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Ah-Ra never minded when elders from other clans or females her age accused her of being a reckless tom-boy. She couldn't deny the truth, now could she? The scent of roses often made her nauseous, dresses and skirts were too confining. It gave her a sense of freedom when allowing nature to take its' course; if soil ruined her skirts due to playing with Sultang, so be it. She never even minded falling from trees in exchange for scratches, bruises, or mildly broken bones. To Ah-Ra, they were more precious than any silk garment; they were battle scars. How she reveled in the gaping of the younger ones upon showing them off. This afternoon, was another exploring expedition of hers.

Of course, if she were the obedient, feminine daughter that her mother longed her to be; she'd be at home doing laundry. However, her curiousity had been piqued by the local rumors of the Ichi-Koi Inn and Bar. Women whispered about how some men were forced into debt due to gambling, which often took place at her destination. She'd have to check it out, or Ah-Ra wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. So, Sultang following loyally behind as always, Ah-Ra had skillfully scrambled up the lowest of the trees. From the view above, she had a perfect view to inside the open courtyard of the Bar, as the tree was stuck somewhere in between outside and inside the borders. What she saw, made her pleased. To put it in a nut-shell, it was a hang-out for men of all ages to give their try at Lady Luck. But, they all seemed to be having fun.

She and Sultang had their eyes on one particular group of men, for one brown-haired boy had caught her eye. To be frank, she had no idea what those cards and the words they spouted meant, but both pet and owner nodded along each time a man smacked down cards onto the table as if they understand the emphasis of it. Everything was going swell, until the particular boy was threatened. The man was drunk, and even worse, he was holding a knife up to his throat?

Uhh...s**t. She wasn't going to let anyone die in front of her; stranger or not. The altitude from the branch she crouched on and the head of the drunkard wasn't far. Ah-Ra always had been skillful in terms of sneak attacks and round-house kicks; practice made perfect from bouts with her brothers. With a gulp, she grasped Sultang tightly in one arm, and jumped off the branch, legs aiming directly for the mans' stomach. Pow! Perfect shot. Except the two Lunarians both topped over. In midst of the confusion, Sultang was dropped (a frustrated squeal could be heard), but Ah-Ra had managed to snag the knife, and quickly stood back to her feet. Looking back at the boy, who seemed to be around her age, Ah-Ra inquired, still panting, "You okay?" Stupid drunk men, always causing a fuss! She'd have to brag about this to her brothers. Bet they wouldn't have been able to pull this off!

The 'danger alert' in Ah-Ra's mind began to ring with panic. The man she had temporarily distracted was beginning to regain his conscience. This wasn't going to be good. Before they could make any move, Ah-Ra snatched the squealing Sultang off the pavement, attempting at a reassuring stroke. It was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal, emitted from Sultang, alerting the Korean of the man behind her. There was only one thing they could do- And before Ah-Ra knew it, she was struggling to keep up with the sturdy pull of the boy in front of her. Run? Oh right, run. That's what she had been planning to do.

Why, this was just exhilarating for Ah-Ra. Each step she took made a delightful crunch in the newly fallen snow. She'd been in dire need of some excercise lately. The men chasing behind simply added to the adrenaline rush. The boy had longer legs then she, and her wrist was beginning to hurt. Thankfully, he halted, seeking haven behind the walls of the bar. She too, was out of breath, though grinning from ear to ear. Straightening up her posture, (her mother was beginning to have an effect), she coughed, raising a hand to her mouth. Struggling to hide a giggle, Ah-Ra replied, "Well, I suppose I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Ah-Ra Hwang. This," Ah-Ra pointed at the mammal tucked beneath one arm, "is Sultang. Pleasure to meet you!" she offered one friendly hand. "You seemed to be in quite a fix there! What were you up to?" Ah-Ra inquired with a slight tilting of her mouth. Perhaps she was getting too friendly with a stranger, but the blue-eyed boy seemed nice enough; he hadn't just left her there, and, she did like those necklaces he was wearing.

"Qian Jianyu," Ah-Ra repeated as if to embed the name within her soul. But then Jianyu began his long and bumbling explanation of his previous actions. The Korean girl only managed to strand together a baker's dozen of words or so. Cards, furious, successful, twelve, six, priest, throws, dice, etc. She did not understand a handful of terminology, but there was no need to further prove her stupidity. So Ah-Ra went off nodding like there was no tomorrow, with a dopey smile pasted on her face. Jianyu's blush was simply contagious. The female was unsure of exactly why she felt like the snow was melting under her. She had probably over-exerted herself with the running, right? She decided that this would be the explanation. Ah-Ra was overly thankful when Jianyu broke the silence with an apology. Perhaps it was rude of her to do so, but she could not help but throw a giggling fit.

"Come on now, no need to be so formal, right?" Ah-Ra grinned. "And you're welcome! I should thank you for giving me such a thrill. It's been a while since I've been chased." There was a pause, probably a moment of nostalgia for both. Just as she was about to continue, a stampede of lazy, drunken footsteps were thumping and clunking toward their direction. "You know what that means!" Ah-Ra whisper-shouted! This time, she was the one to take off running. In her mind lay out a map of Lunaria, and the nearest, secluded, safe place that could be considered was the Cherry Tree Hill. By now, Jianyu was ahead of her; Ah-Ra had never been notable for her speed. When this chase finally ended, perhaps Jianyu would be able to teach her how to gamble! Either way, Ah-Ra was having a enchanting time, and her convivial expression proved this.

Ah-Ra Hwang slid to a stop. She always tended to get ahead of herself, not planning the road ahead, only seeing one foot after another. "S-s-sorry!" the Korean girl exclaimed over the clamorous and rowdy soundtrack of the Lunarian streets. Perhaps they resembled criminals-on-the-run, (a new game she'd have to try sooner or later) for the spotlight in the Artisan's Path seemed to fall on them. No matter, the female reveled in the attention, and flashed a passer-by who fell victim to Ah-Ra's pearly whites. Then she reverted her kind regarding back to the blue-eyed Lunarian.

"Waiting!," Ah-Ra trilled, delightment embedded in every octave of the word. At the reference towards some good old starches, grains, and whatever considered to be edible, Ah-Ra's stomach grumbled at the prospect of meat, grapes, and Mongolian specialties. The female silently thanked the afternoon roar for disguising this unfeminine embarrassment. "Lunch," Ah-Ra began, and although she tried to mask her sheer enthusiasm, but failed. "would be amazingggg! She might have squealed at the end, but hopefully, it had been inaudible. "So, Mr.Qian, where will you be taking me today?"

Ah-Ra Hwang nodded with fervor. Although her mouth did not reveal two tightly guarded rows of alabaster, her dull maroon eyes were curved into half-moons, and this was the superior method of expressing her amusement. "Lead the way!" Ah-Ra half sang, half shouted over clamorous Lunarians. Let us imagine a different situation, where Ah-Ra had not saved the boy's neck and the two had not sprint half of Lunaria in a matter of minutes. If Qian Jianyu morphed into a shady, gloomy drunkard, she would have still been positively giddy, with a hop in each step; so long as the offer was upheld of course. The changing variable would be the treatment. If the man were to touch her in the slightest manner, Ah-Ra would perform a dropkick, and stab the Lunarian dozens of times in the stomach. An exaggerated example, but the point is given. It was only because it was this particular blue-eyed boy who offered such an approachable and down-to-earth mien that her response was so unexpected. Although he clutched her arm, her hand reached for his. After all, if they were to get separated, Ah-Ra's means of lunch would fade away into oblivion, right?

The Korean girl cocked her head as she met his stealthy glance. Nevertheless, she offered a stupid smile, simply giddy at the fact that her weekly allowance needn't go to waste. The only boy she had truly been emotionally close with had been Kyung, and they still were. Being the only female amongst four brothers, Ah-Ra had never been physically uncomfortable around the presence of males. In fact, the mere gaze of females made her squirm, for she was a mixture of terrified, jealous, and awed at their persuasive and seductive skills; something she would never obtain in a millenium. When the pair came to a halt, Ah-Ra's cornsilk eyes dilated. T-t-tattoo parlor?! She had always find the idea of permanently embedding a design, a quote, or a name into one's skin very physically poetic, but Ah-Ra had harbored a private fear about needles. She was at a loss for words. Did he want her to get a tattoo? Struggling, Ah-Ra transferred her confusion by tugging his sleeve.

Relief came in the form of a blundering, amateurish response. "Oh! Your sisters! That would be positively lovely!" she squealed. Ah-Ra was simply relieved that her fear remained shrouded. A dazzling lightbulb suddenly blinked with an epiphany. If it wasn't too rude of her, could there be any way of using this opportunity to prove her culinary prowess? Attempting a sly smile that her mother used in particular moments to her advantage, and claimed to be her number one weapon, "Jianyu, is there anyway that I could borrow your kitchen?" In her mind, she had terribly failed, and longed to crawl under a hole, but only Jianyu's response would tell.

It had worked! Had Ah-Ra Hwang been in a secluded location freed from the eyes of Jianyu's family, she would have perfectly executed a five-feet-high cliche movie jump; the type the protagonist performs after achieving their dream or receiving a hard-earned diploma. But she could not, so she enthusiastically placed one foot after another in the direction of the Qian kitchen. Down the hall, to the left. With each step, her pace gained momentum, until three chattering voices made her come to a halt. Ah-Ra did not mean to eavesdrop nor take on the characteristics of a sleuth, but in certain situations, things came naturally. Eight fingers wrapped around the wooden door which was the entrance of the kitchen; a moss-colored hair peeked in, surveying the surroundings. Lined by the fire-place were three female Lunarians of similar ages. With one glance, she knew they were Jianyu's sisters.

She had not meant to be caught, but Ah-Ra was caught off guard by Chuntao's rapid 180-degree rotation. The sister's cerulean pupils dilated in fear and confusion. Vegetable-chopping-knife in one hand, the ash-haired girl inquired in a serene yet menacing tone. (Was that even possible?) "Who are you?" Ah-Ra apprehensively ogled the knife. Often, when Ah-Ra was faced with an authority figure, (and to her, Chuntao seemed incredibly intimidating) the female spouted instinctive thoughts. "Y-y-y-y-you-yo-you're pretty!" Dear God, the Korean thought to herself. Hopefully, Jianyu would come to her rescue. Otherwise, it would not be long before she was diced into rows of Ah-Ra Hwangs.