Chapter 3

When Rangi woke she was tangled in Kyoshi’s grasp, gently lifting her arms she was able to make her graceful escape. But their conversation lingered in her mind, were things okay now? We’re they okay now?

No this wasn’t about them she told herself. This was about Yun.

The fire bender figured that she should wake up Kyoshi, she had more meetings with the council, Jinpa was already outside to escort her.

“Kyoshi…” She called. No response, she frowned. “Kyoshi, come on, it’s time to get up” God I sound like my mother she thought. “Kyoshi for the love of Rava it’s time to get up”

Kyoshi had heard her after maybe the second call, but she didn’t want to get up. She didn’t want to have to deal with the councilmen, and talk about how no more Yun problems will happen. She figured it was better to stay here in this dream-like state.

Rangi rolled her eyes, but then a vast grin crossed her face. She tried a different approach, she went up close, her lips almost touching Kyoshi’s ear. “Horse stance”

Kyoshi nearly came flying out of bed landing on the ground with a loud thunk.

“Kidding…” Rangi laughed a mischievous smile across her face. Kyoshi slowly got up off the ground from where she had fallen. “Oh yeah, very funny” She tried to be serious, but she couldn’t even pretend to be mad at her.

“I have to go, and you have more meetings,” Rangi warned her as she pulled a jacket over her shoulders. “I know, I know”

“But if you need any help, I could do the meetings later…” Kyoshi suggested. Rangi shot her a dirty look. “Kidding, kidding…”

As Rangi turned to leave, Kyoshi took her by the waist kissing her forehead. “What was that for?”

“Just because”

Kyoshi watched as Rangi made her way back to the Healing hut. “Ahem” Jinpa called. “Punctual as always”

“Oh yeah sorry I was just-” Jinpa cut her off. “I don’t need to hear it, let’s just get going.” She nodded and followed him back to the council room.

She felt like she was on trial, all these questions. About everything, every little detail. First they wanted her to explain how Yun was possessed by the spirit. Kyoshi, not knowing fully how it entirely happened, tried to answer to the best of her abilities. But it never seemed to be enough for them. No answer did.

“Does anybody have any concerns that don’t involve Yun!” She yelled, slamming her fists on the table causing the whole room to shake. She had finally reached her limit. If some people weren’t looking at her before they were now. “Avatar, do you have a problem with this matter, or better yet is there something you’re trying to hide?” One of the men asked.

It felt like all the blood in her veins had turned to ice as the people continued to stare, wanting an answer. ” I don’t have a problem with this matter,” She said, finally taking a deep breath. “But this matter is more personal to me”

More than half the room gave her a confused look, while others looked like they were filled with rage. “Why is this matter so personal?!” One of them yelled.

“I thought the Avatar was supposed to be the connection between the spirit and the human realms, not having any biased opinions” Another one complained.

“I’m not biased,” Kyoshi defended, her fans being ready to be drawn. “Well then what would you call this?”

She looked down, taking slow breaths like Rangi had taught her. “Look this is a very fresh event, it takes time to process it all” She tried to explain.

“Why do you women always bring your drama along with you, you’re saying that you can’t answer some questions because of some personal matter.” They had locked gazes. Neither one of them moved.

“Sir I doubt this matter has anything to do with Avatar Kyoshi being a woman” A man to the side of the table said cautiously.  “Why do we even have women Avatars in the first place anyway.” Now all the focus had shifted to the man on the opposite side of the table as Kyoshi. “Excuse me”

“I know I am new to all of this, but I assure you that I will try-” He cut Kyoshi’s sentence short.

“What’s the point?!” He shouted. “I’m sorry im not at the same level as leadership as Kurk or the previous avatars but-“

“You’ll what? Reach that level someday too? Women can’t lead-”

“F*ck you” She yelled slamming one of her fans down on the table. Causing it to spit, all of its scrolls flying onto the floor.

“Yun was my friend, and to hear some of you disrespecting him, talking about him like was some vial creature. There is only so much one can take. Imagine if people started talking about your brother this way how would you feel?” She asked.

The man had a vial look on his face. “Oh like my brother? My brother is dead, and good riddance at that” He spat. Kyoshi was repulsed at the way he spoke of his family. Her eyes widened, she was too stunned to speak.

She quickly pushed past everyone leaving the room.

She screwed up, she screwed up so bad, she did everything she wasn’t supposed to. Avatar Kyoshi, the worst Avatar, and diplomat that the world has ever seen. She thought to herself.

“Need a drink?” A shorter man approached her, it was the same guy who had tried to stand up for her at the meeting. “Yeah, that could help”

Kyoshi followed the man into a bar, which wasn’t the shadiest place she had ever been, but it was good enough. “What are you drinking?” He asked. She didn’t respond, she just sat down resting her head on the palm of her hand. She had heard the man order something, but she couldn’t exactly make out what he had said exactly.

A glass soon slid across the bar, she stared down at the liquor. With her luck it could be poisoned, or spiked. She rolled the liquid around the glass. “Something wrong?” He asked, lifting up his own glass. She glanced down at it once more before picking it up. “Nope, nothing wrong here”

She had downed it in one shot, the liquid stinging the back of her throat. “Look at least on my behalf, I’m sorry for what happened in there”

God did he have to bring up that meeting, she was sure that it would haunt her one way or the other. “I’ll take another”

The man had taken that as a hint to not talk about the meeting. “So who are you here with?”

Kyoshi set her second glass down. “Well after what you all refer to as the Yun incident, we weren’t in what you would call the best shape” She began to explain.

Another glass was set down in front of her. “Rangi was stabbed of course, so was Jinpa. I guess Yun was in a stabbing streak.”

He was taken back on how Kyoshi had described the situation. “I’m Leno by the way” he said, holding his hand out. “I’m Avatar… Avatar…” She blanked out. “Kyoshi,” She said, finally shaking his hand slowly. “I know”

“Is this your first time up here then?” Leno asked. “For me yes, ummm Jinpa I’m not reaally not sure” She said her words slightly slurring. “And Rangi, Rangi was up here I don’t know how long ago, but her mother was also stabbed by Yun… no surprise there I guess,”

“That’s right, I remember when the fire benders came, it was all people were talking about for a while, my sister I know she became quite good friends with… what did you say her name was? Rangi?”

Between the liquor and flood of emotions her processing speed was way below normal. “So were they like a thing?” She asked downing another glass. “I’m not really sure, but she works at the Healing hut so I know they saw  each other frequently”

“The healing hut… I have to go” She said getting up a bit too quickly for the amount she drank. She clung to the bar. “How much?”

“Oh no don’t worry about it” He smiled, slightly frightened of what he sort of created.

Healing hut, healing hut, h-e-a-l-i-n-g h-u-t. The words started to sound weird in her mind.

“Kyoshi?” She looked up to see the monk standing in front of her. “Jinpa” She called enthusiastically. “Oh for the love of Rava”

“You’re drunk aren’t you?”

“Pssshhh no!” She said defensively. “You’re drunk.”

“No”

“Kyoshi you’re drunk”

“Don’t tell topknot” She whispered. Jinpa rubbed his temple, “One job I had one job” he mumbled. “Hmmm?” Kyoshi called out. “Nothing”

He had led her back to her hut and knocked on the door, which Rangi answered quickly, looking them both up and down. “She’s your problem now,” Jinpa said, gesturing towards Kyoshi who seemed to be in a dream-like state.

“You reek” She said once Jinpa had left. “Exactly how many drinks have you had?” She asked to help Kyoshi out of her tunic. “3 plus 2 minus 4 plus 7…”Rangi just rolled her eyes. “Bed now”

“Fine bossy pants” She mumbled. “Did the meeting go that bad?” Rangi tried to ask, grabbing a large bowl. “All they want to talk about is Yun, Yun this, Yun that, Yun is evil, blah blah blah…”

“Okay…”

That must have been tough for Kyoshi to deal with, she thought as she got up to get a large glass of water. She had more space to deal with the whole thing while Kyoshi was just tossed to the wolves. “Here drink this”

Kyoshi shook her head, before all of the contents of her stomach spilled into the bowl. Kyoshi you idiot

Rangi set the glass down quickly before holding Kyoshi’s hair back. Kyohsi was not going to make this easy for her.

“I’m sorry” Kyoshi said as she got back into bed, after throwing everything left in her stomach up. “Oh really?”

“I didn’t want to make you mad, Rangi, I don’t ever want to make you mad,” Kyoshi said sleepily. “Well you can start by not coming back drunk” She said with a faint laugh.

As they laid in the silence a question popped into Rangi’s mind. “Hey Kyoshi?”

She turned to find her passed out beside her.

“Good night”

Hey guys! Thanks for reading, I’ll be sort if busy this week so I will probably be able to update around this weekend. If you guys have any suggestions or anything in particular you would like to see feel free to let me know. Have a good night or morning <3