Bitter Work.
Some time had passed since the team managed to escape Azula and her team. Katara and Toph were finally getting along and Aang was ready to start his earthbending lessons. In a rocky canyon, the gang are sleeping. But Aang was leaping into the air excitedly.
"Today's the day! Can you believe it? After all that time searching for a teacher, I'm finally starting earthbending! And this place... i-it's perfect! Don't you think, Sokka?" Aang asked but Sokka rolls over, giving Aang an angry look "Oh, you're still sleeping, huh" Sokka moans again and rolls back over as Aang whispered "Sorry!".
"Not everyone are as excited as you are, Aang" Kasumi said as she sat up from her on sleeping bag, and Aang silently laughed.
The ground begins to shake and Aang takes a step backward. Toph's rock tent suddenly explodes, revealing Toph standing with a fist in the air "Good morning, earthbending student!".
Aang bows slightly "Good morning, sifu Toph".
Katara rouses from her sleeping bag "Hey... you never call me sifu Katara".
Aang scratches behind his head nervously "Well, if you think I should...".
Sokka sits up and grumbles angrily. Annoyed by all the sound Toph just smiles "Sorry, snoozles. We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can".
She kicks the ground and cracks travel toward Sokka. A large spire of rock shoots up underneath him. Sokka screams as he's launched into the air. He hits the ground with a thud, then gets up and bounces toward Aang and Toph, grumbling angrily before He bounces away. Kasumi shook her head, he sure was not always a morning person.
"So what move are you going to teach me first? Rockalanche?The trembler? Oh! Maybe I can learn to make a whirlpool out of land!" Aang said as he holds his arms up and spins around.
Toph slaps a hand on his chest to stop him "Let's start with "move a rock".
"Sounds good! Sounds good!" Aang said.
"Need to learn to walk before you can run, Aang" Kasumi said as she petted Aang's bald head before they got ready for his lesson
In an open part of the canyon, Aang and Toph each stand in front of a boulder. Kasumi and Katara watches from a rock outcropping nearby.
"The key to earthbending is your stance" Toph began as she lowers herself and widens the distance between her feet. Aang tries to imitate he "You've got to be steady and strong. Rock is a stubborn element" She shoves Aang, causing him to stumble to the side "If you're going to move it, you've got to be like a rock yourself".
"Like a rock. Got it" Aang said as he rubs his side where she shoved him.
Toph straightens up "Good. Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple" She lunges forward and punches, causing the boulder to shoot off into the distance, slamming into the side of the canyon "Okay, you ready to give it a try?".
Aang takes up a similar stance "I'm ready".
His eyes narrow and he punches forward, but a blast of air sends him shooting backward. He slams into Appa's side and falls on his face. Not a very good first try.
Sokka, still in his sleeping bag, was sitting on a nearby rock, looking amused "Rock beats airbender!".
"I don't understand what went wrong. He did it exactly the way you did" Katara said.
"Maybe there's another way" Aang said as he takes up a fighting stance and begins to walk toward the boulder "What if I came at the boulder from a different angle?".
"No, that's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an airbender" Toph said as she knocks her fist lightly against the side of Aang's head "There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock" She shoves Aang, making him cry out and falls down "You've got to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this!".
Toph runs forward, she jumps into the air and crashes into the rock that Aang tried to move head-first, shattering it.
Aang recoils "Whoa!".
He looks down, unsure of himself. Toph walks away, but Katara runs to catch up with her "I've been training Aang for a while now. He really responds well to a positive teaching experience. Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction".
"Thanks, Katara. A gentle nudge. I'll try that" Toph said, sounding a little eager.
"Before that, coul I ask you for a quick favor Toph?" Kasumi suddenly asked.
Toph turned to her "Only if it's really quick".
"Shouldn't take more than a minute. I want you to make me some weights" Kasumi said.
Toph blinked "Weights?".
Kasumi put some ropes in Toph's hands as she began to explain "Yes, I want you to make for smaller but still pretty heavy rocks that I can wear around my wrists and ankles. And one bigger one that I can carry on my back".
"Uhh, well sure, I think I can make something like that. But why do you want me to?" Toph asked.
"As much as I'd like to stick around and encourage Aang. I want to get some training in for myself. Since we will be staying here for a bit, I figured it would be a good time for me to get some better physical training, instead of spending our shorter breaks to meditate" Kasumi answered.
Toph shrugs "Alright, give me a minute and I will give you something that should make your muscles ache for a while".
Kasumi smiles "Thank you Toph, I'll be out of your way as soon as your are done".
Toph nods before making some training gear for Kasumi. Later that day, Kasumi was running around while wearing heavy rocks on her writs and ankles, along with a small boulder on her back, they were heavy so every step needed some effort. But Kasumi was more than ready to endure it. Ever since she began traveling with her new friends, she didn't spend to much time training herself. She meditated a lot, but training her mind was not enough, she needed to make sure she stayed in shape. Now that Azula has Ayane with her, Kasumi can not afford to allow her skills to dull. Ayane is not the type of opponent to allow mistakes.
She jumped from one large boulder to the next, before making a large leap on to a cliff. Only coming to a halt when she reached the top. She took in the view before letting out a satisfied sigh. This is what she needed, a good work out that could make her sweat a little. She would be sure to thank Toph for the weights, they worked perfectly. But now she could use a bath, so with that she began to run back.
Aang, Toph, and Katara stand in the middle of the canyon. Toph walks in front of Aang as she speaks "This time we're going to try something a little different. Instead of moving a rock, you're going to stop a roc" She walks off for a bit, then quickly lunges toward Aang, who recoils slightly "Get in your horse stance!" Aang widens his stance. Toph stands in front of Aang with a trail leading up an angled cliff behind her, with a large boulder on top of it "I'm going to roll that boulder down at you. If you have the attitude of an earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock. "Like this".
Toph lunges toward the boulder with her arms outstretched to illustrate what she means. Katara walks up to Toph and Aang "Sorry, Toph, but are you sure this is really the best way to teach Aang earthbending?".
"I'm glad you said something. Actually, there is a better way" Toph jerks off Aang's belt and blindfolds him with it "This way he'll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you, Katara!".
"Yeah, thanks Katara!" Aang said sarcastically and Katara let out a nervous laugh
Toph headed to the top of the hill with Aang staying the bottom. She shoves the rock forward and it begins to roll down the slope. Aang looks worried and afraid as it rolls toward him. Katara covers her mouth with her hands, a worried look on her face. Aang's teeth are clenched and beads of sweat flowing down his face. The boulder continues to roll down the hill toward him as he got a frantic look on his face. He then suddenly jumps over the boulder as it almost hits him.
At that moment Kasumi returned "Hey every-".
She stopped when she noticed the boulder rolling towards her. Aang and Katara looked paniced, however, Kasumi focused her chi and when the boulder was close enough she slammed her palm in to it with enough force that the boulder, along with Kasumi's training gear, shattered from the blow. Aang and Katara were relieved that Kasumi was OK. But Toph came running down the trail. She runs up to Aang, glaring at him disapprovingly.
"I guess I just panicked. I don't know what to say" Aang said in shame.
"There's nothing to say. You blew it. You had a perfect stance and perfect form but when it came right down to it you didn't have the guts" Toph said as she gives Aang a light punch to the chest that knocks him down "You just let the boulder roll towards Kasumi! And speaking of her, she is not even an earthbender, but she still stood her ground and not only stopped the boulder, she shattered it! That is real guts!".
Aang sits at her feet with his legs crossed "I know. I'm sorry".
Toph leans down, looking right into his face "Yeah, you are sorry. If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you could at least give it the pleasure of smushing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earthbender?!".
Aang looks down sadly, not meeting her gaze "No. I don't think I do".
Toph straightens up and crosses her arms as Katara walks over to comfort Aang. She puts her hands on his shoulders "Aang, it's no big deal. You'll take a break and try earthbending again when you're ready. Besides, you still have a lot of waterbending to work on, okay?".
"Yeah... that sounds good" Aang said.
"Yeah, whatever, go splash around until you feel better" Toph said before walking up to Kasumi "Nice move with the boulder. Want me to make you new weights?".
"Thank you Toph. But I am finished with my work out and need a bath. I will let you know when I need new ones" Kasumi said.
"Alright, if you say so" Toph said as she walks of.
At a pond Aang and Katara are training, while Kasumi watches from the sides, while washing herself in the water, she was wearing light clothing since of course she could not be naked with her friends nearby. A frog sits on a rock and Momo grabs it, but the frog wiggles from his grip. Momo struggles to catch it but falls face-first into the water. Aang and Katara moves around a ball of water between them.
"You know this block you're having is only temporary, right?" Katara asked.
"I don't want to talk about it" Aang said dejectedly.
Katara gives Aang a concerned look "You do know that's the problem, don't you? If you face this issue instead of avoiding it...".
"I know I know I know I know, I get it, alright!" Aang yelled out in frustration as he lets the ball of water fall back into the pond "I need to face it head-on, like a rock. But I just can't do it! I don't know why I can't, but I can't".
Kasumi stopped washing herself as she grew worried "Calm down Aang. Getting to worked up about this won't help".
"I know... sorry" Aang said.
"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" Katara asked.
"I guess it's earth" Aang answered.
"That's why it's so hard for you to get this. You're working with your natural opposite. But you'll figure it out. I know you will" Katara said but then without warning she throws reed at Aang "Think fast!" Aang looks up in surprise before causing a wave of water to shoot up and slice the reed in half. The two halves sail harmlessly by him, making Katara smile "Excellent. You have the reflexes of a waterbending master".
Aang smiles and bows to her "Thanks, Katara. Sifu Katara".
Katara smiled and bows as well. Kasumi smiled at the sight before walking up to them "You know Aang. I know a way you can get some training with me".
"Really? What kind of training?" Aang asked before he was splashed with water from Kasumi "Hey!".
Kasumi smiled "Alright, both you and Katara are a team against me. We are going to have a little water war".
"You are going to challenge two water benders to a water fight? Bold move Kasumi, let's see if you can back up that confidence" Katara said with a small smirk.
Kasumi smiled before getting ready. Both Aang and Katara bends some water at Kasumi but she dashed through the water before picking up both of them and threw them over her shoulders. Both let out a cry in surprise before Kasumi purposely fell in to the water with them. Once all of the surfaced, Kasumi held both her younger friends in a strong grip while tickling their sides, both Aang and Katara laughed loudly until Kasumi let up. After that, all three of them enjoyed a good laugh together. After today, they needed it.
It was getting close to sun set and Sokka hadn't returned from his hunt. Katara was worried about her brother's safety, so everyone decided to go look for him. Kasumi tried to see if she could spot him from the distance but after a while of looking she decided he was not in this area. She started heading back until she heard sounds in the distance. She hurried over there and saw that Sokka was trapped up to his shoulders in the ground... and Aang was facing a creature that looked like a cross between an Moose and a Saber tooth tiger. Kasumi was about to jump in and help until someone grabbed her arm.
"Wait" Kasumi turned and saw Toph "This is the moment. If Twinkletoes has the guts, that beast will not even touch him".
Kasumi was hesitant, but decided to go a long with Toph's plan. She hoped Aang was ready for this.
The mooselion roars, and then begins to charge. Sokka cries out as the mooselion was getting closer. Aang airbends the stampeding creature over his head, and it barely passes over Sokka's head before hitting the ground and spinning around. The mooselion roars loudly and Sokka looks up at Aang with a scared look on his face.
"This is really bad! Please, Aang! You have to earthbend me out, there's no other way!" Sokka shouted.
Aang stomps down, does an uppercut move, and then aims both hands toward the sky, but Sokka doesn't budge. Aang gives him a nervous grin and then turns back to the mooselion. It scrapes its paw against the ground and prepares to charge again.)
"Oh no!" Aang leaps up on a rock outcropping away from Sokka. He cups his hands around his mouth and begins to shout at the mooselion "Whoo-hoo! Look at me!"
He begins to dance and flail about, trying to get the mooselion's attention. The mooselion, however, turns its attention back to Sokka and begins to charge. Aang leaps off the rock and shoots a gust of air at the mooselion that blows it away from Sokka. It lands and spins around again.
Sokka looked terrified "lease don't leave me again".
Aang looked determined "I won't".
The mooselion charges toward Aang. He waits for it, taking up a stance and preparing to use his airbending on it. The angry animal nears him and he shoves his hands forward, blowing the mooselion backwards with a strong gust of air. The mooselion hits the ground, glances at Aang, and then walks off into the bushes. It had finally decided that continuing the battle simply wasn't worth the trouble. When the dust clears, Aang is still standing in his stance. Toph begins to clap slowly. Aang turns to her.
"What are you doing here?" Sokka demanded.
"Just enjoying the show" Toph said.
"What? You two were there the whole time?" Aang asked.
"Pretty much" Toph said simply.
Aang points at Toph accusingly "Why didn't you do something? Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could've gotten him out and helped us get away! And Kasumi could've defeated the Mooselion if she wanted too".
Toph was unaffected by the accusations "I guess it just didn't occur to me".
She tosses down a nut and then pulls out Aangs staff to crack it. As she brings it down to strike the nut, Aang catches it "Enough! I want my staff back!".
He takes the staff from Toph. She stands up and jumps off the rock, standing in front of Aang "Do it now".
Aang was still angry "What?".
"Earthbend, twinkletoes. You just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff" Toph said.
Aang looked hesitant "But..."
"DO IT!" Toph shouted. Aang glances at her with confusion, then stomps down and shoves his fist forward, causing a large rock to shoot off and crash into a ridge "You did it! You're an earthbender".
Aang smiled happily "I can't believe it!".
"This is why we didn't interfere, Aang. There is no way we would've stood on the side and done nothing unless we truly believed that you could do it. Toph knew if we jumped in, you wouldn't have learned anything. You needed to learn how to handle a situation like this without our help. And you did it. You stood your ground against a dangerous animal, but instead of trying to get away from it, you faced it head on and won. This is the push you needed to get past the wall" Kasumi said.
Aang smiles "That does make sense. Thank you for believing in me".
"Aww, this is really a wonderful, touching moment. So, could you get me out of her so I can give you both a big, snuggly hug?" Sokka asked weakly, he really wanted out now.
"No problem, Sokka!" Aang begins to march eagerly toward where Sokka is trapped, but Toph holds out a hand to stop him.
"Actually, you should probably let me do that. You're still a little new to this. You might accidentally crush him" Toph said.
Sokka smiles "Yeah, no crushing, please".
Toph walks up to Sokka and lifts her left foot, then stomps down. Sokka pops out of the hole and Toph grabs his hair, dragging him out as she walks away. Kasumi chuckled before lifting Sokka on to her back.
"Come on, let's go back to Katara. She was worried sick" She said as she, Sokka and Aang followed Toph.
Once they got back Katara runs toward them "You found him!".
She runs up to Sokka and gives him a hug. He hugs back before he speaks "The whole time that I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important. I realized...".
Aang cutt Sokka off "Hey, Katara, look what I can do!".
Katara's gaze turns to Aang as he shoves his arms forward, causing a large rock formation to break in half "You did it! I knew you would!" She glances at Toph "You tried the positive reinforcement, didn't you?".
"Yep. It worked wonders" Toph said.
Kasumi chuckled "Gentle as a small mooselion".
Appa roars and Aang runs up to him "Appa! Appa! I can earthbend now! The key is being completely rooted! Physically and mentally unmovable!".
Appa licks Aang and he flies forward onto his face. Sokka begins to laugh and Aang joins him. Kasumi laughed too. Aang was getting closer and closer to becoming the true protector of the world by the day.
It was only a matter of time now before he was ready to embrace his destiny.
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Hello there... been a while... sorry for the long hiatus, I just couldn't think of anything to write for this story. I hope, the wait for the next chapter will not be as long this time.
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Tell me what you think.
