ATLOP: Trial by Fire

The Boy in the Ocean

He waved his hand over the water, grinning as the waves rocked. He wanted to be like her, he wished so much he was like her.

Being able to control the waves, to freeze water, to know that as long as there was water he would be safe.

He swung his arm out, imagining the way the ocean would sweep and ripple into a wave, just like it did for Katara. Curling and crashing, the ocean obeying his command-

And then it did.

He bit back a scream, gaping at the water that had returned to lapping gently at his feet.

Had he imagined it? The ocean actually... listening?

Percy tried again, pushing forward this time, like that first move Katara learned.

Nothing happened.

He bit his lip, staring at the water. Maybe he'd imagined it?

He tried again, eyes narrow as he pushed . He commanded the ocean in his mind, imagining it flowing back and holding there, pressure building as it pushed back and back and-

There was a small swell in front of him.

His breath caught, eyes widening.

That wasn't normal.

That was-

The water crashed into him making him yelp, almost knocking him over. He steadied himself, a slow grin stretching across his lips.

He hadn't imagined it!

DId that mean he was-

Could he be a-

He needed more. He needed to see- needed to test-

What did Katara do when she was learning bending? There was the push and pull thing- he'd sorta done that so... do it more?

He thought back to the waterbending scroll episode, remembering what she said.

Push and pull the water, in and out.

His heart was pounding, his hands shaking, but he did his best to mimic what he remembered. His feet were spread, turning slightly to the side. He raised his hands, bit his lip, and pushed .

He focused on the water, willing it to move back, and when he pulled he willed it to come in. To curl and raise and spiral back and forward.

He couldn't help the gasp when it did. He grinned, bouncing. It did it! It listened to him! He did it !

He whooped, spinning happily, then turned back to the water to make it go back out, only to realize he'd stopped doing the movement so the water had stopped moving.

He quickly picked it up again, vibrating as he pushed out, pulled in, then pushed, pulled, pushed, pulled-

The water followed his movements.

His cheeks hurt from grinning, and he was resisting the urge to squeal.

He was a waterbender.

This was the best day of his life.

He had the first step down, there were others though.

Percy was going to master them all!

So uh.... Next was... He thought for a long moment, remembering what Katara had done. First push and pull, the water a big hump. Then- it was all thin and spinny.