Leiko's confidence was boosted greatly from her talk with Zuko, and for the rest of that day and the following week out as sea, Leiko was not seen anywhere else but by the prince's side. Iroh was getting a few chuckles out of the teenagers. They had been acting like they were more than friends, and to some extent Iroh knew they were. It was a good thing that Leiko was feeling better about what she had done, because she would need to do it again.

It was a dark night, without any starlight or moonlight to guide the two teenagers on their evening walk along the shores of another earth kingdom island. They had decided to step off the ship for a bit to have a conversation with just the two of them. Zuko had decided it was time to confront his past and learn to be stronger. Leiko did most of the talking.

"When I was young, I knew my father was going to train me to be the strongest. And I suppose I should thank him for training me so hard." She said.

"Why?" Zuko asked.

"Because making me strong was his only priority, he forgot about one important thing." Zuko just looked at her, "That the anger he has caused me will catch up with him one day. He has trained me to the point where I am stronger than him, which means that he cannot be seen a threat."

"That must be why he keeps sending other hit men to fight you, he's too afraid to do it himself."

"Exactly."

"Yep, I am a one girl army." And she looked down at her fists, "That son of a btch will pay for all that he has done in blood and pain…like I did."

"Looks like we both have issues with out fathers."

"But it doesn't matter because we have one weapon they both don't have."

"What's that?"

"We have each other." Zuko just looked at her and blinked. "That's something our fathers can't take away." Zuko smiled and took Leiko's hands in his so they would have each other. "Like you said, nothing will separate us again."

"I won't let them."

"Aww, isn't that cute?" a woman's voice said from nowhere. The teens spun out of each other's gaze and looked about. There was nothing in sight. "Your father said you two would be together." The voice said and then out of the bushed stepped a woman with black hair in pigtails and tan skin. She had elbow blades resting on her hip in a holster and she was in a warrior's outfit. Leiko growled and faced her. "I'll just kill the both of you and get paid double." The woman finished and laughed. Leiko walked a few feet closer and stopped.

"You were sent by my father?"

"Admiral Zhao."

"And you've come to kill me I assume?" Leiko seemed very calm.

"That's my mission." And the woman tossed Leiko a pair of elbow blades. Leiko just looked at them in the dirt and back up at her assassin.

"What are these for?"

"For battle. You have managed to kill two men before me, but I want to kill you in a fair battle. Besides," and she whipped out her own blades and stood readily. "That's the way I was taught in the art of Zenku Chi."

"Zenku Chi…really?" and she smiled, "What degree are you?"

"I'm of the fifth degree." She replied. Leiko hissed and turned to Zuko.

"Problem,"

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm only in the fourth degree. And the fifth is one of the deadliest there is; only one or two people in the world know more than she does. "And she bent down and picked up the swords. "I'll have to beat her by using basics." Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can do it." He reassured her. She nodded and stepped forward, spinning one sword in a circle in her hand and took a fighting stance. "Do your worst." She said.

The woman took a stance and they stared each other down, until the woman lunge forward and went to strike Leiko, but Leiko just missed her and pushed her away with her foot! The woman spun around repeatedly, making Leiko hold up her swords in defense and step back to avoid the blows. Then the woman swung, and Leiko ducked, just missing the strike! "What's your name?" Leiko asked. The woman went to strike again and missed.

"Aiko Shei." She replied. Leiko looked stunned.

"You're the daughter of my master." She gasped, and blocked another dangerous blow. "That's right!" and she threw another attack, Leiko did a back handspring and she missed. "That's why your father sent me! I'm older, I'm stronger, and I'm the best." She taunted. Leiko glared.

"You mean you think you are! Master Shei always had one weakness, and for that I had to seek extra help." And then she spun around, stretching out her leg and tripping Aiko! Aiko landed on her back and looked up at Leiko. "He lacked footwork."

"You still can't win!" Aiko shouted and her opponent. Leiko spun her swords and took another pose.

"I can do anything." And Aiko jumped back up and they began to fight.

Prince Zuko watched from the sides as Leiko fought Aiko, dodging most of the blows to save her own head. He wanted to badly just to help her, but he knew that he couldn't interfere. It seemed like everyday Leiko was fighting someone for her life, but it didn't matter because she was winning. And with every victory she showed Zhao how strong she really was and that she was not afraid of him. Leiko's attacked were simple kicks and trips more than sword play. She knew that someone of the fifth degree would chop her to pieces. The battle went on for an hour, and both began to get tired. Leiko was sweating up a storm and wanted to quit, but she knew that if she went of guard for a second than she could lose her life. So she decided she had to end the battle, one way or another. She tried the one trick she knew.

She waiting until Aiko spun around, and then jumped up into the air, doing a back flip, crossing her blades and throwing them out to her side as she went over! The swords cut through Aiko's armor and through the flesh below it. Blood began to pour from her wound as Leiko landed swiftly on her feet just a few yards away. Aiko dropped her weapons and fell to the ground on her back, letting the blood run down her sides and onto the ground. Zuko looked upon another dead body and sighed. It would be another quiet night for Leiko. Leiko walked over, still trying to gain her breath back, and ripped the metal tag from around Aiko's neck and stuffed it in her pocket. "Three." She said and stuck the swords in her belt and sighed. She turned to Zuko who walked over to her and hugged her. Leiko still breathed hard as she rested in his arms and some tears rolled down her face. "That makes thirteen." She told him.

"Fourteen different times you've stepped up to Zhao." He comforted, "I'll have my men come out and bury her later tonight. Are you hurt?"

"No." and she backed up, "My defense is impenetrable." She gave a small grin.

"Lucky for you hers wasn't." Zuko spoke about Aiko. "Are you going to be alone for the rest of the night?" he didn't want her to disappear again.

"It's for the best." She said with a nod. He just nodded back and they walked back to the shop, not speaking, still taking it all in. Thirteen…thirteen people Leiko has killed in her young life. She was clearly a warrior of great magnitude.