It wasn't a good few days. Aang was gone, which may have been for the best, in all honesty; the slightest thing would set him off. For part of the time, Sokka was high on cactus juice. Momo drank the last of their water, and Katara was just trying to keep piece. Kyuri was suffering from the heat in her leathers.
Progress would have been faster, but with Appa gone and Sangilak disabled, they were forced to walk through the shifting sands. Kyuri would have healed Sangilak in a heartbeat and they could have flown out of the desert and caught up with Aang no problem. But, without the power of the Meld, she wasn't strong enough to reach the water buried deep under the sand. They couldn't risk using Katara's bending water, as it was the only source of liquid they had, and they had to drink or they'd die.
The run in with the sandbenders, however, was quite close to being the worst part of their trip. When Aang had entered the Avatar State, he wasn't the only one pushing towards being completely out of control. Red leaked into the corner of Kyuri's eyes as she and Aang glared at the sandbender Toph identified as being the one who took Appa.
"You muzzled Appa? Tell me where he is!" Aang screamed, his voice echoing with power. The remains of destroyed sandbender gliders, their only transport in the desert, scattered around him.
"You hurt my dragon," Kyuri intoned, drawing her blades and twirling them.
As Aang rose into the air in a twirling sphere of air, Katara reached out to pull him down while Sokka got Toph and the sandbenders out of the way. They knew first-hand how dangerous Aang in the Avatar State could be. However, this left Kyuri free and unguarded, and she charged at the son.
"Kyuri, no!" Sokka shouted.
Blades flashed, blood splattered, the son shouted.
Kyuri lowered her blades.
The son stood there, clutching his lower arm. Three long lines were scored into his lower arm. They were deep, deep enough that they bled and would more than likely scar, which was the intention. However, they were a careful distance from any major arteries. He would not die.
"That's what you and your men did to my dragon," Kyuri said coldly, flicking the blood from her blades and sheathing them. "Carry those scars and learn a lesson: never cross a Dragora." Kyuri rarely pulled out her title on anyone, but when she did, it made an impact. The son nodded frantically as Katara rushed forwards from calming Aang.
"Just give me some water, I can fix him," she panicked.
"Katara!" Kyuri boomed. Katara turned to her, eyes wide. "Heal him and I'll make twice as many cuts the next time."
That finished things.
When they finally emerged from the desert, they fell in with a trio of refugees, a family with a pregnant mother. Following their instructions, they found a ferry into the city, and also the Kyoshi Warriors. Sokka, for his part, as over the moon about seeing Suki. But when the family had their tickets stolen, Aang dropped everything to escort them across Serpent's Pass, a deadly overland route of cliffs. Ordinarily, they would have flown to Ba Sing Se on Sangilak, but even with his wing fully recovered thanks to the sudden availability of water, he couldn't carry them and their belongings over long distances. With the addition of Suki, their group now numbered three adults, six children, and one baby, far too much for Sangilak.
And so, they faced the Serpent's Pass.
"Abandon hope," Katara read scratched into the signposts.
"That's horrible," the mother, Ying, said. "How can we abandon hope? That's all we have!"
"May be we should abandon hope," Aang said callously. "The monks used to say hope is just a distraction.
"That's horrible!" Katara protested.
"Maybe not. Is hope going to get us to Ba Sing Se? Is it going to save Appa?"
"Yes," Kyuri said, her eyes fixed intently on Aang. In him now she saw shadows of the emotionless, pragmatic approach she had once taken, the approach that she had now shed in favor of company and, to some degree, feeling. It didn't sit well with her to see how she had been, and to see it on Aang's usually smiling face. "Without hope, would we even bother to try and make it to Ba Sing Se? To save Appa?"
"We need to focus on what we're doing now," Aang said. "And that's getting across this pass."
"Okay," Katara said hesitantly, and they began their trudge.
The Serpent's Pass, was not, as one would expect, a windy road. Instead it was a craggy protrusion from the water, a mass of steep inclines and declines. You could walk twice as much and get half as far. The pathway was thin and rocky, full of dips and crags. They had to go slow for Ying's sake. She was nearly due, perhaps in the next few days, and was struggling to walk, but through it all, she kept a smile on her face.
As they went, Suki educated them on the current climate around Ba Sing Se.
"The Fire Nation controls the western lake. Rumor says they're working on something big over there and they don't want anyone to know what it is."
The ledge was weak in some places as Tahn, Ying's husband, proved when it collapsed beneath his feet. It was Toph's quick actions that caught him and tossed him back onto the ledge. Unfortunately, the rock fall alerted the Fire Nation boat patrolling the western lake they walked along that they were there.
Until that point, Sangilak had been keeping underwater, surfacing every now and then to get some air, and looking like nothing more than a bull dolphin breaching from a distance. Now he burst from the water and caught a catapulted fireball in his teeth. The fire flickered harmlessly inside his mouth as he spat it back out at the ship, destroying their catapult and stopping any further attacks. Job finished, he dove back under the water. The whole thing took less than a minute and left Tahn's family blinking.
The night came soon and they made camp on a small plateau. With a few meager sticks they made a small fire. Suki was clearly nonplussed with Sokka's attempt to baby her but then, he came from a patriarchal tribe that was clearly at odds with an island that was matriarchal.
Their squabbles seemed petty when shown next to Tahn and Ying. Tahn sat by his wife, looking affectionately into her eyes and rubbing her throbbing feet. Kyuri watched them. She wondered sadly if anyone would ever look at her that way. A sudden pang went through her chest as she decided that no, they never would. Marriage was not something she thought she would ever be ready for. She couldn't image ever letting anyone that close.
Still…
Kyuri put on a pot of water. From under a plate of armor she pulled one of the multiple tiny containers she carried and opened it up, sprinkling a few tiny, fragrant leaves into the water. It boiled, releasing the scent over the campsite.
"Mint tea, awesome!" Sokka cheered, coming over and reaching for the drink eagerly. Kyuri's hand slapped him away. "Come on Kyuri, don't be stingy," he pleaded. Kyuri huffed and poured him a small cup, before bringing a wide bowl out from their supplies. She poured the tea up into the bowl and added a few drops of arnica oil from yet another small container.
"What are you doing?" Katara asked, wrinkling her nose. "What'd you put in there?"
Kyuri picked up the bowl and walked over to Ying. She knelt in front of her and placed the bowl by her feet. Tahn and Ying looked up at her in surprise.
"May I?" Kyuri asked softly. In confusion, Ying nodded and kept still, not entirely sure what Kyuri wanted. Kyuri liberated Ying's foot from her husband's. She placed it in the mixture and pulled Ying's other shoe off, placing her foot in beside the other.
"Peppermint tea," Kyuri explained as she produced a thin rag from inside her sash and dipped it in the mixture. Carefully, she began to wash Ying's feet. "And arnica oil. It improves blood flow and helps with foot pain."
"You don't have to spend your supplies on me," Ying said hastily. "It's not so bad really…"
"I don't mind," Kyuri assured her, completely absorbed in her task as she rubbed the rag across the top of Ying's foot in soothing circles. Ying melted happily. She pressed firmly and rubbed her inner arch, from toe to heel and Ying let out a happy sigh.
Katara watched in surprise. She remembered when Kyuri would follow the healer around interestedly, but she didn't realize how much Kyuri had actually retained, nor that she had such things on her. More surprised was she when she saw the expression on Kyuri's face. It was contemplative, a softer look than she was used to seeing. There was almost a tenderness to her eyes as she washed Ying's feet. Ying and Tahn didn't know how rare seeing something like this was, but Katara did, and she took note.
The next morning started with low hills and no sign of the Fire Nation. It looked like the second day of walking would be a breeze, until they reached the water. Either the water levels had risen or the path had fallen from an earthquake, but it was now underwater.
"Everybody, single fire," Katara commanded as she and Kyuri took the lead, walking side by side. They swayed their hands back and forth, raising the water around them. They went slow as they got father under water, traveling in a large bubble along the path. Sangilak swam by them, a comforting presence. Ying, Tahn, and his sister, were clearly thrown by this experience. He tried to make it easier for them by providing a distraction, rolling onto his back and waving his foreleg, before running through a series of underwater acrobatics.
Her wasn't the only dark shape moving in the water though.
"What is that?" Katara murmured as a long shape moved through the water outside their bubble. Her question was answered as whatever it was burst through their bubble in a blur of green scales. Toph moved the fastest, raising them out of the water on a rock platform before they could be completely submerged. Sokka held Suki close, and Tahn did the same for his wife and sister. Katara and Toph stationed themselves on either side of Aang. Kyuri placed herself directly between the family and the edge they were closest to, eyes following the creature was it circled the platform, no more than a green fin rising out of the water showing its passing.
A giant green sea serpent burst out of the water.
"I think I just figured out while they call it Serpent's Pass!" Sokka shouted. "Suki, you know about sea monsters; make it go away!"
"Just because I live by the Unagi doesn't make me an expert!" Suki snapped.
Blue scales burst from behind the sea serpent. Sangilak was smaller than the sea serpent, undoubtedly, but he had the advantage of teeth and claws. Sangilak anchored under its scales with his feet, digging his talons in. The sea serpent cried out as blood dripped down its body. Sangilak opened his jaws and fire burst from between his jaws, bathing the monster's face. It screamed again and ducked under the water, dragging Sangilak with him. Sangilak disengaged his claws under the water and the sea serpent fled.
"It's gone."
"Sang drove it off," Kyuri relayed. "We can go. Quick, before it comes back."
Katara flicked her wrists, going first and creating an ice bridge as she went. Kyuri helped hurry Ying's family across, strengthening the bridge as she went. She glanced back at Toph, who was twitching nervously on the edge f the island.
"Move!" Kyuri called.
"I think I'll stay here where I can see," Toph said edgily. Sangilak appeared out of the water behind her and scooped her up in his claws. She yelped as he carried her across the gap and dove back into the water again.
"Unnecessary!" Toph hollered at the ripples that were all that was left of Sangilak on the surface.
"Very necessary," Sokka disagreed. Toph punched him in the shoulder.
"Well that handles that," Sokka sighed as they emerged on the other side of Serpent's Pass. He pointed in the distance. Across a rolling plain, they could see the famous wall of Ba Sing Se in the distance. "Look, there's the wall! It's smooth sailing from now on," he grinned.
"Ah, oh no!" Ying cried, doubling over. Water splashed against the ground under her.
"What's wrong?" Sokka demanded fearfully.
"The baby's coming," Tahn's sister grinned.
"Now?" Sokka shrieked. "You can't… hold it in?"
"Sokka, calm down, I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home," Katara soothed.
"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal?" he panicked. "This is a real… human… thing!"
Kyuri smacked him in the head as she walked past.
"It's called a baby," Katara said coolly. "And I've delivered those too."
"As have I," Kyuri nodded. "Although I'll admit, the predominant portion were arctic seals."
"Sokka, rags. Aang, boil some water with Sangilak. Toph, I need an earth tent, a big one," Katara said. "Come on."
Toph stepped forwards and stomped. Earth rose around Ying and her family and Katara and Kyuri went inside. Aang entered shortly afterwards and deposited the water, fascinated as he knelt by Ying. Sokka followed him after a moment, his arms full of rags. Ying chose that moment to scream. Sokka turned an odd green color, dumped the cloths in Katara's lap, and vanished out the door.
"Aang, take these," Kyuri said, fishing in her belt for two small knives. "Take them to Sangilak and sterilize them."
"Okay," he said, taking the blades and nodding. There was a burst of fire a moment later.
"What's going on out there?" Ying asked weakly.
"Nothing," Kyuri said as Aang returned with the sterilized knives. They would be used for cutting the placenta.
"You're doing well Ying," Katara encouraged. "Now, get ready to push."
"One…" Kyuri counted soothingly. By unspoken consent, she had somehow taken the lead. "Two… three! Push!" Ying screamed. Kyuri wrist flicked forwards the water. It coiled around her hand and glowed as she laid it on Ying's stomach. The pain ebbed and Kyuri kept the flow going as Ying pushed.
Hours passed and Kyuri began to fade. Labor pains returned and Ying started shouting again. There were fluids everywhere. But finally, the baby emerged into the world. Katara held it as Kyuri clipped the umbilical cord with the two knives, rubbing Ying's belly to make the afterbirth come out.
"It's a girl!" Katara cried. Kyuri smiled slightly as she reached over. They cleaned the baby off and wrapped it in a blanket. Kyuri held it for a moment, looking at it with a smile on her face. Something lurched inside her as she passed the baby to its mother.
Toph and Sokka came in, but Aang stayed outside.
"Aang, you have to come see this," Katara said, exiting the tent. Aang stood and followed her inside. Her found Ying holding the baby, her husband and sister-in-law on either side of her. Kyuri knelt by her side, a bemused expression on her face as she stared at the bundle. Katara, Aang, Toph, and Sokka clustered around Ying's feet.
"She sounds healthy," Toph observed as the baby began to squirm and cry.
"She's beautiful," Katara said tenderly and Kyuri nodded.
"It's so… squishy-looking," Sokka said.
"What should we name her?" Tahn asked.
"I want our daughter's name to mean something," Ying said. "I want it to be unique."
Aang felt tears prick his eyes. He stepped forwards. "I've been going through a really rough time lately," he said. "But you've made me… hopeful again."
"I know what her name to be," Ying said. She looked down at the baby. "Hope."
"That's a perfect name. Hope."
Kyuri stood and left the tent in a hurry. She climbed partially up the cliff side and stood on a small ledge, staring towards the walls of Ba Sing Se. Her eyes were pricking and she felt water in the lids of her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Sang asked, bemused.
"I want a child, Sangilak," Kyuri said, a tears rolling down her cheek as she closed her eyes. "I want a husband that loves me and a family that will stay by my side while I give birth. I want a daughter or son to raise and teach and love. I want it Sang, all the things I said I'd never have. I was alright with that before, never having those things, but now I've seen it… and I understand now. I want friends, Sangilak, and neighbors, and maybe even co-workers and acquaintances to wave at in the street. I want a husband and a baby of my own. I… I don't want to be alone forever," she sobbed. She fell to the ground and curled her knees to her chest. Finally she let the tears roll. She didn't sob, didn't gasp, didn't sniffle, she just sat there and cried, the tears rolling down her cheeks and plopping into her lap.
"Kyuri?"
Kyuri looked up sharply to see Katara standing there beside her, braid blowing in the wind and looking at her in concern. When she saw the streaks on her friend's cheeks, Katara gaped.
"What- What happened?"
"I want a family Katara," Kyuri said, wiping her eyes. "I want friends. I don't want to be alone," she finished simply. Katara gaped at her, and then became widely. She dropped to the ground and hugged Kyuri tightly, and for the first time Kyuri didn't flinch. She just raised her arms and hugged Katara back. Katara pulled back and gasped.
Kyuri was smiling. Not a small smile, not a tight, mocking one, not a smirk, but a real, true, tooth-baring smile, her shoulder shaking with silent laughter. The friend Katara had lost a decade before was finally putting in a reappearance.
"You're smiling!" Katara said, laughing. Kyuri's smile shifted into a confident, teasing, crooked smirk Katara had missed, even though it usually preceded some of the events that got them the worst punishments.
"It's been known to happen," Kyuri smirked.
By the time they returned to the ground, Kyuri had composed herself. She was still straight-faced, and Katara doubted that would ever go away, but something of her old friend now lingered in the wrinkles at the corners of her smiling eyes, the way she tossed her hair confidently as she moved, and sashayed instead of marching.
"Where's Aang and Suki?" she asked.
"Suki went back to the Kyoshi Warriors," Sokka huffed sadly.
"And Aang went ahead to start looking for Appa."
"Oh, is he gone already?" Ying asked, emerging from the tent. "We wanted to thank him for his help, and yours!"
"We'll pass it along," Kyuri said as they began walking.
Kinda short, but this is sort of the final step of the first half of this story, where Kyuri really changes over and starts opening up and being happy and all those nice, squishy things. Now I can focus more on the romance of the story. Sorry about the long wait, but I've been sick all week and sort of useless.