Destiny Altered (READ DISCLAIMER)

17 - Journey to Kyoshi

"Be careful of the Unagi in the bay," I cautioned the pilot as our airship began its descent to land.

"What's the Unagi?" Azula asked.

Before I could answer her, a huge geyser shot up in front of us. I bent the water away before it could hit our ship.

"That's the Unagi," I said, pointing down to the huge eel-like creature below us.

"Hmm… looks like it'd be fun to ride," Azula commented offhandedly. I shook my head. "What?" she asked, noticing my disapproval.

"Aang tried to do that when we first visited here. Trust me, it's not a good idea. That thing is vicious. I'd feel better if you stuck to riding the elephant koi, but not in the bay."

The pilot was careful to go around the bay so as to avoid any more disruption from the Unagi. Finally, we made landing on the shore of Kyoshi Island, and Azula and I exited from the ship walking side-by-side.

Chief Oyaji and several Kyoshi Warriors—none of whom I recognized—were there to greet us upon our arrival, but it was apparent that they had their guard up. They didn't exactly have a cozy relationship with the Fire Nation royal family. Zuko had nearly burned their village to the ground, and Azula had captured their warriors and had masqueraded as them in order to take down the Earth Kingdom.

"Chief Oyaji, it's good to see you again," I said, bowing to him.

"Likewise, Katara," he replied, his eyes darting nervously over to Azula. Her reputation preceded her. I tried to put him at ease with a warm smile.

"I'd like you to meet someone. Chief Oyaji, this is Princess Azula." He didn't bow to her, and I didn't know exactly how Azula would react to what could be perceived as a slight. But I wasn't worried. Gone was the power hungry princess that insisted people grovel at her feet.

Instead she bowed her head slightly in greeting. "Thank you for having us," she said. This surprised Oyaji, and finally a small smile graced his lips as he returned the gesture. The Kyoshi Warriors standing behind him still eyed her warily.

"Where's Suki?" I asked.

"She took several of the warriors on a training mission. They should be back within the hour," one of the warriors replied. "Your father and brother are also with them. They weren't sure when exactly to expect your arrival."

"In the meantime, we'll show you to where you'll be staying. It's large enough to accommodate your crew," Oyaji added, indicating the six crew members now standing behind us.

Azula and I followed Oyaji and the warriors with our crew bringing up the rear. As we walked down the street, the village seemed to come to a standstill—everyone's gaze fixed upon the girl walking at my side. She held herself proudly, but without arrogance.

The house where we were staying was very close to where the warriors trained. I imagined they wanted to keep us nearby, just so they could keep an eye on Azula. Still, it kept us far from the prying eyes of the rest of the village.