[Daiyu] Rest

[Tahrro Gao Zhai]

Tahrro climbed down from the ferry that docked on Air Temple Island. It was visitation day and he had spent most of the short trip avoiding the other tourists, amongst which, a historian who preach airbender culture to anyone who just so much as glanced his way. It wasn’t that Tahrro wasn’t interested, he just didn’t desire company. His intention was to wander and think, two things he had scarcely been able to do with all the work that filled his days. Exhaustion was piling up, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself from boarding the ferry that morning. Air Temple Island had always been a curiosity to him and it wasn’t every day it was especially open to the public.

Discreetly detaching from the noisy crowd that flowed together towards points of interests, Tahrro sought a place where he could be alone. At the very edge of a tall place, on a great boulder overlooking the sea was the comfort he wanted. The stone was hard but hot to sit on, the glare of the sun having cooked it thoroughly. The smell of the sea clung to the breeze so violent up here, rushing like a messenger late for some appointment. It didn’t take long for the rock to cool slightly under his shadow and Tahrro finally sat, his gaze trained on the distant shore of Republic City. The metropolis was truly magnificent, the cultural mix rather thrilling. Even though he loved to travel, he could see himself lingering here for quite some time.

The sight before him was so peaceful and soothing he found himself wishing he could share it with his parents. Maybe they were looking down on him now, wishing to place a hand on his shoulder and remind him he was not alone. The thought partially amused him for he was no child in need of consolation and companionship anymore. What was even more amusing was remembering Kim Sung Woo at a time like this. The younger man had gotten his connection alright. With a sigh, he placed a hand on his knee and rested his chin on it, half open blue eyes glazing over with thoughts. It felt like so long since he had just… sat down and nothing else.

[Daiyu Luó]

The opportunity to tour Air Temple Island was too great to miss out on. Ever the knowledge-seeker, Daiyu had been delighted when she had realized she would finally be able to visit the island without having her work schedule interfere. It wasn't often that they allowed tours, and she had missed out on the last couple of chances since she had arrived in Republic City. Not this time. Daiyu inhaled deeply as the ferry arrived at the island. It wasn't as though it was far away from the city itself, but somehow the air smelled cleaner here. The scent of the water was stronger, if nothing else; maybe it simply overpowered the other smells that radiated from the heart of the city.

The breeze from the sea pulled at Daiyu's dark hair as she disembarked from the ferry, and silently she reprimanded herself for not pulling it back. At the same time, it was nice to let it fly free; in the kitchen, it was mandatory to have it pulled back, and she wouldn't want it loose anyway. The firebender moved silently along with the rest of the group. Her bright eyes moved over the vast temple before them. It wasn't the first temple she had ever seen - the Fire Nation had plenty - but it was easily the most grand. Those of the Fire Nation were almost intimidating, while this felt warm and welcoming.

It didn't take long for Daiyu to separate herself from the group; as fascinating as the historian's words were, she preferred to uncover information on her own rather than be fed some scripted rundown of the airbender's history. That sort of thing was usually simplified into a short enough cluster of information that the tour groups wouldn't immediately get bored with. Not quite her style. The more in-depth history she could find, the better. She could never be sure of when it would come in handy, but why not? Expanding her areas of expertise could never hurt her. Daiyu wandered slowly around the island, her flats doing little to protect her feet from the rocky surface of its shoreline. It was almost more tempting to stay by the water than it was to go closer to the temple, and after a few minutes, she discovered she wasn't the only one who felt that way.

A young man was seated not too far from her, though not close enough for her to see his face. From a distance, he appeared to be from one of the water tribes, although given the nature of Republic City Daiyu could easily be wrong in that regard. For a moment, she hesitated; he seemed to want to be alone, but coming along on a tour group seemed a bit silly if isolation was the goal. Only one way to find out. "Not cut out for tourism?" Daiyu asked as she approached, offering him a polite smile.

[Tahrro Gao Zhai]

The more time Tahrro spent with his thoughts the more bitter be became, regardless if they had started out positive at first. There was a blackness covering his spirit that he just couldn’t shake. The best he could hope for was to distract himself enough from it to forget and just live in the moment. Physical exercise helped, having two jobs and an internship was proving to be ideal, he barely had time to eat, much less think. Today was supposed to be a day to relax from the stress of everything but the pause was doing him more harm than good. He was one unpleasant memory away from just getting up and joining the other tourists. Even unwelcome company was better than being alone with his own.

As if to answer his request, someone was approaching him. He heard them coming, years of keenly paying attention to his surroundings working to help keep him away from surprises, but he only turned his icy gaze to acknowledge the presence when the voice broke through his bubble of silence. A dark haired, golden eyed young woman was flashing him a tiny smile. “Not cut out for being lead places,” he replied, “I prefer to set my own itinerary and take as much time in a certain spot as I please.” This was good, already his negative thoughts were dispersing. He sounded and appeared casual. It was as friendly as he could muster at the moment.

“What about you? Tired of the history lesson?” With a flick of his wrist he motioned opposite himself. “Feel free to share my boulder.” He was being so openly inviting he couldn’t believe himself, but no matter, he needed the distraction. Who knows, maybe she wasn’t a backstabbing, nerve frying, traitorous banshee in panda-sheep clothing and they could actually get along. Paranoid as usual, he couldn’t help but expect the worst from people. His life experiences weren’t exactly flowery and they left him with a deep natural distrust of people. As far as experience had taught him, most people were just waiting for the moment they could gain the most profit off someone else to strike.

“The view that can be had here is amazing.” He attempted some small talk, but he sounded as enthusiastic as a sea slug being prepared to be cooked. You could see both the sea and the shore of Republic City from their position. “It must look even better at night, when the city lights up. I wonder if they let tourists stay past visitation hours.”

[Daiyu Luó]

The young man didn't seem immediately against her presence, so Daiyu felt it safe to assume that he was completely against having some company, even that of a stranger. The firebender nodded in understanding at his explanation. It wasn't far off from her own. She was glad to be here, even if the tour wasn't quite what she was hoping for. "More or less the same," Daiyu nodded as she came closer, sure now that she wasn't intruding on some private moment. "I was hoping for something a little less... condensed." She wasn't one to be satisfied by fun little tidbits of trivia. Her desire for knowledge wasn't compromising - she wanted everything or nothing. She had never been raised to seek only what was considered common knowledge.

The invitation to sit wasn't ignored, and the dark-haired woman gladly took a seat on the rock. It was by no means the most comfortable chair she had ever felt, but her surroundings made it worth it. It was nice to see Republic City from this angle, to breathe in all of that fresh air... as disappointing as the tour was, this right here made the trip worth it. Being a firebender made Daiyu naturally uninterested in water for the most part, but she could still appreciate its beauty in situations like this. "You could always hide," Daiyu grinned. "You would probably get in trouble, but it would be worth it." She wasn't sure of what the security was like on the island, but odds were that they weren't big fans of people hiding out when they weren't supposed to be.

Daiyu sat back, leaning her arms behind her and propping herself up with them as she looked out at the water. A second later, she lifted one hand and offered it out to the man. "I'm Daiyu, by the way," she introduced herself. "I don't usually share boulders with people without getting a name."

[Tahrro Gao Zhai]

“Incipient scholar?” He question commented, his icy eyes set on her fully. Having a love for exhaustive acquisition of knowledge in a certain field of study usually led you there. Tahrro couldn’t say the same for himself. He liked to know a little about everything and sometimes just the tip of the iceberg was enough. Better than being clueless, in any case. “I wonder, is a broad, but shallow education better than a narrow, but deep one?” He mused aloud, gaze returning to the sea. He believed knowing a little of everything made you more adaptable, especially when you were faced with leaving the comfort of your expertise. It also meant you were never a specialist in anything and there would always be people to show you just how much more there is to the matter that you weren’t aware of. He knew more than the basics about airbender culture, but his knowledge was far from all encompassing.

Tahrro almost enjoyed the discomfort of his position. It reminded him of the physicality of his body and kept him grounded in reality. Naturally introverted, he had always struggled with keeping a realistic view on his surroundings, but life had insistently persisted he change that. Her grin suggested mischief, he considered her from the corner of his eye, his eyebrow raised minimally. “Is this a penchant for harmless law-breaking I sense?” His tone was far from disapproving. “Do you always indulge strangers with suggestions that might land them in trouble?” It was a rather funny thought, and he was merely joking, even though he did it in his casual tones that made the seriousness behind every jest that more prominent.

She made herself more comfortable, spreading her arms back for support and balance. Following her gaze to the water, he shifted his position, tasking his other knee with supporting his elbow. When she introduced herself and reached out to him, he used that arm to give her a hand to shake. “So if I wanted you to leave all I have to do is withhold my name?” He paused in mock consideration, eyes studying the surface of the rock thoughtfully, then shook her hand and let go. “Tahrro.” The warmth of her palm lingered in his cold hand for a few breaths. It was rare for him to have regular temperature in his feet or hands, perhaps a side effect of preferring icing techniques with his bending, or maybe because of his predisposition for keeping a lower temperature made such techniques easier to practice.

“What brings you to Republic City?” He assumed she wasn’t a local, and if she was, waited to be corrected. “Feel free not to answer, in general.” For he wasn’t one to pry and he felt talkative today. There would probably be more questions if she indulged him.

[Daiyu Luó]

Daiyu shrugged one shoulder. She wasn't sure if she would necessarily consider herself to be any kind of scholar, she just... well, she enjoyed learning new things. There was too much in this world that she didn't know or understand and while she knew she would never comprehend everything, she liked to be aware of the things that currently went on around her and that which had taken place long ago. "I get a little restless if I'm not studying something," she admitted, glancing back over her shoulder at the temple. "I haven't quite figured out how to switch my brain off yet. It's a problem." Daiyu supposed that thirsting for new information was probably one of the better obsessions that a person could have, but that being said, it could still be annoying.

She tilted her head slightly to the side, contemplating. "I think either one is better than no education at all," she decided. Nothing shocked her more than people who were content to lead empty-headed, ignorant lives. She didn't expect everyone to be like her, but Daiyu would never understand those who seemed to shun knowledge like it would somehow make them sick. The firebender, after catching the look Tahrro was giving her, let out a light chuckle. "Only the ones who might listen," answered Daiyu, smiling impishly. Most of her childhood had been spent with her two oldest brothers, and every once in a while it showed. Most of the time she managed to remain fairly dignified, but there was certainly a mischievous side to her that she had no problem unleashing on occasion.

Upon Tahrro's response, Daiyu scoffed, as though the very thought of her being so readily dismissed was laughable. "Hardly. I'm not that easy to get rid of." She wasn't one to stick around where she wasn't wanted, but the man's subtly joking attitude had already reassured her that he wasn't eager for her to leave. At least, not blatantly so. Her hand returned to her side after shaking Tahrro's; his was cold, almost shockingly so. She was so accustomed to having brilliant heat around her that anything less than that often made her take a mental double-take. Daiyu shook her head at Tahrro's added disclaimer, silently assuring him that she didn't mind the question. "I wanted to see what life was like in the big city," she explained, a small grimace poking at the corner of her mouth. "Cliche, I know, but it's true." The Fire Nation was a beautiful place, and Daiyu loved her homeland, but it couldn't compare to the brilliant medley of cultures that made up Republic City. "And you?"

[Tahrro Gao Zhai]

Tahrro glanced her way with cool understanding. “I know how that feels.” His mind was constantly buzzing, analyzing people and his surroundings and gathering new data for better problem solving next time. It was both a blessing and a curse. It often made him too careful or enabled him to mentally envision the finality of an action and thus skip going through it entirely for having consumed its potential for surprise. “I do have a solution for mine, however,” he considered, a hand brushing over his chin. “Submerging my mind in alcohol,” his eyebrows lifted a bit as another option presented itself, “or getting particularly enjoyable massages.” There was another activity that could turn his brain right off, but it wasn’t near decent or appropriate enough to mention.

“Obviously,” he replied instantly. A little frown shaped his features as he considered the prospect of complete ignorance. “I would get easily frustrated with someone who oozed lack of education and wasn’t sill a child.” There were few things as displeasing in people as that of never wanting to know more than where you were going to have your next meal or shopping spree. “I personally prefer knowing less deeply but wide ranging.” It made a good companion for his thirst of travelling. He never knew where he would end up being next and in what situation, so he had to be prepared for as much as possible. Having spread his eyes in many directions over the last four years had aged his understanding of the world at large, especially where culture and customs were concerned. He lifted an eyebrow at her comment. "I look like I would listen?" The corner of his mouth was tempted into a little half-smile and there was something borderline shrewd in his eyes.

Her reply sent a ripple of amusement though him, it shone dully in his eyes. “Oh really. Be careful how you word things, I tend to take challenges easily,” he warned, with the slightest hint of teasing. And he didn’t particularly feel like driving her away. So far she was keeping his attention, in a distinctly alert fashion, which he couldn’t say happened every day. When she shook her head lightly and answered without reservation he found he appreciated the lack of guardedness. It enabled him to be less so as well. It was always difficult to communicate with people who were as secretive as he enjoyed being. “Nothing wrong with a little cliché,” he commented and took his gaze away when the question was tossed back at him. For a moment, he considered if to reply truthfully or give a more simplistic answer.

The sea was in his eyes, calm and constant, as he reviewed memories of the past without intending to. “I got tired of the road. Needed to settle for a while and experience… new things.” And by that he meant live calmly for a while. For someone who had lived hunting bandits for the past few years, this was a time of relaxation and doing something less stressful for a change. “You reach a crossroads of sorts and are presented with four paths. The first one looks bright of sunshine with warm winds passing through thick trees of lush foliage. The atmosphere is calm and inviting, a squirrel even leaps across the path. Everything down this path is likely predictable and relaxing. The second one is drowned in rain, endlessly stretching into a melancholic forest where trees have branches downcast, leaves heavy as if in thought. The atmosphere is quiet and pensive with a touch of gloom. You can’t sense other presences, you can’t tell where it leads or if it stretches on endlessly. The third path leads into near pitch darkness. The shadows are ominous and things creep in the dark. They’re not as hostile as they are curious. There’s an edge of thrill in the air as well as endless possibility for excess. The last path leads down a world of color. Strange, brightly tinted plants and trees of surprising sizes house queer animals just as vividly colored. Fruit can be found in abundance but you wouldn’t know if to expect them to be toxic or wildly delicious. You certainly won’t know if what lies beyond the next corner is friendly or dangerous and everything would likely surprise,” he paused, turning his probing gaze to her. “Which one do you choose?”

[Daiyu Luó]

An understanding nod was given. Daiyu couldn't say that she was a great fan of drinking, nor did she entirely shun the activity. She had no problem with alcohol in moderation, but she preferred to keep her mind and reflexes sharp. While it would certainly work if completely switching her mind off was her goal, Daiyu wasn't comfortable with the thought of so entirely subduing herself in such a way. A massage sounded nice, though. There had been a woman in her home town who gave incredible hot-stone massages.

The thought of an adult who remained completely ignorant, however... not so nice. She wasn't so unrealistic that she expected everyone around her to be some sort of genius, but how could a person have zero interest in learning? Where was their sense of curiosity? Daiyu would never be able to lead such a life. Her lips twisted into a look of disappointment. "I wish I could have the best of both," she lamented. Having a wide, in-depth range of knowledge, however, was something she simply didn't have time for. When she was younger, certainly. Now, when she was supporting herself, not so much. Daiyu let out a short laugh at Tahrro's response to her sensing the thrill-seeking side of him. She couldn't be sure how accurate that assumption was, but he at least didn't strike her as being so stuck up that a little mischief would be scandalous by his standards. "I assumed anyone with a scar like that isn't afraid of a bit of trouble," Daiyu confessed, drawing her index finger diagonally across her face in a gesture imitating Tahrro's scar. Most people instinctively raised their hands to protect themselves from danger. To have a scar like that meant he had literally faced someone or something head-on.

Tahrro's reasoning for being in Republic City made sense, and wasn't dissimilar from her own. While she had never been even slightly nomadic, there was still that desire to experience new things, to make her own roots somewhere. It was natural instinct, she supposed. Everyone had to spread their wings at some point. Daiyu was silent for a few moments as she contemplated her options. Her amber eyes focused on the sea before she turned her head to look back at Tahrro and met his gaze. "The third," she decided. "There's nothing more exciting than not knowing where you're going. Besides," she smirked slightly, "I'm never truly in the dark." She opened up her palm and created a small, warm flame that illuminated her hand and face. A moment later, she closed her fist around it, and it vanished.

[Tahrro Gao Zhai]

Tahrro must have sounded like a regular drunk, but he was far from. Currently, his eyes bore the keen edge of someone who enjoyed not being taken by surprise in a state that gave him little chance of proper reaction. However, there were days when he threw caution to the wind and just wanted to forget life for a while. Her wish came on a gentle breeze and was swept away. “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was accept own limits,” he shared in a moment of spontaneity. There was no instance of reality where he could have enough time or energy to exhaustively pursue every interest that tickled his fancy and his own ability imposed barriers. Clenching a fist tightly, he released it slowly, remembering he had come to terms with being restricted. Her laughter distracted him from the thought. It was a welcome sound.

She was right of course, under a rather calculated surface lurked things he didn’t easily show others. Undecided between taking her insight as a compliment or instead feeling uneasy about her powers of reading subtlety, he watched her with some consideration. Very few things were actually scandalous by his standards. She swept a finger across her face to emphasize her words, reasoning her conclusion. His gaze dropped from her as he remembered how he had gotten the scar. For whatever reason he didn’t remain silent. “This was no prize of bravery, recklessness or mischief,” he commented but hesitated on saying more, the corners of his mouth drawing into a tight line. “It was the price of trust.” Something was hard in his eyes, an unsettled darkness, but he willed it away. With a short sigh, he turned back to face her, appraising eyes accompanying a casual tone. “But you were not wrong.”

Daiyu chose the path of uncertain darkness that promised thrill and some roguish amusement twinkled in his eyes before the gold of her flame reflected in their pupils. A firebender. Why was he not surprised. “Rather unfair for the challenge when you have the option of lighting everything up in flame and charring through whatever hides in darkness.” He crossed his arms, watching her from the corner of an icy eye. “However, we can agree on enjoying the unpredictable.” He raised a hand, palm up, and with two fingers extended, two drawn and a flick of his wrist he called a ball of water from the sea. It landed in his palm as ice, molded into the shape of a sky bison. Placing it between them, he said. “Just reminding you to get souvenirs in case you had forgotten, but you might prefer leaving this one here, lest it turn into a puddle in your pocket.” She had shown him hers; it was only fair that he return the favor.

After a moment’s pause, he presented her with another question. “If you could be anywhere in the world, doing absolutely anything you wished and with the person of your choice, where would you be, what would you like to do and who is beside you in this vision?” It was a rather bold question coming from a stranger, but his eyes posed the challenge. Tahrro liked to test the waters until he reached people’s limits. After all, he had told her from the beginning she was free to keep her answers.

[Daiyu Luó]

"You don't think trusting someone is brave or reckless?" Daiyu asked, her brows lifted questioningly. She wasn't the sort to never put her trust in someone; in fact, she generally had no issues doing so. That being said, she also wasn't the sort to trust everyone she came across with complete abandon. Trust had to be earned. Once it had been, she would freely give it, but never before then. Trust was a privilege, and more so, a risk. A person always had to be willing to summon some courage and put him or herself out on a ledge in order to trust, because there would forever be the chance that it was misplaced. Even if Tahrro didn't think that trusting someone - evidently someone who couldn't be trusted - was a show of bravery, Daiyu had come to learn that only cowards held everyone at an arm's length.

The source of the scar seemed to have struck something deep within Tahrro, however, so Daiyu let it be. They were being oddly open with each other for having been complete strangers only minutes before, and as much as she enjoyed the conversation, she wouldn't pry. There were some things she didn't need to know unless he chose to share them of his own accord, and the look in his eyes told her that this was something private. The firebender gave a dismissive wave of her hand when Tahrro pointed out that wandering through the darkness was less of a challenge when she had fire available to her at all times. "You never outlined any rules," Daiyu reminded him, an amiably challenging look on her pale face. The point still stood, as he said. Plunging herself into a world of mystery was still more attractive than the other options, even without her bending.

Daiyu's attention moved down to Tahrro's palm and the sphere of water that arose from the sea. "Ah. A waterbender. So we're mortal enemies," she chuckled teasingly, watching as the water seemingly shaped itself into a miniature ice sculpture. She leaned forward so she could delicately pick it up and hold it in her own palm. Her amber eyes squinted for a moment as she pretended to inspect it, her nose held haughtily in the air. "Excellent craftsmanship," the firebender said finally, as though she were an esteemed critic. The sky bison model was set back between them. Daiyu's gaze flicked back up to Tahrro when he posed another question. It was a good one, like the other, one that required a bit of consideration.

She shifted in her seat slightly, drawing her legs up so she sat cross-legged, and let her lips purse thoughtfully. For a few moments, she fell silent. "Our neighbor kept a herd of komodo rhinos when I was a kid," Daiyu answered. "Most of them weren't trained to ride, so my older brothers and I used to sneak out and see who could either ride one or get one to chase us without getting gored." The grin she was now sporting had a sheepish edge to it. "Probably not the best idea in hindsight, but I think it was the most fun I've ever had. That's what I would be doing." The thoughtful squint returned as Daiyu eyed Tahrro. "My turn. Do you always ask strangers these kinds of questions?" She didn't mind - she would have said something if she did - but it was both entertaining and intriguing.