When Iroh was delivered the message that day while serving tea, he was surprised at how calm he was. This was a stunt that Zuko would pull. Now his daughter seemed to have inherited the trait of rashness.

The note read:

"Dear Grandpa, please don't worry but I have snuck on board a UN vessel. I know it's crazy...but I want to prove myself. Bumi is here. He will help me, even if he doesn't know it's really me. Please keep my parents from worrying. I love you,

Ursa."

Iroh smiled as he folded up the letter and put it into his pocket. He remembered in Ba Sing Se when Zuko had undergone an emotionally wrought metamorphosis. When he returned, he was a man far better than before.

"What time will you bloom this summer my lovely fire lily?"

When Bumi said he would train her, she thought it would be a hell of a lot easier than training with Briggs. It wasn't. Bumi wasn't near as verbosely abusive as Briggs. He was easygoing and allowed her to make mistakes. He encouraged her and would show her endless times how to do the technique right or where to put her feet. No. The hardest part was keeping her cover and making sure Bumi didn't recognize her. They trained on the prow of the ship when all the other men had went to bed. On top of suffering through regular training, she now had to trudge through mental and emotional drills.

Ursa's stupid heart would do somersaults whenever he laid a hand to raise her arm higher or steady her shaking movements. She had to keep reminding herself that she was playing a part. She was Hon. Not Ursa. But her stupid mind kept wanting to forget all that and just throw her arms around her best friend.

"Okay, that's all for today." Bumi plops to the ground and pulls out and apple. He tosses one to her which she catches with ease.

He studies her for a minute, which makes her flush. Stop it!

"You have real good dexterity. It's just your strength that needs work. But that comes with time." He flashes a grin.

"This and regular drills, you'll have plenty of muscles in no time."

Ursa sits down beside Bumi and stretches her legs. She could feel herself getting stronger. She no longer vomited during drills and could now keep up with the rest of the recruits. She still had a long way to go but she was getting there.

"Thanks," she smiles. "To bad Briggs can't see that."

"Don't mind him. He's only hard on us because he wants us to survive."

"Do you think I could survive on the battlefield?" She had always wanted to be on the frontline but being here, in the UN, had given her a totally new perspective.

Bumi pauses then nods, which surprises her.

"I didn't mean it seriously!"

He laughs. "Well you better get serious. We'll be there soon enough. Plus battle is more than strength. It's strategy and watching how your opponent moves. That's the key to winning."

"I guess that's true."

"Heh, my uncle taut me that. He's a non-bender like me so I look up to him a lot."

Ursa smiled, remembering how Bumi would always monopolize Sokka's time whenever they were all together. They were always going off on some private adventure where no benders were allowed.

Bumi stared at the young man beside him. Hon didn't look boyish at all. In fact, he had a feministic air about him down to the slender curves of his fingers and the reddening of his cheeks in the cold. His hair was all choppy and thrown into his eyes; golden orbs. They reminded him so much of Ursa that it hurt and he wondered what she was doing back there in the palace, all cooped up.

"Do you have someone special in your life, Hon?"

The boy's eyes widen in surprise. It was almost comical how off guard he was.

The boy shakes his head and meekly mutters the question back to him.

"Yeah, and she's probably super pissed that she's not here with me."

Ursa's throat seized up. Who did he mean? Was he referring to her or was it someone else entirely?

Bumi laughs at him. "Stop looking so shocked. I'm actually quite a catch with the ladies."

Wait...what? Before she can ask him any more questions, Bumi is hauling her up and both are trudging back to the bunks. They open the door as quiet as possible but are met with raucous cheering and drunk bunk mates.

"Hey, look who found Briggs stash!" A man named Jung stumbles before them, clutching the liquor bottle. He stuffs one into both their hands and drags them forward.

"Come join the party!" Another inebriate shouts.

Bumi gives her a quizzical look, then shrugs and takes a swig of his beer.

"May never have another chance."

"Hon come sit down and have a drink with us," Jung slurs. "You need to loosen up."

Ursa didn't like where this was heading but it was the first recognition she had received from the other recruits since stumbling aboard the ship. She wasn't about to pass it up.

She sits down beside Jung and several other drunk men, cracks open her beer and takes a small sip. It stings as it goes down, making her eyes water and nose seize up. She coughs most of it back up.

Her bunk mates laugh. "This your first time drinking?"

She nods.

"Then you gotta take a deep gulp, like this." Jung demonstrates as he sips down the alcohol at an alarming rate.

Ursa tries again and this time the drink tastes a bit better.

"Heh, you're alright, I guess."

"So what are you gonna do when Briggs finds out you all stole his stash?" Bumi asks.

"That bastard ain't gonna find out. And if he does, then so what? A few extra laps are worth a minute of pleasure."

Bumi laughs in agreement.

"I mean we gotta do something to pass the time while we're on this ship. Ain't nothin' but men here and they ain't gonna satisfy me like a pair of these will."

Jung squeezes the air in front of him. Laughter echoes through the room.

Ursa can feel herself shrinking into the floor.

"You ever experience the sweet succubus that is a woman, Hon?"

The look of confusion must have shown clearly on her face because all of the recruits, minus Bumi, burst out laughing.

"I guess that would be a no. What's the matter, scared?"

"No! I-I just haven't found the right one yet."

More laughter.

Jung throws his arm around Ursa and is so close she can smell the liquor on his breath.

"How old are you, anyways?"

"I'm seventeen."

"I had just turned fifteen on my first time."

The other men start shouting out numbers and Ursa can't believe they are actually talking about this. This is what filled a man's head? She couldn't fathom it.

"How about you, Bumi?"

For a moment Ursa is terrified that he is going to answer and raise even more questions. But he just waves the question away.

"Bumi, you're lucky, though."

"How?" A look of confusion crosses over his face.

"Because you got to meet and greet with the hottest woman in the Fire Nation! The princess herself. What's she like, man?"

They were talking about her. They were actually talking about her. She wanted to shrink into the floor and never return. She wanted to slap every single man in this room. But she couldn't do any of that because she was Hon and not Ursa.

"The princess is beautiful, yes, but she's a lot more than that. She's quick to anger but even quicker to forgive. She loves to laugh and roam around the capital without a care about what people think. She challenges me to spars then wants to wander around the beach the next. Ursa is truly...unique."

His name slips past her lips and for a second he glances at her and its as if he knows everything. All the secrets and lies. All the kind words he thinks she will never hear. But then the moment passes and her dreams pop like a bubble.

Jung whistles. "So you're on a first name basis with her? That's a good sign, man."

Suddenly Bumi slams the bottle down and jumps to his feet. "Don't go putting the princess in a category as one of your fantasies. Those moments are mine alone and aren't for you to taint."

"Sorry, man."

Bumi just shakes his head and walks out the door. Ursa almost gets up to follow him, but Hon keeps her put.

A:N OMG! I'm not dead, I swear! So sorry that you had to wait to long on me to write this and it's sooo short... I've just lost all motivation to write lately but I will try my very best to finish this! Thanks to all those who have followed and commented!