*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰  MIRACULUM ❱
*✧ ─── ❝ ❪ UKI VS THE PATRIARCHY❫ ❞

⋆ 🌪. CHAPTER THREE ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
˚ ₊ ♡ 112 a.a ─── book one: water

UKI HAD EXPECTED THAT FOR A GROUP TRAVELING WITH THE AVATAR, STEALTH WAS OF THE UPMOST IMPORTANCE—SADLY IT HADN'T MEANT THEY WERE ANY GOOD AT IT. FOR WHEN THE SUN ROSE THE next morning, it seemed Katara had taken her advice to heart. Aang had been trying to teach the girl waterbending moves he had been taught by Master Pakku. Only they didn't try to sneak around like Uki did. No they all but paraded their activities in the middle of the city without a thought of secrecy. Uki would have laughed if she hadn't understood the ache that Katara felt to learn and master her abilities, and what it now would mean for Aang to lose his waterbending master.

Word had travelled quickly through their community as by the time she emerged from her room her parents stood tensely, talking quietly in the living room. Upon her arrival they had casted a wary glance at her. And Uki knew.

Uki sighed as her mother, Meriwa placed a cup of tea in front of her. The girl wrapped her fingers around it, letting the warmth battle away the morning chill. With tired blue eyes, she watched the steam billow upwards.

"I am expected at the palace." Tulok's tone was heavy and strong. Something that had always soothed Uki as he told her about her tribe and their tales. Comforted her when she was scared.

Now it felt different. Because not long ago she had been where Katara stood. The way her father had reprimanded her, the disappointment and belittlement in the lilt of his voice. Punished for wishing to be more than a healer—to protect her home. For pursuing to master her gift. She had been so angry.

She is still so angry.

Uki can't help the scoff that tore itself from her throat, the water in her cup shaking.

"Uki." Her mother's warning tone makes her tighten her grip and tense her jaw.

With angry tears lining in her eyes she faced her parents before focusing completely on her father.

Tulok's eyes harden as she spoke. "I don't understand father. Why..." She hated the brittle sound of her own voice. "Bending is a part of her ━ of me."

"You know why Uki, you must learn to accept it. This is the way of our tribe."

These are our traditions.

These are the rules of our tribe.

This is not where you belong.

"Then why would the ocean spirit safe me!" She stood up, the force of her quick action making the chair behind her topple over. "Why would La bless me with waterbending if I am to be denied of learning. Of becoming a master!"

"Enough!" Tulok hand came slamming down on the table, rattling the cups. "You are old enough to know to respect our customs and traditions! I will hear no more of this Uki."

A bitter chuckle left her and her hands bawl into fists. "You'll never understand." She shook her head before jutting her finger out at him. "You as a man, being able to do as you please. To master your gift without limits. And me, cast aside to the shadows. Denied a part of me."

She whirled around and with every angry step the icy walls of their home shook.

Her mother called after her, but she didn't look back.

The door rattled as she slammed it shut.

The frigid artic air nipped at her skin, but it did nothing to sooth the boiling of anger beneath her skin. Uki wrapped her arms around herself as angry tears streamed down her face. The streets were mostly desolate this early in the morning and she's glad for it. With a quick stroke, Uki wiped away the tears from her eyes and kept walking.

Without conscious thought, Uki found herself atop one of the higher towers at the edge of the tribe. Close to the magnificent wall that protected them from the outside. The wind made her hair flutter and her eyes roamed over the vast expanse of the ocean before her. The gentle lull of the waves had always mesmerised her and could calm her down.

She didn't know how much time passed, but the sun had risen higher and higher warming her skin.

Commotion caught her attention, and from her perch she easily spotted their revered guests roaming the streets. Katara walked ahead of Sokka and Aang. The Water Tribe girl reflected her earlier rage with heavy steps and shaking fists.

Pushing herself up, Uki glided down the side of the tower with ease. Skidding to a stop ahead of the group, she watched as Katara paused at her appearance.

She looked sad.

"I heard what happened." Uki said quietly as she walked closer to the group.

"He doesn't want to be Aang's teacher anymore." Katara announced with a huff.

"I am sorry Avatar Aang." She turned to the nomad and bowed her head.

The boy shoulders were slouched, the look in his grey eyes down casted.

"We will change his mind." Katara spoke resolutely.

"You won't..."

"I can't believe you would say that!" Katara exclaimed.

"I've been in your place before." Uki wrapped her arms around herself. "They won't." She reaffirmed.

Katara had latched onto her thick blue parka. For such a small girl, Katara certainly had an iron grip. "Well you said one girl isn't going to change customs. Maybe two will have more success." Katara offered the older girl an encouraging smile.

"Yeah...no, if you think Pakku doesn't like you wait till he sees me." Uki shook her head. "I have been a thorn in his side since I was six." Since I discovered I could waterbend.

Katara just huffed, tightening her grip and dragging her along with the other two boys. Aang gave her a sympathetic smile, before turning his grey eyes ahead in a more stern expression.

Despite her protests, Uki followed them toward the towering palace. As the smaller streets made way for more grander buildings the first rays of sunlight began to gleam of the icy structures.

Nervously, Uki walked up the steps, and appeared beside the Avatar and the siblings in front of the awaiting council.

"Uki? What are you doing here?" Tulok, Uki's father rose a questioning eyebrow from where he sat to the left of Master Pakku.

Uki rubbed her arm but didn't reply.

She had to hold back her temper as Master Pakku scoffed at her silence. The sight of her standing next to the ill-tempered Southern Water Tribe girl a sign of blatant disrespect.

It seemed, however that Arnook too, was caught up to the events that had taken place last night as he sighed and looked between the waterbending master and the young Avatar. "What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"

Katara hesitated for a second before stepping up with a determined look on her face, "Yes!" She paused, eyes flickering around before adding, "Please?"

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologise to him." Arnook suggested and this time Uki tensed, a glare forming on her face as she stepped up beside Katara. The anger from that morning still simmering beneath her skin.

Her fingers twitched as she stepped forward, jutting out her arms she exclaimed; "Why should she apologise!" Uki exclaimed in disbelief. "Women of the Northern Water Tribe are forbidden to learn waterbending. ━ " She threw her arm out to motion to Katara, "She's from the Southern Water Tribe."

"Uki!" Tulok's eyes widened at his daughter precipitous words, "How dare you speak to the chief like that!"

"Father, I only wish for Katara to be able to learn waterbending━ " She casted her glare towards Pakku, "I do not wish for her birth right to be taken away like mine was!"

"Silence Uki!" Tulok repeated sternly and under her father's hard stare, Uki backed down and stepped back to stand next to Aang again.

"I'm waiting little girl." It were Pakku's arrogant words that brought the tension to a next level as he addressed Katara.

Katara bawled her fists by her side, "no!" The ground began to shake, "No way am I apologising to a sour old man like you!" The ice cracked as Katara waved her arms about in a furious manner before pointed at Pakku.

Uki watched as one of vases holding water cracked and spilled on the floor.

"I'll be outside If you're man enough to fight me. " She dared the waterbending master before spinning around to storm out of the palace halls.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that." Aang offered as he tilted his to the side and smiled sweetly at the chief and waterbending master.

"Oh no." Uki grinned viciously at Pakku. "She meant that. "

Sokka nodded albeit a bit more worried, "Yeah... I think she did."

Uki didn't even bother to bow to the chief, before disappearing from the hall too, to follow after Katara.

She quickly caught up with the young waterbender. "Katara! Hey Katara wait up!"

Katara breathed heavily, shoulders tense as she turned around before he posture softened when she noted who was running after her. "Uki... I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

Uki only smirked at the younger girl, "What do you mean? That was awesome." She patted the girl on the back before turning more serious. "No way you're going to beat him though"

"I don't care." Katara shook her head. "And thank you, for standing up for me."

She placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "No thank you... it means the world to me, to see you stand up to them."

Before Katara could ask more about her words and what she meant, Aang and Sokka came running down the steps of the Palace.

"Are you crazy Katara!" Sokka exclaimed. "You're not going to win this fight."

Katara only disregarded her parka, throwing it in Sokka's arms, "I don't care."

"You don't have to do this for me." Aang intercepted, "I can find another teacher."

"I'm not doing this for you." Katara replied, "Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy."

Uki gently nudged Katara when she noticed Pakku descending down the stairs, her father close behind the man. She almost cowered away under their intense stares.

After this her father won't ever let her leave his sight again.

"So you decided to show up!" Katara shouted in a jesting tone, hands resting on her hips.

Pakku didn't say anything only merely walking by the group of four as if he hadn't seen them in the first place.

"Aren't you gonna fight!?" Katara grunted out in aggravation.

"Go back to the healing huts." He didn't even look at her when he spoke. "With the other women, where you belong."

Uki watched as Katara's face contorted into one of fury, her blue eyes narrowing into slits as she breathed heavily. She quickly moved in a waterbending stance, as she twisted her feet and moved her arms in position to create a water whip.

Uki grinned as the water whip hit Pakku's head. The man didn't move for a moment as his shoulders tensed. "fine." He growled out.

Uki watched nervously as Pakku turned around to face Katara, "You want to fight so bad? Study closely!" He didn't leave room for Katara to absorb his words as he struck first. He twisted his arms in a circular motion, gathering water from two fountains on either side of him.

"Watch out Katara!" Uki screamed as the man merged the two streams of water and directed it to the unexperienced girl.

Katara ran forward with great speed, but Pakku was faster as he flicked his wrist and sent the water straight against Katara's incoming body. She was flung back but luckily landed back on her feet.

Her eyes narrowed further as Pakku swung his arms around his body, creating a ring of water around the two as they circled one another.

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you." Pakku taunted with a smirk, but it only fuelled Katara's anger as she swiftly cut through the water that was closing in on her.

Uki noted Pakku did look impressed with the waterbender girl and the brunette tensed when she noticed her father coming to stand next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder as if he was trying to stop her from interfering.

Katara ran once more towards Pakku, a stream of water floating by her side.

Pakku bend down, changing his stance and rooting his feet to the ground before flicking his arms upwards and bawling his fists to create a large wall of ice to protect him from Katara's incoming attack.

The Southern Water Tribe girl didn't let it deter her as she swiftly glided upwards over the steep wall and jumping over Pakku's protective barrier.

She landed swiftly on her feet, kneeling down and heaving in a breath of air as Pakku turned the ice back into water, creating a large wave that came barrelling towards Katara at a great speed.

Katara quickly turned her feet, letting ice crawl up her legs to keep her in place as she moved her hands fluidly to move the incoming stream of water away. "You can't knock me down!"

"Go Katara!" Uki cheered, before ducking her head in shame when her father send her a disapproving look.

Katara rushed forward again, bending away his ice shield with a quick twist of her arm, engaging in hand to hand combat when she was in closer range. Uki flinched as Pakku dodged the assault easily before thrusted his arms out, sending a large wave at the girl that pushed her back several feet and into the fountain.

Uki watched with a proud smirk as Katara remerged again, with a large block of ice that she used to slice dices from. With great precision for someone with no formal training, Katara mastered the ice assault nicely, but not nice enough to hit Pakku as he deflected the attack with firm and steady hand movements.

Uki cheered as one of the ice disc nearly hit the old man as he barely dodged the strong attack that flew just beside his head.

Katara had already moved away from the fountain when Pakku was distracted, and created a large stream of water. She twirled around to gain more momentum before directed the stream at Pakku with a loud grunt.

Sadly the waterbending master easily intercepted the water and twirled around in the same fashion as Katara did to send it back separated into two attacks.

Uki winched as Katara was thrown off her balance, and blasted back by the water until she crashed against the frozen steps of the stairs. Katara was resting on her arms and knees, hair frazzled and breathing heavily.

She suddenly sprung back to her feet, rising her arms high before slamming them down in a crossing motion. The two ice pillars next to Pakku collapsed and came tumbling down, but before they could hit the waterbending master, Pakku twisted his arms close to his body and turned the ice into snow as it gently fell down from the sky.

Uki watched with bathed breath as the snow slowly scattered in the wind, revealing Pakku standing firmly in another waterbending stance. "Well...I'm impressed."

"But you still won't teach me, will you?" Katara asked rhetorically with a scowl on her face.

"no."

Uki watched as Katara raised her arms, again, rising the water near her feet before freezing it whilst she send it ahead as a rolling wave of ice. But Pakku was quicker and rose on a pillar of ice that he fluidly turned into a large wave as he moved his arms in a downwards motion.

Katara turned sideways, outstretching her left arm to send a wave of water at Pakku to counter his own attack. Pakku didn't seemed bothered as the two attacks collided, he instead used it to create one large plague of ice and skidded across it to attack the girl from behind.

Uki frowned as Katara became more worn down by the second as she heaved loudly. Pakku had slid over the frozen ground, and rose his arms high above his head—water followed his movements as he twirled it in the air.

Uki's eyes widened as the water turned into shards of ice that came barrelling down at Katara at a fast pace. Katara remained defenceless due to her exhaustion and could only remain standing as the shards trapped her in place.

Uki grew more angered as Katara struggled in her frozen prison and Pakku swaggered over with a prideful grin on his face. "This fight is over."

"Come back here! I'm not finished!" Katara countered, shouting at the back of the retreating figure of the bending master.

Uki grew confused when Pakku paused, looking at something glittering in the light on the ground. He slowly bend down, gripping the object in his hand.

"This is my necklace..." Uki could barely make out the words as he held up, what looked like a betrothal necklace.

"No it's not!" Katara shouted, "It's mine! Give it back!"

When Pakku didn't respond, and Uki noted the heartbroken expression on Katara face, she had enough. If Katara could stand up to the old man, Uki knew she could too.

Shrugging off her father's hand, Uki ran towards the waterbending master at full speed, already jumping up in the air━ water following her movements as she kicked her leg out, sending a stream of water at Pakku's head. "You heard her! Give it back!" She growled as she relentlessly threw shards of ice at the man.

He moved quick to dodge the attack, lifting his hands to create a wall of ice to protect him from her assault.

But Uki didn't care, as she let her emotion settle over her. She breathed in, her chest raising and expanding. All the years of being told no━ no you can't waterbend, no you can't fight.

No. No ━ No.

She breathed out, her feelings sinking as her weight settled down towards her legs. A purposeful calm settling over her body, before as swift as a Mink Snake she pushed off on her left leg.

"Uhm Uki maybe you shouldn't ━" Sokka began.

She ran towards the wall, focusing on her Yi.

Move with purpose. Move with intention.

Jumping up and using the sturdy ice to summersault, her left leg creating a stream of water so strong it sliced right through the wall.

She didn't wait to look at Pakku, and instead twirled around, twisted her feet to root her to the spot━ using the move she only recently learned and thrusted her arms forward, the water followed suit. She retracted her left arm and bawled it into a fist, and watched proudly as the stream turned to ice. She grinned widely as she noted Pakku's shocked face when she used her other arm to slice discs of ice off of the frozen stream.

"━oh never mind."

"Uki! Stop this nonsense, Now!" Tulok demanded angrily but she ignored him as she braced herself again.

Pakku narrowed his own eyes as he swiftly deflected her ice discs with his own, before moving on to run at the teenage girl, two streams of water at either side of him that he brought together at the last second to create a huge wave.

Uki grunted as the water enveloped her. She gritted her teeth as she froze her feet to the ground to remain standing. "I said!" She jumped up from the wave, arms raised as she used his own wave to create a large stream, "Give Katara's necklace back!" She shouted as she thrusted her arms forward, sending the water back to Pakku.

She watched proudly as the man was forced back by the strength of her attack.

"Stop meddling in things girl!" Pakku shouted in return. "before I actually hurt you!"

Uki just laughed in disbelief, even as she showed true strength and capabilities, a waterbending spirit most of his students didn't even possess he could not acknowledge it. "You couldn't even if you tried!" She bellowed in defiance, readying her stance again.

Pakku just smirked at her before gathering a large ball of water that her then swirled around his body in a quick pace.

Uki just clenched her jaw, before running towards the man again. She tried to jump over it as she launched herself in the air with the help of an ice pillar, but this time Pakku was prepared as he send a smaller wave up to throw her back,

She groaned as she smacked her head against the ice upon impact, heaving heavily as her body started to ache and tremor. She could feel her mind become agitated and tried to focus her attention inward to gather her spirit. Her chest expanded as she breathed in deeply, releasing the tension that was building to realign her Chi.

Pakku approached her again, clearly thinking he'd won, but when he was close enough, she shot her leg outwards, kicking his own out from under him before gathering water around her hands.

She froze the water around her hands, before aiming a punch straight at his face. The movement agile but Pakku was quicker as he raised a wall of ice between them, both the wall and the ice encasing her fist shattering upon impact.

Uki shouted in irritancy, jumping back to her feet "You're just a despicable old man!" She threw another stream of water that turned into shards of ice towards the man, "who wouldn't recognise true talent if it hit him in the face!"

Pakku grew more angered at her outburst, and with all his might he created a large whirlwind of water that swallowed Uki whole and left the gathered crowd gasping.

Uki breathed heavily, from where she was crouched down, both hands splayed on the ground to keep her up while water dripped down her body.

She was completely frozen in place, only her neck and head remaining free.

"You're a hateful man!" Uki shouted angrily as she wriggled her neck.

"Now━ " Pakku walked closer to her again, Katara's necklace back in his hand. "That's no way to talk to your grandfather." 

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☺️ lovely family dynamic eh?

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