Subaru71077: For those who've already read this chapter, I've added another 1644 words.
Inside a modest cabin, the scent of wood and burning herbs filled the air, rising from a small censer on a shelf. The golden light of sunset filtered through the windows, bathing the interior just enough to brighten the room. In the right-hand corner, a mirror rested on a table, surrounded by clay pots containing red and white paints, worn brushes, and damp cloths stained with color.
In front of it, sitting side by side, Suki and Jie slowly removed the Kyoshi Warriors' makeup from their faces. Their movements were careful, yet tense, as they rubbed their skin with the damp cloths. Ever since they went with Ikari to speak with Oyaji, not a single word had been exchanged between the two of them, much less with the other Kyoshi Warriors. Ikari, for her part, had left the village right after the meeting, offering only a brief farewell to the warriors waiting outside.
"So... are you two going to tell me what happened in there, or am I going to be left in suspense forever" Mingxia, already without makeup, asked as she leaned against the opposite wall, glancing between the two. She was curious about what had happened inside, but also worried. She had never seen Suki and Jie with such unsettled expressions.
Suki stopped moving the cloth across her cheek, where a trace of white paint still lingered. She looked at Mingxia through the mirror's reflection, her face clearly betraying the conflict of thoughts warring inside her.
She was a leader, a Kyoshi Warrior, loyal to the oath of protecting the island. Suki had never seen anything wrong in the way of life she and her peers followed—it never even crossed her mind. But Ikari's words, with their raw urgency, pointing out things that seemed so obvious, had shaken that certainty. And that was already quite a lot. "It was… intense…."
Jie remained silent, her brow furrowed as she scrubbed her face harder than necessary. As much as she hated to admit it, Ikari's words had struck her. She had grown up steeped in the pride of Kyoshi Island's independence, believing that isolationism was the strength that kept them safe. That it was Kyoshi's will. The idea that this very belief could end up condemning their home was unacceptable. Unbearable. Unthinkable. Absurd.
Mingxia raised an eyebrow. "What exactly did he say that left you two like this?"
Suki sighed, setting the cloth aside and staring at her own hands. "He said the war will inevitably reach us, because the Fire Nation wants absolute control over everything. That Omashu is fighting alone, while Ba Sing Se and Agna Qel'a hide behind their walls. That this isolationism is exactly what the Fire Lord wants, because it keeps us divided." She paused, her eyes distant, replaying Ikari's words. "He said we'll be slaughtered when the Fire Nation comes, but if we survive... the children will become slaves— all of us would, I think..."
Jie scoffed, tossing the cloth onto the table with a sharp gesture. "He's wrong! Kyoshi would want us to stay here and protect our island, our people! If we throw ourselves into this war, who's going to protect the children he mentioned, huh? Who's going to keep our traditions alive if we all die out there?!"
Suki turned to her. "But... what if he's right, Jie? What if staying here and doing nothing is exactly what will destroy everything Kyoshi wanted to protect?"
"Suki?!" Jie exclaimed in disbelief "I can't believe you're agreeing with him!"
"I'm not agreeing with anything," Suki shot back, her voice gaining strength. "I'm just wondering if he might be right."
Jie shook her head fiercely. "The fact that you're even thinking about it means you're already giving him reason, Suki!"
"I already said I'm not! I'm just... unsettled!" Suki defended herself, narrowing her eyes. "Or are you going to tell me his words didn't affect you at all?"
"Of course not!" Jie snapped, but her voice faltered, betraying her.
"I don't believe you," Suki said, eyes narrowing.
Before the discussion escalated, Mingxia interrupted the two. "Wait, wait. What did Oyaji say?"
Suki averted her eyes from Jie, turning back to the mirror. "He didn't answer."
"What do you mean?" Mingxia frowned, confused.
"Ikari didn't want an answer right now," Suki explained, picking up the cloth again and wiping the last traces of paint from her face. "He just asked Oyaji to think it through calmly and decide what would be best for us. And if we choose to accept, we're supposed to travel to Ketu Harbor. There, we'll get guidance on where to go next."
Mingxia fell silent for a moment, absorbing everything. "I… I think we should join the war. There are so many people who need help. And we can help."
"Pfft, not surprised," Jie said, turning to glare at Mingxia. "You, Jei, and Mei are already best buddies with the airbender. Of course you'd take his side."
"First of all, I'm not his friend," Mingxia replied, unfazed. "And even if I were, this isn't about that. It's about what's right. And besides, if allying with Omashu is the first step to opening ourselves up to the world, I'm in. We need help—"
"You are not bringing the harvest into this conversation, Mingxia!" Jie snarled.
"Of course I am!" Mingxia shot back. "How are we supposed to survive the winter, huh, Jie? We don't have enough food!"
"WE CAN SOLVE THAT WITHOUT HURLING OURSELVES INTO THE MIDDLE OF THIS WAR!" Jie shouted, silencing Mingxia and making Suki look at her reproachfully. Realizing she had lost her temper, Jie lowered her head, took a deep breath, and continued in a steadier tone: "Look… I just… aren't you asking yourselves what exactly Ikari wants from us? All that talk about unity might make sense for Ba Sing Se, but look at us. We're few, and he only wants part of us. Don't you think that's strange? What real difference could we make in this war for him to need our help?"
Suki let out a long sigh as she rose from the chair. "I wondered that too." She walked to the window, her eyes scanning the village outside, where people were enjoying the last rays of the sun.
"Can't we... ask him?" Mingxia said hesitantly. "Where did he go?"
"Talk to the other villages," Jie answered, turning back to cleaning her face.
Mingxia turned to Suki. "Did he say when he's leaving?"
"No, but it should be soon."
************
Standing at the prow of the ship, Zorin savored the icy sea wind striking his body as he gazed at the horizon, lost in thought.
How long had he been waiting for this? A long time. Years spent crawling under the orders of mediocre admirals—loudmouths who thought themselves greater than their actual abilities. Men who bragged about victories he himself had earned with his own hands.
But Zorin endured every insult, every poorly given order, every stolen glory, keeping his head low while waiting for his moment to come. And now, it had arrived. The wait had been worth it. The Fire Lord had finally recognized his worth, giving him the mission to conquer Kyoshi Island and, with it, the promotion to admiral.
The step he had dreamed of for so long—the chance to carve his name into the history of the Fire Nation. Glory. Power. Wealth. All within reach.
The sound of heavy footsteps against the deck interrupted his thoughts. "Yes?" he asked, without turning.
"Commander, the estimate is that we will reach Kyoshi Island by nightfall tomorrow," the man—the ship's captain—reported respectfully.
"Good," Zorin replied, his tone curt but satisfied. "Maintain speed, captain."
The man nodded and withdrew, leaving Zorin alone once more. He turned, his eyes scanning with pride the fleet trailing behind his ship: ten warships, their dark, imposing silhouettes cutting against the orange sky.
'The Fire Lord has been more than generous,' Zorin thought, a faint smile curving his lips. So many ships, so many men, against an island defended by only a handful of women. He was not foolish enough to underestimate them—the stories of the Kyoshi Warriors' excellence were well known. But that mattered little.
The disparity in numbers was overwhelming.
They didn't stand the slightest chance of resisting.
***********
The morning after discovering his powers, Ikari was woken up very early and pulled out of the house by his mother, who seemed quite nervous for some reason, gripping his hand tightly as they walked in a direction he knew all too well."Mommy, why are we going to Grandpa's house so early?" he asked, looking at her with uncertainty and a touch of worry. She had been acting strange ever since he showed he could control the air.
"It's just a visit, my love. Grandpa wants to see you." she replied, but her voice sounded tense, and she avoided meeting his eyes, keeping them fixed on some distant point along the path.
When they arrived at the house where his grandfather lived, Ikari saw him waiting on the porch, sitting in his old rocking chair. As soon as he spotted them, he got up with a groan of effort, opened his arms, and gave a warm smile."Hey there, kiddo!"
Forgetting the tension for a moment, Ikari smiled too and ran toward him, throwing himself into his arms."Grandpa!"
"Ugh!" Grandpa let out a grunt, wrapping him in a tight hug before lifting him off the ground with a slight tremor in his arms."You're getting heavy, huh? Hah!" he said, laughing, carrying him inside while Mom followed right behind.
Inside the house, Grandpa set him down on a chair in front of a table."Sit there, kiddo. We're going to play a game today."
Ikari perked up."A game? What kind of game, Grandpa?" he asked, swinging his legs on the chair, eager to play.
Grandpa exchanged a quick look with Mom, who, for some reason, began closing all the windows in the house."It's a special game," he said, turning back to Ikari with a serious yet gentle tone. "I want to see what you can do with those little hands of yours. That's why I need you to cooperate with me, alright?"
"Yes, Grandpa!" Ikari nodded over and over, excited, even if he didn't really understand what was going on.
"Great. Let's begin." Grandpa walked over to a shelf and grabbed a wax candle. "First, I want you to try lighting this candle with your hands," he said, placing it on the table.
Ikari furrowed his brows, confused."Light it? But I don't know how to do that, Grandpa…" He looked at his mother, searching for support. But she only gave him a small encouraging nod, even though she was biting her lower lip.
"Just… see if you can, Ikari," Grandpa insisted, his eyes fixed on him.
Ikari glanced between the two uncertainly before extending his hands over the candle. But after minutes of trying to light it with nothing happening, he huffed and crossed his arms."I don't know how to do that..."
"Hm… maybe this isn't the best way to test it…" Grandpa murmured, bringing his hand to his chin as he stared at the candle.
'Test what?' Ikari was about to ask, but stopped when Grandpa removed the candle and placed a glass full of water on the table instead."Try moving the water inside the glass."
Ikari blinked, even more confused now."I don't know how to do that either…" He cast a suspicious look at his grandfather. "Why are you asking me to do these weird things, Grandpa?"
"It's a… I'll explain later. Just try to move the water, Ikari."
'What kind of awful game is this?' Pulling a face, Ikari stretched his hands over the glass. Again, nothing happened."See? It doesn't work!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Stop asking me to do things I can't do, Grandpa!"
"You don't feel any connection to the water?" Grandpa asked, unfazed by his irritation.
"I don't feel anything!"
"Good, good." Grandpa gave a faint smile, almost relieved, patting his shoulder affectionately."Sorry for making you try these things, Ikari." He removed the glass and grabbed a small wooden piece from a game Ikari didn't remember the name of, setting it upright on the table."Now, try knocking this piece over… with the wind."
Ikari's eyes lit up. That was something he could do."Okay!" He stretched his hands out again, this time confident, and focused, closing his eyes. For a moment, nothing happened. But after two attempts, moving his arms back and forth, a gust of air shot from his hands, knocking the piece down on the table.
Ikari opened his eyes, a huge smile spreading across his face."See, Grandpa? Just like in the stories!"
Grandpa didn't seem impressed. Instead, he stared at the piece in silence for a few seconds."Daughter…" He then exchanged another look with Mom, nodding slightly before speaking."I don't think he's the Avatar."
*********
[One day after arriving at Kyoshi Island]
From what Ikari had discovered by talking and eavesdropping, Kyoshi Island housed six small villages: three located on the eastern coast, two on the western coast, and one in the south. Of these six, only the three on the eastern coast traded with the mainland, while the other three were staunch defenders of isolationism.
Even so, they all followed a similar organization: a leader, usually a respected elder, a small council made up of the village's most influential people, and a group of Kyoshi Warriors.
Ikari had also discovered that there was no hierarchy among the villages, nor any relevant trade between them. On the contrary, they remained quite separate from one another, and there seemed to be a certain resentment from the isolationists toward those who traded with the mainland.
Still, as unlikely as it seemed, of the five villages he had visited so far, four had shown signs that his words had planted seeds of doubt about staying neutral: the first one he had spoken with, located in the south, and the three on the eastern coast.
The fifth village, however—one of those on the western coast—didn't even allow him to speak with the leader, dismissing him with a blunt "leave immediately." And judging by the way the ten Kyoshi Warriors who intercepted him in the forest stared at him with hostility, Ikari was almost certain that any insistence would have ended with him being attacked—which, obviously, made him retreat and head toward the last village.
'What are the odds this one will also send me away without listening? About 98%, being optimistic,' Ikari thought as he walked along a dirt trail that wound through dense trees, their canopies filtering the sunlight and casting irregular shadows on the ground. The air was heavy with the smell of moss and plants, and the silence of the forest was broken only by the sound of his footsteps, some birds, and the occasional squeak from Momo, nestled on his shoulder.
He followed the path for a few more minutes, bracing himself for what seemed to inevitably happen whenever he approached one of the villages. And, as expected, it happened.
Three Kyoshi Warriors emerged from the bushes in front of him, while another three appeared behind, blocking the trail. Ikari, as he always did, promptly raised his hands in surrender. 'I'm starting to get used to this…'
"Airbender…"
The leader—because it was always the leader who spoke first—looked at him as if the Fire Lord himself were standing there. She was visibly older than the other Kyoshi Warriors he had met, looking to be around thirty.
Not that Ikari deeply understood the inner workings of the Kyoshi Warriors, but except for the first group, which had members closer to his own age, the warriors always seemed to be women between 16 and 25 years old—at least if his analytical skills hadn't failed him in discerning ages beneath all that makeup. In any case, the woman before him was probably the oldest active Kyoshi Warrior, which, optimistically speaking, might mean she was wise and open to dialogue—
"Leave. Now."
'Or realistically, an unshakable devotee of "Kyoshi's traditions."' He swallowed a sigh, already foreseeing this was a lost cause. "I would just like to talk—" Ikari began respectfully, but the woman cut him off.
"No. We don't care what you have to say, much less about your request. Leave immediately."
"Okay, no problem. But could you at least let me speak—"
"Didn't you understand?!" she interrupted again, stepping forward. "We don't want to listen. Leave. Before I lose my patience."
Ikari held her gaze for a moment, finding nothing but resolve there. She wasn't going to back down. And considering how they somehow already knew about him, they didn't seem to fear him enough to at least hear him out. Insisting would be useless, and any possible fight would throw all the progress he'd made with the other villages straight into the trash. 'Not worth the risk.... four out of six is already a good result.'
Ikari took a step back, keeping his hands raised. "Understood. I'm leaving." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away, passing by the three Kyoshi Warriors behind him, who moved aside to let him pass.
Ikari waited until he was out of their sight to pull his staff from his back. He had been avoiding gliding so as not to scare some Kyoshi Warrior and end up being attacked, but now that apparently everyone knew about him, that didn't matter anymore.
"Shall we go to Koi Harbor to find someone to take us back to the continent, buddy?" Ikari bent his knees and channeled a gust of wind under his feet before leaping. The thrust launched him above the treetops, the air whistling as he opened the glider and steered it toward the other side of the Island.
*********
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.