Thread: Kundalini Rising - An Adult ATLA/Legend of Korra Fanfiction

Myr tried to draw back her hand, but Hiko held it fast. He kept staring at her, knowing he'd lose his nerve if he looked anywhere else. Everything was pin-drop silent. Even the musicians had stopped playing for a moment. All eyes were locked on the twins, the rebirths of Oma and Shu. It seemed that nobody quite knew how to react. Were they supposed to be embarrassed for the family? Was this an uplifting and wonderful act? Or perhaps it was to be condemned. In any case, there was certainly no precedent for it. Almost nobody under 50 remembered there ever being a tenth birthday celebration for twins, and even when there had been, certainly nothing like this had occurred. Hiko nodded. It's okay, he whispered low enough for only Myr to hear. In fact, he had no idea whether or not it would be okay. Ong forced his heart back down from where it had ended up in his throat just long enough to signal for the musicians to continue playing. The instrumentalists had dropped off the song in the same stunned silence that gripped the rest of the partygoers. Realizing that the unorthodox act they were witnessing would only continue if they did, the musicians struck back up the tune from its beginning. Hiko broke Myr's gaze only long enough to turn to where his mother stood, recovering. She nodded slightly in encouragement. He couldn't back down now. That would undoubtedly be perceived as a disgrace to both of them. Myr raised her eyebrows expectantly. This was her brother's idea, after all. Hiko's eyes narrowed as the song reached one of its first swells. On a sharp crescendo, he spun her back into him, Myr's body flowing easily into his guided turn. Even if she was nervous, even if she didn't know where he was going next, the movement came naturally to her. Myr twisted her arm outward in a stylish flare and the previously entranced partygoers sighed with the beauty of the gesture combined with her traditional adornments. With that, they were off. Hiko moved one way and she moved the other, each opening one space for the other just as they filled an openingthat had been left for them. They moved in tandem, perfectly in synch. Yet, despite their balance, Hiko still moved with much firmer steps and committed movements while Myr seemed to float and flow around the firm structure of her brother. Their eyes remained locked for most of the dance, concentrating fiercely, fixating on each other. Their movements grew surer by the minute, but the dance was long and far from over. The tune of the song became more noble and full sounding and Hiko and Myr moved precisely through the steps, the song moving faster and faster. In this portion of the song, partners moved away from each other, mirroring each other with sliding and joyful stomping. Hiko's tongue found its way out of his mouth, poking out the corner of his lips as he concentrated. There was a soft murmur from the crowd and Hiko's brow knitted. Am I doing something wrong? He wondered. Ong heard the crowd begin to stir, women and men alike paying closer attention as Hiko and Myr danced in an intricate pattern away, and then toward, one another. Concerned at first, his worries were assuaged by Leah, who put her lips to his ear. How perfectly they match. She whispered. Her hand found her husband'sand their fingers laced, each supporting the other. Hiko's brow was wet with perspiration. By now he had shut out whatever else was happening around him. He found himself entranced by each step and movement, as though all else was secondary in importance. It was most likely because of this that he did not notice the earth beneath his feet as it began to move, humming deeply. Beginning as an almost imperceptible vibration, Myr too was oblivious as she flowed through her steps, mirror images of those her brother was performing behind her. She began to smile, forgetting the circumstances of their dance. As Myr pranced into each step the vibrations of the ground became more and more pronounced. The onlookers began to take note, gasps and ripples of concern moving through the crowd. The musicians played on, swept up into a frenzy as the end of the dance drew near. The vibrations of the earth became short tremors now. The onlookers began to panic and some broke from the group, unsure what to do in the event of an earthquake. The panic was cut short however, as Hiko and Myr's dances brought them closer and closer to the end of the dance. With their backs together, they stepped the leg closest to the partygoers forward and extended their hands, clasped together. The tremors ceased, replaced instantly with a horrible cracking sound as two large slabs of earth shot outward, forming a large V shape on either side of the twins. Hiko and Myr both flinched away from the jutting earth, nearly falling over one another as they staggered a few steps out of the way. The crowd was quiet, almost nervous. Somewhere, a baby started crying. In the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, there wasn't a soul who wouldn't recognize earthbending when they saw it, but earthbenders were a rare breed and the majority of them were Judges. Ong took a cautious glance around, there weren't any signs of a Judge, nor did any law enforcement seem to be descending on them. Across the crowd, still as gazelles anticipating a lion, Ong found Nepa looking back at him. Slowly the man raised his hands, then began clapping them. The party guests, taking to Nepa's example like lightning to a metal rod, began cheering and clapping, as though the rocky finish had been some kind of trick or planned theatric. Perhaps some of them really did believe it, too. The important thing was that nobody panicked. Ong understood this. If a Judge had decided to mete out justice here, he or she would already have done it, and if that Judge still had business with one of the partygoers, there was nothing that could be done now anyway. Leah rushed forward out of the crowd to embrace the twins, who by now were obviously overwhelmed. The entire turn of events from the moment Hiko had taken Myr's hand to now had left them utterly nonplussed, and a little shaken. Myr squeezed Hiko's hand, which she hadn't yet let go of. Even in the confusion of the moment, Myr knew one thing and that was that her brother had kept his promise to her. Thank you.she mouthed. Hiko nodded, although he was still a little pale. Ong joined his family presently, having composed himself. He ruffled Hiko's hair and kissedMyr's head, emitting an aura of safety and calm. However, as the partygoers converged on Leah and the twins to congratulate, ogle and well-wish, Ong quietly extricated himself. He found Nepa, who was waiting for him. Thank you. Ong said, relieved. A few more seconds and, I'm not sure what it would have meant for the kids. Nepa shrugged it off. Nobody knew how to react. he said, smiling even now. I just helped them figure it out faster. Yes well, there were a number of reactions that they might have figured out otherwise. Ong grumbled, forcing Nepa to accept his gratitude. Vilak joined them, along with two other men loyal to Ong. News? Ong asked. Vilak glanced at the other men. We asked anyone who is a known earthbender. They all say they didn't do it. He explained. And nobody standing next to any of the earthbenders saw them move either. Another of the men chimed in. Ong's brow knitted. I see. He muttered. There's no need to treat any of the earthbenders like criminals then. As far as we know, they have done nothing wrong. We have no reason to suspect them. As far as we know?! Vilak hissed, It could have been an attempt on the twins' lives! Ong's face grew hard as he regarded Vilak. Look at the size of those jutting rocks he said, turning to point. The five men all took in the sight. If an earthbender talented enough to bend something that big without any undue movement was standing as close as the crowd was to the twins, he or she would not have missed. The councilman said grimly. Hiko squirmed under the attention of what seemed like every elderly woman in the Zones. His mother was masterfully handling several of the party's guests at once with a few stories about Hiko and Myr, some of which were surely hilarious but would have embarrassed Hiko was he not otherwise occupied. The birthday boy was trying but failing to convey to a geriatric man that he wasn't his grandson when the man's daughter came to spirit him away, her own children in tow. Hiko breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the reprieve. A few moments later he felt Myr's hand take his and turned to see how she was faring. Before he could protest she leaned over and pecked his cheek. Hiko flailed, indignant warmth in his cheeks. Hey! he huffed. Myr grinned widely and hugged him. He kept up the cooties charade for a beat but eventually put his arms around Myr, returning her hug. Thanks for not making me look too bad. he said. Myr pulled back from the hug and smiled meekly. Um, so do you know anything about what happened at the end? he continued, touching on the subject they both knew they'd eventually have to bring up. Wellthe ending was a bit rocky. she said. They both laughed at this and spoke no more of it for now. It had been scary but it passed. Growing up in the zones, you had to be made of tougher stuff. Even now Myr could see her father overseeing as two of the citizens of the zones who were known earthbenders worked to restore the earth to its previous flat state. Eventually the crowd surrounding Myr and Hiko died down as people began to mill about again. The party had now started and people began to dance. The musicians played a lively tune and food was brought out. Hiko and Myr danced together a few times at the beginning of the party at the urging of their relatives and friends, but eventually were allowed out of the spotlight to a small reprieve. Hiko made a face as his stomach growled. I guess all the excitement and giant moving rocks made me forget about the food. He thought to himself. Before the partygoers was a quaint, yet abundant selection of dishes. If there was anything good for quelling the masses it was free food. They'd had their circe, now came the panem. The party went along smoothly for the remainder of its duration, and when it came to the time that guests began to say their final thanks and congratulations to the family, everyone's bellies were full. Ong patiently said goodbyes to all of the guests in attendance one by one until finally the grounds surrounding his family's humble abode would finally be cleared. It had indeed been a successful celebration and with each warm word he allowed a small smile to find its way across his face. He began to truly feel how much he appreciated his family and especially his healthy children. Leah was, for once, sharing pleasantries duty with him and he put his arm around her once the last guests, Nepa's family, naturally,had left. It comforted him to see joy and not fear in the faces of each of his constituents and Leah could tell. There was one face, however, that Ong had not seen that of the whistling man. Sorry for a long wait, readers. I was away for the past 3 months! I'm back an writing actively now though.