The Voluntary Clash
July 22nd, 2010
Huyu's steps came to a halt.
He'd been hoping his reading had been a mistaken; perhaps it was someone with a similar energy. But the more he felt it, the more he was sure.
'This could be trouble.'
"What wrong?" Emi lifted her hand to touch his shoulder, in a reassuring kind of way.
Restraining herself last minute, Huyu took steps out to remain out of reach, the action seeming colder than he intended.
Kaimu leaned slightly forward, listening attentively.
"Shin'ichi."
A single name that can have so much affect.
'He's back? What? Is he going to try and talk to us again? I know! He wants to make me look even dumber and hope Emi and Huyu will turn on me! Or…maybe he'll get his crazy friend to kill me!' Benjiro gulped.
That...shadow boy!
Um...what was his name again?
"Wait, I thought you couldn't "feel" him." Benjiro remembered how he'd snuck up on them so easily last time.
"I can't. But there's a faint glow of Mamoru's creepy self, and he's pretty much just his pet." Huyu had a good point.
Mamoru!
That's right.
Emi felt her heart race at the thought of Mamoru.
He scared her more than Shin'ichi.
The way his bending worked. How he thought, just his appearance.
Ok, he wasn't ugly or anything, but there was just something dark about him. He seemed to have just a malevolence aura with him. He wasn't afraid to use his power. It brought him joy to scare others.
To intimidate.
"Are they looking for us?" She asked.
Please say no.
"I don't think so. They're walking perpendicular to us, but if we go any closer, Iwao's earthbending would probably detect us." He warned.
'Iwao?'
"So is everyone with him?" Benjiro didn't like the idea of being short in numbers.
Huyu took a moment to focus.
"No. Yuu and Kenji are missing."
'The only two that were the most level headed.' How ironic.
But giving them a break would've made too much sense.
Benjiro hesitated.
Should they just sit here and wait?
"Any ideas?" Emi wondered.
'Will they attack us if we passed?' Shin'ichi didn't exactly say what their relationship was, whether they were pure enemies or plain rivals.
Or just a group of people who'd growl at each other and walk away.
Huyu bit his lip, hating the fact that they were the ones who had to make the decision.
"Are you really so scared of him? Letting him intimidate you so easily? How pathetic."
Benjiro curled his fists.
Whoever was talking, they had a point. Why should he be the one to cower?
"I say we just ignore them. Or better yet, pass right by them." Benjiro spoke before he had a chance to fully think it through.
Wave hi if they could!
Even Kaimu looked at him like he was an idiot.
Should the idea of fighting someone with at least a decade more of experience make him wet his pants? Probably.
But he didn't feel like that.
He felt strong, confident. It'd been a decent amount of time, he'd even learned how to waterbend. Surely there'd be a difference this time.
"Kaimu, you like fighting right? What if you'd get a chance at a prodigy?" He considered his chances.
'Kaimu's strong; he'd be able to handle Iwao. Huyu could fight Mamoru. If Izumi tries anything, Emi can watch. And I want another shot at Shin'ichi.' Benjiro made a whole battle plan at this.
"I'm sure it'd be more than satisfactory." Kaimu liked the way he was thinking.
"Now hold on a minute. We don't need to turn this into a battlefield." Emi hated that idea.
Not just a practice fight, it'd be a real fight. One that'd be started for a stupid reason and could turn to bloodshed. Something that could be avoided should.
Benjiro is an airbender.
He should at least attempt to think as one.
"But why should we be the weak ones? We're just as strong as them aren't we?" Benjiro saw this as challenge.
The way Shin'ichi had thought much better of himself; he'd immediately marked Benjiro as the loser and tossed him aside.
Redemption was what he needed.
Emi looked to Huyu for help.
"As sad as it may sound, I agree with him. They'll get big heads if we just run away. As far as I see it, we'll run into a battle with them either way." Huyu partially lied for his purpose.
'If Kaimu's going to be in on this, perhaps I'll get a chance to see his techniques. See if he's really anything to worry about.'
There was one problem.
He refused to show his seal, which meant he'd have to fight without his best weapon.
'There goes my best attacks.'
"Why don't we run or something? Find a dragon to rent? At this rate it'll take us over a week to get there." Iwao complained.
He'd been asking questions nonstop since they left, completely contradictory to Izumi, who hadn't said a word.
"Consider this a detour. We have an appointment to make first and it'd be rude to show up earlier than expected." Shin'ichi explained.
"Detour? Where we going?" Iwao had a fair amount of interest in it.
"An Air Nation Settlement." Mamoru only answered the question asked.
'Yeah, there are only a hundred of those.'
Iwao had picked up on several traits of his "employers".
Shin'ichi was fairly proper, well educated, practically a genius. He was lenient, but very blunt on situations. He seemed capable of making friends, though there was an intimidating status about him, he mostly preferred solo work.
A trait which annoyed Mamoru to no end.
The shadowbender was very kept to self; isolated. He never smiled or laughed; his personality as gloomy as his appearance.
And it was obvious that the only person he trusted was Shin'ichi.
Did it bug him?
No.
Iwao decided that it must be something they'd built over years.
It was like Izumi.
She was shy, overly shy. Majorly shy. RIDICULOUSLY SHY. It must have been something from before she learned she was a prodigy. It was a rule with her. Never let a stranger hear her voice.
Iwao looked her over, wondering what such an experience could be.
He used to question why he was an exception, but it didn't take long for him to understand why.
It was only out of debt.
From the moment he saved her, he became his protector, never to let harm come her way. The moment she saved him, she became his healer. She'd never let him reside in pain. Anytime he'd been hurt, which was quite often, she'd make sure he was fully repaired; not a single scratch left.
Her intelligence was exceptional as well, making up for his lack in common sense.
They weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, as many assumed.
Their relationship was different. They were a team.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Iwao lifted his head slightly, an outsider disrupted the vibrations.
"Shin'ichi." He warned, stopping in his tracks.
"I know."
"You know?"
Why hadn't he told them then?
"My earthbending is equal to your own. Adding in years of experience and it surpasses. I however, needed to see to what extent you were capable of." Shin'ichi adjusted his glasses, the glare disappearing from the glass.
'They had spotted as well, that was what that momentary pause was. And they chose to face us. Are they hoping to make a point?' He wasn't particularly interested in a fight, but he knew how much Iwao's been aching for this.
'He couldn't have asked?' Iwao wondered what else Shin'ichi observed about them.
"How about an earthbending match then?" Iwao gave a friendly grin, "You'll get your best notes from that."
'Always thinking of battles.'
"It's a possibility." Shin'ichi didn't entirely dismiss the idea, although it was highly improbable.
He didn't want to scare the earthbender. Not that he was overly confident, but there wouldn't be a match between them.
Just a blow and then Izumi's medical practice.
The Waterbender felt her bag for reassurance; it was filled with multiple medications and antibiotics, fresh water and bandages.
'Four. An extra in their group.' Shin'ichi partly hoped he was wrong with his assumption on who it'd be.
"YO! You guys want a fight or can we keep moving cause I seriously want to kick some ass and if I don't do it here I wanna get to the place where I can." Iwao yelled in their direction.
Mamoru stared at him.
. . .
'Well, at least he's honest.' Shin'ichi never really met someone who was so open on their intentions.
Glancing at the group, he wondered how they could be so dumb as to come head on like this.
Benjiro narrowed his eyes at the shadowbender, whatever it was that gave him his courage, he was forever grateful.
"Is there anything you particularly need? We are trying to keep a schedule and this disruption is not part of the plan." Shin'ichi wasn't exactly welcoming.
Not like he needed to be.
"My my my. How you two have grown." Kaimu surprisingly spoke, Huyu and Benjiro both glanced him, "you certainly have developed out of that small kid, haven't you Shin'ichi?"
'Crap it's him.' Mamoru partly wanted to start the fight now just to blast that guy out of sight.
"You know him?" Emi asked, now slightly concerned.
'Ha...if you only knew...'
"I wouldn't so much say as know him as he had a fascination with my bending level and constantly requested a fight." Shin'ichi explained.
"You too huh!" Huyu was glad someone finally got it.
"I suspect you are his new target?"
"Any advice how to get rid of him?" Huyu didn't care if it came from the enemy, as long as there was a way around this, he'd take it.
'Shin'ichi hates him too? Man, I'm liking him more and more by the day!' Benjiro was getting on the nerves of the two people he envied most.
Two birds with one stone!
"Tie him upside down to the lowest point you can get to in a volcano." To everyone's surprise Mamoru offered this.
…Silence…
The group just stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or not.
...
Very hard when he doesn't give facial expressions...
...
"You…didn't seriously do that…did you?" Iwao wasn't sure what to think.
Mamoru said nothing, not even a smile cackling on his face.
"That's a story for another time." Shin'ichi assured.
Benjiro gritted his teeth, taking second thoughts into consideration. Was he was just being a stubborn kid who wanted to have acknowledgment and respect?
'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.'
He heard a laugh.
One unnatural, the kind you heard the maniac scream in a horror movie.
It surrounded, overtook him, part of him felt the urge to go along with it. He covered his ears trying to block it out; doing nothing but almost increasing it.
"What's wrong?" Emi asked, her voice sounded no louder than a hum.
How could she not hear it?
"Enough of this talking."
That same voice. The one without an owner, the one only he could hear.
"Let's get to the good part."
Everyone was now watching cautiously, whether he was shaking or fidgeting, twitching, his mind was just trying to settle in place, everything became blurry, he couldn't figure out what was happening.
He was moving.
No running.
'Wait what?'
Before he understood his own actions, he'd flailed his arms in attack; a blast of wind was forced directly towards the oldest avatar.
Shin'ichi swiped the attack away.
Benjiro was right behind him, he stabbed his fingers forward; the air formulated a knife like weapon, aimed for Shin'ichi's back.
It nearly hit as well, Shin'ichi, not expecting such fast movements, half stepped half rolled to evade. It cut a thin slice in his shirt's sleeve, missing the skin by not even centimeters.
'What's going on?' Benjiro tried to speak, but he was incapable.
He hadn't told his body to move.
It was moving automatically, against his will. His limbs were numb; he could feel anything, nothing he tried to do worked. As if in someone else's control. The wind against his face, the quickness of his arms, he couldn't even make it out.
"Just leave the fighting to me. Unlike you; I'm an expert."
It had to be him.
Whoever was talking, he somehow was controlling him, possessing him.
Benjiro swung the air created weapon, nearing his opponent dangerously close, the naked eye would find it more than a little difficult to keep up.
A clang.
Shin'ichi had his own weapon.
Had they been stupid to believe he'd fight without one?
It'd been hooked to his pants; his shirt had concealed it well. For a moment it was just a tube, no more than an inch or so long, but when he grabbed at it in a specific way, it expanded.
In his hands he held a full length metal staff; Emi noted that it was slightly thicker than the average wooden ones most airbenders use.
The air sword dispersed with its touch.
"You're airbending alone isn't enough to beat me." He spun it professionally at his side, holding in ready to attack.
Benjiro charged first, straight toward Shin'ichi, who met him head on.
'This isn't exactly what I had in mind about fighting.' Huyu felt this turn serious, taking a step forward.
His eyes caught a glance at the floor; his shadow was already extending towards Mamoru, his dark eyes glaring in his direction, clearly having chosen him as his opponent.
Huyu jumped back, giving distance between him and the shadowbender.
"How's your distance battling?" Huyu pushed his hand forward lightly. Water was pulled from the air, freezing itself before shooting at Mamoru as long spiked bullets.
Mamoru managed to snatch the first one out of the air without a single cut. Using it like a kunai, he deflected the other blows, graceful and skilled. Perfect form that even Huyu had to give him credit for. Obviously his fighting wasn't limited to bending.
"Your gift does not show you the true extent of my power." He warned.
His dark eyes closed, Huyu noticed for the first time the inhuman flaw of him. He lacked his own shadow.
The trees offered substitutes.
The shadows lifted from the floor, mixing together, a ball of darkness, it blasted at Huyu.
He didn't want to know what'd happen if it'd made impact.
Huyu pressed off with his foot, a pretty good leap back, his previous spot formed a wall of ice for protection, Huyu made sure to put distance just incase of failure.
The attack sped faster, not even slowing at the wall; passing through it like a true shadow.
'Shit!' Huyu could feel the radiance of it.
It was cold, even to him, burning with a stench he despised; death was the only thing he could believe would describe it correctly. Being generous even.
It was right in his face, with a split second decision, he hated his choice.
As fast as he could, he wielded his seal, slicing the ball in half, only allowing it air for a second, hiding it in his scabbard as fast as he could.
He crossed his arms in front of his face as the remaining energy was divided passed him, a wind like substance that sent a chill down him.
'He's so cautious.' Kaimu felt almost guilty for having seen the glimpse of his sword that made it so unique.
He'd keep this part to himself until they fought, of course.
"How about we test the skill of prodigies?" Iwao didn't even wait for Emi to look at him.
He took a solid stance while swirling his arms in a circle, forcing them forward.
The mixture of dry dirt and sand mixed in what almost seemed a blast of air. Her own mini sandstorm circling around her; the tiny fragments of earth attacked her delicate skin; she closed her eyes and blocked her face, her hair flying wildly.
'Why can't I move?' Benjiro knew he was technically moving, just not to his preference.
"It's pointless struggling. I'm in full control now." The voice cackled.
'What-'
He pulled the water from the tree; it swarmed around him for a minute, in an octopus like form, all the tentacles suddenly lashing out at Shin'ichi.
The avatar ran his hand across the metal staff, a blade slid out from the end, creating the perfect spear. He slashed and cut every attack that was thrown to him. Not a single one hit.
'It can change weapons?'
Huyu slid out of the way, jumping to keep his shadow out of range while forcing a beam of ice at Mamoru.
The shadowbender dived out of the way; rolling perfectly back to his feet as he lashed out his hand, another ball of shadow was thrown, this time smaller and faster, a bullet.
Huyu ducked, it sped enough to ruffle his hair; his forehead began to glimmer as he felt himself sweat. This was unlike most of the battles he fought. He had to watch everything, the trees, the floor, even the positioning of the clouds. His worst enemy was attached to him. A simple shadow.
He couldn't get close; even if he could he figure Mamoru was well trained in hand to hand combat. His distance bending wasn't as skilled, and he couldn't use his sword.
He crossed his arms before forcing them straight, the water from the grass was turned to spikes, centering on Mamoru.
Emi hated that she was forced to fight back, but it wasn't by choice. She was on the defense more than offense; she jumped to a branch in one of the few trees that held its water.
The thin crumpled earth was blasted against her; she created an air barrier as quickly as she could.
Iwao stood on a column of earth; it rose to meet Emi eye to eye.
'How could you possibly enjoy hurting another person?' Emi didn't understand.
Was there a thrill? Yes. But she didn't believe it was worth it do such a thing.
"This sucks. Whatever." Iwao seized with the attacks, lowering himself to the floor.
Izumi rushed to his side, running a had coated with water against the small cut Emi had made. She whispered something in his ear; he nodded.
'If she's not one for fighting, I guess I won't force. It aint like she's firenation after all.' Iwao grumbled upset.
Why was it so hard to find a good opponent?
Emi jumped to the floor, Izumi was almost immediately assisting her. A cool relaxing feeling relaxed her skin. The small scratches on her skin were disappearing, fading faster than they came. The waterbender inspected for any further injury.
'Uh...' Emi wasn't used to her enemies helping her.
Benjiro remained with two tentacle arms, moving faster than any waterbender should be capable of. Well, HE wasn't moving. Whatever was controlling him was.
And No matter how much he struggled, he found it impossible to move as his will.
Shin'ichi gripped his weapon firmly, deciding this was caring on too long.
'He's overdoing it.' He originally spoke for Benjiro.
He got a glimpse of Mamoru, he was still restraining his stronger attacks, but forcing on the weak ones. Trying to make them stronger than intended, probably also trying to hide the amount of energy it takes.
'I'll have to be quick.'
He charged straight for Benjiro, who lashed out his octopus arms in defense, it split into four to add to the complications.
Shin'ichi only needed to shift slightly to the left as the first buzzed passed his ear, not even the slightest flinch otherwise.
The second swiped at his feet, a decent jump with small assistance of airbending, he brought the blade end down, stabbing the third to a useless puddle.
He brought his right arm back; his left forced its way into the water arm, breaking the hold. He struck, straight in Benjiro's stomach, a painful pressure point.
Regaining conscious of his actions, Benjiro hurled forward, coughing out a mouth full of blood as his gut felt sore and weak.
Shin'ichi pulled back his arm forcefully, and Huyu made out a large amount of Benjiro's energy leaving his body, Shin'ichi absorbing every inch of it. The younger avatar was out cold, collapsed on the dried grass, officially ending the battles.
Huyu watched Mamoru; who seemed to have lost interest, walking towards his leader.
"I believe enough time has been spent here." Shin'ichi readjusted his glasses, which somehow were still on his face, not even a scratch.
'He didn't even do anything.' Huyu noted that Kaimu had literally not moved. Even that smirk on his face seemed unchanged by the slightest angle, 'Damn it! He got to watch me without even the slightest of distraction! I thought he was supposed to be fighting Iwao! What the hell happened?'
His pants were small, not yet exhausted. This had been a good workout.
'I guess we didn't plan on Emi fighting.'
Though it was more like dodging than anything.
Emi gave a silent thank you to Izumi for her kindness, a moment of awkwardness before she ran to Benjiro's side.
She looked at their surroundings, how different it was all compared to minutes ago.
Nearly all the plants were dead, crippling in depressing brown, uplifted dirt with multiple icicles stabbed into the openings, slices of woods and whatever Mamoru's attacks did, whether it was burning or disintegrated or taken by the shadows.
"He should wake up in about an hour or two." Shin'ichi turned and walked on, pressing the ends together, he forced his weapon back to a miniature tube, clipping it back to his pants.
Huyu watched him leave; not understanding what he was all about.
'He can control the amount of energy that flows between them, including exerting a large amount from Benjiro. So why does he keep toying with him? He gave a large power source that Benjiro still seems to be using. I thought it would work as a counter. Like something that'd overexert the amount he could handle and force him to pass out. But…he's actually improving.' Huyu tossed his hair, not that his eyes were really needed to make a thesis, 'he's aware of his control of it. That's why he can steal his stamina. But does he know that he provided Benjiro with that strength?' Could it be possible for an outside source?
Huyu wasn't really one for a long puzzle.
He shrugged, deciding to push it off.
Maybe someone smarter with more time will come along and could solve the case.
He's leave it to them.
He had other things to worry about, as long as Benjiro wasn't dying on the floor, it should be a problem.
Continued)
Huyu slid out of the way, jumping to keep his shadow out of range while forcing a beam of ice at Mamoru.
The shadowbender dived out of the way; rolling perfectly back to his feet as he lashed out his hand, another ball of shadow was thrown, this time smaller and faster, a bullet.
Huyu ducked, it sped enough to ruffle his hair; his forehead began to glimmer as he felt himself sweat. This was unlike most of the battles he fought. He had to watch everything, the trees, the floor, even the positioning of the clouds. His worst enemy was attached to him. A simple shadow.
He couldn't get close; even if he could he figure Mamoru was well trained in hand to hand combat. His distance bending wasn't as skilled, and he couldn't use his sword.
He crossed his arms before forcing them straight, the water from the grass was turned to spikes, centering on Mamoru.
Emi hated that she was forced to fight back, but it wasn't by choice. She was on the defense more than offense; she jumped to a branch in one of the few trees that held its water.
The thin crumpled earth was blasted against her; she created an air barrier as quickly as she could.
Iwao stood on a column of earth; it rose to meet Emi eye to eye.
'How could you possibly enjoy hurting another person?' Emi didn't understand.
Was there a thrill? Yes. But she didn't believe it was worth it do such a thing.
"This sucks. Whatever." Iwao seized with the attacks, lowering himself to the floor.
Izumi rushed to his side, running a had coated with water against the small cut Emi had made. She whispered something in his ear; he nodded.
'If she's not one for fighting, I guess I won't force. It aint like she's firenation after all.' Iwao grumbled upset.
Why was it so hard to find a good opponent?
Emi jumped to the floor, Izumi was almost immediately assisting her. A cool relaxing feeling relaxed her skin. The small scratches on her skin were disappearing, fading faster than they came. The waterbender inspected for any further injury.
'Uh...' Emi wasn't used to her enemies helping her.
Benjiro remained with two tentacle arms, moving faster than any waterbender should be capable of. Well, HE wasn't moving. Whatever was controlling him was.
And No matter how much he struggled, he found it impossible to move as his will.
Shin'ichi gripped his weapon firmly, deciding this was caring on too long.
'He's overdoing it.' He originally spoke for Benjiro.
He got a glimpse of Mamoru, he was still restraining his stronger attacks, but forcing on the weak ones. Trying to make them stronger than intended, probably also trying to hide the amount of energy it takes.
'I'll have to be quick.'
He charged straight for Benjiro, who lashed out his octopus arms in defense, it split into four to add to the complications.
Shin'ichi only needed to shift slightly to the left as the first buzzed passed his ear, not even the slightest flinch otherwise.
The second swiped at his feet, a decent jump with small assistance of airbending, he brought the blade end down, stabbing the third to a useless puddle.
He brought his right arm back; his left forced its way into the water arm, breaking the hold. He struck, straight in Benjiro's stomach, a painful pressure point.
Regaining conscious of his actions, Benjiro hurled forward, coughing out a mouth full of blood as his gut felt sore and weak.
Shin'ichi pulled back his arm forcefully, and Huyu made out a large amount of Benjiro's energy leaving his body, Shin'ichi absorbing every inch of it. The younger avatar was out cold, collapsed on the dried grass, officially ending the battles.
Huyu watched Mamoru; who seemed to have lost interest, walking towards his leader.
"I believe enough time has been spent here." Shin'ichi readjusted his glasses, which somehow were still on his face, not even a scratch.
'He didn't even do anything.' Huyu noted that Kaimu had literally not moved. Even that smirk on his face seemed unchanged by the slightest angle, 'Damn it! He got to watch me without even the slightest of distraction! I thought he was supposed to be fighting Iwao! What the hell happened?'
His pants were small, not yet exhausted. This had been a good workout.
'I guess we didn't plan on Emi fighting.'
Though it was more like dodging than anything.
Emi gave a silent thank you to Izumi for her kindness, a moment of awkwardness before she ran to Benjiro's side.
She looked at their surroundings, how different it was all compared to minutes ago.
Nearly all the plants were dead, crippling in depressing brown, uplifted dirt with multiple icicles stabbed into the openings, slices of woods and whatever Mamoru's attacks did, whether it was burning or disintegrated or taken by the shadows.
"He should wake up in about an hour or two." Shin'ichi turned and walked on, pressing the ends together, he forced his weapon back to a miniature tube, clipping it back to his pants.
Huyu watched him leave; not understanding what he was all about.
'He can control the amount of energy that flows between them, including exerting a large amount from Benjiro. So why does he keep toying with him? He gave a large power source that Benjiro still seems to be using. I thought it would work as a counter. Like something that'd overexert the amount he could handle and force him to pass out. But…he's actually improving.' Huyu tossed his hair, not that his eyes were really needed to make a thesis, 'he's aware of his control of it. That's why he can steal his stamina. But does he know that he provided Benjiro with that strength?' Could it be possible for an outside source?
Huyu wasn't really one for a long puzzle.
He shrugged, deciding to push it off.
Maybe someone smarter with more time will come along and could solve the case.
He's leave it to them.
He had other things to worry about, as long as Benjiro wasn't dying on the floor, it should be a problem.