CHAPTER 13: AFTERMATH
(Disclaimer: Avatar The Last Airbender belongs to Nickelodeon and Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own my OC's)
(PLEASE READ: THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO "SHUJINKO: THE FOURTH MEMBER", BUT A DIFFERENT STORY WITH SHUJINKO AS THE MAIN CHARACTER. THIS STORY WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT WHATSOEVER IN "SHUJINKO SHIPPUDEN". I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO SHUJINKO'S ORIGINAL STORY)
Summary: One night, a stranger breaks into Shujinko's house and tries to steal one of the most mystical objects in the history of the Ozuma clan: The Eye of Kazemaru. When Shujinko tries to stop him, the two of them activate an ancient and forgotten power of the gem by accident, which sends them to another dimension where a certain bald-headed monk has to master the four elements in order to defeat the evil Fire Lord. What kind of impact will Shujinko's presence have in the Avatar universe? Who is this stranger and what does he want? Get ready for one wild space-time adventure
As the evening sunlight began to fade, Ty Lee was sitting on a rock outside of Mai's tent, fidgeting with her braided ponytail while she waited for her friend to come out.
'Come on, Mai. Hurry up, will you?' Ty Lee thought, tapping her foot against the ground repeatedly. The young circus acrobat, who was usually a bundle of joy and child-like excitement, had been feeling anxious and even a little bit scared over the past few days. Even Mai was being less talkative than what was normal for her, not out of anger or indifference, but out of wariness. The tension was getting too much for Ty Lee to bear, and despite how nervous she was, she knew something had to be done about it.
It had all started a few days ago when Azula returned back from her "hunt". The princess of the Fire Nation had had a hunch that the Avatar and his friends were trying to give them the slip by purposefully leaving a fake trail behind. Her hunch had proven to be correct… sort of. Ty Lee and Mai ended up confronting the boy and the girl from the Water Tribe, and while they were able to beat them without much difficulty, they were caught off guard by Appa, that flying mascot of them. A swift swing of its tail sent the two of them to the river, where they were dragged by the current for a while, giving the Water Tribe siblings enough time to escape.
That wasn't the important part, though. Azula had made it very clear that the Avatar was their main target, which was why she had to be the one to face him in battle, and that was exactly what she did. Both Mai and Ty Lee were expecting the princess to return with the airbender trussed up like a Hog Monkey, beaten and humiliated, which was why they were thoroughly surprised when she came back to them not only empty-handed, but also with a huge bruise on her face, as well as with a busted and bloody lip.
Upon seeing them, Azula told them they were retreating. Ty Lee immediately asked her what had happened, but Azula snapped at her, telling her to shut up and to do as ordered if she knew what was good for her. Seeing Azula in such an uncharacteristically volatile state was enough to rattle the poor circus acrobat out, to the point where she had kept her mouth shut from that moment forward, only speaking when addressed by Azula directly. Mai followed her example, perhaps less troubled by the outburst, but equally as intrigued as Ty Lee was.
Once Mai walked out of her tent, Ty Lee jumped from her spot almost immediately after. "Finally, I was starting to think you weren't going to come out," she said. "What took you so long?"
"If waiting for me was such an issue, then perhaps you should've gone over to Azula and talk to her alone," was Mai's flat response.
Ty Lee blanched at that. "W-What? No, no way. I can't do this by myself. You know how scary Azula can be… So, do you think we're ready for this?"
"As ready as we'll ever be. Come on, let's get this thing over with,"
000
|Azula's tent|
To her Royal Highness Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation,
We have received your message. As per your request, we shall put every available scholar to gather information in regards to the content of your letter. Should our investigations garner any results, you can be assured that they will be delivered to you at the earliest opportunity.
We are already going through the archives of the army while several of our men are getting into contact with the most knowledgeable historians of our glorious Fire Nation to consult them. Those who refuse to cooperate or show any signs of suspicion shall be punished accordingly just as you ordered.
Always your loyal servant,
Minister Sazai, Head of the Intelligence Division
Azula folded the letter in half and held it between her fingertips before releasing a flame that burnt the letter instantly.
The last few days had been a hurricane of negative emotions for the princess of the Fire Nation, ranging from disbelief to rage and everything in between. It was a position she never thought she would ever find herself in, for her ability to control her emotions was perhaps even mightier than her Firebending prowess, but after what she witnessed, what she fought against… It was something that escaped her no matter how hard she tried to rationalize it.
'Shujinko Ozuma,' Just the thought of him was enough to make her blood boil. Aside from his name and face, the boy was a complete enigma. His fighting skills and his tactics didn't correspond to anything she had ever seen or studied before. Fierce hand-to-hand combat coupled with the use of weapons, advanced gymnastics, and deceptive tricks that fooled the human eye, with no bending involved whatsoever. To become that formidable a combatant, there was no doubt that Shujinko had to be trained from a young age by a master; his moves were too clean and precise to be self-taught.
Then there was the other guy, the man with the hood and the spear who conveniently appeared before Shujinko to fight him. His intentions were clear, but his motives were as mysterious as they could get. The only thing Azula knew for sure was that whoever that man was, he held no allegiance to the Fire Nation, as he openly threatened to kill none other than the nation's princess if she interrupted the encounter between him and Shujinko. Another piece on the board, another indecipherable variable added to the equation.
Azula was fixated on learning more about those two. After leaving Tu Zin and placing a good amount of distance between her group and the Avatar's, Azula wasted no time to get in touch with the Fire Nation, composing a message which included what little information she had managed to come across thus far: "Shujinko Ozuma", "Shinobi", "Hidden Leaf Village", "Great Five Shinobi Nations". Azula even added drawings of the weapons that Shujinko used, as well as the symbol carved into the headband that he wore. These words and images were to be researched with excruciating thoroughness by Fire Nation investigators and top academics alike, who were obligated to report any findings that might provide more intel about either Shujinko or the hooded man.
As she continued to determine what to do next, the firebender heard footsteps near her tent. "What is it?" Azula asked as she promptly got off her bed.
"Hey Azula, can we come in please?" Ty Lee asked.
Azula sat on the ground with her legs crossed, pretending to be meditating with her back turned before allowing them to enter. This way, neither Ty Lee nor Mai would see how bruised and swollen her face was, not out of shame or anything close to it, but for the sake of maintaining appearances. Injuries meant damage, damage meant vulnerability, and vulnerability lead to a lack of fear by others. "I assume you two have a good reason to disturb my meditation,"
Ty Lee and Mai shared a brief glance. Since when had Azula taken up meditation? "Sorry to bother you Azula, we had no idea you were busy," the talented chi-blocker began to say. "The thing is… Well, I don't know how to say this, but if it's not too much trouble, maybe you could tell us about… About…"
"What Ty Lee is trying to say is that we want to know what went down when you faced the Avatar," Mai said, getting straight to the point. Just like Azula, Mai hated walking on eggshells, and it was high time they got some answers.
The princess of the Fire Nation remained silent at first. She knew the subject would be brought up sooner or later, which was why she made sure to have some answers ready beforehand. "So this is what this fuss is about, huh? Well, I suppose there's no harm in telling you, my dear friends, what exactly happened that day,"
"Really?" Ty Lee asked, surprised by Azula's openness. She had come to her tent expecting to be told off by Azula, or in the best of cases, ignored and dismissed. "Well, I sure am happy to hear that! We thought you were going to be mad at us for asking,"
"Mad at you? Don't be silly, you've done nothing to earn my anger… For now, anyway," Azula replied, keeping a neutral, almost casual tone of voice. If she lost her temper and lashed out at them, they would know, or at least suspect, that something was up. "As it turns out, the Avatar has made a new ally. You remember Shujinko Ozuma, the one Lieutenant Kaizu told us about. Well, I finally got to meet him face to face and check whether if the rumors about him had been exaggerated or not,"
This caused Mai's eyes to widen a little bit, not enough to show surprise, but just enough to show a modicum of interest. She remembered when Lieutenant Kaizu informed them about a certain boy named Shujinko, who had caused quite a bit of trouble back at Gi Yuin Village. The markswoman hadn't expected his name to come up in the conversation. "And what was he like?"
"Yeah, I was about to ask the same thing!" Ty Lee exclaimed, her eyes shining with glee. "When that old man mentioned Shujinko, he never said if he was any cute, but now that you've seen him you can tell us!"
"I was asking about his abilities, Ty Lee,"
"Ugh! It's always the same with you! Seriously, am I the only girl in this group? It's not like I want to flirt with any of the Avatar's friends. I'm just curious to know how he looks, that's all,"
"Enough. We don't have time to waste on trivialities," Azula interjected, much to Ty Lee's disappointment. "From what I saw, Shujinko has a… particular set of skills. He's agile both in mind and in body, and he's capable of close, medium, and long-range combat. Had I been less cautious, he would've taken me by surprise. It's a shame that someone with his potential decided to side with the Avatar and his gang of peasants instead of joining us,"
To say that Mai and Ty Lee were caught off guard by this was an understatement. They had known the princess of the Fire Nation since they were children, yet this was the first time they had ever heard her speak of someone, an enemy no less, in almost praiseful terms. If Azula, Azula, recognized Shujinko's worth to some degree, then there was no doubt that he was special. Ty Lee was about to ask if Shujinko was the one responsible for the bruise on her face, but the fear of angering Azula prevented her from taking that risk.
"In the end, I was cornered by Shujinko and his friends. Even my foolish brother and my traitorous uncle joined them. Prolonging the fight became pointless, and seeing as I was outnumbered, I decided to escape and let them fight each other. I trust this is enough to satiate your curiosity,"
"And what are we going to do the next time we run into this guy?" Mai asked.
"Let me take care of him. Thanks to the insight that I've gained, I'll make sure to adjust our plans as much as needed. You already know me, I always find a way,"
"The tea is ready, prince Zuko,"
Zuko didn't bother to turn his head around as he continued to stare at the quivering branches of a bare tree outside, ignoring the sound of his uncle's tea being poured into small drinking cups.
After the disconcerting brawl that had taken place in Tu Zin, the retired General of the Fire Nation and his nephew were reunited once again and fled the desolated town together searching for shelter, eventually settling for a decrepit one-room outhouse located near the Xishaan Mountains. The outhouse was little more than a cramped dump devoid of furniture and dignity, but given their current situation, having a roof over their heads was enough for the pair of firebenders on the run.
Iroh took a small sip and exhaled pleasurably. "Ahh, that's just what I needed. Are you sure you don't want some? You might like it if you give it a try," he said in an attempt to lift his nephew's mood. When he saw it wasn't working, Iroh left his cup on the floor and adopted a slightly more serious demeanor. "Normally, I would ask what are you thinking of, but this time, I have a pretty good guess what your answer to that would be,"
"Then you already know our problems just got a whole lot bigger,"
Iroh frowned at the figure of Zuko sitting on the window sill with his arms crossed. He wanted to tell him to lighten up and to see the silver lining of it all, but this time, not only he knew it wouldn't work, but he also knew it would be foolish to do so. Iroh himself was having trouble assimilating what he and his nephew saw back in Tu Zin, because despite his many years of experience and wisdom, he just had no words to explain the brutal and irrational spectacle they had witnessed together.
When Iroh came across Shujinko, he thought of him as a normal teenager that was going through a rough time, evidenced by the fact that he was walking alone in a forest where he could easily get lost. After getting to know him a little better over a cup of tea, he confirmed his suspicions that the boy was dealing with a problem. However, Iroh didn't know what Shujinko was capable of, and nothing could've prepared him for what was about to happen.
The boy was a trained killer. There was no other way to put it. He fought without hesitation and displayed the tenacity of a Snow Leopard Caribou, beating Azula with his bare fists before threatening to end her life should she oppose resistance. Such cold determination only belonged to those who had risked life and limb in the battlefield before, and Iroh knew this thanks to the many years he served in the Fire Nation army, but to see it coming from someone so young was unnerving.
Shujinko's battle prowess unnerved Iroh, but his magical abilities were what shocked him the most. Against the hooded man, Shujinko not only used Airbending, but he also made physical copies of himself and briefly turned his body into a literal weapon, not to mention the impossible acrobatic stunts that he performed during the fight. What was more baffling was that the hooded man fought against him in equal terms, demonstrating similar skills and nearly killing Shujinko in the process.
Taking all of this into consideration, Iroh could only come to two conclusions: Either Shujinko and the hooded man were owners of a power that mankind had yet to be made aware of, or they weren't humans at all. Iroh didn't know which option worried him more.
"Running around the Earth Kingdom as fugitives while dealing with Azula was bad enough, and now there are two freaks who know our names and our faces, one of them traveling with the Avatar," Zuko said, struggling to conceal the defeatist attitude that had gotten a hold of him over the last few days. "Somehow, our luck keeps getting worse at every turn,"
"Sadly, you're right. These last weeks have been anything but pleasant. However, that doesn't mean all hope is lost. We just have to pick ourselves back up again and move forward as always. This is not the end of the world, my nephew,"
"It might as well be!" Zuko shouted as he made a fist and struck the wall next to him with the base of his hand, adding another hole to the fragile outhouse. "That boy, Shujinko or whatever his name is, defeated Azula without breaking a sweat. Then he fought against that lunatic with the spear and… You saw what happened. All the time I've spent training and improving myself has been for nothing. How am I supposed to capture the Avatar when he has someone like that watching his back?"
"I believe not falling into despair would be the first step. The odds are stacked against you, but when have they not? Breathe and clear your mind, prince Zuko. Calm down the storm inside your head," Iroh said, to which Zuko merely scoffed.
It was frustrating for Iroh to see his nephew act this way, even though his normal-self wasn't exactly an optimist person. However, this time, he didn't blame him. The things he saw Shujinko do would blow anyone's mind and the stress of fighting a seemingly unwinnable war on two fronts was getting to him. At that moment, Iroh realized that he might not be able to provide the answers Zuko so desperately needed, but maybe he could get him to take his mind off of things for a while by teaching him something.
"In any case, there's little doubt that we will see Azula again. When that happens, you need to be prepared for the worst, and luckily, there's a way you can level the playing field,"
"Level the playing field? How?"
"I'm going to show you how to produce lightning just like Azula does. Follow me outside, prince Zuko,"
|Yahai Town|
A crescent moon rested above Yahai Town, a small but lively place near the Si Wong Desert that was often visited by tourists. The place had plenty of inns, saloons, and illegal gambling establishments that thrived under the arrival of thirsty travelers ready to spend their money on cold drinks and daring bets. The men in charge of keeping the local peace were a unit of Earth Kingdom soldiers who were more than willing to turn a blind eye to the illicit activities that were going on around them, being regular clients themselves whenever they weren't on duty, as long as they received "donations" by the local business owners every now and then.
Hak Yen, a forty-seven year old man, was flipping through the pages of the ledger where he kept his monthly accounts. He was the owner of a modest inn located a bit further away from the main attractions of the town, which made it a little harder for him to attract customers, but so far, he'd been able to provide a humble life to his family. Things had been more problematic this year though, as his wife had gotten pregnant five months ago. With a new baby on the way, Hak Yen was forced to work harder and cut some expenses in order to save money.
As he mulled over how to deal with the family budget, his daughter entered the inn through the back door wearing a light green tunic and her mother's apron. "Hey sweetie, how did you get on?" Hak Yen asked kindly. "Did you have any problems feeding our big furry friend?"
"Not really, but that thing eats more than a famished Badgermole. I've never seen anything like it," Shimo replied, removing straws of hay that had gotten stuck in her hair. "And when I say that, I'm not only talking about how much it can eat. White fur, horns, six limbs, and the list goes on. It's a little bizarre if you ask me,"
Hak Yen shrugged his shoulders and closed the ledger. "Well, it's a big world out there. There are probably dozens of animals that have yet to be discovered. Do me a favor, would you? Go upstairs and offer our new clients some fresh water. And of course, don't forget to be polite to them,"
"Yes, Dad," Shimo said as she went to do as told. When she reached the stairs, she turned around and gave her father a slight frown. "Hey, haven't you noticed something odd about them? Because I certainly have,"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You know what I'm talking about. These aren't the kind of people that usually stop by here. If anything, it feels like they're-"
"Shimo, don't make me explain myself again," Hak Yen interrupted her. "We don't badmouth our clients, we serve them. Haven't I already told you this?"
"I'm not badmouthing them, Dad. I'm just pointing out the obvious. Five teenagers knock on our door, one of them unconscious, asking for the two best rooms available and pay for them in gold. That's without addressing the fact that their giant animal companion is sleeping in our stable. Come on, you have to admit this isn't normal,"
Hak Yen let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn't an idiot. Of course it wasn't normal, it was the furthest thing from it. His most recent clients were kids that couldn't be any older than Shimo, who had turned seventeen last week. The group was comprised of a bald monk with blue tattoos, a blind young lady, a pair of Water Tribe siblings, and another boy whom they carried to his bed as soon as they rented the rooms. The fact that they had a bag filled with gold pieces only made things even stranger and, dare he say, suspicious.
"Be that as it may, they're still our clients and we must treat them as such. I already spoke to them. They told me their friend wasn't feeling well and they were looking for a place where he could rest, which is why they came here. Was I supposed to turn them down even though they had the money to pay for everything?"
"… No, but… Even so, it still is strange,"
"Listen sweetie, I know all of this is… unexpected, but nothing can be done about it. Your mother will give birth in a couple of months and I have to put food on the table for all of us. Refusing customers is a luxury we can't afford, so unless I'm given a good enough reason, those five are staying here and will be accommodated with everything they pay for, just like we would do with any other client. And besides, you said it yourself. They're just teenagers. Whatever they're involved in, it can't be anything too important,"
000
Aang let out a long yawn, stretching his arms out to alleviate the soreness in his body. He and Momo were keeping each other company in the balcony after a long and arduous Earthbending practice session with Toph. His Earthbending was getting better, but he still had a lot to learn before he could master it, and Toph's teaching methods, although efficient, were rather demanding. She had no patience for slackers and she expected nothing but the best of efforts out of him every single time they tried something new.
"Earthbending is nothing like I thought it would be," Aang commented, to which Momo squeaked and licked his cheek as a sign of affection. "Heh, I guess you're right, buddy. This is what I signed up for, after all,"
"Hey, Aang,"
The Avatar turned around to see Katara standing in front of him, and to his surprise, she looked nervous for some reason. "Hey Katara, what's up?"
Katara closed the doors behind her and took a step forward, which only increased Aang's curiosity. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something in private. I know you must be tired after working so hard, but I really need to get this off my chest,"
"Huh? Uhmm, sure, I'm all ears," Aang picked up Momo and left him on the balcony's handrail so that there would be no distractions. He didn't know why, but Katara insisting on privacy when they were just going to talk was making him feel a bit anxious… in a good way. "What is it that you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, I'm not really sure how to begin, but you and I have been friends for quite some time now, right?"
"… Uh-huh," Aang replied, feeling his face starting to blush.
"And we trust each other, right?"
"Of course we do. We wouldn't be here together if that wasn't the case,"
Katara nodded in agreement. "So, if I were to tell you that, as of lately, I've been thinking about something, or someone, you would keep it a secret from Sokka and Toph. It would stay between us and us only,"
At this point, Aang's eyes were wide open. He could hear his heart beating like a war drum and he couldn't stop tugging the collar of his tunic to cool down his body temperature. Was this actually happening? Was this a dream? Katara had definitely caught him off guard with this and he didn't feel ready, but at the same time, he really, really wanted this.
"Huhg, sorry if I'm beating around the bush. I don't know why I'm acting like this. I guess I'm just-"
"Katara, relax. You have nothing to worry about," Aang interrupted her with a smile on his face, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I think I know where this is going, and if I'm being honest, I've been feeling the same way for longer than you have. Just take a deep breath and say it. I'm here for you, Katara,"
The waterbender did as told and inhaled as much as she could before releasing a prolonged sigh. She then smiled at Aang and gave his hand a tight squeeze before removing it from her shoulder. "Thanks, Aang. I knew you would understand me," Katara said, which made Aang's smile grow even bigger. "What I'm trying to say is that… I'm worried about Shujinko,"
…
The smile on Aang's face vanished as he began to blink owlishly, wondering if his excitement had caused him to hear something completely different. When he noticed the concerned stare he was getting from Katara, the young monk realized he hadn't misheard anything and that, to his utter disappointment, he wasn't the "someone" Katara was talking to him about. "… Oh… I-I mean, I thought you were referring to… You know…"
"I just feel like he hasn't been himself these days. Ever since he woke up, he has spent most of his time sleeping and barely leaves his room. I know he's still exhausted from his fight and I don't want him to overdo it, but… I don't know, it's like he doesn't want to talk to us. I think meeting that hooded psycho really affected him,"
Aang merely nodded, looking as dejected as a chastised puppy. Katara didn't seem to notice as she was busy thinking about Shujinko's recent aloofness. It was true that the Chunin had been acting rather weird, and at first, the rest of Team Avatar had attributed it to his fatigue. However, several days had passed since then and Shujinko had gained some of his strength back, yet his behavior remained pretty much the same. Even Aang had noticed this despite the little time he was spending at the inn, as his lessons with Toph had to be held outside and they took up a lot of his time.
"Anyways, I was thinking maybe we should get him to speak and see if he's doing alright, but I don't want to pressure him," Katara said. "Do you think this is a good idea or should we wait until he opens up?"
"… Well, from what I've seen, Shujinko isn't the type of person who will tell you how he feels unless you ask him. Maybe it has something to do with him being a ninja, I don't know," Aang replied honestly. "Besides, after watching his fight, we all have questions for him. We just have to ask him nicely,"
Katara smiled and clasped her hands together. "Great, so it's decided then. I'll go tell Sokka and Toph. Thanks again, Aang," The Avatar smiled in return and waited for Katara to leave. Once she was gone, Aang dropped the fake smile and walked to the balcony's wooden handrail where he rested his elbows on.
To say that this was a letdown was an understatement. Aang had gotten his hopes so high that he hadn't considered the idea of Katara wanting to talk about something completely different from what he had in mind. At least Katara hadn't realized what he was referring to when he told her about "feeling the same way" as she did, otherwise, their conversation would've undoubtedly turned a whole lot more awkward, but it still felt like a punch in the gut.
'Meanwhile, she's over there, worried over somebody else,' Aang thought. 'How come she doesn't understand how I'm feeling? We've been together for so long now, and we even kissed when we were trapped inside the Cave of Two Lovers. Since then, I thought we would become something different… Then we met Shujinko,'
It was true. The introduction of Shujinko into their lives had changed almost everything, including the group dynamic. Everyone became fascinated with the Chunin's many abilities, and Aang certainly was no exception. Despite the ups and downs that came along the way, the Ozuma had become a genuine member of Team Avatar, and he was no longer seen as this boy with mysterious powers who was sticking around out of necessity. His kiss with Katara was easy to forget when compared to some of the things they had seen Shujinko do, even more so after his fight against the hooded man back at Tu Zin.
But now that they had spent some time in relative peace, Aang had begun to notice a couple of things about Katara in regards to Shujinko that were insignificant on their own, but that rubbed him the wrong way when put together. For example, since he had to continue practicing Earthbending with Toph, Sokka and Katara had agreed to take turns to take care of Shujinko while he rested. However, it was mainly Katara who did it, often claiming that she was better suited for these kinds of chores. Also, there was this twinkle in her eye whenever Katara spoke about him, a twinkle that made Aang feel uneasy for some reason. It was just so frustrating, so annoying and…
As Aang's frown grew deeper, his eyes suddenly widened, followed by a deep sense of shame. He was jealous of Shujinko? The boy was lying in bed after nearly getting killed, lost, far away from his family and his home, and Aang was jealous about him? How could he be so inconsiderate? This was not who Aang was. The monks hadn't raised him to feel bitterness or envy, especially not over someone whom he had come to accept as a friend.
'Of course Katara is worried about Shujinko, you dummy. That's how she is, how she's always been. If you were in Shujinko's shoes, Katara would treat you exactly like she's treating him right now,' Aang assured himself. 'Shujinko needs help, and you owe it to him after all he's done for you. Stop being so ridiculous,'
After a couple of minutes of self-introspection, the Avatar grabbed Momo and began to walk to the exit, petting the winged lemur while telling himself to pull it together. However, as he did so, Aang couldn't help but remember what Aunt Wu, the fortune teller from Makapu, had told Katara when she asked her to predict her future love life.
"You will marry a strong man, a strong man who will play a significant role in the fate of this world. He is a man the likes of which are beyond rare, almost unique,"
000
March, day unknown
Against all odds, things have gotten even crazier since the last entry I wrote. Maybe I should start coming to terms with the fact that this is the new normal for as long as I am here, but I don't know if I can, not with the mayhem of these last days…
…
… As it turns out, the Fire Nation was chasing us around using a vehicle capable of traveling across any solid surface. That vehicle was huge and it could move quite fast for its size, which makes me wonder how advanced the Fire Nation is in terms of technology, as I doubt that was the last time we'll come across one of their machines. In any case, our only option was to escape, which we kept doing again and again on the back of Appa. What we didn't know at the time was that Appa's fur was leaving a trail behind for the Fire Nation to pick up on…
…
… During my time alone in the woods, I met an old man who called himself Mushi. My shinobi habits made me wary of him at first, but after exchanging some words, we sat down and he prepared some tea for the two of us. Something about him made me feel at ease, which definitely doesn't happen very often. Still, I kept my guard up and made sure there was no funny business going on, as I can't afford to be naïve or too innocent for my own good. Not here, not anywhere else.
Somehow, our conversation led to the topic of Sasuke. I'm not sure how or why that happened. Maybe his likableness prompted me to share more about myself with him, or maybe his excellent tea loosened my tongue, I don't know. I didn't tell him the whole story, just that someone from my past made a conscious choice and that, because of that choice, I can't welcome him back into my life. He told me if I had considered the idea of forgiving Sasuke, which I haven't, and that forgiveness is about leaving bitterness and anger behind, not about gaining something in return.
My encounter with this old man gave me a lot to think about. He certainly was wise, but he's not a shinobi. Regardless, his advice did make me question myself up to a certain point. I don't know whether that's good or bad, but it is important.
I later learned that "Mushi" is not who I thought he was. I was told by Sokka and Katara that his real name is Iroh. Not only that, he's also the uncle of Zuko, the prince of the Fire Nation, and they've both been chasing after Aang for quite some time now in hopes of capturing him. This makes me his enemy, which makes him my enemy in return.
I'd be lying if I said this doesn't sadden me a little…
…
… After defeating Azula, a man appeared out of nowhere. A shinobi, or at least he used to be one according to what he said. Even so, he's the first person from the shinobi continent that I've run into ever since I got here. He didn't tell me his name, but he called himself a savior and called me a condemner, although I don't have a clue what's that supposed to mean or what makes him believe that.
He demanded to fight me and I nearly died in the process. In reality, I was fighting a Mud Clone of this guy while he observed everything. According to him, he was "testing" me, and he also said something about the two of us being "fated opponents" or some such. He promised me we would meet again, and before he left, he told me the sooner I opened my eyes, the sooner I'll realize what we are doing here and what our destinies have in store for us. Once again, I have no idea what he meant by that, but if he already found me once, then he'll most likely do it a second time. I passed out shortly after that.
While I was unconscious, we traveled to a place called Yahai Town and rented two rooms at a local inn, using some of that prize money I earned back when I fought against Toph in that tournament a while ago. I've been staying here ever since. My body is still suffering the consequences of chakra exhaustion, but at least I'm in better shape now than I was when I first woke up.
I don't know what to think anymore. I just don't.
Shujinko let out a heavy sigh as he closed his diary. Writing down his thoughts and experiences had helped him feel a little better by allowing him to distract himself, but now that he was done, it all came back to him. He was still tired, but most of all, he was still confused.
The Ozuma turned his head to the right and glanced at his surroundings. His bedroom wasn't too big, but it had all the commodities to make one feel at home. There was a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a water stoup, and enough candles to light up the room, as well as a few decorations on the walls. It wasn't exactly a king's chamber, but it was hundreds of times better than sleeping on Appa's saddle, and besides, Shujinko had never cared much for expensive decorations anyways.
After placing the diary inside his backpack, the Ozuma got up from the desk and walked over to the stoup shirtless and barefooted. The Earth Kingdom clothes that he got from Katara were left in tatters after his fight against the hooded man, so Shujinko decided to ditch the upper half of his outfit and cut the torn sleeves off his pants, shortening them to knee length. He still wore his golden necklace, but he now kept his headband safe inside his backpack.
When he got to the stoup, Shujinko dipped his hands into the water and brought them to his face, rubbing his palms against his skin. Since there were no showers (or bathrooms for that matter), this was the only way the Chunin could freshen himself up. He did the same with his hair, chest, arms, and torso, spilling drops of water to the floor. Once he was done, the Ozuma rested his hands on the edges of the stoup and stared at the mirror in front of him, watching his own reflection lost in thought.
'What is going on?' Shujinko asked himself.
The arrival of the hooded man and the fight against him had flipped everything upside down. Old and new questions were popping up, and Shujinko couldn't help but wonder how many of those questions' answers were linked to the Savior. The two of them had met before, that much was irrefutable, but how? When? Under which circumstances? Why couldn't he remember him? Why was this happening to him?
The uncertainty of it all made Shujinko want to scream, to grab the stoup and throw it out the window. Nothing was making any sense, not like it ever did in the first place. There was another shinobi out there, one who knew how to find him and who wanted to kill him for some goddamn reason that eluded Shujinko. The Chunin was more than willing to defend himself and his friends from that lunatic, but at the same time, that lunatic seemed to be the only one who could give him any answers, and with all the craziness Shujinko had been subjected to, he desperately needed some.
In spite of all that, knowing that there was at least another ninja roaming these foreign lands provided Shujinko a small and twisted sense of relief. After spending a considerable amount of time in a place so vastly different from where he belonged, Shujinko had almost started to consider the possibility of being somewhere else, of being in a different… world. It sounded ridiculous, but it certainly felt that way at times, especially when it came to bending and the hybrid animals he had come across thus far.
But now that he knew he wasn't the only shinobi around, Shujinko could safely forget about that nonsensical theory. The hooded man was proof that other people could travel to any of the four bending nations and return to the shinobi continent. It didn't explain how it was done; it just showed that it could be done, and after all the irrational crap Shujinko had dealt with so far, he considered this basic and logical fact to be progress.
'This leaves me only two options: Either I gain my memory back somehow, or I confront the hooded man one more time and ask him… Even though he has no reason to tell me anything and has made it clear that he wants to kill me. I don't even know where to find him, for Kami's sake,'
"Hey Shujinko," the Ozuma heard a knock on the door and recognized Katara's voice behind it. "Are you awake?"
"Yeah, I'm up," Shujinko answered. "What is it?"
The door was opened and Katara walked into the room, only to see Shujinko standing by the stoup without his shirt on. "O-Oh, I'm so sorry. I should've asked if I could come in before I… I…"
Katara's apology came to a slow and unexpected stop. Despite the overall darkness of the room, the lit candles provided the waterbender with enough light to see clearly and Katara found herself openly gazing at Shujinko's body, noticing even the most minuscule of details from his waist to the top of his head.
It was safe to say that Shujinko's body was different from what one would expect. His muscles were noticeably more developed than those of an average boy his age, which made him look older than what he really was. His arms, his chest, and even his abs were defined, giving Shujinko a strong, yet lean physique. He was fit, definitely more fit than an adolescent had a right to be, and it didn't help that the water from the stoup was making his body gleam a little.
The first time Katara saw Shujinko like this was when they were bathing in a natural hot spring, and the Chunin's scars had stolen all of her attention. But now that she knew about them, the scars were no longer a distraction, and Katara suddenly felt the room temperature skyrocketing through the roof. It wasn't as if Katara had never seen a boy's naked upper body before, but those were the bodies of Aang and Sokka. Sokka was her brother and Aang was a relatively skinny kid who was shorter than her. Meanwhile, not only was Shujinko slightly taller than her, but his body also seemed to belong to that of a young adult.
"Katara, can I… help you with something?"
"What?" It wasn't until she registered Shujinko's voice that the waterbender realized she'd been shamelessly staring at his body this entire time. Katara's face acquired a crimson shade of red and she began to sputter the first thing that came to her mind, her tongue tied into a knot. "I, uuh… We… W-We just want to talk to you! Aang and Sokka and Toph and Momo are waiting outside to… to talk and stuff,"
"You guys wanna talk to me?" Shujinko blinked three consecutive times, wondering what was getting Katara so worked up. She was refusing to look at him in the eye and she was sweating. "Hum, okay, just let me get myself dry and-"
"R-Right! You do that, I'll see myself out," Before Shujinko had time to reply, Katara stepped out of the room and slammed the door shut rather loudly, much to the Chunin's confusion.
000
After a while, Shujinko came out of his room wearing his shorts and a brown night robe that the owner of the inn had been kind enough to lend him. He was greeted by his friends, who were sitting together in a circle on the floor due to the lack of available furniture. All of them were staring expectantly at him, with the exception of Katara, whose cheeks flared up the second Shujinko walked in. This didn't go unnoticed by the Ozuma, but he decided not to pay much attention to it as there were obviously more pressing matters that needed addressing.
"Hey Shujinko, care to take a seat with us?" Sokka asked as he waved at him. Shujinko walked over to them and sat between Sokka and Toph, feeling slightly on edge as everyone remained silent. Once it became obvious no one knew how to start, Sokka cleared his throat and took it upon himself to break the ice. "So, huh, you might be wondering why we're all here,"
"Yeah, kind of," Shujinko answered. "Katara said you guys wanted to talk, but she wasn't very specific about it,"
"… Right. The thing is, we didn't want to bring this up while you were recovering, but now that you're feeling better, I think it's time we have this discussion,"
"Discussion? About what?"
"Mmmh, I wonder what it could be," Toph said in a sarcastic tone of voice before snapping her fingers in fake realization. "Oh, wait, I think I know. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that, not too long ago, some crazy guy came out of nowhere wanting to end you and nearly succeeded. That sounds like the kind of stuff that warrants a conversation,"
… Ah, so that's what this was all about.
"I guess so… I suppose you all have questions, but I'm not sure if I can answer them," Shujinko replied as he ran a hand through his hair. "What happened that day was… I don't know,"
Even after spending days thinking about what had happened, he still couldn't make heads or tails about the mystery of the hooded man. It consumed his mind and kept him awake at night, and while his physical recovery was going alright, he was still too weak to do almost anything by himself, so he wasn't even capable of distracting himself with prolonged activities. All of this was taking a toll on Shujinko, and now, his friends were expecting him to give them answers as if he had everything figured out.
"Well, maybe we should start from the beginning," Aang suggested, noticing the weary look on the Chunin's face. "Shujinko, do you know who the hooded man is?"
Shujinko shook his head. "No, I have no idea who he is or why he's after me. I've spent hours thinking about it, but no matter how much I try, I just can't figure it out… But, there's something about him that's been bothering me,"
"Really? What's that?" Katara asked.
"As we fought, the hooded man wouldn't stop talking to me. Judging by how he spoke and the things he said, it's as if the two of us have met at some point. He definitely knows more about me than I know about him, which would make some sense if I actually remembered seeing him at least once," the Ozuma said, staring at the floor with his right cheek resting against his clenched fist, lost in thought. "The weirdest thing of all is that, for some reason, there's just something about him that does seem familiar. I don't know what it is, but it's there and I can't ignore it,"
A wave of silence invaded the room, followed by discreet glances shared between the members of Team Avatar. "So, you don't remember how you got here, and you don't remember ever meeting this guy either, even though both things clearly happened," Sokka said as he furrowed his brow. "Doesn't seem like a coincidence to me. There has to be some sort of connection that we're missing,"
Shujinko nodded in agreement. "Probably, but until I get my memory back, we won't get any factual answers. I think we should move on to the next question, assuming you guys have more,"
"There's something I'd like to know," Katara spoke up, meeting Shujinko's gaze for the first time since he entered the room. "At one point during the fight, you warned us to back off. Then you clasped your hands together and your face changed all of a sudden. Even your eyes were different from before. I guess my question is; what did you do at that moment?"
As the young ninja recalled his fight against the hooded man, he realized what Katara was talking about and let out an involuntary sigh. "So you saw that? Well, I suppose this is as good a time as any to explain, but I don't expect any of you to fully understand this. Let's see… Okay, you guys already have a basic grasp on what Ninjutsu is, correct?" The members of Team Avatar nodded affirmatively, eager to hear what Shujinko had to say. "Where I come from, there's a special branch of Ninjutsu known as Kekkei Genkai. A Kekkei Genkai, or Bloodline Limit, gives unique abilities to whoever inherits one,"
"Inherits one?" Toph repeated. "So they're techniques that people pass down to others like a family heirloom?"
"Not exactly. You see, a Kekkei Genkai is linked directly to a shinobi's family lineage, hence the name Bloodline Limit. Unless you're born with it, you simply cannot acquire it… Not through conventional methods, anyway," Shujinko added after a short while, thinking about his sensei's Sharingan. "My clan, the Ozuma clan, was born with a Kekkei Genkai called Karura Tensei, which allows me to access a state known as Sage Mode. I'll spare you the details, but in Sage Mode, my body draws energy from nature, amplifying my chakra, my physical attributes, and my sensorial abilities. It's almost like, I don't know, transforming into someone else,"
Once again, the members of Team Avatar were left dumbfounded and with even more questions than before. The one who was most surprised was definitely Aang. From what Shujinko had just said, Sage Mode was somewhat similar to the Avatar State in the sense that both transformations came with a power boost, but that wasn't all there was to it.
Whenever Aang entered the Avatar State, it was mostly involuntarily, triggered by strong emotions during the heat of the moment. He didn't have full control over it, and he would often forget what he had done afterward. Shujinko's case was the complete opposite. When he entered Sage Mode during his fight, he did so willingly and kept a level head at all times, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him despite being under attack. It was precisely what Aang needed to emulate with the Avatar State.
"Okay, nothing of what you just said makes any sense whatsoever," Sokka said as he began to massage his temples. "Never mind those weird words like 'Karura Tensei' and 'Kekkei Genkai' or whatever. Just what do you mean by 'my body draws energy from nature'? How does that even work? Do you ask for it and that's it?"
"I did warn you that you weren't going to fully understand my answers, didn't I?" Shujinko responded. "I think the best way to explain Sage Mode is by showing it to you guys. Pay attention, everyone," After taking a deep breath, the Ozuma closed his eyes and brought his palms together as the rest of Team Avatar waited in anticipation. A few moments later, the golden pigmentation of Hawk Sage Mode appeared in Shujinko's face, and when he opened his eyes, everyone except for Toph gasped in awe. "This is Sage Mode. It may not look like much, but trust me, it's my most useful ability by far,"
Before Shujinko could say anything else, Sokka, Aang, and Katara got on their knees and approached him, stopping at arms' length to get a better look at his face. The way they stared at him with child-like curiosity amused the young ninja, and he took the time to explain a few things about Sage Mode so that they could be better informed. Toph didn't bother to come any closer as she couldn't detect any physical alterations in Shujinko's body, so there wasn't much for her to "look" at, though she still paid attention to what he was saying.
The Ozuma spent the next hour or so responding to all sorts of questions, simplifying his answers as best as he could. When he was asked how he was able to trick the hooded man into lowering his guard, Shujinko told them about the Transformation Jutsu and decided that a little demonstration was in order. Using a small amount of his worn-out chakra, the golden-eyed boy got up and transformed himself into an exact copy of Sokka, which nearly caused everyone in the room to freak out ("Holy crap, I have a twin! I have a twin!" Sokka shouted, half-delighted, half-hysterical).
000
(Around midnight)
"… And that's how I got these scars," Shujinko said as he held his right forearm high for everyone to see. "In the end, learning the Kazekiri was a tough and complicated process and it left these marks on my skin, but it was worth it. If I hadn't learned it in time… well, who knows what could've happened to me," That last sentence left an uneasy sensation lingering around, but Shujinko supposed it was better to say that rather than to come out and flat out admit that he would've undoubtedly died. He hadn't forgotten about his fight with Umanosuke and how it had concluded.
Sokka let out an exhausted sigh and slid his hands down his face. "Man, this is a lot to take in. Every time we sit down to have a chat and clear things up, we end up more confused and with more questions than before. It's like you came into our lives just to mess with our heads or something,"
The Chunin raised an eyebrow at him, pulling down his sleeve to cover his scarred forearm. "Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way about me, Sokka,"
"What? No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that… This is too much, okay? None of us were ready to meet someone like you,"
Toph nodded in agreement. "That's true. The more we get to know you and what you can do, the more it feels like you're not from around here. And when I say not from around here, I mean that you don't seem to come from this world. I know I'm not the only one of us who thinks this,"
"Well, I certainly don't come from the moon or anything. Turns out the world is a lot bigger than we thought it was. That's all there is to it," Shujinko said with a casual tone of finality. He then faked a yawn and got up to stretch his back, which led to everyone staring at him. "Anyways, it's getting late. It was nice talking to you all, but I'm getting tired and my bed is calling my name,"
"Actually, before we call it a night, there's one last thing I want to ask you," All eyes were now on Aang. "I've been meaning to bring this up for a while now, but I wasn't sure how. Now that we're all here, I guess this is as good a time as any,"
Shujinko stood there in silence, trying to guess what the Avatar wanted to know, but he could tell it was something serious judging by the look on his face. Perhaps he had revealed too much about himself and now Aang was going to push for more details, maybe ask him if he had ever seen people die in the line of duty, or worse, if he had ever killed someone. Those were the questions Shujinko wanted to avoid the most, but if he had to answer them, he would do so with a straight face while looking at them in the eye. "Alright then, what is it?"
"Shujinko… What do you say we go on a little vacation?"
Aaaaaaand that was chapter 13. Hope you all liked it.
What can I say? Not a lot of action on this one, but after the previous chapter, I think this one needed to be calmer and more focused on the characters' reactions to what had happened.
I especially enjoyed writing from the perspectives of Azula, Zuko, and Iroh, since we haven't seen them a whole lot up to this point. Speaking of Azula, I think someone like her would definitely try to learn as much as possible about Shujinko after getting whooped by him, which is why she got in contact with the Fire Nation's top historians. As for Iroh, I believe he's seen enough battles to recognize a soldier when he sees one, even if he's never seen a ninja in action before.
I also took the liberty of slightly twisting Aunt Wu's prediction about Katara's future husband. I'm not gonna say who is going to end up together with who, just know that teenage romance is never easy, especially during times of war.
Again, I know this chapter consists mostly of dialogues, but in all fairness, there was a whole lot that the characters needed to discuss. It simply wouldn't make sense for Team Avatar not to ask questions after seeing the full extent of what a shinobi can do. I know I left out some rather important questions, but I didn't want to extend the chapter too much, so they will have to be asked at a later date.
Anyways, I hope you're all doing well. Please tell me what you think about the way I portrayed the thoughts of Azula and Iroh. The next chapter should start with 'The Library' episode.
Don't forget to Review, Favorite & Follow
Peace!