When Worlds Collide: Book One, Water

I was dreaming.
I had to be. I mean... I thought I had already decided that I was in the Avatar world?
But there Cody was, looking right into my eyes.
“Sam,” he said, smiling.
I cocked my head to the side, unsure.
And then, she appeared. That blonde, Emily, who was making out with him that day. I guess I turned invisible to them or something, because all of a sudden they were making out heatedly. The heartbreak hit me again like it was fresh.
And then, they disappeared, leaving Zuko in their place. He hugged me, and I cried into his shoulder a bit. I calmed down enough to look up. My eyes met his, and then Zuko did something that shocked me.
He leaned down, like he was going to kiss me. Right before our lips touched, I was yanked away.
“How could you Sam?” Katara shouted.
Sokka just glared. “I knew it.”
“I thought we were friends,” Aang said, looking hurt. “I thought he was the enemy.”

I awoke with a start, my breathing harsh.
Running my fingers through my hair, I looked around my room, seeing I was alone.
What the heck? Why was I having dreams like this? And what was that with Zuko?
What. The. Heck.
I sighed, deciding that it would be impossible to go back to sleep. I got up and used my hair band thing to put my hair up in a sleek ponytail. Then I slowly mad my way up on deck.
There, I found Zuko training... shirtless.
I quickly averted my eyes, decided that the floor looked extra interesting today.
I went over to the wall, deciding to watch Zuko train, being careful as to not look at Zuko too closely.
After a while, the ship turned sharply, sending Zuko and the guy he was practicing with falling into the rail, and me tumbling after them.
“Someone’s changed our course,” Zuko said, starting to make his way up to the captains quarters. He pulled a training shirt on his way up, and I followed him.
“Um, Zuko,” I said.
He gave me a sideways glance, silently telling me to continue.
“Um... thanks for, you know, not leaving me on that island and bringing me back here,” I mumbled.
I thought I saw him smile, but I blinked, and it was gone.
Ugh. First my dream, now imaginary smiled... my mind’s messing with me.
“It was nothing,” he said. “It’s not like I could just leave you there, right?”
I smiled. “Yea, I guess.”
He slightly rolled his eyes, before we reached the door. Then, I could pretty much see his anger boil again.
“What’s the meaning of this mutiny?” he demanded, barging into the room. “No one told you to change course!”
“Actually, someone did,” Iroh said.
I looked and saw he was playing Pai Sho with some of the members of the crew.
“I assure you it is of utmost importance, Prince Zuko.”
“Is it something to do with the Avatar?” Zuko asked, suddenly interested.
“Even more urgent,” Iroh said, “it seems I-“ he sighed, seemingly embarrassed, “it seems I’ve lost my lotus tile.”
I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile.
“Lotus tile?” Zuko asked, looking confused.
“For my Pai Sho game. Most people think that the time is insignificant. But it is very important to my strategy.”
I chuckled, now sitting next to him, watching him play.
“You changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?” Zuko asked, bewildered.
“See?” Iroh said, looking up from the board. “You, like most people, underestimate it’s value. Just give me ten minutes to look through the merchants stuff in village. Hopefully, they’ll have to lotus tile in stock, and I can get on with my life.”
I smiled, shaking my head.
“No,” Zuko said. “This is stupid!”
“Oh come on, Zuko!” I said. “In my world, it doesn’t matter if you’re a prince. You have to listen to your elders.”
He glared at me, and I just gave him an angelic smile back.
He took a breath, and breathed fire out of his mouth.
“I’m so thankful to have such an understanding nephew like you,” Iroh said. “Which reminds me.” he turned to me. “We have some experimenting to do.”
My eyes widened. How could I forget about the whole ‘fire bending’ ordeal?

Two hours later, and zuko was threatening to throw me overboard.
“Just admit it!” he shouted. “You’re a fire bender.”
“No, I’m not! You guys are playing tricks on me,” I said stubbornly. “See? I’ll do the same exact thing, and I promise you, I’ll...,” I trailed off as the small fire ball flew from my hands, almost hitting a guy from the crew.
Zuko crossed his arms. “See? I was standing right here, not moving, and Uncle went for a nap half an hour ago.”
I chewed my lip. “I’m... a fire bender?” I asked myself.
Zuko rolled his eyes. “Finally,” he muttered.
“But... I’m from a different world! This stuff doesn’t exist where I’m from!” I panicked.
Zuko shrugged. “Maybe it does, it’s just that you people don’t practice it or something.”
I sat on the ground, confused. “But...”
Zuko sat down next to me. “You okay?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Zuko... when I came here, it was because an accident. I don’t know what happened to Nan and Pop, and I don’t know what my friends and family think. I was suppose to be gone for the summer, and now, I don’t think I’ll ever go back,” I said. “And now... I find out I’m a fire bender. And I’m starting to think that maybe the others weren’t crazy when they said I was a water bender.”
Zuko looked at me worriedly. “I’ve never heard of someone having two elements. Except the Avatar, who has four. But since you’re from a different world, maybe it’s different,” he said.
I nodded. “Yea. Maybe.”
He stood. “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand to help me up. “Let’s go to my room and have some tea.”
I smiled. “Tea? Turning into your uncle, are we?”
“Well,” he said, smiling also. “After a while, he starts to rub off on you.”
I laughed, and took his hand. He helped me up, then lead me off the deck, and into his room.
“So,” Zuko said, sitting at a table that already had a kettle of tea sitting on it. “Tell me about your world.”
I smiled, sitting across from him. “Well... it’s a lot different than this place. Instead of nations, we have countries, and continents. And we don’t have someone like the Avatar who keep peace with us or whatever. I mean, we have people who try to have world peace, like presidents, kings, queens... even hippies,” I said thoughtfully. I looked up and saw that Zuko’s eyebrow was raised. I chuckled. “It’s a lot different. I would need a while to explain it.”
Zuko shrugged. “We have time. And besides, if you don’t finish before we get to the dock, we can continue when we get back.”
His eyes locked with mine, and I had to look away, blushing. “Alright.”

Several hours later, I answered most of Zuko’s questions, though I knew that with each answer, there were more questions.
Now, we were standing on the shore, near the shops. Zuko looked mad, while Iroh was saying how he hadn’t found his lotus tile.
“Well, it’s good to know that this trip was a waist of time for everyone,” Zuko seethed.
I rolled my eyes at his temper.
“Quite the contrary,” Iroh says, “I always say, the only thing better than finding something you were looking for, is finding something you weren’t looking for at a great bargain!”
I laughed at all the soldiers walking by with their hands full of stuff.
“You bought a sungi horn?” Zuko asked, while a man walked by with an odd... thing.
“For music night on the ship,” Iroh said. “Now, if we only had some woodwinds...”
“Woodwind? Like a flute?” I asked, following Iroh and Zuko, back to the ship.
“Yes!” Iroh said. “Exactly like a flute.”
I grinned. “If I knew you were looking for that, I would’ve gone with you.”
“So you know how to play the instrument?” he asked.
“Kinda... I took band in 5th through 9th grade. But I quit because that was around the time my little brother was born, so I wanted to stay home instead of going to practices,” I explained.
“Excellent! Now we just need somewhere to find a flute...”
Zuko glared at me. “Why do you encourage him?” he asked.
I smiled. “Oh come on, Zuko! Lighten up. You know, where I come from, people say that music is the best medicine.”
He rolled his eyes. “Well, not here.”
“Oh, look!” Iroh said, pointing to a sip. “This place looks promising.”
Zuko huffed, but followed his uncle anyway.
On the ship, Iroh found a statue of... a monkey?
“Oh!” Iroh said. “That looks handsome! Wouldn’t that look magnificent in the galley?”
I chuckled.
“We lost the water tribe kids and the little bald monk she was traveling with,” a pirate said from behind us.
Zuko turned. “This monk,” he said, “did he have an arrow on his head?”
I laughed as Iroh imitated the little monkey statue.
Zuko and the pirates gave us odd looks, but we ignored them. I didn’t pay any attention to the men talking, instead helping Iroh look for things. After a while, Zuko tried dragging us out, Iroh insisted that he get the monkey and the silver flute that we found.
After we dropped off our items, Zuko, Iroh and I set off on the small boat, and we were next to the pirate ship, heading down the river. I was standing next to Zuko while he was talking to the captain.
“Shouldn’t we stop, and search the woods?” the pirate captain asked.
“We don’t need to stop,” Zuko said. “They stole a water bending scroll right? So they’ll be on the water.”
It was silent for a while.
“So,” I asked the pirate. “Have you ever heard of Captain Hook?”
He gave me a weird look, and Zuko shook his head. “Sam, go play Pai Sho with Uncle or something.”
“But.... eh, okay,” I said, and walked away.

Later that night, I felt the boat stop.
I left the sleeping Iroh, and went up on deck to see that Zuko and the pirates were leaving the ships.
“Zuko?” I called. “Where are you going?”
“No where,” he said, avoiding my eyes. “Why don’t you go to bed?”
I hesitated. “Yea... okay,” I said, and watched as he disappeared into the trees.
“No where my butt,” I muttered.