[Open] Missing Memories

[Neela Ning Rui]

Zhi didn’t seem fazed by the revelation of having narrowly missed the opportunity of being a sea creature’s meal. Neela paused to wonder if he was just brave or careless. She nodded a little at his thanks and watched Argo wander to the side to eat the village’s grass coating. Staring, a flutter of recollection breezed through her. Somewhere on that spot, long ago in the past she had played with her friends as a child. The world had been so small then, her entire life contained in the box of this village and all the people in it gravitating around it like the only absolute realities of existence.

The waterbender had barely gone in and Neela was already a few steps away from the door when his voice made her freeze and turn. A new wave of embarrassment crashed into her, only amplified by his kindness. So this is what it was like to be poor and rely on the offerings of others. As soon as she got off this island and out of this predicament, she didn’t plan on recreating the scenario again.

For a moment she was tempted to refuse, but she rubbed the back of her head again, eyes darting to the side, hunger getting the best of her. “Something to eat would be wonderful.” When her eyes dared rise up to greet his again she managed a smile. When he offered to pay for a room for her she hastily raised her hands and waved them in thorough refusal. “No no, outside is fine, it’s GREAT even.” Nodding to amplify the effect of her words, although she would have preferred sleeping inside, she motioned towards the shore vaguely.

“We can always sleep on the beach. It doesn’t look like it’s going to rain and there’s no wind.” She looked around some more. “I can make us some earth tents, if you would enjoy a roof over your head anyway, but you sound like a gaze at the stars kind of person.” She crossed her arms, giving him a half-smile as she raised a brow. “So where do you want to eat? The inn could probably serve up some nice porridge.” It was another memory, coming to surprise her just when she thought there was nothing about this place that she could recall well. “Also, where are you headed? I would assume republic City, since you offered to let me tag along.”

She was ready to follow him into the inn this time, trying not to appear like a ravenous hyena about it. She hadn't eaten since the previous night.

[Zhi Jiang]

Zhi had lost his entire family and hunted for the passed five years of his life. If there was one lesson he had learned through all this hardship was that one had to be brave and intelligent in order to survive in this world. He could provide for Argo and himself easily since he was rather resourceful, and it also helped that he was a bender.

The ability to bend water was something that he cherished. It was so peaceful to train with and even more exciting to hunt with. He didn't need a weapon that would weigh him down, and water was the perfect, almost always available source of protection. In times of great need he had a water skin, but he was not bothering with it in this place.

Neela mentioned him looking like the star gazer type and Zhi smirked," How could you guess?" He chuckled, which made Argo's ears perk up. It had been a while since Zhi had even smiled genuinely, and to hear some form of laugh was encouraging to the beast." Alright, just a second," He stepped down and over to Argo, reached in the saddle bag, and found his hand met with a peculiar object," What the...Argo!" He gritted his teeth and grumbled as he pulled out an apple then another, the creature was the worlds worst about stealing food," How many times have I told you to not do this?!"

Zhi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, looking to Neela and tossing an apple once he got her attention," Think fast." With one in hand he fed it to Argo, then grabbed the money so they could eat," Okay, shall we eat before this big buffoon gets us in more trouble?" Chuckling nervously, Zhi stepped up into the inn and grabbed them a table.

[Neela Ning Rui]

At his question, she swept a look over him, taking in his clothes and general aura again and replying in a monotone. “It wasn’t that hard, really.” There was some amusement in her eyes, though it faded quickly. Despite having company to distract her mind from the pressing sadness that had dragged her to this little earth kingdom island in the first place, the feeling lingered and colored her general disposition. It was good that he walked away from her at that moment, because she didn’t want to have to explain the nostalgia in her eyes. She looked away, and tried to blink it into oblivion.

Behind her, Zhi sounded angry but she wasn’t listening. When she finally turned, he tossed an apple at her. Her hand had been on the metal whip she carried on her belt, deriving comfort from the cold steel. Without thinking, she bent it upward, snapping the apple in two and having the two resulting halves drop on the ground. “Oops,” she muttered, curling the metal back to its position and leaning down to pick them up. “Uh… combat reflexes,” she explained, her tone somewhat apologetic. “I’m used to having rocks thrown at me.”

She looked at the ruined apple in her hands and then wandered over to Argo, lifting them up in offering. Since he had no problem eating grass straight from the trampled ground, she assumed he wouldn’t mind relieving her of the fruit either.

Picking up her pace she followed after Zhi. Her gaze bore into his back. As a self-appointed law enforcer, she didn’t approve of stealing, even accidentally. Her mouth opened to politely urge him to pay the merchant for the apples his buffalo yak had subtracted from the man’s stand, regardless of how that same person had treated her but the words died in her throat. He was being so kind to her she couldn’t bring herself to sound chastising. Instead, she swallowed her inner vigilante. It was just a few apples.

When they reached the table she undid the clasp on her cloak, letting it tumble down onto the back of her seat. Underneath, her clothes were dry and obvious of luxury. Golden silk thread lined the hems of her rich green top that screamed of velvet and met a matching pair of long, loose fit pants. When the news of her father’s death had reached her and made her acts rashly she had been expected to attend a formal party. On the day of her departure to come here she had grabbed the clothes without thinking. “So. You still haven’t told me where you’re going? Or why Republic City? Where are you from?”

It wasn’t good to assume he was a Water Tribe native although she felt inspired to. With the emigrational attitude people these days had, cultures were mixing more than ever before.