...

Beside Ayika, Mizumi was still waiting patiently on her short stool for something to happen. Now and then her eyes glanced around the fire-lit room with the vague suspicion that she might be missing some detail. She did not see any change but for now she had managed to subsume her anxiety beneath her curiosity. Despite Mua's proclamation of the intent to show her spirits she could clearly perceive no new arrival.

Mama Mua was curious now as well, but for obviously different reasons. She brought her brows together as she looked at the spirit sitting cross legged in the middle of her fire. She said:

"I don't know you."

Mizumi jerked back in surprise at the fortuneteller speaking to thin air and opened her mouth to respond before Ayika put a hand on her friend's knee. Mua did not notice this interaction. She was still looking at the little orange man. "I was expecting to see the Southern Girding Shadow or Dark Streams. Before, when I..."

The spirit barked a soundless laugh. "Ha! You sure think a lot of yourself don't you, human? What, next are you going to be wanting Lord Blind Dog setting up shop outside your door? The Wall's consort and Chained River's child, really? But first thing's first, what've you got for me in this world? Exchange of gifts and all that."

Mua was irritated. This was not what she had expected. But Ayika had seen her grandmother act out the spirit ceremonies before, even if Ayika was not sure they had ever been attended. She cleared her throat. "Erm...Hello."

The glowing spirit spun in place without changing posture as if he was on a pivot. Now he was facing Ayika and she could see through his ephemeral flesh to where Mua was frowning at the back of his head. He said, "That's more like normal. Was hoping you'd speak up. Well, come on, give what you've got. What is it?" He held out a clawed hand. The tips sputtered and sparked.

Ayika flicked her eyes over and saw Mama Mua holding her tongue for now. Mizumi was inspecting the coals of the fire very suspiciously as she tried to follow Ayika's eye-line in this conversation with invisible air. Ayika had somehow seized control of this interaction from Mua and now had to respond to the spirit. She swallowed quickly and hoped that Mizumi did not see that. "Information is what we want so information is what you get." But what to tell him?

She studied his, for lack of a better term, body language. This little spirit was grasping, searching. Most of his words were questions. There was a desperation. A searching for a place. And he was fiery. Spirits rarely cared about humans or this world in general. What would such a being value? Mua had said that things in this world were echoed by the spirits. Grandma had said spirits had a need to be echoes.

Ayika put her palms down on her knees, crossing her ankles below her stool to sublty mimic the spirit's posture. "Things change frequently in this world. And I bet it is hard to keep up on current events in the spirit world. Even fire works differently now. There are little sticks now, sticks dipped in special clays that you can flick once against stone and make a flame. They call them matches. Any person can do this as easily as an Islander bender. This is new, I doubt all the spirit world knows this yet."

The spirit seemed very pleased with this, though he tried to hide it. "Hmm? There are? Well of course I suspected. I was just over in this world two hundred years ago, did you know? I see things, don't I?"

Mua stamped her feet on the ground before her stool. "All right. That is enough. Ya clearly accepted her offerin. Now how'd a little thing like you get here to answer my callin!"

The spirit in the fire puffed himself up as he declined to swivel to face the irritated woman. "That is hardly the proper way to address..." It abruptly cut off as he peaked out of the corner of its glowing eye and saw Mua had plucked forth a small clay disk from her sleeve. Ayika got the impression the spirit was now thanking its immaterial nature that stopped sweat from springing up across its suddenly nervous brow.

Mua twisted the corner of her mouth up in a smile. "I thought so. You may be fire but ya are bound by the stone traditions of this land. But such a little thing as you does not have the power to cross over the veil at this paltry calling. Especially a spirit of fire. This is a land of earth and the calling was by water souls. Explain how ya wormed your way in front of all the others of your kind." She held the clay disk in both hands as if threatening to snap it with a twist. There was a symbol drawn on it in some dried dark liquid. Ayika did not recognize the shape.

"Hey, hey. Is that needed?" the little spirit asked in a worried tone. He seemed even smaller now as he rapidly swiveled back and forth to face both Mua and Ayika. "I didn't sneak in! I hardly had a choice, didn't I? Things are getting awfully crowded on the other side. All the big ones are either already holding their door or prepping for what's building. The usual crossers are just staying over since they can so easily now. Even all those new doors are claimed by the grabbers as soon as they pop up. For one of mine, sure this calling's by earth and water but with the way things are around here right now I might as well use an advantage. It's about time mine got a leg up here, right? And you humans can't complain about me popping over what with what you're keeping across the worlds, can you?" He squirmed as he looked at the little disk in Mua's hand. "Come on, enough already. Let her ask her gift won't you? The veil won't be like this forever and I don't mean to miss it. Hasn't been something like this in ages and even Lords' court can't do nothing!"

Mizumi was thoroughly lost in what to her seemed like sporadic outbursts of half a conversation. She had gather that there was something that she could not see or hear but watching Ayika and Mua's reactions to the silent speech had greatly unsettled her. All she could discern was that there was some sort of fire spirit here. For a moment her memory was back in the fire temple back home listening to the ancient chants of the sages. She shivered from memory of the blasting heat.

Ayika gathered her thoughts. She had given information as a ritual gift and so she was entitled to information. Apparently Mua's questions did not count and the little spirit in the fire was just flustered enough to answer them outside the terms of the ritual. But what to ask? What would the spirit know?"

"Spirit," she began. Mua narrowed her eyes at Ayika continuing to preside but gave the slightest of nods. "You said things are happening in the spirit world. Things are happening here too. Things we need to find out more about. People are putting on masks and when they do, they begin to show more than human power. Something that is very different from bending. They must be drawing this energy from the spirit world so you must have some knowledge. My question is who is giving the mask wearers their orders? Who is their leader?"

"What? How should I know what humans are doing to...?" The orange man saw Mua waving her little disk with the symbol again. He did not like that little disk. "All right! Can I think for a moment?" He scratched at his scaly beard with glowing claws. "Humans drawing from the other world? Spirits giving power? Could you be talking about the grabbers? I know they've got a talon or two over to your side. It was all mostly nothing you know till your guy started making his big scene and mixing up all the walls. Grabbers could barely influence anything before. Ha! Soon enough the strongest crossers are going to look weak compared to those who are leaping at those new callings. It's a loophole, isn't it? Coming over from the inside. And your guy is keeping all yours with us but soon enough it'll all come back over here. Those really want to even if he doesn't."

Most of that description was nonsense to Ayika. The spirit jumped back to attention from his high speed ramble. His mind seemed to leap and jump like the flames he sat in. "Oh, the questions! It's tricky, the wearers is switching, you know? And I wouldn't know who says the leading among you humans, but there is the door maker. Shouldn't you feel him? Out there making deals with him of yours thats messing with the walls. The leading might come with the doors the humans put on their faces."

The little fire spirit was frustrated, but it was not from being forced to talk but rather from seeing that the humans were barely understanding what he said. He was just a lesser thing in the spirit world. His family had formed their alliance with that first flash of light, the spark jumping to the state of flame. Understanding how humans thought and spoke was beyond his purview. Ayika had thought of translation issues before but here was communication across worlds. No wonder the knowledge fortunetellers dispensed was usually garbled. Even when the spirits were helpful they were not of much help.

Mama Mua was deep in thought. Ayika could not tell if the other woman had understood more of the spirit's speech. Mizumi was taking turns smiling nervously at the blank air and looking at Ayika expectantly. She could only hope that Ayika chose to fill her in on the conversation that was happening beyond her perception.

Ayika scrunched up her face in frustration as she spoke her thoughts out loud. "The one who weakens the walls? And then the doormaker? ...on faces? That one must be the masks. The doormaker is the one who is enchanting the masks? But then he is talking about another who is causing the problem with the boundary between us and the spirit world. Rah! What does it mean?"

The spirit waved his glowing claws noncommittally. "What do any of you humans mean? I tell you, you all are mystifying."

"But ya can sense them?" Mua's voice was tight and hungry. The fingers of her free hand dug into the fabric of her robes on her thigh. "The spirits can sense them? Know where they are? They can find him and get me too him? Tell me how! Tell me how to get at that bastard!" Those questions gradually shifted from inquiry to demands. She was still convinced Erliao was responsible. There was a past there that Mua had yet to explain. And maybe Erliao was involved with this crisis as she thought but now it was there were at least two actors. Mua did not appear to be concentrating on that fact. She was obsessed with the promise of getting another chance to grab Erliao since Ayika had accidentally thwarted the last. What she planned to do once she had him, Ayika did not know.

Instead of answering Mua the spirit looked over at Ayika. Evidently, he had remembered that he did not have to answer Mua's questions since Ayika had accentually slipped into the ritual as the one to pay the information price. Ayika nodded at him in a commanding way and he sighed. "Well, I can't sense him. I don't know this world at all. You are the ones who live here. But if you lot really are that blind you could try one of the spirits who live over here with you. Ask the local powers." The spirit gave a snort of laughter. "But good luck with that. I hear their alliances with the humans are fraying. You all must not be holding up your end."

A memory was jogged in the back of Ayika's mind. Professor Lizhen was in his classroom talking about how cultures attracted spirits who acted as their allies and patrons. But he had said there was a two way connection. Both benefited but both could also see that attachment dissolve. Like falling out of love. She saw Xinfei reminding her that people hardly ever went to the government temples these days. No one had trusted the priests since the war. The war had lasted too long. People did not want to think about their city of safety and walls having borders with other worlds. Fire nation fashions were more popular than stodgy old stories. So they gradually forgot to even pay lip service to the other half of the universe.

Ayika spoke quietly. The words came to her mouth as the thoughts solidified behind her eyes. "And now people are scared. They are desperate for any power they can claim for their own and are calling for whatever might be coming. And new things have answered. Not the spirits who love this land but others."

Mizumi shivered.

Mua was tapping a finger against her knee. She looked irritated but thoughtful. "Ask the powers of the city. Hmm, Ah burnt though most of mah accumulated favors, but there's always a chance..." She cut herself off and shook her head slightly.

"There's one last thing," Mama Mua said. She tilted her head to look at Ayika. The beads hanging from her cloth-wrapped headboard dangled before her eyes. "The reason we started this whole thing here." She clapped her hands and yelled at the spirit in the fire. "Spirit. Ah'm going to need ya to fully manifest. There's one here who needs to see ya."

The spirit lost the last shred of his twitchy composure. "That's not fair! How am I going to use the information she gave me about wooden bender sticks if you make me spend all my energy showing up to that one! Two humans seeing me, three, what's the difference?"

Mizumi was sitting up very strait on her stool. Her perfect posture and serious expression would have been acceptable in audience before the King of Kings. She seemed to be mentally filling in the gaps in the conversation that was to her half empty silence. It was apparent to her that Mua's request had provoked some resistance. She was afraid and yet she spoke smoothly and clearly to the featureless fire she saw before her. "If there is a difficulty, it will not be necessary to manifest yourself to me. I am thoroughly convinced by what I have heard and respect your discretion, noble spirit." Ayika felt a smile twitch at her lips. When Mizumi was afraid, she tended to behave as if she was an officer in the army. It was precious, but she deserved to see what they were dealing with.

Ayika said to the spirit. "Ms Mua here crafted your summoning herself for that purpose. I really doubt you have a choice in the matter of showing yourself." She leaned forward with a bit of a grin. "Do you?"

The spirit's pout said all she needed. Behind him Mua smirked wickedly.

Ayika decided to soften the command. "Don't worry. I am sure you and your kin will be able to delight in all the match-sparks you want before you know it. And you did say that it was much easier to cross over lately. You will get your chance. But for now, please, follow the terms easily."

For a moment there was only silence. The inhuman mask-like face frowned up at her. Then the little spirit slowly got to his feet. He was still standing in the fire and neither flame nor coal reacted in the slightest to his presence or his motion. His burning eyes met Ayika's and he bowed.

Since his first appearance the flames of the firepit had shown no interaction with the spirit that had suddenly occupied in their space. In fact the flickering tendrils had continued right through his crossed legs unimpeded. Suddenly, that changed. The little orange man was concentrating and he was more...solid. The fire spread around his feet and lapped up the skin of his legs. He was now fully part of this world.

Mizumi gave a sharp intake of breath. Every muscle of her body stiffened as her eyes now locked in on the spirit in the fire. She could see him. The glow of the fire made her cheeks look flushed with gold and her hair glistened with a shine like copper thread amid black. Behind her widened eyes Mizumi's world burst forth into new boundless terrifying possibilities. It was all she could do not to leap out of her seat. She could barely breath. The spirit looked back at her.

"All right, that's enough. Better head off before her muscles snap right off her bones." Mama Mua waved her hand.

Ayika saw the spirit look at her so she stood up and bowed. "Thank you, spirit. It has been an honor."

The spirit grinned with his bestial muzzle and nodded back. His former reluctance was now forgotten. "Glad I could help! You humans really are something. I glance away for a few centuries and you come up with something like matches! What is it with you guys?" Then he snapped his clawed fingers in sudden realization. "Hey! One last thought for free. I know a spirit on your side you can ask about finding your mask leader, and he'll be easy to find! Old Nine-Step-Shadow has already taken an interest in one of you here. Can see it in this room easy enough now that I remember him. He sure knows how to find humans, ha! Talk to him. All right, I'm off! I only have enough energy left for..."

And with that the little orange man blinked out of existence.

"Hey! I actually heard that!" Mizumi was strangely excited. Despite her fear, she finally felt included in being able to hear both sides of the conversation.

Mua just grunted and continued staring at the empty fire. "Damn spirits, they always assume ya know everyone. I've been here ten years and Ah doubt Ah know half the resident spirits in this little corner of the city. Who's Nine-Step-Shadow?"

Ayika did not say anything. She was not sure she could. Her throat felt like it had swelled up. She knew Nine-Step-Shadow. Grandma Aka had told her about him since Ayika was a little girl. It had been one of those late night stories of escalating terrors that culminated in Ayika's years long fear of the vaguely defined Scissors-Man. Nine-Step-Shadow was one who you just caught out of the corner of your eye. Just a shadowy figure a few paces behind you who was gone when you looked again. Nine paces behind. The next time you see him, and it could be weeks later or only days, he is eight paces away. Then seven. Then one day he will be tapping your shoulder and you will know that soon this life would be over. Grandma Aka had insisted that he was a kind spirit, only attempting to give frail humans a bit of foreknowledge of that most significant event. But to Ayika he was just death. Spirits did not see any difference in humans as they reincarnated. The little man in the fire did not understand death or know why they three might fear it. She wondered if Grandma had seen the shadow before she went.

She looked at Mama Mua, the woman who tried to appear aged and fearsome but below it was still trapped in her youthful past. She looked at Mizumi, beautiful and flushed with excitement and terror and determination all at once. Her hand was balled up against the side of her foreign trousers. She was ready to fight everything she saw. Then Ayika looked at her own hands clasped tight in front of her. One of them was going to die. And it would be soon.

Ayika barely responded to whatever was said next. Mizumi had to take the lead in extracting them from Mua's company and making promises to stay in contact about any new discoveries regarding Erliao or this spiritual disturbance. Ayika only snapped back to to attention to seize on a comment Mua made about possibly assisting her in shaman training. She extracted a promise from a Mama Mua who was startled at her sudden intensity. She had to know more. There had to be some way to control spirits. To keep them away. To make them not mean what Grandma Aka had so clearly said they meant.

Outside Mua's house Mizumi nervously blew air through her teeth. "Whoo. I must say that was not what I had thought was going to happen today. Honestly, Ayika, I had thought your big secret was that you were an untrained waterbender. So it would have been in the stories. Spirits. I mean that I... But do not worry. We now know that the Masks are somehow using spirit power to disrupt the spirit world and gain power themselves here. We will figure out a way to stop them." She hazarded a smile at Ayika, attempting to break though the serious cast that had settled on her friend's face.

Ayika turned back at Mizumi. It was hard but she returned the smile. She could not say anything to worry Mizumi. Mizumi could not even see the spirits, and was still wrapping her head around believing in their physical presence. But that was ok. Ayika was by her side and would protect her. Back in the sunlight of the square outside Mua's house Mizumi's skin glowed with the exhilaration brought on by an escape from profound nervousness. Every flick of her bright eyes breathed life and energy. Ayika continued to smile but at her side she clenched her fist. Those men in masks were trying to tear apart her city. They had killed Teacher Lizhen. They had burnt the Bao brother's job. They had attacked Lili's house and family. They were turning the people of the city against all foreigners and migrants. And they had stirred up powers beyond their control which now might threaten Mizumi. But no more. She had a secret now too. She had found power. She was no one, nothing, but they would break against her.

...