[Open] Knock Me Out

[Neela Ning Rui]

“Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself, it always ends BAD!” Now if that wasn’t the most sound advice Neela had overheard, she didn’t know what was. She stood on her stool, Ba Sing Se special in her hand, passively listening to the men on her right. From what she could tell, one of them was lamenting having been toyed with by a woman of questionable morals. Neela was drowning her grief in drink. Or trying to. She wasn’t quite sure how it went or how much she was supposed to drink, or what to take as definite indication of drunkenness. Having been to Kyoshi island and back after the death of her father, she found the issue just as unresolved.

She was still having flashbacks of his happy smile and encouraging disposition. Whenever something truly horrible happened in her life, he always had something to say that would make it all seem lighter, easier to overcome. The difference right now was that she lacked his advice and she would continue missing it for the rest of her life. A gang of non-benders had taken him from her and for that she resented all non-benders tonight. It didn’t help that she was drinking, her frown gaining depth as she did, it was fueling her newfound judgmental bend . She wanted to throw a fit and shake the ground and bury even herself under it, but instead took a quiet sip of her beverage.

Garbed in a black top with blue decorations and matching long black pants she was an image of midnight, her hair pulled back in its usual green tie. She had overdone the eyeshadow tonight. Everything about her wanted to express mourning but achieved only adolescent sulk. Not that she was aware. The man beside her had started to cry. “That's it brother, let it out, let it all out.” The other was patting him reassuringly on the back. She had to wonder how much they had drank. So that’s how it was supposed to look.

When his sobs started precipitating her way she grabbed her drink and lifted from the stool, slowly turning to take for a table when someone rammed into her, successfully spilling her beverage over both of them. Her eyes were daggers. “Geez, why don’t you look where you’re going!”

[Totomi Hojo]

Totomi had entered the Lounge again. Turns out these place did start to grow on him. Though the smell still had an overpowering effect when he first entered the place... Every time. But he still got over it eventually. He found himself a seat and asked for the weakest thing he could. He wanted a drink so that he could drink... But he didn't want to feel his mouth on fire again.

As he took a drink he noticed someone crying. It was probably about a girl.... At least that's what he thought by listing to the words being used. He sat back and took a drink. He listened to the people talking and nodded in response to what was being said. Even though he wasn't part of the conversation. He looked around and saw a woman sitting at the bar. She also had an air of grief around her. He felt the urge to go say hi and see if he could help her in some way. But he decided to stay where he was.

Then when she saw her step up to tell the man who ran into her off Totomi didn't like the possibility of a fight starting. So he stood up and walked over to the two holding his drink in his left hand. When he got close enough he flashed his ever present kind hearted smile and gently said. "Hey there. We don't need to get rough." Even as he said this he thought 'I could probably have done better.' He looked at the woman and gave his smile pushing his glasses up on his nose. He looked her over and tried to gauge what she thought about him at the moment. Part of it was being the negotiator. Another part of it was a guy who wanted to make a first impression to a woman. He was still young after all.

[Neela Ning Rui]

The man who had run into her was speechless for a moment, watching with increasing tragedy as the drink spread through the fabric of his shirt. “Didn’t your mother teach you to look in front of you when you walk?” She asked, still belligerent, her hand gesturing vaguely, her tone just a little bit less sharp. It had to be one the stupidest chastising remarks her tipsy mind could think of. “I… I…” The man started, his eyes darting up to meet hers, then preoccupying themselves with his own shirt again. It clearly was of some great importance. Another man came up to them and the 18 year old glared at him instead, not that she was mad at him specifically, but she was angry at everything tonight.

“What’re you? Security?” She stared at him, knowing full well he wasn’t, some bite still in her tone. The other man was murmuring something. “I... I was supposed to impress Ceha tonight…” He looked like his pet puppy had died. Neela gave a great sigh and slapped a hand onto her face. “Oh for Avatar’s sake… just forget about it.” She turned back around and banged her fist on the bar. “I’m gonna need a new drink…” The last one felt cold on her skin. Luckily she was wearing black. The stain wouldn’t be noticeable. Not that she cared if it would have, she couldn’t give a damn about anything right now.

All in all being angry felt better than being sad. If she could keep but contain this fire she thought she would be better off. The man she had tried to walk away from in the first place sobbed uncontrollably beside her and it was starting to leave a puddle on the bar. “Ew.” That made her remove her hand from it. After tonight she’d think better about sitting at the bar next time.

[Totomi Hojo]

When the woman snapped at him Totomi simply put his hands up in a submissive gesture, trying to show he wasn't a threat. He didn't reply to her comment though he figured that would be a bad idea. So he simply listened to the exchange before him. He heard the guy make a comment about impressing someone and he felt the urge to try and learn more. But he suppressed that urge. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get involved with that. He kept quiet and watched.

When it was clear that the short exchange was over he kept standing where he was. He was trying to think of what he wanted to do. He looked at the woman and noticed that she really didn't seem to.... positive at the moment. He also saw the man next to her crying. He felt oddly embarrassed by it too. He looked back to the woman again and then decided on something. "Hey if you'd like you can come sit over here." He said gesturing towards his table. But not at his table, so he didn't seem like he was trying to force her to sit with him. "If there's something bothering you I'm willing to be your punching bag." He added in a calm sober tone.

It was just some strange quirk about him. When he came across someone who had the feel about her she did he felt an urge to help. He would have offered to help the sobber. But that was taking it too far. If someone was crying like that then it was rather simple. If it was a quieter type of anger or sadness then that meant the reason behind it was deeper then a jaded lover. "If not then I'll leave you alone." He said in the same sober tone as before. He was preparing to turn and go back to his table if she said no.

[Neela Ning Rui]

It didn’t take long for a new drink to be brought to her hand. Spilled beverage made for good business. She took the cold glass just when the man who had interfered was saying something. Turning to him with a quirked eyebrow she followed his vague hand gesture to the available seating locations. A few other tables seemed unclaimed. It was where she had been heading in the first place, but he was saying something else now as well. Her eyebrow rose further and she was giving him a look that said “Are you for real?” After a sip of her drink she assessed the situation. Rational wasn’t exactly something that could define her mind at the moment. Who knew what this stranger wanted.

When the sobbing going on beside her just intensified she pushed away from the bar, wary of any stray mucus, and headed for Totomi’s table. “You want to be my punching bag? Fine. Just know that by definition, it’s not supposed to be pleasant,” she warned, dragged a seat back and dropped onto it with a severe lack of grace. Naturally petite and dainty, trying to appear tough and unruly didn’t quite work out for her. Neela settled her drink on the table and lent back on the chair, making it balance on its hind legs as she stared at Totomi, her directness an immediate consequence of alcohol induced lack of inhibition.

“If you’re one of those guys looking for an easy lay, you’ve picked the wrong girl,” she declared then flushed briefly at her own words. It had sounded more harmless in her mind. The chair made a thud noise as its front feet collided with the ground. She held her glass in both hands, then raised it up to press against her cheek briefly, coolness seeping into her skin. Her eyes had averted from him and now, like the careful eyes of a watchful mouse, they slowly rose back to meet his. “Pretend I never said that.” She took a small sip of her drink and looked away again. He seemed older than her, it gave her goosebumps.

[Totomi Hojo]

When Totomi saw the woman approach his table he was half caught off guard. Sure he was hoping that she would come sit. Even if only so that he could have a conversation with someone. Plus helping someone with some kinda problem would make him feel pretty good. But he also didn't expect that she would take him up on the offer. After all he hadn't made the best first impression.

He watched her sit down and lean back in the chair. He felt a laugh form in the throat. Thankfully he didn't let it out. Instead he gave a slightly amused grin. He could tell that this woman had some character. She was surely not a push over. When she warned about the definition of punching bag he thought about this and went with the best response he could think of. "It can't be that bad can it?" He asked with a slight shrug. "Its not like your going to kill me." He added with a soft grin. 'You didn't just say that did you?' He mentally asked himself.

Then he heard her comment about being a guy looking for an easy lay. He almost answered before he noticed her reaction. He knew what she must be feeling. He was no stranger to the feeling that usually accompanied the comment of 'that sounded better in my head' So he kept quite and let he finish what she was saying. He took a sip of his drink and heard her say to forget she said anything. "You said something?" He asked setting his drink down with a slightly playful grin on his face. Then he let the playfulness leave his grin. It didn't take on a cold or dark look. Is just changed to a softer look. "No you just seemed like something was troubling you." He said then he nodded to the sobber. "I figured that the least I could do was help you get out of the line of fire." Then he looked back at her and returned the look she was giving him. He felt somewhat awkward looking her in the eyes like this. "I also figured that it might help you feel better knowing that not every guy here is either a jerk or sobbing his eyes out. The name's Totomi by the way." He said trying to hide the awkwardness he was feeling. After all it wasn't everyday he was looking a woman in the eyes like this.

[Neela Ning Rui]

Neela quirked an eyebrow. No, she wasn’t going to kill him. She probably wasn’t going to do anything unpleasant at all, he was a stranger. Although she was frustrated and sad she wasn’t going to take it out on some person she’d just met, she wasn’t that kind of person. “You’re very accommodating,” she commented, giving his a side look. There was always something strange about people who appeared overly friendly from the very first moment.

Waiting for a reaction, she peeked up again. He didn’t seem affronted by her words, instead he was giving her a somewhat devious grin. What did that MEAN? Her eyes were like saucers now, wide and staring. Was he that kind of guy? Did he take her retraction as free pass to have such thoughts? As he looked at her with that calm, soothing look on his face she packed herself on the chair, crossing her arms and then her legs also. “Someone spilled by drink all over me, of course something was troubling me.” She followed his gaze to the crying man. “Well. Thanks.” There was some uncertainty in her voice and she stared at the table. His next words washed over her analytical barrier. Her bright green eyes lifted momentarily to glance at him. “So what kind of guy are you?” Her question loomed between them.

“Neela,” she offered in the end. “My name is Neela.” Even though she was sitting down she uncrossed her arms, brought her palms together and dipped her head in acknowledgement of the exchange. It wasn’t like her to forget her manners, even when in a bad mood and in suspicious company. “Do you come here often?” She took a sweeping look around. This was her very first time alone in here. Memories of coming here with Fuki, Farruk and Luko assaulted her. She missed Fuki, her best friend, but the girl now spent most of her time on Air Temple island, and her heart stung to think of Farruk, she would probably not see him again, as for Luko, she couldn’t say she missed his company especially, but right now, she was dying to hear one of his stupid jokes.

“Totomi,” she said out of a daze, her gaze returning to him briefly. “What do you do for a living?” That was a perfectly normal question to ask right?

[Totomi Hojo]

When Totomi noticed her eyes growing wide he felt a surge of worry rise up in him. 'I didn't mean it that way.' He thought to himself. When she asked what kinda man he was he sighed. "Judging by your question. I'm the kinda guy who is doing a bad job at making a first impression." He answered. "If I'm coming across as a creep I don't mean to be." He added feeling slightly embarrassed.

He returned the seated bow and looked at Neela as she introduced herself. trying to find something to say that won't make him look like even more of a creep.He felt somewhat relieved when she asked if he came here often. "Every now and again." He said. "I don't always get the time to make it here. But its kinda grown on me." He said looking around the place.

When she asked what he did for a living he shrugged. "I'm somewhat of a handy man." He said. "Mostly I get hired to do repair work. But every now and again I help with shipping." He paused. "For some reason no one seems to want to give me a permanent job. At least not yet."

He pushed his glasses up on his nose and took a sip of his drink. For some reason it seemed like the entire city was out to keep him from getting a steady job. He hadn't given up yet, he was still trying. Of course this was all meant to hold him over until he eventually, well hopefully, got a pro bending team. He had already made a fire bender friend so there was step one. But now they needed a water bender and..... well and a team name........ Ok so there was still work to do.

[Neela Ning Rui]

She peered at him for a moment, trying to make up her mind about what to think. Eventually, judging by his expression and tone, she decided his awkwardness was genuine. “Don’t worry about it. First impressions don’t matter anyway, they’re often wrong.” Uncrossing her arms, she reclaimed her drink, sipping at leisure from the cold beverage. She had to reflect again on what had brought her in here and felt a pang of sadness pulse within her. Her father wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. She couldn’t believe it.

Pushing the thought deep within denial she focused on her company instead. “What do you like about it?” She watched him for a bit, and then returned her eyes to the table. “I used to come here with my friends,” she shared, eyes glazing over with nostalgic thoughts, “but they’re all… busy these days.” At least that was true when it came to Fuki, and she never really met Luko if he wasn’t with Fuki. Farruk was in the Northern Water Tribe and he would probably never return. Sighing a little, she remembered she had moved on from that thought.

She nodded a little when he spoke of his work, he didn’t sound like he was from Republic City, probably a recent addition to the cultural mix. She opened her mouth to speak when someone dropped on an elbow in front of her, staring straight into her face. The guy looked to be in his early twenties, sported a grin that oozed arrogance, and was, as most people within the night club, thoroughly drunk. “Hey baby, why don’t you dump four eyes over here and come sit with me and my mates over in the interesting people part of the club?” He motioned back, and she glanced where he was pointing by reflex only to have one of his friends, who had his arms around a girl that was pressed into him, wave at her.

Drawing back from his proximity and taking her drink along, she frowned. “Get out of my face so I don’t have to make you,” she retorted without thinking, her tone calm but as true a threat as anything. This made the guy laugh, push off the table and start to go, but he grabbed her by the wrist when he reached her level, albeit with some tenderness. “C’mon sweetheart, it’ll be fun, I promise,” he urged, his tone all sugar and charm.

[Totomi Hojo]

Totomi felt relived when she made her comment about first impressions. "Ok I don't think I was making a very good one." He said in response. He pushed his glasses up on his nose again. He always thought it was a wonderus thing when the stayed on during any bit of work he did. But they seemed to do rather well.... Or at least they have worked out well so far. But anywho that's not what the current topic was about.

When she asked what he liked about the place he had to stop and think about it. He wasn't sure what he liked about this place. "Well I guess..... Well in all honesty I don't know what I like about this place." He said after a few seconds. "I guess its the fact that so far its been pretty calm here... More or less." He said.

"Sorry about your friends. The friends I had before coming here are a long ways off. I don't think I'll be seeing them again." He said. "Though I've made a few since coming here." He said with a slight grin.

Just then the man came up and started laying on the charm. When he heard the man call him four eyes he let an amused yet annoyed grin cross his face. 'Oh yeah like I haven't heard that before.' He thought as he cleaned his glasses off before placing them back on his nose.

This guy seemed to be rather annoying. And he didn't think the man was going to be very interested in him judging by the table he indicated. He wasn't going to step in and speak for Neela, but then when she spoke up and told him to get lost he could tell that she didn't really want to be bothered at the moment. When the man tried to take her away Totomi cleared his throat. "I think she already told you what she thinks." He said. "So you might want to get moving before things get rough." He said trying to back her up. Yet at the same time he wasn't sure if he was putting on a good act of being intimidating.