Alara's Tale ~ Book I : Water

XI : Nightmares

They glared at each other but the Lieutenant left with the rest of the crew. Zuko glanced at me and I realized I was still holding him back. I let go and he turned to face the ocean. "I don't need your help keeping order on my ship."

Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder but Zuko shoved it away. I shared a look with Iroh before going up to Zuko. "You know you could be more grateful."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Zuko questioned.

"You're not the only one stuck in this ship, the crew is, your Uncle, I am." I paused. "We all volunteered to be here, well except for me cause you know."

He didn't say anything and I took that as my cue to leave. I went back to my room, I needed a nap.

"Hello?" I was in the Northern Air Temple but it was deserted. "Monk Pan?"

There was a little girl, maybe just a little over 9. She was sitting down on the ground, crying. I approached her. "Hey what happened? What's wrong?"

The little girl looked at me, she was wearing air nomad clothes, with black hair and gray eyes. "Who-who are you?" She said through her sniffles.

"My names Alara." I sat down in front of her.

"That's weird so is mine!" She exclaimed.

"Well Alara," She giggled. "you want to tell me what happened?"

She grabbed my hand and dragged me off. "Hey wait where are we going?"

We kept running until we reached the top of the Temple. She stopped and pointed over. "What's over there little Alara?" I turned to look at her but she was gone. I peeked down and froze. It was a massacre, the bodies of air nomads burned.

I couldn't breathe, I stepped back but something grabbed me. It turned me around and I saw the Monks who were supposed to be dead. "Where did you go Alara? Why did you leave us to die?"

"NO!" I yelled as the tears were streaming down my face. I hugged my knees and sobbed. "I never meant to leave..."

I could hear the storm getting worse. I couldn't go back to sleep either. Pulling myself together, I walked out to the deck trying to calm myself down. Few minutes later I felt a presence go beside me. "Prince Zuko."

He didn't face me, just continued to stare out. "It's getting worse isn't it?"

"What?"

"Your nightmares."

I stood shock. "How did you know-"

He awkwardly scratched his head. "Your room is near mine."

"Oh" I simply said. "Do you know how to deal with it?"

"Sometimes." He replied as he touched his scar.

"What happened?" I asked hesitantly.

"I spoke out of turn." He took a deep breathe. "I was in a war meeting. They wanted to use the new recruits as bait. I spoke against the general, saying it was wrong." He paused. "But my father got mad, telling me I disrespected the General, telling me that there was only one way to resolve it. An Agni Kai. But when it came, turned out I was facing my father. I didn't fight him, I didn't want to and for that I was punished."

I tried processing everything he was telling me and I was shocked and angry. For one, it was because his father actually burned his own son, and for another Zuko was actually telling me this. "Is that why you're after Aang?" I asked him.

"The only way for me to restore my honor is for me to capture the Avatar, then I can go home."

"But after all that, do you really want to go home?" For once, I was actually worried for the Prince.

"You don't get it!" Zuko shoved passed me heading back inside the ship.

"I do Prince Zuko, I'm just worried..." I sighed and went back in as well, before it started raining.

As I was in my room, the storm only got worse and worse. Then all of a sudden, the whole ship wobbled. I jumped out of my sheets and went to the deck. Everyone was out, "Where were we hit?" I heard Zuko yell.

I was looking around, trying to balance myself out. I looked up and saw the helmsman dangling. "The helmsman!" I pointed out.

Zuko and the Lieutenant started to climb the ladder to get to the helmsman. I stayed with Iroh, "Alara get back inside!" He yelled as another lighting bolt was heading towards the ship.

I stood in awe as Iroh redirected it but it left him in smoke. I slightly giggled and helped him off. I looked up and saw Zuko catch the helmsman handing him over the Lieutenant, three of them safely made it back.

A huge wave was coming straight at Zuko. "Zuko!" I blasted air towards him making him fall back. I was too relieved that I didn't realize there was one heading towards me.

"Alara!" I heard someone faintly yell.

I was struggling to swim up the waves were too strong. Flashbacks were rushing through my head, slowly I started to sink down, my eyes closed.

"Why did you leave Alara?"

"How could you?"

"You left us to die!"

I felt a small tug, and a voice mumbling. "Stay awake Alara."

I coughed out the water and opened my eyes. I could barely see Zuko and Iroh looking over me. Zuko looked up, "The Avatar!" He yelled and my gaze followed his, I strained my eyes I could see the faint silhouette of Appa.

"What do you want to do, sir?"

Zuko glanced at Appa, then back to me. "Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety."

"Then we must head directly to the eye of the storm." Iroh told them.

I couldn't stand up, I barely even kept my eyes open. Zuko came over and carried me, I mumbled a soft "thank you."

I groaned as I sat up. Everything felt sore, then I realized I was back in my room. I stretched and hopped off the bed. I got to the deck, it stopped raining. "Where are we?" I asked Iroh.

He wasn't able to answer my question as something came out of the water. It was Appa. "Aang?" I faintly said.

As if he heard me, Aang looked down and saw me he lowered Appa down and I leaped up. "ALARA YOU'RE OK!" Aang jumped and hugged me, followed by Katara and Sokka.

"How did you end up with Zuko?" Sokka asked me.

"It's a long story." I told them. I looked back and saw Zuko staring. I didn't know why, but I actually felt guilty leaving him.