Awaking to the sound of blasts with a jump, I look around my surroundings before remembering where I am. I have yet to get used to the cold metal walls covered in Fire Nation propaganda. I pull on my robes leaving the upper shawl on the ground trying to make myself look less formal. Stretching my arms above my head I walk over to my door and open it following the sounds of yelling and fire blasts to the upper deck.
I squint my eyes as I open the door leading to the upper deck. Once my eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, I see Zuko duking it out with Lieutenant Jee until the boat jerks sideways causing me to lurch into the wall to my right.
"Someone's changing our course." The grumpy prince concludes before staring up at the top of the ship and then tromping off. I walk fully onto the deck and am greeted by the Lieutenant, "Good morning Li Mei. Are you up for some training?" I shrug off my upper robes and look at Lieutenant Jee, "I've never turned down a chance to practice." I declare taking my stance in front of Jee, my arms held up in a defensive position.
"You have the stance of an earthbender," Jee comments as we continue to circle each other. I stomp my foot on the ground, sending a wave of fire toward the Lieutenant. He leaps out of the way of my flames, "You fight like an earthbender too." He comments again.
"I've been told." I return. Flipping forward, launching another blast of fire towards him, dodging as he kicks a blade of flames at my head. A loud blast from behind me distracts me from Jee's direct attack, landing me on the floor of the deck, "Never get distracted by your surroundings," Jee informs me while I flip off the floor my shirt lifting slightly due to the momentum, "Where did you get that scar?" Jee asks me pointing toward my right arm.
"I burned myself while training," I give him an innocent smile, "I'm really accident-prone," As soon as the Lieutenant nods his head and turns away I drop my smile and look down at the large scar covering my arm.
I sit watching Azula and Zuko fight against each other, blasting fire blast after fire blast. Azula nimbly jumps around Zuko's attempts while all her attacks knock him down.
"You can beat her, Firefly!" I cheer from my seat on the edge of the wooden walkway between sections of the palace. Zuko smiles at me and launches another blast at Azula, finally landing a hit on her. Azula's face twists in rage as she begins creating a storm of fire, launching it at Zuko. Zuko narrowly escapes and launches his biggest fire blast yet - but at the last moment - Azula who was standing right in front of me moves out of the way. I reach my arm out to block the incoming blast. A strong stinging sensation in my right arm overwhelms my senses.
"LI MEI!" I hear Zuko's voice call, he sounds so far away. My vision blurs with tears as I try to make out Zuko's face in front of me, "I didn't mean to hit you! It was Azula's fault! She wanted me to hurt you!" A warm embrace touches me from behind as the familiar voice of Ursa echoes in my ears, "What happened Zuko?" Her voice is soothing and calm.
"Azula made me hit Li with my firebending!" Zuko shouts pointing at his sister, "And why would Azula do that?" Ursa said with more grimace in her voice as she moves her gaze to Azula and her friends.
"Because she knows...She knows about... I don't know." Zuko's voice gets quieter as he keeps talking, "Alright Zuko, You stay here I'm going to get Li Mei some medical attention." Ursa's voice returns to its calm nature when talking to Zuko. Her arms reach around my body and lift me up and away from Zuko.
I smile sadly at my scar remembering the old memory from when I was a kid.
-
We pull into a harbour as I lean over the bars of the deck. I skip over to the bridge leading to the land, "Not you." Zuko stops me with his arm.
"Why not? I'm not your prisoner! I'm here of my own volition. I can leave whenever I want. Besides, I need some normal-looking clothes. I'm so done with wearing these robes all the time," I say lifting the large pieces of fabric.
"Fine. Just don't leave my sight." He lowers his arm allowing me to pass.
"You're not very subtle with your feelings." I turn my head over my shoulder. Zuko fumes with rage, "What feelings!?" I laugh on my way down the ramp.
"So, Iroh, what exactly are you looking for?" I turn to the older man.
"We are looking for the white lotus Pai Sho tile." He holds up a maroon-coloured garb and hands it to me, "It matches your hair." He says before paying the merchant for the clothing.
After checking the last clerk on the pier Iroh declares, "I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace."
"It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!" Zuko adds angrily. I walk in front of him, "Not for everyone," I do a small spin, "I finally got rid of those robes!" I show off my new clothes to the fiery prince. A maroon coloured jumpsuit with short sleeves accompanied by a cream coloured apron sitting on top, a black belt tied around my waist with knee-high traditional Fire Nation boots.
"You think I care about you playing dress-up? We're supposed to be looking for the Avatar!" Zuko snaps in my face pressing his forehead against my own. I push back, crushing our heads together.
"Prince Zuko, Li Mei, please." Iroh buts in, a smile still on his face, "I always say, the only thing better than finding something you are looking for," The other crew members start marching past us with all of Iroh's purchased items, "Is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" The last crew member walks past us playing the tsungi horn.
"You bought a tsungi horn?" Zuko questions. From behind Zuko, I give Iroh a thumbs up. I appreciate his good taste in musical instruments.
"For music night on the ship. Now, if we only had some woodwinds." Iroh points toward an old wooden ship, "Oh, this place looks promising!"
Inside the old ship, Iroh becomes quite interested in a monkey statue. One of the men in the ship starts talking to another man, "We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was travelling with." I sigh, just when I thought we had been avoiding the Avatar. The two men talking clearly piqued Zuko's interest, "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?" I groan leaving the ship. We can't go anywhere without making it about the Avatar.
-
In the evening we slip into our smaller boat and sail with the pirates down the river in search of the Avatar and his friends, "Shouldn't we stop to search the woods?" The pirate captain asks Zuko.
"We don't need to stop. They stole a waterbending scroll, right?" The pirate captain nods his head in approval, "Then they'll be on the water." Zuko confirms.
I see Katara trying to water bend at the edge of the river not too far ahead of us. I try my hardest to make signals at her to inform her of the pirates and Zuko, but she fails to notice. A hand roughly grabs my wrist and pulls my hand down, "What are you doing?" Zuko hisses at me through his teeth.
"Helping a friend," I reply cooly, shoving his hand off my wrist, climbing off the boat and making a splash in the river.
Katara has been grabbed by one of the pirates, "No! Let go of me!" She bends water onto the pirate's face causing him to release her. I stand and watch as Zuko grabs Katara's wrists, "I'll save you from the pirates." He whispers into her ear.
"Li?" Katara calls out to me while the pirates finish tying her to a tree, "What are you doing here with him?" She jerks her head in Zuko's direction.
"I have some unfinished business with the fire prince," I grumble.
"So... Can you untie me?" She looks at me with pleading eyes. I avoid her gaze, "I'm sorry Katara but I can't." I say looking back into her eyes with sincerity.
"Get out of the way." Zuko pushes me to the side so he can face Katara, "Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother." I sigh and lean against a nearby tree.
"Go jump in the river!" Katara spits back. Zuko dawns an evil smirk, leaning into her face, "Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I've lost, my honour." Katara pulls her face in the other direction, "Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." Zuko dangles a blue necklace in front of her face.
"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?" Katara replies shocked.
I slap Zuko on the back of the head with a frown, he glares at me clicking his tongue. He whips his head back around to stare at Katara, "I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering." He says turning back to me. I stick my tongue out at him.
"Tell me where he is." Zuko juts his finger in her face.
"No!" Katara yells back at him. I roll my eyes, we're not going to get anywhere with these petty arguments.
One of the pirates speak up from behind, "Enough of this necklace garbage! You promised a scroll!"
Zuko pulls the scroll out, "I wonder how much this is worth," holding it above the flame now glowing in the palm of his hand, the pirates all gasp and try to reach for the scroll, "A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here!" Zuko orders.
"Fine." The pirate captain submits, trudging off into the woods with the rest of his crew.
"You are so childish." I scold Zuko.
"Maybe I wouldn't have to be if you actually tried to help." He snaps back at me.
"I am not going to help you kidnap my friends!" I poke my finger in his chest, "What happened to you Zuko?" I mutter.
"What happened to me? Look at yourself! You're not the same as when we were kids either." He pushes me back.
"Prince Zuko." Iroh the voice of reason speaks, "It is best to not get worked up over small problems," I nod my head in approval, "That goes for you too, Li Mei," I stop my nodding, "If you are to stay on our ship you should learn to respect Prince Zuko's boundaries," I frown and walk off.
I lean against the tree Katara's tied to, "You know him well?" Katara nods her head in Zuko's direction.
"He's an old friend," I smile sadly, "He wasn't always like this."
"I can't really believe he could be anything but who he is now."
"He was. He used to be... Nice... And respectful." I chuckle. A rustling comes from the woods and the pirates emerge with Aang and Sokka tied up.
"Nice work." Zuko walks to greet the pirates on their successful return.
"Aang, this is all my fault," Katara says from her tree.
"No Katara, it isn't," Aang replies sincerely.
Iroh from beside me speaks up, "Yeah, it kind of is." I try to cover up my giggles by clearing my throat only earning a glare from Katara.
"Give me the boy," Zuko commands.
"Give us the scroll." The pirate captain retorts. "You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka taunts. He continues to give reasons as to why the pirates shouldn't work with Zuko.
"You'll regret breaking a deal with me." I hear Zuko say as he launches a blast of fire along with two of his soldiers at the pirates. While he's distracted I run to the tree Katara is tied to burning the ropes off of her wrists. Katara gives me a confused smile and runs to join the fight.
"Thanks, Li!' 'No problem Katara!" I say mockingly to myself with a frown. I move over to stand next to Iroh while Aang and Katara hijack the pirate ship.
"Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?" Iroh finally talks as Team Avatar sets off in the pirate ship.
"We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!" Zuko shouts in the middle of the fight. I shake my head, "It's not a proverb." I point to the pirate ship taking off down the river.
"Bleeding hog monkeys!" The pirate captain exclaims, making Zuko laugh before the pirates hijack his own ship. Taunting Zuko from his ship, the pirates set off after Team Avatar. Zuko fumes on the river bank, "Hey! That's my boat!" He chases after the two boats angrily. I laugh watching the fire prince chase the boat so desperately.
"Maybe it should be a proverb..." Iroh adds, making me laugh even more.
"Stop laughing and hurry up!" Zuko barks at me and Iroh. I shrug and run after the crazy prince.
The two boats start heading towards a waterfall, we run quickly enough to see Zuko's ship fall over the edge.
"My boat!" He cries. I place my hand on his shoulder, "We'll get a new boat. That one was ugly anyway." I try to make light of the situation but it only earns me an angry look from the prince.
Iroh chuckles beside us, "Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. That lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" He says with a big smile on his face. Zuko marches over to his uncle, grabbing the tile and chucking it into the waterfall.
My jaw drops, "I'm not helping you find a new tile." I turn and walk back down the sandy river bank.