Obsession (Zuko X OC fan fic) - Discontinued

7: Pai Sho

It was only a few days before Zuko, Iroh and I were on our ostrich-horse riding through a small cleft in the valley. Iroh was clearly in discomfort but that didn't bother me as much as it did Zuko because he was between us. "Maybe we should make camp."

Iroh's voice was pained. "No, please, don't stop for me!" Iroh let out several more pained groans.

Zuko pulled Thief's reigns, stopping us abruptly. We dismounted and Iroh groaned as he took a seat on a large flat rock. The ostrich-horse perked up, pricking its ears straight up, clearly, detecting something unusual.

Zuko and I took up defensive postures.

Iroh looked in the direction of the noise, annoyed. "What now?"

Rough Rhinos streaked through the foliage around us. I instantly recognized Colonel Mongke. Colonel Mongke's rhino stamped the ground forcefully, breaking the surface. I looked up to see Colonel Mongke pulling back on the rhino's reins. Zuko and I continued our defensive posture.

Iroh smiled and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!"

I didn't relax. I wasn't about to relax against the same man who had tested my training multiple times.

"If you're surprised we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps." Mongke looked stern. He emphasized his remarks by making sparks with his bracers and his men readied their weapons.

Zuko didn't calm down. "You know these guys?"

"Yeah..." I breathed.

Iroh removed his hand from Zuko's shoulder. "Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Riders are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group."

Mongke yelled, "We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

Iroh was polite. "Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kachi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?"

I looked back at him as though he was absolutely crazy.

"Enough stalling! Round 'em up!"

A dark skinned, pony tailed fighter swung his ball and chain at Iroh. Iroh kicked the ball away. The ball, redirected, wrapped its chain around the foot of another warrior's rhino. Iroh dodged the fire blasts by tumbling along the ground. He rose back up to swat the rump of the rhino that had been chained all in one swift movement. The rhino ran off, yanking the dark-skinned warrior who had one end of the chain attached to his belt, as well as the rhino's own rider. Iroh waved as he watched them go.

The archer shots lit arrows at my and Zuko's backs. Zuko sensed the arrows, turned, and broke the arrow apart as it approached him as I did the same. Zuko then let a fire blast loose, which burnt a hole in the archer's bow, a hand's width above the archer's hand. The blast passed through the bow and broke the string.

I ran to aid Iroh as Mongke let loose fire blast after fire blast at him. Iroh and I deflected each blast until we saw Zuko run up and jump on the back of Mongke's rhino behind him. A rather brief duel ensued with Mongke quickly being kicked off the rhino by Zuko.

Iroh ran up to Thief, jumped up on the saddle, and rode to Zuko. Zuko jumped from Mongke's rhino into the saddle as Iroh galloped by. He quickly turned and reached down for me, pulling me up in front of him with one arm, then we went off into the woods.

An armored warrior, riding in hot pursuit, threw a grenade at us. The grenade exploded ahead of Thief, but we managed to ride straight through the explosion.