I gasped when something landed on my stomach, thinking it was a Fire Bender who stepped on me, I smacked the first thing next to me. " OW! Mirza!" Sokka's exclaim made me finally blink my eyes open only to see it was Sokka who was smacked. He rubbed his cheek, shooting me a glare. " What was that for?" He whines, lowering his boomerang that was in his grasp. " Sorry." I muttered back, seeing Momo onto of Appa, alert. He must've been the thing. " What happened that made Momo jump on us?" I asked, rubbing my eyes from sleep.

" It's nothing." Aang said, glancing at us before looking at the sand. " I just had a bad dream." He turns on his side, curling up almost into a ball. " Go back to sleep."

" You don't have to tell me twice." Sokka hummed, snuggling into his sleeping bag. I watched Aang from my spot, a bit worried. Maybe something personal that he didn't want to share. Katara seemed to be just as worried, asking softly, " Are you all right, Aang?" 

" I'm okay." Aang replied quickly, not looking at her. 

" You seem to be having a lot of nightmares lately." She added, I watched them, agreeing along with her. Aang would jolt out of sleep, gasping for air like he was losing it while in a deep sleep. He would deny that anything was wrong and go back to bed like it was nothing at all, it began to worry me too. Too bad that I didn't have tea on me for him to drink and relax. 

" I think I just need some rest." Aang said, trying to avoid the conversation. 

" You guys want to hear about my dream?" Sokka asked, perking up from his sleeping bag.  I nudged him roughly and he stuck his tongue at me. " I didn't want to talk about it anyway." He huffed childishly before laying back in his sleeping bag. Katara stared at Aang for a moment before laying back in her own, eyes slowly closely. I still sat up in my sleeping bag, watching Aang for a moment before saying, " I'm here ya know, if you want to talk about it. I know I haven't been around you from the beginning but if..there's anything you need to get off your chest..then I'm here for ya. I'm you're friend too Aang." 

He didn't even make a peep, I take it as a sign to leave him alone. Slowly, I laid back in my sleeping bag and shut my eyes. 

He'll be okay, he'll talk to us when he's ready.

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The next morning, everything returned to normal, as if nothing happened last night. I helped with Katara to fold our campsite, washing some clothes and had Aang blow-dry them with his airbending to speed things up. Once they were dried, I began folding the clothes with Katara packing them away neatly. 

" Look at those clear skies, Buddy!" Aang pets the top of Appa's head with a smile before looking to the sky. " Should be some smooth flying." I folded the last of Sokka's shirt just as Katara checked the bag for our food, nothing. " Well, we'd better smoothly fly ourselves to a market., because we're out of food." She said as she climbed onto Appa's tail that lifted her up to the saddle.

" Yeah, the taste of day old bread is getting, old." I said, throwing the pack up to Sokka, he catches it and began tying it down. 

" Guys, wait, this was in my dream." Sokka said, eyes wide a bit. " We shouldn't go to the market." I climbed up and placed my bag into the other's, " What happened in your dream?" Katara asked curiously.

" Food eats people." He stated mysteriously, wiggling his fingers. Katara and Aang shot him an annoyed look. I on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, " That's...well..Gran Gran said you were a special type of person." I said, before finding my white bandage and began undoing the braid from my hair at last and pulled my black hair up above my head a bit, tying it into a ponytail. 

" Also, Momo could talk!" Sokka points at the animal who stared at him innocently. " You said some very unkind things." He pouted, while crossing his arms. Momo ears dropped a bit before chattering at Sokka, maybe an apology?

" Sokka, quite blaming Momo for your weirdness." I said, after tying the knot with the white bandage. " Get the last bag, I have a weird feeling that something bad is gonna happened." 

" Like what?" Katara asked, looking to me with a raised eyebrow. 

" I have no idea but something is, I can feel it in the air."

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3rd person pov:

Iroh takes a sniff of the air, and exhales a bit, " There is a storm coming. A big one."

" You're out of your mind, uncle." Zuko disagreed quickly, walking towards his Uncle. " The weather is perfect. There's not a cloud in sight." The sky and weather is perfect, no clouds, no change in the air. Maybe his uncle was getting too old to tell anymore? Plus, they were on a mission, the weather never bothers them too bad anyway.

" A storm is approaching from the north." Iroh repeated, " I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

" We know the Avatar is traveling northward." Prince Zuko said, pointing to the north. " So we will do the same." He was firm on his decision and no bad weather would get in his way this time.

" Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew." Iroh tried again, this time bring up the lives of the others here on the ship. 

" The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Prince Zuko snapped harshly, growing annoyed with his Uncle's constant babbles about the weather. He turns just to see Lieutenant Jee walk up from the inside of the ship with a raised eyebrow. " Finding the Avatar is far more important than any indivual's safety." The Prince said, walking towards the Lieutenant with a scowl, staring him in the eye before walking back into the ship. Silently, the Lieutenant glared at his retreating figure as Iroh hurried to the Lieutenant's side. " He doesn't mean that. He's just all worked up since his friend left the ship." Iroh explained. He's just having a hard time, I'm sure everything will be back to normal.

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" It's good. It's perfect, I'm telling you!" The lady behind the food stand repeated over and over again to Katara. She shakes the melon and swish sounds came from it, making Mirza wrinkle his nose a bit. Was swishing good?

" I don't know if I like the sound of that swishing." Katara said, giving the melon a wary glance. The lady huffed, and walked around her stand and towards Katara. " Swishing means it ripe. It's the ripe juices wishing around, huh!" She explained as Aang perked up a bit, not knowing if it was good or not, but didn't want to annoy the woman any longer. " I think it's true, Katara." Mirza on the other hand didn't think it sound ripe, or good. " Swishing means it's ripe."

" I don't know, melons are usually ripe when they turn brown." Mirza said, looking at the melon in Katara's hands. It was a pale green color, " That one isn't even fully green yet." The stall woman scowls over to Mirza who looked away with a hum. 

" I just realized we're out of money, anyway." Katara said, giving a woman a guilty smile. The woman groans and yanked the basket out of Sokka's hands, she even kicked Sokka on the ass as he walked passed her. The group walked away from the lady and sigh together.

" Out of food and out of money." Sokka grumbled as he rubbed the spot he was kicked at." What are we suppose to do now?!"

" You could get a job, smart guy." Katara said.

" I could dance for money." Mirza offered the idea.

" We shouldn't go out there." A woman warned behind them, the group turns to an elderly couple there, the woman pulling on her husbands arm to stop him. " Please! The fish can wait. There's going to be a terrible storm!" Aang gulps a bit, eyes widen a bit too at the mention of a terrible storm on it's way here. His nightmares were warning him about the storm.

" Aw, you're crazy!" The older man snapped back. " It's a nice day, no clouds, no wind, no nothing!" He gestures a sky behind them. " So quit your nagging, woman."

" Maybe we should find some shelter." Aang said, gripping onto his staff tightly, turning his knuckles whit a bit. I don't want to be caught in it again and freeze for another hundred years.

" Are you kidding? Shelter from what?" Sokka said, Mirza watching the sky for a moment. That must've been the weird feeling from this morning. Now that he thought of it, he could feel it coming soon and it felt huge. Maybe something in his bones were telling him. 

" My joints say there's going to be a storm," The older woman explained, " A bad one!"

" Well, it's your joints against my brain." The older man waves it off.

" Then I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish," The older woman crossed her arms with a frown. " Cause I ain't coming!" 

" Then I'll find a new fish hauler." The fisher man countered back. " And pay him double what you get! How'd you like that?" He huffed as Sokka ran towards them, with a smile.  " I'll go." He raised his hand and the fisherman pointed at him. " You're hired." Mirza sighs, there goes Sokka, getting into danger without realizing it, again. " Sokka, you're gonna get hurt." Mirza said, moving forwards and placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder who looked back to him.

" Mirza, we need the money, plus it would be good just to get away from you guys. You and your mothering too." Mirza frowns, slapping the back of Sokka's head. " See, mothering and abuse. Plus, he said he was paying double." He gestures to the old man.

" Double? Who told you that nonsense?" The fisherman said, like he didn't say it a few seconds ago.

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On the horizon was the storm Iroh was warning about, large black and grey clouds slowly rolling in and covering half the sea in a darkness. The crew stood on the deck, watching the clouds and once Prince Zuko came out, Lieutenant Jee turns and said, " Oh. Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all." He pointed out  as Iroh came walking out, hoping to defuse the possible situation between his nephew and crew.

" Lucky guess."

" Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect," Prince Zuko snapped, his gaze turning cold and hands warming up. He stalked towards him and stood there, glaring and sneer coming across his pale lips. "Or I will teach it to you." Hoping he gotten the message, he began walking away but Lieutenant Jee wasn't finished.

" What do you know about respect?" The Lieutenant snapped back, glaring at the Prince's back. The crown Prince stops and waited, hands getting warmer and warmer. " The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed Uncle, show's you know nothing about respect." Iroh panicked, and then rubbed his forehead out of resignation, knowing everything was too far to take back now.  " You don't care about anyone but yourself. Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled Prince? Heck, even your only friend on here, the water tribe boy had more respect for us than you ever showed. No wonder he left, he couldn't stand to be around you. Some spoiled little brat. What a lucky boy."

Prince Zuko stood there for a second before turning sharply and gotten in fighting position. Lieutenant Jee does it right back, getting prepared to fight.

" Easy now." Iroh started just as their wrist clink together as they blocked , smoke coming from Zuko's hands but before anything could happened, Iroh yanked their arms away from each other. " ENOUGH!" Iroh started, glancing at the two. He expected a lot worst from Zuko. A lot worst. " We're all a bit tired from being at sea so long." He hides his hands in his sleeves and sighs, " I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

No one said a word, just a stare off before Lieutenant Jee walks off along with the crew and Zuko turns to stare at the sea. " I don't need your help keeping order on my ship." Zuko said bitterly, Iroh moved forwards and gently placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder but the Prince shoved it off harshly before taking a few steps forward. Iroh felt hurt of the action but couldn't help but call out to his nephew. 

" He didn't mean it, Mirza enjoyed his time on here with you." Iroh called out, frowns a bit, as Zuko ignored him.

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" Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea." Aang said, watching the sky worriedly as it gotten darker. It just reminded him of that day. " Look at the sky." It looked like it was gonna rain any minute now.

" I said I was gonna do this job." Sokka replied as he carried a net for fish. " I can't back out just because of some bad weather." He walked down the stairs into the ship as Aang gave another worried glance at the sky. He had a bad feeling about this.

" The boy with the tattoos has some sense." The woman started, " You should listen to him."

" Boy with tattoos?" The fisherman muttered as he stood up from his position and turns towards Aang. " Airbending tatoos." Mirza looked from the sky as the fisherman walked closer towards them, " Well, I'll be a hog monkey's uncle. You're the Avatar, aren't you?"

" That's right." Katara beamed with Aang who gave the fisherman a weak smile.

" Well, don't be so smiley about it." The fisherman snapped and both of them deflated at the harsh attuide. " The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years! You turned your back on the world." He shoved his finger against Aang's chest and Mirza took a step closer, pulling Aang against him, snapping before Katara could. " Don't you yell at him! Despite his biological age, he's still a child!"

" Aang would never turn his back on anyone either!" Katara added to the argument. 

" Oh, he wouldn't, huh?" The fisherman raised an eyebrow, scratching his beard in fake thought. " Then I guess I must have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering." Aang gulped and tried to ignore the old man but his words just rang in his head, he was right, Aang did turn his back on people, a lot of people. 

" Aang is the bravest person I know." Katara snapped, glaring at the old man. " He has done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him." Mirza nodding, glaring at the old man too. " Yeah, plus you don't look around a hundred years old, ya old geezer-Aang?" he airbender slipped from his grasp and he turns around to see Aang flying from the scene. 

" Aang?" Katara called out but he was gone from the scene. 

" That's right! Keep flying!"

" You're a horrible old man!" Katara huffed as she hurried towards Appa, Mirza shoved the old man a bit as he hurried after her. " Appa, Yip, Yip!" Katara said, holding the reigns and flying bison takes off, wetting the Fisherman.

" Hey! They left me!" Sokka exclaimed just as he came up, watching Appa take off.

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After an hour leaving from the docks, rain began and it was hard to see. Mirza halfway covered his face with his hand as Katara drove them, Appa grunting in displeasure when the rain began. He couldn't see a thing, it was just getting worst for his eye. " Do you see anything?" Mirza asked, as he heard thunder boom somewhere behind them, far. Before Katara could say no, she turns head to see a figure dressed in orange and yellow. " Y-Yeah, I do!" She said, turning the reigns towards the direction of the figure.

Once they landed, Mirza hurried off, almost slipping on the water and entered the cave and Katara follows behind him. Mirza shakes the water off and reigning it out of his dark locks.

" I'm sorry for running away." Aang said, not getting up from his kneeling stance. 

" It's okay. That fisherman was way out of line." Katara replied softly.

" Actually, he wasn't." 

" What do you mean?" Mirza asked, taking a step closer towards Aang who looks to him, sadly then at the floor. " I don't want to talk about it." Mirza moved over, crouching down a bit, " It has something to do with your nightmares, huh?" Aang doesn't reply and Mirza moved his hand over Aang's head and settled it right there. " Talk to me, buddy." Aang looked to Mirza, who gives him a soft smile. He's so warm, sometimes I forget that he's a firebender at all.. and that smile reminds me of Gyatso.

" Well, it's kind of a long story." Aang said, and flinched when Momo and Appa made their way into the cave. Appa pressing his nose against Aang's temeple and groans. Katara smiles before standing up, " I'm gonna try and get a little fire going." She announced as she walked farther into the cave as Aang rubbed under Appa's chin. Mirza moved back as Appa crawled inside and curls against the wall. Once the fire was started and began burning, the three moved around it. Momo snuggling into Aang's lap.

" I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." Aang started, keeping his gaze down to the dirt ground, like he was slowly remembering every piece of that day. It was hard for him to remember it since it was so painful. So messed up. He was quiet for a moment.

Mirza noticed this and moved his hand forwards, gently giving Aang's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. " Take your time."

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" I'm sick of taking his orders, and I'm tired of chasing his Avatar." Lieutenant Jee complained to the other crew members around him. " I mean, who does Zuko think he is?"

" Do you really want to know?"

" General Iroh, we were just-" Jee's tone changed into a respectful one and stood up from his seat to bow or beg for his life. " It's okay." Iroh said as he climbed down the stairs, carefully not to fall down. " May I join you?"

" Of course sir." Iroh smiled as he walked down towards them, carefully sitting down on a wooden box and stroked his beard wise smile on his lips. "Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much." Iroh began the story of their Prince Zuko.

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Young Prince Zuko walks towards the entrance doors of the meeting between the Fire Lord and his generals. He tries to follow through but the guard steps in his path, making the young Prince grumble. " Let me in!" Zuko demanded but the guard kept quiet . A hand on his shoulder makes him take a step back and he turn towards his Uncle. " Prince Zuko, what's wrong?" Iroh asked, turning his nephew towards him. 

" I want to go into the war chamber,  but the guard won't let me pass." Zuko explains quickly. He allows his uncle to turn him away and began walking away from the guards. " you're not missing anything. Trust me." Zuko frowns a bit, " These meetings are dreadfully boring."

" If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko said, hopefully his Uncle would understand. He is the Prince of the Fire Nation, soon to be the Fire Lord of his Nation. Iroh stared at him for a second.

" Very well, but you must promise not to speak." Iroh said, glancing at the man walking passed them. " These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?"

" Thank you, Uncle." Zuko bows to his uncle as he thanks him before Iroh leads them into the meeting room. It was hot, of course and a bit stuffy but Zuko didn't care at the moment. Finally, he would see first hand of what he would be dealing with when he becomes FireLord. He was trying to keep himself calm, trying to relax himself as he sat down in his seat. The meeting began with one general talking about the Earth Kingdom and how to break down their pitiful defenses. 

" The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here," Buijing said, pointing to the map of the Earth Kingdom. "A dangerous battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the 41st division." He pushed another piece towards the earth nation pieces. 

" But the 41st is entirely new recruits." Another olderman commented, " How'd you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

" I don't." Buijing smirked, " They'll be used as a distraction. While we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?" Everyone seemed onboard with the idea, until a young voice pipped up.

" You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" Prince Zuko exclaimed, " Those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?!" Many of the generals shared a displeased look as they heard their Prince reject the very idea of that plan.

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" Zuko was right, you see?" Iroh explained to the crew, stroking his beard a bit. " But it was not his place to speak out, and there were dire consequences."

The rest of the crew were quiet.

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" So, you were upset that you were the Avatar? Why wouldn't you be excited about it?" Katara asked, watching as Mirza poked at the fire to keep it breathing.

" Yeah, I would've been so pumped, being the Avatar, and being able to waterbender for real or airbend." Mirza said, as he glanced at the boy who sighs.

" Well, I didn't know how to feel about it, All I knew was that after I found out, everything began to changing." Aang said, as Mirza hummed in responce, wincing as there was a loud boom outside and his thoughts drifted towards his friend. Oh Sokka, you better come home alive or I'll skin you alive..

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" After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him." Iroh explains a bit about the aftermath of the outburst. " He said challenge against the general was an act of complete disrespect ! And there was only one way to resolve it." His gaze turns sad and down to the floor, remembering that day, the smell of burning flesh of his nephew and his scream of pain. 

" Agni Kai. A fire duel." Jee finished for the older man.

" That's right. Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid, but Zuko misunderstood." Iroh explained, " When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general."

Young Prince Zuko stood up from his kneel position, the cloth that was once on his back flutters behind him and onto the arena floor. He quickly turns, hands lifted into fighting position but when the opponent rinsed and turns, his arms went to his sides and eyes wide in shock. His heart beating faster and faster, stomach dropping and horror replaced the confidence he once had.

" Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room,  it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected." Iroh said, flashbacks of that day happening but he kept talking. " Zuko would have to duel his own father."

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" Wow, the airbender leaders are such...wow." Mirza whispered, horrified that they tried to separate Aang from the one person who was practically Aang's father for so-called good reasons. The monk who raised him, was going to be ripped away from him because he wanted Aang to be a kid, even when war was on the rise. 

" That's awful Aang, I don't know what to say." Katara said, she moved to put her hand on his shoulder but Aang stands up abruptly, walking away. " How could they do that to me? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" Aang cried out as wind blew around them, sending cinders from the fire towards them a bit. Mirza covered his face a bit as Katara leans back.

" Hot cinders!"

Aang calms down after a second and sits back down, " I'm sorry I got so mad." He apologized as Mirza shrugs, " I would've been in the same boat like you, but I would've blown up if I was separated from Katara and Sokka." Mirza said, moving closer to the Airbender, rubbing his back a bit. 

" You have a right to be angry after the monks sent you away like that." Katara said.

" Well, that's not exactly what happened." Aang said, eyes glancing away from the two. Going on the next memory he had last before waking up, how he ran away from the temple, there was a huge storm and then him and Appa falling into the ocean where he first activated the Avatar state and iced them into a huge iceberg. "..then I wake up to you guys, then here we are.." Aang drifted off.

" You ran away.."

" And then the Fire Nation attacked out temeple. My people needed me, and I wasn't there to help."

" You don't know what would have-"

" The world needed me, and I wasn't there to help."

" Aang-"

" The Fisherman was right. I did turn my back on the world." Aang snapped, closing his eyes a bit with a scowl, his words echoing still. " You're being to hard on yourself." Katara said, " Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be."

" If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other airbenders." Mirza finished, Katara nodding along. " I mean, you are a child, against a whole army, with the Avatar state, you would still die. One against wagons filled of Fire benders."

" You don't know that." Aang disagreed.

" No way, no doubt you would've died, but you're here now where everyone needs it most. You give everyone hope." Mirza said, nudging Aang a bit who looked to him. " Plus, I think you were meant to be here, with us, and this nice fire. We would've been stuck at the South Pole if it weren't for you and Appa." Aang slowly cracks a small smile and looked at the fire.

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" When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy." Iroh told the crew who were on the edge of their seats listening, they all knew the outcome of the story since Prince Zuko would be forever scared with it.

Prince Zuko was planted down, his feet refused to move and eyes wide as Ozai, his father, began walking towards him slowly. Enjoying the look of horror on his face most likely. " Please Father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I've spoken out of turn!" He stared to the floor, body shaking just a bit. 

" You will fight for your honor." 

Zuko fully goes down to his knees, crouching, arms forwards holding him up. " I meant you no disrespect." Zuko said, looking to his father. " I am your loyal son."

" Rise and fight, Prince Zuko." Ozai demanded.

" I won't fight you." Zuko bows his head onto the cold arena floor, eyes watering a bit.

" You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." Zuko slowly looked up to his father, begging him, hoping something or someone would stop him as tears slowly cascade his pale cheeks as his father stared down at him. Wishing his mother was here to help him, wishing someone would stop this! But no one came, as the blow went across his face.

"I looked away." Iroh said, eyes clenched as he remembered that day very well. Zuko's scream of pain ringing in his mind.

" I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Lieutenant Jee admitted, rubbing his nape a bit. 

" It was no accident." Iroh frowns, " After the duel, the Fire Lord said by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

" So that's why he's so obsessed." Jee muttered, everything was connecting now. " Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

" Things will never returned to normal,  but the important thing is, The Avatar gives Zuko hope." Iroh said, " While Mirza gives me hope."

" The boy?" One member said, " Why?"

" All throughout Zuko's life, his only friend has been Azula, and well, you know how she is. Just like her father, my brother." Iroh strokes his beard a bit, staring at the fire. " Zuko has never once made a friend by himself, or met another boy around his age other than the Avatar and the other water tribe boy he is traveling with. Mirza even calmed Zuko down, when he went too far and even pushed him a bit. Their relationship had started out odd, and still odd but I could tell, Zuko.." Iroh smiles a bit, " Enjoyed his company. Mirza gives me hope that Zuko is anything but my brother."

The boat shook as lighting strikes the top of the ship.

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Mirza stared at the entrance as lighting roared outside. " HELP! OH, HELP!" Katara rushed forwards, gently ushering her in. " It's okay, you're safe."

" But my husband isn't." She said, taking her hood off as they walked in. " What do you mean?" Katara asked worriedly, " Where's Sokka?"

" They haven't returned." She groans, " They should have been back by now and this storm is becoming a typhoon!" She sits down, rubbing her hands together as Mirza stands up along with Aang. " They're caught out at seat."

" I'm going to find them," Aang said, picking his staff up and Mirza nods. " Me too."

" I'm going with you." Katara said.

" I'm staying here!" The woman huffed, crossing her arms. Mirza rolled his eyes a bit, helping getting Appa up and sat in the saddle as Katara gotten in next to him and Aang flying them out into the rain. Mirza covered half of his face again and looked around with his good eye, trying to find anyone or a boat. The waves were getting bigger, out of control and the wind blowed in all sorts of directions which made it even hard to focus or see anything around them. " Do you guys see anything?" Mirza called, Katara looked around but nothing. 

" No! I can't see a thing." Katara said, " Where are they?" Mirza turns to look at her and gasped, " WOAH!" A huge wave build up in front of them, and about to crash into it. if it weren't for Aang using his staff to twisting it around and blowing water out of the way. Thunder boomed around them, and it ringed loudly in his ears a bit. " Crap." Mirza rubbed his temple as he kept looking until he saw a certain Prince's boat just below them. Mirza felt his heart drop as he stared down at them.

" LOOK! Over there!" Aang said, pointing towards the direction of the Fisherman's boat. Mirza was half-paying attention as he looked down at them, he could see Iroh, a couple crew members and Zuko. Mirza watched from his space on Appa, blue eyes looking down and golden ones captured his for a mere-moment before he lost sight of them as waves swarm around, getting larger and larger.

" What do you want to do, Sir?" Jee asked, waiting for his Prince's next orders. After a quiet moment he barely glances at Lieutenant Jee, eyes still locked on the flying animal as it gets away. 

"Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety." Prince Zuko orders, as Iroh nods agreeing though he saw Mirza riding with them, knowing Zuko wanted to get his men safe and knew the other was a bit, just a bit, happy to see his friend. " Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm."

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" I'm too young to die!"

" I'm not, but I still don't wanna!"

The boat rocks back and fourth, as wave after wave crashed against the small boat, rain and the mixture of thunder wasn't good as well. Much to their relief, Appa came down just a few feet above and floated there and Aang hops down to the boat to rescue both the older man and Sokka. Thunder boomed as the pole of the boat began falling down, Aang gasped before bending sharp streams of water upwards and the pole breaks in half. " Way to go Aang!" Mirza called out as the Airbender yanked the fisherman and Sokka onto the boat with a rope, they landed beside Mirza. 

" Hey, Mirza." Sokka grunts, as shakes the water off a bit. " Hey, SokkAAAAAAH!" Mirza began screaming as a huge wave came up from behind them, bigger than Appa, bigger than the one Aang had used his bending on. It was huge. Mirza panicked before noticing the ropes around Sokka and the fisherman, quickly grasping the rope, he yanked it, squeezing the fisherman and Sokka together, tying them to the saddle quickly as the wave began coming on them. Mirza moved, pulling Katara towards him as the wave came down on them. Mirza held onto the saddle as Katara moved her arms around his neck as they're bodies floated upwards. The fisherman and Sokka, tightly tied down to the saddle thanks to Mirza, but everyone was seconds away from drowning.

Until, Aang's Avatar state starts, his eyes glowing a soft white color along with is tattoos, air began surrounding them once more but instead of freezing it like he did once before, he began leading them up forwards in hopes of shooting out of the water. They did shoot out the water, right beside Zuko's ship, and Aang this time locked eyes with the Prince of the Fire Nation, who watched them ride away and out of the storm. Zuko watching them flee and not barking a word yet to the crew to follow them. 

" Uh, Sir?" Lieutenant Jee said as he walked to the Prince, a confused look on his face. Prince Zuko stared back, eyebrow raised. " What is it?"

" You have a necklace on your shoulder, Sir." The Lieutenant stated as Zuko looked to his shoulder to see a necklace had indeed fallen onto his shoulder. It wasn't there a few seconds ago. He moved, picking the wet necklace off his shoulder and held it up in front of him and saw the familiar craving of the symbol. 

" Mirza's necklace.." Zuko muttered, his thumb brushing over the Koi-fish detail in the stone.