No one but real Kyoshi Warriors were allowed in the Training building during ceremonies, and Yuri had never gone through the initiation and training to become one of this generation's group of women fighters. So her mission to sneak into the ceremony and give her support to Suki was something she was very good at; be ignored. She had an extra uniform from Suki back when the girl had tried to convince Yuri to join with her, and she knew how to apply her makeup like the other girls. The only thing that might sell her out was if someone looked into her blue eyes, and she was so used to looking at the ground with her lids half closed that it wouldn't be too much of a problem.
Yuri made her way into town just before dawn, and snuck behind the training building to change and do her makeup. Her Grandmother thought she was out for the day fishing on the other side of the island.
"As long as you stay away from the southern beach and that nasty serpent, the Unagi, you can stay out all day if you'd like." The old woman said, grinding feed for the chicken-ducks. "We were lucky that we came to the north side of the island all those years ago or that serpent would have eaten us alive."
"I'll be careful Aunt, I promise." Yuri said, grabbing her basket that didn't actually have any fishing supplies in it and heading out the door.
An hour after dawn, the ceremony was about to begin, and girls walked entered in groups of two or three. Yuri slipped in the entrance with a larger group and went straight to the back where she wouldn't be noticed. There she waited, sitting patiently like the rest of the girls—a few she even recognised through the makeup as Suki's friends for the party yesterday—watching the entrance for their new leader.
They didn't have to wait long. Suki walked in not a second late, with all the pride and strength of a tiger-bear. The same proud look in her eyes that they said always stayed in Avatar Kyoshi's. She wasn't dressed any different from any other warrior in the room, nor was her face makeup any different pattern, but already she felt like she stood apart from all of them. If Suki's above all of the Kyoshi Warriors, how far are our worlds now? Am I about to lose my Suki? The thought floated in Yuri's head for a moment, but was blown away like a leaf in the breeze as she filled her eyes with the sight of the girl. Her eyes were wide and staring, and luckily everyone's attention was on the front, or someone might have noticed that the water tribe girl was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be.
Suka was the only person there not a current member of the Kyoshi Warriors, but as a former leader and Suki's mother, she was to announce the assignment of her daughter to this role. She stood in the uniforms of her generation—but without her makeup or any headdress—and held out her hands to Suki, who clasped her mother's hands for a moment, and then let go quickly as the two began an intricate dance with their fans, that even Yuri recognised as more of an impressive fighting technique that the Kyoshi Warriors were famous for.
When the "dance" was finished, Suka and Suki bowed to each other, and then to the group, who instead of clapping, stood up and formed a line in front of Suki. Not a word was spoken as every warrior took turns bowing in one knee in front of their new leader, who bowed her head and allowed them to stand. Yuri stayed in the back but she noticed that Suka was watching the line and she had no choice but to join in right in front of the youngest girl, the one who had tried to befriend her yesterday. She bowed down in front of Suki like she was supposed to, and rose after a moment to leave.
Something tugged at Yuri's mind as she stood and she had an idea. Just as she stood, she turned her face so that Suka wouldn't see, and looked directly into Suki's light brown eyes with her own sky blue ones. Suki's eyes went wide when she realised what Yuri'd done, and the girl smiled and winked before walking away and out of the training building.
Outside the building, the girls were gathered around, giggling and talking to one another, until the last and youngest stepped out, followed by Suki and her mother. Suka herself walked back to her own home, having been satisfied with the ceremony and leaving Suki to begin the training for the day.
The girl cleared her throat. "Let's start with a perimeter inspection of the island. Kyoshi has stayed uninvolved with the Fire Nation so far, but it's up to us to protect the island and make sure it stays that way." Her words were strong and confident. Yuri felt inspired just from hearing her friend's voice. "We'll start with the southern beach. The Unagi is unpredictable and though it provides a good defense from Fire Nation ships part of the time, it's still dangerous and some people still get themselves into trouble on that part of the island."
The four followed Suki, while Yuri held back, hoping to slip away and change back into her usual clothes before anyone noticed they had an extra member. Suddenly, one of the villagers came running towards the group.
"There's a group of intruders on the southern beach!" the man called out. "They came on some sort of animal."
Once again, Suki took charge easily and gracefully. "Kyoshi Warriors, let's go. We'll capture the intruders and question them. If they're Fire Nation, there could be more coming later."
Yuri was swept away with the rest of the group as they ran through the woods towards the beach. She followed making sure she was in the back of the group until they came to a line of trees where they could see what they were up against.
"I've never seen Fire Nation warriors like that before." Whispered one of the girls.
"They could be spies, it looks like two of them are wearing Water Tribe clothes. The South pole is always being raided by the Fire Navy."
Water Tribe. Those two words struck Yuri in the heart. Her aunt said they were from the North pole, not the south, but this would still be the closest the girl might ever get to seeing any members of the water tribe. Maybe one of them was a water bender!
"What's that other one doing in the water? It's too cold to be swimming this time of year… Is he riding the elephant-coy?"
"Oh no, the Unagi is coming!"
Yuri watched in horror as the Unagi threatened to gobble up one of the three on the beach, but when the figure came flying towards the beach, she breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, here's the plan." Suki said calmly. "You four go above the trees, capture them and bring them back to the village. You," she pointed at Yuri, who gulped, knowing she was in trouble. "Come with me, we'll head back to the village and prepare to question them. Go now." She ordered the other warriors, and they obeyed silently.
Yuri dropped her head. "I'm sorry Suki," She said. "I just wanted to see you, because after today, you'll always be too busy to spend time with me. I'll get going home now." She started to walk away, but her best friend grabbed her arm.
"Yuri," and for the first time all day, her eyes were back to the kind and friendly shine they'd always been around Yuri. "That was the stupidest, sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. I promise, you'll always be my best friend," She pulled the glove off of her right hand, revealing the bracelet Yuri had braided for her. "See? I'll never take it off, and I'll never forget about you, okay? Now get going home, before Hanna starts to worry."
Yuri looked shyly at the ground. "I wish I could see them, the Water Tribe people."
"They could be spies, and dangerous. You have to go now, alright? I'll tell you anything you want to know about them later tonight, I promise."
Yuri stood, smiling at her friend. "Come over for dinner, and bring Suka, okay?" She said before running off in the direction of her home, leaving Suki to race her Warriors back to the village.
"You're finally back." Hanna said from the kitchen. "It's almost lunchtime."
Yuri had just enough time to get back to her Aunt's house and change, cleaning her face in the stream that crept behind the house and away from the mountain. "I'm sorry Aunt Hanna, I didn't catch any fish for lunch, it was pretty scarce today." She lied.
There was a hissing noise and the smell of fried fish filled the air. "Really? Because I went out to the northern beach and caught enough fish for lunch, and enough to have Suki and her mother over for dinner." She turned around to face Yuri. "You have some explaining to do."