Fire on the Water <Open Sea, The Sea>

[Teiú]

(Teiú is coming from: The (On Fire) Rebellion)

The sun was bathing his face. The deserter felt like all that confusion of the last night was left way far in the past. Everything to be a glorious morning, for sure. His talk with the captain last night had put things well explained for him. The captain agreed in not throwing the girls at the sea and agreed in giving them a room, as well as enough food for the day, for both. He just wouldn't tolerate complaint coming from them and it was there that Teiú would fit in the deal. Keeping the girls at control inside the boat was his mission, his part of the tract with the captain.

The sea was calm and gentle, perhaps tired from all the rage of the last night. Teiú hadn't caught a glimpse at the girls since he delivered some dry blankets to them at the aforementioned night. Afraid of their reaction, Teiú was avoiding having to get down meeting Xin. It was time though. Captain Fargus, in a very friendly way approached Teiú and delivered him two bowls containing grilled fish and bread.

"Give them these." He said, his kind voice contrasting with his tough appearance. “Be a man and go down there, now”. Then, taking a deep breathe, Teiú opened the room’s door and, slowly, walked inside the cargo room.

“Xin? Are you there?” Teiú asked, totally forgetting about the noble –and now not very important- title the girl was heir to.

[xin]

The pampered noble did not sleep well, everything was hard and she was stiff, she sorely missed her sheets of silk and her bed made from soft down that kept her warm on the chilled nights, it was like sleeping on a cloud, how she took advantage of it, she neglected it and over looked it. The bed was hardly her only problem, though the comforts of home were the only things on her mind as she grudgingly dressed herself tying a silk robe about herself, loose black silk traveling pants settling over her legs. For ease she tied her hair up into a bun as Xue fretted himself on what some considered a pillow, she called it a board, compared to her things at home, it was a board. The poor creature gnawed at his fur attempting to get himself clean, Xin's heart went out to him, he wasn't used to this awkwardness either.

Setsuko had been panicked last night, once sleep took her she seemed to calm, there hadn't been a peep out of her since. A borrowed shirt served well enough as clothing until her own had dried. But Xin was tired of worrying about other people, she needed to think about herself for a bit or else she may faint with stress this sudden turn of events trust upon her. She needed to find out where they were headed, when they would get there and what was going on. From there she could worry about how she would get the child home.

But in the midst of her quandaries the defector from the firenation made himself known. "Mmn.." Came her sheepish reply, the man made her nervous, she wasn't fond of those who went against the law, he was dangerous. She'd over head somethings last night, he was leaving the firenation because of some incident that had occurred. What it was she didn't specifically know but if soldiers were after him, it wasn't anything good. Her eyes found the floor rather easily and she ran her hands through her hair attempting to calm it and make a decent top knot that would look presentable, it was difficult without a mirror.

[set]

The frail little girl was fast asleep still. She was lying on her belly with her arms out and her elbows bent, her head turned in a black stringy mess that was her hair. She'd been too tired to notice that she'd fallen asleep, and at the same time to exhausted to notice that she wasn't even in her own bed anymore. However, once she awakened to the stranger's voice, her head turned ahd her legs stirred. At first, her limbs were numb, but she'd managed to drag them out of their own slumber to be able to push herself up into a sitting position. She let her hands and fingers stretch upward, loosening the tight strings of her muscles in her arms. At the same time, she let out a yawn that sounded like a soft sigh. She brought them back down and rubbed her eyes.

She didn't notice that she was sitting on wood until her hands hit the floor. Then she remembered; she was on a ship, on water, and they were moving. However, when she didn't hear the thunder and lightning at all outside, she began to feel a little more safe. She still had the uneasy feeling of even traveling on the sea, despite its gentle tenderness of carrying the vessel along its surface.

Setsuko looked up at man. True, she was aware that this ship was going to the Earth Kingdom, and there may be a small chance of turning back home, but she might as well get to know who was on this vessel besides Xin. She stood up, somewhat stumbling, as she had never been on a ship before, let alone anything on water. Her uneasiness affected her balance a bit, along with the fact that she'd just woken up, but she still stood nontheless. She threaded her fingers through her long ebony hair and used the piece of ribbon she always had in the ankle of her shoe to plait her hair into a braid. As she finished it off by tying the end, she looked back up at the man with her large dull-golden eyes. "Excuse me, but I don't think I ever caught your name. I'm Setsuko."

[Teiú]

Teiú had come close enough distinguish the girls well enough. Xin was bearing a suspicious filled face towards Teiú. That was the reasonable sequence of things and Teiú had not felt surprised by scene. However, the girl’s approach made Teiú slip away of his actual flow of thoughts. Introducing herself Setsuko made her presence well known to the deserter. For a few seconds, her big shinning golden colored eyes left Teiú disoriented, this was not the line of actions Teiú imagined it would come up to be. Was she aware that the man standing in front of her was the same who grabbed her and pulled her to the shadowy side of the room?

Teiú, then, got away of his numbness. “Setsuko? ...oh, sure you are” Teiú said as he hadn’t managed to hold the small smile that persisted in per passing his face. “I’m… I’m Teiú… you can call me Teiú.” He said, trying to make his voice as likeable as possible. And then he took a look at Xin, whom he judged that, until the present moment known him as Tenma.

Teiú took a glance at the girls’ attire. Xin was way different than the last time Teiú had saw her, at the Che’shi manor. Then he walked forward and stopped near Setsuko. The deserter seated near the small girl and handed her one of the bowls containing food. Extending his arm he left the other bowl near Xin. “I’m sorry girls, no fork or spoon, you will need to eat with your hands”.

Then Teiú took airs of seriousness. “Look, girls… something happened here… a big confusion. As you may know this ship is going to the Earth Kingdom and it will not turn back to the Fire Nation so soon. I don’t know how this happened but we mast talk now. But before we start let me say something. Both of you were left under my guard while staying in this ship and I will not harm, nor let someone else harm, you girls, in any circumstances. Now I… I must know how you came to be in this ship. Will you girls share your story with me?
In the firebender’s head the words of the captain were still lingering: “As soon as we reach the Earth Kingdom I will sell this ship, it will be too dangerous to keep it at the actual happenings. While in the sea, say to her what you want but don’t let the name of this ship or my or any name of this crew go through your mouth, alright?”.

With this in mind, Teiú stood up to hear the words of the lost girls.

[xin]

Xin continued to avert her gaze from the man, he made her very nervous. She'd always been a rather tall girl, to some it made her imposing like a life sized china doll, still she was meeker than her pet hamster kitty. He didn't know his size. Xin who was painfully aware of it always felt so small and insignificant. It was like her inner self and her outer self were out of alignment.

As she cast the man a wary look and nothing more she knew her silent fear and aggression were not unwarranted. There were a number of reasons to be untrusting of the man anyway. Either he had given her a false name before or now was giving them a false name, she had no interest a person that could so blatantly lie, he was in some sort of poor circumstance that had allowed misdeeds to befall her family. Her trust in common goodness of the human race was sullied.

It wasn't as if she hadn't tried to be a very gracious host, it just blew up in her face. She hoped sincerly that her maids and attending staff were okay. Perhaps they were only questioned with no ill action befalling them. For the most part she trusted the decisions of the government. They knew what they were doing or else people would not follow them and continue living in the firenation. Surely that made sense. The war put her on edge though, especially with her younger brother so ecstatic about the possibility of seeing battle. Even in New Ozai she'd seen images of the war, how frightened the people of the Earth Kingdom were, it was hard to understand why they weren't happy. Their people were set free of the ruling fist of the earth king.

Fire nation technology and rule would help so many people, couldn't they see that? Once she got to the earth kingdom she could find the city of New Ozai and all would be well, even the child could manage to find passage home. Hesitantly she stroked Xue's fur, the small creature taking comfort in her touch. He too was stressed and put out by the ordeal.

" I do not speak to vagrants." was the only thing she had to say in the end.

[set]

Setsuko was pretty much unaware of the negative energy Xin showed towards Teiú, but at the same time wondered why the noble was being so reserved around the man. Not really wanting to ask about it since she thought the story would bore her, she didn't put any concern with it. She sat back down and put the bowl in her lap.

She felt that the man was friendly, and it was okay to tell what happened when he asked. "All I remember is losing track of my family during the Kite Festival and getting separated. Then the storm came and I couldn't find them. After that seems a little foggy, but I remember a bit. Xin found me sleeping somewhere." She put a finger to her chin, squinting one eye and glancing at the ceiling. "I think I saw my dad and ran to him, but it felt more like a dream than reality. Then I'm here."

She nodded in conclusion. She looked down at her bowl and started pinching the fish into pieces. Her mother always cut up her fish for her, but Setsuko managed to learn from what she observed. As she did this, she wondered how she was going to get back home. She wondered if her family even knew where she was. She didn't want them to worry.
Then came the thoughts of not returning at all. What would they do then? Would they risk searching the world for her? Would they think she was dead and mourn? Would they think she was kidnapped?
She tried to shake herself from those negative thoughts. She dragged herself into the positive side, giving herself thoughts of being able to return home. She was gonna come back, and explain all that had happened to her. Yes, that's what I'll do.

Setsuko pinched the bread to pieces as well, using the pieces of bread to pick up the fish and put it in her mouth. She started chewing, but then she remembered what Xin had said just a moment ago. She swallowed her food and looked up at the noble. "What's a vagrant?" she asked, her head somewhat tilting in curiosity.

[Teiú]

"Are you aware of how much trouble I had because of you? It can’t even be compared to the help you granted me. You almost ruined the biggest chance a group of people had to stop the war raging in the world. You better start thinking about other things than only your little noble nose.”

It was what Teiú would say to Xin if he hadn’t gathered that much self-control when she sent him an offensive reply to his question. The deserter stood quiet for some seconds peering at Xin’s amber eyes. But as he started to get things clearer on his mind he perceived how egoist it would be if he had shared his thoughts with the girls. After all, Teiú entered Xin’s life like a hurricane, apparently messing everything up to her. And, though his and his master vision could seem a bit radical, for him she was eating the same thrash the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord was obligating him and the other kids of the country to eat so her position was one to be understandable. “Is it that extreme a vision, thinking that Fire Nation and its leaders are all tyrants and monsters while we rebels are blessed heroes trying to save the world?” Teiú thought. In fact, Teiú never had a glimpse of the war in the world. His example of the Fire Nation “cruel” government was the examples he always had at his small town. For the boy, however, it was enough, his convictions were settled and that was what and why he was living for, perhaps even being carried by these reasons without science of the fact.

However again, that was a hard situation Teiú found himself in at the moment. He was not going to give up to despair, even why that seemed a lot harder for him than just trying to handle things the best he could aspire to but the happenings led him to a meeting he never had alike in his life. When Setsuko started to tell her story a soothing sensation filled Teiú. Side by side with Xin they seemed to transpire different and colorful auras towards the firebender. Xin was enshrouded in a dark mist, not of anger or hate, but confusion. She was lost in and out herself, seemed to Teiú, she was going to start crying at any moment though she was showing such perseverance in countering any try of approach Teiú was inflicting at her. Setsuko, on the other hand, had a shinning clear aura around her. In her simplicity and ingenuity she was stronger than any rock and nothing could break her, psychologically speaking, at the moment, in Teiú’s thoughts. He controlled himself and looked, coldly and quickly, at Xin, before turning to Setsuko to hear her story.

“Quite a plot for such a little girl, don’t you think?” He said, petting her head without the preoccupation if she would avoid or not, and giving her a small smile. “Tell me please, don’t you have someone that knows you in the Earth Kingdom? Someone that knows both of you, by the way, in the Earth Kingdom?” Teiú looked back at Xin and she was still bearing the same suspicious look to Teiú.

He had a deep inhale. “I know you must have some bad feelings about… me, Xin… but I will insist that this girl nothing has to do with it. I beg of you that you answer my question and, if you still feel raw about this entire situation, and I’m sure you feel, keep it with you until we can speak in private, please.” He gave her a look as if truly asking her something. “I beg of you. And please, take the food. I know it is not something you are used to eat but will do you good.”

Teiú moved his head back to Setsuko and spoke, in a sound way more likeable than the one he directed to Xin: “A vagrant? Mmm, take it for you, for now, that is someone who wanders about, alright? Still hungry are you?”

[xin]

Xin refused to look at the man, she was scared, he seemed to stare into her eyes like she had some sort of answerers but she didn't She didn't want anymore to do with him, he was everything a proper lady of the fire nation should avoid. Why was he on this boat headed to the earth kingdom, he made it sound like they needed to be secret. What was he hiding. It made her nervous, she didn't want him looking at her anymore, it sent shivers down her spine and made her want to quiver in fear but instead she sat still like a stone. Looking at the poor excuse for a comforter that covered the poor excuse for a bed, she thought about all the small discomforts on the boat, she felt horrid for feeling so indigent and selfish but it was hard to writhe with the worms when your used to soaring with the falcons.

She didn't want to take the food, eating with ones hands was gross and far below her, her own stomach was in knots, even if she was famished there was little chance she'd be able to eat. Still she thought of Xue and how hungry the poor thing would be. Getting the bowl would involve moving, she didn't want to draw attention to herself. Her hands were simply left in her lap, not trying to be agressive or outspoken. All she wanted was to vanish, to be anywhere but here.

One the rebels eyes left her she felt a little better, nervous because of the look he'd shot her. Still there was no chance she'd speak to him again. For the girls sake she wanted to mention her family in the earth kingdom but Xin was silent. Her gaze quickly crossed over the girl and the lier coming back to Xue who's body perked up in attention when he spotted her looking his way. Quickly the hamster kitty darted into her lap finding some comfort there. nestled against her stomach. Xin's hands twitched wanting to comfort the poor thing but she was still frozen in place. Her expression twitched between nothing and a look of pain feeling more horrible then before. A familure rocking came to her mind, when did she feel this before. The sway of the boat on the ocean, the pain in her head and the greater pain in her stomach.

Xin closed her eyes and finally moved her hands to bring them up to the side of her head. That was right, both times she'd been on a boat she'd been sea sick, she had no ginger root to suck on either, the scrap on her head still hurt adding a dizzying sensation to top the whole thing off with. Carefully she removed Xue from her lap setting him on the bed and getting up. She staggered a bit and ignored the man intent on finding a way to the side of the ship on her own. Her feet for the moment were bare, her shoes too soaked through to wear comfortably. She wore a orchid purple top with scarlet pants tied to her slender waist, gold trim on the sash, it wasn't her silks though, she was still mildly regal in her traveling cloths. Her make shift hair style was mildly sloppy allowing strands of onyx hair to frame her face. It took a bit for her to get to the door but once she was out it didn't take but three minutes to find the side of the ship.

How pitiful she must look, she didn't say anything to either occupant in the room and just left, they must think her odd. Even as that reeled through her head she stared groggily over the side of the ship hoping that her stomach would calm down before yesterdays dinner forced it's way out of her stomach. She placed a hand lightly over her lips feeling very un lady like about to expel the contents of her stomach. The next few days was going to be hell on earth.

[set]

Setsuko was a bit confused, as she was still unaware of the negative energy from Teiú to Xin, and from Xin to Teiú. She caught the subjects of war being stopped and... something about Xin thinking about a "little noble nose". She glanced over at Xin, realizing that she is indeed a noble. Oh! He's saying that she should think about the war instead of herself! she thought, trying to interpret their words in her little naive mind. With these two, she could never really catch the mood from their faces, but mostly caught it from their attitudes against each other, and interpreted it to be hostile. I know you must have some bad feelings about… me, Xin… but I will insist that this girl nothing has to do with it...

The little girl somewhat tilted her head at that. Being the curious child she was, she wanted to know what the man didn't want her involved with. She wanted to either ask with words or just look up at either of them questioningly, in a gesture requesting her desired answers. However, seeing the hostile mood between the two older persons, she decided to do her part and stay silent by consuming her meal.

She made a little grin as Teiú patted her head, remembering how her father used to do so when she accomplished something well-done back home. For a moment she missed seeing them, once again wondering if they were still looking for her. "Um..." Setsuko pondered. "I don't think I know anyone in the Earth Kingdom. Our family isn't very rich enough to move and live as far as that, and as fishermen they choose not to sail so fary away either."

The small child's eyes followed the noble as she left them there, wondering what was wrong. Then again, the teen didn't seem to look very well, and Setsuko assumed that she got sick or something. She tried to stand up and at the same time speak to Teiú. "No thank you, I think it's enough. I don't wanna get--WAAH!" she fell forward and slid as the vessel somewhat tipped as it sailed on the sea. She was not used to standing on something that didn't stay still. As her hands hit the floor, so did the key around her neck. It made a hard and muffled thunk against the wood, and at the same time her chest landed on top of it. She grunted and winced a bit, feeling the hard shape of the key somewhat jabbing into her. She sat back up as the vessel tilted back in balance. Her hands leaned against the floor, her eyes darting about in somewhat shock and fright. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she muttered. She sighed in relief, and her head turned back up to Teiú. She decided not to attempt to approach Xin again.

"So you're a vagrant? I mean, from how she said it, it sounded like she was..." she paused, looking for the right word in her mind. "Reffering. Yeah, that's it, reffering that you were one. How come she won't speak to you?"

[Teiú]

Teiú sighed as Xin passed by him. Things were going the wrong way. Still, the young lady seemed to be a bit sick, if not of Teiú, of something else. As she left, the younger girl got up in an attempt to follow the noble lady. However, her incapability to stand on her feet on the moving ground of the ship took her down falling on her chest onto the wooden floor of the craft. Before Teiú, still seated on the floor, could do something to help her, she said “I’m ok, I’m ok.”. Teiú couldn’t hold it. His serious and tired facial expression got away giving place to a large smile. A second’s later Teiú started laughing.

“Excuse-me, you said… you said you are daughter of a fisherman?” So she wasn’t a noble like Xin, after all, Teiú thought. “I imagined you wouldn’t have someone that you could rely on by the Earth Kingdom”. At this point Teiú was bearing a calm and relaxed expression towards Setsuko. He grabbed Setsuko’s hand and looked at her “Hey you… listen… I don’t know how you came to know Xin and such but the situation between us is one to be called… strange… I guess. But don’t worry about it, I pretty much think our differences will be put aside very soon”. He looked around, observing the piles of boxes on the compartment before turning eyes back to the kid. “Look Setsuko… I’m going to the Earth Kingdom for a certain reason and my quest for it may be somewhat dangerous.” He stopped, his respiration strong as the rebel was contemplating the implications of having Xin and Setsuko following him. “And now I met you girls here… What am I to do?” Setsuko was in front of him. For a second there he seemed to be waiting for an answer of Setsuko, his face bearing a desperate and incontrollable plea for a guiding light on the hard path that seemed to be coming ahead. But it was only the time Teiú needed to reaffirm his stance on his mission. In fact, any hardships that crossed the young male’s road only served to harden his conviction on what he was doing.

“Don’t worry. I will get you back to your father do you hear me? And until there I tell you… No… I promise you, I will do everything in my power to keep you out of harm.” Judging that Setsuko should not understand half the things Teiú said to her he stopped by there. He gave her another friendly smile and rose up. “You know Setsuko, as I said, my story with Xin is a bit complicated. Would you say that would be mature of us to let her alone in here?” He offered his hand for her to lean on.

Teiú walked towards the exit of the place. The path was clearly recognizable due the sea breeze blowing through the entrance of the cargo room. Outside, the sun was shinning strongly in the cloudless sky. First person Teiú tracked, Xin, was at the side of the ship taking out what didn’t want to go in. At her side was Captain Fargus, laughing loudly. And around the four figures the crew of the Green Scepter had formed a barricade, in the hopes of seeing the new three integrants of the ship.

“Hahahaha, Well Teiú, you skinny landlubber, this is the noble girl you said you knew? She sure doesn’t seem that noble now isn’t it? Hahahahahaha…” Fargus said with his hard and loud voice. “And that tiny little creature is the other clandestine here right?” he kept on pointing with his long finger to Setsuko.

“Girls… well… this is captain F…” Teiú stopped, remembering Fargus’ order to not reveal names. “Well, this is the captain of the ship… of this ship.”

[xin]

Xin having taken in large breaths of fresh air began to feel a little better, the quezeyness the sea brought on beginning to calm down. Her now unpainted lips were parted slightly allowing air to pass to and from her mouth. The water moving against the ship was beautiful in a way and almost majestic. Possibly it helped her calm down, possibly it was only a distraction from her heaving stomach. Pursing her lips she managed to keep last nights dinner in place, still she wished for ginger or something helpful to chew on. That would make the ride much more enjoyable, her mother had given her some when they were headed out to the earth kingdom. It was honestly the first time she remembered being given something out of pure motherly concern from her. Everything else was for some goal or purpose she never understood. Getting her married to someone of high class most likely. Those thoughts didn't help her stomach though, and considering the gruel they were attempting to serve her there would be no medicine on the boat, as long as she was careful about what she put into her stomach if anything nothing should be too problematic. But as the voices of foot steps approached the girl became very nervous.

She wasn't stupid nor was she a silly air head, she knew of things that went on when young girls were alone. If not specifically she knew there were certain dangers. Now she didn't want to move. Her hands gripped at the side of the ship lightly willing them away. They seemed curious, like a dog sniffing out it's food before it took a bite. She didn't want to be on the menu, this had to be the most jarring experience of her life, she didn't know how she would manage to make it through this. She closed her eyes wishing strength from the spirits so that she could wake from this nightmare. Already she'd been clipped by falling debris, taken to a hospital, run out of her home, soaked to the bone, kidnapped aboard a ship bound for the earth kingdom and then she was sick to her stomach. What else could they throw her way?

Then there was poor little Setsuko, she left him alone with Tenma, the horrid things he could be doing to her, she couldn't stand thinking about it. She didn't trust that man at all, it made her heart clench when she thought that she was the one who'd invited him into her life. Why was she so trusting? It never seemed to pay off in the end. If that man did anything to that little girl she'd never forgive herself. Why did she leave the girl alone, soon enough the talking from the men grew a bit louder and the young noble looked curiously to the deck strands of her silken black hair flowing about her shoulders and face. Seeing Tenma and Setsuko she tried to stand herself up using the side of the ship for a great deal off support. Finally she managed to stand on her own with a hand helping her straighten herself. Her back was too the ocean, her brown eyes darting about the crew of the ship and one man who seemed to stand out more than the others. Setsuko looked safe, for that she was greatful.

Xin was a tall girl, she always had been, it was a bane of her exsistance and didn't allow her to wear the heeled shoes many wore to increase their stature. She was always complimented for being very feminine, well dressed, with a soft demure and face. That didn't seem to matter on the ship at all. When what seemed to be the crew made a comment about her class she flushed indignantly feeling rather scared. Already the hand holding her up straight was shaking, she didn't know if it was noticeably.

Her knees and legs were weak and her mind was jumping from one thing to another like a wild bird suddenly caged thrashing about in hopes to be free. This was making her stomach go into knots, her head suddenly began to swim again and she turned back to the side of the ship continuing her battle to keep her stomach done. This time she lost though.

[set]

True, Setsuko didn't really comprehend half of the things that Teiú had said to her, but she did pick up on a few things. One of that she knew that he acknowledged her father was a fisherman, and another that had to do with him and Xin, but she still didn't really understand what was... "strange" about what was going on. The only thing she thought was was "strange" to her was the way they behaved towards each other. Were the differences between them so significant as to do so?
Then there was the promise to bring her back to her father. Setsuko nodded with a smile to that. She leaned on his hand and followed him out of that area, up to where the captain and the ill noble was.

But seeing how sick Xin was, Setsuko approached her and leaned against the railing of the ship to see at least the side of her face. "You don't look very well, Xin. Do you need anything to make you feel better?" the little girl asked in concern.

Then she turned to the captain. She completely faced him forward, her small fists on her waist. The inner tips of her eyebrows creased down. "Tiny creature?" she said. "Now hold on there, mister," she began, holding a finger in the air. "I'm not as small as to be called tiny--WAHH!" she yelped, once again being knocked over by the vessel's movement. She fell on her back and hit the floor of the deck and somewhat slid, but she immediately scrambled back on her feet. She grabbed the railing tightly, her eyes a little wide from shock. "Not hurt. I'm fine," she said stiffly. However, her dull eyes wandered out to the sea. For a moment she was tranced by the ripples on the blue surface, the gleam of the sun's light reflecting off of it.

SETSUKO! The little girl made a slight combination of a jump and a shudder. She blinked hard and turned away. Kaito...

[Teiú]

“HAHAHAHAHAHA... In what mess you put me into now, boy? HAHAHAHAHA…”

Fargus’ belly laughter caught Teiú’s attention before the young one could think in something to do in the intent of helping Xin. The captain seemed to be enjoying the funny situation created by the girls. As Teiú observed him the captain’s first action was to whisper something to one of his mates. “Enough now boys, get back to work, c’mon, I want to be on Earth Kingdom before the Avatar returns, hehehe.” Fargus said finishing it with a comic tone to the speech. As the sailors started to dissipate from the group formed by them and as Setsuko loose Teiú’s hand and walked towards Xin the firebender advanced to speak with the captain of the Green Scepter.

“What do you want now boy?” Fargus said, in his characteristic hard voice. “I want to apologize… sir… for bringing you so much trouble.” Teiú answered, lowering his head as he spoke.

“Hey, hey, calm down now boy.” Fargus’, but in a whisper. “I’m on this thing way before you, right? I have my own reasons for not wanting this war and for helping you. You don’t owe me a thing but the promise that you will take this damn message you spoke about to… him.” And giving Teiú a blinking Fargus slapped the boy’s face as he would to a comrade without noticing that he harmed Teiú a bit. The next moment the sailor to whom Fargus spoke with arrived with a bottle on his hands. As the sailor took out the cork of the vial a strong and stunning smell filled the firebender’s nostrils.

“Gosh, what is in there? Argh, this is… this is alcohol with… argh, rotten fish?” Teiú said, covering his nose. However, as the aroma caught Teiú for real he felt shaken to his very core. His sense had sharpened for a while and his heart started pumping faster. While the boy tried to get back to his former self the voice of the captain passed through his head: “Hahahaha, no, no rotten fish. But you don’t want to know what it is either. Just give this to the tall girl to sniff, she will feel better. You know, sometimes the weak scallywags just can't avoid being seasick.”.

Teiú looked at Fargus as if saying “Are you sure?”. To this glimpse Fargus just shake his head. “Oh, and you better be prepared to hold her, perhaps this can come to be too strong to her noble nose.” He said, smiling. The rebel came closer to xin and when he was near enough to let her have a sniff at the bottle’s contents he said: “Inhale this Xin… you will… feel better.” However, it was not needed that Xin could come near as possible, the insupportable smell was losing free from the vial as birds out of a cage.

[xin]

Xin felt pale and feverish, last nights dinner now drifted away in the waves as the boat continued it'd quick pace, at the very least she felt a little better, not too much, not enough to try and make it back to the miserable room she was in before. Her hands clenched to the side of the ship, would travel across the oceans ever be a peaceful one for her? There was little peace in her mind though, why should she be any different physically? Even once the sickness was subtracted from the equation. This was a little less than kidnapping, sure they were the ones who stumbled onto the boat but what was she supposed to do? It seemed the crew was refusing to take them back, Sin didn't feel well, perhaps she could just sleep through the remaining length of the trip.

The girl made to move away from the man and the bottle of who knows what he had with him. Once she managed to get a whiff of it she felt her head spin and her stomach cringe, visibly she flinched against the stench and a hand went to cover her mouth and nose. Why couldn't people simply leave her to rue the rest of the trip in solitude. This was no where she'd ever want to be, too many half truths hung in the air and-and... Once more her head began to swim and the hand on the edge of the ship that kept her standing began to loosen it's hold and her body swayed back and forth lightly.

At least this was something she recognized through it was nothing pleasant, she was about to pass out. Her hand attempted to remain holding onto the side of the ship but it slipped leaving her standing on her own for moments that felt like centuries. Her silken black hair despite it's rough treatment still blew softly about her face brushing past her cheeks in the winds whipped up by the ocean. Her feet in now dirtied silk slippers were finding less and less grounding with her legs just about ready to give out beneath her. Aside from a small whimper she didn't speak at all attempting to keep her promise to remain silent in the presence of the man who'd betrayed her household and yet darkness crept into her mind.

It was in that second of weightlessness that her body crumbled and her mind completely left. If she hit the ground or was caught she didn't know, she wasn't conscious. One truth was known, she wouldn't be getting up for a while.

[set]

Setsuko carefully let go of the railing, holding out her hands to each side to maintain her balance. At another "bump" in the water, the vessel began to sway a bit once more, somewhat knocking the small girl off her attemptive balance. She staggered somewhat, but she only fell back on her side with a small grunt. She rolled herself over on her knees and crawled on all fours for a few steps before attempting to stand.

At the same time, she watched the man try to assist the noble with her sea-sickness, and was glad that nothing broke out in some sort of argument due to the negativity between them. Setsuko tried to relate to that somehow, trying to recall the last time something like that happened to her. She tried comparing that to the arguments with her older brother, but then again it was pure, natural sibling rivalry. It was more of a mild sort of energy, and sometimes vicious as well, depending on the situation they would fight over. With Teiú and Xin, it seemed more... how would it be described? More...?

The little girl scuttled around in her thoughts for the proper word. But it was suddenly interrupted by the sight of Xin beginning to fall, unaware that she had just lost consciousness. "...Xin?" she said, but obviously the noble didn't respond to her.