Aang directed Appa back to the forest. They landed and set up camp in a clearing, settling around a fire as Chey explained himself.

"I serve a man. More than a man really. He's a myth, but he's real, a living legend. Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?" Chey rambled, getting off track.

"He was very highly ranked, we get it," Sokka mumbled, annoyed.

"Yeah! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness anymore. He's the first person to leave the army—and live. I'm the second but you don't get a legend for that. That's okay though," Chey shrugged, turning to Azara. "Are you the first Fire Nation princess to run away?"

"Uh . . . to my knowledge," Azara guessed, shrugging her shoulders. 

"Jeong Jeong is a firebending genius. Some say he's crazy, but he's not. He's enlightened," Chey continued, holding his hands up in the air.

"You mean there's a firebending master out there who's not with the Fire Lord? We've got to see him; he can train me!" Aang shot to his feet, excitement clear on his face.

"No, you aren't ready, Aang. You haven't even mastered waterbending, which brings me to my next point. Our first objective is getting you to the North Pole, not to chase after some myth," Azara stated sternly, her hands folded in her lap.

"Besides Azara can teach you! She's a friendly firebender," Sokka pointed out as Azara sighed.

"I'm not a master like Jeong Jeong is, but I have enough experience to know that learning firebending is not what's best for you now, Aang," Azara explained, her expression calm. She was almost starting to sound like her uncle. "Fire is not forgiving. I don't want you to hurt yourself or anyone else." 

"But, Azara—" Aang was cut off as several men appeared from the woods, spears drawn.

"Don't move," a man demanded, sticking a spear in Azara's face. The group stood up slowly and were led back to a camp by the men.

"Jeong Jeong told you not to look for the Avatar," Lin Yee snapped, pushing Chey forwards as they reached the camp.

"You know these guys?" Azara asked, looking between the men with spears.

"Oh yeah! Lin Yee's an old buddy! Right, Lin Yee?" Chey smiled, but Lin Yee was not similarly amused, pushing Chey forwards again.

"Go on. He sees you only."

"Oh, that's okay. We can chat later," Chey sighed, already walking down the path to a tent.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk with him right away," Aang questioned, already moving forwards, but Lin Yee blocked his movement.

"No! You wait here!" Lin Yee snapped before pushing Chey forwards once more.

"Don't worry. Everything'll be fine. He's a great man, great man!" Chey replied, mostly talking to himself as he trudged down to the tent. Lin Yee led them to a tent in the settlement, telling them to wait for Chey to return. As Sokka and Katara dozed off, Azara stayed up with Aang around the fire.

"Do you really think it's a bad idea if I talk to Jeong Jeong?" Aang inquired quietly, causing Azara to sigh and lean back on her hands.

"Aang, I'm not your advisor or anything, but fire is not something you mess with. And no offense, but you're a little immature. Firebending requires a great deal of control and discipline," Azara spoke as Aang looked up over the fire.

"What about natural born firebenders, like you? Didn't you start young?"

"You learn from an early age to respect the element. Either from a personal mistake or because it's beaten into your head to not mess around. In the Fire Nation, mastery of firebending is treated with the utmost seriousness," Azara continued, thinking back to her early firebending lessons when she was a child.

Chey appeared in the doorway of the tent before slumping against the wall. "What happened? Can I see Jeong Jeong now?" Aang asked, leaping to his feet.

"He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately," Chey sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

"Finally! Let's hit the road!" Sokka suggested, standing up and stretching.

"Why won't he see me?"

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet," Chey recounted as Azara turned to Aang.

"Aang, listen to me. He's not going to teach you until you're ready, and you're not ready," Azara sighed, standing up as Aang looked frustrated.

"I'm going in anyways!" Aang huffed, before storming out of the tent. Azara shook her head before chasing after him, knowing that it was in his best interest to avoid pissing off a firebending master. Aang walked quickly towards Jeong Jeong's tent, Azara close behind him as he walked into the tent.

Azara spotted a man with bushy white hair sitting with his back to them, surrounded by a semicircle of candles. "Get out," he snapped as Aang walked forwards.

"Master, I need to learn firebending," Aang stated, sitting outside of the rim of candles.

"Only a fool seeks his own destruction. You should listen to your friend. You are not ready," Jeong Jeong responded gruffly.

"I'm the Avatar, it is my destiny—"

"—Destiny? What would a boy know about destiny? If a fish lives in a river for its whole life, does the fish know the river's destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of his control! He may follow where it flows, but he cannot see the end. He cannot imagine the ocean," Jeong Jeong explained metaphorically as Azara stared worried between him and Aang.

"Okay, but it's the Avatar's duty to master all of the bending disciplines."

"To master the bending disciplines, you must master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you! Now, get out."

"Please, I have to learn," Aang pleaded, incensing Jeong Jeong further. Azara had to admit the meeting was going about as well as she had anticipated. Fire Nation generals, whether deserters or not, were not known for their upstanding patience and lack of tempers.

"Are you deaf? How can I teach you if you refuse to listen? Before learning firebending, you must learn water and earth. Water is cool and soothing, earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive! It breathes, it grows," Jeong Jeong spoke, firebending one of the candles.

"Without the bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it! That is its destiny! You are not ready! You are too weak!" Jeong Jeong yelled, the candles around him shooting up with flames.

Azara raised an eyebrow as Jeong Jeong seemed to enter a conversation with himself. Sharing a look with Aang, Azara's eyes widened in surprise as Jeong Jeong promised to train Aang in firebending. "Really? That's great!" Aang shouted, jumping to his feet. Jeong Jeong lowered his head, groaning.

"Are you sure, Master Jeong Jeong?" Azara asked as Aang shot her a look that clearly said, 'don't ruin my moment.'

"Yes," Jeong Jeong sighed, standing up and holding his hands behind his back. "Be at my tent at sunrise. Sharp," Jeong Jeong ordered, his gaze landing on Aang.

"See you then, Master!" Aang nodded, moving to leave. Azara was about to follow him out when Jeong Jeong called out to her.

"A word, Princess Azara?" Jeong Jeong asked, stopping Azara in her tracks. Turning to Aang and telling him she would catch up later, Azara walked to stand in front of Jeong Jeong.

"Just Azara is fine," Azara spoke, her gaze even.

"You do not think the Avatar is ready to learn firebending?"

"Aang is a free spirit, an airbender. Fire . . . he may be the Avatar, but I'm afraid he would hurt himself or someone else if he were taught to firebend now," Azara explained, clasping her hands together behind her back.

"Be that as it may, Avatar Roku believes that he is ready," Jeong Jeong sighed, walking around the candles to stand in front of Azara. "And you, by extension, as well."

"I haven't trained with anyone except my uncle in years. I would be honored to learn from a master such as yourself," Azara nodded, bowing in respect to Jeong Jeong.

"Your uncle spoke highly of you," Jeong Jeong mentioned offhandedly, instantly gaining Azara's attention.

"You know my uncle?"

Jeong Jeong nodded in affirmation. "I'm assuming you progressed far into your firebending training under his leadership."

"Yes, but I'm not a master," Azara replied, nodding.

"Yet," Jeong Jeong smiled, before motioning to the door. "We start tomorrow. After I teach the Avatar some basics, I will teach you. And then, when the time is right, you can teach him what I taught you." Azara nodded, a wide smile on her face, before bowing and exiting the tent.

The next morning approached quickly and Azara tied her hair back in her traditional top knot. "Where are you off to?" Katara asked as Azara pulled on her boots.

"Master Jeong Jeong is going to teach me some advanced firebending after he helps Aang," Azara explained, standing up.

"Good luck! ," Katara called as Azara walked out of the tent. Aang had gotten up earlier and looked frustrated as Jeong Jeong critiqued his bending stance.

"When do I get to actually make fire?" Aang asked as Jeong Jeong spotted Azara.

"When you learn to follow my instructions," Jeong Jeong stated pointedly as Azara walked over. "Stay here. Azara and I will be back in about an hour. I expect to find you in the same position."

Ignoring Aang's dramatic sigh, Azara and Jeong Jeong walked through the forest, reaching a clearing by the river. Jeong Jeong stopped and turned to face Azara, his hands still strapped behind his back.

"For our first session, I need to understand where you are in your firebending training," Jeong Jeong spoke.

"You want to have an Agni Kai?" Azara asked, tilting her head to the side, but Jeong Jeong shook his head.

"Simply a duel for me to understand your level of skill," Jeong Jeong replied as Azara nodded. "And try not to burn the forest down." Azara took her position on the opposite end of the clearing, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before assuming her stance. "Begin!"

Azara leapt forwards at Jeong Jeong's order, sending a quick succession of fire blasts at Jeong Jeong, who dodged and blocked them with ease. Azara flipped forwards, sending a fire arc at the firebending master. Jeong Jeong broke through it with ease before sending a fire comet at Azara. Twirling, Azara spun the fire around and redirected it back at Jeong Jeong.

He punched at the flame, dissipating it. As the flames disappeared, Azara jumped forwards and brought down a fire column with her. Jeong Jeong rolled out of the way, spinning, and kicking a blast at Azara.

She held her ground and held her hands out, blocking her body from the flames. Standing up, Azara took a deep breath and shot a strong fire beam at Jeong Jeong, who returned one of his own. She struggled as he pushed harder, forcing her feet to slide back. She was starting to sweat under the strain.

Sliding out of the fire stream, Azara spun and sent several fire blasts at Jeong Jeong, who raised a wall of fire to block them. Azara charged again, slicing through the fire wall with a fire arc, and reaching Jeong Jeong.

Close hand to hand fighting with firebending was about movement, always being a step ahead of your opponent. And Jeong Jeong was certainly making it hard for her. Lighting fire daggers, Azara swung at Jeong Jeong, who spun and knocked her to the ground.

Growling, Azara spun on the floor, kicking up a blazing fire arc and forcing Jeong Jeong back. Returning to her feet, Azara readied her stance before Jeong Jeong shot forwards. As the two dueled, it became more of a dance than a fight, both effective at countering the other's attacks.

Azara was growing tired but knew that giving up was not an option. Jeong Jeong shot a particularly powerful fire comet at her. Managing to block it, Azara was still thrown back, skidding in the dirt. 

Jeong Jeong used this to his advantage and jumped forwards, a fire arc ready to hit Azara, but she rolled out of the way and kicked his legs, causing the firebending master to stumble. She swung around, but Jeong Jeong caught her foot in his hand.

"Well done," Jeong Jeong stated, standing up and dropping Azara's foot. "I see that your uncle has taught you well."

"I'm sure I still have much to learn, Master," Azara bowed as Jeong Jeong bowed back.

"Come, it's nearly time for lunch. And I have to check on the Avatar," Jeong Jeong spoke, leading the way back to camp.