The Avatar Returns
Ch.3: What?
Sheng's birthday came, there was a huge celebration in her honor. There was a magnificent feast, the traditional blessings and vows taken every year on her birthday and there was the fun.
Hahn and Sheng were demonstrating to the little kids, one of their infamous sparring sessions. Half of the room rooted for Sheng and the other half, seeing they never seen a waterbender before, rooted for Hahn. It made the competition…more exciting.
That was until, the Elder Nuns came into the room, which turned things into interesting instead of excitement.
"Sheng," one of the four nuns said, bowing. "We must speak with you in private"
Sheng looked at her friend, then at the little kids who were pretty confused themselves. Sheng nodded and followed them, she had no clue what this was about. All she was afraid of was her getting in some sort of trouble, but she recalled having hardly any accounts of trouble caused by her.
They led Sheng into the Council Room where the Nuns would gather to talk about politics and other such matters. They sat down on their cushions and ordered Sheng to sit down. She did, sitting with her legs crossed and her arms resting against the sides of her legs. She looked at them.
"Why am I here?" Sheng asked. "Am I in trouble?"
"No you are not," said a Nun after a bit of a chuckle from her. "Young airbender"
Another nun pulled out something behind her back, it looked like a wrap parcel. She airbended it to her and Sheng looked at it as it opened before her. It was toys, very familiar to her. Sheng picked one up and studied it.
"These are toys from each of the Four Nations, or more precisely Avatar Relics" described the main Nun. Sheng set that toy down and picked up the other.
"I remember these" Sheng said, she pulled the string to a top and the top spun away. She smiled but then set it back down to look at the nuns.
"You choose these toys out of many other toys when you were little" the Nun explained. Sheng was still confused, was this the reason why she was here?
"Young airbender, tell me," the nun said. "Do you remember the last known Avatar?"
"Well yeah," Sheng said, still perplexed. "Wasn't his name Avatar Aang or something like that?"
"Avatar Aang is correct," the Nun said. "Do you remember what he was famous for?"
"For stopping the Hundred Year War?" Sheng asked, she nodded.
"And repopulating our nation" another one concluded.
"Look, I don't even want to know that story" Sheng responded.
"Sheng there hasn't been a known avatar in centuries" the Nun said. "Until now"
"Now?" Sheng questioned. "Who is it?"
"It is you, Avatar Sheng" the Nun announced. Sheng's eyes went wide, her mouth dropped, her heart sank and emotions began to kick in, ones she's never even felt before.
"What?" Sheng asked, stunned and shocked.
"You are the Avatar, Sheng" the nun clarified. "And it is time you learn to be one"
Sheng halfway closed her eyes, staring at the ground. She felt afraid, shocked and confused.
"The world is in chaos Avatar," the nun piped. "We need you to stop it before there is another long war just like the Hundred Year War"
"Sheng?" came her teacher's voice. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine" Sheng lied. She looked up at the nuns. "Can I please be excused?"
The nuns nodded, Sheng got up and slowly trudged away. Master Jin frowned at the heartbreaking sight.
Hahn found his friend sitting at the Cliffside, way back in the temple. He noticed her frowning and that she was filled with mixed emotions. He, being the best friend he was, walked over to her and plopped down next to her.
"You alright Sheng?" he asked, concerned. Sheng didn't bother to look at him. "What's wrong? Come on, you can't be…depressed, not on your 16th birthday"
"I know why they wanted me here" Sheng finally spoke up, still staring at the fog below them that covered the stream.
"Well why?" Hahn asked. Sheng looked up at him.
"Because I'm the Avatar" she told him.
"What?" Hahn said. "That can't be possible"
"It is, Hahn." Sheng told him.
"How'd they find out?" Hahn asked her.
"The toys I picked when I was very little, each one of them belonged to the Avatars, my past lives"
"Wow," Hahn said, looking onwards, processing everything his friend said. He gave a laugh and then looked at her. "That's great!"
"They want me to go, learn the other three elements and stop the war going on" Sheng said.
"Just like that last known avatar, what was his name?" Hahn chimed. "Avatar Fang?"
"Aang" Sheng answered with bit of a smile. She looked away. Hahn placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll help you" he told her. Sheng looked at him. "I'll go along with you and help you with all of this"
"Are you sure?" Sheng asked. Hahn stood up, he held out a hand and Sheng hesitantly took it, Hahn pulled her up.
"Yeah," he said. "What's the first element you have to learn?"
"Well," Sheng said, looking down slightly. "The next element in the Avatar Cycle is water right?"
"That seems correct" Hahn assured.
"Then that's my first element" Sheng said.
"That's great!" he said. "And I know a master who can teach you!"
"Who?" Sheng asked.
"My master, Master Maku" Hahn told her. "He's a great master"
"You think he would want to teach me?" Sheng asked.
"You're the Avatar, aren't you?" Hahn asked. Sheng smiled. "Then of course he would"
"Thanks Hahn" Sheng said. Hahn gave her an affectionate pat on her back and smiled.
"No problem, Sheng" Hahn said, grinning like an idiot as they headed back to where the main action was going on.
To be continued.