Tale Of Two Avatars

The Waterbending Scroll

We walk over to the edge of a sequestered area of the river and Katara begins her lesson. "This is a pretty basic move, but it still took me months to perfect. So don't get frustrated if both of you don't get it right away," Katara begins moving her hand back and forth, creating small waves in the water. "Just push and pull the water like this. The key is getting the wrist movement right."

"Like this?" I imitate Katara's hand movements along with Aang, but nothing was happening just yet.

"That's almost right. If you keep practising I'm sure eventually-" Katara paused, gazing at Aang in disbelief as he bends a much larger wave than hers.

"Hey, I'm bending it already!"

My hand movements were still amounting to nothing and I began to feel frustrated.

"Wow, Aang, I can't believe you got that so quickly. It took me two months to learn that move. It's okay if you can't do that move yet Suzume, it's a little hard to perform and I'm sure it'll come to you naturally, just give it a little more time maybe."

"Yeah, just go with the flow!" Aang encouraged.

"Wait a minute, you're a genius, Aang!" I close my eyes, imagining the flow of the water beneath me and concentrating on it while imitating Katara's hand movements from earlier. I imagine a wave of water forming, coming towards me and going back out.

"Suzume, you're doing it!" Aang exclaimed excitedly, seeing that I had indeed formed a wave that was as large as Aang's.

"I couldn't do it without you," I smiled at Aang and he returns it. "You too, Katara."

"Thanks," Katara smiled, though it looked rather forced for some reason.

"So, what's next?" Aang questioned.

"This is a more difficult move. I call it streaming the water," Katara moves her hands upwards and raises a stream of water from the river. "It's harder than it looks, so don't be disappointed if-"

I was already imitating Katara's hand movements, focusing on the flow of the water beneath me and raising a stream of water from the river. I divert my attention to the stream of water in my hands now, focusing on its flow and changing its shape with every passing second while moving it around me with my hands. 'I feel like I've done this before.' Aang also controls a stream of water with ease, bending it around his body and head before neatly coiling it back into the river with me. 

"Nice work," Katara praised half-heartedly a frown plastered on her face. "Though the over-the-head flare and changing the shape of the stream was unnecessary."

"Sorry," I apologised and smiled sheepishly, releasing the stream of water. 

"Yeah," Aang nods, staring at Katara eagerly. "Well, don't stop now! Keep 'em coming!"

"Well I kind of know this one other move, but it's pretty hard. I haven't even totally figured it out yet. The idea is to create a big, powerful wave." Katara moved her hands in an upward motion, though they were quivering and trembling from a lack of confidence. A large mass of water gathered and rose out of the river but it pops like a balloon a few moments later, not forming anything of note.

I replicate Katara's hand movements, focusing on the flow of water and the water currents that controlled it. I imagine pulling a tide of water similarly as I had done with the stream of water but this time, using a greater quantity of water and creating a powerful towering wave that crashed over Sokka, which was followed by another similar wave from Aang.

"That's how you do it, right?" Aang asked.

"Yes," Katara grumbled, looking visibly annoyed now.

"Looks like I got the hang of that move! What else do you got?" Aang awaits eagerly and I gaze at Katara in surprise, weirded out by her strange shift in mood.