Untitled

Ten Years. Yangchen thought to herself as she rolled onto her back to avoid the sunlight that was digging into her eyes from the window.

Today is the ten year anniversary of Jetsun's death. While the nun was still alive and well in the spirit world, her physical death is very much a harsh reality of the Young Avatar.

I should just lay here, Yangchen knew she shouldn’t entertain such thoughts because they sounded like great ideas on bad days. She rubbed her temples as she sat up from her sleeping mat. She and Kavik had to travel the rest of the way to Taku today.

“Yangchen,” Kavik came through her tent flap, it was just the two of them and they’d known each other long enough that privacy wasn’t on anyone's mind first thing in the morning.

“I got a head start on loading the sky bison-” Kavik cut himself off after seeing the state of Yangchen's face. “You look great this morning by the way.”

Yangchen glared at her companion, rising to her feet, simultaneously pushing Kavik back out. “I’m aware.”

The sky bison, one they were loaned from a monk in the Southern Air Temple who broke his leg in a storm and couldn’t travel but wanted his bison to get exercise, could be seen munching on some bushes just a few paces away from the tents and fire pit.

Yangchen closed the tent flap. She wasn’t mad at Kavik but she didn’t feel like dealing with him this early in the morning. Not this morning.

—---------------------------------------

Kavik tripped over the back of his heels on his way out. He catches himself and straightens up. 

“Did you see that?” Kavik asked the sky bison, Lily, who grumbled in response. “I didn’t think my joke was that bad- what day is it?”

Kavik glanced at his notes that he’d used to make a small calendar. He recognized the date instantly. He knew Yangchen wouldn’t talk about her feelings easily, not without serious prying, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be there.

—---------------------------------------

Yangchen came out of her tent with her rolled up sleeping mat and bag of important documents she had to bring to Taku with her tucked neatly under her arm. Kavik’s tent was already gone and could be seen attached to the saddle of Lily, Kavik on the other hand was standing by last night's burnt out fire pit, which was now blazing again.

“Kavik? Are you alright?” Yangchen approached her friend, “it is much too warm for a fire. We must get going.”

“We have to eat before we go.” Kavik, who had his back to the Avatar, turned around with two tea cups in hand. “I made you jasmine.” Kavik handed one of the cups to Yangchen, motioning for her to sit beside him.

Yangchen let out a long exhale through her nose, but sat down anyway. “I appreciate the thought, Kavik, but we really must get going soon. If we start early, we can reach Taku just after sunset; I don’t want to set up another camp.”

“Lily needs rest too,” the sky bison grumbled in agreement in between mouthfuls of vegetation.

“I’m so glad you have the sky-bison's best interests at heart,” Yangchen smiled playfully. Her mood was quickly broken when she felt a familiar soreness creeping into her temple. “But there is too much land to cover to be taking long tea breaks.”

Yangchen quickly gulped down the rest of the tea before setting the cup back into its bag. She rose to her feet and went to go take her tent down.

Kavik furrowed his eyebrows. Why is she like this? He got up and began breaking down the fire and storing the remaining tea in an empty water skin.

—---------------------------------------

Being in the air was a good distraction from the feelings that came with being on the ground in the physical world.

Yangchen kept her eyes ahead, guiding the bison through memorized pathways and muscle memory. She has to keep reminding herself that this is not her bison, so of course the poor animal wouldn’t understand certain cues she knew.

Her headache grew. Why did she have to remind herself of Nujian today? Her own mind would be her own destruction at the rate she is going.

“I’m breaking open our stash of sea prunes,” Kavik interrupted Yangchen's thoughts, “how many do you want?”

“I’m not hungry, but thank you for the offer.”

“Neither of us ate breakfast.”

Yangchen rubbed her temples and grumbled in frustration. “Can you quiet down? I appreciate the offer, but I’m not hungry right now and I’m busy steering the bison if you can’t tell.”

Kavik didn’t respond. He stared at the back of Yangchen's head for a few moments. “You don’t need to be so stubborn all the time,” he said after a few moments of silence. “I’m just trying to help you.”

“Well you’re not!” Yangchen lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head was throbbing at this point, threatening to crack her skull.

“I know what today’s date is,” Kavik moved to the front of the saddle, closest to Yangchen. “Don’t think I’d forget. You’re allowed to not be okay when you’re with me… I’m your friend. You’re not alone.” With that Kavik moved back to his spot near the back of the saddle.

Yangchen sighed. “I appreciate the consideration,” she said quietly over her shoulder. She knows Kavik heard her. It’s not fair to get angry at people who did nothing wrong. Maybe Yangchen can feel that about herself one day.

—---------------------------------------

The sun fell off the horizon. They only had another hour of flying before reaching Taku so the small group would push through. Yangchen pushed through the ever persistent headache as well.

“When me and my brother were little, and we were lost in the arctic, he’d use the stars on the clear nights to guide our way back home.” Kavik moved back to the front of the saddle with Yangchen. He handed her the back of sea prunes from earlier and a cup of lukewarm tea. “As crazy as it sounds, being out there, with just each other, came with those good memories of him.”

“I’ve grown used to your nonsense,” Yangchen scoffed. But there was a hint of a smile on her face. “When we were younger, Jetsun and I would be playing airball, and randomly she would just grab the ball and refuse to give it back. I hated it, but when I look back, it’s pretty funny.”

Over her shoulder, Yangchen bent the cold tea out of Kavik’s cup into the air.

“Hey!” Kavik used his own waterbending to get his tea back but Yangchen kept her grip on it for a few moments longer. 

“It’s hilarious.” Yangchen laughed, finally relenting and letting Kavik get his tea back. With her focus distracted, her headache- which had felt like her skull was going to fall in just moments earlier- faded into a smaller, duller ache. Still considerably noticeable, but more bearable.

“Yeah, hilarious. That’s what I get for being nice.” Kavik sipped his tea. Hiding his smugness at finally getting Yangchen to laugh and relax, if only for a few moments.

As Taku came closer into sight, Yangchen signaled for Lily to begin descending closer to the ground. Landing in the private quarters meant for the city’s Zongdu.

Yangchen brought Lily into the stable and, with Kavik’s help, took all their supplies and saddle of the sky bison so the animal could rest easy. Once they were sure Lily had been fed, they made their way into the people part of the building.

“Thank you,” Yangchen spoke up as the pair walked down the long hallways, “I guess I needed a laugh today.”

“It’s no problem, really,” Kavik placed his hand on Yangchen’s shoulder, giving it a light affectionate squeeze. “It’s my job as your assistant- an occasional friend- to be there for you.”

Yangchen smiled at the young man. The two came to a halt as they reached the door to Kavik’s assigned bedroom. Yangchen’s room was further upstairs, technically it was the masterbedroom, but she only chose it because the working office was better and could hold more scrolls to support her work in Taku.

Yangchen turned and gave Kavik a hug, “goodnight. Thank you, and I’m sorry for getting mad at you earlier. You didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s okay.” Kavik hugged her tightly back, “goodnight. Remember, you’re not alone. Let me know if you want to talk more.” Kavik broke the hug, smiled at Yangchen, and went into his room with the soft click of the door behind him.

Yangchen walked up to her room. The long flight was tiring, the headaches making it worse, the thought of laying down felt amazing at that moment.

When her head hit the bed she didn’t fall asleep immediately, her thoughts wandered. Sad ones about Jetsun and Nujian. But there were the good ones she spoke to Kavik about. She hadn’t noticed it at first, but the headache had subsided. Thinking about her good memories with Jetsun, even the ones where she was being a bit mean, put her subconscious to ease. Jetsun wasn’t gone, as long as Yangchen had those memories.

“Thank you, Kavik.” Yangchen whispered into the night. They hadn’t spoken much at all that day, but the small conversation of reminiscing about older siblings put her mind at ease enough to be able to fall asleep comfortably.

--------------

Aang paces around the outskirts of Wolf Cove, deep in thought.

He had told Katara, who was currently sleeping in her home within the village, that he was going to be up late speaking with his past lives to try and find advice on how to handle several worldly affairs such as port systems for the United Republic and how to calm the public to prevent future rebel groups from rising. That he needed to do so in a quiet, secluded space.

Katara hadn’t thought much of it, Aang consistently contacted his past lives for aid in worldly affairs so asking for help in port management wasn’t new, Avatars such as Szeto and Yangchen had been experts in their day, and Avatar Kyoshi was the ultimate peacekeeper. So there was nothing for her to question too deeply.

But Aang hadn’t told her the truth about the wisdom he was actually seeking. He did not need guidance on ports or peacekeeping. He needed wisdom for her.

The Gaang has been traveling the world for years, rebuilding the Earth Kingdom and reestablishing peace amongst the three nations. But it always took up a large portion of their time, the Gaang always talked about going on more adventures despite everyone being consistently out of time, and Aang was worried he was letting Katara down with how often he had to travel.

Aang finally took a seat in the snow, it was cold at first but he soon adapted. With his legs crossed, he pressed his fists together and closed his eyes, focusing all his energy into balling within him then projecting it outward. “Avatar Roku. I need your wisdom.”

There was another temperature shift, a turn in the winds, the air became more still, and the ground beneath the young avatar seemed to disappear.

“Hello Aang,” the voice boomed through the empty space around them. The wisdom of the croak could be heard deep within. Aang opened his eyes to the familiar face of Avatar Roku. “It is good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Roku.” Aang smiled at his predecessor who had always been by his side, even if he didn’t deserve it. “I need your advice… advice for Katara.”

Roku stroked his beard and nodded for Aang to continue. This certainly isn’t the first time Aang has asked for relationship advice, but Roku was attentive to any question his successor may need answered. 

Aang pulled a blue pendant with intricate carvings of the Water Tribe and Air Nation symbols from his robes. “I want to propose to Katar, but I don’t know the right course of action. I can’t ask Sokka, he won’t say anything but he will get excited, and that will be noticed by Katara.” Aang glanced down from Roku to the pendant. He sighed as he tucked the stone jewel back into his robes. “And marriage in general, does that go against the Air Nomad teachings? Does it go against my lessons with Guru Pathik to cut off worldly and emotional desires? I’m asking you because you were married despite doing the same, did it impact your spirits? Did your connection change? Did-”

“Aang,” Roku cut him off from spiraling further, “while I do understand your worries, I do not believe I am the one you should be asking these questions.”

“Then who?... Kuruk?!” It made perfect sense, a Water Avatar would know all there is to know about water tribe proposal customs.

Roku shook his head. “While Kuruk does know much about the Water Tribe, he is not from the Air Nation, and cannot tell you the rules of marriage of the Air Nomads.”

“So I have to ask an Air Nation Avatar? Does Kyoshi count?”

“No,” Roku shook his head, “she was raised in the Earth Kingdom and married a Fire Nation woman. The information you seek comes from a generation further, and Air Nomad with a Water Tribe acquaintance as she likes to put it.”

“You mean Yangchen?” Aang raised his eyebrow and looked at the wise old Avatar in confusion. “I do respect and honour the teachings of Yangchen, she’d understand and can guide me in the rules of marriage within Air Nomad society, but what would she know about proposals? Her records never mention a lover, or even any relationships beyond platonic.”

“Yangchen was private, young avatar, and you’ll find that what is recorded in history is not always accurate to the event.”

Aang nodded and bowed his head to Roku, “I will check then. Thank you, Avatar Roku, for your wisdom.”

Roku returned Aang’s bow before dissipating away.

“Avatar Yangchen," Aang called out into the blue void, “I need your wisdom.”

The temperature shifted once again as Aang felt a new presence take form in front of him. When he opened his eyes, the spiritual form of Avatar Yangchen was sitting in front of him. 

“Hello, Avatar Aang,” the nun greeted Aang, “from what I’ve heard, you are requesting relationship advice; that is not a conventional request of past lives, but it is effective when your past lives aid you in some of the average life's paths.”

Aang grimaced for a moment before returning to a face of serenity to match the Nun. “Avatar Yangchen, Avatar Roku informed me that you may have the answer to my questions, that you have experience in the fields I’m aimless in.”

Yangchen looked at the young man and hummed to herself before coming up with an answer, “Airnomads are free to marry if they so chose. It was not common practice, but if your spirit feels truly connected to someone, in this scenario Katara, then it is celebrated.”

“But isn’t it different because I’m the Avatar?”

The air grew silent for a moment as Avatar Yangchen thought. “No,” she concluded, “many avatars- nearly all avatars- have had deep rooted romantic relationships, if marriage did not affect their spirits it will not affect yours. Many times, these relationships healed their spirits in ways meditation cannot.”

Aang nodded, he understood what Yangchen is saying, but he was still confused. “Thank you, Yangchen, but this all seems like common knowledge that Roku could’ve answered- no offense- why did he say to speak with you?”

“No offense taken, young Avatar.” Yangchen smiled to him and herself before continuing, “but you had one more question, about Water Tribe customs, that I may be of help answering. How you ever heard of my dear companion, Kavik?”

“Yes, he was mentioned in many records from aiding the bookkeeping from the Shang System.”

“But he was much more than that.”

The scene changed from a watery, opened void, to the Western Air Temple. This is one of Yangchen's memories.

—---------------------------------------

“You can tell people to shut up, you know that, right?” Kavik trailed behind the young Avatar as they exited yet another gruesomely boring meeting in Jonduri. “They’d probably never talk again if the Avatar told them that.”

—---------------------------------------

“Is that him?” Aang glanced at Yangchen, who was watching the scene with a lost look in her eyes. Aang couldn’t quite place the emotion.

“Yes. That is my closest friend, Kavik. In this memory we’re both older than you are now, twenty-eight if I remember correctly.”

—---------------------------------------

Yangchen rubbed her temples and sighed down the long haul. “Spirits, I would if I could. But that would taint the image of the avatar.”

“Most nobles are already scared of you.”

“Those are nobles, there are regular citizens walking these halls and in those meetings even if they are not who we’re negotiating with.”

Kavik sped up a bit and slowed down once he was on par with Yangchen. “Are you okay? You’ve been off all morning.”

“Tired. It was a long ride here, and it will be another long ride to wherever we’re called next.” Yangchen wouldn’t admit it, but she’s not a fan of boats. She couldn’t borrow any sky bison at the moment with the Air Nomads all being busy with summer solstice ritual preparations coming up. They didn’t have the resources to temporarily let go of a spare.

“The next meeting doesn’t start till one-thirty,” Yangchen and Kavik stepped out into the front courtyard of the building where a small sundial stood.

Kavik glanced at the time, “it’s eleven-thirty. You have time to rest.” Yangchen glared at him. “Or oil your joints, because you seem to like operating like a machine.”

Yangchen rolled her eyes and began walking faster. “I’ll be heading up to the office. I need to get my notes in order before the next meeting.”

“It wouldn’t kill us- kill you to take a rest.” Kavik muttered.

“I heard that.”

“You were supposed to,” Kavik pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before catching up to Yangchen. “You have the respect of the four nations, and their leaders. Commoners pray to you, and the nobility obey your every word. Nobody would blame you if you take a break.”

“I understand that, Kavik, and I will take a break later, but right now my attention and presence is required.” Yangchen closed the office door in his face. Absolutely insufferable, she thought to herself. After eleven years of working together- and friendship Yangchen supposed- she would’ve assumed her feelings towards him would have been neutralized. But Kavik surpasses the kind of annoyance you get from a coworker or a friend, he’s just different. More reliable, but gets on her back more.

Closing your eyes couldn’t hurt. A small thought appeared in the back of Yangchen's head. One that was not her own. It sounds quite nice.

“Not you too,” Yangchen sat down and began reading over the papers on her desk. She’d been having less “episodes” as she got older. But they’d sneak up and grab her when she’s sleep deprived. 

“I don’t have time to worry about you all when I’ve already got so much with the ports and…” Yangchen yawned. Closing her eyes did sound lovely right now.

—---------------------------------------

“So was Kavik your friend or not?” Aang asked his distant predecessor. “You seem to think pretty negatively of him.”

“Hmm-? Oh,” Yangchen turned to face the young man, “of course Kavik was my friend prior to this. Dare I say my best.”

“But you brush him off and his concerns- what do you mean ‘was’?”

“Be patient, young Avatar.” 

—---------------------------------------

“She is absolutely insufferable,” Kavik groaned as he walked Jonduri’s market with Jujinta. The adult Jujinta was nearly a head taller and twice the size of Kavik. He’d been scouring the grounds around the meeting hall and inside, his goal was to follow the Avatar, and doing that included protecting her, so Jujinta had somewhat assigned himself as the bodyguard.

“She treats herself like a machine and, while repetitive, it’s painful to watch.”

“Tell me about it.” Jujinta muttered, picking a pear from a market stall before tossing a coin to the vendor.

“All I ever do is try to help her, and she brushes me off in return!” Kavik threw his hands up for dramatic effect. “I just want to help.”

“You groan a lot,” Jujinta said in between bites of his mouth stuffed with pear. 

Kavik glared at Jujinta, “thanks.”

Jujinta didn’t react to the glare, didn’t even look back at Kavik. “Just help where you see pockets available. Aren’t waterbenders supposed to be good at adapting?”

“I always help where help is needed.”

“Available.” Jujinta clarified. “When I was working in the association I only took the jobs that were available, not the ones where they requested help.”

“How is Yangchen and your work in the association remotely related?”

Jujinta finished chewing through his bite of pear. “Just get your lunch and get back to your office if you won’t listen.”

They rounded into the market square where another public sun-dial stood. Half past noon. An hour and a quarter till the next meeting.

—---------------------------------------

Kavik entered the study with two teacups in hand. “I grabbed a few caffeine leaves from the market, so you won’t die in the meeting.”

Yangchen is sitting silently at her desk, tapping her writing brush up and down in a slow, distracted pace.

—---------------------------------------

Aang quickly noticed how the air felt wrong. Not wrong, but something was off. That person he was watching in the chair didn’t have Yangchen's energy.

“We are no longer in my memory,” Yangchen said to the young Avatar, sensing his unease.

“But that’s you, and you’re here,” Aang rubbed his head in confusion, trying to piece the information together. “Who’s in the chair?”

“Avatar Gun was. He’s always been a pain in my side, taking over my mind.”

Aang had learned of Yangchen’s “gift” many years ago through past communications and lessons from the Southern Air Temple Monks. “If Avatar Gun is in the chair, then why am I not speaking to him?”

Yangchen hummed for a moment in thought. “I was partially conscious in the moment. Having dazed control over my words and actions. The moment wasn’t clear to me at the time, but it is a memory I often visit.”

—---------------------------------------

“Yangchen? Are you alright?” Kavik approached his companion who didn’t show any acknowledgement that she saw him. “Avatar Yangchen, I brought tea.”

Yangchen’s head finally turned in Kavik's direction. “Oh, thank you, Kavik.” Yangchen took the tea and brought it to her lip. She took a long, deep sip, letting the warmer liquid sit for a few moments before setting the cup down. “Sorry I didn’t see you, I’m just tired.”

Well maybe you wouldn’t be if you took my advice. “No need to apologize, I get it.” Kavik took a seat on the chair on the other side of Yangchen’s desk. Help when help is available. Jujinta’s advice repeated in Kavik’s head.

Kavik read over a few of his own notes, while Yangchen went through the mountain of her’s. “Are you sure you don’t want me to cancel the meeting?” Kavik prodded again when he glanced up and saw Yangchen half asleep. “We have ten minutes, that’s enough time to get the message out.”

Yangchen stared at Kavik for a moment. There was a slight vacant look to her face, Kavik knows not to question that part.

“That may be the best option right now,” Yangchen rubbed her temples. Her head was still pounding. She knew that Kavik had likely figured out what happened. That is NOT his business right now. 

“On it .” Kavik got up and left the room to find another assistant to send out a message.

—---------------------------------------

Kavik reentered the room. “I sent out the message, luckily nobody had arrived by the time I was actually able to send it out.”

Kavik sat down across from Yangchen again. “You should go back to the zhang quarters, I’ll clean up here.”

“Thank you, again,” Yangchen set her writing brush down. She took a sip to finish off the now lukewarm tea and looked up at Kavik. She didn’t say anything, he looked so cute when he was eager to help, or just be there for the Avatar.

“I’m sorry for being impatient,” Kavik said after a moment. He felt like he was being stared down but there was no malice in her eyes. “I should have gotten the hang of waiting by now.”

“You do groan a lot,” Yangchen grinned at the young man, “but your honesty is what I like about you- as my assistant-” Yangchen quickly added, “many lives, mine and my predecessors, have taught me to be careful with who I trust. And I trust you Kavik, you’re my closest friend. And those same past lives and life lessons taught me that having close friends makes the burden of the Avatar easier. So I appreciate your concern, even when you’re annoying.”

Kavik stared at Yangchen for a moment. “Okay now you’re really starting to freak me out.”

Yangchen rolled her eyes and pushed her chair away from the desk before standing up. “You’re a fool. Let’s go back to the Zhang quarters before I fall asleep in the ink pot.”

Kavik bit back a grin as he stood up to follow Yangchen. “Okay, I’m telling Jujinta, Tayagum, and Akuudan that you called me your closest friend by the way.”

Kavik’s comment was met with a paper being air blasted into his face.

—---------------------------------------

“That didn’t seem… romantic?” Aang rubbed the back of his smooth head, turning to look at Yangchen.

Yangchen sighed, maybe it wasn’t the best memory to show for this context, but it is still dear to her heart. “This was one of few moments I was truly vulnerable with someone in my life. Someone who I didn’t grow up in the Western Air Temple with, someone who didn’t owe me a favor, someone who wasn’t trying to just follow me around. Kavik was truly my closest friend, his presence made my life as the Avatar easier. Like how Katara makes being the Avatar less of a burden on you.” Yangchen poked the young monk in between the eyes.

“He’s starting to sound like your boyfriend.” Aang grinned as the air around them shifted back into the spiritual, floorless space from before.

“That is information that is not for you.” Avatar Yangchen stepped in front of Avatar Aang, “I hope you understood what I was trying to teach you, young Avatar. You have the answers to your many questions, be wise. Katara is the embodiment of her element, like how you are the embodiment of all four. Water is available when it is needed, be available when Katara needs help, don’t force yourself into it. But still always have her back. With this information, you and Katara will have a very happy life together, young Avatar.”

Aang soaked in the words. He understood the lesson, Avatar Yangchen did a good job teaching it.

“Thank you, Avatar Yangchen,” Aang bowed to the Nun, “for your wisdom and knowledge.”

Yangchen returned the bow before dissipating into the spiritual energy void around them.

A past life fulfilling their duty to advise the Avatar is  the more straightforward approach, but a person caring enough to teach a student with their own experience was much better.

I had to scrap my only complete one because apparently the honey trap prompt does not in fact mean they’re setting a trap for an animal with honey. I’m serious.

Y’all see the vision? I used the blue to show her avatar state, the air around her, and separate the dark areas.

Chapter 4

Avatar Kyoshi stepped into her quarters at the Southern Air Temple. The sun outside had completely set, her room casted eerie shadows in the corners from the torches on the walls.

For several days she’d been gutting the islands and waterways around the Southern Water Tribe territories of rogue daofei that had slipped through the cracks over the last few decades. What they wanted- gold, power, revenge- didn’t really matter in the end. They were a nuisance, vermin.

So it brought a sense of relief that they were finally dealt with.

The Avatar removed her headdress and boots, which were heavy from the snow melt and ice. She didn’t rush to remove her make up though. The oily bases had been her second skin for centuries, so removing it wouldn’t be her second thought.

Silence. Silence all around her. No screams or scoldings or even chatter.

Still. It didn’t bother the Avatar.

The door to her chambers creaked open and a short, bald woman stepped in heavily. Her face was painted with a familiar expression, one she often showed the Avatar, a face of anger and otherwise bewilderment. “What is wrong with you?”

“Sister Disha,” Avatar Kyoshi said while going back to removing her battle gear without looking at the nun. Not even bothering to change her voice into something less monotone. “This better be of the utmost importance. I don’t have the time, nor the energy to hear the same lecture again.”

“You killed dozens of people, people who could’ve been redeemed and rehabilitated died by your hand!” Sister Disha stopped a few paces short of the Avatar. She’d always been braver than most, Sister Disha. Not even Daofei dared speak to Avatar Kyoshi like that. “You cannot keep doing this in the long run.”

“Rodent’s eat people's food, spread their disease, and damage the foundation of the buildings and homes they forcefully occupy and destroy.” Avatar Kyoshi started, taking a brief pause to resist rolling her eyes or simply air blasting Disha out of her space. But the nun was too advanced to not know of these tricks and evade them. “The daofei are rodents, infesting the homes and disrupting the lives of the innocent. I am aware that the Air Nations beliefs prohibit the acts, but in the rest of the world when there's an infestation, you exterminate.”

The words hung heavy in the room.

“You’re no exterminator,” the anger was evident in the nun's voice, but she didn’t yell. “You’re no better or more just than a common butcher.”

Butcher.

Kyoshi recognized the name that had originally belonged to a foe long ago.

Finally, Avatar Kyoshi gave Sister Disha the acknowledgement of turning around.

—---------------

The nun’s back remained straight and her gaze remained straight ahead as the Avatar turned to face her. There were patches of blood scattered across the large masses face and robes, but those did not disturb Disha. The Avatar’s eye’s, for as long as Disha had known her, had always reflected discontent, boredom, and anger. The nun could face the anger.

Avatar Kyoshi clenched her fist. The nun did not back down.

“Strike me if you’d like. It may help you at this moment, but it would just lead to more problems in the long run.” Sister Disha remained composed, even as the Avatar stared daggers.

“If you strike me down it will only further dissuade air-masters from working with you. Many masters have come and gone over your centuries, either because you outlived them,” Sister Disha held up one hand, “or they left on their own accord. Unable to see and adapt to your keen sense of justice.” Sister Disha held up her other hand to represent the second option.

Both hands soon returned to being clasped behind her back.

“But I have seen and adapted to your ways, Avatar Kyoshi,” Sister Disha’s eyes narrowed. Boring back into the eyes that had been burning into hers just a moment before. “Your sense of justice starts half the problems you fix. The man you killed today wanted to fight you because you killed his father.”

“Not everything can be fixed and fit into your idea of justice. While justice may bring peace, your version simply doesn’t.” Sister Disha took a daring step toward the Avatar. “How many of the conflicts and battles we face do you reckon were directly, or indirectly, caused by your own actions?”

Sister Disha didn’t yell. She didn’t scream. She didn't shout. But her words cut through the open air like hot bronze knives in the North Pole.

Avatar Kyoshi’s fingers stretched out, curled, then balled in a fist. Sister Disha waited for the blow, preparing movements below her arms to counter.

“You’re dismissed, Sister Disha,” Avatar Kyoshi’s face was still contorted in a deep scowl. Her shoulders, fist, and hands all tensed up as if preparing for a strike. But nothing came.

“That won’t do Avatar Kyoshi,” Sister Disha kept her eyes locked. Analyzing any possible attack that may come. Disha had worked alongside Kyoshi for years, seen everything that set the Avatar off. Being scolded and questioned was typically one of them.

“I said, you’re dismissed,” Kyoshi turned on her heels before adding over her shoulder, “permanently.”

Sister Disha’s eyebrows shifted from angry to surprised, before returning back to her neutral expression. This was unseen. Had the Avatar been so angry she shocked herself? Was it a trick? It doesn’t matter anymore. Now the Avatar wants to be alone.

“Very well.” Sister Disha said without much implication to her internal thoughts or doubts. The nun bowed before turning back around with her hands clasped behind her back. “There is no longer anything to aid you with. There is nothing I can tell you to dissuade you from this path, you’ll outlive me and everyone in this temple. In a century nobody here will remember this conversation even happened. But it will be miniscule to what your justice will evolve into over a century. Just know that your future endeavors will likely be attended to alone.”

The door creaked open then shut. Several young monks were in the surrounding area, hauling buckets of water or paints for that day's chores. Likely none had heard the conversation, but all watched as the nun exited the Avatars quarters.

The nun exited the Avatars Quarters, and made her way to the meditation ledge of the Southern Air Temple Abbott to inform him that she was no longer in the Avatars service because of their conflicting paths. Along with a warning about Avatar Kyoshi’s view on how justice was to be served, so that future masters wouldn’t be taken off guard.

If there were future masters.

—---------------

Avatar Kyoshi rubbed her temples. Spirits. Kyoshi felt the pressure building in her head.

When she took her hands away her gloves had a thin layer of red on the finger tips. Presumed to be her makeup paint, she walked over to the reflecting pool where she had first communed with Kuruk- though she hadn’t sought guidance from him nor any past life in a century. She slipped her gloves off before cupping the water in her hands and rubbed it on her face to wash the paint off.

When she took her hands away and opened her eyes, she noted how the water was more red than white. When the ripples settled after a few moments she saw her reflection: by her left temple there was a scratch, a scratch that was bleeding.

Obviously it wasn’t deep, but the fact that she had gotten this scrape is a mystery. She didn’t recall getting hit in her fight with the daofei boss. Her gloves and gauntlets didn’t have any loose threads to cause it, she would’ve felt it if it had been her gloves that cut her a moment ago.

Her fight with the daofei boss had been swift and easy, but some ice and earth debris had been thrown around a bit from her own bending?

No, Avatar Kyoshi shook her head as she moved some water up to the scrape to clean it out. I was careful. Nothing gets past me.

What if it does?

Kyoshi froze and let the water splash into the reflecting pool. First Disha and now her own thoughts were getting to her. It had been way too long of a day. Her thoughts weren’t even in her own voice, it was- it was… who?

Kyoshi went over it in her head. She recognized the voice, knew who would say something like that, but she couldn’t recall a name.

Kelsang? His voice faded from memory a long, long time ago.

Kuruk? No. It had sounded too high for Kuruk's deep voice.

Disha? Not even a little. Disha had a smoother voice while this one was more of a rasp.

One of her warriors? If so, it wasn't a recent one. She hadn’t been to her island's villages in years.

Kyoshi finished washing her face off and stared at the woman in the water. The woman with greying hair frozen in time, freckles all up and down her face, and hollow green eyes.

Kyoshi stared at the stranger in the water. Wondering what she was missing. What had she missed?

Kyoshi was alone with her thoughts. Not in a meeting, not in a battle, not training with her warriors, or even at a festival. She was simply alone with nobody by her side. There hadn’t been an empty space there since she was a little kid. Could she even remember that far back?

She hadn’t been alone for long. Kelsang had found her, the Flying Opera had been by her side since she discovered she was the avatar, and-...

“Rangi.”

That was the voice's owner. The name was bittersweet on her tongue. It had been too long since she last heard that name.

Rangi had gotten in the way, everything was supposed to be easier without someone on her back all the time. Disapproving of her actions and yelling at her to think things through.

Rangi wouldn’t approve of Kyoshi's fight with the daofei boss. The firebender wouldn’t approve of this isolation Kyoshi had put herself into.

It was hard to remember what else Rangi wouldn’t approve of.

Kyoshi stared at the water. Who am I?

—---------------

Dear Avatar Kyoshi,

We, The Council of Elders of the Southern Air Temple, regret to inform you that after six months of searching and waiting, there is no air-master willing to accompany you. We will keep you posted if we find someone who offers. But in the meantime you will have to return to your post as Avatar alone.

Chapter 3

The rafters dripped down water. The ground was damp as Lee hunched between the crates. There were screams and then silence, screams and then silence. The alarm had gone off not even two minutes ago but he still couldn’t find the reason behind it.

“Show yourself!” The sandy haired boy shouted once he got to a larger opening between crates. That probably wasn’t the best decision to make. There was movement amongst the shadows, there were also a few lumps on the floor that he didn’t have the stomach to investigate. “I’m not scared of you!” Lee puffed out his chest as he forced his hands steady so the flame he held would stay.

Thump.

Lee turned around to face the sound. What he was met with was the familiar face of his boss, Xuan, crawling from behind a further set of crates of goods they’d recently taken from a treasure ship just last week. Just last week they had all been celebrating an elaborate maritime escape from the Avatar and her companions.

Xuan couldn’t lift himself off the ground. He spotted Lee and reached out to him. “Sir-?” Lee didn’t even get to properly look at what was still intact of his boss before a pelt of stone ripped through the older man's skull, sending him fully limp on the floor.

—---------------

Rangi waited beside Yingyong in the meadow surrounding the town. The town had no name, it was a daofei outpost that she and Kyoshi had been tracking for weeks. The elderly sky bison shifted lazily in the grass as he picked at some of the shrubs. Jinpa was back at the compound getting his scrolls in order, he was set to retire in a week fews.

Rangi looked to the sky, the sun was nearly under the horizon. She grimaced to herself as she leaned against the fur beast. She would rather be at home, celebrating her 45th anniversary with her wife. But Kyoshi had insisted on doing this job, on this day, on this evening.

Rangi hadn’t missed Kyoshi’s absentmindedness over the last decade. What seventy year old woman was right in the head all the time? Kyoshi’s age didn’t seem to be catching up physically but the universe always had its tricks and surprises. You pick those up after so long within it.

“Crazy old woman,” Rangi muttered to herself with a small chuckle. She leaned forward, with a groan, and stood up. Yingyong perked his head up too and shook his head. “I’ll be right back,” Rangi scratched the bison behind his ear, “don’t worry about me. I still have fire in my bones.”

—---------------

Lee stood frozen as a dark figure emerged from behind the crates. Her eyes seemed to be glowing with spite and emptiness. The woman didn’t flinch when she made the kill, didn’t even react to the sight of Lee. When he saw her face he almost threw up in fear.

Her face was completely pale and paint the colour of blood surrounded her eyes. Maybe it was real blood. She was covered in it.

“Please.” Lee’s voice was nothing but a tiny whisper. Any sign of an arrogant young man long gone. “Please, have mercy. I’ll leave. I’ll leave and never come back and never tell a soul what I saw here today!”

The woman didn’t react. Her eyes bore into his soul. She wasn’t studying or evaluating, it didn’t even seem like she heard him.

She took a step toward him. He stepped back.

“Please.” Lee tried to beg one more time. A small wind hit him in the back. It would’ve barely been strong enough to move a sheet of paper, but he fell to his knees. “I’ll do better, just spare me.”

“You’ve already committed the actions damning your fate,” her voice was low but not angry. There was simply no emotion, no depth to her face or voice. She was an empty husk of anger. “Only the spirits can decide your fate.”

Lee felt tears stream down his cheeks as he lowered his head. He closed his eyes to not see the danger approaching. He felt the cold, hard ground as he regained his balance. He smelled the metallic hint of blood come closer. It was so potent he could taste it.

“Kyoshi!” Came a shout from deeper in the aisle. The last thing Lee heard before the world cut out.

—---------------

Rangi reached the warehouse. Just as she had expected it was a quick build, probably built earlier this year but was already rusting and had loose boards coming off.

“She could’ve at least torn into somewhere nice on our anniversary.” Rangi muttered to herself as she searched the perimeter for an open door.

It was weird. There appeared to be nobody else around the perimeter. No guards handcuffed to the side of the building, no rapid breaths of hiding thieves. Rangi had grown to be able to detect the smallest hint of hiding daofei, but she simply didn’t hear or see anything.

Rangi found a door. It was wide open and was splintering around the edges. She took a glance in to make sure it was safe before lighting a small flame to guide her way.

Rangi froze and got into a quick stance when she heard a scream come from nearby. She assumed someone would come around the corner and charge at her, and despite being old and sore, she wouldn’t go down that easily. But nobody came. As soon as it came the scream was gone. And so another, and another. The screams were inconsistent and all over the warehouse, but they all ended almost as soon as they started.

“Kyoshi?” Rangi took the risk and called out below her breath. The team had been in hundreds of different situations over the years, but this one just seemed… off.

Rangi reignited her flame and walked further into the warehouse. She walked slowly between the aisles and racks of crates and other goods. She walked until she stepped in something wet.

Looking down her eyes landed on a pile of red. Blood. And not a foot away was the source. A bald man. His head was intact but the neck was slit. A surgically clean cut for a fight. Only one person could make such a cut in his stress environments. But why?

No. Rangi told herself. It was just an accident. Accidents happen all the time. Kyoshi was known for her strong sense of justice, maybe this man had crossed one too many lines.

Rangi stepped over him and continued on her way. The building creaked and groaned, dusk fell from the rafters. There were more thuds and screams. Rangi just hoped Kyoshi was okay.

It wasn’t long till Rangi encountered another puddle.

Another body.

Another clean cut.

A shiver ripped through her body. Accidents can happen twice. Kyoshi wasn’t violent without reason. Rangi knew that about the oaf more than anyone. So she kept moving.

The next body wasn’t as far this time. Neither was the next. Neither was the next one after that.

All in pools, all with surgical slits on their throats.

This was getting too weird. There had to be some vengeful spirit or mercenary in the warehouse with herself and Kyoshi because statistically a cut like that couldn’t be accidentally made more than once.

Rangi searched more urgently now. She needed to get Kyoshi and get out of here to get more back up because this may not be something the Avatar can handle on her own.

Finally, after rounding another dark corner of crates, Rangi’s flame brought Kyoshi's figure into view.

Rangi couldn’t say anything before her breath was taken away.

In front of her- behind Kyoshi- was an older man covered in his own blood. His body was more mangled than the others, he’d probably put up a bigger fight. His arm was extended toward Kyoshi, who was currently peering down at a sobbing young man with sandy hair.

“Please… please, have mercy. I’ll leave. I’ll leave and never come back and never tell a soul what I saw here today!” The boys head shunned from the Avatar. Rangi would’ve assumed a young daofei like him would have the arrogance to fight, but he was throwing himself to her.

Rangi took a step toward Kyoshi. Kyoshi took a step toward the boy. The boy took a step back before falling to his knees.

“Please. I’ll do better, just spare me.” The boy wheezed out. His words barely comprehensible through his gasps of breath between sobs.

“You’ve already committed the actions damning your fate,” her voice was low but not angry. There was simply no emotion, no depth to her face or voice. Rangi felt sick to her core. The Avatar, her wife, was appearing as an empty husk of anger. “Only the spirits can decide your fate.”

“Kyoshi!” Rangi finally managed to call out. But it was too late. The thump that came from the boy hitting the floor was deafening. As well as the silence that followed.

“How could you do such a thing?!” Rangi stormed up to Kyoshi, trying to resist the locking of her own joints and spun the Avatar around.

Kyoshi stared down at Rangi with a moment of surprise before shifting back to neutrality. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Not supposed to be here?” Rangi felt the tears welling up in her eyes but bit them back. “We’re not supposed to be here. But you insisted on doing this dissection.”

Rangi took a step back. Kyoshi didn’t move toward the firebender in any way. Rangi had to look away for a moment to collect herself.

“Please don’t tell me those bodies were from you.” The firebender managed to look her wife in the eyes. “Please tell me they were from a spirit or mercenary or anything else!”

—---------------

Kyoshi looked down at the old woman she saw before her. She knew her name was Rangi, that this was the love of her life, her best friend in the whole world.

But spirits did she want Rangi to shut up.

All her life, Rangi bossed around Kyoshi like she was some petulant child. Like she was incapable of making decisions for or taking care of herself.

Rangi was always so bossy and rude for someone who was supposed to protect the Avatar. Kyoshi hadn’t physically changed in decades while she’d seen this impenetrable woman get older, shakier, less precocious. Because of this Kyoshi usually went on missions alone now. To give herself a breather.

Maybe it had driven the two apart. Maybe they weren’t destined to be together anymore.

There were a few daofei she was yet to hunt down in this warehouse. They’d likely bring the place down with them once she got too close. Kyoshi thought about what it’d be like to bring the building down. To bury this woman and everyone else inside it. Kyoshi herself would likely get out unharmed.

The light that shined through the windows grew dimmer as the sun began to set.

She wanted to see the beautiful life in front of her. She remembers loving Rangi so much. But right now this sad old woman just looked like everyone else in this pathetic warehouse.

—---------------

Kyoshi didn’t flinch at the shouts, didn’t shift her weight or diverge her eyes. She was silent for a few moments before she spoke, “you have to let go of that childish image you have of me, it’s getting bothersome.”

Rangi had to take another step back. “Childish image? Kyoshi, you’re the bridge between humans and spirits- you’re my best friend, my wife, the mother of our child, I’d never think you to be childish!”

“You expect me to take childish measures in an adult situation.” The voice was mechanical. Dull. Not Kyoshi.

“This isn’t an ‘adult situation’!” The flame in Rangi's hand burned brighter. “This is a slaughterhouse!”

The building shook. More dust came down from the rafters.

“Kyoshi just- just snap out of whatever this haze you’re in right now. This warehouse doesn’t look like it can take much more.” Rangi reached her free hand out for Kyoshi to take hers. But nothing.

This was all confusing. Kyoshi had been a bit drawn away lately, sure, but that came with being the Avatar. But this was new territory. Kyoshi could be quiet, but never intentionally distant.

“Fine.” Rangi responded to the silence with a bit of indignation and repressed tears and retracted her hand. “Be like that.” Kyoshi didn’t need to see an old lady cry. She probably wouldn’t react because of whatever mood this is.

Rangi turned on her heels to find her way out of the building with Kyoshi still frozen in place behind her.

—---------------

Kyoshi held her breath till Rangi rounded the corner. She felt bad being rude to someone she had once cared deeply for. But the world demanded too much of the Avatar's attention. She didn’t need someone hounding her for something she couldn’t give in a situation they shouldn’t be in.

Kyoshi felt the ground shift along the back wall of the warehouse. Her hunch about there still being a few daofei was right. And all of them needed to be gone.

Kyoshi used her air bending to give herself a speed boost. Not bothering to insure she didn’t accidentally knock anything over in the process.

They already knew she was here.

—---------------

The building was shaking a little more. Rangi had to make her flame brighter and brighter as the sun continued to set outside.

“Kyoshi?” Rangi reluctantly called behind her. Just one more time to see if the oaf would come. “Avatar Kyoshi, this place is going to collapse in on itself.” Rangi turned around to go back to where Kyoshi had been standing. But she was gone.

Rangi startled as the scream to silence pattern took up again towards a much further corner of the warehouse.

The warehouse went dark. The sun had set.

She slipped on the mangled man's blood into a stack of crates.

Rangi couldn’t move fast enough. Her leg joints had locked up to save herself from the slip. Her flame she’d been using as a guide went out briefly as she prepared to break the hunk of wood apart.

But she wasn’t fast enough. She was simply too old and sore.

Chapter 2

The sun was on the lower half of the horizon. The air still warm from the summers day.

Kyoshi sat in front of a mirror in a villa suite along the coast of Sei’naka Island. Kirima and Wong standing behind her, watching like how cat-owls watch elephant-mice. Jinpa was there too but only because Rangi and Hei-Ran were kind of intimidating. He was currently looking over the guest list so as to not make any mistakes on names.

“You two don’t have to stay,” Kyoshi said over her shoulder as she finished the final twists of her hair. Her wonsam was an elegant mix of dark greens, complimenting each other in the mix of golden lining.

Kirima grinned and slipped off her seat to Kyoshi’s side. “Stop fawning, top-knot is probably all spikes.” She shrugged before handing Kyoshi a pin to hold her hair.

Kyoshi scowled at the shorter woman before taking the pin to finally secure her hair. “I despise you. Both of you.”

“What did I do?” Wong protested while standing up.

Kyoshi just glanced at him before turning her attention back to the mirror. Rangi had asked her not to wear her makeup at the ceremony but she felt so naked without it. Rangi had said this would be a small ceremony but she wouldn’t say two hundred people is small.

The two hundred would consist of some family friends, Sei’naka clan members, The Flying Opera Company, and some government figures from each nation that Hei-Ran had claimed were necessary to ease tensions. She ensured Kyoshi this wouldn’t be turned into a business meeting though.

Kyoshi stood up and did a small twist in her dress. Saying the wonsam was elegant was an understatement. Usually a garment worn by high-class to royal Fire Nationals would be more than extraordinary.

“If it makes you feel better, that's something we’d steal on a mission.” Kirima commented. It was a good attempt at being nice.

“Thanks,” Kyoshi said dryly. “It just feels too flashy. Too nice for me.”

Kirima and Wong simultaneously rolled their eyes.

“It’s supposed to be nice,” Wong commented, “it’s for a wedding after all, it’s a special garment for a special day.”

“Yeah,” Kirima dragged on. “Not everyday the most important person in the world gets married.”

Kyoshi bit back a retort. The wonsam was beautiful to say the least. She still felt awkward in it but that wasn’t the point. The point was to make her commitment and love for Rangi clear.

“Do I need to get Hei-Ran? Tell her you’re having second thoughts?” Jinpa said without looking up from the scroll.

Hei-Ran had helped organize and plan the entire wedding, trying to make sure Rangi was happy and Kyoshi actually voiced her opinion in matters instead of bending to something that would make her uncomfortable.

“Spirits no,” Kyoshi instantly replied. “And I’m not having second thoughts. Why would I? I love Rangi, that's what matters.”

“Good.” Jinpa stated and set the scroll within his robes. “Because it’s nearly sunset.”

—---------------

Kyoshi made her way through the halls of the miniature palace to the yard, a large open space specifically designed for large events, that looked empty with the amount of people considered small.

Hei-Ran quickly appeared at Kyoshi's side, causing her to jump a bit.

“Do you remember the line of procession?” Hei-Ran didn’t miss a beat. Her hair was in a smooth top-knot, not at its full glory since she cut her hair years ago but fuller. She didn’t need a cane to walk short distances either anymore.

“You and Rangi because I’m marrying into the Sei’naka clan. And then me, I have no one else.” Kyoshi recalled. She was sad that Kelsang wasn’t there to join the precession. She knew Hei-Ran was sad too.

“He’d be proud of you.” Hei-Ran didn’t look up when she said it. She didn’t specify who. She didn’t need to.

Kyoshi sniffled back a bit before responding, “thank you.”

—---------------

The precession began shortly before sunset.

First went Hei-Ran, taking her place next to Atuat, Jinpa, and the remaining Flying Opera Company in the front.

Second was Rangi.

She was beautiful- no- stunning. Kyoshi didn’t have the proper words to describe her. Her wonsam consisted of elegant reds and pinks. The Firebenders hair was adorned with elegant twists and gold pieces. Kyoshi could barely remember to breathe, let alone her cue to follow down the aisle.

Rangi didn’t look like the pinnacle of beauty. She radiated it. She radiated the beauty and warmth not even a thousand suns could compare to.

The world could freeze in place at this very moment with Kyoshi being the only person free to move, and she would spend eternity admiring her girl and still not fully absorb her picture.

Kyoshi nearly tripped over herself when she finally remembered her cue. All feelings of warmth vanished once everyone's eyes were on her.

Kyoshi breathed. In and out. She kept her back straight and her gaze at the end- she kept her gaze on Rangi as she made it to the end. Taking her place next to the noble girl on the elevated stage, bowing to each other, before the officiant began.

Kyoshi, again, was enamored. Kyoshi simply couldn’t describe Rangi with words. Beautiful, magnificent, exquisite, alluring, elegant, radiant, no word was strong enough to describe how Kyoshi felt about her girl.

Kyoshi barely heard the officiant. Too busy trying to hold back her own grin when she saw the subtle smile on Rangi's face. She could see the other woman trying, and failing, to conceal her own reactions to Kyoshi.

She mouthed something before looking up at Kyoshi expectantly. Kyoshi was locked onto Rangi’s gaze.

“Kyoshi?” Rangi whispers, slightly nudging her and gesturing towards the officiant.

Kyoshi snaps out of her daze and looks toward the officiant.

“Kyoshi,” he started, “do you take Rangi Sei’naka to be your betrothed?"

Kyoshi felt stupid for missing the finalizing question, internally kicking herself. “Yes. Of course my answer is yes.” Her gaze softened as she turned back to face Rangi.

“Then I now pronounce you two, wife and wife.”

The simple declaration sent Kyoshi fumbling into a kiss with Rangi.

Kyoshi and Rangi have kissed hundreds, if not thousands of times. But Kyoshi never wanted to part from Rangi more than in this moment, when she was truly hers.

—---------------

The reception was nothing less than perfect. Hei-Ran had really out done herself.

Kyoshi and Rangi sat at the head table arm in arm while everyone sang and drank and ate around them. Even with all the noise, they were in their own world of bliss.

Hei-Ran and Atuat sat at a neighboring table to Rangi’s left. There was an honourary table on Kyoshi’s right for Kelsang. It wouldn’t have mattered. He would have insisted on sitting with Hei-Ran.

There were two honourary seats in the crowd. One at the Flying Opera Company's table for a fallen brother, and one at the extended families table for a fallen friend.

—---------------

The party afterward was no less than extravagant. Delicacies of both the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation were set out for guests to enjoy as they pleased. A small band played lively music on a raised platform along the sidelines.

Rangi and Kyoshi were attached at the hip, but dancing was rather hard in their elaborate, yet beautiful attire.

As the moon rose higher into the sky, several guests started retiring for the night, leaving mostly close friends, family, and a few lingerers. The excessive people didn’t help Kyoshi feel any less standoffish, but she had Rangi. Rangi made everything better.

“Hey,” Rangi whispered up to Kyoshi, taking notice of her discomfort. “Let's go change into something more comfortable. Mother told me that we should stay in our current get ups till non-family members leave, but it’s the Avatars wedding, nobody would dare to judge.”

Rangi had read the Avatar's mind.

“Are you sure? It’s likely only a matter of time before the extra guests leave, we can survive.” Kyoshi grinned weakly, but was taking small steps toward the villas doors.

There were two separate entrances of the large house, each leading to a different wing. Kyoshi had gotten ready and had her extra clothes in the wing to the west, while Rangi had gotten ready and had her extra clothes in the wing to the east. Kyoshi leaned down and planted a small kiss on Rangi’s forehead before separating. The fire-bender pretended to be annoying, but she loved it.

—---------------

Kyoshi stepped out of her room, hair down and in a simpler, yet elegant dress.

There was still noise coming from the yards, about three dozen guests were lingering. They were all either chatting, dancing, or drunkenly stumbling around.

Rangi wasn’t amongst the crowd. The fire-bender was still in her quarters.

Kyoshi would have to walk across the yard to get to the doors leading to Rangis quarters. Being out of her elaborate outfit and into something more simple, along with the lingering reminisce of a party, she had faith that the guests would respect her as she passed and not bother her with anything aside from some congratulations.

Barely two steps into the main area, a drunken earth kingdom noble had stumbled up to her, blabbing incoherently about some land in the Si Wong he was trying to secure. That if Kyoshi helped he’d make it worth her while.

“No thank you,” Kyoshi tried to be somewhat polite, “but that's not what I do-”

She hadn’t finished her sentence when another noble, likely the first noble's friend, stumbled forward too. Both nobles were slurring on about this plot of land, how it could be a major trade route if the tribe that occupied the territory sold it to them. How an endorsement from the Avatar would be very helpful in securing the land.

Kyoshi could deal with flashy clothes, she could deal with her wedding having dozens of people she didn’t or barely knew, she could deal with doing all of that without the mask of her makeup because it was all for Rangi. But Rangi wasn’t here right now.

These men were loud, getting way too comfortable getting in her space, and had absolutely no shame when cornering that Avatar at her own wedding.

With a flick of her wrist a small piece of earth came up from the ground, causing the first noble to trip forward, and the second to trip over his friend.

Kyoshi slipped away before the two could sort themselves out.

—---------------

“What are you doing over here?” Came a familiar stern, raspy voice.

It was a farther corner of the villa's garden. A small fenced-in patio that overlooked the sea.

Kyoshi turned around to see Rangi standing behind her with a tense look on her face. Her hair was in its usual simple top-knot and she had too changed into a simpler red dress, but she looked no less speechless to Kyoshi.

“I needed a breather.” Kyoshi shrugged and leaned back on the railing, glancing back at the party which now seemed much smaller and quieter. Rangi soon joined her.

“It’s nauseating how people think they can just talk to the Avatar like that.” Rangi grumbled but followed Kyoshi's gaze to the party.

“So you saw that?”

Rangi was silent for a moment. “It was amusing when you tripped them.”

Kyoshi held her hands up in self defense, “I didn’t trip anyone. They should’ve watched where they were going.”

“Like they should’ve watched their mouths.” Rangi scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. But it only took a moment before her gaze shifted upward and softened. “I told mother it was getting late, everyone should be gone in maybe five minutes. Then we can finally rest.”

Kyoshi hummed, not saying anything. She leaned into Rangi and wrapped her arms around her shoulder. “I couldn’t be happier than I am right now.”

Rangi scoff-giggled and leaned into her girl. “Neither could I be you big oaf.”

Kyoshi leaned down and kissed Rangi on the forehead. Which was met with Rangi taking her chin and pulling her down to kiss Kyoshi on the lips.

They stayed like that. The only thing that mattered was each other.

Neither pulled away until they heard Atuat shouting at some lingering guests to get moving.

Rangi and Kyoshi smiled and tried not to laugh as they broke their kiss.

Chapter 1 - Scared to Start

Kyoshi hauled the jar of spices down the halls of the compound staff network. Like usual she’d been sent down to the market to get supplies for that night's dinner and guests.

When Kyoshi stepped into the kitchen and immediately almost crashed into one of the scullery maids. “Watch it!” She growled as she regained her balance and adjusted her path. “Sorry.” Kyoshi tried to apologize but the scullery maid was already on the other side of the kitchen doing her own task. She waited till the walkway was a bit more clear before finding Auntie Mui and heading over towards her.

“Good, you’re finally back.” The head of staff said to her calmly when she spotted the tall girl. “Set the jar on the back table and then come back to me to start molding the mochi for dessert. I’ll be preparing the roast turtle duck.” And with that Mui stepped away.

—---------------

Kyoshi sat silently in the courtyard, pushing a stick around in the dirt. Auntie Mui may have given her the afternoon off for lunch to be with Rangi and Yun out of good graces, but she knew it was just a subtle way to tell Kyoshi to stay out of the way while the rest of the staff worked. Besides, Rangi was busy with Yun, he kept having to restart his fire squats because he kept playing around, so Kyoshi had nothing to do besides learn to draw in the dirt.

“Yun, I swear to all spirits, I will scorch your eyebrows off.” Rangi threatened with a scowl at Yun. “My mother told you if you don’t start practicing more she’ll start practices an hour before sunrise instead of sunrise.” Yun was taking a break from his earthbending training to get his foot in the door of firebending. There’d been multiple accounts of avatars starting an element before they mastered another so Yun saw no harm in trying. Kuruk had gone out of the cycle by learning airbending before firebending.

Yun held up his hands in surrender. “I know what I’m doing. I’m just doing it a different way. Wasn’t it my most recent life who said bending should be a mix of styles?”

Rangi didn’t have a retort to that. She couldn’t really argue the message of an avatar. Yun grinned cheerfully and glanced over at Kyoshi, then back to Rangi. “What if we spar? Kyoshi can throw rocks at me, and I’ll try to use firebending to knock them out!”

Kyoshi looked up from the dirt. She wasn’t one for sparing or training anyway. She was perfectly fine not using her bending and the little skill she had in it. “Nope. I don’t know how.” Kyoshi held her hands up.

That caught Rangi's attention. “What do you mean you don’t know how? You can earthbend, you can throw rocks.”

Kyoshi slouched her shoulders and looked back down. “I just didn’t have an interest in learning. I can’t bend small things anyway, so there is no point to learning.”

Rangi looked completely baffled. She was silent for a moment before regaining her stern look. “Let’s not try to firebend yet, Yun, stick to earthbending.”

“Really!” Yun grinned, “I didn’t think you’d be serious!” Yun backed up a few paces and got into his stance, excitedly waiting for Kyoshi to come on to the training ground. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Kyoshi remained sitting in the dirt. “Neutral jing, spar with Rangi.” Kyoshi said plainly as she went back to sketching in the dirt with the stick. She’d already been harassed by Aoma and her lackeys this morning, she wasn’t trying to get her head cut open by Yun.

Kyoshi didn’t realize Rangi was walking over to her till the guards pointed boots were at the top of her eyesight. “I’m not sparing Yun.”

“Kyoshi,” Rangi said in that familiar raspy voice. "How do you defend yourself if you don’t know how to earthbend? I’ve never seen you train at anything.”

“I don’t. The best way to avoid bullies is by ignoring them.”

Rangi made the tight lip expression she always had when she was mad. She didn’t say anything, but she did grab Kyoshi's shoulder and pulled her up. “Yun, can you demonstrate some basic stances?”

Yun was more than happy to comply, or at least show off. He showed Kyoshi how to do basic stances and basic moves, picking up a rock, stopping debris mid-air, how to make a platform to lift yourself up, basic things. Basic things for Yun, Kyoshi struggled. She couldn’t lift up anything from the ground and when Yun pulled up a rock for her she couldn’t get a grip on it, her hand was too big so the small piece of debris. Rangi even joined in to try and make the movements seem easier. But stances are a lot easier than actually bending.

“This clearly isn’t working, can’t you two spar like usual?” Kyoshi came out of horse stance, her legs were screaming at her and the training was really boring.

“What? No!” Yun exaggerated. “This is so fun!” Kyoshi gave Yun an annoyed look. “Just one spar?” Yun gave Kyoshi a pleading look in return.

Kyoshi sighed, “fine.” She rolled her shoulders a bit as she took a few steps away. She was used to lifting heavy objects on the daily but this was a whole different workout.

“Kyoshi, you don’t have to spar if you don’t want to.” Rangi spoke up from behind Kyoshi as she joined her in walking over to a separate corner of the yard.

“Oh, now I get to sit out?” Kyoshi mumbled as she took a stance. Rangi didn’t press further as she stepped to the sidelines.

Yun through the first punch. A rock sailed narrowly past Kyoshi’s shoulder as she stepped out of the way, immediately coming out of her stance. “Yun, are you nuts-” Kyoshi didn’t get to finish her thought, another rocker- heavier rock- was flying at her. In a split moment she threw up her hands, and a high wall of densely packed earth shot up.

The wall successfully blocked Yun’s attack. There wasn’t another. Yun was busy staring at the twenty foot wall Kyoshi had thrown up in a split second.

“Can we be done now?” Kyoshi called from behind the wall.

“How did you do that?” Yun quickly walked over. Most defensive walls he made were only a few feet taller than him and a few inches thick. The wall that towered before him was a good twenty feet tall and over a foot thick.

Kyoshi finally realized what she did. “I have no idea how to clean this up-”

“Why haven’t you used that before?” Rangi cut in harshly. Walking over to the duo. “You could launch Aoma and the other rats into never bothering you again with this!”

Kyoshi swallowed hard. “I- I don’t know. Okay? Yun, help me fix this.”

Yun stared at the towering girl in awe. “Uh- I don’t know either, I should get Master Jianzhu.” Yun turned on his heels and ran off. Leaving Kyoshi and Rangi alone together.

Rangi’s ears burned the same colour as her armor. She’s really mad, Kyoshi thought to herself as she quickly ran out of the training yard.

—---------------

Kyoshi was in one of the gardens surrounding the estate. She’d caught muffled yelling from Master Jianzhu, who was just as confused about the wall as Yun and Rangi were. She’d gone back to drawing in the dirt with a stick to keep herself occupied until everything died down.

“That is a nice… fire lily?” A familiar voice said over the tall girl's shoulder. She jumped and turned to see a large, tall man with a bushy beard bent down to her level. “Kelsang!” Kyoshi grinned and swiftly turned to hug him. He let out a laugh, standing up straight so Kyoshi's feet hung off the ground a bit before she let go.

“I missed you too!” Kelsang placed a hand on Kyoshi’s shoulder. “What are you doing here on your own? Rangi and Yun are over in the training yard.”

Kyoshi diverted her gaze back down to the dirt. “Well, I was training with them and it didn’t go well. I told them I wasn’t interested in sparring, but Yun got excited and I didn’t want to say no, so now the training yard has a wall extension.”

Kelsang hummed at the young girl's words. “I’m proud of you, you know. I knew you could earthbend, a wall like that could come in handy one day. It’ll make people look at you and think before approaching you.”

Kyoshi sunk into herself even more. She didn’t want to be viewed or gawked at like some threatening force. “That's… more of a Rangi thing, being scary and all. Rangi is probably so mad at me right now.”

Kelsang saw the anxiety build up within his daughter and quickly changed topics. “You can hide here if you so chose, but I’ll be in the kitchen making sweet rolls if you need me.”

Kelsang squeezed Kyoshi’s shoulder before leaving her to her own devices.

—---------------

Kelsang hummed to himself in the kitchen as he kneaded the dough. The kitchen staff had just finished cooking and cleaning up lunch and it’s be another few hours before they came in to start on dinner.

Kelsang kept his gaze on the dough and pretended not to notice the drop of red in the corner of his eye.

“Have you seen Kyoshi?” Rangi asked in a quieter voice. She wasn’t one to speak to her elders with the same snare she’d speak to her friends with.

“No.” Kelsang lied. “Why? Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, I just need to talk to her.”

Kelsang hummed. Shaping the first of the sweet rolls. “I can take a message if you need to talk to her.”

“It’s private,” Rangi grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Is it about the wall in the training yard? If you ask me, I don’t think Jianzhu had that installed for aesthetic or training purposes.”

There was silence. Kelsang took that as a yes. “Rangi, I didn’t take you as the type to be so annoyed at a misplaced wall.”

“It’s not-” Rangi took a deep breath to compose herself. “It’s not that. It is. But not really.” Rangi leaned on the part of the counter next to Kelsang. “Where did that come from? You know everything about her, why hasn’t she used it to defend herself before?”

Kelsang stopped kneading the dough and turned to directly face Rangi. “Kyoshi is a gentle soul. She’d never intentionally harm anyone without reason.”

“But Aoma and those brats harass her all the time!” Rangi protested. “That’s a reason to hit them with a twenty foot wall.”

Kelsang sighed, he knew Rangi was right, but she wasn’t seeing a picture that Kelsang saw illuminated in gold years ago. “Kyoshi can make her own decisions. And her decision is to never inflict the harm that has caused her so much damage. I understand your point in defending yourself Rangi, but you must understand that some spirits choose not to put more turmoil into this world despite receiving so much.”

“Causes me turmoil,” Rangi muttered as she leaned her chin into the palm of her hand.

“What was that young firebender?” Kelsang raised his eyebrow, waiting for Rangi to meet his gaze. He heard her.

“Nothing.” Rangi backtracked. Kelsang knew exactly how she felt now. “Why does Kyoshi choosing to be non-violent cause you turmoil?”

Rangi didn’t reply. Kelsang placed a hand on her spikey armored shoulder. “It’s not shameful to be concerned about your friend, Rangi.”

Rangi nodded but still said nothing.

Kelsang also said nothing as he took his hand and went back to kneading the bread. “Well if you’re not going to talk, then can you at least do me a favor and go grab a metal pan? I told Kyoshi I’d be in here, and something tells me she’s on her way.”

“You told me you hadn’t seen her,” Rangi spoke up as she looked around the cupboards for the cooking pans, unfamiliar with the kitchen layout.

“I lied.” Kelsang shrugged.

“Well can you tell me where she is now?” Rangi placed the pan next to Kelsang.

“I need a bigger one, and no. You won’t tell me what’s got you upset, so I won’t tell you where Kyoshi is.”

Rangi grumbled as she went to find the larger pans. “It makes me upset because it’s pathetic to see her flinch and come back from the market with bruises at least once a week because of her refusal to fight back.” Rangi unwillfully admits through gritted teeth as she pulls a larger pan out from under the counters.

Kelsang molds the dough onto the pan, glancing back at Rangi to continue.

Rangi’s shoulders tensed in a more emotional way rather than disciplined tension. “And it further bothers me because I know she thinks I’m scary at times- everyone thinks I’m scary at times, but what's the point in being scary if I can’t protect my friends?” Rangi’s voice and pace was a lot more hesitant this time, iterating her thoughts like that for the first time. “I’m the avatars bodyguard, which is great and I wouldn’t trade my position for the world, but it sucks that I’m stuck here while Kyoshi gets harassed everyday by those peasants.”

Kelsang didn’t approve of the strong wording, but he smiled warmly at Rangi’s.

Rangi quickly diverted back to her no nonsense attitude. “Are you going to tell me where Kyoshi is now or not?” Rangi crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.

“Of course,” Kelsang chuckled as he looked over Rangi's head at the tall figure walking into the room. “Nice of you to finally join us! Now both of you can help me form the dough!”