Things were so tense around camp for the next few days. Katara and Toph had created a rift and neither Aang nor Sokka knew exactly what to do. If they weren't screaming at each other about being immature or too motherly, then it was about the scams that Toph and the boys were doing in town. If it wasn't that, then it was the wanted posters or the silly messenger hawk. And if it wasn't that then it was the boys trying to mend the girls' relationship and them finally making up and then deciding to do a scam together.

It made your head hurt and therefore, you spent a lot of time away from camp. Being a couple years older than everyone around you, you felt infinitesimally more mature and it was much easier to bother you. As you walked around the town, you kept sighing at all the couples you saw. You wondered if you would ever see Zuko again. Rubbing your necklace, you thought about how everything had gone down.

I ain't even mind sharin' 'im. I really ain't. Even bein' a secret ain't bother me. I just wanted ta be treated equal. If she gettin' dates, I best be gettin' dates.

You grumbled as you passed by a fountain.

"That's her! That's the runaway!" Katara's voice rung clearly throughout the center of town as Toph fell in front of your feet, captured.

Your eyes widened and you looked away, not wanting to get in the way of their scam, whatever it was.

You couldn't help but sit down at the fountain and reminisce on your time in the Earth Kingdom with Zuko. This pervasive feeling of sadness overwhelmed you and you felt some hot tears fall down your face.

"My, my, little woman. It seems you may be in need of some magic." A stranger's voice came from in front of you.

"Magic? Whatcha mean by magic?" You wiped your eyes and looked up at the teen in front of you. He wasn't bad looking-- nothing like Zuko and not even quite as good as Jet-- but acceptable.

"Ooo, where might that accent be from, pretty lady? Not the Fire Nation, hmm?" He popped a flame into his hand, preparing to show you a trick.

"Lotta time in the Swamp lands. Why? Ya gonna kill me fer it?" You scowled at him.

"Ouch! A look that could freeze the Fire Lord himself." If he only knew... "I couldn't care either way. I just don't like to see a beautiful lady cry."

"Beautiful? You makin' funna me?" You sniffled again and tried to scowl.

"Not at all! Here, let me sit next to you and I'll show you my magic. Perhaps it will cheer you up." He smiled at you and took a seat. Creating three separate flames in one palm, he began tossing them in the air and switching hands.

"You's jugglin' fire!" You were astonished. Zuko was a good fire bender, but he didn't do... tricks.

"Look how many I can do!" Four, five, six, seven and finally eight balls of fire were in rotation.

A smile crept on your face.

"There it is. My name is Malu," He extinguished his flames instantly and held out his hand gently. "What's yours?"