Broken Expectations

Discoveries

"This girl never runs out of energy, does she?" Asami's mother said with a smile, rubbing her husband's knuckles.

Hiroshi chuckled, shaking his head dismissively while looking at their hyperactive daughter. She had been running around the garden for about an hour now, and she didn't look like she was about to calm down. Asami definitely got her mother's enthusiasm and energy, to the point that they were scared the girl was going to burn their house down ever since they had learned she could firebend. At least for now, Asami had seemed content with creating small flames, admiring how pretty they were.

But it was getting dark, and though she seemed energetic, the six year old was due to go to sleep. Yasuko sighed, knowing it would be a struggle as she approached her daughter. Asami was swinging a stick around as if it was a sword, fighting invisible enemies.

"Sami, sweetheart," her mother said, kneeling down and placing a hand on Asami's shoulder, causing her to stop her actions and turn to her with curious emerald eyes, "it's bedtime, let's wrap it up."

"Noooo!" Asami whined. "But I was just winning!"

"Were you now?" Her mother raised an amused eyebrow.

"Yeah!" Asami grinned. "The evil wizard was threatening to steal from all of the mushroom people and I was stopping him!"

"I think the wizard had gotten pretty beaten up by now, " Yasuko chuckled, "you can keep fighting him in the morning."

"Her." Asami corrected with a pout.

"Her," her mother nodded, "c'mon, bed time."

Asami sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor and taking her mother's hand. Yasuko smiled softly at her daughter, leading her into the estate and to her room. Asami walked quietly, the rush she felt while playing fading away quickly and the tiredness that she hadn't felt all day came rushing in, leaving her almost falling asleep while still walking. 

Soon enough, the two reached the bed, and Asami climbed in without protesting for a moment. Yasuko smiled, tucking the girl in and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Good night darling," she said, Asami barely hearing her over the sound of her own yawn. Her heavy eyelids were slowly closing, and sleep was creeping up to her, "I love you."

The next time Asami woke up, her mother wasn't there. The air around was hot, and there were yelling sounds coming from downstairs. Slowly, Asami left her bed, her curious mind leading her downstairs quietly and cautiously. 

She was met with a bright light, and blinked her eyes to adjust. Once she did, she saw two unknown people setting the living room on fire.

And in the midst of the flames, she could see her mother, terrified and frozen in place, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly Asami felt a pump of adrenaline spread throughout her body, a feeling of warm, raw power was coursing through her veins, and though she had never felt it before, she was certain the feeling was familiar. Asami felt like she was practically glowing, she felt like she was the most powerful human being in the entire world. She raised her arms, and a powerful gust of wind followed, putting the flames out. Oh, that's right, she was an airbender... she completely forgot about it, of course she was! She has been for thousands of years.

The two men that had previously set her house on fire were looking at her with wide frightened eyes, staying put in place. Asami wouldn't have that, these men were abusing their power, breaking into her house, trying to kill her mom... she wanted them gone.