A Beautiful Flame: A New Way of Living

Chapter 3 (Pt. 1)

After breakfast, Omi was allowed to venture outside

-well, kicked out of the house for sure-

Nuan's mother just insisted that Omi should stay outside to... "relax and enjoy the fresh morning air". Though it was clear enough that she didn't want Omi inside, touching or picking up things around the house while the two women worked on their chores. Nuan highly protested against her mother but Omi reassured her that she didn't mind, stating that it is a chance to be familiarized with her surroundings.

Omi left quietly as the two women scolded each other.

It was a beautiful day, The front yard was a plain grassy area and the territory was surrounded by thick forest, there was a chicken pig pen around the corner and a small garden of herbs behind the house...

She stopped for awhile, having a hunch that someone was staring, she turned around to find that it was true. It was Nuan's mother peeking from the windows, the old lady just scowled and slammed shut the covers. Omi flinched and stick out her tongue at the old hag.

~As I was saying...~

A small shed nearby the barn caught her attention, she came closer and slowly opened the door, suddenly, something hit her from behind and she fell to the ground .

"Hey, you hit someone! Be careful!" A voice was heard. Omi rubbed her back shoulder.

"But I didn't throw it that hard!" another childish voice spoke.

Someone scoffed and went over to the fallen person.

"I'm sorry, we were just playing,"

Omi looked up and saw a young boy, behind him was another group boys, probably they were his friends. One of them came over and picked up the ball, he didn't look up to her nor apologize like the other one, in fact he didn't seem to care about the current situation and joined his group.

"Jay, come on, you don't want us to get caught by the old man, do you?" He said to his friend.

"What's your name?" Jay continued, ignoring him.

Omi looked at the group, she felt pure pressure when they seemed bothered that they weren't continuing with their game because of this Jay boy was talking to her.

As if it was her  fault.

"It's Omi," she said quickly.

Without another word, she stood up and head towards the barn.

"let's go Jay, before Jiao comes back with Kahn!" One of the boys yelled.

Jay looked confused but obeyed his friends.

Omi shut the door of the barn feeling quite embarrassed, she sank onto the floor, alone with the ostrich-horse beast. Although she wasn't familiar with animals, she didn't mind its company. She laid down on a haystack and stared at the ceiling, hearing nothing but the birds outside and the ostrich horse every now and then. She finally came to herself to fire bend, she stretched out her hands and breathed, slowly letting out a spark, but then... there was nothing.

~that's odd~

She concentrated harder, a small flame appeared, but she stopped immediately when her head started to hurt again.

"Don't stress yourself," Jiao came into view, she gasped and sat up straight.

"Oh, I'm sorry Lao Jiao, I wasn't trying to do anything-!"

"My dear, a young fire bender is never guilty of using her power," He reassured,

She frowned, ~ I wish I was never blamed to use my power~

Omi bowed respectfully to him, he approached.

"I've arrived from hunting and gathering more firewood with Kahn, I must be leaving with him to the plow fields soon ,"

He invited her to sit on the haystack next to him, she did as she was told.

"Now, allow me to take a look at your hands,"

Omi arched a brow but obeyed, Jiao took her hands and upturned her palms, he sat quietly looking at them, humming to himself.

"You can really bend fire, I can see it in your hands,"

Omi took her palms and observed, there were only lines, how could he know? Jiao nodded and began to explain,

"When Kahn first brought you in, I've thought many things: That you were a child, lost in the woods, exiled perhaps, or running away..."

He leaned in closer,

"But I also thought why... why would a child be astray in the woods? or exiled, or why is she running runaway?.."

Omi gulped. The man sat up.

"Whatever the reason, I rather not know,"

He stood up, Omi looked at him questioningly, he folded his hands in his sleeves.

"Please stay as long as you want, although I believe Nuan would rather keep you here," Jiao smiled warmly,

He turned to leave but then Omi hesitantly spoke up,

"w-what makes you believe that I can really bend fire?"

The man turned to face her, his bushy white eyebrows lifted as high as possible.

"I know a gifted fire bender when I see one, for I too, can fire bend," He said as his hand was roaring with fire, Omi was frozen in place, then her surprised expression slowly faded into disappointment.

"Is there something wrong, young one?"

Omi fiddled with her fingers,

"It's just that... I can't really bend, I've never been good at it,"

She demonstrated by trying to fire bend, but only a flame sparked then dispersed.

"It must be your head injury," Jiao said,

Omi wished that it was true, but she never had a real lesson in her life and her confidence is really low, she feared that it's more than a head injury that's preventing her from actually fire bending.

"You're doubting yourself, aren't you?" Jiao asked,

Omi shrugged. Jiao knew that if she doubted herself, she would never be able to bring any bending from her fingers, for fire never hesitates to burn, nor does it shrink into nothing, it grows and lives, it is strength. But strength must be found, no one is ever born with it.

"Yeah, so?" Omi responded after a while of rubbing her elbow, Jiao sighed.

"I'll be willing to teach you.. A fire bender isn't close to being a real bender unless you have proper training"

When he said that, Omi realized that even if she has blood of a fire bender, she didn't wanted to, in fact, she was afraid to try.

"Tomorrow at dawn, we will began your first day of training,"

"B-but..."

The old man left without saying nor hearing another word, Omi sighed and slumped back on the haystack.

The ostrich-horse whinnied.

"What are you laughing at, huh? Long face!" She stuck her tongue out as the creature silenced itself.