I was passing out tea to an older couple when a man entered. He held an air of authority.

"So, you're the genius behind this incredible brew. The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well." The man said. I tucked the tray under my arm and walked over.

"Good tea is its own reward." Iroh said.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward. How would you like to have your own tea shop?" The man offered.

"My own tea shop? This is a dream come true!" Iroh said.

"What's going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea-maker?" Pao said.

"Sorry Pao, but that's business for you, am I right?" the man said.

"Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you assistant manager. Wait, senior assistant manager!"

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring. The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom." the man said.

"I even get to name the shop?" Iroh asked.

"Of course!" the man said.

"Uh, senior executive assistant manager?" Pao said. Iroh handed him the pot of tea and bowed to the customer, agreeing to the terms. Zuko walked by as Pao walked away sadly.

"Did you hear, nephew? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city!" Iroh said.

"That's right young man, your life is about to change for the better!"

"I'll try to contain my joy." Zuko said sarcastically.

"June, did y-"

"I'm so excited!" I said, beaming. I looked up as Zuko slammed the door after him. I hummed in thought.

I helped Iroh pack, since I was already done, and Zuko came in. I looked up and smiled.

"So, I was thinking about names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it." Iroh said.

"I like it." I said.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison." Zuko said, holding up a flyer. I took the flyer and frowned as I looked it over. How the hell do you lose a ten ton bison? Zuko leaned against the window.

"We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us." Iroh said.

"Good things that are happening for you! Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?" Zuko snapped. I frowned. Oh, so finding out your crush likes you bad is so horrible?

"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life and why." Iroh advised.

"I want my destiny." Zuko said.

"What that means is up to you." Zuko walked away. "The Tea Weevil! No, that's stupid."

"I'm going after him." I said, standing. Iroh nodded, muttering something about tea types.

"Zuko!" I called.

"What?"

"What was that?" I asked, slapping down the flyer on the table.

"What do you mean?"

"'Good things that are happening for you'? 'Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea'?" I quoted. I then gave him a look.

"What?"

"I was the one who was freaking stabbed by a lunatic!" I said.

"I'm fully aware of that, Avery!"

"Why are you so upset?" I asked. "Your life is changing for the better! You and you uncle are getting a tea shop in the upper ring. You got a date after only a few weeks of being here. This is the city of chance, Zuko. This are going to change, but for the better."

"But am I going to get the avatar?" Zuko asked angrily.

"Screw the avatar!" I exclaimed. He looked surprised. "Zuko, you don't need him. Three years gone, and have you learned nothing? Life goes on without that damned monk! It has for 100 years!"

"Ave-"

"Don't 'Ave' my right now! I'm pissed that you can't see the good in life! Now is not a good time to-mphf!" I was cut off as Zuko shut me up with a kiss. I blushed as he pulled back. He smirked.

"Ave, I was going to say you're right." He said.

"Oh... uh, right." I said, rubbing my neck in embarrassment.

"Avery, have you seen Zuko?" Iroh asked. I hummed in thought.

"Nope. Should we go find him?"

"That would be for the best." Iroh said. I stood and sniffed the air.

"I got a lock on his scent." I said. "Let's go find him."

I pushed open the door of the underground base and placed a hand on my cocked out hip as the Blue Spirit whirled around.

"So, the Blue Spirit. I wonder who could be behind that mask..." I said.

"What are you two doing here?" Zuko asked, taking off his mask.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" Iroh said sarcastically with an undertone of anger.

"First I have to get it out of here." Zuko said.

"And then what!? You never think these things through! This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!" Zuko said.

"No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!" Iroh yelled.

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!"

"Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?" I asked in a steely tone.

"Stop it! I have to do this!"

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do you want?" Iroh said. Zuko screamed loudly, throwing down his swords and Blue Spirit mask. I closed my eyes and sighed. We waited in an almost silence as Zuko made his decision.

"You did the right thing, nephew." Zuko looked at his Blue Spirit mask. "Leave it behind."

Zuko tossed the mask into the water and it sank to the bottom of the lake. We headed back to our house. I took Zuko's hand and nodded at him, reminding him of my promise. His lip quirked, but he seemed sick. His amber scent was swirling dangerously.

"You did the right thing. Letting the Avatar's bison go free." Iroh said as we stepped inside.

"I don't feel right." Zuko swayed dizzily and passed out.

"Zuko!" Iroh and I gasped in unison. I caught him before he fell.

"What happened?" I wondered aloud, sweeping Zuko's hair from his face. It was a lot longer now.

"His inner turmoil is making him ill." Iroh said. Suddenly, Zuko woke up.

"You're burning up. You have an intense fever." Iroh said. He dipped a cloth in water. He placed the cloth on Zuko's forehead. "This will help cool you down."

"So thirsty." He sat up, but Iroh made him lie back down. He grabbed a bucket with a spoon in it and took out the spoon.

"Here's some clean water to drink." Iroh sat him up slightly. "Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

Zuko grabbed the spoon from Iroh and drank the water. He tossed the spoon aside and grabbed the bucket. He drank from it, while spilling some out. He then tossed the bucket aside and lied back down. Iroh pulled the covers more over him. I whistled out a breath and chuckled quietly.

"Geez." I said.

"Avery, this is not a laughing matter. Zuko could die from this." Iroh said. My eyebrows rose.

"That isn't what I was laughing about, but noted." I sighed. "Laughing is another way to deal with stress and discomfort."

"I understand." Iroh said. I sucked in a breath.

"All we can do is wait." I said. Zuko began sweating in his sleep.

Zuko woke up again at one point. Iroh poured us tea.

"You should know that this is not a natural sickness, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea." He fed Zuko the tea.

"What's happening?"

"Your critical decision. What you did beneath that lake. It was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body." He fed Zuko more tea.

"What's that mean?" Zuko asked. He coughed continuously and laid down.

"You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it," He took a cloth and wiped Zuko's head. "you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

So, how will things be between Zuko and Avery after Zuko's 'metamorphosis'? You'll just have to find out.

Disclaimer... Oh you get the point!