It was hard working like a gypsy all day, despite how dreamy and easy it sounded to most people. Phoenix arrived back into the city traveling on her wings of fire, and cut them off with air currents. She had with her a pack of her equipment. Today she wore a tattered dress with patches, carried a tambourine with bells on it as well and also a large red headband with glittering fake jewelry on the top. Early morning also brought in small crowds, but despite this she took a few bites of what little food she had and began to dance. It wasn't as glorious as the night beforehand but she tried her best, swaying her hips side to side while moving with a rhythm she developed. It would get better as the day went on and her back-up band of gypsies came to play. They were all poor and none of them knew each other personally. The one on the trumpet was around thirty at least and then there was a small girl playing with a raccoon-fox that leapt in circles and through hoops and flaming wires. The afternoon was the hottest time of the day but that didn't stop the busy, sweaty workers as they danced and played and sang by Phoenix's beat.

As evening fell into the great city, she became weary and restless wondering if the sign would arrive tonight. A visitor threw some gold into her collections hat and gave a slight cough. She neared towards the man and asked if he was alright. "I am fine young lady."

He was polite but his clothes were different than most. "You are of the water tribe down south are you sir?"

"I used to be a shaman. Only the spirits know if my powers have passed or not. Let me see…"

She lowered her sore shoulders and opened her palm to the kindly man, "Practice on me then. See if your ability has returned yet."

He obeyed without question, taking her hand in his large palm. His eyes sprang open and he whispered, "you hold a very long a deep grudge. You want help tonight don't you, bird of eternal flame?"

"You are my sign. Is the time of my birth close at hand?"

"Very close. Listen to me well, I will disguise myself as a guard and let you come through when I distract the others. If he is truly the one you need, then I will help to free you Great Spirit."

"Thank you. Who are you anyway?"

He gave a fatherly smile and patted her head, "They call me Bakun."

As the moon rose, completely filled with light that night, she dressed up in a thief's outfit, just having her eyes exposed underneath all the black fabric. She hung a loose bag from her belt waist and grabbed her prongs to help her scale the side of the steep castle walls.

She traveled through the back alleys and slipped past the first easy gate guards. They were half-asleep anyway so she straddled onto a piece of the outer wall and sunk her prongs into the side to see if they supported her body. Once double-checking she began to rapidly climb up the wall, aiming high for the balcony.

Zuko was busy scanning his papers, surrounded by them in fact on the balcony outside his bedroom he shared with Mai. She stood in her pajamas, looking upset at him. Without a word, she traveled back inside her room and lie down by herself in the large bed. Just as he was about to lie himself down with his worried, sleeping wife she appeared behind him, holding her sharp prong to his neck.

"Turn around." She demanded with a muffled voice. He turned around and she took off her mask, letting her long red hair flow in the wind. Against the moonlight it looked like blood. "What are you doing here? Didn't' the guards catch you at all?"

"I have my methods young Fire Lord. I need to speak with you."

"Well…?"

She slapped him across the face. "That's for ignoring my family! The poor have been suffering ever since you became leader of this nation and you haven't bothered to even scan your streets. Every time we met as children, your parents kicked me out for being a street tender! And you were always ignoring us as your family promenaded through the streets!" she broke down almost into tears but refused to let them fall. Her secrets couldn't be shown just yet. Her blood-colored eyes glared right into his soul and he held up a recent law, knowing her pain from before. "This law subtracts the rights of my father!"

"This isn't about your father Zuko. This is about my place in this world." She finally let her tears fall and he gasped once seeing them. Each single tear contained a small flame in the center that was released when they hit the solid ground below. "You are the bird of eternal flame. Phoenix? But how…?"

"Zuko, I came here because of the fact that you are my first love. We kissed once and that bonded you to me forever. But now, it is coming. The time when I need to pick a new body to go into. And I can only do it with you." She held her hand out and leaned forward, her bosom sticking out slightly.

"Please help me."

He took her hand and nodded, "When and where?"

"Three days from now during the great celebration of rebirth. The moon will be evened with the center of the universe and that is when I must go. Follow the path wayward from the city to find my temple. I will see you in the great fields beyond. Zuko…I am sorry. But I love you."