Clouds, flying, freedom? I was on my glider flying Aang beside me. "Hey Egg head!"
We both laughed and did somersaults in the air. Suddenly a storm was brewing up ahead, "Aang?" I tried to look for him but he was gone. An image of Monk Pan was in front of me. "Why did you leave me Alara? You left us..."
"No...Monk Pan!" Lightning hit my glider and I was going down. Whispers were flooding my brain as I went down until I crashed the water.
I jolted up as I clung onto the blanket. "These nightmares are gonna be the death of me." I cupped my face and sighed. Shaking my head, I stood up and walked out the door. "Maybe a little fresh air would help."
I walked to the deck to find Iroh and Zuko there. Zuko was on his telescope, probably trying to find any sign of my brother. Iroh sniffed the air, "There's a storm coming, a big one."
"You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect." He approached his Uncle. "There's not a cloud in sight."
"A storm is approaching from the north. I suggest we alter our course and head southwest." Iroh turned and saw me. "Oh good morning Alara."
Zuko glanced at me before returning to his Uncle. "We know the Avatar is traveling northward," He pointed out. "so we will do the same."
"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew." Iroh pleaded.
"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko argued but the Lieutenant was there. He frowned at Zuko's words. Zuko walked towards him. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." With that he walked off.
"He doesn't mean that right?" I asked Iroh.
"He's just all worked up." Iroh assured us. "Tea Alara?"
"I'd love some." We walked back to the kitchen as Iroh was making some tea. I noticed the tea set looked quite familiar, then it hit me. That's the tea set I stole. "That's a lovely tea set you have there Iroh."
"Thank you Alara, my nephew brought this for me, though I'm still not sure how he got it." He smiled. "It's missing a piece though."
"Oh? What's it missing?" I smiled at the memory.
"A teacup."
***
I felt the cold breeze as the clouds begin to turn gray. "Well, looks like your Uncle was right about the storm after all." The Lieutenant spoke up as Zuko went on the deck.
"Lucky guess." Iroh smiled proudly.
"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect." He poked the Lieutenant chest. "Or I will teach it to you."
"What do you know about respect?" The Lieutenant questioned him. Iroh tried to signal to Lieutenant to stop but he didn't see it. "The way to talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed uncle, even to the airbender!" I tried to say something but Iroh stopped me. "Shows you know nothing about respect."
Iroh and I facepalmed ourselves knowing this won't end well. The Lieutenant continued, "You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"
Zuko turned and got into a fighting stance, as well the Lieutenant. Iroh stopped at Lieutenant and I stopped Zuko. "Enough! We are all about tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles everyone will feel much better." Iroh looked at the both of them.
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.