Avatar: The Warring Earth
Book Two—Air
By Twins of the Pen
Disclaimer: Avatar in itself belongs to Nickelodeon and Bryan Konietzko/Michael DiMartino. The only things that belong to Twins of the Pen are the original characters.
As soon as Tiki and Syaoran were out of sight, Shun had a brief moment of panic. What was he thinking, letting the two of them loose in a city that had become extremely hostile towards benders? Knowing Tiki, that was just asking for trouble. But even so, he reminded himself that this was necessary, that if they wanted to gather as much information as possible, they would have to split up. The giant waterbender feared for Syaoran and Tiki, but he had to trust that they would remain discreet enough to return to him and ZanYi unharmed. In the meantime, he and ZanYi had their own reconnaissance to do.
Shun stepped onto the sidewalk and, making sure that no one was watching, gestured for ZanYi to follow. "How do you plan on getting in without ID?" he asked her curiously, keeping his eyes focused firmly on her face. It was the safest place he could look, though he did find her new eyes a bit disconcerting. The change was necessary, however, if they wanted to avoid having her recognized.
ZanYi looked at Shun with a brief smirk. "Don't worry about that. I'm going to go in first and you come in a minute after me," she told him confidently. Without another word, ZanYi stepped out onto the sidewalk, looked both ways across the street, before crossing it with a smooth stride and her head held high.
With ease, she walked into the bar, and several pairs of eyes went to her. ZanYi knew that would happen, but she focused on the guy near the door, presumed to be the one checking IDs. Sure enough, he then asked her, "ID, please," in a gruff voice.
ZanYi pretended to peruse the bar with her eyes before looking at the man. "Sure," she answered in an easy tone. The lieutenant patted down her pockets before feigning shock. "Crap. I'm so sorry, I seem to have left it behind at my hotel," she lied, looking up at the bouncer. Her lips curled into a smirk as she sauntered a little closer, leaning on the counter next to him. "But I assure you, I'm over the drinking age."
The man eyed her for a moment, and ZanYi thought she might have seen him gulp a little. "Hotel? New around here?" he asked, looking at her in a way that she normally would have burnt a man for. Instead, she merely nodded. "Which one?"
ZanYi let out a small growl. "Ugh. The name is escaping me, but it's been a long day of travel and I just need a drink. Anyway, can you just let this slide?" ZanYi looked up at him, the fire that normally lit her gaze showing through to warm the brown, a coy half-grin on her lips as her expression implored him.
It took a bit more thought than she would have preferred, but then the man nodded, a bit of a smirk on his face. "Sure, and tell the bartender the first one's on me."
"Thanks. You're a doll."
With a satisfied look on her face, the lieutenant sauntered over to the bar and seated herself up on one of the high-chairs, crossing her legs as she leaned over the bar and waited for Shun to come in after her.
Shun waited a full sixty seconds, just as ZanYi wished, before entering the alcoholic establishment. He showed his ID to a disinterested door man, who was too busy staring at something across the room, and turned to the room at large.
It was very much the recreation of the bar room scenes in movies—beat-up pool tables, acrid smoke filling the air, rough-looking thugs in one part of the room, skeevy playboys and desperate-looking women in the other. A few of said women eyed him interestedly as he walked in, but he hardly noticed, searching for ZanYi. He found her soon enough, and was making a beeline for her when something he did not expect began to occur.
"Hey, baby. What's your poison? It's on me," a man drawled as he leaned against the bar next to the lieutenant, eyeing ZanYi up and down in a way Shun did not appreciate. He was about to move over there and—do something… he wasn't exactly sure yet—when inspiration struck him. He did not want to get into a fight before they had an opportunity to gather information, so the only avenue of attack left to him was his intimidation factor.
Glad that he already had on his leather jacket and that he had not yet shaved, Shun pulled the rubber band from his hair, letting it fall long and messy over his face and shoulders. He then circled the bar, coming up behind the man who was hitting on ZanYi. Shun grabbed him by the shoulder, working to make his expression tough and intimidating.
"Hey, buddy," he growled to the back of the man's head, "you mackin' on my girl?"
The man turned, looking irritable. "What, you wanna—" he began, before cutting himself off with a choke when he took in just how much bigger Shun was than him. His face paled considerably, and he backed away, being extra careful not to make any sudden movements. "S-sorry," he stuttered in a very different tone of voice, "I-I didn't know she was with someone—"
"Keep walking," the giant waterbender advised with a sneer. The man did as he was told, retreating to the farthest corner of the bar, out of Shun's sight. Once the man was gone, Shun took a seat next to ZanYi, openly grinning at her. "Are you having fun? Because I am," he said, his grin containing hints of mischief. Shun would be lying if he claimed to not enjoy that, just a little.
ZanYi scoffed at the waterbender with a small snicker. "'Mackin'? Really?" she asked with a roll of her eyes. ZanYi looked to the bartender with a snaking smirk back on her lips, confident. "Hey, you," she called out, and the man turned to give her the same look.
"What can I get you, lady?" he asked her, leaning on the bar counter towards ZanYi.
"Just get me an ice-cold beer," the lieutenant answered confidently, jutting a thumb back towards the door. "Big Guy up front says it's on him."
The bartender looked at the bouncer and shook his head before looking at Shun, drying his hands on a towel. "You with this guy here?" the man inquired, lifting a brow.
ZanYi turned to look at Shun, an appraising glint in her eyes as she swept over him with her gaze. It was like he was prey. Turning back to the bartender, she replied easily, "No, but he wishes." Finding that satisfactory apparently, the bartender gave Shun a sneer, as if it was a victory for him.
"I'll be right back with that for you," the man said before walking to the back to get ZanYi her drink. Then the lieutenant turned to Shun with a chuckle.
"I might be having fun now," she answered, cocky.
"Very funny," Shun deadpanned, giving ZanYi a look. He was a little irked that she had referred to the bouncer as 'Big Guy', when that was usually his nick-name… and then he realized that he was getting territorial over a nick-name.
The bartender passed ZanYi her beer with a smile, but before he could say or do anything else, another woman down at the other end of the bar called him over. As he left to serve her, Shun turned, pretending to scope out the room while muttering to ZanYi.
"So what's our plan? Split up and work the room separately?" he asked, finally noticing that he was attracting the stares of a few women, some who weren't bad-looking. ZanYi seemed to want to play this by using her feminine wiles, and since she had gotten into the bar without being carded, Shun was confident that she could handle herself. Which left him to try and chat up some of the lonelier-looking women in the place. He could do it… he thought. He would just make sure that he stayed where he could see ZanYi, should she happen to get in over her head with someone.
ZanYi looked around her, noting the stares she was getting as well. If the lieutenant was not accustomed to having fought battles and trained in the rain, mud, and natural elements, it would have been enough to make her feel dirty. But she knew this would happen, and for the sake of intel, she had to keep it up.
"It's the best chance we've got," she muttered, feinting a sip of her beer before she sat it down. She was on duty, and that meant no alcohol for her, regrettably. Her gaze caught onto the bartender again, watching him take orders down the side of the bar. "We won't get anything out these people if we stay together." Putting her drink down on the bar, she leaned close to Shun, lips almost against his ear. "I'll take care of the bartender. He's bound to know a lot. Just watch out for the chicks in the back corner. They look about ready to tear your clothes off."
As if she had said something flirtatious, ZanYi pulled back from Shun with a side of her lip pulled up. The lieutenant leaned back in her chair, toying with the beer bottle in one hand and she watched the screen up ahead for the Choukos' repeating announcement, feigning interest.
Shun forced down the sudden shudder that went down his back, a little unnerved. Well, he hadn't expected that… ZanYi had just whispered in his ear. What was wrong with him? To distract himself, Shun switched his gaze to the corner ZanYi indicated, seeing that indeed the women there were eyeing him like he was a defenseless piece of meat, out in the open. He almost wished that ZanYi had pretended to be his girlfriend now.
"Here goes nothing," he mumbled under his breath, leaving the stool next to ZanYi. He already felt naked with the way the women were watching him, but he figured, if they were that eager to talk to him, why shouldn't he oblige? Maybe, just maybe, if Shun played his cards right, they would be willing to tell him whatever he wanted to know… though he felt a little terrible about the way he would have to potentially use them.
"Hey, you! Tall Guy!"
Distracted, Shun turned to the voice calling him. A tall blonde woman was there, leaning against a pool table with a stick in her hands. She smiled at him when their eyes met. "Yeah, you," she confirmed when he gave her a questioning look. "Come over here. Keep me company for a while."
Unable to do anything else, Shun obeyed. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the blonde was about two inches taller than ZanYi, who was already on the taller side. Her eyes were a deep shade of green, suggesting she might be a non-bending descendant of earthbenders, and her lips were painted a bright red. She certainly dressed to flaunt her best assets as well, her brown tank top hugging her curves as well as the faded blue jeans she wore. The ranch-hand boots were a nice touch, Shun thought, and he brought his eyes back up to meet hers again: she seemed flattered by the once-over he had given her.
"I'm Hua," she introduced herself, offering a hand. Shun shook it, and her smile grew. "You're not from around here, are you? I've never seen you before."
Shun quirked an eyebrow. "What if you have seen me before and just forgot?" he posed, playing along. Hua's smile turned flirtatious.
"Trust me: I would've remembered someone like you," she drawled. "You got a name, Tall Guy?"
"Maybe," Shun replied, deciding that remaining mysterious would keep Hua interested, "What's it worth to you?"
Hua arched an eyebrow. "How about a drink?" she offered.
"I can buy my own drinks."
Hua's red lips smirked. "Then what do you want, Tall Guy?" she asked, leaning back on her hands to provide him an enticing view. Or it would have been, if Shun wasn't already smitten by a certain firebending lieutenant. However, he had a role to play, so he leaned in close, trying not to feel incredibly awkward with his lips at Hua's ear.
"Information," he replied. Hua turned to look at him, seeming more interested than ever.
"Information about what? Me?"
"As interesting as I think you are, Hua, I want to know more about the city."
Hua chewed on this, her dark green eyes surveying Shun. There was a look in her eyes that made Shun want to blush, but he told himself to man up and keep his poker face. "How about I play you for it?" she challenged unexpectedly, gesturing to the pool table behind her. "If you beat me, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
Now it was Shun's turn to consider her; Hua's poker face was well-crafted, she gave nothing away. "What if you win?" he asked, wanting to know just what he was getting into. Hua's eyes sparkled—she was clearly enjoying this.
"If I win…" she began, trailing a finger down his chest, "then you give me what I want."
"And what would that be, Miss Hua?"
Hua gave Shun a slow once-over, and the giant waterbender could not help the slight flush that tinged his cheeks, despite his best efforts. This woman named Hua was dangerous, he could tell. She looked back up to meet his eyes, a sensuous grin on her lips.
"You."
Shun raised his eyebrows. "Playing for high stakes, huh? You're not a hustler, are you?"
Hua laughed. "Does it matter? Either way, you'll be getting lucky," she teased with a wink. Shun swallowed slightly, but his smile was confident.
"All right then," he agreed, shrugging out of his leather jacket to drape it over a nearby chair, "but I warn you, I'm no pushover."
Hua smirked. "I wouldn't be talking to you if you were, Tall Guy," she assured him, throwing him a pool stick. "Let's do this."
Even as ZanYi toyed with her beer, she was listening all around her. And she could tell immediately that Shun was about to get himself in over his head. Out of the corner of her eye, the lieutenant saw the way the blonde carried herself and it did not appease her at all. She was a hustler. No question about it. Shun was going to need help. But for now, ZanYi was going to have to leave it be, just keeping an ear out for the large waterbender.
When the bartender made his way back over to ZanYi's end of the bar, he noted Shun's absence with a smile as he looked over her. "Lose something?" the man said, gesturing to the behemoth at the pool table with a jutted thumb. ZanYi returned the expression.
"Just keeping my options open," she replied, using that moment to look around the bar. "After all, there are a lot of choices here."
The bartender raised his eyebrows, as if amused and pleased by ZanYi's daring. "I suppose there are," he agreed. Leaning onto the counter, he grinned up at ZanYi confidently, "Though I can tell you they aren't worth your time."
ZanYi put down her drink, draping one elbow on the back of her chair as she eyed him. "Oh yeah?" she played along with mischief in her gaze, "And tell me how you know that."
"Because you are a woman who can get any guy in this room, but you chose to sit at the bar alone and survey the room," he observed, smirking, "which means you're not desperate and looking for just anyone. You know what you want and not going to settle for less." The bartender's gaze moved to look her straight in the eye, cocky. "Did I nail it?"
ZanYi appraised him with satisfaction. "And if I was that sort of woman, who should I be looking at?" she asked him, but using her eyes to roam over him as she did. The man was no Shun, but he was certainly bigger than Syaoran. His dark hair was ruffled like he had just rolled out of bed, and his eyes were even darker, the kind most women would probably fall for. However, ZanYi wasn't normal and therefore did not actually care.
The man's sneer was devilish as he answered, "I do think you would already be looking at him."
"And what would be the name of the man I'm looking at?"
"Kai. And you, Sexy?"
ZanYi pretended to be flattered by the title, so that showed on her face. "Call me Yi," she told him. However, she did continue, "I'm not sure if you're quite my type. I prefer a man in uniform and," ZanYi looked at his t-shirt and tattered jeans, "I don't quite call that a uniform."
Chuckling, Kai shook his head. "Well," he began to correct, "I may not have one of those, but I'm sure I could borrow my brother's. Soldier for the Neo-Equalists."
This time, ZanYi did not have to fake anything. Her smirk deepened and so did the interest in her eyes. Now they were getting somewhere.
Halfway through their pool game, and Shun had already long since learned that Hua was a force to be reckoned with. She made each and every shot she called, sometimes while smirking self-assuredly at Shun. The giant waterbender was getting warm around the collar. He was managing to hold his own, but Hua was good. Really good.
"I take it you do this for a living?" Shun asked, watching yet another striped ball being sunk into a corner pocket. Hua flashed him another one of her seductive grins.
"A girl's gotta make a living somehow, doesn't she? No one else is going to look out for me, so I do what I have to."
Shun quirked an eyebrow, picking up on the dark undertone of Hua's words. "No one? Not even family? Parents? Siblings?"
"You ask a lot of questions."
Shun shrugged a shoulder, remaining silent. Hua appeared to observe him for a moment, leaning on her pool stick, before she bent over to take another shot.
"…My parents and my older sister were benders," Hua admitted quietly, aiming the cue ball at the eight ball. Shun gulped; if Hua made this shot, it would be game over, and he would end up having to go home with her. But it appeared her concentration was wavering, as she delved into what seemed like a painful part of her past.
"I never had the talent, but they were something else. Admirable. Powerful… everything I wanted to be. I was proud to be part of their family… but I was also jealous. So when the Neo-Equalists kicked our door down, I did nothing to stop them. I stood by and watched my parents, my older sister… I watched my family get dragged away. And I did nothing."
Hua hit the cue ball. It flew towards the eight ball, knocking it towards one of the center pockets… but the eight ball glanced off the edge and rolled away across the table. Hua sighed and straightened up, looking Shun in the eye. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret what happened to them," she continued, her poker-face slipping to reveal the pain and shame in her dark green eyes. "But there's nothing that can be done now: the Neo-Equalists have taken the city. No bender is safe here anymore. This war is as good as finished."
"Hua," Shun breathed, but she shook her head.
"Your turn," she urged him. Shun gave her a pitying look, but nonetheless bent to take his last shot. The eight ball was teetering on the edge of a corner pocket near Hua. If Shun could align his shot properly, he would win the game. And though he felt sorry for Hua, Shun could not afford to miss this shot.
The giant waterbender took the shot and held his breath. He hit the cue ball wrong, and it spun sideways, away from the eight ball. Just when Shun thought he was going to miss, the cue ball bumped the eight ball before spinning away in another direction. And that bump was all that was needed for the eight ball to fall into the corner pocket. Hua sighed, a resigned smile on her face.
"That's a shame. I was looking forward to seeing you naked," she shamelessly admitted, making Shun blush. After a moment, she shrugged and laid her pool stick down on the table. "But, a deal's a deal. You want information? I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
Shun approached Hua, leaning over so he would not be overheard. His eyes were intense as he met Hua's curious gaze. "The airbending couple on T.V.: do you know where the Neo-Equalists are keeping them?"
Hua's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Why do you need to know that?" she wanted to know, a glint of suspicion entering her eyes for the first time that evening.
"Hua," Shun addressed her, "if you know something, please tell me."
Hua surveyed Shun, all flirty pretenses gone. It was like she was really seeing him for the first time, and was not sure whether she liked what she saw. Shun kept his gaze locked with hers, refusing to look away. He had already revealed how important this information was to him, and could not back down now. There was a lot at stake.
"…This is just a rumor," Hua muttered, finally coming to a decision, "but… they say that the airbenders are being held prisoner in their own summer home on Air Temple Island."
"Air Temple Island," Shun repeated, committing it to memory. He turned a grateful smile onto Hua. "Thanks for your help."
"No problem," Hua replied, her sensuous smirk returning. "Thanks for a fun evening. …Oh, and one more thing…"
Hua beckoned with a finger, silently asking for him to bend over further. Thinking she meant to tell him something else, Shun obeyed. What he did not expect was for Hua to stretch up, sling an arm around his neck, and kiss him full on the lips. Shun froze, stunned, but Hua didn't seem to mind. After a moment, she released him, her lipstick smudged as she smirked at him.
"See you around, Tall Guy," she whispered, letting her hand trail down his neck before she walked away, towards the bar. His face burning, Shun decided he needed some air, so he left the bar as quickly as possible. Once outside, the giant waterbender took deep breaths, covering his mouth. Did that really just happen? Had he really gotten his first kiss from some woman in a bar? Shun had no idea whether to be embarrassed or pleased. He just hoped that ZanYi hadn't seen anything.
However… as she talked and flirted with Bartender Kai, ZanYi did see it. If she hadn't actually been faking a sip at her beer, the sight in the corner of her would have made her spit out the alcohol anyway. It was not as if she put it past the blonde to do such a thing; it was Shun's reaction. The man was clearly flustered as he brushed swiftly out of the bar.
ZanYi scoffed at such a rookie move. Looking back at the bartender, she shot him a sensuous look, continuing her discussion. After all, she was making even more progress than she had even imagined. Finding a soldier's brother was like a gold mine. Especially one so eager to impress. Cocky, even.
"So, you're saying you could get me a tour of Air Temple Island?" ZanYi asked him, picking up on his latest offer to try and score. Kai gave her what he must have thought was a smoldering grin.
"If that gets me a night with a woman such as yourself."
ZanYi pretended to ponder on that, as if not sure whether she wanted to. "Perhaps," the lieutenant supposed, looking around the bar, as if checking over her options one more time. Then she turned back to Kai and smirked. "All right. You've got yourself a deal." The lieutenant slipped off the bar stool and gave him a full once-over. "I'll be in touch," she said, slipping him a wink. And then she strode out of the bar, a bit of an extra swish to her hips and step. Once outside, she found Shun, completely flustered. ZanYi snorted.
"Rookie," she remarked. Then she looked over at him and smirked. "And by the way, you've got something right there," ZanYi told him, tapping gently on her lips.
Shun flushed further at ZanYi's arrival. So she had seen. He swiped the back of his hand over his mouth, pulling it back to reveal some of Hua's bright red lipstick. This did not help his embarrassed state. "I… she…" he stuttered, unable to look ZanYi in the eyes. Hua's scent still lingered on him, and he felt really guilty, even though he and ZanYi were not together. Hua was a beautiful woman… but Shun was already too taken with ZanYi to even think about anyone else.
The giant waterbender cleared his throat, and he turned to ZanYi. "I found something out," he told her, "it's not solid, but it's a lead, at least. What about you? Any luck with the bartender?"
ZanYi watched him flounder about like a fish out of water in amusement. He was like a little kid with how he was reacting. It was kind of cute, and it certainly was starting to give ZanYi some horrible ideas. And it might possibly give her an explanation for why he'd been so flustered in her room back on the island. "Well, I may have a way to verify your leads," ZanYi told him, looking both ways to watch the street. "I got a date." Without waiting for a response, she started to walk back over to the alleyway, avoiding the cars. "C'mon, Big Guy. Let's go."
Her walk still held her swagger, a confident strut. There were a few catcalls as she crossed the street, but she paid no one any heed. It reminded her why she normally didn't dress like this. Thank goodness she never had this problem in the service. Half of the military would have had their family jewels singed.
Shun was pulled up short—figuratively speaking—at the announcement of ZanYi's date. He hastened after her across the street, scowling at anyone who dared to whistle at her.
"I'm sorry," he began, once they reached the shelter of the alleyway next to the clothing store once again, "but did you say you had a… date?"
The giant waterbender didn't like the sound of that at all, and it was not only because he was crushing on ZanYi… okay, maybe that was mostly why. But he was concerned as a friend too. The bartender had been eyeing ZanYi the same way Hua had been eyeing him… and that sort of look was trouble. This was supposed to be an in-and-out job. How could ZanYi agree to a date with a total stranger? "So… guys like the bartender are your type?" Shun asked in a would-be nonchalant voice, frowning at the mental image of the bartender. He was unkempt, cocky, and predatory. Shun didn't like him at all.
ZanYi leaned against the brick wall of the alley, hidden in the shadows. Crossing her arms, she sneered at him. "Are blondes your type?" she countered, mischief in her tone. But alas, she shook her head and looked at the waterbender again. "No, guys like him are not my type," she answered realistically. "His brother is a NE, and a date with him would get me access to high-security areas, such as, say, Air Temple Island?"
It was all about the plan. And she wanted eyes into the enemy operation. The best way to do that was from the inside. She had no team to take a look, she had to find her own way in to take a look, see what kind of forces they were dealing with within the city.
Her eyebrow quirked, a skeptic look on her face. "Did you really think I would stoop that low? I'm insulted, Shun Jiang."
"No, I didn't—I mean, what I meant was—" Shun was spluttering when Tiki approached. He appeared embarrassed about something, but Tiki had no patience to let him finish whatever conversation he was having with ZanYi.
"Any luck?" the tiny airbender butted in, glancing between Shun and ZanYi hopefully. Shun breathed a sigh and looked down at Tiki.
"Yeah, we may have something," he conceded with a sideways glance to ZanYi before his gaze returned to Tiki. "What about you two?"
"The only thing we got that could be considered useful was this newspaper," Tiki replied, looking regretful as she handed over the paper. She watched as Shun shook open the paper to read it, a frown creasing his brows. "It reads more like a gossip column than a newspaper… Shun, is that lipstick?"
The giant waterbender slapped a hand over his mouth, his face flaring up once again. As he turned his back to rub off the rest of the offending make-up, Tiki quirked an eyebrow at ZanYi. The lieutenant wasn't wearing any make-up… so who was it that Shun was kissing?
"What exactly happened in that bar?" Tiki interrogated, almost disappointed. It appeared as if she missed something interesting.
Syaoran looked from Shun's embarrassment to ZanYi's amusement. There was definitely something that Tiki and him had missed. "I'm with Tiki. Just what happened in there?" he asked, looking furtively between the two. Shun had this guilty look on his face that Syaoran wasn't quite sure he trusted. So he looked to the lieutenant, knowing she'd tell it straight up.
"Well, Shun almost got hustled by a blonde while trying to get information out of her and was rewarded with a kiss from her whereas I managed to get myself a date," ZanYi reported, rolling her eyes in Shun's direction.
To Syaoran, that certainly explained the waterbender's embarrassment, but he was much more focused on ZanYi's part of the escapade. "I'm sorry, but you got a what?" he tried to double-check.
It seemed to rub the lieutenant the wrong way. "A date," she repeated, as if it was not a bizarre phenomenon. Syaoran could feel his jealousy and disbelief start to rise up. Did she just walk into the bar and pick up the first guy she could? Reading the Avatar's disbelief, at least, she continued, "The bartender that was hitting on me is related to a Neo-Equalist. I can use this to get us inside access."
Syaoran saw the positives of a situation like that, but he still did not like it all. "And what does this date entail?" he asked slowly, eyes narrowing at the lieutenant.
She ignored the look. "A tour of a high-security area," she repeated to him as she had with Shun. But Syaoran thought a bit further, glancing at the woman's outfit again.
"So… uh, for a favor that big, what does he think he's getting?" he slowly ventured to ask, almost fearing the answer. And with good reason.
ZanYi leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. "Something he's never going to get."
Shun hoped not. He was still wondering how ZanYi was going to pull this 'date' off without getting into trouble. The giant waterbender was sorely tempted to secretly accompany her, as 'back-up'. Tiki, however, was more concerned with the point of the date. "What high-security area?" she asked, her eyes darting between ZanYi and Shun. "Did you find out where they're keeping my parents?"
"Maybe," Shun qualified, but then he cast a look around. "But we can discuss it later; I want to get somewhere safe so we can't be overheard."
"There are a few hotels in the city, if I remember correctly," Tiki suggested, but then she frowned, "…but we don't have any money." And no money meant no hotel room. It looked as if they were going to have to get comfy in this alleyway.
"No worries. I have cash," Shun offered unexpectedly. When Tiki gave him a doubting look, the giant waterbender obliged her by pulling out a thick envelope, which he fished out from the bottom of his satchel. Tiki took a peek inside and felt her jaw drop.
"Where did you get this much money?!" she exclaimed, almost fearing the answer. Shun did not reply; a dark look crossed his features, and his right hand moved reflexively to cover the crook of his left arm. Tiki peered worriedly up at Shun, fearing his expression. However he had obtained the money in the envelope, he did not care to share.
A second later, Shun snapped out of it, his easy-going smile returning. "Nevermind. The point is, I've got cash." The giant waterbender reached down and took the envelope full of money back from Tiki. "So, let's go find us a hotel room."
Syaoran and ZanYi both looked at the large man a little funny. After all, it was not often they knew someone who carried around a large sum of cash. Syaoran was a little suspicious, but took the hint to leave it alone. The lieutenant didn't need the hint; she knew better than to ask questions where sores were.
The lieutenant pushed off of the wall and started for the street. "All right. A hotel it is."
"Not bad, Shun. Not bad at all," ZanYi mused, walking into the hotel room the waterbender had just paid for. Thankfully it was a step above a cheap motel, and it at least was a bit spacious, considering it had four of them to fit.
Syaoran followed in after her, browsing about. One window, overlooking the street and beyond; two beds; one television; a table with a couple chairs. Finding a door, the Avatar peered inside to find a bathroom, complete with shower and toilet. "At least we have a shower here," he remarked.
ZanYi rolled her eyes. "Just be thankful the island had running water," she sassed him.
"As long as the shower head isn't shaped like a dragon, I'm happy," Tiki piped up, tossing her platform shoes to the side to stretch her toes. Shun sat opposite of her, pulling his long hair back into its traditional ponytail. Though Tiki was still quite curious as to why the giant waterbender had so much money, she knew now not to push it. She wanted to know more about the other information he had obtained.
"So?" Tiki prodded, looking at Shun meaningfully. Understanding that she wanted to cut right to the chase, Shun nodded.
"Hua told me about a rumor—"
"Hua? The blonde who left the lipstick on you?" Tiki could not help but tease. Other than the reddening of his cheeks, Shun ignored this jibe and continued.
"Apparently, this rumor says that your parents are being held at a place called 'Air Temple Island'…" Shun paused at the widening of Tiki's eyes, his brows raised. "That mean anything to you?"
Tiki did not answer right away. She got up and headed to the window, moving the curtain to peer outside. The sky was darkening, but she knew what she was looking for, and easily pinpointed the small, far away island out on the harbor of Republic City, near where Avatar Aang's statue once stood. The tiny airbender was not sure, but she thought maybe that she saw lights in the windows of the building she remembered from her childhood. Of course, it was too far away to know for sure.
"…We used to go there all the time during the summer," Tiki remembered, letting the curtain fall closed over the window again as she turned to the rest of Team Avatar. Her expression was miserable. "And now they're being kept prisoner there. Figures," she spat bitterly.
Sparing a moment to send Tiki a pitying glance, Shun turned to ZanYi. "So, considering you have a date to tour Air Temple Island, I'm assuming the rumor is true?"
How did ZanYi swing that, anyway? That unfortunate bartender had no idea he was being used. Shun would have felt sorry for the man, if he wasn't so jealous already.
"That would be a logical guess, yes," ZanYi answered Shun, taking the opportunity to finally strip of her leather jacket, revealing her usual strapless top. Laying it across one of the chairs, the lieutenant started to walk about the room, checking the vents, windows, and crevices. "I mentioned something about liking a man in uniform, he was trying to impress me, and he offered to take me on a tour of a NE facility. I overhead your conversation with the blonde, so I suggested the island. We'll find out whether it's true or not soon enough."
Syaoran was still stuck on one part of that: men in uniforms. That made sense to the Avatar, assuming that the lieutenant wasn't lying when she had been apparently flirting with the bartender. Trying to stop the envy from boiling up, Syaoran sat on the bed, watching the woman strut about the room. Despite the conversation, it was very distracting. "What are you doing, ZanYi?" he asked.
"Checking for any kinds of taps, cameras, or bugs," she answered simply. Syaoran found that a valid action and left her be. Turning back to their comrades, he nodded. "So, Tiki," Syaoran started, trying to work this out in his mind, "if your parents are actually being held on that island, where do you think they would be? That way ZanYi can try and narrow down her search when she goes on her… date." The last word came out like a curse word, but ZanYi paid him no heed, checking the bathroom at that point.
Tiki shook her head, looking helpless.
"I couldn't say," she admitted sadly. "Air Temple Island isn't that big, so there aren't many places to hide. And with just my parents being held prisoner, they could be anywhere in the temple."
Shun frowned. That did not help them much. He rubbed his stubbly chin, considering Tiki. "Did your parents have a favorite room in the temple?" he asked next, "Or were there perhaps secret passages hidden somewhere?"
Again, Tiki shook her head. "I don't know. I'm sorry," she apologized, hanging her head.
"It's all right. I was just asking," Shun assured the airbender, although he was not liking where this was going. If ZanYi was going in blind, she was bound to run into problems. The odds were already stacked high enough against them. "ZanYi," the waterbender called to her, his eyes still on Tiki, "are you going to be okay by yourself? This is only a reconnaissance mission, right?"
How Shun wished it was not a date. Then he could tag along and search with ZanYi, and have her back if anything went wrong. But no, it was a 'date'… Shun was liking this mission even less every time the word 'date' was brought up.
ZanYi came back in from the bathroom, and to Syaoran's surprise and relief, her golden gaze was back. The Avatar had found the brown eyes so disorienting, and he had no doubt now that the lieutenant's eyes were best natural. Which made it even harder to look her in the eye, so Syaoran looked away.
"Yes, this is just recon," ZanYi reiterated what felt like the umpteenth time to her. "I go for the tour, get a better idea of what we're working against, and then we create a final plan to get this thing off the ground."
She sat down on the bed next to Syaoran, and the Avatar had to resist the urge to scoot away a little. So much more skin was showing than he was used to. Eventually his gaze rested on the burn on her thigh and ZanYi noticed. "Fire-whip. Would you like one to match?" she asked him. Syaoran vehemently shook his head and ZanYi looked back to Shun. "This will be easy enough. Don't worry about it."
Syaoran wanted to believe her, but if the men in that bar—or this alleged bartender—saw everything he saw when the lieutenant had walked out of the clothing store earlier, he found it difficult. Even if she was a superior soldier, she wasn't necessarily going to be able to firebend her way out of any jams. But his worries could wait. "And when is this going down?" Syaoran asked the lieutenant, hoping it would fit into their timeline. ZanYi shrugged.
"I told him I'll be in touch," the lieutenant confessed. She grabbed her jacket and fished out a small card, holding it between two fingers. "But I just happened to swipe the number for that fine establishment. I'll call tonight and arrange it."
Syaoran nodded and looked to Tiki again, serious. "We've got leads and at least a starting point. This all sound good to you, Tiki?" he asked her, knowing she had to be anxious, especially since things were finally being set in motion. Trying to reassure her and cut off any more tears before they could happen, Syaoran recapped, "ZanYi will get a layout, come back to where we can plan a rescue, and then we'll save your parents."
Tiki's tiny heart was beating fast with the reality of it all. Finally, they were getting somewhere. She nodded in acknowledgement of Syaoran's recap, though her anxiousness was displayed by way of her clutching her amulet. A lot was at stake here, and not just her parents' lives or the future of her people. More than anything, Tiki was painfully aware of the fact that, should something go wrong, the lives of her friends would be in danger as well.
"ZanYi," Tiki addressed the lieutenant, her gray eyes turning stormy with concern, "above all, please just be safe."
A corner of Shun's mouth lifted. Tiki was stealing his lines again. Getting up, Shun strode over to where Tiki stood, ruffling her hair with an enormous hand. "Everything's going to be all right, Teeks," he assured the tiny airbender with a warm smile. "Come what may, we're going to do everything in our power to help your parents."
Tiki nodded, shutting her eyes against the tears that were threatening to spill once again. How lucky she was to have friends who were willing to sacrifice their own safety to help her… Tiki was truly blessed.
A/N from DJ: Hey guys! Remember how I said I might have to change the update day? Well, it might be a bit erratic. My work schedule is going to be shifting around, so we'll just have to see when we update each week now. I'm sorry! If you haven't subscribed to us yet, you might want to, because we're going to try and stick to weekends, but we'll see. Sorry! On another note, I hope you enjoyed this fun chapter. All we've got is drama, full-speed ahead! Now, for shout-outs!
Sonosublime: Hey, you're still with us! We never got to hear from you really, so it's cool to know you're still reading! Thanks for the favorite and I hope you enjoy Air as well!
Natura15: A new reader! Woo hoo! Thanks for joining us thus far and thanks for the Story Alert! I hope you continue to enjoy Air and let us know what you think sometime! We love to hear back from our readers, their thoughts and commentary.
The-new-avatar: Hello there! Another new reader! Thanks for the reviews, and I'm so glad you enjoyed Fire! I'm sorry you were disappointed to find we didn't update Friday-blame me! I've got lots of things going on and couldn't get to the editing in time. I hope this chapter appeases you and please continue to give us your thoughts!
So, that's all for now, folks! We'll be back at some point within a week... or so. Let's hope I can make the time and edit! Until next chapter, see ya!