At the shore

[SAZA]

The water lapped gently against the shoreline. The forest recovered from what had been a rough storm the night before. The ocean was calm for the moment, and slowly but surely bits of debris began to wash up onto the shoreline. Evidence of the rougher waters that the storm had brought.

Among the debris washed ashore was a long piece of wood, and attached to that long piece of wood, was a young man. Saza was drained physically and mentally. He remembered being thrashed around by waves and rain the hails of a crew, and then being thrown over board by a rouge wave…. Taking a chunk of the ship with him.

Saza lost conciseness here on shores of what appeared to be the forest all he really cared about was the fact that he was on land. Water was not his element. And as conciseness faded all Saza could think of was the fact that he was lucky. The members of the Windrunner her captain and the rest of the crew had not been.

Saza awoke alive but hurting bad. His clothing now dry he had washed up on high tide, and it seemed that the tide had receded some time ago. He crawled to weak yet to stand. He propped himself against a stone pillar. He could feel his knives, and his bag they had survived some how in the chaos of everything they had clung to his body, yet another sign of his luck. He flexed various mussels working out what hurt and what didn’t. He learned from this action that at some point he had cut his shoulder possibly against a rock, His head hurt either from a head wound or taking in to much seawater he did not know. What he did know is that he could breath and once the nausea and pain passed he would need food fire and shelter.

Slowly once again Saza’s eyes began to close and once again sleep took hold of Saza. In this state he was unaware of what was going on around him, his only real defense was just how pathetic he looked, like a drowned kitten he figured.

[IZA]

Music slowly crept into the area, echoing throughout the stone pillars. It added an eerie and mystical tone to the air. A soft voice crept along with the music, the words lost to meaning seeming to be just random ‘umphs’ and grunts. The music was from that of a lute and the voice, though wordless, was that of a woman wearing blood red armor and dark hair.

The Wulong forest was a strange place, and it fit well with the strangeness of the woman that walked through it. Stone pillars rose to the heavens and cast crisscrossed shadows and as the wind blew threw the pillars it added a type of whispering scream to the music of the lute that caused the woman to smile. Iza was her name and wondering was her game this day. She had walked down from the north since midnight and had arrived here without any real reason.

“…I should have brought paint” she muttered as she played her lute a bit faster, “Paint the scene before me, and keep it to see forever” she chuckled hating that she could not think up lyrics for her lute’s tune. Suddenly she stopped playing as a lump of a figure caught her attention. “…oh?” she tilted her head and slowly approached the creature. She figured it was a dead animal the storm from last night was evident from where she started and had disappeared as she traveled downward, but who knew how it was further out in the water… “hello?” she asked her voice holding little to no concern only curiosity. She was now looming over the figure; it was a guy… by the looks a drowning rat of a guy! She smirked and nudged him with her foot. “Oi?” she stood up and tapped her chin with the head of her lute.

“Hey I’m not going to kill you…” she announced leaning down and started to poke at him eying his bags smirking a bit, but also keeping an eye on those knives they could be an issue or an extra prize. “hmm maybe I should just knock him out further..” she muttered out loud poking his head with the head of her lute. “unless you’re already knocked out?” she asked him.

[SAZA]

In the darkness of Saza’s mind there was pain, pain that slowly brought him back to life. his eyes opened slowly and his arm moved to stop what ever it was that was intrusively poking him in the head. his body was stiff with pain and his arm as he held it up was brown with dried up blood. He imagined he looked like a zombie.

Saza opened his mouth to say stop it, what came out was a gargle and then a sporadic amount of coughing, and then finally his lungs were cleared of all the ‘gunk’ that had gathered.

Saza then went back to lying against the pillar. And finally he looked at who or what was poking him, a light smile came to his face, it was weak but he did his best. He breathed shallowly trying to speak words. “You… fire nation?”

With the pain still in his body he had no defense he could barely move, but he had to do something. She was warring the clothing of a fire nation solder or at least that’s what it looked like. Then again she was mostly a reddish blur and he was only half sure it was female. His body was weak and again he coughed a shiver of pain going threw his body. if she knew he was a pirate, aw who was he kidding he was dead with out this woman’s help, and at least with prison there was a chance to escape. “Food?”

[IZA]

Iza snorted a bit as he moved, great she would have to knock him out… he looked half dead and she, for a moment, thought that if she hit him his head would split open like a rotten tomato… ew. “…hmmm” she blinked as her lute was blocked from another poke. “hi..” she muttered placing her lute on the ground tilting her head a bit pushing a bit of her bangs from her face. She did not know what was about to happen, but hopefully nothing gross. Then he coughed and it made her have a face, boys… they were as gross as when they were children.

“hmmm I am not Fire nation food” she declared simply, “I am Iza and i am, was of the Fire Nation, but I am AWOL and I am not edible Mr. Zombie” she chuckled and looked at his arm, “hmmm that wound looks a bit nasty” she declared and reaching into a small pouch located at the small of her back. “Hmm sadly I have no bandages, and I was actually hoping you were something edible. Sooo we are both a bit out of luck” she muttered before pulling out a piece of jerky and taking a bit, “I mean food is so hard to come by” she said chewing the dried meat.

“But I’m sure we can find you something.. or we can just remove your hurt arm and cook that up for you” she half joked as she picked up her lute, “hmmm or you can just eat some of this” she held out a piece of the jerky to him, “I won’t ruin the surprise of what kind of jerky it is… here’s a hint, it’s not people” she smiled cutely sitting with her legs crossed, “Once you’re strength is recovered more, I’ll bandage you some how, at the moment you’re to sore and weak for me to even try and move you..” she muttered mostly to herself as she strummed a bit on her lute.

[SAZA]

Saza took the jerky the last thing he needed was salt but the temptation of food was too much. He took it to his mouth and bit it. Chewing the tough meat for a moment before swallowing the small amount that he could. “Tastes… like possum-chicken.”

Saza sighed he was in the company of a criminal so of course it was safe. He looked to her she was starting to fade into his spectrum of vision though still blurry, he thought her almost cute. That thought passed out of his head as it began to throb again. “Do you have any water?”

Saza’s voice was getting stronger but it was still weak. Still the longer he stayed among the living the longer he seemed to get closer to recovery. It seemed like he was going to make it after all, but that thought didn’t stop his shoulder from hurting.

Saza bit into the jerky it did help but again it was salted meat not something that was much help to someone like himself. Who had nearly drowned in salt water. he needed something to drink or he would simply dehydrate away and fade into death. He coughed and felt his ribs hurt. god there was a lot wrong with him these days.

[IZA]

Iza sighed as she sat there looking at him as he ate, he looked like he was in so much pain and it made her play her lute in a sad tone as she hummed softly. She felt no real reason to stay, or to even keep this guy alive… it would probably be better off to just kill him and take his stuff, but for some reason, maybe the spirits were staying her hand, she could not do such a thing to him. She was a former Fire Nation militant but could not bring herself to killing some poor dying man… lucky for him he wasn’t still learning his ABCs.

She blinked at his question causing her to stop playing the lute and shrugged, “Sorry no water” she said, upon taking out a small flask and taking a sip before putting it back in the pouch. “But I’m sure we can find you something” she muttered taking another bite of her jerky, “oh and it’s actually pig-chicken” she smiled cutely as she moved closer and started to look him over. She had seen so much in her life in the field and seeing him like this made her eye twitch as a bit of memory flashed into her mind. It made her shake and shiver for a moment before she composed herself.

“hmm yeah you’re very screwed up” she muttered to herself as she moved a bit of his tattered clothing around to look at the wounds, “okay okay this is what I have to do..” she snatched up a knife from his bag, “step one.. I have to cut up your clothing.. step two….. step three profit” she smiled as she started to move the knife toward his body.

[SAZA]

Saza eyed her as she drank something he would kill for what ever that something was, but at this rate did he have the power to fight her on the subject, no not really. He leaned forward as she produced a knife why was he not surprised at this? she was going to patch him up? Sounded good to him. “Cut away but leave my flesh intact please.”

Saza did his best to move away from the wall giving her as much access to his body as she would need. As he moved he felt a wave of nausea. His clothing was crusted with sand and sea water, and in all truth he was thankful he was about to get it off him. he could tell it was going to hurt though. It was practically fused into his body at this point.

“Saza, my name is Saza.” He said finally introducing himself. His head was finally starting to clear from the pain, and things were starting to make sense to him, but god did he want water, something wet that was actually drinkable. “I thank you for helping me, I don’t think I would have lasted long on my own.”

[IZA]

Iza hacked and slashed at the already tattered clothing, it was like cutting through crusty spider webs. Easy yet made a sound. “hmmm Yeah, you’re lucky” she muttered randomly as she continued to work being gentle as he moved to make sure the blade never touched his already bruised and beaten flesh. “Lucky you didn’t lose an eye, or a limb.. or worse! Your stuff” she eyed it again before getting his shirt completely removed.

A bit of her feminine side appeared as she blushed at the sight of a shirtless man in front of her. She glanced away before placing his knife back into his bag. The armor of her knee pads creating crunching sounds into the rocky sand beneath them. “Here” she said handing him the flask, “I know you wanted water, so I didn’t offer this, but it’s melon juice” she smiled sweetly, “it’s like water, only sweeter!” she chuckled a bit.

“This might help, it’ll hurt but I’m sure you won’t notice it” she smiled before running her fingertips over his flesh causing a flare of flames to erupt to melt the skin and disinfect his scabbing flesh. “It’s the only real medical training given to me” she whispered half aware she even said it or that she was even doing it, doing it before thinking about it really. She hoped him drinking would actually distract him, or was she even thinking that at the time?

[SAZA]

Saza took the melon juice and drank thirstily it didn’t matter to him at all what it was, it was drinkable it was quenching. Hell aside from some weird cactus juice he once had this was the quenchiest thing he had ever drank. He gulped it down and then coughed as he stopped to breath.

Saza felt his flesh being burned and his grip on the flask tightened. he drank some more, it helped to fight back a wave of nausea brought on by the pain. But it also did something else it restored common sense. “you’re a fire bender?” he asked as he continued to allow his flesh to be burned.

Saza knew the art of cauterization on a few occasions he had burned his own wounds or the wounds of comrades to stop bleeding. It was a useful tool, but it was weird to think that this woman out here in… wait where the hell was he? He looked around he saw the coastline, parts of the wind runner washed ashore but nothing else. he had only known that he was alive he now wanted to know where.

“Where am I?” Saza asked slightly as he took another swig from the flask slowly but surely he was coming back to his senses. Slowly but surely he was starting to come back from the brink of death. She was right he had been lucky, luckier then he had been his entire life. And so he began to laugh slowly at first, and then louder and faster, doing his best not to move as he felt his wounds being cleansed by fire.

[IZA]

Iza blinked as she worked on ‘healing’ him. It had been a while and the smell of burning flesh caused her hand to shake a bit. “eh…” she stopped a moment before continuing. “Yes, I’m a firebender, and I rather good lute player” she smiled sweetly as she finished up. “Okay, you should be fine now.. but if you start bleeding give it a minute before you tell me” she yawned licking the blood off her fingers, it was crushed from the heat but eh whatever.

She looked at him and raised a brow as he started to laugh… He must be a crazy person. She thought shaking her head a bit. Iza did not really like crazy people, they were weirdos. “Um you are in the earth kingdom, I think this place is the Wulong forest” she looked around, “or it could be another forest with these stone pillars.” She shrugged getting up and walking to the shoreline grabbing bits of the wreckage. “Did you see that storm last night? It was crazy! I had this lovely view from the cliff” she smiled back him with some wood.

Iza piled the wood with what was left of his shirt and then cast a fireblast that dried the wood in a moment and created a fire. “It’s the middle of the day, buuuut warmth is warmth seeing as you’re going to get sick unless you get warm” she yawned and placed her lute in her lap and started to play a gentle tune.

[SAZA]

“No im sorry to say I didn’t get to see much of the storm I was to busy being thrown around by it.” he looked around he was in the earth kingdom? Probably for the best the fire nation would have thrown him in prison at least here in the earth kingdoms he had a chance to rebuild his life. he looked down at the fire, its true he needed warmth but to see parts of the Windrunner burning. It felt wrong.

“Last night I was on a ship, trying to tie down some part of the boat. And a rouge wave caught me and tore me and half the railing I was holding onto into the sea… you were right to say I was lucky I think I am the only survivor.” He looked down at the fire, god how many times had he tried to put out fires on the wind runner, come to think of it why was his old ship made of wood… note to self check out the price of a fire navy ship.

Saza looked down at the fire it was mostly there loss. His gain really he had money in his bag. Earth kindom coin too… good currency on this side of the water. so he would be fine. He sighed and leaned back against the wall. There was a difference between fully healed and still recovering and she was right he would need the fire. he was no were near ready to move on yet. he breathed slowly. “Oh and by the way Im a pirate… yar.”

[IZA]

Iza tilted her head, “odd, I’d think you would have a missing eye or a peg leg...” she cackled slightly as she continued to play the sound of the whispering wind adding a nice backup beat. “And I’m sorry to hear about your ship, if we come across any part of it I’ll help you collect them” she smiled cutely but a cruel glint appeared in her brown eyes as she glanced at the burning wood. Maybe she was aware of the situation or was out of her mind.. or both?

“Hmm I was a solider, then a guard, and I’m now a traveler wanted for various crimes within this country and home. But it’s no big deal” she grinned at him, “Nothing a pirate should be scared of…” she winked at him before grabbing the flask and taking the last bit of juice and another bite of the jerky.

“So what is it you have planed for yourself, Saza?” she yawned, “Plan to settle down in a cozy little village, meet a farm girl and have tons of babies that’ll have to hide that they are firebenders if that were to happen… or you going to pillage and do whatever pirates do?” She was being both intrusive and sarcastic in her questioning. In truth she did not really care what this guy ended up doing, this chatting was just interesting same with ‘healing’ him and helping him recover.

[SAZA]

Saza stopped for a moment he hadn’t thought of what he would do, and yet the answer seemed to come to him almost on the spot. “It is my intention to steal a ship pick up a crew, and then raid pilfer and otherwise pillage our weasely black guts out.”

It was a simple life the life he knew and the life he wanted. It would take a while to gather a crew but in this day and age, there was always people interested in a pirates life. for some reason it was often romanticized. The truth was piracy was not glamorous, but the lies were good for recruiting.

He leaned back and smiled. He took another bite of his jerky. This wasn’t really the life. he was stranded on the shores of a nation that didn’t really like him. with no ship and no crew. And if someone were to figure out he were a fire bender he would be handed over to people he didn’t really want to meet. “But I think the first thing I need to do is steal a ship. No one would join a pirate who doesn’t at least have that much.”

He looked back at the fire which was burning. “doesn’t matter that the Windrunner is gone, the crew and ship were getting old. I am of an age where I should be setting out to be more then just a first mate, hell its about time I got promoted to captain don’t you think?”

[IZA]

Iza shrugged her shoulders, “Usually you have to be promoted to another rank, but with pirates I don’t know how it works… I guess if your captain is dead, and you’re the only survivor you can just say you’re a captain” she smiled pushing her bang away from her face adjusting her scarf a bit as her mask hung around her neck unworn at the time. She usually always kept her mouth covered, but it was just such a nice day that she left it down and let the pretty world see her smiling.

“I’m sure there is a port town around here… we can get directions from the town north of here that has a port I’m sure they’ll point you where to go” she suggested as she nudged the fire with a stick to keep it going. “And I suggest getting a Metal steam ship, wooden ones aren’t that smart to travel in anymore.” She chuckled coldly smirking at him for a moment knowingly. “Also make sure you get people who know how to swim.. drowning is a key risk factor of pirates” she was rambling a bit at that statement.

“Any way do you feel any better? No? yeah we been here only half an hour.. you need a few more of those before we can move” she sighed annoyed but patient. “So Saza what is in your bag? Is it the severed head of your enemies? A shiny coin? A head stuffed with shiny coins?” she was rocking a bit on her tailbone as she simply cradled the lute now. The neck of the lute had by counting.. 23 notches in the wood some having a bit of red dug into the wood at the notches.

[SAZA]

“In all honesty when it comes to pirates any one can be a captain. Its how long you last with the rank that matters. A happy crew will not complain as long as there is food in the galley a place to make port, and some ale on board. With the occasional mix of violence to keep people sedated there are no problems. If you lose your port however, then things get problematic fast. And that’s when mutiny comes up.”

Saza smiled in his entire life there had only been one man stupid enough to suggest mutiny he did not last long; it was all vary good times. He sat back and looked over to Iza she was insane, but there was a vary good question to be asked here he just wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer. “What’s with the notches on the lute?”

Saza prodded the fire lightly. Watching it burn he leaned back and waited it out. he was no longer in pain, but he did still feel wobbly. So he had no real intention of moving at least for the moment he was stuck. And being stuck on land sucked.. Royally. “When im done, I mean when I am recovered and am going to get a new ship… would you like to join my crew?”