Perfect Strangers
Katara barged into the fluorescent-lit lobby of the new school she was attending, Benders Academy. As you could probably tell from the name of the school, it was a training camp for benders and warriors with special talents. The woman didn't look up from her magazine, "The tour of the school is down the hall, to the left, third door on your right."
Katara looked down the hall to see other new students walking that way, "Thank you." The woman nodded as Katara started walking down the hall as she looked around at the pictures and scrolls on the wall.
Katara looked down at her watch, where the hell is Sokka? Katara slowed down as she saw a Waterbending scroll.
"Awesome, isn't it?" A kid stood next to her. He was about her height, pale skin, dark brown hair, grey eyes.
Katara nodded as she studied the scroll, "Look at the technique in this. The steadiness, calmness…it's amazing!"
The boy nodded, "Yeah. I can't believe this is the stuff I'm going to be learning."
"You're a Waterbender?" Katara asked, looking at him.
He scratched the back of his head, "I guess you could say that."
Katara raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to say something but closed it as he started to talk.
"I'm Aang," The boy smiled and held his hand out. Katara smiled and shook his head, "Katara."
"Are you a new student?" Aang asked. Katara nodded and smiled, "Yeah, first day."
Aang nodded, "I started here three years ago to the day."
"Is it…nice here?" Katara asked, looking around.
"Depends what you mean by 'nice.'" Aang emphasized the word nice.
Katara giggled, "Well, hopefully I'll see you around. I got to get to orientation."
Aang nodded and smiled, "Like wise."
After Katara toured the school, the tour guide (which was two year student, Suki) brought them back to the room they started in in the lobby.
"How did you guys enjoy the tour?" Suki smiled and clapped her hands together.
"It was…" Student gave different answers, some students stayed quiet, Katara was too busy trying to remember the technique in the scroll she saw this morning. She kept going over and over in it in her mind, but she couldn't remember the last sequence.
Suki rolled her eyes and sighed, why do I always choose to be the tour guide?
"I will now call your names and tell you which building and room you will be staying in." Suki said, picking up a clip board that was lying on the table in front of her.
She called the first few names and they wrote down their building and room than went to find it.
"Zuko," Suki looked around the few kids left.
"Yes?" Zuko raised his hand and nodded at her.
"Building Wan, room three-forty-five." Suki nodded to him. Katara watched him as he left. He eyed her as he picked up his duffle bag than left.
"Haru."
"Hmm?" Haru looked up from the rocks he was rolling over in his hand.
"Building Tyro, room twenty-five." Haru smiled and picked up his duffle bag and left.
She called out the last few named before she landed on Katara.
"Katara…Katara?" Suki looked up at the last student.
"Ye-yes?" Katara stood up, picking up her duffle bag.
Suki walked up to her and put her hand out, "Sokka told me you were coming."
Katara smiled sheepishly and shook her hand, "He was supposed to meet me when I got here with my father, but I guess he got caught up in training with him."
Suki nodded, "Yeah, he trains a lot with Master Hakoda. He forgot about our study date a few nights ago because he was training with Master Hakoda."
"You study fighting?" Katara asked, cocking her head to the side.
Suki smiled and nodded, "I'm from Kyoshi Island. I was originally the Kyoshi Warrior's leader, but I left for a while to learn more styles of fighting from the other nations."
Katara stared at her in awe, "Wow, that's amazing!"
"Yeah. I made a few arrangements with the Head Master to have you room with me and my two other roommates. I hope that's okay?" Suki seemed worried that Katara wouldn't agree with her.
Katara shook her head and laughed, "Don't worry about it! I would love it!"
Suki clapped her hands together and smiled, "Great! So let's get you settled in! Then we'll go look for your father and brother."
Katara nodded, "Awesome."
Katara set her stuff down at her new room, none of the other girls were in there (they were busy with their classes.) Katara than went with Suki to the office to receive her classes.
She had 4 classes:
Swamp Waterbending 101 – Master Hue
Waterbending 101 – Master Pakku
Healing – Master Yugoda
Defensive Waterbending – Master Tarrlok
"You can heal?" Suki asked.
Katara nodded, "Yeah, found out only a few months ago. That's what got me into the school."
"That's really cool. But, ooh, you got Master Pakku." Suki sucked her teeth.
"What's wrong with Master Pakku?" Katara asked as she walked out of the office with Suki by her side.
"We don't have any female Waterbender's here that have learned under Master Pakku." Suki said as she pointed which way to the Water Tribe training grounds.
"Why? Is he sexist or something?" Katara asked, slipping the piece of paper into her pocket.
Suki nodded, "If the girl doesn't impress him with their technique during the first class, he doesn't teach them anything…they have to be transferred to Master Hama."
Katara smirked, "Challenge accepted!"
Katara and Suki walked onto the Water Tribe training grounds, they saw Sokka fall to the ground as Hakoda held the club at Sokka's neck.
"No fair," Sokka mumbled as Hakoda laughed and offered Sokka a hand. Sokka smirked and took his father's hand.
"Dad! Sokka!" Katara ran over to her family and hugged them.
"Crap, you're here already?" Sokka joked as he hugged his little sister. Katara stuck her tongue out at Sokka.
"Now, Sokka, you haven't seen your sister in two years. That's really how you want to welcome her?" Hakoda smiled and hugged Katara.
"Don't worry, dad. Me and Sokka have our own language." Katara punched Sokka on his shoulder.
Sokka rubbed his should and glared at Katara, "Heh, yeah. And, ouch Katara."
Katara stuck her tongue out at her brother.
"What a nice family reunion." Suki walked over to us and bowed, "Master Hakoda."
Hakoda smiled and bowed back, "Suki, it's nice to see you again."
Suki stood back up and smiled, "How's Sokka doing on his training? Think he's up to my level yet?"
Hakoda laughed, "A few more weeks and maybe he might win."
Sokka looked at his father, "Might?"
Hakoda shrugged, "Suki was trained for many years to become a Kyoshi Warrior, and now she's learning our technique's as well as the fire nations."
Katara looked at her father, "Don't the Air Nomads have a special fighting style?"
Her father nodded, "Yes, but those techniques are not theirs to share. An Avatar long ago came up with a fighting Style only made for the Air Nomads. Only the Avatar could learn these way's. It's really unclear for everyone else."
Katara nodded, "Okay."
"Though, I guess you could ask the Avatar about it," Hakoda said.
"What?" Katara said, shocked.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention, the Avatar goes here. But…no one knows who he really is…only the teacher's he has does." Suki said.
"But you know it's a guy?" Katara asked.
"Yeah, there are rumors of who he is. Student's from different nations compare the other student's in their class to see if they can match a student to a different class…but so far, it's to no prevail." Sokka said. Katara nodded, looking at the training supplies around the grounds.
