Chapter 10
After four more days of travel, Kyoshi and Sun had arrived at a village. It was larger than her home town, but still small enough that Kyoshi could see from one end to the other with ease. The houses looked sturdier than those she had seen before, and they were raised slightly off the ground by small stilts. Unlike her home town, there was little in the way of activity, with few people to be seen. Those that they did see merely gave the two weary looks as they passed by, if they even acknowledged their presence at all.
"Not very friendly, are they?" Sun asked as they proceeded further into town.
"I wouldn't say that," Kyoshi replied as she walked an older woman pass by. "I'd say... tired."
"... Maybe you're right." there was a pause. "Hey, maybe I should try to cheer them up, like with a show or something?"
"I'm not sure how well that would work. Besides, I would like to get to Omashu as quickly as possible, and something like a show might slow me down."
"You underestimate the power of showmanship." Kyoshi rolled her eyes before scanning the buildings once again. Most seemed to be homes or shops, save for a large building in the center of the village which she guessed was the town hall. The next largest building had a worn sign dangling from a post, along with a few chairs placed outside. Well, it's better than nothing.
"I think I found a place where we can stay the night." she said, adjusting her pack and walking towards the building. Sun did not reply immediately, but did follow after her. Kyoshi quickly walked up the steps and entered the building, finding a large room with several small tables and a small fireplace. A few older men were busying themselves with a card game off to one corner, and as Kyoshi and Sun walked further in they were met by a woman dressed in a browning apron.
"Good afternoon," the woman said, giving Kyoshi a friendly smile. "My name is Hua. What can I do for you two?"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Hua," Kyoshi gave a small bow. "My... friend and I were wondering if you might have rooms for us to stay the night."
"Oh of course. It's been awhile since we've had any travelers come through here, but we still have a few rooms available." the woman led Kyoshi and Sun to the nearest table, bidding them to sit. "Have you been traveling long?"
"Ten days, more or less." Kyoshi said, taking her seat. "I'm on my way to Omashu to visit my aunt."
"I see. I've always heard that Omashu is a beautiful city." there was a pause. "You must be tired from your journey. Can I get you two anything to drink?"
"Do you have any ale?" Sun asked, drawing a curious glance from Kyoshi. "... Tea makes me sleepy."
"I think we might have some in the back. And for you?" Hua looked to Kyoshi.
"I'll just have some tea, thank you." Hua nodded and went into the kitchen, leaving Kyoshi and Sun alone. "She seems friendly enough."
"True, but one person does not a majority make. It's like you said, everything here seems rather tired or rundown. I mean, those guys in the corner haven't exactly been all sunshine and flowers." Kyoshi looked to the men that Sun had described. They seemed focused on their game, but one did cast a suspicious look at her, to which she averted her eyes and looked back to Sun.
"Well, I'm sure they might just be an exception. But you are right about things seeming a bit... run down." Sun nodded as Hua returned with a mug, a cup and a small pot of tea. The two travelers nodded their thanks and took their drinks, Kyoshi taking a small sip from her tea before allowing it to cool down.
"So, Hua," Kyoshi said. "How long have you lived here?"
"All my life." the woman said, taking a seat across from Kyoshi. "My father ran this place until he died, and I've watched over it for the last twenty years." she sighed. "It used to be easier, but I'm not getting any younger, and not many people still travel this road."
"Why?"
"Better roads from Gaoling, superstitions, who knows? We get by well enough, but times have been hard."
"You said superstitions?" Sun asked, leaning forward. "I'm a collector of stories, and I've always been interested in folklore like that."
"Well, it's not exactly folklore." Hua adjusted her apron. "About three months ago, a ferocious monster attacked some of the houses at the southern end of the village. No one was hurt, but we were pretty scared. Every night since then, it has come back and prowled through our streets, and it's tried to break into town hall several times."
"Has anyone tried to stop it?" Kyoshi asked.
"A few have tried, back when the thing first showed up, but it merely swatted them away and their weapons did little to slow it. I think..." Hua looked away for a moment, then back at Kyoshi. "I think it might be a vengeful spirit, come here to punish us." Kyoshi blinked. Lau Dan had told her a little about the spirits, and that they could become angry if the world was out of balance, but he made it seem like such outbursts only happened on rare occasions. Maybe he was wrong and it is more of a regular occurrence. She was prevented from answering by one of the other men in the room.
"Eh, you'n your superstitions." he said, looking up from his game. "That thing isn't a spirit. It's probably just a badgermole tryin' to take some new territory."
"Oh? And I take it that you've seen it close up?" Hua shot back.
"As a matter of fact, I have. Didn't look like any kind of spirit to me, just big, brown and furry. Has to be a badgermole, or a platypus bear, somethin' big like that." Kyoshi took another sip from her tea, trying to think of the right thing to say. If it was a vengeful spirit, then it was her duty as the Avatar to calm it down, and even if it was just some wild animal she could do something to try and scare it off. As Hua and the man continued arguing, Kyoshi set aside her tea and spoke up.
"Maybe there's something I can do." Kyoshi said, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm a Bender, and I have some knowledge of spirits."
"Get in line, girl," the man scoffed "We've already had Benders come through here and try to get rid of the thing, and they failed."
"Also, you are a young woman," Hua said. "Your knowledge of spirits might not be complete enough to deal with something of this manner." Actually, I might be overqualified.
"But someone has to try." Kyoshi stood. "Your town is obviously suffering from the presence of this creature, and will continue to suffer until something is done. Just give me a chance to face this creature, and maybe I'll be able to stand against it."
"Really?" the man laughed again "And who do you think you are? The Avatar?" Kyoshi furrowed her brow. She could have told them that she was the Avatar, but that might have hurt her position even more. Perhaps now was when action would be needed more than words.
"I think I am the best chance you have at keeping your village alive." the man snorted and returned to his game, muttering under his breath. Hua gave Kyoshi a worried look, while Sun sat in silence and said nothing.
"I'm sure you mean well, dear." Hua said after a pause. "But I think that pursuing this might just get you and other people injured."
"I... I suppose." Really, Kyoshi knew she could not sit idly. She needed to find some way to solve this problem, or she would go against everything the Avatar stood for. "Is there someone around here that might know more about what's happening?"
"Well, the local magistrate has been here for some time, and would know the goings on of the town even better than me; he might be able to satiate your curiosity." Hua pointed in the direction of the town hall. "He spends most of his time at the town hall, and I'm sure you could get an audience with him."
"Thank you." Kyoshi bowed again and turned to leave.
"Want me to go with you?" Sun asked.
"No, I... I think it's best if I go alone for this."
"... Okay." Sun shrugged and returned to his drink as Kyoshi left the building. Although she had only really known him for four days, she did not like the idea of cutting him out of her plan. She set that thought aside and made her way towards the town hall, knocking once she reached the door. There was a pause before a man opened the door and sized her up.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" the man asked.
"My name is Kyoshi," she responded. "I would like to speak with the magistrate about the-"
"Mayor Cheng cannot be disturbed at this time. Come back tomorrow." With that the man slammed the door, leaving Kyoshi alone. Frustration forming in her mind, Kyoshi knocked again, seeing the same man open the door. "You're still here?"
"I must speak with the magistrate immediately. It concerns the spirit monster that has attacked your town-"
"Oh, what are you? Another hotshot 'monster hunter' that thinks they can gain some fame and money with a few boasts?"
"No, I'm nothing like that-"
"We're not interested." And once again Kyoshi found the door slammed on her face. She stayed silent for a moment before banging on the door once again.
"For someone who is in a position of power, you are terrible at your job!" she shouted. "I thought you would want to know if someone was willing to help. What if the Avatar came to your town and offered to dismiss the spirit? Would you turn them away too?"
"Of course not." the man replied, not even bothering to open the door. "But you're not the Avatar, are you?"
"What if I was?"
"Then I would say that you had terrible manners and do not make a convincing Avatar. At the very least you could show off your Bending skills and prove that you're the Avatar instead of forcing people to listen to you." I'd like to Bend a boulder through your skull, but I don't want to start off my career as Avatar by killing more people.
"Can you at least give me a chance to speak to Mayor Cheng and plead my case?"
"I already told you, Mayor Cheng cannot be disturbed. Go away." Kyoshi pressed her nails into her palms, trying to hold back her anger. Eventually she realized that just standing by and arguing would get her nowhere, and smashing through would cause more problems than it solved.
Fine, you won't let me help? I'll do this on my own.
...
The sun began to set as Kyoshi finished off her drink. Most of the villagers had returned to their homes, locking themselves inside and awaiting the arrival of the monster. Hua had insisted that Kyoshi go and get some rest, and find some shelter from the monster, but Kyoshi had just asked for more tea and a place where she could wait for the beast.
Hua had tried to convince her to back down, but Kyoshi was immovable. Like the earth.
"Hey," Kyoshi turned as Sun approached. "So, I noticed you were still down here. Is something up?"
"The magistrate's assistant wouldn't let me help, so I decided to wait and face the monster whether he wants me to or not."
"... Really? Aren't you worried you might get yourself killed?"
"I'm sure I'll be able to defend myself, and if necessary retreat and hide from the creature."
"Well, if you say so." Sun massaged the back of his head. "Still, I mean if it is a big spirit monster, it's probably not going to take too kindly to you throwing a bunch of rocks at it... Do you know a super-secret spirit calming technique or something?"
"No..." there was a pause.
"Okay, I'm just a bit confused here. If you don't have a spirit calming technique then how are you going to calm down an angry spirit? I mean, it's not like you're the Avatar or something like that." Sun chuckled, but Kyoshi did not respond. "... You're not the Avatar, right?"
"Why do you ask?" Sun did not have time to respond, for the air around them seemed to grow chilly. A soft wind blew through the village, causing Kyoshi's hair to stand on end. Deep inside her she could feel a deeper shift, as if the entire world had stopped for the briefest of instances. She was not certain if Sun could hear it, but she thought that she heard a slight moan from the dark. It's here. "Sun, get inside."
"I'll... Yeah, that's a good idea. But if you almost get killed, I'm coming out after you." Kyoshi stepped out into the street, turning towards the forest. The wind had picked up slightly, tousling her hair as she walked down the road. She allowed a little bit of her energy flow into her feet, causing the ground to crunch beneath her boots.
Out of the shadows came the creature. It did not look like a badgermole, but in the low light it could have easily been mistaken for one. To Kyoshi, it looked more like a giant wolf, its eyes glowing a dull yellow. Its head was as long as her body, and its claws were as thick as a fence post. Saliva dripped from its jaws, and each breath came out as a ragged snort. It stopped ten feet away from her, sizing her up as she planted her feet.
"You must be the monster that has been attacking this village." she said. The monster growled at her, to which she responded by wrenching a boulder from the ground. "Your attacks have only sowed distress and fear among these people. I ask you to leave now, and perhaps find some way to calm your anger towards them." the creature did not respond at first. It continued to look at Kyoshi, as if it was gauging if she was a genuine threat. Kyoshi considered throwing her boulder at the monster, but that might have only made it angry.
Kyoshi had little time to react before the monster flash stepped forward and swatted her with a paw. She was not hit by the claws, but the force was enough to drive the air from her lungs and send her flying off to the side twenty feet. Instead of pursuing her, the monster roared and charged towards the town hall, leaving Kyoshi ample time to recover.
"Get away from there!" Kyoshi shouted, grabbing her discarded boulder and hurling it at the monster. The rock sailed through the air and struck the beast in the back of the head, exploding into chunks as the creature stopped and turned. She punched another rock forward, but like the last one it had little to no effect on the creature. With another snort, the beast charged her, but this time she was ready and launched herself into the air, several more rocks following after her. As she spun in the air, she launched the boulders at her target, stone and dust raining down around the creature. It leapt up and snapped at her, but she was already out of reach. As she touched down, Kyoshi turned around as quickly as possible, just as the beast flash stepped again and tackled her.
The creature roared into her face, a deafening sound that caused Kyoshi to flinch. She tried to use her Earthbending to free herself, but the monster had her pinned completely. Can't move... I need to get out of here before it kills me... and find a way to calm it down.
But my Bending isn't working. How am I supposed to beat something I can't hurt? Kyoshi squirmed underneath the creature's paw, managing to free one arm. The monster tried roaring at her again, but this got it a wave of dirt to the face, distracting it long enough for Kyoshi to allow the earth to swallow her up and hide from view. The beast searched for her, not wanting her to escape, but then decided that she was not worth its time before charging back towards the town hall.
It had almost reached the steps before Kyoshi burst from the ground in front of it. She raised a wall of earth before stepping back, hoping that a little distance between her and the beast might give her some room to maneuver. The monster just smashed through with little effort, so Kyoshi raised a second wall, thicker and higher than the last. This one lasted only a little longer before the beast broke through, and now Kyoshi was running out of room, earth and options.
Don't panic, Kyoshi; you can get through this. Kyoshi reached out as far as she could with her Bending before pulling her hands back. The result caused a massive wave of earth to come crashing down on the monster's back, distracting it as Kyoshi stepped forward and punched, another pillar shooting out of the ground and hitting the creature in the face. Her attacks were not hurting the monster, but they were pushing it back and giving her more room to work with.
At least, until the beast flash stepped around her and struck her again. She was able to resist most of the impact, but she was still knocked away. She tumbled across the ground, but with a quick flick of her wrist was able to get a grip on the ground and stopped sliding.
You'll get yourself killed trying to fight it like this, a voice whispered in her ear.
Who's there? The voice did not answer, and Kyoshi would have asked again if she was not attacked by the beast once more.
Look beyond the strength and appearance, and all will be revealed, the voice responded. Kyoshi furrowed her brow. How was she supposed to do something like that? She ducked away from another strike, using a pillar of earth to launch herself onto a nearby rooftop.
The beast circled below, growling at her. She knew that it could very easily claw its way up and try to kill her, but something was holding it back. She took a long look at the creature, scanning it for any weaknesses. The monster stopped circling for a moment, no doubt doing the same as her.
Maybe... maybe an appeal to force isn't what I need.
"Why are you here?" she asked. The creature continued to look at her, although it did not attack. Kyoshi used the tiles on the roof to let herself down, reaching out with her energy once again in case it decided to attack her. "Can you understand me? If you can, perhaps I can help you calm down." the creature growled at her, but still did not attack. Instead, it looked directly into her eyes, its own eyes glowing slightly. Does it know who I am?
Without thinking, Kyoshi raised her hand and advanced. It was meant to calm the beast, and it seemed to be working as its growling had died down. It was still looking at her, but it did not try to attack her as she approached. Kyoshi did not release her energy, instead channeling more of it in case the creature was luring her into a trap.
But as she reached the monster, her hand brushed against its head. And Kyoshi understood.
...
Sun was glad that he had stayed back. The creature Kyoshi was fighting was unlike any he had seen or heard about, and would probably have killed him with ease if he had tried to face it. And not only would he have had to worry about the monster, but there was always the threat of being caught in the crossfire of Kyoshi's Bending and squashed by rocks. He preferred not being squashed by rocks, so even as Kyoshi was driven back he stayed behind, watching her fight the beast.
She might get mad, though, he thought as he saw Kyoshi leap onto a nearby building. I mean, I did say I'd help her if she got knocked out... Okay, if things get worse I'll go out and help her... but what am I supposed to do, hit the thing with my walking stick? He looked around the inn. There had to be something he could use as a more effective weapon than a stick, but in the darkness he could not see anything of use.
"... Eh, I've had to deal with worse odds." he turned back to the fight just as Kyoshi had begun walking towards the creature, her hand out in front of her. Sun raised an eyebrow; was Kyoshi trying to make peace with the creature, or was there some other plan she had in mind? Sun waited until Kyoshi placed her hand against the creature's head, his mind thinking up numerous scenarios for what could happen next.
He was caught completely off guard by what did happen.
After Kyoshi had placed her hand against the monster's head, there was a pause before her eyes began to glow. The area around where she had placed her hand began to glow as well, and a gust of wind flowed through the buildings and whipped around her. The beast shimmered for the briefest of instances, briefly shrinking and becoming less intimidating.
But it was not the creature Sun was focused on. His attention was placed on Kyoshi, and he continued to stare at her as her eyes glowed even brighter. His mind was trying to come up with a coherent thought, but to no avail. The entire world save for Kyoshi seemed to fade into the background, as if it was just him and her standing alone in a field. Sun retained enough control to prevent his mouth from hanging open, but only just.
... Kyoshi is the Avatar?
...
There is a temple within the Fire Nation, just above the capital city. It was visited by few people, and the Fire Sages that maintained its grounds and buildings were content to leave it that way. There was no need for the prying eyes of those that did not understand the intricacies of their work and their duties. They themselves would only travel to the capital during times of great importance, but as the Fire Nation was at peace such trips were few and far between.
Adorning the wall that faced the entrance to the main temple was a mural depicting the early years of the Fire Sages and the Avatar that founded their order. It was a source of pride for the Sages, a reminder of a glorious history serving the Avatar and the Fire Nation. But today, something had changed about it, something that the Sages had been awaiting but were still caught off guard by.
The eyes of the Avatar's image began to glow.
"Send word to the other temples." the abbot of the temple said to one of the lesser Sages. "The Avatar has returned."
...
In the Northern Air Temple, the monk Samten meditated. Most of his fellow Air Nomads had turned in for the night, but he wanted to ease his mind first before going to sleep, something that he felt was being lost on the younger Airbenders. Not that he could blame them; the thrill of the air and the energy flowing through oneself was distracting at times, and although he was an older man now Samten was still most comfortable in the air, travelling either by glider or Sky Bison.
Still, a little peace now and then makes those moments of freedom all the more special. He would find a way to better impart that knowledge on his students, but for now he relaxed and allow the stresses of the day to be washed away like scum down a stream.
However, he was broken from his mediation by a glow. He opened his eyes and looked at the statue of Avatar Gaisang, blinking in surprise when he saw the statue's eyes.
They were glowing.
As his surprise wore away, Samten smiled. The Avatar has returned.
...
While it was not as large as its northern sister, the Southern Water Tribe was still a magnificent sight. Walls of solid ice surrounded a thriving settlement, hundreds of men, women and children living in peace with one another. Traders and fishermen from the north came and went, bringing goods and supplies that could not be acquired at the South Pole in exchange for tools, pelts and jewelry. Its relative isolation was not so much a handicap as it was a selling point; northern wares could be found much easier, and thus the Southern Water Tribe was considered exotic among nations.
A woman was on her way home, a basket of fish and sea prunes tucked under her arm. It had been a slow day at the healing house, so she decided to head home early to prepare a special meal for her husband and children. The last year had been good for them, and she felt like they needed a little time to celebrate.
She was about half way home when the entire block was covered in a blue glow. She was puzzled; she had only lived in the Southern Water Tribe about ten years, and never had she seen something like this. She looked around, trying to spy the source of the light, and as she looked others came out of their homes just as puzzled as she was. The only one that did not seem confused was an old woman by the name of Luava, who stood off to the side and grinned as the others looked around.
"Luava," the woman asked, moving off the street and approaching the other woman. "You know what's going on, don't you?"
"Oh yes, my dear Auma" she said, still smiling. "It was almost thirty-two years ago when I saw this last." she pointed towards another building, a shrine that had been built to honor the last Avatar that was born in the Southern Water Tribe. Auma looked up and saw that the spire at the top of the shrine was glowing brightly.
"The Avatar has returned."
...
Kyoshi saw a building, one buried beneath sand. It was vast, going on for miles in every direction, and filled with thousands of books, scrolls, and maps. Where exactly this building was, she could not determine, but that was not what she focused on.
A man stood before a giant owl. They said something, and the owl touched a wing to the man's forehead. There was a flash, and the image shifted.
A fox waited outside the town hall, as if it were a dog waiting for its master. The man who had turned her away saw the fox, and slammed the door on it, demanding that it leave and never return. Another flash, and Kyoshi saw her fight from the creature's point of view.
"I understand," she said, her voice echoing with the voices of thousands before her. As she pulled her hand away from the creature's head, her eyes returned to their normal hue, and once again she nearly doubled over from exhaustion. As she took a few breaths to calm down and recover, she heard a whine before something rough and wet brushed against her forehead. She looked up and saw the same fox from her vision, standing where the monster had been only moments before. "I am sorry for attacking you, but perhaps next time you should not be so destructive when trying to complete your tasks." the fox whimpered as Kyoshi got back to her feet.
"I will help you retrieve what was promised." with that, Kyoshi turned and walked towards the town hall, the fox following close behind her. The people of the town, perhaps curious to see if she was still alive, or perhaps wondering what that glowing was, had begun to venture out of their homes, some of them gathering into groups and talking to themselves. Kyoshi ignored them for now, instead focusing on the town hall and what she would say to her "friend". She walked up the steps and banged on the door, waiting for a response.
"You're still alive?" the man asked when he opened the door and saw her.
"Where is Mayor Cheng?" Kyoshi asked before gesturing to the fox. "This spirit has come to collect what was promised to his master."
"You... you actually listened to that thing?" the man asked. "I don't have time for this. Go away." the man moved to close the door, but Kyoshi acted fast. Grabbing a nearby fragment of rock, she drew back and sent it hurtling through the door, splintering it and knocking the man behind it to the ground. As he recovered, Kyoshi stepped forward and pulled him up, raising him so that his feet were just out of reach of the floor.
"If you will not listen to me as the person who just found the easiest solution to your problem, then listen to me as the Avatar." she growled. "Where. Is. Mayor. Cheng?"
"Th-the Avatar wouldn't threaten people." the man squeaked.
"Sorry if I am not Kuruk, but your actions and blatant disrespect for the spirits have endangered the entire village. If I need to threaten you, then so be it. Where is Mayor Cheng?"
"... Up the stairs, down the hallway to your left." Kyoshi nodded and set the man down, marching up the stairs followed by the fox. If this Mayor Cheng knew about this all along and did nothing... she approached the door, mentally preparing for whatever kind of person would allow his town to fall into such a negligent state.
She stepped into the room and found a large bed, on which rested a sickly old man. His face was thin and wrinkled, what hair he did have left as white as a cloud. Every breath he took was hoarse, and his eyes were clouded and unfocused. Kyoshi hesitated for the briefest of instances, but steeled herself and advanced. "Mayor Cheng?"
"Who... who's there?" the man asked, trying and failing to look around.
"My name is Kyoshi. I... I wanted to talk to you about the spirit that was attacking your village."
"Spirit..." the man coughed. "I didn't know of any spirit attacking our village... unless..." he coughed again. "I-is it still here?" the fox behind Kyoshi let out a small yip and entered the room, crossing over to where the man lay. He managed to sit up enough to see the fox, a sad smile crossing his lips. "I suppose it's time, then..."
"Wait, you knew this would happen?" Kyoshi asked.
"When I was a young man, I found an ancient spirit library in the desert. I asked the spirit Wan Shi Tong for wisdom and knowledge, so that I could lead my people as effectively as possible. He agreed, but on one condition: when I die, he would receive all of my knowledge and memories of the world." he reached out and stroked the fox's head. "Everyone I told has long since passed, and none of these younger folks ever believed me. I've told my attendant, and I asked him to send the spirit to me when it arrived, but I see that he has not listened to me. Tell me, how did you find out about the spirit?"
"... I'm the Avatar, sir. The spirit spoke to me and told me of your arrangement." Mayor Cheng was quiet for a moment.
"I have always longed to meet the Avatar." he looked down. "And now it is on my deathbed that I get that chance. I thank you for bringing this spirit to me, young Avatar." Kyoshi bowed.
"You are welcome... I suppose you'll need some time to compile your memories."
"Yes... and time to select a successor to make sure that this town remains safe." Kyoshi nodded and turned to leave. "One moment, Avatar."
"Yes?"
"In that drawer there," the old man pointed to a small drawer. "There should be fifty gold pieces, all that's left of my personal wealth. I'd like you to have it."
"I can't take something like that, sir."
"I insist. You'll need it more than I will."
"Perhaps this could go to the town, to make sure that it can survive your passing?" there was a pause before Mayor Cheng spoke.
"I suppose that is a wise decision. But still, you may take whatever you need to get you to your next destination."
"Thank you." Kyoshi opened the drawer and pulled the coins out. She nodded her thanks and exited the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
I'll need to give the money to someone responsible... definitely not that man who started this mess. Kyoshi went down the stairs and exited the building, and was greeted by a rather large crowd.
"The spirit has been dealt with," she said. "I managed to calm it and it revealed that it had come to collect a debt from Mayor Cheng."
"He didn't do anything to hurt the town, did he?" Hua asked.
"No. He merely asked for wisdom so that he could lead the town more effectively, nothing more. The spirit is here to collect his knowledge and memories when he dies." there were several murmurs among the crowd. "He will remain here until he appoints a successor to take over for him."
"You mean he hasn't?" the man who had turned Kyoshi away asked.
"No, he hasn't, and I doubt he will select someone like you, since not only did your negligence of spiritual matters and your disobedience to Mayor Cheng lead to this mess, but your disrespect for me has also showed that you care more for your idea of security than actually connecting with people that could help your town."
"How was I supposed to know that was the spirit he was talking about, and how was I supposed to know you were the Avatar?"
"I offered to help. Even if I wasn't the Avatar, a wise ruler would have taken whatever help was available during a time like this, but instead you threw me out and did not let me speak my case. And even after I revealed myself, you still tried to get rid of me." the man opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing.
"So... what do we do until Mayor Cheng chooses a successor?" a person in the crowd asked.
"Continue on as before, although I would suggest someone sit in on the mayor in order to hear his decision." Kyoshi produced the coins Mayor Cheng had given her. "Also, I need someone trustworthy to look after these until a new magistrate is selected."
"I'll do it." Hua said, raising her hand. Kyoshi nodded and passed the coins to the innkeeper.
"Now, return to your homes and rest. I'll fix the damages I've caused." there was a pause, but soon the crowd began to dissipate. As they walked back to their homes, Kyoshi stepped out into the street, reaching out with her Bending and gathering up all the debris and broken stone she could reach.
"Well, that was certainly impressive." she looked up and saw Sun standing in front of her, a large grin on his face.
"Yes, I hope you have fun writing about it for your story." Kyoshi smoothed out several holes in the road before moving on, Sun following behind her.
"So, I don't want to be intrusive or anything, but..." he shuffled his foot on the ground for a bit before speaking. "Are you really the Avatar?"
"... Yes, I am. I didn't tell you about it because... Because I didn't trust you, and I didn't want to deal with any unwanted attention or special treatment."
"... Makes sense." there was a pause. "So... that bit about Omashu?"
"I'm really trying to get to the Fire Nation. My master told me of people in Omashu that might be able to help."
"I see." there was a pause. "So, I know that you said you just wanted me to go to Omashu with you, but can I come to the Fire Nation as well?"
"No."
"Why not?" Sun stopped. "... Did I do something wrong?"
"No, it's just..." Kyoshi turned to look at him. "I think I'd be able to complete my tasks better if I don't have anyone distracting me."
"... Okay, fair enough. But I've traveled by myself before, and let me tell you it's really boring, and you kind of get rude when there aren't any people around to talk to." a pause "... not to say that you are rude, I'm just saying-"
"I understand." Kyoshi turned back to repairing the road. "And... maybe you have a point. I haven't really talked with anyone on the outside, and if the Avatar is supposed to help people then I need to learn their ways if I'm going to help them without offending them." she gave a small smile. "Can you help me with that?"
"Sure, be happy to." he grinned. "I know all about people and what offends them... and I mean that in the best possible way... if there is such a thing..." he sighed. "Guess it's been kind of a long night."
"Why? I'm the one who did everything."
"That's not true! I... gave moral support?" Kyoshi rolled her eyes. He is a very strange man, indeed. She dusted her hands off and walked back towards the inn, Sun following close behind.
Yay for Avatar stuff. My personal guess, depending on how fast the story progresses, is that the next time we see her glow it up will be in the Fire Nation.
Hope you all are enjoying my story. Still don't own Avatar and anything related to it. Reviews and follows are greatly appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.