Welcome to Gaia! ::

Shen-Ru trailed after the two of them in a nervous manner, keeping his head bowed so as to avoid being noticed and recognized by those around town. He felt safe again once they had reached the grimier district, knowing he would not be recognized in a place like this, and, even if he was, no one would say, because no high-class man or woman would admit to being in the darker districts of Gaoling.

He stuck close to Tingzhe, knowing him far better than he knew Qiao and so trusting him more. The girl was different than what he was used to, but he was sure he would… eventually trust her. Trusting came a little easier, and he was more willing to try, now that he had come to term with the fact that he would never attain the love he so desired from his mother. She just didn’t care. He sighed softly and reached out to lightly touch the other’s coat, just for a bit of reassurance, before skimming his gaze over their surroundings. “I don’t know how you managed to talk me into this, Tingzhe…” he murmured, chuckling quietly as he began to smell and hear the hints of the circus coming up.

Shen-Ru made a choking sound as he was slapped on the back, wincing a little, but managed a grin for the other boy. "If you're sure... I'm still rather nervous. I mean... I've never been away from home, other than... the incident, and now this," he murmured, looking awkward as he looked up at the tents of the circus, biting his bottom lip.

"I do hope I get to stay in the background, perhaps... at least until I get used to things," he mumbled, adjusting the hold he had on his bag and sighing quietly, grey-green eyes expressing his nervousness quite clearly, the way he normally would with his poetry.

"'Course you like the Fire Nation better," Tingzhe said, as patriotic as any young Fire Nation boy in spite of his world travels. "Fire Nation's GREAT. You can eat fire flakes, and go to the beach, and the big Agni Kai fights in the arena are AWESOME."

They were getting closer to the circus. The clouds above glowed orange, with the reflected light ofthe fair ground, and they could hear rhinos bellowing in the distance. Every once in a while a dull roar of applause erupted from the main tent.

"Don't worry," he assured Shen-Ru. "You have to work to be in the show. No one'll make you do it. And if you hang out with ME, I'll have 'em all watch stuff like this instead."

He used his bending to summon up a shower of sparks. They danced and flickered against the night sky.

Qiao nodded with Tingzhe's patriotism. The Earth Kingdom was fine but it usually brought up some pretty grouchy people. Especially grouchy old people. Though the Fire Nation wasn't perfect, she was always able to run into somebody interesting there.
"And they've got excellent deals on old army uniforms!" She gestured to her shoulder armor and boots. Only 50 copper for them both and a cool mask. I think my grandpa sat on the mask, though."
The sounds and the sparks (tha she'd never admit were cool) caused Qiao to quicken her pace, even inducing a skip.
"What kinda animals you got?"

Shen-Ru walked along beside Tingzhe, watching the sights around him, and suddenly heard the rustle of a bunch of people moving, eyes widening as he paused. People. There was a huge onrush of people and he nearly panicked, but by luck and Tingzhe, he think, knowing him well enough, he was pulled into a side tent all of a sudden, letting go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.

He was about to thank his friend, but he knew better, and he just smiled at the other with a slightly forced an amused look. "Of course, Tingzhe. We mustn't ruin the dramatic first introduction.." he murmured, squirming slightly.

"As friends of me, you gotta be able to make a good entrance." Tingzhe nodded. "But don't worry. I'll try not to be too awesome while you're still learnin' the ropes."

The children puttered around in the storage tent until the stampede outside faded into a few stray footsteps. Tingzhe was just about ready to lead them out, when suddenly a flap opened on the other side, and an older man carrying a blazing torch stepped inside.

"Pei told me he heard some little frog-rats in here. I guess he was right."

Tingzhe squinted with irritation. After sitting in the dark for half an hour, that light hurt his eyes!

It was hard to make out their visitor's features just yet, with his senses getting used to the new brightness, but Tingzhe knew exactly who this was.

"Darn it, ol' man!" The acrobat huffed, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. Grrr! That old man was always foiling him! "I was gonna bring them into the main tent. These are friends. I gotta teach them all kinds of stuff."

The older man laughed, seemingly good-natured.

"You know better than that, boy. Nothing happens in this camp without me knowing it. I've got eyes in every tentpole."

Shen-Ru opened his mouth, his words on his tongue, but they died quickly and he jumped into the air, eyes wide and alarm overtaking him, causing him to slide quickly behind Tingzhe as he looked at the new man who came into the tent. He hated being snuck up upon, looking at the man who was apparently the ringmaster with fear in his eyes.

"He surprised me," he mumbled, mostly to try and cover his embarrassment over reacting in such a silly manner...

"You're the ringmaster?" he asked then, peering out carefully from behind Tingzhe and looking up at the man curiously.

"That's right, young man." The Ringmaster spread his arms, his cloak fanning out like a cape, and suddenly the room erupted into light, with burning stars and diamonds and pinwheels, the equal of any manufactured firework.

"Zhen is the name. Purveyor of wonders and oddities across four seas and seven continents."

The fire shapes flowed together and re-formed with Ringmaster Zhen's gestures, melting into the form of a badgermole. Though the man was far past his prime, he was as muscular as any Fire Nation soldier, and the scars underneath his gaudy purple-red outfit betrayed his military past.

Zhen was dark-skinned and heavyset, sharing none of Tingzhe's features, but the way they gestured was very much alike.

"And what would some nice kids like you be doin' with this brat?"

"Hey!" Tingzhe protested, simultaneously shielding Shen-Ru with his body, and sulking about how that dumb ol' man ALWAYS had to show up his entrances. "I TOLD you, these are my friends. They want to work here because I am AWESOME, even though you are LAME. Right guys?"