Practice Topic: Niya and BobbiIngrid - Class #1

Leilani walked stealthily along the streets of Ba Sing Se. She was looking, as always, for her sister Mai. But not to hunt her down this time. No. She had already found Mai, and while she couldn't exactly said Mai was home, Leilani COULD say that things were better than before. No, now Leilani was looking for Mai so she could exchange information with her. The two were walking through the ruins of Ba Sing Se.

The city was still filled with life, but most of the buildings had been burned down or destroyed and demolished in both the Invasion of the Seven Thorns and the destruction unleashed by Lord Magmaros and his Burning Legion. Hundreds of thousands of people were dead. Most of the Lower Ring was now a sea of tents and refugee camps. The Middle Ring was only half ruined. The Upper Ring and the Palace were relatively untouched--to the displeasure of the people.

They had lost their king, their kin and their homes all in the matter of a week. Morale was at an all time low. Now all of a sudden the Seven Thorns had begun using their soldiers to enforce "order" and further the control of their regime. Things were looking grim and dismal in this city.

And yet Leilani refused to give up hope. The Avatar was going to fix this...somehow. Once she was properly trained of course. Whenever that would be...Leilani sighed. Things might take a bit, but in that time she would do whatever she could to help out, even if that meant just surveillance and recon missions into what was now enemy territory.

Kah Mi ambled through the dilapidated, yet still culturally alive, Ba Sing Se.  As she shuffled in between tents and shacks, she would occasionally tug Nagdak's reins to coax him forward.  It was a spontaneous decision to come to Ba Sing Se in the first place.  Kah Mi recalled sipping a cup of tea the previous morning when a young couple walked by, discussing the poor condition of the once prosperous city.  And that was when Kah Mi purchased a coach-level ticket for the monorail.

From a distance, Kah Mi noticed a young lady who seemed to be looking for something.  She smiled, directing wrinkles and dimples to ripple across her cheeks, and directed her camelephant in that direction.  It took some time before reaching her, but Kah Mi never increased her pace or generally seemed to be in a hurry.  She approached the girl and in a breathy voice asked, "Are you looking for something, miss?"

Leilani froze as an older woman asked her what she was looking for.  Well, she asking if she was looking for something but it was basically the same thing.  Leilani didn't know if she could trust this woman.  If she was a plant placed by the Seven Thorns to keep an eye on the populace and make sure people were keeping in line.  Leilani lied through her teeth and played it off as nothing.  "Yeah actually I'm looking for a place to get something to eat?  I don't suppose there a restaurant tent somewhere huh?" she asked slightly jokingly.

Leilani had never met this woman before, but she was going to play along. She couldn't trust her; she couldn't read her either. If this woman was benign or evil Leilani wasn't able to discern. But time would tell, and if time told evil, Leilani would be sure to make note of it. There would be no killing this mission. It would be too suspicious and jeopardize the ability to make future missions easily and safely.

That was something Leilani would not risk. Making the Order seem like they had won absolutely and unrivalled would put them into a false sense of security. The Avatar and Warriors would need to move through enemy territory in the years to come. Being able to so secretly without being heavily questioned and hunted was important. More important than Leilani eliminating a possible future threat.

These were troubling times for the Earth Kingdom.  As a girl on Kyoshi Island, Kah Mi would have been comfortable going into just about anyone's home, speaking to a complete stranger.  But she'd lived long enough, seen enough, to know that few people trusted each other anymore.  This young woman bore the signs of such a person.

Kah Mi chortled at her response.  "Oh, child, if I did have bad intentions, you could definitely take on Nagdak and me." She elaborated more quietly, "We're old as dirt."

She started to steer Nagdak away from the girl.  "If you actually are looking for something to eat, I was just planning to purchase a few rice buns. You're more than welcome to join me."  Kah Mi smiled, nodded, and started away.

Leilani let her guard down a bit; just enough to make sure it didn't show. This woman was good. To be fair, Leilani was perhaps a tad paranoid, but considering everything that had gone on lately, and all the training she had received her whole life, it was better to be cautious then dead by the hand of a former ally. Leilani bowed respectfully to the woman, doubtful until she proved herself. Leilani wouldn't let her know that though.

Old as she may be, frail as she may look, Leilani remembered old Nitari Vosk. Former Grand Master of the Assassin Order. He mentored Leilani's mother, Claudia, and Mai as well. Leilani was trained by Nitari's son. Nitari was 104 when he died, and he moved faster, and more lithely than most of the younger, skilled Master Assassins. Nitari was a demon incarnate, and as close to a grandfather as Leilani ever knew. He was so kind to her.

Leilani returned to the woman and the present moment. "Yes, I would love to join you. Lead the way," responded Leilani to the woman's offer, "I appreciate the kindness. Not easily you find someone so generous. Not with giant spirit-dragon-gods and their fire demon armies running about. And then there's the Seven Thorns, the new 'beneficial' rulers of the world."

Kah Mi turned around and returned a slight bow.  Realizing that the girl was more at ease, her shoulders also relaxed.  When she looked into her eyes, though, her thoughts seemed to be somewhere else.  Or maybe the young woman was just thoughtful.

Before initiating their conversation, Kah Mi had noticed a small food cart no more than a quarter of a mile away.  She approached the owner and removed a few brass coins from her coin-purse.  After accepting the rice buns with both hands, she placed one in her young companion's hands.

"I'm just happy to have some company before I move on.  And I see what you mean; they give the word 'beneficial' a new meaning," she shook her head slowly in disappointment.  "Not that there's much I can do about it." She tore off a piece of the bun and brought it to her mouth, but paused to say, "My name is Kah Mi Batu."

Leilani followed the old woman; she led them not far away to a small peddler pushing a food cart. Nothing special, but a good way for the peddler to make some extra money and for the people to eat a simple, but still filling, meal. It was incredibly affordable too. Especially considering that most of the people living down here had nothing left to call their own--though some of them had nothing to their name before hand. It was a mess; the squalor that was the living conditions down here.

Leilani thanked the woman with another bow, then took a small bite out of the rice bun. "I appreciate it," smiled Leilani, "It's really good." The woman introduced herself. She seemed the seasoned traveller. The shoes; the robes, the fact that she carried little on her at all times. Her and her pet seemed too close for home-bodies. They had travelled together; seen things together. She wasn't from Ba Sing Se; she had too much happiness, too much hope, too much good will.

"Yeah...these Seven Thorns thugs; they're not human. They don't feel anything. They're worse than monsters. Cold, heartless monsters. I'm Leilan by the way," responded the young Assassin, "Leilani E-...Eraga." Leilani knew this woman could be trusted; for the most part at least. There was always a margin of error. But regardless Leilani didn't want her name being blown about willy-nilly. Who knew who was listening, or who was around the corner ready to make a quick stack of gold coins. Especially lately. "Where do you come from? Leilani was deathly curious.

By now, the rice bun had disappeared into Kah Mi's round stomach. It wasn't that she didn't savor the food, but she was a self-proclaimed speed-eater. A piece went to Nagdak, per tradition, before she clasped her hands over the wrinkled napkin. Leilani was a polite young lady, but Kah Mi knew no one hesitated at their own name. She wasn't sure if the whole thing was made up or what, but she didn't press. Kah Mi waited patiently for Leilani to finish her thoughts, nodding along the way.

"Well, perhaps someone in more authority than us will find the will to do something about it. It should be getting more attention than it is. It's not just an ordinary city; I'm sure Avatar (insert Avatar name here, haha) will step in as soon as possible." She wasn't sure if she meant that, or if it was only to give herself hope. Her eyes dropped to the ground and she was reminded of what a beautiful city it was back when she wasn't much older than Leilani. Buildings stood proud, symbolic of the strong citizens of Ba Sing Se. Now, they slouched in weeping tents and bent to the will of those whose intentions were selfish.

Kah Mi's thin bottom lip protruded in thought. "Originally, I came from Kyoshi Island, although in its current situation I doubt you've had the chance to see it." She sighed, "It was beautiful in its prime. My late husband and I moved to Omashu and we pretty much stayed there. I still have a dirty little apartment there, but I don't spend a lot of time there." Kah Mi laughed and looked back at Leilani. "You know, Leilani doesn't strike me as an Earth Kingdom name. You aren't from here either, hm?"

The old woman mentioned the Avatar. Whispers had gone around about Ziio. The new Avatar. No one had seen her. She'd been whisked away by her uncle, the Spirit King, for proper training, so she could better take on the enemy she had to face, and considering everything that had happened, she needed all the training she could get. There was no such thing as too much training. Then Kah Mi asked Leilani about her name, and presumably her origins.

Leilani had THIS story planned out already. Back when she was an Assassin. Back when the Assassins still existed as an organization. Before the sickness took them all. Before her mother died...before her sister left...before everything, before all of this. Leilani responded calmly and smoothly. "I grew up in the Light Kingdom," explained Leilani, "My father was a merchant, my mother was a seamstress by trade. We lived comfortably, as my father as an importer of luxury goods. Precious metals, jewelry, perfumes, Ullondorian relics, art, exotic animals, expensive fabrics, wines, alcohol. You name anything you can imagine in a Prince's home, and you'd find it on one of my father's ships."

"When I turned 16 I left home and decided to travel. I made plans to come to Ba Sing Se after spending some time in the Imperial mainland. I didn't now I'd find...well all this." Leilani pointed to the burned husks of homes, the piles of rubble and stones. The city squares filled with bodies, covered in white sheets. So many bodies. Hundreds. Of all ages...all sizes. Leilani pointed to the infamous walls of Ba Sing Se. Walls that had stood for 1700 years. Walls that had stopped the Dragon of the West, and the rest of the Fire Nation for 100 Years. Walls that had seen great kings rise and evil fall.

Walls that had seen more history any anyone in the world currently. The inner wall had completely crumbled in places. Parts of it charged or burned or melted by the massive claws and fiery breath of the Dragon Lord Magmaros. It was disheartening to see all this needless destruction so soon. Leilani shook her head and continued the story. "I don't know how long I plan to stay here. I don't even know if I'm going to come back to a major city the ways things are going with our new rulers."

Leilani didn't mentioned how she had told her mother about how her sister, Mai, planned her escape from the Order at 18. How she wanted to leave so bad she was ready to kill for it. How it led to Mai being placed under house arrest for plotting such things, and how she wasn't allowed to leave or go on missions without escorts. How Mai hated Leilani for what she did. How when Mai finally turned 18, and had spent years of house arrest training and plotting, murdered her escorts, 12 other Assassins and the old Grand Master, Nitari Vosk in her escape attempt.

How when Leilani tracked her to Ba Sing Se, Mai beat Leilani within an inch of her life, knocking her unconscious and warned her to never come look for her again. How Leilani never gave up. How Mai broke her arm on two different occasions. No. It best not to mention those things.

Kah Mi grinned in satisfaction, believing that Leilani had actually opened up about her upbringing. She listened intently and nodded periodically. Kah Mi hadn't traveled to the Light Kingdom as often as she would have liked, so the few words on its culture painted a picture in her head: sailors earning their keep unloading docks, coming home to their children playing in sunny neighbors, learning to be good people. That always gave Kah Mi faith, a younger generation being brought up to improve the world. She included Leilani in that thought; here was an independent, intelligent lady who had left her presumably easier lifestyle for the adventure and education of wayfaring.

A sheet of sadness seemed to drape across Kah Mi's face. She busied herself adjusting a clasp on Nagdak's saddlebag, gnarled fingers working only to find some emotional distance. It was getting later in the evening and she and Nagdak would have to find a safe spot to stay for the night. Kah Mi thought for a moment, comfortable with the silence, and related her opinion. "You know, I think the worst part is when people lose their peace. They are afraid and cling to that like it helps. Why are we hurting ourselves more? It's not all our faults, of course, but we can't lose ourselves about it."