Happy Independence Day for today, and happy Flag Day for yesterday, to all my Ukrainian readers! May both holidays be celebrated for many years to come.
Responses to Reviews:
RonaldM40196867: On some level it must do, considering a lot of their animals are hybrids and they actively consider it weird to encounter a normal bear.
Zigzagdoublezee: She's done a remarkably good job considering the prejudices of her tribe.
As Always, Please Review!
A line of young men, all dressed in blue, stood at attention at the edge of a courtyard as Master Aklaq walked slowly in front of them, correcting their posture.
The door burst open. Everyone jumped, and turned to see the Princess Katara storming in, the Mother of the Chief trailing behind her.
"Princess!" Aklaq bowed deeply. "We are honoured by your presence, and so grateful for your return."
Katara bowed back.
"Have you seen Master Pakku?" She asked.
"The Northerner?" Aklaq looked around. "What do you need with him?"
Katara sighed.
"I need to be trained in the arts of combat waterbending. I'm not fussy about who does it."
"Why?" Aklaq asked.
"I don't know," Katara told him, sarcasm dripping off her tone. "Maybe it's just my feminine impulses. Or maybe it's the MASSIVE FIRE NATION FLEET that's headed our way?"
Aklaq jumped backwards at the sudden harsh tone, and held his hands up.
"He's over there," he said, pointing across the yard. Katara's eyes followed him and she saw Pakku sat on a bench with a very familiar figure. An Air Nomad.
"Thanks!" She called to Aklaq as she rushed towards them. Pakku and Rinzen heard her approach and looked up.
"Katara!" Rinzen jumped up.
"What are you doing here?" Katara asked.
"Your friend came to beg me to train you," Pakku said in a low voice.
"You did?"
"I tried," Rinzen lowered his eyes.
"Unfortunately, Air Nomads are, rather famously, pacifists," Pakku pointed out. "Which is their right, but I do not think they know much about training to fight."
"We can fight!" Rinzen protested hotly, and then caught himself, muttering a correction.
"Not that we want to. Only when we're threatened."
"I expect you've come here to beg as well," Pakku stood up. "I've already explained my reasons. I will not soil my culture this way."
"'Your' culture?" Katara asked. "Who said anything about your culture? I'm a Southerner."
"You know what I mean," Pakku scowled. "We can only talk in circles around each other. It is obvious that you are insistent upon being trained, which I do find admirable in a way. But I will never compromise my morals. Not for you, not for the Avatar, not for anyone."
Katara felt the red mist descend.
"Your morals?" She demanded. "Those aren't morals. It's just petty, small-minded, ridiculous hatred!"
"No, it's not hate. I don't hate anyone."
"You could have fooled me!" Katara spat. "You're just very good at hiding it!"
Pakku puffed up, outraged.
"I'll thank you," he hissed, "not to speak to me like that again. Do you honestly believe this is helping your case?"
"According to you, I don't even have a case!" Katara pointed out. "Which means I may as well tell you exactly what I think of you and your stupid 'morality' while I'm here!"
"You do that."
And Pakku began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Katara demanded.
"You may say what you like," Pakku shrugged. "That does not mean I am under any obligation to listen. Tell your friend what you think of me, but I'll go and use my time productively."
Katara saw that she was losing him, and clawed around in her mind desperately for some way to keep his attention.
"Fight me then," she said.
"What?" Pakku stopped.
"Fight me!" Katara repeated, gaining confidence. "I'll show you how I can fight."
"Are you sure this is wise?" Rinzen tried to intervene but Katara shook him off.
"I don't care."
"But he's a master!"
"I. Don't. Care!"
But the Master only snorted.
"I thought better of you," he said. "This... this tantrum will do you no good. You should listen to your friend."
"Tantrum?!" Katara's anger ignited anew at that comment. "How dare you?"
"Oh, I dare," Pakku grinned. "I don't know if you think you're being fierce right now, but if anything, your theatrics are comical."
With a roar, Katara brought her arm up. A tendril of water obeyed her command and she sent it screaming towards Pakku's head. She saw his eyes widen, but then he raised a hand and the water stopped, hanging there in mid-air as they both fought for control over it.
"Impressive technique," he noted. "Not bad."
"But you still won't train me?" Katara asked.
"Afraid not," Pakku shrugged. "The water-whip is a basic technique. Easily overcome!"
And with a contemptuous flick of his wrist, the water reversed course and knocked Katara down.
"Rule one," Pakku told her. "Use your opponents' own attacks against them. You can have that one for free."
Katara struggled to her feet, by this time absolutely steaming with barely contained rage. She gestured with both hands and a column of ice formed in front of her. With a few quick movements, the pillar crumbled apart until all that remained were a hundred tiny ice shards hanging there in mid-air. Then with a yell she extended her hand towards Pakku. He yelped in surprise and threw up his hands, bringing up a shield of ice. A hundred shards embedded themselves into its surface.
He lowered it, shaken.
"Are you mad?" He demanded. "That's a lethal move!"
"Still believe that women can't fight?"
"I said women shouldn't fight, not that they can't," Pakku complained. "And you're not disproving me."
"I don't care," Katara scowled. "Just fight."
Pakku dusted himself off lazily, and seemed to consider what she was saying for several seconds. Then a wicked grin spread across his face.
"Normally I would not raise my hand against someone of your standing," he said. "But you make the idea extremely attractive."
He settled into a bending stance.
"You wish to learn how to fight? Then let me demonstrate."
"Come on then," Katara snarled. A small crowd had formed around them, formed of the other masters, their students, Rinzen and Gran-Gran. All of them looked on uncertainly, unsure of what would happen next.
And then they both attacked at once.