The Protector || An ATLA Fanfiction

11

I sat below deck for what felt like hours. I tried to keep my strong stance, but as the boat continued to sway back and forth, I found myself on the ground. 

Ground. This wasn't the ground, it was cold metal. I hated being on boats, a large reason I never went out with my father. I miss the feeling of earth, Kyoshi's presence was wiped away clean. I sighed, trying to keep the contents of my stomach where it belonged.

How did I get into this mess? I finally began to show compassion, just like Suki always wanted me to and look where it got me. I miss Suki and the other warriors, I miss my father, but most importantly I missed the blind girl I left behind. I shake my head, pushing myself to my feet. I am a Kyoshi Warrior, and I will not show weakness. 

Marching back to the room I woke up in, I grab my small bag, applying my warrior paint. Fastening the bag shut, I head towards the stairs. Just as I reach it's steps, the door opens, revealing Zuko and Iroh. 

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail, while I use it as a cover" Zuko tells his Uncle, just as he notices me. "How cute, all dressed up but no where to go."

"You're taking me with you" I say calmly. Iroh raises an eyebrow.

"Oh am I?" Zuko snickers, brushing past me down another flight of stairs.

"Do you really want to leave me with your crew and your ship? There might not be anything to come back to" I reply, following after him. 

"There's no earth for you to bend you peasant" Zuko snarls.

I laugh, following him into a room with a small escape boat. "There's a reason I was the only earthbender on Kyoshi Island."

I sense the old man behind me tense up, grabbing my arm lightly. "I suspected your involvement with the spirits" he looks at my warrior uniform. "I should have known the previous Avatar would not have left the physical world so easily."

"So it's settled" I grin, pulling myself into the small boat and looking to the men. "Either I go with the lovely banished Prince, or the wrath of Avatar Kyoshi tears apart this ship." I was completely bluffing, Kyoshi and I had almost always been on solid earth, so I never became accustomed to her following me into places without earth. 

Zuko groans, squeezing into the boat with me, and nodding to Iroh, who begins to lower the boat into the sea. 

--

"What is the Avatar doing at Crescent Island?" Zuko asks after awhile of sitting in silence. 

"Do I look like a Fire Nation citizen?" I snap.

Zuko's face is flustered, he grips the wheel tightly. "If you're connected to Avatar Kyoshi then you should know what the Avatar is doing."

"I am connected to Kyoshi, not every single Avatar. I can sense her spirit in past and current Avatars, but it is impossible for me to know why he's here" I sigh, gripping my stomach. I will not puke in this boat with Zuko. 

"How does the connection work?" He asks, and it actually seems genuine.

"Why do you care?" I ask defensively. I shouldn't talk to him, he'll just use it against me. 

"Clearly we have awhile to go, I'd rather not sit here awkwardly."

"I've always been connected to Kyoshi, from the very moment I was born" I begin, trying to avoid his eyes. "Kyoshi has always been like a mother figure to me, even though she doesn't act like it. My mom died when I was very young, so it's always just been me and my people." I clench my fists, anger fueling within me. "I had my people. I want to blame you for ruining everything, but I was not worthy to protect them, I failed."

Zuko looks out to the sea, a frown on his lips. "It seems that we both have things to regain."

"It seems so, I also believe that we are both standing in the way of what the other wants."

Zuko sighs, pinching his nose. "For now, let's make sure the Avatar makes it out of here alive, it doesn't do either of us any good if someone else gets him."

I smile, perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.