Chapter 2 is here, and looking back at it I really need to think of a new name for this story. If anyone's got any suggestions feel free to pass them my way and any suggestion I take will be credited whenever the change is made. Anyways, this chapter is a bit shorter then the last one but it introduces an important relationship between two of the characters. Hope you enjoy.
The blistering sandstorm made it very difficult to navigate the immense deserts outside of Ba Sing Se, especially considering that the only means of travel Ty Lee had brought with her were 4 of the pack-rhinos native to the fire nation, a move Gahng definitely questioned in the back of his mind. He knew the rhinos wouldn't last long in the desert, and their chances of survival were cut even shorter because of the sandstorm. It was a pretty dire situation indeed.
"Ty Lee!" Gahng called out, bringing his rhino up alongside hers. Ty Lee, who was using one arm to shield her eyes from the sand, turned slightly towards Gahng.
"We need to head back! These dry winds are too much for the mounts!"
"Giving up so easily?" she asked, pressing forward on her mount once more.
Gahng forced his mount forward once more, this time stopping in front of Ty Lee, cutting her off. "Listen to me! These sandstorms can suck the life right out of a person, and the rhinos won't be able to hold long against this storm before becoming dehydrated!"
"Ma'am, I think we should listen to what he has to say!" one of the two other soldiers said.
"No! We press on! It won't be much further now!"
"There is no way you can tell how close we are to the Fire Nation outpost in this storm!" Gahng yelled.
Ty Lee didn't reply, instead trying to bring her rhino around Gahng's. He had no intention of letting her pass though, and every time she tried to move aside he would block her off and try to talk sense into her. Ty Lee, however, proved to be as stubborn as a desert camel, insisting that they press on and then forcing her way past.
"Listen to me Ty Lee!" Gahng said as he grabbed her arm, gripping her tighter as she tried to pull away. "This storm is far to dangerous and the animals aren't going to make it through! If they die then we're stranded with no way of getting out of this!"
"Let me go Gahng," she demanded. Gahng refused to release his grip though, determined to make Ty Lee change her mind. This action only served to anger the young warrior girl. With a twist of her arm she wrenched it from Gahng's grasp, slamming a palm into his chest at the same time and sending him flying. As Gahng landed in the sand she dismounted her rhino, making her way angrily towards Gahng. The two hadn't even noticed that the other soldiers had vanished, swallowed up by the raging storm.
"You just don't get it do you," Gahng said as he rose. "I've lived in the desert my whole life! I've seen what these storms can do, and you still wont listen!"
"I don't care how many of these you've seen, I'm in charge and you're going to do as I say!"
"Why can't you just stop being so stubborn and let me get us out of here so we can survive this!"
"I'm stubborn! You're the one who never follows orders when I give them! I'm beginning to wonder if it was a mistake bringing you along!"
"I don't have to follow your orders! I'm not part of your little army and I don't have to do as you say!"
"Not part of our army! You chose to join the Fire Nation and fight alongside us! You recruited yourself into the army!"
"Just incredible. I've never seen you so mad before, Ty Lee."
The ringing of another female voice in the air caused the two to cease their argument, which had gone on with such intensity that they hadn't even noticed the sandstorm had passed. Ty Lee turned, embarrassed but also glad to see her old friend and ally Mai standing before her with a small squadron of mounted soldiers.
"You know, it was a real pain trying to find you out here," Mai said with an annoyed sigh.
"Hey trying to find my way through this place wasn't exactly fun either."
Mai simply shook her head, motioning for a soldier to bring their mounts back to them. As the soldiers retrieved the rhinos, Mai glanced back and forth between Ty Lee and Gahng, curious as to what exactly Ty Lee saw in the young ruffian. She would have to ask and hopefully see for herself if this man really could fight as well as Ty Lee's letter claimed he could.
"So then, he's the one you told me about?" Mai asked after they started moving again. Gahng had taken a point near the lead so there was no way he could have heard what was about to be said, which, for the time being, was how Mai wanted it.
"Yeah, that's Gahng."
"Hmm…he doesn't look like much…"
"Trust me, he's good. He nearly beat me in our fight."
"True...but still, I'm not so sure. I may have to test him myself."
"Don't worry Mai, just trust me on this one. For now lets just try to get home, I'm starting to get sand in the worst places."
Mai shook her head after hearing that. It was a comment that she mentally put down as one of those "too much information" remarks. Still, deep down she did find it funny, and it really was Ty Lee's own fault for wearing such loose clothing. Still, she longed to leave the desert too and return to the Fire Nation. A lot of planning still needed to be done for the upcoming campaign, and Mai knew Azula would be furious if they were late. Fortunately it didn't take long to reach the outpost.
In terms of bases it wasn't much, nothing more then a gathering of crew and soldier tents, a makeshift harbor, and one transport ship with two frigate escorts ready to take everyone back to the Fire Nation. It was even luckier that the base stood right on the ocean, so they'd be able to reach the Fire Nation within half a ten-day tops, and to top it all off the crew and soldiers were already prepared to depart.
"Lady Mai, Lady Lee, the vessel is ready for departure at any time," the helmsman informed them.
"Good," Mai replied. "Get all the men and the mounts on board and prepare for immediate departure to the Fire Nation."
"Yes Ma'am," the helmsman said, saluting the two of them before heading back into the ship.
Mai turned to see Ty Lee talking with the so-called great Earthbender she brought with her. Was Ty Lee really serious about this Gahng? Did she truly think that he'd be able to help turn the tides of the upcoming war in their favor and bring victory to the fire nation? It wouldn't be very surprising since Ty Lee did have that sort of mentality. She'd call a mule a great warrior if it managed to knock her off its back, a natural spontaneity she had. To Mai it didn't really make any sense. Gahng conveyed to her no real power, and even though he clearly had been through some tough fights he didn't seem to be cut out for the task ahead.
"Ty Lee," Mai called out as she and Gahng started to head onto the ship. She saw Ty Lee tell Gahng just to go ahead and board, and that she'd be right there as soon as possible, which confirmed another suspicion Mai had about the affair.
"What's up?" Ty Lee asked when Mai reached her.
"Do you seriously think that this Earthbender is going to make a difference?"
"Well, yeah, of course I do. I mean, like I said, he nearly beat me. If he can train his skills a bit more, maybe learn some new techniques, he could easily become our best soldier."
"Is that so," Mai said as she began to make her way onto the ship. Before she boarded, however, she turned back to Ty Lee. "And what about the Avatar? Do you think he'll have what it takes to fight him when the time comes? Don't forget, not even Ozai was able to best the Avatar."
"Ozai's not in charge anymore though, Azula is, and she's way stronger now then her father ever was."
"I'm not asking about Azula, I'm asking about Gahng."
"If the Avatar wants to fight me," Gahng called down from the top of the boarding ramp, "then he'll get his wish."
"You're definitely confident. If you actually survive to see that day then I guess we'll all see how you fare," Mai replied, looking up at Gahng with slight contempt in her eyes. Gang returned the look, and it was instantly clear that the two would never see eye to eye except for their dislike for one another. She didn't trust the Earthbender, and it was clear he felt the same way about her. As for what Ty Lee saw in him it remained a mystery to Mai, and when she saw Ty Lee walk past sticking her tongue out, Mai knew that the trip home was going to be a long one.