Summary: It was what children fear, what adults cannot see and what people did not want to understand. I, on the other hand, had to live in it; it was my tool and my alia, I will never be betrayed by it - but then again, I always asked how darkness could go against me.

I guess my wit and sarcasm is what got me into the mess that I'm in right now. Then again, maybe getting close to my mission was just what this world needed.

Reader x Zuko

Chapter One

The air was crisp and harsh; I shivered before wrapping my arms around myself waiting for the small ship to come into view. The flying Bison had passed only hours ago so the miniature Fire Nation ship could not be far behind it, or the Avatar. The ice beneath my feet shook with the ocean that surrounded it and I sighed looking up at the moon with tired eyes. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I slept a full night, lately I was only getting snips of rest because of the task I was on. As the smoke came into view I ducked behind a piece of ice and watched it float by slowly and by what the water was telling me there was only a few guards walking around.

Actually, I should probably explain the situation; you see I'm what is known as a 'Shadow,' my sisters and I were chosen and taken from our parents at birth and trained from a young age. Originally, there were four Shadows but when the Fire Nation killed off the air nomads there was no one left to be air Shadow which left only the three of us. I was the child taken from the Water Tribe, north or south I have no idea but I'd love someone to explain to me why I'm the one stuck following the banished prince. Kyden was the fire Shadow, so shouldn't this be her burden? No, of course not, she was off protecting the ex-Queen of her nation and I was stuck making sure the son wasn't killed. Tarin was luckily, she got to stay in her home land watching over the people and the corruption in Ba Sing Se. We all knew that the Fire Nation was in there working their way to victory and we were sent to make sure that did not happen.

So basically, the other two got to have a time in warm quiet places while I was freezing on top of a gigantic ice cube watching a temperamental teen. Then again, if I knew my parents, loved and respected them and then was abandoned I wouldn't be all that happy either I guess. As the ship moved directly under my ice-cliff, I closed my eyes and raised both my open hands before closing them and crossing my arms across my chest. I smiled at the sound of ice freezing and glanced behind the ice bolder to see the water and sides of the ship were frozen. The crew that was awake ran out and looked over the sides in curiosity; I sighed while twirling one hand to raise the water from the other side and then instructed it to freeze the four on the deck with my other. As fast as I could go, I slid down the side of the ice block and jumped so that I landed on the back of the ship unnoticed by the captain.

From my spot I couldn't see him in the control room but a door opened on the front and someone was yelling about what was going on. It was too easy, these people had no idea of the Shadows, so when I ran in the darkness of the ship into the door he came from I froze it shut. I needed to see something for myself, technically I was going against orders but I wanted to see it up close. As I was walking down the halls, I was dowsing the torches so I had cover if something went wrong with my spur of the moment plan. Honestly, I didn't consider myself human half the time, I wasn't a normal bender and I could use darkness for almost anything. All I had to do is find a dark corner, dive into it and I could anywhere I wanted as long as there was a shadow I could come from. I came to a door with the Fire Nation flag on it and opened it as quietly as I could with the help of water in the hinges. I was surprised to see that there was only one candle lit and it was on the bedside table, I couldn't fathom why he'd have one there while he slept.

Then again it was his element and any bender sleeps better with it close, except air nomads, who have their element everywhere. Well, they did before the Fire Nation put them into extinction. I sighed at the thought, it would have been so great to have the forth Shadow to help us with our tasks and who knew what fun we could have had. My thoughts drifted off as I looked from the candle to the sleeping teenager, we were of the same age but I was more trained then him. Mentally, emotionally and elemental-wise but I knew if I relied on only physical strength I was screwed, which was why I had my four small water spheres floating behind me. I was happy to see that he wasn't neatly as angry looking asleep as he was awake but the scar, what I came to see, was more then just angry. It was healed but just from looking at it I could tell it still caused Zuko pain, the skin around his eye was pink instead of dark tan color. A part of his eyebrow was missed as well and small stripes of his hair, it would never grow back because of the scaring skin.

I couldn't tell anyone why I did it but my hand almost had a mind of it's own when it touched the burned skin on his temper. Zuko's face had flinched almost as though it hurt him even though it should have but apparently, it was just him waking up. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't just think first but when our eyes met and he grabbed my hand screaming for his guards, I guess I panicked. So the next thing I knew, my hand was over the candle putting it out and then I disappeared from the room and ended up in an ice cave a few meters above the ship. May I add that I had a nice painful burn on my hand from putting out the small flame.

[ Back On The Ship ]

"Prince Zuko, are you sure you weren't just dreaming?" Iroh asked his nephew as they stood on the deck watch the four soldiers being unfrozen.

"It wasn't a dream, I was holding her wrist in my hand but when she grabbed the candle she got away." Zuko said glaring out at the water surrounding the stuck
ship, they were going to fall behind now. The Avatar was going to get a head start on getting to the Northern Water Tribe.

Iroh looked at his nephew with a puzzled gaze, "Though you said that she seem to just disappear from you grasp, not pull away? And how would she have gotten out
of your room without the guards or myself seeing her?" The torches were out but when the benders noticed they were lit almost instantly.

Zuko couldn't answer his uncles question, he couldn't understand it himself. He was also curious about what she was doing on their ship and what she wanted.
"Get the ship free, I want to be moving before dawn!" With that said the prince looked to his uncle before walking back to his room where he wanted to think.