Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sweeping his leg in a circle around him, the performer snapped it back to his side and straightened with one arm held stiffly behind his back. His grin shined through the shadow his hat cast over his eyes as he surveyed the crowd passing him.
Not many gathered to him, but a few girls curiously watched as the muscles visible in his chest and back shifted under his skin at every moment. As he was rather muscular and wore no shirt, it seemed he only attracted women or men scolding their wives and daughters. Still, their money was as good as anyone's, and with this thought he snapped the suspenders looped over his shoulders against his chest before flipping back acrobatically into the fountain he stood in front of.
The small crowd giggled or gasped as he arose, completely dry as the water around him parted. Grinning, he waved his hand to the side and the water followed.

As he weaved his hands back and forth, water trailing his every movement, he made his way out of the fountain to the street. The water melted away from the main body of liquid into small bubbles he made dance around the crowd.
He grinned at the clapping and the soft tinkle of coins being dropped into the tin cup he had placed at his side. From under the brim of his cap, his pale blue eyes darted about the square to examine every patron come to watch his show. Searching each face in quick flits, who would put up a fight, who would enjoy being a part of it, or who would be an easy target for a public embarrassment.
Finally, he rested on the only person he assumed didn't watch him over the edge of her book. It was a slight insult, but an even better opportunity.

Quick pivots of his hips and twisting of his ankles traced him through the crowd to the bookworm. He swept up to her side, one hand stretched out to either shoulder where a halo of water encircled her torso, the water dissolving into concentrated bubbles.

He kicked a leg out and just barely managed to catch the book on the tip of his shoe, his hands still busy juggling the water hopping around the girl. The bubbles jumped one by one into one solid orb once more as he kicked the book up to his free hand, using the other to keep the water aloft. It changed shapes a hundred times a second, breaking away and rejoining again, growing smaller or wider.
With his other hand, he flipped through the pages of the book, tipping it every which way like it was written in some foreign language.

"What're ya' reading here lady?" he asked, holding it sideways like he would a magazine with a foldable picture and letting the pages fall from under his thumb. He grinned and leaned closer to her, "Can't be more interestin' than me, eh?"

He made sure all eyes were on him and the book, each flick of his wrist snaking him closer to the girl's pocket.

He tipped his head, stepping closer to her. By now, the water wrapped around his wrist and his hand was close to brushing her pocket, but he made sure his face was closer to hers. He pegged her as the shy type rather easily, knowing she would more than likely notice him more than his hand.
The crowd was beginning to disperse as his water bending skills were taking a backseat to his mildly flirtatious actions. Although a few girls stood with wide eyes and fists held to their hearts.

"This one?" he inquired, pushing it just out of her reach again. His bare shoulder was fearlessly pressed against hers.

((Well I'm half asleep so plft. I actually was going to pass out when I got home but I wanted to check real quick to see if you replied and then you came on and I'll never sleep again emotion_zombie ))

He smirked softly, the teasing look in his eyes melting away to a serene smile *BISHIE SPARKLES*
In one quick flinch he ducked his finger tips into her pocket and fished out the first thing he came into contact with, engulfing it in water and slipping it into his own pocket in a millisecond. He hopped back, holding his hands up defensively to release her book.

"Fine, fine, just having a bit of fun!" he chirped, twirling on the tips of his toes so his back faced her. Most of the square had broken away from his performance by now, so he casually scooped up his tin cup and rattled the measly few coins he had made around the bottom of it. Even with his spoils and the profit he could make on whatever he had snatched from the girl, he wasn't entirely sure he could buy the nights dinner. He smiled despite this.
Oh well, one more night won't kill ya'.

He tucked the tin cup to a belt loop on his hip and rummaged through the pouch. The carry case itself could catch a few coins, a crazy old fool down by the bridge might trade him the beads for a mug of luke warm soup and the herbs...well they looked rather tasty. He sighed softly at the absence of any real money but blinked when he brushed the cool metal of the necklace. Producing it with some hesitancy, making sure the girl was a good length away from him, his eyes grew wide at the sparkling gem he held draped over his fingers. It was far more expensive, far more elegant than anything he'd hoped of snatching. If any pawn shop in town would take it, he could eat like a king for a week!

Saliva built up at the very thought of the food he could afford, why even the feel of the coin he could get for it made his pockets already feel heavier. But he suddenly felt a twang of guilt in his chest.
It was far more than he had hoped for. To the point it was cold hearted to take.

He cast a glance over his shoulder at the girl's retreating figure and worried his bottom lip between his teeth.
The sad reality hit him. No pawn shop would take it, not with his reputation. And although the girl was dressed slightly higher classed than the city's people, this was ridiculously nice. The fact she carried it around with her must have meant something.
He growled under his breath and looked between the girl and necklace.

(With that I think I shall pass out. See you in manyana giiiirl))

After a few moments of back and forth, his head quickening as the girl drew further away, he hopped up and down worriedly in contemplation and stuffed the necklace back into the pouch and into his pocket. He spun and started after the girl, too ashamed to call her out. He sped up a little and opened his mouth to say something but all that came was an embarrassed rasp.
He groaned softly and tried again, but this time he caught sight of a group of men patrolling down the path the girl had taken. Familiar men, dressed in fine suits of red, probably fire benders, and all packing smug smirks or gruff scowls.

He halted immediately and stumbled back, trying to find a place he could hide while they passed through. Only before he could manage this, one of the men caught sight of him.

"There! There's that damn street rat!" the white haired scout bellowed, the group now a little ways away from the girl.

The performer flinched and wasted no time in spinning on his heels and darting back through the square, followed by the other men.


((Oh yeah, this got me thinking of making a grankid for Xin biggrin DD )

((Xin's kid would be a total a*****e, I'm pondering him being a part of the fire triad gang that hassles Mei for money he owes))

The performer scrambled away from the steadily encroaching gang, pouncing into the fountain and forcing the water to curl at his sides. He knew full well he couldn't take them on, but he could make it difficult to follow him. The water sloshed on the ground and created a ramp of frozen ice, the performer leaping up onto it and sliding down again.

At every step he slung water at his feet that hardened into a thin layer of ice on the streets that, once he gained his bearings on it, sent him sliding quickly through the city.

The goons were quickly caught on the first ramp and tried to fumble around it, only to smack into each other again when met surprisingly with the trail of ice. The oldest member and the best dressed growled, pushing off one of his men and spraying a ball of fire spiraling after the performer.