Thank you midianek and Sunburst 231 for reviewing! The mystery character will be revealed at the end of this chapter.
This one is longer than most of the others and I am very sorry to have written this (you'll understand soon).
Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar but I own Yasuo, Nami, and Sunoo…and the guys in this chapter most likely.
Chapter 7 – Zanshi
Nami woke to the licking of Sunoo as he wagged his tail. His tongue lolled playfully out of his mouth as he shook the blankets. She smiled and rubbed his head while standing with a small hiss. Her ribs hurt still. Chancing it, she lifted the side of her shirt and winced.
Large black bruises outlined in purple spread from her stomach to halfway up her ribcage. A couple of cuts crisscrossed the bruises which made it an even uglier sight.
She sighed and rearranged her shirt again. That was when she noticed something.
The boat wasn't moving.
She was used to the ship rocking with the waves and noticed it almost right off the bat. Moving towards the window, she looked out and saw that they were in a port. Grinning, she hugged her dog and sighed happily. She'd get off this ship and away from the Firebenders. Though she would miss Iroh. He at least knew how to treat someone.
"We are going to be all right now, boy," she whispered, rubbing his head.
He watched her leave with a frown. Zuko glanced over at his uncle who actually looked saddened that the girl was leaving. The man could care for something so trivial.
She was finally out of his hair and he relished the few moments where he wasn't listening to her. The dog had growled at him when he left though it sounded almost friendly. The girl didn't say anything at all to him, just gave him a nod. To his uncle, however, she had hugged the older man and gave him a smile.
Zuko turned to find his uncle was already leaving the ship, no doubt going to shop for more useless items in the town. He sighed and disappeared down the hatch, yelling at several men to find out what supplies they needed and to get them before nightfall.
He went down to blow some anger of by training. It was his only time where his uncle wouldn't criticize him on his technique.
Night had fallen and several lights had gone off in the houses. The only shops open now were bars and pubs. A couple of night birds screeched and swooped on small insects and mice.
Nami sighed and sat down, leaning against a house. Sunoo sat down besides her and whined.
"I know. I'm hungry, too," she mumbled. So far, not one business had wanted to do with the likes of a Water Tribe girl who had come from a Fire Nation ship. She considered going back to the ship and seeing if Iroh would sneak her some food but dismissed the thought. She wanted to show that arrogant prince she didn't need him.
Her stomach growled and she winced. "Maybe we'll have luck tomorrow, Sunoo," she whispered. His bark comforted her and she wrapped an arm around his neck. "Good boy."
She was starting to doze off when her dog tensed and growled deeply. Nami snapped awake and blinked, staring around the area.
"Looked good didn't she?"
"Hell yeah. Wanted her then and now."
The girl held her breath and pressed into the shadows of the house, praying whoever it was kept walking. Sunoo stayed quiet and moved to block her with his small body.
"Heh, that was fun."
"Yeah." The person hiccupped. "Hey, what's that?"
Sunoo growled and let the hair rise on his back.
"S'a dog," slurred a very large man. "Oh! And a lil' mouse."
She forced her breathing to stay calm as four men stared down at her, all except one large and burly. The fourth was smaller and had to be the brains of the group. He smiled as the three, who appeared to be drunk, took a step closer and the dog barked a warning.
"Now, now my good men. It seems that this dog does not want us to associate with her," he observed and patted two shoulders. "Jiro, would you please tell the dog that we would like to visit with her?"
One of the men moved forward with a shuffling step. The dog barked again as he bared his teeth. He just grinned and reached down to grab him.
Sunoo ripped into his hand, snarling viciously. He clamped down and shook his head, attempting to rip the man's hand off. The man yelped and pulled his hand away when the dog released and snarled again.
The small man frowned as the dog snapped at the men's heels and gave the girl a small kick with his back leg, urging her to move. He nodded and the men surrounded the girl and the dog.
"Kananye, remove that mutt from this area."
Another one stepped forward and feinted with one hand while managing to grab the dog with his other. The dog snarled and then seemed to grin.
Gasping, the man dropped the dog after a brutal kick to the solar plexus from him. He had to retreat as the dog lunged to slash his face and rip open his ear with his teeth.
"Taku, I grow tired of this mutt. Get rid of him."
He grunted and moved forward but flew backwards but the dog didn't attack him.
Sunoo smiled as his human fought off her terrified state and had managed to get enough water from the roofs and holding jugs to form a water ball. She stood beside him and tried to figure out what to do.
The smaller man glared hard as the girl tried to find an escape route. "Men, I grow weary of this. Leave the girl alive. That's all I want."
The three nodded and two brought out a knife each. Her eyes widened and she grabbed whatever water she could find. Sunoo snarled and leapt at the first one, sinking his teeth into his arm.
While the man was distracted, she flung another water ball at one of the attackers with a knife. He grunted as he slid backwards and she grabbed her dog's harness, throwing him towards the cleared path. "Run, Sunoo!"
The dog didn't wait for another chance and high tailed it, barking loudly. Nami followed as fast as she could, leaping over fences as she heard her attackers on her heels. She paused for a second and turned down an alley with her dog in tow. Soon, she had no idea where she was and slowed to a stop as she ran into a dead end. "Aw, shit," she mumbled softly in gasps.
"Down here!"
She turned, her fear rising as the men blocked her only escape. Sunoo snarled and put himself between her and the men.
All three moved in quickly and she was knocked away easily enough. Her dog sunk his teeth into one of the legs with a growl and held on as he was hit hard. He flew into the wall but kept standing, his eyes firing with malice. He roared like a lion and leapt forward at the men again.
The smaller one was fast and had her up against the wall, pinning her with his weight mostly. "Call your mutt off or we'll kill him," he growled.
Her mind whirled. "Sunoo!" she called out desperately. "Stop! Down!"
He ignored her and attacked, trying to protect her. No one would hurt her if he had anything to say about it. His claws raked across flesh as he fought on.
"Sunoo! Please!" she cried out, tears starting to appear.
Barking, he glared at the men and kept on fighting.
"Too bad," the man whispered. "Kill him!"
His paws hit the men and he lunged at one, teeth bared. The man let him land and sunk his knife into the dog's stomach. He yelped as the man shoved him down.
She stared as Sunoo lied still on the ground, blood flowing freely. Dark blood.
"Sunoo," she mumbled, staring at her dog.
An ear twitched. His paws moved as he forced his head up and panted softly. He threw his head back and let out a mournful, wailing howl.
He needed help.
"I have a terrible feeling, Prince Zuko," Iroh said as he stared out at the town.
"Enough, uncle. It is late," he mumbled, yawning.
"Zuko," the Firebender said grimly.
The prince turned because his uncle had always called him 'Prince Zuko.' Never 'Zuko.' He was really worried.
"Something is happening. I can feel it." He turned to stare out at the town. "Something is not right."
Zuko was unnerved by his uncle's grimness. It was the complete opposite of his eccentric attitude. "What is it?" he asked.
"I do not know," he answered, sighing. "But it is very bad."
The prince opened his mouth but shut it as a loud, wailing howl pierced the night air.
It was the dog's call.
"Shut him up!" the man yelled at the burly figures. "Shut him up now!"
She screamed and fought, trying to kick him off. He slammed her into the wall, crazed eyes staring into her fearful ones.
He continued to howl with his remaining strength. Sunoo felt hands grabbing him but kept on, screaming almost.
"Let him go!" she shrieked, trying to focus to draw water from around them to fight them off with. "Let him go!"
"Shut up!"
"Sunoo!" she yelled, getting her arm free and decking the man. He let her go with a curse as she struggled to get to her dog.
A gurgled yelp sounded in the alley.
Nami stared as a river of blood spilled from Sunoo's neck. He whined softly as the man dropped his body and lied still. Sunoo stared at his human and smiled slightly as his eyes closed.
He was gone.
"No…" she whispered, staring at what used to be her dog. She didn't feel anything as the man grabbed her and forced her into the wall again. The girl didn't feel anything but a strange emptiness inside as she stared at the dog.
All hell broke loose then.
Zuko dashed down alley after alley, several soldiers in his wake. The dog was still wailing and he was surprise no one had come out to see what was going on. He moved down another alley and was thankful the dog's wailing was closer.
He had to be about twenty feet away when the wailing suddenly stopped and the air when quiet.
The Firebender cursed loudly. "Find her!" he roared.
Soldiers scattered down different alleys while he started to follow after where he thought the dog was.
The first thing he noticed was blood, a lake of it. There were very large men milling around the source of the dark blood and he figured this had to be it.
Fire flew from his fists and felled the men like trees. Zuko took down the first with a flaming kick and went after another with a fireball. His anger fueled his attacks as he sunk a punch into a soft gut.
"Bastard!" someone cried out and Zuko dodged a swing from a club. He easily took down the smaller man with a punch to the face.
Breathing hard, he glanced around the alley as his crew took down the large men. The dog's body was next to the wall, whole except for the blood dripping from the wounds. Where was she?
He heard a small whimper and found her collapsed behind him. She was staring at the dog with wide, unfaltering eyes.
Zuko knelt down in front of her, waving his hand in front of her face. She didn't move, just stared. He tapped her face, finding her pale skin colder than it should be.
Nami didn't acknowledge he was there and gave a low whimper.
Sighing, he lifted her easily and carried her out of the alley. "Leave them," he barked at his soldiers. The command didn't have the usual edge to it though and they blinked in surprise but followed it.
The prince took her back to the ship, giving his uncle a nod as he took her down the hatch to the guest room. He set her down on the bed and sighed as she still just stared.
Yasuo appeared and shooed the Firebender out so he could examine his patient.
Zuko began to make his way back up to the deck but stopped. "You!" he snapped out, stopping a soldier. "Come with me," he said. He had to do one more thing.
Iroh watched as his nephew and two soldiers appeared from the hatch. "Where are you going, Prince Zuko?" he asked.
"I have to do something," he said simply and the three left.
The old man sighed and looked behind him when a breeze blew past. A blue dog sat, staring forlornly at the Firebender. He hung his head and gazed off into the distance.
"Sunoo," Iroh whispered, beckoning the dog towards the railing.
Whining, he stood and sat besides Iroh, still looking mournful.
"You have done a wonderful job with her," he said, smiling. "The gods would be proud of your heroism."
He whimpered and stared at the hatch door.
"I am sure you have completed your mission, Sunoo. By the way, what was it?" he asked with a small grin.
Sunoo frowned and then lied on his stomach. He placed his front paws together, looking up at Iroh for understanding.
"Ah!" he replied, grinning slyly. "So that was it." Iroh would have reached down to pat the dog but knew he couldn't. "I am sure it has been fulfilled and you will rest in peace now, Spirit Guide."
The dog smiled slightly and his tail wagged. He still seemed worried though.
"Sunoo, if it will make you rest easier, I will watch her and make sure it goes well," he promised, giving the dog an even gaze.
That reassured him and he nodded. His head snapped up though as he began to disappear. Bowing to Iroh, he raced off, leaping through the walls of the ship.
Nami sat in shock, staring at the door. The medic had left and she was waiting for Sunoo to appear and then she would scold him for worrying her.
A slight chill ran past her and she could almost smell the musky scent of his fur. The chill wrapped around her in a comforting way. She reached out to pet the invisible creature, to thank it.
Then it was gone.
She gasped as realization hit her and her shock began to disappear as her body filled with pain. Tears slipped down her face and she knew what had happened.
A loud sob escaped her and she curled up on the bed, grief overtaking and consuming her.
And yes, the mystery character was Sunoo (for those you who didn't get it)! midianek gets a cookie! hands midianek a cookie
Thanks for guessing!