Alright, before I continue, I want to tell you Katara has changed her hair into two, kinda bushy French braided pigtails. Also, Ruifu has short hair, so she has a couple of small braids on each side while Tian has her hair in a messy type of bun. Zhike's hair is a simple long braid down her back.

That's all, I'll shut up now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

Chapter Two – Ninja-Benders

Avatar: The Last Airbender

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Zuko and his men were freed only on the promise that they stay until they were all back to health (the girls might have gotten a little carried away during the attack) and that they were never to tell anyone about their sanctuary. Zuko was walking amongst the halls when he heard shouts coming from a screened room nearby. Curious, he peeked inside and was awed at the spar between Kaitou and Zhike.

They were good.

Flames erupted from the hands of Zhike and she threw balls of fire at Kaitou, who easily side stepped them. This continued on for a while, both unaware the prince was watching. Or so he thought.

When Zhike finally knocked Kaitou to the ground, she smiled and held out a hand. Kaitou accepted the hand, and defeat, and allowed her best friend to help her stand. "You know we know you're there Zuko."

He jumped. How did they know? They didn't even look over at him. Zhike answered his thoughts. "We heard you."

Confused, Zuko drew closer. "How could you hear me? You were shouting and yelling pretty loudly."

"There's a trick each ninja knows. It's how to close off the sounds of your opponent, but keep alert on the others around you." Kaitou replied, taking a sip of water.

Zuko spluttered. They were actual ninjas? Zhike grinned at Kaitou. "Does that make you feel better that you were beaten by a ninja-bender instead of just a girl?"

"Who taught you?"

Zhike smiled, remembering. "I was trained by the best; Baoren. He taught me everything he knew. Not everything I knew, but everything he knew. Anyway, He died just after I finished my training and I found the two earthbenders, one who was learning to be a ninja already and the other wanting. About a year afterwards, we met Kaitou. She had never heard of late ninjas, but we taught her. She excelled just as fast as I had, and so now she is in the highest rank, same as all of us."

Zuko noticed something when she was finished and directed his next question to Kaitou. "Last night she said your name was Katara. Why change it?"

"I didn't want Sokka or Aang finding me. We had a huge fight and I stalked off. I had went out of their sight, but not out of hearing range, and my brother said I would return to them not long after because I was a girl." Kaitou didn't even look up as she said it, she was sitting on a cushion on the edge of the platform and was carving a long stick to make an arrow.

"Shows how much they know, huh?" Zhike winked at Zuko before sitting beside a set of unlit candles to meditate. They flickered on as she sat down.

Zuko turned back to Kaitou while she carved. "You were the waterbender traveling with the Avatar?"

She looked up into his golden eyes. "You're not very bright, are you?" Laughter came from not only Zhike, but from Iroh, Ruifu, and Tian in the doorway. Zuko glared at her but said nothing.

Iroh decided to relieve his nephew of his embarrassment. "Prince Zuko, these two girls have given me permission for you to practice. That is, if you two don't mind either." He said, glanced between Kaitou and Zhike.

The female firebender stood from her brief meditation. "Not at all. Just as long as we are aloud to…observe." The only waterbender paused from her carving and closed her eyes, grinning. Of course this went unnoticed by everyone in the room, as the two girls in the doorway were giggling.

Zuko turned, blushing slightly, and nodded to his uncle. Iroh turned to call a soldier for the sparing match while the Fire Prince left to change. Ruifu and Tian went over to where Zhike had sat beside Kaitou and rested next to them, waiting.

Kaitou had finished her arrow by the time Zuko and a soldier named Kchow were in the middle of their fight. She glanced up the first time to see Zuko attacking Kchow in the first place and shook her head. When they took a break, she called the prince over.

"What?" Zuko was breathing just a little harder than usual.

"Watch and wait." Was the simple reply. After seeing his confused face, she explained. "Watch your opponent; notice everything he does. Wait for his attack. You'll find you will know what he's going to do before he even moves. Trust me on this."

Zuko blinked at her before turning back to the fight. Kchow was rested and ready for the next round, and they took their positions. Zuko waited. Kchow's eyes held confusion and expectance. His hands started twitching as he grew impatient. Surprise to him, Zuko really did know what he was thinking of doing.

Kchow ran forwards and tried to slip Zuko's legs from under him, but he just lightly jumped over them and sent fire from his own kick. Kchow was then thrown back and fell unconscious. Iroh blinked at the soon over fight. "Well done Prince Zuko. I take it that is what Kaitou told you to do?"

Zuko turned to the waterbender holding a smirk on her face. She put a fist into one hand and bowed slightly to him. He returned this action of respect and left to his guest room. Sitting cross legged on a cushion to meditate, he found he couldn't get the girl from his head. Breathing in and out, he surprisingly calmed down more then usual. He smiled slightly. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to be captured.

So, that's why Zuko was easily beaten. Ninja's, in my story, are a legend. Most people thought them to be myths and unreal. To be a ninja-bender was the highest a person could become. That's why this story is called 'The Highest Rank'. Understand?

And I've had some people ask why Katara was called Kaitou, so I ask (again) does the explanation answer your question? If not, then here's a little extra… KAI (sometimes) means triumphant, or victory, while TOU means to penetrate or pass through. Katara practically wins every fight she's in (along with Aang and Sokka), and water can go through almost anything.

So, that's my description. Hope it makes sense!