Disclaimer: I own Koima, not the Avatar.
Chapter 16
Evil Nuns!
We rode one of the Rhinos to the inn/bar in the middle of the woods at night. Green fireflies flew around the lanterns, making the area around them a glowing green. I rode behind Uncle Iroh, trying to stay on the small saddle so I didn't fall off, it was hard to hold onto Iroh, him being so…. Wide. I could see the woman's Shir Shu tied up outside the inn; she no doubt is here. Loud yells and noises came from inside. Zuko hopped off the Rhino and strolled towards the entrance, "Come on."
Iroh and I followed him inside. Once inside the noise was deafening, I had to restrain myself from covering my ears to block out the noise. Men were everywhere, cheering on someone who was in the middle of the room.
"Step aside filth!" Zuko commanded, push past everyone. Oh great, not the best move Zuko.
"He doesn't mean it." Iroh tried to pacify the angry…filthy…men, "I'm sure you all bathe regularly." I held onto Iroh's cloths, trying to stay close to him. We followed Zuko to a table that everyone was crowded around. There was the bounty hunter; she was arm wrestling a big man on the table. The strain was easy to see in the opposing man, it was almost comical to see him trying to overpower the small slim woman. Who was this woman?
Zuko went right up to the table, "I need to talk to you!" Zuko said to the woman. She turned to us, still keeping her arm vertical, she smirked, "Well look, isn't it my old friends; Angry boy, Uncle Lazy, and Midget girl." Midget girl! I'm not that short!
Zuko ignored the insults, "Your beast damaged my SHIP!" Zuko yelled over the din. The bounty Hunter slammed the man's fist down, winning the match fair and square. Coins flew in abundance onto the table, a reward for winning.
"You will pay me back for the damages!" Zuko said.
The bounty hunter gathered her coins in her arms, "Why'd I'd like to help you out, but I'm kinda short on cash at the moment." She replied sarcastically, "Drinks on me!"
The men yelled as more drinks were passed around the bar. Zuko grabbed the woman's hand as she was about to drink, "Money wasn't what I had in mind."
: Time Gap:
We were outside the bar, Zuko voicing his demands on Jun, the bounty hunter. She did not look too pleased at being dragged out of a fight to be given demands by a hot tempered 16 year old. But who could blame her? I ignored the argument and went over to the Shir Shu. He was a big one, well taken care of and expertly bred. I made a clicking noise to announce that I was coming towards him, I have learned that no one should ever spook a Shir Shu. It's ears perked up and it turned in my direction. I stuck out a hand to it, allowing him to catch my scent. He purred like a giant cat when I scratched it on its nose ridge, I knew they particularly liked that.
"Make it your weight and we got a deal….Wha-! Hey!" Jun saw me petting her Shir Shu. Zuko and Iroh looked at me, "Koi!" Zuko made a move to get me away from it, but I shook my head, "What?" I frowned, "He likes it. Are you done haggling yet?" I asked.
Zuko looked from the Shir Shu then back at me, "Um… yes. Get away from that thing. It might paralyze you!"
I smiled at him, who knew it could be so easy to get someone worried? It was almost fun. "He won't Zuko. Not when I'm petting or scratching him. He likes it a lot. Don't you boy?" The beast hummed with pleasure and nuzzled against my hand, not wanting me to stop with the petting. Jun smirked, "Midget is good with animals." She came towards me, but stopped when she saw my face. I backed away when she took a step closer, her eyes scrutinizing my face as if trying to remember something.
"W-What?" I was starting to get freaked out. What was she doing?
She suddenly smiled, but it was not a friendly smile, "Yes!" She smiled cat-like, "I will get my gold!"
Zuko came forward, "You are not getting any gold until you get my Avatar!" He said angrily.
"I will get my gold. 20 coins exactly!" She declared. She went to the Shir Shu and grabbed a pack of the saddle and opened it. Rolled parchments stuck out of it at all angles, she took out one.
"I'll get my money once I turn in your little girlfriend here." She unrolled the poster and my face unfurled. I felt panic squeeze my chest, making it hard to breathe. Zuko and Iroh were silent. Jun looked at me, "You didn't fool me Midget. Cutting your hair was clever, but I could tell it was you."
"What do you mean?" Zuko stepped between the hunter and me "She doesn't look anything like that poster. You have the wrong girl." Jun wasn't convinced. She looked at me greedily, "Yeah right. Tell it to the Fire Nation officials when I turn her in!"
; Zuko;
Zuko was thinking quickly on how to save Koima. He hadn't thought that the bounty hunter would have seen Koima's wanted sign, he had forgotten about it all together, and now Koima was in trouble. Zuko got it, "Only 20 coins for her?" He asked almost in a bored tone. Jun nodded, "Yeah."
Zuko took out his coin sack and jingled it, "How about 30 for your silence?" He coaxed. Koima looked at Zuko, disbelief in her eyes. 30 gold coins was a lot, Zuko knew, but it didn't matter. If Koi was found…. Zuko would never forgive himself. Jun looked like she was thinking it over, she looked at the poster again, then back at him, "Make it 50 and we got a deal." She said boldly.
; Koima;
I looked down in defeat. Zuko wouldn't pay that much money. My secret was not worth that much, all this trouble….
"Done."
My head snapped up and I stared at Zuko. He smiled at me faintly. He had just agreed to Jun's demand? Jun looked pleased, "I'm paid upfront."
Zuko tossed her the sack of coins, Jun caught them skillfully and immediately counted them. Her face lit up with greed. I looked at Zuko, silently thanking him. I owed him so much. Jun tied the sack onto her belt, "Alright. Hop on, I can't believe you bought me out of turning your girlfriend in."
; Zuko;
'Girlfriend?' Zuko turned red at the mention. Uncle Iroh burst into jolly laughter and Koima blushed, and mumbled, "I'm not his girlfriend." Zuko felt slightly put out… but relieved by her words. Jun held out the necklace to the Shir Shu, "You shouldn't be. You're too pretty for him." She said to Koima.
Zuko burned, "Why you-!"
"Prince Zuko!" Iroh called from atop the Shir Shu. Koima sat behind him, Jun in front, "Let's go!"
Zuko grumbled but complied, and longer here and the beast would lose the scent. Iroh made room for Zuko to sit behind him, Iroh was trying to stay close to Jun. Zuko didn't mind in the least, Koima would have to hold onto him to keep herself from falling off.
"He's got the scent!" Jun announced. The Shir Shu lurched forward, bounding into the night. Koima yelped and held onto Zuko tightly, her face buried in his armor. Zuko mentally kicked himself that he wore armor that night, now he couldn't feel her arms around his middle.
After passing two women that were absolutely no help whatsoever, they arrived at an abbey courtyard. Nuns scattered in all directions from the beast. The Shir Shu howled, then bounded off in a different direction into the woods near the mountains.
"We're getting closer!" Jun said as the beast went straight through the woods. Zuko could feel his heart in his throat, beating fast with anticipation. He had the Avatar now! They jumped into a dried up riverbed, the two Water tribe Rats! But no Avatar! They cornered them against the wall.
; Koima;
I hid behind Zuko the best I could so Katara and Sokka wouldn't see me. If Zuko knew that I had met the Avatar and had not tried to capture them or had not told him where they were…. I feared the worse.
Zuko jumped off the Shir Shu and I hid behind Iroh quickly. He put himself between me and the Water tribe siblings view to save me as well.
"Where is the Avatar!" I heard Zuko shout.
"He's not here!" The boy, Sokka, shouted back, "We separated!"
I could imagine the scorned unconvinced look on Zuko's face. He was getting mad, I knew him well enough to know that. "Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?"
"Yep! RUN!" Sokka pushed his sister forward and they ran. Idiots, I thought sadly. Shir Shu took two steps and got them both with his tongue. The only way to escape a Shir Shu is to run directly at it, it confuses them and makes it impossible for them to track your scent.
Zuko got the Shir Shu to smell the scroll the Avatar, Aang, had held, and it got the scent. Sokka and Katara were thrown onto the Shir Shu's back, right-behind-me!
"Scoot up, Koi." Zuko grunted as he lifted Sokka up. Oh Shit!
"Koi?" I heard Katara murmur. Zuko hopped on in front of me and turned back, "Make sure they don't fall off." I nodded wordlessly, less my voice gave me away. The siblings couldn't see me, they were faced down, not able to move or look up because of the venom. I was safe… for the time being.
; Katara;
'Koi…Koi…Why does that ring a bell?' Katara thought as she watched the ground fly by in a green blur. Then, she remembered; The girl who slapped Sokka! She was here? Right now? Katara tried to move her head to see, but her efforts went unrewarded. She couldn't move anything but her mouth and eyes. 'Hide Aang!' Katara thought feverently, 'Go! Save yourself. Don't let Zuko get you!'
They arrived at the abbey where Bato had been staying with the perfume making nuns. The beast she was on went in circles, sniffing, leading them no where.
"We lost his trail!" She heard Zuko snap. Then Aang appeared, flying right at the Shir Shu and making him overbalance. They all fell to the ground.
; Koima;
"Watch the prisoners, Koima!" Zuko shouted as he ran for the Avatar. Oh great. The prisoners were propped up against the wall, Sokka's eyes went wide, then narrowed when he saw me, "You!" He spat. I couldn't help but hope that the slap I had given him stayed with him for a few days.
"At least you didn't call me a boy this time." I said in a bored tone, sitting down in front of them while the battle raged on behind me. Katara looked triumphant, "I thought it was you when Zuko said your name." She said.
Sokka tried to spit at me, but it just dribbled down his chin, "You bitch! You told Zuko when we were at the village!" He said angrily. I burned with rage and sadness, no one had called me a 'bitch' since Master. It brought back painful memories that I have been trying to keep locked away. Katara looked shocked at her brother, "Sokka! You don't call someone that!" She snapped.
Sokka glared at his sister, then me, "Why were you there in the first place?" He asked, his tone slightly calmer when he had seen how much being called a 'bitch' had affected me. I glared right back at him, "That was my village! I was getting something." I put it plain and simple. Katara looked at me oddly, "But it was deserted. Why did you leave it? Where did all of it's people go?"
"That is none of your business." I looked behind me in time to see Zuko hit the ground with a 'thump'. It made me wince. Luckily we have Asprina in good stock because that is going to be one bad headache.
I heard Sokka and Katara move, I turned back to them… and a nun pressed leaves over my mouth and nose! I fought, but….What? I can't move! I'm paralyzed! I fell over on my side, no longer able to hold myself up. A nun helped Katara and Sokka to their feet, they were able to move again thanks to the smell stuff the nun had given them.
"Hey!" I cried. Katara looked and smiled apologetically, "Sorry." They ran off to help Aang. Now Zuko will be angry with me. I'll be turned out for sure, I thought sadly. Why can't I do anything right? Uncle Iroh saw me and called out to Zuko, "Prince Zuko! The prisoners are loose! Something is wrong with Koi!" Zuko turned away from the battle and looked at me, "KOI?"
"I-Can't-Move!" I shouted.
"Uncle! Help her!" Zuko yelled and tried to avoid being stepped on by the Avatar's bison thing. Uncle Iroh came to my side, "I'm fine!" I said, I was now able to wiggle my fingers, "It's wearing off. Help Zuko!" Iroh was confused, not sure what he was suppose to do. He left to assist Zuko. Jun tried to control the Sir Shu, his senses were overwhelmed by the perfume, causing him to be disoriented. Shir Shu's tongue lashed out, and got Zuko and Jun. Iroh dove to catch Jun, and they all fell. We had lost. Aang, Sokka, and Katara jumped onto the bison's saddle and flew away, leaving a wrecked abbey behind.
'It will not be a pleasant evening tonight.' I predicted. I moved my arm, smell drugs wore off faster then venom it seems. One minute later, I could walk. Zuko Jun and 'Iroh' were still paralyzed. What was that stuff that the nun used so Katara and Sokka could move? I looked around for it and found the vial. Uncle Iroh looked too comfortable under Jun, pretending that he was paralyzed.
"Dammit!" Zuko grunted, "I can't move!"
I picked up his head, "Breathe this in. You'll be able to move in a moment or so." I held the vial under his nose. He coughed and wheezed as the sour aroma reached his nose. I went over to Jun and held it under her nose even though I knew Iroh wanted her to stay paralyzed on top of him. She had the same reaction to the smell as Zuko.
I had forgotten something…. The nuns…oh shit. They were gathered around us… and they looked mad.
"Zuko…!" I murmured, trying to help him up, "The nuns!" He saw them, "Uncle! Get up!" He said, pushing me towards the exit, "We're leaving!" Zuko and I took off running. Uncle Iroh stopped his charade when he saw the angry looks on all the old women's faces. He went pale, "Uh oh."
Hoped you liked this chapter. It was a bit longer than I had expected. I will be trying to most as much as I can so I can get to the sequel! Aren't you happy! (jumps up and down) Yeay!
I know I didn't get all the dialogue right, but I have only seen the episode once. It was a good one! One of my faves! I'll talk to yall later! Please leave some reviews!
