Peter was up, all night, consulting literary references, and trying to figure out some way to weasel his way out of the situation. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Why Genji, how could you fail me?" He shut the book gently, and laid it on his nightstand. Many a man would have tossed the book away in a fit of anger, but he held a higher respect for books than that. He sighed, and looked around. "Apparently, it is dawn." He stood up, and looked in the basin of cold water, peering at his reflection. There were deep bags under his eyes. He could feel his mind failing to make connection that he would swiftly catch. "If I meet her like this…" "Meet who?" Peter turned, and was faced with Soshi and Ty Lee. He pulled his hand back. Soshi looked at it, then him. "You were about to toast us." "Nonsense. I can't Firebend." "Alright then, whatever you say." He shrugged, and Ty Lee pulled him out of the room. Peter breathed a sigh of relief. "Gods, I can't… Feel… What I used to." He put a hand to his forehead, and ran a hand through his hair, pulling slightly, before shaking his head. "I just need a nap." He walked to his bed, and laid down before closing his eyes.

It was only about two hours, but he felt better. His mind was clear. He looked out the window. The sun was in sky, and he nodded, before shutting the door, and latching it, and getting dressed in the uniform he had gotten from his time in the colonies, minus a couple tell tale signs. Having ditched the headband in favour of a black Sash he had acquired in the Omashu area, and a pair of black gloves he had been given by an Earthbender his father had arranged amnesty for, he walked out of his room. He looked for different from the teen he had been before. He cleaned up his hair, and when he met his uncle, Admiral Zhou was taken aback. "You look like you're in the military now." "I… I'd need to explain in private my feelings on the situation." "I understand Pfen. You're going to war." Smiling, Peter nodded. "I'll make a Sailor out of you yet." "That you will, Unc… Admiral." With a Salute, Peter then bowed to Zhou, and turned, walking out of the small house. "It's… Time." He closed his eyes, inhaled, and stepped from Shadow into Sunlight, and opened his eyes. The Glittering emeralds focused themselves as he looked out over Ember Island. He knew who his quarry was, and so he set to observe it.

That was how he found himself kneeling on the top of a building he had scaled. He wasn't incredibly fond of free hand climbing, but he accepted the necessity of it, and looked over at his quarry. The Princess Azula. Right now, she was with her brother and his depressing girlfriend, and… "Soshi?" He then noted the girl hanging onto Soshi. "Ty Lee. Well then. It seems I may have to press my cousin for information later." He then noted Soshi was looking at him, and then he saw Azula turning. He stepped back, and dropped, landing in a crouch. "If she spots me, I am a dead man." He sighed. "I didn't learn anything and I nearly gave myself away. This isn't going my way at all."

Running a hand through his long hair, the front bangs going down a few inches, roughly level with his nose when he let them loose, he redid his ponytail, and felt something behind him. He straightened, and turned, looking at a small lizard, which looked him in the eye. "A Geguana." He took the small Gecko-Iguana into his hands and pet the small creature, before feeling it walk up to his shoulder, and lay there. He could feel it's claws gripping the fabric of his uniform, and chuckled. "We have a common idea on what is comfortable my friend." He then walked out from beside the building only to find himself staring into Golden eyes, black hair, and smelling a powder based white face paint. He frowned, knowing this was the girl with Prince Zuko. "Mind telling me why you were spying on us?"

"I haven't the foggiest of what you're talking about. Now if you would please let me pass, Ms…" "Mai." "Ms. Mai, I would be able to get out of your hair, and you could resume searching for your spy." "I found my spy." Peter's gaze narrowed. "I assure you, I was not spying on you Ms. I believe I would know." "Then tell me why your cousin pointed you out?" "My Cousin…"

-Back before Peter had jumped off the roof-

Things were good, Soshi was with the ultimate In-crowd, and he only wished Peter could be here with him. Then he noticed it. "Hey Ty Lee, I think that's Peter over there." Soshi gestured at the rooftop where a black speck was kneeling, looking at them, only for it to hop off the roof. Then Soshi heard a voice. "Whoever he is, he was spying on us." The bland voice belonged to Mai, girlfriend of Prince Zuko, and all around creep to Soshi's eyes at least. "Let's catch him." Zuko ran off, feeling slightly challenged, to catch this spy.

-Present-

"My cousin would of course recognize me, but I assure you, your being where I was watching was coincidental. I am a bit of a Nature Lover, and I was looking for a nest of Geguana's where this little fellow came from." "Hey Soshi?" "Yes Mai?" Soshi walked over, smiling, seeing his cousin, though his expression dropped when he saw those Emerald orbs looking beyond annoyed. "Is Peter some nature lover?" "Well, he spent most of his life traveling the world, so I could see it being in him." "So you have no idea." "Yeah." "I smell a rat-viper." Peter's fist clenched, and just a wisp of smoke passed through his hand. Soshi saw it, his eyes slightly widening in surprise. But he didn't let it get to him. "So Peter, you want to join us? I know this girl who you would DIE to meet." "I'm kind of preoccupied. I have a nest to find and all…" "Oh come on, it's just an Animal, it can hang on your shoulder for a while."

"I really need to pa…" "You're coming with us." He felt Soshi's grip on his hand, and then Soshi saw his eyes dim. "I'll ask you to let go of my wrist." Soshi looked at Peter's hand, which had the faintest hint of flame in it. "Come on cousin, Azula is really a bomb." Peter let the flame grow just a bit. "Let go Soshi." Soshi gently let go. "Thank you. I have some errands, but you and I both know what one of them is." Soshi nodded, remembering. "Sorry, I probably was jamming your groove up." Peter nodded, his killing gaze softening. "Alright then. I have to get this little guy a home, then I'll be seeing you lot around."

Peter threw himself into his task of hunting the Geguana nest that his companion had come from, but in several hours searching, he had discovered here were no Nests in any of the areas outlying the section of Ember Island he was in. He sighed, and thrust his hand into the sand, letting the fire within out a little bit. He then breathed in a cleansing breath, and cleared himself. He stroked his Geguana softly, before sighing. "Well, you're living with me now, Seren." He saw the Geguana shift slightly, and saw its tongue shoot out and catch a fly in the air. He chuckled, and walked towards the beach, looking out over the waves, wondering.

"Is this fate?" He peered out across the sea, only to see, rather, feel something warm behind him. He heard a cold feminine voice. "My father has asked me to retrieve you. You are invited, alongside your uncle and cousin to dinner." Peter's eyes shot open. He stayed very still. "And the fire?" "A Show of good will. I know you're a fire bender, despite how much you tried to hide it. Your little tantrum earlier while looking for your pets nest proved it. He is very interested in you."

"What makes you think that, Princess?" "He has been looking into who you are. Soshi gave you nothing but praise. And the Admiral has said he believed you would become a fine Officer one day, given enough time in the homeland. Yet, I see something in you. Your eyes belie a division in who you are and who you want to be." Peter turned, facing her, his hand cradling a small flame, utterly dwarfed by the large blue one in the Golden eyed woman's hands. Princess Azula looked him over, recognizing a School Uniform when she saw one, but also the way he wore it more like armour. Her flawless features were illuminated by the falling rays of dawn. He was stunned to see her like that. She's gorgeous. He let his flame die, and bowed to Azula. "How rude of me. I am…" "Peter Zhou." "I was going to introduce myself by Birth name, but that is what my friends back in the Earth Kingdom called me." "You already know who I am, but I guess an introduction might shake that look of stupor from your face. Princess Azula." Peter closed his eyes, and inhaled, straightening his back. "How may I serve, Princess?"

"You can accompany me back to my home for now; we're going to lose the chance to be early if we wait much longer."

"By your will."