>>75661
Mayekoi, Mayekoi!
Before you vanish for another billion months, you should post the remaining S3 outfits! And the comic thumbnails!

Or, uh, you could just stay. That'd be cool too.

>>75665>>75661
Love Irah looking all floaty. Yay for your return!

I agree with Milli! Season 3 stuff. Pleeeease.

I'm so glad to see Mayekoi back! Hope to see more of her GJr stuff.

Aaand here's the sketch of my second illustration based on Murph's story. :)

>>75670
This is the best birthday ever ;_;

>>75670

Bravo, Vicente! Very cute. Nikiru seems to be quite enjoying herself :D

And happy berfday Milli!

Happy birthday, Milli! And sorry for being late... :)

Okay, I've been working on this little (not so little) thing for a couple weeks now, and it's finally ready. Since Milli's a godless deviant who seems to have asked a dozen people for birthday Jing/Tseng/Nikiru smut, that's what's here. Yep, it's smut.

I'm posting it here because (a) Murph already posted his fic here and I want attention too, (b) this goddamn thing is huge and gets us closer to the bumplimit, and (c) because even though this is porn (and, in the end, it's honestly pretty shameless blatant porn), I still think there might be some stuff in here that's useful. I'm thinking of things like this "season 3" Yue portrayal I have, and the potential for a friendship between Jing, Tseng, and Nikiru. In this story, I sort of consider everything except what directly leads to this threesome as in my "personal head-canon," and I'd like to think that, if there was a version of this story without the (sometimes very strong) sexual elements, it could mesh with the running ideas of these characters.

Now then, on with this thing!

[Author's note: One of the pictures that inspired this whole thing. This is all your fault Milli -- I mean, it was already all your fault by asking me to write this, but now even more. :3]

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It was a room that had tried so hard to be comfortable and, in doing so, had utterly failed.

The walls, the floor, the enormous couch pillows between which Yue was threatening to become lost, all were in various shades of gray and a particular "off-white" that made the whole room look like it had been covered in ash. The island the Iron Sea Wolves were on was neutral land, set up as a common meeting ground for the different nations to settle their differences after the War, but in their endeavors to avoid favoring any particular national color or architecture, the designers of this building had constructed a thoroughly unpleasant structure, no matter how many pillows and cushions they had piled onto the couches.

But endless political bickering had made it the only place the kids' other "guests" were willing to meet, so horrible monochromatic furnishings it was. Tseng curled up in one of the toneless chairs, a red-bound book in his hands, trying to ignore how Hayoda in the next seat over was lazily using the Waterbender's backrest as a footrest. Yue sat very still, nervously hoping she would stop sinking between the massive cushions around her, remembering the lessons she had learned about quicksand. Yi Lin lay on the couch, her legs hooked over its back, the great brown lump that was her hair settling against the ground as she talked to Nikiru, sitting very properly next to her. Irah was the only one paying attention to the people who had made these surroundings necessary.

"I must admit," she said slowly, "I'm not entirely sure what makes this so important. I -- we -- have all been to the Northern Water Tribe, many times!"

"Ah, but then you were there as runaways -- er, meaning no insult --" Arluk quickly recovered.

"-- none taken --"

"-- or as friends of the Princess Nikiru. But here you would be a guest of the entire Northern Water Tribe, with an emphasis on experiencing all of our great culture, an entirely different experience!"

Tseng piped up, turning away from his book. "So, what is this, then? Like foreign exchange students, but with royalty? A 'Princess Exchange Program'?"

"That's actually a pretty good description, Tseng," said Fire Lord Zuko, who until now had been relatively silent. He turned to Irah. "Didn't you have some Earth Kingdom students in your classes when you were younger?"

Irah nodded. There had been a few: bright, doe-eyed children completely blown away by their surroundings and with no reason to feel jealousy at the Fire Lord's daughter, they usually had been Irah's only academy friends -- at least until they returned home at the end of the year and Irah never saw them again. "Yeah... like foreign exchange students, huh?" she mused to herself, for the first time actually considering this plan her father had suggested. "Hey, wait a minute -- how do you know about foreign exchange students, Tseng? You never even went to school!"

"The antics of the Earth Kingdom foreign exchange student as he tries to understand Fire Nation customs? It's one of the staples of post-War Fire Nation literature for our age group." He gestured at the book in his hand. The others stared at him blankly. "...does no one else read Fire Academy novels?"

The silence was deafening, and eventually Tseng sighed and returned to his reading.

Zuko cleared his throat. "A staple, to be sure, but an unapologetically stereotypical one. That's what we're hoping to fix with this exchange. It's a chance to help show our two cultures what we can bring to each other."

"As an example," Arluk added, "After several weeks in the Fire Nation, Princess Nikiru will be able to speak to her people about that society with the benefit of first-hand experience and the authority of nobility. And with that experience," Arluk continued, making it all too clear that he, or at least whoever had written this script for him, enjoyed that word experience excessively, "she will be an even more valuable asset to the Northern Water Tribe."

Irah decided not to bring up how what Arluk really meant was it will pad Nikiru's list of accomplishments, making her more likely to be chosen successor, to the benefit of her father. "A very admirable goal. We would love to have Nikiru stay with us in the Fire Nation Palace." She measured her words carefully. "I just am unsure how true of a picture I can get of the Northern Water Tribe in such a ... formal visit."

"Don't worry," Hayoda said, grinning. "If I'm there, nothing formal stays formal for long."

Irah smiled warmly back at him, taking his hand. Maybe this "exchange program" wouldn't be so bad after all.

"You're quite right, Fire Princess. True leaders want to see for themselves, not just hear what their advisors see and tell them to think. For this reason, the Tribe is willing to forego the usual guards and handlers." Arluk forced the words out. "No one from the North Pole will be accompanying Princess Nikiru, and if you feel it would give you a better idea of our people, the same can be true of you."

If Irah had blinked, she would have missed it, but for just a fraction of a second Arluk had shifted his gaze to her father, and from his expression she knew how seriously Arluk was taking this, what it meant for him to hand over responsibility for Nikiru to the Fire Nation, and that he never would have accepted it had the stipulation not come from Nikiru's father himself. Irah was all set to speculate as to the reason -- perhaps so Nikiru's account of the Fire Nation would seem even more honest to make her a better choice to lead the Northern Water Tribe -- when her thoughts were suddenly halted by the realization that this would be the perfect opportunity for some true "alone time" with Hayoda, thousands of miles away from both the Blue Flame and its lack of privacy, and her father and his near-psychic sense of interruption.

Hayoda appeared to have come to the same conclusion. "Ooh, even better!" He gave Irah's hand a tiny squeeze as she tried to subdue the flutter in her stomach. Zuko's left eye twitched.

The Fire Princess regained her regal composure, turning back to her audience. "Very well then. If that's the case," she said, her tone making it clear that her if was an if and only if, "I look forward to this exchange."

"Yes!" Yi Lin shouted, pumping her fist as she lay upside-down. "We're going to have so much fun, Niki! I can't wait to show you a Fire Nation delicacy: Fire Flakes! Of course, I can't really eat them anymore, for some reason ever since a few months ago anything spicy has turned unbearably spicy for me but I know you'll like 'em!"

And with that the meeting was over, and each of the children started to head out of the horrible room they had already spent too much time in. In all the commotion, no one noticed Zuko calling Yi Lin over, asking if he could speak with her a moment.

Irah stayed behind to help extricate Yue from the mass of cushions that had threatened to devour her. As the two of them walked out, the young Earthbender turned to her friend and rescuer.

"So, are you sure you want to do this? The exchange thing, I mean? You didn't sound very enthusiastic."

Irah tried to put on a good face. "It's just... of all the places in the world, why did the Water Tribes have to pick somewhere so cold?"

[Author's note: Such an adorable idea. And I had to write this and sully the whole thing.]

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Of course, it wasn't until after the six of them were en route to the North Pole that Yi Lin threw the proverbial wrench into everyone's plans.

"What?! Yi Lin said she's coming with us?"

"That's what she told me she wanted."

"A-and you said yes?!"

"Hayoda," Irah tilted her head, "I tried not to, but she looked really upset and gave me those seal-pup eyes and you know I can't say no to those!"

"Fine." Hayoda threw up his hands and started off. "Then I'll go tell her."

"No!" Irah grabbed his hand. "She's still my friend and I think she might still be worried that she's losing me to you. You know that's why she acts the way she does."

Hayoda turned his face, trying extremely poorly to hide his emotions.

"Besides," she said, wrapping her arms around Hayoda's waist and giving him a quick peck on the cheek, "It's not like we'll be cooped up on a ship with her. The North Pole is a big place; I'm sure we can find somewhere just for some time together."

"I hope you're right, Irah," he sighed, kissing her back..

So it was with a certain dismal air that the Blue Flame sidled up to one of the docks of the Northern Water Tribe's capital city, matched only by the terrible weather that had started not more than an hour before they arrived. Snow and sleet whirled around in a freezing blizzard, blinding the view of anything more than twenty feet away. Only Po, with his thick, water-repelling coat of fur, was immune, but even he seemed to notice the sense of disappointment in the air.

Some welcome to the Water Tribe, Irah thought, descending the gangplank, bundled from head to toe in all the extra blankets the ship had to spare, passing by Yi Lin and Nikiru, who seemed on the verge of tears.

"I still don't understand! I thought you wanted to show me Fire Flakes."

"I do, Niki!"

"Then why do you have to go?" Nikiru knew how selfish she must be sounding, but she didn't care.

"Zuko said it's really, really important that I stay with Hayoda and Irah right now. He said the future of the Fire Nation could be at stake!"

"The future of -- what do you --"

"Remember all the stories I told you of my dad saving the world?" Yi Lin said. Nikiru nodded. "It's like that. I can't tell you how right now," the Airbender said, as Hayoda walked past them in a heavy blue parka, "but afterward I can explain. Once this is all over, we'll hang out together, and then we'll have two adventures to share between us, OK?"

Nikiru stared at the slushy snow around her feet and nodded. As much as she hated to, she could wait.

"You have messenger hawks here, right?"

Nikiru looked up. "Huh? They're-- they're more like puffins, but yeah..."

Yi Lin suddenly hugged her, squeezing her tightly. "Then I will write you a letter every day." She gently pressed her forehead to Nikiru's.

Nikiru blushed. "Al-alright."

And with that, the young Airbender grinned, turned and walked off with Hayoda and Irah, wrapping her deep orange shawl-like sleeves around herself to shield her from the howling cold, and disappearing into the storm.

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The Blue Flame rocked softly on the open waters, cutting a rippling wake through the calm waters between the North Pole and the continents southward.

"Within two degrees," Tseng said, consulting the ship's lodestone. "Very good."

Yue grinned. She had already picked up a great deal of navigating know-how during their voyages together, and after only a couple hours reviewing the basics of handling the vessel Tseng was confident she was up to the task of sailing across the world and picking up both "parties" of princesses when the exchange was over.

He wished Yue would stay with him and Nikiru in the Fire Nation, but she was adamant she had to go "network" with some academics at some geological conference in the Earth Kingdom to help her get into Ba Sing Se University a few years down the road.

Several dozen iron canisters were spaced out across the Blue Flame's deck, each filled to the brim with soil, gravel, or chunks of rock. It had taken an annoyingly long time to set them all up, especially for the thirteen-year-old Earthbender who had to move most of it, but Hayoda demanded Yue have a way of protecting herself at sea before sailing the ship by herself. "No pirates are gonna hurt my little sister if I have anything to say about it," he had said. Yue didn't see much point in it, and Tseng's mind was filled with images of her returning in a month's time having turned each of them into gardening boxes.

Tseng looked to the other side of the ship, where Nikiru was leaning on the starboard rail, staring at the placid water. She had been that way for a few hours now. His sister had told him to take care of Nikiru during this trip, rather suddenly handing the Water Tribe princess off to him right before she left.

Looking at Nikiru, he wondered if she might be seasick, but every now and then he would hear the faintest sigh coming from the princess. It was one of the saddest sounds Tseng had ever heard.

Dammit, he was supposed to be good at this. Tseng doubted that there was a single member of the Iron Sea Wolves who hadn't received at least one good pep talk from him. But, cheering up, say, Yue -- back in the old days when Yue hadn't found her place in the world and really needed cheering up -- had been easier. Tseng had known her ever since childhood, even if she was usually scarce when he came to Kyoshi to play with Hayoda. But Princess Nikiru -- they had barely even spoken five sentences to each other, over all the months of this adventure, and it wasn't for a lack of trying on Tseng's part. At first sight of his sister, Nikiru would rush off with Yi Lin to talk about who-knows-what.

Over the months, Tseng had built up an impressive array of mental plans on dealing with pirates, villains, and the perilous hardships of the sea, but whis was one situation for which Tseng was completely unprepared.

Tseng turned to Yue, who was currently tapping her fingers on different parts of one of the barrels, sounding out the different pitches. He pushed away the mental image of her returning in a month's time having turned the Blue Flame into a one-girl percussive orchestra.

"Hey, Yue? Do you think we could swing by Ba Sing Se and pick up Jing?"

"Eh? Why's that?"

"It's just that," Tseng said, lowering his voice, "Nikiru still seems down about Yi Lin not being around. I think she was looking forward to spending time with her in the Fire Nation."

Yue stared back at him, smiling brightly, but with an undercurrent of 'this has been common knowledge for some time now.'

"... and I remember when Jing and Nikiru met each other, they seemed to really hit it off."

Yue stood silent for a moment, scratching her chin.

"I'm just thinking of the success of the mission, that's all," Tseng added.

"Mission of smooching." Yue's grin was met with a splash of seawater to the face.

"Hey! Don't forget where you're standing," Yue laughed, slapping the nearest barrel and letting its contents reverberate.

"Alright, maybe a little bit. Besides, Jing did always say she wanted to see the Fire Nation capital."

Yue nodded, and walked briskly to the quarterdeck, bending down and holding out her arm as she passed Jiyi to let the ocelot-raven climb onto her. "That's no problem at all. It'll only add a couple extra days to our schedule." As she traced out a couple lines and curves on her map, carefully adjusted the Blue Flame's rudder, and called out a course correction to Po at the bow, she struck quite the figure of a competent navigator. And with her animal companion perched onto her shoulder, she would have cast the silhouette of a fearsome pirate leader, had Jiyi not been so comically oversized, and Yue herself so comically undersized.

She pointed a finger at Tseng. "But no smooching below deck, least 'till I drop you all off. Until I pick up Hayoda again, it's my ship -- Captain's orders!"

Tseng laughed and playfully saluted. "Aye-aye, Captain Yue!"

Yue snickered. She was having the time of her life.

----------------------------------------

As Yue waved farewell to them from the Blue Flame as it sailed off into the horizon, part of Tseng sincerely wished he was still on that ship, anywhere but here on the Fire Nation docks.

Thing had improved once Jing came on board. She was sometimes able to tease a response out of Nikiru, and just once or twice Tseng saw the princess smile. Tseng did feel that he had just shunted the problem onto his girlfriend, though, and now he was faced with the problem of how to enjoy Jing's company when Nikiru was still there, despondent as ever.

While he and Jing could talk for hours about anything, he still found it difficult to keep a strong conversation with the young princess, and in the interests of not leaving anyone out during the long, cramped carriage ride from the docks into the caldera of the Capital, Tseng chose to bury himself in his Fire Academy novel for the duration.

Upon arrival, a collection of guides gave the three a long and tedious tour of the palace that was more geared toward showing off the "cultural achievement" of every hallway and closet on the administrative grounds than anything that would be pertinent to their visit. Finally they showed Nikiru into what were to be her chambers for the next few weeks.

"And here is your room," said an elderly servant whose body seemed to be nothing more than sinew, gesturing Tseng and Jing to a nearby door before bowing and taking his leave.

Our room? Tseng thought as he opened the door.

The chambers were more than spacious, with a large opening to a balcony to the left framed with rich and deeply-stained bamboo, an ample stone hearth, and -- sure enough -- one, very large, very ornate bed, translucent silk curtains hanging from its tall canopy.

Tseng was fifteen now, nearing the age of maturity at least by Water Tribe standards, and Jing was well more mature than that, yet the concept of actually sharing a bed that was meant to be shared gave him pause. Surreptitious meetings in a cargo hold, or sneaking in the dead of night between rooms in an inn, or getting into ... situations in Jing's bedroom in Ba Sing Se? That was one thing; but this--

Jing sidled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "Nice, isn't it?"

Tseng cleared his throat. "I'm actually a little surprised they put us in one room. Considering how much Zuko tries to keep Irah out of -- nnh --" he moved slightly as Jing nuzzled his neck, "-- 'trouble', I'd have thought he'd at least try to split us up."

"I think he did," Jing said, sliding her body past him and sitting at the foot of the bed. "But I took care of it."

"Oh," Tseng smirked, leaning against one of the bedposts. "So this is your doing, huh?"

"Yep! I just told one of the servants that we were 'secretly betrothed.' He took care of all the details."

"Ah, that's -- wait, what!?"

"Aahahaha!" Jing threw her head back and flopped onto the soft mattress, disappearing behind the silk curtains. "Oh, the look on your face!"

"You..." Tseng shook his head as he moved onto the bed, "are a trickster and a fiend." He leaned over her to give her a kiss.

"That pretty much sums it up."

"I have to admit I've missed that."

Jing glanced downward and then back up. "I can tell."

"Oh -- er," Tseng blushed and quickly adjusted himself. He was finding it very hard to look away from her hazel eyes. They were giving him that look. "We..." he swallowed. He knew that look. "...we should probably go help Nikiru get settled in."

"Mmm! Quite!" Jing straightened her hair as the couple got up. "We can wait, can't we?"

"Of course we can!"

"We're not a pair of horny, barely-pubescent adolescents who can't control themselves!"

"We're mature!" Tseng playfully put his hands at his hips.

"Sensible!"

"Almost-adults!"

"Who are going to go at it like rabbaroos tonight," Jing grinned as the two left their chambers.

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Moving Nikiru in turned out to be an easy job. In the spirit of this cultural exchange, her chests holding possessions from the North Pole were light, and after her sizeable quantity of money from the North Pole had been converted into the new paper banknotes that had recently been introduced in the Fire Nation, they were even lighter.

"So, uh..." Tseng started, not sure what to say. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be alright, Tseng. But thank you for asking."

Jing was busy looking at the enormous welcoming package that had been set on Nikiru's desk. It was a chaotic mass of baked goods and perfumes and trinkets, obviously cobbled together from the various gifts of different nobles vying for attention.

"Ooh, what's this?" she said, pulling a red envelope out of the basket and pulling out a few scraps of paper. "They're tickets to something tonight... 'Rijinzita: Pyramid of the Sun'..."

She scanned the attached note. "'An award-winning production featuring reconstructions of music and dance from the extinct Sun Warriors' -- this sounds interesting, Nikiru!"

"Actually, Jing," Tseng piped up, "the Sun Warriors aren't--"

"You two can go if you like," Nikiru said. "I'm afraid I'm feeling a little tired from the journey. I think I'll just lie down for a while."

"Oh, OK," Jing shrugged. "There's supposed to be some really nice baths here in the palace. You should go unwind."

"That sounds nice. I might do that. Thank you, Miss Jing," Nikiru nodded. Looking down, she briskly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her before Jing could protest.

Jing gave Tseng a confused look, and the Waterbender could only shrug back. They could both tell they weren't going to get anything more out of her today. But there was no sense in letting all the tickets go to waste, and when evening came, the young couple left the palace for the theatre.

Its owner, who was expecting the prestige and honor that a foreign princess' visit would bring to his business, was irritated at filling a private box with two very common teenagers, even if they were friends of a princess. But filled it was, and soon the heavy drums and rhythms of "Rijinzita" filled the hall.

Tseng thought Jing looked fantastic in her local attire: a Fire Nation outfit with gold armbands and dark red fabric that left her midriff bare. In fact, as the production went on, he found it harder and harder to watch the performers instead of her. Catching him, Jing stared right back, and as their hands started to wander they simultaneously decided that award-winning musical productions weren't that interesting at the moment.

It was a game they liked to play, or rather one Jing liked to play and which Tseng found himself a participant in: to see how quiet the other could stay, and for how long.

The risks of losing were fewer in their dark and private theatre loge than in some of the other public places Jing liked to start playing at, but with the loud, unpredictable, wild music around them, not knowing when it would suddenly rest and cease concealing the soft, high gasps she made as Tseng worked his fingers inside her, excited her, and the girl's stomach, rising and falling with the heavy beat, quivered as she felt herself clench tighty, letting out a happy sigh.

But Jing always cheated at this game, this time watching his chest rising and sinking as once, then twice, and then three times her fingers brought him tantalizingly and mercilessly close to the edge, each time pulling him just back from the brink, leaving his muscles tenser and his breath shorter until finally he put his lips close to her ear and, between barely-subdued breathy groans he begged her to finish. It was this part of the game she loved the most, that defeated pleading, and she was happy to oblige, kissing him hard to muffle his noises as she stroked him to a sticky release in her palm.

"I'm really glad you came," Tseng whispered as he settled back down.

"Thank you for letting me come with you," Jing smiled.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment.

"Wait," said Tseng, "are we talking about the same thing?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I was talking about bringing you along on this trip to the Fire Nation."

"G-good, because that's what I was talking about too."

Right as the curtain fell, Tseng and Jing quickly left their private box, sneaking out of the theatre before they could get roped into an awkward conversation about the performance with its owner.

"We really need to have Nikiru hang out with us," Tseng muttered as the two walked up the tree-lined path toward the palace.

"To help her get over Yi Lin not being here and actually enjoy this trip?"

"Well, yes -- but also because it's obvious we can't handle ourselves without a chaperone."

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Sparse, wispy clouds drifted across the sky outside the palace windows. Nikiru sat at the desk in her room, watching them as she rested her head in her palm, wearing a flowing red and white robe which, like almost everything in her wardrobe, the servants had told her was "the latest fashion in Fire Nation nobility." She tried to find something the clouds looked like, but they were all too dry and insubstantial to make any interesting shapes.

She heard a couple knocks at the door, and when she didn't answer, it creaked open a crack. Jing popped her head in.

"Hey Nikiru, there's a performance of Yu Yan archery going on today, wanna come with?"

"Oh-- um... thanks, I'm OK."

Jing's shoulders sunk, and she stepped inside. "You sure? It'll be really fun. I mean, it's more than just shooting at some target, they do all sorts of -- well I can't really describe it, you'd have to see for yourself."

Nikiru smiled weakly. "I actually think I'll pass. But thanks for inviting me."

Jing stood there, staring back at Nikiru, who tried to subtly avert her gaze.

"I'm afraid I'm feeling a little bit tired," she stammered.

"It's only noon, Nikiru."

The Water Tribe princess looked down at the floor, chewing her lip.

"I know this trip isn't what you were expecting..." Jing took a seat on the mahogany chair next to Nikiru's. "...but is moping around really what Yi Lin would want?"

"I -- I'm not moping! I said, I'm just--"

"You two are going to be sending letters to each other, right?"

Nikiru nodded.

"'Today I sat in my room, stared out the window all day, and wished you were here.' Is that really what she'd what to hear from you?"

Nikiru flinched, as if she had been struck. She wanted to shout at Jing, tell her that it wasn't like that at all, but she couldn't deny that she was right. "N-no." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"I'm sure that by the end of all this, she'll have lots of stories to tell you." Jing smiled warmly, putting a hand on Nikiru's shoulder. "And I think she'd want you to have something to share with her too."

Nikiru stared blankly outside, watching the clouds. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to hide their slight wetness. Finally, she gave a tiny nod.

"C'mon," Jing said, standing up and holding out a hand. "You'll really enjoy it. Trust me."

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Nikiru knew about archery, of course, but she so rarely had a chance to actually see it. The North Pole was overwhemlingly a land of boomerangs and clubs and spears. Why send out an arrow to be lost in a snowdrift when you could throw something that would return to you?

Even in her sheltered palace life, Nikiru had seen Water Tribe weapons in motion. She was used to the speed and curve of a boomerang. But when the first Yu Yan arrow shot out, little more than a blur in the air, the girl was captivated.

It reminded Jing of when she herself had been a little girl, and constantly divided her attention between the performance itself, and Nikiru's oohs and ahhs as a tattooed archer threw a dozen clay discs into the air and hit them all with a bow behind the back before a single one touched the ground.

For some time after the event, as the three of them walked around the various merchant stands set up for the occasion, Nikiru was in a daze, exuberantly retelling the highlights to Jing and Tseng, complete with sound effects.

It was near-impossible to drag Jing away from the booths selling authentic (for certain definitions of "authentic") and quality (for certain definitions of "quality") Yu Yan bows. The flood of details she knew about their make flowed right through Tseng's and Nikiru's ears, and the two of them left her to haggle and argue with the merchants about "cheap knock-offs" and "flaws any true Yu Yan fan would notice." They rather suspected that it was this part Jing enjoyed more than actually buying a bow.

The two of them found their own items of interest, including a cleverly-designed hat that made it look like the wearer had been pierced through the skull by a Yu Yan arrow -- which both of them tried on, but neither bought -- and a pair of obscenely massive roasted turkeypig drumsticks which were apparently a cornerstone tradition of the event, even though their relation to the elite unit was incidental at best.

Tseng was a little nervous when Nikiru actually found something she was interested in: a beautiful pendant, made of some rare semi-transparent stone that Yue would probably be able to identify, that, when the sun hit it just right, looked like it had a little fire burning inside it. He was nervous because he wasn't entirely sure if he should help pay. Of course, if Jing bought something, he felt obligated to at least offer (another reason why he had shied away from Jing as she had started to eye the more expensive replica bows). And while Nikiru wasn't his girlfriend, he thought it might be different than if, say, Irah or another of his fellow crewmates were buying something. Mercifully, his concerns about etiquette were put aside when Nikiru pulled out a large bundle of banknotes -- a sign of princessly wealth Tseng would never be able to match even if he had been obligated to -- and peeled off a couple for the merchant.

At last, Jing came striding triumphantly over, a new, expertly crafted bow across her shoulders like freshly killed game.

"I see your hunt was fruitful," Tseng said.

"Indeed it was!" Jing traced the designs carved into its length with her finger. "Was there anything else you wanted to see here?"

Nikiru and Tseng glanced at each other and shook their heads. "I think we've got everything."

"Great!" She swung her bow back onto her shoulders. "If we get on the airship now, we'll be able to get to the Silver Tiger just before the dinner rush starts."

"The 'Silver Tiger'?" Nikiru asked.

"The guy I haggled with said it was the best Northern-style food in the capital."

"You think it's that good?" Tseng put his hands on his hips. "Maybe he's trying to get back at you for driving such a hard bargain."

"We'll just have to find out, won't we? C'mon!"

[Author's note: TDL drew this for me. Isn't he wonderful?]

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Tseng lay on his bed, his hands behind his head, enjoying the feel of the warm summer breeze from the open balcony on his bare chest.

A few days had passed since he had gone to see the Yu Yan Archers, and each day had been as filled to the brim. But more than any of the days, Tseng enjoyed the evenings in his bed more, and not just because of who shared it with him. Just letting the summer air surround him was experience enough.

In the distance he could hear the sound of running water, probably a fountain from one of the palace gardens, and the faint calls of cicadas in the air. Over the past couple days Tseng had heard many complain loudly about the insects' incessant cries, and he could see how over time they would become a nuisance, but right now they were just a pleasant reminder of the season.

Jing was off in the other room, doing.... something, she wouldn't say, save that it was a "surprise." He didn't bother to try and speculate; she had a knack for coming up with things Tseng never would have thought of.

"Hey Jing," he called out, stretching his muscled arms, "you haven't happened to see my Fire Academy novel around, have you?"

"You're not thinking of reading tonight, are you?" Jing said from the other room.

"Oh, not right now, of course not," he laughed. "Just wondering if you knew where it was. I think I might have misplaced it..."

There was a slight rustle, and the door opened. "Is this what you're talking about?" Jing said, holding up a small, thin book with a triangular symbol on its cover. But Tseng didn't even notice that. No, what his eyes were on was what Jing was wearing.

It was a Fire Nation school uniform, or rather one that had been altered to show off Jing's most impressive assets. She wore nothing on her chest but a black silk vest, held only by a bright scarlet sash cinched just under her breasts.

Tseng sat up at the edge of their bed, dumbstruck as Jing sashayed over, the short skirt she was wearing swishing freely around her smooth thighs.

"Wh-where did you find this?" he whispered, certainly not talking about his book.

"I have my resources. I didn't know you had a thing for Fire Academy schoolgirls. What do you think?"

Tseng put one hand on the small of her back, feeling the comfortable fabric and pulling her closer while the other roamed up her legs.

"It looks great on you," he said, staring up at her, kissing her belly and breathing deeply, taking in the scent of the perfurmed oils she had used in the baths today. "Really great." All the while, Jing ran her fingers through Tseng's long dreadlocks.

Suddenly she pushed him back against the bed, climbing up as he moved back and finally pinning him beneath her. Shifting her hips seductively as she straddled his midsection, Jing slowly worked the knot of her sash, thoroughly enjoying Tseng's expressions as she teased him.

Finally, she untied her belt, letting her clothes fall open to reveal her ample breasts.

As Tseng so predictably reached out to caress them, she took hold of his wrists, bending down to kiss him and place his arms above his head.

"It would be such a shame to blindfold you when I'm wearing something like this," she said, fiddling with the silk cloth in her hands. Instead she slid it through the wooden slats of the bedframe, tying it firmly to Tseng's wrists as he mildly twisted and turned against his restraints.

The slats made a strange sound as she quickly ran her hand across them, like some exotic musical instrument.

Jing quickly pecked Tseng on the cheek. "That's better."

Tseng squirmed at the sensation of her mouth running down his chest as she slid down his body, giving little kisses and nibbles along the way, paying special attention to the thin patch of hair running from his navel southward.

Jing quickly pulled off Tseng's trunks, revealing his manhood firm and ready. As Jing bent down further to give it a few tentative strokes, Tseng had a great view of the dark skirt she was wearing, its thin fabric showing off the form underneath it very well. And as she wrapped her lips tightly around his erect length, the way it bobbed in the air excited him even further.

Jing pushed her silk undergarments to the side and slid a couple slender fingers into herself, bucking her hips against her hand, slowly at first and then faster and deeper as she matched the rhythm of her lips fastened tightly around Tseng's length. Her head bobbed up and down in time with her own self-ministrations, and every so often she let out a muffled moan, long and low.

Tseng squirmed on the bed as his breath shuddered. "Nngh -- haah -- J-Jing..." His feet slid uselessly across the slick silk covers. Even in his haze of sensation, he could tell Jing was close herself, from the little noises she was making, to the sound of her fingers meeting wet flesh, to the fact that her eyes that had been fixed on his were now starting to roll back.

Her moans jumped an octave as her orgasm hit her. She cried out around the mouthful of Tseng throbbing between her lips, grabbing the base of his manhood with both hands as pleasure washed over her, as if she were holding on for dear life.

The sight of her raised hips trembling and bucking in the air, and her utterly-soaked hand pumping him as she rode out her climax, was enough to bring Tseng over the edge. He twisted his wrists around, seizing the silk sash that bound him as he arched his back. Letting out a shuddering, stacatto gasp, he finally felt release take him, grunting with each spurting thrust he could no longer contain until finally he relaxed, drained and panting.

"Ohhh..." Jing wiped her forehead, letting herself slowly recover. "Heh, would you look at that? Looks like you made quite a mess."

His head still pounding, Tseng looked down. Little white, sticky drops dotted his chest and dripped from Jing's chin. He smiled. "You should untie my hands so I can take care of that."

Licking her lips clean, Jing moved back up, staring at his smiling face as she loosened the knot that held one of his wrists. Only as the knot came undone did she suddenly realize the fire she had awoken in him.

In one quick motion Tseng flipped her on her back, Jing gasping in surprise and then ecstasy as he ravished her body.

[Author's note: JVC drew this for me. He's wonderful also! Thanks to both JVC and TDL for finding a way to make that old Fire Nation school uniform sexy. Not an easy task!]

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"Feet."

"Feet?"

"Yeah, what do you think about 'em?" Jing prompted. A sweatdrop trickled down her neck, sliding down her bare breasts as they slowly rose and fell in the open summer air. Her hair and schoolgirl outfit were in frenzied disarray after their wild bout of lovemaking. It was obvious that the Fire Nation school uniform had been a hit with Tseng, who admitted he had a particular weakness for them. And with her nethers still tingling from the animalistic ravaging she had unexpectedly received, she was determined to probe deeper and discover just what sorts of things made Tseng tick. It had already been wonderfully illuminating, and the couple had a few things planned for the coming evenings.

Tseng looked down at the blanket covering the couple from the waist down, staring at his feet that -- among other parts of his body -- raised up the thin fabric. "They're alright, I guess. What, are there people who have a thing for feet?"

"Are there! From what I've heard, there are people who adore feet. Worship them, even. Some can't even get off without some special attention from them," she said, sensuously running a foot up his leg. "What do you think?"

"I'd say I've been missing out on some interesting conversations."

"I'd say you have."

"But anyway, I don't think feet do anything for me. I mean, I think your feet are nice --"

"Nice save."

"But I think there are far nicer parts on you," he said, stroking a circle around one of Jing's nipples and bending down to give the other a little suckle.

"Oooh," she laughed, "Even nicer save."

Tseng looked up. "Why, do you like feet?"

"Nah, your feet are silly-looking!" Jing snickered.

Tseng rolled his eyes and moved in to nuzzle his girlfriend's neck. "C'mon, give me another one."

"Hey, I thought up the last one, it's your turn."

"I'm not the one constantly thinking about sexy things."

"Sure you are. You just don't say it out loud."

"Hmm..." Tseng lay back against the pillow, deep concentration on his face. "It's a lot easier to respond to ones you suggest than to think up ideas out of the blue." He stretched his tired arms out, wrapping his fingers around the slats of the bedframe that had held him earlier. "I do really like it when I'm not the one steering the boat, so to speak."

"You mean, when I'm doing whatever I want to you--"

"And there's not a thing in the world I can do about it. Yeah." He was leaning in to kiss her on the nose when his expression changed. "You're probably going to make me regret say that, aren't you?"

"Probably." Jing kissed him. "But there's nothing you can do about it. Anyway, we already both know about that one, don't we?" She idly stroked him under the covers. "Let's hear something new."

"Well... there was one thing... no, no, it's stupid --"

"Hey, nothing's stupid here. We're just throwing out ideas."

"Okay. It's this idea where I'm ... I'm sort of an ancient Water Tribe warrior-barbarian," he laughed nervously, "and you're a princess I've captured to have my way with."

"Hmm... 'Tseng the Barbarian'..."

"See, I told you it was--"

Jing swung a leg around his, playing with Tseng's locks as she gently moved her hips. "Actually, that sounds really hot. I'd be up for it."

"Just don't let Yi Lin find out I want to dress you up like a princess. I'd never hear the end of it."

Jing shuddered in disgust. "Believe me, hun, Yi Lin is very low on the list of people I like to discuss my sex life with."

"Your turn."

"Let's see... hot wax."

Tseng glanced at the candle on the stand next to the bed. "Are you just naming random objects?"

"No! Just think about it: you dripping hot wax onto my chest, me gasping at it hits my skin..."

"Gasping from the pain. Why would you want me to actually hurt you?"

"Because it's a good kind of hurt, silly. A lot of people do it. I've heard that more than one in three people in the Fire Nation--"

"Where are you hearing all this?" Tseng shook his head.

"--can't get it up without some sort of fireplay."

"That doesn't sound too -- ohh, 'fireplay', okay. But that's terrible! Bringing in all this weird violent stuff..."

"They're just using their element. Speaking of which, you need to use your element more often. Like that one evening in the Nan Shan River, remember?" she said, stroking Tseng's chest.

"You... you liked that, huh?"

"What, you thought those weren't screams of pleasure? Of course I did. All that water, pumping in and out of me..." she shuddered very visibly against Tseng's body.

"Okay, point taken. We'll have to check out the baths together one of these days."

"Thanks. By the way, ever thought about using your bending on yourself?"

"What?" Jing was jumping between subjects faster than Tseng could react.

"Like, to keep yourself hard longer."

"Am..." Tseng gulped, "am I not lasting long enough?"

"No, no! It just might be interesting is all."

Tseng bit his lip. "I'll admit, the thought had once occured to me."

"And?"

"Never gonna happen. Even if I could bloodbend, doing it on myself at the moment when I'm least in control of my body? That's a recipe for disaster."

Jing's eyes widened. "Eeuugh. That's... a good point. Your turn."

"Okay." Tseng lay silent for a few moments. "I was just thinking some more about the whole warrior-barbarian idea," he laughed, "and I was thinking that when you're my captive princess, you could wear a gag..."

Jing looked at him with a bemused smile.

Tseng froze up. "I'm sorry! That's really degrading, and completely not respectful and, uh," he blushed, "sorry, just forget I said anything--"

"Tseng..." she kissed him. "I force you into women's clothing on a regular basis. I don't think you have to worry about degrading anyone."

"It's just that the sounds you made tonight when you had something in your mouth --"

Jing shrugged, smiling at his euphemism. "Ah, what the hell, we'll try it out. Hot wax first, though, okay?"

Tseng nodded, still a little embarassed as he reached over to the pitcher of water on the nightstand to pour himself a cup.

"My turn," Jing mused. "How about.... threesomes?"

Tseng spit out his drink. "What."

"You heard me. You and me and some other girl spending some time together."

"Oh, no," he said, wagging a finger at Jing. "No, no, no. I am not answering that."

"Oh, come on, it's just a question, it won't bite!"

"In the Water Tribe, we have a proverb: 'Do not throw the arrow which will return against you.'"

"You guys barely even use arrows!"

"Exactly. My point is, that's a dangerous question to answer."

"How?"

"Because sometime down the road, we're going to end up having an argument. It may be weeks or months or even years, but all couples get into arguments. And if I ever entertained the notion of another woman satisfying me, that's going to get lobbed right into my face."

"Come on, I promise I'll never hold your answer against you." Jing sat up. "Here, I'll take any blame off you: let's say I came to you and said 'hey, there's this girl and I think it'd be nice if she joined us tonight'. How about that?"

Tseng sighed. "So let me get this straight, just so both of us are completely aware of this hypothetical situation: if you came to me and said that there was a girl whom you wanted to join us, and if you were asking me if I would be okay with having her -- again, it being entirely your idea and her being your choice in this -- join us--"

"Yeah?" Jing smirked.

"Then..." Tseng paused, choosing the right words. "I would put it under consideration."

Jing wrapped her arms around Tseng. "You're so adorable when you're flustered."

"I guess that explains why you like to fluster me..." he said, kissing her. "And don't call me 'adorable'."

"Hmm, OK; then... you're so strong, muscular, and virile when you're flustered."

"Much better," Tseng laughed.

"Okay, let's move on. You give me one."

"Well, I like to see you laugh." Tseng sat up and put his hands on Jing's stomach. "Does tickling you count?" he said, dancing his fingers up her sides.

"Augh! No, stop it! Hahaha!"

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With its thick pillars and ancient hanging scrolls of Fire Lords past, the Palace's great dining hall was an impressive room, a grand example of traditional Fire Nation design, a place for meetings and receiving honored guests.

It was where the Princess Nikiru of the Northern Water Tribe should be for meals, being served by royal chefs, servants taste-testing every other bite. But she and her friends had been there five days now, and hadn't even entered the room since the second day, prefering the various small restaurants littered about the city. So for them to return to their "proper" dining this evening meant something special was going on.

One of the side doors opened, and out walked Tseng, balancing a large plate in his hands as he came over to the table where his two friends sat. His long dreadlocks were tied back and wrapped up in a deep red bandana, decorated in a black and white mankolam pattern.

"I like the look," Jing said, gesturing at Tseng's headwear.

"Just part of the uniform for all the kitchen staff."

"...before you shooed them all out," Jing smirked.

"They were happy to leave work early. Besides, I need room to do my work."

"And what's your masterpiece this evening?"

"Tonight's theme is Water Tribe favorites with a Fire Nation twist," Tseng said, placing a steaming, shallow bowl in front of each of them, to murmurs of appreciation. "First we have fire-spiced ocean kumquats in a coconut milk sauce. You'll find that ocean kumquats are surprisingly similar to our sea prunes."

"Tseng!" Nikiru exclaimed, wide-eyed. "I didn't know you cooked! I mean, I know you cook, but not," she gestured at the artistically-arranged dish in front of her, "cook!"

"He likes to keep it a secret," Jing remarked.

Tseng quickly set out a few pairs of chopsticks. "If you're cooking for Hayoda and three other hungry adventurers, a couple hours of work gets devoured in about five minutes," he said as he filled two cups with a thick, brightly-hued mango juice and placed them by the two girls. "And when you're on a boat with limited cargo space and little money for luxuries, meals tend to be the bare essentials."

He cleared his throat. "...But thank you; it's nice to have an appreciative audience." He set down a stack of flatbread. "You'll probably want some of this; when I say 'fire-spiced' I mean it."

He was right. Nikiru had usually ordered milder dishes, and when she popped a piece of kumquat into her mouth, she barely contained a muffled squeal. Tears in her eyes, she took one of the lumpy, bulbous flatbreads and bit down, bringing sweet, sweet soothing to her tongue.

"It is good, though," she said between bites, and after a moment she returned to the main dish to repeat the painful experience. Tseng beamed; he was glad to see the past several days of culinary "research" on their various visits had paid off.

"You know," Jing said mischievously, holding up a morsel of the reddish vegetable in her chopsticks, "I've read that the sea prune is considered to be an aphrodisiac in the Water Tribe. I wonder if ocean kumquats are similar there, too." She took a slow, savoring bite, her gaze fixed on Tseng as she licked her lips clean of the kumquat's juices.

Tseng's face immediately turned as red as his bandana. "I-I really don't know; the, er, packaging didn't mention it." He gulped, glancing at Nikiru, who was now staring at him too, amusement on her face.

"I think I left something in the fire," he said, his voice jumping in pitch. "I'd better go check." And with that he whisked himself back into the kitchens.

Just as the doors shut, the two girls let out what could only be described as a light cackle. Jing shook her head as she went back to eating normally, snickers punctuating each bite.

"You love to do that, don't you?" Nikiru laughed, wiping away her tears that for once did not come from the spicy meal in front of her.

"Oh, he enjoys it," Jing said, munching on her kumquats. "He'd never admit it to anyone, maybe not even himself, but he likes having his boundaries pushed. He'd never do it on his own, but if someone's there to show him it's okay..."

"So what makes you enjoy it?"

"That's a good question." Jing paused. "I think you can get closer to someone by putting them into a situation they aren't prepared for, sort of stripping away the layers to find out underneath."

Nikiru beamed. "That's really poetic, Jing!"

Suddenly Tseng burst from the kitchen. "Saved it!" he shouted, carrying out a platter holding a very-slightly-blackened roasted sea slug.

[Author's note: This is a little comic Milli drew and TDL colored for me, showing the utterly molest-y way Jing seems to get depicted in these things. I admit this story breaks no new ground and does nothing to make Jing's image more positive or realistic.]

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The bright afternoon sun shone through the paper screens that formed the walls of the palace's private bath, making them pleasantly warm to the touch and casting a diffuse, golden glow to the room.

One of the panels slid open, and two young women wrapped in towels stepped in, sighing pleasantly as the steam surrounded them.

From the pipes under the floor that warmed their footsteps to the way air currents shifted the heat properly around the room, the bath itself was a marvel of Fire Nation engineering, or so Tseng would have noticed and gone on at length had he been there with the two girls. But no, this was their time, and if Tseng was bored he could read his book or make something in the kitchen.

It was now a week and a half since they had arrived in the Fire Nation, and no matter what they had planned, Jing and Nikiru always made time to go to the baths together.

On the first couple visits Nikiru had been mortified, awkwardly covering herself as she slipped into the water, trying to keep her eyes off Jing and her assets that routinely found themselves above the waterline, and blaming the flush color of her face on the heat of the bath.

But no matter how nervous or shy the younger girl had been, Jing always radiated a sense of complete ease that Nikiru admired. Her casualness and frankness had been infectious, and these times together were now, if not Nikiru's most comfortable, then at least her favorite times.

"Oh man," Jing groaned, casting off her towel and stretching her shoulders. "That was some hard playing today. Those were some good dives, by the way."

"Thanks," said Nikiru, still politely half-averting her eyes. She rubbed her knees where she had slid hard across the grass, leaving stains on her clothing. Earlier that afternoon, the three of them had come across a group of kids playing Kuai Ball on a field, and Jing and Tseng had surprised Nikiru by calling out to these complete strangers and joining in on their game. They seemed so able to find new friends, just like that.

Suddenly, Jing ran forward, shouting out as she leaped into the water, pulling her arms and legs to herself to hit the surface with a satisfyingly deep ka-ploosh, followed by the pitter-patter of violently displaced water splashing all around her.

"Ahaha!" Nikiru said, shielding herself with her towel. "Jing, they probably don't like you doing that!"

Rising to the surface, Jing threw her head back, squeezing her dark brown hair dry. "Well, it's their fault for making such a great bath! It's really warm today, c'mon!"

Nikiru undid her towel, neatly folding it against one of the walls where she hoped it wouldn't get wet, and gingerly slid into the pool.

"Haaa--ahhh!" It really was hot. She held still for a few moments, letting herself get used to it.

"Heh, oops, sorry," Jing said, coming over to Nikiru's side. "Should've warned you more, I guess."

"No, it's quite alright. It just caught me by surprise," Nikiru said, finding a seat on the ledge next to Jing and spreading her limbs wide, letting the heat wash across her legs as she let out a long, savoring sigh. She knew how unladylike her pose was, but through the water and steam not even Jing could see her. And even if she could, Jing certainly wouldn't mind. That was one of the things Nikiru really admired about her: she knew what fun and enjoyment was, formalities and etiquette be darned.

"This has been really great, Jing," she said, grabbing a cloth and starting to wash herself.

"You mean the Kuai Ball today?"

"All of it!" Nikiru exclaimed. "Kuai Ball, the Flameos concert, all the work Tseng put into that meal... everything! This trip has been so much fun."

Jing put her arm around Nikiru's shoulders. "I'm really glad. You still miss Yi Lin?"

"Yeah, but..." the younger girl absentmindedly scrubbed her arms. "I mean, I really do wish she were here, but... it's funny. If Yi Lin had come with me, I would have missed out on doing all this with you and Tseng. You two always find something you haven't done before, and then you do it! I really think that's neat."

"Well, I don't know if it's all us," Jing said, casually reaching behind Nikiru to one of the assortments of soaps and oils inset into the floor. She pulled out a small alabaster bottle and applied the slightly-sweet liquid to herself as she talked. "It's a lot easier to be more spontaneous when you don't have someone like Arluk always hovering over you and planning your life a week in advance."

"Maybe..." Nikiru tilted her head, her long, dark hair falling off to one side. "But if it was just me and Yi Lin here -- I mean, with Yi Lin, I really love it but --"

"'It?'"

"The time I spend with Yi Lin," Nikiru emphasized. Her washcloth slowly and unconsciously moved down her body, focusing on her legs. "I really love it, more than anything, more than life itself -- I'm... I'm talking about the time here..."

"Uh-huh."

"But anyway, we do do a lot of the same stuff each time. We probably would just be cooped up in the palace doing what we always do."

"What's that?"

"Well," Nikiru smiled, bringing up the washcloth to gently clean between her legs, "she usually has some funny story or idea, like you being madly in love with Hayoda --"

Jing laughed at that.

"-- or something like that to tell. And I..." she shrugged, "I listen, mainly. You... aren't madly in love with Hayoda, are you, Jing?" Nikiru winked.

Jing cocked her head toward the young girl next to her. "No."

The two girls snickered, then fell silent, both taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the bath. Nikiru closed her eyes, slouching in her seat. All she could hear was water dripping off their hair and the girls' breathing, one breathing a little louder and faster than the other, and Nikiru dimly realized that she was still rubbing the washcloth steadily between her spread legs, far more than for mere cleanliness, stroking her innermost folds through the soft fabric again and again.

In the back of her mind she knew she should stop, that this was wrong, that you just didn't do something like this right next to someone, even someone as casual as Jing. But with the steam and the heat it was getting hard to concentrate, and it didn't help either how she could feel Jing's breasts pressing against her arm and how she -- she smelled so nice...

"It's fun," Nikiru mused, still half-lost in her haze, "seeing the way you and Tseng act around each other."

"Yeah?"

"You really like each other. And," she giggled to herself, thinking of something clever, "the two of you probably get up to some real 'spontaneous' stuff in the b-- oh dear spirits..." She trailed off, clapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and her face even redder than it had been before as she realized just what she was saying.

She forced the washcloth off of her nethers and quickly sat up, hoping desperately Jing hadn't noticed her impropriety. At the same time, she tried to sink further into the water to conceal her dark brown nipples that were now standing firm above the waterline.

In her mind she cursed herself for her lack of self-control with the few curse words she knew. What is wrong with you, Nikiru?!

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-- that was really--"

"Hey," Jing squeezed the dark-skinned girl close, giving her a bright, warm smile. "Hey, it's OK."

Nikiru chewed on her lip. Jing laughed, and felt the girl next to her relax just a little. An idea popped into her mind.

"You know... you're right, we do some 'interesting things' every now and then." She looked into her eyes, an inviting expression on her face. "Wanna be one of 'em?"

"Wh-wha--" Nikiru blinked her eyes quickly.

"How 'bout you join us tonight, Niki?"

She had heard wrong. She had to have. "Do -- do you mean--"

"Ahhn!" Nikiru gasped, feeling a hand sliding down her belly, curving between her legs. She froze up as she felt it brush against her womanhood, tracing little circles around her inner lips.

"This is what I mean," Jing smiled, listening to the girl in her arms as her breathing sped up.

Nikiru stared down into the rippling water, eyes wide as she watched slender fingers rub and caress her nether regions.

"Does that feel good?"

"Mm!" the princess forced out, barely able to process, much less answer what Jing was saying over the warm, overwhelming sensations she was being given by fingers not her own.

Jing leaned in closer. "Nothing serious, just Tseng... me... and you..." she whispered in Nikiru's ear, feeling her body quiver in response. "Having a little bit of fun." She slipped a couple knuckles into her and rubbed her from inside.

"Ohh... wow..."

"How does that sound?" Jing said, stroking her more firmly.

Nikiru sighed in pleasure as Jing's fingers teased her opening.

"Th-that sounds..." Her eyes fluttered. "...w-wonderful."

Jing just smiled, redoubling her efforts between the girl's legs.

Nikiru let out a weak cry and bucked her hips as Jing roamed higher, rolling her sensitive nub between a couple fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her body felt like it was burning up. She hunched over, the tingly, warm feeling in her belly growing and growing and --

Nikiru suddenly threw her head back and cried out, snapping her eyes open and planting her hands firmly on the stone ledge as she arched her back. Jing grabbed hold of her, rubbing her hard and fast as her hips bucked again and again in the water. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to both of them, Nikiru's orgasm slowly subsided, and Jing helped her spent and shaking body back onto her seat.

Jing smiled at the sight of Nikiru's heaving chest as she recovered. She slowly dragged her palm over one of the dark-skinned girl's nipples, listening to the shaking, ragged sound of her breath.

Nikiru smiled, a look of pure bliss on her face. "So... t-tonight?"

"Tonight."

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"Oh, Jing, I can't tell you how much I needed this."

"You don't need to, dear. You exerted yourself a lot during that Kuai Ball match."

"If I hadn't, we were going to lose -- ooh, that's the spot!"

Jing had only recently picked up massage, but she had picked it up quickly, moving mercifully speedily past the "bone-crunching" phase of her experience during the last time Tseng had visited Jing, and now he looked forward to it.

Tseng smiled as her fingers pressed just the right parts on his shoulders, as if all his nerves were fitting back into their proper places.

Tap-tap-tap came a timid knock at the door.

"Eh? Didja order us some food or something?" He opened one eye.

"Stay right there, hun," she said, climbing out of bed and tightening the sash of her red-and-gold robe.

"Mmmnot going anywhere," Tseng mumbled, closing his eyes again.

Jing smiled and opened the door, revealing Nikiru, red-faced in an equally-red robe, nervously fiddling with her hair.

Nikiru had made up some lines for herself to say -- something about how she was just stopping by to wish the two of them a good night and how much she enjoyed their day together -- and had rehearsed them several times, just so she would be prepared if Jing's invitation had been some sort of cruel practical joke, or if the sheltered Water Tribe princess had somehow completely misinterpreted her intentions.

But as Jing greeted her and the two whispered to each other, it was obvious that what was on Jing's mind was exactly what Nikiru had thought.

"Who is it?" Tseng said, poking his head out from behind the silk curtains, wrapping the blanket around his nude body. "Oh! N-Nikiru! Hello! What brings you here?" He blushed at the thought of Nikiru realizing what he and Jing had been busying themselves with the past dozen evenings.

"Well, hun," Jing said, rubbing Nikiru's arms through her silk robe, "there's this girl here, and I think it'd be nice if she joined us tonight."

"What."

"How 'bout it?"

"Are you suggesting--"

"Yep!"

Tseng's mouth opened and closed a few times as the sheer reality of what was going on started to dawn upon him. "J-Jing, you-- you can't just -- I was, um... joking! Yes, that's it -- joking!"

"How disappointing," Jing pouted. "I guess I'll just have to go comfort Nikiru in her chambers." She started to lead the princess out.

"W-wait!"

The two girls turned around, a look of supreme victory on Jing's face.

"A-are you sure he wants to do this?" Nikiru whispered to her.

"Trust me, he does," Jing said. "He's just so afraid of looking like a pig."

"That's not it!" Tseng blurted out. "I-- I--" he offered weakly, keenly aware of just how lucky a young man he was and how if he had any sense left in his brain he would shut his mouth. "I-- just wish you had told me ahead of time, I mean that is to say--"

"Okay, so that's a yes," Jing grinned, pulling off her robe, parting the silk curtains and gently guiding Nikiru by the hand onto the bed. The princess herself was having trouble containing the butterflies in her stomach. Oh wow what am I doing I can't believe I'm doing this oh wow...

Nikiru looked between her two friends as they each sat on the bed, her face bright crimson at the sight of their nude bodies. They both looked very nice, she thought. "So, um," she forced out, trying to be spontaneous, "what happens now?"

"Mmm, I like your attitude," Jing remarked. "Tseng. Why don't you go make our guest feel good?"

"Wha--"

"I want you to please her like you please me," she said seductively in his ear. A thought occured to her. "Well, I mean, gentler than we do it," she shrugged, breaking the moment. "At least to start."

Tseng laughed to himself and shook his head. "Alright, I, uh, I guess I'm doing this." Nervously he removed Nikiru's robe and set it aside. He got on his side and slowly ran his hands along her thighs, easing them open to reveal Nikiru's slit. It was smaller than Jing's, but with more prominent lips, and a small tuft of dark brown hair above it.

He bent closer, looking up at Jing to give her one last "are you sure this alright" look before he brought his tongue to Nikiru's womanhood.

For several minutes it was quiet in the bedroom, nothing more than the quiet sound of Tseng's lips kissing and licking at her, and the soft mewling gasps that Nikiru made.

Jing came up next to her new friend, placing a hand on her belly as she whispered into her ear.

"How does it feel?"

"I -- ahhhh..." she sighed, moaning softly as Tseng moved his attentions up to the flushed, swollen nub that crowned her lips.

"Tell me how it feels."

"It's so good!" she said as her head lolled. "I-- I've never felt anything like it!"

Jing looked between Nikiru's legs, giving Tseng a smile which he returned, pausing only for a second before returning to Nikiru's most sensitive parts, eliciting another set of high-pitched gasps.

Nikiru curled her toes. She felt as if she were floating on a cloud, happily cooing at the warm sensations Tseng was giving her between her legs and the soft caress of Jing's smooth hands all over her chest.

"Oh... yes..." She let out a shuddering sigh, relaxing into her pillow as pleasure radiated out from her core through her entire body. Her eyes rolled back at the pulsing waves she felt from the walls of her opening clenching against themselves. "Oh thank you, you're so good, Yi Lin..."

She opened her eyes to see Tseng staring back at her, a blank expression on his face.

Don't think about how you just made a girl come as she imagined you were your sister. Don't think about that. Don't think about that. Don't think about--

And then he felt Jing's lips wrap around his manhood, and he really couldn't think about that.

Falling onto his back, he stared at Jing, breathing in sharply as she cupped his balls and pushed her head down onto him. His manhood twitched in Jing's mouth.

Jing popped his penis out of her mouth to quickly say, "Niki, grab his arms!" before swallowing his length once more. Not knowing what to do, Nikiru quickly held him by the wrists, just as he tried to jerk his body forward.

Feeling his arms twisting and threatening to break free, she moved on top of him, sitting on his chest to help hold him down.

Tseng groaned, the young princess blocking his view, unable to discern except for touch just what Jing was doing to him. In his haze of pleasure he thought it was like beign blindfolded.

Nikiru watched his face intently as Jing worked his shaft, her tongue swirling around its tip. He was straining and wincing and breathing hard and a host of other fascinating expressions she had never before seen so combined.

It was beautiful, she thought, watching someone receiving such pleasure, trying to get an idea of what he was experiencing. Was this was she had looked like? she wondered.

She noticed his bright blue eyes, how they stared wide and steadily despite how the rest of his face moved, and realized he was staring at her slit, its arousal shining in the dim light.

As if bidden by something deep inside her, Nikiru moved up his body, keeping her hands on his wrists as she brought her opening to his mouth, gasping breathily as he hungrily lapped at her.

It was so different than before, stronger and faster than the gentle attention he had given her. It was exciting, seeing him so eagerly giving her pleasure, and her minutes-old climax was still fresh in her memory.

Her eyes widened in anticipating, watching herself for the first time as another brought her past the brink. She cried out, squeezing Tseng's wrists hard as she bucked against his face, her thighs trembling as her already-soaked nethers became drenched with another orgasm.

As Nikiru's blurred vision slowly cleared, she saw that Tseng was looking up at her, his smiling face dripping with her wetness.

"How was tha..." he started before throwing his head back, his face contorting as he reached his release.

Jing had intended to swallow down every drop, but with Nikiru's hunched form blocking her view of his face, she was caught by surprise, and she jerked her head away as Tseng raised his hips, spurting into the air.

Nikiru gasped in shock as she felt a sudden wetness splash against her back, and then again, and again, until she had a wet, sticky line running down the length of her spine beyond the small of her back.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Jing shook her head, swallowing the small bit that had landed in her mouth. "Would you look at that." She crawled forward, putting her tongue at the base of Nikiru's back -- prompting an eep of surprise from the younger girl -- and slowly licking her skin clean.

Nikiru squealed at the sensation of Jing's tongue, arching her back, a great shiver sliding up her spine until Jing finally popped her head up behind the princess' shoulder.

"I'm not done with you yet, Tseng," she said, meeting his content expression with a fierce smile and grabbing hold of his manhood.

"Ohhh-- nngh -- please," Tseng gasped, gripping the covers as Jing stroked his penis, not letting his erection settle.

With her free hand Jing rubbed Nikiru's shoulder. "Hey, turn around," she said, and Nikiru obliged, reversing herself on Tseng's chest, her eyes darting nervously as Jing slowly lowered the girl until she lay flat on her back, on top of Tseng's body. Taking a moment to enjoy the sight she had arranged, she straddled Tseng's hips, pressing the head of his length against her womanhood.

"I want you two to watch."

With her ear next to Tseng's face, Nikiru could hear every fatigued breath the Waterbender made. And as Jing said that, Nikiru heard him shudder, and then groan when the older girl pushed herself down onto Tseng's red, throbbing manhood.

"Hhhk!" Tseng squirmed, trying to subdue with the painful pleasure his manhood was receiving. He wrapped his arms around Nikiru, squeezing her breasts and suckling at her neck in an effort to deal with the sensations he was feeling. Nikiru gasped, tilting her head to expose more of her neck to the lips that were ravenously moving on her skin.

Meanwhile, Jing was lost in her own world, bouncing herself up and down, back and forth on Tseng's member. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the pleasure steadily building inside her. "Yes... yes that's good-- more--" she whispered to herself, pinching her nipples for more sensation.

Suddenly she threw her head back, hair falling down her sweating, arching back as her body trembled. "Ahhh... that's it..." she mouthed, grinding her hips to her climax's completion.

Tseng stared at his girlfriend as she slowly came down from her orgasm, obviously impressed at the sight of the girl's experience. Jing pulled herself off of Tseng's firm, slick length with a soft, wet pop. "You want a ride, Niki?" she said, grabbing her boyfriend's manhood by the base and rubbing it against the younger girl's opening. She licked her fingers and pressed against Nikiru's clitoris.

Nikiru lifted her head up, looking past Tseng's hands tweaking her nipples. She moaned loudly, shaking at the sudden urge she felt to take Tseng in and to feel that full sensation. It took all her willpower to resist. "N-no thanks, I'm quite alright!"

"Suit yourself," Jing shrugged, once again impaling herself on Tseng, who let out a steady groan into Nikiru's ear. The princess desperately hoped she would be able to hold herself back.

Nikiru's breath caught in her throat as she noticed Tseng's hands heading southward, knowing what was coming. The Waterbender spread her lips and rubbed her clitoris steadily with his thumb. Jing's fingers pressed inside her, finding sensitive parts inside that Nikiru didn't know she had. The brown-skinned girl hooked her legs loosely around Jing, her thighs shifting up and down with Jing, who rocked her hips faster and faster on Tseng's manhood.

Whimpering under her breath, Nikiru wrapped an arm against Tseng beneath her as that now-familiar warmth in her belly started to descend, layering with the heat between her legs until she could contain it no longer.

She let out a scream as her fourth orgasm that day wracked through her body. She bucked wildly against two pairs of hands, shouting out in raw pleasure as they continued to work her until she at last fell limp in their grasp, her arousal slowly leaking from her womanhood.

She rested there on top of Tseng, barely retaining her senses as her friends around her continued to thrust against each other for several minutes until they came, Tseng grabbing Jing's hips and grunting with each quiver of his loins, Jing falling foward onto Nikiru's body and gasping against her hot skin as her nethers clenched again and again.

Slowly, the exhausted trio disentangled themselves from each other.

Jing knelt on the bed, her thighs, soaking with her arousal and Tseng's release, spread wide. "See what I mean, Niki?" she said as Tseng moved behind her. She casually combed back her hair with her fingers as Tseng reached around, moving his hand in the air between her legs, Waterbending his seed out of her body. "Wasn't this fun?"

Nikiru lay spread-out on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Did she just-- Did they just-- Wow. "That was... amazing, Jing!" she panted. "Is it always like that?"

"A fair amount of the time," Jing said wryly. "Having you along for the ride made it even better."

Nikiru smiled and sat up. "Um...I should probably get back to my room. Servants do come by in the morning, and I wouldn't want them to get the, er, wrong impression. M-maybe we could do this again sometime, though?"

"Oh, of course, isn't that right, Tseng?"

Tseng blinked. This entire evening had been one big surprise -- and he had enjoyed every minute of it. "Um, y-yes of course!"

"But you don't have to leave right away," Jing said. "There's time. Stay with us a while."

"Oh, well in that case, okay!" Nikiru grinned, sidling up next to her two friends.

For a few minutes the three of them lay quiet on the bed, letting the warm summer breeze cool their sweating bodies.

"Jing?"

"Mm?"

"Do... do you think we could do a little bit more?"

Tseng laughed. "You're insatiable!" Fighting the urge to sleep, he propped himself up to watch what he knew was coming.

Jing stroked her chin. "Hmm, alright. Lie down, and pay close attention, because after this, you're going to learn firsthand how to make a girl feel good."

A thrill ran through Nikiru's spine, even before she felt Jing's mouth press against her and gripped the covers again.

----------------------------------------

Fire Princess Irah sat against one of the walls of her chambers, bundled up in an indigo anorak and a massive pile of furs. She listened to the wind howling and whistling outside, and the slow creaking and quiet crackling of ice all around her, signs of the constant motion of guards, servants, and all the other members of the Northern Water Tribe government still stuck in this palace.

Trails of steam escaped her nose and lips as she took a few deep breaths, party to keep herself warm and partly out of sheer frustration.

The storms that had heralded her arrival at the North Pole had never let up, and in fact had intensified over the past week. The open windows had been sealed with clear ice for days, offering a view of the howling storms outside that cast a gray, almost greenish tint to the landscape. But now they were frosted over, letting in nothing more than indistinct light through the translucent panes.

Irah thought she should probably go ask one of the Waterbending servants to refreeze the window once again, but she wasn't very interested in looking outside. She wasn't very interested in looking around inside, either. The only cultural exposure she had truly had was an exhaustive appreciation for the architecture around her.

How fascinating, Irah thought to herself. How ingenious of them to use the harsh element around them to shelter themselves from it... instead of just living somewhere warmer.

Oh yes, I almost forgot, she muttered to herself, The food. The kitchen staff kept on telling her how sea prunes were similar to the ocean kumquats back home, but the faintest resemblance she could find was overwhelmed by the insane boiling and stewing they did to everything they ate. The rational part of her mind could see how the meals here could become an acquired taste, but she hoped she wouldn't be here long enough to grow acclimated to this bit of culture.

Irah shook her head to clear her thoughts. She shouldn't be so bitter. This was just another adventure. That was the sort of thing Hayoda kept on telling her.

Being stuck in the palace with Hayoda wouldn't be so bad; in fact, it sounded like the sort of silly and yet promising premise found in trashy Fire Nation romance scrolls that Irah had of course only heard about in passing and would never, never admit to have read. But Yi Lin was stuck with them too, and with the storm keeping any messenger birds from getting in or out, there was nothing to keep the young Airbender occupied.

"Um... knock, knock, knock?" The furs covering the door rippled.

Irah smiled. "C'mon in!"

Hayoda stepped through, grinning widely in the bulky coat he was wearing. He probably wasn't grinning about anything in particular, Irah thought; he was probably just trying to make her feel better.

"You really look great in blue," he said, leaning casually against the wall.

"I've been wearing blue for a week now."

"Doesn't make it any less true." Hayoda came over and sat next to her on the furs. He wrapped an arm around her, lighting up as she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

For a while they just sat there, quiet except for shivering, enjoying each other's company. Irah's arms were wrapped across her chest, and every now and then a warm, golden pulse shone out between the fur of her anorak.

"Firebending?" Hayoda smirked. "That's not very Water Tribe-y."

"So... how does a Water Tribesman deal with this cold every day?"

Hayoda moved himself a bit closer and pulled a couple furs over them. "I don't know if they do it here in the North, but we've got a little tradition in the Southern Water Tribe. We huddle together for warmth."

Irah cracked up. "I," she laughed between her shivers, "I think they have that tradition here in the North, too. I'm pretty sure all cold people do."

Hayoda shrugged and wrapped his arms tightly across her. When after a few moments he slid his hand beneath the layers of her coat, touching her bare skin, she suddenly tensed up.

"Aah! Your hands are cold!" Irah yelped, pulling him off by his wrist. Hayoda swallowed as Irah let out a long, steady, steaming breath, staring into his eyes as she warmed his fingers and pushed his hand back onto her body.

Her eyes fluttered, and her pulse quickened at the feel of Hayoda's hand slowly wandering. She kissed him hard as he gently cupped her breast and rubbed at the tight bud of her nipple, drawing out a expectant gasp--

"Hey guys, what's up?" The couple jumped as Yi Lin poked her head into the room, their expressions of pure fury bouncing harmlessly off the Airbender as she stepped inside.

"Oh, sweet! You guys are huddling together for warmth?"

"No, Yi Lin --"

"That's a Water Tribe tradition, you know!" Yi Lin beamed, sitting herself down between them and pulling a blanket over herself. "There! Isn't this great?"

Hayoda scowled at Yi Lin, trying to burn a hole in the side of her head with his eyes. Irah looked down, trying to contain the blue arcs she felt threatening to crackle at her fingertips. But while she gritted her teeth, she couldn't help from smiling, because she had just realized one of the lessons that was integral to life in the Northern Water Tribe: in a land of extreme hardships, one must be creative to overcome them.

And so Irah decided then and there that tomorrow morning, she was melting Yi Lin's bedroom door shut.

END

Fact #1: I wrote this horrible thing during my spring break instead of getting anything else whatsoever accomplished. I've tried to get it out quickly (I haven't even spellchecked it). Enjoy, Milli. ;)

Fact #2: This story is just shy of 14,000 words, making it only 500 words shorter than my Sukkoph fapfic "Blind in the Water." It's slightly unsettling that one of my biggest projects, and certainly the largest Gaang Jr story I've ever completed, is unapologetic smut that ended up motivating my writing more than anything else I've done.

Fact #3: I deeply and profusely apologize in advance.

You're welcome, Maritova.

And thanks for giving me more inspiration. ;)

thanks op i came

:'D
Oh Mari it was so long and wonderful and I've made you neglect your school work for dirty, filthy things.
This bumps my birthday up from 'best' to 'bestest'!

I feel sorta bad that we've derailed the thread so bad, but it needed some action anyway.

>Princess Exchange Program

10/10 would read again

and again

I've read it all, and it's already in my 'favorites' folder. Delicious story, Maritova. You're amazing!

I so hate Tseng right now. Lucky son of a bitch...

Oh hey, btw, if there's anyone outside our little circlejerk actually looking in this thread, Maritova started up a GaangJr group on DeviantArt. I've no idea what the hell that really means, but if you have an account you should really join!

even Mayekoi joined, :3c

And I suppose a link would help as well, derp

http://gaangjr.deviantart.com/

My initial reaction was surprise over just how long the whole thing was. Then, of course, came the enjoyment.

And again, I feel the need to do some Yikiru but fall short of ideas.

Tseng....oh Tseng....

You know I'm finding it very funny that the we're making pr0n of the younger son of the Avatar.

Who,BTW, is a MONK. We're making pr0n of a MONK'S SON!!

Hahyahahahahahaha....

And meanwhile the legitimate heir of The Beard ain't getting any. Not even from his "girlfriend".♥♥♥♥

>>75794

Blame Yi Lin. She has the same cockblock powers as Zuko.

>>75795

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Zuko was the one who trained her in the ways of the cockblock, all in order to protect his daughter.

I mean, The Avatar and his family was constantly meeting at the Fire Nation Capital, I'm sure Zuko would've found the time to shape his protege.


Hmm, I wonder if (going evil here) he's "Lake Laogia'd" her with her cock-blocking skills. Perhaps a scent or word that Zuko uses to initiate his weapon. Most likely he made sure it was a phrase that Tseng would always say, just so she's always an active agent. Hmm, I must look further into this....

"Nothing... thanks to you, Yi Lin!"

>>75799
>"Oh, sweet! You guys are huddling together for warmth?"

>"No, Yi Lin --"

>"That's a Water Tribe tradition, you know!" Yi Lin beamed, sitting herself down between them and pulling a blanket over herself. "There! Isn't this great?"

Cracks my shit up everytime

Milli hates to double-post so I'm posting this for her.

Tseng in Fire Nation clothes. Since he's 15 in Maritova's story, I tried to make him look older, rather than the teen version I'm used to draw.

I want to draw Nikiru and Jing too, but it will depend of my free time along the week.

>>75818
Oh shit I forgot it took place in ~the future~
I would've drawn them slightly different then :(

>>75818

Oh hai Tseng, lookin' kinda manly there! They grow up so fast ;_;

Ok...

>Princess Exchange Program

Zeppelin time. My Jingsenkiru fic : Immigrant's Song :: Princess Exchange Program : The Rain Song This story was substantial both in size and quality with a hilarious payoff at the end!

There's so much to comment on...welp, I guess I require some BOOLET POINTS

-Yue disappearing into the couch was a funny mental image. And Yi Lin sitting upside down was very much like her (and pretty adorable to imagine, hehe)

-I like how you've expanded Yue's responsibilities and her overall usefulness on the ship enough that she's able to shove off on her lonesome back to Ba Sing Se. Yue and her merry animal friends on the high seas! I wonder how she occupies herself on her voyage?

-""We're mature!" Tseng playfully put his hands at his hips.
"Sensible!"
"Almost-adults!"
"Who are going to go at it like rabbaroos tonight," Jing grinned as the two left their chambers."

^That exchange made me lol heartily! You did a wonderful job with the dialog, overall.

-Dat heavy petting scene. Those two can't keep their hands off each other! >:) Nice touch tying Jing and Tseng's sensations to the swelling and fading of the concert's music. The line about needing a chaperone made me chuckle :D (and it's too true)

-Forlorn Nikiru: awww. That entire sequence with Jing cheering her up and the following scene at the Yu Yan demonstration really turned the tone of the story around.

-Damn, Nikiru's loaded! Brb gold-diggin'

-Oooh, here we go with the sexytimes. HNNNGGG sexy fire nation academy outfit. HNNNNGGG mild bondage. HNNNNNGGG dat fellatio and our little water-tribe stallion returning the favor offscreen....

I'll be in my bunk.

-That long exchange between the lovebirds after that scene was surprisingly...frank. It's nice to explore what gets Jing/Tseng's motors running (I admire their bedside manner :P). I'm very intrigued by the WARRIOR!Tseng concept.

-Their little touches, kisses, and teases in the midst of that conversation really cemented their ease with each other. They're such a happy, comfortable couple. Tseng giving Jing that tickle at the end was d'awwwwsome.

-CHEF TSENG DEMANDS YOU GET OUT OF HIS KITCHEN. SHOO, OUT OUT. And blatant flirting right in front of Nikiru! The gears are turning....

-The bathhouse scene was...fuckin' STEAMY :<>

"It's JING time!"
"Yes, Jing, Yes!"
"Just as planned."

Hawt.

-The Main Event was smoldering, simply smoldering. "there's this girl here, and I think it'd be nice if she joined us tonight." Jing, you diabolical thing you, utilizing the agreed-upon proposal line :3.

-Oh wow what am I doing I can't believe I'm doing this oh wow. We're all are thinking the same thing, Nikiru. >:)

-"You sit on my face while I eat you out and then I-

JIZZ.

ON YOUR BACK. Don't tell your friends or I'll say you're a slut, plus it's Jing's fault: she was rubbing my butt."

-It was nice of Jing to offer, but not pressure, Nikiru the chance to go all the way with Tseng. My inner perv was all "DO IT FAGGOT" while reading that part. Nikiru's polite turning down of the opportunity was well within her character, but boy was she ever tempted!

I'll be in my bunk. Again.

-Waterbending birth control! Our world could use something like this.

-On the ending: Somewhere within the confines of the Fire Nation Palace's master library, Fire Lord Zuko removes his reading glasses and sets them aside. A sudden feeling of reassurance washes over him as he folds his hands together and leans upon his elbows.

"Good girl. Yi Lin shall be rewarded handsomely when she returns. Yes indeed."

Pic related, picture Tseng, Jing and Nikiru just chillin' on their bed like this after their sordid little romp. >:D

  >>75822
>xbox hueg list of BOOLET POINTS

WE TRUE HOMIES
WE WRITE TOGETHER
WE DIE TOGETHER

And yes, Yi Lin was handsomely paid for her tireless service to the Fire Nation. She would never abandon Nikiru absent ample coin!

If I had worked longer on this I would have wanted to add more scenes like the Yu Yan event (complete cross between a gun show and a Renaissance Festival, complete with giant turkey legs).

Finally, I'm happy at your like of Yue in this. I wonder what her own adventures would be like. Of course, all those barrels on the Blue Flame are going to get used as percussion.

And then Yue invented STOMP.

>>75818
OHSHI- I forgot entirely to respond to this!

This is great (Tseng pulls off that look well with DEM MUSCLES)! I can't help but notice that his belt is very similar to the one FN!Jing is wearing in Milli's sketch... Implications pleasant.

I made this snippet in response to Mari's story. I shared it with him and Murph, they encouraged me to post it. I may doodle some of it out, later:

Irah has melted the ice around the doorway of Yi Lin's room. Allowing for some time to refreeze in the cold north, almost no time at all, the water forms an acceptable seal. She ventures to Hayoda's room, only to find Kyoshi native missing.
When she steps outside, he's stranded on the spire of one building, high up, with Yi Lin at it's base sitting cross-legged, seemingly meditating, but with a smirk betraying her actual mood.
Irah: ...My father put you up to this...didn't he?
Yi Lin: Sorry, Irah! It was kinda mean, I'll admit, but he made a heck of a bargain. And it fits my own purposes nicely!
Irah: You mean your journal's purposes...
Yi Lin: Well...
Irah: I see...so, as long as you're here, you'll stop anything from happening.
Yi Lin: Fire Lord's orders!
Irah: So, then...

(And here, in my head, shit starts getting all Shonen as hell.)

Irah: ...all I have to do is get rid of you.
Yi Lin: Fufufu...you can try.
Hayoda (under his breath): This is gonna be awesome.
***
The scene cuts away to the central chamber of the Northern Water Tribe, with Arnook preceeding:
Chief Arnook: So at what point did you two decide that this squabble of yours had gotten out of control? Was it after a tornado collapsed a grain warehouse, or perhaps after a bolt of lightning demolished the wall of the healer's training hut?
Irah: She started it.
Yi Lin: Did not!
***
Scene cuts away to Zuko's throne room. He sits at the throne, his face hidden by the contrast of light provided by the throne's flames from the figure bowing before him.
Fire Lord Zuko: The boy is a menace, and Yi Lin is a failure...I have a task for you.
*The figure rises from the bow, sitting back on their heels, arms crossed in disbelief.*
Azula: ...You want me to go all the way to the North Pole, to stop my niece from getting into some hanky panky?
Fire Lord Zuko: Silence!
*A lever his heard being pulled, activating a system or torches, lamps and vents, more evenly lighting the room.*
Mai: The servants couldn't find you anywhere else, but they wanted me to tell you that lunch and tea are being served.
Zuko: Thank you, Mai.
Mai: And could you stop it with the throne flames? We're in the middle of a heatwave, and it throws off the airflow in the palace.
Zuko: Sorry, Mai.
Mai: Azula.
Azula: Mai.
*The words are short, and the Fire Lady turns to leave, depressing the lever one more time and returning the throne room to it's previous illumination.*
Azula: She looks like she's doing well, there were rumors of you two planning on another child, any truth to that?
Fire Lord Zuko: Do not turn your focus to trifling matters!
Azula: I have to say, you *are* rather good at doing that, it reminds of father, back in the old days.
Zuko: Wait, what? No! I'm not trying to be like *father!* This is meant to be my own presence, and representative of my *own* authority!
Azula: Oh, Zuko, there's no shame in someone of *your* level of maturity admitting an unconscious connection to your parents. Perhaps you should speak to one of the doctors I knew back at the mental hygiene center. He always did say that parental issues were the secret malaise of *child* psychology...Though I'll admit, it's a *wonderful* impression. Properly channels all of the inflection of his voice.
*All pretense of regal authority is lost as the two start another endless session of bickering.

A little gift to Milli. It's pretty messy, but it's fun, none the less.

Wow, that story was great Maritova. Epic even. Thank you much for putting it up here.

So...anyone have dibs on making the next thread? I made this one, how's about someone else take a shot?

Fellas?

I wanted to draw my new sketches and post them here, but now I'm not sure if I should wait for the new thread.

Totally OT, the Avatar Promotions thread is on its way to oblivion and nobody can bring it back now. And I tried.

I'd like to take up the task of starting the next thread, but I'm waiting on certain parties to finish their art, so we can have something new up for the new thread.

So it might be a few days yet.

hello everyone
finally i have some free time to paticipate and say hello here.
im a new gaang jr artist and when i look up to your stories the only thing that i could say is: AWEEESOME JOB!!
im very happy to participate in this project
cheers

Is there any way we can see the grand list of Toph nicknames for the new generation?