Chapter 4: One Step Closer?

Isla was doing her usual waterbending exercise with Iroh observing her from one side. They were on the deck and the sky was getting darker, signing it was almost nighttime.

"You are getting better at this," Iroh remarked.

"Not good enough to contain my anger. That guy just ticks me off!" she huffed.

Chuckling, Iroh replied, "That guy is Prince Zuko and you two made such a great team."

"How is that possible?!" Isla questioned.

Iroh chuckled again. Two soldiers came up to the deck to see Isla. Iroh excused himself to let them talk.

"We would like to thank you for saving us from thos pirates," one of them said.

"It was nothing. Zuko was the one who stopped them," she said.

"Yes, but you were the one who reminded him that we were still on the pirate ship," the soldier said.

Isla smiled, "I can't leave anyone behind. We're all here to serve Prince Zuko afterall."

Zuko was about to enter the deck when he heard them talking. He made his entrance. Isla looked towards him. The soldiers stood up straight, greeted him and ran off. She shook his head at their behavior.

"What were you gossiping about me?" Zuko asked.

"You're not popular you know…" she replied, rolling her eyes.

She went to the edge of the deck, taking a deep breath. The night breeze was soothing. Zuko looked at her with his stern expression. She knew he was watching.

"You need something?" she asked.

"Do you think...this search is futile?" he drawled.

"Hmm? I can't really hear you with all these waves," she turned around to face him.

Zuko shook his head. "It's nothing. We'd best be getting some rest."

"Okay, good night," Isla chirped, walking away.

Isla was awoken by the footsteps outside of her cabin. She rubbed her eyes, got out of bed and made her way to the deck. Iroh was there enjoying his card game alone. She greeted him with a bow.

"What's up with him?" she asked, pointing at Zuko who was busy staring straight in front of him.

"He has seen a celestial light," Iroh replied.

"It is not a celestial light! That light came from an incredible source of power!" Zuko claimed.

"Okay.. Would you like me to go and check ahead?" she offered.

"I don't need your help. I'm doing this my way," he replied.

Isla turned to her father. "Have you given him any calming tea?"

Iroh smiled and shook his head. Zuko fumed up. He opened his mouth to say something but Isla swiftly threw some jasmine tea into his mouth. He choked.

"That is no way to treat my tea, young lady…" Iroh said sternly.

"It's a way to shut him up," Isla replied, smiling.

Iroh shook his head at her. She went back inside to start on lunch. Zuko didn't leave his post, so she had to bring him some food. She served his lunch on a small table. Then, she went to his side.

"I know you're excited to end this, but you should at least eat. I'll take the next watch," she offered.

"You wouldn't understand having been banished from a kingdom. I finally get to finish my mission and be acknowledged by father," he muttered.

Isla shook her head. "I hope that's true…" she whispered.

She exited the deck. Her father was waiting for her. She shook her head at him. He knew what she meant. Zuko was too focused to eat.

Iroh yawned as he walked by his daughter's cabin. She was meditating as always. He entered her cabin. She greeted him.

"Zuko refused to sleep?" she asked.

"Well, yes. He seems determined that this time, it really is the avatar."

"What if he is right?" Isla voiced out.

"I just hope he is not disappointed if it turned out otherwise…" Iroh replied.

She nodded in agreement. "I'll go see him."

Isla made her way to the watchtower, where Zuko was. He just stood there, staring straight at where the source of light came from. She went to his side.

"You should be getting some sleep. You wouldn't wanna be tired tomorrow," she said.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"I know this is important to you, but your health is important to me. If you wound up sick, my father will be worried."

"I said, I'm fine!" he almost shouted.

She was shocked. "If you really think this is a good thing to do…" she sighed.

Isla left him there all alone. She made her way to her cabin and got some sleep.

Morning came, Isla decided to go swimming. She went off to the deck. As she got ready to jump into the waters, Iroh, Zuko and two soldiers made an appearance. They were going to train Zuko.

"Morning bath?" Zuko asked her.

"Morning training?" she asked back.

"Why don't you sit and watch, Isla?" Iroh broke the tension between them.

She put her robe back on and went to sit beside her father. Zuko started off with the basic moves Iroh had taught him. Isla observed him. After landing in opposite directions, the three stopped.

Iroh sighed, "Again!"

Isla excused to go for a dip as she had intended. It was past noon when she came back. She dried herself up. When she looked up, she could see that they were still training the same moves. She watched her father.

Iroh stood up, "No, power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles."
He demonstrated as he explained, "The breath becomes the energy in your body. The energy extends past your limb and becomes fire!"

Fire from his knuckle past Zuko's face. Isla took a glimpse at Zuko's expression.

"Get it right this time," Iroh sternly said.

"Enough! I've been drilling the sequence all day! Teach me the next set, I am ready," Zuko said, with his fist clenched.

"No, you are impatient." Iroh said, sitting down, "You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!"

Zuko growled. He turned around and fire-kicked one of the soldiers, sending him off. Isla rushed to the soldier to check on him. She huffed, trying to hold her anger.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him," Zuko was face-to-face with his uncle. "You will teach me the advance set!"

Iroh sighed, "Very well. But first, I must finish my roast duck."

He took out a bowl of it and started to gobble them up. Isla was done healing the soldier. He thanked her and they were told to take a break. Zuko came up to her.

"You are not the boss!" he said.

"Come on, they've been entertaining you for almost the whole day now. Let them eat first. Father is not done with his food, too." Isla replied.

Zuko clenched his fist angrily. Isla smirked, provoking him even more. He threw a fiery punch at her. She swiftly side-stepped to avoid it. She started to bend water, making them circling her like a hoop as she took her fighting stance.

"Wanna have a go?" she invited him.

Zuko gave out a coy smile, "Fine."

He rushed in with a fiery kick. Isla blocked it with her waterhoop. She started to shoot water towards Zuko who jumped back at each one of the shots. She laughed as she ran up to him. Zuko was ready to parry. She threw a water punch, he blocked and countered with a kick. She jumped up and threw off a wave onto him. He was drenched in mere seconds. Isla landed right behind him. Zuko was annoyed.

"Don't underestimate me~" she hummed.

"Ergh…" the young teen growled.

She laughed and walked up to her uncle. "I think you can start teaching him now…"

Iroh shook his head at her behavior. She made her way to her cabin to get changed. When she was done, she heard voices outside talking about the Avatar. She poked her head out. It was the soldiers.

"The Prince would like you to know that we have located the Avatar," he saluted her.

Isla nodded. She put on her battle suit and got ready to head to Zuko's side. She could feel the ship shaking as it crashed into the wall that was built to protect the South Pole's Water Tribe Village. The bow opened. Zuko made his way down to the village. Isla was right beside him. A single soldier rushed in to attack Zuko. Isla appeared in front of Zuko, she elbowed the soldier and kicked him off the bridge, into the snow.

Zuko walked to each one of the villagers. "Where did you hide him?" He pulled an old woman and continued talking, "He'd be about this age, masted of all elements."

Isla stood still, controlling her breathing. She was on alert. Zuko flashed out his fire at them.

"I know you're hiding him!" he shouted.

The lone soldier was up on his feet. Isla watched as he rushed in to attack Zuko again, throwing everything he has at the young Prince. A boomerang was thrown and came back, hitting the back of his head. Isla stifled a laugh. Zuko was furious, and readied his fires to attack. Isla readied herself too, in case he went overboard.

A boy on a penguin passed right under Zuko, sending him off of his feet. He greeted the soldier and a village girl. The boy was called Aang. Isla looked at him, fascinated. He threw snow at Zuko and his soldiers.

"Looking for me?" he asked.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" Zuko asked.

They faced each other. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter; training, meditating. You're just a child," Zuko said.

"Well, you're just a teenager," Aang replied.

Isla stifled another laugh. Zuko glanced up at her.

"What? He made a valid point, teenage boy," she remarked.

Zuko started throwing fire at Aang who blocked each one with the air sceptre. The fire almost hit the villagers. Aang stopped his parry.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" Aang asked.

Zuko nodded. His soldiers took Aang into the ship. The village girl, Katara, stood up.

"No, Aang, don't do this," she called.

"Don't worry, Katara. I'll be okay," he assured her.

Isla was the last to get onboard. "Sorry," she said to Katara.

"Huh?" Katara was confused.

Isla made her way into the ship and they departed. She rushed to the deck. Zuko was about to send Aang off to the prison hold. Zuko passed by Isla.

"Congrats," she said to him.

Zuko went off to his quarters and Iroh was off to his. Isla was sure that something was off. She decided to head to the prison hold to check on the Avatar. Suddenly, he popped out of the entrance and started running into the cockpit. Isla was frozen for a few minutes.

"That was a fast one…" she sighed.

She ran back to catch up with the kid. When she arrived at Zuko's quarters, he was on his futon. She couldn't help but laugh.

"You were beaten by a kid!" she exclaimed.

"Shut up and get him!" he shouted.

Isla nodded, running up to the watchtower. Zuko jumped off and grabbed the kid's leg. They fell off onto the deck.

"Can't he make this easy for me," she groaned.

She ran to the deck. She got there just in time to see the Avatar falling off into the waters. Then, a few minutes later raised up again in an Avatar state, pushing everyone off the deck with just water. Isla stood back, watching how it went. The flying bicep landed on the deck. Katara went and helped Aang up. They were about to leave when three soldiers came after them. Katara waterbend and froze them.

"Why aren't you helping?" Iroh greeted his daughter.

"Meh?" she shrugged.

The man shook his head. He ran up to help Zuko.

"Shoot them down!" Zuko ordered.

He and Iroh firebend and shot it towards the flying biceps. Aang countered with air and it hit the snow causing an avalanche. Isla gasped, rushing in to slow it down, but was futile. Zuko's chase was brought to a stop.

"I won't underestimate him again! Dig this ship out and follow them!" he ordered, seeing that his soldiers were occupied, "When you're done with that."

Isla shook her head. "Go start digging the ship out. I'll handle this," she said to the three soldiers.

She took a deep breath and slowly melted the ice off the three frozen soldiers. Zuko stood beside her and watched. She glanced up at him.

"Sorry we lost him…" she muttered.

"We won't again," Zuko was determined.

An hour later the three soldiers were shivering cold. Isla handed them blankets and told them to go warm themselves up with their own firebending. She walked up to the soldiers who were busy melting down the bundles of snow.

"Go get something to eat, I'll take it from here," she said.

"Are you not tired?" they asked out of concerned.

"I'm fine," she smiled.

The soldiers obliged. They went to get themselves some food. Isla looked at the pile of snow in front of her. She wondered why she insisted on doing this.

"I could just follow my mission and be done with it…" she sighed.

She started to waterbend the snow bit by bit. In a couple of hours, she was already sweating, exhausted. She took off her robe and tied it around her waist.

"Let us help," a soldier offered.

She turned around to see the six soldiers behind her. One of them was holding a bottle of water for her. He handed it to her. Another one brought a chair for her.

"Please have a seat, Miss Isla." he said.

Isla smiled. "Thanks." She sat down.

She looked up at the watchtower and saw Zuko was watching. She heaved a sigh and kept on drinking the water. They were done by nighttime, but there were some parts of the ship that needed repairs.

"We have to make a stop at the next dock…" Isla reported to Zuko.

"Yes, alright," Zuko sighed.

Isla smiled and nodded. "You did your best today. Don't beat yourself up."

Zuko was quiet. She took that as a sign to leave.

Hi, guys. Long time no hear from me. I already forgot about writing and then, I started rereading everything. I remembered how fun it was just to write and now, I'm back! I hope You'll enjoy the story as far as it gets :)