New Perspective

Enough For You

The next morning came all too soon. Kuvira didn't sleep well at all due to a change in surroundings and her very upset stomach. She ended up throwing up everything she ate and sleep was not happening afterwards.

A soft knock on the door in the living room drew her out of bed around 8 am. Slowly she shuffled to the door and opened it slowly.

"Good morning. I hope you were able to sleep last night, Kuvira," Suyin said in a rather chipper tone. Kuvira knew she looked terrible from her lack of sleep, it was obvious Suyin was attempting to just be nice.

"I slept fine. Would you like to come in?" She replied. Suyin responded by stepping through the door and closing it gently behind her.

"I have some things I need to discuss with you, as I'm sure you read in my note I left with you. Come, sit on the couch with me." She extended her arm towards the couch. Instead of sitting down next to her, Kuvira decided to keep her space. She sat across from Suyin and her body language made it obvious she was closing herself off. Her arms were folded and she held her legs close to her body, which was very unlike the woman she used to be. Suyin could not have been more open. Her arms and legs were both spread as she resumed a position most comfortable for her. The two were opposites now and this fact alone hurt Suyin deeply.

She looked at Kuvira for a moment as if to gather any information on the person she had become. This was her first time really looking at the younger woman since her arrival. She opted to keep her now graying hair in a uniform ponytail. She was dressed in a very loose fitting tank top and baggy black pants as if she was trying to disappear altogether. Her once confident and wild eyes seemed almost lifeless and she had dark circles underneath them. Suyin had to look away for fear the sight of Kuvira would bring tears to her eyes. She had long forgiven her for everything she had done but she couldn't seem to find the right place or time to tell her.

"Is this enough space for you Kuvira? I know it's not much, but I figured we could expand on it once you've been here for about a week. Maybe open it up a bit more and add in a place for you to train?" Suyin said as more of a suggestion than a question. This drew a frown out of Kuvira.

"I have nothing to train for. I don't need any extra space. I'm fine right here. And as for your note, I've already decided what I'm going to take up." Her words came out fast and were very point blank. She felt she had nothing more to say than what she meant.

"Alright," Suyin began. "What hobby would you like to pursue?" She was actually quite interested to know what Kuvira had picked. Pre-dictatorship Suyin was sure she would've picked dancing or something with construction or maybe even teaching self defense. But this person sitting in front of her was not the woman she once knew. This was a new and very different kuvira. Would her choices be the same?

"Assuming that Huan still lives here, and he doesn't absolutely despise me, I think I'd like to take up painting." Suyin's eyes widened in surprise as the younger woman's response. Kuvira had never been really the creative type before. Sure, she danced, but she only followed the written choreography. She built things, but only using blueprints. She never tweaked anything and made it her own. Suyin wasn't sure if that was something she picked up in prison, or perhaps a trait she learned from Bataar junior.

"Right now it's just me, Bataar, and Huan. Are you sure you wouldn't like something else more?" she asked in a gentle tone, attempting to not discourage her. Kuvira pursed her lips for a moment before speaking.

"A lot of the other activities to do around here involve metal or earthbending. I refuse to do either. So painting it is." She had planned to never go back to earthbending at all? The greatest earthbender of her time had finally stepped down, but to Suyin it seemed to be the cause of her downfall as a normal person.