Waking up, Koda was surprised to see his father leaning in the doorway. Seeing his son awake, Hakoda came into the room.
"Good morning. Son, your mother and I talked about it last night, and we think you should have a choice. In the northern water tribe, there is a master waterbender who could teach you." He said.
Koda couldn't believe it. "You would let me go alone?"
"Of course son. There isn't anyone in the South Pole anymore who could teach you. We've thought about sending Katara when she got older, but she's too young right now and the Northern Water Tribe has certain... customs that are much different from our own." Hakoda told him, feeling bad for the poor soul who would try to deny Katara in the future.
"That would be great! I'd be able to learn so much better with a teacher!" Koda rambled on excitedly. It made Hakoda happy seeing his son like this, he had seemed much more solemn before.
"But wait." Koda stopped talking and looked at his father. "What about the village?"
"What about the village?" His father asked, confused.
"The fire nation came here to get the last waterbender, I heard the soldier say that to mom. Since they didn't get Katara or me, won't they just come back and try again?"
Hakoda nodded, surprised his son thought that far ahead. "Yes, I'm sure they will. That's why we sent a message to our brothers in the north requesting shelter for the entire tribe until it's safe to return, along with also informing them of your arrival. Master Pakku is strict, but I'm sure he will agree to teach you.
Sitting up immediately, he asked, "How soon can I leave?"
His father smiled, he had expected that question. "I figured you'd be too excited to not want to go right away, so I asked Bato if he could take you tonight, and he said yes." Hakoda told his son and turned to leave. "You should pack your things and spend some time with your siblings. You'll be going on ahead of us and it might be a while before you see everyone again." Having said what he needed to, he went to inform the tribe of their possible move to the North Pole.
Finding Sokka and Katara nearby playing with the other children, he told them of the plan.
"Why are you leaving now? Can't you just wait until we all can go together?" Sokka pleaded.
"What? You get to go learn waterbending and I don't?" Katara whined. "That's so unfair! I could bend before you!"
"Dad said that you could when you're older, and maybe you could but can you do this?" Koda asked her, encasing his siblings in white powder until two snowmen had replaced them. One of the littler children even gave Sokka a hat, giggling.
"Why did I get dragged into this?" Sokka moaned. The children then all started laughing and he groaned about mean brothers and life being unfair.
"Sorry Sokka, I really haven't been a good brother lately, have I?" A sad smile on Koda's face.
"What? Of course you have! I was just being sarcastic!" Sokka avidly defended while Katara animatedly nodded.
"Yeah Koda, you're a great big brother!" She added.
Sokka couldn't understand why he was saying that. "Why would you think you're not?"
"...Sokka, you were almost killed by that firebender yesterday and all I could do was throw snow at him. If he had chosen to do more than throw you to the ground, I would have been able to nothing but watch. I'm your big brother, I'm supposed to protect you." Looking to the ground clenching his fists, it was clear he meant every word he said.
Neither Sokka nor Katara could believe what they were hearing. "What? You're only 2 years older than me! There's no way you could've beaten that guy! Even though boomerangs are awesome, even I don't believe dad could have taken that guy out that easily if you hadn't distracted him. When that fireball was headed straight for me, I thought I was done. You saved my life Koda. Not dad, not dumb luck, you did!" Sokka explained, fist raised.
"Sokka's right for once, you were amazing. I wasn't there, but the whole tribe tells the story like you were a master waterbender! They say you caused a huge geyser of water to protect Sokka even when you were exhausted and were hit multiple times! I can barely move water back and forth!"
"Thank you. Hey! For once?" Sokka wasn't sure how to respond.
Placing his hands on each of their heads, he smiled, a single tear falling from each eye. "You guys are the best. I'll miss you, so get to the North Pole quick, ok?"
"Of course!" Sokka/Katara said, happy their brother wasn't sad anymore.
Lifting his hands off their heads, Koda said, "Now I still have a few hours until Bato and I leave. How about we practice some waterbending, Katara? Afterwords Sokka I can teach you how to throw a boomerang."
"Awesome!" The siblings cheered and Katara grabbed Koda's hand, rushing off to spend time with her brother before he had to leave.
"Now Katara, I noticed when bending snow it was a little different than bending just water. When bending snow, you need to focus on the physical aspect of it, making it solid and unmoving. Then to turn it back into water, think about it being liquid and flowing." He demonstrated by grabbing a handful of snow, concentrating for a few seconds, and turning it into water. "I'm not very good yet because I've only been a waterbender for a day," He laughed, "But I think I'm explaining it right. Now you try."
"That doesn't sound too hard." Grabbing a handful of snow, Katara imagined it turning to water and dripping through her hands. She thought about it flowing down her hand and falling to the ground. Her feet suddenly felt cold and hearing Koda laugh, she stopped. "What?" She pouted.
Still laughing, he pointed to her feet. "Look down."
Doing so, she noticed she was standing in a small puddle. "Ahh! Cold!" Jumping out of it, she glared at her older brother. "Not funny!" Noticing the snow in her hand was still snow, she was frustrated. "What am I doing wrong?"
"It's all about control. But, it must be hard seeing an amazing waterbender do something that you can't." Showing off, he melted the snow in his hands rather quickly, an arrogant smirk on his face. "I guess I'm just better than you." Koda said, turning to leave with an exaggerated shrug, knowing his overly competitive sister wouldn't let it slide.
Glaring at his back, then smiling looking down at the snow in her hands. 'I'll show him. Next time he sees me I'll be a way better waterbender!'
Looking back and noticing her complete attention on the melting snow in her hands, Koda was proud. He couldn't wait to have a teacher of his own.
"I didn't know you knew how to use a boomerang Koda." Sokka said, having never seen him throw one.
Koda smiled. "I don't."
Sokka was confused. "Then why do you have one?"
His grin even wider, Koda repeated himself. "I don't."
Sokka was definitely very confused now. "Then why did you say you would teach me how to use one? And why are we going back to our house?"
Cheekily smiling back at his little brother, Koda said, "I said I don't own a boomerang, I didn't say I don't know where to get one. And who says we can't learn together?"
Finally understanding, Sokka gave a grin of his own. "I always knew we were meant to be brothers."
Thankfully only a few bruises later, the brothers returned home to find Hakoda waiting for them. Gulping, they decided to take their punishment like men. Hakoda simply held out his hand, and Koda returned the boomerang.
"It was my idea dad, I'm sorry." Koda said, head down. He didn't want Sokka to get into trouble for this.
"I was a kid too you know." Hakoda looked down at them with a straight face. Noticing their downcast looks, he grinned. "Just this once, I won't tell your mother." He held both hands out and got two high fives in return. "Now Koda, Bato's all ready to go and some people are here to send you off." Joining his father on the way to the docks, he couldn't wait to head out.
Seeing the whole tribe down by the water, he smiled. "Thank you everyone! I'll see you at the North Pole!" As everyone waved him goodbye, he ran towards Bato who was finishing loading the rest of the supplies on board the small boat. Raising the sails, Bato gave him a wide grin. "You ready to go learn waterbending?"
Looking back at the Southern Water Tribe, his tribe, he knew the answer. "I was born ready. Let's go!"