He gets there as fast as he can. If they get too close he'll try turning the closest firebender into a statue.

They're coming after him pretty vigorously, that's for sure! But one of the waterbenders makes a mad dash, breaking away from the rest of the fight and skiing over to protect him. He bowls over the fire-soldiers with snowballs and motions for Valanda to go!

He goes. It might be bad to lead them straight to Milliways but if he outruns them he can just shut the door and Varrin can prepare for as long as necessary. And they might have friends there already. He heads due doorward.

The snowmobile outruns them pretty effectively. He leaves the fight behind him. The waterbenders seem to have gotten the upper hand, but they're still fighting when he disappears over the horizon.

Varrin holding the door to his little shelter leading to Milliways comes into view soon enough.

He hurries through.

"Shut the door. Firebenders."

"Wha- I've gotta go help them!" He starts heading through.

"Wait! The door stops time!"

He keeps fighting to get through for a moment, then registers what he just said and yanks Valanda and his stuff all inside and slams the door. Breathing hard, looking grim. "...Did you manage to ward them before the attack?"

"Yes, but the firebenders also hurled boulders at us, there might be injuries. I'm sure there was property damage. If you didn't know about the door stopping time did you know you can buy almost anything from Bar? Including things your world doesn't know how to make or books you could never get otherwise. Up to you what you do with that, just thought you should know."

"...Yeah. I kinda don't have much more money and I don't - I'm not Chief Myrrin, I really don't know what to get to help with long-term war strategy. But... I'll have a look." He rubs his hands nervously and glances around. "Ugh. I want to go out there and fight. But if I rest up and - get stuff - maybe Fire Nation books? Try and learn their weaknesses?"

"Remember you can make money off other patrons, you're not stuck with what you came in with. I don't know enough to give you any more advice than that." He tries to look encouraging but there's really no way Varrin will decide that fight. It was probably over before Valanda got to the door one way or another.

"I can... Dry things out? Make ice sculptures maybe? I don't know water healing, only women learn that." He looks dubious.

"Well... You made your money, you warded me and my friends. I appreciate it. Oh, hey, you took that tapestry off 'em? Good. Ying-wu, the northern occupation fleet commander, will hate that he can't get it back, and if he's mad he won't think as straight."

"If your ice sculptures are nice I might like one. I could ward it so it wouldn't melt. ...I could ward a bunch so they wouldn't melt and you could sell people magic unmeltable ice sculptures, maybe you'd still turn a profit. Oh, and if water healing's been written about in a book..."

"No, we have books but it's a thing women do. The ice sculptures plan sounds like a good idea. I won the moon festival ice sculpture contest two years in a row once! I guess I'll take on a tab and pay you to ward a bunch? Or pay you to ward a bunch with a sculpture or two if you like them."

"Sure, how about I take my favorite one if you make twelve, my favorite two if you make twenty-four, and so on for however many you're making? Oh, if you haven't gotten your free drink yet you might not have to pay for the water."

"No, I did. I don't think bar charges for water? She might if I want, like, a tubful." Shrug. "I'll take a tab if I have to. Let's do it." He turns around and heads for bar.

Slightly disappointed, Link asks, "Does this mean we're not gonna spar?"

"Maybe later."

"Ah well. You do you. I'ma go talk to more new people."

"Tell me when your sculptures are ready for wards!"

And where's that guy with the crystal ball gotten to?

Lurking in the corner/shadows. He's apparently pretty good at it - Valanda didn't notice him again until he wanted to be noticed.

"Busy, aren't you?"

"I just survived getting a flaming boulder thrown at me. I'm ready to ask some questions. You still deciding?"

"If I look at it on a balance sheet, it's an obvious yes. Convincing my gut to go along with it is another matter. Come to that booth, but first ask Bar for a bunch of divination papers. Forty. They help."

(Forty divination papers are available for two rings.)

Sure, okay. Those sound like they should be too magical for Bar to sell but Valanda's not the divination expert here.

The crystal ball is now set out on an attractive eight-sided patterned red mat, sitting on a very pretty brass stand with dragon-heads, clouds, mountains, and so on reliefed into it.

"Heh. My world's magic likes tradition. The papers are traditional, so they help even if they're not technically magic. So, what question do you want to ask?"

"Link only used one, right? I still have five?"

It'd be flagrantly irresponsible to spend their last question on the one he most wants to ask.

"Correct. And you can always buy more." He waggles his eyebrows.

Suuuure he can.

"Is there any way with the resources available to me to change my sex or any of the associated features that I hate?"