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Post by iikagen on Oct 5, 2006 20:07:54 GMT -5
The gates of Yin Rei were propped open welcoming travellers with the sight of the city's bustling interior. Despite the war, the Fire Nation itself remained relatively unscathed and hadn't seen real battle on its own soil for quite some time. The pair of guards flanking the archway were hardly at attention, and were using more their spears to prop themselves up than to ward off sinister types. However, the routine day of guard duty changed quickly for the two men when an odd traveller approached their city.
Standing over six feet tall with his shaved head and facial tattoos, Iikagen was difficult to miss. His short, open vest revealed more skin that the Fire Nation was used to and he wore no shoes. He carried a traveller's pack over one shoulder, but it was nearly empty. In short, he was like nothing the two guards had ever seen. By the time he finally reached the front gate, the two soldiers had gotten to their feet and stood at the ready with their spears firmly in hand.
Iikagen slowed to a stop in front of the men, calling out a greeting as he did so and offering a wide smile. "Good morning!" he said, his voice showing a slight accent, but also full of energy. The two guards exchanged anxious glances as they tried to identify the stranger.
"Where are you travelling from?" one guard asked, his voice not threatening, but still showing caution. The strange traveller seemed nonplussed by this and continued to beam at the guards.
"A long, long way away, my friends," Iikagen answered. "I've been walking since last night without making camp and I'd like to get some food. I hear the Mainland's food is hot, but I haven't found a spice yet that I can't eat!" He patted his stomach to emphasize his point, but the guards didn't seem to be calmed at all. In fact, one of the guards seemed to be even more defensive as a spark of recognition went off in his eyes.
"You're an Igni, aren't you?" he asked, his voice sounding like an accusation. Iikagen's smile held as he shifted his gaze back and forth between the two men, though his eyes suddenlt became very calculating. The second guard glanced at his companion for a moment before sizing the traveller up once more. Iikagen realized that things needed to be sped up.
"Why yes," he said, his grin diminishing, but not completely, "Yes I am... But as I said, I mean no troubles, good men. I simply need some food and supplies on my way to the East. Oops!" As he was speaking, Iikagen had opened his pack to show that there was nothing in it, when a small pouch fell out and hit the ground and its contents scattered. The guards' eyes widened as they realized that a half dozen finely-cut gems had dropped at their feet. Iikagen apologized quickly and bent down to scoop up the precious stones. However, in his hurry, he left half a dozen smaller, but still valuable stones laying near the guards' feet. He apologized once more as he stood up and stored the pouch away, though he gave the men a deliberate smirk.
For a moment the two guards glanced cautiously at each other before stepping aside and waving Iikagen inside. The Igni traveller bowed elaborately to the two guards and then strode forward through the gates, leaving the men to pick up and examine their new-found wealth.
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Post by shinta on Oct 5, 2006 20:17:47 GMT -5
The sun beat down on the backs of the people as they made their way through the crowded marketplace. The roaring sound of relaxed conversation filled the air, punctuated every so often by the shouts of those advertising their goods, each vying to attract the most customers. The stench of so much humanity clustered together filled Shinta’s nostrils as he made his way through the crowd, his small cart laden, like so many others, with fresh produce. His wife Soraya followed a step behind, carrying a few baskets of her own as they made their way through to the other side of the plaza.
Yin Rei was a well developed village, supported primarily by the income the government spent on it for the soldiers it hosted. Said soldiers were everywhere, both in and out of uniform. Their sharp eyes watched the crowd for any signs of danger. After all, what better place would there be for troublemakers to hide but in the plaza on the busiest of market days? Despite this, however, it seemed that their “sharp eyes” were more of a figure of speech than anything else. Apparently they believed that none would dare try to walk under the eyes of so many soldiers, Shinta thought as he saw a few yawning.
The spies’ attention was suddenly jerked away from the guards as a stranger came into the market. He was tall, taller than most, and his bald head and tattooed features at first came up with no match in either of their memories. Gradually, however, as the man continued his stride, Shinta remembered where he had heard mention of these people before.
The man became aware of his and his wife’s silence, and quickly took up his cry for customers again, silently berating himself for the slip in attention. For a moment, he had forgotten that he was just another farmer selling his wares, and was Shinta, the Earth Kingdom spy. Still, he couldn’t let something as interesting as this go that easily. Continuing his advertisement, he allowed the flow of the crowd to move him closer to the Igni.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 5, 2006 20:30:10 GMT -5
Iikagen was painfully aware of the dozens of eyes following his every step, but still he maintained an ease of stride that balanced his outlandish appearance with seeming friendliness. In truth, he wanted nothing more than to punch the next soldier he met square in the face. However, for all the might be said about the intelligence of the average Igni, Iikagen knew how to pick his fights. With so much public attention, he'd be a fool to start trouble.
As he crossed the plaza and headed down one of the busy market streets, taking in the sights and ignoring the way many people dodged him like a lepper. A grin remained plastered on his face, though he was quickly searching for some place to get off the street. After walking a short distance, though, Iikagen spotted the symbol for a tea house outside of a building with a red doorframe. Or rather, what he thought was the symbol for 'Tea House.' His grasp of proper calligraphy was not perfect considering his warrior upbringing on such a remote island.
Iikagen glanced around as he stepped up to the flap hanging in the doorway and gave one last pseudo-friendly glanced to the crowd that had seemed to follow him before lifting the cloth and steeping into the building.
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Post by soraya on Oct 5, 2006 20:55:09 GMT -5
The Igni seemed fully aware of his surroundings, as he made his way through the crowd, and led them quickly out of the market. At this point, Shinta paused, turning to seek another customer, even as his mind worked. To see one of them in these parts was nearly unheard of, and so was worth checking out. Was he going to enlist in the military? If so, this was the perfect town to do it in.
The tall man spared a glance back at his wife, and then flicked his eyes to the rapidly disappearing figure. It had been a while since they had had anything of substance to report, and the Ignis were known for their fighting prowess. If the Fire Nation was now adding them to its ranks, the Earth Kingdom would want to know.
Soraya followed her husband’s gaze, and then set one of her baskets carefully in his cart. As she did so, she leaned forward. “I’ll follow, and meet you back here within an hour,” she murmured. Taking up her remaining basket of goods, she set her expression into a faintly disquieted look, like so many other women’s in the passing of the stranger, trying to build the impression that she was just another woman bringing home dinner. It worked fairly well, her training combining with the already disturbed eyes of the populace until she was just that.
The man walked quickly, and she followed at a good distance, keeping him just in sight. He led the crowd onward for a while, and then he disappeared. Soraya’s heart stopped for a moment as she searched the crowd, but then her gaze was caught by the door of a tea house. Could he have gone in there? She wondered. The spy waited for several moments, pretending to study a display on the other side of the street, before casually entering the tea house.
The tea house was busy, as was every place in this city, but not nearly so much as outside, for which Soraya was only partly relieved. The minimal bustle would make her job both easier and harder. Careful not to look at the man she had followed, she ordered a cup of tea and seated herself at a table where she could watch the man out of the corner of her eye, but not be noticed doing so. As she waited for the tea to be prepared, she listened to the somewhat hushed conversation around her for clues as to the man’s purpose, all the while studying her assignment from the corner of her vision.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 6, 2006 13:07:41 GMT -5
Iikagen eyes quickly scanned the interior of the building and he was glad to see that his translation of the characters on the door had been correct. There were several rows of low tables lined with cushions running the length of the room with a small bar and counter against the back wall. Iikagen quickly took notice of an empty corner table and started to head toward it.
Conversations ground to a halt as the patrons of the tea house became aware of his presence. In the town's merchant district the people were usually middle-class, so Iikagen's foreign apparel was quite startling. By the time he reached the corner table and took a seat with his back to the read wall, nearly every eye in the establishment was focused on him, or otherwise making discrete glances his way.
As usual though, Iikagen maintained his friendly expression and pretended not to notice the disturbance he was causing. He sat calmly for a short while, taking notice that several of the waitresses were having a quarrel over who would have to serve him. It was somewhat amusing to the islander, who watched as a young girl in her mid-teens was shoved out of the backroom and told to go take his order. The girl stood glued to her spot outside the doorway and gave one last angry glare at her co-workers before she slowly started toward's Iikagen's table.
"G-good morning," the girl began, calling her greeting from several feet away from the table. "May I g-get you something to drink?" Her words were somewhat jumbled and Iikagen couldn't help but chuckle inwardly that she was practically hiding behind her serving tray like a shield.
"G'morning too you, too," he began, offering a smile and a nod toward the scared girl, "And yes, I could use a drink. Hmmm..." he paused for a moment, scratching his chin and pouting his lips as he consideredwhat he felt in the mood for, "I know it's early, but I'll have a cup of Fire Whiskey if you have it. Long journey, you know, and I need something to ease the pain in my feet." Iikagen straightened his leg and wiggled his toes slightly, throwing the girl a wink as he did so.
"Right away, Sir," the girl replied, turning quickly and scurrying away from the table. iikagen exhaled a quiet laugh as he watched her go and tucked his leg back under him. It was almost degrading, he realized, but he supposed it gave the Mainlanders some sense of security. As long as he seemed like a simple, harmless islander then he could avoid any real trouble for the time being.
He still had the itch to fight some one challenging, but he hardly felt like being arrested. Until he could be assured that the authorities wouldn't catch him, he'd keep a low profile... Or as low a profile as his appearance would allow.
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Post by soraya on Oct 6, 2006 18:13:03 GMT -5
The atmosphere of the place was not what you would expect of a tea house, Soraya mused, but the uneasy air could be attributed to the unexpected customer. The low buzz of conversation was centered on him, as she gleaned from the anxious glances of the other citizens around her and the whispered words of ‘islander’ and ‘barbarian’. Through it all, the man sat calmly, seemingly unaware of the fact that he had just been turned into the latest gossip.
A few minutes after the man had ordered- fire brandy, she noticed with disgust. She had never been fond of the effects of alcohol on men –Soraya’s tea came. The woman raised the steaming cup to her lips, gratefully inhaling the soothing scent of ginseng. It was a bit of an indulgence, and one that would not go unnoticed by her husband. But then again, it was necessary as part of her ‘cover’. The faintest of smirks touched her lips, quirking them upward at the corners. The spy sipped her tea slowly, allowing her eyes to drift partway shut as she glanced over at the islander once more.
The sunlight streaming through the door was suddenly blotted out by a large figure. Turning to see the cause of the sudden darkness, Soraya instinctively stiffened at the sight of the armored man as he strode into the building. His arrogant face twisted in a bit of a sneer as he glanced over the occupants, who were primarily of lower class. His body language seemed to say 'I'm better than you,'.
Soraya's hand tightened around the cup ever so slightly, remembering the war that her people were fighting against those like him. But, here, she was the simple wife of an average farmer. Born of a people that went out of their way to please their 'perect' ruler. As such, she couldn't risk open anger toward these men, even if she was not the only one of that opinion in the room.
The leading soldier's eyes landed on the nearby Igni, and a somewhat sloppy version of a smirk crossed his features. He stode toward the man, swaying slightly on his feet, and slammed his hands down on the islanders table. "We've been looking for you," he said- or at least tried to say. His speech was so slurred that he could hardly be understood. He was drunk.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 9, 2006 14:05:42 GMT -5
Iikagen was absently swirling the contents of his cup, watching the vortex that the amber liquid was forming with feigned amusement. He'd already drunk half of the Fire Whiskey and decided to take his time with the rest. He was still going on an empty stomach and drinking too much too quickly would likely result in a nasty headache. And yet, even as he played the part of the simpleton and sensed those around him starting to lessen their intense stares his way, the shadow of a large man darkened the doorway of the tea house.
Even as the newcomer scanned the tea house, Iikagen had already guessed his purpose. He remained sitting calmly in his seat with his eyes focused on his own cup, though he let a hand casually drift down and reached into his right pocket. After a few moments, the man at the door seemed to spot the Igni in the corner and immediately started his way. His steps were heavy and cumbersome, rumbling the tables on either side as he walked down the middle of the tea shop. Despite the armor he wore that would otherwise designate him as a warrior, there was nothing about this man's appearance or behavior that hinted at any true fighting capability. He was big, certainly, but drunkness and stupidity reduced him to a very minor threat.
By the time he reached the rear of the tea house and stood before the corner table, Iikagen had brought his hand back up on top of the table. However, his hand was crokked slightly and his fingers were curled, as though he was hiding something pressed under his forearm. He glanced up at the man before him, smiling broadly, and said politely, "Good day, sir."
The greeting seemed to pass completely by the large man, who only scowled in response and slammed his hands on the table saying, "We've been looking for you." Iikagen's left eyebrow raised slightly, and the row of dots tattooed over it made the gesture look very exaggerated. "You're coming with me, Now," the soldier ordered, reaching across the table suddenly.
In that split second, however, Iikagen's right hand snapped up and he put the concealed object to his lips. Using the man's own wide frame as an optical barrier to the rest of the tea house, Iikagen blew out a dart from his blowgun and the missile struck the man on the inside of his outstretched forearm. The shrewd islander quickly dropped the weapon and put his hands wide to the side in a gesture of surrender as the soldier grabbed him by the collar of his vest and pulled him to his feet. The tiny dart hardly registered to the alcohol-dulled senses of the man, but still he was confused as to what the islander had shot at him.
"Whaddid you just..... just?" the man started to say, holding Iikagen's vest up so that he had to stand on his tiptoes to avoid tearing the fabric. However, a resounding yawn broke his train of thought, and Iikagen felt himself being lowered to the ground as the strength left the man's arms. "I'm gonna..." the soldier started to threaten, even as he sank to his knees and released the islander. Iikagen gently guided the man to the floor, casually removing the dart as he laid him out straight.
At that point Iikagen turned to regard the rest of the tea house and gave an innocent shrug and a look of confusion. "Took much to drink?" he asked out loud, offering a meek grin, to which many of the other customers simply laughed in response. No one was going to contest that the man was indeed drunk, and seeing one of those bullying soldiers humiloiated like that was a plus to the lower class. Iikagen continued to look around in confusion for a little while longer until it seemed as though he was free of suspicion, but he then decided it would be wise to leave. He quickly gathered his belongings and finished his drink and prepared to leave.
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Post by soraya on Oct 9, 2006 18:51:06 GMT -5
As the drunken soldier spoke, Soraya had a feeling she knew how this particular incident would end. The man demanded that the islander come with him. In that moment, the tension in the tea house was so thick that one could physically feel the pressure that it created.
The stranger raised an eyebrow at the soldier’s demand, his hand curled so that it appeared to be grasping something. Soraya couldn’t tell what, but she was fairly certain that it was a weapon of sorts. The soldier moved to grab the Igni, but was stopped. The islander had done something, but the combination of speed and the bulky soldier’s frame prevented her from seeing exactly what. Shinta will be onto me for that later, She groaned inwardly as the scene unfolded. The stranger had continued to move for a split second afterward, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. The drunken man tried to grab the Igni, and then fell to the floor. The islander laid the man out straight as he removed something, too small to see properly at her angle, from the man’s throat.
The man’s shrug and simple statement of the man having too much to drunk relaxed the good majority of the customers. Laughter replaced the tense silence that had dominated the room. At her own table, Soraya did not laugh, but watched the man as he packed his belongings. The man was not working for the military, if the scene just now could be of any indication. But that left him as an unknown, and unknowns needed to be watched.
Finishing her tea, Soraya stood as there was no longer much that she could do here. Still, she hesitated to stop following the man completely. She still had a good portion of the hour that she had promised left, after all. Why shouldn’t she put it to good use?
Gathering her own belongings, she walked over to the prone Fire Nation soldier and crouched down. Trained eyes searched for a mark on his neck where the weapon would have punctured, but she disguised it by checking his pulse. Inwardly, she revolted at touching him, but it was necessary. After a moment, she found it; a small, hardly noticeable bump where a dart had punctured. Her eyebrow rose at the neatness that the islander had achieved in such a short window of time. It appeared that it would be worthwhile to watch him for a bit longer.
“I you are in need of a place to stay, my husband and I would not mind you sharing our home,” she said with a glance toward the islander. She was doubtful that he would even answer, but it was worth a shot.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 12, 2006 18:54:06 GMT -5
Iikagen watched the woman's approach with interest as she walked across the tea house. The way she seemed to check the man's pulse put the image of a healer into his head, though there was no other outward sign of it. The islander's bronze eyes kept trained on the woman until she finally stood from inspecting the man and met his gaze.
“I you are in need of a place to stay, my husband and I would not mind you sharing our home,” she suddenly said, catching Iikagen slightly by surprise. His eyebrow twitched up slightly at the unexpected offer, but it was quickly followed by a grin. For all his time spent learning to imitate mainland ettiquette, he couldn't hold back the first thought that came to mind.
"Would your husband happen to be out of town, lady?" he asked, standing up straight and giving a bit of a lewd grin. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say, but it was simply Iikagen's nature.
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Post by soraya on Oct 14, 2006 16:11:02 GMT -5
The comment was not entirely unanticipated, after all, she was alone, and had just offered her home to a man she had just met. Soraya met the man's broze eyes with her own, but a bit of steel crept into her dark eyes at his insinuation. "My husband is in town, and he would be happy to learn that the arrogance of these men who call themselves soldiers has finally gotten them in trouble," she glanced at the unmoving soldier on the floor with distaste. "The offer was merely one of friendship," she said firmly. "It seems doubtful that his friends will be happy when they learn of these events, and they will find out." She rose, and turned to face him fully. "It would be in your best interest to dissapear for a small time. We have a small guest-house where you may stay, and if you are need of supplies, we have enough to send you on the next leg of your journey."
Already, Soraya could imagine Shinta's face when she told him of this. It would take some explaining, but she could probably get him to at least consider her idea.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 14, 2006 22:08:48 GMT -5
The grin on Iikagen's face faded slightly when his faint hopes were dashed, but still he maintained a slight smirk. This woman seemed to enjoy the fact that he'd taught the drunken soldier some humility, as did several other patrons in the tea house. However, that hardly seemed like a worthy reason to offer a complete strnger shelter and supplies. She had pretty much presented him with everything he came to town for on a silver platter.
Iikagen was never one to trust a silver platter...
"A tempting offer," the islander mused, crossing his arms and scratching his chin in a caricature of deep thought. He was about to turn down that course of action, for there was doubtlessly an alterior motive than simple kindness, but he couple help but admit that he was curious. Who was this woman to take such an interest in him? What plans did she have in store. He didn't know, but despite everything else, it really was in his best interest to accept her 'help.'
After several seconds of silence in which the woman before him seemed to be waiting on a response, Iikagen finally said, "Very well... I'll take what help you're giving." He glanced around at the rest of the room for a moment before noticing something. "I'll give you a 10-second headstart out the door so it's not obvious I'm following you. I doubt you want this guy's firends," he gestured at the unconscious soldier, "knowing I'm with you." He paused slightly and turned away from the woman, pretending to interest himself with the dregs remaining in his cup. "Savvy?" he asked, speaking out of the corner of his mouth.
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Post by soraya on Oct 14, 2006 23:21:52 GMT -5
Inside, Soraya felt some satisfaction when the Islander's smile faded ever so slightly. He scratched his chin, apparently considering the offer. The spy wondered what exactly was going through his head. He seemed smart, and that alone would make her doubt a favorable answer but for the impulsive streak he had already shown. Perhaps, just maybe...
"Very well... I will take what help you're giving," he said suddenly. His eyes flicked around the room, and she followed his gaze. A moment later, he spoke again, explaining his plan. She nodded, her pleasant but non-revealing expression remaining the same as ever as he turned back to his tea. "Excelent," she said as she also turned away.
Once out the door, she turned on the streat toward the marketplace, all senses moving on high alert. She blended with the crowd, trying not to make her hurry seem too obvious. She had spent more time in the tea house than she had anticipated, and had no idea how much time she had left before her meeting with her husband. Probably not much, she decided. The tinyest part of her wondered if the islander had actually followed, or was just trying to get rid of her. She suppressed the urge to look back and check. At the very least, she had accomplished what she set out to do, and at the most, she had aquired a valuble asset.
The smell of amassed humanity flooded her senses once more as she made her way into the thick of the market and then across the plaza to the designated area. She stood in fron of a stall, pretending to study the produce being sold, when she felt him beside her. The solid built frame of her husband cast a shadow over the produce and she looked up calmly. "We'll be having a guest," she told him.
His expression remained firm, "I sold most of the produce, we can head home," He leaned in ever so slightly and lowered his voice, "How far behind is he?"
"He gave me ten seconds, I'd assume that he'd be far enough behind so that no one would notice him following."
Shinta nodded and held her hand for a moment before turning out toward the gates. Soraya followed, pausing only for a moment to locate the isalnder's shaved head, which stood out in the crowd. She gave him a slight nod, and then followed her husband.
Once outside the gate, they spoke little. The road graducall became emptier as they traveled farther friom the city, and soon decreased to a mere trickle of people. In such an open enviroment, it was not wise to speak of things confidential.
The sun was setting as they turned up the path to their home. Shinta went out back to stow the cart, while Soraya took her basket inside, then returned to stand outside their home and watch the sunset, waiting for their guest to arrive.
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Post by iikagen on Oct 21, 2006 18:01:45 GMT -5
Iikagen followed the couple at a very healthy distance. He took a winding path, poking his head into the various stalls that lined the main street. At one point he even paused shortly to buy a small knife from a shifty salesman near an alley. That caused him to lose sight of the Fire Nation woman and her husband who he'd been following, but Iikagen simply picked up his pace slightly and managed to spot them as they were leaving through the city's gate.
Inwardly, the Igni was a bit annoyed. He was expecting the woman to have a home within the city walls. Walking was precisely what he'd come here to avoid for a while. He paused briefly at the fringe of the plaza, watching the woman and her husband head off down the trail and into the farmlands beyond. Perhaps he should let them go. He was certain he could get by on his own, but still, he was curious as to why she'd offered assistance in the first place. They weren't ordinary citizens, that much was for sure. He could hardly imagine a mainlander who'd let him stay under their roof without a hefty payment in rare Igni gems. Whatever it was they had planned for him, he was just a little too curious to walk away now.
Iikagen scratched the back of his calf with one foot and shifted the strap of his back on his shoulder. With enough of a lead given to the Fire Nation couple, he set out through the front gate. The guards watched him leaving intently, but didn't bother to stop him. He merely flashed them both a wry grin and walked on.
Along the way, he picked a branch off a tree on the side of the road and began to whittle a few darts with his newly acquired knife. They weren't tipped with sleeping poison like his others, but they'd pack a bit more of a punch due to their size and could do some damage to a vital spot. The whittling slowed his pace significantly, but he could see the trail of footprints left by the couple fairly easily and so he allowed himself to lose sight of the two. The sun was getting low in the sky, but even as Iikagen wondered if he'd lose the trail in the dark, a farm house as well as the two he'd been following came into view.
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Post by shinta on Nov 10, 2006 12:27:36 GMT -5
Long, dark shadows were cast by the rapidly dimming light produced by the sinking sun. Soraya’s dark brown eyes searched the darkness intently, narrowed ever so slightly in a squint. She could feel anticipation trickling through her muscles already. The islander was clearly not working for the Fire Nation military, and she had heard stories about his people.
Behind her, she heard Shinta’s soft footstep, unusual for his size, and turned her head to look at him. Her husband’s dark form was silhouetted by the light coming from within the house. In silence, he looked at her, and then glanced to the road where the Igni was beginning to make his way up the path. “Go inside,” he said after a short pause. “Our guest will be hungry.” Soraya nodded and walked within the building.
Shinta’s eyes turned back to the slim figure making his way up the trail to his home. The man was unusual, his long limbs giving him the appearance of a monkey… or a spider. Pushing the unwelcome thought of the tricky arachnid from his mind, Shinta strode forward to greet the stranger.
“Greetings,” he said. His deep voice, though cultured to impress upon the listener the Fire Nation’s manner of speech, rumbled forth. “I am Shinta, Soraya’s husband.”
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Post by iikagen on Nov 10, 2006 13:44:40 GMT -5
Iikagen had put away his whittling knife and the pair of darts he'd made along the way before he reached the couple's house. He'd decided against making a first impression on the husband with a weapon in hand, even though a part of him desired to test his nerves with such a display. Instead he opted to put on his 'simple islander' act and became casually picking at his teeth as he descended down the path toward the house.
The woman's husband was waiting outside to greet him, and a funny thought struck Iikagen. Even as Shinta introduced himself in a particularly hearty voice, the Igni traveler spread his arms out wide and strode forward to give Shinta a big hug. "Thank you you for welcoming me into your home!" Iikagen said, tilting back slightly to lift Shinta a few inches off the ground before putting him down. Iikagen was smiling widly, both in a gesture of mock friendliness and partially from his own amusement, and asked quickly, "So what's for dinner?"
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