I would like to apologize for my long absence with this story. I have been preoccupied with A Path Paved In Ice and my own life to write as much as I'd initially wanted. Though, here it is and I hope you enjoy.
On with the show.
Roan crept low to the wetland, sour grass and gnarled roots under him as he placed a wet and numbed palm to the bark of a tree. A sweet smell was aloft in the air like flowers in bloom, as if gifting to the already perfect day. A clear sky, yet his body cold lying under the comfort of the dark and in the embrace of the winds cool arms, and sheltered under old leafless trees. Behind him were his students, drenched and sogging from the mud and mist from the morning dew.
Garbed in uniforms akin to the old Fire Nation Southern Raiders outfit, the blacks of the uniform were better made and fitted to breath, the pointed edges and hard seams of the armor stood left alone but the black helm of the piece, made to resemble the shape of a hawks head, no longer bore the fire-red visor it had before, but one of vibrant jade.
"So cold…" Ty-Lee complained. Shivers ran down her spine and she rubbed her arms. The shades of the tree was effective for hiding but warmth was another question.
"The Avatar was said to have been here two hours ago. Where is he?"
Roan looked to his companions. Little birdies whispered in the winds where the Avatar went and dainty hands pointed to where rumors glared like beacons. Their information wrought from the mouths of women in the oldest profession a few towns from their home and another few hills before Ba Sing Se.
Kiyoshi Island was said to be the place to go to see the Avatar.
So here they were now. Waiting in silence.
"What are you going to say to him?" Roan turned to Azula before he directed his stare back to the bay.
"Anything. We need to affirm that we're not a threat. You know, for protection."
"Optimistic, but unlikely." Azula said, pessimistically. "The Avatar is a man who won't let strangers in so easily yet that would be assuming the Avatar is a man and not a boy, in which case your plan might just work."
Roan raised a subdued brow. "What are you implying?"
"This Avatar has been gone for 100 years... There's no telling whether this Avatar is actually good or otherwise..."
"I see." Roan shut his eyes and he gazed back to the glittering sea below as the mirror of golden-blue shined. This boy not man was a soft-hearted fool then, was he?
In his side a finger poked him before he looked to Azula again. A shallow pain mustered her face lightly and the beginnings' of ponderings awakened in her head from the lights in her eyes. "Do not be sad, it is unsightly of you. Besides, it will be easier to manipulate a fool than a man."
"But it will be deadlier with a fool."
"For whom?"
Roan paused in thought.
'For us, most likely,' Roan thought, though he kept it to himself as he stared back to the bay.
They peered from the edges of a cliff over the ocean and the crescent bay for what seemed hours before their target showed. In a brisk breeze out in the distance a boy ran on water like the wind itself. Covering his body from the crest of his head to each pale limb, ocean blue arrows rested as if in slumber, complete sanctity. Azula had told him these were markings of an Air-bending Master, and from what the little birdies said about a flying bison he assumed he would appear somewhere here.
After one-hundred years away from life the Avatar would be confused and would naturally seek council, just as he had taken comfort in speaking with his fellow Undead, whether through writing notes in the dirt or in a notepad, the act kept him sane, but what was key was the mentality of the Avatar and how he would react. How would he react, Roan wondered? Would he come to counsel, or had he already received such elsewhere? That then begged the question of why he was here and for that there was no answers.
Roan narrowed his eyes in observation as a ripple in the water caught his attention - the beginnings of a purple sea-serpent's slimy body.
Almost breaking him from his thoughts one of his students complained, "Ying, the fire-flakes are gone!"
Roan kept silent and as he watched the water and this pale boy ride the Giant Koi Fish without a care in the world... Soon disappointment etched on his face which was followed closely by the beginnings of worry.
This was an Avatar?
It seemed Azula was right. A shame, indeed. A boy he was but he had hoped he would've been at least a young man with a boys mind rather than a boy in a boy's body. From high on the cliff he could see only the beginnings of modest muscles a teenager would prize. None so he would be proud of. Lanky arms and clear-shown ribs showed only weakness for him.
Perhaps from his time in the Undead Asylum these idea's emerged. Solitude as it was before, he dared not remember friends in neighboring cells or pitiful guards walking wretched, blackened halls as if they were no more than skeletons themselves. They needed to be strong to keep who they were. To stay sane. However, one by one they fell, and before he knew it his memories flashed and he shut his eyes in morose shame...
…...
Being weak only caused hard-ship.
To one side of him two of his students argued, chest flat against a moss covered stone and covered with brambles from shoulder to toe. "Shut up, Xing! Worry 'bout your flakes later! We're s'posed to be watching!" Ying hissed, her speech fast and borderline slurred from excitement.
Loud were their ramblings, so much so as to break Azula's concentration and serenity, so she glared hard at the twins, the tip of her forehead blushed from frustration. Camouflaged in a thicket of broken branches from the forest around and planning for the Avatar she didn't have the patience to deal with the two trouble-makers right now.
"This is not the time. Have your hissy fits after!"
The two cowered as they quickly dropped their visors over their eyes and once more stared at the new boy running on the water, riding playfully, blissfully unaware of them, Ying and Xings spirits shamed.
Ying was a cute little girl around fourteen along with her twin brother. The two were small-nosed and short with pitch-black hair like Azula with Yings in a long ponytail.
Ying glanced malevolently back in the corner of her eyes. Her small nose scrunched distastefully while Xing copied this gesture just before he and she were sent a heated glare from Aya with whom was just tagging along. True-minded however spelled another story, personal-reasons if coerced otherwise. Like everyone else she was dressed similar to the Fire Nation Southern Raiders but her own with specialized gauntlets made to withstand fire.
For her own protection, mind you.
Many of Roan's students were young, just out of their preteen age and feisty despite his swordsmanship training. Out of the dozen Ying, Xing, Azula, Zuko, Mai, and Ty-Lee were his best students and mighty older with Zuko being the oldest. The others fell behind in skill, but made up for it with enthusiasm..
"How old do you reckon he is?" Roan asked grimly.
Azula nudged closer, exiting the foliage and feeling some warmth heat her cheeks, almost to a low throb while the heat feathered her and sent bouts of silent ecstasy to her cheeks, causing them to blush lightly. Though this was a momentary notice. "Eleven through Fourteen. Generous though, I guess."
"Which way is generous?" Roan asked losing the grim tone in his voice.
"Twelve."
Roan thought about it."Too generous. I say Ten."
"Oh, now you're just cruel."
"Now, now you two, have a heart," Aya broke their banter before she giggled next to Roan.
Roan's brow went up and a whistling wind rolled overhead. He gave Aya a humorous glance before gesturing to Azula."We're only having a bit of fun, come now, it's not like we know the boy."
"With the way you two talk that just might be perpetual." she joked.
Minutes later they ceased conversation for favor of the boy on the Koi-fish. Another few and they decided to head off to meet the boy down at the beach.
Heading down the slopes, some bruised grass marked their way. Overhead, trees shaded them and made their visage like phantoms, never seen, nor heard while waves crashing below masked the soft thumps of their feet as they ran through the forest. Gnarled roots stretched out to take them but with Roan's training they were too nimble and light-footed. Rays of light filtered like glittery pillars through the forest tops as they came upon an open beach where the extent of the sun's reach could touch and their senses were graced with an unbelievable sense of home. Perhaps it was just her but she could vaguely see Roan's sprint. How he bounded. Light as he already ran he seemed like his feet were neither touching the ground nor leaving it.
It was like he was on air and faster than before.
"Look!" Xing whispered harshly.
They were behind some clustered trees at the forests edge where it became sparse and few trees littered the hills slow descent. Off in the distance some deep rumbles from some beast echoed towards them and then the shriek of a young man.
"I see. So the Avatar brought friends," Zuko commented.
"It's likely they're the ones who brought him back. Bothersome as it might be to ponder where they found him I won't complain. Mm, perhaps that was the Avatar and his flying beast?" Roan thought out loud. He looked to his students.
Having not heard the Avatar's voice made these situations difficult to discern and though he doubted the boy's maturity he had heard of the stories of the Avatar from Mai and Ty-Lee, whom seemed content to regale him, for what reason he did not know. At that thought Roan wondered again why the Avatar was coming to Kyoshi. There was no reason for him to be here. No practical sense. Stories spoke of the Avatar doing what was necessary to keep some kind of balance. How they were master's of all four Elements.
None of this made sense, if he was feeling frank.
Ty-Lee answered Roan's thoughts, "I doubt it."
Her typical hazel braid wound into a bun. Her frame made her small and due to her time performing acrobatics for the village she was nimble with an overly innocent face.
"Agreed."
Mai was a girl with pitch-black hair tied into two buns nestled on the back of her head that spilled out for two tails that came to shoulder's height. Helm on, only the tails could be seen with the constant apathetic and acute stare being overlooked.
The wind hushed Roan's next comment and he savored the sea's breath all the while, it's whispers the bearer of poor tidings.
He savored the feelings yet scowled at the message.
"Mai," he spoke lowly.
She appeared quickly and stared concrete. "Yes?"
"I need for you, Ty-Lee, Zuko, and Azula to rendezvous where the Avatar's Bison is. If there are others there be wary. I will take Xing and Ying back to observe the Avatar, if he is even still there..."
Looking to the twins he motioned for them to equip their bows.
From their packs with great swiftness and practiced hands they had their bows strapped across their chests before giving him a nod. The strings of the bows strained against the black steel of their breastplate, staying snugly in place.
Roan looked to his other students.
"Go and speak with these children, find anything you can about them while we climb to our previous position. I will signal when you are to meet them, but only when I make the signal. Understand? "
Each of his students bowed in respect before running down the green slope, a great flurry of wind throwing them down the hill. Before long no sign of them was left and Roan turned to Aya who was giving him a questioning stare.
"Where would you like to go?" he asked, knowing full well what she was going to say.
"Children respond better to full-grown women. It would be best for me to go there. You know," She implied jokingly, a small smile softly budding on her lips.
Roan reciprocated her look and gave her a small but sweet kiss before he turned and climbed against the great cloud of wind barrelling past him. He looked back for a moment to see her blow him one more kiss before she too turned and began her trek down, like a bird darting in the wind.
"Shh." Azula placed two fingers to her mouth.
They had been there for no less than four minutes when they had spotted two Water Tribesmen looking towards the ocean when Aya came sprinting towards them as quiet as a leaf in the wind, calming to a silent halt she kneeled next to the group and nodded once to them.
They were to wait now. And it wouldn't be long until Roan's signal flared.
...
The sound of the sea crashing on the shore made it easy to hide themselves. Old and dead trees thick in a blanket of snow overshadowed them. Shadowing them in a cold embrace whilst prying eyes would see none but bright reflecting light instead of the black armor they adorned. A while had passed before anything interesting happened but at the sound of a girl's voice they all became wary and alert.
"No Appa! Don't eat that!" A girl's voice scolded.
Seconds later sounds of rumbling came towards them and then they were forced back, further into the thickets of trees and branches, hiding themselves away and hoping this Bison didn't hear them... Before any of them knew it-
Crunch! A gaping maw bit down on the bush they had hid under just before...
Luckily, they were swift and cunning enough to hide away.
Zuko, Azula, and even Aya managed to corner themselves under a small hollow in a tree where the roots stuck jarred from the ground, like blinds in a window they were enough to see through. Mai and Ty-Lee clung in the tops of the trees using the snow and branches as their disguise. They took precious care to hide their armor from view. How they managed their hiding spot was a combination of feminine flexibility and a wide assortment of acrobatics Roan pushed them to exercise.
Six round trunk-like legs lumbered forth and the Bison named Appa gorged himself on the bush before he stopped and looked back after roars from the ocean howled. It reared its puffed fur like the softest of snow, the whole of its body shaking in response with diamonds glimmering in waves across its back. The Water-tribe girl did the same, looking back to the ocean, before she ran from whence she came and an arrow alight in red flame peeked high in the sky through branches and falling leaves like a beacon, arcing, before it twisted and fell over the cliff, out of sight.
None stared long as the message was clear.
The signal!
"Let's go!"
Zuko huffed as he brought himself to a fiery sprint; darting out of cover and into blinding light, he quickly wrenched through the fallen branches and slobbery leaves as he made his blade less apparent, yet just so as to give a confident aura, followed quickly by Azula and then the others as the sound of struggling scrambled the air around the cliffs curbing face. Tall trees stood on either side and then the beach spanned for what seemed a mile. Zuko stopped just as pebbles of stone turned fine into sand. Holding out his hand he halted the others just as the sight of a soaking Avatar came into view. He truly did look weak, and while Roan hadn't said that verbally he knew from years of experience what that man was thinking. A withering glare was met from Azula until her senses gathered the sounds of a whine from a boy. She stared where Zuko looked and was surprised at what she saw. Mai and Ty-Lee coupled to peer over Azula's shoulder shortly followed by Aya.
Quietness accompanied by the occasional shift of the trees and the drowning crashes of the shore was all that was left.
Their eyes widened, if only slightly before Zuko pulled them back against the hard surface of the cliff. The cracks of the rocks beneath them made them nervous and then the thud from hitting the wall but it was needless in the end as no response was made. Azula breathed a sigh of relief, a sigh that was reciprocated by each of them.
"Did Roan know about them?" Azula asked, staring levelly at their guests.
Mai shook her head. "Doubtful."
"How do you want to deal with them then? They have the advantage, judging from the way they were able to sneak past us. Is it possible they're guards for this island?"
Zuko cupped his chin in thought before he peaked around the corner to see one of their guests pointing towards them, yet they didn't seem to notice him, and before them were three bodies with one small bag holding... a lemur? Zuko raised his eye in suspicion before he sunk from view.
"I wouldn't think guards. They're dressed in warrior outfits like kimono's but with armor draping over the top."
Aya eyed Zuko and Azula, having stayed quiet for a while. "Let's just speak with them," she said simply.
Azula eyed her curiously, wondering if she was understanding correctly.
"Roan signalled for us to meet and from where he is perched now he was probably able to see the situation down here. He has faith in us so let's act kindly and use our tongues as silvery as they can be."
"Besides, with each of your skills we should be fine," she continued, she gave them a small knowing smile, as if this situation were nothing but mere amusement. A side-show of luxury.
Azula narrowed her eyes as Zuko and the others walked into the open. She stared pointedly at Aya. "And what should we do if you're in harm's way?"
The corners of Aya's lips quirked.
"Then I shall take care of myself."
Aya left Azula to her thoughts before she too followed.
Bows propped, crosshairs pointed towards the Avatar, Xing and Ying hid themselves atop the skyward branches of the trees. Roan in between the two leveled his bow to the bay, steady as stone, before the serpent emerged its massive scaled back. Purple scales let fall the water high off its arcing fin as it flared from its back, though no head was seen.
It seemed content to ward off the Avatar.
The Kai were gone, and now before the serpent the Avatar squirmed before he shot back to shore running atop the water as if it were solid ground.
"Fire at the Serpent," Roan ordered.
Two arrows were let go as they spiraled to their target faster than a bird and swifter than the wind. They impacted with the beasts fin and sunk deep into its flesh, past purple scales-no doubt it was more an annoyance than anything else. Like a mosquito bite, it would annoy one for a day before it was gone.
One more second and Roan lit his arrow with his pyromancer's flame and let his fly high into the air, not caring where it went as he strapped his bow across his chest. He looked to Xing and Ying with an air of urgency.
"Come, we must move."
Before long they were flying down the hill once more and once they flew out of the woods and into the light a breeze was sent past them once again.
"Look!" Xing pointed.
They were still a ways off but just over the decline in the cliff there was a clear bend to view the beach and what they saw were figures standing on opposite ends. Bows and swords on one side, the other fans. A closer look surely would reveal more yet Roan was sure his students were the ones wielding the bows and swords as their armor was also pitch black and slender.
"... I see."
A bemused chuckle left his throat and he shook his head.
"Let's see how your peers handle themselves."
Then, in a quick burst of speed Roan and the twins were gone.
Azula glared astutely at the Kyoshi warriors. They had been well to fight with. Moreover to come to a standoff with weapons drawn and heaving chests. She and Zuko had left the weapons Roan gave them on their ship a ways off and about now they were regretting it. Whatever blows they were dealt were minor as the leader of the Kyoshi warriors came forward with Aya and Azula meeting her in the middle.
They had discussed shortly but agreed to walk with them to their village, seeing now there was no use to fight as the result would be the same, a standoff, a draw, whatever one wished to call it.
What intrigued Azula, however, was not that these warriors had matched them blow for blow, blade for blade... no, it was their face paint. White with red highlights on their eyes, like a birds with a crowned head-dress accentuating their deadly beauty. Interesting to say the least as it was in her education that they dressed after Avatar Kyoshi in honor of her, even going so far as to wield the weapons she did; golden fans, no less.
They fought with grace. Certainly almost like them. For Roan had taught her and the other girls to use their flexibility to their advantage to be quick and soft-footed, able to dodge arrows if prepared well, whereas he taught the boys to be flexible and hard-hitting.
Lessons that accentuated their abilities.
Little time passed. The sun was high in the sky and whatever cold might have lingered before dissipated, replaced by warmth as they walked a long stretching path between two cliff-sides, before they opened to reveal a statue standing atop a pillar-like pedestal. The statue itself was a woman garbed in the Kyoshi warriors outfit and as large as or larger than a man. Azula guessed this was Avatar Kyoshi, given how the warriors touched the base of the pillar so fondly.
The captain of the warriors looked to them, Suki, if Azula was correct. "Well," Suki urged. "Explain who you are."
Zuko narrowed his eyes at her commanding voice.
"Ouch!" One of the captives yelled in pain as he was thrown flat. It looked to be the Water Tribe boy.
Azula looked to Aya and motioned for her to talk whilst ignoring the groans from the three captures... She wished to talk, so therefore she would allow her.
Quickly, Aya came to the front, offering a disarming smile to the warriors.
"To my right is Mai and Ty-Lee. On my left is Azula and Zuko. Now, would you like to introduce yourselves or shall I continue?"
All she got were glares. She smiled a little more with the corners of her mouth making her look coy. Giggling a little, almost like a small chime as smooth as vanilla, she removed her helm. The others followed lead.
Azula and Zuko nervous when their names were used as they were the known Prince and Princess for the Fire Kingdom and while Kiyoshi Island had avoided war there was still chance of mishap.
Luckily, Suki didn't offer them a second glance beyond Aya's introduction as her gaze was steadily locked on Aya.
"We have been sent by our home near Ba Sing Se to see if the rumors were true." Aya garnered a fox-like smile on her face to replace as the smell of wildflowers lofted the air.
"And what rumor would that be...?" Suki glared suspiciously.
Mai and Ty-Lee noticed the girl's tightening hand grapple her fan in the small of her back. In response, Mai subtly summoned a knife from the bindings hidden in her armor: inside sheltered a mechanism that would eject the knives when needed. A need that was now.
Summoning the hidden blade she held it tightly-palm out in wait.
It was the reason her arm guards were slightly larger than the others with the ends near her coming to a slight swirl.
"The Avatar."
Zuko analyzed the girl's white face-paint more closely in interest as she directed her warriors. She was interesting to look at to say the least though she and Mai shared the same edging glare.
"And why would the Avatar be here?"
"From what my husband tells me he seeks council… however from that display the boy put on earlier I am disinclined to believe that theory."
Suki looked to one of her warriors and the captives were brought before the two groups, and set to their knees against the pillar.
"I am aware of the feat this one did. The Yunagi nearly had breakfast." She pointed to the Avatar as the bag was taken from his head.
At a closer look each of Roan's students saw how anxious the boy looked. He had obviously heard their fighting before as fans and swords met and clashed above him while the whistling of blunted arrows above must've done a number. Until that was he jumped high before anyone could stop him, releasing a flurry of wind behind him as he climbed to the height of the statue well a ways in the air, far reaching into the ocean above where silky puffs of vapor resided drifting in the water. Cutting the bindings on the statues fans he floated back down.
"Enough!" He yelled, though no one was intimidated.
Mai was tempted to pin him in place, he was so stupid for that stunt, however they had been ordered to protect and harming their charge would be just the opposite. But…
Several high-pitched whistles and the Avatar was pinned to the pillar with arrows gouged in place. It seemed her teacher would do so for her, she smirked.
Azula smirked as the sight of her teacher came in view from atop the stairs where several houses lined on either with his bow falling to his side, his chest breathing deeply-an old man and Ying and Xing standing beside him. She and the others weren't surprised but the Kyoshi Warriors had their eyes widened with their fans out and open in a defensive position.
Behind him rumbled the mountains as leaves danced in the wind like birds in love.
"Aang!" The Water Tribesmen panicked.
Blood seeped down the pillar.
Hopefully you all liked it. Have a good one and please REVIEW
Lemons or No?
Now, here are some stories that are either being written or have already been completed - which isn't many, mind you.
Left in Silence-Naruto/Kurotsuchi-Romance/Adventure (Will only be a few chapters)
Breaking the Cycle-OC/Azula-Romance/Adventure (This one... I don't know how long this will be. We'll see.)
Saving Venom-Naruto/Anko-Romance/Adventure (I don't want to exceed 20-25 chapters, but I will if I have to.)
Dying in Love-Naruto/Tenten-Romance/Tragedy (Completed)
Eve-OC/Little Sister-Romance/Tragedy (Will only be a few chapters long.)
All these stories will be completed at some point, but it's up to you to leave reviews to let me know just how well I am doing as a writer.
See ya.