Two weeks ago, Mizu Katashi had been a completely different person. Two weeks ago, he'd been a mere bartender, swimming along with countless others in the sea of routine that buried most of the City; now...

One almost wouldn't have been able to recognize him if one didn't already know who he was; a blood red suit with a black shirt gave him the air of someone who had more money than he did, and a hooded cloak the same color as his suit rounded it out. In contrast to the finery of his clothing, he wore a simple black eye mask adorned with swirling tendrils of gold paint to hide his identity.

He was currently a guest at a party that was gently floating along the waters of Republic Bay on the lantern-lit deck of a ferry, and everyone else there was someone he knew from somewhere or another. The real focus of the party, however, was the elderly man sitting at a table in the center of the deck. Mizu's cloak swished as he made his way to Mr. Chien, and the man's face lit up when the Waterbender approached.

"It's time."

Mizu licked his lips as Mr. Chien tapped a spoon on the glass at the place sitting by him, and everyone went quiet, turning their focus on the old man.

The bar owner got up and looked around. "I'd like to thank you all for coming. I know you thought I'd be running the Serpent's Head for the rest of my life, but I've decided to spend the rest of my days with my family." Murmers and a smattering of applause went through the crowd. "Now, some of you may be wondering what will happen to the bar. I've decided to give it to a man who has been like a son to me for the last two years. The Serpent's Head is now owned by Mizu Katashi."

They looked at each other, knowing smiles lighting up their faces. This may have been the first time that any of the others had heard the news, but Mizu had known for a week. Part of him had objected, but he felt like it was the least he could have done for a man who had been more of a father to him than his own. The whole thing was made more amusing by the fact that Jiro hadn't pointed him out of the other guests.

It would mean that Jin Ho, if he'd accepted the invitation, wouldn't know which costumed guest was him.

He cracked a grin; he'd sent the policeman an invitation to the party, along with instructions to not reveal himself, as the former bartender wouldn't be. It seemed exciting...and romantic. It seemed right up Jin Ho's alley. Speaking of the cop...

The Waterbender looked around, trying to see if he could pick the other man out of the group.

[Tag: Art Vandals]

*Fire Nation Trade Docks*


The darkness around Jing was quite intimidating. No matter how hard he tried to think of a time when he had had to do anything along these lines, he couldn’t. It was quite invigorating to run through the darkness, lurking about silently, and doing covert work for what would likely be considered a criminal organization in some circles. Jing carried a large, brown cardboard box with him and was wearing the outfit of a messenger. Did he acknowledge the fact that a messenger would not likely be out at this hour? No. But it still was way less suspicious than a man wearing bright green clothes and carrying such a box at night. Besides that, he wouldn’t be wearing that for long. Within the box were the disguises for their group.

The stylistic choices Jing made were minimal, seeing as the clothes wouldn’t be clean for very long: simple black shirts with tight, black pants. Knowing that people would not want to ruin whatever shoes were theirs, Jing also packed several pairs of black, knee-high, lace-up boots for the gang. And, as would be expected of a group that yearns for a return to art and, in some forms, tradition, each mask that Jing brought was a depiction of a different animal, done in traditional painting styles. Jing’s mask was of a badgermole, since they were the original Earthbenders. He hoped that Kim wouldn’t mind, since she was also an Earthbender and would appreciate the symbolism and meaning being as well. Just in case she wanted, Jing packed an extra mask for her of the same animal. Once everyone met up with him, they would decide which they wanted.

They would all have to quickly either change or put their disguises over top of what they were wearing. The box Jing was carrying was putting a large strain on his arms, and, in the struggle to make it to the agreed upon destination, his knees were beginning to buckle. Fortunately, his travels would soon be over. In the distance, there was a figure in brown, from what Jing could tell. Of course that is how Kim said she’d be dressed, but Jing couldn’t be too careful. In an attempt to ensure the figure’s identity, Jing called out as quietly as he could, so as not to shout, the word “Vandals!”. If it was Kim or Kesshou, surely they’d return with “Art!”, if not, the figure would most likely run away or ignore him. The distance between the two was not very far, ten meters or so, and Jing now stood parallel to the tracks, on the opposite side of the figure. Hopefully this was one of his comrades, because he was growing tired of lugging around the box and wanted to start painting the town art.

On the inside, Jing was quite excited. He couldn’t wait to see how the town reacted to their actions tonight. For one, it could go really badly and seen as true vandalism, which is a crime. Or, as they all hoped, it would go really well and their efforts would be appreciated by the citizens of Republic City. If the latter were to become true, the group’s movement might catch on and they could get larger numbers. A larger group would mean greater and more massive projects, which, in turn, would have made their mission statement come to pass. There would be a collective adoration of the arts and traditions the world been celebrating for many years prior. But, for right now, their small group was all they needed.

Ferry, Yue Bay

[tag: Mizu-ssi][/center]

It had been two weeks since Jin Ho lost his best friend, Sweeper. After a full day off, he'd thrown himself into work, even picking up a couple of extra shifts. He hoped that Mizu understood, but he was honestly not sure what the status of their relationship even was. Did they have a relationship? Were they... dating? He didn't know how to refer to the Waterbender. They hadn't discussed it.

Mizu had invited him to a party given due to his boss's retirement. Jin Ho had gingerly accepted, but his excitement flowered when he was told it was a costume party. How exciting! He'd spent a few days trying to decide how to dress up and fussing about in costume stores before he'd run across the perfect costume: the Blue Spirit. The clothing required was all black, and he'd been able to get most of it out of his own closet. The mask had cost a little more than he'd wanted, but Jin Ho had decided it was worth it. After all, he could always use it again, right?

The boat in Republic Bay was very impressive. Jin Ho realized as he arrived that he and Mizu hadn't discussed what they were wearing. Did the other man intend for them to search for each other? The idea seemed charming and romantic, and Jin Ho shivered a little, checking to make sure his braid was tucked inside his all-black ensemble. He didn't want it to give him away. There were quite a few people at the party, and as he made rounds on the boat, Jin Ho realize it might be very difficult to locate his... whatever Mizu was... in such a crowd of masked people.

That made it even more exciting.

He stood near the back edges of the crowd as the elderly gentleman at a middle table gently tapped a glass. It seemed that there would be an announcement.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming. I know you thought I'd be running the Serpent's Head for the rest of my life, but I've decided to spend the rest of my days with my family... The Serpent's Head is now owned by Mizu Katashi."

Jin Ho gasped behind his Blue Spirit mask. Mizu would own the bar? That was wonderful! It was a great opportunity for him. The policeman hoped that the Waterbender would be pleased with such an announcement, though it did give him personally a little pause. They'd spoken before of Mizu's dream of opening a restaurant. Would he still be able to pursue that dream if he owned a bar? He waited for the man to point to a guest, signalling who would be inheriting... but that moment never came.

Grinning behind his angry blue mask, Jin Ho let his eyes rove over the crowd. Which one would he be?

The Waterbender's hand rested lightly on the deck rail as he surveyed the crowd. Which guest was the one he'd invited? There had to be some way to tell him apart...

He felt a disturbance behind him.

"How do you feel now that it's been announced?"

A smile flitted across Mizu's lips, and he kept looking across the deck. "Now that everyone knows I own the bar? Pretty good, I suppose."

"Do you know what you're going to do with it?"

"I think so, but I don't want you to know. It seems disrespectful."

He felt the older man move a step closer. "Now, you weren't planning on selling it, were you?"

Mizu shook his head. "I think I'd like to turn it into a restaurant that serves Fire Nation Cuisine?"

"But what of the regulars?"

"There would be a small bar in it, I guess, but I don't want to hang around that kind of people anymore."

Jiro chuckled. "Fair enough, and it is yours to do with as you wish."

"I think I have to go look for someone. Excuse me." He took a few steps forward, looking at the people around him. Most people hadn't put a lot of effort into their costumes, but he had a feeling that Jin Ho would have, just as he had. Now what would the cop have chosen?

He made his way over to a table laden with food and a bowl of punch; he used an elegant glass ladle to put some of the red liquid in a cup. A familiar scent assaulted his nostrils when he went to take a drink, and he let out a sigh as he set the cup down. It figured.

His eyes went around the deck one more time and he paused to take a fire lily out of a vase on one of the tables. His boss had had them imported just for the occasion, and he hoped it would make a bold enough statement about the person carrying it...or, at least, about what that person was wearing.

With a smile on his face, he started navigating the crowd and, when he was in the center of the throng, he dropped the lily, hoping that nothing would happen to it before it got to its intended recipient.

Ferry, Yue Bay

[tag: Mizu][/center]

A bold red suit caught his eye, and gingerly, Jin Ho followed the figure, watching. The punch was spiked, he'd already checked, and he stifled a laugh as the person put their cup down. As they plucked a fire lily from the display and walked away, the policeman frowned. Maybe he'd been mistaken. It was hard to tell body type in a cloak like that — he hadn't been able to look closely enough. The young man lost sight of the red figure for a moment, and when he began to look, he found only the fire lily on the floor.

It had to be Mizu, right? Or were there other people here playing the same game? It stood to reason there would be, but...

Picking up the lily, Jin Ho went in hunt for the red figure. When he found the person by a railing, looking out at the water, he grinned. Creeping up, the metalbender took his time to try and survey. Seemed about the right height, weight... but when he got to the jawline, he knew immediately.

Sliding his arms around the red cloaked figure from behind, he laughed. "You really should have chosen a full-face mask if you wanted this to take longer," Jin Ho said. "I'm too familiar with your mouth." He blushed as soon as he realize how very provocative those words sounded; he hadn't initially meant it that way.

Not that it wasn't true.

The air around him seemed to shift and the hairs on the back of the Waterbender's neck stood up when he felt someone approach him. He could recall his tutor teaching him that a Waterbending Master could hone in on the feel of a person's chi (no two were alike), but it was a shame Mizu had never gotten to that point; otherwise, he might have been able to tell who it was that was behind him.

He tensed when someone wrapped their arms around his torso, but he settled when he realized who it was.

You really should have chosen a full-face mask if you wanted this to take longer. I'm too familiar with your mouth.

A grin lit his lips as his new...boyfriend? Guy he was dating?...spoke, and he rested his hands on the Metalbender's.

"Come on, it's not like I didn't want you to find me. I'd be bored if we couldn't spend any time together."

He let out a sigh as he looked out over the bay, the city gleaming in the distance. Out here, out on the boat, his problems seemed to be far away; that way, he might actually be able to enjoy the party, and he was most certainly doing so since Jin Ho showed up.

"Thanks for coming. I wanted to tell you about the bar, but...I dunno. I guess I don't want to make a big deal of it." He turned around within the confines of the cop's arms. "I...I've decided to turn it into a restaurant. I just need to keep the bar open while I save up the money to convert it." He recalled mentioning wanting to open up a restaurant a while ago, and Jin Ho seemed keen to the idea, especially since it was something you didn't see restaurants like the one he wanted to open.

"I wanted to talk to you about my parents. Have you been able to find anything?"

OOC: Changed the title location to "Yue" Bay in your posts, since that is the canon name. :]

—

As far as fancy-dress parties went, this wasn't bad. That said, it was pretty much exactly the last place she wanted to be, but Jin Ho had invited her — how could she refuse, especially when he looked at her with such happy, excited eyes? So with a smile on her face she bought a costume. It wasn't anything fancy; she had purchased a white-and-red, sequin-and-feather eye mask, and a red, sequinned, beaded dress. She spent the last two days hand-dying her heeled shoes, using coat after coat after coat of red dye, then polishing them until they shone. She also made some white-feathered earrings and barrettes. She wore the slightest hint of rouge on her cheekbones, and her lips were painted a deep red.

If anyone asked, she was a raven-eagle, but really, she just thought it looked pretty.

The Bay was a little chilly, and Hoshi pulled her white woollen shawl around her a little tighter; maybe she should have bought a cloak, like so many of the attendees seemed to have done.

She stood a little awkwardly next to Jin Ho, taking care not to seem as if they were there on a 'date'. Jin Ho was attending for Mizu, and Hoshi did not want to seem as if she were purposefully getting in their way — especially not after the last words she had said to Mizu.

Though to be honest, she wasn't entirely sure that her talk with him had done any good. Jin Ho's beloved Sweeper had died a couple of weeks ago, and he had come to her in agony, distraught over the loss of his most constant companion... and the fact that Mizu barely seemed to care. She made him some calming tea as he told her how he had a full nightmare the night Sweeper died. She had nodded, understanding; the dog had always been able to sense, somehow, if a nightmare was eminent and would wake Jin Ho up. Without him, Jin Ho would have had a nightmare in full-force.

Her eyes widened as he managed to mention that Mizu had been spending the night --thankfully, she managed to hold her tongue-- and she tutted disapprovingly when Jin Ho made no mention of Mizu waking him up. She knew Jin Ho's nightmares were often violent, and unless Mizu was an impossibly heavy sleeper, he chose not to wake Jin Ho. She gritted her teeth as she hugged her friend, her love, and soothed him wordlessly.

The weeks had passed, and Jin Ho made little mention of Sweeper (understandably), or Mizu, throwing himself into his work. She had seen little of him herself, only managing a few quick phone calls to touch base, until tonight. Mizu had apparently invited him to this party - a retirement party, apparently - and Jin Ho in turn had invited her.

Feeling a little out of place, Hoshi clapped politely as someone — presumably Mizu's boss — announced that Mizu would be taking over a place called The Serpent's Head. She had heard of it, in passing: a bar, if she recalled correctly. She glanced around, noting that Mizu hadn't been singled out. She heard Jin Ho gasp happily next to her, and a small smile crossed her lips.

Suddenly, Jin Ho moved away, following someone in red. She froze; should she follow? She decided against it; it would be an intimate moment for them, at least at first. Hoshi felt sure that when he was ready, Jin Ho would introduce them.

She hadn't had an opportunity to tell him they'd already met, but she doubted the metalbender would be angry. It hadn't been for very long, and she had been working. If Mizu decided to tell him their conversation — would he? Hoshi didn't think so — Jin Ho would forgive her. She was only looking out for him, after all, and trying to help ensure his happiness.

Ferry, Yue Bay

[tag: Mizu, Kami, etc][/center]

Jin Ho raised an eyebrow at Mizu's sigh. This was supposed to be a fun and romantic night! They were at a party! Shouldn't they enjoy it? Then Mizu started talking about turning the bar into a restaurant, and Jin Ho smiled brilliantly.
"That's great!" he said, looking very happy. "I was hoping you'd do something like that. I think you'll really enjoy it." He shrugged off Mizu's not telling him. It made no difference — the man would have told him eventually. It wasn't a big deal.

"I wanted to talk to you about my parents. Have you been able to find anything?"

In a tone that brooked no argument, Jin Ho shut that topic of conversation down. "Tonight's supposed to be relaxing," he said. "We're celebrating a retirement and an inheritance. Let's not talk about problems or worries, okay? I want to enjoy this time with you." The young man smiled. "Okay? And besides, I brought someone I wanted to introduce you to!" Since he and Mizu had been seeing each other for a few weeks now, Jin Ho felt obligated to introduce him to Hoshi. She'd already heard plenty about the Waterbender from him anyway, and he desperately wanted them to be friends.

Pressing a kiss to Mizu's cheek, he tugged on the man's hand. "C'mon," he said. Leading the way, Jin Ho walked back across and around the yacht to reach Hoshi, who was still standing where he'd left her. He couldn't wait! Hoshi looked beautiful in her costume, the dress shiny and bright. Even though Jin Ho didn't have much romantic interest in women, he had to admit that Hoshi had the body for such an eye-catching dress. She looked beautiful, and he'd already told her so at least twice. As the two men walked up, the Metalbender noted with internal pleasure that they were both in red, while he was in black and blue.

"Hoshi!" he cried, waving. "Sorry! I had to — anyway, I wanted you to meet Mizu!" Still smiling brightly, Jin Ho turned to his... whatever Mizu was. "Mizu, this is Hoshi, my person." Still holding Mizu's hand with one of his, Jin Ho reached the other out and grasped Hoshi's hand. "I always felt that the greatest relief and comfort of friendship was that you never have to explain anything. I can't imagine my life without Hoshi, so I wanted you guys to meet each other." Meeting Hoshi was almost more important than meeting his parents!

The Waterbender's boyfriend(the word sounded better as the night went on)'s smile made him break out in one as well. "I'm sorry you had to wait 'til now to find out, but Mr. Chien swore me to secrecy. He wanted to make sure the transition went as smoothly as possible." Oh, how he'd wanted to tell Jin Ho every time he'd called in the last week that he'd gotten ownership of the bar; it had pained him not to, especially since the calls weren't as frequent as they'd been the week prior. Jiro had him working on knowing the ins and outs of how the bar ran, as well as shadowing some of his boss' associates in the food service industry to see what he needed to know to run a restaurant. After a week of intensive training, he felt completely ready to make his dream a reality.

He smiled when Jin Ho suggested that they take their mind off of everything that plagued them back on the mainland. "You're right. I'm glad you can take my mind off of my problems." He planted a soft kiss on his lover's lips.

I brought someone I wanted to introduce you to!

Had his blood been water, his veins would be frozen solid when he realized just who that someone was. It couldn't be anyone else.

C'mon!

Mizu allowed himself to be led to the one person in the world he'd have preferred not to, but he swallowed a lump in his throat as they approached the striking woman.

He had no idea what she was dressed as, but the woman standing before him was not the woman he remembered meeting at her mother's tea shop. Yes, she'd given off a faint aura of grace and smarts, but tonight, she radiated it.

"Lovely to meet you." His forearm went across his abdomen and he used it as a joint to bow. When he stood up straight, his eyes caught hers and silently added the word again. He swallowed a lump in his throat, stunned that Jin Ho didn't know that.

"We've, uh, already met. She..." Oh, the things he could have said. She barely seemed to want to tolerate his presence that day, let alone think about him being with the man she was probably still in love with. ",,,gave me some very good advice." He looked her dead in the eye now. "Thank you."

As Mizu apologized again for not telling, Jin Ho waved it off. "It's fine, it's fine," he said. "Don't worry about it, really. It's not a big deal." The kiss was light because they were in public. Personally, Jin Ho couldn't wait to go home later and celebrate privately. He wondered if Mizu was thinking the same thing...

To his dismay, Mizu and Hoshi didn't seem too delighted to meet each other. He almost asked what was wrong, but then the Waterbender spilled the beans.

"We've, uh, already met. She... gave me some very good advice."

"B-but you never said anything," said Jin Ho, looking between them, clearly surprised. How disappointing! "Aissh." He dropped both their hands, mock-glaring. The joy of the introduction was all gone now! He supposed it was nice they had already met, but he couldn't believe that neither of them had said a word in regards to the meeting.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, sweetheart... Mizu came into the shop a couple of weeks ago during the mid-morning rush and we exchanged a few words during his order."

"You still should have told me!" the officer protested, clearly feeling a little left out. But, she was right. He'd been busy and so had she — work did that to adults.

"Do they have something to drink that isn't alcohol?"

Jin Ho glanced at the punch. "Is it alcohol?" he asked. He hadn't personally tried anything yet, but he would be disappointed if there wasn't anything alcohol-free to imbibe. Ah, well. Maybe they could have dinner and tea afterwards. That would be so nice. He was dying to know the details about their meeting, and he'd just kill to know what Hoshi had said to him. She could be a fierce lady, and he could just imagine how the meeting had gone. "I'm sure we can find something." He hoped to dance with both of them before the night was out. Jin Ho liked dancing with Hoshi, but he didn't know if Mizu really liked to dance or not.

Some people didn't. Looking around, the police officer tried to locate any other signs of beverage besides the small bar and punch bowl. So far, no good.

The Waterbender smiled when Hoshi held out her hand; he knew enough about etiquette to know what to do. He rested his hand underneath hers and bent down, placing a chaste kiss on the top of her glove. This evening was turning out exactly as he'd hoped it would so far.

"Thank you. I was as surprised as anybody when I found out." Honestly, he'd have never expected in a thousand years to be running a business after just over a quarter century of life, but Mr. Chien seemed to have a different idea. He'd been molding the Waterbender all along, giving him more and more responsibility until he was basically running the bar on his own. He shook his head slightly, sifting those thoughts away. He was here to enjoy the party, wasn't he?

He looked around when Hoshi asked about non-alcoholic beverages. "I don't think there's anything here. Someone spiked the punch, and we only have the bar..." He let out a harumph through his nostrils. Could they possibly not have run into this snafu?

He snapped his fingers when he got an idea. "I'll be right back. Excuse me." With an incline of his head, he crossed the deck and found his (former) boss. "It seems like there's nothing good to drink on the boat. Would you mind if my friends and I--"

The elder man held up a hand. "Go ahead. None of these people are your friends, anyway." Jiro's eyes twinkled as he looked at the younger man.

Mizu smiled. "Thank you." With those words, he turned around and walked back to the pair he'd left minutes ago. Though he knew his boss (it sounded odd not to say it) would definitely say yes, he didn't want to assume. "This party's going to be going on for a while, and...I'm no longer needed here. What do you say to us going somewhere for food and tea? It'd probably be more interesting than this boat." If he was only passing acquaintances with anyone on the ferry, then he could only imagine how awkward it would have been for Jin Ho and Hoshi, since they basically knew no one.

Ferry, Yue Bay

[tag: Mizu, Kami, etc.][/center]

As Hoshi joked that if he'd come over, she would have told him the policeman frowned. "But I was working," he protested, "you know I've been working a lot. That's hardly fair, Hoshi!" Ever since the announcement by Amon, headquarters had been busy and bustling and Jin Ho had felt the need to be much more vigilant on patrol. If it were possible, he was taking his job even more seriously. Despite Tarrlok's task force and the help of the Avatar, Jin Ho had a deep feeling that it was still the responsibility of the police — his personal responsibility — to ensure the safety of the public, and order in Republic City. He'd volunteered for extra shifts, feeling that he was doing what was right.

When Mizu stepped off for a moment, Jin Ho stared at his friend. "How could you not tell me?!" he asked again, clearly a little upset. "I wanted to introduce you!" As Hoshi apologized and promised to discuss it with her properly, Jin Ho sighed. He could never stay upset with her for long, anyway. He just didn't have it in him. And she looked so pretty in her dress that he didn't have the heart to say anything else. When Mizu returned, the metalbender smiled.

What do you say to us going somewhere for food and tea? It'd probably be more interesting than this boat.

Truthfully, Jin Ho had been looking forward to dancing with both of them. Mizu's idea of leaving the boat to have dinner seemed less exciting, and he was a little disappointed. They hadn't even been there very long! "I was hoping," he said, "to dance tonight, though. With both of you, if possible. I suppose we can leave if you want to, but I thought it would be fun..."

"I hear there is a jazz club called Lemurland. It's a bit run-down, but I hear it gives good music."

What a perfect solution! Jin Ho loved jazz anyway, and dancing, and Lemurland. He'd been there before and found it fun. "Let's go there!" he said, enthusiastically. "We can still dance, but we'll be off this boat." And the only ones in costume, which was fun. Jin Ho grinned. "We can grab dinner somewhere first, if you want?"

The Waterbender smiled when Hoshi suggested Lemurland. That particular bar/club was in the District, and he'd heard good things about it; perhaps the biggest attraction it had for Mizu was jazz music. Though his parents preferred more "traditional" music, he'd found himself in love with the musical trend. So many interesting sounds, so many interesting instruments...

"That sounds great." He cast his gaze across the water and saw land more than a comfortable distance away. "Looks like we're taking a lifeboat, unless you want to chance an ice raft." People who weren't Waterbenders didn't usually do too well on boats made of ice and, since he assumed that neither of them would want to get their nice shoes frozen, he figured he'd offer the lifeboat.

A chill started to creep through his cloak, and he froze when he remembered that that feeling, that hair-raising, skin crawling, heart-stopping feeling, was one he'd felt only once before: when the man named "Amon" had spoken to ALL of Republic City and stated his manifesto. Suddenly, it was dangerous to be the kind of person he was now, and before the bar had closed the day prior to the party, the patrons had started expressing anti-bender sentiments, even though they knew the man, the bartender, who had given quite a few of them the bum's rush, was "one of them." It wasn't like Mizu had asked to be a Waterbender.

Swallowing the lump in his throat brought him back to the present. "So, shall we? I know a place we can go for dinner, and it's only a few blocks away from the harbor. Serves Fire Nation cuisine, so speak now if you don't like spicy food."

OOC: Some slight NPCing, since I'm not going to wait another round of posts for them to get on a boat and back to the harbour.

————————

Hoshi inclined her head, a pretty gesture. She was determined to stay as civil, pleasant, and graceful as she possibly could tonight. She found leaving the party was a little rude, but as she had no stake in whether or not they stayed she kept silent.

Mizu offered two choices: a normal life boat, or a raft made out of ice. Hoshi's experience with waterbending was minimal. An ice raft sounded interesting, but a little impractical. "Lifeboat, please." It would have to be an experience for another time, since she was dubious at best about trying something potentially dangerous, on the ocean, at night.

"Spicy food is fine," Hoshi said with a close-lipped smile. Hoshi wasn't a huge fan of Fire Nation cuisine, but it wasn't the worst she'd ever had. Jin Ho liked his jjigae spicy, so she had grown accustomed to heat. She wondered why they couldn't just eat at Lemurland. It was her understanding the clubs often served food in addition to their entertainment, so stopping elsewhere seemed like a bit of a waste of time. Maybe this restaurant was very good; she'd give Mizu the benefit of the doubt.

The short earthbender looked to Jin Ho, wondering what he thought of the situation. She felt like a third wheel, preventing the two of them from bonding. But Jin Ho seemed more upset that they had already met, rather than by her presence, so Hoshi had to presume he wanted her along. Hoshi made a small note to herself to try and find a friend outside of Jin Ho. Maybe even one that liked probending as much as she did.

Arranging the woollen shawl more comfortably around her shoulders, Hoshi made her way to the life boats, smiling prettily at a party guest who helped her inside. She waited for Mizu and Jin Ho to join her, and remained silent for the trip back to shore.

Once they managed to extract themselves from the small craft, Hoshi looked at her surroundings with interest. "Which way?"

Ferry, Yue Bay, and Onto the Streets

[tag: Mizu, Kami][/center]

Jin Ho was confused as to why Mizu would even suggest an ice raft — hadn't the man told him his worst fear was drowning? He'd been concerned about the Waterbender's reaction to being on a large boat in the bay at all, much left taking an ice raft. Feeling perplexed, he waved a hand as if to push the suggestion away. "No need to put yourself out on our accounts," he said quickly. "I know you're not fond of open water." He didn't want Mizu to start off his relaxation with a terrifying event. To be honest, the idea of an ice raft didn't sound too appealing to Jin Ho, either.

"Serves Fire Nation cuisine, so speak now if you don't like spicy food."

Trying to put pieces together in his head, the policeman felt even more confused. Mizu had professed not liking spicy food previously! Was he trying to impress Hoshi, knowing how important she was to Jin Ho? He had a sneaking suspicion their first meeting hadn't gone as swimmingly as he'd hoped this one would. Hoshi was acting a bit more cold than her usual self, and Jin Ho had not failed to notice the tight-lipped edges to her smile. Didn't she like Mizu? "We can't just eat at Lemurland? The last time I went they had some really delicious cabbage dishes..." Going silent as they stepped into the lifeboat, Jin Ho tried very hard not to look over the edge or think about capsizing, being cut in half by oars, or other unfortunate events.

The Metalbender fretted all through the boat-ride to shore. While boats were quite different from satomobiles or airships, he still wasn't fond of them. He'd been mentally preparing for weeks in effort to keep his composure during the party, and he was relieved to put his feet back on the ground. Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, he gave Hoshi a weak smile. No more boats for a while. Maybe no more boats ever, actually. Jin Ho linked his fingers with Mizu's. "I guess you can choose the place," he said. "I don't mind. I'm not really all that hungry at the moment." The life boat had wrecked his appetite.

He really wanted to just get to Lemurland and try some dancing. Maybe if he got Hoshi and Mizu to relax a little, they'd all get along. Jin Ho had the distinct feeling that Hoshi and Mizu would rather not go anywhere together. It was almost like putting two cats together. He hated to think of not being able to spend time with both of them. He wasn't a person who was willing to let go of an important one in his life... while he'd never dissected his feelings, the truth was that to Jin Ho, Hoshi was almost like a mate already. He felt jealousy when seeing her out with someone else, he wanted her close to him and in his life, and he wasn't willing to get rid of her in order to find a sexually compatible someone. On the other hand, he really enjoyed Mizu's company. The other man was exciting and thrilling in entirely different ways. Selfishly, Jin Ho wanted to combine his loves. He wanted to make sure they could get along with each other, because he wanted them both around.

All the time.