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Post by gandalan on Apr 2, 2008 7:37:30 GMT -5
The encampment was certainly just a camp- two sleeping bags hidden under a rock alongside a river in a ravine. Hibiki made his way down without falling (miraculously), and was able to get to the bottom in one piece. There was a small fire which had a pot over it, which apparently contained dinner. He stared at the pot, trying to imagine what wonderful concoction was inside, before he was interrupted by a yelp.
"Jin-! Jin-! Hey-!! Get-! Down, boy-! DOWWNNN-!" The boy was being set on by the dog, who had happily jumped on him. Hibiki was glad that the dog had chosen to not jump on him. He probably would have been broken in two. He gulped, and noticed that the boy looked at him strangely- of course he would. He probably wasn't expecting company. What was his name? Reed, Reed, right... Hibiki was still quite worried that the stew might disappear. "Jin! Ah, why ya got to do that???"The boy got up, and shook his hair out, much like a dog might. Hibiki sighed, and sat down crosslegged on the ground a ways away from the fire, looking at the stew. Oh, it must be wonderful...
"Well, I'm just gonna let you start, Jia, cause I don't know where to begin." They were gonna talk before they had dinner? Aw man... Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly, and Hibiki blushed sheepishly.
"S-sorry..."
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 2, 2008 15:29:26 GMT -5
Jialing rose to her feet, unphased by Reed's sudden disappearance as the nearly 150+ pound dog tackled him to the ground. She dusted off her knees and shook the dirt from her hands, even as Reed's yells and yelps were punctuated by the vivid soundtrack of a dog's furious licks and whines.
She sighed heavily and glanced down at her partners, Jin finally leaping off Reed but not without a large and heavy paw to the bladder. She gave him a smirk, her smiling eyes giving approval to Jin, the golden dog. Her hand fiddled with her arm wraps, undoing a full wraps before pulling it tighter and tucking the loose end back in under her wrist. Her eyes followed Reed as he glanced to the boy, then away from them and back to the fire where a small cast iron kettle was nestled. A rare smile was given to Reed's back, one he couldn't see as she fiddled with her other arm-wrap.
"Well.. Ah..." Her muddy eyes glanced towards the boy as he apologized for his stomach and the smile disappeared immediately, replaced by a rolling of her eyes. "I picked the kid up so he can give us some digs on the village." She swung her arms down and stalked towards the fire, approaching Reed from behind. Her hand lifted upwards as she passed him, her palm smacking the back of his head but she let her fingers drag through his now-jaw length hair. The young woman turned, her chin down as she looked up at him through dark eyelashes. "Cause.. ya know the Rebellion ain't going to let us do anything on our own, Reed." She leaned forward as bit, her hands behind her and extended over the fire. "..I think we should free that town." The subtle and playful undertones of her voice vanished as she lifted her head and glanced towards the kid, nodding at him with a sense of authority. "Feed yourself if your hungry."
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Post by reed on Apr 2, 2008 17:29:18 GMT -5
Reed flipped the strands of hair that Jialing had unintentionally, or intentionally (since at this point he wasn't sure) pushed forward covering his eyes. He smiled a crooked grin in response as she continued to speak. It was true that the Rebellion wouldn’t allow them to go do something THAT big. And at most they would be back up or take care of something smaller.
Reed grabbed a bag or dried meat and pulled out a large chunk. He looked to the golden dog as it wagged its tail at high speed. “Up high, Jin.” Reed said as he tossed it up. Jin leapt up and caught it in his teeth. Reed smirked and walked to fill the bowls with food. “…..I think we should free that town.” He looked up from the bowl he was filling and paused. “Oh, HELL, yeah.” Reed said emphasizing each word.
The kid’s stomach growled and Reed nodded as he got up and went to grab the bowls. At Jia’s cue to the kid to get some grub, Reed passed him a bowl of stew. The boys hand, and whole body for that matter, was small and really, really fragile by the look of it; Lack of nourishment for sure. Probably just ate moldy rice or something since he was born. Reed sighed and plopped a spoon into the bowl. “What’s your name, kid?” He asked filling and passing a bowl to Jia.
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Post by gandalan on Apr 2, 2008 21:50:14 GMT -5
The two of them seemed to know each other well. Well, make that the three of them- Jin certainly had his own personality to take into account. The two of them then began talking to each other, save the glare that Jia gave Hibiki. Hibiki cringed, not really knowing what to do. He didn't know what he was to these people. They hadn't really tried to talk to him at all. Except when Jia had asked for his name. And when Jin had given him a balance. That was about as talkative as one expected a dog to be.
Jia talked about him like he wasn't there, almost like the fire nation soldiers talked about him. Rescuer or not, he'd decided that he didn't like her much. She just wasn't nice to him, really, and the only reason she'd really rescued him, apparently, was to get some information on the town so that the Rebellion could free the town- and that wasn't even for the sake of the town! That was for brownie points. The thoughts swirled around till they made him sad again. He sat glumly, waiting for whatever. Then, a bit of kindness at last.
The boy, Reed, gave him some stew, and a spoon. Though the next question was the same as the one Jia had asked, the simple tone of the question seemed nicer to Hibiki. Or maybe it wasn't, and he was just angry at Jia. He didn't know or care.
"H-Hibiki, sir," he said, stuttering. He took a gulp of stew, before going at it like a wild animal. He'd hadn't tasted something so good in four years... and he hadn't eaten this well... even just one bowl full... in so long...
When he was done (a VERY short time later), he was not NEARLY full, but he didn't entertain any chances of a second bowl. He sat the bowl down in front of himself, and stuttered out a thanks. "Th-thank you, s-sir..."
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 3, 2008 1:04:51 GMT -5
She took the warm bowl in her hands, the carved wooden bowls and spoons one of the they had splurged on when setting out onto mis-adventure. Rather than use a spoon, she lifted it straight to her mouth and tilted her head back, turning on her heel away from the boys and walking towards a log they had dragged next to their fire. She kept her dark eyes on the two, lowering the bowl from her face as she sat, kicking her legs out and crossing them at the heel. Jin stayed near the boys, his long tail wagging gently back and forth as he chewed on the beef jerky near them. He kept looking at the stranger, assessing his worth to the group like any good dog plotting to take over the world would.
Jia meanwhile held her bowl just under her chin, lifting a brow of curiousity as she listened to Reed ask the kid his name. He always was the friendlier of the two.. He could deal with people while she shot things. But damn.... that kid practically drank the stew! And it was THICK stew today! ...A second bowl would probably do him good.. but only if he slowed down or else he'd barf it all up. She continued to stare.. snickering with a playful glance towards Reed when he was addressed as 'Sir'. "Sir?! Ha!" She exclaimed with a bright voice.
Jin rolled his eyes at her.
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Post by reed on Apr 3, 2008 1:23:18 GMT -5
Reed laughed in a mocking sense toward Jia. “Uh huh, that’s right, laugh it up, Jia.” Reed actually started to laugh a real laugh before coughing and saying, “Seriously; don’t call me ‘Sir’,” to Hibiki. Reed ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head, “Now I feel old! And I’m not even old enough to say that!” Reed scooped himself a bowl and started to eat it. He noticed the kid, or rather Hibiki, and bumped his shoulder with Hibiki’s motioning to the pot. “Come on kid, it’s not like anyone’s gonna stop ya,” Reed chuckled. This kid acted more like a ‘sir’ than he did.
“So about this town. Enslaved, yes? And we have you,” He pointed to Hibiki, “to tell us and the rebellion about it.” Reed tossed his bowl over to where Jin was sitting. Giant dog = Easy clean-up. Reed leaned back against a rock and folded his arms behind his head. Reed stretched. “So, how ‘bout we take the rest of the day off and think about it tomorrow?”
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Post by gandalan on Apr 3, 2008 12:22:39 GMT -5
Hibiki was amazed that they would let him have another bowl. The words were barely out of Reed's mouth that he grabbed the pot and scooped himself up another heaping bowl of stew, nearly overfilling it. He tasted some more of the stew. It was SO good. The meat was REALLY meat, not old, disgusting, rotting meat that the soldiers didn't want to eat. The food itself was also very nourishing. Hibiki was still eating it very quickly, although not so quickly as before. He finished his second bowl just as Reed was saying that they should wait until tomorrow to discuss things. Hibiki was feeling revived by the food, and would have liked to tell them what was going on right there... but he felt somewhat certain that they would want to rest instead.
He got up, and got himself a third bowl of the food, because he still wasn't really full. He was so hungry. He just CRAVED it. The food was his reason to live at that moment in time. It gave him strength he hadn't had in a long time. He was about halfway through when the sun set, and night began to fall. He hadn't seen the night sky, or the sun for that matter, in a long time. It was nice to look at... he looked up at the sky, as the moon and the stars began to come into view. It was beautiful... he couldn't believe how nice it looked from here. He sat down his bowl next to Jin for him to lick out, as Reed had, and simply looked up at it. He lay down, putting his hands behind his head as he looked up, and he simply looked up through a small clearing in the trees at the sky. He hadn't seen it in so long... he wondered if Rin appreciated it as much as he did, or if they still took this for granted. Thoughts about Rin turned his thoughts to his friend Arai, and his mother, and a few tears ran down his cheeks, though he didn't cry. He was worried about them. What if the rebels wouldn't come save them? Then what was he supposed to do? How could he help them? He wondered, but eventually the wondering took him to sleep.
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 4, 2008 19:32:40 GMT -5
Her eyes shifted from the boy to Reed, and she quirked an eyebrow as Reed just brushed stuff off and said that they'd discuss it tomorrow. What the hell, boy? She lowered her eyeslids and pursed her lips, making that "Pfft!" Sound at his comments. She stirred her bowl of stew with the wooden spoon, listening to Jin behind them licking the wooden bowl wildly. Her eyes flickered to the teeth marks in the side of their wooden bowls. For Spirit's sakes these were only a month's old..!
Jia rolled her eyes, letting her teeth show through her slightly parted lips as she sighed. She glanced down at the stew in her bowl, the chunks of dried chicken-pig floating around the herbs and vegtables. Next time they go into town.. Pick up bread, she made a mental note. Tapping her fingers against the side of the warm bowl, she leaned forward. Her knees were pressed together, providing support for her elbows as she held the bowl against her cheek. She glanced across the fire to Reed who had stretched out along side the fire wiith his hands and head on a rock. Really now? Glancing back to the young boy who was hoovering the stew, she paused for a moment and then glanced back to Reed, speaking softly and low, under the crackle of the fire. "..I hope not all of them are as bad off as he is, Reed.. That's just.. sad."
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Post by reed on Apr 4, 2008 21:48:13 GMT -5
Reed watched as the boy, in a way, copied what he did. Reed's eyes set back onto the fire. It's been a while since someone else was here along side them. The team had always consisted of Reed, Jialing, and Jin. That's who they were. Reed peered out from the corner of his eye to Hibiki. He saw him start to tear up, and then moved his gaze back to a burning log. How many more were there? How many more kids his age or even younger were being treated like this?
"..I hope not all of them are as bad off as he is, Reed.. That's just.. sad." Reed looked up to Jialing. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, there was worry and concern written into her expression. “Jia, I-” Reed started before noticing how Hibiki adjusted to the volume of his voice in his sleep. Reed held up his index finger and slowly got up and moved over to Jia. He settled on the ground by her, her knees at his shoulder. He looked up at her. “Jia, don’t think I wasn’t thinking the same thing the minute you guys walked into camp,” He started in a hushed tone., “I just really didn’t want to rush him into telling us about …everything that happened while he was in that place. I thought he’d be more willing and comfortable to talk if he didn’t think you just brought him along as a piece of evidence.”
Reed kept his gaze low, “I mean, not that I haven’t heard of things like this before, but I’ve never actually witnessed something so....!..You know what I mean,” he said looking to Hibiki once more before turning to Jialing.
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 5, 2008 0:26:45 GMT -5
She recoiled back a bit from Reed, lifting her bowl up to her lips as she listened to Reed talk to her. Her eyes closed as she lifted the bowl to her lips again and took another large gulp of the soup. Then she sighed heavily and lowered the bowl from her lips. She stuck her lower lip out at Reed and narrowed her eyes at him, setting her eyebrows close together. "Do you really think I'm that heartless?" She leaned forward and set her bowl down near her feet as Jin crept close along the ground, grasping it in his teeth. She stayed foreward, crossing her arms across her knees. She glanced over to the sleeping boy and then back to Reed. "I didn't have this planned.. I just.. saw the kid! He looks like he's about to fall over and go into convulsions. What else could I do?" She narrowed her eyes at Reed again, turning her lips down into a frown.
"..yeah he's evidence.. but the Rebellion'd get more support if they did more for the little guy. Omashu doesn't need help.. it's the villages that do.."
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Post by reed on Apr 5, 2008 0:58:32 GMT -5
"I'm not blaming you...!" He said pinching the bridge of his nose, "Or calling you heartless, I'm just trying to make a point... Well, not really a point but like... " He had lost the word, "....a statement.. or.... something......"He exhaled sharply, "...There must be dozens of people down there doing the same thing he was, being in the condition as well...."
Reed kind of zoned out after that. How could they be arguing about this? How was he made the bad guy? Were they even arguing? Now he was confused out of his mind. This always happened. No matter what they could always find SOMETHING to fight about. Reed glared at the rock in front of him. Jia had a point; the villages needed more help than anything. It was the basic divide and conquer, and the Fire Nation had succeeded. Reed was at at loss. He never was a good leader or strategist or whatever you would call it, what was he suppose to do for this kid? He sighed.
".......So, what do you purpose we should do?"
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 5, 2008 1:34:13 GMT -5
Jialing smirked at him as he grabbed his nose and started protesting. Yes, she could turn the tables around whichever way she pleased sometimes. She let her hands fall from her knees, down to her ankles, now bent in half with her cheek resting on her knee. She stared at Reed with her dark eyes, wrinkling her nose in thought. "I dunno, Reed... I dunno." An honest answer instead of one that was snarky or somewhat humorous. She had become more comfortable with him in the past few months since their first meeting. Of course she still liked to hold his debt against him.. when really she owed him, but had nearly forgiven it. "..But.. we gotta do something." She reached out with one of her hands and for a moment grabbed his calloused hand in hers, pulling it away from his nose before taking her hand back.
She sighed heavily and sat up.. running her hands over the tops of her thighs to warm them up some more. Oh She'd be sore tomorrow.. very sore. She would NOT be a happy camper.."Oy! Boy.. Hibiki.. whatever your name is.." She called out to him, the bite coming back into her voice as she stirred him. Lifting a hand, the woman pointed towards the outcropping of rock near by. A giant slab that had fallen from the mountain ages ago had landed just shy of the river and now it's mossy overhang provided a nice shelter for the two campers. "..If you're going to sleep, Reed's sleeping bag is the brown one.. Go use it."
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Post by reed on Apr 5, 2008 1:56:01 GMT -5
Reed opened his eyes wider and started at both his and Jialing's hand. He had just noticed how soft hers were, well compared to his. Well, she still had a layer of dirt and dusk, but other than that, smooth. She pulled hers away, and he crinkled his nose. The night had fallen over them heavily, there were always many stars out here. Though they were pointed out to him, Reed could never see the constellations. He could, though, see the bright white crescent moon. It was getting bigger now working its way into a full moon.
"Oy!" She's back! Reed thought, lightly shaking his head. "....Reed's sleeping bag is the brown one.. Go use it." Reed lifted an eye brow. "wait, what..?" Reed stated blankly. Oh, that's right. There only were two, and now there was another person. Reed looked over to Hibiki. He was sure if Reed had said something to argue the boy wouldn't press on, he'd just freeze in the night silently and oh the guilt Reed would feel. Reed exhaled through his nose and gave him a crooked half smile, " Yeah, kid, make yourself at home."
But wait... There was only one sleeping bag.... and another two people. The corners of Reed's lips curled up into a grin.
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Post by jialingjin on Apr 6, 2008 0:45:26 GMT -5
"Yeah.. You're sleeping with Jin tonight." Jialing said nonchalantly as she glanced away from the kid back to Reed with a narrowing of her eyes. Yeah, he could wipe that smile off his face anytime now.. She had a reputation to uphold. She dared to smirk at him a little bit, a devious glint in her eyes to let him know she meant business. Turning her attention back to Reed she sighed heavily and slid down the log to sit her bum on the dirt, next to him.
Despite the firelight, the stars were still very bright and a swath of glowing light crossed the sky above them. Some of the stars appeared faintly red.. others slightly blue, very subtle changes that gave them life. The twinkled as the sky shifted. Jin had collapsed next to the log, a bowl in between his paws, and his head resting inside the bowl. He was already out for the night, his tail curled around his rear end.
"..So.." She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her cheek against them. "What do we do about that place?"
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Post by reed on Apr 6, 2008 3:16:47 GMT -5
Reed yawned and chuckled, " Harsshhhh," He said to Jialing about where he was to sleep. Certainly she wouldn't let him sleep in the cold, on the dirt, aside a dog, no offense to Jin.She said it herself: She wasn't that heartless.
In the distance, both far and near, there was so much sound. Crickets and opossum-frogs croaking and chirping, not to mention all the moths and fire-flies circling the fire. Jialing sat next to him. "So.... What do we do about that place?" Reed lifted an eyebrow and crinkled his nose a couple times, " I thought we established that I didn't have a clue on what to do?" Reed letting out a sigh, " To the extent of my knowledge, we would need to find a way to let the Rebellion know about what we found out but, by not leaving. If we leave now, it'll be months before anyone comes back with re-enforcements, and for some, that'll be too long a wait." Reed hand his fingers through his hair, "Or, we could go undercover, I don't think we've done that before, have we?"
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