66 - Tea and Chat with Iroh

Far away from the village on the other side of the island, Acnologia lay there in his small form resting his head on his paws as he watched Levi in a clearing in front of him.

Currently, Levi was moving his hands in circles in front of him in very specific patterns, he was trying to use lightning bending! But it seemed his luck wasn’t that good as he couldn’t produce even a little spark.

[Ding]

[Fire bending Leveled up +1]

“Ha-ah, at least it wasn’t for nothing.” said Levi out loud while sighing.

‘What wasn’t for nothing?’ came Acnologia’s telepathic question as he tilted his head to the side in confusion.

“Nothing bud, I am just rambling.” replied Levi, Acnologia didn’t know about the system and he wasn’t planning to tell him or anybody else for that matter.

Taking a deep breath in Levi couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling of the air filling his lungs before being pushed out, he didn’t know if it was because he had unlocked his air bending or because the air on the island was fresher than his home or maybe a mix of both but he didn’t care either way as he enjoyed it to the fullest.

And although he was resistant to cold it was nice not to be in a cold place all the time.

‘Speaking of air bending.’ thought Levi as he took a deep breath in before he started going through air bending motions familiarizing himself with it.

It wasn’t long before the air started responding to him and going faster and faster around him following his movements.

Levi couldn’t help but marvel at the bending power system, it was different from every other power system he’d seen so far, it was like the elements became a part of him and responded to his will, and at advanced levels he didn’t even have to move his body to bend that element it was truly a wonder of its own.

Although it had its disadvantages, except fire the bender couldn’t generate his own element which some other systems usually could.

Acnologia seeing Levi air bending was surprised for a second but he didn’t think about it too much, he had seen Levi do a lot of unexplainable stuff before, just his ability to bond with spirits and give them physical form was inconceivable, so being able to bend another element wasn’t all that surprising.

While Levi was having an easy time bending the air and moving it according to his will, he couldn’t level it up for now, and he also couldn’t do what Raava did during their fight and compress the air to use it as defense and replicate infinity no matter how hard he tried.

He wasn’t discouraged though, he had all the time in the world to level up his air bending and master it, he knew that one day he would reach such levels.

***

“Ughh, this is too hard.” complained Sokka as he threw the iron folding fans into the ground and held his head.

“Well you won’t master it in one day, even I am not that good and I am the best on this island.” said Suki with a little bit of pride in her tone, Sokka wanted to call her up on being cocky but he couldn’t retort she was indeed the best on the island aside from his group.

“Although that begs the question, how long had your brother been practicing with them for?” asked Suki as she looked at Sokka in curiosity waiting for his answer.

“What? Levi? I doubt he had ever used them his entire life. I guess this is the first time.” replied Sokka casually before he bent down and picked up the iron folding fans from the ground.

But his casual reply had left Suki stunned for words before her expression turned a little bit upset, “That's not funny you know, if you didn’t want to answer you could have just said so.” she said in a slightly angry tone.

“Suki, I am not kidding.” replied Sokka seriously this time, seeing her not believing him, “It is not his style, he is more of a spear type of guy.”

Hearing Sokka’s reply Suki felt as if her world had been turned upside down, she could tell that he wasn’t joking, she had spent her entire life training and mastering her skills, spending every day honing them, shedding tears, sweat, and blood and breaking bones until it was ingrained into her every fibre.

And now someone who had never even held a pair of Kyoshi iron folding fans in his life was wielding them better than she ever could, and his main weapon wasn’t even that close to them or resembled them, it was a spear, and above all else, he was a master water bender from what she had seen, when did he have time to practice and perfect all of that?

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‘Life is truly unfair.’ lamented Suki inwardly, her mood hitting rock bottom.

“Suki, Suki you there?” Sokka kept calling to her but Suki showed no response as she kept staring at him in a daze, deciding that he had tried the soft approach enough sokka held his folding fans and hit Suki on the head lightly, but that was enough to wake her up from her daze.

“Hey, why did you do that for?” complained Suki as she held her head in pain.

“Because you young lady weren’t listening to me.” Said Sokka in a light tone.

“I’ll show you the young lady.” said Suki as she rushed at him and they started another round of sparring.

***

“Hahaha, Aangi wait up.” screamed a young girl as she ran after Aang followed by at least a dozen other girls.

“Aangi!? Ugh, disgusting.” muttered Katara as she watched this scene from afar.

“Oh? Is my cute little sister jealous?” came a voice from behind her turning her pale before she jumped in fright, only to relax when she saw who it was.

“Ha-ah, Levi you got to seriously stop doing that, you're going to give someone a heart attack one of these days.” said Katara sighing as she complained.

“Come on it can't be that bad.” said Levi rolling his eyes, although inside he was feeling a little bit awkward, it was a habit that he picked up in the spirit world to keep his stealth active at all times, after all threats lurked at every corner there.

“No, it.is.that.bad.” said Katara putting emphasis on every word, “I can’t even feel you sneaking up on me, and it is even worse when you do it at night.”

“Well I can kind of see your point.” said Levi awkwardly as he scratched his head and looked away.

“And I am not jealous.” said Katara, finally remembering Levi’s words.

“Whatever you say sister.” said Levi as he walked away waving his hand.

“Hey Katara, come play with us.” came Aang’s excited voice from afar.

“NOO.” replied Katara shouting, almost scaring the young avatar to death before she turned and walked away.

“What’s her problem?” asked one of the girls next to Aang to which he just shrugged indicating that he didn’t know.

***

‘If I am not wrong, Zuko shouldn't be far off now.’ thought Levi as he stood on top of a high cliff overlooking the ocean, he remembered how the events would have unfolded in the show, the word would have gotten out by now that the avatar was on Kyoshi island.

He didn’t know why but he remembered the events of the show from his past life really well, he didn’t know whether it was because of his Gamer’s mind or because of his increased intelligence state but either way he wasn’t complaining.

‘Found them.’ came Acnologia’s telepathic message, he had sent him to scout for fire nation ships some time ago and it seemed he had finally found them.

‘Good, keep a high altitude so they don’t see you and fellow them.’ Instructed Levi before he turned around and walked towards the beach.

***

It wasn’t long before Levi spotted a fire nation ship sailing at full speed towards him from the horizon, ‘Should I topple them?’ thought Levi, with just a little bit of effort he could bend a wave so big it would destroy the ship before anyone could react, but he quickly dismissed that thought.

‘Damn intrusive thoughts.’ thought Levi shaking his head.

‘Power can really be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands.’ thought Levi, for example someone else might not have dismissed that thought and might have just killed them for the fun of it, after all what can they do?

Levi was broken out of his thoughts when the Fire Nation ship reached the shore but it didn’t stop it drove straight into the sand splitting it apart before lowering its front like a ramp.

From it came Zuko followed by three Fire Nation soldiers each riding on an animal that resembles a Rhino.

Seeing Levi Zuko's eyes frowned before he spoke, “You? So the avatar is really here, stand in my way and you will regret it.” said Zuko in a threatening tone of voice.

“Please be my guest.” said Levi with a slight smile as he stepped aside letting Zuko and his man pass.

Levi wasn’t that worried about them, they wouldn’t stand a chance against his siblings and Aang, let alone with the Kyoshi warriors added into the mix, at worst they’d burn a few houses but that wasn’t his problem.

Zuko was surprised seeing Levi open a path for him so easily but he didn’t have time to ponder over it as he sped up towards the village. After Zuko disappeared from his field of view Levi turned and walked up the ramp of the ship.

“Stop right there?” a stern voice called out from the deck of the ship as a firebender aimed a ball of fire at him ready to fire it at any moment.

Before Levi could reply an aged voice that brought a smile to Levi’s face sounded, “It’s alright let him through.” Iroh appeared beside the fire bender looking down at Levi.

“But General Iroh, he is friends with the avatar.” said the firebender.

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? Stand down now or you’ll never get to taste my tea again.” said Iroh which made the firebender's face turn pale white as if Iroh had just threatened his whole family before he backed off.

Shaking his head in amusement Levi walked inside the ship.

***

In a room decorated by Fire Nation banners was Levi and Iroh sitting on the ground on either side of a low table.

None of them spoke as Iroh slowly removed his hand from the bottom of a teapot, he had just finished brewing tea using fire bending, Levi could tell that there were some intricacies to it as Iroh sometimes lowered the temperature before raising it again at random times, ‘I guess the way tea is prepared can also affect the taste’ thought Levi

Retrieving two cups Iroh first poured Levi a cup of tea before he poured another one for himself, “Thank you for taking it easy on my nephew, I tried to speak to him but he just wouldn’t listen.’ said Iroh, finally breaking the silence.

“It’s no problem Uncle Iroh, it is the least I can do for that gift of tea leaves from last time.” said Levi, he had tried to sparingly use Iroh’s tea leaves during the past few years, but it still ran out in the end, ‘Plus that darn old man had nearly borrowed half.’ thought Levi remembering how Tenzin sometimes came to borrow his tea leaves and other times he’ll claim he wanted to spend time with his student and ask him to brew some tea, ‘Funny how he didn’t want to spend any more time with his dear student when the tea ran out.’ thought Levi in a sarcastic tone.

Hearing Levi call him uncle Iroh was secretly pleased, he had asked him to refer to him as uncle years ago but he didn’t think Levi would still remember or even care, after all Iroh knew better than anyone how time and power can change a person.

“It might not seem like it but he is not a bad person, he has a heart of gold actually, but he had just lost his way.” said Iroh with a tired tone of voice, Levi could hear the sadness in his tone.

“I know Uncle Iroh and I have a feeling it won’t be long before he finds his path again, although he might have to get over a couple of hurdles first.” said Levi mysteriously as he sipped his tea.

Hearing him Iroh was stunned for a long while before he burst out laughing, “And here I thought at this old age nothing could surprise me anymore, but you my young friend are full of surprises.” said Iroh as he stopped laughing.

He didn’t know why but he was happy someone else beside himself could see the good in his nephew, he was an old cunning man even if he didn’t look like it, so he knew Levi meant every word that he said which made him even happier.

“Well what can I say I am just built like that.” said Levi arrogantly, nodding his head constantly while sipping his tea. Making Iroh laugh even louder.

“Hahah indeed you are my young friend.” said Iroh.

After that Levi and Iroh just sat there and talked nonstop, not minding the passage of time, Iroh talked about his young days while Levi talked about his time in the spirit realm, before they knew it Zuko had come back barging in on them while drenched in water.

“THEY’VE ESCAPED.” he screamed as he slammed the door open but soon his eyes went wide as he noticed Levi before he launched a fireball at him. Or that’s what he tried to do before the water on him froze him into a statue.

***

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