"Mori, I just don't get why I can't learn to fight. I don't want to heal. FIGHT! That's what I want to do! I hate these sexist traditions!" Yuki whined.
"Ok, ok, if you dislike it so much, I'll consult with Chief Nookar, but just don't be so whiny, you sound like a kid." Mori replied calmly.
"Really, did you have to add that?" Yuki said resisting the urge to say 'hey!'
"I'm just saying... But I'm still going across the whole village because of you," joked Mori and kissed Yuki lightly on the forehead. Then Mori started to walk across the village saying a few 'hi's' along the way. After about fifteen minutes, Mori arrived at the Chief's house and knocked.
"Come in," Mori heard a voice that he recognized as Chief Nookar. Mori then opened the door and seated himself in a chair. Then he heard Chief Nookar walk downstairs.
"Hello, what is it you need, Master Mori?" asked the Chief.
"My wife, Yuki still wants to learn to fight and I still want to teach her."
"I told you, traditions are traditions and we cannot change that, I'm sorry but that is just how it is."
"Just one exception, please?"
"No, I think you should leave now, Mori. Good bye," ended Chief Nookar and with that he opened the door and pointed outside. Mori had no choice so he walked out the door to tell Yuki the sad news, again.
As he was trudging on through the village, Mori's legs got a bit tired and he decided to catch a canoe that was heading down by his house. As he got on the canoe he saw Chief Nookar's son, Prince Hau. Mori decided to sit next to him in an attempt to have Hau influence his father's decision.
"Hello Prince Hau, what brings you onto this canoe on this fine afternoon?" Mori asked with a slight bow.
"Well, Master Mori, my father sent me here to visit his friend so they can talk about political matters," answered Prince Hau with a slightly deeper bow.
"Ok, so I was wondering if you could help me with something," said Mori.
"What do you need?"
"Well, I need your help. Can you try to influence your father to let females be as equal as men. I mean, you don't have to but..."
"It won't work. My father sticks to traditions no matter what. But I can tell you something, my sister, Princess Ame also hates some of the traditions, so father gave us permission to move to the South Pole. He said everyone's equal there. The ship leaves in a week. I'll give you time to consult with your family. So tell me if your going or not in the latest of five days."
"Thanks, I think we will, but I got to tell my family about this. It's just if we move to the other end of the world, it's so far away and my kids and it may be a bit dangerous soo..."
"It's all right, you don't have to, just a suggestion. I guess we better get going, the boat's stopped, see ya!" Price Hao finished.
"Bye," Mori got off the canoe and headed towards his house; he had a lot to tell his family.
"But Ms. Yugoda, Floresta and I don't get why we can't learn more than four subjects, all the boys can learn six subjects," Yoku complained.
"Yeah, why?" Floresta added.
"I told you guys, it is tradition and traditions are traditions," Ms. Yugoda tried to explain.
"But why does tradition favor men over women?" Floresta grumpily asked.
"It just does. Here, I'll tell you a quick story. When I was young, I too hated tradition. My mother asked me what was the problem when I was exceptionally grumpy one day and I said that boys were treated better than girls in all different ways. She responded by saying girls were good too. We get to sew and learn to heal; boys don't do that."
"Yeah, but they get to write and I've always wanted to learn to write," Yoku stubbornly said.
"And I've always wanted to learn to fight," Floresta stubbornly added.
"Well to you things might not be fair, but try to be happy and grateful, you don't want to be sad your whole life, do you?" Ms. Yugoda asked.
"No Ms. Yugoda, thank you,"
"I think it's time for to go to your next class, bye," concluded Ms. Yugoda. Then Floresta and Yoku waved good-bye and headed for their next class. At the end of the class, they complained to Mrs. Kanna about the same thing. They got the same answer, but a little stricter and harsh.
"At least recess doesn't have sexist traditions, everything in recess is even. Plus, recess is the most fun part of school," Floresta said looking at the brighter side of things.
"Yep, hey do you want to start a snowball fight?" asked Yoku.
"I'd love to, let's make it massive! I'll get Itsuki, he must have the loudest voice in the world," Floresta answered and ran off to the dueling arena, where Floresta's brother, Itsuki was waiting in line to "playfully" have a waterbending duel with someone.
"Hi Itsuki, do you want to have a humongous snowball fight?" Floresta asked.
"I guess, I'll yell. HEY, EVERYBODY, GINORMOUS SNOWBALL FIGHT IN THE SNOWBALL ARENA!" Then, hundreds of children stopped what they were doing and ran to the snowball arena.
"Wow, this is going to be a big snowball fight, it sounds like a stampede," thought Floresta,putting an emphasis on 'is', then added out loud, "You're getting louder, brother, I think the whole playground heard you, and you know how big the playground is."
"Thanks, now let's go too, before the kids of the bigger part of the playground comes." So they ran towards the arena and caught up to Yoku on the way. When the trio got there, Itsuki went to the front while the sisters stayed in the back.
"I guess things are looking up now, it doesn't look like anything unfair is going happen at the snowball fight," Yoku said.
"I agree. Oh, Itsuki's going to start to talk now," Floresta replied.
"EVERYBODY, LIKE USUAL WHEN WE HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT, GROUP UP INTO FOUR TEAMS, SO WE CAN USE BOTH ARENAS. AND ALL YOU BENDERS OUT THERE, NO BENDING. IF A REFEREE CATCHES YOU, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. THE REFEREES WILL BE FLORESTA, YOKU, AND YOURS TRULY. NOW TEAM UP!" Itsuki yelled.
Everyone shuffled around for about five to seven minutes until you could see four groups, each the same size. "OK, WHO THINKS IT SHOULD BE BOYS AGAINST BOYS?" Itsuki asked everybody. A handful of hands were raised, including Yoku and Floresta's. "NOW WHO THINKS IT SHOULD BE BOYS AGAINST GIRLS?" Almost all the hands were raised then.
"No, when it's boys against girls, the girls always lose, it should at least be fair. Why!?" Yoku said angrily. And what Yoku said became true an hour later.
After the loss, the twins felt angry again about 'tradition'. Everyone else liked tradition but them and a couple of other kids. "Mom, can you do something about 'tradition', he's mean," Floresta asked.
"Actually, we've already done something," Yuki replied.
"What is it, Mom?"
"Well, I was going to tell you later, but Mom and Dad are moving to the South Pole. You can stay with Uncle and Auntie," Yuki answered hesitantly.
"Noooooooo! You can't leave. Itsuki, Yoku, and I can go with you, please?" Floresta said, already in tears.
"I'm sorry, but Dad and I have made our choice, it could be dangerous for you kids on the boat. It could get rough out there, and you could die. I'm sorry, but it's for the best," Yuki concluded.
"WHY!" Floresta yelled, ran out of the room, went to her room, and slammed the door shut. Itsuki and Yoku heard the commotion and knocked on Floresta's bedroom door.
"Come in," Floresta weepily said. Itsuki and Yoku opened the door to see Floresta sprawled on her bed in tears.
"What happened?" Itsuki asked worriedly. "Are you okay?Are you hurt?"
"I'm not hurt, but I'm NOT okay," Floresta barely managed to say.
"What is it?" Yoku asked as gently as she could.
"Well, Mom and Dad are leaving to the South Pole," Floresta started and Itsuki and Yoku started to gasp, "Without us," Floresta finished, choking on her tears.
"WHAT!?" Itsuki and Yoku exclaimed at once.