Chapter 82: Decision
A hectic day surprisingly led to a peaceful night. It could possibly be because of many villagers and soldiers, too, getting tired during the confrontation. Nothing needed to be said about the waterbenders who were totally exhausted.
While the crescent moon graced the sky, unimpeded by darker clouds of the night, Katara and Nik silently trekked up the Makapu Mountain. It wasn't extremely hard to do so since the Fire Nation had basically created a walking path all around the mountain since the prison was near the base of the mountain itself.
"Have I said how surprising it was to know that you can deal with firebenders now," Katara spoke— the same thing for the umpteenth time as Nik stopped finally and looked at her, "Katara... are you having a stroke? If not, you should just not try to break the ice with anyone using words. Waterbending would be far effective."
She scoffed, "Hey, it's weird for me! How come you or Suki didn't tell me?"
"What would change if we did?" Nik cocked his head sideways, "Perhaps the fact that you would've been this awkward for the entire journey instead of being just that now."
"Go on, make more fun of me. It's all I'm great for, isn't that right?" Katara coldly snorted and began walking while Nik rolled his eyes and caught up, "You really feel bad?"
Nik questioned. There was a strange glimmer in his eyes.
"Well, duh! I thought we were friends!" Katara glanced back with a somber expression.
"Hmm... well, I'll tell you. First, enlighten me, how much did Suki tell you about us?" Nik smiled.
"... Just the... well... um, she implied a few things," Katara looked away, blushing.
'Oh, god... do I want to do this?... yes. Am I going to do it?... also yes.'
While others would be more humble in using their powers, Nik realized by now that he enjoyed 'this'— using his actual 'strengths.'
"How about I tell you things in detail?" Nik questioned softly as he picked up his pace and walked beside Katara, earning a glare from her but she kept her silence this time, most likely mulling her options.
"Well," not waiting for her reply, Nik began, "We trained mostly. Let me tell you, Suki got even fiercer as she wouldn't even give me a breather and that's just the normal training I'm talking about."
His words were clearly suggestive and in the 'know' zone, Katara looked sideways, not daring to match his gaze. Of course, it was a lie. Suki was passionate but also lacked in experience and it was mostly her who was left breathless... or choke-full of love. While she hadn't gotten confident in the act, finally having a great resting spot had almost ascertained yesterday night to be the one if not for Wu spiritually cockblocking him.
"You both are perverts!" Katara finally concluded, "Who does it while hiding behind the bushes?!"
"Would you have preferred if we did things in front of you? Or maybe beside you as you sleep peacefully?" Nik narrowed his eyes with a grin, his words making Katara gasp, "What? No! The hell are you talking about?!"
As she said so, Katara waterbent the contents of the pouch on her waist and poured the cold water all over Nik.
"This is what you get!" She snorted again while Nik shrugged. While he couldn't really do anything against the two girls during his lack of both bending and fighting experience— things had changed now.
Waterbending over his soaked body, Nik revealed an instance of control he lacked during the first few sessions of bending, only being compensated with the war fan as a conductor to his bending. But now, he formed a blob of water and walked up to Katara again. She was aware of his actions but didn't bother with him again. This didn't stop Nik from fillings up Katara's pouch with a snigger.
"See? It's as gentle as this. Smoothly sliding into the opening—" his words surprised Katara for a moment until she realized the true intentions of his words, her cheeks flushing as his descriptive words piqued her imagination. But it was also the way he spoke. So enticingly he breathed, "Until its filled up. To the brim. Wanting more but not having extra space for it."
"Pouches don't work that way!" Katara corked her pouch as Nik added, "Of course, they don't."
'Then what does?! Aaaaghhhhh!' Katara screamed internally, her ears feeling hot as she picked her pace.
"Don't spout bullshit!" She called out.
"Hey! It isn't bullshit, you know!" Nik remarked with an offended scoff.
'That was my way of earning bread and butter!'
"You're right. it's Appa's shit!"
"Don't you bring that loveable Sky Bison to this!" Nik responded, more than willing to hold his end of the banter as Katara's expression and posture smoothened over time. She was no longer as frustrated and annoyed as before.
While they continued to walk, Katara finally questioned the moral dilemma biting at her, "What about Michi... I thought... and, um, Suki was quite chill about it."
"Well, Michi wanted a distraction. I happened to know a few... entertaining tricks for that."
"Yeah, right," Katara grumbled again but then looked in his direction, expecting more.
"And... Suki just likes to train. Yeah, nothing more." Nik smiled.
'Hmph, after all that? Like anyone would believe you,' Katara secretly rolled her eyes, but didn't press on. Afraid that Nik might just blurt out something that she wouldn't be able to un-hear.
They went silent again for a little while. The duo had almost reached the peak of the Makapu Village while Katara continued to evaluate the choices in front of her.
"You know," she finally spoke up, "Even if I want to wait for Sokka, you don't have to lose this opportunity."
"Really?" Nik glanced at her, "You'd be okay if Suki and I left you all alone to possibly face many fire nation soldiers more than eager to capture you and anyone near Aang and have your mind probably placed under a form of charm that makes you betray what you stand for?"
Katara flinched, "When you put it this way..." she opted a wry chuckle while taking a jab at him, "Oh, and did I sense anger in your tone? Hmm~?"
She pulled a bit close, waggling her brows and letting a long, teasing humming noise through her pressed smirk.
"Heh," Nik chuckled, "Anyone would feel frustration in face of stupidity."
Her teasing expression morphed to a scowl as she snorted, mumbling under her breath as if forgetting about Nik's strangely better hearing, "And you speak of stupidity when you can't even understand what I'm trying to say."
Maybe she knew fully well her words be caught by Nik but she wouldn't be under any pressure because she merely mumbled while sending her message as plain as the day. Her continued glances towards him only supported this theory but seeing Nik pretending as if he hadn't heard her frustrated Katara to no ends!
"There you are!" Nik and Katara finally saw a lone figure sitting atop an earthen stair near the mouth of the volcanic mountain. Hearing Nik's word, Sun turned back slightly and instantly glowered at the two.
"What do you want now?" He glared.
"We were hoping that you could help us..." Katara was the one to speak. Unlike Nik, who simply brought trouble, Katara and Suki did spend some time with Sun and Katara didn't mind the fact that such a prison would disappear. It held waterbenders, after all.
"Sure," Sun hissed sarcastically, "While I'm helping you, why don't you just push me off this edge? The volcano isn't active but I can just push it a little bit. Maybe take out everyone from the village, too."
Katara frowned while Nik subtly looked back, finding the breathing of their stalker getting a bit hurried and anxious.
"Wait, no need to go that far, right?" Nik raised his hand slightly in a gesture of surrender before adding, "Even if you don't want to help up... can I ask why you made it such a simple but efficient path all around the mountain?"
"How do you know it's me?" Sun frowned.
"Because... you're an earthbender?" Nik replied with a confused expression, causing Sun to chuckle slightly, albeit, bitterly.
"Earthbender... lavabender... tell that to the villagers who seem to have their eyes plugged with ignorance. You saw what happened today, right? And I made this trail to the top of the mountain easier just for their stupid traditions!" Sun pushed his face against his hands with a groan while shaking his head.
"What tradition?" Nik continued. Katara glanced at him for a moment and seeing Sun silent, she whispered, "As a gesture of love and bravery, the villagers would often trek the mountain and reap a panda lily that only grows in the mouth of a volcanic mountain. I also heard that Panda Lily is a herb that can cure recently inflicted burns, too."
"Exactly," Sun looked up, "I drew four trails around the mountain... This is a Panda Lily."
He stomped his foot and the ground trembled for a moment before a pillar of earth rose from within the mouth of the mountain behind him, revealing a small lily. It was hard to see during the night but the inner portion of the petals was either creamish or white.
"The only reason I made these paths was... because I feared that if the villagers and the team had a falling out, they can quickly make way to the herb and use it for themselves. Instead, they called me an annoyance who threatened to destroy their traditions."
Looking away, Sun whispered, "Sometimes... I just want to let the whole village burn..."
"What's stopping you then?" Nik questioned curiously. If it was him that was granted so much power and had gone through the same shit Sun had been through, he might have opted to destroy the village out of vindicative desires. Of course, he was quite calmer now in his approach but there were still things... person, he hated despite their value and contribution to who he is today.
"What's stopping me?" Sun repeated the question. His expression was a bit dazed.
"I don't know," he finally shook his head... strangely, his ire, too, seemed to have receded, "Well, I guess I knew... the Villagers are wrong... but so were we. The prisoners... I know I shouldn't have agreed to assist in building such a prison but Leader Hara gave me a home. Not a roof. That was Granny Wu. But Leader Hara appreciated me, taught me many things, too."
As he spoke, tears began to filter through his eyes. A quiet sob choked up his words as he grew silent for a few seconds before whispering, "There is also Meng. She never hated me. And then there are also a few villagers. Rare gems, I'd say, who aren't hateful towards me even if they don't associate with me a lot.
So... whenever I think of lavabending, I just... cannot do it. I don't want to do it."
"If you're feeling bad about that prison, I might have a way for you to redeem yourself. I cannot guarantee that it will make the villagers like you more but... I think you care more about Wu and others deep down than a few ignorant ass hats who can't see past romantic predictions and whatnot."
Sun rubbed his eyes, "What? Destroy the prison by pulling up the magma? Hate it to break it to you that I'm not that strong and metal is simply impossible to bend."
"Who said anything about that?" Nik smiled. Katara had her chance but her more honest approach didn't work. This only propelled mild manipulation from Nik's side which led to the conclusion— "You just have to keep the ground from sinking in. Push up rubbles and whatnot. Leave the metal prison to me. Of course, if you think that Hara wouldn't want you doing this, you can reject our methods."
Sun pursed his lips. He indeed cared for Hara's opinion but he couldn't help but speak up, "You'll... make it disappear?"
Of course, Sun now knew of Nik's trick from his comrades. Seeing Nik nod, Sun frowned for a moment.
"If you need more convincing," Nik began only for Sun to cut him short, "I don't," the lavabender stated and nodded firmly, standing up from his seat, "Let's go. It's the prison's fault anyway and I don't want to ever use my Lavabending for this kind of purpose."
Nik shrugged. He was going to bring in Meng since she was itching to join in from the sound of her pants but that wasn't needed anymore. Nik didn't reveal their stalker and made his way to the prison's location while Katara was no longer troubled by her choices.
Nik's and Katara's presence near the camp of the soldiers along with Sun caused a few whispers but surprising Sun, when he brought the issue of the prison's disappearance, the soldiers, including Hara agreed. Some did it silently while those who were vocal weren't too loud about it either. Of course, this caused a few female guards to glare in Nik's direction. Of course, for being stripped down and then manhandled by prisoners as they were brought to the village naked.
If looks could firebend, Nik would've burnt to his ashes on the spot.
---
Once Katara and Nik returned, the waterbender woke Suki up and finally explained her decision, "I want to learn waterbending. It's just that I already feel weird being away from Sokka this long but if he was here, he would have been alright with me learning more about waterbending, and from an actual master at that, if it meant temporary parting.
Besides, as long as you two don't do anything suspicious while I sleep... I won't feel too weird."
Suki completely woke up at the latter half and she instantly glanced at Nik, silently inquiring what he had told Katara but matched with his innocent stare, Suki could only clench her fist. She had first-hand experience on the fact that Nik wasn't so innocent, after all! No one with those techniques can be called innocent.
"We didn't do anything like that," Suki then remarked with a slight blush as Katara shrugged, "Whatever. I'm tired now. I almost thought that we'd have to fight Sun," she shook her head with an exhausted sigh.
Katara soon left towards her room and while Nik stayed, Suki only glared at him, "You said something stupid to her, didn't you? Hmph, sleep alone in the cold!"
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A/N: I had first planned to make Katara and Nik battle Sun but I cannot honestly see the two winning against a lavabender over a volcano. No matter how much I think about it, I just don't see it.
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Shout-out to Eddy Yeung, Risen Wane, Luciano, Achearon, Littlewhite, and Asriels!
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