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This had quickly become a disaster. Okay, it was a disaster from the beginning, but it had become more of a disaster. Another waterbender zipping by him nearly caused Tao to drop the rice he'd been hauling from shock, and again he almost dropped it out of petulance as the imposing monk blasted the waterbender back into the sea from whence he came. Whose side was this guy on, anyway? Whose side was [i]anyone[/i] on?

The swordswoman was probably with the resistance, as was the fisherman. Probably. The waterbender seemed to be with them too, unless he was with the Southern Water Tribe - his attire certainly didn't look like it came from the north, anyway - and took the attack as an opening to strike against the Earth Kingdom for his own interests. The large monk was a puzzle, or perhaps a very vocal advocate of nonviolence and nothing more, but his newly arrived airbender comrade... was not his comrade and had decided to argue with him now. This was so confusing.

Then came the mention of a firebender, and the woman abruptly left the fishery undefended. The second airbender or the waterbender must've been her backup, or this firebender was [i]extremely[/i] important. Regardless, too many foreign benders in one place definitely meant fugitives, which meant resistance activity, which meant Tao was on the right track, but he'd made a fatal error. The large monk was definitely not with them and Tao had hauled this rice for nothing.

When the soldier barked his orders, Tao didn't hesitate to follow them, especially when the second waterbender's reemergence occurred dangerously close to him. Once the strangely-dressed bender's water whip had retracted, Tao extricated himself from the scene of the violence with the haste of a terrified civilian, head down and hand at the ready to redirect any whips swung in his direction. Despite her recklessness, the woman was a more pressing target. He needed to give chase. To that end, Tao set the rice bag down gingerly once he'd fled beyond the boundary of the protective rock wall and took off into the streets. His idea seemed a bit less viable once he realized he had no idea where anything was in this town, and the woman would know her way around far better than him even if he did. Following the soldiers would be too obvious, not to mention counterproductive if that was what the firebender intended to flee from, so Tao took to the alleyways as he followed the sound of shifting stone. 

When he heard the roar of a sudden inferno, the waterbender broke into a full sprint, rounding the corner just in time to nearly topple into the swordswoman and a man he didn't recognize. Seeing no earthbenders in immediate pursuit, Tao widened his stance preemptively in case the probable-firebender got antsy. The waterskin on his belt popped open as his hands raised and liquid flowed out in twin strands that coiled around his fists. With a sharp exhale, they froze into segmented gloves, not unlike those the Dai Li employed. Not the warmest - excuse the pun - welcome, but he didn't think fugitives were liable to stop running for pleasantries.

[color=0066cc]"You're with the resistance, aren't you,"[/color] he greeted, more accusation than question. One fist remained aimed at the duo, while Tao aimed the other down the alley they'd fled from in case of pursuers. [color=0066cc]"I know there's no time, but I need to speak with them. If not now, then later. I can tell the soldiers you fled in a different direction."[/color] Or just freeze them, but innocent misdirection was probably safer until this woman gave him some confidence that she wasn't going to get herself killed and the fugitives along with her. Even if it was getting a bit distasteful.

[hr][@Obscene Symphony][@Hero]