Heads or Tails
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Book 1 – Arin's Tale
I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra or any of the characters. Only the OC's.
Chapter 5: A Flood of Changes
Opal's POV
Time: 191 A.G.
"Did you and Mako ever play together much growing up?"
"Eh, it was more of playing and fighting, but never this much."
Me and Bolin stood by the courtyard's edge, leant against the railing as we watch the kids play around in the middle: Noren, Nera, Hana, and Arin. It's been three years since Arin joined our little family and they've been growing closer together as a family every single time. Those dreadful days of her mysterious and unsolvable past were long forgotten by now.
Laughter reaches our ears as snowballs are bent and flung at them from nearby fountains, splattering on the brick floor by none other than Hana, daughter of Huan, our niece. Her father's long black hair, mother's blue eyes; at eight-years-old Hana was younger than her cousins, yet is still one of the most talented waterbender's I've seen at her age. While they live in the temple with us, due to the peaceful atmosphere or so he claims, it brought Hana much closer to her cousins, which now included nine-year-old Arin. The wavy dark-brown hair, now kept in a metallic ponytail, and blue-eyed wonder was never bothered by the fact that she lived much differently than most benders of her element, or from her other family. Aside from the occasional visits to Zaofu, the Southern Air Temple was all she has ever known as a home.
Along with their physical outcome, their bending has strengthened as well over the years. Arin and Nera have been training with Bolin more, while still having fun like a normal child should, as can be seen as they continue to dodge Hana's water ball wrath. Hana receives her training from Kya, even though it's only through the occasional visits every few weeks, she teaches her as much as she can during that time while making sure she isn't overloaded. And while she's gone, Hana trains some with the other kids, including the ones around the temple until she gets back. Noren has been doing extremely well, having mastered airbending now, and will receive his mastery tattoos in just one more month at the annual Summer Festival. In the meantime, he's enjoying his thick black hair while he can.
Splash! "Aack!"
Speaking of the little airbender …
A shout from Noren disrupts their little game of bender tag, as one of Hana's water ball's had plopped him in the face, causing his wet hair to drip over his face, covering everything except for the obvious pout on his lips. The girls' giggles increase, growing louder with squeals as Noren puffs the water off him with a shield of air emitting from his body and takes off after the now-running duo. Nomads, kids, adults, and air acolytes alike are unfazed by the young Beifong's; it's quite a normal occurrence to see around the temple.
"Buuut we didn't pull as many tricks on each other as they do either," Bolin comments with a shrug, laughter following after, my own joining in. "You know, after the Summer Festival, we should take them to the Southern Water Tribe, that way Hana can experience the other waterbenders there and can see Kya more. You know she doesn't get to see that many too much. It'll still be cold, but with it being summer, it'll be a little warmer than usual at least."
It's true. The summer breeze around here was much warmer than the spring and fall seasons. It was truly a blessing for Nera, Arin, Hana, Huan, and Bolin; the only few who can't warm up their bodies with the air.
"Hmmm. It's a good idea, but we probably won't be able to do it for too long. Maybe a few days. The air temple needs us, and Rohan could use the help."
Rohan, the youngest son of Master Tenzin and a new master himself. The young monk is still getting used to leading the Southern Air Temple, making sure to keep the ways of our culture, and when things become a little crazy – like always when there's a ton of airbender's zooming around – needs some support. Tenzin and Jinora had asked me to keep an eye out on him, make sure he doesn't get too stressed out. With his other siblings currently running the other temples, they can't help each other out as much as they used to. Meelo runs the Eastern, Ikki at the Western, and Jinora is in charge of Air Temple Island where Tenzin and Pema still reside, taking it easy from his time as the head monk, now passed to his eldest daughter. The Northern Temple was destroyed by the Red Lotus during the attack on the airbenders a long while back, but luckily is being rebuilt as we speak by the White Lotus to its proper glory.
"As long as you go too. You could use the break too with as much as you do around here," Bolin suggests, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"With the Summer Festival a month away, there's no rest for anyone," a voice calls out to us.
Rohan.
Walking down the steps of the balcony, the twenty-one-year-old master heads our way. His orange and yellow monk robes and pants flows gently as he walks, his arrow shining brightly on his forehead, the brown buzzcut hair only covering so much.
"Hey, Rohan – er, Master Rohan, how's it going?" Bolin smiles, correcting himself when my elbow meets his arm. To show respect, I bend down, giving him the traditional greeting of the airbenders.
Rohan chuckles, waving his hand as he stands in front of us. "No need for that, Opal. It still feels a little weird receiving that from someone older than me. And I'm doing alright, Bolin. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you two about; the Summer Fest."
The Summer Festival, a tradition that takes place in every temple to celebrate the beginning of summer as we enjoy the warmer weather and sunnier days. Where everyone celebrates by letting the young ones show off their talents and what they have learned throughout the year, and the new masters reveal their mastery by showing them the skills they have achieved. Afterward, anyone that has been deemed a master will receive their mastery airbender tattoos. One of those young masters which happens to be Noren, the twelve-year-old excited as he will receive his at the same age as the previous airbending avatar had.
"I'm going to need a list of all the ones that are participating. Both trainees and dedicated masters and what they will be doing. Are you up for it, Opal?" A smile greets him, his caring, asparagus-green eyes gazing into mine.
"Sure. I can have it to you by tomorrow." The young monk smiles back, turning to leave when my hand reaches out, stopping him from going. "Ah – wait. What about our kids? Noren will be in it, but what about Arin and Nera? And Hana?"
A confused frown replaces his gentle smile. "They're not airbender's."
"Well, yeah, we know that. They're our kids, we raised them. They grew up in this temple, Noren and Nera were born here! Arin and Hana were raised in the temple, they're family. They're practically one of us," My tone begins to grow a little agitated. This isn't the first time this has been brought up.
"Sorry, but it's airbender's only. You know this."
"But – but they've been practicing so hard. They've been looking forward to this," Bolin whined, a scowl meeting his features. A rare occasion for the optimistic earthbender. Something that mostly happens when his family is brought up negatively.
But no matter how much we gripe and grumble about it, I know he won't change his mind. Rohan has always followed in his father's footsteps, determined to lead as he did. And one thing Tenzin has always been set on is tradition. Sure, he's accepted a few changes now that the world has changed around us, but the stubborn man still kept his foot down. The Summer Festival has always been for airbender's only and has never accepted anyone else. Not even our family. Ones that were born amongst these people, treated like their own. Yet when it comes down right to it, their traditional ways will always see them as different. I might like traditions too, but even I have learned to accept some changes. If I hadn't, I would've never been where I am today, I would've never left home and came to the Southern Air Temple, and I would've never met my husband.
Never would've had my family. And never would've met Arin.
"Look, I understand. They are talented and we all love them. But we can't break a tradition like this. It's one of the oldest there is that dates back long before the genocide. My father put me in charge of this temple to make sure that we stick to our culture. We have to protect our past. If I let them in, then it will no longer be an airbender culture. It will be the world's." Our arms crossed, the glares meet his calm expression. Master versus master. The sound of the kids playing in the background no longer fills us with joy; them and others walking by unbothered by our conversation.
"We can keep our past, while also looking toward the future."
The reminder of our world made him tense, his gaze hardening; a world where Korra accepted the change when others wouldn't. This isn't the past anymore, and it isn't the future that no one will know. It's the present that we need to accept. Something many have a hard time accepting. Like Rohan and Tenzin.
After a few moments, between a stubborn monk and stubborn-raised Beifong's, Rohan releases a breath, closing his eyes momentarily as he raises a hand to his arrow. "I know you're upset about this. But, if it helps, I'll think about it. Opal, don't forget to bring me that list tomorrow. Okay?" With a gentle wave, Rohan walks away, heading back toward the balcony and to the upper tunnel. We continue to glare where he walks, his figure growing smaller the further he goes.
"He's not going to think about it, is he?" He already knows the answer.
"Nope."
Bolin groans, looking over at the kids still playing, Hana tosses balls of water at them once more. This time in a game of catch. Or try to catch at least. "I don't get it. There are much that has changed for the air nomads since the war. There's more of them than there ever has been in the past hundred years, and even have taken on new technology like the telephone and the balloons. Not to mention the wing suits! What's so different about letting three non-airbender's be a part of some festival?"
A huff escapes as I turn to lean against the railing, facing the mountains, watching as the clouds roll by and lemurs chase each other in the sky. "Tell me about it. I mean, I get it's a tradition, but even old ones can become new ones, while still being a tradition! It's not fair. I love traditions as the next person, but if it's going to affect my kids, then I don't know if I can agree with this one. How can one little change hurt?"
Even Bolin stays quiet, which is unusual. Normally he has something to say about everything; probably still watching the kids. At least someone was.
My frustration starts dying down, I let another sigh out, and close my eyes. "Sometimes I wish things would change. Don't you?" Bolin still didn't speak, remaining silent.
"Bolin?"
It was then I realized how quiet it was. It wasn't just Bolin who was quiet, the entire temple was silent. All the noise had died down. No screams and laughter of kids, no chitter-chatter of passing nomads and acolytes, no splashes of waterbending, only the sound of the passing summer wind; it must've been like this for a good minute, as I couldn't recall when the noises had stopped. I turned to Bolin, he was still watching the kids. He wasn't the only one.
The entire temple was staring at them. All eyes were on the four children in the middle of the courtyard. Our children. Looks of shock and wonder covered everyone's faces. And when I noticed why, my expression immediately matched theirs.
Seems like my wish came true.
For in the middle of the courtyard stood Nera, Noren, and Hana, all looking down at Arin who laid flat on her stomach on the ground, her curious expression different from everyone else's. Her hands were outstretched in front of her, palms up. And above the palms of her hands, was a floating ball of water.
Fire. Air. Water. Earth.
Long ago, Avatar Korra made many accomplishments in her life: she defeated the equalists, ended Unalaq and Vaatu's evil reign of darkness, saved the airbenders from the Red Lotus, and stopped my aunt Kuvira from destroying the Earth Kingdom. She was one of the greatest avatars the world has ever seen. And she lived a happy life with her friends and family.
One day she journeyed through the Earth Kingdom in hopes of helping them build back up to what they once were. But then she disappeared, never heard from again.
Now, with my family by my side, I can only hope that I can be as successful as her. To make my family and past lives proud.
To make Korra proud.
My name is Arin, and this is the story of how I found out that I was the avatar.