Training With Pakku

Xiao woke up early the next morning. He crashed at an inn for the night, but he realized that if he wanted to stay he needed a new source of income. Therefore, it was back to playing his flute for money until he could find something more… stable.

Xiao started strolling through the streets of the Northern Water Tribe. The sun was just starting to shine on the horizon, and it's orange glow reflected off the ice and stone of the north, briefly making city look as if it were made of fire.

Xiao saw his breath being frozen in front of him as he walked. He shivered slightly.

Even with him circulating his energy through his body, the freezing morning air was a little too cold.

Xiao decided against wearing thick fur clothing, instead going with his normal attire. Though he would definitely be cold, it provided him a way to passively train himself and also gave him more freedom of movement.

Xiao reached the courtyard in front of the castle where Yue lived, and found that old man Pakku waiting.

"You're a little early." The man said as Xiao approached him.

"That I am. Better to be early than late." Xiao replied, stretching slightly.

"I normally wouldn't train a fire bender such as yourself, but since I was ordered to by the chief I must. I don't see why he would allow this." Pakku said matter of factory, scowling slightly as he spoke.

'Obviously he doesn't like me much…' Xiao mused to himself as he continued to stretch.

"Eh. I'll grow on you! I'm sure! I haven't met a single person who hated me after they got to know me… at least, people not from the Fire Nation." Xiao said jokingly, remembering Ozai and Azula, who he believed would kill him without a second thought if given the chance.

Actually, that is one of the reasons he left early. Xiao knew that if he had stayed in the Fire Nation longer than he had, he would have probably been killed by being stabbed in the back or getting his throat slit while asleep.

Pakku scoffed. "Well I guess I'll be the first then." He said. Xiao smiled wryly. "Not exactly the nicest guy, are you?" He asked.

Pakku grimaced. "Not to you maybe." He said angrily.

'It'll be fine. I'm sure we'll be best friends by the end of the year… I hope.' Xiao thought inwardly.

—Six Months Later—

For the past six months, Xiao spent the majority of his days training under Master Pakku.

Since he couldn't water bend, the aim of his studies was to simply learn something about the man's style.

He wanted to see if he could incorporate something from it into his own.

However, he couldn't just sit on the sidelines and watch as every time he attempted to do so, Pakku would through a large ice spike his way.

Xiao instead trained in the harsh winter environment, getting dunked in the ice-cold waters of the sea and fighting against Pakku's other students.

It is because of this that his stamina has increased heavily. Under the harsh cold, Xiao had to learn how to conserve his heat, and ended up developing a very minimalist attitude with his energy.

He started trying to find the very bottom line of energy he could use for all his moves. And once he found it, he would attempt to lower it even further through physical training.

However, his control over his fire bending wasn't the only thing that Xiao practiced. He also practiced his combustion bending.

Now, combustion bending already had power covered, and there want much he could do to improve it before he started blowing limbs off his body. So, he instead worked on the precision of his projected explosions, increasing his accuracy to the point where he could hit people that were a few hundred meters away.

Now, Xiao was facing Pakku for the first time. Until now, he had only been facing bus fellow students, but they were, frankly, much worse benders than him so he tended to dominate the spears he participated in.

Xiao's whole body buzzed with excitement as he stood across from Pakku. "I'm going to enjoy this." Pakku said, stretching a bit. Xiao heard a series of loud cracks and pops from the old man. 'Jesus.' He thought incredulously.

Xiao had stretched before hand, so he waited ten minutes until Pakku looked ready. A guard overseeing Xiao stood between them, before jumping back quickly and shouting, "START!"

The guard ran over and dove behind the ice wall that the spectators made and peaked over it, watching as Xiao and Pakku started fighting.

Xiao wasn't using his sword because Pakku was unarmed as well. Xiao ran speedily towards the man, dodging the ice shards thrown his way. Pakku started sliding g along. The ice, waves of water crashing towards Xiao as he dodged. As soon as he got out of the way the water would turn to ice, shattering and shooting at him at high speeds.

Finally getting serious, Xiao spun around on one leg, shooting the other out and kicking the wave of ice that was coming at him. His boot exploded, leaving his pant leg charred as the ice coming towards him was blasted away.

Then, Xiao threw a flurry of kicks at the air, each one projecting an explosion that curved towards Pakku.

The old man hastily brought up wall after wall of ice, blocking the attacks and using the flying shards to counter attack.

Xiao smirked lightly and added his hands into the mix, doubling the amount of explosions he sent out while also dodging the spears of ice.

Sounds of ice shattering and explosions rang through the entirety of the Northern Water Tribe, attracting many spectators to the scene.

Xiao decided to switch things up, slashing his arm horizontally in front of himself and vaporizing the incoming ice with a wave of violet flame.

His pant legs were burnt up to the shin, while the sleeves of his kimono were rolled up to his elbows.

Pakku and Xiao stopped for a moment and tried to catch their breath. Spikes of ice, craters, and puddles of steaming water littered the courtyard.

Finally, Pakku shot streams of water towards Xiao, who in response shot jets of flame from his feet, sweeping his way around the courtyard, slowly circling towards the stationary Pakku.

Pakku added more tentacles of water, continuing to shoot them at Xiao.

Xiao suddenly made a sharp turn, shooting towards Pakku as lightning danced between his fingers.

The jets of flame stopped for a moment, and Xiao did flip, slapping the ground with his palms and sending a current of electricity through the ice.

Pakku was unable to dodge, and let out a grunt of pain as he was electrocuted.

Xiao breathed hard as he rose to his feet, while Pakku sat down, wheezing slightly from a lack of air.

Their breathing was the only noise heard in the otherwise silent courtyard, the onlookers staring in shock at the pair.

"He won…" muttered one of Pakku's apprentices in awe. No one expected Xiao to beat the best water bender in the whole Northern Water Tribe.

"Well done." Pakku said as he got up with a slight smile on his face. Xiao smiled and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Master Pakku." He said respectfully before walking back towards the inn he was staying at.

{A/N}

Fight scene! Yay!

Tell me what you thought of it!

Around a year left until canon.

Sayonara Mother Fuckers.