300 word drabble: Flaw in the System

[attackfish]

Written for avatar_500 prompt #63, Between.

Summary: Her shoulders aren't ready for the weight of the world.

Flaw in the System

She ran through the grass, her glider opening to take in the wind.  It pulled upward, stretching her arms above her head, and lifting her up off the ground.  The woman who had been watching her out of sight through a window above turned away and ducked behind a wall.  "We can't keep letting her get out like this."

"Yangchen is a spirited child.  The closer we hem her in, the more she will try to escape."
 
"You think I don't know that, Amala?"  She rubbed her temple with one hand.  "But I'm trying to keep her alive.  If we could just tell her what she is-"

Amala's lips turned up wryly.  "You think she would understand?"

The child playing below dove towards the ground and pulled up sharply, just before impact, giggling wildly as the grass skimmed her toes, stomach, and nose as she glided.  The other nun shook her head as if she were trying to shake a way an insect that had flown into her face.  "There should be a better way.  The Avatar before her is dead.  She is what we're left with.  It will be years until she is any use, and the whole world knows it."

"So for a few short decades, we are called upon to keep the peace ourselves."  Amala didn't blink.  "How dreadful."

Nam Kha sighed and saw in her mind's eye, the changing map, as a thousand small wars in the Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes, and Fire Nation let city-states swallow their neighbors whole, in the name of unity, and in the absence of anyone to stop them.  "If every tinpot tyrant and petty warlord weren't just waiting-"

There was a loud thud outside the window, as the girl managed to collide with a small rise in the grass.  "Ow..."

Comments

[honestly-sangi.livejournal.com]

I read this when you first posted it but never commented (because I'm horrible like that), and in light of the comments on one of the posts in avatar_500 I thought I should revisit and comment!

I really enjoyed this look into a previous Avatar's life. One of the reasons I loved ATLA so much was because of all the interesting peeks into different characters' lives, and I regret not being able to see more of characters like Yangchen in canon. Here, I really like how you managed to give us a nice little snapshot into her life and into the past. The dialogue between Amala and Nam Kha was very interesting ad reminiscent of when the monks had this discussion about Aang, but with very different circumstances. It's almost like looking at what Aang's life could have been like, if not for the war. The ending - the reminder that she is little more than a girl and still can mess up - was a wonderful way to conclude it. Like I said, this reminded me very much of Aang, especially how Aang was basically a child throughout the entire series and his reaction at being told he was the Avatar.

This was really great and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing with us. :)

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

We got to see Aang, Korra, Kuruk and Roku as young and stupid, but never Yangchen and Kyoshi. They an't always have been poised and awesome.

(need to put my money where my mouth is and comment too.)