Side chapter - Tea with a friend - E

Michael carefully held the cup with his right hand, not afraid to break it after long practice with other things. Even before his death, he learned to control power using glass balls. He was given ultra-thin glass balls and his task was to hold them in his right hand and not break them. Simple, but effective.

Unfortunately, getting used to having your hand back was harder than that, but he still managed, even if his training had added a couple of new scars to his palm.

He took a sip of tea and placed the cup on the ground in front of him. He told Iroh everything that had happened to him, from his death to the harassment by the Spirits. Of course, he didn't say anything about the Goddess who visited his dream, that would be rude to her. Now Michael was just waiting for Iroh to regain his voice.

Usually, when people encounter the unknown, they react in different ways. Some people are afraid of the unknown, some people try to explain the unknown, and some people just accept the unknown. Because there is always something bigger in the world.

But Iroh wasn't like that. He saw the world with his own eyes and preferred to learn rather than just accept everything. He knew that he would never know everything that is in this world and did not want to know it. He didn't need that much headache.

"Why tell me this?" The old man asked with interest.

"Because sooner or later I'll have to tell this to someone. And I decided to tell the person who knows how to keep secrets. Seriously, I don't know how your nephew hasn't caught the Avatar with his naive mindset yet."

Iroh chuckled, he knew that if he really tried, the Avatar would be caught sooner rather than later, but the world needed balance, so he didn't even try.

"Whose mindset? Avatar's or Zuko's?"

Michael just shrugged. Both still have their rose-colored glasses of optimism, even if the frames are cracked and the lenses are dirtied.

"Haaa... Well, we learn something new every day. I'll have to say hi to Jasmine when I die, she sounds like a good woman."

"Nah, this world is under the supervision of the Spirit of Death, if I remember correctly. But I think she'll appreciate the thought."

As far as Michael knew, every world had A Grim Reaper, but Jasmine was THE Grim Reaper. The Top Dog so to say. She obviously didn't deal with common cases.

"Huh. Who would've thought?"

For a couple of minutes, the wounded teen - young adult, really - and the retired General just sat there and drank tea, neither of them said a word. Iroh was still thinking about life and all the strange things that Michael had told him. And Michael was just trying not to fall asleep, he most likely had a concussion or seven.

"Michael, do you know why this Spirit chose you?" Iroh suddenly asked.

"Wha-? Oh, well, I don't know, maybe because I'm from another world?" Sarcasm almost dripped from his words. "He said it himself. Something about me being the exception to the rule for not belonging to this world."

Iroh silently nodded and decided to take the conversation in a different direction.

"You will have to look for an exit. There are such passages in places with connections through strong Spirits, a good example is Silver Lake. You'll need to find a Spirit who can help you leave, and I don't think Gotl will help you cross the barrier."

"Do I need help? Can't I just step over myself?"

"No, no... Only Spirits or people with a strong connection with Spirits as the Avatar are capable of this."

Michael frowned. He was sure that he was simply thrown into the passage and he ended up on the other side. Does a Spirit need to hold the one passing by the arm, or is it enough for them just to think that the person will pass through the barrier? Judging by his memories, all the Spirits dragged people into their world with their bare hands, so his transition did not make any sense.

He decided to drop it for now.

"What am I supposed to do then?"

Iroh stroked his beard in thought and sighed heavily.

"According to legends, at the South Pole, there is a portal to our world through which anyone can come through. If along the way there you find a Spirit who agrees to help you, then good. But for now, your best option is to go to the Pole."

Knowing that he probably had no other choice, Michael just nodded.

"If you meet my friends, tell them to look for me at the South Pole."

Michael breathed deeply and stood up from the ground leaning on his staff. The teenager didn't even twitch from the pain in his whole body, he had already managed to get used to it.

"Oh, and tell your nephew that when I finish my training as a Healer, I'll heal his scar. His shitstain of a father shouldn't leave his mark on him. Nobody deserves that."

Iroh's eyes fell on the glove on Michael's right hand and he frowned. Looking at the teenager with new understanding, the General just nodded. Michael stopped for a second and looked over his shoulder at his new comrade.

"Thanks for the tea, old man, the next one's on me."

The old man only laughed.

"I'll be waiting!"

As Michael disappeared into the thick forest, Iroh lost his smile and frowned deeply. He set his cup on the ground and looked at Michael's footprints.

"Does one remain a human even after death?"

Silence was his answer.