|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:25 pm
It had all started with a massage.
Sen Wei hadn't wanted one, because she liked her personal space, and her 'personal space' required people to be a good twenty feet or more away from her to be out of the danger zone. Unfortunately, her back had started hurting badly. Very badly. Her first thought had been it was a sign she was getting old.
Her solution was to ignore it. It wasn't until her bending had started to suffer as a result of her poor posture that she decided it was either admit her old age or go to someone who could fix her back somewhat. As undesirable as the later was, the first was much worse, so she caved.
The woman had been in awe of all the knots in her muscles, and quite honestly, just a little bit horrified. She'd dubbed Sen Wei as the "most tense individual she'd ever seen in her life", and went on and on about the negative effects being so... well, negative, would have on her. "You'll get wrinkles!" she had rambled. "You'll die young, too! You need to be less stressed!"
Sen Wei was barely resisting the murderous urge toward that woman for telling her daughter those things. Tu Jin had freaked, and badgered her relentlessly until she agreed to go to some ridiculous meditation thing. led by four Airbenders, one of which she'd ended up punching before the session was over. Since when did the Earth Kingdom buy into this babble? Hmph!
But when her back started hurting a whole lot, she was willing to try anything to get rid of it, including sitting under some stupid tree in the middle of ******** no where, in that completely ridiculous meditation 'pose'. Clear your mind, the whack jobs had said.
The more she tried, the more she thought of that damned paper she was going to kill that Kanta woman for, and her damn "husband" she was going to crush to death for having the nerve to reopen a school in a place that didn't deserve one, and every other thing on her long list of things that pissed her off.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:41 pm
Oh my.
He recogized that sexy, tense posture. No body else could meditate is such an uptight way. A warm grin instantly lit Tsai Shen's face and the pretty eighteen-year-old lengthened his stride as he continued along the dirt path, which got him closer and closer to her tree. He'd read the paper, crumpling it up, and wondering why the woman actually closed her doors.
Confidently approaching her, he simply joined the master bender on the grass, wide-shoulders loose and relaxed as he stretched out his long legs. It was a nice day, and Tsai Shen was naturally a happy person.
He'd been with his aunt and cousin a while now, getting stronger and faster, but had come back home for a short visit. Obviously, it was destined. Seemed like he ran into Sen Wei at the strangest times.
"Tried the hot springs yet, gorgeous?" Gringrin. "You look really tense, Master." He spoke as if he was her student. Annoying boy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:55 pm
Sen Wei's eyes hadn't been so much closed as forced to scrunch together so much they were no longer open. She was so busy trying to not think of anything--which, as stated, was making her think more--that the arrival of... whatever the hell Tsai Shen could be considered in relationsion to herself, went unnoticed until he actually spoke.
When he did, the word 'horrified' did not do her expression justice. It looked like someone had just burnt her house down, killed her entire family and kicked her puppy. This would be, of course, only truly relevant if Sen Wei cared much about threats like that and had a puppy, which she didn't.
Her hand moved from her knee to thud against the grass, and a large pile of earth jumped upward, effectively knocking Tsai Shen away from her. It was soon followed by another on her other side, and then two more in front and behind her.
Anti-annoying forts for the win.
"First off, don't call me that. Second, I thought I got rid of you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:02 pm
"I'm extremely persistent. It's one of my worst qualities."
Tsai Shen HAD been practicing his bending, and stomped downward, continuing the pose with strong hand movements until he'd elevated himself up to grab the top of the closest mound of earth. Levering his body onto it, the teenager soon began to swing his feet idly as he sat, eying the woman below him.
"You must've missed me, Master. Didn't even hit me that hard!"
His determination to be cheerful and friendly with her was somewhat impressive, if anything. "Where have you been, Master Sen Wei?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:14 pm
Somewhat annoying was more like it.
No, scratch that.
Extremely annoying.
Still, the fact he'd actually managed to do a simple task like that as far as bending surprised Sen Wei, even if it didn't impress her, and that was something. She blinked once before staring upward. Huh...
With a huff, she looked back in front of her, shrugging her shoulders--
--and then wincing and cursing. Damnitdamnitdamnit. Would she even be able to move anymore at this rate?
"A lot of places," grumbled the woman. "Don't you have someone else to bother? I'm sure you must have found someone who can tolerate you by now."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:22 pm
"Oh, you'd be surprised." He was good at laughing at himself. Actually, there were plenty who would do more than tolerate him, however, he liked 'em bitchy. That Li Ren was damn hot, too, and extremely talented. A lot like Sen Wei, only, Li Ren couldn't teach him bending. Eyes narrowing at the wince, Tsai Shen dropped into the hole, coming extremely close to falling on her, and caught himself on one of the dirt walls. Wooo.
Expression neutral, he balanced himself. "Khutulan of Fire Nation is amazing at muscle relaxation." He neglected to state that she was his aunt, knowing it probably wouldn't make a difference. Sen Wei HATED Fire Nation. Still, Khutulan was one of the least annoying people he'd ever met. Probably because her only shown emotion was displeasure. "Is it stress or a bad fight? Maybe that paper woman cursed you. We could beat her up if you wanted."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:32 pm
Sen Wei had settled into one of those almost never-ending leers, and with it she watched Tsai Shen, half-tempted to shift the created wall so he fell over. And then crush him with it.
"I'm not interested in any help from anyone from that place," she snapped at him. It was pretty much that nations fault she hurt to begin with. It had to be from all the chaos of being imprisoned for so long, having questions thrown at her every day about that b*****d Razuten (who deserved to be dead, thankyouverymuch), and most importantly, knowing the Avatar was in the same sorry affair.
That nation was disgusting and she wholely hoped the Earth Kingdom would find a way to crush it, literally and figuratively, before they caused any more harm to the rest of the world.
"That 'paper woman' has no ability to curse, nor does anyone. That's completely ridiculous." Beating her up didn't sound so bad, though...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:40 pm
"Awww, Master, don't be such a bigot." That was said with a smile sweet enough to rot teeth, and Tsai Shen visably resisted the urge to pet at her hair. Folding his long legs up, the tan boy sat beside her, knee touching hers as he simply stared at her happily for a few minutes. What an unnerving guy.
"Khutulan is my aunt. She's really mean, I guess, but not bad for Fire Nation. She teaches martial arts, to anyone who passes her entry test. Our family is pretty mixed. Her older brother had a brief relationship with an Airbender, so, one of those lives there too."
Falling silent, he nodded sagely. "You really need to learn to relax, Master. Want a shoulder rub?" Smiiiiiilllle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:52 pm
"I'm not a bigot, I'm just not a blind moron." Crush it. Seriously. --What the hell? Was he touching her? She wanted to leer at him, but what was that stare about? Much to her distress, the woman ended up looking for flustered than angry.
"Your aunt...?" It was, for some reason, those words that made Sen Wei listen to him with the most focus on what he was saying and not the hope he would say it and leave than she ever had granted him. "Is that right...?" Her eyes fell to her hands, which had tightened into very non-relaxed fists since Tsai Shen had appeared. For a quick second, she almost looked... sad.
A very quick second, because then he was making her stupid (andextremelyuncomfortableholycrap) offers that had her face blazing and her teeth grinding together. "No, I don't. I want you to leave. And stop calling me that!"
Willing to bet he wouldn't leave no matter how many times she said it, she opted to just leave herself, up and storming off a second later. Screw her posture (which was really horrible and getting worse)!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:02 pm
"Okay, I'll leave... With you."
Oh, and he was right behind her, his low, smooth voice sounding extremely concerned. "My, my, Master, your back must be killing you." Smiling, he simply continued the conversation they'd been having, walking close enough that their arms were almost brushing. Obviously, he had no personal space issues. Other than not having any personal space at all.
"Mmmhm, she is. On my father's side. She's the middle child, and my da, her, and uncle are Fire Nation. My father moved to Earth Kingdom and married my ma, who inherited the Koi business. My uncle, Mehri, is the one who had the daughter with an Air Nomad. My cousin would be Dao Rui, she's... very stern. Raised by my aunt, of course."
Did he have any secrets? Yes, but they were kept rather well under his brilliant facade of... Open naivety. "Aunt Khutulan's been training me, combat-wise that is, she can't bend."
Another pause, and then a cheerful smile as he pushed hair out of his good and bad eyes. "Where are we going, Master?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:13 pm
Killing was becoming her least favorite word. Next to 'Fire' and 'nation', and more so when you put them together.
How did anyone with a temper like those people had deal with him? Or maybe there were more stupid ones like Razuten than she was giving them credit for.
In truth, she was mildly interested in his ramblings this time, but far be for someone of her rank and stature to show it. Besides, if she did, he might never stop. Can't bend? "Yes, the two of you sound related."
If all else fails, insult, insult, insult.
"I don't know, nowhere in particular. --Stop calling me that."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:21 pm
"Actually, she reminds me more of you than me." Slowing, his smile disappeared, showing the more serious young man lurking inside, and he simply stared at her once more, for a good minute or so. Rolling his shoulders, he stopped moving and tilted his head.
"Well, you're invited, whether you want to be or not, Master. I'm leaving at the end of the month to return to my Aunt's. I'm going to stop at nightfall on that last day at the river about five miles from here. If you do decide to grace us with your presence. Meet me."
With that, he strolled off. For once without prompting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:30 pm
That definiately called for being yelled at. Comparing her to a Firebender? It was insane! She had noticed he'd slowed down, since being such a talented Earthbender as she often meant being more 'intune' with the vabriations the Earth itself would make. But, when she turned around, he didn't have any of those stupid looks on his face, and she didn't seem sure what to do about that.
At that point, they were both at a complete stand-still, and all she did was watch in silence as he started walking again, as he walked right past her, and even until he was a decent distance away.
Without warning, Sen Wei kicked her foot into the ground, sending a piles of rocks springing from the ground and speedily heading toward Tsai Shen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:09 pm
Apparently, Khutulan had been teaching him well, on reflexes, which were useful even in bending. The first time he'd met Sen Wei, those rocks would have struck him hard on the back, but know he spun on his heel, landing in a loose stance with a quick stomp and upward hand strike.
A spray of dirt, rather than a hard-packed wall, shot up, even as he crouched, absorbing the rocks as they fell together, rock and dirt, back to the ground, harmless for the moment. Still in a slightly defensive stance, the young man didn't retaliate, instead raising an eyebrow.
Tsai Shen was silent. For once.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:26 pm
Sen Wei was quiet, too. It was no out of character moment for her. Not quite yet. Somehow, even when she smirked she managed to look annoyed. "I'm not meeting you anywhere. The Fire Nation is no good, no matter what."
The woman turned away, and lifted her hand in a wave. "However, if you keep that up, you might be worth my time one day. Maybe you should visit my old school sometime."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
