Author's Note : New chapter. Enjoy. Read and review, please.

Disclaimer : I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike & Bryan as well as Viacom, Nick, etc. I can only lay claim to the stories I write and the characters I create of my own volition - like Kaida

Fire in the Skies

-- Lasting Tensions --

There is a storm coming. Both Iroh and I know it. Zuko knows it, too. Though he's being as stubborn as any man on a mission and insists that we stay in the water.

If getting everyone killed is what it takes for him to realize that he was wrong, then so be it. I'm tired of tiring myself with trying to get him to listen to me or his uncle. It's ridiculous.

One thing is for sure. He IS his father's son. That prince is just as stubborn, hard-headed, and jerk-faced as his father. And even though I love him, I have to admit that to myself when I get frustrated with him.

He's just like Ozai in some ways. And that's what scares me most. However, he is Ursa's son. That woman has so much love, surely some of it has passed down to him. I can feel it whenever I'm around him. He changes. He's more…willing. However, he isn't fully submissive. I don't blame him. Knowing that someone has so much control over you is a scary thing.

Especially if that person finds out about it.

Though luckily for him, I am not his father. And I will not take advantage of that.

I still marvel at the fact that man had so much to do with the current state of Zuko's mind. That man didn't understand how fragile it is. He still doesn't. Poor thing.

Determination has corrupted that boy. That's one thing for certain.

Kaida dropped her brush as a knocking came to her door, interrupting her from her brooding and writing. "One moment." She called to whomever it was that stood outside her door. Quickly washing her brush, Kaida left the parchment lying open so the ink could dry. She then stood and pivoted, walking over to her door to open it and find that the one behind disturbing her peace was old Uncle Iroh. "Oh! Iroh! It's lovely to see you."

"Sorry for disturbing you, Lady Kaida. But I need your help to sway Zuko. The storm is fast approaching." He asked, concern in his voice as Kaida followed him out into the hall, closing the door behind her.

"I can do that for you, Iroh. No worries." She stated, smiling softly as she led the way up to the deck. She took her place beside Zuko, who was looking through a looking glass towards the distance. "You know, Zuko…the storm is coming. Can't you smell it?"

"No. There is no storm coming. The weather is perfect."

"Yes, but -"

"Are you out of your mind? There isn't a cloud in sight." Kaida raised her brow after he cut her off. She then rolled her eyes and twisted, leaning against the metal railing, looking over her shoulder towards the direction that they were sailing.

"The storm is coming from the north, Prince Zuko." Iroh stated, coming up on the other side of the Fire Prince.

"Then we should go southwest." Kaida added, looking back to the two men. Iroh nodded at her in agreement.

"Yes, we should."

"No. The Avatar is traveling to the north. We must follow him." Kaida had a spit of anger flowing through her as she realized what he was saying.

"Zuko! You have got to be kidding me! Are you joking? Are you crazy? Do you find this fun or sick or something?" She burst out, anger flowing through her veins as she stepped closer to the boy she so desperately told herself she loved.

"Think of the safety of the crew, Prince Zuko." Came the calming voice of Iroh. Zuko had hardly flinched when Kaida burst out at him. He had been expecting something like that from her. And then the statement from his uncle just did no more to change his mind.

Finding and capturing the Avatar was his mission. He had to make that priority.

"The safety of the crew does not matter." He stated, turning around to his uncle so that he didn't have to face Kaida. He regretted what he had said, however, as he saw the Lieutenant stop in his tracks on the deck. His eyes narrowed as best they could and he looked down at his uncle. "The crew's safety is not a priority until we find the Avatar." He corrected, brushing past his uncle and the Lieutenant to go into the ship.

Kaida stood there, still fuming and angry. She could not believe the audacity that boy had. Was he really so selfish? She watched as Iroh went to join the man who had been completely screwed over by Zuko's little mini-speech about the crew not being important.

"He didn't mean that, Lieutenant Jee. Prince Zuko is just worked up." She heard Iroh speaking. Shaking her head and walking up towards them, she showed her disagreement.

"No. He meant it. He cares more about that stupid Avatar than anything else."

"It -"

"Hurts? You have no idea, Lieutenant Jee." She stated, looking over at him quietly.

It didn't take long for them to run into the storm after that. Kaida had stayed on the deck, doing more of that dancing with her Sais. It was easier to loose herself and her emotions when she was focused on her weapons of choice. Zuko had come up to watch her not long after she had started. There was a scowl upon his face, but it morphed into the slightest of smiles when he saw what she was doing. It turned back into a scowl as she stopped to stare at the storm ahead. The Lieutenant and four others were on deck now, watching the storm that they were headed for. There was a smirk on Jee's face that unsettled the prince. "Huh. Looks like your uncle and girlfriend were right about the storm."

Kaida turned to look over her shoulder, eye brow raised. "I'm not his girlfriend." She stated before Zuko could say anything. She caught the man speaking under his breath that she was when Zuko stood and approached the man, his mouth open to protest. However, he was interrupted once again. This time by Iroh. "It was merely a lucky guess, Lieutenant Jee."

Zuko got his chance now to speak. He stood in front of the man who had spoken out. "It would be wise to learn some respect, Lieutenant. Or I will have to teach it to you." Kaida's heart sunk as he spoke the words. He was exactly like his father. It was ridiculous how alike they seemed right now to her. She stepped forward, ready to stop either one of them from doing something stupid. Zuko then proceeded to walk past the man, who was growing more fierce with anger every second.

"Oh, like you know about respect! Look at the way you talk to everybody around here! From your crew who works so hard to your own uncle and friend who deserve nothing but respect! You know nothing about respect! You're a selfish, spoiled prince who cares for no one but himself! But what should I expect from you?" Kaida smacked her forehead as she heard the words come out of the Lieutenant's mouth. She pulled her hand down to watch as Zuko stopped in the middle of walking away. The prince turned around and had "hurt" written all over his face. Kaida sighed heavily before she took another few steps forward as the men took to fire bending stances.

The two men approached, crossing their fists in the classic way that any fire bending combat began. Kaida felt her heart sink farther and farther into the sea below them as she watched the happenings unfold. There were flames flying in front of her eyes and she could do nothing to stop it. Someone was going to end up getting burned. And Kaida had that looming suspicion that it would be Zuko. Her Zuko would get hurt again. She didn't want that to happen. Not ever again. Though only two spires of flame came from the two men. For Iroh quickly put a stop to everything. Her heart swelled with relief at this happening.

"Enough! We are all tired, I'm sure a bowl of noodles will make everyone feel better." As he finished speaking, Kaida turned and headed back toward the prow of the boat, gripping the sides of the boat and staring at the storm above their heads. Her face held something that looked like pain, anger, disappointment, and slight depression all mixed together. Her hair whipped around her as she heard the heavy huffs of the two fighting males and the sound of footsteps up towards her.

She knew that Zuko was behind her as soon as she heard the footsteps. He stood behind her, not saying a word. When he continued to stay silent, Kaida turned around. There were tears forming in her eyes and she glared at the boy before her. Instead of speaking, she shoved past him and walked into the ship, trying her hardest to hold herself together before she got to her room.

Slamming the door behind her, Kaida leaned against the metal and slid down. Her knees were held against her chest, arms around her knees, and face buried in her knees.

--

Iroh was the one to coax Kaida from her room. And that was with the temptation of food and not having to run into that royal brat for it. It was raining terribly outside and everyone was below deck for safety. Including Zuko. The prince had, apparently, locked himself in his room for the time being.