Air Buds

[savedtheworld]

Who: Aang, Jinora, Korra, Opal, Kai.
What: Airbending practice!
When: Early on September 26th
Where: Out in front of House 56 and by the airbending gates
Summary: It's time for Aang to tutor Luceti's airbenders.
Rating: Y7

[With all these airbenders around, it's time to hold a group airbending practice. The group's been told to get up bright and early, by 7, and then it's time for training on the lawn and at the airbending gates. Some food is laid out on a picnic blanket nearby - mostly some rice-y snacks to hold them over until breakfast.]

Comments

[savedtheworld]

[Aang lightly claps his hands as Opal succeeds.]

That was good, Opal! You're a real natural. [And then he beams at Korra.] How'd you guess, Korra? It's like we're thinking with the same spirit!

[airyopalescent]

Is that what we're going to do with them now?

[savedtheworld]

Eventually! But first, I have a little practice exercise in mind that I thought up!

[raavatars]

Opal's great at airbending. She picked it up really quick before, even with me teaching her. [ Korra can't help but joke as she gives Opal an encouraging nod; out of all the elements she can't believe it's airbending that she ended up trying to teach someone. Thankfully it actually ended up working pretty well, but there were so many other directions it could have gone.

At the statement about the same spirit... well, she can't help but smile so wide her face is liable to stick that way. ]

Hey, you're right! It's like we really are connected somehow. [ Yeah, there was no way she was ever going to get over how awesome it was that she was talking to actual, non-spirit Aang in person. ] But I'm not sure what kind of exercise you have in mind, so at least you still have some secrets.

[airyopalescent]

It's easy if you have a good teacher.

[Pshaw, she thinks you're a perfectly fine teacher, Korra. She's flushed regardless from the compliment, though keeping attention directed between the two of them and her little ball of air below is a near new lesson. Consider her here, bobbing quietly and paying close attention.]

[savedtheworld]

[He jokingly makes a sigh of relief.]

I'm glad there's some secrets left! Okay... This is what we'll do! [He forms a small ball of air in his hands.]

I've made this little ball of air here. I'm gonna toss it to you, and you have to catch it, then keep it spinning, and throw it to the next person in the circle. It should be a neat way to teach control!

[To demonstrate, he gently sends it towards Korra.]

[raavatars]

[ Oh, Opal! You flatterer! Korra gives her a grateful smile anyway. At Aang's instructions she nods and tries to prepare herself for the ball, reaching out and grabbing it as it's sent her way. For a second it fluctuates bigger then smaller before back to it's regular size, spinning as she holds onto it. ]

Never thought I'd be playing catch with an air ball. [ She watches it for a split second before turning towards Opal and sending it her way. ]

Heads up!

[airyopalescent]

[At least Opal has decent aim! The ball is no problem to catch, balancing on the scooter a touch more trying. But she holds the ball between her hands, letting it grow and shrink between them much like Korra did. A laugh rises from her, cheeks flushed.]

If you couldn't think of it then I certainly never dreamed of doing it. At least this is one ball you can't exactly lose!

[That said she turns back to Aang and with a bit of concentration adds:]

Alright, and back to you now!

[Alley-oop! With any luck she gave it enough air that it won't dissipate.]

[savedtheworld]

It's the best way to play catch! [He smiles. And he looks proud as he watces Korra and Opal both play with the ball. And then he manages to catch it.]

That's a good job! Now let's send it around again. [Passing it off to Korra again.] You know... We should try to set up an airball court sometime.

[raavatars]

Naga does love when we play airbending fetch. [ Catch? Fetch? Same thing! She catches the ball, passing to to Opal a little faster this time before her eyes light up. ]

Airball? I think I've heard of it before. Do we have enough airbenders to play?

[airyopalescent]

I've never heard of airball.

[Not that that's a surprise, she hadn't heard much about airbending beyond history itself before a few weeks ago.

The ball is caught, added to and then tossed off to Aang as well.]

[savedtheworld]

Well now you have! [He goes on delightfully.] Airball's a really great game. There's two different sides and a ball that you fill up with airbending. You gotta get the ball into the other side's goal to score!

We definitely have enough. All the airbenders it needs is more than one! And we can adjust the game for as many of us wanna play! [He catches the smaller ball, feeds it, and passes it along to Korra like second nature.]

[raavatars]

That sounds pretty fun. [ Korra admits, catching the ball of air and letting it slide up and down her outstretched arms for a moment like a show-off. ] We can have a whole tournament.

[ And she can't help but smile at his enthusiasm as she passes the ball along to Opal. ] Jinora thought maybe we could start up pro bending teams a while ago, but I don't think we have enough of each bender, anyway.

[airyopalescent]

[At the mention of pro-bending, Opal beams.]

Oh, that's right! You used to pro-bend, didn't you, Korra? My brothers are pretty big fans.

[Ball over to her now, Opal considers giving it a little flair. She rolls it over one hand, flushes when it works, then passes it off to Aang again.]