|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:51 am
It had been Tingzhe's idea to meet just after dawn, when the fog was still thick over the harbor. The docks were always best in the early morning, when the shrieking fishmongers had yet to set up their stalls, and sun hadn't yet scorched through all the clouds. Cool salt air was a luxury in the Fire Nation.
"You're not tired from cleaning the ring last night, are ya?" He asked Shen-Ru, while pacing back and forth on top the narrow stone railing that was meant to keep kids like him from falling down into the brine. It was hard for him to stay still for too long.
"Nah, 'course yer not. We both slept in."
Naturally, Tingzhe was a morning person. His kind rose with the sun. Fire in the sky meant he had energy to burn.
"I don't trust this guy."
The two of them had gone over this before, back in the cramped bowels of the ship, when they'd been stuffed in small, communal cabins, and Tingzhe'd felt like if he heard a lock turn or a grating snap shut he just might go mad. They'd all been together at the start. Starving and scared. But after a week, Toshiro was taken, and during the final battle- he'd looked like he was in better shape than them.
"Maybe he won't show."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:08 am
Shen-Ru was quite dazed, really rather tired, but he was awake enough to be alert and aware of Tingzhe's pacing and the words he said. "I'm not too tired, don't worry," he murmured, lying easily and rubbing at his eyes, before pushing himself to his feet, stretching languidly. "And be careful up there, okay? I don't want you getting hurt."
He blinked slowly, looking up at the sky and sighing a little, shifting awkwardly - it was his version of pacing, his way of expressing his nervousness over this meeting. "I'm sure he'll show. And why don't you trust him? He was with us."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:05 am
It had taken quite a bit of arguing with himself to justify missing classes that day... But some things, sometimes, were more important than studies. This meeting, of sorts, was one of them. He had locked his bedroom door, left a note taped to it, just in case anyone came looking for him- unlikely as it was. He cleared his throat softly to announce his presence as he came upon the two young boys he had been kidnapped with. It was a shock, to see them. The last time they had been together... Well, he didn't like to think about it. Not when it still brought tears to the back of his throat.
"I'm sorry if I'm late," he murmured, bowing slightly in gretting to Shen-Ru, and then to Tingzhe. "I had to sneak off campus, and... Well. I'm here." Toshiro spoke quietly, as was his habit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:38 am
"We're all here," Tingzhe confirmed.
For once, he was not being loud, or egotistical, or even all that dramatic. He looked at Shen-Ru, who was so different from when they'd met, and he looked at Toshiro, who seemed exactly the same.
"Except her."
Tingzhe vaulted down off the ledge.
"I couldn't find her. You guys think she made it out okay?"
Of all the boys in the basement, Tingzhe had been the closest to the little girl, since their cells were side-by-side. They'd slept back-to-back, against the bars, so she wouldn't feel lonely during the night. Sometimes they'd practiced stretching together. But the final battle had been so confusing and chaotic, he wasn't able to look out for her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:09 pm
Shen-Ru met Tingzhe's gaze, standing up straight now that Toshiro was there. It was so strange to be back with another of the few that had been there at the start of the newest chapter of his life.
"I'm sure she's fine, Tingzhe... She's probably back at her temple, and you know how hard it is to reach anyone there..." he murmured, shrugging lightly and looking over at Toshiro, blinking slowly. "How... how have you been, Toshiro? I have been worried for you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:29 am
"Ayla, you mean?" Toshiro answered at length, realizing that the two of them were speaking of the young Airbender who had been trapped with them. The youngest of them all, in fact. Amber eyes moved over to Tingzhe as he spoke. "I'm sure she was returned home by the Avatar, like we all were." Or so he hoped. He bit the inside of his cheek, and focused on Shen-Ru and Tingzhe to keep his mind off of the only other possible alternative. "I'm... alright," he answered finally to Shen-Ru, a bit of a smile ghosting over his lips, bowing slightly in thanks for the inquiry. "And... you two?" It was obvious that Shen-Ru and Tingzhe had arrived together. Had they met up, somehow, after everything? The young archer was surprised, to say the least, at the intense envy that flashed through him at the thought. They had been traveling together for who knew how long, while he had... what? Gone back to his life as best he could, struggling to restore some sort of emotional balance within himself, friendless all the while.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:26 pm
"We both got dropped off in the Earth Kingdom. I, of course, knew I had'ta rescue Shen-Ru from lameness right off, so I went'n got him. He travels with us, now."
Tingzhe was apparently the kind of boy who felt he had the right to waltz into other people's lives, and drag them into orbit around him with the sheer force of his personality. He didn't feel bad about it. His life was great. Who didn't wanna join the circus? Dumb people, that was who. Even his stupid Dad had done it.
"Hey- hey, I guess you got that school or whatever? No worries. This won't take more'n a day or two. I was thinking-"
To anyone who'd been down in the cells, idea of Tingzhe and Shen-Ru getting along so well might have seemed ridiculous. Shen-Ru had spent most of his time behind bars wishing for everyone to be quiet, and Tingzhe was a loud kid who'd obviously thought Shen-Ru was stuck up. Yet there they were.
Tingzhe lowered his voice.
"None of us're [i[really fine, yeah? It's- it gets better, but I mean-"
Did he really have to say it? Looking at Shen-Ru and Tosh, he was sure they must understand.
"M'tired of thinking about that damn place. I think we gotta go there."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:16 am
Shen-Ru smiled crookedly as Tingzhe explained in his way the reasoning behind why they were traveling together. Then he chuckled and nodded just slightly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other and explaining, "He came and took me out of that trap was my home... I travel with him in the circus. I like it better, surprisingly."
He shuddered, quite suddenly, as the cells and prison below ground was mentioned, and bit his bottom lip. "It... That damn place is always in my mind, or in my dreams... I can't sleep without a candle now," he mumbled, narrowing his eyes and frowning deeply, lifting his arms to hug himself loosely, feeling as though he had creepy, crawly bugs crawling all over his spine and bringing up chill-bumps on his arms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:52 am
"Don't worry about how long it will take," Toshiro said as Tingzhe mentioned the duration of their trip. "School can be made up. And it isn't like I'll be missed by anyone but my teachers." He gave a shrug, shifting to wrap his hands around his elbows, not quite hugging himself, not quite crossing his arms. "This is... this is important." Amber eyes moved to Tingzhe, and then to Shen-Ru, nodding slightly. "This is more important than anything else, right now." He didn't need to talk about the dreams he had, the nightmares that left him gasping for breath and shivering from the cold sweats he woke up in. The ghosts of those who had died for him, had died for Ayla, and Shen-Ru, and Tingzhe, haunted his eyes. He saw their faces every night before he went to bed, the battle, the kidnapping, all of it, like some sort of jumbled, macabre play that continually ran through his head. He shivered, then, and brought himself back to reality. "We... we should go, I agree. To get some sort of... of closure, I suppose, would be the word for it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:03 pm
Tingzhe looked around the dockyard. The fishermen were sailing off to make their morning catch, and the fishmongers had arrived to set up their stalls. Servants scurried back and forth from the great passenger barges. Any one of them could be an enemy. Any one could could be one of them, come for revenge or to send a message to Avatar Kahamo, and there'd be nothing any of them could do to stop it.
Alya, at least, must be high in the mountains by now, surrounded by Air Masters. But Toshiro, Tingzhe, and Shen-Ru were not nearly so lucky. The three of them would be in danger for their whole lives.
But Tingzhe didn't wanna say it. It would be better if they didn't realize. Shen-Ru already couldn't sleep.
"D'you ever wonder why they did it?" He said, in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "They were real important people. [i[Great people. The whole world loved an' admired them. And we're- just us."
He cleared his throat and spread his arms, gesturing theatrically.
"'Course, I'm also loved by all."
If his subject change was a little forced, and a lot too loud, then the other two boys were gonna have to deal.
"Look, I can hire us some mongoose dragons t'ride. The trouble's gonna be finding this place."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:16 am
Shen-Ru could feel a chill just slide down his spine as he realized with finality that they were, yes, going back to the place of darkness and bars that never seemed to stop haunting his dreams and sometimes even his waking moments. He bit his bottom lip, glancing at Tingzhe and Toshiro as though hoping one of them would change their mind and keep him from having to go, but he knew the both of them were determined, and he also knew that going there would probably be beneficial in the long run. He had to face what frightened him, rather than continue to run from and be tortured by it.
"I have the money for us to rent them, if you'd like," he spoke up, reaching into one of the pockets of his jacket sleeves and drawing out a fairly decent amount of money. "I figured we'd need it somewhere along the lines... we can get ourselves the mongoose-dragons and some supplies, too... And maybe we can obtain a map, somehow?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:25 pm
"I don't think this place would be on any maps we could buy... It was part of a military base, wasn't it? If that's the case..." He bit the inside of his cheek, wondering if he should really suggest what was on the tip of his tongue... "My father is a Colonel in the military. He's stationed in Hiyama, and my home is only a little ways out of the main city limits. I can help buy us the things we need, and... Well, if anyone has a map on how to get to where we were kept, my father does. Or at least, if anyone has a map that we can easily get our hands on." He waited for the pang of guilt, the slow slide of discomfort with his suggestion to hit home. But it didn't come. He was, technically, suggesting stealing a military possession from a high ranking officer, and yet... He knew it was what needed to be done. They were in this together, the three of them. He was going to do his part. Not because it was what was expected of him, but because it was what he wanted to do. It was what was right. "And I'm sure we could borrow food and the like from home as well, if we're all willing to go out of our way to get there, of course." The young archer offered a bit of a smile to Shen-Ru and Tingzhe. "I'm... I'm glad you two thought to bring me along on this. It will do us all good, I think. It's a terrifying thought, to be going back there, but it's our choice this time, on our terms. We might be able to find some clues as to why they chose us," he added with a nod to Tingzhe. "Something we missed before- well, before everything." He couldn't say it. Didn't know how to say it. To call it a fight, or a battle... It didn't do those who died for them justice. Those adults had been saviors to him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:59 pm
Tingzhe already knew why he was chosen. Who wouldn't choose him? He was cool, famous, and known to all kindsa people. Posters with his name on them were up all over the lower districts of the city.
What Tingzhe wanted to know was if it was going to happen again.
He accepted the pouch of coins for Shen-Ru, and added his own savings to the stash, couting through the coins as quickly as he could. They were only three little boys. They shouldn't flash a lot of cash out in the open. Not in a place like this.
"We gotta take care of each other. As much as we can. They-"
The money there should be more than enough to haggle with a stablemaster. Tingzhe's dad rustled rhinos, so he knew his mounts, though he was careful to keep that knowledge from Shen-Ru and Qiao.
Tingzhe looked up at Shen-Ru and Toshiro. His pale, sharp eyes were brighter than usual, and he'd taken on a stubborn pose. Tingzhe might be a little too pretty, and flightly, and flashy to be a very good Fire Nation boy, but he could be as combative as any of his countrymen, when it came to a matter of honor.
"All the people that loved her all died, 'cos of us. If they come back, who knows if the Avatar's gonna wanna help us again?"
He stuffed the fungs in his pocket, then nodded to himself.
"I'm gonna go get those mongoose-dragons." Tingzhe brightened. The act was a little stuff, but he was trying his best. "You guys meet me at the end of the street. Try not t'be bored and sad while I'm not here to make your lives better."
With that, Tingzhe took off for the nearby stalls, and soon enough all three boys were speeding out of the city towards Toshiro's family home. Shen-Ru'd never ridden a mongoose-dragon before, and they were too small to need their own anyway, so Tingzhe and Toshiro traded off having him sit behind them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:40 am
Shen-Ru had a combined sense of dread and excitement as it was more and more finalized that they were really going to go through with this, that they were going to venture back to the one place that haunted their dreams and thoughts enough to make them afraid of the world and what it was capable of.
He nodded in agreement with Toshiro's plan, finding that getting their supplies, rather than buying them, would perhaps be more efficient. And he waited patiently as Tingzhe got the mongoose dragons, chuckling in quiet amusement at the boy's words and staying close to Toshiro, just in case anything happened. But when it came to actually riding the mongoose dragons... He ended up being a passenger, and he had a feeling it was for the better. He took turns in either holding onto Toshiro or Tingzhe, letting the time pass as they made their way to the first stop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 10:29 am
As they began to near his home, the archer tugged on the reins of their mount lightly to pull it to a stop. Handing the straps over to Tingzhe. "Father won't be home... But my mother will be, along with the servants and my little sister. I'd really rather them not know that I'm not at school. As you can imagine, they're very... Well, they're not as open to giving me freedom any more. So this... What we're doing would be completely out of the question." He slipped down from the beast, and smoothed a hand over his hair. "I'll only be a little while... Half an hour, at the most. It's about a ten minute walk to my home from here. So if you two will just stay put, I'll grab what I think we'll need, and make my way back here." He regretted that he wasn't able to bring them into his home, to show them where he spent his days when he wasn't at school. He wanted to show them Reina, who was getting bigger every day. He wanted to show them... his life, really. But now wasn't the time. "Maybe next time we all come here, I can actually show you my home," he added with a small smile of apology. And with that, he turned towards his home, taking a deep breath to steel himself, before setting off towards the fairly large house, hoping he would be able to get in and out without getting caught.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
