The bridge lowered onto their ship. Across the bridge walked a girl with her hair up, dressed in armor with two soldiers flanking her. Zuko and Iroh met her when she took a step into their ship.

"Hello," She said pleasantly, hands behind her back in the standard position. Both Iroh and Zuko were not quite expecting a friendly greeting. Not friendly as in too personal, but any ships that passed the banished prince's, and wished to come aboard, were usually to coldly and impersonally check the ship and sometimes even confer with their coordinates. When this ship passed Zuko's with a fire emblem on the side, both the Prince and the Fire Lord's brother braced for a potential meeting with a stuffy higher up. However, it appeared that the girl was perhaps around Zuko's age, around fifteen, and had the impeccable posture of a fighter.

They returned the greeting in kind, although more cautiously.

The girl's eyes were lively.

"I am Kori Ikuma, of the Fire Nation Academy,"

Iroh raised his grey eyebrows, now recognizing her uniform.

"Ahh!" He said, relaxed. Zuko darted his eyes to his Uncle. "I was wondering where I recognized that uniform, although, why you are at sea and so far from home is the question," Iroh had a way of making it sound curious and playful instead of scolding or suspicious. The girl chuckled good-naturedly, and both men found it pleasurable to the ear.

"Yes, it is part of my two year internship before I graduate the academy. I must know how to navigate myself at sea with military level expertise," Despite her words, Zuko had a hard time believing this petite woman was a warrior, even though she was dressed in armor. It looked like someone had picked her up from somewhere and put her in some armor and had her hair done nicely, coached her on how to stand and walk, but it was only a rouse.

"Ah, I see," conceded Iroh with a bowed head.

She looked between them.

"Have you found the Avatar?"

Zuko's face immediately hardened and his personality burst through.

"No, we haven't, yet, and you're not going to catch him first!" Zuko had taken a step forward, but his shorter, stauncher uncle held out a sleeved arm to hold him back.

"Prince Zuko," He scolded.

The girl smiled diplomatically.

"Of course, I have every confidence you will find him."

That made Zuko heel a bit.

Both men were looking at her oddly.

"I know the Avatar has disappeared for a hundred years, but I think he is still alive."

Both men were too stunned to reply at her bold statement.

"You see, if he had died, at any point from the point he disappeared until now, as humans on average live about 60-80 years, then he would have reincarnated into the next element – which, of course, would have been water. But they have a small population, and there continues to be no powerful bender around them. In fact, there are no benders around them, it's reported!" She laughed her delightful laughter. "Which, leads me to believe, that the Avatar found a way to disappear, and perhaps, freeze himself in time. If that is the case, then he will have to come out eventually. I have every confidence you're not on a wild goose chase, Prince Zuko. I simply wanted to stop by and restore your faith. I know it is easy to believe you'll never find what you're looking for."

After getting over rationalizing her words, Zuko looked at her up and down, suspiciously. Even for her kind words, there must have been a motive.

"Well," She wrapped up in a light tone, looking between the stunned men, not expecting a reply. "I wish you good sailing." With that she turned and marched with grace and dignity up the wooden bridge to her larger ship with the men behind her. The bridge was pulled up, and the ship passed them.

(Ha, even interns get bigger ships than a banished Prince Zuko…. Aww… Just so you know, Kori had been on her ship for a year by now. And 60-80 years in this era of Avatar seems about right with how many of the population live in war time and not a lot of people having a lot of money.)

"Do you think she's right, Uncle?" Zuko asked in a rare soft voice. Iroh was inwardly surprised. His nephew had been so adamant, relentless, and determined for the last two years to find the Avatar that he hadn't doubted himself once. Perhaps he had been lately, inwardly.

With his back to his nephew, Iroh spread his lips in a grin.

"Oh yes!" He replied in immediate confidence. "You will always find what you are looking for, Prince Zuko." He peeked over his shoulder and his nephew was looking out into the water. "And she is pretty, no? She would make a pretty wife when you get back to the Fire Nation. Maybe we'll see her again sometime soon!" He teased.

Zuko snapped up out of his thoughtful stance and glared, clenching his fists. Immediately he was back to his usual raging personality.

"No! I hope we never see her again! I hope her ship just keeps on sailing!" He whirled around with his back to his uncle, folding his arms. But it was clear to Iroh that he didn't believe what he said. Iroh snickered to himself and turned back to the door, going to make some of his delicious tea.

"I think you protest too much, my nephew..." He chuckled.

A year later

The men were starting to doubt him, that they would find the Avatar. They weren't even putting their backs into it anymore. They just thought they were babysitting a spoilt banished Prince. But Zuko kept going. He had to. For his honor.

And finally, the wait paid off.