The Lost Waterbender (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction)

Training

I had to wait two weeks before Piandao would allow me to start training. But while I was waiting, several came to ask.

The first time I saw someone come to ask Piandao, I was shocked at his answer.

The man came knocking on the gate around noon. Piandao was doing calligraphy while I tried to walk around without my crutch.

Ryu escorted a young man in. He was large in muscular, with a short haircut and adorned in fine armor. A large sword was strapped to his back.

He gave me a strange look, which I happily returned, then turned to Piandao. "Master, my name is Brok, and I wish to be instructed in the way of the sword."

Piandao didn't look up, but continued his painting. "Let me guess. You're the best soldier in your tiny village. And now, you feel as though you are worthy to train with the master."

It wasn't a question. It was s statement. Brok seemed taken aback, and I held back a smirk at his shocked face. "Uh, well, yes. I have trained my entire life, and bested manyen in the battlefield. I am ready to learn the way of the sword from you."

Piandao didn't answer. I picked up my crutch and waited for his response. Finally, when I expected him to accept this man as a student, he said,

"No."

"W-what?" Brok stammered.

Piandao kept working in his painting. "I will not train you."

"But I am the best swordsman out there!" He protested. "I deserve to learn from the most skilled!"

"Ryu, please show this man put," Piandao said simply, taking a long stroke on the paper.

Brok shrugged Ryu off and stormed out the gate by himself. I plopped down next to Piandao. "Why didn't you teach him? He's obviously a worthy student. If I were you I'd choose him over me."

"And that is exactly why I didn't train him."

I opened my mouth to say something, the just shook my head. "You're an odd man."

I saw a hint of a smile pulls at his lips as he put the final touches on his painting. "Come on, let's see what Ryu has prepared us for lunch."

In the next two weeks, I saw this transaction happen with three other men. It was always the same. They were big, strong warriors who clearly knew how to handle a sword. They all demanded to trained by Piandao, who turned each of them down.

Meanwhile, I spent most of my time walking and trying to regain the muscle I lost. By the time the two weeks of healing were over, I had gained a lot of my weight back, and could run and move around without my crutch. Piandao told me I could start training.

On the first day, I stood in front of him and we essentially had a staring contest. "Why do you want to be trained, Badger?"

"I want to learn how to properly handle a sword," I said. However, after seeing all these eligible people with clearly amazing gifts, I began to doubt that he would train me.

"Why do you look so nervous?" He asked. I told him what I was thinking.

"So you don't think you are worthy?"

I shrugged. "Well, you turned away all those people before me. I'm not skilled like they were. Compared to them, I'm worthless."

Piandao raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess we can find out."

I looked up at him and grinned. "Yes, master."

{}

We began in the courtyard. Piandao pulled out a sword and began instructing.