Freak Show (1)

"Hey! You did get dressed up, brother!" Nik chuckled and greeted the fair-skinned youth who barely got the tan even after toiling away on his farm and the store. The youth scowled, his barely long hair pulled back neatly by a black band as he wore a white-trimmed black robe with a white waistband. He certainly stood out with that white pheasant print over the torso of the robe.

"He did and you what's it to you?" Another youth replied. Kei Lo.

"Well, hello to you, too," Nik smiled, "And you barely look adequate. Here I thought that you needed to wear something attractive to gain enough attention."

Kei Lo and Zuko looked at Nik with a stunned expressions. Well... the village was buzzing with excitement since the posters from before all suggested that the Circus would start the very day it sets up, how, the village didn't know but they were excited to see just that. And in this wave of excitement, many would want to claim their chances at... future family planning.

Zuko WASN'T one of them. He'd been forced into this outfit. But...

"I'm adequate? You're wearing washed-up rags!" Kei Lo growled.

Nik pouted and looked down at his training tunic before shrugging off the comment, "I don't need an outfit to stand out, really."

"Exactly~ He'd have enough ornaments to stand out later," a purr echoed as Azula walked out of her home. Well, Nik was here for her anyway as Kei Lo and Zuko gaped slightly. Her hairstyle didn't change that much. In fact, in Azula's own words, she had kept the same hairstyle of two thick locks framing the sides with the only difference being that her hair was too long to be folded into a slated bun, and instead, she used a variety of pins and bands to let out the rest in a ponytail.

Yet, instead of her usual dull tunic and pants, Azula wore a full-sleeved flaming red top with golden collars. The edges of the top itself strained and filled around her royal assets. However not pulling the same stunt as the camp at lake laogai, Azula wore a black, form-fitting garment underneath, the collars of which covered half her neck. A red waistband covered her slender stomach that extended to a similar pair of black, formfitting leggings that stuck around her prominent hips and spankable ass while reaching down her legs. Azula definitely wore the clothes she filled out just nicely. A pair of black slippers covered her feet.

She looked... rightly ravishing. With that twinkle in her golden eyes, that eager smirk, and finally, as her arms hooked around his waist before she planted a peck on his lips leading to a muffled purr, "And besides, some of us asked him not to wear anything too good. We're still trying our hardest in the quest to get Zuzu laid, after all~!"

"W-wait... you and him?!" Kei Lo exclaimed as Azula raised her brow and sent the youth a bemused, sidelong stare, "Oh, you can make observations, how cute. Still, I would like to thank you for helping me and Zulon play our part as the Blue Devil."

Zuko's expression changed and before he could interject, Kei Lo blurred, "You... told her? Hey... does he know, too?"

He pointed at Nik with a confused expression as Azula narrowed her eyes.

"Zulon didn't tell me anything. You just did. Oh, well, enjoy yourself." Azula scoffed lightly, shooting a glare at Zuko as he wouldn't admit back then that he had shared this secret with someone else but now that it was clear... Nik and Azula knew that they had to even consider the fact that Kei Lo could be a spy, too, and everything they have done could already be known to their enemies.

Still, Azula didn't try to fish for the fact whether Zuko gave away their real identities or not, too. That was too risky.

"Look, I didn't—" Zuko began while Kei Lo grew awkward. Yet, the sound of the door closing behind them stopped as a curious chime echoed, "Hmm, you boys still haven't left? The quicker we arrive, the better our seats will be."

Ursa locked her doors, keeping a cool expression and wearing the same clothes as usual. Slightly washed-up brown robes with a black waistband and her long brown locks pulled back in a curve that held the strands of her hair behind and she let the rest of her hair flow down. Although aged somewhat, the Queen definitely looked... well, in Nik's humble opinion, a proper ride if... their previous affair was indicating enough.

She let her gaze stray over Azula as she held Nik's hand, sticking her body onto him with a proud expression, and was quite surprised that Nik, of all people, wasn't all that ready.

"Hello, Ursula," Nik regarded the woman with her moniker around and allowed his gaze to take her form properly for a second, she felt it, before adding, "Thanks for agreeing to let me take Azu with me. Oh, and Michi and Poppy wanted to sit with you so they're waiting in the Tea Store."

Ursa nodded plainly as she felt a little incensed at Azula's wide smirk. The girl had only gotten unruly now that she had leverage over her mother. Going as far as not doing chores for days! But... what could Ursa do but grind her teeth in frustration at her daughter's lack of regard?

"Hmm, thanks. I'll meet them now. You kids should go and enjoy." Ursa smiled and pecked Zuko's forehead, making him shuffle where he stood in embarrassment as his throat rumbled with a groan while Azula leaned forward, too, letting her mom kiss her head, too.

"And be careful!" Ursa looked at Azula seriously as the girl licked her lips mischievously, "Mother, of course, I'll be careful. You know that better than most how... deliberate I can be."

Ursa narrowed her eyes. If she felt embarrassed for the first few days then now... she only felt anger. The girl was asking to be disciplined at this point.

Scoffing internally, she left, leaving the four outside their house as Azula cooed, "So? Who else is going to be there and... why didn't you doll up just a bit."

"I was training with Toph until a few minutes ago," Nik shrugged and revealed, making even Zuko interested, "Well, June said she had already seen the circus outside of Phoenix City. But the rest are ready."

He didn't need to add the rest were still in the personal world waiting to be called out.

"Tch... lucky bastard," Kei Lo grumbled under his breath as Azula heard it and raised her brow, "Kei Lo, jealousy is a bad look. No wonder Zuzu never got lucky. Your face scares so many of the villagers away."

"Oh, please," Kei Lo crossed his arms, "Zulon is fine as it! You'll see how he charms away the most popular one of the Circus!"

"You mean Pippinpaddleopsicopolis?" Nik inquired.

"What? No!" Zuko snapped before blushing, "I... wanted to try asking Ty Lee out... you know." He sent Azula a knowing look since they were both familiar with the young girl from before they left the palace.

"Ah, her," Azula noted, and Nik briefly glanced at her, observing a hint of annoyance flashing on her face whenever Ty Lee was mentioned. Even Mai was the same except... her scowl was even deeper, making Nik wonder what Ty Lee did exactly to garner such a united front from the two who would hate fuck each other all day long.

"Oh, well, I hope you get the girl this time," Azula shrugged and even Nik groaned, "Was that necessary?"

Zuko scoffed and remarked, "I don't need your prayers."

"Oh, come on. With your track record, you need all of our prayers. And just a suggestion. Lose the Kei Lo and you know... take a pet monkey instead, to have an icebreaker for conversations," Azula smirked.

"Hey!" Kei Lo scowled.

"Oh, look at that, maybe you don't need a monkey after all," Azula beamed as the chaotic little minx she was.

---

The great Circus was supposed to last for a week. It settled near the most prosperous village— Old Ba Sing Se, and would have the same shows for the entire week before finalizing its tour in Phoenix City by performing for Phoenix King himself. The seven days in Poor Man's Land were done specifically to let everyone have the chance to enjoy the circus since many villages were as far as a few days from Old Ba Sing Se.

Nik and Azula saw a large number of caravans quickly being undone and then turned into an even larger camp filled with various small tents and one humongous one as wooden step seats were set up quickly. The participants of the circus weren't seen anywhere and it was made clear that they will only tour around the village after the first day of the show...

But...

*Chrrrt*

A flying lemur located Nik quickly.

"What's that?" Azula yelped as Nik chuckled and pulled Momo out from his face and held him in front of his gaze, grinning, "Nice to see you, too, Momo. Want to join us?"

Many early visitors were allowed to view the temporary stable of the Flying Bisons as one particular furry titan walked towards the edge of the fence, making many villagers startle and back away. But Nik's smile widened further, "Appa! Man, I missed you a lot, buddy!"

Nik patted the big guy's nose, "And you look better than usual... woah, that's one glossy coat of fur and... is that... wait, you brushed your teeth?"

*Graaggggghhhh*

Appa opened its mouth and let out a soft growl but instead of the usual stench... it was a wave of mint that assaulted Azula's and Nik's senses.

"Huh... having a good life, are we?" Nik chuckled while Momo climbed onto Appa once again before he waved his hand. The two, after all, showed enough sentience to understand emotions if not human words, "Go on, I would feel bad if you two didn't warm up before your stunt. I look forward to it."

The eyes of both the animals lit up as Appa was actually being followed by two other Sky Bisons, hopefully, female, as they sniffed his tail at times.

'Huh... who knew Appa's the real player in Aang's team,' Nik chuckled at his own words internally and found Azula giving him a sidelong glance amongst the many individuals present.

"Mind explaining what just happened?" Azula questioned as Nik looked thoughtful and shrugged, "The Great Pippinpaddleopsicopolis is actually my other mentor..."

Azula blinked and finally huffed, "Stop saying that stupid name in full constantly!"

"Hey, that name is inspiring!"

"Of course, someone who came up with Nut Cracking blah blah blah would think that!"

Azula snorted in derision, fully knowing if there was one thing Nik didn't like aside from wasting food it was having his sense of... reasonably stupid names questioned. She was right, of course, and was supported by many in his group in this regard but... that didn't make things better as Nik crossed his arms as they walked towards the seating region and grumbled, "Then wait till you meet Pussy Pounding Messiah later tonight..."

"Now... that's a name I can get in front of~!" Azula smirked, always happy to be punished and in this case... pussy pounded.

The duo quickly got to their seats with the ticket issuer stunned as girls seemingly appeared one after another from behind Nik as if he was a clown cart personified!

Toph... being blind, excused herself and decided to pound plates of iron in with her fist. June, too, tried to just play around with earthbending. Even if her level was pitiful, there was one thing the bounty huntress knew and that was practice makes perfect. And now, after so many years, she had something exciting to train aside from easy Kyoshi Training given how she'd fought her entire life.

As for the rest, aside from Poppy and Michi who would accompany Iroh and Ursa, the rest just settled on the front row seats, taking up the entire portion of one of the steps in the front, and waited for the show to begin alongside many gazes trailing the group.

One thing Azula was right about, however. Nik didn't need to wear something fancy to attract attention tonight... well, even without the girls, his body had certainly grown to a great extent and was enough to fill his clothes. Heck, his pecs were bigger than Toph's lovely breasts!

***

Shoutout to Lictor Magnus and Mursel Kenan!!

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