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Post by aden on Nov 29, 2006 0:24:36 GMT -5
"Stop right there," called a voice from the sde of the trail. Even as Taka walked hurriedly down the trail, a tree rustled and a man dressed in blue dropped down from a branch. The man landed in a crouch and instantly straightened up, pulling a stream of water out of the waterskin on his back. He held the water in a sphere between his hands and assumed a stance that would allow him to attack or defend on a moment's notice.
"You're entering dangerous territory," the Water Tribe watchman informed the boy. "There's a battle coming soon, and unless you want to risk running into the Fire Nation, I suggest turning back or finding a safer route." Nothing about him seemed overly dangerous to the scout, who figured him to most likely be a messenger boy. The bag he carried and lack of any obvious weapon or armor identified him as such, so he decided to forgoe the usual presumption that all strangers are enemies until proven otherwise.
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Post by taka on Nov 29, 2006 7:53:14 GMT -5
Taka was startled as a man jumped out of a tree. The man was apparently a waterbender, and told him a battle was about to begin, and that he should find another route.
Damnit, I don't have time for that! he thought.
On the outside, he tried to look as kind as possible, however, because the man probably would be a lot less friendly if he knew Taka could shoot metal missles at him. Taka knew this, the man did not. That was one advantage Taka had.
Always find your advantages. Also know your disadvantages. He unconciously listed them off, as the man got up from a crouch. Taka smiled warmly at the man.
"Well, I must say I'm surprised to see a waterbender; I've never met one. Thank you for the advice!" YASU!
"Oh, yes," he said nonchalantly, though his insides were churning for an answer, "Have you seen a girl named Yasu Al? She has a bow. I was supposed to meet her along the road, but I haven't seen her."
He thought that this would be an easy way to find if a girl had come this way. If she had, they would have found her by now. So this man should know where she went, IF she came this way, right?
He hoped so. Then he could end this wild-girl-chase.
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Post by aden on Nov 29, 2006 20:38:37 GMT -5
The waterbender straighted up from his fighting stance and swept his water back into its container. Girl with a bow? he thought to himself, remembering the Fire Nation girl that had been captured earlier. She hadn't made mention of expecting anyone else from her supposed Rebellion, but it wasn't his place as a scout to detain anyone without good cause.
"Come with me," he said simply, stepping out of the cover of the woods and starting off down the trail. The lookout led the boy, keeping a hand on his waterskin, further up the trail and toward the gathered soldiers, calling ahead "Get the girl! She might have a visitor!"
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Post by taka on Nov 30, 2006 13:30:22 GMT -5
The man had looked curiously at him a moment before saying "Come with me."
Wait... he knows where she is? Is she STAYING here somewhere? Wierd...
His suspicious nature aroused, he began probing the man mentally, trying to think. He WAS a wwaterbender, so TECHNICALLY he wasn't an enemy. But maybe they'd seen her eyes... yes... that might have made them a bit angry. If this man knew where she was, it might not be a good thing. His eyes turned slowly to his messenger bag, which contained many more senbon than were contained on his wrist. He'd never fought a bender, not a trained one anyway, and he probably hadn't a chance, but he might have to fight his way out if they wanted to detain him in any way.
That'll score us some friends... he thought wryly. Well, it's their fault if they've done something to her.
His suspicions were confirmed when the man shouted ahead, as if to a camp of men, "Get the girl! She might have a visitor!"
He angrily glared at the man's back, his green eyes flashing. He really wanted to lash out at the man, but that might not be a good idea at this point.
So he would follow this man and wait. Waiting. SO hard to learn.
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Post by yasu on Nov 30, 2006 18:33:23 GMT -5
Yasu had jumped fairly high when Aden had approached during the silence that had befallen on Chamir and she. It had been an awkward silence, and the sudden voice of the angsty teenager had startled her. He was talking about finding a place to wait or something, she had missed the first part of what he was saying because she had been startled. She had decided not to say anything at all, to just follow, but just at that moment of decision a soldier approached her and eyed her. "You have a visitor?" She looked back at Aden and Chamir, wondering if the soldier was speaking to them, for surely no one was looking for her. But when they didn't move, she looked back at him and pointed to herself. He nodded gruffly and began walking away. She glanced back at Chamir and Aden in a mix of fear and curiosity and followed the soldier, trying to keep up with his fast walk.
Who was looking for her? Surely no one but the Rebellion new where she was at this point. She thought. And she didn't know anyone in the Earth Kingdom well enough for people to be searching for her, unless you counted that old woman at Kei Lan who had the big wooden spoon. Yasu's hand involuntarily went to her left arm and rubbed it; she had been whacked by that wooden spoon many-a-time. But that old woman had been like a grandmother in the end to Yasu. But she had left her far behind. So, then, who was it who had come for her? That's when she remembered: her original mission that morning had to be to go watch a group of fire Nation soldiers...but not alone. Someone was supposed to go with her, right? She looked at the ground where they walked. That's right; he was supposed to be some young man. He had slept in though, and Yasu had waited as long as she could. In the end, she left without him.
The Water Tribe soldier stopped and Yasu, deep in thought, ran into him. She backed off in bewilderment when he shot her a glare, and then he moved out of the way. In front of her stood another Water Tribesman, this one a bender. Behind him stood a young man who looked about Aden's age. Her brow furrowed and met, and her mouth pulled in a confused frown, her nose wrinkling in thought. For a moment she stood there like that, and then hesitantly she reached into her robes' pocket and pulled out a scroll. Unfurling it, she read the name of the young man who was supposed to be with her. She looked up at the young man and said, her voice guessing, "Taka Yoru?"
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Post by taka on Nov 30, 2006 19:40:17 GMT -5
As he continued to follow the man, he immediately discounted fighting as a option. He had little chance against one bender, but against this many, he had no chance. No chance at all. So, he began thinking of ways to get out of being detained, should they want to do that.
Oh, we were just getting together to hunt.
Oh, we were just having a little reunion. Childhood friends, you know.
Ah! There you are Yasu, old friend.
Ah, Yasu. I'd been looking for you. Do you have the message I need to relay to the next village?
Any old thing would do, he decided.
Another soldier had been walking up towards them, and then he stopped. He heard something bump into the back of him, and a girl steppd out from behind him. She had on noble clothes, for a Fire Nation girl. He hadn't realized she'd be from there.
Which basically blew all his ideas out of the water.
He held back a discontented sigh, but continued looking her over. Her bow was missing, but she did have the proper armor on. Her hair was up in a ponytail, though. So she's not a complete novice.
Maybe he wasn't giving her enough credit. She seemed hardy enough, and she HAD picked the right armor for the job. Yes, she might just do well. Much better than expected.
But now he needed an excuse. Her pulling out a scroll and saying, "Taka Yoru?", didn't help an excuse at all. So they DIDN'T know each other, and that was now apparent to the people around them. Which could cause problems.
He simply decided to go with the truth, abliet not all of it. He hoped they didn't know what he and Yasu were. If they did, it would simplify things, but not help them. The Rebellion needed to stay unknown.
So he stretched the truth a bit.
"Ah, you must be Yasu Al! I'm glad to meet you at last." He bowed curteously, and continued. "Uncle Ling said I would meet you here, cousin. How are you?"
The 'Uncle' he had spoke of was the leader of the Rebellion, Chu Ye Ling. His name was often used in similar context when people needed a name on the spot. It was uncommon in the Earth Kingdom, so people woudn't mistake you for a relative, but it wasn't unheard of, so it wouldn't strike an 'off' chord with people. He hoped she'd catch on to this, and respond similarly.
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Post by aden on Nov 30, 2006 21:43:34 GMT -5
The voice of a scout calling from a little ways down the trail had Aden on edge for several long moments. A part of him had thought the battle had come sooner than expected and he immediately turned to face the threat. But when the look-out came into view, walking swiftly but without alarm, he loosened up. The young boy walking in his wake was enough of a hint that the Fire nation had not arrived.
And yet, the newcomer's appearance raised just as many new concerns. And those concerns were multiplied when it was revealed that the young man was here to meet Yasu. Standing his distance, Aden watched the two of them closely as they exchanged an uncertain introduction. The way Yasu took out a scroll and read off the boy's name, as though unsure of how to even pronounce it, made the Earth Kingdom's youth's following claim that they were related a little hard to swallow.
Immediately Aden developed a cautious attitude toward the newcomer. The boy, "Taka" according to Yasu, sounded friendly enough, but making his first statement in Aden's presence a blaitant falsehood was one way to earn the young waterbender's scorn. Still, he held his tongue and watched the events unfold.
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Post by yasu on Dec 1, 2006 0:01:32 GMT -5
Yasu blinked. She took in the information. She blinked again. So, he had decided to 'stretch the truth. She thought dryly that the young messenger's heroics was going to be taken not the least bit lightly, considering that they already knew of the Rebellion. She opened her mouth to answer, and shut it again. She blinked. The two Water Tribesmen at their sides gave her a hard look, and she retreated from their stares to look at the ground. She sighed. She was never one to lie well, so giving Taka a hard look, she turned to the Water Tribesmen with her hands on her hips and her head raised stubbornly, completely ignoring Taka's claim.
"Excuse him," she said in a rather harsh tone, which she quickly cleared with a cough. Then her voice changed completely and her eyes softened as she turned to the one who had summoned her from Aden and Chamir. "He's a messenger from the Rebellion, and means no harm. He's just trying to put on a brave face." Her face hardened then and she stepped up to the soldier, placing a finger on his chest angrily and poking him hard, "And I don't have to explain anything to you, only to your leader, if he wishes an explanation." That wasn't what she was originally going to go for. Originally, she was going to go along with the lie, saying that he was her father's mother's great-aunt's brother's son's nephew twice removed from the family line. But that had hurt her head so much, and she wasn't good at lying anyways. Truth was always the best way.
The Soldier gave her a bewildered look; shocked at her sudden mood swing. Yasu Al then turned to Taka, her arms moved from her hips to across her chest and across the bowstring that swung her bow across her back. Her eyes lightened. "So, you followed me. I can't lie--I'm a little surprised that you were able to find me. With my predicament and all." She wasn't yet aware of Aden behind her watching, and so continued talking a bit shyly, her personality back in check.
"Now wait just a minute," the soldier who had summoned her began but stopped. He was at a loss. The girl seemed to have said the truth, but he wasn't sure. He turned to the bender, whose eyes led to Aden, and then to Hissun who seemed preoccupied and then back to the other soldier. Good, Yasu thought, I'm glad I bought us a few minutes to talk. Maybe they'll let us talk to Hissun. Or something. She sighed inwardly.
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Post by chamir on Dec 1, 2006 0:47:52 GMT -5
Next to Aden, Chamir was rocking back and forth on his heels listening.
He wanted to smile at the new boy's lie and possible rescue attempt. And any attempt at thinking she knew him dispelled with his own light chortle as she took out a scroll and pronounced his name.
And despite Aden giving him a brief glance after his second chortle, Chamir was unable to contain his amusement at this Taka Yoru's attempt to relieve both himself and Yasu from this predicament.
He wonder what Taka would, or even could, do giving the impeding danger that was coming. His style of dress was even a tad more fanciful that Chamir's it seemed--despite the Taka looking like a tree dressed in brown bottom and green top. And the satchel-bag on his arm, along with the poofy leggings and sleeves of his clothing, painted him as more of a gofer than a fighter.
Chamir was amused further, a third time, as Yasu marked the boy as a mere message boy trying to put on a brave face. Though a bit surprised at her sudden mood swing into something more commanding and authoratative.
Displaying a bit of courage for the both of them, perhaps?
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Post by taka on Dec 1, 2006 7:56:39 GMT -5
She looked at him blankly for a second or so, apparently digesting the information. But then she did something that shocked him.
"Excuse him," she said. "He's a messenger from the Rebellion, and means no harm. He's just trying to put on a brave face."
SHE TOLD THEM?!
He went a bit red in the face. He'd managed to keep the shock off his face, but the red was embarassment for lying to people who knew it at the outset. He hadn't really had another course to take, though. He took in a deep breath, and exhaled it in a deep sigh, as Yasu glared at him a moment. He looked back at her with an exasperated look. What did you WANT me to do? his eyes asked.
Then, she proceeded to argue with the soldier, putting on a fine display of force, which left the older man stuttering in his tracks. Once she was done having her fun with him, she turned to Taka once more.
Her eyes were softer than they'd been previously. She'd gotten over him lying, apparently.
"So, you followed me. I can't lie--I'm a little surprised that you were able to find me. With my predicament and all."
He managed a weak smile. "Well, I just about ran the whole way."
He looked around at the soldiers. "Sorry about that." he said to Yasu. "I didn't know you'd already told them."
There were two men behind her that seemed to be intent on listening to what he said; he didn't really care, but he was annoyed that they eavsdropped.
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Post by aden on Dec 1, 2006 15:08:49 GMT -5
Aden huffed derisively at Taka's sheepish response. The young waterbender found the message-boy's attempt at discretion both comical and ironic, considering Yasu Al had already revealed her part in the secretive Rebellion. The fact that Taka was apparently from the Earth Kingdom supported her claim, and put to rest any lingering suspiscions in Aden's mind that it was all another lie.
Out of the corner of his eye, the young waterbender spotted Hissun starting towards the messenger, and he decided that the situation was well in hand. Throwing the cloak in his hand over one shoulder, he turned to Chamir and said, "We still need to find a place to hide before the attack..."
But even as he turned his attention toward other things, Hissun stepped up to the two Rebel operatives in order to assess the situation. "It seems we stumbled across quite the crossroads when took this trail," he mused, looking over the newcomer and evaluating him as a potential threat. "You come by our tribe at a trouble time, young sir... Whatever business you have, speak it now so that we may deal with it and return to our preparations for battle."
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Post by taka on Dec 1, 2006 16:56:48 GMT -5
One of the two, the one with a ponytail, was laughing at him. He shrugged it off. Probably a loser anyway. The other and Ponytail began conversing. As they did so, another man came forward, who, because of his beard, and age, could be seen as the leader of the little camp. Taka sighed. This was getting old. Very very old.
"It seems we stumbled across quite the crossroads when took this trail," said the old man. "You come by our tribe at a trouble time, young sir... Whatever business you have, speak it now so that we may deal with it and return to our preparations for battle."
He smiled kindly at the old man. At least he wasn't annoying.
He bowed low before starting. "The only business I had coming here was to find her," he said, indicating Yasu, "and get on with my mission. But from the sounds of it, we won't be leaving anytime soon. Not if the Fire Nation is coming."
His face resumed a thoughful expression. "Of course, I don't want to be a liability. Allow me to aid you in any way I can, kind sir." His mouth turned upwards in a cocky grin. "That way, after we win, Yasu and I can get on with our job, and you can return to doing yours."
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Post by yasu on Dec 1, 2006 17:10:09 GMT -5
Yasu shrugged, and was about to say that it was okay for him to lie, and that he didn't know, whens he felt a presence behind ehr that made her stiffen. It had the obvious aura of Hissun, the leader of these Water Tribesman and Yasu's disgust. She still didn't understand why he made her on edge so, but she didn't want to think about it. Instead, while he spoke kindly to Taka, she scooted out of the way and beside Taka so that her back wasn't to the Water Tribesman, but she was facing him. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. It was only when she moved did she see that Aden and Chamir had moved slightly so that they could possibly hear of what they had been talking about and she scowled slightly, slightly peeved.
"It seems we stumbled across quite the crossroads when took this trail," Hissun was saying. She sighed inwardly and looked over to Taka, who was smiling kindly at Hissun and was speaking now. He was indicating towards her and it was only then that she tuned into what he was saying. "But from the sounds of it, we won't be leaving anytime soon. Not if the Fire Nation is coming." No, this battle was partly her fault, and mostly about the Rebellion. Yasu Al, for one, would not back down.
Taka's expression changed to that of a thoutghtful one, and she listened as he said that he would aid. "That way, after we win, Yasu and I can get on with our job, and you can return to doing yours," he added at the end. Yasu blinked and then she let out a sigh and faced Taka. "Its best that we do stay and help," she said softly, "they found something that deals with the Rebellion. I think it would be in our best interests." She turned to face Hissun, giving a silent whoop. Because now, she didn't have to prove her loyalty as much, because now they had two members of the Rebellion right there in front f his face. But she didn't say anything more and shyly looked down to her feet, resuming her quiet personale.
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Post by chamir on Dec 1, 2006 18:27:02 GMT -5
Though a derisive huff, Chamir was still pleased to find some sense of humor in Aden. Nice to know the young man had not lost himself entirely to anger. Even if it was at Taka the gofer's expense.
Having enough of the matter Aden tossed the cloak over his shoulder and turned to Chamir. "We still need to find a place to hide before the attack..." Hinting that they should get a move on.
"Mmhm," finally agreeing with Aden's suggestion of finding a hiding place before the attack. Though the two managed to meander a little longer to earn Yasu's disapproval gaze after having seen both of them having wandered close enough to eavesdrop upon the entire conversation.
"The sooner we can do so the better," he finally turned his attention to Aden. "But should we wait for Yasu and her playmate or go ahead by ourselves and let them catch up?" Himself a tad curious at what the fancy dressed gofer could do. If he could do anything at all.
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Post by aden on Dec 2, 2006 1:16:29 GMT -5
"She may be better employed with the slingers and benders who will be dealing with the firebenders," Aden replied to Chamir's suggestion of waiting for Yasu. He'd already considered the idea of her waiting in ambush with them, and the thought struck a sour chord in his mind. Not only would he be uneasy with her so close to him while they waited, but he couldn't imagine her bow being put to such good use from a tree over a narrow area in the dark.
The young waterbender breathed out a hefty sigh as he glanced back at the rebel girl for a moment before turning his attention to the sky. "Dusk will be upon us within an hour," he observed, "And if the Fire Nation has any clue that we're Water Tribe, they won't be foolish enough to wait for nightfall." Aden looked toward the trees, estimating about fifty paces down the trail, and let his thoughts begin to focus on battle tactics.
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Hissun looked over the two rebels, his wizened blue eyes seeming to bore right into their very being as he weighed his options. Several long moments passed before he nodded ever so slightly. "Very well," he said, bringing up a hand to stroke his beard, "The both of you will stay in reserve with myself, the benders, and our sling-throwers. Since you are a messenger," he looked directly at Taka, "you may stay out of harms way. And you, young lady, may do the same if you wish to watch over your comrade. Otherwise, I will expect you to put your bow to good use against the firebenders."
The elder waterbender turned and began to walk away, but he stopped after two steps and looked back. "Any of my officers will give you further instruction if you need it," he told them, indicating two of his underlings with a slight gesture of the hand, "but be ready for battle within the next 15 minutes." With that he resumed walking towards the false camp that was being set up in order to trick the Fire Nation soldiers.
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