Avatar; The Royal Firebender.

Element Ball Round One

"So." Yue's voice breaks the silence, cutting through the sound of Zuko and Jin making out in his room after a long day working on the element ball arena and the Jasmine Dragon.

Zuko groans softly, reluctantly pulling back from Jin's lips. "This about to ruin my mood?" he asks, wiping a smudge of red lipstick from his jaw with the sleeve of his tunic.

"Only if you're incapable of appreciating pure genius." Yue steps into the room, holding something behind her back.

Zuko raises a brow and sits up properly, his curiosity piqued. "This like me messing with Sokka earlier, or are you playing a long game?"

"Oh, it's the long con," Yue says, grinning. She lifts her hands and reveals her necklace, unfastening it from around her neck. "Jin. You've probably noticed; Katara and I wear identical necklaces. Hers was her mother's. Mine... was a betrothal gift. From Sokka."

"Yeah, I remember. You had it made to honor Kya's memory too, right?" Jin asks, watching with interest.

"Exactly." Yue affirms before closing the door behind her to make sure no one else hears her. "Here's what I'm thinking, we create a bit of permafrost and carve her a new necklace, but this time it's of the air nomad symbols. Identical in every way except the inscription." An evil grin grows on Zuko's face as she says this.

"And when she's bathing or sleeping..." Zuko quickly catches on,

"We swap them!" Yue finishes. "I'll wear hers for a while, keep mine hidden. See how long it takes her to notice."

"There's a pretty good chance she figures it out," Zuko admits, already plotting how to make the swap without detection. "But if she doesn't..."

"The payoff will be so much sweeter," Yue grins.

"What's the big deal about these necklaces anyway?" Jin asks, cocking her head. "You said Sokka proposed to you with yours?"

"It's the engagement practices of the northern and southern water tribes. Hell I'm pretty sure the foggy swamp tribe has a similar practice as well." Zuko answers. "The necklace will look like it was made by Aang, and given to her as a betrothal gift."

"Katara and Sokka will think that Aang proposed to her." Yue finishes.

"Ohhhh... you two are e-vil." Jin smiles, her lips curl into the same mischievous smirk that sits on Yue's face.

"Baby you know it." Zuko replies, before his eyes widen in realization and he excitedly points towards the door. "Oh! Did either of you have her take off her necklace before her and Aang's date? Now would be the perfect time for the switch!" Yue gasps at the realization.

"I totally forgot about that! We did! It's still in my room by her training clothes. Now we just gotta make the permafrost. Lee, where's your bag of spirit oasis water, that's the only thing we can use that won't melt after we freeze it." Zuko crawls across the bed then leans down to root through the bedside table where he keeps his coin purse, pearl dagger and a few other cherished belongings. In the bottom drawer the fat leather and seal skin pouch sits lopsided but still mostly full of water.

"Got it." He says before sitting up and passing it to Yue. "We can't use too much, we'll never know if it'll be needed."

"I'm gonna go swipe the necklace, I'll remove my pendant, swap it with hers and then replace it with the new carving, this way she wont feel any change in the silk whatsoever." Yue passes Zuko her necklace before tiptoeing to the door and sneaking out.

"I need you to hold this open, but don't spill it." He warns, causing Jin to sit perfectly still with it in her hands.

"What's so special about this water?" She asks.