Chapter 134: The Dance of Moon and Sea (1)
*Crash*
Nik woke up with a gasp as the thundering crashing noise of the waves filled his senses for a few more seconds as he attempted to regain his composure. His chest heaved back and forth as he looked around.
It wasn't necessarily a nightmare that woke Nik up but 'it' was just too intense— whatever it was. Nik felt that the entirety of the sea, for a single moment, crashed upon him and then attempted to pull him away somewhere... deep. Almost as if an abyss was waiting for him.
Sighing, Nik calmed himself and gazed at Suki and Katara beside him. Both of them were only covered by a thick blanket while the peaceful expressions on their faces might even give someone the impression that they didn't defend against an invasion just two days ago.
What was even more amazing was the greater effects of healing through waterbending as the losses of the water tribe were highly mitigated as many warriors and waterbenders would sensibly retreat and wait to heal any impeding wound before getting back on the battlefield once again.
Pulling himself out from between them, making sure he doesn't make any exaggerated movements, Nik rubbed his head slightly and wore the thick coat of the tribe even if it felt like it was no longer necessary. Being able to masterfully bend water and having the slightest bit of airbending and firebending mastery made it so that he could now regulate his body's temperature, too, to minimize the effects of extreme climatic conditions.
Walking into the corridors of the icy palace, Nik walked towards the exit with his stomach growling in protest and wishing he would turn to the dining hall instead.
"Hey, Appa," Nik smiled as he found the giant sky bison next to the entrance of the Palace, lying on the ground peacefully. The smog and destroyed regions of the tribe had been already heavily repaired to the point that the citizens could get along with their lives. Even Nik had assisted in these reparations but the intricate designs that made the water tribe pleasing to look at would be left for Pakku and Hama to slowly recover.
*Krrt*
Replying to his greeting, however, was playful Momo as he jumped down from Appa's broad nose and began to glide around Nik.
Catching the lemur by the back of its neck, Nik scoffed and placed him back on Appa, not wanting to deal with another needy pet since he had his fair share of headaches yesterday as he began to heal any surviving Komodo Rhinos and those he plundered from the fleet of the Fire Nation.
Half of the ships had been devoured while Nik sensibly left the enemy the other half so that they could save their allies and leave peacefully. Of course, that didn't mean everyone would have survived their ship disappearing from under their feet. Yet, Nik was also out of fucks to give.
The battle had been won by the water tribe and the Fire Nation had faced terrible losses this time around. One of their most decorated Admiral had died a brutal death during the invasion while Sokka and others had their own tales where they faced someone who could make things explode... before that person experienced a brutal demise with his body exploding in gory bits, too.
[Authority Rank: 1 (9.65/100)]
Glancing away from the increment of the AP, Nik finally saw a reaction from Appa as the bison opened its mouth wide for a fishy yawn and slowly rise up to his feet. Looking around, Appa glanced at Nik before settling down again.
"Already done with the morning exercise, huh..." Nik smiled and rubbed the furry spot between his eyes and the bridge of his nose as Momo instantly screeched in the offense.
Not minding the duo any longer, Nik looked sideways and saw Aang jumping down from the top of the palace with a medium bundle of rations on his back and his staff in his right hand.
"You look terrible," Aang instantly noted as he saw Nik and blinked in curiosity, "Monks used to say that those who we murder come back to haunt us. Is that it?"
"Would you stop that?" Nik snorted, "And did that Combustion Man come to your dreams."
"Nope," Aang smiled carefreely. He had begun to feel a lot 'lighter' since they won the war. He felt that this was his first 'proper' achievement after waking up. The victory in Omashu left them with a bittersweet feeling but this time... it was only the sweetness of protecting a civilization from the Phoenix King's madness.
"Well... it wasn't a nightmare," Nik rubbed the back of his head, "More like... I don't know. It's just that I felt that the sea was speaking to me. Wow, I had no idea how stupid it sounds until I just said so."
Chuckling wryly, Nik looked at Aang, "All packed up?"
"Yeah," Aang nodded as he settled the bundle on Appa's back and jumped down, "Did you say the sea was... talking to you?"
"You know something about it?" Nik inquired quickly. If it was something spiritual then Aang may just know some answers... or Pakku. But of the two, Aang was easier to talk to.
"Well, it's like you said. It sounds stupid so I didn't tell anyone but before the war, no, actually, the moment the battle began two days ago, I had a dream where... the ocean was trying to speak to me and the moon was on fire."
Nik raised his brows.
"How would the moon catch fire— oh..." Nik grew thoughtful for a second.
"What? Do you know something?"
"I won't know until I check something out but... this dream has woken me up for two days straight. Can't let it ruin my sleep constantly. If it is just what I think it is... how about I let you on it the next time we meet? I'm sure we'll have some great tales to share."
Aang smiled, "You got it."
Bumping their fists against one another, both of them couldn't help but chuckle for a second.
The next to walk out was none other than Sun.
"Hey, did you wait for long?" He questioned with a surprised expression as he saw Nik present, too.
"No, just got here. Let's just hope Sokka wakes up quickly..." Aang groaned while Nik looked at Sun for a second. Unlike before, Sun didn't look utterly mortified but calmer instead. The villagers of Makapu had not yet arrived but Sun intended to find them and save them. Aang wanted to do the same since he felt they were targeted because Sun had helped them. Sokka and Rena, too, felt compelled for such reasons.
On the other hand, Nik and his side of the 'group' were planning to leave the water tribe to find bending masters that can help Nik learn earth and firebending. For the moment, Nik continued to practice Airbending and even if Mai now agreed to teach him how to aim and utilize hidden weapons, his efficiency in learning the techniques would be heavily inhibited until his injury heals completely.
Of course, before all that, Nik wanted to return to Omashu once and meet with Michi once again.
"I'm here!"
Tom-Tom grinned despite looking tired as Aang flinched.
"No, no, no! Mai will come after me!" Aang groaned in an instant. That's what happened last time, after all.
"Oh, come on. Ah, Nik... you're here..." the boy instantly noted Nik's presence and faltered for a brief moment as he shrugged, "Don't look at me like that. But don't you want to meet your mother?" He questioned and looked towards the entrance of the palace.
"I've seen her for ten years... but I haven't been on Appa for more than a month. You tell me!" Tom mumbled.
"Even after the war?" Sun looked at the boy, "I heard you couldn't eat anything yesterday."
"So? Even if I vomit in the air, it will just breeze off." Tom-Tom retorted and looked at Nik cautiously.
"Don't look at me like that. I will just tell your mother you didn't want to see her."
"Hey, don't lie! You tell mom that I wanted to see things while flying on Appa more!"
'There's no difference at all.' Others rolled their eyes internally but Nik would be a fool to think that all children are capable of being selfless and empathetic of others' feelings.
Sokka arrived soon with Rena and the moment he saw Tom-Tom, his expression instantly changed, "Nope. Are you kidding me? Mai will kill us!"
However, Tom-Tom only glanced at Sokka before sneering and getting on top of Appa, "And? What can you do about it?"
"Didn't you see what happens during a battle? It was bloody!" Sokka frowned, "We don't want a kid to drag us down."
'Then again, there are many adults who are equally childish...' Nik looked at Sokka and felt that... Tom-Tom may just be alright with Aang.
"And? Are you saying you were alright when you saw blood for the first time?" The boy frowned, "I can help. I promise. If the next time, I vomit during a fight... I will leave on my own."
The boy's determination against hurling the contents of his stomach was certainly admirable but Sokka was stubborn, too, until Rena smoothened things out for them. Still, it was easy to sense that all of them were trying to treat Tom-Tom differently. Not worse but just different due to what they had experienced and what he hadn't.
"Do tell Katara that I'll try to look for our dad and she shouldn't worry."
"You know, she's just one floor away. Besides, didn't you talk last night?" Nik questioned as Sokka clicked his tongue, "We did... but she just kept on annoying me. You know how she is..."
"I don't. She never annoys me though."
"Give it some time," Sokka scoffed.
"I'll be sure to tell her that, too," Nik smiled as the elder brother flinched and shrugged, "Go ahead. You'll be the one next to her so good luck. Oh, and take care of her."
Extending his hand Sokka waited for Nik to shake it firmly as both of them grinned.
Their departure was already briefed yesterday and those that wanted to exchange a few words did so last night.
As Appa left with the group on their back, Nik couldn't help but exhale an untimely yawn while his stomach continued to rumble in rebellion as he walked back within the palace and this time towards the location where he would be fed for the hero to the tribe he was considered.
As he passed the entrance, he looked far to the right, behind a pillar that most would miss, and shrugged, "Hey, if you're hungry, we could eat together."
It took a full minute of silence before Mai walked out from behind the pillar and hummed thoughtfully, "I just arrived."
While indifferent to most, she wouldn't easily admit her feelings towards Tom-Tom stemming from their sibling relationship.
As Mai joined Nik, he couldn't help but question, "I thought you would stop him for sure. What changed?"
"I overslept. Of course, I shall now chase after him."
"Woah... hah! You're not coming with us. Find some other ride," Nik sneered, "You'll just end up stopping us from having some fun, too."
Frowning, Mai looked at Nik but didn't reply directly. Instead, she waited until they reached the dining hall and commented, "I let him go because he is well-trained. I don't want him to end up spoiled...
I will come with you for the same reason."
"How am I spoiled?" Nik questioned.
"If you aren't now, Suki and Katara will spoil you sooner or later."
"No they won't," he scoffed, "Yue will spoil me sooner or later. Did you know what happened last night?"
"I don't want to."
"You say something but do something else. So you do want to know. Fine, Yue and I---"
Nik droned on for the next few minutes as Mai's lips twitched constantly. Although he didn't reveal any intimate details, he may just have because the 'outcome' of his story did not leave anything to the imagination aside from the 'process' itself.
---
"Hah!"
Yue exclaimed softly as her eyes snapped open. Cold sweat covered her body while she looked around hurriedly.
"Again..." she mumbled.
For two days straight, she had been experiencing... a pull. An intense pull that threatened to take her very soul away or at least that's how she felt whenever she slept.
Rubbing her eyes while letting out a tired groan, she readied herself for the day. It was ironic. As much as free she felt after the battle, the exhaustion she experienced during her sleep was equally intense.
'I should go and rest in Spirit Oasis... that ought to take my mind off for a little while.'
She reasoned. Of all the places, Spirit Oasis calmed her greatly until it didn't when Nik, Katara, and Suki conducted a trial of theirs only for her thoughts to shift again when she experienced something 'great' in Spirit Oasis herself.
Getting ready, she elected to skip her breakfast for some reason that felt more instinctual and hurried towards the Spirit Oasis only to find Nik making his way towards that location, too.
Sensing her, Nik looked back casually and waved at her, "Hey... what are you doing here?"
"Uh... I don't know?" Yue revealed a confused expression.
Both of them silently looked at one another until Yue sighed, "To be honest... I just feel like being in the Oasis. You wouldn't believe the dreams I'm having..."
"Hmm," Nik snorted a soft chuckle, "How about that. You wouldn't believe the dreams I'm having... Have you eaten anything yet?"
She shook her head with a sigh, "No... I couldn't have the mind to eat anything..."
"Then here you go," Nik suddenly took out a plate of cooked shrimp.
The thing to note was that these were actually on a plate itself.
As Yue eyed him suspiciously, Nik finally gave up, "I may have taken some dishes for snacking later on. Come on, don't just stand there. Have some."
Facing his proud grin, Yue relented, "You know... you can ask the cooks to prepare something for you whenever you wish. In fact, at the moment, you have the respect of all the benders in the tribe."
"Ah, it's misplaced. I didn't do anything."
Yue would have believed Nik was actually humble if not for him easily snatching her waist and pulling her closer while his fingers smoothly grazed the side of her hips.
"Well... I'm planning to do something that you've postponed till now due to reparations of the tribe but I don't know if it will earn me respect or their angered glares."
Matching his gaze, Yue quietly ate a shrimp and then smiled, not beating around the bush for it would be a lie if she didn't have high expectations for the night, too, "Maybe, both? Mighty men are envied and respected. The more someone is jealous of you, the more they would hate you for the things you could hold dear and accomplish."
"Hey, as long as you are going with the thought of resting in the Oasis..." Nik left the better half of his sentence unsaid while Yue blushed slightly and lowered her head.
"I would be alone with you... who would stop the savior of the tribe who decimated the Admiral of the enemy." Her whisper was as sweet as honey and her body leaned against Nik, feeling less exhausted now that she had something to look forward to for the better half of her day, too.
However, Nik left his thoughts unspoken...
'Mai would have had a blast with Yue if she had actually killed Zhao then and there... now I kind of want to see it... too bad. Hey, maybe Michi can fill in for her.'
Of course, Nik knew better than to reveal such thoughts. He may take necessary steps to achieve these objectives but he would be a fool to openly admit to such depraved imaginations since the girls wouldn't easily agree to it especially if it came from his mouth.
The essential part is for them to come to the same goal as his own without him having to say it.
With that, the two stepped into the Spirit Oasis with their objectives now deviating from their original intent only to have a couple of certain someone prepare something entirely bizarre for the Princess and her warrior.
***
A/N: Hmm... what could the Ocean and the Moon spirit want from the two, hmm~?
Meanwhile, Aang and others are out to find Wu. While Nik is free of the very shackles of Destiny, that doesn't mean Aang is. Could getting captured be all part of Wu's prediction?
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Alternative Title: Mai's Awkward Farewell
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