Genji grunted angrily upon being plopped unceremoniously in a worn cushion on the ground. The hut the earthbender and his group of…friends, or comrades, had brought them to was modest in construction and basic furnishings, but the presence of weapons ready to be used wasn't able to escape Genji's trained eye. He could see a door in the direction he was stuck looking, and it was partially open to reveal part of an anvil, suggesting the weapons had been homemade.

One of the other boys dragged in another cushion to set Zenyatta down before the earthbender dismissed him and the rest with a friendly wave, promising to catch up with them later. After directing Angela to a simple chair at a small table toward the center of the room, he looked between her companions, shaking his head with a pitying click of his tongue.

"You have our gratitude, friend," Zenyatta began, though he still wasn't able to move any more than Genji could, "once we have healed, we will impose on you no longer."

Genji continued to limply glare up at the earthbending ringleader as he took his hat off and gave the monk a polite bow of his head. "Ain't nothin' stickin' in my craw," he said, most obligingly, while he used a pitcher to pour a cup of water for Angela, "you'll be safe here fer a spell, and I won't be kickin' anyone out 'til they can leave on their own, so you just make yerself comfortable."

"You are most gracious," Zenyatta replied with a calm smile. His serenity in the face of paralysis confused Genji to the point of frustration, but all the prince could manage to express it with was a muffled grunt.

The earthbender bowed his head again, then set his hat on the table to put his hands on his hips. "Now, I don't mean to be nosy, but I gotta ask…who're all o' you to bring out a stone cold bounty hunter like Miss Lacroix?"

"I am Zenyatta, Tekhartha and wanderer," the monk introduced himself, "I have made many friends, but possibly an enemy in my travels…but I would never have suspected I would be worth paying money to destroy."

Angela nodded her agreement with Zenyatta's sentiment, her hand still shaking a little as she took a sip of water to wet her throat. Genji knew who the bounty hunter must have been after, unless one of his two traveling companions hadn't been entirely honest. "My name is Angela of the Southern Water Tribe" she said, "but I've always thought we were too far south to mean anything to anyone."

The earthbender nodded, tilting his head just a little. "Well, then, I guess that just leaves the ornery one broodin' in the corner, don't it?" he drawled lazily while turning a critical eye on Genji, raising one eyebrow.

"His name is Genji," Angela introduced him, though she refrained from saying anything more, much to his relief.

"Well…I never heard of anyone hirin' a hunter 'cause of a bad attitude, but I can't say I feel too sorry fer him lyin' down there like that."

"Fehghoff," Genji grunted at him in frustration, though he was instantly glad it was unintelligible for Angela's sake. As much as he wanted the earthbender to back off, being outright rude to him would probably infuriate her.

The boy came to crouch next to him and looked over him quickly while shifting the grass he was chewing from one side of his mouth to the other. "Hold up," he replied at last, reaching back behind Genji's neck, "there's yer problem." The prince felt a prick as the dart that'd struck him was plucked from his skin. The earthbender showed it to him, shrugging. "That's some rotten luck you got there, bein' hit right in the throat," he drawled, "I reckon you won't be speakin' for a while yet." He grinned apologetically. "Beg yer pardon, Genji. I thought you were just bein' rude."

Genji grunted in response, looking off as far left as he could so he wouldn't need to keep staring at his competition. To his relief, the earthbender rose and moved away…unfortunately, just before walking over to Angela.

"The name's McCree," the earthbender began while his back straightened. Even from his place on the cushion, Genji could tell the boy was much taller than he was, and built well with bare arms and shoulders full of lean muscle. He wanted to burn his stupid hat, or at least see if he could make him jump into the air with a good startle. "I mean, most call me 'Reyes' fer my Pa, only he says I best keep my name since 'all he did' was raise me," he rambled on, flashing her another smile before releasing a short chuckle, "to keep it simple you can just call me Jesse."

Angela set the cup down, her composure finally returning to her while she smiled back, politely without a hint of coyness. That was a good sign, Genji assumed, though he remained wary of the attractive stranger's interest in her. "I don't mean to question your kindness, but it seems strange to me that you would risk being paralyzed by that shirshu to rescue people you don't know," she pointed out, cocking an eyebrow, "for all you know, we could be dangerous criminals."

Jesse shrugged, folding his arms. "I got an eye for that sort of thing…had some interestin' hobbies, before Pa set me straight with a boot up the a—" he cut himself off, clearing his throat, "up the rear. You 'n yer monk friend look clean as silk to me. S'the Fire Nation kid who looks dangerous."

Genji shifted just slightly, the first movement he'd managed since being struck by the hunter's dart. He wanted to tell him just how shifty he looked himself, but his tongue continued to loll uselessly behind his teeth.

"Well, I don't know how you could tell, but the war is still long over," Angela reminded him critically, "Genji deserves to be judged for his actions, not his heritage." Her words would have brought a smile to his face, if his nerves and muscles hadn't been so numbed.

Jesse presented his hands disarmingly. "Don't get me wrong, there, I'm just sayin' Fire Nation natives tend to be a mixed bag when I come across 'em. Ain't seen enough o' 'em to read 'em like I read most other people. Hope you won't blame me for bein' cautious." He cleared his throat, shrugging a little before picking his hat off the table to put it back on his head. "Anyhow, I'll leave y'all be fer now. Best get some rest." With a grin and a tip of his hat, he sauntered back outside.

Angela smiled back at the earthbender before getting up to sit beside Genji on the floor, bringing her cup of water with her. With a wave of her hand, the water coated her hand and she began to check him over as she had many times while he was recovering from Hanzo's attack. Despite himself, he treasured her attentiveness, though he couldn't tell her so.

"I can feel the venom in your blood," she murmured thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow in interest, "it appears to be leaving the very tips of your extremities." She reached down to pick up Genji's wrist with her free hand. "Are you able to move your fingers?" she asked clinically.

Genji tried, and was pleased to see the furthest joints of his four fingers obeyed his commands. Angela grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed, "you always did recover quickly." She rested his hand gently on his thigh and winked quickly before she rose again to check on Zenyatta.

Genji watched her out of the corner of his eye while he waited. He continued to wait, frustrated, while Angela lied down to rest, the unexpected action having taken a toll on her. He couldn't stop thinking about Jesse and his brazen advances on her. She was to fine for that, to be lusted after by some shady scoundrel with mannerisms just strange enough to be intriguing without being off-putting. He hated that he couldn't help but be interested in his weirdness. It must have been all part of his plan.

Genji was able to move freely, if not stiffly, after an hour while Zenyatta was forced to remain sitting, but was able to turn his head and move one of his arms. The prince struggled to his feet and stretched, rolling his head. Angela remained fast asleep, and he couldn't blame her; their long journey had been taxing enough without the threat of a bounty hunter on their tail.

"The venom may have lost its hold on you, Genji, but it would be wise for you to rest a while longer," Zenyatta said after watching him move toward the door, "your muscles will no doubt be weakened by this ordeal."

"I want to find our rescuer," Genji replied, his voice harsher than he meant it to sound, "there are things we must discuss."

"I am sure he did not mean to offend you," the monk assured him, "please, do not repay his kindness with anger."

"I don't care what he said about the Fire Nation," Genji hissed, stopping at the door to look back at him over his shoulder, "I just want to straighten something out, that's all."

To his surprise, a smile came to Zenyatta's face and he tilted his head amusedly. "He is no threat to you, Genji," he hummed, "you have nothing to fear from him."

Genji scoffed. "I'm not afraid of him," he replied defensively, "he just needs to know that Angela deserves more than to be drooled on by some cocky asshole with a stupid hat."

Zenyatta chucked light-heartedly, shaking his head. "Genji, I assure you; you have nothing to fear from him," he repeated emphatically with a cocked eyebrow. Genji got the sense he was trying to tell him something without saying it outright, but he couldn't discern what it was. Frustrated, he tossed his head.

"Yes, he is the one who should be afraid if he thinks he can lay his hands on her," he growled, storming out into the waning sunlight without waiting for another response. He knew it was a slight overreaction…but he didn't really care about that. After all, he had some pent up energy to spend, and spending it on Jesse seemed constructive; two birds with one stone, as it were.

The area they'd been brought to was like a small town on its own, though it was considered a part of the larger city of Omashu. With the city center hidden behind walls a distance away, the outskirts looked entirely unrelated. It was quaint and homely at first glance, but he could see hints of un-refinement hiding in the alleys and dark spaces between small shops and homes.

Despite all the people going about their business in the streets, Genji couldn't see a single guard or soldier, no one uniformed to express an orderly presence. Perhaps it explained why Jesse and his young friends had taken it upon themselves to handle the bounty hunter in the plains just beyond the furthest cottages. Of course, he made a point of setting that matter aside in his mind, at least until he'd made things clear between them.

He didn't need to move before spotting Jesse leaned against the wall three feet from the door, a lit pipe in his mouth and his hat lowered to hide the top half of his face in shadow. Genji approached him and waited to be acknowledged, but wasn't. He leaned down, slowly, to peer under the hat and caught him…sleeping. He smirked and reached out to flip the hat off his head, only to have his wrist grabbed in an instant, causing him to yelp.

"Who the hell-!?" Jesse exclaimed, tilting his head back to peer at him from under his lowered hat, his eyes wide and startled. He grinned and used his free hand to push the hat back again before releasing him. "Well, now, look who's on his feet," he murmured, shifting the pipe with his tongue, "didn't mean to scare ya, there."

Genji folded his arms, frowning excessively. "I am not scared," he declared indignantly, "you were the one sleeping in the open where anyone could attack."

Jesse chuckled quietly. "Wouldn't that mean I'm not scared, either?" he queried confidently. He shrugged, standing up straight again to pluck the pipe from his mouth, looking down at him. "You don't mind, do you?"

"What?" Genji looked between him and the pipe, then shook his head, groaning. "No," he grumbled, "I need to have a talk with you, McCree."

Jesse's grin lessened a little, but didn't vanish completely. "Oof, last naming me, huh?" he murmured, "here, I thought we might be friends." He shrugged, putting the pipe back between his lips. "Guess I have the time if it's important. Walk with me; it'll be good to stretch yer legs. Will help the stiffness."

The earthbender's concern for his health in the face of his blatant hostility was aggravating. Why did he have to ooze charisma from every pore? The bastard. "Fine."

They left the hut behind, proceeding through the crowds of a particularly busy street. Genji avoided saying anything until they were out of the thick of it, but he noticed how Jesse was leading him closer to the city walls, away from the open of the plains beyond. That hunter was probably still out there, somewhere, he knew. As much as he'd wanted to think Jesse was a fool for his friendly nature, it was clear he knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, it cooled some of his anger toward him before he got the chance to speak.

"So…Genji, right?" Jesse began thoughtfully, "what's on yer mind?"

Genji grunted to clear his throat, glancing over at him for just a second. He seemed completely at ease. He had expected more apprehension from subjects of the Earth King in the presence of someone who would have been considered an enemy only a decade before. Perhaps he didn't know he was a firebender, despite identifying his national origin on sight…or perhaps he was just that confident. Genji wasn't sure which he preferred, but it came as a relief to him, regardless.

"Your flirting with Angela," he stated, most of the fire gone from his voice, "it's inappropriate. She deserves respect and a degree of delicacy, not cheap charms. I want you to stop."

Jesse stopped, causing Genji to do the same. "I'm guessing it's inappropriate because you found her first, right?"

Genji could feel his cheeks warming, fully aware he was blushing. "It's more than that!" he hissed.

Jesse smiled warmly, nodding. "I know, I know," he said calmingly, "I was just teasin' you. Look, I can see plain as day that she's a real special lady, especially to you, and I was just tryin' to be friendly."

"You said all the thanks you needed was a smile. Were you not trying to flatter her?"

Jesse laughed openly, hooking his thumb under his belt. "'Course I was tryin' to flatter her," he chuckled, "but that don't mean I'm out to steal her honor or anythin'." He shrugged lazily. "Don't get me wrong; I like seein' a pretty girl smile as much as anyone else, but…" he paused, the confidence in his bearing shrinking just a tiny bit, "let's just say she ain't my type. Little too, uh…dainty."

Genji's stance relaxed upon hearing that, though he found it hard to believe Angela wouldn't appeal to any man. She was so beautiful and kind…and strong. He grunted to focus his mind and squinted at him.

"You prefer…girls built like mountains?" he asked, allowing a small hint of humor to leak into his voice. With the threat gone, he couldn't help but behave more familiarly toward the boy who'd showed him nothing but kindness. It even crossed his mind that he might like him, just a little bit.

Jesse laughed again, holding his pipe to stop it escaping his teeth. "Whatever you say, pardner," he drawled happily.

"Very well," he said, "if they were only words, then you must expect something as payment for saving our lives. Do you want gold? I only have Fire Nation coins, but I'm sure they have some value here."

Jesse let out a low whistle, a puff of smoke escaping his lips as he shook his head slowly. "I ain't gonna say no if yer offerin'," he said truthfully, "but it don't seem right to ask fer money after savin' someone who didn't even ask you to."

Somehow, Genji realized he wasn't surprised. Finally, he let himself admit that he liked this earthbender. "I haven't met many others with such an honorable, yet honest attitude," he stated, impressed, "I don't know if I should pay you to reward it or let you keep your uncelebrated hero status."

"If we don't tell anyone, you can do both," Jesse murmured slyly, grinning again, "just remember it was yer idea."

Genji let himself chuckle, handling some coins in his pocket. He grabbed a handful and pulled it out. "I remember you dropped this when you rescued us," he lied playfully, placing the money in Jesse's hand.

"Oh?" the earthbender replied, playing along, "thanks for returnin' it. I don't think I've ever met someone with such an honorable, yet honest attitude."

Genji rolled his eyes at the good-natured jab and started to walk ahead, shoving both hands in his pockets as he walked. It wasn't long before Jesse strode up beside him to continue their meandering path through the town, both of them traveling in a thoughtful, observant silence for a while. It wasn't until they'd curved their way around to head back that Jesse spoke up again: "so, about that bounty hunter…"

"I'm not sure who she is, or why she came for us," Genji replied quietly, neglecting to tell him about his suspicions, "we didn't even know she was following us until she attacked, but…she must have been, unless she managed to track us through the swamp."

"I wouldn't put it past her," Jesse replied grimly, "Lacroix's made a name fer herself in these parts, and up near Ba Sing Se, too. She charges a lot, and fer good reason. I don't think anyone's escaped her yet. I mean, I ain't tryin' to scare you, but I only think it's fair you know what yer dealin' with."

Genji shook his head dismissively. "No offense taken…in fact, I appreciate that." He looked over at him, frowning, "I suppose we shouldn't stay here much longer, if we want to leave her behind."

Jesse nodded, looking off into the distance. "My group saw her slink off into the woods after she got up. She'll need some time to recover from that knock I gave her, so I'd say you got about an hour to head out on the other side of town. Best stay out of sight 'til you got the city between you and her, though." He paused, grimacing. "N' try not to bring any more attention to yerself," he added, his voice low and dire, "it ain't the safest place in here, neither."

Immediately catching on that Jesse was referring to something specific, Genji took a quick look around. Acting casual, he scanned the people around them for anyone that stood out by trying to avoid notice. His trained eye spotted someone just before they shifted out of sight, their movements disciplined and graceful. The person he guessed was a man had been dressed in typical Earth Kingdom colors—shades of green, brown, and tan—but his demeanor wasn't that of a commoner.

"Is there something we should be aware of?" Genji asked quietly, but in a light tone as if he was having a simple conversation. Jesse glanced around, then led Genji out of the open and into an alley.

"Not sure if it's related, but there've been some shady folks hangin' around this town for a while," he explained in a whisper, "I mean, since the war the higher ups inside the wall pulled the guard back. Paranoid and selfish…but bottom line is there ain't been trained soldiers around for a while, then these people show up. Me n' my pa spotted 'em immediately, tryin' to sneak n' spy. He said he thinks they're from Ba Sing Se…not sure what they're doin' here, but I don't like 'em. And they been mighty interested in us the whole time we were walkin'."

"What do they want from us?" Genji whispered back, his expression dark.

"Like I said, don't rightly know…but I ain't seen 'em this interested since they got here. Tell you what, I'll pick out some spare clothes fer you and yer friends, help you blend in a little more."

"They…could be agents of your Earth King, sent to keep the peace," the prince replied, unable to keep suspicion from leaking into his voice, "why would you be so eager to help us?"

"They ain't here to help any of us," Jesse growled, his voice unintentionally getting louder in obvious anger. Genji glanced to the end of the alley, wincing and hoping they didn't attract anyone. The earthbender took a brief pause to control it again, then continued, "I seen a whole group of 'em stand around like idiots while an old man and his son got attacked and nearly knocked out cold by a group of muggers. Didn't lift a finger, not even when I got involved. Decided right then that I ain't gonna let 'em have whatever they're after, don't even care what it is."

The prince nodded slowly, his mind wandering to his own home city. He hadn't paid any attention to the realities of rule…and it occurred to him he didn't even know if injustices like these were allowed to exist in the Fire Nation. Suddenly, he wished he'd been a better student, as much as he hated their tutor.

"That isn't right," he agreed.

"You betchyer ass it ain't right," Jesse replied emphatically, ushering Genji further down the alley, toward the other side. "Beggin' yer pardon," he added once they'd slipped out into a group of people waiting for their food at a street vendor's stall, "they grind on my every nerve, but Pa says I should keep my temper. Let's get you back and see how yer monk is doin'."

"Thank you, McCree…Jesse," Genji murmured, glancing over at him quickly to be sure he'd heard, "I hope we'll have the chance to meet again, under better circumstances."

Jesse gave him one of his charismatic smiles. "That'd be just fine by me."

Genji's focus was on their surroundings while they covered the rest of the short distance between the earthbender's home and their position. He couldn't think of any reason agents from the Earth Kingdom capital would be after him or any of his companions. Not even "Fire Lord" Hanzo should have had access to those kinds of resources, but he wasn't going to risk it, not with a bounty hunter on their tail already. Leaving Omashu as soon as Zenyatta was able and staying far from Ba Sing Se would be the safest course, and he was eager to be under way.