After calming down, whatever that was and of course closing the canyon, it was morning. As I made my way back to camp, I hoped that they wouldn't ask questions, because I couldn't tell them of my breakdown.
If they asked, I would break down and I couldn't hear what my mind made them say, I just couldn't.
Already, I was following Iroh in waiting to tell the group, I needed to wait, it was Sokka's day, no need to worry about me. I'll tell them later about my breakdown and my plan.
"We missed you so much!" Katara cheered as she hugged her brother.
"I missed you guys too" Sokka chuckled before his eyes landed on me. "Sokka!" I cheered running into his open arms. Unlike in my dream or whatever you would call his, his arms weren't hurtful, but protective and loving. "I think I missed you most of all" he mumbled into my ear.
I tightened my arms around his neck, I never wanted to let go of him, I want to stay like this forever.
"Say something funny!" Aang blurted causing Sokka to glare at Mika. "Funny how?" he asked, causing all of us, even me to laugh.
"What's their deal?" he asked looking at me. "I don't know. They missed you or something. I didn't care." I smiled, my face heating up (OKAY TOKKA SHIPPERS DON'T KILL ME FOR MAKING MIKA SAY THISSSsS).
"Thanks. That warms my heart. Anyway, I need some help." Sokka spoke before looking towards the others.
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I currently walked up the hill with Toph as we bent the large boulder up the hill, with each blow, I felt the memories from my dream reoccur. I bit my cheek, hoping to keep them away.
Once we reach the great doors, Sokka runs up and his arms move around like noodles as he slams on both knockers, making me smile.
The door opens, causing Sokka to stumble back and reveals an older man who I guess is Piandao.
"Who's this?" he asks looking at the five of us. "Oh, these are my friends. Just other good Fire Nation folks." Sokka stuttered smiling. The rest of us gave a kind bow, resulting in Piandao to bow back.
He then took a step forward and placed a hand onto the space rock. "It will be a sword like no other" he smiled towards Sokka who had a grin on his face.
Quickly, Sokka was elapsed into making his sword, leaving the rest of us in the main hall, where we waited for Sokka to finish.
My thoughts returned to my breakdown, I needed to talk to someone, maybe after Sokka finishes his sword and I give him his presents.
I took a deep breath and hoped everything went well for Sokka.
But now I had another mission: I needed to tell Katara of my parents and hopefully she wouldn't spill to Sokka before I could.
"Katara, can I talk to you?" I asked standing up. Her eyes widened but a cool smile crossed her face "Yeah sure."
Once we were away from Toph and Aang, I slowly tried to tell her.
"You remember that scroll that...Long Feng had in his desk?" I questioned. "Yeah, you said your parents were on vacation...oh no! Oh Mika they must be worried sick about you!" Katara spoke, her eyes covered with sadness.
"Katara, that scroll stated that they were...dead." I spoke out.
"Mika...why wouldn't you tell us?" Katara asked pulling me into a hug.
"Toph knew I was lying, and Aang and I talked about it back on the Fire Nation ship, I've just been waiting to tell Sokka and you.." I trail off.
Her blue eyes scan mine, a look of hurt and pain crossing them "Mika, I'm just glad you told me, I understand what losing a parent feels like and so does Sokka".
"I know. I'm just waiting for the right time to tell you and Sokka." I sigh.
She embraces me another time "Let's go back inside and wait for Sokka."
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I felt relief from telling Katara, but the weight of telling Sokka still weighed me down, but Aang, Katara, Aang and I agreed to wait on telling Sokka.
We now sat in the great hall as Piandao held Sokka's space sword in front of him.
Sokka bowed before the master as he began to speak. "Sokka, when you first arrived, you were so unsure. You even seemed down on yourself. But I saw something in you right away. I saw a heart as strong as a lion turtle, and twice as big. And as we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me.No, it certainly wasn't your skills. You showed something beyond that. Creativity, versatility, intelligence ... these are the traits that define a great swordsman. And these are the traits that define you. You told me you didn't know if you were worthy, but I believe that you are more worthy than any man I have ever trained."
I smiled as Sokka looked at the sword, who's blade was black as night. But, Sokka hung his head in shame, causing me to frown.
"I'm sorry, Master. You're wrong. I am not worthy. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not from the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe." Sokka voices, causing Katara to grap my hand as we all hang our mouths open.
"I lied so that I could learn swordsmanship from you. I'm sorry." he whispered before holding his sword back towards Piandao.
"I'm sorry, too." he says before swinging his sword at Sokka, which he dodges.
"Sokka!"I yell out trying to get to him but Katara holds me back as his and Master Piandao's sword clash. Aang and Toph are ready to join but Sokka holds his hand up "No, this is my fight, alone."
We all instantly stop and watch as Sokka takes on a master.
Now outside in the fighting ring, we all watch with the man named 'Fat' who is the butler.
The two stand, well until Piandao starts his attack by lurching forward but Sokka quickly dodges each jab at him. Sokka then tries his own jab but misses and barely misses the blade that sweeps by him.
With each clang, my fingers dig into the rock in front of me. Sokka quickly jumps the blade aimed at his feet and tries to jab the Master but he pushes him to the ground. Sokka quickly gets back up and just in time to escape from another swing from Piandao. And then another, then another then another until he gets onto the railing of a bridge and escapes him.
"Excellent! Using your superior agility against an older opponent ... smart." Piandao smiles before charging Sokka again.
Sokka blocks each swing but is forced to move back, until he hits a wall.
He dodges the slices that Piandao's sword does and pushes himself off the wall, moving him from the Master. He then quickly gets on top of the small wall, making him hover over the man.
"Good use of terrain ... fighting from the high ground." he breathes as they clash.
Sokka then traps Piandao's blade under his own, making the Master struggle to get his blade free. Which he sadly does, making Sokka fly back into bamboo.
"He'll be okay" Katara soothes as I realize I have a chunk of Piandao's home in my hand.
Now, with a few hairs messed up, Sokka barely misses the blade as it slices through the bamboo. "I can't see him!" I growl as Sokka disappears into the bamboo. "Me neither!" Toph says darkly, making me glare at her.
Suddenly I hear a scream and watch as Sokka runs out of the forest, with Piandao quickly trailing behind.
Suddenly the master gets ahead and holds his sword out, causing Sokka to duck and barely miss the blade.
Sokka trips and slices his sword at the ground, before shifting it towards the man, which causes dirt to get into his eyes.
"Very resourceful." the Master smiles looking around.
Sokka tries to walk away silently but walks on a stick, causing Piandao to start his blind attack.
Suddenly, Sokka's sword is flung from him and thrown onto the ground and Piandao's sword is at his neck.
The others and I quickly jump down in hopes to save him but the man shocks us. "Excellent work, Sokka." The man holds up his sword which causes Fat to throw a blade cover, which the Master catches.
He then says "I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar."
All of us look at each other wide eyed. "How did you know?" Aang asks in confusion. Sokka stands up as Fat hands Piandao a cloth. "Oh, I've been around a while. You pick things up. Of course, I knew from the beginning that Sokka was Water Tribe. You might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name. ] Try "Lee." There's a million "Lees."" he says wiping the dirt from his face.
"But why would you agree to train someone from the Water Tribe?" I ask looking at the man
"The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all. Sokka, you must continue your training on your own. If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become an even greater master than I am." Piandao says as he hands Sokka his sword and bows to him, which Sokka bows back respectively.
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As we walk away from Piandao's home, Fat runs up with a small pouch.
"Wait!The Master wanted you to have this, as something to remember him by." he says handing us the pouch. We all bow to him and he leaves. Sokka opens it and pulls out a white tile.
"It's a Pai Sho tile." he says confused.
"The White Lotus. Huh." Aang says confused. "What does it mean?" Katara asks as we walk. "I have no idea Sokka sighs before remembering something.
"Ooh, that reminds me! Mika, Toph, I thought you two might like this since you've probably never had a chance to bend space earth before." Sokka smiles handing us chunks of space rock.
I smile bending it in my hands into the shape of a ball while Toph does a splatter design.
"You know, I don't think there's such a thing as "space earth". If it's from space, then it's not really "earth"." Katara says, making Sokka glare at his sister. "Must you ruin everything?" he asks.
"I can't believe I missed you" she grumbles.