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Prompt #57: Mercy, "Defying Definition" by Lunatique
Title: Defying Definition
Author: Lunatique
Rating: T
Words: 493
Genre: Gen
Char/Pair: OCs, mention of Korra and Amon
Warning: T for mention of rape and mutilation, though in simile and not as actual events. Also reference to a healthy heaping of ableist rhetoric, but it's no worse than what you see in the fandom.
Summary: The benevolence the Avatar offers is not for everyone.
"That's nice of her." Xing turned a page in his book. "But I don't want it."
"What? Don't be stupid." Lia leaned toward him on her elbow, but Xing didn't look at her. "Hey! I'm talking to you." She laid her palm on Xing's book and pressed it flat to the table, grabbing his attention.
"Avatar Korra is giving people's bending back." Lia kept her palm across his book. "Are you seriously telling me you don't want your earthbending?"
"I'm seriously saying that. Can I read my book now?"
"No!" Lia snapped it closed and slid it to her side of the table. "I need to know why my brother is being stupid."
Xing cast a longing glance at 'Kai's Study of Anatomy' under Lia's hand, and sighed. "Little sis, do you know what bending was like for me?"
"How would I know? I'm not a bender."
"Me neither." His chuckle faded off at her glare. "You know about the fights I've been having with Mom and Dad."
"Same song, different verses." Lia waved a hand as if to dismiss the memories. "Why do you even want to be a doctor? You're an-"
"-Earthbender," he finished with her. "Exactly."
"That's what this is about?" She half rose from the table. "You want to give up your bending to spite Mom and Dad? Because that's the dumbest-"
"It's a distraction. An extra sense that calls to you, not something you can leave lying around like a broken toy. Why do you think non-benders dominate science and technology, even when benders provide the raw power?"
"Why? Because they need it." Lia sat down as though her legs had given out. "You don't know what it's like. They call you blind. They say you're useless and you have no culture. Bullies think they can push you around."
"Lately it's the non-bending bullies who were doing the pushing." Xing looked thoughtful. "I don't think benders see us as all that helpless anymore."
"That'll just make them more afraid! People do horrible things when they're scared."
"If the Avatar can't stop that, then she's as useless as Amon said."
"Don't." She recoiled from him. "Don't tell me you're agreeing with that madman."
"Of course not. I wasn't pleased to make his acquaintance, believe me." Xing made a face. "But all this bender talk about Amon raping or mutilating them is stupid. Were you born mutilated, sis?"
"No, of course not!" She faltered. "But I'm not you."
"Then maybe you can stop telling me how to feel."
Lia sighed. "I still don't agree with this."
"I know."
"You might want it back later on, and it might be too late."
"I know."
"And you get to tell Mom and Dad."
Xing grimaced. "I know. Can I have my book back?"
Lia handed it to him and left the kitchen without another word. He opened it and found his place, whistling an off-key tune as he did.
* Credit to amyraine for pushing back on the rape/mutilation argument. Xing's line is taken pretty much verbatim from her comment. fairladyz2005 raised the connection between bending and culture, but Lia is referring to a distorted version and not the actual argument FairLady made.
Author: Lunatique
Rating: T
Words: 493
Genre: Gen
Char/Pair: OCs, mention of Korra and Amon
Warning: T for mention of rape and mutilation, though in simile and not as actual events. Also reference to a healthy heaping of ableist rhetoric, but it's no worse than what you see in the fandom.
Summary: The benevolence the Avatar offers is not for everyone.
"That's nice of her." Xing turned a page in his book. "But I don't want it."
"What? Don't be stupid." Lia leaned toward him on her elbow, but Xing didn't look at her. "Hey! I'm talking to you." She laid her palm on Xing's book and pressed it flat to the table, grabbing his attention.
"Avatar Korra is giving people's bending back." Lia kept her palm across his book. "Are you seriously telling me you don't want your earthbending?"
"I'm seriously saying that. Can I read my book now?"
"No!" Lia snapped it closed and slid it to her side of the table. "I need to know why my brother is being stupid."
Xing cast a longing glance at 'Kai's Study of Anatomy' under Lia's hand, and sighed. "Little sis, do you know what bending was like for me?"
"How would I know? I'm not a bender."
"Me neither." His chuckle faded off at her glare. "You know about the fights I've been having with Mom and Dad."
"Same song, different verses." Lia waved a hand as if to dismiss the memories. "Why do you even want to be a doctor? You're an-"
"-Earthbender," he finished with her. "Exactly."
"That's what this is about?" She half rose from the table. "You want to give up your bending to spite Mom and Dad? Because that's the dumbest-"
"It's a distraction. An extra sense that calls to you, not something you can leave lying around like a broken toy. Why do you think non-benders dominate science and technology, even when benders provide the raw power?"
"Why? Because they need it." Lia sat down as though her legs had given out. "You don't know what it's like. They call you blind. They say you're useless and you have no culture. Bullies think they can push you around."
"Lately it's the non-bending bullies who were doing the pushing." Xing looked thoughtful. "I don't think benders see us as all that helpless anymore."
"That'll just make them more afraid! People do horrible things when they're scared."
"If the Avatar can't stop that, then she's as useless as Amon said."
"Don't." She recoiled from him. "Don't tell me you're agreeing with that madman."
"Of course not. I wasn't pleased to make his acquaintance, believe me." Xing made a face. "But all this bender talk about Amon raping or mutilating them is stupid. Were you born mutilated, sis?"
"No, of course not!" She faltered. "But I'm not you."
"Then maybe you can stop telling me how to feel."
Lia sighed. "I still don't agree with this."
"I know."
"You might want it back later on, and it might be too late."
"I know."
"And you get to tell Mom and Dad."
Xing grimaced. "I know. Can I have my book back?"
Lia handed it to him and left the kitchen without another word. He opened it and found his place, whistling an off-key tune as he did.
* Credit to amyraine for pushing back on the rape/mutilation argument. Xing's line is taken pretty much verbatim from her comment. fairladyz2005 raised the connection between bending and culture, but Lia is referring to a distorted version and not the actual argument FairLady made.