View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
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?"
+ Show First Post
roc_on
thinklikethis
"Um... not... much?" he says cautiously, like he expects this to be the wrong answer.
thinklikethis
"Stuff! Just... stuff. Little stuff. Turtleducks and squirrelbats and stuff."
thinklikethis
"I could make table legs, but I don't have a table to stick them to," he laughs.
roc_on
"How d'you get into woodcarving? Doesn't seem like the sorta thing they put you in lessons for when you're three."
roc_on
They carry on pretty uneventfully with their project, occasionally swapping screens to read each other's notes, and knock out a reasonable presentation by dinnertime. Beila gives Dao a ride home, and they are scheduled to speak two days later when school reconvenes. This all goes without incident. The teacher does not confess to having hoped for an airbending demo. (Beila's a walking airbending demo anyway, if you know what to look for.)
Also, the teacher announces that tomorrow, the thirteenth of Breath, is Beila's birthday, which the teacher always does whenever someone is about to have a birthday, in case anyone wants to bake the birthday individual bean-filled pastries or something.
Also, the teacher announces that tomorrow, the thirteenth of Breath, is Beila's birthday, which the teacher always does whenever someone is about to have a birthday, in case anyone wants to bake the birthday individual bean-filled pastries or something.
roc_on
"Thanks!" says Beila.
She doesn't mention the fact that she's a female airbender about to turn sixteen. There's not that many people answering to this description, but it's a couple dozen. She's not really expecting any special news.
She doesn't mention the fact that she's a female airbender about to turn sixteen. There's not that many people answering to this description, but it's a couple dozen. She's not really expecting any special news.
roc_on
She smiles back! He's cute. She should write about that, decide if anything needs doing. "You gonna bake me mooncakes?" she teases.
thinklikethis
"Man, you don't want any mooncake I'd bake," he laughs. "Maybe I'll carve you a present. A little tiny roc."
roc_on
"Aww, that would be adorable," says Beila. "I would love a tiny little roc."