Trouble at the docks...

Rin shivered as the small boat pulled up in the northern water tribe's docks. Rin had never been so cold in her life! when she breathed out, she could see her breath, like frozen icy mist as it left her lips. Growing up in the fire nation made it easy for her to withstand hot tempertures, but she had never visited anywhere so freezing. To try and beat the cold, Rin wore a large old faded brown coat and thick, fleece red pants and large Fire nation army boots.

Rin jumped out of the little boat, Her long beautiful ebony hair trailing her like a cape. relieved to be off the boat, she strode happyly along the docks, about to walk into the gates, when to large water bender guards stopped her. "We need to serch you ma'am, before you enter the tribe." One particaully tall guard said, putting his arm to block Rin's path, but letting the other people whom where on the same boat through.

Rin's amber eyes burned angryly at the gaurds, "What? but you didn't serch those people!" She hissed crossing her arms stubburnly over her breasts, nodding her head in the direction off the people moving through the gates like a herd of cattle. As she studied the people closer, she realized why the gaurds had stopped her and no one else, she had been the only fire nation citizin on the vessel. Great! not this again! just because she was from the fire nation, she was automatically a threat! she was sick of this old story. Rin glared at the two gaurds "just let me in! I'm not a threat at all!" she stormed pasted the gaurds, before she felt water wrapping around her waist, freezing, and pulled her back.

One gaurd had water bended and pulled her away from the gate! He slamed Rin back and she landed on the ice with a hard thud. "I am sorry, we are still gonna serch you!" The other gaurd said, about to grab Rin.

"Stop!"

The voice echoed across the docks like a shot. Both the guards turned on the spot, peering around for the source. There, standing at the head of the boarding ramp of a nearby Water Tribe ship, was Kanoei flanked by Koda and two of the elite generals, Totsukan and Eidotsa. They had just returned from an assessment of the Eastern Fleet. Kanoei had been enjoying a pleasant conversation with his aunt when he saw the behavior of the guards.

Kanoei descended the ramp of his ship swiftly, Koda and the generals following behind. They themselves were followed by a dozen warriors a piece. They immediately turned away from Kanoei and Koda as the two Aowakas made their way toward the Fire Nation girl and the guards barring her. The generals took their troops through the gates without delay.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kano demanded of the guards. Koda had her arms folded as she stood nearby, watching Kano work. She more than anyone had grown to appreciate watching Kanoei go from being her nephew to being her chief. Even in this most serious of situations, she had an amused smile on her face.

"Chief Kanoei." one of the guards said, his voice betraying a certain degree of knowledge of his crime. "We were inspecting this young woman for contraband."

"Oh?" Kano said, raising an eyebrow. "And I suppose it was simple oversight that you allowed half a dozen Earth Kingdom citizens and as many Air Nomads through without so much as a second glance, but the one Fire Nation citizen who shows her face on our shores is treated as a criminal?"

"I-I--." the other guard began.

"That was your cue to leave, Warrior." Koda cut in, making Kano look around at her. She smirked. "Come on, you two can help me clean the deck of the chief's ship. You'd be happy to do that, wouldn't you?"

"Y-yes, Ma'am." the first said with the briefest of glances at Kanoei. She led them back to the Unagi, Kanoei's ship. With that sorted, Kano turned his attention to the Fire Nation girl.

"My sincerest apologies." he said. "I'm afraid my people aren't very trusting of anyone wearing the red of the Fire Lord's subjects these days."

Rin smiled smuggly at the gaurds being told off, She was glad at least someone didn't see her as a terriorist. She got up from the ice, now colder than before, and poked her tounge out on the sly at the gaurds.

"That was your cue to leave, Warrior." A woman said, her voice proud and filled with athourity, "Come on, you two can help me clean the deck of the chief's ship. You'd be happy to do that, wouldn't you?"Rin's eyes widened when she head the word chief, was that young man scolding the gaurds the chief? she couldn't believe it, he was so young! (and kind of good looking, but Rin shook that thought from her mind)

The chief said sorry on behalf of his warriors, but Rin felt her cheeks grow hot, as her pretty face turned a light pink, even if it was freezing. Embarresed by her behavior, she really didn't know what to do? should she bow? or curtsy? "I-I, err....um...T-Thank you, for that, and it is fine...really..."

"As Heir Apparent to the Chieftaincy of the North," Kano said, inclining his head slightly. "I ask that you allow me to repay this insult by escorting you to your destination, wherever that may be. While I am sure that my men were simply being over-zealous, albeit in a nationalistic fashion, I'd hate for you to have to deal with any more, em... impropriety."

He had been to the Fire Nation before. He knew its people well enough to know that few truly serve the Fire Lord's will. They were a proud and independent people who did not rely on any king for their validation. And though he was concerned that Fire Lord Novai might have designs on his homeland, he wasn't about to let that homeland become a bastion of racism and nationalistic fear. Until there was a war on, this girl was just another tourist. Even if she was a spy, she'd have a hard time stealing anything with the elite guards on their rounds and Kano himself leading her about...

With a genuinely pleasant smile, he turned slightly and indicated the gates, clearly inviting her to enter the city. With that, he turned and led the way.

Rin was surprized by Kano's offer, her pretty amber eyes widened. Rin was a proud person, and hated being offered assistance in anything, but how could she turn down the cheif? she didn't want to offend anyone, so she agreed. "Ah...sure? I mean! thank you!" She said, not sure how to speak to him, she had never really been in contact with many nobles being a fire nation peasant.

Rin shot Kano a dazzling smile back, she follwed Kano into the gates, and she gasped as she took her first look at the northern water tribes. It had to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen! all the white and blue ice everywhere, a calm and peaceful aura in the air. Rin breathed in and smiled, her long beautiful ebony hair beinging blown back. damn, this was worth the cold! "This. is. amazing!" she said happyly.

"I'm honored you think so." Kano said, smiling, following her through the gates into the city. The main avenue stretched off into the distance, to the great stairs of the palace in the north. Buildings of ice with doors of fine, hanging furs and carved woods. The many roads leading off the main avenue were ordered, lining the canals. The overall appearance of it all was indeed stunning. And that wasn't to speak of the marvelous palace itself and the great ice walls towering over the city.

"So, what brings you to the North, if I might ask?" Kano asked, walking alongside her at a leisurely pace.

(OOC: Sorry it's so short.)

Rin was so distracted with the northern water tribes beautiful scenery, she didn't realize he was talking to her when he asked his question. She blinked to snap out of her day dreamy state and smiled at Kano "Just traveling around, no particular reason" She lied, she didn't really think she wanted to tell the real reason she wanted to come here.

Rin walked by his side, and before she could stop herself, she asked "You seem rather young to be cheif, how did you become the leader of the northern water tribe?" Rin's eyes widened and she blushed alittle, once she realized how rude that question was!

(tis okay, i'm not a big fan of long posts!)

Kano looked around at her in surprise. That was rather... forward. He found himself chuckling a moment later, however. It wasn't like it was some great secret held close to the hearts of all his ministers and kinsmen. If she wanted to know that, well... she could read about it in any library in the North anyway. All of them kept records of the lineages.

"Our former chief was a man named Xaal Osiris." he explained. "We don't know exactly what happened to him, but he vanished. He had no heirs. In lieu of a rightful successor, the Small Council was called to order by the tribe's prime minister, Hakano, my grandfather. There are few families in the North that are as trusted as the Aowaka Clan. It didn't take much for my grandfather to convince the Small Council to declare the rise of the Aowaka Dynasty. As patriarch, my grandfather was allowed to make the decision as to who might assume the position of chief. He selected me."

He managed to say this with the air of a man who understood perfectly every decision made and it's reasons, but in truth he still had no clue why his grandfather had selected him, of all people. Surely his father, Tako, or even his Aunt Koda, or Uncle Hadogo would have been better choices. In fact, he was still confused as to why his grandfather hadn't chosen himself for the honor. It was a mystery, but one which didn't need to be discussed with a random girl from the Fire Nation...

Rin listened curiously, nodding every so often. She was quite interested with the disapearance of Xaal Osiris. Rin couln't help but wonder why Kano's randfather would have chosen him. It wasn't like she didn't think he was right for the job, but she was often told that most positions in the water tribes were taken up by elders, since in water tribe culture they were extremely important and well respected.

Rin thought this young man of what, 19? 20? acted older then he actually was. He seemedto talk with a sence of wisedom and understanding. Bu Rin saw something in his blue eyes, reflecting something Kano was thinking, Rin couldn't put her finger on wha it was, but there was something bothering him.

"Well, your grandfather must of seen something in you that made you right for the job!" She said, sending Kano a warm and beautiful smile.

"I thank you." Kano said, smiling. "It's kind of you to say."

They continued up the main avenue a ways until Kano spotted the familiar hanging sign emblazoned with a phoenix. It was, of course, Yasu's father's establishment, the Frozen Phoenix. It was a pub of sorts with a Fire Nation theme. He had an idea.

"I hope you'll allow me to treat you to something to eat." he said, looking around at the girl. "It's the least I can do on behalf of the tribe. And I wouldn't mind asking about the Fire Nation a bit. I haven't been there in quite some time..."

He turned into the pub and ducked through the door. A fur was hanging in the doorway as a wind breaker because the wooden doors were open wide. It was the way most of the businesses in the North did things. He held open the flap for her, peering at her from inside.

Rin's eyes widened, gosh! more things she had to say yes to! she looked at the small pub, a fire nation theme. Rin was missing fire nation food, and she would like to see what the people of the northern water tribe dipicted as fire nation.

"really? well...umm...I...okay...!" She said, shivering a little again, blasted cold! Rin really hated having anything given to her with ease, it made her think she was free loading, taking advantage of some people's kindness. But again, she couldn't turn down the cheif!

Rin wraped her faded brown coat around herself tighter before following Kano into the pub. Rin's beautiful amber eyes widened as she entered the pub, pushing her long hair away from her face.

Rin looked down akwardly at Yasu, did he think she was a noble woman? which was the complete opisite of what she was. "Ah, thanks?" She said to Yasu, half smiling weakly at him.

This weird, she had never been treated so, well, important before. She looked at Kano for an explaination, before holding her hand out to this young man bowing at her for him to shake, hoping he would stop. "I'm not m'lady, just Rin thanks." She laughed lightly, soft and sweet. "This is pretty accurate, it reminds me of some pubs back home! who owns it?" She asked Kano and Yasu pushing her long ebony hair back again, the wind had blown it around quite abit.

"Hey Kano! And who's this? A fire nation dignitary?" Yasu asked in that teasing sort of way.

"Ah, not quite." Kano said. "A couple of guards were harassing her down at the docks. I decided it would be best to show her a bit of the North's hospitality and not have her wandering around thinking we're just a bunch of isolationists. Who better than your father and the Frozen Phoenix, eh?"

He gave a slight chuckle at this and then indicated the bar.

"After you." he smiled at the girl. He followed her to the bar, but at a slight distance, just enough to keep what he was about to say to Yasu out of her earshot.

"This business with the Fire Nation is starting to get heated. All puns aside, there are more and more of these incidents being reported. I suggest you tell your father to keep a wary eye any time he has our warriors and any Fire Nation citizens in here at one time. It might come to trouble."

He was dead serious as he whispered all this to Yasu. He wanted to drive the fact home that this wasn't just his airing on the side of caution. It was a real problem that he'd have to deal with in good time, but it was difficult in his position. He still technically wasn't the chief. He had no active authority over the military. If Koda hadn't been there to put her rank behind his command, those warriors could have denied him and seen no punishment for it.

Even with all this, though, when he joined the girl at the bar, he wore a pleasant, friendly smile that betrayed none of the serious conversation which had just occurred. He took a seat and looked across the bar at Yasu's father.

"What's up, Yukado?" Kano asked, smiling.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Yasu's father, Yukado said, wiping a mug with a rag. "This a date or something?"

"What is it with everyone today?" Kano said in mock incredulity. "They see me with a girl and they assume I'm dating here. You know, there are plenty of women out there who I don't go chasing after!"

"Yeah, but then you don't bring them into my pub, do you?" Yukado said.

"Fair enough." Kano snorted, tilting his head from side to side. "Well, this is, er... I don't think I asked your name." he cringed at the breach of manners in this one.

As Rengshi's boat finally decided to dock, he felt afraid, after what happened at the ball, Rin being kidnapped, Rengshi decided it was time to take up a more offensive approach and, knowing that Rin wanted to go to the Northern Water Tribe, got some Earth Gauntlets, there wasn't much earth at the Water Tribes. Sadly, the boat was packed and they had to split for a bit. And then Rengshi's boat took over an hour to get their compared to Rin's, according to a local saying the time frame from a Fire Nation Girl appeared, leaving with the Tribe Leader. Shit's going down, that's for sure. Taking a Fire Nation girl captive in a BAR... Wait, not captive, why would they head to a bar... Rengshi began speedily walking towards the directions of the bar they headed to, according to the locals. And, soon, he arrived, opening the door, casually to not alert anyone. And, then, Rengshi saw Rin hanging with the chieftain, maybe? Either way time to break it up. Rengshi took heavy steps over to where Rin was, slamming his hand on the guy with the earing's shoulder, a solid clap could be heard. "Hey, you mind stepping away, buddy?"

Kano felt the hand slap his back just as he took a sip from his water. Even a veteran waterbender couldn't keep from choking on that. As he coughed, he saw Yasu rise from his seat out of his periphery. He wasn't the only one either. Almost a dozen others rose. You didn't lay hands on the Chief of the North, formally recognized or not, and not garner a response that made a gang's reaction to one of their members being beat down look like child's play. He managed to regain himself right around the time several of the standing warriors were starting to look murderous.

"I-it's okay!" Kano spluttered, waving a hand. The various warriors and benders who had stood to his defense didn't immediately listen. However, when he repeated himself a bit more forcefully, they all returned to their drinks and food. However, the newcomer was still pulling down quite a few sharp glares.

"Hey, kid!" Yukado said, brandishing the mug he was cleaning at Rengshi. "You wanna start some stuff up, you need to chose your opponents more carefully! You just slapped the back of a waterbending prodigy. You better thank your lucky stars he isn't a violent one!"

Rin turned to see who had slaped his hand onto her new friend Kano's shoulder, and her eys widened, "Rengshi?" She said, she had never seen her Reng so hostile before.She was about to scold Rengshi for being rude and explain what happened, when Yasu stood up aburptly and many other people did the same, glaring at Rengshi.

"I-it's okay!" Kano spluttered, and some of the citizins in the bar stood down, but others hesitated to do so, their harsh eyes lingering on Ringshi.

Rin looked up at Rengshi, and gently but her hand on his arm, "Rengshi, this is Kano the cheif of the northern water tribe, a friend of mine. He just helped me out at the docks and decided to show me around." Rin said softly and calmly.

Rengshi glared at the kid who challenged him, seeing the strapped knife the guy grabbed for. Coming up with a quick retort, was Rengshi in jerk mode or something, "Hey, squirt, maybe you should pick on someone your own size." Lifting his fist at him, his rocky gauntlet showing. Rengshi was about to follow through with a solid rock to the guy's face, but then Rin quickly saved Rengshi from even more stupidity than when he attacked the Earth Queen. Rengshi relaxed, putting both his hands on Rin's cheeks and kissing her on the forehead. "I'm sorry but after the Ball, it's just that--- I mean--- I just don't wanna lose you again..." Rengshi said with a genuinely worried voice.

Kano finally managed to regain his composure and pushed himself to his feet, straightening his clothing. The kingly parka he was wearing made him seem particularly powerful in that moment as he turned, a sharp yet diplomatic look in his eye. With a sigh, he turned his attention upon the young man who had hit him, not so much younger than himself by his looks.

"As, er, Rin explained," he said, indicating Rin. He hadn't forgotten her name since it had been told to him. He had given brief thought to addressing her in a more formal way, but decided against it for the sake of clarity. "I assisted her on the docks when several of my warriors overstepped their duties. I assure you, I have no designs on her. Please. I insist that you enjoy a meal here with my compliments. Yukado will get anything you like."

He turned and gave Rin a short bow before turning and moving toward the door. As he passed Rengshi, he paused.

"I'm well aware of what transpired at the Omashu Ball." he said in barely more than a whisper. "But, in future, I suggest you take a moment or two to analyze the situation before you start picking fights. Even if I hadn't been the chief, you really think a dozen northern warriors would stand by while some Earth Kingdom kid picks a fight with one of their kinsmen? You want to protect your girl? Learn to use your brain."

And with that he continued out the door, ducking out into the cold. The fur flap hadn't even stopped swaying when Koda came along.

"So, how did it go?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Kano might have thought this was yet another comment meant to inquire at whether or not he'd taken advantage of romantic possibilities, but he knew his aunt well enough to know she didn't think him that shallow or horny. He looked at her for a moment and sighed.

"It was a total cluster f--"

Rin looked at Kano and then at Rengshi, glaring. Rengshi had never been so rude! she didn't respond to him kissing her forehead. She crossed her arms firmly over her cheast, then noticed that Rengshi was wearing quite a thin jacket for this weather. "Gosh, Rengshi, aren't you cold? at all? sit down!" she said, voice proud.

She glanced over at Kano, a bit upset he was leaving. She wanted to ask him more about the northern water tribe history, but, oh well, she might be able to catch him later on. She still couldn't believe Rengshi's bahviour!

Rengshi felt he shouldn't really order anything, although he was hungry, Rengshi pretty much threatened their chief. And, the advice he gave him was sound, guess he could listen. Either way, Rengshi looked at Rin, "I'm not cold, though!" Rengshi tried protesting, soon being sat down by his girlfriend. Rengshi just sat down, looking around, a lot of people still giving him looks. Great... Looking for the guy he nearly flattened, Rengshi thought he should apologize. Soon finding him, Rengshi said "Hey, man, I'm sorry, it's just I lost her before and don't want to again. We cool?" Rengshi said, not holding his hand out, expecting no acceptance of his apology.

Rin rolled her eyes, and took an old fire nation winter coat from her travel bag, holding ito out to Rengshi. "Put this on before you freeze to death!" she said, then smiled weakly, lost in thought. "It was my dad's, he always wanted to come here..." She laughed lightly at an old memory. "He would always say that he wished I would marry a water tribe man, just so he had an excuse to visit!"
Her laughing faded as she cought sight of the young man named Yasu. She couldn't put her finger on it, but he looked sad? disapionted? Rin couldn't stand to see anyone unhappy, as Rengshi knew well, so she smiled warmly at the water tribe youth. "Hey, Yasu, are you alright? I'm sorry about everything..." she said, voice slightly softer than usual.