“I’m sure you’d know all about it.” Avani said with a grin while staring at the other woman. “Did your parents sign your permission slip for this?”

She didn’t say any more snide remarks after the woman said the leader should show up soon. She didn’t want to get fired on her first day. Maybe she could remain civil until they’d worked a few days at least. That way she’d know if this mission was worth her time or if she should try to break off on her own with her friends.

It turned out to be a good thing she’d stayed her tongue, as another Satomobile belonging to someone working for the mayor pulled up right then. He introduced himself as Roni Teko, Head of Republic City Security. After repeating what she already knew, he handed her and the other woman each a radio. 

“We work better alone, sir.” Avani said to the suggestion that the two teams could work together and even communicate with the radios. She pocketed the radio anyway, since it may come in handy to be able to call headquarters for help. 

Roni headed back to his car, but before they left two officers picked a crate out of the car and placed it on the ground. He said it contained useful supplies, but not what such supplies were. Avani had to assume it was food, water and tools?  

“Thank you, sir.” Avani saluted, while a grin spread across her face once more. Well, a leopard can’t change its spots.

She waited for the Satomobile and the officers to leave before she did anything.  Ryuu lit one of his cigarettes by channeling a flame between his fingers. Mio was about to head over to the crate with supplies to check it out, but she was stopped with a gesture from Avani.

“I suppose introductions are in order.” Ryuu said, pulled the hood off of his head and walked over to the other team. The B team, as far as Avani was concerned. “I’m Ryuu Akane, firebender.” He said, created a short flashy display of fire, and then stretched out his hand in a polite greeting to the female leader of team B.

As Ryuu created a distraction by introducing himself, Avani shifted the earth beneath her feet until she had a large rock sliding along the ground on which to stand on. She slid over to the supply crate, got it onto the moving rock and sped up as she headed into the spirit vine forest.

Mio was left standing, still unused to the intricacies her team had when it came to their teamwork and what she was supposed to be doing herself. It was as if Avani and Ryuu could read each other’s minds at times. She decided to introduce herself as well to the other team as well, as it would be rude not too and her team leader could handle herself, probably. “I’m Mio.” She said, throwing her arm around Ryuu’s shoulder and waving. 

Avani tried to be sneaky about stealing all of the supplies for her own team, but she doubted it would go by unnoticed for long, if at all, so she sped up as much as she dared too. It was a forest, not an open plain. Her line of view was much more limited here. 
She remembered the radio, turned it on and called channel 3 when she thought she was safe enough.

“What’s the expression again?” Avani spoke into the radio, believing the other leader had answered. “Catch me if you can, baby?” She realized that what she’d ended with could be mistaken for something else than what she’d meant. “Kid, child. You big baby!” She shouted and blushed, then turned the radio off.

“Well, it was nice meeting you.” Ryuu said. “No time to waste though, eh?”