tampered | (no subject)

Current Location: Xanadu

(no subject)

Who: Greed

andincendiary
What: After a small talk, Greed decides to tell Azula just how much her people really have to learn.
When: April 12, Afternoon
Where: Xanadu
Rating: PG-13
Log:

Greed had been leaning against a tree in the center of the garden for the past ten minutes. He was never one to be patient, so he had left the house ahead of time. At least that allowed him to set up what he needed to. A small drop cloth had been laid out under the tree, with a few seating cushions and a pot of hot tea. The breeze was cool against his skin as he slumped downward, seating his rear at the base of the tree as he awaited his guest.

"Oi, Azula, I know you're out there," he said, opening one eye, "I can smell you."

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He grinned and crossed his legs, laying back on the cloth.

"I think you guys might be more lucky than anything else. Earthbenders have the better element."

That only made her smile shift to a smirk. "Maybe it's a matter of preference. But we certainly know how to use our element better."

"There are so many variables in war, it's hard to really say. I'd have to see it for myself."

He stood for a moment and cracked his neck, then popped a few joints.

"Howsabout you show me some of your moves, then?"

"Certainly."

And she gave him no more warning than that. She didn't even rise to her feet before lifting a hand--and the tree branch right above Greed's head burst into flames, snapped off, and plummeted towards him.

He was surprised by the initial flash, but saw the branch coming, casually stepping to the side.

"Nice, but not that effective. Try somethin' a little more impressive."

Still smiling widely, she stepped back and reached out simultaneously, and blue flames erupted from both hands, arcing around in an attempt to surround Greed in a pincer movement.

"I'm just getting warmed up."

Greed stood his ground, wary of the ever encroaching flames.

"Ah, blue flame. Hotter than normal, then."

A little snort of disdain:

"Most firebenders can only use red flame. Really, there are failures for every element."

And as her last shots died down, she twisted again, gesturing fluidly--and another burst of fire raced at Greed. The catch was that this time, the power was put less into the pure heat of the flames and more into the concussive blast ahead of them.

"But can you make a white flame? That's supposed to be the hottest kind. Very difficult to maintain."

Greed shielded his body and stepped forward through the blast, making a grab for her collar.

Her eyes widened as she was grabbed, but that was the only sign of dismay she let herself betray. Then she narrowed them and met Greed's gaze unflinchingly.

"Not yet. But we all need goals to aspire to, don't we?"

"But here you see the fatal flaw in firebending," he chided, lifting her higher into the air, "You just need the right defense to deal with fire. Fire isn't a wall. Fire isn't solid. Fire needs too many things to be maintain, because it's a reaction."

He set her down gently and stepped back a few feet.

"Toph captured me, on the other hand. Packed earth is strong and utilized correctly it robs you of your leverage, negating strength. If fire benders and earth benders fought in equal numbers, the earth benders would have an advantage. They could simply swallow the fire benders up in the earth."

She glared up at him, saying nothing for a long moment. Taking his words in; grudgingly making note of them.

"It's true," she finally said, "that it took us far longer than it should have to capture the Earth Kingdom's stronghold." For now, she did not add that, as far as she was concerned, this was because General Iroh was a failure. Let Greed underestimate her and all firebenders if he wanted to. "Maybe this is something I should think about."

She made a rueful face, accepting her defeat, and held out a hand to acknowledge her loss and offer a friendly shake on it.

Or so was the impression she gave, anyway.

He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, studying her body for any signs of muscle-tensing that could telegraph an upcoming attack.

"Well, I suppose you guys COULD have a counter-plan ready. I'd think the air would be the best place to hit earthbenders from, in my own opinion."

He dropped to one knee and bowed to her, grasping her hand in a his best imitation of a regal gesture.

"Sorry for the testing, Princess. I just wanted to see how tough you were."

The problem was that her combat stance wasn't really that different from her normal posture. No matter what she was doing, she held herself with calm, guarded poise.

For now, she let Greed take her outstretched hand. "That's understandable," she said. "I don't look as tough as I am, after all."

She started to pull her hand back to her side--

--but instead made a slightly different gesture, and lightning jumped from her fingertips, racing for Greed's chest.

Greed's body jerked as the electricity coursed through him, sparks coming out of his mouth.

"Aaaaah, shit! Shit! Shit!" he snarled, lunging forward, "You bitch!"

He reached out toward one of her legs. He'd see if this surprising little lady liked being part of an open circuit.

She grinned rather too widely as her lightning struck home--at least, until he lunged for her.

Then the smirk vanished off her face and she was moving fast. Fire lit up around her feet, pushing her swiftly out of harm's way and leaving a scorched trail. Once far enough away, she used another blast to throw her into the air, where she grabbed onto a low-hanging tree branch and pulled herself up onto it, out of reach of immediate reprisal.

"That's why we'll win," she said, her smile returning. "Because we don't play nice."

He regenerated quickly, the sizzle leaving his body as he grinned up at her.

"You're pretty lucky I don't beat up on women, chick. Unfortunately, you keep makin' what's obviously a fire-bending trait. Underestimation."

With a swift snap kick, he smashed straight through the base of the tree, causing it to keel over in the direction of the nearby lake.

"Have a nice SWIM!" he laughed, emphasizing by kicking the bottom of the snapped off half, launching it farther toward the center of the lake.

That was another way to take the smile off Azula's face. As she fell, it disappeared into blank-faced shock.

And then, splash. The tree threw water up all around it as it landed--

--and somewhere in the middle of that, Azula paddled back to the surface in sodden, glowering disarray.

Greed followed her to the spot where she got out, crossing his arms with about as smug a smile as he could get.

"Well now, Princess, aren't you just a proper lady?" he chuckled, offering her the cloth they used, "Care to get dry? Or does fire bending handle that, too?"

She scowled at him as she emerged from the water. Not saying a word, she picked up the cloth and held it as if to dry herself off.

But that wasn't what happened. Instead, she sent the whole thing up in flames.

"Firebending can handle that just fine," she added, flicking her hand. Flames rose up briefly around her before vanishing again.

Of course, she was still somewhat damp; actually using the cloth instead of burning it up would probably have been more practical. But it would also have been less dramatic and less satisfying, and that's what mattered.

Greed had seem his siblings lay waste to towns before. A simple show of pyrotechnics never had the effect on him that it had on most humans.

"Well, if you're done bein' all impressive, I take it our lesson is done for the day?"

He put out his hand, practically daring her to attack again.

"I guess I'll be seein' you around, then?"

This time, at least, Azula didn't attack him. She just looked disdainfully at the offered hand.

"You probably will be."

She paused, then added in the excessively casual, offhand manner of one utterly unaccustomed to good manners, "I should probably thank you for the lesson. It was, at least, a good opportunity to see what some in this City are capable of."

Greed gave a loud "ahem", and looked down at his hand, then back at her.

"A little common courtesy?"

There was a moment's pause.

Then Azula rolled her eyes and grudgingly reached out to shake his hand.

To add insult to injury, he took a spot on one knee and kissed the top of her hand. Another mockery of gentlemanly behavior.

"See ya' around, Azula."

With a few quick hops, he was into the nearby trees and out of sight.

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andincendiary.livejournal.com - 2008-04-17 04:14 (UTC) - Expand

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