Van Tsu-Yan (Qiang/Spear)
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Van's excursion as a cargo ship stowaway is suddenly compromised by a strange girl...
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Her lips moved but no sound came out. There wasn't much light in the hold, but Van could still read the word off her lips: "Fight" She was holding his qiang horizontally and Van couldn't wrap his head around that.

Van's Qiang was a one of a kind custom model. He refused to be just another grunt. He'd stand out on a battlefield. The spear itself was shorter than common infantry's. It was light green in color and had shallow engravings along the haft. To the naked eye they'd appear to be just decorative, but the slight curving the engravings put in the haft made for better handholds. Unlike most qiangs or throwing spears, the blade wasn't shaped to look like a giant arrow. Van's sported a curved 7 inch blade. The haft itself was made of Jo Shai wood; a strong and ridged wood that still is capable of flexing and bending. It's resistant to shattering and can even stop most sword swings cold. The end opposite the head has a rounded, blunt tip that gives a good, strong whack on the head. If Van wanted to he could use the spear solely as a bo staff with equal effectiveness.

All together Van's Qiang was anything but light. It was unevenly weighted, and when swung acted like a pendulum, conserving momentum. Being already around 12 pounds heavy, it made it more difficult to handle. It was an expert weapon, crafted by an expert, for an expert, to use expertly. Even holding in your hand required skill and strength. To hold it in one hand without compensating for the off-kilter balance, could cost you part of your foot.

Yet, this girl held his weapon with no problem.

Van didn't have time to go "huh?"-both at her inexplicable ability to hold his spear with no problem and her mouthing fight- as the hatch into the hold flung open.

Van hoped this guy was blind..."What the...who's that-"

Should've known that wouldn't work. He lurched forward off his butt and took the spear from the unmoving girl. Van spun on his heels and the backend swung upwards at the descending guard. The non-pointy end caught the man where no man wants to get caught. He let out a girlish yelp and doubled up. He instantly lost his balance. His head banged against the side of the hatch as he fell. Shouts came from updeck, and footsteps thudded against wood as more guards came to see what was happening and probably to beat Van's head in. It was about to get crowded real soon, Van had to move.

He tucked his spear under his left arm, blade end forward, and grabbed the girl's still outstretched hand with the other. They bolted up the steps and into a hallway on what Van assumed was the boiler deck. When he cleared the the hatch, he suddenly let go of the girl's hand, leaving her still halfway up the steps.

It should've been because Van regained his senses and realized he was going to fight a whole shipload of armed guards because a damn toddler told him to, but it wasn't. Van happened to like having two arms. The suprise sword attack of guard missed Van and the girl. His blade lodged into the wall. The hallway wasn't wide or tall enough for him to swing at him, and speed was the key, so he struck the man on the head with a glancing blow with the haft that wouldn't put him down for long.

Crazy, idiot! What if that was the girl who came out first? He would've split her skull like a melon...

The hallway extended left and right. The hatch was located near the bow in the middle of the ship. To the left there was several on rushing crew members turned guards rushing him, shouting for Van to stop.. To his right. Nothing but air and sunlight from on deck.

Van had a tough choice to make. Take on five men in a cramped hallway, or run the other way. To Van's shock he grabbed the girl by the hand again and ran to the right. Van would rather hold his ground and fight them off before running, but since he had the girl... Why did Van have the girl? He didn't know her, but now it was obvious he did. To the crew of this ship anyway.

He made it to the stairs and a burly, shirtless man stomped down holding a 2x4 menacingly in front of him. "Hold it, right there!"

"You first." Van shot back.

Without slowing down Van lashes out with his foot, kicking the length of wood up out of his hands. It thunks into his face and the man staggers back. Before he can recover, Van jabs him in the gut with the back end of the spear and they run up the steps to the top deck. The whole ship was alerted by now. The ship couldn't have a crew of much more than 25 people, but save for the three he momentarily dispatched and the several who were on his tail, every single one was staring Van in the face.Some had swords and others had whatever weapon they could find.

Great, I'm above deck. Now what?

The harbor was him, some 500 yards away. If Van had to, he could swim for it. But, a fish Van was not. He'd never out swim the ship. He looked around quickly and spotted a dinghy hanging off to the side. If he moved fast, Van could cut it loose and hightail it outta here. But, that would include leaving the girl here. He wasn't entirely sure why he was dragging her along. He was more than sure they wouldn't do anything to the girl. Who, by the way, still hadn't made a sound or changed her unreadable expression. She didn't even look the least bit worried.

Instead of rushing in and overwhelming Van with the number advantage they had, they stood where they were, poised and ready. Some broke rank...well position, and let a man with a funny hat through their rough semi circle. His eyes went from Van, to his spear, to the girl, then back to Van. Then he shook his head and let out a low chuckle.

"What's this? A brother and sister stowing away on my ship? Two stowaways? Disgraceful," he said bitterly. Van recognized his voice as the captain. He was pretty short. Maybe three inches taller than the girl. He turned away and waved his hand. "Do whatever you want with the boy, but don't harm the girl." Then, more to himself, but still loud enough to hear, he added, "She'd better fetch a good price after all this aggravation."

Fetch a god price? Was this bastard was in the sex trade?

Van let go of the girl's hand, but only to grip his spear in two hands. Originally, Van figured he had grabbed the girl's hand on reflex. Stuff was happening fast, he just reacted and did what came naturally. But, now he wasn't about to abandon her like this to spend her life as some rich deviant's sexual plaything.

Van knew a lot about the underbelly of society, and he was willing to get involved with a lot of unethical operations, but he'd never, ever get in on the sex trade. It wasn't like prostitution where the women(or sometimes men) willing agreed to have their bodies sold. Kids too young to drink were involved and that was all kinds of wrong.

Van didn't know this girl's name, but he knew one thing: He was going to get this girl off this boat. Over his shoulder Van rasped to the girl, "Stay behind me. I'm gonna clear some goons out, then we're gonna break for the boat over there."

The crew was just staring at Van and the girl, some were smiling. Others were eyeing the girl in a way Van didn't like. Van also didn't like cliche standoffs so he shouted, "Bring it, ya pansies!"

That brought out a guttural roar and the first man charged, armed with workman's hammer. He was coming fast and hard. Van had a dozen ways to block the blow, but let him swing on him. He ducked the swing and hooked the haft under his leg. All it took was a slight levering up and the man's own momentum sent him up and over the railing into to the drink. Three more men charged him. Van looked to his right and saw a length of thick rope coiled against the railing. He stuck the end of the spear into the thick of it and catapulted it into the throng.

That was just a brief distraction so he could step in, whirling the spear, and deliver sharp blows to their heads and stomachs in succession.

Once in the gut, pivot, back of the head, side of the face, hook between legs, trip, spin, downward swing to chest, whril the spear, backwards thrust into final guy's face.

The crew was getting the idea that Van wasn't no slouch in a fight, and were looking a bit appreshenive.

The captain, who brought his attention back to his crew who was getting handled. "What's wrong with all of you? It's just one man! Crush him, now!"

Van had just smashed another guy in the face with the half held horizontally in two hands, when he realized a mistake he'd just made: He'd forgotten about the men below deck.

He heard the footsteps behind him and the burly, block of wood wielder's roar of glee at attacked an unsuspecting enemy. Nearly defeaned by the roar, Van jumped back and turned, but knew he was about to get creamed-

SCHWHOOSH!!!

The man suddenly was lifted up and through the air, flying over Van's head. Van instinctivey shielded himself with his free hand, he couldn't see anything for a second, but he was suddenly covered in a thin layer of misty water. The burly man slammed directly into the men who were about to get Van with his back turned. The force that he was flying was so great they slid across the deck into more men, including the captain. Every man Van didn't already beat down was caught in it.

Holy! Crap! What just happened? What did that? Only person here besides me is...

Van slowly looked over to the girl, a look of shock and awe on his face. The girl didn't look like she moved an inch. She just continued staring at Van.

She suddenly raised her hand. Van flinched before he realized that she was pointing at the dinghy. Van recomposed himself, pretended he wasn't suddenly afraid of a lil girl, and grabbed her hand. They ran through the moaning group of beaten men, and when they got to the hanging dingy. After climbing in, all it took was two quick swipes of his spear and it was cut loose and fell hard into the water.

Van thanked a good stroke of fortune that this dingy came with a motor. He pulled the cord and it sputtered to life. Van directed it diagonally from the harbor, towards a beach a half mile to the left of it. Van could finally catch his breath now. He could hear the shoutings and see someone run to the gunwale and point after them. Van muttered to himself looking back at the ship. "Well, we're off, but what's to stop them from turning that thing around and coming after us?"

The whole ship suddenly shook and there was a loud crack. The smoke stack suddenly started spewing out even more black smoke, and the ship stopped moving. It looked like the engines suddenly died.

Van looked back at the girl. She was looking at the ship, still with that unreadable look on her face.

Fortunate coincidence? Or did she somehow do that too?

Those were the first questions that came to mind, but only because he didn't want to think about the real question on his mind.

Who the hell is this girl?

Kibu(Earth bending)

Staying at a small inn several miles west of Ba Sing Se.
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The bartender/owner was in the dining area, setting up tables for breakfast. The paper lanterns were out and the pink morning sun shone in through the high windows, illuminating the rooms with much the same glow as the night before. The barman pulled the chairs off the last table and pushed them under, then placed some table mats and silverware down. Just as he had finished up and went back behind to bar to clean glasses until the guests woke, there were footsteps on the stairs to his right. So he put the glass back under the bar and waited with a smile.

Kibu reached the bottomstep and turned around the corner, headed straight for the bar. The bartender's smiled disappeared as soon as he saw Kibu and was replaced with an angry frown. Kibu walked up and sat on the bar stool, setting the empty wine bottle from the night before on the table.

"One for the road, brother. This stuff is good, you- What's wrong with you?" Kibu asked when he saw the look on the bartender's face.

"You had one of my girls all night long. All night. Do you know how much business you cost me?" he said as he snatched the bottle away.

"Oh, hey now, that's not fair. She wanted to stay. I didn't make her. And don't get yourself ruffled over money. I paid her for every extra hour." Kibu paused, another stupid smile on his face.

The bartender was still giving him a look, but gave it up. "Fine, as long as you paid."

He turned around and got another bottle of the plum wine and poured it in a small glass. Kibu downed it in one drink. The bartender shook his head.

"You ought to lay off the wine. The way you drink, you'll end up in a gutter dead from alcohol poisoning." he warned.

Kibu laughed and dropped a couple gold pieces on the table and turned to walk away. The barman called after him.

"Don't you want any breakfast before you go?"

Kibu pulled out his silver flask with the bluish liquid and shook it in the air as he walked.

"Got it right here."

The bartender was still shaking his head as Kibu closed the door behind him.

Kibu was riding to a small town called Yuan where he owned a small house that he used as a retreat from the city, or a hideout when he needed it. Yuan was situated on a wide river that was used for shipping and supply routes to Ba Sing Se. Ships would dock at a port on the western coast, cargo would be loaded onto barges, the barges would float down to Yuan, then offloaded onto wagons and taken to Ba Sing Se via special trade roads. There was an army base to the north of the town, but it was largely abandoned now that the war was over and he had no cause to think that his attacker had sold the both of them out to the police. Anyway, the soldiers stationed there would only be maintaining the base, not operating it.

Nearly a half of the day was gone when he finally reached the town limits. He rode first to his, albeit posh, glorified shack. He called it cozy. He tied his ostrichhorse off on one of the porch support beams and went inside. He made sure everything was still where he had it and in proper order, then exited and walked to the town bar... which was directly adjacent to his house. There was no door, so Kibu simply walked through the entranceway. Once inside, he spotted his old friend Hamadi, who owned the bar and served the drink.

"Hamadi!" Kibu exclaimed.

A rotund dark-skinned man with a large mustache looked up from another patron and saw Kibu.

"Aha! My best customer! Thank the spirits you're here, I have debts to pay!" he said jovially in a southern accent*.

Kibu walked towards the bar, but noticed there were no chairs left. He saw a lot of sailors, so a few barges must have just unloaded. Hamadi noticed this as well.

"Hey, Nawei, make room for the good sir." he jokingly barked at a man sitting in front of him.

"What? Why me?" he replied.

"Because he spends more in one day than you do in a month. Now scoot!" said Hamadi.

"So where will I sit?" Nawei asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you could finally bring back the stool you stole from me." Hamadi joked.

Nawei cleared out and Kibu settled down into his chair.

"That Nawei, big pain if you ask me." Hamadi commented.

"Which I didn't." Kibu responded with a smirk.

"Ah, you smartass. The regular?" Hamadi asked.

Kibu nodded and Hamadi served him a small bottle of rice wine. He pulled the cork out and took a sip. Then he smiled. It was as good as ever. While he was taking another sip, he noticed a pair of delicate hands resting on a cup of tea. He discretely looked up to see a woman with light brown hair and skin as dark as Hamadi's sitting next to him. Her hair obscured her face somewhat, but he could tell she was beautiful. She was staring intently into her cup, and Kibu could tell she wasn't all here at the moment. Like her eyes were focused on some far off place.

"Hey," he started, "What's someone like you doing drinking tea? Why not have some of this?"

"What would "someone like you" know about someone like me-" She turned to face him quickly, but stopped, seemingly surprised to see him.

Neither of them talked. "...See? I saw it. You've got fire. Tea is for old men who want to relax." Kibu finally said, breaking the silence.

She finally responded. "Oh, haha. Sorry. I was just thinking." she was different now, much cheerier and was smiling.

"Right. No problem. My name's Kibu. Sorry to have startled you." he said.

"Oh, no problem. I'm Sari. And, I think I'll take you up on that drink. Barman!" she called, "Could you brink me an extra glass please?"

"Absolutely! Here you go." Hamadi cheerily replied and passed a tiny cup to Kibu.

Kibu poured a bit of wine into the glass and passed it on to Sari. She drank it quickly and set the glass down.

"Whew. That's good, isn't it?" she giggled a little, "Oh, excuse me please, I need to go get something from my ostrichhorse." she winked at Kibu and slid off her barstool.

Kibu turned around to watch her leave. But his eyes traveled down and focused on her butt. She reached the entryway and turned back. She caught his gaze and smiled mischievously before turning the corner and disappearing from sight. Kibu mouthed the word "Wow." to Hamadi, who chuckled in his deep accented way.

But, Hamadi suddenly stopped laughing and a look of concerned curiosity crossed his face. Kibu cocked his head, wondering what was wrong when he felt the back of his head explode in pain and before he could think "Ow.", everything went dark.
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The southern provinces are the areas directly west, east, and south of the Desert.

Name- Sari

Age- 30

Height- 5'6"

Weight- 120

Weapon/Bending- No bending, but she carries a bo staff made out of bamboo. It has carvings on it made in the shape of the earth spirits that are worshipped in Earth Kingdom temples. She also keeps a small knife tucked in her vest for emergencies. She is a master of bo techniques and has proven time and time again, that she is as good as any other warrior in the army.

Occupation- Lieutenant in Earth Kingdom Army. Battlefield medic during the war. Detective for police cases since the war is over.

Appearance-

^Pretty good. The bra thing is one of those cloth chest wraps like Katara has, covered with green cloth wrapped around her chest and over her shoulders. You can't see the white wraps, its all covered.

Personality- She is a kind, decent person. She believes in the law and what's right, not just what her orders are. This causes people to brand her as rebellious, but all of the truly good commanders she's had knows that she is the best among her peers.

History- She was born on the western edge of Shi Wong's desert. Her mother was an herbalist, and her father was a soldier. Unfortunately, her mother died in childbirth, leaving her father a single parent. Realizing that the sands of the desert were no place to raise a baby alone, he took Sari back to his native city, Omashu. Since he couldn't leave Sari alone and go off to war, he applied for the police force. For 16 years, he raised her. He taught her right from wrong, to never assume one thing, not to always believe what people told her, and above all, to pursue justice. He also taught her many tricks that he used as a detective. But, one day while chasing a suspect, he was attacked by members of a gang the man belonged to and was killed. Sari was devastated and had nowhere to go. She chose to enter the army, and was immediately accepted because of her father's service. They decided to deploy her in battlefield hospital as a medic, so she wouldn't see battle, but she was required to be versed in the use of a weapon, so she chose the bo staff for its reach and flexibility. She is currently on assignment investigating a prison breakout at a local base near Yuan.

Kibu's got heavy connections to the desert, huh?

*strokes goatee* Then there's some crossover potential.

Edit: And now this lil femme fatale with the bo staff who's in the army? Hm...

Time for me to tell you more descriptions on my Fire Bender: Harris Scorcher.

His favorite meal of the day is breakfast. He also has a pet Komodo Dragon in his backyard.

His appearance is that he has long dark brown hair and very dark (almost black) eyes.) Ht: 6'1" Wt: 190

His other pet is a parrot which he keeps inside of his house.

Harris loves to play games but only ususally on Saturday nights, and some of his most favorite games are betting games to score money or personal belongings.