In the middle of the night, Nariko silently crept out of the window in 'Moshi's' house and descended the wall. She kept to the shadows, careful to avoid the Dia Li, and climbed over the wall separating the lower and upper ring. The girl jumped from rooftop to rooftop and landed in front of her old house. She blended in with the shadows as she entered. Nariko moved the barrel that used to be their water bin, and pulled up the middle floor board. Under it was a large box and a well crafted staff. She took both of these in hand as she made her way back to the house.

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The water rose into the air and just swished around, following Katara's commands. She was at the fountain waiting for Nariko. The young water bender concentrated on the water trying to turn it into snow. A tap on her shoulder made her loose her focus, and it splashed back into the fountain. Katara whipped around to face the culprit. Nariko jumped back at Katara's sudden movement.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Oh, I was just finishing up at work, sorry." Nariko apologized

"Ok, let's start where we left off yesterday." Nariko nodded as she prepared to try the water whip. Following Katara's instructions, her water whip was a success. Nariko beamed at the turn out; ecstatic she had finally gotten it right.

"Great, now," Katara bended some water out of the fountain and froze it to look like a target. She lifted it into the air and said, "Hit this."

Nariko got into her stance and shot the water at the target. It stopped and fell about half way. Katara looked back at Nariko who was yawning. She caught her self and her hands shot up to her mouth.

"Sorry, I was, uh, up late last night." she explained, lowering her hands.

"Ok, just try again." Nariko got back into her stance and shot the H2O at the ice target; hitting the bull's-eye and making it shatter.

"Great, I think you've got it." said Katara. Suddenly a thought occurred to Nariko.

"You know, I've practically told you my life story in the week I've known you, and all I know about iyou/i is that your name's Katara, you're a waterbending master and your from the southern water tribe. Katara sighed, knowing her pupil was right.

"Fine ask away."

"What are you doing in Ba Sing Se anyway?"

"Um, I'm traveling with my brother and friends."

"Is he a water bender too?"

"No."

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen." Nariko was surprised at this answer. Katara seemed so much older.

"Have a crush?"

"Um, no."

"Mmm hmmm, iOk/i. Have a boy friend?"

"Nope." said Katara sounding a little sad. Nariko had a brilliant idea. A brilliant, but risky, idea.

"Ok I have a BIIIIG favor to ask." Nariko said, turning to face Katara and putting her hands together. "Will you go on a blind date with my friend?" she asked

"Wa?! No! I can't…" Katara said looking, embarrassed.

"Oh come on, please!! All he does is work then disappear into his room, but he's great! He's really nice once you get to know him!! He's like a big brother to me!! Come on, ipah-lease/i!!" Nariko begged. The water tribe girl sighed, knowing Nariko would never give up.

"Ok, Ok, I'll do it." Katara held up her hands in defeat

"SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" Nariko squealed, jumping up. "Just wait outside the Koalaotter Café on the right side at eight tomorrow night!" and with that she sped home.

"Wait… where iis/i the koala otter café anyway?!" Katara asked the air.

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That night at dinner Nariko grasped the chance to tell Zuko about his plans tomorrow night.

"So… guess what's happening tomorrow night."

"What? You're joining the circus?" asked Zuko sarcastically

"No! Actually iyou're/i going on a date!" replied Nariko smiling

"WHAT?! NO, NO, NO, NO!!" cried Zuko, leaping and spilling his dinner in the process.

"Too late! I told her you would meet her at the Koalaotter café tomorrow night at eight! it's a blind date!" she said triumphantly, standing up.

"Are you iCRAZY/i?!" cried Zuko

"Well maybe, but that's not the point. Come on! All you do is go to work, come home, disappear into your room, then sneak off in the middle of the night to spirits know where!" defended Nariko. Iroh looked up at this, surprised, but once he thought about it, he wasn't surprised at all.

"How do you know about that?! Asked Zuko, pointing a finger at Nariko.

"Oh icome on/i!! You make so much noise the North Pole could hear you!!" Nariko exaggerated. Zuko sighed,

"You're never gonna give up are you?" he asked

"Nope!" said Nariko, knowing she had won.

"Fine, fine!" Zuko said holding his hands up in defeat.

"SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" cried Nariko jumping up and down. "Ya' know that's exactly what she did. Ok, don't forget, eight tomorrow night, Koalaotter café, left side!"

"Ok"

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Nariko walked up to Katara with a blindfold in hand

"Put this on." she told her

"Don't you think you're taking the term 'blind date' a little too far?" Katara asked, putting it on.

"Nope. Follow me." Nariko grabbed Katara's wrist and pulled her through the crowd to a table.

"Ok stay here and no peeking!" and with that she went to find Zuko. At last she found him on the other side of the restaurant.

"Put this on." she ordered, handing him a blindfold also.

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Nariko replied sternly.

"Fine" Zuko sighed and put it on without another word. Nariko led him to the table and sat him down facing Katara. Nariko took the ends of the blindfolds in hand, preparing to take them off.

"Ok here we go! One…two….three!" and with a flourish, the blindfolds were off. As soon as the two enemies saw each other their eyes widened. Katara screamed and ran out, while Zuko leapt up and screamed in Nariko's face,

"You idiot! What have you done!" and ran out leaving Nariko center of attention and completely baffled.

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Katara ran into her house gasping for breath.

"What's wrong Katara?" asked Aang, concerned.

"Zuko…in…Ba Sing Se…" she managed, between breaths.

"What? Are sure it wasn't someone that looked like Zuko with the same - wait never mind." said Sokka

"Of course I'm sure! I went on a blind date with him!!" she snapped. After a brief silence Toph and Sokka erupted into laughter.

"You?! Dating Prince Hot Head?! That's a good one Katara!!" cried Toph.

"It's not that crazy…" mumbled Katara looking down. The only one who caught it was Aang.

"He hasn't done anything yet, so lets just watch him for now." suggested Aang

"Ok." agreed Katara; she had to shout it because Sokka was laughing so loud.

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Nariko was almost home, thinking about what had just happened.

"I guess they know each other or something." Nariko sighed to her self. When finally got to the house she was knocked out the moment she entered the door.

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As Nariko awoke a groan rumbled up her throat and out her mouth. Her eyes blinked open but then widened in panic. Nariko tried to scream, like any other person would, but couldn't. She was tied up and gagged on a stool, and Iroh and Zuko sat in front of her. After a minute or so she calmed down.

"We'll take the gag off if you don't scream." Iroh said slowly. Nariko nodded and Zuko moved over and slowly untied the gag. Nariko screamed but was cut off by Zuko shoving his hand over her mouth, making her fall backwards off the stool. With his other hand, Zuko slowly helped Nariko to sit up on the ground. He slowly took his hand away, but sat on the floor next to her incase she tried to scream again.

"You are probably wondering what is going on and why, uh, Lee, ran away tonight, don't worry we will explain." Said Iroh calmly, pouring tea into a cup.

Through out the next hour or two Iroh and Zuko took turns explaining everything from Zuko's Banishment to the North Pole, to Ba Sing Se and everything between. As they explained, Zuko slowly untied Nariko and she shifted into a cross-legged position.

"And that's all you need to know." Iroh said, finishing up. Nariko didn't move or speak.

"Hello?" said Zuko waving a hand in front of her face. Nothing. Zuko poked her shoulder and she fell to the floor, asleep….kind of. Zuko reached to wake her up, but Iroh stopped him

"Let her sleep" he said and as he walked to his room. Zuko got up to leave but hesitated. He bent down, picked up Nariko and carried her to the couch where she slept

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iShadow crouched on a rooftop, bow in hand, silently waiting. In the blink of an eye, he shot an arrow to the movement bellow. Shadow jumped down soundlessly to inspect the victim. The man was dead, arrow through his chest. He disappeared before anything could see him. The corpse lay there in the alley waiting to be found. The drip of the wet ink from the arrow the only noise. /i