[color=bfbfbf][sub][table= //////= POST DESIGN v1=\\\\\\][row][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][img]https://i.imgur.com/s3V5ftB.png[/img][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/row][row][cell][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/ojYCYUk.png[/img][/sup]

[color=2e2c2c]_______________________________[sub]........[/sub][/color]
[/cell][cell][color=white][center][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][img]https://i.imgur.com/DHKvx27.png[/img][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][center][color=2e2c2c]A Memory? A Dream? / ???   ·   [/color]A Memory? A Dream? / ???   ·   [/center][/sub][/center][/color][quote][color=2e2c2c]____________________________________________________________________________.[/color]
[color=9f9f9f]It wasn't technically illegal to leave the city and walk out into the endless, barren sands of the desert, but it was the kind of thing that drew questions. Unless you were a pipe runner, why would anyone [i]ever[/i] want to? So one generally found [i]other[/i] ways. Those ways shifted over time as the RSF found them, closed them up, and others popped up or were pried back open once the RSF couldn't afford to watch it any more.

There [i]were[/i] reasons, after all, however few they were. 

Today's reason was the most dangerous of all in a world that actively and aggressively denied the existence of benders.

Weiyuan took a somewhat loose stance. Chae-Won immediately knew he wouldn't even be trying to use regular earth bending any time soon. He would focus on send bending, because he found it easier. Well, it was his loss, then.

[color=86852A]"Remember,"[/color] she said, [color=86852A]"no using solid rock to attack. We aren't trying to concuss each other."[/color] In case he changed his mind. He nodded. [color=86852A]"All right then. Let's go!"[/color]

Immediately he swung his arms forward, throwing a wide blast of sand at her. She'd have rolled her eyes if it wasn't for the fact that she'd get sand in them. Instead, she simply parted it, immediately giving away Weiyuan's next move. Their fighters were never anything approaching fair, of course. Most of what he knew had come from her, and she knew all his strategies.

It didn't surprise her that he'd try to close the distance. His control still needed a lot of work and it was hard for him to really attack from range.

As he rushed in, she simply moved ever so slightly aside and called up a pillar of earth below her foot to rapidly drive her knee into his gut, completely cutting his momentum and dropping him to the ground. For a moment, he just lay there, completely stunned and just trying to breathe. She was a little afraid that had been overkill. However, he did recover before she thought to end the fight. 

He took a note from her, using the earth to propel his body. He spun himself, swinging his leg up toward her face, throwing up sand as he did. He didn't just kick up a little of it, either, a rather sizeable stream of sand followed his foot, careening toward her face. She had to say it was a good move. She was proud of him.

Anyone else probably would've taken it. Again, however, their fights weren't supposed to be fair.

She stepped back, turning her whole body as she gathered up the attack, spun around, and blasted it back at his chest, slamming him back to the ground and leaving his upper body half-buried by his own sand.

[color=86852A]"I think that'd good for this round,"[/color] Chae-Won told him, holding her hand out. [color=86852A]"That was a good try, though."[/color]

He spat out some sand, narrowing his eyes at her, but reached out to let her pull him back to his feet.

[color=06E8DE][i]You said no solid rock...[/i][/color] he told her once he was back up.

[color=86852A]"Hey. I didn't hit you with it, did I?"[/color] she smirked at him. [color=86852A]"You know exactly what I meant by that. You're getting better with sand, but you [i]have[/i] to get used to [i]all[/i] aspects of your bending. If you're gonna keep practicing, you need to know what you're doing. There's no getting away with half-assing it."[/color]

He looked away, but nodded. All this was his idea at the end of the day, so she knew he [i]wanted[/i] to learn, but she also knew he got frustrated. His actual ability to train was rather sporadic due to his condition, so progress came small spurts at best.

[color=86852A]"Don't be too hard on yourself, kid. I'm still learning too,"[/color] she told him, ruffling his hair, dusting some more sand out of it as she did. [color=86852A]"I mean if it wasn't for you, I-..."[/color] she cut herself off, swallowing hard. Of course he noticed, tilting his head. [color=86852A]"Ah, i-it's nothing. I mean... I just..."[/color] She began fidgeting nervously. [color=86852A]"I don't suppose you'd believe I wasn't going to say anything, huh?"[/color]

He shook his head, [color=06E8DE][i]You never told me how you first learned.[/i][/color]

[color=86852A]"I... did not."[/color]

[color=06E8DE][i]Do you not want to?[/i][/color]

She flinched, seeing the bit of disappointment in his eyes, but it quickly vanished.

[color=06E8DE][i]It's OK. You don't have to.[/i][/color] He shook his head. [color=06E8DE][i]I'm happy you're teaching me. That's enough.[/i][/color]

[color=86852A]"No!"[/color] Chae-Won blurted out, gritting her teeth as she got flustered. She ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. [color=86852A]"I... I do want to tell you. I don't mind, really, it's just... a lot. Especially when I wasn't really expecting it to come up."[/color]

He shrugged, [color=06E8DE][i]It's fine either way. Not like I'm around that often anyway.[/i][/color]

[color=86852A]"Hey!"[/color] She suddenly grabbed his face in both hands, making him look at her. [color=86852A]"None of that, huh?! I don't like you thinking like that!"[/color]

Still, he tried to avert his eyes. He grabbed her wrist, but she wasn't letting go. Finally he relented and met her eyes.

[color=86852A]"I care about both sides of you, OK? You're not just some wall that only exists to protect your 'other half!' You're... just you. And this is the side of you I met first, remember?"[/color] She let her hands fall down to his shoulders. [color=86852A]"This is all for you, you know? If not for you... I'd have forgotten all this a long time ago. Someday, I'd have come to regret it, and by then... it would have been too late. So I will tell you all about it, because I want to share it with you, and because you deserve it. OK?"[/color]

She could see him struggling to absorb it all, but finally he bit his lip and gave a slight nod.

[color=86852A]"And I mean it! I'm not gonna forgive anyone who looks down on you! [i]Including[/i] you! Now tell me you understand."[/color] She furrowed her brow. Another nod. [color=86852A]"Good."[/color] She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him. [color=86852A]"It's just you and me, kid..."[/color]

Slowly she felt him reciprocate, his arms grasping at her back and face burrowing into her shoulder.

All this was why she had to protect him, and why she had to push him. She never wanted to see him hurt ever again. She needed to know that if, someday, that if she wasn't there... that he'd be OK.

[center][h3][b]/[/b][/h3][/center]

Chae-Won's eyes slowly cracked open. She was... comfortable; happy to stay put for however long she could get away with. Except, her room wasn't that comfortable, a fact she was quickly becoming aware of. 

As her mind continued to awaken, she remembered she wasn't supposed to be in her room, but the desert. [i]This was not the desert[/i]. She sat up, slowly turning her head left, and then right, taking it in. Were those fuzzy slippers?

[color=86852A]". . . what the fuck?"[/color]

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