VII
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR FOOS! Italics-her letter bold italics- thought
Fighting their way through the forest; they relied on eachother for their safty; and for their lives. Katara's waterbending was helpful when they were near a water; and everyone got a good work out for their abilities. It was when Zuko started being slothful that Monica asked again, this time, more viciously and with her new sword in hand, it was the kitchen knife, but she had upgraded it to a Serpent Slicer.The others were ahead, kicking serious ass.
"It's nothing." He lied again.
"Don't give me that. You usually have a thirst for blood. Now your barely keeping up with everyone else. Tell me." There was a silence, before she spoke against. "If it's some secret, I won't tell anyone." That was the first time there wasn't any tension between them, friction that always lead to a fight.
"I've just been thinking alot."
"Don't do that." She smirked; but when she saw he was serious, she stopped. "Sorry. Go on."
"I don't know weither or not I should even be here. I owe my loyalty to my father, no matter what he's done to me."
"What has he done?" They talked while Aang, Katara, and Sokka had their fun with beating up monsters. "Thats pretty shitty."
"I know that. But how can I turn my back on the man that helped give me life?"
"Thats a problem. But you should know; he did this to himself. It wouldn't be a horrible thing if you did turn your back on him. You'd be helping out a team Zuko. I don't understand how you could be loyal to a guy that has been so mean to you."
"He said my sister was born lucky." He told her out of the blue. "and I was lucky to be born."
"See? My point exactly." They fought a couple of monsters; before contiueing on. "You looked so amazed when we exited the channel. Like you've never seen the outside. That isn't right for someone so young."
"I know." He told her bitterly. But glad he could talk to someone.
"We need you on our team Zuko." That was the first time that she had grabbed his hand and had seriousness in her eyes, and she wasn't mad at him. "We arn't complete if one of us is gone." Zuko nodded, knowing that she knew what she was talking about.
"OK." She flashed him a quick smile before catching up with the others. "Hold on." She turned and smiled.
"Yeah?" He was hesitatnt, before saying it.
"Thanks."
"No problem." They ran to catch up with everyone else,Zuko fighting as if he had been given a whole new fighting spirit. Everyone was suprised, Monica wasn't too much; because she knew that he had made the right choise; his father had betrayed him, and if Zuko still stayed loyal, he'd miss out on an entire lifetime.
They walked across a log; that brought them to a clearing, where a whole bunch of ferbits layed on their backs. One was fishing. They ran over to them, but they were all under a spell! they were like they were in a dream-like state that couldn't easily be broken.
"Don't waist y'er breath." The fishing Ferbit told them in a Irish accent. "They've been like that for weeks. The names Fergo."
"Monica, Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Zuko." Monica introduced everyone. "You say they've been like that for weeks?"
"You heard right." He sniffed the air. "Y-You've got, grape Juice!"
"Yep, if you tell us how they got like this, I'll give it to you."
"I don't know!" He told her loudly. "I got seperated from the group, when we met up again they were like this." Monica sighed and tossed him the bottle of Grape Juice.
"We arn't getting anywere fast." She sighed. "hmm...where is Master Utan?"
"That big ape?" The ferbit asked, chugging the grape juice. "He's been on a rampage for a long time now. Throwin' rocks at everyone and what not!"
"Well, We've got no choice."
"He is just beond that lake." The ferbit told them. "But don't come crying to me when you get your arms and legs broken." He looked at Katara. "You a healer?" She nodded. "Good. That'll be useful when dealing with that pissed off ape. Considering you don't get killed yourself." The ferbit's words were less than inspiring, but they went on.
Master Utan was in a rage, just like the ferbit said. He was a giant gorilla wearing a necklace that had a skull hanging down.The second they enterd, Aang had to force back a rock from them using his wind. Zuko saw then that Monica was right; everyone had their own abilities to contribute, Aang had his airbending, Katara her healing abilities, Sokka and his stubborn will,Monica and her swords, and Zuko, his firebending. They fought master Utan, Monica trying to think why he could acting like that. She tried to talk to him, but he refused to lison. He picked her up, and threw her violently against the ground, making a deep crater that widend as she skidded across the ground and coughed up a bit of blood.Zuko and Sokka were immeidiatly at her side; trying to help.
"You guys calm Master Utan down." She told them coughing more blood.
"Katara!" Zuko yelled at her. That was the first time he said her name. "You help Monica." Katara nodded and used her healing abilities on Monica. "Aang, you protect Katara and let her do her thing." Aang nodded and went into formation. "Sokka, You distract him while I attack from the rear." They were all suprised he knew their names, and all did what the were told.Sokka was the distraction, and Zuko used some firebending abilities on Utan, and eventually; he fell to the ground, contious but unable to move. Zuko went back over to Monica and asked Katara how things were going.
"Fine." Katara told him. "She's healing up quickly, lucky the blow didn't crack her spine in half." Zuko got up and talked to Utan.
"What the hell was that? You could have killed her!"
"I know." Utan told him sadly. "I didn't mean it, I couldn't controle myself, really."
"Do you know what bewitched those...ferbits?"He tried to recall the word Monica used for them; and he had gotten it right.
"The Holy One."
"The rainbow butterfly?"
"No! The Holy One! he lives in the lake you passed to get here. Take this." He tossed Zuko a poison apple. "They are the Holy One's fruit." Zuko nodded. "I really didn't mean to hurt your girlfriend."
"She isn't my girlfriend." Zuko told him, walking back to Monica and checking on her again.
"She is doing better." Katara told him. "Just a bit longer..." a few minutes later Monica rose to her knees, and thanked Katara for her help, and then thanked everyone else.
"I didn't know you could give orders like that." Monica told Zuko grinning. The ferbit from before gave them his fishing pole, considering the fish wern't biteing anyway. Zuko stuck the apple on the hook and threw the line. They waited a good half-an-hour; and everyone was bored. "OK." Monica said out of the blue. "My butts falling asleep. A poisonis apple isn't the best thing to use as ba-" But she was stopped in the middle of her sentence when the line was being tugged, furociously. Everyone had to help Zuko pull in the fish; and a giant, purple, big toothed, fat lipped, green eyed, shiny fish poped out of the water.
"Holy-" Zuko started, about to say shit next, but Monica finished the sentence.
"One." Monica added. Gasping herself.
"who are you?" The fish had an..odd voice. A slightly high pitched voice, but at the same time it was normal. They all introduced themselfs, and then asked the fish to lift the spell over the Ferbits. "I would, but what would I gain out of it."
"Well." Monica began. "what do you want?"
"A Priscleen." Monica nodded.
"OK, but why?" "
You see...this is 'erm...quite embarrising really. I must keep my beauty; but that is hard without a Priscleen to pick all the dirty off my beautiful scales, this man has to keep himself looking beautiful!"
"W-wait." Monica gasped. "Your a guy?"So they went fishing for the Priscleen. It took them two hours; but they caught one eventually, and gave it to the Holy One, who lifted the curse on the Ferbits at once. He thanked them for their hospitality; and then they followed the Ferbits back to Sindain.
Don't ask me how they could get back to Sindain without going through the trials again, and don't flame me over Zuko's OOC ness.
