Toph's Snow Chap 17
Chapter 17: Found
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to anything but my characters, the rest aren't mine. ;)
Chapter 18 is almost done.
Week 27 (November 10-16, month 6)
Third Person
After two weeks for resting and building up her strength, Kazuka was finally able to begin practicing again. She worked hard; harder than everyone to get back to the place she had been before and succeeded. Xiao had even been surprised at the ferocity with which she had attacked her problem and said so. She just answered that 'to be the best, you have to work the hardest.'
When training with Piandao started, the students weren't sure what to expect, but they soon learned that the old master was nothing like Sifu Sokka. Piandao worked them to the point of exhaustion everyday even though they were all in peak physical condition and hard to tire. He drilled them relentlessly, often making them repeat the same exercise for hours on end.
When he was finished training them, he tested them. He tested strength by having them lift increasingly heavier stones for progressively longer periods of time. He tested flexibility by having them contort themselves into impossible shapes. He tested endurance by having them spar with each other until they could no longer fight.
Today was the last test; agility. An obstacle course had been set up in the yard next to the mansion. A few firebenders had been enlisted to blast fire at the students to help simulate a fight with a bender.
Third Person Kazuka
The noon sun was high in the sky, beating down its weak warmth, a reprieve from the chilly November air. Kazuka was standing on the starting line, waiting for the signal to start her turn at the obstacle course. Piandao nodded his head at her and she took off, feet digging into the ground to build up speed. She hurdled and ducked under the first few obstacles like a pro; only slowing down when she came to the first element test. In front of her, the grass had been replaced with a bed of burning coals. Tall rocks dotted the outsides of the bed and the firebenders hid behind them, blasting fire over the coals. Kazuka slipped off her shoes and stepped out on to the coals, moving carefully but quickly. As she walked, she skillfully dodged the blasts of fire and tried to quell her urge to block them.
I can't do that anymore! She reminded herself, repeating an old mantra.
Once off the coals, she slipped her shoes back on and ran to the next part. She continued to duck and dodge and weave through obstacles, sailing through the rock maze that represented earth without really consciously thinking about it.
As she came upon the last element, there wasn't a test for air because of the lack of airbenders in the world; she began to experience an overwhelming nervousness. When she got to the edge of the small lake, she stopped frozen in place. She stared out at the surface; small jets of water pushed passed the surface into the air at random intervals. As she stared, she could feel the water surrounding her, choking her like the last time. She started to hyperventilate and shake a little as the memories flooded through her. She slowly backed away from the edge to the safety of solid ground. Once she could see the ground again, she started to calm down.
Come on Kazuka. You can do this! She forced herself to stop thinking about her near drowning and walked back toward the lake. Taking a deep breathe, she centered herself, focusing on the task at hand.
Kazuka took a running leap forward to a rock on the edge of the lake and from there, she shimmied up a bamboo shaft. She balanced on the top of the shaft for half a second before hopping to the next one and the next. She paused as a blast of water came between her and the next stick, and then leaped to it. She was about to jump again when another jet of water shot up from the lake. She froze and then wobbled a little before she steadied herself. She hopped to the last three bamboo shoots and down to the ground.
She ran ducking under the last obstacle and over the finish line. Looking up, she saw the students clapping for her and Piandao smiling in approval.
"Well done Kazuka. You passed." said Piandao. "Now everyone, it is time to prepare for your training completion ceremony. Formal clothing only please."
The students scattered quickly, excited for the upcoming ceremony.
"Hey, Kazuka!" Kazuka turned around and saw Xiao, Li and Sara walking towards her.
"Hey."
"You did really well." said Sara.
"Yeah. You did it even faster than little Xiao-xiao here." said Li.
"Hey! Don't call me that!"
"Che, whatever."
"Thanks." said Kazuka, ignoring Xiao and Li's tiff.
"Do you want to get dressed with us Kazuka?" asked Sara.
"She probably wants to molest Xiao." They all looked at Li. "What? Was I wrong?"
"Way off. And sure Sara, I'll be right there."
"How was I wrong? See look, we're leaving them alone right now, they'll probably molest-hey! Stop yanking on me. I can walk just fine!" yelled Li as Sara dragged her away. Kazuka shook her head in embarrassment.
"Some friends you've got there."
"We're working on her."
"Suuure. Sara's right. You were really fast." Kazuka blushed.
"Well, it's what I've been working for all along and I wasn't going to give up at the end."
"I know."
"You excited that we're finally finished?"
"Yeah. We've been doing this for almost eight years. It's kinda a relief."
"You can say that again."
"Yeah. We've been doing this fo-"
"Oh, shut up. You knew what I meant." Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Do I?"
"You're such an idiot."
"Comes with the territory." Kazuka shook her head and chuckled.
"I should go before they get suspicious."
"See you later." He said, kissing her cheek and walking away.
When Kazuka got to Li and Sara's room, they were sitting on one of the beds waiting for her. As soon as she walked in, Li jumped on her.
"So. What'd you two do?"
"Nothing. Are we getting ready or not."
"Yeah. Li stop pestering her. I can do your hair if you'd like, Kazuka."
"Sure. Let me put on my cheongsam first." Kazuka unrolled her cheongsam from the tight bundle she kept it in to prevent wrinkles from forming. Once it was unrolled, she held it up to herself.
"What do you think?"
"Its beautiful. Where'd you get it?" gushed Sara.
"A shop in the Earth Kingdom. It took a whole summers salary to buy."
"Its perfect for you. The bamboo leaves brings out the green in your eyes and the gold makes your skin glow." Kazuka blushed.
"You think so?"
"Of course. Xiao will love it."
"Yeah, until he rips if off you and throws you on the floor so he can-" Sara slapped her hand over Li's mouth.
"Li. Shut up. Go...get dressed or something." said Sara.
"Fine."
"We really have to do something about her." said Kazuka. Sara just sighed.
"Sit down and I'll do your hair."
"Okay."
Third Person
All the students were in their best clothes and sitting in the largest room in Piandao's mansion, awaiting their turn in the ceremony. A rack with twelve newly crafted swords stood next to Sokka and Piandao at the front of the room. Excited chatter filled the room until Sokka got the students attention.
"First, I have to say that I am proud of all of you for making it this far. You have all worked hard to master the art of the sword and tonight we will celebrate your achievements and you will offically start on your paths of adulthood. At the end of this ceremony, you will all be masters."
One by one, each student was called up to swear an oath that they would only use their skills to protect and defend and never kill in cold blood. Then they were presented with a sword that had been crafted for them and a scroll of mastery.
Third Person Kazuka
As each person was called up, Kazuka became more and more nervous at the prospect of being next. Finally, when she and Xiao were the last two students, they were called up together. Kazuka looked at Xiao confused and he shrugged his shoulders. They walked up together and stood in front of the two masters.
"Kazuka and Xiao. My trouble students." said Sokka. They ducked their heads, embarrassed. "Despite your...disagreements. I have enjoyed teaching you together and watching your rivalry make better swordsmen out of you than my instruction could have alone. " He shook both their hands.
"Repeat after me. I swear by the blood in my veins," said Piandao.
"I swear by the blood in my veins."
"That I will only use my command of the sword,"
"That I will only use my command of the sword."
"To protect and defend, my country and its people,"
"To protect and defend, my country and its people."
"And to never kill unless it is necessary to carry out these duties."
"And to never kill unless it is necessary to carry out these duties."
"You are now officially Masters Xiao and Kazuka." As Piandao said Kazuka's name, he grimaced slightly. Kazuka barely caught the expression as Piandao and Sokka bowed half a second later, hiding their faces from view. The two teachers handed a scroll to them and then presented them with their swords.
Kazuka and Xiao bowed back and went back to their seat.
"Now that you've finished your training, it's time to celebrate." said Sokka. Piandao nodded to someone in the back of the room and a band started to play.
Kazuka looked at the sword in her lap, and curious as to what it looked like, drew it out of its black sheath. The sword was a traditional broadsword made of a resilient but flexible type of steel; about two and a half feet long. The grip was wrapped in brown leather and the pummel housed and small piece of jade. Kazuka was immediately taken with its beautiful simplicity.
"It matches your eyes." Kazuka looked up and saw Xiao standing next to her chair. "I never really noticed that they were green before. You know, most Fire Nation people don't have green eyes. Was your mother an Earth Kingdom refugee or something?"
"Um...you know what? I'm not really sure. All I know is that my parents moved to Fire Fountain City before I was born."
"They never told you where they came from?"
"No. My dad never said anything about it. My mom died when I was seven and he stopped talking about his past after that."
"I'm sorry about your mom."
"It's fine. It was a long time ago."
"But still. It must be weird to not have a mom."
"Not really. I had a nanny who took care of me until I left- I mean my dad sent me to Sifu's school."
"Oh. Do you want to dance?"
"Sure." Kazuka was relieved when Xiao ignored her slip up.
Xiao lead her out to the dance floor and took the lead as they danced a traditional Earth Kingdom dance that Sifu Sokka had required them to learn to help them build up grace and coordination.
By the end of the song, Kazuka and Xiao were laughing as they improvised some of the dance moves, creating a dance that looked more like a sparring match than dancing.
"I hate to interrupt but, I need to speak to Kazuka." said a voice.
The two looked up from their laughter to see Master Piandao standing next to them.
"Uh, sure. I'll be right back Xiao."
Kazuka followed Piandao out of the room and into the library.
As soon as the door closed, he rounded on her.
"Do you know how long your father has been searching for you?"
"How do you kno-" He held up his hand to silence her.
"It's been eight years and he has all but given up hope of ever finding you again. He thought you'd been kidnapped. But after interviews with certain friends in the criminal world, he found that no little girls had been taken in the area recently. And now here you are, nearly grown and I find out you've been living under his nose this whole time, masquerading under a false identity. You could have sent him some kind of clue that you were alive."
"What gives you the right to lecture me about my choices? What does this have to do with you?" Kazuka was furious.
"I am a friend of your fathers."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It means that I am concerned for his wellbeing. And ever since you ran away, his health has been deteriorating. Did you know that he has to stay confined to his bed now?"
"No. I-I didn-"
"I just have one question for you. Why did you leave?"
"I left because he never asked me what I wanted. I didn't want that kind of responsibility. I still don't."
"Sometimes we must sacrifice ourselves to do what is right."
"I don't want to sacrifice myself. I just want to have a normal life, with normal responsibilities."
"We can't always have what we want Kazuka. Or should I say Chiharu."