Chapter 3: Learning

"Well, let's get started, Toph," Katara said eagerly.

"Wait! You have to learn the elements in order. Well, actually you don't have to, but it's a smart idea to," Aang stopped Katara. "You must master waterbending, earthbending, firebending, and lastly airbending. So we already have two of your teachers, Katara," Aang grinned.

"Two?" Katara queried. "But Toph is the only bender I know."

"Not any more," Aang said. "I am an Airbender. I'll be more than happy to teach you airbending, Katara."

"So I just need to find a Waterbender and a Firebender to teach me. Too bad Zuko won't teach me firebending," Katara chuckled. "Then I'd only have to find a waterbending master."

No one else laughed with Katara.

"Okay, bad joke," she attempted a smile.

"Well, how will we find Katara a Waterbender?" Suki asked. "What's our plan of attack?"

"Our plan of attack," Sokka grinned, "will be to check the phonebook."

He was granted disbelieving stares.

"Oh, come on! Maybe someone will have a waterbending class. You know, like Suki's Kyoshian martial art class. Or Toph's earthbending class!" Sokka elaborated. "You do go to an earthbending class, right, Toph?" he whispered to Toph.

"Of course I do, Sokka," Toph said sweetly. "There are earthbending masters who waste their precious time to attempt to teach blind girls earthbending, a skill that is learned mainly by sight. Of course no!" she shouted.

"Fine, but it's still worth a try," Sokka pointed out.

After hours of fruitless searching, Katara remembered something.

"Couldn't I teach myself?" she asked.

"Huh?" everybody chorused in unison.

"Couldn't I teach myself waterbending? I mean, back when the Air Nomads were wiped out, there was Avatar Aang. He traveled the world with a Waterbender girl named Katara. Katara taught herself most of the waterbending basics. Couldn't I do the same thing?" Katara explained.

"Maybe. But I think it would be a better idea to find you a waterbending master," Sokka agreed without glancing up.

Katara glowered at him. Just because she wasn't quite as smart as he was, he thought all her ideas were bad. She only scored a few points lower than him! Yet he acted as if he was getting A++'s and she was getting F's! He was so stuck-up!

"You know what—" she stopped. Now was not the right time. Katara took a deep breath. "You're—right."

"I found it!" Suki screamed. "Water Rush School. Waterbending classes from the famous Pakku. Hours: Monday through Saturday. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 1800 672 2253!"

"Give me the phone!" Katara squealed. Aang passed her the phone and the group gathered around her as she punched in the number.

"Hello, Water Rush School. How may I help you," an older man's voice droned.

"Hi, my name is Katara and I was wondering if I could enroll in one of your classes," she said politely.

"How much experience do you have with waterbending?" the man interrupted.

"Umm, I just realized I can bend today," Katara replied.

"How did you find out? What did you do?"

"Well, this guy was picking on my friend and I stood in his way. He fire bended and I screamed, threw up my hands, and looked up to see a screen of water. Then I went downstairs and used the water fountain to capture some water. I was just making like figure eights. Then my friends came and I hurled. Then we argued and I exploded the water fountain."

"Okay, come in tomorrow at three and I'll place you," the voice said. "Good day."

Katara hung up.

"Well?" Sokka asked.

"He's going to place me tomorrow," Katara said slowly.

"Okay now, Katara. All we're going to do is have a mock battle. You may only bend. I will call the match," Pakku said. "Come."

Katara raced after him. They entered a gymnasium-sized room of ice. In the middle was a line.

"This room is made for Waterbenders. The break in the center allows waves of water to flood the room. A true Waterbender can use these elements to his advantage. We will begin on opposite sides," Pakku crossed the room. Katara and he bowed. "Begin," Pakku said.

Katara clumsily beckoned to the crack. A wobbly clump of water came towards her. She looked at her hands. She was trembling with fear, excitement, and nervousness. That's why her water clump was so weak. Oh well, she thought. Such is life.

"Hyah!" Katara flung her right arm out, drawing the liquid with it. The water whip cracked wickedly as it reached for Pakku. Pakku dodged easily.

Pakku moved across the ice smoothly. He stopped and froze his feet to the floor. He created two huge pillars of ice and began slicing razor-sharp slices from their tops. Katara's eyes widened in panic.

"Aah!" she barely dodged the first slice. She continued to dodge them for about a minute.

Katara dodged one disc and turned to see another only a yard away. "AAAH!" she screamed. She punched at it and closed her eyes. She felt the heat boil up inside her. "No!" she shouted. It wouldn't touch her! It wouldn't! She opened her eyes to see a fireball melt the ice.

Pakku saw it. His eyes widened with comprehension. He grinned. "It is an honor, Avatar."

Pakku created a huge wave and rode it next to Katara. He began to create an ice prison around Katara. "Come now, Avatar. Don't disappoint me. You should catch on quickly."

"No," Katara tried to bend the ice. She tried to call up the dying heat within her. Why couldn't she bend?

"Fight, Katara!" Pakku shouted. "You will not save the world by not fighting!"

"Stop it!" Katara screamed. She couldn't tell what she was doing. She vaguely felt the heat come surging back.

Pakku stumbled back. Katara's eyes had begun to glow. With a burst of heat, she melted the ice. She sent him into the opposite wall with a blast of air.

Katara felt like she was drowning. Drowning with no hope of surviving. She struggled for control. She knew someone else was controlling her. She didn't like this exclusion. She could see the world again. She could hear Pakku shouting for her to calm down, to stop. Katara was almost there. Then she was there in control yet she could feel them. Her past lives were still there.

"Match—over," Pakku gasped and began to slump forward.

"No!" she caught him.

"Excellent job, Avatar," Pakku grinned.

"Wait. Did you do that on purpose? Did you want me to lose control?" Katara demanded.

"I wanted you to fight back. It wasn't my intention to have you enter the Avatar state but it served its purpose," he replied. "A bender cannot hesitate in battle," he stood and motioned for Katara to follow. "Hesitation leads to disaster. You hesitated after the fireball. You did not allow yourself to bend."

"But I tried!" Katara protested. "I couldn't bend! I tried!"

"NO! You tried but in your mind, you refused to let go, to just react with bending. You refused to use the power."

"Are you saying I shouldn't think when I fight?" Katara asked.

"No, you should still think. Just don't over think and rely on purely your physical abilities. Bending comes from the spirit. When you rely on your brain and strength, you don't allow your spiritual energy to flow. Therefore, you can't bend," Pakku explained.

"You know, you have a good point," Katara smiled. "All the other times when I bent, I didn't think much. I…felt it."

"Exactly. Once you realize that, you've discovered the key to bending."

A/N: I am sorry for any discrepancies you find with my bending explanations. Thank you, all my reviewers. I appreciate your support. Oh and I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender. Even if I wish I did T.T