Brawl 1 Water: Chapter 13 The Blue and Red Spirits
At a Fire Nation fortress, Zhao was talking to the commander of the fortress, Colonel Shinu, and asked for the use of the fortress master archers, the Yu Yan Archers. The commander and Zhao watched the Yu Yan Archers practice, and Shinu said to Zhao. "Absolutely not. The Yu Yan Archer stayed here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao."
"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider. Their precision is legendary. The Yu Yan can pin a fly to a tree from 100 yards away without killing it. You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."
"I can do whatever I want with their talents. They're my archers, and what I say goes."
"But my search for the Avatar is—"
"Is nothing but a vanity project. We're fighting a real war here, and I need every man I've got, Commander. Espittly since these Hex are starting to summon giant monsters now."
"But–"
"That's final! I don't want to hear another word about it." Shinu said and Zhao got angry. Then a messenger hawk appeared and landed on Shinu's arm. "News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Zhao said to Shinu, who was very surprised by the news. Zhao took the note and it said that Zhao was now an admiral. With his new rank, Zhao ordered the use of the Yu Yan Archer to hunt down the Avatar, and Shinu followed that order. However, unknown to Zhao or Shinu, two figures were watching them. Both had black bodies and the only difference was that one had a blue spirit face and sword, and the other had a red spirit face with a bow and arrows.
Back with Aang and the others, they were hiding in the ruins of an Earth Kingdom town. They were hiding because Sokka was very sick from being out in that storm. Katara placed a cold towel on her brother's head and said. "This should bring your fever down."
"You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humor."
"That's nice. I'll tell him." Katara said before Appa spoke. Then Sokka laughed as the others came back from looking through the town. Aang said to Katara. "How's Sokka doing?"
"Not so good. Being out in that storm really did a number on him." Katara said and then Hoshi said. "Well the town didn't have any ginger root for the tea, or any medical supplies. But we did find this map of the area. Looks like there is, hopefully, an herbalist institute on the top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka there."
"Hoshi, he's in no condition to travel. Sokka just needs rest. I'm sure He'll be better by tomorrow." Katara said, before she started coughing. Aang then said to Katara. "Not you, too."
"Relax. It was just a little cough." Katara said before Saida said. "That's what Sokka said yesterday. Now look at him. He thinks he's an Earthebender."
"And Brawler too now." Miguel said as Sokka was acting like an Earthbender and a Brawler. Hoshi then said to Katara. "And after a few hours you'll be like him. So Aang, you and Phaedrus go look for some medicine."
"Ok." Aang said before Phaedrus said. "We will be right back."
"Shouldn't we all go and get the medicine?" Centipod said and Hoshi said. "No. You and I have to stay here and keep and I on them."
"What about Saida, Pyravian, Miguel, and Eenoch? They could all go with Aang and Phaedrus." Centipod said before Pyravian said. "True, but with the lighting around, it wouldn't be safe for Aang, Saida and Miguel."
"So I'll need to run." Aang said before giving his staff to Hoshi. Hoshi took the staff and said. "Hurry back. And make sure you have more medicine, in case it spreads to us."
"You got it." Aang said as he and Phaedrus left them. Back on Zuko's ship, Ryerazu and the crew were playing Pai Sho against Iroh. Meanwhile, Alex was giving Zuko a report on the hunt for the Avatar. "We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm, but if we continue heading Northeast…" Then another Fire Nation appeared next to Zuko's and some of the crew men boarded Zuko's ship. Zuko looked at the men and said. "What do they want?"
"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho." Iroh said before the crew men reached the bridge. The leader of the men pulled out a wanted poster of Aang and said. "The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."
"Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him." Iroh said as he made his move. Zuko then said to the leader. "I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship."
"Admiral Zhao has also ordered all Hex's with the giant monster to be captured for study." The leader said before trying to grab Alex and Ryerazu. "Off my ship!" Zuko yelled before shooting fire at them. The leader and his men then ran out of the bridge and Alex said to Zuko. "Thanks for that."
"Be quite Hex." Zuko said before he left them. "No!" Ryerazu suddenly said. Alex looked at Ryerazu and saw that he and the crew had lost the game, and Iroh said to them. "Don't be sad. You are all improving. I'm certain you will win if we play again."
Back with Aang and Phaedrus, they were running to the herbalist with great speed. However they were spotted by Fire Nation scouts, who were surprised to see Aang speed and power as he destroyed their cover in a matter of seconds. Aang and Phaedrus didn't notice them or hear the horn they sounded. They were too busy getting to the herbalist to notice. Once they reached the herbalist, who was an old lady with a cat and was living in a greenhouse. Aang said to her as he got closer to her. "Hello. I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing–"
"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." The old lady said and then Phaedrus said. "So you are going to help us?"
"Yes. I've been up here for over 40 years, you know. Used to be others but they all left years ago. Now it's just me and Miyuki." The old lady said before petting her cat. Aang then said to the old lady. "That's nice." Phaedrus said before the old lady said. "Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by now and again. Brave boys, and thanks to my remedies, they always leave in better shape than when they arrived."
"That's nice. Are you almost done?" Aang said and the old lady said. "Hold on. I just need to add one last ingredient." The old lady then started to look for that last ingredient. But wasn't going to be found anytime soon.
Back on Zuko's ship, Zuko was sparring with Alex and Ryerazu, who was in his normal form. When Iroh walked up to them, they stopped and Iroh said to Zuko. "Is everything ok? It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the men an order."
"I don't care what they do."
"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."
"How, uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar. My honor, my throne, my country– I'm about to lose them all." Zuko said, looking out at sea.
Back with Aang and Phaedrus, the old land had found the last ingredient. The old lady returned to them and mixed all of the ingredients together inside a small bowl. Once she was done, Aang said, taking the bowl from her. "Finally. Thanks for all your help."
"Hands off." The old lady said as she took the bowl away from Aang. The old lady then said to Aang. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Taking the cure to my friends."
"Oh! Ha ha! This isn't a cure. It's Miyuki's dinner."
"Then what about our friends?" Phaedrus said as the old lady gave her cat her food. The old lady then said to Aang and Phaedrus. "Well, all they need is some frozen wood frogs. There's plenty of them down in the valley swamp."
"What are we supposed to do with frozen frogs?" Aang said and then the old lady said. "Why, suck on them, of course."
"Suck on them?" Aang said before Phaedrus said. "That's gross."
"The frog's skin excretes a substance that'll cure your friends, but make sure you get plenty. Once those little critters thaw out, they're useless." The old lady said and then Aang said. "You're insane, aren't you?"
"That's right." The old lady said and then noticed Aang wasn't moving. "Well, don't stand there all day. Go!" The old lady said before accidentally throwing food at Aang's face. Aang, who cleaned off the food from his face, and Phaedrus left. But the moment they stepped outside, the Yu Yan Archers appeared and shot arrows at Aang and Phaedrus, pinning Aang's legs to the ground and knocking away Phaedrus. The next wave of arrows, Aang blocked them with an air shield. Phaedrus returned to Aang, and Aang said to the Yu Yan Archers after he pulled out the arrows pinning his legs. "Uh, I think you dropped this."
"Aang, I think we should run." Phaedrus said as the Yu Yan Archers started to fire arrows at them. Aang ran down the hill, dodging every attack. And every time Phaedrus tried to get close to Aang, the Yu Yan Archers would fire arrows in her path, so Aang couldn't roll her out. Soon, Aang, Phaedrus, and the Yu Yan Archers reached the lake with the frozen frogs. Aang and Phaedrus tried to grab some frogs, and even though they got some, the Yu Yan Archers were skilled enough to not only destroy the ice walls that Aang was making with his Waterbending, but trap them both in nets.
Aang and Phaedrus were then taken to the Fire Nation fortress. Aang and Phaedrus were in a room located in the middle of the fortress. Aang was tied in chains between two pillars and Phaedrus in a locked box a few feet away from Aang. Zhao entered the room and said. "So this is the great Avatar, master of all the elements, plus his weird dragon."
"Hey! I am not weird." Phaedrus said, and then Zhao hit that box. That caused Phaedrus to hit the walls of the box, and Zhao said to Aang. "I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for 100 years, but your little game of hide and seek is over."
"I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now."
"Uh, no. Tell me, now does it feel to be the only Airbender left? Do you miss your people?" Zhao said and Aang's face showed how sad he was. "Oh, don't worry. You won't be killed like they were. See, if you die, you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So I'll keep you alive, but just barely." Zhao said before he started to walk away. Aang then took a deep breath and fired a stream of air at Zhao. The force was powerful enough to cause Zhao to be blown into the door. Phaedrus laughed as Zhao got up and said. "Blow all the wind you want. Your situation is futile. Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress and no one is coming to rescue you."
Zhao was kind of right. Back with the others, the sickness had spead to Saida and Miguel. And Hoshi couldn't leave because a Fire Nation patrol was walking by and if they found them, the others would be too sick to fight back. However Aang and Phaedrus had some unknown allies to rescue them. They were the Blue and Red Spirits that spied on Zhao a while ago. The two of them hide under a carriage to get closer to the fortress without being seen. When the carriage reached the fortress gate, it was checked for intruders. The Blue and Red Spirits were able to avoid detection by sneaking out from under the carriage and hid in the back after it was already checked.
Once inside the fortress, the Blue and Red Spirit avoided the guards, which was easy. You see Zhao was going to make a speech and most of the guards and high ranking officers were there and the others were more focused on Zhao than their jobs. "We are the sons and daughters of Fire, the superior element. Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory– The Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner! This is the year Sozen's comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se, and burns the city to the ground." Zhao said and the soldiers cheered, not knowing that the Blue and Red Spirits had already gotten inside the fortress.
Inside Aang's room, Aang and Phaedrus were trying to break out, but it wasn't working. And some more bad luck, the frozen frogs Aang collected were almost unfrozen. So they started to make a sound and jump out of Aang's pockets. "What? No! Don't leave, frogs. My friends are sick and they need you. Please go back to being frozen."
"I don't think talking to them will work Aang." Phaedrus said as the frogs left the room. Outside the guards, saw the frogs leaving the room, and were wondering where they came from. But their attention was drawn to a Fire Nation helmet roll to them. One of the guards went to check out where the helmet came from, but was ambushed by the Blue and Red Spirits. The other guards heard the attack and went to see what was the problem, but not one. As for the others, they were ambushed by the Blue and Red Spirits too, knocking them out. The last guard tried to sound the alarm with a horn, but the Red Spirit shot an arrow at him, hitting the alarm horn. And the Blue Spirit knocked the last guard out.
In the room, Aang and Phaedrus heard the last guard going down and stopped trying to break free. Then the Blue and Red Spirits walked into the room. The Blue Spirit drew his sword, which split into, then charged at Aang. Aang screamed, but stopped after he saw that the Blue Spirit had cut him free. And the Red Spirit used an arrow of his to free Phaedrus. Once both of them were free and reunited, Aang said to them. "Who are you two? What's going on?"
"Are you here to save us?" Phaedrus said to them and they didn't answer. They just opened the door and motioned Aang and Phaedrus to follow them. They thought that it was a yes and followed the Blue and Red Spirits. As they were going, Aang saw his frogs and said to pick them up. "My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" The Blue and Red Spirits knocked the frogs that Aang picked up out of his hand and started to drag him out. Aang then said to them. "Wait! My friends need to suck on those frogs!"
"Aang. We will get more frogs later, let's go." Phaedrus said and Aang realized she was right. So he started to focus on his escape. Back with the other, the Fire Nation patrol was gone, so they were safe. But Hoshi started to get sick now, so there was no one who could go out and find Aang and Phaedrus.
Back at the fortress, as Aang, Phaedrus, and the Spirits were sneaking out of the fortress. Zhao was going to Aang's room, and along the way, he was talking to a man with a piece of paper and ink pen. "I want a full transcription of my speech sent to the Firelord, along with glowing testimonials from all of the ranking officers present, and–" Then Zhao found all of the guards, just starting to wake up. Zhao got mad and went into Aang and Phaedrus' room, only to see a frog inside. This made him even more mad and he went to raise the alarm. As Aang, Phaedrus, and the Spirits were climbing a rope over a wall, the alarm was sounded. "There. On the wall!" A soldier said and everyone saw them. One soldier cut the rope and they all landed on the ground.
Once on the ground, they started to the main gates, fighting anyone in their way. "The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately." Zhao yelled his order out to the soldiers and they started closing the gates. As Aang, Phaedrus, and the Spirits ran to the first gate, Phaedrus said to Aang. "Aang? Roll me out."
"Outside. Your true size could crush someone in here."
"Oh, good point, call me when you are ready." Phaedrus said as she went into Aang's pocket. After that, the guards tried to stop them. Aang used his Airbending to push them. As the Blue and Red Spirits fought off the guards that were behind them. The gates closed, and they were trapped. Aang grabbed a spear from a Fire Nation Spearman, and after breaking off the blade, cleared away the soldiers around them. He then used it to Airbend them onto the wall. On the wall, before the Spirits could battle the guards on the wall, Aang grabbed them, and used all of his strength, carried them to the second wall. As they were going to the next wall, the Blue and Red Spirits were defending Aang from spears and arrows, but it caused Aang to lose control and they all crashed on the second wall.
As they fought off the guards on the second wall, the soldiers on the ground pulled out three ladders, so they could climb up to capture the Avatar. As the Blue and Red Spirit fought off the guards, Aang used his Airbending to send them all crashing down. "Take this." Aang said as he gave the Blue and Red Spirits two of the ladders. "Jump on my back!" Aang said as he jumped on the third ladder. The Blue and Red Spirits jump on Aang's back and they use the ladder to make it to the last wall. It would have worked, but a Firebender let the last one on fire and they fell next to the last gate.
On the ground, a group of Firebenders launched fireblast at them. It would have killed them, if Aang didn't create an air shield and if Zhao didn't say. "Hold your fire! The Avatar must be captured alive." That gave the Blue and Red Spirits an idea. The Blue Spirit put his swords close to Aang's neck, and the Red Spirit pulled out two arrows and put them close to Aang's neck as well. Zhao looked at the Spirits and could tell that they would kill the Avatar if they didn't let them go. "Open the gate." Zhao said and then Shinu said to Zhao. "Admiral, what are you doing?"
"Let them out. Now!" Zhao said and the soldier followed orders. As they were leaving the fortress, Shinu said to Zhao. "How could you let them go?"
"A situation like this requires… precision." Zhao said as he already had a plan. Zhao and Shinu went to the wall and there were two Yu Yan Archers there as well. Once the Spirits were halfway to the woods, Zhao said to the Yu Yan Archers. "Do you have a clear shot?" Both archers motioned yes. "Knock out the thieves. I'll deliver them to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar." Zhao said and the archers fired. Both arrows hit their marks, and both Spirits were knocked out cold. When they both hit the ground, Aang saw that they both weren't Spirits, but people in masks. Aang created a cloud of dust around them, Zhao then said to the soldiers waiting on the other side of the gate. "Quick! Recover the Avatar!" Back with Aang, Phaedrus came out of his pocket, as Aang removed the mask of the Blue and Red Spirits. And to Aang and Phaedrus' surprise, the Blue Spirit was Zuko and the Red Spirit was Alex. Phaedrus heard the soldiers getting closer, she said to Aang. "Aang? We need to go."
"Not without them."
I agree." Phaedrus said as she turned into a ball and went into Aang's hand. "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!" Aang said as he rolled out Phaedrus. Aang got Phaedrus and she picked up Zuko and Alex. Phaedrus then created a tornado of dust so the Yu Yan Archers couldn't shoot them as they flew away. By the time the dust cleared, they were gone. Zhao did see Phaedrus flying away, but they were too far away for the Yu Yan Archers to do anything. He was very mad and would make sure that whoever the Blue and Red Spirits were would regret freeing the Avatar. The following morning, Alex woke up on a bed of leaves. Alex then got up and saw Zuko still sleeping on another bed of leaves and Aang and Phaedrus, still giant, watching over them. Alex looked at Aang and said. "You saved us? Why?"
"You saved us. Thank you for that."
"Don't mention it. We only did that so we could capture you ourselves."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you want to capture me? Can we be friends?"
"You would be friends with Firebenders?"
"Of course. A 100 years ago, before the war started, I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had… And he was from the Fire Nation, just like Zuko."
"Dang, you are one nice and understanding guy, but.."
"But?"
"But, you are friends with Hoshi and his team, and that makes me your enemy."
"Why would that make me your enemy?" Aang said and then Zuko woke up and saw that Aang's back was turned to him. Zuko got up and launched a fireball at Aang, who dodged it with ease. Aang looked at Zuko and then he and Phaedrus left them. Aang and Phaedrus then returned to the lake and got more frozen frogs before Phaedrus flew them back to the others. As for Zuko and Alex, they returned to their ship and Iroh, who had Ryerazu on his right shoulder, said to them. "Where have you been, Prince Zuko, Alex? You missed Music Night. Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."
"I'm going to bed. No disturbances." Zuko said and then Alex said. "Me too." Both then went to bed after a long night. With Aang and Phaedrus, they had finally returned and saw that everyone was now sick. "Suck on these. It'll make you feel better." Aang said, giving each one of them a frog. Aang and Phaedrus, who returned to ball form, then fell onto Appa's tail. Sokka then said to Aang, before he and Phaedrus could get some rest. "Aang, Phaedrus, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"
"No. I don't think I did." Aang said as he, Phaedrus, Zuko and Alex all got some rest, but they all wondered what it would be like if they were friends and not enemies. Speaking of friends, once everyone was feeling better, they realized that they were sucking on frogs, and after spiting them out, they were trying to get rid of the taste of frogs in their mouths.
