"Zuko's Guardian"

Chapter One: "The Mystery Guardian"

The night wind comes through the window of each corridor of the fire bender's ship. Each fire bender sleeps with ease and calmness. Except, of course, for the young Prince Zuko. This night he ponders of the Avatar, yet again. Either to take him down, or to stalk him forevermore until the full capture. He thinks about these things and they just get him frustrated or angry.

"Why can't I catch the Avatar? And where is he now?" Questions like these are always answered but he was never able to accept it. And why can't he?

The next day, the Prince wakes up and stretches himself out of his bed. The cool breeze of the morning air passes through his body and spread out in his room. He slips on his clothes and positions his ponytail.

"Zuko, come quick it's important," his uncle calls. Prince Zuko walked through the halls and doors of the ship and onto the deck where his Uncle called.

"What is it Uncle? Is it about the Avatar?" Prince Zuko asks desperately.

"No, this ginseng tea is delicious!" Uncle Iroh compliments as he drinks his tea. Zuko's eye caught a teenager who was just next to his uncle. Considering the armor and the uniform, he seemed to be a fire bender. The crimson of the feather blew wind the distant wind, and he kept his arms behind his back looking like a very serious teenager. Because of his physique, he was surely a boy.

"Uncle, who is this-this-stranger?" Prince Zuko talks in an angry voice and glares towards the young teen.

"Why this young teen is a 15 year old boy, who can really make delicious tea and-" Uncle Iroh was interrupted by Zuko.

"NO! WHO-IS-HE?" Prince Zuko asks slowly and specifically.

Uncle Iroh continues to sip his tea. He then pauses and starts talking, "If you want to know so badly, he is Kiro. And he is one of the best warriors in the whole empire. But for now, he is your guardian."

Right after Zuko heard that his head was about to explode. "My guardian? MY GUARDIAN! I don't need a guardian! I am perfectly capable of catching the Avatar by myself! Why do I need a guardian?"

Uncle Iroh places his tea on the table and speaks , "Prince Zuko, this guardian of yours will teach you how to fight with grace and swiftness. Not to mention your strength! You need to improve on that too! I'm tired of teaching you these things!" He picks up his tea and continues to drink it, "I want to enjoy my ginseng tea and food servings."

Prince Zuko clenches his fists harder and grinds his teeth, "Uncle, I won't be trained by this 'guardian' of mine! I am strong and swift and gra- No, I am not graceful and I don't wish to be! But anyway, I can train myself!"

Uncle Iroh was about to respond, but the young teen stops him. He walks up to Prince Zuko and they meet eye to eye. Their glares and grim expressions challenged each other. "Why Prince Zuko why don't we have a little, say, fight. Then we shall see if your training is needed. I stay if I shall. But if not, then you may do whichever you please. Do you agree?"

"Yeah whatever. We fight at noon." Prince Zuko walks away then turns back to the teen. "Got it?"

The teen does a simple bow and walks away. Both walk the opposite side. And didn't bother to turn back. "He won't be long."

"And why do you say that young guardian?" Uncle Iroh asks after taking another sip of tea. The young teen turns to him. "Uncle Iroh, its 2 minutes til noon already. He'll be back."

"Kiara, please." Iroh went back to sipping his tea. "I trained you since birth, you can't fool me. Now you can start talking like yourself."

"Heh. You old rat. You always spoil the fun." The voice of a man turned to that of a female. Uncle Iroh turned and he starred at her with a weird look. She had her hands on her hips.

Uncle Iroh puts his tea on the table. "It is quite unsuitable for a man to rest his hands on his hips."

"Oh, I'm quite sorry!" Kiara quickly straightens her back. "I guess I'm just used to it."

"Enough talk, why are you here, Kiara?"

"Me? I'm here to train Zuko, like you said, Uncle."

"I know that is not your main priority. I can sense it. Who sent you here?"

Kiara sighed and looked at Iroh with grief, "My father."

"Now we are getting somewhere. Continue.

"My father sent me here to train with you. But I don't need anymore training! My father wants me to become stronger! But I am already strong enough! Uncle, you can see that! Can't you?"

"No…Can I have more tea?"

Kiara had an annoyed look on her face, "Uncle!"

"Aw, plleeaassee! You make delicious tea! May I have more?"

"Ugh, after we have this talk, okay?"

"Well then stop holding us back."

"Ugh."

"Where were we?"

Kiara had a bored exression on her face and talked with a dull voice, "'But I am already strong enough. Uncle, you can see that. Can't you.'"

"Well, Kiara. I haven't seen you in battle for the past 5 years. I can't tell whether you improved or lost it."

"I'll prove my strength to you when I've had the battle with Zuko."

"Yes, that is quite alright. May I have more tea, now?"

Kiara laughed and poured more tea into his cup.

"I'm ready," Prince Zuko said as he came through the main door of the deck.

And so Kiro(now known as Kiara) stood up and positioned himself(but we now know her as a girl). They stood on either side waiting for the sun to set on the horizon. Who knows what could happen!

END OF CHAPTER