"So how long have you been going to the academy?"
Genji attempted to make conversation with San. He had been staying in San's room for four days, and it had been a bit awkward. San was a nice guy, it was Genji who struggled to say something, anything interesting really. The downside of growing up with no children your age was a major lack of social skills, and a whole lot of social anxiety. He and San were going to be spending a lot of time to together, so it would be better if they became friends. Well that's only if Genji and Karia were alowed to stay that long.
They had a bit of deadline, not from Karia's 40 year old cousin Jae, but from his daughter Xiomara. If Genji couldn't pick up fire bending in the next three days, and prove he was the avatar, Xiomara would expose them. That made Genji just the slightest bit stressed out. In the mean time he had asked Xiomara to give him a couple of lessons in earth bending, some training would've been nice. She agreed, but had not shown any sign of wanting to, and Genji didn't want to push his luck. For now his top priority had to be being able to bend two elements, so he was more than anxious to be attending the academy. San scratched his head, slightly adjusting the collar of his red uniform.
"I've only been going for about a year , before then my mom had shown me all my bending."
Genji had wanted to ask more, but he was afraid she was dead. He had only seen pictures of the tall thin woman with light black hair and sapphire eyes. She did look a lot like San, except for her dark hair. For some reason San and Xio ( San referred to his sister as "Xio" for short. Genji wasn't sure if he was allowed to call her that yet.) had inherited light brown hair, San's with an almost red color like Karia's.
"Is this uncle that teaches at the academy, is he your mom's brother."
San nodded.
"Yeah, it's my uncle Xen."
San didn't seem much like a talker, which was fine with Genji, the interaction was already making him nervous enough as it was. Hi figured this must mean that Ms. Ottani was the fire bender, which meant he'd have to break it to Karia that biologically, she wasn't a sun warrior. The pair went deeper down town, which confused Genji, he imagined a big large academy would have to be in the outskirts. Genji also noticed they kept getting closer to the spirit portal. He decided that later he'd have to sneak out, and try to become more spiritual. It would definitely help if he could talk to Korra. Maybe he could go into the actual spirit world, and talk to her. Maybe he could talk to Aang..
Last night Genji had gotten started on reading "The Promise". Genji still found it hard to believe that the Fire Nation was once a dominating force, and they looked down on other nations. As it stood, fire benders weren't the most beloved people, they shared a place with sand benders for having a bad reputation as criminals and thieves. Genji always assumed it was because the element of fire rarely could be used for much good, but he understood it was because of the war. He guessed people still held a grudge.
Being from the Earth Republic, he'd heard the term "ash maker" plenty of times in the pubs of the Misty Palms Oasis. From a young age his mother had told him it was rude word, but many earth benders despised the fire nation for "stealing their land." He supposed Republic City was on stolen land, but now Genji wanted to recommend The Promise to the drunken men at the pubs, then they'd understand why avatar Aang had to do all this.
He was so consumed in his thought he didn't notice he had knocked into someone.
"Sorry" Genji muttered staring up at the man above him.
He was shocked at how similar they looked. The man was clearly an air bender, his tattoos and orange cloak gave him away. However this man also looked very much like a sand bender. He almost looked like Genji, except his hair was slightly darker, and his eyes were a deeper shade of green. Otherwise, one might think they were related. The man looked down at Genji curiously before his eyes widened and he turned around. Definitely didn't do wonders to Genji's self esteem.
"A friend of yours?" San asked as he waited for Genji. Genji shook his head.
"No, but he looks so much like a sand bender, it's crazy. I feel like he could be from my tribe.." Genji quikly realized his mistake.
"My err tribe, meaning as my mother's tribe because shes from the Desert and my dad was fire nation, and I am a fire bender, which is why I'm going to the academy with you." Genji said nervously.
San shot him a confused look.
"Right."
Genji was a terrible liar and hated lying. A couple nights ago he had started feeling confident in his lying, until Xiomara easily trapped him in a lie, and he felt as thought all his confidence had been sucked by a buzzard wasp.
Genji was sure they were going in the wrong direction, they were extremely close to the spirit portal.
"The academy isn't in the spirit world, is it?"
For a moment it looked like San was going to smile.
"No, it's not, but it's very close."
He led him through a tiny street where they stood on huge grey steps. When Genji had first come he'd assumed it was a government building, he couldn't believe it was the academy. On the steps stood two stone dragons, almost guarding the entrance. Genji noticed many more boys and girls started to file in all in the same red uniforms. Genji himself looked down at his red uniform. The goal was to sneak him in, and have no one notice they had one more student. He was wearing Sans's old uniform, and some girl snickered at Genji seeing how tight it was on him. San walked in and Genji had no choice.
He knew a bit about the academy, Karia no doubt researched it a bit. The owners actually knew avatar Korra, and she gave them permission to build so close to the spirit portal, deeming them as the only humans who wouldn't take advantage of it. What are the odds that Karia was somehow related to close personal friends of the avatar? Genji was homeschooled, so he wasn't exactly sure what to expect, a classroom perhaps, but he could tell this was a bit unorthodox.
Instead of a classroom with desks, the students gathered in a courtyard sitting on the floor, as a man stood in front of a large tapestry. Genji tried to pay attention, but he was impatient. For hours the man droned on about the origin of fire bending, and why it mattered. Genji could clearly see the similarities between the man and the tall skinny woman from the photograph.
Finally at the very end of class, Master Xen asked everyone to make fire. Genji desperately tried to make anything come out of his hands but nothing would budge. Master Xen came around the group of students, examining their fire. Giving feedback, quizzing them about the lecture. He made rounds around the group until he saw Genji. He gave him a quizzical look.
"I don't think I've seen you before, name?"
"Genji." He answered.
Master Xen and everyone else stared at him, waiting for a last name, which Genji had soon realized was something he should invest in. He tried to make one up on the top of his head that would go with his lie about fire-and-earth nation parentage. That itself was stressing him out. People were staring at him so he thought of a last name he had seen everywhere, every building, every railway.
"Sato. Genji Sato." He blurted.
"Yes of course, fly under the radar by saying you're related to one of the most wealthy woman in the world, one who helped save Republic City multiple times, because that is so realistic" he chided himself.
There were murmurs in the group, as people looked at him differently, no doubt impressed he was a Sato, or obviously knew it was a lie. Thankfully Master Xen didn't ask about it further.
"I see Mr. Sato, and why haven't you made fire."
Genji gulped.
"You see sir, I spent many months in the North Pole, and I er, forgot how to fire bend."
Amongst the kids there was a roar of laughter, and suddenly being around kids his own age didn't appeal to Genji anymore.
"Forgot how to fire bend." He mused. He pointed to a girl in the group, the one who had laughed at Genji twice already.
"Isa, why don't you remind Mr Sato how to fire bend, perhaps ah.. beginners steps."
"Of course Master Xen"
Isa's friends giggled as the girl marched up next to Genji and smugly smiled at him.
"Stay still and breathe."
More laughs from his classmates, and to his horror he even saw San snicker. Master Xen looked at Isa more sternly, and her smile vanished.
"Concentrate on your heart beat. Fire is life, fire is eternal, fire can be controlled. Concentrate on that warm feeling. The electricity running through your veins, embrace it, show the fire of a true sun warrior."
Genji had a feeling these were words she had memorized, seeing as she said them like a monotone zombie. Still he did what he was told. He started to feel a warm feeling, but he listens to her words and embraced it, let it flow through his heart to his finger tips. Sure enough, a little flame had shot up.
"I did it!" Genji said a bit too enthusiastically.
Master Xen frowned at him.
"Good to see you've regained your bending. Lunch!"
Immediately all the kids dispersed, linking arms with friends and running off. San had run off with two guys and Genji felt weird following them. He figured the students must leave for lunch, and eventually come back. With nothing to do he read a bit more of his book, learning about Avatar Aang's promise to Zuko. He knew firelord Zuko had passed away nearly fifteen years ago, so obviously he didn't die at the hands of the avatar, but the fact that he was forced to make that promise still freaked him out. Genji decided that was enough reading for today. With the rest of his lunch he spent trying to create fire again, which proved more difficult.
Occasionally his hands would smoke, which he hoped would be enough evidence for Xiomara. He repeated the mantra Isa had told him and sure enough a little flame danced on his fingers. Hopefully he could train here and then, we'll hopefully learn the other elements in peace. It had been a while since an encounter with the White Lotus, and Genji loved having the ease of off him. The fear of not being hunted was great. He still had a grand government ordeal at hand, but Genji could bend two elements. He had no experience in combat, or was a master in either element, but it was something.
That afternoon Genji walked back happier than he had been in a while. For now at least , he and Karia would be safe in Republic City, he would be able to prove he was the avatar to Xiomara, and he would train here in peace. As he made his way to the apartment, he noticed the door was unlocked. He peaked inside and he instantly filled with dread. He heard Xiomara's laugh as she looked over squeezing the hand of "avatar" Jian Mao himself.