trans_9 | One more reason to keep on going

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One more reason to keep on going

Irma was gone. Matt was gone. Just about everyone from their universe seemed to have been podded, and Kaya decided, in the wake of this, that she should still make sure the classrooms were kept clean. The place she was staying, Will's room with all of the gymnastics, had been clean after Kaya ad attempted a fairly rigorous workout. She had made sure that Matt's wares were stocked, the common room swept and cleaned, so that when the other came around, they would have a nice place to sit and talk.

First there was Cornelia's room, with all of its earth nation goodness and flowers, making sure that the architecture was carefully polished and everything watered so nothing was neglected. She couldn't help passing by this room and thinking of Toph.

Then she moved onto Hay Lin's room, which never failed to remind her of Aang with all of its wind implements, very much something an airbender would have loved: she would have to make sure to tell both Aang and Nima about it if they had the chance to visit. It always seemed so big and grand and open to her, as she thought the element air should anyhow.

Tarnee's room, while once making her wary with its affiliation for fire, was gotten over once you stepped inside: it was kept in balance with all of the books and the globes that were a representation of energy everywhere. She always loved coming here to expand her mind a bit, and it was a perfect reflection of an intellectual girl Kaya never had the pleasure of meeting.

And then, of course, there was Irma's room. She knew there was an obvious bias here, stepping into the room that reflected her best, with all of its watery element and the ability to swim in and out of the water that surrounded the room. She was cleaning here a little, and then could not help herself: she discarded her clothing, wrapped only in her underclothes and jumped in, allowing the underwater environment to envelop her. Perhaps her favorite thing about this place was how she could still breathe underwater.

She was so entranced, she did not notice anyone coming in.

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"Waterbender?" He wondered if that was a literal translation of a style name.

"Yes," Kaya said, "its my ability. Anything that uses or requires water, I can bend to my will. It sounds like magic that way, but its actually understanding your element and knowing how to maneuver your body so that it flows with you. Much of that is actually mirrored in martial arts."

"Show me?" The downright plea came almost immediately, born out of boyish curiosity. It sounded almost inverse to his own methods; how could he not be curious?!

Well so much for just explaining it and not actually demonstrating. She brought out her water pouch and dribbled some on the floor. She then got into stance and the water, simply laying in a puddle, now stirred. She brought her hands upward and now the water was still, and then started to whirl around until it was a whirlpool in the shape of a tendril.

It was a basic water whip, but with the way she moved and had it flow about the air, he should get the message of what she could do.

What can he say, he's a visual and kinesthetic learner.

It was what he expected, but there was pleasure in watching it, and all the subtle nuances of her motions. He could see what she meant by her description. And he could see she was good, which made watching all the nicer!

"Is that a learned talent, or innate?"

"Both," Kaya replied. "Being able to do it is something you're born with, but how well you actually fare with it is a different story. Many of the adults in our world learn the basics ands a bit more, and that's the end of that: kids, we tend to try different trick, experiment, so we learn a bit more. Also helps when there's a war bearing down on you that you learn by doing."

He nodded, quite unable to disagree with both points. "Can you teach it? Or, if not the actual innate part of the ability, at least the motions and control that go with it?"

"The movement? Well yes, I guess I could do that," Kaya said, thinking a moment. "Actually, I was doing that with a boy, Fletcher, once before. He was trying to get stronger. No reason for me not to give it a shot again!"

He crossed his arms as he leaned lightly against a weapon rack, looking quite satisfied. "I'd like that. I've always had a much harder time with moving or altering physical substances than I have with energies. It's not something I've ever had the chance to study from someone with experience in the matter." Not that his own teacher couldn't have done such things quite easily, but her training focused on the art as a whole and trusted him to work out things his way.

"Well, like I said, its usually something you're born with, but I definitely would not mind showing you how its done with movement and how you shift around your element. I'm glad you've some along though: I think its a good thing for these guys to have different trainers: they can all show us something different!"

"Well, a really good martial artist can do just about anything required, right? I honestly know enough about most traditional styles to fake them even if I haven't trained in them. Not necessarily well, of course!"

"I'm thinking that might be how Chase knows so many different disciplines, actually. It's sort of the reason I try to learn so much though: I want to pick up on the disciplines, and strengthen my waterbending."

"Sounds like I should meet," Morgan said thoughtfully. "But if I can help you with your goals, then I will!"

"Thank you, I really appreciate it!" Kaya said, looking very grateful. "Is there anything that I can do for you in return?"

"I'll learn at least as much from you as you learn from me, so you already signed up to do it!" He felt a little guilty about that, actually, but that wasn't gonna stop him. He added, with a wink, "Besides, seeing a cute girl doing martial arts is its own reward."

"I guess you're right," Kaya said which, let's face it, he was, right? Of course, that last part made her flush a little, but that was definitely a small smile she was trying to keep under wraps. "I don't know too may teachers that casually flirt wit their students," she said, teasing him right back.

"Well, someday I'll be an old wise hermit master and it will no longer be dignified, so it would be kind of silly not to enjoy it now," he said, still grinning. "Besides, I have a nickname to uphold."

Morgan lifted his hands, then spread them grandly. "Shameless."

Good point, though even without being perverted, someone like, say, King Bumi in her world went from being a wise old man to what most referred to as VERY eccentric.

She giggled. "In that case, I'll take the compliment, and also respectfully ignore it. Though it was a little sweet of you."

"That's about my luck," he said philosophically, not at all put off. "So, I think your schedule is busier than mine right now. What works for you?"

She giggled. "Well, I'm going to be pretty busy, but I always make time for training! To me, that;s one of the top priorities besides being with my friends and all."

"Then I am at your disposal," he said with a grand if somewhat self-ironic bow. "Though I suppose I really ought to see your full level of proficiency? I don't think for a second that little display was your peak!"

"Are you saying you want to spar," Kaya asked, half teasing. "If so, you ought to just right out and say it you know, it would be rude not to. I've got no problems demonstrating my skill."

"Now that's hardly the only way to show proficiency," he said. "I'll take whatever you're most willing to give! I just want to see the full extent of your form."

After a second, he smirked. "Martial arts form."

"In that, I'd be more than happy to show you," Kaya said, "But you might want to be specific. My bending is also my martial arts, and I've also learned a bit more than that, from other teachers.

"What would you like to see me do?"

"Well, I can tell easily you're in good shape without having to see much more of your... form," he said, slyly, "so no need to demonstrate that. How about some basic forms to start?"

The greatest key to understand someone's skill was, in his opinion, control and efficiency. How precisely one moved; how much excess movement one had.

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