Wayward Gypsies <Open Sea, The Sea>

[nim]

“Thanks, and you, uh, should get used to the ship eventually. It’s kind of like…getting used to a rhythm.” Nim cocked her head to the side, she didn't quite understand what Shang was trying to say, but she had a slight smile even so, appreciating his efforts to ease her, “It’s kind of like learning a new dance, I guess, so, y’know, it should be pretty easy for you…”

"Learning a dance isn't as easy as you may think, though I see your point. This ship is giving me twenty-four seven practice, it would be a waste not to take advantage of that," she couldn't help smiling around Shang, she was a little self-concious about it, but he made her feel so light hearted. She concentrated on her feet and the rocking boat beneath her. She let her knees relax and move with the ship instead of trying to stand still like on land.

"This isn't so bad, though I think I'm beginning to understand the term sealegs, I feel like a jellyfish," she swayed back and forth with the boat, but it wasn't uncomfortable of nerve racking and she only stumbled a little when the slightly harder waves crashed against the side. She noticed her hand was still around her elbow and she was grateful for it though she was sure she wouldn't need it nearly as much as she had only moments before.

"You must be a natural, I haven't heard of you being sick since we left the Earth Kingdom," she smiled even though she was a little jealous that his stomach was holding up better than hers.

[pamuy]

In the face of knowing it would happen, Pamuy braced herself for the very worst she could expect. Thankfully, her emotional fortitude wasn't tested greatly as Hilang merely opted for a more passive route. Perhaps he was tired, mentally and physically, from almost drowning, in which case she couldn't blame him. It would be horrifying to go through that, so she knew it was best to be brief. Pamuy also considered turning back to let him indulge a moment of peace, but it was too late now. She'd already spoken, and it was time to get it over with.

She shut her eyes tightly, sighing deeply, then creaked her eyelids apart to peer down at the prostrated man on his cot. "All of us heard what you said, but I only have this to say in return; please watch what you say."

It was clichéd, it was something he'd heard before from her mouth, and it was probably going to frustrate him, but the matter at hand was worlds different than before. Never had they gone across the sea to such a hostile land, especially toward her, Auina, Ritika, Nim, Shang, and others who weren't of Fire Nation ancestry. She had to make clear his attitude would have to change, if only temporarily. "I don't mean now, and I don't mean back in the Earth Kingdom...I mean when we the Fire Nation. You know well that they may not take kindly to us - probably not even to you. So please, try to avoid such harsh words."

Stepping away, she turned back to add one final thought. Her mind and soul were at rest knowing what she had said, but it was all icing on the cake from there on in. But then, her heart would never rest knowing he would still feel that way about her and her friends, his 'family' even. If she didn't occupy her mind with more important things, it would surely eat away at her knowing such a man stayed in their midst. "I know I cannot change your heart, but please think over what I said. Would you want others to speak to you like that?"

Pamuy allowed him to think what he wanted, for she was quick to return to the ladder that led above deck.

[shanghuang]

It was with no small amount of embarasment that Shang realized he still was holding onto Nim’s elbow. Flushing a little, he let go and rubbed the back of his head with the same hand, attempting (and failing) to make the movement look less awkward. Nim, of course, had been too polite to point it out before. She was always very nice to him, well, nice to everyone really. He still could hardly believe that even Hilang could have said those things to her earlier. Honestly, it was hard to imagine anyone being cruel to the girl. He didn’t dwell too long on that, though, instead smiling as she attempted to keep her balance. Despite an awkward start, it seemed as though she was learning quickly, as he had expected. With any luck, that would be the end of her sea sickness.

"You must be a natural, I haven't heard of you being sick since we left the Earth Kingdom,"

“Well, I guess I’ve never really gotten dizzy easily, so I guess that helps,” he mused. “I don’t think I’d want to be on a boat all the time, though. It’s too cramped. It can make peaceful moments hard to find. But…well, you saw that earlier, I guess.”

It didn’t occur to Shang for an instant that he had just used the word “saw” while speaking to a blind person, but then, he didn’t often think of Nim as blind. He didn’t notice it too often, only at moments like before when she became confused about her surroundings, but that wasn’t often. No, most of the time, she was just Nim. Not a blind girl, but a girl who just happened to be blind.

[hilang]

Hilang merely lay on his cot, controlling himself, in every attempt to not get lost in a fit of rage again. He attemptd to take large audible breaths to illustrate his frustration, mainly for Pamuy's benefit. He had recieved this lecture before, and had taken it worse, but he was a grown man for Spirit's sake. He let out a large sigh as he heaved himself up to look at Pamuy, sitting on the edge of his cot, feet firmly planted on the floor.

He was actually planning on heeding her warning, for he could understand her logic. That was, until, You know well that they may not take kindly to us - probably not even to you. That comment set off some sort of spark in Hilang. Somewhere in between pride and shame, there lies that dividing line full of anger, and Hilang was currently anchored to that line.

It seemed she was attempting to leave. No, that wasn't about to happen. She had hinted that the Fire Nation might not accept him, that was just unacceptable. He stood up, not even listening to anything that came after the previous remark, and walked over to her with a slightly faster pace, so as to intercept her before she got to the ladder.

He merely reached out his hand and grabbed her shoulder, pulling slightly to turn her around, looked her straight in the eyes and said, rather level-headedly, "You're not just walking away from me. You seem to be prone to pissing me off and walking away, and it's not happening again." He didn't know what to do next, for he had acted in anger again, but kept a stone face nonetheless.

[nim]

Shang dropped her elbow and thanks to his advice she remained on her feet. She still felt a bit unsteady, but for the most part she was sure the rest of the journey would be far more pleasant.

“Well, I guess I’ve never really gotten dizzy easily, so I guess that helps, I don’t think I’d want to be on a boat all the time, though. It’s too cramped. It can make peaceful moments hard to find. But…well, you saw that earlier, I guess.” she nodded her head. She had noticed the word 'saw' but he had said it with ease and without think so she knew he wasn't trying to be mean. She was in fact, glad that he had said the word so mechanically, not treating her differently.

She liked to think that in a sense she had 'seen' the events that had transpired after Hilangs commentbecausee her ears were her eyes and the emotions of everyone involved were almost tangible and clearly audible. "No, I would never like to live on a boat, or even make a habit of being on one," she couldn't imagine any kind of life at sea, be it a merchant or a fisherman, a life like that would never work for her, "The sea is strange, it can't settle on a rhythm, like it doesn't know which dance to do," she noted on the changing patterns of how the boat moved using Shangs prior analogue.

[pamuy]

Just as her finger wrapped around the first rung of the ladder, she heard Hilang speak up. This 'job well-done', as she could rightly assume, had apparently caused Hilang to take exception. Whatever could have brought him down that path? Although, a man of that inclination could easily descend into anger at the drop of a hat. Perhaps not a violent, flame-like anger that burned itself out, but a minor, petty anger that still had a bad effect on those around him. Pamuy always knew there was some sort of hatred within him to keep him that way. Maybe some day he'd come to his senses, though. Who knew?

Turning back, folding her hands before her, she looked Hilang straight in the eye with the greatest of composure and ease. She wasn't intimidating by him or his foolish tirade he was sure to carry on pointlessly. But then, she had to keep the other caravaners in mind. "Hilang, please don't bother the others. They're trying to rest. If you want to argue, or at least tell me exactly how I made you angry, let's go up on deck."

[shanghuang]

As Nim seemed to have found her feet, Shang leaned his back against the railing, deciding that she seemed relatively safe for now. He kept his eyes on her, however. She wobbled about, but seemed to have found her balance. From his new angle, he was able to see the rest of the deck, and it was only now that he realized that the others had left, leaving him and Nim alone on the deck. He suddenly felt more awkward. He wasn’t the most social person, but at least when there were lots of people around, he didn’t feel like the sole focus of someone’s attention, which always made him self conscious. Still, he realized that he hadn’t felt as awkward before he noticed this fact. Nim had been an easy person to before he left, and it seemed that hadn’t changed.

"No, I would never like to live on a boat, or even make a habit of being on one. The sea is strange, it can't settle on a rhythm, like it doesn't know which dance to do.”

Shang blinked in surprise. Nim was more poetic than he had thought. Certainly more so than himself. She’d actually taken his shaky analogy and made it actually sound nice.

“Yeah. That’s, uh, a good way to put it,” he agreed, but could think of little else to say, glancing about awkwardly for several silent moments before finally speaking up again. “It looks like everything’s calmed down again…”

He refrained from mentioning that everyone had left the deck, not wanting the situation to become anymore awkward than it needed to be. Besides, he wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to his book quite yet.

[nim]

The deck sounded strangely silent in comparison to the earlier events and Nim silently wondered if everyone had gone below deck or if the sudden lack of background noise was due to the overriding sound of the waves. She rocked steadily, but she felt silly like every small movement she made with the boat was a hundred times exaturated, but she didn't worry about it too much since she had her balance at least.

"Yeah. That’s, uh, a good way to put it, It looks like everything’s calmed down again…”

"Yes, the way it should be," she rolled her unseeing eyes, "Sometimes people can just get so out of hand, though I can't say much i was right in there with them. At least you had the common sense to stay out... well mostly," she gave a small smile, his efforts to reprimand Hilang hadn't gone unnoticed to her, but his advice was drowned out by everyone around him. She felt bad when she thought about it like that, she knew what it felt like to almost seem invisble, hell everyone was invisible to her, but to truely be right there and have no one think twice about you, it was a very lonely feeling.

She wondered if that was how he felt. She imagined leaving the caravan and comeing back years later would leave some kind of gap and gaps like that aren't easy to fill. She wanted very much to tell him that he belonged here, that belonged with the caravan, with her, but she knew how that would sound and she couldn't bring herself to say more than she already had.

[hilang]

Hilang looked into the eyes of the waterbender, still fuming, but trying as hard as he could to restrain his anger. It was not the same kind of anger as earlier, such white-hot anger took energy and willpower, and at this point, Hilang had insufficient amounts of either to start anything big. He stared at those eyes with determination, he wanted to drag those condescending eyes down and he wanted to make sure she knew that he always had, and always will, win. And more than anything, he wanted to be welcomed into the homeland, not shunned, as was one of his deepest fears.

He could feel that longing to win, that longing to triumph over her, that longing to be Fire Nation, not just 'Of Fire Nation descent'. And yet, as he looked at her, he could feel something else, something... that he couldn't pinpoint. Something, that nagged at him, yet he remained emotionless and cold on the outside, despite the thoughts buzzing in his mind. He could think of such things later, for now, there was the matter at hand.

He was tired, he was a bit confused, and he did see some reason in what she said. Also, he saw a few people around that were attempting to rest who were people that he didn't absolutely hate, either. With a long sigh, he removed his hand from her shoulder and, with the same hand, made a guesture for the ladder. With an incredible air of mockery and sexism in his voice, he uttered, "Ladies first."

[pamuy]

Pamuy felt like slapping Hilang across the face, not for what he said, his thoroughly false courtesies, but the gallons of bitterness dripping from his tone of voice. He wasn't sincere in the slightest way. Instead of returning his evils, she merely closed her eyes and assumed the sweetest, most nonchalant guise she could muster. Lips pursed in a carefree smile, she headed toward the ladder and grabbed hold of the first rung. "Thank you."

Before mere seconds passed, they were above deck with the others who weren't resting. Now, seperated from the tired ones - or more tired, anyway - Hilang was free to tell her every overblown and unreasonable thing that weigh upon his mind. Whatever it was, she had no doubts it was somewhat exaggerated. Anyone who got angry that quick was sure to be the sort who made mountains out of anthills. Turning back to Hilang, she tilted her head a bit, voice innocent. "Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

[shanghuang]

As Nim made her final note of “mostly” Shang winced slightly. Mostly didn’t really count for much, though. He’d still stuck his nose where it hadn’t belonged and had ended up making things worse instead of better. Nim was right in that the common sense thing to do would have been just to stay out of it.

“Mostly,” he repeated sheepishly after a moment.

For a moment, he was silent, but it was at this point that he spotted Pamuy and Hilang arriving on the deck. What the heck were they doing together? Shang had always thought that they had nothing but loathing for one another. Whatever, the reason, he realized now would be a good time to deal with the…mess Nim had caused earlier. Pamuy could simply waterbend the affected water overboard, or maybe even filter out what Nim had so gracefully deposited there.

“‘Scuse me a second,” he told Nim, and then picked himself up off from the railing and walked over to Pamuy. “Um, Pamuy? Could you take care of a little…problem with some of the drinking water?”

He directed a thumb over his shoulder to the barrel Nim had thrown up in. He had deliberately avoided saying exactly what had happened to the water, both out of simply politeness and to avoid any embarrassment it might cause Nim. It would be easy to infer what had happened anyway, but somehow not actually saying it made it a little better for Shang.

[pamuy]

When Shang approached her, Pamuy turned in an instant after hearing his voice. It may upset Hilang, but she figured he could use a lesson in patience. Peering back, she raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. She was sure he'd understand. "Excuse me, Hilang. You can wait, can't you?"

Without waiting for an answer, she walked up to the closest barrel filled with drinking water. Before she could even wonder what could possibly be wrong, she noted Nim standing nearby, looking ill. That could mean a few things, really, but Pamuy didn't really want to think about it. Then, as she peered inside, her worst assumptions came true. Gross.

"Of course, Shang," she said, then seemed to reach toward the surface of the water. Then, following the graceful arc of her hand, water filled with 'debris' streamed out slowly. She didn't much care to look at it, but knew it had to be done. Now to go about it delicately, deliberating whether to dump it overboard or try and extract what floated inside. Then again, they needed water to drink, as a necessity.

So, holding it between her hands, she walked to the boat's edge and carefully stood. Not leaning on the rickety railing as did Hilang, she instead held the mass straight over the blue ocean below. Concentrating, she did her best to pull apart the pure water and seperate it from its rather disgusting impurities. It wouldn't be a sure bet...

Relative success came when she drew the water toward herself sharply, her hand pulled up further, which split it to two masses and allowed the rest to fall overboard. She didn't know if anything invisible still lingered within, affecting the taste, but there was always one option. Bending the water back into its barrel, she tilted her head. "We're going to have to boil that..."

[nim]

Shang excused himself momentarily and Nim nodded silently, listening as he requested Pamuy's help with the water barrel she had previously thrown up in. She felt really bad that someone else had to clean that mess up for her, but even if she could see she knew the waterbender would do a much better job at cleaning the water of its impurities.

"We're going to have to boil that," she heard Pamuy say, Nim hadn't thought of that and instantly she felt even worse, if that was possible. Hilang wasn't a firebender and even if he was she was sure he wouldn't work with Pamuy to clean up her mess.

She wanted to suggest that maybe one of the twins could boil the water, but she kept her mouth shut, a bit to embarrassed to say anything. She owed Shang a big thanks for not only helping her get her balance on this wretched boat, but for helping to clean up after her. She was sure she had never before been this ashamed of being blind and she made a mental note of staying home the next time the Flame Dancers made any oversea trips.

[pamuy]

Pamuy knew, ultimately, it was a lost cause. She wasn't going to ask the twins for help, and they'd probably taunt and jeer her for no reason even if she did ask. The water would taste awful and probably make everyone sick, so her best choice was to dump it overboard. That was, unless somebody had any final thoughts. Looking around, she was certain no one would mind if she dumped it overboard, as much as she wanted to freeze it in the barrel and write 'please do not drink' on the icy surface.

So, arcing her hand high above her head, she lead the watery mass straight from the barrel, over the hull, and into the briny blue. It would be better that way, overall. They had more drinking water, she was certain. They would be stupid not to include more of such an essential element of life.

As her work was done, she smiled to Nim, well knowing she wasn't about to be seen, and softly replied to her. "Take care of yourself." Odd, considering they would be on the same ship, but she had every right to think the poor girl wasn't feeling her best. Who on the ship was? Turning, she headed back to Hilang and smiled. "So what was weighing on your mind?"

[hilang]

Hilang was tired of all this, and honestly, he would have rather been sleeping below deck than arguing with Pamuy, but he had acted rashly, and there was nothing to do about it now. There was no way that Hilang would walk away and show a weakness in pride, that was the same as being beheaded to him. He allowed himself to stand back from the ‘water-purification’ with his arms crossed and a slight scowl on his face, as was usually worn when he was displeased.

He was still in disbelief that she had pinpointed one of his greatest fears, and now had to let her know that she would never do it again. He, of course, would need a better excuse to tell her. It’s not like he could go crying to her and say ‘You hurt my feelings!!‘ Keeping a stone gaze, and a surprisingly level head, he addressed the woman, “Pamuy, how many times do you think I need to hear these lectures? Do you think I’m stupid or something? I understand that any sort of national troubles that could occur while in the Fire Nation would be catastrophic. I’m not so dumb as to cause any trouble once we’re actually there, so leave me alone and get that through your skull.”