New crystal pillar

People had no idea how long the person had been sitting there. They had no idea who he was or why he was there. They did know that the 20 foot pillar of crystal wasn't there before, and they doubted that this man could walk around with it on his back. This person's name was Lukas, and as he sat there, the crystal pillar just seemed to grow more, its blue color shining in the light. Unknown to most though, was the crystal was made out of a beloved earth kingdom mineral candy, Jennomite.

With the ring on his middle finger, Lukas just sat there, eating chunks of the crystal when it came close to his mouth and now and then clearing his chest and body of the crystal. It still made the large pillar on his back that had already sank several inches into the ground from the weight. Why he was sitting there for so long? Lukas was listening to a flower explain the meaning of turtle ducks to him in a very long and drawn out story going all the way back to the times without avatars.

Its needless to say that Lukas had just enjoyed a good drink of catus juice and was suffering, or rather enjoying, its mind altering effects. The flower had been talking since the night before and now, with the sun just about to reach noon, Lukas sat up, breaking out of the jennomite with a slight bit of earth bending. "Thats why turtle ducks are important." He said, sliding the ring off and sliding it back into the bag on his side. Looking around him, his eyes fell upon the crystal pillar and he blinked once, twice, three times before speaking.

"Thats new."

Ayaka was walking around the town looking for supplies before she continued on her journey when she saw the crystal pillar. She walked one the other side of the pillar. "I havn't seen Jennomite since I was a little kid. Where did you get this?" Ayaka said leaning against the pillar on Lukas

Blinking and looking at the female, Lukas tilted his head and spoke, "Jennomite? I have four rings of the stuff I just use when I want or to use." Sliding his hands into his bag, Lukas pulled out the four rings and slid them onto each finger on one hand. The crystals already started to grow, each covering the finger they where on. "I like them. Constant self making earth for the earth bender on the road." He said with a sleepy smile.

They grew a bit more now, covering his hand, the four colored crystals growing into each other slightly. His hand now glowed blue, green, orange, and red, the crystals not yet finished growing, but they had stopped for now. "Even a little bit of body heat gets them to grow, so its a perfect way for me to bend." Lukas said, now forgetting the jennomite on his hand.

Ayaka sat down next to Lukas and returned a smile. She had to adjust all of her weapons and gear. Ayaka was carrying all of her equipment on her back because she would never stay in one spot for long. Moving from town to town was tiring, and it was getting late.

Maybe a partner wasn't a bad idea. Ayaka always wanted to travel alone but never knew it was this hard. Finding someone to travel with was her best bet. Her partner would have to be someone that could survive on there own and not depend on her. Someone that couldn't trust her, and couldn't be trusted themself... 'Yea that would be my kind of partner' She thought to herself.

But was this man a good person to travel with? He didn't seem to have the same urge of hate that she did. Ayaka may seem nice, but that's only a cover. Deep down she knew that all she wanted was to hurt people just as she was hurt, but she would never find a partner that way. Ayaka would have to get more information about this man... See how he got things he wanted, and see what drives him to want to earthbend...

She then looked down at his crystal covered hand and though. 'Earth bending with jennomite was a great idea; however not very stealthy. Wasn't really her style, but it was still a good idea'... She then looked back up at him "So where do you get those rings?"

Looking at the female as she sat down, Lukas blinked a few times, his eyes kinda dazed, the smile on his face still kind. She seemed to be carrying a lot of things at the moment, while he simply just had his bag. The jennomite had now made it up to his forearm and half a foot past his fingers.

Without knowing what the woman was thinking, Lukas lifted his hand up and began to absent-minded nibble on the jennomite coming from his hand. With the four tastes going into his mouth, Lukas began to wonder what this woman's name was and asked softly, "So what is your name mysterious person with the bag?" Looking at the woman, waiting for her answer, Lukas leaned back against the pillar, suddenly noticing it was there once more.

When she asked the question, Lukas blinked and then looked at his jennomite covered arm. "Huh... I'm wearing my rings. I found them in one of those big earth bending places. Not sure which one though... it had walls though." He said, making a fist suddenly, causing the jennomite to shatter and just reveal the four rings once more. "Crystals... such shiny earth."

Ayaka nodded her head, then looked at the pillar behind Lukas it was fairly large at this point. He must of been here for awile for it to get to that size. Why was he here, and why for so long? "In a cave huh... Anyway I'm Ayaka Nomata" Ayaka said as she turned back to Lukas. "So whats your name?"

Sliding the rings off, Lukas put them back into his bag and then turned back at the woman, wondering why she mentioned a cave before just shrugging and smiling at her softly. "Ayaka Nomata? It rolls off the tongue and into the turtle duck." He said, stretching and getting to his feet, cracking his back and neck. When she asked his name he seemed to just stand there, zoning out for almost no particular reason.

Shaking his head for a moment, he looked back Ayaka and then smiled at her, speaking, "Lukas Riku! That's my name! Oh yeah." Why he seemed to forget his name was something anyone could guess, but he didn't mind. "So why are you going this way?" He asked, tilting his head some.

Ayaka went out of focus for a moment. 'Hm what should I tell him?' She thought to herself. Does she tell him she's trying to kill the worlds only hope for peace, or just make up a lie? Maybe it was best if she just lied for now.

Ayaka came back into focus and realized how long she had been paused. She quickly replied "Just traveling... Trying to see the world for myself." Ayaka turned back looking at the pillar once again "So how long have you been here? Cause the Jennomite on your back seems to of been growing for awile."

Looking at Ayaka, waiting for the answer, Lukas began to slowly drift off into another strange vision, watching as a bee turned into a stick bug and then into a butterfly and finally into some strange large rock. Prodding it with his foot, Lukas waiting for it to change again, yet nothing was happening and he prodded it a bit harder, turning the rock into sand. "Sand bee." He said softly before looking up at her when she spoke.

"A travel travel traveler eh? The world is a fun and rock filled place. Perfect for earth benders and those strange urges to send rocks flying." Lukas said with a half asleep look on his face. Looking at the pillar, Lukas blinked and then looked around. "Oh hey... the sun's up and near noon... it was setting before... how long have I been here?" He asked Ayaka with a confused smile.

Si slowly approached the two young benders with a faux smile. Either of these two will be prime subjects for my tests he thought but forced his mouth to not. "Hello." he said each of his words were laced with false peace.

Si smiled at the two as he scratched the back of his head in a nervous manner, this however could not be discerned to be true or false.

Ayaka smiled again "Apparently awile" Ayaka said as she tapped on pillar attached to Lukas's back. Ayaka was just starting her journey, and she was already tired, but she couldn't stop yet. This break was gonna have to be enough. She had to travel through the night again if she was going to get to Bai Sing Sai to get information about the Avatar.

She then turned up to the man standing beside her. "Hi, can I help you?" Ayaka asked as she stood up facing the man. She would have to keep up this nice girl appearance when she was in villages. She didn't want people to know of her plans. Not yet...

With a sleepy smile, Lukas slammed both hands into the crystal, cracked his back and lifted the crystal briefly before slamming it into the ground. "That should be good for now." He said, staring up at his man made pillar of jennomite. Turning back to Ayaka, he gave her a big grin and motioned to the pillar. "Almost a full day! The cold night must of slowed its growth some, but wow!" He said, admiring his work.

It was when a new voice spoke up that Lukas turned to face a man in clothing that didn't have the earthy tones those in the kingdom of earth wore. "Hey... you're kinda strange. Are you a traveler too?" He asked, his smile not leaving his and was most likely the only genuine smile of the three.

OOC: Yay cellphones.

Si stood there with one hand behind his back, the hand that was hidden from vie had a bade of air circling around it. "Just looking for some new faces in my travels." he said to the girl with a new twisted smile. "It can get lonely out here after a while" he spoke laced with a chuckle.

Using a finger to clean out his ear, Lukas looked around, trying to find the source of a slightly annoying sound before shrugging his shoulders and giving up. Looking back at the person who had arrived, Lukas examined him once more and spoke, "New faces new faces to travel travel and looking." Of course, it made no sense what he said, but Lukas was just feeling the effects of staying up all night and the cactus juice was still affecting his mind. He stumbled back into the pillar and sat down onto the chair made from his body.

Jennomite had already began to make its way back over his body, reacting to his body heat, yet he didn't give it any thought. "I guess it can get lonely here after a while, but that's why I never stay here for long. I like there much better then here, more letters." Lukas said with a half asleep grin, letting the jennomite slowly embrace his body once more.

Startled by Si's that remark, Ayaka took a step back, and put a hand on her weapon pouch.
"Yeah, of course... So where are you heading then?"

"Wherever the wind takes me." Si said as he grinned at Ayaka's response to his comment, he found her fear exciting, Si was the classic case of a psychopath. Si flipped an Earth Kingdom coin through his fingers, a trophy if you will of his last victim, a small Earth Kingdom boy.

Looking at Ayaka with a sleepy gaze of confusion, Lukas wondered why she suddenly seemed a bit more tense. He couldn't really see anything wrong with this strange stranger, but he kept thinking that this person was a very strange person. Looking between the two slowly, Lukas began to actually try to figure out what was happening, soon his eyes becoming clear and his mind following suit. Sliding on two of his jennomite rings, one on each finger, strawberry and orange this time, Lukas tried his best to remain as calm and dazed as he could.

As the rings began to grow, Lukas took a deep breath and lifted his hands some, causing the rings to grow at twice their normal rate, soon covering half his arms. "The wind may not take you anywhere... you may be leading it, if what I believe is correct." He said, his voice sounding more lucid then ever before, yet not getting to his feet, the jennomite growing normally once more, his elbows covered in a set of five long crystals. "What business do you have with us stranger?" He asked, eyeing the coin.

"The same business that every traveler has with passing citizen. Do you have any spare change?" Si asked as he flipped the coin more aggressively once he saw Lukas eye the coin. Si's eyes were hidden from sight as the sun cast a glare on his glasses, Si pushed up his glasses as his grin only grew larger.

As the coin flipped through the air, Lukas watched it, keeping an eye on Si as well as he caught the coin once more. Looking at him, his eyes trying to get a reading on the man, the jennomite crystals growing once more, now his entire arm covered, but his joints moving just fine. With a deep breath, he flexed his arms and lifted up once more, the jennomite growing up and over his chest and back, effectively covering his chest, back, and arms in crystal armor. He could easily turn this into just a simple little thing, but if he needed to, he could turn himself into an armored fighter.

"I don't travel with money, its to much for me to care about. I just live with my rings and my sand." Lukas said with a sleepy smile, the jennomite covering just a bit more of his body. "So no bother asking for me to give you some now. I am just a simple bender." He added, leaning back, using his head to slam into the jennomite pillar, breaking off four large chunks of the jennomite. Soon there was what appeared to be a throne made of the crystal. Lukas always liked feeling a bit more important when he was off the cactus water, and wearing crystal armor and sitting on a crystal throne seemed to convey power.

Ayaka grinned at Si "And i'm sixteen I don't really have any money." She wanted to test Si. He wasn't just a normal traveler. She unzipped her pouch, and rested her hand on a throwing knife. "Why don't you tell me why your really out here?"

Si's eyes never moved, but he saw exactly what Ayaka was doing. Si held up his fore finger and wagged it. "I wouldn't do that if I was you." he said with a grin as he situated his glasses once more. "It s bad for your health." he said with a chuckle.

Ayaka smiled and pulled out the knife. "I do a lot of things that are bad for my health." Ayaka twisted the knife around so the blade was facing Si. She placed her open hand in the pouch just like the last one and waited.

Si simply flicked his wrist using a gust of wind to pull the knife from Ayaka's hand. "Weapons are so barbaric, don't you think?" he said as he caught the knife and tossed in blade down into the dirt. "Do we really have to fight?" Si asked as he dusted a bit of dirt from the shoulder of his vest.

Watching as the knife flew from Ayaka to the man's hand, Lukas slammed his knee loudly. "I knew it! You are an air bender! Ha! I get points!" He yelled, smiling widely, his armor now covering his knees and his head. He just chuckled and laid his head on one of his fists, looking at the air bender with a smile. "I wonder what you are going to do now, both of you I wonder indeed." He added, looking to both of them, his other hand tapping his knee happily.

Once the knife was thrown from her hand he revealed he was a air bender. Ayaka took advantage of this moment and put her hand behind her back. She now knew more about him then he knew about her. Ayaka locked eyes with Si's "So he knows a few air bending tricks. No big deal, but as for you question. I guess it's either you attack first, or you walk away."