A/N: Not dead! Sorry about the wait; parts of this chapter were a bear to write. But Camp NaNoWriMo rolled around, and I finished it in six days. A little clean up, and it's yours! (Sadly, my excerpt didn't make the cut. As funny as it was—and as much as I loved it—it didn't quite fit).
Thanks to all who support/follow this story! I love you all. Please review, follow, favorite! Equal thanks to those silent readers; your support is much appreciated as well. Perhaps you can let me know what you think every once and a while?
I think I might stop with the disclaimer stuff. Twenty-two chapters in, I think you get the gist of it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
New Masters and Old Students
Out of all the natural disasters Mira might have anticipated running into along their journey, fire by meteor was not one of them. Hell, the way their luck went, she'd been half expecting a volcano to blow just as they passed over. But a meteor…that was something she'd never seen before. And that was saying something.
They'd been camped out for the night when Aang had suddenly cried out in surprise. Every eye turned to look at him, but his were directed upward, where streaks of light painted the sky in streaks of blue and green. After several minutes of staring upwards, it became clear that if they wanted to watch the meteor shower (for that was what dominated the sky above them), then they would have to find a more comfortable method for doing so.
Of course, having two earthbenders in the company meant that this was a problem very easily fixed. Moments later, a low wall slanted up from the ground, providing a gently sloping surface to lay back and watch the sky on. Mira waved Zuko over to lay next to her, but he shook his head and opted to sit off on his own. Sighing, she turned away in exasperation, but the shooting stars were much too breathtaking to glare at for long.
She'd never been one for stargazing, but then again, it wasn't every night that the stars ventured earthbound. An inky black tapestry normally studded with silvery pinpricks of light was now laced with sparkling thread, and even Mira couldn't conceal the open awe and wonder on her face.
"Kind of makes you realize how insignificant we are," Sokka murmured.
"Real cheerful, Sokka," Mira said. But she understood what he meant.
"Eh, you've seen nothing once, you've seen it a thousand times," Toph said casually. For a split second, Mira was overcome with pity for the younger girl.
She doesn't want my pity. The thought popped up unexpectedly, but Mira knew it to be true. Toph was too powerful for pity. She may not have been able to see the sky above her, but she could feel the ground below. She could see more than Mira could ever hope to, and for the first time, Mira realized that that might be enough for her.
One shooting star glowed brighter than the rest, prompting those that could see to sit up and gape. Lower and lower it dropped, until the chunk of rock glowing within was actually visible. "Oh, man," Sokka breathed. "You've never not seen anything like this."
His double negative was practically begging for a caustic reply, but for once, Mira let it slide. She couldn't help but agree with him on this one.
The meteor whizzed right over their heads and continued descending as they all scrambled up the wall to watch. The streak of blue disappeared behind a valley ride right before falling to earth with a crash that could be felt through the ground. Moments later, smoke began to snake lazily through the air, followed immediately by the alarming orange glow that preceded a wildfire. As beautiful as the meteor had been, it'd left quite a destructive mark at the end.
"I don't like the look of that," Mira murmured, squinting through the darkness towards the smoke cloud. "I wouldn't expect a shooting star to land without any flames at all, of course, but that's too bright for something that'll die out on its own." She looked to the others. "We need to get over there."
She'd been correct in her guess. As they crested the valley, the full extent of the meteor's damage became evident. Huge chunks of earth were charred and blackened, leaving a pitted wound next to the winding river that meandered through the whole island. A small village sat by the bend near the end of the valley, but it wouldn't remain there long if the blazing fire around the crater had any say in it.
Aang snapped the reins, sending Appa down to land in between the fire and the river; prime real estate for the benders of the group. Katara slid forward to take his place as the others climbed off. "I'll bend the water onto the fire!" she called out, pulling up and sending Appa over to the river.
Aang turned to Toph. "Let's make a trench to keep the fire from spreading," he said, and Toph nodded sharply. They darted off to begin working, leaving Mira to confer with Zuko.
"Dissipation and containment?" she asked, cracking her knuckles.
"Haven't done that in a while," Zuko said, striding forward towards the flames.
"Finally, something I might be better at," Mira joked, but she quickly turned serious as the fire popped and crackled, sending sparks out towards the flammable grass. With a quick flick of her wrist, she directed them skyward, where they fizzled out harmlessly.
With the sparks gone, she focused on the blaze itself. As the fire in her belly pulsed in time to her breath, she reached out and cupped as many flames as she could and pulled them from the embers inside. The hearts of the coals below protested loudly, grabbing and snatching at the fire she was pulling away. But Mira was stubborn, and yanked them from the coals' grasp.
This was how true dissipation was done. You could grab at all the outer flames you wanted, but if the fire's source wasn't extinguished, it wouldn't do any good in the long run. It was the heart you needed to put out, and that's what Mira was doing.
The flames in her palms crackled unhappily, reminding Mira that she still needed to throw them away. As she exhaled, she thrust her fire-filled hands away, sending the flames to burn out in the surrounding air.
"Ah! Watch it!" Sokka yelped from behind, leaping aside to barely avoid getting roasted.
"You watch it!" Mira snarled, too preoccupied to come up with anything wittier. She heard him shuffle off, but didn't pay him much heed after that. There were more important things to worry about.
The flames crackled and sparked well above her head, encircling the meteor in a fierce glow. Zuko stood by her side, arms outstretched alongside hers. They moved in tandem, pulling and dampening and releasing. Controlling a blaze was twice as hard as starting it, and as sweat rolled down Mira's face and trickled down her back, she thanked her lucky stars that her instructors had drilled control over and over. Every ounce of willpower she had was channeled into her bending. Any sense of time she had slipped away, leaving only herself, Zuko, and the fire.
She vaguely became aware of a deep trench carving a larger crater before her feet, and how the ground sloped down as she moved closer to the flames. Dry heat prickled at her skin until she felt like the desert floor. Her saliva dried up, leaving her tongue glued to the roof of her mouth. The sensation was vaguely uncomfortable, but she relished it. There was a destructive pleasure in heat, she found, one that all firebenders felt.
The heat receded gradually, to be replaced with the cool feeling of mist and dew. Mira looked up to see Katara releasing gallons of water from the sky to rain down on the fire. Steam hissed and the flames shrank, creating an opportunity for the firebenders to leap in and dampen the embers even further.
The ground shuddered under her feet as Toph slammed slabs of stone on the fire bed, effectively cutting the oxygen off and suffocating the flames. Mira reached out a hand and her eyes fluttered shut as she searched for sparks beneath the earth. She could find none.
Between Katara's shuttling of water from the river, Aang and Toph's trench, and their firebending, the inferno had dulled to a weak ring. Aang caught a handful of water from Katara and circled it through the air. "Stand clear, everyone!"
They all retreated to the edges of the crater, save for Sokka, who sulked and dragged his feet. Consequently, he was caught in the blast of frigid air Aang sent to kill the remains of the fire.
Fluffy snowflakes drifted from the sky and hissed as they melted on the still-heated ground. But aside from the warmth, the threat of the fire was no more. "Good work, everybody!" Aang said cheerfully, brushing his hands off.
Mira wiped the sweat from her forehead, leaving a smudge of soot behind. "I never want to do that again," she said, voice cracking from exhaustion.
"You really didn't need to exert yourself that much," Zuko said, looking much too energized for Mira's taste.
She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm an overachiever." He did have a point, though. Mira was never one to do things halfway, and sometimes it came at the expense of her well-being. Whenever she firebended, she threw her all into it, even if that wasn't the healthiest thing. On any other occasion, she felt proud of her bending style. But now, as she walked away on wobbly legs, she wondered if her all-or-nothing approach was truly something to laud.
As morning dawned, Mira stood atop a towering hill and looked out over the valley. Everything was covered in a lush coat of emerald green grass, contrasting sharply with the black, rocky terrain they'd been crossing the last week or so. Rolling hills and jagged drop-offs littered the earth, culminating in the cliffs that bordered the river. The village they'd saved the night before sat right along the edge, red roofs glinting in the morning light. One large building stood near the top of the valley, keeping watch over the village.
Mira had risen before the others for a morning run, something she'd been neglecting for a while. When she'd first joined the group, she'd trained every other morning to keep up her reflexes, but as time had passed, she'd let the tradition slip. For some reason, she'd decided to pick it up again.
She wiped the sweat from her face and turned away towards the river. There was a path cut into the side of the cliff that she'd spotted earlier, where she could climb down to bathe. The footing was slippery, but the water icy cold and refreshing. As she returned to the others not much later, she felt clearer than she had in quite a long time.
They wandered among the village streets before finding a cafeteria serving a hot breakfast. Aang was the last to get his food and join them, and as he walked across the room, he glanced around, taking in the other lively occupants. He sat down, then said in a hushed voice, "These people have no idea how close they were to getting toasted last night."
"Yeah, the worst thing about being in disguise is we don't get the hero worship anymore. I miss the love," Toph complained, popping a dumpling in her mouth.
"Boo-hoo, poor heroes," Sokka drawled. He was sitting on the cafeteria steps, looking out across the valley. His food laid untouched next to him. Katara mentioned this, but Sokka ignored her. He'd been sulky and withdrawn all morning, but Mira hadn't wanted to pry.
"It's just…all you guys can do this awesome bending stuff, like putting out forest fires, and flying around, and making other stuff fly around." He gestured as he spoke, but it was missing his usual enthusiasm. "I can't fly around, okay? I can't do anything."
While Mira disagreed with him, she could also see where he was coming from. When she'd suppressed her bending and began traveling as a non-bender, there were several times when she'd felt useless, like she couldn't help anyone at all. But time and experience had shown her that this was untrue. It was Sokka's turn to discover that now.
"That's not true!" Katara said. "No one can read a map like you."
"I can't read at all," Toph chimed in.
"Yeah, and who keeps us laughing with sarcastic comments all the time?" Aang asked.
"Me," Mira deadpanned.
Katara glared at her. "You're not helping."
"I know, sorry. I couldn't resist."
"Look, I appreciate the effort," Sokka sighed, "but the fact is each of you is so amazing and so special, and I'm not. I'm just the guy in the group who's regular."
"If I were still pretending to be a non-bender, I'd be really insulted right now," Mira said.
"But even then, you could still hold your own!" Sokka protested. "I can't."
"Not for a lack of trying on my part," Mira pointed out.
Zuko elbowed her. "Maybe quit while you're ahead?"
Mira took in Sokka's defeated form. "Yeah, alright."
"I'm sorry you're feeling so down," Katara said, getting up to sit by his side, "but I hope you know none of us see you that way." She grinned slowly. "I know something that's gonna make you feel better."
"You do?" Sokka asked, not sounding very optimistic.
Katara nodded. "I think we're due for a little shopping trip, don't you?"
Mira snorted at the delighted look on his face. "He acts more like a girl than I do."
Zuko raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a smartass, I'm aware. It's a problem."
Sokka hurried them through breakfast, so it was not even an hour later that the six of them stood in the doorway of a weapons shop stocked to capacity. Sokka squealed loudly and darted off immediately, leaving the others to wander the aisles. "Alright, so I'll admit that this kind of shopping isn't so bad," Mira admitted, running her finger along a shelf.
"Looking for something in particular?" Zuko asked.
Mira lifted a hand and touched the darts pinned in her hair. "I dunno. Haven't had a chance to use these yet, so I'm not sure if they're the best for me. What about you? Thinking about picking up another pair of dao swords?"
Zuko shrugged, looking uncertain. "I don't think so. The ones I had before, they weren't just any swords."
"And you don't want to go around swinging just any pair," Mira finished for him. "Believe me, I understand. Although…" She ran a finger down her hip, marking the place where her dagger belt used to lie. "A knife or two couldn't hurt." A low rumbling of voices drifted down the aisle, and on a whim, Mira followed them.
"You have a good eye," the shopkeeper was saying to Sokka, referring to the sword and scabbard in his hands. "That's an original from Piandao, the greatest sword master and sword maker in Fire Nation history. He lives in the big castle up the road from here." The bell above the door sounded, sending the shopkeeper scurrying off to help another customer.
"The old man's here?" Mira asked in surprise. "Son of a bitch."
"You know this Piandao guy?" Aang asked.
"Know him? Who do you think trained us?" She pointed to herself and Zuko. "The guy's right, Piandao really is the best."
"That's what you need, Sokka!" Aang said suddenly.
"A sword?"
"Not the sword, the master." He pointed to Mira. "I mean, look at her! She's so good without bending because she trained with a master!"
"And I could've never gotten to where I am without Master Pakku," Katara piped up. "Everyone needs a teacher."
"I learned from badger moles. They don't talk, but they're still good teachers," Toph said.
Sokka mulled it over for a moment. "It would be nice to be a master swordfighter. All right, I'll talk to him." He set the sword down on the counter and left the shop, leaving Mira to blink in surprise.
Zuko made a strange sound, like a cross between a choke of surprise and a cough. Mira partially echoed his sentiment. Catching up to Sokka, she kept pace with him easily, turning around to walk backwards and talk to him face to face. "That sounds great and all, but you do realize this is the greatest swordsmaster the Fire Nation has ever seen, right? And you think he'll take on some random student?"
"He trained you, didn't he?" Sokka shot back.
Alright, so that was a pretty decent zinger. "No offense, but we're Fire Nation nobility. Piandao didn't really have a choice."
Sokka looked both angry and hurt. "You think I wouldn't be good enough for him?"
Mira pivoted until she was walking by his side. Everyone else trailed behind, though they could still hear what was being said. "No, I'm not saying that. At all. I mean, I thought you were good enough, didn't I?" She paused, rolling the words around on her tongue. "I guess what I'm really trying to say is, don't get your hopes up. Realistically, you don't have much of a chance. That being said, I won't stop you from going. I don't think I can, really." She gestured to him to prove her point.
Sokka was quiet for a moment. "I understand what you're saying, but I have to go ask him anyway. You know I need a master."
"Then we'll come with you," Mira said. "'Sides, I kinda want to see how the old man is doing." She turned her head to look at Zuko. He looked slightly uncomfortable, but nodded anyway. Well, Zuko always looked slightly uncomfortable, so that wasn't a great indication of how he was feeling. But he'd agreed anyway, and that was good enough for Mira.
"Fine, but do me a favor," Sokka said, pausing at a fork in the main road. He craned his neck to look over buildings, and upon seeing the castle towering off to his left, took that path. "Just…let me talk to him myself, okay? I want him to teach me because I'm good enough, not because I know you."
Mira nodded. "Of course."
They lapsed into silence as Sokka continued to navigate the winding roads of the village. Soon, the houses began to taper off, and Sokka slowed to a stop. He turned to the others. "You guys can head back to the camp," he said. "We'll go up and see Piandao."
Katara looked a little unsure, but nodded anyway.
Mira leaned closer to her and murmured, "If he gets in, I'll stop by later today and let you know. If he doesn't…"She grimaced. "Well, you'll find that out sooner."
Katara nodded. She hugged Sokka, whispering something in his ear. He gave her a small smile, and she released him. Toph and Aang followed her back down the road.
Sokka said nothing as he continued on. Mira didn't try to fill the silence with conversation. She was used to the quiet, and besides, Sokka was probably preparing himself to speak with Piandao. Or, knowing Sokka, he was frantically panicking and trying to hide it.
The road began to slope upwards as they walked, creating a series of switchbacks that led up the side of the valley. To her right lay the village of Shu Jing sprawled out across the valley floor, creating a spectacular view. To her left stood their destination.
Piandao's house looked exactly as the shopkeeper had described it: a castle. The house was made of gleaming white stone, the roofs from rich red tile. The castle was multi-layered, with some sections towering high above the rest, and others sandwiched together in series.
The door was as impressive as the rest of the castle. Painted deep red with a large gold seal in the middle, it was easily three times Sokka's height. He reached out to grasp one of the knockers. With a deep breath, he slammed it down, and a dull thud echoed loudly through the building and the air.
A long, silent minute passed, during which Sokka began to fidget and look around. He knocked again, but received the same response.
"Maybe no one's home?" Zuko said quietly. He was leaning against the cool stone wall to the left of the door, Mira standing next to him.
Mira shook her head. "Where else would he be? Nah, probably just takes a while to get to the front door."
A loud hammering drew her attention. Sokka had taken hold of both knockers and was knocking them both against the door in a staccato rhythm.
"You know Sokka, I don't think they can hear you," Mira said dryly.
The right-hand door swung open suddenly, startling Sokka. He jerked backwards, and collected himself quickly to face the man in the doorway.
He was heavyset, with receding gray hair and heavy sideburns. Thick eyebrows sat above serious eyes, which were currently fixed on Sokka.
"Hey, it's Fat!" Mira whispered to Zuko. "Well, I guess that explains the wait."
Zuko's lips twitched, the closest to a smile she could get from him.
"Can I help you?" Fat drawled in a bored voice.
"I've come to train with the Master," Sokka said steadily.
"You should know the Master turns almost everyone away," Fat said, still apathetic.
"Hey!" Mira whispered. "There's an almost!"
"What did you bring him to prove your worth?" Fat continued, holding out a hand.
Sokka dug around in his pockets, and Mira groaned. "If he pulls out another butterfly knot, I'm going to smack him."
Zuko lifted an eyebrow.
"In the spirit library, we had to…never mind, long story."
Fat shook his head as Sokka continued to search his pockets. "Right," he sighed. "Let's get this over with." As he turned to let Sokka inside, he saw Mira and Zuko standing by the castle wall. His eyes widened in recognition.
"Just friends escorting him," Mira said cheerfully. She held up a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. Fat narrowed his eyes at her, but nodded anyway and swung the door shut behind him.
"And now we wait," Mira said. Zuko didn't reply.
For all her years training herself to work in silence, to be patient and keep herself still, Mira suddenly found herself unable to stand the quiet now. The urge to fidget and walk around prickled up her spine, though Mira resisted. The unease bothered her. She'd gone years without giving in to her energetic nature, so what had changed now?
A quick glance to her right told her why. In those years that she'd gone against her nature, Zuko had never been by her side. She didn't know what it was about him, but he seemed to bring out the worst in her. Suddenly she was back to her ten-year-old self, and she hated it.
What was it about him that sent her back? Was it the memories he evoked? The guilt she felt over lying to him? Or was it that he'd always been the quieter one, leaving her to run wild?
He was different now, she thought. More impulsive, more rash than he'd been as a child. It seems that they'd been trying to switch places, only to end up both at the middle, not quite sure what was true and what was an assumed behavior.
Maybe that's why she was uncomfortable.
The door creaked open, sending Mira springing up from against the wall. Sokka peered out and beckoned them forward. "He wants to see you," he said, stepping aside so they could pass. "Fat said something to him, then he asked to see you."
"You make it?" Mira asked.
Sokka's face split into a wide grin. "Yeah. He'll train me."
Mira slapped him on the back. "I told you!"
"Uh, no, you didn't. I distinctly remember you telling me not to get my hopes up."
Mira waved a hand. "Semantics."
Sokka led them through the wide halls to a spacious room with a large, open window facing out into the valley. A wiry man sat at a table in the middle. His hair was dark, and tied in a topknot. He turned as he came in, revealing a chiseled face and steely gray eyes. They widened as he took in Mira and Zuko.
"Fat didn't say who it was Sokka brought with him. I must confess, I didn't expect to see the two of you here," he said, climbing to his feet.
"That's a bit of an understatement, isn't it?" Mira snorted. "Seeing as how most everyone thinks I'm dead. Apparently."
"I doubted it," Piandao said. "The student I taught was much too stubborn to get herself kidnapped." He looked to Zuko. "And I would have thought that you would be in the palace, at your father's side."
Zuko visibly flinched.
"There were…extenuating circumstances," Mira hedged. "Probably like the ones you found yourself in when you stopped training us."
Piandao nodded. "I understand."
With those two words, Mira knew they would be safe there.
"If I may ask, why didn't you come in with your friend?" Piandao asked. He watched her closely.
Mira was shaking her head before he even finished speaking. "You needed to accept him as a student because of his merit, not ours. Our opinion of him means nothing."
Piandao smiled; she'd obviously given him the right answer. "Have you been traveling with him?"
Mira nodded. "I have, yes. For a few months now. Zuko just recently joined us."
"I see," he said. He looked at Zuko carefully. The teenager met his gaze unapologetically.
After a long moment, Piandao turned back to Mira. "I assume you didn't just come to see Sokka off?" he asked, finally acknowledging his newest student.
"I'd like to stay and help," Mira said. "And I think we could use some brushing up ourselves. Would you allow that?"
Piandao smiled at her. "A few extra hands would not go amiss. I'd like to spend most of today with Sokka alone, however, if you don't mind. Perhaps you two can spar in the courtyard?"
Mira looked to Zuko, who nodded. "Of course, Master," she said, slipping back into the formality of teacher and student. Clasping hands in the traditional Fire Nation sign of respect, she backed away and left Sokka to his new teacher.
"You were awfully quiet in there," Mira said as they walked down the hall.
Zuko shrugged. "Didn't have anything to say."
Liar, Mira thought. She didn't bring it up again as they passed from the main building into the back courtyard. Sokka and Piandao would be using the front courtyard they'd passed through to enter the main house, leaving the smaller one for the firebenders. After shucking off cloaks and any loose clothing, the two teenagers stood facing each other.
"Firebending or hand-to-hand?" Mira asked.
"Firebending," Zuko said decisively.
"Because you actually have a chance at beating me?"
"Something like that." Zuko sank into a deep stance, and Mira soon followed.
They didn't leap right into fighting, as younger benders would have. Instead, they circled each other, gathering breath and watching how the other moved. It'd been years since they'd engaged in a real firebending spar (the fight on the boat hadn't counted, since it was so short and only for cover). This meant that the two had to relearn each other's movements.
Mira's eyes scanned her old friend carefully, noting how he held his hands at a sharp angle, how he kept a constant low tension in his limbs. There was a very real chance he was better than her, since he'd had three extra years to train. The best chance Mira had, then, was to try and improvise. Throwing in a few new moves could throw Zuko off enough for her to gain the upper hand.
Zuko was the first to strike, with a slash of his arm that sent a burst of fire slanting through the air towards her chest. Mira spun away in a tight circle, barely avoiding the attack. Using her momentum to bolster her flames, she sent a fireball curving in a smooth arc right for Zuko's exposed ribs. He quickly diverted the flames with one hand, sending them out to the right.
Here was where Mira's Ba Sing Se training might come into play. Firebender often used a variety of attacks using both arms and legs to direct the flames. Using the punches Udan taught her would be a little out of the ordinary. At least, she hoped it would be.
So before Zuko could retaliate, Mira drew her arms in close, then punched out quickly, keeping her elbows tucked in. Fireballs flew through the air, one after the other, forcing Zuko to duck and weave around the courtyard. Mira pressed on, following his movements and altering her strikes to match.
Unexpectedly, Zuko sank to the ground and swept a leg out. A rope of flames roared across the ground at ankle height, and Mira had to abandon her attack to avoid it. As soon as her feet hit the ground again, Zuko went on the offensive.
His attacks were more varied than hers, which meant that Mira was sometimes hard-pressed to block them. He used his whole body to control the flames, while Mira relied too heavily on her arms. Gritting her teeth, she bobbed from side to side, narrowly missing the flames and using her hands to redirect them when they got too close. She watched him carefully, waiting for an opening.
Moments later, she found it. Zuko threw a palmful of fire at her, then took a little too long to ready his next attack. Mira took advantage of his pause.
She pivoted her feet sharply and rotated her torso until she was almost facing backwards. With a snap of motion, she uncoiled, pushing off the ground with all her strength. Twisting in midair, one foot extended outward, followed by the other as she turned twice in a neat spin. Two identical walls of fire raced through the air towards Zuko, giving Mira time to land neatly on the cobbled ground of the courtyard.
Instantly, her hands shot up, twin flame daggers in her grip. The fire felt like hot velvet licking against her palms. The feeling was eerily familiar, yet bizarrely foreign at the same time. It'd been much too long since Mira had practiced this.
Zuko managed to dodge Mira's attack, flinging his arms out to summon two fire whips that coiled around his arms and crackled in the air.
"Oh, well that's just not fair," Mira muttered, eyeing her diminutive knives.
Zuko's reply was to swing his arm out, sending the whip hurtling for Mira's arm. She dove to the right, tucking into a roll, popping up within reach of Zuko. Flipping the daggers in her hands, she swung them out, forcing Zuko to backtrack. He in turn abandoned his whips as the combat turned to close quarters.
Mira's skirts whipped around her legs as she moved, though the fabric was high enough that it didn't impede her in any way. Sweat trickled down her neck and slipped down her shirt, absorbing into the cloth. But as sweaty as she got, her grip on her fire daggers didn't waver.
Zuko leaned back to let Mira's hand soar past, and before she could pull it back, he grabbed her wrist and twisted it around behind her back. The flames vanished in an instant.
Mira struggled, but Zuko's hold was solid. She swore, loudly.
"Don't tell me you're going to dislocate your shoulder again," he said dryly.
Mira swore at him again, then lowered her head in defeat. "You win. Again."
He released her, stepping away to a safer distance. Mira rubbed her wrist and scowled at him. "I'm not going to hit you."
Zuko shrugged. "Didn't want to take a chance."
Mira sighed. This was an old habit from his childhood. Mira was a fair fighter, but Azula did whatever she could to win. That included striking after the spar was over, sometimes. Zuko learned quickly to be wary after a fight.
Mira dropped her hand and looked at Zuko as she mulled an idea over in her head. He met her gaze, a question plainly written on his face.
"Tutor me?" she asked suddenly.
"What?"
She shrugged. "You got three years on me; I want to make it up. I don't see any other firebenders around here good enough to teach me. Will you?" When he didn't respond right away, Mira huffed loudly and crossed her arms. "I don't know why you're so surprised that I'd ask."
Zuko's response was quiet. "I'm not used to being the best. You were always better than me."
Mira snorted. "Well, obviously that's not true anymore. You don't give yourself enough credit, Zuko. You're an accomplished bender…and you're a good friend. Don't sell yourself short."
Zuko blinked in surprise. He didn't look like he quite knew how to respond to that, and Mira didn't give him time to. Words like that needed time to seep; she wouldn't let him deny them. "So what do I need to work on most?" she asked. "I mean, what do you notice as being supremely wrong?"
Zuko shook himself out of his little stupor and approached her. "I think the main thing is that you don't have a lot of variety. You've relied on hand-to-hand combat too much, and it shows."
"I thought so," Mira said. "I boxed, in Ba Sing Se. It's a little ingrained by now."
"I don't think you need to forget all that. Just…don't rely too much on it. You need to use more of your body."
"I would if I knew more moves. Which is where you come in. Got anything to show me?"
He nodded, and the tutoring began. Zuko was a surprisingly good teacher, but then again, it probably helped that he knew Mira so well (and had trained with her before). He was more patient than she thought he'd be.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Sokka poked his head out into the courtyard to announce supper. Mira bounced up from her stance. "Damn," she said. "I was supposed to go see Katara. I'll be right there!" she cried to him as she raced past.
The journey down the valley was not as arduous as the trip up, though Mira knew returning to the castle would be difficult (especially after an afternoon of training). When she reached the campsite, Katara looked up with hope in her eyes.
"He made it," Mira said, smiling at the waterbender. "But, then again, you probably guessed that when he didn't come back today."
"We figured. So Piandao liked him?"
Mira shrugged. "I don't know what it was, since we weren't in there with him. But it's a pretty big compliment to have Piandao take you on. They started training today, but I've no idea how it went. I won't be helping out until tomorrow."
"How long do you think you'll be?" she asked.
Mira shrugged. "However long Piandao wants Sokka there? However long Sokka wants to stay? Up to them, really. We've got time until the Day of Black Sun, so I don't think he should rush this. Sokka's a quick learner, but swordplay can be hard."
"I hope everything goes well," Katara said, face falling.
Mira waved away her concern. "You forget that I've trained Sokka before. If anyone can do it, he can." She turned to go, then paused and added, "But don't ever tell him I said that."
"So, what did Piandao train you in?" Sokka asked the question as they walked down the main hall the next morning. Piandao had opened his house to them while they trained, so they wouldn't have to hike up and down the valley every day (though it would have been a good part of training, Mira thought).
Piandao had handed Sokka off to Mira and Zuko that morning after informing them that a rack of weapons would be provided in the front courtyard. He'd disappeared after that, but Mira had a sneaking suspicion he was watching from somewhere.
"He taught us both to use a lot of different weapons," she answered. "But we specialized in certain things."
"Like what?"
Morning dew sparkled on the grass around the courtyard as the crisp mountain air blew past in a gentle breeze. Sokka was wearing a full-length training robe provided by Piandao, but Mira was still clad in her midriff-baring top and gauzy skirts. With the sun shining down on them, the morning chill didn't bother her. "Zuko specialized in dual dao swords," she said, plucking a scabbard out from the weapon rack and tossing it to him. "I know they're not the ones you made…"
Zuko drew the swords, pulling the hilts apart and testing the balance. He swung them both around, the silver glinting brightly as he turned. As he sheathed them, he said, "They'll do."
"You made your own swords?" Sokka asked.
Zuko looked a little surprised at being addressed, but nodded anyway. "It's the final stage in training, making your own weapon."
Sokka's eyes widened. "I have to do that? But I don't know how!"
"And you think we did? Doesn't matter, Piandao will show you." Mira ran a hand along the weapons rack, eyes searching for one thing in particular.
"What about you?" Sokka asked. "What's your specialty?"
"I've got a few," she answered. "But Piandao trained me in the katana." She found what she was looking for and pulled the slightly curved sword out from the rack. Unsheathing it, her actions mimicked Zuko's as she tested it in her grip. "I'm also good with knives, but I'm pretty much self-taught in that. Mostly I just know a little about a lot of things. Enough to make me dangerous." She rested the flat of the blade on her shoulder and put a hand on her hip. "Did Piandao mention what he would be training you in?"
"The jian, I think."
Mira nodded. "That's his weapon of choice." After studying him carefully, she said, "And probably not a bad idea for you, either. I'm assuming you got one yesterday?"
Sokka unclipped the scabbard hanging from his belt and held it up.
"Looks like a good beginner's sword. Now, how far did you get yesterday?"
Sokka began to demonstrate his newfound knowledge; Mira watched him closely and offered up tips and advice.
"Make sure to keep your elbows closer when you thrust."
"Keep your spin tighter; it'll add momentum."
"Don't grip the hilt so tight, or it won't be as fluid."
"Widen your stance." This last came from Zuko, and was followed by such a thick silence that Mira almost believed she could cut it with her blade.
"Ah—alright," Sokka said tentatively as he obeyed. His next few movements were jerky with uncertainty, but he soon relaxed as he found more freedom in his movements.
The atmosphere was different after that. Mira couldn't put a finger on it, but the interaction between Sokka and Zuko had definitely changed. To what, she wasn't exactly sure.
Morning training was followed by lunch, then a calligraphy lesson from Piandao. Sokka seemed perplexed by this, reminding Mira of her own experience with Piandao's arts lessons. Rather than hesitantly accept it, like Sokka had, she'd objected outright. After being subjected to several extra rounds of sword practice, she'd found the lessons to be a welcome break.
"Writing my name will make me a better swordsman?" Sokka asked, fiddling with the brush.
Piandao leaned over to pluck the brush out of his hand and reposition it. "When you write your name, you stamp the paper with your identity. You must learn to use your sword to stamp your identity on a battlefield."
Mira leaned over to whisper into Zuko's ear. "Still not sure about this. I mean, fighting is fighting."
Piandao turned to look at her, his dark eyes disapproving. Mira wasn't sure if he'd heard her or not, but it didn't seem to matter. "Zamira," he said loudly. "Perhaps you can demonstrate for Sokka."
Mira shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright." Dipping her brush daintily until the bowl of ink before her, she traced the characters of her name with a steady hand.
Piandao gently picked up the parchment and slid it over to show Sokka. "You see? Zamira has inked her identity in the way she slides the brush, and the way she shapes her characters."
"Really?"
Piandao nodded. "It might be difficult for a beginner to see, but one who has practiced calligraphy for years can tell."
He began to point to different characters and strokes as he spoke. "See how she creates her angles? They're sharp, even when they should be written broader. That's characteristic of someone with a sharp personality, who sometimes speaks before she thinks. And here, where the stroke falters slightly. She wants to stop the character before she should, but continues anyway. Her nature is to act quickly, but she forces herself into patience. And finally, where the first character is written much more carefully than the rest. She isn't used to writing that part of her name, showing that she's gone by an alias for a long time. All these things can be determined by how she writes."
Sokka looked awed. "Wow."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "There's no way in hell you got all that from my handwriting."
"Nevertheless, it's true, isn't it?"
Mira grumbled incomprehensibly.
"That's all true," Sokka supplied for her. "Do Zuko next!"
"No." Zuko's voice was rock solid in his refusal.
"Or not, that's cool too."
"How about you write your name?" Mira snapped. "That's why we're here, after all."
"Remember," Piandao supplied as Sokka lowered his brush, "you cannot take back a stroke of the brush, or a stroke of the sword."
"Now that I agree with," Mira mumbled.
Piandao's last comment seemed to unnerve Sokka. His brush hovered barely an inch over the paper, hand shaking as he tried to hold it steady. After a moment, he pulled back, brow furrowed in thought. He tapped his chin with the brush, splattering ink across his skin.
"You're getting ink on your face," Piandao said, looking bemused.
"I am?" Sokka asked in surprise. He looked down, noticing the brush for the first time. "I am. So…this is about putting my identity on the page, right?"
Mira lifted an eyebrow. What was he getting at?
Piandao nodded. Sokka thought some more before breaking out into a wide smile. Before Mira could ask him what he was thinking, he dunked the brush in the ink and drew thick, wide lines across his face. Setting the brush down, he lowered his head to press against the paper, rolling his face around. After he pulled back, he lifted the paper to reveal an inkblot that roughly resembled the imprint of a face.
"Did he just…?" Mira asked Zuko weakly.
"Yeah."
"Seven hells."
"He's an idiot."
"No argument there."
They quickly settled into a routine as the days passed by. Sokka's mornings were reserved for reviewing the previous day's lessons as Mira watched and offered advice. Every so often she'd show him a new move, or spar with him briefly, but mostly it was review.
After lunch came the cultural lessons, which Mira and Zuko sometimes sat in on. Mira got a pass from participating thanks to her dancing; Piandao never asked Zuko. Sokka was terrible at most of them, but Mira didn't fault him for that. She couldn't draw for shit, what did it matter if he could or not? As long as he could be aware of his surroundings…which may have been the point of the lessons, come to think of it.
Late afternoon to early evening, Piandao and Sokka trained in the front courtyard while Zuko tutored Mira in the back. Once she'd fallen back into the mindset of training, the moves came easily. Sokka, too, seemed like he was improving quickly.
And so the days passed.
A week after they arrived, Mira was training with Sokka when an idea struck her. She nursed it over, chewing on her lip as she watched him move forward, then back. It wasn't obvious now, when he was practicing alone, but it sometimes became evident in the heat of battle. Sokka had a temper problem, and it was something Mira needed to fix.
This wouldn't be pretty.
Bracing herself, Mira pushed off the low wall surrounding the courtyard and approached Sokka. "Looking good," she said. "Think you can handle a spar?"
Sokka looked a little startled, but nodded. "I think so."
Mira selected a wooden jian from the weapons provided and positioned herself around twenty feet away. After twirling the short sword around in her hand a bit, she bent her knees and sank into a ready stance. Once Sokka had done the same, she asked, "Ready?"
"Ready."
They began to circle each other, as most spars began. But this time, Mira's feet slowly closed the distance between them as she moved. Sokka didn't notice immediately, but once his eyes widened with realization, Mira made her move. She leaped forward, and Sokka yelped in surprise. But she didn't strike. Instead, she breezed right by him, turning as she passed to smack him in the shoulder blades with the flat of her blade. Sokka stumbled as he cried out in pain.
Mira bounced on the balls of her feet and spun her sword in a neat little circle. "That all you got?" she asked, bored.
Sokka grit his teeth and shook his head.
"Then show me," she said impatiently. Zuko shot her a confused look. She returned with a pointed one of her own. She wasn't sure if her intentions had been received, as Sokka chose that moment to attack. He rushed her, sword raised and elbows tucked in like she'd shown him. She would have complimented him on his technique had she not been trying to teach him a lesson.
Deftly skipping to the side, she stuck out a foot and sent him sprawling. To Sokka's credit, he popped up instantly, giving her no time to attack. But instead of running forward in another ill-planned attack, he stayed where he was, contemplating her.
Good, she thought. He was beginning to fight smarter. But that wasn't what she was trying to expose. She needed to get him angry.
Before Sokka could react, Mira darted forward and smacked him across the arm with her blade. He lashed out wildly, and Mira danced out of the way to prod him in the back of the knee. Sokka faltered, giving her time to kick him in the small of the back. His knees cracked on the tile below, but he regained his footing quickly. There was a fierce scowl on his face as he turned to face her.
Getting there.
He ran at her again, and Mira swayed to the side, elbowing him in the back of the neck as he blew past. Sokka cried out with both anger and pain. He whirled around, fire in his eyes.
Mira schooled her face to look indifferent. "What?" she asked, her voice apathetic.
Sokka opened his mouth to say something, but a muscle twitched in his jaw and he closed it without uttering a word.
Mira surged forward, bringing her sword up to crash against his in the first contact of the match. Suddenly, she released one of her hands to clamp down on Sokka's, so he couldn't pull away. As he struggled, Mira twisted and kicked him in the hip. She pushed him away and moved back, avoiding his clumsy counter-attack.
Again and again it happened, Mira ducking and weaving and leaving bruises all across Sokka's body. He grew wilder and wilder after each blow, bringing out the side Mira was aiming for. Now she just needed to point it out to him.
"Will you stop it?!" Sokka finally screamed. He stood before her in a mid-crouch, swrod extended, sweat dripping from his face and drenching his robe. There was a wild look in his face as he glared at her.
"You think your enemy's gonna step back and give you a breather in a fight?" Mira said coldly, completely motionless in her stance. "I don't think so. You think I'd go easy on you just because we're friends?"
"We're not!" Sokka cried, eyes blazing.
Mira flinched internally, though she didn't show it. She'd wondered if they were alright, thought maybe things between them were better since their talk in the cave, the day of the dance party. Apparently it hadn't gone as well as she'd thought. "Even more reason not to coddle you," she said, and though Sokka wouldn't hear the waver in her voice, she knew Zuko did.
"I don't want coddling!" Sokka spat. "I came here to learn, not to have my ass handed to me every five minutes. This isn't teaching; this is humiliation!"
Mira's face was inches from his in the time it took to blink. "Then you're completely missing the point. What else could I expect from a spoiled Water Tribe whelp?"
Sokka roared at that and shoved Mira, sending her stumbling back. He followed after her, snarling, "Don't say that!"
"Good," she said, a vicious smile on her face. "Get angry. Get angry, get pissed, get mean. But get. Smart." She poked his chest hard after each word. "You're gonna have fights like this, where things go to hell in a handbasket real quick. The key is to not lose it, and that's what you do."
"I—what?" A small wrinkle appeared between his brows as he tried to work through Mira's change in attitude.
"You get angry and you make mistakes. You rush into things without thinking, and that's going to get you killed. I'm not saying don't get mad, I'm saying you've got to use it to your advantage. Use that fire to fuel the brain I think you've still got up there." She rapped him forehead with a knuckle.
"So…those things you said…you didn't mean them?"
"Of course not. I just said things you might hear on the battlefield. Let it get to you, sure, but don't go barreling forward in a blind rage. Shut the bastard up, but keep your life."
"I—didn't realize you were…"
Mira smiled wearily. "I know. I was teaching you a lesson. That's what friends do, after all. Or at least, I would if I was one of yours." She couldn't resist at least one jab, to match what he'd done to her.
He winced. "I didn't—"
"You did. Even words said in the heat of anger come from somewhere, yeah?" Sokka started to shake his head, but Mira held a hand up to stop him. "Enough. Take some time to cool off, then come and find me. Unless I can't leave you two alone?"
Zuko's eyes met hers in a piercing stare. "Go."
Mira didn't need to be told twice. Turning on her heel, she left the courtyard behind as she entered the castle.
Endless hallways stretched out before her, and Mira soon lost track of where she was. It didn't much matter to her, anyway. She just wanted to be alone.
Finally, she ducked inside a large sitting room tucked away near the back of the house. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined one wall, a fireplace dominating the other. Opposite the door stretched a large window, curtains tied back to reveal a panoramic view of Shu Jing. A cushioned bench sat before it, inviting Mira to curl up and stare outside.
It didn't take long for a solid knock to sound on the propped-open door. "Already? I didn't expect you to—" She turned to see Piandao in the threshold, and she stopped short. "Oh. Sorry. I thought you were someone else."
"May I come in?"
Mira shrugged. "It's your house. Do what you want."
"Yes, but I find it rude to intrude on someone when they wish to be alone. So I will ask again…may I come in?"
"Of course."
Piandao walked over to stand at her shoulder. For a few minutes, he just looked out the window with her. Then: "You've trained him well."
"What?"
"Sokka. I see your handiwork in him."
His praise unsettled her. "I didn't do a lot."
"More than you know, I think." He paused, then said, "He admires you, you know."
Mira snorted. "Sokka? Yeah, right."
"Why don't you believe me?"
"I have done some horrible things to that boy and his friends. No one can admire me for that."
Piandao shifted to sit beside her on the bench, but his eyes never wavered from the scenery outside. Mira was grateful for that; she didn't think she could face his dark, flinty eyes directly. "When I first started training you, I didn't believe you would ever be an exemplary student. You were reckless and wild, with a stubborn streak longer than any child I had ever seen before. But I put a challenge in your head, a practice sword in your hand, and I watched you transform into a child I no longer recognized. You possessed a determination that most full-grown soldiers did not have. It was then that I knew what kind of person you would grow into."
"And now? What do you think of me now?" Mira was almost afraid of the answer.
"I see a girl who has never known what gray is. You live in a world of black and white, vacillating from one extreme to the other. You believe you've done great wrong; I can tell you that you are also capable of great good, even when you can't see it."
Before she could stop it, the whole story was pouring from Mira's lips: how she'd left the palace, how she'd met Sokka and his friends (she fudged the bit about Aang out of habit), how she'd lied to them about her identity, how she'd met Zuko again and lied to him. It took several minutes of recount the tale, and once she had, a pregnant silence filled the air.
Mira found she couldn't look at Piandao once she was done, but a prickle along the back of her neck told her he was still watching her.
"He doesn't hate you." Piandao's voice was quiet, but steady.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"You're wrong. He's said so himself." Mira's voice was bitter, and she hated herself for it. You shouldn't care, she told herself. You've gone years without caring; why start now?
A second voice popped up in her mind. Idiot. You've always cared.
Somehow, she knew this second voice was right.
"You know as well as I that words spoken with the intent to hurt are not always true. You were humiliating him; he wished to do the same to you."
Mira's head whipped around. "I knew it; you were watching!"
Piandao looked at her blankly.
"Not the point, sorry." She looked back to the window. "It's just, I've been on such shaky footing around them for so long now. I wouldn't be surprised if Sokka hadn't forgiven me."
"We are often hardest on ourselves, I think. He may have forgiven, but have you? I believe that is your problem."
Was it? Mira had spent so much time worrying about what everyone else thought that she'd spent hardly any time thinking of herself. Was it true, what Piandao said?
Even if it was, that still left the issue of Zuko. He was not quite as forgiving as Sokka. When Mira brought this up, Piandao merely shook his head. "Zuko has his own demons to battle. The only thing you can do now is to be there for him as he does."
"Of course. I wasn't planning on doing anything else."
Piandao smiled at her. "Then you'll be fine."
Silence reigned for a moment, until Mira pushed herself up off the cushioned bench. "I should probably go back out there," she said. "Make sure they haven't killed each other."
"You'd be surprised," Piandao said under his breath, but he refused to elaborate when she gave him a quizzical look. Shrugging to herself, she left the room.
It took several minutes and quite a few wrong turns for Mira to find her way back to the front courtyard. What she found there made her stop short.
Sokka stood in the center of the tiled space, sword in hand and fierce look on his face. He stepped forward, thrusting quickly and twisting out of the way of an imaginary attack. Zuko sat off to the side, watching with a critical eye. He didn't say anything, but every so often Sokka would look over at him, and sometimes he would receive a tight nod.
Mira didn't know what words the two of them had exchanged, but whatever they were, they'd certainly changed whatever tension had existed between the two. They weren't newfound friends by any stretch of the imagination, but perhaps they hated each other a little less.
"The hell happened when I was gone?" Mira asked, stepping forward out of the doorway. "I expected to come back to cuts and scrapes, at the very least."
"You've a low opinion of us," Zuko said.
"No, I've a realistic opinion," Mira corrected. "I don't care what happened here; I'm just hoping it lasts."
Sokka lowered his sword and approached her. "Mira—"
She held up a hand. "Don't worry about it."
Sokka's eyes hardened. "No. You're not going to brush this off. I need to say this, and you need to hear it."
Mira's hand dropped in surprise. Her mouth opened, then closed after some reconsideration. She nodded to him.
"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it, at all. I do think of you as a friend; I was just angry and wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry for that."
"And I shouldn't have pushed you. I went too far to make a point. I'm sorry as well."
"So…are we good?" Sokka asked, hopeful.
Mira grinned widely. "Hell yeah, we are." She offered her forearm.
Sokka grinned back and clasped it. "Now how about we try that spar again?"
Sokka's last task before he was to battle against Piandao was to create his own sword. Of course, he didn't know this was to precede fighting Piandao, only that forming his own weapon was a part of training. Zuko and Mira, having already faced that nasty surprise, knew what to expect. They remained silent, however—better for Sokka to face his final obstacle as they had.
The next morning dawned in a brilliant series of oranges and pinks, yet none of Piandao's students would see it. That morning was spent down in the bowels of the castle, in the armory. A table was set out with several specimens of metal, each waiting for the right person to coax a sword from it. Mira took them in with a critical eye. Sokka wasn't the only one who would spend the day metalworking, after all. Zuko had a pair of dual dao swords to make, and Mira had decided to take up the katana once more.
An odd-looking lump near the end caught her eye. She lifted it up and hefted the metal in her hand. The steel was a little warped, but Mira still caught a glimpse of the potential inside. There was something a little poetic about building her sword out of a misshapen chunk of metal, she decided. Just perfect for her.
Zuko selected two near-identical pieces for his swords, but Sokka didn't seem happy with any of the remaining options. He hemmed and hawed, then turned to Piandao. "Master, would it be possible for me to leave and bring back a special material for my sword?"
Piandao's answer was immediate. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Special material?" Mira questioned.
Sokka smiled mysteriously at her (well, as close to mysterious as Sokka could get). "You'll see."
When he showed up at the front gate with the meteor from the valley, Mira's mouth fell open. "Damn." She whistled. "That's gonna be one badass sword."
Piandao only had two forges available for use, meaning two of the three swordsmakers would have to pair up. Zuko automatically drifted to Mira's side, but she backed up and shook her head. "Go work with Sokka. Male bond or something." She was hoping that the two would continue whatever they had started the day before; making friends within the group could only help Zuko. Mira couldn't be his only link forever.
Zuko gave her a long-suffering look, but shuffled off to join Sokka at his forge. The younger boy shot Mira a confused look. She sent back a look of her own that said Be nice.
Sokka rolled his eyes, but allowed Zuko to stay.
Working at the forge brought back memories of a similar day several years ago. Mira hadn't been old enough or strong enough to work the forge on her own, so Piandao had had to step in and assist. But now Mira could make her sword all on her own.
After shoveling in enough coal to raise the forge to sweltering temperatures, Mira placed her lump of steel in a bucket and, using a pair of long, ash-stained tongs, settled it carefully within the forge. Bending down, she pumped the bellows below, and the fire within blazed.
Mira's eyes fluttered close for a brief moment, and she pulled in a deep breath. The fire in her stomach roared with approval as it sought out the inferno nearby. Strength infused Mira's muscles, and though she was sweating from the heat and exertion, she'd never felt stronger.
Once the contents of the bucket had been reduced to molten liquid, Mira pulled it out and carefully poured it into a mold of the blade she wanted. Then, with precise movements, she laid it out on an anvil and began to hammer the metal out.
This was both the most back-breaking and the most painstaking part. Mira needed to layer the steel again and again, both to remove impurities and fortify the metal. One error, and she'd have to scrap the whole thing.
Piandao must have said something about this to Katara, Toph, and Aang, because they disappeared as soon as Mira pulled the metal out. They'd helped Sokka to deliver the meteorite, and had stuck around to watch the swordmaking. Mira had felt their curious gazes in the beginning, but was grateful for their absence now. Hammering out the metal took all her concentration.
Hours later, Piandao stopped by to check on her work. Mira wasn't an expert swordsmaker by any means, and still would require his practiced eye to okay her progress before she moved on. With his sharp nod of approval, Mira dipped the blade in a bucket of cool water. Steam exploded from the surface, and after even more hours of work, the blades were finished.
Sokka was soon called to the castle, leaving Mira and Zuko behind to finish up. They'd elected to name their blades, which would take a little extra work. Small tools lined the table before them, all used for cutting designs into the metal.
Mira already had a name picked out for her sword. Her first katana, the one she'd left behind in the palace, had been named Kokatsuna. "Cunning" might have fit her back then (and honestly, probably fit her now), but to Mira, it no longer felt right. This sword was different, and deserved a different name.
Etching letters always seemed like the hardest part to Mira; perhaps it was because this was the most nerve-wracking. One slip of the finger, and you've ruined a perfectly good sword that took hours of physical labor to make.
Despite the pressure, Mira's characters turned out just the way she wanted them. The steel glinted in the light of the burned-down forge, illuminating the flawless metal Mira had coaxed out from the rough little lump. She felt insanely proud of her creation, and couldn't help the satisfied smile on her face.
"Done?" Zuko asked. He set down his tools and picked up his second sword, running a thumb over the new inscription.
"What's yours?" Mira asked.
He turned them around to show her. Two identical dao swords, each named differently.
"Kuro and Shiro," Mira read. "Black and White."
"To remind me that there are two sides to everything," he said. "Even us."
Mira smiled at him and showed him her katana.
"Kawari," he read. "Change."
"To remind me that it's something to be welcomed," Mira said, echoing him. "Not feared."
A great ringing crash came from outside the forge, causing them both to look up sharply. "I think he's attacked Sokka."
"They started fighting not too long ago," Zuko said. "You just didn't hear it."
"You mean I'm missing it?!" Mira exclaimed, springing up from her seat and sheathing her sword. "Why didn't you say anything?"
She dashed from the forge, which was tucked near the back of the estate, to the front courtyard, below the balcony where Piandao had been presenting Sokka's sword. The two were locked in a fierce battle, and though Piandao was obviously the better swordsman, Sokka was surprisingly adept.
Mira remained hidden behind part of the castle wall, her head sticking out to watch. Zuko came up behind her and peered over her shoulder, face impassive. Sneaking a look back, she smirked. "Admit it, you're pulling for him a little."
"I just think it'd be a shame for all of Piandao's work to go to waste."
Mira snorted and turned back around. That would be the most confirmation she'd get out of him.
Sokka was pinned against a low wall, ducking as Pinadao slashed at the stone behind him, sending sparks flying. Placing both feet against the stone, he pushed off, thrusting towards Piandao.
Mira gave a low whistle. "That's impressive."
Piandao twisted to the right to block the blow, and Sokka landed in a tight roll before leaping up the opposite wall to gain a height advantage. Piandao said something, but Mira was too far away to hear the words.
They exchanged a few blows before Piandao lunged for Sokka's feet. As he tried to pull back, Sokka's blade came down on his own, his foot clamped on the end to trap it. Piandao yanked a few times, then levered his sword up to send Sokka reeling away towards the bamboo forest. Piandao leaped on top of the wall and came to stand over Sokka. The young swordsman turned to duck within the tall reeds, leaving his master to follow.
Mira lost sight of him after that, but the frantic swaying of the bamboo revealed their general location. Finally, Sokka burst out, pieces of bamboo flying after him. He ran along one side of the courtyard, by the stairs, head turned to check behind him.
Mira winced. "Oh, you never want to do that."
Piandao appeared before him, blade outstretched at neck level. At the very last second, Sokka ducked, allowing the blade to swing just over his face. Skidding along the ground, he swung out with his sword to kick up dust and grit.
"Fighting dirty. I like it." Mira's grin was wolfish.
Piandao backed up, eyes screwed shut against the dirt. Suddenly, he relaxed, head cocked slightly to one side. Sokka cautiously began to creep to the left, placing his feet with exaggerated care. He might have made it closer, if a dry twig hadn't been lying on the ground in front of him. The crisp snap had Piandao's head whipping to the left, his body and sword following not long after.
Their blades met in the middle. With a quick twist of his wrist, Piandao spun their swords around, and Sokka's was ripped from his grasp and sent flying to land point down in the stone.
Sokka backed up, but Piandao was too quick for him. The swordsmaster swung out, but instead of cutting him down the middle, he simply knocked him to the side with his arms.
Sokka lay sprawled out on the ground, Piandao's sword pointed at his throat. The battle was over.
Mira popped out from behind the wall and ran over to meet the others, who were surging forward from the castle balcony where they'd been watching.
Piandao stepped back, sword held out to the side. "Excellent work, Sokka."
The other slowed to a stop behind his outstretched blade as Sokka's face screwed up in confusion. Piandao gave a sharp gesture to Fat, who remained on the balcony. His manservant threw his scabbard in the air, and without looking back, Piandao raised his blade. The scabbard slid perfectly onto the sword.
Still blinded with dirt, he turned to the others. "I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar."
Aang and Katara looked at each other in shock as all three straightened up. "How did you know?" Aang asked.
"I didn't tell him," Mira cut in.
"Oh, I've been around a while. You pick things up." Fat entered the courtyard, carrying a tray with a cloth and a steaming cup. Piandao wiped his eyes before picking up the drink. "Of course, I knew from the beginning that Sokka was Water Tribe. You might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name. Try Lee. There's a million Lees."
Zuko snorted quietly, but shook his head when Mira gave him a puzzled look.
"But why would you agree to train someone from the Water Tribe?" Katara asked. "Was it because we were traveling with Mira and Zuko?"
Piandao shook his head. "The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all."
Zuko stilled behind Mira. She wondered if something Piandao said struck a chord with him.
"Sokka, you must continue your training on your own. If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become an even greater master than I am."
They bowed to each other. Sokka, sword clutched in hand, moved to join the others, who were congregating by the front of the courtyard. As Mira and Zuko passed, Piandao held up a hand to stop them both. "It is always an honor to see my old students. You've both improved greatly."
He looked at Mira. "Remember what we talked about."
She bowed. "I will, Master."
"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Zuko alone."
Mira nodded, gave Zuko a small smile, then descended the courtyard steps.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Katara asked, inclining her head to indicate Piandao and Zuko.
"I've an idea," Mira said, but she wouldn't elaborate.
A few minutes later, Zuko came down the stairs, looking equal parts troubled and thoughtful. Whatever Piandao had said, it had resonated deep within him.
"Alright?" she asked quietly.
"I think so," he said. He shook his head to dispel his thoughts and straightened up. "I will be."
They were barely out the gate when Fat called after them. "Wait!" Once he'd caught up to them, he held out a small cloth pouch. "The Master wanted you to have this, as something to remember him by."
Sokka took the pouch, bowing to Fat as he turned to walk back to the castle. Once the gate was shut, everyone gathered around him to examine the little package.
Inside was a small, round tile painted with a white lotus.
A sharp intake of breath came from Zuko. All eyes looked to him. Mira was startled to find him pale, eyes wide like he'd seen a ghost.
"You recognize this?" Sokka asked, holding it out.
Zuko's eyes didn't leave the tile as he spoke. "That's a white lotus tile, from the game Pai Sho. Uncle plays it all the time."
"What does it mean?"
"I'm—not sure. But I think Piandao and my Uncle are connected somehow."
The others puzzled over the tile a few minutes more, but Mira wasn't concerned with that. She tugged on Zuko's sleeve. "He'll be okay," she said quietly.
"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I know." But he didn't look so convinced. Mira drifted away to give him some space, knowing that was what he needed now.
"You did really well, Sokka," Katara was saying. "I really thought Piandao was seriously battling you!"
"I knew he'd be fine," Mira said, cutting into the conversation.
"Why? Because of his training?"
"Nope. Because Piandao attacks all his students like that. It's kind of like his final exam."
"Wait, you knew that was coming?" Sokka cried, indignant. "Why didn't you warn me?!"
"And miss all the fun?" Mira gave him a toothy grin. "Not a chance."
A/N: I'm cutting "The Beach" and skipping straight on to "The Avatar and The Firelord." Next chapter is by far my favorite of all the ones I've written.
Excerpt:
"Great. Out of all the heroes in all the Nations in all the world, you had to pick the one with the inferiority complex."