When travelling, obstacles are inevitable (Part 1)

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It may not have happened exactly as I planned, but it all worked out! I achieved my goal and all three girls went to sleep in the same room, on the same big bed. It was undoubtedly a beautiful sight, funny in places and certainly worthy of being put on canvas. If only they were more undressed, their dressing gowns conceal a lot, and also a little drunk... but the ideal is unattainable. It's better to settle for less, gradually bringing the girls closer and closer, strengthening their friendship, gradually transforming it into something more. As it is, I saw Azula sinking into Tai Li's breasts while Mei powerfully planted her foot on the princess hugging from behind. And with all that, they were all sniffling cutely. Eh, how I wish I could have cuddled up next to them, savouring the warmth of their young bodies. Alas, I still didn't have a body, and I could only dream about it.

Admiring the girls all night like some pervert, I quickly got bored. Covering the young ladies with a slumped blanket, I went about my business. I never forgot about my training and my attempts to become fully material. And then dawn came, and there was a new day. The last day in this corrupt city.

After enjoying the view of the rising sun, I went to wake up the girls. The mere sight of sleeping beauties improved my mood for the whole day! I decided to wake them up in a special way.

Frost and sunshine; it's a beautiful day!

You're still slumbering, my lovely friend.

It's time, beauties, to wake up:

Open your closed eyes,

To meet...

- Argh! Yoaru, shut up. Your poetry is awful," Zula growled unhappily, opening her golden eyes. Looking around at her surroundings, she lifts herself up on the bed.

- Oooh," the acrobat stretched her entire body, starting to rub her eyes cutely. - I liked it, I've never heard a poem from Yoaru before.

- I'm going to take a bath, - After throwing off the sleeping Mei's arm and leg, Azula gets up from the bed. - Stretch Mei out.

- No need," the awake beauty responded. - I was woken up by your conversation. Yoaru's here?

- Mm-hmm. He woke us up by reciting poetry," the circus girl explained to her friend.

- A spirit with the talent of a poet? Excellent," Mei remained in her phlegmatic style.

- He's good at it. Shall I retell it?

And while the girls were discussing my talents as a poet, Azula returned from the bathroom, immediately giving me an evil look and starting to boss the girls around. The girls took turns washing up. And after the morning procedures we talked about yesterday's "crime", the time was early, we could talk. And despite my outward nonchalance, I was worried about Azula's possible hasty actions. Not for myself of course, but for Tai Li. I'm invulnerable to the princess, but she could do a lot with her friend. We can only hope for a good relationship between the girls that will prevent the princess from brutalising her.

Azula was somewhat right, alcohol stupefies the mind, and in the current situation getting drunk was not a good idea. But the princess was guarded by a small army, and a few dozen of the country's elite mages. So there was a grain of truth in my desire to relax a little and have fun in a safe place on the last day. As the second such occasion would not come soon enough. Though I just wanted to use the alcohol to bring the girls closer together. And then Azula could be taught to relax. The girl is in a constant state of tension, and I didn't know how to help her. I couldn't force alcohol into her. And she wasn't ready for other ways.

We talked and discussed anything, I tried to stretch the conversation as long as I could. May grumbled that she couldn't hear or see me, and didn't understand why she was part of the conversation. Azula reluctantly acknowledged Tai Li and I were right, after which she safely took the bottle of sake and the girls went about their business. Of course, the princess hadn't forgotten about the punishment, but my offers to spank her friend's arse were ignored. And there was Tai Li's embarrassed indignation that she didn't want to be spanked like a child, Mei's grumbling, and we safely dropped the matter. Time was starting to run out, and Azula needed to get everything ready for the journey to continue. However, it was not without pleasure that I noticed how much the princess had changed. For the better.

The girls went about their business.

We left the city in the middle of the day, leaving Jay Chan in charge temporarily. The inspection continued along one of the main roads. A detachment of just over four dozen men, we could have passed for a trade caravan if not for the military uniforms with rhinoceroses. A small group of two Yuyang archers and one fire mage walked ahead of us, a few kilometres apart, looking for ambushes and enemies. They also rounded out our squad, trying to prevent the enemy from getting in our backs. Their amazing skills Azula used to the maximum. Plus I was also scouting the area, flying in the sky and looking for anything interesting. The only way to get close to the squad without being seen was underground, but earth mages can't swim underground blindly and without air. Except for a few who have reached unprecedented heights with their skills.

Everything happened just as I expected.

By talking to the princess in the morning, although to put it more accurately: she let herself be talked to, but it doesn't matter. In the morning, Azula didn't have time for unnecessary talk and chastising her friend. And she accepted that it was a small thing that could only be reprimanded. And already on the road they had little time for discussion. And they never talked about me in front of strangers. Zula had long ago informed her friends not to spread the word about me, and my existence was more or less a secret. What's more, I was better at being inconspicuous than anyone else. In that regard, I could no longer worry about Ty Lee.

Of course, since the squad began to move overland, I'd had much less contact with the girls. Or rather, not at all. Since they were rarely alone. And I found it unethical to impose my companionship on them when they went to bed together, or even worse, when they went to the bathroom. I might even feel a little lonely, but I had long ago got used to being alone. Oh, and there were plenty of things to see along the way. New animal hybrids, beautiful landscapes. And also interesting and mysterious places: abandoned hiding places, bases of earth mages, branching networks of caves that were created by magic, and special places of contact between the real and spiritual worlds. Although the latter were very few on our way, but I felt one such place after a week of travelling. And it was very different from all the ones I had seen before.

It all started at sunset, when the squad began to set up camp, getting off the road closer to the forest.

"Azula, order your men to be quiet in the forest and only gather brushwood from the ground," I fly up to the lone girl and quickly convey a thought to her.

She throws a suspicious look at me in response.

"I'm not joking. This forest, there's a spirit, or even several, living in it. People are better off not attracting its attention. It's still up to you to decide, though. But you better heed my advice, or some of the soldiers may accidentally get lost in the forest, forever," I deliver the information and distance myself from the princess.

I deliberately chose the time for a short conversation when she will be without Tai Li, there is nothing to disturb my favourite acrobat. I can look after her myself. And the other people as usual did not hear or see me, it was not necessary to take them into account in such matters.

I could see the light of the smallest spirits in the world in the depths of the forest, and I could feel a strong spiritual background coming from the depths of the forest. As darkness fell, their light only grew brighter. They were like fireflies, harmless natural spirits that wouldn't hurt a fly. Normally, beings of the spirit world are not found in the human world, but there are special places where they can dwell. In these places, the line between the two worlds is extremely thin, and the inhabitants of the other world is much easier to penetrate into the visit to people. I myself have used one of these places to come to the islands of the Fire Nation.

Azula decided to heed my advice and issued the appropriate orders. This made me less worried about the princess and her friends. Not that spirits are dangerous to humans, but humans can make them angry without knowing it. And if by human standards I am extremely strong and powerful, but among spirits I am probably one of the weakest. So it is better to avoid conflicts with such creatures.

While the men were setting up camp, I watched the fireflies in the forest that beckoned to me. As I thought about my goals and how I could achieve them, I didn't notice that the sunset had fallen and the people in the temporary camp had gone to sleep.

Finding the library or meeting the mother of faces was considered impossible for an ordinary person, the only exception being an avatar. But I was neither. One thing I knew for sure, in the spirit world I could find the answers to all my questions. With that in mind, I flew into the forest, guided by a distant blue light that was like the stars. But it shone in the darkness of the forest, flickering between the trees, not in the sky.

Following the blue glow of the fireflies, which were like little glowing Feys, I flew through the forest thickets while the princess's squad was resting after a long journey. The fireflies led me deeper and deeper into the forest. I knew that if I followed them, I would definitely come out somewhere. Such small spirits could be trusted, they would never lead to a dangerous place, being the most harmless and peaceful inhabitants of the spirit world, on whom one could rely. In fact, it was thanks to them that I had found the passage to the human world the first time.

The darkness did not hinder me, and the light showed me the way. Being a spiritual creature, I felt relatively safe. As I got closer to my goal, I began to notice more clearly the strong spiritual background that is natural in places where the line between the human world and the spirit world is very thin. I was beginning to guess what I would find at the end of my journey. Carelessly flying between the huge trees that covered the sky with their crowns, following the light of a firefly, I found a huge wooden idol of a bear around which hundreds of luminous dots were flying, disappearing into nowhere, then appearing out of nowhere. It wasn't really like that, and the fireflies were just travelling between this world and the spirit world, I could have done that here myself, but I didn't rush into any hasty actions that might lead to unclear consequences.

Around the large statue were many more statues of smaller bears. Together they formed a circle, with the idol at the head of it. It was like a place to which an offering was brought to placate the spirit of the forest. In front of the statue there was a stone table where it was supposed to leave the supposed offerings. Next to the table were other spirits, not fireflies, bigger spirits that looked like little men made of white clay, with leaves on their heads. There were several of them, three of them. And they all looked at me curiously with their beady black eyes.

- Hi," I waved at the cute little puppies.

- Prue-prue-prue-prue... - the spirits answered me something incomprehensible, starting to look at each other and communicate in their "spiritual" language. I had completely forgotten that they were not quite reasonable creatures.

Having looked round the magic place, I decided to look at the plaque. I was in no hurry to approach the idol for fear of the local master's anger. "Hey Bai." That's exactly what was written at the foot of the statue. The spirit of the forest is a big bear. That makes sense. But where is he? And just as I was about to ask the little poopsies, there was a low growl.

- "R-r-r," I heard somewhere down below.

Then the rustling of bushes reached my ears. I looked down and found the cause of the noise. A giant panda had emerged from the forest below. I recognised him instantly. After all, I had been looking at his statue a few moments before. Despite the size of the bear, which was larger than the polar bears I was familiar with, I felt no fear. Being in the air, well above its intended attack radius, I felt almost safe. No fear, only apprehension, the spiritual background around the spirit was just staggeringly huge. But at the same time, it looked very peaceful and friendly. Might as well hold off on running, try to make contact.

- Hi, I was walking around, following their light, and it led me to you," I start the conversation, pointing at the fireflies. Having learnt from bitter experience of meetings with some spirits I knew that it was better to start first. If you don't start first, they can stare at you silently for days.

- R-r-r...," the animal grumbled, glancing at the stone offering table.

- Sorry, if I had known where I was coming, I would have brought something tasty.

- R-ruu-u.

Watching the panda's face sink, I decided to act after all. It would have a better chance with offerings, but it was okay to try. I still didn't have much faith in the success of my endeavour.

- Hey, do you know the Great Mother of Faces? Or Wang Shi Tong, the owner of the largest library in the world? - I decide to ask such important questions without hoping for a coherent answer.

- R-r-r. No. I know nothing of the Mother of Faces. But seekers of knowledge sometimes walk through my forest. They know Wang Shi Tong: the foxes carry books to him through my forest," the panda answered me in a deep bass.

Wow, I didn't expect to succeed. Still, counting on the spirits knowing each other was very naive. Lucky me, but relax, I'm not one step closer to my goal. The foxes know the spirits I'm looking for, I'll have to remember that. The silence is dragging on, I've got to say something!

- Whoa, I wasn't expecting an answer. Thank you," I replied to the spirit in surprise, frantically thinking of the best way to proceed.

- You came with good people, they respect me and do not harm my forest.

Respect? Did the soldiers perform some kind of special ritual when entering the forest? Or was it because Azula's orders were over-ridden? I didn't know, I paid the least attention to the soldiers at the time, preoccupied with my own thoughts. It's a good thing I had time to warn Zulu. I doubt the spirit would have been so kind to me if the soldiers had chopped down a few trees for fires.

- Ahem. I'd like to meet these foxes, the seekers of knowledge.

- They're not in my forest at the moment. I can't take you to them," replied the panda calmly. It's a pity, but all is not lost yet.

- And if they appear, could you send them on my trail? A meeting with them is very important to me, I would be very grateful to you and would bring you a worthy offering, - I do not stop trying, hope dies last.

- Hmm. They're going to have a hard time finding you.

That was the problem, because I could wait days or months for these spirits to come. And time was running out. But wait a minute, knowledge-seeking spirits are foxes!

- And if I leave a thing of the person I'm travelling with, will they be able to find me? - I had an idea that came to me out of the blue. Foxes are related to dogs, and they have a good sense of smell. They might be able to find me by scent.

- R-r-r. I don't know that.

Exactly, how would the natural spirit of a bear know about the abilities of other spirits? I had my hopes up.

After talking to the friendly panda some more, I arranged to give him an item of the man I was travelling with. In return, I promised to bring him a large and tasty offering this very morning. All he had to do was talk to the first spirit knowledge seeker and insist that the spirit who knew Wang Shi Tong meet with me, telling him that I had knowledge for the great owl. Having made arrangements with the panda, I travelled back to the princess for the necessary item, disposed in the best possible state of mind. Thinking of the impending fulfilment of my dream was so uplifting.

The way was quite close, flying through the trees at high speed, I reached the soldiers' camp in no time. But I didn't decide to go and wake up the princess at once. Let her sleep, travelling overland takes more energy than she wants to show. Instead, I searched for suitable offerings. Searching through the night forest for something tasty that might appeal to a bear was not as easy as I thought it would be. But luck was on my side, and after a few hours of searching I found a couple of bee hives near a large field of flowers. The matter of the offering was solved.

At dawn, I still decided to wake up the princess a little earlier than she usually wakes up.

"Ps... Zula. Zu-la. Wake up beautiful, a new day has arrived," I even lightly smacked the sleeping beauty on the lips in joy at the approach of my dream.

- Ugh. Yoaru? What do you want? - The girl mumbled quietly, probably not noticing my actions.

"Azula, I need your clothes."