Avatar: The First Fires

Xiung Sing Tse...what was that old saying? Man plans, God laughs?
She nodded when Suzumi mentioned the cyclone.
"Yeah, I was shipwrecked in it, along with my father." Suzumi mentioned something about going to meet a friend, and Fei nodded and watched her go.

She shifted around on the bed, resting one leg on the other's knee and folding her hands behind her head.

Well, great. Now what...it'd probably be best if she could meet up with some of the other fire nation naval forces. From there it would be pretty easy to sort out this whole misunderstanding and get her back home. And never going out on military campaigns with her dad again. Being stuck on a ship for weeks with nothing to do and sailors either admiring her or warding themselves against evil each time she passed was bad enough, but getting stuck in the earth nation while her dad...got lost was even worse. He was probably living it up with all of his friends, getting drunk and partying while she was tossed about like flotsam and got stuck in this town.

Yeah...

at least those people were nice, taking her to the healer and helping her up.

Fei let out a sigh of relief. Really, it seemed like things would work themselves out.
And then the door exploded.

As the fugitive dude burst into the room, Fei found herself yelling at the top of her lungs at him.
"What are you doing here! That door did you no harm! Get out of here before I have to kill you! THIS IS A HOUSE OF HEALING, NOT EXPLOSIONS!"

Okay, so maybe the guards did more work than her shouting from a bed, but still!
 
Suzumi ran along with Orion towards the healer's hut just in time to see the door be smashed open by a group of Earthbender guards. Within a moment's notice they were dragging a man out and taking him to where Suzumi could only assume was the prison. She hated prisons, but seeing the man's Fire Nation uniform she didn't feel any pang of remorse. She turned on her heel, reaching back to grab Orion's hand and walked into the healer's hut.

Inside she could tell that the Fire Nation soldier, most likely a bender, had smashed his way in and the guards smashed their way in on the other side. Luckily it wasn't a fight otherwise the injured could have been in worse shape. Suzumi dropped Orion's hand and walked over to Fei Long who seemed to be doing a lot better.

"Miss Fei, if you're all better I think we should leave. This city is becoming increasingly dangerous, there was a fire bender on the loose and I don't trust that sort at all, but I need to find him, to see if he has answers for me, about my family from a Northern Water Tribe city..." Suzumi shook her head and smiled bittersweetly both at Fei Long and at Orion, "You're welcome to come to Mister Orion, if that's what you want."

Suzumi talked to the healer who allowed Fei Long to leave, having healed her to the best of his abilities. With that approval she nodded to Orion and Fei Long and stepped back out into the street, noticing Kurai's eel hound waiting patiently for her. "She'll be back for you, that must have been her quarry. You be a good boy now..." Suzumi smiled, patting the eel hound's side gently.
 
Jin cocked its head to one side at the girl and shifted slightly but otherwise, stayed still. The excitement from the commotion was slowly dying down, although the healer kept grumbling about damages and how he would have to go to the guards and make a complaint of his own. "Rotten, good-for nothing ..." he was heard mumbling.

***
Kurai stirred and turned over. She hadn't witnessed Minoru's arrival at all. She turned over onto her stomach, still snoring gently. One arm dangled over the side of the bed and her fingers touched the ring the fire bender had dropped. She opened her eyes slightly but her eyelids were still heavy as she looked over at the floor. "Mm ...?" She picked it up and snickered. She was so tired; this little thing looked exactly like her family's signet ring. She snickered again, clasped the hand with the ring to her chest and fell asleep again.
 
Orion found his free hand grabbed by the Water Bender unexpectedly, it had a somewhat disarming feeling as being dragged around by a female did not exactly inspire the most proud and manly mood. But given his laid back nature he just went with it anyway. When they arrived inside the hut it looked like a real mess compared to the last time he had been here. It seemed wherever they went these Fire benders were causing destruction. Just how did they manage to even keep an entire nation anyway? With everything constantly getting burnt down or people attacking each other so often it felt like a wonder to him they could even have a functioning Navy without burning their own damn ships into ash right on the ocean.

Guessing the girl that Suzumi walked over to was her friend, he walked over with her while minding his surroundings. Weaving through the crowds of people that were either injured or visiting said injured just like himself required attention to avoid accidentally causing more pain. Luckily this place had not been set ablaze yet again. How many people would die if these careless Fire Nation scouts or whatever they were, remained in the city for much longer?

"I think I'll come. I don't want a nice girl like you getting kidnapped again."

He offered a relaxed smile while inwardly scolding himself for having let her get taken away like that.
 
"Mm, I'm feeling better...thanks for your help." The news about a firebender-the one who was too explosion-happy for his own good-was a bit strange, though. The army didn't send in men alone, and spies wouldn't be blowing things up, even if they could firebend. Firebenders were usually to valuable to do such things, anyways..

She got up off the bed, stretching a bit. All of her jewelry was still in it's normal place, and her swords were doing fine. In retrospect, it might have been easier to swim to shore without them, but they were there and so could be useful later.

"Um..I don't think I caught your name...who's your friend?"
 
Suzumi bowed to Fei Long as her and Orion caught up with Suzumi. "I'm sorry to have no introduced myself, my name is Suzumi Kiyomizu, it is a pleasure and honor to make both of your acquaintences. This is Mister Orion, I met him on the beach right when I got here." She gestured to the surfer next to her. She glanced around her trying to determine which way to go. She figured the best place to look for a way out would be in the marketplace, somewhere with caravans. The docks were too busy bringing in refugees so she wasn't going to attempt to go that way.

With a quick march Suzumi found her way to the marketplace and to a group of desert dwellers with giagantic sand scarabs were unloading merchandise. Suzumi walked right ahead and found one of the caravaners and tugged their sleeve.

"Excuse me, my friends and I are looking to go south, I was wondering if you would be able to take a few travellers with you? I have some Water Tribe money if that will help...even as far as Ba Sing Se if you could..." Suzumi nodded, the merchent however seemed a little less interested.

"Either of you want to try and help?" Suzumi asked, looking back at Orion and Fei Long
 
Tenzing watched with alarm as the firebender made his escape from the woman. He thought about jumping in to intervene, but reallized that in order to do so he would have to give himself away and lose the element of surprise fairly early on. At this point, he did not feel that he knew enough to justify taking such overt action, not to mention risking his safety and that of his party while they were still in the city. Instead, he decided to continue his surveillance of the pair as well as he was able, which meant, for the time being, choosing only one of them to follow.

Since the man had revealed himself as a firebender, he was most likely the one responsible for all the uproar. He seemed to have no qualms about resorting to violence, and would no doubt strike out if approached directly. The woman, on the other hand, seemed dedicated to bringing him in, and was at least willing to go through the proper authorities to get what she wanted. She, apparently, also wasn't a firebender. Perhaps she knew something about this lone firebender and what business he had in the city.

He followed her to the inn, hoping she was only stopping for a quick meal and would then be on her way. Then, he could safely approach her afterwards, when she would no longer be on her guard, and then try to get some information out of her. Hopefully, all of this would transpire without a fight breaking out or any public property being damaged. He waited until he was sure she would be stepping outside any moment, but she did not appear. He briefly considered going inside to find out what had happened with her, but the likely possibility of a crowd and the lack of quiet and privacy made the inn a less than ideal place for a meeting. He assumed she had taken a room for the evening, and decided to return later.

Tenzing made his way back to the market, hoping to meet up with the other traders. When he finally located one of them, he saw that he was engaged with a water tribe girl who was trying to arrange for transportation for herself and her companions. He walked up beside them, glaring sternly at the girl from through the narrow slits in his sun visor.

"These beasts do not belong to us," he said firmly. "They are only for carrying cargo. We cannot help you." If he had any luck, his short words would send the girl on her way. With everything going on in this city, they could not afford to take on refugees as well as take care of the business for which they had originally come there.
 
Minoru walked the market he had all but destroyed, and in his mood he surveyed the destruction with a kind of perverse pride that was unfamiliar, intertwined with it was the willingness to do more to bring Kurai down, perhaps this is the madness all firebenders risk as part of their gift. His eyes were drawn to the shiny carapaces of beetles, huge scarabs and he watched the temperamental beasts as their strangely clad tenders unloaded wares. With then was a water tribe girl and someone garbed as an eath kingdom citizen. Earth, and water, all would attack him of they knew what he was, and they would all be right too do so. He was out of his depth, out of his world, he would need to get home somehow. But first he'd need to survive in this city without any more firebending if he could help it. Drawing his new cape around him once again raising the hood he walked up to the traders.

"What have you got to sell?" his voice was all business, none of the feelings ravaging his insides make their way into the light of day.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtrthXXmKgA

The ringing sounds of the pipa filled the market square of Xiu Ying Tse. A straw hat laid at the players feet, the open side up, for donations of course. Four months Barret had been there. Four months, and he just barely scrapped by. Though, he was committed to not resorting to thievery and deception to pave his way to other places. His road was one of justice, why further stain his past with wrong actions of his own? Even though he had just enough to live in poverty, his family slain by Fire Nation, and his seemingly endless road barely traveled; his inhibitions, regrets and worries faded with each note plucked from his Mother's pipa. Someone walks by and drops a silver piece into his hat, hitting straw, the silver piece the first of the day. He respected the passerby with a nod, still tearing at his music, almost to a close. This city doesn't have much respect or passion for music, he observed. This town was more focused on commerce, as a trading town. Even with him sitting in the square, as the lone performer, he got very little in the ways of money. He'd never seen a gold piece thrown in this town. He realized that many of the people who live here are old retired misers, looking to earn some money for their family.
Family. That struck him rather hard. The last of the Kiwanju of Earth Nation. He held back tears, the wound still fresh with blood. A year had passed since that unforgettable day. Not much in the way of traces of the Fire Nation Captain that slayed them all. Except for him. A mistake that will find and end him, in due time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZT5-W_vPFY&feature=related

Six silver pieces now laid in his hat, some people offering pity or true respect to his playing. Either way, it was money. Another bent down, the sound of coins reaching Barret's ear. He smiled, nodding and looking into his open hat. Four silver coins now shined up at him. Barret stopped, standing, as the man who took the coins stopped, and turned, fiddling with the two coins in his knuckles.
"I suggest you return those." Barret said, calmly and respectfully.
"I suggest you shut up and keep playing, or I'll take more!" the man retorted, glaring at Barret.
The very instant the words "More" escaped his lips, Barret stomped, the thief's lower body sinking into the ground, up to his chest, trapping him with his arms still out, as he flailed and yelled for help. Barret simply walked over, and retrieved his two silver coins. He walked back, and placed them into his hat, leaving the man sunk and trapped, sitting down and resuming his playing just where he left off before.
A few people walked by and put a total of 4 silver coins, smiling and bowing at Barret. Barret returned the favor, bowing his head as he played. Maybe these people weren't one for music, but they sure were one for justice.
 
Iki-Ryo wondered the streets of the city, acting like any other pedestrian. There were many people about, kids running around and acting like fools, if only they knew it, or so thought Iki-Ryo anyway. He smirked a bit and payed no mind to them, he had one goal and one goal only and nothing was going to stop him. He walked with a stern face that showed no emotion at all, the way his face always was. Iki-Ryo turned on the path that showed the opening of the great walls. "The gate." he said to himself as he could see the ant like looking guards walking around. He started for the center of the city, though only hoping that his clothes were enough disguise that no one would expect him. In his tracks something stopped him. He turned around and looked about. "What IS that HORRIBLE sound?" He hissed to himself as he walked to where he heard it coming from.
He easily found the person behind the music, or rather behind the Pipa. He watched the man play for a bit, as soon after he saw someone take from the man. Iki-Ryo watched as the man stood and trapped the other guy in some earth bending. "Worthy opponent. Strong." he said to himself, as he hid from sight behind the wall of a building. He watched as some other people dropped coins in the man's hat.

Really, Iki-Ryo couldn't understand. What was so great about music that everyone loved? It was just an annoying noise. Irony to the ears. How did people think with it, better less play it? He didn't know; he didn't care, he just wanted it banished.
Actually, it wasn't that Iki-Ryo always hated music. His father use to play violin and the Erhu and attempted at Bassoon. After his father died, he didn't want to hear music, see it or anything. He wanted it gone. What he wanted was the sounds of deaths, houses burning, the misery of others.
Iki-Ryo stepped out of hiding when all the pedestrians were gone. He stopped in front of the man playing. "Pipa, eh?" He said in a deep and cocky voice. "What kind of a hell of song is that anyway?" He said in deep but this time both rude and cocky voice. He looked at the man straight in the eyes and said, "If you ask me, people like you should give up their lives." he smirked and kicked the man's hat away.
Iki-Ryo leveled himself with the man."But of course, you look just like the kind of man. You bring dishonor to your family. if you have any." He grinned at the man and stood back up straight. He walked over to the hat and kicked it back towards the man. "That's all the coins you'll get." He said and stood glaring at man. "Heh. Are you now going to cry? Run home to your mommy?" Iki-Ryo cackled and waited for a response.
 
Asking nicely for passage was getting them nowhere. At times like this, there was only one course of action..

Fei walked up to the man, nervously avoiding his gaze. "um...Sir...my friends and I really need passage out of here, and you're the only ones who can help us. I know it'd be a trouble, but, um..." She started to blush, fidgeting in place slightly. "But I'll do anything you ask! So please, take us with you!"
Fei wrapped her arms around the man, pressing up against him in a gross violation of personal space and ladlylike behavior. "...I'll...even..." She stopped herself, and looked off to one side as her cheeks grew even redder.
 
Orion didn't let the stern words of Tenzing phase him, in the sense that they would not be what would send him on his way. A soft smile took up root on his face as he eyed the scarab beasts being used for transport. It never failed to amuse him to see what creatures the more land-oreinted people were using to get goods transported. The Water bender held a tremendous amount of bias toward transporting just about anything by water. Just one disadvantage laid in that method of travel. . . when the boat or whatever was in use broke down. . . one was stuck out on the waves.

Unless one happened to be a water bender.

He arched an eyebrow at Fei's actions, before reaching out to pull her off the man before she ended up kidnapped. There wasn't going to be any kind of girl body selling on his watch!! It was bad enough the other had gotten kidnapped earlier. A sigh mixed with laughter came out of him before speaking.

"Don't bother with that. I wouldn't want to spend my time traveling on one of those things anyway. I bet they're only being used for cargo transport because of their size. There's no way someone would willingly ride something so bad smelling unless they were stranded in the desert. It's like they eat dung all day long."

Despite the harshness that might be taken from his words they were given with quite the light-hearted tone. One which could barely contain some type of boyish laughter trying to stay submerged underneath. Planting his board in the ground firmly to stand on its own, he then crossed his arms confidently before shooting a look up at the guy who would give such a nice girl such a stern reaction. A look which did not betray his relaxed nature, yet rebelled against the seriousness displayed by Tenzing.

"Maybe if we washed them this dude would give us some money to get out of his hair and find less stinky transport."
 
Such blatant disrespect. Cocky attitude. Probably not one from this town. His words were fairly ineffective, even the first hat kick went unpunished. The instant he began to speak of dishonoring family, he immediately stopped playing. Barret calmly placed his instrument down, standing up slowly. He took the coins from the hat and placed them inside his coat. He looked down at his coat for a second, looking at the singed ends, a result of the Fire Nation's raid on his farm. He then looked down at the man, looking into his eyes. Royalty, by the looks and sounds of it. The brazen way he stands and the way his mouth fires insults left the impression he was born with a silver spoon in his gutter mouth.
"I would think those who wish death upon others would be first to feel the cold embrace of it." he retorted, smiling innocently.
"But, by the sounds of it, palace walls protected you in your youth. A mouth like yours is neither wanted nor tolerated in the city of Xiu Ying Tse. You may have hailed where that was perfectly fine to speak disrespectfully. Not here." he said, warning respectfully. He bowed and waited for his reply.
 
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Akemi took timid steps off the boat as she stared in awe at the great city sprawled before her. Her reverence was broken when a small boy ran past, grinning toothily at her with others close on his tail. A small sigh reverberated through her body. Brother. She spun her head, it was best to quell those thoughts, those memories. Anger would only cloud her mission and her focus, diluting her strength in bending and her will in fighting. With a small frown, she remembered that she did not know her way around this city and would need direction.

Racking her mind for a place where she could find someone willing to aid her, her first thought was a tea shop. There would be nice people there, she imagined, a fragrant place with delicate tables.... she relished the idea, gathering quickly her scant belongings and heading through the streets of the town. As she rustled by, she paused, watching a man with an instrument . He seemed to be being lectured by another man. Akemi edged closer, bending gently to hear the conversation; the man on the ground seemed to be being bullied by the other and then turned to one man defending himself. Akemi inhaled, unsure of what to do from here, her wide eyes half closed in concentration. Deciding, she stepped forwards, still timidly, her hair blowing around her face with a small breeze.

"Hello, sirs. You both seem knowledgeable and I was hoping you could point me in the direction of the nearest tea shop? If it is no bother, of course..."
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Suzumi watched in silent amusement as Fei Long tried her hand at getting a ride from the desert dweller. It was a little uncomfortable after a moment but thankfully she was pulled off by Orion. Suzumi sighed and listened to Orion berate the sandbender for a moment, a small grin coming to her face.

"It would be a rather smelly ride, maybe I was offering too much money for our transport. I'm also sure it wouldn't be the safest..." Suzumi joined in but let Orion continue as she turned to Fei Long, "Miss Fei, it's not wise to use such...tactics to try and seduce your way to things. I don't know how you did things in your city but I know most in the Earth Kingdom don't appreciate it." She shook her head, scolding the girl lightly in a motherly tone.

"Wash this creature? I don't think it would appreciate that very much, they seem to like their filth. Maybe I should go find Miss Kurai, she might know of a way to get out of here..." She paused looking around. "But I don't wish to leave the two of you again, since we can't seem to have help from this person, another will have to do. And I thought that people in the Earth Kingdom were kind, apparently not." She scoffed and raised her nose to the sand dweller and turned on her heel, walking quickly away, passing by the fight between the musician and the man, heading out to the docks, the security apparently tightened since the battle in the market had taken place.

"Excuse me, are their any boats leaving? Or any way to Ba Sing Se around here?" Suzumi asked a guard politely.
 
Too nice and respectful of a man. What a shame. Iki-Ryo spitted on the ground by the man's shoe and looked at him straight in the eyes. He knew he pinched the guy's nerves somewhere. Dishonor. Iki-Ryo smiled to himself. "Think and say as you wish. Fill your mind with any thoughts you have. Go ahead. Or perhaps, you're too respectful for your own good?" He grinned, cocking his head side ways. "By the way, I'm open. Attack me...if you dare." He said with a threat. He walked over to the side of the man, knowing that he could easily be trapped this way, but he didn't care. He knew how to deal with people like this. He went to say something as a woman's voice interrupted.
He looked at the woman. Right, nearest tea shop. He could have sworn he saw one. If he knew he could have told her so she would leave. Just his luck. Maybe this man would tell her.

Iki-Ryo stared at him and at the woman. If only he could use his firebending right now, then he could have gotten out this mess. But he was in it, and fortunately he had his weapons with him. He hissed to himself a bit and looked around a bit. Maybe he could get out if the man and woman began talking to each other. Iki-Ryo laid his eyes on the guards at the gate for a bit then turned his attention back on the woman.
 
"I don't attack those who wish to fight. If you wish to fight, go bully some other man who will fight you. I only attack when attacked." he said, leaving the shoe spitting alone. He had to admit, he felt an urge to trap him against the wall of a building upside down and leave him there all day, but he restrained, not wanting to fight unjustly or just because someone dared him to. He kept his eyes on the rude little man, then turned for a second to the woman.
"The nearest one is the Earthen Garden Tea Shop, just up the street to your right. I hear their jasmine tea is the best in the city." he offered, bowing and smiling respectfully. He then turned 'round, facing the man again, still smiling peacefully.
 
The sound of raised voices attracted Minoru's eyes and is a flash he felt the cold pang of recognition. Some people never change. In a few quick strides he was behind Iki-Ryo and placed a hand on his shoulder. " Iki, its time to go, your parents are worried." he said in the calm tone of an attendant. "You wouldn't want them to find a place without you." He took a gold piece from inside his tunic and dropped it into the hat with a clatter. "Now, Iki-Ryo its time to go."
 
Iki-Ryo was about to sweep the man to his feet when someone came up to him and placed their hands on his shoulder. Yeah he remember this man, Minoru. Iki-Ryo stared at him with an evil glance and went with him anyway. At least he got out before he pulled some fire bending trick by accident. When they were by themselves, Iki-Ryo stopped and looked at Minoru. "Alright, what is it? I'm not with my parents, even YOU should know that. Tell me what the hell it is that you want and then leave me alone. I have business to take care of." He then got close to Minoru's ear and whispered, "And if you're a true fire bender, you should help me." Iki giggled and looked at Minoru for an answer.
 
"Attacking nobodies in the street won't get you anywhere and your parents were a pretext to get you rout of there. You won't be able to escape the guards on your own and thanks to me they're already alerted and angry. I came to you because I need your help arresting a traitor and If I remember you training is incomplete so perhaps I could help you there as well."