Avatar: Chaos Water

"I must say I was very prejudiced against waterbenders before, I never really thought about the excellent applications and uses one could have with something as simple as everyday water, I think I owe you an apology for that..."

"You just want another steamed fish fillet, don't you?" Shisui cut through Azulon's dialog without much shame or fear. 

The old man just touched his nose in agreement but said nothing as he stared at Shisui, who was skillfully preparing another piece of fish. First, he wrapped the body of the animal in a ball of water and then began the magic.

Using the same water, he scaled the fish, removed its bones and organs, and cut it into several good-sized pieces that could be eaten. With deft movements, he evaporated only the water inside, leaving a thin layer on the outside to keep the food from falling out. 

In just over a minute, a fragrant piece of steamed fish landed on Azulon's plate, and all he had to do was salt it to taste and use some of that special sauce the boy had discovered a few years ago, Wasabi told him. 

Why would a random root of a barely used plant become the condiment for this impromptu outdoor feast? Firebenders liked it, no, they loved the spice, so much so that there were few dishes that didn't carry its flavor. 

"I want another one, Shisui!" Lu Ten, who had been called by his father an hour ago, asked for fish for the third time, but the way Shisui made it was so tasty that he couldn't help but get a sweet tooth. 

"Me too," called Zuko, who still had fish in his mouth, he had probably eaten in a hurry to order more, fearing that it would be over soon and he wouldn't be able to enjoy it anymore. 

"It's been a long time since we've been out as a family like this, what a beautiful sight," Iroh said as he slowly ate the steamed pieces of fish on his plate and looked at the situation around him. 

The entire royal family had quickly built a bonfire on the shore of the pond and ordered the castle's servants to bring utensils for an outdoor meal as the sun was setting. 

Ursa sat beside Ozai, her mouth open as she accepted some fish from her husband, a romantic gesture they had rarely shared in the past, but the changes in known history had been drastic since Shisui's arrival in this world. 

Perhaps it was because Ozai's mind was more absorbed in his work as a Fire Lord, he was accumulating more and more pressure and stress, which his wife was willing to help him with, added to the potions of a certain Waterbender boy, the relationship between the two had improved quite a bit. 

Ozai, without all his dark or insane thoughts, was a good man, perhaps driven mad by his upbringing and circumstances in the original story, though he was not given much depth beyond being the evil villain who had to be defeated. 

Shisui saw the romantic gesture they shared and sighed. At this rate, Zuko's younger sister would probably be born on both sides, her mother would not have to take drastic measures to forget her suffering, changing many outcomes in the story. 

While preparing more portions of fish for Lu Ten and Zuko, Shisui glanced sideways at Azula, who was watching her parents' interaction with a strange excitement on her face, then looked down at her plate, only to give Shisui a look full of determination. 

Noticing Azula's eyes turned to him, Shisui looked intently at Lu Ten, this boy had barely been mentioned in the original story as Iroh's son and his greatest pain, but here was the boy, acting as a big brother to all the children present. 

He admitted it, the teenager was a young, approachable version of Iroh, with less extraneous lectures, but he helped out a lot when asked. Not only did he train with them occasionally, but he was also exceptionally talented in the art of swordsmanship, especially in the use of double-wielding. 

Maybe he was the one who told Zuko about the interest in double swords, the boy looked innocent, but according to rumors Shisui had heard, he was a real beast in battle, so he was especially interested in Lu Ten. 

"Lu Ten, do you know how to use a spear?" asked Shisui as he served him his portion of steamed fish. 

The boy looked at Shisui for a second before concentrating on his rich meal, using his chopsticks to eat several pieces of fish soaked in wasabi sauce before answering the boy's question. 

"Yes, but I'm not that good if we compare my skills with swords," Lu Ten answered truthfully. 

"I would like you to introduce me to this weapon," Shisui asked as he prepared Zuko's portion. 

"Are you sure? Choosing a weapon is choosing a path, you have to stick to it all the way if you want to excel," Lu Ten did not hesitate to advise and warn Shisui about his decision. 

A weapon was not just a tool to fight or defend oneself, it was, as Lu Ten said, a path, a way of living and experiencing the world. That was why the best with different weapons were those who dedicated themselves to it almost religiously. 

"I have no problem," replied Shisui, who was now actually preparing portions of steamed fish for himself, he had only managed to eat one before he was surrounded by the requests of the others, perhaps that will be the fate of every cook.

"Okay, we can train tomorrow if you want," Lu Ten finished before returning to his meal, but their conversation attracted the attention of a restless boy and a girl interested in improving themselves. 

"Weapons? I want to learn how to use a sword!" cried Zuko, imagining himself as one of those legendary swordsmen in stories who could do wonders with a single sword. 

Perhaps there was a strong touch of exaggeration in those stories, but with chi, a swordsman could indeed perform incredible feats if he was skilled enough. 

"Weapons? I don't need them, but I'll watch you train," Azula asked the same as Zuko at first, but the rest of her words clearly showed the girl's thoughts. 

She didn't need weapons, just her firebending! She knew that her full potential lay in that area, and she wanted to devote her full attention to achieving her personal goal. 

"Are you sure? I heard you have a friend from a family of assassins, through her father, I don't know why he's a merchant now, what a thing," Azulon spoke to Azula, who shook her head. 

"Mai uses hidden weapons because she is a non-bender, strong, but if I have a hot enough flame, she won't be able to hit me," Azula revealed her desire and thoughts, for her, as long as she achieves blue fire, she might not be invincible, but she will be incredibly strong.

"Little girl, the bravery of an assassin is never to fight head-on, but to ambush and attack from behind. Mai is a good girl to hang out with, along with this girl named Ty Lee. 

The martial arts in her house are also pretty awesome. Never underestimate non-benders, or have you forgotten the stories of the Yuyan Archers? They are capable of killing even very skilled Earthbenders. Pride is good, but don't let arrogance consume you," Azulon advised, and Azula nodded, understanding her grandfather's message. 

"Is Mai an assassin?" asked Zuko, not expecting the pretty girl Azula met to be a ruthless killer, though she was silent, she didn't seem like a cold-blooded girl. 

"They are, their families have been in the service of the nation for centuries, even though they are not as prominent now as they were in the past, their services have allowed them to obtain a fief if they decide to claim it," replied Iroh, who was quite familiar with Mai and Ty Lee's situation, after all, the royal family kept an eye on certain types of people in the nation. 

These include not only the families of Mai or Ty Lee, the Yuyan Archers, the Rough Rhinos, the rare Combustion Benders whose teachings were passed from student to student, and the Wise Ones of the Fire Temple. 

Every member of this group of people was monitored by the royal family to avoid trouble and keep them in their fold because even those boring fire sages had an understanding of things that could sometimes be very useful in certain circumstances. 

"The martial art of Ty Lee's family is really dangerous if it's trained skillfully," Shisui couldn't help but speak in favor of the girl who had a similar skill to his own. 

Only Ty Lee's was more of a passive and less invasive vision than hers, probably related to chi, Shisui didn't know if it was a natural gift or something gained through the techniques she was trained in, but still, he had no doubt that a master chi blocker was terrifying. 

With the right means, they could become a real threat to elemental benders and even the Avatar themselves, at least in the future. But Shisui didn't notice that Azula grimaced at the mention of Ty Lee. 

'Well, if Daddy can do it, so can I,' Azula thought, before standing up, plate in hand, and approaching Shisui. 

"Would you like some?" the girl offered a piece of steamed fish covered in lots of wasabi.

Azula had a hopeful look in her eyes, while Shisui looked anxiously at the excessive amount of sauce on the fish. He was not a Firebender with resistance and a taste for spices; if he dared to take a bite of that, he would undoubtedly end up crying. 

But when he saw Azula's golden eyes, he couldn't help but feel the desire to taste, after all, it was only a gesture from a little girl like him, so he let himself go and opened his mouth to let Azula feed him. 

Sure, the others saw his face turn red despite his brown skin, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, but the boy chewed his food with great pleasure, even opening his mouth again when he finished. 

"If you're itching, why do you keep eating?" asked Zuko, seeing his friend's physical reaction, only to receive an angry look from Azula, who had finally realized her mistake. 

Shisui couldn't stand spicy things as well as they could! Just like the others, Shisui had a hard time tolerating the overly salty foods he sometimes ate, probably due to the waterbenders' physical constitution.

In a way, it was sobering to think about tastes and their relationship to the elements, but Shisui's mind was figuratively on fire right now, so he drew water from the pond and put it in his mouth, making it glow. 

He was healing, or at least showing his brain that signal. The heat was technically pain, yes, just as the embarrassment of others was pain. So he not only wiped off the remains of the wasabi but told his body that he was now healed from the painful 'wound'. 

"I'm sorry," the girl mumbled, lowering her head in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed. 

"Don't worry, even though it stung, I enjoyed the gesture," Shisui said carelessly, not knowing that his answer only made the little girl's heart beat faster. 

Night had fallen, and Azula glanced sideways at the stars in the sky and briefly saw a shooting star pass by. She wanted to make a wish, but when she saw Shisui beside her out of the corner of her eye, she felt it was not necessary. 

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AN: Puppy love, childhood love, who hasn't felt those butterflies in their stomach for a simple gesture shared with that special someone? I hope you don't spend this New Year's Eve alone. Happy New Year! I say this now because there will be no more chapters until January 1st.