Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any shape or form.

They say the first meeting is the most important. The first meeting will determine their first impression and any assumptions made in the future will always revert back to the first meeting.

But their first meeting was not one they cared to remember.

The bazaar was bustling with merchants and travelers, the shop keepers advertising their goods loudly to anyone passing by. The young prince walked along side with his uncle, a few helmsmen trailing after the duo with arms full of souvenirs.

"I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace!" The old man exclaimed in disbelief. His nephew scowled, his gold eyes glaring at everything and nothing in particular.

"It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!" His voice echoed the streets but it did not derail the merchants from promoting their wares.

The prince was annoyed and agitated. His uncle had already delayed their travels by changing their course to this pier, searching for a lost Pai Sho tile he had not cared to remember. It did not help that they currently have no leads on the Avatar's whereabouts and the setting sun marked another day of his banishment.

"Quite the contrary. I always say, the only thing better than finding something you are looking is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" The older man tried to pacify the male, smiling widely as the crew men walked by carrying a load of goods back to their ship. One man in particular was carrying a large golden horn, causing the prince to scowl deeper.

"You bought a tsungi horn?"

"For music night on the ship. Now, if we only had some woodwinds."

The two turned towards the harbor to continue their shopping. There was a commotion up ahead and before they can react, a lithe body ran by them, bumping into the tall prince in the side. Icy eyes glanced towards angry gold ones as the young woman sidestepped after the collision, stopping with a small bow apologetically.

"Watch where you're going!"

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were there." Her smile was sincere and pleasant. "Excuse me."

Zuko fumed. How did she not see the two of them in broad daylight? Before he can snap back at her, she had already turned around and ran off, black hair flowing behind her.

"No harm done nephew. Now, come! This place looks promising!"

Zuko continued to frown as he followed Iroh towards a merchant ship. Another step and he saw a few men speed towards them. They stepped to the side at the right time, avoiding another crash as the two watch three men run by.

"After her! Don't let her get away!"

The two looked towards the direction they saw the girl ran off to but she was already gone.

If Zuko was agitated the day before, he is absolutely furious now. Not only had he been double crossed by the pirates, he had lost the Avatar's trail and his boat in a span of two days. It did not help that Iroh was still mourning over his lost locus tile; the one Zuko had deliberately chucked off into the waterfall.

The prince made his way back to his cabin after giving instructions to Lieutenant Jee to set sail. He stripped himself of the Fire Nation armor, throwing the metal to the side carelessly. He made way to unhook the pearl dagger he always kept with him only to find it missing from its usual place hold.

His eyes widen in horror as he pat himself down, trying to find the familiar sheath but it was futile. The gift he had gotten from his uncle long ago was gone. His head spun, trying to remember the past few days. He was certain he left the ship with the dagger and it was still with him in the bazaar. How did it—

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were there."

Fire burned at his fingertips as icy blue eyes flash by his mind along with a pleasant—fake—smile.

How did he not realize it at that time? When had she even stolen it without his notice? The bump had definitely startled him but it was too quick—too swift for him to even feel the pull of the dagger away.

He swiped his hand in mid air, fire erupting from his fist momentarily before dissipating. As much as he wanted to turn the ship around and hunt the little thief, he couldn't. Zuko may have lost the Avatar's trail but he had a faint idea of where he's headed. He was too close to him for anymore delays.

He made a mental note to apologize to Iroh later. The gift, while sentimental and well thought, was less important than his duty; his honor. He was sure, however, that the next time he sees that blue eyed thief again; he would deliver a punishment fit for her crimes. No one steals from the prince and gets away with it.

A young woman sat in a dim room, counting gold coins quietly to herself before putting it back in a small pouch, satisfied with the amount. The small jewelry she stole from the pirate town a day ago was sold handsomely to a pawn shop, giving her enough coins for a comfortable night at an inn, a nice meal, supplies, and coins to spare.

She put the pouch back into her travel pack, pausing to stare at the red and black scabbard of the dagger she happened to nab as well. Curiously, she took the dagger in her hand, testing the weight of the weapon then unsheathing it. The white metal reflected the candle light as she turned the weapon over, reading the inscription on it.

"'Never give up without a fight'. How cheesy," she laughed quietly to herself, putting the dagger back into her bag.

She hadn't sold the dagger yet. It was practical, unlike the jewels she stole, and it would definitely be worth a lot if she ever ran into an immediate need for money. Currently, she was fine with what she had. It may not be an honest way to live but it was the easiest way for her; after all, she had exceptional skills in thievery and evasion.

The rich nobles she had stolen from would not miss it much. She thought back to the duo in their fancy armor and clothes, knowing that the moment she saw them, they would be easy targets. It did not matter to her if they happen to be in the Fire Nation Navy or pirates or even royalty; this was her way of survival.

A small tapping sound on the window brought her attention back to reality. A large bird waited outside, its white feathers stood out against the contrast of its brown feathers. She opened the window, letting the raven eagle inside, unraveling the message tied to its leg and offered a biscuit to the bird.

'The Avatar has returned.'

She blinked at the short message. It was already known to the world that the Avatar is back in the living after his 100 year disappearance. Why was she just receiving it now? She looked at her obedient raven eagle that was happily pecking the biscuit.

"You haven't been slacking off have you?" She teased, watching the creature look up once at the sound of its master voice before going back to eating.

She brought the letter close to the candle, letting the paper catch on fire and burning away the evidence. The message mattered not to her. The Avatar is not her concern.

Author's Note:

Wow it's been 10 years since I first published a story on this website. I deleted all my old works and began anew. I hope I have improved!

This will be a slow burn. Lots of episodes will be skipped in Book 1; I want to focus more on shaping my character to be interesting and not overpowered. Many things will remain a mystery for now but I guarantee that I have planned this story from the beginning to end already.

Willing to look for a beta reader to anyone who's interested! The first few chapters are already written out and I have drawn what the character looks like so I will include that in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Please send me your feedbacks; I would love to know what you think!