I cannot apologize enough for the delay. I have no excuse, I've just way too scatterbrained for my own liking. There is good news, which I will recite at the end.

As a reminder, I do not own Avatar.

Enjoy!

"Remember. Fluidity and smoothness. That's what you should be feeling while you bend water. Any luck?"

Zuko was feeling something. But he wasn't sure if he would call it smooth. Or fluid. The feeling more akin to having a baby serpent in your hands and trying to prevent it from escaping into the sea. A fitting comparison, since Zuko was trying to keep a ball of condensed water in the air. Zuko's goal was to keep it as solid and compressed as possible, without letting any of the water fall off.

Several drops were falling off of the ball, so Zuko wasn't doing so well. Especially with how scrunched his face was as he tried to keep it together.

"It looks like you're struggling," Huu noted.

"You think?"

"Let it go. Give me a second to think of something else to try."

Just as Zuko let go of the water ball, he felt cold and anxiety-inducing energy appear from behind him.

"Are you making progress, Vessel?"

Zuko sighed as he realized that he had another problem to deal with alongside trying to figure out waterbending.

"I understand how to do it Vaatu. That's different from actually doing it."

"A brilliant observation. Have you ever considered the life of a scholar?" Vaatu's sarcasm was not helping with Zuko's frustration. "Honestly vessel, you've learned to make water move and stay in one shape. All within two days. That's more than a firebender like yourself should be able to."

"He's not wrong," Huu agreed. "I don't know how that Uncle of yours helped but he did a good job. You don't have to try and rush through the training."

"Yes I do," Zuko argued back. "Right now, the only chance that the world had of seeing this war end without the Fire nation destroying the world and itself is... me. I don't like that idea of it being me, but if I can learn all four elements, I can stop the Fire Lord."

"Actually, I think you mean master all four elements," Huu pointed out. "You're still learning earthbending from that friend of yours. And your uncle and dragon are still helping you with fire. Waterbendign is an element that will take you more time to learn, given that you are naturally opposed to it. So rushing won't do you too much good."

"So what? Are you saying I should stop trying so hard?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that you should stop pushing yourself too hard. It's not healthy. And it's not helpful."

"Not helpful? How is pushing myself not helpful?"

"Kid, I'm starting to think you have selective hearing."

"He does. One ear is bad, and the other one only hears criticisms, confusing wisdom, and bad jokes."

Zuko frowned at Vaatu.

"My point is..." Huu bought the attention back to himself. "You need to stop treating every lesson and training session as the end of the world. Otherwise, you might not actually make it to the end of the world."

Zuko sighed. "That's... not going to be easy."

"I kinda figured that. Why don't we...?"

Huu's voice trailed off as he started staring at Vaatu. More specifically, at the way that Vaatu was floating in the air.

"Huu?"

"Boy, take a look at your spirit floating there. What do you see?"

"An annoying, ever-present kite."

"Aside from that. Do you see the way he's moving?"

"Am I being admired for my appearance? This is months late, but I am very flattered."

Ignoring the spirit's vanity, Zuko did as his instructor had asked of him. But all he saw was Vaatu floating in the sky above them.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"You don't see it? Alright, try this. Imagine that spirit as a fish, and imagine that the sky is an ocean."

"Huh?"

"Was I just compared to seafood? Do I need to educate someone?"

"Trust me. This might help you."

Frowning, Zuko took another look. How was imaging Vaatu as a fish supposed to...?

"He does almost look like a fish," Zuko realized. The way Vaatu's body seemingly danced in the air made him look like single octo-eel jigging in the water.

"Now try doing that with water?"

"What?" Zuko inquired from Huu.

"Take a small amount of water, and try to replicate what your spirit is doing."

"My name is Vaatu. How can you expect to follow my path in life if you cannot remember my proper name?"

Biting back a comment about how no one should willingly follow Vaatu, Zuko decided to do as his teacher asked. He took a breath before he bent a chunk of water into a ball and pulled it out of the swamp.

Waterbending movements were very different from earth and fire movements. Both of those styles had demanded strong and dynamic movements that had a place in a fight. But waterbending was not like that. It was easier to see waterbending as a sort of everyday style, one people used regularly. The movements were subtle, smooth, and much more relaxed than Zuko was used to. A little slower too, but that might just be Zuko being a beginner.

With these thoughts in mind, Zuko began to move the water, shaping it like a loose serpent. He then followed a lead that Huu set out for him, slowly spinning his body and having the water float around in the air.

"Looks to me that you're better at having things in motion rather than keeping them still. I'll try to put that in your training."

"I think I would appreciate it," Zuko agreed, still somewhat enjoying the way the water was moving to his commands.

"As would I. Now..."

Vaatu suddenly floated and faced Huu directly. "Now as for you, waterbending swamp master. Would you be so kind as to help me set up a meeting?"

Zuko was suddenly not so joyful. "Ugh."

Vaatu still wanted to try out the cult thing. This was not going to be an easy thing for Zuko to deal with.

Gyatso knew that it would be a difficult day once he heard a series of girlish giggles outside his room. The giggles were gone shortly, but they were followed by a single frustrated huff of air. Sighing, Gyatso stood up from his meditation. It seemed that he was going to have to be an adult again.

Opening the door, the first thing he noticed was Katara sitting on the stairs. She certainly seemed angry, with her lowered brows, pouted face, and holding her knees in her hands.

"My first adolescent problem of the day. Joy," Gyatso thought as he sat beside the girl.

"I will cut past the pleasantries today Katara. What is it that's bothering you?"

"It's Aang. I don't really know what I was expecting when we left the South Pole. But seeing him get stuck in the attention of all those girls is something I wish he would get over."

Oh. Aang was letting his status get to his head. In hindsight, he should have expected that. Aang was a person who may not deal well with expectations and responsibilities, but games and positive attention were something he excelled with.

"I will speak to him. By the way, have you seen his bison?"

"Appa? He took him with him. A lot of the girls want rides."

Gyatso took a breath to steady himself. He wasn't a man known for having a temper, but he did have his limits. And Aang, whether intentionally or not, had crossed a rather sacred line.

"Wait right here Katara. I will bring him back."

Gyatso calmly walked outside the temporary residence and into the village. After asking for directions to where the Fanclub was, he learned where Aang had been taken.

On the way, he stopped by the Kyoshi Warriors' dojo. He saw Soka wearing a dress, and decided not to question it. If that was how Sokka would be humbled, so be it.

When he found him, Gyatso could only feel disappointment.

Aang was sitting on his bison. An animal companion that had chosen to stand by for the rest of his life. And Aang was allowing a bunch of giggling girls to be a burden on the young animal just for attention. And he expected the bison to stay still long enough for a painter to make their portrait.

This could not stand.

"Aang."

The young boy's eyes shut up like a caught lizard-eel. They widened greater in fear when he saw who was speaking.

"Monk Gyatso. I didn't know you were coming. These girls asked if I wanted to be in a painting with them. And one of them asked to see Appa, and..."

The boy's nervous explanation was cut off when Gyatso simply lifted his hand.

"Aang. Enough. Coem here right now. And get those girls off of your bison. They are hurting him."

The girls took offense to that.

"Are you calling us heavy?"

'We're just having fun, old man."

"I went on a diet last week. It isn't working?"

'I mean no offense," Gyatso said sagely. "But Aang is the Avatar. His duty lies beyond standing for portraits. And we have a matter to discuss."

Turning around, Gyatso made it no secret what he expected Aang to do. And Aang knew better than to disobey. So he called Appa to him and they both walked behind the experienced Airbender.

They didn't stop until they were at the foot of their temporary home.

"Monk Gyatso, I can..."

"Aang. I am quite disappointed in you."

That simple statement tore through any feeble excuse Aang had considered making.

"What? Why?"

"The simple reason is that you are clearly not taking your new responsibilities seriously."

Gyatso silenced Aang with his hand before the boy could counter.

"I understand that this is something that you never asked for. I know that none of us were prepared for what happened. But we cannot change reality."

"Monk Gyatso?"

"Aang, what I said back there is true. You are the Avatar, and we cannot- I cannot afford to be lenient with you any longer."

"But-"

"Aang, you are the last hope that this world has. Once you learn to master all four elements, only you will be able to stop the Fire Lord and end the war."

This was the first time Aang had heard Monk Gyatso make these claims. It was one thing to hear people in the South Pole Temple whisper it to themselves. It was one thing to have the thoughts at the back of your head.

It was another thing altogether to have to realize that it was the truth. Especially from his own master.

"I wish this wasn't the case Aang. I really do," Gyatso said with a sorrowful voice. "I would have been more than glad to simply raise you at the cold temple. To see you grow into a true airbending master. But life, like the wind, does not always respond to our wishes."

Aang, despite himself, could feel his face quivering. His eyes were also starting to sting.

"So I... I can't..."

"Aang, please don't misunderstand. I am not saying you can't have fun or enjoy life anymore. That would be inhumane of me to ask of an airbender."

"But I thought I shouldn't be distracted?"

"You shouldn't be. But a healthy amount of joy to balance responsibilities is necessary to achieve spiritual harmony. What I am saying is that you should learn when to have fun, and when to take things seriously."

Gyatso looked at Appa. The young bison was standing right next to Aang. And he was still shaking his back.

"Take right now as an example. Have you noticed that having all those girls on top of Appa hurt his back?"

Eyes wide, Aang turned to his bison. A bison that was now trying to hide the fact that its back was sore. Aang immediately wrapped himself around Appa's neck.

"Oh no. I'm sorry buddy. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just... I thought would be fun to have a portrait."

"I know you didn't Aang, and I'm sure he does as well," Gyatso assured as he gently rubbed the bison's head. "But this is why you need to be more mindful. Having fun is fine, but you need to know a limit. And to keep your responsibilities in mind."

The younger monk nodded. "I understand Monk Gyatso. I'll try to do better from now on."

"Good. Now, wait here. I am going to get Katara, and then we are going to this island's waterfall."

Aang frowned. "The waterfall? Why are we going there? And why is Katara coming? Not that I'm complaining about that, I'm just wondering."

"I didn't think you were complaining," Gyatso said with a knowing smile. "To answer your question, Katara is coming with us in order for me to complete a promise to her. She wishes to know how to fight with her waterbending. I think having all three of us together will help her on her path."

"But you and me are airbenders, Monk Gyatso. How are we going to help her with waterbending? I don't even know how to do that yet."

"Patience Aang. Don't worry. Once we make it to the waterfall, you will see how this will work."

This is where I will be stopping for now. Zuko is finally making some headway with waterbending. Now we just need to see if he can make any headway when it comes to Vaatu.

As for Aang, he won't be making as many mistakes as he made in canon. Since he actually has an adult to look after him and keep him under control (mostly), he won't be able to get away with as many shenanigans as he normally would.

Also, I mentioned good news at the start, so I should probably get it out. I am starting the next chapter right now, as I am writing this one. I'm hoping, hoping, to have it done by next week. Hopefully, that will help me get back into the groove I had last summer, where I was writing one chapter a week. Good times.

There is also a reason this chapter is shorter than usual. It will be a setup for what comes in the next one. I won't say what it is, only that I'm looking forward to it.

Anyway, please leave reviews, tell me what you think, and I will see you all next time.

Bye!