The crew of the merchant ship Ryo Rae had been stranded on the port of Li Simei for two days now, trading and swindling anybody they could. They weren't in the Fire Nation for nothing, they had to make as much money as possible as they were still there. The captain of the crew, Siv, a Southern Water tribesman was always trying to turn a profit in his escapades.

"Tai!" The captain shouted from the deck of the boat, "I need yah to head to town for a few supplies, we're headin' out tomorrow so we need to get ready!" The dark skinned, blue-eyed waterman patted the back of each of his passing crew members, gifting them with a charming smile, hoping to warm up their hearts. "Doin' good? Good."

Tai was the captain's apprentice, his mother was a long time friend to the merchant. With Siv knowing Tai since as long as he could remember. He was grateful that the man allowed him to journey and adventure with him on his boat, Tai owed him a lot of gratitude and love for that. He respected the water tribesman, not just because he believed he was a good man, but because he was also one hell of a fighter and bender.

"Fine! Write down what you need." A voice barely recognizable chimed in from the lower galley. In a matter of mere seconds, a tall, muscular, brunette youth appeared from the galley with two barrels underneath his arms. "What's Paek doing, doesn't he have time to do this? I was counting the supplies that we already have."

"Takin' inventory is great, but I need you to do this for me. It's important." The captain said with his signature smile. "Please?" He batted his icy-blue eyes at his young apprentice, knowing full well that his charm never phased the boy.

"What do you need?" Tai sighed, dropping the barrels and relaxing his shoulders.

---

"The directions he gave make no sense at all." The lost traveler sighed. Even though they were there for a few days, Tai hadn't really left the harbor unless it was to the pub or restaurant for a bite to eat. He took note that there were a few inns and hotels around, but the specific inn he was looking for was nowhere in sight. "The Phoenix," he muttered, looking up at all the building signs he passed.

The laid out brick road that the port town used had now ended, with a new road made of just dirt, rocks, and gravel. The buildings changed from stone and cement to cheap, weary wood, something that made Tai feel uneasy. "Well it looks like I'm in the right direction now." Siv always got Tai into some less than fun situations, but it was because the captain knew the young man could handle and carry himself well.

Tai silently made his way through the nice streets of Li Simei, still reading the signs he passed from time to time. It wasn't until he noticed a gigantic sign that read what he was looking for, The Phoenix. Opening the two wide, wooden doors to the building he was greeted with mobs of stares and snickers. The atmosphere from the silent and jaded slums were now exchanged for prejudice and anger, along with a hint of alcohol and urine. "Great," Tai's mind shouted, him biting his lips. "Thanks again, Siv." The Phoenix wasn't an inn or a hotel, it was a bar, filled with angry drunks and scantily clad women who wanted only one thing, money.

He made his way to the bar and popped a seat between two bald men who were each trying their best to land a barmaid. "Hi," the young merchant said, tapping on the bar. What he was there to request for Siv made absolutely no sense. He was there to pick up some flowers, specifically Flare Moria flowers. The only thing he knew about Flare Moria flowers were that they were his mother's favorite and they only grew in the Fire Nation. "I'm here to pick up some Flare Moria's," the young man shouted, hoping his voice would over-power the commotion of the pub.

The bartender gave him a confused look and nodded his head, knowing nothing of what Tai was requesting. "Sonny, this is a bar. It ain't no florist!" The bartender laughed fully and returned the boy with a wink, turning him away.

"Are you sure you don't know what I'm talking about?" Tai sighed, "Flare Moria flowers."

The man nodded again, returning to his patrons that were actually buying and drinking his alcohol. "Sorry I can't help yah, sonny."

Tai turned around and scanned the room, why the hell did Siv send him to a bar asking for his mother's favorite flowers.

Two hooded figures sat in the back of The Phoenix Maeko had ordered herself some tea for herself and Kaya. "So tell me why we are here in this danky bar anyway?" Kaya the young Avatar asked her yellow eyes meeting her mentor's they had been on the run for a long time now having to ditch their small ship and to make themselves less conspicuous. "We are waiting for our escort to take us out of here." Maeko seemed to have it planned out already.

Kaya let out a soft sigh dragging her finger slowly across the surface of the cheap wooden table they were sitting in lightly drawing burn marks across the surface causing a small plume of smoke to rise. The people of the bar started to annoy her, hearing them laughing loudly and smelling of alcohol watching the occasional drunkard leaving through the door she would do anything to be back home in the Capitol with her mother. Kaya hated her father paying to much attention to the war more then her own family, she wasn't that close to her brother but on good terms with him, but she loved her mother more then anything.

Then a young boy came in to the bar, Maeko seemed to perk up slightly looking over to Tai as he made his way over to the bar when he asked for a package of Flare Moria. "I'll be right back." Maeko said standing up and headed over towards the bar, she pulled off her hood and lightly tapped the boy on the shoulder. "I hear you're looking for some Flare Moria flowers, I was the one who sent the letter order to Siv." Maeko said looking towards Kaya and motioned her to join her, it was the nickname she gave to Kaya since they left the Fire Nation Capitol.

Kaya stood up and started to approach Maeko before being grabbed by the older woman and forced to stand inbetween Tai and her. "We need to get her to the Earth Kingdom." Maeko said quietly, she looked towards the entrance to see Fire Nation soldiers come in.

A woman approached him just as soon as turned around. When his eyes met hers from her table she seemed a bit relieved or so it seemed. Whatever Siv had just gotten him into, he knew it couldn't have been good not that he was judging the woman at all. "Well I'm here to pick them up," Tai replied, nodding his head in relief, considering the bar owner seemed to have no clue what he was talking about. "Where are they-"

The apprentice was silenced by the addition of another girl. She was short with dark, tanned skin and maroon-colored eyes. The girl was pretty too, there was regal sense to her even though she was in a bar with a bunch of drunk men and women. As he was about to continue Tai was cut short again, but this time by the woman who approached him first. She told him that they were in need of getting to the Earth Kingdom, Tai's home.

"To the Earth Kingdom?" Tai whispered underneath his breath, repeating what the random woman said. "Look, miss, I'm not sure what the captain has told you, but we aren't a passenger ship. Our ship is a merchant one, we buy, sell, and trade things. We don't take passengers along with us."

Tai scratched the back of his head, still confused by what the woman had said. He gave the woman a soft, awkward smile, knowing full well that it was probably Siv's doing and that he shouldn't doubt that they were now his passengers. "We should head back to the boat... I'm sure Siv can fill me in more once we get there." He took a step forward, noting that the older woman was glaring at the entrance to The Phoenix.

"Is there something I should know before we go outside?" Tai muttered jokingly, to his surprise, to his bound to be new clients.

"Well Siv and I have known each other and I asked him specifically." Maeko said staring at the boy the Fire Nation soldiers started to file into the bar they seemed to be searching for something or someone. "All you need to know right now is that we are wanted by the Fire Nation." Maeko waited until the soldiers were all in they held a wanted picture of Kaya and Maeko in it when there was no one to guard the door Maeko waved them forward, Kaya looked at Tai for a moment before following her mentor out of the bar pulling up her hood to make sure she wasn't noticed.

Once they were far away Kaya pulled down her hood and looked back at the Earth Kingdom boy they were far enough away and out of earshot from anyone for her to speak. "My name is Kaya I guess you can say i'm the former princess of the Fire Nation and i'm the Avatar." Kaya introduced herself and took a moment to stop and looked at Tai if he wanted to ask her or Maeko anything.

Everything happened in a matter of minutes, the group had rushed out the door, dodging some Fire Nation soldiers, and were now hustling their way to Siv and Ryo Rae. The younger woman introduced herself to Tai which made things make so much sense about why they were running and made his stomach tense. Their life was about to get real complicated considering the girl was the Fire Nation princess and the Avatar. There was no way in hell that Tai wanted to be apart of their business.

Being a princess was probably hard enough, but then being the Avatar too? Either it was just pure luck or pure unluckiness that she was both, considering how much pressure each one gets, especially from the Fire Nation. "Let's just get to the ship." Tai said, straight-faced and stern. He turned around, hoping that the soldiers were still inside of the Phoenix. He was going to have a long talk with Siv once he got back to the ship, a very long talk.

"This way," the youth sighed, leading the way back to the port hastily.

((Sorry for the long response the sites been acting up and been busy.))

Kaya could sense that Tai was slightly annoyed with the situation having gone out to grab a package that didn't even exist except it was her being taken further away from the Fire Nation but she couldn't blame him. Maeko looked at the boy as he led them further away from the Phoenix bar and was relived that the Fire Nation soldiers didn't spot them, all she cared about was getting off of the island and to the Earth Kingdom.

After being on the run Maeko could see Siv's ship still in port and looked at Tai once more. "How has Siv been lately?" Maeko asked having known him back in her Fire Nation army days meeting him in a port years ago.

"He's been keeping out of trouble if that's what you mean by how he's doing." Tai sighed, answering the woman's question. Siv was a man who loved adventure and excitement, and that meant getting into a lot of trouble. Thankfully once Tai was a part of his crew things changed around and looked up. Tai became the serious businessman who helped Siv shape his trading around.

"Right up there," the Earthman muttered, waving at the ship. The sun had mostly gone down so the darkened, night sky was now above them. He gave the two women his fake, sympathy smile and pointed towards the ship. "You two can go on ahead, I have to do something before getting back aboard the ship." He hoped they hadn't been followed, but he had to make sure they weren't. Tai had to somehow get rid of the princess and her protector's smell, and the only way was to go back and cover their tracks up.

"Once you get on board you'll be greeted by Taro, he's a big bald, muscular guy." Tai nodded. "Just tell him I sent you up before me and that you need to see Siv. He'll then take you to Siv and get things a bit more settled." The youth bowed and gave the two women a more real, emotional smile. "Tell Siv I'll be right back." Turning around he rushed off the dock and away from the port, heading towards the direction of The Phoenix.

((Sorry again for the long response.))

Maeko nodded at Tai and smiled softly. "That's good to know hes been doing well." She answered and looked towards the ship remembering she had to do a search on the ship years ago. She looked to the young boy for a moment as he spoke and looked at Kaya standing there and started to head up the ramp of the ship and stepped aboard looking at the crew that were busy loading up supplies. "C'mon Kaya lets get you situated and meet Siv." Kaya watched as the earth bender went off towards The Phoenix wondering if he will be okay.

"I'm coming." Kaya said and started to walk up the ramp and headed towards Siv's cabin, Maeko walked in first and knocked on the door to see him sitting in a chair and smiled. "Long time no see." Maeko said, Kaya followed in shortly after her and closed the door shut.