Warrior (4)
Suki quickly brought two sets of dark-green outfits with two cups of paint—one red and one white—stably placed on top of the clothing. Setting them in front of Nik, Suki smiled, "To begin with a Kyoshi Warrior's training, you must dress like one. I picked this size for you, and although the inner tunic is slightly form-fitting, you can skip it and wear the outer tunic alongside the armor. And then I will help the two of you wear the face paint."
"Two of us?" Katara questioned, reluctant to paint her face white as Suki smiled at her.
"You do want to learn how to fight, right?"
"Fine, I get it," Katara sighed.
"Please come to the other side then."
Suki stood up, leading Katara to the adjacent room. As they left, Nik sighed and slipped out of his coat. He wasn't too buff, so Katara's clothes were still enough for him, but the lack of underwear did make it unbearable inside, motivating him to wear one of the underwear in his world some time ago. Taking off the clothes, Nik took one sniff of himself and instantly groaned.
Nik simply admired Sokka’s ability to bear the chilled water as he would bathe whenever he did. He suspected the only reason Katara was more active in grooming herself in this cold climate was her ability to manipulate the temperature of the water. Maybe he could ask Katara to heat the water slightly later?
As Suki had expected, the white inner tunic was tighter around the shoulders and neck, leading Nik to wear one of the T-shirts he had with him. Removing them discreetly from his body to keep the article hidden was simply a thought away, so Nik found a moment of comfort in his stolen clothes. The silk, green kimono was soft but warm, unlike the slightly tribal clothing of the water tribe. Tying the dark green belt around the wide skirt on his waist, Nik wore the plated armor, then came the pair of gloves and the gauntlets that covered Nik's forearms. He took a moment to appreciate the golden insignia on the gauntlets. Finally, Nik completed the set with a pair of black boots and waited for his make-up crew to return.
He still didn’t wear the green headband with a golden plate in the middle. Unlike the headdresses other full-grown Kyoshi Warriors wore, this was much simpler and plain, signifying the possible rookie status in the group.
*Knock*
*Knock*
"Are you done, Nik?" Suki inquired loudly from the other side.
"Yeah!"
The door opened to reveal Suki leading a Katara, who looked different and out of place in this outfit—maybe due to her long hair tied into a low bun. However, the two loops of her locks from her forehead to the bun remained the same.
"How do I look?" Katara inquired as Nik couldn't help but point at his neck. "You're missing your pendant."
"Ah, it's in here," Katara patted the hidden pocket by the edge of the kimono on the suit’s battle skirt and continued, "Suki said that wearing accessories, especially around the neck, can be dangerous. So?"
She inquired again as Nik observed her from head to toe.
"You look good," Nik shrugged—nothing but the truth.
"Heh, you look good yourself, sister," Katara teased, but seeing Suki and Nik looking at her strangely, she questioned, "What? I was joking?"
"Leave the jokes to your brother. I admit that he even fights funny," Suki shrugged as Katara pursed her lips. Katara couldn't comprehend easily Suki’s ability to throw shade at the siblings with a few words and make Nik snort a chuckle.
"Come, sit down next to Nik."
Suki called out and sat in front of Nik.
Picking the cup filled with white paint, Suki explained while Katara sat down.
"This paint needs a good scrubbing to wash off once it dries. But with all the snow and ice around and some rather infuriating pranks by kids, we hardly ever get it to that stage."
Dipping her index and middle finger into the cup, she spoke:
"Anyway! It is time-saving to describe the group’s formation while I initiate the two of you."
Pressing the tip of her fingers against Nik's cheek, Suki stated softly, "Close your eyes."
Closing them, Nik heard Suki explain, "Avatar Kyoshi created the Kyoshi Warriors before Kyoshi Island’s Formation. Thus, our origin starts from the Earth Kingdom itself. In her time, Avatar Kyoshi had seen many instances of women being helpless against the actions of men. I don't think it needs an in-depth explanation since it is sadly self-explanatory.”
“Since the formation of the Kyoshi Warriors, the trained women did not take kindly to men trying to learn from them. Things finally began to change since the start of the 100-Year War. Kyoshi Warriors of other villages and us, too, saw men could be as helpless as women. In the beginning, my predecessors taught a few men. Most of them left since they expected a set of overpowering techniques, allowing their problems to go away using brute force.”
“The others were caught and personally executed since the Kyoshi Warriors found them using our teachings to commit evil deeds that led to our formation in the first place. In reality, the journals of the previous leaders revealed war drove these men to such actions due to sadness and loneliness.”
Katara's gaze turned sad and understanding as Suki continued calmly, "However, actions always merit consequences. No matter the cause, it was undeniable that these initiates tainted our teachings, and the Kyoshi Warriors stopped them—permanently!"
Suki momentarily stopped once she swept her other two fingers slathered with red paint over Nik's eyelids and lips. Intentional or not, Suki's fingers pressed a little too firmly against his lips. Even the sadness in Katara's gaze vanished when she saw Suki blowing softly against Nik's eyes. The scene made Katara’s heart thump louder for a second.
"You can open your eyes. I left a little space before your hairline for you to wear your headband without smudging it too much."
The 'paint' felt more like wet mud drying quicker than Suki explained. Nik waited after wearing the headband while Suki began painting Katara's face white.
"I was more open to the idea of teaching Nik because he... well, isn’t skilled. Sokka, though laughable, knows what he wants to strike and how. Nik doesn't. Still, the rest of the girls didn’t oppose Nik’s temporary joining because he stood up for Avatar and you guys despite being incapable of using his body lethally. And I have heard that Waterbenders can be deadly and precise—you lack those qualities. But again, having the Avatar's trust can be wonderful when meeting other factions and forces created by the past Avatars."
"Maybe Aang should join the Kyoshi Warriors, too," Nik mumbled.
"Can you do that?" Suki looked at him, eyes wide with excitement.
"You could ask him," Nik shrugged.
"Anyway," deflating slightly, Suki continued, "Since I am the current leader of the group... but am also planning to leave for my personal goals, I assured the group that if you guys took me in, I would also keep an eye on those who learn our techniques and do whatever it is in my power to stop you guys from using our methods for hurting others personally."
"What would have happened—" Katara began as Suki spoke lightly, "Don't speak yet."
Suki smiled, pressing the white paint on Katara's cheeks again, "What would have happened if you guys didn’t take me with you? Nothing in particular. But it will be on me and no one else should you use the techniques to hurt others."
Once finished placing the red paint over Katara's eyelids, Suki leaned back and smiled, "Keep your eyes closed for a few seconds."
"What? No blows for me?" Katara inquired, though her eyes closed, her will to get back at Suki for indirectly calling her lame ignited her excuse to tease someone. However, tilting her head curiously, Suki shook her head. Not that Katara could see her, but it was a simple and instinctive response further explained, too.
"I thought it might be weird, but Kyoshi Island has never minded such interests. Fun fact, Avatar Kyoshi had a colorful journey in this matter. Anyway, come closer. I'll blow on your eyes."
"N-no, just stay away from me," Katara hurriedly leaned back, eyes still closed and failing to witness the glimpse of mischief in Suki's eyes, something that Nik noted. Still, it was news to him that gay relationships were a thing of the world. He had expected only brothels to cater such services since, in his homeworld, men and women of such needs were executed openly, and this in itself had led to a great recruitment period for the district back in the day.
Katara only grew stable and less flustered once she opened her eyes and saw the duo looking at her. She puckered her lips slightly and commented, "This is not over," once she saw Suki and Nik smiling at her humorously.
"Come on, stand up. I will start teaching you the basic moves for simple practice."
Standing up, Suki turned towards the end of the large room. She picked two pairs of fans from the weapon's rack and neared the new initiates.
"Take them. These war fans are packed and held in place by lacquered wood and a good grip tied on the exterior. The bronze-coated plate only looks sharp, but these aren’t the real things and you won’t be able to hurt yourselves accidentally."
Nik and Katara received a pair each as they looked at each other. One thing flickered in their mind instantly. Compared to bone spears, this was an upgrade.
"This looks good, and the uniform is comfortable, too. Thanks, Suki," Nik smiled as she shook her head.
"Not a problem. And not only comfortable, but the golden insignia on your wrists also represent the honor of a warrior's heart. A warrior should always have a heart of gold. Meanwhile, the silk threads symbolize the brave blood that flows through a warrior's veins. Remember, never tarnish your mind, heart, and soul by giving in to the world’s negativity."
Nik and Katara were certainly impressed. One whore and one Lass of water tribe given such honor...
The two couldn't help but hold their heads high slightly.
"Hey, Suki, I just came to say tha—"
Sokka barged in at this moment, his expression remorseful and his tone full of acceptance when his voice stuck in his throat, and his cheeks twitched violently. He laughed almost instantly!
"Oh—Hahahaha!" Thumping the floor with the side of his fist, he shouted. "Aaaaannnngggg! You gotta see this!"
"Oh, my Ocean Gods! It’s too good!"
Seeing him comically roll on the floor only made Katara's and Suki's expressions worse by the second. Nik, meanwhile, turned to look himself in the small mirror over the shelf filled with other training pieces of equipment, and he couldn't help but commend Suki's sharp make-up and Kyoshi's sense of fashion. He was simply impervious to jokes made about his sexuality.
'This uniform as a cosplay would make the sales go through the roof at the bookshop,' Nik realized.
"What is it? What is it?"
With a drastic gust of snow, Aang came to a screeching halt in front of the cottage. The village was small enough for Sokka's loud call to tingle Aang's senses, and the moment he laid eyes on Nik and Katara, he fell silent before smiling, "Hey, guys. Nice training uniform. What are you practicing?"
"-- ang! AANG!!"
Before Suki could complete it, Aang's expression changed drastically as he fled. Jumping with his glider opening once again, Aang locked his legs around the lower end of the shaft and flew away with the small group of energetic girls still chasing after him.
"Done laughing? You can get out then," Suki crossed her arms over her chest plate as Sokka still heaved deeply, his shoulders shuddering. "Yeah, yeah. I just came to say I learned a good lesson from our spar. Thank you for it."
Waving his hands, Sokka left, leaving the trio stunned. But Katara’s expression turned bleak when the sound of his laughter echoed again.
"Let's forget any of it ever happened," Katara suggested as Suki nodded while they looked at Nik.
"I don't know what Sokka was laughing at. You did a great job with the face paint."
Seeing him smile, Suki couldn't help but stare at him for a moment before coughing.
"Follow my movements, and don't you dare think I'd go easy on you just because you can speak sweetly!" Suki glared, instantly taking out her war fans from the clutches of her armor as it unfurled with a distinct metallic sound.
---
Suki didn’t drill the two initiates too roughly despite what she said. The basics of the Kyoshi Warrior's technique were essentially the self-defense art of redirecting the opponent's force to your advantage. Knowing that average women would not hold against men of brute force, Kyoshi had taught the first generation of Kyoshi Warriors how to use the opponent's strength using one's footwork, movement of the upper body, and general flexibility that Katara and Nik both lacked somewhat.
Nik knew for a fact that his previous body was more flexible than Suki's in more ways than one, and while he did not know any great fighting or bending techniques, seeing Suki's choice of stretching techniques, Nik knew that this was one thing he may trump the Kyoshi Warriors in.
With a newfound need to regain his flexible wonders, Nik made a note to himself to start practicing them come the next dawn.
With how welcoming the village was and just how much affection and popularity the group had gained in a matter of the day, they ended up staying for longer than Sokka might have expected. But even if they were short on time, the group did not know anything about the outside world per se, and with Aang accepting the village chief's request, the group was divided into different tasks.
Katara and Nik would have to dress up early in the morning and join the patrolling lessons alongside the group training. It was one of the main pillars of Kyoshi's teaching. For two afternoons now, Aang had visited the coast side occupied by the unagi, however, he was at his wit's end.
Meanwhile, the more Sokka understood about the outside world in the port from the sparse number of traders who still visited Kyoshi Island for daily needs, the more worried he got, becoming the voice in the group that demanded they began packing their stuff as quickly as possible.
---
"I can't believe we wasted five days here!" Sokka grumbled as he took a cloth and wiped the dust from one of the shelves. This place was none other than Kyoshi's Shrine, which held her personal effects. In his Kyoshi get-up, Nik sighed softly. Katara's and Sokka's objective was to locate their father. While Katara had shown an understanding of Aang's internal conflict of helplessness and a sense of duty, Sokka was more outspoken and decisive.
"Not to mention I ended up becoming that Old man's helper!" Sokka scowled, clenching the dirty rag.
Admiring Kyoshi's boot's size, Nik replied, "Aang did say we'll leave today if he still can't think of any way to help the village."
"...yeah... still, this village has it bad."
At this moment, one of the Kyoshi Trainees barged in, panting and heaving, while the two also heard low but familiar screeches.
"Nik! Katara's brother, the Unagi—"
"Finally!"
Sokka smiled, picking the katana from the rack. He instantly ran out while the woman without makeup was pale with fright.
"Yona is in trouble! Come quickly, everyone is in trouble!" the girl gasped and beckoned Nik to follow her. The trio shot through the street as many villagers looked towards the other side of the small island with worried expressions.
***
Alternate Title: Suki Painting Nik and Katara White (SFW); The Creation of Kyoshi Warriors; The Bloody History of War; Led To Violence By Despair; Suki Gives Nik a Special Blow; Katara Wants One, Too?; Sokka Can’t Hold It Back; Nik Messing Up Canon Events!; The Effects of ‘Pretty’ Bloodline; Nik’s Old World Will Pick Arms Against Kyoshi and Her Tastes; Nik Aiming to Be Flexible Goat—*Ty Lee Laughs In Identical Sisters*; Make Kyoshi Great Again—Suki’s Motto Probably; The Unagi Resurfaces?; Everyone’s In Trouble?—Sokka: My Time to Shine!; The New Trainer; Attractive Lips