Parker took a deep breath and sighed. The new school year had begun only a week ago and it was already time for her first practical lesson. After two years of airbending Parker was ready to learn the second element, water. That's why she stood in front of the open double door of the waterbending arena.
"Nervous?"
Parker was startled the voice sounding behind her. She turned around and saw Jaya smiling at her. Parker sighed: "A little bit."
"Come on, class is starting" Jaya said and guided Parking inside the arena with a hand on her back.
"Am I having class with the first years?" Parker asked.
"No. You won't really follow class with anyone" Jaya explained: "I will teach you but depending on how you pick up certain moves you will practice alone or with another student, older or younger."
Parker nodded in understanding. When she entered the arena the first thing she noticed were the water containers that filled the walls of the arena. There were also three pools placed for indoor practicing on water. On the left side of the arena Parker saw students practicing all kinds of skills. A couple of kids were gliding over the water in one of the pools. On the right side she saw first years sitting on benches waiting for their first lesson to start. Some looked very excited others were as nervous as she was. Jaya guided Parker further along to the back of the arena where an older student was moving water around her.
"Korra" Jaya called out to the girl. The girl let the water fall back into one of the many containers and turned to the both of them.
"Good morning Ms. Jaya" the girl, named Korra, greeted her teacher.
"Good morning to you too" Jaya greeted back: "I want you to meet Parker. She's starting waterbending today." Then she turned to the young girl next to her. "Parker, this is Korra. She's a senior and she is going to help you with waterbending."
"Hi" Korra nodded in greetings.
Parker just smiled in return. She had seen Korra around at school over the past two years. Although she had never seen Korra waterbend before, Parker did look up to the senior since Korra always seemed so confident and she had this kind of power vibe hanging around her.
"Okay, Korra you get Parker started on streaming the water while I get the first years up and moving."
"Sure" Korra answered and Jaya turned around walking over to the benches where the first years sat. "Ready?" Korra asked Parker.
"I guess so" Parker answered nervous.
"Not really confident, is it?"
"I'm sorry. I'm just…nervous."
"That's okay. I was too when I first started.
"You were?"
"Yeah. Everyone probably is, only some of them are better at hiding it" Korra said, winking. "Come on. The first move is easy."
"Streaming the water" Parker stated, remembering what Jaya called it.
"Indeed. It's a move all beginners start with because it's a good move to get a 'feel' for water" Korra explains and demonstrates. She places her feet a bit further apart and move her arms and hands around. From a nearby basin water rises up and collects between Korra's hands.
"You did that before, right? Only more advanced" Parker said.
"That's right" Korra nodded and let the water glide back in the basin: "Now it's your turn. Just spread your feet a bit apart just like when you do airbending. Only now you have to be a bit more secure on the ground. You still have to be able to move around lightly on your feet though but not as lightly like with airbending." So far Parker understood the instructions and executed them. "Now stretch out your hand to one of the basins and feel the water." Parker did as she was told. "Close your eyes. Breath in, breath out. First follow the moving of the water then move the water yourself."
Parker concentrated hard. Breathing in, breathing out. She could feel her hand tingle and tried to follow the water. After another deep breath Parker pulled on the water, trying to get it to move towards herself. Because she still had her eyes closed Parker didn't see wat was happening around her. The water from the basin Parker was concentrating on moved up but that wasn't the only water that was moving. From every basin, even the pools, water was rising. Even the water that other students were bending was moving towards Parker.
Jaya turned around when she heard the surprising gasps of the first years. She ran to Parker. She was careful not to scare the young bender so she laid a gentle hand on Parker's shoulder and spoke her name. Parker was pulled out of her concentration and opened her eyes. She was just in time to see the water floating in midair all around her before it fell straight down, dunking many of the students who were watching her with wide open eyes.
"Well…" Korra said: "that was different." She nodded her head, impressed by Parker's power.
Next chapter coming soon.
Reviews are welcome.