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Avatar: Lightning Strikes (IC)

Kayna.

The Sun burned in the sky.

The woman reclined against the gold-painted wooden railing of a second-floor balcony, arms draped loosely, and her eyes were closed against that Sun. It was warm, so much warmer than the Northern wastes of her birth. It was warm enough that she was almost tempted to doze off.

But with sleep came dreams and she would rather not dream at present.

They were part of the perimeter.

Much of this city was on the side of the underground, the flame that burned in the dark. But it was nevertheless, and full of people who made mistakes and did not see things coming even from point-blank range. Thus, within the confines of the city, near enough to the locus of the headquarters to be useful but far enough away that they could provide ample warning, there was a ring of buildings populated by sharper-eyed members of the resistance.

And on the second floor of this building within the city, peering out and trying to look nonchalant, were a fistful of those supposedly sharp-eyed Firebenders. And with them, much to their bewilderment, reclined an apparently less-than-attentive Waterbender.

Because some of us aren't as skilled in the matters of ass-kissing as a certain coal-flinging dirt-monger, we get the shit work. Simply lovely.

Kayna had not managed to attain similar respect to that which Zhuang had apparently garnered. But she was not without her uses, and thus she was posted here. With five respectably burly-- if drably attired --Firebender resistance enlisted men.

She was bored out of her skull. But at least the scenery was nice.

"Water-Witch," a shirtless swarthy Bender grunted, leaning heavily against that railing, a few metres to her left, facing out at the street whilst she was turned facing deeper into the structure, "make yourself less of a waste and fetch us something to drink, isn't that your speciality?"

Opening blue eyes, she glanced at him briefly, and curled her lip in a sneer. "I believe, ash-breather, that you've yet to experience my 'speciality' firsthand, nor are you likely to. Only remember that your rising with The Sun and my rising with The Moon makes it all the more likely that I could kill you in your sleep."

The Firebender harrumphed, narrowing his own amber gaze at her. "Keep dozing as you are, Witch, we will see who sleeps first and who dies first."

Kayna smirked, and closed her eyes again. "If only your lullabies were as charming as your monosyllabic grunts."

The Firebender scoffed, "hnh," and said nothing more, ostensibly returning his attention to keeping watch.

Kayna didn't hold out much hope, she decided, for there being something for the brute to watch. This was the perfect hiding place, it seemed. And the blessing of a perfect hiding place was also its curse.

Nothing ever happens.
 
Aang watched Xia's momentary embarrassment shift to a sort of reserved determination when she finally stood up to face him. He remained silent for now as it was fairly clear she had been waiting some time to finally speak with him directly. It was understandable, seeing that he was really the only one who could truly help her. Iroh was an amazing teacher but only an airbender could clarify all the subtleties of the lost art.

"It occurs to me, uh, sir," Xia attempted, "that there's no-one in this World who isn't searching for some kind of thing or other. Maybe more than one thing. I, ah. Think I've found one thing I was looking for. Just one thing. Maybe. And I don't know exactly what I can do? But maybe you and I are supposed to help each other find what else we're looking for."

The Avatar tried to hide his smile out of fear she might misconstrue it. He understood her intent, even if her words had been a bit jumbled. Being referred to as "Sir" was not really a common occurrence for him.

Shifting her feet uncertainly, Xia shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I could just shut up for five minutes and actually listen? Actually listen to you. Maybe that would help both of us."

Aang finally allowed his smile to form. Quite an endearing young girl that reminded him of himself at times. She still had a lot to learn, and Aang hoped that he could still give her proper guidance even in his weakened state. Unfortunately before he could open his mouth to speak, something had caught his eye in the distance, as well as Iroh's.

"My eyes are not what they used to be," Iroh suggested ruefully, glancing back over his shoulder at The Avatar and his prodigal apprentice, "and they were never all that legendary. Perhaps you could tell me what I am seeing?"

"Hmm, I see something that'll distract us from training for a while, I can say that much..." He finally uttered, his eyes shifting to Xia as she dashed off toward Appa. Her sudden leap up to the flying bison was an impressive feat even for airbenders. It seemed that sometimes all one needed was a little motivation... He knew just how she felt...

“We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.” Aang whispered mostly to himself.

Down in the fountain room, Iroh squinted his allegedly non-legendary eyes and he smiled a craggy little smile. "We have company, Avatar. I'm going to need to make more tea."

"Seems that way. You'll have to forgive my rudeness, friend, but now it's my turn to hurry off." Aang glanced to Iroh with a smirk before running toward Appa as he landed at the temple. The large creature bellowed happily as it noticed his companion running toward them. "Appa! Missed you, buddy.." Aang grinned as he threw himself against the furry leg. However he soon parted from it as he backed up a few steps to view the passengers of his loyal bison. Ryota had been toppled by Xia, and a smug Sokka was at the helm. However Aang's eyes landed on the most important member of the party, or at least the one he had been most hoping to see.

Though they hadn't been apart for long, looking upon Katara nearly took his breath away. It often accomplished that despite how familiar he was with her features by now. She had always been a perfect example of strength, grace and beauty. Even though he was The Avatar, he was still amazed that he could be so lucky to find her. Or rather, have her find him. He couldn't wait any longer as he leapt onto Appa's back and embraced his love tightly, not even exchanging a greeting before welcoming her into a kiss with enough passion one might have anticipated giving for a lifetime.

Eventually he pulled back slightly to gaze into Katara's bright eyes. "I guess I missed you a little, too..." He whispered, caressing her cheek gently.
 
Smellerbee

So she wasn’t very good at appearing calm. That was no secret, though. Any body with eyes knew that. Anyone who thought otherwise was a damn fool. Headstrong she might have definitely been, but a fool she was not. Well, not usually, she supposed. It was pretty stupid of her to leave Longshot alone back there, she supposed, especially after yelling at him in front of who knew. She didn’t know a lot about leading, one of the many things about her that had yet to change over the years, but she supposed not arguing with one of your men over personal matters would have been better for morale, nor was completely ignoring one of your men, like she had The Duke moments ago. She just, she couldn’t fucking handle trying to be calm right now, could barely handle putting one foot in front of the other at the moment.

Her feet went along at a frenzied pace, despite any lack of a conscious effort on her part, not quite breaking past a walk, but just edging on it. Her jaw hurt, the delicate line of previously injured flesh and bone flaring bright with pain, she was clenching it so tightly. Smellerbee barely noticed it and what she did notice, she didn’t mind. It was easier, better now that she was hurting physically, not just emotionally. Physical pain would give her something to focus on, something more real than sounds of flames that roared in her ears and the smell of charred flesh that filled her lungs. Pain would keep her tears from falling.

She wasn’t entirely sure where she was going, somewhere, anywhere but here. It wasn’t really until she managed to come face to face with a wall that she even bothered to look to see where she was. She only stood still for a moment, long enough to realize she was alone and lost in the labyrinthine walls of the palace; long to realize she was shaking and that she would have to turn away from the blankness she’d built in her mind sometime if she wanted to be of any use again. She couldn’t let something so stupid as a dead woman ruin her composure, no matter how close she felt she was to breaking down.

A trembling hand rose up unconsciously to cover the aching void where her heart was meant to be. It would be so easy to blame Longshot for that. No one had ever asked his opinion about her face. He didn’t need to mention anything about her being pretty or talk about scars he’d never seen. Yet, he had and she wanted him to take it all back. A tear splashing on the back of her hand had her moving again, gently aching jaw set in a stern scowl, an effort to prove to herself that she was very much not so weak to cry over a life she refused to dwell on. Her footsteps were steady and sure, even if her course wasn’t. Eventually, she recognized something and decided on a path. Minutes later had her blinking at the sunlight that filled the outer courtyard. She didn’t bother lingering on the fact that only earlier that day had she stood there with Longshot. Instead, she continued moving, nodding to a few of the Freedom Fighters and waved them off when they started to move towards her. She didn’t want company for this excursion into the Fire Nation Capital, no matter how dangerous it could be with Azula still on the loose. She could damn well take care of herself and they all knew that.

It was both more and less oppressive once she made her way past the guards and into the city proper. The streets were crowded, but fewer people stared at her. When they did it was because she was a foreigner or because she was scowling and wore vibrant stripes on her face, but it wasn’t because they knew her or wanted to know what was on her mind, and that suited her just fine, especially since she was trying to keep all her thinking power on making her way to the beach. She wasn’t incredibly confident that that sandy place wouldn’t be covered in people either, but she was on an island, there was bound to be a quiet place somewhere that she could take her time and piece herself up. That was if she could get rid of the ass that was following her. Couldn’t people take a hint and leave her alone when she wanted to be without her driving the point home with something sharp? As soon as she entered a semi deserted street, Smellerbee whirled around to meet her stalker.

“What do you want, Sneers?!”

Helplessness about her personal crisis and fury at being followed had welled up in her and combined in that one moment, resulting in eyes that were glittering with more than dangerous warning and her fist being slammed hard into a nearby wall. It took only a moment for her body to get the message that this sort of action had been a bad idea. Pain shot through the side of her hand and made her wrist throb. Pulling her hand away from the unforgiving stone sharply, she inhaled through gritted teeth as she inspected the bruising she’d given herself.

“Fuck!”

Leaning on the same wall, just out of her immediate range of attack, a man she had known just as long as many of the other Freedom Fighters smirked at her. Oh sure, he knew how dangerous she could be when pissed, but that had never stopped him from glorying at her own stupidity before.

“Serves you right, Bee. Walls don’t care about how scary you are.”

He chuckled loudly at his own joke resulting in her glaring at him and slipping a couple of daggers out of the folds of her clothing. Taking a deep breath, she waited for her friend to stop mocking her long enough for her to get her threat out in something resembling calm.

“I’m out of patience. Tell me what you want or I’m pinning you to that wall.”

Sneers’ eyebrows raised at that, but not with the kind of respect or trepidation she’d been hoping for. For some weird reason, he apparently thought she’d said something hilarious. Before he had time to open his mouth and laugh at her again, she lunged towards him in order to make good on her word, blades ready to dig into cloth and stone alike. Her attack was countered by a frenzied block of her arms and then a well placed foot to her stomach. It didn’t knock the air from her like she knew he could’ve done, but she did get to skid on the cobblestones and catch herself from hitting the ground. For his part, her fellow Freedom Fighter had made sure to take that time to increase the distance between, eyes wide and hands raised in an attempt to placate his leader.

“Okay, okay! Point taken. I, hell, a lot of the guys are wondering what all of that was with you yelling at Longshot like that. I thought you guys were golden.” While she was no longer ready to attack, she definitely wasn’t at ease with the topic of conversation. While she hadn’t given much of a thought then about people witnessing her outburst, she had to mentally wince at the image she’d probably given anyone who had had a mind to look. And, apparently, look they had. She opened her mouth, ready to ask how they possibly knew what happened, but her friend beat her to the punch, guessing at what she wanted to know, and shrugged in answer. “Word spreads fast.”

For a few moments, all was quiet between them. She’d argued with plenty of her men before, had thrown some out, and beaten the idiocy out of them if the situation called for it. She had never exactly been quiet and tactful about her anger. The Freedom Fighters would normally never bat an eye at her yelling at someone, but with Longshot it was different. They’d rarely argued in the entire history of their time together and most of that had been they were kids. She was pretty sure the worse she’d ever acted towards him was the period of ignoring him after he’d returned to them years ago. They deserved to know something about why she was having words with her second-in-command out of thin air like this, but she wasn’t entirely sure what to tell them. It was too personal, even when leaving out everything dealing with her mother. Shaking her head, she heaved a laborious sigh, running a hand through the mass of snarly tangles that was her hair.

“Look, it’s my own damn business. Anyways I’m not mad at Longshot if that’s what you’re getting at. I just would like some time alone.”

For a moment, Sneers looked at her with confusion, then with something disgusting like sympathy before a big grin split over his face.

“Finally acting like a girl then?”

The dagger that had been in her hand a second ago was now embedded in the stone behind her friend, just a few inches from his head. The smile fell from his lips, but the laughter still remained in his eyes as he pulled the dagger out and handed it pommel first to his leader. Before she could retaliate, he was headed back the way he’d come, waving a hand in farewell.

“Yeah, fine. I’ll relay the message. Just don’t stay off too long. Everyone’s antsy enough these days as it is.”

Ty Lee

She’d asked her question with such seeming confidence. Even now she didn’t look away from Zuko as he tumbled her words over in his mind. She liked to think that her eyes didn’t betray the nerves that lay trembling underneath the surface of her being. Her hands were clutched tightly in the safety of her lap as she watched him. She wasn’t afraid of her friend being angry, though that was a distinct possibility. He had never truly liked being cornered when it came to sensitive subjects, but that he would choose running away instead of giving her an answer.

"I'm sorry...

The apology she expected came tumbling from his lips, but she didn’t relax yet. He could easily apologize, but it wasn’t a sorry that she was after, but a reason and that had yet to come.

“After.. the night of Azula's escape, and everything I've asked of you... I suppose I felt that if I leaned on your shoulder too much, that you might think I was trying to replace Mai..."

When he looked up at her, his golden eyes meeting her brown ones, she didn’t bother trying hide her distinct surprise from her features. Replacing Mai was never a motive that had crossed her mind, not in his actions or her own. Now that she paused to think about it, she felt that it was simply ridiculous that anyone would think something as horrible as that would fuel either of their decisions. Sure, some of the things she’d been doing these past weeks would have probably fallen to Mai if she were still alive, but what she did was done out of friendship. She was sure that if Iroh were not at the Western Air Temple with Aang and Xia, that these responsibilities would’ve fallen to the General instead. Ty Lee couldn’t imagine where Zuko had come across such an idea, then it occurred to her that perhaps rumors, as they were wont to do, were spreading. Her stomach rebelled at the thought that there were possibly people out there believing such lies. The fact that Zuko thought she might be thinking something that idiotic wounded her and opened her eyes to the guilt he was feeling all at once.

"I might have also been a bit afraid of the topic of Tatsuo... I think you should be the one to choose your partner, not parents or relatives or anyone else...The fact that I'm scared of such things makes me feel like I haven't grown much. A Fire Lord shouldn't be afraid to talk to his friends..."

Mentioning Tatsuo threw her off just as much as his theory on her thoughts had. Unlike his fears of her thinking he was on the rebound, she couldn’t understand why the subject of Lord Koizumi would give him enough pause to avoid her, especially as long as he had been. Unofficially, she’d been engaged for years. All that had been wanting was her own agreement. Now that she’d given her word, her friend chose to question her parent’s choice. Yet, this was what she had wanted, wasn’t it? Zuko was the Fire Lord, he could order her not to marry, if he wanted to. Less dramatically than that, he was giving her a chance to tell him what she hadn’t been able to tell anyone else. That she was just trying to do what was right and wasn’t sure at all if this was it. That sometimes she was actually very sure that what she was doing was wrong, but could hardly see a way out of it. She could ask her friend for his advice. Yet, when she opened her mouth to do so, the words stuck in her throat. He was the Fire Lord. He had a nation to run, a sister to find, and a wife to avenge. Looking at him now, with such a dark aura, Ty Lee couldn’t find it in her to burden her friend with her own problems. Smiling softly, she reached across the table and gave the man’s hand a squeeze in a gesture that she hoped was heartening.

“Zuko, you’re only a man. The fact that you’re Fire Lord is just incidental.” A burst of mirth echoed in the depths of her throat, amusement twinkling momentarily in her eyes. “You could sell cabbage in the marketplace and I wouldn’t see you any differently than I do now. You shouldn’t judge yourself so harshly.”

Withdrawing her hand, she busied herself for a few moments with drinking yet another cup of tea, blowing at the softly billowing steam long after she could have easily born the heat on her tongue. The brunette used those moments to think, to see if she would avoid the subject of her betrothed, as she knew she, possibly, easily could have. Then she decided against it. She’d been trying to speak to him all these weeks so that he would no longer avoid uncomfortable subjects. Now that he had addressed what was weighing on his mind, it was only fair that she face the one thing he was worried about when it came to herself.

“He’s a good man, kind and honest. I’m sure you if you spoke with him, you’d like him. Any woman would be lucky to have him as her husband…”

Taking a deep breath, she sighed, an effort to somehow blow away all the doubts she continued to have about her upcoming wedding. Every word she’d said was true. She knew that. If it was anyone but herself being married to the man, Ty Lee would have been overjoyed at the match. Out of all the boys and men that had adored her over the years, Tatsuo was easily the only one that was worthwhile. Now if she could only convince herself that she wanted him back, everything would be perfect. Her next words were just as true as the others and, if her voice trembled when she spoke, she hoped it was slight enough not to give her away. She didn’t love him, but her parents had never mislead her into thinking she’d ever love or be loved anyways. Being content would just have to be the next best thing for her.

“I couldn’t stay on Kyoshi Island forever, Zuko. I’m not a child anymore and I need to make a future for myself. Lord Koizumi, Tatsuo, will provide a comfortable life for me. I was fortunate that our parents made such a match. There were few options for me otherwise.”
 
The Sky Bison was steadily drawing nearer toward the old yet magnificent structure when Sokka was capable of catching his first clear glimpse of its current inhabitants. While he didn't have anyone of romantic interest awaiting him down there, the presence of familiar faces was enough to bring a small smile to the young man's features. And at least with General Iroh around they were almost guaranteed a fine drink rather then being left at the mercy of whatever the local residents had to offer. Knowing who to depend on for your best chances of delicious eats or drinks was just another part of the fine art of foraging.

"Looks as if they're already onto us." The older tribesman stated to his sister and friend, causing the male bender to sit up until he was in a crouching, partially standing position while gazing over the side of the flying beast.

Sure enough, down there stood the retired Fire Nation General which Ryota had the pleasure of meeting a months time past. There remained a few twinges of nervousness about speaking with him and other heroes of the war that weren't from his native tribes. But at least the Waterbender knew he wouldn't come across as the gushing dork they met a month ago. Well, at least not as strongly, anyway.

Before he could settle on that train of thought for any prolonged period, however, there was the sudden emergence of another familiar figure. This one, despite any second thoughts which had entered his mind, succeeded in bringing about a delightful thrill as those blue eyes of his soak in her image. His lips curved into a faint smile, lips briefly mouthing her name, Xia, while failing to utter any actual sounds up to this point. She looked to be fairing well on first glance, and that alone took a large weight off his chest.

Then, much to his surprise, she made a mad dash past the elder man and toward the edge of the temple. Ryota couldn't tell what she was doing at first, but the tribesman knew she was moving far too fast to simply be racing out to meet them. This confusion soon vanished, giving way to surprise as the Airbending Earth Woman leapt into the air, soaring higher then the nearly stunned Water Tribesman had dreamed possible. Despite his occasional uneasiness about flying on the back of Appa, the Waterbender started to stand as Xia came at him, a mixture of surprise and relief on his features as she completed the jump and came crashing into his own outstretched arms as he let out an "omph!" noise upon impact.

Granted, he was as much, if not more trying to catch her then return the embrace, but it worked out as the two tumbled back onto the large saddle with an arm still clumsily clinging around her waist; not wanting to let go for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which being the return of that newly discovered but much cherished inner warmth which he hadn't truly felt during the past few weeks as he gazed up at Xia; arm wrapped around her as Ryota gazed up, slightly dumbfounded still as she rested upon him.

And she whispered: "'Hi.'"

The meaning behind that simple word wasn't lost on Ryota, and answered the question of whether her group received their previous message as his lips curved into a knowing smile. As her hands quickly grasped his head, however, the young tribesman was left somewhat unprepared when the woman on top of him quickly planted a kiss that far surpassed any he'd experienced up to this point in his life. His eyes widened as he let out a muffled noise, Ryota's free hand started a vain attempt at grasping the material of the saddle beneath them; even as the fingers on his other hand wrapped themselves within the back of Xia's top. But soon enough, that surprise subsided, allowing the foreigner to collect himself just enough to place both hands around the fledgling Airbender; returning the kiss in full as his once wide eyes grew tinted while gazing upon the woman in his arms.

Katara simply arched an eyebrow at her brother. "Looks like I'm not the one you needed to make promise after all."

Sokka could only blink several times as he watched the scene unfold; counting on Appa to handle the remainder of the landing as he finally gave a shrug of his shoulders while admitting, "Hey, I'm just glad she didn't miss the mark or cause them to go stumbling over the side. Near death experiences can be a real mood killer."

They were able to land before the reunited couple could pry themselves apart, which gave Aang time to greet his long time 'pet' and companion. While partially distracted by the activities of the younger couple, Sokka did manage a brief wave and nod to acknowledge his old friend and the retired Fire Nation General, but had a good idea which Water Tribe member the Air Nomad was the most anxious to see. As should be expected, the last Airbender (in the traditional sense, anyway) wasted little time in bending his way up there to welcome his love with a passionate embrace. One which, despite his earlier protests, actually brought about a small but warm smile out of Katara's brother.

Meanwhile, the couple on the floor were continued in their lip lock when a hand on Xia's back started to lightly tap on it, as if trying to call for a time out as Ryota found himself nearly overwhelmed by the ongoing embrace. Still, it was almost immediately regretted by the young man when she did pull away, although the view of her lovely features with those dark strands of hair framing her face had made it worth it. He let a hand slide upward, reaching for the sides of Xia's head where he proceeded to move a few dozen loose hanging strands of hair aside.

Having an unobstructed view of her now, the tribesman let a pair of his fingers trail along the outline of her jaw as he whispered back with a small smirk, "I'm guessing you got our last message?"

While a curious Momo quickly crawled up onto his shoulder for a better look, Sokka decided it was perhaps getting a little crowded and began to beat the others in disembarking; leaving the couples to remove themselves at their own pace. As he slid down the side of the Sky Bison with the lemur perched upon his shoulders, the tribesman landed gracefully on his feet and turned to see the elderly Firebending Master standing before him.

Sokka glanced over his shoulder, reflecting on how the others in their respective trios had chosen to greet another as he faced the elder male again while promptly offering up an outstretched hand, "How about if the two of us settle on a friendly handshake, General Iroh?"
 
Zuko smiled softly as Ty Lee took his hand, glancing down at it in appreciation and relief that his words had not upset her.

“Zuko, you’re only a man. The fact that you’re Fire Lord is just incidental.... You could sell cabbage in the marketplace and I wouldn’t see you any differently than I do now. You shouldn’t judge yourself so harshly.”

She was right, of course. Adjusting to being the Fire Lord had been a difficult process, especially considering his exiled life before that. To be so confused and angry one year and end up as the leader of a nation the next... It was one extreme to the other. If it hadn't been for Iroh, Mai, and all his friends, he was not sure he would have ever survived the challenges of the position. Zuko's eyes met with Ty Lee's once again, grateful for her words. He remained silent, only letting a thankful expression etch his face before she withdrew her hand and began to respond to the other issue he had presented. Her soon to be husband, Tatsuo...

“He’s a good man, kind and honest. I’m sure you if you spoke with him, you’d like him. Any woman would be lucky to have him as her husband…”

The Fire Lord's smile faded a bit as Ty Lee seemed to force such words. It didn't sound as if she was making them up, rather that she simply knew this was an uncomfortable subject for the both of them. He wanted to apologize for speaking out of line, but he could not simply say sorry for sticking to his beliefs. Any woman would be lucky to have him? Maybe that was true... Nevertheless...

"You're not just any woman..." He uttered softly, his eyes shifting off to the side.


“I couldn’t stay on Kyoshi Island forever, Zuko. I’m not a child anymore and I need to make a future for myself. Lord Koizumi, Tatsuo, will provide a comfortable life for me. I was fortunate that our parents made such a match. There were few options for me otherwise.”

"You're saying it yourself... You're not a child, and you need to make a future on your own. Not simply settle for what your parents have decided. There are always options. It is your life, Ty Lee. You deserve to be happy. Not simply 'content.' You are still young. What is the hurry to settle for a life you are unsure you want?

But... what I'm saying goes both ways.. It is not my place to tell you what to do, either. I'm simply.. As a friend... trying to make sure you're doing what you believe is the right thing. If you love him and can see a life together with no regrets, then I will support you in that decision as well. If you wish for me to mind my own business, I understand."

---

Attentive ears would only serve to be a belated warning to the ill-fated. The quiet, yet distinct sound of sliced air quickly followed by the dull thuds of arrows connecting with their intended targets. Kayna's opening eyes would then be greeted by her fellow guards, previously taunting her with her own death, pinned to the walls by the necks of the building they so 'expertly' guarded. The crimson stream of blood silently trickling downward onto the wood.

There would be little time to react, however, as a razor sharp blade found its way to the Waterbender's neck; The reflection barely revealing the cloaked figure that had somehow appeared behind her.

"Hello, perhaps you'd like to come with me? I'll give you a moment to consider... Let's not try anything funny, though. Yu Yan Archers are known for their infallible marksmanship..." General Kurzen spoke in a hushed tone. Something was strange about this woman who had decided to keep such terrible company. Kurzen was quite aware that those men were Azula's, but he wasn't quite sure who she was. For all they knew, she could be here against her will... One thing he did know, however, was that even with the Yu Yan, assaulting Azula directly would be suicide. Right now, all he needed was someone to aid them in finding out what her plans were, or at least where she might be going. At the very least, they would be dwindling her allies...
 
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Toph let out a slight laugh at the Duke's wish, playing with the remaining sugar roll in her bowl. She and Smellerbee were quite different from the 'average' girl, she was fully aware of that. But to hear a guy say he wanted more women to be like her?

"You don't want that," she scoffed, shaking her head as she took up that last roll. "Yeah, we don't drool over guys. Normal girls know how to show guys that they like them. They know how to react to that type of stuff. Girls like me... We don't. We only know how to act like one of the guys.... So when something that's actually of a feminine nature starts to act up in us, we don't know what to do. At least, I don't. I try to handle it with what I know.... and that simply makes things worse."

She had said too much again...

Which made her far more than thankful when the subject was steered away from the previous one, the Duke instead noting her new position.

"Bumi was a convincing guy...," she mumbled with a shrug. "I actually had that arguement with him when he first sent for me. Trying to be all royal and regal, not being able to do what I loved... but that made him laugh. He actually hated that stuff too. I found out firsthand what happened when he had to do something 'regal'... As soon as he was able to get out of those robes, he was either plowing about in a mudbath and making a mess of things or driving people crazy with his pranks. To be honest, he was more like me than my own parents. This... insane man. He was... amazing." A smile crept upon her lips with the memory of him, still chuckling softly at the antics he pulled even in his gained years. "I'm glad I was able to be trusted by him to take over. As crazy as he may have been, he really did teach me a lot. That's something to be thankful for- to have someone trust you, and to know you can trust someone else..."

Which set her mind back to thinking on Kurzen.
Gods, why couldn't she stop thinking about him?! This was insane... Annoying! She had more important things to think about than some guy.
Some... amazing... guy...

She needed a rock. A big one.
Right against her forehead.
RIGHT NOW.

She had actually thought she was alone when the Duke had left the table, not realizing his companion had stayed.

"Woah. You DO talk...." she frowned. "And you're quick to pick up on things. I... Like I said. Girls like me don't know what to do when they feel things like this...." Toph leaned against her palm, blowing at the hair that tickled her nose. "It would be so much easier if I could just make it stop. I feel like an idiot. I'm one of the strongest Earthbenders there is, I'm a Queen in the Earth Kingdom, but when it comes to something like this, I'm just... lost."

Her head raised slightly, a sudden concerned look coming to her face. "Now, I know this is probably not a HUGE deal to be worrying about with YOU, but... You won't tell anyone about this, will you?"
 
The toasts offered after her own brought about a smile to the Fallen Phoenix Queen's face, the words uttered by her current companions reassuring her of their loyalty in her cause. A promise- no, oath to her on their dedication towards this greater good of the Fire Nation... of all nations. The grander future Kazuo spoke of, the better world Zhaung wished for- She would ensure it, and with their help, see it through.

Those thoughts allowed the smile to linger upon her lips as she took the glass to them, the strongly scented and flavored fluid it held pouring into her mouth. Her gaze slowly passed to her underground General, commander of her unspoken troops. His own eyes seemed to be lost in thought, the man behind them contemplating something. Ever in motion. Ever planning.

A man after her own heart.

His words barely phased her at first, a simple agreeing nod coming from her as he recited the current state of affairs and possible threats to upcoming plans. A light sneer pulled her smile away at the mention of the Avatar, another long pour of her drink quieting her annoyance at the Airbender having survived their exchange back at the Fire Lord's castle. The curious events that followed were something that she had never thought could happen... but a beautiful, wonderful unexpected surprise. A shame her shadowy benefactor couldn't have provided the immediate means to his end.

But would she have truly wanted that? To lose the satisfaction of her true revenge, the physical action against him by her own power? To let someone-something do it for her... no. She would have been robbed of her own glory.

She wasn't even certain that she wished him dead. There were uses for a broken master of all elements...

Her fingers toyed with the glass before her, contemplating another sip- only to halt as Kazuo spoke his single question.

She stared.
She simply stared, a solemn gaze that locked upon him for a number of moments, as if trying to decipher the meaning of his inquiry.

If it had been anyone else...

She would have shown them firsthand, right there at the table; their flesh seared from their bones as they sat before her. She would have shown them; their own clothing serving as their funeral pyre.

If it had been anyone else.

But she smiled. "My dear Kazuo. I have seen what remains of the Avatar. I have seen the ways to defeat him, things that my father overlooked. I was close once before, but the route taken was far too long. It has already effected my brother, and the same must be done for Aang." She reached across the table with this, pressing her palm firmly against his chest. "The weakest defenses are at the heart. Enough damage is made there, and the whole man will fall. There is that surge of emotion, that last flailing attempt to harm those who have hurt them so deeply..."

That look in Zuko's eyes. She remembered it so vividly; the hatred behind them. He wanted her dead, but couldn't do it... That heart of his. If he were anything like their father- if he were anything like her.... he would have done it with no second thought.

"It isn't the Avatar's death I want. I don't intend to kill him... and I won't. That is the faith I have in my abilities. A doubting warrior attacks blindly and hopes to destroy their enemy completely in their wake, a rampaging bull looking to destroy in seconds. A warrior with faith in themselves will attack to incapacitate, knowing the power that they wield... A fierce cat that toys with its prey."

She took another sip of her drink then, licking her lips as the empty glass reached the table. "Which are you, Kazuo? The bull who lasts mere moments, or the cat that plays?"
 
Longshot

Toph's initial reaction to his comments brought an amused smile to the normally silent archers features. This type of reaction used to slightly annoy the young man when he was younger, but he'd grown accustomed to it after a while. Even after the initial trauma of his murdered family and destroyed village had subsided enough for him to regain speech, Longshot hadn't felt the need to speak unless it was something important. And it simply wasn't something which came up too often, thanks to both living in a makeshift village of people who generally understood him just by reading his expressive eyes and having said people around him to communicate during trips like these. So it was his own 'fault' for falling into and willingly sticking to such a habit when it came to interacting with others.

The young man sat quietly as he listened to what the Queen of Omashu had to say, and if she were capable of conventional sight, then she would probably see from the look in his eyes that he could sympathize with much of what she was saying. While not exactly the same, it did seem there were some underlying similarities when it came to her problems and his own with Smellerbee. Maybe it was an Earth Kingdom thing?

Longshot gave a faint smile as she asked him not to say anything, having found amusement over Toph's choice in words while bringing up said request even as he assured the Earth Bender, "Don't worry. I've never been one for gossiping."

Lowering his eyes as he stared into his empty glass, the young man considered what she said for a few moments until growing bold enough as to freely offer his own opinion on what she had shared, "For what it counts? I don't think you're an idiot. And let's face it; a lot of us have lived our lives with a unique set of priorities. It's almost a given that certain 'simpler' parts of life would come harder for some of us then others. But I'd like to think we can grow and learn how to deal with these hurdles if given time."

Or at least that was how he liked to look at said problems. As he straightened himself out while awaiting the return of their mutual friend, the young Freedom Fighter gave a shrug of his shoulders while confessing, "Not that I'm one to talk about facing hurdles. The last few times I opened my mouth to try this with Smellerbee only seemed to strain our friendship."

He let out a light sigh over this fact, feeling somewhat eager to try and speak with her again, yet remaining skeptical of what would come out of the eventual meeting. Still, he gave a halfhearted shrug of his shoulders, the tone of his voice obviously intending for his following words to be taken lightly as he mused, "I guess there's a good reason I rarely open my mouth to speak."

Not very long afterwards, they were rejoined by The Duke who seemed rather pleased with the results of his visit to the kitchen as he approach their section and pulled up his previous seat while already helping himself to a piece of the meat on his plate.

"Now this is a little more like it." He stated triumphantly after chewing on and swallowing the piece; eyeing the few remaining portions as the teen actually complimented the workers here, "I have to admit. The ability to freshly cook your leftovers on the spot almost makes me wish I was a Firebender. Almost."

There wasn't much in terms of actual meat left on his plate, but the teen made sure to finish enjoying every last piece; taking another bite and chewing it thoroughly before forcing it down as he asked the pair, "So, what'd I miss?"
 
Kazuo

The Firebender waited with noticeable anticipation for how his Princess and future Fire Lord may respond to his concerns. If one were paying close enough attention, they may catch the briefest glimpse of fear flash through his golden eyes as he considered a possible backlash in response what was said. However, any signs of said fear were relatively short lived, as the young man swallowed down such weaknesses and prepared to readily accept whatever Azula would say or do about his speaking out. If one could not trust their leader to take a correct approach when presented with a subjects apprehension, then they shouldn't be following that person in the first place.

Thankfully, as she began to speak, strings of words eloquently flowing out of those ruby lips, it would seem that Kazuo's trust was to be rewarded. The confidence in her voice as she addressed the problem of The Avatar seemed to steadily assuage the loyal Fire Nation rebels fears with every word which came out of her mouth. As she stood and reached across the table, any concerns of her striking out as his guard was lowered were ignored. Instead, he remained in place for his Princess when she placed a hand upon his chest; the contact causing him to feel and indeed look slightly flustered despite knowing this was done to further illustrate her point.

This aside, her words seemed to replace any momentary doubt with a sense of certainty in their inevitable victory. As she finished detailing her goals when it came to dealing with The Avatar, Kazuo quickly took in what she described about the differences in a warrior with faith and those which lacked that crucial element. To his shame, the Firebender had to silently admit this was an outlook he'd not considered, and he soon caught onto the direction Azula was taking the conversation just seconds before she addressed him with that very important question. The young man sat silently at first, obviously taking in what his lady had said in weighing over everything with considerable respect.

But it wasn't something he needed to think over for long, as the fingers on one hand curled into a tightly clenched fist; gazing across the table at the Firebending prodigy while calmly, yet firmly stating with a cold conviction in his eyes, "A cat that plays, your highness."

It wasn't all talk on his part, either. One need only to look at the underground rebellion that he'd played such a crucial part in slowly building over the years to see how this feline could play when pursuing something it wanted. Not that Kazuo would bore his future fire mistress with petty details in his defense which she likely considered long ago. After all, amongst her many skills, Azula was excellent when it came to reading others and figuring out what she may gain from them. A true quality for the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne if there ever was one.

"I apologize for any disrespect I may have shown you, Princess Azula." He stated after standing up and bowing his head in a rare showing of public subjugation which he didn't mind Zhuang, a foreigner to their land, having to see as he expressed his loyalty and faith in their honored guest.

"Believe it when I say that each of us hold your many gifted abilities in the highest regard." The golden eyed male continued as he slowly raised his head; gazing across the table at their future Fire Lord as he calmly, yet passionately swore to her, "So long as I draw breath, I shall stand by your side wherever you require services. And like a hungry flame, I will mercilessly burn down any obstacles in your way."

His eyes almost seemed to burn with a fire which matched the one the young 'general' felt swelling inside of him as they remained locked upon Azula. In the future, there would be questions and concerns, as any good commander should have been dealing with the ever changing atmosphere of war. But as he stared intently over at the Princess, it seemed unlikely, at least to Kazuo, that any of them would revolve around the woman sitting before him.

"To your rise back into power and the swift punishment of those who deserve it." He offered in a second, singular toast while grasping and raising his glass in order to slowly drink down its remaining contents before returning to his seat.
 
Kayna. "Out of the Fire and into the swimming pool." -Jennifer Page, "These Days."

Attentive ears would only serve to be a belated warning to the ill-fated. The quiet, yet distinct sound of sliced air quickly followed by the dull thuds of arrows connecting with their intended targets. Kayna's opening eyes would then be greeted by her fellow guards, previously taunting her with her own death, pinned to the walls by the necks of the building they so 'expertly' guarded. The crimson stream of blood silently trickling downward onto the wood.

Kayna's eyes did open. And greeted they were.

Quivering fletchings and perished flesh.

True, this hardly boded well for her. But there was a certain satisfaction to it. Seeing these Fire Nation bastards skewered like so much overspiced meat.

"Sweet dreams," she drawled, pithy to the last, though this sacrificed any chance she might have had to grab for her Waterskin before--

--a razor sharp blade found its way to the Waterbender's neck; The reflection barely revealing the cloaked figure that had somehow appeared behind her.

As follows-through go, that one's not terrible.

There was even a hint of handsomeness in the glint upon that blade.

"Hello, perhaps you'd like to come with me? I'll give you a moment to consider... Let's not try anything funny, though. Yu Yan Archers are known for their infallible marksmanship..." General Kurzen spoke in a hushed tone.

Kayna took that moment, and she did in fact consider her options.

Considered them very very thoroughly, as she ran her tongue over her teeth.

The Yu-Yan Archers were nigh-legendary. And Kayna was accomplishing little serving as a sentinel for this hushed-little town. She'd joined with Azula because she'd known Azula's hatred for Katara nearly eclipsed even her own. Perhaps Azula would recognise her usefulness, task her with the elimination of that foul little Southern backbirth.

Little chance of such a choice assignment out on the perimeter.

But The Universe was full of funny little quirks. Acts of Providence. Katara was known to be part of Zuko's little cadre, no doubt she'd be part of any task force assigned to do battle with Azula. Where Zuko would be, there also would be Katara.

Kayna raised her hands, her eyes half-lidded. And she smirked softly.

"'Take me to your leader,'" she purred.
 
Xia, Iroh, and Katara.

Xia kissed like she could hold her breath forever. And she felt him move, warm beneath her, she was a weight on his chest and she could feel his heartbeat bunching up and punching her insistently even through her lightly-armoured raiment. Even Appa's infrasonic rumble couldn't distract her from this all-important moment.

Ryota grabbed at the saddle, he grabbed at her back, and she held on tight and she kissed him, lips silking against lips, wet and slithering and--

--he knocked four times.

And, with a tremble, with a soft little murmur of apology, something along the lines of wordless, she drew back, because even though she could almost hold her breath forever it wasn't beyond a poor poor Waterbender to drown on dry land.

Xia drew back, her cheeks flushed from running and jumping and holding and kissing, and she gazed at him quietly, worriedly, was that over the top...?

He let a hand slide upward, reaching for the sides of Xia's head where he proceeded to move a few dozen loose hanging strands of hair aside.

Having an unobstructed view of her now, the tribesman let a pair of his fingers trail along the outline of her jaw as he whispered back with a small smirk, "I'm guessing you got our last message?"

Her worried expression dissolved somewhat into a wobbly grin, and she angled her head, wafting her jawline against his touch.

"You're a good guesser," she declared, touching her forehead to his with a soft little laugh.

And then she drew back again, and clawed her hand through her hair, parting it as though it were a theatrical curtain, making sure her view of him remained obstructed, and his in turn of her.

She studied him for a moment. For a moment her gaze was that of the wide-eyed bewildered creature when she considered her bizarre celestial lot in life. And then after that, after that, it settled more into the comfortable terrestriality of her origins. Earthy. Rough-and-tumble. Uncivilised.

Xia could not for the life of her figure out which of these was the real her.

But to bring forth the theatrical metaphors again, she decided, right now, the backstreet rogue in her should be given centre stage.

She kissed him again, more briefly this time. Tasting the salt of saltwater upon his lips. And grinned.

"I like that I'm getting to reply in person," she murmured. "Because the subject matter I'd like to cover probably wouldn't work so good on paper."

********​

“We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.” Aang whispered mostly to himself.

Down in the fountain room, Iroh squinted his allegedly non-legendary eyes and he smiled a craggy little smile. "We have company, Avatar. I'm going to need to make more tea."

"Seems that way. You'll have to forgive my rudeness, friend, but now it's my turn to hurry off." Aang glanced to Iroh with a smirk before running toward Appa as he landed at the temple.

"Ah, please," Iroh gestured dismissively to Aang's retreating back. "Do not stand on ceremony on my account."

And he grinned a delighted, ancient smile. The sort of smile a grandfather smiles when it occurs to him that the next generation is in good hands after all. The sort of smile that realises that, despite everything, everything was going to be okay. "Not that you are listening to me anyway."

The large creature bellowed happily as it noticed his companion running toward them. "Appa! Missed you, buddy.." Aang grinned as he threw himself against the furry leg. However he soon parted from it as he backed up a few steps to view the passengers of his loyal bison. Ryota had been toppled by Xia, and a smug Sokka was at the helm. However Aang's eyes landed on the most important member of the party, or at least the one he had been most hoping to see.

His first priority was the greeting of his oldest friend. His companion even through a hundred-year sleep in the grip of ice and air. And all was as it should be. But then he drew back, and he saw her. And her eyes met his. And for a moment, all thoughts of promises made to brothers got all tangled up in the knots her heart made and that got caught in her throat.

He'd been through so much.

But he still knew how to be innocent.

He'd been through the darkness even more literally than she had.

But when he smiled it still shone through from the core of him brighter than any glowing Avatar State tattoos.

He really was. Quite beautiful.

She opened her mouth to ask him, playfully formally, if he'd had rice today, but he--

--leapt onto Appa's back and embraced his love tightly, not even exchanging a greeting before welcoming her into a kiss with enough passion one might have anticipated giving for a lifetime.

She had worried for his physical strength. But he pulled her close with all the strength of Earth. She had worried for his balance. But his mouth moved on hers with all the rhythm of the Ocean Water tides. She had worried that he'd get cold up here on the mountain, but he kissed her with all the warmth of the most welcoming Fire. She had worried that the wind would be gone from his sails...

...but he kissed her like he could hold his breath forever.

...and with a little bit of a whimper, swept away by four elements and an indomitable Spirit she kissed him back in kind, she only spun one element with her body language with her chi but she could boil hot as steam she could take pain away like ice she could cleanse like falling rain and she kissed him back like all of these. Her hands clutched at his robes so tightly as to be white-knuckled and her eyes clenched so tightly shut that tears squeezed out around the edges.

While a curious Momo quickly crawled up onto his shoulder for a better look, Sokka decided it was perhaps getting a little crowded and began to beat the others in disembarking; leaving the couples to remove themselves at their own pace. As he slid down the side of the Sky Bison with the lemur perched upon his shoulders, the tribesman landed gracefully on his feet and turned to see the elderly Firebending Master standing before him.

Sokka glanced over his shoulder, reflecting on how the others in their respective trios had chosen to greet another as he faced the elder male again while promptly offering up an outstretched hand, "How about if the two of us settle on a friendly handshake, General Iroh?"

Iroh blinked at this. And then clasped Sokka's hand firmly, chortling. "(I suppose it would be pushing my luck to ask for a hug.) Welcome back, Sokka. This is a pleasant surprise. I trust your journeys have been safe thus far?"

Eventually he pulled back slightly to gaze into Katara's bright eyes. "I guess I missed you a little, too..." He whispered, caressing her cheek gently.

Her eyes were bright indeed. Bright and shining blue. And she trembled a little at the caress on her cheek, though she didn't let go of her grasp on his robes. She still clung on tightly.

And she murmured softly to him in reply, breathless, blown away: "That was 'a little?'"

She let go of one grip on his robe long enough to stroke his face, too, to touch her nose to his in the kiss traditional of her people, to touch her third eye to the tip of his blue brow-arrow...

"I'd like for you," she instructed firmly, still breathless, and... to be quite honest, hungry for more of that: "to kiss me like you missed me a lot."
 
The thin smile returned to Azula's lips with the response given by her General, reclining slightly in her seat as she closed her eyes. "And I would expect no less from you, Kazuo. You are quite the admirable man. To create this group, this army of loyal subjects to the true Fire Nation decree... Hm. Once we secure the proper rule in the Nation, there is certain to be a place of high ranking awaiting you, I can assure you of that." She paused, glancing to Zhuang. "And you as well, our ally of the dirt... You too will receive great honor for your services."

She watched Kazuo for a moment longer, her empty glass keeping her fingers from going idle as she played with it; the gentle tap of her nails riding up and down rhythmically. "No offense has been made, Kazuo. At least, not with this. Keep in mind that if anyone else had questioned me, there would have been dire consequences... but I understand your inquiry, considering the position you have among these fighters. I know the depths of your loyalty, and the concern you have for not only the Fire Nation's rebirth.... but for me as well." She chuckled softly with that, finally releasing the glass. "...As unnecessary as that may be. But to know the lengths of that loyalty- well. That is a wonderful thing to know. I may just have to test those limits at some point."

He was staring at her, an action that brought about an almost animalistic reaction from the Princess; to stare down a wild dog was certain to bring about its fury. Azula was no different. His consistent gaze held her own, unwavering until his eyes broke first from hers with his newest toast in her honor.

She simply chuckled once again, a slow noise in her throat that purred quietly as she closed her eyes. "There is much work to be done for that to happen.... My brother is fully aware of my intent and that I have allies. The size of my allied troops, however, are still unknown to him... as well as the number of people from outside Nations that have lost faith in this so called peaceful world he claims to have made." Her gaze fell to Zhuang with this, her smile having finally faded away. There was no crack to her lips when it came to speaking of her plans, of her visions of the future. "Peace cannot be found without war. They are equal parts to one another; how do you know what one truly is without the other? There will be peace under my rule, a true peace that will be appreciated after the war that must take place before it can be born."

Azula looked once more to Kazuo, tilting her head slightly. "As for the punishment you spoke of, however... Oh, yes. There shall be very swift punishment. Those who have crossed me will certainly know the error of their ways..."
 
"Yeah. You certainly come off as the blabbermouth type." Toph smirked with that, though it slowly faded as he reassured her on not being a fool with her current thoughts. He had a point; her life had never really brought about a time where she felt like this. Sure, there had been a few moments of puppylove when it came to a few guys when she was younger... but none of that remained a constant thought. With Kurzen, however-

"I'm trying to deal with my hurdles. I just hate that I keep landing flat on my face when I try. Maybe we both just need to try something different. Imagine we're talking to someone else." She paused, frowning slightly before shrugging. "Though I suppose that'll be easier for me than for you..." The frown slowly turned to a smirk as he commented on his own lack of speech during usual conversations. "Thanks for not talking with your hands... This would have been a very boring conversation if that were the case."

Reaching out, she found her drink settled off to her left side, taking a slight sip from it as the footsteps of another approached their table. The scuffle of the chair and the scent of freshly cooked food confirmed it to be The Duke, his praise to the chef giving the full affirmation on this.

With his question on what had taken place, she gave a light huff of a breath, pushing her drink aside as she gestured between herself and Longshot. "You left a blind girl with a guy who doesn't talk. How much do you really think happened while you were gone?," she retorted with a strongly sarcastic tone.

Still, the 'secret' conversation between them was something that made Toph feel a bit better. Just another hurdle to cross... All the ones she'd gotten over in the past had held incredible things on the other side. She really needed to try her best to get over this one.

"You haven't happened to hear anything about the scouting parties, have you? I was just... curious on how things were going."
 
Ryota and Sokka

"You're a good guesser," she declared, touching her forehead to his with a soft little laugh.

His lips curled into a wide, unashamed smile as he felt her forehead touching upon his own; letting this moment wash away weeks worth of questions and doubt as he admitted, "Well you did drop a pretty big hint into my lap."

As she drew back and began to slip her own fingers through her hair, Ryota's blue eyes seemed to have a similar idea as Xia's own as he admired the Earth Kingdom native in silence. On first glance, and even for many others afterward, it was hard to believe that this young woman carried such a heavy burden upon those slim shoulders. But Ryota had seen, on that first night, just how great a toll the weight of the teen's rather unique life had taken upon her over the years. With that in mind, seeing the surprising amount of joy their reunion was capable of drawing out of her spoke volumes of how his presence had affected the Airbender. It was with this in mind that he leaned into Xia to return that second, briefer kiss with a great passion until she drew back to speak.

"I like that I'm getting to reply in person," she murmured. "Because the subject matter I'd like to cover probably wouldn't work so good on paper."

Despite their current physical predicament, her words actually caused the dark complexioned male to almost grow flush in the cheeks once they began settling in on him. Fortunately, a brief glance around them had revealed that Katara and Avatar Aang were a bit preoccupied themselves, with Sokka, the one most likely to pay them a look or comment, being nowhere in sight upon the Sky Bison's large back. Finishing this, his eyes returned to gazing at the woman laying upon him, as his free hand returned to her lovely features; slowly stroking a pair of fingers along her cheek until the tips of his digits could lightly brush along her ear with every caress.

"Sounds promising. And good point. One can only imagine the embarrassment if a messenger hawk accidentally fell into the hands of a simple villager in the middle of it." The Waterbender responded with a light tease at what she may be implying; letting out a faint chuckle, only for his eyes to contrast against this joke by showing how genuine he was while adding, "But more then anything? I'm just happy to be with you again. For however long we can stay."

With that being said, Ryota leaned in quickly and place a final kiss upon her nose, before settling back for a moment in order to suggest, "For now? Let's try and lessen the combined weight a bit on poor Appa."

Not that a fourth person was likely to bother the Sky Bison, at least when compared to how much he could carry while flying. But it worked as a rather obvious excuse for them to depart so the young man could begin getting settled into the Western Air Temple itself. And it was certainly with a great sense of reluctance that Ryota let Xia peel herself off of him, as he almost immediately felt the noticeable absence of her warmth as the pair stood upon the saddle. Aside from the other couple sharing a reunion aboard Appa's back (which he tried to avoid staring at, both for common courtesy and a sense of awkward awe from realizing he was so near The Avatar), the first thing Waterbender noticed was his fellow tribesman and the retired Fire Nation general greeting one-another on the ground.

"(I suppose it would be pushing my luck to ask for a hug.) Welcome back, Sokka. This is a pleasant surprise. I trust your journeys have been safe thus far?"

Giving a smile over the silver haired man's pleasant demeanor, Sokka reached a hand up to firmly pat him on the shoulder while he answered, "Safe, with a couple of interesting trips along the way, but also without any solid leads. If it were my call alone, the three of us probably would have stuck to my travel schedule for at least another week. But." He paused in his explanation, taking a long glance in the direction of his fellow Water Tribers; both of which looked happier then he'd seen them since their journey began, "I suppose a short break after weeks of searching can't do too much damage."

Gazing at them for a few seconds longer, the tribesman then gave a light sigh, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck as he remarked with tongue partly in cheek, "I just hope for everyone's sake that the universe doesn't try to prove me wrong on that one."

Letting his fingers reach out to gently clasp the girls hand into his own, Ryota gave a firm squeeze before releasing and leading the way off of the Sky Bison. Whether they both climbed down together or he went down first in order to offer his assistance when it was her turn, the Waterbender, despite knowing how she could easily bend her way off a considerably larger drop, was quick to offer up any possible assistance while disembarking.

Once they were both on the temple surface, however, his eyes were shortly after drawn toward another beauty courtesy of the Air Nomad's. Now that those initial feelings of worry and apprehension were behind him, Ryota could begin soaking in the impressive structure of the Western Air Temple. The young man, having spent most of his life within the respective Water Tribes, had seen many firsts during this past month. But few of them could compare with seeing one of the four Air Temple's in person. His neck and head craned back a bit, gazing upward as his head moved in a slow, steady arch while seemingly dwelling on nearly every section of the temple that was available for viewing by his two eyes.

"Wow." Was all he could say, head moving, eyes searching until they finally caught a glimpse of the elder Firebender and promptly brought the young man back to the present.

"Oh! Sorry about that." The young man apologized with a hint of embarrassment; quickly offering up a small smile and his own hand out of respect for the esteemed war veteran, "It's an honor to see you again, sir."

For his part, Sokka could only give an amused chuckle at his younger companions reaction before turning his own attention toward his sister and her true love; waiting so as to not interrupt any further public embraces, but also being forward enough to finally give a nudge of his own, "Hey, lovebirds? You planning to join the rest of us anytime soon?"
 
Longshot and The Duke

As is often the case with Longshot, he resumed a silent exterior, least for now, while quietly listening to and taking in what the Queen of Omashu had to say. After the past few weeks, he could easily relate to the falling flat on your face part. Perhaps that was part of why he often communicated the way he did? It allowed him a means of 'voicing' his thoughts and opinions without it getting too personal. Too intimate. His brow furrowed a bit, seemingly feeling a twinge of melancholy when considering how easier things may have been for Smellerbee and himself if he'd just kept that mouth of his shut. Of course, he noted with a slight smirk that silence wouldn't have stopped his kiss on her cheek. And despite everything, there remained a part of him which didn't regret that part of this trip.

Either way, when she finished making her respective remarks relating to her blindness and his usual means of 'conversation', the slightly older Earth Kingdom native flashed a small smile, which was joined by a brief chuckle to convey his amusement to the blind Earthbender. It was at least enough to perk him up so as to not draw suspicion by the time their mutual friend had rejoined the table. Still, as The Duke spoke, Longshot seemed to return to his usual quiet self; albeit more for lack of anything to say then any other factor as he watched his dining companions interact for now.

At Toph's response to his question, The Duke ended up taking a few seconds to glance at both Longshot and herself; seemingly putting the equation together within a moments time before giving an amused snicker, "Yeah, I guess you've got a point. Sorry about just ditching you both like that."

The scenery around them had changed slightly, as a few people had left since their arrival and newer ones came in for their own chance at catching a bite or drink. The Duke himself was nearly finished as he took a bite and stripped off what little flesh remained of his meal as Toph asked of any news about the scouting parties; causing him to shake a head out of habit before swallowing down his portion and answering, "Nah, we haven't heard anything lately. Nothing important, anyway."

Picking up his cup to wash down his meal now that he was finishing it up, the teen gave a light shrug of his shoulders while almost reluctantly confessing, "Truth is? We're sorta near the bottom of the political system around here, so news doesn't always travel as fast to us. Lack of actual royalty or political figures to suck up to and all."

Longshot could vouch for that, as he remained silent rather then offering up a differing opinion then his friend; while noting how Toph's subtle inflections seemed to indicate that whomever she was trying to forget was amongst those searching. On the topic of intel; it didn't mean they were completely out of touch with the pulse of what was happening around here. Their time living on their own in the woods had meant they were used to depending on themselves for seeking out local information rather then having it handed to them.

"I'll sometimes pick up third hand gossip from a few of the guards, but nothing I'd take serious." The Duke's words seemed to partly echo Longshot's unspoken thoughts, albeit while admitting to a lack of any reliable sources on his part, which wasn't so much the case for the silent marksman and their leader.

Taking another drink as he finally finished his meal, The Duke began to stare at the Master Earthbender for a moment after giving his response. Now, while the young Freedom Fighter hadn't heard her earlier conversation and wasn't always great at picking up on subtle cues, he also wasn't completely oblivious to those around him.

Not completely understanding, yet recognizing the underlying concern in his friend, the teen quickly reassured the woman, "I wouldn't worry. If anything had happened then word would have spread fast enough throughout this place. Heck, chances are you'd hear about it before either of us got the chance."

Giving a shrug of his shoulders over this, The Duke then flashed a smirk as he chuckled to himself while noting, "But, y'know, I'd feel sorry for the poor sap who tried to withhold any information from Smellerbee."

The mention of their current leader and long time friend caused Longshot's eyes to widen, if only a little, as he was reminded of the situation with the girl for what felt like the hundredth time since sitting here. Not that it hadn't been helpful in allowing him a chance to collect his thoughts and speak freely with others, but it was clear that this dilemma wouldn't completely leave his mind quite so easily. Once again, the young man felt inclined to search out 'Bee, yet wasn't certain if she would be ready to chat at this point. Still, as he began to stand from his seat at the table, the veteran Freedom Fighter seemed to decide that simply sitting here wasn't going to work in further alleviating his worried mind,

"Thank you both for the company, but I think it's about time I return to my own duties around here." He stated to both of his dining companions while slipping on his hat and grabbing his equipment; being genuine in his gratefulness, even if he wasn't exactly forthcoming about his reason for leaving.

The Duke briefly considered asking him to stick around longer, but thought better of it as he instead gave a 'see you around' type of response while watching Longshot head off to 'patrol' the halls and courtyards. Not fully comprehending what was going on between his old friends, the teen did at least feel a hint of concern as he watched the marksman leave; even if he tried playing it off a bit when returning his attention to Toph as he quipped, "A copper piece for that guy's thoughts, huh?"
 
"I'd like for you," she instructed firmly, still breathless, and... to be quite honest, hungry for more of that: "to kiss me like you missed me a lot."

As much as Aang would have liked to keep a mellowed expression to represent his matured Avatar self, there really was no holding back the somewhat silly grin that made its way to his face upon hearing such a request. "Well, it's not like me to turn a blind eye to someone in need..." He replied in a hushed tone before glancing over to the still-present Sokka. "And by that I mean... we're off to... discuss important Avatar stuff... Bye."

Aang wasted no more time as he literally swept Katara off her feet and carried her into the temple as if it required no effort at all. Appa's large brown eyes observed as the pair disappeared into the shadows. The fluffy bison huffed at how brief his reunion had been, which was then followed by a prompt plop onto the rock beneath him in order to rest from his long flight.

Over the years Aang had done his best to maintain the temple and return it to its former glory, even if he was usually the only one to visit. There was always hope that airbending would not die with him, and thanks to Xia that hope had been justified, but in the past he had to face the reality that all the hoping in the world may not change such a fact. In which case, at least something should remain to remind the world of his people's history. The now not-quite-as-young Air Nomad carried his Water Tribe companion into a darkened room. A private chamber he had reserved for himself in order to remain undisturbed during periods of deep meditation... and other private activities.

Aang lightly placed Katara back onto her feet while a silent hand raised between their bodies. With a flick of his fingers, a small flame lit between them, barely illuminating the room. The heat between their bodies made the flame's almost completely unnoticeable, but the dim light allowed him to focus upon the extraordinary blue eyes that soothed his soul to the core. Such eyes spoke volumes about her dreams and desires, her friendship passion and love... Such things were precisely why that spirit... that demon in Azula's form would never be able to seduce him. He remembered their blackness. A soulless nothing. A shell whose only purpose was to hurt him. If he had given in, he would have never been able to look at Katara again, even if she never found out.

But he would never betray her, and if anything the time spent staring down the spirit only made his love for Katara even more impenetrable, and he was hoping to prove that right now...

Aang waved his hand outward as the flame split into the air, small shards of it separating into various small torches on the wall, lighting up the room further while still maintaining an intimately dim level. In the corner a marble tub of fresh water could be seen, along with the bed on the adjacent corner and of course, the mat Aang would use for meditation directly in the middle.

It was hard to decide where he wanted her, as it was too difficult to even glance away from her for even a moment. He knew that hunger in her eyes all too well and surely his had a similar gleam. Without any more hesitation, Aang pressed his lips to Katara's as he pulled her into a feverish kiss while eager hands already searched for the knot in her sash which held her traditional Water Tribe robe wrapped around her body.

As the robe fell off of her smooth shoulders, Aang reluctantly parted his kiss to journey further downward, resting his lips upon her neck before raining small licks across her delicate flesh. The hands that had disrobed her running across the white cloth bra she donned underneath, slowly venturing down her exposed belly and finally to her dark blue leggings, tugging them off with care as kisses and light nibbles continued along her collarbone. Mere moments later, she stood only in her undergarments, the cool air passing through the room now rushing across her skin which revealed goosebumps along her skin, which for all he knew, were just due to her excitement, as that was the case for him.

Aang stepped back momentarily, finding Katara's hands and gripping them into his own. Though still young, the wisdom of many shimmered in his eyes as he gazed over her form. She was an example of perfection. Her flawless, exotic mocha skin. Her curves, graceful and fluid like the water from a calm stream. "Centuries of memories, and you.. are still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen... It astounds me still..." He smiled warmly as he gazed back into her eyes, resting his hands upon her hips as he eagerly awaited to undress her fully...
 
"I suppose you're right," the blind Queen agreed in a soft voice. That was another perk of her regal status, though that status was still something she was having trouble getting used to. She had taken the title how many years ago now? In her own mind, she was still the dirt-loving, bluntly-speaking Blind Bandit that would much rather be moving boulders and destroying landslides than discussing governmental issues. "I guess I should call it the other way, then. I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear anything."

She nodded at Longshot's brief excusal from the table, tapping her fingers against the side of her bowl. Oh, right. She had already eaten all the sweet rolls... And Sokka wasn't here to blame for them being gone.

The sweet rolls weren't really her concern at the moment. It was funny; the conversation between herself and Longshot had actually helped to make her feel a bit better... and a bit more confident on what to do when the time came. From his sudden vanishing, she wondered if the same was true for the Freedom Fighter. Smellerbee really did seem a lot like herself.... And she wished the guy luck with that talk he was hoping to have.

"A copper piece for that guy's thoughts, huh?"

Toph merely shrugged, stretching back in her seat. "It's usually the quiet ones you have to worry about. Way too much going on in those heads..." Pushing her chair back, she started to get up, her hand resting on the table for a moment. "I think I ate too much. Care to come on a walk with me? If I sit still too long I get a little... claustrophobic. Same 'view' for too long, y'know?"
 
Ty Lee

As Zuko’s smile had faded at hearing her own words, so did her confidence fade with each argument he gave her. Lifting her hands from her lap, she settled her fingers around the steady warmth of her cup and a small smile drifted to her lips. He was right. There was no hurry for her to decide her fate for the rest of her life. She had the rare freedom of versatility and there was no place in the Four Nations that she could not fit. Sighing, she shook her head, though, whether at him or herself, she couldn’t tell.

“No, it’s…just… No, you’re my oldest friend. You have the right to speak your mind.”

Her voice had lost more and more of its’ vigor, with each passing syllable, until it ended in a whisper. Despite her resolve, it was difficult for her to figure out what to say. The smile she wore didn’t reach her eyes and she had bowed her head just enough that her hair would conceal the duplicity in their depths. Zuko may have been right about one thing, but the rest.. In her mind, she didn’t really deserve much of anything. This past month had only served to show her the many times she could’ve prevented Mai’s death, or Azula’s descent into madness, or, perhaps, even Zuko’s exile. Yet, instead of acting, she had made the choice to run, just like she always did, one way or another, when her life took a turn she didn’t like. Her friend, whether he knew it or not, was asking her to run once more and, as tempting an option as it was, she didn’t want to play the coward this time.

“I gave my word. This match may have been made by our parents, his mother as well as mine, my betrothed had no hand in the prior arrangements, but, in the end, I did consent.”

It was true that, more than anything, she had wanted love in her life, but it was just as true that her life had taught her that love was something she would probably never have. Tatsuo thought differently, but he was a very optimistic man, and conversations over the past weeks had made her see that he hadn’t had much experience with women as anything other than a platonic relationship. Yet, his hope was something she usually chose to cling to, because it was the only thing that led her believe she could more than just content with this man that was meant to be her husband. Contentment, though, if that was what she ended up with, would have to be enough for her.

“A life without regrets is never certain and not everyone is fortunate enough to end up with the one they.. Tatsuo?!”

Ty Lee had looked up because approaching footsteps and the movement of the curtains that had been providing them privacy all of this time drew her curious gaze. It was to her genuine surprise and astonishment that she found her betrothed, escorted by a pair of the royal guard, standing there. A feeling of guilt had her quickly standing up, her eyes darting from Tatsuo to Zuko and back as she tried to grasp why the man was here in the first place. As he had entered, the lord immediately kneeled and bowed his respects. There was an intensity about him that Ty Lee had never seen before. Her mouth was open, but the brunette was at a loss for words.

“Your humble servant, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, but he wouldn’t wait.”

“If this wasn’t a matter of utmost urgency, I would have gladly awaited an audience at a time more suitable than now.”

Her mind raced, but there was nothing that she could think of that Tatsuo would ever want to say to her friend, nothing so serious to give him a reason to break protocol. While his sense of honor, unlike her family’s own, was something she found bearable, he was traditional enough that she at least knew he was speaking the truth. It had to be something horrible to make him come unannounced to the royal palace. For the first time since their engagement had been made official, the woman realized that she wasn’t the only one out of the couple to be keeping secrets. Tatsuo looked up then, though he continued to kneel. His gaze, as it lit upon her, held a hard edge that was entirely unfamiliar to her.

“I would ask that the Lady Yuen depart. I don’t want my betrothed to hear this.”

Ty Lee’s brown eyes widened in surprise and a certain wariness crept into her stance as she looked at Zuko to see if he would make her leave or not.


Smellerbee

“Shit.”

The hard thunk of her skull landing against wood punctuated her whispered statement. She never had made it to the beach. Somehow, someway, she’d forgotten that the part of the city she’d been sleeping and living in all of this time just happened to be on top of a bloody mountain. Perhaps, because she’d been too preoccupied with not puking as they flew to notice, or, because Longshot had just had to kiss her like that. The tree she was sitting in held, yet, another resounding meeting with the back of her head as that particular memory traveled through her mind. Sure, he’d explained it away and she accepted that, but right now she felt just as confused and out of her depth as she’d been when his lips had so unexpectedly met her skin.

She’d been honest when she had told Sneers that she wasn’t mad at her friend, but, selfishly, she wanted to be. It would be so much simpler if she could’ve just been pissed about him talking about her scars like that and beat some sense back into him. A few well-aimed punches and this sort of thing would be over and done with. Everyone could get back to their life and she wouldn’t be sitting here trying to escape her past and, in regards to Longshot and his bewildering comments, her future.

Spirits, she was fucked up. Sitting in the trees, while not the particular forest she felt most comfortable in, surrounded by the sounds of the familiar, had done enough to calm down the panic she’d been keeping herself in. That smell of burning flesh no longer coated her mouth, at least. It was tempting just to sit out here and definitely not think about the things she needed to face. It’s what she’d been doing all of her life, after all. Maybe Longshot would even do the impossible and not ask for some kind of clarification to her angry words. Even as she ran through that course of action, she knew it wasn’t an option. Maybe he’d leave off at first, but eventually he’d ask, especially given the fact that he’d brought up the topic in the first place.

She could always tell him the truth, go into all the details she preferred not to touch. Explain that the person she used to be, before she’d ever met him, was completely different and, unfortunately, apparently, still around. Then, after that, they could do what? It wasn’t like she thought that her past was any more traumatic than the rest of original members of the Freedom Fighters. Everyone had been pretty well screwed over by fate one way or another, but her issues were different. Even though many had lost their entire families to the war, at least they could say their parents had loved them. At least they had something like a happy memory to look back on from their childhoods. She knew as much about Longshot, from before he had joined up with Jet, as she supposed he knew about her. She didn’t know how he’d react to the knowledge of her past or if she would even share it, despite knowing that it was probably better if she did before things got worse between them.

“Hello, my name is Bai. You….don’t really… know me. Damn it.”

Her voice shook as she spoke into the empty air, her lips forming a name that she’d glared death at an old woman for saying only little more than a month ago, as hands roughly rubbed her face. She’d told Iroh that Smellerbee was a name that she had earned, which was true enough. She’d fought with that name, had made friends with that name, been imprisoned with that name. It was hers, so she tended to feel, even more than the one given to her at birth. She could’ve easily been called something else. Pheung. Tae-Hyun. Aiko. Fusayo. Ryohei. Loto. She had used all of those during her months of wandering after the fire. Smellerbee had just been the latest in a string of aliases. Something she’d made up on the spot. If she had known it would stick, she might’ve chosen something different, maybe.

This wasn’t working, sitting here like this, reminiscing. Going over each event in her head was just telling her what she’d already known. Probably, she was only making things worse. What had she been expecting? It wasn’t like she was going to deal with this in an afternoon and live the rest of her life all fine and dandy. Shaking her head, she stood up and looked around, certain that the sun was going to tell her she’d pretty much wasted an entire day out here with her pity party. But, apparently, she’d spent less time alone than she thought, which was good. She’d promised Sneers she’d be back in a reasonable amount of time and that promise gave her an excuse to leave. She was sick and tired of chasing her thoughts around in circles. Frankly, she felt like she’d been doing that all month when it came to Lonshot anyways.

Another parting thunk was given to the tree at that before she hopped down towards the ground. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. The past seemed not to want to be left on the back burner anymore, but she still had some present concerns to deal with as well. Damn it, if she was younger, if she wasn’t a leader, if Longshot wasn’t involved, or if there wasn’t impending doom on the horizon she’d be running right now. Everything was just getting messier by the moment. The simple solution of violence was pretty much out of her reach, but damn did she want that option right now.
 
Heavy footsteps echoed in the quiet halls of the Fire Nation palace; Drawing closer to the dining hall with every passing moment. They silenced themselves momentarily as the figure stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room briefly. The curtains near the back were likely to conceal where Zuko was dining. However something else caught the man's eye first... Queen Toph was there, in a beautiful dress that he was a bit surprised to see her in, sharing a meal with that Duke fellow.

"Queen Toph, Sir Duke, Glad to see you are both well..." He smiled gently, though his gaze rested on Toph in particular. While she wouldn't be able to see him, obviously, the minor change in inflection in his voice when he uttered her name would probably make his delight to see her more noticeable than others would be able to detect. "I would stay and chat, but I have news that I must relay to Lord Zuko first." He added, though before he could go much further, one of the guards behind him muttered something into the General's ear. Something about the Fire Lord already having "guests."

"I suppose it can wait a moment... If I'm not interrupting, may I join you two? And if I may say, Queen Toph, you look quite lovely today...

...But she does every day, of course. Without needing a dress to do so. She looks lovely out of them as well.

What... I mean is..." He chuckled a bit nervously, glancing to the Duke. "Just give me the signal when to stop talking..."

--

Zuko continued to listen to Ty Lee's words, but after each one he could hear her drift further away. He could sense her uncertainty, and that was what bothered him the most. It did not matter if Tatsuo treated her like a queen. If it wasn't what her heart desired then she'd never truly be happy. She spoke of giving her "word", leaning on such a term like a crutch to excuse her decision which she likely made with haste and under pressure. Surely her parents would have been disappointed if she had refused, and Tatsuo's family may have shunned them if so. It was ridiculous. Ty Lee was an amazing woman. She deserved to be happy... but the Fire Lord just wasn't sure what to say anymore. He could not deny that deep inside he felt something for his long time friend and that such feelings may have played a part in his objection to this marriage, but there was no way he could say that. Right now it would likely only serve to make things worse...

“A life without regrets is never certain and not everyone is fortunate enough to end up with the one they.. Tatsuo?!”

Zuko frowned at the beginning of her sentence, but there wasn't much time to contemplate it as her surprise had alerted him to the entrance of another figure. Speak of the Devil... Lord Tatsuo himself had seen his way into the room, apparently unwilling to wait for an audience.

“Your humble servant, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, but he wouldn’t wait.”

“If this wasn’t a matter of utmost urgency, I would have gladly awaited an audience at a time more suitable than now.”

Zuko's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced between the man and Ty Lee. Her expression gave no hints as to what this may concern. In fact, she looked just as surprised as anyone. Zuko really could not fathom what this man had to say which required such an entrance.

“I would ask that the Lady Yuen depart. I don’t want my betrothed to hear this.”

This served only to make things more confusing. Surely Tatsuo knew Ty Lee was assising Zuko with many royal duties as of late. What could he possibly think he was protecting her from? The Fire Lord didn't want his friend to leave, and nearly replied that anything Tatsuo had to say he could say in front of her, but for now he would honor the man's wishes, just in case.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee. Would you give us a moment, please?" He directed toward her, hoping she would not be too offended by his decision.
 
Kazuo

The words of praise which the Fire Nation Princess gave the young 'general' caused the hint of a smile to peak around the corner of his lips; a stray emotion in the otherwise stoic demeanor Kazuo was showing at the moment. Outside of perhaps Fire Lord Ozai himself, there wasn't another person in all of the Four Nation's from which such praise would bring about a greater sense of pride and accomplishment in the rebel Firebender.

And when she spoke of what respective rewards awaited both their Earthbending companion and himself after they reclaimed her birthright, that hint of a smile grew into a very visible yet small one as he nodded in understanding and gratitude, "And earning such a position under your rule would bring me nothing less then the greatest of honor, my lady."

Kazuo was also grateful that Princess Azula hadn't felt any disrespect coming from his end, and had clearly understood the young male's reasons for voicing those earlier concerns. The comment relating to testing loyalties came across as a curious one for the soldier, yet trusted in the Fire Lady as he simply assured her, "Whatever tests or requirements you may have in mind, your highness, I would make certain to perform with the excellence expected of a proud Fire Nation soldier."

Then the conversation continued onto speaking solely of their final goals, that mutual ground which had led to this alliance of former Fire Nation soldiers, simple peasants and even a few folks of foreign lands. She spoke wisely of what needed to come in order for them to take those large steps closer toward a better world. Many would consider war a necessary evil, at best, while Kazuo felt it neither good nor evil; but rather a means of achieving your ends. Surely those assisted The Avatar in their confrontations against the Fire Nation on different lands wouldn't consider their acts evil as they fought for their dreams. The same would be said of what those amongst this rebellion hoped to set into motion during the coming days.

As she spoke of punishment, his thoughts shifted to the days following Fire Nation's greatest defeat during the arrival of Sozin's Comet. How the young man who trained much of his life to join the great Fire Nation Military force felt when news reached him of Azula's defeat. About Phoenix King Ozai being stripped of his powers as both world leader and proud Firebending Master. And how so many of his fellow citizens, people whom he thought believed in the same dreams as himself, were willing to submit under the reign of 'peace' promised by The Avatar and the traitorous Prince Zuko. The young Firebender remembered those feelings of betrayal, of pain, and welcomed it into his heart as an almost cruel smirk spread across his features at the thought of what payback there was to come.

"That is music to my ears, Princess." He stated calmly, coldly, while reaching for the bottle and refilling his glass for a second serving of the strong beverage; placing it back upon the table for others to be served if they wished.

As the young man raised the glass to take another slow, long drink of the fire water; his golden eyes diverted their gaze toward the currently silent Earthbender beside them. While Kazuo came to trust Zhuang to a reasonable extent (at least considering how short a time they knew each other) the Fire Nation citizen often wondered what thoughts went through this man's mind when talking of the coming second strike. The older male wasn't Fire Nation, so despite how their fates were entwined by any mutual benefits of this alliance, Kazuo was often left feeling curious about his 'outside' opinion on what was happening around him.

Putting his glass down on the table, he turned his head enough to meet the other man's eyes; albeit not seeming to divert his total attention away of their lovely drinking companion, "And what are your thoughts about all of this, Zhuang? You've remained surprisingly quiet for a good while now."
 
Longshot and The Duke

Technically speaking, Longshot wasn't exactly 'quiet' if you knew how to understand him, but not everybody had the time to learn and pick up the subtle nuances in his manner of speaking. And in the case of the unique Earthbending Master sitting at the table with him, learning how to communicate on a regular basis without him saying anything was pretty near impossible. Still, it was an amusing notion, especially in the way said comments seemed somewhat fitting in relation to Queen Toph herself; particularly based on what he'd heard about the more timid front she once put up when living with her parents.

"Well, I suppose you would know this better then most, your highness." The Duke noted with notable amusement in his voice; force of habit causing an unseen by her smile peeking out upon the corner of his lips as they began to finish up around here.

The teen nodded his head, another habit of normally dealing with the sighted, when the Queen of Omashu inquired if he would join her for a walk, "Sounds doable. Think I'm about due for returning to guard duty, but, since it's you, I could always just mark it down as playing the role of bodyguard."

The young man let out a slight chuckle at how preposterous the notion sounded. After all, this was the prodigy which taught Earthbending to Avatar Aang and invented the still rare art of Metalbending. The Duke sort of doubted that any spears or swords on his part could protect Toph any better then her own natural abilities would; at least in most situations. Of course, before they could actually leave the table, their attention seemed to shift toward the arrival of one Fire Nation citizen whom approached the pair of foreigners rather then take a seat elsewhere. It was one The Duke had recognized as a ranked General, yet hadn't actually gotten to know during the past few weeks.

If this were a few years ago, the young Freedom Fighter probably would have corrected the new arrival about calling him 'The Duke' instead of using 'Sir', but instead decided to let it be as the man asked to joined them after being whispered something by another soldier. Ironically enough, where Longshot had remained silent during most of their meal (far as he knew, anyway), this one couldn't quite seem to stop talking as he addressed the Queen of Omashu. There was obvious amusement on the teen's features while watching this, even if The Duke did silently agree with everything that was said on the blind Earthbender.

When the young General did seem to collect himself a bit, the young man simply gave a light shrug while assuring him, "Hey, don't worry about it. If anything it's a nice change to have a third person here who doesn't sit quietly the entire time."

Now, The Duke wasn't always one for picking up subtle clues when watching others talk, but the teen did notice how the young General was around Toph; and took it as an unintended cue to give them time alone.

"But I was actually about ready to go finish up my rounds for the day. So I hope you'll understand my having to leave so suddenly." The young Freedom Fighter explained as he stood up in order to excuse himself; empty plate and his old helmet in each respective hand while glancing at Toph and apologizing, "Sorry, Toph, but I can always take you up later on that walk. And I'm sure I'll see the both of you around here at some point or another. So, until then?"

Giving a respectable nod to the General, The Duke turned from the pair while making his departure from the scene. First Longshot and Smellerbee, now those two. If the teen didn't know better, he'd say it was mating season within the Fire Nation. A very awkward, angsty mating season.

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

Guard duty was the excuse given for his earlier escape away of the dinning room area, yet Longshot had little else then wander about the great halls rather aimlessly since his departure from the company of others. Try as the young man might, he couldn't seem to shake off his persistent, almost nagging thoughts and concerns related to the woman who told him off earlier. Maybe he should just talk to her about it? It'd been a couple of hours since the earlier blowout, so it was possible they could talk it out by now.

And, yet, here he was. Walking past guards, servants and others within the Palace without any real direction. It wasn't so dissimilar from how the young man felt inside, as those thoughts seemed to simply swirl about in his head, dancing around and focusing on the if's and buts' despite already knowing what eventually needed to happen. With his fingers griped around the strap around his shoulder for the bow, one of them idly running along the rough material, it began to dawn on the Earth Kingdom native just how futile his wasted time away of her was becoming.

As if on cue, a familiar figure began approaching the young man from the opposite end of the hall; a hand raised up and giving a single wave to draw his attention as he called out, "Yo, Longshot! Got a minute?"

The thought of asking Sneers if it could wait had crossed his mind, briefly, but the silent marksman eventually nodded as the space between them had closed. After all, it wasn't like he was doing anything productive with himself since having left the company of The Duke and The Queen of Omashu.

"I ran into Smellerbee out in the courtyard, had a little talk about the fight you two had back in the dining hall." The other Freedom Fighter got straight to the point, noting the surprised look on his friends face and offering up a similar shrug as he gave 'Bee while continuing, "Word spreads fast. Anyway, she wasn't very cooperative about it, so I was wondering if I could at least hear your side of the story."

The taller of the pair remained characteristically silent; both in terms of not speaking and, as of not, failing to convey anything aside from a basic uncertainty on what, if anything, there was to say on the matter at this point in time. Ultimately, while Longshot was considerably more patient and less confrontational about the subject, his answer was about the same as Smellerbee's. Those big brown eyes of his gazing at Sneers, simply giving a light shake of his head, yet also conveying, for those who understood, that it was their problem and that the rest of the guys didn't need to worry about it. Unintentionally, however, he did let slip a similar hint of guilt about the matter; one which the other Freedom Fighter wasn't blind to seeing.

"I figured you'd say as much." Sneers responded with a slightly frustrated sigh; reaching a hand up and rubbing at the back of his head for a few seconds. His thoughts went over the respective meetings for a moment or two, taking into consideration everything he'd seen or heard on both sides of the 'fight' before giving his thoughts, "Hey, for whatever it counts? She said she wasn't mad at you. So, whatever happened, I think you two should at least try and patch things up instead of avoiding each other."

Following this, Sneers held both hands up about halfway while shrugging his shoulders and noting, "But, hey, what do I know? I've only known the two of you for most of your lives."

The final comment caused Longshot to let out an amused scoff, as a faint smirk played at the corner of his lips. Thing is? The guy was right. Nothing was going to change if he kept avoiding talking with Smellerbee about what took place. It didn't exactly meant that everything would be patched up after said meeting, of course, but at least facing the situation would be better then just running from it. And he knew this, but it helped to hear it from another person that knew them. Giving an understanding and appreciative nod to the other foreign visitor to the Fire Nation, the young man turned and started on a steady path toward the courtyard to see if their leader was still anywhere to be found.

As the silent marksman left the scene, The Duke had finally come walking past this particular hallway; missing out on the conversation but being able to ascertain that whatever the pair were talking about had been on the heavy side. While Sneers eventually turned and walked down the opposite end as Longshot, he noticed the teenaged member coming down the other end.

The pair nodded at each other in greeting, with The Duke simply inquiring, "Drama?"

With a faint scoffing sound, Sneers responded, "Drama."

Little else needed to be said at the moment, with The Duke nodding in acknowledgement as they walked passed each other in a fairly casual manner; exchanging that bit of 'water-well talk' before going about their respective business.
 
A grin spread across Toph's face at the Duke's comment on her own demeanor, standing at the side of the table for a moment as she listened to his chair shift. "Bodyguard? I'm not sure who's going to be protecting who more in that case."

She laughed slightly with that, only for it to halt as a second set of footsteps approached. Who was-

Her heart jumped into her throat as he spoke, Toph recognizing the sound of his words with just a few syllables. Kurzen... He- he was back... She nodded at his need to see Zuko, a faint smile coming to her lips. "Y-Yeah. Okay."

The happiness she felt managed to jump another level as the meeting was put on hold due to other matters, her head shaking as he inquired on interrupting. ?No, not at all. We were just going to go for a little walk, but..." she trailed off, a blush managing to find its way to her cheeks as he spoke of her dress.

So he did like it.

Her head turned slightly in The Duke's direction as he brought up his rounds, a confused look coming to her face. "But... you said..."

*Oh duh.
He's giving you-
Take it, idiot. *

"Um. Sure. A different time, I guess." An awkward smile came to her face, her hand raising to run against the back of her neck as she listened to The Duke leave, she and Kurzen left to themselves. "So."

*You've been thinking about him nonstop for how long and all you say is SO?! You moron!!*

"Since I'm not getting that walk with The Duke, maybe.. you could come with me instead?"
 
Kurzen nodded to The Duke in return as he headed off, leaving the General and Toph alone. He hadn't wished the man to leave, but he was admittedly thankful when he did. It had been a while since Kurzen had any time to speak to Toph, and it would have been awkward to drop the military formality with too many others around. When The Duke was finally gone, Kurzen returned his gaze to Toph, smiling lightly.

"Since I'm not getting that walk with The Duke, maybe.. you could come with me instead?"

"I'd like that." He replied, reaching out to grasp the Earthbender's hand to help her up out of her seat. "I could use a few minutes to not be General Kurzen and just be... Kurzen."

As they exited the dining hall, Kurzen glanced around the palace, sighing softly as it was his first time back since Azula's escape, and already it reminded him of that night. If only he had been stronger, he could have stopped her... Maybe even Mai would be still alive. There was no use blaming himself for things he had no control over, but it was hard not to wish things had a different outcome.

"Tell me something about yourself..." He finally spoke up, looking over to the Earthbender queen. He needed to get his mind off of those other things, and what better way to do it than to learn about this fascinating woman. "I've never met anyone as interesting as you... or as beautiful..." He ended with a smirk, though she wouldn't see it, she could likely detect it in his voice...
 
Smellerbee

The sun had risen high in the sky, declaring the time to be closer to afternoon than morning, during her time in the foreign forest. By the time she had traced her steps back to the Fire Nation Palace, the Freedom Fighter was openly glaring at the blazing orb. She’d been told that it was warmer down at the base of the dormant volcano and that this sort of thing, being halfway through spring, was nothing compared to the heat of summer, but Bee was hoping damn well that this whole bullshit with Azula was over with before she could find the truth in that speculation for herself. This sort of heat was something she identified with the summers of home and, more often than not, she had the blessed relief of enormous, ancient trees giving her shade. Fire Nation architecture was so damn open, with their large courtyards and various doorways that actually held no doors to speak of, and personally she wasn’t sure if that made the heat easier to bear, or just intensified the problem. Either way, as she finally made her way into the palace’s outer courtyard, she was wishing she for everything from shorter hair to the ability to shed layers in an attempt to lessen the sweat that was currently making her damp in less than breezy places. Puberty had put a permanent stop to that going without a shirt option, so she settled for compromise on at least one matter and was busy binding her hair in a loose knot at the back of her skull when a familiar voice called out to her, along with the owner of said voice quickly closing the distance between them, a wide grin on his young features.

“Bee! There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. Umm, I take it, now that you’re back, you’ve forgiven Lon…”

Her mouth happened to have been filled with a leather thong that she was holding for the hair that her hands happened to be occupied with. She wasn’t really capable of getting a person to drop a subject in her usual overly thorough manner. Nor was she half as effective at the withering glare the way Longshot was. She’d had it turned on her a couple of times when they were kids and she knew it was nothing she’d like to be on the receiving end of again. Yet, she did well enough to make her fellow Freedom Fighter shut his mouth and glance around in a fit of nervousness for a couple of moments. It was long enough for her to get her hair pulled out of the way at least. Air touched the back of her neck for the first time in what felt like forever and, while not exactly cool, it was refreshing enough to cool the irritation that had arisen at the almost mention of a certain silent archer. She may not be mad at her friend and nearly almost committed to at least apologizing to him for her outburst, but it was rather annoying that it seemed like everyone under her command were secretly major busybodies.

“Right. None of my business. Sorry. Anyways, you’re up. ... You’re ..ok, right?”

The sudden change in tone, coupled with absolute wealth of concern on his face almost had her snapping at the young man to mind his own business. Then she noticed his gaze was less on her and more on her hand, which was a rather mottled purple and blue on one side thanks to her rather exceptional attempt at intimidation earlier that day with Sneers. It hurt some, but mostly it was just warm like bruises tended to be. Hell, she’d nearly forgotten about it until now. Granted, she had just been spending the past forever contemplating her life, her best friend, and how absolutely fucked up she had grown up to be. A bruised hand was beyond trivial in comparison. Of course, instead of just saying all or even any of that, the brunette just sighed and shook her head as she held up the injured hand and flexed it to show that she wasn’t even slightly out of commission.

“It looks worse than it is. Go on, Loto, get some food and rest already.”

She couldn’t blame him for the look of relief that suffused his features before they transformed into a rather goofy grin as he ran off towards the palace proper. The Freedom Fighters were well used to keeping up with guard duty and patrols, depending on the need, and the senior members were even used to the ever tense feeling of expecting a battle at any moment, but this was unfamiliar ground they were protecting. It was difficult to keep up the feeling of duty when you weren’t even trying to look out for your home. Everyone had their little hang-ups, but that much she knew they all had in common. For her part, she couldn’t stand the open air that surrounded her the moment she stepped onto the battlements in order to seek out the empty post she’d be replacing Loto to watch. It wasn’t that she had a problem with heights, in fact the idea was rather laughable, but standing on top of a wall in an effort to spot any sort of incoming invading forces felt too much like she was leaving herself open. In fact, that was exactly what she was doing. Any archer worth their salt could kill her before she’d ever even have time to sound an alarm. Give her the camouflage and safety of her home any day.

Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time, once she’d reached her post, that her thoughts turned from the safe and comforting matters of homesickness and battle tactics to things that were far less comfortable to linger on. Hadn’t she just moped her heart a bit ago? She’d filled her quota of personal time for the next couple of years, so she should be able to go one hour without running over the why’s and how’s and what if’s and what was she gonna do’s like a normal person. Yet, here she was. Smellerbee might’ve fond an easy way to avoid the matter right now, but, even if she tried to avoid the guy, she was still going to have to apologize to Longshot. Not that she had any problem with apologizing. She did rather rarely, but when she knew she was wrong and regretted her actions she did do it. It was just that she didn’t trust him to leave it at that and frankly, the way she’d been feeling today, she didn’t quite trust herself to shut up about her scars either. Reluctantly, she had to admit that she wanted to tell someone, had always wanted to tell someone, but never really had. Even when she’d been known as Bai, and everyone she had ever known in her short life knew the truth of her face, she’d never said anything. Scowling, she was roughly rubbing at a wet eye when she became distinctly aware of an approaching presence. Longshot was moving as she was rather capable of herself, but she had nearly always been able to tell when he was around.

“Stop.”

If she was going to talk, and she knew she was going to have to, it was going to be on her terms. Which meant that he was going to be kept at enough distance so that there would be no sympathetic touches of his hand, companionable embraces, or meaningful nudges. She wasn’t even going to bother to turn around and look at him, now that she thought about it. If he spoke, that was up to him, she’d deal with it somehow, but his eyes could say too damn much and if she got all distracted, well it’d probably take until the next full moon until she got the courage to say any of what she wanted, much less admit to wanting to say those things. At least the first part was rather easy to get out.

“I’m sorry. You didn’t…” But then she got to explaining and the woman hit a snag, nerves making her doubt if she had the right words. “There are things just don’t know so…” A sigh of distinct irritation escaped from her lips before just plowing into the next part. “Freaking out like that didn’t really help. I’ve already talked to a couple of the guys. So I know it’s the latest talk. Damn blabbermouths, like they got nothing better to do. And, I’m guessing, it’s too much to ask that you just drop it so we can go on with our lives.”

A few beats of silence. Maybe he was speaking to her with those commanding brown eyes of his and maybe he wasn’t. She almost turned around to find out. Even during the worst moments between them, she’d never ignored his talkative body actions before. It felt weird to be without them now and not in a good way. Before she could give into temptation, Bee quickly rushed out with the next batch of words, not really paying too much to what she was saying, but it was better than nothing.

“I was pretty once, believe it or not. I don’t really remember what I looked like anymore, but, as many times as they told me I was stupid, among other things, they still said I was pretty. Not that I think I was an artist’s dream or anything like that, because I wasn’t. Just..” A short burst mirth, tinged with the bitterness of memories cut her off from the little ramble she’d begun to indulge in. Just like she didn’t remember what she had looked like, she actually didn’t remember most of what had been said. It was a small shock to her to realize that, over the years, time had done a lot to dull the painful little world she’d lived in back then, until all she was left with were vague recollections of her birthplace spotted with sharp details. Even the memories of her mother and Granny, while much clearer than everything else, still had some fuzziness about them. Still, she remembered enough to finish her statement. “..exotic.”

A sardonic smile tugged at the corner of her lips at that word. It was a term that she’d never been sure was meant to be good or bad. Certainly no one she’d ever been fond of had used it towards her and, with what she did remember for certain, she rather doubted it had had any pleasant connotations for her. Her mother had been despised for her profession, not that it seemed to be enough to keep any regular customers from her door, but it had seemed that her father, whoever he had been, was disliked just for being an outsider. Her unique combination of skin, hair, and eyes had probably put them in mind of that. Heaving another sigh, she suddenly whirled around, her eyes bright with a resolved intent as she held up her injured hand.

“Right. This is because I was an idiot earlier today.”

She was in for a copper coin, too late to stop now. Pulling aside the collar of her outer shirt, her fingers grazed the newly formed pale line that graced the skin under her collarbone. “This was from the battle here.”

Turning around once more, she motioned in general to the vast expanse of her back, She probably would’ve pulled off her shirt, with the suddenly spirited mood she was in, to show the lash marks that had been her secret pride so many years ago, but it was the knowledge of the wrappings that covered most of her torso, instead of modesty, that kept her from trying it. “These are from the guards on the prison ship.”

She was speaking faster now, not even bothering to wait until she was fully facing forward again before her left hand ran over the side that had disabled her, kept her in fever for the longest days of her life as they carted the prisoners to that accursed iron ship. “This is from my capture.”

Tugging at the right leg of her pants, she balanced only a little awkwardly when showing off the rather large, but nearly invisible starburst at the base of her right knee. “This is from falling on a knife.”

A good bit of her enthusiasm was lost then. That time, running from the fire and her previous life, only to choose that time to be stupid and clumsy and fall on what had been her only means of escape, it was too close to the part of her she’d tried so hard to bury. Avoiding her friend’s gaze, she half-heartedly shrugged. “I have more scars than I can count from fighting the Fire Nation or training to fight the Fire Nation. And...”

She turned away as her mouth snapped shut. Taking a couple of steps, she pressed against the small stone wall, meant to keep idiots from idly walking their way too a broken neck, taking comfort in solidness of it. If she had been born an airbender, she would’ve flown away, then and there. Only then she’d probably definitely hurl, instead of just merely feeling like she was about to be sick. Taking a few unsteady breaths, she gripped the rock as she mentally screamed at herself to just get it over and done with already. If she thought her friend wouldn’t leave her alone before, there was no way in this or the Spirit World that he’d just let her say all this bullshit and not get a point out of it. When she spoke, it was with a slight tremor, but she made herself get every word out as her hands reached up to cover her branded cheeks. “This was my mother disagreeing with them.” The secret out, her voice became soft and mumbled, and ultimately nonchalant, as she waited for the fallout of her actions. “So now you know.”
 
Longshot

Seeking out Smellerbee's general location hadn't proven terribly difficult, as there were a couple of people, both Freedom Fighter and Palace guard alike, which seemed to recognize who he was looking for and kept him pointed in the right direction. From there, his eyes eventually did the rest, as he finally caught sight of the familiar figure. While eager to speak with her again, Longshot did find his feet growing heavier, with every step seeming harder to get out then the last. He knew she wouldn't hold a grudge, but there remained that lingering feel of guilt over whatever hidden memories or secret emotions his earlier comments may have spurred in the girl.

Still, his feet continued, closing the gap between the pair as he started to reach out a hand, only to be halted with a single word on her part. It confused him at first, yet it didn't take long for the silent marksman to grasp at why she stopped him, and simply lowered his arm to stand there in silence for the time being. He waited, patiently, as Smellerbee started to speak before hitting a snag, only to continue silently standing at attention until she managed speaking up once more. Despite the mood of the encounter, Longshot couldn't keep from giving an understanding smirk after her comment about the gossipers in this place. You would think that with the threat of war looming over their heads that they'd have more interesting things to talk about.

At the same time, her rhetorical comment about it being too much to ask for him to let their earlier fight drop quickly shook the dark-haired man out of brief bout of levity he may have felt. It would be nice, to let things drop and simply go back to their comparatively more carefree friendship. When you first join a group like theirs, filled with kids and teens looking for a fresh start, it's natural to feel curious about each others past. But you do learn, over time, to respect one another's wishes for secrecy about their history. In their case, however, it seemed that their friendship had taken a turn where such secrets would only prove cumbersome. And while Longshot would gladly accept silence on the subject if she so desired, it seemed they both knew that from here there would always be that nagging unanswered question between them.

Perhaps it was because of this that Longshot remained quiet for now. Instead letting Smellerbee speak freely, to say what she felt comfortable with of her past, and see wherever things may go from here. The past tense reference to her beauty didn't surprise him, yet left the young man more then a little full of remorse; as shown in the slight lowering of his head, his eyes similarly lowering their gaze while lamenting on the personal image problems of his long cherished friend. She perhaps wasn't 'cute' in the traditional sense held my most people, but she was always someone he found attractive in her own way. With the faint hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips, Longshot mused that 'exotic' may have been a fitting enough word; even if she perhaps hadn't taken the wording to heart.

When she finally turned to face her fellow Freedom Fighter, Longshot tried to refrain from letting his expressive eyes intrude on what she was trying to get across, even if one look into them made it clear that the young woman had long since captured his undivided attention. His gaze followed as she held up her injured hand; displaying the fresh wound which decorated her flesh. She then moved onward, traveling further back in the history of her injuries, to the battle they took part in just a month ago. It then skipped even further, hitting upon wounds which Longshot himself felt guilt for, due to being incapable of protecting her from capture following the fall of Ba Sing Se.

Those were harder for him to stand there through, largely due to said guilt, a guilt which kept him from facing Smellerbee for a good while after she was freed. He did make sure that she was alive and in one piece afterward, but it was years until Longshot managed to work up the courage to see her again. It was a little difficult for him to maintain focus as she moved beyond the scars originated from that era, and even harder for the young man to keep himself from displaying said guilt, as he bit back those emotions while Smellerbee's map of her body's history took them to the days of Jet's Freedom Fighters. Even without their shared history helping him to narrow down when they'd get to the real, he could tell by her demeanor, at the way she breathed and subtly moved, that she was mustering up courage she perhaps hadn't thought possible of to put it all out there for him.

“This was my mother disagreeing with them.”

The young man's eyes followed the lengths of her fingers as they slid up in order to cover the scars on her face, his eyes widening a bit and that normally casual grasp on the bow's strap around his shoulder tightening as understanding swept throughout his very being; emoting an understandable display of surprise at this revelation. For a while, his gaze seemed fixed on her features, yet weren't necessarily staring at them for a better look at the markings. Rather, they seemed focused on the woman herself, as she seemed nonchalant in the wake of her unveiled secret, while Longshot knew better then to take this at either figurative or literal face value.

“So now you know.”

There was a subtle, yet notable change in his features following the initial shock of her confession. A slight pull at his lips, a change in the gaze of his eyes as he followed the faint outlines of the scars which lingered on her face. However, while the revelation of who marred her face was indeed startling, it wasn't so much an expression filled with shock or even confusion. More so, it was a look of understanding, of clarity in his eyes from finally hearing the truth. He couldn't fully comprehend or relate on how she felt. Not without experiencing the life she did from her viewpoint and with such a lingering heartache in the back of her mind. But he had a better understanding, if nothing else, about the girl whom he knew so well yet always kept parts of herself protected from even his own ears.

"Smellerbee?" He finally spoke, lifting a hand and placing it over her own, joining it in cupping her cheek as he tilted his head just a bit while correcting an earlier mistake, "You never stopped being pretty."

His eyes showed sympathy, yes, but more then this they an appreciation for her having shared this with another person at long last. More so, for having trusted him enough to have picked himself as the one to share with. Fact is, she never needed to have worried for so long about keeping away the truth behind those scars. Not with him. Smellerbee was who she was. She could keep all of the secrets she wanted, but Longshot knew her better then most. Perhaps better then anyone living. And while this may indeed cause him to look at her from an enlightened point of view, with a friendship that may forever be changed, it didn't necessarily mean things had to take a turn for the worse.
 
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