Change The Flame, Change The Fate.

Chapter VIII

Town citizens move through the streets. The team stands inside a shop gathered around a green bag. Sokka is looking at the bag while pondering. Katara, Momo on her shoulder, looks at him. Aang sits down, looking the other way and wearing his conical hat while Zuko leans against the pillar of the shop.

"It's pricey... but I really do like it." Sokka lulls pensively.

"Then you should get it, you deserve something nice." Katara states.

"I do, don't I?" Sokka smiled while Katara looks at him with a bored expression.

"But no, it's too expensive. I shouldn't." Sokka shook his head while Katara rolls her eyes as Zuko walks forward to look at the bag.

"All right, then don't." Katara shrugs as she walks away in boredom. Aang gets up and follows her. Sokka pauses for a moment and goes along, too, his eyes still on the bag as he moves out of view. Though Zuko grabs him by his shirt collar and stops him.

"Just get the bag Sokka, if anything we can use it later on." Zuko chuckled while Sokka smiles enthusiastically.

"Alright, yeah, I'll get it!" Sokka states excitedly as he grabs the bag while Zuko shakes his head with a chuckle.

Aang, Katara, and Momo wait down the street. The town citizen turns toward them, showing them the flyer. "Psst, psst! Hey, you kids love earthbending? Do you like... throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's Earthbending Academy." The flyer distribution man whispers as he hands over a flyer with a broad smile.

"Look! There's a coupon on the back! The first lesson is free." Aang states excitedly as he shows Katara the flyer.

"Who knows? This Master Yu could be the earthbending teacher you've been looking for." Katara smiles while Sokka and Zuko join them, the Alpha holding the green bag. Zuko looks wondering at the flyer.

At the academy Aang looks perplexed, wearing an Earth Kingdom outfit and a green hat. He puts his finger into his ear, wiggles it, and sniffs his finger. Turning to his right, he sees that all the younger children with whom he is standing in line sport a serious expressions and he promptly straightens his back. Their teacher, Master Yu, moves toward his two opposing rows of pupils. The row opposite to Aang has rocks placed in front of them.

"Take your stances!" Yu commands as his students take their fighting stances, except for Aang.

"Now, strike as if you're punching through your opponent's head!" Yu shouts as he demonstrates the movement he means. The pupils lift their rocks. The student that stands across Aang as he fires his rock at him. Aang gets hit by the rock in the gut and smashes into a vase in the shape of a teapot by the impact of the blow

"So, are you ready to commit to more lessons? If you pay for the whole year in advance, I'll bump you up to the next belt!" Yu offers as he approaches Aang. The Alpha stares at him, covered in sand and shards. Only his eyes, nose, and right hand are visible. The sand shifts and covers his face completely. Moments later, Aang walks out of the academy with the other students and returns to Katara, Zuko, and Sokka.

"Ehhh, he's not the one." Aang lulls as he beats his right ear, causing sand to fall out of his left ear.

"I think The Boulder's going to win back the belt at Earth Rumble VI." One of the students states as he and his other friend leave the earthbending academy.

"He's going to have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to get a shot at the champ." The second student states as he follows his friend. Aang overhears their conversation and runs after them.

"Excuse me, but where is this earthbending tournament, exactly?" Aang questioned as he came forward to the two students.

"It's on the island of Noneya... "Noneya" business!" The first male student states sarcastically. The students laugh and walk away as the Alpha looks on disappointed. Sokka walks up to Aang laughing while Katara and Zuko glare at them as they walk up to them.