Chapter Text
Rivka of the North.
(Riv-kah)
A title that had followed said man through much of his life thus far. "Old Man Rivka", "Master Rivka", and "That Wandering No-Good" all were familiar titles he'd picked up over the years. Hailing from the Northern Water Tribe, hence his title, Rivka had spent most of his adult life travelling over waters to Water Tribe outposts to make sure they had defences against the Fire Nation and their attacks.
Rivka was known for his dark hair worn in a half-up-do, with the most extended parts of his hair reaching mid-back. He was getting closer to greying, not that he'd admit that to anyone, and his sideburns were speckled with more white than he'd like. He was not old; he was just aging early for his thirties, something he contributed to his lifestyle habits. He still wore a customary braid in the loose part of his hair, a gift from home before he became a traveller. He also had his share of scars here and there, particularly the tip of his right ear, which was burnt from a close call he nearly didn't make.
That landed him in the present as a group of Fire Nation soldiers left in a great huff. The regular tax collectors had become more local bullies than overseers of previous Water Tribe-owned outposts near the middle of the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Nation military occupation was new, but it was expected from the way the war was going. Rivka had played back and forth with ownership of outposts like this many times, but often, as soon as he left, the Fire Nation would sneak in and reclaim some of the land he'd won back. This was one such, although it had almost been a year since he'd been so far close to warring territories on Earth's border.
This particular group was a mix of faded Water Tribe heritage mixed quite nicely with an Earth Kingdom's waterfront colony. Rivka was happy to see the harmony these people made for themselves throughout all the confusion and back and forth with the war. There was a tiny group of about forty left here, most of which were families who were especially good at hiding their benders or, for the current predicament, non-benders. The Fire Nation was still adamant about capturing and imprisoning benders of other elements, and Rivka wanted to know what ends they thought it served.
"Uncle, what's that?" one of the children, Balin, asked with his finger pointing to the sky.
Above the worn village was a huge creature flying languidly downward; the soft change in the air had Rivka's chest twinge in warmth. Surely the rumours, if they were true, meant this could only be one thing. A sky bison, from what he had heard, a creature native to the extinct Air Nomads.
"I believe it is a friend," Rivka mused as more people gathered near.
He was their current line of defence, and he had just stirred the metaphorical pot with the Fire Nation yet again.
"Should we hide?" one of the adults asked.
"If you wish, I do believe we have a special visitor; however, I will not judge," Rivka answered as he checked the state of his spear.
By this point in his life, he had many forms of combat under his belt. He could deflect most military archers with his tribal spear, and he was not afraid to show those skills to any potential threats.
Thankfully, the group that became visible when the assumed bison landed was nothing more than a group of teenagers. To his intrigue, two people wore Water Tribe blues, and his native colours also branded him as familiar to them... Then there was the boy in orange and yellow. Old nomad colours.
"You're Master Rivka?" one of the Water Tribe kids asked as they approached, his eyes widening, "You are Master Rivka! It's been years!"
Try as he might, Rivka didn't immediately recognise the kids. He had seen many Water Tribe kids in his days, and two teens coming out of nowhere and calling his name was not new.
"Where about do I know you from?" Rivka greeted with a curt wave, "Seems to be a tribe somewhere further south with how you wear your colours."
"We're from the Southern Water Tribe," the boy spoke again somewhat proudly, "I'm Sokka, and this is Katara; you helped our tribe a few years ago in one of our worse snows when most of the warriors had gone."
"Hakoda's kids," Rivka nodded, remembering, "A pleasure to cross paths again."
Katara, some years younger than her brother, looked awed when she saw Rivka. He didn't want to know what idealisation had just happened in under two minutes. The younger boy in nomad clothing had yet to fully approach, something seemingly on his mind as he looked past Rivka.
"Welcome to the settlement, kids. However, you've come at an awkward time. The tax collectors and I just finished a disagreement. If they find out who I am, they're quite likely to launch anything from an attack to a raid," Rivka informed.
"My name is Aang, and it's a pleasure to meet you," the youngest finally smiled and introduced himself with a bow.
"If my guess is correct, then it should be me bowing to you," Rivka humoured as Aang jolted in surprise, "The formality is appreciated. If you wish to restock your supplies, now would be a good time to do so. I'll be around if you need me."
With that, Rivka turned his attention back to setting up enough supplies to combat a platoon if need be. For some reason, his chest felt tight, as it always had before he fought Firebendes. Maybe his body misinterpreted fear; fire was a quick way to accidentally hurt someone compared to some other elements.
Almost expectedly, Sokka had decided to see what he was doing and if he could help set up defences. Sokka approached cautiously, his eyes darting to the spear Rivka balanced against a barrel.
"You really think they'll come back that quickly?"
Rivka shrugged, inspecting the edges of his spear for wear.
"It depends on how offended the taxman felt. Fire Nation pride has a funny way of speeding up poor decisions."
Sokka chuckled, though there was a nervous edge to it, "Well, if they do, you're not exactly alone this time. We can help."
Rivka glanced at him, his brow lifting, "You? The last time I saw you, your greatest achievement was building a sled out of broken crates."
"Hey!" Sokka bristled, his hands on his hips. That sled worked, and I'll have you know, I'm a warrior now—a defender of my tribe."
"Ah," Rivka said dryly, setting the spear down, "A self-declared warrior. Those are my favourite kind."
Sokka opened his mouth for a sharp retort, but Katara interjected as she approached, carrying a water skin.
"Ignore him, Sokka. Rivka's just teasing. Right?"
Rivka gave her a slight smile.
"Mostly. It's good to see that your tribe still fosters resilience. It'll serve you well."
Katara handed Rivka the water skin, her gaze steady and curious, "You don't remember us, do you?"
"I remember your father," Rivka admitted, taking a sip from the water skin, "Hakoda left quite the impression. A natural leader, that one, but children blur together after a while. You grow fast and change faster. Still, I see the family resemblance."
Katara beamed, though her expression softened as she asked, "Do you think our father is okay? He went to fight in the war."
Rivka's expression turned thoughtful.
"If Hakoda's out there, then he's fighting with every ounce of strength and wit he has. You'd do well to carry that hope with you. It's what he'd want."
The siblings exchanged a glance, their unspoken worries evident. Before the conversation could deepen, Aang's voice cut through the tension.
"Master Rivka!" Aang called, bounding over with his staff. His youthful exuberance seemed to catch everyone off guard, "You're a Waterbender, right? I could feel it—there's something spiritual about you. Are you connected to the spirits?"
Rivka tilted his head, studying Aang with a mix of amusement and caution.
"Connected? That's a strong word. But I listen when they whisper."
Aang's gaze sharpened, his usual cheerful demeanour replaced with something more contemplative.
"Your spirit... it feels like it's tied to something big. Almost like-"
Rivka cut him off with a raised hand.
"Careful, young Avatar. Not every thread needs to be unravelled right away. Besides," he added with a smirk, "You've only just met me. Don't go diagnosing my destiny just yet."
The subtle acknowledgment of the feeling left Aang blinking, unsure how much Rivka truly understood about his own significance, but the moment passed as Rivka turned his attention back to Sokka.
"Since you're so eager to help, you can start by scouting the high ground," Rivka instructed, "There's a ridge overlooking the settlement. I want your eyes up there in case our fiery friends decide to bring reinforcements."
Sokka nodded, puffing his chest out, "You got it. Katara, you coming?"
"I'll stay here," she said, her gaze lingering on Rivka.
As Sokka jogged off, Aang and Katara remained near Rivka, their curiosity about the enigmatic Waterbender evident. Rivka busied himself with reinforcing a makeshift barricade, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Kids these days," he muttered under his breath.
"Kids who are here to help," Katara quipped, crossing her arms.
Rivka chuckled, the sound low and warm, "Fair enough. Let's just hope help doesn't become a liability when the fire starts flying."
It didn't take long for the Fire Nation troops to start their approach alongside the group of local tax collectors. Rivka happily wandered towards the gates to meet them halfway. Leaving his spear at the barricade, Rivka casually strolled up on his lonesome while the kids and villagers watched from behind his defences.
"Captain, is it?" Rivka greeted the soldier behind the tax collectors.
"Captain Shu," the fully armoured Firebender greeted stiffly, "Rivka, I assume."
"Correct," Rivka smiled, "Would you like to talk shop first? I believe we can resolve this without conflict."
"You say that like you didn't threaten our men," Shu snapped, "You alone have cost this colony their protection so kindly granted by the Fire Nation."
"Not if it's daylight robbery, Captain," Rivka amended with a smile, "Surely the barracks aren't spending all the money on amour when this cohort hasn't even smelt combat in the last month?"
"You dare-!" The tax collector is cut off by the Captain, "So we're in the wrong for upping the costs of our services?"
"Given these people can hardly eat, yes. You'd be better off to have them prisoners you feed if you won't allow them to generate revenue for you and survive," Rivka deadpanned, "Your choice, not mine, but I do fancy myself a liberation here and there."
Captain Shu promptly shot a fireball at Rivka. The fireball streaked through the air, its heat palpable even from the distance of the barricade. Rivka, however, didn't flinch. His hand moved fluidly, pulling water from the water skin Katara had brought over earlier in a graceful arc. The liquid swirled in a tightening spiral before meeting the fireball head-on, extinguishing it in an impressive burst of steam.
Rivka sighed, shaking his head as if disappointed while in a Waterbending stance.
"Captain Shu, really? I was trying to have a civilized conversation."
The Fire Nation soldiers tensed, some reaching for their weapons. Shu glared at Rivka, his composure slipping.
"Enough games! Surrender now, or we'll take this village by force."
Rivka tilted his head, his easygoing demeanour never faltering, "Force, you say? That's a bold statement, given your current circumstances."
Before Shu could respond, Rivka shifted his stance slightly, his movements unhurried yet deliberate. The puddles from the steam's aftermath trembled, then stretched outward, snaking toward the soldiers' feet.
"You see," Rivka continued conversationally, "I've spent quite a bit of time studying people like you. Men who think firepower makes them invincible. But fire's tricky, isn't it? It needs fuel and control. It burns out fast when it's not nurtured. Water, on the other hand... it adapts. It surrounds. It waits."
The soldiers shifted uneasily as the water coiled closer, glinting menacingly in the sunlight. Shu's jaw clenched.
"You're alone, Rivka. Do you think you can take on all of us?" Shu challenged.
Rivka chuckled, his voice low and calm.
"Alone? I'm never alone, Captain."
With a sharp motion, Rivka lifted his arms, and the water at the soldiers' feet surged upward, freezing into jagged icicles that stopped mere inches from their throats. The soldiers froze, their expressions a mix of shock and fear.
From behind the barricade, Sokka let out an impressed whistle, "I think he's got this."
"Rivka always has this," one of the villagers muttered, awed by the display.
Shu's confidence faltered, but his pride wouldn't let him back down.
"You'll regret this," he hissed.
Rivka shrugged, the icicles melting back into water and retreating to his sides, "Maybe. But for now, I think we'll call this a draw. Go back to your barracks, Captain. Reassess your choices. Or don't. I'm sure we'll meet again."
Shu glared at him, his fists clenched. With a sharp motion, he signalled his troops to retreat.
As the soldiers turned and began their march back to the horizon, Rivka exhaled and turned to the villagers. His expression softened, his previous playfulness returning.
"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
Katara stepped forward, her admiration evident.
"That was incredible! The way you handled the water is so effortless."
Rivka smiled, brushing off her praise as he returned the water to the skin.
"Experience, kid. It comes with time, practice, and a few close calls," He gestured toward the villagers, "Now, let's shore up these defences. I doubt Captain Shu is the type to let this go quietly."
Aang, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke.
"Rivka... that was amazing, but there's something else."
Rivka turned to him, curious, "Oh? What's on your mind, Aang?"
Aang hesitated, his gaze flickering to Rivka's chest, then back to his face.
"When you bent the water, I felt... something. Like there's a connection between you and... something bigger."
Rivka's expression became guarded, though his tone remained light, "Bigger, huh? Must be the theatrics. Waterbending does have a certain flair."
But Aang wasn't convinced. He could feel a faint but undeniable resonance, like a ripple in the spiritual currents. Whatever it was, it left a question lingering in his mind: Who or what was Rivka truly connected to? After such a recent connection to the spirits, Aang wasn't in a position to guess.
After fixing up the barricades and having dinner, Rivka trailed off down to the shoreline where his home lay beached on the sand. His small boat, coloured like those traditionally from the northern tribe, looked like a slice of home to the team Avatar kids, who couldn't help but follow after him. It was well loved, he lived and travelled on his vessel as attested by the bags of supplies, bedding and clothing somewhat tidily put aside. Putting his spear nearby, Rivka took a moment to take the ocean from their position.
"What questions do you kids have?"
"Can you teach us Waterbending?" Aang asked without hesitation that youthful joy plastered on his face.
"How long do you expect to stay here?" Rivka asked without turning, although he took a seat on the sand.
"Well, we were on our way to the Northern Water Tribe to find a Waterbending Master," Aang awkwardly answered, "But having found a Waterbender on the way..."
"Do you just keep travelling?" Katara piped in, somewhat sadly, "Isn't it lonely?"
"Hmm, if I were to stay in the North, that would confine me to where several Waterbenders already are. I travel because I can fight, and I can fight well. On that note, however, I will not teach you anything more than basic stances, as I am ill-equipped to teach others."
"Why?" Aang bluntly asked.
"My Waterbending isn't very traditional; I suppose you haven't seen other Masters to know... The others are uniform in their practice and are a lot calmer in their approach to bending. I have tested the ways and used my connection to water to create a unique bending style for myself. While they do consider me a Master Waterbender, I am also somewhat of a disgrace to tradition in that sense," Rivka mused, "Much like you may struggle, Katara, to find a reasonable Master in the North."
Katara seemed confused on the matter but didn't ask more, for Aang was quickly approaching, looking like he was brimming with questions.
"What do you mean 'non-traditional'? From what I remember, that was some of the smoothest Waterbending I've seen."
"Following the cycle, I suppose you've yet to learn other elements?" Aang nodded, "I'll give you one demonstration before I lay down for the night."
Rivka popped up and swiftly pulled into a stance that none of the kids clocked immediately. Suddenly, Sokka yelled out in shock, "That's a Firebending stance!"
"One of the most common, yes. This will be based on a Firebending stance."
Rivka swiftly pulled water from the ocean with a smooth, deliberate motion, his body transitioning into a stance that indeed mirrored those of Firebenders. His feet were firmly planted, his movements direct and forceful, yet the water he controlled seemed to flow with an elegance that betrayed the aggressive foundation of the stance.
"You see," Rivka began, his voice calm as he manipulated the water into a swirling orb, "Firebending relies on drive, focus, and an unrelenting forward energy. It's aggressive by nature, but that doesn't mean it can't be applied to water."
With a sharp step forward, Rivka thrust his hands outward, and the water orb shot across the beach like a bolt of lightning, crashing harmlessly into the waves. He turned to the group, who stared at him with wide eyes.
"Waterbending is often seen as defensive, reactive. But I've learned that sometimes, a proactive approach is what keeps you alive. Firebenders understand that. They act; they don't wait. I've taken that philosophy and melded it with my connection to water."
"But... isn't that dangerous?" Katara asked hesitantly, her brow furrowed.
"It can be," Rivka admitted, his tone thoughtful, "Fire is dangerous when unchecked. Water is adaptable, yet it can overwhelm when wielded without care. The key is balance, understanding the strengths of both and knowing when to pull back."
Aang tilted his head, his curiosity bubbling over, "So, you take the strengths of other bending forms and mix them with Waterbending? That's... amazing! Isn't that what the Avatar is supposed to do?"
Rivka chuckled, shaking his head.
"Maybe, but I'm no Avatar. I'm just someone who's been in enough battles to know that tradition only gets you so far. Adapting to your enemy and learning from them can mean the difference between winning and losing. Or living and dying."
Sokka, still visibly shaken by the Firebending stance, crossed his arms.
"So, you're saying you learned how to fight Firebenders... by being a little like them?"
"Precisely," Rivka said, grinning, "You don't fight fire with fire. But you can fight fire by understanding its nature. Anticipate its next move. Mimic its rhythm, and then, you drown it."
Katara's face softened, her earlier hesitation replaced with admiration, "I've never thought of Waterbending that way. You're not just defending it; you're evolving it."
"Exactly," Rivka agreed, his expression serious, "If we stay rigid in our traditions, we risk losing to an enemy who changes faster than we do. Water is life, yes, but it is also survival. And survival requires growth."
Aang was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Rivka, that's incredible! Could you teach me how to think like that? Even just a little?"
Rivka smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching upward, "Maybe tomorrow, kid. For now, the ocean calls, and I'd like a moment of peace before whatever mess tomorrow brings."
He turned back to his small boat, seating himself at its edge as the moonlight cast shimmering reflections on the waves. Team Avatar lingered for a moment, exchanging glances, before quietly retreating to let Rivka have his solitude.