Disclaimer: If I didn't make it, I can't take it.

Chapter 11: Mastering Water

Kirana stood in the training arena, the sun just starting to rise. Turning east she spread her arms, welcoming the sun's warmth and strength. She would need it. Today she would start her Waterbender training. She opened her eyes when her sharp ears picked up the sound of crunching snow. Three Masters and about a dozen students appeared, walking up the steps. Kirana bowed to her new teachers and fellow students and bowed back, though deeper than she had.

"We hope it is all right if we train with only a few students your age," said the only female master. River Vicey, Kirana remembered from Aurora's teachings.

"It is fine with me." The young master smiled.

Master Fox, his white hair in a topknot, said, "We warm-up, stretch, then train."

Kirana nodded her understanding. Aurora said he had a curt manner when talking with people. Master Vicey rolled her eyes and several of the students laughed behind hands.

"What he means to say is we run for five minuets to warm up our muscles," she said ushering the students to the middle. Kirana looked over at the other master. "Master Drex will assess you at the end of each week," she explained. Kirana nodded and joined the students.

The warm-up jog was easy, as she was a long distance runner. The stretching was easier, which didn't seem to surprise anyone after her display yesterday. She could easily reach farther than them and had to, otherwise her muscles would not stretch.

She got up with the rest of them and took the stance Aurora had taught her on the beach before they had arrived. The motions where easy and fluid and Kirana had no trouble with them. Only the Unzarin' s had known the origin of redirecting lightning, and being trained as one she knew that origin. The Waterbenders. Their offense was their defense and their defense was their offense. She was a quick learner and good at memorizing.

At the end of the day Kirana felt different, as if some door had opened within her. She stood next to the small stream that cut through the arena, and took her stance. She closed her eyes and calmed herself. Slowly at first Kirana started to move. Arms in, twist the hands, arms out. Something stirred inside her, and she didn't stop until she felt water lapping her feet. She opened her eyes, arms still moving, and smiled.

She had Waterbended. Water from the stream had pooled around her, for she had pulled the tide. Yes, learning to bend would be a lot easier now.

Aurora bowed back, out of habit and respect, then waved her hand as if to ward off any more formalities.

One day before she was to be tested Kirana sat on her bed, pouring over a scroll. When she wasn't bending, she was studying. A pot of calming Jasmine tea lay on the washstand by her bed. She looked up as her door hanging was pulled back. Kirana got up and bowed. "It is great to see you Princess."

Aurora bowed back, out of habit and respect, then waved her hand as if to ward off any more formalities. "We are friends, are we not?" Kirana smiled and nodded.

She sat back down and raised a chair from the floor for Aurora. She took it and accepted a cup of tea. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit, but my parents demanded a report." Aurora took a sip of the tea and smiled. She liked Jasmine.

"What report?" Kirana asked, carefully rolling the scroll up.

Aurora looked at her in surprise. "I didn't tell you? I'm my parents ambassador."

Kirana almost dropped her cup. "How old are you?"

Aurora looked at her with narrowed eyes, then seemed to change her mind and said, "I turn 15 at the begging of next month. But what I came here for was to see if you had any preferences for how your progress should be spread."

Kirana collected her thoughts and thought for a moment. "I don't really care how it gets out," she finally said. "But I think it would be best that any information leaked should be mostly false." Even though I'm sure Zu Ling is expecting something like that.

Aurora nodded. "I will tell my parents. But I agree. Having the world know your true potential and yet knowing it mind just help us win." She got up, let the chair melt into the floor and put the cup back on the washstand. Kirana followed her out, and stopped at the railing in front of her door.

"Aurora, before you go, when do you think my finale test will be?" asked Kirana as Aurora headed down the stairs. The Princess stopped and turned to her, thinking.

"If you keep this up, maybe by the end of this month," she said.

Kirana sighed. She'd been afraid of that. "What's wrong?"

Kirana turned to Aurora. "Do you know what the Dark Sun is?"

"Yes, it's a solar eclipse."

"Do you know what happens to Firebender's when our source of power is blocked?"

Aurora opened her mouth to say something then shut it. "Oh."

Kirana nodded and gave a not-to-happy smile. "We cannot bend. I'm afraid of what it will do to my Waterbending if I'm tested on the Dark Sun." There was a note of fear in her voice. Was she really that afraid? Shouldn't she not be afraid? After all, she was the Avatar. Jo stepped out of his room, he looked angry.

"So what your saying, Kirana, is that you're going to give up because of one eclipse?"

Kirana whirled on Jo. "No! I'm saying I don't know how it will affect my bending."

Jo raised an eyebrow. "You're the most spiritually connected of the Avatars and your going to let a little fear get in your way?" He snorted. "I guess we weren't trained as well as I thought."

If he was trying to anger her, it worked. But she didn't say anything, though her jaw worked itself as if she was going to. What Jo said was true. And it hurt, that he thought that. Her anger lessened though she still bristled. "Is sensing spiritual power another gift form being a Solstice Child?" He nodded and seemed to calm down. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, laying his chin on her shoulder.

"So how powerful is my spirit?" she asked, challenging him.

Jo thought for a moment. "One of the most powerful." He didn't elaborate and she knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him.

They stood there as the sun sank. Kirana suddenly felt a longing for her dad. She had no idea what had happened to him sense the vision she'd had a long while ago. She stretched out with her spirit, calling for him. She had no idea if it would work but she had to try. Jo suddenly stiffened against her back. She looked up at him and then something caught her eye.

A shimmering figure stood next to them. Kirana knew instinctively that it was her mother, Sienna. "Can you see her?"

Jo shook his head, no. "But I can sense her. She feels a lot like you." He sounded confused.

"I'm my mothers almost clone," Kirana said, turning back to her mom. A vision came to her then.

Jackpher sat on a chair and the bow of his ship. Still a prisoner, but no longer captive. His face looked drawn, and his hair had gray streaks. He looked thin to. He suddenly turned, as if he sensed her. "Soon you will come to me," he said, sounding as if he spoke from a great distance. "I am too old to escape myself, but for now there is no worry. Soon you will have mastered Water and then, only then, can you come for me." He smiled and continued. "You must plan carefully for this for you can not do it alone, trust Jo even for his secret. I will not tell you for it is nor my place. If you succeed in rescuing me, you will have striked a great blow to Zu Ling. Be safe my child."

The vision faded and Kirana leaned into Jo for support. Her mother's spirit waved goodbye and disappeared. Standing she turned and gave Jo a kiss. "Goodnight." She had a lot to thing about.