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[So everyone is gone from Omashu? Meh, follow the crowd, just follow the crowd....]

Rave didn't like to sleep in the street. The first night back in Omashu proved him right, so instead of just sitting down and let his back rest against a wall, Rave set out for something else, something with a little less rock in it.

Rave turned a corner and saw a small bazaar. It wasn't uncommon nowadays that the streets were lit by candle, yet Rave was still amazed by them. The way the flame dances around at their spot reminded Rave of the time he was with his master. His master told him, waterbending is just like any other bending, the only difference is the element. All benders have to strive to complete their technique and even to learn new ones. Inside, all benders are the same.

Rave held tight his bag that was hanging on his posterior side. He had paused for a moment, but once comming back out from that state, continued down the bazaar. The open market was closed, though it was uncommon to see one still open. The tea houses and inns, however, their doors were still open and one would be able to see the light coming from those rooms. Rave was tempted to go into one, but the reminder that he had no money made him change his mind.

Instead, we would continue to look for a place to sleep, though it was getting rather late already. Still, Rave tugged along the streets, exiting Omashu, now headed for the Uyz river. He had been there a few days before and had a pretty good night's sleep. So in his mind, he wanted to recreate that experience, and with his right foot out of the city gate, he headed off there. However, right when the sun is high, he told himself he'd find a job and settle down there in Omashu.

Miro wandered into Omashu tired, dirty, hungry, and about ready to bite the head off of the first person who bothered her with any 'little girls shouldn't be wandering' garbage. Her bag was heavy, the day was hot, and she wanted an inn. Badly.

Unfortunately, she couldn't afford to spend her hard-earned money on an inn until she had gotten some performing in. It would be a stretch for her already weak body, but at least it would assure her a little food.

She strode through the dusty streets, easily remembering the path to the bazaar from the entrance, having taken it many times over the past few years. It was busy today, and packed with merchants and other performers.

"Competition," she thought glumly, taking her place by the an alley and pulling out a guqin from her bag. She glanced around, and was disappointed to see that no one much seemed to be paying attention to her. Well, they would see about that.

She leaned against the wall and began plucking the strings of the instrument in a capricious rhapsody of various songs until, at last, she settled on one.

"Alas, dear love
Do not cry for me
My heart is yours
But my spirit wanders
Anon, Anon
I will return
But for now my heart flies with the wind..."

Miro smiled warmly at the girl, partially for her clear enjoyment of the song and partially for the money.

"It was something my mother used to sing to me when I was a child," Miro explained, running her fingers absently over her guqin strings without actually plucking them. "I figured with all the hubbub of Omashu, there was bound to be someone who might prefer the peace and quiet. Great city, Omashu."

"But enough on that. What can I play for you? I know ballads from each kingdom, and even a few airbender chants. How about a water tribe song? You look like a Poler, actually. North or south?"

(Crud! I've gotta remember to hit the *post* button. Good thing I didn't close out of Word...)

Finding the Dojo was rather simple, seeing as how Zorin had spent a good deal of time there. As he approached the large, circular entrance, he felt a little saddened about what had happened earlier. Feeling around, Zorin could still find the place where the wall had been thrown at him. And just outside, there was the hastily, yet sloppily, patch of rock that barely covered the sand trail he had made. As he sighed, Zorin decided to get to work.

Going to the back of the Dojo, Zorin entered one of the rooms and began rummaging around for Bending scrolls. After a while, he finally happened to find a small ornate box containing several scrolls. Gleefully at his change in luck, Zorin took the box out with him and picked a place to study. Sitting on his knees, he gingerly placed the box down in front of him, opened it, and pulled out the top scroll. As he opened it, simplistic images of Earth Benders began to come to life as they performed their finite tasks across the page. Zorin read through each one, observing every detail he could notice. He kept the scroll with him, but moved the box on top of a jar so it would be safe. He went to the center of the Dojo and set down the scroll, preparing himself for his training. Stretching didn't take long, and Zorin was soon limbered up. Zorin took one final look at the scroll to get the pattern down in his head before moving, but was soon in his ready stance, arms out in front of his hips, and feet spread shoulder length. He took in a deep breath, held it, and began.

Standing back up, Zorin reviewed the scroll to see what he did wrong. The only thing that he did wrong was in the final technique, so he looked at that illustration. It showed a form of a man jumping through the air, and landing on the ground, cross legged, and fists to the ground. From what he could tell, he was doing it correctly, but something seemed amiss. Zorin thought back and concentrated. Finding no answer, Zorin decided to try it again. Setting the scroll down, he resumed his ready position and began.

He performed everything as he did before, moving each rock as well as he could. Soon, he was back at the last front stance. He lifted his right leg, just as he had done before, and leaped. In the air, he readied his legs and kept his fist at his sides. When he landed, his legs were crossed, knees at his shoulders, and he punched the ground to his sides. The ground shook violently again, but Zorin was quick to look at himself and around to see what it was. He was sent flying, again, and was flat on his back within seconds. Lying still for a moment, he thought about what it was that he was doing wrong. Whatever it was, he needed to get it quickly, as he was growing tired and in some bit of pain.

Going back to the scroll, he took another look at it. He thought back to what he was. When he looked down to his feet, it was fine. Both feet were firmly on the ground and spaced. When he had looked right, all he had seen was the rest of the dojo. Suddenly, a thought his Zorin. He had seen the Dojo, but his view was tilted, meaning that he had leaned over. Grinning, Zorin resumed his ready position, confident in his abilities.
(Training: 6 *6*)

Zorin began to drift off into sleep as he lay quietly. However, before the grips of slumber caught him, he was able to sit up. Feeling slightly refreshed, he decided to tackle the next move on the scroll. The next move on the scroll looked fairly simple. Zorin looked through it and grinned; it was for bending sand. Zorin stood up, assumed a deep horse stance and prepared to make the area into sand for his purposes. Suddenly, a thought hit him.

There was already sand in the Dojo. Zorin really did need to think these things through. He stood up and went over to get one of the jars. He pushed it, but was unable to budge it in the slightest. He strained against it for a moment, but then thought of a better idea. Stepping back from the jar, Zorin went into another front stance, his hands fists at his sides. Putting his right hand out, he raised the jar slowly off the ground. Then, by Turing his fist, he tipped the jar over, spilling the sand onto the floor. Setting the jar down, he then stood up and went back to examine the scroll.

"Sand Spear..." he read out loud.”Huh..." The movements on this were odd for Earth Bending. Instead of being sudden and quick, they looked more fluidic, like a Water Bender. He took a while to look at it, but eventually decided to take it with him to the sand. Placing the scroll at his feet, Zorin prepared his stance. He started out with his feet in a strange variation of a horse stance. His front foot was facing forward, and his back foot at a 45 degree angle to his body. He leaned forwards, placing his hands slightly below his waists, aligned and palms facing each other (left facing up, right facing down). His left hand has farther back, towards his left side, while his right was next to his upper leg. He slowly brought pulled both of his hands backwards, but suddenly raised his left hand up and moved it over his right, turning both so they faced the direction opposite that they had been. He continued to move his right hand towards his back until he had to bend to keep moving it. He then brought both legs together, pulling his right hand to his chest and raising his right to his thigh. At this, he looked down at the scroll. He raised his right hand to above his head and let it dangle. He studied the next part a bit before continuing.

Stepping down with his front leg, he pushed his arms out and began to make a circular motion with his hands. He did this until he was back in his original stance. Then he lowered his hands and made a sweeping motion towards the ground, he continued this around to the other side and over his head. When he was back on his starting side, Zorin connected his thumbs and fore fingers, making a kite between his hands. He put this on his chest, and thrusted it outwards. From the corner of his eyes, Zorin saw a tiny bit of sand shift. Breaking his stance and looking over, he saw an insignificant stream of sand jet out of the pile, go for an inch, and then fall down. Zorin stared, slightly irked over this. Brutal failure now clawed at his throat. Zorin stood up, which was a bad call. He got light headed and fell over into the sand. Slowly, he stood up, gathered the scrolls back, returned them to their room, and went back outside to fall asleep on the sand.

(Training 8 *8*)

(sorry, I lied earlier...)

Zorin finished his tiresome and irritating job after about an hour or two of effort. As he wiped his forehead, he started to wonder how a desert wanderer like himself was unable to bend sand. He simply stood, arms crossed and head tilted, trying to work it out in his head. Eventually, he gave it up and decided to move on.
Unlike what he had predicted, his muscles were not killing him after all. He swung his arms around, and he seemed to be fine. However, it was probably a wise thing for him to take a break, so he sat down and did. While he sat, he started to read through another scroll. The various techniques he saw were quite exquisite, but all seemed to be a bit difficult and awkward for his level of performance. Looking up into the sky, he started to wonder what he actually was capable of.

"Moving rocks is about it..." he said to empty space.”But I think I can use that." Slowly, he placed the scroll back into its box and stood up. "I'm not going to have these forever, so I should try improvising..."

Taking a few steps out into the training area, he assumed his ready stance and took a breath. A quick thought his him and he looked down and to the left for a brief moment. A fighting stance. It was what separated one fighter from another, and he didn't have one. Slowly, he shifted his legs apart until they were almost twice his shoulder length. He pointed his forward foot straight ahead and his rear foot perpendicular to his stance. He bent his knees, placing the majority of his weight on his back leg. After that, he raised his arms so that they were both right angles to his body. His forward arm stuck out straight from his shoulder, his fist clenched and sideways. His ready hand was perpendicular from his torso, and bent ninety degrees at the elbow, fist clenched and sideways as well. From fist to fist, his arms seemed to make a crude 'J' shape. Taking in a deep breath, he prepared to finish his training.