This was next on my update list so I'm gonna get to it.

May: Yay! This is my favorite story…other then A Twist of The Heart.

Me: aw thank you may! What's your favorite story Drew?

Drew: None.

May: C'mon you should have at least one!

Drew Fine…Alter Ego.

Me: Cool! Anyhoo, I own nothing!

Wood: Manipulator

"Land! Sweet, sweet land!" May cried as she laid sprawled out on the beach with a content smile on her face. Her eyes were shut as she lay comfortably in the warm sand, moving her legs and arms up and down to make a sand angel. Misty laughed at her naïve nature and Ash joined her laughing lightly. Rebecca smiled and giggled while Max rolled his eyes while cleaning his glasses. Drew stood to the side not even paying any mind. He had no time for this girls stupid antics…than why did he smirk in an amused manner.

Drew's expression fell as he tried to hold back another smirk. He never did that…for a while. Things have been all about business so his expression seemed to be set in a permanent scowl or frown. He only smirked around her…

"Why are we wasting time with this kind of crap?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes down at May. She opened her eyes and smiled lightly.

"Just having a little fun. You do know what fun is right Drew?" She asked quirking an eyebrow and throwing a fist full of sand at him. His glare became harsher one her but she paid it no mind. May didn't want his mean exterior to get to her, if it did then she would be showing fear and if she showed him fear there was possibly no way of helping him.

'It's my job to help people, no matter what.' May thought with a determined smile gracing her features. Drew was curious as to why her expression suddenly changed and he also wondered what was going on in that head of hers. Could she possibly be planning against him? She was a force to be reckoned with; she had the strongest spirit living within her so who knows when she could possibly release it.

"Why don't we get into Beng now before it gets any later." Rebecca recommended putting her hand out to May to help her up. May took it gratefully and was hoisted to her feet. She brushed excess sand off her robes and they began their walk to the Beng gates. Ash and Misty stood at the head of the group; it was just natural since they were the oldest out of all of them. Then there was Max and Becca than as May intended she walked next to Drew.

"So what's Pao like?" May asked trying to strike up some conversation. Drew sighed through his nose and May could have sworn she say steam come out as well. He was aggravated with her and she could tell but she would not let go of this mission. "What's it like?" She repeated. "Being stuck up in the clouds limits what I know about the earth."

"It's hot." He growled simply. May blinked and put on a face of fascination when that really wasn't as interesting as it could be.

"Really…well the climate in the sky is usually really cool with the high altitude and stuff. Winter feels as cold as the water region sometimes." She said but her words landed on deaf ears. He was trying to ignore her but she wasn't going to have that.

This was something May couldn't understand. He was like a stone. Emotionless and lifeless. He was a killing machine that had a hand in killing some of the most important people in her life and she was being so kind. May thought he could understand kindness by being his example but he was harder to get through to than anyone she has ever met before. However Mikiko had once told her that every stone had a heart that beats with passion and is waiting to be reached…with Drew, May wasn't too sure.

"Vayu is…well was the best place to me. Playing fly ball was my favorite thing to do, either that or gliding. My father didn't always agree with me being so carefree and fun loving. He always wanted me to train and study. Now I see why." May explained.

Drew's expression softened. That was something they had in common. His father never agreed with him having a life where he could enjoy himself. His life had been strict since birth no matter how many times he wanted a change. He wasn't even sure his father even saw him as a son but as the next ruler instead.

"My dad was all 'May work on your wind blades' or 'May study your battle tactics', it got on my nerves…now I would give anything in the world to hear him bossing me around again." She sighed looking up into the clear blue sky. "What was your father like?"

Drew felt his stomach sink at those words. He had no taste for his father and his father had none for him. However Drew was the strongest fire manipulator he could need to take his place and that's all that mattered.

"My father…isn't nice." Drew said searching his mind for the correct thing to say. May tilted her head in curiosity.

"Why?" She asked in a tone just above w whisper. Drew didn't want to answer but he was going to speak anyway.

"Hey!" Saved by the random voice.

The group looked up in the direction where the voice came from to see a girl at the top of the wooden wall. Her navy blue hair whipped in the wind and her bangs were pulled back by wooden clips. She pushed her hands down and with a splitting noise the wood lowered to the ground splitting in two so that the girl could get to the ground. Once she was on the beach she raised her hands and the wood mended back together like nothing ever broke it apart.

"A wood manipulator…" Max said. The girl ran over to them and stopped before them with her hands on her hips. She was wearing a deep brown skirt that tied at the waist with tan shorts that reached her knees underneath. Her top was a brown sleeveless shirt and she had a tan scarf tied around her neck.

"Who are you and what are you doing on Beng shores?" She asked with a forceful look on her face. Her cobalt eyes were narrowed as she scanned them all over. Luckily for May, Max, Becca, and Drew they were still in water region clothing.

"We are from Zuan," Misty began taking charge. This girl was younger than her so she thought she'd set her in her place. "We've come after our region was attacked. This is my friend Ash and his brother Drew, and my cousins Max, May, and Becca." She lied pointing to each person.

The blue haired girl still looked skeptical but finally smiled after about a minute.

"Oh, you're refugees." She stated. "Sorry about the whole interigation thing. Today is my first day on being on guard."

"No problem." Misty said waving off the apology.

"The names Dawn Hikari! Wood manipulator at your service!" She said cheerfully as she saluted them. May stepped forward.

"Nice to meet you. I've never seen an actual wood manipulator before." She said shaking Dawn's hand. Dawn smiled sheepishly.

"I've never seen such a hyper person before."

"Sorry this is just really exciting." May said rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

"So do you guys need help getting into the region cause I can help you! I know a back way through some caves that we usually don't use but I use them all the time." Dawn said with a smirk.

"That would be great!" Becca said happily. Dawn grinned and began to walk further down the beach gesturing for them to follow.

They trekked down the beach for a few minutes before they reached a wall of wood. Dawn breathed deeply before bringing back a fist and punching the wood. It shattered to pieces and everybody cringed except Drew who had no interest in her abilities in the slightest. He could burn that wood in a second.

"You don't get splinters?" Max asked. Dawn smiled and shook her head.

"I did when I was younger and just started out with my ability but when you've been doing this for a while you sorta become immune to it." She explained with a shrug before walking on.

Behind the wall of wood was a tunnel. It was dark and the others were hesitant to follow. It looked unstable.

"How old are these caves?" Drew asked not even entering with the others.

"A couple of hundred years old." Dawn said with a smile. Drew rolled his eyes not trusting this at all.

"C'mon Drew!" May said waving for him to follow.

"These caves look dangerous, May, are you sure?" He said spitting out her name. He didn't call her Ping Heng for multiple reasons, the main one was that it could give them away and they might figure out who he was. May smiled at him in a reassuring way and took his hand in hers. He gave her a harsh look as if to ask what she was doing but he couldn't hold back the small blush that formed on his cheeks. She dragged him in the caves and Dawn closed it up by waving her hands up so that the wood would re-asemble.

"Okay just follow every step I take because there are soft spots that you could fall through and usually nobody is able to find out where they lead to. There's a legend that a man and a woman, both wood manipulators, dug out these caves and tunnels with wood but they made traps so that invaders could not use it." Dawn explained. "They were lovers too. This was like they're own little hiding spot." She giggled.

Drew rolled his eyes while May sighed contently.

They followed Dawn's steps exactly, dodging a patch that could possibly be the soft spots. May got bored after a while and started making small gusts of air by exhaling multiple times pushing her back every few times. She giggled and did it once again just a bit stronger sending her a little further. She laughed lightly and did it once more but stronger. It was a bit too strong because she flew back into Drew making them both fall over right into a soft spot.

The ground seemed to suck them up and nobody could even tell that they were gone. May screamed as they fell and Drew grabbed her wrist and held her close so that they wouldn't get separated. May looked down to see the ground getting closer and on impulse she swung her feet making a small gust that made them gently fall to the ground.

Drew hesitantly let her go and she let out a sigh of relief. She placed her hands on her knees and breathed deeply. Ever since she fell off of Gyarados she had been having a fear of free falling. This time she could think straight enough to cushion the fall a bit.

"W-Where are we?" She stuttered looking around. Drew didn't respond, he was looking in the other direction. May was a little shaky but tapped his shoulder. "Drew?"

"This is all your fault you dumb klutz!" He snapped turning to face her. Her eyes widened as she noticed the rage burning within her eyes. "CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT!!" he yelled. His hands were now engulfed with green flames and May took a step back as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

She never saw him this angry…and it scared her. No matter how hard she tried to choke back the fear and tears, she couldn't. He created a whip of fire in his hand and cracked it making her cringe. Was he actually going to hurt her? This was his perfect chance to get rid of her; nobody was around or even knew they went missing.

"You are the most annoying little brat I ever met! And the world is in your hands…" he snorted mocking her. The tears flowed silently from her eyes as he backed her up against the wall. "The world is DEAD now that we have you to count on! And its people like me that will play a hand in that death. You are a sorry excuse for a manipulator! You have NO idea what the hell you're doing, do you…"

He waited for an answer but she just stood there too shocked to speak. Right now she feared for her life.

"DO YOU?" He shouted while his hands grew more intense with fire. She couldn't handle it she sobbed and brought her hand up and struck him. The slap was powered by a gust of air making him go flying into a wall of the tunnel.

Her breathing was shallow and labored as she tried to fight back her sobs as she watched him slowly get up. What was he going to do to her now that she had just hit him like that?

Cliffy. Pretty intense huh?

May: Whoa…is Drew gonna kill me!?

Me: You have to wait!

May: Pweez Review!