Encounters...

"Not bad...", Arato muttered snatching a withered apple off the ground and tossed it from hand to hand. His eyes where targeting a small city called Shu Jing which appeared to be a cozy, little place for just relaxing a bit of time. Not doing anything was exactly what the young earthbender needed for the moment and this far away from his homeland, the earthnation. Noisy Arato sunk his teeth into the juicy fruit and a satisfied smile played on his lips. It was quite a long time ago, the bounty hunter last stepped upon the gound of the firenation, but as always it was a pleasure. He loved these mountainouse islands and its attentive people. Moreove Arato was kind of impressed by firebending. Yes, earthbending was fun, but sometimes he wished to be born as a firebender. The fascinating sight of a bended fire and even a lightning was somehow much more absorbing for him, than any other sort of elemental composure. Nevertheless he was also proud of his skills, which took a long time to master them to this level.

Joyfully Arato found his was down the small hill he took a look on Shu Jing before, eating his apple. Due to all those glimpses on his person, he assumed not to meet many foreigners at this place and specifically not many earthbenders. The city itself was not very crowded and sticked well to the previous impression of coziness. Completely that kind of place he was looking for. Affably Arato asked his way straight into a relatively cheap appealing, but cebtrally located tavern. The taproom was not very well-attended but made a quite comfortable impression on him. Immediately a small, propably a bit corpulent man approached and adjusted his silghtly tight red jacket.
"Good Afternoon, Mister! What can I do for you?"
"Good afternoon to you, my freind!", Arato replied mischievously, "Water and some of this good-smelling smoked fish!"