The bizarre bit of bent wood and bone hit Zuko in the back of the head, and he couldn't help but be horrified as he stumbled, mind whirling. It had passed him by. It had missed by a significant margin, and he'd thought no more of it. And then, it... it had to have turned somehow, in midair, and arced back to strike again from behind. It galled him that some peasant trash in this backwater collection of huts carved from ice-blocks even had the audacity to stand against him, much less actually get any kind of hit in.

"Alright, kiddies, that's enough. Not bad, boomerang, but you forget that his prickliness is wearing a helmet." Ranma appraised, at least half-seriously, as the water tribe stripling rushed to the assault again. He casually disarmed and shut down the attempt without any significant effort or resorting to bending. "Yeah, that's right, I'm not wearing a helmet or armor. Nice catch. 'Course, I don't need them, you can't hit me anyway. No hard feelings, kid, I'm just that awesome."

Zuko snorted at the sheer, casual arrogance implicit in that statement, then turned aside.

"Where is the Avatar?" He demanded simply. "Bring him forward."

"Don't think he's here any more, Prince." Ranma interrupted blandly. "... What with you mentioning Air-people colorations, and that I'm not seeing a single pale-face in the bunch."

"Yes, I know that." Zuko snapped. "But they might just be hiding him away-"

"Uhuh, yeah, sure." Ranma interrupted again, disinterest palpable. "But y'know, I'm sick of the cold. Let me do the talking will you? We can get back on the boat and relax in heated rooms that much sooner. Alright..." Ranma coughed seriously before continuing. "Ahem. We-Fire-Peoples. Hunt-um Avatar. You Bring-um, we not smash-um houses."

"... Merciful Agni. You just don't have the grace to even pretend to care." Zuko said simply, stunned into near silence.

"Iiiiiiiiiiiii'llllllll kiiiilllllllllll yyyoooooouuuuuu!" A young Tribe woman yelled... eyes seeming to glow with provoked fury as the snow about them whipped up, dancing to her command and crashing down at Ranma.

Shit. Waterbender. Zuko had been certain that reports had indicated they'd all been wiped out from this pole, but some could have slipped through the cracks...

"All non-Benders, back on board!" He ordered snappily, even as Ranma burst out into a wild grin and a "Hell yes, this might actually be fun!" His scowl deepened even as the other burst into motion and he set down to guard the organized retreat of his soldiers.

The Tribals didn't seem inclined to press an attack, though, being mostly made up of old women and children, and considering how their only psuedo-warrior was already well aware that he couldn't match them all alone. It left him time to watch the other as he toyed with the Waterbender, his every remark driving her deeper and deeper into mindless fury, as he dipped and weaved casually around sprays of water and snow and piercing javelins of ice. It was really quite impressive, and seemed like her bending was almost taking complete control of her, directed through only mindless rage, to the sole purpose of crushing the object of her hatred. The deeper into the anger she sank, the more dangerous she became, and even as the Tribals started to become seriously worried and evacuate themselves, Ranma simply spurred her ever more eagerly to greater and greater feats, seeming almost delighted the more she showed, as if...

No. No, that was impossible. He couldn't be thinking of trying to mimic the girls Water Bending the way he had Zuko's fire. That had been a fluke to begin, and nobody could control more than their own element. Fire, and Air, and Water, and Earth, and the only being that could bring all together was the Avatar. Anyone else trying was the height of foolishness and impossibility.

And impossible as it was, it didn't stop Ranma from breaking into laughter and twisting a hand, ripping control of a torrent of water from the girl and turning it around to slam directly into her, sending the bender crashing into an icy wall. Rage broke as she gasped for breath, the wind having been soundly knocked out of her.

"Not bad." Ranma said simply, toying with threads of water before her as he had flame before Zuko. "And I really gotta thank you. This is going to be all kinds of useful for me, given things."

"Waterbender..." The girl rasped, eyes filled with disgust. "And you work... with the Fire Nation? You... traitor."

"Hey, now... you people and your labels. Waterbender this..." He said wryly, tossing the threads of water away as flame coiled around one arm, then dispersed. "... Firebender that. It's like you expect me to just sit tight with one set of skills and be happy with that... and that ain't happening."

"... No..." The girl said, wide-eyed. "There can't be... a second Avatar?"

"Pfft. Didn't I just say not to bother with the neat little boxes? I'm too awesome to deal with your normal rules. They don't apply." Ranma said smugly. "But hey... by all means. Get stronger. Stew in hatred. Fight me again. I think I've already squeezed all the fun I can manage from you, but who knows? You might just surprise me."

Ranma paused, then looked up and grinned, managing to pick out a not-bird shape flying overhead, circling slowly down.

"... And hey. Here comes the man of the hour." He said in true amusement. "He uses air, right? That could be neat."

xxx

AN. Quick continuation. Ranma- Combat: HIGH Social: N/A. Just how he prefers things.