Acid Rain (Open to anyone)

Hiroshi sat on the edge of the dock, looking down into the water below. He could see his own reflection, silhouetted against the dark, gloomy sky. The air was thick with tension as a storm was about to blow in. Hiroshi hated the rain, but he hardly noticed what was going on around him. He was focused on his thoughts, his memories, his feelings. In short, he was zoning out. Hiroshi had just arrived back in the fire nation capitol, it had been nearly 2 years since he had been here last, and he was here again.

It felt like he was going in circle. He had found nothing new, not with his journey to Ba Sing Se, nor his travels in the mountain ranges near the southern air temple. He was beginning to get frustrated.

Hiroshi had had enough, standing he went inside a nearby tavern and sat at the bar, ordering a drink. As he drank, he looked around the bar. The windows let in almost no light because they were built up with many years worth of grime. The glasses were hardly better, but, at that moment, Hiroshi hardly cared. He needed a drink and that was that.

Kiari leaned against the counter, slightly dark circles brimming his eyes. He hadn't slept that night and the one before that. The cloak of depression as deep as he'd expected, and the once-cheerful young man now seemed as gloomy as his bartender, who shuffled and mixed orders expertly. There was only one other customer really; a crooked woman with sallow skin.

Kiari wasn't the kind of person to drink; he was a delicate-seeming man, and inherited quite a bit from his mother. He had the strangest, startling violet eyes, and light skin. Beneath this fragile-seeming stature, was a dangerously powerful Waterbender.

He'd ordered something simple; a nice punch. But he wouldn't be surprised if the man spiked it anyway. He wouldn't be disappointed either. Alcohol might be nice.

Just then the bartender grunted and his drink was set in front of him. Kiari wasn't altogether sure if the glass was clean, but he could care less. Absently he fingered the glass's rim, searching for a clean area to place his lips. Finding one, he took a casual sip.

His attention was directed, moments later, to a man that had just entered the tavern. He stalked across the room and sat at the bar, (not very far from Kiari himself) and ordered something undoubtedly alcoholic. He seemed pretty stressed. No wonder he wanted a drink.

He turned quietly, politely back to his own... drink. Was it spiked? Kiari took a swig and felt a slight alcoholic tang. Yes... it was spiked.

Blinking a bit. He drank some more. Somehow he felt a bit glad he wasn't at the palace and somewhere a bit (a lot) less formal and opressing. He needed to be somewhere that fit his mood. And the people here... he might be able to relate to.

Hiroshi looked down the bar, intending to order another drink from the barkeep. His eyes, however, found a small, somewhat feminine looking man leaning against the counter. Hiroshi had entirely missed the man on his way up to the bar.

Hiroshi examined the man in earnest. He looked a bit ragged, Hiroshi thought. As he attempted to take another swig from his empty glass, Hiroshi noticed that the man had vividly purple eyes. The man seemed to inherit far too many traits from his mother. Hiroshi gave up trying to read the man, he also seemed to be engrossed in his own thoughts.

Hiroshi finally ordered his drink and re-focused his thoughts on what little he had learned about his wife's death. The medic on hand had no cause of death given. Hiroshi, however, was certain that Kimi would not just give up on life that easily. She loved everything about the world, the people and even her somewhat dark past. Hiroshi knew that her death had to have been something... unnatural. Hiroshi knew of many poisons that would not leave a trace and kill quickly. Of course, there would be no proof even if that were the cause of death. Hiroshi furrowed his brow in frustration at that thought.

As Hiroshi thought, he began twirling his finger above the glass of alcohol sitting in front of him. The drink inside began to swirl in the same pattern, Hiroshi was bending the liquid while he thought.

Kiari startled out of his thoughts when he saw the man suddenly start to Waterbend his drink. He seemed to be deep in thought, but not simple concentration ... he must've been adept at this.

"From which tribe do you come from?" Kiari wondered aloud, sliding his drink aside. It was only too late that he realized how sudden the question was, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

Hiroshi was deep in thought when he heard a voice, as if from far away ask "From which tribe do you come from?" A sudden fire was lit inside Hiroshi's head at that. He had disowned his tribe long ago, they were cowards. They were weak. Hiroshi would not be associated with them.

Just then Hiroshi's glass exploded as his drink shot in all directions, splattering against the walls and ceiling. "I claim no tribal descent!" Hiroshi spat towards the man. A clatter was heard as the cover fell off the canister residing on Hiroshi's back, from within came a thin line of liquid. The liquid was clear and green tinged and let off a powerful fume like vinegar. The thin line of acid curled up and around like a snake as Hiroshi stood, the lower portion of it still contained within the canister. "The tribes are weak! Their leaders lack motivation, courage and intelligence. And yet, they have grown complacent!" Hiroshi continued, growling at certain words for emphasis.

The acid reared back until it was at eye level, Hiroshi ready in his stance.

(Sorry, I started this before work, so if it seems to end abruptly it is because I lost my train of thought in those 12 hours.)

Kiari was startled when the man had started to spew his hatred of the tribes, and further surprised when the glass of wine exploded from his grip, pressurized and fragmented by the liquid it contained.

The sallow woman in the chair nearby staggared from her seat and shuffled across the bar, quite keen to get out of the tavern. The bartender disappeared from the counter, whether to flee or to grab a weapon, Kiari was uncertain, but he knew he had to act fast, lest he be touched by the acid hovering in front of the enraged man's face.

"I meant no harm," he tried to say consolingly, but his softer voice was drowned out by the man's rumbling statements, and he fell into a defensive stance, just in case. The water in the sack he kept with him churned restlessly, but he knew it might not be a match for the man's acid.

He was facing a tough opponent indeed.

The bar had quickly filled with the sickly scent of the acid, the stifling heat and lack of ventilation increasing it's intensity. The acid had become darker in color, the result of dissolving particles in the air. Hiroshi could almost feel the undulating liquid as it coiled around him. The acid had grown in strength, he had not had a reason to use it for a while and, as a result, it had fermented somewhat in the canister. It felt almost... hungry.

Hiroshi stopped ranting long enough to see the man take a defensive stance. Hiroshi noticed something was... strange about this one. His stance was off. It wasn't the aggressive, quick moving stance of a firebender. It had more flow to it, almost like a...

"NO!" Hiroshi thought, "A waterbender? But... how?" Hiroshi was dumbstruck. Hiroshi had thought that he would never meet another waterbender here. And yet, here one was, plain as day.

"Who are you, Waterbender?" Hiroshi asked, still flabbergasted.

Kiari'd never fought against acid before, but he knew enough to know that he shouldn't let it touch him, no matter what. He never expected to have to fight this night, much less with an Acidbender, and he definitely wasn't prepared.

The man stopped ranting for a second, and his eyes seemed to light up in recognition. "A Waterbender? But... how?" he said, awe permeating through his tone. "Who are you, Waterbender?" he asked, gravely voice hard and disbelieving.

Kiari replied, but he did not let his guard down. "My name is Kiari," he said. "I was a denzin of the Northern Water Tribe, but I've been apart from my people for more than twenty-six years. May I ask who you are?"

When Ace stepped into the ramshackle inn, he saw two waterbenders staring each other down. Ace had been being particularly curious lately but he could not interfere. he just told himself he would check it out later.
"My name is Kiari" He heard the... well... the nerdy one say. 'Excellent, a name.' Ace thought, with that he left the two to their buisess and set off for a different ramshackle inn, for there were plenty.

((OOC: lol That was so random. And nerdy = Kiari? lol I always thought of him as a hunksicle. XD))