He almost spit his wine out when Jin Ho said he should open the restaurant. Nobody had ever told him it was a good idea, but that was the unfortunate side effect of not having told anyone.

"Well, I don't really cook, but when I do, it's always something I've never had before. If I could get my hands on a book of old Fire Nation recipies, I'd probably cook a lot more." As much time as he spent in Republic City, he had absolutely no idea if there was a library he could go to so he could find old recipe books. He made another mental note to check that out.

The answer to his question made perfect sense, and he did know the answer, Jin Ho's question, however, froze the blood in his veins.

What are you afraid of?

He was pretty sure that all of the color in his face had vanished. "Drowning." Yes, he was a Waterbender, yes, he could bend water, but that didn't mean anything.



In the summer of his 10th birthday, Mizu's parents decided to take a trip to a forest lake. There was a cabin by the water, and on their second day there, a young Mizu had been playing on the water's shore.

He'd never be able to tell anyone why, but he'd fallen into the lake, and all of his frantic bending attempts did nothing to get him to the surface. The only thing he'd be able to remember is blacking out underwater and waking up in the cabin, soaking wet.

[/i]

Well, I don't really cook, but when I do, it's always something I've never had before. If I could get my hands on a book of old Fire Nation recipies, I'd probably cook a lot more.

"I like to cook," said Jin Ho. "I like to eat, too. I bet you could find a cookbook in the library — I wouldn't mind being your guinea pig." He laughed a little. "I like spicy food, even though you don't. Why do you want to cook Fire Nation food?" To be fair, it was probably a good idea. Narook's had the market pretty well cornered on authentic Water Tribe food, after all.

Drowning

Jin Ho would never, not ever, deride someone else's fear... especially not with his life so gripped by his own. He smiled gently. "I won't ask you on any swimming dates then, okay?" He wound their fingers together. Mizu's face was so pale! "It's okay," Jin Ho said.

It seemed like a good time to take the other man's mind off water by mentioning his fear of vehicles. "I don't ride in satomobiles. Well, any kind of moving transport, I really... can't deal with." Jin Ho blushed a little. "I wanted to make sure you didn't ask me to take a taxi with you anywhere. I, um. I was in this accident when I was sixteen. They tell me that I almost died but I don't really remember almost dying." Did people ever remember almost dying?

Jin Ho knew because he had been told that he had been unconscious for a long time, and that Hoshi had stayed with him. The only tangible reminders he had of the experience were the now-faint scars on his neck and lower back. He had been lucky that his spine hadn't broken, that's what his mother said. Jin Ho didn't remember anything about his spine. He didn't remember a lot of things. The metalbender remembered waking up one day and Hoshi crying a lot and his dad thanking every spirit he could think of.

Clearing his throat, Jin Ho glanced at Mizu's face. "Anyway," he said, breaking the silence, "I, um. Can't get in vehicles. And I have all these nightmares. That's all."

Why do you want to cook Fire Nation food?

"Well, think about it. Before Avatar Aang, the nations were divided, so food from each one was a lot harder to come by. I guess you don't see it around Republic City because the Fire Nation was the one who started the War. I want people to be able to enjoy their food without thinking about their role in world domination, you know?" He mentally noted Jin Ho's mention of the library, and he promised himself that he would look for it the next day; after all, he had to close the bar tomorrow.

The collar on his shirt felt unreasonably tight after he told his story, but his heart stopped when Jin Ho told him what he was most afraid of. He'd seen police zeppelins flying over the city, but he imagined that a cop would necessarily have to ride in one of those things. They still needed people on the street.

He gave a nervous chuckle when Jin said that they wouldn't go on any swimming dates. "It's not that I hate swimming, I just hate being in situations like open water. And I promise, I'll never ask you to get in a satomobile."

His collar felt looser upon his admission to Jin Ho, and he smiled as he took a sip of water.

"Wait, nightmares? Of what?"

"I think it's a great idea, Mizu. You should do it. And I should sample the food you make." Jin Ho's grin was wide. It was a win/win situation! He loved Narook's but it was his understanding that Fire Nation food was a little more spicy. Maybe more like his mother's cooking at home, some times. The policeman loved spicy food.

Speaking of food — he picked up his utensils and finished eating the noodles. They had by now gone a bit cold but were still delicious, and Jin Ho wanted to make sure they were gone. The wine was disappearing a little faster than it normally would for him, but... he was still nervous.

He didn't feel any better after telling Mizu about the satomobiles. It was nice for the young man to say he wouldn't ask him to get into any vehicles, but Jin Ho knew that he probably had questions.

The policeman had thusfar narrowly avoided any mishaps at work involving vehicles and being told to use them. He'd purposefully volunteered and asked for on-foot beats and had been careful not to shine so much that they'd ask him to do anything special. On one hand, it felt like lying and selling himself short. On the other hand, he didn't know what else he could possibly do. His parents had sent him to that woman for years before, trying to stop the dreaming and the fear. But it hadn't worked. She had eventually said that Jin Ho was just too blocked.

"Wait, nightmares? Of what?"

Jin Ho looked away. Of what... how could he possibly answer this? They weren't the same all the time. Sometimes he couldn't remember them, he just woke up terrified. It was hard to explain something like that, and even the ones he could explain sounded stupid and harmless when spoken aloud. They didn't sound scary at all.

"They're... they're different. It's not the same one every time, I mean. It's just —" he shrugged. "They're stupid." And I'll feel stupid when I say it, he thought. Jin Ho's voice was very soft. The chair felt suddenly very hard to be sitting in. "Sometimes I'm stuck in the satomobile while it's burning," he said finally, "or sometimes I'm buried alive in it, or sometimes my family are the ones in the accident and I can't save them... sometimes the car is in pieces and cuts me to pieces, too. I don't know. I'm sorry, I know it sounds really... stupid."

His noodles were cold when he took another bite, laughing.

"How about this? I can make you dinner sometime, your place or mine, after I get my hands on some authentic Fire Nation ingredients." It did sound like a good idea, and his first stop would have to be the library.

He felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. Something about what Jin Ho had said resonated in him, but not in a positive way. Being trapped in a burning satomobile sounded horrible, but to have a fear of satomobiles on top of that? That would be asking too much of him. He took the last gulp of wine.

"Its not stupid." The tablecloth seemed to be suddenly interesting. "I have dreams about being out in the ocean, not able to bend. That's one of the scariest things about being a bender these days. Now people know how to render us useless." Jin Ho was in that kind of danger, too, but at least he had metal armor he could wear; Mizu had no such thing.

"Anyway, it's not stupid. I'd wonder if you were normal if you didn't have bad dreams about something awful that happened to you." He half-smiled, but his expression turned to mild shock when he saw that the oil fueling the small flame on their table was almost gone.

"Well, it's getting really late. Do you live far from here?" He sorely wished that he did.

"How about this? I can make you dinner sometime, your place or mine, after I get my hands on some authentic Fire Nation ingredients."

"That would be great," said Jin Ho, and it was obvious from the warmth in his voice that he truly meant it. He loved eating food other people cooked for him! And he considered that an invitation for at least a second date.

As Mizu reassured him that his dreams weren't stupid, the policeman smiled a little. It was nice of the man to say, but Jin Ho had a feeling that if they were to spend the night together, Mizu wouldn't appreciate being awakened by rabid screaming. And then he flushed, realizing he had just seriously entertained the idea of them spending the night together!

"I, um — thank you," stammered Jin Ho, realizing his face was hot. Darn! Thankfully, the Waterbender easily changed the subject.

"It is getting late!" Jin Ho felt just as shocked as Mizu looked. Where had the time gone? He had to go home — he had to be up in the morning to run and then start work. "I should go," he said, "because I have to work in the morning and all..."

When Mizu asked him if he lived far, Jin Ho twisted the end of his braid in his fingers. "Not that far," he said. "I mean, I'm — I'm going to walk home, obviously, so... I don't consider a lot of things far. It's about a fifteen minute walk. Maybe twenty." He wished he had the courage to ask Mizu to come home with him, but Jin Ho was too old-fashioned for that. He'd never take someone home on the first date. That was too... forward. And inappropriate.

"When can I see you again?" he asked.

Anya couldn't help but giggle a little at Riku. He did look quite the sight with noodles hanging out of his mouth. Anya gave Riku a confused look as he tried to speak with his mouth full, but it seemed that he quickly figured out that he was unintelligent and went to spit out his meal. Anya tried to stand in such a way that shielded him from the eyes the other patrons. She didn't want him to embarrass himself any more than he already had.

Anya listened sympathetically as Riku described his plight. She too was a fan of the Komodo Rhinos, though she had only seen them twice in her life. But, she still knew enough about them to recognize the acronym that Riku has made up. She had seen it herself one of the nights she managed to afford a Pro-bending ticket. "That's too bad," Anya said, "someone told me the area filled really fast tonight. It really must be a great match." After she said this, she realized that she probably wasn't helping the Waterbender's mood any. Anya fidgeted a little with the edge of her outfit, wondering if she was now imposing on Riku.

Despite her worries, Anya stood and watched as Riku began making strange hand motions over his noodles. She leaned forward a little, trying to see what he was doing. A chill of excitement ran up her spine when she realized that he was waterbending. She didn't mean to be a bother, but she now wanted very much to know more about Riku.

"I'm sorry for worrying you. I can give you my tea if it can reassure you. Green tea works that way... most of the time."

"Thank you very much," Anya said, taking the offered cup with both hands. She took a small sip, and then sat down in the seat across from Riku, careful not to upset the tea. "So, um, you're a waterbender," Anya began nervously, "are you from the Water Tribe?"

"Aiya." The mild curse slipped as a whisper between his lips. Why did good things have to end? Compared to their previous meetings, this date had gone off without a hitch, and he wanted to savor that for as long as possible.

When can I see you again?

"Well, my next day off isn't until next week, so that would probably be the next time. Unless, you know, you see me while I'm working." He chuckled and looked down at the tablecloth again, then back up at Jin Ho.

"Twenty blocks? Not too bad. I usually just take a taxi if I'm out..." He stopped when he realized that he made mention of a vehicle. "...sorry. Anyway, I don't live far, so at least I can go to bed soon."

You're rambling, Mizu. His own voice rang through his head and he cleared his throat.

"So, I guess I'll see you then?"

(Continued from Republic City Park)


Naota glanced at Anhyue, his expression skeptical. ”If you say so,” he muttered. Even if it tasted good, he was slow to trust food that came in strange hues. Of course, if he did somehow die from eating green noodles, there was the chance of receiving a life-saving kiss from the beautiful woman beside him. That alone was reason enough to eat at Narook’s. Not that he hoped for the worst…but if it should happen, at least there was a bright side.

An involuntary shiver ran through the magician as the Waterbender took his arm. Her touch was just as soft as it had been when she’d healed his arms, light and warm. He couldn’t help but grin at how fast she had taken him up on his offer. Maybe his flirtatious words had had a bigger effect than he had initially thought. This was going to be a very interesting meal, that was for certain. Nodding at Anhyue’s words, Naota took a step forward and began the walk to Narook’s.

The restaurant wasn’t as crowded as he had expected it to be, which was a blessing. The man’s stomach growled loudly as he confirmed to a waiter that he and Anhyue were not dining with others. They were shown to a dimly-lit booth in a corner and left with menus and the promise of tea soon to come. As he settled into the booth across from his new acquaintance, the man looked up to catch her eye. ”So…” he began slowly, ”What were you doing in the Marketplace before we met?” As soon as the question left his mouth he realized how stupid it was. ”I guess you were probably shopping…” he muttered, his cheeks reddening. Stupid, stupid question! Good going idiot! his brain yelled at him, somehow managing to sound like his older sister even though she—hopefully—wasn’t around to witness his shame. Naota stared at his hands on the table, avoiding Anhyue’s gaze, wishing that the ground would swallow him right then and there. Not a great start to the meal.

"Yeah," said Jin Ho. "I'll probably come by while I'm working. Just for a minute. We can choose a time. I have to work this whole week because I swapped shifts for tonight." He smiled.

The mention of the taxi didn't bother him, not really. He just didn't want to be asked to get in it or get particularly close to it. So that was fine.

Jin Ho paid for their dinner and walked out with the Waterbender. How should he say goodnight? It was traditional to kiss but Jin Ho felt that that was best reserved for after walking someone home, and they were parting ways. He settled for a quick squeeze to the other man's fingers before getting on his way.

The walk home felt shorter than usual, and he went to bed light-hearted.

((This will be continued elsewhere.))

The trek to Narook's was shorter than Anhyue had anticipated; all the better since she had to carry a heavy load of groceries with her the entire way. Even if Naota had insisted on carrying her bag himself, the actress would have turned him down. It was important, she thought, for Naota to understand that she could stand on her own two feet. Crashing into people in the middle of the market place was not a part of her daily routine. Today, however, was an exception, but an exciting one at that.

When they entered Narook's, Anhyue carefully slid her arm out of Naota's warm grasp and with the back of her hand she wiped at the beads of sweat that had collected above her tan upper lip. I should have worn a dress or something shorter, she thought as she silently followed Naota and their waiter. He showed them to a dimly-lit booth situated away from others and placed comfortably in a corner. Anhyue liked the location very much, though it seemed a bit out of the way since the restaurant was looking slightly barren. Anhyue slid her bag onto the bench first before taking her seat. The waiter then left them with a pair of menus and a promise to return with tea shortly. Anhyue thanked him crossing her legs beneath the table and watched him go. Relaxing her shoulders the actress found herself distracted by images that were all to familiar to a Water Tribe woman. The decorations on the walls and the aroma that billowed out of the kitchen gave Anhyue such a strong feeling of nostalgia that she had to smile in order to hold back tears.

Anhyue lowered her head trying to blot out the memories that were yearning to surface from her mind and as she lifted her gaze she caught sight of Naota's emerald eyes. Again she couldn't stop the quick rush of blood the sailed from her heart toward her cheeks. She was positive that the dim lighting would shield the blush from Naota's view, but unless she asked Naota the actress knew that she would never really know for sure. Thankfully, the magician began to speak and distracted Anhyue form her thoughts. She leaned forward to listen more closely then recoiled as Naota quickly spat out the answer to his own question. Anhyue giggled slightly as her eyes took note of the way Naota stared at his hands in order to avoid her gentle gaze. There was no reason for Naota to feel embarrassed, but Anhyue knew all too much about male pride, and right now she needed to say the right thing. She needed to say something that would not bruise his pride and the actress knew that she could do it.

Anhyue leaned forward in her seat and briskly pressed her hand against Naota's. When their eyes met she relaxed her spine against her seat and smiled. "That," she began, placing her hands on her lap, "was exactly what I was doing." She paused. "But," the actress continued, "I can tell you what I was shopping for." Anhyue reached into her bag and retrieved a package of the wrapped meat and bag of rice. "Groceries," she chuckled as she held them up before Naota's view. Sighing she slid the items back into her purse and continued, "I have to cook my family dinner tonight."

It was then that the waiter returned with their teas and waited for the pair to order. Anhyue didn't really have a chance to look at the menu, but she was familiar enough with the food–obviously–and ordered her bowl of noodles with sea prunes. She lifted her tea to her lips and took a small sip as she waited for the waiter to take Naota's order. Once the waiter was out of earshot Anhyue lowered the cup back onto the wooden table and turned her attention to Naota. She swallowed then asked, "So, do you have any siblings?"

The giggle did not help his fragile self-esteem. His hands, which had before been merely something to look at to avoid Anhyue’s gaze, were now elevated to the most important spectacles his eyes had ever beheld. It was hard to be his usual cheerful, flirtatious self when he was being laughed at, even if there was no malicious intent behind the giggle. It was obvious that he had made a fool of himself, but that didn’t mean that she had to laugh at him. The Waterbender was just being cruel.

As hard as he was trying to avoid the woman’s gaze, the magician was forced to look up when their hands touched, his eyes displaying his shock at the sudden contact. He hadn’t been expecting that, and it caught him off-guard—which, he realized, was probably the point. She confirmed that he had answered his own question, which just made him feel worse about the whole thing. It was strange. Not too long ago he’d been performing a card trick and flirting, his normal self. Now, he’d be lucky if he could manage to get one word out. He nodded slightly in response to Anhyue’s display of her groceries, happily turning his attention away from the wreck of a conversation when the waiter returned with tea.

But the ordering of food was only a momentary distraction. It took but a few seconds to ask for a bowl of plain noodles, and then the waiter vanished again. Naota slowly turned his eyes back to Anhyue, waiting for his next opportunity to be an idiot. Luckily for him, the woman asked a question to which he couldn’t possibly give a stupid answer. That was a little encouraging, and he attempted to smile a little as he answered.

”Yeah, I have an older sister, Amaya. She works at City Hall. My parents probably think she’s the good kid—being a magician doesn’t pay very much—but I just think she’s kinda boring. I’d rather do what I do than shuffle papers around.” He was feeling much better now. He was used to teasing his sister about her job, even though she was the one who helped him out when money was scarce. He knew he should probably get a “real job,” and Amaya had said that she could find him work in City Hall with her, but his pride in his magical skill wouldn’t allow him to settle for the dull stuff that everyone else did. Maybe one day he’d settle into a more stable career, but for now he’d stick with what he loved, even if it wasn’t very lucrative.

Anhyue sensed a shift in his mood the second her question left her lips. It wasn't a great shift, but it was noticeable enough that it did not slip through the cracks of her attention. She saw it in the corners of his mouth as they pulled away slowly to form a small smile. The actress smiled in return and listened as the magician spoke of his older sister Amaya. She seemed like a sensible young woman; responsible, perhaps the favorite, and made busy due to her work at City Hall. Amaya sounded like the kind of woman Anhyue's parents hoped she'd eventually transform into, but with her choices as of late that wasn't going to be the case. Anhyue wasn't going to have a stable career. No organizing paperwork or filing cabinets. Just her voice, her body, and the stage, and maybe also a lack of pay. But that was a sacrifice the dark haired woman was willing to make.

"I know what you mean. My parents put a lot of pressure on me. They don't mean to half of the time, but they do."

Uncrossing her legs Anhyue shuffled around in her seat before continuing. "Being the oldest isn't easy. I just really want to set a good example for my siblings. My parents have tried to find me sensible work, like what your sister does, but it just doesn't work for me. I can't see myself stuck in an office all day, or working at the hospital with my mother. I settled for a waitressing job, because at least I'm up on my feet helping people. It's..."

She paused, taking a moment to catch her breath. "I'm sorry," she continued. "Sometimes I can't control how fast I talk." Anhyue lifted her hands from her lap and crossed her arms on top of the table. She allowed herself a few seconds of silence to collect her thoughts. Focusing on the shadows that were painted across Naota's face the actress noticed how they hid the scar on his right cheek and made his jawline stronger, much more distinguishable. It caught her off guard, so she shut her eyes tightly to clear her head. For some strange reason she felt dizzy, but she knew that the noddles would fix that. Opening her eyes she smiled at Naota before finishing her sentence. "It's just tough. But that's what I get for wanting to become an actress."

So Anhyue was under some pressure too. They had that in common. As the Waterbender explained her resistance to her parents’ wishes, Naota found himself nodding. He knew exactly what she meant. It was a little different for him, though, since he didn’t have younger siblings who were watching and imitating what he did. On the other hand, being the younger child wasn’t exactly easy either. His parents seemed supportive of his choices on the surface, but he got a glimpse of their true feelings whenever he visited and Amaya became the topic of conversation. Every sentence his parents spoke about his sister was filled with praise, but he also heard something else: an edge of disappointed expectations for him. His mother would tell him that Amaya had gotten raise at her job, and he’d complete the thought in his head. Why can’t you be more like that, more like her? The words were never spoken, but they lay under the surface, silently accusing him and begging him to be more “normal.” Maybe that was why he didn’t go home that often.

Anhyue’s apology was entirely unnecessary, and the magician told her as much. ”It’s fine,” he laughed. The woman didn’t seem to be speaking that fast to him. He’d met vendors who spoke much more quickly than she did…and were a lot harder to understand as well. Maybe she was just self-conscious about the speed of her speech. Whatever the case was, he wouldn’t worry about it, and hopefully she wouldn’t either.

Naota noticed with some concern how Anhyue closed her eyes for a moment before she resumed speaking. That worried him. Was there something wrong? Frowning, he met her eyes with his own. ”You okay?” he probed gently. He wouldn’t push the issue if she wanted to just dismiss his concern, but he hoped she wouldn’t choose that option if there was truly something plaguing her. She had healed him; the least he could do was look out for her wellbeing in return.

Her spine stiffened as Naota's smile inverted. Did she say or do something wrong? Overcome with worry Anhyue scrunched her brow and searched her mind for the thing that had caused Naota to frown, until the magician asked if she was okay. A light bulb when off in her head once the actress realized that Naota had frowned out of concern for her. Taken aback by the gesture Anhyue simply nodded her head and smiled. "Oh I'm fine," she replied, raising one of her hands off of the table for good measure. "It's funny. I usually don't talk much, but when I do I can't seem to stop." She shut her eyes again as a wave of dizziness clouded her sight. "I do," she added raising a few fingers to her right temple, "feel a little dizzy. Maybe it's from the fall I took earlier. It wasn't so bad in the park...I don't know." Reaching for her tea she grasped it with her free hand and placed the porcelain cup to her lips. The liquid soothed the pain in her head and helped clear up her vision.

"Maybe I'm just hungry." Secretly, Anhyue prayed that the waiter would return. Was prompt service too much to ask for? She needed to get something in her system before it shut down. Whether it was the fall, or just hunger that was making her dizzy she couldn't care less. She just needed to stay awake and remain operational in order to pick her siblings up from school. The last thing she wanted was to faint right in front of someone she had just met. More small talk, her brain urged in an attempt to distract her from the wooziness. Anhyue fidgeted with the ring on her finger while she fished around her mind for topics. Finally something came to her. It was pretty pathetic, but a conversation starter none the less.

"Did you grow up here? In Republic City I mean."

Anhyue responded positively, but Naota wasn’t convinced. From where he was sitting, she looked a little less than fine, and that worried him. Then she confirmed that she was feeling a little dizzy, and his frown deepened. ”That’s not good.” Oooh, brilliant! his brain mocked him. Dizzy spells are ‘not good.’ No, they’re great! Idiot. Wincing at his own failing, the magician tried again. ”Do you want to leave? We can go get some medicine or something like that.”

Not much better, but Anhyue suggested that her weakness might just be from hunger, and so he was saved from continuing to showcase his complete lack of medical knowledge. He nodded, but resolved to keep a close eye on his new acquaintance. He didn’t think she would suddenly faint at the table, but couldn’t be too sure. That would definitely but a damper on this little outing, and he didn’t know any magic tricks that would revive an unconscious person. Might want to learn one of those, just in case.

The Waterbender still wasn’t looking fantastic, but when she changed the subject he let it go. He hated being pestered when he wasn’t his best, and was sure that she was the same way. He was just about to open his mouth to answer the query when their waiter arrived with their food, setting large bowls in front of the diners. As the man walked away, Naota looked down at his noodles, his expression a little skeptical. He’d had them before, and knew they were good, but in the dim lighting of the booth their green hue looked stranger than usual. To save himself from having to start eating immediately, he decided that he’d answer Anhyue’s question first.

”Yeah, I was born here and grew up here. I’ve never actually left the city.” When he actually said that out loud, it sounded pathetic, but the magician just shrugged. ”I’d like to see more of the world, I’ve just never had a reason to leave, I guess.” Giving his meal one more dubious glance, he turned the question back onto the woman. ”What about you?”

It really was a pathetic question, but she needed to ask it to help fight off the dizzy spell and illustrate to Naota that she was going to be fine. People on the brink of fainting don’t waste time to ask conversation starter questions. They either faint, or tell whoever they’re with that they are going to faint. It’s as simple as that. Even if she wanted to faint right now the actress would not allow her body to do so. Anhyue understood that she had no say in bodily matters, but she would fight her body to the end. Why is it so hard for me to leave a good impression? her mind whined. Let’s just be normal for a day, okay body? Please.

She sat quietly anticipating his response. Naota seemed like the kind of person who would do a lot of traveling, especially since he was a magician. Constantly looking for new customers, gaining the attention of crowds, traveling definitely fit his job description. Anhyue’s travels on the other hand were never for the joy of just traveling, exploring the world and uncovering its mysteries. All she did was move from one land mass to the next as a result of her father delaying their move to Republic City. Not very adventurous. Anhyue noticed that the magician was about to speak, so she leaned forward on her elbows eager to listen to what he had to say. That was until she noticed the waiter out of the corner of her eye. She licked her tan lips as the bowl of seaweed noodles and sea prunes was set down in between her arms. Nodding her thanks to the waiter she pealed apart the chopsticks that the waiter had also set down on the table before he left and with a ravenous twinkle in her eyes she launched the utensil into her food and went to town.

After a few mouthfuls she realized that Naota hadn’t taken a single bite. Look at how you’re eating! You’ve probably made him lose his appetite, her mind scolded. Her self consciousness, which challenged to overtake her entire being slowly ebbed away as Naota parted his lips to speak. Her brow knitted at his answer. “Really?” she asked. “You seemed like an immigrant to me. Immigrant into the city I mean.” Wow I really messed that one up. Blushing she tried to save herself with her next sentence. “To explore is reason enough. And I think it’s a great one.” Satisfied with her response the actress wasted no time in slurping up another mouthful of noodles. Naota then directed her question back at her and with a smile she placed her chopsticks against the rim of her bowl and wiped at her mouth with a napkin.

“I was born in the Northern Water Tribe. Then my family moved to Omashu when I was seven. We stayed there for a few years before finally ending up here in the city. My father’s business adventure is what delayed our direct move from the North Pole to Republic City.”