Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

AN: Oh my gosh! I haven't updated since last year! lol. I truly am sorry guys. Just for that I am going to make this chappie pretty long. I would greatly appreciate some of you guys taking a look at my other fic Katara's Cinderella Story, which I posted the final chapter to earlier today. Some of my wonderful readers for this fic actually read that one first. You guys are all awesome - all of my readers. As you can see, I also changed the description of the story. I thought this one might be better. Well let's check in on Ruhuo and Zula first shall we?

Chapter Seven: Fear, Foes, and Firebending

(Three days before the little episode at the gang's campsite and the day after Zula talked to Ruhuo)

Ruhuo was dozing in his cell when Zula walked through. He immediatly snapped to attention.

"Is your answer still the same?" Zula's cold voice still remained, but he nodded. He wanted, more than anything, to learn firebending. "Then come with me."

She led him through a labrynth of solid metal hallways, until they came upon a metal door.

"This will be your new quarters. Hurry up and get changed." She said as she openned the door.

The room was simple, yet tremendously better than his cell. It held a desk, bed, and wardrobe. The door to the wardrobe hung open, revealing a single outfit.

Ruhuo nodded to Zula and she closed the door, although still standing at attention incase he tried anything.

Inside the room, Ruhuo pulled off his parka, and thick underclothing and shoes. He pulled on the simple long-sleeved red tunic and black pants. He tucked the legs of the pants into a pair of black combat boots, also left in the wardrobe. He kept is black hair tied up in the traditional pony-tail, although it was a rather short one.

When he stepped out of the room, Zula was waiting for him.

"This way."

His room was surprisingly close to the deck.

Good. This way I won't get lost...

Zula stopped in the center of the deck, turning to face Ruhuo.

"From here on out I will be instructing you in the art of firebending. I expect you to be out on the deck at sunrise, every morning, for the days lessons. I will not be going easy on you because you're a beginner either." Ruhuo nodded, and Zula continued. "Your fire comes from your breath -"

Often times the crew stopped to watch the lessons. Ruhuo listened intently, soaking up her every word. She did push him over the next few days, but never once did he complain. He concentrated and spoke only when he was spoken to.

He never once stopped to consider that his firebending master was a year younger that him. He would turn sixteen soon, and Zula would be fifteen closer to the end of the summer. He was also slightly taller that her, but niether of them paid attention to either of these facts. She was the master, he was the pupil, and over the next three days, that's how it went.

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(Back to where we left off with the gang, the firebenders, and Jet.)

"Jet."

"Happy to see me Sokka?" Was his mocking reply.

There was silence fir a few moments as Sokka fumed and spat insults at the rebel leader. That's it. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you perverts expecting me to just stand here all day, or can I get dressed?" Katara shouted angrily.

The water around her was up to her neck, but she was freezing! She bent the water around her and froze it into a dome-shaped building on the bank beside her. She froze the water around her body too, so that when she got out, she had a small dress of ice. She grabbed her clothes and made a beeline for the small dome, freezing the entrance way as she did so.

At first the boys just stood there. At first.

"It seems Katara's learned a few new tricks." Jet's lips twitched into a smile.

"She's learned more than just a few tricks! She's a master waterbender now, which means she could do a whole lot worse than just freeze you to a tree."

"Now, now, Aang, let's not dwell on the past eh?" Jet scowled at the young Avatar.

His gaze, however, soon turned to the firebenders that he had somehow just noticed. Zuko ws leaning against a tree, his uncle supporting him also. He had supported him for the walk to the stream too. Now Zuko's bandaged leg was screaming in protest and pain. He really wasn't even supposed to be standing up straight yet.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A couple of firebenders who seem to have lost their way?"

Zuko answered him with a deadly glare.

"Back off Jet. What do you want anyway?"

Everyone turned to see that Katara had melted and bent the little changing room back into the river and was now braiding her hair.

"What I want is simple enough." Jet drew out his hooked swords and used them to catch onto the tree branches above and swing across the river.

When he spoke again his voice was so low and venomous it sent a wave of fear up Katara's spine.

"I want you."

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Zula was surprised at how quickly Ruhuo learned. She guessed it was desire that fueled him. She had only taught him however, not even half of what she knew, and by the time the ship reached Lunro she wanted him to be as good as she was.

"How would you like to have a duel?" Ruhuo looked at her curiously. "Don't worry I won't hurt you. Much." She added.

He nodded. He knew Zula would leave him in the dust in this duel, but he could tell she wanted to see how much he had learned from her. He entered his bending stance, as did she.

At first it was like a staring contest. All was quiet considering that some of the crew had stopped to watch. She was the first to make a move, a fireball aimed at his head. He had seen her do better, more fierce and powerful. He blocked the attack with ease.

So much for not going easy on me... Well, I'll just have to go all out, now won't I?

All of Zula's teachings ran through his mind at once.

Basics. Break their root!

She'll be expecting that.

He dodged the next fireballs and made his way closer to Zula. As she threw a powerful firewall at him, he threw up one of his own to block it. Just beyond his wall stood Zula. He thrust his hands forward, sending it at her, and while she was busy blocking his attack he flipped over her head and held a flaming fist to her back.

But it wasn't over. Zula ducked and tripped Ruhuo, holding her own blazing hand to him as he layed upon the metal deck. He flashed her a small smile, and tripped her back. He held one hand pointed to her feet, to avoid her tripping him again, and the other to her head.

He had won.

The next thing that happened was surprizing enough to send Ruhuo stumbling a few steps back, and the crew to openly gape at the young princess.

Princess Zula laughed.

It wasn't an evil, or vile laugh. She didn't have an angry scowl. Her eyes weren't glaring daggers. She was just laughing an amused laugh. Then, she smiled! It was a mocking smile, yes, but it wasn't the evil one she usually gave.

"You have completed the basics Ruhuo, and now we shall start with the advanced set."

"What happened to not going easy on me?" Ruhuo fough tto keep his own smile from forming, but lost.

"Face it. If I had gone all-out you would be a pile of ashes!"

Now she was joking. Thoughts rang through the heads of the men.

What drugs has she been induced with?

Where's the real Princess Zula?

What the hell is going on

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AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter! Thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. I have a three day weekend, so I will try to update again soon. Review! Please and thank you.

You guys are awesome. Remember that!

Until next I update...