Avatar Accelerated: Return of Sozin's Comet (IC)

[Epimetheus]

It's a bustling evening in Republic City. The streetlights have flickered to life, and during a time when people are usually settling in, the streets are packed. Everyone is preparing for the celebration in a few days: the one hundred year anniversary of the end of the hundred year war. The hotels are all booked to capacity, as visitors come from far and wide to commemorate this historic event. The typically diverse city is even more packed with different kinds of people than usual, though so far there hasn't been any trouble from the city's guests. It's the locals who are causing problems.

Many of the cosmopolitan criminals and conmen in the city have taken the opportunity to try to fleece the visitors for all they're worth. It seems like there are more stories every day on the news about muggings, or shady gambling dens opening up, all in efforts to separate the perceived-to-be "simple country folk" from their hard-earned Yuans. Luckily, the Metalbenders of the Republic City Police are on the case, and they're not alone. Many private investigators have been finding easy work over the last few weeks, and Shaonu is one of them. You've been following a lead on a mugging case, thought to have been perpetrated by one of the local Triad gangs. The evidence has lead you here, to the outskirts of what used to be downtown, at the edge of the Spirit Wilds. You're in search of a man who goes by the alias "Slippery Zhu", a member of the Red Monsoons, and, by all accounts, a mediocre Waterbender. As you follow the trail towards its conclusion, you hear the sound of a woman's stifled shout of surprise, or possibly fear.

Around this time, Nyima has just arrived in Republic City. It's starting to get late, and you really ought to head to Air Temple Island. Normally you would have just flown straight there by sky bison, but you don't often get the chance to explore the city unsupervised. Besides, you're here a little early. An hour or two won't hurt, right? You find yourself drawn to the Spirit Wilds, but as you approach them, you hear a woman's scream suddenly cut short, followed by a scuffle, coming from down a nearby alley.

Meanwhile, the Screaming Dragon of Kuzon Gap finds herself in a similar situation, but a vastly different context. The shout is one of surprise and giggling dismay, as the young woman Zhai has been pursuing this evening finishes her current cup of Sake, and accidentally knocks the bottle off the table as she tries to put it down. Shattered porcelain scatters on the floor, and Mei, the lovely local lass, covers her mouth and blushes. "How embarrassing." She says, though not totally mortified. "I didn't get any on you, did I?"

At the next table over, Wu Jian is served her drink, while the small black and white television mounted behind the bar plays the highlights of the latest Pro Bending match. As the Boarcupines' star Earthbender is knocked out of the ring by the Tigerdillos' Firebender, much to the dismay of the crowd, it appears, a bottle of Sake falls to the floor, drenching Wu Jian's shoes. The clumsy oaf who knocked it over doesn't apologize. In fact, she seems to find the whole situation rather amusing. But she was quite obviously too caught up in her shameless flirting with the scarred woman she's sitting with to even notice the extent of the spill.

[Beans]

Zhai would be less bothered if what's-her-face---Mei, that's it---hadn't gone and gotten the stuff all over some lady's shoes. Adjusting the bridgepiece of her monocle, she waves over a waiter with a sigh. "Sorry 'bout the mess, Li, y'know how it gets. It's---hey, Uluq is floor manager tonight, right? Be a pal an' while you get the dustpan and some towels for the dame's shoes over there, tell 'im to just hit me with the bill when he can." She slips a bill into his waistcoat pocket, then takes her cane and levers herself up. The topknotted war hero is a common sight at this club, snappily if rakishly dressed. She turns her scar-slashed face to Mei, putting on something of a smile and doing her best to keep annoyance out of her gravelly voice. "Think that's your cutoff point, doll. Now you sit tight a tick, I gotta run some quick inter-table diplomacy." Her interest in Mei was stalling out, but now it's starting to hit a tailspin. It's one thing to waste good booze, and if she'd gotten it on herself or Zhai, it'd be one thing. But she's gone and had her clumsiness spill over---quite literally---to somebody uninvolved in their flirting, and doesn't have the good sense to at least apologize.

She pushes her chair in and steps over to Wu's table. "'Pologies for that, miss, waste 'a good sauce an' good footwear." She smiles apologetically. "My... companion had a little slip."

[John Cribati]

Shaonu

She doesn't ignore the scream. Which is to say, she acknowledges it. Files away the general direction and location it may have come from, before taking several steps toward her goal for the night.

But then she can't take any more. It's like her body refuses to leave well enough alone, and then her mind- traitor that it can be- admits that things clearly aren't going well for whoever just screamed like they were being murdered.

Turning on her heels, she slinks away from her intended quarry and towards whoever may need some kind of help.

"There goes the money," she can't help but grumble.

[josienoms]

Wu winces in empathy at the knockout on screen. Too many earthbenders made the same mistake. They never minded their footwork. Always planting in a solid stance, thinking that they could withstand any attack. She had learned the hard way that it was better to be light on her feet, to dodge, duck, dip, dive and... dodge. Trying to be her namesake, "Stone Wall Wu", had only earned her an early retirement and a cushy commentator gig.

When she gets her feet wet, she clenches her fists and glares over at the offender. Just as she's about to get up and say something she'd probably regret, Zhai comes over with her apology, and the wind goes out of Wu's sails.

"Don't worry about it." She shrugs. "They're just shoes. Pardon me if this is too forward, I know how you Fire Nationals can get about propriety and etiquette, but... have I seen you somewhere before? You look very familiar." Wu racks her brain, searching every journalistic nook and cranny for the familiar face, then gasps suddenly in recognition. "You're the hero of Kuzon Gap! General Tan, isn't it?"

[Beans]

Zhai's glad to see the anger fade from Wu's face and body language. She hates to make a scene, or at least a non-fun one. And then comes the recognition, and it's time to bask a little---more than a little, honestly. She may not be dolled the hell up like Mei, but this lady's not exactly giving her eye fatigue. She grins. "Guilty as charged! But only Major-General, and in any case, just call me Zhai---hold on." She blinks. Something's familiar on her end too, not the woman's looks, but her her voice. "Hey, I've heard you somewhere before---you in broadcasting?" She glances at the match on TV and it all clicks. "You're... yeah, you're Stone Wall Wu, I'd know your voice anywhere!"

[Ramsus]

Nyima, who had just been casually (in the sense that she was going at a relaxed pace and not in the sense that she was going at all unnoticed by those who happened to look above eye level for a moment) floating a meandering path through the city a dozen or so feet above street level or brushing just over buildings that were easier to go over than around. She found herself approaching the Spirit Wilds, which didn't provoke any particular feeling one way or the other for her. She was almost more used to spirits than she was to humans afterall.

But then there's a shout cut short. Without even thinking about it she zips through the air in curvy arcs around obstacles in her path as she speeds to the aid of who or whatever is in trouble this time.

[Epimetheus]

Well. Luckily for Shaonu, Slippery Zhu wasn't at home. He's crouched in a low, fluid bending pose, a few feet away from a woman who has the unmistakable air of a tourist, though for the moment she looks terrified. A blob of water clings to her lower face, though her nose remains uncovered. She can still breathe, she just can't scream for help. And, of course, the threat is implied that if she resists or tries to run away, Zhu could smother her with a gesture. Zhu himself has a smirk on his face, like he's enjoying this. "Just hand over the money, sweetheart, and I won't hurt'cha. There's no need for this to get any more," he pauses, searching for the right word, "unpleasant."

At around the same time Shaonu comes around the corner and sees this scene, Nyima sees this scene folding out from above. Though she doesn't know the name of the shady character involved, it's clear to her that this lowlife in a cheap suit doesn't have the lady's best interest at heart.

Meanwhile, at the bar, Li gratefully accepts Zhai's tip, and does his best to be unobtrusive while he cleans up the mess. Though he doesn't want to make things weird by touching Wu's feet himself, he does offer her some towels, with a very courteous and apologetic smile. "Oh, and miss?" He says to Wu before he leaves. "I spoke with my boss about what happened, and he said to let you know that it's on the house tonight."

[John Cribati]

Shaonu

Well that's serendipitous. She gives the universe a grateful bow, and then slinks up closer to the scene, doing her best not to make a sound.

[Ramsus]

Nyima seeing the dangerous situation decides to intervene. She tries to take advantage of being behind and above this thug's eyeline and bind his arms in air so he can't bend, but she must have hit a branch or something as she moved as the waterbender notices her and moves out of the way more quickly than she was expecting.

---

Failed (-1) at trying to Sneakily Create an Advantage.

[josienoms]

Wu perks up a little. "You're a fan?" A slight tinge of pink colors her cheeks. "It's not often that I get recognized in public by famous war heroes. I'm not sure which of us has more right to be starstruck." She winks, and grins in a way that's not quite arrogant, but comes very close to it.

[Beans]

Zhai grins back. "Fan? You kiddin'? You basically were my recovery. Water healin', jasmine tea, an' the silky voice of the best commentator on the airwaves. Oh, an' enough whiteleaf cigars to sink a pontoon boat." She snorts. "Good thing I'm a war hero---you went an' made an Omashu Ostritch-Horses fan outta me, and for most in the Fire army it's Eel Hounds or nothin'. Still got my Ostritch-Horses pin at home, I think."

[John Cribati]

Shaonu

She thought she was good with the air support, until the girl decided to go on and give her position away. Quite the amateur move, but she supposes the distraction would do well for her...

And then, because she wasn't watching her footing, she kicks an empty bottle right in Zhu's way. Because of course.

[josienoms]

Wu's ears turn a delicate shade of pink. "Really? I'll admit I'm a bit surprised. We never really fared well against the Eel Hounds. Remember their Firebender, oh..." She frowns softly. "What was his name again? Ryoko? Ryu? Something like that. Always gave me a run for my money." She snaps her fingers. "Raijin! That was his name.
The man moved like lightning, and playing against him taught me more about minding my footwork than my trainers ever did."

Wu sighs as she reminisces about her heyday. "Still... I'm sure none of us hold a candle to the likes of you. We're not real fighters, just athletes. I doubt I'd be much use in a real life-or-death situation."

[Beans]

"Well, my footwork ain't the best any more," She says, tapping her cane on the ground with a rueful smile. "Not that I let that slow me down in all respects, mind." She grins and winks, because she is very bad and terrible. "An' don't discount yourself so much. Footwork, reflexes..." She leans on the other side of the table a bit. "Reach. Flexibility. It all comes in handy here an' there."

[Epimetheus]

Zhu hears the sudden uptick in the wind as Nyima approaches, and he takes his eyes off his target. "Well, well, well.
What do we have here?" He smirks confidently as he sees the two of you approach. Zhu glances over his shoulder at the woman he was mugging and says, "Looks like it's your lucky night, dollface. Ya got a couple of goody two-shoes sticking up for ya."
He moves his arms in a flowing, liquid motion, and the blob of dirty water peels off the woman's face, floating a few inches from the tips of Zhu's fingers. She bows deeply, and mouths the words "Thank you" to Shaonu and Nyima before running away down the alley.

"She wasn't a challenge anyway. Let's have some real fun." Zhu flexes his wrists and shoots the blob of water at Nyima.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Zhu got a 1 on his attack roll, so Ramsus, roll to defend using the approach of your choice, and so long as you get better than 1, nothing happens.

[John Cribati]

Shaonu

Zhu turns away from her, to deal with the airbender. Normally, that would be the smart choice- prioritize the obvious ranged threat over the person of unknown ability.

Well, it's not a normal night, is it?

She dashes behind him and sets up to strike.

[Ramsus]

Nyima casually swipes at the blob of water, scattering it apart into a thick mist she then takes control of and shapes into a comically oversized fist and slams back down into Zhu. While doing this she raises her other hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. Perhaps she's doing it for effect to taunt him, perhaps not.

---

Quickly Defend (7)
Forcefully Attack with invoked Boost (4)

[josienoms]

Wu shrugs, with a small smirk. "I had to retire for a reason, y'know. Not that I'm complaining!" She holds up her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "I just... wish there was something more I could do. Covering sports is great and all, but I'd love it if I could break a real story."

For a moment, the comments about flexibility seem to go unnoticed. But a slow, deliberate blush starts to creep across Wu's cheeks as it dawns on her.

[Epimetheus]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Zhu only got a 1 on his defense roll, so between that and the 4 on Nyima's attack, he has three Shifts to deal with. He's sort of a slouch, but he's not taken out yet!

The massive fist knocks Zhu off his feet, and he rolls head over heels until coming to a rest at the base of a wall. He shakes his head and staggers to his feet, a little dizzy.

"Alright, alright... I know when I'm beat. I'll skedaddle..."

And yet, he's still here. His hands are moving behind his back, and as he turns to go, he makes a series of quick arm movements that causes the water in a puddle near a drainpipe to condense into shards of ice, which he sends directly at Nyima's back.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

And that's 7 on his Sneaky Attack. Let's see how Nyima defends this time!

[Beans]

Wu shrugs, with a small smirk. "I had to retire for a reason, y'know. Not that I'm complaining!" She holds up her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "I just... wish there was something more I could do. Covering sports is great and all, but I'd love it if I could break a real story."

For a moment, the comments about flexibility seem to go unnoticed. But a slow, deliberate blush starts to creep across Wu's cheeks as it dawns on her.

The grin remains, obscene and yet smooth. "Look, I, uh---" She inclines her head back to the rather tipsy dame who made a mess of Wu's kicks. "Clearly the lady needs to get home to sleep off the sauce. Cryin' shame, really. Tend to do my weepin' on the subject on... uh, corner of 4th and Mingzhou, know what I mean?" She straightens up, winking, and starts to turn to get back to Mei.