Here I go again. At least this last minute update is a rather easy and pointless one. At least insofar as my own story is concerned. To that end, let's get this under way.
After leaving the Northern Air Temple, Appa continued farther north. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before they ran out of land to camp on completely. Worse yet, it was getting devilishly cold. Two days of being forced to camp on icebergs and they still couldn't find anything that resembled any kind of Northern Water Tribe. It was clear that Appa was starting to get tired and the entire group was on edge.
Leave aside that they were all sleep deprived, Tom hated the cold as it was. And they were headed to the Arctic Circle! He did his best to keep his temper in check, but he was still irritable. And for all the times Tom had seen the show, getting ambushed by waterbenders among the bergs was just as startling. Appa was flying low enough to get frozen to the water's surface as several boats filled with waterbenders encircled the group. At least they had a guide now.
After Aang mentioned that he was the Avatar come to train with a waterbending master, the waterbenders melted the ice and offered to lead the way. It was a rather short trip thankfully and within two hours, they finally laid eyes on the magnificent wall of the Northern Water Tribe. It was as spectacular as any of the other sights Tom had seen on his crazy journey. The wall of snow and ice glistened in the setting sun and cast dancing shadows over the Water Tribe insignia embedded in the wall. The whole city was a bustling metropolis akin to Omashu. For being made of ice and glorified tents, the city was impressive. And its population reflected that. There were dozens of crisscrossing waterways that reminded Tom of his trip to Venice when he was younger. They and the walkways were alive with people working together in peace. It was if the Water Tribe had been untouched by the war. And why would it be? A one city, resourceless, isolationist nation sitting on the single least strategic location on the planet? Why would the Fire Nation care about the silly little Water Tribe? Well, that was now about to change with the Avatar there. Speaking of Aang, his arrival seemed to warrant a holiday for the Northern Water Tribe. To be fair, they happened to arrive on the birthday of a princess, so there was already a feast planned. Princess Yue, the Northern Tribe Chief's daughter had turned sixteen that day.
And as the Tribe celebrated that, and the arrival of members of their sister tribe, and the arrival of the Avatar, the undisputed master of waterbending in the North; Master Paku, preformed with his students. Tom had not been looking forward to meeting this sexist douchebag in person. But who knew? Tom had been surprised by this crazy adventure before. Maybe he wasn't so bad.
After Tom and Aang finished eating, Aang suggested they meet his and Katara's new teacher. Tom, not having any interest in watching Sokka choke literally and metaphorically while trying to impress Yue, decided for. The Northern Tribe Chief introduced Aang to Paku after he and his students had finished their routine.
"Just because you're the Avatar, don't expect any special treatment," Paku said harshly. Tom pitched the bridge of his nose. Of course Paku was as bad as Tom remembered!
"Uhh, my friend and I can't wait to train with you," Aang returned cheerily, ignoring Paku's harshness. "After we relax a couple of days…"
"If you want to relax, I suggest visiting a tropical island," Paku droned humorlessly, "If not, I'll see you at sunrise." With that he unceremoniously walked away. At least the Chief seemed apologetic about his lack of tact.
Aang turned around to see Tom, clearly in a sour mood. "What's wrong?"
"Oh god, he's just as bad as I thought. I apologize in advance."
The next day, Aang and Katara arrived for their first waterbending lesson. And of course, Paku uttered the words Tom was waiting for; "In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending."
"Why?" Tom called, heading up the stairs himself. The word wasn't a question, so much as a challenge.
"You're that firebender friend of the Avatar, right?" Paku asked rhetorically, "I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"Then enlighten me!" This was usually the point where Katara would be trying to shut Tom up, but for once, they were of the same mind on the matter. "As a matter of fact, why doesn't every waterbender learn fighting and healing? Or are there not that many benders around here as talented as Katara?"
"How dare you! And to answer your question, it's tradition!"
"It's idiocy!"
"I agree!" Katara chimed in, "And there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe! What about them?"
"Here the women learn to use their waterbending to heal," Paku explained. "I'm sure Yugota would be happy to take you as her student. Despite your bad attitude!"
"I don't want to heal, I want to fight!" Katara shot back.
"I can see that. But our tribe has customs. Rules!"
"Well, your rules stink!"
"Yeah!" Aang added his voice to the discontent, "If you don't teach Katara, then…"
"Then what?" Paku challenged.
"Then I'll break you in half." Paku turned a death glare on Tom, but he didn't even notice it. "This isn't about your moronic, sexist, backward culture. This is the fate of the world. Real human lives that you should be weighing against your abstract 'tradition'."
"If she were the Avatar, I'd agree with you. But she's not!" Paku said dismissively, "She's a member of the Water Tribe!"
"She's a member of the Southern Water Tribe, so your argument is invalid. And besides, like I said," Tom sunk into a loose fighting stance, "I'm not giving you a choice in the matter…!"
"I will not be baited into a petty brawl with some barbarian firebender!" Paku scoffed, "Even if he does have the good sense to fight for what he thinks is right."
"You're bald."
"That's it!" Paku summoned a small tidal wave from the ice they were all standing on and sent it rushing at Tom. Paku smiled when the wave had gotten too close to dodge, "Take that, you little smart mou-!" He stopped when the wave flashed to steam where it should have hit Tom.
"Better to be a smart mouth than a dumbass," he said cockily. "And how do you like my Pressure Burrier? It makes me nigh invulnerable to waterbending. Still want to go a round?"
"I'll wipe that smug little grin of your face, you little brat…!" Tom closed with Paku around ice shards that started to melt just by nearing their target. Still, Tom had the good sense to dodge Paku's attacks and not overestimate his Pressure Burrier. Taking that first hit was just for show. In close range Tom found no advantage. Paku, even leaving the waterbending aside, was a skilled martial arts master. The traded blows for a bit, but Paku could do little but dodge against Tom's burrier. The world was lost to the two as they fought there desperately petty battle until Katara's shouts broke through. The stood still just long enough to shift the ice beneath them and separate them.
"I'm not going to jeopardize Aang's training and the world just because you're being petty!" Katara shot at Paku in both an act of defiance and admission of defeat.
"Well, it's good to see you come to your senses," Paku said so smugly it was hard for Tom to hold back from cheapshoting him, "But your friend still needs to learn a little respect."
"Oh, please," Tom returned, "I'm not even close to finished with the sexist pig yet."
"Excuse me?!"
"Yes you are, Tom! Let's go," Katara all but ordered. Tom stayed squared off with Paku for a few seconds. "Tom!" she called again and he finally acquiesced. Tom was disappointed that he couldn't finish knocking some sense into Paku. Bet he took solace in the fact that this wasn't over. And while that may have been Katara's battle, who knew, maybe Tom could tag in for round two?
It's rather hard doing a piece that's supposed to be focused on another character with the format I've fallen into, but I think this works. I'd like to think that I did a good job of staying true to Katara's character in the end scene there. I thought about having Katara appeal to Tom's logical side, saying in the end that if Tom had won the fight (which was no guarantee anyway) that it might result in Paku getting injured and unable to teach either of them. But this is more natural I think. If you can hear that implication in her tone when you read her lines in your head, then I'm doing it right.