Ch. 7: First Days
A black tea pot sat on a metal plate in the center of the table. It was plainly dressed with no elegant designs or floral patterns; it was as simple as the person who owned it. The contents emptied except for a few stray drips; the whole of it had been poured into two cups. Each in front of a women who sat with legs crossed on mats across from one another. Each taking turns to sip from their respective cups.
One of the women; youthful with a dark complexion. Was dressed in heavy clothes more suitable for arctic weather and was shifting nervously; glancing to her side.
The other women was much older; but because of her experiences in life she had the body of someone much younger. The only way one might tell she was even the age she claimed was by her gray hair. She scratched unconsciously at the parallel scars on her cheek; which ran from the bottom of her sharp jaw upward. She to glanced to were her partner was looking; at the empty cushion placed between them at the table.
"Today's the day." The older women stated. Taking another sip of her tea.
"Yeah." Her younger companion looked away. Hiding her eye's from the human lie detector in front of her. Tucking one of two brown pig tails that framed her face. Sure she didn't bother with the third ponytail on the back of her head anymore; allowing the hair to spill down to just below her shoulder blades. But her lover liked the twin braids so she kept them; still wrapped up in the same piece of water tribe blue cloth that she had them in when she got off the boat.
The other women once wore the most polished armor. That was a time when she busted up the faces of baddies; and broke up crime rings. Now she was dressed for mind numbing hours of filling/filing paper work. And the attire didn't reflect her earth kingdom heritage. Yes she had on an earth kingdom style tunic. With wooden knobs used as buttons, but it was colored a light marine blue with a slightly darker shade for her baggy pants. The top was sleeveless with a fringe of fur on the edges around the openings of her arms. Because it's not like anyone at work would take her to task for not having sleeves.
"Well..." The older women finished her tea then got up and went over to put the cup in the sink. "Better go get her."
"Wait, Lin." The other levitated onto her feet on a gust of air. Passed her cup to the other. Then rushed to the door of the kitchen. Turned and gave the other a sheepish smile. "Let me get her. We'll meet you by the door." She said hastily before she vanished.
Lin set the other cup in the sink. Turned on the water and got a sponge. She'd scrubbed both cups before she realized they still smelled of tea. The sponge in her hand was squeezed. And only dirty tea colored water came out.
Guess we're both out of it, she thought.
. . .
...I'll defeat you-you bad guy and save mommy and momma." The little girl shouted at the tiny rock person of in-descript features. Who stood at the full height of a couple of inches, but made more menacing perched on the window sill. Two other figures were being held hostage under an overturned basket; who's contents of sweet smelling dried fruits, which had been given as a gift to Korra on one of her trips as the avatar, had been dumped on the ground.
A small hand batted red bangs out of the girls sight. "Taste my bending butt head." Hand flicking a blue dish towel at the figure. Making him topple over in defeat and fall to the wooden floor. A cry of victory as the child ran over and lifted the basket off the captives. "Don't worry your safe mommy and momma." The figures were misshapen replica's of her parents. Lin's forehead was big enough to park a sato-mobile, the deluxe model, on. And Korra's nose was bigger than a boar-q-pines. Still it didn't stop Yee-Li from wrapping her 'mothers' in a warm protective hug.
"I wouldn't let momma hear you talking like that Yee-Li. You know what we say about calling people butt heads." Korra knelt down in front of her child and rested a hand on her head.
Yee-Li turned to her mommy. Pursing her lips. "Momma said it's fine if the person's a criminal." She argued.
"Yes...I guess she did. That's something your momma would say. But I'm telling you that you shouldn't call anyone that anyway even if they are a bad guy." She gave a wink.
That her daughter returned with the whole right side of her face arching into the gesture. Mouth opening wide as if taking a bite out of a large piece of meat.
Korra giggled. Grasping her child around her thin neck she gave her a noogy.
A screech came forth as the tiny red head tried to slap at the hand. Her mommy just laughed at the futile attempts and simply increased her pace. Then her hands released and moved around her daughters waist as the child found herself held at arm's length and spun in circles above her mommy's head. The fingers that held her wiggling into her sides. Making her nerves fire irritably as she was tickled.
"Haha Please mom-hahaha-my stopha."
Korra did as she drew her baby into her warm arms. Gripping her tight. And sniffing her hair; the clean smell of fruit. If she had to send her child to school no way was she going to send her unclean. Not like when she was little and got laughed at for smelling like whale blubber. It wasn't my fault we lived in the south pole. Though they learned quick not to laugh when she beat up a couple of boys. Mom and Dad were furious; Korra giggled at the memory of her dad getting talked down to about his daughters unacceptable behavior by the principle. His large frame barely contained in the tiny preschool chair.
Korra's grip grew tighter. "You ready for school Yee-Li?"
The body in her grip tensed. "no." Came her meek answer. Pulling her head free she looked at her mother with watery eyes and quivering lips. "Do I really have to go? Why can't I just stay home with you and momma? I can go to work with you. I'll be good-I promise. And if I have to go with momma I promise I won't mess up her papers this time. I swear." Placing a tiny hand over her heart. "I didn't mean to make her mad." Yee-Li bowed her head.
"You know she wasn't mad Yee-Li. Why would she hang it up on the fridge if she was, huh?"
A small sniffle. "She yelled at me." The kid puffed her cheeks.
Korra tapped the girls nose roughly. "Don't lie Yee-Li. You know momma would never yell at you. She was just trying to tell you it wasn't a good thing to do." Korra corrected. "You're the one who started to cry." It was true. Lin was only trying to tell their child she'd done something wrong. Wasn't Lin's fault she was blunter than a rock. And the kid took it the wrong way. Not believing her even when Lin put the report about crime statistics or such with the squiggly creature drawn overtop on the fridge; Yee-Li said it was a badgermole.
The kid's hold grew tighter. "Please don't make me go. I just want to stay home with you."
"Yee-Li you have to. School is important. You can't not go."
"Jinora says not to use two no words like that. See, I don't need to go to school. I can learn at home."
"What about friends? Don't you want to make some friends like me and your uncle Mako, Bolin and Aunt Asami are? Trust me their fun."
The child shook her head furiously. "I don't need them. I have Meelo, Ikki, Jinora, and Rohan." She said.
"There all older than you Yee-Li. Don't you want someone your own age? You know...who likes the stuff you like."
"Rohan plays with the same stuff I do."
"Yeah...I guess you're right." Even if she knew the young boy was forcing himself to do it. She knew he'd rather be playing with his own friends and not his five year old niece. Only doing it for Lin and hers sake.
"Sigh-Yee-Li stop arguing with your mommy. You're going to school." Lin stood at the door of the kitchen. Arms crossed with her best no nonsense look drawn on her face.
Yee-Li wiggled out of her mommy's grip. Set on the ground the child stared at her momma in the doorway. Putting on her own far less polished stare. Matching her mother's crossed arms with her chubby ones. Even mimicking the older women's irritated tapping foot.
"Butt head."
"Hey Ye..."
Lin interrupted. "Grab your stuff and lets go, squirt."
"Lin she can't ta..."
"Don't call me squirt, momma." This time Yee-Li talked over Korra. Going to the couch and putting on her small earth green backpack. Momma and daughter walked to the door in tandem. Lin slipping on a pair of moccasins. Yee-Li sat on her rump and tried to put on her shoes. When Lin tried to help she found her hands shoved away.
"I can do it myself." Yee-Li said. Fumbling with her laces for a couple more tries. Till inspiration struck and she figured out how to do it. With a little song she hummed under her breath about badgermole's digging tunnels. The tunnels were her laces and the badgermole's liked to dig loops in the earth.
Korra cracked a smile at the trick her love had taught their daughter.
Yee-Li stood up and patted the imaginary dust off her blue dress. She grabbed the straps to her back pack and waited in front of the metallic front door. "Are we going?" She snapped.
Lin raised a brow. As she towered over the child staring up at her.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Lin asked. Making a motion behind them.
Yee-Li turned to see her mommy crouched on the ground; arms stretched wide. She ran over and hugged her like a life raft.
"Be nice to momma. Don't you two fight, ok." Korra whispered. While looking over at Lin. Who shuffled by the door. Head bowed when she knew her daughter wasn't looking.
Yee-Li blew a raspberry in Korra's face.
. . .
Outside the pair walked down the street. Yee-Li kept a couple of steps ahead of her momma. Arms gripping the straps of her bag and her head hanging towards the ground. Occasionally she would mumble something. It sounded unfavorable by the tone of her voice.
Lin watched her daughter closely; as well as keeping an eye on any strangers on the block. The old man who ran a small vegetable business on the corner gave them a wave. Which Lin returned out of politeness. Another women was watering her flowers. Although she didn't know her name Lin knew she'd lived there for a long time; even before she had moved into the neighborhood.
When they breached the crowd swarming through the streets at the end of her neighborhood Lin stuck closer to Yee-Li. The girl slipped her hand into Lin's. Which the women was grateful for. So she isn't that mad at me then.
They reached the small building. Were kids much like Yee-Li were being dropped off by their parents who waved good bye with teary eyes at their children leaving them. Yee-Li stepped closer to her momma. Pressing into her side and gripping Lin's hand tighter.
"You'll be fine." Lin said. Dropping to one knee she squeezed the tiny fingers in her hand. "My mommy..."
"Grandma...Toph?" Lin was proud Yee-Li was actually able to remember her mother's name. It wasn't like she talked about her mother often. "She's in the spirit world right?"
Lin smiled. "Yeah, squirt. She is. And she used to tell me never to be scared of anything. Do you know why?" Yee-Li tilted her head to the side. Trying to think of the answer. But shook it when nothing came. "Because you're a Beifong. And we don't get scared. We laugh in its face. My Mommy would probably wrestle with it too."
This made the child laugh. Then she sobered when the bell rang. Signaling it was time to part. "Do I really have to go." She pleaded.
"Sorry, squirt. Don't worry; you'll have fun."
The child huffed. But remembered to give her momma a kiss on the cheek. She then turned and huffed as she stomped away. Giving a shout with her back turned. "How do you know?"
Lin waved. As an overly large hipped/large bosomed women ushered Yee-Li in and shut the door.
Lin stood on the spot for a few moments more. Just staring at the door. How did she know everything would be alright for her daughter? Simple. Been there, squirt. At least you didn't kick and scream like I did. Mom had to force me through the door. Thankfully, you don't know how to bend yet.