After days of travelling with barely any food, Iroh, Zuko and Zoe had finally found a piece of civilization: a small Earth Kingdom City, which hopefully meant food.

But, with no money, the only way to get food was begging.

It was demeaning, it was embarrassing. But, it was their only choice.

"Spare change for weary travellers?" Iroh was the best at it; Zuko sat sulking under his straw hat while Zoe tried to blend in with the wall behind them.

"This is humiliating." snapped Zuko, and Zoe jumped in surprise. "We're royalty."

"I'm not," Said Zoe, "But, it's still humiliating."

"These people should be giving us whatever we want." Zuko turned away, and Zoe noticed his eyes stayed locked on the retreating mask seller whom had just walked past.

"They will," said Iroh wisely, "If you ask nicely."

A pretty noble woman walked by and Iroh's demeanour changed again.

"Spare change for hungry old man?" he said, his eyes wide and hopeless.

"Aww," the Lady crooned, "Here you go." She said dropping one coin in to his hat.

"The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." Zuko and Zoe looked at each other and smacked their hands to their foreheads.

"How about some entertainment?" said a wicked looking man with a pointed beard. "In exchange for a gold piece?"

"We're not performers." snarled Zuko.

"Not professional's anyway." piped up Iroh standing up. "It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se." He sang as he stood, beginning a little jig with his feet. "But, the girls in the city they look so pree-taaaay!"

Zoe smiled; he really wasn't a very good singer, but he was a great entertainer!

"Come on," Sneered the man with the lustful gold coin, "We're talking a gold piece here!" He pulled his swords, dual swords that is, from the sheath on his back. "Let's see some action! Dance!" And he pointed the tip of his sword at Iroh's nose.

Zoe stood up furiously, reading to stab the mans sword through his throat, but Iroh held her back.

"Oooh," said the man with extra interest. "I didn't see the girl before, hiding herself down there. You're a pretty little birdy now aren't you?"

"I don't think pretty is the right word." Snarled Zoe through her teeth, but the man just burst out laughing.

"And a fierce one too. Why don't you sing with the fat man?"

Zuko grabbed Zoe's wrist from the ground, "Sit down." He growled.

"No." replied Zoe with angry determination. "I won't sit around while our Uncle has to conform to this."

"Excellent!" Laughed the fowl man and he slashed the swords on the ground and cried, "Dance! Sing!"

"They kiss so-o sweet!" Zoe sang along with Iroh, joining his jig and avoiding the swords. Zuko had nearly forgotten her melodious voice and even nearly forgot his anger for a moment, if it hadn't of been for the slashing swords in front of his face. "The girls from Ba Sing Seeeee!" Finished the pair and the man laughed jovially again.

"Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner!" He laughed some more, "And you little girly, such a lovely voice, I could double my price for a kiss from those rosy lips!"

At this point Zuko stood up too, his arms shaking with fury. "You've had your dance, now hand over the coin and get out of here!" He shouted furiously, one hand gripping Zoe's forearm tightly and the other pointing down the street.

"Hey! Just a valuable offer," Joked the man, but he backed away warily. "Here you go." He said and threw the golden piece to the ground at their feet. Zuko didn't sit back down till he was out of sight.

"Thanks." muttered Zoe, sitting close to Zuko's side.

"You're welcome." he snarled without looking at her.

That was when it all started. Zuko started returning from periods of absence with suspiciously acquired goods stacked in his arms. It started out just with simple food, but now it had escalated to porcelain tea pots and roast pigs!

Zoe could hear Iroh talking to Zuko in their cave which was currently their home, so she decided to wait outside. She sat down to lean against the tree behind her, but then she nearly fell right through it! There was a hollow in the trunk. She tried to sit herself up, but her hand slipped into the hole and she heard something clink beneath the several leaves that had piled up in the hole.

Suspicion arousing her she riffled through the bunch and pulled out some sheathed broadswords and a blue mask; the Blue Spirits mask. This wasn't right, and she had a feeling Zuko had something to do with it.

In perfect time Zuko suddenly came storming out of their cave in the direction of Zoe and her new found objects. She stepped out of behind the tree as soon as Zuko's foot steps were close enough.

"Zuko." She said sadly, holding the things loosely in her hands.

Zuko sighed, "How did you get those?"

"I fell in the tree." replied Zoe with an attempt at bravado.

The corner of Zuko's mouth twitched. "Well put them back."

"No, I want to know what they mean. Are you the Blue Spirit?" Asked Zoe determinedly; Zuko's temper was always close to breaking point now days, but honestly Zoe was getting a little sick of it. They were all in the same position, and at least they were together, but he was the only one allowed to get mad!

"Put them back in the tree." He snarled, looking away from her angrily.

"Have you been stealing all those things in the cave, Zuko?" Zoe asked softly, laying the items down by the trunk of the tree.

"Does it matter?" snapped Zuko immediately, throwing his arms in the air, "We shouldn't have to beg! We don't have to beg now!" He was getting angrier.

"Zuko! Please, I know that you're angry and I know that you hurt, but stealing is never the option!" She walked toward him, placing a hand on his forearm, but he shook it off and continued to glare at the tree beside him. Zoe ploughed on, "No matter what the situation is Zuko, you are a Prince, always inside of you and you should never forget that. Never forget who you are." Zuko turned to look at her this time, a confused emotion clouding his eyes. Zoe continued quietly, "I have been down this road, not in the same situation as you, but one that I can relate to you with and I know what it is like. But, I've learnt, and I know that there is no honour in stealing, but there is honour in knowing and holding to who you are. Never resort to your lowest instincts; even in your darkest hour if you remain strong to yourself; you'll pull through."

Zuko stared off into the distance for a while, his mind in conflict, Zoe couldn't tell if she had gotten to him or not, but then he looked straight at her, and he looked…sad?

"I'm going for a walk." He stated, and Zoe could hear in his voice that he wanted to be alone.

"I'll see you later then." She said with a small smile. He nodded and walked past her and she watched him go. Eventually once he was long gone, she turned sadly and walked back to the cave with Iroh.

"It looks so horrible stuck on a stick like that." Said Zoe, she'd never really liked meat much, but always been forced to eat it. It just didn't seem right to her.

Iroh chuckled; he was preparing the roast pork, "That is why it is meant to be eaten; not looked at." He said wisely.

Zoe scrunched up her nose, but then saw at the cave entrance that Zuko had returned.

"Uncle, Zoe." He said immediately, "I've thought a lot about what you said."

"You did? Good, good." Replied Iroh contentedly. But, Zoe wasn't happy; she could tell something was off in his voice.

"It's helped me realise something; we no longer have anything to gain by travelling together." He said and Zoe squeezed her eyes shut and looked away, "I need to find my own way."

And with that he walked away. Zoe couldn't believe it; he was leaving? Just like that? Then another thought occurred to her: would she ever see him again? It shouldn't matter; why should she care? She would no longer have any obligations, and that was why she was sticking around right? It wasn't like she was falling for him or anything stupid like that.

No.

She couldn't keep kidding herself; she liked him. A lot. And she was going to miss him.

"Wait!" Called Iroh suddenly, he had the ostrich-horse's reins and was running him to Zuko. Zoe jumped up too, whatever happened: she needed to say goodbye.

Iroh handed over the reins, and Zoe determinedly kept her tears back. She walked up to Zuko, her eyes shining, making them look like they were filled with many little stars. "See you..." She whispered and she kissed him lightly on the cheek.

A strange look came across Zuko's face, as if he was, for a fraction of a second, reconsidering his decision about leaving. But, then he turned and jumped onto the ostrich-horse and rode away.

They stood there for a while, Iroh and Zoe, both staring in the direction their companion had gone, and then Iroh turned to her. "We will see him again." He said laying a hand on her shoulder.

"He doesn't want us." Sniffed Zoe, glaring at the ground childishly to stop herself from letting the tears out.

"Not right now, no." smiled Iroh, "But, he just needs some time. And when he is ready to be back with us; we will be there."

"What do you mean?" asked Zoe confused, "We don't even know where he is going."

"That, my dear, is why we are going to go finish our meal and pack our bags and follow his trail." Iroh patted her shoulder gently and headed back to the cave.

Zoe looked back to the empty path that Zuko had abandoned them on and decided that Iroh was right and that Zuko would need them. And when he realised that; they would be there.

Heat, dehydration, no food; it was no wonder that Zuko was getting a little delirious. Every now and then he'd touch his right cheek lightly, the one Zoe had kissed good bye. His fingers tingled and he could almost smell her subtle scent…apricot…daisies…slowly roasting meat? Wait, that wasn't right, that was food!

His stomach growled and clenched painfully at the same time that luscious scent had caught his attention. Roasting meat. He spotted the source in the lagoon below him. A Man had the delicious looking meat cooking slowly on the fire. Zuko's hand immediately went to his blades.

There is no honour in stealing…

Damn it, he wished she'd get out of his head. That was the majority of his days. Zoe's voice accosting him whenever he tried to make a decision, his Uncle too would make a show. He looked back to the roasting meat, but then he noticed a pregnant woman who sat by a tree near the meal and he let go of his swords.

Never forget who you are…

An image of his mother burst into his mind and grief clenched his heart. He tried to push it away, but another face flew into his minds eye, it was Zoe's. She was shaking her head at him sadly and floating away in the direction of his mother, then his Uncle burst in, he was sitting on a small stool drinking tea from a tin cup. He asked Zuko to join, but Zuko pushed him away and he flew down the same tunnel that every other person he loved had disappeared through.

Zuko grabbed his water flask roughly and tried to drink from it, but nothing came. His fist clenched around the leathery bottle and he forced himself to stay in the present, to keep moving, to not look back.

"Yes we wouldn't want that to happen again!" Chuckled Iroh; he and Zoe were reminiscing as they walked at a strong pace down the windy, dirt track.

"I'll say," laughed Zoe, "do you remember that Zuk- oh…" Her happy face fell as the empty space left by Zuko seemed to be more evident than ever, his absence somehow making the sudden silence too loud.

Yeah, she missed him. Sure he could be arrogant, sure he had a temper like wild kimono-rhino, but so did she and he was also surprisingly funny and caring when she least expected it.

"I think we are quite close to him at the moment." said Iroh softly, "I am not sure why, but he seems to be tracking these tracks."

"Do you know who's they are, Uncle?" Asked Zoe, she had stuck with the 'Uncle' habit.

"No…not defiantly, though I suspect they could belong to Fire Nation, and the only reason for my nephew to be tracking someone from the Fire Nation is if it is Azula."

"What!" Zoe nearly shouted, "Why would he track down her? Is he insane?" There was a moment of silence, "Well maybe a little bit, but why Uncle!"

Iroh sighed a long sigh, "There is much about his past that you have yet to understand," he said finally, "he and his sister do not have a happy relationship."

"I had guessed that much." snorted Zoe in response.

Before either of the pair could say another word, there was a great rumbling sound and the earth below Zoe's feet suddenly shot in the air. She had no time to notice Iroh go flying as she tried to keep control in her own situation.

Surprising herself Zoe lithely sprung off the rising earth to fly softly through the air and grabbing an overhanging tree branch.

"That really hurt my tailbone." Groaned Iroh as a young girl in a green (obviously Earth Kingdom) suit approached them.

Normally some little girl wouldn't have worried Zoe, but this girl; she had an air of 'I can take care of myself' about her which made Zoe a little tentative.

"So tinkletoes isn't the only one a little light on his feet." said the girl as she crossed her arms. Her black bangs blew slightly in the breeze and Zoe noticed her glazed mint coloured eyes.

"Why did you attack us?" Demanded Zoe furiously from the tree and Iroh got up stiffly.

The girl shrugged, "you can never be too careful." She said simply. "But, an old man and some flighty girl would be no match for me, so I guess I needn't have worried."

Zoe growled furiously and jumped from the tree. Iroh laughed as she was thrown backwards by a piece of earth as soon as her toes touched the ground.

The earthbender grinned smugly.

"Why don't we all sit down for a nice cup of tea?" Iroh said before Zoe could retaliate in some way. "I never pass up tea with a mysterious stranger." The 'mysterious stranger' shrugged and followed Iroh while Zoe stomped after them grumbling.

"So why are you so light on your feet?" asked the girl whom Zoe had discovered was named 'Toph'.

"I'm not, I just don't stomp around like others." retorted Zoe snobbishly. She was still peeved at being bested by a little girl.

"No, you're really light your feet…" She stopped as if on the verge of saying something, but then decided against it.

"So you're blind?" stated Zoe, changing the topic.

"Wow, how'd you know?" said Toph mockingly in sarcasm.

"Must be handy." said Zoe in an offhanded voice.

There was a moment of silence, "Ah, what?" Said Toph is slight disbelief.

"I mean for your earthbending. Of course it would have disadvantages, but I've heard people missing one sense have far better other senses. And you can clearly take care of yourself." Zoe explained sincerely.

"You're saying…you don't look at me and see me as a weak little girl?" said Toph slowly, turning to look where she could feel Zoe standing.

"Definitely not." Said Zoe immediately, shaking her head.

"Yeah…well I did kick your butt before."

"Wha- hey! That wasn't even a fight, you snuck up on us, and you didn't get me properly, if I remember I was in a tree, and just so you know; I've never been trained!" Zoe replied in a long defensive reel.

"Never trained in what?"

"I- just…fighting."

"So you can't bend?"

"Ah…nope."

"You're lying."

"Look, Uncle's finished making the tea!"

Toph followed her slowly and curiously; why would this light footed girl want to hide the fact that she can bend?