I Don't Own Avatar the Last Airbender
"OW!" I chuckled to myself as I combed the brush through a nott in Bahi's hair, while she was roughhousing with Buo, her braid had gotten tangled up a bit with some leafs and sticks, thankfully Buo could bend the rocks and dust out so we didn't need to wash it out, which was good because there wasn't a stream anywhere nearby. Right now I was combing it to get back to being straight before I would braid it again in a little while. Who would have guessed my time with my older sister would have come in handy like this.
Thankfully my good mood wasn't ruined by the sudden reminder of my past, as I was to busy listening to Buo and Bahi chat happily back and forth to each other about their little fight. They weren't master earthbenders, not even close but they were skilled, especially for nine year olds. They use to barely be able to lift a rock up, but I've fought enough earthbender's in my time to pick up how they fought, the style they used. Teaching them seemed only right, and they took it like a catfish in water.
I was proud at there progress, bending has always been beautiful to me, the way that one uses their own chi to command their surroundings. The conviction and will to bend the element, it's amazing, and it's freeing. It's why I taught them, even if they usually use my teaching for getting into trouble, and I had a side reason of wanting them to be able to protect themselves in case I couldn't be there. It was also because to not learn to bend is like denying a part of yourself. And they had already had to deny and change so much, I couldn't just willing let them let go of something so uniquely them.
It was such a bonus that they seemed to love it as well, it was such a nice feeling to see them beam when I moved on to another set to teach them. I've made sure they knew the basics the most, always every few weeks reteaching them to the two, some times they complained but the basics were the most important. If you have a weak foundation then all it takes is an over step for you to lose, or worse, and I refuse to let them fall into that kind of trap.
"Alright, you're good to go Bahi, but don't go running off, lunch is almost ready ok? I don't want it to go cold just because I have to go find you two when you roam to far out" She didn't spend time on words, instead spinning around to give me a quick hug before running off past Buo, who stumbled a bit as he rushed after her, calling for her to slow down a bit. I just smiled as I watched them run around for a moment before moving over to the pot that was cooking said lunch.
The fire underneath it was low... I sighed to myself before glancing over my shoulder's to see the two kids as they tumbled down to the ground. They wouldn't notice, with that I turned around and held my hand out to the flames and watched as they jumped and crackled a bit as the slowly dying fire rushed back to full life. I smiled lightly at the sight of the flames. I don't get to bend enough anymore, I miss it, but Buo and Bahi still are a bit scared of fire, and firebender's.
They say they don't mind when I do it, but I still notice the haze over their eyes when I bend in front of them, it brought back memories for them, bad ones. So I refrained, it was part of my nature, of myself, but so were they. I don't remember when it happened but they are my reason for continuing on nowadays, they're more important than kicking up fires. Besides it's not like I never get to throw around some flames, just I'm more careful about it. It's almost relaxing in a way, using fire for such utility based reasons. But that's a story for another time.
For right now, I just want to finish my stew and get those two to sit still long enough to eat.
"Hey Dad?" My eyes snapped open as looked up at the night air, an itch to jump into a stance flaring in my mind for half a second before I crushed it under my self control as I rolled my head to the side and looked up at the slightly regretful and uncomfortable form of Bahi. I didn't need to be told what the problem was. I just moved myself out from under the blanket before rolling so I was laying on top of it. Bahi quickly landed on my chest as I felt her shake a bit against me as I hugged her as I stared up at the stars.
She had night terrors, I still remember the first time they happened, I was still awake and when I saw her twisting on the ground I panicked and woke her up. She cried into my chest for an hour and I just hugged her for a while until she calmed down while I had no idea what to do. Afterwards she woke me up the next time it happened, tears streaming down her face, I just did the same thing I did last time.
Over the years I've looked over her, now it's boiled down to, if she has a nightmare, she'll come to me and I'll comfort her until she goes to sleep. It ruined my sleep schedule when it first started and it hasn't got much better but I don't care. I knew all to well what nightmares are like, being honest, these times also comfort me as well from my own fears. These two are constant reaffirmations that my past is in my past.
I'm just thankful that Buo didn't have any, I've made sure he didn't, spent about a month watching over him to make sure he was getting his sleep in. I would have hated it if he was suffering and I just didn't notice. That didn't mean he didn't have his own problems, Bahi faced her's while she slept, Buo faced his while he was a wake. He isn't a fan of very loud sudden noises, and he's prone to panic attacks but those have thankfully lessened greatly over time. But I still remember when it was fresh... It haunts me as much as my own past.
I reflect to much, heh that's not anything new, with that I noted that Bahi's shakes were beginning to calm down a bit. I absently pet her on the back of the head, trying to give her as much comfort as possible. After a long moment a faint voice
"...Thank you" I just smiled, not that she could see it and just continued to lay there with her weight on my chest. I'm sure I'm going to be tired in the morning but that makes it worth it. So I said in a quiet tone to her, as not to startle her out of her more relaxed state.
"Go on to sleep Bah, I'll be here when you wake up" She nodded a bit as she rolled a bit so she was pushing her head against my side as I laid there for a while until her breath completely evened out, showing her sleeping state. Moving my eye's back to look up at the moon, I just stared at it for a long while, it was a full moon. While I was glad of the light, I wasn't a fan of what it was doing to my chi.
Firebender's gain their power from the sun, so it stands to reason firebender's are weaker at night and while waterbender's can gain massive strength from the full moon, that power up for them isn't good for people like me. I'm weaker with that state of the moon is over head. I remember nights were I wouldn't go out because of it. I don't like the way it makes me feel, it's an imbalance, even if I'm not bending I can still feel it. I've always been in touch with my energy, more than most.
But this happens once a month, twelve times a year. I've been actively bending since I turned five, that's one hundred sixty-eight times I've felt like this, needless to say I'm use to it, but I still didn't really like it. It keeps me up at night sometimes, I was actually surprised that I was able to sleep tonight, but I guess that isn't happening is it? Still, as I moved my eyes away from the moon to look at the now peacefully sleeping form of Bahi, I still didn't mind.
"You're breathing is off Bahi. Buo, widen your stance a bit" The two groaned but corrected themselves under my instructions. We were doing basics again, I was tired but it didn't mean I was going to slack off on them. Earthbending is all about strict and sharp movements, I'm certain there are more fluid styles out there but none that I've seen enough to memorize, plus the basics were all the same so it was fine.
"Good, now begin" With that I watched as the two, in near perfect sync, brought their arms up sharply in a guard position in front of their heads and saw as two walls of stone rose in front of the pair. Quickly following up on that, the two shifted their stances before side kicking out with their left leg as two middle sized rocks ripped out of the earth and launched forwards to slam into the walls they had made.
I didn't know much about traditional earthbending training so most was made up by me, but I had over time collected a number of scrolls on the very basics, and with my own studies on the various elements, I can only hope my methods are adept. When they sparred it looked right so I assume so, considering how many I've fought myself I know what to look for in their stances and how they're sparring, and it's very similar and with my own combat experience I can correct any faults I see.
So just like that I continued to have them run through the forms and practices I had taught them. I remember back when this was the entire training for the day, they would collapse tired out of there mind and I would have to carry them back to the campsite so they could sleep. Now they were going through it, annoyed that they had to still do this, rushing through some of them to get it over faster to get onto the more advance things.
Of course I'm going to have them redo the ones that they're half-doing but still, their progress was just shocking to me. I wonder if this was how my trainers and family felt when I was taught to bend. I remember always being so confused about why they kept complimenting me for doing something that seemed so trivially easy. Heh, it didn't stop me from getting a big head though. That's a mistake I haven't repeated. I'm so proud of them but thankfully it doesn't seem they got my old ego and pride, just another thing that I was proud of them for.
"Come on! Come on! Come on!" I just smiled as the two dragged me onward to the nearby town. We had been camping and traveling for the last couple weeks now, and the two were getting a bit antsy about causing some chaos, well, they said it was because they missed talking to people but I knew the real reason. I'll have to keep an eye on them as much as I can while I look around for any jobs available for some extra coin. I was lower then I would like to admit I was.
"I'm going I'm going. There's no need to run you two. When we get to the inn then you can run and look around to your hearts content. Just remember my rules ok?" They both nodded, clearly not really paying attention to what I was saying, but I expected that, I'll just make sure they hear me before I let them rush off after I book our room. They usually got like this when we arrived at villages or towns. They social butterflies that they are.
I wish I could say I was the same. I got on with people just fine, but I never thrived at conversations, nor could I just seemingly talk hours on end to someone like these two could. Always being on my own growing but I think is what caused it while these two always had each other, and then later on they had me. It didn't matter to much, I was adept in speaking and stuff, it just wasn't what I was best at. It's to bad I can't really use what I'm best at anymore, not that I'd want to.
After a while, we made it to the inn, after booking a room and getting the number, I reached over and grabbed the collars of my kids before the two could run off anywhere, which was the correct choice as that's instantly what the two tried to do. Smiling to myself as they looked up at me with matching pouts, I just raised an amused eye and said.
"Come on, you know the drill, what are the rules and then you can run off" Bahi continued to pout before huffing and crossed her arms while the more reasonable of the two, not that it says much really, Buo perked up and said happily.
"No leaving town, no stealing, no breaking and entering, don't walk off with strangers, and come back before two hours pass" I nodded and the two smiled but I quickly said.
"And how many are you planning on following?" I was just teasing them now, but the red appearing on the two's faces were just adorable. I didn't expect them to follow all of them, I hope they will and we've had enough talks that they usually don't go off and steal stuff anymore, but my main worry was about them getting lost, or wandering out of the village, or of some strange old person wanting to do something to them.
"Uhhhh...All of them?" Bahi was giving a very not convincing smile, I just laughed at the look before giving the two a head ruffle before saying.
"Alright, just don't get into trouble. Go on, have fun" The smiles I got were heart warming as I watched them run off. They are just to cute for this world. Smiling to myself, I was about to head off to the room I had rented so I could hopefully get some shut eye, when a voice spoke up behind me.
"Captain Sho?" I could feel my blood freeze as I instinctual looked over my shoulder at the too familiar looking woman wearing casual red and brown clothing.
Hey, look a plot hook, isn't that interesting. Yeah, the main character's name is Sho, and he's a long practiced firebender with experience fighting many forms of earthbenders and probably water benders, and is now referred to as a captain. His past isn't some mystery if you have a couple brain cells rattling around. It's fairly obvious but still, there is plenty to unpack and it's not like it's the focus of this story anyway, so it's not to big of a deal. Though I'm sure some will comment on a nineteen year old being a captain in the military, the bloody fire lord sent his fourteen year old daughter and her two circus friends to infiltrate and take down freaking Ba Sing Se and they did, Toph was a master Earthbender before she even turned twelve and meet Aang. Power scaling and rank by age doesn't work in a world like this. Anyway, See ya.