34 School

Tenzin was apprehensive. He knew he said that he was ready to go to school, but now he was nervous. It was orientation day. He got up, got washed and dressed in the clothes his grandfather had gotten him while he was in the South Pole because there were the only ones he owned that fit. He combed his hair and looked at himself in the mirror.

It had been a week since he'd come home. He decided that he'd keep his hair for a while because he liked the way it looked and he liked the fact that Lin liked the way it looked. He couldn't exactly put his finger on the reason, but he liked it when she would grab one of his beads and tug on a loc. He smiled at the thought.

He opted to leave Oogi home and take the ferry. When Tenzin arrived in Republic City, he started walking. The closer he got to the school, the more new students joined him. A majority of them were younger kids who'd come with their mothers or fathers. The rest were like him, thirteen or soon to be thirteen and about to start the upper school. When he reached the auditorium, Lin was there waiting.

"It's about time you got here." she said with a customary pull of his hair.

"Stop it Lin." he said as he swatted at her hand. He sounded annoyed, but smiled on the inside.

He was surprised when she joyfully wrapped her arm around his, "Well, it's about time you joined us humans at school."

"Whatever Lin."

.~.

After the orientation, the children were told to go meet their teachers. Tenzin and Lin went their separate ways and he navigated the halls, papers in hand. As he walked, he heard a group behind him.

"Is that him?" a girl's voice whispered all too loudly.

"No that's not him," a boy said, "he has hair. The air bender kid is bald, like his dad. That's a water tribe kid. Besides, he's too big. The air bender kid is a runt."

"Okay, but isn't his mom water tribe?" another boy said.

"Yeah," the girl said as Tenzin continued to walk and listen.

"She is," the first boy answered, "but he always dresses like his dad." Then Tenzin felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, "Hey Kid, we hear the Avatar's son is starting this year. Have you seen a bald kid in orange robes?"

He was shocked. With hair and in different clothes, no one recognized him. Tenzin was extremely happy. Being one of the last two air benders brought him more than enough unwanted attention and being the Avatar's son just doubled it. While Bumi reveled in the attention and Kya just took it as a part of her life, Tenzin hid from it.

"No," he answered, "but then again I don't know very many people at this school. This will be my first year here."

"Oh, a new kid." the first boy said. He was tall, but not as tall as Tenzin, with green eyes and dark hair, "Hi, I'm Adra." he pointed to the girl with amber eyes, dark skin and thick black hair, "This is Kuji," and then he pointed to the other, short stocky boy with brown eyes, "and this is Cam. So who are you?"

He held out his hand, "My name is Ten-" then he caught himself. They didn't know who he was, he could be anybody. "Wen. My name is Ten Wen." he flinched inwardly. Of all the names he could've picked he chose the one that his brother had tormented him with all his life. He had to remember to forehead slap himself later. "Nice to meet you."

"Dude, you're so formal, relax." Adra said, "So, which tribe are you from?"

Tenzin gave the boy a strange look, then remembered his hair and clothes, "I just came from the Southern Water Tribe."

"Oh really?" Kuji asked with a strange smile on her face, "Are you a water bender? Water benders are so hot," she got closer, "you look like a water bender."

Tenzin looked down at the girl and blushed, "Um, no. I'm not a water bender."

Cam looked over Tenzin with a suspicious eye, "You're kind of light to be Water Tribe."

Kuji gave the boy an appalled look and Adra slapped him upside the head, "And you're kind of stupid to be Earth Kingdom." he turned to Tenzin, "Don't mind my cousin." he said.

"Yeah." she turned to Cam, "It's obvious he's mixed raced. If you have a problem with mixed people, let me know so I can stay away from you."

Tenzin felt very uncomfortable, "Well, um, I'd better go meet my teachers. I guess I will see you on Monday."

.~.~.

He went and met each of his teachers, insisting that they refer to him as "Ten". None of them questioned it until he got to his history class and the teacher, Mr. Yoo, said, "And why, may I ask, would you want me to 'just call you Ten'?"

Tenzin felt compelled to tell him the truth, "Well, for the first time in my life people are looking at me and not instantly recognizing who I am. It's ... nice."

"Oh, I see." the gray haired man said in an understanding way, "It must be nice not to be instantly pegged as the son of famous people, but if I remember correctly your brother loved that attention."

"The differences between my brother and myself could fill Yue Bay."

The man smiled, "So I see. You so understand that we study the end of the Hundred Years War in this class and most of that includes your family."

"Yes sir, I understand."

"And you know that if your father is available he's scheduled to come speak to the class in a week and a half."

"Yes sir, I know."

"I assume you don't plan on telling your parents about this."

Tenzin pulled at his hair, "I did not think of that." he admitted.

"Perhaps you should."

.~.~.

Monday came quickly. Soon enough he found himself headed to the pier with his brother. "Bumi," Tenzin said nervously, "I have to tell you something."

"Don't worry Tenzy, The first day is rough on everybody." the older brother said.

"It isn't that." he said, "I sort of told some kids that I was somebody else."

Bumi stopped in his tracks, "What? So who are you?"

The boy held his head down, "I told then my name is Ten Wen."

The older brother almost fell over laughing. When he caught his breath, he said "Ten Wen, huh? Well Ten Wen, why aren't you Tenzin anymore?

"I just want to see what it would be like if everyone didn't know who I was."

"Hmmmm, that's interesting. I won't blow your cover, but I can't say the same for Dad, and you'd better pray that Mom doesn't find out."

"Yes, I know."

"So what about Lin? Did you tell her?"

"Yes, she knows."

"Well, good luck with that."

.~.~.

"Hi Ten." Kuji called out as Tenzin and Lin entered the courtyard with Bumi a few feet behind them, "Hey, I didn't know you knew Lin."

"Yeah," Lin said wrapping her arm around Tenzin, causing him to blush, "Me and old Ten Wen go way back."

"Oh yeah?" Kuji said falling in on the other side of the boy as they walked, "So do you have any other cute friends you've been hiding from me?"

Tenzin's blush grew hotter, "Believe me," Lin said, "He didn't always look like that."

"Yes, I have." Tenzin protested, whipping his head toward Lin.

"If you say so, Ten." she said, tugging at her favorite bead.

Then they saw Adra and Cam leaning against the wall, "The new kid gets all the girls."

"Get over yourself, Cam." Lin snapped, "You're always hating on somebody."

"Anyway," Cam said to Lin, "I thought your boyfriend was starting school today, you know, the air bender kid."

"He is not my boyfriend!" Lin said a little too quickly for Tenzin's liking, "Besides, he changed his mind. I guess he saw you jerks and got some sense."

"Ha-ha" Adra said, "Oh well, his loss." the first bell rang, "Well, let's get to it."

Adra - Indian name meaning rock

Cam - means orange in Vietnamese and man with crooked nose in Gaelic

Kuji - short for Kujichagulia (pronounced Koo-gee-cha-ga-lee-ah) which is the Swahili word for Self-Determination, the second principle of Kwanzaa and one of my favorite words to say

I just pulled Yoo out of thin air, I don't know what it means, if it means anything…I guess I'll look it up later.