Chapter 5: spreading one´s wings

"Welcome in the United Republic Miss Adachi." The officials voice still rang in Sokka´s head. She looked at the small card, made of grayish carton. That was her most prized possession, from now on, and it was the most expensive piece of carton she ever bought. Well, her father had bought it. What was going on in the old man's head, she had expected him to plead her to stay, or at least to ramble and give her thousands of unnecessary advices… He seemed unreadable and was chewing on a kebap like there was no care in the world. All the busy chatting and rushing of the people was rather irritating – why could they not take their time to do things? The people in Lau An also had to work. They had to work hard for their living, but nevertheless they weren´t hectic like this! Also Sokka noticed the stares of the young girls, the slightly superior smirks she would have loved to beat out of their faces. It had to be really obvious that she was some dumb country chick, a feeling the young woman loathed. Different from Lau An nobody paid attention to her haircut, which she had thought of as rather provocative, here many girls had short hair – even if it was not as short as hers.

And the clothes the young women wore looked really different. Sokka herself wore a deep red top and wide, black pants that were typical in the firenation. There was no need for jackets, or robes but a lot of people in republic wore these despite the hot weather. Everywhere traders and merchants tried to sell their wares, which were of a diversity Sokka had never seen before. Exotic spices and dishes flavoured the air and the young woman would have loved to taste them all. Her eyes were sparkling as she eyed the firebenders, who displayed their art, eating flames and creating burning animals that danced through the air. While the young woman was bouncy and took a closer look at almost everything that surrounded she was followed by her father, who was searching a flat to rent. The old man stayed so cool it was almost unbelievable, it seemed he did not even notice that the stalls were there. She had never believed her mother that her caring father, Lee Bei Gao, had been a shirshu in his youth, but it seemed that Sokka did not know all sides of her father. Actually she was far from eager to explore this city without him at her side. She felt like she needed somebody who knew what was going on here, because she did not! But that was out of question, she had said she would walk her own path in Republic City and she would! How embarrassing would it be to go back to daddy like a little child!

No, Sokka Adachi would NOT do such a thing, for a short moment her face looked serious and determined, until she detected an miniature steam train that was huffing though an artistic looking spice stall. The small white clouds looked rather cute, as did the whole train, which would fit into her hands easily. "Look at that dad – its beautiful." She exclaimed in a childlike glee, which led to her blushing – yes, she totally behaved like a countrybumpkin. Her father smirked and responded dryly "Yes, that´s a miniature train." That was all, he did not even properly look at it! Sokka turned her head just to see her father studying a board on which many hand written postings were located. There were the profiles of wanted criminals, notes that sold used furniture, steamcarparts – there was even a small placate that advertised a nail salon, whatever that was! And there also were flats written out, as Sokka looked at the prices her heart almost stopped. It was so expensive – in Lau An you would have been able to rent a whole inn for that amount of money, and the flat that was advertised there yust had a kitchen, and a bedroom. You even had to share the bathroom with three of your neighbors, and there stood nothing about free coal! Sokka was shocked, how should she earn enough money to pay for such a flat, she really had to hit it big, for if she didn´t she would stay on the streets. Interestingly there also were a lot of job advertisements. While her father ripped off some slices of paper from some postings Sokka started reading:

Hands wanted; you work hard, you are not afraid to dirty your hands, start your career at future industries electronics.

We need you in our production lines. With our special employee training programs, the way into leading positions is a child's play, we pay twice the minimum wage (243 yuan per month)

Join us for a brighter Future, visit our recruitment office in Avatar Street 21-34

That surely was reassuring, even with a shitty job in a production line you could rent a small flat and had enough money to pay your food. Of course there were no fancy new clothes, or visiting restaurants, but being a worker simply meant staying at the bottom of the food chain. I´ll definitely start with 400; Sokka promised herself, even if she was not sure what kind of job she would be doing for starters. "So, you´re done reading kid, I´m going to check some flats out." Her father responded. "I guess I also found a job – this noodle cart could be a gold mine." He smirked looking at least twenty years younger than he was. It was a shame her father stayed a single man, Sokka would have felt much less guilty to move out if he had a girlfriend – or even a wife! Spirits her mother was death for thirteen years, and Lee Bei Gao was a man in his golden years - as the people said! And if she was being objective she had to admit that the years had been very generous to her father, who did not look like fifty at all.

"A noodle cart dad? I mean, your noodles are awesome but – aren´t there already tons of noodle carts in this city?" she asked disturbed and pointed at a cart that sold dumplings. Sure he could feed himself with a noodle cart, but he had to think about a time when he could not work anymore…yes absolutely no pressure on my shoulders, the young woman added in her head. She still was thinking about how to get into the combat sport. Sure, she just could go and challenge a dojo, but nevertheless that was no guarantee that she would be brought into some events. Damn, she just had no idea where to meet the right people! So she should join a big dojo and open her ears, but in the meanwhile she somehow had to stuff her mouth and pay the tuition too whatever Sifu she chose! She simply took one of the slices from the future industries production line. The shifts should not be more than nine to ten hours, so she would be able to attend a dojo somehow, at least she hoped that. "I´ve got a special plan kiddo..To be precise I´ll feed myself on golden badges, because I know perfectly well what they eat!" her father responded smiling. Sokka herself had her doubts about that, but her dad would do what he wanted anyways.

"Well, then let´s look at these flats." He sighed. "I guess they´ll all be rubbish but the money sits tight." He responded. "Well, you at least have SOME money dad." Sokka responded biting her lips instantly. She was rather sure that her father would give her some money before she left, just as he always had done when she went to the fire festival, or other celebrations back home. The older man smirked. "I suppose fourhundred and two yuan are some money Sokka...Actually I wanted to make it more dramatic." He feigned a crushed mimic. Sokka had to laugh at that. She hugged her father tightly and inhaled the scent that had made her feel at home as long as she was able to think. "You know that´s really not necessary dad, I thought you need this noodle cart." She mumbled releasing him. He ruffled her hair, which made her snort. She was no little child any more, when in all heavens would he stop ruffling her hair! "Of course I have already subtracted my flat and the noodle cart Sokka – it´s always good to have some money nobody knows about." He stated in a sing song voice.

She could not stop wondering, since they had left home behind her father seemed happier than before. When he thought himself unobserved, he never stared into nothingness sighing. Also he seemed full of energy and motivation. Maybe moving on was something Lee Bei Gao had to do literally. She was sure she would not ask him, Sokka was not that brave. They were leaving the commerce area of Republic city and entered a thing Sokka could just describe as bad neighborhood. Obscene comments like "die Avatar whore – revenge for Amon" , "Down with the Council", "All HAIL THE PHOENIXKING" or "Akizuki Jun is a motherfucker" were adorning the walls everywhere. Also the streets were full of garbage, and what was even more descriptive, the display windows of the lone shops were reinforced with iron bars, almost every door had more than one lock – Sokka decided never to lease the house without some kind of weapon on her.

Nevertheless, there weren´t much homeless or unemployed people to be seen on the streets. Just a few teenagers that were smoking something out of cheap looking clay pipes and eyed them warily. Her father spit on the floor. "Mooneaters kid, if you see a group of these guys take yer legs and run – that´s the craziest scum on earth." He muttered under his breath. Sokka knew how her father loathed any drugs, even if she smoked more than one pipe a day he would bash out some snarky remarks, most likely that was because he grew up in Shangyang of all places. "I´ll keep that in mind, but do you really want to rent a flat here?" she asked her father. "I don´t want to, but these flats here are the only ones cheap enough that I can rent two of them – which is necessary for making the sauces and fonds." He lectured her. That made sense, even though Sokka would never have thought about it. Than he entered a house, the staircase was rather damp and filled with dumpsters. Her father hurried upstairs and forcefully knocked onto a door. It took a while until a small sight window was opened in the heavy looking door.

"Whaddaya want." A man with a hoarse voice grunted. "I´m interested in yer shitty flats man." Her father responded. He was standing different, cocky - it was something new to Sokka. "You have cash?" the man responded, Lee Bei Gao just weighed his heavy pouch in his hands. Suddenly there was the sliding and clanking of metal parts. Four Locks, seriously? Finally, the man opened the door. He was about a head taller than her father, wore shabby grey robes and had a stubby beard. His eyes were grey. He looked at Sokka with a disgusting smile. The young woman stared into his eyes and then wandered down on his body, as she arrived on his private parts she smiled a pitiful smile. The old pervert turned his reddening head rather fast, while the girl felt a moment of triumph. "Well if ya have finished staring at my kid, show me the damned flats!" her father boomed. His voice suddenly was so loud, Sokka was a bit startled. "No friggin problem man. But I ain´t selling rat holes." The owner responded. Sokka bit her tongue, she most definitely would have to sleep in such a hellhole, too.

Or she had to take this Korra girl up on her offer, but somehow she did not like the idea of living in a house, with six girlies from the north pole! The walked up until he stood at the eight floor, directly beyond the tiles and wooden constructions of the roof. While Sokka was musing about how cold this would be in winter her father was crouching on the floor and scrambling into the most distant corners of the flats and shoving the furniture around. The owner looked at him with an annoyed frown. "So, you said 75 for one flat, right?" Lee stated. "That´s the deal." The owner replied. "You never wonder why nobody want´s to live here?" Lee smirked. The furniture was old and shabby, as Sokka noticed, but she had no idea what her father meant. "That´s as damp as a rhino-ass man, and it´s windy as fuck. I´ll hand you 60 for each flat, and I take your garage, the other flats without furniture." Lee stared at the other man, who was fiddling with his mustache. He groaned "Nah, that´s impossible man." He sighed stricken. "Ok, sorry to have bothered you pal." Her father turned towards the door, Sokkas eyes flew wide – that could not be for real could it? Sokka followed her father with a nonchalant shrug. "What!" the man stood there scratching his head, but her father was already heading downstairs. "Eh – come on man, let´s talk about this!" the house owner yelled. Her father halted. "There´s nothing to blabber dude, yes or fuck off!" he blurted. The silence stretched and her father indeed took another step as a hastily response came. "Ok,ok – you pay cash and front up – deal?" the man responded. Her father turned smirking. "We have a deal." He responded and returned upstairs. He counted the coins into the man's hands, while the guy did almost start drooling. Lee than received the keys to the flats and the garage. The owner was whistling the girls of Ba Sing Se as he took off, Sokka could vividly imagine where he was headed.

Her father eyed the flats with furrowed brows. "Like hell I´ll stay here for a year." He wrinkled his nose. "This shithole needs some good soapy water." He stated while he sat down his rucksack and dragged a Katana out of it. Was that meant to be a present as well? Sokka always had dreamed of an own sword, but her father had denied her that. Swords still were expensive, if you wouldn´t accept some outworn military equipments. He placed it on his bedside. "So – Sokka. I guess we keep it short do we?" he tried to sound stern bit failed miserable, actually Sokkas throat constricted and she felt like laughing and crying all at once. She finally left her father to walk a path of her own, but there also was a part of her that wanted to come back the instant she sat a foot out of this flat. Her father took a small pouch out of his rucksack, it was made of red velvet. Sokka recognized it at once, it had been one of her mother's most prized possessions. She gulped and took the pouch, which she silently stuffed into her backpack. Even she knew that such a pouch would be stolen before she had rounded the corner. Sokka opened her arms and awaited a final hug, but instead her father went to his backpack again and dragged out an almost arm long package.

Sokka at once knew what it was. "No – no dad - you – no that´s…" she stammered. He could not be thinking of giving THAT to her! As a child she hadn´t even been allowed to touch his sword, let alone draw it. Her father was smiling, with a moist glint in his eyes. "Shut up squirt – either you take it or it goes to the dumpster." He simply crossed the room and pressed the precious blade in her hands. His voice sounded raspy, her father was always close to crying when he called her squirt. "Wanted to give you that since that day you took me down for the first time – never been an appropriate setting, ya know." He responded while the young woman took the more than a hundred-year-old blade in her hand and then hugged her father with brute force. She sniffed once and mumbled an "Idiotic old geezer." After what felt like a minute she wanted to let go, but her father held her firm. "You know you´ll always have my back Sokka, no matter what!" he croaked and then released her. "And if you attend a dojo –and somebody tries to pick on you - smash him to pieces, even if you think you´re dying that´s the only occasion you cannot lose." Her father was dead serious. Sokka grit her teeth, because you´re just a woman, that was the part that her father had left of.

Even if she liked that her old man did not say it, she knew she had to be fiercer than a man because she never would be able to close the difference in physique otherwise, but hell she would be! "So long." She responded, her voice sounding rather whimpy. "bye." Her father responded. She left the flat and closed the door. Her father did not follow her. Sokka Adachi waited and then descended the stairs, the old sword at her side. Since it was already way past midday she sighed. She simply would crash on Korras, and her girls couch – if they had one of course. Today she most likely would not find a flat on her own, furthermore she felt strained from the day in Republic City, the fact that she also was having her period did not better things at all. So she just had to move towards the borders of Tui market district, which meant she had a long way to go, because it was close to the Spirit portal, as Korra had told her.

The watertribe girl had not slept well last night, as Sokka herself. But different from her she had talked with a lot of girls in her strange language. And she indeed found a place to stay, even for the both of them. She walked, always a hand on her sword. She was eying the corners and alleys intently. There was no way she would get jumped, the evening in Lau An still was a livid memory. She had just been lucky that the armed guys did think she was a weak girl, otherwise she would never have been able to topple one of them with an airblast and run away. And what would have happened then – the lone thoughts made Sokka feel as if she wanted to curl up in the tiniest hole she could find. Nevertheless, she walked on straight. She was behaving pathetic, just because this city was bigger than Lau An, that did not mean that she was more dangerous, there were just more people. Luckily she managed to dodge all groups of suspicious looking men, which were just two.

Then she had made it into the commerce district, which now was almost empty. There were just some shop owners sitting in front of a teahouse, drinking tea and chatting. What Sokka almost disturbed was the diversity of people that seemed to coexist peacefully. All four nations were assembled here and not even she was stared at. In Lau An she and her father had been the only people with eyes that weren´t brown or golden. Here it seemed nobody even noticed her. She Just stopped in front of mechants, the men eyed her with wary eyes, staring at the sword at her hips. Seemingly it was an uncommon sight in Republic City, in the firenation much more people wore blades on daily basis. "Good evening gentlemen, could you please explain me how I get to Tui market 23?" she asked the men. The guys stopped their chattering and looked at the young woman shocked. "Are you crazy! The dawn is near and you want to walk near the spirit forest. Haven´t you heard of the people that got lost…Just all swoosh!" A man responded upset. "Ah come come Lung that´s just the blabbering of ol grannys. Forget the spirits are there all day – curse that damn Avatar!" a younger man responded.

"And if you don´t believe it´s dangerous, why do you not accompany the young lady Zheng?" the older man shot back. "Uh….I don´t know her?" the younger man responded, he was obviously related to Lung. They both were thickly earthnationers in fashionable green suits. "Pff….do I look like I need an escort pals?" Sokka frowned. Spirits – her father had told her that spirits weren´t half as dangerous as people liked to say. In fact, she preferred her father's judgement about these obvious cowards. Furthermore, she had no interest in ENTERING the spirit forest "See Lung – she´s not interested, and what kind of rude man would pressure a lady." Zheng stated triumphantly and sipped his tea. "If you two have stopped bantering, I want to actually answer the Miss´s question." A third merchant intervened. He was thin as a rail and looked like people of all four nations had been amongst his ancestors. "I second that pals." Sokka quipped slightly annoyed. It was quite funny to scare these guys just by absentmindedly toying with the wooden grip at her side. "You follow this street five blocks. Than you go right, into Ryo Avenue. You walk down the street until there is a shop for leatherwares – the side alley is very narrow; I would advise you to be really careful because I´ve heard of thugs hanging out there." The man replied. Sokka nodded seriously – she would remind these words. "When you have crossed the alley you turn right again and follow the street until you reach the spirit forest, mostly it will look like giant vains.

You head right and then you just have to find the house number 23. If you want to cut the alley out you´ll have to pass through a piece of the vines, which I guess is even more dangerous!" The man finished concerned. "You understood that young lady? I really advise you to not go there now, search an Inn and wait until tomorrow." The man responded, but Sokka would definitely not pay a quarter yuan just because somewhere might be some thugs! "Yeah, good night then gentlemen." She responded and turned on her heels, the directions were rather simple. Indeed, the hood started getting more and more rugged. There were houses that looked demolished, most likely by the invasion of Kuvira. The facades were torn open, parts of roofs cleanly blown away in a straight line across the street. The streets were dead, even if the dawn had not broken. She shortly afterwards found the leatherwares shop, which just had very small, windows with heavy looking, brass hewn shutters. Sokka turned towards the side alley.

Indeed, it was so narrow just one person at a time could pass. She drew her sword, the flowing lines of the dragon steel glinting in the sun, she looked behind her – nobody was to be seen. Her jaw set she entered the alley, the faster she left it behind the faster the danger would be left behind. It was almost dark as the young women speedily jogged though the alley. She had already left the biggest part of the alley behind as doors banged open, a tall figure jumped out in the alley approximately two strides in front of her. Sokka felt something bury itself into her thick backpack "Freeze, give us yer money!" the man yelled. "What the fuck are you doin striker, we´re not killing people for thrills fucktard!" somebody else yelled. "Shitty whimps!" another guy blurted back. Sokka faced a spear point her hand shot forward and grabbed the bamboo and pushed it sideways, her short sword cut the leading hand of the spear wielder who yelled in pain. The young woman roared and pushed the thug aside air hissing somewhere around her, she started running. There was yelling behind "outta the way asshole – Imma kill that bitch!" a man roared, for the first time in her young life the time seemed to have slowed down. She threw herself on the ground hitting it hard. O geez – these fuckers ruin my pants, she was annoyed.

A spear hit the ground directly in front of her nose. Her breath was going in big heaves, adrenaline rushing through her veins, she scrambled back on her feet, gabbed the spear with her free hand and started running, instinctly turning right. She did not look back but continued running, later she threw the spear away because she almost tripped oved the damn thing. Her chest was stinging, her left hand bleeding from a cut, knees and forearms torn open as the pain kicked in. Sokka halted breathing shakily and turned, her hands trembling. There was nobody to be seen anymore. That had been close. "Holy fuck." She felt her face spread into a maniacal grin. "Go to hell motherfuckers!" she yelled laughing hysterically, while feeling dizzy from exhaustion. She still held her sword in hands and tried to sheath it, she needed three tries. Then she stumbled on feeling totally exhausted as the bliss of the moment faded. She had to sit down and calm herself, what was the house number again? Was she even right? There were big green things that pulsed and piled themselves up to giant heaps, in the middle the spirit portal rose to the heavens, which made the area bright as daylight. The cut in her hand burned like fire, she hissed. It was bleeding heavily; it was her own sharp blade that had cut her she supposed.

Sokka Adachi felt her heart thunder in her body, and then she fought herself back on the feet. She inspected the house next to her closer. The small brass plate said 145 – so she was way past the address she had aimed for. "Fuck. I just want some bandages, and fire lily paste." She groaned frustrated. She shook her head, somehow this first day was rather fucked up. Her stomach also had started to feel as if some blades were churning inside it – again! Gods damn it – why in all heavens had somebody invented the crimson days. "Shitty fucktards of gods – just go and die already." She rambled as she dragged herself down the street. The sun had already set and the heavens had turned black, just the slightly flirring portal illuminated Sokkas way as she finally reached house twenty-three. Her hand had already stopped bleeding and was stained a dark maroon. Her Arms and legs were pulsing and the Backpack seemed to weigh more than a moose lion. She stood there and hammered on the door. Nobody was coming. "Korra – come out! It´s Sokka.." nothing. "GODS DAMN IT woman come out here!" Sokka yelled, while tears started welling in her eyes, she was so done for! Had this damned bitch fooled her?

How pathetic had she been. "I´ll drag your sissy ass out here and cut you to slices you gods damned bitch… Measly traitor!" she yelled and sagged onto her knees hitting the ground in frustration." FUCK…FUCK…FUCK!" it hurt but she was so angry it could not hurt enough, what kind of idiot could one be! While her knuckles now were bleeding, too the heavy wooded door opened o slit wide. "Sokka? I…just…. needed…dress…bathroom" Sokka wasn´t believing her ears as she heard the voice of the watertribe girl. She stated to laugh in hysterics. "d-d-dress…. fucking monkey feathers…hilarious!" tears were spilling out of her eyes. It was then that Korra stepped outside, her hair open and tangled, clad in a loose hanging blue dress. As she saw how Sokka shakily rose from the ground the girl let out a horrified shriek and started babbling in her cursed mother tongue. She almost fell down the few stairs. Sokka had somehow collected herself. "We-Well can I stay on your couch?" she asked in a voice that sounded almost dead. "of course….what…happened? You….chrm…" Korra slipped back into her mothertongue seemingly upset and worried. "Just some scratches, don´t fuss around sweetie." Sokka tried to pacify the girl, then she almost slipped and just the taller girls fast reflexed stopped her from falling straight on her face. That was just so embarrassing! So much to the topic tough ass Sokka Adachi, she rambled at herself.

And SHE of all people thought of pursuing a martial arts career – pathetic! The house smelled clean, there were coats and shoes neatly lined up in the staircase. Steps were approaching. "Korra, what – spirits why are you bringing a man in our house!" a woman shrieked and tried to drag her sleeping gown beyond her knees. "I´m no guy – I´m Sokka Adachi." Sokka responded dropping her backpack with a loud thud. She being a man, with tits like these – totally! The young woman tried to stand straight and huff her chest, but failed miserably. Korra again snarled at the other four girls that appeared. They all were taller than Sokka, interestingly they all wore nigh gowns, wooly blue things that you could have used as dresses. The woman who appeared first behind Korra was around her early thirties, or so it seemed. She spoke with an air of authority. "You look pretty hurt…were you…attacked?" she asked concerned. "No- of cuz, I just love bashing through spear wielding psychos in dark alleys! Its just totally awesome, when some fucktard tries to stab you through your rucksack…running away while some guys throw javelins at you also…. also totally great – most awesome day of my life." Sokka rambled on with much gusto, without even caring that the girls had not the slightest fault in her misfortune.

She caught her breath, while the girls broke into hysteric blabbering. The older women just gripped her at the shoulders and led her into a bathroom. "that looks bad." She started pouring Sokka a bath. "First we need to clean these wounds on your arms and legs, shall I help you getting out of your clothes." She responded sweetly. "I`m Kayar by the way. I work as a nurse, so I´ve taken these girls in…if you can toss in some yuans in the pot you´re welcome. My younger sister Nana married some weeks ago, so she moved out." She explained softly, while Sokka had to gulp – it would be more than pathetic if she started crying now. Her father would surely laugh at her for behaving like a whimpy girly! "Yes please." She mumbled in defeat, her right hand was not movable without causing REAL pain. The woman expertly helped her out of the top. "You´re not from the watertribes but you have a southern name, how´s that?" she asked. "Umm…mom´s been a big fan of the wolf of the south I guess." Sokka responded shrugging. To tell the woman that her dad was a son of Avatar Aang and met Councilman Sokka on weekly basis was no option here. Sometimes it sucked, when nobody would believe the truth! "So – you really – fought against an armed man and defeated him?" Kayar asked unbelieving. "I mean, you´re a woman like me - not an Avatar." She responded giggling. "Eh girl, if that fuckers had fought me fair n square I would have oblitera…aaargh." Sokka yelled as the nurse started rubbing her abrasions with an alcohol drenched cloth. "You could at least have warned me, the young woman hissed.

There was no other sound of pain until the woman was finished. Kayar looked at Sokkas body shamelessly, actually Sokka was flushing pink, being naked amongst women – that was a lot more embarrassing than she had imagined! "What are you staring at?" she grumbled crossing her hands in front of her private parts. "W-Well…just…you´re looking so umm…strong.. You even have abs. And you´ve many small scars, just like a boy." She responded kindly. Sokka snorted – boy. Flowing water really was a luxury, but here in republic city it seemed to be common. "So where are you coming from Sokka?" the woman asked. "Umm. Lau An, which is a gods forsaken town in the firenation." She responded. "And why did you come here – a marriage you could not force yourself into?" the woman responded with sadness written over her face. "HELL NO – I´m here to make a name lady. You know…I´ll definitely claim the golden fan." She responded dead serious. Kayar was giggling until the laughter died on her face. "You´re nuts? Not even a Kyoshi warrior conquered the golden fan in twenty years. It´s just impossible for a woman who´s not a giant like Izumi Hakawa to go up against these guys…You know, my boyfriend was a sportsman himself." She responded, shaking her head. "And you really left your family behind for – that?" Kayar asked sceptical. "Eh – nope. Actually my dad came to Republic City, too." She responded dryly. "But since I´m almost twenty I thought it´d be a good idea to lead a live on my own." The southern woman helped Sokka climb into the water. She giggled again, Sokka frowned annoyed. "Your arms feel hard, but your skin is soft – it´s totally strange." The woman babbled. "Umm…are you into girls?" Sokka asked bluntly, Kayar war blushing furiously, it was noticeable even if her skin had the color of bronze. "Spirits no!" she rose her hands.

"Didn´t you have any sisters? It´s perfectly normal for girls to talk like this!" she asked disturbed. Sokka scratched her head. "Eh…no has just been dad and me since I was seven…and yeah I´m totally into sword fighting and stuff – but I also had boyfriends, so no worries Kayar." She smirked, while the older women let out a silent squeaking sound. Actually Sokka had to bite her teeth to stop groaning, the water was burning in her wounds. "Well. I´m going to work, just close your eyes…and don't make any strange comments Sokka!" she responded while she bowed over the tub and gripped Sokkas hand. The water became hot and slimy somehow. There was a strange tugging on her hand. The water seemed dirty and then the pain subsided, just a dull throbbing remaining.

Kayar continued with flowing, soft movements, the water was swirling like it had a mind of it´s own. So that was the famous water tribe healing the people spoke of. Finally, Kayar sighed. The water was muddy, and it felt uggly. The woman had sweat on her brow. "That cut in your hand really is a piece of work." She responded sternly. "I´ll bandage it and for the next two days you´ll not do anything with it. I don´t know if everything is all right with just one session." She added apologetic. "Sadly I´m not particularly talented if it comes to bending. I can´t even make a wave!" she stated. Sokka got out of the bath feeling a lot better, even her stomach did not hurt that bad any more. "Say, that stuff also helps against the monthly stomach-slicer?" she quipped back. Kayar needed a moment to understand what the younger woman was talking about. "Yes, that also is and advantage of knowing a healer." she responded smiling. Then she fetched a small clay pot with greenish looking ointment, treated Sokkas wound, which seemed shallower and bandaged the hand firmly. Sokka almost started sleeping, she just was so tired she could have started sleeping at once. "I´ll show you your room." She responded as Sokka just grabbed a towel and fastened it around her waist. "So – let´s go." She stated and opened the door. "Sokka you…" there again was babbling. Sokka just smiled at the girls. "Good night together." She stated exhausted, while they stared. "You…. Nightgown…no?" Korra asked her eyes as wide as marbles. Sokka chuckled. "Not tonight…" she mused and followed Kayar into a room. It was sparingly furnished but the young woman just stormed towards the bed, tossed the towel away and slipped under the sheets. She at once fell in a deep dreamless slumber.

Authors note: So here we go again and finally there is some action. You may be a bit disappointed from Sokka but actually grabbing as spear onehanded is rather difficult and...that was her first live or death situation so it´s naturally she´s not just smashing the guys up. And she found a place - femaly only WGs are totally existent in Rep City...we´re in the 20s so I´ll definitely picture the society conservative too - if you read the Avatars mistake you´ll find out that liberalisation really BOOMED in the 30 years that passed XD. Also I want to than my beta reade BnaditCorps for his support- actually you have to thank Corps nagging, for otherwise theses story would just be a TO WRITE project in my head XD.