Have a fic
Story Title: Muse
Fandom: A:TLA
Characters: Suki, Kyoshi
Summary: A companion piece of writing to this piece of art by secondlina
Writer's Note: A while back in July, I had to go to the hospital. A dear friend of mind, Secondlina, drew me a wonderful banner depicting Suki sitting rather peacefully with a butterfly upon her hand. It's taken me a while, but I've finally written the piece of fanfic to go with that painting. Enjoy!
Muse
There's a myth that's passed down from Warrior to Warrior, teacher to student, which explains the reasoning behind Kyoshi's choices for paint-colours. It's a secret that is kept amongst the Warriors, never leaking out - not even to other citizens of the Island.
Some Warriors said it was to keep Kyoshi's touch reputation unsullied, that if word got out how the paints originated, those who believed the rumours would seriously reconsider them - and, in turn, the ferocity of Kyoshi's Warriors.
Others merely suggested that the reason for secrecy was to keep something about their order private, now that the war was over and their borders were open again to all and anyone who wanted to trade.
Suki mused about this as she sat on the highest hill of Kyoshi, gazing at the houses below her. It was the best vantage point on the entire Island, one that Suki often sought when her duties got too strenuous to deal with. A soft breeze ruffled her hair and her tassels, and she sighed, closing her eyes and inhaling its sweet spring scents.
A fluttering noise brought her eyes open again, and she smiled.
There was another good reason for being up on the highest hill, after all. Suki sat up straighter, holding a hand out and stretching out her fingers slightly. The source of the fluttering touched down, and upon Suki's gloved finger perched a butterfly.
Suki smiled wider, her eyes taking in its gentle colouration and unique hues. On the upper parts of its wings was a patch of bright red, while the middle was contrasted with flawless bright white, tailed with a deep and forest green. Accenting these colours were hints of gold and black, complimenting the other colours without seeming too gaudy.
As Suki gazed at the butterfly with a warm heart, she thought back to that myth.
Once, when Kyoshi was sixteen and still struggling to accept being the Avatar, she ran off into the hills to avoid being stared at like a freak of nature. She had already felt that way before the announcement was made, since she was so much taller and stronger than all of the other girls; needing extra ammunition for the insults was the last thing she needed.
She spent hours up in the hills. History would state that she was spending it meditating on her new future, communing with the past Avatars for their wisdom and becoming a stronger person for it.
But her heirs would know the truth.
Kyoshi was actually contemplating running away. While she had always thought that there was probably more to life than fishing and being under Chin's thumb, she hadn't realised that it meant far more than she would have dreamed.
She sat in the muddiest patch she could find, her face pulled into a sulk not usually seen on a sixteen-year-old girl's face, when a fluttering of wings distracted her, and she tore herself away from the gloom of her problems and looked up.
There, floating above her head, was a butterfly. Its bright colours distracted the Avatar, her green eyes fixed above her and constantly flicking around in order to keep the small insect in her gaze.
Wordlessly, soundlessly, she held up her hand, and without hesitation the butterfly landed upon her palm, its tiny feet tickling the calloused skin. As she stared at it, Kyoshi realised that, in that single moment, just how many people were depending on her, and how easy it was to forget that. Even this small butterfly in her hand in some way depended on her.
It was humbling. It made her accept. It made her understand.
She vowed never to forget that humility, no matter what she did or how great she became. To make sure she never forgot, she painted herself with the colours of that butterfly every single day to ensure that memory.
As Suki held the descendant of that butterfly in her hand, she, too, was reminded of that simple humility. While her job wasn't as great, she still had a duty to help as many people as she could - and not just on Kyoshi Island, but in the world.
It really was a simple and effective reminder.
As Suki moved to get back to her feet, the butterfly grabbed a headwind and threw itself back into the sky. Suki watched it fly away, the smile still upon her lips. When she couldn't see more than a small speck against the sky, she turned and went back to the village, ready to take whatever was there for her take.
Fandom: A:TLA
Characters: Suki, Kyoshi
Summary: A companion piece of writing to this piece of art by secondlina
Writer's Note: A while back in July, I had to go to the hospital. A dear friend of mind, Secondlina, drew me a wonderful banner depicting Suki sitting rather peacefully with a butterfly upon her hand. It's taken me a while, but I've finally written the piece of fanfic to go with that painting. Enjoy!
Muse
There's a myth that's passed down from Warrior to Warrior, teacher to student, which explains the reasoning behind Kyoshi's choices for paint-colours. It's a secret that is kept amongst the Warriors, never leaking out - not even to other citizens of the Island.
Some Warriors said it was to keep Kyoshi's touch reputation unsullied, that if word got out how the paints originated, those who believed the rumours would seriously reconsider them - and, in turn, the ferocity of Kyoshi's Warriors.
Others merely suggested that the reason for secrecy was to keep something about their order private, now that the war was over and their borders were open again to all and anyone who wanted to trade.
Suki mused about this as she sat on the highest hill of Kyoshi, gazing at the houses below her. It was the best vantage point on the entire Island, one that Suki often sought when her duties got too strenuous to deal with. A soft breeze ruffled her hair and her tassels, and she sighed, closing her eyes and inhaling its sweet spring scents.
A fluttering noise brought her eyes open again, and she smiled.
There was another good reason for being up on the highest hill, after all. Suki sat up straighter, holding a hand out and stretching out her fingers slightly. The source of the fluttering touched down, and upon Suki's gloved finger perched a butterfly.
Suki smiled wider, her eyes taking in its gentle colouration and unique hues. On the upper parts of its wings was a patch of bright red, while the middle was contrasted with flawless bright white, tailed with a deep and forest green. Accenting these colours were hints of gold and black, complimenting the other colours without seeming too gaudy.
As Suki gazed at the butterfly with a warm heart, she thought back to that myth.
Once, when Kyoshi was sixteen and still struggling to accept being the Avatar, she ran off into the hills to avoid being stared at like a freak of nature. She had already felt that way before the announcement was made, since she was so much taller and stronger than all of the other girls; needing extra ammunition for the insults was the last thing she needed.
She spent hours up in the hills. History would state that she was spending it meditating on her new future, communing with the past Avatars for their wisdom and becoming a stronger person for it.
But her heirs would know the truth.
Kyoshi was actually contemplating running away. While she had always thought that there was probably more to life than fishing and being under Chin's thumb, she hadn't realised that it meant far more than she would have dreamed.
She sat in the muddiest patch she could find, her face pulled into a sulk not usually seen on a sixteen-year-old girl's face, when a fluttering of wings distracted her, and she tore herself away from the gloom of her problems and looked up.
There, floating above her head, was a butterfly. Its bright colours distracted the Avatar, her green eyes fixed above her and constantly flicking around in order to keep the small insect in her gaze.
Wordlessly, soundlessly, she held up her hand, and without hesitation the butterfly landed upon her palm, its tiny feet tickling the calloused skin. As she stared at it, Kyoshi realised that, in that single moment, just how many people were depending on her, and how easy it was to forget that. Even this small butterfly in her hand in some way depended on her.
It was humbling. It made her accept. It made her understand.
She vowed never to forget that humility, no matter what she did or how great she became. To make sure she never forgot, she painted herself with the colours of that butterfly every single day to ensure that memory.
As Suki held the descendant of that butterfly in her hand, she, too, was reminded of that simple humility. While her job wasn't as great, she still had a duty to help as many people as she could - and not just on Kyoshi Island, but in the world.
It really was a simple and effective reminder.
As Suki moved to get back to her feet, the butterfly grabbed a headwind and threw itself back into the sky. Suki watched it fly away, the smile still upon her lips. When she couldn't see more than a small speck against the sky, she turned and went back to the village, ready to take whatever was there for her take.