Avatar: Thunder Rolls (IC)

[Pain_Bauble]

110 ASC; Year of the Horse. 氜武 era.

The sun kissed hot against the necks of those foolishly attempting to do business in the market square. The summer had been remarkably hot this year, and today was no different, but those working in the common square held smiles on their faces for the night ahead. They were setting up grand displays and running banners to celebrate the coming summer solstice. The entertainers came out and was practicing some to the children that stood around the men to keep them from getting underfoot.

Stands selling masks to ward away the spirits hocked their wares to those standing around, offering guaranteed success of not being tricked by the spirits tonight, a game made from the solstice's passing. On the Solstice the distance between the spirit world and the real world was at it's closest, and those whom still cared of legend spoke of the days when the spirits walked the earth both the benevolent and spiteful. Now it was a chance to party anonymously, and gather around your friends for the fun that comes the night.

Republic City stood as a testament to peace and cooperation, as those from every nation gather to live and prosper knowing they can better the land through hard work. The benders moved in their own guilds, building homes and making roads. The city now held twenty-six thousand official people, each of skills and qualities to grant the city it's prosperity. More people came every day to settle the land around the city. The noise was thick as voices tried to overtake the music of a hundred different minstrels playing for coin on the street corners.

A large shadow covered the square, providing a moment of coolness to the denizens below as an airship hovered by on it's way to trade with the north. The docks launched or settled one an hour, full of passengers or cargo heading all across the many nations. The world had become so much smaller in the days after Sozin's Comet and every nation held more and more tourists and workers every day.

As the needs arose so did the demand, and lumber mills and mining outposts, factories and mills dotted the lands. Industry had become every day occurrences and new ideas came and was implemented immediately. They formed large buildings made of metal in the center of the city, and they where being erected more every day to house the influx of immigrants that stood in long lines outside the Citizenship Bureaus.

Rejections, refusing to go home, camped outside the city walls demanding their fair treatment. There was strife beginning to form all for the sake of progress...

-------------------------

The air was hot, drying out her mouth, and leading to discomfort as she stood still. She opened her arms a little, feeling out the air currents that was made by people moving around her. As she walked, the air became still to her left, designating an alley. She pulled her hood lower, allowing the family to pass her as she headed for the shadows of the alley between two buildings. She slid a foot out of her boot, and moved it in a slow arc near a wall making sure it was dry before sitting down.

She settles with her back to the wall, feeling the cool stone draw the heat from her body. The effects of the day became tolerable as she reached for the bag that hung loosely from her walking stick. She fumbles around a bit feeling over every nook until she came away with a yak's stomach of water. She pulled the plug and drank a bit, filling her toothless maw with the lukewarm liquid letting her tongue bask in the taste.

She moved her bangs away from her face, uncovering the smooth skin where her eyes once were. The hair was kept long as to not startle those who she passed on the streets, but the hood also hid her mistake from the world. She relaxed and leaned the stick against her shoulder as sleep overtook her.

She was fumbling through the thicket. Her clothes were mud encrusted, and her hands and feet were scratched and bleeding from the rocks and roots she touched trying to get out of the woods and back onto the dirt path. She hadn't meant to leave the path, but she didn't sense it had turned until the bushes brushed against her thighs.

She frowns, and wished for the hundredth time she could cry. As she gripped with her own flaws, she heard a noise and stood up to try to guess it. The weak sense of smell she still held tried to tell her something, but she couldn't grasp the sensation yet.

Carefully she moved until she could feel the sense of warmth. A fire. She had stumbled upon someone's camp! Fearful she went to backtrack, but a movement sent her frozen. Someone was there. She tried to gather herself for the attack on her presence, and said nothing, bending her head to hear for movement coming closer.

"Why hello, traveler. I see you have been making it a hard time through the woods. Won't you come settle down here by the fire, instead of wandering around in the dark?"

She stays still trying to decide if she is to trust the voice, but the growl in her stomach makes the decision up for her. There is nothing left for her to lose, and she settles by the fire.

"Ah, my name is Iroh. I am pleased to be in the presence of a beautiful..."

His voice cuts off, and she can just imagine him noticing her face for the first time. She cringes, and moves her sleeve to cover her face from view.

"No. I apologize, I have dishonored myself. You seem to have had a hard life. Would you like some tea?"

"Sssakoota.", She tries to speak. It's been a long time since she's tried to use words, and they sat hard on her. She whispers her name a few more times, feeling them against her tongue a bit. She shudders in her own personal sadness. Suddenly there was movement, and she quickly moved her hands to defend herself as her wrist stopped against his hand.

In her hand, was placed a cup. She flinched, but pulls her wrist back to settle herself. She leans very close to the cup, sniffing at the liquid and coming away with the smell of jasmine and camomile. She presses the cup to her lips and enjoys the sensation, tasting the strong flavors faintly.

She remembers them talking, about the Fire Nation, about the boy who had traveled with him and how much he would have understood her plight. About spirits and loss. They talked about life, and she regained a bit of herself that night.

She awoke, the wall had placed a chill in her bones. She stretched, and felt the cool air on her face. It was much later, and she could hear the people starting the festivities in the street. There was sudden warmth that came in flashes, as fire benders played and practiced in the street to the oohs and aahs of the masses.

She gathered her staff, and moved slowly through the crowd, moving this way and that against the people, her hood and long-sleeved robe covering almost all of her. She moved to settle near the bench that she's been using for her work table. It was a public bench, and was empty as she reached it.

She reached in to her bag, removing the assortment of needles she keeps there. The acupuncture needles settle in a jar of fermented potato juice, leaving the alcohol to kill any bacteria between uses. There she waits.

"Hello, ma'am. I.. would you please help me? My back has been killing me for the last two days. They are making the cargo crates too heavy now, to save room on the ships, and I.. I can't afford the healer's prices."

She gestures for the older man to lay down, and she moves her hands skillfully down the back presented to her. The spine was inflamed, the damage came in the form of fluid built up between the bones. She begins to rub slow circles around the spine to loosen the muscles and regulate the circulation there. Her fingers traced the paths down his back, moving to blockages, and settling a needle there.

After a few minutes she's moved the influx of fluids from the spine, and can feel strength return to sore muscles. Her smile came when she felt him slide to a sitting position without the accompanying groan of pain. Gathering her needles back, she bows to the man as he thanks her.

The sound of a coin landing in the metal dish she has sitting beside her showed he cared to pay for her services. As she reaches for the coin, something hard steps on the lid of the can. She moves her hand around a boot and moves her face up reflexively to the young man standing above her.

"Listen, freak, I don't want to see you here anymore. This is the property of the Rockfist gang. We own this park, and you're not paying dues, so go back to the sewer you came from! We're keeping all the money you've got."

 

[CarterM58]

A hooded man watched as the Rockfist punk approached the young healer. "Kicking ass and takeing names. "Can't I just live peacefully by myself" The hooded man thinks to himself. That's when he hears the punk start talking "Listen freak, I don't wanna see you hear anymore. This is the property of the Rockfist gang. We own this park, and you're not paying dues, so go back to the sewer you came from! We are keeping all the money you've got."

The hooded man watching from the alley, stepped out into the street. A wave of anger fell over him as he approached the punk. Fighting was in his blood and it was what he was good at.

"Give her back the coins you took before I break your neck" The hooded man said gruffly. The punk turned and faced the hooded man, looking him square in the eye.

"This is none of your business so back off. You're gonna get hurt if you don't walk awa..." The punk didn't finish. The hooded man brought his knee up into the punk's waist and then brought his left foot forward tripping him. The hooded man turned the punk over onto his back, the sword the hooded man had been carrying on his belt was now unsheathed and pressed agaonst the punks neck.

"Okay!" the punk said, fear obvious in his voice. He set the coins down beside him. The hooded man sheathed his sword and gestured for the punk to leave. He stood and ran off into the festivle. The hooded man sat on the bench next to the healer, setting the coins back into the metal dish."

"My shoulder has been killing me, I was hoping you could help me" The hooded man said while removing his hood to reveal his deep black hair and tanned skin.

 

[Mephistophelily]

At first, one would have thought the strange rumbling noise was coming from the cart the young woman and two older men were riding in. One would have thought the noise may have been something caused by the group's strain on the horse hauling the cart. As the vehicle came to a stop, and the two men climbed out, the noise's source became obvious-

The girl's stomach.
She was cringing in the seat, clutching at the little fruit that 'somehow fell' from one of her travelling companions' pockets. Starting to stuff the food into her mouth, she paused at the first bite, noticing exactly where she was. "Oh! We're here. Hey, um... Thanks for the lift, guys! Really... appreciate... Yeah, they're gone." With a sigh, Keeli picked up her own bags from the back, hopping out over the side of the cart and starting to wander the streets herself. Republic City... She'd heard about the place so many times from her brother, his explanation on how this was to be the great rebuilding of the Four Nations. The news of Fire Lord Zuko, Avatar Aang, their continuous works with the other nations... It all seemed so surreal compared to the stories her parents told of their lives before.

Amazing. Simply... amazing.

She was busy watching the earthbenders, the metalbenders, the construction workers. Enthralled in the continuous movement and motion around her. How could one place be so busy all the time? When did these people stop to eat? Speaking of which, what was there TO eat? Oh, her fruit-! She started to bring it to her mouth once more, distracted from her attempt at a first bite yet again as a little boy wandered up to her, staring at the red fruit in her hand with the widest eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't bring her mouth to close on it. Finally giving an exasperated sigh, she tossed it to the boy, throwing her hands into the air as he bolted away with it. "Yeah! Sure! Maybe I can use that look to get something better, y'know?!" She frowned slightly, her lip jutting out as she turned around to get another view of the city.

"Hush, tummy," She grumbled, jabbing a finger into her stomach. "We'll find something." The smell of food was growing overwhelming. She just had to give that thing away, hadn't she? Wandering to one of the wonderful-smelling stalls, she smiled to the man behind the counter, pointing to the array of treats before them. "Excuse me, how- how much for one of these?"

"7 yuan!"

Her hand hastily yanked away, afraid to even soil it with being in contact. "Gahhh. Um, any chance I can, maybe, work in trade for something? I can... help clean? Attract customers? Maybe... a little..." Ugggh. She hated to even suggest it. "...Wat-er-bend-ing?"

The man raised an eyebrow, leaning over his counter. "Waterbend? You're a waterbender?," he whispered in awe, looking at her in shock for a moment, then suddenly burst into a fit of hearty guffaws. "Do you know how many WATERBENDERS are in this CITY, child?! Get away from my food!"

Keeli stumbled back, the frown on her face growing a bit deeper. "You could have just said No...," She grumbled, kicking her foot into the dirt and walking off. A crowd of people ahead, music... Some type of event? Events meant... foods. Maybe she could snatch something from an awed viewer in the crowds... Curious, she moved in closer, weaving into the people to get a better look.

 

[Mister J]

Hands met in applause, the crowd roared in combined glee. Flashes of green and purple, contained explosions overhead like rolling thunder.

Boom, boom, boom!

BOOM!!

The performer on stage twirled and danced, a fluid ballet intertwined with colorful streams of emerald and lavender flames. He flipped back away from the crowd, landed with ease on one foot and leaned towards them. His other foot stretched out as a counter-balance. He winked into the crowd and took in an overly exaggerated breath. As he did, his body arched backward until he was looking up at the sky. Then he put two fingers to his lips, covered in a special powder the crowd couldn't quite see. He exhaled and sent out a brilliant display, a geyser of green fire erupted from his mouth. Then suddenly, he took a short breath and blew into the fire, causing a hole in the middle to open as the flames parted in a circle. From the circle, a few dozen purple fiery butterflies fluttered out, leaving trails of green behind. As the dragon's breath faded away, the butterflies soared up higher and higher. Each one popped in a tiny eruption, sending hundreds of little sparkling shimmers outward. They fell back down into the crowd like little falling stars, disappearing before they got close enough to do any harm.

Back on the stage, Jun took a bow as the audience roared it's applause. A small group, but their excitement was barely contained. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. After sending a few small green butterflies fluttering above the audience's heads, he turned and walked off of the stage. Jun headed around back and took a seat on one of the steps leading up to the hidden area of the stage behind the curtain. Around him, people were coming and going, busy with their own shows or prepping the stages for the next act. He was about to get up when a little boy walked up to him, shiny apple in hand. Jun raised a brow, but smiled all the same.

"Something I can do for you, 'lil one?"

The boy nodded and pointed at the stage, motioning then up to the sky. Jun understood. The last trick he did, with the butterflies. Jun held up a finger as his other hand went searching in one of his various pouches. As he searched, the boy took a bit of the apple and continued to wait. Jun returned with a thin slender metal rod. He held it out to the boy and then pulled it back. The performer twirled the rod, flipped it between his fingers, all the while using his other hand to discretely gather the right powder. Misdirection is key for a performer after all.

"Now, this is a special flame, and I can only give it to you if to promise to protect it. Do you promise?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically. still not uttering a word.

"Alright then..."

With that, he pulled the rod between two fingers, coating the end with the powder. Another spin and twirl and he engulfed it in flames. Bright orange and red that crackled and popped. Quickly the colors changed to a deep emerald. It still sparked and shimmered, but now glowed a brilliant green. The boy's eyes lit up and Yun extended his hand, offering the sparkler to the little boy. The kid took it eagerly and ran off without another world.

"You're welcome!"

Yun rolled his eyes and sighed. Suddenly he was hungry...

A few moments later and he was at one of the venders, stick of meat in hand. With a big smile he lifted it to his mouth... only to have it snatched away at the last minute. He caught sight of the little thief and started to chase after the thing.

"Get back here!"

The small leopardcoon scurried into a large crowd that had gathered, disappearing between various sets of legs. Not paying attention where he was going, Yun found himself running headlong into the crowd itself. More specifically, a pale black haired girl in a blue dress. He bumped her into another person, but quickly caught his feet again, holding his hands up apologetically.

"So sorry! So sorry!"

He offered his best, most innocent smile.

"I was chasing a little thief who seemed to..."

Jun's eyes went wide as the little creature appeared again, slipping between legs to crawl up behind the girl. It looked up at the firebender, took a bite of his stolen meat and chewed triumphantly. Jun made a face and narrowed his already squinting eyes.

"... and there he is."

Jun pointed down to her feet, as if she might not have noticed the furry animal using her as a shield.

 

[Pain_Bauble]

"My shoulder has been killing me, I was hoping you could help me" The hooded man said while removing his hood to reveal his deep black hair and tanned skin.

"Thank you, stranger. Please to sit down..."

Sakoto smiles briefly, the line of her mouth raising slightly at the edges before pocketing the yuan from the metal dish. She taps the dish, and gets an idea of what's around her. The echo off the cobblestones comes back distorted and she knows the crowd has gathered closer. The sounds of the parade has gotten louder from down the street as the entertainers make their way passed.

She moves a hand to the bench silently, and settles in behind it. Kneeling, she can feel the length of her bangs settle above her nose, hiding most of her malformations from the world. Her hands move quickly to her walking stick, and she moves over each items in turn before deciding on an ointment.

"Expose your shoulder, please.", She says in barely above a whisper. She touches her fingers lightly on the bench, feeling the rough dips in the wood. Her breathing deepens as she focuses on the wood grain. Each pit and ridge tell a story to her as she continues to relax and focus through her chakra.

She has spent weeks with this bench, and she knew it well. There was a hard patch on an edge, that felt of dust coating her finger. A firebender had taken up residence, practicing and scorched it in accident. Her fingers slip over the scratches carved into it, reading out the letters written over the back. It was obscene, a rude remark cut into the back by an insolent child of the city.

She slipped into a zen state, her body aligned as perfectly as a master koto player. The noise falls away until all that remains is her hands and the bench. She awaits her charge patiently, relishing in the intimacy of acupuncture. She shakes her jar twice, and removes two thin needles from the fluid within.

 

[Mephistophelily]

Oh, the smell-! Some wonderful scents wafted toward her as Keeli wandered further into the crowd, a deep breath taken as the passing smell of recently purchased food came from one of the men passing by her. She was half to just reach out and try to snatch part of it... He had so many sticks filled with roasted meats, certainly he wouldn't notice if just one was missing and-

She yelped slightly as someone slammed into her back, her feet staggering her forward as she tried to catch her balance, nearly colliding with the man she had just been eyeing. As she righted herself, the brief flashing realization that this could have been used to her advantage hit her. Of course, always the perfect afterthought.

She whirled around, glaring over her shoulder at the young man who now held his hands up and stammered an apology.

"I was chasing a little thief who seemed to..."

Keeli's eyes twitched, a finger raising warningly, ready to defend the fact she hadn't actually stolen anything.... Except it dawned on her that he wasn't even looking at HER.

"...And there he is."

She bent over slightly to peer between her legs, seeing the little creature he was referring to. A little gasp left Keeli's lips, her eyes widening. A leopardcoon! She had always wanted to see one of them- and here one was, nestling against her for protection as he gnawed down his prize.

Her foot turned inward, blocking him from getting any further points and jabs toward the animal. "Are you sure he even stole it?," She asked, quirking a brow. "From the way you just plowed into me, how do I know you didn't just DROP it and he just cleaned up your mess?" She stooped down, gingerly touching the top of the animal's head. It chittered at her, nuzzling against her touch. Keeli beamed with that, then glanced back up to the man. "Seems nice enough to me..."

She took a moment to look this new fellow over, really getting a good take of him this time. The dressier clothing, curious air about him... And that little satchel on his side. Her eyebrow quirked again with that. "Can't you just buy a new one?" As she spoke, she quickly moved her hand from the coon's head, snatching a piece of the meat hanging off the stick for herself, popping it into her mouth as she continued. "I mean, you certainly can't expect him to pay you BACK for it."

 

[Mister J]

"I mean, you certainly can't expect him to pay you BACK for it."

"Well I... what I mean to say is... I um..."

With every word the girl had spoken, the usually charming firebender deflated a bit more. That is, until he was finally a defeated husk of his former self. No words came to save him, not this time. Jun threw up his arms in frustration and grumbled to himself. No one had ever been able to shut him down quite like that. The young performer didn't quite know how to take it.

"Fine! Ya know what? Keep it!"

He jabbed a finger at the little thief for the last time and narrowed his brow.

"But you keep your grubby paws off my next snack or I'll roast YOU instead!"

He snapped his fingers, causing fire to spark outwards slightly, jumping from his fingertips in a shimmering green burst. It popped and fizzled, dying out before it got close enough to touch anyone. He gave the girl a look and huffed to himself before storming off back to the vendors.

"You two enjoy the rest of the show!"

Jun thundered back towards the row of vendors, losing steam almost halfway there. His angry charge fizzled into a slumped over drag of his feet. By the time he got to the front of the line he decided he wasn't hungry anymore, his appetite diminished. The pouting firebender waved off the merchant and sulked his way towards a bench in the small food court.

"Who'd she think she was? As if I've just got all this money to go and re-buy food I already bought!"

He thought out loud, speaking with his hands. Motioning to the imaginary girl in front of him and her new pet. He had somewhat of a vivid imagination, and even though he only caught a glimpse of her, she was burned into his memory.

"Although... she was kinda cute..."

The anger seemed to wash away from his face, softer features swam to the surface. His frown curled up into a smile as he recounted her figure.

"I wonder..."

That smile arched up into a smirk as he pushed himself off of the bench and went running off to find the girl and her pet again.

 

[CarterM58]

Akihiro sat on the bench next to the healer and slipped his armour and robe off his shoulder to allow the young woman to do her work. They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the festivle. Akihiro listened to the calm breathing of the healer, her concentracion was seemingly unwavering. She was steady and good with her hands. She found the chakra points in his arm quickly. After a couple minuets the pain and stiffness in his arm faded. The healer removed the small needles from his shoulder and Akihiro slipped his robe back onto his shoulder.

He looked down towards the healer's face, not having taken a closer look previously, saw there was no emotion or expression. She was faceless, truly faceless. A scilence fell over him as he in took the womans face or lack there of. It took a moment for Akihiro to break the scilence and put some coins in the healer's metal dish. "Thank you for your service, you are truly a master at what you do. I am slighty curious though... what is your name, I am Akihiro."

 

[Mephistophelily]

Keeli simply watched as the firebender stalked off, a sour look on her face still until he was out of sight. Glancing down to her newfound companion, she gave it a little shoo-shoo motion with her hand, starting to weave her own way out of the crowd. Her stomach made an annoyed grumble at the mere sampling of food she had taken from the coon's snack, poking her belly again in an attempt to hush it. Finally making her way out of the crowd, she flopped down on one of the little benches lining against the buildings, looking up at the growing skyline in progress. "Amazing," She whispered, almost jumping out of her skin as something latched onto her leg.

She hastily yanked her leg away, staring down at the leopardcoon that gave a chitter toward her. Keeli smiled softly, lowering her foot back down and hesitantly reaching to touch its head again. "Hey little fella... I thought we were done, huh? You got what you wanted... Your food and the guy to leave you alone."

The coon scrambled up beside her, still holding its snack as it squatted down and nibbled. The loud little eater gnawed away, suddenly holding the stick out and cooing at her. Keeli simply stared at it. "What?" She took it gingerly between her fingertips, looking back at the creature. "You... you're giving it to me? But you just..."

The guy had threatened to kill it.
She had saved this little fella's life.... Was this its way of thanking her?
"Hey. No problem. You're a cutie." She smirked, ruffling her fingers through its fur again before taking a bite. The coon gave another little chitter, nestling into her lap and settling in. Keeli gave a laugh, ripping off another large piece of the meat and offering it down to the creature. "You certainly are a nosey thing. Think I'll call you... Pakak."

This was nice. A nibble, and a new little friend. So far, Republic City was turning out better than it started. She smirked, still peeking around as she pet her new companion, another bite taken off the stick. The festival's events seemed to be winding down at the moment, the crowd beginning to disperse-

And that guy now coming out of the groups.
"Uhoh. Grumbleflame is on his way...," She mumbled to Pakak, hastily stuffing the empty stick under her thigh. What did he want now? Going to demand she pay for the thief's troublemaking? Hey, she hadn't told him to do that. She didn't have anything to do with it! ... Except eat what was left.
Oh.
Well.
Don't mention that part.

"Don't worry, Pakak. I won't let him hurt you," She whispered, her hand resting on the coon's back as she frowned.

 

[Pain_Bauble]

Akihiro sat on the bench next to the healer and slipped his armor and robe off his shoulder to allow the young woman to do her work. They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the festival. Akihiro listened to the calm breathing of the healer, her concentration was seemingly unwavering. She was steady and good with her hands. She found the chakra points in his arm quickly. After a couple minutes the pain and stiffness in his arm faded. The healer removed the small needles from his shoulder and Akihiro slipped his robe back onto his shoulder.

He looked down towards the healer's face, not having taken a closer look previously, saw there was no emotion or expression. She was faceless, truly faceless. Akihiro removed some coins from his pocket, placing them in the healer's metal dish. "Thank you for your service, you are truly a master at what you do. I am slightly curious though... what is your name, I am Akihiro."

Her hands touched his skin slowly, feeling the tenseness of the muscle underneath. She began to rub the taunt flesh slowly, her fingers slipping against the collar bone and running backwards to loosen the fibrous muscle and gain blood flow back around the joint. She traces anomalies in the skin, following them under her fingertips. Could be old scars, the man could be a fighter by trade.

She gathers her needles, and began to rub her fingers over them to warm the tip. Her other hand begins to slowly trace the chi flow through his arm. The pathway seemed harder to pinpoint, as the energy flow was blocked early on in the upper shoulder. Her hands begin to place the needles into him. The minute pinch and give of his skin as the needle slips in slowly.

Though something is wrong, although she is doing what she knows is right. The sounds and smells of the festival is overpowering the delicate procedure, and she misplaces a needle into his shoulder. The small metal tip stuck right into the middle of the chi flow, and it ended at the shoulder.

She moves to correct this, and reroute the flow, but could only feel it build slowly. She'd fix the pain and stiffness, but he'd not be able to bend using that arm for an hour or so until the chi flow corrects itself.


Sakoto slowly set her belongings into the bag, taking care to leave them as she took them out. She heard the sound of metal slipping smoothly over cotton as the man redressed. She gathered up her coins from the tin, and tossed it as well into the bag. She had all she desired from today, enough yuan to get a cup of tea.

"Thank you for your service, you are truly a master at what you do. I am slightly curious though... what is your name, I am Akihiro."

She froze up for a moment, and her hand went reflexively to her hair, pulling it down across her face a bit more. Her voice was a whisper as she turned away from him," Sakoto.."

There came the clapping echo of many feet running up the alley toward them. She slipped back a bit from it, as a firework went off somewhere to her left. She finds herself disoriented, and settles on stepping back against the wall of the building behind her.

Stepping around the man, twenty thugs settle themselves in a semi-circle around Akihiro. One of them stepped forward and points a finger at him," That's him guys, that's the punk that attacked me. Show him what the Rockfist gang means!"

Right in front of her, feet shuffle as those in front of her stop and turn as one," S'you think you gots the right to come here, Rockfists? This place is owned by the Agni Kais."

Ten more people settles behind Akihiro, and she can feel the air move about her in the manner that she knows to mean they're gathering themselves for firebending. She slid left slowly, trying to use the wall to guide her to safety. She felt great guilt for the man she was trying to help.

Fleeing the bench, she makes her way toward the tea shop in the market place proper. The sounds of roaming children, laughter, and festivities uplifts her mood. She stops to listen to the crowd.

"10 yaun for sweet pork on a stick. 10 yaun!"

"Come one, come all. The arena has been set, and the best of this year is going at it. 5 yaun to enter folks. Come see, Fire Tiger Lee face Raging Moose Fang. 5 yaun to view the spectacle, the ferocity as they try knocking each other from the ring. It's the best of the best."

"And then Aang faced the Firelord on the edge of the earth, the sky blazing with the comet above.."

"... How am I suppose to compete? I was the best pot maker in my village. I come here, and that Hung Shi can earthbend ten pots in a moments time. I do not know how I can make a living...."

The last group made her sad, and she left the area, heading along the cool wall toward the tea shop. The fireworks made her nervous, as they blotted out all sounds that could be heard and left her adrift.

She tapped the wall occasionally with the stick, to get an idea of what was ahead of her, and swung the corner to a great crowd. The commons filled with people hocking stuff, and telling stories, and laughing. The air thick with people trying to see and do everything before they have to come to work once more.

Firebenders pulled tricks through the air, as waterbenders gave rides around a wooden basin to children using a piece of wood. The sounds of fighting can be heard far to the west must be the pit they made for the benders. She slithered through the crowd as bet she could trying hard not to hit those with her stick that stood to close, and finally made her way to the tea shop.

She steps into the smell of jasmine and chamomile, and can not help but smile. Her hands reaching out to settle on a chair in one corner. She excuses herself in case she was interfering with someone else and when no one answered she sits.

She places the coin in front of her on the table, and starts counting it. Fingers feeling the images printed on each coin. She waits for service, and enjoys the atmosphere, lost in thought.

 

[CarterM58]

Akihiro watched as the two groups setteled in around him. A chill ran down his spine, he knew he had only one option that would end up with him not dead was, run. The largest Rockfist's voice penetrated the silence of the courtyard. "You got no where to go pretty boy." He taunted. Akihiro bent his knees and sent a fire ball towards the Rockfist's line. Taking off in a dead sprint towards the thug that had gotten hit. He pushed over one of then gang members and continued down an alley. He could hear the shouting of the two groups fighting in the distance. Got to get to the rooftops! Akihiro thought. He turned right down another alley and clambered up a two story building. When he reached the top is when he realized someone was chasing him. The thug was thin but fast enough to keep up with him. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop with the rockfist following close behind, he made out for a large apartment complex a few blocks away. Akihiro reached a rooftop with crates stacked on top. He jumped up onto one of the crates and then jumped for the ledge.

He had miscalculated the jump, Akihiro's foot caught on the ledge and he fell forward to the alley below. On the way down he hit two clothes lines slowing him down considerably, but not enough. Akihiro landed with a dull thud and his head hit the ground, effectivly knocking him out.

The thug chasing him saw Akihiro jump but didn't see the fall. He lept across the gap without notice of Akihiro's limp body on the street below. The thug, confused on Akihiro's whereabouts turned back and returned to help his fellow gang members.

 

[UnseenMaiden]

The Boiling Leaves had been appreciating more business than the owner had anticipated today. In the past few years Yun-Hee had never witnessed such a crowd this early on the day of the Summer Solstice festival. It was a true testament to how much Republic City had grown and flourished even in the short time since the Councilmen had established the United Republic of Nations. Secretly, the woman still considered herself a native of Yu Dao, but she couldn't help but feel something akin to pride as the set-up for the festival had progressed throughout the afternoon, even if she did begrudge her day off being taken away from her just a little. There was very little she could have done about that though. Most of the other servers were younger than she was, the tea house meaning little more to them than a few coins here and there before moving on to something more profitable or getting married. Which left her to be among the few who knew how to handle the unexpected bout of customers that now populated the various rooms inside the building and the tables that Mr. Chin had had the foresight to set up outside for those who wished to have a drink without missing anything.

"Yun-Hee!"

"One moment, please."

Working here as long as she had also meant that most of their regular customers knew her by name and were on pretty familiar terms with her, so even if service was supposed to be first and foremost here, she didn't mind making someone wait while she finished pouring tea for one table before moving on to the next. When she was done, she turned to greet the newest arrivals.

"Welcome to The Boiling Leaves Tea Shop. May I offer you some barley tea to refresh you from the summer's heat or perhaps a private shaded room to get away from the day's activities for a few moments?"

The professional air she was striving to hold to her only lasted for a couple more seconds when her almost two-year-old niece giggled, to which she winked and stuck her tongue out at the child response. The child's mother didn't seem nearly as amused by their little joke, in fact she looked fairly worn and pale. Giving a significant look to one of the other servers, Yun-Hee ushered her sister into a nearby chair and gently separated her niece from her mother's skirts. Her sister had been getting like this more and more, ever since she entered the seventh month of carrying her second child. Even as she tried to visually assess if something was detrimentally wrong with her sibling, the woman sighed and laid her head against the wood of the table.

"I can't do it today. I feel like an oven today and with the festival tonight, Luana can't even stay still for two minutes. I just.. I can't.. It's too much."

This was exactly the reason she had yet to search for a home of her own. The money she worked for had been collected and saved until, finally, some months ago she had what she felt to be enough to comfortably rent or buy some small place to live alone. Her sister and brother-in-law were well on their way to being a family and it would simply be imposing if she went the traditional route and waited until she was married to move out. Republic City was all about being nontraditional and anyways at her age most men who looked her way were already attached. Yet, she continued to put off looking. Not that she had told her sister any of this. Placing a hand over her sibling's own, she gave a comforting smile.

"Hush, it's fine. Go home. Cool down. I'll take Luana to the festival and you can stay home with your husband."

Her sister had never seemed to suffer this much when she was carrying her daughter, back then she had practically glowed with joy. This time she had grown so tired and depressed. Yun-Hee knew that she had to stay just a bit longer, at least until the newest addition to their family had grown enough for her sister to cope with running after two children. It wasn't like she planned to move far and would be there to help afterwards if needed, but for now she was needed quite a bit it seemed.

A group of men ran by the shop and disappeared down a nearby alleyway. They were all young and angry looking, their footsteps quick and full of purpose. Yun-Hee frowned at the commotion in the crowds they left behind. She’d heard of the Rockfist gang before. A bunch of petty thugs that thought they could run the neighborhood just because they had a yearning for power. What had started as a bunch of bullies intimidating some kids out of their allowance, had grown in the past few months, now they were moving up to robbery and intimidation tactics. A few of the shop owners had been complaining lately of the extortion the Rockfist were trying to get for ‘protection’. She wasn’t entirely sure what she would or even could do if she had to come up against them. Her bending was merely functional as she had never had interest nor cause to fight, but she had too much pride to give up without even trying, a sentiment that was echoed by many of the more frustrated locals.

“Maybe we should all forget the festival tonight and just go home. I don’t want any trouble.”

Her sister’s words were enough to snap her out of her reverie, though the frown grew deeper now. Intellectually, she knew that her sister had every right to be worried. Their neighborhood was a good one without too many fools trying to make life difficult, but Republic City hardly held the safe feeling of the town they’d grown up in. In Yu Dao there were clearer consequences to cruelty. Republic City still seemed be figuring that part out. There was the Council, of course, and those that worked for them to uphold the laws, but on a more intimate basis they had only the Agni Kais. She didn’t wholly approve of their rough and tumble tactics, but they did get results and had noble enough intentions.

Taja, don’t worry so much. Luana and I will be completely surrounded by people and believe me if those idiots try anything all that will happen is that they’ll finally get the lesson they deserve.”

Waiting for a few moments for that to sink in, Yun-Hee nodded her head in the direction of where her niece sat, fully contented with drawing somewhat haphazardly on some spare butcher paper kept around for these reasons.

“Now go while she’s still distracted. I’ll make sure she’s properly fed and ready to sleep before we head home.”

Rather than argue like she thought her sister would, the woman just nodded and got up, trying to maneuver out of the conglomeration of chairs and tables as quietly as her baby bump would allow. It must have been an exhausting day indeed for Luana not to even get a kiss goodbye. Still, she supposed it was for the best. It was kind of hard to hold a crying child while working, which was what would have happened if the girl was given time to process that her mother was abandoning her for a significant amount of time.

Checking first that the girl had enough to keep her entertained for the remaining time she had on the clock, Yun-Hee tightened the knot in her apron and returned to the customers that probably wanted her attention by now. She was only given about ten more minutes of relative peace before someone grabbed her arm.

"You will not believe who Mr. Chin is serving tea to."

She was pretty sure that she didn't care either, but Senna had worked here long enough for Yun-Hee to realize that if she didn't show some interest in what the young man had to say then He would never leave her alone. Though, as she began to respond, her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her as most of the servers employed by the tea house had managed to make their way outside in the few seconds that had passed along with a few of their patrons, making her brows furrow in confusion.

"I'd guess Avatar Aang, but then all of you would be inside instead of out here trying to crowd out the tables."

"The Woman with No Face is in our tea shop."

The woman pressed a hand to her mouth in order to hide the smile that was twitching at the corners of her lips. It was hard not to laugh at the dramatic announcement. Oh, she had heard the rumors of course, a few sightings here and there these past months, someone claiming to have their pain taken away by a faceless spirit, but she highly doubted there was any truth to them. Some festive patron had probably donned a clever mask in celebration of the solstice. The same excitement that today held was probably making everyone far more susceptible to being worked into a frenzy. Shaking her head at their youthful fancies, she couldn't keep the mirth completely out of her voice as she responded.

"That's only a rumor."

"I heard that if you don't tell her she's beautiful that she'll steal your face."

"Is that before or after she gives you free medical care?"

"I heard that the Avatar took her face as punishment and now she does good deeds as repentance."

"Can the Avatar do that?"

"I hope it isn't catching."

Not a single person seemed to have any doubt that those rumors were true it seemed. Whatever she could have said wouldn't have accomplished anything. If she was at home, she would have yelled at them to be quiet or at least move away from the entrance, but she didn't have that authority here.

"Enough!"

Mr. Chin rarely raised his voice, but when he did it was very hard to tune him out. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her niece cover her ears in defense of the noise and almost wished that she could do the same.

"I don't want another word of this getting out. The next one of you vicious gossips to open your mouth will be let go. Do I make myself clear?"

Mr. Chin waited for everyone to be silent. For their sense of shame to make them lower their eyes and scuff their shoes on the stone patio, before continuing. Yun-Hee's silence was more out of shock than anything else. She would have been a little angry at being lumped in with everyone under the threat, especially as she had done little more than listen in the past few minutes, if it was not for the niggling suspicion that had made its' ways into her thoughts. She felt she knew her employer fairly well. He was stern, but reasonable and given to kind gestures. There was no reason to threaten firing them all if this was over somebody in a mask. Having no face at all was impossible, but perhaps there was someone that had suffered some grievous injury and everyone was jumping to conclusions to fast and being more than a bit cruel to assume whoever was being served was part of some recent urban legend. It gave her chills just trying to picture what kind of scarring this person had and was secretly a little glad that she had been asked to man the tables outside today.

"Good. Horrible as her disfigurement may seem, she's helped a lot of people around her recently and her luans are just as good as anyone else's."

With a few mumbled apologies the crowd dispersed, a couple of servers choosing to leave anyways, throwing their aprons on an empty table. She couldn't imagine doing what they just did over a customer. She was sure the rare drunkard assuming that their tea house was of the more disreputable kind was far worse than anything that this poor woman could do to them. Still it wasn't for her to worry about. The sun had set and she had promised herself and Luana a night of fun. If she let herself worry over whether those rumors held some truth after all, she'd just end up ruining the night for both of them. Taking off her apron herself, she draped it over her arms and set about cleaning the mess that the toddler had succeeded in making of herself. at least the ink would wash off and she was definitely succeeding in getting more of the ink onto paper than her clothes nowadays.

"Come on, little one. I think we'll put you on the water ride first."

The next few moments happened so fast that her need to make everything better with the toddler she had just hoisted into her arms that she easily tuned out her own sense of horror at the unnatural sight. If asked later, Yun-Hee couldn't say for sure what had drawn her attention to the woman. The sounds of yet another customer leaving the shop for the night had flown right over her radar, but a shout from the street had made her turn. Perhaps a stray breeze had chose just that moment to lift the woman's hair from her face, perhaps the light from the many lanterns being lit at that moment revealed more than had been meant, or perhaps it was just something more primal, something that told you when the world was off, that made her realize exactly who the departing woman was exactly. Luana screamed, and while instinct had her more concerned about the child in her arms, she couldn't blame the girl for reacting with fear by what they both saw. What seemed human from behind had no eyes, no place for eyes to be, no scarring to show why the nose was missing, and what should have been a mouth just looked wrong. No amount of rumors really prepared her for the reality of the faceless healer, for the nightmare the woman represented. By the time her brain had worked out why mouth disturbed her so much, Yun-Hee had already turned to her young niece in an attempt to calm her down from the hysterical crying that was building up. Her words of comfort fell on deaf ears as the dusky sky above the city exploded in a shower of light and sound, the first fireworks of the night. The Festival of the Summer Solstice had well and truly begun.