A/N: Hopefully, my next chapter will come out sooner than 14 months, So that was a lie. At least it hasn't been two years yet?

Even though Vidya was certain that at any moment she could slip up and her secret would be out, nothing happened that first week. Vidya was kept busy with her work on the engine and any odd jobs her seniors had for her. It was easy to forget that these people were brainwashed into believing that this genocidal war was for the best, and the only time there was firebending was when Prince Zuko was training.

Which Vidya avoided for obvious reasons.

But besides for all the crew complaining that a teenager was technically their commander, Vidya didn't see or hear either members of the royal family. It wasn't a huge ship, but Vidya never had reason to be in the pilothouse and everyone avoided the deck when Zuko was there if they could. She blended in seamlessly with the crew, and was starting to think that maybe she could survive a year before getting her easy passage into Bai Sing Se.

"Vidya!" Takuma called out, waving from the mess table he was eating at.

There wasn't a lot of people in the mess hall. Vidya works during the active hours so it was well past sunset and even the cooks were eating. Takuma, for some reason, always invites Vidya to eat with him and the head chief Gopal who looked like an Asian Santa. They were both nice, so she didn't mind, but it wasn't always just the two older men.

"Sit! I want you to meet Ryota and Jun-Seo, this was that girl Jee picked up last week that I've been bragging about. We need to get her into our pai sho games."

"I...don't know how to play." Vidya half lied.

She played Pai Sho in an avatar video game in her past life, but Vidya doubts that the rules were the same. Nor does she even remember the rules besides being a weird mix of Chinese go and western chess.

"Perfect time to start! We have music night tonight as well, so once you're finished cleaning the backup engine you should join." Takuma said, and before Vidya would politely decline, Gopal chimed in.

"It really is a lot of fun. Not a lot of the crew gets involved, but general Iroh has quite the singing voice."

"You think he has 'quite the singing voice' huh? Should I be worried?"

"Of course not. No one in the fire nation can dance like you can 'Kuma," Gopal replied, and Vidya slowly eat her soup while watching the two old men... flirt?

Ryota and Jun-seo were looking at each other like this was a common event, which Vidya took as meaning the two older men were starting to act more comfortable around her. Not that they have been anything but friendly before, but it does feel like they aren't just making sure Vidya isn't lonely but trying to be friends.

"You don't have to go, the kids tend to use music night as a chance to get the mess to themselves for some fun. You'll still be a little too young for that, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind," Ryota, the one with the half-shaved head, leaned over to say.

"Fun as in..."

"Adult drinks."

"Ah," Vidya said, not really wanting to join that either.

The 'Kids' were a bunch of twenty years old who Vidya has seen hanging out together in the mess once or twice. The only ones from that group she has personally met was Dong-Geun the cabin boy (though they don't call him that), and Chiyo who helps with odd jobs around the ship. They were nice, but also were friends with the younger fire benders and soldiers so Vidya never bothers saying hi outside of working.

It was a weird mix of ages on the ship. Most were in their 40s... or at least half had grey hair. Dong-Geun was missing his right hand, and Vidya doesn't want to ask why. Chiyo was... well, Vidya was pretty sure if it was her old world Chiyo would be somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Vidya didn't need to think hard on why it would be like that. As far as the Fire Lord knows, the Avatar is gone and will never return. Sending Zuko on this mission was just a goose hunt so of course, he wouldn't waste the "best" the fire nation has on a banished prince. Vidya was willing to bet everyone on this ship was either retired, unfit to serve, or took this as a chance to avoid active combat.

With a frown, Vidya took her empty bowl back to the kitchen and awkwardly handing it off to an older woman maybe in her 50s.

"Get going, I told you I don't need any help here."

"Right, sorry," Vidya said before scampering off.

Vidya wasn't used to other people washing her dishes outside of restaurants, and it has been years since she has been to one. Shan Hai had a few, but Vidya never went. They were more for the upper class since the street vendors were more affordable. Well, before the Fire Nation took over. Now everything is pricy due to taxes.

There were a few soldiers patrolling the deck as Vidya walked to the back, something that still made her tense up a little. Not enough for anyone to mention it to her, but Vidya still wonders if this was worth it. She now knows it's only two, maybe three, years until the start of the show. Jee already warned her it will be a year before they are near that part of the continent, which only gives her two year max to convince Zei to leave Ba Sing Se.

"Good evening Chiyo," Vidya muttered as she passed the girl who was already cleaning the engine that was off.

"Yes, you too uh..."

"Vidya."

"Right, sorry."

"No need to apologize. Names are hard to remember sometimes... besides, the only reason I remember yours is because I had a neighbor with the same name," Vidya said with a smile, though Chiyo still was nervously shifting around avoiding eye contact.

The rest of the cleaning process was done in silence, which was probably more due to Vidya then Chiyo. The young women seemed nice enough.

"Good night...uh...Vidya?"

"Yep, got it in one. Have a good night too!" Vidya said with a wave before taking off.

She needed to go around the long way to avoid the gathering, but it wasn't any harder then dodging the fire nation back home.

There were a few people asleep in the hammock, but Vidya had no trouble as she jumped into her bed and passed out.

It was close to a month that Vidya has been working on Zuko's ship and she was finally starting to feel safe. At least as safe as she left back home after the fire nation moved in. She had a good system going where she avoided anything that could lead to Zuko or the other firebenders, but Vidya was making friends.

Takuma also started teaching Vidya how to play Pio Sho during dinner since apparently there was a board hidden in the mess hall at all times. The game wasn't too bad once all the pieces were explained. Way more complex then chess, but it was close enough. The only problem was that Vidya knew how much Iroh liked the game, but it wasn't like Vidya doesn't want to meet the man. It's just Zuko she was worried about.

Even though she has been avoiding the teen, it was impossible not to be aware of his presence. Mostly, he already made himself known on the ship as a brat. Already a few crew members had to be 'switched out' when they pulled into post, and Vidya suddenly found herself moving up the ladder solely due to not being the newbie on the ship.

"Vidya, can I bother you for a moment?"

Vidya turned around to spot Gopal running behind her.

"What's up?"

"Mind taking this up to the cockpit? Dong-Geun is taking stock and the tea will be cold by the time he's done."

Vidya could lie and say that she's busy, but the old cook has been nothing but kind to her and it was just dropping off a tray of food with a pot of tea. It's probably just for Jee and the helmsman Hideaki. Zuko's only ever up there when the next course needed to be plotted, and they are already heading to the next destination.

"Sure, I can take it."

"Thank you so much child."

Vidya took the tray and made a left to go down the corridor that led to the stairs that go all the way up. It was mid day, and Vidya was pretty sure she was covered in coal dust, so of course Iroh would be there playing Pio sho with Takuma and two other men that Vidya remembered were named Ryota and Jun-Seo, but still wasn't sure who was who.

"Ah, my tea is here," Iroh announced before Vidya could leave.

This is fine. Vidya thought as she ignored her racing heart and calmly walked over to set the tray on the near by table.

"Thank you, would you care to stick around for a game? Takuma here has been telling me how well you've been doing for a beginner."

And they have been talking about me at some point. Great. Fantastic.

"Thank you for the offer, but I really should be-"

"Don't worry Vidya, you can take a short break. You work too much anyways," Takuma interrupted, and considering he was more or less her direct boss, not like she has room to argue.

If she resists too much it will start looking suspicious.

"Just one game then," Vidya agreed as she sat down.

"Excellent. Usually we bet, but I think a more casual game would be better," Iroh said with a smile.

"Uh, okay?"

Surprisingly enough, Vidya has been getting payed on the trip. About the same as what Hua payed her, which wasn't a whole lot. Not that she had to use any of it since food and board was free on the ship. Over the weeks Vidya has accumulated a nice little bag of coins, which will be useful once she gets to Bai Sing Se.

Not something she want to be wasting with gambling.

As customary for rollover games like this, Vidya started the game. First few rounds are always the easiest since it's just placing your pieces on the board and getting set up. Just because she was use to playing chess in her past, the few tiles with similar moves she usual place in similar areas. Vidya hasn't really played long enough to know it that was helping or hindering her, but at least Vidya didn't need to think as hard as what tiles does what.

"Interesting set up, is this something you come up yourself?" Iroh said once Vidya finished setting up.

"I guess. Just trying it out. Worked well enough with Takuma last time."

"Most keep their white Lotus in the center, not the edges of their gate."

Vidya shrugged a little, moving her first tile toward the center of the board. The white lotus was fun since it can change a loss into a win with just one move. The wheel was also fun since it movies all the active tiles one place clockwise, and Vidya likes trying to put that into her games for shits and giggles.

The game lasted much longer then the ones she placed before. Iroh was one of those player who did the long con, while Vidya kept adapting her plans as the game proceed. In the end Iroh still won, which was a little disappointing.

"That was a great game! You almost had be a few turns ago with that move you did with the wheel."

"Thanks," Viya said, though she thinks Iroh was just being nice.

"Apparently in the Earth Kingdom, there some who play without the wheel tile at all. Started as a homage to the air nomads who were wiped out at the beginning of the war."

"What?" Vidya asked, suddenly on guard.

"Oh you don't know the meaning behind the special tiles? The boat represents water, rock earth, knotweed fire, and the wheel air," Iroh explained, and Vidya tied to calm herself.

It's nothing more then a coincidence. Vidya reinsured herself. Iroh was just explaining his favorite game. It would be silly to think he figured out she was an airbender just because she liked using the air tile. Vidya used the dragon tile more often then the wheel, just not for end game stuff.

"What about the dragon and lotus?"

"That depends on who you ask. Some say the dragon represents direct action and the lotus indirect, others say the dragon is power and the lotus is change," Iroh said, already setting up for another game.

"What do you think?"

"I like the power vs change idea, but I think it depends more on how you use it," Iroh said, and somehow Vidya got wrapped up in another game.

Vidya didn't do as well the second time. Too self-consent about her actions and Iroh interpreting them to really strategize.

"I think your set up the first time worked better, but it is always good to try new strategies,"

"I'll kept that in mind. Thank you for the game General Iroh," Vidya said with a bow.

"I am always looking for new partners to play with. I would love to have another game in the future."

"I'll...check in the next time I have break," Vidya said, not really wanting to say no when Iroh seemed so excited.

The others weren't bad at pai sho, but Iroh was on a whole nother level. It was clear he's been bored playing with them.

"I'll look forward to it."

Vidya left, the tray and dirty dishes already taken down sometimes during the game. It won't be a bad think playing with Iroh every so often. Pretty much anyone who knows how to play ended up doing it anyways. It would be more weird if Vidya didn't, and Iroh is just as cool as what she remembers in the show.

My plan is still working. No reason why I can't enjoy myself while also working on this ship for the next year. Vidya thought with a smile as she went off to see what else she needed to do.

Afterall, it's just playing Pai Sho with Iroh. Nothing too bad.

A/N: Fun fact, I named everyone in Zuko's crew and rewatched season one to take screenshots of the crewmembers. I also noticed a lot of new followers soon after Netflix released the show and it's very cool seeing the fandom more active.

Thank you Guest who thought this was a very interesting idea, prominently late, the guest named Alex Andrea, Rosiekay, Lady Kaiki, DannyPhantom619, kittyrsocute, LittleAngel2292 (times 7!), scarlettravencroce, Guest who liked(?) my fire story, spiralheads, Drunken Hamster, Rinnala, Jesseblackhawk, Soofje, 3broomstixx, P.A.W.07, Innieminnie, Peruna, the guest called a guy, the guest called Googlegirl, Serus black antihumannature, SnowCatt, BlackDove WhiteDove, Shadowing, and Luna Lillyth for taking the time to leave a review.

I have no idea how long it will be before the next chapter, but I don't plan on abandoning this story since I've had is since watching the show for the first time. I do thank you for your patients since reading wip can be hard. Hope you all have a good night/day!