Chapter 4! So this chapter is kinda long ^^; but i figured after the last chapter there was some needed explanation on how she got to the human world and what she was doing there so here it is! I really hope everyone is enjoying the story! :)

Amaya bit on her lower lip as she watched both men's reactions.

Iroh looked as if he had watched her grow three heads and cut one of them off. Shifting her gaze to Zuko she watched as the scarred teen's expression twisted into that of shock and bewilderment to the point that she thought he might faint.

Minutes passed slowly as Amaya awaited an answer, finally Iroh nodded and continued to stroke his beard "I knew there was something more to you my dear, but I never expected this"

Looking into the fire Amaya lowered her head "I know, it seems-" –"How can that be? If you're a spirit what are you doing here?!" Zuko asked harshly. Amaya did not look at him, keeping her eyes on the blaze she sighed "That's just it… I have no idea, that's why I need to find the Avatar"

Turning her gaze up to the stars she breathed in the salty night air "You see I am away from home unwillingly and I can't go back… not without his help"

Cocking his head to the side Iroh questioned "So you were banished from the spirit world? It doesn't sound like you ran away"

Turning her gaze to him Amaya pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them "No, I wasn't banished, and I didn't run away. I kinda…fell." Twisting his face in confusion Iroh pressed on "What do you mean you fell?"

Amaya straightened her back slightly and pulled down the nape of her light blue dress, pulling out a beautiful sea colored gem necklace in the shape of a several pointed delicate star "This" she stated as she played with it between her fingers before continuing "Is my symbol. It represents the Northern Star, the star of guidance" As she continued she stared blankly into the depths of the fire, refusing to look at either man before her. "You see when a spirit masters their talent or er…gift?"

Pursing her lips she thought for a moment on how best to explain this.

"When they master what they are meant to become as a respected and represented spirit we are presented a gift of our symbol" her fingertips touched the gem once more "This allows us the full granted power of a worldly spirit. That is we can interact with the human world, for it becomes our connection to the human world. It is a very special ceremony that not many spirits get to experience, only those who have use to the human world and then who wish to interact with it"

Hearing no reactions or responses Amaya sighed and continued on "Usually when a spirit receives their gem it is only a chunk of the stone strung with a special woven thread that will attach to its owner forever. Literally combining spirit and gem as one. It is then placed around the receiving spirits neck and the symbol forms itself from the hunk of gem stone. Earning the spirit the respected right of a spiritual name here in the mortal world"

Amaya wrapped her arms tighter around her knees "When my gem was placed on me it turned white and started to take the shape of a star, I was so happy that it accepted me as worthy. Then suddenly the gem turned a dark blue and the edges of each point stretched violently to make this shape (A/N: it's shaped like the star of Nazareth). Before I knew it, it felt as if someone had taken the ground from beneath my feet. When I woke up I…was here. The gem became the color you see now, I haven't seen my family since then and…I have no idea why I am here. I don't understand what happened, my brother went through his ceremony just fine. He and the rest of my family stayed in the spirit world and I fell. I failed" Resting her chin on her knees she waited for a response.

Minutes had passed before Iroh's deep voice cut through the silence "Well my dear it sounds to me like you and your brother have very different destinies to fulfill"

Amaya quirked an eyebrow at him, Iroh just smiled and continued "from what you have told me it seems as if that gem is very important to the spirits, correct?" Amaya shrugged "Only to those of us who are able to interact with the human world directly"

Nodding Iroh sipped at some tea he brewed "Yes, and maybe your brother stayed in the spirit world because his destiny was to only interact back and forth between your world and ours. And you ended up here because your destiny lies within this world itself" Nodding his head toward the necklace he continued "I have heard legend of those gems; formed in the crystal waters of the spiritual oasis in your world they can read ones heart to determine their destiny. If you had fallen into this world when the gem was placed upon you it sounds to me as if you are meant to be here for one reason or another."

Lifting her head Amaya rested her arms on the tops of her knees "That would make sense. I had the chance to talk with the young Avatar once before, he said that he had a dream about my gem. In it, well he said the gem spoke to him, saying that 'destiny will be thrust upon us but born through guidance'…at first I didn't much bother with it. However as time has gone on I have come to believe that maybe that was a hint from the spirit world to why I was sent here"

Suddenly Zuko's voice cut through the air like cold steal "You spoke to the Avatar? How were you able to find him?!" Amaya rolled her eyes slightly irritated at him, for that part was clearly the only part of her explanation that he paid mind to.

None-the-less she shrugged and glanced at him answering his question in hinted annoyance "Well I didn't find him exactly, he more found me. But I knew it was him, for when he got close to the hideout for the first time my tattoos glowed in the middle of broad daylight" Rubbing her palms against the tattoos on her arms she continued "And I am kind of hoping that they will do that again this time. They don't only connect my body to the spiritual energies in the North Pole but I think somehow they are slightly connected to him as well"

Zuko gave her no reply; he only stared off into the fire obviously lost in his own thoughts.

Iroh stroked his beard in thought for a minute before pouring himself another cup of tea and questioning the young spirit once more "You said your body was connected to the oasis in the North Pole?"

Amaya nodded slightly surprised that he had caught that small detail "Yes, you see I was not born in this world. When I fell from my world in order to make myself 'real' my body was formed from the earth. It acts as a real body and does most everything that any normal mortals can but it's…not exactly real. I can bleed, eat, get cold or hot, hurt and feel pain and pleasure like you can but it's only a shell"

Quirking an eyebrow Zuko looked in her direction "Then what's the difference!?"he asked sharply. Agni he and his harsh questions were getting on her nerves.

Gesturing toward her glowing tattoos she looked up "These. You see my body only acts real, like how an actor plays a character on stage. They may act and become that character while preforming, they as well as the audience know that that character is not who that actor is when the show is over. The tattoos are what keep's that act going for me, keeps my body working like yours"

Touching the necklace once more her finger tips ran across the length of the gem "And this is my beacon that guides the spiritual energy in this world, mainly the North Pole, all the way to me. That energy is what fuels my tattoos and the tattoos make my earthen clay body almost real. Without them my body would die and thus taking me with it"

Iroh nodded and placed a hand on the girls shoulder "You are at great risk being here aren't you?"

Amaya nodded at him and looked to the ground "Yes, if I were to loose contact with the spirit oasis at the North Pole, or with my gem…I would die within a few days" Lowering her eyes even further she continued "and if I were to die in this world of an unnatural cause without returning to the spirit world first…I would die completely"

Iroh shook his head sadly "The cold fate of a spirit in the mortal world. You are blessed with many things as a spirit but when it comes to being here it seems that your kind fear mortality even more than we do"

Looking up Amaya tried to lighten the mood a little "But the chances of that are slim. I can still die of a bad fatal wound or illness but luckily if it's not completely horrible I also can heal faster than most mortals can because of my gem. And so far the only known way to remove the gem from a spirit is when they are dead here in the mortal world"

Pulling the cloak back over her shoulder Amaya shrugged "So I guess I just have to be careful, like most everyone else here"

Iroh nodded at her and eyed her "Then you should definitely stay with us. The world is scary and a dangerous place these days, especially for a young lady wondering on her own"

Amaya threw a few more sticks into the burning fire and thought for a moment. "Well I guess, as long as I am not a bother, that doesn't sound like a bad idea" Iroh smiled in victory at her.

Suddenly Zuko got to his feet and started toward the other end of the camp, looking at him curiously Iroh questioned him "Where are you going nephew?" Zuko didn't look back at them but stopped momentarily and answered "I am tired Uncle" before he continued walking.

Iroh nodded at his nephew "good, you need your rest. We will be over in a short while"

Zuko didn't answer but kept walking, he could hear his uncle and the girl that would now be tagging along with them start up a conversation as if he had never left.

A few hours later Zuko still lay awake, his body was exhausted but his mind would not let him rest tonight.

So much had changed since this morning. He was no longer a prince of the fire nation; he was a traveling refugee, enemy of all nations traveling with his uncle and strange new girl to who knows where.

'Great' he thought and turned over trying to get comfortable.

Soon he heard footsteps coming toward him and he pretended to be in a deep sleep. Amaya and his uncle obviously believed him to be asleep for they tip toed their way to their sleeping areas, being careful not to make any noise that would wake him. When they had finally settled down only a few minutes had passed by before he could hear his uncles loud snoring from somewhere in the distance.

Turning his head he saw that his uncle slept by a tree a few yards away, and the girl slept a few feet away in the space in-between him and his uncle.

Turning all the way over he looked at his new traveling companion, she was already fast asleep. Her breathing was deep and he could hear her light in-takes and outtakes of breath, her tattoos above the blanket that covered her glowed lightly in the moon light.

Yes his life had indeed changed, and he had a feeling that the changes weren't over yet.

A/N: Ok I know that was really long ^^; but it tells a lot about Amaya and how a spirit was able to get to the human world (I hate it when stories have instances of the unbelievable happening with no explanation and all the characters just seem to run with it not needing any explanation about it at all) So i designed this chapter to explain a little about her past.

Notes:

- When she first fell she was found near the city of Gaipan, by the Freedom Fighters. She was friends with them for a little while, why she isnt with them anymore will be explained later. I am thinking of writing that part out but i am not so sure yet ^^;

-While she was with the freedom fighters that's when she first met the gaang and had the chance to talk with Aang. She and the group were weary of each other at first. Aang making friends with her first, then Sokka. Amaya and Katara had some serious issues in the beginning but slowly started to work things out within the time they were there.

Anyways I hope you guys like this one :D