Avatar: The Adventures of Kyoshi

3: Blessings

The basket of moon peaches the nun was carrying went flying. A flurry of crisp mountain air spiraled around the fruits, the woman's slight hand movements placing the perfect amount of control to bring both the basket and the fruits back into her arms. An accident so easily avoided, how auspicious of the holiday. 

Nehnehn laughed heartily as a pair of air nation boys shouted laughed apologies. They circled her in a hurried play - probably from the southern temple, by the slight accents their small voices carried. The Southern Air Temple children spoke with the twang of the Water Tribes, although soon their accents would fade as they began to travel on bison back with their friends and mentors. But for now, at their tender age, little airbenders could be returned to their caretakers quite easily based on sound alone. A handy trick that made child rearing amongst a culture who dressed all their children the same a great deal easier. 

"Sister, sister!" One of the boys hopped on his toes, propelling himself high enough to meet her eyes with little gusts of airbending. "Can we see your arrow?"

"What fine control you have! What is your name little one?" Nehnehn crouched down to give the boys a better look at the tattooed plain that she had just shaved this morning. 

"I'm Siome!" The shorter one beamed at her, straightening himself to his tallest height. "And this is my brother Sinzun. He's a little shy but he's only got 10 forms until he gets his arrows too!"

Sinzun's face flushed and his gaze quickly averted to study his shoes intently. "Are you nervous about it?" Nehnehn asked him. 

He nodded curtly. 

"He thinks they'll hurt," Siome answered for him. "Brother Haseng - he used to help Master Gonzal until he was asked to go study at the Eastern Temple - he says that he screamed during his entire ceremony it was so bad!" 

"Well that's just cruel," Nehnehn tutted. She reached for Sinzun's hand, arranging her face to match the serene one that Yangchen wore in the statue that towered above them. "The tattoos don't hurt at all. The first part of the ritual is a calming incense... it numbs your body, thins the veil between this world and the spirit world. The worst of it is the tenderness that comes after."

Even though it had been more than 15 years since she had earned her Arrows, Nehnehn knew the ritual was the same. Maybe another nun might have doubts about that, but she had the unique privilege of knowing so. Upon reaching the age of 30, just over three years ago, she had been chosen to receive lessons at the Eastern Temple. She would spend the rest of her life not travelling, but at the Western Temple assisting in the tattooing process for new masters. It was a fact that she was both proud of, and saddened by. She would never live the true life of a nomad the way so many of her peers would. 

"Besides," She rose to her feet, leading the two across the bridge where so many of their people were gathered. "10 forms is still quite a long time. And the last ones take the longest - it'll be several years before you're even able to test for your arrows. Now come, the blessing is about to start. We don't want to be late - what a poor testament to the spirits that would be!"

Their little group hustled to join the rest, the two boys splitting from Nehnehn to excitedly join the rest of their group sitting cross-legged near the front. She moved to place her basket of fruits beneath a great mural of rolling hills and playing bison. 

Abbess Yarran was beginning to speak. Nehnehn leaned against the wall, listening to the familiar voice lull over the hundreds of conversations, overtaking them without strain. It wasn't often that an Airbender would have need for such a technique, but it certainly made speeches amongst the sometimes boisterous Air Nomads easier.