[center][h1][color=crimson]❂    [i]Shao Jin-Hwan[/i]   ❂[/color][/h1][/center]
War. Any meaningful change in the world hardly happens without it. Shao, of the Jin-Hwan Family, knew that by abandoning his life in the Fire Nation, boarding a ship, travelling across the sea, and arriving in Republic City...that he had started one. The salty air cleared out his nostrils as he breathed in, taking the first step on his warpath to freedom armed with nothing but his bending, some currency, and a pack of personal belongings. His eyes, a deeper blue than the clearest ocean, absorbed the sight of the free city with extreme interest. If he were more expressive, he no doubt would have smiled at the sight. No wishing to waste any more time simply admiring the city from the port, he gradually began walking further in-land leaning on nothing but the desire to decide his own fate. The sooner he could entrench himself in Republic City, the sooner he could begin to hide from those that would pursue him. A prodigal son and soldier, Shao was fully aware he would not get the luxury of simply [b][i]walking away[/i][/b]. That made the list of people he could afford to trust slim, but at least he was free to choose.

A strong hunger gripped him as he made his way through the streets of the harbor district so when he picked up the first scent of something else besides salt, his senses pulled fiercely towards it. The rich aroma of beef was impossible to ignore on an empty stomach, so Shao found himself taking a seat at a food stand where the smell originated. There was only one other customer sitting there and they seemed to happily enjoying their meal already. He took a small moment to look over the stand's small menu before deciding [color=crimson][b]"The beef kebab, please."[/b][/color] His tone was clear, sharp, and neither polite nor rude. After paying, he watched as the fresh vegetables and beef were laid on the grill. The sizzling of the beef and the delicious smell ruthlessly teased Shao until at last he was given his kebab. He wasted no time and sank his teeth into a bit of grilled tomato and beef, the searing heat not swaying his hunger. Every taste bud in his mouth reacted with joy, this was his first meal as a free man and it couldn't be any better. Shao bid farewell to the chef after consuming his kebab and continued his journey.

The truth was he was a lost dog in a city he didn't know with no path to follow. Without knowing where else to go, Shao decided to head for the police headquarters in the city. He was young but was well-educated, physically strong, and versed in military theory. It was doubtful that they would hire him but he could at least ask what the requirement were, so that he may have a goal to work towards. He managed to find his way there after asking quite a few people for directions, Shao never felt so out of his element. Anxiety bubbled in his stomach, a feeling he had not felt since his first day in boot camp. A deep breath only managed to curb this feeling slightly as he opened the front door, a woman with a well-worn expression on her face sitting at a desk greeted him. Shao stepped confidently up to the sleek, dark wooden counter-top [color=crimson][b]"Do you happen to be hiring?"[/b][/color] He was never the tactful one, preferring direct approaches to conversation. Shao disregarding anyone else in the room, only focused on his conversation.