|
|
Post by ribab on May 25, 2008 20:02:26 GMT -5
The day before was hot, it has been like this for a couple days now. Night and day has both been a lot warmer than normal. In Suk's bed, it was just too hot out for him to even want to get up. Most of the day he was sleeping. . .
It was night-time, about 10:00 pm; Suk was thinking that he would have a great deal of fun robbing the thieves. His mother, Chorku, and his father, Pachuki, were gone. Chorku was in Ba Seng Se meeting her parents and Pachuki is on guard duty. Not tired at all, Suk decided to journey out and meet with some thieves.
Walking down the street that he lives on, Suk heard a sound down a nearby alley way. It sounded like people talking, one guy sounded confident and the other sounded afraid. He peers in closer to take a look. Right there in-between two buildings, there was an old guy and a really skinny guy. Sitting on the side of an alley way, was the old guy with a worried look on his face. The skinny guy was running towards Suk because there was a dead end to the ally way, but he notices him there too late.
"What are you doing here?" sneered the young skinny guy. He had a simple dagger in his left hand and the bag in his right.
|
|
|
|
Post by ribab on May 25, 2008 20:02:55 GMT -5
"I've come to rid this town of thieves like you." Suk stomped the ground with his right foot and a block of earth quickly rose up from behind the thief. Then Suk pointed his finger at the block of earth and he turned around then he thrusted his hands forward. The block of earth quickly made it's way to him in a second. Right before the guy made his way to Suk, Suk faced his fingers inward, knelt, and slammed his palms against the ground. The block of earth stopped in its tracks and slammed over like it tripped on something.
The skinny guy's foot was trapped under the block, the bag a few copper coins got thrown out of the guys hand by shock and it's now it was only a couple feet behind Suk. Suk took his hand and smoothed the edges of the block by pushing down with his fists to blend them in with the ground. The end result was it looking like the guy's foot got swallowed by the ground. Suk took the bag of coins that was behind him and handed it to the man.
"Thank you ever so much!" said the old man, and then he ran off.
Suk walked over behind the skinny guy just to slide this right foot toward the guy quickly and with his right side facing the guy while he thrusts his fists at the alley-way opening. The skinny guy was sent sliding across the ground into the side of the street. Then he picked up his feet and ran away.
|
|
|
|
Post by tenjouanthy on May 30, 2008 19:53:18 GMT -5
"Tch. Such a useless gesture." A female's voice commented from somewhere behind Suk. "All you did was prolong the old fart's suffering."
The woman in question was Nima Li-Xian, otherwise known as the Black Merchant. She witnessed the boy's bravado in saving the old man, absently thinking to herself how useless earthbending would be in her line of work. Still, as she's not one to refrain from speaking out, she found herself now speaking her mind over what just transpired.
"Are you going to be here for the next time he's attacked? Or if they decide to hurt him for what you did?" Nima spoke, her tone as harsh as usual while staring down at the boy before her. A small smirk passed across her lips as she shook her head. "Heh, I doubt it."
Children often dream of being heroes, but how often is such ever carried out? In her eyes, heroes were merely men who died a stupid death for an even stupider idea. If that's what this kid is thinking, then she'd expect one less 'hero' in the years to come. But... then again, who knows what goes through the boy's head?
|
|
|
|
Post by ribab on May 30, 2008 23:14:17 GMT -5
"I had to do something about it." Suk had turned around to face the Merchant, "He was being robbed. These guys don't go after a single target, they just want the coins."
Now walking to get out of the alley way, Suk asked what has been on his mind ever since that lady showed up. "What is it that you want, If that guy wants no more trouble with them, he will probably leave. I'm fine here, I know how to handle these guys. All it takes is a little punch and they don't wanna mess with moving earth."
'What's up with the people here at night, he was thankful for me being there, is there a reason for me not to be saving people from these theives?' Suk was thinking. "What is it you want? And who are you?" Suk said, "Oh yeah! I heard of you, only in a couple conversations though. I guess I'm not on your part of the society because I heard your title but not your name... What is it that you want, Black Merchant. What business have you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by tenjouanthy on May 31, 2008 0:08:55 GMT -5
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head in disbelief. "You actually believe the stuff you're saying, don't you? You're no better than these pathetic thieves, thinking might makes right." Nima replied, her voice thick with amusement. "But that's a child for you. Hah, what a waste."
The boy asked her a good question, however. What was she doing there? What did she want? But, Nima had no intention of answering some brat's questions just to suit his ego. However, that changed slightly upon being called by her nickname. "Hmm... so you've heard of me. Perhaps you've got some brains rattling in that head of yours after all." Nima commented, crossing her arms casually. "But my business is my own, boy. You'd do well to remember that."
It wasn't that Nima didn't like kids or anything, it's just that boys in general were always running off at the mouth and acting as if they knew it all. Truly they knew nothing of the world yet or the hardships they'd eventually face. Then again, they all were annoying little brats unless they were paying customers.
"Think you saved that old man? Think again. He'll be harassed again and again after you're gone just because you wanted to play hero." Nima spoke as she watched the boy before her critically. "Will you be here to save him night after night when some other thief or thug decides to mug him? I doubt it. You say you can take care of yourself. Fine. What of these people you supposedly saved? Will they think you a savior when you fail to stop that crime again? Hardly."
In all her life, she's seen men such as this boy give their lives to be some sort of savior. Yet all it took was one mistake for him to be cast out as a failure. It was simply foolishness to even bother doing such a thing. No better than throwing a rock into the ocean and hoping for a change.
|
|
|
|
Post by ribab on Jun 1, 2008 11:40:30 GMT -5
"What or how that old man got himself into a target is his own business. It's my business to know if I'm OK. If I see a person being harassed, he probably wants help and I'm willing to provide it." This lady was really getting annoying for Suk, saying he's just a kid and being really doubtful. "You havn't answered any of my questions yet."
Suk was now on the side of the street and the Black Merchant was just standing there, looking at me. "Why can't we all just be friends, wouldn't that be nice." Pacing back and fourth, Suk just couldn't find what she was getting at. "I don't know as much as you do about these people, If you're right about these people then what should I do about this problem?"
Suk was ready to run far, far away from this Black Merchant. Tense as ever, in his earthbending stance, he was ready for what-ever this lady was getting at.
|
|
|
|
Post by tenjouanthy on Jun 1, 2008 15:30:00 GMT -5
"Why should I answer your questions? I've already given you an answer, boy. It ain't no business of yours why I'm here." Nima replied in her usual harsh tone of voice. "I'm merely telling you that it's better to do nothing instead of be a false hope."
The boy's stance and actions said everything, really. He was confused and didn't understand why she was saying these things. Likely he was going over it in his head, trying to find the meaning of it all. Slowly she began to walk towards him, step by step as she locked eyes with him. Her cold gaze never wavered as her hands dropped to her sides, an almost cruel smile passing over her lips.
"Here's something of interest to get through that thick skull. You know of my name, which causes me to guess that you also know what exactly I do for a living." Nima spoke, her voice echoing slightly as she walked through the alley towards Suk. "You should know why I do what I do. Maybe heard from your parents or passerbys... that I am the enemy. I am one to be hated and possibly feared. I am a threat to those you may hold dear, for one day... for one day, my weapons may be the thing that ends their life."
Nima stopped short of exiting the alley, staying within its darkness as she never broke her gaze from the boy. "Now tell me, which is the greater threat? The petty thieves that you harass? Or the woman before you who by reputation alone is a traitor and quite possibly a killer?" Nima asked, finding a sense of satisfaction in picking apart this boy's sense of 'justice' as it were. She inclined her head to the side slightly, raising an eyebrow as she continued speaking. "Which should you truly be fighting? Should you truly be saving people from? Or do you not know anymore? This is why you are but a boy, for you cannot see the big picture before you and only see just the here and now, not the repercussions you may cause."
A short laugh left her lips as she finally turned away from the boy. "I've wasted enough time. My shipment should be unloaded by now." Nima spoke as she walked back the way she came, apparently paying no mind to the boy anymore. Despite being hated for what she does, there's always someone that is willing to buy what she creates. Just as there will be in the next town, and likely the one after that. Talking to the boy was a mere waste of time for her. Did she honestly care about anything he did? Nope, not one bit. But it at least gave her something to do in the meantime.
|
|
|
|
Post by ribab on Jun 1, 2008 18:26:52 GMT -5
"You think you can get away with murder?!" Suk had called after her, "You say that your the one who I should be fighting?!"
Suk never would have expected running into an evil figure on that day.
Out of fear and still in the earthbending stance, Suk stomps his foot on the ground and a block of earth about as think as the width of your hand rises quickly. He then had thrust his palms forward forcing the block of wood to slide on the ground toward the Black Merchant. He then ran down the street not knowing what that block of earth slid into.
Feet pounding into the hard earth, Suk does not want to go back to that strange merchant in fear of his life. He ran all the way to his home to get some sleep. Passing houses and buildings, Suk does not want to get into a deal with that cruel lady.
|
|
|
|
Post by tenjouanthy on Jun 3, 2008 15:20:46 GMT -5
Nima did indeed hear the sound of the boy going on the attack, but figured he couldn't possibly be that stupid. After all, she could really put him in a world of pain if she felt like it and if he tried to actually strike her down like a petty thief, she would do just that.
However... Nima misjudged what the boy was going to do. Expecting a shot to the head, she spun on her heel to the right in order to dodge the incoming rock. Instead, she was tripped as the low flying slab of stone smacked against her heel to send her crashing to the ground below. "Oof!" Grunted Nima as she landed, slightly winded from the impact. Her anger bubbled to the surface as she glared in the direction the boy would've been had he not ran. "...Heh, hahaha!"
A cowardly yet childish gesture, one that made Nima laugh lightly to herself for a few seconds. Despite the minor annoyance he caused, he ran away with his tail between his legs. Rising from the ground and dusting herself off, Nima only smirked a little as she idly mused over what she'd do if she ever saw the boy again. Probably nothing. Children weren't worth her time after all.
|
|
