Shells

"Shells" is a comic book released by Dark Horse Comics on May 3, 2014, for Free Comic Book Day.

Overview
Sokka follows Suki as she gives a lesson in manners and encourages a young girl's strength.

Synopsis
Sokka and Suki enter Seashell San's House of Shells, which Sokka proclaims as the "coolest store ever", much to Suki's surprise. After Suki expresses that she was previously unaware of Sokka's fascination with shells, San interjects by saying that his shells are far from ordinary, but in fact are the world's finest collectible shells.

Sokka proclaims that he has wanted to collect shells since youth, and proceeds to ask Suki to hold a shell which sounds like Aang airbending up to her ear. Sokka asks San how much the shell costs, to which he responds that although it is normally priced at fifteen ban, he is willing to sell Sokka two pieces for thirty. Sokka is ecstatic to hear the deal until he realizes that there is no actual discount involved, prompting Suki to call him a goof.

While the two have a playful exchange of words, Giya enters the store and is immediately noticed by Jojan who informs his boss that there is another customer. San dismisses her as another fake collector and states that girls do not know shells. According to him, they only entered the store to accompany their boyfriends or pretend to be "as cool" as real collectors.

While browsing, Giya picks up a particularly delicate shell, prompting San to warn her to be careful as it came from the old Earth Kingdom colonies. Giya identifies the shell as the housing of a hermit marmoset, and is able to deduce that it is several centuries old from the state of its axial ribs. Interested, she inquires how much it costs, to which San responds that it is likely too expensive for her to purchase.

As San and Jojan snicker, Suki interjects and quickly gets into a disagreement with San, who tells her to mind her own business. After calling San out and telling him to treat his customers with respect, San orders Jojan to escort Suki off the premises. Suki repeatedly tells Jojan to keep his hands off, as she is capable of walking herself out. Sokka, still browsing through the store's selection, nonchalantly tells San and Jojan to do as Suki instructs, causing him to be kicked out of the store as well.

Jojan tells Suki to stop squirming, and states that he would likely become employee of the month for dealing with her appropriately. Suki tells Jojan one last time to get his hands off, and proceeds to flip him over when he refuses to comply. With his employee unconscious, San decides to deal with the situation himself and attacks Suki with firebending. Suki responds by dodging the firebender's attacks and blocking his chi, before leaving the store. Sokka follows behind, noting that some of the shells were lit on fire during the confrontation. Horrified, San wakes Jojan and orders him to get buckets of water to put out the flames.

Outside the store, Suki stops Giya to ascertain that she is okay. The young girl thanks her, and asks where she learned to fight. Sokka proudly states that Suki was one of the Kyoshi Warriors, which Giya recognizes as the female fighting force responsible for keeping the Fire Lord safe. Confused, she asks Suki why she is not wearing face paint, but is informed by Suki that she only wore it while on duty.

Giya expresses her desire to be as strong as Suki, stating that there are "a lot of jerks" around her village. Unperturbed, Sokka suggests for her to learn some defensive combat with Suki, so that she would be able to defend herself in the future. Giya declines, stating that she is not as strong as Suki.

Before Giya can leave, Suki begins to recall stories about Kyoshi Island long before it was separated from the mainland. She tells Giya that the peninsula's seaside marketplace attracted a lot of jerks as well, but that they were handled by Avatar Kyoshi who visited frequently. Suki states that Kyoshi would offer to teach the women who were victimized how to defend themselves. Eventually, the Avatar gathered a band of disciples who eventually became the first Kyoshi Warriors. As she ends her story, Suki stresses that the strength she has is not intrinsic, but learned.

Once again, Suki offers to teach Giya, who responds by saying that she is too shy to learn how to fight by herself. She asks Suki if it is okay to bring along some of her friends, prompting Sokka and Suki to share an approving look. Later, Suki dons on her uniform and begins to teach Giya and her friends the fighting style of the Kyoshi Warrior.

Series continuity

 * Suki demonstrates chi blocking, which many of the Kyoshi Warriors learned from Ty Lee after she officially joined the group in "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang".
 * Giya recognized that the Kyoshi Warriors served as the Fire Lord's elite guard, a role which they undertook under Mai's request in The Promise, Part 1.