SMST: The Ethereal Path of the Avatar
SMST: The Ethereal Path of the Avatar! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "SM", "R1/2", "ST" and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 9
A few days later, Zuko and Iroh, thanks to word of mouth by a trader, find themselves closer to capturing the Avatar.
"Prince Zuko, we're coming close to Kiyoshi Island," says Iroh, as he enters his nephew's private quarters. "We should prepare ourselves for when we arrive."
Zuko (bald head, scared over his left eye, and wore a "cue") looks at his uncle.
"Thank you, uncle," Zuko says, as he continued his meditation in front of a series of candles. With a sigh, he turns his attention towards Iroh.
"Uncle, did you feel…strange, when that girl blinded us?"
"No…save for a certain feeling I had upon looking at her," Iroh said with a smile. "Heh."
"Uncle!"
"My apologies, nephew. Though she did have a certain quality that I liked."
"ANYWAY, when that girl did that trick of hers, I realized that I felt…high," Zuko says, as he rose from his seat. "I felt stronger, like whenever the Sun rises in the East."
"All Firebenders do have that benefit, nephew. Come to think of it, I did feel a bit charged. But how will that help us capture the Avatar?"
"I don't know. But the next time that girl pulls that trick of hers, I'll be ready!"
Meanwhile…
"Achoo!" Usagi sneezed, as she supervises the training of the Kiyoshi Warriors, in the ways of the "Weirding Way".
"Are you feeling okay?" Sokka asked.
Usagi focused her gaze on Sokka.
"What? Are you trying to get on my GOOD side?"
"Ha, like you HAVE a good side!"
"For THAT remark, you get to do some push-ups…"
"So?"
"…While using your fingers, so no palms!"
Sokka groaned.
"How many…?"
"One hundred. And don't worry…I'm not going to time you."
"Oh, thank you for THAT small favor."
Suki giggled. So far, the training exercises were doing wonder for her dexterity…
"All right, girls," Usagi says. "Gather around."
The Kiyoshi Warriors do as they are told, while Sokka continues his punishment exercises.
"Okay, I did all that I can to teach you the Weirding Way," Usagi says. "Now, it's time to show me what you got. Suki?"
Suki steps forward in full Kiyoshi Warrior regalia.
"I am ready to perform."
"Good. In old days, very few could survive the training to be of my old order. Luckily for you all, I can pass along a few techniques."
Usagi then steps back.
"Suki?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
Usagi shows a simple, stone pebble in her hand.
"When I count to three, remove the pebble from my hand."
"That's it?"
"That's it. I won't use any counters for this one."
Suki gets into a fighting stance, as she faces her teacher.
"Ready…THREE."
With that, closes her hand into a balled fist.
"Wait, I didn't see her move," says Sokka, as he stopped long enough to see Suki in action.
"That's the point," Usagi says, as she opens her palm, to reveal no pebble in hand.
Suki holds up the pebble.
"Hey, that's just a trick," Sokka says.
"Oh, yeah?" Suki says with a miffed expression.
"Yeah. I bet you couldn't do that to me."
"Then why don't you try it?" Usagi says. "And you get to hold the pebble."
"So what do I get if I win?" Sokka asked.
"You get to not do more push-ups."
"Hey, I'm all for that," Sokka says, as he gets unto he feet. He goes to face Suki. "May I?"
"Sure," Suki says, as she gives the pebble to Sokka.
"May I?"
"Go ahead," Usagi says.
Suki gets into a fighting stance while facing Sokka.
"Thanks," Sokka says, as he holds the pebble in his hand. "Ready…THREE!"
Sokka closes his hand in front of a seemingly motionless Suki.
"Ha!" Sokka yelled, as he opened his hand. "See, you didn't even-"
Replacing the pebble was a studded earring…the same one that was previously on one of Suki's earlobes a moment ago.
"You're looking for this?" Suki says, as she holds up the pebble.
"Drat!"
"Sokk?" Usagi says.
"Yeah, yeah…more push-ups. SHEESH!"
Meanwhile…
"Okay, Ranma," Aang says. "Show me what you got."
"You can do it, Pops!" Goku says enthusiastically, as he sits on a ball made from concentrated air. Basically, it was a duplicate of Aang's "air scooter" technique.
Ranma-onna growled a bit. While she was proud that her adopted son successfully learned Aang's technique so quickly, she did admit that she was jealous of Goku's phenomenal learning curve…if only a little. Worse, Goku's ball was practically solid, as energy seemed to spin within its confines. Still, learning new a martial arts technique spontaneously was her bread-and-butter (so to speak), and it will be that dedication to her "craft" that will win out in the end. And so, after much experimentation with the mudra hand gestures, Ranma-onna was ready to begin…
TING!
Using the mudra hand gestures to access the Air element, as well as re-aligning her own chakra network (a combination of life, mind and spiritual energy) to pull off the effect, Ranma-onna was ready to act.
"Air Style Jutsu: Air Scooter!"
Now, primed, Ranma-onna could now utilize the art of "Air Bending". So, after performing the correct kata, she formed her air ball.
FWOOSH!
"You did it, Pops!" Goku says.
"Looks…good," Aang says sadly.
As Ranma-onna gets on the ball, Goku turns to his friend.
"What's wrong, Aang?"
"Ah, I just miss the other Air Nomads," Aang says, as he looks towards the South. He then turns to look at his new friends. "But…at least I know that what I know won't be lost-"
"Ahhh!" Ranma-onna yelled, as she was spun out of control…and into a tree.
BAM!
"Uhhhh…"
"Pops!"
"At least I hope not…"
Meanwhile…
Katara was practicing her Water Bending skills by the beach, when she smelled the air. The smell was all-too familiar to her.
Slowly, she gets up and scans the horizons…until she sees a ship with a familiar smoke stack.
"They…they're here?" Katara says with wonder. "I better get the others…"
A few minutes later, the town folks have gathered about the main hall.
"What are we going to do, Suki?" the village Elder asked.
"We stay and fight," Suki says.
"No," Ranma-onna says as he looks at the ground.
"Why not?" Suki demanded. "We just learned the techniques-"
"Yes, you just learned the techniques…to face an army. A war of attrition is not the best way to fight."
"Ranma's right," Usagi says. "You're not ready to go head-to-head against the Fire Nation, even if it's one ship. However, the techniques that you have learned will help you be more…discreet in defending your homeland."
"But-"
"Trust me, guys," Sokka says. "They'll do to this village what they did to mine."
"Then, what are we going to do, then?" Suki asked.
"Maybe…we can provide a distraction?" Aang offered. "At the moment, the Fire Nation only wants me. Let's make sure that they ONLY want me."
"If nothing else, here's the plan," Ranma-onna began…
A few minutes later, Zuko and his fellow, armored riders enter a deserted village.
"Captain, I thought this island had people on it," Zuko demanded, as he turns top officer.
"But sir, that's what the trader has told us-"
"NOW!" came a call.
FLASH!
Zuko was blinded by the flash of light, but felt the familiar boost in his body-
"We got you now!" Suki yelled, as she and her team immediately pounced on the men, using the techniques that they learned. Some of Zuko's men were immediately disarmed and knocked over by the Warriors. However, some of Zuko's men were also Fire Benders.
FWOOSH!
At the last minute, Suki dodged the attack. See Zuko, she rushed over to confront him.
"Humph!" Zuko smirks, as he inhaled…before blowing out a huge stream of fire.
"Gah!" Suki yelped, as she dodged the attack.
Some of the village's buildings began to catch on fire, distracting Suki long enough to receive a decisive blow.
WHACK!
"Ah!" Suki yelled, as she was slammed against a beam.
BAM!
"Remember this rule of war," Zuko says, as he steps forward. "There ARE no rules-!"
Zuko punched a fireball towards Suki, when-
THWACK!
"Don't!" Sokka yelled, as he deflected the ball with his fans.
"YOU again," Zuko smirked.
"Yeah, and this time, I'm ready!"
Meanwhile, Usagi was looking at this scene with Ranma-onna.
"Ranma, I don't understand why Suki…didn't beat that guy."
Ranma-onna wondered about that, too. So far, Katara and Goku were keeping the villagers safe, while she, Sokka, Usagi and Aang dealt with the Fire Nation with the Kiyoshi Warriors.
"Ranma, we got to put the fire out," Aang says. "And we have to get Zuko away from here."
"Okay," Ranma-onna says. "You get Zuko's attention. Usagi, deal with the rest of Zuko's men. I'll take care of the fire."
"But, Ranma-"
"Just do it, okay?" Ranma-onna yelled, as she took off to look for Katara.
Usagi looks Aang.
"Well, you first," Usagi says.
"Thanks," Aang says, as he got his gliding stick ready to go…
Meanwhile, Ranma-onna ran to Main Hall where Katara and the others were.
"Ranma, what's going on?" Katara asked. "I'm worried about Sokka and the others."
"Usagi and Aang got it taken care of."
"That's why I'm worried-"
"What do you need to do, Pops?" Goku says.
"I need you and Katara's help. Come to the beach with me."
"Right. NIMBUS!"
As Goku's pet cloud comes down, Ranma-onna turns to the Village Elder.
"Sir, can you sit tight for a moment?" Ranma-onna asked.
"We'll be fine," the elder replied. "Do what you can to save our village."
Ranma-onna leaps into the air, and glides down towards the beach, with Katara and Goku close behind on Nimbus. As soon as they got to the beach…
"Goku, you and I must form our air-scooter…together."
"Okay," Goku nods his head, as he performs the bending technique.
Ranma-onna then turns to Katara.
"Katara, use your bending to force water into the ball."
"But I don't know if-"
"Katara, trust in your abilities. People are counting on you."
Katara nods her head, as she began to force water into the ball of air. Ranma-onna joined in forming the ball, until it was as big as a house.
"Alright, keep your minds clear, as we head back to the village," Ranma-onna says, as she sits on top of the ball filled with water…
"Give it up, Zuko," Aang says, as he got his fans ready for another "dance".
"No, and either way, I win," Zuko says, as he spews yet another burst of fire, this time it was big enough to consume an entire house in one shot.
Aang thought for a moment. The flames were big enough to cause him problems. Even if he deflected the attack, more of the village would be consumed. And then he remembered that training session he had participated in with Ranma-onna and Goku…
"AAAA-HA!" Aang yelled, as he formed the air ball. This time, however, he began to draw in the flames…and contained it.
"What?" Zuko yelled.
Meanwhile, Ranma-onna, Katara and Goku are overhead.
"Alright…now!" Ranma-onna yelled, as she performed a modified version of the breaking point on the construct.
POP!
BLOOSH!
It began to rain heavily onto the village, as the flames began to die out.
"What-?" Zuko says, as he looks up.
With the flame within his sphere doused, and now collecting moisture, Aang directed the ball to slam into Zuko.
FWOOSH!
Zuko sees the ball at the last minute.
BLOOSH!
And is bowled over.
"I got the last one," Usagi says, as she slapped her hands. All of Zuko's men were tied up. She looked about to see that the situation was well in hand.
Later…
"You think that Zuko guy will return to Kiyoshi Island?" Usagi says, as she and the rest of the gang continue on their journey. They were on Appa's back heading north.
"I don't think so," Ranma says, as he relaxed…and was glad to be back in male form. "We agreed to not embarrass him further by him promising to leave Kiyoshi Island alone. Besides, I think he prefers to go after Aang, seeing how he's a more important threat-"
"Look at me, Katara!" Aang says, as he uses his air balls to juggle an enclosed Momo, Goku and Sokka.
"Ah, this fun!" Goku yells in glee.
"Speak for yourself," Sokka says.
"Wow, Aang," Katara says. "That's pretty good."
Suddenly, Aang stops.
"You think?" Aang replied.
"Ahh-!" Sokka says, as he was about to fall off Appa in mid-flight.
"I got you-!" Usagi says, as she was about to reach for Sokka.
GRAB!
Sokka sighed.
"Thanks," Sokka says.
"You're welcome."
"I'm surprised that Suki turned you down," Ranma says, as he takes a drink of water. "About coming with us."
"Well, she and the other warriors will be assisting the Earth Kingdom's war against the Fire Nation," Sokka says. "I understand and all, but I'll miss her."
"Yeah…"
"Besides, don't look at it as a good-bye, but a 'see you later'," Usagi says.
"You think I'll see her again, Usagi?" Sokka asked.
"You better…because you STILL need to snatch that pebble from my hand you know."
"Huh?"
"Plus…I kind of made a bet that you would."
"…"
Next time: "Meet King Bumi!" and "Fathers and Sons"
