Reunion of an Instructor and a Pupil

Oita moved on the covered walkway of the Northern Water Tribe Academy. It was newly built to match with the demand of the rise of number of waterbenders and other students. Oita’s hands were in the long blue sleeves of his blue colored jacket, to keep them warm from the harsh cold. Today was one of the coldest days in the year; it was jacket penetrating wind and constant coming and going of snow. The pathway was covered protecting the elderly man from the harsh snow. As each foot moved the snow that did land on the path would melt into a liquid form and slide off to the side and take its frozen form again.

Oita walked up to the door of the Academy and grabbed the freezing handle with his hand and turned. He walked inside and was greeted with the small murmur of teachers and students as their daily activities took place. He walked past most of them, avoiding any social transactions and walked down a hall. Keeping his stern attention forward he walked passed opened class rooms where teachers taught their students. He turned into an opened room and stood in the center. This was his classroom where he taught large classes and the few one random person that would trickle in every now and then.

Against the walls there were fountains with water shooting out of the top. Those were used for teaching and training purposes. He extended both his arms out and then brought them closer to him. The water blasted out of the fountains and came straight for Oita. He stooped it and then started to move his hands around. The water started to move around the old man’s body in circular a circular motion and then he let it fall to the floor. When the water hit the floor it formed a puddle around Oita and he froze it. Standing still he sat down and closed his eyes. His chest going up and down as he breathed, the water unfroze and went back into the fountains. Oita kept his eyes closed and continued to sit there.

Koga after a long journey across the water in a boat saw the Northern Water Tribe. Koga exited the boat with Lucifer by his side and looked down to Lucifer. "Go back home I'm going to see an old friend." Lucifer nodded and ran off. Koga began to walk tightening his cloak and put his hood over his head to keep the cold at bay.

Koga sees the academy and walks up the steps carfully not to slip. "Lets see if he's still in the same old room." Koga approches the door and opens them gently and walks in seeing many students and teachers going on with their business.

Koga takes his hood off and gently closes the door. Koga unties his cloak revealing his armor,sword and water pouch. Koga walks through the hall ways quietly until he gets to his destination. His old classroom.

Koga looks and sees Oita sitting there. "Hello Master Oita." Koga gives a low bow then stands back up with a smile on his face. "How have you been master?"

Oita stayed still on the floor his chests rising and falling as his calmed every part of his body. His mind began to wonder, he was starting to meditate. Most waterbenders never thought of meditation, but time spend with the Air Monks made Oita learn that is sooths the nerves, releases stress, and heightens all the senses. It was like floating in air, how the Monks must feel, everything was light and Oita was calm. There were some people outside speaking, but Oita was in a deep trance unable to notice anything.

His now light blue eyes opened wide and he did not need to turn around. He knew who that voice belonged to; it was a one of his most prized students. Someone Oita was so proud to have taught and have watched him age through the years and soon pass his class as one of the top waterbenders, which most people never reached. A smile formed on the elderly man’s wrinkled face. He stood up feeling his old age getting to him and turned around. He was shocked, but showed no sign of it. The smile was now gone and it was more of a scornful look on his face. Even though he was jumping from joy inside, it was just the way Oita would act around people. He would always wear a serious look on his face, even at the most joyful times.

“Greetings Koga,” Oita said putting his hands inside his sleeves even though it was not cold in the room he continued, “I am doing fine. Teaching classes here, dealing with major Northern Water Tribe problems there, and feeling the sting of old age in the process. I would say it is good. How are you doing Koga?” He stood still not moving not showing any signs of emotions even though someone who reminded him of the better days was in the room with him.

Koga crosses his arms as he stands in the door way. "Iv been good so far Master Oita. Been traveling and keeping up my training and Master you got a long way to go before your really old." Koga walks in and puts his left hand on his sword's hilt as he walks to the other side of the room. Koga's hand lays gently at the top of the hilt.

"Hopefully all conflict in this world will come to an end but I don't think that will be within either of our lifetimes." Koga looks at Master Oita with a smile. "Taught any promising students lately?" Koga leans back against the wall.

Oita chuckled to himself and caught the act and quickly stopped himself. “Oh you foolish boy,” he said walking slowly to a chair where he sits and watches his students train. He slowly sat down and the chair made a few noises and stopped once Oita got comfortable. “I am getting up there, I am realizing as the days pass it hurts my old joints to even bend. Do you know how useful joints are in bending? Very!” He laughed but stopped and then let out a sigh.

Oita eyes Koga’s sword for a moment. It was a very nice weapon even though as many years as he has been alive he only lifted up the cold steel of a sword twice one was to move it and the other was to fight. In the end of the fight he ended up using his bending and blowing the groups cover, it did not work that well. He closed his eyes remembering the event. When he was younger and move lively he was a part of a secret water tribe group that did secret missions for the leader. He missed those old days of being able to climb up on a roof or run after a culprit. He sighed and opened his eyes remembering Koga was there.

He stood up and bended the water in a nearby fountain to form a cane made of ice. Using it as support he got up from the chair and it melted and went back into the fountain. He walked over to Koga and said with a groan, “Conflicts will never end. Leaders may come and go, but their problems will never leave.” He shook his head at the fact and stood still thinking. Oita shrugged and said, “I have a few that are great, it is just they want all of it to be over. They have their goals on becoming the master who is an amazing bender and can save thousands. They just don’t want to do all the work before.” He sighed at the truth.

Koga laughs at Master Oita last comment. "Being patient is essential to becoming a Master. You can't rush into that. Rushing into that makes you a horrible Master." Koga stands up straight with his hand still laying gently on the top of the hilt.

"Master I advise going to a healer seeing if they can help you with your joint problem." Koga gives a grin. "I'm still very young so my joints are top-notch." Koga gives a small laugh.

Oita looked at Koga and laughed, "Are you speaking words of wisdom to me boy? I am already a master tell those impatient young ones about becoming a master." He jabbed his finger in a random direction and conitnued, "They need someone to tell them that, they sure don't listen to me." He looked down with a sigh, "They only listen to me when it comes to a new bending move."

"Koga my joints are nothing the healers here can aid with," he said walking back to the chair and sitting, "I have tried everything it is just a burden I will have to live with. That and many other things." He sighed, so many things were turning for the worse for Oita first his joints would ache constantly, then he would forget like where he left something or names, and then one time he was unable to get out of a chair. Maybe he is feeling all this because he would climb on those roofs and jump down from them in the hopes of catching someone. He would never know. He laughed and stopped abruptly and said, "Because you are young. Oh to be young again, so filled with the joys of life. Don't waste them, trust me on that."

"Ill teach any water bender what it takes to be a master. I am a fairly skilled water bender but I am no where close to your skill." Koga smiles. " I will cherish my youth for as long as possible. Then when I grow old I will share my knowledge with those who need it and don't just want it.

Oita shifted to the side on the chair and went back to sitting up right. He rubbed his temples with one hand and then rested it on his lap. His old hands feeling the effects of his age, they hurt as he moved. He fought back the pain and said, "I would have a class today, but some of the males in my group have to prepare for some journey out in the frozen tundra that surrounds us. It is some rite of passage that their specific family or clan must complete once they reach an age. It is all really stupid, I don't see the point. Also, there are festivities in a part of the city and I decided since some are missing for that wandering the frozen waste land thing, I might as well let the others have a free day."

Oita sat still on the seat and closed his eyes, letting out a slow long sigh he opened his wrinkled eyes and looked at the youthful boy. He put his hands on his knees to help himself up, but in the process he decided to stay sitting on the chair. He moved his hands on his lap and listened. He opened his mouth and began to say, “Good! Make sure you keep your youth as long as you can.” Oita thought a bit and said, “Make sure you do that, because I know I sure didn’t. You know that one boy who was in the same class as you? Ino…Ino…something. Well I can’t remember his last name, but that is not important anymore. He was a very determined young man, very good at bending also. Had fantastic form, but the temper of an angered buffalo-yak.” Oita lost his train of thought and sat there starring at the floor.

Oita regained it after a few seconds and then said, “Sorry about that, it seems to happen more often now. Where was I? Oh yes! Ino! Well I have heard that he left as soon as he passed the class and traveled the world. Did you know what he decided to do? He decided to become an assassin, and use the stuff I taught him to take out his targets. He was later found dead in some unknown colony of the Fire Nation. See what I mean boy? If you are planning on being a teacher, don’t base it off of me I am only a fool. Don’t be as strict as me; don’t be as hard as I was. Get to know your pupils see the world from their eyes.” Oita sighed and tried to stand back up, that attempt to failed and he just sat there starring at the adjacent wall which had pictures on the motions to attempt simple waterbending.

Koga listens to Oita as he talks. "Master Oita,I remember Ino and I know what is the difference between right and wrong,or at least my definition of it. I am going to travel around and train,and I will keep training. You are far from a fool Master,sure you were strict but if you weren't for all we know I wouldn't have grown up to be the man I am today." Koga talks with ambition in his voice. Koga begins to think about his parents who were taken from him when he was still a child. "Master Oita you were like a father to me once my parents passed. Thank you for being there." Koga bows lows then stands back,standing straigh.