Chapter 43

Rangi wasn’t sure when her body had made the transition from wake to sleep. But her mind kept running. She kept replaying a conversation she had earlier that day with one of the healers. What would happen if Kyoshi didn’t wake up soon enough?

The woman had said three day was the most that Kyoshi’s body could stand. Three days, and it already has been one.

Soon over and over again she heard the healer say it was day three over and over again. She was forced to watch time go but unable to move. Rangi had felt like she saw the whole day pass without being able to move. She watched as Kyoshi lost more and more color each moment, like she would wither away at any moment.

When she was finally able to move again it was day four, she had stumbled forward from the position she was stuck in. As she tried to take Kyoshi’s hand she was cold. There was no pulse, she couldn’t be gone-

The first couple breaths of air felt hard, like the air had become stiff. Rangi clutched the fabric over her chest like it would make breathing easier. She began frantically scanning the room, still unsure what had happened.

She had nightmares before regarding Kyoshi’s safety, so there was only one fix she knew of. It was so second nature that she didn’t give it another thought as she called out Kyoshi’s name softly.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the darkness more she was able to find Kyoshi’s silhouette. Rangi reached for Kyoshi’s hand and squeezed it hoping it would wake her. She just wanted to feel less panicked and less scared.

“Kyoshi-” But she suddenly stopped short when she remembered, Kyoshi wouldn’t wake up not to her call. Or it was very unlikely. She still hadn’t woken up from the battle. There was a pulse, but no answer to Rangi’s call.

She sat there in the silence trying to pick up the sound of Kyoshi’s breathing between the sound of her own thudding heartbeat in her ears.

But it didn’t feel like this was enough, it felt like she was still trapped in the dream. Images from her nightmare still flashed through her head, even though she could feel Kyoshi there beside her she couldn’t shake it.

She wanted to will this feeling to go away, but the one person who she knew would make her feel better. Who would hold her until, and tell her stories until she forgot about her own thoughts even though she was laying there beside Rangi, she had never felt more far away.

Dropping Kyoshi’s hand she wrapped her arms around her middle, the images still swarming in her head. Then she thought of something else, the only other form of comfort she might have left.

Rangi had pressed a kiss to Kyoshi’s forehead before heading down the hall. Although the closer she got the more she wanted to retreat. But before she knew it she was at the door.

The firebender wasn’t sure what force had completed her to open the door but it creaked open as a rush of regret coursed through her.

All her instincts told her to leave, that it was pathetic to be here now. But as she was about to turn to leave she heard her name being called out.

“Rangi is that you?” Hei ran called out into the darkness as she held a small flame in her palm just bright enough to illuminate the key features of her face.

Rangi took a step closer letting the door shut behind her, unsure what to say, or what to do.

“Is everything alright?” Her mother had called out, but Rangi couldn’t find any words, she just looked to the other side of the room.

“Why don’t you sit for a moment?” Hei ran asked as she went to light the lamp near her bed.

Rangi had complied as she walked stiffly over and perched on the end of the bed. The two sat there a good while in the silence. Neither moving, Rangi looked at the floor while Hei ran tried to find what she would say next.

“Do you want to tell me the reason for your visit? I hardly thought you’d leave Kyoshi’s side to visit me at this hour.” It had sounded harsher than she had intended.

But Rangi just bit her lip. Although she had already woken her mother up she still didn’t want to admit that she had been having nightmares. It felt pathetic.

But Hei ran watched her daughter’s eyes gloss over as they sat in the silence as she felt an urge to move closer to her daughter on the edge of the bed. But she remained near the top as she continued to speak.

“I’m sorry Kyoshi’s hasn’t woken up yet.” She paused for a moment. “I’m guessing you would have preferred to talk with her about this matter instead” Her mother said sadly.

Heir ran could still read Rangi so well, not that this was particularly tricky at this point. But Rangi still refused to speak.

Hei ran sighed as she glanced back at her daughter, that’s when she noticed Rangi playing with her engagement ring.

“Did Kyoshi ever tell you just how she asked me if she could propose to you?” Hei ran asked as she scooted a little closer. Rangi shook her head.

A small smile formed on Hei Ran’s face. She liked this story, and felt it was only right to share it.

“Well for one I don’t even think she meant to ask me when she did but I had a feeling it was on her mind.” She began.

Hei ran had started to explain the conversation she had had with the young avatar. It wasn’t anything too notable at first but that’s when the conversation took a more interesting turn.

“I had asked Kyoshi what her plans were. But I suppose that was a more open ended question than I thought.” Hei ran admitted. “I had thought I was just asking about plans for the next day or so, but she had told me what she wanted to propose.”

Rangi picked her head up for the first time since their conversation had started. “What did you say?” She asked eagerly.

But Hei ran only laughed. “Well nothing at first”

“You didn’t say anything?!”

Her mother tried to stop her laughter long enough to speak. “Well at first no, because she wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise, she was talking so fast that I didn’t understand a word of it. But when she finally had to stop to take a breath I tried to reassure her that I thought it was a great idea.” Hei ran smiled once more as she saw her daughter’s shoulders relax a bit.

“But well you know better than anyone how she is, pretty soon I felt I was the one talking into the proposal. She didn’t know if it was right, she said she didn’t feel like she was worthy.”

“worthy of what?” Rangi asked as she glanced back at the ring.

“Your love”

Rangi felt her eyes widen with her mother’s words. Why did Kyoshi feel like it was my love that was so hard to obtain?
That it was something she had to earn. My love is the one thing she will never have to earn because she has always had it.

“So then how did you convince her? I’m assuming you did, didn’t you?” Rangi asked.

The sad energy from before was nearly all lifted, and now Rangi and Hei ran were so close that she could reach out and touch her mother.

“I had asked her what makes her happiest. Her answer was all the proof I needed. Kyoshi had said that she knew that she was supposed to say peace between the four nation or saving people as the avatar”

Rangi felt like she would nearly topple over the edge of the bed for the answer. ” But it’s Rangi and it always will be, is what she said”

“As if that wasn’t enough she continued to tell me that my daughter was the love of her life and she would give up every ounce of herself to protect you no matter the cost, and would use every bit of her spirit to love you. She also said that if you weren’t ready then, that she would spend her whole life waiting. But I assured her that you would have definitely said yes.” She continued with a fond smile.

Hearing Kyoshi’s words from the story filled Rangi with a sense of warmth she hadn’t felt in days. “And that was it, I gave her my blessing if you want to call it that, and then I just waited.” Hei ran said she finished the story.

When she looked back at her daughter she suddenly saw hot tears streaming down her face. Hei ran frowned. “I’m sorry, perhaps that was the best story to share.”

But Rangi shook her head as she wiped the tears with her sleeve. “It’s not that, I- I really liked hearing it. Kyoshi never told me that whole story, but now it feels like she never will” She continued to sob.

“I just want her to be okay”

It’s then that Hei ran and held her daughter, like she was a child again. “I just keep seeing it,” Rangi admits with a sniffle.

“Seeing what?” Hei ran dares to ask.

“Her gone, I- I can’t bear it” Rangi almost had to yell to get the words out through the tears.

By the time Rangi had calmed down she felt more tired than before. She must have looked at it as well because Hei ran offered if she wanted to sleep in her room the remainder of the night.

For a second she was tempted but then Rangi shakes her head. “I can’t, if she wakes up she’ll be scared and alone and -” Rangi had stopped mid sentence as her mother stood up.

“Alright then let’s go” Heir ran had gathered up the top layer of the comforter in her arms and was heading for the door. Rangi stared wide eyed, was she really doing what Rangi thought?

“It’s my house I can do what I want” She said with a smile as they both left the room.

When they had gotten back to the room that Kyoshi was in she was in the same spot that Rangi had left her in. Hei ran had started arranging the blankets to meet her comfort as she settled in.

“Atuat will be here in the morning Jinpa left to go get her by skybison after dinner. They will be here soon” Hei ran commented as she shuffled in the covers.

Rangi felt a smile creep across her face as she settled down herself. Maybe everything would be okay after all. Atuat must know something else, something the other healers had missed. She had to have answers.

Okay I will admit that have a problem with the nightmare comfort trope thing, but I loved the parallel since in all the other instances they were there to comfort one another. But honestly writing the part where Rangi wakes up and Kyoshi wasn’t “there” kinda broke my heart but its for the plot. Maybe not THE plot, but my scheme. Also you can’t convince me that Kyoshi was all over the place when she was trying to ask Hei ran if she could marry Rangi. And I just love fact that I feel like Kyoshi just kinda grew on everyone over time, but how could you not love her?

Anyways have a great day, and hoped you enjoyed!