Not much had changed in the last year at the school. The veteran students had already seated themselves and most talked idly while the first years filed into the main hall where the welcoming speech and dinner were about to go underway. Makki eyed Master Gua as he tried his best to intimidate the younger students into behaving properly. The waterbender found his grumpy attitude draining and training under him almost everyday had made his first year almost unbearable. If it was not for the friends he had made and his ever present yearning for knowledge, Makki thought he would have dropped out.

"Good thing he doesn't know who pulled that Elbow Leech stunt last year." Makki said to the few at his table. He absently twirled his finger above his class of water, turning his attention to the vortex he was creating. He almost wished he was still in the North Pole with the rest of his family. Almost. There was no doubt in his mind that he liked being in the frozen north but there was only so much he could learn there. The Lion Turtle Bending School offered everything from instruction in the bending arts to worldly subjects such as diplomacy and history. Being his second year, Makki would be specializing in a select few subjects though he was still debating on which classes he would attend.

When the headmaster stepped forward to begin,the room fell into an eerie silence. The speech was similar to the year before, welcoming, polite, engaging and short. Makki fixed his eyes on Saigei, there was a flicker of something in his eyes, worry perhaps? Making a mental note to inquire as to what was wrong, Makki leaned forward in his seat before jumping up with an excited yell for the announcement pertaining to the pro-bending arena. He quickly reseated himself, tuning out the rest of the announcements as he imagined knocking opponents off the arena. He could already see himself with a winning team at a championship.

The appearance of food snapped Makki from his imaginings and he quickly selected a variety of Northern Water Tribe dishes to put on his plate. As he ate, Makki took the chance to look at the first years. They looked ordinary enough, each sporting the clothing style of his or her element or home. They looked out of place in a sea of familiar faces and he wondered if any of them would make a pro-bending team. He expected not, they were new and did not know the styles of fighting the second years had learned and so they would be at a big disadvantage. Makki's eyes settled on a long haired brunette sitting among the first years. His first thought was how attractive she was, that is, until he saw her neck and what appeared to be a betrothal necklace. "A shame." he said under his breath. He turned his icy eyes to those at his table and smiled widely.

"Anyone planning to join a pro-bending team?" He asked, looking from face to face.