Living for the Future
Water, Earth, Fire, Air...
My grandmother used to tell me stories of the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But, that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. The war lasted over a hundred years beginning with the extinction of the Air Nomads. Many lost hope, but I didn't. To no avail, the Avatar returned and extinguished the Fire Lord.
Now it has been seven years since the war ended. The destruction still remains as a reminder of the repercussions of one nations conquest, although much has changed in the world especially the lives of our 'Team Avatar.'
It was a chilly morning in the Southern Water Tribe. The sun was rising, the tiger seals were barking but the air was thick with grief. A woman died a week ago, a woman who was loved by everyone; a woman survived by this love. Even in death she looked the same: her eyes resting softly, lips forming the shape of a gentle crescent, and her hair with the same loopies as her granddaughter. The last seven years treated her well. She lived these years with her beautiful son and grandchildren, her husband Pakku, but her life was never completely fulfilled until she delivered her first great-grandchild.
Southern Water Tribe: 5 years ago
The sun rose above the glaciers in the East. It was beautiful, the sun's rosy fingers extending upwards into the sky. With more time passed, the sun's fingers began to elongate and the tips started to stretch, extending for the sky. All these thoughts passed in the mind of a young warrior. He was taught to appreciate nature, its flora, fauna, and the little things. This sunrise was more beautiful than he could ever imagine. When the sun ended its ascent, he left for his village.
On his way he felt the air begin to thicken and his body begin to tense. He felt a presence near him, a presence all to familiar. Then his body relaxed. He then looked upon the sky towards the west and saw the very tip of the falling moon. Upon which, he exclaimed, "Yue." Indeed he felt this presence many times before, but before he could react the presence had left. He always wondered what she meant by these visits, "Is she proud of me, congratulating me, or is she trying to warn me, but what should she be warning me about?" By that moment it came to him, and his pace picked up ten fold.
It was always difficult when Sokka left. She could never bear the thought of losing him; maybe it was her love for the guy. They never had a moment together where they were angry, being together made them happier than they could explain. Her mind went to Sokka again, and the young warrior looked out the window to the sun and contemplated about its beauty. It was rosy with highlights of orange and yellow in the sky, a rising orb of warmth and joy. "Sokka would love to see this right now, where is he?" she noted to herself. As she started to get up, the pain hit her. With Sokka gone, she knew that she would need Kanna.
Kanna woke up, glanced at the sun, and began her daily routine. She was an elderly woman, who saw what some believe to be "too much" in one life. She lived 16 years of her life in the North Pole and ran away; traveled the Earth Kingdom for many months to arrive at her lovely home, the South Pole. She loved it here; it was quaint and a huge city before the fire nation came. She saw so much destruction, and so much hatred. Some days she rebuked the spirits for what had happened. For all of her life she was spiteful to the spirits, until the Avatar came. Finally, now that the war was over, she could live in peace.
"You know it is disrespectful to enter someone's home without introducing yourself," came the calm but stern voice of Kanna.
"I apologize but there is a situation that needs your attention," said the much younger but firm voice.
"You know that I'm retired, everybody knows that I'm retired," retorted Kanna.
"Please come, you don't understand!"
"I do understand that a baby needs to be birthed, but it's not my job anymore. This is a job for Maiko."
The alarm in his voice rose, "Please," he trailed off, "it's Suki. She needs you," To this Kanna put out her fire, grabbed her coat and left without so much a word to the man who stood at her door unannounced only a few seconds ago.
Sokka was running back towards his home, towards his lover. He never thought this day would come. He felt ecstatic but at the same time his concern grew into panic. What would he do if he missed his child's birth? What if Suki died and he wasn't there? He couldn't think about this any longer and upped his pace to a full sprint. "I won't miss the birth of my child, I won't!"
It was only 5 minutes after Sokka left for Suki that Kanna arrived into their home. She tended to Suki who was in terrible pain from her contractions. She did everything in her power to relax Suki but Suki only needed one person, "Sokka," Suki screamed as the young warrior entered his home gasping for air. "Sokka, I knew you would make it!"
Sokka took a seat next to his Gran-Gran. He saw the intense look on her face as she was preparing Suki for the most painful experience in his life. At that point a tear escaped from his eye and he knelt by Suki. She took his hand and looked into his blue eyes, she felt relaxed.
"He finally came," she thought, "I knew he would come. I should never lose faith in him." She then let go of Sokka's hand and immediately put her hand around Sokka's neck and pulled him closer to her.
"I love you Sokka," she whispered, "I knew you would come."
"I love you too Suki," he whispered back. "I would never miss this for the world."
After two hours of labor, the baby was finally starting to crown. It was Kanna's duty to guide this little one to its parents. "I need a little more for you Suki," said Kanna, "only a little more, don't be afraid, PUSH!"
Suki pushed and a few seconds later, a wonderful child entered this world. Kanna brought their child over to Sokka to hold while Suki rested. "You have given me such a beautiful great-grandchild."
Sokka was very timid to hold his own child, she was so little, so fragile. After 10 minutes of gazing at his child he replied, "It's a girl? I have a daughter?"
"Yes Sokka," Kanna stated, "indeed you are holding your daughter, isn't she beautiful?"
"She is more beautiful to me than you can imagine Gran-Gran."
"My daughter, I would love to see my daughter Sokka," chimed a familiar but feeble voice.
"Of course," Sokka said bringing their daughter closer to Suki.
"She is so beautiful," said Suki, "but what to name her?"
"I have a name for her," Sokka said.
"Let's hear it Sokka."
"Meili."
"I love it. It fits perfectly," Suki.
With that, Kanna was on her way home. She couldn't help to think about her great-granddaughter. She felt something in that child, something similar to what she felt when Katara was born. "That girl will be a powerful bender someday." Finally she reached her home and began to heat her tea again.
Kiyoshi Island: present day, one week ago
"Honey, could you give me some help?" Suki asked urgently.
"Umm, I am kind of full-handed myself." Sokka stated, as he was playing with Meili.
"Okay," Suki said extremely annoyed with her two rambunctious children.
"Lurra! Otso! QUIET!" The children immediately stopped what they were doing to look at their mother. "I have had enough of you two. Both of you will pick your room up and follow me where you will sit in the corner." To this the children started to pick their room up but what was once an innocent clean up turned into a toy fight. "Okay! Enough is enough! I have had it with you two. I swear some day I am going to take you to the Unagi!" Three knocks hit the door. Angrily and irritably Suki yelled, "Come in!"
The person was hesitant to open the door at first but came in a few moments later. It was Katara wearing a beautiful blue silk kimono, radiant as ever; she was glowing. "Suki, it's great to finally see you again. Oh, is this my little Lurra and Otso? My how much you've grown." Katara saw the frustration in Suki's face gradually fade away into a gentle smile to which the young women embraced eachother. "Suki, I can't tell that you even had children. What's your secret?" Suki laughed. "Suki, where is Sokka?" With that Suki and Katara left to get Sokka. Lurra and Otso sat and looked at eachother, shrugged, and began their toy fight again.
"Meili, don't be so rough on all your toys," Sokka harped at his daughter. "If you want them to last you will not play with them too hard."
A few knocks hit the door and Sokka replied, "come in." To his surprise, there stood his sister. He was in shock. He hadn't seen her in over two years. It was like a waterfall of emotion come from him. He felt his emotions start to unfold further. He truly loved his sister and it was a shame that they lived nowhere near one another.
"Katara!" Sokka exclaimed. "It's great to see you, how long has it been?"
"It's been two years," Katara replied starting to feel the pain of separation lighten.
"Let's never go this long without seeing each other again."
"Agreed," Katara said with a sniffle as she hugged her brother.
A few moments after they stopped hugging Katara saw Meili sitting across the room, "Is this Meili? Oh Meili, you are so cute!"
"Thank you," came the shy voice. "Who are you?"
"Honey this is your father's sister Aunt Katara," chimed Suki.
"I am not surprised that you don't remember me, it has been over two years since I seen you last."
"Katara," interrupted Sokka.
"Yes Sokka," said Katara who was obviously annoyed with his interruption.
"Where's Aang?"
"Well..." Katara trailed off.
"Katara, you were saying," Sokka remarked.
"Sokka you have to understand Aang and I aren't here to come for a visit," she stopped. "We came to take your family back home."
"Why, what could have happened that we would have to g..." Sokka stumbled in realization as he somberly whispered, "Gran-Gran."
Katara nodded, she knew this was going to be hard but to see Sokka so somber almost threw her in tears. "The funeral is going to be in two days so we need to go..." Katara trailed.
"Suki, go get Lurra and Otso. We need to go," Sokka said with the most urgency.
It was only a few moments until everyone was packed. Sokka was stumbling to go downstairs while his kids were trying to ask him, "What's going on Daddy? Why do we have to go? What's wrong Daddy?" Sokka was not able to answer. As soon as Sokka came to the door he saw Aang and Appa. He looked at Aang for a moment and didn't believe how much he changed in two years, he looked older and quite frankly his muscles were toned.
"Mommy what is that," exclaimed Lurra.
"Oh sweetie, don't be afraid that's just Appa," Suki said calmy, "He is really nice."
"Okay," after that Lurra was off to see the new creature.
"Everybody get on Appa," Aang yelled.
Everybody was on Appa, except for Sokka. Sokka stood looking at the sky. It was that moment that he realized he never got to say any final goodbyes to his beloved Grandmother. She was gone forever, gone but not forgotten. Sokka sat there until finally Suki jumped down and kissed Sokka on the cheek signaling him to come. Without thinking about it he climbed up Appa and sat down next to his beautiful daughter Meili who curled up into his lap. Gently stroking through her hair Sokka put his child to sleep and looked at the sky. "The sun will set in only a few hours," he thought. He stared the west contemplating, just contemplating.