Kyoshi
Kyoshi
Kyoshi
As a child, Kyoshi was never normal. She was a social outcast, a loner. The girls giggled at her when she walked past, the boys were scared of her. Who could blame them? Kyoshi was frightening. She was tall and burly. She had the figure of a man and feet the size of a Armadillo Lion. Her voice was deep and her attitude was far from what was expected from a girl of her age.
Kyoshi longed for acceptance, but at the same time she knew that she was special. Her mother had told her so before she died. Kyoshi would repeat those words when she walked past villagers who pointed at her and laughed. They thought she couldn't hear their whispers, but she could hear them as clearly as she could see the sun.
At night, Kyoshi didn't cry to sleep, but she did feel sad. Her heart ached and the only comfort she could seek was from her pet Rabbiroo, Pia. Pia couldn't speak, but she could cuddle. But Pia was growing bigger by the day and soon she wouldn't be allowed inside anymore. Kyoshi knew that when that time came, she would be lonely as ever.
Kyoshi's father was a busy man. After her mother's death, he had less time to spend with her. He was always busy with council work and left Kyoshi alone to fend for herself. He didn't teach her about life, or fighting. Kyoshi had to do it all by herself. She didn't mind – she had friends, the spirits to guide her in training. She was the only one who could see them, why, she did not know. But they kept her company when she was lonely.
By the age of nine, Kyoshi had developed her very own fighting style. Her teacher scolded her, pointing out that girls aren't fighters and that her fighting style was 'messy'. Kyoshi tried to explain that it was a beautiful style, but her teacher slapped her with a ruler and told her to sit in the corner. The spirits tried to reassure her that her fighting style would save the world one day, but she didn't believe them.
Kyoshi was for the first time in her life heartbroken when she found Pia dead in her pen. She knew it wasn't a natural death. The poor animal was beaten to death. Kyoshi collapsed on her knees and held Pia in her arms and cried. She cried and cried, until she could cry no more. Pia was buried in the corner of the garden, loved and never forgotten.
By the age of fifteen, Kyoshi was still alone. The girls still laughed and the boys still ran when they saw her. Kyoshi, however saw the world in a new light. She now wore green robes, designed herself and had shoes specially made to fit her exceptionally large feet. She wore a crown on her head and carried steel fans that matched her fighting style. She decorated her face with heavy make-up. The girls would laugh at this and call her a 'clown'. Kyoshi ignored them, knowing that as long as she had the spirits she would never be alone.
It was her sixteenth birthday when her life changed. The village was holding a special festival to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their founding. Everyone was dancing, clapping and cheering. Everyone ate and drank so much until they were bloated. All, except for Kyoshi. She sat silently away from the crowds, her father had long forgotten her and left to socialize with the women. Kyoshi was as always, alone. Even the spirits where absent that night.
It was when the Earth Temple priests arrived that the party came a standstill. The villagers stopped laughing, they stopped dancing and came to a halt. Everyone's eyes wide as the priests stood together in an ensemble. The Chief stood to his feet and welcomed them.
"Thank you, oh honored priests for accepting our invitation to attend the celebration of our village's founding tonight," the Chief said. Kyoshi could not help, but notice the pride the man held in his voice. The High Priest laughed, causing everyone to glance at each other in confusion. The Chief narrowed his eyes, clearly not impressed by the response.
"We are not here for your petty festival," the High Priest hissed, his beady black eyes landed on Kyoshi which made her freeze on the spot, "we have come to announce the identity of the next Avatar."
There was a gush of surprised gasps and whispers. Kyoshi herself was surprised. The next Avatar? Here, in their village? The Chief could not believe it. He glanced around the mob of villagers, wondering who amongst them could possibly be the Avatar.
The priests nodded and all collapsed onto their knees and bowed deeply, "It is our honor to be in your presence, Avatar Kyoshi."
Everyone's gaze shifted to Kyoshi, the tall, burly woman with the attitude of a man. She stared at the priests before her with wide eyes. The spirits suddenly appeared from nowhere and all bowed before her, claiming that they have known all along and that they have been watching over her all these years.
Since then, Kyoshi's life was never the same. When she walked through the streets, everyone greeted her. They bowed, they smiled and they showered her with gifts. Girls approached her, wanting to learn her fighting style, men wanted to woo her. Elders wanted to hear her wisdom. Suddenly Kyoshi was the center of attention.
They might notice her now, but Kyoshi knew better. They weren't doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They didn't want to know the real her. She loved them, more than they could possibly ever love her. After all, all they can see is the Avatar.
As a child, Kyoshi was never normal. She was a social outcast, a loner. The girls giggled at her when she walked past, the boys were scared of her. Who could blame them? Kyoshi was frightening. She was tall and burly. She had the figure of a man and feet the size of a Armadillo Lion. Her voice was deep and her attitude was far from what was expected from a girl of her age.
Kyoshi longed for acceptance, but at the same time she knew that she was special. Her mother had told her so before she died. Kyoshi would repeat those words when she walked past villagers who pointed at her and laughed. They thought she couldn't hear their whispers, but she could hear them as clearly as she could see the sun.
At night, Kyoshi didn't cry to sleep, but she did feel sad. Her heart ached and the only comfort she could seek was from her pet Rabbiroo, Pia. Pia couldn't speak, but she could cuddle. But Pia was growing bigger by the day and soon she wouldn't be allowed inside anymore. Kyoshi knew that when that time came, she would be lonely as ever.
Kyoshi's father was a busy man. After her mother's death, he had less time to spend with her. He was always busy with council work and left Kyoshi alone to fend for herself. He didn't teach her about life, or fighting. Kyoshi had to do it all by herself. She didn't mind – she had friends, the spirits to guide her in training. She was the only one who could see them, why, she did not know. But they kept her company when she was lonely.
By the age of nine, Kyoshi had developed her very own fighting style. Her teacher scolded her, pointing out that girls aren't fighters and that her fighting style was 'messy'. Kyoshi tried to explain that it was a beautiful style, but her teacher slapped her with a ruler and told her to sit in the corner. The spirits tried to reassure her that her fighting style would save the world one day, but she didn't believe them.
Kyoshi was for the first time in her life heartbroken when she found Pia dead in her pen. She knew it wasn't a natural death. The poor animal was beaten to death. Kyoshi collapsed on her knees and held Pia in her arms and cried. She cried and cried, until she could cry no more. Pia was buried in the corner of the garden, loved and never forgotten.
By the age of fifteen, Kyoshi was still alone. The girls still laughed and the boys still ran when they saw her. Kyoshi, however saw the world in a new light. She now wore green robes, designed herself and had shoes specially made to fit her exceptionally large feet. She wore a crown on her head and carried steel fans that matched her fighting style. She decorated her face with heavy make-up. The girls would laugh at this and call her a 'clown'. Kyoshi ignored them, knowing that as long as she had the spirits she would never be alone.
It was her sixteenth birthday when her life changed. The village was holding a special festival to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their founding. Everyone was dancing, clapping and cheering. Everyone ate and drank so much until they were bloated. All, except for Kyoshi. She sat silently away from the crowds, her father had long forgotten her and left to socialize with the women. Kyoshi was as always, alone. Even the spirits where absent that night.
It was when the Earth Temple priests arrived that the party came a standstill. The villagers stopped laughing, they stopped dancing and came to a halt. Everyone's eyes wide as the priests stood together in an ensemble. The Chief stood to his feet and welcomed them.
"Thank you, oh honored priests for accepting our invitation to attend the celebration of our village's founding tonight," the Chief said. Kyoshi could not help, but notice the pride the man held in his voice. The High Priest laughed, causing everyone to glance at each other in confusion. The Chief narrowed his eyes, clearly not impressed by the response.
"We are not here for your petty festival," the High Priest hissed, his beady black eyes landed on Kyoshi which made her freeze on the spot, "we have come to announce the identity of the next Avatar."
There was a gush of surprised gasps and whispers. Kyoshi herself was surprised. The next Avatar? Here, in their village? The Chief could not believe it. He glanced around the mob of villagers, wondering who amongst them could possibly be the Avatar.
The priests nodded and all collapsed onto their knees and bowed deeply, "It is our honor to be in your presence, Avatar Kyoshi."
Everyone's gaze shifted to Kyoshi, the tall, burly woman with the attitude of a man. She stared at the priests before her with wide eyes. The spirits suddenly appeared from nowhere and all bowed before her, claiming that they have known all along and that they have been watching over her all these years.
Since then, Kyoshi's life was never the same. When she walked through the streets, everyone greeted her. They bowed, they smiled and they showered her with gifts. Girls approached her, wanting to learn her fighting style, men wanted to woo her. Elders wanted to hear her wisdom. Suddenly Kyoshi was the center of attention.
They might notice her now, but Kyoshi knew better. They weren't doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They didn't want to know the real her. She loved them, more than they could possibly ever love her. After all, all they can see is the Avatar.