Welcome everyone! I apologize that I'm late in updating, I've been attacked by the monster that roves FFN. It's called... The writers block. So I hope this chapter isn't too crappy:/

And also I apologize for all of the grammatical errors in the last chapter, I have gone back and corrected I think all of them.

So ya enjoy!

Zuko awoke instantly when he felt a hand on his arm. He grabbed the hand with one of his and had the other ready to punch the intruder in the jaw. He froze right before his fist made contact, when he saw the blind eyes staring into his own. He released her and stumbled back onto his cot, groaning multiple apologies.

"You got quick reflexes, Sparky." She said crossing her arms and looking at him critically, "Sweetness will like that." He looked up at her surprised that she wasn't angry and propped himself up on his elbow, using his free hand to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"Why do you call her Sweetness? Is she nicer then the girl who captured me?" He said it with a slight drag in his voice. He didn't like how the girl could protect or hate him within minutes of each other; it could mean trouble for his mission. He looked up to see a confused earth bender standing next to him.

"Wha- Zuko, who captured you yesterday?" She clearly didn't understand what he was saying.

"The water bender, Kya." He stated it like it was obvious and shrugged before standing and stretching his arms upward. The girl next to him started laughing ridiculously and he brought his arms down staring at her. Zuko flinched when the girl punched him hard on the forearm but didn't react otherwise. The girl's continuing laughter began to build irritation in Zuko's chest and he crossed his arms and huffed loudly.

"What's so funny?" The girl just continued chuckling and began walking towards his door gesturing for him to follow.

"That paranoid brat," he heard her snort. Zuko didn't understand what she was talking about but followed her out of the room and out of their house. He noticed then, the darkness that shrouded the city as they began trudging uphill.

"What time is it?" He asked her quietly.

"An hour or two before dawn," the girl groaned dramatically, "I wouldn't even be awake but that annoying antagonist wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to escort you to training," The girl continued grumbling complaints of why she shouldn't be up yet. "How will I have the energy to even move later if I have to take you places at such inhumane hours of the morning? I mean it's bad enough I have to babysit those so-called earth benders everyday, but now you too?!" She huffed and blew a piece of hair out of her face.

Zuko noticed that the girls hair was black instead of brown, very few other people besides his had such dark hair. Her hair was straight and long, reaching about the small of her back, but then she had bangs that hung freely in her face. She was quite beautiful but her oddly masculine demeanor probably intimidated any man who would take interest in her. She wore simple green pants that flowed like a skirt near where they ended at her shins. Her shirt was similar but had golden designs flowing throughout the green fabric.

He saw that they had reached the edge of the city and all that lied before them was a thick tree line with the exception of a single narrow trail that winded through the center. He became curious to where they would be training if not in a building.

"So where exactly are we going?" He asked. The girl was still rambling about the inconvenience of being awake but paused in her speech and her walking and looked at him, clearly irritated.

"Are you even listening?" she asked crossing her arms, "My sleep happens to be very important!" Zuko nearly laughed at the girls self pity but didn't want to anger her more.

"I'm sorry," he didn't show or feel any true repentance but said it to pacify the girl. She didn't look any less frustrated but unfolded her arms and began walking towards the trail.

"I can tell you're lying," he heard her grumble as they entered the trees, "We are going to meet Katara at her beloved training center."

Katara was in the training center earlier then most mornings, she was hoping she could start and finish the man's training before she had to attend to her other duties so she could visit the orphan house. She had asked Toph to escort Zuko to the training center so she could make the building fire resistant; she did this by drawing water out of the creek that ran next to the wooden building, and freezing it against the walls; filling every board with the icy moisture.

She'd just finished and was standing back to admire her work when she heard Toph chattering like she did when she was annoyed. She smiled to herself and moved to the small window on the front of the building to watch them walk up the path. Toph was complaining and using her arms to exaggerate whatever she was saying while the fire bender followed silently behind her.

Katara frowned when she saw him. She wasn't sure how she felt about her father allowing him to walk away nearly a free man. Yes, he had made his freedom probational and yes, he put the two greatest benders in the city in charge of him; but it still bothered her that he was walking like he could do anything he wanted. She didn't trust him, she would never trust him. She shook her head in attempt to rid herself of the anger that boiled within.

She turned away from the window and looked back at the room. It was a fairly large room, with two large jugs in either corner filled to the brim with water, and the mirror the made up the far wall. She placed her hands on her hips and nodded, pleased with with her work.

Katara heard footfalls on the step and turned to the door, crossing her arms in front of her, to await her new student. Her guests crossed through the double doors and the fire bender froze mid step. Her looked her up and down with a completely blank expression.

"You?" He asked her uncertainly. She smirked inwardly when she realized that no one had exposed her true identity. It was his turn to be caught off guard.

"Welcome Zuko, my name is Katara and I have been instructed to train you." She said with a twinge of bitter teasing in her voice. She watched him straighten up and lift his chin proudly.

"I see." He stated slowly, "So what will we start with?" He questioned her. It was obvious to Katara that he wasn't used to being tricked and that it had wounded his pride. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she saw the stubborn look deep in his eyes. The determination to come out on top.

Good luck. I'm the hardest thing within three hundred miles, you'll never break me.

"Well!" A sudden shout came from her friend across the room, "Since it's obvious you are a pretty skilled fire bender and you have good reflexes and everything so I say you two should just spar for a while and then Kat, over here, can critic your forms and movements." She was surprised that her friend had given her input instead of going back to bed, but a wink from the blind girl made Katara question her true intentions.

"Good idea, Toph." She said, turning her attentions back to the man in front of her she found that his eyes had never left her, "Do you think you're up to getting beat?"

Suddenly Katara wasn't in the training hall anymore, she wasn't even in the Forest of Terrorem. She was watching herself and her friends on a secluded island; hidden from the Fire Nation. She watched herself as she tidied up stuff from their lunch, and Sokka and he simply lounged on a patch of grass with Momo sleeping on his head, and Toph as she gave Aang a talk about the mindset of an earth bender.

Katara stopped what she was doing and turned to her friends.

"Hey Toph, why don't you just spar? You've already told Aang all of this, what he could really use is fighting practice." She said it as nicely as she could, she and Toph hadn't been on the best of terms and she didn't want to set the smaller girl off.

Toph crossed her arms and huffed, "Ya I guess you're right, Sugar Queen," then she turned to Aang with a teasing grin on her face, "Do you think you're up to getting beat?"

The memory faded from her mind and she was back in the training hall with two very confused looking benders in front of her.

"Did you here me, Sweetness?" Toph questioned carefully, taking a small step toward her.

"No, sorry what'd you say?" Katara tried to be as calm as possible but it was all she could do not to cry. They had all been so young; Aang ans Toph had just turned thirteen and herself fifteen. Sokka had been the oldest of their group and her brother had only been sixteen. They were all just kids and they'd been expected to save the world. Was it really a surprise when they failed?

"I said, 'You might want to be careful, because this guy has got some good reflexes,'"Toph said slowly. Katara shook her head and brushed off the statement.

"I'm sure I can handle myself,"

Yes! I know it's short but stick with me cause I've already started the next chapter.

So ya anybody wondering about the whole "What happened to Aang?" thing yet? Because I'm not giving away anything unless you guys are really itching to know;p

Reviews are appreciated!

Kmsitterley