"No element is comparable to another," Takumi said. "And so, waterbending is nothing like airbending." Kanoni listened carefully. Both of them stood on a square amidst the snowy white buildings. Some of the villagers passed by, and others stood and watched curiously. Between Kanoni and Takumi was an oblong pond. The clear water sparkled in the afternoon sun. June was snoozing near the stairs of the palace and a couple of young children were busy petting her and tried to mount her saddle.

"While airbending is about swiftness and freedom," Takumi continued, "waterbending is all about tranquility and control." Kanoni nodded. Tranquility and control. Already she preferred airbending, it was more joyful and careless. Bending water seemed something a little more strict. "To become a waterbender, you must feel one with the water." He turned his hand round in circles and a nearly perfect ball of water rose from the pond. "See it as part of your body. Don't bend it, be it." He lowered his hand and the ball splashed down into the pond again.

"We will begin your training here," he said and Kanoni beamed. "Take off your boots." The radiating smile vanished from Kanoni's face and after checking if he was serious, which was responded by a harsh look, she started taking off her boots one by one. She squinted when she placed her bare feet on the cold ground.

"Step into the water," Takumi commanded. With a soft whimper Kanoni slipped one foot into the icy cold water, shuddered and placed the other one as well. "You will stay there as long as necessary for becoming one with the water. Once you feel you're ready, we can begin waterbending."

Kanoni didn't dare asking how long he expected her to stay put. Fact was, after just a few minutes, she had begun to loose all feeling in her big toes. When she tried wiggling them Takumi snapped at her.

"Concentrate!" he barked. "Feel nothing but the water!" And so she stopped all movement and closed her eyes. As minutes and houres passed more people started gathering on the little square and Kanoni found it harder to stand still. Near the evening a sharp wind had risen and soared right through the few layers of clothing she was wearing. When she peeked through one closed eyelid she saw the sun setting behind the palace towers. But Takumi as did not move from his place.

"I'm going inside," he said at last when darkness had consumed the village. The onlookers had also returned to their homes and only June lied there, snoring softly. "You can go too if you feel like it." As soon as he had turned his back on her, Kanoni fell backwards down on the ground and pulled her feet from the water.

"Aw aw, so cold!" she cried and rubbed them. Takumi hesitated, sighed, then climbed the stairs and into the palace.

Kanoni rubbed her feet. Her toes had gotten an awful bluish shade and tingled. How long exactly was he expecting her to keep on doing this? She was sure at this rate, someday soon her feet would fall off.

"Kanoni?"

She looked up and saw it was Tekana. "My, how long have you been standing there?"

With a pelt wrapped around her shoulders and her feet in a hot water bath, Kanoni felt herself growing warmer and more at ease.

"I always knew Takumi's way of training was hard," Tekana spoke and sat down next to her. "But I think he's being extra severe because you're the avatar." Both of them had settled down in Tekana's house, a small cosy thing close to the palace.

"I knew being the avatar was hard," Kanoni said. She watched her toes wriggle in the foot-bath.

"But he's a great teacher," Tekana smiled. "I'm sure he's better than the previous one who taught the avatar."

"Oh really?" Kanoni asked.

"Yes, I'd say so," Tekana said. "I mean, it took the previous avatar two years to become a waterbender."

"TWO YEARS?" Kanoni shrieked but Tekana nodded calmly.

"Yes, well," she continued. "The last avatar was a firebender, so it's natural that he had lots of difficulty learning to waterbend, since they were opposite elements."

"Still," Kanoni sighed. "I was sort of hoping I'd be back at the temple in two years…" From the looks of it, it would take weeks for her to even feel one with the water. So it would take months to learn how to waterbend. And if it'd take two years to become an earthbender...

"You shouldn't worry," Tekana comforted her. "If you give it your all, I'm sure you'll be back home in no time. How about you just get some rest. Tomorrow's another day, after all."

But Kanoni could hardly sleep. She just laid there, wrapped in her pelt, pondering. She caught herself thinking of Ten, of what he would be doing right now, and rolled over. She mustn't think of him. She had let him go when she had accepted her faith. Yet she was restless. Outside she heard one of June's moans and she sat up straight.

Takumi adjusted his belt and tied back his hair before stepping outside in the early sunlight. There was a soft breeze but the weather was mild. Takumi stretched and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the early morning air on his skin. When he opened his eyes and looked down the stairs he was surprised to see Kanoni, both feet in the pond and eyes closed.

"How long has she been here?" he asked a bystander.

"Passed by here around sunrise, she was already there," he said and shrugged. "Could've been minutes, could've been hours."

Takumi watched her with interest. She didn't flinch, she didn't move. Only the wind played with her clothes and hair. A pleased smile spread on his face. He stood there and watched. Even when he climbed the stairs again that evening, Kanoni hadn't moved. She still stood there with a determined look on her face, and her eyes closed in pure calmness.

The night passed and Takumi was less surprised to see her the other morning in the same position as the day before. Only now, when he descended the stairs, she opened her eyes and stared at him, fiercely.

"I'm ready," she said and he nodded, with a smile.

"So you are."