Kanoni's first lesson took place early in the morning. Takumi had allowed her to regain her strength first and she had done so, warming herself near a small fire Tekana had lit for her. She had eaten roasted fish for the first time, which she had found delicious, and then had slept for fourteen straight hours. Now, as the sun began to rise, Kanoni and her master were standing on the same square and hardly felt the cold wind anymore.

"Here we begin your training," Takumi said. "Now that you have learned to unite with the water, you will learn how to manipulate it." Kanoni smiled. These lessons couldn't go fast enough. After water, there'd be earth, and she might have to spend years learning how to bend it. "We will begin with the basics."

Instead of the small pond, there were now two bowls placed in between them. One was filled with water, the other one wasn't. With the sun now starting to rise above the buildings, it's early rays reflected in the icy water. Some small children sat on the stairs watching her. She was quite the attraction.

"Simply let the water flow from one bowl to the other," Takumi said. "Watch my moves." He spread his legs slightly and then motioned one hand towards the bowl while the other seemed to be pulling the water out of it. Very smoothly, the water soared through the air and poured down into the empty bowl. It didn't seem all that hard.

Takumi gave Kanoni a nod and while taking a deep breath she too spread her legs and extended her arms. Not quite as smooth but still steadily the water left the bowl. Kanoni bit her lip trying to recall every move Takumi had made and guided the water towards the other bowl with succes.

"Excellent," Takumi said. "If you continue learning at this rate, mastering the water bending shouldn't take more than a few months."

Kanoni smiled with glee. Exactly what she had been hoping to hear.

"Again," Takumi said. "We'll refine this and then move on."

By the end of the day, Kanoni had learned how to manipulate the water to her will with exact precision and had started on learning how to change the water's physical state as well. Takumi had been pleased to see how fast she gained progress so they had wrapped up early so Kanoni would have some free time. Although it was immediately consumed by the enthusiastic water tribe children.

"Did it hurt?" a small curious boy asked as he pointed a tiny finger at Kanoni's arrow.

"Yes, a little," she smiled and rubbed her forehead. "But that's what makes you strong."

"I want one too!" another boy cried and this was endorsed by the other boys though the girls seemed a little repelled by the idea of having a large blue arrow running across their body.

"Show us some air bending, avatar Kanoni!" a pigtailed girl implored and the others started whining too.

"Hey, cut the avatar some slack, she's been training all day."

Kanoni turned and saw that a young man had approached her. "Go on, shoot," he said and a little disappointed the children spread out.

"Thank you," Kanoni smiled. "It got a bit overwhelming."

"Anything for the avatar," he smiled in return. "I'm Howa." He sat down next to her on the cold stairs and as he did Kanoni took a closer look. He wore the average water tribe outfit and his brown hair was pulled back in a small pigtail while the sides of his head were shaved. "I saw your water bending. You learn quickly."

"Well, I am the avatar," Kanoni said. "So it shouldn't be a problem." She leaned back and stared at the sky. "I can't wait till I can show everyone had home."

"Your family will be very excited," Howa said and Kanoni closed her eyes.

"I don't have any family," she said.

"Oh."

"My mother died at childbirth," Kanoni explained, "and my father couldn't handle it so he fled the Southern Airtemple, leaving everything that could remind him of her, including me, behind. An old female monk raised me, but she died last year. Looking back at it, I think she knew I was the next avatar. She was the one that insisted that I learned how to airbend as fast as possible and she taught me a great deal about the former avatars. It's sad that she wasn't able to see me becoming the next avatar."

"She would've been very proud," Howa said and she nodded. "But there must be other people waiting to see you again. Close friends and all?"

Kanoni was silent.

"Ten, leave her alone, she never wants to go and play," a boy cried at the nine year old Ten who had started approaching the young Kanoni. Ten looked back for a moment but chose to ignore the warning and walked over to the little girl. Being two years younger, lots of the other kids found her too childish to be bothered with. Plus, she was very introverted and didn't say much. Thus she was very surprised to see Ten suddenly standing in front of her.

"Hi," he smiled and Kanoni quickly lowered her head again. "You live with Kana, right?"

Kanoni hesitated then nodded slightly.

"Er, don't you want to come and play?" Ten tried again. "We're gonna play hide and seek. I know some great hiding places. They'll never find us!"

"Kanoni!" Both of them looked up when an old woman shuffled closer. "Is air bending class over?"

Kanoni jumped to her feet. "Yes, Kana."

"Then come on home," she said. "I want to tell you more about the fire bender Roko." Only now Kana eyed the little boy. "Ah young Ten, isn't it?" she smiled broadly and her many wrinkles pulled together making her look even older. "Do you want to hear about the great avatar Roko as well?"

Although Ten's expression meant 'no' in every way he still nodded politely.

"Excellent," Kana said gleefully. "Then let's go back home."

Ten had endured Kana's endless stories of not only Roko but also many other former avatars. Once in a while he had peeked at Kanoni and had found she was watching him as well, only to avert her face blushing whenever their eyes met.

The next day at air bending class, Ten approached Kanoni again, under the many incredible looks of the other children. "Hi," he greeted her again. "Can I come over again today and listen to Kana's stories?"

Kanoni nodded quietly and that evening he came along again and spent hours sitting in front Kana's house next to Kanoni on a bench, while Kana rambled on about the great avatars. A week after the first time he had come over and approached Kanoni yet again, he was nearly knocked off his feet when she looked up at him and said: "Don't be ridiculous. You hate her stories."

Many others gasped at hearing her speak. Ten smiled. "Will you come and play with us then?"

Kanoni blushed. "Sure."

"Yeah, a few," Kanoni lied. Even though from that moment on she had played with the others kids, she had never really befriended them. It was all about Ten. And he was all about her.

The sun had begun to set. "I better go get some sleep."

"Training again tomorrow huh," Howa smiled. "Of course. Always busy."

Kanoni got up with help of her air bending and landed softly on her feet.

"Nice," Howa smiled and stood up as well. "Well, then, avatar, goodnight."

"Just call me Kanoni," she smiled and darted off.