A/N I don't own A:TLA, I just want to play in the world for a while. Hope you enjoy!

Shen followed Di through the maze-like streets of Taku, and realized that without the boy in front of him he'd be totally lost. There were no landmarks he could recognize, no familiarity. He wouldn't even be able to find his way to the main street, much less back to Ranshao's shop. This made him very nervous, and the feeling was not helped by the area Di was leading him to.

"So what's Ranshao got on you?" Di asked as they rounded a corner, stepping over an entire line of older men wrapped in rags with their hands out. Shen recoiled at the stink they gave off. Why would anyone choose to live like this?

"I don't think he's 'got' anything on me. He's giving me work so I can buy something I need," Shen said.

"Yeah. I've got the same deal. Listen new kid, you won't get the best, but if you follow my lead you won't get the worst either. I can help you get a blanket to sleep on, and your daily porridge. If you give me some of it, I'll even let you be part of my gang," Di said.

"Why would I give you some of my food? I don't want to be part of a gang I just want to do the work," Shen said. Di laughed.

"You're naive for someone so old. I'll give you some time and keep the offer open, but it won't be forever. I must be getting soft in my old age," Di said.

"You're what, fourteen? I'm a year older than you at least," Shen said, amused by the boy's presumption.

"I'm thirteen actually, but to me you're a baby. Well, maybe a toddler. You were able to get the magma marbles, that's impressive. How'd you manage that by the way?" Di asked.

"I'm smart," Shen said.

"Yeah yeah, keep it to yourself. See if I care, but if you want to join my gang, you'll tell me," Di said.

"I don't want to join okay? I just want to do the work for Ranshao and get what I want," Shen said.

"Whatever. You'll probably change your tune soon. We're here," Di said, walking up to the door of a ramshackle house and opening the door.

"This is the house?" Shen asked, looking around. The floor was open, with only a curtained off area in one place. The steps led to a loft that acted as a second floor. The loft had some cushions and a cookpot, guarded by an older woman who looked asleep. She had a slate next to her, and a piece of chalk. The ground floor was covered in sleeping blankets, and about ten boys were sprawled around. There was space for other blankets, but Shen didn't see any placed and marking territory.

"That's Lady Ushima, she takes your mark to prove you've gotten your porridge. Depending on how much you bring in, you get more. Some even get to go for seconds. As leader of the gang, I get a dollop of each person's share," Di said.

"That doesn't sound very fair," Shen said.

"Hey, I'm the one making plans and taking tallies, getting us all enough to even have two whole bowls, I deserve a little tribute," Di said forcefully.

"Okay, fine. You do what you do, but I'm not having any part of it," Shen said.

"Well maybe I don't want you in my gang anymore," Di said. He roughly grabbed Shen's arm and dragged him to Lady Ushima. "He's new. Ranshao says to get his mark and blanket."

"Don't order me around you whelp, or I'll give you a lesson in respect," Lady Ushima said. She raised a spoon covered in dried porridge and waved it threateningly in Di's direction. He didn't look scared, but he took a step back all the same. "Now, take this and make your mark new kid. Nothing too big or I'll give you a lesson. Then you can grab a blanket from the supply closet," Lady Ushima said.

Shen took the proffered chalk nub and drew a swirl design he remembered Mei Li telling him was an Air Nation symbol. He handed the chalk back and followed Lady Ushima to the closet. She grabbed a blanket and roughly handed it to Shen.

"You'll want to keep that on you," Di said. "You don't get another one, and the others take any blankets lying around."

"Okay. Thanks for helping me Di," Shen said.

"Don't mention it. I'm still waiting to hear how you got those marbles," Di said.

The next two weeks Shen was given little to do other than sleep, eat and hang around the house. He had a hard time adjusting to the new surroundings, mostly because of the other boys. They were all trying to one up each other it seemed, or take something from another boy. The only time Lady Ushima got involved was if any of the boys tried to take food. A man came in every now and then, looking over the boys. Once he called a group by name, Di among them. They'd been gone for almost a whole day, and when they'd come back they'd looked very proud of themselves.

"So, given any more thought to my offer?" Di asked as the third week came around. "Sitting in here won't net you any more pay you know, you're just bleeding money. Ranshao won't need me or my crew for a while after our caper, so we're clear to do some extra curricular stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" Shen asked wearily. He didn't know why Di was so interested in him, but it was becoming harder to find reasons to say no to the other boy.

"Anything we want, so long as we don't get caught. If you do, Ranshao is done with you," Di said. "That's the one rule, besides ol' Ranny getting some of the take. One of my boys was taken by the Taku Guard, and Ranshao almost took the lot of us off the payroll."

"Why?" Shen asked.

"Are you dumb? Because our jobs require us to be anonymous! If the other shop owners recognized us we couldn't get within ten feet of the merchandise," Di said.

"But how do you keep from getting recognized?" Shen asked.

"Disguises mostly. Not like masks, that would be too obvious, but you can put some obvious clothes on, or dirty your face. If you do that, then on a real job if you wear your normal stuff nobody'll recognize you," Di said.

"Do you have a job coming up?" Shen asked.

"Me and the boys have been cooking something up. Interested?" Di asked, grinning widely.

"Fine. I'll do it if it'll get you off my back," Shen said.

"That's the spirit!" Di said, slapping Shen's back. "Now, here's what we're going to do…"

Shen rubbed his head. He'd borrowed a razor from one of the other boys and cut off his hair. Di claimed that Ranshao didn't give new boys jobs often, and that Shen's hair would be mostly grown back by the time Ranshao finally got back to him. And even if not, there was always a hat.

Shen was to act as a lookout, he kept watch for Taku Guard or merchant beaters, the mercenaries merchants hired to beat anyone that came near their wares. If trouble happened near a protected merchant's stall they would get involved, clubbing anyone who made a ruckus.

The target of Di and the other boys was pickpocketing. Di and two others sat at a corner, wearing filthy blankets and covering their faces in dirt. The other members of Di's gang would be placed throughout the crowd. Anyone rich and stupid enough to give the gang some coin would show exactly where their moneypouch was, and if it was worth stealing.

If Shen noticed anyone quicken to what they were doing he'd signal, and the gang would do a fade into the crowd. It was incredibly dishonest, and Shen felt bad about what he was doing, but what other choice did he have? Ranshao claimed it would take almost a year to earn enough coin from him for Shen to get the map to the Airtemple, and Ranshao wasn't even giving steady work. If Shen didn't want to be there for years he needed money now.

A man in well-made but inexpensive cloth stopped briefly on the street next to Di, who had tears in his eyes almost immediately. Shen noticed that the other boys were doing something with their hands as the mid-tier man pulled out a small pouch and pulled a few copper pieces from it.

The man dropped the coins in a 'grateful' Di's outstretched hands, and tucked the pouch into the back of his belt. One of the other boys made a signal, and another boy who Shen vaguely recognized started matching the elder's pace. Suddenly two other boys appeared and ran past the well-off man.

The first boy sped up, bumping into the man and apologizing, following the rest of the running boys. The man watched them go with a smile, completely unaware his purse had been stolen.

Shen, though a little disgusted by how easy it had been, couldn't say he hadn't been impressed. The boys had set up the scam expertly. Only those paying very diligent attention would notice. And only if they stuck around on that street for a very long time. For the next hour Di collected stray copper pieces, and the very occasional silver piece, while his friends collected the purses of all the generous donators.

The time came though when the boys' luck ran out. Taku Guard patrolled these streets often, but because of the intense number of people they didn't bother to stick around. They were a mere presence, passing by every so often. But most patrols went through maybe twice. The later patrol went by six times, and Shen caught them eyeing Di. It wasn't impossible they recognized him. For all Shen knew the boys set up here every week, maybe every day. He signalled Di, who looked around and shook his head. He hadn't seen anything suspicious, so they'd risk staying.

The guards came around again, this time Shen sidled up behind them for a few feet. "It's those damn urchins again," the older man said.

"Who?" his younger companion asked.

"They turn up here every so often, I know they're up to something but I can't tell. I want you to stay behind here and watch them. Especially the runners, I saw one of them talking to the blanket kid a few months ago, no way a casual gang stays together for so long," the guard said.

"Whatever you say," the younger guard said. Shen quickly ducked into the crowd as the guard stopped and took a position against a wall.

Shen quickly got back to his own position and frantically signalled to Di that something was wrong, that they had to evacuate. But Di was talking to an older man, playing up the tears and didn't see him. Shen felt his stomach knot, if Di was captured, and he was on watch would he be blamed? Would Ranshao throw him out? And if he did, Shen would lose any hope of making it to an Airtemple and back to his people.

He reached into his pocket and drew out the two scarves. He'd kept them, though he had no idea why. He threw one up in the air and watched it drift down. Shen clenched his hand and then wove his fingers, trying to start up a small funnel of air. It felt like his awareness of the wind died before it could leave his fingers, the air felt inert around him. Why didn't it respond? Shen put all his concentration, waved his fingers, and coaxed a small breeze.

It caught the scarf, which fluttered as it fell. It wasn't enough. Shen dug as deep inside as he could, calling on all his reserves of discipline and strength. He breathed in, feeling the air fill his lungs. He saturated them, feeling his awareness fill there as well, and then let it out. His feeling, his connection to the air flowed with the exhalation, seeping into the surrounding breeze, and Shen felt it respond.

It was still sluggish, almost drugged, and he had to use all his might to summon enough of a breeze to catch the scarf and drag it back into weightlessness. Shen added the other scarf, breathing in and out, each breath renewing his contact and control over the wind. The breeze snaked around him and he caught it, sending energy along his outstretched arms, shaped it with his fingers, and released it into the wind. The wind in turn responded to his will, gathering itself and pushing far more than it would have.

People were starting to take notice of the sceptical. They pointed at the scarves, and many whispered to wonder how the bald boy was doing what he was doing. "Gather 'round everybody!" Shen shouted in his best carnival voice. He felt a stab through his chest as he did so, it was something he'd done when he and some of the carnies were in town, advertising for the show. "See the amazing juggling trick! Notice how my hand never touches the scarves!"

Almost the whole street was gathered around him now, and Shen put on a wide smile. He sent pulses of air into the scarves, keeping them floating, and with this he also coaxed the breeze into a circular pattern that the scarves followed. It took almost all his concentration and effort to keep the two scarves in the air, to get them to float like leaves on the wind instead of tumbling to the ground in submission to gravity.

The guard had become mesmerized too, and Di (as well as the other urchins) melted into the crowd. Shen knew that they would be at Lady Ushima's house within the next few minutes, and that if he wanted to make a getaway, he'd have to do the same. The crowd was clapping, and a small rain of coins fell at his feet. Shen blushed as he realized that he was making more now than he had in his life, as far as he knew. He grabbed the scarves and whisked the coins together in a practiced motion, depositing all in his sash to the soft disappointment of the crowd.

"I'd like to thank you all for your kind patronage, but I'm afraid I must be off!" Shen said, still in the carnival bark. "Goodbye! I'll see you all soon!" With that, he sent his hands to the ground, directing a wave of air to 'grab' the dirt and push it up and around him so he could make his escape. But nothing happened. He'd lost his tenuous connection with the air and was left standing in the middle of the crowd, palms facing the ground. He reddened, waved with his fingers, and sidled through a break before sprinting away as fast as he could.

He got lost on his way back to Lady Ushima's house, but as he wandered he came across a familiar figure. Ranshao smiled at him and inclined his head in acknowledgement. Shen cautiously walked up to the storekeeper.

"How did you find me?" Shen asked.

"I knew you didn't have any idea how to get back, but I also know you're smart. I chose the path I thought you'd follow, and had some runners posted in other areas to get me if you chose a different path. But it seems I didn't need them. My but you are an interesting find," Ranshao said, bronze eyes glinting in the light.

"I don't know what you mean. I came from a carnival, I know some tricks. I guess I didn't think it was anything special," Shen said.

"Don't try to con a conman boy," Ranshao said. Though his words were harsh he sounded amused. "I'm no fool. You're an Airbender. And you don't know where to find the others. Which means you weren't raised by them. Do you know how rare that is? It's almost completely unheard of. No, I take that back, it isn't 'almost' unheard of, it is unheard of. You my friend, are an entirely unique creature. An Airbender unindoctrinated by the monks. Sure, a few go bad but almost none ever do."

"I don't understand why that makes you so excited," Shen said. "And does it truly change very much? I'm still going to find my people."

"My boy, why ever would you want to do that?" Ranshao asked, and he sounded genuinely surprised.

"Uh, because they're my people," Shen said, as if speaking to a very dumb man. Ranshao's eyes flashed, and Shen took a step back. "And I'm having a little...problem. I'm sure they're the only ones able to help."

"You mean the trouble you're having with your bending?" Ranshao asked. Shen gaped at the older man, how had he known. "I told you, I'm no fool boy. I've learned to look at my surroundings. To see what's happening around me. I'm smart, and observant. Few things escape me. If you learn nothing else from me, learn that. Most people just look to the ends of their noses and that's as far as they get. I look deeper. That's how I know you're almost unable to call the wind."

"What do you know about Airbending?" Shen asked defensively.

"Almost nothing. But I am a proficient bender, probably one of the best you'll ever meet," Ranshao boasted.

"Even if that were true, I don't see how you could help," Shen said. "Earthbending is Airbending's opposite. The philosophies behind it, the very nature of it, is the antithesis to me."

"Boy, I told you to observe. Now contrary to your recent behavior, I know you aren't dumb. I know you saw my eyes, and I think you know what that means," Ranshao said. He took a breath in, raised his palm, and a torch-like jet of flame flew, barely moving past Ranshao's fingers. Just enough to make the point. "I'm no Earthbender," Ranshao smiled.

"Wh-what is a Firebender doing living in an Earthbender city?" Shen asked, his face white with shock. It wasn't that it was unexpected (though it was) the Fire Nation was notorious for having few ex-patriots or immigrants. They kept themselves to themselves unless forced not to, like for trade.

"That is none of your concern. The point is I can help you with your bending," Ranshao said.

"How? Does Firebending give you insight into bending that others don't have?" Shen asked skeptically.

"No. But have you ever noticed how similar our two elements are?" Ranshao asked.

"Similar? That's insane," Shen said.

"Quite the contrary. We both have access to our element anywhere but where there is no air. Both our elements are tied to our nature in fundamental ways. Even the stances share certain superficial similarities," Ranshao said. "Air is the fuel of fire. Firebenders use their inner heat to ignite the air around them, and then bend that fire. Airbenders control the air, weave it, shape it to their will, bending it. I saw you using a breathing technique to connect more fully to the air during your little 'act.' I think there's a lot we could do for each other," Ranshao said.

"I'm still not seeing how. I want to learn the Air Nomad way, that's why I want to find them," Shen said. "It's where I belong."

"How do you know? You haven't seen another Airbender your whole life, and you think you'll be able to just waltz back into their culture? For all the talk of how 'free' they are, they're the most regimented and controlled nation on the planet. Why would you want to submit to that?" Ranshao asked.

"Because I have no one else!" Shen snapped. The trauma of the marauder attack, kept stuffed down as much as he could, reared its head inside Shen's chest and he had to bite his lip to stop tears from forming in his eyes. "I have no family anymore! Nowhere to go!"

"But that's not true," Ranshao said, and Shen could almost swear there was pity in those cold eyes. "I have a family. One I've already invited you to join. Come, join me fully Shen. You passed the test I set before you with flying colors. Do you know what we could accomplish if we worked together?" Ranshao asked.

"I'm still not sure," Shen said, quietly, but it was so tempting. To be part of something bigger than himself again, it was what he'd been searching for. He just wanted to stop running, to have a place he could call his own.

"Stay with me Shen, and I promise you'll never be alone again," Ranshao said. He smiled, and Shen walked up to him quickly. Ranshao pulled him into his embrace quickly, before Shen could see the glee in his smile rather than the warmth the lonely young man had believed he saw. Ranshao patted the back of Shen's head. "You're home now son."

The next eight months passed by in a blur for Shen. He spent two months straight with Ranshao, listening to his new teacher's edicts and teachings. The elder bender taught him much about bending principle. It was not entirely new to Shen, Jung had had to rely almost entirely on abstract fundamentals to empart anything to Shen when he was training himself to Airbend, but Ranshao had a definitively new twist to things.

He taught Shen about the connection between breath, body, and will. How to push the power from the lungs and out through the body into the world around you. Shen learned that while this technique lacked the ability to do fine movements of air, and in fact almost seemed to impede his technique in some of his skills, new ones opened up to him.

While he could no longer gather the air around himself to soften his landings, his jumps were more powerful than ever with the compressed air strikes Ranshao taught him. He learned to time it so that he could send himself hurling up to the sky, then when he came down send a series of blasts at the ground, slowing his fall.

These compressed air strikes were also very useful in combat. They allowed Shen to send 'punches' of compressed air strong enough to rip wooden boxes apart. Though he had trouble, Shen once again learned how to do the dust cloud trick, through a series of wide sweeps of air-jets that blew the dust particles violently into the air.

By sending the jets along his arms, legs, hands and feet he developed a kind of close-up air technique that had one application. Battle. Though he spent so much time with Ranshao, the Firebender refused to reveal anything new about himself. The only things Shen learned were that he'd left the Fire Nation in a great hurry, and that he would never return.

He also learned that Di was Ranshao's commander of the boys. Di tested them, commanded them, and punished them should they falter. "You really had me fooled," Shen told him a few weeks into the new training. He was feeling good, it was the first air-jet he'd managed, and the first time the other boys allowed him to sit in their circle. Before they'd all turned their backs if he approached, and he'd eaten alone almost every night.

"It's all about the plan," Di revealed. "We do our parts and everything goes perfectly. Ranshao is a genius tactician, and he's able to do his business almost completely under the Taku Guard's noses."

"What kind of business?" Shen asked.

"Oh, all kinds. He imports a lot, but the people he uses don't like to just openly hand stuff to him, especially because the Taku Guard inspect everything. They're corrupt, they take some of the most valuable pieces, and with the taxes from the city it's hard for anyone to make an honest living here. It doesn't help that Ranshao isn't Earth Kingdom, the guards sometimes 'find' his crates broken, we have to do everything we can to help him stay afloat," Di said.

After Shen mastered air-jets Ranshao put him back to work. "I don't keep freeloaders," he said. "If you want to be part of this family you earn it."

Shen had happily gone to work. A lot of the business Ranshao did was to have innocuous looking things stored in other merchant's shops. He would then have the boys 'steal' these items. The merchants couldn't take the stigma of being associated with him. From there they carted the goods to Ranshao, who was able to do his business in peace. Sometimes crates would come in, and the boys would have to smuggle them to the docks where they were picked up.

Shen's job was as a distraction. He would do his juggling trick, always 'escaping' in a cloud of dust after it was done. This was also usually done in front of a shop that Di and the boys were targeting, making it easier for them to join the crowd in the aftermath.

Shen walked up the street. Di was a little ahead of him, and the other boys were scattered among the crowd. He'd kept in the habit of shaving his head before each job, which happened weeks, sometimes months apart. When he walked around Taku, getting to know the place, it was always after he'd let a little fuzz grow up first. He didn't want anyone recognizing him.

They came to the shop and Shen eyed the sun. He'd start his performance in ten minutes and five after that he'd be giving the escape cloud life. He pulled out the three scarves. Two were the old ones from the circus, the third was a red silk one Ranshao had given him on the day of his first 'performance' with Di and the others. It had a dragon outlined in yellow thread on it.

Shen threw them in the air, and the now familiar sight drew a crowd. Shen saw Di out of the corner of his eye as he slipped inside the shop, the patrons hurrying to the windows and the doorway to see the show. The familiar rain of copper pieces began. Shen wouldn't bother to pick up more than were in easy reach, leaving a very small fortune behind when he left. A rumour was going around that he was raising awareness of homelessness. Another one said he was soft in the head.

The scarves did their familiar trick as Shen commanded the air. It hadn't returned to the ease and naturalness of his youth, but he was no longer struggling to conjure a faint breeze, so progress! Shen was nearing the end of his routine when he saw a guard walk past. The guard glanced at the show, then shouldered his way inside the shop. It was the older man, the one who hadn't been fooled by Di or the others.

Shen panicked. A spike of fear went through him, and he sent the scarves up in a blast of air from both fists. He sent a jet of air at the ground, vaulting himself over the startled crowd. He grabbed the upper lip of the doorway to the shop and threw himself between the shoulders of two startled patrons.

"Young man what are you doing?" the storekeeper said. The guard turned, just before his would have caught sight of Di, whose eyes were wide and scared. Shen struck a pose, putting the red scarf (the only one he'd missed, and had instinctively grabbed from the air) over his mouth.

"Why I'm here to rob you of course!" Shen said. He looked around desperately and spotted an atrocious monkey statue with jeweled eyes. Its teeth were bared in a snarl and something about it made him uneasy. Nevertheless he snatched it up, blew a raspberry at the startled shopkeeper and patrons, then (with a jet of air to assist him) vaulted out the way he'd come in.

"Stop! Bandit!" the aging guard shouted, but he was unable to shoulder his way past the patrons crowded in the door fast enough. "Stop that bald bandit!" he yelled at the crowd.

Shen snatched his other scarves from the ground and dodged a man who tried to wrap his arms around him. The younger man weaved, keeping his back to the man's back as he tried to turn around and snatch Shen. The airbender kicked off the man's back just as another man, this one with twin swords, advanced.

Sending a blast of air at the ground Shen rocketed up to the roof of the shop across the street. "My apologies, but this bald bandit is going to have to make an exit! Thank you for your generous contributions, they were much appreciated!" Shen said. The crowd seemed trapped between confusion, anger, and hysterical laughter.

Shen sent another jet through his legs, rocketing up as he propelled himself forward, leaping between the streets. Two blocks over he came down in an alleyway, ripping the red scarf from his face and staring at the monkey. He had no idea why he'd held onto it, and considered chucking it away, but if nothing else he didn't want to waste it. He tucked the statue into his tunic.

The walk back was long and painful. Shen flinched every time he saw a Taku Guard, and he pulled his reed hat low over his head so they couldn't see his baldness. He made it back to Lady Ushima's house and met Di, who was white faced and shaking as soon as he saw the other boy.

"What was that?" he hissed as soon as he'd pulled Shen bodily inside.

"I'm sorry, the guard was going inside and I didn't know what else to do, I made a spectacle of myself so you could get away," Shen said.

"I would have thought of something! Now you've put this whole enterprise at risk!" Di said. "Ranshao is going to kill you!"

"There you are," Lady Ushima said, her voice cutting through the chatter like a foghorn. She imperiously pointed the wooden spoon at Shen, porridge dripping off it. "Go to Ranshao's. And bring the monkey." Shen nodded, and waved weakly to Di. The young thief just shrugged in return.

When Shen made it to Ranshao's shop he took a deep breath in, then out. It did little to calm his nerves. He steeled himself then pushed aside the curtain, walking into the back room. Ranshao was in the meditation position, candles lit around him.

"Do you know what you've done today boy?" Ranshao asked. His voice was steady, but the candles flared in brightness and intensity for a moment.

"I've failed you Ranshao," Shen said. He felt hollow, and all he wanted to do was please the man in the fire circle. "I'll gladly accept any punishment you give me." Ranshao surprised him, he opened his eyes and studied Shen.

"Tell me exactly what happened," Ranshao said, his voice still calm. The candles flared again, so Shen quickly spoke. He explained everything, holding up the monkey when he got to that point in the story as if to prove its existence. "So, you robbed my business partner, but it was in order to save the mission," Ranshao said. Shen nodded, ears burning and face downcast. "This may have been for the best," Ranshao said, and Shen could almost hear the gears grinding in the Firebender's head.

"In what way?" Shen whispered, barely daring to hope.

"It worked, and spectacularly. The Guard will be looking for the 'Bald Bandit' instead of the boys. They'll attribute anything missing to you and your expert casing of the places you steal from. Shen, if you follow me I'll make you a legend in the underworld!" Ranshao said. His voice had reached a fever pitch. "It'll be the greatest con I"ve ever pulled! I'll be rich after this! Everyone will be so busy looking at you they won't think to look for my hand in these thefts!"

"So I'm not in trouble?" Shen asked.

"Not at all! I'm proud of you Shen. You're finally doing what I taught you, looking past your own nose and looking," Ranshao said. Shen swelled with pride and handed over the monkey. "Oh, you can put that over there," Ranshao gestured dismissively at it, and Shen put it on a shelf. "Ugly thing, but it'll have to live here for a while until they stop looking for it. Couldn't you have taken anything less distinctive?"

The next four weeks Shen felt both closest to the boy he'd been, and further away from anything he'd ever known. The Bald Bandit plagued Taku. Things would be quiet for weeks at a time, then he would show up, red scarf knotted over his face. Shen was no longer able to leave as 'himself.' His bald head would be too much of a giveaway. Instead when not leading the Taku Guard through ever increasingly elaborate chases he would get special food and things delivered by Di.

Sometimes he was smuggled out to Ranshao's, where the two would gleefully hatch plans and new stunts for Shen to pull, it was almost like being back in the circus. Except for the fear Shen saw in people's eyes when he sent air jets at them, or the anger in the Taku Guard's faces when they chased and ultimately failed to catch him. His happiness and excitement soared when he was with Ranshao, or out putting on the 'show.' But when he was trapped in the house he grew ever more languid.

"What do you have to be so sad about?" Di asked him once, "You get to have fun dodging the Guard, leaping around while we do all the work. Here's your sweetbun, I hope you choke on it!"

"You're just jealous you aren't the favorite anymore!" Shen shouted back, but he didn't leave his mat to escalate the matter. His thoughts just sank deeper into the haze he had every time he had a moment to think.

A week after this exchange, Shen was taken to Ranshao's for their weekly planning session. Shen 'attacked' every few days now, he'd been ramping up, and Ranshao wanted the next show to be a spectacle.

Shen was deposited inside the back of Ranshao's shop. Another crate was filling most of the space, but this one was moving and making small chuffing noises. Shen curiously lifted the lid and peered inside. Brown eyes peered back, and a fuzzy-faced animal looked up out of the darkness.

The thing was poofy, and about the size of a half-grown Platypus-Bear. It had six legs, and a flattened tail. The stumps of horns poked out of its head, and the white fur was mixed with brown forming an arrow on its forehead.

The thing's tongue was lolling out, and a line of drool was falling from there to the bottom of the crate. "Hey you," Shen said, reaching out his hand. The thing nuzzled the bars with its large black nose, and the tongue came up and licked, catching Shen's fingers through the bars. Shen laughed, this thing was cute, if a bit slobbery. "Hey fella, what are you doing here?" Shen asked.

"Get away from the merchandise," Ranshao barked, pulling the curtain between the showroom and the back room.

"Sorry," Shen said, lifting his hand. "What is it?"

"It's a Skybison," Ranshao said. "I'm surprised it's being so friendly, it keeps trying to shake it's way out of the cage whenever I or anyone else gets near it. Though I guess it isn't that surprising, considering."

"Considering what?" Shen asked.

"Well, you two are practically brothers. The Air Nomads use tamed Skybison to get around. They fly. They also make excellent steaks, and are a rare delicacy in the Fire Nation. They can't be imported officially, so it's up to people like me to do it," Ranshao said.

"You're going to sell that Skybison for meat?" Shen asked. His stomach dropped. He hadn't even heard of Skybison before this moment, but thinking of the animal's large brown eyes, he coulnd't imagine a worse fate.

"Of course, what of it?" Ranshao asked.

"You can't! It's a living thing! It's beautiful!" Shen shouted. Ranshao got a dangerous look in his eye.

"Shen, what I do with my products is none of your concern. Let's just plan the next even and we'll have you out of here in a short while," Ranshao said.

"Wait, Ranshao let me buy it from you! I feel connected to it somehow, it's part of my heritage," Shen said.

"Please," Ranshao scoffed, "It's a filthy animal that you just learned about! There's no connection! No heritage! Your only heritage is me, and my business. That's all you should care for, understand? You aren't an Air Nomad, you're my Airbender, and I won't have ridiculous notions like this getting in the way. Now, let's plan."

Shen waited until everyone was asleep at Lady Ushima's house, then snuck out the door. He navigated the streets with ease, his hat pulled low over his head. Whenever he heard a Taku Guard patrol he leapt to a roof until they were gone. He was back at Ranshao's in no time, and he landed with a thump outside the door.

The crate with the Skybison was still there, shaking as the calf tried to knock the bars from their housing. Shen stole down and opened the cage door. The Skybison calf got up, supporting itself with its back legs and tail, its large head peering over the lid of the crage.

"C'mon boy, let's get you out of here," Shen said. The Skybison, drool running down its chin, licked him across his face. "Ugh, that's gross! Stop it with the slobber and let's go!" Shen whispered. He led the Skybison out to the alley and stopped. The Skybison, which had followed him at his heel, made a chuffing sound.

Now that it was out of the cage, Shen could see that it was bigger than he'd thought. It almost came up to his shoulder when it was standing, and the horns looked much larger in the moonlight. Suddenly her felt trepidation.

"Well, you're free now. Get going," Shen said. The Skybison didn't move, it only stared at him, a line of drool dripping from its chin hairs. "I said git!" Shen said, waving his arm. The bison suddenly lunged forward, faster than Shen could react. Shen was pinned under its front and middle paws, the finger-like appendages holding him in place. "Hey! Let me go!" Shen said, holding up his arms from the attack he was sure was coming for his head. Instead he felt his sleeves dampen, and something pulled on them. He opend his eyes as some drool fell on his face.

"Oh, nasty," Shen said. The tongue descended once more and the adolescent Skybison gave him a large lick. "Hey slobber-boy you can't stay here with me! If my boss finds you I'm toast," Shen said.

He extricated himself from the bison then backed away. "Go on now, get going," Shen said, waving his arms. The Skybison made a deep sound, somewhere between a keen and a roar as it watched Shen retreat. "Sorry, but I just can't take the risk. Maybe I'll see you around sometime," Shen said.

The next day a heat awoke him. Shen yelped and sat up, tangled in his mat. Ranshao, the boys cowering around him, was standing over Shen, fire in his hands and eyes. Shen scrambled up and away as a small whip-like tongue of flame nipped at his feet.

"You! Do you know what you cost me boy!" Ranshao yelled, bringing the fire-whip down again.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Shen shouted.

"Oh you don't? It wouldn't have anything to do with my missing bison floating above your roof would it?" Ranshao snarled.

"It's not like that!" Shen said desperately. He looked at the other boys, who were looking both fearful of Ranshao, and happy at Shen's disgrace. "I'll pay you back! I'm just not comfortable with…" he didn't finish. The fire-whip came down again, this time aimed directly at Shen's head.

His bald pate exploded with pain and Shen howeled. "I've told you once, I've told you a number of times, I'm no fool!" Ranshao shouted. "When the Fire Nation shipping guild discovered I was smuggling they dragged me before a judge! I challanged him to an Agni Kai over the allegations, and slipped out while they prepared it! I know when to fade into the night, but I am also no stranger to violence. It's this intelligence that keeps me free today! AND YOU JUST JEOPARDISED THAT FREEDOM!" Ranshao shouted.

"Please," Shen whispered, holding a hand over the burn on his head. Ranshao ignored him, and brought the whip down again. Shen reacted out of instinct, raising his hands quickly, breathing in then out just as fast.

As if guided by his breath the wind howled around his hands, slamming into Ranshao and blasting him back. The whip was extinguished. Shen froze, hands outstretched. He hadn't meant to bend, but it had happened. Ranshao's bronze eyes glittered as he staggered to his feet. Twin flames burst around his fists and formed daggers. He slowly advanced on Shen, the hairs blown loose from his topknot dancing in the scant breeze his march generaged.

"Please," Shen said.

"I never explained what happens to troublemakers here did I?" Ranshao asked. "Well you're about to get an object lesson." He swung his hands around, the fire knives coming right for Shen's face.

Shen twisted out of the way, his agility moving him before his mind could catch up. He leapt up and away, hitting the ground right outside the door and blasting through it with his body. "You won't run from me!" Ranshao shouted, and Shen heard the Firebender's running steps following him.

He leapt into the air, sending a jet of air down. It happened to catch Ranshao as he burst out of the house and flattened the man to the ground. Ranshao howled, and Shen grabbed desperately for the roof. A set of blunted herbivore teeth clamped down on Shen's wrist, being as gentle as they could be while still maintaining a grip. The Skybison brought Shen up to the roof and slapped its tail against the roof, tongue flicking out for a lick.

"Thanks slobber," Shen said. He looked down, and immediately pulled back. A jet of flame blasted through where Shen's head had been a moment before and Shen leapt to the bison's back. "Let's go!" Shen said, and the bison leapt forward. It slapped its tail and a strong breeze was pulled up, slowing the duo's fall as they fell to the street.

Shen leapt from the bison's back and the two started running, the bison taking large strides that were more like floating leaps. Ranshao yelled and was after them, sending blasts of fire in their direction. He'd gone completely insane, so focused on the task at hand that he didn't realize what he was doing.

People screamed and leapt out of their way as Shen and the Skybison barrelled through the streets. "Can you get us up to the roofs?" Shen asked desperately. The bison looked at him, and Shen climbed on.

The bison slapped its tail again, and the two shot to the rooftops. Suddenly there was a rumble, and Shen looked back in time to see Ranshao leap over a suddenly appearing earthen barricade as it tried to hem the Firebender in. Ranshao ignored the Taku Guard as they closed in on him, sending jet after jet of fire in Shen's direction.

Suddenly there was a deep bass roar that shook the air, and a wave of air whapped Ranshao in the face. Shen gasped and looked up to see a full grown Skybison falling out of the sky, its tail returning to flying position. A robed figure was on its back, and Shen didn't stick around to find out more.

As the bison descended toward the Firebender and the Taku Guard, Shen and the adolescent bison leapt down from the building. He wove through the streets, not caring whether the Air Nomad, the Guard, or the bison were following him. He made it through barricades by air-leaping over them, and finally came to the edge of the city. He sprinted out into the dusty wastes, using jets of air to keep him moving quickly, until he couldn't run anymore.

Shen collapsed to the ground, panting air into his lungs. He looked around and the adolescent Skybison was sitting behind him, at a loose form of attention. It was still drooling. "Go away!" Shen shouted. The Skybison sat impassively, staring at Shen with its large brown eyes. "I said leave! You just cost me the only chance of family I have left!" Shen shouted.

The Skybison ambled forward, far more awkward on the ground than in the air, and tackled him again. Shen was too weak to throw the bison off. It started licking him again, drowning him in slobber.

"That's so gross," Shen said, halfheartedly trying to push the animal off. But it was impossible, and eventually the bison's enthusiasm made Shen cheer up, if only a bit. "Okay you fluffy slobber-monster, that's really enough," Shen said, and the bison backed away, but only enough so that Shen could sit up. He placed his chin on Shen's shoulder and looked at the boy out of the corner of his brown eyes.

"Alright. I've made some pretty bad choices the last few months," Shen said. "But what do I do about them?"

The bison didn't answer, and Shen sighed. "I should turn myself in to the guard. I wonder if I could meet the Air Nomad before I get imprisoned for life?"

"If you look up, you'll find you have," a voice said. Shen jumped to his feet, searching wildly around him. "I said, 'look up' the voice said. Shen did, and saw a larger version of his companion sinking toward the ground. A bald man with an arrow tattoo and orange robes was hanging off one of its feet.

"Hello," Shen said. He found he couldn't meet the Air Nomad's gaze.

"Hello yourself young one," the man said, dismounting his bison and walking lightly toward Shen. His only weapon was a long staff that was as tall as he was. "So," the nomad said as he settled into a lotus position next to Shen, his staff draped across his legs, "You are the rogue Airbender we've been hearing about the last few weeks. This is a lucky coincidence for me you know, because I was also supposed to find out what happened to the stolen calf," the nomad smiled serenely at Shen.

"Okay," Shen said, sitting down across from the nomad. "Why aren't you attacking me?"

"For one, it is not the Air Nomad way," the nomad said. "Also, I've been listening to you since you got out here, and I'm encouraged by what I hear. You wish to take responsibility for your actions. That shows the heart of a true Air Nomad, underneath all the stealing and chicanery," the nomad said.

"Can I really be a 'rogue' Air Nomad if I was never a nomad?" Shen asked.

"An interesting question young one, and I'm afraid I don't have an answer. Perhaps I will, if you tell me about yourself." Shen found it was easy to do so, telling the nomad about the circus, about the marauders and Jung. How his father had been killed by the dead-eyed Tozoku, and of becoming the 'Bald Bandit.'

"Well, that is certainly a story," the Air Nomad said.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me," Shen said. "I'm just going to let you take me. Do whatever you want to me."

"I would take you back to the Northern Air Temple. Your fate can be decided there, if you wish it to be," the Air Nomad said. "But it is your choice. You may certainly turn yourself over to the authorities if you wish."

"Isn't that just letting be get away with everything I've done? I feel like there should be consequences," Shen said.

"It is because you feel that way I would take you to the Temple. And don't get me wrong, you will be punished," the Air Nomad said. "I am Samayo, and this is Horo," he added, pointing to the adult bison. "What's this little fella's name?" he asked, tickling the adolescent Skybison under the chin. The bison snorted and licked the Airbender's hand.

"Shouldn't you know?" Shen asked.

"How would I? He's chosen you to be his rider and companion. Skybison are partners for life you know," Samayo said.

"Slobber," Shen decided, looking at the line of drool coming from the adolescent Skybison's mouth. "His names Slobber. And we'll follow you back to the Airtemple."

"Very good. I'm afraid Slobber isn't old enough to carry you, so hop onto Horo," Samayou said. Shen did so, feeling his heart lift, even as his stomach dropped. He was, after all these years, going to an Airtemple. If only he knew what would happen when he arrived.

Author's Note: So it's been a while! Sorry about the wait, I started my Junior year of college right after I posted the second chapter, and between that and my own original work I've neglected this fic. But it's the longest chapter, so hopefully that makes up for it, in some small way. We're nearing the end of Shen's journey. There's two more chapters left, I don't want to draw it out too long and I have a specific ending in mind even if it's not written. Neither chapter is written, but I think I'll be done with it all by the end of the calendar year, if not sooner. They will be called 'The Northern Airtemple' and 'Ratviper' respectively. Please review! I can't get better if I don't know what I'm doing wrong/ right! ~ LB