I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is meant to be a one-shot.
"What did I do to deserve this...?"
The crown prince of the infamous Fire Nation rested his weary head on his arms, taking in the sight of the rough ocean. This view was so much different from when he had gazed from his ship.
So much had happened.
So much pain he endured.
His father had always looked down on him.
His sister had always held a deep resentment towards him.
Zhao had sent mercenaries to kill him.
He gave up every thing the first time he put on that blue mask. He showed that the best soldiers of the Fire Nation could hold no power over him. They could not contain him in body and could not break him in soul.
But the Avatar… without him… it was all too possible he could have been captured. He wouldn't make any more mistakes. From here on out, he would act swiftly and deadly. No one would stop him.
Stop him from doing what, though? What was there left for him to accomplish? His own homeland had forsaken him. His own family had thrown him away.
No, not his entire family. His uncle Iroh had loyally stood by his side.
Was that really the best choice? Iroh, the once fabled Dragon of the West, could have chosen to go back to the Fire Nation, back to a place where he fit in.
Iroh had sacrificed just as much as the Prince, in some ways.
All that mattered now was that, should their real identities come through, they would have no place at all to turn to.
All alone in the wide, wide world.
All alone without a friend.
All alone fighting away sorrow.
All alone and with no mend.