When Worlds Collide: Book One, Water

Later that evening, Zuko, Iroh and I went out for a ride on one of the rhinos.
“Where are we going?” I asked for the seventh time.
Zuko sighed. “I told you. I got a tip on where the Avatar was.”
“But... don’t you think that he would already be gone? I mean, after Kyioshi, wouldn’t he, like, not stop anywhere for more than a day?” I said, hoping that we could just go back to the ship.
Even though he was sitting behind me, I knew he was rolling his eyes. “I know you’re friends with him and everything, but right now, I don’t really care.”
I pouted. “Why can’t you be nice?” I asked jokingly.
“Because ‘nice’ isn’t in my vocabulary,” he joked back.
Iroh chuckled. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you two had been friends for many years, not hours.”
I smiled. “It doesn’t always take years to build friendships, you know,” I chuckled.
“That is true...,” he said, “but I never would have thought that Price Zuko would befriend someone so quickly.”
I turned in my seat to face Zuko, who had a faint blush on his cheeks. “Awe,” I said in a baby voice, while pinching his cheeks, “is the widdle Fire Prince embawas?”
He raised his eyebrow, and shook his head. “I think you should go back to singing off key,” he smirked.
“Well, fine!” I said, playfully glaring. I then proceeded to sing Justin Bieber’s Baby.
“No! I didn’t actually mean-!”
“WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN. I HAD MY FIRST LOVE,” I screamed, drowning out Zuko’s voice. “THERE WAS NOBODY WHO-“
Zuko’s hand went over my mouth, muffling the terrible noises coming out of it. I laughed into his palm, before licking it.
His hand disappeared instantly. “Ew, gross!” he said.
“Ugh, you’re telling me,” I said, spitting onto the ground. “Seriously, when was the last time you washed your hands?”
He sighed. “If this is how everyone else in your world acts, I never want to go there...,” he muttered.
“We’re not all like this... only a select few, called American Teenagers. You will never see another creature like us,” I said proudly.
“That’s a relief,” I heard Iroh say under his breath.
I laughed.
“Shh!” Zuko shushed me. “We’re at the village. We have to be quiet so no one suspects us.”
We arrived at a door, and Zuko slid off the rhino, walking over to the door. As if on cue, the door opened, and a man walked out.
“Having trouble sleeping?” Zuko more said, than asked. Then he pushed him into the house that the man had just left. “Seen the Avatar lately?”

After the man told Zuko everything we went back to the ship.
Zuko demanded his men to set sail. Into the Fire Nation waters.
I was standing on deck with Iroh and Zuko. I was off into the corner, silently praying that Zuko would change his mind, or something.
“Sailing into Fire Nation waters,” Iroh said. “In all the foolish things you’ve done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!”
My eyes widened at his tone. He sounded so angry...
“I have no choice Uncle,” Zuko answered curtly.
“Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?! What if you’re caught?” this last sentence was said with so much care, my eyes even watered a bit.
“I’m chasing the Avatar! My father will understand my coming home,” Zuko said softly.
“You give him too much credit,” the General said, “my brother is not the understanding type.”
Zuko looked at him, but then turned back to his telescope.
I chewed my lip. “Zuko?” I asked.
He ignored me, but I continued. “I-I know I probably shouldn’t have any say in this... but... Iroh’s right. The Fire Lord...you know how he can be,” I said softly.
He turned to me, glaring. “You’re not even from this world. How would you know anything?” he demanded.
I winced, and took a step back. “I know a lot of things,” I told him, finding confidence in my voice. “I even know how you got that scar,” I whispered, but it was loud enough for him to hear. I looked into his eyes, seeing shock and confusion in them. He opened his mouth, but no noise came out.
“I’ll be in my room,” I told them, and left without another word.
As I was walking out, I heard Zuko’s voice. “Helmsman,” he said, “full steam ahead.”

Half an hour later, I heard shouting up on deck.
Curious, I slowly made my way down the hall, and opened the door to reveal Zuko shooting a fire ball into the air. I looked up, and gasped when I saw Appa up in the sky.
“Zuko! Stop,” I pleaded.
He turned, and his gaze softened a little. Then he shook his head, and turned back around, deciding to ignore me.
I moved over to Iroh, who was standing alone.
“A blockade,” I head Zuko say.
I looked up and saw a huge line of ships.
Great...
“Technically, you are still in Earth Kingdom waters,” Iroh said thoughtfully, “turn back now, and they cannot arrest you.”
“Wait, arrest?” I asked, looking fearfully at the ships.
“He’s not turning around!” Zuko said.
“Because he’s what we call ‘suicidal’!” I said.
“Please, Prince Zuko! If the Fire Nation captures you, there’s nothing I can do,” Iroh pleaded. “Do not follow the Avatar.”
Zuko looked down for a moment, and then he looked at me. At first I thought that Iroh’s speech had actually gotten to him.
Then he said, “I’m sorry Uncle. Run the blockade!”
I groaned, sliding down against the wall.
Suddenly fire balls were falling from the sky. I screamed as the boat rocked back and forth. Once, I almost fell overboard, but Iroh grabbed my hand at the last minute. A few tears ran down my face, and I hugged Iroh, terrified of the water that was washing up on the ship.
He pulled me over to safety, and stayed with me.
“Sir!” I heard a man call to Zuko, “the engines are damaged! We need to stop, and make repairs!”
He turned. “Do not stop this ship,” he ordered.
We watched as Aang and the others made it past the ambush, and I silently cheered in my head.
That is, until I saw the ships ahead.
“We’re on a collision course!” Iroh said, still holding me close, since I would let go of him, too afraid.
“We can make it!” Zuko said confidently.
Right as we approached, the threatening ships suddenly stopped, and let us through. I kept my eyes shut tight the whole time.

After a while, Zuko set off in another, smaller boat, telling Iroh to keep heading North.
“Wait!” I called, stopping him.
He looked back, raising his brow.
“I... I want to come with you,” I said.
“Why?” he asked doubtfully.
“Because... because all my friends in this world are in danger,” I said. “And I can’t loose you... and them.”
He thought about it, before finally nodding. “Fine... but you have to listen to everything I say.”
I nodded. “Deal.”
And we were off.

Once we arrived on the crescent shaped island, we went as quietly as we could into the little building.
We made to the stairs when Zuko turned to me.
“I want you to stay here,” he told me.
“What? Why?” I asked.
“This could be dangerous, and... I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he said, his cheeks turning a slight crimson.
I chewed my lip. “But... Commander Zhao...,” I said.
“What? What about him?” Zuko asked. “He’s following the ship, he doesn’t know we’re here.”
“But...,” I trailed off, not wanting to give away anything.
Zuko took hold of my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “I promise you’ll be fine. I wouldn’t have let you come if I didn’t think you would be.”
I mashed my lips together. “Fine,” I whispered.
He gave my shoulders a tight squeeze before disappearing.
A few moments later, I heard a commotion. I wanted so badly to go up there, but I stayed frozen in place. Another second, and I saw Zuko start to come down the stairs, Aang in his grasp.
My eyes widened, and they briefly met the monks. He looked at me questioningly before doing some Air Bending move and pushed Zuko down the stairs.
He motioned for me follow him, and I made a move to go up the stairs, but Zuko grabbed my hand, holding me back.
Aang didn’t notice as he ran back up.
“Sam...,” Zuko trailed off, looking at me. “Please, stay here.”
I looked away from the top of the stairs, and looked into Zuko’s begging eyes. Nodding, I stepped back.
He sighed, and ran back up, following my friend.
I stood there for a few minutes, thinking.
Why was I making promises to Zuko? Why don’t I just go up there and help Aang, Sokka and Katara? Why was I standing here like an idiot? I had my fans. That Suki had given me. I knew the basics. Why wasn’t I helping?
Nodding to myself, I started up the stairs. I made it to the third step before someone grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth. My eyes widened, terrified. However, I didn’t make a move to struggle.
“Well,” I heard. “Look what we have here.”
I looked, and saw Commander Zhao walk out of the shadows.
He studied me before saying, “A friend of the Avatars, I’m guessing?”
I glared.
“Tell me. What’s your name?” he asked, nodding.
The hand disappeared from my mouth, allowing me to speak, although I remained silent.
“Oh, come now!” Zhao continued. “Surely you can tell me that one little detail.”
“A simple fact can lead to a life story,” I said curtly, meeting his hard eyes.
“Feisty,” he said chuckling.
I glared.
“Come,” he said, motioning to his men, “we can use her to our advantage.”
I forced up the stairs, struggling the whole time. They also stuffed a rag in my mouth so I couldn’t shout for help.
The first thing I saw was Katara and Sokka, although they had yet to see me. Then I saw Zuko, talking to a group of men.
I wasn’t listening, so I jumped when Zhao started clapping, gaining us the attention of everyone in the room.
“What moving, and heart felt performance,” he said.
Zuko, Katara, and Sokka’s eyes landed on me.
“Sam! You’re okay!” Katara said gleefully.
“Well, kinda,” Sokka said, noticing the rag.
Zuko glared at Zhao. “Let her go!” he demanded.
Zhao raised an eyebrow, then looked at me. “Friends with the Avatar and the banished prince I see,” he snarled. “What’s wrong? Can’t make up your mind?”
I glared, insults forming in my head.
Zhao turned to the others. “Two traitors in one day. The Fire Lord will be pleased.”
As he said this, a soldier took hold of Zuko.
“No!” I tried to scream, but it sounded strangled.
Zhao chuckled darkly. “Having feelings for the traitor, are we?” he asked, glancing at me.
Katara and Sokka looked at me oddly. “Sam...?” Katara asked.
I looked at the ground, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.
Eventually, Zuko and I were tied up to a pillar with chains, across from the Water Tribe siblings.
The rag was removed, but I was still silent.
I refused to look at anyone, studying the floor instead.
Soon, the room started to glow a bright blue, and I knew that soon Aang would be coming out of the room.
“Ready!” Zhao shouted.
I looked up at the opening door, and saw two glowing orbs.
“No! Aang!” Katara yelled, and I saw Sokka begin to struggle.
“Fire!” Zhao yelled.
“No!” I screamed.
They shot fire, and from the flames, we could see Avatar Rokku.
He pushed the flames back, and the heat melted the chains. Zuko immediately took off, but stopped when he noticed I was froze in place.
“Come one Sam,” he said, tugging at my hand.
I shook my head, staring at the chaos taking place.
He sighed, before lifting me up, carrying me bridal style out of the collapsing building.
I was in a daze the whole way back to the ship. I didn’t even notice when Zuko brought me to my room and tucked me in.
Before he closed the door, he turned back.
“Goodnight Sam.”