Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to ATLA (though I wish I did)
Enjoy!
"Jinse."
I groaned.
"Jinse... wake up. It's almost noon." I felt a pillow fly into my side. Go away Zuko. I threw the pillow back at him, and sunk my head into my blanket. I smirked when I heard the gentle thud of the object against his form and the soft oof that escaped his mouth.
"Ten more minutes?" I asked.
"No."
"And why's that?" I scoffed.
"Because Uncle has lunch waiting for a certain firebender."
I shot up from my bed and attempted to shove Zuko to the side. I barely got him to lose his footing.
"Out of my way!"
"Hey!" He grabbed the collar of my night tunic just as I made it to the door, "At least get dressed first, you'll freeze out there on deck," he sighed. "For someone who's lived on a ship for the past three years, I'm surprised you don't know any better."
I crossed my arms over my chest childishly. "Fine, but just know that you could have been a gentleman and offered up your robe."
Zuko chuckled softly to himself and shook his head as he left my room, closing the door behind me. The sudden silence increased my desire to get dressed and leave the metal box I called a room. I found my long-sleeved maroon shirt to go under the red tunic I always wear and opted to pair them with some black pants. I threw on a thick dark purple cloak to keep me warm in the cold, arctic air. Without looking into the mirror, I pulled my wavy blonde hair into a quick messy bun. I grabbed my boots before rushing out the door, heading towards the deck of the ship to retrieve the breakfast Uncle Iroh supposedly had for me.
It had been months since our last lead, we were only down south again because we'd been everywhere else three times over. Zuko lost his temper so easily now, throwing tantrums every time a tip fell through. However, recently it seemed like he'd been happier. He'd even make a joke or two every now and then.
I turned the corridor and came out on deck to find Iroh sitting at his pai-sho table.
"Good morning Uncle! Is that roast duck!?" I asked eyeing the food on the table.
"Yes, it is! Good morning Jinse, although it's almost noon. Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, I-I'm f-fine! B-better than ever!" My teeth began to chatter as the winds began to pick up. Iroh looked at me with concern.
"You're shivering! Come here and have some jasmine tea with your duck, that ought to warm you right up."
"Thank you." What would I do without him?
Suddenly, a blinding blue light beam shot through the sky. A sigh escaped my mouth. I knew what would happen next. Zuko would get all riled up again and think we finally found the avatar, then he'd throw a fit and burn anything flammable he could find on the ship. And I thought today would be a calm day. Oh, how underestimated the effect the South Pole had on Zuko.
Almost immediately, I heard Zuko's voice ring through the air. "Uncle!" Zuko called as he ran over to us, "Uncle, do you realize what this means?"
"I won't get to finish my game?"
"It means my search— it's about to come to an end."
Iroh let out an unamused grunt.
"That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It must be him!"
I decided to pipe up, "Or, it's just the Southern Lights. We've been through here before, and you got excited last time as when you saw those as well. Remember? I just don't want you to get your hopes up for nothing. Okay Zu?" Zuko glared at me, probably upset that his best friend was arguing with him.
"Jinse is right Prince Zuko. Why don't you join us in sharing a nice cup of calming jasmine tea?" Iroh suggested. Zuko blew up at this.
"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the avatar! Helmsman! Head a-course for the light!"
My head dropped. This would never end. Zuko was sent to do the impossible all those years ago, and I was beginning to lose hope that I'd ever get off of this ship. I turned to face Iroh.
"Uncle? Do you think this will ever end, surely his banishment won't last forever? Zuko has changed, he's not the same person he once was. His obsession with finding the avatar is starting to scare me. Do you think Zuko will ever understand that this is not the path to his honor?" I stared into my tea, trying not to let the tears I was holding back fall from my topaz-colored eyes.
Iroh sighed.
"I do not know the answer to your question Jinse. But I do believe that Zuko will find his own destiny one day. He has been through so much, and yet the Zuko we all once knew is still somewhere inside of him. He is still very confused and hurt from his banishment, but he will overcome it. He is strong." Iroh smiled at me reassuringly with the last word. I stood up and bowed to him after finishing the meal.
"Thank you Uncle. I am going to ask Zuko if he'd like to spar with me. Thank you for the tea, it was lovely." His kind, wise words had restored my hope. Zuko would get through this, and I'd be there for him every step of the way.
I walked across the platform over to Zuko who was staring out at the iceberg infested waters.
"You don't need to do this Zuko." I said. He turned his head.
"I get that you don't believe in me, but you didn't have to oppose me in front of my crew like that. What will they think seeing a commoner like you arguing with me? How could they still respect me?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't reali-"
"Well think more clearly next time, or I'll leave you behind at the Southern Watertribe with those filthy peasants." He shot back.
"What? That's where we're going? I— I think we should turn back. We have no business going there anyway."
"What? Are you afraid of a few watertribe peasants? Jinse, I didn't see you as a coward."
I resisted pouting. I wasn't afraid of them, I feared what they would think of me. The Southern Water Tribe was the last place I wanted to be. I couldn't face them. Not again at least. Not while I wore the fire nation insignia.
Abandoning the idea of a sparring session with Zuko, I found myself sitting alone on my bed in our shared room. When I joined, it was either share a room with Zuko, or bunk with the crew. I didn't want to sleep in a room with a bunch of stinky, grumpy soldiers. Especially since I was 13 at the time.
My parents only agreed to let me come aboard because they knew that I'd be safe in the hands of Iroh, the esteemed general that almost conquered Ba Sing Se. It didn't hurt that they were good friends with the royal family. Convincing them wasn't as difficult a task as I had expected. Besides, since I was adopted at the age of 11, I don't think they ever really accepted me as their daughter. Although, I'd like to believe they still loved me.
I was cared for and given everything wanted during my two-year stay with them. I guess those are the benefits of living with a noble family, but I always felt disconnected from them. Maybe they pitied me. For all I know, my roots aren't exactly something to be proud of in the Fire Nation.
I didn't show it, but I was extremely nervous about returning to the Southern Water Tribe. Zuko wasn't aware, but this is where I grew up. This was my home. My real home. I was forcibly taken from here at a young age.
Saddened from reminiscing my past, I sank down into my covers and traced the twisting designs on the red fabric, distracting myself from the harsh memories. They were too strong to simply fade away overtime. I clutched onto my pillow as it all came back to me.
During the Fire Nation's last raid on the Southern Water Tribe, Yon Rha, the leader of the Southern Raiders, had been told that there was one water bender left in the South Pole. I knew who it was. It was the only other girl around my age in the Tribe: an 8 year old named Katara. I didn't know her very well, but I knew her brother, Sokka. He shared much with me, as did I with him.
Their mother, Kya, sacrificed herself to save Katara's life. What the Fire Nation didn't know when they came was that there was also a fire bender living in the Southern Water Tribe. That was me.
The Southern Raiders saw me, a young girl, fire bending (rather poorly) alongside a young Sokka and the other warriors fighting to protect the tribe. They came to the conclusion that I had been kidnapped by the Water tribe and decided I was out of place, that I shouldn't be living among "Water Tribe filth." So the Southern Raiders captured me and took me to the Fire Nation where I was adopted by a rich family, and became a firebending master. That's when I met Prince Zuko.
How I had come to find myself in the Southern Water Tribe isn't too far-fetched. My mother and father had met in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. My father was originally from the Northern Water Tribe. However, he relocated with some other tribesmen, including Sokka and Katara's grandmother, when he was young.
He and the other Southern Water Tribe warriors aided in the war effort there while my mother, a fire bender, was a refugee. She hated what the Fire Nation had become and how it had affected its own people in such an impoverishing way, so she fled. My parents fell in love and my father stopped fighting in the war. Instead, they travelled for a while on their own, having adventures I could only ever dream of. My mother passed away during childbirth, just two years after they married. I was brought to the Southern Water tribe as a newborn baby. I don't know what became of my father since I was captured. He probably joined back up with Hakoda who, last I heard, is still fighting in the war.
I hadn't seen anyone from the Southern Water Tribe in 5 years, and I wondered if anyone would recognize me.
I felt the ship slow to a halt, and Zuko walked into my— well, our— room.
"We're here." I could tell he had let go of his resentment towards me, and had refocused his thoughts onto finding the avatar. I longed to stay behind, but knowing Zuko, it was likely he'd harm helpless civilians in his search.
I quickly put on my armor— very similar to Azula's — and walked with Zuko out to the deck of the ship, tucking my bun into my helmet. How I hoped to go unrecognized by the tribe. I couldn't bear such confrontation.
As the bridge dropped, my eyes fell on a single warrior pointing a spear towards Zuko and me. He was young, just a boy in fact. He wore a wolf helmet and white furs were draped along his shoulders and back.
This was the Southern Water Tribe's only defense against the Fire Nation.
This was Sokka.
Sokka. My friend. My heart began to pound against my chest, and my stomach swirled with nausea. He looked so much more mature, yet he still had that familiar childish glint in his eyes. I felt Zuko's hand press against the small of my back, pushing me forward, towards him.
"Stop!" Sokka cried, raising his spear towards Zuko and me. His eyes flickered over to my form, we made eye contact and I saw recognition flash through his baby blue orbs. He lowered his spear a bit, distracted.
"Jinse?" He shuddered. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, thinking himself mistaken. He ran forward, spear in-hand and gave a war-cry. Due to Sokka's lack of experience in fighting, Zuko was able to kick him in the chest, knocking him backwards into the snow rather easily.
I ran towards Zuko and gripped his arm tightly. Seeing him hurt someone I used to care for so deeply was too much for me to bear.
"Zuko!" I cried, "Do not hurt these people. Just get the avatar and then we can leave. Peacefully," I hissed through gritted teeth. The only response I got was an exasperated sigh. He did not enjoy it when I opposed him, yet he went along with whatever I said. While Zuko began to interrogate the villagers, I hurried over to Sokka to help him out of the snow. I knelt down by his side.
"Are you okay?" I asked, putting a hand on his back, the other took his hand. He snatched his hand away from me, shooting up from the ground and pointing his spear at me.
"Get away from me, you filthy fire rat!" He spat, although it seemed a bit uncertain. I raised my hands up to show I meant no harm and slowly took a few steps toward him, even if I was a bit hurt from his harsh words.
"Sokka... it's me. Jinse," I said quietly as I took my helmet off. My hair fell out of its bun and my long blonde hair fell elegantly over my shoulders. I hoped he would remember this unique aspect about me. I was, to my knowledge, the only person with a hair color such as this. I was never told why, but I suspect an answer is out there.
Sokka looked stunned, as if he'd seen a spirit. He dropped his spear and started over towards me.
"Jinse, I—"
Just then, I heard screams coming from the villagers and hurried over towards them. Just as Zuko was about to send another fire blast their way, I intervened.
"Zuko! Stop! You promised me you wouldn't hurt them!" I deflected his attack and sent a blast of fire back towards him, just barely missing his head. A warning shot. I would defend my people if need be. Even from my best friend.
"I never promised you anything. Why are you defending them?" He spat.
"I-"
Suddenly, I was knocked off my feet. I looked up to see Zuko meeting the same fate, falling head-first into the snow. There, next to Zuko, was a strange young boy with blue tattoos and orange clothing sitting on a… penguin?
I had not expected today to go like this. I really could have used those ten extra minutes of sleep.
Please review if you enjoy the story so far, it's definitely a writing motivator 3