A/N – Okay, so, I should warn you. This story...well it sort of doesn't have a happy ending. I mean, Zutara fans will probably love it, but...Aang sort of...fails. The fire nation wins, so...sorry. I've written so many happy ending stories, this one just sort of came out. :-) Anyway, try to get enjoy it, despite the ending.
Anyway, it starts from, in Book One, the beginning of "The Waterbending Scroll" episode. It starts from Zuko's point of view.
The flames shot from my fist and towards the crewman I was practicing with. Suddenly, the ship lurched sideways; he and I were flung against the side of the boat. "Someone's changing our course!" I said irritably. I ran up to where the helmsman was. Iroh was there, playing Pai Sho with a few other crewmen.
"What is the meaning of this mutiny?" I flared at him, "No one told you to change course!"
"Actually, someone did." my uncle interrupted, "I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko."
"Is it something to do with the Avatar?" I asked hopefully.
"Even more urgent. It seems I-...I've lost my Lotus Tile."
"Lotus Tile?" I asked again, curiously.
"For my Pai Sho game." he explained, "Most people think the Lotus Tile insignificant. But, it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ."
"You've changed our course for a stupid Lotus Tile?" I said angrily.
"See, you, like most people, underestimate it's value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they'll have the Lotus Tile in stock, and I can get on with my life." he said, still playing his game.
I tried to control myself; it didn't work too well. My nose flared and flames sprung furiously from my mouth. Smoke filled the room and I heard my uncle say something about an "understanding nephew" sarcastically. He's just...such an idiot sometimes! It kills me, but I have to deal with it.
A few minutes later, I was lying on my bed, sulking. We were about a half hour away from the nearest port. Now I'd have to waste a day waiting for Uncle to find his stupid Tile.
I turned onto my side. I saw something blue sitting on my night table. "What is that?" I asked out loud, despite my being alone. I sat up and grabbed the blue object. I now saw that it was a necklace: a blue ribbon and a flat stone with a wave carved in it. It belonged to that Water Tribe girl. Katara.
I thought about her for the first time. I mean, really thought about her. Silky brown hair drawn back into a braid with two loops going from her forehead to the top of her braid. Deep, aqua blue eyes. She was beautiful...- wait? What am I saying? She's the Avatar's friend! I can't like her! But...even I had to admit it: Katara was pretty.
I put the necklace in my pocket and walked out onto the deck of the ship. "Would you like to practice some more, sir?" one of the crewman asked me. It was the one I'd been sparring with before.
"No, just...go wash the windows. I can hardly see through mine!" I answered irritably. I wasn't really angry; it was just more of a habit to yell at them. He bowed and walked away, not at all affected by my yelling. I guess they'd grown used to it after about three years.
I leaned against the side of the ship and looked out at the sea. Strangely enough, I was still thinking of Katara. It had me very confused now. She was my enemy, right? Yet...there was something about how she looked that gave me chills. However, it's not all about looks: I don't even know what she was like. Although her immediate hostility towards me tells me that she was loyal to Aang. But she would never be loyal to me. Not now that she knows I'm bent on capturing the Avatar. Now, I found myself wishing she would like me. Being in love with your enemy is mind-boggling.
Now, my uncle walked up beside me and also leaned on the rim of the ship. "Who are you thinking about? Mai?" he asked.
"No!" I snapped, "I'm not thinking about anyone!" Actually, I hadn't thought of Mai in years. Since she left. But, now that I've been thinking of Katara, Mai didn't seem as appealing as she one did. Besides, we'd probably grown apart by now.
Anyway, Uncle Iroh replied, "I've treated you as my own son since..." He trailed off and teared a bit, thinking of his dead son, so he went on, "Don't you think that I can tell what is on your mind? Don't you think I can read your eyes?"
I sighed. No use lying now; might as well come out with it. "I was thinking of the Avatar's water tribe friend, Katara." I said.
"I suppose this may give you mixed feelings." he said, and I nodded. "Love is a strange thing. Like lightening, you never know where, or on whom, it will strike. Yet, it is also the most beautiful thing in the world." Normally, his proverbs and saying annoyed me. But this one rang true. Love is strange, yet beautiful.
"Well..." I paused for a second. Well what? I thought. "Well...there's no use thinking about it now. We've got to be getting close to land, and I want to get this over with as quickly as possible." I was really done talking about it, and my uncle knew that. But, that was the great thing about my Uncle Iroh: he knew when I wanted to talk and when I wanted the subject dropped, but also when I wanted both, which was now. The subject didn't settle well with me. Although there was definitely more I wanted to discuss, part of me didn't like it. And Iroh understood that.
Anyway, I was right about being close to land, for not a moment later, the captain called out a "Land, ho!" and my uncle and I prepared some guards to come with us onto the port.