Ming Hua was more than excited to run off and start a new life, away from everyone she ever knew and their constant stares and gossip. The Earth Kingdom was a vast land filled with possibilities, but the journey didn't seem as tempting once she set foot in Ba Sing Se.

All she could afford was a lousy bed in the Lower Ring. It hardly resembled the wild beauty of the Southern Pole, and the heat was driving her crazy.

"Hey – excuse me – "

She turned around to see another one of those street-rats chasing her. People must be desperate for money in the slums.

"Try to mug me and you're a dead man," she stared at him, forming an ice blade with her water-arm. His scarred face indicated he's had his share of battles, but there's no reason she can't take him in a fight.

"That's not my intention, I promise you," he raised his hands in mock surrender. "I noticed your bending – how do you do that?"

"Well…" explaining it wasn't easy. After years of practicing, bending came so naturally to her she didn't dwell on the intricacies of it. Keeping it a secret from the entire world also made it harder to form her bending into words, but there was no reason to hide it anymore. She was free now. "It's just like moving a limb by now, especially the basic moves. I think about it and it happens."

"Incredible," he smiled. "I've only read of two other cases of psyche bending. And what do you mean by basic moves? Are there advanced ones?"

"Wait and see," she smirked.

He waved at someone behind her. A few seconds later they were joined by a girl nearly twice her size.

They examined each other for a brief moment. A combustion bender. Quite a rare sight, especially in the Pole, and Ming Hua forced herself not to stare at her tattoo. That's when she realized the two of them were exactly the same – two rarities, freaks who stand out in the crowd, stare-magnets.

She liked her already.

It was different with Ghazan.

Zaheer and P'li dragged her to the training field to meet him, and just like everybody else, he gave her the pitying stare. As they sparred, he refused to make any moves, as if he might break her. She used this opportunity to show him how gravely mistaken he is, making him fall on his ass as many times as possible, until he realized just what she's capable of.

By the time that realization sank in his thick skull, she didn't think very highly of him.

"Ming Hua, right?" He asked her as they went to sit on the sidelines, making way for P'li and Zaheer. With her abilities, it might be best to keep their distance.

"It's amazing you can still remember anything after all these nasty falls you took."

"Imagine how bad I had it the first time I fought P'li," he grinned.

"Did you hold back against her too?" She scowled. She was one of the greatest waterbenders in the world, not one who needs to be babied by a stupid guy who shuffles rocks.

"No, she held back against me, or I'd be dead," he paused, probably waiting for her to laugh. She didn't. "Where's your sense of humor?"

"In the South Pole," she muttered.

"Lighten up. Sorry for not kicking your ass. I'll do it tomorrow, I promise," he smiled at her.

"You can only try."

Surprisingly enough, Ghazan did kick her ass the next day. This, along with him being hospitable enough to invite all three of them to his home, and even steal some food for them, made her realize he might not be so bad.

Traveling to Ba Sing Se turned out to be a good idea after all.