-Sigh- just finished chapter four, and let me tell you. This is the longest and most action packed chappie yet! ;3 I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it. To the new repliers (and the first few) thank you very much for reading and thanks for all the compliments (remember I won't kill you if you have something bad to say). I know the first few chapters got up extremely fast, but I'm going to be working on some other fanfics as well, so don't except the next chapter for a few days. Can't wait to hear what you have to say about this chapter!! Be honest and enjoy! :)

- sunlit insomnia

Four

The ceiling had three giant rain stained splotches spread across it. Misaki stared at the one over her bed, thinking about the day. Saburo was such a great friend. He was kindest person she'd met since moving to Ba Sing Se. But sadly, for her at least, they could never become more than friends. The day Saburo announced he was gay, Misaki was just about to ask him out. But that was over a year ago, and since then, their best friend relationship had grown immensely. And even if Saburo wasn't gay, Misaki knew she didn't have time for a relationship and that if she never started working with him, they could have never had time to become friends.

Misaki wiped the tears from her eyes. This was just the way life was. No time for herself, she couldn't afford it. She sighed and closed her eyes, falling asleep to thought of love.

--

"Misaki!" Inari screeched hoarsely.

Misaki shot out of her bed.

"Mother?!" Misaki asked, fumbling around the dark room, "Are you okay?"

Crossing the room, Misaki groped for the lantern. Finally she found the table and reached for the lantern. She flicked it on and the wick ignited. Then she stumbled to her mother's bedside.

"What's wrong?" Misaki asked.

Her mother coughed desperately.

"I-" Inari started then leaned over the side of the bed and vomited.

Misaki moved out of the way just in time and reached for the wooden crate that they used as a garbage can. She placed it under her mother's white face and rubbed her back as she vomited up bile.

--

When the morning finally came, Misaki had gotten less than an hour of sleep. She slid out of her bed like a ghost, her face pale and cold.

"Ah!" she yawned and wiped the crust from her eyes.

She glanced over at her mother. She was sound asleep. Misaki sat at the kitchen table. She was already fully dressed so she pulled a small scroll out of her bag and wrote a quick note to her mother to tell her she was going to buy some food.

The streets were busy with the early morning commute and mothers out at the market to provide food for their families. Misaki sulked, walking through the streets feeling defeated. Another horrible night of sleep, for her and her mother, but what was worse was that she had no money to buy food. The single coin she held in her pocket could buy merely an apple.

Misaki wandered the streets, wishing she didn't have the conscience that kept her from sneaking a few fruits under her dress. She passed through the thick of the market and came across the small stands where people desperately waited for someone to buy a few of their fruits.

"Misaki," a gentle yet hoarse woman's voice called.

Turning around swiftly, Misaki recognized Saburo's mother sitting behind a wooden table filled with vegetables.

"Kaoru," Misaki smiled kindly.

She bowed before Saburo's mother.

"Oh, it's so nice to see you, sweetheart," Kaoru smiled, "How has your mother been?"

Misaki hesitated, "Um…we've been getting by." She looked down nervously, embarrassed.

"Saburo has told me about your struggles. I understand how hard it must be for you to have to look after your mother like this."

"Yeah, it is." Misaki tried laughing.

"Dear, you know you can come and live with us if you like," she offered, "Saburo's father is out of town for a few months, preparing for the war. It's just me and my son, you are welcome to stay."

"No, I couldn't possibly do that to you guys. I just need to find a better paying job. Well, I better be going, someone has to be selling cheap food."

"You know, you've helped Saburo a lot since his brother went off to school and his father enrolled in the army."

"His father's in the army? Saburo told me that he was just selling equipment for the soldiers."

"It's been hard for him to come to terms with the idea. He's lucky to have you working with him."

Misaki smiled and bowed, "Not as lucky as I am. I'll see you later, then. Tell Saburo I said hi."

"Of course, dear," Kaoru nodded, "And here."

She pulled a few cabbages off her cart and held them out for Misaki.

"For you," she said sweetly.

"No, I couldn't."

"Saburo has told me about you not being able to afford food for you and your mother. Take them."

Misaki blushed and gingerly took the cabbages. She weighed them in her hands.

"Thank you so much," she smiled, "As soon as I get the money I'll pay you back."

"No need to," Kaoru said, "Take care now."

Misaki walked off, sticking the cabbages in her backpack.

Although she now had food, Misaki kept walking. As much as she loved and cared for her mother, she didn't want to have to face her just yet. The day was young, and it was only day she had off from work.

As Misaki passed the alley where she had been earth bending a few nights before, she caught a glimpse of several figures standing near the end of it. She watched as one of the figure's shadows cringed, the other standing over her threateningly.

"Give me your money or I take the child!" a loud, crude voice shouted.

On impulse, Misaki's feet ran down the alley. The taller figure had a mask over his face and was clutching the cringing woman's child. He swiftly directed the knife from the woman to Misaki.

"Get out of here," the voice threatened.

"Let go of the kid," Misaki said, her face completely serious and unafraid.

She took a step forward.

"Don't get any closer or I slit her throat," the man demanded, now pointing the knife at the little girl's neck.

Misaki froze. Slowly, she backed away. She could see in the woman's eyes that she needed help. Suddenly, Misaki crammed her heel into the ground, forcing up a bunch of floating stones. She punched three at the man's head and used the two remaining ones as steps. Her body moved quickly as she jumped off the floating rocks and flipped in the air, knocking the sword out of the man's hand and grabbing the girl as she landed. Her feet dove into the ground as she hit it and punctured two large piece of slate to slice through the man. Before they impaled him he jumped backward, doing a back flip in the air and landing one of the hut's roofs.

Misaki tossed the girl into her mother's arms and stomped out five more chunks of rock. She fired each one at the man, but he dodged them all. Swiftly, Misaki front flipped onto another roof and lifted rock spears out of the ground with her hands. The man sprung from roof to roof. But Misaki was fast. She spit the stone spears at him like fire as she raced across the gutters.

In a sudden swoop, two of the spears pinned the man against one of the larger hut's chimneys. His chest rose and fell quickly as he struggled to pull free of his pinned sleeves. In a single jump, Misaki soared from one side of the alley to the other. The mother and child watched in amazement as her body drifted over them.

After landing, Misaki walked up to the pinned man, panting, and her hair loose from the battle. Once Misaki was standing directly in front of the man, she stared into his harsh brown eyes. She lifted her hand and pulled the mask away from the man's face. His dark brown hair was slicked perfectly to the side.

"You," she hissed.

Kamin gritted his teeth and flared his nostrils.

"I knew you were no good from the first time I saw you," Misaki told him.

She kept her eyes thin to keep her fierce appearance.

"But why?" she asked softly, her voice still stiff and angry, "Why would you want to hurt a child?"

"I need the money," he admitted openly.

"That's why you tried to befriend me?" Misaki asked, her raised eyebrows curiously waiting.

He dropped his head, still tough, but accepting his defeat.

"Yes," he whispered in a husky voice.

"Well guess what?!" Misaki shouted, "I have probably less money than you do. I don't even have enough money to buy food! But what I lack in money I gain in strength and power. I am not afraid to mess up that pretty head of yours! So you better get the hell out of here and you better not pull this charade again! The fact that I work my butt off every freaking day and don't even get paid enough to buy food for my sick mother, and you just mooch off people and threaten children for money is absurd! I don't want to see your ugly face around here again, because I'll be waiting! And next time, don't expect to come out of this alive!"

He was shaken by what Misaki had said, and frankly, so was she. Her face was red, teeth bared, and hand raised in the air. She grasped for air as Kamin hung his head.

Without touching the spears, she pulled them out of Kamin's sleeves and crunched one into a boulder. As he stepped out of the way of the chimney, Misaki pounded the boulder into Kamin's stomach. He soared across the rooftops, clipping their tips with his butt.

Misaki turned away. She hoped that that would be that last time she ever saw him. Getting her breathing back to normal, Misaki sprung off the roof and back into the alley. The mother and child were still standing there in shock.

"You won't be seeing him again," Misaki assured them.

"Thank you, thank you," the mother bowed, "You saved my girl."

Misaki nodded once and exited the alley.

"Wait!" the mother called after her.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few gold coins.

"Here, take this as a reward," the mother insisted.

"I-" Misaki started to object.

She wasn't in the mood to argue over it, and plus, she needed the money desperately. She cupped her hands and accepted the money.

Bowing, she said, "I very much appreciate this. Thank you."

Stuffing the money in her pocket, she left the alley and vowed never to practice her earth bending there again.