Zuko's ship, For Iroh or any random Fire-bender

[Zuko]

A dark grey night envelops the sky the stars are out and the wind blows cold. The steel ship shrieks to the cold waters below. Zukos ship is the only registered fire nations vessel in the area and in the lonely waters dark intentions reign.

As the ship sails through the waters of the southern water tribe Zuko’s mind is riddled with thoughts, Thoughts about his past, thoughts of his honor and thoughts about the Avatar. Images run wild in his mind discussing both his father and his prey. The rage begins to build up inside of him.

In attempts to releases his anger he lets out a large fire blast off the bow of the ship. :: The heat from the blast only enrages him further however. And the slight glimpse of home it resembled. Zuko begins to breath slowly to calm his blood.

"I will not loose to him again next time I find you Avatar I will regain my honor!" Zuko stomps on the deck and slams his fist into the steel siding of the ship cutting and bruising his fist. A small amount of blood drips from his fist as he raises it into the air and Vows again to his father and empire that he will regain his honor.

Zuko Directs the ship to the southern air temple to see if he can find any clues to where he may go next. He looks to make port in the southern areas of the Earth nation afterwards unless any leads drive him elsewhere.

[Jun]

Don’t Go out at Night Alone


O.ne target one goal so nothing else mattered. She had been called singled minded before though she had never gone this far before. Water tribe waters this was as far as she had ever gone on a mission before this was nearing the air temples. Though this mission was like no other. She was looking for the banished fire nation prince. She wanted in on some money and if regaining his honor was her ticket to some cold hard cash then she would track the little prince down & help him on his little quest.

It was the dead of night only the stars light her path. Though day and night never mattered for her ride companion and partner Nyla was a Shirshu. That was the benefit of not having eyes it never mattered if it was light or dark. So the interesting duo traveled the seas well they traveled the rocks or the ice what ever was sturdy enough to run or jump from. Though there was the occasion when there was no land and then she would either have to swim or commandeer a ship. Well right now she found herself on the back of Nyla as she swam.

She was wet tired and getting aggravated. She had lost the trial some time ago and she had only got more aggravated as the time passed. She had been searching for the prince but no smell meant no direct path. & that left one frustrated Jun. Though to day she seemed to find herself in luck. Some air headed fire bender was giving her a bacon to there location. So she set her course and was closing in on the location. She found the ship now the question was the prince on board. There is only one way to find out.

Well given the order Nyla launched herself out of the water and towards the ship. Well there was some effort involved in the whole getting aboard the ship. So just possible there were loud scratches as both Jun and Nyla got themselves aboard. Wow the fire nation ships are bigger when they are up-close and personal. Though she did not let herself get distracted she searched the top deck for any solider. She needed to find the prince and some one needed to tell her the direction. Little did she know this was his ship.


You may Never come Back

[Nousagi]

Nousaig's idea of "making rounds" would often tend to be rather literal. As he did now, he might find himself spinning on his heels as he walked aboard the ship. This was done in hopes to simply alleviate the boredom that plagued his young mind. The tiny soldier's boredom would soon be cured (hopefully), however, as, when peeking out of the window of the ship's interior, he noticed a certain banished prince on deck, "Zuuuuuuuuukoooooooo!" he called out from inside. He didn't really want to see Zuko specifically, but any company was good.

He immediately made his way outside, his overly-long sleeves trailing behind him. Approaching Zuko, Nousagi put his hands to his mouth when he noticed the Prince's hands, "Oh, no!" he muttered through his sleeves at his commander's bloodied fist. His brows furrowed in concern, but not for the young man. Rather, Nousagi turned to face the boat's wall. He placed himself up against it, spreading his arms wide as if hugging the boat, "It's okay, Boatie. I still love you," his cheek rubbed up against the cold metal for a moment before he turned back to the Prince. His left hand was on his hips while his right pointed an accusatory finger at Zuko (concealed in his sleeve, of course), "Why were you so mean to the boat?"

Nousagi's ears picked up a strange sound on the other side of the ship. It seemed to be an odd scratching, accompanied by some definite banging sounds. It almost seemed like there might be something malfunctioning, "I'll go see what it is!" Nousagi said brightly. At that, he hopped off to the sound's source, glad to have any sort of distraction.

Upon finding the woman, Nousagi was definitely confused. How did she and her soaked beast get aboard this ship? But, more than confused, Nousagi was curious and interested. Most of all, though, he was happy and friendly (odd for a soldier, especially to a possible enemy), "Hey, lady! Cool thingy!" he said, referring to the beast on which the woman was mounted. He then turned around and called to Zuko, though he wasn't really sure how far away the Prince was at this point, "Hey, boss! There's a lady and her thingy over here!"

[Zuko]

As Zuko hears the voice of Nousagi a somewhat annoying kid who means well. His thoughts on him were low however where he was told he had been exiled in a similar fashion he tried to be nice to him above the other soldiers that is. The kid also came from a good bloodline and his father was a famed General.

As Nousagi came out Zuko looked out to sea partially ignoring him until the loud bang and scratching and Nousagi ran out after it. Zuko followed him out to see a large beast with a mean looking lady on top of it with a whip.

“What is the meaning of this! Get off my boat!” Zuko clearly furious but while trying not to let his fury crowd his judgment he began to think who may of sent this person or was she stupid enough to come after him.

“Well answer yourself!” He awaits a response not expecting a fight but not caring either way as it clearly had nothing to do with his true goal of catching the Avatar.

[Jun]

Well one greeting was warm the other not so much. Though she was not expecting a warm hug was screaming necessary. Well at least she knew she was on the right boat. There was no mistaking the prince or ex-prince when you saw him. & now she was sure she would never forget the sound of his uneven temper. Well say goodbye to any thoughts of working together. & say hello to trying to survive the partnership. That is if there was going to be one.

Scream rant yell that is all she hear form the prince. Anger issues much? So he intended to boss her around well that not going to go well. So she took her time as she wrung out all the water from her jet black hair as he continued to boss her around. All the while acting unfazed by princes orders. Finally when there was no longer water in her hair she looked up at the two boys. They were very different. It was almost amusing seeing two opposites stand near each other.

She flashed a dangerous smile before she spoke. “Well it seems like I am on the right boat. I don’t think there are any other banished prince with anger issues around here. Are there?” she said to solider who first greeted her. Then she turned to the prince. She looked him up and down as if trying to measure him up to some standard in her head. Finally she spoke one again in her sarcastically sweet feminine voice. “Now now don’t go and burn the ship down. I am here to join you on your quest. But since you doing an amazing job you would not need me now would you?”

She stayed were she was on her mount not moving and showing no rage as the prince had demonstrated earlier. She was calm cool and composed herself nicely. Though all the while only trying to aggravate the prince. After all who was he to boss her around. So she waited there watching and always prepared with her trusty whip in hand.

[Nousagi]

"Aw...Zuko..." Nousagi said, sounding a bit disappointed in his leader, "First the boat, now our guest? Jeez, you're such a hothead," the last comment was delievered with a shrug, a sigh, and a long shake of the head. After that, he offered the young prince a smile and raised his right index finger, as if he was offering insightful advice, "After all, you can't be impatient in demanding an answer from someone when you haven't actually given them the chance to speak yet," he wasn't really trying to defend or agree with the mysterious woman, but they could be polite.

On the same note, he waved at the woman brightly and said, "I'm Nousagi! As you know already," Nousagi added, waving a hand in Zuko's direction, "this is Prince Firepants," he couldn't help giggling at his own comment, especially with the ambiguous meaning of the term "firepants". In this case, Nousagi was referring to Zuko's temper but, of course, it also had other meanings.

"That's right!" Nousagi took a determined face and stance at this point, but it looked a bit funny on his tiny frame. Plus, with his right eye covered, the facial expression was rather easy to misinterpret, "We are the best there is! Right, Zuko?" he turned to Zuko with expectant eyes glowing. Nousagi, of course, thought that Zuko's crew was just all that and a bag of chips...despite the fact that they had been searching for the Avatar for over two years. Well...it at least gave them a chance to get to know eachother.

It was long enough for Nousagi to get into Zuko's head a little, anyway. Nousagi knew that nothing in the world seemed more important to the banished Prince than restoring his honor and returning to the Fire Nation. Nousagi, on the other hand, wasn't really interested in that. That would be nice, sure, but, in truth, he was fine where he was now. In fact, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to go back. Then again, he wasn't meant to inherit an entire country. He was the youngest of six sons.

[Zuko]

Zuko grunts and turns away slightly and looks down towards the deck. "Yea I guess your right! Please go ahead." Zuko turns quickly towards her angry "Why do you think you can help me! And what makes you think you CAN help me with my mission?" As he grins trying to calm himself down a bit as he wonders how others can be so calm to a giant animal engaging his ship and nearly tipping it over.

This just shows how bad my temper must really be He thinks to himself This is why no one ever gets me

Zuko puts his head down and turns away. Ah I don’t care! "Well what do you have to offer me then?”
Zuko sighs and closes his eyes knowing that if she tried to strike him Nousagi was fast enough to deflect whatever attack it would be.

[Jun]

She smiled at Nousagi. It was not an innocent smile if anything it was far from that. It was more like a mischievous little smile. One was that deadly but pretty. Though when she saw mr. firepants control his anger she let frown slip into her pretty little features. Aww she was hoping for some fun maybe even a few fireworks but no. He had to go and control his temper. Way to ruin Jun’s fun.

“Well I don’t think I would stand as an obstacle after all how many months have you been looking? That’s right as soon as you were banished you took this mission. So how months has it really been? & what I offer is my skills as well as dear Nyla here who is a tracker. Give her the scent and she will find him. I presume you at least have a scent by now” she questioned.

After she had spoken she jumped of Nyla with one fluid practiced movement. Then she went over to the boys. She smiled her crocked smile before once again parked her lips to speak. “Now boys I Jun. So if you want my help lets get moving if not I will find him on my own” She stood there her arms crossed her hazel eyes sharp. If nothing else she looked dangerously serious. She was not playing games.

She was not here to play around. She wanted her money witch meant she needed the avatar. So that meant she had a mission. So hurray for one tracked minds. Thought it would be interesting for them to work together. After all they did not seem to have a great introduction though Nousagi seemed to be able to calm him down in an unusual sort of way. Well if nothing eles they would be an interesting trio.

[Nousagi]

"Eh...work on it," Nousagi muttered in Zuko's pathetic attempt at patience. Though even Nousagi could tell that he wasn't really trying. There was a calm part of Zuko down there somewhere...right? Nousagi had seen it occasionally. It was..usually when he was trying to think of a strategy to find the Avatar, but...Zuko thought of other things, right? For example, he always thought of...erm...things like...sabter-toothed moose lions(?)... Okay, so maybe he had a one-tracked mind. There was nothing wrong with that, right?

"I think we should do it!" Nousagi said brightly to Zuko, taking no measures to hide his excitement at the prospect of a new companion. It wasn't the best way to go about a business dealing, with the other party knowing full well of your intentions while you knew little or nothing of theirs, but Nousagi wasn't cunning enough to work that way. His second eldest brother might have been, yes, but Nousagi's mind was childish and slightly naive.

"Nice ta' meetcha', Jun!" Again, Nousagi offered the woman a bright smile. Whether or not Zuko took her up on her offer, he, at least, would be able to meet someone new. If not only for that, he was also able to get acquainted with her awesome thingy. What was that beast, anyway? Well, apparently, it was a really good smeller. Well...those were probably the words that Nousagi would give it, anyway.

[Zuko]

Zuko turns back towards her. "And I suppose you want a significant payment for this?" I will go along with this and give you a bit of time can that THING hold two?"

“And this tracker pet of yours should be able to smell him out? We should be docking soon.” As he looks out to the horizon he sees the shore is coming up soon. Not the specific shore he was looking for but it would due.

“Alright saying I accept it will be Nousagi you and myself to go off and hunt him and the rest will stay here and guard my ship. And I will be back before next night fall. “

Zuko turns to his lieutenant “You will collect provisions as best you can and ill be back before night fall tomorrow!” This cant really hurt to try out this worthless woman’s plan. Well maybe she’s not useless. Gues I will determine this soon.

[Jun]

One thing for sure Nousagi was one enthusiastic and well naive little boy. After all who is excited as well as willing to join a team with a temperamental ex-prince and a dangerous stranger. Well there was one link of the team who would be easily manipulated. Though she was not planning on hurting. She did not want him getting attached after all as soon as she is paid she will be gone. She never stays long though that is because she has never had a reason to stay.

“Well yes I want payment I not one of those people who do this our of the goodness of my heart” She said as she rolled her eyes. Her do something for someone without getting paid ha don’t make her laugh. She would never do something like that after all why would she. She needed no one except herself why would things change now?

“& yes Nyla can carry all three of us. She fast smart and can smell a scent over a continent” This may be the only time you ever get the loving respect tone from Jun. That is when she is talking about Nyla. I guess it is a pet thing. As she spoke she reached up and stroked Nyla. The blind rat and bounty hunter what an odd combination. Though look at the mess she is in. nothing will look as odd as them; Naive excited boy a hot headed prince and a bounty hunter. Wow nothing could get stranger than this. Or could it?

[Nousagi]

"Nyla is so neato..." Nousagi muttered, clearly distracted. After all, he had already made his decision regarding Jun. What they did was up to Zuko now. Sure, he was directly involved but, even if he was against Zuko's decision, there wasn't anything that he could really do about it. He might as well retreat into his own muses, right? There was nothing wrong with that. Nousagi was a curious young man. He wanted to see how the beast worked.

"..." Nousagi took a moment to register what it was that Zuko had said. But, soon enough, he turned to his comrade, beaming, and pointed to himself, "...I get to go, too?!" Nousagi clasped his hands together in excitement a few times before settling down enough to listen to the group's plans. It wasn't as if choosing Nousagi was too surprising, nor was it foolish. Though it might not appear to be true, Nousagi and Zuko were about the same age. Plus, the young man was a very gifted firebender and swordsman. He would be a great asset in the hunt for the Avatar.

"But...there's just...one little problem..." It wasn't usually like Nousagi to point out the negative areas of a situation, but this was really important, "How are we supposed to get the Avatar's scent? I mean, for all we know, they could'a' been re-born as a waterbender baby by now," that much was true. The last Avatar was only known to be around about 100 years ago. In that, the Avatar cycle could've easily gone through two more shifts of the cycle. How would they be able to find a scent?

[Zuko]

“We will go to the Sothern air temple and see if we could get a scent of him somewhere. If we show this animal a bunch of scents can she pick one out if its close enough? Basically what I am asking is does this animal have a good enough memory that if he catches a scent in his old air temple maybe he can point us in the right direction.”

Zuko clearly grasping onto a hope. He had really no good leads. Originally he was going to head to the southern water tribe but mid way decided to turn and head to the Air temple first. Then if nothing proved good to Keoshi island.

“Ok is this plan good enough for you Jun?” He smirks meanly at her and glares at her pet.

[Jun]

“I am not sure it will work, but if it is the best lead you have then it is worth a shot.” she emphasized the word ‘not’. She did not want him to get the idea she was offering a perfect plan. Well she would have offered a perfect plan if he actually had the scent. Though he did not have the scent so here they go on a misguided and mislead adventure. Lets pray that at least luck is on there side. Because the future does not hold much sunshine even if the find the scent. After not many will love the girl who captured the avatar. Though she did not care what people thought. She was very uncertain about the plan after all how many people once lived in the air temple. Though it if it was all the lead they had then it was worth a shot. But she knew it was only a faint hope so the prince must be getting pretty dispirit. But who would not be getting despite when everything he wanted was being held hostage. Though it did not matter as long in the end she got what she wanted & that was money. “So I am ready when you are captain firepants” she said as she gave a over exaggerated salute. All little miss sarcastic is putting on the theatrics again.

[Nousagi]

Nousagi pouted a bit when Zuko asked for Jun's assurance on the plan. He seemed to be at least considering her, but he still wasn't being very nice about the whole thing. As it seemed, the three would be teammates for quite some time after this meeting. It wouldn't work out well if they were hating on eachother all of the time. Zuko probably just wasn't hugged enough in his life. Yup, that was it exactly. Zuko simply needed many, many more hugs, and Nousagi could easily be the one to deliver them...in time.

"Of course it will work!" Nousagi said suddenly, his short temper flaring a bit, "We are the best there is!" That...might not have been necessarily true, but, despite everything in his past, the young man was still an optimist. Even after over two years of hunting the Avatar, he still had high hopes for their little team of searchers. The group was in serious need of some positive energy anyway.

Just as suddenly as his temper had flared, it had receded. Nousagi was strange in that way. Now, he was back to his normal, happy, goofy self. On that same note, he shoved his hand out of his sleeve and thrust it forward so that it was in the air between the three of them, "Alright! Go, Team Avatar-Hunter!" he said brightly, sure in his mind that the other two would soon join him.