Chapter Text
“This mushroom has got to be edible,” Tsuburaba muttered, plucking the fungus from the mossy forest ground.
“I’m not sure,” Shiozaki leaned over to examine it. “Look at the ridges on the underside. I’m pretty sure that indicates poison.”
“Maybe it works differently in this world,” Tsuburaba shrugged. “Hey, Sokka! Is this one edible?”
The Water Tribe boy looked up from the tree he was gathering by. “Honestly, I don’t know. We’re not very familiar with this region.”
“Maybe we should just go to a market,” Tsuburaba sighed, kicking a tree root. “Why didn’t we think of getting anything from the abbey earlier today?”
“We can’t infringe on their hospitality more than we already have,” Shiozaki scorned him.
“We should get back to camp,” Katara warned, looking around. “It’s going to be dark soon. Maybe the other group had more luck.”
“Let’s hope so,” Sokka whined. “I’m starving.”
“Tsuburaba, put that mushroom back,” Shiozaki told her classmate.
The boy didn’t listen, pocketing the fungus and gathering a few dozen more. “I’ll just take some, just in case. If they’re poisonous, then we’ll just throw them away.”
Shiozaki sighed, but relented, joining Sokka and Katara on the dirt path.
“Do we have an estimate for how long it’ll take to get to the North Pole?” Shiozaki asked the siblings with curiosity.
“Depends on how many pit stops we make,” Sokka observed, deep in thought. “Maybe another week or two.”
“That’s cool,” Tsuburaba noted, still gingerly holding onto one mushroom, not really concentrating on the conversation. “I mean, seriously, it’s gotta be edible. I think I saw Komori eating some of these back home.”
“Tsuburaba, don’t-”
“I’ll just take a nibble. A nibble won’t hurt.” With that, Tsuburaba tentatively bit off a small corner of the cap. The other three watched with unease. Tsuburaba grimaced.
“Well, my tongue has gone numb,” he grumbled, speech slightly slurred. “Doesn’t seem to be lethal, but probably not edible, either.”
“I warned you,” Shiozaki sighed. “If you have lost feeling in your tongue because of a morsel, think of what could have happened with a larger dose.”
“I learned my lesson, ‘Zaki,” Tsuburaba relented, reaching into his pockets to throw away the remainder of the mushrooms. However, before he could complete his intent, a rumbling noise sounded in the distance. The four eyed each other uncertainty.
“It’s coming from behind us,” Sokka deducted. No sooner as they turned around, a massive creature jumped into view. The group took a few steps back in startled fear.
The creature had shaggy chestnut fur and no discernable eyes. Its nose resembed a shrew, and it was panting heavily. It was saddled, and three people were perched on its back. The leader was a tattooed woman with long black hair. There was also an old man with gray hair and a serene expression. The last figure was familiar.
“Hey, it’s Todoroki’s Scar Twin!” Tsuburaba exclaimed. Zuko’s eye twitched in annoyance.
“So you are working with the Avatar,” he growled.
“Well, what’d you expect?” Tsuburaba replied coyly. “We airbenders gotta stick together. You know, after we’ve basically been murdered off.”
“Now’s probably not the right time,” Sokka whispered urgently.
“It’s a coping mechanism,” Tsuburaba answered with a blank face, still staring in terror at the beast.
“Where’s the Avatar?” Zuko questioned with a barking tone.
“Your hunt is fruitless,” Shiozaki stepped forward protectively. “Leave us or be crushed by your sins.”
The tattooed lady scoffed, looking between Shiozaki and Katara. “Not sure which of these was your girlfriend, but I can see why they left you. They’re too pretty for you.”
Zuko scoffed. “Enough talk. I know you’re traveling with the Avatar. Where is he?”
“Like we’d tell you,” Sokka growled. “Run!”
The group dispersed on command, Sokka grabbing Katara’s hand and running straight ahead. Shiozaki darted left and Tsuburaba darted right, each intent on diverting the beast’s attention.
The woman revealed a whip, snapping it through the air. The beast lunged forward, tongue darting out. It lashed against Sokka and Katara, and they both dropped to the ground.
“It must be paralysis,” Shiozaki deduced, swiftly extending her vines out, binding the legs of the animal to hold it in place. Tsuburaba ran back to the trail, standing between the beast and his fallen friends. He took in a deep breath, exhaling it in the form of a wall.
“Shiozaki, let’s go!” Tsuburaba called, reaching to lift Sokka over his shoulder. His friend was still struggling with the beast as it lashed out, trying to keep it restrained with her vines.
Zuko stood up in the saddle, sending a blast of flame at Shiozaki. Unable to evade, the attack ended up burning her thorny hair. Shiozaki winced at the pain, and her hold on the beast was severed.
“Shiozaki!” Tsuburaba rushed over to her side, quickly creating another barrier to block off the beast from the side. It slammed into the barrier at full force, but didn’t break it.
“You ok?” Tsuburaba asked. Shiozaki nodded, standing firm.
“Let’s go while it holds.” They rushed back to the trail. Tsuburaba scooped up Sokka and threw him over his back while Shiozaki did the same for Katara.
The sound of breaking glass reached their ears a second too late. Tsuburaba and Shiozaki glanced behind them for a mere moment before the beast was upon them. They could only feel all sensation leaving their bodies as the tongue struck them.
“Now what?” They heard Zuko ask from above them. The beast leaned over their still bodies, sniffing around.
“It’s seeking a different scent. Perhaps something the Avatar held,” the woman replied coyly.
Shiozaki and Tsuburaba could only exchange worried glances, paralyzed with fear.
~~~
“What’s taking Googly Eyes and Plant Hair so long?” Bakugo grumbled, irritated.
“Don’t rush them,” Kirishima shrugged in response. “Maybe they just found something good.”
“I’m actually with Bakugo on this one,” Aang looked around with apprehension in his eyes. “All of them were supposed to be back by now and it’s going to be dark soon.”
“If they’re not back in fifteen minutes, I’ll go look for them,” Todoroki offered. “I’ll be able to make light.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kaminari beamed, leaning back against Appa, relaxing on his fur.
“Get up, you freeloader!” Bakugo reprimanded him. “Help us set up the tents.”
“There’s plenty of hands to go around, though,” Kaminari protested. “It’ll be too crowded.”
“So why do you get to sit on your ass while the rest of us work!” Bakugo yelled back. “What gives you the special privilege?”
“Both of you, quiet!” Honenuki urged them suddenly. An explanation was unnecessary. The thrashing sounds drawing nearer spoke for themselves.
“Isn’t that the direction the others went?” Aang asked, knowing the answer.
“Yeah!” Tetsutetsu growled, skin already lined with steel. “Looks like something found them.”
The creature at fault burst into the clearing, brushing against the trees. Todoroki instantly summoned a wave of ice, freezing the creature to the ground. The sudden stop threw its passengers off.
“It’s Zuko!” Aang announced, drawing his staff.
“They’ve got Shiozaki and the others, too,” Tetsutetsu growled, noting the hostages.
Todoroki’s ice trap began to creak as the beast thrashed against it. “Move, Nyla!” A tattooed woman drew a whip, snapping it against the hide of the creature. Finally, the ice broke apart.
“Time to blast this thing to hell!” Bakugo cried out, sparks flying from his palms. He flew forward, landing on the saddle of the beast.
“Our priority is to trap it,” Honenuki called back as the ground beneath his fingers liquified. Nyla’s rider leapt out of the attack’s range, but the animal itself was stuck, Bakugo clinging to its neck.
“Now to harden this back up,” Honenuki muttered, preparing to revert the ground to its original state. The whip slashed across his cheek, drawing blood. Honenuki leapt back, evading the next swipe. Nyla’s owner seemed intent on not allowing him to finish his attack, forcing him to dodge.
Aang blasted a stream of air at Zuko, who diverted it with a fire blast. Sparks fluttered up to the trees, which began to burst into bright orange flames.
“We can’t let the forest burn down, or we’ll be trapped in an inferno,” Todoroki cursed, sending ice to the trees that caught ablaze. At the same time, he created an ice slide, separating Sokka, Katara, Shiozaki, and Tsuburaba from their enemy.
“Thanks, Todoroki,” Tsuburaba muttered.
“What happened?” Todoroki questioned, focused on damage control against Zuko’s flames.
“It was an ambush,” Sokka explained. “That monster can paralyze people with its tongue.”
Todoroki’s expression became slightly more deadpan. “What is it with tongues and paralysis?”
In the meantime, Tetsutetsu joined Honenuki’s side. “You take care of the beast!” The steel boy called out. “I’ll hold her.” Honenuki nodded, and they split. Tetsutetsu charged directly towards his assailant, the cracks of her whip not affecting him. He aimed a punch to her face, but she weaved around it, hooking an arm around his body. She threw him against a tree, and Tetsutetsu felt the wind get knocked out of him.
“If she wasn’t trying to kill us, I would have complimented her manliness.” Tetsutetsu thought to himself, dazed. However, his minute distraction was enough for Honenuki to complete his attack, hardening the ground around Nyla’s body.
Bakugo was perched on the animal’s head, giving off miniature explosions. His attacks were much smaller than his usual ones, and he growled in frustration as the creature tried to throw him off and lashed out with its tongue.
Aang still had his hands full with Zuko, but Kaminari and Kirishima joined Todoroki by the ice wall. “This is bad,” Kirishima fretted. “This area’s too cramped for any of us to fight properly. There’s also too many destructive Quirks at work here. Bakugo’s limiting himself to avoid excess damage, but that means he’s handicapped.”
“I know,” Todoroki replied, frustrated. “I can’t use my left side or I’ll just further damage the forest. Same with Kaminari’s electricity.”
“I’m just kind of worried about that old man over there,” Kaminari pointed his thumb behind him. The last passenger from the attack was peacefully squatting by a tree, examining a mushroom. “He’s too calm. That means he’s super powerful.”
“I think he’s Zuko’s uncle,” Katara noted. “I know they’re working together, at the least.”
“Hey, I’m starting to get some feeling back,” Sokka exclaimed, wiggling his fingers. “And I think I’ve got a plan on how to deal with that beast.”
“Let’s hear it,” Kirishima urged him, checking over the wall. Aang and Zuko were still fighting, while the woman resumed her offensive against Honenuki. Nyla was thrashing in the ground while Bakugo struggled to hang on. Tetsutetsu had just gotten to his feet, still winded, but fire burned in his eyes.
“That creature attacks with its tongue,” Sokka started, tilting his head slightly to make eye contact with Tsuburaba. “You’ve still got those mushrooms?” Tsuburaba’s eyes grew even wider in understanding.
“That’s quite a lot of teeth you’ve got there,” Honenuki’s opponent remarked snidely, snapping her whip in his direction. He narrowly evaded the attack.
“Thanks. I have been told I’m quite handsome,” he shot back, trying to get a better look at his surroundings. He spared a glance towards Nyla.
“No good. It’s breaking out of the ground. I can’t stop dodging to retrap it. I also can’t escape underground with this unpredictable terrain without my helmet. I’ll be left completely blind.”
Bakugo aimed another blast to the creature’s head. This only seemed to make it angrier, and it finally succeeded in throwing Bakugo off. The blond boy used another explosion to propel himself out of the tongue’s reach. “It’s really damn annoying!” Bakugo screeched, landing a few feet away.
“Bakugo, out of the way!” Kirishima emerged from behind the ice wall, his skin shifting as he spoke. By the end of his transformation, he was nearly unrecognizable, looking more monster than human.
“Red Riot: Unbreakable!” He rushed towards Nyla, who lashed out with its tongue. The attack landed, but Kirishima wasn’t deterred, whatever toxins the beast possessed not working on his stone like body.
Once he reached his target, Kirishima quickly grabbed hold of Nyla’s tongue, forcing its mouth open. He opened his right hand, revealing the mushrooms Tsuburaba gathered earlier. Without a moment’s hesitation, he forced them down the beast’s throat.
With his work complete, Kirishima leapt back, holding a defensive stance. Nyla reared forward, breaking through the soil, but its tongue lolled out of its mouth, useless. It charged, intent on crushing its target. Kirishima dug his claw like nails into the beast’s fur, holding it still. Tetsutetsu, having fully recovered, backed him up. Together, the two boys pushed the creature back.
Another roar interrupted the fray as Appa joined the battle. The bison slammed his tail down, creating a gust of wind that knocked Nyla off its feet.
The tattooed woman grew momentarily distracted with the fall of her steed, allowing Honenuki to safely retreat. He softened the ground underneath Nyla, trapping it on its side. He quickly hardened it back up, leaving the beast contained once more.
Shiozaki, having recovered from the paralysis, rushed towards the woman, vines whipping about her head. “Sinners like you will taste divine retribution!” Two vines ensnared both of her target’s wrists. More vines broke off from her head, forming a wall between them.
“It’s really not wise to block your own field of vision,” her opponent growled, readying her whip. However, a sudden jolt ran through her, stopping her in her tracks. She screamed as electricity coursed through her.
“The lord will be my eyes,” Shiozaki rebutted, tightly clutching the orange disk between her hands. Behind her opponent, Kaminari shot lightning from his fingertip, passing through the tattooed lady before the wall of vines insulated the attack.
The attack stopped quickly, as the old man from earlier grabbed Kaminari’s hand. He pointed his own fingers skyward, allowing the electricity to flow up.
“See? The old people are always so freakishly powerful!” Kaminari whined, halting his offensive.
“Your compliment humbles me,” the man gave a short bow before rushing to his ally’s side. She was on the ground, shaking from the shock. “June! Are you alright?” She glared at him, but seemed to be incapable of moving.
“Aang!” Todoroki called. “We should leave now! Before they recover.” The monk was still dueling with Zuko, though both were clearly winded. With a newfound vigor, Aang slammed his staff to the ground, generating a shockwave powerful enough to send Zuko flying back into a tree.
“Right! Everyone climb onto Appa!” The bison was loaded within seconds and in the air shortly after. Zuko was too dazed to pursue them further, and the old man seemed to be too preoccupied in helping June to spare them a second thought.
“That was close,” Kirishima exhaled, sliding down into a more comfortable position. His skin had reverted to its normal state, but his shirt was beyond repair, and numerous holes protruded through his pants. He snuggled up against Bakugo, who subtly began running a hand through his hair.
“Yeah,” Aang sighed from the front. “I wonder how long they’ve been tracking us.”
“I’m just glad we all got away in one piece,” Honenuki said, closing his eyes. “I was kind of worried by the end, when that man redirected Kaminari’s attack.”
“He’s always working with Zuko,” Katara explained. “But I don’t think he’s ever actually attacked us. I’m not sure who that bounty hunter was, though.”
Aang perked up suddenly. “Speaking of Zuko,” he turned around to face Katara with a coy expression, “he asked me to make sure you got this.” He held out a circular necklace held on a blue ribbon.
“My mother’s necklace!” Katara exclaimed, overjoyed. She scooped it up and planted a kiss on Aang’s cheek. “Well, looks like Zuko really is a sweetheart. Make sure to thank him next time,” she teased as Aang’s face became redder.
“I don’t get it,” Todoroki commented. “I thought you and Zuko weren’t friends. Why are you calling him sweet?”
“It was just sarcasm,” Katara tried to explain, but she was drowned out by the tired laughter of the heroes in training.