Prince Zuko awoke the next morning at sunrise. He got dressed and went out to the deck to see what the weather was like. He was surprised to find Leiko out there, standing at the tip of the ship with Tila on her shoulder again. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. She had on a very short black kimono that hugged her hips and bust and reached down just below her bottom. When the wind blew, it lifted the sarong and dared to show Zuko some of her goods. He eyed her from behind, waiting to see if the wind would be generous and grant him a quick shot at the view. But the only thing he spotted was a long scar from the inside of her upper thigh that ran upwards out of his vision. Where had she gotten all of these scars from? And he wondered why he was hoping to see a bit more of Leiko than he was used to. He grimaced from torment and walked over to her. "Morning,"

"Good morning." She replied without looking at him. Zuko looked down at her arms and saw other scars. Some where short, but deep, while others were long gashes like on her leg. Leiko must have caught him staring at her imperfections because she spoke up about them. "It's another price I've had to pay for fighting all my life." She explained, "I have many scars now, and some may never go away. I wish I could make them go away."

"I know how you feel." Zuko answered, referring to his eye. "It makes me feel…" and he paused, "Almost menacing."

"Prince Zuko, that scar has absolutely nothing to do with who you are on the inside. If you let that get the best of you, then you'll just be letting your opposing forces win."

"You don't know that."

"I do." She told him, finally turning to him. "My father got his sick kicks from seeing me in pain. When I let my tears spill, it's a sign to him that he has won. I never cry in his presence, and I never will." And then Zuko brought up another topic.

"Why do you get up at dawn?"

"I'm used to waking up at dawn to train." And then they were quiet. "I take it the ship will be prepared by sunset today?" Zuko just nodded and then they were quiet again. Leiko just turned to look at him again. "What's the matter?"

"I missed you." He said in a whisper. She looked at him surprised and smiled.

"Really?" she asked.

It was a very special moment, but it ended when Zuko looked over her shoulder and shouted, "Look out!" and Leiko spun around, stretched out her arm and caught an arrow that cut through the air! It stopped inches away from her nose! She growled and snapped it in her hand. There was a man standing on the ground off the shore with a bow and arrow, ready to fire again. He had a swathe covering his face, so she couldn't make him out. Leiko dropped the arrow pieces and walked up to the edge of the ship.

"I've come to slay the daughter of Zhao, and bring back her head for a plague!" the man yelled up to her.

"Who challenges me?" Leiko called down to the man.

"If I told you of my identity, you would be too fearful to engage in combat!" he answered.

"Zuko," Leiko spoke to him, "Stay on the ship at all times. Do not come down or interrupt."

"Leiko…" he started.

"Just do it." She commanded him, "This man is an assassin sent by my father. He will kill you as well if you get in the way." Zuko just frowned at her. "I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing."

"But you don't have nay weapons." He pointed out.

"I don't need any." And she jumped down and onto the ground with one graceful leap, and landed crouched on her feet. She walked over to the man. "Alright, I accept your challenge. Just don't cry when I'm finished." And she struck a fighting stance.

The man ran forward after dropping his bow and arrow went to punch Leiko, but she leaned to the side and he missed. He tried again and she leaned to the other side, not even needing to step away. She continued to evade his blows for several minutes, with just ducking or leaning back. Zuko was flabbergasted at the sight; the assassin didn't stand a chance! And since when did Leiko fight like that? The assassin was now worked up and out of breath. "Whomever my father sent, he must have forgotten to mention that I've been trained almost since day one. Would you like to continue to make an ss of yourself?"

"I'll let you know that I am trained in the natural martial arts, including the secret art of Sancto Mae."

"What a coincidence, so am I!" she replied and she took another stance. The man charged and Leiko jumped into the air, landing on his shoulder and doing a front flip off, kicking him in the back of the head and knocking him down to the ground. The assassin stood back up and kicked, just missing her chin! Leiko just circled him and then in a flash she tripped him and did a horizontal spin in the air, taking his head in her feet and slamming him into the ground as she landed! He did a flip back up and she struck him with two pointed fingers in his forehead. It seemed like a very mild hit, but he fell backwards onto his back. Then she cupped her hands outwards and leaped forward, hitting him in the face and keeping him down. "It seems like you are the one who has made a mistake. You might be bigger, but you are outmatched a million to one. It's almost an unfair fight." And the man stood up slowly. "Do you wish to proceed?"

"I will not be defeated by a stubborn teenage girl." And he unexpectedly struck her in the face! She turned back after the blow and wiped the small drop of blood from her nose.

"Don't let him do that Leiko!" Zuko yelled down to her! He wanted so badly to jump down and show that man a thing or two! Forget the martial arts; he would burn his face off! How dare he hit Leiko! But he had to remember that Leiko told him to stay out of it.

"You made one fatal mistake!" Leiko growled and jumped at the man, hitting him in the stomach! She threw several blows at him in such a fast rate that nobody could count them! She stopped with her hands and jammed her knee into his stomach and then kicked straight up into the air, hitting him in the chin! He gasped and then she put her knee behind him to his spine and thrust him down with her elbows, cracking his spine! Zuko's mouth gaped open as the man went down and didn't get up. Leiko had defeated him…for good. She touched his wrist and looked up at Zuko. She took out a silver chain with a tag from his neck and held it in her fist as she stood up. "Miroko Sang." She stated his name. She climbed back up and onto the ship.

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked her, still amazed.

"I'm fine."

"What about that man?" he inquired. Leiko tucked his tag into a pocket of hers and walked off.

"He's dead."