Sitting on Appa, I stared at the ocean below us. Counting the number of ice floors we were passing.
"I thought you would have left with Zuko." I looked at Aang who seemed concerned for me.
"That's what I thought too." I smiled staring at my hands.
"Can't believe I attacked him for you. No offense, sorry.." I sighed.
"I understand. Don't worry." Aang smiled, sitting beside me. "I'm sure he will too." He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks. I'm thinking of learning some healing. I already know how to fight, even if it's not the traditional way." I shrugged, now staring at the clouds.
"That would be cool! Your attacks are also nothing I've seen before. Who taught you?" He asked me.
"I used to have a team, a family is a better description. Four, but really only 3 of us in total. One person from each nation." I smiled, reaching into my pocket for a picture.
"There are only 3 of you here." Aang looked at me. "You're also very young. Where are they now?" He asked me.
"Well, I can bore you with the sob story another day." I tucked the picture away.
"Woah!" Appa suddenly turned, nearly knocking us off the saddle. We grabbed on tight as we crashed into the water.
"They're Water Benders." Katara said as people in boats came out to reveal themselves. "We found the Water Tribe!" she smiled.
"Technically, they found us." I sighed, sitting properly on the saddle.
~~
"There it is!" Aang pointed out in front of us.
"The Northern Water Tribe." Katara mused.
"Finally Here." Sokka was smiling.
"Definitely a stronghold." I thought as a group of benders took out a chunk of snow to allow us inside.
"I can't believe how many water benders live up here." Katara said as we were making our way in.
"We'll find a Master to teach us no problem." Aang smiled back at us.
"I guess." I looked at all the benders so far, all were men. "It's not ... that strange, I guess. Most fire bending soldiers are men, but there were always one or two women around in the ranks." I thought, my arms crossed as we continued deeper in.
We were welcomed with an extravagant dinner. "Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sisters from the Southern Water Tribe." I looked at the chief as he gestured to the two siblings and me. "They have brought with them someone special, who many of us believed to have disappeared from the world until now. The Avatar!" people clapped and cheered. We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday, Princess Yue is now of marrying age!" He stepped aside to reveal his daughter.
Master Paku then began his performance. I silently watched, knowing that Master Paku would most likely be the one teaching Aang. "Still only men." I thought, looking around the party hall. I caught the chief introducing Paku and Aang to each other.
~~
The next morning, I joined Aang and Katara to meet Master Paku. "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life. Finally, a real water bending master!" Katara was very excited.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up quite yet." I told her.
"Huh?" she looked at me confused as we walked.
"Good morning Master Paku!" Aang greeted him loudly, breaking his concentration.
"Please, march right in. Not like I'm concentrating or anything." he told us, obviously slightl annoyed.
"Uh, these are my friends. Katara and (Y/n). Katara is the one I told you about." Aang introduced us.
"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding." Paku bended a chair for him to sit on. "You didn't say your friend was a girl." he crossed his arms.
"Knew it." I thought.
"In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn water bending." he told us.
"What do you mean you won't teach me? I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no." Katara marched right up to him.
"No." Paku told her again.
"But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe?" Katara asked him.
"Here the women learn from Yagoda to use their waterbending to heal." He informed us. "I'm sure she'll take you, despite your bad attitude."
"Oh, can you tell me where that is?" I peeked out from behind Katara.
He looked me up and down and pointed in a direction. "Straight that way, can't miss it." he said.
"Thanks." I bowed to Paku and left the two of them to argue.
"See? She has good attitude." I overheard Paku's comment.
~~
It was definitely easy finding Yagoda. Katara soon joined the class, but she was obviously still upset. She sat down next to me for the lesson. "How could you just accept that?!"she whispered in an annoyed tone.
"Shush." I watched hoe Yagoda 'healed' the dummy. "interesting.." I thought. "It seems mainly for surface wounds, but how could I apply this to old wounds? Stabs? Punctures? Internal wounds? What are the limits? Does it matter what type of water? Salty or fresh?" I thought as the lesson continued.
"Everyone is dismissed for today." she smiled at the young girls who took away the dummy. I watched Katara go up to Yagoda, and they seemed to be having an interesting conversation.
That night, we returned to our accommodation. "At least you're enjoying the lessons." Katara sighed as we entered the room.
"I mean, it'd be nice to learn proper waterbending, sure. But the skills I learned.. the people who taught me did their best teaching me from their own knowledge of bending. Mixing the styles, and helping a little girl learn how to fight and defend herself.. I want to stick with the style I have. For them." I smiled, laying down on the bed.
"Thats probably the most we've ever heard you talk about your past." Katara looked at me.
"Its a long time ago." I shrugged, falling asleep.
The next day, I woke up to hear that Paku caught Aang teaching Katara, and expelled him as his student. Which led to Katara dueling Paku.
I sat on the snowy steps as Katara and Paku fought. Watching Paku, it was helpful seeing his tricks and how he would take control over the water Katara threw at him. In the end, Paku won when he pinned down Katara in icicles.
"Cool." I smiled, thinking of new ideas of attack.
It seemed after everything Paku was willing to accept Katara as a student. He turned his attention to me. "How about you?" he asked me.
"I appreciate the offer, Master Paku. However, I like my bending the way it is." I smiled at him.
YOU ARE READING
Zuko x Reader
FanfictionI was abandoned by my parents, and taken in by Empress Ursa. Raised by maids until I was three, taken by Ozai for my water bending, tortured, interrogated and then put in his "Guardians." However... Everything changed during the Agni Kai.. ~~ I ow...
