BOOK 1: WATER
CHAPTER 3
The Warriors of Kyoshi
Prince Zuko sat meditating in his personal chambers, the room dark save for four candles placed on the table he was facing. He breathed in and out, the flames growing or shrinking with his breath, as he cleared his mind of distractions. He was trying to shake the excitement he felt at knowing Commander Zhao fully planned to support his attack on the Avatar. It made him much more confident about his chances. In the back of his mind, he knew the commander had some sort of ulterior motive, but he felt no need to address it now. It would surface when the commander thought the time was right. Zuko would deal with it then. For now, he would simply take advantage of the opportunity the commander had given him. All he needed to do now was wait. The Avatar couldn't hide forever. When he surfaced again, Zuko would be there.
He heard the door open and knew it was his uncle with the daily report about the Avatar's whereabouts. For two weeks, there had been no sighting of the Avatar, even though the Fire Nation occupied most of the world at this time. Zuko controlled his anger at the thought of the Avatar hiding, turning that anger into power. It fueled his abilities greatly. One day he would unleash that rage and frustration, and the Avatar would have to contend with such power.
"What news, Uncle?" Zuko broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, nephew," Iroh said quietly, and Zuko knew what was to come. "There's still been no sighting."
Zuko held in a sigh and nodded. "Tell the men I appreciate their continued diligence." He left it at that, content to meditate to suppress this newfound rage he knew was building within him.
Instead of leave, as he had done so many times before, his uncle closed the door to the room and came up beside him, kneeling at the table. "You're handling this well, Prince Zuko. It is the mark of a great leader."
Zuko shook his head. "No. A great leader wouldn't have spoken against his superior as I did. Worse, I didn't fight back to defend my honor." He closed his eyes. "There is nothing great about me."
Iroh laid a hand on Zuko's shoulder, and Zuko thought about shrugging it off. He relented, though, content with the support his uncle had shown him all these years. "I think you will find that you are a greater man than your father ever could be."
Zuko scoffed. "Doubtful. My father is about to bring the entire world under heel. All I've done is been an embarrassment, absent from my own soon-to-be-kingdom for most of my teenage years."
"Prince Zuko," Iroh asserted. "You will find that a peacemaker is more powerful than a conqueror. A peacemaker profits from the willingness of his subjects. A conqueror only profits so long as fear is the primary ingredient of his rule. And fear will soon turn to hatred, which always ends in bloodshed." Iroh stood as quickly as he had come, and Zuko suspected all Iroh wanted to do was to impart some wisdom to him, wisdom that Zuko had long let go unappreciated. "I hope," Iroh continued, "you will be a peacemaker, able to bring about a type of prosperity so great, your father had no hope of doing it." As Zuko considered Iroh's words, and as he thought about voicing his own opinion, the sound of the door opening and closing marked the dismissal of his uncle. Zuko stared at the flames, wondering just what his uncle had meant, wondering if he were truly able to be a greater Fire Lord than his father. If he were able to surpass his father not through conquest, but through peace.
Aang, Sokka, and Katara had been flying the world for several weeks, making stops in secluded places along the way to resupply and to rejuvenate. Each night was the same for the three: they would set up camp, find and prepare food, and then Katara and Aang would practice waterbending until nightfall. As the sun fell, the three would practice martial arts, with Aang reiterating how important it was that a bender could defend themselves in the event they couldn't bend their element to fight. As they settled in for the night, Aang and Katara often found themselves talking well into the night. Sokka was always quick to sleep, but both benders had so much on their mind that sleep eluded them. In that time, Aang and Katara learned much about the other. Katara learned of Aang's disciplined upbringing, and about how his entire upbringing was shattered when introduced to other lifestyles. She learned of his mastery of airbending at twelve years old, and how he felt when he was told he was the Avatar at sixteen years old. She listened as he told her his life's story from traveling to the Southern Water Tribe to learn waterbending, to traveling to the very Fire Nation she feared, learning firebending from an old, but wise teacher. He talked of the sights, of the things he learned from both the places and the people, of the few duties he had performed as the Avatar before he had been caught out at sea, up until that very day when he was forced underwater during a storm.
Katara herself talked about her life at a very young age, learning of her waterbending abilities at the age of five. She spoke of her mother with pride, regret hollowing her voice as she told of the raid that took her mother away from her, and recounted her life after the raid. Her father sailed away when she was fourteen, leaving her brother in charge of the village, and about how she took it upon herself to help her brother. She spoke of the few adventures she had had with her brother, from getting lost in a blizzard to fighting off a polar bear that threatened to eat the village's entire stock of frozen fish.
When they weren't talking about themselves or each other, they simply talked. There wasn't a conversation under the moon they didn't talk about. From a wishful view of the fight at the Fire Nation to what it would be like to be a parent, both simply talked. Katara had had very few friends at the Southern Water Tribe. Most of the people she talked with were much older than her, and so she rarely was able to speak her own mind. Aang had lost all of his friends, and clung desperately to the two friendships he had made since waking up, but Katara and he were fast becoming true friends. He found he could speak to her about things even the Head Monks wouldn't listen to, and she understood more. The monks had been raised in a secluded lifestyle all their lives. Their outlooks on some of the issues Aang found himself living in were narrow at best. It worked for them, but their answers never seemed to satisfy him. Talking with Katara opened up new ways of thinking for him, and he found himself desiring to talk with her more and more.
Aside from getting to know each other, the group made good time flying. Appa was well trained, and flew without much trouble for much of the day. Aang always set him down to rest at midday, and never flew longer than the sun took to reach the horizon. He recognized the land as they traveled ever closer to the North Pole, and knew that he was in familiar territory. On one particular day, as he neared the island he remembered from childhood, Aang decided it would be a good opportunity to land for lunch, the body of land secluded from any other landmass for miles by ocean.
Kyoshi Island.
"Back when I was twelve, I used to attend festivals here on Kyoshi Island. The Kyoshi people were particularly adept at dancing, and it was really fun to try and match steps with them." Aang looked at Katara and Sokka as he smiled. "I may not look it, but being an airbender makes me a pretty good dancer." He looked back at the island as Appa approached the beach on the crescent part of the island. "An airbender and a Kyoshi warrior were quite a duo on the dance floor."
"Sounds like fun," Sokka said. "We had dances at different festivals at the South Pole. Many were traditional, and were required for the festival, but some were just plain fun to dance." He looked at Katara. "Katara's a pretty good dancer. Maybe you two should dance together and show each other your moves." He smiled as Katara blushed.
Whether Aang understood the insinuation or not, he didn't show it. He smiled good-naturedly at Katara as he nodded. "We ought to sometime. Since you know waterbending basics now, that would probably make you a better dancer than you were before."
"Yeah," Katara agreed hesitantly. "It probably would." She glared at Sokka as her brother smiled.
Aang ignored the two in favor of guiding Appa down onto the beach, where the bison made a soft landing before the airbender jumped to the ground. He fell into the usual routine of catching the tribesmen's belongings as they threw them down to him before they jumped down themselves, and then helped them set up camp. Aang decided on the beach being their campsite, where Katara and he could practice waterbending, but made it known that he wanted to explore the island a little to see if the Kyoshi civilization had met the same fate as the Air Nomads.
"We won't stay long," he assured. "I just want to see if the Kyoshi escaped the war or not."
Sokka and Katara nodded, okay with the plan. "Maybe I can meet these warriors," Sokka said, the prospect of meeting another warrior of a different culture exciting.
Aang nodded. "It would be an educational meeting, to be sure. The Kyoshi warriors are some of the finest warriors I've seen. I don't think they would succumb to the Fire Nation so easily." He finished unpacking their gear and stood, stretching. Pulling Katara to the water's edge, the two practiced waterbending for a couple of hours as Sokka fished and gathered flora. In that time, Katara excelled greatly, learning basic forms and moving on to more advanced waterbending techniques. Aang was greatly pleased with the speed in which she learned; he had to merely demonstrate a form once, and Katara mimicked it perfectly.
"I think you'll be a master waterbender soon, Katara," Aang assured as they both replaced their clothes.
"I don't know about that," Katara said, blushing slightly from the compliment, "but I like it all the same. The water whip was particularly fun."
Aang agreed as they hiked back to the campsite, fish already being cooked by Sokka. "I found some berries and nuts in the forest further inland," Sokka said, tending to the fish cooking over a spit. "I didn't know if any of them weren't edible or not so I picked plenty of different kinds."
Aang nodded, pleased. "Thanks Sokka. I don't remember any poisonous berries on Kyoshi Island last time I was here, so they should be fine." They sat around the campfire, Aang diving into his food while Katara waited for Sokka to finish cooking the fish. Eventually, all three leaned back, sighing with contentment at the feeling of full stomachs.
Finally, Aang stood and stretched. "It'll take a few hours for Appa to sleep. He seemed pretty tired. Might as well search Kyoshi Island and work off that food." He looked at the two. "Either of you coming?"
Both nodded. "Sure," Sokka said, stamping out the campfire. "Hey Aang, do your little earthbending trick again."
Aang nodded and waved his arms like a gyeser, arms parallel and hands outstretched towards the sky. Clutching both hands, he pulled his arms down, and the sand around the campfire sucked it down into itself.
"That's still really cool," Sokka said, packing everything up and throwing it into Appa's saddle. "Will Appa be alright here?" The bison was fast asleep and Sokka doubted he would be pleased to be woken up only to have to walk through a forest.
"Yeah," Aang said. "Appa's tough. The only thing that should be here are wild animals and Kyoshi people. Appa can take wild animals, and the Kyoshi people should recognize him as a sky bison. He'll be fine."
The three walked through the forests at a leisurely pace, the two tribesmen trusting Aang's instincts and memories of this place to keep them from getting lost. The airbender himself didn't remember this part of the forest, but continued on in spite of this. The Kyoshi villages were generally at the heart of the island. If they walked in a straight line, they would eventually find something. Whether it was a village or a graveyard, Aang didn't know. But he would find out.
They had walked for only five minutes before Aang sensed something was wrong. He stopped suddenly, looking amongst the trees for anything unusual, causing the two tribesmen to do the same.
"What is it, Aang?" Katara asked.
"Don't you feel it?" he asked quietly, eyes searching the treetops.
"The feeling of being watched?" Sokka said, and Aang nodded.
Suddenly, and without warning, figures dropped from the trees. It was as if they peeled from the trees themselves, they were hidden so perfectly. Sokka readied himself, having forgotten his club with Appa, and Katara surrounded herself with water from her waterskin, new to combat as a waterbender, but willing to defend herself. Aang, though, hesitated as he recognized the warriors instantly.
They wore green kimonos under what seemed to be leather armor. They had elaborate, golden headbands and shocking white face paint, with ebony eyeliner and red paint under their brows. Each held a fierce gaze reminiscent of Kyoshi herself, and Aang knew these women were as deadly as they were beautiful.
He had no fear, though. These were friends. The Kyoshi people had been friends of the Air Nomads for as long as Aang could remember. As soon as he identified himself, they would stand down.
Aang turned to tell Katara and Sokka to stand down, that these women meant them no harm. Before he could get the words out of his mouth, however, he felt a jolt along his spine that wasn't painful, only extremely numbing. Surprised, Aang gasped as he felt more jolts along his body, each jolt rendering part of his body numb. A final jolt landed at the base of his skull, and he knew no more.
Katara watched Aang fall, fear gripping her stomach as the Avatar slumped to the ground like a sack of rocks. "Aang!" She glared at the warrior that had attacked him, moving through the motions Aang had taught her, thrusting her water at the enemy aggressively. Surprised, the warrior was knocked back several feet by the water whip, and Katara smiled at her momentary victory before turning back to the others.
The warriors circled her, each lowered into a martial arts stance as they watched Katara warily. Katara saw it before they struck; a sudden look between them, some sort of signal. With a quick motion, she snapped the whip at one of the warriors, who effortlessly dodged it, before bringing the water back to her as she looked for another attacker. Immediately she knew it was a feint, suddenly feeling an impact against her arm that left it numb and useless. Even as her mind registered that it was under attack, she felt a pop at the back of her head and fell unconscious.
Both Aang and Katara had fallen, leaving Sokka to fight over a dozen of these mysterious warriors. Clutching his fists tightly, Sokka waited, watching as the women circled him before one attacked. Hearing her from behind, Sokka dodged by twirling to the right, circling an arm around her neck as he did so to bring her into a headlock. Using her momentum against her, he drove his knee into her face, knocking her back. He quickly turned back to the battle to see two warriors rush him from his left and right. He jumped, kicking his legs out and catching one woman in the chest. The other dodged, sending a fist flying at his torso. Even as he descended to the earth, however, his hand was there to catch hers. Surprised, she hesitated as he landed and he used that time to pop a hand on her elbow, breaking the joint. He slung her behind him into another warrior, sending them to the ground and turned to look for another combatant. At once, the warriors stepped away while one warrior stepped closer, hands held in front of her in a traditional stance. She had short, brown hair, and glared at him with the piercing gaze of a hawk.
The two circled each other for a time before Sokka launched into an attack. The mysterious woman countered his assault, striking back as the opportunities became available, and the two moved as an unmatchable fury, countering and striking out with the speed of master martial artists. If Sokka weren't so afraid for his life, he would have admitted his enjoyment over the fight. The woman and he were evenly matched, and neither could get past the other's defenses. Finally, Sokka detached himself from the fight, jumping back and bringing up his hands in a defensive stance. The woman made no move to continue the attack, merely watching him as he fought to catch his breath. He noticed she wasn't even panting, and wondered if she had really been trying or not. "Why are you doing this?" he asked. "We haven't done anything to you." He waited for a reply but received none. "If you won't explain your attack on my friends, then I ask that you simply finish it!" With a cry, he lunged at the woman, who blocked his attacks effortlessly. Suddenly, and without warning, he felt a pop at the base of his skull and knew another warrior had rejoined the fight. As he blacked out, he felt hands grab him and gently lead him to the ground. The last face he saw was that of the warrior that had fought him in single-combat.
When Aang came to, it was to a massive headache. As he returned from the haze of unconsciousness, he felt that he couldn't move his arms or legs. He looked down and noticed immediately that he was tied to a post, and that Katara and Sokka were tied up next to him. As he looked up in shock to gain an understanding of his surroundings, and perhaps his predicament, he noticed the Kyoshi warriors staring at him from a safe distance, the women looking out of place in his situation. They looked like dancers, not warriors, but he knew they were the reason he was tied up. "Kyoshi warriors," he said. "We mean you no harm."
Some of the warriors' eyes widened at the mention of their names. Others narrowed. None spoke, though they parted to allow someone through their ranks. Aang saw that it was an older man, dressed in blue robes and sporting a thick, gray beard. He didn't appear to be happy.
He stared at Aang for a time, and Aang thought to say something, but didn't know what to say. Finally, the two tribesmen stirred, and the older man began to speak. "You three have some explaining to do."
Sokka looked around, grimacing at the sight of having been captured. "What's the meaning of this?" he asked.
"What's going on?" Katara asked, still weary from unconsciousness. She looked around before trying to move. Her hands didn't budge.
"Why have you come here?" the elder asked harshly. "Why do you trespass on our lands?"
Aang answered before anyone else could speak. "My name is Aang, of the Air Nomads. I came seeking the Kyoshi people -"
"Impossible! Air Nomads have been extinct for a hundred years!" The elder waved his explanation aside. "You're obviously a Fire Nation spy, sent here to scout our defenses." He furrowed his brow. "As you can see, they are adequate. The Fire Nation will never take Kyoshi Island!"
"Wait! I'm not a spy!" Aang yelled. "I'm the Avatar!"
"Preposterous!" a Kyoshi warrior refuted. "The Avatar died with the airbenders. You're nothing but a fake. You couldn't even airbend to save yourself against us."
Aang glared at her as the elder man turned to the women. "It is safer to kill them. Finish them off and dump their bodies in the sea for the Unagi to feast on." The elder made to walk away as the women approached, knives drawn.
At once, Aang's eyes and tattoos glowed a brilliant white, halting the women in their tracks as they stared at him in awe. "Warriors of Kyoshi! You stand before the Avatar, reincarnation of Kyoshi herself!" As he spoke, the ground thundered, and everyone listening felt chills as a thousand voices spoke at once through the Avatar. "Stand down! Or face the power of untold millennia!"
It was as if every warrior had been struck at once. As one, they fell to their knees, weapons dropped as they raised their hands to show that they were unarmed. The old man had turned back and was staring in awe at the glowing man, and as the Avatar turned his piercing gaze to him, he also fell to his knees. "Please Avatar! We didn't know! We were only seeking to protect our homes!"
As suddenly as it had come, the glow ceased and Aang fell out of the Avatar state. Everyone regarded him silently, afraid of what he would do. They were surprised, then, when he smiled. "Do you mind untying us now?"
For the twenty-first time, Aang accepted the apology of the village elder, Oyaji, laughing at the man's terrified sincerity. He had assured he meant no harm, and that he only would have disabled the warriors had it come to a fight. He understood their intentions were only to protect themselves, and was quick to forgive them. That didn't satisfy the elder, however, who insisted a feast be held and celebrations conducted for the return of the Avatar. Aang had told them they really didn't have the time, but the look on Sokka and Katara's faces at the prospect of resting for a few days after weeks of flight convinced him to make time. He brought Appa to the village and, after finding a place for the bison at a villager's barn, settled in for a few days.
The preparations for the festival were already under way, and soon Aang found himself relaxing and looking forward to the celebrations. Oyaji had promised three nights of festivities, to include feasting, gaming, dancing, and sparring. As an apology to the three for the rude greeting they were shown, he demanded they relax, and leave the preparations to his village. During the day, the group spent time amongst the locals of the village.
Aang played with the children, showing a surprisingly vulnerable side to the Avatar that no one, including Katara or Sokka, suspected existed. Aside from dedicating time to the children of the village, Aang spent his day meditating, practicing waterbending with Katara, or talking with the elders of the village, the latter taking a special delight in such a young person's interest in their wellbeing. He would listen for hours to stories or about the history of the Kyoshi people, often without speaking, drinking in the knowledge the elders offered.
Katara spent time with the mothers of the village as Aang looked after the children. Having lost her own mother, she had grown up much faster than other girls, and connected with the older women more than women her own age. They spoke of knitting, of clothing, of cooking, of the children, of married life (in Katara's case, her desires of married life), and many other things.
Sokka, surprisingly, spent time amongst the Kyoshi warriors, the ladies spending their day training rigorously in a dojo at the edge of the village. He had initially wanted to apologize to the warriors for the injuries he had inflicted earlier that day, but got more out of the visit than he had suspected.
Sokka ascended the steps to the dojo at the edge of the village, hearing the unified voices of the Kyoshi as they practiced a strict regimen. He stopped at the doorframe, unsure of how to interrupt them to simply apologize, seeing as they were incredibly in tune with their training. The women were practicing their punches and kicks, moving from one stance to another with a rigid grace that Sokka found very attractive. Though they were into their training, they were impressively alert, as the women almost stopped at once to gaze at the newcomer darkening their doorstep.
Suddenly feeling awkward, Sokka hesitated before bowing at the women. "Forgive me for interrupting," he started. "I simply wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. My name is Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe. I injured two of your number and, looking at my situation now, feel shame at having attacked them as I did." He rose from his bow and looked at the woman standing at the front of the dojo, obviously the leader. He could barely tell, what with the makeup and all, but he was almost positive it was the woman he had fought on equal ground with yesterday, both unable to overwhelm the other. "I was wondering how the two women I injured were doing, and if there was anything I could do to help."
The Kyoshi warriors showed no emotion on their faces, the painted visage a mask of indifference as they regarded him. The leader, the one he tangled with yesterday, stepped forward and stopped in front of him, one hand hanging limply by her side, the other resting on a katana dangling at her hip. Sokka noticed the casual resting of the hand, inwardly preparing himself. He didn't think she had a reason to use it, but the fact that her hand was near her katana made him wary.
The leader suddenly spoke. "There's nothing to be sorry for," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. "You fought honorably, and proved your skills to us in combat. My girls learned much just from that quick battle, some more than others." She chuckled slightly. "And the Avatar came by earlier to heal the women you injured with waterbending. They are back to training," she swept a hand to the girls at the dojo, and two women waved cheerfully at Sokka. The tribesman waved back, his eyebrow cocked in confusion.
"Avatar Aang healed them?" He crossed his arms. "I didn't know waterbending could heal."
The leader shrugged. "It apparently can. He used water from the well, fitting it to his hands like gloves and running them over their injuries. Roka's arm was healed, and Glora regrew her teeth."
Sokka nodded, still feeling shame but also sensing the warriors' forgiveness. "Very well. If there is anything I can do to repay you for my transgressions, you need but ask." He bowed to the leader and to the warriors before turning to leave.
"Actually," the leader's voice stopped him, and he turned. "There is something I think you could help us with."
Sokka nodded, turning and giving his full attention to the warrior. "Name it."
The leader smiled. "You displayed a form of combat we've never seen before. Most of us have only faced each other, or those from the Fire Nation. It would be interesting to fight a Water Tribesman, if you think you can handle us."
Sokka smiled as he nodded. "I don't know, but I'd like to find out." He followed the woman back inside, taking his place next to the leader at the front of the dojo.
"Girls, I think you all remember how Sokka fought us in the forest, right?" The leader got several nods, some with smiles, as the girls all looked at Sokka. "We've never seen that type of fighting before, so I was thinking perhaps Sokka could train with us for a while. It'd be good to have another fighting style under our belt, and perhaps we can show Sokka a thing or two about how Kyoshi fight." The girls giggled at the leader's words, and she turned to Sokka. "I'm Suki. I lead the Kyoshi warriors during training exercises and sparring." She pointed out each of the Kyoshi warriors in turn, naming each one for Sokka's benefit. Roka and Glora both smiled sweetly at Sokka, waving at him as Suki mentioned their names, and Sokka couldn't help but blush, thankful Suki continued past both girls without comment.
"Now that you've met the group, we'll show you a few things about the Kyoshi fighting style." Suki spread her feat in an unknown stance, and Sokka did the same, positioning his arms as Suki had hers.
"You practice in that armor?" Sokka asked.
Suki nodded. "Of course. It's in our armor that we'll fight our enemies. Best to learn how to fight in it."
Sokka nodded, understanding her answer. "Just how heavy is it?"
Suki dropped her stance as she pulled at Sokka's own clothing. "Heavier than this, by far."
Sokka nodded again before asking, "Would it be possible for me to try on some armor then? I've never battled with armor, but I can see the advantages of wearing it." Suki looked at the other warriors, and Sokka noticed an uncomfortable shift in the air as Suki looked back at him. He held up his hand. "Unless it's a problem, of course." He waved his previous question aside, settling in a stance again. "Nevermind, I don't want to be disrespectful. I didn't know it was a big deal."
Suki shook her head. "No, don't worry about it. The robes are really the big deal. The armor is just protection. The kimono has special meaning behind it and can only be worn by a Kyoshi warrior." She shrugged. "We can get you some armor if you want, right girls?" The women nodded their general assent, and Suki beckoned Sokka to follow her. "Continue your drills, girls. We'll be right back."
Sokka followed Suki down a short hall and into a dressing room, stalls lining the walls, with cubbyholes for the girls' things in each stall. A short aclove was set in one wall, armor and kimonos lining the width of it hanging from a metal bar. Suki grabbed a chestplate and walked up to Sokka, the tribesman holding his arms forward. "So, Sokka of the Watertribe," she said as she slid the armor onto his chest, "how does a tribesman like yourself end up traveling with the Avatar?"
Sokka shrugged. "It was an accident, really. My sister and I were fishing out at sea when we got stranded. We were actually preparing to die when we saw the Avatar rise up from the ocean, completely encased in ice." He grunted as she tied the armor in place, and continued. "I really don't know what we were hoping to accomplish, but we tried to dig him out. He broke free all by himself, though, and gave us a lift back to our village on his sky bison."
"Sky bison?" Suki questioned as she tied gauntlets to his arms.
"Yeah, Appa." He smiled at her. "Didn't you see him? Aang brought him into the village earlier today."
Suki shook her head. "No. We Kyoshi train for most of the day in the dojo. And to be honest, we were still a little embarrassed from attacking the Avatar. I guess you could say we were hiding." Sokka laughed with Suki before she asked, "What does Appa look like?"
"A big furry creature with six legs, a loud roar, and he can fly."
"Huh," Suki said, finishing with his armor. "I can't wait to meet him." She put her hands on her hips. "So what are you doing with the Avatar now? Does he have a plan to defeat the Fire Nation?"
Sokka shrugged. "We're traveling to the Northern Water Tribe. Aang wants to talk with each nation to get their support in his eventual assault against the Fire Nation. We're going with him as a sort of escort."
"Just the three of you?" she asked, incredulous.
Sokka nodded. "It's not that difficult. We don't stay in one place for too long, and we mostly fly on Appa to make good time. We haven't run into trouble yet."
Still unbelieving, Suki only nodded before she beckoned to him and walked back to the corridor. "C'mon. We'll see what you can do."
Katara hummed a lullaby her grandmother would sing to her, the soothing song a comfort to her as she picked fruits from the trees of the forest near the village. The circle of ladies she had befriended were helping prepare for the first day of the feast, and she had volunteered to assist them with their task by gathering the ingredients they would need for the food. She had been at the task for a few hours, and was almost done gathering everything they would need. The sky was darkening, and the ladies would begin cooking soon, inspiring Katara to finish quickly. She picked one last fruit from the tree and placed in into her basket before turning for the cliffs. The last item she needed was a flower, Ander's Shale, that grew only on the cliffs. The pollen from the plant was unusual in that it added spice to foods it was mixed with. Katara had tasted a portion of it and found that it was delicious, and looked forward to the feast itself all the more.
She stepped up to the cliffs, standing over a hundred feet over the ocean, and tilted her head back as the breeze caressed her face. The roar of the ocean as it beat against the rocks was comforting, and she took a moment to admire the setting sun casting its reflection upon the ocean before turning to the cliff. The ladies said the flower was rare, only growing sparsely on the cliffside. She could see that was the case, as she couldn't find the bright violet flower anywhere. She walked the cliffside, her eyes searching for the flower, for a few moments before she caught sight of something even more interesting than a flower.
An airbender sitting on the cliff overlooking the sea.
Even as she saw him, she smiled and walked quickly to him, but slowed as she saw that Aang eyes were closed and his head bowed. Figuring him meditating, she considered backing away and allowing him to continue undisturbed before his voice stopped her mid-turn. "It's alright, Katara. I could use some company." He looked at her and smiled, and Katara sat beside him, setting her basket down beside her as she smiled back.
"What are you doing up here?" she asked.
Aang looked back across the ocean. "Thinking about some things." He looked down. "Trying to find a reason to forgive."
At once, Katara knew what he was thinking about. She placed a hand on his knee. "I'm sorry," she said.
Aang smiled at her. "I know you are. And I appreciate your sympathy." He looked back across the ocean and Katara removed her hand, simply watching him as he watched the rolling sea. After a time, he spoke again, softly. "How did you cope with your mother's death?" He looked at her, his face betraying no emotion, but his eyes pleading for an answer.
Katara sucked in a breath, looking away as she searched for an answer. "I guess... I had people there who supported me." She looked back at him. "I was never truly alone. I was loved by others, and they gave me reason to continue living." Aang nodded, looking away as he pondered her answer. Katara stared at him sadly for a time before she said, "You're loved by others, too, you know." He looked at her, and she smiled. "Sokka and I will always be there for you. After what we've seen...we'll never turn our backs on you."
Aang held her gaze for a minute before smiling and taking her hand in his. "And for that, I am truly grateful." He squeezed her hand and held it for a moment, and in that moment Katara felt her heart flutter. As quickly as it came, though, it left. Aang released her hand and looked back across the ocean. "I'd like to think on what you've said, Katara." Katara nodded, noting his silent request to be left alone. She stood and grabbed her basket, laying one hand on his shoulder in a departing gesture before walking along the cliff to resume her search for the flower. Before she had gotten far, though, she heard his voice calling out to her. She turned to see him look at her with a genuine smile.
"Thank you," he said.
Katara smiled and nodded. "No problem."
At nightfall, the festivities began in earnest. Singing and dancing was a staple of the celebrations, and the gang laughed with delight as the villagers all danced without shame. There was food aplenty, enough for every villager twiceover. Crowds gathered around storytellers as they recounted the lives of heroes, and the Kyoshi warriors marveled spectators with swordsmanship and fighting ability. There was every attempt to impress the Avatar with one's abilities, and Aang found himself the center of attention for most of the night. The children all crowded him, begging him to show them his abilities. Parents apologized for their childrens' disrespect, but Aang waved them off, the childrens' innocence heartwarming.
Throughout the celebration, Aang was content to sit and watch the villagers, but as an aggressive, upbeat drum cadence began, he could feel his bones beginning to jump. He wanted to dance. The villagers had all given a section of the ground a wide berth, and a lone Kyoshi warrior in full kimono and armor stepped into the circle of villagers, all eyes on her. She began to dance, her body moving in time with the quick beats of the drum, and the villagers all began to clap and stomp with the beat, yelping and howling with the music. They cheered even louder when the Avatar joined in, dancing with the Kyoshi warrior with as much vigor. The two danced, circling each other, jumping over each other or swinging each other with flourish. They danced as if they were fighting, blocking each other's 'attacks' and countering them with style, drawing cheers from the crowd. The beat began to speed up, and the two combatants with it, until the drums finished the cadence with a final thundering beat, signaling the end of the dance. The Avatar and the warrior finished with a spin and kneel, fist to the ground as the final beat rung out, and the two were immediately beset upon by cheers and whistles alike, the crowd going wild. Aang laughed as he stood, sweat pouring down his face, and the Kyoshi warrior laughed with him, her sweat not marring the makeup in the slightest. "You dance well, Avatar."
Aang bowed. "As do you." The Kyoshi warrior returned the bow before departing, and Aang made his way back to his seat, content to simply watch the next dance. Even as he sat, he heard the drums burst into another cadence. He was surprised when he saw another Kyoshi warrior, Suki, step into the circle with none other than Sokka, and the two began to dance, drawing even louder cheers from the crowd.
"Is that Sokka?" Aang heard, and he turned to see Katara taking a seat beside him, eyes fixed on the dancing figures.
Aang nodded. "I believe it is." He turned back to them as he chuckled. "It seems he's taken an interest in the leader of the Kyoshi warriors."
Katara smiled. "If the rumors that went around the village are true, she's taken as much interest in him as he in her."
Aang nodded. He turned back to Katara. "How was your day?"
Katara hesitated, thrown off by the random question. "It went well. I helped the ladies of the village with their chores while you watched the kids." She laughed as she turned back to him. "The women of the village are eternally in your debt for distracting the children for most of the day."
Aang chuckled. "It was fun. I enjoyed every minute of it."
Katara smiled warmly at Aang. "You know, it was surprising how well you got along with the children." She laughed at Aang's confused face. "I wasn't expecting the Avatar to be so sensitive."
Aang laughed. "What were you expecting me to be like?"
Katara shrugged as she looked away. "I don't know, really. I guess a serious man or woman that had no time for fun. Someone that was all business." She looked at him again and shrugged. "Maybe that's just me being naive."
Aang shook his head. "Not naive. You just aren't looking at it the right way." He looked back at Sokka and Suki as the two continued their dance. "Every Avatar is a reincarnation of the world's spirit. By birth, an Avatar has the ability to become the world's most powerful bender in all regards. But something to remember is that the Avatar, no matter how powerful he or she may become, is still a person. He or she has emotions, needs and wants, dreams and desires. Our duty as the Avatar comes before our own personal desires, but if they don't conflict with the vision of balance we Avatars strive to protect, more often than not we pursue our own dreams. An Avatar can have a family if he wants, or an Avatar can live in seclusion to maintain what she believes is a balanced view of the world." He turned back to Katara with a smile. "We're a lot more than powerful benders."
Katara smiled back at him. "And what dream do you plan on pursuing when this is all over?"
Aang smiled, though his hesitance was clear. When he spoke, she could tell he was proud of his choice. "I want to have a family," he said simply. Katara smiled at the sweet thought, and for a moment briefly desired to be more than friends with him. As quickly as the thought came around, she shook it away. He was the Avatar, and she was a tribal girl away from home. She doubted he would consider her more than a friend.
But she looked forward to dreaming of being more than friends.
Sokka and Suki had just finished their dance, the crowd erupting in cheers. Both warriors laughed as they stepped away from the circle, and the musicians began a slower song for the villagers. Aang smiled suddenly and stood, pulling Katara up with him. "I hear the Southern Water Tribe is quick on their feet," he said, pulling her to the middle of the circle, laughing at her protests. "C'mon, Katara. This music is a classic slow dance. Our waterbending forms would go great with it."
Katara wasn't having it, looking around at the expectant villagers as they watched for another impressive bout by the Avatar. "But waterbending isn't a dance!"
"Of course it is!" Aang said, drawing water from the very air into a sphere in front of him, earning gasps and claims of awe from the crowd, and a surprised look from Katara. "Just perform some basic forms, and add a little flourish to them. The crowd will love it." He waterbent the water around his shoulders before tossing it to her. Katara caught the watery sphere and held it hesitantly, and Aang beckoned to her. "Katara. Just practice like we do at the river. That's all it is."
Katara doubted it but followed his lead, going through the forms as she tossed the water back to him. He twirled his body, the water flowing with him, before he passed the water back, and Katara continued the form. She fluidly caught the water, turning with it and swirling it around her before returning it to Aang.
The two waterbenders continued the forms through the entire dance, the music eventually all they noticed. Aang lost himself in the graceful movements, in tune with the motions of waterbending. Katara soon forgot the people staring at her and focused her entire being on her waterbending, adding flair and style to basic waterbending forms. She found her creative side in the dance, and enjoyed the dance much more than she had suspected. As Aang would show off style with his waterbending, Katara found herself risking more flair with her forms, adding to the enjoyment of the crowd. Once, both benders danced so close to each other, they were almost touching, Aang standing behind Katara as they moved with a graceful waterbending form. The two let the water flow around them, and Katara saw Aang's hands mimicking hers perfectly. It was as if the two were a mirror of each other.
Eventually, the music reached a crescendo, and Aang and Katara shared an unspoken idea as the music touched their ears. Using waterbending, the two gathered water from the various pitchers that people were drinking from, with Aang gathering more water from the air itself. A giant sphere of water formed between the benders, water adding to it in a raw display of hydrokenetic ability. As Aang heard the crescendo top out at its loudest, he twirled in the air and stylishly burst the water into a fine mist, spreading it rapidly across the pavilion. The effect was magical, and the crowd gasped with delight as the droplets sparkled in the flamelight, lending a mystical air to the area. The villagers cheered at the spectical, and Aang and Katara walked back to the benches, both soaked in as much water as sweat. They weathered the storm of villagers praising their talent, and after a respectable time accepting their compliments, Aang, feeling claustrophobic, excused himself, disappearing into the night. Katara, having noticed immediately, waited a few more minutes before going off to find the Avatar, her curiosity piqued in the young man.
She didn't find him easily. She stumbled upon him as she walked the cliffs, having given up on finding him earlier and instead enjoying the sound of the waves beating on the rocks. The airbender was meditating, but like before, knew she was there without even seeing her. "Wanting some fresh air as well?" he asked, and Katara smiled as she sat next to him, staring out at the ocean.
"Is that why you left? To get some fresh air?"
"Partly," he said.
Katara nudged him in the ribs. "Isn't there something ironic about an airbender needing fresh air?"
Aang laughed, genuinely enthused. "Very witty." He looked at her. "I just needed some time alone."
Katara smiled sadly. "Thinking again?"
Aang nodded. "I've been thinking about that, yes, but I'm mostly thinking about what I'll do when I stop the Fire Nation." He looked back to the sea as he smiled. "I think I want to try a game the children of the Southern Water Tribe used to play back in my time. Perhaps you've heard of it," he said, looking back at her. "Penguin sledding?" Katara burst into laughter, the idea of Aang, the Avatar, sledding on a penguin. Aang joined in, laughing with her as he said, "It's ridiculous, I know."
Katara wiped a tear from her eye. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
Aang shrugged. "I don't know. But I think that's the one thing I'll need after stopping the Fire Nation. A little bit of silly, plain fun."
Katara nodded, her laughter dying down. "Tell you what. You and me will stop the Fire Nation, and afterwards, I'll take you penguin sledding."
Aang smiled. "It's a deal." They held each other's gaze for a moment before Aang turned back to the sea, and both benders sat in silence, enjoying each other's presence. Eventually, Aang spoke again. "I've thought a lot about what you said." He looked at her, the wind faintly blowing her hair across her face. "You were right. I am loved." He looked back to the sea. "These people love and adore me. I'm the first sign of hope they've seen in almost a century." He looked down in thought as he explained. "What I'm feeling now, they have lived in fear of for an entire generation. I have to go on. I have to inspire hope, no matter how I feel. In doing so, I'll give them reasons to go on living. That's my reason for going on living."
Katara stared sadly at him, feeling tears well up in her eyes. Aang thought of others more than himself, even during a tragedy. It was beautiful to see someone so humble and compassionate, and Katara would have liked nothing better than to hug him right there and then. She wiped her eyes, smiling as he looked back at her, and his own eyes widened. "What is it?" he asked, concerned.
"Nothing," she said. "It's just amazing to see someone care so much about so many." She sniffled. "Everyone would understand if you decided not to care anymore, but you still do." She smiled at him. "You're unlike anyone I've ever imagined." Aang smiled back at her, touched by her feelings.
"There you guys are!" Sokka said, walking up to the two. "We've been looking for you. The villagers are beginning to wonder where you went, Aang. They think they've upset you."
Aang smiled as he stood, and he held out his hand to Katara as he said, "I can't have that, now, can I?" He pulled Katara up and looked to Sokka. "Tell them I was simply getting some fresh air. I'll be back in just a moment."
Sokka nodded, and departed, leaving the two alone once again. Aang looked at Katara. "Katara, I want you to know how appreciative I am of your support. I haven't known you long, but you've proven yourself a true friend in the past few weeks." He smiled at her as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "If there's anything I can do for you, all you need to do is ask."
Katara smiled at him, again feeling overwhelmed at his sense of compassion for others over himself. She pulled him into a hug, one that he returned, and whispered into his ear. "Don't ever change, Aang. No matter what you experience in the future, no matter who you meet. Don't ever change."
The festival ended as the moon was highest in the sky. The villagers insisted Aang and his friends go to sleep, leaving the cleanup to them, and after saying their goodbyes, the three made their way to Oyaji's house. The village elder had opened his home to them, where they stayed for the next few days. Festivals were held every night in the Avatar's honor, and the villagers put forth their best efforts to please Aang with their revelry. Aang enjoyed the celebrations, feeling contentment at each smiling face he saw. Even the Kyoshi warriors, usually stoic warriors that showed no emotion, smiled with joy as they had fun at the festivals.
During the day, Aang would continue watching the children, showing an astounding patience a young man of his years rarely had. Katara spent time with the women of the village, but often found herself helping Aang watch the children, a desire to be around Aang more prevalent than her desire to speak with the other ladies. The women understood what Katara was feeling, and never brought up her growing absence from their lives. Sokka still trained with the Kyoshi warriors, the women forming a bond with the warrior as he learned their art of fighting and taught them tribal warfare.
As the days grew, word traveled of the Avatar's presence on the island. Fishermen trading their catch would hear tales of the last airbender on the docks, and would speak to their wives about the rumors. The wives would tell shopkeepers in idle conversation. Children would hear of it from the shopkeepers, and would spread the word like a forest fire. Whether Avatar Aang wanted to stay secret from the world or not, that proved impossible.
Word reached as far as the open seas, where a particular prince, banished for voicing his opinion, took a keen interest in the stories.
Aang stood with Katara at the beach, both fully clothed this time, as Aang intended to teach a lesson requiring a good soak. "You've really done well with waterbending. You're more of a natural at it than I was." He pulled water from the sea into his hand and chucked it at Katara, who caught the water before it soaked her. "You already know how to feel the water with your chi, and you're quickly learning any form I teach you. I've even seen you practicing alone, and you seem to be able to improvise, creating your own forms of waterbending." He smiled at her. "That shows incredible initiative. What's better, you're having more success with improvisation than most masters do." He put his hands on his sides. "But I still haven't seen you really use waterbending in a practical way."
Katara, who had been soaking up the praise, gave Aang a shocked stare. "Huh? Practical?"
Aang nodded. "Sure. Waterbending isn't just about fighting. We benders help nonbenders with their daily tasks, and can provide relief simply by using our powers. For instance," He raised his hand, and the bubble of water Katara had been levitating burst, soaking her. Surprised, Katara ducked her head, stunned as water dripped from her. She looked to Aang for an explanation as he stepped closer to her. "It should be obvious that a waterbender could draw out moisture from someone's clothing." As he spoke, Katara watched the water being sucked from her clothes, forming a bubble near Aang's hand. As he finished, she patted her clothes and was surprised to find them dry. She looked at him with a smile, and he nodded. "Practicality."
Katara nodded, the short lesson making its point. "I think I understand. I should look for more ways to make the villagers' life easier using my waterbending!"
Aang nodded. "Exactly. We benders aren't just fighters. If all we were needed to do was fight, we'd be no different than Sokka or the Kyoshi warriors. But because we are different, we should find ways to help people with our gift."
Katara nodded, and opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short as she saw something falling from the sky. Aang looked up, and both benders felt their heart stop.
Black snow was falling.
Knowing it could only mean one thing, both benders took off for the village.
Even as the two benders approached the village, they could tell they were too late to stop the attack. It had already begun. Fires towered into the sky, and people were running from firebenders as the men and women in devil armor used their abilities to both burn structures and attack people. A gong was ringing throughout the village, a signal to the Kyoshi warriors, and Aang watched in awe as the green-clad warriors suddenly appeared from the trees, taking the battle to the firebenders.
He had never seen the Kyoshi warriors at their finest. Even as he ran faster towards the village, he could already see the warriors confronting the firebenders. One warrior leapt from the roof of a burning building, landing a solid kick to a firebender riding a komodo rhino. As he fell, the Kyoshi warrior fell with him, turning in a circle while brandishing golden metal fans, the instruments razor sharp. Aang felt his stomach drop as he saw the fan rip into the man's skin, drawing blood. Even as the firebender landed, the Kyoshi twirled on the ground to bring herself closer to the man, running her fans across his neck to end his life. Aang knew they were simply protecting their home, and they had every right to claim the life of these men who would surely have claimed theirs, but the firebender's death came as a shock to him that he knew was attributed to his pacifistic upbringings.
More Kyoshi warriors had joined the fight, their agility and technique deadly in their fights against the firebenders. Some brandished shields to block flames, others struck quickly with katanas or shuriken, and still others fought the firebenders in hand-to-hand combat. Despite their varied combat styles, every Kyoshi warrior proved themselves against the firebenders as they quickly and methodically slew the invaders.
Aang and Katara lent aid to the defense of the village, using a combination of their bending abilities to disable the firebenders. Aang himself wasn't meaning to kill, only defeat. He used a combination of all four bending arts as he took down firebenders that dared attack him. One firebender he simply blasted into a collapsed house with airbending. Another he surrounded with water he pulled from the air itself, freezing the water into an almost impenetrable ice, and yet another he bound into an earthen prison with merely a wave of his hand. He noticed the Kyoshi warriors avoided those he had disabled, though one gave him a confused look as she looked for another enemy. He knew they were wondering why he didn't kill, but couldn't explain his morals to them at such a time as this. He only hoped they understood. He was inwardly pleased when he saw Katara doing the same, only using her waterbending to disable her enemies.
She had taken water from a well near the edge of town, forming it into a colossal ring around her, tentacles of water protruding into the air. Firebenders attempted to attack her, but the tentacles simply waved the fire away. Katara herself danced within the ring, directing the tentacles to attack the firebenders that began surrounding her and attacking her in a unified fashion. Aang almost leapt to her assistance, but smiled to himself when he saw that she had the whole situation under control. The defensive ring was like that of an octopus, tentacles whipping out and striking firebenders as much as they were blocking fire directed at Katara herself.
Aang even saw Sokka taking the fight to the firebenders, the tribesman wielding his club with power and ferocity. He had already downed three men by the time Aang had noticed him, and looked for his next victim, his club bloody.
Aang busied himself defending Kyoshi warriors who were slowly being outnumbered by the warriors, or lending assistance to either Sokka or Katara. It was only during his attempt to shield a Kyoshi warrior from a firebender's attack with an earthen shield that he himself came under attack by a firebender far exceeding his brethren's power. He waved his hand across the fire, dissipating it with a blast of air as he confronted his attacker: the scarred man from the boat.
Prince Zuko.
"Zuko!" he said, his anger flaring. "You're responsible for this?!"
Zuko glared at Aang, no remorse in his face. "No. You're responsible for this!" He pointed at the Avatar as he bared his teeth. "You being alive is a threat to the cause of my home! I can't allow you to live! To do so is to dishonor my entire nation!" He let loose a volley of impressive flame attacks, his fury channeled into his bending. Where his fireballs flew, the ground itself blackened from the intense heat, the grass shriveling to ash. All his anger he felt throughout his life was thrown out against the Avatar in a raw display of power.
Where the firebender resorted to rage and hate to fuel his bending, the airbender retreated into his indifferent, passive fighting style to dodge and evade, using his momentum to charge up his attacks before firing them at the prince. The prince had been practicing since their last bout, though, and dodged Aang's attacks nimbly. Aang fought with him briefly before deciding he couldn't waste time fighting with the prince; he had a village to help save.
With two quick thrusts of his arms, hands clawed, he enclosed the Fire Prince in an earthen prison, ending the fight unceremoniously.
The prince roared his outrage at his second, easy defeat. "Avatar! I will have my revenge! You can't keep running!"
Aang didn't listen, instead running further into the village, where the fighting was still fierce. All around him, firebenders lay in pools of blood, but not a single Kyoshi warrior was among the bodies, a testament to their incredible skill. The Kyoshi warriors fought with a ferocity Aang had never seen, and a part of him envied their skill with their weapons. Even as he leapt to their aid, however, he knew the warriors' skill alone wouldn't be enough. The Kyoshi warriors were badly outnumbered. Firebenders were hard pressed to compete with the Kyoshi warriors, but the sheer numbers of them would prove to be the Kyoshi warriors' downfall. Aang did his best to combat the firebenders, blasting them away in powerful cannonballs of air, or burying them in earth to negate their power, but he knew he was only one man. They were losing. Something drastic would have to happen.
That drastic something happened when Aang heard a scream, and turned to see a Kyoshi warrior overwhelmed by three firebenders. He watched in horror as the firebenders unleashed powerful torrents of fire, the Kyoshi warrior writhing on the ground as her skin was cooked alive. She sobbed and screamed, begging them to simply kill her, but the firebenders ignored her. She clawed at the ground, seeking escape, but the firebenders would kick her back, continuing their horrific torture.
Something inside Aang snapped. At once, his brow furrowed, eyes and tattoos glowing brightly. Aang's carefully protected and hidden anger burst forth as the Avatar state came upon him. "NO!" he screamed, voice accented by the thousands of past Avatars. He thrust his hands out and blasted the firebenders away from the warrior. If he weren't overcome with rage, he would have heard their chests crack as their entire midsections caved in. With his immense power, he could feel where every firebender was throughout the village by sensing the heated air. Using this, he commanded the air obey him, and in a shocking display of raw power, began to rise in the air atop a twisting tornado. His gaze looked out upon the Fire Nation soldiers, and it was only the Avatar that saw them. Aang was no more. The Avatar stretched forth his hands, and with immeasurable power, commanded the earth with only slight movements of his fingers. Suddenly, the Fire Nation soldiers found themselves attacked by earthen slabs, pillars, and boulders of alarming frequency. As the Fire Nation soldiers fought to survive the onslaught of earth, they were suddenly assaulted by hail, the ice falling with great speed and power. The Fire Nation soldiers attempted to fight off the elemental attacks with their own bending arts, but to their dismay, fire didn't heed their call anymore. As they lashed out, the Avatar turned their fire against them, scorching them with the same heat they had attacked the villagers with. As the firebenders scrambled to flee, Aang swept each firebender up in a great wind and threw them out to sea, near their ships. As a final act, he landed on the beach, commanded the water to obey, and used the great tides to push the Fire Nation ships and their crew - on the ships or in the water - out to sea.
The danger over, Aang raised his hands again, commanding the water obey again. This time, he rode a tsunami inland, directing the water safely around every villager as he put out the fires the Fire Nation had started. Every villager, and Katara in particular, watched in awe as Aang displayed waterbending on a level no one alive had imaged. The tsunami, when reaching a person, would separate into levitating streams, flowing around them. Each individual stream flowed toward a flame, or rejoined the main body of water as Aang rode the tsunami through the village. Within seconds, the fires were out, and Aang directed the water back to the ocean. He settled back to the beach as the water finally stilled in the ocean, his tattoos and eyes returning to normal as he fell out of the Avatar state. He stared out into the ocean, unable to see the Fire Nation ships, but knowing they were out there all the same, and wondered just how long this man would pursue him, and if he should put him down before he hurt anyone else in an effort to capture him.
"Aang!" He turned to see Katara running towards him, her expression one of shock. "Aang!" she said, stopping in front of him. "That was amazing! I've never seen anything like that!"
Aang frowned sadly as he turned away, as if ashamed. "I shouldn't have lost control. I could have killed them." His eyes searched the water as he recalled the events. "I think I killed some of them, actually..." He fell silent, ashamed of himself for forsaking the value of life he had grown to adore.
Surprised, Katara stared, unsure of what to say. "Aang, you saved the village. There's no shame in that." She leaned down to look him in his downcast eyes. "You would rather the village had been wiped out?"
His eyes widened. "No! I just..." He stopped, sighing. "I'm tired of people getting hurt because of me." Suddenly, his eyes widened again, as if remembering something. "Oh no..." He looked at Katara as he slid an arm around her waste. Caught offguard, she simply stared as he said, "Hang on." He gestured to the earth with a hand and, with a stomp of his feet, the earth itself surged forward. Katara almost screamed as she felt the earth shifting beneath her, but couldn't manage a sound. She clung to Aang, watching in awe as the earth propelled them quickly across the island, and after her initial terror, smiled with joy, excitement overtaking fear.
Aang rode the earthwave to the edge of the village, shrinking it into the ground and running the rest of the way to his destination, pulling Katara along by her hand. There was a great clamor of people up ahead, and Katara couldn't imagine what had gained their attention so quickly after the attack. Aang ran straight through the crowd, gently pushing people out of the way as he apologized. "Excuse me, please, pardon me, please step aside." Katara followed him to the center of the crowd and saw what everyone was crowding around: a Kyoshi warrior.
Immediately, she stopped, shocked and sickened by what she saw. The Kyoshi warrior's skin was completely blackened from horrific burns. Her hair was completely gone, having been burned off. The flesh had split in some places, revealing sensitive pink skin underneath, and her clothes had all but burned away, giving her no protection when the superheated armor made contact to her skin. The result was a terrible melting of armor onto her skin. The incredible heat that had scarred her so hadn't melted her makeup from her face; it had burned it there, leaving her face permanently white and her eyes ebony. The woman whimpered and yelped as a slight breeze touched her, sending waves of agony across her body. It was almost too much for Katara. Tears sprang to her eyes as she stared at the pitiful creature laying in front of her.
Aang had knelt down next to her, his hands a mere inch away from the woman, and yet not touching her. He simply stared, and Katara wondered what he was thinking. He looked up at the crowd as he stood. "I need a tent erected here, five buckets of clean water, a knife, and I need an herbalist to gather Dragon's Tail and Argon's Tears. The rest of you need to leave! I need no distractions!" At the harsh word of the Avatar, everyone scattered. Aang earthbent the earth around the Kyoshi warrior, raising her on an earthen slab to waist level. Katara fidgeted, unsure of what to do, but not wanting to leave in the offchance Aang needed her.
A group of villagers returned with a tent and quickly began erecting it around Aang and the warrior, while an herbalist handed Aang his requested herbs and a bowl. The villagers had brought torches and set them up within the confines of the tent to give him light, and the herbalist gave him her blessings before departing, the Avatar not needing her. Aang turned to the Kyoshi warrior, closing his eyes as the woman stared up at him, sobbing silently. Aang's tattoos flashed once as he accessed the memories of thousands of Avatars before him, before he ground the herbs into a powder, mixed it with water pulled from the air, and made the Kyoshi warrior drink it. He explained to Katara that it was a draught meant to numb her to the pain of what was to come. As he made her drink, more villagers arrived with the buckets of water he asked for. Katara helped them bring them inside before ushering them outside. As she was about to close the tent flap, Suki suddenly appeared, offering Katara her knife. "I don't know what the Avatar intends, but I trust him with my life. Take my knife and give it to him." She bowed low and left, leaving Katara to return to the tent, handing Aang the knife.
"What do you plan on doing?" Katara asked. She had an inkling of what he was going to do, but needed to hear it all the same. And didn't need to.
Aang looked up at her, his face one of calm determination. "Her armor has been melted to her skin. I can't heal her unless I remove it." He left the method of removal unsaid, but Katara understood. She nodded, though couldn't shake her doubt.
"Are you sure about this?"
Aang nodded. "Being the Avatar, I have access to all my memories from my past lives. I found one that was very similar to the predicament I find myself in. The Avatar seven centuries ago once performed treatment on a burn victim like this. I've done this before, a long time ago." He turned to the Kyoshi warrior, pleased to see the draught was taking effect. "Sleep, brave one. I will take care of you." Whether the Kyoshi warrior heard him or not, Katara didn't know. She fainted with a small sigh, and Aang looked up. "For this part, I understand if you want to turn away. Though I will tell you that, as a waterbender, you have the potential of being a healer. This procedure could be valuable knowledge if you were to pursue that path."
Katara nodded. "Is that how you will heal her?" She gestured to the buckets of water. "With water?"
Aang nodded. "I'll show you how to heal with your waterbending. That's why I've kept you here. If anything, this will be a learning tool for you." He brandished the knife, and Katara almost turned away, but steeled herself at the last moment and walked around the Kyoshi warrior to stand beside Aang. She watched as Aang gently and precisely began cutting the skin that had been melted to the armor. Blood began dribbling in welts as the skin was cut away, but just as quickly as it flowed, it was suddenly sucked back into the woman's body. Katara gasped, and Aang answered her unanswered question. "Blood is just water mixed with life-giving properties. It can be bended just as water can." He fell silent before adding, "Though you won't attempt it until we've talked about it." He spared her a glance as he said, "I'm serious." Katara nodded, feeling wary under his glance, and Aang turned back to his task of cutting the woman from the armor. Katara made herself watch Aang's deft touch as he continued the brutal job of removing the armor. It took more than an hour, and Katara felt herself heave several times, but forced herself to stay strong in front of Aang throughout the ordeal. Eventually, though, the job was done. The warrior, however, didn't look any better.
In place of the armor, red and pink skin showed on the warrior's naked body, and Katara could swear she could see muscle peaking through rips in the skin. Whether Aang was sickened by the sight or not, he gave no sign. Katara took a deep breath and made herself stare at the woman, understanding that if she couldn't take this kind of sight, she wouldn't be effective as a healer. She looked at Aang as the airbender used earthbending to lower the slab of rock lower to the ground, to a level where he could sit comfortably and still work on the warrior. Katara sat with him on the other side of the warrior, and Aang gestured to the buckets of water. At once, the water leapt to his command and flowed around the woman's entire body, coating her in a layer of water from her head to her toes. Katara stared in shock as even the woman's face was submerged in water, but Aang waved aside her concern. "I'm pumping oxygen into her lungs through a combination of airbending and waterbending. She'll be fine." He placed his hands into the watery cloak, bidding Katara do the same. "I want you to close your eyes. Use your senses as a waterbender to feel the water around her, and then use it to locate her chi paths. That is our primary way of healing."
Katara did as he said, and for the next half-hour, Aang guided her through the basics of healing. Not once did she open her eyes, but she didn't need to. Through the water, she could feel the skin as the water gave it life again. She felt the skin knit together, even regrow over the ripped portions of her body. She felt the life-giving water flow through the woman's chi paths, restoring her body to its natural self, eliminating all traces of injury. Only when Aang said to did she open her eyes to see the perfect, unmarred body of a Kyoshi warrior lying between them. From her head to her toes, the woman had no trace of burns anywhere on her body. Katara inhaled in shock as she gently touched the woman's arm, feeling the skin that felt like skin beneath her fingers. "Wow…" she breathed.
Aang nodded. "It's amazing, isn't it? Healing of this magnitude won't be possible for a while. You need more training before you can heal something as extensive as her wounds." He gently rubbed the woman's bald head as he explained, "Her hair will regrow in time. We've healed the roots, and so she should be able to regrow it without issue. Her face, however, I couldn't heal. Her makeup has been permanently burned to her face." He looked upon her sadly. "Sometimes a person may be too damaged to heal effectively. And sometimes, all you can do is make their passing painless." He stood and stretched, and Katara stood too, still amazed as she saw the Kyoshi warrior lying peacefully, her body completely healed. "Thankfully, that's not the case here." Aang walked up beside her, gesturing with his head to the tent flaps. "We've done all we can for her. She'll be fine. We should help the rest of the village." Katara nodded and together, the benders walked out of the tent into the light.
They were greeted by Suki and three villagers. "How is she?" Suki asked, concern etched on her face.
Aang smiled. "She'll be fine. She's sleeping now. Katara and I healed her wounds, and she's resting comfortably." His frown fell before Suki could get excited. "Her face, however, has been permanently altered. Her makeup has been burned to her face. I'm afraid there's nothing I could do to remove it."
Suki's face fell slightly before she smiled. "At least she's alive. That's all that matters." She looked to the three villagers, a man, woman and child, and gestured to the tent. "Go ahead. It's okay." The three villagers, the warrior's family, Aang guessed, walked past, but not before the parents bowed low with signs of respect to both benders. Aang smiled and returned the signs before turning to Suki. "Did any other Kyoshi warriors fall in battle?"
Suki shook her head. "No. Your actions saved us, Avatar. The battle could have been a lot worse had you not intervened."
A wave of sadness hit Aang, and though he masked it, Katara could tell in his eyes that he blamed himself for the village's trouble. "My presence brought this upon you. You suffer because of me."
Suki's eyes widened. "No, honored Avatar! You had..."
"Do not insult my intelligence," Aang said, a little too harshly. His eyes softened as Suki clamped her mouth shut. "My presence is the only reason such a force attacked here today. You know that." He looked to Katara, and she knew what he was saying. She nodded as he continued. "I believe it is time we left." He looked back to Suki. "We will help restore your village, but then we must leave. We cannot put your lives in danger any longer."
Knowing she couldn't convince the Avatar, Suki nodded.
Aang, Katara and Sokka spent the next day helping the villagers restore most of the village. Aang and Katara took the time to heal those that had been injured or burned during the attack, and used their bending powers to help with the villagers as they rebuilt their homes, recaptured livestock or buried their dead. At the end of the day, the villagers all had gathered to wish the three goodbye, and despite their recent tragedy, none held ill will toward the Avatar as he said his goodbyes. The children hated to see Aang go, which made Aang laugh at the innocence, and the village women all shed tears at the thought of Katara leaving. Sokka said goodbye to the Kyoshi warriors, many of the usually hardy women expressing sensitive goodbyes at the warrior's departing.
"Avatar Aang, it has been my village's honor to shelter you during this last week," Oyaji said. "Please, spare no sympathy for us here on Kyoshi Island. Death is a part of life, and those who have passed are now residing in the comfort of the Spirit world, free of the terror this world brings." Oyaji placed a hand on the taller airbender's shoulder as he continued. "Your presence made it possible for us to see that this world needs help." He smiled. "We at Kyoshi Island cannot stay separate from this world any longer. It's time we did our part to help heal this world." He glanced at the Kyoshi warriors, who stood straighter. "That is why I offer you the service of one of the Kyoshi warriors." Aang stared, stunned, and the elder mistook the airbender's surprise for dismay. "They are the finest warriors ever trained," He reassured. "Their skills would be very useful to you should you ever find yourself in need of their protection."
Aang smiled, touched at the gesture. "Elder Oyaji, I'm honored, but I can't remove a valuable member of your community from you. The Kyoshi warriors are needed here to protect you. Even one would weaken your defenses."
Oyaji furrowed his brow. "You flatter us, Avatar, but the Kyoshi warriors will not be staying here anyway. They have agreed, as have I, that the world needs their skills more than this secluded island. They will be leaving to lend aid to those who oppose the Fire Nation, wherever they may be." He smiled. "The first thing they asked was if there was any way they could help you on your journey. You couldn't take all of them; it wouldn't be practical. But a single warrior would prove useful, and could help make the difference in your journey."
Aang nodded, understanding that the elder and the warriors had discussed this beforehand, and understood the implications. "Very well. Is there any warrior in particular you would recommend?"
Oyaji shook his head. "They are all skilled, and each is fiercely determined to see your mission successful. Each is ready to lay down her life for you if you ask. You'll not find a more dependable companion."
Aang nodded, and looked to Katara and Sokka. "What do you think?" He asked them both.
Katara nodded. "I think it's a great idea. If they're willing, I would gladly accept help. We need all the help we can get."
Sokka agreed. "Their skills are legendary. Any one of them would be an incredible asset to the team."
Aang nodded and looked at the warriors as they waited for him to choose. He knew any of the warriors would do, though they each had a different skillset. Some were more versed in offense, some in defense, some on speed, some on overpowering their foes. Some worked with swords, some with fans, and some with more exotic weaponry. Each knew how to kill, and each was willing to lay down her life for the Avatar. To have any one of them on his side was an honor. But he had heard the tales around the village, and had decided upon one woman before he even considered the others.
"If possible, I would like Suki to travel with us."
He was betting the other Kyoshi warriors were hoping for this outcome as well, as some smiled wide at the mention of their leader's name. Suki herself didn't smile, only stepping forward and bowing. "I am pleased you chose me, Avatar. I won't disappoint you."
"I'm sure you won't," Aang said.
Suki did not rise from the bow, instead continuing. "My life is your life, my morals your morals, my thoughts your thoughts. I will be an extension of your will, an instrument of your design. I will protect those you love and defeat those you hate. I will see you to the end of your mission, and if need be, I will give my life so that your vision of peace is realized."
Aang, having heard of such a declaration of servitude from one of his past lives, placed his hand on her head, and spoke in all seriousness. "I accept your offer of service. Welcome to my ranks. Together, we will bring peace to this world." He removed his hand, and Suki rose to face him directly.
"I didn't misspeak when I said I would die for you, Avatar. If need be, I will gladly give my life for yours."
"Good to have you on board, Suki." He was glad to see her spare a smile, and thought better of this idea already. "You should pack what little you can carry. We leave soon." The warrior nodded and turned to walk to the dojo. The other warriors followed, wanting to say goodbye to their leader. Aang and the others waited for the warrior to return, and only when she returned, carrying one satchel, did they make to leave. Aang bowed once more to the village and, with them saying goodbye to the three plus Suki, jumped onto Appa. The others climbed into the saddle and Aang snapped the reigns, taking off into the air.
Part of Aang felt bad for the village suffering so much damage while under his protection. Added to the fact that he was taking the leader of their warriors away from their people, and Aang didn't feel the hero that he was viewed as. But as he looked back and saw the faces of confidence staring at him, he knew that, whether he thought himself worthy of their admiration or not, he had to act the hero and make the hard decisions. He had to make sacrifices and look at the biggest picture, for the sake of all. He couldn't be a man as much as he had in the past.
He had to be an Avatar.