Chapter 4: The Warriors of Kyoshi

"The Avatar is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering." I was sitting in a chair, looking as bored as I felt. I wasn't flanked by guards this time, which was kind of a let down on my ego, and here I thought I was dangerous. Zuko's been more lenient on me since we left Zhao's harbor, he even gave me a proper room and everything.

"Do you know where he might have gone?" Zuko asked. I felt like we've had this conversation before.

"Like I told you before Zuko, I don't know." I know I was lying, but it's not like I was going to just let Zuko destroy any chance of this war ending well. I just hope he didn't notice me staring at Kyoshi Island on his map. Ok, sitting back looking bored now.

"This is going nowhere." Zuko sat down in the chair next to me.

"I could have told you that hotman." I said, picking at my nails in boredom, "I know I've said this before, but you are still the worst interrogator I have ever seen."

"Fine, let's talk about you then. And don't call me hotman!" I laughed at his glare. "Why is your hair that color?"

"Finally! I was beginning to wonder when that question would come up. You know you're the first person who hasn't asked that right away." I looked at him, and realized he was still waiting for my answer. "Right, well, you're going to be the first person I'm going to be honest with, my hair is naturally this color." His face was dumbstruck.

"What…? But how?"

"Runs in the family, my mom has hair this color just like her mom did and her mom before her and so on." I told him like it was a 'duh' moment.

"How long have you been training as a waterbender?"

"Oh, see, that doesn't run in the family. No one in my family can bend; it was a surprise to me too." Honesty was a good feeling; I'm going to make a vow to be as honest as possible now.

"Ok, Lucy, why did you save my life?" He asked, referring back to when I rescued him from drowning.

"What was I supposed to do, let you drown? You might be the enemy now, but I'm not going to just watch you die."

"Thanks." He said quietly, barely a whisper so I hardly heard it. "I didn't say it before, but thanks." He spoke louder, "And why did you tackle Zhao?"

"Oh that's an easy one." I smiled brightly, "I just don't like him."

"But you screamed 'no!'?"

"Yeah, cause he was going to be a sore losing jerk." I was starting to play with my bangs again; great I'm already starting to go back on my vow.

If Zuko was going to say anything else I wouldn't have known because just at that moment Iroh walked in.

"Prince Zuko, it's time for your training lessons."

"Can I watch Uncle?" Yep, I was calling him Uncle now.

"Sure Lucy, you can even join in the lesson."

"Uncle!" Zuko said annoyed, "We can't teach her how to fight, she's hard enough to handle when she doesn't know what she's doing."

"Please Zuko, I'd hardly think of myself as a prisoner anymore."

"She's right Zuko, I'd think of her more as an honored guest." Iroh smiled warmly at me, obviously still grateful for me saving Zuko.

"Ugh, fine Uncle." Zuko said, giving up.

"You're a natural Lucy." Iroh praised. I had just mirrored Uncle's stance perfectly on the first try, again. "Zuko, you need to widen your footing a bit." Uncle had been correcting Zuko every so often. I could tell he was getting annoyed.

"I'm not a natural Uncle," I admit modestly, "I just used to take lessons when I was younger. The moves are very similar."

"Why did you stop?" Uncle asked.

"Hm…" I think, "I don't really know, I just kind of stopped going…" I drifted off as Iroh demonstrated another move.

"This is an old firebending technique," Iroh told me, "I learned it while hunting down the last dragon"

There was a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach as I finished the move. It was kind of tingly and warm.

"Why are we teaching her firebending techniques Uncle? She's a waterbender." Zuko asked exasperated by how easily I was getting something he trained years to get.

"That doesn't mean she can't learn a thing or two from studying firebending. It is important to draw wisdom from many places. Perhaps you could even learn from each other." Uncle said wisely.

"Don't worry about it Zuko," I ceded, "I'll just go over there and practice my waterbending." I walked over to the edge of the ship. The water below was restless, rushing to meet up with the ship that was cutting through it.

I practice my waterbending. It's more difficult on a speeding boat, the water is harder to grasp and every time I manage to bring it above deck it loses form, falling back into the ocean. So I settle for practicing the firebending forms Uncle taught me and trying to imitate the waterbending forms I saw on the show.

We were docked in town to replenish supplies. I stood over the railing breathing in the salty sea air mixed with the smells of the small port town. It was a quaint town, something I only heard stories about back home in the city.

"Where did you live in the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked, standing next to me with his back to the rail.

"Why? Are going to escort me back home?" I countered, my clever way of avoiding the question.

"Maybe." I looked at him surprised, whatever I might have expected him to do with me, taking me home wasn't it. "Of course it would have to wait until after I capture the Avatar."

"Of course." I reply, glad he can't see me smiling. "Do you ever miss home Zuko?" I hope I won't regret asking.

"Every day." He walked away. I was regretting it already.

It was dinner time. I hadn't seen Zuko since our little talk. Now I was seated at a table in his quarters, across from Iroh on his left. I didn't usually eat with them, but Iroh had insisted.

The rice looked good and the bread smelled fresh. I hadn't eaten much and I was famished after training so much today, even the sides were making my mouth water. The cook came in with a steaming fish. I'm instantly disappointed because I know I won't be able to have any. The cook whispers something into Zuko's ear that makes him stand abruptly.

"The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island?"He says angrily. On his way out he speaks to Iroh, "Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time." I forget about being polite now and start shoveling rice into my mouth.

"Are you going to finish that?" Iroh points to the fish. Zuko walks back angrily and grabs the fish off of the table.

"I was going to save it for later!" He takes the yummy fish with him. If I hadn't been expecting this I would have pouted alongside Uncle, instead I continued to enjoy my rice.

The komodo rhinos were pretty much dinosaurs, especially with the three large, curved horns dominating their faces. I have to step back quickly before the one I was petting could smack me with one of them. They really are more like horses or bulls or something, they just have these scary looking claws and reptilian like features. Oh, and they look like Rhinos.

"These tiny ears are adorable." I comment, touching the rhinos ears, I have to be swift to avoid its horns again.

"They aren't cute." Zuko says from atop the rhino I was petting.

"Hey where's my rhino Zuko?" I ask half-jokingly, looking around to see that there's at least one rhino unattended.

"You don't get one." He was being completely serious, "You'll be staying aboard this ship, understand?"

"Oh, I understand, as long as you understand that telling me to stay, only makes me want to leave more." I retort.

The prow drops and Zuko starts to ride out, but not before yelling at the men not on rhinos to make sure I don't follow. I 'pfft' in response, as if that would stop me from trying. I take the moment right after Zuko's gone to make a run for the last rhino. After a second of zero comprehension of the situation the gaurds make a mad dash for me. I hit one with the door of the rhino's stall. Before the men can stop me, I jump on, holding on by the rhino's neck. He's startled, but unlike a horse he can't knock me off by going on his hind legs, instead he runs out wildly. The remaining guards are helpless as I ride the rhino into the forests of Kyoshi Island.

If it wasn't for this rhino's horns I'd have been knocked off by so many branches, or at least bleeding. The Rhino was going faster than I remember the others going, I must have spooked him.

I'm not getting anywhere with it running into the middle of nowhere so I edge forward a bit to grab his horns and force him to turn left. He makes this terrible beastly sound and I instantly feel sorry, but I don't let go because that would mean falling backwards off a speeding rhino. Even in a dream that doesn't sound fun.

Eventually, I make it to the village. That happens to be on fire. And crash through a building near the edge of the town. Fortunately, Ricky's huge horns protect me from the brunt of the collision. Unfortunately, His hide of steel brings down the whole one story. Ricky is very upset with me at this point and several points back, probably starting since I jumped on his back, and suddenly stops in the middle of the road finally knocking me forward. I land hand first and manage to roll safely into the dirt. Ricky leaves me behind, running off into the forest again.

"Stop!" The Kyoshi Warriors surrounded me; they looked a little beaten up. My hands were raised above my head like they were cops, which around here they probably are. The head warrior, Suki, stepped in front of me. "Are you with the firebenders who attacked our village?"

"And don't try to lie to us, we saw you on the war rhino destroying my house." One of the other warriors spoke up.

"Sorry about that," I said, standing up with my hands still raised. "I stole Ricky while escaping the Fire Nation ship."

"So you're a prisoner." Suki confirmed. "You can put your hands down now. Girls make sure the villagers are ok." She commanded the other warriors, and then put an arm around me comfortingly, "After we get this fire out maybe I can teach you a few self-defense moves."

"Oh, I already know some, but I'd love to learn from you Suki." I say earnestly.

She stopped, taking her arm away, and giving me a look. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh…Um…" I started playing with my bangs, "I heard one of the other girls call you that."

"When?" Suki took my arms and twisted them behind my back; I should remember to never cross her. "Were you spying on us?"

"No! No, I swear. I just overheard earlier when Ricky had slowed down near the center of the village." I lied. I am slowly becoming a compulsive liar.

"Ricky?"

"That's what I named the rhino." Thankfully she let me go.

Then it started raining. Well, not really raining so much as unagi spit was putting out the fire all over the village, but while I'm wiping it off my face and out of my eyes I prefer to think of it as rain.

Now all that's left is to rebuild the village. I offer my assistance, especially to the Kyoshi Warrior whose house I destroyed, but I'm turned down everywhere. They probably think I'll just mess it up. Or sabotage it if they don't trust me yet, which they probably don't. I know I wouldn't.

So there I am in a smoking village, all alone, wandering around with nothing to do. Suki, my hero, swoops in and rescues me from a horrible fate of loneliness and boredom.

"How about we go train?" She suggests.

"But doesn't the village need you?" I ask perplexed. We simultaneously look back at the villagers working like a colony of ants.

"They'll be fine without me for a few hours." We set off into the woods to train, since her usual dojo got a bit scorched in the fire.

Training with Suki is nothing like training with Zuko and Uncle. With Uncle and Zuko I was an outsider, despite Uncle's occasional compliment, Zuko kept reminding me why I shouldn't be training. But Suki offered encouragement. She actually made me want to do this for a reason outside myself; she made it feel like an honor, made me feel proud, made me feel like I had to do this even if at some point I didn't want to.

This was a good thing for me. I recapped old defense moves I haven't used in ages. Suki wiped out two extra fans just for me and taught me how to use my opponent's force against them, this was the best part for me since I wasn't particularly strong. The fans made fighting different, less masculine. I actually felt like a girl while sparring with Suki. It wasn't a bad thing; I didn't feel weak or anything, just feminine and powerful.

"Thanks for the session Suki." I said as we headed back to the village. It was already getting late; the sun was just about to set. I tried to hand her back the golden fans. "I don't think I'm going to be a Warrior though, I'll probably have to leave soon."

"Keep them Lucy. The next time I see you, you better have them mastered." She's slightly joking, but I know that she's serious about me working with them. We make it back to the village. She is quickly assimilated into the busy village. I'm all alone with nowhere to go. It's painfully obvious I don't belong here.

I take a walk towards the shore of the island.

CRACK,it's the sound a twig breaking. I prep my new fans, but I'm not scared. In fact I have a huge grin on my face because I know exactly who it is.

Zuko jumps out of the bushes, aiming to subdue me. As he gets close I turn swiftly, using the fans to block his oncoming arms and knock him down. He lands on his butt, stunned, but soon recovers and is on his feet again. This time he's angry and I think he might actually try to hurt me. I grab him by the arm, using my self-defense training to throw him to the floor with his arm behind his back.

"No need to play so rough Zuko, I'm going back with you." I let go so he can stand on his own, "So where did you hide your ship." I crane my neck to see as much of the coast as I can from here but I don't see it.

"You're just going to come back? Willingly? Then why did you leave in the first place!" He yelled quietly so the nearby village wouldn't overhear.

"I wanted to see the Kyoshi Warriors in person."I told him, that wasn't a lie. "I had every intention of going back. Seriously, where would I even go on this tiny island, you're ship's my ticket around the world. Sorry I lost Ricky though."

"Who's Ricky?"

"My getaway rhino. I named him and then he thanks me by running away. Typical behavior of all my pets."

"Never mind, let's just get back to the ship." He ushers me down the coast towards his boat. We're halfway there when he starts a conversation again. "So where did you learn moves like that?" His voice has a touch of genuine interest, but I know his ego has taken a serious blow.

"Some of it I just remembered from years before, but most of it I learned from Suki. Don't worry though; I was only able to take you down because you weren't expecting it from me. Now, how do you like my new toys?" I twirled around so I was walking backwards in front of him, flaunting my new golden fans.

"Toys? I thought they were weapons." He pushed the fan I had raised to my face back down to my side.

"They can be both." I closed them and turned back around as we reached the ship. Several guards were on deck to meet us. I went with them willingly back to my room, after all this is where I wanted to be.