Here are the first three chapters of Elegance (LOK), now available on my profile, enjoy!
Just so you know- Older Li Na will occasionally narrate the story to talk about certain events, but a good portion of the story will be told by 13 year old Li Na in the present (So she'll be referring to things in present tense). So you won't be confused, Older Li Na's narration will be in italics and bold, thoughts will be in italics, and younger Li Na will be in regular font. Don't forget to check out my other story. if you like ATLA, and Zuko especially, I'd recommend checking it out. Coco (A Zuko Kind of Story) is available on my profile.
The story of the forgotten Sister, Li Na.
I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE LOK CHARACTERS, SO DON'T COME FROM ME~ With all that being said, happy reading! 3>
...
Earth.
Fire.
Air.
Water.
When I was a boy, my father, Avatar Aang, told me the story of how he and his friends heroically ended the Hundred Year War.
Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko transformed The Fire Nation colonies into The United Republic of Nations, a society where benders and non-benders from all over the world could live and thrive together in peace and harmony. They named the capital of this great land, Republic City.
Avatar Aang accomplished many remarkable things in his life, but sadly, his time in this world came to an end. And like the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of the Avatar began anew."
Older Li Na's pov
This is the story of how I tragically died.
Just kidding, this is the story of the time I helped save the world with my brothers, and two of my best friends. One of them just so happens to be the Avatar, master of all 4 elements. I mean, I guess we almost died a few times, but we survived!
I was 13 years old, almost 14, living with my two older brothers, Mako and Bolin. Mako was 18, and Bolin was 16 1/2 at the time (A/N their ages weren't really discussed in the show, but I did some research, and a lot of people are guessing 18 and 16, so I'm going with that). Bolin was, and still is like a big kid, and my best friend. A great person to talk to, and he gives great hugs! I always thought of Mako as my father figure. Whenever I would think of my parents, Mako and Bolin were really the only people who would come to mind, and I still feel this way to this very day. I'm sure my parents were great, but I hardly remember them. Here's our story:
Li Na; 13 years old
I was 3 years old, Bolin was 6, and Mako was 8. My dad was from the Earth Kingdom while my mom was from the Fire Nation. My dad moved from Ba Sing Se to the city where he met my mom, and they had three children together. We were having a family day out when we were mugged by a firebender. My parents were killed right in front of my brothers and I. The muggers got away with it, but not without injuring me too. I was a firebender like my oldest brother, but my hands and feet were severely burned during the attack, so I lost my ability to firebend. Years later, I'm still unable to bend, and I still deal with the pain of one of the few memories I have left of my parents. It's like it's haunting me. As I grow older, it gets harder to remember My parents, but that day? I remember it like it was yesterday.
My hands and feet have suffered the most, but I'd say my hands cause most of my insecurities, I guess you can say. My once smooth tan hands are now patchy and littered with black and red scars. My nails barely even grow. The skin on my feet were burned severely, and the nerves are damaged. I've only managed to get some of the feeling back, but not completely. I remember when I was younger, Mako and Bolin would tickle my feet hoping I could feel just a little bit. I know it sounds silly, but it eventually worked. They did this until one day I actually felt something, and I actually laughed. After that moment, I learned how to walk properly again, with the help of my brothers of course.
School is ok, I guess. I've experience the good and the bad. I like learning new things, but people can be so cruel. It's silly if you ask me. To judge someone for being different. It actually shocks me that I'm getting made fun of for the most ridiculous reasons.
Not to toot my own horn, but I'm really smart. My best subjects are math and science. My dream is to one day become a successful inventor so that I can finally take care of my brothers like they've taken care of me. I'm not the biggest fan of the school I'm in now, just because the people there are jerks, but I need it if I'm going to be successful. That's what Mako tell me, but I don't actually believe that. Everything I've learned, as in the useful things, is from being on the streets. Observing, creating, and learning how things work by studying them. I fixed our radio when I was just 10 years old by learning how each piece worked, and which part went where. The only thing I actually like about school is my math and science class, if I didn't already know most of the material, I would be able to say I actually love it.
...
"Li," I turn over in my bed to see a pair of green eyes staring into mine.
"Hi, Bolin," I yawn.
"Hey, Little Sister," my brother responds cheerfully. "Time to get up, it's a school day."
"Noooo, please don't make me go, please Boli." I turn on my charm, giving him my best pout, and my bottom lip quivering. Cue the sniffles.
"Nooo, not the pout."
In 3,2,1..
"Ok, you can stay."
Yes!
"No she can't," Mako says while walking into the room.
No! I think to myself.
"Sorry, kid," Bolin apologizes.
I get up with a grunt and stand by Mako who is making breakfast on the stove. Bolin is always so easy because he's the nice one. Mako on the other hand is different. Sure he's nice too, at least to us he is, but he's so much harder to trick.
"Please, Mako. I don't wanna go," I pout for real this time.
"I know, but you only have one more day till the weekend, you'll survive."
I sigh and make my way past Bolin and into the bathroom. Sometimes I hate how responsible he is.
"Hey, look on the brightside, you get to graduate early. Then you'll be rich and famous while your classmates are serving you fruit on a silver platter in Ba Sing Se," Mako says and cheekily grins at me.
"Yay, can't wait," I sarcastically cheer.
...
School was a nightmare as usual, but after school was when the exciting stuff really happened.
I decided to take a detour on my way home down a cute little street deep in the city. I was window shopping and saying hello to the nice lady who gave me an apple every time I see her, when a bunch of no good hoodlums started harassing the poor shop owner who owned the record store next door. I know I should've spoken up, but my body wouldn't let me. I know what kind of people these are, I grew up around them. I just couldn't do it.
I remember Ms. Yang, the apple lady, grabbing my hand and gently leading me inside her shop where she locked the doors behind us and closed the blinds.
"Will he be ok?" I asked.
"I hope so. I have nothing against benders, but it really gives them a bad name when you have people like them abusing their power."
"Yes," I sighed. "I'm just glad my brothers aren't like that. I don't know what I'd do if they were." I stated putting my head down.
My brothers did work for the Triple Threats, but that was different. Mako did the numbers for them because we didn't have any money, and we were living on the streets. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to in order to survive. It's not like they hurt anyone though.
"If only all benders were like your brothers."
The older woman swept her floors while I looked out of one of the blinds to see what was happening out there. I was born here, and I love Republic City, but lately, I've been noticing the tension between benders and non benders, and it's really sad. I've experienced both sides of life, and I wish people could see that It doesn't matter if you can bend or not, the only thing that matters is that you're a good person, and being a bender doesn't make you automatically bad. I've experienced bad people on both sides.
I remember the moment everything changed, it happened so fast. This girl just appeared out of no where! She was really pretty with blue eyes that really complimented her outfit well, but she was also very muscular and strong. Wish I looked like her, I remember thinking.
I've read a lot of books to recognize that she was a waterbender. Her clothes were traditional watertribe attire. She rode in on a polar dog, which by the way, is huge! I've never seen one in real life, but I've always imagined them to be much smaller. They're almost the same size as a sky bison. I've seen those in person, but not up close. I've seen the past Avatar's family ride in on theirs when they return to their home on Air Temple Island.
I thought she was just a regular bender like my brothers, but when she threw out the 2nd element, then the 3rd element, I was shocked, but I knew she had to be the Avatar. Who else could do that? Sure earthbenders can bend metal or lava, and waterbenders can bloodbend, but to bend all four elements? There's only one person who can do that. Technically she did only three, but maybe she didn't feel like doing the other one?
"Ms. Yang, she's- she's Avatar!"
"Wow, the Avatar? Here? In our city?"
"Yes, and she's amazing! I have to tell my brothers. I'll see you later!"
"Ok sweetie, be careful," She smiled at me.
I ran outside, but the girl and her dog were being carried away by police. What the heck? She saved these people! Why is she getting arrested? I remember asking myself. I looked up at the blue eyed girl getting carried away, and she waved at me.
"I'll be fine!" She yelled, and I waved to her.
I've got to tell Mako and Bolin!
So I did, and I ran all the way home. I was out of breath and sweaty when I found them, and I collided with Mako.
"Whoa, what happened, why are you in such a rush?" He asked
"A-Av-Avatar! They went BOOM, and then she went AHHH, BOOM, and then they-"
"You met the Avatar?!" Bolin shouted cutting me off.
"Yes! Well no! I saw her though, and she-"
"Wait a minute, start from the beginning," Mako said.
So I did, "Ok, well.."
...
So here I am now...
Not only did they not believe me, but Mako laughed in my face and told me how active my imagination is. It's so frustrating living with two older brothers sometimes. Just because I'm younger, doesn't mean I should be taken less seriously than everyone else. I know what I saw!
I sit criss cross apple sauce on my bed as Bolin walks into my side of our room with a cookie on a platter, something he does when he knows I'm upset.
"I don't want to talk to you," I say while sticking my nose in the air and crossing my arms.
He sits my snack down and sighs. He gets up to leave.
"Don't worry, I believe you."
...