A. N. This is why I've been slacking off on A Princess's Legacy. First off, I needed a bit of a break so I could get some fresh ideas for the plot. I came up with this and really really wanted to start writing right away.

This is probably going to be a relief project for APL...in other words, updates will most likely be few and far between, unless I have a fantastic idea. That's not to say that I don't care about it, but APL is my first priority at the moment.

And my apologies for the OOC-ness of both Suki and Ty Lee. Please please please review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Believe me, if I did, things would not have ended this way...

Service, Sans Smile

Chapter One

A Leader Should Be Strong, Right?

Suki's eyes were glistening with held back tears as we boarded the ship, heading toward the small island that all of the warriors called home. I wanted to pat her on the back and tell her that everything would be okay, that she would see her boyfriend again—the cute one. That lucky girl knew exactly how fortunate she was. I had heard her sobbing to the waterbender ten minutes before.

"What am I going to do, Katara?" she had said through her tears. "I'm supposed to be strong, but I'm the weakest out of all of them! I don't know how I'm going to make this work with Sokka. He'll be so far away and...and...Katara, I'm so confused!"

Burying her face in her friends shoulder, she'd let the tears fall. Katara had patted her on the back, assuring her that she and Sokka would visit.

"He's not Chief yet, so he won't really be needed in the South," she'd reminded her. But the word yet had hung in the air, and Suki and I both heard it. My boss had forced herself to stand tall and proud as she boarded the metal monster, waiting until the others weren't looking before biting her lip and mouthing the words I love you to her boyfriend.

But she still wouldn't look at me. Sure, my prison buddies were forgiving and had readily taken me in, but Suki was obviously not in a hurry to forget the day we'd battled. She seemed to tolerate me, but just barely.

Upon our arrival, Suki introduced me to the authorities of the island, careful to sound neutral while listing everything that I had done, good or bad, that needed to be considered. The four elders who shared leadership of the Earth Kingdom-affiliated village had called some of the warriors to testify. Sia was questioned first, my closest friend.

"Sia, how do you feel on this matter?" asked Bao, one of the elders.

My friend had answered without hesitation. Gratitude, pride, and love swelled in my chest as I silently thanked Agni...or...Kyoshi...or whoever I was supposed to thank now, for my best friend.

"Ty Lee has fully repented for her actions and has seen the error of her ways. We should give her a fresh start and let her prove herself. She is an able warrior and a trustworthy friend, qualities that Avatar Kyoshi would have found satisfactory," declared Sia with a smile.

Jei Lin's opinion was asked next, a girl who seemed to be a little less enthusiastic. She left a negative mark, saying words like questionable and mentioning Azula more than necessary. In a skeptical voice she admitted that the other girls had faith in me, implying that said other girls were imbeciles. Her dreary aura left me missing Mai. Even though the Fire Nation noble made me feel silly for my optimism, she was a childhood friend and had grown on me over the years, especially in jail. That's more than I could say for Azula. She would have let us all rot in our cells for all she cared.

The elders discussed the matter for over an hour, and after much deliberation Bao stepped forward, meeting my anxious gaze with a calculating look in his dull brown eyes, as if he was trying to read my mind. I stared back steadily. Finally he sighed and announced the decision.

"The council has determined that Ty Lee, formerly of the Fire Nation, will be permitted to remain on this island and train as a Kyoshi warrior," he said. Sia let out a cheer behind me, immediately disguised as a cough. "However, she will be under close scrutiny and if any serious offenses are committed, the person in question will be removed from the island. Should Ty Lee keep her record clean and complete the required training, she will be inducted as a warrior and the island will harbor no grudges. That is all."

He turned to Boss, who was still maintaining her open expression. Her eyes revealed nothing, but for a millisecond I thought I saw the corners of her mouth dip into a frown.

"Suki, you may begin the training immediately with the other warriors. I'm sure you have plenty of catching up to do. Please report any problems directly to me or one of the other elders." Bao turned on his heel and walked away, turning at a 90 degree angle some fifteen paces off and disappearing into a shop.

A smile had sprouted on my face and I bounced on the balls on my feet, grinning at Suki.

"So!" I said, breaking the silence. "Let's get going!"

Suki was still serious, eying me for a brief moment before letting the facade shatter. Her eyes lit up, but not with joy. Instead they flickered with determination and willpower. She raised her voice slightly so all the girls could hear.

"Follow me, ladies! We're going to start with some new forms and offensive techniques that I developed myself, and then we can try to incorporate...chi-blocking...into our routine. Walk quickly and quietly; we have a lot of work to do and it doesn't involve slacking off!"

My aura brightened considerably when I heard the mention of my work. I was first in line behind Suki and throughout the day I trained my hardest. I didn't stop to chat with Sia or the other girls. Instead I was Suki's shadow, mimicking every minuscule movement, striving to be a model pupil. I was eager to prove myself when Suki, albeit grudgingly, asked me to demonstrate.

I used a sawdust-filled dummy to show the pressure points. Marking with a piece of charcoal on the rough fabric, I circled a spot near the collarbone, a few around the abdomen, inside the elbow, and one on the back of the neck. When I was finished, I turned to the audience.

"These points can, if used correctly, block the chi of your opponent, causing them to lose their bending abilities, should they have any," I said cheerily. "If not, they will be in a condition that, assuming they can still fight at this point, puts them at a serious disadvantage. Depending on which points you strike, and how hard, they could be merely handicapped, or completely unable to control their limbs."

After most of the warriors had gotten the hang of it, I moved off to a corner by myself to try using the fans. Beforehand, I'd used two fingers to jab at the pressure points. The fans could be effective, I thought. After a moment's thought I slid one fan in on itself until the angle between the two edges was severely acute, and stepped forward, using a stabbing motion like I had with my fingers. Tentatively, I tested my idea on one of my own arms. Instead of hanging limp like it should, I only felt the mild beginning of a bruise.

Frustrated, I stalked to Suki, who was regaining control of the situation, teaching the other new recruits a basic form.

"Um, Boss?" I asked in a small voice. "I think I'm going to need help developing my moves to work with the fan...I can't quite get it..." Staring down at my toes, I felt my aura dip into old-lady salmon shades. I needed help, fast.

Suki smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was wry, almost sarcastic.

"What do I know anymore?" she said. "It's not as if I invented this little technique of yours. You're just teaching me, like all the other girls." Everything about her was frigid, something I wouldn't expect to see from her. Whenever I'd seen the warrior—they were rare glimpses, I admit, but still—she had been fierce, yes, but intelligent, hardworking, optimistic, and, most of all, kind. The vibes I was picking up told me that something was wrong.

"Suki?" I asked, still intimidated. "Your aura's not that golden color anymore. It's..." I concentrated for a second, and then wrinkled my nose. "It's this gross ugly brown. Is there anything I can do to help?"

As if I'd slapped her, red rose in her white-painted cheeks, and she glared at me from steely, hostile eyes.

"I haven't sunk so low as to need your assistance," she hissed before walking to the center of the room.

I didn't move for a while as I focused again. I furrowed my eyebrows and squinted at her with concern. She was scaring me now; her aura had taken a turn for the worse. It was jet black.

A. N. How is that?

I know that Suki and Ty Lee may both be a bit...erm...OOC. I'm sorry for that, as I said beforehand. I've already written the next chapter, and I think I portray them better there. Thanks for reading this; I know it's a bit rough around the edges.

Is there a way I can improve? Spot any errors? Have a question or maybe even a plot twist idea for later chapters? Great! I'd love to read about it! Please type up a review and I'll fix any problems right away. And I always use your suggestions, or at least consider them.

And if you don't review, it's not just Ty Lee's aura that's in jeopardy! Those disgusting old-lady shades might give her bad skin! Gasp!