It was another night of being the Dragon Empress, it was becoming a breeze. I was running on roof tops when I heard some action going on in the street below.

I was about to jump down, when I saw it was Dai Li attacking a man, I paused and thought if I should really get involved.

This was Dai Li, I didn't want to be hypnotized, so I started to run the other way, when I saw a Dai Li agent standing in my way.

I immediately froze, what if they captured me. It's not a pretty picture. I shook my head, I couldn't think like that. Not right now. I started running to my left, when I found I was surrounded by Dai Li.

I stood between the four of them, it was to many to take down but I wasn't going with them. I charged at one with my sword only to get my feet Earth bended on the roof.

They took me to a dark room with only one light to light it up. They bound me in a chair with a metal circle around me. I immediately started to panic, I knew what this was. The room where they hypnotize you. I tried to get free, but it only made me look desperate.

"You will stop stealing from the Earth Kingdom. There is no need." A Dai Li agent said, as the light started to spin.

"No, no, no!" I shouted at myself as I struggled more.

Another covered my mouth with earth, I closed my eyes tight. I knew not to look at the light.

Just when I thought I could by pass this, I felt Earth land around my eyes and open them. I gasped as I realized I couldn't close them. I started to see the light dance around the dark room.

——Zuko POV — The Next Day——

"Mia, let's go." I said, knocking on the door to go to the hell Uncle called a job. "Mia." I said again as there was no answer.

I knocked on the door again, and nothing. It wasn't like her to do something like this. I opened the door and slowly walked in.

"Mia?" I becoming prepared to cover my eyes if she was changing. But then there was no one. "Mia?!" I yelled as I moved her blankets in confusion.

My eyes widen, where could she have gone. I then noticed that the window was open. I immediately looked out of it to see if there was a trace. But there was nothing, my heart started to race, what could have happen to her?

"Uncle, have you seen Mia?" I asked as I walked back to the kitchen.

"No, I thought she was still in her room." He replied, doing something.

"No, I'm going to go look for her." I started for the door but Uncle's voice stopped me.

"I'm sure she just went ahead of us. She'll turn up."

I knew better, yet I followed my Uncle's advice.

And as I thought, she wasn't at the teashop. I looked in the back, and the sides of the building, but there was no sign of her. "She's not here." I bickered at uncle.

"Are you sure?"

"Lee, get that table's order." The manager order as he pointed at them.

It was rather busy, even if we just opened. While I did my "job" I thought of all the places she could be. 'Note: in prison, maybe. Got lost, (I don't know about that one.) Got in a fight, most definitely. Went out with those guys and hasn't come back, she wouldn't do that to me. She couldn't!' My mind started to think about what she could be doing with a guy other then me, it wasn't pretty. 'I'm just going to say she in prison.' I thought in my head.

——Later That Day——

"Did you hear, nephew? this man wants us to work in our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city." Uncle said, with a huge smile.

"That's right, young man. Your life is about to change for the better." A rich looking man added showing off his rings.

I could careless, I had to find Mia. I regret every step I took, I could be using them to find the girl I grew attached to. "I'll try to contain my joy." I hissed as I threw down a tray I was holding and walked outside.

I leaned against the wall and looked at the ground. Finding someone in this city was hard, I didn't know where to start. I couldn't just wonder the streets looking for her. But I pushed it all aside, I had to find her before something terrible happened.

As I looked at the filthy street floor of Ba Sing Se, a pamphlet of a bison fell to my feet. The avatar had lost his bison and was looking for him.

I grabbed it and held it tightly in my hand, what this meant for me. He could capture the avatar again, I could finally regain my honor.

I climbed the building to the roof to see the pamphlets falling down with the wind, but no Avatar. But I knew the avatar was there and now he would catch him before Azula.

Only another thought pulled back, Mia. I couldn't just forget about her.

————————

I stepped in our new apartment, which was a little nicer but I couldn't really tell the difference, it was all hell to me.

"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." Uncle went on as he was unpacking while I got the pamphlet from my pocket.

I handed it to Uncle with a frown: "The avatar is here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison." I walked over to the window, the view was no less pleasant.

"I thought you were looking for Mia?" Uncle asked, as he put the paper back down.

"What if she left on her own? What if she finally realized she could just go home and forget about all this?!" I asked, it was a possibility I was hoping wasn't true. My hands turned to fists, my voice wanting to brake out in anger to over the dread.

"Zuko, 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." Uncle replied, trying to convince me but my mind was set. Or so I thought.

"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 snapped back, I never wanted any of this. I never wanted to be worrying about an Earth Kingdom girl when I should be worrying about is the Avatar and how to capture him.

"There's nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is you want from your life and why." Iroh was just full of wisdom, but I had no interest in it at the moment, so I pretended.

"I want my destiny." I replied, looking back out the window. I felt as if I was aching for Mia to be back. Even if I said it, I never wanted her to leave and just forget about everything.

"What that means is up to you." Uncle said, as I went to my room to wait for night. Then I would look for the Avatar.

———————

That night I decided a Dai Li agent would be the most effective way to get information. I ran past one in a dark street, unusually loud. "Out of my way skinny." I insulted, running by.

He fell for it and ran after me. When he came to the alleyway I turned in, he saw a human figure and assumed it was me, he threw his earth hand cuffs straight through "my" chest. But instead of normal people pain sounds he got a stuffed scarecrow.

"If you don't want to end up like him, you'll do what I say." I threatened with my broad swords on his neck.

He took me to the location and opened the tunnel, in a lake. by that time it was already day. He took me to a huge door, and on the other side was my prey.

I knocked out the Dai Li agent and opened the door, Appa groaned at the sight of me. "Expecting someone else? You're mine now." I said, walking in. Just then the door opened again, I unsheathed my sword, only It was Iroh. "Uncle?" I asked, putting my sword down.

"So the blue spirit... I wonder who could be behind that mask?" Uncle asked, in his fishing tone.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a sigh, while I took off my 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 in locked up in our new apartment? should I go put on a pot of tea for him??" Uncle mocked with his serious voice. "And you forget that Mia is missing! Do you think she'd approve of this?" As Iroh pointed a finger at me, I felt guilty. Iroh had his ways of making people feel that way. I was ignoring the fact that my friend needed me.

"First I have to get this bison out of here!" I defended, I was starting to feel terrible.

"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!" Uncle shouted, and pointed a finger at me.

"I would've figured something out!" I hissed back, not knowing what else to say.

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

I growled and held my swords tighter, I knew it was true. Just like when they helped Mia, but I had to capture the Avatar. I had to get my life back. "I know my own destiny uncle!" I almost shouted in anger, I wasn't sure if I did know. I wasn't sure which side I was on.

"Is it your own destiny? or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you." Uncle's question made me question the last three years of hunting. I couldn't go there.

"Stop it, uncle I have to do this!" I didn't want to hear anymore of it, I couldn't do this right now.

"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?"

I could no longer contain my anger on how confused I was. So overwhelmed I yelled, throwing down my mask and Swords.

———————

I let the bison go and got the Dai Li agent to talk about Mia. She was there, I had to find her.

After going through several rooms I almost ran past a room with the Avatar in it. I immediately stopped and walked closer. There he was, with Mia's brother Kyo, and Jet.

With my mask on, I walked in. They all stopped to see me with my sword drawn. Aang gasped as he saw the Blue Spirit mask.

"What are you down here?" Kyo and Aang asked at the same time.

"Kyo, your sister has been taken by the Dai Li." I warned Kyo as I lowered my swords. I still had my mask, I thought I could get away with all of it.

"What?! Is this true?!" He asked, turning over to Long Feng.

"Why don't you ask her." He replied, we all turned to see Mia running in, she looked untouched only she was wearing red.

"Mia." Kyo and I gasped as we ran closer.

Kyo seemed to be suspicious, why I didn't know yet. She on the other hand seemed to not know who we were, she looked at us with blank expressions.

"Give up Long Feng, you're out numbered!" The Avatar warned.

"Oh am I? Jet, Mia, the Earth King invites you to lake Loagai." As Long Feng said this Jet and Mia both stood up straight and looked forward.

"I am honored to except his invitation." They said at exactly the same time and tone.

We were all a bit creeped out, specially when they turned to attack us. "What are you doing?!" I asked as I dodged a swing of her sword.

Meanwhile... "Jet, it's me!" Aang tried to plead as he dodged Jet's attacks.

But I had my own problem, "Mia?" Kyo asked, holding out his hands. She didn't stop attacking us.

"Mia, stop it now! It's me!" I hissed, dodging another but this one was close. I sighed before taking off my mask. "It's me!" But she didn't change anything, she kept attacking.

"Mia, it's me your brother! Remember?" Kyo asked as I had no choice but to block her attack with my swords.

As we were in a clash, I saw that it wasn't her, she wasn't even thinking.

"Remember that time we went on vacation and you got a broken leg, so I stayed with you? That other time you talked me out of running away. Well now I'm telling you, sis, don't do this! You are that girl nobody pays attention to, but you always said that wasn't a bad thing. You were always the one to get me out of the gutter, and me your brother is telling you now, don't kill Zuko!" As he spoke I could feel the pressure from the blades weaken.

I looked in her eyes to see panic and sorrow. "There you are." I wanted to sigh as she collapsed.

"I'm so sorry Zuko. I-I couldn't control myself. I never wanted to hurt you—I'm so sorry." She gasped as tears filled her eyes, her nose and checks turned red and she gasped for air.

Kyo leaned down and hugged her from the back— She held his arms till I leaned down myself.

"It's okay, Mia. I understand." I gave off a slight smile that relived her.

I started to wipe the tears off her cheeks and held her tight before she sighed one last time in relief. She held my head tight, she didn't want to let go, and neither did I.

Just then we realized Aang and Jet were still fighting. We all now surrounded Jet.

"Jet, you're a freedom fighter. Remember?!" Kyo asked as we all had swords in our hands.

He stopped in his tracks and paused then swung his swords one more time before throwing a sword at Long Fang. Only he didn't see that he saw it coming.

As quick as I could, I tackled Jet out of the way! The earth slide would have been fatal, meanwhile Long Fang thought it best to leave.

"I knew you'd make a great freedom fighter." Jet grinned as I helped him up.

"Don't make me regret saving your life." I threatened, then I remembered who I was with.

I turned to see the Avatar already in his fighting position to attack me.

"Aang, c'mon, not right now." Kyo said, sheathing his sword.

"No I think it's the perfect time." I hissed as I started to walk up, only to have Mia step in my way.

"Ya'll know each other?" Jet asked.

"Yeah, this guy tried to capture me the day I woke up from the iceberg!" Aang pouted like a little boy, making me want to take him even more.

"You're Zuko?!! I knew you were a fire bender!" Jet shouted like he was going to attack me.

"Like I said, don't make me regret it!!" I snapped at him, he seemed to be conflicted. "Out of my way Mia!" I ordered only for her to turn her beautiful green eyes to me.

"Is this really what you want? Just answer me that." She had to ask me the question that I was struggling with. I looked up to see she knew what I was thinking, felt like this magnificent girl had power over me. She was just so... frustrating!

Just then Katara, Sokka, Toph, Smellerbee, and Longshot ran in. They stopped and took fighting positions when they saw I was there.

"It's okay." Kyo rushed.

"It doesn't look okay." Sokka replied as he had his club out.

"Zuko, enough. I don't think you could win this fight." Mia added, anything she said I wanted to go along with. Because she was so convincing or because she was right I didn't know, but I did know we had to get out of there.

"Just give up, Zuko." Aang said.

"Give up? Aang I freed your bison." I replied, like I was about to attack him. Which I really wanted to.

"Where's Appa?!" Aang asked, with a sudden excitement.

"I don't think we have any time for that." Mia yelled as she pointed at the Dai Li running up.

——Mia POV——

We ran out that terrible place to find the Dai Li still following us. "Mia!" Zuko shouted at me, I found that he and Iroh were running in the woods. I nodded but I had to say bye to my brother.

"Hey Kyo, come here." I whisper as we were about to leave.

Kyo walked up and we hugged: "Bye, see you soon." He said with a smile.

"You too." I replied as I patted his shoulder one more time before walking back with Zuko and Iroh.

"You did the right thing, nephew." Iroh tried to reassure Zuko, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Zuko held out the blue spirit mask and looked at it. "Leave it behind." Iroh replied, Zuko let it go of it and there it was to stay. In the grass of Ba Sing Se forever.

———————

When we got back to the apartment Iroh was still reassuring him: "You did the right thing, letting the avatar's bison go free."

"I don't feel right..." Zuko's softly whispered, he started to stumble and held onto the table. Which he held till it broke and he went to the ground.

These next hours were full of Zuko getting nightmare and troubling dreams. He struggled and fought it. He got up every now and then, but he always drifted off again.

"You should know this is no ordinary sickness, but that's shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea." Iroh pulled his head up to drink some tea.

"What's happening?" Zuko asked, almost unconscious.

"Your critical decision; what you did beneath that lake, it was in such conflict with yourself that your now at war within your own mind and body." Iroh replied, but Zuko got lost in the words.

"What's that mean?"

"You're going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. it will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out you be the beautiful prince you were all ways meant to be." Iroh put his head back down, Zuko felt terrible, who could blame him.

"Mia?" Zuko fumbled.

I immediately peered up and looked at him with hopeful eyes, "Yeah?" I asked.

However, I got no reaction as his eyelids were then shut tight.
———————

The next day; Iroh and I were in the kitchen while Zuko was getting up. "What's that smell?" He asked, after yawning.

"It's suk, I'm sure you wouldn't like it." Iroh said, pulling the spoon out of the pot.

"Actually it smells delicious, I'd love a bowl." Zuko said, with a smile holding out a bowl.

I popped my head out of the couch and looked at Zuko like he was foreign. Even Iroh looked surprised and suspicious.

"Now that your fever is gone, you seem different some how." He fished at Zuko while stiring the pot of suk.

"It's a new day, Mia's back! We've got a new apartment, furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop, things are looking up, uncle." He sat at the table, the smile didn't move one bit.

Me and Iroh on the other hand exchanged odd expressions, it was the first time I saw Zuko like this. And I was not use to it.

————————

"Who would've thought that when we came to this city as refugees that's I'd end up owning my own teashop, follow your passion Zuko and life will reward you." Iroh said, as we stood in front of our new teashop.

People were all ready coming in, and Iroh and Zuko had smiles on their royal faces. Even though my face wasn't royal I still had a smile on my face as well

"Congratulations, uncle." Zuko put a hand on Iroh's shoulder, his voice had a happy tone about it.

"I'm very thankful."

"You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city." Zuko said, with that unusual smile, that made me uneasy yet enchanted.

"No, I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me, it means more than you know." Iroh looked away and shed a tear, he was glad Zuko had finally made peace with it all. I also put a hand on Iroh, got to love Iroh.

"Now, lets make these people some tea!" Zuko hugged Iroh and me before running back to make tea.

"Yes, let's make some tea!" Iroh ran after Zuko in the kitchen.

At the end of the day when we were about to leave for the night, a messenger ran up to Iroh "I have a message from the royal palace." He said over his panting breath.

"I.. I can't believe it." Iroh said in shock.

"What is it, uncle?" Zuko asked, with that happy tone.

"Great news, We've been invited to serve tea to the earth king."