I don't own Avatar.

But I have such plans for the boy!

Chapter One

The room was hot, and the red paint on the walls put a volcanic illusion on the atmosphere inside. The enormous ship rocked slightly back and forth and the sea-landscape passed quickly (but who could tell) past the window set on the wall. Somewhere from outside there came the faint call of the mew birds, the commanding shouts of sailors, and footsteps along the deck. Former General Iroh was sitting back in his seat, daydreaming of days long past, when his young nephew burst through the door, obviously slightly peeved about something.

"Uncle!" Zuko roared, fire spilling out of his mouth and nose. He was at his wit's end with this man! How could he be so childish?

"Yes, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked innocently, oblivious to any danger, even with this bull-child standing in front of him.

"Did you change our course again?"

"Yes, I did, didn't I," Iroh said, thinking hard to remember. "Well, that's good. I can buy some ginseng tea while we're in the market! I am so smart."

"Are you saying that not only did you change the course of my ship, but you did it for no good reason?" Zuko asked incredulously. Iroh nodded. Zuko roared again. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"I had a feeling we should travel northeast instead of northwest," the uncle said without flinching or reacting at all to Zuko's explosion.

"A feeling? What do you mean?" Zuko asked in a suddenly calm voice. He had learned by now that his uncle sometimes had slight premonitions that can come in handy.

"It was just a kind of magnetic pull," Iroh said turning to leave. "Don't worry, my nephew. You will find the Avatar." Zuko bowed to him as he left. "Eventually," Iroh added under his breath.

/chapter one