Return

Owlan snuck through the halls of the Palace. He had feigned illness to skip a boring meeting with his advisors. Owlan had it all planned out, all he would have to do was ditch his advisors for as long as possible. He had "locked" himself in his room and was "asleep" in bed according to them. Owlan smiled to himself as he snuck into his office and locked the doors. Now that he had gotten out of that meeting he had more time to examine the parchments and artifacts his men had excavated from Won Shi Tong's Library and examine the particularly interesting Earth Kingdom relic donated from Dara for study purposes. "Ill have to show that to Onao when I see him next," said Owlan as he settled himself in his seat, "He's sure to find it interesting.". Owlan pulled out several old pages and spread them out across his office everywhere. He then opened several large heavy leatherbound books and placed them all over his decks. Finally he removed his in-the-works Codex from a secret cupboard and began to study the papers and books, and recorded everything he observed in the Codex. After 20 minutes of working, Owlans office had reaccumulated its usual clutter and disorganization he was used to. Papers, maps and pages covered the walls and windows and even the doors and a few of them had long, scrawled writing all over them. Books were all over the place in stacks and sometimes open on the floor. The pages covering the windows made the room dark, which Owlan didn't mind in the slightest. He was happiest like this.

Nicholas unfolded the sheet of paper and reviewed it again. No mistake, it was a Needed poster for a bounty hunter, called by the Fire Nation Royal family. What could they possibly need a bounty hunter for? Wasn't the nation at peace? Don't think about it Nicholas. This is your first time back in the Fire Nation since you were 11. Take the chance. He shoved the paper into his coat pocket and squinted into the sun at the Fire Nation palace. Even as a child he had never been here. He had thought about it many times, but always chickened out. Having grown up in a pathetically small town, the notion of a house as big as his village scared him. However, he had been to larger places in his lifetime now, and Nicholas suppressed all of his fears about what could happen. He might see Owlan here. He wasn't sure what would happen if he did, or if he'd recognize him, or if Owlan would recognize Nicholas. Focus. You are here on business and nothing else. It's been 15 years, I'm sure he's forgotten about a peasant like you. He took a step forward, and then another and another until he was standing in front of the black gates of the palace. He showed the posted to the guards and they waved him through. The walk to the actual palace was surprisingly short, and when he got there, and well dressed man greeted him.

"I'm here to see...." Nicholas put out his cigarette and tried to think of who he would report to for this type of business. "Owlan? Who ever I would talk to about the Needed poster."

"Oh!" The man smiled widely. "Of course, I will take you to him. He's suppose to be sick, but knowing him, he's probably studying in his office. Right this way, if you please." He led Nicholas down beautifully decorated halls and too a large oak door. "In here," he said, bowing and taking his leave. Nicholas stared at the doors and knocked, unsure if he should barge in or not.

Owlan heard voices outside his door but didn't look up from his work. He spun his chair around and studied the world map with intensity. Several strings were tacked all over the place forming a web of blue and red and white strings. He traced several of the strings between locations and then copied them down after making quick references to the ancient vase in his hands. It was Light Kingdom; decorated, with glyphs and pictures that spoke of a time before Owlan could even imagine existed. He didn't know what it said, but he was sure it would help him if he could decode it. It had to be at least 4000 years old. Owlan heard the voices grow louder and he shouted--without turning around or looking up from his work--"Come in! The door is unlocked!" He hoped whoever it was would hurry up and make their visit fast, he didn't want to have to stray from his work too long. Not while he was one the verge of a breakthrough. 'If I can just finish these last couple runes,' thought Owlan, 'I can't take distractions right now or I might loose my train of thought.'

Nicholas hesitated before opening the door. This was Owlan, his old friend who probably thought he was dead. How would this play out? Taking a deep breath, Nicholas pushed open the oak door and strode into a crowded study. Loose papers and maps littered the area. Directly in front of him, sitting behind what looked like a desk that was about to drown in paper, was Owlan. He had his back to Nicholas and was staring intently at a charted map that hung on the wall. His hair was long and silvery white. Not quite how Nicholas remembered it, but people changed. He certainly had. He stood there awkwardly for a second, staring at the back of Owlan's head. Then he remembered why he was actually there, and hurriedly pulled out the poster.

"I've um, come to see you about that Needed poster you put up? You needed a bounty hunter, so I came." Nicholas laughed nervously and laid the paper on the already cluttered desk.

Owlan remained turned around, facing the map. Working as he worked. He had two jobs as of now, Fire Lord and Historian. And Owlan always felt that the two jobs were clashing against each other, fighting for his attention and it seemed Historian won it's fair share of fights. Unfortunately Fire Lord never stayed down for the count and would always jump back onto Historian when it least expected. "Yes, of course!" said Owlan with great interest, though he kept his nose in his work, "Have you accepted the job? You're the only one who's shown up, well that's not true...you're the only one who's showed up and not runaway by now. You see--wait do you know what this job entails?" A simply question to many, but the explanation of this job could make or break this interview. "You're aware it's a longer term employment job yes?" asked Owlan, "I mean, it pays well yes, but do you know what it is you'll be doing?"

Nicholas took a seat in the fat leather chair that stood across the desk. Owlan didn't turn around, which Nicholas frankly found rude. Do I know what this job entails? Well I've been doing this for 15 years, I've spent five months tracking down one guy. Maybe it was longer. But be nice, Nicholas....

"Well, I can't say I know exactly what you'd like me to do, but I'm prepared. I've been doing this for quite a long time." He leaned forward and stared at the back of Owlan's head. Was he going to turn around? Nicholas couldn't help but want to see his face, to see what he had grown up to look like.

Owlan laughed, "This is not like typical Bounty Hunter work....it's really more along the lines of what a Mercenary would do. You'll be given two missions, the first is to lead a group of prisoners turned soldiers into the heart of the Rebel camp in the Light State Capitol and destroy it. Secondly, when that mission is over, I want you to track down a list of people--which you shall receive once you've finished your mission in the Light State--who are responsible for the stealing of some very....important artifacts from Dara's Library and from the Won Shi Tong excavation site. I want you to track each of them down, interrogate them, and if they give you nothing, kill them. If they do, send a messenger hawk to my soldiers and they will be by to pick them up. So, to clarify, Light Kingdom first, murder after, alright?" Owlan sighed, "Damn!" he hissed to himself, he had lost his train of thought. Owlan shut his book with a thud and placed it on the pile to his left, he would have to work on his Codex later.

He then picked up a small, leather notebook from the arm of the chair and slid it within his robes. Owlan stood up and turned around to face the boy, something about him seemed oddly familiar, but the only possibility Owlan could think of couldn't be true. The boy had died a long time ago, when Owlan had left the Fire Nation. So Owlan dismissed it for now. "Do you accept?" asked Owlan, "And furthermore, what is your name? So that I may know who I am speaking and dealing with."

Nicholas watched with interest as Owlan turned. He could still see the child he had known in Owlan's features. His face was narrow and his eyes bright and inquisitive. Always wanting to know everything. That's how Nicholas remembered him. His hair had whitened, but still had that unearthly silky look too it. His features were overall very pointed. He had grown up well. However, Nicholas saw no sudden realization in his eyes, so he leaned back in his chair and rubbed the spot just above his eye patch.

"Hunting down the list of people I can do easily. Leading a group of soldiers into a rebel camp however...that's something I've never done and honestly, it seems like a job for a fellow soldier instead of a rogue bounty hunter." Nicholas stared at the clutter on Owlan's desk and thought for a couple minutes. It wasn't something he was used to, on the other hand, it was the chance of a lifetime. "Alright," he finally answered. "I accept." He stood up and held out his hand to Owlan. "Some call me Nails, but my name is Nicholas Lynch. I suppose we'll be working together now."

'Nicholas...Lynch?' wondered Owlan, 'That certainly answers many of the current questions...no but he's dead. Still though...it would be nice to spend time with an old friend again, especially one such as Nicholas. I never did get to say goodbye before being whisked away by my Master...and then with the incident so shortly after. It couldn't hurt to ask...I'll ask him once this conversation is over. It's decided.'

"Well frankly I'd send a soldier, but these prisoners would sooner take orders from a Platypus Bear than from the same people who kept them locked up in jail for the last few years. Tell me, would you work for your jailer after 10 years of being locked away? The only person who stands in your way from freedom; who keeps you locked up most of the day and night until you have to head out to the quarry to smash rocks or sent to the mines to work until you're rehabilitated?" Owlan wasn't mad, nor did he use a tone that pervaded such. He was simply asking this boy his opinion on the matter, and explaining why it was he had asked for a Bounty Hunter for the job, "I can say that I personally, Mr. Lynch, would not. That's why I've hired you for the job, because they will look up to someone who isn't necessarily in lined with the Fire Nation or any other Nation. You're one of them in their eyes."

Owlan sat back down and waited for Nicholas's reply. Silently mulling over how he would phrase his question to Nicholas without making things seem...well, a tad awkward. The last thing Owlan wanted to do was impede into personal matters with Nicholas, just in case he wasn't the real Nicholas Lynch that Owlan was expecting, but at the same time, make it personal enough that the real Nicholas--were it he--would realize that Owlan still saw him as a friend.

Nicholas listened intently to Owlan's ramble. He really hadn't changed. "I understand. Alright. I'll lead the prisoners." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, then walked over to one of the side windows. He really wasn't sure if Owlan remembered him or if he would still think of him as a friend. Helping himself, he opened the window and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. "Mind if I smoke?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before he lit the cigarette.

"When do I start?" He paused, staring out the window. Then he added, softly, "A long time ago, we used to be friends."