Avatar: Cycles of Life (Closed)

(wahh! Stop posting while I'm writing!! *fumbles over the edits* Okay.. I think this makes sense)

Sai remained silent as Sheng reminisced about his family. Sounded like he had siblings to be fond of as well. Though as far as they were concerned, the painter was an only child. The last thing he needed was to let slip the idea that he had a brother, as surely they would interrogate him upon it. He was in no mood to tell them the truth, and even less of a mood to fake his brother being a good person. Thankfully, Sheng didn't give him much time to dwell on the thought as he causally tossed him a dinner invite, commenting on wishing to hear about his travels. While he had indeed seen quite a few places by now, he hadn't made a lot of unnecessary stops, except to paint a few select landmarks. It calmed him during his journey and also gave him support for his reason for traveling.

Sai didn't find the man's comment on Kyoshi very odd. If he was indeed from the Earth Kingdom, then of course he'd have some respect for their native Avatar. Though the look in his eyes seemed to have a deeper respect than that. All the more reason to assume this man was also an Earthbender. As skeptical as everyone was of Sai, Sai himself felt it necessary to keep an eye on this Sheng fellow as well. Indeed, not all travelers were nice. How he got involved with them he still didn't know, but he wasn't going to outright trust him yet. "Thank you, I'd like that." The man in the straw hat replied. If they wished more information out of him, a dinner would be a good opportunity, but it also gave him a chance to figure out what they were up to as well.

It was obvious as he watched Sheng how infatuated with the girls he was. That was understandable, but this was a very smitten look. Well, it made the scenario that he might be dangerous less likely, but also made him seem a bit foolish for being so easily distracted by them. Sheng's observations were hindered to the point that he didn't seem to notice a particular group of armed travelers watching the group intently. Something about them gave Sai the sense that they were not simply just 'curious' or admiring the well-known twins. As they finally turned away toward the temple, Sai still watched them, his instincts telling him to follow, but how would he explain just going off and sneaking around some strange people?

When Sheng noticed his less-than-enthusiastic expression, he tried to be optimistic, once again redirecting Sai's attention to the lovely ladies. Which he did, and Sheng was correct, it did make him smile. Of course, in doing so, when he glanced back to where the men had been, they were already gone. So much for focusing. Well, for now, he'd focus on the girls instead, which was a more pleasant concept anyways. When the girls finally arrived, it was Fumiko who bowed and informed him of their mission rather suddenly. The fact that the girl whom had been skeptical of him was the one that said it was surprising, but Sai was more focused on what she had said.

The next Avatar? Already? Was it really time? Aang wasn't that old, but Sai would be lying to himself if he thought he knew a lot about the Avatar process. It was possible the next one could be identified long before the current one was gone. This was interesting news. Something inside him was telling him that he needed to know who the next Avatar was, and soon. Maybe it was the new Avatar that would rise up and preserve the balance, before... someone... had a chance to ruin it all over again.

Sai made his best attempt not to show excessive surprise at the news. Though, before he got a chance to respond, Sheng guided the girls toward the temple. Clearly telling Sai of the mission wasn't exactly their plan, but he had to join them. As far as they knew, he was just a simple traveler. What reason would he have to turn them down? He tapped his chin momentarily, turning his eyes to the sky, feigning deep thought in case they were still watching him. Finally, Sai proceeded to pack his supplies into his bag before standing and sliding the strap over his shoulder. When it looked like the group was done conversing about him, he followed them.

"Wait!" He called out, quickening his pace to catch up. "It isn't like I had much of a plan on my own. Besides, not every day you get to say you were part of the quest to discover the new Avatar..." He began before smirking and gazing to the girls, particularly Fukiko. "I'd be honored to join you, if you'll have me." He added, clasping his hands together and bowed at the girls once again. "Just let me know how I can be of assistance."

They really had nothing to worry about. Fukiko was an Airbender, and the likelyhood that the other two were benders as well was high. Even if they knew what he could do, he was still fairly outmatched if a battle did somehow break out. However, he had no intention on fighting any of them, even if he was curious how he'd fare against the Avatar's daughters.

Fukiko smiled, delighted, at Sai. "Excellent. Right now, we're just happy to have you here." She shot a look at her twin, who was glowering at Sheng's back. This was going to be a long trip if they kept this up all the time. She leaned in and whispered to Sai, "Ignore them. They're in a snit with each other."

Fumiko huffed and looked at her sister with narrow eyes. Fukiko smiled back, all innocence, when the priest ran back with an old man in elaborate robe and hat. He bowed deeply to them, and they bowed back. He smiled kindly. "I was told the Avatar's children were here? I am Lao-Tien, head priest of Kyoshi Shrine."

Sheng opened his mouth, and Fumiko stepped around and in front of him with a sweet smile. "I am Fumiko, eldest daughter of Avatar Aang. Thank you for meeting us, Lao-Tien."

Fukiko hid her grin, poorly, and stepped up next to her sister. "I am her twin sister, Fukiko. May we speak inside of the temple?"

"Of course. You and your retainers are welcome, ladies." Lao-Tien bowed again. "We will have tea and sweet rice cakes for you inside, as well." He turned back towards the temple, and Fumiko shot a smirk at Sheng as she walked ahead of him.

Sheng frowned at the retreating backs of the twins, even as he admired them. They were very nice backs, after all. But he wasn't going to let that distract him from this attitude that was being thrown his way. Maybe he'd overreacted, but he'd said he was sorry.

Apparently that didn't matter. Now he had to endure both twins smirking up their sleeves at him. And to be called their retainer! It was an easy mistake for the priest to make, he didn't resent that. But no one corrected him. Retainer. Sheng-Tu wasn't anyone's damn servant!

He glanced over at Sai, the painter serene as he walked alongside Sheng. It was petty, and he hated that it was there, but he couldn't help but feel jealous. The guy was tall, tough but handsome, sensitive, AND artistic! He also hadn't had either of the girls give him that superior smirk, let alone both. How could he compete with that?

Not that it was a competition...but it was. Fumiko's reminder of his pitiful sparring performance had kindled something in the young earthbender. He needed to prove himself. Prove he was strong, prove he was tough, prove...something, he wasn't even sure what! But he had to. It was gnawing at him now. Having to be put in a servant role like this...it didn't help.

He kept silent as Lao-Tien led them into a room of the temple. A low table was toward one wide window, a steaming teapot and three cups on top of it. The priest gestured to Fumiko and Fukiko, "Please sit, honored guests. Many make pilgrimages here, but rarely people of such dignity and status." He smiled benificently, taking a seat opposite the twins.

Sheng, his childhood spent around retainers, took up a position on one side of the door. Like a good servant. He looked around the room, both with his eyes and his feet. No one was nearby enough to be listening in, not that he could feel, anyway.

Lao-Tien poured tea for the girls, and then himself. "While I am glad of your radiant presence, I have the feeling this is no social call or simple pilgrimage. What can I do for the daughters of our most respected and venerated Avatar Aang?"

Sai glanced to Fumiko and Sheng as Fukiko did, noting the slight tension in the air before she had said anything. When she did, he had to wonder if there was something between them. It wasn't uncommon for couples to have disagreements randomly, and might explain a bit more why Sheng was with them. The golden-eyed young man couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly as Fukiko smiled innocently. She was good, he had to give her that. Though he made his best attempt not to stare at her as the Head Priest showed himself. As the girls bowed, as did Sai, trying to keep up his appearance as a simple quiet, curious and respectful wanderer.

As the introduced themselves and began to head inside, Sai watched Fumiko shoot him a smirk before doing so. He found it slightly odd, being that the girl hadn't genuinely smiled at him yet, but it didn't seem at all faked this time. Was she warming up already? It would make the trip smoother, at least, and admittedly the mysterious intention of the gesture, as well as her beauty, captivated him as well. Sai didn't really think twice about being referred to as a retainer. There was no point in correcting or getting in a huff about it. The more people who believed that's what he was, the better. When Sheng glanced his way, he returned it. Perhaps the Earth Kingdom man wasn't very thrilled about his latest title, but no, it seemed like that wasn't all. It wasn't hard to figure out. The dark haired man was by himself with the most beautiful pair of twins in the world, and they just happened to be the Avatar's daughters. It was quite the honor, and blessing..

But now Sai had approached a territory that had been unofficially claimed by Sheng, and it seemed he was a tad apprehensive about it. Sai gave a friendly smile to Sheng before turning his gaze back to the girls as they sat at the table with the priest. Surely if he had been in Sheng's position, such a smile might be too easily seen for what it was. Fake. However it wasn't to imply hostility, more indifference. Sheng simply had no weight on Sai's quest, but he would value his assistance, whether he knew he was giving it or not. The girls were the real key, so for now, he'd do his best to work well with all of them. Like Sheng, Sai glanced around the room as to make sure nothing out of the ordinary was happening. After a bit, he finally realized he may have been standing too soldier-like, and relaxed his stance.

For now, he'd listen to what the girls had to say, and during such admire their beauty. He knew traveling with such beautiful women was going to be difficult to remain composed forever, but he wasn't about to become jealous if their attention somehow shifted to Sheng either. Stopping another war was just too important...

Fumiko and Fukiko wrapped their hands around their cups of tea, and glanced at each other to see which would speak first. Finally, Fumiko sighed. "Thank you, Lao-Tien. It's best we get to the point." She shook her hair back from her shoulders. "Our parents have given us the task of finding a way to indentify the next incarnation of the Avatar, since the previous tools were destroyed during the Fire Nation's siege of the Southern Air Temple."

She smiled, a little sadly. "Father is not ill, so this is merely a way to ensure that when the . . . the inevitible occurs, the world is prepared." Taking a small sip of her tea, she glanced at Fukiko, who took the hint.

"So we came here, to see if you knew of anything that might help, either in the identification or in our quest." Fukiko sighed. "Please, Lao-Tien, anything you can tell us would be a great help."

The reminder of just what their mission was, and the burden the girls had taken on, was pretty sobering. It must be hard for them to do this. Sheng felt some of her anger ebb away as he listened to them speak. He should cut them some slack...if only they'd cut him some. It wasn't gone completely. And the need to prove himself was still as strong, but he wasn't really mad anymore. Just a little irritated.

Lao-Tien frowned, "That is a grave matter, indeed, and one that truly concerns us all." He looked at the girls, as if trying to see if they were telling the truth, "But...Avatar Aang is well? ....Good then, there is some time."

He looked over at the highest point in the room, where a smaller wooden statue of Kyoshi stood. "I know that when the Avatar mainfests the Avatar state, the eyes of all the representations of the Avatar, past and present, glow with a bright light. But...that does not help much." He sighed, shaking his head, "Forgive an old man, I've never thought about this subject, in this way. My old head is slow to move at times."

Sheng wanted to say something, and fidgeted, but held his tongue. The girls hadn't said he and Sai were anything more than servants, so...he shouldn't just speak out of turn. Instead, he just crossed her arms over his chest, his foot beginning to tap on the floor.

The priest closed his eyes, "I know...that it was said in the Account of Kyoshi that the greatest fortune tellers of the day were consulted to determine what year the new Avatar would be born in. But other than that...the only way I know to determine which child is through the use of the toys..." He stood, "Please, allow me and my fellow priests a few hours to go over the texts and records here. There may be something we have missed."

Sai remained still in a statuesque manner, paying close attention to the words spoken by the Avatar's daughters and the priest. He hadn't been aware that the tools they used to help identify the Avatar had been destroyed in the war. The mention of the Fire Nation specifically made Sai's hands tighten slightly, but he remained calm and continued to observe. Thankfully, it sounded as if Aang wasn't in any direct danger as of now, at least not any more than normal. It calmed the wanderer to know he still had an Avatar to seek out. Time was growing short, however. Soon, his father's plans would be coming to fruition. If things weren't handled soon, the world could be thrust into war, and once again the Fire Nation would be the enemies. He knew his home was better than that. Stronger than that...

Sai's golden eyes turned to Sheng again, who seemed a bit uncomfortable at the moment, or at least bored by the sound of his tapping foot. Of course, they were supposed to be playing servant, for no particular reason. Still, it was beginning to sound like the priest didn't really have any useful information. Sai didn't exactly know a whole lot about the whole Avatar process, but he knew something that should at least be mentioned, even though he was sure the girls probably already knew. "Well.." He began, taking a couple steps forward. "If I'm not mistaken, the Avatar incarnations are in an order. Water should be next. Once a method is figured out regarding how to tell who the Avatar is, at least we have an idea of where he or she most likely is..."

Of course, that was the whole reason they were here was to figure out a new way to detect the Avatar, but like Sheng, he wasn't terribly fond of being thought of as just a retainer. His speaking out was more to express that he wasn't going to just stand silently all the time. "I suppose we should allow Lao-Tien to see what he can discover..."

Fukiko smiled at Sai as spoke up. He was stating something they already knew, true, but he was trying to help them, which was nice. And he clearly didn't like being considered a retainer. She nodded. "Perhaps we should wait for a while and see if Lao-Tien and his associates can think of anything."

"Yes, but," Fumiko shot a sideways look at Sheng, "I think Sheng-Tu might have something he wants to add as well." Maybe she had been a little harsh on him earlier. And maybe she'd been a little rash in asking Sai to join them. They really didn't know anything about Sai, except that he had been eager to join them. She tucked her hair behind her ears, giving both of the men a small smile, partly apologetic.

Lao-Tien bowed low, making his way out of the room. Once outside, his voice could be heard calling to the other holy people tending the temple.

Sheng returned Fumiko's smile, his anger and frustration fading further. She probably didn't mean her words to hurt like they did. She was too sweet for that. Plus, there wasn't much in the world that could stand up to both of those girls smiling at it at once. He wondered if they knew how devastating a weapon they had there.

"Thanks, Fumiko. I don't know if it's worth anything or not, but...I was thinking." He shrugged, spreading his hands, "What if we tried replacing the objects used to find the Avatar instead of trying to see if there's an entirely different method? Maybe the new Avatar will respond to things owned by the old ones. We don't have the toys...but what about using other relics of the Avatars?"

He took a few steps forward, "Sifu once told me that before she met Avatar Aang, he'd channeled the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi when he was wearing some of her clothes." The Avatar, a cross dresser? Not a good joke to make in front of his daughters. "Would it be possible to do something similar to find an Avatar?"

Sai regretted his words a bit. He didn't need to make himself sound too enthusiastic. They might get the wrong impression from his willingness to join. Could he really be blamed? Even if he was actually just a wanderer, who would turn down such an opportunity, especially when girls as beautiful as the twins were involved? Though he didn't really like making himself sound like a fool, and he began to feel his previous words probably accomplished that better than his willingness to help or need to speak his mind. Either way, what was said was said, and Fukiko seemed thankful for his contribution either way. The golden eyed man smiled back at her when she did the same, nodding to her suggestion.

When Sheng made his, he listened silently. Once again he mentioned his teacher, but this time spoke of how she knew Aang. The story she had told him seemed like a more personal one than simply having met him, so most likely this man's teacher was the well known Toph Bei Fong. That pretty much answered the question of him being an Earthbender. As for his plan, it was a clever idea, but he did see one inherent issue with it, which he decided to make known. "Sounds like a good idea. Though they may need to be artifacts that are not as well recognized. After all, nearly everyone knows how Kyoshi dressed, or of Aang's glider..."

Sai crossed his arms and hoped he wasn't speaking out of line, considering he had only been part of the group for less than an hour, but standing around saying nothing wouldn't exactly convince them that he's useful either. He glanced at Sheng, then back to the girls, wondering how much sense such a suggestion made.

Fumiko considered the men's suggestions, tapping on finger on the table. "Items related to the former incarnations is how it has always been done before, though they were typically toys that the previous Avatars had enjoyed as children." She sighed. "But it also seems as though we should pick something less . . . conspicuous than clothing." Giving Sheng a smile, she added, "Although I'm sure you meant items, not just garments."

Fukiko nodded, and then frowned slightly. "I don't know. I mean, isn't that why we got sent on this mission in the first place?"

"What?"

"Well, think about it, 'Miko." Fukiko turned to face her sister, gesturing animatedly. "The way that the monks identified father was through the toys, right? Well, the reason we're here is because those toys were destroyed. Any material item we pick will be able to be destroyed as well, so how can we be sure that doing things the way they were before will work forever?"

Blinking, Fumiko stared at her sister. It was true, she often thought of her twin as an airhead - she was, after all, an airbender, and was by her own admission a little flighty. But this was a reasonable objection. If all they were doing was ensuring the continuation for another generation to have to deal with all over again, maybe they needed to change the way they were thinking. She tipped her head back and sighed. "I hate when you're right, 'Kiko. Especially when it makes things harder." She looked back at her sister. "Well, do you have any ideas?"

"Not a one." The young airbender looked at the two men with them. "Guys?"

"Pretty and smart," Sheng commented with a smile. Then he sighed, "It's a good point though. Ideally, we need something that will always work. That doesn't need any objects, just the knowledge of how." He ran a hand through his bangs, pushing them back. "Buuut other than that, I got nothing. Not now, anyway."

He crossed his arms over his chest again, thinking for a few moments. The room was awfully quiet. "But, hey, what kind of quest would it be if we figured it out right away? The heroes have go through trials and tribulations for it to be a good story, after all, right?" Okay, so maybe it wasn't the best way to try and lighten the mood. "Come on. Let's go back to the village. We aren't find anything here that Lao-Tien won't, and maybe there's something there that can give us a clue." He shrugged, "I always think best when I'm doing something, you know?"

Sai mentally rolled his eyes slightly at Sheng's initial response. Hopefully he wouldn't have to hear comments like that the whole trip. Not that it wasn't true, but he wished some people tried to be more subtle. Nevertheless, they hadn't made much progress so far, and the dark haired man suggested they go back to the village. Sai remained silent for a few moments before heading back to the door. After thinking, he paused and turned back to the others.

"What does the current Avatar think about all of this? I assume he's aware the previous method no longer works. Did he have any suggestions? Perhaps we should ask him?.." He sort of wondered out loud, somewhat hoping they might simply take him to the Avatar themselves, but they obviously hadn't been on the quest for long, and if he did have any ideas, he probably would have told them. That or he wished them to discover it on their own. He then chuckled lightly and scratched his chestnut hair, having removed his hat after walking inside. "I feel a bit silly saying 'we'. I don't mean to assume you invited me on your whole quest. We will part ways whenever you choose..."

Of course, he didn't want to part ways, not yet. Not while there was still a chance they could help, but he also realized he may have been too hasty on wanting to join them, and did not want to give them the idea that he had an other motive.. even if he sort of did. He glanced between the girls, and at Fukiko in particular. She wasn't the one who invited him, but was the one who took a liking to him first. She was most likely to insist that he stay.

The small group was walking as they talked, heading back to town after telling one of the monks that they could be found there. Sai brought up a very good point, except that Avatar Aang didn't have any more idea than they did. Of course, Sai had no way to know that. "Talking to Avatar Aang is a good idea, but unfortunately, we came from the Avatar. He sent us on this mission only because he didn't have the time to do it himself. He doesn't have any more clue than we do...which isn't a comforting thought."

"As for you signing up...it's not my call." The young earthbender shrugged. "I got kind of mad at being called a retainer in there, but it's pretty much true. I'm just on this mission to protect the girls and lend a helping hand, it's their quest. I shouldn't presume that I have any say in what we do, where we go, or who comes along."

It was as close to another apology as Sheng was willing to give. He didn't like it, but it was the facts of the matter. This task was given to Fumiko and Fukiko. He was a last minute addition, put in place solely to get in between the twins and anything that threatened them. He wasn't expected to contribute beyond that, probably.

Wow...what a depressing line of thought.

The little group walked on a little further, silent, the members in their own heads. Sheng closed his eyes, feeling the world around him through the earth. It was an amazing aid to concentration to shut out vision sometimes. Wait. There were others walking...not on the path, but in the forest on either side of it. Moving with slow, purposeful steps. Four on either side. Heh. Two to one odds...hopefully they were benders or this would be horribly boring.

His eyes snapped open, and he smiled. " We're about to be ambushed, and thank the Spirits. I really needed this," he said with a savage smile. Then he pivoted on the spot, a hunk of earth the size of man's head shooting up on either side of him. He struck with both fists, sending them flying into the woods. There was a great crashing, and several oaths. "I owe you guys one! Beating the crap out of you is just the thing to pick me up!"

He felt the attack before it came, a shifting stance, a punch was about to be thrown, but from far away enough that it could never connect. Bending. He brought up a thick sheet of rock just as a brilliant plume of flame shot out from where one of the rocks had gone. The fire licked at his shield, then was gone.

A moment later, the attackers leaped into plain view. Some had weapons, but most of them didn't. They were wearing dark reds and browns, with some black here and there. One of them, a lean, raw boned woman with a cruel face, laughed, "Traveling so openly! No real disguise or anything...it's almost pathetic. But it makes our work easier." She smiled, "Don't think your earthbender lapdog will save you, we killed many like him in the war. Surrender, and it will be quick."

Fumiko swore as the attackers leaped out at them, then almost laughed. Surrender? Was the woman mad? Well, she obviously was, attacking travellers on Kyoshi Island, but really! "You're mistaken if you think he's the only one who can fight, you unwashed skunk-bear."

The twins glanced at each other and grinned recklessly. Fukiko nodded, and stepped forward, smirking. "We know you killed many of his kind during the war." She pushed up her sleeves and held up her hands and forearms, exposing her airbending tattoos. "You killed all but one of mine then as well." The leader of the ambush gaped for a split second too long, as Fumiko pulled the water whip from her waterskin and lashed it out, striking a pressure point in the woman's upper arm before coming back to Fumiko.

"Ow!" The woman tried to lift her arm, couldn't, and began to seethe. "You impudent little brats! Get them!" She motioned with her other arm, and the rest of the band out outlaws started to run towards them.

Three of them had weapons, and those were the ones the twins focused on - both had sparred with their father, and with Uncle Zuko, but they didn't yet feel confident against a firebender who wasn't invested in their safety. Fumiko went after the one with a whip, pitting her water whip against his real one. Hers had an advantage, she thought with a smile just before flicking it out and grinning as half of it fell to the ground, severed. She could put an edge on hers, and could reform it fully if it broke. Using the same trick she'd used on Sheng, she lashed at his feet and froze as it impacted, sealing him to the ground. Then, with a quick twitch of her hands, she lashed around his hands, tugging them behind his back and freezing them together, extending the ice there to the ice at his feet.

Fukiko used the same move her father had demonstrated to his class, spinning her hands and body, sending a small tornado at the ones she was facing - a burly, bearded man with a handful of shuriken and a lean, scarred man with a short sword. The swordsman went flying, landing in a nearby tree with a crash, but the other man was merely buffeted around, the two shuriken he'd sent her way flying wild and slicing open the hand of one of his comrades. Without even thinking, she sent another tornado at him, and threw herself into it, flying up and over, landing on the other side of him and pushing a gust of wind at the backs of his knees. The man's head hit the ground with a heavy, meaty thud, and his eyes drooped half-shut.

Fumiko ran over to her sister, and they smiled at each other again, before turning to face the rest of the attackers.

(Hope I'm not assuming too much here, If so, just let me know and I'll edit.)

Sai nodded lightly as Sheng explained how they had just came from the Avatar. So that meant his second suggestion was futile as well. It also meant they weren't likely to be returning to him anytime soon, so did that mean he should continue with them, or branch off and try and see the Avatar on his own? When the Earthbender continued to explain about how it's the girls quest, and they didn't have much say in things, he realized that was probably true. For now, he remained silent as they continued to walk. As they moved on, eventually Sai sensed it, though it was a moment too late, as Sheng had done so as well, and already called it out, beginning an attack. That, at least, proved he was an Earthbender.

The real surprise was what came at Sheng, which he quickly blocked with a slab of Earth. Fire..? This wasn't good. When the attackers revealed themselves, Sai took a few steps back, observing their manner of dress. They were definitely from the Fire Nation, and at least a few were Firebenders. The woman who spoke out appeared to be their leader, making a reference to the war that made Sai's fists tighten. It was people like this who continued to give his home a bad name. It was people like this that caused him to begin this whole quest. It was people like this that made his mother leave him, and killed his first love...

He knew he had to remain calm. The emotions were a bit overwhelming, though. All his training was rushing back to him, even if it was from the man who was behind all his anguish. When the woman had spoken, she was looking at him directly. Was it possible she knew? Was it him she was asking to surrender? Suddenly a water whip lashed out at her, and she began to order the attack. The twins began to make quick work of the armed men, but that pretty much left the Firebenders to attack him and Sheng. While Sai was highly trained, fighting four benders without bending himself was going to be a bit difficult, but luckily they split their forces and two headed to Sheng. The remaining two raised their fists toward Sai, ready to battle. It was almost as if they expected him to strike first, but he took his stance as well, patiently watching until one launched a punch that sent a flaming ball of fire right toward his face.

Sai quickly angled away from it and leaped forward. The attacker once again shot another fireball, but the golden-eyed fighter landed on his feet and thrust his body downward, ducking it, mere feet away from his enemy. He then swiftly moved forward and made a sweeping kick at the man's feet who stumbled a bit at the sudden attack. The other wasn't willing to Firebend so close to his ally, but that didn't hold him back from attacking. As Sai raised his body to strike at the first Firebender, the other came from behind. Of course, the Wanderer could sense this and dodged the fist coming at the back of his head, raising a hand up to grab the passing wrist, then pulling the man straight into the elbow he had ready to slam into his chest. With a show of great strength, Sai continued to hold the man's arm, gripping it with both hands now as he pulled him over his shoulder, shifting his weight to literally toss the man at his ally, causing them both to collide into each other and fall helplessly to the ground.

Sai raised his fists again, ready to continue, until he could see the orange glow illuminating the ground from behind. Quickly, he spun to see a fire wave headed straight at his face. With little time to react, Sai arched backward with expert reflexes, watching as the arc of flame missed his face by literally inches, even managing to singe a few of his floating hairs. As he returned to his normal stance, he saw the woman with a rather malicious grin on her face. She wasted no time in sending more fireballs and flame arcs from kicks in his direction, which he needed to use all his agility simply to dodge. Fighting multiple Firebenders wasn't really new to him, but fighting them without his own bending was. This woman seemed intent on getting him to give it his all.

While Sai was ducking a fireball near the ground, his hand grasped at the Earth. What he wouldn't give to be an Earthbender right now... He used every chance he got to get slowly closer to the woman until she gave one large sweep of fire, which he took a risk and jumped into the air, barely jumping over it, moving forward into a roll and coming out of it by swinging his hand toward her face. Specks of sand and dirt released from his enclosed fist, connecting with her eyes, causing her to shout out in surprise and annoyance. Sai used this opportunity to grab one of the discarded short swords and swing it at his opponent. She regained enough of her sight to quickly bring up wristguards, blocking his blade. Both fighters pushed on each other as their eyes connected.

"C'mon.. Is this really.. all you can do...?" She grunted against his force with a mischievous smirk. Sai remained silent, narrowing his eyes as she pushed him back, ready to throw another punch, but Sai retaliated with the blade, forcing her to block again. He continued, relentlessly, the small sparks flying off of her armor every time the sword connected with them. Once again, Sai struck hard, making her block with both wrists. With a smirk, Sai slipped his leg around the woman's, offsetting her balance as he pushed her forward, causing her to trip over his foot and fall back. He was ready to bring the sword to her neck, and ask for answers, but he could sense another attack from behind. The fireball came swiftly from one of the men he had knocked over earlier. Sai brought his blade around and barely had enough force and wind to block the flame away, but the sword's somewhat narrow blade didn't stop it all, causing the ball to dissipate into shards of flame and scatter onto his clothing, luckily missing his face.

Sai quickly patted out any spots that had been burned, but the men were closing back in. Now frustrated, Sai rushed them, dodging two fireballs quick natural swiftness and swinging his sword at the first man, then the second. The first managed to step back, but the second wasn't quick enough, his arm getting sliced. The first growled, sending another fireball which Sai barely blocked with the blade again, but the heat alone was enough to force him to drop the weapon. The two men sent punches from both sides, which Sai managed to block with his forearms, retaliating with punches of his own. They all traded blows for a good few moments, Sai looking as if regular fighting was as natural to him as breathing. As long as he kept them on either side, they probably wouldn't risk bending. Though his assumptions were incorrect as one man had been fed up, and thrust one punch forward, releasing a fireball. The unexpected move made Sai barely angle out of the way, the fire even managing to singe his ear. Gritting his teeth at the sting of the burn, he quickly turned to see the rest of the result of such a bold attack, which was his ally getting the most of the attack to the face, crying out and stumbling before falling backward.

The first was now even angrier that he hadn't managed to get Sai more than a singe, but before he could continue, Sai punched, then elbowed the man in the face, finishing him off with a roundhouse kick to the chest, sending him flying backward. Sai then turned back toward the woman who had plenty of time to get back up and watch. However now that she could see his skills, she didn't plan to hold back. She brought her hands to her sides, then pushed them forward, sending out two streams of flames toward Sai. The speed was unexpected, and he began to make his attempt to dodge...

Sheng laughed with delight, "You talk big, let's see how you fight!" The girls were tackling the normal bandits...or soldiers or whatever these jerks were. Which left he and Sai to fight the benders. The mouthy woman seemed out of it for the moment, and the remaining four split themselves up evenly among the two young men.

The two benders attacking Sheng rushed forward side by side, the young earthbender standing his ground. He felt them plant their feet, and struck. His left arm pushed downward as his right shot up high in an open palm strike. The ground beneath the left firebender opened up into a yawning pit the split second before he released his fire blast. As the pit appeared, a block of earth taller than Sheng and three feet wide sprang up in front of the young earthbender. The fallen bender's blast struck the earth walls of the pit, and he screamed as he was burned by his own fire. The bolt of the second splashed against the block, the rock scattering the flame and absorbing the heat.

Sheng struck the block high up, a thick section shooting forth at the firebender. As it fired forth, his other fist struck low, a second slab firing out. His opponent sneered as he easily ducked the first projectile, then his eyes widened as he realized it was all a set-up for the lower blow. The slab struck him just below the neck, slamming him hard to the ground, and continuing without hardly slowing at all.

The black haired youth spun about, a fireball shooting past him. The bender who'd fallen into the pit had half climbed out, holding himself in place with his legs, and firing fireballs with his hands. His clothes were scorched and blackened, his eyebrows gone, and only a few smoldering tatters of his proud beard remained. Sheng stomped with one foot, and what was left of the block sank, filling in the pit, and putting the burned firebender back on the path. The man lurched forward, his balence upset. He looked up in time to see Sheng leaping at him. The young prince's knee smashed into the man's face, shattering his nose and toppling him into an unconscious heap.

Sheng felt the first man getting up, and pivoted to face him. He stepped forward, punching with his left fist in a straight strike. A spindle of rock shot up at an angle, hitting the firebender in the stomach and doubling him over. Sheng threw an uppercut, and another spindle, this one at a higher angle fired up, this one much longer, catching his foe in the chin, the impact bending the man backwards. "Too easy."

He glanced over at the others, the girls were just about finished, and so was Sai-wait! He saw the raw boned woman lining up, firing twin jets of flame too fast for the painter to avoid. Sheng bent down, slamming his fingers into the earth. Rather than break, they sank in, the youth taking hold of the ground and yanking as hard as he could, "Sai, hold still!" A ribbon of ground starting at Sheng and ending under Sai's feet came loose, pulling the wandering artist a full five feet to the left. The streaks of flame flashed past him.

The woman snarled, rearing back to fire another bolt of flame at Sai. Sheng shifted his hold on the ground, and pushed. This time, it was the earth under the woman that moved, sending her flying back, off balance, the fire she'd been about to throw firing harmlessly up into the air. Sheng lifted himself into a forward leaning stance, lifting both arms. Thick slabs of rock burst up on either side of the cruel blond, then slammed together with her between them. She cried out, then swore. The blocks had not been hard enough to crush her, nor had they gone away. Instead she was stuck, sandwiched between the sheets of stone. "Damn it! Don't think this is over! I'll burn these pebbles in a moment, and then we'll see!"

Sheng shook his head, rising to a relaxed stance. "I've seen what you've got, lady, and it's weak. But if I were you, I wouldn't break free. If you do, you'll die."

She snorted haughtily, "Who will kill me? None of you have the guts!"

"You may be right," Sheng agreed. Then he smirked and lifted a finger, pointing up, "But I bet they do." On either side of the road, standing and crouching among the thick, low branches were about a dozen young women. They wore green silk covered armor, and their faces were elaborately painted. Some held war fans, others thin, slender swords.

"That's right, fire bender," one of them spoke. She looked good in that armor, Sheng noted. "The warriors of Kyoshi know how to deal with those who attack our friends, and you won't find us as merciful as they are." She looked over the group, her eyes went wide when she saw Sai among them. "Sai..." She frowned, her eyes narrowing angrily. "Get them up, girls, bind their hands, and take them to the jail. If they resist...you know what to do."

The Kyoshi warriors leaped down, grabbing and tying the wounded and unconscious alike with startling grace and ease. The raw boned woman smirked as she was bound, grinning at the victorious youths, "Don't think this is over! We're not the only ones, and we'll never stop!" The leader girl stepped up behind her, bringing a folded fan down hard on the back of the firebender's neck, knocking her out.

"Fire Nation trash," she snarled. As the other warriors led the prisoners away, she approached the group. "Honored ones, I am Luna. I lead this band of our warriors." She looked them over, her eyes falling and resting on Sai. "Are...all of you all right?"

Sai knew that the incoming flames were too quick. The only choice would be to counter them with some of his own bending. It was a situation he was hoping to avoid, but it was either burn or get burned. The singe on his ear was reminding him that the latter just wasn't what he was in the mood for today. Bringing his hands to his sides, he was about to thrust them out and meet the woman's streams of fire with his own when he heard Sheng call out. Before he knew it, the brown haired fighter was being tossed to the side by the shifting Earth. He then watched as the flames passed by him harmlessly.

That was a close call, too close, in fact. He could only watch as Sheng made quick work of the woman with some impressive Earthbending. It was beginning to seem like he couldn't afford to get on any of these people's bad sides. He tried to remain out of sight when the woman began to spit at Sheng for capturing her, and of course he'd respond with confidence. It was good the Earthbender was so skilled but Sai just hoped that wasn't the sort of attitude that would make him let his guard down at the wrong times. This, however, wasn't the wrong time, as it was their attackers who had the bad luck. Sai turned his sight to the trees, observing the Kyoshi Warriors in full dress ready to back them up. Even though they didn't require it, this was their village to defend.

Sai began to casually dust himself off, watching as the men he beat get hauled away like failures. It gave him a sense of satisfaction he hadn't received in a long time, but his victory felt short lived when the Warrior's leader stepped out. Before she even introduced herself, he could recognize her. Luna. She was their leader? A detail she had neglected to mention over dinner, but it wasn't as if he hadn't hid anything himself. In fact, if she or anyone else, for that matter, had seen him fighting, it would be fairly clear that he wasn't just a painter. When she spoke out, her first words caused his stomach to sink. He wondered what her reaction would have been had he said he was from the Fire Nation the night before? All he could do now was try and avert his gaze. This was yet another situation he wished to avoid, but it didn't look like he could be saved by some fancy Earthbending this time.

Finally, he looked to her and nodded. "I believe we're mostly unharmed..." He said somewhat quietly, trying not to bring any notice to the burn on his ear. "Thank you.." He bowed to Luna, then looked at Sheng and did the same. "And you as well, I might have been cooked like a possum-chicken had it not been for your quick thinking..." While that wasn't exactly true in the literal sense that he meant it, he would have still been under fire of a different kind had his group and Luna learned he was a Firebender...

Fukiko noticed the way the Kyoshi warrior - Luna, she had said her name was - was looking at Sai, and wasn't too happy about it. But she didn't have any claim on him, and it wasn't as though she could be angry with the girl over looking anyway. So instead, she stepped forward with a friendly smile. "Yes, thank you, Luna. Our Aunt Suki was right about the swift justice of the Kyoshi warriors."

"Yes, thank you." Fumiko had seen the burn on Sai's ear as she walked over, and decided he hadn't mentioned it for a reason. Regardless. She could heal it easily later on. Bowing, Fumiko added, "Although it appeas as though you already know Sai."

The green-clad girl nodded tightly, still looking at Sai with a strange expression. Then she blinked. "Wait . . . Suki? You are the Avatar's daughters?" They both nodded, and Luna nodded more slowly. "We truly are honored, then. Is Avatar Aang here as well?"

"No, Father sent us on an . . . errand for him," Fukiko said. Her smile turned a little whimisical. "If he'd been here, believe me, we'd have handled those fools even more easily."

"O-of course, the Avatar is -"

Fumiko held up a hand. "Most powerful bender on earth, bridge between worlds, yes." Her smile was a little sharp-edged. "If you don't mind, Luna, we'd like to get back to our bison and have dinner before we talk about what happened here much more." With a sly glance at her sister, she added, "You are welcome to join us, if you like. I'm sure you have questions about the attack."

"I'm honored, Lady."

"Nonsense. It's just dinner." Fumiko grinned at her twin's glare, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Please, let us get back to Appa and clean up a little. Say, an hour?"

The warrior bowed again. "Certainly, Lady." She trotted off after her band of warriors, and Fukiko smacked her sister's shoulder.

"Ow! 'Kiko!"

"What are you doing? Inviting people left and right!"

Fumiko folded her arms. "It's dinner, sister, not asking her to share a sleeping bag. She's taking care of those idiots, and we'll feed her. Not a huge deal."

"Hmph."

Fumiko rolled her eyes, and turned to the men. "Now, are either of you hurt at all?" She pulled some water out of her waterskin and let it settle over her hands, taking on a white glow. "I saw the wound on your ear, Sai, so you might as well come here."

Sheng let the girls do the talking, using earthbending to help restrain the still conscious bandit/soldiers so the warriors would lead them away. His blood was singing in his viens, his heart soaring. Gods, spirits, and devils, he loved to fight! And that had gotten his blood pumping. As cool a moment as it was, he was a little sorry the Kyoshi warriors had arrived. He would have liked to duel that mouthy lady, she seemed to have the most skill of their attackers. How would he have taken her out...

So, the leader of the warriors was joining them for dinner? Nice. He couldn't complain about having yet another cute girl around. He wondered why Fukiko was so upset about it though. "There's another reason to have her there," he added. "If they interrogate those no-talent clowns and get anything, we can ask her about it. Otherwise...well, it's their island. They don't have to tell us what they find out, you know? But if we have her at dinner, it...creates a kind of obligation we might be able to squeeze some info from."

It was a statement that displayed a mind accustomed to politics. He'd had plenty of that growing up as the Crown Prince of the Earth Kingdom. Not that he'd had much call to use it since he became Sifu's student. "Thanks, Fumiko, but I'm not hurt." It was the first time he hadn't called her 'Lady Fumiko'. "I'm feeling better than I have in weeks! Nice little fight." He grinned at the girls, "Pretty impressive technique, by the way, both of you. And you looked good doing it too, Sifu always says that a master should bend with style and skill."

He glanced back at the wandering painter, "You have some serious moves too, Sai. That was impressive fighting. Met a few martial artists on the road, huh?"

Sai's reaction to the battle was visibly much different than Sheng's. He stood off to the side, arms crossed and silent. He had barely been with them an hour and things were already getting off to a rocky start. First, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were attacked because of him, which meant multiple things if it were true. That his father, and the Fire Nation, knows he is alive, and that simply by traveling with the Avatar's daughters, he is putting them in danger. Second, he was going to have to have dinner with Luna again, which would likely be rather awkward this time around. She had to have been upset by his abrupt exit the other night, but he didn't feel like explaining to her or the others why. He simply didn't feel like having that conversation.

Sai had noticed the slight disagreement the girls had about Luna, and he had to wonder why Fukiko was so opposed to the idea. Like Fumiko said, she hadn't exactly invited the Warrior on their whole quest. Though he didn't have much time to think on it when Fumiko had offered to heal his wound. Figuring that saying he was fine would probably just make him look like any stubborn male refusing to acknowledge his injuries, instead Sai nodded and approached the dark haired twin and let her attend to it. "Thank you..." He said, his golden gaze turning to Fumiko. So she was a Waterbender, just like her mother, which meant in their small group, they had one of every bender-type now, though they didn't really know it yet. An odd coincidence, to say the least.

Seeing Sheng's enthusiasm at the battle sort of reminded Sai of himself only a few years prior. He wanted to spar and duel everyone, and it probably was one of the reasons he had become so skilled. Once he learned of the truth behind his extensive training, it seemed to always bring back negative memories now anytime he had to fight. Well, it didn't matter now. He still had to defend himself, and it was much better than being dead or pretending to be the cowering painter while the rest of his group did all the work. Regardless of how it came, he had the ability to defend the Avatar's daughters and that was what he planned to do as long as they traveled together. Though he had to wonder if he still needed to tone down the way he presented his abilities. It seemed that Sheng had already noticed them.

"Oh.. Thank you. Well.. Traveling alone is dangerous. Have to be prepared for anything..." He smiled slightly. Hopefully it would be left at that, but there was still the chance that the attackers could tell Luna or the others who he was, and the way he fought wouldn't exactly help back his simple wandering painter identity. Part of him thought it would be best to part ways with the group before the wrong information got out, but that was the same reason he had to stay as well. If he left, only for them to find out who he was, they may get the impression that his mission had been different.

Fukiko was studiously avoiding looking at her sister, still miffed over how casually the waterbender had invited someone to their campsite that Fukiko clearly didn't care for. And the healing thing . . . argh! Sometimes it was frustrating, being the non-serene sister. 'Miko wouldn't care if a girl who was interest in Sheng came to dinner . . . would she? Even knowing in a general sort of way what her sister was thinking, it was impossible for Fukiko to pin it down, and it shouldn't be this frustrating for her. So she brushed her hair back with a gust of wind, and smiled. "Well, let's get back to Appa and start making dinner. We're not feeding her out of our rations, are we?"

Fumiko blinked. "Why should it matter?"

"Well, she's a warrior. I bet she eats like Uncle Sokka."

"'Kiko, be nice."

"Think about it! She's got all those manly muscles going on, working out all the time, I bet she eats like a moose-lion. A hungry moose-lion."


They had stopped on the way back to Appa and purchased some food for that night, mainly because they didn't have much that would be worth sharing in their packs. And very little fresh anything, vegetables or meat. And, Fumiko admitted to herself, they didn't really have enough food to afford feeding an extra person, especially now that Sai had joined them.

When Luna arrived at their camp, everything looked relatively peaceful; dinner cooking, Appa half-dozing, and Fukiko using airbending to create amusing shapes in the clouds from her spot in the grass. Fumiko saw the other girl approaching and stood up from her seat, smiling. "Hello, Luna."

The warrior bowed, and Fumiko bowed back, sighing internally. Some people got caught up in the whole 'Avatar's daughters' thing and treated them like royalty, bowing practically every time either of them spoke. She really, really hoped that Luna wasn't going to be one of those.

"Please, have a seat, dinner's almost ready."

Luna smiled, "It certainly smells good. Which one of you is cooking, or are you both?" The Kyoshi warrior still wore her warrior's outfit, though many of the armor sections had been removed, and her elaborate make-up was still in place. "I've heard that there are all kinds of strange and exotic foods at the Air Temple."

Sheng laughed. The black haired earthbender had the lid to a conical cooking wok in one hand, using a flattened wooden stick to prod and stir the mixture inside. "Sorry, Luna, but I'm the chef tonight. Don't worry though, we've got something special." He winked, reaching into the small sack of belongings he had and removing a tiny leather pouch. "Sheng-Tu's famous fish stir-fry, with an added bonus...a special kick from spices I bought in the Fire Nation." He took a pinch of the seasoning insides, sprinkling it over the sizzling stir fry. "A guaranteed taste delight!"

"That's right, ladies. I can cook too," he thought with a smirk. He made sure the spices were well mixed through as the three girls talked. Sai simply sat nearby, doing his strong, silent-type thing. Good guy, it seemed, but he could stand to relax and enjoy life a little. A meal on a lush island with three lovely girls. Life was pretty damn good right now. "Aaand...that does it! Bring your bowls over, people, and let's eat!"

The meal passed in such a way that one almost would think it was normal. Five kids sitting around and talking, making jokes, telling stories. Except that two were the Avatar's daughters, two were mysterious wanderers, and the third was a woman warrior trained from birth to fight, and all of them were socializing in the shadow of a ten ton flying monster with an arrow on his head. Sheng did a lot of the story telling, getting everyone, even Sai, to laugh about the strange band of singing vagabonds he'd gotten lost with in the Great Divide. Luna kept sneaking looks at Sai, but she didn't say much more to him than to any of the others.

The fire had burned low, and the moon was rising when Luna finally rose to her feet and stretched. "It's gotten late...I think mother will be wondering what exactly we're doing out here." She smiled, "She thinks you're going to end up sweeping me off into adventure like happened with Suki."

Sheng privately thought that one more cute girl couldn't hurt a damn thing, but he wisely did not say that. What he did say was, "You've got your home and island to worry about, we wouldn't want you to leave your home in the lurch."

She smiled at him, "Thanks, I guess...and for the food too. Not bad, for a guy." Sheng grimaced as the girls giggled. Luna then sighed, "Well, I'm gonna head home. Hey, Fumiko, Fukiko, walk with me partway. I heard you were interested in the Unagi, and there's a little inlet nearby where he sometimes sleeps when we have a bright moon like this. It's on my way, I'll show it to you."

The three young women walked away from the campsite, talking quietly. After they were well out of earshot of the boys, Luna stopped. "Okay, this should be good." She smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, I made up the thing about the Unagi. But I wanted to talk to you without them listening in." She glanced back up at the distant light of the fire. "I just wanted to let you know that...you should be careful with Sai. I, uh, got to know him a little since he's been here, and...I don't think he's a bad guy, but...I know he wasn't entirely honest with me about who he is or where he's from." She sighed, "He also, well, I think he's running from something. I don't know what it is, but I just get that idea from some of the things he said."

She shook her head, "Like I said, I don't think he's bad or anything, but there's something in his past that he's on the run from. And if it catches him in the middle of your mission, it could complicate things. That's all."

Back at the campsite, Sheng was leaning up against Appa, having fed the great beast the leftovers of the meal (minus the fish). "So, Sai...Luna was giving you some significant looks. You too have a history?"

Sai couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Fukiko's reaction to the dinner invite. It seemed to be still sort of eating at her. He had to admit, she was especially cute when she had a slightly annoyed expression. Nonetheless, he didn't comment as they all headed off. While they purchased food for dinner, Sai remained a few steps behind, taking in all the townspeople to make sure none of them seemed too out of the ordinary. Eventually, as they got to camp, the solitary wanderer chose a spot off to the side, not wishing to intrude on anyone's personal space quite yet. Still, every so often he glanced over to Fukiko who took amusement from playing with the clouds. What a peaceful ability Airbending was. Nothing like the always destructive Firebending... or at least that was the common misconception. He only wished more people had learned from the Sun Warriors. He envied it at times, but it made him smile nonetheless.

As Luna arrived, he made his best attempt not to give her any odd looks. He could only hope they wouldn't get into a conversation about the previous night, and dig more into his past. Nonetheless, dinner was almost ready and even though he was a bit skeptical for Sheng as the cook, it actually smelled quite good. The reason for the skepticism was simply travelers seemed to get by on anything, and rarely had a chance to cook legitimately. Most of the time, they didn't even know how. Sai considered himself decent, but not enough to prepare a meal for anyone else. Sheng, however, seemed to at least have some prior knowledge of culinary arts. The most appealing part was the mention of Fire Nation spices. It would be the first taste of home Sai would get in quite some time.

As they sat and ate, Sai quietly listened to many of Sheng's stories without much comment, but it was hard not to laugh at a few of them. Because some of them were so outrageous, Sai chose not to tell any of his own, citing them as not nearly as interesting. Instead, he showed off some of his artwork of many recognizable landmarks such as Omashu, the Northern Air Temple and the walls of Ba Sing Se. Naturally, he kept most of the Fire Nation art to himself. Even when he wasn't speaking, however, he noticed Luna often glance in his direction. He had to wonder whether it was because of the previous evening, or because she had found something out from the attackers, earlier. To his relief, nothing was brought up, and though he didn't seem to notice it, he often looked at Fukiko more than the rest. Her genuinely optimistic and bright personality reminded him a lot of Yuna, his first love. He knew comparing them was wrong, but he could see a Water Tribe beauty in her, thanks to her mother, and it wasn't too different from the girl he once knew...

When Luna finally decided to make her exit, she took the girls with her in order to show them the Unagi sleeping. Sai was a bit envious of that, wishing he could see the beast up close in order to paint it, but it was likely took dark to remember specific features anyways. Instead, he remained back with Sheng, watching as he fed the great Air Bison the leftovers. It was a bit surreal, actually sitting next to the legendary Appa. For a creature so old, he certainly had a lot of strength left in him. It was admirable of the beast to be so loyal to his master and friends. It was a companionship Sai had never experienced, and felt a bit empty because of such. It wasn't until Sheng questioned him about Luna that he chuckled softly.

"Well, if you call one dinner with her and her mother a history, then I suppose we do. I just.. shooed away a ruffian at her mother's figurine stand and they invited me. It was nice, but nothing elaborate..." Sai explained. "She's a kind person but has a warrior's heart. It's a combination I respect and I should be so lucky to learn from her example. Oh, and thank you for dinner, by the way. I applaud your choice of spices. It's been a while since I've had a nice meal, let alone two in a row. I guess I better not get too used to it."

Fumiko gave a small sigh at the steely look on her sister's face. She knew that look.

"Thank you, Luna, but I think we can handle it." Fukiko had her arms folded, and was trying mightily to keep her expression level. Probably Luna wanted to discourage them from bring Sai along, because she was jealous. Of what, Fukiko wasn't sure, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was jealousy.

Fumiko elbowed her twin. "Thank you, Luna. Really. We'll keep an eye out for any trouble."

The warrior-girl shrugged. "I just wanted to let you know. Whatever you're trying to accomplish is probably pretty serious, and I wouldn't want to have something important damaged because I was blinded by something foolish." She bowed again, and walked off.

Fukiko glared, and started to send an air blast at her back, but Fumiko pulled up a splash of water and hit her sister in the cheek. "Don't do it, 'Kiko."

"Why not? You saw how smug she was!"

"I don't think it was smugness." Fumiko flicked her hand out, and the water flipped off Fukiko's cheek and back into the water nearby. "She knows something important's going on, and we know Sai hasn't been entirely honest with us."

"Well, neither has Sheng."

"I know that. So we'll sit down with them and have a talk."

"Humph. Fine."

Then they both smiled, and everything was all right again, for the moment. Fukiko put an arm around her sister again, and they walked back to the campsite.

The men were standing near Appa, talking, and Fumiko gave a smile as they walked up. Even though this was a serious matter, she didn't want them to feel like it was an interrogation. But they did need to know what was going on, if Sheng and Sai were willing to tell them. If not . . . well, they'd deal with that if it happened.

The twins sat down side by side near the fire, and Fumiko rubbed her hands together. "Sheng, Sai . . . can we talk to you about something?"