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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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.

She blinked down at her hand as he walked away, only belatedly remembering to replace the bemused look with a scowl.

If only she could figure out how to get boys who weren't creepy superpowered homunculi to do that for her.

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