Life Travelling Through Fiction

I feel like it should have been pretty evident that we aren't fire nation, but after a quick questioning and revealing that we are traveling with the avatar we are led to the northern water tribe. Four sh.i.p.s full of water benders brought us to a large outer wall made of ice. They lowered it and brought us into the city. Appa swam in the canals following our escorts. The city was incredibly beautiful and unique. Made up of a series of bridges and canals, but with everything made of snow or ice. It's like Venice crossed with an igloo.

"I can't believe how many water benders there are."

"I wonder if this is what the southern tribe used to be like?"

"It's amazing, so now that we're here what are you going to teach us, Silva?" Katara, Sokka, and Aang wondered.

"About that... I won't be teaching either of you anything while we're at the north pole."

"What! But you said we had to come here in order to learn water bending" Aang and Katara exclaimed.

"You will both be learning just not from me. Now don't be mad. I don't like this either, but the northern water tribe is kind of s.e.xist. Katara they won't teach you water bending while we're here and Aang they won't teach you any healing."

"But that's so stupid. I can fight just fine"

"I don't disagree, but we're not here for either of you to learn to fight. Aang I'll be asking for one of the water benders here to teach you about the spiritual aspects of water bending"

"Why can't you teach me about that. You seem like a pretty spiritual guy?"

"You remember what I told you about dealing with spirits"

"Yea diplomacy"

"Bribery and Flattery, but when that fails"

"Fight them?"

"Yes, and there is a technique exclusive to water bending that lets a person purify or purge a corrupted spirit. That technique and the theory behind it is what you're here to learn"

"Isn't this kind of specific? Shouldn't Sozen's comet be more important?"

"The last major spirit crisis occurred during the life of the previous air avatar. A spirit rose from the ocean and destroyed several port cities along the earth kingdom coast and it had no intention of stopping. After an extremely long battle, the avatar of the time stopped it by giving it what it wanted. That avatar was one of the most talented, powerful, and competent avatars ever. She was deified in parts of the earth kingdom. She was still unable to actually stop a powerful spirit rampaging"

"But Hei-bei didn't seem that bad"

"We never saw Hei-bei as a corrupted spirit. It had already been appeased by our action before it revealed itself. If we hadn't shown up it would have taken every villager and probably all of the villagers of the neighboring towns without a pause. So, yes Sozen's comet is more important. However, we don't know when you'll have another opportunity to learn this, and spirit problems occur unexpectedly."

"If Aang is learning that what will I be learning?"

"Healing. I know I've taught you some, but you may get something from the traditional education" She gives me a sour look as her face scrunches, but I keep talking to placate her. "Or don't, I don't think this will be a particularly long visit. I'll be visiting the actual north pole. Sokka" huh he's checking out a chick on the bridge we just past. "Why don't you make some diplomatic ties with your northern tribe." That gets him to sputter a bit when trying to respond.

We continue to travel down the canals until we reach the center of the city. Our escorts then bring us into the building where we will meet the chief of the northern water tribe, Chief Arnook.

"Welcome avatar it is an honor for us to have you. It is also exciting to meet members of our sister tribe. I assume you've come looking for a water bending master."

"Thank you for your hospitality. I'm avatar Aang and these are Sokka, Katara, and Silva. Sokka and Katara are companions from the southern water tribe and Silva is a traveler that has been teaching me and Katara water bending. We were originally coming here to find a water bending master, but we ran into Silva. However, Silva suggested we still come here so that I could learn about the spiritual aspects of water bending specifically a water bending technique to combat spirits."

"Those techniques are sacred and not thought to outsiders, but I guess an exception can be made for the avatar, and what about the rest of you? What is it you want here?"

I push Katara forward slightly. "Katara would like to learn healing while she is here. She stomps on my foot and I think glares at me. Rude. I then nudge Sokka forward. " Sokka is the son of the Southern Water Tribe Chief he is here, mostly as an ally to the Avatar. However, he is also here for cultural exchange and diplomatic ties."

"Ahh, excellent. Both easy to accommodate. It's our p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e and duty to host members from our sister tribe. And what about you?"

"I'm am here to deliver a message to you. Which I would like to discuss in private."

I'm given strange looks from everyone, but after some muttering Aang, Katara, and Sokka leave the room just leaving me and the Arnook.