Chapter 170: Recognition
"Now, feel the natural warmth present in others as you would sense the tremors that constantly phase in and through the body." Nik kept his eyes closed in meditation as Iroh's words continued to guide him. The sun had barely risen and the two of them were on top of the Jasmine Tea Shop, meditating like usual.
Of course, it wasn't below Iroh to share the inspirations he gained from others, to be precise, from Toph. With his own experience with seismic sense, Nik had started to adopt the technique Iroh devised using firebending itself. Like usual, Nik could feel his surroundings through vibration if he concentrated on it. It just didn't have to be feet but any part of the body can achieve this sensation. But today, after trying it for some time now, Nik felt the heat within his stomach flaring.
While he could see the cover of darkness light up with a purplish glow of the shop and others working inside, a few resting, too... Nik felt other things within them... a sense of heat. THEIR warmth. The seismic sense was utilizing chi and earthbending, meanwhile, Iroh's Heat Vision was utilizing chi and firebending. He could feel varying sizes of ember within them, within their cores.
Of all present around him... Iroh's core burned the brightest and the warmest. Nik would have expected such a great flame to be hotter and more intense but no it was soft and comforting. And it would seem that people with special skills, or the ability to bend had a greater 'core' within them when compared to Poppy, Michi, and Jin... but Nik let his senses expand. After all, he had the energy for it.
He could 'see' his own core. Although bright... Nik felt a little uncomfortable staring at it for too long. Unlike Iroh's which was large and warm, his own core may reach in size but... Nik felt something off about himself.
After some time, Nik finally stopped and opened his eyes. A soft exhale escaped his lips as Iroh looked at him with interest, "How is it? I said before that every Bending style can and must take inspiration from one another. This is just one of the many examples... This is a mindset that you and the Avatar can learn and benefit from greatly."
"It's... right," Nik nodded and smiled, "Thank you for teaching me so much till now."
"Hoho, it's always a pleasure to teach. However, don't skim on the basic stances. Your movements are still crummy but then again, you haven't been training your entire life."
"I'll do that," Nik lied on his back as Iroh silently stared over the village.
"Iroh... why does the heat in my stomach feel so off? Sometimes, it's just right and I think I know why... but then I end up going back to what it's like before..."
"Mind is a source of great power. It's the source of our consciousness and cognition... however, what YOU think is right may not always be the case. If it was truly right... that feeling would follow you forever and not in just a few circumstances. This is a very special state at the beginning of the lives of many firebenders that they may never escape.
It's called Confusion.
However, being confused is not wrong. It just means that you have yet to discover what actually is right. So, embrace the feeling of things being incorrect and when the correct path appears, you will be ready to take it...
Or it's just a stomachache."
"You had to end it with that, didn't you?" Nik chuckled as Iroh followed along.
"A good example of confusion would also be our guest down there, Jin. You see, confusion isn't only in the aspect of bending, especially Firebending since our strength comes from our emotions and passion. Confusion is an illusion that masks everything around us, forcing us to make choices. People incorrectly attribute choices with fate... but in reality, these are just choices that allow us to take certain paths whether dead or long-lasting."
"Nik, may I ask something?" Iroh closed his eyes.
"Me? I don't think my answers would be any helpful but sure."
"What do you think... I should say to Ursa, Zuko, and Azula once I see them... now that I've met Jin."
"Well, I've met them. The three of them but if Zuko, no, Zulon and Azu asked me to take a job here too, I'd reject them in an instant. Zulon will just end up scaring the customers and I don't think he has patience for brewing tea, not even the kind Katara is showing for you... and Azu would... probably make the worst tea yet and force the customers to pay still."
Iroh couldn't help but cackle at this, "Oh, it's helpful, alright..."
"Now let me ask another thing... do you know what the Phoenix King actually intends to do? With all the hypnotism, I meant."
Iroh opened his eyes and looked at Nik for a second, his gaze showing his innocence on the matter as the student looked extremely uncomfortable and spoke of some shocking promises of the future that were jotted down in Ukano's office in Omashu. Nik hadn't even really told this to others since... Ozai's vision for the future was pretty damn horrifying.
Once they were done, Nik and Iroh climbed down from the roof but it was quite clear that Iroh's mind was already occupied elsewhere.
---
Jin had kept to herself when Ursa appeared with Azu and Zulon, not wanting to meet the siblings. Not now anyway. Even though Nik had enticed her slightly by trying to make Azu. jealous, Jin was simply too aware that she was more... fearsome than Zulon and didn't want to burden the store due to Azu snapping at them for her relief. Still, once they did leave, Jin made sure to emerge from the kitchen and let Ursa know that she was here working, too.
Jin was sure that Ursa would find this strange but even if she did find everything, it was honestly Azu's own doing.
That left her to a more... awkward part. There weren't many dishes to wash after their breakfast so it left Jin with quite some time to note many things about the group.
First, Katara positively found Mushi an eyesore.
Second, Mushi absolutely didn't care.
Third... and the most troubling one... was Nik's behavior around others before her. While Mushi turned a blind eye to his playful nature, Jin couldn't. After all, he had touched and flirted around with everyone except for Jin and Ursa.
Everyone!
Azu's words about him not being entirely focused on one person did emerge in the back of her head but... wasn't this too much? And if this pattern is to be believed alongside the rumors then Nik... must have a relationship with the other three who left early, too...
But what was absolutely stunning was that Mai and Michi were mother and daughter and yet... yet...
Jin blushed at the thought of it. The combinations exceeded her wildest fantasies and due to her own nature, she didn't only see herself with Nik now as she did before when having the thoughts of moving on from Azu but she saw herself with Nik AND others. Sandwiched, scissored, mushed, pumped, filled, and much more.
"Hey—"
"Yeeeeee!" Jin yelped, almost jumping out of her skin as Katara patted her shoulder from behind.
"K-Katara?! You scared me!"
"The question is... how could I even scare you?" Katara narrowed her eyes suspiciously as Jin whistled nervously, "I was lost in my thoughts. Huff, I've some dishes—" She turned to an empty sink... and her expression crumbled into pure embarrassment while Mushi's giggle echoed.
"What's so funny?!" Katara snorted, her attention instantly diverted at his voice while Jin let out a sigh of relief secretly only for Mai, who wasn't far away to move towards her, and whisper, "If you like mom and Nik that much, why don't you talk to them? I don't imagine staring at them or me for that matter is interesting at all."
Jin groaned and lowered her head, "I didn't mean to... wait, did others notice it, too?"
"Pretty much," Mai muttered.
Jin held onto the edge of the sink, a gloomy sigh escaped her lips in the process. She did want to ask how they even made it work if it was exactly how things were going like her imagination... but strangely, she was too scared of the answer and highly anticipative of it at the same time.
"Another pot of Jasmine Tea~!" Nik chuckled while barging into the kitchen as Jin yelped out loud again.
"Woah... that's some reaction..." Nik looked at her with a smile while Iroh shrugged, "Katara, you heard him—"
"Don't you order me!... A pot of Jasmine Tea?" Katara's demon-like expression turned into an innocent smile as she looked at Nik, batting her eyelashes and acting all cute, "Of course, coming right up."
"Thanks," Nik smiled. Katara may not have the best hand at making tea yet but she was certainly the quickest due to her waterbending so Nik decided to wait for her to finish while sitting on the ledge next to the sink and looked at flushed Jin, "So? What's wrong with you aside from the obvious?"
"Nothing's obvious!" Jin snapped before crossing her arms and looking away as the red reached the tip of her ears.
"Well, she was looking for some—" Mai drawled out with a hint of sadistic interest in her eyes as Jin glared at the woman, hissing, "I was looking for nothing! Truly, for someone who doesn't like to talk all that much, you've certainly gotten a good mouth."
"Oh, you don't say," Nik whistled as Katara couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. On the other hand, Mai gestured calmly, "Now you know..."
"Mushi! These people are really wrong for me!"
"As it is with Paisho... a move once placed cannot be undone... ah, Katara, the jasmine essence is turning into vapors—"
"I see that!" The waterbender barked and hurriedly brought things under her control once again.
"Tch... don't you have empty flatwares and cups to gather?" Jin looked at Nik and demanded with an accusatory tone as his words implied a lot of embarrassing details.
"Not really... with Yue and Ursula working so hard, I might just decide to act lazily... heh, actually... Mushi, can't we go out? Some of us, I mean? Mai is rather free after Katara easily covers her job and I think the two of us can explore the village."
"If it's just some exploration, I don't mind. I've also heard that this place is visited by some interesting group," Mai narrowed her eyes and hummed.
"Hey, don't just go ahead and mark me as a replacement tea maker!" Katara scoffed as Nik looked at her sincerely, "But you are one of the reasons why this store is even working Katara... Mushi may have the recipe but you're the one who can easily make four pots of tea simultaneously within a few seconds!"
Katara blinked, for a second she grew extremely silent while Iroh gave a secret thumbs-up. Jin, however, did not believe Katara would fall for such a naive trick. It was a simple one, after all... but it was honest, and it mattered greatly to Katara as she muttered, "Just... uh, Fine... damn it!"
Nik chuckled, and did not leave without finalizing the deal by giving her a quick peck as she entirely melted now. Words can be persuasive but it wasn't anything comparable to moments like these.
And thus, Nik and Mai slipped out of the Tea Store. He wasn't entirely worried about the group... well, aside from the fact that Katara could and would destroy any troublemaker, Michi, Yue, and Poppy were training, too. Sure, they may not have the same self-awareness as those like Suki, Mai, and even Nik at this point due to facing a large-scale battle but they would only get better at protecting themselves by facing a few irate individuals on their own.
"Say, how many pots of tea can you brew with waterbending?" Mai questioned once the duo was far away.
"Me? I don't know... I stopped at six," Nik shrugged. After all... he wasn't always testy with Iroh around so his efficiency was great.
Mai continued to stare at Nik for a long time and it was pretty sure that she considered what Nik did to Katara quite dirty... not that he would ever admit it. After all, who goes out of their way to antagonize their loved ones, not to mention their own women?
'Oh... I forgot about Kai, Ukano, Hahn, Lao, and also should add Azula... man, maybe... Phoenix King Ozai, too?'
"So? Where are we going?" Mai inquired.
"If what you found from Jet... no, Smellerbee, was it? If what Smellerbee says is correct then for some reason, the Phoenix King's forces have gone out of their way to ignore the rebellion... I think that could be because Ozai probably already knows where his family is... after all, if Ukano can find this out, others can, too...
But still, why wouldn't he try and bring his family back? Iroh was sure that Ozai has every intention for it... so, it bugs me a little... Think about it, the Phoenix King is purposely letting a rebellion fester under the command of his children, it can't be a coincidence, right? It's too troublesome... Ah, speaking of troublesome..."
Nik looked sideways even before someone could call them out and avoided the hand on his shoulder, "You! How dare you serve me piss yesterday?!"
It was a fuming Kei Lo who had spotted the duo walking in the village.
"Mai-Lin! A simple no would have sufficed!"
Mai frowned for a second and then looked at Nik, "What... is he talking about?"
"Oh, about that, I lied dude... why would she even agree to boil my piss? She didn't make that tea... I did," Nik rubbed the back of his head. The first part of his explanation had brought great joy to Kei Lo but the latter half instantly made his expression crumble once again... he was left distraught! Was Nik speaking the truth about his deceit or lying about it?!
Kei Lo's lips twitched as his gaze shifted between the couple before he took a step back in realization, "Wait... it can't be... you two... you two are... uh, how could you. I thought we had something special..."
It was Nik's and Mai's turn to fall into a daze. Special?
What?
Special Delusion?!
But after a second's thought, Nik smiled, "Come on, don't be like that. Let us buy you a drink. That's the least we can do to apologize."
"The least YOU can do, I have nothing to do with this," Mai narrowed her eyes while Nik shrugged. It was fair that she'd feel a little annoyed. After all, she must have thought of this to last between the two of them only but Kei Lo was close with Zulon... so there's a chance that they could find something from him, too.
"Tch, you can't buy my apology! Damn it... and after I had so many expectations... shit, gotta plow the farm!" He clicked his tongue and turned away yet his words left Nik with reasonable doubt... Plow? To actually work or... vent?
But still, Kei Lo turned out to be pretty reasonable to be close to someone like Zulon who thought forcing his dick down some path was a way to a woman's heart, and Azu who blessed such a union in the first place.
"Come on, let me show you around," Nik shrugged and held Mai's hand as her expression softened and they began exploring Old Ba Sing Se.
"You know... " Mai muttered suddenly, "I don't really mind if we end up having a village of our own..."
"Well, that's out of nowhere but thanks, that's reassuring," Nik smiled. Squeezing his hand tighter, Mai narrowed her phoenix eyes, "I mean, I admit that moving around is adventurous. But... with the right people, I think a home can be interesting."
"Yeah, you and Tom-Tom... prized siblings having fun, huh," Nik smirked as Mai's expression stiffened slightly.
"Or maybe not, an uncouth scum like you deserve no home."
"I hear you but no backsies... now, we're definitely having a home. It would be interesting, too. After all, even if I can't bring you guys out in the new worlds, I can't definitely bring interesting things back at the manor... huh," Grinning, quite lecherously at that, Nik couldn't help but question, "Mai, how about I try and make the manor more interesting?"
And understanding from his grin, Mai scoffed, "What, fill it with dangerous women?"
Nik blinked and then looked a little farther, "Does she count as dangerous? Don't look in that direction though if you think your Princess friend has a sharp memory."
"She does," Mai smirked and turned around, finding a relatively familiar but mature figure not far from them sulking by the edge of a hut. Although in Mai's mind, it was impossible for HER to sulk, there she was, all bothered by something and her shoulders hanging low.
Before even waiting for Nik to add anything else, and with a sense of sadism she hid deep within herself and only revealed to special individuals like Jet, Mai walked forward with heightened pace and was towering over the picture of perfection otherwise marred by her expression and clothes. She looked up, and Mai looked down. She'd wanted to do this forever, a pettiness born from a childish vendetta.
"Oh... Princess Azula? In peasant rags... and is that helplessness I note in your expression. How very pathetic."
'Ah... should have played nice you knife-wielding fusion of sadistic and masochistic slut!' He groaned internally, catching up.
"Huh?" Azula blinked in surprise, her gaze slowly going wide. It wasn't clear if she recognized Mai or not but it was very clear that Azula was enraged by Mai's words as a flicker of blue flames escaped her lips and her expression grew colder.
"Would you mind saying that again... Mai?"
Ah, she recognized Mai.
'What about our date... I was already planning to find some nice stuff to eat, practice a little hidden weapons skills with her, and take her back to the manor all alone... sigh...' Nik sighed but then again, he was the punk who wanted some short-sighted excitement by revealing Azula to Mai... he cockblocked himself— a terrifying talent, if any.
***
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