CHAPTER 23: SPIRIT POSSESSION

“Dolo!?” Suki screamed her little brothers name at the top of her lungs.

She ran for his unconscious body in a hurry much to the confusion of Sokka and Iroh. She immediately reached out her fingers to his neck to feel his pulse. A bit of relief showed up in her eyes as he was still alive but she couldn't calm down just yet. He was just barely alive, his pulse was very weak.

“We need to get him back to the city as quick as possible!” She suggested.

She picked him up off the ground and over her shoulders. Without waiting for the confused Sokka to get caught up she turned for the direction of the city. Using her amazing physique she started running at an insane speed for someone carrying a deadweight.

Eventually Sokka regained his senses and joined her on her run. Even with just his boomerang he couldn't keep up with her years of training.

“Do you know the kid?” Sokka asked as a ploy to get her to slow down.

“He is my brother!” She answered with no hesitation or reduced speed. He couldn't help but feel a bit inmasculated by his supposed girlfrend.

His pride as an elite native warrior from the southern water tribe took a huge hit in that few seconds.

He still had his pride as a man even though it also took quite the hit. He willed his tired and aching body to follow as quickly as he could while they meandered around the valleys and hills surrounding the great city. In just a few minutes they already came to view of the entrance to the city. A few passersby noticed them and stood in wonder. Soon they reached the entrance.

Recognising them on orders of Bumi they were immediately allowed passage. The guards provided a wagon as they also recognised Dolo as the first son of the General. With not much questions as to the reason behind the boy's condition they rode the wagon being pulled by two horse like stallions. They were not as tall as horses but appeared to be more muscular and speedy.

It was only then that they noticed Iroh wasn't with them anymore. They were both so caught up in the situation with the body they paid his disappearance no mind. They simply trusted that he wasn't much of threat and left it at that.

---

Almost half an hour passed since Suki brought her brother to the local hospital towards the centre of the city.

Suki and Sokka were sitted in the waiting room. Dolo was being checked by the best healer not of the water tribes on the continent. Courtesy of the status of his father.

“Do you remember the last thing he said before he passed out?” Suki suddenly asked after a long period of silence.

“About Aang and... Katara,” Sokka had an obvious sour note to his voice by the mention of his sister.

“How is that even possible?” Suki continued. “From what I saw Aang was a lot stronger than him so this doesn't make any sense to me!” She added.

“We also didn't notice the earth literary breaking apart infront of us,” he answered. “To be honest I dont really know just what Zuko is capable. He is a sure fire elite firebender from what we saw back on Kyoshi but he seems different for some reason. I didn't really feel his bloodlust the same way I felt it when we first met!”

“Do you think he could have really attacked a little boy like Dolo?” Suki added.

It was a question he was dreading to answer. He just didn't really know the real Zuko and how ruthless he could get. For some reason he wanted it not to be true. He wanted Zuko to remain to be saved. He did know the reason he felt that way but just couldn't really bring himself to say it out loud.

“WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SON!!!” A loud voice suddenly roared through the entire hospital and shooked it.

Tamuate walked in with a very pregnant woman by his left and Sheya by his right. A few soldiers followed them closely behind as everyone's attention got drawn to them.

Suki felt her heart sank as Tamutae casually walked passed her and burst through the doors into the treatment room.

“Doctor!?” Tamutae called as he saw the elderly doctor examining the boy who laid unconsciously on the bed. A nurse of similar age stood beside him.

“General,” the doctor said and stood up. He walked to the family with a very sombre look. “Please,” he showed to the exit door. “Let's speak outside.”

Tamutae and his wife led the way outside. He was still fuming inside but he knew Koru was the best in the city. He had almost as much connections as Tamutae himself.

“What's wrong with my son doctor?” Satori, Tamutae’s very pregnant wife asked with tearful eyes.

Koru took a deep breath before continuing with the explanation.

---

“Possessed by a spirit, but how is that even possible?” Tamutae asked in disbelief after the long winded explanation.

“I am not sure but... he is lucky to be alive,” Koru added. “His spirit was severely damaged and the effects on his body were simply too much. If it was someone normal he probably would be dead by now.”

Satori suddenly started wailing into the shoulder of her husband. He casually wrapped his arm around her. Rubbing his hands on her back as she continued to sob into him.

Suddenly out the corner of his eye he noticed Suki sitting with Sokka. He wanted to confront them immediately but he had also yet to tell his wife of Suki.

“So is he going to be alright?” He asked the elderly doctor.

“Yes,” Koru answered without any hesitation to prove he wasn’t lying. “All he needs is just a bit of rest and he should be alright.”

“Can we see him now?” Satori suddenly asked with a forced smile.

“You certainly can but please don’t disturb him too much.  He needs to rest for his body to recover on its own.” Koru replied.

He proceeded to show the door open. Satori finally separated from her husband enough for him to move. They both followed Koru in along with Sheya.

“If his condition changes please let me know,” Koru revealed. “In the meantime I have other patients to check up on.”

Upon those words the family was left alone with Dolo. Satori sat by the bed on a wooden chair while holding on to his hands while Tamutae and Sheya stood by and watched him silently.

Tamutae wasn’t one to grief. During his long career he had seen a lot of things and over the years had grown almost dull to death and destruction. Even if he felt those emotions he wouldn’t show them outward.

Sheya on the other hand was simply an airhead. She barely understood what was going on. She just knew that her twin was sick in bed with something. Since he was a sickly child growing up she didn’t think much of it.

Tamutae stayed in the room for a good half an hour before his patients drew thin. He had questions and there were two people outside who could answer his questions.

“Listen,” he began. Satori looked up at him with tear filled red eyes. “I still need to know what exactly happened so I am going to get some answers outside.”

Satori simply nodded at him. She understood him very well and knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he had some answers. They both knew Dolo liked to sneak around places alone but he always managed to come home safe.

Upon those words the general exited the room to live Sheya alone with her mom and brother.

He walked straight up to Suki and Sokka sitted on a bench.

“What happened?” He went straight to the point.

Suki and Sokka looked to each other for clues but neither really had any idea. They might wish to answer for the boy but they were both truthfully clueless, not entirely however.

Sokka immediately started recalling the events that transpired upon their departure from the city. All the things that happened between Aang and Zuko. How Zuko disappeared with Katara and lastly how Dolo suddenly showed up.

“He captured the Avatar and the girl?” Tamutae asked after the recollection from Sokka.

“That is what Dolo said before suddenly collapsing unconscious,” Suki answered.

“The old guy said he was possessed by a spirit so maybe he...” Sokka lost his trail of thought for a moment. “Did he help Zuko or Aang?”

They were both stunned by his conclusion. For Sokka it was the only thing that made sense to him. Either the boy helped Zuko escape or he tried to help Aang and they were both defeated by some spirit that was helping Zuko.

“That doesn’t even make any sense!” Suki lost her temper.

“She’s right,” Tamutae agreed with his daughter. “Why would my son help out someone he doesn’t even know?”

“You are not understanding me,” Sokka clarified. “I am not saying it was Dolo but the spirit that possessed him.”

[A/N: Read 5 to 10 chapters ahead on my patreon available now. 

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