Chapter 181: Misplaced Hope
Nik knew better than to just go and ask Azula. She would most certainly deny it. But when would his royal master come to play if not now?
With their day spent like the usual with the addition of Jin feeling slightly less uncomfortable around the women in the store, Iroh was quick to plan a dinner in Ursa's house and she was happy to host them.
But...
"Why is he here?!" Zuko growled and glared at Nik who only had an innocent expression.
"Jin invited me," Nik looked towards Jin sitting next to him and smiled as Ursa shook her head, "Zuko, it's alright. Besides, isn't Nik training alongside the two of you? The three of you should try and get along better."
"Agreed," Nik nodded and looked at the spread in front of him as if he couldn't understand the warning in Azula's silent gaze. A grin developed over his lips. Sure, he would have to contain his hunger for now else it won't be—
"And, your master was grateful enough to let me know about both of your appetites," Ursa spoke and brought two large containers. One was filled with cooked meat and broth and the other one had rice mixed with chopped vegetables.
THAT made Nik's night, alright.
"Here, let me help you," Jin smiled beside Nik, reaching out for the nearest bowl and serving Nik as Ursa blinked in surprise and cast a quick glance towards her children. Seeing Zuko grow more frustrated and Azula... who was surprisingly quiet about this, Ursa simply couldn't help but wonder what the two of them had done to cause such a rift between themselves and Jin.
"Better than the royal lunch!" Iroh chuckled as he praised after a bite, bringing attention elsewhere.
"Brother-in-law, you jest," Ursa smiled, serving her children the first bowl, too, and then began eating herself.
As they ate, Iroh started speaking more about his procession and the things he'd seen. "Ah, I also recalled another thing. Azula, do you remember your friend? The chipper one that has six identical sisters?"
Azula blinked, "You mean Ty Lee?"
"Hm, her," Iroh nodded, "She is part of the circus that would perform here and within the Phoenix City."
"Is that the friend you were talking about?" Jin inquired as Azula shrugged.
"I already know of Ty Lee being a part of the circus. I have seen quite a few posters featuring her. And yes, Jin, she was the one I talked about when you brought up going to the circus together," Azula's tone left much to be desired but Jin didn't mind it and instead nudged Nik's shoulder while throwing a crafty look in Azula's direction, "Nik, would you come with me to the circus?"
"Hmm?" Nik gulped whatever that is he chewed and agreed readily, "I don't mind. If it's Azula's old friend, we should ask Mai, too. She's probably the one who played with you in the palace, right?"
"Shouldn't you be training?" Zuko interjected, "Uncle is one of the best firebending masters in the world. Even if you're the avatar, that doesn't give you the right to skip his teachings!"
Ursa and Jin looked at Nik with a dazed expressions.
"You're the avatar?" Jin finally inquired. This was the first for her.
Ursa had the same question but for a whole different reason. If Ozai has the slightest inkling that the Avatar is here... she shuddered at the thought of it.
"Hmm... let's see... I can bend water, earth, air, and fire..." Nik explained, "But I have only mastered waterbending to a certain extent."
Ursa silently looked at Iroh as he shook his head, "Something like that..." Even if Nik hadn't described his situation, Iroh had made it clear that he was well-aware of Nik and Mokshi, and given how everything is relative and possible in the spirit world, Nik did not have any need to question Iroh about it.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Azula frowned, "There is always one Avatar."
"Knowledge of this kind helps nobody," Iroh smiled instead, "Ah, let me tell you how I got the moniker of the Dragon of the West."
"Uncle, don't change the subject!" Azula snapped and thumped the table. Ever since he had made up his mind to learn to produce blue flames, he had started observing Azula, and even now, he kept an eye out for her behavior.
"Azula!" Ursa instantly glared at her daughter, "You do not raise your voice in front of your elders. Apologize to your uncle right now!"
Azula flinched and lowered her head. A soft sigh escaped her lips, "I'm sorry, Uncle."
"There was no need for that," Iroh looked at Ursa and placated her, "But I suppose, I can save my story of slaying the last dragon for later."
Zuko groaned. He wanted to hear this particular story.
For a minute, after Ursa's and Azula's outburst, things couldn't help but grow silent until the mother coughed and smiled, "So, Nik... I've always wondered where you all live. I know that Jin has been sleeping in the store for now but what about you?"
This is another thing Jin has been curious about while seeing Nik make things appear out of nowhere, Azula and Zuko cast an inquisitive glance at him, too.
"Ah, that's a secret," Nik chuckled, "But I think it is a little unfair to make Jin sleep at the shop all alone."
"Don't worry about it," Jin hurriedly shook her head, "It's about time I return to my cottage, too."
Nik smiled and nodded, "It's up to you but I'll still tell you where we live after dinner. You can decide for yourself then."
"That sounds a little unfair," Azula spoke up, "Shouldn't you host us for a while after tonight?"
"I'm hopeless at that stuff," Nik chuckled, "But I will ask Michi and Poppy about this."
"Hmph... fucking gigolo," Zuko muttered under his breath quietly but Nik caught it and smiled. He could correct Zuko by saying that he wasn't dependent on them and their relationship was mutual but... nah, letting him wallow made more sense for Nik as he leaned towards Jin, whispering, "Hey, after the dinner... would you give me a tour in your home? I haven't been there ever."
Smiling broadly, a little excited, she nodded quickly, "Of course," an excited giggle escaped her lips as she ate happily.
Seeing the two whisper as such, Zuko couldn't help but clench his fists. Still, Nik had other motives this time, and constantly antagonizing the siblings wouldn't help him achieve that. The dinner soon grew calmer. Nik no longer jabbed at the siblings and chatted with Ursa who was curious about things going outside the outer walls of Phoenix City. Things Nik couldn't answer were taken up by Iroh while Ursa constantly held back the urge to inquire Nik about his relationship with the women in the store.
It had started to become increasingly obvious and even Iroh turned a blind eye to them.
Now, Ursa suspected that even Jin had gotten into some intimacy with Nik or at least was planning to. This only made Ursa sigh internally. On one hand, she admitted that even she saw the charm Nik possessed but and he certainly held himself well... and whenever Michi or Poppy would disappear alongside Nik, like today, how they disappeared together, Ursa did feel a little envious. Not of them to be exact but their situation. The thought of a passionate lover is most certainly titillating.
As they were done with food and Ursa served tea before retreating to the back of her cottage to wash the dishes alongside Jin, Ursa finally inquired, "Jin... are you and Nik..." Ursa didn't have to complete her words as Jin puckered her lips and coyly groaned, "Aunt Ursa... we're just friends..."
'That's what you said about Azula,' Ursa rolled her eyes internally. But she still sighed, "You're a good girl Jin... I'm sorry it did not work out with you and Azu."
Jin blinked, recalling last night vividly as her cheeks flushed slightly. Smiling, almost grinning, she shook her head, "Hehe, no worries... we talked it out."
"Really?" Ursa blinked in surprise. Talk? And Azula?
Zuko, she could understand. For all his anger, he is quick to understand and be reasonable but Azula has always been a tricky one.
---
"And? The lives of some prisoners do not affect me in any manner," Azula shot down Nik's proposition as Ursa and Jin were doing the dishes. Zuko's expression darkened. His aggression against Nik did not blind him to others' pain and he was willing to cooperate if the information was confirmed... but Azula...
She smiled and looked at Nik, "Do you understand why we even began the rebellion?"
"No," Nik shook his head.
"Neither do I," Azula replied before looking towards Iroh who sat farther from their side and drank tea while enjoying the moon, "Does he know?"
"No."
Azula narrowed her eyes and scoffed, "Well, let me tell you then. I did not establish the rebels. Zuko did for whatever reason," she pointed at her brother, "I joined because I wanted to see what my dear Brother can hope to accomplish. Surely, his desire for his ambitions was greater than some personal goals that he sacrificed duly."
Nik frowned. He did not get what Azula was trying to say but honestly, he didn't care enough.
"Then you have no right to refuse. It's Zuko's call."
"On the contrary," Azula's smirk widened, "Every leader has an advisor. And I am advising my brother strongly to not cooperate with you."
"Azula," Zuko groaned and looked at Nik, "I did not create rebels... it was created before and then I was chosen as their leader... and Azula found out. That's all."
"Although, you don't sound reluctant about it," Nik queried as Zuko frowned, "I am the firstborn and the eldest son of the Phoenix King. It would be weird if I found leading a reluctant task."
Nik was slowly beginning to realize that the two were much worse than him. Sure, Azula is a prodigy in firebending similar to Katara in waterbending but the siblings were... in over their heads. Azula found the rebellion a source of personal entertainment while Zuko had no goals. He just led for the sake of it.
"Whose idea it was to attack Phoenix City's sewerage?" Nik inquired. The rebels hadn't acted as of yet but they were certainly planning to.
"Kei Lo's," Zuko replied.
"Have you tried to actively search for prisons further into the tunnel system?" Nik continued. At the edge of his patience, Zuko finally snarled, "What's with these questions? You're here to ask our help and not the other way around!"
'Oh, boy... if the Phoenix King doesn't know that such an unplanned rebellion is afoot then he must not be very good... in fact, how did their accomplishments get known far and wide?'
Nik fell silent for a second. He had come to understand that information didn't filter through the Poor Man's Land... so, who was the one singing praises about the rebellion that was constantly making engaging with the Phoenix King? Even if Nik wasn't well-versed with conspiracies, he was beginning to see that something was definitely going on. Zuko and Azula could not be having such an effect on Phoenix City as rumored because... one wasn't in for ruling and the other one did not know how to rule at all!
"Well?" Azula broke Nik out of his thoughts.
He knew he was procrastinating on one of the promises out of his own fear, but seeing Azula and Zuko, Nik felt that their help truly wasn't needed.
Nik and others didn't want the rebel's military support but their inventorial assistance. But Nik couldn't help but falter at the moment. Even he couldn't just go and save someone in good conscience only to throw them into hands that may lead them to another disaster.
"Well? I was wrong," Nik smiled.
"About what?" Azula smiled, thrilled by the idea that she had something he desired and could finally have leverage over him.
While Iroh may have intended to imply that the rebels could truly support their cause, Iroh wasn't aware of everything Nik was capable of. If the Fire Lord knew that Nik had a personal space that held many untapped uses including producing one's own food then he may have advised something else. Something other than trying to band with a party with so decentralized intentions.
"About you, of course," Nik didn't mince his words at all, "But I have no right to criticize you."
If this wasn't insulting enough then Azula winced at his further words, "Nor do I care enough to overstep some lines and intervene in your actions."
"Thanks for the dinner though," Nik added, "It was delicious."
Zuko was relatively unfazed. He was barely acquainted with Nik and actually gained a tinge of respect for Nik for him to not go all self-righteous on them, too bad, his hatred for Nik suddenly appearing and threatening to steal Jin if not already stolen made all this respect vanish the next instant.
Azula, on the other hand, took a harder hit.
This is the third time now, she realized. If her first 'loss' could be attributed to Mai, and the second one to alcohol, Jin, and June, Azula was forced to realize one common factor in this third instance where she felt completely lost and painfully empty— Nik.
She certainly did not like him. She was certainly attracted to him. And she most certainly wanted to get aggressive with him in any manner. This feeling only threatened to reach its boiling point as Nik wholly disregarded her.
How dare he?!
Azula's mind was numb with utter furiousness.
Even after last night's actions, he had the gall to say this with a straight face?
But she kept her silence at the moment. As Iroh, Nik, and Jin finally left, Azula quietly followed them after sneaking out of her bedroom's window. While Iroh separated and returned to the store, Azula found Nik and Jin making their way to a rather familiar shack.
Gritting her teeth, Azula instantly barged into Jin's home with blue flames flaring around her fists.
"You bastard—" Azula scowled yet the small shack had no figure in sight.
Azula instanly frowned and felt a little ominous. She then finally recognized a spot on the ground that felt a little fresh under the illumination of her flames. The moment her instincts rang of 'danger', Azula was caught by a pair of soft, physically weak arms as a coo blew into her ears, "Can't you keep your hands off him even for a second. What a filthy princess you are, stalking peasants and all that... makes me wonder if you're out to get fucked silly again~!"
***
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