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Airbenders are pretty thoroughly repopulated now, but they're still minorities anywhere but the handful of enclaves that have retaken the open temples or integrated into the populations that have woven into them. Beila doesn't live in one of those enclaves. She lives in Republic City. Benders are a minority, airbenders more so. She's the only one in her class. It could still be a coincidence that she's supposed to do her history project on Avatar Aang, her some-number-of-greats grandfather, and not casual stereotyping. Whatever. Her partner's not a bender at all unless he's very quiet about it, he's just a random cute boy who sits to her left. Dao, that's his name.
"Hey," she says. "When's good for you to meet up and work on this thing?"
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roc_on
thinklikethis
"That I'm not naturally talented at things? Um, by watching myself screw up a bunch?"
roc_on
"That sounds like it could lead to interesting stories if you didn't mind talking about those occasions. Anyway, you can carve things," she points out, "you don't screw that up."
thinklikethis
"I screwed up carving a lot before I got good at it. Like, I don't think I'm doomed to fail at everything forever, I just know I'm not ever gonna be perfect at something right from the start."
roc_on
"Fair enough. Practice makes perfect. Heck, I'm the Avatar and I couldn't slush a drink on my first try." Beila flops her head onto his shoulder. "You're in luck, though, most of the ways to screw up being somebody's boyfriend involve either not trying to make them happy or not knowing how, and you can just ask me about the second part."
thinklikethis
...He smiles down at her newly flopped head.
Then, tentatively, he puts his arm around her shoulders.
Then, tentatively, he puts his arm around her shoulders.
roc_on
Beila giggles.
And this is how Chali finds them. "...Hello, little bird," he says. "Who's this?"
"Hi, Dad, this is Dao," says Beila.
And this is how Chali finds them. "...Hello, little bird," he says. "Who's this?"
"Hi, Dad, this is Dao," says Beila.
roc_on
"Mm-hm," says Chali.
"We're here to tell you about another Republic Newscorps person who's been bothering both of us," Beila adds.
"...And this person is bothering Dao because...?"
"We're here to tell you about another Republic Newscorps person who's been bothering both of us," Beila adds.
"...And this person is bothering Dao because...?"
roc_on
"Some people at school told him we're dating," Beila says. "It wasn't true when they said it. Is now, though."
"Ah-hm," says Chali. "Well. Can put in a restraining order against the Newscorps, now they've got two strikes. Where d'you live, Dao?"
"Ah-hm," says Chali. "Well. Can put in a restraining order against the Newscorps, now they've got two strikes. Where d'you live, Dao?"
roc_on
"Okay. I'll get the order put in first thing tomorrow," says Chali, pulling out a pocket screen and a chordpress and making a note to himself. "If it continues to be a problem we can get you police pagers."
"Thanks, Dad," says Beila earnestly.
"So, Dao," says Chali. "Tell me about yourself."
"Thanks, Dad," says Beila earnestly.
"So, Dao," says Chali. "Tell me about yourself."
thinklikethis
"I, um, I'm really kinda boring," he says. "I have no idea why Beila likes me so much."
roc_on
"Little bird?" Chali asks his daughter mildly.
"If you want a list I need twenty minutes alone with my screen," Beila says. "Off the top of my head, he's cute and he liked me before I was named the Avatar and carves cunning little animals and he did a competent his half of our history project and stuff."
"Stuff," says Chali.
"Yes. I said, if you want a list, I need twenty minutes alone with my screen."
"If you want a list I need twenty minutes alone with my screen," Beila says. "Off the top of my head, he's cute and he liked me before I was named the Avatar and carves cunning little animals and he did a competent his half of our history project and stuff."
"Stuff," says Chali.
"Yes. I said, if you want a list, I need twenty minutes alone with my screen."
roc_on
"Well, I suppose you can look out for yourself," says Chali. He looks at Dao. "Of course, it will be most comfortable for everyone if no such looking out is necessary."