The Avatar Returns
Ch.1: Sheng
The girl bid her customer a farewell and the satisfied man left.
"Have a nice day" the girl greeted. The man walked out with a smile and a boy stopped at the front door, he allowed the man to go out first and the man nodded his thanks and the boy jogged in.
"Hey Sheng" the boy greeted. Sheng looked at him.
"Hey Hahn" Sheng replied.
Hahn, a boy with dark blue eyes, tan skin and short black hair, was a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe and Sheng's best friend. He recently moved from the tribe to the Earth Kingdom, or more specifically Ba Sing Se, because his father was a member of the Earth King's government. Hahn wore traditional water tribe attire.
Sheng, a girl with gray eyes, short brown hair and arrows on her forehead, arms and legs, grew up in the Western Air Temple but recently sided in Ba Sing Se and got a job at the local general store in the Lower Ring. Sheng was a master airbender, hence her tattoos. Sheng was dressed in traditional youth Air Nomad apparel.
Hahn and Sheng would make the perfect couple as many who lived in the Lower Ring would say. Hahn and Sheng would just shrug it off, saying they were just friends and nothing more.
"So you up for a sparring session today Master Airbender?" Hahn questioned, taking an apple from one of the nearby stands and biting into it. Sheng rolled her eyes at her friend's action.
"I would," Sheng said. "But I don't know if the Boss would let me take a break"
"Sure I would," came a voice. Sheng and Hahn turned and saw the Boss man walking towards him. Hahn hid the apple behind his back, Sheng laughed then looked at his boss.
"You would?" Sheng asked.
"Do you really think I'd let a 15 year old girl be cooped up here all day?" the boss asked. "It's a beautiful day, why don't you and your friend take some time off today. I'll take care of the shop"
"Really?" Sheng asked, hopefully. The man nodded.
"Now get going you two," the boss said. The boss looked at Hahn and pointed to him. "But you need to pay for that apple you took"
"Huh?" Hahn asked, pretending not to know what he is talking about. Sheng rolled her eyes, taking a copper piece from her pocket and handing it over to the boss. She hoisted herself over the counter and then landed right next to Hahn.
"Well what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Sheng asked him in a playful matter. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the shop. Hahn laughed at his best friend's fun-loving behavior, he could also hear the bubbling laughter of the boss.
Hahn and Sheng faced each other in the park's sparring center. They both got into stances and gave each other that gleam that told them they were ready. Hahn attacked first, sending a blast of water out of the park's pond. Sheng dodged it by jumping over it using airbending, she landed on her feet before using her arms to create a ball of air, she shot the air at Hahn and he was knocked to the ground. Sheng smirked as Hahn got himself up, he sent a ball of water at her. It caught her by surprise and very soon froze Sheng on the spot, however, his plan backfired when Sheng jumped over the incoming ice and used airbending to knock Hahn back onto the ground. Sheng landed on the ground and waited for Hahn to get up.
After an hour of exchanging attacks and fast defense, Hahn called in quits once he found himself on the ground, backside down, staring up at his friend who extended a hand.
"I let you win" the boy claimed as he took his best friend's hand and pulled himself up to his feet. Sheng laughed and gave her friend a pat on the back.
"We'll see next time" Sheng said.
"Is that a challenge?" Hahn questioned her, raising a brow.
"Only if you want it to be" Sheng assured. "It's fun kicking your butt"
Hahn shot her a playful glare which Sheng just shrugged off. The two loitered around the Lower Ring until the sun was setting, they walked passed merchants and artisans, the Lower Ring was very lively and was more interesting than the Middle Ring and the Upper Ring put together.
Sheng always enjoyed staying in Lower Ring, there were times where she traveled everywhere also but ever since the Loyalist War began, she's been staying in Ba Sing Se for safety. She still travels back to the temples to visit her male friends in the Southern and Northern Air Temple and some of the families in the Eastern Temple but she makes sure she visits her home at the Western Air Temple.
The night soon came and Hahn walked Sheng to her apartment in the Lower Ring. Once Sheng stood outside her apartment door, she turned to Hahn and smiled.
"Thanks for the day off Hahn" she told him.
"Ah," Hahn said, waving it off. "It was no problem"
Sheng placed a firm hand on her friend's shoulder and leaned over, placing her lips on his cheek. She pulled back and walked inside, leaving a stunned Hahn, standing there with a dreamy gleam in his eyes as well as a dreamy smile.
To be continued.