Chapter warnings: Zuko being slightly OOC and manipulative to get what he wants, but hey, he's a girl - it's survival instincts. And, brief description of a man's gentiles only briefly- but not shown. No nudity in this chapter.

I do not own Naruto or Avatar The Last Airbender.

The first thing upon waking up was – he was small. He still had the burn scars on his arms, and he was wearing clothes that were not fit for a man his size, instead he was small, childishly small. Of that of a five to seven-year-old child – small. Second thing he noticed – my penis is not there. Zuko's face turned immediately crimson red as he nearly screamed out in pure horror when he noticed –

Where was his penis? What had happened? Did the seal not work? Sweet Agni, what had happened to him?! And where in Roku's name, was he?! He needed a good idea of where he was, but when Zuko looked up – he had seen it. A large mountain with four faces carved in it. He was in some sort of city, so it appeared. It looked like what he was looking at was a landmark of some kind, but he had absolutely no idea where he was.

But he had sensed all kinds of energies all around him. There were people brimming with life and his inner Chi had cried out – reaching out to him within his inner soul. Zuko's heart clenched, so people had Chakra and Chi here too. That's what a Shinobi's baseline for their power was, according to Roku, so how was he going to conjure it? He could try meditating, but as it currently stands, he was a girl – and a child. A small, young, defenseless girl. He had no fire bending, and no ability to summon his Chi or Chakra.

So, he didn't know what to do.

Zuko scowled.

"Monkeyfeathers," He cussed. The only way to go from here, was up.

. . .

After an hour of wandering around this seemingly endless scope of a village – Zuko had entered a store that many women were entering. He hadn't gathered much information from the people who had lived in this city, but apparently, he was in a place called Konoha. But people sure did like to gossip a lot. Especially the women. Zuko had slipped into a store – an apparel shoppe, of sorts, though the clothes looked far too expensive for a orphan (Zuko had dubbed that he was an penniless orphan, with nowhere to go, so he had no idea what he was doing really – he just wanted a fucking mirror,) but he had seen woman at the counter and she scowled at Zuko in disgust.

Zuko stiffened his shoulders, he would not be intimidated. "I don't serve street-rats, shoo, out of my shop!" And were his clothes really that grimy? Zuko rolled his eyes and felt his Chi spike. Hand ruffing through his long hair, as he took out a strand – he saw he had black hair, still, at least.

"I just require a mirror, and directions to the library, that is all, and I'll be out of your hair,"

"A brat like you can read?" Well, that was rude, but yes – Zuko could read. But in all honesty, he didn't know if the language was the same as the one from his world. The writing that he saw on Roku's arm was similar to the writing he had seen in his world, so maybe he could read it. "Fine, here," The woman who had been smoking and bothering Zuko's nose the whole time – really – she reminded him of the ticket lady who Iroh tried to flirt with in Ba Sing Se, which was an image he'd much like to forget.

"There are multiple libraries, depending on what kind your looking for, you entering the academy soon, gaki, or you civilian? Because this shop doesn't tend to Shinobi,"

Zuko examined his appearance. He – no – she – had brown eyes and dark black hair, he looked similar to Mai, with a hint of Azula, due to his skin tone. He made a note that he should cut his hair later – or else it would be a pain to deal with… If he was going to be fighting, as a fucking assassin – he didn't need long hair. "I want to be a Shinobi," The word rolled off his tongue strangely, and he flushed. "I would like to know where I can read up more about it,"

The woman glared at him with distain. "How old are you, Gaki? You look a bit young to enter the academy?"

He looked to be about five, maybe. "Five," Zuko surmised. "And my name isn't 'gaki' it's Mai. Mai Biefong," 'Sorry Toph – in the next life you'll be able to kick me in the balls if you're able to see them, if I have them, that is,' Zuko regretted immediately for using a combination of Mai, his ex-girlfriend's name and Toph's family name. But they were nobles, so he would be able to come up with a good enough excuse to the leader of this village – the Hokage was it? Probably, because nobody doubted when children lied.

And Azula always lied and got away with everything. "An orphan like you has a name like that?" The woman seemed skeptical.

"Yes, Obaa-san," Zuko smiled sweetly, her best Azula smile, the kind that you knew Azula was up to something and that she was going to kill you – or stab you – or set you on fire smile, but to the apparent-civilian woman she didn't seem guised. She just clicked her tongue scowled, leaned over and snatched the mirror, Zuko's eyes narrowed.

Maybe being born a girl wasn't so bad, at least in the world of Shinobi. He wondered how they handled women. "You want to be a dog," The woman had said – whom he still didn't know her name. And Zuko clenched his fists.

"That's none of your business, Obaa-san," This time Zuko scowled – his gloomiest scowl he could manage. The owner of the store laughed. "Though I would please like to know where the Shinobi library is located,"

"You have Chakra?" A nod from the former Fire Lord. "Okay, here's a map, not my problem if a kid wants to throw their life away, to hell with it,"

Civilians, man.

And it wasn't like he – no – she – had much of a choice. "Take the map, I don't need it, the stores that might be helpful to you are located in red ink," A weapon's shop, a teashop which he definitely had to go see later – and other things. Though Zuko didn't have any money and wondered to himself where he was going to get any, he sighed.

"Thank you, Obaa-san," Zuko bowed. This gave an incredulous look across the shop owner's face.

"My name is Kiku, use it next time if you enter my store, but not with clothes like that, understand, brat?"

Zuko scowled but stuffed the map away under his arm and silently exited the store.