Jin looked at the key in his hand and then at Asami.
"Seriously?" he asked, speechless. "He just gave you the key like that?"
He'd at least expected a guide to come and explain the condition of the house.
"Do you think, given the house's reputation, he'd risk coming here himself?" Asami took the key that a subordinate of the current owner of the estate had given her, along with her own. "Besides, no one has lived there for a long time, and there's nothing valuable to steal. Giving you the key so you can explore at your own pace is better, isn't it?"
She wasn't wrong, but…
"I feel like this whole situation screams 'trap' from every angle." He didn't even need the key; he could open the door himself with a flick of his wrist.
The two walked toward the entrance of the neighboring residence, and Asami began unlocking doors as they explored.
"Are you sure no one has lived here in two years? It doesn't seem like it."
"Yes, no one." "I'm sure," Asami replied, frowning as she looked inside.
Although much of the furniture was worm-eaten, broken, or simply worn, there wasn't the thick layer of dust and grime one would expect from a place abandoned for so long. Not even stale air: the house was well-ventilated.
Asami hated to admit it, but… this place was even cleaner than her own house!
And her father was extremely particular about cleaning services.
Aside from the furniture, the only real signs that the mansion was abandoned were things like an empty pantry, locked rooms, an overgrown garden, rusty railings, and peeling paint on the walls.
A little maintenance and the place would be ready to live in.
There weren't even any cracks anywhere. Jin inspected the structure and discovered that the house was not only perfectly sound but also had a couple of basements; one of them clearly a wine cellar, judging by the shelving.
As they continued exploring, Jin suddenly heard a familiar voice out of nowhere.
"Dad?" Inkasha emerged from behind one of the walls and ran toward him, her face beaming. "How did you find us?"
"Jin?" Kyoshi stepped through the same wall, pleasantly surprised.
Jin: ???
"Is something wrong?" Asami noticed Jin had stopped; his expression wasn't quite right.
Jin needed a moment to process it.
"Give me a second, Asami," he held up a finger to her before turning back to Inkasha and Kyoshi. "How are you here?" he whispered.
"This is the place your daughter said might be a good hiding spot for us, since she practiced her ability to interact with the material world years ago, and no one lives here anymore," Kyoshi explained, looking at Asami with interest. "Wow, you haven't lost your touch. She seems capable, and she's not bad at all."
"Is she a first-time mom?" Inkasha asked as she circled Asami several times, inspecting her.
Asami shivered. Had the air turned cold?
"She... wait, I'm not going to do this," Jin said, refusing to change the subject. He approached Asami. "Give me your hand for a moment."
Asami held out her hand, and Jin pressed his thumb against her wrist, sending out a thread of chi, enough to temporarily open Asami's spiritual senses.
For Asami, it was like a thin veil being lifted from her eyes, and then she saw Inkasha and Kyoshi.
"Oh... hello?"
The spirits were real. Good to know.
"Are you a first-time mom?" Inkasha asked curiously.
Asami was stunned. What kind of question was that?!
Were spirits always this strange?
"I guess you could call this fate," Jin chuckled as he took the opportunity to make the formal introductions. "Asami, the woman beside me will be known as Avatar Kyoshi, who is also my partner. And the adorable spirit beside her is my daughter, Inkasha. Ladies, this is Asami Sato. She lives in the mansion next door, and this is our second date. As for the rumors about this property, judging by what Kyoshi told me, it must have been Inkasha who started it all. So I think I'll take the place and make it my city residence."
"This is… a lot to take in," Asami said, placing a hand on her forehead and staring at them. "Are you really Avatar Kyoshi? You look… different."
" "Oh, Jin prefers me without makeup, so maybe that's why you don't recognize me," Kyoshi said, dissolving into a puff of smoke and reappearing in her operatic makeup, battle dress, and wielding her iron fans, striking a fighting pose.
"Okay, you're her," Asami admitted, finding it hard not to recognize her. "So... what's this about you being comrades? And what about... us?" She looked at Jin with a slightly hurt expression, silently wondering what their time together, however brief, had truly meant.
Jin was about to explain, but Kyoshi placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke first.
"I'd better explain." She reverted to her original form.
Asami listened patiently as Kyoshi told her everything: Jin's past with Honu, Xi, and June, his meeting with Kyoshi, how their friendship blossomed into a relationship, the promise he had made to her, and the circumstances that led to Inkasha's existence.
When Kyoshi finished, Asami leaned against a wall in silence, lost in thought.
"Maybe I went too far?" Kyoshi asked Jin, a little worried that she had said too much, too soon.
"No," Jin said, shaking his head. "If we connected, she would eventually learn. I had already decided to tell her at some point. You can't build a healthy relationship on lies and secrets. That's why I said it might have been fate that we met here."
Jin approached Asami, who looked him in the eyes with a serious expression.
"Asami," he said gently, "now you understand my situation better." If you truly want to give us a chance at a future "us," it won't just mean accepting my younger sister or a family I haven't even met yet. It will mean accepting to be my daughter's "mother" and having Kyoshi as a "sister." But if that's too much for you... I hope we can still be friends.
Asami exhaled slowly, her posture softening.
"I admit, I don't know what's more surprising: that you won Avatar Kyoshi's heart, that your Earthbending brought about the birth of a new spirit, or that you were so honest with me despite the consequences." She straightened up. "But I do know this: since we met, you've never given me any reason to doubt you. And you clearly have no ulterior motives toward me, my family, or my money."
Jin hesitated about that last point; after all, he did intend to send Hiroshi to prison. Even so, it was for his own good.
"Does that mean...?"
"Thank you for being honest with me." Asami stepped forward and hugged him. "Just promise me you'll be honest with me, okay?"
Jin couldn't help but smile as he hugged her back.
"Promise."
It seemed like he was really going to bend the original timeline completely…
Hooray! Inkasha was hopping around like a drugged rabbit. Now I have two moms!
Asami and Jin burst into laughter at the spirit's outburst while Kyoshi smiled warmly.
"So… now I can see and talk to spirits?" Asami asked.
"This is only temporary," Jin explained, relieved. His willingness to try despite the unusual circumstances meant a lot.
"That's right," Kyoshi added, stepping closer. "If you want this ability to be permanent, Jin will have to open your chi channels."
"That sounds painful."
"It's usually the case for normal people, but Jin has his own methods," Kyoshi said, giving him a mischievous look.
Ah, now Jin understood why he'd phrased it that way.
Kyoshi definitely wanted to see Asami's reaction when she became a surprise teacher.
Well, once that important point was made, there was nothing stopping him, though he wasn't going to spoil the surprise either.
"Come on," Jin took Asami's hand and led her to a good chair. "Sit down, I won't be long."
"Alright, go ahead! I'm ready!" Asami sat down and closed her eyes tightly.
...
Inkasha and Kyoshi exchanged amused glances.
Why was she acting like she was at the dentist?
Jin flexed his hands, preparing to give Asami the surprise of her life, and certainly a big surprise for Hiroshi.
…
"This feels… interesting," Asami said, looking around at herself and the others, noticing that she could now see Inkasha and Kyoshi more clearly. "Somehow, I even feel more relaxed."
It was as if she'd always had a stuffy nose and could finally breathe clearly. Invigorating was probably the right word.
"Properly opening the chi pathways has its rewards," Kyoshi commented as Jin worked.
Asami didn't seem to grasp the hidden meaning of his words.
"What kind of rewards?" she asked. "Besides seeing spirits, I mean."
"Better memory, smoother skin, more resistance to injury and illness…" Inkasha began listing, holding up a finger for each one, even growing more fingers as the count increased.
Asami stopped her when she had thirty-six fingers on one hand. Watching them move like insect legs sent shivers down her spine.
"There are many advantages. It's no wonder benders are tougher than non-benders," Asami admitted, pleasantly surprised.
"Well, those are more like side effects," Inkasha clarified. "For humans, the main benefit is that the open chi pathways allow you to control elements. Well, one element, since you're not the Avatar. You know." She said it matter-of-factly.
Asami froze, staring at her.
Kyoshi and Jin grimaced. That was the end of their surprise.
"You mean…"
"That you're no longer a non-bender? Yes." Inkasha nodded innocently.
Not even Jin could tell if she was trolling or being sincere.
Asami turned to Jin and Kyoshi, unsure whether Inkasha was joking or telling the truth.
"That's right," Kyoshi confirmed. "Though it's not something you should discuss openly." Her tone left no room for doubt. "The consequences of knowing would be more than problematic, as I'm sure you'll understand."
Asami's expression shifted from surprise to seriousness, and she nodded.
The fact that Jin trusted her with something like this... meant a lot.
"So... what do I do now?" she asked uncertainly. "Wave my hands or something?"
"I'll teach you a basic movement so you can experience it for yourself," Kyoshi said, turning to Jin. "No offense, but I think I'll be a better teacher for her."
Jin shrugged. He thought she was right.
As a former Avatar, Kyoshi had knowledge of all four elements, while her expertise was extremely specialized in earth.
Kyoshi stood next to Asami and showed her the posture and arm movements.
Asami seemed to have talent: after a few corrections, the results came quickly.
"Did I... do it?" Asami stared at her, wide-eyed at what she had accomplished. "I did it!"
What she managed to bend was...
To be continued in the next chapter! (￢‿￢ )
--------
Sorry about the language issue, I don't know what the heck is going on, but when I correct some words, sometimes the language gets reversed! Weird.