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 Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:03 am
Step One: Don't Tell Him You Can Bend.
Step Two: Steal His Desired Teacher.
Step Three: Rub It In His Face.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:07 am
...As Sen Wei moved away, Avani watched her briefly before turning and running down the street, hoping to beat her father home so she could share her good news with Lei. She thought she might burst if she had to wait for him to leave again.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:11 am
They always seemed to meet with her running into him. Tsai Shen grunted at the impact, and steadied them both, squinting in the dim light of the setting sun only to find a familiar face.
"... Avani?"
He hadn't seen her for over a week. She looked good, even if she was back to wearing low quality clothing. Where was she going to in such a hurry, and why had she... Come from the place he always watched Sen Wei? She regularly rejected students there, and he watched, hoping to find out what she was looking for. Seems like he was too late, after all, she usually finished quickly, and if Avani was heading home from watching it, then... Damn.
"... You look happy!"
He grinned, surprised to find that it pleased him.
"What's the good news?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:24 pm
Cheeks still aglow from her recent bending activity and now the running, Avani was sure her face was prettier then normal. She wasn't watching where she was going, and barreled straight into Tsai Shen.
Avani put her hands up on the young boy's wrists on her shoulders, helping to steady herself as well. When she realized who it was, her face lit up and she jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Oh, Tsai Shen!" she cried happily. "You'll never believe it! I hardly believe it." The dark haired child gave a small jump and covered her mouth, laughing.
She jumped back quickly, realizing that she had just been very forward with the boy she had only just met. "Um, sorry," she said, still laughing. It was only after she had fallen back and put her hands behind her back, that her brain started working again.
Oh...Tsai Shen had wanted to learn under Sen Wei...
She colored and gulped nervously. "I...um...well," was there a way to get out of this? "I have a...a tutor..." Yes! That was it! After all, Sen Wei was a tutor... "A very good tutor. I will be able to learn much."
She was an incredibly bad liar.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:14 pm
"I'm... Sure. And I'm happy for you. I just don't know why you feel the need to lie about whatever it is."
Tsai Shen shrugged, guessing it was none of his business, and frowned slightly, obviously displeased. Taking a step back, he flourished, to show off the path.
"Since your news is obviously nothing you wish to share with a rich brat like myself, I'll remove myself from your path. I'm off to be rejected by Sen Wei again."
Bitter smile at that.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:45 pm
"Oh, Tsai Shen..." Avani said, distressed. "I didn't mean... I mean, I don't want to lie to you."
She reached her hand up and took hold of Tsai Shen's and pulled him back on the path. "Don't be upset at me, please?" Her dark eyes looked like a small puppys' as she peered up into his.
"I think that you'll hate me," she continued sorrowfly.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:48 pm
The tall boy squeezed her hand back, retaining possession of it as he smiled slightly, tilting his head.
"Come on, Avani, after all the insults you called me! If I didn't hate you then, I CAN'T hate you."
His smile faded, as the sky grew completely dark, and his brows knit together.
"... What is it?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:04 pm
"I think that you can..." she whispered mornfully.
She released his hand and took a few steps back, not able to continue meeting his eyes any longer.
"I," she turned, so her back was to Tsai Shen. "I can bend."
Her throat felt tight and she sniffed, feeling her nose start to run.
"And I have a teacher now. A...a Master."
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:07 pm
"You...? Oh... Well, that's... GREAT!"
The boy's charming grin lit the dark path, and he pulled her into a hug, not yet comprehending that Avani's master was Sen Wei.
"Now we can practice together! I KNEW you had a secret! Who's your master, anyways? Woo...?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:23 pm
Avani didn't know why this stupid little rich brat stirred up the most random emotions when she was around him. That horrible stomach punching sensation was back full force as she was pulled into him in a hug and she groaned in pain.
"I-I don't know any Master Woo," she said carefully. "My Master is...is..." her head dropped against Tsai Shen's shoulder and she mumbled into it. "Sen Wei."
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Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:19 am
The first sign that he'd heard Avani's words was a sudden stiffening of his body, and the boy stumbled backwards, away from her touch, looking as if he'd been slapped.
"I.... No... You..."
Tears actually appeared in his visable eye, and Tsai Shen swallowed hard, shaking his head quickly.
"I... Have to... Go..."
With that, he turned, and ran away from her, from Sen Wei's training grounds, from the city of Ba Sing Se. He was going home. He was done with Avani. Who ever said the rich were more hurtful that the poor?
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Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:02 am
"No, Tsai Shen, you don't understand..."
She tried to make her voice work, but no more words would come to her throat. She clasped her hands in front of her, watching the boy sadly.
Avani watched Tsai Shen run the way he had come down the street, and finally choked out in a whisper.
"I didn't ask to be her student."
She sighed sadly as she turned to head home.
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