Iroh gestured for Kon to sit. "To do fire-bending, you need to use something called Haki," he said. "That's how we make fire come from our bodies."
Kon blinked, tilting his head. "Haki? What's that?"
Iroh smiled, "Haki is the power inside you, Kon. Everyone has it. It's like your spirit, your will, and your feelings all working together. When you use your Haki with focus and control, you can bring fire out of your body. It's like turning your strong heart and calm mind into real flames."
Kon's eyes lit up, and he jumped in place, a gust of wind swirling around his feet. "So the fire comes from my spirit?!"
'That's awesome!' he thought. 'My spirit's gotta be the strongest, 'cause I'm the thing called Avatar!'
Iroh nodded, his voice steady. "Exactly. Fire-bending isn't just about moving your hands. It's about feeling strong inside, then letting that strength come out as fire."
Kon grinned, already imagining flames shooting from his fingers. 'I'm gonna make the biggest fire ever!' he thought, wiggling his hands.
But Iroh raised a hand, signaling for attention. "Now, let me tell you more about Haki. Listen closely, young one. Everyone has three kinds of Haki inside them."
Kon plopped onto the grass, crossing his legs. "Three? What are they?"
Iroh's eyes glinted with the wisdom of his pirate days. "Yes. The three types of Haki are: Feeling Haki, called Observation Haki in the world below—it lets you sense people, even with your eyes closed. Armor Haki, called Armament Haki—it makes your body strong, like invisible armor. And King's Haki, called Conqueror's Haki in the world below—it's rare, when your spirit is so powerful others can feel it and even fall down."
Kon's jaw dropped. "That's so cool! Do I have King's Haki?"
'I bet I do,' he thought, puffing out his chest. 'I'm gonna make everyone fall over with my spirit and offer me desserts!'
Iroh chuckled, but his tone grew deeper. "We Ryūkami are different from others, Kon. Inside us, there's something special. We have access to a fourth kind of Haki that lets us do bending."
Kon's eyes glowed, "Really? What is it?!"
"It's called Chi," Iroh said, his voice reverent, like he was sharing a sacred secret.
Kon bounced, barely containing his excitement. "So I can do air-bending because of Chi?!" he said, remembering how the wind always seemed to listen to him, lifting him like a friend.
Iroh nodded. "Exactly. Your Chi is the bridge between your spirit and the elements. It flows through your body like warm light. When you guide it with calm and control, you bend the elements."
Kon tilted his head, thinking back to all the times he'd flown or made the wind swirl without trying. 'I've been using Chi this whole time?' he thought.
"I knew it, Old Man! Didn't I tell you I'm talented?" He grinned smugly, sticking out his tongue.
Iroh sighed, shaking his head with a fond smile. 'The boy's not wrong,' he thought. "Yes, Kon, you've been using your Chi unconsciously, which is remarkable. Most must first learn to feel their Chi before bending elements."
Kon puffed out his chest even more. "I'm super talented! Bet I'll learn fire-bending in one day!"
'I'll be shooting flames by dinner,' he thought, imagining himself showing off to his mom and dad.
Iroh's expression grew serious. "Chi is important, Kon, because everyone has a limited amount. It differs from person to person and grows with age."
Kon's grin faded, and he looked down, kicking the grass. "Then I must have a tiny amount, 'cause I'm just a kid," he said, his voice small.
'If I don't have enough Chi, will I mess up fire-bending?' he thought, a flicker of doubt creeping in.
Iroh's eyes softened. "You have enough to learn fire-bending, Kon," he said, his tone reassuring.
'Judging from how he flies for hours without tiring, his Chi is at least twice mine,' Iroh thought, his lips twitching. 'No need to tell him—he's smug enough already.'
"Your Chi is strong for your age. Trust in it."
Kon's grin returned, brighter than ever. "Awesome! Let's start!"
Iroh held up a hand. "First, you must feel your Chi. Sit and meditate." He pointed to a spot on the grass. "Close your eyes and focus. You'll feel an energy inside you—that's your Chi. Sense it, and we'll move to fire-bending."
Kon plopped down, crossing his legs and shutting his eyes tight. 'Okay, feel the Chi,' he thought, trying to focus.
He sat still, breathing slowly, waiting for something to happen. But his mind wandered almost immediately. 'Wonder what Mom's making for dessert tonight. Sweet dumplings? Or maybe those sticky rice cakes?' His mouth watered, and he started drooling, a small dribble running down his chin.
Iroh sighed, noticing the drool. "Focus, Kon!" he said, his voice firm but patient. 'This boy's spirit is a storm, but his mind's a wandering ship,' he thought. 'Feeling Chi takes discipline, something he'll need to learn.'
Kon wiped his mouth, giggling. "Oops, sorry, Old Man!"
'Desserts later, Chi now,' he thought, squeezing his eyes shut again. He tried to feel something inside, like Iroh said—a warm light, maybe.
He pictured the wind, how it always moved with him, but all he could sense was the breeze brushing his face. 'Is that Chi? Or just air?' he thought, frowning.
He wiggled, trying harder, but his mind drifted again. 'Bet Dad's earth-bending lessons will be fun. Throwing rocks sounds cool.'
Hours passed, and Kon kept trying, sitting cross-legged, his face scrunched in effort. Iroh watched, offering gentle encouragement. "Breathe slowly, Kon. Look inside, not outside."
'His Chi is there, strong enough to make me feel it,' Iroh thought. 'He just needs to find it. Most take weeks to feel it—he's only five, but he's the Avatar, it would come easy for him.'
Kon opened one eye, peeking at Iroh. "I can't feel anything, Old Man. I only feel the air around me."
'This is boring,' he thought, slumping. 'I wanna make fire, not sit here thinking about nothing.'
Iroh stood, brushing off his robes, his expression calm. "It takes time. We'll try again tomorrow."