A/N-After the last chapter, I decided to write another one. How good of me. Be thankful I can understand Russian and can translate it for you and that I'm awake at this hour...

I'm just trying so hard not to get high of the spray paint fumes in here and I'm trying not to wake up my friends, whom are sleeping just a few feet from this computer.

Chapter 4: Acceptance

Zuko looked out across the calm waters of the blue ocean. He leaned casually against the railing of the port side on his ship. A hand gently touched his own, and soft fingers massaged the back of it. He pulled his hand away. "Not now, Yue."

Yue stared at him. "Zuko, love, whatever's the matter?" she asked, astonished of his actions. "What are you thinking about?" Her eyes examined him carefully. "Is something bothering you?"

The Fire Prince looked away. "Nothing's wrong," he growled. "What makes you think I'm upset?" He walked across the deck, still looking at the water, thinking about Kya. Why did she disappear? What happened to her? Is she okay?

Why don't you find out?

How?

Go look for her. Search everywhere.

Footsteps echoed on the metal deck. He turned around, seeing only his uncle. Zuko sighed, sinking to his knees. "I can't believe I have to marry her. Why can't I choose who I want to marry?"

Ozai placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning down to his eye level. "Because the Fire Nation law requires the prince to marry a princess not a peasant, Prince Zuko." He groaned as he sat down. "I know that Kya was beautiful, but your father and your country don't want something that could disrupt the Nations."

Prince Zuko sighed, nodding. "So do I, but she looked like a princess to me. And her eyes were absolutely beautiful. They kind of had a... a fire in them."

His uncle stood, bringing Zuko with him. "Come. We must plan our path to the Fire Nation." He pulled the young prince along with him, even when Zuko started to pull back for him to let go.

O.O.O.O.O.O

Katara was scared out of her mind.

The airbender trainees were loud, obnoxious and crazy. She usually hid in a corner while the kids were around, but when she was with the monks. They were quiet, boring and normal. That was something she liked. Yet through all that, Aang was basically a friend to her.

But she wasn't.

She kept to herself most of the time, only speaking when spoken to, and sometimes going outside to the large courtyard to climb up on Appa and look up at the sky. But right at that moment she was in her corner.

"Hey, Katara!"

Katara turned around. Upon seeing Aang, she relaxed. Slightly. "What is it?" she called back.

Aang beckoned her to follow him. "I want to show you someone people. They're really cool and nice!" He bounded away, not waiting for Katara to hurry and catch up for him, even though she was quite happy in her special corner and was not ready to leave her space just yet.

While following a few metres behind Katara stumbled over a few rocks that had obviously fallen or tumbled after Aang lit through the area. She managed to reach the small flight of stairs leading up to a statue of Gyatso, the elder monk of the Temple, and hobbled up them as fast as she could possibly go at that point.

"Aang?" she called. "Aang, where'd you go?"

Aang's voice floated to her. "Over here, Katara! To your left!"

Katara looked to her left. Once she saw Aang standing far across the stone floor, she casually made her way over to him, only to be pushed down a steep hill by a sharp gust of wind. She landed unceremoniously at the bottom in a heap of freshly fallen snow. Looking up, Aang was standing over her with a grin on his face. Katara gave him a deadly glare as she stood to her feet.

"So what are we doing?" Her eyes scanned the horizon. "I don't see anyone."

Aang pulled her along with him. "Exactly, because they're over here!" He stopped when they came into eyesight of two girls, one dressed in Earthbender clothes, the other in Firebender fatigues. "Meet Toph and Azula. They were born with... uh, difficulties, and are from Gaoling and Ba Sing Se, respectively. Toph and Azula, meet Katara from the Northern Water Tribe."

Toph stared at her with those iridescent pale green eyes. "Water Tribe, eh? So are you a princess or a worthless peasant?"

Katara raised her head and narrowed her eyes. "I would be a princess if it weren't for some bandits that destroyed my life and my family."

Azula seemed to sense her pain and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please excuse Toph, Miss Katara. She was abandoned after she was born, as was I..." She turned away sadly. "We would have been princesses as well, if it weren't for our so called 'difficulties'."

Toph stood as well, seeing Aang standing near her and shoving him away playfully. "But the Airbenders were kind enough to take us pitiful runts in and raise us as one of their own. Now what are you doing here? Did you run away to somewhere you think you would have been accepted?"

Katara swallowed painfully, feeling tears sting the backs of her eyes. "I came to train for something." They all turned back to look at her. "I came to train to kill someone."

A/N-All right. The fumes in here are beginning to have quite a pleasant effect on me as of now, so I will be passing out soon. Flames and constructive criticism welcome. (yawn) Goodnight.