FicWad

Raven was the last to wake up the next morning, aside from Yumiko and the other girl who was in the town last night. She walked through the doorway and into the large, three walled room that opened up to the outside. In it five of the Warriors were going through the motions of lunging and parrying with their fans. Just past them where the wood floor stopped and dirt began, another person was cooking some soup in a large bowl over the fire. If only I could tell who was who. After standing there watching them for a moment, the one who was making the food waved her over

"Morning," Akiko said, as Raven nodded, recognizing her voice, "breakfast will be ready soon. While you're waiting, you should be able to find Holly down that path. She goes there a lot after she comes back, but I doubt she'll mind if you disturb her." She said, gesturing to her left.

The five training, one cooking and two sleeping; she's right, Holly isn't here.

Raven nodded again and followed the trail that Akiko was pointing at, having little else to do.

Hopefully the Titans are making progress on the machine, although I'm curious how they will. Very few people know a lot about dimensions, and even the leaders in the field are working off of theories. Humanity isn't ready for something like that to become well known, I just hope Robin sees that before he tells anybody that it's possible.

Raven looked up at the silhouetted woman sitting upright on the small hill, overlooking the ocean to her right and the village on her left.

"It's quite a view" Raven said as she approached her.

"That's what they've said." She responded, her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Mind if I join you?" Raven asked as she sat down next to her. She must've been here hours, she hasn't changed into the uniform the others were wearing yet.

"Would it matter if I asked you to leave?"

"No."

"Then I guess I don't mind too much." The two sat in silence for a few moments before Raven spoke:

"Fair enough; could I ask you something?"

"I can't stop you." Holly said, being particularly blunt this morning.

"Alright. Then why did you pick me up off that road? I mean, you were obviously in danger, it wouldn't have made sense to pick up somebo-…" Raven stopped talking when Holly turned and planted a small kiss on her cheek. Her eyes widened a touch with pleasant surprise. "Suh –, somebody who you couldn’t trust…” Raven tried to finish her statement, still surprise by the turn of events.

"Sorry, that was…" Holly trailed off, shaking her head at herself. Spirits I'm an idiot…bet she'll just get out of this world as soon as she can now…or at the very least leave the island…my fault too… “Look…just ignore that, all of this, okay?" she said again, after taking a minute to scold herself. "I didn't mean to…Just…never mind, food should be ready soon." Raven didn't respond to any of this, as Holly got up and started walking back towards the dojo, brushing past Ko on the way down the hill, who had come to fetch them for the meal.

Breakfast was rather silent that morning. When Raven showed up, her face a shade pinker than its usual pale, the nine warriors were sitting around the fire once more, eating out of wood bowls. She sat down next to somebody she didn't remember the name of, but was across from Yumiko. Next to Yumiko was Holly, with her eyes downcast and refusing to look at her.

Why didn’t I say anything back there? There’s so much that could’ve been said. If I had, she wouldn’t be upset at herself for it, maybe she would actually look up from the ground. After all, it’s not like it was unpleasant…or unwelcomed.

Raven came out of her thoughts to hear Suki talking in between chewing.

"Akiko, you'll take the docks today. Holly, I gave you the village with Masa."

"But I should be at the docks today-" Holly went to protest.

"You just got back, take it easy for a few days."

"Oh, so I get out of training?"

"Not a chance" Suki said with a grin,

"Damn."

The warriors dispersed themselves to where they were needed that day, and before Suki left she waved Raven over and said:

"It's a small island, so there isn't going to be much for you to do, but you're welcome to look around in the village or market, there's also some pretty trails around the mountains."

"I was thinking about meditating actually, is there a place nobody will disturb me?"

"Sure, that rocky beach you arrived at isn't really used by anybody except us, there's also the Kyoshi shrine. That's pretty secluded too, it's just a few minutes' walk north of here."

"I think I'll go to the shrine then, thank you."

"Sure thing." Suki said over her shoulder as she walked away.

*

Raven walked up to the shrine, a small well-kept building atop a hill overlooking the bay, with the stone path wrapping around it. She stepped in and looked at the dozen or so artifacts that were on the shelves on each wall. It's beautiful, she thought, looking at the painting of Kyoshi that covered most of one wall. If only art was still like this back on Earth.

Raven stepped outside, guess I'll just sit over here. She thought, picking a sunny spot on the stone pathway surrounding the building. She crossed her legs and levitated up a few inches, closing her eyes she focused her energy, thankful for the silence

*

“Hey, hey." A little girl no older than six said as she tugged on the end of the sheath on Holly's katana.

"Hey to you too."

"Holly! You're back!"

"Yup, how's things been here?" Holly said, kneeling down to see her eye level. The girl, whose name was Rena, was one of the only villagers who would talk to her; and consequently one of the only ones that Holly was patient with. Her father was a merchant who decided to settle down several years ago, but moved to the island after the Earth Kingdom Army salted their farmlands, fearing the Fire Nation would try to set up a colony there. He now ran his own farm up in the mountains and went to the village every few days to sell his produce. Rena frequently hung around the village after school having little else to do while her father was working.

"Not bad really, who was that person in purple? That you were on the hill with?"

"Didn't I tell you to stop sneaking around?" Holly said, annoyed that somebody else had seen them.

"What else am I supposed to do then?"

"Study?"

"But I already know all that stuff!"

"Point taken. Hey do you want to help me?"

"Ooh yes! Can I?"

"Of course, just stand right where I am." Holly stepped aside and guided her into place. "And don't move." She said as she walked off to get some food from a vender. She smiled at Rena one last time before turning the corner. Awesome kid, lucky man her father is. She thought, reflecting on the many times they've had conversations like that last one with each other. Holly had taken it upon herself to take care of Rena when her father was working, and usually spent her days off with her. Moving to Kyoshi from the outside was never an easy thing to do, even for a kid, who one would expect to make friends easily. Holly knew this, and Rena was probably the closest connection she had to any of the villagers.

Holly looked over the rest of the fish from that day's catch at the vendor's stall, and picked out a slice for Rena and herself. She paid for the food and started walking back to Rena, she must be getting bored by now, I know I would be, so she definitely is. Suki should know that "taking it easy" doesn't mean being bored to tears.

*

"Bout damn time you showed up, that purple thing has been harassing us for days." A voice said from behind Raven

She looked over to see herself in an orange cloak, standing with her arms crossed and tapping her fingers against her arm.

"Rude, why did I show up in here?"

"Beats me, I ought to sue you for trespassing or somethin' for this." Raven looked around Rude's domain, as she had never been in it before.

"Yea sure, where's the others?"

"Do I look like a map to you?" Rude responded, causing Raven to roll her eyes and walk around Rude and out the gate behind her. She entered onto the largest platform, where all her emotion's domains led into. She looked to the far edge and saw a stone chair, several feet higher than Raven. The chair, which stood empty at the moment, was how one emotion would be able to take over her more than the rest. Raven thought back to the many times she tried to destroy it, all of them ending with her giving up and Wisdom explaining why it was pointless.

Wisdom was sitting on a rock reading:

"Oh good, you're finally here."

"You too?" Even Wisdom was waiting for me? Odd.

"Not just me, we've all agreed on this. Even Rage."

"Agreed on what?" Raven said, getting impatient.

"That she's annoying." Wisdom said quietly, pointing to a purple clad Raven sleeping sprawled out on the floor a dozen feet away.

"L- love? What's she doing out of her domain…” Raven said to herself. Cage would be a better word for it. When her name was said, Love perked up her head at Raven, wide awake now.

"Rave!" Love called out as she got up and ran toward her. "You've come! You've come!" Raven tensed expecting a hug like Happy would give, but Love stopped short and stood in front of her, and grasped her shoulders.

"Why are you out?" Could it be?

"Her, of course, you know that." Love stated with a smirk.

"But it's impossible, I'm in a different dimension. It couldn't happen—" Raven said, turning to Wisdom for an actual explanation.

"Oh shut up about that dimension stuff. Love doesn't care about by any of that." She said, closing her book and listening to the conversation.

"…"

"Ugh, can't you see it? I like her; therefore you like her, and we both know what that business on the hill was about!" Love continued with excitement.

"But it's impractical, we'd be separated when I go back to Earth…"

"If you go back to Earth, and don't even bother arguing with Love, I've tried that already" This from Wisdom, who was standing watching their conversation.

"Look Raven, just don't screw things up with this. It's genuine, and probably one of the only chances you'll get." Love said, trying to reason with Raven

"Thanks for the confidence boost."

"And besides," She continued, ignoring Raven, "I am one of your more powerful emotions; I could just, say, take you over or something." She said, giving a shrug and grin.

"You wouldn't."

"Better her than Rage." Wisdom injected.

"I thought you were on my side!" Raven turned to face Wisdom.

"Hey, cut it out, something weird is going on outside." Courage yelled over as she exited her domain. Raven heard Courage and gladly walked away from the discussion Love and Wisdom were getting into again. At least now I know what they've been acting up about. Maybe Love has a valid point…

Once exiting her mindscape, Raven opened up her eyes and lowered herself to the ground. Looking up she saw that the sky was dotted with blackened clouds, moving quickly with the wind from where the bay was. She saw with horror the warship that was anchored offshore, and started running towards it hoping that she could be of help to her new friends

*

Two Kyoshi Warriors stood in front of the six Fire Nation komodo rhinos as Akiko and Ko approached behind them from the docks. "What's the meaning of this?" Suki yelled to the soldiers as she arrived to the village. She noticed a few of the villagers still lingering by their doors or some of the travelers watching from the side. They're all still too close, if they get caught in the middle of this I don't know what will happen.

"This island and its residents are officially enemies of the Fire Nation. You must surrender this island and assure cooperation of all citizens or be forced to do so." The middle aged man shouted to nobody in particular.

Upon hearing this, Suki started laughing while Ko and Akiko ran forward from behind and jabbed their closed fans into the flanks of two of the komodo rhinos, causing them to rear upwards and throw their riders off. A few swift blows and two of the men were unconscious, while the other two began fighting with Ko and Akiko.

Suki leapt into action dodging fireballs from their captain, while the man sitting behind the captain opened a satchel and began tossing red cylinders at the warriors and nearby buildings. Masa kicked one away from her before it exploded while Holly was struggling two spearmen who had dismounted while trying not to reopen her previous wound.

The first spearman swung downward at her shoulder, she twisted her body sideways and broke off the spear tip. She kicked the second man away a few feet as he came at her and she pulled her katana partially out of its scabbard, ramming the handle into the first man's abdomen. She pushed the first man, now doubled over, into the second man and the two tumbled into the range of Ko’s elbows and fans

A grunting sound came from behind Holly, Suki shouted a warning to her, but it came too late. She spun around to see a large grey beast inches away from her, and another spearman mounted atop the animal. Just before the spear was thrust into her shoulder, the wooden shaft was encased in obsidian and the man on the rhino lurched forward, surprised that his weapon wouldn't move. The spear was shattered into pieces, and Holly pulled the man down and shoved her knee into his stomach. The rest of the people had stopped and looked at her, the six warriors and nine soldiers alike. This power, one that nobody had seen before save for Holly, was quite a shock to those who saw it. But to the Warriors' credit, they quickly recovered and disabled four more soldiers before they could react. Raven ran forward to where Holly was and, using her powers, bent the armor of a soldier around his ankles as he tried to stand back up, and followed after with his wrists.

In a flash of green and black, Raven had the wind knocked out of her as she fell back onto the ground. She looked up to who she thought was Holly, who had tackled her down and now was on top of her, covering most of her smaller body. Only when Raven had heard a clash of metal and a few choice expletives from a man behind them did Holly finally yield to Raven trying to push her off.

Holly stood up with her shield in one hand, and her katana in her other; just like the two warriors in front of her who had moved to protect the two while they were down. So that's why she tackled me down. Raven thought as she saw a half dozen, four inch arrows sticking into the leather armor on Holly's back. I can still see the metal tips embedded in the leather, so they didn't go through, thank Azar for that, and for her reaction too, I never would've seen them coming in time.

*

“Those dirty bastards! Trying to cheap shot me like that, I'll show 'em, they should be watching their own backs…" Rage spat to nobody in particular, as the green clad Raven tried to hold her back.

"You know Courage, letting her out just this once would end the battle quickly."

"Love! You can't say things like that, letting her out would mean losing to Trigon."

"But it'd be just this once, and not really be for a bad reason. If you did let her go for just a few minutes, our friends wouldn't be in danger anymore."

"I told you, we can't do that!" Courage strained as she tried to hold back Rage and continue the conversation.

"The warriors are already out numbered; she'll get hurt if you don't."

"She? Of course, it's only her that you care about getting hurt isn't it? Why don't you think about the rest of us? Hell, think of what it could do to this entire island!" Courage argued with her, letting her concentration switch from Rage to Love.

Love smiled at the unintentional outburst from Courage she had caused. Courage faltering like that had been perfect for her. It had distracted Courage for a second and had given Rage enough time to overcome and push past her. Rage stepped on Courage as she ran over her, on the way to the dull stone throne that was Rage's ultimate goal. Stepping onto the pedestal that held the chair, a wicked smile formed on Rage's face; she had control now, and until she gave those bastards on the outside world payback it would be hers to keep. Rage sneered at Courage, who was on the ground with Love sitting on her; Courage could not stop her now, and the only other emotion powerful enough was helping her. Finally, after years being caged and suppressed, Rage would have her release that she craved to no end.

*

It took less than a minute for the battle to end.

Holly had not seen Raven's normally violet eyes turn a crimson red, and then elongate and split into four eyes total. Her face was no longer visible and obsidian tentacles sprouted from under her, lifting her far above the others. Rage looked wildly from left to right only to see green kimonos around her. Must find the red ones, green isn't an enemy yet. Rage slid herself through the green kimonos and golden shield that had protected her and spotted the nine men who attacked them, and therefore, who had attacked her. Two tentacles shot out from under her with lightning speed, barely missing one of the Kyoshi Warriors still in front of her in the process. They wrapped around the leg of a soldier who had started retreating, and the torso of the man with the crossbow. Rage tightened the bindings on the second man until she heard a couple satisfying cracks of his weak ribs; she tossed him aside into another man who had tried to flee from her. Retracting the first tentacle, she dragged the unharmed man towards her as two more came out from under her, and grasped his other leg and an arm. A flash of fire came at her as the captain realized what was happening to his team. Rage raised up the man she had captured and held him in the path of the flame, his captain tried to bend the ball he fired away from his countryman, and managed to do so with only millimeters to spare. She threw the man with ease at the captain and moved on to the next soldiers who dared get in her sight.

*

"Hmm, ok Rage. I think that should be good for now."

"What? Do you think I’ll get down? No, you can't take this away from me. I'm free now, I'm in control at last, and no little purple clad thing can stop me." She snarled, her four crimson eyes laughing at Love.

"Fine then," she said, standing up and letting Courage stand too. "But you're coming to close to hurting the others."

Love and Courage started advancing towards the throne. Never before had just one emotion been able to defeat Rage, and although it was normally Courage trying to, it was widely believed that nobody else could either. Love and Courage both knew that, but this time, it was not just one of them.; and with no small struggle, together they just managed to pull and drag her down from that chair and lock her back in her domain. Leaving the chair empty once more.

Less than a minute later Wisdom slapped Love across the face, practically losing it in trying to explain how dangerous it was to ever ally with Rage, let alone help her take control. Whether or not the message made it through, though, she couldn’t tell.

*

Right after Rage threw the man that was her shield into their captain, and with the remaining soldiers, she was no more. The Raven that was standing seven feet high slowly shrunk back down to her five foot ten frame. Leaning against Holly and gripping her head tightly. Will they just shut up in there? She thought as her head pounded loudly in her ears. She looked up briefly to see the backs of two Kyoshi Warriors with their shield still at the ready and weapons drawn, despite the fact the remaining three unharmed soldiers had quickly given up. Aren't the Warriors scared of me? And yet they still stand in front of me to defend us, or is just it Holly? That would make far more sense. Azar, I owe them a lot of explanations for this.

*



The remaining soldiers were lined up on their knees in the village square, with some of the villagers guarding them. They gave no resistance except their commander, who had recently regained consciousness, he had only yelled at them, but allowed himself to be bound. Suki was impressed but also very wary of what Raven had showed she can do. Although it seemed more of a "rare occurrence" to Suki, as it made no sense to fight every battle only to nearly faint before finishing it. Her fellow warriors would no doubt have many questions for her later, but now they knew they had a job to do. Suki and the others, excluding Raven who stayed back in the village, spread out to find where the tender was that the soldiers used to get from the ship to the island.

"Why do you trust her?" The captured leader yelled to the villagers. "She's clearly a witch; she'll turn on you before you can stop her!"

A well-built farmer who was guarding him looked down at him, and decided to ignore him. Raven looked away from the group of villagers. Of course they would think that, it's something they've never seen before. Not unlike the countless others back on Earth and Azarath who believe that I cannot physically do something good. But I do wonder why the villagers aren't against me? Raven looked across the bay to see a small metal boat coming into the bay, similar looking to the ship offshore and carrying the same flag. She raised her hands and readied her powers, but lowered them once the warriors climbed out of the craft.

"What do you plan on doing with them?" Raven asked as the warriors walked into the village square.

"Sending them back." Suki responded, getting a curious look from Raven.

"We'll secure them in the boat, jam the rudder and send them back to the ship. Once they hear there's a "witch" on the island, they won't come near us for a while." Holly filled her in while the others kept on walking to get the prisoners.

"By the way," Holly continued, "they burned down our building as they made their way to the village."

"The dojo?"

"Yea, really pissed off Yumiko when she woke up to flames too; although she managed to get everything out before the fire really spread. On a side note, Suki always wanted to have personal huts for each of us, surrounding a main building. So we'll probably start building them tomorrow." It's as if she's ignoring the fact that I could've destroyed the island less than ten minutes ago.

"You have that pretty planned out already."

"The single dojo was the design of the warriors before the ones who taught us, everybody after them has hated it." She said with a bit of a chuckle. "We've been waiting for an excuse to build a better one."

Raven and Holly stopped walking and looked to the shore, where the disarmed soldier were already piled into the boat, the rudder was jammed, and the boat had cast off heading straight for the ship.

"Well what are you standing here for?" Suki asked, walking up to the group of warriors. "You all have posts to be at." The girls looked around sheepishly and scattered themselves. "Ko, I want you to stay in the village, keep an eye on that ship for the time being." Suki and said stepped over to Raven. "I was hoping you could help out in the village too, that ships still a huge threat right now." Raven nodded in response and took a post not far from where Holly was leaning against a wall. The rest of the warriors dispersed to their original posts around the island and one of them went back to the still burning dojo to begin cooking the meal for later that night. Within another hour the market was filled once more and the village was functioning with relative normalcy. It was calm the rest of the afternoon and Rena had even gone up to Raven, and they talked for close to a half hour. Holly had made it clear beforehand to Rena that she shouldn't ask about the hill top or the recent battle, and for that Raven was thankful. The warship had multiple birds flying to and from it throughout the afternoon and, after Rena explained what they were for to Raven, Raven showed the little girl her communicator and explained to the best of her ability how it worked.

Slightly more than an hour before dusk, the warship had left and the atmosphere of the small village was improved greatly, with villagers at ease; but the warriors and the village leader knew what the day’s events had meant. Their humble island could not stay neutral in this raging war for much longer. It did not mean that they would require Earth Kingdom support, but indicated that living comfortably and feeling safe would soon be a thing of the past. That the time had come, as it was known it would eventually, that Kyoshi would have defend itself from enemies, and not find safety in being overlooked by the higher ups in the Fire Nation.

With some help from a few local earth benders, the Warriors had a shelter that night – despite the fact that very few of them could even sleep.

And while half of the warriors slept, Suki and three others doubled up on night watch that evening, while Raven spent the better part of the night cursing Holly out as she tried to heal the reopened wound.