The ship crashed through the water, Ryoko could feel the waves against the metal. She pulled her hair into her ponytail, feeling the softness of her dark hair get pulled back into its severe hold. Her boots made little sound on the metal floors throughout the ship. It was another day on the ship.  

As she was about to leave the inside she hears, "Finally." She sighs putting her arms behind her back and holding her soldier's stance. "Ryoko!" She steps out carefully and arrives onto the deck where Iroh and Zuko were. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?"

"I won't get to finish my game?" Iroh asks as an answer. Zuko turns back to the light that soared to the sky. Ryoko gazes up, admiring the brightness of its power. 

"It means my search is about to come to an end." Ryoko steps forward next to the prince still gazing up at the light. She felt her chest tighten, and then release something. Like a weight on her. She could feel it, this was the Avatar. They had finally found him. 

"We finally found him." She mumbles in relief. She could hear Iroh's sigh, and knew his sigh was not one of relief. 

"That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him," Zuko exclaims. The light diminished causing Ryoko to turn away and face the two firebenders. 

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing," Iroh says from his spot on the floor with his game. Ryoko frowned and spoke up.

"I don't mean to seem rude General but the only way we can be certain is if we go to the source." Ryoko says. 

"Ryoko, please. I am retired, you do not need to use the formalities with me. Why don't you two sit? Enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?" Iroh asks noticing the intensity of both teens. In their armor and harsh expressions it was hard to tell that they were so young.

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar! Helmsman, head a course for the light." 

Ryoko stays silent and walks calmly over to Iroh's table to reach for tea. Hearing the prince yell so early in the day was enough for her to need tea. She would and must trust what Prince Zuko plans. Iroh smiles gratefully as he places down the last piece in his game and hands her a cup of tea. The wind blows harshly over the boat as Ryoko feels the chill go down her spine. She sips on the hot tea and finishes it fast, not thinking about the burning sensation. 

"Ryoko, you should not rush a tea like jasmine tea." Ryoko chuckles and places the cup down. 

"Apologies," is all she replies as she makes her way towards the inside of the ship to conduct business. 

Her mind could not help but think of the Avatar. It would be a great feat to capture the Avatar and return him to the Fire Nation. She would be known in the Fire Nation as the young girl who helped capture the Avatar for her country. She would have to rise up in ranks. It only depended on finding the Avatar. And now the moment would come.

The sun had set and night would be coming. Ryoko had rid herself of her armor, her ponytail, and her weapons. She could not rid her mind of finding the Avatar though. He was out there somewhere and yet here she was, waiting. She reached the top of the ship and managed to pass by Iroh. 

"Don't tell me you will be losing sleep over the Avatar as well?" He asks, his tone only full of concern, not judgement. 

"I can't help but let my thoughts lead to the Avatar, Iroh. I figured I'd get some air before it became dark," she tells him. Iroh just nods and pats her shoulder. 

"Okay. I am going to bed. Try to see if you can get Prince Zuko to come inside." Ryoko bowed her head silently and then stepped foot outside, feeling the wind hit her. The darkness had not yet taken over the sky. 

"If Iroh sent you, you are wasting your time," Zuko says without looking back. He kept his eyes on the horizon, the water calmly staying still. There was no answer from Ryoko as he heard her footsteps and she appeared in his vision. She approached the railing and leaned on it, releasing all her energy from being the obedient soldier. 

"We will find him," Ryoko finally says after a moment. She looks back behind her as Zuko averts his gaze from her to the horizon again. "I felt it." He did not reply but kept looking forward. She sighs and closes her eyes, letting the cold hit her face. Her golden eyes opened seeing his presence next to her now. "I know how much this will mean to you, Prince Zuko." 

"And you," he says suddenly. She sighs and closes her eyes once again. He was right, it meant almost as much to her as did to him. She knew his honor was on the line, which is why the Avatar's capture was of upmost importance. 

---

"Again!" Ryoko hears Iroh's voice call out. She rubbed her eyes from the sleep she did not get and ignored it. She only spent a little outside with Zuko until it got dark. She had convinced him to go inside when it did and she knew then she had to go to her quarters and let her thoughts be plagued. 

She stood next to Iroh who sat down as Zuko trained with two soldiers. He avoided their flames, jumping through and leaping around them. Her eyes danced around, observing every movement he made. As he finished Iroh sighed. "Ah, no. Power and firebending come from the breath. Not the muscles," he explains as he demonstrates. "The breath become the energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire! Get it right this time." Ryoko took each moment to observe and learn from Iroh. She knew of all his victories and his defeats. He was an amazing general, she aspired to be like him.

"Enough. I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." Iroh looks to the girl beside him.

"Ryoko, you will go once he is done." 

"Yes, Iroh." 

"Prince Zuko, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!" Zuko seethes with anger before turning to the soldier and sending flames from a kick to him causing the soldier to fly back. Ryoko sighs, his anger always got the best of him. 

"The sages tell us the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the 4 elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You will teach me the advanced set!" 

"Very well. But first, I must finish my roast duck." Zuko looks at his uncle incredulously. Ryoko manages to hold in a laugh and keep her stare and stance firm. Years of practicing let her be immune to antics that would cause her to be less than professional. Her father made sure of that. Through his roast duck, Iroh spoke with his mouth full, "Ryoko, I believe now it is your turn." She gives a firm nod and approaches the two soldiers. She takes a deep breath and nods to them. "Begin." 

Zuko stands beside his uncle where Ryoko once stood and watches as she moves with the soldiers. Her movements became like fluid as the flames escape her fists smoothly. She leaps in the air, spinning and shoots fire from her fist at the same time. Her fighting was always impeccable, it did not compare to his. He watched her take the soldiers and do the basics. When finished she puts her feet together and looks to Iroh for confirmation. He gives a nod and she smiles lightly. A part of him was envious, another part liked her smile of pride, though it was not large enough. He knew nothing would be good enough for her unless it was from her father. 

"Very good, Ryoko. Your father would be proud." Ryoko stiffens more than usual as she nods again.

"Thank you," she says quietly. Even doing the basics, Ryoko knew that she would need to be better and do better if it meant fighting the Avatar who had mastered her element already. 

---

Ryoko could not close her eyes. Each moment she felt as if she was not seeing her own memories. Flashes of burning and flames engulfing her would make her jump from her bed. A loud explosion tore her from her bed as she put on her rob and ran through the ship and onto the deck where Zuko had been waiting. Up in the sky was a signal, but from who, she wondered. 

As Zuko looks through the telescope, she makes her way past the soldiers and next to the Prince. "The last airbender. Quite agile for his old age." Ryoko's eyes widen at his words and moves in front of the telescope as Zuko orders, "Wake my Uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar." He looks down seeing Ryoko intensely looking through the telescope. He shifts awkwardly as she looks inside.

She sees two people running in a direction and moves it towards a village where there was smoke and homes. "As well as where he is hiding," she says as she looks up at Zuko. He had a smirk on his face, ready to find the Avatar as Ryoko realized the goal was finally going to be reached. She had hoped though that there would be no extreme losses from the fight. 

---

The day had come. Ryoko tied her hair tightly and approached her armor. The dark colors made her feel prepared for battle. Surely she knew the Prince would be getting ready as well. She tied everything together with help from others and stepped out of her room. Her helmet felt wrong yet she still kept it on. As she rose through the ranks she would be able to control what she could do. And with the capture of the Avatar she would be able to do just that. She smiled to herself. She would truly make her father proud now. She would be able to rise like him. 

She stood behind Zuko as the impenetrable ship struck the ice and kept going until it reached the small village. The ramp went down and the fog cleared revealing the village to her. She walked behind Zuko, past the two soldiers in the front and then next to the Prince. It was a smaller village than she thought it would be. A boy runs up screaming and she knew that Zuko would handle it. He sent a kick to the boy and then kept walking. 

There stood women and children only. The villagers gasp seeing the boy fall. Ryoko did not know what she expected but this was not it. Why would the Avatar be here? She glanced around at all of them. They were all terrified and she did not blame them. They had no one to fight for them, and the Fire Nation had come to their doorstep. Ryoko stands next to Zuko as six soldiers are divided behind them. 

Zuko moves forward looking through the crowd. "Where are you hiding him?" he asks. With silence he then grabbed an old woman from a young girls arms and showed her to them. "He'd be about this age. Master of all elements." He threw her back lightly to the girl and then sent flames towards the crowd making them duck in fear. 

"We just want him. If you cooperate then no harm will be done," Ryoko states as she steps forward. She ignored the glares and the tearful eyes thrown at her. She did not mean harm, that was what she wanted to get across to them. It would be over if they gave them the Avatar.

"I know you're hiding him!" Zuko yells. Another scream is heard as the boy once again runs towards the Prince. Ryoko rolls her eyes as Zuko easily ducks and throws flames at him, which he evades. He throws a boomerang which barely misses Zuko as it flies on. 

"Show no fear!" A child says out loud, throwing the boy a spear. Ryoko sighs knowing how this will end. The boy runs towards Zuko and he fights him off easily, breaking his weapon and hitting him until he went down. 

"Stand down, soldier. We just want him," Ryoko says to the boy, who only glares up at her. She hears a sound of metal being hit and sees the boomerang back and Zuko's helmet messed up. Her eyes widen as she sees his hands erupt with flames. 

Then, a young boy comes between Zuko's legs leaving him up in the air and then thrown to the ground face first. She looks at the boy to see arrows covering him and on top of a penguin. "Hi Katara. Hi Sokka."

"Hi Aang. Thanks for coming." Ryoko trails back to stand with the soldiers and Zuko as she gives him a weary glance to which he shares. She stands next to him as Zuko sends out the other soldiers to surround the boy with the arrows. He sends the snow towards all of them, with no luck as they only backed up. Ryoko's chest tightens again watching the boy stand tall toward them.

"Looking for me?" Ryoko furrows her brows in confusion. How was this child the Avatar?

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" 

"Impossible," Ryoko states as she takes off her helmet. She ignored the feeling in her chest when her eyes connected with his and then stood in a fighting stance, prepared for anything.

"Aang." 

"No way." 

Ryoko moves to the side as the Avatar and Zuko circle each other. She knew it was his fight now though she wanted to take part in taking down the Avatar. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter, training, meditating. You're just a child." 

The Avatar straightens in confusion. "Well you're just a teenager." He had him there, as he was only around 16. Ryoko was only a year younger than him. She had seen him as a child, seen him be beat, and now was seeing him face the Avatar. She felt pride watching this moment. 

Zuko bends the fire, throwing it towards Aang who yelps in surprise, waving his stick around to deflect the flames. He looked like he had no control over all four elements. As he nears the villagers, they scream in fright. 

He then stops and begins to speak, "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" She could hear his child innocence in his voice. Even when he disappeared somehow for 100 years, he showed he cared to these people. Zuko gets out of his fighting stance as Ryoko holds onto her helmet. 

"You have our word," Ryoko states as the soldiers start to take Aang away. 

A girl rushes forward but stops. "No, Aang. Don't do this," she begs.

"Don't worry, Katara. It'll be okay." Ryoko stood behind the Avatar to make sure nothing would happen on their way to the ship while Zuko walked at the front. The boy grunts in shock as he's shoved onto the ramp. "Take care of Appa for me until I get back." 

"Head a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home." Home. Ryoko could not believe it. A part of her felt a pit in her chest. She would be going home at the expense of this boy. But he was the Avatar, so she should feel no guilt, she thought to herself. She would be able to see her few friends again who she was taken away from. She kept her eyes on the boy, watching him as he looked upon the friend he made. 

Up on the ship, Zuko examined his staff. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father." Ryoko looked from her position next to Zuko to her side to see Iroh look at his nephew, she couldn't tell if he was possibly disappointed. "I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers. Being raised by monks." He brings the staff down and gives orders. "Take the Avatar to the prison hold," he then hands the staff to Iroh, "and take this to my quarters." He walks away as Iroh then looks to the soldier behind him. 

"Hey, you mind taking this to his quarters for me?" The soldier takes the staff as Ryoko looks at it closely. 

"Actually, I will take it to the Prince's quarters. You're dismissed," she says as she feels it in her grasp and takes it from the soldier. The soldier walks off as she goes behind the two men feeling eyes on her. She turns her head back to make eye contact with the Avatar. Aang gasps, her golden eyes shocking him as they turned into something unfamiliar, nonhuman.

Ryoko goes through the halls and then pushes the door open into Zuko's quarters. Inside she doesn't put the staff down though as she stays in the room. "I ordered you to take the staff to my quarters, what else is there?" Zuko asks until he turns around. "Oh, Ryoko." His voice softens as she walks through, still holding onto the staff. "You don't seem relieved at all to be going home, is it your father?" Ryoko stays silent as she leans against the wall. Zuko did not need an answer to know her reasons, even if she still held back from the full truth. 

Finally she spoke up, "it was too easy."

"What?"

"Capturing the Avatar." With others she would be quiet, but to Zuko she had to speak her thoughts. "He gave up easily. He said, until I get back." 

"Why do you care? We have him. We're going home, that's what matters," he says bluntly. She could not admit that some part of her felt strange when around the Avatar. It was not normal. 

"THE AVATAR ESCAPED!" The two firebenders hear. Footsteps rushing around could be heard as Ryoko's grip on the staff tightened along with the feeling in her chest. She shrugged it off and stood up. 

"He'll be coming for this," she states holding up the staff. "We need a plan." Zuko nods as they set up a trap for the boy. 

She leaned against the wall on the other side of the door as they let the staff sit on the other side of the room. The perfect view for the Avatar to take the bait. "My staff!" He runs into the room and as soon as he grabs a hold of the staff, Zuko closes the door. Aang turns to see the Prince and his right hand, staring in fear. 

"Looks like I underestimated you." Zuko gets into a fighting stance, waiting for Ryoko to join his side. She looks at the boy with pity and then steps forward, her hands ready. Both shoot fire from their hands, Aang jumping around to avoid their hits. He gets in between their flames and shoots forward behind Zuko. Ryoko steps back for precision, her hands getting hotter. Zuko tries punching and kicking fire towards him but Aang stayed in his blindspot.

Ryoko could not find an opportunity to hit the Avatar without hitting Zuko. It frustrated her how fast he moved around, quick with the air. He wasn't a fighter, she could tell. He avoided all physical contact.

Finally Aang's back was to her and she sent enormous flames that lit up the room, yet he evaded those as well. He started to bend air and rolled on a ball of air around the room. Zuko's flames were thrown all around the room as Ryoko tried to find a pattern and hit the Avatar. The firebender's flames meet together as Ryoko gets the edge of Aang's shirt and Zuko almost hits the boy. 

Aang falls to the floor, patting the edge of his shirt from the fire and then quickly flies up, grabbing the banner with him. He wraps it around Zuko before grabbing his staff that was held onto already by Ryoko. 

"Looking for this?" she asks. Aang looks into her eyes again and yelps. He holds on tight and manages to blow her away into the wall. She groans in pain, feeling the impact on her head and back. Zuko releases himself from the banner, burning it up.

Aang was cornered by the two. The two of them trained their focus on the boy and were ready. He used his staff to move Zuko into the mattress and thrown around, hitting Ryoko at the same time. The two teens groan and look up to see the Avatar was gone. "Come on!" Zuko urges her. Ryoko let out a whine. For a 12 year old airbender who disappeared for 100 years he was still able to avoid capture. 

The two run out in time to see Aang fly from a short distance. Zuko jumps off the railing to grab onto his foot. "Zuko!" Ryoko yells out. She looks over the railing and sighs, jumping over and landing down, then seeing the two fall to the deck of the ship as well. Aang looked behind him to see Ryoko was already prepared. 

A growl is heard and the three all look up to see Appa's figure appear in the sky. 

"What is that?" Zuko wonders in shock. Ryoko's eyes are not taken off of the beast as Aang yells for Appa. The two are both surprised when Zuko throws fire at him while off guard. Ryoko shakes her head and gets back into her focus of the Avatar. She takes her position next to Zuko as they both send flames towards Aang until he could not take the different directions and his staff slips from his grip. 

The two still send flames while Aang tries his best to avoid the hits but fails as he reaches the edge of the ship. Ryoko sees him tipping and hesitates. Zuko though, sends a kick of fire and it was all it took for him to fall into the water. "Aang! No!" Ryoko hears. 

A few moments pass when the water ripples and the Avatar emerges from the water as he takes it with him and stands on the deck again. His tattoos and eyes were a blinding white as he took the water and hit everyone on the deck with it, flushing them out. Ryoko feels her head hit the side and she grabs onto the edge before she herself could fall. She crawls back onto the deck and watches him. This could be her chance still. 

The Avatar turned his head and she froze in her spot. His glowing white eyes were empty and yet she could feel all the emotions. Then, the glow of his tattoos and eyes diminished as he fell onto the deck. Appa lands on the deck before Sokka and Katara run off to get Aang. "Aang, are you okay?" 

"Hey Katara. Hey Sokka. Thanks for coming." 

"Well I couldn't let you have all the glory." 

"I dropped my staff." Aang says weakly. 

"Got it." Sokka runs towards the staff seeing Ryoko still on the ground and in pain and in shock. He looked at her smug while he skipped to the staff. As he grabs the staff, Zuko's hand wraps around it. He yelps and starts to hit him with the end of the staff letting him fall and grab onto the anchor. Sokka turns to run back seeing Ryoko get up with more anger than usual. He should not have mocked her probably, he thought to himself.

"Uh oh. Katara!" He yells as he runs away. Ryoko's hands light up as she inhales and walks forward. Katara starts to bend at the other soldiers who got up and let it go, her targets not getting her attack but her brother. "Katara!" He yells in annoyance. He starts to pick at the ice faster when seeing the firebender girl heating up. He looks back though and frowns when she goes right past him. "Wow, not good enough for the firebender," he mutters with a grimace. His sister had covered the soldiers in ice and now would face Ryoko.

"You're a waterbender. Nice tricks." She states to Katara as she glances at the water tribe boy and the soldiers. She gets into position and moves her leg, the flames protruding and kicking it towards Katara. Katara moves the water in time to block the attack and send ice toward her. 

Ryoko breathes heavily, the thick ice melting already. "Hurry up, Sokka!" Katara yells as she backs up and gets onto Appa. Looking at the girl in front of her, Katara wondered how powerful she was as they were around the same age. 

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang. I didn't ask for all this flying and magic." He finally releases himself and grabs the staff. He climbs onto Appa yelling the words yip yip. As Ryoko burns the ice from her body she sees Iroh emerge from the inside of the ship. 

Iroh helps his nephew up as Zuko sees them getting away. "Shoot them down!" He orders. Iroh, Ryoko, and Zuko bend the fire and send it up in the air toward the flying bison. The hit never went through as the Avatar blocks it with his staff and sends it toward some ice. 

The ship was locked in the ice, Ryoko stood up from where she fell and sighed. "Great news for the fire lord. The fire nations greatest threat is just a little kid." Ryoko would not disrespect those who are a higher authority, but this was a moment she would. 

"That kid, Uncle, just did this. I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" He turns to see the soldiers melting other soldiers who were trapped in ice. "As soon as you're done with that." Zuko avoided Ryoko's eyes and went inside the ship with a huff of breath. She turns to Iroh and frowned. 

"He's angry with me, isn't he?" she asks the older man. 

"I don't believe he is angry with you, Ryoko. But if you feel so, ask." He says. Ryoko resists the urge to roll her eyes and goes the same way Zuko went. As she goes through the halls she remembers the moments of the fight. Watching the avatar in that state did not frighten her as she thought it would. In fact she felt the opposite, and that was what scared her. She felt connected for some strange reason, it felt familiar. Was it destiny? 

She had made her way to Zuko's quarters and stepped inside. There were some damages, but they were minuscule compared to what Aang did to the rest of the ship. "What are you doing here?" Zuko asks, venom in his voice.

"You're angry with me aren't you?" He was silent, but she could tell he was holding back. "I failed today. I know." 

"You hesitated." He says, his anger seeping through. "You hesitated when he was in here and you hesitated when it was just you two on that deck. Why?" Ryoko stayed silent. She did not know how to respond because she did not know why she would hesitate either. "Say something!"

"I"m sorry." She dipped her head down in shame and then heard his sigh. 

"No, I am." Ryoko looks up quickly in shock to see his head down.

"It wasn't just you."

"You were too eager. You underestimated the Avatar because he was a child. Theres a lot more to him than a 12 year old airbender. We saw that today. Now we know better for the future." Zuko looked up and this time she was not standing so firm, but had a comforting hand on his arm. "We will capture him again. And this time there will be no hesitation, no underestimating. The Avatar will be ours."