For the next lessons with Katara, Parker didn't feel that fearful anymore. It was still a bit scary but she felt much more at ease to show her tattoos to her teacher. Parker felt herself grow stronger. As long as she was with Katara, she knew she wouldn't be judged.


After another lesson in the cottage it was time for Parker to go back to her normal classes along with the other students. They would have another history class and Mrs. Tadako and she had promised she would start of their lesson with a story about the spiritbenders. Parker was very eager to hear about them.
Parker stood up from the carpet, said goodbye to Katara and left through the little cottage door. She had to run a bit because classes would start in five minutes. When she arrived at the classroom almost every student was already siting at their desk, but Mrs. Takako wasn't there yet so most of the kids were still talking.

Parker walked into the room and took place next to Bolin at their usual desk. Slowly a couple heads turned her way but quickly turned back around to tell something to their friends. Bolin did the same, sort of. He looked at Parker with confused amazed eyes but at the same time a bit scared.

"What?" Parker asked confused.

Bolin quickly looked away from Parker to face the front of the class. "Nothing" he said, trying to avoid any other questions. At that moment Mrs. Tadako entered the classroom.

"Everybody, take your seat, please" she said. All the students, even the one who were still whispering, listened. "Silence please…Thank you. Now, if I'm not mistaken I promised you all that I'd start off this lesson with a history story about the spiritbenders. Who can tell me who they were?"

A girl on the other side of the class put her hand in the air. Mrs. Tadako nodded to her and the girl spoke: "Spiritbenders lived a long time ago and they were special because they were the only ones who were able to bend all the four elements."

"That's right" Mrs. Tadako replied: "Does anyone know anything else about them?"

This time a boy closer to Parker answered: "They could connect with the spirits, that's why they were called spiritbenders."

"Indeed" Mrs. Tadako nodded.

"Mrs. Tadako?" the girl who answered before, asked: "They had tattoos too right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Yeah, my mom said they had tattoos like they ones we get when we graduate but then all over their bodies" another girl said.

"They had indeed tattoos growing from their back over their arms, legs and head" Mrs. Tadako replied. A couple students glanced over at Parker like at the beginning of class.

"Growing?" the boy from before asked.

"The spiritbenders were born with one tattoo on their back and from then on the rest of the tattoos appeared over the years."

Now almost every student looked over their shoulder at Parker. They knew, Parker thought. Why else would they all stare and glance at her like that. Then she saw Mrs. Tadako looking at her too. That's when Parker noticed. No gloves, no head kerchief. How could she not have felt she wasn't wearing them. Parker must have forgotten to put them on after her class with Katara.

Parker felt sick inside. Now everyone at school will know soon what she was, because no way this kind of news would stay hidden long. Parker stood up from her chair and just ran out class, followed by every students eyes. The tears were already rolling down her cheek before she reached the door . Parker ran through the hallway and heard Mrs. Tadako call after her, but she just kept running. No way she was going back after this.


It was thirty minutes past eight in the evening when Mrs. Tadako arrived back at the cottage of Katara. Azula, Parker's dorm counselor, and headmaster Iroh were already there too talking to Katara.

"And?" Mrs. Tadako asked.

"Nothing" headmaster Iroh answered.

"Me neither" Azula replied.

After Parker had ran away from Mrs. Tadako's history lesson, she hadn't been seen by anyone anymore. Finally Azula reported Parker missing when she didn't came to diner. The four of them had been surging since then.

"I don't get. Why would she run away?" Azula said.

"Azula, how much do you know about Parker?" Headmaster Iroh asked.

"I know she's not from our world. Why, is there something else?"

"Have you ever wondered why she always wears those gloves and that head kerchief?" Mrs. Tadako asked.

"Yeah, but I guessed she had some scares or something she doesn't want anyone to see."

"My dear, she isn't hiding scares" Katara explained: "she hiding her tattoos."

"Tattoos?" Azula asked confused.

"Parker is a spiritbender."

"What? How…How can that be?" Azula couldn't believe her ears.

"Yeah well… And today she showed up in class without her gloves and kerchief for the first time. The bad part was that apparently she hadn't noticed it herself yet until every student in the class stared at her" Mrs Tadako explained.

"Oh no, poor kid" Azula said sympathetic.

"She forgot them after her lesson with me" Katara said: "I decided not to tell her she forgot them because I thought that she might be ready to not wear them at all. I guess I was mistaken."

"You couldn't have known that" headmaster Iroh and then asked the group: "Has anyone maybe seen Yin? He could help us find Parker."

"Now that you mention. I thought I saw Yin run past here half an hour ago but he was too fast for me to stop him" Mrs. Tadako said.

"Did you see in which direction he ran to?" Headmaster Iroh.

"I think he ran that way" Mrs. Tadako said and pointed towards the path that leaded to the sea.

The four of them walked down the passage to the sea and it didn't take long for them to spot Yin sitting on one of the docks. He was staring over the water at the spiritbending island.

"Of course, why didn't I think of that sooner" Katara said.

"What?" Azula asked.

"The island. I bet we will find Parker their" Katara answered.

"But how. All the boats are still here" Mrs. Tadako said after counting the boats hanging on the different docks.

Katara walked forward until she stood next to Yin and said: "Why don't we go find Parker together."
Yin replied with determined meow and already jumped in one of the boats.


Arrived at the dock from the spiritbending island, Yin immediately jumped out of the boat. Headmaster Iroh, Azula, Katara and Mrs. Tadako followed the black panther-sized cat. It seemed he knew just were to go and where Parker was hiding.
When they came closer to the tower standing in the middle of the island, the tower with all the murals of the spiritbenders and their history, they felt a strong wind stirring. It got stronger the closer they got.

"I think I know where Parker is" Katara called out over the sound of the wind.

"In the Tower? Is it Parker who's making this wind?" Azula asked.

"Yes, I think so" Katara replied.

They had to push open the door with a lot of force because it seemed like the wind was holding the doors shut. Finally with the door opened and Yin was the first to run in. What they found wasn't what they were expecting, or at least not for headmaster Iroh, Azula and Mrs. Tadako. Katara on the other hand didn't look that surprised.
In the middle of the room was Parker floating in midair. A ball of wind surrounding and protecting her. Around the ball of wind was a circle of rocks, one of fire and one of water moving around. Parker was looking up. The tattoos on her body were glowing white-blue. That same kind of light that had appeared when she had touched one of the murals during her guided tour with Jaya. The light also shone through her mouth and eyes.

"Oh my… What's the matter with her?" Azula asked frightened.

"She has unlocked her bending. But I'm afraid she's stuck in the spirit trance. Strong emotion could get the benders there but it wasn't easy to control it or get out of it" Katara called out over the wind. She stepped closer to stand right in front of Parker, next to Yin. He was staring at his best friend and meowed loud, hoping Parker would hear him.

"Parker" Katara called out.

Parker didn't seem to hear her. Or at least she didn't react to it.

"Parker" Katara yelled louder: "I know you scared and probably angry, but it's okay… Everything is gonna be okay…"

This time Parker did react. Her head moved from looking up at the sealing to looking at Katara. It was sort of a scary look, like you wouldn't be sure if she was okay or was ready to strike and hurt someone.

Katara continued: "I understand you feel hurt…but this isn't helping. You need to calm down… Please…"

Yin meowed.

Katara put out her hand to Parker: "It's okay… You are okay…"

Slowly Parker descended with the ball of air. The circles of the other three elements disappeared or fell down. When Parker's feet touched the ground, the ball of air disappeared too. Parker fell to the ground, unconscious, letting go of all the energy. Yin moved forward and pushed his head against Parker's shoulder. She didn't move. Yin meowed. Still no reaction of the young girl.

"Is she okay?" Mrs. Tadako asked.

"Fysically, yes. She is just exhausted. It took a lot of energy from her" Katara replied.

"I think we best take her back to the school's island but not to her dorm" headmaster Iroh said and then asked Katara: "Katara, is it okay if she rests out in your cottage?"

"Yes, of course. I'll keep an eye on her" Katara replied. She was kneeling near Parker's head and stroke it softly.

"I'll stay with her too" Azula said. She was very concerned with Parker.

"No, Azula" headmaster Iroh stopped her: "You should go back to your dorm. The other kids need you too, you know."

"Okay" Azula agreed: "But I'll come check on her tomorrow morning."

"That's fine, my dear" Katara replied.

"We should contact her parents too" Mrs. Tadako said.

"You're quite right. I'll ask Jaya to bring Parker's parents back to the school tomorrow and fill her and Monk Kiyoto in on the situation too" headmaster Iroh said: "For now we all need to go to bed and get some sleep. It's been a long night."