When Assassins Meet Circus Performers

Matsu walked through the streets of Omashu, her pretty face flushed but happy, just recently getting finished with a show. Normally, she would float herself above the ground, or dance through the street, or something like that, but she was too tired. The only reason she was even wandering through Omashu is because she wanted to go exploring, and she would be gone within a day or two. This was her one chance to see the famous city. She bent some air her way, not enough to exhaust herself, but enough to cool her down a little. She then continued along, smiling at occasional passerby and passing free tickets to little kids for the circus show later in the day. She became distracted by some dancers in the street, studying the different movements of the dancers' bodies, deciding that she might be able to use it later in her act.

So to her surprise, she bumped into someone. He was slightly taller than her, maybe two or three inches, with spiky black hair and cold brown eyes. Normally, she would've apologized, but he looked interesting, and her mother always said that when someone looks interesting, it means they have a story to tell. "Hiya! Sorry for bumping into you like that, I get distracted sometimes," she said, putting her hand out to shake. "I'm Matsu, airbender and traveling circus performer!" she declared, smiling, her white even teeth displayed, her gray eyes not moving from his brown ones. "And you are?" She inquired, not realizing that he could be busy, and that she could be bothering him. She waited expectantly for his answer, still looking up at his face. For a moment, she instinctively sensed danger around the man, but she brushed it off and kept her smile firmly affixed to her pretty features.

She laughed at the thought of her life being strange. She loved performing in the circus, it was her entire life. "Well, actually, I've been a part of the Pasang Travelling Circus since I was very little. So it's totally normal for me!" she said with a laugh, and then it dawned on her. Why not go explore Omashu with someone else?! That had to be better than exploring it alone. "Oh! Since you're an earthbender, are you from here?! Because I was hoping to explore Omashu before we leave for Ba Sing Se." She smiled at him, her flushed face finally going back to it's usual pale color, her energy returning to her. "Pleeeeeeease?" she begged, doing a cartwheel after to work off her growing excitement. For a twenty-three year old, she was insanely full of energy and hardly ever thought about anything more serious than where she was going with her family.

Matsu followed Daichi around happily, staring in wonder at the different things he showed her and smiling the whole way through. She didn't speak much, which was odd for her, but she was in awe of the great city and therefore her breath was simply taken away. He wasn't nearly as hyper as she or her family was, but his calmness was actually soothing to be around. His quiet manner caused her to become more...mature-like as they went along, although she did twirl around occasionally or cartwheel as he walked, but this was more out of habit than need.

When he suggested that they get some tea, she agreed with a beautiful smile. They entered the tea shop, the smell intoxicating, and she found herself breathing it in deeply, her airbending causing it to be even stronger in her nostrils, and she smiled at the scent. They then went to a table, and when he pulled out her chair, she was quite taken aback with his politeness. She smiled and thanked him, her voice soft in the quiet tea shop, instead of the normal happy noisiness that she usually had. She looked around, her hands in her lap until the waitress came. She sensed rather than noticed Daichi's stiffness with the woman, and was about to inquire about it when he asked her what she thought of Omashu.

"Oh, it's simply beautiful! I've been here thrice before, but I never had time to go and view it as a tourist would. Most would think that traveling is fun, since I get to go new places every few days, but we're usually in and out so quickly that I don't get a chance...." she replied, accidentally saying more than she had meant to. That was her least favorite part about herself--she always said more than she should. "Whoops, sorry to unload on you like that. Didn't mean to," she added, knowing that people didn't want to hear about her problems. They just wanted her to do her 'crazy circus tricks' and then go away.

She shook herself, hating it when she started thinking negatively. Her mother did that often, and she didn't want to end up exactly like her mother. She adored her mom, it was just that her mom lost the ability to have fun, and now she was always thinking about work and money and food. Matsu had the personality that nothing could ever go wrong, no matter what. So, shutting the negativity away in a corner of her mind, she smiled at Daichi and said, "So, if you don't live here in Omashu, then what brings you?"

She sipped the tea, and it was as though her mouth exploded! The taste was delicious, and she sipped it again, smiling happily. When Daichi explained about the Ball, her eyes grew wide and set the cup down on the table quickly. "You want to go to that?" she asked, thinking that someone as reserved as him would hate going there. Without waiting for an answer, she went on, "I can get you in! I'm performing that night during dinner, and enjoying the festivities when everyone is done eating!' she grinned happily. "Wanna go?" she inquired happily, then realized the implications she'd just suggested. "Er...as..." she paused a moment. Normally, she'd say friend, but she thought he might not like that. "Friendly acquaintances?" she finished, grinning from ear to ear.