Ocean's Calling [A:TLA au]

one

CHAPTER ONE
( TWO VILLAGES )

THE TINY VILLAGE IN the middle of nowhere was surprisingly busy even though only a small number of people lived there. Children played in the dirt streets and men passed by on ostrich horses; people shopped at the close by market place, while others just milled around and spoke to friends. Parents carefully watched their children play with a friend, and various pets ran around with sounds of happiness. Denji eyed everyone in the perimeter.

The weeks that have passed by had been relatively easy, though now money was starting to run low. The money probably should have lasted her longer, but those few days when Denji decided to try all the fruit she hadn't before she ended up buying a lot more than she first intended, and ended up also with a sack of peach-cherries and mango-plums each. Then she caved and bought herself a chocolate pie the other day. Simply put, fruit and desserts were not cheap (and one of her biggest weaknesses, she's learned). Denji didn't regret it though, even if it did cause her to run out of money faster.

Denji pulled out the little sack she kept the money in and opened it. She stared at the three measly little copper pieces and then looked to the small yet busy market place. Once she put the sack away, Denji stepped into the throng of people, careful of the kids and small pets that ran around. Not too soon later she bumped into someone. She exclaimed a sheepish apology, though the guy didn't seem to care all that much and quickly went back to speaking to his wife; with that, she continued on, gently tossed the full sack of money in her hands and then put it in her bag, weaving with ease between people, keeping her smirk at bay.

At one of the busier fruit stands, Denji walked by and swiped an apple without being seen. The worker there was too busy with a few frustrated customers, and people in line watched the scene with interest, blind to everything else. Denji left the food stands and went to the lone stand that sold an array of knives. Two other teens worked there, most likely in place of their parents, and Denji was pleased to see that the boy and the girl were about her age, if not a year older. The boy looked absolutely bored to death, while the girl looked pleased to just sit and watch people go by. Said girl was also really pretty. Straight, dark brown hair pulled half-up into a top-knot; the rest of her hair ran down and over her shoulders, and some strands even fell in her face. She had olive toned skin and light hazel eyes, cheeks a bit pink from the sun, and her chin rested in the palm of her hand, elbow on the surface of the market stand's counter.

Denji stepped into her line of vision and leaned on the counter, getting just a breath away from moving into the girl's personal space. She pulled out a charming smile. "Hi, there."

The girl startled. "Oh! Hi," she replied, and moved back, now standing up straight.

Denji knew not everyone in the Earth Kingdom were accepting of same sex relationships and all that, but smaller cities and villages were much more accepting than the big ones like Ba Sing Se, or even Gaoling. And 'accepting' was a strong word for it, if Denji was being honest. That didn't stop her from flirting with every pretty girl she saw, though. She was proud of who she was, as well as confident, and close minded assholes weren't going to stop the teen from flirting harmlessly. "I'm guessing you know a lot about knives, huh?" Denji said, eyeing a few places on a rack.