Book 1: Water Chapter 4: The Warriors of Kiyoshi

A/N: Look guys! Two chapters in one day:) Well, you could argue that it was two days, but the first one was posted at like, 2:30 this morning, so, to make me happy, I'm just going to say two in one day:) Enjoy! Anything you dont see is canon and can stay as is. For example, I usually rewrite all of the Zuko scenes, but I decided there was no place for Emi that was necessary for that first little scene of this episode. So, here you go:)


"The avatar is on Kiyoshi?" Zuko asked, leaping up from his place at the table just as a delicious looking fish was sat down in front of him. Emi sighed. She knew about Kiyoshi Island, and the admirable fact that they had managed to stay out of the war for the full 100 years it had been waging. She knew that if Zuko went to invade the small island, that would no longer be true. Kiyoshi would be forced to join the war…certainly against the fire nation. She didn't want that to happen, didn't want Zuko to invade. But he was going to and she knew that she would join him.

Her assumptions were soon confirmed. "Men! Ready the ship. We're going to Kiyoshi Island." Zuko commanded. Emi frowned but said nothing.

"Are you going to finish that?" Iroh asked, indicating to the fish lying on the table. Emi rolled her eyes fondly and smiled. Uncle always had food on his mind.

"I was going to save it for later." Zuko told him, lifting the dish and stalking off. Iroh pretended to pout and Emi laughed, her worries about Kiyoshi almost forgotten. Almost.


Emi gently stroked the snout of one of the Komodo Rhino that had been assigned to her. Most people thought that the beasts were violent and ruthless…much like the causes they were used for, but they were actually very gentle creatures. Emi was an animal lover, which led her to name every one of the four Rhinos that they had on ship, and she visited them often. She had named hers Makoto. Zuko's was Arashi, and the other two Hisoka, and Iwao.

"Time to go." Zuko told her as he walked up in full fire nation armor. Emi would be fighting too, but she insisted that she would be fine in just her robes; she hated dressing up in all the heavy metal. She nodded before reaching up and fixing Zuko's helmet, which was on crooked.

"You get the helmet wrong every time." She informed him. He sighed heavily.

"I know." His lips tilted up at the edges, and Emi knew he was kidding. Using the reins on Makoto, she pulled herself up and plopped into the saddle. Her heavy winter coat had been discarded and instead she just wore what she usually had on underneath of them; A purple short sleeved tunic with tight, long white sleeves underneath to keep warm. The tunic had faint blue and red swirls that matched the purple well. Her sarong skirt tied on both sides instead of just one, easily allowing movement. It was also purple with the swirls and had the tight white leggings underneath. (It's essentially Katara's outfit with different colors and a firenation twist. There was no other way to describe itXD)

"Ready?" Zuko asked, already seated on Arashi. Emi nodded. The gate of the ship opened and lowered itself, creating the bridge the needed to get onto the island. Emi and Zuko led the way.

"I want the avatar alive." Zuko commanded as they made their way towards the small village. When they reached the entry, nobody was out roaming around, but they could see eyes peeking out from behind blinds and doors opened to the tiniest crack. "Come out avatar!" Zuko called out. "You can't hide from me forever."

"Find him." He growled out to his men, who slowly nudged their Rhino's further into the little village. Emi looked around cautiously, very suspicious and unnerved by the level of inactivity. She saw something out of the corner of her eye and stiffened. She had forgotten about the small group of fierce warriors that protected the island, the Kiyoshi warriors. She immediately leapt off of Makoto and prepared herself for a fight, but she was too late to warn the soldiers from Zuko's ship. They were taken down one by one until she was cornered by two warriors and Zuko three.

Every fighter battled hard, and Emi felt awful the entire time, but she eventually knocked out the two Kiyoshi warriors she had been fighting. Zuko had also incapacitated the warriors that had been fighting him and turned instead to the avatar. Emi was grateful for the quick break, trying to battle the heaviness that had settled upon her limbs.

Suddenly a rather weak water blast was shot towards her, and Emi turned to see Katara standing there, looking furious. She made the decision then and there that she would never, ever fight Katara unless she absolutely had to. Instead, she ran in the opposite direction of the town, hoping that Katara would follow her. When she was out of the town's earshot, she stopped running and held her hands up to Katara in surrender.

"Please, I don't want to fight you." Emi said pleadingly. "I never wanted to come here, I never wanted for this to happen!"

"Then why are you here?" Katara asked, her voice hard and cold. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"Zuko can't be stopped when it comes to the avatar, Katara. You must be more careful!" she explained sadly. "Take Aang and Sokka and leave this place. We both know Zuko will follow you, but I can't stand the thought of any more damage coming to this town." She continued, casting a look of despair to the burning town.

Katara stayed quiet for a moment, looking at Emi as if she were a complicated puzzle that needed to be figured out. "Why are you doing this?" she asked finally. Emi smiled softly, but her eyes were so sad that it tore at Katara's heart a bit.

"I promise you, one day you will know the whole story. I never break a promise, Katara…so let's just say, I promised Zuko a long time ago that we would be friends no matter what, that I wouldn't ever leave him." Emi explained, shaking her head and looking at the ground. "Now go, it will be too suspicious if we stay much longer."

Katara gave her one last look before running off to get Aang and Sokka. Emi walked back to the town where she could hear one of the Kiyoshi warriors telling the trio that she would hold the firebenders off. She had just showed up at Zuko's side when the giant beast she remembered being called Appa flew overhead.

"Back to the Ship, don't lose sight of them!" Zuko yelled, and all the soldiers fled their battles, leaping on to their rhino's and heading towards the vessel. Emi had Makoto on the beach when she saw Aang leap off his beast's back and into the water. Then, the biggest sea serpent she had ever seen reared its head, and she thought she could see Aang on top of it. It opened it's mouth, letting a shower of water fall across the town, putting out the fires and soaking Zuko and his crew. Emi smiled and tilted her head towards the sky, letting the water wash away the smoke from the fire and cool her still-flushed skin.

As she watched the trio fly away, she knew Zuko would be angry…furious, actually. But she had made up her mind about the war, and she knew the Firelord should not be winning it. She would keep her promise, and stick with Zuko until the end, but she would also help Aang every chance she got. And hopefully she wouldn't get caught. Yes, she was in for a rough ride and she knew it, but when the choices were doing the right thing and leaving her very best friend, or helping a completely evil man win the war and sticking by Zuko's side, it was clear that the path she had chosen was the best way to go.


A/N: Okay first thing's first...Yes, I named the Rhinos. Why? because I wanted to:) And I felt like this chapter didnt have nearly enough Zuko moments in it so the ones I had had to be drawn out and stuff. That translated means details details details. The whole point of this chapter was to show Emi's motives and the hard life she lives, trying to do the right thing and still be with the two people she loves most. And I know you are all wondering after reading this so yes, Emi does indeed join Team Avatar. When? I'm noott teeelllinng you;) But I have it all pretty much figured out so smooth sailing from here yes? Of course yes!

Reviews? Please? *le puppy dog eyes* Thanks:)

Much love,

Em