Alright y'all split pov time! I hope it makes sense, and you enjoy it!!!
The feeling in the tunnels shifted. Everyone seemed on edge, not sure what was really going to happen. Kyoshi supposed none of them really knew where they were going so of course there was going to be some unease for the trip. Apparently some other previous members had made their way over in news of the Avatar joining, she didn't have the chance to meet them though, and honestly she wasn't sure she wanted to.
But the one thing that still was yet to be decided, who was going to go with her?
Sitting in the small room, she felt restless even though she hadn't eaten much over the past couple days which she knew Rangi would scold her for later if and when she found out.
Kyoshi felt this buzzing feeling of excitement . For once she really felt like she was actually gonna do something that wouldn't blow up in her face. She had actually been able to work from the inside to get things to go her way. Things were going to go her way this time.
"How's the packing?" The man asked, walking into the room where Kyoshi sat. "Well, there wasn't very much to pack I suppose, I tried to offer my help elsewhere but they all seemed content finishing on their own." She said, blankly,
"Have you decided who will be going across?" Kyoshi asked, changing the subject as she stood.
"Not yet, the mystery is the only thing keeping them going at this point. Better to keep it a surprise." He replied as he left as quickly as he came. Kyoshi found the conversations with the head man odd, especially since she has yet to hear his name, nor has he heard anyone else speak of it.
Maybe she would finally get around to asking on the trip. They were taking some sort of land creature, presumably, she knew they had no access to any sort of flying bison that she was aware of nor did they have to travel by sea.
Until they got there, it was just the hours passing by, thoughts of having to bring someone through the spirit, the world drifted in and out. But not as frequently as the firebender she knew would be waiting for her.
The days of their travels all sort of blended one as the same in Kyoshi's head. There was bickering, there were complaints but most of all there were proposals of who would be best to go with her.
"Might I ask your name, it seems I'll hopefully be considered a part of your new movement and I have yet to actually know the name of the mastermind behind it all" Kyoshi asked hoping she would play into the head man's ego and prompt him to answer.
"Or of course if your man gets stuck and I have to call someone to get him back through. I'm sure you would be the most helpful," she followed up.
"I guess you have a point. They aren't all the brightest"
Kyoshi felt the corner of her turn upwards into a grin. She was hoping she could figure more about him if she got his name. As of right now all she knew was that he used lethal air toxins. She wasn't sure of where he was from or what bending abilities he had, if he had any. That might be a reason why he used the toxins.
"Narulok, the name was given to me after my grandfather" He said simply. Kyoshi blinked a moment, did he really say that so easily. All of her time in those underground tunnels she hadn't thought anyone was supposed to even say his name, she assumed it was some little rule of their group.
But maybe it wasn't, she felt stupid. Thinking this was some sort of breakthrough, and as it turned out the name did nothing for her information. The name sounded either of earth or water tribe origins. But there was no way to tell. Maybe they moved around and the grandfather was just from one of those places. It didn't mean anything. I'm overthinking this. Kyoshi thought to herself.
They continued on without much more discussion, Kyoshi leading the way. She tried to tune out the conversations following behind her. But then specifically caught her attention.
"She could escape from the spirit world." A lower level called from behind in a hushed tone.
"That's not how it works stupid, only your spirit goes there, your body stays here" Another replied, elbowing him in the ribs causing him to almost fall over.
"How else did you think we were going to get this done?"
She bit her lip uncomfortably at the hushed conversation. It was no secret that some of them did not want her joining because of Yun, they considered him like the founder of all this craziness.
As they set up the camp not too far from the spot Kyoshi took it upon herself to light a small fire when someone hit her shoulder. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He yelled.
Kyoshi stood up now towering over the man. "You really that big of an oaf, we never light fires." He complained. Rangi would have been on his ass so quick it wouldn't even have even been funny, Kyoshi thought to herself.
"There's no one here, and you're technically a guest on spiritual property at the moment so shut it"
"That doesn't mean shit when someone finds us"
"Fine goes freeze in a dark corner of the woods for all I care. But I'm telling you no one is coming," Kyoshi replied, taking a seat. Before making the fire a bit bigger just despite him.
So maybe the lack of food was finally making her cranky, or maybe she was just anxious to see Rangi but some scrawny little earthbender wasn't going to be the reason for her freezing her ass off too.
"Pihow, you're off the list" Narulok called and joined them around the fire. " I was actually being considered?!" He yelled frantically. "Not anymore" Kyoshi guessed the earthbender cared more about what she was doing than he did.
"So have you made your decision yet?" She asked, turning to face Narulok who even in the dark still wore the mask.
"Will a water bender work?"
"It would probably be preferred actually, especially if they have experience with spirit bending." Kyohsi said, now actually thinking more about the logistics of how this was going to work.
"They do actually. Now that you mention it." Narulok replied. "Avatar Kyoshi I'd like for you to meet Wren. Wren, this is Avatar Kyoshi." He introduced.
"A pleasure, I believe I may have helped some of your team before. Some firebenders if I remember correctly" Wren said, shaking Kyoshi's hand. "Oh I can't believe you remember that was a while ago now"
Wren smiled. "I suppose it was"
"I think this will work nicely, and this is just the perfect way for you to reinstate your membership while Kyoshi earns her's." Narulok seemed happy with his choice. "Reinstate, do they expire or something?" Kyoshi asked innocently, hoping she could draw more information.
"No they do not, but running off only to come crawling back later does have its consequences." He replied coldly. Kyoshi looked at the water bender who now wore a deep frown across her features.
...
"How do we still not know how we're getting there?" Rangi yelled. She was also sort of unraveling too over this little Avatar retrieval mission. "Okay let's just lay it out again" She said, pressing on her temples.
"Pengpeng would be faster, and also quieter. It would be the most effective time wise. We could get there in no time and have time to scope everything out"
"No offense but you don't think they'll see the multi ton flying sky bison and think something is up?" Jinpa asked.
"I was getting to that" Rangi shot quickly.
"Traveling by land may be louder, but we could move the whole unit, and we could stay out of sight." She continued.
They all nodded in response. Rangi had gathered a small group of people in case the group was larger and or gave them any trouble. You couldn't be too prepared when trying to save your girlfriend from a spirit cult group thing. Right?
"So land travel it is then?"
They all agreed and started heading out there. Rangi wanted to be there as soon as possible. But she knew she couldn't intervene until morning. You better have figured this thing out Kyoshi, you're going to drive me mad if you pull something like this again. The fire bender thought to herself.
No one said much as they set out for the meditation spot. Hei Rang had decided to stay back this time. She said she would gladly make tea when they got back.
As the sun sunk further down the horizon Rangi couldn't help but recall the last time she had been here. It wasn't exactly what one would consider optimum conditions, but it was a hell of a lot better than this.
"So we really don't know where we are going then? Kirma asked.
"I don't know, ask rocks for brains over there," Rangi asked, pointing to Kyoshi. "Look unless any of you suddenly turned into an air bender, or have more information on Yancheng then we can turn around, but Kuruk told me to come here to one of her meditation spots, that it would be helpful" Kyohsi said peering off into the land below.
They all stayed kinda silent for a while after that as they drifted through the low clouds, "Ummm Topknot?" Kirma asked hesitantly.
"What? And what have I told you about calling me that" Rangi shot. "She jumped," She said plainly. "For the love of Rava, who did-"
"Kyoshi, she seems to have other plans."
"What?!" Rangi leapt to her feet in the saddle to look in front to see the now missing Kyoshi. There was a small crashing sound below. They weren't that far away from the ground but who did Kyoshi think she was, jumping off a flying air bison, and on purpose this time nonetheless.
"We're landing!" Rangi yelled as she managed to get up and grab the reins.
Once on the ground they set out to find Kyoshi, Kirma had spotted her in the middle of a gravel platform, surrounded by large carved stones, depicting all the nations.
She appeared to be trying to meditate but Rangi could care less. "Hey what they hell!" Rangi yelled. Throwing a small stone at Kyoshi's back, causing her to spin around. "What do you think your fucking Rava or something you can't just go jumping off of flying animals like that?"
"Well I kinda am if you think about it" Kyoshi replied smugly. "Why you" Rangi had tackled Kyoshi causing her to fall back onto the stones. "Damn, just get a room" Kirma called.
"Stay out of this!" Rangi yelled. "So you think you're Rava now and you can leap from the sky"
"Well I felt like something was down here, and it was too dense to land immediately so I just followed my instincts" Kyoshi tried to explain from under Rangi who was now clutching the collar of her tunic.
"You have shit instincts, I think they're broken." Rangi shot, narrowing her eyes.
Kyoshi gave her a crooked grin before pushing her off returning to her seated position, "But I found the place did I not?"
"We could have landed and then found it idiot"
"I didn't want to be a bother or mess up whatever was going on, everyone seemed to be enjoying their peaceful ride." Kyoshi said calmly.
"And you thought jumping off a bison would keep the peace!" Rangi yelled again. Kyoshi just laughed, until tears started running down her face clutching her stomach. "So it may have been to make you mad"
"What?"
"You act like a little boiling teapot, it's funny" Kyoshi laughed once more. "Why you little-" Rangi started but was cut off by Kyoshi pecking her on lips quickly. "Shit." She finished shortly.
"I think we're just going to go check on PengPeng, come get us when you're done with whatever is going on here" They called, setting off back into the woods to the air bison.
Rangi's focus shifted back to Kyoshi. "You're lucky I love you"
Rangi looked off into the distance recognizing some of the features from before. "Let's stop here it's close enough, we can walk the last bit tomorrow, we don't want to get too close" She said dismounting.
"You okay you kinda looked like you spaced out there for a moment, " another firebender called. She was someone who also graduated from the academy with Rangi, one of whom she actually seemed to tolerate now. She had taken a similar path to rangi and worked in the palace.
"I was just thinking about the last time I came here." Rangi replied, grabbing her bag and walking over to the rest of the group.
The night passed seemingly as quickly as they got there. After packing up what little they had brought for the night they went over the plan.
"Us three will go to the initial scout, the haters will wait 40 paces back, you will only be called if needed. Be prepared for any types of attacks, remember some of these people have spiritual links of sorts. We don't know the effect it has on their abilities." Rangi explained, tightening her wrist guard.
They all nodded. Rangi, Jinpa and the other firebender took off through the woods, there was no noise as far as she could tell. But there was something here.
Suddenly Rangi paused in her path, seeing what looked like a newly burned collection of coals. So they had also camped out the night before too. "It should be up here correct?" Jinpa asked quietly.
Rangi pushed forward again, slowly peeking out of the bushes to see the large engraved stones. Then stepped out into the open.
"What the fuck"
I'm not really sure what is giving me this burst of energy to write but I'm not complaining. Maybe it's the fact that I'm avoiding my school work. I guess we'll never really know. I hope the split pov made sense, also the comments you guys- they are literally everything to me. Y'all make my whole day and night, thank you so much <3