Author's Note : A new chapter! About time, righ yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, dunno what else to say about this chapter, really. Other than it's a long one, so enjoy that aspect of it. And...yeah. Read and review, please! You know I love getting reviews on my stories! Enjoy.

Disclaimer : I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike & Bryan as well as Viacom, Nick, etc. I can only lay claim to the stories I write and the characters I create of my own volition - like Kaida

Fire in the Skies

-- Pirates --

Kaida and Zuko were on the deck, Kaida watching the teenager spar with one of the other fire benders on the ship. She watched him quietly, making mental notes on what he was doing. She didn't exactly have a reason why she did this, but she did know that it helped her in one way or another. He sent fire blast after fire blast after his opponent, most of them flying away from the ship. The prince was about to send another blast of fire when the ship suddenly turned to the starboard and he stumbled, falling into the wall of the ship. He cursed as he saw Kaida fall forward onto the deck, completely off balance from where she had been sitting.

"Kaida, you okay?" He called, glaring up at the tower were the helmsman sat steering the ship. "Our course is being changed."

Kaida looked up from where she had fallen, pushing herself up to sit on her knees - her hair was in her eyes as she glared at the boy quietly. "I'm fine, Zuko. And really? I would have had no idea that someone had just changed course to go somewhere completely needless!" She snapped, standing up with Zuko's help quietly as the two made their way up to the top of the tower.

"Mutiny!" Zuko stated as Kaida shoved past him into the room.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"There were no orders to change course!" The helmsman had spun round to look at the two angry teenagers, slight fear in his eyes as they darted between the teenagers and the old Uncle Iroh playing Pai Sho. The old man moved a tile on his game board and shook his head.

"Actually, someone did. And do not worry, Prince Zuko or Lady Kaida, it was for the utmost importance. I assure you." He stated with a slight nod.

Kaida looked at Iroh expectantly, while Zuko asked the question that was forming in her mind. "Is it about the Avatar?" The boy's voice was filled with eager anticipation.

Her heart sunk at the shake of the head that Uncle gave. Zuko straightened out, though there was a glare on his face. He growled slightly and looked expectantly at the old man. "Actually, it is much more urgent. It is about my loss of a Pai Sho tile. The Lotus Tile, to be exact." Both teenagers' jaws dropped open as they heard the words spoken. Zuko was confused of most and Kaida was the first to speak, her voice filled with confusion.

"Lo…lotus tile?"

"Yes, for my Pai Sho game. It seems that I have lost it. You see, most people think that it is terribly insignificant. But they do not see the large impact that it can have in a simple game of Pai Sho. It is essential for the strategy that I play with." Zuko blinked at the end of his uncle's speech.

"You really mean to tell me that you changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?" His voice held the annoyed tone that it usually did when his uncle did something that the prince found stupid. Iroh nodded impatiently before answering.

"Yes. You are like most people, of course. You do not understand its hidden value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port. I can get on with my life if they only have the lotus tile! Hopefully they will!" Zuko growled again and blew smoke from his nostrils, working hard to control his anger. Though he lifted his head and let out a breath of fire, filling the helms tower with smoke for a few moments. Kaida coughed as she made her way to the door, opening it and sticking her head out to get air to her lungs.

"It is a good thing that I have such an understanding nephew, Prince Zuko." Iroh stated, smiling with a nod. Kaida snickered softly from her position with her head outside the door. The smoke slowly seeped out, clearing the room once again.

They pulled into the port not long after Kaida and Zuko returned to the deck. Zuko spent the few minutes it took them to reach the little village fuming to Kaida about how this little trip of his uncle's was going to cost them another chance at the Avatar. Kaida listened patiently, nodding, shaking her head, and shrugging when it was appropriate. She had grown used to his rants and ravings over the years that she had known him.

She smiled softly as she walked alongside Zuko and Iroh, hands stuffed in the sleeves of her red and gold kimono. Iroh was frowning slightly, but there was still the hint of a smile upon his face. Zuko's scowl grew deeper and deeper with every second that passed.

"We have searched every merchant here, Prince Zuko and Lady Kaida. There is not a single lotus tile here."

"Well, good thing we stopped then, isn't it?" Zuko stated, turning to shout at his uncle. "This stop was a complete waste for everyone!"

"Actually, no." The elder man's voice was calm and neutral, unfazed by his nephew's shouting. "Don't you remember, Prince Zuko? I always say that if you cannot find what you were looking for, it is always better to find something that you weren't looking for at a wonderful bargain!" He grinned and motioned behind him, where a few of the soldiers from the ship carried armloads of random junk that Iroh had purchased. Zuko turned to look at one of the soldiers, who was carrying a large brass instrument back to the ship.

"You bought a sumki horn?" Kaida asked, speaking at last.

Iroh nodded. "Of course! We are in need of one for music night!"

"All we need now is some woodwinds." Kaida stated, smiling softly.

Nodding again, Iroh grinned at the girl. "Of course!" Zuko sighed audibly as the three took off after the soldiers back toward the ship. Iroh stopped halfway there, turning towards a pirate ship quietly. "This place looks promising!" He stated, grinning broadly and heading off in that direction. Kaida sighed and Zuko raised a hand to smack himself in the forehead. This was really getting ridiculous. The little group of three made their way into the belly of the ship, where all the merchandise was held. Iroh walked around, gazing at all the little treasures around the shelves. The captain of the ship had busied himself with talking to Kaida now.

"'Ello Miss. What brings you here?" He asked, smiling slyly. Kaida opened her mouth to talk, she was used to speaking to men older than her with that tone of voice in their words. It was one of seduction. However, Zuko had pulled her away and back towards his uncle without a word.

"What, Zuko?" She asked, speaking under her breath as she pretended to be interested in a knife that was in front of her.

"I didn't like the way that he was speaking to you."

"Lady Kaida! Look at this! Wouldn't is make a wonderful addition to the galley?" Iroh stated, pulling the teenager's attention to a carved monkey that had red jewels for eyes.

"I can take care of myself, thank you. I'm quite used to that." Kaida stated, ignoring the old man for the moment. Zuko glared at her from the side, though she continued to look forward. "If you worry about people like that, then keep a hold of me…" She dared, a smirk upon her lips. The prince sighed and shook his head.

"The Water Tribe girl and the little monk she was traveling with. We lost them." A voice from behind caused the teenagers to spark interest. They both spun around, though Kaida kept her eyes averted from the captain. Zuko, however, walked over to the two pirates - the captain and another - that were talking.

"This bald monk. Did he have an arrow on his head?" He asked, interest in his voice.

The two pirates nodded. "Yes, they stole a water bending scroll. What's it to you?" The captain stated, wary of the boy that had so previously stolen the pretty girl away.

"I can help you find them." Zuko stated softly, smiling. Both Kaida and Iroh had joined him, though they stood behind him rather beside him.

--

They were on the ship now, not long after Zuko had talked the pirate captain to come with him. There were pirates dotting the deck of the ship, so Kaida had chosen to stay below, in her quarters. She sat at her table, an open scroll in front of her as she wrote down the words and emotions stuck in her head.

Honestly, why does he have to be a jerk about it? No…maybe jerk isn't the word. He's being stubborn. Yes. Why does he have to be so stubborn? It's useless. Damned near everyone knows. Why should we have to hide it? Ugh, forget it. I have decided that it is useless to question the actions of the male species. I'll only end up wasting my time on questions that will never be answered.

Those stupid pirates are aboard the ship. So I'm getting the feeling that Zuko just doesn't care anymore what it takes to find that stupid Avatar. All he cares about anymore is his honor. If only he knew that…

Her writings were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Yes?" She stated, laying her brush down and turning towards her door.

"Kaida, we're ready to go. Are you coming with us?" It was Zuko's voice, which brought a slight smile to her face. She got up and went over to open the door, pulling it open enough so that she could poke her head out.

"You really want me around all those pirates?" She stated, watching him quietly. The prince sighed and shook his head.

"No. I get the hint. Stay safe, alright?" He stated, smiling softly. He turned to leave but was stopped by Kaida grabbing at his arm.

"Hey. Get back here." She stated, smiling softly as she slipped through the door and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her lips to his softly. Zuko in turn wrapped his arms around her waist. "Good luck." She stated as she pulled away and slipped back into her room.

She watched from her door as Zuko left, a couple more pirates following him. They were headed towards the other, smaller ship. The one that Zuko had used on the Solstice. Iroh was going with him, so Kaida was stuck on her own on this ship. Save for the other soldiers. Though all the same. She went up to the deck soon after the last pirate had found his way down to the boat. Alright, now to get back to being alone for the next few hours.

--

So Kaida was staying behind. Good. Very good. He didn't want her to get mixed with those pirates. Especially after what had happened at their ship. Zuko didn't know exactly why, but he felt a strong pang of jealousy when that pirate bastard spoke to Kaida like that. Well…not jealousy. It was more like protection. Like he had to protect her. And he was jealous that she was going to actually respond to that. That just made his blood boil. He blew a steady breath through his nostrils as he walked down to where the extra boat was held.

It wasn't long before they continued going up river, the pirates on their boat and Zuko, Iroh, and the few soldiers they had taken on theirs. "Why are we taking the river and staying on the banks? Aren't they going to be on land?" The captain called, causing Zuko to roll his eyes and glare at the man. Pirates.

"What did they take, again?"

"A water bending scroll…but I-" The captain still hadn't caught on.

"They'll be on the river then. Practicing water bending." The man looked at him in disbelief. Well, it was more like confusion and then disbelief as he realized that he had just been outsmarted by a sixteen year old boy. Bloody idiot. That was what he got for hanging around pirates, though.

Sighing, Zuko turned back to paying attention to the banks than the smelling man beside him. Night was falling. The prince hoped that they would run into those little brats soon. He was getting terribly annoyed with this looking and finding nothing. It was so unsatisfying.

His honor was getting more and more tarnished with every second wasted here.

There was a sound of moving water that hadn't reached their ears yet. Water that was being manually moved. There was even flickers of whatever tricks were being performed from behind the edge of the water reeds. They stopped on the banks as they heard the remnants of frustrated cursing reach their ears.

Zuko, Iroh, and the captain were the last to get off the boats. There was the sound of a struggle up ahead as the pirates captured the girl. Damn. So it wasn't the Avatar. Well…what good was that? Oh wait…the Avatar would come back for the girl. And when he did…

A sly smirk broke against his features as he approached the girl from behind, watching as she broke free and stumbled backwards. Right into his arms. Oh, this was perfect.

"Let go of me!" She protested frantically

"I'll save you." He stated as he leaned to speak in her ear, wrapping his arms around her forearms.

--

He was holding the necklace to the younger girl's neck now, bending around the stump they had tied her to so that he could speak to her clearly.

"I can help you restore something you've lost. This necklace. If you help me restore something I have lost. My honor." Snaked through his teeth as the girl in front of him gasped. She wasn't expecting him to have her necklace, he could tell that by the way she asked where he had gotten it.

"Well, if you're thinking that I stole it, you're wrong. I found it." He stated, holding it tighter around her neck in the threat of placing it around her neck. If Kaida were there, she would have kicked him. She would have tackled him and punched him. He didn't understand the importance of that necklace and the way he was holding it to that little girl's neck that she did. But Kaida wasn't there. So she couldn't scold him and keep him from doing anything stupid.

He pulled the necklace away and walked around the tree to face her once again. "Now. Where is the Avatar?"

--

In the end, they left with no Avatar. And they left with no boat to get back to the ship with. So, Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko walked their way down the bank back to the dock. When they boarded the ship, they found Kaida dancing with her Sais. Well…it wasn't exactly dancing. More like sparing with the air, but her movements were so graceful that it was more like dancing than anything else. She stopped and turned to them after she realized that the two men in her life came aboard.

"I'm guessing that it did not go well." It was not a question, but a statement. She could tell by the lack of the Avatar and the somber looks upon their faces. She smiled politely as she walked over to join them. "What happened to the boat?"

Zuko groaned and walked away, off to below deck and probably to his room. Kaida looked over to Iroh, brow raised in question. The old man simply shook his head. "It is advised not to ask, Lady Kaida." He stated before walking off as well.

The girl stood there, slightly confused, as she held her head cocked to the right. She blinked a few times before sighing and brushing it off her thoughts. She needed to practice with her Sais for now. That was more important than worrying about a lost boat that really had no purpose.