Avatar: Cycles of Life (Closed)

[Armphid]

Sheng smiled sadly, his eyes closed, letting his head fall back to rest on the ground. She was right, and he knew she was right. But that didn't help the feeling of blue balls even a little bit. Although, he didn't feel as disappointed as he might have. There was the promise of more, after all.

"Then we'll start again later, with a bed." The blue eyes opened, and his smile became less sad and more tender, though there was a roguish eagerness as well. "Congratulations, Fumiko. I didn't think there was anything that would make me want to go to Ba Sing Se, but you...I'd go to the gates of hell for you. And Ba Sing Se is a little less far than that, so..."

He hugged her tightly, knowing he was very much going to miss the feeling of having her slender, generously shaped body against his as soon as they parted. "Until then." He sighed, "I guess you better get off of me before they get back. ...I can feel them through the earth, they're not that far off."

 

[Ahren1]

Sai smiled warmly as Fukiko responded favorably to his offer to paint her. He knew that if he could capture a few moments with her, where nothing in the world mattered but right then and there, he could place it on a canvas, then cherish it no matter what came between them... As far as he knew, the painting could become the only thing to remember her by if she were to figure out who he was and feel betrayed for his deception. However, before he could respond with ideas for a locale in which he might be able to get the best light, the young daughter of the Avatar spoke again, catching the ex-soldier off-guard a bit with her sudden comments... and actions.

Her lips had been against his but only for a second, however there was a sensation that jolted through him that he almost didn't recognize. Joy, would be the best way to describe it. It was something he hadn't truly felt since he was with the last person he genuinely cared for. Could it be that he had already fallen so deeply for this girl in such a short time? His expression was slightly surprised, but also undoubtedly pleased. It even left him speechless momentarily, only managing to listen to her continue on about not regretting her decision yet suggesting they return to looking for dinner. As she glanced around, almost as if she didn't know where to focus her eyes, Sai reached his hand out, placing it gently upon Fukiko's chin and turning her gaze back to his.

Sai then moved his lips back to hers and placed them together again, this time, giving her a moderately deeper kiss, and allowing it to linger as long as possible. The taste of her lips was surreal, as if she had recently dined on fresh strawberries, though knowing she had not, Sai concluded this was her normal taste, which was nothing short of divine. When it finally broke, albeit much too soon for Sai's preference, he smiled back at his companion nonetheless. "I should apologize... for not doing that sooner. I.. had thought about it often, but it has.. been a while since I've met someone I truly wished to be closer with.. You are easily that someone.."

Sai's hand trailed from her soft cheek, down her shoulder and arm and to her left hand, which he grasped lightly, hoping that he had not misread her kiss and her feelings were the same.

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko

It felt as though she was melting when he kissed her, and Fukiko could hardly believe that they felt so good together. It was even better that he had intiated it; she'd been concerned that he wasn't interested in her. Silly, of course, since he had probably joined them because of her, but it was so hard to be sure without concrete evidence.

As they parted, her smile was soft and pleased. "You are forgiven for waiting." Squeezing his hand, Fukiko lifted his fingers to her face, kissing his fingers and rubbing her cheek against his hand again. "And I very much wish to be close to you as well." Her free hand brushed his cheek, and she looked into his eyes. "I'm very glad we both feel the same."

 

[Ahren1]

As soon as he saw her smile, Sai knew that he had not made a mistake in kissing her again. The way she touched him gingerly after they parted made him stare back as if he was hypnotized until finally he snapped out of it, simply enjoying her soft skin against his for a few moments. Everything felt perfect. For the first time since he could remember, all of his concerns faded. Part of his mind was shouting at him to break it off now, to not go any further, as he'd only bring her pain, but he couldn't help being close to her. He had been on a quest for the Avatar, and came into contact with his daughter instead. A daughter so beautiful, so skilled, and also interested in him. It had to be fate. If there was any woman in the world who could fight alongside him, rather than requiring protection, it was her. Not that he wouldn't protect her anyways.

But there was indeed a worry finally eating away at him. How would she respond to his true identity? As a daughter of the Avatar, she probably would be fairly understanding of someone from the Fire Nation, but that wouldn't change the fact that he had basically been lying to them. Telling her would be the right thing to do, but it carried the risk of losing her. She already was probably questioning whether or not to really trust him, and saying the truth would only assure her and the others that someone in position shouldn't be traveling with them. The thought of losing her now made his heart ache, and he just needed a bit more time with her. Time for their bond to grow stronger. Once he could show her that his feelings were genuine, and his intentions true, he could tell her with much lesser risk.. Right?

In order to ease his mind, Sai leaned in to kiss Fukiko once again, drinking in her taste and warmth and letting it invigorate his whole body. One of his hands pulled her close to him, resting upon her hip, while his other continued to grasp her hand. When it finally broke, he took a deep breath, unable to hide his smile, which was wider than it had been in quite some time. Glancing around the wooded area, he chuckled lightly. "Well, I suppose I should stop myself, or else we'll never manage to get dinner and the others will probably never let us forget it. However, I would be.. more than glad to continue this soon..." He spoke softly, still holding her somewhat close. "I thought I saw a lot of beautiful things in my travels, but next to you, they all seem so insignificant.. For an artist to locate such perfection is a dream come true..."

Reluctantly, he parted with her, leading the way toward the trees in hopes that they would locate some dinner quickly, so he could spend their meal sitting next to Fukiko and admiring her even more.

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko sighed as she followed Sai through the trees. It was a shame that he was right - if they didn't get something for dinner, her sister would certainly never let her forget it, and Sheng would wear a smirk for days. But at least she got to spend time with him alone, this way, and she was very pleased about that. The other shame, of course, was that he was clearly concerned about whatever it was that he was hiding, and she wasn't sure what to do about that. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad, but . . . he clearly thought it was, and it was possible, she supposed, that it was. Ah, well. In time, he would feel more comfortable with the idea of telling them.

"Okay," she said with a small smile, "all you need to do is tell me what to look for and I'll go after mushrooms with a vengance." And she'd thought she'd seen signs of some tubers that she was pretty sure cooked up well over a fire.

~ ~ ~ ~​

A little while later, they'd managed to catch three rabbit-moles and gather a fair amount of mushrooms and tubers, and were headed back to camp. It was a very good amount of food for a quick forage, and Fukiko was sure it was just that they were lucky. This close to the Divide, they were lucky the animals at the bottom of the canyon hadn't climbed out at night and eaten everything before they got there.

Oh, that was something to think about. There was the possibility that something nasty could climb up from the bottom of the Great Divide and attack their camp tonight, drawn by the smell of food. She'd have to remember to mention it, and see what they could come up with for defenses.

But in the meantime, she walked close to Sai, their shoulders almost touching - even though her arms were full with vegetables and he was carrying the rabbit-moles that he had skinned and gutted quickly while she turned her back to avoid looking at their sad little faces. This had been a good day, and the sun was still hovering slightly over the horizon, painting the sky and landscape in shades of bright red. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she grinned. "What do you suppose they've been up to while we were gone?"

 

[Ahren1]

Sai chuckled lightly at Fukiko's enthusiasm for the mushrooms. He felt bad for them, at that moment, as she sounded sure to show them no mercy. With that, they headed off. Catching the rabbit-moles was something that took a fair amount of skill, as they were known for quick burrowing, even in tough terrain. They also always had plenty of holes around to scurry deep into at the first sign of trouble. This wasn't the sort of hunting you could do every so often and get it right without the correct instincts. It seemed as if Sai had become too used to being cooked for over the past week or so that some of that knowledge had already left him. It was funny how quickly it happened. After some rather embarrassing attempts, Sai had managed to collect three of them, and Fukiko had an impressive collection of mushrooms.

As he walked back to camp with her, he couldn't help but watch her every so often. The sun projecting a majestic golden light onto her was something he'd be happy to view forever. It was strange actually feeling happy, as it had been so long since he truly was. Being with Fukiko just made everything else not matter. It was amazing what the perfect woman could do, and he considered himself immensely lucky that she returned his feelings. As she looked over to him, he smiled before chuckling at her comment, noticing her expression.

"Calmly enjoying a nice cup of tea, I'm sure." He replied softly, knowing quite well that Sheng and Fumiko had already proven they were fond of each other. Sai knew if he and Fukiko were in their position, that things wouldn't remain innocent for long. As they finally reached camp, it was apparent that the same could be said about their Earth and Waterbender companions, as they seemed in the middle of a less than simple embrace.

"Must have been pretty good tea. Hope you saved some for us..."

 

[HookerBoots]

Fumiko blushed and stood hurriedly, as her twin giggled. "Oh, I . . . tea?" She shook her head, and her eyes lit on the rabbit-moles. "You caught some! Excellent." One hand pushed her hair out of her face, and she suddenly realized she was almost naked from the waist up and darted for her tunic.

Fukiko broke into a fresh batch of giggles, and headed over to a low, flat rock where she dropped the mushrooms and root vegetables. "I think we'll have a good dinner . . . though there may not be enough, if you two worked up a big appetite," she added with a sly glance at her sister.

Her face bright red, Fumiko wished she could have some water to cool her face. But no such luck, at the moment. "Right, well, we need the pots, and to clean those vegetables before we can get started. Who wants to be in charge of the fire?" She rummaged in a pack and pulled out a fabric pouch. "If you want some tea, Sai, this is a blend Uncle Zuko put together for us - he'll never tell us where he learned to blend tea, but this is excellent."

 

[Armphid]

Sheng remained on the ground for a moment, his face momentarily both chagrined and furious, then he smirked. "I think you've sampled a bit already, Sai, if what the earth says is true." He patted the ground, flexing his back to roll up onto his shoulders and kick up to his feet. "Of course, I'm sure that Fukiko just stumbled and you caught her, right? You smooth dog, you."

Two could play at this game.

"We were sparring, surely you heard the rockslide that I, ah, kind of, accidentally set off." Of course, it had been in the canyon and they'd wandered a good distance away in fetching the food. Nevertheless, it was important to explain it. For his sake, he didn't care, but he wouldn't have the painter casting aspersions on Fumiko. She was far too great a lady for what the sly smile suggested...even though she all but told him that she would have liked that very much. "I may have gotten a bit...overexcited and launched her skyward, and...she fell on me." All true. And the crater was over there to prove it.

But to be interrupted before stealing even one more kiss...it was his destiny, as ever. All the struggle, none of the reward. Always the prospect, never the fulfillment.

The Earthbender then shrugged, determined not to sink into another funk. Something that became harder as they neared Ba Sing Se. Funny. He should think of it as home. He couldn't though. "I'm sure it'll be enough. There's still some rations if anyone feels the need to snack. Or I could try and bag us a Canyon Crawler...good eating on one of them, if you can manage it."

 

[Ahren1]

Sai politely averted his eyes as Fumiko acquired her tunic, looking back to her once again when she offered some tea. The most interesting part of the offer was that Fire Lord Zuko had made it for them, and she referred to him as 'Uncle'. It was a bit of a relief to know they were so close to the leader of the Fire Nation. He had almost forgotten how Zuko himself had assisted The Avatar in taking down Ozai and ending the war. Perhaps they would not be bitter toward the Fire Nation as so many others still were, and he could finally tell them who he was... But it was still a risk, and now he was so deep in the lie that even he almost believed his name was really Sai. That he was just a simple wandering painter.

As for Sheng's comment, Sai only smiled knowingly, not replying but showing in his face that something had happened between himself and Fukiko. If asked right out, he would gladly admit that they had grown closer and were fond of each other, but he was not going to just blurt it out. Such wouldn't be very gentlemanly of him. As for Sheng's little story, it sounded accurate up to a point, but he decided not to press the matter. There was no use in making the Earthbender state the obvious, so Sai just nodded, still smirking. After, he turned back to Fumiko, remembering her inquiry and offer.

"I'll handle the fire, and as for the tea, I'd love some, thank you." He replied with a small smile. After a moment, Sai remembered that it had been a while since he needed to make fire without the use of Firebending, and scratched his head in slight confusion. After gathering the wood, he took the flint in hand and just stared at it. Sai knocked a rock against the flint, causing absolutely nothing to happen, not even a spark. With a sigh, he simply stared at it again until he noticed the others were working on their share of the duties. With that opportunity, he knocked the materials together again, but flicked his fingers unnoticably at the same time, creating his own fire in the guise of the spark, finally getting the flame started.

"I think what we gathered will be all right for now. Now then, shall we get started?"

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko had sat down with the vegetables and mushrooms she had collected in her lap and began to split them into two piles for cleaning. She glanced up as the fire sprang to life, and smiled happliy, surprised. "It would have taken me forever to do that, Sai. You must hav ea knack with it."

Her twin turned around and saw the small flames growing steadily. "That's really great, though. We can start dinner as soon as everything's cleaned, then." She grabbed a pot and a small bowl and headed for the small pond she'd noticed nearby. "Maybe he can teach us how to do it too," she added with a smile before she left the camp.

Fumiko came back quickly with the pot and bowl both full of water and handed the bowl to her sister. She looked at the fire, then at the pot. "Sheng, could you make a sort of hook for this? That way it can hang over the fire instead of sitting on it."

Fukiko hummed to herself as she worked on cleaning and cutting the vegetables, dropping the slices of the sweet potatoes she'd found into the bowl of water to keep them fresh until it was time to cook them. "Regardless, it's going to be tasty. These are going to be great."

 

[Armphid]

Sheng moved over to the fire, feeding it and creating the broad, square shape with the wood that was best for cooking. "It takes some getting used to, girls. Once you've been on the road for as long as we have, some things just become easy to do. Practice, you know?" He had got it going easily though. Might have to make Sai the official fire starter of the group. Even when you could get sparks reliably, it still wasn't guaranteed to catch. Maybe it was just a lucky break.

Sheng leaned back, enjoying the dancing flames. No matter how often he sat beside him, there was just something cheering about fire. It meant heat, food, survival. Something primitive in man delighted in it's presence. There were few things better for morale that a nice fire like this. A wood fire. In Ba Sing Se, they burned special crystals...and it just wasn't the same. Glumly, he thought that the fires he saw on this trip might be the last wood fires he ever saw. Once destiny closed in on him...

Then a sweet voice provided a ready distraction from that line of thought. "Hmm?" He glanced up at Fumiko as she made her request. "Oh, yeah, sure. Let me see the pot a second." He took it from her, judging the weight. "Okay...about 14 pounds...and with the ingredients...another 3, let's say..." He was speaking more to himself than the others, thinking out loud. He walked away from camp, toward the edge of the cliffs.

He closed his eyes, feeling the earth instead of looking at it. There should be some harder rock around here...ah. He stomped his foot hard once, and a three foot rod about six inches thick shot up out of the ground and into his hand. He inspected it for a few moments, then nodded. He leaned down, tracing a shape in the earth with one finger, the rock breaking as though he were drawing in mud with a stick. It was a long, slightly curving shape that ended in an open J-curve hook. He stood, stomping once more, and the earth broke upwards in the shape, rising to the height of his chest. He punched the block, once, twice, three times. Each time he did so, a clean line cut into the rock, making a separate hook. He gathered them up, the rest of the block sinking back into the ground.

Whistling, he came back to camp, and as he neared the fire, hopped into the air. He came down hard with both feet, and on either side of the fire, a block about four feet high, a foot wide, and nearly eight inches think tore upwards. Each one had a curving top. He set the rod across them, in the middle of the top curve, then hung one hook from it, setting the pot into place on the hook. He set the other two by the firewood. "Spares," he explained. "And if we need any tools to manipulate the coals or food."

 

[Ahren1]

Sai watched the fire momentarily, sensing every ember, closing his eyes to get a better feel of the lively element. It wasn't until Fukiko sat beside him and complimented his firestarting skill that he quickly looked over to her, chuckling lightly. Before he could really reply, Sheng chimed in about having practice. Of course, that was it. They were both travelers, after all. Sheng probably knew a good deal about starting fires, so it wasn't uncommon that he would be good at it, himself.

"Yes, indeed. Practice.." Was all he could really muster in response, cursing himself mentally. Were they going to make him start every fire, now? With such interest in his skills, they were likely going to want to watch or be taught eventually, and then what would he be able to say? It seemed like he had a new task for his spare time when he could be alone.. Learn how to start fires without Firebending. Not only that, start them instantly. How ironic... He never realized how much one gets used to bending until he suddenly can't do it for one reason or another. Speaking of bending, Sai watched Sheng make the hooks. The guy didn't realize how lucky he had it, not having to hide his abilities and being able to use them for the benefit of the group.

"It is hard not to be impressed by the bending skills constantly displayed here. I feel inadequate." Sai joked a bit, glancing to Sheng. "That Toph Bei Fong has quite the reputation. Considering that, and what you've shown me so far, she must be quite the teacher.

And not to mention the girls have the the equally legendary Aang and Katara to help them as well. I feel lucky just to be in such a.. prestigious group. Any secrets to share?"

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko grinned wickedly, tossing the last piece of sweet potato into the water. "Well, we just found out before we left that Aunt Toph and Uncle Sokka . . . oh, you meant, like, strategy and fighting?" She shook her head and shrugged. "Not really, I suppose. You can fight pretty well, so you must've had a good teacher."

"And bending teaching isn't really something that you can share with someone who doesn't have the same kind of bending, really," Fumiko added. "I can't teach 'Kiko a thing - but that may be because she doesn't listen."

The airbender stuck her tongue out at her sister. "And I can't teach 'Miko anything - maybe because she thinks I spend more time flying than studying."

"Oh, stop it, you know I know you study."

Fukiko winked. "Yeah, but it's so much fun to tease you. I can't help myself." She stood up and brushed herself off before picking up the pot of water and setting it against the fire. "There, that's started." She looked around, smiling. It was nice to be with other people like this, just being together, even though they had an important task to take care of. "What else needs doing? Just point me in the right direction."

 

[Armphid]

"You don't know that," Sheng snapped at Fukiko. He didn't like the idea of them gossiping about his sifu. Although he was sure they were right. Hell, he'd put money on it. "And, yeah, she is a great teacher...she managed to teach me a lot, and she always said I was the most hopeless bender she'd ever seen. Well, not 'seen' but...you know." He missed her. She was so strong and confident, so beautiful, and so earthy and sexy...things that he probably should not bring up he thought about his earth bending teacher.

"The girls are right, kind of. I couldn't teach you about earth bending, but...they're also wrong." Though the twin dirty looks would have made a wiser man flinch, the black haired earth bender just grinned, "Bending isn't just about moving earth, or making wind, or lashing with water, or even burning things down. They're spiritual, mental, and martial pursuits. From water bending, we can learn when and how to flex and bend, and when to be rigid and firm. That's a valuable thing for anyone to know."

It was a different side of him than they'd seen before, and one he didn't bring out often. His intellectual self was something from Ba Sing Se. So he tried to avoid it. "Fukiko's Air Bending can tell us that to be soft isn't the same as being weak, and it can accomplish more than being aggressive. sometimes. Earth Bending is all about standing strong and facing difficulty instead of hiding or running. Fire Bending can teach anyone about the need for self control, and how easy it is to hurt those you care about unless you are careful."

He shrugged, "Anyway. Just because you can't bend, doesn't mean there's nothing bending can teach you." He probably shouldn't have said anything. He must sound like a real know-it-all. Sheng smiled, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, "Heh, uh, guess it doesn't teach you to know when you're talking too much though. I"ll, uh, go...feed Appa."

~~~~~​

The meal was done, the few dishes washed, and the fire was low now. The red embers glowed dully, a few logs still burning to give light. Overhead, the sky was clear and dark, and the sky glittered with the sea of stars.

Sheng sighed with contentment. "I should've started traveling with other people sooner. This is SO much easier...and more enjoyable too, but," he glanced over at the girls and winked, "I think that's the specific company more than anything else." Oh, yeah. Still got it.

He grinned roguishly, laying down by the fire, his hands tucked under his head as he looked up at the sky. "So, are we doing watches tonight, or...?" Wait. There was something on the cliff. Something moving....up? Towards them.

Sheng rolled to the side, getting to his feet. "Guys, something is coming up the cliff. Fast. No, wait....two somethings. They're coming this way too." He closed his eyes, the feelings he got through the earth were always stronger when he did that. "...Doesn't feel like canyon crawlers. Feels like...wheels...metal wheels..." He could hear the faint sound of clanking now, almost like a chain being drawn up. "They're moving again, more toward..."

Sheng's eyes, snapped open, the youth swinging into a stance, both arms out to one side, his fingers 'scooping'. "Appa!" He turned his upper body, his pushing, and as the great sky bison bellowed, the ground under him ripped free and followed the motion of Sheng's hands, swinging out and to right just as two jets of brilliant fire shot up from below.

There was a sudden cacophony of steam belching and grappling hooks whistling through the air. They flew over the campsite and into the trees beyond, the chains behind them going taunt. A moment later, people leaped up over the edge of the cliff, two for each chain. One of them, an older man with grey hair that was in a mohawk cut, and a patch over one eye, took up an aggressive stance, heat waving around his hands. "Avatar's daughters. For respect, we give you this chance to abandon your futile task and go home. Be wise, and take it. You are too green not to burn in what is coming. Turn back."

 

[Ahren1]

Sai chuckled a bit at the continuing banter between the sisters. It was always nice to see them in good spirits, and it seemed to be contagious. It was also interesting to hear everyone's view on bending and how one didn't need it to learn from it. Sheng was right, and it proved he was one of the wiser benders he had come across as of late, or perhaps in his lifetime. It sort of reminded Sai of his mother, who had helped him learn firebending by taking aspects of the other elements in his training. Though Fukiko's comment about his teacher probably was related more to his father, due to the fact that she referred to his physical fighting ability. Sai questioned whether or not his father was a 'good' teacher, even if he managed to learn things from him, he often felt he learned them the wrong way. Did the ends justify the means, or did the journey through training itself play an important role in terms of an individual's skill?

While Sai might not have learned much about bending during the conversation that he didn't already know, he did feel it was important to play his part as the powerless one properly, not to mention more insight into his new companions was always welcome. Still, he had a hard time keeping his attentions off of Fukiko in particular, and from the looks she occasionally tossed his way, he felt perhaps she was in a similar state of mind. Needless to say, Sai couldn't wait until they had more time alone, even if it was just to be able to look at her without feeling so awkward with the others around to notice.

As the dinner came to an end, the chestnut haired painter glanced to the darkened sky, idly listening to Sheng's comments, not helping shaking his head at the predictable comment about how traveling with such company was better than traveling alone. Nevertheless, he was right. They were a lovely pair of girls, even if they weren't daughters of the Avatar, Sai would have still felt honored to be accepted by them. Though before he could respond to the inquiry about being on watch, Sai noticed Sheng become alert with his sense of impending danger. His powers had proven to be accurate once again as the hooks soared past the camp and men soon ascended after them. The one that stepped forward and spoke out was most definitely a firebender, causing Sai to curse under his breath. More vagabonds to give his nation a bad name? What concerned him even more was the fact that they weren't after the daughters of the Avatar. Just what were they after, then? Did they know who he was, like that woman from before?

Sai reached over to his pack, pulling out the shortsword from the previous battle and gripping it tightly before stepping forward himself, glancing between the new arrivals. "Our task is really none of your business. Trust me when I say becoming hostile would be an extremely unwise move on your part..." Sai's golden eyes narrowed, fixating on the man with the patch. "So if you'd be so kind as to leave... Now would be preferable..."

 

[HookerBoots]

Fumiko and Fukiko ran forward, even with Sai and Sheng. The waterbender didn't even glance at the others before saying, "Wait. There is no need to fight - yet." The two girls stepped forward again, both of them settling in a stance that would hopefully surprise at least one of the firebenders in front of them if things did turn ugly. Fumiko's dark eyes fixed on the apparent leader, trusting her sister to watch the others for the likeliness of sneak attacks.

"You are members of the Fire Nation. Fire Lord Zuko is a friend of the Avatar, and of all the Avatar's children. If you leave now, we will not report this to our father - and your ruler." Fumiko's face firmed. "Our task will not go undone, and we are not as green as you think. There is no negotiation, there will be no mercy if you insist on fighting us." She raised one eyebrow. "Even if you escape the wrath of Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar's punishment will make men whisper your fate for years to come." In reality, father was the gentle one. Mother, on the other hand . . . well, he didn't need to know that. And really, people feared 'The Avatar' far more than they would 'Waterbending Master Katara, Wife of the Avatar'.

The man scoffed, shaking his head. "The Fire Lord is weak and foolish, too stupid to bring the Fire Nation to glory again. And we do not fear the Avatar." His eyes narrowed, and both of the girls braced themselves. "Nor do we fear the Avatar's daughters!" On the last word, both of his fists shot out, sending twin streams of flame at them, even as the other men sent out smaller fireballs.

Fumiko's hands swept up and around, completing the form she'd set herself in, and pulled a sheet of water directly in front of her and Fukiko. Fukiko spun and twisted, a sphere of swirling air around them deflecting the fireballs even as the water extinguished the shooting flames. The twins glanced at each other as they moved through the forms that kept the two walls up, and nodded, even as they saw Sheng and Sai spring into action.

Fukiko leaped, her hand shooting out and twisting, calling her glider to her hand, then soaring up and landing in the middle of the group of men, fists and feet and staff flying around her like a whirlwind. Fumiko changed her stance slightly when the side protection from the air sphere was lost, covering herself in a tight skin of water that hovered half an inch from her skin - a modified trick from Aunt Toph. She could still bend like this, and it made her more or less immune to any fire-based attacks. She grinned recklessly at the leader of the men, who shot two fireballs at her with a sneer. They hit her shield and fizzled out, and she advanced on him with a quick, light step, her eyes gleaming in the light of the fire all around them.

 

[Armphid]

The leader grimaced as the sisters leaped to the attack, "Remember our orders, do not kill the girls, the men burn to ashes!" Then he too spun about, fists and feet, sending a stream of crackling fireballs at the water-sheathed Fumiko. The others screamed battlecries and launched fire of their own.

Sheng laughed, that savage smile that was a hair away from being an animal's snarl splitting his face. "You'll just temper us, mohawk man." A sheet of rock ripped up in front of him as fireballs thudded against it. His feet shifted, feeling the strongly rooted positions of his assailants. There were 9 of them, counting the leader, and probably a few more on the metal whatevers that had crawled up the cliff.

He slammed his fists into the rock, chucks of it rocketing forth at two of the enemy, making them dance and dodge. He punched through the last remaining sections of rock, the stone crumpling and forming massive rock 'hands' around his flesh ones. He charged forward with a roaring cry. One of the fire benders, a burly man with a spiky beard, twirled back into his stance after ducking a fling rock chunk, only to see the huge stony fist before it pounded into his face. Sheng's left his his stomach, doubling him over, the youth spinning to deliver a crushing hammer fist to the temple that dropped the big firebender like a shot bird.

Sheng turned, seeing Fukiko laying about in the midst of a small group. He grinned, his arms straightening pointing down and away from his sides, and then bringing them up. Around the attackers she was fighting, a ring of stone a foot thick and 10 feet high burst up. Trapping them in there with her was about the worst thing he could do to them, and she could easily use her airbending to leap out whenever she wanted.

The leader danced with Fumiko, so far avoiding her counter attacks as he blasted shot after useless shot at her. "You must give up, Avatar's daughter! Return to your home and forget this! Your lives are too precious to spend fighting what must and will come to pass!" He flipped forward, his heel crashing down preceded by a wicked fiery arc. He looked up at her, and smiled.

From the left, one of his band, a mannish woman with braided hair, threw a bucket of dirt into Fumiko, the earth soaking up and absorbing much of her water. The big woman rushed in after with a flying kick.

 

[Ahren1]

As the woman's attack closed in upon Fumiko, it seemed inevitable the waterbender would be able to dodge in time. Suddenly, off to the side, Sai rushed in, grabbing the woman's leg in midair and hurling her to the ground, smacking the hard Earth with her back, causing an agonized cry. However, she was resilient, and quickly flipped back to her feet, glaring toward the man who so rudely interrupted her attack. Sai stood, narrow eyed, with his sword sheathed into his sash and his hands held out in a stance ready to deflect any physical blows. Mentally, he was cursing at the situation. More firebenders. They seemed a bit more skilled than the ones before. Normally that would be no issue, as rarely even whole groups could take Sai on, but that was assuming he was allowed to firebend in return. Now, his figurative hands were tied, and he'd have to be on the top of his martial arts abilities in order to fight on par with the rest.

Though on a slightly brighter note, it seemed as they had no idea who he was, so the likelihood of them giving away his identity was low. That or they simply didn't care who he was. They ordered both men to be burned, so they were looking upon Sai and Sheng equally, or considering how they had ignored Sai up until now, he seemed the least threatening. In which case, they clearly were not aware of his true abilities. In a way, that gave him the advantage. The woman with braided hair growled at the way Sai simply stood there, waiting for the next attack.

"What's the matter, boy? Too afraid to fight a girl?" She laughed, managing only a slight smirk out of Sai.

"Just wary about ones who fight as... dirty as you. I hate cowards." He scoffed, causing the woman to growl once more and rush him. Once she was close enough, she began to throw a few punches, each joined with a burst of fire. Sai managed to deflect her arms right before the release of the flame in order to send it past him harmlessly, but the heat could be easily felt. He always did know how to cut it close. The chestnut haired painter returned with a few open palm strikes of his own, but they were only to keep her upper body occupied while he entangled one of her legs with his. As she tried to step back from a blow, she nearly tripped, barely managing to retain her balance until the next attack came, leaving her little time to react, finally falling backward this time.

Sai wasted not a single moment in coming down toward her face with a swift, closed fist, but the woman was agile enough to roll just in time. She spun onto her belly, pushing her body up then proceeding to swing her legs around toward Sai, complete with a sweeping trail of fire. Sai ceased his attacks in order to leap over the incoming flame, though this allowed enough time for the woman to get back onto her feet. Sai's eyes wandered the field, looking for Fukiko, only to notice the ring of stone Sheng hand created. He knew she could take care of herself, but he still couldn't help but worry. There was no time for that now, unfortunately, noticing another ball of fire flying his way. Thinking quickly, he drew the sword from his sash and spun it quickly in the air, managing to deflect the fireball and sending the ember shards dispersed elsewhere. It was becoming increasingly harder to hold back using his own firebending simply out of instinct, but luckily he had yet to be overwhelmed to where he'd be forced into it.

Naturally, at that moment, Sai's opponent decided to get bored of the whole 'fair fight' notion and snapped her fingers, summoning three of her allies. A thin man with long black hair holding duel swords, a heavyset bald one with a large axe and a muscular one wielding brass knuckles. At least fighting with weapons would put him more on the same ability level as the others, rather than having to go against firebenders. It wasn't until the axe-wielder swung at the air, creating a large wave of flame, that Sai knew he had misinterpreted the situation. Quickly, he dashed away, heading for the trees of the nearby forest, barely managing to make it behind one as the flame knocked against the wood, singing the strong bark but ultimately causing little damage. The woman muttered and then pointed her finger toward the trees, sending the men after Sai immediately.

Amidst the trees, the large, bald soldier. grimaced at having to search instead of fight, occasionally swinging his axe at various shrubs in hopes of getting lucky. Suddenly, Sai descended from a tree branch above, landing silently behind the man and thrusting a two-fingered strike into a pressure point on the axe-wielder's back. After a moment, Sai noticed a problem. The man had a bit too much.. insulation to properly affect the point.

"That tickles..." The bald soldier grinned and laughed heartily.

"Well.. Crap." Sai muttered, only to notice a large fist swing around, hitting him directly in the face. The force of the blow sent Sai directly into a large tree. Then another wave of fire came forth. Sai quickly ducked behind the tree, however he was greeted by the sudden swipe of a sword, managing to even slice a few of the hairs off his bangs. The thinner man with the dual blades appeared from the side, smirking confidently. Sai managed to draw his sword in time to deflect another attack, however the swiftness of the man wasn't going unnoticed, and parrying two blades was a bit difficult when you only had one. Thankfully, Sai managed to hold his own, managing to block until he was backed into another tree. One particularly hard slice from the man was once again dodged by Sai, only to cut into the tree, getting stuck in the process. Sai took this chance to grab the hand still connected to the wedged blade, holding him still in order to angle his elbow into the straightened arm of his opponent. A crack echoed out between the trees followed by a sharp cry. The pain made the attacker drop his second weapon, which Sai grabbed, then spun to roundhouse kick the thin man in the face, knocking him out cold.

Sai tried to remember just how many men were sent after him, but was soon reminded him when the brass-knuckled muscleman came through the shade next, sending a surprisingly fast flurry of punches lined with fire at Sai. Even managing to dodge, the heat was still tremendous. Quickly, Sai sheathed his blades and removed his small cloak, managing to catch the man's fist in it during the next punch. Growling, he punched with his other hand, which Sai caught as well. The wanderer immediately tied up the man's hands in the cloth and pushed his own fists back into his face, managing to make the larger man actually hit himself with the sharp knuckles. Sai managed a few punches of his own before tumbling behind the man, drawing one of his swords and slicing his tendons, causing him to howl and fall to his knees. Sai tried to run at this point, but actually collided with the axe man once again, literally. The collision caused Sai to trip backward, barely managing to compose himself. When he did, he noticed the sword soldier having come to, stumbling forward with his one blade and a bad headache. The knuckle fighter had somehow played through the pain and hobbled forward as well.

Sai was now surrounded, and as the axe came up, the other men readied their attacks as well. All the weapons began to encase in flame, and with one coordinated attack, massive streams and shots of fire raced toward Sai. There wasn't anywhere to go, but at the same time.. they were the only ones around. With a smirk, Sai grabbed his swords and concentrated, waiting till the flames were just about to hit him before he quickly spun around in a 360 degree motion, utilizing his own firebending and creating a gigantic ring of fire, sending it outward toward all of his attackers. Not expecting such to return on them, the men were too shocked to move, soon becoming engulfed in a taste of their own medicine...

The woman continued to watch the woods, waiting for her cohorts to return successful, but suddenly she was greeted by another sight. A large, burning axe was flung from between the trees, sliding out toward her feet, still smoking from the assault. Raising an eyebrow, the woman continued to watch as Sai stepped out, still wielding one of the swords of the men as well as his own. She was now enraged, and prepared to summon another fireblast until Sai quickly tossed one of the swords her way, sticking straight into her shoulder, ceasing her attack and causing her to double over in pain. Sai's eyes narrowed as he approached her, his other sword at the ready, he was prepared to striek her down for good, but at the last moment spun his blade around and smacked her with the hilt, knocking her out instantly.

Sai turned toward the leader who was still entangled in battle with Fumiko. "You're wasting your time fighting us! What is it you're after?!" Sai shouted, demanding an answer.

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko had managed to clear an area around her, using gusts of air to send firebenders flying and to deflect their attacks. She saw the woman attack her sister from the side, and started to make her way towards that area. But then Sai, out of no where, went for the woman. Fukiko stood for a second, pleased and staring, until a whip-thin man sent a flaming arrow at her from the side. Twisting, she insulated her hand with air and batted it away, then sent a powerful gust towards the man, following it herself with her bending-enhanced speed. As the man fell, she made her way back to the other men, and grinned as a wall of rock surrounded them. Sheng evidently knew what he was doing.

Fumiko acted as fast as she could, pulling the water out of the mud surrounding her. The dirt fell around her, and she shot out blindly with pellets of ice. There was a muffled shout, and she used a flick of water to clear her eyes. The whip turned into a spinning circle of sharp ice crystals around her waist. She heard footsteps running away, and saw the woman sending a group after Sai. Spirits, too many people for them to handle easily. But she kept after the leader, who continued to dodge her attacks and send out only easily blocked or avoided hits of his own.

Her lips curled in a feral snarl. "Keep talking, ugly! We won't give up just because you say we should!" Fumiko's arms swung around over her head and down, pulling the water out of the air and sending it out in a rush around her. When Sai ran back, she glanced over her shoulder. "There has to be something besides us abandoning our quest." Her hand shot out and clenched, encasing the man in ice from his neck down. "Tell us who sent you, and why!"

Fukiko sent a flick of air at the last of the men around her, knocking him down and out, then launching herself up and out of the enclosure. She landed on the ground lightly next to Fumiko and grinned a wicked grin. "I dunno, 'Miko, it might be fun to try and get the answers from him."

"We're not like that, 'Kiko. He'll tell us, or he won't. And either way, he'll go back to his master and tell him he'll need stronger dogs if he wants to stop us."

 

[Armphid]

The last of the attackers flew past the twins, slamming into a far tree with a meaty thud and several cracking sounds. "That's all for you!" Sheng relaxed from the earth enhanced throw he'd used, the rocks falling away from his arms as he walked up next to the girls.

Damn it! Why did this fight have to be over? He was just getting warmed up! His blood sang in his veins, and a savage joy beat deep in his chest, urging him to keep going, for there to be more fight. He had to take a few moments to concentrate, to rein the fighting spirit back in before it took him away. Spirits and demons...he hated this feeling...after the battle...awful.

The leader didn't look a bit afraid or concerned. "Oaths and loyalty seal our lips, but I will tell you this. There are others on your quest, others far more powerful and better suited for it. Out of respect and love for you, we were sent to dissuade you from your course." He sneered, "We would have gladly killed you all, but those were not our orders. The one whom we work for wishes to see you both safe, Avatar's daughters, and if you continue, you will come to risk and harm."

Sheng frowned, "Yeah, I could tell he's really concerned with all the flame throwing. Really shows how much he cares."

The mohawked warrior ignored him, "This is your last chance, Avatar's Daughters. Go home. Leave these pathetic wanderers and return to your family." He smiled suddenly. "They will need you in the time of mourning."

Suddenly, there came the sound of muffled thunder, and cascading rock. The ground shook and there came the wail of cracking stone. Sheng swore, "They're blowing the cliff out from below!" Hells! "There's nothing I can do, get to Appa!" Already, a massive crack appeared well behind the group, the entire chuck of earth their camp had been made on tilting forward, teetering on the brink of falling into the canyon. "Move!"

 

[Ahren1]

Sai watched the leader with clear ire in his expression. More people that were giving the Fire Nation a poor name. More people who were abusing their Firebending abilities and destroying the ideology the Firebending Masters worked so hard to preserve. When he finally spoke, he uttered information they already knew, then had the gall to imply that he cared about the Avatar's daughters. Sheng's comment aptly described how Sai felt about it as well. If they did have the sort of respect for the sisters they claimed, attacking them wasn't exactly the smartest move, especially a head on assault which any half-sane person would know is pointless. Sai's hand tightened around his sword, almost wishing he was his old self, in which he would behead the man without another thought, but like Fumiko said, they weren't like that, and neither was Sai.

It was then that the rumbling came, and Sai knew what they were doing just as Sheng did. It seemed contradictory to what their leader said, as destroying the cliff could potentially injure the Avatar's daughters, which they apparently were ordered not to do. Just who gave those orders was going to be one of the main things on Sai's mind in the time to come, as it obviously was not Zuko. It almost sound like something his father would do. He was a man who would realize how dangerous it would be to hurt the daughters of the Avatar, but how helpful it would be to effectively hinder or detour their quest. After all, finding out who the next Avatar was and getting to him first could be the ticket back to war if the wrong person were to do it.

Of course, there wasn't a lot of time to think about all of this right now, as there was a more imminent danger. As the ground began to crack even more, the group began to head toward Appa. It wasn't until Sai noticed the woman he had left unconscious earlier begin to fall into one of the crevices. Growling at the ethical workings in his mind, Sai made the risk to move back over to her, slumping the somewhat heavy woman over his shoulder before running back toward the flying bison. As soon as he got near, Sai placed the woman down, hoping it would be safe enough for a moment. He then wrapped her shoulder up where he had stabbed her and watched her for a moment with disappointment. It was a shame that people who were good fighters had to be associated with the wrong sides.

"Here's to Karma..." Sai sighed, turning back to Appa and looking at the others. "We could take her.. Perhaps get some more information. Either way, we need to move quickly. Who knows how far they plan to go..."

 

[HookerBoots]

Fukiko was already in the air, hovering with her glider open over the others and checking the ground where Appa was sitting, restlessly waiting for them. There were no visible cracks, but Sheng would be able to tell more definitively than she would. But she raised an eyebrow at Sai. "I appreciate the idea, Sai, but I don't know that I want to be trapped on top of a flying bison with a woman who was after me."

Fumiko looked at her sister, then down at the woman. She thought for a moment, her brow furrowing and her eyes shut. "I don't want to just leave her here, especially injured." Her eyes opened, and she eyed the prone woman. "I can probably keep her asleep until we reach a village or something."

"But-!"

"I can't heal her now, 'Kiko, we don't have the time."

Fukiko was clearly not pleased, her lips pressed tightly together. "Fine." She landed and snapped the glider shut, and without a word lifted the woman on air and floated her to the saddle. She then looked at her sister and lifted her quickly and somewhat less than gently, dropping her three feet above the saddle, where she landed with a thump.

"Very funny, 'Kiko. Don't do that again." Fumiko looked over the railing of the saddle, her hair tangled around her face.

"You say that every time I do it," her twin said as she lifted Sai into the saddle, then turned to Sheng. "Sorry, Sheng, but this saves time. I know you hate being up in the air." She reached out one hand and lifted him as well. When they were all safely on Appa's back, she leaped up herself, propelling herself onto the saddle railing and then onto the back of the great neck, grabbing the reigns. "Yip yip!"

 

[Armphid]

Sheng almost swore as the wind whipped about him and lifted him up, depositing him in Appa's large saddle. He was rather of the same opinion as Fumiko. He did not want to experience that again. Falling into the canyon might have been preferable...that he could handle. Probably. Maybe.

Damn it.

"...Thanks, Fukiko. It's all right, I understand why." The massive bison lifted up, and perhaps three seconds after, the air was rent by a hideous cacophony. Rock broke and sheared, some spilt, some shattered, deep cracks appearing where the campsite had been, the whole mess tipping forward, and falling, falling, falling forever down into the almost impossible deep of the Great Divide. He glanced over at the unconscious woman...if they'd left her, she'd have died. It might come back to haunt them later...but he knew the Avatar would say they made the right decision. "And don't worry about her. We're not trapped up here with her, she's trapped with US."

Sheng reached out, finding Fumiko's hand and giving it a squeeze while the four young people looked over the side of the hovering sky bison. Then he let go as he leaned back into the basket. "Well. That told us a lot more than I think mohawk man meant to." He tapped one hand lightly on his chin. "Whoever sent these people knows what our mission is, which almost no one does. And they're trying to keep it from succeeding...or worse...trying to beat us to the knowledge we're after."

 

[Ahren1]

Sai calmly allowed himself to be lifted into Appa's saddle, watching as the ground continued to crack beneath them. He then glanced at the unconscious woman and sighed to himself. He understood Fukiko's reluctance to take her along. It wasn't really his intent either. If the decision had been unanimous to leave her, then he would have agreed. After all, she attacked them, they had no reason to save her. However, they were the daughters and allies of the Avatar, and it reminded the firebender of a few things Zuko had said, about how Aang had even saved him when they were still enemies. That was the type of person the Avatar was, and if they were on a quest to preserve his power, they should work to preserve his way of life as well. Not to mention Sai couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for wounding her so badly. It wasn't quite his intent, but there had been little choice. In the end, there was little danger to taking her, as Sheng pointed out, she was the one trapped now.

When the Earthbender finally spoke up again, Sai turned to him and nodded slightly. "That does give us a bit of insight to why we were attacked, but we still don't know much. Other than the fact that they're Firebenders..." He continued to think for a moment, not sure if he wished to put forth the next comment. "If the Fire Lord is a friend of yours, then perhaps asking him directly if he has any knowledge of.. recent defectors? Though for now, it's probably best we just stay on course.."

With that, Sai moved over to Fukiko, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving her a warm smile. "By the way, impressive work back there. I have to admit, you consistently amaze me.."

 

[Armphid]

Sheng nodded, "There are a lot of people in the Fire Nation, I doubt the Fire Lord knows where each of them is at any time, or pokes into their affairs too much." He tapped the fingers of one hand on the saddle, "It's pretty reasonable to assume that, I think Sai. Good point...and you're off flirting so why am I still talking?"

There was a groan from behind him, and Sheng was on his feet instantly. The woman they'd brought with them was slowly stirring, her voice soaked with pain. "What is..." She turned her head, her eyes widening as she took in the four youths. "...it's you..."

"Don't even think of trying anything." Sheng was ready to hit her, standing over her and glowering down for all he was worth. "We saved you before, but it wasn't a unanimous decision, so don't tempt me. It's a long way to the canyon floor from here."

She chuckled, then winced, "Earthbender...I have a serious chest wound, my right arm is broken, I cannot stand and I am surrounded by three of the most powerful benders I've ever seen." She gasped as the bison dipped a bit, clutching at her wound with her good hand. "AH! You...you have nothing to fear from me."

Sheng blinked, a bit surprised. He'd expected...something more akin to the people who'd attacked them on Kyoshi Island. A mad dog. But she wasn't. She was still a dog...but a disciplined and well trained one. Great. That was so much worse. "...We'll set you down in a nearby village to heal. But after that, you're on your own."

She nodded, "More than I could ask f-for. Thank you." The woman lowered her head, seeming to think a moment. "...You saved my life. That creates a debt between warriors...and you are still the enemies of my master. I-nnnn-let me pay that debt now." The woman turned her head to Fumiko and Fukiko. "You wanted to know who sent us and why..."

Sheng had stepped back, kneeling next to Sai. He nudged the painter with an elbow, whispering, "Here's to karma, huh?"

The woman struggled to sit upright, eventually managing to make it to a semi-sitting position. "My...my name is Yae Hsi, and I serve in the 5th Fire Dragon, commanded by Commander Galzon. It was he who ordered us to find you and deliver the message, and stop you from continuing on if possible. But we were ordered not to harm the Avatar's daughter's permanently or seriously, but that anyone traveling with them was...errrgg...was to be killed, as...as discouragement to continue."

Sheng frowned, he knew that name, "Galzon? The Fire Nation's most honored general?"

"The same." She smiled, "Who are you, wanderer, that you know his reputation, I wonder..." She coughed then, gripping her shoulder as fresh pain assailed her. "Commander Galzon gave the order, but it didn't originate from him. We were...hired out by another. A man I saw only from afar. He was tall and lean, shadowy. The dust in the air, the flags, his clothes, everything around him moved and conspired to keep him hidden. The mission...was his." She started to speak again, only to let out a sharp cry and fall back, her face ashen.

Sheng reached out, his fingers touching her throat. "She's alive, just passed out." He looked at the other three. "I think you made the right choice to save her after all. Commander Galzon...that's quite an enemy to have."