LOST (Avatar The Last Airbender Fanfiction) (Zuko x OC)

B2CH11 - The Desert

                  

It's a giant mushroom! Maybe it's friendly!

Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend!

They were riding the ostrich horse. Shinju groaned in pain as they jumped on the ostrich horse's back. Zuko looked at him, his eyes full of worry "Maybe we should make camp." he suggested.

"What? Just for me? No." said Shinju and then groaned again "Well, a second thought, perhaps we should..."

As they dismount, the ostrich horse started to act strange. Like it was alarmed by something. Zuko immediately takes on a firebending form, ready to defend himself.

"What now?" Iroh asked.

The Rough Rhinos rode through the thicket at both sides of the road Zuko, Shinju and Iroh were travelling on. Shinju grumbled, she knew these men. Mongke's rhino stepped the ground forcefully breaking the surface. He pulled back the reigns. Zuko kept up his defensive position, looking at the men that surrounded them. Iroh's face cleared up as he placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!" Iroh said.

"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps." Mongke said.

The Rough Rhinos prepared themselves for battle, each readying their weapon of expertise.

"You know these guys?" Zuko asked to Iroh.

"Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing ground." Iroh said. Shinju hid her laugh under a cough.

Mongke raised his fist, ready for firebending. Shinju took her stance when she saw this "We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

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

"Enough stalling! Round them up!" Mongke roared.

The dark skinned, pony tailed guy swung his ball and chain at Iroh, who kicked it away. The chain wrapped itself around the leg of a nearby standing rhino. Iroh tumbled over the ground dodging two fire blasts. He rose back up and hit the rhino in the rear, making it dash away, yanking the dark skinned warrior off his rhino and dragging him along. Iroh waved goodbye as he watched them go.

The archer shot a lit arrow at Zuko. He quickly reacted by knocking the arrow away and releasing a fire blast, burning a hole in the surprised archer's bow. But he stopped when he realised he hadn't seen Shinju since the beginning of the fight.

"Uncle, where is Shinju?" Zuko asked Iroh but his eyes widened when he looked at the direction that Iroh was looking.

"Stop, or I'll kill the girl." Mongke said. He was holding Shinju tight, and a knife was placed on her throat.

Shinju frowned "I am wounded, yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't fight. What do you think I am, some sort of sugar girl? Gosh, don't make me laugh." she said as she held Mongke's knife holding arm quickly and tight. When she had turned the knife away from her, she kicked the ground and sent Mongke flying.

Iroh ran up to the ostrich horse, jumped on and rode towards Shinju and Zuko, who were awaiting him. As they jumped, another Rough Rhino immediately starts the pursuit. The Rider threw a grenade at the fleeing ostrich horse. It exploded right in front of it but they rode through the explosion's smoke.

"It's nice to see old friends." Iroh said.

"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you." Zuko said and turned to Shinju "Both of you."