Chapter 127: The Air Spirit

(Aden's P.O.V)

A chilly breeze ruffled my hoodie. Luckily, I had made sure to always have a change of clothes waiting for me just incase I went ham during training. And I was grateful that I'd thought that farhead because after the fight with Iroh, I had come out looking like a homeless person who had survived a bomb blast from close range but luckily was a Kryptonian with hardened skin and didn't suffer any injuries except for their clothes getting destroyed. Don't mind the absurd analogy. It was proof of just how tired I was that my brain couldn't come up with anything better.

Anyway, a few hours had gone by after our spar, the evening transitioning fully into night. Sanctuary atleast seemed to follow the same day and night cycle as the outside world. However, the four…well two Elemental Planes did not seem to have a day and night rotation. They stayed the same, regardless of time. It made for some weird incidences where you felt out of sync with the world, transitioning from daylight to night time.

Iroh and I had talked about a lot of things. Chief of whom being to address the potential presence of another spirit in my Elemental Dimension. Unfortunately, I hadn't had a lot of time in the Air Dimension, because my attention had mostly been focused on mastering Fire-bending. Iroh stressed the importance of forming a bond or at least a connection with the resident spirit if there was one, to avoid hostility as I 'encroached' in its territory.

A feature of the Elemental Dimension was that nothing could hurt me. Whether direct or indirect. I had full control and precedence inside. I was the master, creator and god of this realm. There was no other sovereignty above me. So I knew the chances of hostility were astronomically low to the point of being impossible. However, he had a point. Plus…he was now my teacher. Kinda. I still had no idea what he was going to teach me. Infact we hadn't talked about it. Huh…I might have jumped the gun on that one. Still, it felt like the right thing to do at the time. Iroh was a wealth of knowledge. I would be a fool not to learn from him.

Iroh and I sat in meditation poses while facing each other. He had stressed that meditation allowed oneself to calm the mind and open their spiritual awareness out into the world.
"Before we begin, I need to understand something. You asked to be my student, are you absolutely sure about that? It is a commitment you cannot back away from."
He questioned me seriously.

I took a minute to think through my decision. I had never had a teacher. That is if you discount Canary's instructions on martial arts. But this was different. This felt more…tangible. More more. Like Batman and Robin. The only difference was I knew Iroh would question my decisions but never interfere. He wasn't Batman. I was wary of putting myself under someone's tutelage like that because my pride rebelled against someone above me. It shouted out that I had done fine on my own. But the first step towards growth for me…was accepting I needed help. I needed someone to call me out when I went too far. Or got lost. Someone who had seen more of the world than I had. Thinking of it like that made it much easier to look deep into the old general's eyes and say…
"It would be an honor…Teacher."

Iroh nodded.
"Then it would be an honor as well. However, I am not going to teach you about bending. Correct your form, maybe. Spar with you, of course. but it is my belief that bending is personal. I can show you the path but you will have to walk it alone."
I gave a curt nod. Infact I agreed wholeheartedly. Somehow it felt like a step by step process of, do this do that would be detrimental to my practice instead of him just correcting my form or sparring with me. But that brought up the question of what he would be teaching me then.

I stared at him in interest.
"Then… permit me to ask Teacher, what will you actually teach me?"
I questioned. Instead of telling me, Iroh waved his hands, the limb left echoes and orange afterimages in the air, along it's paths. My eyes widened as he seemed to blend into space.
"The Flow. A spiritual resonance with the consciousness of the world. That way you will increase your comprehension while cleansing your spirit."
It only took a second for him to not feel out of place with the rocks, mist or clouds in the Air Dimension. Whatever skill he was using allowed him to become a part of the essence of the world.

He cut off the effects of the ability suddenly.
"Focus. That will be for another time. I still need to understand your world better to get a perspective on how I should teach you. Some of my instructions might not be effective here."
He stated.

I was highly doubtful of that because I knew, in the case of morals and values the two worlds were not all that different. However, just before I could assure him of the same, I stopped. In actuality, this presented the perfect opportunity to kill 2 birds with one stone.

You see, I had a backlog of shit to do. Most of which were things I wasn't sure I needed Iroh to see or know about. It was smart to always have a back up plan. Chief of those delayed things, was the stalled upgrade of my realm. Secondary was trying to figure out a way to help Match. He had been in a pod for most of his life and used as weapon. I needed to help him. To that effect, it would be better if Iroh wasn't present as I took care of that business and a few other things.

"Alright. I could open a portal in Washington near The Library of Congress. I don't know if getting in will be viable for you without an I.D or if they even ask for one but it is the biggest public library in the U.S." I mused. Iroh seemed interested in the proposal. "You can learn alot about the geography, history and the general political principles as well as the day to day life and struggles of the common Americ…person."

He thought it over and agreed.
"Mmmh that would be appreciated."
"Awesome!" I said a little too excited. I wonder what Iroh would make of the internet. Oh boy.
"But you will need a change of clothes, teacher. I don't know if you noticed but…" I motioned to his clothes and then mine.
"What is wrong with my robes?"
He asked in confusion.
"Nothing really. But it's very distinct. The style matches feudal Japanese culture. It's a country in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere of the planet. You will stand out too much. And for the time being, we should try to avoid that. Atleast until I find a way to set you up with an identity." I explained.

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We discussed a few more things of note until we had a clear plan on how to go about things. The question of where he would rest and live was also decided on. Iroh cited the fact that if humans were the same as the ones in his world, then pollution had heavily scarred nature, staining it's essence. so he was content to remain in the Elemental Dimension where the essence of the world was still fresh and clean.

"Breathe in. Sink your mind into a non dominant state. A state of relief. A state of vulnerability."
I listened to his voice and did as he said. We hard finally begun and it was hard. The mind is not designed to not think. The good thing was that he was not telling me to not think. He was telling me to open myself up. To let the tightly locked walls down. To let go and leave myself exposed.
"Breathe out. Feel your worries and stress wash away with the tidal wave of thoughts."

I had meditated before. It wasn't anything knew to me, yet…this felt different.
"The world bars no doors. It is welcoming to all. Even those who seek to do it harm. In this mental state, your spirit attunement vibrates at the same frequency as the chi in the air. And so…the world opens up to you."
My spirit rose up and just like he said…I could see. No not see, sight was inconsequential…I could perceive.
"That is the right way to use spirit attunement. Not to see or hear but to perceive through the world. To sense through your core."

I sank into a trance. My spiritual attunement sustained through the world essence itself. And in that state I could feel… something. A fleeting moment. Different from the flying bisons populating the peaks of mountains that were covered in clouds and mists. I searched for that feeling and felt it again. This time in the opposite direction of where I had initially had it. My spirit spread out, trying to valiantly hold on to that feeling…
"Do not strain yourself. Use the world as a medium. Once you open yourself up to it, it becomes an extension of you."

Iroh's voice cut through my concentration. Making me fall back. He was right. I couldn't force this. I breathed in and eased myself into the gentle sway of the world. The feeling grew bigger and more prominent. Evolving from just a feeling to a presence. Yet, I did not pursue it. I did not try to pull on it. All I did was feel and perceive. And then I felt a childish giggle echo out through the mountains followed by Iroh's boisterous laughter.

"Hello little one. You are a mischievous one, aren't you?"

He asked.

I opened my eyes with a smile on my face. Fleeting about my face, blowing raspberries towards Iroh was a small wisp of light. Glowing dust fell down where she flew, she had the size of Tinkerbell but I knew that that was deceptive. Her real shape was a huge cloud that took up space in the whole sky of the air dimension. She could also change her shape into anything. She saw me watching her and fleeted about happily before landing on my outstretched palm.

"Hello Breeze."

I greeted, a link forming between us.

"Hello!"

A precocious small voice sounded out.

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