"What in the world were you thinking?!"

Fire Lord Izumi's voice echoed down the hall, turning a few heads occasionally to peek down the hall where the holding cell was. Taavi noticed some brave souls venture on pretending to pass by to take a look at the angry Fire Lord and Princess Sheba.

"Did you even think this through?—

"Well I—

"Do not interrupt me when I am talking," the Fire Lord said sternly.

Even when outside the holding cell, Taavi's chest was pounding, and her palms started to sweat. She leaned back against the wall and heard Princess Sheba's arguments being drowned by the Fire Lord's angry reprimands.

Taavi sat anxiously. She was rather surprised when the Fire Lord ordered her to wait outside because the Fire Lord wanted to talk to the Princess first. At first it came as a relief, but somewhere in the Fire Lord's reproaches her name came up which made her heart nearly jump out of her chest. This isn't something she underwent before. No. Taavi is even scared to enter the guidance counselor's office.

"—And you drag your friend to join you in this stupid, stupid childish act!"

"She didn't do anything—

"Both of you are to do some serious work! I have to pull some strings and talk to the President and Chief Beifong."

"Sure, if I stole an airship it would be like the end of the world, but if you did it, it was cool?" Sheba was acting way out of line. Taavi heard how hot-tempered the Fire Lord is, and Sheba seems to prod and test her mother.

"Just shut up, Sheb," Taavi muttered under her breath.

She glanced down the hall again, somehow hoping to see a familiar face. However, all she saw were snooping police staff trying to get a glimpse at the Fire Lord and the princess. They all had the same looks of disappointment when another metalbender cop who, from the looks on his face, seemed a senior police officer with a higher rank chastised them for snooping in on the royal family.

About a minute later, Taavi saw catched a glimpse of Lin Beifong leading Prince Iroh and another person down the hall. Their eyes met although Lin Beifong chose to break their eye contact whether to speak with Prince Iroh or to avoid her, she'll never know.

As Prince Iroh got closer, Taavi recognized the other person. It was no other than Yanis. Taavi rose to meet her brother.

"What are you doing here?"

Yanis pursed his lips and glanced at Prince Iroh nervously. The Prince cleared his throat and answered Taavi, "He is in for questioning."

Questioning? Taavi's mind was so tired from processing whatever it is Prince Iroh is referring so Taavi stayed quiet. With Yanis' heavy breathing, she could tell Yanis might be responsible for whatever trouble she and Sheba are in.

They waited outside and Prince Iroh knocked. One of the Fire Lord's guards gestured the Prince and Yanis to come in, and to Taavi's horror, she found herself invited as well.

The three of them quietly entered and Taavi was met with the Fire Lord's surprisingly composed façade and Sheba's threatening glare which was aimed at Yanis.

Taavi could see Yanis avoiding the Princess's glare, keeping his head down as he approached his assigned seat around a metal table.

Taavi, Yanis and Sheba were seated on the same side, and Prince Iroh and Fire Lord Izumi on the opposite one. Taavi felt it was for Yanis and Sheba's benefit to not be seated next to each other so she sat herself in the middle of them.

"You're dead meat, skid mark," Taavi heard Sheba mutter.

The air was thick and Taavi's breath hitched as she waited for the Fire Lord's words.

"So," the Fire Lord began, "the three of you are to be penalized."

The room became even more silent and Taavi could swear that if she listened more closely she could actually hear her life falling apart.

"Including me?" Taavi heard Yanis speak up, surprisingly.

"Was I unclear?" the Fire Lord shot back at him, raising her left eyebrow questioningly.

Yanis' eyes shot wide open, "b-but I…I told you about them…"

So, it was Yanis, Taavi thought. A side glance at Sheba confirmed Taavi's doubts and she, too, glared at him. Although knowing that his intentions were good, Taavi couldn't help but feel a growing desire to smack Yanis' head for squealing about hers and Sheba's delinquent adventure. He did tell her to go with the Princess.

"Although you informed us of your sister and Princess Sheba's whereabouts," Taavi heard the man, who she recognized as one of the Fire Lord's trusted adviser, speak, "you committed obstruction of justice. You waited until we threatened you to speak up."

Yanis nervously put his hands to his mouth and pursed his lips, "Oh no…oh no. No, no, no…"

"He also encouraged us to pursue with the plan." It was Sheba who spoke now which startled Taavi. The Princess had a triumphant look on her face as she looked at Yanis. The boy, on the other hand, looked stupefied.

"WHAT?!" His voice was high-pitched, scared and alarmed.

"If I'm going down, I'm bringing everybody with me," Sheba stated calmly, victory lining her voice.

The Fire Lord rolled her eyes and decided it was time to continue or else Princess Sheba and Yanis would probably be in an exchange of words and in deep debate.

"As I was saying, the three of you will be penalized for participating and conspiring in the stealth of a Royal airship. Mr. Yanis Ling," the Fire Lord turned to address the boy, "and Princess Sheba will be assisting Master Tenzin on Air Temple Island."

"Wait, what?" Sheba sounded surprised.

"Who?" Yanis asked on the other hand.

Yanis and Sheba looked at each other as Taavi waited for her punishment. "You, Ms. Taavi Ling, will be serving as an apprentice here in the Police Department. Chief Lin Beifong asked for you personally."

The announcement shocked the three teenagers rendering them quiet. Fire Lord Izumi rose and headed straight for the door. Her adviser informed them that the Fire Lord has some important political business to attend to. Prince Iroh saluted and faced them.

"Sheba, what were you thinking?"

"Well…" Sheba started, however, Prince Iroh raised a hand to silence her.

"Whatever reason you have will not change the fact that you stole. Look, I don't mean to sound really against you but what you did was wrong—

"I get that, okay?"

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking," Prince Iroh stated firmly.

"You sound just like her," Sheba snapped. "You know what? You should just go back to the Palace and have that stupid headpiece on and drink your Fire Prince tea, and boss on every servant you meet."

"Where is this hostility coming from?" Prince Iroh asked softly. "Ever since I left—

"Ever since you left my life became hell. I hated you for leaving. I hated you!" Sheba stood in anger, tears streaming down her face. "Because of your absence in the Palace, all Mom could see was me and my mistakes. You left the whole Palace for me to...for me to suffer from all the responsibilities that you should be the one doing."

The Prince was shocked at Sheba's accusations and his face hardened. "I left to serve—

"You left to leave the Crown to me," Sheba articulated behind suppressed sobs. "Don't deny it."

"That is a bold accusation," Iroh threatened. "I am your Crown Prince."

"Until when?" Sheba challenged. "Huh? Until next year when you already have the balls to tell Mom that you intend on marrying that Earth Kingdom doctor you met in Omashu? Until when?! Until when will you be Crown Prince, you coward?"

Prince Iroh never answered. He cleared his throat and exited the room, only stopping to remind them that their service will be for six months and that their supervisors will provide them with a place to stay. When he was gone, Sheba sunk back on her seat.

"When did you know?" Taavi asked.

"The night before we left," Sheba answered. "I heard the State Secretary discuss the issue with one of Mom's royal advisers about Iroh's plan to abdicate and pass the Crown to me…and I think Mom knows."

"I'm sorry," Taavi whispered, trying to sympathize with her friend. The two ladies embraced each other.

"I'm sorry, too," Sheba whispered back.

Yanis whimpered in the background, prompting the two ladies to stare at him. Scowling, Taavi approached him and smacked the back of his head. "You jerk!"

Yanis backed a few steps and winced. Facing Taavi and Sheba made his heart pump and his face pale. "Look, it was already the Fire Lord demanding answers."

"Lie!" Sheba remarked, as if it was the best thing he could have done.

Yanis was was in deep misery, Taavi could tell. He did take part in their deed and Taavi couldn't think of anything else but laud at the Fire Lord's decision to include Yanis in their punishment. He was rubbing his temple and kept on muttering, "No, no, no, no…"

Taavi suddenly lost her temper in the moment and snapped, "Keep rubbing your head. It'll turn back time."

Yanis, Taavi and Sheba fell silent as a metalbender cop entered the room. Taavi glanced at the man and waited for him to speak. Although the three of them were out of the tough spot, the metalbender's announcement still sparked a little suspense even if the three of them were already aware of their fates.

"Princess Sheba and Yanis Ling, you are to wait in the lobby," the cop instructed. He glanced at them from head to toe and proceeded to face Taavi, "and you—Chief Beifong is waiting for you in her office. Let's go."

The metalbender cop ushered Taavi out of the room. After bidding Yanis and the princess goodbye, she followed the metalbender down the hall and outside the Chief's office. "Just wait for her to open the door. I heard she's still in there meeting with someone." The metalbender cop left and Taavi fiddled with her fingers, glancing up at the door every once in a while.

After a few minutes, the door to Lin Beifong's office remained closed so Taavi decided to look around. The office of the police department seemed quaint compared to her idea of Republic City. Taavi quite held on to the idea that the city and its government buildings are modernized since most technical advancements came from United Republic.

On a corner was a list and array of pictures of the wanted list, next to it is the list of the department's 'employee of the month' which seemed ridiculous to Taavi, and a bulletin board filled with reminders and announcements. She took the time to read a few such as reminders for City Hall meetings, press interviews, and a decorated list of birthdays. It intrigued her that such a department would actually have a birthday list of its employees. Taavi's idea of a police headquarters was actually just a building with uptight people in it whose job is to be mean and aloof to criminals. She read the list from January and paused at the month of June. The decorated card contained the name Lin Beifong next to the number 9.

June 9th. The date immediately stuck to her head. It was somehow interesting to know a little fact about Lin Beifong, an idea that Taavi tries to deny. A moment later, she heard a voice behind her.

"Anything interesting?"

She turned to see a young man in uniform whom she suspects as a rookie looking at the bulletin board. She furrowed her eyebrows and casted a confused look at the man.

"You're not spying on us, are you?" the man pressed on and smiled as he extended his right arm. "I'm Minho, by the way."

"Taavi," she answered and motioned at the bulletin board, "I was just looking around. I am to see Lin Beifong for my…apprenticeship." She didn't want to say punishment since she did not want to leave an impression that she's a delinquent.

"Apprenticeship?" Minho asked and raised an eyebrow. "We don't get apprentices here."

"I'm new," Taavi answered. She caught sight of Lin Beifong emerging from her office accompanied by a young woman who Taavi recognized as the Avatar. She gasped and pointed slightly, "Is that the Avatar?"

Minho turned to leave, "Hmm…apprentice and clueless. Interesting." He winked at her and left. In his wake all Taavi did was try and blend with the walls, hoping Lin Beifong would just not pay attention to her. But as soon as the Avatar left, Lin Beifong turned to her and motioned her.

"You, by the corner," the Chief called out and gestured Taavi in before closing the door.

Taavi followed suit. She paused as she was about to enter, again her heart was pounding. She looked back and saw Minho sipping from his mug and leaning on his table staring at her.

"Good luck," she heard him say. She drew a breath and turned the door knob, hoping this meeting with Lin Beifong would be better than that in the interrogation room.


Author's note: Hello! I hope you liked this chapter. Let me know what you think. Criticisms are welcome so that I may work on them and hopefully be better in the next chapters! Happy holidays and an advanced Happy New Year! :)