The next day, there is a hearing for the Avatar and Katara because apparently, they figured Aang could show her his new moves and she'd learn through him. There is a knock on my door to inform me of it, and I wonder what they need me there for. Any other hearings I attend are directly related to me, or I was witness to the incident.
I check on Hahn's injuries, all of which have healed well and wash. Then I go. I lament the urgency of the hearing as I hurry past the market. Then I pause. And turn around. No hearing will have me there without my tea.
Besides the usual attendees, Yue is there, too. She looks at me before pointedly jerking her chin for me to sit beside her. Oh. Oh, bugger.
Suddenly, my comfortable existence is being turned on its head.
The tension is running high. The Avatar and Katara and Pakku's confrontation must have been very dramatic.
Come to think of it, Pakku does have a taste for theatrics. Sadly, because the art of theatre isn't a thing beyond the occasional storytelling or full-moon celebration and performance, people cater to his palate almost constantly.
It's all kind of funny. Everything to do with the Avatar is rather entertaining, so no theatre will be built any time soon. Which is a shame, really.
"Morning," I greet with a yawn in my voice that irritates most of the elderly, and amuses all others. As I settle next to Yue, mug still in hand from where I got it from the market on the way here, she sends me a look that screams consequences, should I not pay attention.
"Now that all of us have finally arrived," Arnook says, "We shall begin."
The teenagers stand taller. Aang looks sheepish, but not very guilty.
"The cause of this hearing is that when Master Pakku began the Avatar's training yesterday, his companion, Katara, also desired to be taught. However, as is custom in our tribe, Pakku referred her to Yugoda.
At first, the issue seemed resolved, when last night Aang was found teaching his lessons to Katara. This is a grave insult, and borders on criminal offence. Our law states that only a Master may teach waterbending, and since this Master's teachings may be of a traditional nature," he pauses at some of the confused looks, "Family bending styles – they are not to be shown to others."
Yue is following the speech diligently. I chance a look at Arrluk's stern visage beside me, the way our chief is hiding his displeasure at having to play mediator, Yugoda's secretly gleeful expression – I can only assume she has high hopes for Katara – and Pakku's stubborn set of shoulders. Hurt pride. Well. He's got good cards, since he is who he is, and the elders who are here understand everything there is to know about pride.
"Since you performed this act at night, even though you did not know of the law, we can only deduce that you were aware it was something forbidden. I suggest you present to us a way of resolving this conflict."
I send Yue a despairing glance of 'Why am I being subjected to this?' and her glare tells me she thinks I deserve it.
It's Katara who speaks up, even as the Avatar looks ready to make the appeasing apologies. "I don't see how such a basic technique could be a family one, so I don't think that Master Pakku's reaction was appropriate."
Oh shite.
"It is precisely because you do not see that you are unsuited to learning any of my teachings, even second hand. If I were less inclined to believe that the Avatar was led astray by you, I might consider this more than an infraction, and treat you both as criminals," Pakku replies, icy cold.
"I know of a bender who has learned from both you and Yugoda! Why am I, not even a member of this tribe, not afforded the same opportunity?" She argues well. But using me as an example puts me in the difficult position of having to explain that this was an agreement between Yugoda and I. At the time between Master and a student. I broke no law.
"Since you are not a member of this tribe, you should be careful when you disregard what is given, girl. You are not entitled to anything, and you have not asked formally for instruction.
Therefore, if we are to argue on technicality and precedence, I shall note that the individual in question approached Yugoda for training of his own volition and shared a student-Master relationship with her," says one of the Elders mildly, but cuttingly all the same. I remember helping out his grandson on a patrol. Which is probably why he's favouring me by speaking for my case. Then he won't feel that his family owes a debt any longer. Not, that they do. But politicians are weird.
"That isn't fair! How would I know of such a thing?"
"By asking," he replies. "That is commonly what one does when one visits a foreign territory. One enquires about the rules. Of course, we had assumed that common decency would keep you from breaking any."
I sip my tea. Poor girl. They're not showing any mercy.
However, she's not reacting very well either. Not, that many would, considering.
Katara is silent for a moment, before straightening once more. "Fine. I acknowledge that I made a mistake. But," she glowers at Pakku, "Like you said, it wasn't Aang's idea, so he shouldn't be punished."
My brows rise. Well. She may be attempting to take the fall, but the fact remains that Aang was the one to teach her, and break the law.
"Unfortunately, the issue does not resolve itself that easily," Arnook states, and he sounds tired.
"And why not? It's that simple!"
"What would you like me to do," he asks sardonically, "Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"
"Yes," she states, realises that that was a mistake, but does not backpedal, "Please."
Arnook's face tells her he can't do that, and does not want to. Not for a foreign girl against his friend, and ally. "I suspect," he says slowly, clearly, and very, very fed up, "That he might change his mind if you swallowed your pride and apologised to him."
Her hands clench. She struggles with her anger, and her desire to help Aang, as well as be seen as the better person. After all, the view from above is so nice. "Fine."
Pakku, if he were a lesser man, would lean forwards and smile cruelly. As it is, he remains poised as he looks at her from his seat. "I'm waiting, little girl."
I can see the exact moment she snaps.
The ice beneath her feet cracks, and it is only my quick intervention – the will and control against hers over the gourds of water on either side of the assembled – that prevents her from further embarrassing herself. Only children cannot control their bending that their emotions do it for them.
"No! No way am I apologising to a sour old man like you!"
"Uh, Katara…" Aang says finally, from beside her. He looks so much out of his depth that I feel a surge of pity for him. She can steamroll quite well, that girl.
"I'll be outside – if you're man enough to fight me!" She storms off.
Stunned silence reigns, before I loudly slurp my tea.
Yue whacks my arm, and only quick bending keeps the liquid in the mug.
"So," I say, raising an eyebrow at my former teacher, "You gonna go?"
He does not deign to reply, and simply stands.
Yue looks like she has just now realised that every single one of us here is a child.
Following Katara to the steps of the palace, I wonder how this is going to play out. She's determined to make Pakku acknowledge her. And he's trying to tell her that when Master Pakku says 'No' he means it.
Well, never let it be said that he doesn't rise to a challenge.
"Fine! You want to learn to fight so bad?" His face stretches into a mask of anticipation of sadistic joy. "Study closely!"
He proceeds to show off a little. But it's sloppy. Sloppier that I've ever seen him. So, what he's doing here, is allowing her to see what works, but not the perfect way to do it, sabotaging even her study through observation. That's just petty.
She tries to go in close, knowing that she probably has little chance of beating him when he's got a bit of range. He's an old man by now, after all. One punch to the face would be enough.
But Pakku know his strengths and plays to them.
A blast of water sends her careening through the air. Once she's lost her momentum, he forces her close with a tightening circle of quickly flowing water. He likes that. Showing an opponent that they can't touch him, but he can very well do the opposite.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you."
Spirits, I forgot how patronising the man can be.
She breaks the circle, the blast coming at the audience. Smoothly, I bat it away, like an annoying fly and cross my arms. It becomes part of the banister. Pakku really is being gentle with her, if this is all it takes to take the momentum out of his bending. And she should take care who she hits.
There are spectators – children – here. One little boy takes cover behind my leg, bunching the fabric in small fists, even as he peeks at the fight. I recognise him as the little brother of one of Yue's more bearable friends.
Once more, she tries getting close, and he sends her up a ramp, over his head. He can control where she goes, is the message, and where he wants her is the healing huts.
"You can't knock me down!" She stands proudly on top of the end of the banister. Cheers. Pakku's not so well-liked among the younger generations. That's what I'm for, I suppose. A tool in Yue's campaign when she makes her bid. It's not too late to become a hermit, I hope. Then she won't be able to use me.
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Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
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