Avatar: Macai's Journey

Chapter 9: Transit

Macai is adjusting to his new school and his grades are still looking good. Eyre has continued his duties working at Fire Nation Capital as a general. Captain Hazo teaches Macai every day and Macai steadily advances in his combat skills. One Saturday morning, Macai is in an intense session of sunrise training with Captain Hazo in his backyard.

Part of the sky is bright yellow as the sun shines while the other half is dark blue. Macai sprints across the field back and forth following his drills. Macai does several push-ups, jumping jacks, pull-ups, and dynamic stretches as he trains. Macai is also at the age that he starts lifting some weights and now flaunts a few muscles on his arms, shoulders, legs, and chest.

Macai proceeds to transition to his combat drills. He swiftly shifts his body from side to side, launching orange flames from his right and left hands. This time his flames are different, he is getting sharper and his form is getting better. Now they are light orange, instead of the common orange color. Leaping side to side as he dodges Hazo's counters with ease and smoothly blocks his strikes.

Hazo grins, noticing how much Macai has improved in the last few weeks. Remembering how advanced Macai already was when he first met him, Hazo boldly declares, "Well done Macai, you have grown a lot already. But you still have much to learn. You know how to use your bending well to destroy and to fight. However, bending is so much more than a weapon, it is an art. During our next lesson, we will delve more into getting in touch with bending as an art and learning the spiritual side of bending."

Sunrise
Macai nods his head. Hazo: "For now, you have a visitor." Rosh enters the field and claps. Rosh's father Palu is just a few feet behind him.

Rosh exclaims, "You look exceptional out there Macai. You are really blossoming!"

Macai smiles and shouts, "ROSH!" Macai sprints and hugs his friend.

Macai: "How have you been my old friend?!"

Rosh: "I've been good. Spengi and Barge keep asking about you, unfortunately, they have not been able to come yet."

Macai: "I understand, we all have our priorities."

Rosh: "So are you going to show me around? I'd love to see what it's like out here."

Macai: "Of course." Macai meets with Rosh in the local bowling alley with his friends Kett, Kanna, and Dade.

Dade: "So, this is the royal we heard so much about... Nice to meet you."

Rosh: "Likewise, what do you guys do for fun around here?"

Kett: "The same things I would imagine kids do for fun anywhere. Talk, play games, sports, cards, etc. I think our town has more to do for fun than most places its size. As you see, we have a bowling alley. We also have some bars where people play pool and foosball."

Rosh grins. "Nice. I remember a funny story about when Azula played Macai at pool and Zyger at foosball."

Kett: "So, I heard you're not very fond of Azula."

Rosh: "Well, no not at all. She is..."

Dade: "Don't worry, you can be honest here."

Macai: "Their personalities clash, but that's not why he's here. No drama, guys."

Kett: "Sorry, I didn't mean to take it far. I just couldn't resist and had to ask."

Kanna responds, "We've just heard a lot of stories about her here. She's like a celebrity."

Rosh responds, "She is a celebrity. She's the Princess of the Fire Nation. That's a big deal."

Kanna continues, "To people like us, you're also like a celebrity."