Onward to Full Moon Bay

"Go on, go on! We need some groceries, so unless you want to stay here and help pack up, then I suggest you go with Yamako and help her!" Matsu's mother, Pei Zhi, chided, packing their circus equipment into different boxes. Matsu agreed, and left quickly, not wanting to help with what she considered to be the most boring job in the world.

She followed her sister, chattering the whole while about how she can contort herself into a winged lemur, floating above her and holding one of the three baskets that they used to transport the groceries back and forth. It was getting warmer out, but still spring, and Matsu loved watching the ferries leave from the docks. She got distracted for a moment, floating in the air like that, but then noticed that Yama was farther up ahead and flew to follow her, going on and on about how it had taken her weeks to figure out how to bend this way and that to get the shape just right.

They eventually got to the market, and Matsu was bored. Yama was busy getting the groceries, and Matsu still carried her empty basket, but she honestly hated doing the shopping. In fact, she hated doing anything besides training and exploring. She then set her basket down near Ko-Ko's feet, and ducked behind a tall group of giggling girls, getting away easily. Poor Yama was so busy bartering, she didn't even see!

Matsu giggled as she imagined her sister's expression when she turned to see that Matsu wasn't there. They'd just arrived in Full Moon Bay, and Matsu had been itching to check the place out. Her mother normally let her go wander on her own, but since she'd sent both Matsu and Yamako, Matsu decided to ditch her.

Slinking through the crowds, ducking behind groups of people, she made it to a turn and flitted out of sight. Ko-Ko would FREAK! Matsu giggled again to herself before noticing someone asking for people to place a few coins in a small tin cup he held. It appeared that he had no moeny to buy a ticket for the ferry to Ba Sing Se.

She dropped a couple of silver coins in his cup, and he looked up at her with an expression of utmost gratitude. As he began to thank her, she simply cut across him by giving him her standard form of introduction, "I'm Matsu, airbender and member of Pasang's Travelling Circus! Who're you" He simply looked at her with an awed expression, then broke into a smile.

"Tolan, waterbender." he replied simply. She smiled at this and they began to chat, walking to a shop that sold cold treats. Matsu paid for them of course, Tolan turning a deep red color because he didn't have any money. They found a bench to sit on looking out at the sea, Matsu forgetting all about ditching her sister.

Matsu giggled at Tolan's expression, having just hugged him tightly. It was one mixed with surprise and shock, and she looked at him seriously. "C'mon, haven't you been hugged before?"

Tolan's face finally broke into a grin, and he nodded, saying "I wasn't expecting it, is all." Matsu grinned back, looking around, when she noticed a reddish brown head bobbing through the crowd on the docks. "Eep!" Matsu squealed before bending herself up on top of the cold treats shop. Tolan looked at her kinda funny, but she pointed to Yama and he nodded as though he understood.

She waited, body flattened against the roof, holding her breathe. Tolan relaxed against his bench, looking as casual as possible, but she could see that he still had an eye on her sister, and Matsu silently prayed that Ko-Ko wouldn't look up.

Matsu watched intently as Ko-Ko bumped into someone. Tolan chuckled down below on his bench, but Matsu had seen that Yama noticed something, and was now headed directly for Tolan. "Stay low!" he whispered, then began chuckling again. He thought this was funny! Well! "SHUSH!" she hissed, but a little too loudly....Oh, no....Ko-Ko probably hear her..

Matsu looked down from her perch on the roof, but all was lost. She knew Yama had found her, and decided that coming out instead of hiding would be better, but she glared at Tolan anyways. She jumped down from the roof of the cold treats shop, and said in a grand voice, "Here I am, Ko-Ko!" she said in her happiest voice, adding a giggle at the end. Maybe Yama wouldn't get mad if she thought it had just been a game...