Chapter 56

Together Rangi and Kyoshi sat slumped side by side in a tent. Kyoshi picked at the frayed edge of her gloves, while Rangi just sat and watched.

“I’m glad you’re back” She said finally leaning further into the fire bender. “I never even asked you how your trip was.”

“Nothing to note of” Rangi replied, lacing their fingers together.

“I’m sorry this was the first thing you had to deal with,” She admitted.

“Well there’s been worse hasn’t there?” Rangi asked.

“I suppose”

They both continued to sit there, watching the flame dance on the candle’s wick. “Do you have a plan then?”

Kyoshi let out a long sigh, “He needs to stand down, even if it’s by force” She said simply. “Which is what I’m personally betting on”

“I should have dealt with it sooner, when I first got here. But I don’t know-”  She continued. “I guess I needed reassurance that I was doing the right thing that this is the best shot at peace”

“I think you wanted back up” Rangi taunted, a smile curled on her lip.

“Two birds with one stone?” Kyoshi asked. “But can’t I just say I missed you?” She said suddenly pulling the fire bender closer than she had been able to for a long time. Her nose was buried in Rangi’s dark hair, hands wrapped around her shoulder, and waist. Holding her like Rangi could have left at that moment.

But she didn’t, she was there in Kyoshi’s arms.

They sat a while longer, the candle lamp burning in the corner, as Rangi moved behind Kyoshi to braid her hair for the evening. When there was some movement outside of the tent.

Small little footsteps dashed around, and Kyoshi smiled. “Koko would you like to join us”

There was more shuffling around the outside of the tent walls, and Rangi gave Kyoshi an odd look. “I doubt its her”

Kyoshi laughed softly as she got up, grabbing an extra bed roll from the corner, and setting it up. If there was one thing she was certain of now was the sound of that little girl’s footsteps.

“There’s room, no one else will sleep here otherwise” Kyoshi called out. “It’s your if you want it”

With that Kyoshi sat back down, pulling Rangi close to her. “Just wait” She whispered.

“But I do want to hear about your time in the fire nation,” Kyoshi said a bit louder. “Just one story, please”

Rangi had grown too soft to say no, and so she started talking on the first day she got the trainees. Along with how some of them were utter softies, puking after just a couple incline sprints.

When she looked to the corner there the girl now was, crouched looking like she was about to crawl under the blankets, but froze when she made eye contact with Rangi, who tried to offer the child a reassuring smile.

“Would you like to hear a story about Kyoshi instead?” She asked, laughing lightly as the girl nodded eagerly.

I’m not going to turn up looking good after this am I? Kyoshi asked herself.

“This one time when we were younger-” Rangi started telling the girl about a time she had thought Kyoshi was missing. But by the time she found her later that night Kyoshi was so tired and unaware that Rangi had scared her right into walking into a wall.

Koko laughed as Rangi finished the story, making Kyoshi slightly jealous of the effect her wife had on the girl compared to herself.

“She never sleeps” Koko said quietly, still giggling.

“So you know this too?” Rangi asked, turning to give Kyoshi a warning look.

Spirits, is this child really snitching on me? Kyoshi thought.

“You will have to tell me another time,” Rangi said, starting to lay back. “You should sleep”

“You too you insomniac” She whispered to Kysohi who could only shake her head, as she felt Rangi pulling her close again.

When they woke in the morning the girl was already gone, the only indicator she was there at all was the disturbed blankets. “How are you already her favorite?” Kyoshi asked, sitting up to stretch.

“Natural charm” Rangi shrugged, as Kyoshi hit her over the head with a pillow. “Oh real mature Kyoshi, I bet you’re just jealo-“

She was hit one more time with the loosely stuffed pillow, solidifying her theory. Only Rangi caught it, chucking it at Kyoshi at ten fold speed, nearly causing her to fall backwards.

When the two finally emerged from the tent, a discarded pillow battle in their wake, there was a large fire at the center of the new camp. People sipped tea around it as a large pot of oats cooked over the flames.

“Sleep okay?” A woman asked, who’s name Kyoshi later learned was Nora.

“Yes thank you” Kyoshi smiled as she accepted a cup of tea from Rangi.

“A group of us stayed up, no one of Chin’s army tried to return last night.” Nora went on.

“Thank you for that, this will all be dealt with soon though, I promise.”

After tea and a bowl of oatmeal, forced by Rangi the two headed out to the bridge.

Kyoshi stood in the middle ground between the town and the rest of the peninsula, Rangi at her side. The flags of Chin’s army waving in the wind in the near distance. they waited, alas there was not even the slightest bit of moment from outside of the initial walls.

“He’s not here” Rangi started crossing her arms. “Think he tried to run?”

“And leave his palace vacant? He knows I’m here now, I doubt he’s that stupid” Kyoshi said as they started walking to the town in front of them. Closing in on the fortress gates. “But you never know, he could surprise us.”

The anger from the previous day still lingered in Kyoshi’s chest, soon to be brought out to the surface.

As they approached the stone doors, Kyoshi gave Rangi a quick look before crumbling the slabs to bits as they proceeded through the gates.

“Where’s Chin?” Kyoshi yelled, as soldiers started to fill the courtyard. “That fucking coward”

Quickly she picked the arsonist from yesterday out of the crowd, you could tell he sensed the unknown danger he was in the moment Kyoshi’s gaze locked on him.

Without another thought she used the same technique as the day before, utilizing a water wipe to drag the man to the front in front of his peers.

“Don’t tell me you failed”

“You don’t scare me Avatar” He shouted, trying to push himself away.

“I could always make you an example” She called looking down at the shivling man. “Yes or no did you tell him?”

The ground started to fracture at his feet. Holy shit. Rangi thought, looking at the rest of their surrounding crowd. She just might kill a man today.

“I told him, I- I swear” He started to plead.

“Well then, I’m a man of my word aren’t I.  Where is he?” Kyoshi demanded, pulling him up by the front of his uniform so that his feet kicked in the air. 

“Straight ahead,” He gasped. “You- you can’t miss it”

He had looked relieved when he shared the whereabouts of Chin, like it could have pleased the person at his throat. Only to be wiped away as Kysohi swung him to the side carelessly, letting some air bending aid his flight into a wall.

“For burning their homes”

As Kyoshi turned to head for the grand doors a group of soldiers tried to attack from behind, they underestimated the so far silent fire bender following behind her.

A nearly pure white flame erupted around them. “Try and touch her, I dare you”

After that the two had an uninterrupted walk across the grounds and into Chin’s fortress. The doors being primarily made of stone proved to be one of the best parts of Kyoshi’s day, as she let them all crumble as she and Rangi passed through where they once stood.

“It appears we’ve reached your destination” Rangi spoke as the two stared up at the largest and last door of the hallway.

Any guards had long fled at this point, the only others should be the ones behind this last door.

“No one goes in” Kyoshi said plainly, turning to Rangi.

“No one comes out” She finished, looking up to her wife. “What are you going to do?”

“Offer him one last chance to leave,” Kyoshi replied, pushing the doors open.

When she entered she was greeted with a plethora of armed men but they were waved off by the short man on the throne, across the room.

“Avatar Kyoshi we meet at last”

“Chin” She spat as she advanced. “Would have been sooner if you had any guts”

“I’m sorry I was busy growing my group”

“Your tyranny?”

“My army, if you insist.” He mused. 

“Your army for what, you have no one to fight.” Kyoshi snapped. “unless of course you’re trying to secure land for your private empire”

“So you admit it’s impressive as an empire, well that’s very nice of a girl like you to say” He grinned.

“I will drag that smug ass grin of yours across the floor for all of your men to see”  Kyohsi snapped, fan ready in each hand.

“Oh a feisty one” He laughed leaning back in his throne. “Listen Avatar I really have no business with you, if you just turn a blind eye to that little peninsula of yours we don’t have to-“

“So is that what you do then, burn places you seek to overrule?” She asked, now standing a mere 10 feet in front of him.

“Think of it as a message if you would, like an example” 

Clearly someone had run to tell him about the courtyard. She thought.

“Do you think we are similar then?”

“You’re accusing me of thinking the same way as a woman?” He laughed, “Though I do admire your need violence, there is a reason for how history has unfolded so far”

“I do not seek violence as you crave power, it is simply sometimes the cost of a greater justice.” She said plainly.

“I will ask you once, and only once more. Stand down, the earth kingdom has its ruler ship in place. It is not for a short spoiled man to riffle with”

“How dare you insult me as such, how am I any different from the earth king then?”  he snarled.

“His rule is not costing homes, and lives” Kyoshi shot back. “You have no right to uproot people lives to support your own ego”

Her words had caused Chin’s reply to falter.

“I’ve done my research while you ran around the kingdom collecting towns like little pawns. Ex-lieutenant Chin, of the earth kingdom. Title removed for his extreme beliefs and actions rising against nation security. The earth king himself has listed you as a threat.”

“that man’s a lunatic”

“Which makes it all the more impressive to make his list then, his standards should be much lower.” Kyoshi argued.

“I do not care how much reading you have done while acting as our worlds savior, I’m the head this beast and I will ensure it won’t falter”

The head? Is that all it would take for this issue to crumble?

“I never claimed to be a savior, I just do what needs to be done” Kyoshi said flatly. ” but I will not sit passively while you take my home, and while you take hundreds more, your tyranny will soon collapse”

“A threat?”

“A guarantee” She flashed a sarcastic smile briefly, taking a warning step closer to him. “You have until tomorrow at dawn, I will be at the neck of the peninsula. It’s your choice, you can dissolve your armies or face the cost of justice.”

With that she left, no one daring to move as she left.

“Rangi” She called as let the doors behind her. “Let’s go, the rats have til morning”

As they leave the ground no one dares to approach them, when they leave the grounds Kyoshi fills Rangi in on the conversation Chin, and the options she gave him.

When they walked back into the camp they were met with hopeful looks, that started to fall as they saw the looks on Kyoshi’s. “I’m sorry” She said flatly, trying to walk quickly through the camp, when someone grabbed her arm.

“Was it not enough, what’s happened?” the voice called, but it sounded softer as a sterile ringing rang through Kyoshi’s ears.

“The final straw is tomorrow” She managed to say shortly. “It will all resolve-” She looked up at the growing look of listeners, though it now made her want to hurl.

“We have full faith you will protect our home you know” Another woman said.

There that word was again, people actually considered this place home. Even after I let this place fall to ashes. It feels like their emotions remain intact.

But those words made the fact that she was going to have to wait another day to deal with this even heavier. Though she had done the correct thing hadn’t she?

People were always telling her she was a poor diplomat, so is this what it meant? Probably not, maybe. But giving Chin the option to recoil and do the right had better morals right. She wouldn’t address problems carelessly.

Her makeup suddenly felt like it was suffocating, the headdress heavy as iron so without entertaining any more questions Kyoshi moved away from the camp in any other direction.

This is all wrong.

She kicked the nearby rocks out of her way.

I can’t do one thing right.

Kyoshi started to frantically wipe off the makeup.

How can they trust me? I let this place burn, and I can’t even take care of this one thing.

Why do they trust me?

She heard footsteps approaching from behind her, looking down at her sleeves now covered in the makeup she once wore. “Rangi I’m fine really-“

“Its just a lot like fuck how could these people actually trust me? I have done nothing to gain it, I mean I brought them all here, and I allowed it to be burned down to nothing” Kyoshi admitted taking a seat down on a stone. “I just want this to be over with”

“You’re the reason people see this as a home you know”

That’s not Rangi.

She turned her head to see a shorter woman in front of her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say all that, it’s fine really. It’s just hunger talking or something” Kyoshi tried to cover.

“I think it’s refreshing actually,” The woman replied. “May I?” She asked motioning for the space beside Kyoshi.

“Be my guest-“

“Shona”

“Well then Shona, welcome to my pity party.” Kyoshi slumped.

The two sat in silence, the only sound was the creek in front of them.

“You’re not what I thought you’d be,” Shona said out of nowhere.

“Yeah sorry to have to break the myth of the all knowing Avatar” Kyoshi said picking up some pebbles to toss at the slow moving waters. “The previous ones were better, sorry this is what the generation got stuck with.”

“I’m sorry these were the problems you had to inherit, I’ve heard about some of your trials. So much bigger than one person” Shona said carefully.

“Can you enlighten me on something then?” Kysohi asked, and she figured she might as well get some answers if she had this new company. One that seemed at last half honest.

“Shoot”

“Why do you guys think of this place as a home, it’s no different than that camp from the woods. But nobody called that place a home”

“It’s a feeling I suppose”

“Bullshit,” Kyoshi muttered, before realizing who she was talking to. “I’m sorry, it’s just…”

The woman’s gaze was entirely focused on her, to the point where it almost made Kyoshi squirm. “I guess I just don’t get it” She said shortly.

“Where are you from Avatar Kyoshi?”

“Kyosh is fine” She insisted, taking in a breath. “I am actually from here”

“I thought the false avatar from here I assumed-“

“We both were, my time here was just a little different“

“I see, did you consider this your home then?”

“No, not at all,” Kyoshi said shortly.

“Then maybe that’s the problem”

But that sparked a question within Kyoshi, where was her home?

“People admire your kindness Kyoshi, even if you don’t think others are watching” She smiled. “You’re so human”

“Is that a bad thing, do people expect something better?” Kyoshi asked, flexing her fingers. “You can be honest, I won’t be offended”

“Like I said before it’s refreshing, there are so many stories of previous Avatars wedding the elements with the forces of nature. It’s nice to see that there’s more to the title.”

A small smile crept across Kyoshi’s face, she always feared that the title as Avatar would consume her. There were few things that allowed her to separate the two, Rangi being one of them.

But maybe there were other ways too.

“She’s always been like this you know” Another voice called, this one Kyoshi knew for a fact was Rangi. Her home.

“Oh I’m sorry lieutenant- right? I didn’t see you there.” Shona replied standing to greet the firebender.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just figured I’d inform you that she had a habit of throwing these types of parties, and questioning anyone who’s willing to stick around.” Rangi said plainly.

“Rude, I’m right here you know” Kyoshi butted in standing now as well.

Rangi just laughed at the Avatar’s response. “Well instead of pestering this poor woman why don’t we spar to burn some of this anxious energy.” She suggested.

“You’ve had worse ideas,” Kyoshi shot back in agreement. “Would you like to join us?” She found herself offering Shona, she had been one of the people in the group that had been relieving her of the night shift so Kyoshi figured she must be versed in some type of defense.

“I’m a nonbender, but I would like to watch if that’s okay”

Kyoshi just shrugged, her mind passing over that first comment momentarily, “Fine by me, Rangi?”

“I’m used to an audience by now, it shouldn’t be an issue” the fire bender reassured them as they headed out of the woods and back towards the camp.

An ironic place to spar was actually part of the mansion that had been burnt down to ruins. There was nothing left to ruin, so why not.

Rangi quickly set a pace of launching offensive attacks causing Kyoshi to remain defensive. It almost looked like a dance from afar, for their movements insync.

When Kyoshi could step away for a breath she noticed a small crowd had accumulated beside Shona.

“I want to work on some hand to hand, it’s unlikely I’ll encounter a firebender with Chin’s men” Kyoshi suggested, tugging to readjust her wrist guards.

“Sounds good to me” With a grin Rangi started going at full force once more, in less than 5 hits she had Kyoshi flat on her back.

“You always raise your guard arm too high” The firebender pointed out, mimicking Kyoshi’s previous stance. “See you take out half of your line of vision.”

I’m so glad I have an audience to witness my wife kicking my ass in a sparring match. Kyoshi thought as she got to her feet once more.

The two kept going, Rangi making adjustments as they went. Kyoshi finding more rhythm with each tip.

Wiping sweat from her forehead she looked over to the group of people watching Kyoshi get tossed around like a rag doll for the past hour.

“Would any of you care to try?” She asked the group, more so that she could take a breather.

“It’s been amazing to watch, I never thought the Avatar would be so invested in nonbender styles of fighting.” Nova said, seemingly amazed.

“Everyone should learn bender or otherwise, that’s what my mother alway taught me” Rangi said proudly. “I can show you some basics if you’d like, I promise it’s not as intimidating at you may think”

And so Kyoshi sat back, and watched as Rangi started walking the group of women through basic motions, a smile setting on her face as the sky began to turn orange. Had these women really volunteered to take night watches for me when they didn’t know any basic defenses? But Rangi would fix that quickly.

Rangi seemed so happy to have a little group of trainees out here, it was like that part of her work in the fire nation had followed her here.

She was born a leader. Kyoshi thought, watching as Rangi carefully corrected Shona’s form. Though she’s a hell of a lot more rude when I make mistakes.

Sprinkle, sprinkle, the lore is building. I know it’s taking forever to build this scene up but I hope it’s worth it. For people keeping up to date first of all thank you, but I would like to let you all know I have a heavy exam period coming up so I probably won’t post until after 17ish of April, so sorry. But thank you for all of your lovely comments and encouragement it means the world <3

Hope you enjoyed and have a good day/night!