New Path
Iroh awoke slowly to find himself in a ruined house, the sun shining in through the broken roof. Zuko and Cadence were leaning over him worriedly, and both breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes opened. "You're awake," Cadence whimpered, cuddling up to him.
Smiling softly, Iroh stroked Cadence's mane. "How badly...was I hit?"
"Pretty bad," Zuko replied, offering him a cup of tea. "Katara did what she could to heal you, but she was exhausted herself. Still, without her work...you might not have survived. The strike was close to your heart."
"I was trying to block with my belly," Iroh admitted. He patted his stomach. "It used to be a bigger target..." Taking the mug of tea, he tasted it. It was far from perfectly brewed, but definitely palatable.
"I hope I made it the way you like it," Zuko spoke up hopefully.
Before Iroh could speak up, Cadence took a sip from her own cup. "Not bad for a first attempt with actual tea leaves," she complimented. "Drinkable, which is more than most first timers could say." When Zuko started to complain, she interrupted, "And no, accidentally poisoning yourself with White Jade tea doesn't count."
Iroh chuckled. "Mistook it for a white dragon bush?" he asked. Zuko looked away, grumbling under his breath.
Jong stepped in. "It's good you're awake, sir," he stated, kneeling down beside them and picking up his own cup. "Have we decided what we're doing next?"
"What about that Katara girl?" Iroh asked. "Is she up to healing me the rest of the way?"
"She left with the Avatar and his group," Jong explained. "That Sokka kid has a good grasp of military strategy and tactics. He said that since Azula's after all of us, it's better if we travel separately, so she has to divide her resources. Also, there's the fact that Zuko still intends to take Aang back to the Fire Nation."
"So it doesn't make sense for us to travel with them, even if flying on a sky bison was a good idea for someone injured," Zuko explained. "For now, the plan is to let you fully recuperate, and then decide where to go from there."
Iroh nodded. "In the meantime...it's time to instruct both of you in more advanced Firebending. Azula has already mastered it, and if we are going to be confronting her...both of you need to be Masters as well. I will teach as much as I can."
Iroh started by explaining the nature of lightning bending, both how it involved no passion or emotion, and how it involved separating positing and negative charge of energy in the air. Once he was certain they both understood the concept as best they were able, he decided it was time to demonstrate.
Moving to a nearby cliff, Iroh first demonstrated lightning bending for both of them, drawing out the imbalanced energy before guiding the bolt of lightning out across the plains where it would harm nothing before the energy dissipated.
Under Iroh's guidance, Zuko made an attempt to control lightning. However, his own hesitation, fear, and uncertainty weighed heavy on his mind as he made the attempt, and the energy would not break for him. A burst of flame was all that came, knocking him backwards.
"Very few Firebenders can successfully bend lightning, Zuko," Iroh explained. "Do not be discouraged."
Zuko nodded, but inside he was afraid. The power of the lightning scared him. He knew how destructive it could be, how dangerous...and he wasn't certain he could control it.
Cadence stepped up to attempt. She tried shaping it with her hooves, and the energy divided. However, she was unable perform the proper movements in their entirety, and she fell over, the lightning discharging around her and into the ground. Iroh attempted to rush to her side, but he found himself stumbling, not yet fully recovered. Zuko was immediately at his side, holding him up.
"I had it!" Cadence pouted. "I'm certain I had it there...but I couldn't do the motions!"
Iroh frowned as he sat down beside her. "You had the right mindset, and could control the energy. But if you can't complete the motions..."
"What if you used your wings?" Zuko offered. "Using your wingtips to guide the energy of the lightning."
Cadence tilted her head. "Well...maybe...but I can't thrust with my wings..."
"What if you guided the energy to the tip of your horn?" Jong suggested. "You can use the energy you generate there to influence bending. What if you held the lightning in that energy, and thrust it in the direction you want it to go?"
Iroh thought about all that had been suggested and all he knew of Cadence's abilities. "It could be dangerous," he pointed out. "If you can't hold the lightning there, it could arc back down your horn and into your brain. You could die instantly."
Cadence frowned thoughtfully. "I...I don't think that will happen," she stated calmly. "I...want to try." Moving a distance away, she spread her wings wide.
Bringing one wing up, she brought it down in a wide curve, the energy splitting before her. Her other wing came up, guiding the other arc. Bringing the two arcs together, she guided the energy to her horn, where it gathered and held. Taking aim with her horn, she willed the lightning to leap.
The peal of thunder knocked Iroh off his feet as the lightning flashed across the sky. "Well..." he admitted, staring at Cadence, whose horn wasn't even smoking as his own hand did when he released lightning, "that worked very-"
Another bolt of lightning leapt from Cadence's horn, this one smaller but more controlled, and not even involving the separation of the energies. Her eyes were closed as she fired off two more. "My...my magic..." she began. "It...it followed the shape of the lightning..."
Jong stared. "Correct me if I'm wrong," he began, "but does this mean she can fire a certain number of smaller, more controllable lightning bolts instantly?"
"Sure seems that way," Zuko admitted.
"Then what do you need us for?" Zhin asked, his voice a little strained.
"Your rapier wits and sparkling personalities?" Iroh offered a bit hesitantly himself.
While Zuko attempted to generate his own lightning a few more times, Iroh went over what he'd recorded about Cadence's abilities. The ability to generate lightning like that was certainly new, and he wanted to have an explanation before he taught Zuko how to redirect lightning. After all, Cadence's smaller lightning bolts would be perfect for him to attempt it with - especially as she could make them as small as she wanted - but only if they actually could be redirected.
Over the course of her bending lessons, Cadence had - on occasion - found ways to create a bending result without bending. This happened most frequently when she attempted to use the energies from her horn in her bending, and finding ways to duplicate that feat with the energy alone. Wan Shi Tong had referred to her energy as 'magic', and those 'magic' techniques as 'spells'. From the looks of things, Cadence had learned from bending lightning how to cast a 'lightning spell'.
All his past records indicated that the 'spells', once cast, were indistinguishable from bending as far as the energy of the world was concerned. In theory, the same should hold true for the new 'lightning spell'. However, lightning was incredibly dangerous. Even the smaller bolts could cause serious harm. Still, Zuko would want to be sure he could actually do the technique. Iroh would have to test if the 'lightning spell' could be redirected himself.
Coming to this conclusion, he stepped out to where Zuko was practicing just in time to see Cadence hurl a small lightning spell at Zuko, only for him to catch it on his right hand. He then used his left hand in the proper motions to guide the lightning down to his stomach and out his other hand, up into the air.
"Wonderful!" Cadence praised. "And do you understand why I made you practice the motions so many times, and only used the smallest lightning bolt to test it with?"
Zuko nodded, swallowing a bit nervously. "Yeah...that was..." His voice trailed off, plainly at a loss for words.
Or Cadence could teach him the technique and have determined the spell could be redirected herself, Iroh thought ruefully, having forgotten Cadence was there when he developed the technique.
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Wow, what's next? Cadence finding she can make armor for herself from metals and then finding she can effectively make herself an electrifying suit of armor?
Cadence: Now remember, this is going to hurt you much more than it's going to hurt me.
Cadence stole your thunder, did she, Iroh?
Natural pegasus affinity to weather, fire bending techniques and a spell version. Cadence is pretty set for lightning. Now she needs to try cloud bending...
I love your world building in every one of your stories. And despite the gripes of others each "break" from cannon is logical and plausible
Heheheh, Cadence is doing Iroh's job for him.
Hahahhaa, an awesome update to this wonderful story, nice job man, nice job!
Before anyone starts in about it, I'd like to point out that unicorns can cast such spells. Luna can cause lightning strikes and Rarity (with RD's cutie mark) could easily manipulate the weather.
That was pretty cool seeing Zuko and Cadence trying the lightning technique. Keep up the good work.
Uh, how did Cadence teach Zuko how to redirect lightning if she can't actually demonstrate the bending motions herself?
6732665 Or maybe she'll invent Metal Bending weeks before Toph invents it?
6732665
Probably. We'll have to wait and see; metal bending is an unusual derivative of earth bending, which makes it that much more likely for her to pick it up.
Seems Cadence and Zuko are making everyone else feel useless. Oh well, they do need some time to shine.
6732797 Metal bending can be taught to anyone who is good at earth bending, since it is just pending the impure earth within the metal. It simply takes time and alot of practice.
6732794 Love bending lol
Take that Azula! Feel these emotions! Let the feels flow through you!
6732852 there is one problem. She's feelsless
6732666 OOOOH! Not a bad Idea.
Guess this chapter really... Shocked our protagonists.
Poor Zhin, completely in a shocked and awed moment.
Iroh blocking would have worked but he belly did make it.
Cadance is having a blast isn't she?
6732793
She demonstrated with her wings, then said "No, lower!" or "No, higher!" until Zuko had the arm motions right.
6732976 Don't short circuit yourself.
Alright, Cadence!
6732896 Oh no, I forgot!
You can only bend what is already there
6733072 Oh, okay.
6733109 anom0ly.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/deus-ex-human-revolution-in-team-fortress-2-the-short-circuit-590x219.jpg
6732665
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6732797
Nooooooo! There's breaking canon for the sake of the story, and then there's Shaymalaning the canon. Toph must invent metal bending because of awesome! Without that advantage she cannot be the greatest earth bender of all time! Would you take that away from her?
6733293
I would not.
6733306
6733293
Now I never said that Toph wouldn't invent metal bending. And I'm pretty sure that Tatsurou has no intention of changing how things are going as far as Aang and Company are concerned. Only in the interactions with Iroh, Zuko and Cadance are changing.
What I did say is I do see Cadance picking up what Toph will discover, as she's shown a unique ability to use her magic to mimic Bending. So, even if she does copy Toph's awesome metal-bending techniques, it will be her magic that will be doing it, just like everything else she does.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6732976
Oh dear god the puns.
The puns are so yaying glorious.
6733173 Technically, that only applies to Shamalamadingdong's movies considering Firebending.
Azula is the Bitch Heather of Total Drama wishes she could be
6733519 I don't know what you're talking about :3
6732852 Only then can you harness the power of the Darkside!
Considering blue fire is worse than red fire...
Heh.
Yep.
So, a Vulcan would be great at is.
Poor guy.
That's perfectly understandable.
You OK kid?
Might work...
Like a spell, clever Jong.
Oh shit he's right.
Huh?
Provided she can focus for a second, yes.
And because an arrow is harder to track than a lightning bolt? As far as we know, only Azula, Iroh, Cadence and possibly Ozai can lightning bend. Anyone with half a brain seeing someone struck by lightning not from the sky that knows about lightining bending and them can do the math.
No wonder he's called Wan Shi Tong, He Who KNows Ten Thousand Things indeed, helps that it's a Toaoist expresion for being all knowing.
Good luck to you both.
All right.
Shocking?
Poor Iroh.
6732665 Except, which way would it discharge? Lightning still takes the fastest route to the ground once you stop directing it. Would it go through Cadance, through the armor, or outwards? Keep in mind, earth bending is a thing.
NICE!
Oh, well that's logical.
my what a shocking experience, i hope no one gets burned out about it, or drown in the awesomeness of it all, everyone should just go with breeze and not b as stubborn as a rock
Ah well, that works.
6790425 *Pulls out a spray bottle* Bad comenter *spray* Bad!
Aw, you skipped one of my favorite small funny scene:
7840176
I thought it was tea-riffic.
7840176
Hands commenter a rolled up newspaper. "Take this Tool, it's dangerous to spray commenters."
8850650
Why don’t you just go with the flow? Don’t take these moments for granite! Run like the wind and embrace it, lest your spark for humor burn out.