Note: the weird symbol between paragraphs is actually supposed to be a musical bar in musical Western notation. The bar means "silence" as it tells the musician to repeat a full rest. (only the time signature is missing but it turned out to be asymmetrical so I left it out. Oh and no lines..) on ao3, there's moodboards, fanart, links to music and videos and stuff too and the symbols actually do show. So if you're curious, go look up " ThePurpleLotus ao3 " or that and " secrets of silence " and you'll find it. It doesn't show my fic (yet) when only typing the title (yeah I'm gonna go and cry) If I can figure out how, I'll add a link to my profile here. Do keep in mind there are waaay more tags (relationships and other things) there so it'll probably give you spoilers...thought I'd warn for that. Just scroll fast through it haha
Important: I've changed the rating to mature, because there'll be some scenes that I don't want to be responsible for a teenager reading or am not entirely sure it's safe for that age. I mean, I read some mature themes as a teenager but sometimes I wish I hadn't (I don't only mean sex, but also emotional damage etc.). Anyways, I've also decided to age the whole of team Avatar up, instead of only Zuko. It just feels more in harmony then and I feel a bit more comfortable with adding dirty jokes and discussing sexual orientation (not to mention the canon teasing of romance between characters → Zuko/Sokka, Zuko/Aang, Zuko/Katara for example. First I was like 'just pretend that didn't happen' but I do like it ). Anyways, at first I left them the way they were because of plot and personality reasons, but I think I figured it out. So Aang and Toph: 17. Katara: 19. Sokka: 20. Suki: 20. Oh, and Zi You is now 17 too! I'll have to change the dialogue and her behavior in ch2&3 a bit but for now I'm beat so I'll just do that later. BTW the canon relationships will be canon (except for Zuko, although in the comics- spoiler alert - Mai and Zuko break up again, so kinda canon?) so no worries if you ship Kataang and Sukka.
Chapter warnings:
Talking about and remembering a deceased person.
Tinnitus
mention of feeling empty
use of fictional slur (in a hypothetical situation)
I don't know, honestly. Pls let me know if I should add more.
Video links to put at the beginning of the chapter, for you to get a feel for some of the instruments BTS talk about: no pressure, just if you're interested! Techniques will be explained a bit later in the story so no need to worry if you can't or won't see the videos.
watch?v=S9cbs6oSyxU Harry Liu, ruan performance. I can really recommend the whole video even if it's a bit long. There are some amazing moments later on, and I wouldn't want you to miss those.
watch?v=itXBAITH8vc Pipa cover of a C-drama OST called Tian Wen. You see the placement of the instrument as well as finger techniques. In my opinion it's really interesting how the finger technique is going outwards instead of inwards. Not to mention the musician is gorgeous. Important detail haha. watch?v=gcGVwBoic38&t=119s here if you want to learn more about technique and general things about the pipa.
watch?v=ExiRxLwiWMk Erhu cover of a C-drama OST translated as 'The Untamed'. A few seconds in you really see the musician's technique and placement of the instrument.
watch?v=SAFZrh67Pmw Taiko performance of students from 'Senzoku Gakuen College of Music' and a great variety of techniques. I love the synchronized and complex movements. watch?v=heglVG83scA Performance of the famous group 'Kodo, Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble'. It's more playful and joyful than the other and there's a bit more variety in the drums themselves but really, I love both! That's why I included both. I swear I've spent hours going through a lot of Taiko performance videos. Sadly it's always different when recorded. I've read that hearing them live feels like the drums have taken over/replaced your heartbeat and you feel it through your whole body.
watch?v=nt2dKE09SrE Phillipine Fire Poi performance. Bit slow in the beginning but from 1.21 the artist gets going and creates some really satisfying sync points with the music.
watch?v=ndZ_qFCx0B8 Maybe at the end of the chapter? Another Taiko performance from 'Senzoku Gakuen College of Music'. Different kinds of drum ensemble with different elements not seen in both previous taiko performances.
No video of instruments used by the Inuit but I found this passage in an ethnomusicological text:
"An instrument that appears in various guises in northern Quebec and Labrador (Arima and Einarsson 1976; Hawkes 1916; Kaplan 1983:843-846; Lutz 1982; Peacock 1977; Turner 2001 [1894]), Baffin Island (Arima and Einarsson 1976; Bennett 1985), Hudson Bay (Arima and Einarsson 1976) and Alaska (Johnston 1976) resembles a home-made fiddle but typically had only one to three strings. Called a tautirut in northern Quebec, it was usually played on the lap with a sinew-strung bow profile/Peter-Whitridge/publication/293897819_The_sound_of_contact_Historic_Inuit_music-making_in_northern_ "
Chapter 4
Yoongi blew on his green tea. He sat on a cushion on the floor of a back room in Su Tech, above ground this time. He enjoyed a comfortable stillness with the team members who chose to stay and wait for the food.
The steam warmed his cheeks in a comfortable manner, the warmth of the cup traveling through his hands to his whole body. It got him to relax after the stress of learning the existence of a certain four shinobi.
He closed his eyes and breathed. Melodies started filling his head; he hadn't been deaf all his life, and he was thankful for the opportunity to experience sounds and music with ears. These days, he could mainly feel vibrations, but he was thankful for that opportunity too.
Feel and bend them if they traveled through air.
He smiled softly at the memory of him jumpscaring Taehyung when they were in their teenage years. He remembered bending his whispering sound in such a way it sounded as if he was standing really close. Of course Taehyung knew Yoongi wasn't standing really close, but that was what made it so unexpected. He would never forget Taehyung's face.
He had to pay for their snacks the whole week though, but it was worth it.
The door of the shop flew open and Yoongi almost spat out his tea at the sudden movement. He was too lost in thought to notice the vibrations of footsteps.
Ye Xiu held open the door while Seokjin, Jungkook and Hoseok followed, carrying food for lunch. Hoseok held his white cane with red stripes in his other hand.
Ye Xiu's face was schooled and even his eyes didn't betray too much emotion. However, his aura contained an anger Yoongi wouldn't want to see exploding.
"Hello everyone! We had some trouble along the way, but the food's here!" Seokjin signed after his hands were free.
"Trouble?" Yoongi asked.
"An arrow almost got us. I tried to close in but they ran away. Probably noticed firing more arrows would only reveal their position," Ye Xiu answered. "I'll probably have to hide underground. Sorry for bringing you in danger. I genuinely thought my arm and house being broken was enough for them to back off."
"It's fine, we're trained," Seokjin laughed it off. "Now, food!"
"Trained or not, I want to avoid danger," Ye Xiu mumbled but quickly shut up after Seokjin raised his eyebrows.
Everyone gathered around the table in the backroom of the shop.
Worries were for later.
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Jimin sighed happily after laying down on his futon. Finally things started rolling towards getting on that stage. He got the room furthest away from the front door and Taehyung. He figured Taehyung would want the front door to be close by, if he had to leave the house to get air. Staying as far away from Jimin as possible when sleeping would help too, Jimin had guessed.
He still remembered seeing the surprise on Taehyung's face after he suggested he'd take this room and explained his reasons.
He sighed again, this time not so happily. Hopefully their teamwork wouldn't suffer too much.
Tonight, during and after dinner, they would talk about their public jobs. He looked forward to it, being able to talk about his passion and hearing about other's passions always fired him up. He was also looking forward to playing drums again. He had done taiko (Japanese percussion) drumming, kumi-daiko (taiko ensembles) specifically, and dancing since he was young. Both were taught orally. The drums in the Earth Kingdom were different from the ones at home, but it still felt like home to him. Besides, it was said that the taiko drums stemmed from the ones used in the Earth Kingdom. To be honest, hitting any drum felt like one of the few connections to his home that he was allowed to show. He enjoyed it even more when drumming with others; it created a complex choreography. Drums could be felt by deaf people even without soundbending and for blind people, drums weren't among the most complicated of instruments to learn. It was believed that Chiyome and Byungki got their inspiration for the name of the school by seeing a performance of deaf and blind musicians playing big drums, hitting them in such an artistic way that they were moved to tears.
Speaking of choreography, his dancing reminded him of home too. He changed most of his choreography from home, to not reveal to anyone who might recognize the manoeuvres where he came from. Sometimes, when dancing with others and implementing a story, he used fire poi. It mimicked firebending in a way, and allowed him to dance with fire. He always made sure that he was 'defeated' at the end of the story of the performance though. Big Hit tried doing that differently in the past but the audience wasn't amused. So, he was allowed to show at least this beauty of dancing with fire. He hoped people would someday try to appreciate it as more than 'firebender gets defeated', but he definitely understood people's fear and was fine with being always 'defeated' in the end.
He started unpacking. He heard Hoseok bringing in his own luggage and looked up with sparkling eyes. He was happy to share his room with a close friend. He quickly let Hoseok know after remembering Hoseok couldn't see his sparkling eyes. Hoseok laughed and returned the favor.
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The team cooked together. Namjoon thought it would do for some good team building. It was also to make sure he alone wouldn't be the one providing dinner, because that wouldn't turn out so well.
Thankfully Seokjin, Yoongi and Jimin knew very well what they were doing, and they instructed the others. Jimin was able to adjust the fire to the perfect temperature.
"Could you give a warning when you do that next time?" Taehyung asked, as politely as he could muster.
Jimin looked up, confused. He didn't bend fire, did he? He just let it grow a litte, fueled it with energy. To any person looking in, it wouldn't even have been noticeable that he did it; it just looked like he was warming his hands. Was Taehyung able to sense temperature too?
"Oh, yes, I will," he signed anyway. "Can you sense temperature?" He couldn't resist asking.
"It's more the air pressure that I sense. The water in the air gets pushed around because of the heat, and when you fuel it like you just did, it creates a fluctuation. My mind doesn't realize that the fluctuation will stop, so it starts to stress and thinks the fire will grow and not stop growing. And before you ask- just telling my mind it will stop doesn't work. It's an automatic response. I'm working on it, though."
"Oh." He indeed was going to ask. "Thanks."
Taehyung frowned. "For what?"
"Explaining. You don't owe me anything."
Taehyung didn't answer for a while, trying to wrap his mind around his respectful manner. This man was so nice. He had a warped version of firebenders in his mind that wasn't easily overridden, and seeing Jimin be so different from that version felt… Strange. Or Jimin was the strange one when it came to firebenders.
He suddenly felt guilty about his fear, actually.
? ﾝﾄﾆ ? ?
They started eating a deliciously prepared meal. Turns out that Seokjin, Yoongi and Jimin had another talent hiding under their skin.
"Shall we go round, revealing shortly where your talent lies and what you need for your performance? Then, we can see if we can combine performances to create unit stages, as well as solo stages, or maybe even all of us together, and get the general performance structure down," Namjoon eventually asked, after everyone enjoyed their food in peace for a bit.
"Sure," Hoseok answered. "Can we do that telepathically, though? Kinda hard to eat and sign at the same time."
Namjoon chuckled. "True! We're not supposed to use it for everyday talks, but since we probably won't have a mission announcement on our first day, I think we're fine." He smiled. "Is it OK with you if I start?"
Everyone nodded, some with their mouths full.
"I can't really eat and do telepathy, so I'll just sign. Alright, I'm a rapper, I compose songs and write lyrics, usually drawing inspiration from philosophical concepts and implementing word-play, as rappers tend to do. I can drum, both Earth Kingdom skin drums, as well as rock gongs. Rock gongs are extremely heavy to carry, so usually I just create them at a performance location. It's basically like tuning your bipa (Korean lute). Oh- about the rock gong, I use earthbending to play, so I can play multiple at the same time."
Seokjin almost choked on his food. "Me too!" he still managed to sign in between coughs. Hoseok hit him on the back.
Namjoon's eyes lit up. "You do?"
"Yes, I love it! I love drumming together even more, so," he squealed. "We definitely have to add drums to our shows. I think everyone here has at least drum basics, since we're from Big Hit, so we could either open or close the show with it? Might be a bit too exhausting to open and close with it, like in the end-year shows, as they're more people in those shows to divide roles. We have to still be ready for missions."
Everyone nodded enthusiastically. "True! But it's a good idea. Are there others with more than the basics?" Namjoon added.
Hoseok and Jimin raised their hands.
"Nice! So we have four with more than the basics. You three got the basics?" Namjoon asked, just to make sure. "Don't worry if not, though."
"It's been awhile, but I think, with a quick fresh-up I'm good to go," Yoongi signed.
"For me too," Taehyung added.
"Same," Jungkook followed.
"Alright, then, I think it would be good to open up with a drumming performance? It gets people's hearts going and blood flowing," Namjoon signed. The rest smiled and agreed.
"Alright, shall I go and say what I do? Or were you still naming your talents, Namjoon?" Seokjin smirked teasingly.
"Oh, you're good to go. I'll just quickly write down what we got so far."
"Perhaps doing this during dinner wasn't such a good idea. You haven't eaten that much," Seokjin pointed out.
"Ah, don't worry. I can eat and write very well at the same time."
Seokjin didn't believe him. "I've seen what your clumsy hands tried to put in your mouth during cooking. I'm afraid you'll put your brush in your mouth, thinking it's your chopstick. Ink isn't healthy, you know."
Namjoon chuckled. "You got a point. Alright, just talking then?"
Yoongi smiled. "Sounds fair." He wondered how someone with an aura as powerful as Namjoon's could show unintentional cuteness and clumsiness like he did.
Seokjin chuckled too. "OK, you eat, I sign. Wait, telepathy exists. Alright, I'll eat too, then." He put rice into his mouth. "Here we go: I'm a singer and song-writer, play the bipa (Korean lute, pear-shaped), zhongruan (round Chinese lute, tenor) drumming like Namjoon over there, and I also play a regular gong; the one made of metal instead of rock. That thing sounds haunting I swear. " He paused. "Think that's it," he concluded. "Wait- wait, I can also sing using rock and metal techniques. Have any of you been to an underground rock or metal performance?"
"Rock music?" Jimin frowned. "Haven't heard of it," His curiosity was piqued though. He wondered why he never got a glimpse of their existence.
"Oh sweetie, you're missing out!" Seokjin clapped him on the back. He looked at the others who also looked confused. "Oh c'mon...One Ok Rock? The lead singer is a good friend of mine by the way. C'mon they're also popular above ground! The Rolling Stones? Cherry Filter? Day6? Dreamcatcher? Black Stones? I love Nana's voice," he quickly added. "Galneryus? Syu is crazy on the pipa (Chinese lute) Never heard of them?" He looked baffled. "The HU? I swear, just let them sing 'Wolf Totem' and the Fire Nation soldiers will run to their mommies. That raised fist and saying 'HU HU HU' is doable by everyone."
Some members let out a chuckle.
"I'm not sure the Fire Nation will be intimidated by just a raised fist…" Yoongi added, his face a mixture of amusement as well as sadness.
"You'd be surprised by how many people feel threatened by a raised fist... I mean- lots of people feel threatened by people who stand up for themselves and others."
"I meant more in the sense that they won't just leave because of it."
Namjoon nodded and the corners of his mouth turned down. "Sadly so. I mean, people shouldn't feel threatened but rather empathize, and I'm sure us doing our part in battle doesn't help with people not feeling threatened, but what is there to do when solidarity and peaceful attempts have been shut down or ignored? I imagine the way for change, then, would be to push harder in a more direct direction." He paused for a bit. Everyone kept quiet, partly because of their own heads mulling over what he said and because they saw Namjoon wasn't really done yet. And indeed, a few seconds later he continued. "Besides, I wonder how the Fire Nation portrays the Earth Kingdom…probably in an inaccurate and unnecessary violent way: 'Poor Fire Nation soldiers, who only serve the world for the greater good, getting attacked by "dirt" from the Earth Kingdom'," he mocked. "Like, I don't always feel good about what we do, but we are pushed to fight back!"
"Yes, I agree! In my opinion there's no need to overthink here; they started it, we fight back and we have every right to. You're always welcome to talk to me if you're feeling conflicted, though! But wow, how did we arrive here? Is it alright if we go back to the previous topic? Really, none of you know these music groups?" Seokjin sent.
"I've heard there were these secret music genres and subcultures going on, is that what you mean? Oh wait- I know One Ok Rock...Taka is the singer, right?"
"Yes! That's- Namjoon, eat."
"I am eating!"
"You just held a whole rant! Don't get me wrong, I agree-"
"Why do they need to be secret?" Taehyung asked.
"Because they use soundbending in a, like, very obvious way," Seokjin explained. "They distort the natural sound of voices, pipas (Chinese lutes), bipas (Korean lutes), ruans (round Chinese lutes) and drums in such a way they get louder, like really loud, usually. They also make their daruans (bass Chinese lutes) louder, so you really feel that bass, even if you're not a soundbender, it's great! Wait, I think the strings of the daruan are bigger than usual too, but I'm not sure." He paused for a second, thinking. Then he continued when he failed to remember. "Anyways, through soundbending the sounds also get this, uhm, rough quality to their sound? Like, the singer does it with their vocal technique, but the other musicians are usually soundbenders or collab with soundbenders."
"Oh that sounds really cool!" Taehyung gleamed. "Can you take me to a concert someday?"
"Sure! There's one this week, actually, a collaboration stage of Black Stones and Cherry Filter. Anyone else interested?"
The rest nodded.
"Alright, I'll see if I can get seven tickets!"
"We have to make sure there's time to go, so with that in mind, can we go to the next person? Yoongi?" Namjoon asked.
"Wait, I still have one question!" Taehyung interrupted. Namjoon nodded so Taehyung continued. "Why is it called 'rock' and 'metal' music? I mean, most instruments are made of wood and soundbenders invented it, right? Wouldn't the name have something to do with air or wood then?"
"Ah, yes that's indeed a little strange. But, as far as I know, they use 'rock music' as the name of the genre because people from the Earth Kingdom invented it. They wanted to make it clear that that was the case, from what I know. Same with metal, as metal is made of earth," Seokjin answered. "It's inspired by rhythm and blues, which also originated in the Earth Kingdom. It's said that at least two people had a really big influence: Sister Rosetta and Chuck Berry. However, not much is known about them and their backstories are lost."
"Oh no- I hope we find them back someday."
"Did you just-"
"Can we go to the next person now?" Namjoon interrupted.
Yoongi nodded. "Alright, I'm a rapper, componist, song-writer and a player of the sogeum (small Korean bamboo flute) and pai xiao (Chinese pan flute). Both flutes aren't my specialty, though, I had to study psychology too. I can also dance...if asked."
"If asked?" Jungkook asked.
"I don't particularly enjoy it, but I do appreciate the composition of multiple dancers working together and would like to fill in missing pieces."
"He's lying, he actually likes it," Taehyung added. Yoongi just smiled a tiny little bit.
"Oh, this got me thinking, has everyone had dancing classes? Perhaps we can close the show with a dancing performance with all of us? Maybe rapping, singing and dancing combined?"
"Sounds lovely, but that makes us less exhausted than a drumming performance, because?" Seokjin laughed.
Jungkook flushed. "I mean, we could...only do that when we know we won't have a mission soon?"
"I'd love to," Namjoon started. "But sadly sometimes missions get announced unexpectedly, and we have to be prepared."
"But would that mean we could also get mission announcements during performances?"
"No, because Big Hit is in charge of our performance schedules, so they know when we really can't jump into action."
"Oh yes, forgot for a second there."
"But Jungkook, we'll keep your lovely idea in mind for when the war is over!" Namjoon smiled.
"When? Not if? Someone's optimistic…" Taehyung added.
"Gotta keep hope alive," he smiled still, his dimples showing.
Hoseok suddenly dropped his chopsticks on the table. "I was thinking of getting stage names too! Have you already thought about what you want to be called?"
Yoongi smiled. "I haven't, but I think you have?"
"I have indeed! I was thinking of 'J-Hope'," he signed. "I want to give people hope in these times!"
"That sounds very nice!" Namjoon signed, his demeanor enthusiastic. "Then where does the J in the name come from?" Namjoon asked.
"From Jimin!" Hoseok answered, smiling brightly.
Jimin as well as Taehyung choked on their kimchi. With watering eyes Jimin eventually looked up at Hoseok, confusion written all over his face. "Why me?"
"Because you're from the Fire Nation and you're very sweet. Gives me hope the Fire Nation will eventually reform."
Jimin looked baffled as well as touched. He didn't know how to answer. "Hoseok…" he eventually signed. "I got a ...different education than most people from the Fire Nation. I mean, I'm flattered, but I grew up differently; different environment. I'm from Bhanti Island. It's an island full of kind and spiritual Fire Sages and Fire Sages in training. The Fire Nation basically forgot we exist, or think we're useless because we stay out of their business and refuse to participate in the war. Or they think we're not even worth being forced to participate," he started rambling, without really understanding why. It felt weird. Hoseok actually mentioned what Jimin was hoping to achieve by educating other firebenders. Did he actually not believe in the reality of that happening? No- he did. His eyes flashed with determination. "Of course, I will do everything within my power to educate the Fire Nation about the way firebending should be practiced. But I'm not even allowed to reveal that I'm a firebender, so how will I be able to show people that fire isn't only about destruction?"
"Yes, I wonder how...you guys sure love burning stuff," Taehyung added. "Are you sure your perspective isn't a little naive?"
Jimin bristled. "Isn't your perspective a little pessimistic?"
Taehyung's lips curled in a sneer. "I wonder why I'm pessimistic…You just told us that most firebenders are educated differently. Education isn't undone in a minute."
"I never meant I could do it fast!" Jimin answered, movements sharp out of anger.
The other members tensely kept still. Namjoon cleared his throat. Jimin and Taehyung, who could both hear him, stopped signing and looked at him.
He started signing. "I think, for team building, it will be good to have a conversation about this tension I'm noticing between you two. I won't ask any member of the team to put their trauma on the table for us to scrutinize, but it would be good if we can find a way for you two to work together effectively."
Taehyung breathed to calm himself. "I apolo-"
"There's no need to apologize; not after not having talked or expressed properly; that doesn't really do anything. Understanding does. Fight or kiss if that's what's needed to resolve tension. I'm all for not bottling things up."
Taehyung and Jimin sputtered, their hands moving but not really saying anything. Yoongi's lips twitched.
"Oh sorry, force of habit," Namjoon laughed. He tended to use that when in an argument himself; he loved to bring his opponent off guard by taunting them about wanting to kiss him. Of course, only after the person didn't listen to his facts. "I mean, don't be afraid of a fight. As long as we talk afterwards, you can fight all you want." He smiled.
"I mean this about the whole team, by the way," Namjoon continued. "If there's a disagreement, please be vocal. You don't have to worry about not being heard."
The team members nodded and showed their appreciation. Jungkook even noticed his eyes burning.
"Well then, back to the topic. Is there anything you know of how we can help you, Taehyung?"
Taehyung had prepared himself for this conversation, but the words still tumbled around in his mind. Eventually he started: "I've noticed my fear of fire has three different kinds of effects when the fear overwhelms me. Two of them are the most common: paralyzing and fighting, so most of the time I either get paralized or I attack. This is because I trained myself to be able to fight while still being afraid. Before that, I usually got paralyzed or fled." He paused. The team waited patiently for him to find his words. "I think, for now, it would be best if Jimin and I get separated as much as possible, while I work on adjusting my responses to my fear."
"Thank you for sharing. I have a question though: would communication between you two not be helpful?" Namjoon asked.
Taehyung grimaced. He knew that was indeed a good idea. Whether he looked forward to that was another thing. "Yeah, but I was thinking about our teamwork during missions, mainly. I'm afraid, the way I'm now, my mind would want me to attack Jimin as well as other firebenders during a fight. Of course, outside of missions, I think it's indeed good to communicate. That will also help me to rewire my brain when it comes to this specific firebender."
Jimin's eye twitched at being called 'this specific firebender', but it wasn't an insult, per se. Just not his name.
"That sounds doable," Namjoon started, touching his chin while thinking. "For missions, I was thinking of assigning duos when it comes to openly fighting. Of course, we'll try to not let it get that far, but when it happens, I think it will be good to let a soundbender team up with a regular bender. I mean, of course our position will be as a team as a whole, but I mean the duos could function like branches of a tree. The tree being the team as a whole." He paused for a second. "In Taehyung's case, it might even be better to get the best chi-blocker from the team to pair up with him, to increase the chances of Taehyung not having to face fire. I recognize you can fight under fiery conditions, but I imagine you're even better having to not face it?"
Taehyung smiled and nodded.
"Alright, but that's for later. Shall we clean up and continue this conversation after?"
The team agreed and helped clean the table and do the dishes. Taehyung was extremely helpful; he bent the water in such a way the rest just had to hold the dishes as he cleaned and dried. His waterbending was strong enough to function like a brush. Bending affected the way the water functioned, even to the point it could cut rock in an instant.
The rest only had to put the tableware at the right places after that.
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The team eventually sat down in the living room, ready to continue their discussion. Namjoon quickly wrote down what they had discussed so far. Then, he directed his attention towards Hoseok.
"Hoseok, can you talk briefly about your talents?"
Hoseok nodded. "I'm a dancer, choreographer as well as a rapper, song-writer and composer. I also play drums...with skin," he added after he remembered Namjoon and Seokjin talking about rock gongs. "And the erhu! (Chinese violin)" He concluded. "Not in public, though," he quickly added after. "Too many complicated questions. Like, singing or drumming would be more understood, as both deal with easily felt vibrations, but string instruments? I'm afraid people would question me too much…"
"But you can play, right? It's a matter of conditioning your fingers to work in a certain way to press and stroke the right string," Jungkook asked, tilting his head curiously. "I'm not saying it's easy, but you could say that-"
"I know, but I meant more in the sense that people would question why I'd even want to play, if I can't feel the vibrations - they think I can't feel vibrations to that extent - and I have to keep them thinking like that."
"Perhaps you could say you enjoy the feeling of the strings?"
Hoseok laughed. "You'd have to be kind of a masochist to enjoy strings cutting in your fingers…not that there's anything wrong with that- in fact, I'd love to get to know someone who- anyways," he stopped himself. "Don't worry I'll give private performances to you guys if you want! I just prefer to prevent difficult questions. My dancing will be raising questions enough as it is; I can say my spatial awareness is really good, though."
The team nodded. Taehyung had brightened when Hoseok mentioned the erhu, but he didn't want to interrupt. Now felt like a good time to jump in, though. "I also play the erhu, so perhaps a duet for the team?" He smiled.
Hoseok brightened too. "That sounds cool!"
"Well, one unit stage decided, then!" Namjoon laughed. "A private one, though."
Then, it was Jimin's turn to talk about himself, but before that, Seokjin had a question. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I was kind of wondering why you wear a mask covering your mouth and nose outside? And whether the name 'Jimin' is a name you chose out of precaution or if it's your given name. Since it's traditionally an Earth Kingdom name, I was kind of curious."
"Oh, don't worry! I can talk about it; I wear a mask out of precaution. I actually grew up with people who aren't my biological parents, and I was brought to Bhanti Island as a baby with a scroll containing information about me. On the scroll it was written that I was sentenced to death-" Seokjin choked on his saliva, " - and that I should cover my face to hide my features. It said my name is 'Jimin', my mother was from the Earth Kingdom - she was called 'Sunmi' - and she had passed away. She had infiltrated the Fire Nation under a fake name and planned to stop the war." Jimin paused and eventually smiled at a memory that suddenly arose. "The people I grew up with had known her as Sunmi, especially the elders. They always used to say that she walked around making the 'ILY' sign at everyone. She had given it her own meaning too, 'Miyane', which means to her to 'protect and love each other forever'. It was the only sign of sign language that she knew, and she had picked it up in the Earth Kingdom. She also used to sing and dance. People say I got that from her…her voice was lower than mine though." He paused for a bit, and his eyes dimmed. "Her last words were 'bring him to safety'. The person who brought me was found dead a few days later."
A pin could be sensed if it fell on the ground. Nobody knew what to say for a bit.
"Your mother sounds like a very brave woman," Namjoon signed.
Jimin nodded. "She was."
"And it's horrible that you were sentenced to death as a freaking baby. I can't imagine what- may your mother rest in power," Seokjin signed. Jimin nodded again.
"Thank you."
Everyone uttered their condolences.
Nobody signed anything for a while, until Jungkook asked: "Did the people you grew up with - do you call them your parents and family?"
"Yeah, I do."
Jungkook smiled. "Did they tell you early on? I can imagine it being a shock," he signed, his eyes showing sympathy.
Jimin smiled at the memory. "They told me on my eighteenth birthday. I was so angry that they didn't tell me earlier that I didn't want to see them for a week and made the candles on my cake burn up in a few seconds. I hid in a cave while they secretly brought food, which I refused at first but I got hungry."
Jungkook looked at him with big eyes. Why did Jimin smile at that memory?
"Oh- you're probably wondering why I'm smiling. I'm fine with them telling me so late now, it's not like I would understand fully at an earlier age I think. I'd most likely have endangered myself trying to get more information. And-" his eyes filled with an emotion that Jungkook interpreted as longing and missing. " - tend to have a bit of a temper and a pretty, uhm, dramatic one. So, looking back they make for some funny stories. My family sometimes tells them during campfire nights to embarass me."
Oh, that was just great, Taehyung thought. A firebender with a temper.
Some members chuckled a bit at the imagery of an embarrassed Jimin surrounded by his family.
Then Yoongi hesitated to ask something, he didn't want to make Jimin feel down, but he was also really curious. "Was your mother part of the Pink Lotus Clan?" he asked telepathically, just in case.
"She wasn't. She had nobody backing her during her plan. The people I grew up with helped her plan her plan though, as she wanted to do it peacefully. But there was nobody assisting her during it, as far as I know. She probably didn't even know of the clan's existence. Bhanti Island started accommodating a Big Hit School just after I was brought, so she couldn't have known."
Yoongi nodded. "She was even more brave, then."
Jimin nodded and averted his eyes. Then, he started talking about his talents and skills to divert from the topic.
"I'm a dancer and choreographer too, a composer, singer - without lyrics though, as I have no tongue - taiko drummer as well as a player of drums from the Earth Kingdom, fire organ and tsungi horn player."
The others blinked a bit at the sudden topic change but rolled with it.
"Oh, a fire organ? I've seen it before, but there are no performances with it in the Earth Kingdom, right? And tsungi horn, is that that big brass instrument that originated from the Fire Nation?" Yoongi asked.
Jimin brightened up at the recognition. "Yes! How did you know? And yeah, the fire organ was invented by a Big Hit firebender, but it wasn't received too well. The Fire Nation people loved seeing it though, so most of the time it's used in performances there."
"Ah, yes, fire is a little sensitive here...and about the tsungi horn, it's fairly well known, but not really common in Big Hit though. I haven't seen many good players, but I did come across this old man who played very well! Guessing by his attire he was from the Fire Nation."
"Yeah, fire is... Although fire poi dances are strangely enough appreciated in the Earth Kingdom. But usually they're used to fake firebending in performances and the dancer 'gets defeated' at the end of the story of the performance. So there's that. And ah yes, I did learn from a firebender who...might be considered pretty old these days. What are the odds you and I are talking about the same person?" Jimin laughed.
Yoongi laughed too. "It was a few years ago, I think. He definitely had gray hair, a round belly and lots of tea standing on a tray beside him."
"Yep, I'm getting really strong suspicions that you and I mean the same person."
"Can I ask who?"
Jimin hesitated a bit, his hands in front of his chest stopping their movements; the name might bring negative connotations with it. But not saying it would feel uncomfortable for him too. "I learnt from the - now retired - General Iroh."
Nobody signed anything for a while, until Jimin felt compelled to let his next words be known.
"He was nice to me. I know he was a General and did bad stuff, and I won't hesitate to fight him if I have to...I just wanted to let you know there's a...good side to him."
Taehyung scoffed. "Oh, good to know, the guy who tried to conquer the very city we live in - a 600 day siege mind you - has a good side to him! We'll just put you in front of us then if we have to face the Dragon of the West. We might just get out alive then," Taehyung remarked, rolling his eyes.
Jimin bit his bottom lip. He should've just not signed that. "Don't worry, I'm not someone who brings their personal feelings into the battlefield," he signed eventually.
Then, he suddenly realized with wide eyes that those words could be interpreted very wrongly. Taehyung's knuckles paled from how tight he clenched them.
"That's not what I-"
"I know."
"But you're still hurt, Taehyung. That's really not what I meant. I'm talking about attachment, not trauma. I think you're very brave for doing what you do despite it."
The team nodded, but stayed quiet.
Then, Jimin hesitatingly raised his hands again. "Can I- Can I ask what gave you the courage to do it? To face, well- us - firebenders? I know we're supposed to stay hidden during our job, but-"
Taehyung breathed in a little deeper than usual. "I've debated with myself a lot about this indeed. But every time I thought of giving up, I thought of every single person who might have to go through what I did if there are not enough people to stop the Fire Nation anymore. And- perhaps the biggest part of it is so I can - maybe - recreate the same situation, but do it differently this time. I want to stand up to firebenders, show them I'm not that little boy who can't fight back anymore." Prove to myself that I'm not that boy anymore. To not have to live with that fear all the time anymore he thought, but couldn't say out loud.
"That's so brave," Yoongi signed. He knew the story, but wanted to show his sympathy again.
The team nodded and agreed. Hoseok touched Taehyung's shoulder in a comforting manner for a few seconds. Taehyung smiled appreciatively.
"Are you alright with switching the topic, Taehyung? Or do you want more off your chest?"
"No, I'm fine!"
"Alright, then-"
"Wait!" Seokjin interrupted. "Can I say something quick about General Iroh first? I don't want to bring him up another time if you don't want to but I kind of wanted to share a theory I had."
"Go ahead," Namjoon replied after checking with the rest.
"I'm not defending him, but there are rumors about him doing his best to let things… unfold as peacefully and humane as possible. But I definitely get that he's awful, but just to see from more perspectives: Perhaps he became a General to order people to let things go as humane as possible?... As far as war can even be humane… "
"Why didn't he stop the war then?" Jungkook asked.
"Perhaps because he's like the only one who wants to stop it? Don't forget the Fire Lord outranks Generals, and Fire Lord Azulon definitely wanted to keep the war going."
"But Iroh was the firstborn right? Shouldn't he have become Fire Lord? He could've stopped the war then!"
"Yes, but Fire Lord Azulon gave the throne to Iroh's brother - Ozai - before he kicked the bucket. Might've been exactly because General Iroh wanted to stop the war...but that's just a theory I had," Seokjin signed.
"Interesting," Namjoon signed. A curious look on his face. But now wasn't the time to think about that for too long. "But anyways, good to know that you are prepared to fight him, Jimin, if push comes to shove. Shall we continue with Taehyung?" Namjoon signed.
Taehyung nodded. "I'm a singer, songwriter, erhu (Chinese violin) player, tautirut (Inuk citer/fiddle) player, dancer, but I haven't trained as long as most dancers-"
"That's fine, don't worry," Hoseok signed. "I've sensed you dance, there's no reason to downplay yourself." He smiled.
Taehyung rubbed his neck while Seokjin clapped his hands. "I've got fast learners here! Although I do admit it's easier to boost others' self confidence than your own." He smiled, remembering the rant he went on in the cave yesterday. He felt proud of his team already.
"Lastly, Jungkook?"
Jungkook startled, lost in his thoughts for a bit. He quickly thought about what to answer. "I'm a singer, dancer, songwriter and I also play the sogeum (small Korean bamboo flute), as well as the daegeum (big Korean bamboo flute). I'm learning the daruan (round-shaped bass Chinese lute) too. I just realized my list is pretty short compared to-"
Seokjin brought his hands to his face, sliding them over his eyes in a frustrated manner.
"-I mean," Jungkook laughed and corrected himself. "Yeah, I focused a lot on ninjutsu and went pretty fast through everything."
"Yeah, fast, indeed," Seokjin made an impressed face. "In more ways than one, I held my breath there during the weapon check-up."
The rest nodded and agreed.
"Wait, does that mean we already know the best chi-blocker among us, then?" Hoseok asked.
"I don't know, want to check?" Jungkook grinned.
"Deal! Wait, can we let our food digest for a bit?"
The team laughed, and decided to play a card game with wooden cards to pass the time and to relax a little. After that they discussed the equipment needed and Jungkook and Hoseok held a sparring match.
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Hoseok chuckles. "I forgot how cold and sarcastic Taehyung was to Jimin in the beginning. Reminds me of someone to be honest."
"Must be something in the water there at the Southern Water Tribe," Zuko remarks. "I know he only stayed there for like nine years, but still."
"Ah, so we were both thinking of the same person," Hoseok laughs. "Still on the same wavelength, after all these years."
Zuko rolls his eyes. "You just had to make it sappy, didn't you?"
Hoseok grins. "Did I just give you the 'oogies', like our sarcastic meat-loving guy would say?"
"That reminds me, did you know Tenzin named his Airbizon 'Oogie'? I'm very conflicted whether I feel endeared or disgusted. How many times would Aang and Katara have kissed in front of him and Sokka for the word to stick that much?"
Hoseok playfully pushes Zuko. "It's human affection, that's not disgusting!"
"It is when you think about it too much. Like kissing is actually just spi-"
"Then don't!" Hoseok signs. He laughs.
"Don't think, and just be."
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A serene looking person with long black hair kneeled in front of a Pai Sho board. They didn't think, and just were.
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"Really Zuko?"
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Their hands were held in front of them, on their soft pink kimono. They exuded calmness and patience.
It required a calm mind to see the clarity of what cherries to pick next, after all.
They held their eyes closed while enjoying the breeze flowing in through the open window. The room smelled slightly of cherry blossom; the fragrance calming them.
A knock sounded on the door of the room.
The person opened their eyes and gave permission for the newcomer to enter.
Levi opened the door and kneeled on the opposite side of the Pai Sho board.
He bowed, his head touching the floor.
"Clan Lord," he said while bowing.
"Levi," she answered. "Is he dead?"
"He isn't. My apologies, Clan Lord."
"Why is he not dead?"
"I made a mistake, Clan Lord."
"How?"
"I tried to make it look like an accident, Clan Lord, but he survived."
"I never told you to make it look like an accident, Levi."
Levi gulped. Her eyes were cold, boring into his own. A shiver ran down his spine. If those strings were here...
"You know why I wanted to make it look like an accident," he whispered.
She clicked her tongue. "Those youngsters already made it look like an attack. There was no reason to make it look like an accident."
"At least, I wanted to-"
"They're not dumb, Levi. Never underestimate your enemy."
Levi gulped again.
"I'm sorry. I will go find him again."
"You better, and don't fail this time. Don't bother with the umbrella, by the way. It's useless for someone else."
Levi raised his eyebrows.
"Understood. But in the case of me failing to kill him, am I allowed to only take the umbrella?"
The Clan Lord scoffed. "You plan to fail?"
"He is not to be underestimated. I'm making sure I know what to do if I fail."
The Clan Lord rolled her eyes. "Fine, then. I suppose it would make it easier for someone like you."
Levi's eye twitched.
It was quiet for a few seconds, until the Clan Lord curved one corner of her mouth upwards and uttered her next words: "Will you play Pai Sho with me, Levi?"
Levi tightened his jaw.
"I'm afraid you already know the answer to that, Clan Lord," he answered.
The Clan Lord smiled, but it chilled the room only further. "I love this mystery. How is it that I can ask you to do anything I want, except for this small thing?"
Levi didn't answer.
The Clan Lord chuckled. She let it slide, exactly because it was such a small thing.
Or that was what she made Levi think.
"You may go," she said.
Levi bowed again, and made his leave. His eyes flashed crimson after he closed the door.
He straightened his back, refocusing himself, and his eyes went back to gray.
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"You're ready?" Jungkook asked. "No lasting harm, and no chi-blocking." That last part made sure they were ready to go in the case of an emergency and didn't have to wait until they could move themselves properly again.
Hoseok nodded and smirked.
They wasted no time after that. Like during the weapon check-up, Jungkook was really fast and his fist flew out. Jungkook used techniques that Hoseok recognized as Wing Chun. The martial art was known for its effective and fast moves, needing less strength than with some other martial arts and being invented by a woman. Hoseok had the advantage of sensing Jungkook's body stance without anything obscuring his 'vision', but despite having mastered Wing Chun himself, his reflexes weren't able to keep up.
So instead, he let himself be hit: hoping Jungkook would expect Hoseok to block and punch Jungkook back just after his punch. Instead, he used his legs to try and get Jungkook off balance.
It didn't exactly work, as Jungkook seemed guarded on all fronts. He quickly had Hoseok pinned under him when he managed to get him off balance instead.
The team decided that Hoseok would accompany Taehyung in duo battles. It was true that Jungkook was the fastest in close combat, but Hoseok had the best aim and could even block someone's chi from afar with multiple arrows fired at the same time. That was actually more effective than going up close and personal.
Blocking someone's chi meant that that person couldn't use the life-energy that flowed through everything - also known as 'chi' - to bend their element. In some cases, it could even prevent the opponent from moving at all. This technique of hitting in just the right pressure points on someone's body, greatly helped in fights.
"We should call ourselves the 'Erhu Brothers'," Taehyung signed jokingly, the smile on his face lifting up the room. Hoseok laughed and agreed.
The team also decided that Jungkook would best be paired with Namjoon, "to make sure the leader had the best bodyguard, because what would our poor team do if we didn't have Namjoon anymore?" Seokjin half-joked. Namjoon rolled his eyes but in the end agreed. Jungkook had sheepishly smiled.
The name 'Erhu Brothers' stuck, actually, and soon they did a duet they both had practiced on their own before. The warm, sweeping sound of the stroked strings filled the house and the team's hearts.
Everyone felt fuzzy and warm. Even Taehyung was able to relax and not have his guard up every second.
But that feeling came crashing down when a small figure burst through the door, the wooden beam not yet placed, while shouting "Where is Ye Xiu?"
It became dead silent for a heartbeat.
"Yuu where are your manners?" another voice sounded until eventually a much bigger framed person appeared. Their hair was tied together in a bun and they had a distressed look on their face. They forced Yuu's head down and urged them to apologize.
Seokjin quickly interpreted what was being said.
Namjoon stood up. "Did something happen to him?"
Yuu snorted. "More or less. We just need to know where he is."
After Seokjin interpreted, Namjoon raised a brow. "We have no idea where he is. Can I know who you are, since you barged in here?"
"Yes, yes of course!" the bigger person said. "I'm Asahi and that's Yuu. Once again, I'm so sorry he just barged in here. I tried to stop him. Since you have no idea where Ye Xiu is, we will be going now," Asahi said while pushing Yuu out of the door.
"Wait," Namjoon called out, but the two had already left. After making sure they were really gone he went and put the wooden beam on the door.
A stunned silence fell.
"Well, that was strange," Taehyung signed. "You think they were the ones trying to attack him?"
"That young? Yuu looked like sixteen or something," Jimin stated.
"Well we went on missions at that age, with experienced people of course. Although I suppose Asahi looked older."
"Yeah but we were asked to help people out, not to take them out, though, at least not by trying to kill them."
Jungkook moved his hands, as if he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself.
"They didn't seem very bright, though… I mean who throws a Kunai in broad daylight, without poison? What would that do? Were they hoping he was distracted by me and that it would hit his eye or something?" Namjoon signed. "The arrow was a bit more dangerous, I admit."
"Perhaps they don't want to kill him?" Jimin suggested.
"But if that was the case, wouldn't they have left him alone after his arm was broken? I mean, it'll take awhile before he can fight again."
"Maybe they did aim for his eyes, then? Hoping he'd turn blind and wouldn't be able to fight at all anymore?"
"Might be it…" Namjoon signed, looking downward. "In his case it might actually work, as he's no earthbender. No offense Hoseok but your case is rare, although echolocation is certainly useful, and that's more common," he quickly signed after.
Hoseok chuckled and waved him off. "I'm sure he'll be fine, he's going into hiding, right?"
Namjoon nodded.
"The question remains, will we be fine? Seeing as they barged into here, they must've seen us with him, and Namjoon at least twice," Jimin answered.
"Just keep your guard up, and we'll be fine, they're kids...probably. If they wanted to attack us they'd probably have done so just a few moments ago."
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Taehyung rested his head on his pillow. He already liked the team, minus Jimin, still.
He blew his hair out of his face. The brown locks unbound, out of his usual warrior's wolf tail. He felt that the puffy ponytail at the top of his head was like a reminder of home to him.
In Omashu and Ba Sing Se, the hairstyle wasn't common. People prefered braids, long ponytails or topknots and hairpins. Especially the well-off women around here wore luxurious and big hair decorations.
Suddenly he felt a pang in his heart. He wondered where his dad was. He went with the other men of the Southern Watertribe to aid people in the war against the Fire Nation. He hoped he was safe.
He also hoped his mother didn't miss her husband and son too much. She stayed behind in Omashu, working in their clothing shop. He trusted the city would stay safe. He had to, for his calmness' sake.
Before Taehyung left for Big Hit University, his mother gave him hand-made tunics and hanboks (traditional Korean clothing). The colors she usually picked for him were purple and sea-green, she said. Taehyung wouldn't know. He could sense shapes and textures when he touched things, but colors were lost to him. He could remember them and see some with his eyes closed where they swirled around, but that was about it.
She had said that the seagreen was symbolic for his heritage; it was a combination of Water Tribe blue and Earth Kingdom green. She also loved purple on him because his eyes were purple; the clothes made his eyes even more eye-catching, she said.
He remembered rolling those purple irises at her, saying he didn't care about colors; he couldn't see them anyway.
He wished he said something else. He was beginning to understand that dressing him in her self-made clothes was a love language for her.
He closed his eyes and started humming a melody to keep fear and guilt at bay. He didn't want to think about how that moment might be the last time they saw each other, and how he never appreciated her love language as much as he should have.
A knock sounded on the door. Taehyung guessed it would either be Yoongi or Seokjin. He shared the room with both.
"Taehyung?" Yoongi signed after entering the room. He laid down on his futon. "Will you sing for me?"
Taehyung frowned in concern. "Tinnitus frustrating you again?"
Yoongi nodded. The high-pitched ringing in his ears was pretty loud today. Both of them found that it helped when Taehyung sang for him when Yoongi would try to sleep. The low and soft soundwaves calmed and distracted him.
Yoongi couldn't help but curse the spirits sometimes when his tinnitus was loud. Not being able to hear was already hard enough; no need to have trouble sleeping too.
"Will Seokjin sleep now too? Wouldn't want him to wake you up after you just fell asleep."
Yoongi smiled, being warmed by Taehyung's consideration. "He said it will take awhile for him to get tired. He promised to be silent though. Ninja walking and all that." He chuckled.
Taehyung smiled too. "Alright, then." He continued his humming from earlier and chose melodies he knew Yoongi liked, his soft baritone filling the room.
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Seokjin sat in silence in the living room. Soju (Korean alcoholic drink) in one hand and a sweet snack in the other. He found he couldn't sleep without doing this routine. The buzz of the alcohol and the sweetness of the snack lifted his spirits up and away from the empty abyss that was always waiting.
After he finished, he silently went to sleep too.
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Summary:
BTS cook, eat and get to know each other's talents and the existence of rock and metal music.
TH & JM quarrel about Fire Nation reformation.
Talk about how to work effectively with JM and TH this way.
JM talks about his deceased mother and her mission.
JM reveals he got taught to play Tsungi horn by his tea-loving cookiness.
Opinions about former General Iroh.
Get to know Tae's reason for still being a ninja despite his fear of fire.
Present-day HS and ZK talk about Sokka
Levi and his Clan Lord meet.
JK and hs sparring match.