko was pulled out of his thoughts by her voice again.

"Well, do you agree with your uncle?" she asked, looking at the fire a few feet away.

"What part?"

"On whether if I'm pretty or humorous to such a 'cold' fire bender," she said, giving cold its own quote.

"I think nothing of any woman," Zuko growled, not opening his eyes.

"…" Tenzin said nothing as she got up and ducked inside a nearby tent.
Iroh came back to camp and said to Zuko, "Nightfall will be coming very soon, nephew. It'd be best if we camp here tonight," Iroh looked out to the camp, knowing Tenzin was there, "You should stay with us, too, Lady Tenzin. My nephew and I insist."

"Yes, that does sound like a good idea," Tenzin said, stepping out of the tent, her hair now in two buns. She looked around, frowning at the camp sight, "It looks as though out little invasion has left only two tents available."
"
My nephew and I will take one and you shall take the other," Iroh said, smiling.

"Oh no, Uncle! I don't want to sleep in a tent with your infernal snoring!" Zuko said, standing up and grabbing his obi.

"Then how about you sleep in my tent?" Tenzin said, once again, not blushing the slightest. Zuko blushed and mumbled something about that's not what he meant. "Fine, if you want to sleep in the cold out here, be my guest." Tenzin lazily waved a hand and disappeared within her tent. Zuko, rather sleep in the same tent with a woman than spend a whole night with his uncle's snoring, went inside of her tent.

"Mind if I join?" he asked, ducking in and sitting next to her. She didn't even look up from her feet, which she was cleaning with a rag, but she nodded. Zuko sat down and realized for the first time that she wore no shoes. He figured it was an earth bender thing as he had seen the Avatar's friend, Toph, do the same thing. He began slipping off his shoes when she spoke.

"I knew you'd cave in," she was looking up and grinning cockily at him. He looked up and felt a small smile tug at his lips as he spoke.

"I don't cave, I make up my mind." Tenzin grinned again and rolled her eyes.