Okay, let's see...Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs strictly to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and a few characters that aren't familiar. Now, this story takes place before Book 2, because those were my favorite times. I'm only putting the disclaimer in this chapter, so I don't have to waste your time. Now, that that's done, let's get on with it, shall we? Well, I don't care about your decision, because I'm going on anyway.
Normal P.O.V.
Upon the deck of a Fire Navy ship in the middle of the ocean, sat a sixteen year old girl. She sat cross legged, and had her hands rested on her knees. Her breath was steady and her eyes closed. She was at total peace. That is, until the door burst open and a sixteen year old boy stormed out.
"I cannot believe he wants to stop for something so stupid!" He raged. The girl opened an eye and sighed.
"What does your Uncle want now?" The girl asked standing. She stretched her legs and then the rest of her body. The setting sun behind her gave her a slight goddess like glow. If one looked at her, they would note that she wasn't unpleasant to look at. She had long, straight, dark brown hair that she kept in a pony tail, with a thick strip covering the left half of her face and it fell just below her chin. She had light skin, dark golden eyes, and a warrior built body. She looked at her hot-headed friend.
"He wants to get another lotus tile, Rina. Apparently, someone," Zuko looked at her to make his point, "Decided to throw it overboard. Again!" His friend, Rina (A/N: Ree-na), smiled sheepishly.
"Hehe..oops." Was all she could say.
"Yeah. 'Oops.' We're stopping tonight, because Uncle cannot wait." He informed. Rina rolled her eyes and stood. A slight wind picked up and Rina's skirt fluttered as well as her hair. She dawned a black pleated skirt, a black Chinese styled shirt (A/N: picture Zuko's from when he was letting his anger out on the deck of his ship during "The Blue Spirit") with red trim and clasps, black Fire Nation boots, black armor lined arm guards with a red trim at her upper arms, and silver, banded armor on the revealed part of her arms.
Zuko couldn't help but stare at Rina as she crossed the deck to the door. Then, he turned to the banister and leaned forward on it. He stared out into the horizon and thought about many things.
Rina wandered down the steps and then down the hall to her quarters. Once inside her candle lit room, she plopped down on her bed, which was a thick mat. Then she sat up and took off her arm guards and under armor. She took more time removing the left one, for she had a long scar on it. This scar started at her upper arm, twisted down, and ended at her middle finger, where there is no fingernail. After replacing her shirt, Rina walked over to her small table, and picked up a small bottle. Upon accomplishing that, she pulled out the stopper.
Once Rina had a decent amount of the solution in her hand, she began to massage it into her scar. It still pained her now and then, and she swore to herself that she would make Azula pay. She was grateful, though, that she could hide the scar under the arm guard. After a few minutes, the swaying of the ship made her drowsy. She laid down and quickly fell asleep.
Rina's Dream/Flashback
Up until Rina was 13, she lived in a large rebel village outside the Fire Nation. She had trained to become a master with wrist daggers, and she was a decent archer. Wrist daggers are daggers that protrude from the armor on, obviously, the wrists when triggered by the inner underside of the hand. But, now with her scar, her arm was less steady than it used to be when she held her bow. She was still aiming to be master firebending, and was now learning from Iroh.
She was on a mission instructed by her Father, whom was her village's leader. This mission was to infiltrate the Fire Nation palace and burn the plans to destroy a neutral Earth Kingdom city. Everything was going along smoothly until Rina encountered Princess Azula. She and Azula battled for about twenty minutes, until she lost her footing. Azula swung around and expelled a fire whip; the equivalent to the water whip. The whip wrapped around Rina's arm, and thus her scar was formed.
After Azula attacked her, Rina blacked out from the pain. When she woke up, she was in a dungeon cell. Her arm was wrapped in a bandage, and she couldn't think straight. Rina had heard someone come down the steps and she prepared herself for whatever was coming. She was surprised to see, not a guard, but the Prince. The prince came over to her cell door with a tray and observed her through the bars.
"If you're going to torture me or interrogate me, just get it over with." Rina snapped. The Prince looked taken aback. He placed the tray on the floor and slid it under the door through the space between the door itself and the floor.
"I wouldn't even dream of that." He responded.
"Yeah, alright..." Rina said. She looked curiously at the tray.
"It's Jasmine Tea. My Uncle made it. He said it would help with the pain. Something about the herbs..." Rina looked at it again and tentatively went over to it. She picked it up and sipped it gently. "He said you were really brave to go up against Azula." Rina smiled slightly.
"He seems like a kind man." She looked at the handsome young prince, "As do you. It's a shame you have royal blood in you."
"I am not for this war if that's what you're suggesting."
"Then I was wrong about you. It's Zuko, right? Prince Zuko?" He nodded. "Name's Rina."
"I know. I've heard a lot about you and your village." For the next few days, she and Prince Zuko talked about anything and everything.
Then one night, he did something for her that she would not soon forget. He came down the steps, and quickly but quietly unlocked her cell door. He took her by her good arm and led her out of the Palace through the secret passages. Once they were out, he brought her to a rhino horse. After about an hour of riding down the road and out of the Fire Nation, Rina had to give directions. She brought them deep into a vast forest. She then directed Zuko to a long, twisting path. If one traveled along this path without knowing their way, they'd easily get lost.
Before long, a small torch was visible. Once they passed that, a tall, thick, dark fence with a big archway gate came into view. "Why does your village seem so...unprotected?" Prince Zuko commented. Rina smiled in spite of herself.
"It's almost as protected as Ba Sing Se. There are guards posted every ten feet, and triggers in the woods that alert them. They are already aware of our arrival. Look." Rina pointed over Prince Zuko's shoulder and there were several guards waiting outside the front gate. The rhino horse stopped, Prince Zuko dismounted it, and then he helped his friend off her mount. Rina went forward and confronted the guards. They recognized her, and opened the gate. She led Prince Zuko and the rhino horse down the roadway and to the center home. Once inside, her father ran to her and embraced his daughter.
"Rina, who is-" He looked at Prince Zuko. "Why is he here?" He looked back at Rina. Rina looked at the Fire Prince, and then smiled.
"He's a friend." He smiled back at her.
"Rina, your arm. What happened?" Rina told her father what happened on the course of her mission. His eyes were downcast. "We'll just need to try again, then." Rina nodded in agreement. Then she walked Prince Zuko out of her village.
"If you ever need a place to stay, come find me. It's not exactly the Palace, but my village has a place to stay and hot food. I owe you." Rina said to the Prince.
"No, Rina-"
"No, you listen. If you ever need a favor, I'll help. I promise."
End Rina's Dream/Flashback
"Rina? Rina, wake up." There was a soft knock on the door, and Rina awoke.
"Enter." She called. Prince Zuko opened the door, and poked his head in.
"We're at the port, and you could use some air." Rina sat up. "I'll be right there." Once Zuko shut the door, Rina removed her shirt, placed the under armor on, and then put her shirt back on. As she walked towards the door, she put her arm guards into place. After, Rina met Zuko out in the hall.
In the market place
The trio, being Iroh, Zuko, and Rina, walked along the roadway. They took in the sight in front of them. There was a festival going on. "Excuse me, what is this festival for?" Iroh asked a passerby.
"It's to celebrate the arrival of the Avatar to our village." The person explained. Then they continued on their way. Zuko and Rina exchanged a look of shock, and headed quickly towards the town's center.
Alright, I'm pretty proud of this chapter, if I do say so. I also worked pretty hard on this, so I'd like some reviews!!!! Oh, and flames won't be accepted...)
Jeni
