The two sides of bending

Iroh had only gotten halfway through when he suddenly realized he had lost his composure. He did not continue, only adding one last, pointed remark:

"Perhaps I don't know enough about her. I also hope she turns out differently from what I imagine."

"In any case, I hope you two have fun together."

"Oh, uh-huh."

Unsure what Iroh was trying to say, Kahn gave a vague reply.

Do you realize how easily people who leave things half-said like you could get beaten to death?! (Frantic)

Setting those heavy topics aside, the two began to chat.

Iroh really did have plenty of free time now. There was basically nothing left for him to do. He was like a middle-aged man who had just lost his job-no, much better off than that. He was more like a middle-aged retiree with generous benefits and a pension.

After all, even if Iroh had been completely stripped of power, he was still the current emperor's elder brother, the former supreme general of the Fire Nation, and the Dragon of the West. His prestige and influence were beyond what ordinary people could match.

Even setting those identities aside, he was a genuine Firebending Master, one of the strongest people in the world.

All in all, rather than worrying about Iroh, Kahn would be better off worrying about himself.

Kahn asked what he planned to do next. After all, he could hardly sit around all day. Iroh smiled and said he intended to simply stay by his and Zuko's sides as they grew up. Everything else would have to come second.

"Ewww!"

The sappiness gave Kahn goose bumps, and he rubbed his arms in disgust.

Iroh burst out laughing at the sight.

He really did feel that way, though. Zuko and Kahn were now the two people most special to him, the ones he valued most.

Kahn was the orphaned son of his good friend. Before his friend died in service, he had asked Iroh to help look after his wife and child. Now Kahn's mother had followed his father in death, leaving Kahn all alone. Iroh considered it his responsibility to care for him until he reached adulthood.

Zuko had always been close to him, and his personality was so much like that of Iroh's son, who had tragically died in service, that Iroh could not help feeling affection for him.

Moreover, Ozai had now inherited the throne in his place, but Ozai was treacherous and ruthless, domineering and arrogant in his actions. In his heart, Iroh did not approve.

Yet Zuko, despite being Ozai's son, was entirely different from his father, a piece of uncarved jade. Iroh hoped to teach him well so that he could become a truly wise ruler one day.

Suddenly, a thought struck Kahn, and he asked:

"Can I learn firebending from you?"

Iroh had been the supreme general, so his strength should be among the very best, right?

Instead of answering, Iroh asked, "What's wrong? Is there something bad about learning at the Firebending School?"

Kahn said glumly, "I am learning, but the teachers there teach too slowly."

Kahn explained the situation to Iroh: the teachers at the Firebending School taught only one move at a time, then made them practice it over and over. He learned quickly, but even after he had clearly mastered a move, when he asked a teacher for "extra lessons," he was still firmly refused.

After hearing him out, Iroh said in surprise:

"I never knew you were a firebending prodigy. Let me see how your firebending is coming along first."

"Sure!"

They set off without delay and went straight to the training grounds, where Kahn went through every move he had learned so far.

"Not bad."

Iroh offered some praise first, then teased:

"But you don't seem quite practiced enough with some of those moves. You don't look like much of a prodigy to me."

Kahn explained:

"That's because I taught myself those."

"You learned them yourself from scrolls?"

Now Iroh was genuinely surprised.

After all, each firebending move recorded in a scroll had only three or four illustrated poses, with no detailed explanation of the key points. With some of them, it was impossible even to tell how the movements were supposed to connect.

Generally speaking, firebending scrolls served as reference books for teaching at home, or as review material. It was not impossible to learn from them on one's own, but it was very difficult.

"That's why I want to learn from you."

Kahn looked at Iroh expectantly.

"Hmm."

Iroh rested his chin in his hand and considered it. After pondering for a long while, watching Kahn's expression grow increasingly nervous, he suddenly spread his hands and grinned, waggling his eyebrows:

"Hahaha, of course you can! Well? Were you really nervous just now? And now, are you wonderfully surprised?!"

"You're so lame."

Although Kahn really had been a little nervous, and really was delighted now, he felt rather disgruntled when he realized a rotten old man had been teasing him.

Kahn's aggrieved little expression did not make Iroh feel guilty. Instead, it made him laugh again.

Once he had laughed his fill, he said:

"If you ever have any questions about firebending, you can come ask me. And depending on how you do later, I might teach you some more powerful moves. How does that sound?"

Here it came-a secret signature technique!

Although Iroh was merely dangling a pie in the sky, Kahn had to admit that this pie smelled delicious!

And speaking of questions, one immediately came to Kahn, so he asked:

"I do have a question right now. When I went to Zuko's house to play before, I sparred with Zuko and Azula. But Azula's firebending was more powerful than mine, and the color of her flames was different from other people's too. Why is that?"

He thought it was probably a matter of natural talent, but he wondered whether Iroh had any other ideas.

"Oh?"

Iroh immediately grew interested. After thinking for a while, he said:

"I'm not too sure about the flames, either, and I've never heard of a firebender having flames like those. Perhaps she really does have some special constitution.

"As for the firebending, I think I know what's going on, but it's a little difficult to explain in words alone. Let me demonstrate.

"Watch closely."

The move Iroh demonstrated was the opening firebending form Kahn knew very well. Iroh's version was much more powerful than Kahn's, but that was perfectly normal, since their ages and physical capabilities were not even on the same level.

What was there to see here?

Just as Kahn was puzzling over it, Iroh performed the opening form again, making Kahn's eyes go wide!

This time, Iroh's move was considerably more powerful than before. Yet he had made no strange movements; it looked as though his power had increased out of nowhere.

"How exactly did you do that?"

Kahn asked curiously.

Iroh dropped his stance and gave a playful wink. "It's simple. You can do it as long as you master firebending."

What did that mean?

Kahn looked bewildered.

Smiling, Iroh ruffled Kahn's hair and said, "Let me give you another hint. Why is learning firebending on your own different in difficulty from learning it from a teacher?"

"Well, obviously, that's because-!"

Kahn stopped halfway through. Suddenly, as though an electric current had flashed through his mind, realization struck him:

"So that's it!"