How to control the sun (Wolfie, Stephy)

"Ulrich, help me!" Ulrich turned to the sound of the cry. It was his twin brother, Chaio. He seemed to be perfectly fine. Ulrich ran up to him, back in the body of a twelve-year-old. He smiled, overjoyed to see Chaio again after ten years. But Chaio wasn't happy. He looked terrified. Ulrich watched him slide away from him about 30 yards. In the process of trying to reach him again, a dark figure leaped at Chaio. By the time Ulrich reached him, he was already dead.

"Hey, you little delinquent, get off of my roof!" Ulrich awoke to find that he was being pelted with rocks. He had fallen asleep on the roof of a tavern somewhere in the Capital. It was a warm day with a slight breeze, and with such great weather, he was wearing nothing but his trousers. His upper body was now slightly sunburned. The man continued to throw rocks at him until he jumped up and slid down the roof on the other side, crashing to the ground with a light thud, his left knee bent in front and his right knee behind so he was in a kneeling position, a basic landing to brace a fall. Digging in a pile of hay, he found his bag and his staff and took off running, his bare feet making a light tapping against the pavement.

He couldn't shake the nightmare he'd had. Sure, he'd had dreams about the day his brother died and he was left on his own. But none of them had been as vivid as the one he'd had while sun tanning. And none of them were as terrifying. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that today was the ten year anniversary of that very event.

It had been ten years since he and his brother ran away from the orphanage, ten years since Chaio died. In that ten years, Ulrich had faced one trial after another, experiencing loneliness, betrayal, hostility, pain, sorrow, and so much more. Why he had stayed in the light capital, he never really figured out. It had become a sort of home to him, even if he was a street rat. Sure, he'd leave every once in a while if he could find free transportation, such as the time he went to Ba-Sing-Se, although the "free transport" was more like forceful kidnapping.

When he felt that he was a safe distance from the inn, he slowed his pace to a walk. The people of the city had gotten used to him walking around half naked. He didn't do it all the time, but when he did, it was no surprise to the locals. They'd seen it time and again, the street kid who had nothing and wasn't afraid to show it.

Aryianna walked through the streets of the Light State. For it was still a state, and she would not call it a nation until it was official. Aryianna had made her fifth trip here in two months, helping act as delegate on behalf of her busy brother. Izanagi was going to take the throne and become Emperor within a few months time, and everything needed to be ready for the big announcement.

The Empire was going to release the Dark and Light States from their subservience and dependency on the Empire, and make them free nations again, no longer colonies. Aryianna knew it was a great loss to the colony--at least it would've been had the Empire not discovered--no, not important, also too secret to think about. The world would know when the time was right, and by then, the Empire would have it under their complete control and wouldn't have to share.

Sure it was a bit deceitful, but so was the Earth Kingdom hiding the fact that they've been spying on the Imperial army, trying to see what new technologies the Empire's been working on. The Empire put a stop to the spying sneakily, promising the Earth King a discounted price on the first production round after the Empire had full been reequipped with new weaponry and vehicles. The Earth Kingdom got first pick, and the Empire got new weapons. The rest of the world would be able to buy some as well.

It would help fund the Empire, it's colonial efforts, it's explorers who were out searching for new lands, and it's military and the research being done to improve that military. It would also help maintain the careful balance of power that had been built over the years. It was like a House of Cards, and though it could fall at any time, this peace through equality was better than nothing, and it worked more often than none, especially when the world was between Avatars.

Recently Aryianna had arrived at the Light State to inspect some soldiers. The Light State and DarK State had been permitted to begin building and training their own national army, under the watchful eye and the generous donations of the Empire. The Empire was making sure the Dark and Light States were happy so that they did not lose them as allies. Funding their military was a good way to do it; these would later become loans that the nations would have to pay back, keeping them happily close to the Empire without physically subjugating them as subjects.

It was a clever plan, and nothing any different than what the Northern Water Tribe was doing to the south, or the Earth Kingdom to its Sand Bender Tribes in the desert, or the Kingdom of the Four Winds and each of the Air Temples. Everyone was doing it; just the Empire did it better. Aryianna walked herself towards a tea shop she favoured in the middle section of the city. But as she rounded the corner on the same street, she bumped right into a young man. A man she recognized. Her old opponent, Ulrich Nara.

"Hey, bring that back, Nara!" The stall owner's shouting was barely audible as Ulrich slid into the alleyway. An entire loaf of bread this time. One end was a little burnt, but the rest was fine, plenty good to eat. Ulrich smiled and ripped of the burnt part, eating it slowly before putting the rest of the loaf into his bag. It wasn't his to eat. He had to make sure there was plenty for Aria and her family.

Looking both ways to make sure he wasn't being watched, Ulrich darted out of the alley and into the crowded market. He looked behind him to check for attention, but it appeared that the stall owner had given up on trying to catch him. Ulrich snickered. It wouldn't be the last time he stole from the man. If anyone gave up that easily when chasing after a thief, they'd get stolen from again. Of course, if the man weren't such a prominent stall owner, Ulrich wouldn't even think about taking from him. But he had plenty of bread to sell, and plenty of buyers. One loaf wouldn't do any harm.

Ulrich almost broke his nose as he rounded the corner, slamming directly into somebody. He fell on his butt, drawing some attention as he let out a yelp of surprise. Ulrich looked up to see who he ran into, surprised to recognize the woman as one of his opponents in the tournament he was forced to fight in. What in the world was she doing here? Ulrich stood up, hastily bowing. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. I deeply apologize." Ulrich held the bow for a moment, then straightened up. "It's nice to see you again, mz..." Gee darnit. He couldn't remember what her name was. It wasn't like she ever told him. The only time he would have heard it was when showbiz had announced it. He blushed lightly, combined with a goofy grin as he realized his mistake. "Whoops, looks like I forgot. Mind telling me your name again?"

Aryianna saw Ulrich. He was running from something. Judging by the loaf of bread in his hand, she had an idea what he was running from. "Aryianna," she said simply, "Get behind me. I'll handle this." Aryianna turned away from Ulrich and looked the angry guards that chased Ulrich. The guards almost bulldozed Aryianna until she glared at them, and they realized who she was. The guards instantly hit the ground, landing on their knees. They bowed before a Princess of the Royal family. The Princess Tenchi, Aryianna.

For the next few months, the Empire still ruled the Light Kingdom, and Aryianna was still commanding royalty. The guards tried to ask Aryianna to hand over Ulrich, but she refused vehemently, to the point of degrading the guards and berating them for being idiots. The guards hung their heads, and fumbled for words as Aryianna asked what they were doing.

"Have you nothing better to do then chase street rats? Have you no sense of duty?" asked Aryianna, truly disappointed in these guards, "Is your pay so poor you're hoping to get paid for catching a child? What about the murders and rapes that occur on the streets? While you chase this child, you let those crimes occur. How about that baker? How much money do you suppose he makes? That loaf was burned, was it not? He would've thrown it out at the end of the day. No one wants a burned loaf; it would've gone to waste. Go back to your posts and think about what you done. I'll be by later to get the name of your commanding officer; if it ever happens again I shall go to him. Understood?"

The guards walked away, thoroughly embarrassed and incredibly red-faced. Aryianna grinned with satisfaction as they rounded the corner, slumped over. She turned back to Ulrich, then placed her hand on her hips, frowning at him. "They're lucky they didn't come face to face with my cousin Alyssandra. She would've demoted them. Izanagi would've given them a stroke being the heir to the Empire and all," said Aryianna before chastising Ulrich, "Be careful from now on. Make sure no one is watching next time. I wont be around every time to defend you."

Aryianna then walked down the street, heading towards the harbour where her airship, a Victory Class SAM-F (Surface-to-Air Mobile Fortress), was sitting. The Warring Maiden. Aryianna had promised to train Ulrich, but first she was going to feed the poor boy. "Come with me; no questions, I don't like them while I think," was all Aryianna said to him.