Ember Island Docks

Rin gasped, it wasn't the thought of a scar that made her gasp, rather the idea that someone could have given him a scar as a innocent baby. [color=red]"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that." She said, voice growing softer. "or=red]]"But it doesn't seem to effect you at all...you must be strong in there!" She smiled warmly at him, pionting to his cheast where his heart symbolicly was.

Rin new some people would be not so tolerant of things such as scarrings, since in her opinion some humans were so sallow to judge people automaticly on their looks. In a way, Rin was a victim of this, but on a lower scale. She was often picked on for not being able to afford the fancy, beautiful clothes the young woman of the fire nation wore. The constant degrading comments eventaully forced Rin to believe she was not Beautiful, and she never would be.

Rin's thoughts were broken by another odd gust of cold wind, blowing her ebony hair around wildly. She shivered and turned to Zai. "you better find a place to stay, before it gets any colder."Rin said, a sad tone in her usually proud voice. By the looks of the weather, she might have to part with her new found friend, which she oddly enough, she was dreading the thought. Rin felt quite odd, she was never one to grow attached to a person, let alone someone she had just met.

Rin couldn't help feel a little angry at the fact someone ignore another simply because of an unfortunite mark. How could people be so cruel? Rin tried not to think about it, she was tired of analizing it.

Rin looked at Zai at his proposal of a guide, but she shook her head, avoiding his eyes. As the proud person Rin was, she was, after all, cripplingly poor. She could bearly feed herself at times, how could she supply food for another when she couldn't even do that for herself?

Rin the hard truth was, she had no money at all at the momment, and was planning on sleeping in the docks. This was her reasons for leaving so hastlyly. "I'm sorry Zai, But I can't do that...It was a nice thought though." She smiled weakly, it really was a nice thought to have some company on her travels.

Rin gently rested her hand on Zai's shoulder, in a way of thanks. "Maybe, after I leave, we will run into eachother again?" She said with un unintentional tone of hope lingering on her voice.

Zhu-Rong stomped her heavily booted foot on the ground and slid it forwards. A mound of earth rose up and propelled itself forward, effectively trapping a retreating figure up to its neck above ground. She maneuvered her hands and unveiled the captive's wrists and ankles, ignoring her victim's protests.

"You....you can't do this to me I'm a high-class citizen!"

Zhu-Rong stopped mid-motion and quirked a lip at him. "Correction, you're a mudchucking Earth Kingdom citizen posing as Fire Nation nobility. Don't think I don't know who you are, Tomita Hideaki." The man's eyes visibly bulged from his skull and he squirmed in his "prison" hold. How the heck did this crazy girl know his name?!

"You.....how do you know me?!"

Zhu-Rong bent a metal clasp from her equipment bag and unceremoniously clamped his hands together. Hideaki gave a grunt and craned his neck in her direction. With a stomp, Zhu-Rong sent the earth into the ground and she put a foot on his back.
"Now, why don't you make like a seal-dog and lie down?" She jerked her foot back and rammed it into his shoulder blades. Hideaki tumbled to the ground with a face full of dirt.

"YOU WRETCH!"

"Tomita Hideaki; 37 years old and a dead-beat slumlord of Omashu. Once married, now divorced, has been for eleven years. Habitual gambler and wanted for embezzlement as well as spear-heading the movement for child trafficking across the Eastern EK. Pfft, and you're to be captured alive? Pigs like you disgust me." Zhu-Rong grimaced. Before Hideaki could even protest she gave him a swift kick to the head.

Knocking his lights out.


"Alright Zhu, you've earned yourself a vacation....and as such....what better way than to spend it here on Ember Island....and with food!"

Zhu-Rong rounded one of the corners on the docks and headed for the heart of the island. After giving the pig over to her client at the shores, she bid her farewell and disappeared in the alleyways. Now, all that was left for the day was to soak up the sun and celebrate.

Perhaps even hit a bar or two.

"But that'll be later on tonight though." She mused aloud and jostled the hefty money pouch in her hand, "And you can bet I ain't goin' in til the cows come home!"

The sell-sword took her time strolling through the streets. "Really, because I have nothin' to do today.' She paused at almost every stand, sniffed every perfume and even bought herself a few snacks here and there. When the sun was betwixt in the sky, Zhu-Rong decided to head further into to town. She reached the market district first, and was instantly bombarded by merchants and nobility alike.

She resisted the urge to pull a face, "Ugh. Too close for comfort, need to find some space....like now." Zhu-Rong bent away the metal sole of her boot and tapped her foot on the ground. Vibrations scattered over the entire crowd and stretched out past the alleyways. After a few seconds they pinpointed a near deserted fire fountain and dispersed.

The Earthbender ducked under a stand and sprinted off toward the Fire Fountain. She bobbed and weaved through the throngs of islanders and came to a pause upon reaching the edge of the fountain square. As she'd sensed, there happened to be a few people present....but not as much.

Zhu-Rong's dark eyes zeroed in on two lone figures and she squinted. The back profile of the man looked awfully familiar......

"You've got to be frickin' kidding me....."She grumbled and traipsed toward the pair, albeit casually so as not to startle them. Once she was close enough, Zhu-Rong gave the duo another once over and she folded her arms across her chest.

Her lips curled into a smirk. "Well I'll be....if it ain't my Dead-Eye Zai!"

Rin saw Zai's lips twitch slightly, the corners of his mouth curling ever so slighty. was that a smile? The thought Zai was showing a very small sign of joy, even if it was slim. Zai was about to leave when Rin noticed him stiffen slightly, as if he got a chill.

Before she could ask what was the matter, a young woman appeared infront of them "Well I'll be....if it ain't my Dead-Eye Zai!" She said, smirking. Rin felt tenion fill the air between the young woman and Zai. Rin amber eyes grew harsh, not sure if this woman was a threat or not.

As the two continued to talk, Rin felt as she was forgotten, Feeling a alittle akward, she was about to walk away. She pushed back her hair from her face and was about to turn, then Zai said "Ah!... Sorry, Rin. This is my... More than obtrusive sister, Zhu-Rong.... Sis.... This is Rin, a recent acquaintance..." . Rin smiled weakly at Zhu-Rong, useing her long hair to hide her pretty face. "Hello Zhu-Rong" She held out her hand for Zhu to shake.

Seeing the rocks coming near, and realizing he could do nothing to stop the boat, Ryu jumped off and swam to shore. Ryu ran 10 ft. up the shore and watched as the boat hit the water. Not knowing if there was anybody alive, Ryu decided that he should look for a waterbender to move what was left of the boat to find survivers. Looking down the dock Ryu shouted,"Is anyone here a waterbender."