Anguish to Peace (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 1: The Strength of Water

1290 words

I laid on the boat already pretty seasick. You wouldn't think a Water Bender could get seasick unfortunately for me, I could. I looked up out of the boat to see a larger metal boat going past. "Oh fireflies!" I yelled out loud Water bending myself away from the boat quickly before we crashed into each other. My small Water Tribe fishing boat was no match if the two had collided. I saw a boy on the ship. He looked straight forward, not noticing me and I just shrugged it off.

It had been hours since I had even seen anything but the ocean water. I remember dodging the icicles but that's about it. I had nowhere to go, and I slapped myself for the hundredth time. "Why didn't I plan this out ahead of time!" I knew why but I still despised the fact that I was underprepared.

I look around to see the fire nation boat gone. How could I have been so stupid as to not follow them!

I was shaking from the cold wind over the water and the straight up insanity I had gone through due to not having seen or spoken to anyone in days.  an animal groan coming from the side got me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see a big fluffy white animal passing overhead seeming to be going in a different direction than the boat had gone. I saw the same boat now chasing it. I shook my head in confusion. Before I could say anything, I felt a huge crash and fell into the water. Something that was only a minor inconvenience for a Water Bender like me. I swam to the surface and saw the boat stopped. I looked to get back into my boat, but all I saw where the wooden pieces of it. my boat was ruined!

"What was that?" Someone shouted from the boat.

"Is that a girl in the water?" an old man croaked out. I saw two people, one of them a young teenage boy with a black ponytail of hair and the other one an older man with more gray hair. They both wore Fire nation uniforms which made me cautious of anything they did or would say. 

"Who cares uncle, we have to capture the avatar" the teen boy ordered. I only recognized him from the stories my mom had told me about. He had a large scar on his left eye. It was midnight or so I thought so. The water left me cold, so I had no choice but to get out of it. I easily whirl pooled under the moonlight up to the boat. I shivered from the cold water as it soaked through my furs.

"Get off my ship!" the boy yelled at me.

"You crashed my boat!" I yelled back trying to be intimidating but it didn't work.

"She's right, Zuko," The older man said.

"Who cares we have to go capture the avatar!" The boy said. "Guard take her to a cell ill deal with her later"

I don't think you should do that" I growled out

"And why not?" The boy questioned moving closer to where I stood. He looked at me scornfully from here I could see he was quite a bit taller than I was "what's stopping me from throwing you off this boat?" I rolled my eyes and looked at the ground since he was partially right although I might be able to overpower him, I would never overpower his crew. He scoffed and drew away from me. He left a slightly warm trail as he left. The guard tried to grab me, but I swiped them away from me with the water from my pouch.

Zuko blasted a fire ball right at my face and quickly dodged it. "You heard my orders, Water Bender, you are to go in the water or in the cell." he growled at me.

"If that cell is a nice room, I'll take it but I'm sure that's not what you mean." I keep my defensive up. 

"If you go silently, I'll lock you in a sort of nice room" he scoffed, still in an offensive position. I slowly backed off and nodded.

"Good" the guards grabbed my arms and guided me away.

Once I was put away, I looked around and explored the room. What was the room supposed to be for?  He did well on keep his promise I almost forgot that honor was a big form of firebenders and promises were well kept.  I looked around at the weird metal that they used. It was nothing like I've seen in the water tribe.

"I see your enjoying what you see" I looked around to see the scarred boy standing in the doorway his pony was lied back across his mostly bald head. He would have been handsome if he had hair. I looked at him and he had a smirk on his face, and I was glad to see he didn't go much closer to me. "Water tribe, correct?" he leaned onto the doorway like all those romantic stories my older sister would tell me. I've never gotten my own romantic story. I didn't really want one. 

"Uh yeah." I smiled, pushing my blonde hair out of my face now. I had originally hated it due to it being too unique, but I think I've found my peace in it. Someone said something about how I had some mutation and that I might be a monster or something. My parents told me it was just the way I was.

He kept the door open as he walked into the room to sit on a chair, a sign of trust. I sat across from him not breaking the trust. "Are you a... Bender?" he asked somewhat cautiously. I simply nodded and looked at him. I saw his scar. It looked healed but I bet a water bender like the ones in the village could have done a much better job. They might have been able to make it a little less bright on his face.

"What's your name?" he asked suspiciously as he noticed me staring. I looked at the ground, probably blushing like crazy.

"Rain" I didn't trust myself to say anything more before rambling. "You're Zuko correct?" I instantly over thought that sentence did it sound too nosy-

"Yeah" he said plainly he got up from his spot turning away and looking back at me. "While you're here you must be at least a bit helpful" I could tell he was back to that wretched attitude. He walked out of the room slamming the door closed, not even looking at me when he left. I put my hand to my head wondering what I even did to make him all of a sudden go that cold. Kind of ironic for a Fire Bender. They had the warmest element and yet they were always so cold in their attitude.

I looked back around the room, there was a simple yet cozy bed and a small fireplace that was simply smoldering as well as some candles. Maybe the Fire Bender would have brightened the room for me, but I guess I'd have to sit in the dark right now. I simply sat on the bed and closed my eyes. I took out a small trinket the man I had been engaged to give me. A simple glass jar tied to a rope held something a bit more special in it, a small diamond, made of my mother's ashes.

(A/N shorter chapter lol but a lot was happening, and I need to edit it so for a bit there will be shorter chapters)

(Edited second round)