The Ruka Wild ↠ Book 1 > A:TLA [Avatar: TLAB-LoK Watty Awards 2018]

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Ruka (1)

"I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire market place."

"It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!"

"Quite the contrary. I always say the only thing better than finding something you're looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!"

A guard walked past us holding a large tsungi horn and I raised a brow.

"You bought a tsungi horn?" Zuko asked with his arms still crossed.

"For music night on the ship." Iroh smiled. "Now, if we only had some wood with us." Iroh began to walk with his arms behind his back and Zuko and I followed.

As we walked for a couple of minutes, we saw a store that was also a ship.

"Oh, this place looks promising!" Iroh smiled, pointing at the ship market. I groaned, "You've said that about every store Iroh!"

"And I've bought something from every one." He replied. As we walked into the store, some of the things were a little funky.

"Wooaah, that is handsome!" Iroh grinned widely down at a small gorilla statue. It's eyes and necklace design were rubies. "Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?"

Side note: this was one of my favorite lines from Iroh! It cracks me up every time 😂

Iroh reached for it and picked it up, showing it to Zuko and I.

I gave a weary smile with a thumbs up. Zuko just sighed, noticeably annoyed.

"We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with."

Zuko and I turned our bodies toward the two men in the store. Zuko walked closer to them. "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?"

The man with a green headband nodded.

"Which way did they go?" I asked.

The much older man furrowed his brows. "Why should we tell you?"

"Because I asked nicely." I crossed my arms. "So if I've to ask again, it won't be so nice."

They both stayed quiet and I shrugged, "Very well." In the corner of the store, there was a bowl of water. With the sway of my hands, the water shot to the man with the green head band and threw him back to the wooden wall then froze around his neck so it could prevent him from running out.

"Which way did they go?!" 

"Ruka." Zuko stepped closer and the older man pulled out a sword from the sheath around his waist and pointed it to me. I gritted my teeth, pirates.

Zuko stood in front of me, "Enough. We could help you find the monk."

"Why would we want your help?" He asked.

"Well there's a reason to why you're looking for him, isn't there?" Zuko replied. The man nodded, "A very valuable waterbending scroll. The Water Tribe girl he was traveling with stole it."

Gosh Katara. Of course you did.

"If we work together, we could get it back." Zuko said in a calmer tone. "And what do you want in return?" The man rose his brow.

Zuko shook his head slowly, "I just need the monk."

"Hm. Very well." When the man put his sword back into its sheath, I unfroze the water from the headbands neck and let it drop to the floor.

I looked down to his neck and it was red. "Oops, a little too much?"

Headband rubbed his neck while gritting his teeth at me.

I sighed with a fake frown, "I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

>>>

Zuko was on the pirates' ship while Iroh and I were on the smaller boat that was under The Fire Navy ship.

I looked up the two with my arms crossed. "I don't trust those guys Iroh."

"I can tell you're tired Ruka. You should get some rest."

"And risk missing my sister and brother? No way." I scoffed.

"You have my word that I will wake you when we find them. You'll need all your strength if know you can't trust them."

I sighed, "I suppose you're right."

There was a small blanket laid on the deck and I laid down on it. A couple minutes passed until I went into a light slumber.