𝐒𝐔𝐍&𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 ━━━ ✧ ⋆ （ avatar the last airbender ）

━━━━━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑. a revelation

Blue illuminates my face in an unearthly glow as I stare at the icy ceiling of the healing huts, gentle waves roaming over the expanse of my body. I've been in this position for over fifteen minutes now━━━longer if one considers the time I was unconscious for. Little by little I can feel some of my strength returning, but there is still something off that I cannot explain.

Father has not left my side since my eyes opened, his hand placed atop my head as though to remind himself that I am still here. As soft waves continue to lave over me, I can't help the warmth that spreads through me, vastly contrasting the coolness of the water and the overall iciness of the North.

The blue dims as Grandmother straightens, her aged features terse with tiredness.

"Well, the good news is that you should be fine with proper rest," she explains. Father braces my lower back with his palm, helping me sit up. "The bad news is that you won't be able to bend for a while━━━at least until we can ascertain your strength has returned."

My lips press together, but I allow a reluctant nod. Father doesn't seem all that upset about it. Not that I expected otherwise.

"But what caused her to fall unconscious in the first place?" Father questions. "Surely it is not a normal occurrence for a waterbender?"

For all the time she spent in the healing huts with Grandmother, Mother was not born with the gift of water. With Father also not being a waterbender, it means he is less educated on the more intricate matters concerning a bender's health.

"It isn't normal, no," Grandmother agrees. With my father's help, I position myself to sit at the edge of the pool. "While bending is often similar to common exertion, it takes a lot more energy dispel for it to grow into a point of the body shutting down temporarily. I haven't gotten many patients suffering a similar affliction who've been in serious fights in recent years. Most tend to be young students of Master Pakku, so eager to learn and grow that they push themselves past their limits."

She walks over to a heated storage bin along the far wall, rummaging through the top drawer until she procures a charcoal-colored towel.

Grandmother smiles tenderly as she returns to my side, offering it to me. "But Xing Hua is no ordinary waterbender."

My brows furrow, though I take the towel gratefully and wrap it around myself, the warm material quelling the cold that had seeped into my veins after so long underwater. "So it's because of my connection with La that I am weaker?"

It doesn't make any sense. He is the push to Tui's pull, the Yin to her Yang, the embodiment of all things water. If nothing else, being his Chosen should strengthen me, should strengthen my bending.

"From what I can tell, it's entirely the opposite case." Seeing the skepticism on my face, she continues, "Your chi reservoirs are much larger than that of any other waterbender I've seen, and I can only assume that is due to La's life within you. Which means your bending has greater potential for power. As with most things, though, too much of a good thing can quickly grow into something bad if left unchecked. Your body likely isn't used to the strain of fully fledged fighting, especially not against someone with the title of Master." Grandmother gives me a pointed look, though there is an amusement in her eyes.

"But I have been training since I was a child," I tell her, still perplexed by the idea that what should be my greatest strength is also my greatest weakness.

My wince is internal when I sense Father's sharp stare practically burn itself into the side of my face.

"And that is a good thing." Grandmother nods in approval, patting my knee affectionately. "Otherwise, I'm not sure you'd be conscious enough to speak with me at this moment."