[-Chapter Eight-]

Her reply was, in the worst sense of the phrase, extremely irritating. "What is that supposed to mean?" I snapped. "Look, I know something's going on here. You and Koto have been hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is. If you don't tell me right now—and I mean where he is and what you two are doing and what just happened out there—then I'm going to…"

Risu laughed at that. She laughed right in my face. Now I know that I'm not the most patient girl who's ever lived, but even I was surprised at myself when my hand flew up and struck her face, hard. She stopped laughing then, but my angry red handprint still colored her cheek. "What exactly are you going to do Kari?" she spat, her eyes narrowing. "No one knows what's going to happen. Not you, not me, not Koto, not that demon Aku… not even that impostor of an Empress, Koori. We're all swimming in untested waters."

Even though I understood her motives, I was not in the mood for her cryptic responses. "Enough of this," I growled. "You tell me, right now. We are friends, Risu. And I'm tired of you lying to my face about everything!"

"Fine," Risu snapped. Her voice was dark, and cold. "But first you have to give me some answers." Before I could protest, she placed two hands on my chest and pushed me down onto Koto's bed. When I landed, his comforting smell of peaches and soap wafted around my nose. It cleared my brain; I forced myself back into a calm little box. I had to be calm under pressure. A small voice whispered to me that I was playing a very dangerous game. Losing would definitely sting a little.

I was considering getting up when Arisu said, "If you even try to move, I'll break your arm." My eyes narrowed in betrayal and an apologetic look crossed her face. "I'm sorry, Kari, but I don't have time to fight with you right now. I need to know what happened out there. Just tell me what I want to know, and you'll get your answers." Her features hardened again and she got herself ready to listen. Her moods were starting to make my head spin.

Arisu was changing again, into that dangerous predator I had seen momentarily outside of Makoto's house. I didn't know this Arisu. I didn't know how she would react to me, or what limits could be tested before she snapped. Somehow, observing her stature, I was sure she meant business. Whatever was going on with her and Makoto, she needed to know what had happened to me. It was important to her… and, by extension, to my personal safety. I wrestled for a moment with the idea of lying—my pride wanted to triumph in this situation—but ultimately decided that course action would be unwise. I settled for honest terror.

"I was walking to work… Oh, no, Risu; if I'm late for work Aiko won't get—"

"It's a noble cause," she cut in sharply, "but Aiko will have to go without today."

Her words were like a lightning bolt to my chest. I jumped to my feet, heated: apparently this caught her off guard because she stumbled back a couple of steps. "Aiko does not go without," I snarled. "You're my best friend. I've given up a lot of stuff for you. I gave up sleeping, I gave up my favorite flowers, I gave up Makoto…" Her eyes flashed at that one. "So don't you tell me not to sacrifice for my little sister. You can't just take everything away from me and then keep me from her. Now get out of my way." Who did she think she was? And what in the Spirits was I doing? This was Arisu, my best friend, who was disrespecting my family and forcing my little sister to starve. She knew how much Aiko meant to me, and she… she… My heart hardened in that moment. I was done.

"No," Risu said firmly, as if she could hear my thoughts. "There's something stirring, Kari." A note of urgency crept into her voice. "Whatever it is, it's very powerful. Koto and I, we can both feel it." I was barely listening. The blood was thrumming in my ears and I practically saw red. "It's enough to make Empress Koori nervous. She's started rounding up all of the Benders, which she's never done before. This is serious, and those Benders are our first clue. You heard him talking. I need to know. What did that boy say?"

I thought about it. She sounded desperate enough for her words to be true, and I hated being mad at her. But I had to get to work, and if I didn't then Aiko wouldn't get her second meal today. That, in the end, was my ultimate reason for compromising. "He said that he was lost and looking for Hei-Bai. He couldn't hear or see anyone…" After a moment's thought I left off the part about him talking to me. Something in the back of my mind was whispering that once Arisu discovered that tidbit, I would never be allowed to leave. "That's all," I confirmed. She stared at me for a very long time, but I didn't let myself flinch beneath her gaze. I had no idea of the passage of time: seconds, minutes, hours? I was not going to bend or break. She doesn't deserve the full story, I reminded myself. Internally, I was screaming and calling her every terrible name I could think of. But I was silent. Risu nodded and moved aside, granting me access to the door.

I closed the distance to it within two strides and was halfway out when her hand closed around my wrist again. I turned back to stare at her pretty eyes. "Kari… if there's anything you're not telling me…" She didn't have to finish. I just shook my head while she searched my eyes. After a minute or two, she dropped my hand. But there was something in it. "Hold on to it," she called, "in case you encounter some trouble." I ducked my head and hurried out past Makoto's parents, into the spreading cold.

Snowflakes whirled around me, falling thick and fast until I could barely see. I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself: I hated the cold. Heat was life and strength. Instead of focusing on the freezing temperature, I thought about what Arisu had said. The more I thought about it, the more angry I became. Who was she to rip me off the streets when I could have saved Aiko's best friend? Who was she to keep me from work—our conversation had taken up any time that I had to complete a job—when Aiko needed me to do that? Who exactly did Arisu think she was, or worse still: who had my Risu become?

For the first time that day, fading into late afternoon, I opened my ungloved palm. A brusque wind stung harshly against my hands and cheeks; my entire face went numb and snow collected along my eyelashes. Wind made my eyes water. But I could still see it: the tiny, perfect circle of a White Lotus Pai-Sho Tile. I remembered something Makoto had said, in a time long ago, back before crazy boys screamed at me and my best friends betrayed me: "I prefer the White Lotus strategy…" My scowl deepened; had Arisu wanted to rub it in my face that she had Makoto while I had no one?

I was passing by her house—Arisu's house. The wind was howling, mixing with her instructions in my brain: "Hold on to it in case you encounter some trouble." But it was making me angry. This new Arisu had no respect for boundaries, or personal pain. The new Arisu cared only for this strange thing that she and Koto did together, something I could never be part of because I wasn't "capable" enough. The new Arisu was no longer my best friend.

Seized with a fit of anger, I brought up my right hand and flung the stupid Lotus Tile towards her front door. It connected with a satisfying plink and then rolled neatly into the snow that had already collected on the ground: the storms were numerous and powerful since The Big Event. I walked past the Tile's location without a second thought, without a worry or a care. My friend had left me out in the cold, and I was leaving her foolishly pointless token behind me. After all, what good would a Pai-Sho tile be?

A/N: Can't believe another week has come and gone already! AH! So terrifying! Plus, it's my last week of classes and then next week is finals week... and then after that RA training for the new school year, and then summer (whew!). Almost time to break out the sunglasses; I'm pumped! :D

Thanks again for your review, TC. Even if you were "late," totally fine because any review is a great review! AND your reviews always make me smile... maybe it's the cookies? Hahaha. As for turtles, yes I do like them! I'm more of a fan of penguins-I collect penguin things, actually-but turtles are really fun to draw :) You like turtles?

And there we are. Psh, White Lotus Pai-Sho tiles are TOTALLY overrated. Right, everyone?

See you next week.