The sequel to A bittersweet vacation:
The beginning of a dream
By Eva aka Pinkfox
"Forty-five… forty-six… forty-seven… forty-eight… forty-nine… fifty…" Suki lowered her arms and focused on her breathing for a few moments to slow it down. She had easily finished her sets of pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks and now she moved on to her set of fifty squats. Having regained her breath, she went once more: "One… two… three… four… five…"
Piandao studied it all from the side, watching with interest when she finished the calisthenics and picked up the metal fans that were lying at to the side. Taking another deep breath to focus, she started to move with easy, supple movements, flowing around the yard like water.
Unlike many people he had trained, Suki was already an experienced and trained warrior and before he started working with her, he wished to determine her levels in both ability and knowledge. He watched with even more interest when she exchanged her fans for a katana and once more she started moving around the yard, only this time her steps and arm movements were sharper then with the fan kata.
"Do you wish to see anything else, Master Piandao?" Suki asked politely after she had returned her katana to the sheath.
"Do you have anything more to show me?" Piandao countered.
"You saw my acrobatics training yesterday… Then I believe you have seen the most important components of my training as a Kyoshi Warrior."
"Very well then."
Suki nodded back and started to stretch herself to finish the exercise routine of that morning. She had been training for two hours and she was hungry.
"Why do you wish to train with me? From what I have seen you are already a very capable warrior." Piandao asked when she finished her stretches and the two headed inside for breakfast.
"I have come to believe you can always improve yourself. When I lived on Kyoshi I believed I couldn't really improve anymore, but once we were in the outside world I learned there was a lot I don't know. I especially realized that when I faced with Azula and her friends. I know of your reputation, Master, and when you offered to train me I realized I would be a fool to say no."
"I can tell you that my style of sword fighting is very different from what you were taught with the katana. It will take a lot of work to adapt." Piandao warned her.
"I'm used to training hard… And though I learned the basics of fighting with a katana, it was never our focus as a Kyoshi Warrior. Our fans are our main weapons and the katanas will never be more than a backup. Another reason for me was that the katana never quite worked for me. I never seemed to flow as natural as the fans."
"That is very possible. A sword has to fit its master. Perhaps we can find out what style of sword is natural for you."
"I look forward to the challenge."
To be continued in 'The beginning of a dream'. The fic can be found on my profile.