Tale Of Two Avatars

The Siege of The North: Part 1

A few days had sailed past us by now and waterbending was progressing rather smoothly for us, Master Pakku even allowed Katara to join us and suffice it to say, she was doing quite well. Presently, she was duelling one of Master Pakku's students, making light work of him within minutes. By now, she had managed to successfully defeat every single one of Master Pakku's students. 

While she was doing that and while Aang was fooling around with his airbending, I was constantly shifting through the stances, practising the techniques I had learnt from Master Pakku on another one of his students as I duelled with him, summoning a wave of water and riding on it, encircling my opponent at a rapid pace and freezing the wave, only leaving my opponent's head out for air as the rest of his body remained frozen in ice.

"Excellent, Suzume. You're progressing very quickly, all you needed to do was remember the basics of waterbending, the rest came to you very naturally." Master Pakku nodded in approval, unfreezing my poor opponent. "Nice try, pupil Pero. Perhaps try practising more, you'll probably only still be able to master the waterbending in another hundred years at that rate."

Redirecting his attention to us, he proceeds with what he was going to say, "Katara, Suzume, you've both advanced more quickly than any student I've ever trained. Katara, you have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work, you can accomplish anything. Suzume, you have displayed a combination of hard work and raw talent for waterbending. However, raw talent alone is not enough. If only Aang cared enough for waterbending," Master Pakku stares at Aang irritably. "Pupil Aang!"

"Yes, Master Pakku?" Aang shoots up immediately, Momo landing awkwardly on his head after he releases his grip on the mini air scooter he conjured. 

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered waterbending."

"I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out," He bends some snow around himself and turns himself into a snowman, Katara and Master Pakku share the same looks of disappointment and disdain as a result of this.

I call upon a gust of wind, blowing the snow off him. "That's nice and all Aang but it'd also be quite nice to start taking your waterbending a little more seriously."

Aang sighs and we proceed with our training until someone calls us all to the palace abruptly. Judging by the tone of his voice, something serious and urgent had cropped up. By the time we get there, everyone from the Northern Water Tribe was gathered in the palace hall. We manage to find Sokka, navigating our way to him and already finding Akemi next to him. Once take our seats, the Northern Water Tribe chief clears his throat and makes his announcement. 

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." 

"Count me in!" Sokka shouts, rising from his place and making his way over to the chief with several other men from the Northern Water Tribe.

"Sokka..." Katara calls out in protest but Sokka was already too far ahead. 

I stared at Aang anxiously, "Aang, we have to help them."

"Yeah and we'll do that by staying here, we'll guard the city while Sokka and the others go out on their mission," Aang reassured.

"Just make sure to stay safe out there," Akemi advised. "I can't afford to lose you.

"I promise you I'll stay safe," I nodded. "You have my word. You'll need to keep yourself safe too."