Of Sands and Seas

A ruffling cloud of sand and debree kicked up, billowing it's way towards the entrance of the Seedy Merchant's Pier, or so the city was called. Clay's arms swirled around to push the sand under him and propel himself forward like a wakeboard would in water. The kickup of sand set a veil around him as he steered to the pier. Nearing it within the night setting, he hurried to escape the blistering cold, and yes the desert was freezing at night. Getting into range of the city, Clay took a leap up into the air, grabbing the board as he seared through the sky. Slipping the board from under him and grasping it in both hands, he crashed into the ground before the entrance to Seedy Merchant's Pier, the ground under him cushioning his landing to the point where his legs went numb. He stayed as he was for a moment until he got feeling in his legs again, then stood.
Entering the city without hassle, Clay made his way through, observing the sights. He never did stay in cities like this for too long, a day at most. He hadn't been here since he was a small child coming once with his mother to 'fetch' something that could sustain us. Towering over everyone, he could see right over anyone's head and didn't miss a sight as he walked through, looking for some place he could get food. No one would get a good look at his face, which was covered in it's scowl and his body was hidden behind the poncho so no one could differentiate anything but his eyes, which were lit a violet color in the moonlight at this time. The hooded poncho hid his silk white hair, the chain dangling under his poncho, only audible from someone close up.

Lazuki was walking though the pier as well, for supplies. Unknown to most, she was a great cook. She went to a food vender, were she was buying some spices. While she was shopping, she spotted a young man that was very tall. She looked at the bounty she recently got, at the man looked just like man in the picture judging on his height alone. She need to be sure, so she walked up to man, and spun him forcefully, to face her. She showed him the bounty for that man that looked like him, to see his reaction. If it was a bad one, it was him.

With so many people about, Clay wouldn't know who this man was that was saying something, but before he could get the full question, it seemed someone else desired his attention. A woman, holding up something to him, it seemed, and without words he wondered what she wanted. No, it was rather a vacant stare at the picture for a moment before he looked at her.
" Okay...are you looking for this guy? I haven't seen him. Is he your pappa?" He asked only because of the height differnce between him and her. " You don't look alike. Adopted, maybe?" Clay was horrible with people skills, especially with women. He started to turn to the other guy who was going to ask a quesion since the woman was fairly quiet. " Sorry. Did you need something?"

Lazuki grabbed his shirt, and it down to eye level. After he said seem to be scared, she let go, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry.." She signed. "I didn't mean to mistake you for a pirate." She then looked to the bald man. She hand seen him at the pier before...

Clay would respond before the female had grabbed his shirt and yanked his attention from the man. Clay found it rude of her as he stared at her for a moment. Fear, no, it was pride in his eyes, pride that wouldn't stand for her behavior. He reached his hands under her to lift her up to his eye level. " Hold on now. If I look like this man, then there's someone I can't allow going around and misconstruing things. I can't have that. Let me help you find this guy, if you don't mind. It's gotten personal now." Clay didn't ignore the man behind him, he was more focused on trying to keep the woman's attention. " I am a sand bender from a nomadic tribe in that particular desert, yes. What kind of offer do you have? Sorry if I'm not inclined to do anything for free, I already met my share of recruiters for today."

Lazuki grinned, and smiled to him with a nod. "Sounds like a plan. You can have the money for the job, I have more than enough anyway." She said. She often went back home to collect her tax, anyway. She didn't mind that he picked her up, but she fingered her gun slightly. if he attacked, there would be a bullet in his head. The same goes for Terak. "Do you want to come with?" She asked him.

" Call me Clay." He didn't want to give his name out in full to people he didn't trust. This was just business, personal business. By now he was holding the woman up off the ground. with his constant weight training, she didn't weigh much to him, though the weight was a bit offset. It wasn't his weight equipment, no, it was her. But he didn't care to wonder about it as he held her off the ground. He kind of forgot he was holding her, actually. " We should look for small ships then, correct? Does his men have a certain distinguishing feature to them or their clothing? Or are we going in blind?" Clay asked, wondering where to put the woman now. Things were just getting...awkward. He set her back down onto her feet and let her go, he had her attention and he didn't think she would start wandering off now.

Lazuki grins. "Name's Lauzki, Crimson Spark, bane of the seas, what ever strikes your fancy." She said smiling. She looked to Tarek. "You've dealer with pirates before? If you've noticed the whole crew disappearing, that was me." She said. She crossed her legs in Clay's arms, she was getting comfortable. It was just like in Jang Hui, wear she had servants, to cater to her. She need to go back there.... Clayton broke her thoughts.

"We're not shooting in the dark, I know he is here." She said. "Some poor souls I forced to join his crew relayed information to me. Their deaths in turn will be quick." She was just getting comfy, then he put her down. 'Awww..."

As Tarek would address th men that approached them, Clay was picking up the woman again. It was more like a fun game now, his hands slipping under her and lifting her up in his arms again before turning to the men that approached. Clay looked them over a second time, having to double take. Sure, they wore the garments of other sand benders he'd seen and sometimes conflicted with, but there was rarely a speck of sand drifting off of them in comparison, upon first viual glance. Why would sand benders be away from the desert without a bending source, there was little sand in the city to even use.
Clay wouldn't bring it up, going this far for impressions was a first to him. " Maybe they're a part of the pirate's crew..." Clay joked, wondering if they were sand benders or just dressing the part. Who knows, with the lack of sand, they could be hiding pouches under their clothes, like he was planning on doing. He only decided against it because he already had sources of sand to bend. None the less, Clay never let his guard down, there were too many people for that. He could at least hear them out if they wanted to speak.

Lazuki grinned as he picked her back up. It felt like home again. She crossed her legs, and let him to the walking. She looked down, and a bunch of sand benders where next to him. She didn't mind the men at first-she assumed that they knew the man that was doing her the service of carrying her. She looked to Tarek. "We could take my ship. It's huge, but fast and has rows of cannons." She said, smiling. "But I don't need them." She showed Tarek the inside of her hand, and it was the same mark as the mercenary called 'combustion man', the one that attacked the avatar and his gang near the end of the hundred year war.

“Do you need something?”

Kashikoi and his men just stood there with there hands folding together like scholars would.
One of the fire nation soldiers spoke up for the rest of the group.

"We overheard your conversation...You are looking for someone.... yes?"

Kashikoi and his men all stood tall like soldiers with no piece of their skin being visible. They all were ruffly the same height and weight. Kashikoi kept staring at Clay, the mask didn't make it obvious that he was staring at him and it couldn't be seen through the glass eyes because all it would show is there own reflection. Kashikoi was wondering what Clay was really here for before that bounty hunter came along. Kashikoi and his men just remained calm and peaceful.

Dangit Tarek, Clay wasn't expecting him to toss the guys to him like that. None the less, taking in a deep breath, he turned and lifted Lazuki onto his shoulders. " The more the merrier. So, um, Lazuki was it? Where is your ship? " He asked, having grown complacent to her weight already. He was used to lifting much heavier as a coolie, he knew how to carry things a multiple of his weight.

Clay would then look at the sand benders, never suspecting their real faces. Men who hid behind masks had something to hide, and good or bad that was already a red flag to Clay. " What are you guys going to help us for? What's in it for you to come with us? " If it was to split the bounty, Clay wasn't going to decline them. Everyone needed money, though he was keeping his eye on everyone there.

Lazuki's crossed her legs on the giant's shoulders. She looked to Tarek, to answer has question. "Yes, I can." She held out her hand, pointed it at the sky. A large explosion happened soon after. "See?"

She turns back to Clay. "My ship is at the docks, the biggest and most extravagant one there." She reluctantly jumped off of Clay and walks to the docks. "Follow."

" What are you guys going to help us for? What's in it for you to come with us? "

Kashikoi and his men heard the two questions that were asked....The same soldier spoke for the rest of the group.

"We have met travelers like you who has had a mission of looking for a criminal. and that criminal has always escaped and we won't let that happen. Also we are also looking for a criminal in the fire nation soldier, he always wears a mask and is an admiral of the fire nation. Rumor has it that he defected with a few soldiers afterwards."

The soldier was obviously talking about Kashikoi, for they needed the same motive like these three had to also confirm that they are also "looking" for a man as well. But really this man didn't need to be found, he was right there before there very eyes. Brand new words were heard.

"Follow."

Kashikoi and his group followed the others as they were going to a ship.

" Well, that's our cue." Clay said to the overhead burst to indicate where to go. " I'll assume the best for now then and let you guys come. You might find who you're looking for on said ship, no?" Clay waved everyone along as he would follow Lazuki to her boat. So far, everyone checked out...story wise.

As they would move, a few men in the crowd were watchinng. They kept well hidden, dressed to fit the populous, and since the group was already pulling up a crowd of people who grew interest in what was going on, it was easy for the few that were watching to go unnoticed. Though, once they were on the move, the few in the crowd had stood and made their move, gone in the blink of an eye.

With the group heading to the pier to secure Lazuki's boat, they'd notice the motion of others running atop the rooftops, along the side streets. They had the info they needed from overhearing them, they were moving to sabotage her boat. It was hard to get an accurate number of how many were making their way, but they all seemed to surrounded the group during their travels. It was apparent when two merchants behind their booths hopped up and erected a wall before the group to stall them while the others were making their way for the ship.