Avatar: Nemesis Rising

[Etherion Fenix]

Jia Lin:
"Some of the older Generals have made murmur that this should have been expected. That the Earth Kingdom after rebuilding would want to gain retaliation upon us for our actions. That they are using the disgraced Dai Li to hold my Tienzen hostage so that we will surrender quicker to their demands. They seem blinded by their lust for war."


Vaan:
"Undoubtedly. Aang is very powerful," scratching the whispy beard on his chin. "They did, so Zuko said. Though he also said she dismissed them in the end and then they kind of disappeared off the face of the earth. Till now."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"That seems unlikely, given their defection to the Fire Nation during the war," Jia Lin opined. "And the complete lack of demands thus far."

She cocked her head as a thought occurred to her. "If war were to break out... would these generals profit at all?"

[Luna Guardian]

Crawling out of his tent, Zhuàng yawned and stretched. Raising his hand to shadow his eyes, he noticed that the rest of the camp was already packing up. He raised his hands above his head and quickly brought them down, returning his tentsite to its original state. Picking up his rucksack, the large earthbender set out to find Minister Tang.

What sweet animals they are he thought to himself as he noticed the large herd of koala sheep around Jia Lin's abode. She's a lucky woman to attract such lovable creatures

[Eldacar]

Vaan nodded. "It was just something I thought bore mentioning," he said. "If your son is out there, then I will find him."

[Etherion Fenix]

Jia Lin:
“What is reasonable and likely does not matter, so long as it seems some what feasible and can inspire fear in people.” For a moment he looked intently at the smaller woman. “I do not believe they are involved in the attempt, if you are thinking that way. Though yes, they will undoubtedly benefit from war should it occur.”

Zhuang:
Minister Tang was not hard to find as he was walking directly towards Zhuang. “Morning, just a few matters before you depart. Make sure that looking for the Royal heir does not become lost mission. Also, send correspondence of your progress and what you find as often as possible. The more we know the more fears we can assuage.”

Vaan:
"Given we know so little about the why, it's best to keep and open mind."

[Luna Guardian]

Nodding, Zhuàng replied "Make sure that I lose the heir on the mission and make progress on my correspondence. We need to cause fear. Got it" looking at the older earthbender frown, Zhuàng grinned "I'm only joking Minister. I'll make sure that we find the royal heir and return him safely to Ba Sing Se. Correspondence...might be a problem though." he paused for a moment "Wait, you're not coming with us?"

[Eldacar]

Vaan nodded, then looked over to the others he would be traveling with, wondering when they would be ready to leave.

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Probably not," Jia Lin admitted, "but, with no ransom demands, I look at who profits from the kidnapping and how. And right now, it's those who would want a second war."

[Etherion Fenix]

Zhuang:
Tang's eyes rolled around their sockets. "Just make sure to send a Messenger Hawk will do. No, I will not, I need to return promptly to see what news there is. You, and you alone," heavens forgive us, "shall be the one to represent our nation on this quest."


Vaan:
"You best head over to the airship, I'm sure they shall depart once you and the Rock head are ready."


Jia Lin:
"Or those who wish to sow chaos. Come, let us get going. The sooner this begins the sooner it may end, hopefully with everyone rescued."

[Luna Guardian]

Zhuàng scratched his head absentmindedly and turned to look at the sky "Yeah, about that. Would it ruin your plans if I couldn't read or write?"

[Eldacar]

Inclining his head to Sokka, Vaan headed towards the airship, suppressing a slight sour twist of the mouth as he looked it over. He would much prefer to be on the water, he thought to himself. Hopefully, any time they had to spend on these airships would be kept largely to a minimum.

[Etherion Fenix]

Zhuang:
Eyes like saucers, Tang's jaw dropped open and a tear drop slide down his forehead. Composing himself he brushed down invisble lint from his elaborately designed light green robes. "While a slight inconveniance, I am sure one of the others can aid you in this task. I'm sure they will send such reports to their own leaders." Eyes briefly falling upon Jia Lin. "Actually, make sure the Waterbender does it. Now off you go."

[Luna Guardian]

Smiling with such innocent sincerity that Minister Tang groaned, Zhuàng replied "Sure thing Minister". Bowing to the Earth Kingdom official the young earthbender ran to the airship.

When he reached the ramp, a thought occured to him. He'd be high in the air, hundreds of meters from any earth, and he couldn't metalbend. Filling a small bag with earth and fastening it to his belt, he felt marginally more secure.

[Etherion Fenix]

As each stepped into the Airship, it seemed to hum and vibrate lightly as the engines thrummed into life. Into the audience chamber the two new arrivals were shown. From the windows they could see their respective craft begin to set sail as they climbed into the sky.

[Luna Guardian]

"Well ain't this something" Zhuàng sighed as he watched the ground sink further and further. Starting to feel vertigo, he turned away from the window to look at the waterbender. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. Zhuàng Shen from the town of Gaoling" he extended his hand

[Eldacar]

"Vaan, of the Southern Water Tribes," he replied politely, clasping the Earthbender's arm. This one seemed to be quite brash and outgoing. Hopefully, if the reactions of some of the girls he had seen was anything to go by, it wouldn't be an issue. Hopefully. He looked over at the Fire nation girl, giving her a mild bow of introduction.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Jia Lin bowed to the Waterbender, and introduced herself. "Jia Lin of Cinder Isle," she said.

[Etherion Fenix]

As each made their introductions, Vaan noted a faint tingling across his birthmark, like an insect walking across the skin.

A masked engineer entered, kneeling to the throne before rising. "The Captain wishes to inform that cruise height has been reached and that clear skies are ahead." With a bow and dismissal, he turned and exited.

[Eldacar]

Giving the Firebender a slight smile and nod to excuse himself, Vaan retreated slightly, attempting to concentrate on the feeling that had hit him.

[Luna Guardian]

Uncomfortable with the silence in the room, Zhuàng spoke up "So, how'd you two choose to come along? Were you told anything before the meeting yesterday? Do you know anything other than what was said last night?" leaning casually on the rail he looked from one bender to the next.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Jia Lin kept her expression impassive, but inside she was wondering about Zhuang. His question sounded suspiciously like he was trying to crudely pump them for any secrets that they might be hiding. Or, more likely, he was simply attempting to make smalltalk. Still, she filed away the possibility that Zhuang's oafish exterior might be an act to catch others off their guard. It seemed logical, in fact: the Earth Kingdom would surely entrust this mission only to the most capable amongst them. But Jia Lin would make no assumptions yet.

All these thoughts flashed behind her eyes as she leant on the rail as well (keeping a respectable distance, just to be on the safe side), and said, "I don't know much. Prince Li-Aang didn't tell me very much. Why, do you think there's something they didn't say?"

[Etherion Fenix]

As quickly as it had come, the sensatioin was gone, nothing but a vague feeling.

[Eldacar]

Vaan repressed a slight frown, and filed away the feeling for later. Something had happened, he suspected, but he had no idea what exactly.

"I was asked by Chief Sokka," he answered the question posed by the Earthbender. "I knew that his son was taken before the meeting, though little to nothing of the other incidents."

[Luna Guardian]

"There might've been something that they told you before the meeting that they simply didn't think of repeating. I don't think they've any ulterior motive, we're talking about the royal heirs after all, and they're very concerned" Zhuàng took his hand to the bag of earth on his belt to shake the last effect of the vertigo.

"Me, I came along because I was asked to by sifu Bei Fong. Minister Tang turned up at the school one day to see Toph and she decided that I needed to accompany him to test me or some such. When I return, she'll teach me more advanced earthbending. And maybe even metalbending" while talking about Toph, Zhuàng's voice had been respectful, but when his speech turned to the possiblity of learning more powerful earthbending techniques, there was a shift in the tone. While his words were still respectful, there was a hint of longing in them.

And then it was gone. Turning to Jia Lin, Zhuàng's face was lit with a smile again "So, that's why I'm here. We know that Vaan's here because he was asked by Sokka, but we know nothing of you. I'd like to hear your story, miss Lin."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Jia Lin. Not Miss Lin. It is all my first name," Jia Lin frowned.

"I'm an investigator for the Fire Nation. Prince Li-Aang felt that my talents would be well-suited to this task. And I have... well, I guess you could say that the Rough Rhinos and I have history." She paused, and looked out over the railing again.

"This time, they won't get away."

[Eldacar]

"You tried to track them down and failed?" Vaan asked quietly, studying the Firebender.

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Tracking them down was easy. It was what came after that which was the hard part," Jia Lin said simply.

[Etherion Fenix]

Two hours passed without much changing. As the next hour wore on, the sensation returned once more to Vaan. This time it kept building, the nerves tingling like lightning across the sky.

[Eldacar]

"Something isn't right," Vaan said to the other two. "There is a... feeling. Something is-" He concentrated, then jerked upright as though his entire body had been struck by lightning with a soft gasp. "Something from the Spirit World has come through to our world," the waterbender said, talking fast and trying to get a better sense of where it might be. It seemed to be approaching them. "It is angry. Very angry. And coming this way."

Moving fast, Vaan made his way to a viewing port, looking for whatever the creature was. "Neither of you has done anything recently that might have made a spirit angry, did you?" he threw over his shoulder as he watched the skies.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Jia Lin's eyebrows shot up and she headed for another viewport. Her keen vision might help her spot it.

"Neither of you has done anything recently that might have made a spirit angry, did you?" Vaan said, and a thought occurred to Jia Lin, which almost made her burst out laughing. It was with effort that she controlled herself and subdued the image of Zhuang attempting to seduce the sun with the jilted moon fuming...