Now, what to eat, what to eat. She had more Fire Peppers at home, but they weren't as good as the two she just had. There were also some porridge mixes and…yeah, that was about it. It'll be a boring dinner. Ea ran her fingers through her flame-like hair in an annoyed fashion, just thinking about what random spices she could use to make the porridge better tasting. The girl was looking at the ground in front of her feet until she heard a voice. "Got any money on you?" Ea stopped and looked up, seeing the tall, brown-haired, brown-eyed dirt colored boy named Zheng. She rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. "Do I have to go through this everytime I want to go home? No, I don't have money, if I did I wouldn't give it to you, and if you don't get out of my way, I will kick your butt, so you had better move," Ea glared at him. Okay, so he was older than her, larger than her and dangerous, but she still thought he was an annoying boy and therefore deserved her utmost contempt. The boy shifted his feet uncomfortably. Ea was the only person who talked back to him like this, and it made him very uncomfortable. "Bitch," he muttered under his breath. Ea's expression suddenly grew sour. "What did you call me?" she asked the boy. He had a knife at his side, but nevertheless, she angrily took two steps closer to him, "Get out of my way," she demanded. Zheng subsequently stomped off bitterly, muttering under his breath. Ew Ea though…his breath stank. And it took my time on that bothersome activity. Her face once again showed her annoyance and she continued walking home.
The noodles had just finished and Fen breathed in the hot aroma. He stared at it for a moment, then at once began to eat ravenously. He was about halfway done when he felt someone standing behind him. Only one person he knew had that bad of a breath. Fen tried to hunch over, but it was too late. "Fen," the unmistakable voice came. He ignored him, but the boy grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled, "Don't ignore me, Fen. Where'd you get the money for the noodles?" Fen swallowed his noodles and answered, "earned it. For fire-bending. Now let me go". Zheng laughed and yanked Fen off his chair. "I won't be bullied by a twelve-year-old. Gimme some of that money, bastard". Fen whirled around, furious, "Say that to my face, jerk!" he shouted. Zheng grinned and leaned forward, "Bastard". Fen flew at him in outrage.
Ea heard a loud noise back the way she had come and muttered, "Not more trouble…" This sunny day was getting worse and worse. Turning back, she saw Zheng and that new kid fighting. Annoyed, she stalked over and punched each of them in the stomach once so that they bent over, out of breath. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Ack, that stupid kid again.
Fen looked up, "You again!" he and Zheng shouted at the same time. Zheng gave Fen a nasty look, but Fen paid no attention to it, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked back. He took off his red robe and mopped his face with it, revealing his black, high-collared sleeveless shirt and long black pants to match. Why was he so hot all of a sudden? He was probably so angry.
Ea was snapping her fingers rapidly in annoyance, sparks playing around her fingertips. She sneered at Fen, "What the hell am I doing here? I think I just stopped you from being a public nuisance". Her voice was an angry hiss. She spun around to face Zheng, "Stop annoying me! First you way-lay me, then you create a lot of noise. If you are going to beat up little kids, do it in some alley where I can't see or hear you," Her snapping switched to her thumb and ring-finger on her right hand, the sparks growing larger as she grew angrier. "Well?" she snapped at the two of them, "Are you going to bug off or am I going to have to make you?"
"Neeuh!" Fen snapped his fingers angrily back and forth at the girl, producing flames instead of the sparks she had made, "You're not the boss of me! No one is, so stop acting like you can boss me around, 'cause you can't!" he threw his robe back on, "And I'll bug off when I friggin' want to, and even if I didn't, you wouldn't be able to make me! So maybe you should bug off! Or maybe I have to make you. And who are you calling 'little'? I'm tall for my age," Zheng had made his escape during Fen's outbursts.
Ea just raised an eyebrow and stared at him, "What is wrong with you? Kid, you may be tall for your age, but I've got you beat. And what was with the snapping in my face? It is rude, ya know. Respect your elders and all,"
Fen laughed, "Hah! Maybe you should take your own advice. You're not exactly 'Miss Good-Manners' yourself. And I've tried respecting my elders, it doesn't work, so don't try that crap with me,"
"Oh, but I've got them," Ea told the boy with a dead-pan glare, "And respecting elders gets you very far," she said with a scheming smirk. Again, her face went slack, "If you have to fight, do it out of my hearing and sight, dammit,"
"I'll fight wherever I damn well want to fight," Fen said darkly, and turned away, "You should see what respecting elders got me," he muttered as he walked away.