The Expert Surfaces

"Are you sure about this?" Iroh questioned. It was already night and it has been three days after their return from the camp to Lake Laogai and this happened to be a rare night where Nik didn't return to his personal world but instead stayed out with Iroh.

Both were a little troubled.

Iroh, because he had to hear an earful from a very angered Ursa as to how he could keep the fact about her children leading a rebellion against a very dangerous man, and she just... crumbled when it came to giving Nik the same earful and instead floundered before blushing, stomping her feet, and calling it a day from the store.

Nik, on the other hand, felt quite... awkward. Not because of Ursa's family problem or the fact that Katara was itching to enter Phoenix City to search for her father. The former wasn't his problem in the first place and the latter was suspended for just a little while as Nik revealed his suspicion of the situation being strange as to how there still hasn't been any retaliation whatsoever from Phoenix City.

No, he felt awkward because...

*Srt*

With a soft spark, his hand was covered in flames that illuminated his face in the dimly lit night as he nodded, "I'm sure... water can heal and bend other... liquid, earthbending can bend lava and metal but the principle is the same as finding minerals in metal to bend them. I wonder if earthbending can be used to heal, too, by some application... Airbending affects the sound, amplifying or lowering it based on its applications. Again, it's not known whether it can heal or not..."

Nik looked at the fire covering his hand, "But I have mastered what I spoke to some extent. When it comes to firebending, the ability can even heal sore muscles and tendons to some extent by warming them up constantly and then there's blue fire... and lightningbending," his words made Iroh blink in surprise as he chuckled, "I never did say anything about Lightning."

"Oh, I knew it from way before. It's kind of dangerous so even I didn't want to practice it without advice if possible." Nik smiled.

"And that caution puts you above the rest of many who are too impatient," Iroh smiled with a gratification visible on his face.

"But... I think I have found a way to burn blue flames," Nik replied as Iroh's smile didn't recede and he waited for his apprentice's words.

"I observed... Azula and she's a... perfectionist. Her nails, despite being long, aren't pointed. She would always pester Jin, Michi, or Poppy to do her hair and this makes me wonder if Ursa has been combing Azula's hair even now. And there are some things I can't even mention," Nik shook his head with a chuckle as Iroh shrugged, "And do me a favor by never telling the poor me those things... at a certain age, an old heart can only take so much."

Well, it was true...

Azula would hungrily eat every creamed hole. She would lick him and clean him up whenever possible as if she wouldn't have it any other way. If Nik thought she was needy before then getting to know her made him realize that as needy and submissive she was... she was a perfectionist in things she wanted to achieve. A perfect submissive slut for Nik, a perfectly needy, ripe, and tight royal pussy waiting to be pounded. A pair of eager and perfect lips waiting to kiss him.

She just wanted to be perfect in everything good, dignified, and depraved.

"Well... blue flames ARE considered perfect in a sense. But are you the same?" Iroh questioned. He knew at the first glance that Azula's blue flames were related to her personality.

"I wouldn't call myself a perfectionist..." Nik mumbled and it was true to a certain extent. He wasn't a perfectionist. Even with Esta constantly demanding nothing but perfection back then, it was hard to maintain himself to such standards but it was long ago. He was aware of his changes quite a bit and even if he wasn't a perfectionist, he was a greedy and lustful man who had started to work towards his more base objectives.

And now, he wanted to master blue flames because it was a viable option and nothing more. He couldn't NOT go for it.

He focused on the flames of his hand and, letting more and more chi burn but all it did was increase the size of the flames. Sure, it grew hotter, but not hot enough.

"Uh," Nik groaned while Iroh frowned, "You're beginning to burn yourself with the exposure you stop controlling at the edges. If you want to be perfect... do it like this."

Nik blinked, not expecting a visual demonstration as Iroh let out a weary sigh and whispered, "Azula is a natural talent. So, she can just intuitively base her actions on her personality. That's what Azula is, talent given form, or in this case, Fire given form. I'm sure Toph and Katara are similar in this aspect regarding their elements... after all, I've battled with many water and earthbenders. The difference is clear."

"But if you're serious about blue flames... you can't just hope to achieve it by being a perfectionist."

As he spoke, orange-red flames covered his palm as he smiled, "Blue flames are contained, too... something Azula isn't. And that, in itself, shows that her ability to master blue flames surpasses the need for personality alone. You have to fold your flames in. Cover them with chi and not burn them outward. It takes practice and when you feel that it's too much pressure..."

Red flames converged around the tip of his index finger before a spark of blue lit the tiny wick of flame into a haunting blue color in the dead of the night as Iroh exhaled and the flames fizzled out.

"And you wouldn't just happen to teach me about lightning, too, right?" Nik smirked.

"Well, one step at a time. Sure, I'd be a bit cautious in teaching Azula and Zuko that since Azula would just opt to use deadly lightning any time possible, and Zuko... may not just get it quickly. I don't see either of the problems with you."

"Right..." Nik sighed as he silently began training in blue flames. Iroh, of course, kept things unsaid that even if not the whole reason, thinking and having an intent of perfecting one's flames did have some merit in mastering blue flames and that's what Nik began to do.

Aside from that, his morning routine now consisted of focusing on Lava Bending as it was similar to blue flames in this regard. Nik wanted to master whatever was shown to him in this world. This was merely the first world but the sheer mysticism made it clear that he needed to be prepared for worse in the coming adventures.

And just a week of focusing on training as he did back then with waterbending by expending all his chi constantly did him quite a good growth.

Sure... there were a few sour pouts around him that he would focus on training more than... others and they openly vowed to have revenge on him but hey, he won either way.

---

[Name: Nik Faran

Age: 20 (80)

Code: GC—EHG—98034

Authority Rank: 1 (11.03/100)

Paradise: Transmigration

Title: Transmigration Intern

Bloodline: Adonis' Ember (Common)

Physique: 3.6→ 3.8

Mental: 5.7→ 5.8

Energy: 37→ 37.3]

[Stats relative to the most common species through multiverse— Humanoid Homo Sapien.]

[Skills:

1) Freedom Paradox Source: A being unbound by metaphysical shackles and restrictions around itself yet bound by its own. (Additional Info: This skill is bound by an external existence.)

2) Water Element Mastery (Master): The manipulation and enlightenment of elements of water either in nature or through one's own creation in the realm of a master. (Additional Info: Through constant training, a noob turns into an expert and an expert reaches the realm of a master.)

3) Fire Element Mastery (Expert): The manipulation and enlightenment of elements of fire either in nature or through one's own creation in the realm of an expert. (Additional Info: Through constant training, a noob turns into an expert.)

4) Earth Element Mastery (Expert): The manipulation and enlightenment of elements of the earth either in nature or through one's own creation in the realm of a master. (Additional Info: Through constant training, a noob turns into an expert.)

Bloodline—

1) Charm of Adonis: The user's charm can attract the opposite gender and similarly oriented individuals. (Additional Info: This is a passive skill that isn't needed to be actively focused on.)]

He gained the acknowledged skills of mastery for fire and earth only after he got the basics of blue flames and lava bending down. This meant that Sun, Toph, and Azula were, at the very least, experts of their elements but this also made him wonder if Iroh was a master or higher because Nik was only fortunate enough to become a master in waterbending after being able to mimic chi as waves in an ocean.

Well, at the very least, he now had some form of direction as to how to become a master in other elements but his airbending skills were still... pitiful. Part of the reason was a lack of sparring partner and boy, he wished for Aang to return quick enough as they did promise to be at Ba Sing Se, now Phoenix City, before parting in the desert.

Still, that wasn't all. The ability to push forward despite the body's conditions by letting warmth course through his body allowed him to improve physically and using the energy bending technique he got from Dhi made sure that he communicated with Mokshi more and more even if it lacked any words. This helped improve his meditation and thus, his metaphysical stats.

Still, this kind of intense training was exhausting, and the lack of any real sleep surely caught onto him but he had done this enough time to endure the effects. Stretching his arms and legs with his joints letting out satisfying popping sounds, Nik found Katara making tea in the kitchen like usual, idly at that, showing how easy it had become for her to multitask with her waterbending.

"Do you think it'll work?" Katara mused as Jin and Iroh both took their afternoon naps in the corner of the kitchen while Zuko entered the kitchen and huffed, "Three more cups for the old bats!"

"Yeah, yeah," Katara rolled her eyes, not even annoyed at Zuko's annoyance, and just controlled one spiral tentacle of tea before pouring it into three cups.

Zuko glanced at the duo and then frowned, "Is something going on? You rarely visit the tea store nowadays."

"It's because I was training. Just got some time to kill now," Nik smiled, "Want to go drink some wine in the tavern, brother?"

"Tch... don't call me that," Zuko groaned and was about to walk out before questioning, "Are you going to that?"

He pointed at the poster on the wall of the kitchen as Nik nodded, "Of course. Oh, and wear something nice that day. Maybe I can help you score. It's the avatar's job to help people, after all."

Katara and Zuko rolled their eyes simultaneously before he grunted without a reply and exited.

"So?" Katara questioned, "Do you think it will work?"

"Well," Nik looked at the poster of the great circus expected to arrive with the star of the circus inked on the poster... Ty Lee, Azula's childhood friend and Mai's schoolmate from her days in the Royal Academy for Girls in the Fire Nation.

"Well, Azula and Mai seemed pretty sure, especially, Mai, that making Ty Lee agree to help us infiltrate Phoenix City would be easier than crawling through the sewers. Besides—"

*Bang*

The door was pushed open forcefully as Suki walked in with a rolled-up parchment in her hand as she looked a bit dazed, "Hey... guys? There are new posters for the upcoming circus."

Her entrance already stirred Jin and Iroh up as she unfurled the parchment to reveal the poster.

It was the Great Fire Nation Circus again but...

Instead of a girl doing a handstand... the image of a familiar boy with a large mustache and a headful of shaggy hair was inked alongside a background of... Appas.

— We present you, the Grandfather of Sky Bisons—

— The Great Pippinpaddleopsicopolis!—

"This isn't who I am thinking he is, right?" Suki's lips twitched.

Katata and Nik looked at the poster with a dazed expressions.

"Well... the name is inspiring..." Nik, the Nut Cracking Messiah, admired the artistic choice and the deep intent hidden behind the sagely words— Pippinpaddleopsicopolis.

And then he grew excited!

He can finally focus fully on airbending once again!

***

Shoutout to Caleb Zimmerman, Yatatata, Keagan Brown, Alec H, and Dang Tran!!

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