"That... I don't even know what to say," Ikari murmured at last, scratching the back of his neck, awkwardly.
Sokka lowered his eyes to the ground, completely defeated. "This world... is too cruel."
**********
[A few hours later]
"Look at the size of this one, Katara!" Sokka exclaimed, lifting a big fish from the bucket full of others, water dripping in droplets as he held it with radiant pride. "I caught it!" He puffed out his chest, a smug smile stretching from ear to ear.
Katara looked genuinely impressed. She even leaned in to inspect the fish, confirming she wasn't hallucinating. "How…?"
Sokka placed the fish back in the bucket with an exaggerated gesture. "Let's just say I finally unlocked my superior fishing gift!" he declared, crossing his arms and raising his chin.
Katara put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "You mean Ikari managed to teach you how to fish."
"Argh!" Sokka stepped back, his face twisted in shock. "How did you know?!"
"Because I was the one who told him you're terrible at catching fish, genius," Katara replied. "And he said he'd see if he could help you."
Hearing those words, Sokka felt as if he had been struck by an invisible arrow, straight to the heart. He clutched his chest, staggering dramatically. "Terrible…" he muttered, his voice trembling as if he were on the verge of tears. "My own little sister… didn't trust me…"
"Quit the drama, Sokka," Katara rolled her eyes. "Now you know how to fish, don't you? That's what matters."
"No!" Sokka pointed at her, his eyes narrowed. "That means every time I came back without catching a single fish, and you gave me all that support: 'Don't worry, Sokka, you'll get it next time.' You were actually mocking me behind my back!" He threw his hands up.
Katara made a face. "I wasn't mocking you, Sokka! I just… okay, maybe a little," she admitted, looking away with a guilty expression. "B-but you can't blame me! You couldn't hit a fish even if it was asleep."
Sokka opened his mouth, outraged, the words stuck in his throat as he tried to come up with a defense. But before he could answer, a sharp little scream cut through the air, drawing both their attention. They turned at the same time and saw, a few meters away, the village children along with some mothers, all with faces taken by astonishment and fascination.
Following their gaze, Sokka and Katara were left gaping. A few meters above the ground, floating in a whirlwind of air spinning below his waist, Ikari was holding a little girl on his shoulders. The girl, with messy braids swaying in the wind, spread her arms as if she were a bird, her face lit by a radiant smile as she screamed with pure joy, her voice echoing through the village.
"Katara… are you seeing this?!" Sokka asked slowly, rubbing his eyes hard, doubting his own vision.
"I… am seeing it, Sokka," Katara replied, her eyes fixed on the scene before them. 'Amazing…'
*******
Sokka collapsed into the snow, his body exhausted after yet another morning of being completely destroyed by Ikari in training. "I… can't take it anymore…" he groaned, his heavy breathing forming clouds of vapor in the icy air as he sprawled on the ground, arms dropped at his sides.
"Ok. That's enough for today." Ikari stopped beside him with a faint smile, impressed with the boy. Sokka had shown a striking difference compared to the first day of training. Despite the evident exhaustion, he was tougher, withstanding the impact of weapons better, defending himself with more precision, keeping up the fast pace longer, and needing fewer breaks to catch his breath. Even his counterattacks had improved — Sokka had managed to strike back several times, a big leap from the meager two attempts on the first day.
'What a terrifying evolution…' Ikari thought, lowering himself with the help of his staff. He examined the boy's hands, which were red and swollen again, but visibly less injured than at the start. Calluses were beginning to form, and the skin, though irritated, showed signs of adapting to the handling of weapons. 'Hakoda brought a genius into the world…'
Ikari turned his eyes to Sokka's face. "How are you feeling?"
"Haah… haah… haah… I think I'm at death's door… again…"
"I'm being serious," Ikari insisted, giving Sokka a light pat on the arm, which immediately made him flinch with a groan of pain.
"Hey! I'm exhausted and my arms feel like rocks! So please, don't touch!" Sokka retorted, casting a reproachful look while guarding his aching arm.
Ikari let out a low chuckle. "But it's better than the first day, isn't it?"
"Huh…" Sokka paused, furrowing his brow as he thought. "I guess… yeah? I mean, I don't know, all I can think about is eating and passing out in my tent."
"Come on, Sokka. Didn't you notice how much you've improved? Your strikes are stronger, your defense is quicker… I'm proud, you know?"
Sokka blinked, still panting, but a spark of pride lit up in his eyes, even though he tried to hide it. "You… really think so?"
"Of course I do," Ikari answered with conviction. "You've got the potential to be a great warrior. You just need to keep it up."
Sokka tried to stand, but his arms trembled, and he gave up, lying back down with a groan. "Cool, cool… but everything still hurts."
Ikari placed his staff on the ground and extended his hands to Sokka. "That's how it is. But your body's already adapting, and soon enough you'll be blocking my attacks without even blinking." He pulled Sokka into a sitting position, ignoring his grumbling. "Now, come on. Let's get something to eat before you actually die." Ikari stood and offered his hand, seeing that this time he wouldn't have to carry him.
Sokka accepted the help, standing with difficulty. "If food's involved… I can hang on a bit longer."
"Good to know."
**********
"I-Ikari, I-I'm doing it!"
'Correction, Hakoda brought two geniuses into the world,' Ikari thought, watching Katara keep a ball of water floating perfectly in the air.
Unlike the previous days, when they trained at sea so Katara could feel the rhythm of the waves, today they were outside the village, near the wall. Ikari had decided that Katara had already understood enough of the natural movement of water to move on to more controlled exercises on land.
He had placed a bucket of water in front of her and instructed her to mold the water into a circular shape and keep it in the air. And after a few attempts, Katara had managed to form the sphere that now floated before her.
'How far will she go once she's taught by a master?' Ikari wondered, bringing his hand to his chin. Katara's natural ability was undeniable. He no longer had any doubts about that. She was a prodigy. "You're doing really well, Katara, I'm impressed."
Katara blushed, but kept her focus on the water ball, which wavered slightly because of the compliment. "Thank you… but… it's hard. It feels like it's going to slip away any moment," she replied, biting her lower lip, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"It's natural," Ikari assured, stepping a little closer. "Now, let's raise the level. Try moving the water forward and back. Very slowly, don't lose its flow."
Katara nodded, her eyes shining with determination. She moved her hands slowly forward and then back, guiding the water in a fluid motion. For a moment, the sphere obeyed, stretching slightly as it followed the command, hovering in the air.
But then, the water shuddered. Droplets began to fall, scattering to the ground. Katara's eyes widened as she tried desperately to regain control, but the sphere collapsed, crashing to the floor in a splash that soaked her boots.
"Argh!" Katara exclaimed, frustrated, her hands falling to her sides. "I was doing so well…"
"You are doing well. Come on, try again."
"Okay!"
***********
Liked it? Then you might enjoy my other stories too: Stranger Things: Worlds Collide and BNHA: Dynamight.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.