Aiori awoke at dawn and got up and out of her "room". She went to the top of the ship and hoisted the flag and went back down and fed the fire. She wiped the sweat from her forehead from the flames and scooped up some of the ambers and placed them in a pail and moved it into her room, hoping to warm it up a bit. She retied all the ropes and washed the clothes and hung them out to dry. She was getting heated and wanted to remove the scarf from her head but didn't want to reveal her face to the men. Iroh spotted Aiori later that day, mopping up a mess in front of Zuko's room. The floor was still wet and when Zuko came out, he slipped and almost fell! Aiori looked at him as his temper rose and he lifted a fist into the air! He was going to punch her! She squinted her eyes shut and braced for impact, but was taken off guard when his fist pounded on the metal wall, in the spot just next to her head! She opened her eyes and looked at him. He sneered and walked off, leaving her relieved and happy that her face wasn't in pieces.
Later that day, things got a bit rough. She was mopping the deck again, because Zuko couldn't find anything better for her to do, and Iroh walked up to the crew.
"A storm is approaching. We should bunker down the ship." He told them. The crew began to talk and then she turned away and looked off the edge of the ship. The water seemed a bit choppy, and then she looked ahead and saw dark clouds gathering. Iroh was probably right. But they didn't expect the worse and went on with what they were doing. Aiori watched as they played some sort of game. But then Zuko walked over to her. She stiffened up and bowed her head, not wanting to look at him.
"Why aren't you mopping?" he asked.
"I finished." She told him. He looked at the deck floor with his hands behind his back and seemed satisfied.
"Very well then, you may retire to the cellar, the rest of the evening is yours." She picked up the bucket and went off to herself.
It wasn't long before Aiori grew board and fell asleep. She slumped over onto a crate, instead of the hammock she had made herself. The ship's gentle rocking brought her into a dream land. She had been tired from working so hard. The fatigue must have done a number on her, because he began to dream.
She was back home on her island. Her little sister was merrily playing with the other younger children in the village. Her parents were in their home, and she was sitting on top of a tall hill, watching them all go about their business. The snow crystals flew up with the wind and brushed against her soft cheeks. The sea lions barked and she could hear the wolves singing in their packs. She looked up and saw the night lights gleaming over her. A smile crossed her face and she lifted her head into the air and howled back to the wolves. She was home. But then she heard screams for help and looked down upon her people…they laid in the snow, slaughtered. Knifes, daggers, spears and arrows coming from their lifeless bodies! She looked down at her feet and saw red snow, dyed from the blood spill… "No!" she whispered to herself as she raced down, jumping over the bodies! She heard Chumani calling for her! Then someone grabbed her wrist!
"Do as I say and you will be safe." The voice hissed in her ear. She struggled to get free, but then saw a huge, dark storm cloud approaching the island! In the cloud was the ship! She turned and saw Zuko, grasping her wrist tightly! "Your people will suffer!"
"NO!" she yelled!
She jolted up! Her body covered with sweat and her lungs starving for air! She looked around and saw the same old cellar she was in. It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare, she told herself. She took slow and deep breaths. The door opened and she jumped up to see Iroh.