Yes, I'm updating! I didn't imagine I'd get reviews as fast as I did so I got excited and typed up the next chapter, just for those two!

Nilikeye: Thank you! Being complimented like that is a rare for me, so I'll do my best. -

AmetrineButterfly: Yes! I, too, love that movie as well as most of the Miyazaki films. They kick ass! Since you wanted it soo badly, here is your cookie! hands a foot wide cookie of your choice

Now on with Chapter 2!

A few days have past since the day Kiko had arrived on the ship and many of the crew seemed to have been smitten for her, which Zuko could not understand why. Sure, she was the average size for a young woman, just standing above Zuko's chin, so she wasn't that short. She had sensual curves in all the right places, her hair was tied in a tight ponytail much like Zuko's and her hair was parted to the side and bangs framed the left side of her face. Her lips were a natural rose color and her eyes were an emerald green. So what if she was pretty? It didn't mean the crew had to be all over her and overly nice to her.

After the first day Kiko tried her best to avoid Zuko, mostly so she wouldn't get herself in trouble, knowing her temper and hot mouth. Zuko had no complaints, though he got irritated to see the crew being friendly with her. She was no one special to him, just someone who was staying with him until she could be booted out of his life and let him live accordingly.

One day Zuko was sitting in his room, meditating once again, when a knock interrupted him.

"Come in," he answered to hear the door open before he could finish what he was saying. He looked up to see his uncle walk in.

"Zuko, have you yet to apologize to Kiko?" He said, sitting on his nephew's bed.

"Apologize! I have nothing to apologize for," argues Zuko.

"Zuko, you were very rude to Kiko when she first came here," Iroh said sympathetically. "Why do you think she's been avoiding you?"

"I don't care," Zuko said, closing his eyes once again. "It's better she stays out of my hair, anyways."

"She really is a sweet girl, Zuko. The crew adores her."

"They only like her because she's a woman," Zuko retorted.

"They like her because she treats them with respect, even though she doesn't know them. She's kind to them, and they seem to like it when she talks to them like children."

"That's because they behave like children. Honestly, crowding her the way they do."

"You've been paying attention?" Iroh asked, and eyebrow raising up in question. Zuko's eyes quickly shot open, understanding what his uncle was trying to imply.

"How could I not notice them, the way they yell to get her attention? It's sickening," Zuko muttered as he stood up, the flames on the candles around him slowly dying.

"You should at least apologize to her," Iroh insisted.

"No!" Yelled Zuko. "She should apologize for talking that way about my father. As a matter of fact, I know a way to stop all of this nonsense. She is getting off my ship."

"How?" Asked Iroh quite lividly. It was obvious he had come to like Kiko too, and did not want to see her leave.

"I'll drop her off at the next island. She can take care of herself and the crew will go back to normal. Go tell her that," he said in a commanding voice, sitting at his vanity.

"Alright, Zuko, it's your decision," Iroh said sadly and walked out of the room to do just that. Zuko turned around surprised when the door closed behind him. He expected his uncle to give up a fight to keep Kiko on the ship, but he merely let it by. That was not like him at all and it made Zuko wonder, but it was clear that Iroh was hurt by the news. What was going on?

Iroh walked down the hall, his head low and his hands held behind him. He fought arguing with Zuko and decided to let Kiko fight with him or not. Now was the time to tell her of the news he didn't want to repeat.

During the evening Zuko had felt a gut feeling to go join the crew for dinner, which was a rare occasion. He had neither seen Iroh or Kiko since the time he had told Iroh of his decision, to him meant something was wrong. He had prepared himself to be bombarded by the screams of an upset female only to have a crew member announce dinner. Though Zuko rarely ate dinner with the others, Iroh always had someone tell him it was time for dinner. When his presence is absent, food was usually sent to him on a tray.

With the odd happenings, Zuko thought it best to see how things were coming along. When he entered the dining hall the men looked up surprised to see Zuko, but went on their conversations. He sat down just beside Iroh at the end of the table just as the door opened to reveal Kiko walking in.

"Good evening, Lady Kiko," said the crew in unison.

"Good evening," she said in return, sitting among the crew and joining in their conversations. During the last few days she had spent her time roaming the ship and meeting all of the crew, who enjoyed the young woman's presence. They enjoy being respected and treated kindly and so they returned the favor.

"Uncle," Zuko whispered. "Why didn't you talk to her?" Seeing her calm expression, he could only guess the bad news hadn't be told to her.

"I did," Iroh whispered back, insistently. "Like you said, I left your room and went straight to hers and told her she would have to leave the next stop. Ask her if you don't believe me."

"Fine, I will," he whispered back. "Kiko," he said in a louder voice.

"Yes?" She relied, looking up from a diagram of the ship the engineer was showing her.

"Didn't Uncle Iroh talk to you earlier today about your arrangements of staying on my ship?"

"Yes, he did. "I understand perfectly why you want me off your ship and the first possible moment," Kiko said calmly. The crew did not take this as well.

"Prince Zuko, is it really necessary for Lady Kiko to leave the ship?" Demanded the helmsman.

"She's done wonders helping with the ship," argued the lieutenant. "We can go two knots faster now since she's improved the engines."

"She's even volunteered to cook!" Shouted out another man. The crew cheered this on.

"Silence!" Zuko shouted, standing to his feet. "My decision had been made."

"I will not allow this agreement to continue nor will I fight against that decision, Prince Zuko," Kiko said in a voice not of her own. It sounded strong, decisive, and commanding. "You are the leader of this ship and I have no word against it. If you wish me to take leave, than I will peacefully depart when we reach the island Koshi. Excuse me, I won't be eating." With that she stood up and walked out of the door without another word.

The crew began to groan as they took their seats, making Zuko more irritated. "I said silence!" They finally grew quiet and one after another they, too, left to leave Zuko and Iroh alone to eat the cook's food.

"Traitors," grumbled Zuko as he walked onto the deck after eating some of the worst food the cook has yet to create. "All for the sake of that…" He stopped to see the woman he had been talking about, leaning against the railing, looking up at the full moon.

"What are you doing?" He said loud enough for her to hear, though it was obvious.

"It's strange, of all the things that change in time, the moon hasn't," she said in a dreamy voice. "It always brought peace to me when times were rough."

"It's just the moon," Zuko grunted as he looked up at it.

"I don't just see the moon, I see the only natural light that shines in the darkness," said Kiko, without looking at Zuko. "I can't really explain it, but I love just watching it. Always have, so my parents have told me."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Kiko whispered as she looked down into the water at the moon's reflection. "My father and mother would tell me how I would escape from my crib and they'd find me watching the full moon until I fell asleep."

"You miss them, don't you?"

"Just like how you miss yours," she said, finally looking at him. "I'm sorry for what I said about your father, Zuko. I let my temper get the best of me. It somehow always manages to do just that."

"Apologize excepted," Zuko whispered as he looked back at the moon. "You know, it's not really all that bad to look at." Kiko only looked at Zuko for a moment before looking back at the moon, smiling widely to herself. You're not so bad to look at either, Zuko.

Two days later the call rang out and everyone winced at the sound. "Land sighted!" Island Koshi was in plain view of everyone who went on deck and knew Kiko was going to leave very shortly.

After the night of the full moon Kiko wasn't seen by many people other than Iroh and a few of the crew. Iroh and her would have talks in her room beside cups of tea. She sometimes cooked the meals, through the consent of the cook himself and everyone loved it, even Zuko after Iroh managed to shove a spoonful of fried rice down his throat. Within a few hours they stopped on dry land and the platform was set between the ship and shore.

Zuko was the first to walk out on shore and looked up to gave orders to make a supplies run. That was when Iroh walked off the ship, his hands tucked in his sleeves and was followed by Kiko, who was wearing her armor, which was very much like Zuko's. The only differences were the toes did not curl up and plates of armor covered her shins, knees, and elbows. It was armor of her own design from her study of history and was created in mass production for the rest of the Fire Nation in her time.

This was the first time Zuko had seen Kiko wear her armor, fore she had always worn her underclothes, seeing how she believed there was no need for hem. He shook his head of thoughts of how regal she looked.

As Zuko turned his back Iroh pulled Kiko closer and whispered in her ear, "Believe it or not, Zuko has a conscience. He will not leave you hear alone, but just in case." Kiko felt something heavy land in her palm and looked down to see a money purse.

"Uncle Iroh, I can't," trying to push it back to him.

"Nonsense, take it," Iroh said as he closed her hands around it. "Even if Zuko does take you back, keep it." With that he walked off to town with a guard behind him.

Kiko sighed and tied the bag to her waistband and walked past Zuko, without saying a word, towards town. Even though she could hear the rest of the crew crying out their goodbyes, she did not look behind her, following Iroh's advice from the night before.

"Don't look back," he said before sipping his tea. "He will starting feeling guilty, or aggravated from the crew's moaning, and he'll follow you into town. You've made an impression on him, I think. We'll have to see how things turn out."

Unable to see behind her, she couldn't have possibly known that Zuko was doing just that, following her. After a few minutes of trailing, Zuko finally decided to let himself be known and took hold of Kiko's arm.

"Kiko, we need to talk," he said, letting go of her arm.

"About what?" She asked kindly.

"You were right, I do decide what happens on my ship and I've been thinking." Kiko blinked once, in sign that she was listening and waiting to hear what he had thought of. "All you want is to return home, just like I do. Seeing how I only have to keep you onboard, I can give you room and board on my ship. As long as you stay out of my way - "

"On finding the avatar," Kiko finished with a smile.

"Yes," he grunted. "I can't let you walk around this place alone. You may have studied it, but you don't know the ways of these places, so you had better stick with us."

"How did you know I studied history?" She asked curiously.

He turned, seeming like she was not about to answer when he said, "Uncle Iroh doesn't just talk to you, you know." He turned his head and smirked at her before he walked back to the ship.

"We all heard!" Iroh shouted from behind a cart, causing Kiko to jump in surprise. "We" was the crew that had come out to gather supplies. "Kiko, we must go shopping at once. That room of yours is too dull for a person as lively as yourself. I have three volunteers to carry the things as we decorate your room. Come on." He took her hand and with strength she never thought he had, he half dragged her through town and got a collection of things, including a vase full of her favorite flowers, dragon daffodils, regular daffodils but the pedals are orange and the center, bright red. By the end of the night the things had been brought back to the ship, supplies as all, and Iroh helped decorate her room to her liking, meaning he had others lift the heavy objects like a mirror and vanity and such.

That night she laid in red silk comforters and feather mattress, surrounded by flowers on the walls as well as more candles. Opposite of the wall of her bed was the mirror and vanity. The wall that faced the door was decorated with weapons such as a staff and two fans, both made of metal, and a katana that had been reversed so the blade was facing the wielder. Beneath that was a couch made for reclining. Kiko smiled at her new room, unaware she was becoming too attached to this time. As for Zuko, he remained in his room as Iroh began to heckle him about liking Kiko more than he let on. Zuko just stayed in his bed, cheeks red, and trying hard not to think of the smile Kiko had when he said she could stay.

Please bare with me, I'm trying to keep Zuko IC as much as possible and trying hard not to make him look like a marshmellow. Being in love will do that to ya. And, yes, the mushy stuff will soon come to action, drama, and even blood! ... Maybe bot that far, but you know what I mean. Hope to hear from ya soon!