Waterbending

Pakku stopped instructing his students, noticing Nami had just entered his training arena. Her head held high, her walk, confident. Walking by her side was a tiny boy dragging his feet in the snow, a lollipop in his mouth, and his gaze on the clouds above. Everything about him, irked Pakku

"Who's the brat?", he asked.

Smiling, Nami bowed, forcing the child to do the same, but he slipped out her hold.

Staring at him, Pakku noticed his sharp, intense eyes.

'A spirit?'

"Am I here to watch kids play in puddles?", the boy waved at his students, with an infuriating grin.

'Arrogant', Pakku grunted.

"He's Zerun. I hope you choose to become his waterbending master, Elder Pakku", Nami looked behind to see the boy, distracted, playing around with a white bird, "ZERUN!", she scolded.

"Sorry Mom", 'at least he had the decency to looked ashamed', "who's the old man?"

'What's with his behaviour?', a tick formed on Pakku's head.

"Old man, you shouldn't be out and about in your old age. You might die from overwork", the child all but screamed. In the background, his students giggled.

The boy leaned in closer and whispered, "Or do you come here to show off for the old grannies. GILFs? Am I right?"

"WHAT'S GILF?", Pakku shouted, "Nami, raise him right. He doesn't respect his elders"

Nami grew red in shame and anger, twisting Zerun's ear, she started to drag him out the arena. 

"Sorry, sorry", the boy repeated, "I didn't know he was important to you, mom"

"I didn't come here for my benefit", Nami pointed, flicking Zerun's forehead, "it was for YOU. To teach you waterbending and how to use the art responsibly"

"But I'll master waterbending whether I have a teacher or not", the boy spoke like he was stating a fact. Nami deflated, rubbing her head in reluctant acceptance.

"I know that, but there is history and discipline. Something a Master Waterbender will teach you. Something you wouldn't learn by just seeing them perform"

'Interesting', Pakku stroked his beard.

"Bring him back", he instructed, "I teach boys at least 12 years old, but I want to see where the child gets his confidence from"

<<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>

On the day of the winter solstice, Pakku sat with the Northern Water Chief and his family. The chief's wife coddled Yue, their white-haired daughter.

'Touched by the moon-spirit', he pondered. 

"How are the waterbending lessons, Pakku?", Arnook asked, "anyone promising?"

The bending master released a deep sigh, "A troublesome student has been occupying a lot of my thoughts recently"

"Who?", Arnook's wife enquired with a grin.

"Zerun, Nami's boy"

"Zerun?", the woman mulled over, "isn't he four?"

"Five", he corrected, "today's his birthday"

"Five? Pakku, you accepted a young child as your student", Arnook curiously leaned over.

"The only time I will", he answered, "The kid's a prodigy. No! He's a Monster. Whether or not I taught him, or anyone else for that matter, he would've always grown to be a powerful bender"

"Truly?", they gasped.

"He grows stronger, faster, and more efficient mid-battle. He desires power, and is extremely confident in his abilities", Pakku huffed, "He often falls in a frenzy when fighting, his will to win is insuppressible"

"Isn't that good?", the chief asked

"No"

"The path he walks on", he paused to think, "A few days ago, he growled in anger. The only time I've ever seen him angry"

"Why?", chief's wife grew concerned. 

"Because my attacks weren't aimed to kill, or to overpower the boy"

A tense silence filled the air around them. Even Yue stopped playing, addressing them in confusion.

"The path he walks on, and the speed at which he soars…I think he'll one day leave this mortal plane, because he no longer has anything to gain from it", Pakku expressed, "in a few months, I'll have nothing else to teach him"

"Extremely handsome, and a powerful waterbender to boot", she looked over at Yue.

"Don't", Pakku advised, "Yue is considerate, soft-spoken. Zerun's a force of nature. They'll not make each other happy"

Bringing the sea-squid soup to his lips, he drank to escape the awkward silence.

<<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, my beautiful baby", his mom, Nami, placed an egg custard on the table.

"Thank you, mom", he kissed her, and quickly dived into his dessert.

"Slow down, darling", Nami laughed, "you don't wanna choke on it"

"Not the worst way to go"

"Don't joke about such morbid topics"

Getting flustered, he quickly changed topics, "when will dad be home?"

"He'll return tomorrow morning", Nami started to dress in her fur coat, "we'll be visiting your mother's grave tonight"

"Alright mom", he stuffed his mouth again, "mom, do you meet my mother whenever you meditate?"

"While our family has always produced spiritually enlightened people, the spirit world is a massive place. One that is difficult to navigate", Nami explained, "I do hope to see her again"

"What's the spirit world like?"

"Colorful, crazy, and dangerous"

"I wanna see it"

"Finish your custard first", she rubbed his head.

<<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>

Zerun traversed the freezing waters, navigating the ice caverns to swim out the Northern Water Tribe, and any prying eyes. Rising towards an opening, he pushed himself out of the ice-cold waters.

Regulating his breath, he took note of his surroundings, a snowy tundra surrounded him.

'I'm outside', he quietly celebrated.

His celebration was cut short by cawing sounds.

"Luna, I'm here", he waved his arms, watching Luna swoop low and perch on his shoulder.

"It's a full moon tonight", he said, "it's the perfect time to practice"

Luna cawed in agreement.

Journeying across massive hills, Zerun arrived close to a herd of Yaks. Hiding behind the snow hill, and out of the animals' sight, he prepared himself.

Jerking up, he started to blood bend.

A Yak abruptly stood on his hind legs, the rest marched away in fright.

After a minute, he let the creature go, "sorry for causing you such discomfort", he shouted towards the Yak running away.

"It's a disgusting skill to use, but one I need to master"

Breathing in and out, he settled himself, and continued to walk further into the desert to find a different group of animals.

<<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>

A gaggle of girls and a single boy sat around Healer Yagoda as she instructed them on how to use their waterbending abilities for healing.

Demonstrating her skills on a life-like mannequin, she lectured, "redirect the energy paths around the body, concentrating more energy into a wounded area and allowing that area to heal at an accelerated rate"

"Teacher, teacher", Zerun raised his hand, "I have a question?"

"Yes, Zerun", the healer sighed exasperatedly. The girls giggled, some blushed.

"Can body parts be regrown using the healing aspect of waterbending?"

"No, they can't", Yagoda wagged her finger, "even reattaching limbs is something master healers find improbable"

"Improbable? Not impossible?"

"Several factors will have to be regulated, conditions met, and preparations made"

Suddenly, Zerun stood up, and declared for the entire room to hear, "I'LL BE THE GREATEST HEALER TO EVER LIVE"

"Quiet", Yagoda reprimanded, but her voice held not an ounce of heat.

Instead, Yagoda had to suppress a delightful grin, 'Most boys aren't interested in healing. Just learning how to fight. Yet, a prodigious child wishes to be an adept healer'

<<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>