Two days since they had been at the Boiling Rock. One day since Hakoda was reunited with his family.

Kiren sat under the high noon sun, meditating upon a high topped pillar on the edge of the large chasm bordering the Western Air Temple. Breathing in the firebender attempted to push away her conflicts. Breathing out she felt her inner heat within her diaphragm. Deep strong breaths in a steady rhythm.

Giving up the firebender let her breath out in a heavy sigh. With a sudden movement the warrior unwound. Her shoulders slumped and she kicked a leg out to hang from the pillar. Opening her eyes Kiren leaned back and allowed the sun to warm her face.

Two days; that was how long she has meditated. Two long excruciating days of trying to oust her sister's words from her innermost thoughts. Lifting her arms Kiren let out another sigh.

She'd never thought of her scars as disfiguring, but more like her history. With a finger the archer traced a thin burn that ran along her forearm, and then curled around her palm. A mistake made early in her training had graced her with that one. Further along that arm her finger traced starting at the crease of her elbow another marked her skin. A much longer scar wrapped around her elbow and continued upward to embrace her left bicep until it merged into her largest, and most memorable scar.

A tear escaped her eyes as she looked at her shoulder. The archer knew that she herself could not see the entirety of this scar, but she knew it was there. The discolored skin covered her entire shoulder front to back, spreading partly further along her chest near her heart before stretching up her neck. The firebender closed her eyes again, remembering the fire as it initially struck her chest and had spread as if it was wildfire. The flame had caught onto her long hair partly and burned along the side of her neck, scorching her skin raw. And finally ending along her jawbone and cheek before ending just along her left temple. Kiren remembering the burning heat that had surrounded her, and forced her to her knees, submissive to the man before her.

Snapping her eyes open the firebender growled out low, digging her fingers into the marks. She could recall every, cut, every burn, and every injury that had scarred and left her disfigured. Iroh had made sure that her skin remained smooth, despite the painful process. But the mark was still there, every ugly, discolored, disfiguring scar.

They remained branded upon her skin, as if in ink. The whip slashes covering her back to the point of nerve damage. Ugly burns splattered across her body, showing her flames' history. Every misstep, fall, or torture she had endured. And then she thought of the women of her country. Their porcelain skin unblemished or marked. Their beautiful white complexions a sign of status. Her own skin too dark to be considered beautiful in her own country, and no place for the skills that had marked her so, to be used.

And then her eyes chanced upon her right thumb. She remembered that one, perhaps her smallest scar. Kiren had been nine at the time, at one of her chance visits to the palace between her cycles of training. The little firebender youth had been helping Iroh, with his flowers. This one had been particularly nasty, and one of its thorns had cut into her skin. Used to pushing through pain and discomfort the girl let it go until their job was done. Her father figure had glanced at her hands and seen the blood among the dirt.

Iroh had taken her hand and studied the small tear. As he'd cleaned the wound he'd spoken softly, "It's small, but it'll scar."

Kiren's smile had dropped and she'd shrugged. Iroh had seen the look and lifted her chin, "What's wrong small one," he'd asked.

The archer remembered lifting up an arm and showing the old general a new scar, one from a burn when she'd been lax in her defense. "I'm used to them now Iroh," she'd replied to the man's question. "A small one upon my finger doesn't bother me."

But the older firebender had tilted his head, a questioning look across his face. "That isn't what is troubling you is it Kiren? Tell me, my young azure pyre. What is truly troubling your mind?"

Kiren had sighed, resigned that she couldn't fool the old man. "Nuka doesn't have any scars," she'd mumbled. At Iroh's raised eyebrow she'd repeated her confession a little louder. "I know I'm different then them Iroh. But do I have to be that different?"

"Oh Kiren," Iroh had murmured. "Why does your heritage bother you so?" With just a shrug for an answer Iroh lifted the younger firebender up onto another bench and kneeled before her. "Would you like to know what I see when I look at you young pyre?"

Not waiting for an answer the old general continued, "I see a powerful young firbender. One that I believe will surpass her siblings in greatness." Gently taking hold of the young girl's chin her tilted her face, "But more importantly I see a brilliant young girl who looks very much like her father."

And she did, if the child had closed her eyes and cut her long black hair short, she'd have looked exactly like a young Zhan Lee. His strong regal presence lay within the young heir, and his strong brow and cheekbones.

Iroh looked away from the young archer's face and into her bizarre eyes, "But our heritage doesn't make us who we are Kiren." Laying a hand over the girl's heart he continued, "It's our strength of character that does." As his young charge's eyes took on a determined edge he chuckled, "But always remember young pyre, never be ashamed of how our hardships have marked us. Whether it be emotionally or physically scarring, they also make us who we are, and tell our history. Never be ashamed of who you've become."

Kiren smiled slightly before letting out a growl. 'psychological warfare. Her sister's favorite weapon.'

"Hey!" a voice called from below and Kiren sighed.

Now that her conflict of self had finally been dealt with the voice just annoyed her. Wiping away the remnants of her tears the archer leaned over the pillar's edge and glared at the prince stood there.

"What do you want Zuko."

"I've waited long enough," the older firebender growled out. "I want to talk about Azula, now."

Raising an eyebrow Kiren studied the prince before her. You could practically see the smoke pouring from the poor man's ears. With a sigh the younger firebender rolled off her pillar and landed lightly before the taller warrior. "What is there to talk about?"

That caught the royal off guard. "There's...there's everything to talk about!" he sputtered. "You're in love with my sister!"

Hip cocked Kiren stared at the older firebender, "And what about that is confusing you prince. The fact that she's your sister, or that she's a woman?"

"She's the enemy!" Zuko roared. "I'm not the one that is confused, you are. How can you not be conflicted when you cross paths with her? Would you spare her just because of your love for her?"

"And what of Mai!" Kiren interrupted, her temper increasing. "Are you going to be able to fight upon the opposite side of which she is on, Zuko? Our situations are exactly the same, besides the fact that I have faced Azula several times."

Zuko blanched at the mention of the dark girl, "Mai is an entirely different situation. She's not a sadistic killer trained by my father-"

The prince didn't even get to continue that sentence. With frightening speed Kiren had thrown her hand to the side and slapped him. Taking advantage of his shock Kiren stepped forward, pushing against the older firebender's chest.

"You know nothing, " she growled out, her voice low and threatening. "What makes you so different Zuko? Or me?"

Lightly touching his cheek Zuko spat back, "I am nothing like her, he raised her to be a killer. Ozai wanted nothing to do with me. Or have you forgotten, but I got that message a long time ago when he permanently scarred my face!"

Kiren laughed cynically, "Would you be less over dramatic if he had marked your chest prince? Or have you forgotten your childhood? You had your mother to run to when daddy was acting out, but she could have cared less about Azula. Did you just forget that she was trained by Ozai everyday, or have you just blocked out all the time's she refused to leave her room? Your mother never cared to help her, and neither did you... Well mamma's boy, do you have an answer?"

Looking into the fuming prince's eyes perhaps she'd gone too far. Fast as she herself Zuko pushed a fist outward, sending a large blast of flame towards his friend.

With feral excitement Kiren managed to block the first unexpected attack. As a second volley was sent her way Kiren dodged once again by leaping back using her hand to push off and avoid his flames.

"Oh, someone's still got a temper," the archer barked out. Laughing out again at the prince's anger she dispersed another wave of fire with a blast of her own. Responding quickly Kiren swept her other hand out, sending a blast of azure flames towards her prince.

Using his new form, learned from the dragons Zuko was capable of staying in form. Breaking through her fire the prince breathed deeply before punching forward and sending two large return blasts from his fists.

With relative ease Kiren weaved agilely through the onslaught. "Well then Zuko," she laughed out once again. "Are you going to tell me what I said to piss you off, or are you going to make me guess?"

Zuko growled as he kicked through another burst of blue flame, slowly advancing on the smaller girl again. But she'd only dance and flip away. "You're in love with a psychopath, not to mention a psychopath that also happens to be my sister. Do you have any-"

"Aww," Kiren cooed, cutting Zuko off. "Is that what this is then?" Pausing mid sentence the archer raised a small fire wall before her to catch Zuko's flames. Breathing deeply she moved to circle the older firebender. "Big brother protecting a sibling? Well Zuzu you've done such a great job of that."


Aang flew down towards the fountain on his glider, and ran a few steps once he'd touched down. Frantic the young airbender looked around, "Katara!" Rushing towards the older girl the monk grabbed her arm, beginning to ramble randomly.

Pulling back the waterbender halted their forward motion. "Aang...Aang, wait! What's happened?"

His large grey eyes wide, the airbender looked up at his friend, "Kiren and Zuko are trying to kill each other!"

Katara's mouth hung agape, "They're what?! Wait Aang are you sure they aren't just sparring?"

The avatar nodded once, "Positive, now hurry! They're on the eastern side of the temple!"


Now further within the temple the two firebenders didn't halt their attack upon each other. Jumping up Kiren gripped onto a window ledge and lifted her feet, Zuko's flame flying by underneath.

Waiting for the younger firebender to return to the ground Zuko chose to respond, "And what would you know about an older brother's protection, or love?" Seeing the contained fury in the archer's eyes Zuko couldn't help but to continue. "What, no response? Come now Kiren, why all that anger, and why bottle it? Let it out, come on don't be a coward!"

It was as if a mask slid in place. No longer was any emotion shown on the younger firebender's face. Calmly she walked forward and smiled coldly as Zuko shrank back. Her eyes held nothing but cold fury.

Not one to back down Zuko straightened his posture, "So care to explain what Nuka meant? Did Akane visit you in the palace?"

Kiren tilted her head, "He did a lot more than visit, Zuko." And with that their fight continued.

Diving sideways the young royal barely managed to dodge a large blast of azure flames. Running through the temple Zuko kept his opponent out of sight, attempting to double back around. "So what did he do Kiren? Nuka said he wanted you to remember, now what would he want from you?"

"Why should I tell you!" Kiren called back. Walking slowly her footsteps echoed off the cold stone. "Why do you care?"

"Call me curious." Zuko continued to distract. "So what he do, huh archer? He have a nice conversation, or maybe a cup of tea?"

"Stop hiding Zuko!" Kiren roared into the temple ruins. "You're a coward, fight me!"

The young prince crouched above his younger friend upon a pagoda balcony. "Tell me what Akane did, and perhaps I'll think about it."

Sinking into a low crouch Kiren chuckled coldly. Without warning she leapt, fire burst from her feet aiding her leap. Spinning mid air the azure firebender let out a massive wave of flame outward from her body, directly on the level Zuko lurked. With a yelp the fire prince dove, the flame sailed harmlessly above his head, singeing off a few hairs. As Kiren returned to the ground level he spun and ran.

Using some of the stone supports Kiren boosted up onto that same level. "Fine," she taunted. "If you want to run fine. I love a good hunt."

"Why won't you tell me Kiren!" Zuko shouted back. "Is Akane that intimidating that you can't even speak of it? What could he possibly have done to force you Kiren, into silence?"

"FINE!" Kiren roared stalking through the pagoda's. "You want to know what that bastard did to me Zuko?"

"Yes," Zuko called exasperated, still trying to get behind the younger firebender.

"My wonderful brother came to my prison before the eclipse." Kiren stopped her speech, certain she'd seen a flash of red. Starting to follow the color she continued, "Akane wanted to help to refresh my memory. He stayed almost for thirteen hours. I remember because he'd joyously told me, but also I could feel the sun."

"Get to the point!" Zuko growled, the sound echoing across the stone.

Coming to a complete stop Kiren sneered at the empty, cold stone. "What do you think he did Zuko? It doesn't take a scholar to figure out that my sibling, my older brother tortured me. Akane tortured me for thirteen hours, and boy did he enjoy it." Continuing to stalk the older firebender Kiren continued, her voice a dark husk. "He especially enjoyed Ozai's knives. Quite the torturer, Akane was. He sat for, hmm I don't exactly recall. Perhaps it was three hours, carving his words into my skin. You could probably have just asked our wonderful Katara, she could have told you."

"And what did he want you to remember?"

Smiling maliciously Kiren crouched. The older firebender had stopped during her little story, and Kiren had found him. Looking down she growled before flying through the air, her feet connecting with the prince's back with a solid 'thud'.

As the royal groaned loudly Kiren stood calmly. Kicking the elder over Kiren sneered, "He wanted to me to remember, that I would always be below him." Now pressing her boot into Zuko's throat she seemed to enjoy his coughs. "Would you like to see? Katara couldn't completely heal my right thigh. Akane made sure that one stuck, you can still clearly see the characters for 'half breed' marked into my skin. I'm amazed he didn't cut something important he'd gauged so deep. But then again he cauterized it, only to re-cut the burns!"

Reaching up Zuko gripped the archer's calf, attempting to pry her off. But the younger held strong. Looking up the prince gazed into his friend's eyes. But this wasn't his friend, it wasn't the girl he'd grown up with. This was an emotionless, sadistic, broken girl that his father, and her family had turned that charming girl into.

Her eyes cold as ice Kiren gazed straight back.

Losing strength from his lack of oxygen Zuko released his hold on her thigh. Trying one last thing the prince held up a palm. With a gasp he created a small flame and sent it upwards.

It wasn't an attack, and so Kiren allowed her eyes to be drawn to it. Zuko's dark red fire took on the shape of a single arrow, and Kiren came back to herself with a gasp. The demonstration was something Zuko used to amuse her with when they were children. Looking down the archer stared in horror. Almost to the point of falling over herself Kiren lifted her foot and scrambled away. Zuko too moved away from the younger firebender, gasping for his breath.

Falling to her knees Kiren stared, disgusted at her hands. "No," she cried.