Chapter 61: Divergence (2)
Shout-out to Qrystof!
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Sorry for the late update, was out to watch no way home.
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Despite a tough workout, Nik was quick to get back on his feet. By now he really hoped to have some guidance on his bodily parameters to know what had changed within him for he was sure something had indeed been turned. Wiping off the sweat from his body, Nik stretched his hands towards Suki which she caught with a grumble, "Are you sure just your eyes haven't changed?"
"You're welcome to conduct a physical checkup on me," he shrugged, "Will help me understand what the heck is going on, too..."
"And your words are starting to irk me. Go back to being a sweet Nik who would only nod," She scoffed at how easily he pulled her up, indicating that he had quite a bit of his reserves left and that is why it shocked her. Nik had an envious reserve of stamina but it wasn't as tremendous as he displayed today out of a sudden.
"What's the point of acting sweet in front of someone who already knows my greater nightly accomplishments?" Nik grinned.
"There's nothing knightly about that!" Suki took her hand back while also catching the towel from Nik as he thought for a moment, "Oh, playing night like a knight... nice."
"Doesn't work if you point it out," Suki sighed and then sneaked a glance of him, muttering under her breath, "Should not have agreed to train you alone."
"Why?" Nik questioned curiously.
"You heard that?" Suki inquired with slight surprise flickering in her eyes as Nik nodded.
Thinking for a moment, she relented, "Training is supposed to teach and exhaust in the same time so your body can grow by intaking other animals as a form of nourishment. There is an old legend where a warrior would work himself to the brink of coll[apse and when he did eat an animal, he would gain all their strength. Even if a legend, it is inspiring to warriors like us so if I had a few of my sisters with me, we could have worked you till exhaustion."
'Yep... again, that's what Esta said me... is she Esta in disguise?' Nik muttered internally but he wouldn't really compare Suki to his nightmares that once wrought havoc on his beauty sleep.
"How about I keep on practicing against the trunk of a tree?" He inquired. When it was time to train, he liked keeping his focus where it mattered.
His question caused Suki to look at his bandaged hands and legs with their surface already dusty, eliciting the need to clean the injuries of his knuckles and feet and change the dressing. With a sigh, she shook her head, "No...that would be counterproductive... instead, just practice the set of fan attacks.
Kyoshi Warriors boasted the ability to wield many weapons aside from their limbs, war fans being the most common of them with a sword second to it. Although Nik had grown out of his naive thoughts of not even learning a sword technique just because he didn't want to hurt others, he at least had to get a foundation in using a fan as a mode of self-defense before learning other means. Why? Because he already started with a fan... and he found it cooler... hehe, get it?
"Sure," Nik mocked a salute that instantly caused Suki to grimace and scowl, "I told you not to do that!"
"Considering the fact that you are too tired to hit me... I think I will do what I want."
"I can still beat an honest person out of you!" She glared but faced with Nik's strange gaze, Suki floundered, "What?"
"No... nothing. Just that last part was a bit... sexual, don't you think?" Nik questioned sincerely as Suki's lips twitched.
"It wasn't."
"Hey, I hear you. But what if I said that to you?" Nik inquired.
"What?"
"Like this," Nik coughed before suddenly stepping forward and holding Suki's hand that clutched a towel to her neck to clean off the sweat as a surprised yelp escaped her lips with him whispering, "If you don't stop being so mean, I will have to beat out an honest you later."
He didn't even stop for a moment to let Suki digest as he let go of her and pulled back by two steps and another one just for extra measure.
Meanwhile, Suki's head buzzed slightly and when she finally realized what Nik meant, a blush finally crept up her cheeks as she gave Nik a silent glare.
"See? That's what I meant," Nik smiled before turning around.
"Where are you going?"
"To keep Katara company and train with her."
Suki turned silent and only after Nik was a few feet away did she mumble, "Didn't have to be mean yourself and then leave without returning the favor of massaging him..." All the while, unable to notice Nik's ears twitch slightly.
'I can definitely hear better, fight longer and better, too... but what else has changed?' Nik questioned himself internally.
While he pondered, he reached behind the barn where Katara practiced out of public's sight. Even before turning around, Nik could hear the sound of water being moved ever so slightly.
"Hey!" Nik called out.
"Wha-!" Katara exclaimed in surprise as the volume of water controlled a bit in front of her suddenly splashed out and quenched the land in front of her. Exhaling a defeated sigh, she turned to Nik with a bitter smile plastered on her face, "Hey..."
"... Sorry," Nik coughed as Katara waved her hands with an exasperated sigh, "Don't be. I was already losing control of that amount anyway."
"I remember you saying that your training is going well," Nik sat on the nearby stack of hay as Katara shrugged, picking up the scroll unfurled a bit away before returning and taking a seat next to him.
"It is... according to the scroll, a waterbender's skill is categorized by the volume controlled and how well it is bent to the will of the bender. While I think I am getting well on the second part, it is increasing the volume that is quite hard in itself."
"Why do you say so?" Nik hummed curiously, quite a bit interested in bending skill but alas, he had tried to do it in his personal space back when he got the scroll but it only ended in failure.
"You know, there are benchmarks to the two categories. Or volume, it is either a pouch's worth of water, a barrel's worth, and so on. It isn't stated to have any limits. And for the ease in bending, it is seen by the techniques a waterbender can master. I've already learned a few of them from the scrolls that make me skilled!" She grinned at the last part as Nik glanced at her curiously.
"Then... maybe the problem you're having can be treated by a master? Maybe they have a few tricks not jotted down on the scroll," Nik mumbled.
"That would be great," Katara groaned, "I kind of get it, too, why Aang said that a master is necessary for this art... Every time I bend, I feel that my expenditure is somewhat extravagant."
"Expenditure?"
"Of energy. Stamina. Waterbending drains me quite a bit... makes me wonder how Aang can pull off so many airbending stunts before even losing a breath."
"Well, keep on training. I'm going to practice with my war fans," Nik smiled.
"Here?" Katara questioned in surprise as Nik smiled.
"If it isn't distracting. Suki is resting... after being beaten by me," Katara doubted this part quite a bit but Nik didn't worry and continued, "And I thought that we could hang out."
Katara thought for a moment and then nodded with a pleased smile.
The two got up. Katara slowly pulled out water from the barrel placed in the corner and Nik took a deep breath and slid open the fans before taking a stance. However, his expression changed quickly as he took the first step for two reasons.
---
"Hssh, now, we don't want to cause panic and they don't seem to be from fire nation." A deep whisper escaped from behind the bushes as a few gazes landed on Nik and Katara. The barn the trio was allowed to stay in was on the outskirts of the village since the villagers would never find themselves at ease by letting a group of strangers, even if well-behaved, stay in the center. There were a few women who resisted as they found Nik oddly a trustworthy guy but this only made the men of the village firmer in their belief.
"Why do you say so?" Inquired other voice.
"You idiot! Look, she's bending water--"
"Stop with that nonsense. We all know that every one of those benders has accepted the Fire Nation's rule. They are traitors to their own kind! This village is owned by the fire nation and as he ordered, we will be destroying it. Starting from the fan-wielding gigolo and that waterbending bitch."
Just as they were going through their plans one last time, the scout of the group exclaimed in surprise when Nik looked in their direction with an expression of pure horror.
Were they found?
Is that guy scared of them?
These thoughts raged in the scout's head but he failed to realize the look of shock Katara gave to Nik as her hands had stopped in their track but the entirety of water above Katara and within the barrel seemed to have found a new owner to will themselves, too.
And there it was. The water from the surroundings condensed with the water above the fan-wielding youth flew in their direction as the woman seemed to be screaming something to the nervous youth.
*Shhhhhh*
---
The moment Nik took his first step, he heard the voices o a group eyeing them. Those that thought to kill them were actually the kindest since there were a few who had even more unsavory fates in their mind for the duo that they were quite eager to reveal.
The words made Nik panic a little. He hadn't been in an honest scuffle with anyone else but Suki so he didn't know how he would fare but he wasn't overly worried. He had an element of surprise.
Keeping a straight face, he continued to move and realized that surprise wasn't the only element he had in his arsenal at the moment.
He suddenly felt himself being drained out of a sudden. As if he had just completed a major round of exercise that left him catching for his breath but by that time the water from the barrel and above Katara had already flowed out of her control and she instantly found the water dancing to Nik's will.
"Nik---"
"Don't just stand there!" Nik hissed. Now truly panicking. "What should I do? I don't wanna freeze myself or boil myself accidentally!"
"Just... ugh," Katara lost her cool when she was Nik's expression, "Throw it away! Make it disappear!" She almost shouted in a hurry.
Latter wasn't possible since he will have to personally touch the water but...
'Throw it away... throw...'
Nik instantly recalled how Aang and Katara bent the elements and instantly stuck his fans out without waiting. The direction he chose was that of the would-be assaulters and his heart burnt fiercely.
The water seemed to have followed his will but the rapidly beating heart and anxiousness seemed to have made the water hotter... too much in fact as Nik paled somewhat, feeling even more exhausted.
Katara sighed softly but the questions in her heart only grew. However, before she could voice her doubts or ease Nik's confusion, she heard any loud screams that shocked the village as a whole!
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A/N: Theory time! By now, the old readers may have a few ideas as to what the Freedom Paradox Physique is. But that's not what I will explain. I am here to state that most of what Kyoshi taught to her warriors is something she learned from her girlfriend. I have yet to read the books and I can say that the major avatar additions to the harem will be added during korra instead of now. What I can theorize in this deluding mind of mine is that Kyoshi's usual fan techniques may have a bit of bending arts incorporated since without elements, bending techniques are martial arts themselves. So, that is the basis of Nik suddenly bending the shit out of the water! And as I promised, this arc will be the setting for Nik's character and charisma that we all have loved and enjoyed.
I hope you are liking the avatar arc as well as I am enjoying writing about it.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel