New generation benders

Herkio slowly nodded. He could try to forget it all. But to be honest, being kidnapped and almost married was something he would always remember. And this thing with the spirits was a scar in his soul now. "Yeah. But what if I won't be kissed again? Then she is the only thing I got" he said, he joked.
He saw her analyzing him and smiled. The blush slowly made his way to him again. "Really? That's the first time anybody say that. Back home everyone looks like me". He was plain. Common. He saw her smile and had to look away to not blush or do something stupid. But he saw his spirit on the other side and quickly looked back at her. He slowly touched the paintings again, or what was left of them. "Thank god they didn't tattoo this". He would have hated them even more then. "Thanks for saving me" he mumbled. "I would have been stuck there forever".

"If you ever decide to get facial tattoos don't do anything close to your eyes." Ela said and traced the orange lining around her left eye. "It hurts like hell." She continued jokingly... It did though. She smiled anyway. However since she had already gotten tattoos once she was fine with doing it again. If she had the chance she would also try and decide the pattern herself this time. She'd like something cooler, like the arrows the airbenders wore. Of course not actual arrows but something nice and meaningful, not like the marks her father had given her. She believed they added some character though. "You don't look like Ikal do you? He's from the south pole too, you know." She said and crossed her arms over her chest. "So no, I'd say you're perfectly unique." She continued and shrugged again.

Herkio slowly nodded. "I can understand that. And even if this paint isn't tattoos it hurts a bit as well, and I look like a damm panda with so much white around my eyes" he said and laughed. But he actually wanted real tattoos. "I want to get some tattoos one day. Not on my face though, but one my arms and maybe hands". He wanted to get a southern water pole symbol, but then some more unique things.
"Is he?" he asked a bit surpised. "Well, we're not alike, but we have the same basic apperance. Dark hair, blue eyes, pretty fair skin.". But to be honest most people had dark hair.
"But thanks" he smiled and leamed against the reling. "So, will we continue with out journey?" he wondered.

"Yeah." Ela replied and she turned her head since it was a lie. She turned her head so that she could hide herself behind her hair. There was no "we" and that "we" had just been created. She smiled though, it was a nice sentiment. Finally having a "we". "I think you'll be a great teacher to Bipin, Hye will probably be fine and I guess Ryuus lightning will be a disaster." She said jokingly and smiled. She kind of wished she could just tell them about it. Was she some kind of idiot? Someone was going to tell them... heck, she was surprised they didn't know yet. Her father didn't feel the need to tell them probably. Lucky Ela. "You know what? I've never been to Ba Sing Se, have you?" She asked quickly to set her mind off it. She'd never been there. Never seen the huge wall, never seen the people, never seen the palace... and she was never going to either.

Herkio really thought about getting tattoos now. He had been given som marks at home, but just with paint. But one for bravery when he had saved a little girl from drowning, and one for being a bender. He could maybe tattoo that. "I hope I will be. And I think the others will be great too" he smiled towards her. "I know you're gonna be exellent as well". He hadn't seen her bend too much, but the things he had seen had been really good.
"Well, I have never been inside the city, but I have seen the great wall" he said. "From far, but I've seen it. I wanted to go inside the city, but a friend of mine where waiting on me in another city": He remember it, it had been some months ago. "I wanna go inside it though".

"Yeah, it's supposed to be magnificent." She replied in a weak voice as her flippin' voice started cracking like a crystal glass thrown against a concrete wall. "I'm freezing." She continued quickly and stood up properly. "Should we go check on the others?" She asked without actually looking at him. "I want to go inside anyway. Maybe you want to be left alone, though?" She continued and as she asked again it was merely because she wanted to give him the choice. She was already on her way inside though, she was actually cold... but really she just didn't want to talk about traveling anymore.

Ikal was up in the masts and heard them speak. Ikal wasn't stupid, he understood that she hadn't told them. He understood why... but didn't she understand that they would find out? It was inevitable. In fact, Ikal was pretty sure it'd be announced when they got back to their home. Ikal knew that when they left that flying bison was closed off, chained to the ground so that it wouldn't escape. Therefore guaranteeing the safe return of their precious little sacrifice... if he told her new friends... wouldn't they be able to save Ela from this? Ikal settled down, if Ela didn't die their tribe and his whole family would. He sighed a little... damn it. Choices, always with the choices.

Herkio slowly nodded. "It really was, the little part I saw from far was so magnificent. The wall was huge, I can understand that they was able to stand against the fire nation for so long". One of the longest. He really wanted to go there again, see all the history around it, there was even a guided tour to places in the city the last avatar Aang had been.
He heard her a voice crack a bit and looked at her. "Yeah..We can go" he said and sounded a bit worried, but he didn't ask. It was her buisness. Maybe it was something with the spirit world. "Cold? I don't even think about it, it's like home" he said and tried to smile and touched a snow flake, they begun to disappear from the sky as they got closer to the fire nation. "I'm coming". He went in after her since he could see the spirit behind him, he didn't wanna be with it alone. But even as they went inside he could feel it behind him, it made him feel cold inside, because he could hear it. "You will never be free of me" it whispered to him and he gritted his teet. "I will" he muttered, not realizing everyone could hear him.

Ikal jumped down to the deck aiming to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to face Father.
"What's wrong, son?" He asked and Ikal merely stared at him before rustling himself free.
"Nothing, Father." Ikal replied and corrected his clothing.
"Son, you know why we need to do this. The spirits won't calm without sacrifice." Father said and Ikal nodded.
"What about her friends?" Ikal asked quickly. He needed to know what was going to happen to them.
"We'll reach home by nightfall, there we will have a party and they will have some extra out of Hals' cabinets." He replied and Ikals heart dropped down to his feet. Hals drugs.
"Yes, Father." Ikal replied and Father disappeared below deck... leaving Ikal to his thoughts.

"There are some people at home that can help you with the spirit-issue." Ela said as she walked, figuring that Herkio wouldn't speak randomly without a reason. "People even better that Ilak, I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to help you." Ela continued trying to comfort him.
"Oh shut it, he's like a feast whenever that little shadow pops up." She could both see and hear her tormentor as it showed up right by her in the hall. Ela didn't even flinch, she figured she would show up.
"Where do you think we might find them all?" Ela asked Herkio instead of caring for her tormentor.
"Yes! Ignore me! You little brat! When you reach the volcano I'll be the only thing you got!" The tormentor said angrily before disappearing suddenly. Did Ela hurt the spirits feelings now?

His spirit wouldn't give up, it continued to follow him, everytime it was behind him, following him like a shadow. It made him scared as hell. He nodded to her. "That would be very nice. He's following me, whispering things to me" he whispered and shrugged. He hated it, was he supposed to live with it now? "Yes, forever and ever his spirit self said and actually disappeared for a while, leaving him alone. He sighed in relief and followed her, "Maybe in the kitchen, I think we all need some more food". He hoped they where there, he didn't wanna be alone now when the spirit could show up.
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Some days went, Herkio rested and tried to ignore the spirit that always was with him now. He just simply starred at him, or mocked him. It would have made him go insane if it wasn't that he knew Ela had one too. He found some comfort in that.
Soon they reached the fire nation, and he could see a big volcano and more ships, lavabenders. Was this Elas home? He stood up on the deck, just waiting until they could walk off the boat. The spirit was besides him, doing the same thing. "Ah, this place, I feel so many delicous feelings" his tromentor spinned.

"Please father, stop." Ela said as he was fixing her clothes over and over again.
"I just want you to be prepared for your return, my little one." He said and brought forward the dreaded cuffs. Now, there was no chain in between so it was actually bracelets. However they were locked around her wrists followed by her ankles. She thought that she might get away from the damn necklace. However that was locked around her neck as well. She felt as if she couldn't breathe... she barely could. Her father tightened it a little extra. Her hair was already made up in some weird braided... mess. Her hair was hanging from a bun that was pretty much pulling back her whole face. All the cuffs had edgy patterns... as if struck by lightning. Her drapings were carefully placed so that they would hide her crippling bonds. She couldn't bend anymore. She started to cry where she sat and her father forced her to look up at him.
"Little one, don't you cry. You'll soon be freed just as your mother." He said hugging her. Her father didn't understand at all did he? Ela went up to the deck. She saw the dock, she saw the people. people waiting for her like some kind of cheering crowd. Ilak came up from the side.
"They've prepared a party for you." He whispered and Ela nodded.
"Why not get drunk on my last day, right?" She whispered back silently. Her father walked off the ship first, the others creating a trail behind him. Everyone wanted to get to the chiefs building... a party was never frowned upon around here.