Chapter 38

Miyaki took a deep breath as she surveyed the training field, making sure that all other observers were safely off to one side. Satisfied that she had free room to practice, she took a deep breath and shifted into her new kata, drawing her energy about and focusing as best she could. Several times the forces at work attempted to break away from her, but it took a quick nudge to get them back to a manageable state.

Finally, sparks once again began to form around her fingers. She swept her arms low, building up more energy as she did so, her action allowing the sparks to trail and continue to grow in number and strength. Miyaki took a deep breath, her energy flowing up through her, before she stepped forward and released her energy. This time she was careful to control the backlash, the energy merely ruffling her robes instead of shredding them. The thunderclap was still enough to temporarily deafen her, and the resulting bolt of lightning arced wide before slamming into the other side of the field. Her energy expended, Miyaki drew her hands down to pool whatever she had left before turning to face her audience.

"I'm still working on aiming…" she said, nervously tugging at the hem of her shirt. "But that's all there is to it."

"Whoa…" Sun mumbled, eyes fixed on the point where Miyaki's lightning had struck. "And you came up with that all by yourself?"

"Not exactly; Kyoshi and Mai-Lin helped out a bit."

"Me?" Mai-Lin asked, one eyebrow raised. "I'm not a Firebender; I wouldn't know the first thing about shooting lightning." There was a pause before she spoke again. "Although… I did see some moves in your sequence that resembled Waterbending moves."

"That's how." Miyaki said with a nod. There was a pause before she grinned. "Don't you think it'll be amazing when Kyoshi and Adachi learn how to Bend lightning?"

"Hey, I'm all for ways to make the Avatar more effective," Sun said, returning the princess' grin. "And it might give her something to practice while we head to the Air Temple."

"I was hoping she'd stay a little longer…" Miyaki said, her smile slipping for a moment. "But you're right. She needs stuff to practice so she can be the greatest Bender in the world." A brief image of Kyoshi flashed through Miyaki's mind; the Avatar, held aloft by a current of wind, lightning sparking all around her. And I can say she's my friend… The image faded away, but Miyaki could still feel the excitement from the image.

"Sun, you're good with documenting things, right?" she asked.

"That I am." He said, nodding. "What do you need?"

"I want you to help me write down all the steps in Bending lightning, so I have something to work off of once I start training my brother and Kyoshi." Her face grew stern. "A good teacher should have some basis to work with, and since lightning doesn't have a basis I need to start with something."

"Well, I'll see what I can do," Sun said with a shrug. "But I think it would be better if you wrote it yourself, so that you could better describe all the shifting of energy and focus you need… that's a thing, right?" he looked to Mai-Lin. "I've spent a lot of time around Kyoshi and other Benders, but I still miss some of the technicalities of Bending."

"Close enough," Mai-Lin said. "I'm sure it's a bit different with each form." Miyaki nodded before crossing over to where the other two were standing.

"Now we just have to wait for Kyoshi and Adachi to come home." She said, smiling again. "Do you think they'll be happy to see what I've done?"

"I don't see why they wouldn't be," Sun answered. "You captured a traitor and invented a whole new style of Bending. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be proud of you."

"Honsou?" Miyaki offered. At this, the other two laughed, Miyaki joining in soon after. The minister's betrayal was not something to be laughed at, but Sun's offering had been too good to pass up. As their laughter died down, Miyaki pushed past Sun and Mai-Lin.

"I'm going to go check the gates, see if maybe they're coming back today." Miyaki said.

"You've been doing that ever since you exposed Honsou," Mai-Lin pointed out. "Didn't Kyoshi teach you about patience and waiting for things to happen?"

"Well… yeah…" Miyaki shuffled her feet. "But this is different. I'm just excited, that's all. And no one is getting hurt, right?" neither Sun nor Mai-Lin had an adequate answer for that. Satisfied that she had made her case, Miyaki turned and hurried back down the hallway towards the main gate, trying and failing to look composed as she passed down the hallways.

Today will be when they get back, she thought, rounding the corner and exiting the palace. I can feel it.

Miyaki was in luck; just as she stepped outside, the main gate was opened to reveal Kyoshi and several soldiers. Grinning, Miyaki ran as fast as she could towards the gate, stumbling as part of her robe snagged on her shoe. "Kyoshi!" she called, skidding to a stop in front of the entourage. "I did it! I Bent lightning, and I caught a traitor! Isn't that great?"

Kyoshi did not respond, and it was now that Miyaki got a good look at her. From afar she appeared fine, but up close her eyes were lined and red, her hair and clothes disheveled. It was as if she had tried and failed to sleep for days, and was only responding to the barest of impulses. Her smile slipping slightly, Miyaki tried again to catch Kyoshi's attention.

"I told you I could do it, and I did," she said. "I've been practicing, and I'm going to teach you and Adachi first. I know you have to go to the Air Temples and learn Airbending, but you can stick around for a few days just to learn to Bend lightning, right?" Miyaki's smile slipped further. "Kyoshi?"

No response. Miyaki blinked a few times before she realized someone was missing. "Kyoshi, where's Adachi?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

This got a reaction from Kyoshi. The older woman stepped forward, looking down at Miyaki as the princess looked on in confusion. She stood silently for several moments before kneeling, pulling the young princess into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Miyaki…" Kyoshi said. "I'm so sorry…"

It was then that Miyaki understood.

…

White. In any other circumstances Kyoshi would have never given it a second thought, but as she secured the sash to the white dress that had been provided for her, she could feel nothing but dread. As she looked at herself in the mirror, Kyoshi was unsure who the person looking back was.

Her eyes, definitely, but it was the Avatar who was staring back, not her.

She sighed and turned away, grabbing her fans from the nearby table and tucking them into her sash. They felt heavy in her hands, like blocks of unhammered steel, but as she secured them their weight became more familiar and she felt some of her doubt flow away.

Familiarity… that was her only refuge now.

There was a knock at her door. She stood still for several moments before crossing to answer it, barely blinking in surprise at the servant she saw. There had been so many of them coming back and forth, she had lost track of them all fairly quickly.

"The Fire Lord has requested your presence." the servant said. Kyoshi was silent, only giving a small nod as she passed the servant. As she walked, she saw Mai-Lin and Sun, also dressed in plain white robes, finishing up their preparations.

They have the luxury of not being there, she thought as they passed from view. Once again she was alone, wandering the halls of the palace as she made her way to the throne room. Halls that she had grown fond of were now as alien as they had been when she had first arrived in the Fire Nation, the eyes of past Fire Lords tracking her as she walked.

Past generations, all of them watching her. Judging her. Perhaps now they had better cause than ever.

As she entered the throne room, she saw Fire Lord Mitsuo standing in the center of the room, staring up at the throne itself. He said nothing as she approached, still staring up until Kyoshi had come to a stop. After several minutes, he spoke.

"I remember," he said. "Just a few months before Hikari died, I remember Adachi came into my throne room unannounced. Some of my advisors were angry, that a child should intrude upon my presence, but…" a pause. "I let him speak. 'What is it that you wish to say, Prince Adachi?' I asked. 'I'm the Fire Lord now, father!' he declared. 'Mother said I would be Fire Lord someday, and today is someday. So I am the Fire Lord.'"

Mitsuo chuckled. "You should have seen him, brimming with confidence yet completely lost. It was… innocent, calm even. My advisors did not seem to think so, but I found it amusing then." He chuckled again. "I decided to play along, and act as his 'advisor'. Of course, after a day of playing Fire Lord he was ready to abdicate, but I believe he learned a few lessons on leadership that day." A longer pause. "And I believe that he brought a bit more light into the Fire Nation… and now that light is gone."

"I'm sorry, my lord," Kyoshi said, bowing her head. "I-I did everything I could, but… it wasn't enough."

"I don't blame you for my son's death, Avatar," Mitsuo said, turning to face Kyoshi. "What happened was a risk that we all must face when standing for what we feel is best for our friend and our nation. Adachi understood that risk, and was willing to accept it."

"But he shouldn't have been out there in the first place," Kyoshi protested. "It was my fight against Jian Feng, not his. I was going to go alone, but he asked to join me. He should have been more careful… I should have been careful." She looked down at the floor. "And now he is dead, and where am I?"

"You are the Avatar. Do you think that Adachi would not be as remorseful as you are now if he had let you go alone to your death?" Kyoshi did not have an answer for this, not taking her eyes off the floor.

"The man responsible for this," Mitsuo said finally. "Did he escape?"

"… No." Kyoshi said, looking up at the Fire Lord. "I made sure he did not live past that day." Kyoshi's hand trembled slightly, as if she still held the sword that had killed Jian Feng. The Fire Lord did not seem to notice, however.

"Good." Mitsuo nodded, although Kyoshi saw that there was no change in his body language, nothing to indicate satisfaction. Just… loss. "I… I suppose I should be ready for the ceremony. I am sorry for waylaying you, Avatar Kyoshi."

"There's no need to be sorry, my lord," she said. The Fire Lord merely gave a small nod, and Kyoshi turned to leave. Something inside her told her to go back, to try and talk with the Fire Lord more, but she hesitated.

No… I can't face him like this… not yet. Kyoshi gave a small sigh and left the throne room, heading back down the hall towards her room. She stopped again, glancing down another hall before turning and starting off in this new direction. She had traveled this section of the palace less often, so it took her a little longer to make sure she did not get completely lost.

As she walked, a new feeling of dread began to overtake her. Speaking with the Fire Lord was one thing, but what she would face once she reached her destination… she shook her head. I am the Avatar; I must stay strong.

Kyoshi stopped outside the nearest door, hesitating once again. It would be easier, to go back and try to meditate some more. But this meant more than that. She let out a small sigh and knocked.

"Miyaki?" she asked. "Miyaki, can I come in?" there was no answer, so Kyoshi slowly pushed the door open. Miyaki was seated at the foot of her bed, dressed in a similar white dress as Kyoshi wore. She made no notice of Kyoshi as she crossed over to her and sat down, and it was now that Kyoshi saw that the princess was fiddling with the small headpiece Adachi had always worn.

"Th-they said this is mine now," she mumbled, turning it over in her hands again. "T-th-the Fire Sages, they said this is mine. It's n-not mine. I-it's Adachi's." she looked up, Kyoshi noticing that her face was lined with tears. "W-why couldn't they just let him keep it?"

"I don't know." A terrible answer, but it felt better than saying nothing. Kyoshi reached out and wrapped an arm around the princess, Miyaki flinching from Kyoshi's touch.

"I-I-I was going to teach him how to B-bend lightning," Miyaki continued. "W-w-we never really did anything like that… It was going to be fun." She sniffed. "W-why did he have to die?"

"I don't know, Miyaki." Kyoshi said, biting back tears of her own. "I-I tried to save him, but I couldn't… I wasn't strong enough." I could have defeated them all, but I didn't…

"But why?" Miyaki looked up at Kyoshi. "D-did he do something wrong?"

"No, nothing like that," Kyoshi pulled Miyaki into a hug. "Your brother was one of the kindest people I've ever met. There's no way he would die because of some wrongdoing." Miyaki was silent, but she seemed to get the point as she looked back down at the headpiece.

"He's gone now," she mumbled again. "I-I'll never get to see him again, will I?" there was a pause before Kyoshi spoke again.

"Miyaki," she said, biting her lip. "Have you ever heard the story of Agni and Koichi?" Miyaki said nothing, but she did give a little nod. "Can you tell me how it ends?"

"Um…" Now it was Miyaki's turn to bite her lip. "Koichi was banished for what he had done."

"You forget, though, that every one hundred years, he is allowed to return to this world." Kyoshi pointed out. "My master told me that story when my sister was thinking of leaving for a long trip." Miyaki opened her mouth to speak, but Kyoshi silenced her. "I know it's not the same thing, but he told me that even though we would be separated for some time, someday we would meet again." Kyoshi closed her eyes, the memory of her talk with Master Lau Dan reforming in her head. "Adachi is gone, that much is true, but someday… I don't know when or how, but someday I think you can find him again, maybe through the spirit world." She looked down at Miyaki. "I know it isn't much, but maybe it will help."

Miyaki was silent for a long while. Finally, she gave a small whimper and buried her face in Kyoshi's shoulder, letting her sobs run freely. Kyoshi held the princess as she cried, running her hand down the young girl's back to sooth her as best she could.

Of all the people here today… she is the last one who needs to lose hope.

Finally, Miyaki's crying died down, and she broke away from Kyoshi. She wiped away the last of her tears before speaking again. "C-can you help me with this?" she asked, holding out the headpiece. Kyoshi hesitated for a moment before nodding, taking the headpiece from Miyaki as the young girl turned around. Kyoshi pulled her hair up into a small bun before sliding the headpiece down, securing it with a small pin before pulling away. When Kyoshi had finished, Miyaki turned to face Kyoshi once more.

"H-how does it look?" she asked.

"You look beautiful, Miyaki." Kyoshi replied, giving her the best smile she could. There was another knock as two servants entered.

"Avatar, Princess Miyaki," the leader said. "The procession is about to begin. If you would please join the others."

"We'll be right there," Kyoshi said, standing up and helping Miyaki to her feet. She followed behind the princess, the two servants trailing after them, until they had reached the Fire Lord and the rest of her friends.

"How are you doing?" Sun asked as Kyoshi broke away from Miyaki and took up her own position.

"I'll be fine," she said, giving a small nod. "I spoke with the Fire Sages; we leave tomorrow on the first ship back to the Earth Kingdom."

"Don't you think we should rest a little, instead of just running off to our next destination?" Sun asked, placing a hand on Kyoshi's shoulder.

"I can't, Sun," Kyoshi turned slightly to look at him. "I've let the world fall too far out of balance. I need to move on and help in whatever way I can." Sun said nothing at first, but did give a small nod.

"I'm just looking after you, Kyoshi," he said. "We can talk about all this later, maybe? When everything's calmed down." Kyoshi looked at him for a long while. He was trying to cheer her up, she knew that much. He had been so helpful ever since he had joined her.

I don't think you can help me with this, Sun, she thought, turning just as the procession was lead out to the front of the palace.

…

Against all odds, Chun had survived the battles around Taizhou. First, he had seen Jian Feng cut down by the Avatar and her Fire Nation forces, then the others had turned on each other. With new armies pushing in to the north, there was sure to be a massacre of anyone still fighting.

And though all that, he had survived.

He stopped alongside a dried riverbed, just enough time to check his wounds. He had received a few burns from the Firebenders, but Chun was no idiot. There were several herbs in this region of the world that could be used for balms and healing, and finding them was no real trouble. The burns along his arm still hurt, though, and he could only walk so far before they started throbbing again.

Leaning against a tree, Chun took a moment to take in his surroundings. The air had become cooler, so he was definitely heading north. Right into the path of those others, he thought, cursing to himself. The alternative was turning south, possibly finding refuge in Omashu or Gaoling, but that was a long way to go on an injured arm and no supplies.

And he had Jian Feng to thank for both.

If he had stuck with our original plan instead of chasing after the Avatar, none of this would have happened. Feeling that his wounds had stopped aching, Chun resumed his trek. But no, that fool let his revenge get in the way, and now look… Well, he's certainly learned from his mistake in the worst way.

Chun chuckled to himself. Jian Feng was gone. Now, he could work with something more manageable.

No sooner did he clear the riverbed did he hear a sound. A crunching through the underbrush, heading quickly towards him. Bandits? Wild beasts? Worse? Chun cursed again and slid back into a fighting stance. He might be weakened, but he would be damned if something would sneak up on him so easily.

His opponents came into view. Five men, mounted on Ostrich Horses and clad in greed and white armor. No weapons about them beyond short swords, so they were most likely Earthbenders. Two circled around to flank Chun while the leader of the group rode forward, dismounting once he had reached the injured Earthbender.

"Who are you?" The man asked. "What is your business here?"

"Please, sir," Chun replied, keeping his voice controlled. "I was injured in a battle not far from here. I am looking for aid."

"Are you?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "You wear the armor of Xiaoxi. How are we to know you are not a scout, trying to infiltrate our land?"

"My master died in that battle I mentioned," Chun's eyes narrowed. "I serve no one, as of now. And if I were a spy, would I really go through all this trouble to burn myself like this?" He held out his injured arm, showing the man the burns. The soldier's eyes darted from Chun's face to the burns before he spoke again.

"Say I do believe you," the man said. "What then?"

"All I ask is for some medical attention," Chun replied. "After that, you may do with me as you please. Or better yet, take me to your lord, so that I may bow before him and enter into his service."

"Our lord is looking for men," the soldier mused. "But you do not seem that trustworthy. How do we know you will not abandon him if he is in need?"

"I obey those who command me," Chun replied, closing his eyes. "As long as they draw breath, on my life I serve them." There was a pause before the soldier laughed.

"You're of a different breed, friend," he said before taking Chun's good hand. "Welcome, then. Chin the Great will be honored to have a fighter such as you in his service."

"Believe me, the honor is all mine."

After much thought, I'm adding Chin to the list of characters. Because how this will be paced, we will be running into Chin.

And thus ends what I like to consider Book 1 of my story. Not a happy end, but then Avatar ended on a downer at a few points. Our next arc will see Kyoshi and friends travelling to the Northern Air Temple, the second part of Kyoshi's journey, while she herself struggles with the aftermath of her battle with Jian Feng and Adachi's death. New characters will be met, Bending will be had, and a few others will have to face their own demons.

In short, I'm just getting started.

I don't own Avatar or its related characters. Reviews, favorites, and follows are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know. And if you really like the story, check out Counseling for more Kyoshi stories, and the Kyoshi Rising TvTropes page (link is on my homepage).