Legend of Avani: History repeating itself

Chapter 17 - The Siege of the North, Part One

Being in the Northern Water Tribe wasn't so bad for Avani nor her friends. Things were looking up to them especially to the ones learning waterbending, their classes were going smoothly and now their skills had improoved greatly, specially Katara's who was already a skilled waterbender without training. Master Pakku helped her to sharpen her skills and teach her more advanced techniques and forms.

Aang was also certain his goal of mastering water was getting closer each day and having his friends to support him all the way made him even more confident, however it wasn't enough, he wasn't paying attention to his classes, not taking very seriously waterbending yet.

Sokka had also had a good time with his warrior training but what kept him in his toes was the engaged princess, they knew it was wrong but they couldn't ignore the feelings blossoming between the two, finding time to spend it together.

Avani had found a friend out of Kaito and not having enough earth to practice her bending, she had asked for permission to Master Pakku to watch his teaching class. Her reasoning was to support her friends, to show them she was there for them but she was lying to herself and Master Pakku knew. He knew as soon as he noticed the Avatar and the girl seeming to be in tune to each other, how they reacted at certain times as if sensing each other, which is why he allowed the earthbender to watch.

And that's where she was now, cheering in delight when Katara for the fourth time in a row defeated her opponent in their class. Kaito was sitting next to her, grinning as he rubbed his sore arms from when Katara had defeating him, enclosing him in ice.

"She's great bender" Kaito told her, seeing Master Pakku congratulating Katara, "Look at her, a few weeks ago she didn't have half the training we do and now she looks like a master"

Avani chuckled, "Yeah, I'm happy for her, but-" she glanced at where Aang was laying lazily with a flying Momo above him, "He's the main reason we came here. And he's not taking it seriously"

Kaito pursed his lips as Master Pakku called out to Aang irritably, "Pupil Aang!"

"Would you?" Kaito asked. Avani looked at him alarmed "If you were in his shoes, and you had the fate of the world in your shoulders with little time to master the four elements, will you take it seriously even if you're just a kid and everyone is pressuring you to save everyone?"

Avani looked back at Aang, the answer clear in her mind. No. Because it was too much weight in her shoulders, and she still felt it, even if she wasn't in her time. She had the fate of her time's world in her shoulders and if Korra was right and Aang failed, she had to step in for him as the Avatar in this time and that would be hard if she didn't start mastering fire.

Kaito took her silence as an answer, "He has the world in his shoulders, everyone looking up to him to make things right. But he doesn't know it yet, he doesn't know the hope the world has in him. The impact his presence has made and how vital it is he learns. Once he realizes that, it's when he will take seriously his duty as the Avatar"

Avani looked down, taking his words seriously even if he wasn't talking about her. She had a lot of common with Aang, she realized. Neither of them wanted to step up completely as the protector of the world, Aang was trying but he wasn't fully committed while Avani didn't even try.  

Suddenly Korra's reasoning to send her to Aang specifically and not other past Avatar was clear. They were to help each other realize their importance to the world.

~8~

It was later on the day, Avani, Aang and Kaito were playing a snowball fight against each other.

"Cheaters!" Avani called out laughing as she dodged another snowball. Her seismic sense was helping her realize when they were going attack on from where. However, they were using their bending in the game.