CHAPTER 39: FINALLY AWAKE
It was a cold and dry spring morning. Zuko had just awakened from his slumber for the evening. Once again he awoke with an empty stomach. It had been a few days since he had a decent meal. The prior day he and Paul tried looking for some wild game to hunt but this close to the city it proved to be a fruitless endeavour. Although there were some small animals they were too fast for him to get close enough. The ones that were large enough to tempt him easily smelled his foul stank and he couldn't get close enough. He avoided using his bending because he couldn't control it precise enough. When he could control precise enough, his lack of experience in hunting caused the animal to get away. So all he had were the few biscuits Iroh had brought along and the tea. It wasn't enough for a hot blooded teenager growing up.
So he got up with a growling stomach. So loud he felt nervous someone might have heard him. He looked around the cave. Aang and Katara were still unconscious. Iroh was snoring as usual. He was quite curious why they had yet to awaken. His injuries were much worse than theirs. Iroh explained something about Aang's body not being used to the Avatar State. For Katara he mentioned something about the knife she was struck with had some sort of poison or toxin. He decided he was too hungry to think about it so he got up and headed towards the exit.
Getting there he met Paul looking out into the wilderness. Paul didn't bother to turn back. He knew non of the other three couldn't see him and Victor wasn't one to care about getting greeted in the morning.
"Strange isn't it?" Zuko began. "What we would have given up to get an opportunity like this. Actually transported into one of the fantasy world's we read of and watched."
"It ain't half bed." Paul agreed. "Not my first choice though."
"Yeah I have a three way tie at the top for me," Zuko added. "Either One Piece, Fairy Tail or High School DxD."
"Cause of the girls right?" Paul guessed.
"Why else would one want to be in this kind of world except for the girls?" Zuko agreed. "Think about Nami, Robin and Hancock. Lucy, Erza and Grayfia. Ries and all the other girls. The powers in those world were dope and all but I would probably just be interested in building a harem."
"Well you have a point there. The girls will simply be the main reason." Paul agreed. "I would probably prefer something like Black Clover or Steins Gate. Maybe even Death Note. Purely because of"
"Your curiosity." Zuko guessed. Paul smiled at the fact Zuko still knew him even after all this years.
A few moments of silence passed between the pair.
"Well this world does also have some chicks for example..." Paul hinted at the unconcious Katara.
"Yes but besides Azula and Katara and maybe that gymnast girl. I think her name was Ty Lee or something. There are not that many desirable females in this world. Toph is still a kid and well she's also kind of blind. Doesn't really interest me. I might meet some random hot chicks that are not in the series but it's really limited." Zuko rambled.
"It was an adventure series dude," Paul reminded him.
"Who gives a fuck?" Zuko responded slightly annoyed. "I want to fuck some chicks with at least some C-cups. There's nothing but As and Bs every where I looked. Except for that chick who stabbed Katara."
"Well what can you...?" Paul surrendered.
Suddenly they both heard a moan and grunt at the back of the cave. They both immediately headed for the sound. They found it was actually both Aang and Katara writhing on the ground.
"Not now Gyatso," Aang muttered with his eyes still closed.
"Dad, please don't go," Katara spoke.
"Guys!" Zuko called them. "Wake up!!"
They both suddenly jumped awake. The commotion snapped Iroh awake as well. With erratic breathing and their eyes wide open they sat up. They looked around expecting to be met by Sokka and the rest. The hungry looking face of Zuko brought down their expectations.
"Zuko!!" Aang screamed. In a split second he jumped up and summoned forth a stream of air that blasted Zuko into the roof of the cave.
Zuko let out a loud scream as he smashed in the roof. The following fall on the hard rock floor hurt even more as he landed face first. Some of his old wounds ripped open from the sheer force of the impact. He writhed on the ground in absolute agony as tears welled up in his eyes. He so wanted to cry right there and then but he some how held back the tears. He willed his body to get up to his knees. With another push of immense effort he finally stood tall. The immense frustration he felt from the pain overwhelmed him. So much so that he roared up and a flurry of fire came out and covered half the cave.
Aang was taken back by the sheer scale of the fire. He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious but in that time Zuko somehow had gotten stronger. By how much he had yet to know. He hadn't even fully tested his Airbending since he awakened from the 100 year nap.
"You are starting to annoy me kid!" Zuko roared as he waved away the fire with a single hand. "This is what I get for saving your fucking life!!?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Aang defied and stood infront of a stunned Katara. She couldn't even begin to react to what happened. She barely even remembered how she got unconscious. "Stay behind me Katara. We are going to get out of here!"
"You aint going no where kid!" Zuko defied and took a step towards the entrance. He now stood between the exit and Aang.
"We will see about that!" Aang challenged and took a few steps forward but still in his bending form.
"This isn't going to be like last time!" Zuko bragged.
"Is that right?" Aang mocked.
He had noticed the slight change in aura of Zuko. Not only that but the chi emanating from him had changed a little as well. He just couldn't place the changes quite right. It still didn't change his mind though. He was confident in his own abilities to stand up to Zuko. A moment of silence ensued in the cave. Tensions rose as they both prepared. Zuko prepared to defend himself which was unusual given his usual temperament. Aang on the other hand had no choice but to go on the offensive and he was just about to do just that. He rotated his left arm in a wide arc to twist a mass of air. With his other arm he reached for the twisting air and attempted to push the mass at Zuko. Suddenly Iroh showed up and somehow diverged the attack using only the movement of his hands.
"Please be calm Avatar!!" He pleaded with the young Avatar.
Aang and Katara were taken by surprise as their eyes widened in shock. They both saw him and just assumed he too was captured by Zuko but obviously not given his actions.
"What are you doing?" Katara asked. She actually saw Iroh turn against his nephew but Aang had no memory of it given he wasn't in control of himself.
"Please let me explain!!" Iroh pleaded with her. Aang glared at him but still sensed no threat from the former General. In fact he sensed no threat in the entire cave. His instincts were greatly tuned to detect any sort of threat. He was a master Airbender at age 12. The youngest to get his master tattoos. Not even Zuko had any sort of bad intent for him. His passive and naive mind convinced him to give the old General a chance. So he lowered his form but his guard was still on high alert. About to react to any sort of bad action.
"Zuko and I have reached an agreement," Iroh began.
---
"About an hour passed when Iroh finally finished with his long winded explanation. He also changed the bandages on all three along with some fresh medicine applied. As always he also made some tea which Aang and Zuko greatly enjoyed. Katara wasn't experienced enough with chi to feel the full effects the tea had on one's chi. It greatly soothed their pain and aching. Replenishing all the used up chi while also helping to heal the body while in conjunction with the herbal paste.
"If you can travel to the spirit world than why not just teach me?" Aang questioned.
Both Iroh and Katara were a bit curious about the answer Zuko would provide. The other sort of person amongst the group was Paul. He was a bit nervous of what Zuko might say. Initially he had thought Zuko didn't think of that but the calm face he saw half way eased his mind.
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