I don't own A:TLA. In this chapter, you'll see an animalistic human Avery/Nyla. And you get a hint for a future friendship.
I awoke to a melodic pounding in my temples. I groaned and clutched my skull, curling farther into myself. My bindings coiled like springs and I gasped,sitting up straight. I was in human form. The avatar, his friends, and practically anyone who could actually move, was staring at me in awe. The avatar took a step forward but I backed away with a growl worthy of my shirshu persona.
"I'm won't hurt you." He said. I scoffed.
"That's what June said to 'Nyla'. And look where that got me." I said, shifting to expose my bloody shoulder. He grimaced. He extended a hand and I whimpered, crawling backwards.
"You're a girl. You're not a shirshu." He said.
"I am a shirshu!" I yelled in defense. The avatar quirked an eyebrow.
"How?" He asked. I backed farther away.
"Why should I tell you?" I retorted. "You're a human."
"And so are you!" He replied. I blinked in surprise. He had a point. I shook my hid to rid of the thought.
"I'm no human. I may have human in me, but I'm a shirshu!" I tried to explain. Well... At least it made sense in my head.
"Come with us." He said. I cocked my head to the side and stood.
"What?" I said.
"Come with us. You won't be abused anymore. You'll be free. And if you don't want to travel the whole way with us, we'll drop you off somewhere." He said. My breath caught on the word 'free'.
"Free..." I breathed. I clutched my hands together and my eyes watered as I shook my head.
"I belong to June. I'm her shirshu. She needs me." I said. The avatar frowned.
"She doesn't need you, she's using you." he said. A tear ran down my cheek and I let out a small sob.
"No... No. No no no!" I cried, clutching my head. I sank to my knees and sobbed. A light hand touched my shoulder and my head whipped up. The avatar looked at me kindly. He sank down to me and gave me a hug.
"Come with us." He whispered. I pulled away from him and looked to June sadly. She stared at me sadly. I gasped slightly, realizing I had paralyzed her. I crawled back from the avatar and shook my head.
"I can't." I said. I bowed. "It was an honor to meet you, Avatar."
"Aang." He said.
"What?"
"My name is Aang." He said. "What is yours?"
"Avery." I told him. He nodded and stood.
"I'll see you again, Avery." He said before gliding away on silent feet. I crawled over to June, Zuko, and Iroh. I poked Iroh and frowned.
"You aren't paralyzed. Get away from my June." I said. Iroh gave me a look. I growled and then dug my nail into June's neck. I spat into the wound and she rolled off of Iroh, jumping to her feet.
"How'd you do that?" She asked, rubbing away my spit.
"Which part. The whole shape-shifting thing or unparalyzing you?" I said.
"Both!" She said. I shrugged.
"I can paralyze so it's natural to have to do the opposite. The shape-shifting is classified. And no, bestiality was not involved." I said. Iroh sat up and looked to Zuko.
"May you please fix my nephew?" Iroh asked. I frowned. I turned to see the avatar's bison long gone. My chance of freedom was long gone.
"I'm not licking him." I said. June brought out her whip and I snarled. I tackled and scratched her. I spat on the cuts and she was once again paralyzed.
"I'm done with taking orders from you, June." I said, slipping off of her. I glared at Iroh.
"I bite. Stay away from her." I said. He blinked up at me and I looked to Zuko. I knelt beside him and his eyes moved to glare at me.
"Do. Not. Lick. Me." He said. I shrugged.
"Fine, stay frozen." I said. He groaned.
"Fine!" he said.
"Agni, you act like I want to." I said. I leaned over him and scratched his neck over the pulse. I licked the wound and sat back. Zuko rolled to his feet. He lit his palm up and aimed it at me. I whimpered and crawled backwards.
"You will help me find the avatar." He snarled.
"No!" I cried.
"You have no choice anymore. You should have gone with the avatar." Zuko sneered. I growled, anger over taking me.
"I deserve my freedom. I'm not some dog to tote around and show off as a trophy." I snarled. Zuko's hand lit up more. He wound up to throw a fireball but Iroh stepped in his way and grabbed his hands.
"Zuko!" Iroh scolded. "What is wrong with you?! You do not go around and collect slaves or prisoners without reason!"
"But I do have a reason! To find the avatar!"
"Ever considered that I don't want to?" I yelled.
"What you want isn't important!" Zuko yelled. I snarled, flipped over Iroh, and tackled Zuko. I raised my hands to show off my claw-like nails.
"You want to be permanently frozen, Pouty? Do you?!" I yelled. His eyes widened.
"That's what I thought." I said. "You will do as I say or you'll loose the ability to move, got it?"
"Depends on what it is." Zuko said. I twitched my hand and he shut up.
"You'll take me aboard and you'll take me to the avatar. Deal?" I said. He frowned but nodded. I stood and helped him up. I grabbed his wrist and made a small cut on his palm. He tried to pull his hand away but couldn't get out of my grip. I cut my hand before holding our cut hands together.
"What are you doing?" He asked, again trying to pull away.
"It's a blood seal on our deal. Now you have no choice but to follow through unless I feel like I want the deal to be broken." I said. A small flash of light flashed between our hands and I pulled away, palm completely unharmed. Zuko looked at his hand.
"How exactly did that work? Shirshu's can do that?" Zuko asked.
"I don't know why I do it but I know how. Our bloods swapped and a bit of a special toxin transferred into your blood stream. So, if you break our deal without me giving the okay, you'll be permanently paralyzed in excruciating pain." I said cheerfully. I helped Iroh up and looked him over.
"You don't need a blood contract." I said. "Now one of you give me something of yours quickly."
"Why?" Zuko asked.
"So I can use it to find your ship." I said. Zuko grabbed something from Iroh and held it to me.
"What is this?" I asked curiously, opening the top. I yelled in pain as perfume exploded into my 'sight'. Something hard hit the back of my head and I blacked out.