At dawn, Zuko met Aiori up on the deck. The sun was orange, making everything have yellowish tint. Zuko untied his robe top and let it slip from his back. He turned to face Aiori who was on the other side of the deck. Aiori was in a white dress with blue pants underneath. She stood with her back to him, with her hands in a praying gesture and then spun around, seeing the prince topless. Her eyes scanned him, and then she grinned. She got in her fighting stance and Zuko stepped into his. "Please, try not to tear each other apart." Iroh told them as he took a seat on the side.
"Don't worry General Iroh," Aiori called out to Zuko's uncle. "I'm just going to cool off his hot temper."
"Perhaps it would do you well if I melted the ice from your heart." Zuko called back to her with a grin.
"Ooh, that hurt." She said sarcastically with a smile. "But enough talk; let's just jump to the part where I kick your butt."
"And…begin!" Iroh signaled them.
Zuko stepped forward and sent a flame in her direction! Aiori pulled water up from the sides of the ship and made a shield! The fire extinguished and left no mark on her! She twirled the water into two separate whips and threw them at Zuko! He jumped up, dodging them and sending another flame at her with his foot! Aiori jumped over it and tumbled forward, jumping up and kicking, but Zuko grabbed her foot and tossed her backwards! She did a back hand spring and landed back on her feet! Zuko got up close and began to try and punch her! She avoided the blows and blocked them with water balls in her fists! Then she threw a stream of water at him, knocking him to the floor!
"You can't beat me, Zuko." She taunted him with her hands on her hips. Zuko did a jackknife up.
"I have before." And he threw another huge flame at her, sending her skidding back until her back was against the railing! She shook her head to relieve the pain. She threw another big jet of water at him and he made a shield of fire, creating a smoke screen! Aiori coughed and looked around, trying to find him! But she felt something hard smash into her face and she went flying back into the air and hit a wall! She looked up and saw Prince Zuko walking over to her as the smoke cleared. "I win." He said. Aiori just looked away. "Water Benders have always been weaker than Fire Benders." And then he held out a hand to help her up. Aiori just glared up at him. "Don't be a soar loser." She stood up and dusted herself off.
"Maybe some people shouldn't be bad winners. Gloating is one thing, but insulting one's origin is no way to revel." She spoke softly. Then she pushed past him. "I'll be in my room, thinking about how weak I am." And she left the deck.
Uncle Iroh walked up to Zuko and looked at him. "Well, I think it's clear that your choice of words wasn't the best." Zuko grit his teeth and scowled. "Nice going."
Zuko was in his room, just sitting at is desk and thinking to himself. Had he really upset her that much? He didn't think it was that bad of a comment, but maybe he was a bit rough. If someone told him that he was weak, he would have probably burned out their tongue. Also, girls were more fragile than boys, so it made perfect sense. He rested his cheek on his hand and tried to think of something else. But there was a knock on the door. It opened and there stood Uncle Iroh. "Dinner time Prince Zuko." And Zuko sighed and got up, following his uncle to the kitchen. He suddenly had the strangest urge to bring up a question.
"Uncle, have you seen Aiori?" Zuko asked as they walked.
"No," Iroh replied, "She has been down in her room since the fight."
"Did you tell her it was time for dinner?"
"I did, but she said she was not hungry. So I respected her space and left." Zuko thought and then stopped and turned around.
"I'm going to check up on her." And he walked over to the door to the cellar. He knocked on it and waited for a reply. There was nothing, so he called into the door. "Aiori?"
"Go away!" her voice answered.
"Aiori, it's time for dinner." He told her.
"I'm not hungry."
"But you haven't eaten all day."
"I said I'm not hungry!" she replied angrily. Zuko balled his fists and was about to respond with a yell, but took a deep breath and calmed down.
"Aiori, would you please come out?" he tried to be a gentleman.
"No."
"It would mean a lot to the crew, if you joined us for dinner."
"To the crew or you?" she asked. Zuko threw his fists up into the air with frustration.
"Girls." He muttered to himself.
"I just can't believe you'd have the audacity to say that to me! You called my people weak, when I may never even see them again! You must be a heartless wreck!" she calmed down, "And you must be pleased to see me in my distressed state."
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"You must be proud of yourself for separating me from my family. But what does it matter? After all, Water Benders are weak." And with that Zuko backed away from the door. It was clear that she wasn't going to come out. And it was also clear that he hurt her feelings. He pulled out the hair band he had kept in his pocket and looked at it. He slipped it under the door and walked away.
Aiori was leaning against the door with tears falling down her face, upset and determined not to show her face. She hated him! And nothing would ever change her mind! But then she saw something slip under the door. She picked it up and looked at it. "My circlet!" she gasped and picked it up. She held it close to her heart and looked at the door. She peeked out of the keyhole and watched as Zuko walked away. She turned back and looked down at her trinket. It was a precious symbol of her life before this nightmare. She treasured it, and placed it on her head like she would have at home.