Kasumi Kotou's Story

Kasumi dodged an attack and thrust her blade into the thugs heart. After killing the last of them, she continues down the forest, trying to find the captured girl, when 6 more thugs appeared.

"Damn it! How many of these guys are there?"

Kasumi got into a fighting stance as they charged. The first thug tried to stab her, but she easily countered it and slit his throat. She dodged another attack from the firebending thug. The others followed, determined to kill her, until Kasumi threw down a smoke bomb concealing her from their sight. With the thugs distracted, she hid out of their sight. Hiding behind a tree, she was about to attempt a sneak attack until she saw a boy with raven hair and a large badger mole running toward her and the thugs.

What is he doing here? She thought.

Still hiding behind the tree, Kasumi watched the earthbending boy struggling to defend himself. If I don't help him he could get hurt, or even die. She thought.

Kasumi readied her bow and aimed at the thug nearest to the boy. Before the thug could attack, the arrow pierced his heart, and his lifeless corpse fell to the ground. The 3 remaining thugs stood in shock, and so did the boy, as Kasumi charged.

One by one the thugs attacked, and each fell to her blade while the boy still remained still. In less than a minute, the last thug's bloody body fell to the ground. She turned to the boy, who had a look of shock and fear on his face. "Who are you?" Kasumi asked him.

Kasumi sighed in annoyance. I don't have time for this! She thought, as she took another step toward the boy who still had that terrified look on his face.

"You did not answer my question. Who are you? And also, Why did you come? It's dangerous to come into a place like this on your own you know." said Kasumi.

The woman asked him again and the boy paused. "Tsurei... Tsurei Kyoji." He said. "And, I... Wait, "he started," you came here by yourself. And did I not just take out that one guy!" He yelled pointing to the thug who was still stuck to the boulder.

"I came here to help a woman find her daughter! Was I wrong to help a woman in need?" He yelled to her. "Never mind, are you here to help her too?"

Tsurei slightly irritated Kasumi, but she decided to give in.

"Yes I came to rescue her daughter. My name is Kasumi Kotou. I can find the girl on my own, but if you insist on coming with me, we should ask the last thug for any helpful information." She pointed to the thug, who was still restricted to the boulder.

Kyoji avoided all the dead bodies and walked to the thug. The thug stared at Kyoji then to Kasumi. "Uhm...." He stuttered. "We, I uhm..." He then muttered before looking at Kasumi. "You ask him!" He demanded and took a little step back.

"I ain't saying nothing." The thug spoke in his deep voice.

Kasumi sighed, and walked toward the thug, and held her dagger close to his throat. She glared into his wide eyes, "Where are you keeping the girl?" she demanded.

The thug gulped, "Fine!" he shrieked, I'll tell ya as long as you let me live!" Kasumi sheathed her blade. "You have my word, now tell me." She demanded
"Shes bein' held in a hut by my boss just north of here!" He stuttered, as he looked toward her in fear "Now please...let me go."

"You just sold out your companions that easy?" Kyoji said with more demand.
"I value my life more than my gang. I repeat, please let me go." He said and took a gulp. The thugs icy grey eyes almost bore hole in the boy's head.

"He answered the question." The avatar said to the girl beside him. "We should let him go." The thug looked to the boy then to Kasumi. Kyoji took a step back and raised her wrists. The stone cuffs suddenly fell to the ground. The thug made a relieved sigh and rubbed his sore wrists.

"Thank you, I'll get out of your way right now." The thug said wearily.

Kyoji watched the thug as he ran away from the two until he was out of sight. "Let's g-" He said but stopped to see the girl had already gone ahead of him.
"Hey wait!" He said and ran after her. "Wait, do you know where the girl is?" He asked as he walked next to Kasumi. We can't just wander the forest, aimlessly." The avatar asked.

Kyoji was looking towards the girl as she spoke but then looked forward to see a small hut. Kyoji then hurried to the hut. He circled around the hut for the door and he found it on the other side.
"The door's here." He said to Kasumi. He saw that there was a large lock on the door. He then held it.

"There's a lock here. And there aren't any windows, I guess we'll have to open it."

Kasumi examined the lock, it seemed worn out and old. She turned to Tsurei.

"I think I can pick the lock with my knife, or break it" She stated, "I'm not sure if It will work but it's all we have now"

"Or we could use the key." Kyoji said to Kasumi and held up a copper coloured key. "I think it would be more efficient."
He said and held out his hand to give the girl the key.

Kasumi quickly snatched the key from him and tested in on the lock. After a moment of twisting and turning the key, the lock clicked, and the door opened. She raised an eyebrow at him "It worked.....Where did you get it?"

"One of those thugs had it." Kyoji answered. "Let's go in." He stepped through the door and looked around the hut. "Excuse me?" He called out. In the corner a little girl with brown hair sat curled up his her head tucked in her knees.
The avatar quickly approached the little girl and crouched down to her level. "Hello?"

It was not a pleasant sight seeing the frightened little girl. She had bruises on her face and was covered dirt. The little girl looked up at them, wide eyed with fear and red with tears. Kasumi knelt down and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, We're here to bring you back home." The child was skeptical at first, but then nodded at the brunette girl.
"I want to go back to mommy." The girl said, barely a whisper.

"Don't worry little one." Kyoji then gave the little girl a warm smile. "We'll take you back to your mother and you'll be alright." His face then made a serious expression. "Are you hurt, can you stand?" He asked the little girl and she wiped some of her tears away with her arm. "My foot... Hit hurts." She stuttered. Kyoji then tilted his head and look at the little girl's foot. He then made a reassuring smile. "You foots not hurt, it's just sore. I'll carry you." The little girl climbed onto the avatar's back and he stood up.
"Kotou, can you watch my back?" He asked his partner.

"Of course." Kasumi responded, as they began to leave the hut. They ventured through the forest in silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of their feet moving across the forest floor, and the uneven breathing of the little girl. However, Kasumi did not let her guard down. She had the sensation they were being watched. She felt it.

Sure enough, a group of more bandits came there way. Each were holding weapons and prepared for a fight.

She turned to Kyoji, who was still carrying the little girl. "...Have any ideas?"

"Kotou, can you deal with these guys on your own?" He said looking to his partner who was now ready for battle."

He looked back to the child on his back and smiled. "I need you to hold on tight sweetie." He said kindly to her. The girl nodded and tightened her grip around the Avatar's shoulder and Kyoji ran as fast as he could away from the thugs.

A small smirk appeared on her face as she turned to the five thugs. "Bring it on."

The first thug rushed at Kasumi, slashing at her with his dagger. She dodged the attack with ease, and swiped at him with her own. The blow sliced open his neck, and soon enough his lifeless body fell to the ground. Before the next could approach, she quickly notched an arrow, and released, impaling the man's heart. The next bandit was more skilled than the first two however. He rushed at her, thrusting his spear at Kasumi, which was narrowly avoided. She struck back, only to have the bandit step away from the attack. Next thing she knew, fire was propelled at her from another thug. Apparently the guy was a firebender. Fantastic.

An idea formed in her head, a crazy one, but it was possible. She waited for thug with the spear to attack her once more. When he did, she sidesteped, and disarmed him. She twisted his arm, and moved behind him, when the firebender foolishly attacked. The thug's eyes widened as he was attacked by the fire of his own friend, and she used the moment of shock to pierce his spine. The attack effectively killed him, and before the firebender realized what happened, she tossed her knife at him, which got lodged into his chest.

She approached the dead thug, and retrieved the bloody dagger from his chest. The battle was finally over, or so she thought. One last bandit was lurking behind her, waiting to strike. He watched from behind a tree while Kasumi regained her blade, and used that time to attack. The bandit came close, nearly killing the woman, when a Badger mole tackled him down, knocking him out.

Kasumi turned around, surprised to see what happened behind her. ..I guess I'm out of practice. She thought. Slowly she walked toward the badger mole, as he got up. "...Thanks. I assume you're Kyoji's?"

The creature bobbed its head up and down, as if he was nodding.

"Alright. I guess we should get back now. Come on!" She said and began running back to the village, with the badger mole followed behind her untill it picked her up and carried her on his back.

With the girl on his back, the avatar raced back to the worried woman. As soon as the little girl saw her mother her face lit up. "Mommy!" She yelled excitedly and climbed down from the boy's back. The woman heard her daughter's cry and ran to her.

"Amaya! My sweet Amaya!" He yelled and pulled her daughter into and tight embrace, tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I can't believe you rescued her! Did you get rid of the thugs?" She asked and Kyoji smiled at her.

"Those thugs won't be bothering you again, I promise you that." The girl made a small laugh and a smile. She stood up and her daughter wrapped her hands around her mother's waist. "Is there any way I can repay you, I know we don't have much money, but..." Kyoji put his hands up to silence the woman.

"You don't have to give me anything, I'm just glad to see your daughter safe." He made a small laugh and looked to the girl. Then he heard sounds coming from the forest behind him.