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It wasn't long until Zuko and Aiori had stumbled upon an active volcano sight. It was hot, and the ground was unstable. There were steam geysers everywhere. Aiori carefully took each step. "Zuko, the ground is shaking a bit." She pointed out.

"We're standing over moving lava, nothing to be afraid of." He replied. She looked at him with big eyes.

"Nothing to be afraid of? Okay, maybe you are okay because you're a Fire Bender." He turned back and gave her a slick smile. "I mean," she straightened up, "Not that I'm afraid. I just think we shouldn't be here." She confirmed, but a hot geyser exploded next to her and startled her! She yelped and ran over to Zuko and buried her face in his shoulder armor as she gripped onto his arm! She looked up at him and blushed with a meek grin. He gave her another slick smile and they went on with their journey as she held tightly onto his arm. "Can we please leave?"

"Fine, you go in that cave over there, and meet me out here in an hour. Can you handle that?"

"I'm not a baby." She said and walked off and into the cave.

The cave was moist and dark, but she wasn't scared. She just walked through, kicking pebbled under her feet and making funny noises to create echoes. She giggled to herself and made a hooting sound into the narrow space. She wondered if she should have stayed with Zuko, but after embarrassing herself like she did, she was happy to be alone. She sighed after a while from boredom and began to make more noises, but then…

Something jumped out and grabbed her by the dress! She spun around and kicked swiftly into the air, knocking over whoever it was! She took a fighting stance and waited for the person to get up! "Show yourself!" she demanded. "Who are you?" An unfamiliar boy stood up and rubbed the back of his head.

"Excuse me, who are you?" the boy demanded back!

"Aiori." She said softly so it wouldn't echo. The boy looked at her.

"Sokka." He replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I came with my…master." She had to think about the right response.

"Your master?"

"I am a prisoner of Prince Zuko, son of the Fire Lord Omai." The boy's mouth gaped open and two more people ran forward.

"Prince Zuko is here? Aw man, we gotta get out of here, Katara!" he replied to the girl. The girl looked at Aiori. Aiori noticed a ball of water in the girl's hand.

"You're a water bender!" Aiori exclaimed. "Me too!"

"Really, where are you from?"

"I'm from the island Irashimu."

"You do look vaguely familiar." The girl said with a finger on her chin.

"Never mind that, listen, I have been captured and taken away from my home by Prince Zuko, and he is here looking for the Avatar." Aiori warned them.

"Hey, that's me!" the smaller boy with an arrow on his head stepped forward.

"I would be honored, right now, but…" she stopped to think.

Just now, when she was finally getting close to Prince Zuko, she had a chance to go back home! She had a chance to save the Avatar! But she was torn apart. Zuko was just beginning to show kindness and respect to her. On the other hand, catching the Avatar seemed wrong. And she had a strong feeling to do what her instincts told her.

"But what?" the Avatar spoke up.

"Please, before you think of me as a Fire Bender…I am not. I am a simple Water Bender. I've just been captured. I was sent into this cave to find you, the Avatar, and bring you back to Prince Zuko." The group of kids gasped in fear! "However, I am not going to do that."

"Why not?" The Avatar asked.

"I know this seems far fetched, but being out at sea has shown me how Zuko really is. And…I pity him."

"Are you kidding me? That guy's a jerk!" Sokka exclaimed.

"I know he seems that way, but he isn't all the time. I just feel the whole thing is wrong. You have a job to do. A destiny to fulfill."

"So do you." Katara spoke up suddenly with a smile. "I suddenly remember who you are." There was a moment of silence, and Aiori felt tears coming to her eyes.

"That's not important now. What's important is that I get you out of here. He is looking for you. Now follow me, I'll lead you away from where I know he is."

"How do we know you won't lead us right into a trap?" Sokka yelled at her with his weapon pointed at her.

"Sokka, look at what's on her head." Katara told him, and when he saw he gasped and lowered his weapon.

"Forgive me!" he quickly said, "I didn't mean it!"

"Enough, now let's go." And she led them to the opening of the cave. She peeked out to make sure Zuko was not there, and he wasn't. She felt horrible, like she was betraying him, especially after what she had found out.

They ran through the thickest parts of the island until they stumbled across the giant flying bison and lemur. The three kids jumped onto the bison and got ready to take off. "Hurry! He'll be looking for you!" she told them as she looked up at them from in front of the huge creature. The thing licked her and she wiped off the drool. "Leave now!"

"Come with us!" Katara said with a hand out, "We'll take you back home and you can take your rightful place in the legend of Irashimu."

"My name will always be there. Just not the things I've done. Now go!" and the Avatar's bison flew up into the air and flew away. As it grew smaller in the distance, Aiori waved and tried to crush the horrible feeling on her chest. She had just betrayed Zuko. But at the same time, there was no injustice to it! He stole her away, and he was a Fire Bender, ruthless, heartless, and vicious! She just turned and ran back to where Zuko said to meet up. As she went, she thought about how the kids must have managed to recognize her. As long as Zuko didn't know who she was, or what she had just done, things would be fine.