บท 4: 3/4
"No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything," Pakku says, snarky as ever. I'm sure he was only doing all that bending because he wanted to say that to the Avatar. He doesn't usually warm up with the kid-stuff. But then again, he's teaching a new set of students today, and you never know.
The Avatar introduces his friend Katara. She even bows. Pakku bends himself a seat. Ah, that doesn't bode well for the girl. Not interesting enough of a first impression perhaps? "I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend is a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending."
Her temper rears its head.
"What do you mean you won't teach me?" She stomps towards him, all anger and red cheeks, "I didn't travel across the entire world, so you could tell me no!"
"No," Pakku deadpans. I smother my laughter. You can't pave the road for someone like that and expect them to take the high one.
"But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe," she reasons, switching gears immediately. It would be impressive, were it not said in such an angry tone. Pakku likes cool and collected individuals. Never would he teach such a freely expressive person, unless he had another, personal reason to disregard his usual standards. That's probably why most of his students are great benders, but have some problems in the emotional capacity department.
Pakku replies with a smile, "Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal. I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student," he drops the smile, "Despite your bad attitude."
Oooh, classic Pakku. While he'll insult you as he pleases, he tells you to mind your manners. It works surprisingly well for him, when the other person isn't me.
… Or Katara.
"I don't want to heal! I want to fight!"
"I can see that," he says snidely. He's poking holes in her abysmal attempts at poise and appearing mature. Like any teenager, she doesn't take it well. "But our tribe has customs, rules."
"Well your rules stink!"
True, but it's not like that's going to impress Pakku. Katara could do well with some logical arguments that don't aggressively attack his culture, but it's not as if that's likely to happen any time soon.
Especially not if the Avatar backs up her run-against-the-brick-wall approach with "Yeah! They're not fair! If you won't teach Katara, then-"
"Then what?" Pakku provokes, finally.
Should've just let him lose the hot air for a few more moments if he was going with the watch-and-let-it-play-out method. But Pakku does so enjoy making brats feel like idiots.
"Then I won't learn from you," the Avatar blusters and walks off. Great loyalty, but what now? He is the Avatar, I suppose. There will be someone willing to teach him. But even the lowliest master, if there even is such a thing, has his pride, and if Katara is the condition for being the Avatar's teacher, he'd best settle for healing.
We're strangely backwards here. Social standing is everything. Everything. Going against Pakku means going against the ruling caste and that brings complications of a calibre that most people like to steer clear of. They might entail that your brother's chances at getting that apprenticeship he dreams of are null over night. Or perhaps your father's long-standing promotion turns into a demotion. He might even lose some well-paying customers. The works.
If I decided to help them out, I would lose Pakku's confidence. Trust. I grimace.
It was different when I went to learn from Yugoda and Buniq helped me understand some of the new bending methods I hadn't ever encountered before. In exchange I gave her a few pointers about my kind of bending, but that was all I could do. She was angry at me for it, but thankfully she never said anything to Pakku about me helping her at all. I practised with her, but there was a limit to what I could reasonably disclose without someone taking notice.
"Well, have fun teaching yourself, I'm sure you'll do a great job," Pakku replies condescendingly. He doesn't even mention other benders, something I'm not sure the Avatar and his friend would consider, never having been to the city before as it is now. They might think that Pakku is the one who was assigned to them, and that others would not take up the mantle.
While we all have a duty to defend our city, our home and loved ones, we can usually do as we please. Hence, there is me, doing as I please.
It needs to be mentioned though, that I am very much part of the ruling caste here. Male waterbenders hold all the power. Even if we might be doing the guard duties, or accompany the seal hunters, and fishermen on their trips outside the city, we are what even allows for our civilisation to thrive in these unhospitable lands. Daily life revolves around us, and the civilian populace dares not forget it.
"Wait! Aang didn't mean that," Katara tries to rescue the situation she instigated. Well, Pakku instigated it, but Katara's temper escalated it. She lays a hand on the Avatar's shoulder, says something and he comes back. The girl herself heads towards the healing huts.
"Great, why don't we get started, then?" and Pakku blasts the Avatar right off his feet.
Yup, been there, done that. A healthy taste of your own inadequacy helps to motivate. Or so Pakku's teaching method dictates.
It goes like that for a while. Sometime around midday I get bored of Pakku bullying a twelve-year-old and get us both some hot broth from one of the market stalls I've been a patron at since I was five. I get food for free every couple of months. The market is full of people to chat with, or chat up, and you always return with something worthwhile. Usually, gossip.
"So, Pakku, having fun yet?" I ask as I lounge against the ice block I bended for optimal lounging purposes. If you've got the means to make your life the best it could be, I say make away. I had heaps of luck on my side, but hard work day in day out is what got me to where I am now. And my days aren't always this relaxed.
"Teaching is always such a joy," he snarks and then tells the Avatar that he sucks on a fundamental level for waterbending.
Man, as an outsider that's funny to watch. Not, that I've forgotten the pain that is being Pakku's student. He knows exactly the ways with which he can make your existence miserable.
These days, I don't hold a grudge. I got my revenge long ago.
Even so, I kind of feel for the Avatar. Maybe… "Mind if I steal your student for the rest of the day?"
"And what," Pakku demands to know, "Would you be doing with him?"
"Why so suspicious? One of these days you're going to hurt my feelings. I'm not going to damage the Avatar, you know?"
"Do I?" Prick.
"Come on, I brought you lunch."
He aborts an eye roll. Ha, victory! The guy's kind of a foodie. "Fine. Make sure he's on time tomorrow." He turns towards the Avatar, "You and I are done for today. Go with Kaito."
The Avatar eyes me uncertainly as Pakku strides off. Should I introduce myself? …Nah.
"Come on, Avatar. I'm gonna show you something."
He follows eagerly enough, frustrations forgotten for the moment. Children. Wish I had the ability, sometimes.
"Where are we going?" The excitement he radiates is palpable. New things are fun, I suppose.
I shrug without answering. This annoys him. But he's curious, so he bears it. The entire way to our destination. What patience. I don't have that much patience on a good day. Whether it's too much of immediate accommodation of my wishes in a previous life or simply disposition, I have no idea.
Curious eyes follow us on our way through the city. My face is well-known, and often enough liked, and by now everyone has seen the Avatar. Kesuk must be cursing my luck by now.
I take him to the wall where I've always enjoyed the view. The way the horizon stretches along the bay is something to not only be remembered, but viewed well over a thousand times.
Once we stand, looking out at the ocean, gentle today, wind biting at our faces, I speak. "There. Tell me what you see."
He looks out at the ocean, then back at me, then at the ocean again. "Water…?"
I snort, "I'm sure you can do better than that, kid."
I appreciate the irony of calling him that. After all, I'm only supposed to be seventeen myself.
He frowns and looks again. "Waves and their white bits on top and… ice." This is more confident than he was earlier. So he does well with a bit of encouragement, even if it's in the form of a slightly backhanded compliment. Expectations, more like. Good for him. The world has many.
"There's more. You should be able to find it."
He casts me a quizzical look, but searches. And searches. And searches.
Two guards walk past. They eye us curiously. I give them a wink. Both roll their eyes and move on.
A reputation has to be good for something. In this case, it's that I do strange things, and I stand on this spot quite a lot. Adding the Avatar to the mix doesn't really take from the familiarity of the routine. Non-bending guards are far more relaxed than their counterparts.
"The clouds!" the Avatar bursts out finally.
"Good," I pat his shoulder. He beams. "Ocean, ice and clouds. They're all water. So are mist, steam and snow."
The Avatar's huge eyes widen to alien proportions. "Oh! Oh, I see!"
He immediately starts bending the exercise Pakku tried teaching him. It works. Nice. One good deed a day and all that. He plays around with it for a while.
I often felt that bending worked best with understanding. Perhaps a trip outside the city could work well for him. But I doubt there is time. And his friends would want to join in. and Yue might, too. Then we'd be a party of seven, with an additional guard. So I'm not suggesting it.
As an airbender, water isn't all that different, but it works with gravity, can be a tremendous force even, and air is… air, I suppose.
Considering how much work learning to bend as well I do went into my mastery, I wouldn't want to have to try to apply all my knowledge to other elements. One is plenty.
"Okay. How about we get dinner?" I suggest.
"Ooh! Can we pick up Sokka and Katara on the way?" He's very excitable, this Avatar of ours.
"Sure. They're your friends, yes? Mind if we pick up one of mine?"
"Sure! Thanks for the help!"
"No problem."
So we pick up a pining Sokka, who barely acknowledges us in favour of lusting after Yue – hormones of a teenage boy, I feel you Sokka – and a dejected Katara. Now, the female disposition is one I can't claim to have any experience with, nor any other depending on her preferences. Who knows, this clear distinction between males and females in the tribe might have triggered a realisation that dividing by gender is redundant and stupid. But tackling that is a job for an entire people, and while I don't think it's all that bad, the system works to my benefit.
"Hey, Katara! How's the healing going?" Avatar Excitable asks. This is clearly the wrong question. There are many wrong questions one can ask a girl, but there are also a few one should go about more sensitively with anyone. Since this is about Katara's deep-seated desire to learn how to waterbend, Aang might want to curb the enthusiastic edge from his voice.
She huffs. "Fine." No, it is not fine. Not when she says it like that. "Just…"
Sokka seems to notice his sister isn't okay and pats her shoulder.
Then, she notices me. "And who're you?"
"Ah, this is Kaito!" The Avatar introduces and I incline my head. "He's friends with Master Pakku."
Also the wrong thing to say. She glares, but keeps silent, which is interesting. I don't think she realises that even teachers have a social life. Not, that she'd have been all too wrong with Pakku, before I came along.
"Just gonna stop by my place for a second to see if Hahn's still there," I tell them and they follow me dutifully like – disgruntled, in Katara's case – ducklings.
I let them inside and they look around with interest. Probably didn't expect it to be neat. Or they're curious what a normal Northern Watertibe household looks like. Although they won't find much that is common about my living situation. The reason I'm allowed to live on my own is that I'm already a master. Otherwise I would be forced to live with some of my cousins or other family until I reached the status of an adult.
I'm glad it never came to that. My remaining relatives and I don't speak much.
I find Hahn still out cold. The drunkard. I wave my hand lazily and bend some water to splash in his face. Katara gasps, Hahn splutters, Sokka gapes and Aang laughs.
"Wakey wakey, rise and shine!" I sing at a horrible volume. Hahn covers his ears and moans miserably.
I laugh, but then I take pity on him. Curing hangovers is a skill I will forever be grateful to Yugoda for. Hahn, too, it seems.
"You-! You can heal! Why- How!" Katara demands, suddenly in my face, even though I'm head and shoulders above her in height. Impressive, that.
I imagine it becomes less impressive with time.
"I sat in on a few lessons a couple years ago. Pakku wasn't too happy, but I figured I had better know, what with Fire Nation about. Less people die on patrol that way."
That gets her to back off. Aang steps up with the questioning. "Pakku was your teacher?"
"Yeah," I admit, then haul Hahn up on his feet. He staggers, then rights himself with a baleful look in my direction.
"And you're friends now?" Sokka sounds dubious. I'm surprised he managed to surface from his haze of 'Yue, so beautiful'. Teachers aren't just embodied voices telling you things. They're people, and often enough, decent ones.
"We are," I confirm without voicing my thoughts. Instead, I move on to introductions. "This is Hahn. Hahn, this is Sokka, Katara and Aang."
Hahn nods at each of them. They nod back. He goes to wash his face.
"Do you live together?" Aang asks, curious. Ah, youth. Untainted by social stigma and prejudice. Mostly. At least, Aang is innocent.
"Nah," I say, watching Hahn emerge from the bathroom, "I live alone. Hahn just crashes here sometimes." That he does this most nights, and has his own toothbrush here doesn't need to be voiced.
They all follow me back outside.
"Where are your parents?" Aang asks and Hahn stiffens. They all catch that, except for Aang who continues to look at me patiently awaiting his answer.
"Gone," I tell him. Could've said 'dead' and made the Avatar cry. Does he cry easily? I don't think he teared up much in the series. I think the one to shed tears most often was Sokka. But those were manly tears of joy, I'm sure.
"Oh."
"Mmh," I hum and continue to lead the way. Market place, here I come.
Hahn changes the subject. "Have you seen Yue? She was preoccupied yesterday."
"Nah." This is his way of prompting me to tell him what that commotion about her dragging me all over the palace was about.
"Why?" Sokka asks suspiciously.
I chuckle, "Hahn and the princess are engaged. You've seen the necklace, right?"
Hahn smiles like the lovesick idiot he is, not noticing Sokka gaping or Katara cocking her head. He won't be smiling like that for much longer, I think and keep my gaze well away from his face. Thankfully, he is too oblivious to notice, and the others will not think it odd that my attention rests primarily on them.
"Necklace?" Katara asks.
"Yeah. Don't you know?" I thought someone else told her in canon. Things are a bit murky, but didn't someone tell her about her grandmother's engagement with Pakku? Yugoda?
"No, obviously not."
I shrug, "Ah, well, I figured with you wearing one…"
"Huh?" This comes from Aang. Oh, right. He's been crushing on Katara since she and Sokka pulled him from the ice. I've got to hand it to him, he's devoted once he falls in love.
"This was my Gran's," she explains, touching it with an expression that is both tender and confused. I can understand. Why give that necklace to a young girl when her grandmother isn't even married to the man who gave it to her? A means of telling the northerners 'hands off' if she ever goes for a visit? If so, it's working. Mostly, because she's a bit too much of a wildcard for most people's delicate sensibilities around these parts, even when it's clear that she's not of age yet.
She challenges, and we're all too comfortable where we are.
Hahn explains: "Well, here, once a woman turns sixteen, she is eligible for marriage. When she's betrothed to someone she wears a necklace the man gives her."
Katara blushes to her roots, Aang just nods along and Sokka sends Hahn the death glare. Very canon. "She can refuse, of course," I say, and it's meant as both a warning for Hahn and cautioning for Sokka.
We've arrived at the market. "So, dinner?" I prompt and Team Avatar looks around curiously.
Despite the tension between Sokka and Hahn, is a fun affair, with the Avatar flitting about, trying anything and everything. Sokka, Hahn and I are only too happy to eat what he doesn't like.
The people figure giving the Avatar something for free can only be good for spiritual relations. Not, that we've been all that remiss in keeping up the odd little traditions.
Even the trinkets hanging from the stalls are to welcome friendly spirits into our midst. Not, that I've ever seen one. I tried. Tried all sorts of things children think up, and got all the other kids to try as well, because that was what we did then. These days, most of us are either patrolling, working, or chasing skirts. It's not a hard life. If you're adept at ignoring social expectations of you, that is.
Hahn leaves us and I bring the Avatar and his friends back to their lodgings. "Night."
"Good night!" Aang shouts, and I get two more subdued ones from the siblings.
Hahn goes to the barracks to see about patrol schedule and what duties his father has delegated to his son.
As I lay down to sleep, I wonder what those three will do about their respective dilemmas. Sokka will probably not give up on Yue, Katara certainly won't give up on Pakku teaching her, and Aang, well, the kid will get himself into trouble somehow.
I hope Yue speaks to him about her true feelings soon. Or I will have to, and I really don't want to.
It's not Aang who knocks on my door late at night.
Hahn stumbles over the doorstep, nose bloody, eye already swollen and balance lasting only as far as my hands that I stretch out to catch him.
I'm silent as I patch him up. He can see my anger. Knows it well. Knows that he could always just come live with me. Does that, for a week. Feels guilty. Goes back. Gets hit.
Rinse and repeat.
I don't want to think about how many bandages of mine have been drenched in Hahn's blood.
With a cursory search of other injuries, because he will never just show me, the self-flagellating idiot, I find bruised ribs. It's getting steadily worse. At some point, I might have to mend a broken bone. And I don't know how to do that very well. Not without complications. Perhaps another visit to the old woman is in order.
There is no need for words when he curls up on the pile of furs that are, for all intents and purposes, his. In silence, I clean up, make him drink some water, and go sit by the fire.
I used to feel furious on his behalf.
Now, I need the fire to thaw at the icy block that settles beneath my skin each time he comes home like this. There is always the thought of just murdering his father.
But his father punishes Hahn for being a child, and needing the help of his mother, only for her to die in the process of saving her son. And Hahn, were the man gone, dead by my hand, would turn to other means of punishing himself. He, too, believes himself to be at fault.
Bare feet close enough to feel like the flames are licking at my skin, I lean back until I lie flat, staring at the ceiling.
It's got to end, soon. Hahn's been a warrior close to a year now, and it's getting embarrassing for him to be still living at home. I would pressure him, but he'd… run.
How I hate that even growing out of that cursed child's body I am powerless even now.
I used to think, so long as I could run, could go wherever I want, I would do whatever I like. I'd forgotten that even though you might have the power, it is not your right, nor your place to decide and interfere for another person.
Sometimes I wish I thought of Hahn as my child. He could be, for our mental age.
He's not.
I'm his friend, his safe haven, the place he won't be judged.
But that's all I am.
We're not friends in the sense that I could tell him who I really am. Along the same vein, I am not his confidant.
He just knows to come here when he's hurting and feeling small.
I'm sort of relieved I didn't tell him about Yue yet, or this could've been far worse. He might not have come for help.
The next day, there is a hearing for the Avatar and Katara because apparently, they figured Aang could show her his new moves and she'd learn through him. There is a knock on my door to inform me of it, and I wonder what they need me there for. Any other hearings I attend are directly related to me, or I was witness to the incident.
I check on Hahn's injuries, all of which have healed well and wash. Then I go. I lament the urgency of the hearing as I hurry past the market. Then I pause. And turn around. No hearing will have me there without my tea.
Besides the usual attendees, Yue is there, too. She looks at me before pointedly jerking her chin for me to sit beside her. Oh. Oh, bugger.
Suddenly, my comfortable existence is being turned on its head.
The tension is running high. The Avatar and Katara and Pakku's confrontation must have been very dramatic.
Come to think of it, Pakku does have a taste for theatrics. Sadly, because the art of theatre isn't a thing beyond the occasional storytelling or full-moon celebration and performance, people cater to his palate almost constantly.
It's all kind of funny. Everything to do with the Avatar is rather entertaining, so no theatre will be built any time soon. Which is a shame, really.
"Morning," I greet with a yawn in my voice that irritates most of the elderly, and amuses all others. As I settle next to Yue, mug still in hand from where I got it from the market on the way here, she sends me a look that screams consequences, should I not pay attention.
"Now that all of us have finally arrived," Arnook says, "We shall begin."
The teenagers stand taller. Aang looks sheepish, but not very guilty.
"The cause of this hearing is that when Master Pakku began the Avatar's training yesterday, his companion, Katara, also desired to be taught. However, as is custom in our tribe, Pakku referred her to Yugoda. At first, the issue seemed resolved, when last night Aang was found teaching his lessons to Katara. This is a grave insult, and borders on criminal offence. Our law states that only a Master may teach waterbending, and since this Master's teachings may be of a traditional nature," he pauses at some of the confused looks, "Family bending styles – they are not to be shown to others."
Yue is following the speech diligently. I chance a look at Arrluk's stern visage beside me, the way our chief is hiding his displeasure at having to play mediator, Yugoda's secretly gleeful expression – I can only assume she has high hopes for Katara – and Pakku's stubborn set of shoulders. Hurt pride. Well. He's got good cards, since he is who he is, and the elders who are here understand everything there is to know about pride.
"Since you performed this act at night, even though you did not know of the law, we can only deduce that you were aware it was something forbidden. I suggest you present to us a way of resolving this conflict."
I send Yue a despairing glance of 'Why am I being subjected to this?' and her glare tells me she thinks I deserve it.
It's Katara who speaks up, even as the Avatar looks ready to make the appeasing apologies. "I don't see how such a basic technique could be a family one, so I don't think that Master Pakku's reaction was appropriate."
Oh shite.
"It is precisely because you do not see that you are unsuited to learning any of my teachings, even second hand. If I were less inclined to believe that the Avatar was led astray by you, I might consider this more than an infraction, and treat you both as criminals," Pakku replies, icy cold.
"I know of a bender who has learned from both you and Yugoda! Why am I, not even a member of this tribe, not afforded the same opportunity?" She argues well. But using me as an example puts me in the difficult position of having to explain that this was an agreement between Yugoda and I. At the time between Master and a student. I broke no law.
"Since you are not a member of this tribe, you should be careful when you disregard what is given, girl. You are not entitled to anything, and you have not asked formally for instruction. Therefore, if we are to argue on technicality and precedence, I shall note that the individual in question approached Yugoda for training of his own volition and shared a student-Master relationship with her," says one of the Elders mildly, but cuttingly all the same. I remember helping out his grandson on a patrol. Which is probably why he's favouring me by speaking for my case. Then he won't feel that his family owes a debt any longer. Not, that they do. But politicians are weird.
"That isn't fair! How would I know of such a thing?"
"By asking," he replies. "That is commonly what one does when one visits a foreign territory. One enquires about the rules. Of course, we had assumed that common decency would keep you from breaking any."
I sip my tea. Poor girl. They're not showing any mercy.
However, she's not reacting very well either. Not, that many would, considering.
Katara is silent for a moment, before straightening once more. "Fine. I acknowledge that I made a mistake. But," she glowers at Pakku, "Like you said, it wasn't Aang's idea, so he shouldn't be punished."
My brows rise. Well. She may be attempting to take the fall, but the fact remains that Aang was the one to teach her, and break the law.
"Unfortunately, the issue does not resolve itself that easily," Arnook states, and he sounds tired.
"And why not? It's that simple!"
"What would you like me to do," he asks sardonically, "Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"
"Yes," she states, realises that that was a mistake, but does not backpedal, "Please."
Arnook's face tells her he can't do that, and does not want to. Not for a foreign girl against his friend, and ally. "I suspect," he says slowly, clearly, and very, very fed up, "That he might change his mind if you swallowed your pride and apologised to him."
Her hands clench. She struggles with her anger, and her desire to help Aang, as well as be seen as the better person. After all, the view from above is so nice. "Fine."
Pakku, if he were a lesser man, would lean forwards and smile cruelly. As it is, he remains poised as he looks at her from his seat. "I'm waiting, little girl."
I can see the exact moment she snaps.
The ice beneath her feet cracks, and it is only my quick intervention – the will and control against hers over the gourds of water on either side of the assembled – that prevents her from further embarrassing herself. Only children cannot control their bending that their emotions do it for them.
"No! No way am I apologising to a sour old man like you!"
"Uh, Katara…" Aang says finally, from beside her. He looks so much out of his depth that I feel a surge of pity for him. She can steamroll quite well, that girl.
"I'll be outside – if you're man enough to fight me!" She storms off.
Stunned silence reigns, before I loudly slurp my tea.
Yue whacks my arm, and only quick bending keeps the liquid in the mug.
"So," I say, raising an eyebrow at my former teacher, "You gonna go?"
He does not deign to reply, and simply stands.
Yue looks like she has just now realised that every single one of us here is a child.
Following Katara to the steps of the palace, I wonder how this is going to play out. She's determined to make Pakku acknowledge her. And he's trying to tell her that when Master Pakku says 'No' he means it.
Well, never let it be said that he doesn't rise to a challenge.
"Fine! You want to learn to fight so bad?" His face stretches into a mask of anticipation of sadistic joy. "Study closely!"
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