And Fire Consumes Me

[Malu]

Leiko ignored his words, keeping her eyes closed. She remained slumped against the wall of her cage, arms crossed tightly across her chest. Would she ever be let out? She doubted it. Not with her attitude, at least.

Shaking her head slightly, she slowly opened her eyes. The eternal blackness she was so used to was the only thing visable. Heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes once again, a silence falling over her.

[Azrael]

Tycho was pouring over charts as the crew prepped the ship to embark. Zhao the Cat was was lapping at a bowl of milk on the table next to him. As tycho picked up a map of the west coast of the Earth Kingdom he looked over at the feline.

"What do you think, could the Avatar be looking for a teacher near here?" he asked. the cat looked up at him with huge lamp-like eyes.

'Meow?' Tycho shook his head,

"Yeah, your probably right, he would be further inland, away from our navy..."

[Malu]

Leiko slowly opened her eyes, head tipped downward as if staring at the ground. As she listened to Tycho's words, a small smirk came over her lips. She had a pretty good idea where the Avatar may be, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

[Azrael]

Zhao jumped off of the table and went to sit in the windowsill. Tycho went back to his charts before finally deciding to search the nearby water settlements. He issued the order to an ensign.

[Malu]

"You're not going to find him there," the waterbender chanted with a wide grin as she heard his commands. Keeping her eyes closed, she tightened her crossed arms, her grin growing by the second.

[Azrael]

Tycho turned on his heel. "Oh, and you do?" he said, inching closer. "We may be able to work out a little deal, miss...". He said, Zhao weaving between his boots, purring.

[Malu]

Leiko rolled her eyes at his words. She could care less about deals; she didn't really care what he had to offer or anything. "He's obviously heading inland; towards the capital, hoping to find a master earth bender and a place to stay," she answered simply, position kept the same.

[Azrael]

Tycho growled, "Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine..." He said. "Maybe if your attitude improves we'll let you out. who knows. Maybe we'll even let you go." He went to leave, but not before calling a crewman over. "You there, tell the cooks she's not to get any food or water until I say. We'll break her somehow..."

[Malu]

A flinch rose over her face at the last words of the fire bender. With a light sigh, she threw her head back, banging it against the metal behind her a few times. 'Guess it's a while without food. As usual.' She shook her head at the thoughts and opened her eyes as if to stare at the sky.

[Azrael]

Tycho was pacing the deck of the ship. It had been three days and no word of anything.

"Ship off the port bow cap'n!" the helmsman called. Tycho looked. Fire Nation.

After the messenger had come abord he gave Tycho a report. When he finished reading it he crumpled it, a smile dominating his face.

"Fire and airbending at the southern air temple...sounds like the avatar to me. helmsman! Set our course!" He went to his captive waterbender. "Looks like we found him. Would you like something to eat as celebration?"

[Malu]

Leiko paid no attention to Tycho's question. Instead, she was contemplating the message given to the firebender. It didn't make sense... She was sure the water bender known to be the Avatar was heading toward the Earth Kingdom... How could he be at the Southern Air Temple, then?

Shaking her head sharply, Leiko held her head between her hands. "I don't get it," she muttered to herself. Was there something she was overlooking? Possibly there were two Avatars. But how was that possible? There has only been one Avatar whenever there was an Avatar.

[Azrael]

Tycho was pacing the decks, keeping a narrow eye on the horizon as they moved steadily towards the southern air temple and his triumphant capture of the avatar. They were passing the shorelines of the sourthern tip of the earthkingdom when a flare went off.


"Stop the Ship!" he exclaimed. He looked over to where it went up. A Fire Navy ship had run land near to opening of a small river, and the men on board were fighting off Earth Kingdom soldiers! "run us aground!" Tycho shouted.

The ironclad warship hit the shore, ramp falling before it had stopped. Troopers ran out going to the aid of their troubled allies. Tycho ran out shouting orders. as the cleaned up the Earth Kingdom soldiers he saw an old general surrounded. As the other earth soldiers were retreating they pressed on the attack. The old general wasn't to be taken easily though, he nimbly dodged their attacks and routed them, causing them to retreat as well. Tycho ran over to his superior officer.

"Sir!" he said bowing briefly, "What happened?" He asked him. The old general sighed.

"They ambushed us as we tried to refill our fresh water supply from this river. I was afraid that for a moment we were going to lose, but thanks to you..." he trailed off, catching his breath. "I believe that our ship is in no condition to sail." he added, looking at the ship in question. It had large spikes of stone jutting out of it. tycho bowed.

"We would be honored to take on you and your survivng crew, General...uhh" he stalled. not knowing his name.

"Zhao." he finished for him.

[Malu]

Leiko, listening intently to the shouts echoing around her, gasped lightly as the ship lurched in a different direction. Shaking her head, she strained her ears to hear what the commotion was. Fighting could be heard and faint talking between allies, though the water bender could barely get anything else. Heaving a light sigh, she laid on her side, curling up slightly in an attempt at a slightly comfortable position, though the hard ground gave her no wished comfort.

[Azrael]

Tycho visibly gasped. "General Zhao! I-I thought you retired?" he stammered, usering him to the ship.

"I did." he sighed, stroking his white beard. "But the Fire Lord asked me to help lead a very special mission. The Avatar..." he said, acending the ramp. Tycho stopped.

"The Avatar." He breathed deeply, steam erupting from his nostrils. "I've been sent to do the same. Shall you be staying with us indefeniatly?" he asked. He showed General Zhao to the best cabin on the ship. Zhao bowed.

"Thank you Captain Tycho, i think that we shall be staying as long as nescesary to capture the Avatar. I believe I'll retire now, the battle rather wore me out." He went in and closed the door. Tycho made sure that the surviving men from Zhao's ship, 27 in all, were made up in the barracks. He went back to his captive waterbender.

"Well, are you ready to cooperate my little waterbender? Let's start slow. What's your name?"

[Malu]

Twitching a finger slightly, Leiko attempted multiple times to pull some water from beside the ship, though all were failures. With a sigh of frustration, she closed her eyes, arms crossing tightly over her chest. She slumped backwards against the metal behind her, her legs crossing at her ankles before her. All words were ignored momentarily around her, including those of the ship's owner.

"You know," she slowly began to talk, though no movement other than her lips were given. "It's common curtesy to give your name before asking for another's."