Post by zara on Dec 19, 2005 23:45:26 GMT -5
Always vigilant, willing to fight
"Extinguish the Fire!" our battle cry,
Until balance restored, the world at peace
No longer gives us reason to be
Pirates who steal from those who would crush
The innocents of the world to dust.
If death captures us, let its glory come.
Until then we carry the battle on.
Battle Cry of the Tanryoku by Captain Zara
---------
She was tense, her dark brown eyes scanning for any signs of trouble. Her companion was just as wary, a trait garnared from years of dodging Fire Nation soldiers. The fact they had gotten their stolen cargo this far was a miracle in itself. But both Zara and her first mate, Musashi, believed a person made their own miracles. They hadn't lived a combined 64 years without careful planning and careful execution of those plans.
They stopped their small horse-drawn cart in the woods just outside Tachi Dai. It was dark, the moon and stars unable to pierce the canopy of the trees with their light. The darkness mirrored the dispair that once shrouded the town, but it's people were strong, slowly rebuilding what the Fire Nation had destroyed.
It was fortunate the Fire Nation considered Tachi Dai subdued, a place unworthy of their continued efforts. Maybe they would continue to make that mistake, making life a little easier for Zara and her pirate crew.
"You will be great once again, Tachi Dai," Zara vowed silently as she and Musashi waited. They didn't have to wait long.
Another small cart came seemingly out of nowhere toward them, the chestnut mare pulling it snorting softly. Both Zara and Musashi were ready to draw their weapons, never at ease until sure of what they were confronted with.
The wagon stopped, and Zara could finally identify the wagon master. "You two are as vigilant as ever, I see," the earth bender said softly as he deftly jumped off his cart.
"Jai, you old dog," Zara teased, just as softly, not wanting to draw undue attention. "Nice to see you again." Even as she spoke, she and Musashi started to deftly unload their cargo, Jai helping reload it onto his cart.
"I am neither old, nor am I a dog," Jai replied, mock hurt in his voice. "You wound me."
"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up," Zara grinned, no malice in her voice, only fondness for the freedom-fighter. Jai's small stature belied his toughness, swiftness and intelligence, all traits that made him a top courier for the Earth Nation Army.
Zara saw Jai's eyes widen a split second before she heard Musashi curse. She whirled around to see him barely holding on to one of the barrels of blasting jelly they had stolen from the Fire Nation. She moved swiftly to help him.
"Are you TRYING to get us killed?" Zara hissed.
“Of course not,” he hissed back. “It just slipped.”
Zara rolled her eyes. “Oh, it just slipped," she mocked. "It's just blasting jelly. That’s all.”
"You two should have been brother and sister the way you argue," Jai said amused.
"We would have killed each other by now," Musashi muttered, running a hand through his long, jet black hair as he earned a glare from Zara.
"Less talk, more work," she grumbled, but it had a rather relieved and amused tone to it. They were silent as they finished their transfer of goods.
“Thanks again, Zara, Musashi," Jai said as he got back on his cart. Many in the Earth Nation Army speak fondly of you and the rest of your crew."
“You’re welcome, Jai,” Zara said, a twinkle in her eye. “But you know you owe us, right?”
Jai grinned. “My wife has supper cooked and a wonderful place to hide you. Now get out of here before we get caught.”
Zara nodded. “Be safe, Jai.”
“You too, Zara, Musashi. You too.”
"Extinguish the Fire!" our battle cry,
Until balance restored, the world at peace
No longer gives us reason to be
Pirates who steal from those who would crush
The innocents of the world to dust.
If death captures us, let its glory come.
Until then we carry the battle on.
Battle Cry of the Tanryoku by Captain Zara
---------
She was tense, her dark brown eyes scanning for any signs of trouble. Her companion was just as wary, a trait garnared from years of dodging Fire Nation soldiers. The fact they had gotten their stolen cargo this far was a miracle in itself. But both Zara and her first mate, Musashi, believed a person made their own miracles. They hadn't lived a combined 64 years without careful planning and careful execution of those plans.
They stopped their small horse-drawn cart in the woods just outside Tachi Dai. It was dark, the moon and stars unable to pierce the canopy of the trees with their light. The darkness mirrored the dispair that once shrouded the town, but it's people were strong, slowly rebuilding what the Fire Nation had destroyed.
It was fortunate the Fire Nation considered Tachi Dai subdued, a place unworthy of their continued efforts. Maybe they would continue to make that mistake, making life a little easier for Zara and her pirate crew.
"You will be great once again, Tachi Dai," Zara vowed silently as she and Musashi waited. They didn't have to wait long.
Another small cart came seemingly out of nowhere toward them, the chestnut mare pulling it snorting softly. Both Zara and Musashi were ready to draw their weapons, never at ease until sure of what they were confronted with.
The wagon stopped, and Zara could finally identify the wagon master. "You two are as vigilant as ever, I see," the earth bender said softly as he deftly jumped off his cart.
"Jai, you old dog," Zara teased, just as softly, not wanting to draw undue attention. "Nice to see you again." Even as she spoke, she and Musashi started to deftly unload their cargo, Jai helping reload it onto his cart.
"I am neither old, nor am I a dog," Jai replied, mock hurt in his voice. "You wound me."
"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up," Zara grinned, no malice in her voice, only fondness for the freedom-fighter. Jai's small stature belied his toughness, swiftness and intelligence, all traits that made him a top courier for the Earth Nation Army.
Zara saw Jai's eyes widen a split second before she heard Musashi curse. She whirled around to see him barely holding on to one of the barrels of blasting jelly they had stolen from the Fire Nation. She moved swiftly to help him.
"Are you TRYING to get us killed?" Zara hissed.
“Of course not,” he hissed back. “It just slipped.”
Zara rolled her eyes. “Oh, it just slipped," she mocked. "It's just blasting jelly. That’s all.”
"You two should have been brother and sister the way you argue," Jai said amused.
"We would have killed each other by now," Musashi muttered, running a hand through his long, jet black hair as he earned a glare from Zara.
"Less talk, more work," she grumbled, but it had a rather relieved and amused tone to it. They were silent as they finished their transfer of goods.
“Thanks again, Zara, Musashi," Jai said as he got back on his cart. Many in the Earth Nation Army speak fondly of you and the rest of your crew."
“You’re welcome, Jai,” Zara said, a twinkle in her eye. “But you know you owe us, right?”
Jai grinned. “My wife has supper cooked and a wonderful place to hide you. Now get out of here before we get caught.”
Zara nodded. “Be safe, Jai.”
“You too, Zara, Musashi. You too.”