Sometimes it's hard to find something for your sanity to hold on to. You can lose everything and still keep calm and in control, but have no idea how or why you haven't bust out into a enraged fit. Life is an unfair game that will never give you sympathy or a time out. People like me are so used to this game that we've become numb to anything that would tear any other man or woman apart. We become so used to unfair gameplay that we don't realize that it's happening anymore. When something good happens, we wait for the downfall. The only light I ever had in my life that stayed till the very end was my mother, and even she died 7 years (to the day) ago.
On this one day, I do not go to work.
On this one day, I put on a green dress instead of my regular uniform.
On this one day, I am Lin, not Chief Beifong.
I arrive at the cemetery with a single metal rose engraved 'gone, but never forgotten'that I had made myself. Here I stand before six marvelous statues, The first and most magnificent, being Avatar Aang's. He was in his air nomad robes and had his glider slanted behind his back. The statue looked an awful lot like Tenzin, which is most likely the reason his youngest son could hardly bear to come here anymore. I look down at the thought and bow before the avatar. Next to his was an empty plot where Katara wanted to be buried. To show respect I bow to her as well.
On Aang's left is my mother, Toph Beifong. Her statue was of her in full armour, her metal ropes (real ones she used) were bended into looped whipping position while her stern face gave no awareness that she was bending at all. I lifted the metal rose and let go while bending it so that it would stay in the air. I gently push the flower towards my mother and it float down at her statues feet. I immediately bow as it touches the ground.
Holding back the tears forming in my light green eyes I leave her to show my respects for the rest of the group. I stay left and turn to councilmen Sokka, whose statue was of him in his watertribe uniform and his boomerang in hand. Instead of glaring into darkness like my mother, he gives a gentle smile and looks down to the exact spot I'm at. I return the smile and bow.
The last person on this side of the line is the leader of the kyoshi warriors; Suki. Her statue was of her in her full warrior dress and two fans in both hands, one as low as as she could get it and the other as high as she could reach. Her left leg hiked against the side of her torso. I bow to her and walk in the other direction to the last two statues on the other side of Aang.
Even though Fire Lord Zuko and his wife Mai were actually buried in the fire nation, they still wanted to have everyone all together in symbol. Zuko was in his royal uniform while flames of fire were projected in his metal palms. Mai was in a regular dress, fit for a Queen. Of course she had her metal stars decorated in her palms. I bow to both of them and turn to leave.
I exhale. "What do you want Tenzin?" I ask coldly. Saying nothing , he walks over to my mother's statue, glancing at me for a brief moment before sitting in his meditation position. But, instead of meditating, he keeps his eyes open and his mouth agape. Nothing comes out for a brief moment until out of nowhere he starts to sing. " Leaves from the vine. Falling so slow, like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam."
He was never the best singer, but he wasn't the worst anyone had heard either. He starts to choke up, unable to finish the song. Not wanting to stand there like an idiot with a bald man crying I do the only thing i can think of. I walk over to him and sit down. Taking in a deep breath I start to sing as well, "Little soldier girl, come marching home. Brave soldier girl, comes marching home." I can't believe what I just did. Tenzin stops crying and looks over to me. I smile at him and he returns it. "I like the rose, did you make it yourself?" I laugh. Only he would know my handiwork. "I figure it's better than the stuffed badgermole Ursa left her parents." He rolls his eyes while letting out a soft chuckle. "Or the necklace my brother so proudly bestowed upon Sokka that said "non- benders unite!"
I lie down on the grass and look at the clouds. "What happened to us Tez? We used to be so... happy when we were friends." Tenzin layed down next to me and swirled his hands to make the clouds change shape. "We grew up." He looks at me and I do the same. Staring at each other for what seemed to be a lifetime. I look away and close my eyes.