"I thought you weren't supposed to take anything with you."
"Yeah, well screw them, I need a matress and I need my jammies," Kanoni grumbled while strapping down Junes saddle. The Sky Bison moaned because she had pulled too tightly.
"Easy, there, it's a saddle, not a corset," Ten chuckled and helped her. Kanoni plumped down in the grass and gazed up at the sky.
"I just don't believe it," she pondered. "Of all people…"
"I think you're ready to go," Ten said and rubbed Junes belly. Kanoni looked at him sadly, but he ignored the look deliberately. Kanoni picked out some grass-stalks.
"Mastering the four elements," she mumbled and watched how the blades of grass twirled down from her hand. "Sounds heavy."
"You're an amazing airbender," Ten spoke. After rummaging through her bag he found a brush and started brushing Junes fur with it. She closed her eyes gratefully. "I'm sure the other elements will be no trouble at all for you. You are the avatar." Kanoni lowered her head. She wished she wasn't. Was it wrong to think such a thing? She had never felt like the avatar and she didn't feel like one now. She watched Ten stroking June's fur.
How long would she be gone? For months? Years even? She got up.
Ten raised an eyebrow when he spotted Kanoni's outstretched hand. Maybe it was a little too formal for having dated for several years now. But saying goodbye to Ten, was saying goodbye to them. This won't last, she knew, not when I'm at the other side of the world. "Let's not make this sloppy," Kanoni said with a feeble smile.
Ten still studied the hand, as if it was the first time he saw one. Four fingers and a thumb with a shiny silvery ring. He didn't see the other hand, clenched into a fist behind Kanoni's back. Her way of fighting back tears. His eyes shifted to her face. That same smile was still there. In a swift move, Ten grabbed her wrist and pulled her close against his chest, then kissed her.
"How about passionate, then?" he asked her and she nodded.
"That I can live with," she said and finished that kiss with him. Neither of them spoke of the future. They hardly even said goodbye. After breaking up the kiss they didn't share another word. Kanoni mounted her Sky Bison, June took off. Ten's figure dissolved beneath the clouds in a matter of seconds, so she did not detect the clenched fist at his side.
"It's just us now, June," Kanoni sighed and rubbed the bison's head. She pulled uit a map from her saddlebag and folded it open. "Let's see her. I'm supposed to master the waterbending skills first. Then where else to go but the North Pole." She shivered and tucked the map away again. "Darn, I should've brought a coat." She slid into June's neck. "Oh well, no biggie. I'll just have to live with it. North Pole, here I come!"
June moaned when her rider grabbed the reins and changed direction to the north.
"Okay, maybe I should've just turned back to grab my cloak." Kanoni's teeth clattered. "The next avatar better learns to firebend first." June moaned and Kanoni widened her eyes. "Wow…" In the distance she saw the walls protecting the village on the North Pole. She had been told about them by travelling monks. They were white as snow, but impenetrable as rock. Beneath her she saw fishing boats, and the fishermen looked up curiously. Surely, they didn't see a flying bison too often.
June started descending as they reached the walls and when she had passed them, she landed on a pack of ice. Everything was made of ice in here. The buildings, the roads, the bridges…
Kanoni floated off June's back and checked the ground. Though made out of ice, it was not slippery.
"Hello, traveller."
Kanoni straightened and saw a woman dressed in blue had approached her. Kanoni bowed politely. "My name is Kanoni, I'm from the Southern Air Temple."
"Ah, the avatar," the woman said with glee. "You have arrived here early. Please, this way." Kanoni comforted June, then left her behind. As she followed the woman throughout the white alleys, she took much effort in figuring out how she had done her hair. It seemed a bit like a knot, but it was far too complicated to be one. Kanoni stroke her shoulderlength brown hair with one hand herself and envied her. She wanted such hair as well.
"Wow…" They had arrived at a large building now and started climbing the steps leading towards it. Some people had settled down on the stairs and Kanoni saw two boys her age water bending a puddle of water at the bottom of the stairs. She didn't have time to take a closer look, for they had already arrived at the large gates, which opened at their approach.
"Your majesty," the woman said and her voice echoed between the walls of the great hall they had entered. At the end Kanoni saw two thrones, a man and a woman seating in them. Both were dressed elegantly and the woman had a sort of serenity radiating from her. The man on the other hand seemed courageous and strong. "The avatar has arrived." She stepped aside and there Kanoni stood, bare and vulnerable.
"Thank you, Tekana," the woman seated in the left throne said, then looked at Kanoni, a smile spreading on her face. "Welcome, avatar Kanoni."
"I have come here to master the arts of waterbending," Kanoni said as she had rehearsed in her mind and bowed again.
"And you shall be given a great tutor," she smiled. The man sitting next to her rose. "My husband, Takumi, will teach you." Takumi smiled at her and Kanoni shrunk. Already she was missing Ten.
"Tell me avatar," Takumi spoke loudly, his voice was as strong as his appearance. "How eager are you to become a waterbender." Kanoni lifted her head up.
"I want to start today," she spoked determined.
Takumi grinned at her. "Excellent."