The Scammer + The Knucklehead; {Fai & Kikazei}

The momo ate this post, but you've already seen it Katy. Therefore, I refuse to re-type it.

The quiet breezed air was filled with the quiet tune of Kika's whistling. He lwalked with his head held high, looking at the branches of the towering trees, watching their leaves being snatched by the constant breeze. The buckets at either end of the bamboo raddled quietly, for they were made of wood.

Kikazei continued walking on down the road, it seemed endless, everyday he walked this road and everyday it seemed to get longer. If it wasnt for the growing sound of screaming, he could have very well fallen asleep as he walked. Wait, screaming?

He stopped in his tracks at the sight of a girl, not much younger then he, running for her life. Well at least by the looks of it.. With both his hands on the bamboo bar, he stopped whistling, and looked on as she fast approached. He squinted his eyes in attempt to make out the 5 or so dark figures far off in the distance trailing just behind her. She stopped just as fast as she had ran. In a gorgeous 10-pt faceplant, brunette hair all over the place. More shocking then humorous however. Both buckets clattered as they fell to the floor, the bamboo length following behind them.

"Are you alright?" Kikazei asked, his voice deep and slow with the days fatigue. He took a knee beside her and proceeded with helping her to her feet, though in reality she needed no assistance. Kikazei pursed his lips in slight embarrasment, it was rare that he ran into anyone on the path at this time of day. He was covered in dust and dirt, and in all honesty smelled like a man if you know what I mean.

With a flick of his wrists, the bamboo staff and wooden buckets rested again on the bridge of his shoulders. Kikazei shrugged in reply, she didnt have to tell him twice, and he went again on his way down the worked path. His pace was slow as he listened for a better understanding of the predicament he was literally just hurled into. In what circumstance would these men, grown men, chase after this girl. Causing such commotion, what deprovation had brought them to this?

Kika stopped in his tracks, as he felt vibrations from moving earth. They ran up through his feet, and echoed in the structure of his lean frame, it felt almost like time had stopped for a split second. No not an earthquake, but an earthbender. His green eyes had widened, curious. He turned his head back over to his shoulder, quite nonchalantly to watch the battle commence. One earthbender, an inexperienced one at glance, and a couple of old guys. What a show!

He wiped drying sweat from his forehead, and was again reminded at how filthy he was. With a gentle breath, he placed both hands on the bar of the bamboo staff, however his stance was somewhat tense, firm. He was hesitant, and was in a position to earthbend himself if the situation escalated.

Kikazei watched, and the vicinity had fallen into an akward silence. Oh, so she had scammed them? A thief? Kika hadn't any positive opinion towards theives. He had worked for everything he had, and did it willingly.

He turned again to look off into the distance. Where was the feudal guard? The Dai Li? If they hadnt been warned, or if they hadnt bothered to come this small predicament was nothing more then a common disagreement. A confusion. A mere, I lost and think you cheated. He shrugged, succumbing to mental exhaustion. He was thinking too much, it had been a long day. His muscles were more fit then mis mental initiative. Pity really.

A few minutes passed, as Kika came back to reality. One of the men had drawn a sword, and had it rested near the neck of the girl. A sword versus an earthbender will loose 10 times out of 10, its common sense. He chuckled softly, "That isnt going to work." he said to himself, though absentmindedly, he said it a little too loud.

Immaturity set in to take its course, and as the scene became boring he Kika in his own two cents to speed things up. With quick movement of his foot, a tap to the ground from his heel, the earth below one of the men shifted, throwing him sideways, gravity set in and so did the dominoe affect.

He turned his head quietly to hide his chuckle, and slowly began walking in the opposite direction in order to elude suspicion.

He continued walking, a slow pace, almost lacksadaisically. His hands rested on the bar of the bamboo, and he continued walking hesitant to look back. He listened carefully for the reactions, the counters of the men who had taken an unsuspected fall. He wondered how their initial thought of the predicament would be, under these new circumstances.

Nonetheless, Kika kept his guard up. He continued listening, however even with the slow increase in distance it was difficult to hear. He could only make out one word, 'money', and the growls and obviously displeased faces of the men smelt like sore losership. (That is so a word!)

Kikazei continued, and came to the conclusion that the worst of the situation had passed. He chuckled softly to himself, being caught off gaurd at the sound of the girls voice. Louder, and directed at him. She owed him one. Oh no? Two.

"Thank you for blowing my cover." he said softly to himself, however all the more playful. He looked over his shoulder and gave the trouble maker a warm smile along with a shrug. He was at loss of what to say really, so he replied simply. "It was nothing really."

Kika nearly flinched when the girls voice sounded again. He could hear the quiet crashing of the flowing water of the river. He winced, so close but yet so far.
He turned around back towards the commotion, the wooden buckets raddling as he adjusted.

He took notice of her facial expression. Was he sure?
"Yes im sure." he replied, raising his own brows. A faint smile, a pearly white smile, followed shortly after. Kikazei chuckled, "Well if they chased this far out, to the outer ring of Ba Sing Se-" He looked around for a moment, " I doubt they would lose interestin you so easily." He shrugged, and shunned at his power of deductive reasoning.

His eyes traced the figure of the girl. Tall, long hair, fair skin, beautiful really. What was she doing this far out in the outer ring? He chuckled again as she proceeded with haste to explain herself. Kikazei simply shrugged, "Dont worry about it." he chuckled softly again his eye catching the movment of the men who were scrambling to get back to their feet.

His heel tapped the floor again, and the men were sent toppling, however this time a large chunk of earth protruded from the ground. Guess you dont know your own strength huh? "It was nothing, really."

Kika rubbed at his green eyes. The dust was irritating, and not staring at the girl was already taking up quite of bit of his brain power. He sniffed, and continued. "Kikazei." he replied, "Kika for short, I guess." His tone was quirky, akward almost. This day was one out of the ordinary.

Kikazei turned and continued on his way, though he couldnt persuade himself to walk any faster. His curiousity was far stronger then his will power. Pity really. He heard the girl speak again, but in order to hide his own insecurity he didnt bother turn around to answer.

"Very interesting." he confessed, "For a bunch of old guys to chase somone like you this far out." He chuckled, finally able to see the strengthening stream ahead. "Besides, whatever you did really stripped these men of their dignity, thats respect worthy." He chuckled again, and strayed off the path heading towards the river.

"Dominoes? Nah, there more like Pai Sho pieces." he chuckled, throwing his hand up and waving behind him to say his premature goodbyes to the girl.

"Fai then?" he yelled, "Nice to meet you." he smiled and continued on.

Kikazei laughed looking back with pearly smile, "Very speacial." he chuckled, and continued on his way. It was a rare thing to see somone of her stature in the outer rings. He wasnt saying that the outer ring was full of ugly women, but wait, what?
"Well no one likes to loose." he confessed with a shrug, "I cant win at gambling without cheating, why do you think I live out here?" he laughed, and swore he heard a Tsungi horn serenading his failure.

The river rushed downstream, the water crashing on both of its banks. There was a stone bridge not too far up the path that provided passage, carefully placed stone slabs created an arch and little design. Kika dropped the staff and buckets, laying them on barrier wall of the river. Without the slightest effort his tall figure was over the wall and cannonballing into the river. He made quite the splash, and came up seconds after. Dust and stone particles flowed downstream and eventually dissapeared. Working in the rock quarry was dirty and physically exhausting, but the freedom to bend was worth the trouble.

Kika ran his fingers through the length of his short dark hair, washing out all impurities and eventually heaved himself again out of the water. Small streams of water ran down the lines of his lean figure, he even took care to shake his hair dry like a dog. The water revealed sun exposed skin, and bright green eyes. He wiped water off his face and looked back towards the girl. Was she intentionally heading towards the wall?

"You know the inner rings are the other way." he yelled to her, his hands cupped around his mouth. He pointed in the direction he was initially heading before straying. "You keep going that way, you'll end up at the Wall." He chuckled, grabbing one of the wooden buckets and filling it with water.

Kikazei laughed, grabbing and filling the other of the two buckets. "Well, seeing how they pulled a knife on you, they must have lost quite a bit." Kika assumed this, recalling the bargain Fai had proposed earlier to the men of one gold piece each in return for the neutral end of the conflict.

Kika laughed at the expression on Fai's face. "Its alright, just an accident." He tried at making piece. "I mean, that big wall thing all the way over there." He pointed to the horizon in the direction of the wall. It looked miniscule from there position, "Thats the end of Ba Sing Se." He then proceeded to turn to the opposite direction, "And those building tops your see and that baby wall are the end of the outer ring. Keep heading that way and you'll be home in no time." He laughed, setting the buckets down and jumping back into the river.

He heard her muffled voice at the surface and gasped for breath as he came back up. "What?" he asked, confused by the question. "Im rinsing off... In the... river." he answered wide eyed, unsure if that was the correct answer. Fai cut him off, and went on her way. "Oh, alright then?"

Kikazei laughed, "That explains it then." He glanced at the sack hanging from her shoulders. Money? He resisted, minding his own business. He used this reluctance to look back at where the men had been. They were gone, no where to be found. "Thats odd." he said to him self, though audible to most in the vicinity of the river. He averted his gaze back over to Fai, but again, she was already on her very way.

"Nice meeting you." Kika said with a wave, and a smile full of sincerity. Though it may not have been the most pleasurable experience, or the most beneficial for that matter, it wasnt something you see everyday. For that reason it was memorable. Fai was walking along the worren path, and Kika continued to swim in the river. Where had those men gone?

A few minutes had passed, and the trees had grown silent. Gentle breezes again flourished through the ravine and sent leaves flying. Then he saw them. Out of the corner of his eye.

The men were back, each of them with a sword drawn, running, no, sprinting back after Fai. How had they? There were 3 behind her, but the other two were in front of her. Kikazei heaved himself back up onto the wall of the river bank, and squinted his eyes trying to see how far Fai had gotten. These men looked like track stars, or Air benders. Either way, they were fast.

"FAI!" Kikazei shouted, desperately trying to warn her. Two of the men looked back, growled and continued towards Fai with aggresion.

"Thats it you little brat, were taking our money back!" one of the men screamed, reaching for his dagger.

Kikazei was very hesitant, he had wanted to spring forward and take the men out himself, however he feared upsetting Fai. She didnt seem to pleasant, and Kika wanted to avoid any conflict, even a verbal one with a woman. He relaxed once the first of the men was taken out, he slouched back onto the stone wall and watched, his hands in his pocket, his feet at the ready.

He had seen the floor raise, and a few of them men go flying. Kikazei squinted his eyes slightly taking notice of the familiar stances Fai was making. Oh, so she was an earthbender. He smiled, shaking his head. Fai didnt need his help, not one bit.

Kika was entertained by the show. One by one, the men either fell to the ground or went flying. It was a pity really that they stood no chance at all, there weapons fell to the floor and the men wailed at their failure. Kikazei laughed. Stripped of dignity was one thing, but this was striping them of their masculinity.

Fai shattered a boulder with her bare fist, and to this Kikazei applauded. "Go Fai." he cheered, his voice monotone and a bit sarcastic. The only man left was an earthbender, however the others ones did scramble in there places on the floor. Kikazei reached for the bamboo lenth and placed either bucket at their ends. The staff buckled, but bent in its reluctance. Kikazei began down the path again, stepping over battered men. He chuckled.

Kikazei stopped in his tracks, and splashed the water from the buckets on a few of the men. He laughed, "Now get out of here before she kills you." He fought to keep from bursting out into laughter. His voice was deep and smooth, and the men did nothing but adbide.

With the buckets empty and the smallfry scurrying away, Kikazei turned his headback towards Fai, where her donfrontation with the other bender was taking place. She saw her eyes locked with his and in that moment she went flying with the impact of a boulder. Kikazei winced, Ouch! But just as fast as Fai had been brought down she was already back up on her feet.

Kika's eyes widened as he watched the opposing bender fly. Its a bird! Its a flying bison! Its a- Ouch.. Kikazei squinted his eyes, there was a deep depression in the ground where the man had landed. Kika could only see his legs. He chuckled, looking back over to Fai. Sheesh she was quick, already running back towards the inner rings.

He then turned to the mocing object on the floor, one of the men was aiming to launch an arrow at the back of Fai. "You missed one." Kikazei yelled. Stomping the ground powerfully, and following with strikes of his fists, the earth rattled and a protrusion shot out sending the man through stone wall and into the river.

Kikazei cringed, Whoops... He paced over to where the wall had been crushed and looked to see the man floating down the stream, dazed but still concious. He chuckled returning to again asses the damage done to the wall.

Kikazei turned and looked down the path, Fai was still running. He chuckled, "Welcome." he said, apparently to himself. He refilled the buckets at the break in the wall then continued up the path. He crossed over the stone bridge, heading towards the small farming settlment off the main road.

ooc| Writers block. D':