I'm a Warrior:
"Look, you might be all great at this bending stuff, but you should probably learn a few things about fighting too." Sokka rotated his shoulders and grinned. "Good thing you brought along a seasoned warrior like me." He grinned. "So the rule is, no crazy rock magic during." The grin widened a little. "And don't worry, I'll go easy on you."
Sokka probably interpreted the expression on Suki's face as a smile in return, perhaps one of relief, but the painted smile had a lot more to do with the sneer of a gorilla-goat that has just had its temper provoked. She'd told them little about her background, thought it wasn't really necessary- and now she was glad she hadn't. She knew Sokka honestly meant well- somewhere, deep down. But right now, she had a point to prove.
His attack was clumsy, the footwork no more than plain running, the arms raised in a clumsy chop. The counter was ludicrously easy- she simply sidestepped him, circling around him as he charged and planting her armoured foot in his back. Not too hard, but not gently either. The Water Tribe warrior tumbled to the ground, going head over heels before planting right on his face.
"How was that, Master Sokka?" She inquired in a tone of blatantly feigned solicitousness.
"..." Sokka got himself up, a little shakily at first and then more solidly, picking up his weapon again. "Pretty good, you know, for a girl."
"For a girl." She ghosted back at him, this time establishing a real combat pose, extending the fans that she hadn't even bothered to draw out this time. For his part, Sokka's sloppy stance (and she could tell the difference between a relaxed pose and a sloppy one) tightened just a little and this time, he did try to attack from the side. But he was still too slow and not nearly reactive enough.
Suki let him get close, before using her fans to direct him into a position where it was child's play to kick his knees to make him drop. Moving like a blur of green and black, she landed on him, neatly pinning his limbs and pointing the closed fan at his throat. Sokka struggled and to his meagre credit, he was stronger than he looked, but she'd long ago learned, to a wondrous art and precise science, just how to subdue and restrain much bigger and stronger warriors than he.
Her lips curved in a painted smile. His eyes practically bugged out of his head.
"H-how did you learn to fight like THAT?"
She simply smirked at him. "Oh, here and there." She'd probably tell him sometime soon, about having been rigorously trained since she was a small girl, of punching planks until her hands bled to deaden nerves, of being forced to go through a full-body work out after being nearly submerged in freezing water. Of the fact that to all this, she had to start learning earthbending at age ten.
For now, though, Suki blithely hopped off of Sokka, raising her eyebrow at him. "Will that be all, Master Sokka?"
Sokka for his part sat up, looking a little dazed and nodded. "Yeah … that'll be all for now."
"Thank you, Master Sokka." Suki smirked, pressing her fans together and doing the full, formal bow of the Kyoshi Warriors.
I'm a Girl, Too:
Sokka didn't talk a lot for the rest of the day and even at dinnertime, he didn't eat quite so much, looking uncharacteristically reflective. Suki didn't call him out on it, though she wanted to know what was going on in his head. Katara asked him a few times what was up, but he had evaded her questions by mentioning all the things they needed to do. Even the nighttime was quieter- Suki swore that even Sokka's snoring seemed subtler and more pensive than normal. If snoring could be pensive. Could snoring be pensive?
As was her habit, she snuck out of her tent just as the dawn was beginning to creep over the hills. Suki had always been an early riser, a habit that had been reinforced as her training had become more intense and involved, as her Earthbending training had been folded into her existing regimen as a Kyoshi Warrior. She'd told herself that she'd gather food for their provision, but more than that, she wanted to see what sort of wildflowers grew in this particular part of the Earth Kingdom. She knew the flowers of her home island like the back of her hand and it'd been a delight to see so many new ones along her travels so far.
It was something that she suspected her new Water Tribe friends didn't quite understand- they came from a world marked by the cruel beauty of wind and ice. Snow and ice came to Kyoshi Island as well, but it was never more than a gentle dusting, rarely lingering for more than a week or so at a time. She started gathering the flowers gently, making sure only to take one or two from a particular clump of flowers, working them along a piece of string, slowly gathering a necklace. An especially beautiful blue flower ended up in her hair.
It was then that she heard footsteps behind her and she moved swiftly to see who it was, immediately relaxing for a moment when she saw it was Sokka. Then she remembered all the near-silence of the last day after their … "training session" and she felt strangely pensive, though looking at him, it seemed fairly clear that he was much more so.
"Hey Suki. I just … I just wanted to say that I was sorry. About yesterday. I shouldn't have assumed that you'd, y'know, suck at fighting, because you were a girl. I mean, you're the Avatar and all that. I should- I will, I'll treat you like a warrior. And, uh, I'd be honoured if you'd teach me." For once, the cocksure Water Tribe boy looked humbled.
Suki smiled warmly and walked over to him. "Your apology is accepted. And I'd be happy to teach you the art of being a Kyoshi Warrior." When she was about a foot or so away from him, she stopped for a moment. "There's just two things we should make clear."
Sokka swallowed thickly. "Okay. What … what're those?"
"When training as a Kyoshi Warrior, you will respect our traditions." She grinned almost wickedly.
"All of them." Sokka nodded, probably not quite understanding that.
"So what's the … other thing?"
Her smile turned from wicked naughtiness into something much softer, sweeter, downright girly. She took the flower necklace in her hands and draped it around his neck. "I am a warrior, Sokka. But I'm a girl too." She grinned and turned to walk back into the woods, leaving Sokka stunned and blushing.
"Yeah … some girl."
I'm Dangerous:
When Zuko had figured out that the new Avatar had come from Kyoshi Island, he'd turned the place inside out, searching for her, interrogating the locals- but it had become clear that they didn't know where she currently was, or that they wouldn't just tell him. And neither he nor his Uncle had the will to press too harshly upon the people of the island. They'd left in a huff, but without hostages and inflicting only damage that could be easily repaired before the worst of the winter came. It had been a terrifying experience, but they'd all survived and they could take heart, knowing that their Avatar hadn't been taken.
When Zhao descended upon Kyoshi Island, he did not hesitate to torture the village leaders, or to systematically burn down the village until terrified locals divulged what they knew. When he'd extracted all the information he could, he simply announced that Kyoshi Island didn't exist anymore and set about burning the entire village to ash, taking the surviving elders (one or two had expired under his attentions, weak fools) and the Kyoshi Warriors to prison and leaving the rest of them in the totally ruined ashes of their once-prosperous village.
Zhao had intended to send a message to the world- that anyone who sheltered the Avatar could expect the same cruelty. It didn't take long for news of the burnings of villages across the coast to reach their group. Sokka thought that it was probably wisest for them to simply push on to the North, so they could learn waterbending- just to avoid the coast as much as possible. Katara, who shared with Suki a certain angry compassion, thought that they needed to try and stop Zhao, somehow. It was the Avatar herself, though, that made the decision to fight.
It had all gone well enough, until Suki actually spotted Zhao and he'd taunted her about her village, about how the people cried in despair and cursed her name. It was then that her eyes had started to glow and the waters turned into a swirling maelstrom and for the first time, Suki slipped into the Avatar state, cloaked in destructive wrath. The ships bent and broke, shattered as sharp rocks underneath the shallow water shot up into the air. The wind became a weapon too, a howling hurricane that threatened not only the Fire Nation malefactors but the inhabitants of the village they were all too near.
It also threatened her friends and Katara had been forced to use her limited waterbending in order to freeze one of the waves, so that Sokka didn't go overboard. She looked at him, eyes wide in fear.
"... we have to stop her!"
"Before we're all drowned would be nice …" He looked towards his friend, almost unrecognizable in her wrath. He swallowed tightly.
Katara and Sokka both clung to her tightly, despite the howling wind and sharps tones flickering not far from them and, eventually, the light had gone out of her eyes, the strength out of her knees and she buckled to the ground, clinging to her friends and sobbing bitterly. At what had happened to her home, what she'd caused, but also at what she'd become, at the shocking carnage she'd caused in what seemed like the blink of an eye.
As for the cruel Fire Nation admiral, he'd managed to find the only remaining serviceable ship and limped out of the scene, unwilling to admit he'd been honestly terrified by the Avatar's display of power. He'd figured out where she was headed to- really, there was no other place she could be going, and he resolved that he'd get his vengeance for this humiliation, sooner or later. For now, though, he had more important things to do than to burn small villages to the ground. There was a fleet to gather and a great city in the North to conquer in his Nation's name.
I'm all too Human:
After the confrontation at the village, Suki had been quiet and withdrawn, speaking only when necessary and avoiding eye contact with either Sokka or Katara. Now when she snuck out at the crack of dawn, it was not to gather berries or flowers, but to think, to obsess over what had happened. For so many difficult days, she'd sustained herself with thoughts of home, of happy villagers going about their daily lives, about how wonderful it would be to give them a better, safer world.
But now, Kyoshi Village was no more, its people impoverished and dispersed and how could she claim to able to give anyone peace, when she could wreak so much destruction? They'd believed in her so much and she'd only brought them suffering and destruction. What if she'd end up destroying her friends?
"Hey Suki." She didn't turn around this time when she heard Sokka, who sat down beside her. "I'd say, copper for your thoughts? But …" He sighed slightly and looked at her. "Look, what happened there, it was scary as hell, but I'm sure it's one of those Avatar things that you'll master with time. And we'll always be there for you, to help you, however we can."
She turned towards him, eyes red with unfallen tears. "What if I destroy you too? The Admiral burned those villages … my village to the ground, because of me."
Sokka shook his head harshly. "No. The Fire Nation burned those villages because they're cruel and horrible. They did the same to my people and we have to stop them." He sighed, realizing that harsh sentiment probably wasn't helping. "... c'mere." He wrapped his arms a little awkwardly around Suki, who didn't resist, leaning her head around his shoulder. "You're one of the most amazing, strongest and awesome people I've ever met. And you're good too. And you're not alone, never will be. I'm afraid you're stuck with us, Suki."
"Promise?" She replied quietly, tears gently rolling down her face, though it felt good, right now, to be held and reassured. "I don't think I can do this alone."
"You'll never have to, Suki." Katara smiled. "We're as good as family now." And it didn't take long before Momo joined them. And for the first time since that fateful battle, Suki felt a little hopeful.
I'm Silly:
Sokka looked down at himself, in full Kyoshi makeup and in a reasonable mockup of their traditional battledress- Suki's spare dress and similar armour, thoughtfully supplied by a local blacksmith. "Okay, I get it … tradition. But I'm in a dress, Suki. Look, girls can be warriors and all, that's awesome, but do I really need to wear the dress?"
Suki smiled brightly, cheerfully. "Oh yes. It's a good look for you, Sokka. You should get in touch with your feminine side more often. You might like it."
Sokka practically sputtered. "I don't have a feminine side! I'm all man! Look at me! Do I look- okay, think of me without this dress on!"
Suki raised her eyebrow. "Oh my, Sokka. Without the dress?" Her eyebrow remained quirked. "Well, all right, if you say so …"
"... hey!" Sokka replied indignantly. "I mean, look, I'm sure you'd love to dwell on my manly, manly body all day, but we've got training to do … so we can get this over with-" His speech was cut off as Suki swiftly swept him off his feet.
"Have a nice trip! See you next fall!" She grinned playfully as she moved away from him to let him get up.
"..." Sokka got up. That was probably one of the worst jokes he'd ever heard from anyone in his life. Unlike his own jokes, which were always brilliant. Like the one about Suki and the Earth having a rocky relationship. Because, you know, she was an earthbender and all that. Pure comic brilliance. Unlike that one-two of horrible punnage.
"Don't you get it! Because I tripped you, and you fell!" Suki explained brightly, and at that point, Sokka couldn't help but laugh.
"Yeah, I got that. Maybe after you teach me how to fight, I'll teach you about the fine art of comedy."
She couldn't help but laugh herself as she got into a combat pose. "You do have some pretty good jokes, Sokka."
I'm Beautiful:
It was supposed to be a whole-group thing, but Toph had a case of the cowpig fever and Katara had begged off for, well, she cited mysterious "lady reasons" that Sokka wasn't going to question any further. Which meant it was just him and Suki, which was fine, right? Just two awesome buddies out on the town, having a nice dinner with lots of meat, because Suki liked meat too, even if she insisted on liking the vegetables just as much. Of course, Sokka, being the wiser of the two regarding the wonders of food, knew well that vegetables were a space filler on a plate that could have been full of meat. Vegetables? Were food's food.
But the night promised meat, and pretty good company, so Sokka was pretty psyched. He'd figured that he'd wear one of his nicer Fire Nation outfits out, just you know, because it wouldn't do to be out in public in his smelly travel clothes. Looking at himself in the mirror, posing and flexing his muscles, he had to admit that he was a pretty handsome guy. And if this were a date, well, he'd be ready for it. Of course, it wasn't. But if it were, he'd be the paragon of perfect dates. The Avatar of the dating world. But that was silly, because if if it were a date, he'd be dating the Avatar and she was a good friend, honest.
He'd picked some flowers, because it'd be fun, right? To pick some flowers that Suki totally liked, because that's what friends did. Give each other things they liked. Like those blue flowers she always liked to put in her hair when she was in a good mood. He was totally not nervously fiddling with the stems of the flowers when he saw her walking up towards him.
He nearly dropped the flowers. His jaw pretty much hit the ground. His heart, already thumping along at a pretty good pace in anticipation of a nice night out with a good friend, first skipped a beat and started galloping. It was the first time he'd ever seen her wear makeup other than her warrior's paint- just a little, soft pink on the lips and a few artful touches to bring out her cheekbones and lashes. The crimson red of the Fire Nation clothes contrasted with her flawless fair skin. Modestly cut around the neckline, she'd instead chosen to emphasize a toned stomach (all the rage in the Fire Nation) and legs that could not have been made more perfect had Sokka carved them himself.
"So, I guess it's just us tonight." Suki smiled sweetly, and Sokka was sure that she wasn't nervous at all, unlike him. How could she be? Nobody that radiant could be nervous. And oh Spirits, what if this was a date now? Would he have to go into full Date Mode? Would she suddenly be offended by his slurping the noodles and making silly jokes about the wait staff?
"Uh, yeah. Looks like it's just us tonight. Toph's pretty sick and Katara's, well, you probably know. Girl stuff." Sokka tried not to stammer, because that would have been unattractive. And suddenly he felt like he wanted to be attractive. Like her. Oh, he was trying not to stare, but it was hard.
"Girl stuff." Suki ghosted back at him with a faint impression of a smirk that he didn't at all know how to read. It was almost like she knew something that he didn't. Which was probably true, because she really would know more about girl stuff than him, being a girl and all.
"I have flowers." Sokka managed to say, holding them out and noticing with creeping horror that they'd become somewhat rumpled in their journey from their original forest home. It was a good thing that this wasn't a date, because if it were, this was a bad, bad start.
"They're beautiful." Suki replied with a warm smile as she took them, taking one of the blue wildflower and putting it in her hair. Then she offered him her arm and he found himself taking it, feeling a tiny shiver at the feeling of her warm skin against his. His heart started beating even more madly and he started thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so awful after all for this to be a date. What was a date between friends, anyway?
I'm the Avatar:
For the first time, Suki summoned the Avatar State, retaining full control over herself and let a cool, gentle rain fall over the smouldering forest. It would not take long for new life to take root in these fertile lands, nourished by the lifegiving ashes of the ancient trees. In that way, too, would the world find peace and harmony. As the rain fell, Suki looked out over the forest and thought about peace and forgiveness. She'd been forced to slay the Fire Lord and she did not regret taking his life, but she found that the rain washed away so much of her own anger and rage towards the Fire Nation. Today, the world needed flame to be extinguished, but tomorrow, a new and purer flame, a force of creation rather than destruction, would have to be nurtured.
She took a breath and exhaled it as a soft breeze that spread the tranquil rain further and further afield, clearing the smoke and replacing it with clean, pure air. Fire had cleared out old growth, the rain would nourish the earth and the air would support and sustain, just as all four elements, all of the tribes, kingdoms and nations, would, she hoped, work together.
"... so, this is it, huh? We won." Sokka came up beside her and murmured quietly, turning towards her.
The power of the Avatar state left Suki and the brilliant yellow-white energy softened into the expressive, brilliantly blue eyes he knew so well.
"This isn't an ending, Sokka. It's a beginning." Her lips curved into a soft smile. "We saved the world together, but now we have to fix it too."
I'm your Girl:
".. how can you even be awake right now? Sun's not even up yet." Sokka groaned as he pulled the sheets over his face. "Wake me up when it's noon."
Suki laughed and playfully tossed a pillow at him. "The sun is coming up. And if you needed to sleep that much, you should've thought of that before last night." She came up to him and pulled the sheets around him down so she could see his face again. "Some victory celebration. I think we missed half of it."
Sokka peered up at her and kissed her, long and sweet, fingers running through her hair. "We make a pretty good team. The two of us."
Suki laughed and kissed his jaw. "I'm a fan of our work." They both shared a laugh at the ridiculous pun before kissing again.
"Encore?" Sokka asked hopefully, his arms wrapping around her and bringing her close, lips finding that particular spot on her throat that never failed to make her purr.
"Play on …"
ITS OVER!