After awhile, we found a little, blind girl named Toph, but she wouldn't teach Aang at first, so we went to her house to convince the Blind Bandit to teach the Avatar to earthbend.

The four of us hid behind a bush, me with my spear in hand. I didn't like going anywhere without it, because now I could enhance its attacks with fire. Then I felt something, the ground was vibrating. Toph was about to attack so I disappeared as my three comrades were sent flying into the air. Sokka was the last to land and I appeared beside him leaning on my spear. The earthbender realized that I wasn't hit by her attack so she tried again, but I kept dodging.

"Another twinkle toes," she said to me.

I reappeared behind her and whispered in her ear. "I was taught under the infamous ninja Sumiyaka Ryoku and I'm a firebender." She tried to attack me again, but I disappeared.

Toph stopped attacking and looked directly at me, saying "You were taught by the greatest martial artist alive, Sumiyaka? But you're a firebender why are you traveling with the Avatar?"

"I'm the second most wanted person in the Fire Nation for being against the war and aiding the Avatar," I said. "Aang's going to need a firebending teacher someday, but first he needs an earthbending teacher."

From there on, we had to persuade Toph to join us, which she eventually did. We were on the run from Azula and her two companions for what seemed like forever. I wanted to roast the other two girls in the group alive because they bickered unendingly.

When we decided to face the three girls, Toph and I stood in the front. Pulling out three senbon needles held between my knuckles with my spear in my other hand behind my back. I flung them down upon the charging girls. The one with black buns pulled out a knife and blocked the one headed to her. Azula was hit right were I aimed and her arm started convulsing involuntarily. I struck a nerve that caused a large amount of pain through her entire arm. The same happened to the girl in pink, but it hit her leg and it started convulsing. Both victims who were hit stopped and tried to stop the convulsing but it wouldn't stop for at least another fifteen minutes. Toph turned to me and smiled, "Nice aim, twinkle toes."

I nodded in return with a small smile cracked on my lips. Sweeping my arm toward the uninjured girl, I bowed away motioning that it was Toph's turn. Toph stopped the other girl with some excellent earthbending. Looking to Toph, I smiled and said, "Time to go."

She nodded as I disappeared with my speed and reappeared sitting on Appa. Toph got up to Appa using her earthbending and we set off. The three girls were persistent in their chase and I was getting irritable from lack of sleep, while Katara and Toph continued their bickering. They were lucky I learned to control my rage or both of them would've been silenced or fried.

Eventually we formulated a plan to get out of our sticky situation. Aang took some of Appa's hair and created a false path, but that was after Toph was enraged and left us, after Sokka had attempted to stop her. I went with her, hoping that maybe I could convince her to calm down and return to us.

"Toph, we are all exhausted," I said to her as a rubbed my eyes while I leaned on my double-ended spear. "Believe me, if I hadn't recently learned to control my anger, Katara would've been fried long ago. We didn't get along in the beginning," I said, telling her the story of the early group. Toph listened to me as we walked on. The earthbender was only about three inches shorter than me.

"Katara and I are elemental opposites," I said. "My spirit is filled with the intensity and fury of fire, hers, with the serenity and tranquility of water."

"You don't seem like any angry person to me, twinkle toes," Toph responded, smiling. "You actually seem like the most rational person in the group."

I looked at her and said, "I didn't always used to be that way. Before, I couldn't control my firebending because I was raised in the Earth Kingdom. I don't remember my past very well, but I only got by on my skills in the martial arts. I was angered very easily and once killed many people because of it. At least fifteen people were killed by me that day."

Toph looked at me and said, "I didn't think you'd be the kind to kill anyone."

"I used to kill without hesitation," I said, frowning.

Toph was surprised by this. I could see it in her face.

"But then I swore to protect the Avatar with my life," I continued.

Suddenly, Toph lifted her hand to silence me. Then with some earthbending, revealed that someone was listening to us behind a bush. Out popped Iroh all alone. Toph and I ran over to him and helped him up.

"Iroh, what are you doing here by yourself?" I asked as I gathered some wood to make a fire.

"You know, just wandering around," he replied, smiling.

We all sat around the fire drinking tea, when I remembered my manners.

"Toph, this is Iroh of the Fire Nation, he was my firebending teacher. Iroh this is Toph, an earthbending master," I said, waving a hand to them when I introduced each person.

"My, my Mikomi. Your manners have improved greatly since I last met you," Iroh said. "Oh, and nice to meet you Toph."

"Nice to meet you too, Iroh," the earthbender replied after taking a sip of tea.

"Mikomi, your hair has grown so long!" Iroh said, commenting on my waist length, black ponytail. It was a high ponytail as usual, but still it reached down so far.

"Too long," I said. "I should probably cut it off soon."

"Why?" Iroh asked.

Toph interjected smartly and said, "It'll get in the way of being a twinkle toes."

I looked at Toph and rolled my eyes. "She calls me that all the time."

Iroh laughed heartily and said, "Well it is true."

Toph smiled victoriously at me as I smiled back at her. Then I remembered that the short tempered Prince normally traveled with his uncle so I asked, "Where's Zuko?"

Iroh frowned and said, "I'm not sure. I've been tracking him."

"Run off has he?" I asked. "That kid needs to get some sense and fast."

Looking at me, he said, "You should be the one training him to firebend better."

I choked on my tea and demanded why I would train him.

"He might actually listen to you," Iroh said.

Laughing, I said, "Doubt that. He needs to settle his inner turmoil before he even tries more advanced techniques. I had to do the same before I learned to channel lightning."

"That's why you need to teach him, because you've had to settle your inner self," he said. "He might respect a pretty girl more than his old uncle."

"I don't even think Zuko knows how to respect," I said. "Besides, I'm not about to teach someone who constantly tries to kidnap the boy I've sworn to protect."

Iroh frowned and nodded sadly. Apparently, he had actually believed that I might help them. He had his pouting face on. The face that got me to play so many Pai Chow games. I sighed and said, "If he would stop chasing the Avatar, maybe I would allow him to travel with us and help him train. He better know that I would be a harsh teacher though."

Iroh sighed and said, "I think it will be extremely hard to convince him." He looked sadly into my blue eyes, which were surrounded by smoky black eye shadow and long black lashes.

Folding my arms across my chest, I looked at my forearms wrapped in black bandaging. A thought occurred to me that had often done so in the past. "Why would Ozai send Zuko on a wild goose chase? Not many people actually believed that the Avatar was still alive. I think Ozai did it just to get rid of Zuko and you."

The Dragon of the West smiled at me and said, "You're a perceptive girl, Mikomi. Zuko should've made a move on you while you were on the ship. You're smart, pretty, graceful, cultured, elegant…"

"Ew," I said, with a disgusted expression on my face. Toph just laughed at the idea.

"Haha, you and the bad tempered Prince together!" Toph exclaimed after spraying her tea all over the fire. "Those would be some short tempered kids."

I looked at Toph in disgust as she laughed some more at my expression. She and Aang would be too perfect for each other.

"Anyway, you're right. Zuko doesn't want to believe it, although I think he knows it to be true," Iroh commented.

I stared the infamous general in the eyes and pondered. If the old man actually could convince him, I would probably end up helping them. That's how I became. I found it hard to say "no" anymore.

Sighing, I said, "Well, if you actually do convince him, tell him that he will be learning the martial arts first."

Iroh smiled and raised his cup of tea in gratitude toward me. Toph and I stood and bowed to Iroh, while I said, "Oh yea, also tell him to leave his arrogance and disrespect behind, because, as his teacher, I won't put up with his crap."

Smiling, Iroh stated, "I think you'll be a very good teacher for him to have."

I nodded and turned to Toph as we walked off together. Toph and I talked some more about the group, eventually I was able to convince Toph to remain with us. We found Aang fighting two firebenders, Azula and Zuko. The both of us interjected.

I stepped in front of Azula with my spear in hand, while my other hand rested on my hip. Luckily, I had grown taller and thinner, so now my eyes reached Zuko's neck at least. Azula and I were about the same height as she stared at me, smiling.

"Mikomi, traitor to the Fire Nation," she said, recognizing me, finally.

"Not as idiotic as I thought," I said, placing a thoughtful finger on my chin. The firebending Princess smirked evilly at me as she began charging me. She wasn't very fast, at least not compared to me. Compared to me, Azula was rather slow. With a bored look in my blue eyes, I reached to my senbon needle holster and grabbed four needles between my sharp-nailed fingers. Flinging one effortlessly, it hit her leg right where I wanted it to. She stopped as her leg shook violently. Growling, Azula pulled the needle out. The convulsing stopped, because it hadn't been embedded in the nerve long enough.

"Fight me without your silly weapons!" Azula yelled. Wow, bad tempered girl.

"Yeah," I said with a bored tone. "My weapons are so silly that one of these little needles could kill you instantly. With a flick of my wrist, I could be done with you."

She glared daggers at me as I sighed and placed the needle back in my holster on my thigh. I set my spear against the wall of a building. I took up my place where I had just stood and folded my arms across my chest, awaiting her attack. Again, she charged me flinging a blue fireball in my direction. Yawning, I disappeared and reappeared behind a stopped Azula, kneeing her back with all my might. Azula gasped and turned, flinging fireballs in the position where I just was. I wasn't there. I had already reappeared in front of her. My black ponytail blew behind me as I stared at Azula.

I could tell from the look in her eyes she was surprised. Smiling, she tried taunting me, "A firebender who can't even control fire? How pathetic."

Raising an eyebrow questioningly, I began moving my fingers around in the air, creating trails of glowing lightning. The cold blooded fire danced around my body. Then I shot my fingers out in her direction, sending the lightning crashing toward her. Luckily, Azula realized what I was doing before I had time to shoot because she had jumped to the side.

"I thought you didn't know how to firebend!" Azula shouted.

Picking my sharp, red nails, I sighed, "You are really loud and slow to catch on. If I can control lightning surely I must be able to control fire, Azula. Duh…" I finished that comment off with a mocking tone.

The Princess glared daggers at me as I stared at her indifferently. Rolling my eyes, I disappeared and reappeared right in front of her. She punched at me with blue fire but I blocked and returned it with a whirlwind blue flamed kick. Azula ducked under that attack and watched me with interest as I engulfed my hand in the flame and began punching at her with a bored expression. She dodged most of them but I landed one in her stomach sending her flying into the corner of two barrier walls intersecting. The others all surrounded her as I joined their ranks with my arms folded across my chest.

Azula faked surrender and suddenly shot at her Uncle. Iroh was hit hard and fell to the ground, giving time for Azula to escape. Zuko rushed to his side.

"Zuko, I can heal him," Katara said. The response to this was Zuko yelling at us to leave as he shot fire at us. I blocked it and appeared by his side with a senbon needle held at his vital point in his neck.

"Move," I said. The Fire Prince who, actually had hair now, looked at me angrily as he got up from his kneeling position. I had gotten taller so now he didn't completely loom over me as he glared down at me.

"Toph, can you bring my bag over here for me?" I asked the Blind Bandit. Using her earthbending, she brought the bag to my side. Tucking the needle back into my hair, I opened the bag and found the potion that disinfects and speeds the healing process. Using my teeth, I ripped off a piece of my black bandaging on my forearm and poured some of the potion on it. I opened Iroh's cloak and saw the charred skin that was there. Gently, I began rubbing the potion on it. Zuko watched with anger across his features. Putting all of my supplies away, I turned to Katara and waved her forward to help Iroh.

She opened her water skin and the water surrounded her hands. Katara lightly put her hands down on the burn and let the water run across the skin. I saw the wound begin glowing and for the most part it completely disappeared. Pulling another vial out, I held the opened potion in front of his nose so he could smell it. Immediately, his eyes fluttered open.

He saw me first and said, "Have I died? I think I see an angel." I rolled my eyes. The old man must have been some kind of ladies' man when he was younger. Holding out a helping hand, I pulled Iroh to his feet as he swayed a little bit.

"That was quite an attack. Thanks you two," Iroh said, smiling at Katara and me. I turned to Zuko who was still frowning. He stared at me for sometime, because he hadn't seen my period of growth. My ponytail was much like his once was. It was wrapped in black bandaging so it stood out on my head, but where my hair started was much thicker and longer than Zuko's.

Looking back to his uncle, I asked, "Did you talk to him about it?"

Iroh shook his head and turned to Zuko. "Did you see what Mikomi did today?"

This comment made the Prince frown even more and he mumbled, "Yes."

"She's a talented firebender who has made a gracious offer, Prince Zuko," Iroh said calmly to his nephew. "We talked and I believe that you would show some more respect to Mikomi as a teacher."

Zuko was shocked and yelled, "Uncle, why would I show respect to the likes of her!"

I rolled my eyes and looked down at Toph who stood next to me now. She looked back at me and said, "He's as stubborn as you are, twinkle toes."

Iroh cleared his throat and said, "Because she would be a very harsh teacher, which she has already assured me of. Besides, she told me that you would learn martial arts before anything else."

This interested Zuko mildly, I noticed. "I know how to firebend, Uncle," he yelled at his Uncle.

The Dragon of the West frowned at his nephew and said, "You need someone who's more than an excellent firebender. You need someone who has had to do something that you will need to do, settle inner turmoil. You need someone who is a good mental coach. You need Mikomi."

Sighing, Zuko gave in and said, "Fine, I'll study under her."

"But, Prince Zuko, she has some requirements from you," Iroh said. Zuko looked at me and I nodded.

"What would they happen to be?" he asked me smartly.

"First and foremost, you swear to me that you will not attempt to capture the Avatar," I said indifferently.

Prince Zuko was about to open his mouth and yell at me, but Iroh interrupted.

"Prince Zuko, remember the talk we had about the wild goose chase? Mikomi believes the same thing to be true. Coming from two intelligent firebenders should be enough proof of that fact for you," Iroh said.

I could see that Zuko wanted to learn badly as he said between clenched teeth, "Yes, I swear not to try and capture the Avatar."

I looked at him suspiciously. Zuko wanted to learn and when he wanted something he would stop at nothing to get whatever he wanted. I debated whether or not he would be true to his word.

"Good," I said and I was about to continue until a certain loudmouth interrupted.

"Mikomi, how do we know we can take his word for it?" Sokka asked loudly. "He's a firebender after all."

At this comment, I glared back at Sokka. "So am I you idiot."

"Well, you're different," Sokka added.

"I agree with Sokka," Katara said. "We don't know if we can trust his word."

Holding my hand up, I signaled for them to be silent as I stared at Zuko and smirked. "There is one thing that guarantees he won't break his word."

Zuko frowned as I said this, because I knew he wouldn't be able to escape this.

"Zuko honors his word," I said, emphasizing the word that affects him the most. He actually did react to it, so I continued, "A firebender's honor is important to them. Trust me."

Katara and Sokka gave up their argument and backed away.

"Second requirement. You respect the rest of this group, because if you don't respect them, be assured that I don't mind if they attack you," I said, smirking as I folded my arms across my chest.

"Like they could do anything to me anyway," Zuko said, rolling his eyes.

I looked to Toph and smiled as she returned it. Zuko probably didn't see her as a threat because of her size.

"Zuko, I don't believe you've met the newest member of our group," I said still smirking in a knowing way. Waving my hand toward her, I said, "This is Toph."

Toph glared at Zuko who returned it. I felt the hatred between the two already.

"Believe it or not, but Toph could completely kick your ass," I said.

Zuko then turned his death glare at me and yelled, "I highly doubt that."

"Toph is blind," I said, making Zuko look at Toph with surprise. "She sees using her earthbending, by sensing the vibrations through the Earth."

Toph clenched her fists and interjected, saying roughly, "What are his skills like, Mikomi?" She only said my actual name when she was serious, so I smiled.

"Skilled with broadswords and a pretty good firebender," I said, placing a thoughtful finger on my chin. "Slower than me, but physically stronger. Anger issues."

The boy I described glared at me when I mentioned his problems controlling his rage. Toph placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"If he's not as fast as you, I could totally handle this guy," she said tauntingly. "Plus, I'm good at making people mad."

"You are indeed, Toph," I said, laughing as I clapped her shoulder.

Zuko took a step toward Toph, but Iroh grabbed his shoulder. "Zuko, I've seen her skills. Mikomi wasn't kidding when she said she spoke of her mastery at bending earth."

Toph smiled and said, "You're that old man from earlier!" She had finally recognized him.

"Mikomi, can you speed this up?" I heard Aang ask from behind me. "We need to get going."

"Okay. Third requirement," I continued. "You will follow my every instruction to a tee."

Zuko nodded hesitantly. I could tell he was reluctant, because he wasn't good at following orders. Looking at him with an analyzing gaze I continued.

"That means everything," I said, sternly with my arms crossed over my chest. "I tell you to dance, you dance. I tell you to wash Toph's feet, you wash her feet. Got it?"

He growled at me and then said through clenched teeth as Toph giggled, "What would be the consequences of disobeying your orders?"

I smirked mischievously and said, "You might find your self killed while you sleep or maybe some poison slipped into your food. Maybe one day, you'd wake up to find us long gone, leaving you in the barren desert. I could get more and more creative as time goes by."

The arrogant Prince clenched his fists, which began shaking as I turned to Iroh and said, "You, General Iroh, must promise me that you will not interfere with any of my teaching methods whatsoever. I don't mind occasional tips when we start firebending, but we're starting with the martial arts."

Iroh nodded his approval and smiled at me.

"Alright, I will begin training you while Toph here begins training Aang," I said, indifferently.

Aang sighed and said, "Alright, alright let's go!"