Storm

Chapter 11

            They’d been at sea for two days when Kai called the meeting. The entire crew gathered in the galley--not that the ‘entire crew’ was very large--and Kai made them sit in a circle. He looked around at them all, and rubbed his face.

            Storm frowned at him--he didn’t seem very… comfortable. Beside him though, Kinu was practically vibrating with excitement.

            Storm figured that this was probably Kinu’s idea, whatever this was.

            She sat back in her chair and waited, studying the other crew members. Some of them she knew: Ryuu with his old eyes, Kesuk the waterbender, Kinu and Kai, and Rat of course. There were two more besides them though, that she’d seen on board but hadn’t met.

            One was a girl a little older than Storm, which age Kinu and Rat had dubbed 16. Though they’d explained that age was the number of years you’d been alive, which made Storm think she was at least a hundred… not that she would tell them that.

            The girl had long brown hair and bright green eyes, and she seemed very… happy. Storm noticed the way the girl watched Kai, with complete focus, and she smiled at that. Even living her whole life in the spirit world, she knew what a look like that meant.

            The other person was a man; he looked even older than Kesuk, and he had worry lines around his eyes.

            “So, we’re all here today because of my irritating little brother, Kinu. Kinu, why don’t you take the floor.” Kai gestured almost disgustedly at his brother, who grinned and stood, bowing.

            “I thought since we’re going to be traveling together for who-knows-how-long, we should get to know each other!”

            Rat groaned. “Only you would think up something so stupid, Kinu.”

            Kinu took a moment to glare at Rat, while Storm reached over and smacked his head. “Be nice. I think it’s a great idea.”

            She smiled widely, and Rat rubbed his head. “Of course you do. You’re crazy.”

            Kai rolled his eyes at them. “Let’s get this over with so I can get back to steering this ship, okay?”

            Kinu sighed. “You’re taking all the fun out of it!”

            “Why don’t you just start already, Kinu?!”

            “Fine, fine.” Kinu sighed loudly again, then perked up. “My name’s Kinu, I’m from Senlin Village and I love maps! That’s all you gotta do, it’s simple! Just say your name and where you’re from and something you love.” He grinned at them all, and Storm saw that most of them weren’t very fond of this idea.

            “We’ll go in a circle.” Kinu decided, and pointed at Kai, since he was next to him. Kai sighed. “I’m Kai, I’m from Senlin Village, and I love the ocean.”

            Kesuk was on the other side of Kai, so Kinu pointed at him next. He sat forward in his chair a little and cleared his throat. “I’m Kesuk, from the North, and I uh… I love sea prunes.”

            And so it went around. Rat was next to Kesuk, and he popped out of his chair with a grin and stood on it, on one foot. “I’m Ratna but everybody calls me Rat, I’m from Ba Sing Se, and I love--”

            “--acting like an idiot.” Storm finished for him, and he glared down at her. “I was going to say jokes.”

            She laughed and shoved him back into his chair. “I’m Storm, I’m from Far Away, and I love the world.”

            Rat made a snorting sound. “You have to say where you’re ACTUALLY from, Stormy. And the world? What does that even mean?”

            She scowled at him. “I do NOT have to say! And it means what I said! I love the world.” She sniffed and crossed her arms, looking away from him.

            Clearing her throat, the other girl broke in. “I’m Dhatri, I’m from Senlin Village, and I love earthbending.”

            Storm whipped her head around to look more closely at Dhatri, surprised. “You’re an earthbender?”

            Dhatri grinned and nodded, but Rat was confused. “Then why are you on a boat?”

            Dhatri shrugged. “I wanted to come.”

            Storm looked between Dhatri and Kai, and smiled again. Dhatri caught the look and blushed, looking down, but Kai was oblivious, and Rat just kept chattering about how that didn’t make any sense.

            Finally, Storm smacked his head again. “It’s Ryuu’s turn.”

            They all looked at Ryuu expectantly, and he just stared back at them impassively. “No.”

            “But Ryuu--” Kinu started, but a glare from Ryuu shut him up. He sighed. “Fine, Jai’s turn.”

            The older man blinked at him. “I’m uh, Jai, and I’m uh… from Shin Village. I love, uh, my wife.” He wiped sweat from his brow and looked down. Rat frowned at him. “You mean CHIN Village?”

            “No, SHIN Village. It’s, um, near Omashu.”

“Oh. Okay then.” Kinu slapped him on the back and grinned at everyone except Ryuu. “Well done crew! All right, let’s get this ship moving!”

            Kai smacked Kinu upside the head, and Kinu glared. “What was that for?!”

            “I give the orders on this ship, little brother.” Kai poked Kinu in the chest, then left the galley, leaving Rat and Dhatri laughing their heads off while Kinu muttered sullenly.

            Storm grinned at them all, thinking that they were a motley crew but this journey was going to be fun anyway.

            A LOT of fun.