-1Kishi: All right, I just gotta give a shout-out to Sapphire Warg. She just got confirmed, and she's on my list of cool people. Congratulations!
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Kyoudai
Chapter 10
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Riding late into the night and through most of the day, John had arrived at the conclusion that the series didn't handle the whole transition of time thing very well. He'd assumed that the next day, Aang would start right in on his angst about how he was unprepared for what was coming his way, but they hadn't had time. They'd camped out at a small island that first night and had spent most of the rest of the day flying out of the Fire Nation. John was still content to keep his quiet. He really wanted to talk to Katara, but everyone was tense, watching for Fire Nation ships and getting ready to move. He'd kept his eyes peeled his own self, but they'd made it out with little incident.
Now, the second day after the temple, Aang was pacing, and John thought it was about fucking time. The boy started freaking out, and they talked. As John predicted, they spoke the words they were meant to say, without his interference. He had to admit it was actually cool to see everything playing out right in front of him. Like TV in the 3D.
"Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in," Sokka said smugly as John tuned into the conversation.
John casually looked over the side of the basket. "How 'bout that one down there?" he asked. Katara and Aang peered over his side and saw what he saw - a river weaving its way through the forest. There was even a nearby waterfall.
"It looks great!" Katara said. "Sokka, can you take us down?"
"What? Oh, fine," Sokka groused. Apparently he'd been hoping for the puddle. As they descended to the river, though, John could see it was one hell of a puddle. It really was a beautiful scene, perfect as only a Korean animator could manage to make it.
"Nice puddle," Sokka said.
"Thanks," John said, grinning as Appa splashed into the water. John knew that the division of tasks was coming, and he froze. Stay still. Don't move. They can't see you if you don't move.
"John, what would you like to do?"
He swore to himself. They'd set him to a task of some kind, he knew it. He was working his way through a reasonable excuse, something involving an allergy to work, when it occurred to him. This was that episode. The one with the scroll. The one that he knew for sure had the Single Whip passing itself off as the Water Whip. And if his techniques could work here then maybe-
He swore again. He hated Benders in this show. For that matter, he hated the whole gimmick of 'normal person with x difference making all the difference in the world.' He didn't want to be one of those people. But he was curious now, and there was only one way to really figure out if it was true.
---
It was a good day. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and Ryan was getting the whupping of his life.
The jet of flame was burning through the air toward him. Ryan quickly thrust his fist up through the flames, feeling heat coursing along his arms. The fire dissipated in front of him. Ryan fought the urge to check and see if his arm had been scoured by the fire.
He was familiar with the mechanics of the drill. They'd done it in the kwoon back home. One person played the part of offense, and the other played nothing but defense. Zuko had decided to take the part of offense first - "the best defense is a good offense" he'd said - and Ryan had to admit, the philosophy seemed to hold. Ryan tried to counter the advance somehow, but it seemed the only chance he had was those brief moments when Zuko paused. He wasn't sure if Zuko was just making mistakes or if it was a genuinely well-meant gesture.
He ducked below another blast of flames before the world tilted beneath him. Both Ryan and Zuko pitched along the deck to the port side before slamming into the metal wall. The show had never really made it clear how much that hurt.
"Someone's changing our course!" Zuko said. Ryan didn't say a word as Zuko left, but he heaved a sigh of relief. A breath would be good. He wasn't afraid so much as weary.
As he began to shadowbox, weaving around the deck, a part of his mind reflected back to the events in the temple. So those were the two who had ended up in the Avatar's world, along with him. At least, those were the two he knew about. If the machine was that accessible, there was no telling who else would sneak through. If more people came through, the hole would get bigger. He hadn't observed any real changes in the world yet, though, and he meant to keep it that way. Still, though, it had been good seeing Elle and John both. He hadn't had a chance to tell Elle, yet, about changing the world or not. That could lead to problems down the road. He was pretty sure she hadn't meant any harm inventing lingerie like that, but still.
'Yeah, Ryan, that's real unreasonable. Trying to advance the world and do good! How could I ever live with myself?' he could hear her asking. He shook his head and continued the drill. At least John would listen. John was lazy. He didn't have anything to gain in this world, really. If he didn't have to expend effort, he wouldn't. It was Ryan's fortune that it was so simple as that.
He felt heat at his back and spun to deflect. As the ball of fire flew off to the side, Ryan could see Zuko with a controlled, livid look about him. Ryan grinned and settled into a Cat stance. So this was how the Prince dealt with stress.
---
John watched Sokka scrubbing Appa's toes, and couldn't find it in him to envy the young man all that much. His attention was more on Katara right now, though, watching as she explained to Aang the principle of the push-and-pull. He heard her talk about how the trick was in the wrist, and he suppressed a groan. No, it wasn't in the wrist. Taiji was all about relaxation and the shift of bodyweight. There was no 'flick of the wrist' motion to this at all. The only trick involved with the wrists was keeping them relaxed.
He didn't say a word as Aang so easily picked up the trick. He was too busy concentrating. It's easy. Shift and flow, shift and flow. That's all it is. And just like that, John felt like he was moving some kind of weight. Well, no, that wasn't quite it, because it didn't feel heavy per se, but he just felt like he was moving something more. It was very strange, but pushing and pulling just felt like it was pushing and pulling something.
Aang gave a low whistle. "Hey, nice move, John! I didn't know you could Water Bend."
"Neither did I," Katara said. John dropped his arms and let the water sink, and saw that Katara's expression was a little less than amused.
"Neither did I," John said. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It just… it kinda just happened."
"Just kind of happened, huh?" Katara said, giving him the Arched Eyebrow.
"I dunno how else to say it. I practice this stuff back where I come from."
"Oh," she said, and her face smoothed out. "So you were a Water Bender already then." She seemed relieved somehow, and given what was going to happen this episode, he could see why.
"Yeah. Something like that. But I could use some practice so, uh, you just keep on teaching and I'll follow along." There. That ought to keep it close to what was supposed to happen.
It seemed to satisfy Katara easily enough, and she turned back to Aang. "This is a more difficult move. I call it 'streaming the water.'" She lifted her arms to shoulder-height and pulled back in. A stream of water flowed out of the river and flew to her hands. John hummed in thought - it looked very similar to the opening move for Yang form. John cleared his mind of thought and drew his arms up. Water rose, and as John shifted his weight back it rushed to meet him.
It rushed a little too quickly, and suddenly he was soaked. John shook his head and rubbed the water from his eyes. He heard laughter, and looked to see Aang with a good-natured grin and Katara doing her best not to laugh.
"Told you I needed practice," John said, and he managed a grin. He lifted his arms and tried again. The water flowed to him this time and he was able to keep his control. He moved his arms in the Rolling the Ball pattern, and he was still amazed to see the water shifting in his hands. He put his hands together in the press move and shot the water back out into the river.
"Looks like you're getting the hang of it again," Katara said.
"Well, your style's a little different than mine," John said. This much was true. Yang style mixed with Emperor's Long Fist made for some differences, to be sure, but it wasn't anything unmanageable.
"So, what's next?" Aang asked.
"Well, I kinda know this one other move," Katara said. "It's hard, though. I haven't even totally figured it out yet. The idea is to create a big, powerful wave." Katara's face froze in concentration and she rose her hands as high as she could. Something resembling a wave in some loose way rose from the water, but it fell back. John could see the problem - no shifting of weight from Katara, just the arms. If he was going to practice the technique, though, he'd only have a little time. Aang would only do this once, and John didn't want to soak Sokka twice.
"So, like this?" Aang asked. John moved to mimic without thinking. He lowered his body then rose, moving his arms in unison. The resultant wave was absolutely tremendous. The wave rushed forward and consumed Appa.
Even though John knew there was a trip coming, and even though he knew he was at fault, and even though he hated Benders he had to admit it: there was something thrilling about being able to do this.
---
Dearest and most beloved Mum and Dad,
I am not dead. I am merely trapped in a fictional world where I am said to be a Seer, an working for a dark Messiah named Princess Azula and am the prisoner of a crazed commander who threatens to have my guards executed if I try and pull rank. Two days ago, I snuck out to try and get home. Problem is, I got caught. I was marched back to my room like some dangerous prisoner. Zhao already had some of my men whipped and starved, which didn't exactly make me popular. If looks could kill, I'd have been wrapped in a prayer shawl on the Mount of Olives already. Actually, it is most likely only Princess Azula's orders that stands between me and being keel-hauled.
So yes, I will not be home for Sabbath dinner. I know, I'm grounded the minute I return. For life. And I don't care. I miss you so much, I just want to see you again, to kiss my nephew and tickle him, to see my friends, to eat normal food. I'll never call your cooking horrible again, Mum. Okay, I will but a lot less often.
And if you makes you feel better, I'm grounded in this world. I'm locked in my room and I have to send that accursed Zhao, may he grow like an onion with his head in the ground, a message if I want to leave. I am marched around under heavy guard on deck and I have to thank that blaggard for the privilege. I'm the princess's handmaiden, I should darn well be able to do as I please.
Otherwise, I'm just sitting in my room, with nothing to do. Not very hungry and haven't been sleeping well. No one talks to me. No one even looks at me when they bring me food. They just bring me my food and slam the door. I try to talk to them and they just ignore me. I am a stranger in a strange land. Such is exile.
Dad, you'll be pleased to know that I study by memory and I'm making good use of my time. The last two days, I practiced yoga, wrote poetry and stories from memory and recited my prayers and all the verses I can remember. I wrote them down the first day so I don't forget.
I don't have much paper left so I'll have to end. It's afternoon and the sun hits the other side of the ship. Writing by candlelight hurts my eyes. I could write forever though, I have so many silly things I want to say to you, but they all seem so meaningless now, so all I will say is,
All my love
Elle, your princess
Elle sighed, kissed the letter and threw it into the fireplace. There was no mail service back to Earth. A knock disturbed her thoughts. "Come in," she answered, her voice hoarse from disuse.
A soldier walked in, carrying a tray. "Good morning, my lady," he said in a cheery tone. "I hope you slept well."
Elle smiled and nodded. "Yes," she lied, eager to be pleasant. "Thank you. I hope you did as well."
"My pleasure, my lady. Please enjoy your meal. It is native to my province," the soldier said. Something about his face seemed so familiar, where had she seen him before? Oh yes, he was one of the guards who had rescued her from the temple. Which meant…
"I hope you are doing well," Elle squeaked. He had suffered so much for her sake and he had made her such delicious food.
The soldier smiled. "I am fine, my lady. Please, try the food and tell me if it is to your satisfaction."
Elle took a spoonful of the flavorful soup and drank it up. "It's delicious," she said, eager to show him her appreciation for his kindness.
"I am glad. If you will excuse me, I have work to attend to. Please enjoy it," the soldier said, bowing out of the door.
Elle took a long sip and tried to enjoy the strange-tasting mixture. It wasn't half bad actually…
-
Elle was starting to notice that the walls were spinning around and around. It was a funny sight. They seemed to whirl around, turning different colors. The chair and the bed seemed to be… dancing with one another. Elle giggled at how adorable it was to see her furniture getting along.
She stood up and all of a sudden the ground was so very far down from her. She was dizzy for a moment, but for some reason the height didn't seem to bother her that much. She felt like she could see for miles and miles. She looked out the window, opened to let the breeze in, and it suddenly hit her that today was a perfect day for a swim. She could even hear her mother calling.
"Elle! It's Mum, come on out! The water's great!" she heard her mother call. What was her mother doing in the Avatar world? Maybe she'd needed a break from the neighbors!
Elle stumbled to her feet, feeling so very calm. "I'm coming, Mum!" she called, as she tried to leave the room, bumping into a chest and the door a few times. She could see for miles, but she covered them a lot quicker than she thought she would. As she opened the door, she saw some of her friends waiting for her. "Hi! Can you help me find my mum?"
Her friends just stared at her. "Seer, are you all right? Please, return to your rooms," they told her.
"I'm not a seer! I'm Ellie, Ellie Elle Elle…" she sing-songed, liking the sound of her name.
"Seer, please calm down," one said, his voice sounding so strange. "You are not behaving normally."
"Normally? My Mum called me out to go swimming… Oh, there you are! Mother, you called for me?" Elle said, walking up to her mother and hugging her. Gosh, her mother must be wearing a lot of jewelry… all Elle could feel was metal.
"What is going on?" her mum said in the deepest voice. She must have a cold, that explained it.
"Mummy, come on. I'm your little girl, you asked for me. Now, why aren't you hugging me?" Elle asked, completely confused.
"Elle…come for a swim," she heard her father's voice say. "The water is beautiful."
"Come on, Mum, Dad's calling us," Elle said, racing up the stairs. She could hear the sea, the waves, the smell, it smelled like… chlorine… like a swimming pool.
And there was the diving board! Elle walked toward it, stumbling a bit - strange, like the ground was moving beneath her - but she'd make it soon and she could be with her parents again. She hadn't seen them in so long…
And then there were hands gripping her arms, pulling her back, voices shouting about a 'lunatic seer.' Why were they talking about a seer? Didn't her friends recognize her? "No!" she shouted as she was restrained. "Let me go! My parents are waiting for me! Mum! Dad! Let me go!"
---
The first thing John thought upon arriving in the port town was, Mos Eisley spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. He figured he would have to be cautious, and there were enough bad-ass type people running around here to warrant the warning. He hung around outside whilst everyone else was doing their shopping, keeping his eyes open and his gaze roving.
He had to admit, when Aang came out with the whistle and blew, he was half-expecting a noise of some kind. Momo seemed to be effected by it somehow, but John couldn't hear anything else. He found that strangely disappointing.
John knew the pirate ship when they wandered past it, but the group didn't pay it any mind except for when that strange guy in green with too many teeth ganked Aang. Then they had to follow. Walking up the gangplank and into the 'sales floor' on deck, John could see enough wares to make any oriental store owner stare with open envy. Most of the time, they had nothing but cheap brass knockoffs. But this stuff, this was the genuine article. He was suddenly itching to get his hands on a sword. Something real that would cut that didn't require a once-a-year trip to an anime con for authenticity.
He had just started to go indepth with his investigation when he heard the bartering going on for the scroll. Dangit, not much time. Maybe he could gank a sword from these guys if he was quick. He looked closely - mostly dao, nothing really resembling a katana. The jian, however, were looking promising. He leaned in for a closer look, but when he felt a hand on his back he froze.
"We're leaving," Katara said.
"Sure thing," John said, standing and walking out casually with the others. They made their way down the gangplank, and he felt an excited trembling take him. Any minute the chase was going to start…
"Hey you! Get back here!" the barker shouted.
"Well, well," Aang drawled. "Look who's come to their senses. Told ya the haggling would pay off."
John swore as pirates poured out of the ship, carrying a wide assortment of pointy things he didn't want to be touched with. He tried to flashback to this episode, remembering anything he could to make this easier somehow, but all that was coming up was that cabbage man. That and the whole escape via glider.
And that it had been tricky enough with only Aang and the others. Which meant… aw, dammit. He'd have to split up from them. Wouldn't that be fun. He hated running. But as the pirates charged, he whirled and ran anyway. His mind raced faster than his legs were. How to time it was the question, really, he thought as he rounded a corner. Though, actually, that wouldn't be all too terrible. If he just waited until the second group caught up with them, that would be everything he needed.
Stalls passed him in a blur as he mindlessly followed the gang. He made sure to be good and ahead of Aang as the Cabbage Man came into view. Katara passed on the right, Sokka on the left, John on the right, and Aang pulling his free-running trick of jumping straight through. The turned around the next corner they found only to find the next group of pirates waiting for them. John immediately backpedaled and ran the other way, far and ahead of everyone else. He heard a pirate say something about lemurs and nine lives, but if it was significant he didn't remember. John turned a blind corner to find a dead end. That was right, this was where they were going to pull their big escape. But he couldn't get on the glider with them.
But as he drew closer to the wall, it burst in his mind. The idea. He was six feet tall, about a foot taller than everyone else in this place. The walls had been made for people who as a rule were much shorter than he was. It couldn't be more than six and half or seven feet tall, tops. He could vault that thing easy. John kicked into a dash at the wall without another thought on the subject, leaping as he got closer to the wall. His hands caught the low overhang and his inertia did the rest. He catapulted up onto the top and without thinking jumped down onto the other side, rolling with the impact.
John shook his head and let the shaking in his arms subside. He hadn't thought he'd be able to do that. But at least Katara and everyone else had been able to escape. And all the pirates were on the wrong side of the wall. If he got started now they wouldn't be able to catch him. As he turned to run, John heard a voice shouting, "One of them's on the other side! We can still catch him!"
"Good luck with that!" John shouted as he began running. He'd barely made it two steps, though, when he heard a shout of exertion. He spun around to find the barker leaping down from the walltop. A scene flashed in his mind of the barker being able to leap as high as a man was tall. John shook his head. "Son of a bitch," he said. "You really don't know how to quit, do you?"
"Your friends may have gotten away," the barker said, "but you'll not be so lucky. You're not getting away."
John grinned. "You haven't caught me yet." He turned to run - only to find the other two pirates waiting for him. Their weapons were drawn, and they had the advantages of numbers and experience. But John had training. And he was getting more experienced. And if he went balls-to-the-walls with these guys he knew he'd have a shot of getting free. At least, he hoped so. He shook his head and gasped a sharp, throaty half-a-laugh. "Fine! Bring it!"
The fight was short.
---
Opening her eyes was hard. She was so tired. In fact, Elle couldn't remember why she was feeling so sore. "Mum, skipping class today, I think I have a fever," she muttered as she tried to move her hand to rub her eyes. "Make me some tea, stat."
Her hand wasn't moving. Elle yanked at her hand, but something was keeping her from moving, something that felt cold and…
Elle opened one eye and tried to yank again. Her arms were chained above her head, she couldn't see to what. And her feet were restrained in the same way. If she was waking up tied up in some strange bed, there had better be a wedding ring on her finger and a down payment on a townhouse too!
"Ah, you are awake. Can you hear me?" a calm voice asked, as Elle opened her other eye, wondering how she was going to explain this to her mother? She was unable to even lift her head up, so tightly bound was her limbs.
"Am I in a hospital?" she pleaded, hoping it wasn't something worse, she could think of so many ways that this could be bad.
"Yes, you are. I'm glad to see you are so alert," the voice said, as Elle pondered why a hospital would have her restrained. What kind of hospital was this? And why wouldn't someone move into sight? Elle could only see what was above her face, even trying to look forward was impossible!
"Can you call my mother? I can give you the number. What time is it? If it's really late, you should call her home phone, she turns off her cell around eight," Elle said, as she tried to focus on the voice.
"I see you are still hallucinating. Don't worry, you will be fine soon, you just have to sweat out the toxins," a young-looking man said, finally appearing in Elle's frame of vision. He was dressed in red Asian styled robes, with a bun on the top of his head.
Elle pondered this with great alarm as she stared up at him. "Why aren't you wearing scrubs? Is it Halloween? And is that hair sanitary? And what hospital is this? Can I get kosher food?" she demanded. "And why am I chained up? Do you know the definition of the world malpractice?"
"That traitor must have really dosed you up, my lady. Just lie back and relax, you are safe. Hopefully, you'll regain your mind without much more delirium. But if you are hungry, I can have food brought to you," the man said in a soothing tone.
At the words, "my lady", Elle's foggy memories split like the Reed Sea before her ancestors. Avatar world…Azula…Zhao…damn it to Hades. She didn't know how she had gotten into the hospital. "Thank you, that would be most agreeable," she said softly. "And if you would untie me, that would be even more appreciated."
"I can't, my lady. You might try to hurt yourself again," the Fire Nation man said with a sigh. "You gave us all a scare."
Elle racked her brains and silently apologized to her inner feminist. "Sir, you are taller and far more muscular than I. Surely, chains aren't required for someone as small and helpless as myself. I assure you, I was merely a tad foggy from my experience, but I am in no way a threat to myself or others. Just please untie my hands so I might sit up and speak to you properly. I can't go anywhere without my feet, and I could never get passed someone as strong as you." God damn it, she hated begging.
The doctor stared down at her, looking as if he was trying to avoid laughing. "How do I know you aren't delusional? Most noblewomen of the Nation would prefer being tortured to admitting they were weak."
Elle glared at him. "I'm chained to a bed, flat on my back and my options are limited," she hissed up at him, her pride wounded.
"Well, that is true. Perhaps you can set my mind at ease by answering a few questions, allowing me to see how lucid you are," the doctor said gently. "I really don't enjoy seeing my patients shackled. So, what can you remember?"
"I was eating and then…I'm here," she mumbled, trying to figure out how she had gotten in this situation. "And you are?"
"Doctor Jannai of the house of Shri, your most humble servant. And well…you were hallucinating and tried to jump overboard. You…acted in a most strange manner, and so we brought you back here."
Elle blushed. "So I basically humiliated myself? Joy," she muttered dryly. "Wait…why was I hallucinating?"
Doctor Jannai lowered his head. "If you don't know, it is not for me to say," he murmured softly. "The commander has ruled it a case of sea-sickness."
Elle's eyes narrowed. "Are you joking? I was not sea-sick. I have never been sea-sick, I have lived by the ocean for my entire life, gone boating, swimming, and rafting without even a complaint and you are telling me I went nuts enough to require a straight-jacket and it was just sea-sickness? Are you trying to be insolent?" she demanded, trying to summon as much dignity as possible. She had little enough at the moment.
"My lady, I…" Doctor Jannai mumbled, looking very worried at that comment. "I have to tend to the other patients. You rest up and I'll check back on you soon," he said, disappearing from her frame of vision again.
Elle closed her eyes and began hissing words in Hebrew and Yiddish that would have shamed her parents forever.
---
The weight of the satchels across Ryan's shoulders was growing heavier, but he didn't pay it that much mind. He had to admit, however, that Iroh had a talent for getting the most out of his resources. And since Ryan was a bodyguard, apparently he was every bit as useful as the soldiers for any task the man had in mind. Including carrying purchases. Ryan wondered idly if the extra money being spent by virtue of his presence would affect the canon all that much. Probably not. All the money on the ship was going to be blown up anyway, so really, it wasn't that big a deal.
The bigger deal, for now, was the lingerie that Iroh had bought. Zuko had looked askance at the purchase, and Iroh had said he was going to offer it to a woman he knew. Ryan had had to fight to keep his will to live, and Zuko had a distasteful curl of the lips at the time, but they'd both weathered well.
Besides that, Ryan couldn't complain all that much. They'd actually bought clothes for him. He now had some lower-class hanfu clothing. Now he had a dull red shirt with long, loose sleeves. He'd also gotten new pants, and a black sash to keep it secured to his waist. Ryan knew his sifu would kill him for wearing what was, essentially, a black belt, but he was sure he could explain this later. He knew he could.
Ryan looked when Iroh pointed out the pirate ship. Odd. It didn't look like very much. It looks like... well, junk. Ha ha, and it is a Junk, so... Ryan winced. That interior monologue pun was terrible. He was glad there weren't any mind readers close by. He was glad his brother hadn't been there to hear him. Actually, scratch that. He loved getting John riled up with horrible puns. It was probably masochistic to his wit to do that, but the look on John's face was always priceless.
Ryan trooped up the gangplank behind Zuko and Iroh, and the boat's bobbing did nothing to affect his balance. He was kind of glad for all those days at sea now, where he could shift from land to boat without so much as a wobble. They walked into the storefront and Ryan began looking around. Yes, these were definitely all curios, and nothing that was particularly useful to him now. He'd have to wait and learn how to use this stuff beforehand. Though watching Iroh be seduced by the stone monkey definitely amused him.
But then someone caught his eye that he definitely wasn't expecting. It was a youth, dressed all in black. His clothes were more threadbare, and the sign on his t-shirt was more worn, but the shock of orange hair on his head and the glasses meant it couldn't be anyone else. It was John, hanging by his wrists from chains. He had a very dour look on his face, and his eyes were focusing on some point on the floor. But as Ryan looked, John looked over at him. His eyes widened in recognition and he frowned. Ryan could only guess at what exactly had happened to get him here. Why was he chained up here instead of in a cell, if he was a prisoner? Didn't they have a brig on a piece of junk like this? The only other reason aside from no brig was if his brother was meant as merchandise, which meant... he was a slave?
That certainly wouldn't do.
Ryan sidled over to his prince. "My Lord," Ryan whispered, "that slave over there would be incredibly useful to you."
"I have an entire ship full of servants," Zuko said. "Now hush. I'm trying to listen to what these people are saying."
"My Lord, that's my brother over there. The one traveling with the Avatar, remember?" Ryan saw Zuko's eyes widen just a little. Good. He'd caught the Prince's attention. "He's sure to have insights into where the Avatar's going. Surely he'd be useful?"
Zuko nodded before walking toward the captain and the man in green - the barker, Ryan realized. "I'm assuming that slave over there was traveling with the bald-headed monk you were talking about?"
"Yeah," the captain sneered. "What's it worth to you?"
Zuko folded his arms. "I'm searching for that monk. That slave would be useful to me."
"Not yet he isn't," the captain said, shaking his head. "We interrogated him, but he doesn't say anything but his name and some string of numbers." Ryan suppressed a chuckle at that. "He's got to be broken in before he's useful to anybody, and he's gotta be useful to us first."
Zuko stroked his chin in thought. "I see your point. But maybe we could help each other. I'm assuming this monk has stolen something of value from you?"
"Yeah. A Water Bending scroll, and a rare one at that." The captain's eyebrows climbed as he realized what Zuko was driving at. "You mean to deal with me?"
"You get your scroll back, I get the monk," Zuko said. "We both win. I'll even make it worth your while and buy the slave from you."
"Unbroken as he is?"
"I can see to his being broken in," Zuko said confidently. Ryan wasn't so sure. John did thrive on the military lifestyle, and being on a ship full of soldiers would probably prop him up easily. But there was no need for Zuko to know that. He watched the two of them haggle over the terms of the deal, and was only satisfied when money changed hands.
---
"Commander, I have done everything you said. I have stayed in my room, under guard. You can't even bother to insure that my person is safe. I was not sea-sick. Please don't insult my intelligence," Elle said, glad that Jannai had finally agreed to untie her and she was able to face Zhao.
"My lady, the source of the matter was… taken care of properly. I assure you, you need not concern yourself with it," Zhao said, his teeth gritted with annoyance. "Now the doctor will care for you here in the hospital wing and that should be the end of the matter."
"I am glad to hear it and I'm sure the Princess will be as well," Elle said, drawing herself up to her full height, which was… pathetic, compared to Zhao.
"Oh yes, my lady. She will be quite interested in seeing that all the soldiers assigned to you properly punished," Zhao reminded, using that damned weapon of guilt. "I'm sure that would be… most upsetting to you."
Elle closed her eyes for a moment. "Sea-sickness… I see your point." She wasn't about to cause more death. But she would not take the yoke submissively again. "But I will be allowed to walk around this ship freely, of course. I will need plenty of fresh air," she reminded, opening her eyes.
Zhao's eyes narrowed. "Of course, my lady. Just remember who will be held responsible if anything should happen to you," he said coldly, giving her the look of disdain reserved for disobedient children.
"According to Princess Azula, that's you," Elle reminded, giving Zhao a smirk. "A captain always goes down with his ship… I suppose the same would be true of a commander." It was amusing to watch Zhao stalk out of the room angrily. Being nobility was starting to get easier.
Doctor Jannai looked up from mixing some strange looking herbs, his golden eyes studying her. "That was very generous of you, my lady," he remarked softly.
"What? Standing up to him? I am not afraid of Zhao. Should I be?" Elle asked, as she poured herself a drink of water.
"Yes. The commander did not earn his position by stomaching defeat. But that was not what I mean. You care for others. You are willing to accept restriction to guarantee the safety of others," Doctor Jannai said, with a shy smile. "I believe that very honorable."
Elle laughed. "Thank you, Doctor. I am honored you think so," she punned, moving over to help him. "Allow me to assist you. If I'm staying here, I might as well be of some use."
Doctor Jannai's smile widened. "I'd like that, my lady. Please, I must know more about the Spirit World."
---
Ryan was no stranger to all-nighters. College had made them routine, almost, and it didn't bother him to stay up into the night and see the dawn peeking over the horizon. He'd managed to stay awake even through the gentle rocking of the boat, and he hadn't said a word during the interrogation. Even after Katara's capture, Zuko hadn't permitted him any sleep. Still, Ryan couldn't blame him all that much. He was on the cusp of having everything he wanted and had striven for for the past two years. The enthusiasm was catching, it really was.
Watching the two of them talk, though, Ryan had to admit it - the shippers had nothing. There was no chemistry between them.
Now the dawn was breaking, and the pirates were coming forward. And he had to admit that Iroh was right. It really was Katara's fault. If she'd just been more mature in her handling of the scroll, there was no way they'd have been able to catch her. Though, then again, if she been wised up somehow to it, Ryan would have had to guide Zuko in himself. Now, there was a comforting thought. After all, it was his job. He would have had to have been responsible for getting Zuko the Avatar and getting the Avatar away from Zuko without making it look like he'd had the first thing to do with it. Holy crap!
He stayed quiet as the haggling began. Nothing was said about John, because the boy was a purchase with a down payment on him and everything. The pirates had left him on their ship, so that he wouldn't be a nuisance. He hadn't had a chance to talk to his brother at all. Zuko had made it clear that, unless ordered otherwise, it was a bodyguard's job to guard the body in question.
Ryan did, however, begin stretching out very subtly, faking fatigue with a yawn as he stretched this way and that. It was getting ready to be on soon.
Sokka began running his mouth. Ryan silently began counting down. Three… two… one… go!
"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!" Prince Zuko shouted. Ryan stepped forward to fling fire from his fists with the others - but his fizzled out while the others flowed.
Ryan wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan. Lame. Lame! A second later, though, the ground erupted in smoke, and Ryan heard a familiar battle cry. Ryan brought his hands up, and as other shouts and cries penetrated the murk he found himself locked in battle with the salesman himself.
Ryan hadn't much warning when the knives were brandished at him. He just knew to twist and roll his body out of the way. The thought of the blades made him tense, but he knew he had to relax and stay loose if he was going to be quick enough. He ducked under a swipe and hooked his fist to the man's side. He saw the man stumble and rose to throw a roundhouse kick. This connected as well, bringing a grunt of pain. Ryan barreled in, but the barker was quick to recover, slashing down. Ryan parried, and used his arm to sweep his opponent's down and away from him. He stepped inside as the barker stabbed with his other knife, shave-blocking the arm. His advance was stopped, though, when he felt a knee to his gut. Ryan stumbled backward and just caught the glint of steel. He threw his arm out to block but it was sloppy. Fire scored along his right forearm.
The smoke was suddenly blown away, and Ryan could see the sneer on the barker's face. Ryan flexed his fingers and grimaced. He'd been lucky. The knife had scored mostly along the bone, so no vital tissue. At least he wasn't wearing his new clothes. It would have sucked hard to have to repair them already.
The smoke rushed back in. A haze descended on Ryan's mind as he rushed forward. Some piece in the back was buzzing angrily at him to slow the hell down and pace himself. Ryan wasn't listening. He rushed forward and threw punches, kicks, anything. The adrenaline clouded his thoughts and all he knew was the body in front of him just wouldn't sit still -
And then it was gone. Just like that. Ryan heard shouting, but it seemed distant through the smoke. He suddenly felt very heavy, but he forced himself to jog out of the smoke to see two boats sailing downriver, and Zuko running after.
-
When John had felt the ship shifting beneath him, he knew what it meant. He began to shout. "Hey! Hey! Get me outta here!" He began to twist his head this way and that, looking for the keys; he was almost positive that the pirates hadn't taken them along.
He saw a head with a braid and he blinked. "John?" he heard her voice call. "Is that you?"
Aw, this sucks, John groused. I thought she was the damsel in distress in this episode! "Yeah, over here!" he said, swinging his arms and rattling his chains.
"What happened?" Katara asked as she stepped inside. She was quick, dashing to the desk and looking through it for the keys.
"What does it look like happened?" John snapped. "For that matter, why the hell didn't you guys come back for me?"
"We tried!" she said, pulling open a drawer. She smiled briefly and reached in, and John saw her pull the keys out. "We wanted to, but when we came back, Prince Zuko was here in force." She looked him up and down, trying to find the lock holding the chains in place. "We thought he'd leave soon enough, so we thought we'd try again today."
"Good timing," John said as the chains loosened with a click. "I'll remember this next time one of you needs rescuing."
"I said we were sorry!" Katara said, frowning as John freed himself from the confines of his chains. "Is this really the time?"
John heard shouts from outside and he clenched his fists. "You're right. We'll talk about this later. Right now I got a score to settle with them bitches." He ran outside, looking around for enemies. They weren't really that numerous. There were two pirates right in front of them - and suddenly a huge wave overcame one, blowing him overboard.
John turned and ran as Katara faced the other, her hands and weight shifting into the form for the Water Whip. John knew she'd make it. He didn't take the time to congratulate her, though. A pirate had managed to hoist himself aboard. John rushed him immediately. The pirate stepped aside, brandishing his nunchaku at John.
John retreated under the barrage, moving his hands in Rolling the Ball to meet every strike. He drew back, step by step, until he snapped out with his leg and tapped the pirate on the shin. The pirate looked down - and into John's fist, as he stepped forward and swung upward. He ignored the stinging in his knuckles as he walked forward, pummeling the man's body. He didn't even see the nunchaku come back up, but he felt it strike him in the side of the head. John stumbled, but recovered just in time to see the pirate brandishing the sweeping weapon at him again.
The pirate swung. John ducked under and caught the man's arm in a bar-lock. He swung the man as hard as he could, slamming him into the side of the boat. Before the hapless pirate could do anything else, John sank his stance and caught the man by his ankles. He swept up - tipping the man into the river.
"That's what you get!" John crowed. And then the boat shifted under him. He stumbled, catching himself on the guardrail of the ship. That was when he heard it - the dull roar of the falls. He turned around and saw Aang and Katara pushing and pulling the water. The wood beneath his feet shuddered. It really was working. He was about to go and join when he saw the cutter boat coming right at them.
"Oh shi-!" were the only words John could manage before the crash sent them over the edge. The crunch of wood was drowned in the roar of rushing water, and the world went crazy as the sky became the earth. Suddenly he was pitched forward, flying in a decidedly downward direction, and his heart stopped in his chest then and there - until he crashed into something warm and broad.
-
Ryan watched as Appa flew away, and he was able to breathe easier. He was breathing easier anyway, with them having stopped jogging. His Prince, however, was a little less than relaxed.
"My boat!" he seethed.
Iroh shifted his hands to rest in his sleeves, and Ryan thought he was about to dispense some sage advice. Instead, he said, "Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. The missing Lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" Ryan couldn't help it - he burst out laughing. It was just too ridiculous! After all that struggle, it ended up being in the one place he hadn't thought to look.
In one smooth motion, Zuko spun around, grabbed the tile and threw it as far as he could. Ryan saw floating heads in the river down below and knew the tile had hit whichever one was the barker.
Iroh shook his head. "Well. That is too bad. A real shame, wouldn't you say, Ryan?"
"No doubt it's a painful loss, my Lord."
"And with all the years of my life upon me, I'm afraid my joints are so stiff!" Iroh said, rubbing his hands for emphasis.
Ryan was about to ask when he caught the look in Iroh's eyes. "My Lord, do you mean for me to climb down there and find the Lotus Tile?"
"I most certainly do not!" Iroh said emphatically. "You aren't my bodyguard to order at my whims."
Ryan groaned. The low pressure approach! Dammit! Now he had to climb down there!
---
John leaned back as the gang congratulated themselves. Let 'em have their moments. After all, it was definitely all right to steal from pirates. It was when you stole from ninjas that you had problems.
Sokka, though, turned to look at him, and said, "John, man, we're really sorry we didn't come back for you."
"Yeah, man, what the hell?" John asked. "You weren't afraid to go and rescue a bunch of refugees from a prison, but you can't spring me from a boat? I mean, what-?" He gestured with his hands, trying to convey his meaning.
"Well, we were going to," Sokka said. "But the pirates were scouring the port for us, and when Zuko got there we thought it'd be double the trouble. Besides, we didn't have a town's worth of Earth Benders to back us up this time. We just didn't see how we could make it work, so we decided to check in again tomorrow. Er, today."
"I see," John said, folding his arms. Well, whatever. It had worked out, and he hadn't been abandoned. He knew these guys were too good to just leave him behind. He'd seen the show.
---
Kishi: And there you have it - the end of transcript episodes. I bet you guys have been waiting for this for a while. I'm glad you've been patient enough to stick around.
Avatar the Last Air Bender is copyrighted to Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino.
Ryan and John and Elle are all real people. None are tools. Don't use 'em.
Special thanks to Acastus for his transcription of this episode.
Special thanks to Hotspur-sensei for putting up with me throughout this chapter.