AN: Starting a whole, brand spankin' new story, in a fandom I haven't written for! *nerves intensifying* In any case, to anyone who's reading my other story, Frequencies and Currents, and is wondering why the hell I'm uploading a new story before finishing that one...the simple fact of the matter is, part of why that story has been frustrating me for a minute is that I just need a break. But I still want to write, and not force myself to work on something that I need a reprieve from. Thus, this story. Fear not, it will be completed.

But in the meantime, I hope y'all enjoy this fic that I've started for fun and all that jazz.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender…I know I probably don't need to state these every time, but old habits die hard.

The Oni Princess

Chapter One

The Best Laid Plans

Zuko hadn't imagined in a million years that he would find himself snooping through the tunnels under the Fire Nation palace.

Then again, he hadn't imagined in a million years that his father would burn his face and strip him of all his titles.

And renounce him as his son. That one stung the most.

But his father wanted him to be bold? Wanted him to "man up" and fight back?

Well, fine. Zuko would do as he wished.

Sort of.

In hindsight, snooping around and staying covert probably didn't qualify as "fighting back," but it was only step one of his plan.

He knew his father had a prized possession that was said to keep him especially protected. It wasn't that the Fire Lord wasn't a powerful ruler already, but there was a reason he seemed immune to injuries. And then there were also the rumors of his immortality...Zuko couldn't be sure on that one. But when it came to rumors, there was always a small kernel of truth, right?

Either way, it wasn't as though his father trusted him with any sort of knowledge of what went on with the innermost circle of the Fire Nation. Zuko scowled to himself, mostly thinking of the fact that Azula probably was privy to more information than he could ever dream of knowing. One would think being the Fire Lord's son and heir to the throne - former heir - would grant him some privilege, but that had hardly been the case. His father had barely noticed Zuko in the last few years, and when he did finally get his attention, it resulted in the scar marring his face.

But that was the thing about being unnoticed. The Fire Lord never paid attention to what Zuko did...but Zuko followed his father with the desperation of a man out in a desert, searching for water.

It had always been with the hope of finding out what little things here and there might be of use, what information Zuko could utilize to later impress his father with. He was acutely aware of the praise his father bestowed on Azula after she had done an impressive chain of firebending attacks while training, and Zuko had striven to emulate her, but it had always fallen short.

Zuko had listened enough, some might even argue spied, but that was neither here nor there, and he knew that his father possessed an object critical to him maintaining power, or at the very least, critical to ensuring he stayed on top.

That was about to change.

Zuko didn't exactly know what he was looking for, but he was planning on taking it and destroying it. Stealing it, more like, he thought begrudgingly, but it didn't matter anymore. His father had given up on him, but Zuko wanted to prove he couldn't be ignored. If his father couldn't recognize him as an ally, as his son, then maybe he'd acknowledge him as a formidable adversary.

And maybe this object could help do what his father had mockingly told him would get him back into the Fire Nation as a prince.

"Find the Avatar and bring him back here, and maybe I'll consider ending your banishment."

Zuko had been shocked - everyone knew that the Avatar hadn't been spotted in nearly a hundred years! It was a fool's errand, added insult to injury. His father didn't actually believe Zuko could do it.

But Zuko had to believe the Avatar existed somewhere, hanging around. He'd drag the Avatar's lazy butt all the way back to the Fire Nation if he had to. He didn't know why he felt the urge to prove himself to his father...the scar and the humiliating quest had been proof enough that he wasn't about to get his title back, much less his father's respect.

He felt conflicted, because on the one hand, stealing and destroying a possession of incredible importance to the Fire Lord was a decidedly quick way to not only remain banished, but get killed.

But, it was also a way to get his father to understand that Zuko was, above all, determined. He may not have looked as impressive, standing next to Azula's firebending prowess, but he was still formidable in his own right. Power wasn't always about sheer strength.

It was about knowing what move to play next, how to strategize and move pieces on the board accordingly, while keeping in mind your next twenty steps.

Strength definitely helps though, he sighed wearily.

He quickly drew to a halt, spotting the flicker of flames lighting the tunnel further down the way. Zuko pulled the hood of his cloak further up, making sure his mask was firmly in place. He winced, the scar still painful. It had barely been a week since the incident, but Zuko knew he was on borrowed time.

His father had expected him to be gone by sundown earlier tonight, and while Zuko's uncle had pleaded his case, the Fire Lord was firm. The whole palace knew he was to be exiled and had orders to imprison him on sight if he showed his face.

Zuko didn't want his uncle fighting his battles anyway.

Slinking in the shadows, careful to stay away from the warm orange glow of the firelight coming off the torches, Zuko knew he was drawing closer to where he needed to be. He couldn't be sure why, but it was just a gut feeling.

Besides, why would there be guards down here unless there was something to protect? These tunnels were rarely used. They had only ever been treated as an emergency exit in the event the Fire Nation's royal palace had come under siege. And that had been a long forgotten possibility.

Soon, Zuko saw the dark outlines of four guards - two standing by a door that had been roughly placed into the side of the rocky wall - and two sitting across from each other with a game of pai sho between them.

They looked utterly bored.

"Not fair, Ren!" A man exclaimed gruffly. "You know, I'm starting to think you cheat."

"You say that every time," a woman's voice drawled boredly, as though she heard this same conversation a thousand times. She probably had.

"I wasn't talking to you," the man retorted. He then turned his attention back to his opponent. "Another game?"

"No, no," Ren replied. "It's getting so tiring beating you all the time. Say, Kato, want to play a round?"

The man who must've been Kato merely laughed in reply.

Zuko could tell that the guards down here had little else to do. He could guess that while whatever the Fire Lord wanted guarded, while highly important, was also tedious. Most Fire Nation soldiers had a thirst for being out on the front lines, boasting their powerful firebending skills...slumming it in the underground tunnels probably didn't do much to boost the ego.

Either way, it was good news for Zuko, because they weren't expecting anyone else down here.

Zuko slowly approached, drawing his twin swords from their scabbards strapped to his back. So far, most of the guards seemed to have their attention on Ren and his opponent, laughing heartily and making light jabs.

Their laughter stopped abruptly when a guard was suddenly slammed to the ground, Zuko having butted him roughly with the hilt of his sword right in the back of the head. The guard literally hadn't seen it coming.

The other guards quickly yelled and rushed him, fire whizzing past Zuko's head.

Zuko would only resort to firebending if the situation got dire; it wouldn't do him any good to reveal he was a firebender, just in case. While he wasn't the strongest firebender around, he made up for it with speed. That, and unlike other firebenders, Zuko knew the value in training with other weapons. His uncle had seen to that.

"What the hell!" the woman sputtered, watching as Zuko swiftly dodged one of her flames, knocking out another guard in the process.

The next bit of fire she threw his way nearly singed the fabric of his hood.

"Who the hell are you!" One of the other guards yelled, launching another blast of fire his way. Zuko barely had time to react, but managed to skirt out of the way.

He hadn't wanted to kill anyone, but he would settle for some minor damage. He sliced at the leg of the woman who got too close, and she fell to the ground, more from shock than pain. Blood seeped out of her thigh, and she gritted her teeth, expending more fire his way, but at least she was less mobile now.

Zuko kept a wide berth from her, moving closer to the other guard still standing. He had his sword poised, ready to swing, when he felt a brush of fire nearly graze his hand from the woman behind him. Startled, Zuko dropped one of his swords and stumbled, cursing his blunder. He shouldn't have left his back exposed.

"Who the fuck are you?!" The guard in front of him yelled.

Zuko didn't dare reply on the off chance they would recognize his voice through the mask.

Instead, he dropped low without warning, and swiped the remaining sword in his hand against the guard's feet, knocking him off balance.

Zuko rose and swiftly butted the hilt of his sword against the guard's forehead, wincing slightly as he heard the back of the man's skull connect with the ground.

Turning his attention back to the woman, he slowly approached her, as though coming upon an injured animal.

Having watched the rest of her comrades take a fall, the firebender became keenly aware of the odds against her. Snarling, she pumped several bouts of fire at Zuko, but it was predictable to read. Zuko had spent enough time on the training grounds to at least know that much.

"Stay back!" She warned with bared teeth, having shakily risen to her feet.

Zuko deliberated, wondering if he should just be done with it and give her a good blast of fire. No, that would be reckless at this point…

Wasting no time, Zuko darted around the woman, forcing her to spin around to keep track of him, but she was too slow and confused. Zuko swiped at her arm, drawing a thin gash. She yelped in surprised, only to have Zuko ram her against the opposite wall, her head connecting with the wall. With a groan, she crumpled to the ground.

Everyone appeared to still be breathing, but they were all going to wake up worse for wear.

In hindsight, Zuko wondered if it wouldn't have been kinder to give them all swift deaths, because he knew his father would never tolerate this sort of failure on their parts. But Zuko had never actually killed before, and while he knew his father considered it poor form, Zuko wasn't too sure he was ready to take that step.

In any case, his mission was accomplished. The first part, at least.

Bending down, he retrieved a ring of keys from one of the slumped over guards' belt and stepped over to the door that had lost all of its protection in a matter of minutes.

Trying each key out until he found the right one, the door's lock easily gave way, and Zuko pushed it open.

Whatever Zuko was expecting to see, the sight that greeted him was a complete shock.

In front of him, on a makeshift bed, slept a young girl with dusky skin and waves of long, dark brown hair.

She looked slim and delicate, and she was decidedly a Water Tribe girl. Why the hell is someone from the Water Tribe down here...?

But the most shocking part was the pale crescent moon on her forehead.

Zuko sheathed his swords, standing at the entrance dumbly. The room was mostly bare, save for a few empty bowls of food, a cup, and the bed that she lay upon. If Zuko didn't know any better, he would've guessed he had severely bungled this one...but he didn't get too much time to dwell on the fact.

The girl began to stir, eyelids fluttering as she slowly came to, until Zuko was met with the sight of the brightest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen.

And those blue eyes widened as they zeroed in on him.

Shit.

AN: Please let me know what you think! I love any and all feedback.