Avatar: The Red Dragon

Chapter 9: The Troublesome Firebender - Part 1

Part 1: The Chi Masters

Nanami had a whole week of free time. She didn't really need to help at the shop as she wasn't there usually and they could handle it fine. On the first day, the little girl enjoyed her break, doing nothing, just watching the customers in the shop and hanging out in the kitchen from time to time. Miya, Saki and Hiroki came over after school to give her some classes notes and chat with their friend.

However, she quickly got bored the next day, not used to lazing around in her room.

I'm not going to stay here all day! Let's see if I can find a place to do some firebending training!

She went to the kitchen, where the rest of her family was working – except for Shuu who was at school.

"Can I go to the park to play?" She asked her mother.

Akemi looked at her daughter and raised an eyebrow. She had a bad feeling about this.

"What will you do there?" Her tone was severe, trying to figure out her troublesome child's real intentions.

"Just play. I'm bored at home." The little girl replied, grinning innocently at her mother.

"Let her go, darling. Of course she's going to get bored here at home." Kouichi chimed in.

"You're always too soft on her, Kouichi!" Akemi sighed. "No trouble, young miss!" She warned her daughter, raising her forefinger to appear more threatening.

Nanami jumped for joy and immediately dashed outside.

"Why would she wear her uniform?" Masuko wondered, and returned to her work.

Meanwhile, Nanami didn't go to the park in the shopping district where she usually went, and instead headed to the one near the Fire Sages Temple. That park had more space and she actually saw elderly people practicing something that looked like martial arts every morning as she passed by on her way to the academy.

The young firebender ran to the spot where she had seen those people training and sat on a nearby bench, watching them. She would try some of their moves from time to time, but it was harder than what it seemed, even though the movements were really slow.

An old woman, with her ash color hair tied in a bun, noticed the little girl trying to imitate them and walked over to her.

"What are you doing, young lady?" She asked in a gentle voice, startling Nanami who didn't see her approach.

"I wanted to perform the moves you were doing, but I can't seem to do it!" Nanami replied, embarrassed that someone actually saw her.

The woman let out a small chuckle. "Come with us, we'll teach you."

Nanami followed her and shyly joined the circle they formed. They were actually practicing martial arts, but not the fighting style. It was the spiritual style, called Tai-chi, and allowed you to control your chi.

"What's the chi?" Nanami asked them.

"The chi is the energy that unites everything in the world. For example, we are made of chi. It runs through our chakras, inside of us." An old man explained.

"Is the chi like life then?" Nanami said hesitantly, raising an eyebrow as she didn't understand anything from what he had just told her.

"Yes! If you can control your chi, then you'll be able to control your inner energy."

"Control my inner energy? Does that mean I can control my firebending if I can master the chi?"

"Oh! So you are a firebender, young lady." Nanami nodded at the old woman's statement.