A/N Oh my gosh, yay! I've finally got an Avatar story to write!
I would have written one like, a loooong time ago, but I didn't have the right story.
I hope no one has done anything like this. :P
I don't own Avatar. -sigh-
Review, please! Avatar is my love! OKTHNX. :)
Airbender
By: Zoeban
Nonna slept uneasily. There was something wrong in the temple. She made herself sit up, her old bones ached as she did so.
She wobbled over to the fire in the middle of her room and poked at it with a stick and threw the stick in the fire.
She started a batch of tea when someone knocked on the wooden door. "Nonna!" He urged. "Gara has just gone into labor! We need you!" He banged harder.
Nonna walked over and opened the door. "I heard you, I heard you." She said. "Get my coat," The official ran over to the side of the bed and grabbed Nona's coat. She grabbed it and they started out the door.
"No." Nonna said, pointing into her room. "Finnish my tea, and bring it to me."
"But-but Gara-" The official stuttered.
"Will not mind if you are late, especially if you are performing a very important task for the old and wise Nonna." Nonna pinched the official's cheeks. "You're a good boy Arlo."
Arlo stared after the old woman for a second, then rushed into her room to finish her tea.
---
"Okay, Gara. You're doing great, almost there."
Arlo skidded into the room, almost crashing into a cabinet. "I have. Your tea." He gasped.
Nonna turned so she could grab the cup from Arlo and sipped it, not paying attention to Gara's screaming.
"Gara!" Arlo exclaimed, rushing up to his wife's side. He grabbed her hand and she squeezed it too tight.
Nonna wrinkled her nose and poured the tea out in a nearby plant. "Awful tea." She murmured.
"Nonna, please!" Arlo begged over Gara's screaming.
"I am coming!" Nonna said. "And Gara, be quiet! You will wake the whole Eastern Air Temple!"
Gara stopped screaming long enough for Nonna to safely deliver the baby.
Nonna cleaned off the baby and handed it off to the new parents with out looking at it. "Congratulations on your new baby- whatever. I forgot to check." Nonna said, putting her stuff together.
"She's beautiful." Arlo said.
"Amma." Gara said appreciatively. "Baby Amma."
"Goodnight." Nonna waved her hand slightly and walked out the door.
"Look at this birthmark!" Gara said.
Nonna's eyes widened and she turned back into the room. She rushed over to the happy family and yanked the baby away from them. "Birthmark? Where? Where is it?"
"O-on her wrist." Gara stammered.
Nonna placed the baby on a counter and examined her wrist. On it, were three black swirls placed neatly in her pale skin. The mark of the air nomads.
"Impossible." She murmured.
"What?" Arlo asked standing.
"Go wake the council. Tell them I found the Jing Xuan Yi," Nonna said wrapping up the baby.
"No…" Arlo said, "It's not true. Amma is not-"
"GO!"
Arlo stood there for a second then stepped out into the cold air.
Nonna handed the baby to her mother. "Here. You may not have much time left with her."
Gara took Amma and held her close. "They are going to take her." She said. It wasn't a question.
"Perhaps. If she is the Jin Xuan Yi, she is destined for great things."
Tears began to fall from Gara's eyes. But she pretended not to notice. "Is it possible it is a mistake?"
Nonna sighed. "It is possible. But not so much, seeing how the Avatar was just born five months ago at the Southern Temple. That's just too coincidental."
Gara brushed away her tears. "What about her eyes? The legend says the Jin Xuan Yi
will have green eyes."
"Well, look."
Gara took a deep breath and gently forced Amma's eyes open. Bright, piercing green.
Gara began to sob.
"They're going to send her away!" she sobbed.
"What?" Nonna asked. Nobody was suppose to know the Jin Xuan Yi's purpose. It was suppose to be shown to the Chosen One herself. Only she would know.
"I-I can see it! They're sending her to-to a different world, we'll n-never see her again!" She cried clutching Amma tightly.
Strange. "I'm sorry." Nonna said as Arlo walked in.
"They said to bring her to the council room." He reported with his eyes closed.
Nonna gently took Amma away from her mother and walked out off the room without a second glance, trying to ignore Gara's sobs.
---
Nonna hugged Amma before handing it up to the Northern Temple council, made up of the oldest and wisest air nomads in the place. Cong, Gao, Ming, Ying, and Zhe, sat at the long table, Zhe at his usual spot in the middle.
Zhe grabbed the baby and examined her. He nodded appreciatively, and handed her to Ying.
"The legends are true. She is the chosen one." Zhe said.
"That could only mean something awful is about to happen, if the Avatar will need her help." Cong said.
"What should we do?" Ying asked, stumping everyone.
"I think I know." Nonna announced proudly.
"Tell us, dear Nonna." Zhe said.
"Before I took Amma away from her mother, she said something about 'seeing' you send her away. To a different world."
Zhe's eyes widened. "Of course." He whispered.
The council all understood and stood in unison. They started out the door, blowing out candles on the way. "Come, Nonna!" Zhe yelled without stopping.
For a bunch of old people, the council and Nonna were moving pretty fast, up the stairs towards the tallest tower.
The staircase sometimes wound outside of the tower, but the group did not slow even for the cold mountain air. The sky was turning pink as the sun was rising. There were some eager benders in the air, flying around carelessly. They had no idea.
They finally reached the top of the tower and inside was a large door that could only be opened by five airbenders.
Ming approached the gold plaque on the wall next to the door he cleared his throat, getting ready to read.
"To a normal nomad, traveler, explorer, this door is an extravagant marvel, unable to open, even by the most skilled airbenders working together.
But alas, those in the know, those on a fateful mission are aware of the horrible things this door contains.
The one who can enter this door will know, and will do so without fear. The one who can enter this door can open it.
They will leave, and they will not return until it is time to do so.
No one knows where this terrible door leads, no one who has been able to open it, has returned.
But go, sir. If you know this is your destiny, go. Don't forget where you came from."
The room echoed silence.
"Okay. Let's do it then." Ying said, breaking the silence.
"What? Are you mad? It's dangerous! Amma is just a baby!" Nonna said, holding her close.
Zhe sighed. "We have to try. There is a chance we won't be able to open it. Come on."
The five council men lined up in front of the door and pushed air into the five tubes, causing an orchestra of air.
With a final note, the heavy door opened and a bright light filled the room.
"Nonna." Zhe said. He looked down and bit his lip.
Nonna shook her head and kissed the baby on her head. "Good luck, young one." She walked towards the light blindly - she couldn't see at all - and Amma started crying.
Suddenly, Amma's weight was gone from her arms and her crying cut off.
A strong gust of air sucked Nonna out of the doorway and threw her roughly across the room. When she looked up, the door was closed, and the room was darker than it was before the door opened.
The silence was unbearable, and a heavy blanket of guilt filled the air.
"What have we done?" Nonna murmured, looking at the door.
Baby Amma was not seen again.