Fandom Avatar: City of Secrets

[Lilure]

Yira ~ The Avatar

Republic City gleamed golden and grand across the bay from White Lotus Island. At night, when the sun went away, the city woke up, shining gently to life and scattering its gleam all across the water. It had only just darkened, but on White Lotus Island, a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the cool night air hung quietly—soft and soothing. Yira occupied an open plaza, pagodas and store houses around the courtyard that was one of the many practice areas set up around the island. Years ago, before the White Lotus took up residence here, White Lotus Island was the place Avatar Nozomi and her husband had come to call home after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War. In her time, she’d orchestrated the island as a place “where the elements could meet,” as she’d famously said once. Now, the current Avatar had taken up residence in this place, the same as her predecessor. The White Lotus used the island as a place to train and protect the Avatar, where only the most important of bending masters received clearance to tread. But still, even with the emphasis on security, in all of the strange city, White Lotus Island had become a place Yira had come to love over the past two months.
Above her, snowdrop trees blossomed with soft, white flowers and danced gently in the night wind. Normally, light pollution from the city made it impossible to see the stars, but the island was just far enough away that a few could be made out. Yira stood in the training yard, two large jugs of water in her immediate vicinity. The young Avatar was concentrated intently on a glob of water, hovering just in the air in front of her face. She stared at it, completely focused. And then, a moment later, the water dropped from its suspension, splashing all over the stones of the courtyard. “No!” Yira cried, then sighed and hung her head. “I was doing so well, too!” The disappointment of the failed form lasted only a heartbeat, because a moment later, with new determination in her expression, she looked to one of the jugs. Focusing again, she inhaled deeply, and raised her arms gently. Yira tried to imagine the water being pulled towards her, rather than just floating, as Master Korine had said. Mimicking the motion with her hands, the water gradually snaked upwards and flowed through the air towards her in a watery snake shape. It coalesced in front of her into a new blob, and this time, Yira was determined to keep it from falling. The strain and focus she placed into the technique caused her hands to tremble slightly.
Two months into her move to Republic City, and Yira had finally begun her new training. In traditional format, she’d learn the elements in accordance with the seasonal cycle. Master Korine had arrived on the island recently, and had only just begun instructing her in the art of waterbending. It was challenging so far, but really fun, too! Water isn’t too different from air! Just different mediums, and ways to use and move it! Yira thought to herself happily. They’d trained most of the day, and since Yira had no other obligations tonight, she’d decided to practice on her own for a bit.

Liling ~ Chief of Police

Meanwhile, a few miles away in the heart of Republic City, the police station was a flurry of activity. It was early in the night, but officers, citizens, and booked criminals all moved throughout the station, scurrying like ants to and fro. It had been a busy day anyways—but it always was in Republic City. “Alright, listen up carefully! You do not want to make me go through this again!” Chief of Police, Liling Baomin, stood with her hands folded behind her back. The silver-haired woman was dressed in the typical armor of a metalbending officer, her metallic locks pulled into a carefully braided bun behind her head. Currently, the chief stood in her office, a large room with many different features, one of which was a large briefing board. She wasn’t alone though. Just a few minutes ago, she’d called a mandatory, urgent meeting with her top detectives and some important correspondents and assistants to the force. Liling placed a hand on the board, indicating an enlarged map of one of the city’s districts.
“This is Xiaohan District, near the harbor in the south city,” Liling began, her tone firm and her eyes like stone. “Earlier tonight, we received a credible, anonymous tip that many of the Triads are moving into the area, including members from the Triple Threats, the Agni Kais, and the Terras. After sending officers to observe the situation, we’ve confirmed this to be the case. The purpose of their presence there hasn’t been confirmed, but seeing as the district is currently contested territory among the Triads, we have reason to believe that they are gearing up for turf violence.” Liling paused, allowing that to sink in as she looked at the faces of her officers. Xiaohan District was a somewhat affluent area, with low crime. The average citizen there wouldn’t be prepared to engage with the Triads at all, and many casualties could be caused. “We’ll be moving into the district right away. Our main objective is to prevent a turf battle, but if we can apprehend Triads while we’re there, all the better. If everyone understands, I’ll begin positioning assignments. If not, ask your questions now. Quickly.”​

 

[Ceyrise]

Enter: The Golden Temple Tigerdillos
~​

The newspaper was flipped open to the middle, the front page declaring ONGOING SEARCH FOR PRO-BENDER DUYI UNDERWAY, while the rest of the information was varying opinions and stories about the current rise in bender disappearances. “...’some individuals throughout the city are placing the blame on the worsening gang threats, such as the Triple Threat Triads and the Agni Kai Triads as responsible for the missing benders. But could someone as noble as Duyi really be taken down by a common criminal? In my opinion...’ They’re talking about this guy like he’s some sort of war hero! His team isn’t even that good, my strike record is double his!” The paper crinkled loudly in Kyosuke’s fists as he shook it aggressively, looking imploringly between Akashi and Toru to agree with his statement. The trio were leaning up outside of a ramen stand somewhere in Republic City, having just finished a meal of steaming, seasoned noodles and jelly-filled onigiri for dessert. A few steps over the sidewalk and the streets were busy with cars and carriage-mobiles whizzing past, their headlights clicked on to illuminate the smoggy gloom in some parts of the city. Warm light spilled out from shops, brightening the walkways in this district. Phone lines and cables criss-crossed the rising buildings above them, and a single paper lantern was drifting back and forth gently in the wind just above where the boys stood.
Akashi, who had stared unbreaking at the case displaying pastry goods until Kyosuke had taken notice and sensed what he wanted, was nibbling on another jelly-filled onigiri, one from a box of dozen, and he curiously leaned to the side to look over Kyosuke’s shoulder at the paper. “It’s because he’s missing, Kyosuke. Media outlets always write like that about celebrity tragedy.” The firebender shook his head as if he were exasperated with his friend’s apparent lack of deduction skills. “They’d write like that about you too, if you were the one missing instead.”
“They wouldn’t need to exaggerate this much if it were me!” Kyosuke jerked a thumb backwards towards his chest, grinning wildly at Akashi. “I’m actually just that awesome!” Akashi rolled his eyes and took another bite of his onigiri as he watched a convertible cruise by. Beside the pair, Toru didn’t say anything. His blue eyes were scanning over some pieces of paper depicting basic waterbending forms—he was far too advanced for these, but he was reviewing them for someone else, and was only half-tuned into what his teammates were discussing as he fiddled with the papers.
“Still...” Akashi started, but then trailed off pensively. His tone caught the attention of Toru and Kyosuke who looked at him inquisitively. “We should probably be careful.”
“Ugh!” Kyosuke rolled his eyes, rustling the newspaper as he cracked it shut and folded it in half. “You sound just like my sister! We’ll be fine! We’re way better benders than Duyi!”
“I kind of agree with Akashi, actually,” Toru murmured without looking up from his documents. “We might have more skill, but Duyi isn’t really a bender to scoff at either. Plus, don’t you think it’s at least a little alarming that the latest disappearance was someone in the public eye?” At that, he leveled a cool gaze on Kyosuke.
“Listen,” Akashi took the last few bites of his onigiri, chewed swiftly, and swallowed before speaking in a calm tone. “I’ve been paying close attention to this since the disappearances started. Before Duyi, all of the people were last seen in the low-income districts—Triad territories, which is probably why they’re the main suspect right now. Did it say where Duyi’s last known location was?”
Kyosuke’s brow furrowed together, but then he shook his head. “No, I didn’t see it anywhere in here.” He rattled the newspaper a bit for emphasis.
“Well than maybe we should find out,” Akashi said matter-of-factly. “Speaking of your sister, it might be a good idea to talk to her. This could be a fluke, or it could be something serious. Either way, we’re Pro-Benders too. I’d kind of like to know if I’m on someone’s hit list.”
“I see your point, and I agree, but I’m not sure if she’d tell me anything,” Kyosuke said, seeming more pouty than concerned as he thought about it. “She’s always just, ‘these are police matters, Kyosuke!’ when I ask her stuff like that. I doubt she’d even tell me where he was last seen, much less if Pro-Benders are being targeted or whatever.”
“Maybe, but this is a little different, right?” Toru asked inquisitively. “Wouldn’t your sister want you to know if you were in any danger?”
Kyosuke thought that over for a minute before shrugging and smiling. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least ask her! I say we head over to the police station right now!”
“You go ahead, I’ll meet you guys later,” Toru stated, carefully folding his papers up and slipping them into the satchel he used to carry some of the group’s things when they were out and about during the day.
“Where are you going?” Kyosuke asked curiously, Akashi looking mildly surprised as well.
“White Lotus Island,” Toru replied. “Yira asked if I could help her practice today. I said I would.”
“You’re going to the island?!” Kyosuke cried, throwing a hand to his forehead and looking at Toru with overdramatic, sad, pleading eyes. “That’s totally not fair! Why weren’t we invited too?!”
“Probably because you don’t have a relevant reason to be there?” Toru raised an eyebrow. “Just ask Yira, she’d probably invite you over, if you really wanted to check it out.”
“Make sure you get the full tour!” Kyosuke babbled. “Remember everything with as much detail as you can so you can tell us!” He slammed his hands down on Toru’s shoulders, a gesture that might’ve been painful for someone else, but the waterbender was used to it by now. “And grab Azuki while you’re there!”
“I’m not stealing her lemur.” Toru brushed Kyosuke’s hands off, simultaneously rolling his eyes. “And this isn’t just some social call. We’re training. You should focus on talking to you sister.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it! Ask Liling if we’re gonna get kidnapped,” Kyosuke grumbled, mildly agitated from having both team members tell him the same thing in only a few minutes.
“Let’s try to meet back at the apartment before midnight,” Akashi said. “That way we can all make sure nothing happened to anybody.”
“Wait, you’re coming to the police station with me, right?” Kyosuke asked, sensing that Akashi was thinking of the group as individuals rather than one and a duo.
Akashi shook his head, folding up the box of onigiri and holding them out to Toru to put into the community bag. “No. Someone has to visit the tailor the pick-up the new uniforms, remember? Might as well get that done now while we’re out. So I’ll do that, you talk to Liling, and Toru will work with the Avatar.”
“Aren’t you the one who said we shouldn’t be going off on our own??” Kyosuke asked, quirking a brow and looking at Akashi with skeptical face.
“I never said we shouldn’t be alone. I said we should be careful,” Akashi corrected. “And like you already said, I’m not scared. I trust in my bending, and I’m smart enough not to go into any shady districts. It’s not a big deal.”
“Alright, alright,” Kyosuke responded with a grin, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “So, we’ve all got stuff we need to do. Let’s keep our eyes out for danger, and meet back home by midnight!” He stuck his hand out, palm down, Akashi rolled his eyes but set his on top of Kyosuke’s, and Toru expressionlessly followed suit a heartbeat later. “Ready? Tigerdillos, move out!” Kyosuke’s voice boomed around them and they launched their hands upwards in a cheer.

Toru
~​

“Follow me, please.” Toru titled his head at the White Lotus agent who spoke, then nodded in affirmation that he’d heard. The man stepped off the boat onto the weathered wooden dock, and Toru followed suit. After separating from Kyosuke and Akashi, the waterbender had headed towards Republic City’s harbor. A small ship was there that served as a ferry between the main city and White Lotus Island, but it was no easy feat catching a ride. Even after presenting the small ferry pass, his permission to board curling over it in elegant, golden script, the check-point process was lengthy. Apparently just the Avatar’s invitation wasn’t quite enough, and guards at the dock had fully inspected his person for weapons, gone through his bag, and matched his appearance against a photo they had on an official-looking document. Ordinarily, the invasion of space and privacy would have irritated him to no end, but he understood the necessity of it, given who the Island’s most famous inhabitant was.
Toru glanced over his shoulders, unable to help the creep of soft awe in his chest as he saw Republic City proper across the bay. With the city all lit up with a golden glow, sparkling and shimmering across the dark waters, had had to admit it was beautiful. He would’ve liked to look longer, but he didn’t want to fall behind, and so he hastily matched the step of the White Lotus member. They walked up stone steps, winding through paths between curling trees and flora, past a carefully curated rock garden, up some more steps—they passed a few buildings, too, with their tiled, pagoda roofs and lights spilling out from their windows. They curved around a particularly large bush and Toru spotted Yira in the center of a big practice courtyard, the cobblestones even and steady. The White Louts guard stopped and bowed to him, before retreating the way they’d come, but Toru had a feeling that there were probably eyes on him even now. Adjusting the strap of his bag, he approached Yira, noting the large jugs of water around her and the way her hands shook slightly with the strain of the water hovering just in front of her.
“Hey,” he greeted, coming to a stop beside her and then falling silent. They’d known each other around two months now, but this was the first time Toru was visiting her without Kyosuke or Akashi in tow. The waterbender shifted awkwardly on the balls of his feet, unsure. Should I say something else? That greeting was kind of bland, is it okay to greet her like that? That’s how I always greet her though. Maybe I need to follow it up. Right, I should make some conversation. The exchange with himself in his head only took two heartbeats, and then he said, “Nice weather tonight,” stiffly, before mentally facepalming. He cleared his throat. “So, is your teacher around?” Toru knew there was a master teaching her but didn’t know anything about that person. Yira hadn’t made it clear entirely if they would be practicing alone or with others when she’d invited him, either. At the time, he’d naturally assumed the former, but now actually being on the island, he felt like it would only make sense for her actual instructor to be present. “Kyosuke and Akashi said hi, by the way.”

Kyosuke
~​

A carriage-mobile's horn blared loudly as a traffic dispute occurred at the intersection. Kyosuke expertly danced his way over the crosswalk, mindful not to get accidentally run over by more careless drivers. Republic City’s motorists... could definitely use some work. The earthbender ducked around a group of pedestrians strolling along, taking a short cut through an alley only to reappear on the other side and remember that Akashi would not approve of that in this context. Kyosuke knew a better “back way” to get to the police station, but since he’d assured his teammates he’d exercise caution, he opted to stick to the main streets with a sigh. Streetlights shined brightly above him as he walked, lighting his way, and he glanced up once or twice to appreciate the paper lanterns and laundry lines swaying in the breeze. Fortunately, the police station was located in a fairly busy part of the city, so as Kyosuke found himself on the bigger streets, and then the station’s plaza, he grew less and less weary of any “bender-nappers” lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.
Kyosuke smiled upwards and bowed slightly to the statue of his grandmother, Linfei, constructed into an alcove above the station’s entrance before pushing through the double doors and heading inside. The lights inside sparked over his silver hair, and he grinned at the hustle and bustle around him. Even as the night ran on, the station was still busy, officers striding back and forth, citizens lingering about and arguing with police at the check-in areas. Kyosuke slipped around a man holding the leash of a platypus bear in a vest and skipped over to one of the desks of a beat cop. The officer looked up as he approached and instantly scowled at him. “Beat it, Kyosuke, we don’t have time for your antics tonight!” In return Kyosuke smiled innocently and held up his hands to show he meant peace.
“Whoa, whoa, no worries.” He pushed a hand through his hair, shifting his bangs slightly out of his eyeline. “I’m not here to mess with you guys tonight. It’s actually important, is my sister in?”
“Like I’d tell you! Just because the chief is your sister doesn’t mean you get special treatment. Get in line with every other schmuck who wants a word with her!” The cop sneered, jerking a thumb in the direction of a line of citizens by one counter.
“Whatever,” Kyosuke said unabashed, shrugging. Man, what’s his problem. Crankier then usual tonight. And here I am, just minding my own business! As he ranted to himself, Kyosuke walked away from the desk, not bothering to mask his blatant disregard for the cop’s instructions. Instead, he hopped one of the counters leading further into the station, not a one officer saying a word about the intrusion since most of them knew who he was. Kyosuke walked down the line of desks in the back, no one paying him any mind, until he reached his sister’s office door.
He threw it open unceremoniously with a big grin, his golden eyes sparkling with glee. “Hey, hey! How’s my favorite big sister doing?” he asked cheekily, seeming totally unabashed that he may have interrupted anything.

Akashi
~​

Two tiny silver bells trilled lightly as Akashi pushed open the tailor’s door, slipping out from the warmth and reassuring light of the shop back out onto the street and into the cool night air. It hadn’t taken the young man long at all to speak with their tailor, hashing out the logistics and size measurements for their new Pro-Bending uniforms. Originally, Akashi had expected to pick them up tonight, but he left empty-handed; the tailor had experienced a back-up and a logbook fiasco, and so needed to retake the order. But, for their trouble, he had offered to deliver the clothes directly next time. So none of them would need to worry about picking things up. That was good enough for Akashi, who was a busy person in general. He didn’t mind it when it was for the team, but he didn’t particularly like having to trapeze all over the city for innocuous errands that should’ve been finished with already.
Outside, Xiaohan District was still busy. It was a prime shopping area, so that wasn’t surprising. Akashi spied locals and tourists alike, dressed in clothes from foreign nations as they perused the wares up and down the street—a shop selling teapots, the tailor he’d just vacated, a bakery selling Water Tribe pastries. There was one man on a corner showing off tricks with a frog-squirrel. Akashi adjusted his collar and crossed to the other side of the road when the traffic was clear, angling his direction back towards the Pro-Bending Arena—and the attic he and his teammates occupied. He slid his hands into his pockets and expertly avoided bumping into anyone as he navigated the sidewalks, not liking to be touched and also far too smart to fall for the very basics of pickpocket tactics. The firebender walked on, sticking to the main streets and keeping alert. He was always so aware of his surroundings, but tonight, he paid an even more acute attention to each person he passed. And then, when he turned onto another street, this one slightly less crowded, it happened. “Hey, kid,” a voice from a passing alley called. Akashi only looked out of the corner of his eye, keeping an even pace and ignoring the voice. The alley was pitch dark, the lights above it out, but even if it hadn’t been, what kind of person would just follow a voice into such a sketchy area? Especially given the times. But then, “Akashi.”
The firebender froze. He knows my name? Maybe just from the papers, or the league. I’ve gotten recognized before, but... That voice. I feel like I know... His thoughts fired rapidly through his mind and he made a split decision. Turning slowly, he approached the alley. Removing one hand from his pocket, he held a palm out in front of him and flames exploded above it, driving back the darkness as he stepped between the brick walls. “What’s the deal with saying my name like that?” he demanded, moving forward to illuminate the person. “Well? You think I... Oh, it’s just you.” Tension he hadn’t known he was harboring slipped out of Akashi shoulder blades, flowing down his spine and away. In front of him, the dancing fire illuminated none other than Angel Eyes Arata.
“Hey Akashi,” Arata said with a sheepish smile, showing off a mouthful of gold teeth. “Long time no see. Made me a little nervous there when you whipped out that fire!” He laughed at first, but it quickly died off into silence when Akashi’s face remained totally impassive.
“What do you want, Arata?” Akashi asked, staring the older man down with famously fearsome eyes. “I told you guys already, I don't want anything to do with you anymore. I’m passed that now.”
“Right, right, I got that! I know you’re a big time pro-bender now! I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to stick around, help an old buddy out! I just had to ask when I saw you walking by. We’re just doing some security detail tonight, nothin’ big! Wanna--”
“Seriously, you’re pathetic,” Akashi said with a scoff. “Go find someone else to help you with your ‘security detail.’ Like I said a long time ago, I’m not with you guys anymore.” The alley was swallowed in shadow as Akashi extinguished the flames, but he was illuminated again a moment later when he stepped back out into the streetlight. He set a hastier pace, not because he was afraid, but because he was annoyed. The Agni Kais should’ve known by then that he wasn’t ever going to help them with anything again. But... was it just me... or did Arata seem unusually jumpy tonight?

Interacting With: Lilure ​

 

[Moomba]

Hallick drummed his fingers on the ground in front of him. The paving stones shifted beneath his fingers, forming a variety of small stone shapes. He began to speak in what he liked to call his 'street voice', a booming deep voice that carried over the sounds of the street, but wasn't quite yelling.
"Come one, come all! Come and be amazed by the unique display of bending and masterful storytelling that has awed so many before you!"
Several street-goers had already begun to gather around him, and more joined the small crowd as he called out. You always got more patrons in the evening, when they were on their way home, and didn't have some place to be. The best stories were told in the afternoon over tea, or at night around a campfire. But the evening was good as well, for short, interesting stories that drew crowds.
"Some of you may have heard of the library of Wan Shi Tong?" Hallick asked, seeing a few people nod in the crowd. "The great library with all of the world's knowledge, kept by the knowledge spirit Wan Shi Tong, He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things." he began to rapidly tap the ground, and the owl-like shape of Wan Shi Tong formed before the growing crowd. As soon as the knowledge spirit appeared, he vanished, replaced by a miniture version of his library. Hallick gently slammed his fist on the ground, and the library suddenly sunk halfway into a sand pit.
"The great library is, or was, hidden in the Si Wong desert, which is known to be nearly uncrossable. Few have visited the library, and fewer have returned to tell the tale. Even so, it's a storyteller's dream to visit, for Wan Shi Tong has countless myths and histories stored there. So tonight I will share with you the tale of a brave storyteller who visited the library and earned the respect of He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things." Hallick shifted the ground before him again, the library sinking entirely into the ground and the sand reforming into stone. He formed the figure of a man with a broad brimmed hat and a large pack, wearing simple clothes and sandals.
"Now not much is known about the storyteller himself, other than the fact he was from the Fire Nation. Or was that the Earth Kingdom?" That drew a few chuckles from the crowd. In truth, the storyteller's nation of birth had been lost to history. "His name is similarly unknown, but we'll call him the Lore Seeker. The Lore Seeker was a traveling storyteller of some little renown. However, while most storytellers were (and are) content to tell the same tales over and over, the Lore Seeker was always looking for new stories to tell."
With a rapid set of beats, Hallick showed the Lore Seeker visiting an Earth Kingdom village, a city in the Fire Nation, one of the Water Tribe cities, and meeting some Air Nomads on sky bison. "He traveled the world, learning stories and legends from all of the nations. But he still wasn't satisfied. One day, though," Hallick formed the Lore Seeker standing before a scraggly looking man, "He met a man who'd visited Wan Shi Tong's library. Of course, the Lore Seeker had heard of the library, but even he had doubted that it was real, until now." The ground before him shifted once again, and reformed into the Lore Seeker standing atop a sand dune, peering into the distance. "So he set out immediately, not even bringing a guide along." Hallick formed the spire of Wan Shi Tong's library sticking out of a sand dune, and the Lore Seeker standing before it. "Against all odds, he made it. Perhaps he was just lucky, or perhaps Wan Shi Tong wanted him to find it." Rapidly, the earth formed into Wan Shi Tong, glaring down at a small figure of the Lore Seeker. "Once inside, the Lore Seeker encountered the great knowledge spirit. 'Wan Shi Tong,' he said, 'I am a humble storyteller, and I have come to find the lost myths you have secreted away in your library.' Wan Shi Tong's interest was piqued. 'If you are a storyteller, let me hear your repertoire. Tell me a tale I've never heard before, and I shall let you enter my library.'"
Hallick grinned at the crowd, which had grown quite large, and continued. "The Lore Seeker accepted Wan Shi Tong's challenge, and began to do what he loved; tell stories. He told story after story, but while Wan Shi Tong was impressed with the Lore Seeker's skill, he had heard every story before. After a few days of near constant storytelling, the Lore Seeker ran out of tales. 'Well, great knowledge spirit, I have told every story I know, yet you've heard every single one.' He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things was regretful but he couldn't go back on the terms of their agreement.
'I am sorry. You are a great storyteller, but I have not heard a tale I did not already know. You must leave.'. And so the Lore Seeker turned to exit the library. But as he was climbing the rope to get out, he had a brilliant idea. 'Wan Shi Tong, I have a story that you have never heard, and I know it!' The knowledge spirit was surprised. 'Oh?, and what story would that be?' the Lore Seeker grinned. 'My own.'"
Hallick pressed both of his thumbs into the ground and twisted them, and the figures began to shift as he spoke, showing scenes of the Lore Seeker traveling the world. "The Lore Seeker told Wan Shi Tong his life story, of his decision to become a traveling storyteller, about his unending search for new stories to tell. When the Lore Seeker was finished, Wan Shi Tong said nothing for a minute. Finally, he spoke, and when he did, his tone was one of respect, 'Well storyteller, you have earned my respect and admiration. You may read any book you wish from my collection, and you shall be welcome back whenever you wish to return.' The Lore Seeker was ecstatic, for now he had an endless supply of stories. Over the years, the Lore Seeker returned many times, and each time, he told Wan Shi Tong what had happened on his travels. The two eventually became friends through a shared love of knowledge. And that my friends, is the tale of the storyteller who found Wan Shi Tong's library."
A round of applause burst out, and people began to throw money into the little can Hallick had set up. Most moved on, but some stayed, wondering if Hallick would tell another tale. "It was an honor to share this tale with you tonight, but I'm going to move somewhere a little less noisy. Probably the park." Hallick grabbed the money can and counted out the coins and bills before shoving them into his pocket. He rolled up the mat he had been sitting on and slung it onto his back. He'd told some of the hobos who lived in the park he'd be there tonight. Telling stories to the homeless was always great. They were good listeners, and often had stories of their own worth hearing. He walked away, taking a handful of sand out of his pocket and forming into a round pebble, then back into sand. The people who'd been hovering around him left, not a single one following him. Not that he'd expected them to; the park was pretty far away.

 

[Lilure]

Yira ~ The Avatar

"Toru!" Yira cheered, beaming at him as he came to a stop beside her. His appearance totally caused the young Avatar to lose her focus, and the water she'd been bending dropped to the ground like a stone before exploding in liquid waves all across the tiles. Yira jumped back slightly, light as a feather, to avoid being splashed. The brunette turned to smile cheekily at Toru, seeming unabashed by her failed control over the water. "I'm still getting the hang of it," she admitted, stating the obvious. "We only just started lessons, so it's all still really new. But with you here to help me, I bet I can pick it up in no time! You can teach me all of those cool moves you're always doing in the ring! Like the one that goes like, 'fwoosh!'" Yira threw her hand abruptly to the side as she spoke, seeming to imitate a wave gesture of sorts. She smiled at him still--Yira was the kind of person who really smiled a lot. "Oh, and you'll have to tell Kyosuke and Akashi hi back!" If he was feeling awkward it seemed Yira either didn't notice or didn't care.
Yira paused, thinking over his question about Master Korine. They had practiced earlier in the day--doing basic drills and the older waterbender explaining again what essentially amount to the basics. Push and pull the water, don't force the water. In that was, that's how airbending was a little similar; it was easier to guide and shape the air into what you wanted it to do, rather than trying to force it with your limbs. At least, that's how Yira had always bended. Her style was creative and varied--she always found an interesting way to use her element. "I'm actually not sure," Yira admitted, gazing up at Toru. "We practiced earlier, but afterwards, she went to do... well, whatever she does. Master Korine is really intense! Have you met her? Oh, but maybe not! You're from the North, right? Master Korine is from the South. Do you travel back and forth a lot? We always travel between the temples. Oh, but about Master Korine! Maybe she's looking around the city?" Yira wondered aloud, trying to picture her teacher going for a casual evening stroll through the park. "Why, do you think we'll need her to help us? You're so skilled, Toru, I don't think you'd need anybody's help!" Yira said cheerfully.

Liling ~ Chief of Police

"Kyosuke!" the silver-haired woman snapped, looking furious at the appearance of her younger brother bursting into her office--right in the middle of a briefing, too! In a heartbeat, the earthbender had cleared the length of the room, practically tackled the young man through the door frame, and slammed the office door behind her so the two of them were alone in the hallway. "What exactly do you think you're doing?!" she snapped. It wasn't that she was always unhappy to see her younger brother, but he also always seemed to show up at exactly the wrong time. "I've told you before, you can't just barge in here! We have a lot going on in the city tonight and the last thing I need is you getting under my officers' feet again! Shouldn't you be spending time with your friends or practicing your little game?" she demanded, crossing her arms. Liling hadn't meant for her inquiry to sound condescending, but that's the way it came across. She knew Pro-Bending was important to Kyosuke, but she also thought it was such a waste of his time and his talent. For as talented an earthbender as he was, he could be putting his skills towards something useful--such as bettering the city.
But rather than that, he was always out getting himself into trouble with his friends (who she was convinced were a bad influence). It was no secret that Liling didn't approve of the ways he spent his time, but she'd never really said it aloud so blatantly before, either. "I have important work to do. If you don't leave, I can have someone escort you out," she said firmly, her eyes and voice steely and cold.

Interacting With: Ceyrise ​

 

[RikuXIII]

{Jade Jayaatu: Republic City; Home Workshop}
The owl cat Hu lay on his side in his basket, one of his paws extended and twitching. He was likely dreaming of something small to disembowel, something not even the loud slamming of the main entrance to the apartment section of the repurposed warehouse could rouse him out of. A few moments later, a shadow fell over the sleeping pet.
"Still asleep, lazy bones?" Jade Jayaatu commented, not sounding that surprised. "Some of us had to go to a meeting already and would like some snuggles."
This fact didn't seem to affect Hu as he continued to doze and Jade didn't actually have the heart to wake him. Though, there were subtler ways to get what one wants. Jade pulled off some of the outer layers of one of her fancier outfits as she headed for her bedroom. One of heads for a military contracted had wanted a full board meeting about his design and wanted it early. Jade could tell that she wasn't the only one unhappy about the early meeting, but when a lucrative contract was potentially paying off, you had to see what all the fuss was about. The tank design that was displayed was impressive, but Jade couldn't help but think a couple of talented metal benders could completely dismantle it in moments, leaving the drivers vulnerable at best. Still, progress had to be seen and recognized.
After a quick change into her street clothes, Jade went to her apartment's kitchen. Inside she found some fresh packets of food and various bits of mail stacked neatly on the counter. As well as some water coming to boil for tea.
"Bless you, Mrs. Han." the young inventor murmured, wondering not for the first time how her part time house keeper had timed the water boiling so well.
Setting her feet in a firm stance, Jade called on her earth bending to reach out and take hold of a pile of assorted metal pieces laying carefully in a special basket near the door to the kitchen. The metal moved under her command and flew to her side, the pieces forming just below the stomp that had been her left arm like puzzle pieces to make up an arm. Once they were all in place, Jade raised her prosthetic metal arm and flexed the fingers. It had taken years to get really good at this subtle application of metal bending, but it paid off. While it still took a bit of focus, it was mostly an after thought at this point. With now two hands to work with, she prepared a tea cup and poured some hot tea into it.
"Ah, that's the stuff." She said, breathing in the hot beverage.
She pulled out a container of salted fish and a jar of spicy pickles from her cool room. As soon as she opened the salt fish, she felt the pressure of Hu landing on her shoulder.
"Thought food would get your attention." Jade teased, offering up a piece of the fish to her owl cat with her metal hand.
As Hu munched on his treat, Jade poked through the mail. Most of it was junk, one from the Fire Sages likely thanking her for her last donation, and one large brown envelope. Wiping off her metal hand, she used a finger to slice open the letter, revealing a small set of blue prints for a modular locomotive engine. The main feature was being able to adapt the system so that a bender of any of the four elements could use it. It was, in Jade's mind, likely impossible that one could make a single engine that could do it all, but some of the ideas here were sound. These blueprints came from something of a pen-pall for Jade, a young inventor from Ba Sing Se named Batu. He had sent her his first ideas a year or so ago. Due to some bad memories of Ba Sing Se, Jade had tried to ignore him. But he had been politely persistent and kept the ideas flowing. She eventually replied and the two kept sending ideas back and forth. Batu had dreams of uniting the whole world with his railroads, even to dig tunnels under the sea to connect the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation, and maybe even the Water Tribes. He was a dreamer, but Jade figured that's what actually got her talking to him.
After a moment of looking at the miniature blueprints, Jade put them down and rubbed her eyes with her good hand. Today wasn't a good day for this. She had been working a lot, and after that meeting, she needed some rest and relaxation. She wondered what the Probending schedule was like. Finishing off her snack, she put away the food, to some protest from Hu.
"Can't have you pigging out just yet, Hu." Jade said. "We're going out."
Metalbender and owl cat traipsed out of their home, locking up behind themselves, into Republic City to see what kind of amusement they could find.

 

[ScatheAriiasqDrayceon]

Jet stepped delicately across the tiles of the White Lotus island, humming a soft tune to himself in the night. Refreshingly cool air brushed by his face, carrying the scent of rain and ocean—he shuddered—and just a bit of the oily city reek from across the harbor. For once, he wasn't in his usual coat, though, his clothing was still as black as a starless sky; just like his hair. Should one look over, though, it'd seem like his eyes were almost glowing in the dark from the lights framing his figure.

He could hear a voice, distantly, but wasn't sure who it was—then again, he wasn't sure who anyone on this island was; he got there less than an entire day ago, late at night and absolutely exhausted. He didn't pay it too much mind, though, continuing to walk. Idly, he wondered if it was the same person who arrived on the boat earlier.

He wasn't really interested in what other people were doing, though, head craned up to peer between the wispy clouds, eyes squinted against the moonlight if just to catch a glimpse of—Ah! There!

A smile tugged at Jet's lips as he caught sight of the gold ribbons flickering and spiraling behind Ariiasq's glider, reflective to keep errant skyships from running them over. He chuckled to himself, watching the glider dip and turn suddenly due to air-currents Arii made themself with heat, a few brief flashes of flame lighting up the night sky as they put a bit too much behind their bending.

Nevertheless, it was late and flying at night was dangerous, so he cupped his hands around his mouth (carefully avoiding pressing too hard on the recent scars) and—

Splash

Jet would like to say he didn't screech like a startled ravenhawk. He would like to say he didn't jump about two feet in the air to avoid the blast of water.

But he would like to say many things.

But Jet was not a liar.

Jet leaped backward at the sound of water, very nearly tripping over himself in his haste to get away. He was all-but hissing, eyes wide and horrified. He looked much like a cat as he went from not moving to suddenly clawing his way up a brick wall with the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Now safe from the demonic liquid, Jet looked up to—oh.

Right.

People lived on this island.

The Avatar did, too.

What are the chances that that woman over there's the Avatar?

With his luck? High probablies.

It was a good thing Jet can't really blush all that much. It didn't help that he saw Ariiasq almost crash into the water—probably laughing.

Jet, the healer all-but renowned for his medical studies, smiled sheepishly and waved. "Sorry."

 

[Ceyrise]

Toru
~​

Toru looked blankly down at the abandoned water; it splashed lightly over his feet, but it wasn’t a big deal. Flicking his wrist with a light roll, he bent the water from the fabric and his shoes, collecting it into a small, dewdrop-shaped orb, before flicking it away across the plaza’s cobblestones where it splashed and curled into the crevices of the rock. Yira, of course, had avoided any dampness with the floating ease that he thought all airbenders possessed. Fwoosh? he couldn’t help but wonder. Which one is that? The waterbender began flipping through a mental book of all his most iconic strategies in the Pro-Bending circuit. It’s water so... They all kind of fwoosh? Regardless, he quickly pulled himself out of his own head, wanting to focus on everything Yira said. As always, she remained incredibly animated. The life and vitality she had about her reminded him a lot of Kyosuke. Her aura was warm like his was, too. “I think we should start out with a more basic technique,” Toru began quietly. “Like, move the water. When you get that down then I can show you... fwoosh.” He felt silly just saying it, a rosy-tint dusting his cheeks as the word settled between them. He looked away until his skin cooled back down, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Fwoosh, really?
“Yeah, I’m from the North,” Toru murmured in response, curious now about this teacher Yira was talking about. A Master Korine? Toru had never heard of her, but that didn’t mean much. Maybe his grandmother knew her... or maybe not. It had been many years since Nana had completed her own waterbending training in their sister tribe. “And no. We don’t really travel back and forth. At least, a lot of people don’t.” Toru paused, thinking for a moment. “I’ve never even been to the South. But I kind of want to go someday. My grandmother trained there, when she was younger.” Another pause, as he thought things over, wondering if he should share his thoughts on the matter further. Ultimately, he decided to do so—they were harmless, after all. “For a long time, women weren’t allowed to train in waterbending for combat in the North. That’s why my grandmother went to the South, where it was allowed. We don’t have that law anymore, and anyone can practice for fighting, but since I learned about that, I’ve always thought the South sounded more progressive. The North has...” Toru stopped, frowning. “There’s a lot of traditions. Even though we’re both Water Tribe, I want to see how we’re different for myself.” Concluding his explanation, he looked at Yira with indigo eyes, a slight worried sense gripping his heart. Was that way too much? It’s not like she asked about that. I just thought... ugh.
“Look, let’s just--” Toru whipped around at the sound of a shriek, not immediately correlating the terror in the person’s voice to the coincidentally exploding water the Avatar was struggling to control. The waterbender felt his heart slamming in his chest—a natural response to the situation as adrenaline coursed through him. Thankfully, his self-control was good, and he didn’t send a real blast of water sailing at the guy (Jet) on an instinctual whim. “Who is that?” Toru demanded, looking at Yira. He hadn’t meant to speak so harshly towards her, but the unexpected screech had really startled him. Toru inhaled deeply through his nose, calming his racing heart. This island was probably the safest place in the whole city; no need to freak out about things now. “Is he afraid of bending or something?” Toru asked, having made the connection. “Kinda weird for a White Lotus member.” The waterbender watched the screaming-person wave and offer an apology, but he simply frowned and crossed his arms, waiting to see what Yira had to say about it.

Kyosuke
~​

“Ugh, damn, do you seriously have to say hi so mean all the time?” Kyosuke demanded, actually feeling some annoyance and a little bit of hurt flare angrily in his chest. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, feeling defensive all of a sudden. “It seems like every time I see you, you’re always pissed off at me. I didn’t even do anything this time, except show up to see you.” The earthbender titled his head slightly, golden eyes sliding away from his elder sister to look at anything else around the room—a messy officer’s desk, one of the lit wall scones, the traces of cracks in the floor. “Sorry I interrupted your stupid meeting or whatever.” He was about to storm out of there, forgetting entirely for a minute the reason he’d even shown up in the first place, until Akashi’s serious face flashed through his mind. Kyosuke’s shoulders relaxed a hair as he pictured his friend and the important mission he’d been sent on. Recalling that, the young man stood firm, rooted in place like an unmoving tree. Although still upset by her initial response, he knew he couldn’t dip out just because he was upset. And you wonder why nobody else ever bothers to come and visit you, Kyosuke couldn’t help but think though.
“Speaking of my friends who I’m sure you’d love to arrest for no reason,” Kyosuke began. That probably was a bit of a stretch, but he knew Liling didn’t like his team. He had no idea why she didn’t, but she’d made it pretty clear, even though Akashi and Toru were the two most amazing people in the world. Was it them, or Pro-Bending in general? Or both? Liling, naturally, didn’t seem to like the sport either. Too bad it wasn’t her life; it was his, so he was going to live it the way he wanted—in a way that made him feel happy every day. I can’t even imagine her cracking a smile, let alone having a good day, Kyosuke grumbled to himself, not quite realizing the judgmental stare he’d leveled her with. “Since you’re so busy, I’ll make it quick. I wanna know what the deal is with the Duyi thing. Do me and my teammates need to be concerned for our safety or what?” His voice was solemn and icy, but he still had a hard time even remotely picturing Liling volunteering that information. “Don’t bother wasting my time with you usual spiel, if you care about our safety at all, either say it or just walk away. We deserve to know if some creep might try to come after us.”

Akashi
~​

Akashi continued on his way home, trying his best to forget the worried expression on Arata’s face as he left the other man in the shadows of the alley. What did he even expect? Akashi ranted to himself. Approaching me from a freaking dark creepy alleyway like that. When I haven’t worked with the Agni Kais in literally years. I wish those losers would just forget my name and face. Stop bothering me altogether. The young firebender walked with a much quicker pace than the other shoppers and tourists out and about tonight, the gait fueled by his irritation at seeing an old acquaintance he’d rather just forget altogether. It was still early in the night; Akashi had told Kyosuke and Toru they should meet back home before midnight. The moon had a way to go yet, but Akashi wasn’t the type to loaf around even on a good night, so he continued his path back towards the Pro-Bending arena.
At one point, the crowd thickened for some reason—maybe an interesting store around here, or a street performer doing something really exciting. Akashi rolled his eyes and focused on navigating his way through the sea of people, managing not to make physical contact with anyone right up until he had just cleared the crowd, when a stray foot or something tripped him up and he stumbled and bumped into a man older than him (Halick). Immediately, the firebender jumped back and away from the man, dancing lightly on his toes in a move that was just a little too fluid for someone who hadn’t had serious and extensive training. “Watch where you’re going!” Akashi snapped, even though it had been him that stumbled into the man. That didn’t register though, and the biting words that hissed out were a completely instinctual response. Akashi’s hand jumped to his shirt, pressing against his chest as he searched for the money pouch containing what little coin he had stored inside. He wasn’t stupid; unlike other pedestrians and especially tourists that left their money in a pocket or dangling from their belt, Akashi knew that was one of the fastest ways to lose it in this city. Still though, although he’d never had a pickpocket rob him from where he currently kept it, that was always the first fear he had when any sort of questionable occurrence happened. Of course, though, his money was just fine and still pressed against his breastbone, so he switched to glaring at the man before preparing to walk away.

Elkie
~​

Elkie herself was also out for the night, taking a stroll through Xioahan District. After training earlier in the day with Master Korine and Yira, she’d decided to go out and explore the city a bit. Still very new to all of this, she wanted to try and see if she would have any luck finding her way around. Of course, she’d heard that one needed to be careful in Republic City—there were gangs and thugs, after all. But thanks to her training, she felt safe and secure; it also helped that she was making sure to stay in well-lit, bustling areas. Like the current shopping district she was in! Originally, she’d also wanted to invite Yira along. But then, Elkie had a much better idea; why not surprise her with a gift? The two girls were only starting tog et to know one another, and while Elkie liked the other girl so far, and felt like she’d made a decent first impression, she wanted to do something especially nice in the hopes that they could become better friends. It was the waterbender’s first time so far away from her home, and she was already starting to miss the people there. If Yira and I become closer friends though, I bet the island will feel like a type of home in no time, too! Elkie thought cheerfully to herself.
Walking past lit shop windows, she gazed at beautiful clothing, delicious foods, and all manner of charming little knick-knacks lit up in the golden displays of the store windows. As she traveled around, she kept two hands lightly wrapped around her purse, like she’d read you should do in one of the travel books her mother had gifted her for this trip specifically. Despite hearing that danger lurked in the city, Elkie was having fun engaging in the nightlife around her, thinking the paper lanterns and flickering streetlights all seemed so pretty and welcoming.

Interacting With: Lilure ScatheAriiasqDrayceon (indirect) Moomba ​

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Through the streets of the Republic city, a rare sight travelled slowly. A Rukul Industries Leopard Caribou, a relatively recent announced Sport-Roadster hybrid. A car for those well off who wanted both luxury and speed, it was sleek and streamlined with much work being done to eliminate any corners and be as unlike the rival satomobilies as possible. Painter in the Rukul Industries colours of navy and sky blue, the engine made up half the car length and the passenger side was opened topped. In the front, the driver was dressed in a chauffeur clothing and sitting behind was slightly dishevelled young man of water tribe descent in a suit, head buried in sketch pad. Few people knew who this young man was, least of all that he was the designer of the car he was in. To all appearances he was some rich kid returning from work or something else.

In truth the perception Naunuk gave was not far from the truth, he indeed was on his way back from the office, but he really wasn't done with work. He was never done with work, that wasn't how he was built. His job was to create and designed whether it was cars, electronics or anything that might sell. It was something he did constantly as his mind did not stop, on thought after another, barely half formed before another thought came to his mind removing the other one for good. There was rarely a time he could settle down his mind for working, it was a blessing and curse he had lived in since he was conscious of it. As he usually came up with good ideas, his father instructed him to not down as much as he could whether it was just one word or a new design. There was an entire RD department set up back in Rukul Industries HQ who job was to make sense of his ideas. An often difficult job but one that served the company really well.

At the moment through Naunuk was trying hard not work and finally rest his mind trying to do one of those things helped with that. He was drawing and sketching the world around him, indulging his artistic side which he tried to do wherever he could. Previously the car had stopped Republic City National Park when Naunuk had seen a particularly pretty collection of flowers, and now he was trying hard to draw it from memory, focusing his mind on the image. It helped for a little while, at this point in time he had drawn the basic outline and had painted about half of it before he looked up from his drawing to take a break and something else draw his eyes.

"Driver, stop quick!" He said leaning forward and tapping his chauffeurs arm. The chauffeur nodded and parked nearby and Naunuk stepped out quickly. He seemed to stop in front of a store selling radios and other electronics. He turned to a new page and sketch without another word, trying hard to focus on that and nothing else.

 

[Bumblebeee]

Naoki
~​

Traveling to Republic City all those months ago had been a whim. Naoki adored her fellow Kyoshi Warriors and the work they had been doing for the Earth Kingdom was fulfilling, but something inside her kept whispering that it was time for a change. She ignored it as long as she could, but eventually it couldn't be helped anymore. Naoki considered heading back to the Fire Nation, but that felt like pouring salt into a wound and she quickly turned her sights elsewhere. Republic City, where crime was high and in need of taming, seemed the perfect choice. It was an in-between made of a variety of nations and cultures, just like Naoki, and if she was being honest... Republic City was where her parents met and formed some of the most meaningful relationships of their lives. Maybe Naoki wanted the same.

Regardless, Naoki found she was still settling into her new home. She adapted easily to some things, like the influx of people and the quick pace of the city, and was more weary of other aspects, like the lack of quiet spaces or how she could never quite see the stars at night anymore. To make herself more comfortable and pay respect to the sisters she had left behind on Kyoshi Island, Naoki took care to dress in her uniform and tenderly apply war paint to her face every morning before heading off. The familiar weight of her fans at her hip reminded her of home and warned others that she was not to be messed with. The Kyoshi Warriors had made a name for themselves over the last few decades, and wearing her uniform brought Naoki some degree of respect amongst people she hadn't known. The chief of police, for instance, had been generous in her offer to bring Naoki on as an honorary deputy of sorts to the department. She had been called upon multiple times to assist the police in their investigations and raids on suspected gang activity. That was, in fact, what lead Naoki to the precinct today.

She was late, a fact that grated on Naoki's nerves but could not be helped. This operation had not be on the regular schedule and Naoki had no reliable way of being contacted by the police other than by carrier. It was things like this that made her consider getting a messenger hawk. The woman manning the front desk didn't stop her as she swept through the lobby, long having gotten used to Kyoshi Warrior's odd apparel and stoic nod in greeting. As Naoki made her way to the conference room she started to hear raised voices, tight and pinched with irritation. Perhaps she should have waited outside for the conversation to end, but at the time Naoki didn't think much of interrupting. When she turned the corner and realized who, exactly, was arguing she immediately regretted her lack of forethought.

"Chief Liling." Naoki stopped, her long skirts swishing against her ankles as she turned her gaze from her pseudo-boss to the young man beside her. It took her a moment to place him, but ever so slightly, Naoki's lips quirked up slightly at the corner once she did. She had been fascinated by pro-bending since she was a child. "You must be Kyosuke." She had never managed to get to a match, but she listened on the radio whenever she could. It helped that word around the office was one of the Tigerdillos' players was the Chief's little brother. "Congratulations on your last match, I heard it was quite the win." She tried to keep things professional, but she couldn't help but throw in a compliment when meeting her first pro-bender. "Everything alright here?" Naoki spared a questioning glance towards the Chief, then panned back to Kyoshuke and approached, offering her hand to shake. "Naoki," she introduced, bowing her head ever so slightly like a fire nation noble might.

Naoki couldn't help but think that perhaps Kyoshuke's presence here had something to do with her summons. First being called in to the station for an abrupt meeting, and now a pro-bender shows up? It felt related to the bender disappearances even without considering the argument they were clearly just having being brought into things.

interacting with Lilung ( Lilure ) and Kyosuke ( Ceyrise )​

 

[Moomba]

~Harrane~​

Harrane took a sip of tea. It was green tea, brewed just how she liked it. Which is to say it was cooked down until it was nearly a syrup and had no sweeteners of any kind. She turned the page in her newspaper. Some big-time pro-bender had been kidnapped, apparently the latest in a string of kidnappings. The triads were suspected of having some involvement. Pro-bending had never held any appeal for Harrane. To her, it seemed purposefully impractical. What was the point of fighting if there were arbitrary rules in place? She shook her head and took another sip of tea.

The small bell over the tea shop's door jingled quietly as someone came in. Harrane looked over her newspaper. As usual, she'd picked a seat with a view of the front entrance. There were two of them, dressed like triad enforcers. Just like clockwork. One triad or another sent goons after her every couple weeks, since she didn't work exclusively for one triad. With a sigh, Harrane folded up her newspaper and set it on the table before lazily getting to her feet. She tossed a few yuans on the table, and downed the half-empty tea cup.

"Right, so this can go two ways. You can leave right now and risk being punished by whoever sent you. Or, you can do what you were sent here to do, and risk being crippled permanently, or worse." Harrane drawled, pulling her coat on.

"If you expect us to just walk away Shatterhand, then you underestimate our resolve." the enforcer growled in a voice like gravel. Usually, rough voices like that grated on her ears, but this one actually sounded okay.

"Fair enough. In that case, I politely request we go outside." Harrane slowly strode towards the door. As she passed the enforcers, the large, silent one grabbed her shoulder. "I'd rather not tear up this tea shop. Usually the owner blames me for the property destruction, and then the cops come after me as well. So let's go outside, shall we?" she lightly slipped out of the hulking man's grasp and walked out into the street.

Harrane rolled her neck. Normally, she'd knock them both out quickly and be done with it. Tonight, however, she felt like sending a message. The two triad enforcers walked outside, talking up fighting stances. The big one was, as she'd expected, an earthbender, and the other one was apparently a waterbender. She hadn't noticed the waterskin under his coat.
Harrane began to hum softly, then amplified the sound with her airbending. With practiced ease, she focused the sound into her hands. The sound wasn't actually a resonating frequency, but a quiet hum that canceled out actual destructive sounds. Letting any sort of destructive frequency resonate inside your body for extended periods could cause serious damage, so Harrane had developed a way to shield herself from the sound.

"Let's get started." she said, half to herself. With no other warning, Harrane sprinted towards the two benders, quickly attuning to the resonating frequency of stone. She could avoid attacks from the waterbender alone, but throw in an earthbender hurling rocks at her, and it became dangerous. Easier to just destroy the rocks. She weaved between the whiplike tendrils of water, catching flying stones before they hit her and shattering them. As she got closer to her enemies, she flipped, pressing her palms against the ground and amplifying the sound. Cracks quickly began to appear on the street, causing the waterbender to lose his footing and nearly fall over.

While the waterbender was down, Harrane pressed her advantage against the earthbender, launching herself into a massive leap. As she flew through the air, she attuned one hand to the frequency she used to knock people out. As far as she could tell, it caused some kind of minor concussion when you touched the head, and caused a stabbing sensation when used elsewhere. The earthbender got a partial dome up around himself, but Harrane quickly destroyed it. She slammed her open palm on to his head, and he crumpled to the ground a few seconds later.

The waterbender was back on his feet, a tendril of water held before him. "What... what did you do to him."
"Don't worry, I just put him to sleep. It only hurts a little bit." Harrane laughed at her own joke, then used a sweeping kick to send an air blast at the triad waterbender, knocking him down. She raced towards him, grabbing his head and knocking him out like his friend.

With a slight frown, Harrne surveyed the street. There were several large cracks on the ground, and parts of it were askew. Probably best to leave once she'd searched her attackers. She checked both their pockets and found little of use. Made sense. In the event the target incapacitated your people, you didn't want anything that could point back to you. Because then you had an angry enemy who you had clearly underestimated and knew exactly who you were. Harrane listened for a moment. There were police sirens in the distance, getting closer. Time to go. She ran towards a three story building and jumped, propelling herself upward with airbending. She barely cleared the roof, but managed to grab on and boost herself to the top. She panted for a moment, then began running, easily running from rooftop to rooftop.

~Hallick~​

While he walked, Hallick continued to practice his bending. He melted the pebbles back into sand, then formed the loose grains into a small spike. With a snap, he closed his hands around the spike, crushing it into sand once again. Slowly, Hallick opened his hands, having formed the sand into a sphere. Bending while walking was all well and good, but he had places to be. He started walked faster, tossing the sphere up and down. Then, out of nowhere, a younger man slammed into him, causing him to drop the sphere.

In an instant, Hallick sized up the man who'd bumped into him. From the way he moved, he was likely a bender, or he had combat experience. From his reaction, he'd had his pocket picked before, but who hadn't in Republic City. Personally, Hallick let people pick his pocket, then he froze them with a sandtrap and took his money back. Usually he'd give the would-be pickpocket a couple yuans before letting them go. It paid to be friendly with urchins, since they always had the scoop on interesting events. The best stories were grounded in truth, after all.

"Worried I'm going to steal your hard-earned yuans?" Hallick asked of the man, a little amused by his reaction. "Well your reaction isn't entirely unfounded. I've had my pocket picked more than once. A word of advice, though. Making disparaging remarks towards streetgoers won't earn you any friends."

Hallick tapped his foot once, and the sphere was launched into the air, right into his hand. "I'd love to stay and talk, but I actually have something to do later tonight." Hallick began to walk away, but at the last minute turned around. "If you're interested in hearing some top-notch storytelling, come down the the park later. I'll be there all night." With a conspiratorial wink that didn't actually mean anything, he strode off into the crowd.

 

[GrieveWriter]

Senya
Locations: Republic City Streets (In front of Radio/Gadget shop)
Interaction/Mention: ThatGuyWithSouvlaki (Sketching Guy)
It was cramped yet comfy, hard but unrestraining, dangerous yet unnoteworthy.

These factors were among the many that allowed Senya to snooze with relative comfort even as the numerous crates and containers she was sleeping in jostled every so often. She was in the back of a vehicle, with no view of the outside besides two small view panes on the rear walls. But Senya was not interested in taking stock of where she was, the desire to sleep too great and too enticing to resist at the moment.

The same could not be said for the unfortunate Lemur that she'd gotten stuck inside the transport vehicle along with her. Nox was still looking around with terrified irritation, unable to stop himself from occasionally hissing whenever they were jostled. He'd climbed to the view panes several times over the course of their journey, and now noticed that the vehicle they were in was slowing down. Panicking, Nox scurried back behind several crates to where Senya slumbered without care.

But soon her peaceful sleep was interrupted when she felt a shape sting and woke up to find Nox right in front of her, biting her nose angrily. Senya took a moment to yawn, casually rising from her sleep as Nox found himself clinging to her to keep from falling.

"Aw, what's a matter little guy?" she asked with a tilt of her head, yawning a bit as she looked down to the Lemur hanging from her nose "Not enjoying the ride?"

Nox released her nose before tapping one hand angrily against the side of her head and using the other to point towards the door as figures approached it.

Senya's eyes blinked slowly as Nox began hissing with urgency, but her only response was to cup his head against her chest and lie back down.

The Rear of the vehicle opened as two men in uniforms were instructed by a third to begin hauling.

"Come on, come on, move it quickly guys." the third man said a the other hauled several crated past him towards a relatively unassuming building nearby "You've got several stops before- hey!"

He turned and rushed over to one of them before helping him steady the crate, "Careful with that, damn it. Zarr doesn't pay for broken equipment and I got rent!"

But while the men were fretting over the cargo, Senya was busy casually stepping out of the back of the truck and giving a stretch before turning and wandering off. Nox scurried to her shoulder before cautiously glancing back towards the men and their truck, but Senya wasn't in much of a hurry. She was still busy recovering from her power nap, and only really came to a stop once there was enough space between buildings for her to check out the sky.

She stared up at it for a moment before continuing on her walk. She had plenty of time to get where she needed to be, which was good because she often didn't enjoy having to rush things. That cargo vehicle back there had been a boon she hadn't been willing to overlook, and all it had really cost her was a few seconds of sneaky sneaky and an increase in angry Nox. But that was a price she was willing to pay for a good sleep and a free ride.

Besides, Nox was almost always angry.

Looking up, she watched as he took flight high above and began darting between buildings, making himself less of a presence as they reached more and more people. Those big buildings in the industrial sector weren't much for large numbers of civilians, but as she came across more residences and commercial avenues she found more and more people to walk amongst. Shops and displays lit up her surroundings as the din of voices rose the deeper she pushed in, but she had to stay focused.

Sure, might've had a lot of time until that thing she needed to get to, but she wanted a good seat for it. As cool as things were around here, she needed to stay laser focused on getting to-

"Ohhh, haven't seen things like you before."

As she made her way by some guy who was standing by a car and sketching for some reason, Senya found her eye drawn to the store his car was parked outside of. It had plenty of electronics on display, one of which had drawn Senya's eye.

A super fancy lookin' radio sat front and center in the display window, the centerpiece of the display. She turned towards it and pressed her forehead against the window as she looked over the radio with interest. It wasn't like the others, it was definitely made to display wealth. Way too big, way too flashy for convenience to be a priority. Compared to the relatively simple radios and devices around it, Senya wondered how exactly it was supposed to function.

She'd heard that certain kinds of metals could cause interference with whatever signals they get, would the flashy bits on this one be a problem? Or wait, weren't they fake or something?

"You've got all kinds of added stuff, don't ya?" she cooed as she rubbed at her chin and looked it over "Bigger than the usual trinkets."

Watching from the top of a nearby building Nox watched her for a moment before glaring and looking away, sniffing the air for a moment before hissing and flying off.

Narkan Dhorm
Location: Republic City Rooftop
Interaction/Mention: Moomba (Distant Figure)
​

Painting wasn't a natural talent, not for Narkan Dhorm.

If someone had told him six years ago that he'd be standing atop one of his properties, desperately attempting to capture the magnificence of Republic City, he'd probably have stuffed their pockets with enough money for two counseling sessions as condolences for their blatant insanity.

And yet here he was, pressing paint to pad over and over again with his gaze occasionally turning to the cityscape beyond. He'd gotten better, of course, his little hobby had come far from the chicken scratch nonsense his earlier works were. But despite his growing skills, Narkan found his production lacking. The beauty of Republic City just wasn't jumping from the image like the real thing did. But that didn't mean he'd stop, as there were few things that irritated him more than an unfinished job.

"Yugorian Shipping's not going to be able to redirect the vessel for another day, which means their arrival will take at least another week." a well-dressed man spoke as he paced beside the door leading into the building "That storm set us back, but at least we won't be in dire need in those districts for a while."

Narkan gave a grunt of acknowledgement as he focused on oh his painting, taking the time to trace the edges of another building before pulling a rag from the edge of his easel and smudging the shape into form.

"How about Zarr?" he asked whilst glancing back "Is the ole dog still kicking up a fuss?"

The young man adjusted a pair of glasses before nodding, "Yes sir, Zarco's Holdings haven't stopped bolstering security."

"Bah," Narkan rolled his eyes before turning back to his painting "poor bastard's gonna bleed his coffers dry on muscle at this rate."

"Well, its not as if those fears are entirely unfounded, sir."

Narkan smudged the paint into shape, finishing the general proportions of the city he could see. But just as he was about to continue working on the waters beyond, he looked past the easel to see White Lotus Island. He had just gotten to the portion of the view where it would be, and like often he found himself hesitating. He lowered his brush whilst looking at the island for a moment, then his eyes went back to his unfinished painting. At that moment, he decided to take a break.

Setting his brush down on the easel, he turned away whilst using a cleaner portion of the rag to wipe his hands clean.

He walked to the edge of the building and leaned against the thick rail that lined it. As he did so, his eyes went to the waters off the coast once more.

"Lun?" he asked, prompting the young man to look up

"Sir?"

Narkan looked back to him, "Ever thought about going into the fishing business?"

Lun took a moment to look around before shaking his head, and at the sight of his confusion Narkan merely cracked a smile before turning back to his painting.

"Zarr's going to have to sell off assets to recoup what he's shelling out for his muscle, might as well take care of them until he's able to buy them back." Narkan grabbed a glass from a nearby table and brought it to his lips before hesitating "I'll bring it up with the Goodfellows later, but if this whole Council Member business doesn't pan out I'd like to get started on something just in case."

Narkan took a drink as he began eyeing his painting from afar, as he did so Lun scribbled some things down in a notepad.

"If I may, sir;" Lun lowered his notepad "are you sure its a good time for starting new ventures like this? This campaign alone is-"

"You think its too much for me?" Narkan downed half the glass before turning to him and grinning "Absolute madness I tell you. Compared to hauling around grifters and apprehending thieves a little bit o' buying is easy enough for even an old codger like me."

"I meant no offense, sir." Lun stated, only for Narkan to wave it off.

"A good time, ha!" He set aside the glass before taking up his brush again "If my success has taught me anything, its that there's always a good time to expand. The key is-"

Narkan paused, the sudden lack of his words causing Lun to look up with concern. But the moment the assistant opened his mouth to speak, Narkan just held up a hand to silence him. Looking past his painting towards the city, Narkan took note of a figure making its way across the rooftops. It was only in that silence that he recognized the sounds of sirens down the way, and soon Lun was at his side trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from.

"Hmph," Narkan's gaze settled on the figure for a second more before he turned and met Lun's gaze.

Smirking, Narkan patted the assistant on the back and made his way back to the painting before returning to his work, "The Key is having a good eye for it." he finished.

 

[RikuXIII]

{Jade Jayaatu: Republic City; Street Wandering}
<Mentions: GrieveWriter - Senya>
<Interactions: ThatGuyWithSouvlaki - Naunuk>

Jade walked the streets of Republic City, stopping at a few market stalls to see what was on sale. She had an automobile of her own, but on days like this she preferred to be out in the air and connected to the earth. To appease Hu's hunger, she bought a meat skewer which she shared with the owlcat. While there were some locals who were use to Jade and her metal bending arm, she still got some stares for her metal arm. She had heard of a water bender who did something similar with her bending to replace a missing limb. That got Jade wondering if an Airbender could do something like that with just thin air. Talk about freaking people out by using it. That just left fire benders, who didn't seem to have a good option for harmlessly replacing a limb. Fire just seemed so destructive...
These idle thoughts bid memories of her brother Altan. He had been so afraid of his fire bending, seeing at as just a way to destroy. And to this day, she wasn't able to fully come up with a good counter argument. Not that it would do Altan much good now.
Hu sensed his human's distress as Jade's gait slowed. The owlcat gave what seemed to be a worried look before snuggling his head into Jade's neck. The Metalbender managed a smile as she reached up with her flesh and blood hand to scratch behind Hu's ears.
"It's alright, bud." She said softly. "I'll be alright."
The pair carried on their walk, with Jade trying to get her mind off her twin. Her old friend Po had a birthday coming up in the next month. He hated parties, so a lavish dinner out for the two of them would be just what the sage ordered. He'd be embarrassed by the engraved gold watch she was having made for him, but the old man could use a little embarrassment. And much like how she got use to and loved Po's present of Hu, he'd get use to the damn watch.
Her musing came to a stop when she spotted a Rukul Sport-Roadster parked in front of a shop. Rukul Industries was a competitor of Future Industries, enough of one to get Mr. Kasai's blood pressure to rise by merely mentioning the name. Jade, however, rather liked having someone around to force new ideas and being one step ahead. As she drew closer to the vehicle, she could see a young man on the opposite side of the car doing something. Writing? Drawing? Beyond him was a shop with a young woman leaning up to the glass to look in. A mischievous grin came over Jade's face as she closed in.
"Nice view." Jade commented as she leaned against the hood of the sport-roadster, eyeing Naunuk.
From the young man's hand movements, some form of sketching seemed to be most likely.
"She might be up for a portrait if you asked."
Based on the young man's apparent age and drawing, Jade had a guess as to who this person was. Hu, uninterested by what the humans were doing, looked curiously up at the roof tops near by.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Naunuk
Locations:Radio/Gadget shop
Interaction/Mention: GrieveWriter RikuXIII

Naunuk was lost to his drawing for a few seconds, his mind working on mental measurements of the scene he was drawing and the ratios to transfer from scene to paper. At the same time he had begun the initial sketches taking the outline of the drawing, eventually starting on the large central radio. Barely he had the first line drawn that someone came in the way and blocked his view of the set. He frowned briefly, looking up at the offending air bender before returning his attention back to his drawing. He shrugged off, he had the scene pretty much memorized anyway. Suddenly, he paused though and his mind caught up with something he had seen. The lemur.

His interest was peeked over the drawing of the radio store. His father had been dropping hints constantly for Naunuk to design a new aircraft to undo the dirigibles that were common now. However, Naunuk had never had the inspiration to design one. However something about the Lemur did flick the switch on him so he turned a page to start drawing something else but first he needed to take a closer look at the Lemur.

He startled when he heard a voice next to him, so wrapped up in his had noticed Jade approach. He sighed as he tried to settle the initial adrenaline rush of the surprise, but before he could Jade comment about drawing the airbender sent another rush and a redness on his cheeks. "Heh, eh... No. Not that I did not notice the air nomad's aerodynamic qualities, my interest was in her Lemur... And for purely academic purposes if i must add. Could be useful with something i was working on..." He said turning to Jade and taking a proper look at her. His eyes seemed to dart quickly throughout her body only stopping a brief second longer at Jade's missing arm. "I promise you i mean no ill will, doubt i could do anything to he anyway. Air bending speed, tricky to keep up... Wish i could manipulate air, many, many applications technologically. Run engine, increase velocity, cause lift. Design can only so much to harness air but not manipulate directly. Apart from rotary fans.... Hmmm..."He fell silent thoughtfully looking blankly ahead." Several would be needed... Appropriate source of energy to ran in."

He continued to mutter for a little. "...Like the car?" He suddenly asked. "Sorry limited ran on that design for the moment. Design still prototype not in mass production yet. Might be made on special order though if you can take Rukul Customer Services... Expensive thought.... Could you ask her if she would temporarily part with her lemur? Only for a few drawings? Lemurs rare, Air nomads very protective of them and not interested in Yuan. Could go black market but rather not give money to thieves. Could ask her myself but have a feeling it might come of wrong. Could organize compensation for you and her for it. "