Aang ducked in the nick of time as Azula blasted a stream of fire at him. He pushed his hands forward blowing the princess backwards into the wall then ran towards her. Azula aimed her fire at Aang's feet making him stumble forward and nearly crash into her. He blew at the ground to flip himself over so he could land on his feet. Before the two could continue their spar someone called Aang's name. The air nomad looked back to see Tadashi standing on the steps.

"It's time to go already?" Aang asked.

"You have training to do."

Aang frowned in disappointment. "Okay, see you later Zuko and Azula."

He ran to catch up with Tadashi who was already leaving. Tadashi led Aang to Afiko who was waiting impatiently for them to arrive.

"Oh great, you again?" Aang mumbled.

"Show some respect little boy," Afiko snapped. "We have to continue your training."

Afiko drilled Aang on the basics of the deadly versions of airbending such as the air slice, hurricane, and tornado.

"Impressive for a beginner."

"Can I go now," Aang asked.

"Not yet, you still have other techniques to master."

Aang hung his head in disappointment. This was going to be a long day. By the time he was done with his training the day was almost over. Aang had at least seven airbending tiers mastered but he still needed thirty six before he could master the element. He followed Tadashi to their house completely exhausted from training all day. He exchanged his regular clothes for pajamas and collapsed on the bed.

Tadashi came in the room and pulled the covers over him. He walked out the room closing the door behind him.

The next day Aang was busy practicing the tiers he was taught. Tadashi came outside to see him mercilessly tearing up a tree. His eyes grew wide for a second in shock then returned to their normal size. He approached Aang who had his back turned towards him.

"How about we get you a sparring partner instead?" Tadashi asked.

"I'm just practicing so I can master airbending," Aang replied.

"Looks like you've already mastered the tiers that were taught to you."

Aang didn't respond instead he punched at the air, slicing as many tree branches as he could. Tadashi grabbed his arms and firmly placed them at his sides.

"I don't think this tree can handle many hits. The branches are already cut off. And I don't think our servants would want to clean up after us."

Aang released himself from Tadashi's grip. "Fine."

"Why don't you go play with Zuko?"

"The firelord said that they were in school."

"I'm pretty sure you can play with other kids your age."

"You never really took me outside the palace walls Tadashi. And I don't remember seeing anyone my age around the palace. And Zuko and Azula don't count since they're my brother and sister." Aang turned away from Tadashi. "Why am I the only one who has to train constantly when no one else does?"

Tadashi knelt down so he was at Aang's level. "How about this? Everyday when the clock strikes two I'll let you go outside so you can make some new friends since that's usually when school ends."

Aang's once gloomy eyes brightened. "Really?"

"But you have to promise me that you will be responsible enough to come back home before it gets dark. And you can only use one element."

Aang threw his arms around Tadashi's neck. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Before the firebender could respond Aang had already zipped away.

Afiko looked at the blur that passed through the kitchen and slammed the door. "Did you think about sending him out there with no one looking after him?"

"He's just going off to play. We have to at least give him some sort of freedom to be a normal boy."

"How can we play when the war just begun? The avatar should be training in airbending."

"He'll be training from seven forty to one o'clock in every element he's going to learn so he can be a normal boy."

"But who's going to be looking after him?"

"He's gonna play with some kids his age. Heck, I bet he'll go to the palace to play with Zuko." Before Afiko could say anything he continued. "Do you want the boy to be overwhelmed to the point where he'll rebell and run away? Because Aang is already starting to show resentment towards you."

"Did you completely forget the reason why we need him to be vicious?"

Tadashi shook his head and rolled his eyes. "So he won't goof around and can help end the war when he gets older. The problem is that he's still a kid. We need to give him some freedom to balance the training."

"I'll give it a rest for now but mark my words you'll regret coddling that airbender in the long run."

"He's a child Afiko."

"An avatar child you mean."

"So that's how you see it? You just see the avatar? Not a child that's going to have his childhood ending in six years?"

"He still needs to train Tadashi. This is just like when you were in school. Now if you're not going to do your part then I'll take the reigns and train him until he masters the elements."

Afiko pushed past him to retrieve the nomad from his play time. He walked outside to see Aang making a fire ball and smiling at his new friends.

"Check this out!" Aang laughed. He threw the fire ball in the sky and it broke apart into multiple fire balls which descended to the ground. "You might wanna stand back."

The kids obeyed and watched in awe as the fire blasts hit the ground. Afiko blew the fire out with his breath before the fire could start. He went over to the air nomad who looked at him with annoyance.

"Come now," Afiko said.

Aang bit his tongue as he followed Afiko back to the house.

"Is he coming back?" one kid whispered.

"I hope so," another whispered back.

Aang glared at Afiko. "Why can't I play?"

"You need to focus on training."

"So what else do I need to learn?" Aang snapped.

Afiko flashed Aang a warning glance. "Watch your mouth little boy."

"Why is it that everyone else get to play and learn while I do nothing but train every single day?"

Aang glared defiantly at Afiko undeterred by the glare he was recieving back.

"Aang, come here please," Tadashi's voice sounded.

Aang walked over to his father who put a hand on his shoulders and knelt down to his level.

"I understand your frustration but think about it this way: you have to finish your training in airbending right?"

Aang nodded in response.

"Then you have to surpass Afiko if you want to get out of his class faster."

"That'll probably take forever."

"You've already mastered the tiers that were taught to you so the rest of your training should be a cakewalk."

Fire leaked out of Aang's mouth as he gritted his teeth in anger. "Fine, let's just get this over with."

He led the way to Afiko's place and grabbed his staff. Aang walked passed the two men then turned around to face them.

"I'm waiting master," Aang snapped.

Afiko twirled while gathering up as much air as he could and thrust his hand to a cart destroying it in the process. Aang repeated his actions with more force which destroyed a building.

"Well that's coming out of our paychecks," Tadashi remarked.

Aang's patience was thinning. "What else do you got?"

"Let's try eroding," Afiko said.

Impatient for a demonstration Aang pushed his hands forward sending out a gust of wind that demolished a rock into pebbles.

"Nice work Aang. I believe we won't have to go over the basics with you."

"Can I go play now?"

"Yes you may."

After Aang departed from earshot Tadashi turned to the air nomad. "So that's all he has to do?"

"Yeah, he just has a couple more lethal moves then he'll be certified as an airbending master."

"We might as well get a waterbender while we're at the end of his training."

"I'll fetch her when he masters the lethal moves."

"Or we can wait until he turns eight."

"Fine but he still needs to practice even though he mastered it."

"Well that's one thing we can agree on." Tadashi jerked a bit once he replayed what Afiko said. "What lethal moves?"

"Taking the breath out of someone's lungs or forcing air down their lungs. We should try it on an animal because if he tries it on us then that'll make us afraid of him and turn our backs against him."

"That makes sense."

"After he masters the two fatal moves I'll be replaced by a waterbender. So you won't be seeing me around that much."

"Thank agni."

Afiko pointed a finger at him threateningly. "Watch it Tadashi."

Tadashi made his way to the camps. "Come on, we might as well go to the cells and retrieve him or her so the process will be sped up."