Oil and Water

On the other side of this desolate, hostile wasteland was Ahlya's destination. Omashu was waiting for her just a few hundred miles from where she was standing. Surrounding her was the last few remaining shrubs that stretched out a few miles from the treeline before the desert. The smart thing to do was to go around it like she did last time when she set her sights on Ba Sing Se. However, that would take another couple of months for her to complete. Ahlya couldn't afford to waste any more of her time.

She left her home two years ago to escape the seemingly suffocating grip of her father and her family's business, but much to her surprise she had started to feel a little homesick. She missed her brothers more than anything. Seeing them again had been her drive ever since she crossed Chameleon Bay. A day or two back in her home city wasn't going to kill her, but the journey back home very well could. Ahlya knew she would be risking her life the moment she took one step into the desert, but she was prepared to make the crossing. She had purchased a large water sack that stored up to two gallons of water. The only problem was that it added a significant amount of weight to her back.

The longer Ahlya looked out into the desert the more she agreed to the idea of making camp in the treeline until morning. She needed as much energy as possible in order to survive her journey. It wouldn't take that long to get back to the treeline, she thought. There would still be one more hour of light if she made it back in the time she estimated.

"I'll start my suffering tomorrow," she mumbled on her way back to shade.

Cyrad was on one of his odd trips into the desert to practice his sandbending. He had been out in the blazing sun and the burning sands for a couple of weeks so far this time. He was wearing a poncho made of several thin sandstone 3"x5" plates over his usual sleeveless shirt while he was wearing a light pair of pants.

Today brought him to one of the edges of the desert not by intention, he had no immediate desire to leave the desert and was stocked on supplies enough for another crossing or two, but rather by fate. He was in a small boat he had crafted that was surfing the sand wave he bended like a man at the crest of a normal wave. As he changed course he noticed a dot looking out into the sands. He wasn't sure who or what it could be, not leaving out the thought that it may be a halucination from being out in the sun for such a long time, but decided to check it out.

As he got closer the form to the distinct look of a woman, it brought Cyrad back to his first time looking at the desert. He didn't fully respect the danger the desert had posed on his first journey so he was at least inclined to go over and warn her. He did so in an inthreathening mannor making sure she saw him before he got close.

His voice sounded dry and foriegn after not using it for a couple weeks. "Hello, my name is Cyrad, who are you. Are you planning on venturing out into these sands?"

OCC:my bad on not posting yeterday I got busy

Ahlya had hardly started back towards the treeline before she heard the rustling sound of sand moving. She turned to see what appeared to be a man riding in a boat on a wave of sand. She hadn't even technically entered the desert, but were the mirages already starting? The wave drew closer and she could start to see the details of the man. His upper body was covered in sandstone, his arm was covered in rock, and his whole figure seemed to be shrouded in a layer of dust and sand. The boat stopped as the wave died away. The dusty man looked tanned and sun burnt at the same time. He was certainly no sandbender native, but he seemed very skilled at the craft.

"Hello," he greeted in a husky voice as sandy as the desert itself. "My name is Cyrad. Who are you?"

"Hello, Cyrad," Ahlya replied as she squinted through the bright sunlight. She was so used to trees helping her with this problem. "I'm Ahlya."

Cyrad nodded in greeting. "Are you planning on venturing out into these sands?"

Ahlya looked passed him into the desert for a short moment before turning her attention back to him. "I am. I was headed back to the treeline to make camp for the evening and start fresh tomorrow morning. You seem quite traveled and prepared here, yes? The boat is a smart idea. I wish I would have thought of something similar."

(ooc: no worries!)

"I am. I was headed back to the treeline to make camp for the evening and start fresh tomorrow morning. You seem quite traveled and prepared here, yes? The boat is a smart idea. I wish I would have thought of something similar."Ahlya answered Cyrad.

"Don't worry I spent a couple foolish days walking under that dangerous sun before I thought of this boat idea, I'm sure you would have too if you had been out here long enough."  Cyrad said.  "Why are you going out through the desert, it's a place that most normal people would prefer to avoid?"  He asked.

Cyrad looked at the girl, she wasn't partiucarly young, he was guessing in between her late teens and early twenties but she sure wasn't old, and he was guessing, trained enough to be traveling alone.

"Why don't you have any traveling companions, whenever a young girl like yourself ventures out she should have others to keep her company and protected."  Cyrad said, he wasn't intending to be sexist yet his nature to think woman are delicate and in need of protection infected most of his thoughts.

Again after waiting for the girls response Cyrad spoke.  "If you wouldn't mind it would put me at ease if you would permit me to travel with you on your journey through the desert so as to make sure you make it to the other side in good health and spirit."

"Why are you going out through the desert, it's a place that most normal people would prefer to avoid?" Cyrad asked.

Ahlya casually placed her left hand on her hip and smirked. "It might end up being a dumb idea," she confessed, "but I need to make it to Omashu as soon as possible. Going around the desert would take too much time. Besides, I might run into a sandbending tribe and learn a few things from them as well as practicing on my own."

She glanced down quickly at Cyrad's stone covered arm to notice that it was the same exact size of his other arm. Either the arm under there was significantly smaller than the other, or there was no arm under the stone armor at all. Her eyes went back to Cyrad's face immediately as she thought of how impressive it was that he didn't allow a disability, if there was one, to prevent him from bending.

Cyrad then brought up her lack of traveling companions and protectors. Ahlya had been asked this same question countless times, but no one ever said anything about her needing a protector because of her being a "young girl." A scowl formed on Ahlya's face as her hand fell from her hip. "I've been on my own for two years now," she explained as she tried to keep her temper down. "You don't know me, pal, but you got a lot of nerve assuming I need any protection at all."

Ahlya could see on Cyrad's face, and in his voice, that he was quickly trying to defuse the situation by making her lack of a "protector" about his own self easement. He offered to escort her through the desert. Ahlya thought of her options. On one hand, he practically insulted her by saying she needed a bodyguard/companion to babysit her along her travels. On the other hand, however, he was clearly experienced in navigating the desert. Not only that, but his sand boat would cut weeks off of her trip for sure.

Ahlya bit the inside of her cheek, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath in and back out again. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "We'll start fresh in the morning. And if you don't mind, I want to make it back to the treeline before dark to make camp."

Ahlya was rather impressed with the way Cyrad set up his camp. Normally Ahlya would just bend an earth tent made up of two walls leaning on each other and she would sleep on her pack. Not with Cyrad. He created a whole home essentially with more rooms than they really needed. Felling that she needed to help, she aided him in building this grand earth and sand home for their overnight stay on the treeline.

Once they had settled down and Cyrad began cooking for the two of them he finally asked, "So what's so important in Omashu?"

Ahlya took a sip of water from her pouch and swallowed. "My brothers live there," she replied. "Well... my parents live there too, but I'm only interested in seeing my brothers. After that I'm heading to the Fire Nation. It's time for me to finally get out of the Earth Kingdom."

Ahlya held back her cringing when she mentioned her parents. Her father was the one that practically kicked her out of the house, but her mother didn't do anything to stop it. She kept quiet and never said a word to Ahlya since the day she left. Her brothers, on the other hand, wrote to her frequently, and Ahlya wrote back. Her last letter she wrote was to her older brother, Tao, informing him that she was on her way to the city. The whole situation felt like a sob story that she was in no mood to explain to a complete stranger like Cyrad.

(ooc: sorry i meant to post yesterday but i accidentally navigated away from the page and lost all my progress.. so i got frustrated and left it for a little bit lol.)

"My brothers live there, well my parents live there too but I'm only interested in seeing my brothers.  After that I'm heading to the Fire Nation it's time for me to finally leave the Earth Kingdom." Ahlya said.Cyrad was sure there was a story there but he wasn't the nosy type and if she wanted to share Cyrad was sure she would, they would have plenty of time for it in the desert.  

It wasn't long until the food was done and the two of them were sitting down on stone stools and enjoying the food.  "So have you ever sand ended before?"  Cyrad asked trying to strike up a conversation.  After she responded Cyrad continued. "You said that you hoped to meet a sandbending clan that would teach you some and I'm not trying to dissuade you but the only people I've met here have either been completely rude or outright trying to kill me, hence why I wanted your company."  Cyrad shifted in his seat hoping that he didn't accidentally offend her again, he didn't think he said anything wrong but he didn't think he said anything wrong earlier either.  "If your willing I can try and show you some basics while we're out there tomorrow, I'm warning you though I'm not really good myself and I've never taught anyone anything before."  Cyrad didn't think he would be particuarly adept at training her but he really would like help propelling the boat and hoped that his lessons under Naseru might help him fill the role of teacher.

As they finished their food Cyrad pressed for more information. "So is there anything waiting for you in the Fire Nation or are you just looking for a change in scenery?  I've been there a couple of times and the place doesn't do anything for me.  People there are a little hot headed there for my taste."  As Cyrad finished his pun he let loose a smile rare for him but he hadn't had a decent conversation in weeks so he decided to let it slip.  Cyrad was ready for bed but he wouldn't bring it up rather he would wait for Ahlya to bring it up, though he was adverse against talking for longer.

[occ:no worries I've been there more than I can count and sometimes I can post quickly so I won't judge harshly.]

One would never know it by looking at him, but Cyrad wasn't half bad as a cook. Granted, the last good meal Ahlya had was in Ba Sing Se, but this was pretty close. It was a lot better than the various rodents she set traps for whenever she was out in the wild. It was a challenge for Ahlya to keep herself from downing the stew in a matter of a couple of minutes. She had begun a fast to prepare herself for eating as little as possible in the desert. She had some elk jerky in her pack that she planned on munching on now and then during her trek, so this was a nice treat.

"So have you ever sandbended before?" Cyrad asked after a minute or two of silence.

Ahlya swallowed another spoonful of stew. "Yes," she said. "I managed to get across the sea to visit the Northern Water Tribe about a year ago. My goal was to learn waterbending techniques and then try it with sandbending. I was only there for a little under a month, but I learned as much as I could. I got back to the mainland and practiced day and night on my sandbending for a solid week before I headed south for Ba Sing Se. I learned how sand moved like water and was very different than earth."

Cyrad nodded. "You said that you hoped to meet a sandbending clan that would teach you some and I'm not trying to dissuade you but the only people I've met here have either been completely rude or outright trying to kill me, hence why I wanted your company."

Ahlya chucked. "I figured if I did have any luck finding the sandbenders they wouldn't be too kind to strangers," she confessed. "But they know more about sandbending than I do from learning from a bunch of waterbenders. I figured I had to give it a shot."

"If your willing," Cyrad offered, "I can try and show you some basics while we're out there tomorrow, I'm warning you though I'm not really good myself and I've never taught anyone anything before."

Ahlya looked at Cyrad and nodded. "I'd appreciate that," she agreed.

Another thing Ahlya was learning about Cyrad was that he also didn't look like a social kind of guy, but he was full of questions for her. "So is there anything waiting for you in the Fire Nation or are you just looking for a change in scenery?  I've been there a couple of times and the place doesn't do anything for me.  People there are a little hot headed there for my taste."

Ahlya noticed Cyrad finally crack a smile at his own joke to which she guffawed and rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but smile, too. "I want to see the world," she began. "I need to remind myself that I'm my own person and I can do as I choose, and no one can choose for me. That's kinda why I left home in the first place. My parents had a plan for me that I didn't like so I did my own thing even if it brought me nothing but shame."

She glanced over to Cyrad's stone arm. "So does your arm have a story? I mean, you haven't really told me a thing about yourself."

So Ahlya just wanted to live her own life and see the world, it wasn't a crime and actually was something Cyrad admired. He had done a lot of traveling in his twenty six years on this world so he understood the value of seeing different areas and cultures. She asked the question that few people ever spoke but always thought when they saw him, what had happened to his arm.

"Well when I was a young kid I was always moving around, my father was a traveling smith so we never stayed in one place for long and it made it hard for me to meet other kids. So one day we were in this one town and I saw this pretty girl and wanted to show off, I was just starting to get a grasp on bending so I lifted a big rock over my head then it slipped and fell on my arm. The idea for the rock arm came from a sage man I met years ago." The story didn't bring back any of the sorrowful emotions from the time after the accident Cyrad had long moved past it and often counted his arm as a blessing from the spirits.

"So we should get some shut eye" Cyrad said conflicting his earlier thought." We have a long sweaty day ahead of us, oh and by the way after a day or two out in the desert you might wanna start traveling at night, I've adjusted slightly to the heat so I don't care either way."

[occ: sorry I can quote you perfectly I'm writing with my itouch and it's a bitch

Ahlya smirked at Cyrad's story of how he lost his arm. She originally thought he lost it in some sort of epic battle in which his arm fell martyr, but no. He was a dumb kid trying to impress a girl. Classic.

Cyrad stood up from his spot to say good night and warn Ahlya of the desert heat. She was up for the challenge. The men at the Northern Water Tribe told her the same thing when she went out on a hunting trip with them, but she was fine. She had frostbite for a few days, of course, but she bounced back with hardly any complaints. Ahlya stood up and wished Cyrad good night before heading to one of the bedrooms of the hut with her bag.

Ahlya didn't dream that night. It felt as if she closed her eyes one second and opened them the next to find dawn about to break when she went outside to check. The embers of the fire were still glowing, so Ahlya kicked a little dirt over them to put them out for good. She went to Cyrad's room to check and see if he was up and moving but found him still fast asleep. Ahlya kicked at his foot a bit to which he woke up with a very slight jolt.

"Time to get moving," Ahlya said with a horse voice from the cold air over night. "We have a lot of ground to cover today."

Cyrad fell asleep easily and had one of those nights were you have a thousand dreams one right after the other.  Though he didn't really remember any of them when he woke up he knew the last one was something about him being a kid again, even though he still had the same body, and he was just living his life as it was before his father passed.  That was until a crazy earthquake happened and Cyrad was ripped into the waking world.

He jumped slightly when he woke up, mostly because of the dream but Cyrad traveled alone so often that seeing another person first thing he woke up startled him slightly.  Cyrad didn't sleep in often so he was surprised that Ahlya was up before him, he started to yawn as she spoke though he said sorry as he did (in that funny yawning way).

"Time to get moving, we have a lot of ground to cover today."

"Yea we do,"  Cyrad said getting up.  "How'd you sleep?"  He nodded at the response, the question was more out of politeness than actual caring.  He slapped himself a couple of times to wake up as he stood, though he caught his blanket at the last moment.  "Oh, uh, hey"  Cyrad said blushing.  "Can you leave so I can get dressed?"  Sleeping in the heat wasn't Cyrad's favorite thing to do so he picked up sleeping naked to help him out.  Once Ahlya was outside it only took him seconds to dress and gather his belongings and be ready to leave.  He was chewing on some smoked meat and offered some to Ahlya as he exited the room.  He had decided to just pretend that she just didn't almost see his birthday suit.

As he went outside the fire was already put out and everthing seemed to be ready for them to high tail it out of there so Cyrad adjusted the straps on his pack, making a clacking sound come from his plated poncho.  He started the trip to the garage he built around his boat, early he wasn't likely to ask a bunch of questions as his mind tried to unbury itself from the sands of sleep but he could still answer, even if it took him a few seconds longer than normal.  When they arrived and desembled the garage Cyrad found his boat unstolen.  Got into the boat and waited for Ahlya to get in after him, "Ready?"  He asked before bending a wave up and starting them on their way.

occ:You have free reign with Cyrad on your posts so you can have him teach you sandbending basics or mess up and flip the boat(he's only about an intermediate at sandbending) or run into an animal or talk or anything lol

Ahlya

For the first few minutes of riding in the sandstone boat on the sand wave Cyrad was bending Ahlya gripped her seat tightly. She often got sea sick on boats and had to remind herself that this was different. She still got a knot in her stomach as they traveled over sand dunes. Once she was able to compose herself, Ahlya watched Cyrad's rapid arm movements as he propelled the boat forward on the wave. They were very different than her style of sandbending (which was what she adopted from the waterbenders). "Let me give it a try," Ahlya offered. "You know, driving the boat." Cyrad nodded and brought the wave to a slow, easy stop. Ahlya stood up and switched places with Cyrad. Sweat was already beading on her forehead from the heat, but the thought of driving the boat was also making her nervous. The sweat had begun to roll down her temples before she got the chance to start bending. She was so used to being connected to whatever she was bending, but the boat was in the way off that. Not that the sand actually felt like a sold thing she could bend,  anyway. Ahlya began to move her arms gradually in broad, steady movements just like the waterbenders had shown her: just like she had been practicing. The sand surrounding the boat began to rustle and move and gathered up at the stern of the boat. Ahlya's arms flung backwards and propelled the boat forward at an alarmingly fast rate that she wasn't ready for. The boat came to a fast stop into a sand dune and threw her just off the right side. Cryad was still in the boat but had fallen backwards as well. Ahlya stood up and brushed the sand from her shirt. "I guess guiding a boat with sandbending doesn't work like that," she said. "Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about boating?"

Mood: Condition:

Link: Ahlya Nita

(ooc: yeah i'm always nervous of throwing someone off track of what they want to do, but thanks for letting me know!)