The Raindrop

by Sylif Daring Doo

This vacation sucks.

______*The Northern Water Tribe, 4:31 PM*______

'Dear journal, I uh, don't really know what to say, I just bought this thing and I have no idea what to do with it.

Well first off, let me clarify, I didn't buy this, I traded for it, the merchant gave this to me for a old vase, it wasn't worth anything, it had no sentimental value, and it definitely needed to be gone, that is what my dad told me, to make it gone before we left, he never said how.

Another thing I should mention, we are going to the Southern Water Tribe, me, my dad, and my mom, oh, and my little squirrel friend, can't forget him.

I feel like I'm forgetting something, oh yea! that's right, names, duh!

Anyway, my name is Mana, great name I know, but it isn't like I chose it.

My dads name is Cantor, and my moms name is Kama, and I named my squirrel Onyx.

Now, you might be wondering, how is my squirrel living up here with us? I have no good answer, I can't figure it out, but he is adaptive, he can survive basically any temperature, so long as it isn't extreme.

I was born in this tribe, lived here for as long as I can remember, I am seven years old, I have bright blue eyes, black hair, and the fair skin tone of a Fire nation decendant, as opposed to the darker tone of my tribe.

That's one last thing I should have mentioned, my dad was a born firebender, and my mother is a powerful waterbender, and me? I am mediocre at bending, I can only really bring out any true ability when mad, but according to my dad, anger is bad for bending.

I am glad I don't bend fire sometimes, there was always one person however that could bend all four elements, water, earth, fire and air, The Avatar, a human born to one nation, but master of all four elements, but that was an old tale, and even though it is true, there hasn't been an Avatar since Korra died, and that won't change.

In my opinion, I think we don't need an Avatar anymore, this world is so boring, and any criminal activity is quickly dealt with.

So that brings us up to speed for now, except for one thing.

Our boat sucks.

I'm not kidding, this thing is so old, I think it might be at least one hundred years old, it is sturdy, and dad says it will hold, but I am not so sure.

In case it isn't obvious, I'm a practical person, and I don't like things being left up to chance, I also don't like sleeping in the same room as my dad because he snores, but I can't do anything about that.

So that's it I guess, this is my journal, a description of how boring my life is, I don't even remeber why I'm writing in this, or why I bought it, oh well, I'm going to stop here though, don't want to use up all of the pages.'

Mana sighed as she put the journal into her travel pack, there wasn't much inside, a change of clothes for warmer places, a bag of food for Onyx, a small amount of money, and a necklace of yin and yang, right now, she was wearing a thick and comfortable blue hooded jacket with a white fur trim with a white shirt underneath it, she had thick gray pants with pockets and a white fur trim, she also had brown snow shoes on, she usually kept her hood up, only taking it down when she believed she was alone.

Mana leaned on the railing of the boat and looked up at the sky, it was bright and sunny out, which helped to alleviate some of the cold, but not all, she looked to her left and saw Onyx run up to her, she smiled and reached her hand out, the squirrel ran up her arm and stood on her shoulder.

Mana didn't want to go on this trip, she would have rathered they visit the Earth kingdom or the Fire nation, at least there, she could lie on the soft grass and fall asleep, but in the Water tribes, they practically had to keep moving just to stay warm.

Mana looked around, it wasn't just her family on this boat, there was also some other families, and they were all headed south.

Mana walked up to the front of the ship and sat down, she looked at Onyx and set him down in front of her. "You excited to visit the Southern Water tribe?" She asked.

Onyx's tail flicked back and forth twice. "Me neither, why is it that your the only one that actually understands me?" She asked quietly.

Onyx's tail flicked to the left and then down while he stamped the wood with his right hand. "My parents? they didn't even notice my dislike for going, they don't even listen when I tell them I hate snow." She argued.

Onyx stamped the wood with his two hands and chattered rapidly. "Yes yes I know, but I can't stand that guy anymore." She said.

Onyx flipped his head around and lightly tugged at Mana's pant leg. "Alright bud, I'm moving." She picked Onyx up and set him on her shoulder, she then walked along the ship according to the squirrel's instructions.

Mana felt the squirrel tug at her ear and she looked at him, he pointed to the railing.

Mana walked over and looked over the edge. "I don't get it." She said as she looked at Onyx.

Onyx did a series of motions that looked like botched waterbending, she rolled her eyes and raised her hand a little, a blob of water arose and she moved her fingers a little, making the blob take the form of the water tribe symbol, then the earth kingdom symbol, then air, then fire, she chuckled a little and then she put her index and her middle fingers together while twirling her thumb, causing the water to spin and change form into a flower, she smiled and released the water.

"You know Onyx, sometimes you have the best ideas." She told her friend. 'While it is true that most of my bending power comes from anger, I can still do the little things.' She said to herself.

Onyx chattered and tapped her cheek, he then pointed to the stairs leading below deck.

Mana listened to the squirrels directions and reached the sleeping area, she walked over to the cot she claimed, the one in the dark corner, she chose this one because it was solitary, especially as she kept the lamp doused, she laid back and Onyx stood next to her left arm. "You know bud, this trip won't be so bad, it'll be over before we know it, then it's back home for us." She said.

Onyx seemed to perk up at that, he wasn't very happy about leaving either, he would rather go to a warmer place, he chattered a little and flicked his tale.

"You know, I don't think Republic City is a good place for us, it's been going through some tough times, with everything that's going on and all." Mana replied.

Mana looked at the lamp, she sighed and grabbed a match from her pack and lit the lamp, she then laid back again and looked at the ceiling of the room. 'I hope we get there soon, I don't think I can take waiting on this ship for much longer.'

Onyx headed over to her and laid down next to her as she closed her eyes to sleep.

_____*a few days later*______

The ship was making good time to the Southern Water Tribe, according to the captain, they would arrive there within a few more days.

Mana was not enjoying the trip at all, it was bad enough that it would take longer to get there.

But the worst part was the odor, some of the passengers were starting to stink, and it didn't help that Onyx was growing more agitated by the minute, she didn't know why, but he seemed very antsy whenever they were near the railing.

Mana couldn't figure it out, and when she asked the squirrel, he gave her an answer in these specific words. "Brabbzalaobla."

"It's horrible when you stutter Onyx." Mana mentioned as she sat on the deck with a Pai Sho set.

Onyx chattered and spun around rapidly.

"That is the first coherent sentence you have made all day." Mana said.

Onyx stamped the deck rapidly and tugged Mana's pant leg. "Why do you want to stay below deck all of a sudden? your the one who wanted to come up here." She pointed out.

'Yea, I talk to my squirrel, trust me, it isn't the strangest thing on the planet, especially when you work with him for three years on a communication system just so you have someone intelligent to talk with.' Mana added in her journal.

Mana rolled her eyes and ignored the Squirrels chattering. "Calm down Onyx, there isn't a single cloud in the sky, the ocean is calm, and dad says the captain has been using this route his entire life, the only concern is the ship itself." She said.

Onyx banged the deck with one foot and sat down in defeat. "Think about it this way Onyx, if you are right, you can say I told you so." Mana said teasingly.

Onyx simply laid down and ignored his friend.

As Mana played her game quietly, she couldn't help but wonder what exactly was bothering Onyx, normally he was so active, but now he seemed.....off, while she wasn't a stranger to him having off days, she rarely saw him depressed.

"Onyx, what exactly are you seeing that I'm not?" Mana asked.

Onyx looked at her and stood up quickly, he waited as Mana put her game away in a box and left it on deck, he ran up her arm when she knelt down and pointed down below deck when he reached her shoulder.

Mana sighed and headed below deck, she recieved strange glances from the other passengers as she followed a squirrels directions, she wasn't bothered by this, she got these glances from everyone back home, but she got over it quickly.

Mana looked around, seeing the supplies, the cargo, and other passengers talking with crew members, she decided to just follow the directions Onyx was giving her.

Soon however, she found what had him concerned, there was an entire wall of moldy wood in the main cargo room, as well as the corner she was sleeping in, it also looked to be warped completely and was going to collapse any second.

Mana bit her lip and decided to find her dad, he would know what to do. "You were right Onyx, this is serious." She said.

Onyx chattered, he tugged her hood and stamped her shoulder. "Oh quiet." She said quietly.

Mana then headed to the upper deck to find her dad, but just as she neared the ramp, she heard the captain call out. "Massive storm approaching! Get everyone below deck!"

Mana sighed, this was exactly what Onyx was trying to tell her, she quickly retreated to her cot, if her mom and dad were going to be down here, she knew they would try to make sure she was alright, if not......there was nothing she could do.

Mana sat on her cot and leaned on the wall, she pulled her hood up to make sure it was all the way up, she then rested her head on the wall. "Sorry I didn't listen to you buddy, just want you to know that." She said.

Onyx sat down at her feet and patted her leg. "Thanks." She said in response as she looked around, the sleeping quarters soon filled up, but there was no sign of her parents.

'Did they stay up on deck?' She asked herself.

_____*twenty minutes later.*_____

Mana felt the ship rock and shake as they sailed through the storm, she couldn't see what was going on, but she could tell how bad it was from the Lightning around them.

Onyx had hid in her jacket while she sat there, she had pulled out her journal a while ago, and was writing down on it.

'I can feel the ship rock around violently as the storm rages on, while I have little confidence we will escape unscathed, I have serious doubt that we will get out of this at all, while I haven't been in a storm like this my entire life, I have seen various weak points in the ships hull that may cause us to sink.

I do have one great concern though, my family hasn't been seen the entire day, at least by me, I fear they may be on deck with the crew, I have no way of knowing this for sure, the only thing I can do now, is wait for either the storm to pass, or the ship to sink, this is going to be the longest night of my life.' She closed the book and put it in her pack before strapping it to her back once again.

Mana sighed and looked at the wall from before, she knew it was weak, but she didn't want to alarm anyone and cause a greater panic than there already was, so she kept quiet, even though she knew that her silence could possibly doom the ship, or save it. "We'll be alright bud, you know that right?" She asked.

Onyx gave no sound, but instead, she felt the Squirrel tug her jacket twice. "I don't believe me either, but it's better to lie to yourself than to face the truth sometimes." She whispered.

Just as she finished talking, an incredibly loud bang shook the ship as lightning struck, Mana looked up and then she heard creaking, she looked to her right and saw that the wall was bending, it then leaked a single drop.

That's all she remembered.

Author's Note:

No mention of anything Mlp in this chapter, as it is the beginning of this story, and is mainly to begin the plot.

So, meet Mana, another of my OC's, and her faithful Squirrel Onyx, he is a squirrel, that is pretty much it.

Anyway, um, it feels good to be writing again, i know I was inactive for a RIDICULOUSLY long time, but hopefully I will remember to write more, as always, see you next time!

Comments

[Fluttercry12]

Good so far great job