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Post by coldflame on Sept 3, 2008 20:26:50 GMT -5
Kiran figured this was coming; he knew Kiku would put up a heartbreaking plead to stay with her, safe and sound. Maybe he should, he thought for a second, but that was quickly refuted with a firm no. Kiran couldn’t imagine himself standing by, possibly watching Kiku’s home or livelihood being burned to the ground while knowing the whole time that he could have done something – possible or not – to stop them.
He was silent, then. He stared off to the side, but seemed all the more anxious to keep moving, however his feet remained still just as Kiku’s did. Suddenly then, he realized that he didn’t have two sides to this situation: he had three. One, he could go and do everything in his power to stop the troops from reaching Kiku’s vulnerable home and family. He loved Kiku too much to simply do nothing – it wasn’t just her life he feared for, but it was everything in her life as well. Two, he had the choice of listening to Kiku, to giving in to what she needed most, and to being with her the whole time as he would watch his nation’s troops storm and possibly destroy her home. Or three, the side that suddenly stung like a sharp blade, was to go and try and stop his nation’s troops from coming any further…and feel like a traitor (or be caught as one) for the rest of his life.
‘Traitor…’ his mind uttered quietly. Could he go against his own nation?
Kiran shifted on his feet, glancing off into the distance again and seeing that plume of smoke getting closer and closer…
No. No, he had to do something, whether it was traitorous or not. And whether it would worry Kiku to death and even cause her to never forgive him for it, he would go. He would be fine. And, if he couldn’t do anything to stop them…well, then he wouldn’t put himself in further danger – for Kiku’s sake.
Kiran then turned to Kiku, now appearing assured of his choice. He looked back to her, his voice deep and firm.
“No.”
And that was all he said. He began to quickly pull her along again, opening the gate to the gardens and heading towards her house.
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Post by kiku on Sept 3, 2008 21:53:04 GMT -5
A soft, deep moan huffed out of Kiku’s lips, and her head jerked back similarly in frustration. She should have known he would refuse; well, she had actually guessed as much before she had spoken, but there had been a flicker of hope nonetheless. But now, she only felt ceaseless dread coursing through her; there was no hope, only fear – no, not fear – terror. Something horrible would happen, she could just feel it, anxiety sending her limbs jerky and restless.
She stumbled a bit as Kiran pulled her forward, but that didn’t keep her from cringing in obvious reluctance. It was impossible to think of something that would convince Kiran to stay with her, though that didn’t keep her mind from racing, from clinging desperately to every straw…
“Please, Kiran. Just stay, safe, with me. I don’t care about anything else...”
As dramatic as the words seemed to sound, Kiku knew that they were true; the way she squeezed his hand desperately and stared at him with those wide, worried eyes exposed that all too easily. Yet, on the other side, Kiku knew from all her past experiences with Kiran that he would not give up, no matter how pleading she was, for while keeping him safe was her main concern, doing something to protect her was his, and he had his own, noble ways to accomplish this.
Knowing already that all was lost, Kiku cringed, and gulped down a strong, lump of a sob. She turned her face away swiftly and closed her eyes, half of her hoping to seem strong, the other half wanting him to see how horrible this felt to her.
"I'm... I'm just so afraid, Kiran..."
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Post by coldflame on Sept 9, 2008 20:23:04 GMT -5
Kiran could understand her worry, but he felt assured that he was going to come back unscathed. Her tears stung him however, and he wished he could simply say “Yes I’ll stay with you” just to make her happy. But it was for this reason that he could not stay. If he stayed, her tears later on could be more long and painful than ever imagined.
It was strange to be doing this. He was aware of the effects the war had on the townspeople of the Earth Kingdom, but never before did he think the war could reach such a solid and quiet town as Zhy – he had felt reassured, just as everyone else felt reassured that just because you’re quiet, you can’t be touched by war.
And even still, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen yet. Perhaps it was not going to be as terrible as he was imaging…however, Kiran felt safer expecting the worst rather than expecting the best, because being prepared was the key difference between the two. And as far as what he was going to do to be prepared, well, he didn’t have a clue. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Kiku that.
As he continued to listen to Kiku’s sobs and pleads, Kiran tried to ignore them or simply reassure her with the most convincing voice possible.
“I’ll be fine, Kiku. I promise. Calm down.”
As soon as Kiran entered Kiku’s quiet home, he wriggled his hand free of Kiku’s tight grip and rushed to the guest room where he was staying.
The house felt odd now, as if the walls themselves knew what was coming and they shuddered at the thought. The darkness didn’t seem to help the atmosphere much either – the storm clouds were rolling in so fast and so deep that the sky itself hid the contented sun’s face away from the coming danger.
Kiran moved to the side of his bed where he dropped his old leather bag, largely filled with belongings, but also something he realized would come in handy: his uniform. He suddenly felt glad that he had brought his Fire Nation military attire, but as he dug the parts of the uniform out of his bag, he suddenly felt remorseful at the thought of Kiku having to see him wear it. Seeing him wearing the very thing that was headed this way could only remind her of who he was outside the town of Zhy: simply, in a way, one of them.
Kiran’s brow furrowed at this, but he quickly began to put on the light, blood-colored uniform. He finished quickly and when he was prepared to blend in with the rest of the Fire Nation troops headed this way (figuring that if he was going to try and stop them, there would be more advantages to looking like them) he walked out of his room. Once his eyes settled on Kiku, they immediately looked sad at having to disappoint her, but through that, he smiled as if saying everything was going to be okay. He had to stay confident for her, but most importantly, safe.
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Post by kiku on Sept 11, 2008 19:54:33 GMT -5
Kiran’s calm, certain words only rooted a stronger knot of despair within her chest, and, as his fingers slipped through her own, her hand fell limply to her side. His refusal, though predictable, still brought on a wave of complete helplessness. There was nothing she could do now, no possible way to protect him from rapidly oncoming danger. She was only a woman – and a frail one at that; how could she fight for him? Why must he be the one protecting her? Kiku knew it was selfish, but she’d much rather sacrifice her own self than risk living in a world where Kiran no longer existed…
With a soft moan of anguish and frustration, Kiku unenthusiastically slumped into one of the kitchen chairs and folded her arms against the table, resting her head between them. Her shoulders cringed as she silently pleaded with the spirits, begging them to protect Kiran while she could not… Oh! How horrible the feeling was. She would do anything for Kiran, and now she couldn’t. Why was he the one always in these threatening situations?
Kiku sighed softly, remaining silent there, her forehead pressed against the cold tabletop. She almost didn’t notice the presence of another person when Kiran came into the room, but when she did detect him, her head jerked up instantly, and her eyes flashed faintly with surprise.
Before her stood a Fire Nation soldier in full uniform, and everything her nation had taught her told her to look away, scream, be afraid… But, she couldn’t be, because he wasn’t wearing a mask, and it was Kiran’s face she saw – a face that she loved beyond all reason, one that she only wanted to touch, to comfort. All the fear she felt was for him, and, as she met his gaze, her large brown eyes communicated this. They were also sad, for she felt the shame in his own eyes, and he didn’t deserve that.
Certainly it was a bit shocking to see this side of Kiran she never did see, but it didn’t change anything. She knew where he was from, what he was. It didn’t matter anymore than it did before.
Tilting her head at him slightly, she stood, and a sad, gentle smile graced her lips. Slowly she stepped towards him and when she was close enough to rest her palms against his strong shoulders, shifted lightly to her toes, and pecked him softly on the lips.
It was a simple gesture, but meaningful, and she knew Kiran would understand. It held within it “I understand,” “Be safe,” and “I love you,” all in one.
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Post by coldflame on Sept 13, 2008 21:56:39 GMT -5
Kiran immediately understood what her simple but powerful gesture meant. He could feel the worry in her touch, see the fear in her gaze…but he also understood that she now couldn’t stop him, especially if he refused to stop himself.
He pressed his palm against the side of her face and pecked her lips back in return. It was as if he was giving his reassurance to her again, agreeing with her order to be safe, and saying his love for her all in one gesture just as she had done. As soon as he parted, he smiled softly at her as if trying to display a mood of more comfort rather than worry; after all, he had to keep his hopes up for her.
She would be fine. He knew she would be, because he was here to make sure of it. As he stared into those wide, umber-colored eyes of hers, he knew he would do anything to keep her happy and safe – even if it meant the troops coming and taking her home or belongings away. He would do anything in his power to keep her happy and living well. One way or another – he thought to himself – everything was going to be okay.
He stepped away, his hand slipping from her soft cheek and began to head towards the door when he spoke:
“Keep the house locked and don’t let anyone leave. I’ll be right back. I promise, Kiku.”
And with that he gave her one last small smile before rushing through the threshold and dashing through the garden.
Only about an hour passed before the Fire Nation troops began to enter the city. Kiran had watched them enter – he was amazed by the size of the division. There was a line of tanks following up in the front; there were twelve, Kiran figured, all strong and functioning just as Kiran was trained to make them. Behind the rolling tanks were the soldiers themselves. It didn’t take long before they began to spread out, barging people’s doors open, and taking any useful belongings that could mean easy living for another day.
Kiran’s brow furrowed, knowing it was pointless to expect anything less. Well…one question was answered. Now the most important one: what was he going to do about it?
With the screams and shouts of men and women in their homes, soldiers shouting orders as they looted anything they could find coming in handy, and the roar of the Fire Nation tanks rolling by, it was difficult to think. His heart was pounding now, but he knew the only thing that mattered was Kiku….until his eyes caught a glimpse of someone familiar.
Kiran could see some men standing in front of their home, standing protectively of their family and belongings inside. The Fire Nation soldiers who had approached the home were yelling at them, telling them to move out of the way and to let them in but to no avail. Among the men protecting the home was Daichi.
Kiran’s mind moved quickly then, and he shoved through the chaos of the crowded streets to reach Daichi before something terrible would happen; yelling would only come so far until violence broke out. One soldier created flames in his hands, as if he had the intentions of setting the men on fire until --
“Hey!” Kiran called out, making his voice seem demanding and loud to the soldiers. “The General says to move on! Help is needed to maneuver the tanks, so clear the streets!”
He must have sounded (and looked) convincing enough, because the soldiers only stood for a few moments before they left Daichi’s home empty handed to follow the false order. Dressing as an engineer must have helped as well, because only an engineer would be at the tanks.
Kiran’s furrowed gaze met Daichi’s for a moment. His expression only softened slightly at the sight of Kiku’s closest friend and he nodded – just barely – to acknowledge his concern. Suddenly, before he turned to follow the troops, he spoke to Daichi with a serious face.
“Get to Kiku’s house. Now.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order. If Kiran had any intentions of following the troops, he at least wanted Kiku to have some protection in case if things went wrong and he wasn’t there to protect her himself.
Then, very quickly, he turned and shoved his way through the thick crowd of soldiers and frantic citizens, eventually disappearing in the chaos. As he did so, Kiran couldn't help but imagine the disgusted expression Daichi must be giving him now...
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Post by kiku on Sept 15, 2008 21:38:57 GMT -5
Daichi had been poised, alert, body shifting and forming into the familiar stance, every muscle strictly flexed, chi taking root in his stomach, ready to jut out through his fingertips, pound into his feet. His face was bland of every expression, save raw intensity, of ferocious dedication. He had come home just in time; he was one of the few who possessed actual knowledge of Fire Nation tactics, who had gone throw rigid military training… This is why he had joined the army; to protect those he loved, his people. He was ready, and he tensed his jaw as the soldiers approached him.
They told him to step aside, but he knew he – along with the others – would not budge. He told them to leave, get out, that they would not back down. The soldiers didn’t seem threatened – they were annoyed. Step aside, they said, yelled. Daichi expected that, and he refused. They started getting rowdy then, and he sensed the beginning of physical contact. His foot shifted naturally – a seemingly casual movement – but Daichi was only swinging into the prerequisite for a lethal move…
“Hey!”
A commanding voice interrupted the confrontation, and Daichi naturally paused along with the soldier, despite knowing better, letting the distraction halter him as well. However, his hesitation proved beneficial as energy was no longer needed to be sacrificed to ward off this particular group of soldiers, though he knew this was far from over.
Daichi’s eyes narrowed as he searched for the source of this sudden order, and his entire body froze as he saw a strangely familiar face. At first he didn’t understand… and then a terrible realization hit, issuing a hostile growl to rip from his throat. Kiran was one of them! It made sense; he just hadn’t noticed. That bastard! Touching Kiku that way. The dirty, deceptive scumbag…
However, Kiran's reaction to this stare was not what he expected. He looked… almost sorry; he nodded, like Daichi would even begin to understand how he could make up for going against them… And, yet, his comment was even more confusing. Get to Kiku’s house? Was that a threat? Something just to throw him off track? Make him run the wrong way; mistake his enemy for his ally?
If that runt thought he would be taking his orders…
“Hey!” Daichi growled, dashing through the crowds after Kiran in hot pursuit. He slid into the dirt in a surfer-like pose, then twisting his entire torso as his hands jutted forward; it sent a wave of dirt (the consistency of water now) wrapping around Kiran’s feet before suddenly hardening with another jump and pound of his foot. Daichi scowled, storming up to him.
“What the hell, Kiran?” He growled, in that way demanding some kind of explanation.
Meanwhile, Kiku paced through the kitchen…
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Post by coldflame on Sept 16, 2008 21:16:00 GMT -5
Kiran stormed through the crowd of frantic people and busy soldiers. He moved innocents out of his way as harmless as possible, but it was difficult to, especially as some soldiers began to burn shops or homes that would not follow their demanding orders. It was a terrible thing, he knew; the only comfort he received from it was the now pouring rain. Rain at least would stop the fires from spreading…
However, rain would not stop the soldiers from reaching Kiku’s house. It was then that Kiran saw the direction in which the troops were moving and they were definitely heading towards Kiku’s home, down the long path toward her secluded garden. They were moving slowly, he realized; mostly due to the narrow path and the busy soldiers who were beginning to regroup after stashing people’s useful belongings onto a few komodo-rhinos.
If he was fast, perhaps he could get ahead of the troops. That was the only way he would have time to figure something out. He just had to hurry.
But before Kiran could take another step, ready to sprint back towards Kiku’s home, something stopped him. He nearly fell, but he caught himself. He didn’t understand at first, but then Daichi came sliding into view and Kiran realized the soldier had earthbended his feet securely to the ground. He was trapped. Dammit.
Kiran’s eyes were wide at first, surprised, but now they were anxious and a little angry. There was no time to waste! Why didn’t Daichi just listen to him?!
“Dammit, Daichi, I can’t explain right now! Just get to Kiku’s!” he yelled over the noise and out of the frustration. Kiran was loosing time and obviously Daichi was thinking of him as an enemy; Kiran couldn’t blame him for that, but he could do this later.
However, Kiran knew that he was going to be stuck like this until Daichi decided to let him go. Yes…Kiran had to coax him out of this or else Kiku would be in the line of fire, not to mention he would be left here to rot for Spirits knew how long.
“Listen Daichi…” Kiran began to say, his voice deep and serious, his heart pounding. “If we don’t get to Kiku’s and figure out a way to stop the soldiers from reaching her home, they’ll burn everything. So there’s no time to waste! I can explain later!”
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Post by kiku on Sept 20, 2008 19:24:15 GMT -5
Daichi, breathing a little heavier now, stared at Kiran, dark grassy eyes narrowing at him – this… traitor. How could he? Not only had he taken advantage of his closest friend – oh how anger burned inside him now – but… but now he was pretending to apologize for it! Daichi felt his jaw tense as he listened, fists clenching automatically at this load of crap… and yet, soon uncertainty flickered faintly within him. The stress that radiated off Kiran mimicked what he was feeling in his own stomach; the panic was too clear in his eyes. And… he soon realized the logic of Kiran’s statement, which caused him to growl in frustration.
His eyes flickered to the other soldiers, but he was still focused and attentive to what Kiran was doing (even though it was pretty unlikely that he could do much of anything – unless he was a firebender, which Daichi wasn’t yet sure of). He shivered slightly as he thought of Kiku in the presence of scum like Kiran, and he too was feeling panicky as he saw them approaching her home…
“I don’t trust you,” Daichi growled softly, staring fully at Kiran when he was sure no one else was approaching him. Though, as he paused, he knew every moment that he wasted put Kiku in more danger…
“One wrong move,” He hissed, leaning in toward Kiran, in his ear, “And I will make sure you are no longer a threat.”
And with a strike of his foot, Kiran was sent free. Daichi gripped his arm tightly, pulling him along.
“Hurry.”
Oh, if Kiran thought he was getting off easy… Daichi shook his head. He would take care of him, alright, now just was not the time.
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Post by coldflame on Sept 21, 2008 13:52:29 GMT -5
Kiran’s eyes were piercing; his brow was furrowed in frustration and panic, but he was grateful for Daichi’s release. Well…. He was almost released. Kiran was now being dragged through the crowded streets by the strong grip of Daichi’s hand around his arm. Ugh, this looked too stupid! And it was terribly conspicuous for an Earth Kingdom citizen to be dragging around a Fire Nation member of the military like he was a dog…
Kiran immediately jerked his arm away from Daichi’s grip and took his arm instead. He spoke deeply:
“It looks too suspicious with you being the one dragging me. Just deal with it.” Kiran glanced back at Daichi, seeing that he wasn’t in his Earth Kingdom military uniform. That was good. As frustrated with Daichi as Kiran was at the moment, he definitely did not want Daichi to be taken away as a Fire Nation prisoner or anything worse.
Kiran quickened his pace all of a sudden. The troops were taking the wide turn into the thick woods and down the path that lead to Kiku’s. It was chaos trying to get through the streets and tugging Daichi along at the same time; avoiding burning chunks of wood from a few houses was also a dangerous hazard. The rain was relentless as well – it was difficult to get a good footing when the ground was muddy and water was weighing his uniform down.
Then, when they were beginning to catch up with the rest of the troops, Kiran yanked Daichi into the woods and spoke quickly:
“I’m sure you hate listening to me, but just shut up and do what I tell you. Stay hidden in the woods and run ahead to Kiku’s house. Find a way to block off the road – use your earthbending or something. Make it as strong as you can.” Kiran glanced to the side, through the thick trees and brush, and watched the troops begin to pass by along the road; he growled slightly as he noticed the last tank had already moved ahead. It was the tanks he was worried about.
He looked to Daichi again, trying to think quickly.
“I’ll follow the troops and ah…try to figure out a way to slow them down.” He looked uncertain if he could do it, but he had to try something.
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Post by kiku on Sept 25, 2008 21:38:23 GMT -5
Surprisingly, the first emotion Daichi felt was wounded pride. A growl of intense frustration that almost weakened into a moan slipped through his teeth as Kiran again won him over with logic. He was right, Daichi was man enough to admit – to himself at least – but he loathed how this scum was showing him up with his obviously better plans.
This, Daichi thought bitterly, is why I have not been promoted yet…
But he couldn’t focus on this depressing bit of news. He burned his frustration with himself to a deep burning dislike for his enemies – even Kiran who now stood at his side as a “partner.” Or at least what they were pretending to be; truly, Daichi knew better. He wouldn’t consider him a friend, make the same mistake Kiku had. Unlike her, he was aware of the deception so deeply encrypted in the nature of a Fire Nation soldier.
This determination raged through his thoughts as he focused on chasing after Kiran, dodging obstacles with harsh efficiency. He had not replied to Kiran’s order, but he had followed it silently and swiftly, like a solider should. However, when he was tugged into the woods, Daichi felt some of his suppressed fury slip through, for if there was one thing Daichi liked less than taking orders from Fire Nation scum, it was being told to “shut up” by one.
Oh, how close he came to spurting out some words that he was sure Kiku had never heard him say. But with her face in his mind, Daichi quickly stashed them away to be used at a later date. This was war, and there was no time for hurt feelings right now; he had already messed up once too many.
He nodded grimly at Kiran’s words, though his eyes were as hard and icy as metal. They said that this was not over yet.
“Strong? I’m good at that,” Daichi huffed threatening, and then his voiced lowered as he saw the uncertainty flash in Kiran’s eyes. “And you better.”
On this note, Daichi suddenly sprinted through the thick brush, his mind again on the task ahead…
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Post by coldflame on Sept 30, 2008 20:53:42 GMT -5
The last words that Daichi spoke before he headed out into the words – although probably misinterpreted by Kiran’s expression – were nonetheless intimidating. It wasn’t that Kiran was afraid of Daichi (though he knew he probably should be if something went wrong), it was more of the fact that Kiran was afraid of what would happen to Kiku if something went wrong or even himself by someone from his own country. One specific example was the general leading the troops down the muddy path.
However, that didn’t stop him from exiting the woods and joining the rest of the division. He tried his best to remain calm, to appear tall and trained like the rest of the soldiers, but he was no soldier. Kiran needed to be where the rolling tanks were. If he could get to one of those rolling weapons of steel, then maybe – just maybe – he could tweak one of them. The only problem was doing it without anyone noticing…
The hardest part as of yet was reaching the tanks. They were already well ahead (which made Kiran’s heart jump in fear) and getting through the closely packed troops, trolling through the thickening mud, and seeing through the pouring rain wasn’t making things easier for him.
It must have taken at least a good half-hour before he was able to get to the last tank. Kiran knew that slowly making his way through the troops was the best way to seem inconspicuous. None of the soldiers seemed to even glance at him – perhaps they figured he was trying to catch up after being left behind in the raid; that could be a good excuse, for it wasn’t exactly a lie.
After more walking, Kiran’s pace had begun to quicken at realization of how close they were getting to Kiku’s house. Eventually, he reached the first tank in line after what felt like the longest walk in his life. He walked beside it as it slowly rolled its way through the muddy path and realized just how difficult this was going to be. Kiran knew the only weak spot in this machine was the underside. But while it was moving, it was going to be nearly impossible to craw underneath and do anything.
Dammit…, Kiran thought in frustration. They were getting closer to Kiku’s home now and the only way Kiran could do anything was if the tanks stopped moving all together and there was maybe even a distraction to help him slide underneath unnoticed.
Daichi. You better have that wall ready.
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Post by kiku on Oct 10, 2008 22:37:20 GMT -5
Rain, pouring so densely now that it restricted vision, pounded into Daichi’s shoulders and back mercilessly, but he would not let it become a distraction. In times like these the most important thing was to be absolutely, one-hundred percent focused. Emotions aside, personal grievances stored away for another time, mild comfort completely abandoned.
The mission: Completely cease all movement of Fire Nation troops.
Daichi had a few advantages. Right now, he was unknown. The brush covered him well from the path for now and the element of surprise was his to utilize. Secondly, he was moving fast. A well-trained, single soldier could cover much ground without having to worry about sticking in formation or whatever. It was only a matter of time before he had gained ground on the small army.
Now, for his point of attack. Restlessly, his mind flashed back to the recent past. Something to block the troops; a wall was suggested. Preferably a wall of a strong nature.
Daichi pouted as he considered this. A wall would do for awhile, but the soldiers had tanks; they could maneuver the other territory. Could he box them in? Perhaps not the best idea if Kiran was going to be among their numbers. Though, did he really care?
Stop. It was not the time for grudges. For now, Kiran appeared to be on his side.
He could see the troops approaching now; quickly, Daichi made his decision.
A heavy pound of his feet into raw earth along several juts and kicks raised two tremendous walls of brick-like earth directly beside the moving troops. Without hesitation then, Daichi spun, raising an even thicker wall to their front, trapping the troops into a “U”-shape. Slyly then, he dug his foot into the earth, coating the inner perimeter of the U with gushy mud, nearly the consistency of quick sand.
Daichi paused, releasing a sigh of mixed fatigue and satisfaction, before taking a swift glance down the road. He could see Kiku’s house faintly in the distance; he hoped she could see the chaos below and get to safety…
But he was quickly in motion again, dashing further down the road, popping up random, earthen road blocks further down the path, pressing struts up to the walls for support. See them get out of this mess…
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Post by coldflame on Oct 19, 2008 21:37:20 GMT -5
When they turned the last corner, Kiran was relived at what he saw. Though, it wasn’t enough to calm his nerves entirely.
It was a decent job, however; Kiran gave Daichi good credit for constructing such a massive-look wall. And as far as Kiran could see, it not only stretched across the path, but along inside the thick woods as well. It was good thinking on Daichi’s part.
Kiran looked up as the general in front bellowed an order for the tanks to halt. As soon as they stopped, Kiran stopped as well and wondered if now would be his best chance. He knew he had to act fast, but he needed the right distraction, just one excuse for the few high ranks in front to not notice anything…
And then his prayers seemed to be answered. The rhinos that the high ranks sat atop of began to roar and thrash. Kiran didn’t understand at first, but then he noticed that they were sinking in a pool of mud right in front of the wall. The general and lieutenants hollered and pulled the reins of the rhinos to back up, but the mud was like quicksand and they were promptly sinking further with their thrashing. It was Kiran’s chance to act now.
Clenching his jaw, Kiran dove underneath the tank he was standing next to and looked up. He lied on his back and fumbled in his pockets for the wrench. Once he finally found it, he used as much quick skill as he could muster to unbolt the metal door frame that hid the many valuable parts inside. It was difficult to work, however; mud was seeping into his clothes and it appeared he was slowly sinking now as well. Once the metal frame was away, Kiran saw the tinkering wheels and dripping pipes and wires that rested inside. Without wanting to waste anymore time, Kiran began ripping out any vital wires and loosening the steam pipes so they leaked more and even caked the turning wheels inside with mud so they jammed.
He figured that should be enough, and quickly he moved down, crawling his way through the mud on his stomach and slid underneath the next tank parked right behind the one he just destroyed. Quickly and agile, he dismantled that tank and the next one and the next one…
Soon, he had taken apart all the few tanks that were there. He could hear shouts coming from the front of the line, the general barking orders for the tanks to crash through the rock wall. Kiran smirked – that wasn’t happening.
And just as planned, the tanks couldn’t budge. Some creaked and shuddered and some didn’t move at all. The path was too narrow for any of the tanks to get through anyways, Kiran thought.
Now, however, he needed to get out of here. It was enough for him, and if the general had any sense, he would turn around now. With quick maneuvering, Kiran crawled his way out from underneath the tank he was at. It was pure luck that he wasn’t noticed rolling into the woods and disappearing off into the wilderness.
Every part of his body - except for parts of his face and hair - was caked in thick mud. He was practically dripping with it as he ran through the woods and came upon Daichi’s earthbended wall. Kiran was amazed at how far Daichi made the fortress stretch, until at last Kiran found a weak spot and climbed over. He walked and trudged through the woods some more, until he came – as quietly as possible – to the path again, this time ending up on the other side along with Daichi. Now all they could do was watch and hope…
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Post by kiku on Oct 27, 2008 21:43:21 GMT -5
To say Kiku was worrying would be the understatement of the century.
Sure, her family was completely safe – for now at least. Everyone had returned home without incident. Hana had been at home already, and Lien had closed up shop with all of the other merchants; she picked up Katsu, who was keeping one of his old veteran buddies company through a game of Pai Sho (a game Katsu utterly failed at, but he played for his friend’s sake).
Currently, all were closely gathered around the dining room table. When Kiku had returned, there had of course been questions about Kiran’s whereabouts, and Kiku had answered honestly: He had gone to assist the men with fighting. Katsu naturally flashed his most skeptic gaze toward his daughter, but Kiku looked so incredibly pale that he had let the subject drop. Truly, he was just angry that HE couldn’t be going out there to teach some Fire Nation scum a lesson. Though, the news that Daichi had returned had given the entire family reassurance.
Well, the entire family minus Kiku. It just gave her more worry.
Like there wasn’t enough to worry about before. Oh, why did Kiran have to be such a hero? It was noble enough when she didn’t know him, or love him, or have him to worry about… Why did he have to risk his neck now? She had just begun to discover the true wonders of him… Kiku felt incredibly selfish thinking these things, but she knew that she would truly have a hard time living if he was lost…
No, she couldn’t think about that; she couldn’t think about that.
Oh, there was very little keeping Kiku inside the house… Already she was formulating escape plans. Only Hana’s shrewd frown kept her inside the kitchen…
Daichi easily sensed Kiran’s approach, for he was still alert – actually more so – for it was not unlikely for someone to be sent after this invisible bender who had caused so much damage. Daichi wasn’t quite sure how to approach Kiran, however. He was quite positive the small division was beginning their retreat… But after that mess was done, he still had to deal with the whole Kiku’s lousy boyfriend problem. He was pondering this as said lousy boyfriend showed up.
Daichi swept a cool gaze over Kiran…
“You look like you’ve been having a good time. Been making mud pies with the general?”
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Post by coldflame on Nov 1, 2008 12:17:53 GMT -5
Kiran didn’t appreciate the warm welcome from Daichi.
“Look who’s talking,” he simply said, a little quietly, though the Fire Nation general on the other side of the huge wall was cursing confusedly again. Kiran glanced to the side and could only smirk at this; it was still a bit hard to believe that he was able to pull off a stunt like that in the first place.
He stepped a little closer to Daichi and reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand back out a bundle of metal and wires were in his hand – he figured having proof of his work would at least convince Daichi in some way that, yes, he was still on his side.
“You should be grateful,” Kiran spoke again deeply and tossed the wires and metal at Daichi’s feet.
It wasn’t long before the general tried to bash the wall down with the tanks again, but just as the man ordered that, all Kiran heard was a violent shudder, a loud screeching of metal against metal, and then a dull thud as steam began to rise in the air. Good. It looked like another tank hadn’t made it through.
Tensely, Kiran stood on the other side of the wall with Daichi until the troops -- unable to get through with any more man-power -- finally decided slowly back-up and move off in a different direction, leaving the wasted tanks behind. Kiran was relieved to hear this, but his heart was pounding so fast, he didn’t really notice it at first. It felt like an eternity, but eventually the marching and stomping of the small division of troops slowly faded off into the distance and couldn’t be heard anymore.
Now, all that was left was the sound of the pouring rain.
Kiran heaved a big sigh and leaned his back against the rock wall, which surprisingly still felt solid as ever. If anything, Kiran had to give Daichi good credit for his work again; it would have been pointless if the Fire Nation general thought he could have still gotten through.
After wiping away some mud from his face, Kiran looked to Daichi and nodded in whatever way he would interpret. He spoke again, his voice both relieved and tired as he pushed himself off the wall.
“We should head back to Kiku.”
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