Hexus

*15* Holism

[5:57AM, March 24, UTC +08:00]

Cold water hit her face. Portia closed her eyes and focused on the droplets, and they repelled from her skin and floated in a ring around her.

“Good, Portia. If you were more preemptive, perhaps you could avoid getting wet.”

She collected the droplets of water into a single blob and flung it with all her might at Master Tenzin. He received it easily and threw it at Henri. Henri quickly shut his eyes and the water splashed on his face.

“Control the water, Henri.”

“If you let me move, I would.”

“If I let you move, you would only run.”

Henri scowled and coughed out water, which dripped down his chin and onto the block of ice that held him trapped from waist down. Master Tenzin had decided teaching them in this form, to force them to control water without using their hands for coordination. They were both held down in blocks of ice – which weren’t as cold as they should have been – with their arms fixed to their sides, so all their elemental control was by force of will. Henri closed his eyes and grunted, and the water rose shakily from the ground and out of his clothes. He opened his eyes suddenly and they turned into blocks of ice that flew towards Master Tenzin. Tenzin stopped the ice a few inches from his hand, but seemed to be focusing intensely.

“You see, you are just as capable,” he smiled. He made the ice melt rapidly and the large water droplets remained suspended in front of his palm. He brought his fingers together and the water narrowed into a needle shape, which he solidified and sent flying straight at her. She took control of it as it got close to her, broke up the crystal form and made the water disperse into hundreds of small droplets.

“Very good,” Master Tenzin chuckled. “Your form is improving quickly.”

She smiled. Overriding her teacher’s hold on water was becoming easier, even though she wasn’t sure whether that was from her own strength or he was simply letting her.

“Send the water to Henri.”

She focused, combined the droplets into a single blob of liquid and moved it towards Henri. She eased her influence on it as it approached him, to help him take over. The water fell out of the air and splashed at the base of his ice prison.

“Henri,” she said. “You’re supposed to take it.”

He gave her a dull stare and turned to Master Tenzin.  Tenzin pulled his hands back and the water rose and flowed towards him. He gathered even more water from the soil around him and soon formed a rather large ball. He moved the water quickly, splashing it against the right side of Henri’s head and gathering the drops on the other side to repeat the action. Henri winced and coughed at the onslaught, trying to hold his breath to avoid inhaling the liquid.

“Stop it!” he managed between coughs.

The water hit his face again. Master Tenzin now had a somewhat stern expression as he waved his hand to and fro, making the water slap Henri repeatedly. His cheeks were beginning to redden.

“Stop!” he coughed. Master Tenzin pulled the water back and Henri panted, trying to catch his breath. The water only drew back halfway, and then rushed forward again towards his face.

“Stop!”

The water blasted backwards and instantly solidified into ice, which broke into several sharp spikes and flew straight for Master Tenzin. Tenzin raised a barrier of water in front of him and as the ice pierced it, it froze into a wall of ice, trapping the spikes. He emerged from behind the wall, smiling playfully.