I've seen and lived in a lot of interesting cities throughout my life; Ba Sing Se is grimy, dangerous, and incredibly green-colored. Fire Fountain City, the Capital City, they're overwhelmingly red. The food there is spicy, the people even more so. The Southern Water Tribe is likewise very blue, very cold, and very rich.

Haven't gone north yet, and Spirits willing I won't have to. Likewise with the Air Temples. Hear they're beautiful, but unless Councilman Tenzin wants to hire me to spy on his siblings or his wife, I don't much see the point in going up there.

Yet Republic City is a different beast altogether. Here, the color scheme that the nations love to adhere to is absent. On one street, you'll see the red of the Fire Nation, blue of the Water Tribes, green of the Earth Kingdom, and in all likelihood, the yellow of the Air Nomads. Every culture is mixed here. The big old stewpot, as they say.

There's something inspiring about it, I suppose. Not to me, of course. The only things that inspire me these days is a fat paycheck or a bottle of booze.

The taxi lets me off right in front of the main plaza in front of Central Station. I thank the driver and tip her a few dollars, on account of being nice enough to leave me the hell alone on the ride over, and I stick my hands in my pockets, pausing by the statue of Firelord Zuko.

Growing up in the Fire Nation, you'd think I'd be tired of old Scarface's visage popping up everywhere, but he seems to be an alright guy, so I don't dwell on him too much. I'm sure he's not the paragon of virtue everyone makes him out to be, given that his daddy (and extended family) were genocidal, power-hungry maniacs, but he himself seems to have kicked the habit, so I move on.

A group of street urchins run by, and one kid brushes by me, and I feel my wallet almost slip out of my coat pocket. I grab the kid's arm, and he squirms.

"Hey, lady, let me go, wouldja? I didn't do nuthin'!"

I grip his arm harder.

"You want to lift a wallet, kid, you'd better finish the job and run like hell. I'm not an easy mark. Got it?"

He nods nervously, and I let him go, continuing on my way.

Central Station is busy, even now. The night shifts of the municipal power plants and factories are going home about now, and I share the line with oil-covered factory workers and tired-looking electric workers alike.

I get my ticket from the overweight, exhausted clerk, and I wait on the platform. My breath clouds in the chilly air, and the clouds rumble like angry badgermoles. I sigh, turning my collar up. My eyes follow a police airship as it floats languidly through the dark sky, before its spotlights blink to life and an eerie siren echoes through the sounds of beeping and clangs.

A bell rings.

"The 10:30 train to the South Bayside Station is now arriving. All passengers, prepare your tickets for inspection."

I scrape my shoe against the cold concrete of the platform as the train rumbles in. Once the screeching of the brakes subsides, the doors clatter open and disgorge a wave of workers. I stand my ground as the tide of exhausted men and women break around me. Eventually, it stops, and I hurry into the train, grabbing a bench near the doors. The train lurches after a few minutes, and we're off.

I look around. The train is pretty empty. A few miserable folks sit in dismay, but there is quiet at least. I reach around in my coat, and withdraw my leather notebook, opening it.

Jasha- Immigrant from sandbender tribes. Lost her boyfriend a few weeks ago. Is definitely hiding something.

Vinh- Boyfriend got lost after visiting the Darklight nightclub in Chadu Heights, in the South Bayside District. Possible Triad connection?

I linger on the last point. The Darklight Club is a nice one; I've been there a couple of times, to keep up with contacts the first time, the second to have a good time.

Bayside Borough is a decent enough part of town. It's the waterbender quarter of the city- nicknamed "Waterworld" by some. The Cultural Centers of both tribes, the amusement parks, and the restaurants are all top-notch down there. Of course, the whole borough is Red Monsoon territory.

The Red Monsoons aren't the worst, as far as Triads go. They have a code of honor, they keep things pretty clean, and they mostly run legitimate businesses. Unlike the Agni Kai Triad, if you wrong them, they usually just stick to killing you messily. They typically leave families alone, unless they really hate you.

The owner of Darklight is a woman named Tayani. Cold, calculating, and pragmatic. A middle-tier associate in the organization, I had a few run ins with her in the past, but nothing too bad. I figure I can get at least a few murmurs out of her for a few yuans.

I grab a nearby pole as the train lurches. I glance out of the window, watching the city pass by. The flashing, colorful lights of bars and nightclubs give the neighborhoods a cheerful feel, one that almost manages to cut through the brownish-gray smog of the city.

My mind goes to Jasha again. The sandbender seductress has been on my mind a lot lately, but that's probably more because I'm a scummy, lustful drunk. And trying to put the moves on a woman who lost her boyfriend recently is pretty low, all things considered. Not to mention I don't even know if she's into other women. People are pretty accepting around here, but that acceptance doesn't really negate the fact that people in the city are not always the nicest, no matter who you like to smooch in your free time.

The train journey goes by slowly, and by the time we pull into South Bayside station, I'm feeling the time. I dismount the train and hail a cab to Darklight, hoping that I have enough yuans left to get me home.

Darklight is crowded, but I expected it to be. The end of the working week always sees eager saps joyfully part with their money for a chance to taste the high roller life. I watch the cab drive away, and stick close to the wall, ignoring the angry murmurs of people as I cut them in line.

The bouncer gives me a sideways glance as he sizes up a group of young students trying to get in.

"You got papers, kid?" he asks the lead boy.

"N...No. I don't… I don't need papers. I'm 18."

The bouncer laughs.

"Kid, you're not even fifteen yet. Come back in a few years, and no sooner, unless you want to be politely cuffed in the head."

The students slouch away, and the bouncer looks at me with a hostile look.

"Lady, if you ain't in line, you ain't getting in. Scram."

I stare him down.

"Tayani and I go way back. Tell her Detective Osada is here to talk to her."

The bouncer looks taken aback, and whispers something to the other bouncer on duty, drawing shouts of anger from the waiting people. After a few minutes of shrugging of hateful glares, the bouncer returns, and nods.

"Go right on in, ma'am," the bouncer says, sullenly.

I nod, and go in, ignoring the chorus of protests from behind me. Inside, the boisterous music from the club big band plays over a dance floor full of couples swinging around and dancing like there's no tomorrow. The smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol is prevalent as I'm led in to a secluded section of the bar. I'm met by a few guards.

"We gotta pat you down, miss."

I lift my arms wearily.

"Just don't have too much fun."

As he pats my legs and torso down, I notice that the nearby few tables are occupied by a few groups of muscled men in suits with bald heads. One of them catches my eye, then looks away hurriedly.

The guard gestures for me to follow, and I wind through tables of eating patrons until I reach a well-furnished booth. I scooch in, and smile tightly at Tayani. The cold club owner looks like a stern mother. Her graying hair is tied into a delicate bun, and she wears a traditional Earth Kingdom tunic, but colored a rich blue with gold trimming. Her blue eyes are full of life, but they look at me in the same way a raven-eagle looks at a cavehopper.

"Tayani."

"Detective Osada. It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has."

"And why has the honorable detective graced us with her presence?" she asks, sarcastically.

"I'm not here to start trouble, Tayani. I just had a few questions for my case."

"What's in it for me?"

"Yuans. A favor. Whatever suits you best."

Tayani scrutinizes me harshly, then leans back, crossing her arm.

"Fine. Go ahead, ask your questions."

"I'm looking into a man named Vinh. His girl hired me to find him. He came here a couple weeks ago, and hasn't made a peep since."

"So? Do you think I know every person who comes in here?"

Her hostile tone doesn't shake me, as she no doubt intends it to.

"Actually, I do."

Tayani's scowl softens into a smile.

"Smart girl. Yeah, I remember him. The sand boy. Came in here with a few of his friends, and made some trouble."

I ensure that my face shows nothing.

"So is he dead?"

"No."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know."

I notice that her eyes shift away from mine. She's lying, there's no doubt in my mind, but the trick is finding out what she knows without getting myself killed. I pull out a wad of yuans- around 500 of them; what's left from my savings and Jasha's payment.

"Anything I can do to jog your memory?"

Tayani laughs, waving to someone behind me, presumably a waiter.

"Keep it, Osada. I'm not a two-bit street thug you can bribe into compliance."

"So you won't talk?"

Tayani glares at me, and I begin to feel nervous.

"You know, when I heard they kicked you out of the RCPD, I was a little sad, truth be told. You were always someone we could work with. You were a pain in blubber, to be sure, but I liked that about you. But then you went too far, didn't you? Why did you execute that suspect?"

I'm taken aback. A shift has occurred, a subtle one, and I'm on the defensive now. It occurs to me that I'm in a dangerous place.

"So Beifong kicked you off the force, and you went to being a scummy PI. That must be hard for. You used to be a Detective of the Republic City Police Department. Elite. Now, you're a gutter-swimming fire rat. Scrabbling for leftovers from your betters."

She tosses the money towards me, and I become conscious that the muscled men from before are now gathered around the table.

"You should have stayed in the Fire Nation, girl. You may have lived here for a few years, but you're not one of us. Go back to where you belong."

Hands grasped her arms roughly, and she was pulled out of the booth like a bundle of rags.

"You going to kill me?" I ask, hoping that the answer isn't no.

Tayani looks at me with a hard expression.

Damn.

"Not today. But if you show your face around here again, I'll freeze a block of ice to your foot and drop you into Yue Bay."

"Fair enough."

She nods at the guards, and I'm dragged away just as the musical number comes to a close, filling the hall with thunderous applause.

The puddle I'm tossed into is surprisingly deep, and I come up spluttering, covered in mud as the sky-spirits decide to drench me with a torrent of rain. The thugs watch me sternly from the door, and I hop to my feet, flame-daggers roaring from my hands as anger sprints through me with reckless abandon.

The lead guard holds up his hand and several hundred raindrops coagulate into a trio of razor-sharp daggers. I stare at them for a few tense seconds, before easing up, allowing the flames in my hands to die out.

"Not worth it," I mutter.

I turn angrily, shaking my coat free of mud and walking out of the cramped alley and back onto the main street. In the twenty or so minutes I was in there, the line has practically quadrupled in size. I skitter towards the edge of the sidewalk, going from overhang to overhang until I reach a busier street. I find a taxi there- luckily- and I pile in.

The driver looks at me oddly.

"You go for a swim, lady?"

I sigh. I'm soaking wet all over.

"Just about. Get me to the train station, would you?"

I hand over a soaking wet bill, which he takes with an expression of mild distaste, and the taxi sets off, as I shiver and contemplate what just happened in the back seat.

As I walk back into my apartment, I sigh and shiver in equal measure. My apartment is marginally warmer than outside, and I breath fire through my nose, feeling the warmth slowly start to melt my frozen innards. Or at least, that's how it feels.

I slam the door behind me and hang my coat on the hook outside of my closet door. I'll get it later.

I strip out of my soaking clothes step by step, and I douse myself in a hot shower by the time I reach the shower. I stand there for a few minutes, enjoying the heat as the mud washes off in rivulets. I turn off the water before long, though. The hot water bill is quite a bit these days and I don't have all that much money these days.

I step into my bedroom, and grab a pair of underwear, a shirt, and a sweater, on account of the cold breeze. I put them on, feeling a bit warmer now. I pad over my floor to my crumpled pile of clothes and retrieve my wallet and notebook, opening it. The pages are still soggy, but I grab a pen anyways and find the notes I wrote about Tayani, the thoughts burning in my head with all the intensity of Sozin's Comet.

Tayani- Cold, pragmatic. Owner of the Darklight nightclub in Chadu Heights.

Knows more about Vinh's disappearance than she lets on.

Hey everyone!I'm really enjoying working with the noire setting, so I'm going to try to keep this story going for a while, more for my personal enjoyment than anything else. I've also gotten a request to restart my Book 5: War series again, so I'm thinking I'll split my time between the two. As always, feel free to give me any feedback. -IGdude117