Avatar Kansa: The Third Avatar

Chapter 4

When I took a seat, my father leaned over to me. "Where have you been?"

"Father, you know me and occasions like this. I needed some fresh air, that's all."

We both watched Kata on the dance floor with her many suitors. "That Hinoni boy seems to have taken quite a liking to you," my father said finally.

"Perhaps, but he is the only one. Kata, on the other hand, has suitors fighting over her left and right."

"Perhaps because she is a little more personable?" I shot him a look. "What?"

"Hinoni is taking me, where he thinks he has no competition. Little did he know he'd have a harder time winning his prize over than anyone else."

"Maybe I should just give you to him."

"You do and I'll disappear forever and become a hermit." We both laughed.

"I can't imagine you living without your sister," he said,

"Me neither." I took a sip from my cup. I swallowed hard as I thought about the monk's outrageous claim and how they might be right.

"Care to dance?" Hinoni asked. I looked to my father, who gave the approving nod and pushed me to the dance floor, into Hinoni's arms.

"If I must," I sighed. We circled around each other. I soon realized that in the heat of the moment, I had forgotten how to dance. Hinoni smiled.

"Just remember some basic waterbending techniques. You'll flow right into it."

I rolled my eyes. "Hilarious."

In fear of being embarrassed, however, I did as I was told. We eventually flowed into a dance usually performed at the start of a new year to reflect on what we've gone through and remind ourselves of a chance to start anew, like when the snow falls. We call it The Cycle, like how the water, though changing and shifting through time, can never truly be gone. The water we drink now has been around long before we were born and will continue long after we're gone.

As we went through the motions, it made me think of what the monks said. The Avatar had come back once already. Perhaps he could come back in a slightly changed form. If water could cycle, maybe the Avatar, as powerful as he was, found a way to cycle as well. Maybe I was the slightly modified version of Wan and Shinyu.

"Is something on your mind?" Hinoni asked. I brushed it off.

"Maybe. You, however, have a big day tomorrow. You do have a chance at winning my hand, after all."

He grinned and bowed, kissing my hand. "It's true. I'll see you at dawn, then?"

I gave a sarcastic smile. "Oh, sure!"

"Would you do me the honor of walking me home, though? I could freeze to death."

Alright, I thought. I sighed, looking back at my beaming father. "Fine. You do just live down the street."

"We all do."

"Do you want me to come or not?" I asked.

We finally left the party and began walking down the street, me keeping him at arm's length. "So, what do you make of all those feasts in your honor?" he asked. I shrugged.

"A lot of the time, I feel they're more for Kata than for me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, she's next in line to be the chief after all. I just happen to share a birthday with her."

He stopped and turned me to look at him. "That's not true, Kansa. I mean, sure, you're her twin sister, but you are every bit as important as you think she is. Just because not everyone can see that doesn't mean it isn't true. Besides, you could be the Avatar."

"A powerful monster? Do you really think that's me?"

He turned red, realizing what he'd just implied. "No, not at all. Really, I swear. But, think about it. Even if what they say is true, who's to say you couldn't change the story? I've gotten to know you pretty well after all these years and I know you're not a monster, Avatar or not."

I broke away. "You know, saying something like that could spell disaster for you if someone heard."

"That's part of what's bothering you, isn't it? The small chance that the airbenders could be right?"

We stopped in front of Hinoni's hut. I looked away. "I should get back before Kata notices we've left together. Good luck tomorrow." I then began to walk away.

"I hope you get some clarity with whatever your going through, Kansa," he shouted.

"Goodnight, Hinoni!" I sighed. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with Hinoni. There weren't any big red flags like with Sikoka. He wasn't all that bad looking either. Maybe if things were different and Kata didn't like him as much as she did, I wouldn't have turned him away so many times. I shook the thought away. Kata deserved everything. She was the first born. I was just the surprise no one expected.

I walked back inside the party, returning to my seat. Kata sat back down beside me, giggling to herself. "Man, I forgot how much fun dancing is. When I'm chief I'll have to enact celebrations like this more often. Maybe then you'll actually know how to have fun in big crowds like this," Kata said, jabbing me.

"Oh please. Why be stuck here when I could be out on a midnight penguin sledding ride?"

"I even saw you dancing with Hinoni earlier. He tried to get you to have fun and you really weren't interested. I mean, I know how you feel about Hinoni, but look at the boy. I would've killed to be you. Honestly, woman, I don't understand you and your dislike for parties like this."

I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder. "And this, Kata, is why you're going to be chief and I'm not. You love your people. I love them to, but I'm not a woman of the people. You are."

"Too kind, really." Kata yawned. "I'm danced out. Are you ready to go?"

I laughed. "Yes. Now, we'd better hurry before you fall asleep."

We walked away from the Meeting Hall, laughing as Kata relayed tales of her many suitors. It wasn't long before we were curled up in our beds, trying so desperately to sleep. I lay awake, so many thoughts running through my mind as I stared at the ceiling.

Kata sat up and turned to face me. "Do you want to talk about what happened today?"

I shrugged. "A lot happened today."

"Kansa, you know what I'm talking about If those old men giving you such sour news ruined your night tonight I will personally-"

"Don't worry, Kata. I was just thinking. Those men said something about Gran knowing the previous Avatar. A few years ago, not too long after we decided to take turns visiting her, she started going crazy, right?"

"Right. And?"

"She started calling me Shinyu, the name of the previous Avatar. Always. She claims she taught me waterbending and everything. When I try to correct her, she gets upset."

Kata laid down. "So you think their claims have some sort of merit? I haven't seen you bend any other element than water our whole lives. There had to have been some sort of signs. We would have noticed by now, don't you think?"

I sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Besides, you're a rotten waterbender. Nothing super powerful like the Avatar," Kata teased. I threw a pillow at her as we giggled until we drifted off to sleep.