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Post by blackcrow on Mar 6, 2008 0:13:56 GMT -5
This was the one section of the act that Li-Wu truly feared. After all.. he had broken up with Auina. She could EASILY crush him anytime she wished and call it an accident. The Fire Vs Earth act took a great amount of trust between the two. They had their close calls. Li-Wu had broken fingers before and Auina had been burned before. Thank the spirits for water benders.
He closed his eyes tightly as he heard the rocks slide around and over him, and he inhaled deeply and held his breath. Would she decide to kill him tonight or not? He listened through the rocks, feeling the sharp pains in his scalp as the stones did a number on his hair, pulling and yanking it. The stones came to a slow, rumbling stop and then they fell away to reveal him. From practice, he knew to wait a moment while the crowd cheered Auina's victory. The Earth bender was taking her bows that's for sure. Smirking to himself, he rose to his feet, using his elbows to prop himself up and then his hands for support as he twisted his body upward. His lips spread into a grin as he rose up behind Auina, dusting off his bare arms while smudges of dirt and gravel clung to his chest. He stepped up alongside the earth bender where he grabbed her hand with his and lifted it into the air. His free hand rolled through the air, encouraging the applause to continue for the young woman.
Meanwhile, while Li-Wu was hamming it up in nothing but a pair of baggy pants, Bai-Wu continued speaking to Miss Feng. He lifted an eyebrow at her, as if saying 'But you are an old woman!' His eyes dropped down to the child pressed against her chest.. god that kid had some lungs they had all learned in the past few weeks since Miss Feng had joined them. He sighed heavily as he rolled his eyes, lifting a hand up. His pointer finger tapped his cheek as the rest of his fingers curled together. "That!" He then leveled his hand at her eyes. "Is a secret. I'll come by your tent tomorrow. Mother and the circle (referencing the gossip circle of women) want Tarak for the day."
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Post by katara on Mar 6, 2008 1:17:45 GMT -5
His posture was slouched, one could even go as far as to saying that he was sulking, the piece of hay drooping in his mouth to match his mood. Jet trampled through the back alleys, taking a right here, a left there, getting lost in the labyrinth of darkness and cursing the Fire Nation.
He lost track of time, maybe it was because of the endless twists and turns, but when he next looked up he saw the brightly lit festivities. Among the ground the spectators looked happy enough, maybe the performers were talented.
Jet allowed himself a little chuckle and meandered over to the crowds, he couldn't even remember the last time he went to something this boisterous and lively. Lightening his step he realized that he was beginning to enjoy himself. The benders performing were actually very good, a crowd-pleaser to be sure. He looked over from behind some of the spectators' heads and wondered what it would be like to be one of those performers. Not to have any worries in the world, to be free. "Maybe I should go talk to them, lighten up a bit," he thought.
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Post by gijoespouse on Mar 6, 2008 8:20:24 GMT -5
Auina paused a moment as the rioat of applause ensued...then rose to her feet in a fluid graceful motion. With a bright smile on her face, she brought one hand to her stomach as she bowed. The act had gone well...very well. As she came up from her third bow, she felt Li-Wu grip her free hand. The bender's heart fluttered in her chest at the contact, and the very barest hint of a blush crossed her cheeks. As the twin lifted her hand in the air, she waved to the crowd. She wasn't worried about the audience before her though...her mind was focused on the man beside her.
...It was stupid, she felt on her part...stupid to still care for Li as she did. Auina had to remind herself there was a reason why she had let Li go. He wasn't content to settle on just one woman...and she didn't feel it right to try and clip his wings and make him stay with her. Well, not that she could've done that in the first place.
As the applause began to die down, Auina's cappucino shaded eyes looked to the firebender. She was scanning him over, looking to see if she'd hurt him seriously during the fight. She always did that...everytime...even in the performances when she was slated to lose, she worried about his welfare first.
"Are you alright?" she asked quietly, just loudly enough where Li could hear and the crowd could not. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
...the same two questions she asked every single time...
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Post by blackcrow on Mar 6, 2008 12:20:19 GMT -5
As his calloused hand rolled through the air, he craned his neck around, excited eyes begging the crowd for more. Got to loosen those purse strings. His dark hair clung to his sweaty brow, the goldenrod colored bandanna tipped to one side and threatening to fall to his neck. His skin was flushed like a pomegranate and speckled like a potato dug up from the fresh dirt. He glanced to the side at Auina as she spoke close to him, and his lips pressed together in a grin. It was part of their routine.. She always asked those questions. He still held her hand, and with a quick twist of his wrist, he was able to spin her around. Then, he pulled her back, only to be caught by one of his strong arms in a dip. The casanova leaned down, strands of ebon hair clinging to his skin but also dripping from his head like a wave of water.
"I'm fine, as always, Auina dear." His voice was smooth, like dark chocolate with the hints of paprika sprinkled through it. He looked up from her face, out to the crowds and raised his free hand in one last acknowledgment of the crowd's cheers before hoisting Auina back to her feet. He gave her a nod as he set her on her feet, letting his hands slip away from her waist as he folded them across his bare chest. The Fire bender turned away from her and bounced down the rocks. They'd be cleaned up later... everything returned to it's previous stake. His eyes found his twin lurked at the edge of the crowd with Pamuy near by and Miss Feng along side him. Bai wore two robes instead of the usual one, keeping Li's on him while the Firebender preformed.
"Oy! Bai! Gimme that, I'm cold!"
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Post by gijoespouse on Mar 6, 2008 13:16:05 GMT -5
Auina's breath caught as Li spun her around, pulling her into a low dip. The feel of his strong grip, the close proximity...all of it had her heart pounding wildly in her chest. He leaned down toward her, and the flush on her face grew deeper. The firebender's velvet smooth voice spoke to her, its underlying heat causing a slwo heat to creep into her.
...if this were some romantic tale, here would be when they kissed. Oh how she wished this were a romantic story...
Instead though, he brought the acrobat back to her feet, nodded and walked away. Auina stood there a moment, watching him as Li strode toward Bai-Wu and Miss Feng...and couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. Suddenly the crowds seemed to be suffocating to her...Auina needed a bit of space...just a bit...
The earthbender strode past the twins and Xia, past Pamuy and toward the wagons and away from the festival in general. She came to a stop once she reached the outskirts of the Flame Dancer's camp. The cool night air began to sink into her, eliciting a shiver from the mahogany haired woman. Her gaze drifted up to the clear night sky above her. She was resisting the urge to look back at Li. More than likely, once he'd retrieved his robe, he would be off chasing some woman or would start fooling around with his twin.
Why oh why had she let herself stay hung up on the firebending Don Juan?
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Post by pamuy on Mar 7, 2008 1:45:15 GMT -5
As the bells of intuition sounded in her head, having observed the events between Li and the earthbending acrobat, Pamuy's mulberry-colored lips pursed of concern. While cornflower blue eyes followed the quickly departing Auina, Pamuy felt impelled to talk to her friend. It really was time for a heart-to-heart. She knew about Li and Auina's past, as did most in the caravan, and the sight of Auina drifting to solitude pulled at Pamuy's heartstrings. Weaving and winding through the crowds, her ultramarine cloak trimmed in lavender fur fluttered behind her in the gentle nighttime air while her bare feet made nary a sound.
With a steady and quick stride, the slender and petite waterbender soon approached Auina and placed a hand on her shoulder. Forcing a gentle smile on her otherwise troubled appearance, eyes peering deep into Auina's soul and discerning all they ought to, Pamuy rose her calm and soothing voice while tilting her face. "Auina...my friend. You look distressed. Do we need to talk?"
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Post by gijoespouse on Mar 7, 2008 8:51:26 GMT -5
Auina was wrapped up in her thoughts and didn't note the waterbender's approach until she was at her side, placing her hand on the acrobat's shoulder. Pamuy. Of all the members of her extended 'family', Pamuy could read her the best, rivaling even the intuition of her own mother. The earthbender kept her gaze on the stars, before letting out a sigh. There was no point in beating around the bush. Her friend had sought her out, knew she was upset. Might as well just tell her.
Auina closed her eyes, responding simply, "I still love him, Pamuy."
She shook her head as she tilted her face downwards.
"I never stopped."
A bitter smile came to her lips as she opened her eyes, glancing to the side to look to Pamuy.
"I know, it's stupid, right?" she added. "Li has a...well, a healthy appetite when it comes to women. He's already moved on, long since. I keep telling myself that I should move on too. My head's convinced. My heart's not taking the hint though."
Admitting it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her. Strange...she'd not told anybody, not even her mother, that she still had feelings for Li-Wu. But of all the people to confide in, Pamuy was the most trustworthy. While the other women of the caravan were great to talk to...they also were great gossips.
Auina wasn't one to really talk about herself or her own feelings...and quickly, she sought to change the subject, gearing the conversation toward her friend and not herself.
"I didn't catch your performance, Pamuy. How did it go?" she asked, forcing a smile on her face.
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The Lion Turtle
Ishvara Spirits 
"Your own spirit must be unbendable."
Posts: 0 
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Post by The Lion Turtle on Mar 7, 2008 13:25:07 GMT -5
"That is a secret. I'll come by your tent tomorrow. Mother and the circle want Tarak for the day," he simply told her. She unconciously gripped Tarak a little tighter; the babe was asleep, but he didn't wake. Xia Feng had a hard time giving the boy up for a long period of time, and it sounded like she was going to be dragged out for an afternoon. "Oy! Bai! Gimme that, I'm cold!" his twin cried, meaning the extra robe drapped around Bai's arms. Xia Feng glanced up at Li-Wu, and then back down again. No doubt the boys where going to run off and party, and it was probably time Xia went to Juning and asked for her chores for the night. Tarak would be put to bed in his rough little craddle they had carefully made for her, warm and asleep while his mother worked hard with her new family. But this prospect didn't distress her; Xia Feng was happy at the thought of working hard for the Caravan. She always tried to meet it with a smile, because though she came back exhausted from the simplest tasks, she was glad to be doing work with people who came to accept her exactly the way she was. "Well, boys, I'm sure your mother has a lot of work for me to do," she said cheerfully. "I'd better go find her." -- Xia has left the thread. --
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Post by pamuy on Mar 7, 2008 17:50:31 GMT -5
Auina seemed so lost, so deject that it made Pamuy's eyes droop in sadness. With throbbing empathy, Pamuy glided over toward Auina's front, cloak swirling like a wave as she moved. That scoundrel Li may have been that way, as were most Flame Dancer men, but Pamuy strongly doubted he felt an ounce of compassion toward his conquests. Auina was one of them. A casuality of brief and unimportant love, at least for the male of the two. Letting out a sigh, she cupped one of Auina's hands in her own and looked her straight in the eye. "My performance was fine, thanks for asking. The crowd was pleased, and...well, no man made a pass at me. That's always nice."
Allowing a soft smile to return to her features, Pamuy continued; "But please, you don't need to avoid the subject. Li is not that great a person - You and I both know that. As a good friend, I can tell you know yourself well. But if there's anything more to say...please, say it."
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Post by whitecrow on Mar 7, 2008 21:13:09 GMT -5
"Eh.." A whine like sound came from Bai-Wu's lips as he turned his attention back to Miss Feng after breifly re-directing it towards Li. He had shrugged off the extra cloak and shuffled it towards his twin. While Li fastened the golden coin that had been converted as a clasp at his neck, Bai glanced back, catching the last bit of what Xia had to say. For a minute, he stared at her in silence, lips hanging open as he held one hand up, fingers paused as if reaching for something. The moment passed and his fingers lifted as he waved to her, closing his mouth. A cheerful half smile passed on his face as he waved goodbye to the Earth Kingdom girl.
The twins then looked at each other, and Li-Wu quirked an eyebrow at his brother. "What's your problem?" He spat out, in a flat voice as he brushed his hair back from his shoulders with his hands, pulling it lose of the cloak. Bai-Wu shrugged, dropping his eyes as he turned his head down and then looked back up at his twin. "Let's go change.." With that, the two of them turned to head out of town to the encampment. They'd change back into normal clothing and then return with about half of the troupe to handle the disassembling of all the gear
[Twins out?]
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Post by gijoespouse on Mar 7, 2008 21:53:19 GMT -5
Auina smiled softly at Pamuy's comment about not being hit on. Unlike a lot of the young women in the caravan, the waterbender was not as 'friendly' with the opposite sex. In fact, some of the women went as far as to call the woman prude. A few moments passed, as Pamuy held the earthbender's calloused hand, in which she said nothing. The sounds of the festival were beginning to die down, as the festivities in general were coming to a close. Finally, she responded....
"I know. I know he's never going settle with anyone...or even if he did, likely it would be with someone with a much wilder personality than my own. Like I said...my heart's what needs convincing on that..."
The acrobat gave Pamuy's hand a gentle squeeze, before releasing it. Behind the pair, the performers were trickling in, changing out of their performance garb to regular clothing.
"We'd best go get changed so we can help with the clean up," she remarked quietly, before removing her hand from Pamuy's grasp. "Thank you. It felt good to finally say something to somebody. Maybe that in itself will help me."
Another smile graced her face, before she turned to head back to the circle of wagons. She needed to get changed so that she could help the other earthbenders in flattening any rough spots any of the earthbending acts had caused in the town.
[Consider Auina out.]
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Post by pamuy on Mar 7, 2008 22:50:04 GMT -5
As Auina got up and walked off, Pamuy let her smile turn into a smirk. Following the acrobat with her eyes, she stayed knelt for a second more. Her hands rested on her knees, the creamy chocolate color of her skin contrasting the deep violet of her pants, Pamuy knew she did the right thing. She helped Auina help herself. It felt good to help others, to be altruistic even if it was at one's own expense. Before rising from the ground, Pamuy uttered a few words to herself. "It will, my friend. It will."
It wasn't long before Pamuy left, changed her clothes, and joined Auina and the others in cleaning up. The rest of the night was spent with good, hard work, which Pamuy always enjoyed greatly. Her bending abilities weren't needed much for reconstruction like Auina, so she limited herself to more minor chores. Her sleep that night was sweet and uninterrupted, satisfied in helping her friend and the caravan instead of seeking her own interests.
~Pamuy has left the thread~
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