Kai woke, shaking, on a small cot, under a wool quilt. The floor rocked back and for and even though she'd only ever traveled in a carriage, she knew by instinct and the sickening feeling in her gut that she was on a ship. A wooden ship…?

Sitting up fast, metal hit her wrists hard, knocking the bone and causing a small moment of shock to take over. Looking at her wrists, Kaio found thick gray shackles chaining her to the floor beside the cot. Panic struck like an animal and Kaio screamed, yanking the chains in a vain attempt to break them from the floor.

She buried her face in her hands and cried out in pain. The burn on her face stung on contact. It needed to be tended and no one had put any ointment – not even a bandage wrap on it.

Getting to her feet, she pounded her fists on the door.

"Neo! Damnit, Neo!" Kai cursed. "Neo, you get your ass over here before I burn the ship!"

The door opened and Jin walked in. (Though, of course, she had no idea who it could possibly be.) His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, but the shorter bangs remained in his face. He had happy blue eyes and dark skin; three long scars ran over his right eye, parting his eyebrow and shrinking it slightly. He wore no shirt, revealing his thick, toned chest and scars of all sorts: burns, stab-wounds, scraps, everything. On the thick black belt-like wrap around his waist that supported his pants, there hung a wicked blade. In his boot was another.

Kaio, who had stood when the door opened, stumbled back in alarm, tripped over her chains and fell to the floor with a yelp.

"You wouldn't really burn the ship, would you?" Jin asked closing the door behind him. His blue yes seemed to burn into her's…

"I…. Who the fuck are you?" Kaio couldn't understand why a Water Tribe warrior was watching guard on Neo's ship…

"My name is Jin."

"Why are you here?"

"I think your brother should tell you."

"Where is he?"

"Busy."

"He isn't a commander for the Fire Nation, is he?"

"No."

"What, then?"

"Ask him."

"My parents don't know he's alive, do they?"

"Nope."

"Why am I chained up?"

"He knows your temper."

"I can firebend, you know."

"No, you can't."

"WHAT?"

"You were drugged – you can't for a full twenty-four hours."

"Then why were you afraid?"

"I'm not."

"Why can't you get him?"

"He'll come."

"When?"

"Later."

"How long?"

"Don't know."

"Where are we going?"

"East."

"Earth Kingdom?"

"No."

"Where?"

"Can't say."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Won't."

"I hate you."

"You barely know me."

"So?"

"You're a bitch."

"I don't care."

"I'm leaving."

"Wait!" Kaio stood fast. "Don't leave me!"

"Why not?" Jin narrowed his eyes and cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't want to be alone?" she suggested. "Please stay?"

"No."

Kaio growled. "You're so…. AUGH!"

"Yes?"

"So… HEARTLESS!"

Jin laughed a cruel, demonic laugh.

"Me? I'm heartless?" he continued to laugh until his sides hurt and Kaio stared at him, confused.

"I don't see what's so funny," Kaio said, quite embarrassed now.

"I'm heartless? Oh, and I supposed you're the little Sugar Plum Fairy, now?" A grin remained on his face.

"I never said that…"

"You implied it."

"I didn't mean…" Kaio was growing increasingly frustrated and quite angry. "I never meant…"

"Stop stuttering. You're beginning to sound like your brother."

"My brother doesn't stutter!" she snapped defensively.

"He has since that club crushed his shoulder," Jin said simply. "But we're off subject."

"What…?"

"Not bright, are you?" Jin chuckled. "I was going to leave you alone in here."

"Oh…"

Jin started for the door.

"No!" Kaio sounded angry behind him and fire hit the wall, inches from his head.

The wood immediately caught fire and began spreading fast, the flames turning the ship to charcoal where it grew. Jin yelled and shot out the door crying for help.

"You can't leave me here chained up!" Kaio screamed, tugging her shackles again. The fire was growing rapidly. All she could hear was random instructions and words being shouted.

" – blasting jelly – "

" – blow us up – "

" – get it out – "

" – can't stop it – "

" – island – "

" – the prisoner – "

Prisoner? Kaio thought and jerked her chains again.

" – KAIO –"

The flames grew higher, increasing in size and growing rapidly. The longer she stood there, the more it multiplied and eventually her entire cabin was engulfed in it.

She saw the outline of spiky hair before her skirt caught fire.

"HELP! Please…!"

Coughing, Kaio felt water around her ankles and screamed. The ship was sinking… they were going to die. There was no way she could get away and the smoke was gathering. She could see nothing but the smoke and fire. She could hear only the roar of flames, now. Pulling her wrists again, tears splashed down her face. She felt the flames licking… burning her legs and she couldn't stop it…

A body hurled out of no where and they fell into the icy cold water through a hole Kaio hadn't seen through the fire. She felt strong arms around her and strong legs kicking through the airless abyss…

Then blackness took over…