A Delay

"You're right! This is the best rabbit cow meat I've ever had!"

Genji chuckled as he glanced at Daiyu eat the food rapidly and delicately, not losing a single ounce of elegance.

"I'm glad you liked it," said Genji as he finished eating his food.

Minutes passed and they soon finished eating before they continued on walking.

"Thank you for the food, Genji," said Daiyu, thanking Genji.

Genji shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

As they approached another store, Genji stopped walking and pointed towards the front door.

"It looks like business isn't too bad here either. Maybe I could buy some clothes? Would you like anything, Daiyu?" asked Genji.

Daiyu tilted her head slightly, considering Genji's question as if trying to figure out whether or not she should answer.

Eventually, after pausing for several seconds, Daiyu answered by saying, "I'm fine with the clothes that I am currently wearing. If you want to buy something then please feel free to do so."

Genji grinned widely before entering the shop where he picked out a few items from the racks before going to try out the clothes.

He wore and looked at various clothes after receiving permission from the owner of the store. After a while, Genji decided on his new clothes as he wore them instantly.

His new outfit was something simple that consisted of a white shirt and black pants. At his waist, Genji had a red cloth tied around his waist and the bottom part of his pants had a white cloth over it and tired by a thin black lace.

On his feet was simple footwear used for Martial arts.

With the purchase of this new outfit, Genji finally got rid of the waterbender clothes he was wearing.

"You look great," complimented Daiyu as she looked at Genji with a smile.

"Thanks. It feels really light now, but it does fit well," replied Genji in return. He placed his hands behind himself and stretched.

After stretching, Genji smirked playfully.

"By the way, what are you doing here anyway?" inquired Genji as he stared directly into Daiyu's eyes.

Daiyu paused for a moment before answering, "I… wished to spend more time with you."

"Ehh~, is that so?" asked Genji with a grin.

Daiyu blushed and looked away.

Chuckling at Daiyu's embarrassed expression, Genji placed his hand right before Daiyu.

"Ah?"

Daiyu yelped in surprise, her eyes focusing onto something in Genji's hand.

A… silver hair pin?

Surprised at the suddenness of Genji gifting her a hair pin, Daiyu lowered her head and looked at the ground, where she looked at her dainty feet.

"This is a gift to you Daiyu. When I saw this hair pin, I remembered the beautiful moon of that one night I first saw you," explained Genji as he put the hairpin on Daiyu. "It's not much, but I thought it would fit perfectly on you."

"Th-thank you very much," stammered Daiyu as she took the hairpin from him. Her face still showed signs of embarrassment even though she tried to cover up for herself.

However, her eyes revealed some sadness that she quickly hid away as she turned her head with a small smile on her pretty face.

Genji smiled back and nodded.

They walked along the street until they came across an alleyway. There, Genji leaned against the wall and folded his arms. Daiyu stood next to him and did likewise, her eyes kept daring over to him every once in awhile.

There was silence between them.

The only sound heard were the footsteps of the pedestrians and their own soft breathing. Even the voices and chattering coming from outside seemed distant.

The two just stayed there quietly staring each other. Their expressions remained unchanged.

Suddenly, Daiyu spoke up as her eyes turned to her hands that were interlocked together.

"Do you know who I am?"

Genji looked at Daiyu's face and stared at her for a couple of seconds before replying to her question with another question.

"Do you want me to know who you are?"

Daiyu bit her lip and nodded.

"Go ahead then, Daiyu."

"I… am Meng Daiyu, daughter of Meng Jing, my father.

My father is a sea merchant, owner of over five merchant ships. He's a merchant who can accomplish many things that others can't. He alone managed to set up trades with various tribes in the Northern Water Tribe and very few surviving Southern Water Tribes.

I would always follow my father on all of his trips to meet new lands and people. I always believed I would follow in my father's footsteps and become an amazing merchant like him one day.

But…"

Daiyu quieted down and tears slid down her face as she remembered her father. Her eyebrows were furrowed together and they were twitching from the great hardship she was enduring.

Quickly shaking her head and regaining some composure, Daiyu lifted her head to look into Genji's golden eyes.

"A terrible accident befell my father at the Northern Water Tribe weeks ago. My father's ship was attacked and various people were kidnapped. The only one that had managed to survive was my father.

When he left that place, he was haggard and he hadn't slept in days. He no longer trimmed his beard and his appearance was unkempt.

He began to heavily drink and he hasn't been the same since then… because of him, I also no longer have the will to go on.

I look up to my father… so when he stop being my beacon of light, I lost my way and I guess my own light disappeared as well.

However, because of you, I think I might be able to continue. I… will try to find a way to give my father some peace of mind and reignite that light of his."

Daiyu quickly wiped the tears away and gave Genji a bright and sweet smile, her eyes no longer containing sorrow within them like before.

Genji smiled as he began to feel a bit arrogant from Daiyu's comment at the end, although he quickly got rid of that feeling.

"I'm glad you could finally begin to feel better," said Genji.

Looking at Genji with her very own bright eyes, Daiyu bit her lip before leaping at Genji and pressing her lips against Genji's with a blush on her face.

"I… have to go now and return to my father. I will have to do whatever I can by myself now, prove that my light has been reignited and that it's brighter than ever.

Without receiving any more help, I will help my father and head back to the Northern Water Tribe to understand what had happened the day my father was attacked," said Daiyu as she clenched the hair pin Genji had given her. She turned her gaze to Genji before giving him a light smile. "If you ever wish to, I don't know, lend a hand maybe, then please go to the Northern Water Tribe…

It's the only type of help I will accept."

Genji chuckled and shook his head in disbelief, "I will be there to help you.

For now, focus on your father."

Nodding, Daiyu gave Genji another kiss, this time on the cheek because she was feeling embarrassed from the first one.

Genji chuckled and looked at Daiyu step back.

"Goodbye Genji," said Daiyu with a smile before turning around with a spin before walking away.

"I'll see you some other time," Genji replied with a short wave of his hand.

Hearing Genji, Daiyu nodded with a smile and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Genji looked at Daiyu's disappearing back before separating himself from the wall and leaving.

He had a fun time and enjoyed the little date he had with Daiyu.

…

Afterwards, Genji made his way towards the main street leading out to the city gates. There were quite a lot of people coming and going through the gate today and it seemed to be pretty busy.

However, what Genji paid attention to wasn't the merchants or the travelers, but earthbenders that were carrying some rather suspicious cargo.

Over the shoulder of one of these four earthbenders, was a big bag, but it didn't seem to have much inside despite its size.

Narrowing his eyes, Genji even felt like he could see the vague silhouette of a short person within it.

"… where are they headed to?"

Slowing down his footsteps, Genji turned around and decided to follow these four earthbenders, deciding to not return to Aang and the rest for the moment.

Quietening his footsteps as he trailed behind them, Genji remembered the route they were taking as they walked through various hidden passages throughout the city.

Eventually, they made it to an abandoned building where they separated.

With two men on the lookout whilst one carried the bag, the last person opened up the floor with his Earthbending, revealing a flight of stairs heading downwards. These two earthbenders headed down the stairs, leaving the other two on the lookout.

Genji's eyes narrowed on the hidden stairway before turning to one of the earthbenders.

"That's interesting," thought Genji as he entered the building and straight into the hidden stairway as soon as the two on lookout weren't paying attention.

Genji moved quietly like an assassin as he followed a couple of steps behind the two men.

Step… step…

The sounds of their steps echoed as they made their way down the long stairway.

Eventually, Genji saw some light within the dark stairway. A light that wasn't too bright, but enough to see around in the darkness.

As they reached the bottom of the staircase, the pair stopped moving and stood still. The sound of water splashing came from somewhere nearby.

They made it to a large underground man-made cave that had a large wooden house within it. Next to the wooden house, was a shrine made from rocks that seemed like they hadn't been touched in ages.

At the edge of this man-made cave, there was a small stream of water that came from an open spot in the cave walk over to the other side of the cave.

Creak ~

Genji's gaze suddenly turned sharp and he quickly hid himself in the darkness when a man with a strange mask depicting a sort of spirit monster came out of the wooden house.

Narrowing his eyes at the man's clothing, Genji began to wonder just what exactly was going on.

'Just what is a waterbender doing here?' Genji asked himself as he saw the blue colored clothing on the man.

Despite saying that, Genji didn't only look at the man with his eyes, but also through his Spirit Sense which allowed him to see the masked man's energy pathways.

"Priest Hako! We've brought what you've asked! Pay us," demanded one of the earthbenders as he tossed the bag over to the masked man.

Priest Hako didn't move and spoke in a calm tone, "I've told you before not to harm the sacrifice before."

"Just pay-"

"Stop it Crusher!"

The partner of Crusher quickly interrupted and stopped Crusher from saying anything more as he gave Crusher a fierce look.

"I apologize for Crusher's actions! He's agitated because of debts he has to pay," said the man, trying to get Priest Hako to not get mad.

Not a single sound came from Priest Hako as he walked over to the bag and opened it, revealing a young boy around the age of 10-12. Shockingly, the young boy was wearing some Firebender clothing.

"Are you sure this sacrifice can Firebend?" asked Priest Hako.

Nodding, the man answered Priest Hako.

"We baited him to attack us and eventually saw him bend fire against us."

Priest Hako looked over at the man and Crusher for a second before picking up the young firebending child and placing him near the shrine.

"E-excuse me, Priest Hako?"

Calling out to Priest Hako, the man had a nervous expression on his face.

Priest Hako looked over at the man and answered to the man's calling with a gentle and soothing tone in his voice, "Yes, young man?"

"I've been curious for over a little while already, but what exactly do you do with the sacrifices?"