Chapter 55: Parting (2)
Aang and Tom-Tom, as Mai feared, had left the palace and flew around Omashu on Appa. Now that the city knew that Avatar was here and how he saved prisoners of their nation being treated unfairly, many took a liking to the 'Avatar' instantly. However, now, Michi was truly angry. All her 'relief' vanished into thin air once she realized that her son was dozens of meters from the peak of Omashu.
"Huff... she tore you a new one," Nik snickered. His pain had all but gone. But he had also come to a decision.
From the very beginning, he was allowed to take part in two missions. It was purely voluntary and the act was left to Nik's discretion. One— kill the Phoenix King or dethrone him. Two— kill the Avatar. Phoenix King's threat, according to Infinity or Transmigration Paradise was only befitting rank 1, and while Nik doubted that after learning of his agenda, he now fully believed how dangerous Aang really was, too.
It wasn't by the boy's choice either, which made it all the more dangerous. When truly angered or pushed beyond a certain point, Aang had revealed that foes and allies mattered little. Maybe there are more technicalities he wasn't aware of but just that much alone was enough for Nik.
Bumi had yet to appear after the initial conversation and this gave the group some time alone.
*Krt* *Krt*
"Hehe, hey," Nik smiled as the winged lemur jumped upon his head.
"I have something to say to all of you," Nik began. He didn't plan to wait or push the announcement for long.
Gazes gathered on him as he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish expression, "I think... this is where I will be parting ways with all of you."
"What?"
"Why?"
Suki and Katara pushed for the what and the why while Sokka didn't meet Nik's gaze and Aang looked away, too.
"Is... it because of me?" The boy uttered. All his pleasant mood after flying around with Tom-Tom now morphing into a sick sense of disappointment he had for himself.
"Not really, it's mostly because I just don't have what it takes to oppose a monarch who has conquered the world. And even if we include Omashu..." Nik didn't voice his worries anymore but it made others sink in silence.
"... W-where do you think you'll be heading to then?" Sokka inquired. This was a major thing for Nik. He didn't want to stick around in Omashu who would face some sort of counter from the Firebenders so he was a bit happy to have a destination in mind.
"The Fire Nation, I think. It's the most peaceful region after the war."
"Of course, it's peaceful," Katara sneered, her indignant gaze landing on Nik, "After destroying families of all the other tribes, nomads, cities, and kingdoms, they ought to feel safe, right? Even now, they are coveting children! Did you not see that?"
Nik puckered his lips before exhaling deeply from his nose, "Then what do you propose? We barely managed to come out well. Just what do you think will happen to us if we keep up with this streak? How many of us do you want controlled?
Because if it has happened once, then it will happen again. If not to us, then someone else."
"I think he's free to decide for himself," Suki interjected and shot a glance at Katara, "It's not like we were forced to stick around. In fact, forcing someone to stick around will only stink up the surroundings."
"Maybe I should be the one to leave," Aang suddenly spoke up.
"What? No, that's stupid," Sokka spoke up. Although he felt pretty stupid himself at the moment, he could still sense other's bad decisions, too.
"No it's not." Aang mumbled, "It's like all of you're trying to forget that I'm the one who almost killed you instead of the Firebenders. I cannot control it. I did not know I was capable of it in the first place... and before anything, I must master myself.
As I am right now, I should not be allowed to face against anyone."
"I think you did pretty well! Slide!"
A quirky, aged voice screamed through the wall as a small section of the wall was brought down and a lone figure wearing long green robes and set on an earthen wheelchair slid into the room with quite a speed.
"I call this a rolling chair. How is it? Hehe *Khnnk*" Bumi chuckled. It was odd seeing him out of his casket but the image was still unsettling. Without any limbs, the man sauntering on the wheelchair— rolling chair— wore a long, ornate dark green cap and grinned, "And why the long face? Isn't it simple? Master the four elements. Become the Avatar. Kick Ozai's ass!"
"Why didn't you do anything?" Aang brushed off the comments instantly and finally inquired what has always been running in his mind but was unable to vent for not being able to meet Bumi in an ideal location.
"And how can you bend without... limbs?"
"I didn't do anything because it wouldn't have mattered, hehe, and I still have twenty years! I can do what I want, when I want. As for bending? Without arms and legs? Just because you air and firebenders can do that, you think, Earthbenders aren't capable of it?" Bumi shot back as chunks of rocks tore out of the floor and pressed against Bumi's shoulders, forming two earthen arms as he mused by touching his chin.
Aang's eyes almost popped out of his sockets while the non-benders in the group were mostly awed by the sight.
"Sigh, Aang, you should have lived the hundred years I have... the most amazing century of my life," Bumi began picking his nose with his other hand. Oh, joy.
"Me not doing anything has kept the lives of my the citizens safe... technically, *Khnnk* *Khnnk*, and I always believed you would return... well, I thought you would be a few years earlier but oh, well, what matters is that you're here now and I can help you. Yeppers! I was eavesdropping so I know what happened! Hehe..."
Aang's grip around his staff tightened as he inquired, "So?"
"Dinner?" Bumi cocked his head sideways.
"Hugghhh!" Aang groaned, smacking his forehead with his palm, "The thing Bumi! What do I have to do?"
"I told you. Master the four elements. Become the Avatar. Kick Ozai's ass!"
"How?!" Aang almost shouted, "I don't know anything--"
His eyes widened and he stated, "Will you teach me earthben—"
Before Aang could speak up, the earthen arms crumbled onto the ground and perfectly fixed the floor, "Oh, look at that. I'm a cripple again! Aww... I guess you have to find water, earth, and fire bending masters for yourself. Neat, huh? I'd say that all your information will soon be exposed so if I were you, I will hurry to hide if truly leaving this place."
This information caught others' attention and Sokka queried, "What's going on?"
"Politics! I say! It's as crooked as my back... *Khnnk* *Khnnk*"
Only Nik seemed to have appreciated the pun while others were still waiting for Bumi to continue, making him groan with a huff, "Omashu cannot endure wars. I'm free and have that coward of a Dai Li member so I can help those hypnotized. But soon, envoys of the Fire Nation and the Phoenix King will demand the release of prisoners because there will be no evidence of their dirty play."
"But there is!" Katara fumed.
"Nope! I destroyed it all!" Bumi cackled, causing the color to drain from Katara's face.
"I see..." Sokka mumbled, realization flickering on his face.
"What?" Suki looked at him.
"If Omashu reveals the secret, it will surely be targeted. Instead, by keeping the matters silent, Omashu buys itself some time. But the inevitable release of prisoners means that our information... the one they got from me, will be known to others." Sokka's conclusion made Bumi bend the earth again and form arms before clapping them against each other.
"Exactly! Exactly— Ozai is nasty, I'm telling you. I wonder why he couldn't be more like Iroh. Oh, well, Aang, you don't stand a chance against Ozai... he has experienced some things. Things that make him different than us. Normal people, I mean."
Many dubious gazes trailed Bumi at this moment.
"Then all the more reason to not part ways," Katara suddenly spoke up.
"Actually... yes," Nik grumbled. Michi had offered him a sweet ride to Fire Nation. He was looking forward to it, too, as she only had praises for the culture, food, and opportunities of employment. But this changed things. He wasn't too well-versed with politics either so this was definitely an eye-opener for him.
"No, I think this is high time we part ways," Suki frowned, earning a glare from Katara but she continued calmly, "Sokka will take some time to get better. Aang cannot afford to stay here until then. Instead, we should set a rendezvous and divide our team in two... or three? We all have our own goals, too, right?"
Suki looked at Sokka and Katara, "You two are looking for your father. So, while Sokka stays and gets better under King Bumi's protection, Katara can try to find out more information in the meantime.
I just had a more general cause before— to help those negatively impacted by the war. But I also want to train Nik to keep the words of Avatar Kyoshi."
"What?" Bumi was interested instantly as Aang whispered the explanation. Meanwhile, Suki kept going, "And you," her gaze landed on Nik, "If you feel—"
"Before you continue, after my announcement of parting ways, I was planning to get you on board, too, or at least, persuade you to. I don't want to leave the amazing opportunity of learning how to defend myself," Nik interjected as Suki blinked.
"Ah... I see... well," Suki smiled.
"Then what about me?" Aang inquired, pointing at himself.
"Learn from the Avatar Cycle, boy! After Air comes water. You must master waterbending." Bumi added.
"The Northern Water Tribe is captured... only they could teach us waterbending," Katara mumbled.
"Well, you're in luck then. I just happen to know the nearest prison where the waterbenders are being kept."
Bumi chuckled as Nik's brows twitched. After all, the nearest prison for the waterbenders was almost three weeks away!
Bumi soon left, leaving the group to finalize their thoughts and decisions by themselves.
"So..." Sokka began, "Until I believe I'm perfectly fine, I don't want to tag along only to be a hidden risk. It sucks... but Katara, will you..."
"I will keep an eye out for Dad. And ask around, too," Katara nodded with an assuring smile.
"I want to learn from Suki. A lot. Although I did want to visit the Fire Nation, it can be pushed off until I'm more capable. I will inform Michi tonight."
"Michi? The Mistress? The enemy's wife?" Sokka gasped.
"She wants to get help and clear her mind from any external influence before leaving for the Fire Nation... and she offered me an employment, too," Nik nodded with a smile.
Katara's expression, however, suddenly changed and a squeak escaped her lips, instantly attracting others' attention. However, matched with Katara's meaningful glance, Suki's lips quivered, too.
"Why... tonight? Can't you tell her now?" Suki coughed.
"Right now? I'm here... that's an odd question. Are you fine?" Nik looked at Suki, not minding to brush off her suspicions without an ounce of shame.
How could he not understand the subtle glance of 'it's him' look that Katara sent to Suki?
"Nothing," Suki scoffed, unable to voice out her suspicions.
But then, Nik looked at Aang, "So, I think we can—"
"Could I... stay a few more days? I can leave with Sokka... and meet you guys later. Probably, we will be able to leave before Phoenix King Ozai's men arrive," Aang lowered his head.
"What's going on, Aang?" Katara inquired softly as the boy revealed.
"I just... liked going to school," he sighed deeply, his shoulders sinking, "And I don't want to leave Tom-Tom until he leaves. He said that they will be staying here for five more days. That's probably the time that his mother needs for reformation."
"Sure, it's your call," Nik shrugged.
"What? No—" Katara grumbled before blushing and shaking her head, "What I meant was that... it is your call. But it's a dumb one! You have to consider your safety, too."
"Don't worry, Katara," Aang smiled, "With Appa, I will be able to run away easily."
"I thought you didn't want to run anymore," Suki inquired.
"Oh, no, it's not that I won't run. I won't hide anymore. Attacking and running is what Nik taught me."
"Oh, I taught him that!" Sokka finally passed a pleased smile in what felt like forever.
With that, the group began to jot down the details and start planning a way forward even if it meant momentary separation.
***
A/N: So, there you go. That's what I thought by making Sokka get caught. By making Aang take drastic actions and stuff. To finally allow Nik to separate from the main group with what 'matters' for the 'plot.'
Of course, how long this separation lasts is entirely up to me, hehe *khnnk* *khnnk*, (sorry, my nose is blocked and I'm a little sick.)
And this will also start the major shift in how Nik develops.
***
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