Zuko lit a fire with the small blind girl that tried to attack him earlier as he tore the loaf of bread in half and set it on a small rag with half his apple and cut the center of it out for her.

"Here's dinner," he handed it to the girl. She didn't take it at first as she was deep into her own thoughts.

"And I thought I'd be the youngest traveling alone out here, how old are you? Ten?" He set the cloth with the food next to her.

"How old are You? Fifty?" The girl asked sarcastically as she picked up a slice of the apple next to her without moving her head.

"Sixteen," he mumbled.

"Twelve," she shrugged taking a bite.

Zuko nodded as he tore some of his bread off and popped the bite in his mouth while watching the sun.

"I know what your thinking, I look like I can't handle being by myself," the blind girl scoffed after a minute of silence.

"Wasn't thinking that," Zuko told her.

"You wouldnt even let me have my apple without the seeds and stem," she mumbled annoyed.

"I haven't been around people in a couple days, and last time I was it didn't end well, I was just trying to be nice," Zuko looked down embarrassed a little. It's been a week since he's been from the troops now. The silence is horrible.

"People see me and think I'm weak, they want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself by myself," she ranted for a moment, maybe she's been alone too, just needed someone to rant too with her issues.

"I use to say the same thing to my brothers," Zuko ate his bread.

"What did they tell you?" She asked now curious.

"They let me find out that I'm not as tough as I actually am, I told them I didn't need help and when I tried to be alone I fell on my ass and covered in mud, turns out they were right sometimes," Zuko shrugged a little not looking at her.

"I still like to try not relying on them, they won't always be there," he ate more bread.

"Your fire nation aren't you?" The girl frowned.

"Yea," Zuko admitted.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he told her.

"I didn't think you were going too," she smiled a little.

"So where are your brothers? Are they really your brothers?" The girl asked as she ate more of the shared food.

"No, they're soldiers, i was too," he admitted.

"So your on the run?" She connected the dots. He nodded.

"I am too, I ran away from home," she smiled.

"Why did you do that?" Zuko asked.

"My parents hid me from the world and treated me like I was helpless, I won't let anyone do that again," she said strongly.

"Good for You, I was around your age when I left home," Zuko finished his bread as she finished her apple.

"If You stayed home, do you think you'd be a different person today?" She gulped softly.

"Completely, I think I'd have a roof over my head and a warm meal every day, clean clothes and fresh water, but I'd hate myself more, I'm stronger now," he nodded and handed the blind girl the other half of his apple.

"This one has seeds since you like them so much," Zuko said sarcastically and the girl burst out laughing at the joke.

"Your alright for a fire nation soldier," she laughed.

"Your alright for an earth bender that attacked me," Zuko let the smallest grin pass as they sat together.

"Thank you," she took another bit of the apple.

"The foods not worth thanking," Zuko drank some water.

"No, thank you for talking to me, it helped," she stood up and Zuko watched her grab her bag.

"Didn't think it was helpful but I'm glad that's just one of us," he nodded.

"Oh and you shouldn't be so hard on yourself for your brothers death, I can feel the way your heart beats talking or thinking about him, them, I am sorry but try taking some of your own advice," she smiled down at the older teen that stayed sitting in the dirt.

"I'll try," Zuko agreed with a small sigh.

"You should let people help you too, if you trust them they'll trust you, it's not cause they look down on you," Zuko let her know before she left. The girl smiled.

"I'll try," She waved at him as she left and Zuko waved back even if she couldn't see it. Maybe talking to strangers isn't so bad.

"I really shouldn't open up to much to people about being fire nation, that was fucking stupid," he looked at the ostrich horse that was sitting behind him to rest.

"Guess I should start going too," Zuko stood back up bringing the ostrich horse up as he put out the fire and threw his bag over the side of the animal. He hoped on but saw fur falling from the sky.

"Your joking," he whispered and saw in the distance, a person flying towards a small town that was abandoned.

"You've got to be kidding me," Zuko grumbled.

—

Azula found the avatar alone as he made a fake trail for her to follow to lead away from the others and appa. They stood far from each other in the abandoned town. The princess had everything falling right into her hands perfectly.

"Do you really want to fight me?" Azula smiled deviously as Aang was still tired from the all nighter.

"Yes, I really do," Zuko rode in on his horse and dropped in the middle of the two as he faced his sister. She was more of a threat then the avatar.

Aang looked surprised by the new visitor. But he knew that scar on the boys face.
The soldier from the northern water tribe...

"It's You," Aang whispered.

"I was wondering when you'd show up Zuzu," Azula grinned seeing the traitor she'd hunt down eventually.

Aang couldn't help but cover his mouth when he laughed.

"Back off Azula, he's mine," Zuko glared.

"Why? Because your pals got killed by him? Grow up Zuko," Azula scoffed rolling her eyes.

Zuko didn't move.

"I'm not going anywhere," she got in a fighting position facing her big brother.

The three benders faded off in the dirt road as they all faced each other. Waiting to see who would strike first. Zuko kept his eyes back and forth of the avatar and his sister, he saw her grin and prepared for her first move.

Azula pointed two fingers at him and shot sharp flames at the other fire bender, Zuko circled fire to block but wasn't ready for the impact her flames had. Aang used the attack as time to escape.

Azula couldn't allow that, she made a line of flames and brought it down on Aang as he had no choice but to use his glider to protect himself and landed on the ground.

Azula was fast to attack again as she took the roof top to attack from above before Aang could try escaping again.

Zuko was back on his feet and punched fire at the avatar as he was between the two siblings dodging each attack until he and Azula switched places, Zuko immediately went closer to try landing a strike on the princess.

Azula ducked his fist and brought her foot up but he moved to the side only to be knocked back again. She looked behind her seeing Aang going up the stairs to a building as she threw sharp flames at him again and raced after the avatar.

Aang jumped high to avoid the collision and dove into the doorway of the decaying building. Azula ran in after him and gasped seeing there was no floor on the second story. Aang was on the other side of the building on a ledge on a scooter ball waiting patiently.

Azula parted her legs into a split on the corner of the building to balance herself and pushed up to lean on the ledge.

Only for Zuko to run in and fall to the first floor and land on the broken parts of the floor that was missing.

Aangs air scooter was fading and he jumped to run quickly around the ledge to the other side again and pushed Azula over to the first floor as he ran outside.

As soon as Aang got outside the building safely he heard the wall break open as Zuko  landed in the dirt with a grunt and Azula stepped out.

Aang gasped when he jumped side to side climbing up between two buildings to avoid getting burned and jumped on a roof only for Azula to swiftly use her bending to slice the roof under aangs feet and had him fall back into the empty building with the roof on top of him. And the building was set on fire when Azula walked inside ready for the final blow to her victory.

Only for Katara to run to her and bended water to yank azula back by her wrist.

"Katara!" Aang cheered.

Azula ran after the water bender instead as Katara escaped out of the flames that were aimed at her.

Katara ran around the corner and Sokka sneak attacked with his boomerang trying to slash at the princess but her armor blocked him.

The three surrounded Azula as they battled together to get her attention off each of them she was attacking. Suddenly the earth shifted under Azula and knocked her over.

"Thought You guys could use some help," Toph stood behind with a cocky grin.

Zuko groaned standing up from hitting his head on the ground and saw the four others surrounding his sister. He saw the blond girl from before and looked back seeing she was with the avatar.

He tsked and blocked Azula from her escaping and she gasped seeing he would rather help the enemy than her. She glared backing up into a corner.

"Well well look at this, enemies and traitors all working together," Azula smirked a little as they all had their guard up.

I'm done... I know when I'm beaten," she sighed easing up and putting her hands up taking defeat. Zuko didn't believe her.

He looked to the side seeing that water bender and the boy that stole his rope. Funny how they all met again as he was already chasing them for revenge.

Azula saw his eyes were off her and didn't hesitate to shoot fire at Zuko before he could react.

Zuko let out a painful scream as he fell to the ground holding his chest where ge was burned badly. Tophs heart dropped hearing the boys scream feeling it was familiar.

Katara cried out as she slammed her water towards Azula and the other two benders full forced attacked the princess with sokkas boomerang when the dust came up.

But then she was gone.

"Where did she go?" Sokka gasped but Toph ran over to the body on the ground.

"Guys!" Toph yelled back while Zuko was unconscious but his breathing was uneven and quick.

"Is it bad?" Aang asked as Katara went to see the wound.

"It's not good," she pushed the burned clothing to the side and saw the third degree burns.

"Can you help him?" Toph asked. She felt helpless.

"Toph... he's a fire nation soldier that tried to kill Aang in the northern water tribe," Katara knew who he was immediately seeing his scarred face.

"Can. you. help. him?" She bit.

Katara was confused why she was so determined to help the soldier boy.

"Yea... i can help him," Katara tsked nodding.

"Your joking," Sokka blinked.

"Aang can you help me?" Katara asked as she started to lift the bender off the ground.

"Y-yea," Aang wasn't so sure about it.

"What is with you guys and not letting this guy die?!" Sokka whined following them back to appa. Toph punched him in the shoulder.