The Lightning Bender | Book 2: Healing

5: Wisdom

"Alright everyone! You all know what to do today. Practice with a partner!" Katsumi shouted to her class who obeyed immediately. It was a hot day outside and the roofless training grounds they were in did not help at all. She wiped her sweat with her sleeves in disgust while walking around the grounds, observing her students. Every student she'd walk by suddenly became more tense and more prone to commiting a mistake. But to their surprise, their usually angry and loud teacher was calm and collected today.

When  she had reached the end of the grounds, Minoru felt his breathing hitch. He stared at his partner who was equally nervous. Katsumi nodded and they both started their sequence. His partner came rushing in, his hands up. He threw a jab which Minoru weaved under. They continued with their plan which was so far going smoothly. Once they had created a distance between each other Minoru started charging up, circling his hands in the motion which his partner had taught him. Streaks of Lightning followed it and once he released it he felt the energy exit his body. The Lightning hit his partner who redirected it easily. Minoru was panting, he had successfully executed their plan while his teacher was watching. He pumped his fists in the air and high fived his partner who was smiling widely like him.

"Good job Minoru, I knew you could do it." She smiled at her student encouragingly who smiled back at her. "Alright everyone! Good job. Now, we will be moving on to the advanced techniques however, not all of you can be qualified to continue. The next module will be filled with techniques that only few have been able to actually perform."

"Sifu Katsumi, can we have some examples of these techniques?" A student in the middle raised her hand.

"Some techniques included in the module are Lightning fists, Lightning generation through your legs, and mid-air Lightning generation." She enumerated.

"But sifu, doesn't Lightning generation require you to be grounded?" The student asked once again.

"It was thought to be impossible before but in reality it was just only complicated to perform as proved by someone..." She cleared her throat.

"Who?"

She sighs and clutches the bridge of her nose. "Hiko." She said blankly.

The class ruptured into murmurs and whispers as they have shown to do so whenever the name Hiko was mentioned. He was the one who beat that Junko guy right? Where do you think is he now? I heard he was cute. That was Sifu's ex right? She heard the usual stuff which she would just let them say as it would die down in a few seconds. I wish he taught us, it would be great to actually learn from someone who actually discovered these techniques. Katsumi heard that particular whisper which made her rupture as well.

"One more whisper or murmur about Hiko and you all fail!" She bellowed, making the class go silent once again. "Thank you. Now, performing these techniques requires perfect balance and stance. You must have already mastered the fundamentals of Lightningbending before attempting this. We will go over the basics and refine your technique. I will be assessing each of you in an exam where you'll perform all the techniques we've discussed over the past year. Those who pass, will move on to the advanced classes while those who fail will go through the basics again." A student raised his hand, making Katsumi sigh before pointing at him to speak.

"Who will be teaching us the Advanced techniques?" The boy asked innocently.

"What do you mean? Of course I would still be your teacher!" She shouted at the student who lowered his hand slowly, regretting his question. "You're all dismissed." She snarled before walking briskly out of the training grounds.

She had felt angrier than ever. She knew her class didn't like her but what can she do? She taught them in a way that made them better in exchange for their fondness of her. Why can't she just teach like- like him? Everyday she'd attempt to mimick Hiko's style of teaching. He was disciplining you while also providing you with positive reinforcement. When he taught her back then, it felt like all her usual anger and discord was gone. She felt calm and collected but now she just felt angry and lost.

"Sifu Katsumi?" A voice behind her spoke timidly.

"Yes?" She refused to turn around as she felt her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were puffy.

"May I ask you for a favor?"

"What?"

"Can you- teach me in private?" He swallowed nervously, anticipating her reaction. She turned around to face Minoru who looked like he had just asked out a girl on a date. Katsumi pondered for a second before a thought popped into her mind.

"You know what? Sure." Katsumi wanted to test how she'd do when teaching one on one and an opportunity had presented itself.

"Really? Thank you so much! I won't disappoint!" Minoru smiles widely before skipping back to where his friends were.

"I'm already beginning to regret this." She muttered to herself before continuing to walk outside.

Washi landed in front of Hiko, carrying a sack of bread. Hiko was still in meditation, it was already sunset.

"Hiko, you should eat. You'll get sick again." Washi pleaded with him.

"I can't." He muttered.

Washi sighed before sitting down in front of him. Hiko peeked his eye open and then opened both eyes.

"Continue." Washi said casually. Hiko obliged and closed his eyes again. "Feel yourself flow through the infinite ocean of time. Let it consume you and fill you at the same time. Let all of your anxieties and worries go, let them be lost in the ocean, cast them away." Hiko fell into meditation again. "I want you to answer me wholeheartedly Hiko." The boy nodded.

"What do you think happened when you fought your Uncle Junko?" Hiko's eyes tightened and his eyebrows contracted.

"I-I don't know." The images rushed to his head again. Junko's face, full of rage and malice as he threw a Lightning bolt full force at his nephew. He remembered how scared he felt at that moment. He was so exhausted and everything hurt, but he managed to get himself back up and throw a Lightning bolt as well. He remembered how much of his energy he let go just in that one move, how much it had drained him. "I think, I overexerted myself, like I wanted so badly for him to pay for what he did."

"You're right. At that time, you were blinded by your thirst for vengeance that it made you acquire your energy from the wrong place."

"But I was also doing it because I loved my father and he was taken away from me by Junko!" Washi nodded and put on a gentler tone.

"I know Hiko, but that love was corrupted as soon as you saw it as an excuse to justify your wrongdoing." Hiko's eyes relaxed, Washi was right. He had used his love for his father as an excuse for something that was wrong.

"I should've redirected it." Hiko whispered. "I shouldn't have killed him." His voice became shaky.

"Good, admitting your mistake is the first step to healing. Now, I want to ask you something else." Hiko nodded again, ready to receive another question. "Why do you think your mind has been so clouded lately?" Hiko's face scrunched up again trying to formulate an answer.

"I'm torn over everything. Do I go back to the clan and help Jianjun or do I continue training with you to try get back my Lightningbending?"

"I believe these aren't the only two things you are torn about?" Washi concluded.

Hiko sighed and pursed his lips. "Katsumi or Jinora." Saying it like it was a demand and not a question.

"All your life you have been riddled with making decisions at such a young age without any real help. After your father had died tragically and your mother left you, sere you gonna stay in the village or run away? Are you gonna stay with the Airbenders or go back to your clan? Should you continue on trying to restore your Lightningbending or should you go and fullfil your responsibilites as the next Clan Head? Should you stay with Katsumi or should you follow your heart and chase Jinora? I fear all of these decisions have made your spirit unsure about anything now. Now, your own spirit is unable to decide if it can still do what it was once capable of."

"How do I help it decide?" Hiko asked.

"You are one with your spirit, you should be the one to answer that." Washi said gently, feeling a little bit guilty he couldn't help Hiko any longer.

"Okay, I'll try." Hiko's lips closed, shivering slightly from the cold breeze.