The Teacher and the Pupil
By Verdigris
Disclaimer: Wait, I don't own the wonderful world of Avatar? Ah man…
Author's Note: The first of a collection of one-shots focused on Aang and Gyatso before the war.
Growing up
Gyatso sat peacefully on a woven mat outside in the open air, enjoying the sincerity and quietness of the cool early morning. Alone on the balcony of a tower in the temple, the wise old monk had been meditating for the past hour. In his calm and reflective state he sensed a sudden change in the air around him. Opening an eye he gazed up ahead and listened to the whistling wind in the distance as it echoed through the winding corridors of the tower—and waited.
Along the stairs of the tower someone or something was running at an inhuman speed, airbending the currents of air at the heels of its feet. A large stream of dust trailed behind it as it ran effortlessly along the tower before skidding to a halt a mere few inches in front of the old monk.
Gyatso coolly airbended the dust cloud that enveloped around him with a graceful gesture and smoothed his windswept mustache back to its proper place. As the dust dissipated, it revealed a grinning young boy practically bouncing from one foot to the other with glee.
"Aang, why are you in such a hurry?" The monk inquired the young man gently through a good-natured chuckle.
Though his meditation had been disturbed, the large grin on Aang's face was infectious and it caused the wrinkled corners of the old monk's mouth to lift upwards.
Panting heavily and smiling brightly, Aang presented a scroll to his teacher enthusiastically.
Between breaths he gasped out, "A letter…from Kuzon!"
Gingerly the monk took the scroll. His old eyes squinted in an attempt to read the messy writing. "Kuzon? The boy we met in the Fire Nation last season?"
"That's him!" Aang grinned, delighted at his master's recognition.
A memory came back to Gyatso in the form of an impish, ambitious boy with a mop of dark hair and a fun-loving spirit. It was Aang's first visit to the Fire Nation and Kuzon had nominated himself as the young airbender's official tour guide to his home. Regardless of their backgrounds, their carefree demeanors and a knack for getting into trouble, the two boys developed an instant connection. In less than a day the two became the best of friends.
At the sight of Aang's excited smile Gyatso suspected this was not the first letter they had exchanged. It seemed that not even distance could keep the boys apart.
Aang grinned from ear to ear as he sat next to his teacher on the mat.
"We've been writing back and forth for a few months," Aang explained, confirming Gyatso's initial wonderings as he gave the scroll back to his pupil.
Even as he sat cross-legged on the mat next to his master, Aang was still visibly bouncing and brimming with energy as he spoke of his friend on the other side of the world.
"Kuzon invited us to join his family for the Summer Solace Festival!"
Gyatso smiled, "The Summer Solace festival? I haven't been to one of those celebrations in ages. The fireworks, the music, the performances," he mused and trailed off, obviously lost in the memories of days gone by.
Encouraged by his mentor's pleasant reminiscing Aang eagerly asked, "Can we go? It's only in a week away. We could leave in a few days and be there the morning of the festival."
The deep wrinkles around the monk's mouth suddenly drooped and he shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Aang, but my presence will be needed a the temple for the week of the solace. I can not take you."
The hopeful smile on Aang's face vanished completely. His pupil's disappointed expression caused a pang of regret in his heart. He disliked dashing Aang's expectations, but he had pressing responsibilities as an elder of the temple. Gyatso sympathetically patted Aang on the shoulder.
"We will visit the Fire Nation and your friend another time," he promised Aang gently before rising from his seat to descend the tower.
Disheartened, Aang mournfully looked over his letter in defeat. He had so wanted to see his friend Kuzon again. They had had so much fun during his first visit to the Fire Nation he was anxious to return and experience the festival with his new best friend. So much had happened since his last visit, such as his new arrow tattoos he received when he reached the level of master a few months earlier. Kuzon would love to see them.
Suddenly he had an idea popped into his mind and he airbended himself to his feet.
Aang suddenly blurted out, "Can I go by myself?"
The old monk stopped in his tracks and turned to face his pupil with mild surprise. The eyebrows lifted upwards on Gyatso's face and he inquired, "Alone?"
Aang shrugged, "I won't be alone. I'll take Appa! He'd love to see the Fire Nation."
Gyatso's mustache twitched in thought. Aang had never traveled by himself, let alone with an inexperienced young sky bison like Appa. True they had traveled short distances together, but never as far as the Fire Nation islands.
The young airbender knew the uncertain and contemplative expression on his mentor's face all too well. His request was about to be declined, so he acted fast.
"Please, Monk Gyatso," Aang pleaded with desperation in his voice.
He enlarged his bright grey eyes to twice their normal size, making sure to add a quiver to his bottom lip to help with the effect.
"I'll do anything. I'll scrub the bison stables and I'll help the temple gardener pull weeds in the apple-melon patches. I'll even clean my room!"
Gyatso inwardly smirked at Aang's persuasive tactic. Regardless of the boy's doe-eyed expression, the monk was determined not to let it wear down his resolve. The boy was too young to venture so far on his own. He would have plenty of time to visit the Fire Nation islands when he became of age. Until that time, as his mentor and guardian, Aang was his responsibility.
"Now Aang…" the monk tutted gently but sternly, folding his hands into the sleeves of his robe before continuing with a lecture.
Before he could say another word, Aang beat him to it. He stopped his desperate pleas and bowed his head in a respectful manner, the knuckles of his fists pressed together so the arrows on his hands touched.
"I'll be safe, I promise," he vowed in a more adult tone as opposed to his more childish one.
Sighing deeply, Gyatso was about to put an end to this discussion when his gaze fell on the newly tattooed blue arrow on his brow, still fresh and shining on Aang's bowed scalp.
The tattoo was a symbol of Aang's newly acquired title as an Airbending master—a feat the boy had achieved years before his peers. Most young brothers and sisters of the temples achieved the level of master at the age of fifteen at the very earliest. It was an extremely impressive and rare accomplishment for Aang to become a master at the age of twelve. Although he was still a child in many respects, the mark of the arrows served as a right of passage according to Air Nomad tradition. Technically he was now an adult.
It was hard for him to admit after practically raising him from a toddler that his young pupil was not a little boy anymore. Gyatso remember how Aang had shone tremendous discipline, skill and most surprisingly—maturity—when he applied himself to the task of earning the right to wear the sky blue tattoo on his brow.
At his master's apparent silence, Aang let out a soft sigh of defeat before speaking.
"Well… I better tell Kuzon the news then," he mumbled to himself, tracing patterns into the loose dirt on the ground with the toe of his boot.
"Of course," Gyatso nonchalantly agreed, "And after that you will help me in the kitchen. We'll have to make plenty of fruit pies for Kuzon's mother to take on your journey."
The old monk kept his grin hidden as Aang glanced back at him in hopeful surprise. Then he winked at him.
Aang's bright grey eyes widened and a large smile spread across his face. "You mean it? I can go by myself?"
Gyatso chuckled, "Yes, but you must promise me that you'll behave yourself and mind your manners. And most of all, please be careful." "Yeeaaaah!" Aang hooted and jumped six feet into the air, pumping his fist upward in triumph and laughing in delight. He truly had he best master in the entire temple—no, the entire Air Nomad nations!
Gyatso cleared his throat to interrupt his student's merry making. Aang quickly composed himself and bowed before him again. "Of course Monk Gyatso," attempting to take the situation very seriously and act like an adult for once. "I promise."
"Good," the old monk smiled approvingly. "And one more thing…"
He ducked down to whisper in Aang's ear. "Remember to bring an extra bag of fire gummies with you. I haven't had those in years."
The old monk chuckled to himself as he watched his young pupil race off the other direction to plan for his journey, clicking his heels in the air happily in anticipation.
Makes you wonder if this would have been Aang's last visit to the Fire Nation before the war. I've thought of writing a short one-shot of Aang's visit to see what Kuzon would have been like and how they got along. If anything, I'd love to write it just so I can have them both calling out "Stay flamin', hot-man!"