Aang was trying very hard not to be disappointed, but it was sort of hard. After all, his children were the only future that airbending and the Air Nomads had. The future of an entire people rested on their narrow little shoulders, so he hesitantly admitted that he really had expected more. After all, by the time he was twelve, he was already a master, having mastered all of the forms of airbending in addition to inventing his own.
But...
Only Tenzin was showing signs of actually getting it, and he was the youngest. His other two children were both looking frustrated and mutinous, despite showing signs of being airbenders.
"Dad," Tyana snapped, the oldest who, at eleven, had once fallen off a cliff and merely floated, was now, at fourteen, having trouble with the air scooter. "This is not working."
Quan, who had shown early signs of being a waterbender without actually bending it, agreed with his sister, his lip stuck out. In the summer, on a hot day last year, he had once summoned up a small whirlwind that enveloped him and cooled him off, but now he too was having trouble.
Tenzin, however, was scratching his head, looking even smaller now that his head was bald. He had demanded it a few weeks ago, out of nowhere, claiming that if was going to be an airbender, then he had better look the part. "I dunno," he said softly, "I think it could work."
Katara sighed deeply from behind Aang, expressing the very sentiment that he felt. "Aang, I think maybe you should give it a rest for today."
He privately agreed, but he felt that if he admitted it, then maybe they would think that he was giving up on him, which was the last thing he wanted.
"Just watch, okay? I'll do it very slowly," he said, and both Tyana and Quan groaned loudly and rolled their eyes. Tenzin scowled not at Aang, but at his siblings, before looking at his dad again with focussed eyes.
Aang went through the steps slowly, making sure that his moves were obvious and well-explained. Tyana and Quan, usually such focussed students, were both hot and cranky, and thus were no longer bothering to try. Tenzin, while both hot and cranky, was also eager to prove himself, and he went through the steps as if his life depended on it.
And finally, a small little sphere burst to life from his hands, much too small to ride - but that didn't stop Tenzin from trying. He tried to jump onto it, only to fall flat on his backside with a gasp, before he burst into laughter.
Aang did, too, without really thinking about, instantly delighted. "There, see?" he demanded of Katara, who looked surprised but happy. "It can be done!" He turned to his two older children. "If the youngest of you three can do it, then you both can do it! Now start again!"
Katara sighed, as Aang started again. She knew he wouldn't give up until all three of their babies were soaring through the air.
Katara/Aang, Teach Them To Fly
But...
Only Tenzin was showing signs of actually getting it, and he was the youngest. His other two children were both looking frustrated and mutinous, despite showing signs of being airbenders.
"Dad," Tyana snapped, the oldest who, at eleven, had once fallen off a cliff and merely floated, was now, at fourteen, having trouble with the air scooter. "This is not working."
Quan, who had shown early signs of being a waterbender without actually bending it, agreed with his sister, his lip stuck out. In the summer, on a hot day last year, he had once summoned up a small whirlwind that enveloped him and cooled him off, but now he too was having trouble.
Tenzin, however, was scratching his head, looking even smaller now that his head was bald. He had demanded it a few weeks ago, out of nowhere, claiming that if was going to be an airbender, then he had better look the part. "I dunno," he said softly, "I think it could work."
Katara sighed deeply from behind Aang, expressing the very sentiment that he felt. "Aang, I think maybe you should give it a rest for today."
He privately agreed, but he felt that if he admitted it, then maybe they would think that he was giving up on him, which was the last thing he wanted.
"Just watch, okay? I'll do it very slowly," he said, and both Tyana and Quan groaned loudly and rolled their eyes. Tenzin scowled not at Aang, but at his siblings, before looking at his dad again with focussed eyes.
Aang went through the steps slowly, making sure that his moves were obvious and well-explained. Tyana and Quan, usually such focussed students, were both hot and cranky, and thus were no longer bothering to try. Tenzin, while both hot and cranky, was also eager to prove himself, and he went through the steps as if his life depended on it.
And finally, a small little sphere burst to life from his hands, much too small to ride - but that didn't stop Tenzin from trying. He tried to jump onto it, only to fall flat on his backside with a gasp, before he burst into laughter.
Aang did, too, without really thinking about, instantly delighted. "There, see?" he demanded of Katara, who looked surprised but happy. "It can be done!" He turned to his two older children. "If the youngest of you three can do it, then you both can do it! Now start again!"
Katara sighed, as Aang started again. She knew he wouldn't give up until all three of their babies were soaring through the air.