CHAPTER 49: Hot Springs

"Your energy introduces you even before you speak."

As Appa soared through the skies, carrying Aang, Nii and Toph on their journey from the Fire Nation capital towards the Eastern Air Temple, the trio made strategic stops along the way to search for any signs of loyalists.

Their first stop was on Ember Island, a serene and picturesque location known for its beautiful beaches and upscale residences.

Descending onto the sandy shores of Ember Island, Aang, Nii, and Toph spread out to investigate, their eyes sharp and alert for any unusual activity.

Aang did not want Nii wandering about on her own, so he told her to scout the coastline atop Appa, while Toph used her earthbending abilities to sense vibrations beneath the ground further inland.

Aang kept watch from above on his glider, scanning the more crowded residential areas for any signs of movement.

However, after thoroughly searching the island, they found no traces of anything suspicious, so the group continued their journey onwards to the Hot Spring Cove - a tranquil oasis known for its natural thermal pools and soothing geysers.

As Appa landed near the cove with steam rising from the crystal-clear waters, the three of them disembarked and began their search once again.

They combed the area meticulously, checking the surrounding cliffs and caverns for any hidden clues or suspicious activities.

Despite their thorough efforts, the area appeared totally undisturbed, its atmosphere as peaceful and seemingly secluded as ever.

Aang made the decision to give Appa a well deserved break before they carried on.

In reality, he needed a break too.

And the soothing hot springs were an amazing place to have one of those.

Aang could not help but to notice Nii looking at him when he undressed himself before sliding into one of the hotsprings, and it caused a contented smile to curl the corner of his lips.

Toph soon joined him while Nii sat on the edge.

"Everything just seems so… peaceful everywhere," Aang thought aloud, and his voice had a tinge of disbelief in it, causing Nii to raise her eyebrow at him.

"But isn't it a great sign we're not finding any loyalists?" she asked.

"It's fishy, jungle girl," Toph remarked in a serious tone. "I don't like it. I'd rather find them before they know what hit 'em instead of them suddenly jumping on us."

A moment of silence passed between the three of them, as Aang and Toph enjoyed the feeling of the soothing warm waters enveloping them. The only sound that broke the silence was Momo's lazy snoring from over in the shadows.

Aang opened his eyes when he realized that Nii was still just sitting on the edge of the spring.

"Why don't you join us?" he asked, waving her over.

She looked hesitant.

"Oh come on," Toph groaned in irritation. "You're seriously not worried about being naked again, are you?"

Toph waved a hand in front of her eyes, as she said: "I'm blind, remember?!"

Aang furrowed his brow at Nii, as she started biting a little on the nail of her thumb.

"No, I have…" she tried in a small voice while blushing slightly. "Katara gave me her bindings back in the palace… I'm, uh… I'm bleeding, that's why."

"Oh," Toph breathed in a whisper, before she awkwardly clasped her lips together.

Aang widened his eyes before he turned his gaze to the water.

He felt an unexpected whirlwind of emotions sweep through him.

First of all, he felt an immense sense of relief wash over him. The fear and uncertainty that he had carried, imagining the responsibilities and challenges of parenthood at a young age, suddenly dissipated into the air like a wisp of smoke.

However, amidst the relief, Aang was surprised to detect a twinge of disappointment lingering beneath the surface.

Confusion clouded his thoughts as he tried to grapple with this unexpected emotion.

Why would he be disappointed?

He had been so worried about the possibility of Nii being pregnant, of them having to raise a child under these circumstances. The idea of them becoming parents now had frightened him more than anything, but perhaps a part of him deep down had also harbored hopes and dreams for their future together.

A future in which he would hold a tiny little Airbender in his arms.

He had meditated a lot, and at some point he had actually come to terms with the fact that he was going to dedicate this next part of his life to raising a child. And in some way, he had discovered that some part of him actually could not wait to be a father and to teach this child everything he knew.

To share it with someone.

As he sat there, Aang struggled to reconcile his relief with the bittersweet taste that lingered in his mouth.

He questioned whether it was fair for him to feel this way, given the circumstances and his initial apprehensions.

Aang suddenly realized that Nii might also feel conflicted about this, and he quickly opened his eyes to look at her.

She sat very still on the edge of the spring, while staring at her hands in her lap.

"Um," Toph said in a voice laced with uncertainty and awkwardness. "I, uh… I think I'm just gonna… leave you two alone for a while."

The Earthbender quickly jumped out of the spring and trailed off, while whistling loudly.

Aang winced a little to himself, as he knew that Toph had easily sensed the tension within him.

He scooted himself closer to Nii.

"Are you okay?" he asked her tentatively, reaching up to put a hand on her knee.

She looked up, her expression a mix of relief and something else.

"I think so," she replied with a soft nod. "Are you?"

Aang's heart sank in his chest at the raw emotion in her expression. She looked at him with this knowing gaze - as if he could feel her seeing right through him, sensing the conflict within him that he was struggling to conceal.

He sighed out.

"I… I'm relieved," he admitted hesitantly.

Nii took his hand in hers.

"But you're also disappointed?" she asked in a small voice.

He frowned at her and felt a lump forming in his throat.

How did she know?

He was not going to cry now… Was he?

Aang cleared his throat.

"It's okay if you feel that way," she reassured him in a voice that was barely above a whisper, before he could open his mouth to answer her. "But we're still young, Aang. There's no rush."

He closed his eyes as he felt a weight lift off his shoulders at her understanding tone. He had feared her reaction, afraid that she might misunderstand him. But, of course, that was not the case.

She was just so…

So Nii.

The lump in his throat had disappeared, and he heard himself breathe out in a chuckle of disbelief.

"How do you do that?" he asked her as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Do what?" she smiled when he opened his eyes to meet her gaze.

He looked at her with wonder for a moment, unsure of how to express himself.

She just sat there in all of her beauty and innocence, with a knowing smile curling her lips, her gaze soft yet penetrating, as if she was this ancient wise being that could just peer directly into his very soul.

Sometimes it felt as if she could read his thoughts, his fears, his joys, his energy even, just by the subtle shifts in his expression.

"It's like you just know stuff… you know?" he said as he narrowed his gaze at her.

This caused her to chuckle at him.

"I'm just good at reading people," she explained as she winked at him playfully.

Aang cocked his eyebrow at her.

"Oh yeah?" he smiled with mischief in his eyes. "Read me, tell me what I'm thinking!"

She laughed out and lifted her hand to rest it over his head.

"Come on, I'm not a mindreader!" she chuckled before her smile suddenly vanished.

Nii widened her eyes as if in shock, and the unexpected shift caused his heart to skip a bit.

"Oh spirits!" she exclaimed as she looked at him with wide eyes. "Aang! Is that… your HAIR I'm feeling?!"

Surprised, Aang recoiled from her as he threw both hands up to search his scalp. And sure enough, as he glided his fingers over his head, he felt a slight tingling sensation under his fingertips, like a soft delicate carpet of the tiniest hairs covering his scalp.

He blushed slightly as a short pang of embarrassment welled up in him, but when he saw the playful twinkles in Nii's eyes, it was soon replaced with a feeling that reminded him more of acceptance.

He let his hands fall to his cheeks in mock horror.

"Oh no! Looks like my secret's out!" he gushed, before he flashed her a sheepish grin, causing her to laugh out loud.

He loved the sound of her laughter.

"No, seriously," Aang then smiled, before he pointed to his bag over in the shadows next to Momo. "Could you get me my shaving tool? It's blue, in my bag over there."

Aang felt Nii's eyes watching him intently as he shaved there in the hot spring, and he could not help but to smile at her. Her apparent interest in his ritual was evident in the way she observed him, her head tilted slightly to the side.

When he was done, he leaned his back against the edge of the hot spring with his head in her lap, and for a moment he just lay there, feeling the warmth seep into his skin.

The tranquil ambiance of the hot spring surrounded them, steam rising gently into the air.

His eyes were closed, and he allowed himself to fully absorb the soothing sensation of the hot water and the comfort of Nii's presence. She brushed her fingers lightly over his newly shaved scalp, and he enjoyed the feeling of her touch on his skin.

He opened his eyes slightly, meeting Nii's gaze with a gentle expression.

"So, if you don't read people's minds," he continued from before, still intrigued. "What do you do?"

A small smile curled her lips.

"I just…" she said, choosing her words carefully. "I sense people's energy and chi in a way."

He sent her a look of 'go on.'

"Well, when I'm around people, I kinda get an idea of their emotions and moods sometimes. Like this subtle energy around them," she explained. "Sometime's the energies have colors."

Aang raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Really?!" he exclaimed, amazed that he had not learned this about her earlier. "So what color's my energy right now?"

She giggled at him.

"You're usually quite white," she smiled before she trailed her fingers along the arrow on his forehead. "But you're also kinda difficult to read sometimes. Your energy's so… airy."

He smiled as he studied her with a newfound sense of wonder, processing this new information about her.

"So, you'll be able to tell how someone's feeling just by being near them?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders with a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Well, yes and no. It's like tuning into a different frequency. Sometimes I can sense if someone's… let's say, on a happy frequency or high emotional vibration, even if they don't show it outwardly," she explained. "It'll often show in their chakras and how much flow I sense between them. In the end it affects the color of their energy."

Aang looked at her with admiration in his eyes.

"That's incredible," he remarked, genuinely impressed. "Have you always been able to do this?"

Nii nodded again, her expression thoughtful.

"For as long as I can remember," she chirped in her soft voice.

Aang lifted his head and turned around to look at her properly.

"I've only seen the color of someone's… energy once," he said, and he was surprised to hear how serious his tone suddenly sounded.

He could see her shift lightly in her seat.

"Yeah?" she said with the tilt of her head. "When?"

He furrowed his brow a little, his face sinking slightly into a more grave expression.

"When I took away Ozai's bending."

Nii's eyes widened in astonishment, her features frozen in a mix of surprise and awe, as Aang's words settled in the air between them.

"You…" she tried in a voice tinged with disbelief. "You can do that?"

Aang nodded slowly while he absentmindedly clenched his jaw, his own expression serious yet tinged with a hint of melancholy. He kept his gaze fixed on her face, searching for her reaction.

Nii's hand rose to cover her mouth, her eyes reflecting a complex array of emotions - amazement, respect and perhaps a touch of apprehension.

"I…" she stammered. "I had no idea…"

Aang looked away briefly, the weight of his actions still resting heavily on his shoulders.

"It was… necessary," he explained, his tone tinged with solemnity. "But it was also one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make."

Nii reached out, gently touching Aang's arm in a gesture of comfort and understanding.

"I can't imagine how difficult that must've been for you," she murmured, her eyes softening with empathy and sincerity.

A moment of silence passed between them as Aang reminisced the emotions of his past turmoil.

He turned back to face Nii.

"Anyways, what you're describing kinda reminds me of that," he said with curiosity shining from his eyes. "I mean, not the whole taking away someone's bending abilities, but… the energies and their colors. Who taught you to do that?"

"One of the elders in my village," she responded with the rise of an eyebrow. "Who taught you?"

He smiled playfully at her.

"A giant lion turtle."

This seemed to catch her off guard, her brow furrowing slightly while her eyes narrowed at him. There was a palpable sense of confusion in her expression, as if she were grappling with a puzzle that was just out of reach.

Her lips parted slightly, her mouth forming a silent question as she blinked a few times.

"Alright Mr. Airhead and Miss Mysterious," Toph's voice suddenly sounded out from behind them. "You guys ready to bounce?"

Aang and Nii exchanged amused glances, silently agreeing that they would have to return to this conversation at some other time.

"Yes, Toph," Aang then chuckled, before he bended his way out of the water. "Sorry for taking so long."

He knew of Toph's impatience.

The Earthbender sent him one of her famous smirks.

"Well, next time, try not to float away on a cloud," she teased.

Aang grinned playfully.

"Hey, you know I like to stay grounded… most of the time," he replied, giving Toph a playful wink.

"Sure, keep telling yourself that, Twinkle Toes."

And soon, the three friends soared through the skies once more in the direction of the Eastern Air Temple.