An unexpected turn. Ling had reached out to this group of people who obviously hated them and they responded with rejection and hatred. Ok, maybe it was a little bit expected, but that doesn't make it not rude. He had done nothing to these people but exist, and he acted without malice, yet received malice? It was unheard of, in his mind, to reject a person's offer of help like that and this moment definitely left a sour taste in his mouth that was going to linger and fester like an open unwashed wound. His first interaction being negative wasn't to be ignore. Despite all of this anger and resentment, Ling's face showed none of it. He was expressionless and cold. He stared at the forehead of the fire bender, a major chi point for most benders and imagined how a strike there would topple the man down to size. He obviously had some strong feelings toward chi blockers and Ling didn't care for any of it. He simply wanted to fit in, at least he used to. Now that he was rejected he wanted to be needed, and begged to for a helping hand. Surely they wouldn't force him to come to that point, they just needed time to adjust to him.

As the avatar left and gave him a minute alone to just look around at everyone he noticed a certain, unprofessional and low life attitude coming from the water bender. She didn't seem like she belonged, everyone was so skilled in their respective arts and she just wasn't up to the task it seemed, disinterested in helping the avatar in any way. Ling didn't like her one bit, she needed some discipline in her life and she would get it one day, but she also interested him because of this. She was like a bit of green in a desert of plainness, and it was a great relief. Maybe after the chi blockers attacked her she'd shape up. Maybe he'd ship out with them when they came, they'd be far more accepting of him than this group and both had sent him an invite. But only one promised him the ability to return home, and he wasn't one to just up and leave a job after a little bit of backlash from the co-workers. [color=red]"Fine, but when the chi blockers attack and I'm the only one left standing don't cry to me. I'll let you poor excuses for warrior pick yourselves up."[/color] The words spat out of Ling's mouth like flames, if he were a bender it would have been more visible.

And the avatar returned and asked of the nation's current statuses, and the fire bender detailed attacks on the mainland which Ling was unaware of. Surprising, given his father's detailed reports, but it wouldn't be too outrageous if his father had been lying to him to keep him out of the nation. An early return to join the fight would have been disastrous for the family name after all. His father was in for an earful the second he could find ink and a parchment. [color=red]"Is the Fire Nation really at that much of a risk? I've been away for quite some time now and would love to talk about this with you more in the future, Lee, was it?"[/color] Ling said. He hated this excuse for a firebender from the start, but had to fake a nice outlook on the poor fool for information. If his family had been injured in any way there would be hell to pay for those rogue chi blockers. Worse if he knew them or trained with them at one of the many temples he's visited in his time being exiled.

Ling looked back to the waterbender. She was so out of place, almost as out of place as him. It intrigued him greatly, but he kept his straight face, hiding hints at emotion or curiosity. He'd gotten quite good at the whole apathy thing, emotions had begun to take a backseat in his life as did most other people. He didn't know why and didn't care to find out at the current time. He just wanted to take his new found anger out and if he harmed anyone on this ship he'd be in over his head in his current state. He hadn't trained in a few days in preparation for his trip into and through Ba Sing Se. Too much corruption and poverty for someone to look wealthy there for too long without being scammed. He could still smell the stink of the city from the boat as it drifted away, and Ling hated it. He had high hopes for his first visit, not trusting what others said and just marching on in. Too bad his first visit ended so poorly, it spoiled his second, be it brief visit, even though he did get to meet the avatar this time.