Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ The Mother Who Couldn't Be ❯ Air-Bison ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: crescentmoon 
Read and review please.
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 05.31.2009 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.8K | Visits: 264 | Status: Work In Progress
Read and review please.
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 05.31.2009 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.8K | Visits: 264 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own Avatar: The Last Air-bender, the very talented team of Mike and Brain own the show and characters. Umaio, her parents, Fiyo, Fana, Hitsi and Elnan are my characters please respect that. If you wish to use them please talk to me about it and give me credit for them. The rating maybe wrong but I did try to get it right.
By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) aka. crescentmoon (at mediaminer). And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt.
The Mother Who Couldn’t Be
Chapter Three
Umaio never heard anything more about her baby for three years. When she did finally hear of him again it was because a group of boys his age were coming to the temple from the Southern Air-Temple to pick out Flying-Bison. These bison would be lifelong companions.
Umaio tracked down the Mother Superior when she found out about the boys.
“Mother Superior…”
“Yes Sister Umaio?”
“I heard some boys the age of six are coming from the Southern Air-Temple to receive baby bison.”
“That doesn’t concern you. You will rarely if ever see them.”
“That’s why I came. Mother Superior, please, please let me handle bison day! Let me be the one who shows the boys the bison. One of them is my son I want to see him again, but I swear I won’t touch him, or let him know I’m his mother, or…”
The Mother Superior cut her off. “Okay dear. I will let you do this. But you must do something for me. You must dress like me so as not to confuse the boys. You see I usually handle ‘bison day’ as you put it. It’s a big responsibility are you sure you want it?”
“Oh yes! I won’t let you down I swear it!” She rushed out like she could prepare for it now.
“That Umaio, I’m glad she has so much energy. But I wonder if letting her see her boy is such a good idea. What if it throws her into depression again?” She closed her door as she thought.
We fast foreword to Sky-Bison Companion Day and the day that Umaio would see her only child for the first time in years. She was bouncing so high that someone might have mistaken her for an air-bender. She didn’t know how she would recognize him after so long but she would at least know something about how he was doing by her own eyes. And she would know what kind of boys he had for friends.
Umaio hummed as she let the mother bison and her babies out to frolic before the boys came to see them.
Umaio smiled at the children as they rushed out and wondered amazed at how small the baby bison compared to the adult bison they had known. “Choose wisely, a Sky-Bison is a companion for life.” she told the boys extending a basket of apples to them.
That is when she saw him and recognized him. Her little baby was much bigger and very handsome. But she would know those eyes anywhere; they were his father’s eyes too. Too grey to be blue to sky like to be grey, those were the eye her son carried. Umaio’s eyes followed him and tears stung beneath her lashes. But she couldn’t cry on this joyous day.
None of the boys had trouble finding their bison companions. But that wasn’t a surprise, it is said that baby bison are still deeply connected to the spirit world. Thus baby bison are able to recognize their soul-buddy. They just know the one who will be their best friend.
Umaio watched the bison that bonded with her little boy knock him over and give him slobbery bison smooches. She wanted to rush over and find out if her baby was okay to not let the bison near him again. But she knew he was okay. She also knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep them apart now they had met. The bison would keep him just as safe as she could, probably even safer.
But still watching the bison kiss the six year old she could only dream of having the right to kiss again was hard. Never had a day gone by she didn’t want to kiss him, to hug him tight and tell him of her love. This was just another unfulfilled and not-going-to-happen dream. The tears pushed harder at her eyes because of the embarrassing jealously she felt towards a bison, a young bison.
She watched the boys particularly her son until they were called into the temple for lunch. She hated the fact that she would never be allowed this close to her little one again, or at least not until he was a grown man allowed to make his own decisions. It was then that he would be told of her and given the option to visit her, to talk to her. And then he might despise her. She choked and hurried away before the kids who were going in the building a different way could see her running away.
During supper she was told one of the monks was seeking her out to speak to her. For a moment she feared it was because she saw her son closer than she should have. But when she got up to meet the monk it was Gyatso, the monk she had given her baby to raise.
They greeted each other and passed pleasantries around like candy. Then Gyatso brought up the reason that he had gone to find her. He said, “I’ve never known Sister Iio to be so generous when it comes to Sky-Bison companion day. It’s her favorite part of being the Mother Superior. You must really touch her heart.”
Umaio just smiled. The only other people who had given up anything they cared for, for her were her parents. “How is my boy doing?”
Gyatso who felt fatherly towards her son felt he knew a small measure of what she felt. He knew every word he spoke to her would be bitter sweet. So he chose his words carefully, but left little out. Gyatso felt some fatherly affection for Umaio as well, so maybe he felt grandfatherly towards her son. All he knew was this little separated family was special to him. They were closer to his heart than most of the monks in the Southern Air-Temple.
So he told her what she wanted to know. How her boy was doing in his studies. He did best in air-bending and worst in mathematics. How good he was at air-bending, the best pupil Gyatso had ever had. He picked it up quickly. Gyatso told of funny times like the time Aang, as they had named him, sneezed and the visiting dignitaries of the Southern Water Tribe were covered in baby food from his plate. And sad times like when Gyatso’s pet flying-lemur died, Aang had loved the little guy.
He also told her they’d be learning to fly when the baby bison got big enough to catch them should they fall. Gyatso said, “I feel Aang will have no trouble learning to fly as he is quickly becoming a master air-bender.”
Umaio listened to this great man tell of her favorite person in the world. Every little thing she heard she wished she hadn’t missed but knew that things were turning out for the best. Just as Aang’s life went on without her so her life too must move foreword. And it was moving quicker than necessary and more painful than needed but it was moving on.
Listening to the monk rave about her child she knew this time she had been right. She had chosen the right man to be her son’s true father. He would be the image that came to mind when Aang heard the word father, and that would be right. This man would never abandon Aang. To this man Aang would forever be his son.
While her heart ached freshly Umaio refused to shed one tear while Aang was still in the temple. That would be just silly.
She was fortunate and saw her son from afar a few times before the monks and their wards had to leave. They said their goodbyes and thank yous to the main nuns before leaving. Umaio didn’t get to see them leave. Yet she did glance out a window in time to see a few adult bison fly away with the boys and monks and some of the smaller bison on their backs.
For the first few days following their visit Umaio felt separated from the world, but not in a good way. She felt like she was looking in on the happiness of others while her own was blocked off from her. But as the number of days increased she was able to let go again. But the pain of it hadn’t lowered much from the first time.
The years both flew and trudged by. Some days were so painful that if Umaio didn’t have obligations she would have stayed in bed and others she was as happy as her heart would allow her to be. Her heart resided with her son and she knew that he was alright by its messages.
She never heard of or from her son again… at least not for over six years.
53153153153153153153153153135315313531351531531531531531531531531531531< br /> Hey everyone! Thank you for reading! And a big thank you to arizony (a reviewer on fanfiction) for your ‘negative comment in the message you sent me. You made it so I reviewed my story for misspellings (I had forgotten with how hectic things are around here). So kudos! By-the-way your review was in-depth and I love that! No worries about offending me with saying my spelling is bad, I know it is. But I’m improving, slowly. And am grateful to people who bring it up, with examples. All chapters have now been updated. Thank you again.
Thank you to Atheria on media miner for the wonderful review. Sorry I didn’t thank you on the first chapter.
Thanks to everyone who favorited this story. (I don’t name you unless you review, hint, hint.) hehe!
Thank you everyone who reads this even more if you review.
Please review thanks. Bye.
By: year of the snake (at fanfiction) aka. crescentmoon (at mediaminer). And now Opal-Dreams on DeviantArt.
The Mother Who Couldn’t Be
Chapter Three
Umaio never heard anything more about her baby for three years. When she did finally hear of him again it was because a group of boys his age were coming to the temple from the Southern Air-Temple to pick out Flying-Bison. These bison would be lifelong companions.
Umaio tracked down the Mother Superior when she found out about the boys.
“Mother Superior…”
“Yes Sister Umaio?”
“I heard some boys the age of six are coming from the Southern Air-Temple to receive baby bison.”
“That doesn’t concern you. You will rarely if ever see them.”
“That’s why I came. Mother Superior, please, please let me handle bison day! Let me be the one who shows the boys the bison. One of them is my son I want to see him again, but I swear I won’t touch him, or let him know I’m his mother, or…”
The Mother Superior cut her off. “Okay dear. I will let you do this. But you must do something for me. You must dress like me so as not to confuse the boys. You see I usually handle ‘bison day’ as you put it. It’s a big responsibility are you sure you want it?”
“Oh yes! I won’t let you down I swear it!” She rushed out like she could prepare for it now.
“That Umaio, I’m glad she has so much energy. But I wonder if letting her see her boy is such a good idea. What if it throws her into depression again?” She closed her door as she thought.
We fast foreword to Sky-Bison Companion Day and the day that Umaio would see her only child for the first time in years. She was bouncing so high that someone might have mistaken her for an air-bender. She didn’t know how she would recognize him after so long but she would at least know something about how he was doing by her own eyes. And she would know what kind of boys he had for friends.
Umaio hummed as she let the mother bison and her babies out to frolic before the boys came to see them.
Umaio smiled at the children as they rushed out and wondered amazed at how small the baby bison compared to the adult bison they had known. “Choose wisely, a Sky-Bison is a companion for life.” she told the boys extending a basket of apples to them.
That is when she saw him and recognized him. Her little baby was much bigger and very handsome. But she would know those eyes anywhere; they were his father’s eyes too. Too grey to be blue to sky like to be grey, those were the eye her son carried. Umaio’s eyes followed him and tears stung beneath her lashes. But she couldn’t cry on this joyous day.
None of the boys had trouble finding their bison companions. But that wasn’t a surprise, it is said that baby bison are still deeply connected to the spirit world. Thus baby bison are able to recognize their soul-buddy. They just know the one who will be their best friend.
Umaio watched the bison that bonded with her little boy knock him over and give him slobbery bison smooches. She wanted to rush over and find out if her baby was okay to not let the bison near him again. But she knew he was okay. She also knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep them apart now they had met. The bison would keep him just as safe as she could, probably even safer.
But still watching the bison kiss the six year old she could only dream of having the right to kiss again was hard. Never had a day gone by she didn’t want to kiss him, to hug him tight and tell him of her love. This was just another unfulfilled and not-going-to-happen dream. The tears pushed harder at her eyes because of the embarrassing jealously she felt towards a bison, a young bison.
She watched the boys particularly her son until they were called into the temple for lunch. She hated the fact that she would never be allowed this close to her little one again, or at least not until he was a grown man allowed to make his own decisions. It was then that he would be told of her and given the option to visit her, to talk to her. And then he might despise her. She choked and hurried away before the kids who were going in the building a different way could see her running away.
During supper she was told one of the monks was seeking her out to speak to her. For a moment she feared it was because she saw her son closer than she should have. But when she got up to meet the monk it was Gyatso, the monk she had given her baby to raise.
They greeted each other and passed pleasantries around like candy. Then Gyatso brought up the reason that he had gone to find her. He said, “I’ve never known Sister Iio to be so generous when it comes to Sky-Bison companion day. It’s her favorite part of being the Mother Superior. You must really touch her heart.”
Umaio just smiled. The only other people who had given up anything they cared for, for her were her parents. “How is my boy doing?”
Gyatso who felt fatherly towards her son felt he knew a small measure of what she felt. He knew every word he spoke to her would be bitter sweet. So he chose his words carefully, but left little out. Gyatso felt some fatherly affection for Umaio as well, so maybe he felt grandfatherly towards her son. All he knew was this little separated family was special to him. They were closer to his heart than most of the monks in the Southern Air-Temple.
So he told her what she wanted to know. How her boy was doing in his studies. He did best in air-bending and worst in mathematics. How good he was at air-bending, the best pupil Gyatso had ever had. He picked it up quickly. Gyatso told of funny times like the time Aang, as they had named him, sneezed and the visiting dignitaries of the Southern Water Tribe were covered in baby food from his plate. And sad times like when Gyatso’s pet flying-lemur died, Aang had loved the little guy.
He also told her they’d be learning to fly when the baby bison got big enough to catch them should they fall. Gyatso said, “I feel Aang will have no trouble learning to fly as he is quickly becoming a master air-bender.”
Umaio listened to this great man tell of her favorite person in the world. Every little thing she heard she wished she hadn’t missed but knew that things were turning out for the best. Just as Aang’s life went on without her so her life too must move foreword. And it was moving quicker than necessary and more painful than needed but it was moving on.
Listening to the monk rave about her child she knew this time she had been right. She had chosen the right man to be her son’s true father. He would be the image that came to mind when Aang heard the word father, and that would be right. This man would never abandon Aang. To this man Aang would forever be his son.
While her heart ached freshly Umaio refused to shed one tear while Aang was still in the temple. That would be just silly.
She was fortunate and saw her son from afar a few times before the monks and their wards had to leave. They said their goodbyes and thank yous to the main nuns before leaving. Umaio didn’t get to see them leave. Yet she did glance out a window in time to see a few adult bison fly away with the boys and monks and some of the smaller bison on their backs.
For the first few days following their visit Umaio felt separated from the world, but not in a good way. She felt like she was looking in on the happiness of others while her own was blocked off from her. But as the number of days increased she was able to let go again. But the pain of it hadn’t lowered much from the first time.
The years both flew and trudged by. Some days were so painful that if Umaio didn’t have obligations she would have stayed in bed and others she was as happy as her heart would allow her to be. Her heart resided with her son and she knew that he was alright by its messages.
She never heard of or from her son again… at least not for over six years.
53153153153153153153153153135315313531351531531531531531531531531531531< br /> Hey everyone! Thank you for reading! And a big thank you to arizony (a reviewer on fanfiction) for your ‘negative comment in the message you sent me. You made it so I reviewed my story for misspellings (I had forgotten with how hectic things are around here). So kudos! By-the-way your review was in-depth and I love that! No worries about offending me with saying my spelling is bad, I know it is. But I’m improving, slowly. And am grateful to people who bring it up, with examples. All chapters have now been updated. Thank you again.
Thank you to Atheria on media miner for the wonderful review. Sorry I didn’t thank you on the first chapter.
Thanks to everyone who favorited this story. (I don’t name you unless you review, hint, hint.) hehe!
Thank you everyone who reads this even more if you review.
Please review thanks. Bye.