(A/N) Hi, and welcome back to the madness. Have you ever created something for kicks and giggles, but it ends up being so much more? Yeah, I went there and I brought this treasure as a souvenir. Anyway, I'm amazed by all the views (or I'm easily impressed), and I have all you lovely readers to thank! Hopefully I can add more when I'm available, so sit tight and enjoy the ride. I don't own The Legend of Korra or anyone, except for my dear OCs, unless Nick wants them (please?).
Akira stirs the bubbling pots of water tribe style stew with a wave of her careful fingers. The waterbender, or perhaps soupbender, under guidance of her boss, though more like father figure, bends the soup into customer's bowls with impressed murmurs. Although Akira has worked at Narook's Seaweed Noodlery for years, it still amazes its customers at her skill. Narook has even said so himself, telling the girl he had discovered one day sneaking in and stirring his pots and creating new recipes, that she had caused the increase in business. Of course, it could also be that Akira is a member of the Fire Ferrets, but she insists on being treated just the same. As Narook goes to take another order, Akira notices a girl around her age of perhaps seventeen. She looks different compared to all of the customers she's seen, like unsure of how to fit in. Like she's lost in the sea, long, dark honey hair reaching down to her back.
"Hello." Akira walks over to the girl's table, noticing that the soup hasn't been touched, hot steam curling up into the air. The girl looks up at her, as if distracted by thoughts, her grey eyes seeing Akira and comes back to reality.
"Oh, um, hello." The girl's voice is like a chime in the breeze, a melody.
"Is something wrong with the soup?" Akira asks, an easy question with a telltale answer.
"Ah, no no." She shakes her head as if wondering by not eating she had caused an offense. "I'm just thinking."
Akira can tell by the look on the girl's face that she's doing more than just thinking. All the customers are fed, and Narook can handle getting their soup, so Akira has time. She sits across from the girl, offering herself.
"I'm a good secret-keeper, if you want to share." Akira smiles kindly, her deep blue eyes sparkling like the sea. "I mean, you look troubled, and I know talking always helps."
"Oh, okay, then." The girl lets out a breath, the steam swirling more than it should. Akira glances into the girl's eyes, grey like the foggy clouds that sometimes hang over the city. Grey like the airbending family that lives on Air Temple Island.
"My name is Akira, what's yours?" Another innocent question. The girl is confused at first, then her face turns a shade of red equivalent to when Akira had kissed Bolin.
"M-my name..ah..I don't have one." The girl stutters, as if being asked before. "I'm not f-from here, or anywhere so, ah.."
"Oh, no, I'm sorry." Akira almost mimics the flustered girl. She doesn't ask why, having been in the same situation, but she had had a name at least. "Where are you from?"
"I don't know, um, exactly." The girl observes her soup with interest, the fleeting steam twirling in a strange dance, her fingers twitching uneasily. "I've been traveling, looking for answers."
"You've come to the right place, then." They aren't that different after all. Not even Akira knows where she's from. "I'm sure you can find all your answers here."
"Yes, I hope to. Thanks for your kindness, Akira." The girl picks up the pair of chopsticks that sit on the table.
"No need to thank me, really." Akira waves her hands, all she had done was talk to the lost girl. "Where are you staying?"
"Um, nowhere yet." The noodles trapped between the two slender chopsticks slip out, falling back into the dark soup. "There was this place I heard of that, ah, might take me in."
"If you need help, I'm sure we could have you." Akira reassures the girl and herself, thinking of all the loved ones waiting for her at their temporary, maybe forever, home at Air Temple Island. All of the help they've given them, and given Akira. Bolin joking and playing with Meelo, Jinora and Ikki swooning over Mako, Avatar Korra's attempts at airbending practice with Master Tenzin, Miss Asami and Pema bonding, Naga and Pabu chasing each other around the grounds.
"Where do you plan on staying?"
"Air Temple Island."
