ATLA: Kyia the Brave

Chapter 11: Comatose

A/N: TW: mild talk of blood and death

Zuko's POV:

Many days passed. I went about my business as usual, still tracking the Avatar. According to the best medics I have available to me on the ship, Kyia's condition wasn't getting much better. She was still unconscious and her wounds were becoming infected. I tried my best to distract myself, but I was struggling. "Look out!" I looked over and watched Zoju sprinting away as a massive mole-like animal climbed onto the ship with an angry but attractive woman riding it. I ran over to her.

"Get back! I'm after a stowaway."

"There are no stowaways on my ship." Iroh walked up beside me. The animal sniffed around before ripping a giant chunk of metal out of the deck of my ship. A man climbed out of the hole and started sprinting away, but the animal shot its tongue and scraped it against the man, paralyzing him. "He's paralyzed."

"Only temporarily. The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."
"But how did you find it on my ship?"

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." She jumped on her shirshu and rode off of my ship with her prize. After she was gone I went into the room where Kyia was staying and sat by her bed.

"Please wake up." I took her hand. I have no idea what came over me when I was around her, but all I wanted was her to be okay. I felt tears welling up in my eyes but as quickly as they came, I blinked them away and left the room. "I have an idea to find the Avatar." I tracked the woman on the shirshu to a run down bar in the middle of nowhere. Uncle Iroh and I went inside and I quickly pushed my way past the disgusting patrons of the bar. "Out of my way. Step aside filth!"

"He means no offense. I'm sure you all bathe regularly." I rolled my eyes as I made my way over to the woman.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends. Angry boy and Uncle Lazy."

"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back!"

"Well, I'd love to help you, but I'm a little short on cash."

"Money isn't what I had in mind." We went outside to discuss, and I soon found out the woman's name was June and her shirshu's name was Nyla. "I need you to find someone." I pulled Katara's necklace out of my pocket. It was time's like this that I was glad that Kyia wasn't awake. She would hate me for not stopping my hunt for the Avatar.

"What happened, your girlfriend run off on you?"

"It's not the girl I'm after. It's the bald monk she's traveling with." She scoffed. "If you find them, consider the damage to my ship paid for."

"Forget it." She started to mount Nyla when Iroh cut in.

"And, we will pay your wait in gold!" June slid off Nyla and walked over to Iroh and poked his stomach.

"Make it your weight and you've got a deal." We agreed to the terms and June let Nyla smell the necklace. "Get on." We both climbed on behind June and sped off into the night.

Kyia's POV:

Zuko? He stood staring at me across the water. A deep chasm that either of us would be sure to drown in if we attempted to cross. His hand slowly raised up and held out to me. "Please wake up." I shook my head confused. I am awake. Aren't I? I turned around and saw Aang staring at me, his eyes and tattoos glowing, rage painted on his face.

"Stay away from her!" He sent a furious flurry of elements at Zuko who was trying his hardest to dodge, but Aang was going to kill him. Without hesitation, I threw myself into the water and waterbent myself across the chasm. But before I could get out of the water something grabbed my legs and pulled me under the water.