A/N: Thank you to the one reviewer that I had! I'm glad you liked the chapter! I hope that those of you who read it will consider leaving a review – it helps with the writing process, knowing what you like and what you didn't like. Sorry it's a bit of a shorter chapter; it felt right. I'm sure that you're wondering if this will be moving along, and I can promise that it is. I needed these first few chapters to help introduce Hakone and build his character up.

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" The Southern girl, Katara, asked. Aang had neglected to tell Pakku that his 'friend' was a woman. I didn't agree with it, but in our tribe it was forbidden for women to learn water bending. "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no."

I breathed in heavily, looking between her and Pakku. This was a touchy subject amongst our people.

"No." Pakku said, glaring at her from where he sat on a block of ice.

"But there must be other female water benders in your tribe!" Katara argued.

"Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their water bending to heal," He explained, half-smiling. "I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student, despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal – I want to fight!" Katara exclaimed.

"I can see that," Pakku said. "But our tribe has customs – rules."

"Well your rules stink!" Katara countered, as Aang stepped forward.

"Yeah, they're not fair," He spoke; "If you won't teach Katara, then…"

"Then what?" Pakku asked, standing.

"Then I won't learn from you." Aang said frustrated.

I stopped paying attention to the conflict before it could get any headier and closed my eyes to meditate. Then I heard the sound of rushing water and looked up to see Pakku bending a blast of water at Aang, a grin on his face.

The Avatar rushed backward, a whoosh of air coming out of him as he fell on his backside. I held my jaw tightly, fighting off the urge to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Korrik asked, sitting beside me.

"It reminds me of my first lesson with Pakku," I told him, and Korrik laughed.

The Avatar's training directly with Pakku didn't last long. He instructed Aang to move the water, to feel it.

"You're moving the water around, but you're not feeling the push and pull," Pakku reprimanded as he ate some stew.

"I'm trying," Aang said through clenched teeth.

"Maybe that move is too advanced for you. Why don't you try an easier one," Pakku suggested in a condescending tone. Aang, in response through his water onto the ground, grunting in annoyance. "Hakone, would you like to show the Avatar how this move is done?"

I smiled encouragingly at the boy and stood. Lifting my hands, I pulled the water from the ground where he had tossed it and showed him the push and the pull techniques that Pakku was trying to explain.

"Watch how my body allows the water to move as an extension. It's all about sinking and floating," I told him, performing the move so that he could see how it was done. Then, I passed it along to him for him to try it. He allowed the water to hover for a moment as he thought about what I had shown him, and then executed it brilliantly. "Good job." I smiled.

Finally, it was time for the training to end. I was stretching and about to walk away when I heard someone approaching.

"Thanks for helping earlier," The Avatar said, falling into line with me.

"No problem. I know Master Pakku can be hard to work with, but he knows his stuff – trust me. He named me a Master Water Bender yesterday just before your arrival was announced," I told him. Aang's eyes widened and smiled.

"You must be really talented then," He said.

"Oh you know, nothing too extraordinary," I blushed.

"Well, I'd better go. Bye!" He waved before flying off on his glider. Air benders, I thought to myself as I watched him fly.

XXX

The next morning I woke to find Korrik in my bedroom.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, and Korrik's usually happy face showed concern and a frown.

"The Avatar tried to teach that Southern Tribe girl the technique that you and Pakku showed him last night; Pakku says that the Avatar disrespected him and his entire culture, and that he is no longer welcome as Pakku's student."

"That's ridiculous!" I exclaimed, jumping out of my bed. "It's the Avatar's duty to learn the four elements. Pakku's stubborn clinging to "traditions" as he puts it are prohibiting that; I don't see what the big deal is allowing a woman to learn water bending." I said as I began getting dressed.

"You know that I feel the same way; I don't know what this means though. Anything could happen," Korrik said.

As it turned out, the three had already been to see Chief Arnook about the situation. We had just made it to the palace when Katara stormed out of the palace, Aang and Sokka close behind her.

I didn't hear the exchange that they had, but a moment later, Pakku came out of the castle, his face unreadable. Katara yelled something at him, her face twisted in anger, and Pakku said nothing.

Aggravated, Katara created a water whip and slapped him on the back of the head. Pakku stood still, his face snarling before turning and grinning evilly.

"You want to learn how to fight? Study closely!" He snarled.

The next few moments were unbearably thick with anticipation. The two battled it out, and I was amazed to see how incredible Katara's water bending prowess was. She would make a great bender. Finally, Pakku caused ice to fall around her in blades, trapped Katara and began walking away before he stopped.

Kneeling, he grabbed something out of the snow.

"This is my necklace…" He said, his face becoming a haze of thought and reflection, of sadness and partial anger.

"No, it's mine! Give it back!" Katara growled, struggling against the ice around her.

"I made this sixty years ago, for the love of my life… For Kana," Pakku said, and the ice around Katara melted.

"Who is Kana?" I asked Korrik, who shrugged in response.

Katara looked up confused. "My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?"

My gaze widened, as I took in the situation.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her," Pakku said, his tone depressed.

"But she didn't love you, did she," Katara stated quietly. "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life; that's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage."

Pakku didn't respond. He handed Katara's necklace back to her and then walked off, his head low. He glanced at us and shook his head, signaling that there would be no training that day.

What was I supposed to do now?

XXX

The following morning I walked into the practice field, bowed to Master Pakku, and took a seat beside Korrik.

"Pakku had a long night, apparently," Korrik said. "Look how tired he is."

"I can't blame him. His past came to visit him… even if it wasn't the same particular person," I answered. Aang was already practicing, and he seemed to have mastered a few more techniques.

"Good job. Keep practicing and maybe you'll master it by the time you're my age," Pakku laughed. Just then, Katara came running into the field. Pakku stood straight, his face stern. "What do you think you're doing? You're late, it's past sunrise." He said, taking a stance.

Katara smiled and mirrored his movements, ready to begin the day.

I observed the training quietly, focusing on the day. Things were looking up for the better – the Water Tribe was changing some of its old habits, and although not everyone was happy, most were.

Yugoda had sent her more advanced healing students to see if they wanted to learn to fight and Pakku had assigned us to teach them what we knew.

I was working with a few of the girls; they already knew the basics so I set about teaching them how to move larger amounts of water, to be fiercer than they might want to. Water had two sides – calm and relaxing, and angry and unforgiving.

I smiled at their progress; maybe I would be a great master like Pakku.