Yet another Chapter skip! This time we pick up at "The Waterbending Master"
As usual I don't own avatar.
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I always value my reader's opinions.
Chapter 9: Masters and Pupils
The ten ton flying bison dipped lower and lower toward the water. He was tired from flying for two days straight and the bickering children on his back didn't help matters.
"Just saying," complained Sokka, "but can Appa go any higher?"
"Ok, why don't we all climb on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?" retorted Aang irritably.
"Oh would you two just shut the hell up!" Shio snapped as he polished his broad sword. "I can't hear myself think over you two idiots!"
"Ok, ok," said Katara trying to ease the flaring tempers, "We're all just a little cranky from all this flying,"
"Yeah, all right," said Shio standing up with his sword, "I'm going to try one more time to get their attention if they're watching." He angled his sword so that the shiny surface reflected sunlight and twisted the sword around so it flashed. After several minutes he sat back down, "Nothing," he said, "We're never going to find the Northern tribe…"
Suddenly a block of ice froze itself to Appa's leg, causing him to collide with an iceberg which sent them flying through the air like a Frisbee. They landed in the center of a ring of Water Tribe boats.
"Well I can say one thing about the water tribe," said Shio, "They have excellent timing."
As soon as they found out who the strange children were, the Water Tribesmen escorted them to the northern settlement.
"It's…smaller than I remember," said Shio as they approached the gigantic ice wall that protected the village.
The other three gazed up at the massive white wall with the Water Tribe Symbol carved into it.
"That's right," said Katara, turning to him, "You've been here before."
"Eight years ago," said Shio with a far away look on his face. They lowered a section of the wall in front of them and they passed through. "Now I do have to warn you," he said as they passed through a complicated series of locks that raised the water level so they could access the city, "The Northern Tribe has some customs that many consider to be rather odd and they're really anal about enforcing them, so be careful."
The others were hardly listening, though; they were marveling at the beauty of all the buildings. As they sailed through some canals they passed by several other boats; in one of these boats was a white haired beauty that Sokka couldn't take his eyes off of.
"Who's she?" he asked dreamily.
"I think that's Princess Yue," answered Shio, "I met her briefly when I was here eight years ago. She's certainly um, filled out a little since then."
"Yeah…" said Sokka still lost in dreamland.
"Perverts," Katara muttered shaking her head.
They were escorted to the Palace, where they were taken to a courtyard where a party was going to be thrown. They found out that the party was for Princess Yue's sixteenth birthday and her father, Chief Arnook, was going all out. Sokka and Katara were treated as if they actually belonged to the Northern Tribe and Shio and Aang were treated as honored guests. As the group ate and Sokka tried to sweet talk Princess Yue, an elaborate waterbending demonstration was put on by the local master and two students.
"That's the guy I studied under," Shio whispered to Katara and Aang, "Master Pakku is a very strict teacher but he'll teach you what you need to know."
After the meal, Aang and Shio went with chief Arnook to meet Master Pakku.
"Master Pakku? This is your new student: the Avatar." the Chief said, "And I believe you already know this young man," he added, gesturing to Shio.
"Master," said Shio bowing, "It's been a while,"
"That it has." said Master Pakku, turning to Aang "Just because you're the Avatar, don't expect any special treatment."
"No sir." replied Aang, "My friend and I can't wait to start training under you."
"Master? Would you mind if I tagged along? I would like to brush up on a few forms so I can improve my defense."
"That would be fine Shio; I'll see the three of you at dawn."
The next morning, Aang, Katara and Shio arrived where they were to be trained and introduced Katara to Master Pakku.
"There must be a mistake," he said noticing Katara, "In my culture women are not allowed to learn waterbending."
Katara and Aang tried to argue the point and Aang even threatened to find another master but Master Pakku wouldn't budge. Katara insisted that Aang stay and be trained even if she couldn't.
As she walked away Shio, who had been silent this whole time, turned and glared at the waterbending teacher.
"Yes Shio?" asked the older man, "Do you have something to add?"
Shio opened his mouth as if to say something than quickly closed it, "No master, Nothing."
And with that the lesson began.
That evening as Aang and Shio were walking back to their quarters, Aang was fuming, "Why didn't you tell us that women aren't allowed to learn waterbending?"
Shio sighed, "I guess I should have mentioned it; but the last time I was here they were starting to lean away from many of the old outdated customs; I thought by now they'd have done away with that one entirely."
"It's such a stupid custom!" shouted Aang.
"I agree," said Shio, "But no matter how stupid they seem, we have to abide by the rules as long as we're here."
Aang snorted and they lapsed into silence.
When they arrived at their quarters, it was apparent that everyone had had a pretty lousy day. Apparently Sokka had been all but told to get lost by Princess Yue. When he heard of their predicament, he suggested that Aang teach Katara what he learned about waterbending. They thought it was a good idea and went off to practice; Shio tagged along just to keep an eye on things.
No sooner had they gotten started when Master Pakku broke it up and told all three of them that he wouldn't teach them anymore. Aang and Katara protested but the teacher refused and insulted them several times while he was at it. By the end of this, Shio was shaking in anger at his former master.
Master Pakku noticed this, "Shio you look very angry; do have something you want to say to me?"
The other two looked at him expectantly, "No master, I don't." he said looking down at his feet.
For the second time that day they stalked angrily back to their quarters.
"Aang still needs to learn waterbending!" fretted Katara, "We need to get master Pakku to take him back!"
"Agreed," said Shio, "I think I have an idea, we can go to Chief Arnook and see if he can get master Pakku to change his mind."
"Fine," said Aang, "But I noticed that, yet again, you didn't bother to say anything in our defense." Aang said accusingly to Shio.
Shio hung his head, "Yeah, I'm sorry. He's my old teacher and I don't want to disrespect him. If I did it would ruin my reputation around here for good."
"Well I think you better decide what's more important to you, your friends or your reputation." said Katara sternly.
The next morning found them standing in front of the village elders, pleading their case.
"I think master Pakku would be more inclined to take the Avatar back if you were to apologize…" said Chief Arnook.
"Fine…"said Katara reluctantly.
"Well? I'm waiting little girl…" said master Pakku smugly.
At that, Katara lost it, "No! There is no way I'm apologizing to a sour old man like you!" she shouted, causing several cracks to appear in the ice they used as the floor, "I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me!" she challenged and stalked out of the chamber.
"Daaamn…" said Shio, "That was…impressive."
"She didn't mean it," said Aang.
"I'm pretty sure she did…" said Sokka, and the three of them ran after Katara.
Several minutes later, master Pakku came out of the palace.
"So," said Katara, "You decided to show up. Well? Aren't you going to fight me?"
"No," he said conceitedly, as he kept walking, "It would be a waste of time and effort. I've seen that…thing that you refer to as bending."
Katara was about to retort but she felt something rush by her; she looked over and saw that Shio was gone.
Up ahead, master Pakku stopped in his tracks, feeling something poking him in the chest. He looked down and was surprised to find the tip of a broad sword poking him in the solar plexus.
"Yes Shio?" he asked, his eyes narrowing, "Do you have something to say?"
"Yeah," replied the swordsman, "Actually I do… I think you're the one who owes Katara an apology instead of the other way around. You've been nothing but rude to her ever since you met us!"
"She deserves no apology," replied the master bender snidely, "She refuses to respect our customs."
"That's because they're stupid!" said Katara.
"Little girl," said Master Pakku with obvious contempt, "Why don't you go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong."
"Oh, you just crossed the line…" said Shio angrily.
"Whose line? Yours?" asked Pakku smugly.
"No," he replied, sheathing the sword, "Hers." He said as Katara smacked the old man upside the head with a water whip.
"You wanted to learn to fight so badly?" Pakku said whipping around, "Then watch closely!"
A crowd quickly gathered to watch the two benders go at it. Master Pakku obviously had the advantage, but Katara was able to hold her own.
"Holy crap!" commented Shio as Katara produced a small ice pillar and began throwing razor-sharp ice discs at Master Pakku, "When did she get so good? I know she's been practicing with the waterbending scroll, but still…She's got talent!"
The fight ended when the old man created an ice cage and trapped Katara in it. Her hair was hanging lose and her necklace had fallen off during the intense battle.
Master Pakku, recognizing it, walked over and picked it up. He explained that he had been Katara's grandmother's arranged husband; but she ad ran away in order to avoid having to marry someone she didn't love. During this discussion princess Yue got upset and ran off, Sokka quickly chased after her.
Katara, Shio, and Aang discussed things with master Pakku and he agreed to take Aang back as well as teach Katara waterbending. Shio hung back to talk to the old man, "I just wanted to apologize for the way I talked to you earlier; I was way out of line."
Pakku held up a hand, "No, it is I who was out of line; I should have treated you and your friends with more respect. Honestly I was surprised that you didn't say something earlier."
"I wish I had, I was getting tired of sucking up to you anyway."
Pakku chuckled and they walked back into the town.
This one turned out pretty good!
Next chapter will be the siege of the north! I can't wait to write this one!
As usual please review!
Until next time!