Chapter 2 : 11 PM,
The herd was all standing in front of a high wooden door. A sign, nailed in the middle of it said: 'Headmaster'. No one really dared to go and knock. It was, after all, the Dragon of the West they would be facing.
Finally the blind girl, feeling the idiocy of waiting before a closed door, stepped forward and knocked firmly three times before stepping back. They heard the sound of porcelain crashing to the floor and somebody coughing, before a voice shouted "Come in."
Wondering if they would be held responsible for the broken objects, the monk boy and the two twins opened the door carefully and slowly, trying to catch a glimpse of the room.
"Come on! Tea is ready and waiting for you." The booming voice called again. Deciding that, aside from the tea being poisoned, there was no risk in going inside, the herd shyly stepped into the office.
Apart from the blind girl who marched in boldly; she seemed to be immune to such things. Maybe because she was blind, the monk boy wondered and she went up till the front of the table in the middle of the room.
Its appearance and its owner were shocking for the others who stood there their eyes falling out and their mouths gaping. Headmaster was seated on the floor, in the traditional welcoming pose, a big grin on his face. His face was warm and friendly but his eyes had teasing but serious expression. On the table in front of him were cups and a fuming teapot.
"Welcome students." Iroh greeted them, waving his hand indicating they should sit down opposite to him on the floor. They all nodded back in greeting, most still trying to sort out their thoughts about the fact that the man sitting there with the huge smile was really the world know and feared general.
"Please help yourself, the tea is getting cold." While speaking Iroh had already filled five cups and was pushing them towards the stunned students. The monk boy reached out for one of the cups and found the tea burning.
"So," Iroh marked a pause, looking at them intensely "You are the new students. Please tell if I say your names right. First, Toph Bei Fong?"
"What? Tough?" the twin sand bender said in unison, their brows furrowed.
"No," the blind girl hissed "Toph."
"Right, tough."
"It's Toph. T-O-P-H!" Stepping on the floor Toph, as this was her name, accompanied each letter with a kick, which in combination of her earth bender skills send the boys sailing through the room, as earth blocks came through the ground (and the floor of the room) answering her call. At the same time somebody knocked on the door.
"Enter," Iroh called with a chagrin look for his wooden floor, prior to turning back to the others "First rule: No bending in the school building unless in the bending rooms and always with a teacher."
The door opened and a man in his early fifties entered. His was long and white, falling over his shoulders.
"Iroh, I came for-" He stopped in middle of his sentence and turned his head back to the corridor. Everyone heard the footsteps of a person running. In one smooth movement of the hand, the master brought the tea out of the cups and used it to freeze the ground. A surprised scream was distinctive before the sound of someone crashing into wood, probably the wall in this case.
"No running in the corridor." The man yelled over his shoulder and closed the door again, after returning the tea back to their cups. The students moved away from them, not even thinking of touching them again.
"As I was saying," Iroh made a quick sign to the man to wait, "no bending in the school. Now back to your names. Aang?"
"Yes." The monk boy answered and Iroh bowed his head in his direction.
"We are honoured by your presence at our school Avatar." Iroh glanced at the list, "Next, Meng?"
"That's me." The girl with the two braids answered.
"Last we have, Mirok and Misant?" The twins nodded their agreement.
"Fine since everybody is here, Master Pakku, who is your art and music teacher as well as the Waterbending Master will bring you to your first class." Iroh waved at them while they were leaving the room and only Aang waved back. Master Pakku led them to the rooms with the art tools engraved on them.
"Now, listen." Master Pakku stood with his back to the wall looking very stern, his eyebrows lowered as if he was already watching for mistakes in their manners so he may water bend them. "Each class, apart bending and etiquette classes, are divided into three groups: The lower course, the normal one and the higher level. You will be going into the various courses and then at the end of this week you shall be appointed your levels. Now this is the lower level art course."
Without waiting to see if they understood or had any questions, the master turned around and opened the door, in one powerful swing. The three boys, caught in the attempt to sneak out of class through the window, froze.
The herd recognised Zuko, Jet and Sokka. The last one offered a grin to the fuming teacher before moving very slowly back to his place. The two others looked at each other, clearly blaming the other for being caught in such a position, before moving back to their places too.
There, completely ignoring the boys, sat Mai. The corner where she sat was darker than the rest of the room, as for her painting…well, it was covered in black.
With a dignity worth a king Master Pakku walked to his desk and sat there.
"What are you waiting for?" he barked at the herd, still standing there, "get a place and start painting! I need to see if you are more capable than this bunch of idiots here, who don't even posses the necessary respect for art." His tone had become menacing at the end of his sentence, causing the boys to lower their heads.
When Aang looked at them though he saw Zuko roll his eyes and Jet imitate his Masters way of speaking, mimicking his gestures. The herd spread to the different tables, mostly sitting together, not very comfortable with the others. The Sand twins went to get the brush and the water while Aang and Meng went to get some colours. Toph stood there without moving.
"What are you doing standing there?" Masters Pakku's voice asked again.
"I am blind, if you cannot see that. Art is an impossible subject for me." The girl replied in an equally angered voice. Masters Pakku's eyebrow twitched.
"Nothing is impossible in my classes!" he said as he drew himself to his full high "At least in your case we know your level. You shall with in the lower course. You may do as you wish now. Just remember that your grade here still counts and so I advice you to pay some attention, JET!"
Again Jet froze, this time he had a pen between his teeth and was attempting to draw with it.
"What?" he asked, the pen still in his mouth, "It's my own style of art! You said we should be creative."
The painting water of the new students formed itself into a whip and snatched the pen away, making Sokka and Zuko laugh at the surprised yell Jet gave.
"Stupidity is not counted as Art." Master Pakku said and Aang could swear he saw him smile and shivered, better not annoy this teacher…
The rest of the lesson was quiet, not including the time Zuko poured paint over Jet. Or the moment when Sokka cried he had painted a mountain and Jet answered it was a dancing tree, or when Mai suddenly took the entire black colour and threw it against her picture, looking very pleased with the result.
"Well…" Master Pakku marked a pause giving the new students a look, "I shall look over your creations. Now follow me along to your next class: English with Master Jong Jong."
Again not taking care about the students he turned around and brought them in front of the door covered with names of eminent authors. Mai had been following, a looming shadow behind them, Zuko as well.
Both passed past the group and entered. "Come in," Zuko called looking over his shoulder.
The room they stepped in was not very welcoming. The windows were covered, there was only one source of light and it were candles light in a circle. There were no chairs, only cushions to sit on.
"Master Jong Jong?" Zuko asked towards the centre of the room of the room, "The new students are here."
"Ah, very well, come along." A voice answered from the depth of the shadows, where a faint dark form was recognisable. Apprehensive about the this new teacher, the students walked forward, Toph following Aang, as she couldn't see where the candles were.
Jong Jong stepped forward. It was hard to see what he looked like, shadows from the candlelight flickered on his face. They did, however, catch the piercing eyes.
"New Students?" he asked, his voice raspy, "They are not ready for this class. This is higher level English. Take them to Master Pakku's Art Class until I have a lesson more suitable for them."
"We just came from Master Pakku's" Toph answered brusquely.
Jong Jong turned his sharp eyes to her, "and you would be…?"
"Toph Bei Fong" she answered boldly.
"Ah yes…"he sighed, "you're parents made special arrangements for you, seeing that you are blind…well if you've been to Master Pakku's you might as well sit down…"
They shuffled in hesitantly, taking the cushions at the very back of class.
Suddenly the door opened and two girls stepped in. One, the watertribe girl had her nose buried in a book , the other one, Earth kingdom, had a paper roll clutched under her arm. They sat down near the front of the room and started whispering together intently.
"Who are they?" Mirok whispered. Zuko glared at him slightly but answered.
"Freaks. Really smart and think they're like, totally individual. They even right stories, fan fictions or something."
"Silence," Jong Jong boomed then his voice sank, "this year we will be starting Gothic literature."
Mai raised her head and marginally opened her eyes. It was the most attentive Zuko had ever seen her in any class.