Trouble with the Bullies

The Trio walked along the beach. Atuiko was astounded to learn Sylwa's secret. "That's incredible,"

"I know right," said Lo'ak, eagerly as admirable as her gift as him.

"How come you've never told anyone this?"

"Because I didn't want my parents to have another reason to be concerned for me, I don't trust Neteyam or Tuk to keep it secret and it's really Kiri who's the one with nature," she sighed. "I feel so guilty about getting Tsireya into trouble,"

"She needed to get out. Like you did," said Lo'ak. "At least you didn't get her into trouble,"

His twin could tell that he still felt incredibly guilty for how she had been shot back in the forest. "Lo'ak, what happened back in the forest wasn't your fault," said Sylwa. "I don't blame you for what happened to me,"

"But I nearly got you killed. Just like I did Neteyam,"

"No," she stopped him. "Those monsters did. Not you. And Spider's kidnapping wasn't your fault either," she looked at Atuiko. "Spider would really like you,"

"I think I'd like him too. One thing that's really special about you guys is that you two being different makes you more compassionate to others compared to everyone else,"

The twins exchanged smiles again. Just then they heard loud laughing coming from nearby. They walked past some palm trees and they saw Aonung and his friends bullying Kiri.

"Look at your hands freak," the cruel prince mocked, grabbing one of them.

The sight made the twins fume. "Hey!" shouted Lo'ak, alerting them of their presence. They marched together on him. "Back off fish-lips!"

"You stay away from our sister!" warned Sylwa.

"More four-fingered freaks!" mocked Roxto.

"Leave them alone!" Atuiko shouted at his brother.

"Look at the baby tail," another one pulled Lo'ak's tail. Sylwa snarled at him, forcing him back.

"Such an ugly girl," the boy laughed at her burn mark.

"Leave her alone!" Atuiko snarled at the bullies. "Leave them alone you meanies,"

Roxto growled. "Traitor,"

The bullies started poking at Atuiko. Lo'ak pushed them back. "Don't touch him!"

"Leave us alone!" shouted Kiri. But the bullies kept laughing at them. Aonung poked at Sylwa's back.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted at him.

"You stay away from my sister and we won't have a problem,"

Neteyam suddenly marched onto the scene and pulled the bully away from his sister. "Leave them alone," he poked his chest.

Roxto laughed. "Uh big brother coming…" Aonung stopped him.

"Back off," seethed Neteyam. "Now,". The bullies stopped talking. "From now, you're to respect my siblings," he marched a little on the leader. "And don't ever, ever touch my sisters again,". She snarled in his face, making Aonung lean back a bit more.

"And you're to respect Atu," Lo'ak added in, side-hugging Atuiko protectively.

"'Atu'?" repeated Roxto outrageously.

"At least he and Sylwa care about me which is better than I can say for you," said Atuiko, glaring coldly at the hurt Roxto. "And I would rather hang around them than be with you any day,". Roxto snarled at Lo'ak who snarled back. Kiri pulled a face at him.

"Let's go," said Neteyam, leading them away.

"Bye!" waved one of the mean bullies in a mocking manner.

"Such a family of freaks," taunted the other, making everyone laugh.

Sylwa fumed, clenching her fist. "That does it," she twisted around but Neteyam grabbed her.

"Don't'," he ordered, knowing this would lead to trouble.

"Back off bro! I've got this," she pulled her arm free. Aonung smirked out at her as she marched upon him and his pack of goons. "Would I be correct in stating that you think it's fun to make fun of other people?" she paused for a sec, allowing the bullies to take in her question. "Then I'd like to tell you smell of fish pee," her insults made the bullies clench their fists. Aonung on the other hand felt insulted to the core. "You look like the colour of vomit. And I swear if you ever call any of my family a freak again, I will be your personal poltergeist. And a good taste of this," She threw her fist forward. Aonung stumbled back falling over. Her fist didn't meet his face but the realistic force of it was enough to force him down with a splash against his friends. Atuiko and Lo'ak burst out laughing.

"It's called a punch," jeered Lo'ak, mockingly. "Don't ever touch Kiri again or it won't be just my twin's,"

Atuiko kicked some sand into their faces. "Serves you, right bullies,". Sylwa turned to leave. So did the others, Atuiko blew a raspberry at him. Aonung snarled and then all of a sudden he pounced on her, pressing her into the sand. "Get off of me!"

"Hey!" Lo'ak shouted. He charged at Aonung, pushing him to the sand, and punching him in the face. "Don't you ever touch her!" he stood up and checked on her. "You okay?"

She nodded. Then she saw something. "Look out!"

Lo'ak turned around and saw the prince leap on him, pinning him to the ground and punching him in the face. She tried to help him but Roxto jumped on her, pounding her terribly in the back.

"Get away from her!" screamed Atuiko. He tried to help her but when Roxto turned around, his larger fin-like tail swiped around and hit him right in the face making him scream in pain.

"Atu!' cried Lo'ak who struggled to fight against Aonung.

With no choice, Neteyam joined the fight to help his twins. Atuiko's nose was bleeding heavily. Kiri ran over to comfort him. They could do nothing but watch the horrible fight. Atuiko pulled on Lo'ak baby tail. Roxto shoved Sylwa down forcing Neteyam to push him but the other two bullies pushed him down. Sylwa snarled and all of a sudden, she leapt on Aonung, hooked her legs around his neck and pulled them back backwards and he was sent rolling away. She then a swinging kick and knocked out Roxto before doing a swinging kick and knocking down the other bullies who had pinned her brother down. She helped her twin and older brother up. Their faces were bleeding heavily.

"That was wicked!" cheered Atuiko, clapping for joy.

"What was that?"

"Kung fu," Sylwa held up a pose.

Kiri laughed and Lo'ak clapped. Neteyam however glared. "What?"

"Why didn't you just walk away?" he snapped.

"I didn't start this fight," she retorted. Before they could argue, they heard loud voices.

"What is going on here?" shouted Jake marching onto the scene with Tonowari.

"She hit us!" complained a struck-down bully pointing at Sylwa.

"He jumped me!" she shouted pointing down at Aonung.

"Hut now!" commanded Jake. The twins and Neteyam stood up straight.

Tonowari checked on Atuiko's whose nose was bleeding. "I'll clean him up," said Kiri.

"Chief it wasn't their fault," Atuiko tried to explain.

Jake escorted the bleeding children away from the scene back to the hut. The moment they were inside, he exploded into a fit of anger. "What was the one thing I asked? The one thing?"

"Stay out of trouble," mumbled the twins, rolling their eyes, tired of being treated like children.

"It was my fault," Neteyam stepped in.

"I don't think so. You've got to stop taking the heat for this knucklehead," seethed Jake at Lo'ak.

"Don't call him that," defended Sylwa. "And stop blaming him for everything that happens. Aonung lunged at him. Lo'ak was defending me. It wasn't our fault!"

"You punched him," pointed out Neteyam.

Sylwa glared at him for blabbering out like that. "I didn't punch him,"

"But you threatened to,"

Jake frowned at her. "Aonung was picking on Kiri. He called her a freak. He called us freaks," said Lo'ak. "And they picked on Atuiko too,"

"I was standing up for our family and Lo'ak was defending me and Atuiko," said Sylwa, unable to see their dad talk to them like that. "You and Mum always taught us to stand up for our family. And that's what we were doing. Why can you see that?"

Jake took a moment to calm down. "Both of you…go and apologise to him,"

"What?!" the twins shouted out incredulously.

"He's the chief son. You both understand?" he was desperate for things to not get any worse. "Make peace. Just go,"

"So, he can get away with it and we have to apologise to him?" Sylwa felt betrayed. "You don't understand. You don't understand anything!" she marched out of the hut, shedding tears, Lo'ak following behind.

"Guys…" Jake called out to them, but they were out of sight. He sighed angrily but was slightly upset at the way things were happening between them.

They stomped out towards the beach, outraged with their father.

"I can't believe it," Sylwa kicked the sand. "They picked on us and now we have to apologise?!"

"Let's just get it over with," muttered Lo'ak, eyes half-closed.

"No. This is my fault. I provoked him," Sylwa stood up. "You should go and check on Atuiko," she rubbed her forearm. "It's all my fault he got punched like that,"

"Don't say that," said Lo'ak. "And I'm not letting you face him alone,"

"I can handle him. You just go and see Atu. He needs you more than I do. I'll see you guys soon,"

"Here," Lo'ak pulled off granny's wrap which he had worn and was glad hadn't been torn apart in the fight. He wrapped it around her. "For luck,"

"Wish me luck,"

Sylwa walked off and mounted an ilu, Lo'ak looking out to her hoping things wouldn't get worse. He walked along the beach and saw Kiri tending to Atuiko. They saw him. "You okay?" Kiri wiped Atuiko's nose again and he looked at Lo'ak. "I'm so sorry," he apologised.

"It wasn't your fault," he said.

"How'd it go with Dad?" asked Kiri, concerned.

Lo'ak slumped on a log next to him. "He told us to apologise to Aonung,"

"What?" cursed Atuiko. "How can he get away with that?"

"Because he's the chief's son," said Lo'ak in a mocking manner.

"Where's Sylwa?"

He sighed. "She decided to go alone. I just hope she doesn't get into any trouble,"

"I can't believe your dad's making you apologise like that," Atuiko comforted. He looked to Kiri. "Thank you,". She smiled. "You shouldn't let them get to you,"

"I think they're right," Kiri sighed, drifting off into deep thought. "I'm just different from everyone,"

"You can't let your hands define who you are,"

"It's not just that," she said. "Can you keep a secret?"

He nodded.

"I have this…connection to Eywa,"

Atuiko's eyes enlarged. "The Great Mother,"

She nodded. "Sometimes I just…feel her…like she's so close. Sometimes I feel her under the surface. Before Aonung came, I was lying on the sand and I could sense her underneath it,"

Atuiko was amazed. "Wow. Whatever connection you have to her, it's so much stronger than a Tsahik,"

Sylwa was on her ilu, searching for the prince and his goons. They were near some sea stacks. With a serious expression, she rode over to them and they noticed her, laughing mockingly.

She glared at them, particularly Aonung. "My dad sent me to apologise to you. And I am. But you're gonna answer this. What is wrong with you?" she paused. "Ever since we arrived you've been nothing but horrible to me and my family? We've tried our very best to fit in here but all you've done is make things harder. And it's so slothful of you to leave all your responsibilities to your sister,"

"What do you know about me freak?" hissed Aonung, glaring at her for her remarks.

"I know a lot about you. Tsireya told me everything. How you hate having so much responsibility. How you have a habit of finding it fun to make fun of people who are different in order to make fun out of doing things you don't wanna do. If your brother Tousal was here right now, he would be so ashamed of you,". As she spoke, Aonung felt his heart crushing with grief as she reminded him of his dear younger brother whom he loved so much. Ever since his death, he had never been the same. "If you wanna an apology, you're gonna go to my sister, apologise to her and you're gonna tell my father that it was you who started that fight. Not me and my twin," she turned to leave. "Dumbass," she mocked.

Suddenly Aonung reached forward and grabbed her wrap, pulling it off.

She exploded. "Give me back my wrap!"

"You want it! Come and get it!" Aonung suddenly rode off towards the open sea, his friends behind him, splashing her in the face.

"Stop! We're not allowed to go beyond the reef!" she shouted out.

They stopped swimming away and turned to her.

"Too scared?!" goaded Roxto.

"Need to get your daddy?" another taunted. They all laughed and continued swimming off. Sylwa growled and without thinking pursued them. She chased them for miles across the sea, trying effortlessly to catch up to them but they were too fast. She kept on shouting out, telling them to stop but they wouldn't. They came to a series of sea stacks and a small rock island. The Three Brothers. She watched them dismount their ilus and run towards the rocks. She growled and chased after them on foot. "Enough of this!" she shouted. "This is not funny! If this is some kind of a joke, it's not funny! And we're not supposed to be here! You wanna be in more trouble than you should be you bully?!" she turned a corner and she saw her wrap lying in a cave. She went to it and picked it up. She heard a whistle and turned around. The bullies were there. Then all of a sudden they sealed her inside. "Hey!" she shouted. "Let me out! You no good- doo-gooder…"

The bullies hummed in triumph and high-fived each other.

"That'll teach her," said Aonung victoriously. They headed towards their ilus. He suddenly noticed that Roxto was slow, hesitant.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea,"

"Come on here. It's a beautiful cave. There are caves in the forest. She's gonna love it. Now come on,". Roxto still wasn't sure. He looked back. "Come on!"

Sylwa tried to shove her way out but all she got were bruises on her arm. "Ow!" she whined. There had to be another way out. She ventured further in and saw a hole of light about five metres above her. She could climb out. The walls were closing in together. She could jump from side to side if she was quick and light on her feet. She took a deep breath. Then she jumped from side to side off the rock walls leading up to the opening, getting higher and higher every minute until she finally made it out back into the open air. She looked down and saw the bullies leaving on their ilu.. She growled and she sprinted and she leapt.

The boys heard her cries and they looked up. Their ilus swerved back and she landed with a face plant into the water. It was painful. They laughed. She growled. "I could watch that all day," bullied another.

"See ya!" Aonung led them away, splashing her in the face.

"Stop!" she cried out. "You can't leave me here!" But she could do nothing but watch as they swam away and before she could even swim a few metres they had disappeared into the distance. She roared in anger and punched the water with her fist. She cursed herself for falling for that stupid trick. She looked back at the little rock islands and then again towards the wide-open ocean in the direction that would lead back to the clan's island. They weren't that far away. She hoped her ilu was still nearby. She clicked and to her enlightenment, it came over. It had refused to leave without her. That was a relief. She could go back to the village and make sure the chief had learnt what had happened.

Just something huge and mighty lurked beneath the waters. Swarms of fish swam away. Before Sylwa could even react, she felt herself flying out of the water. A giant Akula had rammed its way out of the water and was trying to eat her and her mount with its giant three jaws. Luckily she swerved out of the way in the air just in time before it bit her but a giant tooth scratched against the skin on her ankle. She landed in the water with a splash. She had to get away. She swam towards some coral tocks and hide behind them. She saw her ilu swim away with a bleeding fin. Her scratch was bleeding. The blood spilt out. The Akula smelt it. It roared and went after her but she swam for it.

She swam through the bending rocks of coral as it bit at her, trying to turn her into a snack but she dodged it. She managed to escape its jaws a fifth time but all of a sudden, she felt the sudden compression in her chest. She couldn't hold her breath in for much longer. She had to swim for it. Taking a peep out, she saw the Akula had disappeared. She could swim up for air. She swam up to reach the surface but as she did, another Akula appeared its giant fin smashed against her and she was bashed into a rock wall. Her chest was bruised and she felt a sharp rock scratch against her abdomen. She was getting weaker every second. Trying to regain consciousness, her head twisted around and she saw three of them coming towards her. Then all of a sudden, a massive creature came out of nowhere and rammed its giant head into the nearest Akula, smashing it against the rocks. It all happened so fast that she couldn't quite make out the creature who had just saved her from becoming a meal. Soon the giant creature whacked the other two with its tail with its giant tail. With her blurry vision and weakening breath, she still couldn't make out what creature was defending her. But whatever it was, it was scaring away all the dangerous shark-like creatures that were trying to eat her.

This was her chance to escape. She swam up to the surface for air, gasping in as much oxygen as possible. She had to swim now whilst she still could. Ignoring the wounds on her ankle and wrist, she swam as fast as she could with her aching arms towards the open ocean to try and swim back to the island.

Back on the island, Tsireya was having a long lecture from her mother. Her mother was outraged to learn that Sylwa had taken her beyond the reef.

"I forbid you to see that girl again alone. She's dangerous,"

"Mum, don't speak like that about her,"

"She endangered your life,"

"No. She took me on a flight to make me feel better,"

"She is a bad influence on you. Her daemon heritage is ruining your life,"

"Need I remind you that Toruk Makto was once human and yet he evolved and joined the Omaticaya. They have Sky People friends too. You can't assume all of them are evil,"

"Thanks to you, you don't have any friends anymore," Ronal was angered and distressed to learn from the girls' parents that Tsireya had ended their friendship with them on account of Sylwa.

"They were terrible to Sylwa. They harassed her. I couldn't comprehend their treatment towards them. How do you expect me to be friends with them now?"

"I want you to stop hanging around her,"

"You don't tell me who I can or can't hang out with. And I love spending time with her. Because she's just like me," Tsireya dashed out of their home before her mother could catch her. She wanted to see Sylwa again. She hadn't seen her since this morning and she had become very concerned for her well-being. She had heard about the awful fight between the Sully siblings and her brother and his friends and she was not happy to hear it. To her brother's frustration, she had taken Sylwa's side and she was outraged upon hearing how she had been battered and bruised in such a violent way.

As she walked along the beach, she came across Neteyam and Lo'ak.

"I heard about what happened," she said. "I truly am sorry I haven't been able to keep my brother and his friends from mistreating you all,"

"It's okay," assured Neteyam. "You've been very kind to us. And thank you for defending Sylwa from those mean girls,"

"It was awful what they did,"

"Have you seen her anywhere?" asked Lo'ak. "We've been looking for her and we can't find her,"

"I'll help you look," Tsireya said. "Come on,"

"Sylwa!" Atuiko had been searching for another area of the island for her but there was still no sign of her. He was desperate to talk to her again, make sure she was okay. Just then he heard voices.

"Guys I really think it was a bad idea to leave her behind," said Roxto. He boiled hearing the voice of his biological brother who called him a 'traitor' when in reality he was the traitor for being friends with the same egotistical teens who liked to bully him and the Sullys a lot. "If anything happens to her, it will be on our necks,"

Atuiko peeped behind a tree and he saw his brother arguing with Aonung and the others.

"Relax," waved off Aonung. "We couldn't get her ilu to come with us so she's probably on her way back here,"

"We led her towards the Three Brothers Rocks. That's an Akula territory. And she doesn't know how to handle them,"

"Come on. If that girl can survive whatever gave her that ghastly mark, she can survive an attack from an Akula,"

Atuiko gasped. They had left Sylwa behind in a territory of dangerous predators? His worry for Sylwa was stronger than his rage at his brother. He had to tell Lo'ak and the others. He turned and fled. He panted and panted but he ran and ran past huts and fishermen until when he circled a tree, he ran right into Lo'ak, causing them to collide and fall down.

"Atu?" he asked.

"Lo'ak…" he panted. "Something awful…"

"Calm down Atu. Calm down," ushered Lo'ak. "Deep breath," The kid inhaled deeply a few times and his heartbeat slowed down. "There. All good. What is it?"

"Aonung just did the most awful thing. He left Sylwa stranded at the Brother Rocks outside the reef and it's infested with Akulas,"

The brothers exploded. "What?!"

"How could he?" questioned Reya angrily. She never thought her brother would go so far like this. "I can't believe he would do that,"

"He's dead meat," seethed Lo'ak.

Before Neteyam could say anything to stop him from going into a mode of murder, the powerful sounds of boom, boom, boom, and whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, made their heads turn. They saw palm trees blowing in the wind. The sky in the distance had become so dark. And strikes of lightning struck the horizon.

Tsireya turned pale. "Oh no. There's a storm coming. The waves will be tall as mountains," Tsireya turned to the brothers with a grave expression. "No Navi could ever swim or ride through that,". The four of them became struck with horror. Even if Sylwa didn't make it out of the Akula habitat safely, she was still in great danger from the impending storm brewing dangerously over the sea.

"If the storm is just approaching then it means there's still time. I have to find her. Tell Dad what's happened," before they could stop him, Lo'ak called his Ilu and he mounted it.

"Lo'ak!" Neteyam screamed out but his brother was already too far away. They watched as he went past the reef out into the approaching storm to try and find Sylwa before it was too late.

Atuiko and Neteyam tried to follow him but Tsireya stopped them. It was far too dangerous for Atuiko and it would do no good for Neteyam. Lo'ak was already too far ahead of them heading right through the reef. "He can't do this by himself," squirmed Neteyam.

"It's too dangerous for you," said the princess. "We have to tell my father and your father. My father might be able to send out the general and his soldiers to find them before the storm gets worse,"

"As if my dad would help," scoffed Atuiko.

"He may not be the nicest Navi but he wouldn't allow the twins to drown like this. Come on. We'll go warn my father and Neteyam, you warn your parents,"

And that's the next chapter done. I know this is really how the story goes but I wanted to do a change. Also, Payakan is going to appear. He will be a female: Payaka. And she will appear in the next one. See you all very soon. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought. Until then, bye for now.