So the first couple of chapters are going to be about Hayla's life and just some information to get things started. I've already finished the next chapter but I'm going to wait at least two days before posting it, just for a heads up. It really depends on what's happening in my life. Also I have a lot of assignments and essays to do in the next two weeks. I'm in year 12 so everything I do counts. That's why I'm trying to get some chapters up before hand.
I'd like to thank Yukira-Kuchiki for your review and to answer your question Hayla won't be seeing Zuko until she gets to the Southern water tribe when he shows up looking for the avatar.
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Clear Tides
Chapter two
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"What time should the feast be ready tonight?" Hayla asked.
Her father had arranged for a going away feast in her honor. It was so that she could spend one last night with her friends and family.
Hayla didn't have many friends which she was fine with. It was mostly just her and Yue but she had some guy friends. The girls didn't really appeal to her. They were always trying to become friends with her and Yue so that they could gain status in the social ladder. The guys were better and more fun and didn't care about that sort of thing but you had to be careful with them as well.
Some of them were a big flirt which was fine but it was the serious ones that she had to look out for. Yue, despite the fact that she hated being engaged to a spoilt brat was glad that boys stopped throwing themselves at her in the hope that they would become her future wife. Even though it was the father's choice and not the daughters.
Now that time was running out boys had started to hunt her down, trying to woo her. Some of them were so stupid.
Hayla wasn't really worried about them. They were like flies, harmless but annoying. It was Karh that most worried her. She could defend herself from his advances but hated the fact that he thought that her father would choice him. He did have a big chance of becoming her future husband but hopefully her father was smart enough to realize that Hayla would never become his wife, even if it was tradition. She would rather move to the Southern water tribe before becoming his wife.
There was a 90% chance that Hayla would see Karh tonight and she would not be looking forward to it. Hopeful she was wrong though. Hayla wanted her last night here to be fun.
"The feast should be ready in about four hours so you have plenty of time to get ready." Father teased.
"Hey, I'm not that bad. Yue's worse."Hayla replied. "Remember the full moon party that Yue was excited about because of those earth nation traders, she had a crush on Hular and spent three hours getting ready and then right before the feast started she found out that he had a girlfriend."
"Yes I spent that night apologizing to him for Yue throwing her drink at him for leading her on." Hayla laughed along with her dad.
It was nice to spend time with her father and not chief Arnook.
Since Hayla still had awhile before the feast she decided to get in some water bending practice. Master Pakku was always happy to see her and give her a lesson.
It went against tradition to teach water bending to a girl. The only reason that Hayla had been taught was because when she had been ten she was fed up with having a teacher so close yet she couldn't be taught. In a fit of rage Hayla had come up with a plan to get master Pakku to teach her and it had worked. She had made him so angry that he had fought her and seen her water bending skills.
0o0o0Flashback0o0o0
Hayla was playing with her stuffed fish when her father walked into the room. She jumped up and ran to her dad.
"Father, why can't girls learn water bending?" Hayla asked. Today at school her friend Kurgan had teased her about being a stupid healer when he would be able to learn water bending and become a great warrior.
Her father looked at her, trying to think of a way to answer her question without making her cry. Hayla loved water bending.
"Little fish, the men in the tribe learn water bending so that they can protect the women and children. The women learn healing so that they can heal the brave warriors that defend the tribe. It is tradition. You'll be going to healing classes soon and when you finish them and master healing you will be helping your tribe in a way that only a handful of people can." Her father said in a gentle voice that didn't sooth her at all.
"But why? I can learn water bending to. I could fight and heal." Hayla said, whining.
"You'll understand when you're older Hayla. " Her father sighed. Why was he being like this? He knew that she was a good bender even without a teacher Hayla had been able to use her bending easily.
"I want to understand now! Or better yet have a water bending master. If you won't help me than I'll go find one and make them train me." Hayla shouted.
Hayla stormed off. She would find someone to train her. She would. Her Uncle Pakku was a water bending master. She knew that he liked her. He was always nice to her when, even after he had just shouted at one of his students that couldn't perfect a water bending move.
Pakku often came to visit her father and sometimes he would bring her and Yue presents. Last time he came over he gave them each a bracelet made from dark blue leather.
Hayla practically ran through the city. No one stopped her but many people starred. It wasn't very often that you saw the young princess in such a fit.
She found Pakku practicing his water bending in the practice arena. Little ponds of water were scattered around the arena for practice.
Before walking down the stairs that lend to the arena Hayla thought of how she was going to get Pakku to teach her. Her plan was childish and probably wouldn't work but it would be a start.
Hayla made herself look innocent and calm before walking down the stairs.
She stopped a couple of meters back from Pakku and waited for him to notice her. She knew that he didn't like being disturbed while bending.
Pakku pushed the water back into one of the ponds and looked at her.
"Master Pakku how do you become a bender?" Hayla asked, looking up at him.
"It's not how but who. You have to be born with the ability." Master Pakku replied.
"So anyone with the ability can learn water bending. But how do you get the ability." Hayla asked again.
Pakku lifted his arm in a graceful motion and the ice rose up forming two blocks to sit on. The man sat on the bigger one while the little girl sat on the small one.
"The Ocean and Moon gift the ability to those they deem worthy."
"So if you have water bending than you have to use it. It's something that you were meant to have."
"Yes child."
"But what if a girl was a water bender and wanted to learn to fight with it and not heal. She's been gifted with the ability but Tradition," Hayla spate the word, "Makes it impossible for her to learn to use her gift."
"Oh, is that your question." Pakku said, understanding written on his face.
"Mm hmm, so why can't I. I have the ability."
Pakku sighed, just like her father.
"Child, women heal and men fight. Do you really want to go fight and get hurt?" Pakku said, trying to frighten her with the truth.
"That's not the point. My father said that the avatars could learn, even the girls. Whats so different about teaching a girl avatar and a girl. It's the same without three other elements." Hayla said passionately.
"The avatar is a very gifted bender and has mastered the elements a hundred times. You couldn't compare to the avatar even in water bending." Pakku said, getting slightly irate.
"So you're saying that if I was a powerful bender you would teach me." She said, getting to her point.
"That's if and there hasn't been a power bender in years and even then it wasn't a girl."
"What if I showed you? If I can beat you in a fight or at least proved that I was a powerful bender would you teach me."
"No, you're just a little girl. I won't waste time on a fight that will lead to nothing."
"Why!"Hayla said. "Are you afraid that I might actually beat you or are you to old, to slow to fight?" She taunted.
Hayla knew that Pakku was very prideful and quick to anger. She could get him angry enough he might fight her just to prove a point. She hoped this would work and if it didn't she was going to be on Pakku's bad side for at least two years.
"Your way out of line little girl. Even if I did fight you there would be nothing for you to gain. You couldn't possibly beat me and all it would achieve is your embarrassment. You should walk away and forget this ever happened." Pakku said in a raised voice.
Hayla smiled mentally. Just a little more and he would be too angry to care whether she was a child or a girl.
"Or maybe you will want to forget that I beat you. Come on; think of what the other masters will say when I tell them you were too afraid to fight a little girl." She said in scorn.
"That's it girl. If you want a fight I'll give you one but don't go crying to your father when you find out your wrong." Pakku said, getting into as stance.
"Trust me I won't." Hayla said, smirking, getting into her owe battle stance.
Hayla hated doing this to Pakku when he was so nice to her but she had to in order to learn water bending.
She took a deep calming breathe before taking the first move. With lightning quick speed that Pakku didn't expect Hayla pulled water from the closest pond and hurtled the water at him in one flowing movement. Not fast enough Pakku pushed the water away but not before the water pushed into him, sending him a couple of steps back.
Hayla had to use anything that she could to her advantage. She didn't have a master which went against her but she did have raw ability and had watched masters and their students in lessons. She might not have been able to learn firsthand but for a second hand education she was good, really good. Hayla also had speed on her side and flexibility. Two things that Pakku didn't. Now she was glad that her father made her take acrobatic classed.
Before Pakku could retaliate Hayla picked up more water. Drawing it along the ground, the water connected to Pakku's feet, freezing them in place.
Of course Pakku unfroze the water and began to take the attack. Hayla either dodged or stopped his attacks but she was becoming tired. She needed to do something to stop him.
So far Hayla had held her ground but she knew that she couldn't win this fight. Maybe in a year or two when she was stronger but not at the age of ten.
With that thought in mind Hayla did everything possible to show master Pakku that she was worth being taught. She froze blades of ice, throwing them, bended masses of water, used strategic moves and used shear willpower and determination.
After another minute the battle ended. Pakku used a sliver of water to get past her defenses and tripped her. Before she knew it Pakku was standing in front of her, helping her up. Hayla took his offered had and he pulled her up.
They both stood for a minute, panting. Sweat covered her forehead that she wiped clean.
"You're a water bending prodigy. I've never seen anyone with that much control and balance at your age and untrained."
Hayla watched as he thought, hoping that he would teach her. She didn't know what she would do if he said no. Cry maybe.
"You have shown great ability in the art of water bending and you very determined therefore I will teach you but mark my words. You will be trained like any other student; there will be no special treatment or complaining about my teachings."Pakku said, becoming a teacher again.
"Thank you, master Pakku." Hayla said, bowing. "I won't let you down."
"Now I have to go see your father. He's in for a surprise." Pakku said while Hayla giggled. "I expect you up for class early tomorrow morning."
0o0o0End of flashback0o0o0
Hayla had been so happy on that day and the next when she went to her first water bending lesson. At the age of eleven she had completed basic training which was basically when you were skilled enough to learn defense and attack while before she had been learning control and stamina and smaller things like walking on water, water temperature manipulation and waves. It had been fun learning it but Hayla had been glad when she was able to move onto harder things.
