Koori's soft fingers grazed over a cushioned sofa. Sitting in silence, the slave attempted to glance at her surroundings under a thick cloak. Golden eyes peered successfully around the fabric; she was sitting in a glamorous shop in one of the Fire Nation's colonial villages. Variations of Fire Nation armor, weapons, and merchandise lined the walls. Movement caught her attention and she watched a small, old man clamber around her Master. The old man was one of the world's best tailors and he was meticulously piecing metal fragments over Zhao's body.

As a newly-appointed Admiral in the Fire Nation's Navy, Zhao was permitted to update his armor in order to display his new title. Standing still, Zhao stood in front of five enormous mirrors while the tailor shuffled about. The old man paused in front of Zhao to work on the golden inlay of the Admiral's breastplate.

Golden eyes flicked up to watch the tailor work. After tilting her head to watch the old man's steady fingers, Koori's eyes shifted to the mirror where she realized that Zhao had been watching her with an amused grin on his face. The slave blushed and returned her gaze to her fingers.

"I believe that I'm finished, Sir," the tailor said after a few moments.

Smiling at the custom masterpiece, Zhao graciously thanked the tailor and walked out of the shop with his slave at his heels.

"Are you enjoying our time together outside of my quarters?" Zhao asked with his hands behind his back.

Koori rushed up to Zhao's side. "I was hoping for a much better view, but yes."

Zhao stopped and turned to his slave. "What kind of view did you want?"

Sighing, the slave tilted her head up and glanced at the top of the hood. "I wished for a view where I didn't have to fight against red fabric."

Zhao pinched the bridge of his nose after closing his eyes, annoyed. "We've discussed this, Koori. The answer is still the same; you are required to wear a cloak whenever we are outside. Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"Yes, I remember that day. But it was only once and I'm much older now," Koori argued.

"That doesn't change anything."

Koori rolled her eyes and Zhao glared at her audacity. "I must be the most travelled slave in the entire world, yet I've never been given the opportunity to see the mysteries and beauty that the earth provides." Golden irises looked longingly at hazel eyes, which were no longer seething over his slave's defiance. "Books can provide me with descriptions, but they cannot give me experiences."

Contemplating his slave's words, Zhao reached forward and pulled Koori's hood down. The girl beamed at her Master.

"Better?"

With a smug smile, Koori nodded. "Thank you."

The pair continued to walk in silence through the colonial village. Occasionally, a vendor would call out and describe his wares to onlookers, which would draw the young girl's attention for the briefest moments before she would turn her head and look elsewhere. It was freeing to have her sight unrestricted and she relished the feeling. Koori smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Unfamiliar smells circulated through the air and wafted gently into Koori's nostrils. The slave closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. Spiced meats and fruits, Koori thought hungrily. Her mouth watered and she quickly opened her eyes to stare at the ground in front of her feet.

"Are you hungry?" Zhao asked suddenly.

Distracted, Koori looked at her Master. "Yes," she whispered.

Zhao reached for her covered elbow and lead her to a small restaurant. The host led them to a table in the corner of the room and the pair sat across from each other. Zhao reached for a menu and Koori waited patiently as a server brought them glasses of water, teacups, and a teapot filled with ginseng tea. Palming the steaming pot, Koori felt the heat through the ceramic and took a deep breath. She poured for Zhao and then herself.

"Two portions of roasted turtle-duck with apple dressing," Zhao ordered.

"Excellent choice, Sir." The young server hastily scribbled and glanced quizzically at the girl before scurrying off into the kitchen.

The small teacup rested against the slave's lips as she sipped. Ginseng had always been one of her and Zhao's favorites because it started off bitter but always morphed into licorice when swallowed. Savoring the melody of tastes, Koori gulped and watched Zhao fold his fingers under his chin.

"You…" Koori pulled a strand of black hair behind her right ear and looked at Zhao while blushing. "You look very handsome in your new armor."

Zhao smirked. "Thank you. The promotion was unexpected."

"You earned it."

Still smirking, Zhao nodded. "Yes. This promotion will certainly help me with the Northern Water Tribe. And we've already seen what it can do with the Avatar."

"Is there any word about him?"

Hazel eyes narrowed at her interest. "There have been multiple sightings, but the Yuyan Archer that I sent out has been tracking Prince Zuko religiously through the Earth Kingdom. So far, the warrior has told me about a confrontation between the prince and the Avatar at an abbey that's not far from here. Once again, though, Zuko failed to capture the boy."

"Is it comical to watch the prince fail miserably while you caught the Avatar on your first official attempt?"

"Yes; the prince's failed endeavors are hilarious. But I wonder about the Avatar's thieving cohort."

"What did you call him again?"

Zhao studied his slave and reached for his teacup. He pulled a swig into his mouth and swallowed vigorously. Licorice swept across his taste buds and he returned the empty cup to the table. "The mask that the vigilante wore was based on the Fire Nation folklore about the Blue Spirit."

"If he's based on a Fire Nation tale, how come I've never heard about him?"

Zhao's gaze hardened. "It's just a story and you don't need to be regaled with legends of vigilante justice."

"Well," Koori whispered, "without the help of the Blue Spirit, you would have succeeded in capturing the Avatar."

The server returned to the table and placed steaming plates in front of the pair. "Please enjoy," the young man said after a stiff bow.

Noticing Zhao's empty cup, the slave poured her Master another swig of tea and righted herself in front of her meal. The girl devoured the dish delicately and in silence. Zhao, too, remained silent as he consumed his meal.

Midway through Zhao's hearty consumption, the server returned. "Is everything to your satisfaction?"

"Yes," Zhao responded curtly. His chopsticks hung in the air a few inches from his mouth, waiting for the server to nod and depart, but the young man did no such thing. Zhao watched, seething, as the server looked at his slave. "Is there a problem?"

Nervous, the server glanced to the older man in Fire Nation armor and then peered back over to the girl. "I was just wondering if you were going to the Fire Days Festival tonight. It's in the next village over. Last year's festival was spectacular and I heard that they have more fireworks this year. I'm sure it will be quite a sight."

Koori's golden eyes focused on the remnants her meal. From her peripheral vision, she could tell that the server was talking directly to her, but she wasn't going to acknowledge him without Zhao's permission. Lately, he had been lenient with her talking in the open, and she preferred keeping it that way, even if she was resigned to only talking to him. Koori placed her empty chopsticks on her dish and gently folded her hands in her lap.

Grinning, Zhao contemplated his response. "While I am humbled at the invitation—" The young man's attention turned to the Fire Nation Admiral. "—I have to decline."

The server pointed to the girl across the table. "I was asking—"

"Oh, I know very well who you were asking."

The young server's face reddened and he bowed. "My deepest apologies, Sir. I assumed she was your daughter and that you were spending an afternoon together while off-duty."

Zhao glared at the young man as he stepped backward and away from the table. Disgusted at the comment about his age, Zhao took another bite of his meal and chewed angrily.

"So there's a festival in the next village," Koori whispered.

Still angered, Zhao snarled at his slave. "What's your point?"

Small hands rested against the top of the table and soft, golden eyes glanced up to look at boiling, hazel eyes. "You mentioned that the Avatar was spotted not too far from here. He's a child and festivals are fun; children love fun."

Stabbing at the roast turtle-duck on his plate, Zhao continued to eat. "You think he's going to wander directly into the Fire Nation for a bit of amusement? He can't be that stupid."

Koori shrugged. "Perhaps you're correct. But maybe it's because I want to go," the slave muttered, "with you."

Surprise shot through the Admiral and his chopsticks hung in the air, clutching a piece of spiced meat. "We don't have time for silly games or festivals."

"But you have the afternoon off."

"As an Admiral, I never have a moment off."

Disappointed, the slave's attention returned to her meal, which had cooled considerably. "My apologies, Master."

The pair continued to eat in silence. Occasionally, Koori would glance out the windows of the restaurant, amusingly watching decorations and fireworks being taken down the street and into the neighboring village. After taking his last bite, Zhao stood and paid for the meals. Golden eyes stared longingly out the window, watching a small family of four happily walk past the restaurant and toward the festivities. Zhao sat, eyeing his slave as she watched the cheerful family, and patiently waited for her to finish her meal.


Back on Zhao's ship, Koori leaned against the railing and watched the sun descend beyond the horizon. On the other side of the vessel, cheers from the festivities could be heard across the dock. She turned her attention to the jeers and wrapped her arms across her chest, peering occasionally at her Master. Zhao wasn't too far away; he was staring at a map with the Yuyan Archer, who had returned to give a full report about Prince Zuko and the Avatar's skirmish at the abbey.

Lieutenant Leo spotted the uncovered slave and walked over to her briskly. "If Zhao sees you without your hood, I'm sure he'll be furious."

Without looking at the Lieutenant, Koori whispered, "I convinced him to let me keep it down."

Leo smiled softly. "How generous of him." He turned to stare at the village which was glowing in fiery, amused light through the red pagodas. A few fireworks clashed through the empty air, announcing the beginning of the festival with loud booms, which prompted more cheering from the spectators inside the village. "There's a Fire Days festival going on over there. A few of the off-duty officers requested to go, which is the only reason why we're still docked. I'm surprised that Admiral Zhao didn't offer to take you."

"I asked, but he refused."

"So you did want to go?"

Koori nodded.

Still staring intently at the red roofs, Koori sighed. A bright light emerged in the darkness and a dragon composed of fire erupted from the village. The sizzling beast flew through the sky and reentered the rooftops when a swirl of air crippled the fake beast and turned it into a fiery tornado. Through the buildings, Koori could see glitter glistening from the sky and she could imagine the spectators' surprise at the magnificent firebending magic trick. She stilled when the town exploded in unexpected screams and boos.

Zhao turned, distracted, to stare at the village.

"What's going on?" he asked.

The Lieutenant and the slave shrugged simultaneously. "Perhaps a magic trick gone horribly wrong?" Leo suggested.

Soldiers were running through the dock. A few sprinted up the gangplank and corralled around Zhao. At the same time, massive amounts of fireworks exploded in the sky. The air ignited in beautiful red, orange, blue, and green sparks and the crowd resumed their cheering at the spectacle.

"The Avatar is at the festival!" one screamed.

Unable to hear the soldier through the loud booms, Zhao grabbed the soldier's armor and pulled him close. "What?" he snarled.

"The Avatar is at the festival!" the soldier repeated.

Koori smirked as Zhao rushed down the gangplank. Leo grabbed her shoulder and led her into the village, which was bustling with excitement over the appearance of the airbending child. A few soldiers bypassed the Lieutenant and slave in order to catch up with their Admiral.

"At least you finally get to go to the festival," Leo joked.

Amused, Koori smiled. She peered ahead; Zhao was stalking the streets, unaware that his favored Lieutenant and slave were somewhere in the crowd behind him. Golden eyes glanced curiously in every direction until they locked onto a crowd of children playing with sparklers.

A small boy pushed into a girl and knocked her to the ground. Her sparkler hit the dirt and went out in a plume of grey smoke. Small, childish fingers swept across the little girl's face in order to swipe at tears. The little girl started fitfully crying and Koori broke her path through the streets. Leo sighed and followed in case the slave was making another escape attempt.

But the slave wasn't thinking about running away, she was looking at the sad little girl who wanted to pretend she was a firebender. Koori knelt in front of the upset child and smiled gently. Leo stopped following after realizing what had happened and what the slave was doing.

"Hello," Koori whispered. The little girl looked up at the stranger and dabbed at her swollen eyes with her red sleeve. "I saw what happened." The little girl's face contorted in agony over the memory of her sparkler. "Hold out your hand and be still."

Nervously, a little hand leveled in the air and the slave gently laid her hand on top with her palm up. Koori took in a deep breath and a small flame stood pensively over the pair of hands. The little girl's face brightened at the sight of the fire.

She screamed with excitement and Koori withdrew her hand but focused on the flame to make sure it didn't burn the child. The girl's little fingers wrapped around the warm ball and she looked expectantly at the slave.

"Koori," Leo's voice broke through the amazed silence. "We have to go."

The flame disappeared and the child's face fell. Koori reached down on the ground and grabbed the little girl's unlit sparkler. She pinched the end and white sparks continued erupting from the stick. The slave held out the sparkler and the girl took it gleefully; she ran off into the crowd of children who had run farther down the alley.

"That was very nice of you. I often forget that you're a firebender, too," Leo said while rubbing the back of his head.

While standing, Koori nodded and brushed her knees off. "Master isn't the biggest fan of me bending in public. He'd prefer to keep my talents, and myself in general, a secret."


In the center of the village was a wooden pillar covered in flames. Whether the column was supposed to be engulfed in crimson fire or not, Zhao didn't care. He only cared about the report from the constable, who was standing stiffly at attention in the clearing. Two soldiers flanked either side behind him and he sneered at the constable.

"So the Avatar was here, and you let him slip away?" Zhao asked.

"Yes, Sir. But other than that, the festival went off without a hitch." The flaming pillar collapsed behind the constable and a few of his sentries. Surprised, the constable continued, "No fights, theft was way down—"

"I don't care about your local crime rates!" Zhao screamed. The fiery column in front of him frothed at his anger. Grey smoke bellowed through the center of the town and Zhao tried to calm down. "Which way did they go?"

The constable pointed. "They headed into the forest; up the river, I suspect."

Without turning to acknowledge his soldiers, Zhao commanded, "Ready the riverboats." The Admiral turned to see his slave and his Lieutenant enter the town's square past his left shoulder. He scowled at the pair. "We're going after the Avatar." The soldiers turned swiftly and ran through the streets back to the ship.

The constable edged closer to the Admiral. "I would like to formerly apologize for this disgrace. We weren't aware that the Avatar would stroll willingly into Fire Nation territory."

Zhao glowered at the constable and then turned his attention to his slave. "The Avatar is a child and festivals are fun; children love fun."

"Quite right, Sir," the constable muttered while wincing.

"Get out of my sight," Zhao ordered.

Without a verbal response, the constable turned with his sentries and left the deserted square, but he took one last confused look behind his shoulder to glance at the Lieutenant and slave before disappearing down a darkened alley.

"So he was here," Leo said as he approached his commanding officer.

Irritated, Zhao turned to face his Lieutenant. "Yes. But we're too late, he's gone."

"Just think," Leo remarked with a hint of sarcasm, "if you had gone to the festival with Koori, you may have caught him and we could be on our way back to the Fire Lord right now."

Koori backed away at the mention of her name and Zhao glared. "What is she doing here anyway?"

"You left her on the deck. What was I supposed to do? Let her run off again?"

Stepping forward, the slave broke her silence. "I'm actually done running away. You both can stop worrying about that."

Zhao smirked and Leo stared as a strange form of disappointment flicked through his face. Since she was thirteen, Leo had secretly hoped that Koori would escape, but he knew that he couldn't help her. He had a family to support and violating his commanding officer's wishes by helping his slave escape would lead him to a demotion, or worse, death.

Snapping out of his thought, Leo stepped back and turned back to the ship. He looked at his hands, disgusted with what the slave said, and pressed forward in silence.

When Leo was out of earshot, Zhao's attention turned to his slave. "He's right," Zhao mumbled. "You thought that the child-Avatar would be attracted to the fun of a festival. You knew he'd be here."

Koori's hands rose to her chest and she gestured around them. Fire was spreading from the column onto a nearby building. But because the town square was cleared, nobody was around to douse the flames. "No, Master, I didn't know he'd be here. But I assumed that if he was close by, he might make an appearance." Golden eyes locked onto the flaming column and she took a deep breath and extended her arms, concentrating on taming the flames. The fire receded at her will.

Zhao grabbed her wrist and pulled it down. "Stop that," he ordered.

Koori struggled. "I'm the only firebender in the world who can put out fires. Do you want the village to burn to the ground?"

"Do it quickly," Zhao urged as he released her arm.

Righting herself, Koori resumed her stance and took a deep breath. The receding flames had grown during their brief confrontation and Koori regained control. The fire flickered as it descended and then smoked into dormancy before dying entirely. The only thing left was burned, scarred wood and Koori turned, satisfied.

"You should send the Yuyan Archer out to track the Avatar before you pursue him."

"That could put us back a few days," Zhao snarled.

Koori shrugged. "But you'd catch him by surprise, which seemed to work very well last time."

Zhao growled and started walking after realizing that she was correct. Quickly, Koori ran to his side and they walked through the emptying streets of the village; the festival was over and people were somberly traipsing home. The slave sighed at the dour mood and looked to the ground. Zhao noticed her disappointment.

"I want to ask you something," Zhao said as he nudged his slave with his elbow.

"Hmmm?"

"You mentioned earlier today that you wished to experience the world. And since you've finally confessed that you're finished with your silly escape attempts, would you like to join me on this expedition?"

The slave stopped walking and stood, eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. "You want me to join you?"

Zhao turned to face his puzzled slave. "Yes. But if you defy me or take one step backward and destroy our level of trust, I will toss you back into my quarters and chain you to a wall."

"Fair enough," the slave reasoned. Softly, she smiled and bowed, "I would be delighted to join you."


"I want you back here before daybreak with their exact location. Do not engage, this is merely reconnaissance work," Zhao demanded.

The Yuyan Archer bowed and gingerly walked down the gangplank with his quiver strapped tightly against his back. At the dock, he broke into a sprint and quickly disappeared into the forest where the constable suggested the Avatar might be hiding.

"That's very smart of you, Admiral Zhao," Leo complimented. Steel eyes glanced behind the Admiral to look at the slave, who hadn't stopped smiling since returning from the festival. "What's up with her?"

Zhao turned and grinned at Koori. "She'll be departing with us in the morning."

Flabbergasted, Leo stomped his foot against the metal deck. "That's ridiculous," Leo argued. "She's not ready for something like that. She has no idea how to fight and no concept of war."

Koori's smile slowly slipped from her face; the Lieutenant was correct. Although Zhao often used her for target practice and basic training, she really didn't understand the concept of battle. And if the Avatar or his friends engaged her, she would more than likely fail. But the Avatar had experience with firebenders, which meant that he was used to a particular fighting style, and she didn't adhere to that form of fighting with her unusual form of bending. That could be her advantage, she reasoned.

"You're correct; she lacks experience, which is exactly what she will get from this adventure."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "She could be killed, Zhao."

"Airbenders are pacifists; she won't be killed. And I believe that you were missing a title somewhere in there."

Scowling, Leo turned on his heel and walked into the conning tower.

Golden eyes looked at the village which was no longer filled with red firelight. Instead, the pagoda roofs were hidden in darkness and the tops appeared shriveled and distorted in the shadows of night.

"Master," Koori whispered.

Zhao turned to look at the dark village with his slave. "Yes?"

"Once again, Lieutenant Leo is correct. I don't have the experience that is required for this mission. I want you to succeed and I don't want to be a bother."

Hazel eyes softened. "Then perhaps it's time to increase your knowledge of offensive techniques."

At his remark, the pair entered the conning tower and returned to Zhao's quarters.

Zhao stood in front of his closet and withdrew a black piece of fabric. Grimacing, he threw the item to his slave. She stared, unsure.

"What is this?" Koori asked innocently.

"If you're going to be spending more time in the world, you're going to wear a sarashi." Still confused, the slave traced her fingers over the tight fabric. "Consider it a type of chest binding."

Realization overcame the slave and she blushed. "Ah," she responded. "I suppose this would be helpful."

Zhao chuckled and continued to rummage through his closet. "You're more endowed than most girls your age so it's going to take some time to get used to."

Koori lifted her arms and took off her shirt. Hesitantly, she wrapped the fabric around her chest and cinched it tightly together with small metal toggles. She gasped, suddenly unable to completely fill her lungs with air.

"Who on earth wears these things?" Koori asked with a loud squeak. She rested her fingertips on her covered and tightly bound breasts.

Still rummaging in the closet, Zhao turned and smirked. "Believe it or not, but all women in the Fire Nation do. It's just my preference to have you available at all times."

The slave's face reddened. Whether it was because she was struggling to breathe or because she was embarrassed at Zhao's remark, she didn't know. Instead, she thought about how the device pushed her breasts closer to her body, which made her look less feminine. And for some reason, this made her more comfortable. If other women across the world could get used to the restriction of a sarashi, so could she.

Zhao tossed more clothes at his slave and she caught the fabric. One piece was a short-sleeved tunic and the other was a pair of pants. She pulled the red tunic over her head and changed into the black pants which bunched tightly against the skin just below her knees.

"Proper training attire," Zhao remarked as he shifted out of his armor. He placed each piece delicately into the closet and stood before his slave in his underclothes. "Let's go. There's an arena below deck."


Well into the night, the pair returned to sleep and Koori walked straight to the bed and collapsed, exhausted. Zhao, on the other hand, sat at his desk and contemplated Koori's strengths and weaknesses.

When given the opportunity, Koori's strikes were fast and precise. She was agile, which made her a hard opponent to fight at close range. And at long range against a fellow firebender, she was untouchable. But they weren't going to encounter firebenders when they engaged the Avatar; they were going to face off against a master airbender and two Water Tribe savages.

Zhao pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced at the bed where Koori had already fallen asleep. She was more skilled than she let on, which could help her in battle. But she lacked confidence which made Zhao chuckle softly. He had spent most of her youth beating down her inner flame and now, when he wanted it to burn brightly, it resigned itself into a tiny ember.

Teaching her offensive techniques was troubling, but necessary if she wanted to join him in his conquests against the Northern Water Tribe and the Avatar. Sighing, Zhao stood and walked to his bed to join his slave. He tugged her small frame until she was on his chest and fell asleep.