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0|0|0|||1||Teaser 3%3A S5DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello|Gryphon||14:26:12|12/06/2013|%5Btt%5D%5Bpre%5D        Back in town%2C Anne Cross spent the morning training with Azana%0D%0Ain a corner of the Zuko Academy%27s vast main dojo.  This was the first%0D%0Atime they had done that%2C instead of going up to the roof or meeting in%0D%0Aone of the practice gyms at Shiro Shinobi Arena.  It was Anne%27s first%0D%0Areal experience with communal training at all.  Her studies with Kaitlyn%0D%0Awere necessarily one-on-one now that Kate%27s other student had gone%0D%0Awalkabout%2C and even before he had done%2C Kyouichi Saionji had not exactly%0D%0Abeen a crowd.%0D%0A        Of course%2C they weren%27t all training -together-%2C strictly%0D%0Aspeaking%3B the other students and their instructors were scattered around%0D%0Athe huge room in little groups%2C ranging from pairs like Azana and Anne%0D%0Aup to clusters of four or five%2C and each group was pursuing its own%0D%0Aagenda.  Still%2C all being at work in this same space conveyed a sense of%0D%0Acommunity that Anne hadn%27t really felt before while training in a%0D%0Amartial art.  She quite liked it%2C at least as a change of pace.  She%0D%0Awould never want to trade her solo sessions with Azana for training in%0D%0Ahere all the time%2C but as a special-occasion kind of thing%2C it worked.%0D%0A        On the downside%2C one of those other instructors was Deng%2C and he%0D%0Awould occasionally take a moment out from berating his students in%0D%0Aslightly shrill drill-instructor Tongyu to give Azana and her student a%0D%0Abaleful glower%3B but that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things%2C%0D%0Aand Anne found herself fairly well able to tune him out most of the%0D%0Atime.  She was much more interested in what Ito-sensei and Kaitlyn-%0D%0Asensei were making of it.%0D%0A        They%2C in turn%2C were making a great show of -not- observing%2C%0D%0Athough both Anne and Azana knew very well that they were.  The two%0D%0Amasters%2C with Sergei sprawled at their feet%2C were sitting at a pai sho%0D%0Atable in the very back of the corner where their students were training%2C%0D%0Apretending to be so engrossed in their game that they were paying no%0D%0Aattention at all.  Anne%27s developing zanshin%2C though%2C told her plainly%0D%0Athat her every move was being scrutinized%2C and Azana clearly had a%0D%0Asimilar sort of facility.  Such was the rapport that they had developed%0D%0Abetween them%2C to boot%2C that each knew the other was aware of it without%0D%0Aasking.%0D%0A        All in all%2C a very nice set of feelings%2C even marred by the%0D%0Aoccasional searchlight-beam sweep of Deng%27s disapproval.%0D%0A        %22All right%21  Very good%2C%22 said Azana%2C squaring up to trade bows%0D%0Aand firebender salutes with her student.  %22You%27re coming along in great%0D%0Abounds%2C Juni-chan%2C%22 she went on%2C smiling.  %22It won%27t be long before%0D%0Ayou%27re taking my place on the Fire Ferrets.%22%0D%0A        %22Don%27t lay it on -too- thick%2C%22 Kaitlyn cautioned her with a%0D%0Agrin.  %22She still needs to be able to get her head through doors.%22%0D%0A        Anne gave a self-deprecating laugh.  %22No%2C sensei%2C I%27m OK.  I%0D%0Aknow she%27s only joking.%22%0D%0A        %22Perhaps%2C%22 said Ito%2C %22but I have to say I%27m also impressed.  You%0D%0Ado learn quickly%2C and I can sense your respect for the craft.  It%27s a%0D%0Arare thing in someone who comes to it as late as you have.%22  He smiled.%0D%0A%22I%27m satisfied.  If you wish to return this summer and train with Azana%2C%0D%0Ayou%27ll be most welcome.  I may even take it upon myself to show you a%0D%0Atrick or two%2C if your sifu doesn%27t object to an old man%27s meddling%2C%22 he%0D%0Aadded%2C his smile becoming a grin.%0D%0A        %22That depends on whether they%27re -firebending- tricks%2C%22 said%0D%0AAzana wryly%2C %22or your infamous practical jokes.  I%27m not having that.%22%0D%0A        Ito laughed.  %22I suspect this young lady could come up with%0D%0Apranks of her own that would leave my feeble repertoire in the shade%2C%22%0D%0Ahe said%2C giving Anne a wink.%0D%0A        %22I don%27t know what you mean%2C Ito-sensei%2C%22 Anne replied with%0D%0Aunconvincing piety.%0D%0A        Azana smiled fondly at the pair of them.  %22Right%2C you%2C let%27s hit%0D%0Athe showers and get some lunch before Grandfather corrupts you further%2C%22%0D%0Ashe said%2C tagging Anne%27s shoulder.%0D%0A        Ito and Kaitlyn watched them pass through the side door to the%0D%0Aladies%27 changing room%2C then turned to each other and smiled.%0D%0A        %22Korra was right to send you here%2C%22 said Ito.  %22She%27ll be a%0D%0Acredit to my granddaughter%27s name.%22%0D%0A        %22I hope so%2C%22 said Kaitlyn.  %22Shall we go in search of lunch%0D%0Aourselves%3F%22%0D%0A        %22Let%27s have one more game before we go%2C%22 said Ito.%0D%0A        Kate considered that%2C then nodded.  %22Very well.%22%0D%0A        Ito sat back in his chair.  %22It%27s your turn to make the first%0D%0Amove%2C%22 he said.%0D%0A        %22Hmm%2C so it is.%22  Kate considered the tiles for a moment%2C then%0D%0Apicked one up and placed it in the exact center of the board.%0D%0A        Ito raised an eyebrow.  %22Hmm%2C%22 he said.  %22I see you favor the%0D%0AWhite Lotus gambit... %22%5B%2Fpre%5D%5B%2Ftt%5D
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Teaser 3%3A S5DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello|Offsides||23:59:38|12/07/2013|Definitely looking forward to this %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A