Chapter 3: Kochiyo, the Stone Feline
ReCap:All of a sudden these women came out infront of us, talking all at once Akane nor I could tell what they were saying. "Princess Arisa what are you doing in those odd clothes?"one of them asked me as they pointed to my pjs, "I kinda woke up like this..." "Well a princess shouldn't wear rags, come on with us. We'll give you appropiate clothes"she said as they pulled me away from Akane. 'RAGS! I just got these last week!'I thought as a gave a weak smile to Akane as they pulled me down the corridors. Once they stopped pulling me, we were in a room it was steamy and hot inside probably a sauna. "Here Princess Arisa, your bath is drawn"A maid said as she bowed same with the others as they exited the sauna. "I don't think I would get used to being called Arisa"I whispered to myself as I got out of my clothes, and stepped into the warm water.
Start.
The bath was wonderful, it was better than the hot tub at the near rec center. I sighed as I sunk deep into the warm water, 'Hmmm, but I could get used to this' I thought as I closed my eyes. But quickly opened them, staring at me across the room was a statue of a feline. From here it looked abiotic, being the curious girl I am I grabbed the towel that the maids had left me. I walked closer to the statue, to see it was beautiful everything was a perfect carve, like it was real. The thing that had caught the sparkle in my eye, was the jewel that rested on the forehead of this elegent looking cat. Slowly I glided my pointer finger over the jewel.
In a blink of an eye, I was on my back on the stone floor. "What the!"I screamed as I looked up to see what upon me. To my surprise it was the freaking statue! Except it was breathing and licking my face, "Ahhh, you're supose to be a effing statue!"I screamed once more. As the cat kept licking and purring, Akane had walked into the room. She chuckled a bit an said over my screaming "So I see you found Kochiyo? She's been waiting along time for you while you were away"she stepped closer to me and the cat who was apparently named Kochiyo. "Ya..Okay now whats going on! There surpises for me every where."I said as I accidently rubbed the jewel on her forehead as I was stuggeling to get from her grasp. Kochiyo had turned into stone! "Ack!"I gasped as the pressure crushed me, Akane continued to chuckle as I struggled to get out from under the feline. "It's not funny!"I screamed as Akane bent down and rubbed the jewel, Kochiyo returned to 'normal'.
I quickly stood up, breathing heavliy. "What is with that cat?", "Kochiyo was given to you from your parents when you were just a baby, she is one rare cat there is no other neko like her around anymore. She is what others call a 'Nakasone' having the abilitys to change from an ordinary feline to a stone cat"Akane had answered "Ya I kind noticed that she can change from breathing cat, to stone statue. But what did you mean by 'She's been waiting for me for along time?'" "Well when the war broke between the Exiled Waterbenders (Sorry I forgot to mention that ;) and the Earth Nation, as you know your parents sent you to the new world. But you couldn't bring along Kochiyo, so staying in her stone form for 15 years she waited for you."
"Princess Arisa and Lady Akane! The town physic is waking up!"a maid had barged into the room. Akane gasped as she grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room with Kochiyo following behind us. "What, who's the physic!"I asked as she was pulling me out of the castle. "She is some one who is very important, she helps us to prepare for battle. But years ago she fell into a deep sleep, no one could figure out why. So this is a very important we must hurry!"Akane yelled pulling me faster. 'For an old lady, she runs hella fast' I thought as I nearly tripped over a rock.
Akane pulled me into a tent, while Kochiyo was waiting outside.
"Here she is Lady Akane"a man pointed to the young woman who appeared to be sleeping on one of the cots. Her eyes were opening a bit, to show a bright hazel eyes.
"Princesss...Arisa.."she stuggled to say, as I was pushed over to her. I knelt down to hear her better, her breathing was raspy and it was hard to hear her. "Yes..."I simply said as I leaned my ear to her mouth, "The the...Avatar is nnear the village...Annd so so is Prince Zuko..." I heard whispering in the back. 'Oh shit...Even though I've only seen two epidsodes...I know this can't be good"I thought as I waited to hear more from the physic. But her voice wasn't audible nor was her raspy breathing, I put my ear close to her heart, so I could hear if it was beating, sadly it wasn't. I looked up at the people behind me. "I'm sorry, she's gone" they all gasped some of the women cried. They were probably reletives of the physic.
I stepped out of the tent wanting to get away from the sadness and the late physic. As I stepped out Kochiyo was there rubbing up my leg, I smiled "Kochiyo"I said as I petted her. I knelt down beside my new pal as I waited for Akane, it seemed long but that was probably just my small attention talking. As I was just curiously looking around, I seen some people point and whisper saying things like "I hear she's the long lost princess" "It's about time that one of the royalty arrived" and "But she's too young to lead the Earth Kingdom" It saddend me a little to hear people's whispers, as I was looking away from the villager's pointing and staring. I've noticed someone who looked...Familer 'But I don't know anyone here...Except'I thought as they turned around, It was Aang! (I know it's kinda corny to have him enter now, but my brain is currently sleeping and on vacation)
I gasped as I quickly ran into the tent, "THE AVATAR IS HERE!" I screamed a little to loudly, "What ,really here now?" "Yes!" I pulled Akane out of the tent to see the people looking around ovbiously they heard me..Does that mean that Aang heard me? I looked at the place where I saw hi, and he wasn't there anymore. "Talking about the Avatar, is no joke Arisa. You should know better"Akane sighed as she stepped into the tent once more with her head hung low. "But..He was right there..."I whispered as I turned to Kochiyo, she stood up on all fours. I got on top of her (Get your mind out of the gutters :) surprisingly she could hold my weight. Kochiyo ran fast around the corners "GO down there!" I screamed pointing in te direction in an alley. I saw a flying bison which right away I knew was Appa, "Faster!"I screamed with anger. All of a sudden the earth shook, and steps were made out of the ground. "Holy Socks..."I whispered to myself as Kochiyo ran up them, the steps when higher and closer to Appa. A few seconds later we were basically running beside them, as the earth rose under us so it was like a plat form. "What do we do!"I heard one of them yell "Aang!" I yelled trying to get them to stop, "How did she know my name?"Aang asked them they all shrugged. "I need to talk to you!"