This is a short story about Aang when he was about two/three years old… It's hard to explain, so just read it! Since it is not known what Aang's parents were named, I've decided to call then Vayu and Iio (some may know who they are. Iio was one of the women at the Air Temples, and I think Vayu was some airbender traitor or something… I dunno… Just look up their names if you really wanna know, okay?! XD).
As of now, this story doesn't have a title. If any of you have an idea of what this should be called, please let me know!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Long ago, in a time before the war, the Air Nomads lived happily in the four air temples. Our story begins in the Southern Air Temple, a little over 112 years ago. In a small apartment on the outskirts of the temple lived a family of three airbenders. Vayu and his wife, Iio, have just taken home their new son, Aang. Since the second he was out of her womb, Iio knew that Aang was special, and that he was gonna do great things.
More than two years after the birth of their son, all of the airbenders between the ages of two and three were called into to the temple where the monks hoped to find the new Avatar. Vayu and Iio, like numerous sets of parents before them, placed Aang down in front of hundreds of toys. The two-year-old smiled brightly; this place was heaven in his young eyes. He looked over at the elder monks, silently asking if he was permitted to take some. One of the monks smiled at the boy and nodded.
"Take whatever you like," he said encouragingly.
Aang gave a little 'yay!' before looking around for something that looked like fun. He gasped as his eyes found a familiar toy. It was a small turtle. The little boy walked over and picked it up, not hearing his mother gasp. It looked familiar to him… he remembered it somehow, like a long-forgotten dream… he held it in his tiny palm, looking back at the toys to see what else there was to play with.
Toddling along the rows of many toys, he finally spotted another familiar toy; it was a propeller toy. He picked it up with his free hand and put the turtle down. Now with his other hand free, he was able to pull the string of the propeller. He giggled excitedly as it flew around the room and landed a few feet away. Picking up his turtle, Aang toddled his way over to the air toy to pick it up.
As he knelt down to retrieve it, yet another familiar toy had caught his eye; it was a small wooden hog-monkey which, Aang knew from stories, was an animal native to the Earth Kingdom.
"Ooo," he cooed as he put the propeller toy in his other hand and picked up the hog-monkey. He giggled at the wooden toy as he looked around, sensing that there was something else— one other thing that belonged to him. Aang spotted it within moments. A rattle with red and yellow swirls on its face, and had two balls hanging on either side. After bending down to grasp the toy, the monks began to speak at once. The little airbender didn't know, nor care for that matter, what they were saying. He was two. He never paid attention to the 'grown-ups' boring conversations.
Finally getting back to his mother and father, he sat down in front of them and started playing with his new toys, not knowing what those toys meant; not knowing that he was the Avatar that the world was waiting for.
A few months later, just after Aang turned three, he and his mother were playing in his bedroom when a knock was heard at the door, which Vayu promptly answered.
"Iio," he called after a few moments. "Can you please come over here?"
Aang watched as his mother stood to see what the problem was. "I'll be right back, Aang," she said, smiling at the little boy.
After his mother left, the three-year-old grabbed his propeller toy, pulling the string, and watched the little toy fly. He frowned at it. Aang knew it could go a lot higher than that!
For a three-year-old, Aang had very good control over his airbending abilities, proving it by sending little air currents at the toy, pushing it even higher. Giggling, the little Avatar shot even more air at it in different directions, guiding it to the left, to the right, up even higher, right again, left again… and it came in for a smooth landing.
Already bored with that toy, Aang turned to look for another toy to occupy himself with until his mother returned. However, he suddenly felt a tickling sensation in his nose. The toddler couldn't help what happened next; he sneezed. A large gust of wind blew through the room like a tornado, throwing his clothes and toys everywhere. Aang sniffled before he noticed the mess he had made.
"Uh-oh…" He said in his tiny voice.
"That was the most powerful airbending I have ever seen from someone so young!" Aang turned towards the door to see his parents and three elder monks standing in the doorway, mouths agate. "Aang is, without a doubt, the Avatar."
The toddler tilted his head towards the monk, not really understanding what an "Avatar" was. Aang's thoughts were distracted, however, when he heard a sniffle to his side. Turning to his left, he saw his mother with a hand pressed up to her mouth as she tried to keep herself from crying in front of her son.
"Momma…?"
"Goodbye Aang," Iio said, kneeling down to her son.
The toddler looked confused. He knew what goodbye meant, but why was she saying it? Where were they going?
"It's time to come with us Aang," one of the monks said taking the three-year-old by the hand.
"Why?" he asked in a heart-melting tone.
"To begin your training," another monk answered.
"What 'bout Momma and Daddy?" the little Airbender asked the men who were taking him away.
The monk who had taken Aang's hand spoke this time. "I'm sorry Aang, but they will not be coming with us."
"Why?" Aang asked again.
"Enough questions," the eldest of the monks said harshly. "Let's go."
"No!" Aang said angrily, ripping his hand from the monk's grip as he looked up at his parents as if asking them to make the bad men leave.
"I'm sorry Aang," Vayu said to his son. "You go with Monk Gyatso," he motioned to the monk who had held Aang's hand moments before. "They will take care of you."
"Momma…?" The little Avatar looked at his mother through tearful eyes, silently pleading her to say something, anything, that will allow Aang to stay with her and his father.
Iio just sobbed as she knelt down to her child and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry… but we will see you soon."
"How soon?" Aang asked.
"Real soon," Iio forced a smile before Monk Gyatso took him by the hand once again and led him out of his room and into the main room.
"You may see him once he has completed his Airbending training up to the tenth level," one of the other monks told Vayu and Iio. "If Aang's as strong as any other Avatar, you should be able to see him in a few months." He and the other monks bowed to the saddened parents as the four left the small home where Aang had spent all his life with his parents; now, all that was gone forever...
The End
Lemme know what you think (without flaming would be nice)! Anyway, I'd like to thank daydream11 for looking over this for me!
