Element Academy

The Ratava Stone... Crystal

Everyone talks about some round stone that rose out of the pond the entire time Crystal is in the wash room. She is grateful that they are all so excited about the stone that they all seem to forget about her outburst before. Curiosity is gnawing at her to know what happened, but the fear of someone bringing up her shouting at Talula is able to hold her curiosity at bay.

She ducks behind a stall wall as Talula and Page enter together, talking about the stone too. Talula proposes the theory that she could be the Avatar, but Crystal doubts it. Who knows though, she is a great bender. That depressing thought pushes Crystal to leave and not to stay and overhear anymore of the stone. She walks out briskly, hoping that neither Page nor Talula notice her leaving.

When she reaches the room, she feels exhausted and cold. Something's not right. Maybe it was her outburst, it probably just took a lot out of her? Either way, she wants to get as much sleep as possible before she sneaks out tonight. Strange mist or not, Crystal is practicing her bending and the next technique that Nick told them about earlier. She is not going to look like a fool during practice again!

Sleep seems to wash over the group because the excited chatter dies down almost immediately. Night everyone, Crystal thinks. Suddenly, the blue mist from before flies into the room and through the door. Crystal jumps up and quietly chases after it. She chases it out into the square and through a hallway. She emerges to find a stone training square complete with jugs of water and boulders, but no mist. Crystal searches for the mist but can't find it.

From what she can tell, she's on the opposite side of the academy away from the cherry blossom grove, so why lead her here? Crystal shrugs, maybe it knows I need the extra help as well.

Unable to pass up the opportunity to practice Crystal gets started. She pulls out her technique book to take a look at the moves. The technique calls for making a shield of water that requires combining the two moves learned before. With a sigh, Crystal sets to it.

Hey, this one isn't so bad. I think I'm actually getting the hang of it!

"What are you doing out here again?" Crystal jumps and the water she is bending falls to the ground, splashing everywhere. Crystal looks up to see the earth bender from before; again. Heat rises to her face and she smiles in embarrassment.

Crystal struggles for words, "I-I-I..."

The boy just laughs, "It's alright, I understand. I saw what happened during dinner.-Heat flares up in Crystal's face even more- If you ask me, you have nothing to prove to that girl. Your skills are great, they just need you to loosen up on your emotions in order for them to flow...After all, that's not beginner's water that you are bending, that's normal water."

Crystal looks at him in surprise and then at her own hands. Footsteps are approaching. The boy motions for her to be quiet. He moves one of the boulders in front of her. Crystal ducks down to be less visible.

"Steven, what are you doing bro?" asks a boy, Nick? "The meeting is starting, lets go."

Crystal hears the two boy's footsteps retreating. So the meeting hasn't started yet? Impulse and curiosity take over and Crystal sets off to follow them. She keeps her distance and follows the two boys to a small stone cabin-like building just outside the far end of the Academy. Crystal ducks behind the bushes and shrubs. A girl in red, storms into the room.

"Alright! What the heck is that thing?!" she says as soon as she enters.

"The Ratava stone." An elderly voice says gravely.

"The what?" someone asks.

"It's a stone that every Element Academy in the world has to help announce the presence of the Avatar." The same elderly voice replies. It is followed by gasps and a silent gasp from Crystal.