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Fandom Avatar: The Exiled Chronicles

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As Maizen took stock of the situation, Yara did the same.
Her mind was not right still- there was a hazy quality to her vision that she knew was not physical. It was what she would imagine a hallucination would look like, if she didn't know better now that she had lived in one for a few minutes. She couldn't bend correctly. She hurt- her left forearm and the entirely of her right hip and thigh somehow ached from the fight she didnt actually have, her head felt like it could implode at any moment, and her throat was on fire from the crying. She didn't want to go after them, not even a little.
Only you would cry at a time like this. Only you would abandon your fellows.
Yara wanted to scream.

Maizen decided for her, and she was so relieved that it seemed to shut mind-Sarrin up for the moment.
"I can walk," Yara said, but she let him support some of her weight anyway. Her hip felt like it really had taken the wrenching that it had in the hallucination. "It just hurts."
As they made their way out, entirely unimpeded thanks to Maizen, she realized that if any of their party was hurt, they would have to pray there were healers with the captain, or wait until they got back to the city. If she couldn't even fill her water skin, she certainly wasn't going to be healing anyone yet. The thought made her shiver, despite the heat inside the building.
As they left via the hole blown in the side of the building, Yara clicked her radio to life again. "Two of us coming out now. From the hanger."
As much as she hated flying, she wanted nothing more than to be on one of those ships as soon as possible.

The Prophet The Prophet
 


​


The robust sound of the engine pervaded the crumbling chamber as the large contraption sped to the exit, helmed by the prince and his fellow non-bender. A number of the gang members desperately clung to the handles at the side of the vehicle, while the rest scurried to safety's direction. The giant pipes which hung above began crashing down against the metallic floor with a deafening clank, breaking the glass containers that scattered around the room as though they were popped bubbles. The apocalyptic scene made it crystal clear that whoever would be unfortunate enough to get left behind in its midst would only have a worrying chance of survival.

Fortunately, Xu and Taka managed to escape such dire fate when they successfully drove the vehicle out of the facility alongside a swarm of Bone Crushers. They were immediately greeted by the sight of police ships docked on the ground and a platoon of officers led by Captain Beifong. As the rest of the police arrested the surviving gangsters, the Captain could be seen ushering Yara and Maizen to safety.

In the background, the facility continued to collapse, the Avatar's flames from her earlier onslaught spreading alongside the ones generated by the spirit beam's impact. The metals were melting to the ground.

The Captain's eyes widened as he looked at the pair, his grip on his radio tightening until his knuckles turned white. "Where are the rest? Where is the Avatar!?"

"...Avatar... Avatar... Avatar... Avatar?"

The static sound of the Captain's voice mixed in with the deep rumbles from the imploding facility and the roaring from the fires that were swallowing it. While the earth dome that protected the three appeared to be doing its job, the forming cracks on its surfaces were telltales that it was nearly giving in to the pressure from the barrage of rubble. The Dai Li steeled herself with all her might, the relentless attack posing a challenge to her worn-out form thanks to her earlier endeavors.

A sharp creak resonated from above, as though a bad omen of what was to come. A squeak and another creak followed, accompanied by what sounded like a heavy object splitting through the air directly above them.

"It- It's not gonna hold!" Jia exclaimed, bracing for the impact after she sensed the danger. "Go! Take the Avatar and run for it!"

Yet, before Xian could take his next action, the Avatar awoken, infernal red painting the entirety of her eyes as she swiftly shuffled out of his hold. In the span of a second, Xiurong took hold of both Jia and Xian, bringing them close to herself as sharpened earthen pillars sprouted through the metallic floor and penetrated the expansive body of the falling pipe, skewering it in place. Jia's dome levitated from its place to join the pillars which rearranged themselves to become a tunnel that connected the group towards the exit.

When the chaos mellowed down, Xiurong let go of the two and walked forward, each step weaker than the previous. The Spirit Dragon's measures from earlier left her suit with various tears, one of which left almost the entirety of her back exposed. A strange marking encompassed the expanse of her skin, glowing an ominous shade of crimson.

68f6c7f750c11738cc0b647cf58886ed--fandom-tattoos-avatar-tattoo.jpg

Xiurong turned to look at the two, the color of her eyes similar to the pattern's before it flickered into white and then to its normal hue. Similarly, the marking on her back seemingly lost its color, shifting to white. It didn't take long before the Avatar once again collapsed, falling onto the cold embrace of the ground with a resounding thud.


The congregation in front of the facility panicked once they witnessed several earthen pillars rise out of the building's center. "What in the world..." Captain Beifong muttered, squinting his eyes at the sight right before his attention got stolen by an emerging group. "It's Xian, Jia, and the Avatar!" He called out, running to the group alongside a couple of his men to assist the two and his unconscious niece.

"Is... Is she okay?" He asked, worry evident in his voice. Despite the horrible treatment Xiurong has shown him, the man still considered the Avatar as his family. He shook his head and led the group to the rest, who were nearby one of the police ships.

"The operation is done. I congratulate the team for the... success." He said, the facility burning behind him. "Although, the department didn't expect this level of casualties and damage... Nonetheless, the team will be compensated for the accomplishment, and as promised," he nodded at Xian, "your friend, Igoo, is free."

The Captain then cast his gaze to the nearby ship, and on cue, its doors opened to reveal a particular figure clad in a white and blue robe. A white insignia of a lotus imprinted at the front. The aged man stepped out, and his eyes searched among the crowd.

"It's time for the Avatar and Yara to return with the White Lotus."

And thus, the individuals whose fates intertwined, were forced to part.
But even this, just like all things, was a subject of change...


AVATAR : THE EXILED CHRONICLES (ARC 1 - END)

AI10100 AI10100 Entity.Eclypse Entity.Eclypse Flutterby Flutterby The Prophet The Prophet Xanto Xanto Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum​
 
ARC 2: Ep 1 - The Winter Solstice
  • Index
    • AVATAR: THE EXILED CHRONICLES - ARC 2

    Episode 1 - The Winter Solstice    ​

    12 / 21 / 264 AG​

    It has been five months since the conclusion of the mission in Republic City which effectively put an end to the Bone Crusher threat and their nefarious drug dealings. While most of the locals were overjoyed by the result, there were some who found the level of damage and the number of casualties to be concerning. Especially since the Avatar's involvement was known to the public. After all, who else could leave a lasting mark on the outskirt's geography? The place where the Bone Crusher's facility used to stand on was now filled with towering pillars of earth, each one sharply pointed at the top as though they were trying to penetrate the sky itself.

    Furthermore, words regarding the landmark's curse has been circulating around the city, permeating through some of the nation's borders. For the past few months, there have been multiple reported sightings of Dark Spirits sowing chaos ranging from attacking villages to decaying crops, with the first one being seen roaming by the pillars. This forced specialized teams of Water benders capable of purifying spirits to be mobilized in different parts of the world. The countermeasure was a combined effort between the two Water Tribes, being the only ones capable of producing what were officially named as Spiritbenders, under the recommendation and guidance of the White Lotus.

    While the majority of the common folks remained skeptical about the issue at hand (most likely thanks to the controlled media regarding it), authorities were starting to get worried especially with each passing month's rise in reports.

    As such, when the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe decided to invite the leaders of the other nations, rejection was far from their minds.


    1643457487276.png

    Northern Water Tribe
    8 am    ​


    The icy streets of the Northern Water Tribe were especially bustling with activity even though it was still two days before the Winter Solstice Festival. Enormous ships from all over the world were lining up by their docks, and diverse stalls that showcased the culture and cuisine of all nations filled every possible avenue. On the other hand, children and those young at heart flocked to the ones that provided entertaining games which offered various prizes that went from Nuktuk action figures to a teddy bear with the current Avatar's unmistakable eyebrows and hair.

    The Chief of the Northern Tribe invited not only the leaders of the nations, but also those who were a part of prominent families whether through wealth or lineage. That said, the borders of the Northern Water Tribe were open to anyone who would want to take a part of the festival. Warriors of the tribe could be seen standing and roaming about in various parts of the city, ensuring everybody's safety especially from petty thieves who would without doubt target distracted individuals.

    The morning was still young, and there were lots of fun activities to be done in the prosperous city. With hope, this day of respite could bring the separated companions back together.

     
  • Index
    • Tak-sicle
    Mentions/Interactions:     ​
    Amidst the frosted streets of this city, a walking Yak pelt shakily passed by two of the Northern tribe's guardsmen. The only visible features poking out from the walking fur were a pair of thick black snow boots and some goggles. The 'head' of the person seemed to be scouting around for something, indicated only by the shifting direction of the goggles, and after a moment their pace picked up. Their target, based on the direction of the goggles, was a food stall which bore the visage of a coiling dragon on their sign and the words 'Dragons Dare' sitting atop it. The furred figure drew nearer to this stand, doing their best to avoid other festival guests by staying close to the walls of buildings that lined the street. That was until a smaller form ran into them suddenly, causing the furred figure to step back in attempts to steady themselves, only to find a slick patch of ice waiting for them. An audible thud came from the figure as their body fell into the wall behind them, the smaller form caught in their... arms? "Guh-! T-that st-stings a bit. Are you a-a-alright?" Taka's muffled voice called out from his shivering form as the goggles shifted down to look at the kid.

    The child in question appeared to be dressed in traditional water nation garb, and shared a similar sentiment of surrounding their head with fur lining. Looking up to the mass of fluff she gave a small nod, "I'm sorry... I started falling and couldn't stop myself." Her voice was shaking and it seemed she was struggling to talk, granted if a Yak-monster with the voice of a human grabbed you it'd probably come as a shock. In response he pulled his arms away, ensuring that she got a good footing before standing to his normal height once more. "Y-you don't need to ap-pologize to me for t-that, just take care not to fall and hurt yourself on your way home o-ok?" He tried to sound as calming as he could, even giving a small smile that was once more hid beneath the mask of fur, and she gave a nod before walking back into the crowd. Reaching a gloved hand up to his head, he briefly touched the back of it before hissing slightly at the tenderness of it. "I really hope this doesn't become a trend every time I go somewhere new." He groaned before continuing to his destination.

    "Uhm... O-one order of F-f-fire flakes, p-please." Once more his hand emerged from beneath the cloak and shakily placed the payment atop the stall's countertop. "Fire flakes? Coming right up!" The woman behind the counter grinned as she took the currency and began packing the snack into a small sack. Looking at the streets around him now was a scene of joy and fun for all who were passing through, festivals had always felt like that to him though. His eyes absent-mindedly wandered between different groups, friends were walking with one another and idly chatting as they made their way down the street. Meanwhile groups of children stood at some of the game stalls and shouted at one another in excitement, he could almost picture himself and his own siblings in the same place many years ago. "Here you are young... man?" The stall worker said as she held the sack of piping hot fire flakes towards him. Taking the order in his hands he gave a small bow of his head to her before walking back into the street once more, the warmth emanating from the fire flakes was a welcome change to the otherwise biting cold around him.

    Finding a bench, which of course was made of ice, he took a seat and pulled away at the hood of his 'cloak' to slowly began eating his snack. "Oh... that warms up the soul." He sighed a warm breath of relief as the spices danced on his tongue. Looking down to the satchel he could see the thick swathe of steam pouring into the air around it, almost like smoke in the clear air. Leaning back he couldn't help but heave a light sigh, it was astonishing that only months ago he was playing the part of a shady criminal in a nor destroyed warehouse. Pulling his cloak back a bit with his free hand, he looked down to the blade which was at his side once more. The jade ring which had made up the pommel no longer held it flawless prestige, after his six-hour search by the port he had been lucky to find the blade mostly intact blade and about three-quarters of jade pieces that hadn't been claimed by the waves. In place of that jade ring was a new one, however this one bore crack-like patterns of golden coloration fusing the jade pieces together again. He never heard if there were any casualties aside from the building itself, after all he lacked the status to get those answers. The fact that he wasn't allowed anywhere near the site after than put a stop to any of his own investigations as well.

    Covering the sheathed sword with his cloak once more he returned to eating the fire flakes, a familiar taste of home. Come to think of it, the last time he'd even gone to a festival had been back home. Back when Izuo was still... "This is no time for that. It's soon to be a festival after all." With that cheerful thought in mind, and the spices of the Fire Nation helping to ward off the cold, he stood once more and moved on to continue his exploration of the festival.
     
    Maizen Tosuda
    Mentions/Interactions:
    ​

    The aftermath of their operation to get the flying bison back was a tentative success, and hopefully they grabbed the military looking man from the rubble. After the avatar and Yara were taken away, the group fell apart very quickly. He left his number on a few cards, but he very quickly had to go back to the heart of the city and get back to his original duties. Overseeing the growing business foothold they had in Republic City was dull compared to the fighting he'd done weeks earlier. Over the course of five months, he saw more documents and oversaw more trade and deals than he ever saw in his life. Instead of fighting well armed criminals, he was dealing with businessmen who all thought they were more clever than they actually were. Though he supposed it was par for the course when your family company owned and oversaw more than people thought.

    Through it all, he could always see the invasive pillars that marked his first few days in foreign land from the windows of his office. It left a bitter taste in his mouth when looking back to the stacks of paper on his desk, unsurprisingly.

    When he received an invitation to the Winter Solstice, he jumped at the chance to get out of the skyscraper that kept him away. He wasn't surprised; Tosuda all but controlled business in the Fire Nation, and his homeland government loved long-standing families and their contributions. Hooray for the lack of monopoly laws. So Maizen packed his bags and chartered a ship to the north. Perhaps this vacation would get his head out of the clouds.

    -----------------------​

    "Listen, I understand that you are all under orders, but even you all can agree that this is excessive, yes?" The familiar voice of a white haired man sighed, looking up from a desk of documents and books to the team of his newest bodyguards just standing everywhere he looked. Three on the door, two by the windows, and two right behind him to either side of his chair. "I realize that you all likely won't talk to me about this, but I wish you would. Which one of you is the head guard?"

    A gloved hand tapped his shoulder; there she was. "Alright. After I sign these, I'm going outside for some much needed air. Walk around for a bit. You and two others can join, but not all of you. I'd rather not have seve0pn intimidating guards follow me in such a peaceful festival; bad PR and makes people uncomfortable. Just bring your best."

    The head guard nodded, and a few short minutes later Maizen handed off several envelopes to a summoned staff member. Time to play Tosuda. "Recipients are on the envelope; no one opens it but them, and be fast. Don't fail me." The moment he was gone, Maizen looked toward one of the guards not accompanying him. "Trail him. Step in if you see something I wouldn't like. Come find me afterwards." Maizen knew it would be like this, but he was getting too used to all of it. Grabbing an expensive looking coat of dark fabrics and white fur, he draped it over his shoulders and made his way to the deck.

    Every time Maizen opened the heavy door that separated the lavish ship interior from the icy home of the water tribe, he was glad he was a fire bender…He should still probably wear the coat properly though. Doing so he smiled softly, stretching. The Northern Water Tribe definitely wasn't as advanced as Republic City or the Fire Nation, but it was oddly beautiful wherever he looked. His mother probably thought the same, before she left. "It's quite busy….Perhaps we might find something fun!....No, I'm not asking you to go find something for me, we'll just walk. Maybe find a guide." Maizen sighed. Guards had their uses, but he found their nature annoying. Especially since he knew they'd knock him out if he showed signs of slipping. At least he could be a little more free with the measure since they'd warn him first.

    One check with the postmaster and some workers later, and Maizen was off the large ship and onto the dock. Passing by the intricate Tosuda logo painted onto the side of the way-too-expensive vessel, Maizen pulled his coat closed and warmed his body. Flanked by bodyguards, he took off with no real goal in mind.

    Perhaps this time he wouldn't be attacked leaving the docks.
     
    KallikA couple miles away from the tribe.​


    The perennial snow glistened brightly under the few rays of sunlight that spotted throughout the barren field of snow. It was quiet only the occasional of sound, and the faintest sound of a slumbering beast taking a heavy nap. Tucked away in the snowfield at the base of a long since frozen lake, stood a temporary shelter made out of a ridge of thin ice bended supported by two short pillars of ice. Shielding a girl clad in traditional northern water tribe gear, she didn't have a care in the world simply basking in the soft snores of her companion, tracing small doodles in the powdery snow. Behind her remained a rather large fluffy beast covered in black spots, curled up at a makeshift mound of snow, the big Snow Leopard-Polar Bear hybrid was completely at ease.

    A common trip they'd make knowing not many trekked this far from the tribe, as there wasn't much this way during the time the year. Just the classic snow, and small very frozen lake perfect for skating on. One her personal favorite activities to do, needing only ice and water. Made for a good spot to get away, specially from an overbearing mother back home. It was peaceful and relaxing a place for just her and Nukka the beargaur away from everyone. It wasn't that she didn't love her home, it just got really bland after a while almost the same thing every day, following her mother's requests. Practicing healing, and if she was lucky Water-bending when it was just her grandmother who'd take her to a few of her friends to teach her much to her mother's dismay as she favors the old traditional ways. Her mother was a handful, a very strict do what she says kind of woman. Kallik still recalls the day her mother tracked her down at the pier a few months making a public scene causing her to cancel the small trip, she was supposed to take overseas a while back. Never got much free time with her around, unless she snuck out of course. With the annual Winter Solstice festival making a great opportunity to sneak away for a bit with everyone back home being so busy it was the perfect distraction! Even though she'd probably get an earful later from her parents.

    A groan came from the fluffy cat like beast as he rolled over onto his stomach, nudging his head onto Kallik's lap in the process. Dropping her doodle stick she placed hand on top the beargaur's head running her fingers along the top of his forehead. "You like that don't you?" She chuckled as Nukka started purring. They sat like that for a while longer, Nukka lulling back asleep from the gentle affection.

    Looking down at Nukka's sleeping face, she tapped his nose gently reawaking him "Pst lazy boy, do you wanna try some skating time seems perfect?" Nukka grunting as he rolled away from her, curling back into a ball. "Yeah, yeah you weren't too fond of it last time." The northerner rose up off the ground, brushing some the loose snow off her pants. She adjusted her hands manipulating the snow around her boots slowly turning it into water, a blade of ice freezing at the bottom of her boots, boosting her height just a bit.

    "Whelp time for some practice."
     
    Xian Zhao and Raiko Xiao​

    Drifting ever so slowly along a chilly stream of water, laid a plump fluffy animal back floating in its usual pacifist ways. Its fur was gray, and its nose was black. There was nothing as calm as the koalaotter floating down stream along its back.

    "My kinda place!" A gruff voice echoed down one icy pathway. "Squee!" The koalaotter flipped over into the cool water. "Ha, you scared the little guy," Xian glanced at his cousin, while coolly sliding his hands into his pockets. Raiko shoved his cousin with a strong nudge. He was a true character for the story soon to be told. Raiko, grandson of Meelo, was a waterbender himself. He dabbled in skills such as healing, but above it all he preferred ice. Xian chuckled as he looked onward at the various selection of foods they were about to pick from. "I missed this place," Raiko announced as he leaned against a food stall prior to wiggling his brows at a vendor for a free sample. And a free sample he got. The man took a bit of octopus, chucked it up in the air, and caught it in between his teeth. "Cherwy," He glanced over at Xian, "I could fry these back at my place for a nice beer snack. They'd be a hit!" Xian nodded in agreement, "They'd go pretty well in same bite." "That, my cousin, is the secret!" Raiko gestured with a toothpick, "A chaser for everything." The waterbender seemed to pause in thought before placing the wooden piece in between his teeth, "Pick a lime." He slowly nodded at a nice, smiling fire nation lady, "Pick a liquor." Then, he flashed a smile at an earth kingdom visitor. "This is the place to be!" Raiko raised his arms in victory somewhere in the middle of the crowd.

    Meanwhile, Xian dodged his cousin's reckless arm, "Business research?" "-Fun!" Raiko interjected before tossing some fire flakes into his piehole. Xian merely smirked at the waterbender in return. Perhaps the tough guy forgot just how spicy those snacks were. Cough. cOuGh. "Awooga! These fire flakes are kickin'!" Raiko coughed into his flexed bicep prior to complimenting the vendor, "Amazing work."

    Xian chuckled once again, running a hand through his hair as his gaze shifted around the area. Without a doubt he'd see some familiar faces there. After all, he was somewhat nomadic earlier in his life. Hm, but just who would he run into first?
     


    Jia Xiaodan: What has happened since then...

    Akil’s Request​

    Jia was prepared to be crushed by her very own dome. The Avatar was more important to the world, even if she was such a thorn in her side besides she was important to Xu too. Not like her, just a bodyguard from the Earth Empire, easily replaceable. But life still had plans for her, and in turn she had once again seen Xiu in her Avatar State but it felt… wrong.

    Her eyes weren't the same white glow that she feared. And the marking on her back was surely something that wasn't there before.

    "Hold on, we have to check yo- Wait!" Jia heard the medic that was looking after her yell. The call was ignored, in favour of running towards the white blur that is Grand Lotus Akil.

    "Grand Lotus Akil, wait!" Jia called the man clad in white and blue. His hulking frame towered over the Dai Li.

    "Yes?" He said as he turned around.

    Jia could see Xiu being carried to the ship of the White Lotus, the earlier events coming back to her mind like clear glass. Her face was as impassive as ever when she started, "There was something strange that happened earlier. Xiu went into the Avatar state but her eyes weren't glowing white like they used to, it was the colour of blood with a strange mark on her back.”

    Grand Lotus Akil merely stared at Jia for a moment, trying to figure out if she was lying in any way using his seismic sense but it was what the child believed to be true. His eyes softened slightly before saying, "The public's understanding regarding this kind of information is.... challenged, to say the least. Its spread will only lead to unnecessary mass panic. I know what you've seen must have been worryingly strange, but do not fret. The White Lotus will have everything under control. We simply ask that you keep what you know a secret from anyone." He finished, starting to turn to get back to his ship and attend to the matters at hand but Jia was relentless.

    “But doesn’t her family deserve to know this?” She asked, her brows furrowed after the longest time.

    "That would be the Avatar's choice. Besides, we were informed she has been banished by the Empire. The White Lotus owes no knowledge to the Royal family." Akil replied to her with a seemingly calm expression, something that irks the young earthbender even more.

    She took a step, perhaps a little too close to someone with such a high status. “Will Xiu even know about this?”

    "Only time will tell." He claimed with his back facing the young Dai Li. He turned his head just enough to send her a look that said that enough was enough but before he left her, he said a few parting words to enforce his wishes to keep it all a secret. "The Avatar's reputation is already tarnished as it is... We don't need to soil it any further. It is in this way that we can protect her in return."


    The Never-Ending Cycle of the Xiaodans​


    “You were assigned as the Prince’s bodyguard, not the Avatar’s! How dare you leave his safety in the hands of a non-bender.” Liu said coldly after leaving a forming bruise on her face. His daughter had merely stayed quiet, face blank and focusing on the floor while her father continued his outburst. It has been like this for the past eight years, she was used to it.

    “You are such a disappointment. You should have never let the Prince do things his way, especially when it concerns the Avatar. You have been with him for years, control him better for goodness sake. The Earth Empire won’t flourish if he still continues to act like this.” He said to her once again before slapping the porcelain mug on the table. It was her mother’s favourite and now it was broken into pieces. Perhaps that was for the better, less things to remember her mother by.

    Liu huffed and left Jia kneeling on the floor, picking up the shards of the porcelain glass. She could feel her face start to numb and feel heavy with every shard that she picked up. “Ah!” Clink. She watched as the blood started pouring out of the lacerated finger. The young earthbender could only let out a sigh as she continued cleaning the floor before retiring to bed that night.

    Come the next day, Jia had put on her full uniform and a thick amount of makeup to cover the bruises… Albeit poorly. She walked up to the Prince of the Earth Empire’s lab, “Prince Xu, I’m coming in.”

    The prince had definitely seen better days. After the incident, it wasn’t like he was allowed to simply sit down after all that. Still, he was allowed the previous day to rest and recuperate— not that resting helped all that much. Most advisors would go to Bao but Xu wasn't going to let him take full control over the actions of the Empire. Last time he did, they lost territory and had to banish Xiurong. Both decisions that would definitely lead to backlash from the citizens and Xu felt like a scapegoat.

    "... between father's disappearance and trying to clean after Xiurong and this new threat? This is the worst beginning for an unwilling emperor." He didn't stop talking even after Jia came in. At least there was one person he could trust in all of this. "You know Jia, this situation is a mess and I hate it. Don't you feel the same?" He asked, not turning to her for a moment as he grabbed a syringe filled with the same yellow liquid all of his vials contained. "I wish you could paralyze time so—"

    He cut himself off as he looked at Jia. "If you were trying to cover those bruises up, I could give you pointers." Still, Xu put down the syringe and let out a sigh. "Go sit down. I'll grab something to help you with. I'm sure I have something here for bruises." He muttered to himself as he gestured towards a vacant chair for his bodyguard to sit down at. "Or cuts. Whatever you have." Xu moved towards one of the cabinets, scouring the contents for his first aid kit. He was no healer but he doubted Jia would appreciate it if he called for one anyway.

    He grabbed the first aid kit and moved back to his friend. "Same old story?" It wasn't the first time he had seen Jia in this condition. Getting injured in battle was one thing but getting injured when you couldn't fight back was a whole other situation— one that Xu wanted to avoid putting Jia in. "If I was Emperor, I feel like I could help you more." He muttered.

    Jia simply stayed quiet while Xu ranted away. There wasn't anything she could add to it anyway, and perhaps it was better than him seeing her state. Then again, he would be able to notice right away. She was bad with makeup, she admits that she was never one to act so primly and proper like most women do. She was taught to be a part of the Dai Li from the day she expressed interest as a child.

    She only gave him what people would call a stare that could kill on his comment about her application of makeup. "I have a cut on my finger from a broken porcelain and four bruises; One on the face, two on my sides, and one on my left shoulder." She gingerly took off her jacket, revealing only a chest wrap and her toned body despite her small frame.

    She took a seat as Xu had asked her to. "Of course it is. I doubt anyone else can give me bruises like these, unless it's your sister." She said nonchalantly, glancing quickly at her friend. Letting out a sigh, she added. "I'm sorry."

    She flinched at the contact of the biting cold to her skin. She did not comment on Xu's lament on what he could do for her if he was the Emperor. Her father's influence was quite strong after all. "Something happened during the incident. Grand Lotus thought that it should be kept a secret for now but… I think you should now."

    "There seems to be something wrong going on with Xiu before she saved me and Xian from the collapsing dome." She let out a hiss as Xu started applying healing salve to her bruises. "Her eyes glow red during the Avatar State and with a red tattoo on her back too. We've seen the Avatar State multiple times and it looked nothing like it."

    “Broken porcelain? That’s new.” Xu couldn’t help but comment as he moved to get the ice pack and press it against her bruises as he prepared the healing balm. Poison research had the nice side effect of being able to understand a bit more about herbs and their healing qualities and while it wouldn’t result in a miracle, it would help ease the pain his friend was in.

    “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s not your fault.” He shrugged. “It would be nice if your father didn’t hurt my bodyguard and lose efficiency, but what do I know?” In the privacy of the lab where he was confident no one could snoop around and hear them, he felt much more at ease in his interactions with Jia. It would never be the same as when they were kids, but these moments were definitely welcome.

    He listened intently to this supposed secret. If the White Lotus wanted it to be a secret, then it must be something important. “A Xiurong whose avatar state is red and not white? Well, well, if it isn’t my nightmare come true.” He sighed and shook his head as he continued the salve application. “In all seriousness, if the Grand Lotus didn’t want it to be known, then there’s definitely a problem with Xiurong. I’m sure they can handle it but I am… worried. Was she responding to you guys? What exactly happened?”

    Jia closed her eyes, trying to further remember what happened in that fever dream of an incident. "Yara… She asked me to help Xiu. I did, and when I got to where she was, she was being held by a dragon spirit."

    She could feel the healing salve take effect, easing the pain that she felt. "Anyway, I helped with that Airbender friend of your sister, Xian? And the spirit had let go of Xiu but she was unconscious at that point. The spirit had told us that we were too late, the catalyst has been set and she will bring our downfall." She took another sigh before continuing. "After that, everything came crashing down and I made a dome to protect us but it wasn't enough. I told Xian to get the Xiu and go but… She entered into the Avatar State and saved us." I'm not really sure why she saved me too. She wanted to add but decided otherwise.

    "You know what happened next." By this time, Xu had finished applying treatment to her bruises and applied a fresh bandage to her cut. Jia had worn her jacket once again, clipping it in a robotic manner due to years of doing it. "Thanks." She muttered to Xu, "By the way, have you spoken to your uncle?"

    Well, it was the first time Xu had heard about the spirit talking. The only thing that was communicated was the fact that it existed. He nodded slowly. “That’s… a lot. I am glad that all of you have come out of that mostly unharmed.” He said first. “But I wonder what it meant by that. By catalyst and this ‘she’ being our downfall. In this context, I’d believe that it’s my sister but we’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.” Not that she would ever give him or Jia the same treatment, but he digressed. “It’s pretty worrying. I wonder if the White Lotus knows something about it.” He paused, shaking his head. “Not that we can ask considering you’re not supposed to be telling me this.”

    Xu backed away and began to pack the healing salve once again while Jia dressed herself properly. “We should keep an eye out for those spirits. Considering the warning, I doubt we’ll be seeing the last of them.” Unfortunately. He had some hope that it wouldn’t reach the Earth Kingdom, especially with the turmoil that they were currently going through.

    “Not yet. They haven’t gotten around to the interrogation yet, but he did say he’ll report whatever he finds out as soon as possible.” He responded with a nod. “I can’t very well investigate my father’s disappearance personally after this whole situation but I don’t plan on rolling over and letting Xiurong do all the heavy lifting.” He shared, closing the first aid kit and putting it back into its place before rounding the table where papers were strewn about. “I know of a couple of private investigators that we can hire to dig deeper into the Bone Crusher situation. It’ll take a few months before they come up with anything but the sooner they’re on the case, the better, don’t you think?” He looked over to Jia, silently waiting for her input.

    Jia took a moment before she answered, it certainly was a lot better than investigating themselves. “Yeah, that would probably be for the best. There’s a lot to do here in the Earth Empire too.”


    Ah Lam’s Story​


    This was definitely something his advisers would disapprove of but, then again, Xu hadn’t been known for following advice most of the time. The headaches that came alongside council meetings hadn’t ebbed and Xu wanted to do something he could do. And maybe it would be a decision he would regret but she was an asset that he wasn’t going to let go easily. A capable fighter and someone who followed instruction based on the pay— likely one of the more loyal people he could find.

    The Earth Empire jail was something they prided themselves on. With high-rise walls made of pure steel alloy, each jail was designed specifically to prevent escape from both benders and non-benders alike. Of course, due to the circumstances of their direct attack on Xu and Jia, they had elected to bring them back to the Earth Empire. Though, he did surrender Amelia to the whims of the White Lotus, considering her endangerment of the Avatar’s pet. Ah Lam, on the other hand, was put behind bars.

    Xu waited at the interrogation room they had as the guards went off to get Ah Lam. It would provide them with enough privacy for their discussions. “I hope she takes the deal.” He told Jia as he paced around the room, discontent with the lack of things to do. “It would be a waste if she didn’t.” If he read her correctly, she would take the bait. However, they did only have one fight and his impression of her was not the best.

    Unlike Xu, Jia was simply standing on the side of the interrogation room with her eyes closed. She wasn’t sure what impression she had of Ah Lam other than being a good fighter and caring about the forest as odd those words were to say in a fight. She wasn’t stupid to burn down a forest with her lava bending, she thought as she was reminded of the fight with the firebender.

    The ground was rough, to an uncalloused feet, filled with dust of the earth. She could feel the vibration around her, of every footstep, may it be Xu’s or someone else’s like the guards and Ah Lam’s. The closer they were, the more she could feel the fire bender’s nervousness. “They’re here, you should sit down.” She said to the Prince of the Earth Empire in a calm manner, waiting for their possible new recruit.

    “Sitting down is overrated.” Xu muttered to Jia but sat down regardless, lacing his fingers together on his lap so no one noticed how much he was fidgeting.

    The metallic door opened with a winding creak as three figures entered the four corners. Two of them donned the Imperial soldier garments while the other one was in a simple orange prison garb, limbs restricted by cuffs composed of pure alloys. The soldiers saluted the Crown Prince upon entering, momentarily perplexing the brown-eyed prisoner before she awkwardly copied the gesture. It wasn’t long before the soldiers escorted the girl to the seat across the prince and his retainer.

    “Leave us.” Xu ordered as soon as Ah Lam was seated properly. The soldiers quickly gave their salute and exited the premises, opting to stand near the door instead. Ah well, it’s not like it’ll be that much of a secret after anyway.

    “So, you really are the Earth Empire’s Crown Prince!” Ah Lam, formerly a grunt belonging to Republic City’s infamous Bone Crushers, exclaimed with wide gaze. When she first caught word that she went toe-to-toe with the prince and the Avatar’s brother, she didn’t believe it at all. She then moved her eyes to Jia, who looked very small up close yet still intimidating as ever, and felt a sweat roll down her left temple. “Umm, this is kinda strange. What would you two need from someone like me? D-Don’t tell me… EXECUTION!?” Her voice cracked with fright.

    Ah Lam’s energy didn’t seem to have been affected by her time in jail. He couldn’t help but chuckle that came out of his mouth when the prisoner grew even more panicked and jumped to conclusions. “If it was execution, I wouldn’t be the person who’s talking with you right now.” He pointed out with a dismissive wave of his hand. “And yes, I am the crown prince. Between you and me, more of a figurehead than anything really.” He said in a lowered voice with a roll of his eyes— a small joke to ease the mood.

    “But again, don’t worry. This isn’t your execution. In fact, if everything goes well, you’ll be out of those bars. I’m just going to ask you a few questions and I need you to answer me honestly.” He gestured towards Jia with his hand. “And believe me, Jia would know whether you’re lying or not and I highly recommend you to tell the truth. Am I understood? Are you ready?”

    Jia swayed her head in disbelief, while he was speaking in a humorous manner, it doesn't mean that he could just say those words willy-nilly. He was still the Prince of the Earth Empire after all. "Don't try anything funny." She said to Ah Lam, looking her in the eyes.

    Ah Lam audibly gulped, sweating bullets in place. She didn't know whether she should trust the prince or not, since he was far from truthful during their last meeting. Then again, it wasn't like she had any choice. She could only comply and pray that the prince actually meant her freedom and not another prison hopping.

    "R-Ready…" She answered, eyes shifting from the suspicious prince and the scary earthbender.

    “Excellent.” He leaned back, lowering his hands to his lap once again. “There’s only a few things I would like to confirm. Take your time to answer, but not too long. How long have you been in the Bone Crushers? Have you met your boss? If so, who are they? How did the Bone Crushers come to possess the poison?” He paused after each question, making sure that the prisoner had processed it before moving on.

    With a deep breath, he asked the final question. “Why did you join the Bone Crushers?”

    There were so many questions that Ah Lam was starting to feel dizzy. Even so, the girl knew it'd be in her best interest to keep herself together.

    "I've only joined two weeks before your team besieged our operation. I was placed under a senior member named Amelia, um, I'm sure you two are familiar with her. She was the one who showed me the ropes after my recruitment." She rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I was just a fresh grunt, so I never got to meet the boss. At least properly. I remember escorting Miss Amelia to the control room once, and I caught sight of a masked man who appeared to be… waterbending inside."

    She then sighed. "The truth is, I went to Republic City from the Fire Nation to work as an electricity supplier. I thought there would be a lot of opportunities waiting for me there, but it turned out to be a dog-eat-dog world out there. Not to mention that the rise of batteries has been displacing quite a number of lightning benders…" She visibly slumped her shoulders. "I couldn't return home because I used the last of my money trying to get to Republic City. So, I couldn't say no when a few hooligans invited me to join their gang. I thought the Bone Crushers were just your average Republic city gang, extorting payments from merchants and whatnot. I didn't expect for them to get involved in concocting dangerous poison! But it was already too late for me to back out, so I thought I could wait until the first few paychecks and buy myself a ticket back to the Fire Nation where I could forget about all these stuff but… you know what happened."

    "Anyway, you guys aren't here for my sob story. I believe the gang made use of a specialized vehicle to gather the hallucinogenic gas from the Swamp in the Earth Empire's borders. They then treat it in the laboratory to turn it into a weaponized version of itself. I've never experienced being put under its effects, but from what I've heard, it's meant to manifest the victim's deepest longing."

    Waterbending. Checked out with what the reports said about the Bone Crusher’s new boss, but they still weren’t getting anything concrete. Who was he? Still, Xu allowed her to continue as he ruminated over the identity of this mysterious waterbender. He wasn’t surprised at how Ah Lam became involved with the gang. She really didn’t seem like the type to join them for the sole reason of lording power over others— from the short exchange he had with her before, she was wildly different from her senior Amelia. He eyed Jia, waiting for her input on whether or not this was the truth and nothing but the truth.

    They were collecting the gas from the swamp? He hadn’t heard anything about suspicious people entering and exiting that place constantly. It was still under their jurisdiction but it was agreed upon that the tribes within were more than enough to protect it. He raised a hand and tapped his fingers against the table.

    “Yeah, you wouldn’t want to experience it.” He sighed. “I wouldn’t recommend it.” He sneered, reminded of the uncomfortable visions he was subjected to. It just wasn’t realistic. He hated it. He had to convince himself he did. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your cooperation.”

    The victim's deepest longing. Those words echoed inside her head as those memories replayed in her head. A chill climbed up her spine that made her visibly shiver, as much as she’d rather not. The life she wanted but could never have. “She’s not lying.” Jia said to Xu blankly while her head remained on the mysterious waterbender that Ah Lam had mentioned.

    “This is troublesome, we’ll need someone to look into the Swamp.” She stated while she started walking towards the door ready to call for the guards if the prince wished it. “Anything more you need from her?”

    Xu nodded, glad that Jia could confirm that Ah Lam had not said a single lie. What an honest person. He knew that the ultimatum was her getting out of jail, but she hadn’t even attempted a single negotiation to make sure that she was actually going to reduce her sentence. He looked over to Jia as she began walking towards the door. “I’d like to know what the Swampbenders are doing in there. We’ll prepare a unit to head there after this.”

    He waved his hand. “One more thing. I do understand your plight, Ah Lam. Wrong place, wrong time, desperation.” He leaned back and crossed his arms. “But now you’re in jail because of these decisions. Actions and consequences.” Something that he had come to learn was grave when blown up to nations in politics.

    “I have a proposition for you, Ah Lam. You’re not a horrible person and you’ve answered me truthfully. I’m reducing your sentence to one more month behind bars, just to appease the council. However, after that, I want you to work for me. An electricity supplier is just what I need for my airship, considering that I don’t want my own bodyguard to keep powering it. I’ll teach you how to maintain the airship. Of course, you will be paid for your efforts.”

    “Do we have a deal?” He asked, reaching forward to present his hand.

    “YES! YES, WE HAVE A DEAL!” Ah Lam jumped on her seat, her bounded hands reaching out for the prince’s offered one. With an awkward fumble and an uncomfortable shake, the firebender beamed brightly at Xu and Jia, as though she wasn’t fearing for her life mere minutes ago. “I will be your best employee, I promise!” Her eyes found the Dai Li. “Oh, uh, second-best employee! Sir, yes, sir!” She stood upright and saluted the prince as best as she could.

    Xu seemed to have been caught completely off guard by the firebender’s sudden burst of energy as she shook his hand. He recovered fast though and gave her a nod. “Well, points for enthusiasm, I suppose. I’ll see you in a month, then.” He turned to Jia. “Alright, you can let the guards in.”

    Jia merely raised a brow at Ah Lam when their eyes met. She's not really calling herself as the Prince's best employee although she made no claims to deny the firebender's statement. Unlike Xu, she wasn't so easily trusting of the spritely firebender but then again she had been nothing but honest with her answers.

    She opened the door once Xu told her to, "Alright, take her back to her cell." She ordered despite their towering frame. She watched from the side of the corridor as Ah Lam was dragged off by the other Dai Lis, "Tell Cai to come find me and the Prince once you've locked the firebender in her cell."

    "Yes, ma'am." They saluted in unison before continuing to their job. Walking further and further away.

    She looked over to Xu, "I hope you don't mind, but I want you to let Cai come along the Swamp Unit. She's a good bender, but I want to know if there is at least one other person in the Dai Li we could trust considering how Chen was with the Bone Crushers… wearing an imperial soldier’s uniform too.” Her throat started feeling itchy out of nowhere, she wanted to clear it but… “Because there could be more like Chen.” She hopes that such was not the case.

    “Do you trust her?” Xu asked, fingers falling to the cuff of his sleeve to fix them. “I don’t mind if you send her along the Swamp Unit. I’m sure she’ll do well.” He turned back to the door that was closed behind the guards as they left the interrogation room. “But I am confident that it wasn’t only Chen. We know that the Bone Crushers were the ones who had the gas. Chen couldn’t have breached the security of this palace by himself.”

    He moved to dust off his hands. “There’s a reason I’m using outside sources. For all we know, the entirety of the Dai Li has been infiltrated.” He reached out to pat her on the shoulder as he opened the door. “But I’ll trust your judgment with this one. She’ll report straight to us after their patrol.”

    If she was being honest, she wasn’t too sure, but if Cai was already a part of the group that helped the Bone Crushers then the Dai Li is doomed for another dishonor for the supposed protectors of the Earth Kingdom that Avatar Kiyoshi made. “We’ll see.” She whispered to herself before following Xu and closing the interrogation room.


    A Cordial Invitation to the Winter Solstice​


    The cold weather of the North Water Tribe was something Jia will never get used to. No matter how many layers of clothes she wore, she hated it. Especially when she couldn't make use of her own feet, if she did the palm of her feet would have become numb. She wouldn't be as effective if she let that happen now, would she?

    "Hoot!" She heard Barnaby cry out, a noise that now brings a frown to her face. This was her face of jealousy as she watched her very own catowl fly towards Ah Lam with joy. She wasn't really sure why, but somehow her supposedly lifetime companion found great joy in the firebender's presence. She can see why though, and Ah Lam certainly brightened the somewhat desolate atmosphere of the airship that was previously only just Jia and the Prince.

    She heard another happy hoot from the catowl before scowling further as she headed first to the door. "Hurry, we have to meet with the Prince before he joins the other officials to the Solstice."

    Ah Lam let out a giggle as the catowl landed on her shoulder and hopped it's way to the top of her head. "It looks like Barnaby's extremely pumped for the festival!" She happily chirped as she walked towards Jia, immediately noting the ever-present frown on her face. Without much thought, the fire bender pressed an index finger on each corner of her own mouth and pulled them upwards into a grin. "C'mon, Jia, you have to get the festive energy into your system! I bet you'd look so much prettier with a smile!" Ah Lam began, the Dai Li's pet hooting supportively on her crown which made the taller girl break into a small dance.

    No one ever dared to talk to Jia that way for years now that it resulted in a rush of blood, tinting her face into a shade of pink. Even Cai who loved to tease had backed off of the small earthbender. Wasn't it only a few months ago that the firebender was intimidated by her presence? Either way, to show Ah Lam that her smile wasn't a pretty one, she obliged. With the knob enclosed by her hand, firmly keeping the door close as she would rather that anyone not see. She forced her face to turn her frown upside down, a struggle for her cheeks as it had become too used to the either impassive expression or a scowl. She presented to Ah Lam a struggling grin, a forced smile with her teeth clenched and lips quaking.

    The firebender and catowl both froze in place, staring at Jia with wide eyes. If she was being honest, Jia looked like a naked fire ferret that has been dropped into a thick blanket of snow. Nonetheless, the retainer’s shaky smile didn’t deter the firebender one bit, instead it urged her to gently pinch Jia’s cheeks and pull them upward to steady her grin. “Aww, there you go! You look so much cuter.” Barnaby whistled in agreement, causing Ah Lam to giggle again. “See? Even Barnaby agrees!”

    Jia's ears had turned visibly red upon being pinched by the cheek and being called cuter. Not to mention how Barnaby had betrayed her by siding with Ah Lam. "Whatever, let's go." Jia scoffed, back to her usual scowl encompassing her face. She turned the knob and opened the door, immediately knocking on Xu's room. "Prince Xu, are you ready?"

    “A bit late to the fold, aren’t we, Jia?” Xu asked from the hallway to their inn. “Thought you’d take a bit more time getting prepared so I decided to get some coffee before the congregation.” He gestured towards the paper cup that he was holding which already seemed half empty. While he was more than awake for the rest of the festival, he was pretty sure that he had exchanged water for coffee at this point. “Good morning you two. Come on now, you should grab something to fill your stomachs before we set off.”

    Before he turned around to make his way back to the lobby, he paused, a small smirk on his face as he gestured towards his ears. “Bit red there, aren’t we?” And he was more than certain it wasn’t the cold thanks to the warmer temperature within the inn. Without waiting for her reaction, he gestured for the two to follow as he made his way back to the lobby of the inn.

    Jia mumbled incoherently about Ah Lam being weird prior to seeing him. "I don't eat breakfast. Besides I'm sure there will be plenty of stalls in the streets." She stated pointedly, putting her hand in her pockets for extra warmth. "Are you gonna eat?" The earthbender asked their joyful companion. Hoping that she'd say yes so that she can stay in the warmth of the inn more than to go outside.

    Even though it has been a while since Ah Lam started working for the prince, she still couldn't get over how kind he was to her. Her eyes moistened with gratitude when he offered her breakfast. The Bone Crushers never fed her anything, in fact, she had to pay for everything, even for their bland porridge that might as well be water with a spoonful of rice.

    The fire bender clasped her hands together and shot the prince and the retainer a look of gratitude. "C-Can I?" Her face screamed yes. She has never experienced eating in a hotel before, much less one that was luxurious enough to cater a prince. Meanwhile, Barnaby flapped his wings once on top of her head, signaling that he too would love to enjoy the local cuisine.

    “Of course. We have the time.” Xu responded with a shrug, dismissive of how excited Ah Lam was about it. “You too Barnaby. I heard they were going to serve some pretty high-class stuff and not storage food from the airship.” He snickered. He did try to pack up better food but it wasn’t like they could be stored for elongated periods of time. Better to have something to fill the stomach than none at all. He took a sip from his coffee.

    “I’ll have to give you two some spending money for the festival. We might be here on business but it’s not a sin to have fun.” With the final statement, he shot a look at Jia whose entire being seemed to encompass her duty. He couldn’t blame her for it but getting a few minutes of rest and relaxation did wonders.

    The Dai Li made her way to the buffet, looking over the options available, not for her but for Barnaby… And perhaps a hot beverage for herself as the others eats. Seconds later, she held a full plate of meat while she had a cup of warm milk in another. Not really her favorite but she preferred it over tea and coffee. “Here, Barnaby, eat up.” She said softly as she sat down.

    The cat owl hopped off of Ah Lam who was trying to balance two plates and a bowl, all filled with a variety of food from the buffet. “Spirits, all these yummy food are making me wish I was born with an extra pair of hand!” She blabbered as she settled down beside the earthbender.

    Jia took a sip of her milk, providing an extra feeling of warmth to her which she savored. Her father, the Avatar, and snowy climate, those are the things she cannot handle. She watched Barnaby lick the plate clean, leaving only bones and nothing more. “Is this your first time eating food from an Inn?” Jia asked, peeking from the side of Barnaby’s small figure.

    Ah Lam, who stared at the Jia like a deer caught in the headlights, had both cheeks puffed up with food. She hurriedly munched and gulped them down before nodding her head. “Mhm! In fact, this is my first time eating this kind of food. Just looking at them already feels expensive.” She shivered at the thought of having to pay, but she was immediately distracted by the roasted fowl in her hand.

    Jia merely let out a hum. Not asking anything further as she continues to finish her drink instead. She looked over to Xu, “Will it really be okay to leave you alone?”

    Xu stalked around to grab a sandwich as he watched his charges take a plate for their own— Jia giving her own to her pet— and was more than content to pass the time for a few more minutes before he had to personally leave himself. Ah Lam ate with much gusto. He couldn’t blame her. It really was delicious, but more importantly, this wasn’t exactly in the normal person’s budget.

    He turned to Jia and shrugged. “It’ll be fine. I’m not going anywhere unarmed anymore.” Xu admitted, under his coat were his hidden knives and his modified electric gloves. It was always better safe than sorry. He doubted the other leaders would grief him over weapons when they had easy access to their own. “Come on, it’s not like I didn’t hold up on my own during fights.”

    He turned towards the clock, internally grimacing, before looking back to Ah Lam and Jia. “Well then, it looks like I have to go. If anything happens, radio in.” The prince took out a pouch of yuan and placed it on the table. “Have fun. It’s on the house.” With that, he turned to leave the inn and into the biting cold.

    "Alright. We'll come find you once we've found and consulted Xian Zhao.” Jia said as she took the pouch and watched Xu leave. She wasn’t fully comfortable leaving his side, not because she was worried. She knew well that he was capable of fighting, she had just gotten too used to her job.

    She got up and got Barnaby a small bowl of water. “You should hold on to the pouch. I’m not fond of buying things anyway.” She placed the money beside Ah Lam’s plate before finishing her cup of milk. “I’ll wait for you by the entrance.”

    Ah Lam gave Jia a brief salute before returning to her delicious endeavor. It seemed like the firebender was still far from finished when it came to chowing down on the mouth watering delicacies. In fact, it seemed like even Barnaby was still in the game as he immediately returned to chewing on a piece of steak that was at the corner of Ah Lam’s second plate.

    It was no wonder why Ah Lam and Barnaby were only able to greet Jia by the entrance about fifteen minutes later, both having satisfied grins on their faces.

    They're really taking their time.

    “Sorry we took a bit! I had to take a third plate for Barnaby!” Ah Lam informed, which made the catowl on her head slap her forehead. “Okay, okay! Maybe it was I who needed the third plate!” Another slap. “Okay, fourth plate.” She puffed her cheeks a little before returning her focus to the royal retainer.

    “Anyway, we need to go look for Mr. Zhao now, right? Who is he? What does he look like? Is he a leader of another nation? Ooh, do I get to shake his hand?” Ah Lam continuously asked, sparkles comically shining in her brown orbs.

    Jia merely stared as Ah Lam continued to talk about her meal with Barnaby when she never asked in the first place. It makes her wonder how the firebender has such energy everyday and seems to never get tired. "It's fine." She said to counter the other's apology, she didn't mind waiting as it was something she was used to after all. It followed with a small and quiet chuckle soon after, the first in years, at seeing her catowl with Ah Lam.

    "Ehem." Quickly composing herself, a hand flying to her face to cover her mouth while Ah Lam was busy asking about who they were looking for. "He's… Not a leader of a Nation but he is the Avatar's friend, I suppose. Short brown hair, grey eyes, sharp features, and tall." At least that's what she remembered from their short meeting. "I'll recognize him with my bending once he's near enough." She stated as she started walking away, motioning for Ah Lam to follow before the firebender started asking any more questions.

    “Oh that’s a relief. I figured it’s going to be a pain to look for him amidst the hundreds of tourists pouring into the city.” Ah Lam said as she did her best to keep up with the earthbender. For someone of her stature, Jia sure knew how to brisk walk. “So um, why are we looking for him?” Sure being the Avatar’s friend could be considered as a prestigious title, but the prince was literally the Avatar’s brother. What could this mysterious guy know that he didn’t?

    Jia took a quick look at Ah Lam, "I can't say." Good thing was that the Inn wasn't too far from the festivities. Just a quick walk and a turn around a corner, and they easily found themselves at the marketplace. Some stores were still setting up their stalls but a few were already open for business.

    To Jia, it feels like it's been a long time since she attended a festival. At least, one without Xu but of course it's not much different as she was there with a purpose.

    "Come one and all, taste our Bannock paired with savory meat in between." Called out by one of the vendors as she passed by. "Hey miss, would you like a beaded bracelet? It's said to ward off evil spirits." Stated another with his devilish grin, most likely a scam.

    “Oooh! Me, me, me!” Ah Lam enthusiastically volunteered, beelining to the man without a thought as she reached for her personal pouch. While the prince did say that they could enjoy the festival using the money he gave them, Ah Lam felt embarrassed doing so. Besides, the prince was such a trickster that this might be a test of faith. After placing the money on the counter, Ah Lam raised four fingers in front of the vendor. “I’m buying four!”

    The vendor nervously chuckled, gently brushing aside the fingers which were being shoved to his face to flash a smile at his customer. “Would you like me to put your initials on the beads? It will make the price slightly higher, but it’s proven to make the charm much more effective.” Another obvious scam.

    “Ooooh, yes! My name is Ah Lam, so that’s an A and an L.” The said girl agreed, already placing extra money on the stall’s counter.

    Jia simply let out a sigh. She couldn't blame Ah Lam for being excited knowing full well that she acted the same when she was younger. Instead of pulling the firebender to the side, she let the woman have her way. The same wasn't going to happen to the sleazy vendor though. "Higher, you say… for just initials? Seems a bit too much. Are you sure these bracelets of yours work?"

    The earthbender stared down at the man, the chisel between his fingers as he prepared to work on the beads. She leaned towards him and started to whisper, "You know… as an earthbender, I can tell when you're lying. So I'd appreciate it if you give my-" She paused, not sure what to call Ah Lam. "Companion... a fair price because we both know, your beads are just simply what it is."

    The vendor sweated in place, shakily withdrawing from the menacing woman with raised hands. “W-Why, I didn’t mean to impose my prices! I think this is just a silly misunderstanding. What seemed fair to me turned out to be rather unfair to you! But of course, as they all say, the customer is always right.” He gulped before hurriedly finishing Ah Lam’s requested pieces. He then gave them to her in the same rushed manner. “Please just take these! You don’t even have to pay for them!”

    Ah Lam tilted her head to the side, shifting her gaze between Jia and the nervous vendor. What did Jia tell him? Was everything alright? Or could it be…

    ”Oh, are you friends as well with Jia?” She grinned at the man, taking the beads and her money back. “That’s so sweet! Thank you very much, sir.” Imaginary flowers appeared by the woman’s head, completely oblivious to the true nature of the scenario.

    The vendor continued the farce under Jia's piercing gaze. "Y-yes. Something like t-that, ahaha." The earthbender tilted her head at Ah Lam, a cue to get going. Much to the conman's relief. "By the Avatar, how can someone so small be so intimidating." He whispered to himself, feeling the atmosphere chill his sweat as he watched the two leave.

    They walked around some more, stall owners beckoning them to take a look and buy their products in exchange for cash. Nothing really catches Jia's eyes. She wasn't fond of jewelry or anything. And if something would interest her, it would be weapons but there weren't any around.

    "Hello, ma'am! Have you tried eating octopus?" Some man said, blocking her way. The Dai Li shook her head with her usual glare, saying a quick no thank you but it bore no effect as the man was persistent.

    He was quick to grab the smaller woman's hand and drag her to his stall that was selling octopus bits. The smell wafted through her nose and made her remember how she had not eaten any food before coming to the marketplace. She couldn't help but gulp at the idea of eating such delicacies but it was Ah Lam who held the pouch and it seemed like the man won't let them out of his sight until they bought food.

    Ah Lam peeked over Jia’s head, her eyes analyzing the various delicacies being showcased on the stall. Everything happened so fast. She was just appreciating the charms she bought when Jia was being dragged by a random man all of a sudden. “We should hold hands from now on.” Ah Lam huffed as she placed both hands on her waist.

    Although, she supposed at least the man turned out to be the vendor of mouthwatering food. She let her gaze stray to the Dai Li, trying to discern whether she was interested in the products before giving up. It was hard to read Jia’s expression unless she was frowning so hard that her mouth might as well drop to the ground.

    “I’ll take three orders of the grilled octopus!” She beamed at the vendor, taking money from Xu’s pouch for payment.

    "Coming right up!" The woman's voice was sweet, looking at the man with gratitude. Friends? Lovers? Either way, the woman was quick with her hands. From the way she sliced the tentacles into pieces, it was apparent that she was a skilled chef. "This won't take long, please wait at the side." She asked of the two before turning her attention to the same man that brought them here.

    Jia stood beside Ah Lam, waiting for their food to finish cooking. Although she could sense people with her seismic sense, the snow and her cold feet certainly made things difficult. She rubbed her bare hands together before bringing it up to her mouth and blowing hot air to keep it warm.

    “Oh, Jia, I have something to give you.” Ah Lam began with a soft smile, taking one of Jia’s hand before placing something over it. It was one of the charms that she bought using her own money. The letters A and L were inscribed on the two beads at the center of the bracelet. “It will keep you safe.” She said, smile brightening.

    It was a familiar scene. She found it ironic that Ah Lam had placed the bracelet on the same hand where Xiu did when they were children. She never thought of the firebender as a friend, but it seems that was how the other felt. "Thank you." She whispered, the feeling that she felt right now was nice regardless of how much of a scam the effects of the bracelet was.

    “You’re welcome!” Ah Lam beamed at her. To be honest, she didn’t expect Jia to react this way. She anticipated that the earthbender would refuse her offer, and she’d be forced to keep on nagging her until she eventually yielded. Nonetheless, this was a welcomed surprise. Ah Lam saw it as proof that she was getting through Jia’s high walls, no matter how small the chip may be.

    “And this one is for Barnaby!” The firebender placed a similar bracelet around one of Barnaby’s feet, making sure that it was comfortably secure around the good boy’s small limb. Barnaby gave a pleased hoot, which warranted him a pat on the head. “There you go, now I’m sure everyone will be safe from evil spirits.”

    “Here are your orders!” The female vendor slid the three servings of grilled octopus, each on their own paper plate. The steam coming from the freshly cooked dishes felt pleasant to the skin. Its aroma, mixed with the provoking smell of the shop’s special spicy sauce, multiplied its charm by a hundredfold.

    Ah Lam distributed each plate to Jia, Barnaby, and finally to herself. “Woooow, it looks so good.” She sniffed the grilled squid before taking a piece into her mouth.

    It smelled really good, so mouthwatering that Jia immediately took a bite of the food to satiate her hunger. Little did she realize how spicy the food was as fire flooded her mouth.

    Heat was quick to rise to her face, her ears as red as a ripe tomato. She was not fond of such spice but that didn't stop her from eating because the grilled octopus was that good and the warmth that it brought to her was both a blessing and a curse.

    "Water!" She croaked over to the vendor who immediately gave her a bottle of water that was immediately drank until there was nothing left. It left Jia gasping for air but the burn within her tongue soon faded afterward.

    "Jia! Are you okay?!" Ah Lam exclaimed in panic, gently patting the Dai Li's back repetitively to which the earthbender weakly replied that she was alright.

    "Awooga! These fire flakes are kickin'!" Yelled by someone in the crowd, a familiar voice that she assumes would be with the person they were looking for.

    For someone with a small stature such as hers, it was hard to find someone from trying to look over the other people's shoulders when they are of much higher height. She took Ah Lam, who released a small yelp, by her hand and excused herself as she passed between strangers. "Xian Zhao, we need to talk." She said with a hoarse voice freshly violated by the spicy sauce.

    mention: || interaction: AI10100 AI10100 . D O V E . D O V E Xanto Xanto


     
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    B E I F O N G , X U
    Interacting with:
    Location: Northern Water Tribe    ​

    Xu had to admit, he wasn't fond of the cold weather. The biting cold was even worse. He relied heavily on being nimble in fights and having his extremities feeling like they had frozen over wasn't exactly the best. He was overthinking it, of course he was, but he couldn't help but feel alert at every gathering. There was always that chance, however small it was, and he didn't want to be taken by surprise. Again.

    Still, the respite of being alone and out of the Earth Kingdom made him feel a bit at ease if he was being honest. He still had to keep up appearances, sure, but at least it wasn't the council breathing down his neck. Xu moved towards the Chief's castle, idly looking around at the people who were starting to gather, the stalls were getting set up, and Xu really did hope the day wouldn't get ruined. Even if he wasn't here for entirely festivity purposes, his father was still missing and the Earth Kingdom was still infiltrated, he wanted for his companions to be able to relax for a little while longer. A small tinge of hope, really. He didn't doubt that constant worry and work was a good environment to be in. If they could pretend for a day— for an hour— it could do wonders for their health. Besides, Jia could do with fun every now and then. Hopefully, Ah Lam is doing her job at that.

    He greeted one of the stall owners, helping her lift some of the crates up before moving on. In any case, as more information flowed to his hands, more questions seemed to pop up. Two of the loose ends can potentially be resolved at this festival. Jia and Ah Lam were in charge on one of them— seeking out Xian to get more answers from him. They hadn't spoken a lot but he was their only contact within the Sato industry. The other one he was going to find out for himself. The waterbender. Even if that mysterious person didn't originate from the poles, he figured that it would still be information he should share to the Chief. He also required outside help for the problems that were mounting on top of each other in the Earth Kingdom.

    He slipped into the Chief's Castle, a few of the leaders had already beat him to it. In any other circumstance, he would be behind his father— but he wasn't here to catch his tongue. He was one of the youngest people around, aside from those that accompanied their parents for the eventual succession. Spotting a familiar face, he took a deep breath and approached. The idle conversation grew larger as more people came to their duo. Some greeted and left, some stayed. All the while, they waited for the meeting to start.
     
    Yara drew in a deep breath, opening her eyes to light filtering in. Bright, peaceful morning light. She could already hear activity outside- the city was simply bursting with life these days, leading up to the Winter Solstice. She tossed the blanket off of her legs, and stood. Stretched her arms over her head, let out a long breath. Moved to a small table and chair, poured water into the basin to splash onto her face. She'd brush her hair, eat something, head out to the festival and hope she wasn't called on. Maybe it would be a peaceful day.

    Her hands paused part-way to her face, as if she were waiting for something. Listening for something. And then quickly resumed. It had been a few months since the last time she had heard her sister's voice in her head- no, the voice of self-doubt and self-loathing that wrapped itself in my sister's voice, and used to use my mother's.
    The correction didn't require much thought anymore, and didn't reveal itself on the surface of her face as she concentrated on running a brush through her hair. As she moved to set it down, her brow furrowed slightly, annoyed that the White Lotus was still being cagey about where exactly she had spent her recovery. Some quiet little island, which wasn't really important, except for the fact that the hairbrush was made by an artisan there and she would've bought several more if she had the chance. With her routine done, she slipped on her boots, mittens, and coat.
    Maybe, with the festival, I'll luck out and find one just like it.
    Yara had a feeling that was pretty unlikely, but the thought did cheer her up a bit. She had gotten a letter the previous day from her dear little sister, expressing regret that she and their father wouldn't be able to make it up to the Winter Solstice. Too expensive, and they had responsibilities to catch up on after visiting her.. wherever she had been.

    At least I know where I am this time, she scoffed silently. The White Lotus's insistance on being mysterious had irked her more often than not. But it had come in handy the last couple months- she had been able to stay in a comfortable little home and go about her days without worrying about the general populace knowing who she was, and who she had spent time with recently.
    As she closed the door behind her, a shadow flitted across her face. The White Lotus had refused to share information on Xiurong's whereabouts with her. She had been told that the Avatar was fine, of course, recovering separately and preparing for the "next steps." She had tried to become a part of those next steps herself, but with that effect the gas had on her mind, she had yet to be successful with spirit-bending. Instead, she had been working at the nearby hospital and healing the Chief's visitors when called upon. It was useful work, had built her confidence back. But a new nagging thought had entered a few weeks back- that she had been lulled by the routine, and the White Lotus was a little too happy that she had quieted down.

    It was that thought that Yara was letting roll around her mind as she walked toward the heart of the festival. She had more questions than just about Xiurong, but had not gotten any decent answers. The Prince and Jia had returned home, but no word on their condition or their plans. Taka and Xian were private citizens, not the White Lotus's concern. As far as she knew, they had also returned to their homes. She had written letters, but never receieved replies. She was now fairly sure they had never reached their recipients.
    The only one of the group she had heard any news of, was the one that appeared in financial analysis and gossip papers alike. When she saw the company logo on the side of the ship, she could only hope the gossip had been correct.
    Yara searched the crowds, but it almost wasn't necessary. His bright head of hair looked like an iceberg in the sea of other colors.
    "Maizen!" She raised her voice as much as she dared, not wanting to cause alarm. "Maizen, Maizen Tosuda!"

    The Prophet The Prophet
     

    AH LAM
    ​
    The air felt cold against what little skin Ah Lam had exposed while donning a thick outfit lined with fur. The climate was never this cold back in the Fire Nation, and the way her body was reacting to the cold reminded her that she was a fish out of water in these lands. A part of Ah Lam longed for the warmth of her homeland, but the girl knew that the path to home was long and arduous. The only thing she could do was persevere and make sure that she wouldn't end up making a terrible decision once more.

    The firebender felt grateful that Prince Xu allowed her to redeem her honor and make a profit while she was at it. It was a scarce opportunity that most likely consumed a ten-year worth of her luck. As Jia struck a conversation with the man she and the prince had been looking for, Ah Lam found her mind wandering back to the other members of the Bone Crushers. While she did not doubt that her fellow ex-goons were awful people, she became friends with a few of them during the two weeks she was in the gang.

    She remembered a pair of hooligans that made her feel welcome, nicely showing her the ropes during her first week, unlike the mean Amelia, who'd rather laugh at her asthma attacks. Of course, being welcomed to a gang was a bad thing, but for Ah Lam, who had lost everything, the smallest of compassion was everything. She couldn't help but wonder how they were doing right now. She knew they got arrested when the headquarters got attacked, but it has already been five months. They were probably out by now if her sentence was anything to base.

    As she reminisced about her chums, Ah Lam's gaze absentmindedly wandered off to a man sitting on a bench by himself. He appeared to be coated by thick layers of clothing with fire flakes in hand. While it was a fairly common sight around these parts, Ah Lam's eyes almost popped out of her skull when he pulled his hood off. She froze in place for about a minute, mouth hanging open in shock. Only when she saw him stand up and start walking away did she return to her senses.

    "NIGEL!?" She called out, pointing a finger in his direction, completely disregarding whatever conversation Jia, Xian, and Raiko were having at the moment. "Nigel, I missed you!" Without waiting for anybody's response, Ah Lam emotionally darted towards 'Nigel' with open arms, wholly intending to jump at the unsuspecting lad.

    Entity.Eclypse Entity.Eclypse Xanto Xanto Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum

     
    MAIZEN TOSUDA​

    "So, do any of you know what people actually do here besides walk around? It seems quite busy."

    Maizen mused, looking over the heads of the crowds for something he could enjoy as they walked. Unsurprisingly, he didn't have to look hard once he cleared the dicks and got into the thick of it. At such a festival, there are so many different people from different walks of life that there seemed to be something new at every turn, without ever feeling too alienating. "I might've forgotten about the talking thing, but you can at le- are those fire flakes?" It seemed like there were endless rows of food stands, or souvenir shops. In It's own way, this place felt alive. Bustling. It wasn't the Fire Nation, but the bright and open city of packed snow and ice felt so much different than a gaudy office or vehicle dense Republic street. it was hard not to want to make a day of it. But even before one of his guards tapped their forehead to remind him like always, he knew he was hardly here today to relax. Eventually he would have to retire to the ship and go do paperwork until they left; something he was looking very much forward to not doing while on his partial-vacation.

    Well, thinking like that certainly killed his mood. Messing with one of his earrings, Maizen watched his breath mist in the cold air for a few moments. " ...Let's give your co-worker some time to do what was asked of him, then we'll just h-?" Maizen raised a brow suddenly, and a second later his guards all turned to the voice calling his name. Reporter? Business partner? No, too informal. Besides, he knew that voice. Maizen turned around and scanned for where he heard the voice, pale irises finding their mark.

    "Yara?"

    Maizen couldn't help but smile; perhaps this wasn't a total waste of time after all. "I changed my mind, we're not going." He brought his hand high and waved, peeking over his shoulder for a moment to look at the cautious bodyguards. "I'm going to go and see the person who just called my name. Yes, I know. Yes. Don't do anything I wouldn't like, they're not suspicious. I'm serious, I don't need journalists raving because you decided to perform a security check."

    With that he was off, bodyguards in tow as he weaved his way through to Yara. When he did make it, he smiled again; ignoring the look of the ones under his employ. It would be fine. "Yara! It's quite good to see you! How have you been? And what are you doing here?"

    Flutterby Flutterby
     

    XIURONG BEIFONG
    ​
    The frozen expanse glimmered beneath as a griffin flew past, casting its large shadow over the otherwise white canvas of snow. A resonating cry escaped the creature's beaks as it swooped below the cold skies, alarming the lone figure atop of it. "What is it, boy? Did you catch sight of the target?" She said, placing a gentle hand against the animal's nape. Despite her thick clothing and gloved hands, the griffin still felt immeasurable comfort from the contact as it subtly pressed its head back against her hold. "Understood."

    Chestnut orbs scanned the winter stretch, scrutinizing every area she could find, ranging from fragmented glaciers, icy mountains, and frozen lakes. Eventually, her gaze settled on two dark spots sticking out like a sore thumb by a humble subglacial pool. Even from a distance, the female could quickly identify the pair as a human and a bear-leopard. It was the perfect fit for the description given to her by Master Ticasuk, an elder waterbender who served as her personal tutor for the last three months.

    The mere thought called forth a recent dialogue they shared when she accidentally propelled him a few meters away using a water charge. It was what led her to this moment and place, kilometers away from the bustling festivity at the heart of the tribe.

    "With all due respect, Avatar, I believe continuing our lessons together will result in nothing but your progress' stagnation. The true nature of waterbending is still very much foreign to you. Your control over the waves will forever be volatile until you've become one with them."

    Xiurong gritted her teeth. She couldn't comprehend what the old man was yapping about. As far as she was concerned, she fully understood the concept of water and waterbending. She simply needed to push and pull the tides, just as the spirit of the Moon and the Ocean did in ancient times. It was something that she could and had done; her only issue was that she couldn't seem to control it. Just what in the two realms was she missing!? And just how exactly could this skater girl help her? It better be something worthwhile as time was ticking. Every minute she spent trying to master waterbending was a minute she could have allotted to searching for her missing father. She needed to get this entire ordeal over! There were still so many things that she needed answers to!

    With a click of her tongue, the Avatar commanded her griffin to land by the mysterious girl. Nightwing was quick to obey, diving downwards before gradually halting to a stop, his claws burying themselves into the snow. Once he steadied himself, Xiurong hopped off his back and faced the Northerner and her animal companion. She allowed herself to study the both of them from head to two, indignant to whatever expressions were on their faces after making her obscured appearance. It was only after about a minute when she finally spoke.

    "Kalik and Nuka, correct?" She pulled down her hood, revealing long dark locks and a natural glare that might as well be shooting daggers at the other female. "Don't worry, I'm the Avatar. Master Ticasuk sent me to find you. I thought you were aware of the privilege you're about to enjoy, but I suppose I'm wrong. After all, why would you be wasting time on this," she looked around in an uninterested manner before crossing her arms, "dump when you're about to have the honor of teaching the Avatar." Her brows continually furrowed as she openly expressed her distaste for the waterbender's misplaced priorities.

    Crimson Rose Crimson Rose
     
    Xian Zhao and Raiko Xiao​

    The fire flake vendor gave a shy, grateful nod to her customer. She was glad he appreciated her tweaked family recipe. That was of course all up until Raiko let his gaze hold her attention, ". . . The fire flakes were amazing too." A full red shade immediately shadowed the vendor's already rosy cheeks, but that didn't keep his attention. Nope. "NIGEL!?" The sudden motion in his peripheral vision stole his glance. But by the time his eyes fixed on the target, she was off. Jija. No, was it Jia? Yes, the serious gal who unknowingly pushed him into making his signature boba milk tea.

    "Xian Zhao, we need to talk," Jia darkly stated, unleashing her inner Batman. Her pace quickened toward him before coming to an abrupt halt. Meanwhile, Xian's brow curiously piked up at her sudden entrance. The little earthbender sounded like she was going to kill him. Though Raiko chimed in before the airbender could react. "Well well, if it isn't Ms. Milk Tea," The smirking bartender propped his folded elbow onto his cousin as he mildly leaned into their interaction. "Who's this? An ex?" He teased before bringing his eyes to Xian.

    Xian playfully shook his head, understanding his cousin's somewhat partial joke of a question. Then, he diverted his attention to Jia. "Thought you'd be here for the milk tea," Xian casually nodded toward a vendor, "Ya know, rather than hunting me down in a crowd." Such a random place too. What if they showed up an hour later? Nonetheless, it was nice seeing another familiar face again. He smirked before shifting his hands back into his coat pockets, "How's it going?"

    Raiko's gaze though was once again elsewhere amongst it all. It followed Jia's running acquaintance till, "-Ey, my buddy!" "Nigel, I missed you!" Jia's acquaintance ran with open arms, ready to attack the wrong person. "That's not Nigel!" Raiko started for a sprint to the lady targeting Taka.

    Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum . D O V E . D O V E Entity.Eclypse Entity.Eclypse
     
    Maizen turned to look, and she raised a hand over the heads around her. Pale silver eyes met gray-blue ones. He smiled and raised a hand as well, clearly recognizing her. What a relief.
    He looked.. stressed, and tired. Like he hadn't spent enough time outside recently. Running a business was probably both stressful and tiring, and something that kept one inside a lot, but there was something else in it that bothered her a bit. A nervousness, maybe? Something about the way he spoke to the people behind him- they must be, what, bodyguards?

    Of course, bodyguards. Three of them- she had a feeling the woman in the middle was in charge. While the other two scanned the crowds for the most part, her eyes were locked on Maizen as he started toward her. Yara wasn't really surprised to see he had an escort, he was an important person, after all. More so now than before, since it seemed his family company's expansion was going very well. But three seemed like a lot, even for the Tosuda heir. But she wasn't a business person, and not really up on the news anyway- maybe three was the perfect amount for someone like him.
    She just couldn't quite reconcile the idea of him, the person who had pulled her out of the vents, with the stereotype in her head of the type of person who walked around with not one, not two, but three people as their (very obvious) muscle.

    When there finally wasn't any more people between them, and before she could worry about the bodyguards too much, he smiled again and started asking how she was and why she was there. She didn't want to answer either of those questions, at least not yet.

    Instead, she reached out and pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck to embrace him. The hug was tight, but she managed to keep it from being desperate. She had to stand on her toes a bit- she forgot that he was kind of tall. Had she remembered, or not been so excited to see him, she might have reconsidered standing on her toes on the foot-packed snow.

    "You have no idea how good it is to see you," She breathed out, for the moment not worried about the bodyguards, or the slick ground, or the crowd, or the yelling happening nearby. "You're the first familiar face in months."

    The Prophet The Prophet
     
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    Jia Xiaodan

    Jia had to mentally stop herself from sending a pillar of earth to hit Raiko in the face after he suggested that she was a former lover of the man in front of him. "No." She said to Raiko flatly before turning her attention back to Xian, after all, she was there for him.

    She watched Ah Lam run off, Raiko following suit towards an unknown yet familiar figure. She wasn't worried, the firebender was a capable fighter after all. The earthbender knew that first hand. "There are some things I can't say around other people." She said as she watched her companion that was about to glomp on Taka, believing him to be someone else.

    "Someplace quiet would be more preferable but in any case, I need to know, first, if you have any ideas on what happened to Xiurong during the Bone Crusher incident." Her voice was low enough to keep the people around them in the dark but loud enough just for Xian to hear. She pulled him closer and whispered to his ear, "I'm sure you also saw what happened to her before we were rescued by the Republic City Police, there's something wrong, and if you have an idea I- The Prince wants to know."

    mention: || interaction: Xanto Xanto . D O V E . D O V E


     
    Xian Zhao and Raiko Xiao​


    Jia's suspicious behavior only grew much more suspicious . . in Raiko's eyes as he glanced back to check on the two. Meanwhile, Xian tilted his head in curiosity after she opened with the need to tone down their discussion amidst the public. He nodded at the earthbender's subtle hint, "We can go-." "-Someplace quiet would be more preferable but in any case," Jia continued on without realizing his interrupted phrase. Xian couldn't believe it. It wasn't too long ago when he thought about trying the vendor's dumplings. Now, he was being interrogated by an acquaintance.

    Xian slightly furrowed his brows in deep thought. His mind traveled back to the night he wouldn't forget. Xiurong had gone into an unmistakable state, one of which he automatically realized within the moment. His grandmother's stories were prevalent throughout his earlier life, especially her talk about their ancestor Aang's previous tales. Xian stayed silent though. He merely nodded instead, prior to suddenly feeling the small woman pull him down to whisper in his ear. The Bone Crusher incident happened before the police entered. Right? "Hm?" He raised a brow at her next statement, "Weren't they the same scenario?"

    He casually brought his hand around Jia's, letting her grip loosen around him as their hands dropped. Jia had pulled him close as if he'd run away. But now he comfortably straightened his posture, and slid his hands back into his pockets. There was a smaller cafe somewhat off to the side with a smaller crowd. One he'd much rather head over to than stay hunched in place. Xian nodded off to the side at a certain direction, "Walk with me."

    "-THAT'S NOT NIGEL!" Raiko abruptly twisted his step, blocking the poor guy from getting attacked once again. This time from a firebender . . as if a bison wasn't enough before. The waterbender's arms outstretched beyond him to block the lady's direction, but his eyes widened upon the late realization of her running force, "Wait-."

    Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum . D O V E . D O V E
     
    MAIZEN TOSUDA​

    The last thing he expected upon meeting Yara again was a hug. A handshake or something of the sort, sure, but not something so familiar. It was nice. A tad embarrassing for someone not used to such a thing, but not enough so that he didn’t reciprocate fully after a moment’s hesitation. A few silent seconds passed, just enough to where he felt they were satisfied by the time and he could speak. Perhaps it was rude of him to jump right into questions. “..Likewise. It is good to see someone actually glad to see me. Republic City is a terrible place, if I may be honest. But enough about that, how are you? Last I saw you was after that certain event.”

    As they hugged, Maizen could almost imagine the cameras flashing and hitting the headlines of some gossip paper. And whilst it was indeed a sight worthy enough to make him laugh quietly, he did not make an effort to move just yet. He could just imagine the guards behind him being the uptight way they were, but he put everyone else out of mind for the moment. “Wait, did you say the first? Yara, forgive my understanding, but I thought your station put you around everyone from that day, maybe save Taka. Is everything alright?”

    Finally separating, Maizen cleared his throat. About to say something more, he paused upon hearing some yelling to their side. Looking in the direction, he listened intently. Some people were yelling; a commotion perhaps? A reunion? Somehow, he felt like he should remember the name being shouted, but it was lost on him. “It would seem that we are not the only ones having a reunion. This Nigel seems quite popular. Oh! Would you like to get out of the cold and catch up? I’m not exactly busy and you seem like you have quite the story….to…tell.” Maizen trailed off, recollecting something. Pointing in the direction he heard the yelling, Maizen raised a brow. “Yara? The criminal Taka impersonated wouldn’t have happened to have been named Nigel, right?” Looking over his shoulder, he motioned to the guards to follow.. He couldn’t afford to take chances these days Nigel wasn’t particularly common, and revenge was a sweet thing for criminals.. “Before you hopefully accept my invitation, would you like to see what all the commotion is?”
     
    He hesitated before returning her embrace, but Yara wasn't exactly surprised by that. They had known each other for.. three days, maybe? Sure, it had been an eventful three days, but it was still not the life-long friendship that the sudden hug might imply. She smiled to herself. He sounded good, if not a little bitter about his return to civilian life. She could understand that, sort of. Maizen was too attentive to the details to let her comment slip by. Yara sighed softly, her grip tightening.
    "The White Lotus decided I needed to recover in solitude and silence. They wouldn't give me any news of anyone." As he pulled away, she gave a small, sly smile, and added, "You show up in the papers just enough to keep track of."

    She did glance in the same direction that he was looking, listening to the shouting. And then her eyes returned to his face, watching him watch in profile. She had stared at her father and sister that way, too. Sometimes it felt like, at any minute, she'd be whisked away again, or her mind would slip and she would forget...
    His attention snapped back to her, proposing a warmer environment. She was going to say yes, without hesitation, but his attention wavered. Did he just remember something he had to attend to?
    Yara glanced at his pointing finger, and the crowds beyond, and furrowed her brow.
    "Well, yes, it was Nigel. But he shouldn't be out of prison, they threw the book at most of the Bone Crushers that they did catch," She was already moving that direction, giving a half-worried glance to the bodyguards.
    "It's a common enough name, though, right? We'll just take a peek, and then go find some tea. You look like you hate the snow." Yara kept her tone light, but his sudden concern spooked her. Paranoia came a lot easier to her now, and watching others worry gave it permission to go wild.

    The Prophet The Prophet
     
    Tak-sicle-> Thaw-ka
    Mentions/Interactions: . D O V E . D O V E Xanto Xanto     ​
    It hadn't taken long for Taka to find himself interested in the numerous vendors. A rich aroma wafted through the air freely, hints of savory roasted dishes and sweeter confections each vying for the attention of attendees. Up until now, his mind had been occupied only by the cold gnawing on his bones, but after it had lost its edge he found himself bewildered by it all. Letting his eyes wander beyond these food carts, the sight of a small stand captured his gaze, a quaint little shop that had an array of bone-based instruments in its stock. Despite having ample time since his last instrument had been shattered, he only now realized that he hadn't found a suitable replacement for it. "A flute could be nice... while I'm at it maybe I should pick up a souvenir for-" Before he had the chance to continue towards the vendor the sound of yelling caused him to stop dead in his tracks. Someone had called out for the name 'Nigel', and as he turned his head to face them he couldn't help but to notice the rather unfamiliar woman pointing in his direction. Why would someone know that name here of all places? More than that though... why would they call out to a criminal without so much as a shred of caution?

    Slowly lifting his goggles up to rest on his forehead, he raised his other hand to point at himself in confusion. But before he could even begin his clarification, he noticed that another figure moved to intercept the one who yelled... wait- he knew this one. "Raiko?" Though he wasn't expecting a response in this situation, he hadn't expected to meet the waterbender here of all places. Just as he'd started to enjoy the festival, he found himself in the midst of a disruption. Maybe the spirits really did detest him. The two were on a collision course in a matter of seconds, and from the looks of it, the realization of such a thing had only just set in. Lifting a hand as if to stop them from colliding into one another, futile as it was given his distance from the soon-to-be accident, he glanced towards the running lady.

    Quickly he adjusted to pointing in the direction of the woman, "Oi! Watch where you're going, and keep your voice down!" His eyes narrowed as his demeanor seemed to fill with the slightest of irritation. From the limited miniscule amount of time he had acted as Nigel, he had received the best response under the guise of having a twinge of a temper. So he'd hoped that putting on that front might help in dragging the confused individual back to the reality before them. Granted, there was no sense in relying on some miniscule shock value to fix your problems.

    With the inevitability of the collide drawing nearer, Taka began to make his way closer to the duo in question at a brisk walking pace. "Just once... it'd be nice to meet someone without a huge ordeal following it." Muttering to himself, he glanced between his targets and the newly-found entourage of curious onlookers before reaching back and pulling the thick fur hood over his head again.
     
    KallikInteractions: . D O V E . D O V E



    The young waterbender raced her way around the arctic lake, the once stagnant wind now brushing her hair back. Pulling her arms up into the air as she curved her body low gaining more and more speed with each push of her leg. Flicking her wrists up a small ramp shot up before her. Skates scraping against the ice as she propelled herself into the air. Landing on a low vertical wall of permafrost that stretched far against the lake before shooting off into a much taller narrow ramp then the prior one. Kallik skidded the blades against it with ease, just as she’s done plenty of times in the past.

    Why she wondered more northerners didn’t take up the joys of ice skating was odd to her, it was such a fun and relaxing experience. Not to mention rather easy to do once you got the hang of it, after the first few tumbles. Of course, there was also the early pain steering off course into the opposite direction you wanted, and landing in a pile of snow, or colliding with the occasional otter penguin! Then there was the worst of all which face planting with your mouth open straight down on the ice! Nothing like getting your tongue stuck to sheet of ice that had no sign of thawing for years on years. Luckily she was a water bender, else Kallik may of been there for a while the for a looong while with no one but a cat who'd jumped at the slightest noise or unsuspecting occurrence which was anything, still stings pretty bad. Not to mention the after dread of having to sheepishly lie to your own mother on why her food tastes 'good' when you wouldn't be able to taste a single thing.


    A single trail of sweat trailed down her face at the thought, as she flew off the thin ramp, flipping upside down landing with a slight stumble. Completely unaware of the incoming guests; the brunette slowed down her pace looking towards her fluffy companion who was now much more attentive watching her every move as he got up.

    "Well ain't that a change of pace?" She chuckled, Nukka looking not so amused by her words, as he gave her a swift cold shoulder.

    She halted her movement, bringing a finger to her chin, gazing over the cowardly beast "C'mon at least take a walk out on the ice! You don't even have to skate, just take a stroll beside me." Nukka paused for a moment, thinking out his options before he began trekking his way out onto the ice. His claws scraping against the ice much like the sounds of her skates as she met him halfway. Brushing her hand against the thick fur, still completely unaware of the so painfully obvious hooded figure that watched from the snow. "See that wasn't too hard now wasn't it boy? You did great!" Kallik praised him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Which abruptly stopped as soon as their names were called out. With Nukka leaping out of the waterbender's grasp, slamming his front paws down cracking the top sheet of the subglacial pool. Bounding off like a one the daggers in the strangers glare, crashing into their ice shelter shattering it into a pile of snow, completely submerging himself beneath the white powder.

    Kallik looked to the girl nodding her head rather confused over the whole ordeal rather unfocused as the girl she's never seen before spat a bunch of words at her, most of them flying right over her head. "Uh what was that again?" She lubberly asked the problematic lady, wondering how the girl even found her out here.

    " Hm, you said Master Ticasuk sent you?" The brunette questioned, wondering why her grandmother's friend would send this stranger out here, that definitely wasn't from the tribe, or the southern tribe. Gears slowly beginning to churn in her head, wait a minute the Master did ask her if she'd be willing to help him teach the Avatar. Which means! "That must mean you're the Avatar he's been talking about!" Kallik's eyes gleamed, surprised to find the avatar right in front of her. Who would of guessed that! Despite the Avatar literally saying moments prior that she, herself was the Avatar to the skater at least twice. What a true experience right here, and a terrible first impression Kallik shook her head real quickly.

    Tilting her head to the side her as she came to a quick realization "Weren't we suppose to meet in the town around the time of the festival? Wait what time is it!? Also did you just call my hobby a waste? I'll have you know it's very fun and I plan on convincing the elders to make it a professional sport!"
     

    B E I F O N G , X U
    Collab with: . D O V E . D O V E
    Location: Northern Water Tribe    ​

    The leaders of the nations one by one filled the spacious chamber of the assemblage. Polite greetings and idle chatters filled the area until eventually a stocky man dressed in a blue robe lined with thick fur arrived. After exchanging pleasantries with the people inside, Chief Apaata - the current Father of the Northern Tribe - requested everyone present to take their respective seats. The authorities took theirs around a long table at the center of the rooms; a few scribes and successors sitting down on the provided chairs by the side.

    “The Northern Water Tribe is honored to receive and host each and every one of you.” Chief Apaata cordially began, giving each leader a nod of acknowledgment. “While it’s true that I would love for everyone to enjoy the festival, I’m afraid that the true reason why I gathered all of you here is rather dire.” The chief’s words were far from a revelation but rather a confirmation of impending doom that has been forcing the leaders on edge.

    “I reckon it concerns the emergence of dark spirits all over the world.” A young feminine voice chipped in. It was Fire Lord Yuko, one of the most recent additions to the congregation alongside the Imperial Prince.

    “You are correct, Fire Lord.” Chief Apaata solemnly replied, causing an uproar of murmurs among the council and even the guests.

    Five months have passed since the first recorded emergence of dark spirits in recent times. The last time they appeared was during Avatar Korra’s period. The populace stopped seeing them after Vaatu and Unalaq’s vanquishment. Even though it has only been about a generation since then, the people have grown lenient and even skeptical about the matter. It made releasing an official statement about the matter somewhat difficult for the heads.

    “And what of this matter, Chief Apaata? Have your spiritbenders discovered the source of the corruption?” The elected president of the Republic City, President Riza, inquired as she leaned forward onto her propped hand over the table.

    Silence overcame the congregation as a grave expression overtook the Northern Chief’s features. Chief Apaata glanced at an empty seat across from himself, who was sitting at the head. The symbol of the White Lotus engraved at the center of the chair’s back post.

    “We believe…,” his hardened gaze shifted to Xu, “...it’s the Avatar.”

    Xu shifted in his seat, feeling a headache creeping up at the drop of information. His eyes landed back on the seat where the White Lotus Grand Master should have been, alongside Xiurong. Apparently, they didn’t dare grace the leaders with their presence.

    “I dare not doubt your words, Chief Apaata. But what evidence do you have that supports this?” The last thing he wanted to do was get himself into another sticky situation because they were pointing fingers all too early.

    The entire council knew of the Prince’s relationship with the Avatar. A compassionate gaze found its way to Xu from Chief Aapata before his hardened expression returned.

    “The dark spirits last appeared during Avatar Korra’s time. We are most familiar with the tale as it was our former Chief, Unalaq, who acted as the catalyst of their apocalypse.” The Harmonic Convergence of 171AG was taught in schools all around the world in hopes that it would serve as a lesson and deter people from being overtaken by their greed. “The catastrophe revealed to us that normal spirits can only be corrupted and turned into dark spirits by Vaatu’s essence.”

    “Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Vaatu defeated at the conclusion of the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG?” Fire Lord Yoko crossed her arms. The frown on her face suggested that she wasn’t fond of the discussion’s direction.

    “Indeed, but Vaatu was never completely destroyed. The combined might of the Avatar and Raava simply forced him to recede into their shared soul.” Master Lin, the wise leader of the Air Nation, added before leaning backwards with a sigh. “There, it is believed that he will continue to grow stronger and eventually break free.”

    “My words exactly, Master Lin. This knowledge is something only shared to a selected few as we all believe that a cry of encroaching doomsday would only cause nothing but panic. However, it seems to be coming way quicker than we imagined.” The Northern Chief paused as an image was flashed behind him by a motion picture projector. It showed the pillars that Avatar Xiu spawned during their mission in the Bone Crusher’s Headquarters. “A few of the spirits inhabiting that forest got corrupted simply by going near the Avatar’s summons. It’s where the first instances of this phenomenon happened in recent times.”

    This was disturbing news to hear. He hadn’t thought that Vaatu would come back at all— and in the off chance that he did, Xu would have never guessed it would be in the next generation of the Avatar. It felt like it was too soon but it seems like everyone was agreeing on that point. He watched as the projector showed another picture, the pillars.

    He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. Everything made sense, as much as he hated to admit it. As much as he hated to accept the fact that Xiu was corrupted. After all, it lined up with what Jia had told him… and also why the White Lotus wanted to keep everything under wraps. Were they aware of Vaatu’s soul getting stronger? That complicated things. If the White Lotus couldn’t be trusted to give them details that could lead to catastrophic events, then could they really trust them to make sure Xiu comes out victorious against the spirit?

    “Well, all these points to Avatar Xiurong being compromised. But the real question is, what can we do about it?” He asked, waving a hand idly. “I’m sure the White Lotus is well-aware of what’s happening. After all, they’re the ones who are the so-called experts regarding everything there is to know about the Avatar. And… well…” He gestured towards the empty seats where the Avatar and the Grandmaster should have been.

    “I doubt we can do anything about keeping the Avatar in one place. The people would grow anxious if the Avatar is restricted for no apparent reason. Nevermind the fact that she’s also very… adamant on finding our missing father.” Five months and they still weren’t any closer to finding him or even given a hint on where he could be. Some mysterious force acting in the background using lesser known gangs, perhaps? He forced his thoughts back to the discussion at hand. That was a problem for later. The wellbeing of the people of the Earth Kingdom was also at stake. “Do we have any alternatives?”

    Silence engulfed the council as the older members reluctantly looked at one another. It was becoming more and more apparent that none of them wished to answer the question. It was only until Chief Hanta, the warrior leader of the Southern Water Tribe, finally spoke up. “At the moment, there is none.” He paused, massaging the bridge of his nose as he kept his eyes shut. “However, if the Avatar continues allowing herself to get consumed by the darkness, I’m afraid we may have to force a new cycle.”

    Xu couldn’t say he was surprised about the lack of a plan— nothing was easy when it came to dealing with Avatars. He became rigid, however, at the mention of forcing another cycle. The implications weren’t lost on him. He hated how this was an actual option. Regardless of how Xiu had treated him for the past few years, she didn’t deserve to be put down like a rabid dog. However, regrettably, it was an understandable last ditch attempt. Vaatu’s presence in their world would be catastrophic, especially if he inhabited the body of the Avatar.

    “I see.” It was a muted reaction from him and he let out a small breath. “I understand. However, it would be for the best if we don’t let it get to that. As such, I believe monitoring the Avatar for ourselves and not relying on the White Lotus would be for the best, yes?” He pointed out. “She and I have the same goal as of now, which is to find our father. I can keep an eye on her. I am not well-versed in the subject of spirits, but if I can do anything to slow down or prevent her corruption, I am more than willing to do it.”

    “While I concur with your idea and I’m aware of your relation to the Avatar, I hope you understand that nobody can guarantee your safety in case of an outburst. With all due respect, I am unsure if the Earth Empire can handle losing one more leader.” Chief Aapata regarded Xu solemnly. The people of the Empire viewed the young Prince as their next ruler; there was nobody next in line after him. The other branches of the Beifong family might jump onto each other’s throats for the throne, leading to widespread unrest in the Imperial domain.

    “I understand your reservations, Chief, but anyone else would arouse suspicion from both the White Lotus and the Avatar. Though, I am aware of my position and I will do the necessary precautions to make sure I can come back to my seat.” He paused, bringing a hand up to his chin. “And my father may have been lost, but he will be found.” He has to be. Be everything as it may, Xu would prefer if his father could return to the throne for a few more years.

    A defeated silence befell the Chief before he eventually nodded his head in agreement. “Very well. The Imperial Prince’s proposal has my full support. What about the rest?”

    “The Air Nation firmly believes that the Spirits chose Avatar Xiurong for a reason. The method of forcing a new cycle is too extreme; we’d hate to see it happen. As such, I support any suggestion that may work on preventing it from happening.” Master Lin conveyed her opinion.

    From across, Fire Lord Yoko sighed and shook her head. “It’s not like we have any other choice, do we?” She shot Xu a knowing look. “Lionhearted as always, Prince Xu. May you bring honor to your family!” It was almost as if the fiery ruler was sending Xu to a certain doom.

    “Hn. I can get behind the idea. I assume the rest of us will be doing our parts in looking for more viable solutions.” Chief Hanta looked expectantly at everyone as he crossed his arms.

    “Of course, Chief Hanta. It’s our duty as the world leaders to ensure the safety of the world.” Finally, President Riza concluded.

    Xu couldn’t help the quirk of his lips as the other leaders agreed on the plan. Why couldn’t negotiations with his sister go as smoothly as this? Though he did shoot the fire lord a tight lipped smile at her words. He’d rather not have any foreboding sense of doom following him around.

    “Thank you for placing your trust in me. I will make sure not to fail in this mission.” He said with a resolute tone that even surprised himself, considering how fast his heart rate was going. He should be thankful that earthbenders were the ones who could sense it. “And I do hope that we can collectively find a way to halt this… corruption affecting the Avatar.” With that, he quieted down once again.

    The council shared affirming nods, each and every one of them looking wholly convinced by the Imperial prince. Just like that, the rest of the meeting continued with little to no issues. The assemblage discussed the responses that each nation was implementing against the dark spirit’s threats. Most notably, Chief Aapata agreed to continuously train and supply spiritbenders to all six nations.

    As the meeting reached its conclusion, the Northern Water Tribe’s Chief faced the council and eyed each one of them sternly. “I do expect that whatever we’ve discussed in this hall will not reach anybody else’s ears. The matters are far too grave to be announced just to anyone.”

    Xu nodded. He was sure that it wouldn’t be a good idea anyway— Xiurong had an explosive personality. If she found out what the council had planned, he doubted she would be able to take it well. The rest of the leaders had agreed to it as well, voicing out their affirmations, before they were all dismissed.

    Xu made his way out of the meeting room alongside the others, letting out a small breath as soon as he was out of sight of the other leaders. He still had another mission to do. Hopefully, Jia would take it upon herself to question Xian about their suspicions over the Sato company— or at the very least, regarding the current head of the company. He doubted he would finish the next meeting in a timely fashion.

    As the woman he was searching for finally appeared, he smiled and raised his hand as he approached. “Yoko.” He greeted casually. “It felt just like yesterday that we were standing behind our fathers. Now look where we are.” He held out a hand. “I’m glad to see you again. It’s been far too long.”

     


    • It was already too late to skid to a stop when Ah Lam noticed the large man trying to get in between Nigel and her. The overflowing excitement within her progressively transformed into dread as their distance closed. A yelp escaped her lips once the impact of their collision reverberated throughout her body, sending her bouncing backwards to the snow-filled ground. The soft material splashed as an Ah Lam-shaped hole formed, the firebender embedded into the wintry blanket. With a frustrated look on her face, she wiped some of the snow that landed on her forehead before pulling herself back on her feet.

      "Hey! What were you doing? That wasn't very nice." Ah Lam upsetly pouted and stomped as she regarded Jia's friend's friend. "He's clearly my buddy, Nigel." She pointed at poor Taka who was pulling onto his hood, most likely out of embarrassment. Understandably so since the fiasco caught the attention of several festival-enjoyers. Nonetheless, all of this failed to sway the dense firebender, who remained highly convinced that Taka was his doppelganger. For Ah Lam, there could be nothing more rude than interfering with joyful occasions, and what could be more joyful than wholesome reunions!?

      With a click of her tongue, she decided to shift her attention to Nigel. "I'm sorry about that!" Upon realizing she was speaking too loudly, which was against Nigel's request, she slapped a hand over her mouth. "Ahem. I'm sorry about that." She repeated in a much quieter voice. "I just got so excited cause I was just thinking about you and the crew, then I looked to the side, and there you are. I missed you a lot! How was your time in jail?" She asked with sparkling eyes, oblivious to the fact that what she had just said casted worries to the eavesdropping bypassers. "Mine was okay. It was rather dull until the Imperial Prince decided to come and visit me." It wasn't like anybody had doubts, but Ah Lam was a complete blabbermouth.

     
    Last edited:


    Jia Xiaodan

    "The same-" It was certainly not the same. What dour face Jia held only became worse at that particular statement. Did he not see the red and vicious glow? She hopes looking for the descendant of Aang wasn't going to be a waste of time. And when Xian had asked her to follow him, Ah Lam and Raiko's loud voices had caught her attention. "Wait, let me just deal with this first." Jia said to him as she breathed out a sigh, walking towards her firebender companion whilst watching everything unfold.

    Jia arrived beside Ah Lam just in time to hear her mention about being visited by the Prince in jail. The tiny earthbender held the firebender's wrist and said, "Ah Lam, you're bringing too much attention to yourself, and no one has to know about the deal you and the Prince made." She then let go and looked around shooting daggers at the onlookers, a gaze that seemed ready to kill. "I have to talk to Xian but I'll meet you back here in a few. By the way, Nigel's still in prison, that man is named Taka who came with us during the infiltration."

    The young retainer had ran back to the airbender, despite her short legs, Jia somehow had large strides and was now behind Xian in no time. "Alright, lead the way."

    mention: Entity.Eclypse Entity.Eclypse || interaction: Xanto Xanto . D O V E . D O V E


     

    B E I F O N G , X U
    Interacting with: . D O V E . D O V E
    Location: Northern Water Tribe    ​

    Xu gave her a small shrug, looked away for a moment and grabbed the opportunity to compose himself once again. He had been sorely disappointed that the previous Fire Lord couldn't have given him any help— but that was water under the bridge. They all had their own problems to address and a terrorist attack on their part was definitely something they should prioritize. He had thought that the two incidents were connected but no evidence of that being the case popped up. Either way, Xu didn't hold them with any contempt for their lack of help.

    "It's been terribly busy lately. Between the case with my father, the spirits and the Avatar, I feel like I haven't had a good rest in a while." Then again, rest had always alluded him even before he had taken the crown. Resting was just wasting time doing nothing. He could always be more productive. He gave her a tight lipped smile at her comment on said crown. He still wasn't used to it and he had planned on storing it as soon as he was able to get back to his own airship to hide it. He knew he shouldn't do it but he wasn't too fond of the reminder that his father was missing.

    "And your crown looks good on you too. Custom made?" He asked, providing small talk as he gestured for her to walk with him. He was well aware that her bodyguards were waiting for her but they were... relatively safe. Her skills in fighting were nothing to scoff at. Xu found himself on the receiving side of a lot of her attacks due to their spars and he had rarely gotten out of their spars unscathed even if he had won a particular fight. She was one of the reasons why fighting firebenders felt familiar. "How about you? How have your new responsibilities been treating you so far?"

    This current time period wasn't exactly the best time to rise to power but it was something they mutually had to deal with.
     
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