Kenshi was tired. Tired of traveling, tired of having no purpose. He had been traveling around the earth kingdom alone ever since his father died. He had saved, one maybe two people in that time. He failed at the thing he was trained for, the thing he existed for. His father taught him that he was supposed to help those who needed help. Plenty of people needed help he was just lousy at providing. Kenshi sat down in the base of a tree and took his sword of his back. It was kept there by a simple leather belt but it had never snapped which surprised Kenshi. Out of boredom he started to randomly create a flame in his hands and then put it out. He kept repeating this simply because he had nothing else to do. He did check if there was no one in the neighbourhood though. It had been a year since the war ended but the hate for fire benders was still there even though it wasn’t always shown. And now that fire lord Zuko had been assasinated things had been getting tensed everywhere. Kenshi pulled out his sword and checked it for dends and damages. There weren’t any on the self crafted sword. It looked as if it had never been used. Kenshi had crafted it when he was just a kid and it was still perfect. Over the years if had needed some matanance but nothing big. Kenshi got up and swung around the sword a bit. It was light and fast and it would cut through anything. He rather used his sword then his firebending to be honest. He had full control over his sword and no one could get hurt but his opponent. With firebending everything around him was in danger. His father had trained him more on the meaning and controling of firebending then advanced teqniques but still he was afraid he would hurt innocent people. Fire bending wasn’t the strongest form of bending in his opinion, but it certainly was the most destructive one.

Bai was walking through the forest of the Earth Kingdom. It was a pretty big forest but she could remember going through this forest loads of times. Bai didn't like walking through it alone but she wasn't fully alone, she had Zing. It didn't matter if someone tried to rob her, they wouldn't know what would hit them. They think that because she looks like a weakling, she would be easy to steal from but they don't know about the power Bai posseses. It made her laugh at the thought. Bai was trying to be quiet but every twig that she stepped on, snapped, making a loud noise. It didn't help that Zing was yapping in his own little language. The whole forest was filled with Bai and Zing. After walking through a few bushes and under some trees, Bai saw a boy with a sword. He was swaying the sword around. She didn't know what to do. Bai froze in the spot she was standing, not knowing what to do. Should she approach him or should she run? If she ran she would out run him but she wanted to know why he had a sword and who he was. She felt risky today. So she walked slowly towards the boy, not making a sound. The moment she was close enough, a twig snapped. Bai scrunched her face up, not wanting him to know she was there. She gave up in the end and walked into his view with her hands in the air with Zing on her shoulder. "Well, you found me. Hi I'm Bai."

Kenshi’s first reaction when he heard the twig snap was standing ready for a fight. He knew there were bandits and people like that in the forest and he wouldn’t mind fighting a band of bandits. He wasn’t feeling great so a good fight should make him feel better. He was slightly dissapointed when a girl quite a few years younger then himself walk out of the bushes. He lowered his sword and nodded towards the girl to make the its cool sign. “I’m Kenshi. Traveling warrior.” He said to the girl. He always introduced himself like that. It wasn’t as if he was being cocky about his warrior abilities but just stating his profesion. It always explained his sword so it helped. He swung the sword around his back and set back down in the base of the tree. “So what are you doing out here on your own?” He asked the girl. With the situation since Zuko’s assasination had been dire and no one should be traveling alone. He shouldn’t but he knew no one to travel with so he was on his own. He had been alone ever since his dad died and he prefered it that way. He liked the company of others but when he was alone at least he could bend without people frowing upon him. Fire bending wasn’t illegal, it wasn’t something monsterous. But hate digs deep into a persons heart. It was one of the many reasons he used his sword more often then his fire bending skills. He hoped that evantually he could just practise bending anywhere without being afraid of people seeing him. He always had to be afraid of his own bending. First because of the war, now because of the aftershocks of the war. Kenshi wondered if he should move to the fire nation after all. Then again how much better would it be over there? With the assasination of Zuko strangers would be frowned upon aswell. He could settle somewhere but that wasn’t like him. He had always traveled around. If it was to run from the fire nation or simply to travel he was always on the move. He prefered it that way. His father had trained him to fight for others and let go of himself. The only way to do that was to have nothing to lose. He had nothing, so he had nothing to lose.

The boy lowered his sword and Bai bowed. She wanted to let him know that she was cool and she wouldn't attack him, well something like that. The boy introduced himself as Kenshi, travelling warrior. It sounded like a cool introduction but some might think it's cocky. Bai thought that if he felt good about himself, he should be pleased and introduced himself like that. "Well Kenshi it's nice to meet you." He swung his sword back onto his belt thingy and sat down. He asked what Bai was doing out there alone. She had to think about that for a moment because she didn't know. Seriously, she didn't know why she was travelling either. "Well I'm exploring the world and I got banished from my old village so..." The awkward silence made time go really slowly but sped up again when Bai was actually paying attention. She knew that no one would attempt to travel on their own but 1) she had no one to travel with and 2) She was banished, what was she meant to do. "What about you? Why are you out here if you don't mind me asking."

Kenshi expected the question. When you launch a question you can expect the same on back. Kenshi didn’t mind the question. Exept for his firebending he had nothing to hide. “I travel around looking for chalenges and people that need help.” He said. It sounded really dull but it was the truth. “I’m just passing through these parts though. Then again you can’t be passing through if you don’t have a destination can you? If you aren’t going anywhere and aren’t staying anywhere, your always passing through, so why bother calling it so.” He said. Kenshi wondered what the girl did to get banished. He had been banished out of one or two villages for accidently burning down houses but this girl didn’t seem like someone that did such things. Then again you couldn’t exactly recognise a bender on sight unless they actually wore their colors. “How did you get banished from your village?” Kenshi asked. “You don’t get banished for nothing do you?” He said. He decided not to tell her about his banishments sinc then he would need to tell her about him being able to bend fire. Kenshi kept that to himself unless he could help someone with his bending. And since he usually couldn’t help people with trowing fireballs barely anyone knew about his abilities. He did train his firebending a lot though. Usually in an abandoned cave or something. He had improved so much in the last year. He knew his father would be proud. Kenshi wished his father was still alive. Even though he died bravely and as a true warrior, Kenshi wished he stayed with him. But when Ba Sing Se got attacked by the fire nation his father had to answer the call. Kenshi waited for his father for five weeks. Then he left. He had kept out of the war, he wasn’t strong enough to help anyone. He wished he had joined the fight against fire lord Ozai but he couldn’t have done anything at the time. He wasn’t ready for the war then. He was ready for it now though. And with Zuko’s assasination, everyone should be getting ready for war. It was tensed now but how long could that last without someone striking? Kenshi knew war was on their doorstep once again. And he would be ready to fight it.

Kenshi explained about why he was in the forest and after that, Bai zoned out. She was imagining flying sheep flying next to her when she was gliding. She 'woke up' just in time to hear the boy asked her why she got banished from her village. Damn why did I have to say that? She didn't want to tell him and she wished she hadn't mentioned it. In order to tell him why she was banished, she would have to tell him about her being an air bender. "Well, there's this 'gift' I have. But first you must promise not to tell ANYONE, no matter what I say sounds crazy. I just need to know I can trust you with this secret." Bai said. Zing jumped into a near by tree and nibbled on some berries. Bai smiled and turned her attention back to Kenshi. "So can I get you promise?" She asked innocently.

Kenshi was very intrugued with the girls gift. Was she a bender after all? But what kind would she be then? A water or earth bender wouldn’t hesitate a moment to show their abilities. Could she be a fire bender? He wondered. If she was a bender though he wasn’t sure what he had to do. Was he supposed to show his fire bending then aswell? He didn’t know. He probably wouldn’t show his skills. “I can keep a secret.” He said. He was a person you could trust. He never told anyones secrets. If you found a way to trust him, he would make sure to honor that trust. When he was younger he met an earthbender and he promised he would never tell anyone about him. When firenation soldiers came looking for the guy they tortured Kenshi to make him spill his guts but he didn’t say anything. He was tortured for two days untill the earthbender and Kenshi’s father busted him out. The scars from the torture were still there. They were small compared to the huge scar that walked over his back and ended in his side. He had fought a simple fire bender when he was twelve years old and that’s what he got from it. In a way Kenshi wished his father hadn’t deep fried the guy right there. He would give a lot to get revenge for that scar.

Kenshi said that he could keep a secret. Bai took a deep breath and began spill her secret. She didn't really want to but now she would have to. "Well the thing is Kenshi. I'm a bender, but not any normal bender like water or fire or earth. The thing is... I'm an air bender. I can manipulate the air and even fly. That's why I have Zing, my flying lemur and why I dress like this." She said as she twirled around showing him her orange and red outfit and staff. "Please don't tell anyone, I need to keep this a secret and I've only told about ten people in my whole lifetime. So please, please promise me you'll keep it a secret." Bai said, now pleading for him not to tell. She really didn't want to get involved with the fire nation, not yet anyway.

An air bender? Could it be? Kenshi had studied history and knew about the air benders. But as far as anyone knew Avatar Aang was the last airbender. She looked like an air nomad though. He hadn’t thought of it before. Kenshi believed the girl, and he would keep her secret. But he wondered how powerfull the girl was. He was a warrior and the need to test himself was always there when he met someone with power. Would she agree to a fight? Kenshi had to know, he needed to know how powerfull she was and how powerfull he was in comparison. “I will keep your secret as I promised.” He said. “But I do have one little request.” He said. He streched out his arm towards her and started a flame in his hand. “I am a firebender. Trained by my father in the way like fire benders before Sozin’s rise.” He said. “I would like to test my skill, and yours. Please agree to fight me. Win or lose I shall keep your secret. I am just curious.” He said. He prayed the girl would agree. He needed to test himself. And sparring with an airbender seemed like a great way to do it. Kenshi already dropped his sword and got ready. “Will you agree?” He asked her.

Kenshi looked shocked at that moment but he still said he would keep his promise. But he had one little request. Oh damit, what does he want. She let him carry on and was surprised at that she heard. He want to fight her. He was a firebender trained differently to the way normal firebenders are trained like. Well it did seem like a good idea but she wasn't sure. He said he would keep her secret anyway he was just curious. "Oh okay, if your curious." Bai got into her stance, which looked like she was about to kick him and place her hands near her face. "Well I agree with you to fight and you can make the first move but I'm aloud to jump high okay?" she asked as she lowered in her stance. Zing knew what was going to happen so he jumped as far away as he could but close enough so he could watch the fight. "You first."

Kenshi was happy that she agreed. The fight was on and she told him to go first. “One thing though, no holds barred. I’m going all out, and you better do the same.” He said to her. He was going to fight her with everything he had. This was a test for him, and he had to pass. He jumped in the air and kicked a wave of fire towards Bai. When he landed he launched a wave of fire over the floor and finally he spun around and kicked a final more powerfull wave towards Bai. The way he fought was quite special. His style was elegant but vicious at the same time. His entire life he had been trained to control his bending and he had control like no other. He didn’t know many powerfull teqniques but the ones he knew were so perfected that he could beat firebenders with better moves then him. He fought quick and with power and you had to be really fast to be able to dodge his attacks. He wondered how Bai would react to this attack. Both earth and water benders would use their bending to defend against the fire and then try for a counter attack but there was no way she could blow away all the attacks Kenshi threw at her. Kenshi truly wondered what she would do. He wondered how he would defend against her attacks aswell. Fire bending was an offensive fighting style while airbending was mostly defensive. Kenshi wondered how this clash would end. He just knew he had to win.

Kenshi seemed happy but he had one little request as well, they both go full out. No one go weak or anything. Bai gave Kenshi a mischevious smile. "Oh course I'll go all out, I'm not weak." Bai said. She wanted to win, she hadn't been this competitive in ages but she knew she had to win. Kenshi jumped into the air kick a wave of fire, he landed and launched another wave and spun and sent another wave of fire. Bai had to think for a second and the only way she could escape the attacks is to jump. Her feet lifted off the ground and she landed on a tree trunk. She kicked her feet against the tree and she was shot forward and she kicked a wave of air powerful enough to knock over her opponent. She landed gently on the floor, swirled around two times and used her staff to send another wave of air. Bai wondered what he would do in defense.

Kenshi was suprised that she could simply jump over his attacks. He realised he needed to expand his fighting a bit more. Kenshi only now realised he had no clue how to block the burst of wind Bai threw at him. The first one was powerfull but it was small He could simply dodge it by jumping to the side. He jumped and rolled over the floor when a second more powerfull wave came at him. He wasn’t fast enough and got blown towards a tree. He flipped backwards and his feet landed on the trunk and pushed himself away from it with his feet. He flew towards Bai but he just wouldn’t reach her. He needed a little extra power. He had no idea if it would work but he had to give it a try. He put his arms backwards and shot two giantly powerfull fire waves and he got blown forwards. As he neared he moved his arms forwards towards Bai and he shot a fire wave with both his hands. This was the most devastating attack Kenshi had ever pulled off and he wondered if Bai could defend against it somehow. She probably could and the entire attack would work against Kenshi but it was a nice move and he had to try.

Kenshi managed to dodge the first gust of wind but he wasn't quick enough to dodge the second. He was blown into a tree, he flipped backwards and pushed himself away from the tree with his feet. Bai thought this was a good move and made a mental note to use it. He used fire bending to push himself forward and shot the fire waves at Bai. She didn't have any idea how she was going to dodge these attacks so she let her instincts take over. She leaped into the air and landed back on the ground, only to be hit with the other wave. She flew onto the floor her face boiling hot. Now that hurt. Bai stood up and spun around Kenshi. She had an idea, fire needed oxygen so if she removed some of the oxygen it would weaken Kenshi. In the end she thought it would be mean to suffocated him so she just turned the air around her into a mini tornado and shot it towards him with her staff.

Kenshi had no idea how to block Bai's next attack. How could he ever stop a tornado? He could only think of one thing. If he went to the side the damn thing would still get him but there were some huge tree's behind him. If he could out run the tornado it would be no problem. He ran backwards and the tornado hit the trees and pulled their roots out of the ground. He was behind a graveyard of trees now and he saw something that could give him the edge in the fight. There was a small river not far from him. If he could heat it up enough he could create a huge smoke screen. She could blow it away instantly but it may just give him enough time. He threw everything he had in the little river and steam was everywhere after just a few seconds. He barely saw anything but he saw what he needed to see. A giant tree not far from Bai. He sprinted towards it with barely making any noise and climbed it. Kenshi was a great climber. When he was a kid he had to climb tree's for his training a lot. It served its used now. He was right above Bai now. A perfect spot for an attack. He lunged towards her and turned his body while falling to the ground. He sprayed fire all around him and while falling he had become a giant burning circle. It was really tough to pull off but he did it. He came towards Bai with fire going everywhere. If this didn't beat her, nothing he could pull of would.

The tornado worked a treat and Kenshi ran off into the woods. He gave up easily. Bai thought as she was about to walked off when a smoke cloud appeared in the distance. She wondered if he was planning this all along so she wiped the steam up and it disappeared leaving an empty space where Kenshi was standing. He's in the trees. Bai thought as she looked about the tree tops. She was about to give up when Zing made a horrifying noise, he only made that noise when Bai was in danger. Before she could react, Kenshi sprung out of the trees, swirling around him was a circle of fire. How am I meant to fight this off? She asked herself, then she let herself go. Without thinking she got ready for Kenshi to be in the right position. There, she leaped into the air, walked across Kenshi's back even if it was on fire, and pushed herself into the air. She spung around and shot a wave of air at him. It should make him fall face first into the ground hopefully.

Kenshi was really not happy now. He had been throwing everything he had at Bai and she found a way to evade his attacks each time. Then again she couldn't keep this up for ever. But he couldn't either. Was this a fight of endurence? The first one to tire out wins? No, Kenshi refused to let the fight be like that. This fight had to be won by either one of them. Kenshi had to give it all to beat her, and he would. When he felt the huge wave of air puching him towards the ground he threw a fire ball at the ground. The explosion caused Kenshi to fly back into the air and he landed right on two feet. He turned around and he threw two fire balls towards Bai. It was more of a distraction then an attack. He sprinted towards Bai as fast as he could. He made two flames in his hands and as he ran they grew bigger and bigger. With the running the flames got a lot more oxigen and it made him stronger. He made them bigger and stronger as he ran untill the flame consumed his entire torso. This was his full strenght. All he had went into this attack. If this didn't work the fight had been lost. He neared Bai top speed and a few metres before her he unleashed all his power. As he unleashed that power he felt himself being drained. Kenshi was amazed with his own power. This flame was giant. He wondered what it would look like during Sozin's comet. He didn't wonder about it too long though. Once all his power had been unleashed he needed all the effort to keep standing. He remained on his feet but his eyes were so blurry he couldn't exactly see what happened. Did he win?

Kenshi seemed to be annoyed with Bai evading his attacks but that is what she was master at, she was taught to evade and think. Bai watched from a few trees away, that Kenshi was building up a fire ball, one in each hand. Then he started to run towards her, the fireballs gorwing. They reached his torso and Bai had an idea what he was doing. She made two air balls in her hand and started to run towards him. She was copying what he was doing but with air. She put every once of her power into this attack, she was going to win no matter what. The air soon covered her torso and when she was close enough she let the air balls go at the same time as Kenshi let go of the fire balls. Bai could feel the energy drain from her but the air was huge. The air and fire clashed in the middle and it took the rest of Bai's strength to stay standing. She didn't know if she had won or not but from what Bai could see, the air and fire had fizzled out. All that energy for nothing? "Well that was a waste. Truce?" Bais asked.

Kenshi couldn’t believe it. Bai had copied his move and their powers had clashed and nothing happened. They were both too tired to fight. He could see Bai nearly falling apart and he felt he was going to. He wished he could launch one more attack to win the fight but his entire body was locked up. Bai offered the fight being a draw. Neither of them could fight on so it was a draw. Kenshi didn’t like it, but they were evenly matched. “I guess the fight is undecided then. We will have to do this again sometime though, until one of us wins.” Now that the fight was officially over he let himself drop onto the floor. It felt a lot better then tensing every muscle in his body just to stay standing. He still couldn’t believe what he just did. He had unleashed power he didn’t know he had. Even more though he couldn’t believe Bai copied it just like that. They truly were evenly matched. Kenshi would be better then her though. It was his warriors mind thinking. He had to be the best even though it was impossible for him to be. Kenshi would train until he could beat Bai, he made that promise to himself.

Kenshi agreed to call the fight a draw and let homself drop to the floor. Bai couldn't help but do the same. She was so tired she could fall asleep there and then. He said that they should fight again sometime until someone won but it was impossible, they were equally matched. She was thinking of some moves to take into consideration. He was a warrior so it would be good to get hints off of him. Then she had an idea, she was travelling alone and so was he. "Well Kenshi I know this is going to sound stupid but I was wondering... Would you like to travel with me? Seeing as your travelling alone and so am I and we are master benders. So what do you think?" Bai asked as spread her arms and legs out.

Kenshi was suprised when Bai asked him to travel with her. He didn't know what to answer. He wanted to but he had been traveling alone for so long now. He decided he would though. He could train with Bai and he could travel around with some company. It sounded like a good plan. "It sounds like a plan. I'm in." He said while sitting back up. Only now he realised how damaged his clothes were. His entire top had been burned off and parts of his pants were burned aswell. He had been using his bending to blow himself into better possitions and he had set himself alight. No wonder his clothes were destroyed. He had a spare set in his bag so that didn't really matter. The only thing that did matter was that his scars were exposed. He had so many he barely had any unscared skin. He had been burned, tortured and attacked so many times that he lost count. It gave him huge resistance to pain but he didn't like people knowing about his scars. It made people ask questions and he rather didn't talk about his past. He quickly walked over to his bag and slid into a different training jacket which looked exactly like his other one.

Bai was so excited about Kenshi agreeing with her to travel with her. At least now she wouldn't be alone. She could have someone to train with too and she was teaching herself kick boxing as well, she enjoyed the sport more and didn't really have to use it much. But sometimes she would blend her kick boxing with her air bending, maybe she could teahc Kenshi a thing or two. "Oh thanks Kenshi, maybe we could train once in a while." Bai laughed and watched as Kenshi sat upright. She giggled at his clothes being burnt to a crisp but she then noticed his scars. But there wasn't one, there was loads of them. She didn't want to ask him but she had the urge too. "Well I want to ask you but it seems really personal. What are those scars all over you?"

He had hoped she didn't spot it but of course she did. They weren't easy to hide. Kenshi knew what to say exactly, it was the same line he always used. "It was the price I paid to be free." He said. It was the exact same line his father used when he first asked. It impressed him a lot as a six year old kid. So the line sticked with him even though his father only spoke it once. He used it everytime someone asked and it was a fine answer. All his wounds and scars he had because he was not with the fire nation. He was happy that he never gave into the tortures. At the time he wished to join just to make the pain stop. But he always knew his father would come. That's what made him hang on. Sometimes he was tortured days before his dad found him. Many people remember all their scars, Kenshi had too many to remember how exactly he got them. It didn't matter, all that mattered was that he didn't give in to the pain. "You must have some scars of your own? No bender was safe during the war." He said. He wondered if Bai even did bend during the war. No one had heard of an air bender for a century untill the avatar returned. It was curious that Bai was one but it was a good sign. Maybe the art of air bending could be saved after all.

Kenshi had only said that the scars were a price to pay for freedom. Bai knew he was hiding something but she didn't want to press him. Kenshi asked if she had any scars in her. She had one scar, a very long one of her back that she didn't show offen. She lifted up the back of her top and revealed the scar. The scar measured from her tailbone to halfway up her back. "This scar I recieved for helping a friend, but I never regretted it at all." Bai remebered what had happened. She was in the woods with her friend from the earth kingdom who turned out to be an earth bender. They were practicing in the woods when they were attacked by a gang of fire nation soldiers. They had fought them off but more and more where attacking. They ran for their lives and Bai's friend fell over. Bai ran back and pulled her friend to his feet. Bai's friend stood and ran. She turned and ran only to be hit in the back with a fire whip which spreaded across her back. She still ran but it took weeks to heal. "That scar is why I don't like fire bending so much."

Kenshi thought she would have more scars then that. He didn't bother asking her how she got it. It would only raise questions to how he got his and that would take a few hours to get through them all. She said it was the reason she didn't like fire bending. It was odd that she agreed to fight him if she did. Whenever he met a fire nation soldier his first impulse was to attack. "I know what you mean. When I first saw what the fire nation did I refused to bend for quite a while. Evantually it got through to me that I was meant to bend to make sure that the fire nation would be stopped. Of course I didn't really do anything to stop the fire nation but it got me to bend again." He said to Bai. It was true what he said. When he was nine years old his dad took him into the woods for special training. They trained for three days straight and Kenshi learned a lot about fire bending then. When they returned to the town they lived in at the time it had been burned to the ground by the fire nation soldiers. He said he never wanted to bend again but it was impossible. If your a bender, you need to bend. Kenshi couldn't live without. It was part of him and it was the most powerfull part. Kenshi needed his bending as every bender did.