I laid on my back, my hands tied together behind my head as we all beheld the glorious spectacle of a meteor shower. "Wow, this is amazing to watch" Katara commented, voicing my feelings. We were all taking a break, allowing ourselves to enjoy something nice after having liberated the fishing village that rested on a river that had been polluted by a Fire Nation factory. The Waterbender had taken it upon herself to secretly assume the identity of the village's local water spirit, bringing them food and medicine and healing their sick. I had helped her in the endeavour before the others had found out, and I was satisfied that we had made a difference.
"Kind of makes you realize how insignificant we are" Sokka said.
Beside the twins, Toph shrugged. "Eh, you've seen nothing once, you've seen it 1 000 times". I couldn't help but smile at the blind girl's sarcastic comment.
Beside me, Shan We said "When I was a boy, twelve, I think, I was fortunate enough to catch sight of an event such as this. I was completely amazed at its splendour, and it showed me that there is beauty in all things".
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light in the sky, and one of the meteors appeared closer than the rest. We all gasped at the sheer majesty of it, and Sokka said "You've never not seen anything like this". Then, the meteor shot past us, causing the ground to quake, and we all stood up and watched as it came to crash past a hill in the distance, creating a massive explosion that shook the ground even more. A plume of black smoke drifted upwards from the crash site, and we all hurried onto Appa before taking to the skies.
The Bison came to circle over where the meteor had struck, leaving a massive crater that was filled with a raging fire. "The Fire is gonna destroy that town" Katara said, pointing to a town off in the distance.
"Not if we can stop it" Aang said resolutely. I clenched my fists; I would not let that town be destroyed.
The Airbender brought Appa to land near the crater, and we all proceeded to slide off of the Bison except for Katara. The Waterbender took the reins and said "There's a creek over here. I'll Bend the water onto the fire".
"Toph, you and the twins create a trench to keep the fire from coming any closer" Shan We told the Earthbenders. "Aang, go help Katara; I will use my Firebending to help contain the fire".
As the others went about their tasks, Sokka and I exchanged a glance. The Water Tribe boy gripped his club, while my fists were clenched, but neither of us had a task we could be doing. "What should we do?" I asked Shan We.
The Firebender turned to me and replied "Stay here, where it's safe".
"But we…" Sokka started to say.
"Stay here" Shan We repeated before running over to the raging fire. He proceeded to move his hands like he was pushing something down, and I could see the flames started to diminish. I crossed my arms in slight annoyance as Momo flew down onto Sokka's head.
"There, there" he said dryly as he patted the lemur's head. "Feel better?" I patted the boy's shoulder, and we both stood and watched as the Benders slowly but surely diffused the situation. The twins and Toph thrust their arms back and forth, creating a crack that ran the length of the crater. It then expanded into a wide trench, creating a barrier while Shan We used his Firebending in order to contain the fire until Katara and Aang arrived.
A moment later, the Bison reappeared, a large ball of water trailing behind him. The water then fell as he flew over the fire, and a large steam cloud drifted upwards. "Guys, stand clear!" Aang cried as he aided Katara in Bending the water.
My shoulders slumped as Sokka's did the same, and as we slowly walked away, he dejectedly said "Right, stand clear".
"Got it" I added dryly.
Suddenly, a wave of water came rushing towards us, and we could only cry out as it struck us. From what I could tell, the fire was doused by a combination of the large wave that just hit us and a massive gust of air from Aang. The end result was a fair amount of snow that Sokka and I found ourselves buried in. I stuck my head out, shaking the snow loose from my hair. I then caught sight of Momo sliding around a small field of ice, and I sighed as Aang said "Great work, everybody".
Later, we found ourselves in the town the others had saved the previous night. While the Benders of our group ate triumphantly in the restaurant, Sokka and I sat on the stone steps, looking dejectedly down at the ground. Last night, after the meteor had struck, I had felt so… helpless. I could only stand by and watch as the Benders took care of the problem. Sure, I had become proficient in hand-to-hand combat and Chi Blocking, but I couldn't have just hit the flaming chunk of space rock. I hadn't felt that helpless since… since my time with Azula. The reminder of the psychotic teenager just made me more frustrated.
"These people have no idea how close they were to getting toasted last night" Aang said as he started eating from a bowl of rice.
"Yeah, the worst thing about being in disguise is we don't get the hero worship anymore" Toph complained. "I miss the love".
"There is honour in doing what is right without requiring thanks" Shan We sagely told her.
"Honour is all well and good, but I miss the adoring crowds!" Toph replied. "At least when I was the Blind Bandit, people feared and respected me. Here, I'm just a normal kid, without any of the perks of being a hero".
"Boo-hoo, poor heroes" Sokka bitterly said from beside me.
"What's your problem?" Katara asked. "You guys haven't even touched your smoked sea slug".
"What's our problem?" I asked incredulously, turning to face the others. "You guys can do all this incredible Bending stuff. You can put out forest fires, fly around, and make all kinds of other stuff fly around and set things on fire. Sokka and I can't fly or do any of those things, okay?"
"Yeah" the Water Tribe boy agreed. "Back when you guys were dealing with that meteor, neither of us could do anything. Since we couldn't hack or punch anything, we had to stand aside. We can't do anything".
"That's not true" Katara protested. "Sokka, no one can read a map like you".
"I can't read at all" Toph added, trying to be helpful.
"Yeah, and who keeps us laughing with sarcastic comments all the time?" Aang asked. "I mean, look at Katara's hair, right? What's up with that?"
"What? What's wrong with my hair?" the Waterbender asked worriedly.
"Nothing, I was just trying to…" the Airbender started to explain.
"Takara, you are one of the most skilled warriors I have ever encountered" Shan We cut him off. "You've endured things that would have broken most people, and you are one of the strongest and most caring people I have ever met".
The twins nodded their agreement, and I replied "Look, we appreciate the effort, but the fact is that each of you is so amazing and so special; Sokka and I are just… normal".
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katara sitting beside her brother. "I'm sorry you're feeling so down, but I hope you know none of us see you that way". Jin and Li walked over, and they gave me comforting smiles. "I know something that's gonna make you guys feel better" Katara said, sounding like she was seized by inspiration.
"You do?" Sokka asked.
The Water Tribe boy and I then found ourselves in an armour and weapons shop, and we both clapped our hands excitedly. "Shopping!" he exclaimed joyfully. We then charged into the shop, perusing through its wares. "Maybe a little something to reinvigorate my battling". He and I then tested out several weapons, while Aang tried on the most ridiculous-looking armour I have ever seen. I picked up a hooked blade at the end of a chain, and decided to try it out. Gripping the chain several feet away from the blade, I started swinging it in a vertical circle, preparing an attack. When the time came, I thrust my arm forward. Unfortunately, the hooked blade swung directly upwards and into the ceiling, becoming stuck.
Pursing my lips, I tightly gripped the chain and started pulling, trying to dislodge the blade. After several tries, I found it to be completely stuck. Luckily, Jin walked over to me and wrapped the chain around his wrist before gripping it with his right hand. He then pulled, and I suspected that he was employing his newfound 'Metalbending' abilities. The hooked blade finally came loose, and before it reached the ground, it stopped. I graciously took the weapon and bowed my head to the Earthbender. Looking at the blade, I noticed that the tip was missing. Looking up at the ceiling, I found it, realizing that it must have broken off.
Jin nervously smiled before quickly walking away, and I placed the weapon back into its place before nonchalantly walking away, whistling calmly. Turning to my right, I felt my mouth drop open as I beheld the most magnificent sword I had ever laid eyes on. It was in a display case, and the image of a golden Dragon ran the length of the sheath. "Look" I said, drawing Sokka's gaze to the sword.
"That's what Sokka's talking about" he said appreciatively as he ran his hand along the sheath.
"You have a good eye" the shopkeeper told him. Glancing over at the man, I saw that he looked a lot like Iroh. "That's an original from Piandao".
"Piandao?" Shan We asked, walking over to join us.
"You've heard of him?" I asked, turning to look at the Firebender.
"He's a legend" he replied. "The greatest swordsman and blacksmith in Fire Nation history. It is said that he was left on the doorstep of an orphanage after his two Firebending parents realized that he was not a Bender. He grew up to become the finest non-Bending warrior in the world, never losing a battle during his service in the military. He became tired of war and death, so he returned home. 100 soldiers were sent in order to force him to rejoin the army, and they were all defeated in a spectacular battle. He has been left in peace ever since, free to enjoy life and pass on his knowledge to all those willing to learn".
"He sounds like a personal hero of yours" Aang commented.
"I idolized the man when I was a boy" Shan We said. "To me, he wasn't even a man; he was a living legend, someone to be feared and respected for pure talent".
"He lives in the big castle up the road from here" the shopkeeper said.
"That's it!" Aang suddenly said. "That's what you two needed all along".
"A sword?" Sokka asked in slight confusion.
"Not the sword" the Airbender clarified. "A Master. We've all had Masters to help us get better. You should see if you can study with Piandao".
"That's a great idea!" Katara agreed. "I could've never gotten to where I am without Master Pakku. Everyone needs a teacher".
"I learned from Badgermoles" Toph commented. "They don't talk, but they're still good teachers". Beside me, I could see the twins' eyes widening as their admiration for the blind girl doubled in a single moment.
"It would be nice to become a Master Swordfighter" I said as Sokka drew the sword from its sheath. He and I exchanged a glance. "All right, we'll talk to him".
A short time later, Sokka and I found ourselves standing at the front gates of a very impressive mansion. I knocked with one of the lion turtle door-knockers and waited. For a few moments, we stood there, waiting for someone to answer. I tried knocking again, but still, no one came. "Maybe this'll work" Sokka said. I stood aside, and he proceeded to pound the double doors with both door knockers.
Suddenly, one of the doors opened, and Sokka recoiled as an older man in a black robe greeted us. "Can I help you?" he asked.
I glanced at Sokka, who hastily stood at attention. "We've come to train with the Master" I said, and we both bowed to the man.
He gave us both the once-over before saying "You should know the Master turns almost everyone away. What did you bring him to prove your worth?"
"Uh…" I stammered, glancing over at Sokka, who tried looking for something in his clothes.
"Right" the man said after a moment. "Let's get this over with". He then ushered us through the door before sealing it behind us. We were led through a wide, open courtyard before entering the mansion itself, which was even grander when seen from up close. The halls were adorned with tapestries depicting fantastical weapons and famous battles, and we were eventually led into a vast main hall where a middle-aged man kneeled in front of a table situated in front of an open section of wall that gave a stunning view of the nearby landscape.
Sokka and I stepped into the hall, and he said "Master, my name is Sokka, and this is my aunt, Takara. We wish to be instructed in the way of the sword".
"Sokka and Takara" the man, clearly Piandao, said as he wrote something on a scroll. "Those are unusual names".
I glanced over at the Water Tribe boy, and stammered out "Oh, uh, really? Well, where we come from, the Fire Nation colonies, that is, they're perfectly normal names for, you know, Fire Nation colonials". I inwardly sighed, realizing how stupid that explanation was.
"Let me guess" Piandao said as he continued writing, never turning to look at us. "You've come hundreds of miles from your little village where you're the best swordsman in town and you think you deserve to learn from the Master".
"Well, actually, we've been all over the world" Sokka replied.
"Yep, here we go" Piandao said, sounding resigned.
"And we know one thing for sure: we have a lot to learn" Sokka added. He was right; while I was proficient in hand-to-hand combat, I was sorely lacking when it came to actual weapons. The two of us proceeded to get down on our knees.
"You're not doing a very good job of selling yourselves" Piandao commented.
"Your butler told us that, when we met you, we would have to prove our worth, but the truth is, we don't know if we're worthy. You assumed that we were the best warriors in our village, but actually, I was the worst. I was the oldest of all the other warriors, and yet I was constantly unsure of myself, and that caused me to make many mistakes. And I can safely say that, while my nephew does have some talent, he has a lot to learn".
"Hmm, I see" Piandao said, and I sensed a slight change in his tone. He then picked up his sword from the richly-carpeted floor and stood up, saying "Well, then, let's find out together how worthy you are. I will train you". My mouth fell open in surprise, and I turned to look at Sokka; we were finally going to learn how to master the art of swordfighting!
I stood beside Sokka, the two of us having changed into black robes just like the one Piandao and his butler wore, in the middle of the courtyard at the back of Piandao's mansion. "The first thing you must learn is that your weapon is an extension of yourself". He demonstrated this by drawing his sword and extending it outwards before performing several slices. "You must think of it as another part of your own body".
"Like a second head" Sokka said, and I smirked at his unusual way of thinking.
"Well, more like an extra-long, really sharp arm" Piandao corrected. "The sword is a simple tool, but in the hands of a Master it becomes the most versatile of weapons, and just as the imagination is limitless, so, too are the possibilities of the sword". I eagerly soaked in the knowledge he was bestowing upon us, wanting to learn as much as I could. He then brought us back inside the mansion and in front of a table. "The warrior practices a variety of arts to keep his mind sharp and fluid. The first you will learn is calligraphy". He then placed stones on either side of two scrolls that Sokka and I stood in front of. Handing us brushes, he said "Write your name".
"Writing my name will make me a better swordsman?" Sokka asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"When you write your name, you stamp the paper with your identity" Piandao explained. "You must learn to use your sword to stamp your identity on a battlefield". Sokka and I proceeded to dip our brushes, but before we made a mark on the page, Piandao cautioned "Remember, you cannot take back a stroke of the brush, or a stroke of the sword".
Pondering my Master's words, I stared at the page in front of me. If I wanted to stamp my identity on the page, then that didn't necessarily mean that I had to 'write' my identity. I then started going to work.
As I went about my task, I heard Piandao say to Sokka "You're getting ink on your face".
"I am?" the Water Tribe boy asked. "I am. So this is about putting my identity on the page, right?" Presumably, the older man nodded. I turned to see Sokka spreading ink all over his face before smearing it over his page. He then smiled as he presented it to Piandao, and I saw that he had created the image of a face. The Master nodded before turning to my work.
I held up my page, on which I had painted a facsimile of the face paint the Kyoshi Warriors would adorn. "Hmm, very beautiful" Piandao commented, and I smiled at his praise. After that, Sokka and I practiced in the rear courtyard with the Master's butler, using wooden swords. The Water Tribe boy was disarmed after his first strike, and he proceeded to run around like a wounded platypus bear as the butler chased him. After that, it had been my turn to face the portly man. Instead of wielding only one wooden sword, I had elected to wield two. After all, I was already familiar with two weapon combat from my experience with the fans used by my fellow Kyoshi Warriors. I had lasted much longer than Sokka, though I still wound up being disarmed.
Piandao then put blindfolds over our eyes and led us beyond the borders of his mansion. I could hear a waterfall in the distance as well as chirping birds as I felt the Master's hand on my shoulder, guiding me forward. "Landscape painting teaches a warrior to hold the lay of the land in his or her mind" he told us. I suddenly felt his hand on my shoulder, turning me to the left before stopping me. "In battle, you only have an instant to take everything in". I suddenly found my blindfold removed, and my eyes initially squinted from the sheer amount of light. Once they adjusted, I marveled at the majesty of the sight before me.
We stood on a hill that overlooked a mighty river that led to a majestic waterfall. On either side was a rolling series of green hills that stretched for miles. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever laid eyes on.
"Now, paint it" Piandao commanded, and I felt his hand on my head as I was turned around. He then sat us down in front of blank pages, and I heard him tell Sokka "And no peeking".
I then went to work. Closing my eyes, I pictured the scene in my head, letting my hand go on its own as my brush went back and forth over the page. Eventually, I opened my eyes and looked down at the page. While it certainly wasn't eligible for costing a rich noble a considerable amount of money, I thought it was a pretty good representation. "We're finished" I said, and Piandao turned towards us. Sokka proudly displayed his piece, which featured a rainbow, a smiling sun, and blue mountains.
"You added a rainbow" Piandao noted.
The Water Tribe boy looked down at his piece. "Is that okay?"
The Master sighed before turning to my paper. His eyes widened slightly, and he said "I must say, Takara, I'm impressed. Given how little time you had, that's a fairly accurate picture. Perhaps you can pass on your skills to your nephew sometime". Sokka silently glared at me, and I smirked in response. Later, we found ourselves in the middle of another sparring session with the butler. I watched as Sokka started doing fairly well, but when Piandao called his name, the Water Tribe boy was defeated. "Concentrate on what you're doing".
I then stepped into the centre of the courtyard, brandishing my two wooden swords. When the signal was given, I launched myself into the attack, hounding the butler with a successive series of attacks that I hoped would keep him off balance. Remembering the words my father had uttered to me about focus in battle, I prepared for Piandao's distraction. Eventually, as I caught my opponent's weapon in between mine as I crossed them to form an X, the Master called my name. I didn't fall for the same trick, and I continued my assault. After a few strikes, I decided that two could play at that game.
"What was that, Sokka?" I asked. The butler didn't move, but I could see that his eyes glanced to the left, to where the Water Tribe boy was licking his wounds. Capitalizing on the opening, I pushed forward, striking the butler's gut with one sword while I struck the back of his head with the other one. I then took advantage of his stunned state and swept his feet out from under him, knocking him on his back. I looked up at Piandao, and he nodded to me.
"Rock gardening teaches the warrior to manipulate his surroundings and use them to his advantage" the older man told us as he brought Sokka and I to a section of the courtyard.
"Hmm, manipulate them to my advantage" the Water Tribe boy said as he held his chin in thought. When it was all said and done, he'd fashioned a bed for himself under the shade of a tree. My creation was plain, in comparison, but it was beautiful enough in its own way. The butler just about fainted when he saw the ruin we had left in our wake, and Sokka asked "Hey, would you mind grabbing a cold drink for me?" as he lounged on his self-made bed.
"I'll take a slice of lemon in mine, please" Piandao told the butler.
"I'll have some jasmine tea, please" I added, crossing my arms and laughing at the butler's predicament.
After a final dueling session with the butler, Sokka and I knelt in front of Piandao in the courtyard. "You've had a good first day of training" he told us.
The Water Tribe boy and I exchanged a glance. "I have?" Sokka asked. "But I thought I messed up every single thing we worked on".
"You messed things up in a very special way" Piandao clarified. "And, you, Takara, possess a great deal of raw talent. The two of you are ready for real swords".
Sokka and I exchanged ecstatic glances before I asked the older man "Are you giving us some of yours?"
"No". I felt my shoulders slump a little, and he said "Your swords must be extensions of yourselves, so tomorrow, you will make your own swords".
The following day, Sokka and I found ourselves in Piandao's forge. There was an astounding array of every possible material, as well as dozens of swords in racks on the walls. "Choosing the correct material is the most important step in crafting a sword" the Master told us. "You must trust your steel with your life. Choose carefully".
After examining the materials available to us, I couldn't quite find one that seemed to fit. Suddenly, I felt a jolt of inspiration, and I looked over at Sokka. He seemed unsure as to what I was thinking, but then he seemed to catch on. "Master, would it be possible if we left and brought back a special material for our swords?"
Piandao smiled somewhat. "I wouldn't have it any other way".
Sokka and I then made our way back to our campsite. Toph and the twins were laying on their backs, staring up at the sky, Aang and Katara stared at the ground in boredom, and Shan We sat cross-legged a few feet away, his eyes closed as he meditated. "Hey, guys" Sokka said as we approached. In an instant, Aang, Katara, and Toph practically tackled the Water Tribe boy to the ground, while Jin and Li were at my side faster than a bolt of lightning. They wrapped their arms around me, and I patted their heads as Shan We walked over to me.
"I see we've been missed" I said, and the Firebender smiled.
"You could say that" he said.
"Say something funny" Aang told Sokka.
"Funny how?" the Water Tribe boy asked, clearly a little confused.
The others then started laughing so hard that they almost fell over gripping their sides. "What's their deal?" he asked Toph.
"I don't know" the blind girl replied, turning away from him. "They missed you or something. I didn't care". I could see her blushing, and the twins noticed as well. They glared over at Sokka, and I couldn't help but smile a little.
"Thanks" Sokka said. "That warms my heart. Anyway, we need some help".
"Help with what?" Aang asked.
I looked over at Sokka, and we exchanged smirks. A short time later, we escorted the others as they slowly but surely pushed the meteor up the path towards Piandao's mansion. It was massive, almost as large as Appa, and the three Earthbenders struggled to move it. Eventually, we reached the double doors, and Sokka bombarded them with a constant series of knocks with the door knockers until Piandao appeared. "Who's this?" he asked, looking at the others.
"Oh, this is my family" Sokka replied. "Just other good Fire Nation folks.
"Master Piandao, it is an incredible honour to meet you" Shan We said as he bowed to the man, his usual stoic expression broken enough to show the awe that he was surely feeling.
"My husband is a great fan of yours, Master" I told Piandao with a smirk, keeping up with Shan We's cover story for us.
"Do you think we can make swords out of a meteorite?" Sokka asked him, motioning to the massive chunk of space rock.
The Master touched his hand to it, and a moment later, said "We'll make swords unlike any other in the world".
We then started the process of forging our weapons. Sokka and I shoveled coal into the forge itself, and I stood by as he and the butler slowly broke small chunks and pieces off of the meteorite with a hammer and nail. Once that was done, we loaded the pieces into the forge itself, and we waited for a long time as they liquefied. Eventually, after a long and labour-intensive process, our blades were completed. Sokka only had one, while I had two, and our weapons complemented our fighting styles.
Sokka and I found ourselves kneeling before Piandao, with the others behind us, as he said "Sokka, when you first arrived, you were so unsure. You even seemed down on yourself. But I saw something in you right away: I saw a heart as strong as a lion turtle, and twice as big, and as we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me". He then took Sokka's sword from the butler. "No, it certainly wasn't your skills. You showed something beyond that: creativity, versatility, intelligence". As he spoke, he drew Sokka's sword, a magnificent blade with a gleaming, double-edged blade, and oddly enough, there was a White Lotus symbol etched into the end of the grip. "These are the traits that define a great swordsman, and these are the traits that define you". He then sheathed the weapon before handing it to Sokka. "You told me you didn't know if you were worthy, but I believe that you are more worthy than any man I have ever trained".
"Way to go, Sokka!" Aang whispered, and I saw Katara elbowing him in the ribs out of the corner of my eye.
Piandao then turned to me. "Takara, you, too, were unsure of yourself. You told me that that caused you to make mistakes. However, after getting to know you, I can tell that you are never unsure of yourself when it comes to doing what you think is right. A warrior must always fight for what he or she believes to be right and just, and I have faith that you will do so. As we trained, you showed yourself to be as brave as the greatest Firebender, as enduring as the greatest Earthbender, as adaptable as the greatest Waterbender, and as agile as the greatest Airbender. You showed yourself to be fearless and cunning in battle, and I can honestly say that you are the finest woman I have ever trained". I smiled at the Master's praise as the butler handed him my twin swords. "Takara, you are one of the finest warriors I have ever met, and you are possessed of a spirit that is truer and brighter than anyone I have ever known". He handed me my swords, and I examined the weapons, taking one out of it sheath a little. Like Sokka's weapon, they had gleaming, double-edged black blades, but they emerged from the mouths of golden Dragon heads, and a burning sun was etched into the end of the grips, which had crimson tassels tied to them.
I turned to look at Sokka, and I saw that he was feeling what I was feeling at that moment. "I'm sorry, master; you're wrong. We're not worthy. We're not who you think we are".
"We're not from the Fire Nation" Sokka continued. "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe, and she's not even my real aunt; she's from Kyoshi Island".
"We lied so that we could learn the art of swordsmanship from you" I finished, holding up my swords as Sokka did the same with his. "We're sorry".
"I'm sorry, too" Piandao said. In the blink of an eye, he drew his own sword and swung at us. Sokka and I barely managed to duck our heads back before we drew our own weapons.
The others started to come to our aid when Sokka said "No, this is our fight".
We then found ourselves out in the courtyard, where we had dueled countless time with the butler over the last few days. Only this wasn't a duel, and this time, we were about to fight the greatest swordsman in the world. Piandao lunged at us, and the duel began in earnest. Sokka struggled to keep up with the older man, and he was driven back until he reached a stone bridge that passed over a small creek.
I then attacked, bringing both of my blades to bear. Piandao ducked beneath a slice, and he followed up with a thrust aimed at my face. I barely managed to block his blade with my other one, and he responded by kicking me in the gut. I landed on my back, but I used the momentum in order to get back on my feet as he leaped into the air and brought his blade down in an overhead chop. I formed my swords into an X and caught his weapon, but he backed off before slicing at my legs. I leaped to my left, spinning as his blade passed harmlessly beneath me.
I then joined Sokka at the bridge, and Piandao renewed his assault. We ducked and dodged his attacks, leaping on and off of the sides of the bridge. "Excellent" he told us. "Using your superior agility against an older opponent. Smart". Sokka and I backed up, reaching some stairs that led to another part of the grounds. I ducked beneath a sword slice, proceeding to backflip onto the grass. Sokka was then pinned against the other side of the stairs as Piandao attempted to slice him. The older man's weapon made several marks on the stone, but the Water Tribe boy was able to remain unharmed. He then leaped off of the wall towards Piandao, aiming his sword at the man. When the attack failed, he joined me on the grass. "Good use of terrain. Fighting from the high ground".
Sokka and I joined our efforts as we alternated between attacking and defending, trying to keep his attention divided. I brought my one sword down in an overhead chop, and when Piandao blocked it, I aimed a thrust with my other one. He moved his head out of the way, causing me to miss. He then aimed a slice at my legs, and as I quickly hopped over the blade, Sokka was able to catch it, holding it against the ground.
I smirked triumphantly, until Piandao used his leverage and superior strength in order to throw Sokka backwards into the small bamboo forest. I quickly snapped my head back towards my opponent, but by the time I did, he had already leaped onto the same ground as me. He then pushed off with his feet, and I fell onto my back, using my swords to deflect his blade so that it imbedded into the ground just above my head. I held my blades against his, and for the moment, we stayed where we were. Deciding that I had to break free, I decided to go for broke and kissed him on the lips. His eyes widened in shock, and I proceeded to head-butt him before tripping him with my leg. As he fell onto his back, I got on my feet and retreated towards the bamboo forest. Piandao got back on his feet and chuckled. "Using your feminine charm to surprise an opponent. Well done".
I ran into the midst of the bamboo, and I found Sokka a moment later. We ran down a path, slicing down bamboo shoots on either side of us as we did so. Glancing backwards, I saw that the top halves of the bamboo fell down, hindering Piandao as he pursued us. We then came to a small cluster, and Sokka took one of the shoots and bent it back before releasing it. The shoot sprang backwards with a great deal of force, and just as it would have struck Piandao in the face, he managed to slice it with his sword.
"Yes, use your surroundings" he said as Sokka and I continued to aim bamboo shoots at him. "Make them fight for you". As the Water Tribe boy continued to run back towards the courtyard, I hid in a cluster of bamboo shoots, remaining perfectly still as my heart thundered in my chest. Luckily, Sokka's screaming drew Piandao's attention away from me, and he ran after him. Once I was behind the older man, I charged after him. Emerging from the bamboo forest, I saw Sokka stabbing his sword in the ground as he turned around, proceeding to slice upwards and cast a cloud of dirt at Piandao's eyes. "Very resourceful" he said, and he stood where he was, his sword at the ready.
I glanced over at Sokka, and he waved his hand over his eyes, indicating that Piandao had been temporarily blinded. I nodded, and we prepared to strike at the same time. I stepped quietly, careful to not make any discernable sounds. Sokka, unfortunately, stepped on a twig, snapping it and alerting Piandao. The older man was instantly on the Water Tribe boy, amazingly coordinated despite his inability to see at this point.
The two locked blades, and Piandao soon disarmed his opponent before knocking him on his back. I then tapped the tip of my right sword on the ground as I walked to the left. The Master instantly reacted, leaping into the air and bringing his sword down in an overhead chop. As he did so, I ran along the wall to my left before pushing off, bringing my own swords down. He dodged out of the way and said "Using my loss of sight and ability to hear to your own advantage. Good". I then launched myself into an assault, attacking him with a relentless series of strikes with my twin swords. "Forcing me on the defensive and preventing me from mounting a proper attack. Good thinking".
I brought my twin swords down at once, but he dodged out of the way. He then crouched down and swept my feet out from under me. I found myself landing on my back beside Sokka, grunting as the wind was knocked out of my lungs. Piandao then held the tip of his sword to my throat, and I knew that we were done.
Just as I heard the others coming to our aid, the Master stepped back, holding his sword at his side. "Excellent work, both of you". I looked to my left, at Sokka, and we exchanged puzzled glances as Piandao gestured to his butler, who was standing at the top of the stairs that led into the mansion. He threw the sheath at the Master, who held out his sword. The sheath slid on perfectly, and Piandao turned to the others. "I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar".
The others exchanged a glance before Aang asked "How did you know?"
"Oh, I've been around a while" Piandao replied. "You pick things up. Of course, I knew from the beginning that Sokka was Water Tribe and that Takara was from Kyoshi Island". As he spoke, Sokka and I stood up and retrieved our weapons. "You might want to think of better Fire Nation cover names. Try 'Lee'. There's a million Lees".
"But why would you agree to train someone from the Water Tribe and Kyoshi Island?" Katara asked.
"The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation" Piandao replied. "Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all". I glanced at Shan We, thinking that the Master's words sounded a lot like the Firebender's beliefs about the world. He then turned to face us. "Sokka, Takara, you must continue your training on your own. If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become even greater Masters than I am".
We then bowed to him in respect and thanks before we made our way out of the mansion. As we walked out the double doors at the front, the butler called out "Wait". We turned and saw him running towards us. "The Master wanted you to have these, as something to remember him by". He then handed me a bag before bowing and walking back into the mansion.
We all gathered in a circle as I opened the bag. I pulled out its contents, revealing two White Lotus tiles. "They're Pai Sho tiles" Sokka noted, taking one for himself.
"The White Lotus" Aang added. "Hmm".
"What does it mean?" Katara asked.
Shan We and I exchanged a smile as Sokka replied "I have no idea". We then turned to look at the mansion as the double doors were closed. I then noticed for the first time that a Fire Nation emblem was in the centre of a stylized White Lotus. "Ooh, that reminds me. Toph, Jin, Li, I thought you might like these". He then took out three small pieces of meteorite from his pocket. "Since you guys've probably never had a chance to Bend space earth before".
"Sweet" the blind girl said as she and the twins each took a piece. The boys' eyes lit up, and Toph said "Check this out" as the three of them used their Bending to morph the pieces of meteorite into several different shapes.
"You know, I don't think there's such a thing as 'space earth'" Katara said. "If it's from space, then it's not really earth".
"Must you ruin everything?" Sokka demanded.
Shan We took my hand in his, and we smiled to each other as Katara huffed and said "I can't believe I missed you".
Eeek! I loved writing this chapter; it just felt so much like Star Wars! Also, this chapter had a ton of stuff that will be the foundation for things that I'll be including in the Legend of Korra fanfic I'll write when I'm done writing this (if the universe allows me to finish).
I'll be skipping the next few episodes, as there really isn't anything interesting for my characters to do. So, next up is 'The Puppetmaster'.
FYI, for those of you wondering how the meteor could make three swords and leave three chunks for the Earthbenders, I almost tripled its size so that it could make more than it did on the show in order to accommodate my own characters.