14 Chapter 5. The Capital of the Fire Nation. Part 1.

I spent the remainder of the summer and my time on the ember islands learning to quickly accept the breeze in my head. I don't know why, but it seemed important to have my emotions quickly swept away in case of anything. It used to happen in a second before, but it was involuntary.

How to make it work like a sort of "switch," I didn't know, so again I resorted to "meditations." I sat at our spot with Mai and stared at the water for hours, constantly trying to first get the wind to appear in my head, then throughout my body, and then to extend out into the surrounding world, just like when I was falling.

It was going poorly and took up a considerable amount of time. Several days to understand the process and a couple more to train. And so for each of the three steps.

Of course, I didn't forget about running. I admit, not because I managed to make myself train—fear that, had it been exactly training, I might have given up under some important pretext—but simply because I liked running. Maybe it's because I'm an airbender, but running came easily to me, I hardly felt tired, and the sweet sensations from, albeit not too great, speed were enjoyable. I only used "wind speed" a couple of times while running through the forest. I rarely went there, mainly to try something that came to mind and that couldn't be shown around. At least because they would laugh—I couldn't seriously wave my hands or feet without laughing myself. It looked amusing, even from my point of view, let alone from the side.

Though, I must say, some unclear movements came out on their own, as if instinctively, and I couldn't have learned them from anywhere: all firebending is rough, sharp, and aggressive, while my unclear hand-foot-waving was smoother and more sweeping, though still sharp, yes. Considering that bending is not so terrifying that it suggests movements on its own, it's more likely that something from my past life is emerging.

By the end of the summer, I could quite quickly reach the feeling of a "breeze" around my body and learned just one technique! During one of my attempts, something finally worked, and I finished a movement with a wave of air with my hands. Yes, it was weak, unformed, and at best, it would slightly push an adult, but how happy I was! The euphoria from the success didn't leave me for a good two hours, which I spent... let's say, on refining my motor skills. I wasn't dancing a jig of joy! Let's just record it that way.

So, I left the Ember Islands very pleased and proud of myself. I even started to call myself a Bender in my head! Although, in reality, I hadn't even earned the title of a mere apprentice. No, it's not some system of the fire nation; I made up the terms in my head. Well, you can't seriously call me or my brothers Benders, right? Maybe it's associations from fantasy of my past life, but in my opinion - they haven't earned it.

And here I am, sitting at a desk in my room in the capital, diligently recording everything new that I remembered over these months. Descriptions of Iroh as a chubby old man - still hard to believe - I slightly added to my record about the avatar, and also started to keep notes of everything I remembered from my hand-foot-waving, because it's clearly from my past life, where else could it be from.

Literally by this upcoming Sunday, as I habitually call the day - here they just use simple numbering, thankfully still seven days - I should be near some weapon shop where Mai will be waiting for me.

Then, right on Monday, school awaits me. I had completed the summer assignment long ago, and I was more concerned that after such eventful past few months, I would find the lessons incredibly boring.

Well, no matter, the main thing is to live until adulthood, where things will get so interesting, you might as well hang yourself.

***

"Li!"

It was Mai, who literally jumped into my arms, hitting me somewhat painfully in the chest area with her head. She's just too... petite.

"Mai-ay, hello," I managed to say, breathless from the blow, "I promised I'd be here sharp. How are you?"

"Not great," she muttered, obviously not wanting to elaborate.

"Same here. School is so boring!" I shared my troubles with her, "and also, it seems we didn't kill that wolf. I went to where it should have fallen when I got better - no trace."

Well, as much as I went. More like fell, but that's just details. In response to my remark, I got Mai's signature look that screamed: "You're an idiot!"

"So, what? When I got home, they took me to the clinic, looked at the bite marks and no one believed that I, sorry, I didn't mention you, killed that beast. And you know, it hurt my pride! So, I decided to take a couple of fangs as proof and as a keepsake. Unfortunately, it didn't work out."

"And what if it had been waiting for you there?" Mai still scrutinizing me with her gaze.

"What would it be doing there? It probably went back to its hunting grounds. Probably."

It's funny how she acts like a wife dealing with an irresponsible husband. Is that ingrained in them from birth? Or is it upbringing? Or does she, looking at her parents, unconsciously interpret this onto me? Anyway, I don't mind.

"Hmm. Okay. Glad it all worked out," she finally decided, then after a thought added, "though, of course, it's a pity you didn't get the fangs. Would've been cool."

"Yeah, you can say that again. Now, will you share something? Anything, really."

"How about we first find a better place? Or are we going to keep standing here like some misfits?"

Oh, my God, I missed this little one's biting sarcasm so much that I couldn't help but smile. The look she threw my way made me interpret my facial expression, to which I got slightly blushing cheeks and a sharp turn with a confident step somewhere. Clearly, I was supposed to follow her. Let's go see this better place.

We didn't wander for long, just a couple of minutes. It turned out Mai barely knows her way around the area, and together we found a secluded corner. More precisely, an inconspicuous turn between houses, where there were no windows, and the peculiarities of the buildings created a sort of roofless room. The perfect spot to be undisturbed, and there was even a bench.

Which we sat on. Not the rotting stump in front of the ocean, but it'll do.

"I continue to master Firebending. Grandpa praises me, says I'm doing well," the girl boasted, "unlike my brother."

"Ha, from what I've seen, you're a bending genius because my brother, supposedly, has very good innate qualities, although considering me, maybe not, but I think I'm more of an exception, and he takes this very seriously. Still, it sometimes feels sorry to watch him after what you've shown," I shared.

Genetics are indeed confusing. Do they even affect bending? Then where did I come from? Some recessive genes got into the right positions? Or a gift from whoever put me here? If there is one, of course. Are my family's genes considered strong for Firebending? Or what?

"What innate qualities?" Mai asked, slightly puzzled, sweetly frowning.

"Well, the aristocracy of the Fire Nation, almost everyone in the family are firebenders..." I was slightly taken aback.

"Ha, that doesn't affect anything. Firebending is the same for everyone, the main thing is to diligently study it!" Mai explained, as if I was the naive one here.

"Are you saying that, let's say, Prince Zuko, and some guy from the colonies, have the same starting conditions? At least in terms of bending?"

"Well..." Now Mai was the one puzzled. I deliberately mentioned a member of the royal family to touch her feelings towards the Fire Nation, "no, probably not."

It seemed too melancholy for her to conclude. Apparently, she thought her success in firebending was entirely her own merit. However, my words might have made her compare herself to a girl from a lower class.

"That's what I think too. Not to mention the teachers and so on. Though, undoubtedly, a large part depends on Zuko himself. Talent is only one-tenth of the goal, nine-tenths is effort. Maybe even more," I reassured her.

"The calligraphy master told me something similar when I was failing," Mai chuckled, now cheerier.

"And where do you think I got those words from," I smiled, nudging her shoulder lightly, indicating, "just kidding."

"Hmm," Mai just chuckled at that.

"By the way, I heard that the princess is more talented in firebending than Zuko," I remembered something from the cartoon, "I don't know how true it is, but it commands respect. Maybe in talent, she could even compete with you."

"Ha, rather I with her. After all, she is a princess," Mai said with an unclear intonation.

"Don't praise her so much," I smiled, "for now, let her nominally be a princess, but in the grand scheme of things, she's just a little girl, like you."

"Not the same," Mai corrected, "she has to at least help rule the entire Fire Nation in the future!"

"So what?" I raised an eyebrow in Mai's style, "She will become a real ruler after, as you say, this coming of age. When she sees how the common people live and hears their opinions and behavior. For now, she's just locked in her huge, beautiful, and golden, but a cage," I waved off towards the castle.

"Hmm," Mai chewed her lip, staring at a point. I really made her think, and that's good, "maybe you're right," she finished quietly.

"Of course, I'm right! You're talking to the Great Li, the Wolf Conqueror!" I exaggerated emotionally, turning everything into a joke.

"You killed him, not tamed," Mai smiled, freeing herself from her thoughts.

"The Wolf Conqueror," I corrected myself as if it was nothing.

"And there was supposedly only one," Mai continued to press.

"Details," I brushed it off.

"Alright, alright, at least for me, you're definitely the Wolf Conqueror," Mai graciously condescended.

"Yes, I remember," I smiled, rubbing my cheek, which immediately made the girl blush, and I realized that my tease was completely successful. It's a pity that she will soon be able to close this gap in her composure, but for now, I must take full advantage of it!

"Did scars remain?" the little one recalled, returning her serious gaze to my face.

"Yes, look how cool," I grinned broadly, rolling up my sleeve to the elbow and showing the clear bite marks.

"And what's cool about it?" the girl raised an eyebrow, slightly paling at the sight of two specific fang scars. They indeed didn't look very appealing.

"How come?" I feigned surprise, "after all, scars adorn a man!"

"Where do you see a man here?" Mai asked, raising both eyebrows and smirking slightly, "I only see you so far, and you seem to be still a boy."

"It passes with age," I muttered in response.

What does she understand?

"Don't sulk," Mai chuckled, "I was just joking. A real man, another might have run away in your place."

My chest involuntarily puffed up, and my nose lifted to the sky. That's also apparently the built-in software of all femme fatales - she didn't say anything much, but it feels like I want to defeat three more wolves right now.

And it doesn't even matter that last time it was pure luck.

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