masters of the earth / listening and waiting for / the exact moment

[roc_on]

Beila will need to practice more to be truly a master of waterbending, but she knows the technique, now, and the rest is application she can practice on her own time. The nuns find her an earthbending teacher.

She goes to Dao's house after her first earthbending lesson. "Shifu Riko is a strange person," she remarks.

Comments

[roc_on]

"But I dunno, maybe tomorrow all of this boulder-hauling will have granted me special insight and I'll be able to bend the earth like I have its children hostage."

[thinklikethis]

"Maybe that's why she carries rocks in her hair," giggles Dao.

[roc_on]

Beila bursts out laughing and hugs him.

[thinklikethis]

Giggling, he hugs back.

[roc_on]

"I think she might actually carry rocks in her hair so she can have them available in a pinch. Sort of like how metalbender cops like Chali wear metal armor," shrugs Beila.

[thinklikethis]

"That makes more sense," he concedes. "But isn't as funny."

[roc_on]

"It is not nearly as funny," Beila agrees.

[thinklikethis]

"So I'm just gonna keep thinking about her taking them hostage."

[roc_on]

"Very well. You may do so," says Beila magnanimously.

[thinklikethis]

He giggles some more.

[roc_on]

"Anyway. I don't wanna walk anywhere right now, but we could hop on Liqing and catch a movie or something? Sit in the nice rock-free theater," snorts Beila.

[thinklikethis]

"I am all in favour of rock-free theaters!"

[roc_on]

"Excellent. I continue to never have any idea what's playing, do you know?"

[thinklikethis]

"Nah. Guess we'll find out when we get there!"

[roc_on]

"All right." She hauls herself to her feet, totters out the door, and whistles for her bird, who has just been sitting on the roof and promptly hops down to easier wafting level. To the theater they go.

Available are two romances, a comedy, another bloodbending-horror movie (sequel to the one they saw on their first date), an action-bending flick, and something historical about the Kyoshi Warriors.

[thinklikethis]

"Well, I know which one I wanna see."

[roc_on]

"Enlighten me."

[thinklikethis]

"The horror one?"

[roc_on]

"The horror one it is." She buys the tickets and limps into the correct part of the theater with him.

[thinklikethis]

He plops into a seat and hugs her.

[roc_on]

Hugs.

The movie starts after about fifteen minutes, and it is gory and horrifying.

[thinklikethis]

It is!

It makes Dao squirm a bit.

[roc_on]

Beila thinks that's very cute. She squeezes his hand.

[thinklikethis]

He blushes. And squeezes back.

[roc_on]

And eventually the movie is over. (A lot of characters are dead now, but there was a B-plot about some others who can be used in the next sequel if they make one.)