Exploring the City

Matsu was thirsty. Very, very thirsty. But as she wandered through the Fire Fountain City, the heat making her feel like she was melting, she couldn't find a single place that sold drinks. She thought she'd ask someone, but people in the city were busy, bustling about and not paying her any attention. She sighed, wondering why on earth her mother had thought that this would be a wonderful place to bring their circus.

She blasted some air around herself to cool down, and as she did so, she noticed a few people heading off somewhere, talking lazily in the heat. Well, she was having no luck and was completely lost, so she decided to follow them. They had to be going somewhere.

They ended up heading to an apparent tavern, going inside together and the door to said tavern shut with a click. Huh...she'd never been inside a tavern before. Well, there was always a first time for everything! She shrugged and looked at the building, trying to find a name for it.

The Flameo Drink Shop. It was sandwiched in between some buildings, looking a little bit awkward there, but she decided that this was as good as she'd get. She ducked inside, sighing in relief as it was blissfully cool within. She looked about, her eyes adjusting to the dimmer light, trying to find an empty table and ignore the whistles that a group of drunk men were directing at her.

She stood with her hands on her hips, but didn't see an empty table, so she did what she did best--went and tried to make a friend. Perhaps the least grumpy looking individual in the whole tavern was a woman in Water Tribe garb, with pretty brown hair and blue eyes. She walked over to her with her usual smile on her face, already happy that she'd seen someone who didn't look ready to kill her--or worse...

"Hello! You mind if I sit here?" she asked brightly, indicating a seat across from the woman. She looked familiar...but Matsu couldn't quite place her finger on who the woman was, exactly. She wracked her brains until finally remembering. "Oooohhh! You're the Avatar!" she squealed happily, floating slightly above the ground like she always did when excited.

Matsu smiled and plunked right into the seat, happy that someone wasn't eyeing her like a piece of meat--for either a slaughter, or...other reasons.

"I'm Matsu, airbender and Pasang's Travelling Circus member." she stated simply as the waitress came over. Matsu declined, knowing that her mother would KILL her if she drank. Plus, she'd never tasted alcohol before, and was slightly scared of it, which was unusual for her.

The waitress then turned to the Avatar, waiting. When Zulera answered, the waitress would walk away and Matsu would ask her all about being the Avatar--what it was like, did she enjoy it, was she a complete mastered Avatar or still in training, etc.

Matsu smiled sheepishly when hearing Zulera's question, and answered, albeit shyly, "Well, admittedly, I'm a little bit nervous. Never been inside a tavern before, to tell you the truth." She then listened intently as Zulera answered her questions in turn, a look of awe on her face.

"I'm surprised that the Avatar loses fights. You especially don't seem like one to lose," Matsu commented, noting that even while Zulera was slightly tipsy, she had an air about her that definitely meant not to mess with her.

Matsu smiled, the Avatar was different that she'd expected. "I've never gotten into a fight before," she said, wondering how it worked. She looked at Zulera eagerly, "Could you show me?"

Even if the Avatar said no, it was worth a shot, asking if she would. She smiled, her chin in her hands, elbows on the table, gray eyes glued to Zulera's face.

Matsu grinned. She was open to anything, and was quite excited to see a fight. "Please! I'd love to see what an actual fight looks like!" she said excitement layering her voice, not realizing what she was getting herself into, her gray eyes shining with anticipation. She could hardly sit still in her seat, bouncing up and down excitedly.

Matsu watched as a huge fight broke out. With a grin and a giggle, she winced as she saw someone get punched in the nose, blood coming from it instantly. He didn't seem to mind, though, and launched himself at the man who'd hit him. As the fight began nearing her, she ducked under the table, not sure what to do. She didn't notice the wasted angry man running towards her until it was too late.

"Heeeeeeyyy! You star' the figh'? You hidin' fro' da blame?!" he slurred. "No, no, I--" she began, but he cut her off by grabbing her by the front of her shirt and dragging her out from under the table. With a squeak and a look of terror, she realized that he was about to punch her in the face. Rather than allow this to happen, she kicked him in the neck and he dropped her, going to the ground on all fours. She then slammed her elbow in between his shoulder blades, kneed him in the groin, and he keeled over, knocked out. She straightened up, breathing heavily, a crazed gleam in her eye. This was...FUN!!!

She launched herself into the fray, breaking a nose here, dislocating a shoulder there, until she lost track of time...and of where the Avatar went.

Matsu was thirsty, and she ran over to a table, downing something that one of the people fighting had left. She was so caught up in the fray she didn't realize what she was drinking, but her small body was instantly...different. She hobbled back into the fight, missed a punch or two, and didn't seem to notice. She flipped through the crown, hitting people in the face with her feet, having the time of her life. This had to be the most fun she'd ever had!!

The fight had officially died down by now. Matsu frowned, looking towards the door happily, swaying on her feet. She expected people to come in at any second, so they could continue the fight, but none came. She did a hand stand--well, she tried to anyway, she fell on her face--and then just lay on the floor giggling until she got up once again and sat in a random seat, grabbing whatever drink was in front of her. Her head was...well, it felt like it was humming. She took this to be a good sign and found a large bottle, and grabbed it, taking a big drink. It burned on the way down and made her eyes water, and she coughed. But, she took another large swig anyways. Gee, this was...fun. She now understood why the Avatar did it. Seeing a random stranger sitting against the wall, his lip bruised and bloodied, his forehead swelling, and she went and plunked down right next to him. "Heeeeyyyy! Wha'sh ya doin'? Whooooo hur' youuu?" she slurred, a lazy grin on her face.

ooOOoo

As she brawled and drank and talked with strangers in busy taverns, Matsu's mother, Pei Zhi, was out and about looking for her daughter. "Honestly, why I even let her go on these silly adventures through the cities, I've no clue..." she muttered to herself as she glared at the hot sun. "Itamatsu Pasang, you are in so much trouble," Pei Zhi growled. She continued walking, passing the very noisy tavern Matsu was in. There was no way in her mind that Matsu would ever go in a place like that.