[RL - Jordan's veggie visit]

[new_avatar]

Upon finishing his last response to Jordan, Aang eagerly set up a nice table in the large courtyard of Zuko's old summer home. Cushions were placed around it for anyone joining in to sit on. The Avatar (the little one of course) was already seated on one with an excited smile on his face. It had been far too long since he had seen his good friend,

Comments

[glowy_brows]

Jordan managed to find his way easily enough (though he had to be careful not to teleport in the middle of Fire Nation territory). He was dressed in his Avatar robes, but with a slightly different palate: crimson instead of purple. Jordan always enjoyed wearing different outfits. Besides, he didn't want to stand out too much.

Gripped in each hand was a huge wicker picnic basket filled with all a manner of goodies to share with his friends. He walked up the path that lead from the beach to the stunning mansion that served as Zuko's summer home.

Jordan whistled low and long. "Nice. Guess being a Prince has its perks after all, huh?"

[glowy_brows]

"That's great. Besides, I could use a little brushing up on my skills. Especially airbending. That one seems to give me the most trouble."

Without looking up from his work, Jordan asked, "So, how're those vegetables coming along, Toph?"

[bendsmetal]

"I think they're alright but I wouldn't really know," she said, hacking into one of the onions this time. "What do you think?"

The peppers that she had started on had been cut into sloppy chunks, the seed cores still attached in pieces. A few minutes and two onions later, Toph didn't fully notice the tears that had started to roll down her cheeks until a few drops hit the back of her hand. She brushed them away with her sleeve in irritation before jumping into the conversation again and continuing to chop at the offending vegetables.

"If you need some help with your earthbending again, Aang still needs some work with his," she said pointedly. "I still haven't gotten a chance to teach him metalbending, let alone sandbending."

[glowy_brows]

"Ah, you want me to handle the rest of those?" Jordan asked. He plucked the seeds out of the bell peppers and skewered them. He set aside two all-veggie skewers for Aang. "As soon as we finish sticking all these veggies on the skewers, we'll be ready to grill."

"Actually, I think I'm pretty good with the earthbending. I dunno why, but it seems that I'm the most attuned with that element. Maybe it's because it's the first one I learned? Or maybe because I'm an Earth Sign?"

Jordan shrugged, continued working on the shish-kabobs.

[new_avatar]

"And the tea's almost ready too!" Aang joined in as he watched steam start slinking out of the kettle; with a productive smile he set about preparing the cups and tea for when the water was ready.

"That's understandable, if you're more in-tuned with the Earth element. That's the element I have trouble with still after all...like Toph just mentioned. At least Sandbending training should be easy with the beach nearby!"

Aang took a moment to look out toward the beach before taking the now-boiling tea water and pouring it into the cups. "I'd be happy to help you with Airbending, Jordan. I like getting to be the teacher for once!"

[glowy_brows]

"Great. I'm almost finished with these." He stuck one end of the finished skewers into the ground so that the meat and vegetables leaned over the open flame.

Jordan scratched at his chin. "Hm, air and earth are opposing elements ... is that why I have trouble with airbending and you have trouble with earthbending?" He grinned at Aang's comment as the younger Avatar poured the tea. "And you make a great teacher, Aang. You too, Toph. I wouldn't be surprised if people started begging you to train them."

[new_avatar]

"Yup, that's right! All the previous Avatars had trouble learning their opposing element too," answered Aang as he brought Jordan and Toph their tea.

He sat down with them then and began to help with skewering food items onto the sticks. "Thanks, Jordan! The only problem is that there aren't any Airbenders left. But maybe I could help other benders though."

[glowy_brows]

"Wait, so the ability to bend elements is genetic? I thought anyone could do it, if they had enough training." Jordan sipped his tea slowly. "But you know, if that's the case, you won't be the last airbender forever."

A slow smile spread across Jordan's face. "I mean, when you have children, they'll be airbenders too, right?"

[new_avatar]

"Ah...I uh...um...well..."

Aang? Having kids? The thought rarely occurred to him. Not that he wouldn't like a family one day, but emphasis always fell on the words "one day".

Clearing his throat, he managed to regain most of his composure. "B-bending is passed down through the family, but not everyone is born with the ability. Except for the Air Nomads - we were all Airbenders. So um...you might have a point there. I've never really thought about that..." There were a few more flustered, barely audible mumbles before he let himself trail off.

[glowy_brows]

"Ah, you're too young to be thinking about things like that," said Jordan, elbowing Aang in the ribs good-naturedly. "They'll be plenty of time for that later, when you're grown up."

The shish-kabobs sizzled. Jordan took one of the skewers and bit into it, grinning.

"Looks like the kabobs are done. Dig in, you guys!"