Legacy

Chapter One: A Leaf in the Wind

I circled my opponent, grinning.

"Looks like we meet again, old friend," I said to the lifeless dummy my father made from old rice sacks and hay for my fourteenth birthday. That was almost five years ago and it was surprisingly still in good shape.

I leapt forward, charging at the fake person. My fist immediately connected to its jaw. Since it could not retaliate, I continued punching it in the stomach over and over. I finally kicked it in the shoulder, making it fall to the ground. I was celebrating my victory when my dad interrupted.

"Jaya, you have a visitor," he told me, poking his head out of the back door.

"Who is it?" As I asked that, a tall man in gold and red robes came out of my house and stood next to my father. "Tenzin? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Jaya. I was watching you spar that dummy from the window. You have a lot of fire in you. I'm surprised you didn't use your bending," he commented.

I rolled my eyes. "That didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"

He cleared his throat. "I'm here to recruit you for your help."

"My help? What do you need help with? Babysitting your kids? I don't think so," I scoffed.

Tenzin frowned. "No, I need your help with the Avatar."

My eyes shot open. "The Avatar? Why do you need my help?"

"Avatar Korra is incredibly reckless and doesn't listen to the rules. I need someone her age to befriend her and watch over her when I can't."

I started laughing hysterically. This made Tenzin frown again.

"What's so funny?"

I wiped a fake tear from the corner of my eye. "It's just that you expect me to babysit the Avatar. For what? I mean, I haven't seen you in almost three years and we live in the same city, so you obviously didn't make the effort to come visit. There's no way I'm doing that for you."

"Oh yes, you are," my dad argued.

"Dad, you can't expect me to actually be the Avatar's, what, bodyguard? Babysitter? What is it exactly you want me to be? And you know how I feel about Mom's side of the family. Why don't you go ask one of Aunt Niani's kids? They're all waterbenders, just like Korra." I said, directing my attention towards Tenzin.

"I want and need you to be her friend. From what I've noticed, she doesn't have very many friends, if any at all, that are her same age," Tenzin started. "And from what Ren has told me, you don't either."

I looked at my dad with attitude. "Dad!"

"Don't even try to argue, Jaya. You know it's true. You've focused all of your time on training and fighting that you've ignored the social aspect of your life."

"Your father and I have already planned everything out. You will live on Air Temple Island with my family and the Avatar," Tenzin told me.

"I'm not living on Air Temple Island," I argued.

My dad frowned. "Jaya, you will live on Air Temple Island and listen to everything Tenzin has to say."

"This is so unfair," I groaned.

"I suggest you start packing," Dad instructed me, gesturing for me to go inside.

                                   _____

"And in the final round, the Buzzard Wasps won with a decisive knockout! What do you say we go to the arena tonight? Catch a few Pro Bending matches?" The Avatar asked as Tenzin and I walked up to the table she was sitting at.