Chapter 12: The Hero Visits

A week later Ikki was back in her own room, wearing her own clothes, eating with her family and back to her normal self. The cuts and bruises were healing slowly but her greatly improved (thanks to Arra). She no longer needed a walking stick and was back training with her brothers. Both Shino and Sai visited her regularly to do their own training with her, Tenzin didn't mind as she was improving her fighting skills. Ikki still hadn't seen her hero, she was eager to thank him.

Sai trapped Ikki in a rock cage while shaking the ground to distract Shino. Ikki sliced the rock in half flying up to knock Sai over with a powerful gust of wind. Shino created eight long arms, "The Octopus" to pull Ikki down and to wrap Sai tightly. Ikki sneezed sending her shooting up in the air again, breaking Shino's water arm. Sai tapped the earth with his heel and sunk into it disappearing.

Shino threw spikes of ice at Ikki who dodged them landing on the ground gently. She spun around quickly creating a vortex of air as both Shino and Sai threw ice spikes and earth shards at her. Stopping suddenly she belched knocking the boys over with the sheer force. Shino and Sai sat up, their hair a mess. They looked at each other, a shocked expression across their face. Ikki folded her arms wearing a smug face, "Perks of being an Airbender." Not a moment passed before everyone erupted in laughter. Ikki lay down on the ground looking up at the clouds still laughing. She didn't want this mood to end. She didn't want them to leave.

"Ikki, you're crazy." Shino snorted. The ground underneath Ikki's back slightly shook; it was obvious the Sai had gone into a fit of laughter.

Rohan came out holding a tray with glasses and juice. He set it down next to Ikki so she could pour. When the boys had calmed down they nodded a manly hello to the 12 year old who tried to copy them.

"Leechi juice?" Ikki asked sitting up. She began to pour three glasses already knowing their answers. Rohan crouched down next to Ikki whispering in her ear, "The man who saved you is here." Ikki stopped spilling the juice. She looked around feeling her stomach clench.

"What's wrong?" Sai asked getting up sensing Ikki's tense aura. She didn't know why she was becoming so anxious.

"Where?" She asked Rohan quietly who pointed at the dining hall. Ikki got up and brushed down her robes, fixed her hair and cleared her throat.

"Ikki?" asked Sai watching her as she walked away. He looked at Rohan for him to explain what was going on, "The man who saved Ikki is here to see her." Rohan explained. Shino sat up, immediately interested. Sai looked back at Shino giving him a look that said, "Let her be for now."

Ikki walked towards the dining hall as if in a trance. She didn't have to tell her feet to move, it was like they were almost excited to see her saviour. Her breathing was deep along with the beat of her heart. She couldn't tell if she was anxious or excited, she had wanted to meet him for so long. Ikki wanted to see the face that held those ice, blue eyes. She entered the dining hall where her father and her hero stood.

He was tall with broad shoulders that wore his water tribe clothes well. He had black, floppy hair similar to Sai's. His skin was dark, like her grandmother's but shining out at her were those ice, blue eyes. Yes, he was the one who saved her. He was the owner of those eyes she kept remembering and dreaming about. He was nodding and smiling as Ikki's father spoke to him. Around his neck was necklace made of a thick, black string with a tooth on it. She smiled leaning against the door. Then those perfect blue eyes looked at her. Ikki looked away feeling embarrassed that he caught her staring and smiling at him. Tenzin turned around, "Just the lady we were discussing!" He walked foreword leading her to the young man. Her face burnt a deep red as she sensed his eyes linger, examining her.

"Ikki say hello." Tenzin said. She felt like she was five again being introduced to another child. Ikki looked up at her father wishing he would go away and stop embarrassing her.

"Hi..." She said timidly. Ikki wasn't one to be shy in front of new people but seeing this waterbender who literally saved her life she was speechless. Also he being extremely attractive certainly didn't help Ikki's shyness.

"Hello Ikki," His voice was gentle but well spoken. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

"Thanks to you." She said quietly glancing at her shoulder where her father's hand was. He laughed, oh that's a lovely laugh, Ikki thought.

"It was nothing," He smiled showing off a row of pearly, white teeth. Ikki rubbed her tongue along her teeth wishing her teeth were like his, "I'm Kiba by the way." Kiba extended his right hand which Ikki shook. Someone coughed behind Ikki and Tenzin, it was Pema.

"Dear, will you help me with something?" She asked Tenzin who joined her. Ikki smiled at her mother knowing that she was really just trying to give her and Kiba some peace.

"I shall speak to you later Kiba." Tenzin said leaving. Kiba nodded still staring at Ikki. She wished she hadn't left her hair down; it was a mess from training.

"Do you want to go down to the air bison caves?" Ikki asked trying to break the ice. Kiba nodded smiling even more so. They walked outside to see Shino and Sai wrestling with just their bare hands. Kiba looked at them intrigued as to who they were. Ikki tried to walk faster so they wouldn't be seen but they were.

"Ikki!" Shino called holding Sai in a head lock, he could barely look up Shino was holding him so tight. Ikki stopped waving back at them, "I'll talk to you later!" The she dragged Kiba down the island.

As they passed the bamboo gardens Kiba remarked, "You look really good compared to when...I last saw you." Ikki smiled wondering did that mean he thought she was pretty.

"Thanks. Kiba, I don't know how I'll ever thank-"

"No, it's fine. Don't mention it." Ikki stopped looking intently at him, "How can I not? I was going to be killed by those men and you swooped in and single handily saved my life." Kiba looked at the ground as if he wasn't used to praise.

"Well...I just did what was right. I'm sure you would do the same for me." He raised his head biting his lower lip and squinting in the bright autumn sun.

"How do you know?"

"Because...I just do, you seem like that type of person." Kiba grinned staring straight into her grey eyes. Her cheeks flushed the colour of her lips as she walked past him leading him to the caves.

"What were you doing there anyway?" Ikki asked shoving her cold hands in her pockets.

"I was finished training so I was passing by. I heard screaming then sounds as if there was a fight so I ran and found you. I picked you up and brought you to the infirmary and a healer there that knew you so while you were being taken care of I went to Air Temple Island and explained what had happened. Your father brought you home and that's it." Ikki was speechless. He went to all that trouble for someone he didn't even know. He risked his own life by saving her and was probably in trouble with T's gang now.

"Thank you Kiba." Ikki said again sincerely holding her side as it nagged at her.

"Well you look better, that's all I care about. I saw you fighting outside with those guys so that's good." He smiled looking at her as she her pink cheeks burned red. Oh crap! He must've heard me belch!

"Oh...you saw me fight..." She mumbled cursing herself for being so disgusting.

"Well, I didn't see how you beat them but you held your own." With a sigh of relief from Ikki they arrived at the caves. Kiba stepped back when he saw the bison.

"Are you okay?" Ikki asked.

"I didn't expect them to be so big..." Ikki laughed entering the cave and scratching Choji's ears, "They won't hurt you, and they're too lazy." Ikki smiled watching Kiba approach them apprehensively. He put out his arm slowly looking at Choji as if he was going to eat it. Kiba made contact with Choji's fat head and rubbed it smiling, proud of himself.

"Wanna fly?" Ikki asked slipping on the reins.