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Microfiction & Poetry contest #13 - voting and feedback

This is probably a non-issue and I don't know if this has been discussed already, but taking a look at this after having not been involved in the contest for so long, I just realized: would it help to have the theme and prompt listed as a reminder of what they were somewhere? Mostly just in case someone is coming here after having not seen the original post for this round of the competition.

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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The Thirsty Cactus · A TLA CollaborationThe Thirsty Cactus · A TLA Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    The Thirsty Cactus. It wasn’t the only drinking hole in Tu Zin, but it was the most popular. Situated near the center of Tu Zin at the edge of one of the squares, it saw patronage at nearly all hours of the day and was frequently packed with locals and those who traveled the road. The drinks were hard and the food was great, or great as far as food was concerned in the Wild. The main floor was the bar and dining area which saw several hands helping to serve those patrons seeking shelter and food inside. The two floors above were additional rooms that could be paid for and used per night, all of which was managed by the proprietor, Linus. Typically, The Thirsty Cactus was always booked, what with Tu Zin being the largest known settlement beyond the walls and the inn being one of the more favorable stops. In fact, so popular was it that even after having been previously vacated in anticipation of housing Benders from the city, the rooms that were not rented out to the handful of survivors were already being claimed. Feyi didn’t get it. The air inside was often thick and sticky and warm. There was a fireplace in the corner that helped to push warm air into the colder corners of the dining area, but it also drew out the alcohol that had long soaked into the wood and the floors. It coated the mouth on every breath and painted the tongue on every word until you could get drunk on conversation alone. Then there was the dust that was dragged in from the outside and smudged into every crack and crevice and surface. Feyi could feel it scratching at her fingers and elbows and would often find it in her drink and food. It was impossible to escape, even when inside. Even more difficult to escape were the people that thrived under it. Under the dust and the last bits of sand from the desert, every inhabitant of Tu Zin made their home, and while some were welcoming of the new faces, not everyone shared in their celebrations. Feyi had learned early on when she arrived that there was safety, yes, but some of that safety she had to earn. Even beyond the walls of the city did danger lurk in the shadows. Because of this, and also because she could, Feyi had picked out a table in the loft area that overlooked the rest of the bar and provided some amount of privacy. Despite the warmer air collecting up there, and the smell, it was much preferred. With clear line of sight to the front door, she could easily wave over the others as they arrived and see any and all who intended to join them, friend or otherwise. She was seated next to Reman and in front of a pitcher of clean water, something she insisted was not easy to procure. ”I’m so good.” Feyi said, throwing Reman a wink. ”What would you do without me?” Theyra    ”Right now Feyi I do not know really.” Reman let out a small laugh and took a sip of water. Exit    ”Don’t drink it all before the others arrive.” canaryrose    Tu Zin was a place that took some getting used to. Chu was not quite there yet. She had spent most of the day exploring the town and resting up a bit (doctor’s orders, fuck you Vasra), and the dust felt like it had coated her lungs already. Every breath was irritating. But she was safe, and that was the important part. Now, though, she had to meet Tu Zin’s leader. Benders were important here, apparently. Chu Hua found herself opening the door to The Thirsty Cactus and immediately being hit with a strong odor of alcohol. The dust was slightly better here, although not by much. Her eyes skimmed the large, crowded room, searching for familiar faces, and they landed on Reman and Feyi. They sat on the balcony, conversing easily. Chu made a beeline towards them. She knew little about either, but from what she had gathered about them, they confused her- Reman especially. He wasn’t a bender, but he was here anyway. Never mind he had helped Jin Wei- how had he known about this place? Why? She recognized the name Xuoshi, which further confused her. Feyi was less of a mystery, Chu understood what she had done for her sister. She would’ve done the same for hers. Thinking of Daiyu and Jie made her heart ache. Just more people she had left behind. “Yo,” she said, reaching the table, and plopping down next to Reman. She eyed the jug of water. “What’s on tap here?” she asked Feyi, placing her elbows on the table. Exit    ”Stronger stuff than they have in the city.” Feyi raised her brow, flashed both of them a knowing smirk, and then got up from the table. ”Wait right here.” Before either of them could comment or protest, she’d run off and disappeared down the steps to the bar. Theyra    Reman took the time to look around and he had to admit that he liked it here. Bearing that the Thirsty Cactus’s aroma is overwhelming alcoholic and it kinda reminds him of a place back at the city. The city a place he thought he would never leave. He did wonder how his family was doing now that he left. Probably concerned about him and only Ms.Moon knows the truth and he doubts that she will say anything. Still, something to think about and Kaye will probably be angry at him if she knew the truth. If he ever returns to the city that is. Either way time to wait and meet with Tu Zin’s leader since Reman has some questions that he needs answers to. If he can provide them that is and so Reman was content to stay silent unless Chu starts talking to him directly.. Abstract Proxy    Vasra arrived at the Thirty Cactus escorted by an old lady bristling with energy despite the cane that she walked with. A cup of tea had led to a slow, ambling conversation that Vasra found pleasant. Tu Zin was not what she had expected. It was not just surviving in the desert, but growing. It was not what she had been taught at the university. It was not what the researchers in Ba Sing Se predicted. Lies. So many lies. So many lies that Vasra felt a heavy weight bearing down on her. There was a rot, she suspected, a lingering disease eating away at Ba Sing Se…and she wasn’t sure she could cure it. “You know, Mrs. Guō, I could have found my way here on my own,” Vasra muttered, a flush of red on her cheeks as the elderly lady led her closer to the table where some of the others sat. “Nonsense, you’re not like the others, you’re no ruffian like that stickball player, what would Unye say if something happened to you.” “You judge her too harshly,” Vasra replied. “Pah, stickball is a brutish game for violent thugs, now penguin sledding, that is a civilized sport.” “I’m sorry, what?” Vasra meekly managed. “The Doctor Dermok,” Mrs. Guō announced, patting Vasra motherly on the hand before turning and disappearing in a swish of fabric. Vasra offered a shrug and then smiled at her companions, “Forgive me for my lateness, I was briefly detained by the kindness of widow Guō. However, do not despair, for I bring some of her famous saffron buns.” Depositing the bag of fresh pastries on the table, Vasra sat down. The others looked good, better at least. She felt better. A bath had helped. She had slept. She had slept well for the first time since before they had fled Ban Sing Se. She needed to speak more with the settlement doctor, Sarah. She doubted Chu had been following her medical instructions. vietmyke    ”Ooh, that looks good.” Jin commented as he quickly swiped up one of the aforementioned saffron buns placed on the table. Jin was quick to plop himself down on a seat next to the others, Sumire not far behind. Somehow, Jin looked just as dirty as when they had arrived, except instead of sand and blood, he was covered in a film of mechanical oil and grease. Only his face appeared fresh and undirtied. His nose crinkled a bit at the wafting smell of alcohol permeating the room ”Its crazy just how functional this town is, despite being so far out of the way.” Jin remarked, ”Somehow I expected something more… low tech, out in the wastes.” All things considered, the town was a veritable hub, compared to what Jin had expected. He’d expected something closer along the lines of a tribal village, but Tu Zin had practically everything they needed to survive- except for the one thing Jin was so desperately searching for: Synergy. Exit    ”Life finds a way…” Feyi commented, returning to the table with two full pitchers of a mystery, bubbling and frothy liquid and enough glass mugs for everyone. ”...to make good booze where none should exist.” Then her eyes snapped to the bag on the table and the veritable treasure half hidden inside. ”Are those Mrs. Guō’s saffron buns?! Who-...” She immediately claimed one and placed the end into her mouth. --- As the drinks were poured and passed out and Mrs. Guō’s buns were mostly unevenly distributed, thanks in part to Feyi, the group settled in and spent the time before their meeting discussing the past events and the day before. The explosion had upended all of their lives, tossing them wildly into the unknown and it was a miracle they had landed where they did. Where most of those who tried to escape didn’t make it past the desert, they somehow survived and not just survived but found refuge. They were alive. Still, much had been lost and there were some who had lost more than others. It was hard to consider oneself lucky when the cost to survive was so high. For now, however, they had each other and they had a glimmer of hope. Tu Zin was safe and the people here for the most part accepting. Even better, Unye, leader of the settlement was supposably a Bender himself. The potential for a new life outside the protective walls of the city was more real now than any of them would have believed only a few days ago. However, there were still some walls standing between them and the peace they so desperately wanted. A little more than half an hour at the table passed before…

_Prompt:

Jin: For a half a second, a deep well of dread opens in your gut. Like something dark and heavy and very unsettling. You feel sick but just as quickly as you're overwhelmed by this, the feeling passes over you. Suddenly, all is like it was before and you're almost not sure you felt anything at all. But in the haze of your confusion, you know you did. What you felt was real. Everyone: The bar doors open and a near impossibly large man enters, drawing the eyes of everyone in the bar. He stands over six feet and looks to weigh easily over 200 pounds, non of which is obviously fat. Despite its best effort, his clothing cannot hide this. He is wearing Light gray pants with a black undershirt tucked into the waistband. A dark gray and thick poncho that seems very resistant to the sea of sand outside is draped over his shoulders and opened in the front. Peaking out from under this poncho is the grip to what seems like a very large handgun. The hood down reveals a rough and scarred face like that of obsidian sanded against the elements and braids that come down to his shoulders. One of his eyes is glossed over. There is no emotion on his face. Just a seriousness that remains unchanged as his eyes scan the bar. Eventually, he finds and focuses on the group and just... watches all of you. The second man to enter is much smaller by comparison. Under six feet and although not thin, when standing next to the first man, he seems to have the thickness of a paperclip. Short black hair that is only slightly messy. A face, that although touched by the sun, is free of cuts and blemishes and could be described as fair. Unlike his partner, he is not dressed for the elements and is instead in something that seems far more relaxed. His khaki's are tucked into black boots and a light, long sleeve shirt is tucked into the pants. The first few buttons on this shirt are undone. Before Feyi can say anything, the others in the bar begin to cheer and shout his name in congratulations. This man is Unye and so far, his hunt is still the largest to have been brought back. Ignoring the cheers, the silent warden next to Unye continues to leer.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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____________________________________________________________________________. ”Good evening and welcome to seven o'clocks on Shinobi News. Our top stories tonight..." "Another Bender attack has shaken up the Republic, this time in the Upper Ring. This man… Katakuri Soran of the once powerful Soran family carried out this attack at his own residence only hours ago, slaughtering his father, endangering his mother and kidnapping his own daughter. Republic Security Forces who were already on the scene to investigate reports of domestic violence were caught in the path of this man’s rampage, resulting in the loss of life of many brave men and women. This attack is only the latest display of extreme violence from Benders since appearing all over The Republic and only affirms the seriousness of the Bender threat and the values of what our city was built upon. Despite this, earlier today at the gala and in an address to the city, the King shared his intentions to amend Bender law:" --- “I will not stand by and let Ba Sing Se continue to drown itself in ignorance only for it to fall to ruin. I will not follow in the footsteps of my father or his father before him. I will not allow myself to be controlled as they were, only to watch the people I love suffer. Tonight, I make changes to law, starting with those persecuting Benders.” --- "The King’s decision on the matter has been deemed premature and irresponsible and his handling of the situation unfolding in the Republic has been widely criticized leading to approval ratings dropping significantly since he first took office. However, Commander of the RSF, Tao Xu, has been lauded for his direct response to the attack in the Upper Ring and his acknowledgment of the concerns of threats from within the walls amidst growing chaos. Here is a small part of the press conference he held just moments ago:" --- FunnyGuy    “Greeting citizens of the Republic, as the Director of the Republic Security Force, Commander Tao Xu, the requirement to address the current security threat is a responsibility our forces carry firmly.” Tao presented his hand closing into a fist as he seemed to scowl at the screen. “Since the incident of the explosion in the Lower Ring, I must admit that our forces have had a number of shortcomings in bringing the terrorist responsible to justice. For that, I take full responsibility…” Tao paused for a second to allow his words to sink in, knowing well that his rare show of humility would leave watchers surprised. “But today is not a day for sulking or regret. Today is the day I show the whole of the Republic, just how determined the RSF is in securing peace and order within the Rings. Citizens of the Republic, I am here to inform you just how serious the RSF is in apprehending our wanted terrorist, Katakuri Soran, and bringing him to justice. His neutralization is not a matter of if but when.” An image of Katakuri Soran appeared on the top right corner of the screen. “As I speak, the RSF is increasing the production of additional Vanguards units, drones, and mecha tanks for deployment. To ensure your safety, I will see that more checkpoints and patrols are established to maximize our effectiveness until Katakuri Soran is brought in to answer for his crimes. If you see the terrorist displayed, do not approach him under any circumstances. Report him so that we, the RSF, can deal with him properly and ensure your safety.” Tao leaned in slightly. “And Katakuri, I know you're listening, so hear this and know that you will be found and your victims will be vindicated. We will strip you of your allies by any means necessary and snuff you out of whatever gutter you call ‘shelter’. I know you won't surrender yourself willingly, so continue to run and hide like the coward you are. Peace and order will be promised, I fully assure you and the good people of the Republic of this. Not a matter of if but when.”

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SynEn Tunnel System · |@Exit], |@canaryrose] & |@Fiber]SynEn Tunnel System · @Exit @canaryrose @Fiber ____________________________________________________________________________. Fiber    This was an ugly night. It pained her to be doing this, to be hunting Kata, but Zhen’s entire life was built around making hard choices. It was her code, no one and nothing was above the common welfare of all humanity, not herself, not Kata, not anyone whose death might get them even one iota closer to mankind’s optimal goal, however far in the future it lay. He always bore stress differently than her. She had a few major backstops aside from her devotion to the mission, such as a life that kept her too busy for much introspection, frequent usage of the LSF’s psychiatric counseling, and a general belief that free will played no role in choices and detachment that came from that. Kata’s methods were more eclectic, and he tended to veer between calm and rapid outbursts much moreso than her. When she had thought about herself and Katakuri, how it would end, there was only one way she had thought it would go. They would both have been stars on the memorial wall in the LSF HQ, unlabeled, unadorned, just more casualties on a wall behind many security checkpoints and the strictest clearance procedures; the site of the only memorial to benders allowed anywhere in the city. She had stared at the wall many times, counting the few she could name, the blank stars situated amongst the nonbenders who had served honorably, the names known only to those who had served with them, and perpetually fading into obscurity as time wore on and retirements and age took their toll. Now there would be no place for Kata on it, not even if he surrendered now; the only obituary he would have is a line listing him as terminated in the after action report. He had seemed so normal at the Gala, he had played his role perfectly. Even his antagonism towards her husband was forgivable, a way to liven up the evening. A part of herself she tried to suppress found herself wishing his outburst had come a little earlier, that his first outburst had been to give Xiaozhou a premature cremation, but that was an instinct she suppressed. As she had told herself many times, as repulsive as he was, Xiaozhou still was a net positive towards humanity’s ultimate goals. This moment called for a different side of her than the gala, instead of the saintly philanthropist, always promoting her own mission, she was a silent enforcer. No details given, no questions answered, just someone following orders far too classified to let any one from the public know. She couldn’t help but be self-critical about the job she was doing while she was next to 141, no matter what she did, some humanity would slip through; the same could not be said for 141. Exit    Ahead of the both of them were three representatives from SynEn. An, who had been introduced as the expert on the science of synergy as well as the one most familiar with the expansive service tunnels sprawling beneath the city. There was the engineer she brought in to assist and finally there was Jack who was acting as her security. He kept pace with An, and although he’d remained mostly silent, there was a strong sense of alertness about him. Despite keeping his eyes forward he was very obviously keeping close track of everyone in the tunnel. He couldn’t help it. There was no way for him to ignore the beast swallowing every inch of space in the narrow corridor behind them or the mysterious expressionless figure next to it. One was impossibly too large. Impossibly too grotesque. The other was a blank canvas. A void and he didn’t like it. He got the distinct feeling that neither himself nor An were meant to be here or even see them under normal circumstances and that the sooner he got their guests where they needed to be, the sooner he and An could get out. These people were dangerous. Even for someone like him, but he kept calm and remained focused on the task at hand: Get them to the Underground and get back to Vyska. canaryrose    Although Jack could disguise his discomfort, An was having a harder time doing so. That thing, behind her… nevermind the other one, with her disguised face and strange suit. It wasn’t human- but if it wasn’t human, what was it? It was no robot, as she had first thought. It filled the already stuffy, damp hallway with the mixed scents of sweat and antiseptics. If she got too close, focused too hard, she could hear its rickety breathing, the in and out of its warped chest and stretched torso. She just… had to try not to focus so hard. That was it. She tried her hardest not to look at it, instead looking ahead of her, into the tunnels beyond. That was it. That was her job, this wasn’t related to what had happened, not at all. But it was, wasn’t it? These people were hunting something. And An doubted it was the rats. She was an expert, that’s why Vyska had sent her. An expert. They weren’t here for her. So why was she so scared? Despite the storm in her mind, An managed to keep a straight face as long as she kept her eyes off the “agents”. Her lips were pursed, unmoving, her steps purposeful and quick. She just hoped they couldn’t hear the rattling of her heart in its cage. Exit    After what felt like an eternity wandering through the coiling service tunnels of SynEn, the group finally arrived at a locked wrought iron gate. Pins and plates were bolted across the frame and further secured with chains wrapped around and through the bars to create a tangled web of metal. It was obvious from marks on the chains and on the gate itself that attempts to breach the barrier from the other side had been made but then quickly abandoned when it was realized the corridor beyond was still in use. Cameras protruded from the ceiling blinked with life unfettered and all of them were turned to face the ominous ingress. All of them watching and waiting for someone to come through. To test the security of SynEn. A security that was undone in little more than a handful of minutes with a bolt cutter and power drill. The engineer worked quickly and before long, defeated chains were removed and bolts and loose bits of debris pushed to the side. Once the gate was pulled open, the path forward was made clear. In the dark beyond, painted walls turned to cold bleak cement. The uninteresting gray was interrupted every now and again by some small amount of graffiti. A memoir of the brave few who dared to venture so far. The ground was mostly barren or stained wet. There was no electrical humming in the now stale air. No noise. Nothing but an eerie stillness. A quiet that beckoned the agents forward. canaryrose    As the engineer undid the chains, An felt a sense of relief, thinking of being freed from their companions. She turned to them, then, curt, her eyes focusing on the one who looked vaguely normal. “This is the abandoned segment of the Underground,” An said, gesturing into the abyss. “We don’t operate down here, but it’s the most straightforward way to get to the Core without running into anyone. Follow this…” she tugged on the white cable, “and you’ll get to the Core. The wires will guide you, but I understand you’ve been given a map. Try and follow the wires, but, well… we don’t have infrastructure past this point, so we won’t be able to render any assistance once you’re down there. We don’t even have operational communications. So try not to get lost.” She stepped aside, then, behind Jack, giving the two a wide berth. Fiber    Zhen could feel the tension in the air, and to an extent she understood it. It had taken her a long time to get used to Object-141, and she had not been kept in the dark as much as the people from SynEn. It was not her mission to reassure them, not right now. She said “Thank you for your concern. It is people like you who help us keep the city safe.” As she walked forward, Zhen flicked a button on her wrist, one that activated some noise suppression circuits in her helmet, creating enough dampening and background noise that she could whisper into the microphone without anyone outside hearing. Opening the channel to mission control while they still had a signal, she said “Beginning our approach to the underground. Is there anything in the files about our guests from SynEn? I trust they can keep word of this operation quiet.” Exit    The engineer waited only long enough for the larger of the two individuals to squeeze through. Once they were clear of the frame, he shut the gate behind them. For him at least, the iron bars standing between himself and the monster on the other side gave him some semblance of security even if there was no longer a way to lock the entrance. ”Are we done here?” He whispered a little too loudly and a little too quickly. Jack gave him a nod as he watched the larger figure recede further into the darkness, its immense size blocking the entirety of the corridor and obscuring his view of the smaller figure in front of it. But even as the edges of the two individuals began to melt into the lightless hall ahead and the distance between himself and their immediate danger continued to grow, what remained long after was the noise. An ominous echo crawled back to them from the shadows again and again. A sound like that of a breath made of grinding stones. A nightmarish herald for any in their path. ”That is the third individual to show up like this.” Jack said, removing his hand from the grip of the gun tucked under his rib. ”Whoever they are, whoever they work for, these people are dangerous…” canaryrose    An tried to disguise it, but that echoey voice made her flinch all the same. Keep the city safe. It was almost funny, how ironic it was… but not, at the same time. What were they helping these people do? An watched as they retreated down the corridor, only relaxing when she could finally no longer hear them. She then turned to Jack and the engineer, trying her best to look as though that hadn’t rattled her at all. Min- the engineer who had accompanied them- was one of her best employees, but An disliked his presence here all the same. She was relieved when Jack dismissed him and he practically ran down the corridor. She just hoped he wouldn’t gossip about this to anyone else. “I think I’ll give him a bonus on his next paycheck,” she muttered, more to herself than to Jack. “Might encourage some discretion.” Still, the employees who worked in the tunnels… well, they had a mantra, one An found amusing: what happens in the tunnels stays in the tunnels. She just hoped it would apply here. “Jack,” she said. “I… thank you for coming. I know you did not have to.” He could’ve sent anyone, really, he was Vyska’s personal bodyguard, but An suspected he had come more for her than for the security of the company. It raised some interesting questions about if she was under any sort of surveillance, but it was still kind. “You said the third,” she whispered, beginning to walk. “What were the first two? What do you mean… do you think this is connected to…” She didn’t want to say too much- even with them far away, the specter of that presence lingered, making her nervous to even think of her now-usual treasonous musings. Exit    ”It’s all connected.” Jack glanced over his shoulder at the gate to the Underground once more, checking to make sure the shadows hadn’t moved. They hadn’t, and with every step in the opposite direction he took, he could feel the weight pressing against his chest lighten a little more. ”These people were nothing more than rumors not even a week ago, but now here they are, walking casually among us as if they were always right here.” Jack shook his head, taking his place a step and half behind An. He was quickly losing his grip on the plot. There were too many pieces being added to the board: Vyska became a Bender and then lost contact with her father soon after. An discovered a facility beneath the palace. The King announces his intention to change Bending laws and then more of these... agents show up. ”When I said there were three, I meant they made three. One of their own visited us on the day of the explosion with the same credentials as them but by comparison he was… normal. But they all want the same thing…”

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Inner Chamber · |@Exit] |@MistressDizzy]Inner Chamber · @Exit @Mistress Dizzy ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    A woman turned to them as they arrived, regarding them curiously. Cautiously. "Welcome." She said, standing up and making her way over. She hopped down one of the raised platforms in a smooth leap, her long white hair trailing behind her like a shadow of ice and snow. Her clothing was loose and left her arms and midsection bare. Part of it was because of the heat, Nelu was sure. The other he could only surmise was to show off the effort she'd put into keeping herself fit. The muscles under her skin were defined in the shadows cast by warm light. She looked as though she could snap a man in half. "So... what do we have?" "Waterbenders. Both of them." Sonam replied. She pointed at Nelu. "And this one seems rather good too... we might want to consider..." The woman nodded her head as she studied the both of them. "Don't worry you two... you're safe now." She looked them over again and again as if the very shape of them was a mystery she could not solve. The bright green of her eyes seemed to cut through the amber glow of the room like daggers, digging into them, trying to see what was really underneath. Her bare feet shifted in the dirt. “I am Hunang.” Mistress Dizzy    ...This… this was Hunang?... Jin stared for a split second, stunned. They felt the urge to shiver, but training and tact muscled the movement down. Exit    Nelu fought the urge to look at his partner but Hunang's eyes snapped to Jin almost immediately. And while Jin was able to control themselves, Nelu could still feel them. It was the same now as it was earlier in the dark of the corridor from before. When they were cloaked in shadow and noise and for too short a time were somewhere else entirely. He could feel them as if their chest was still pressed against his and although the moment was fleeting, he felt their heart skip. They way Hunang focused on Jin, it seemed he wasn't the only one who noticed. Mistress Dizzy    Jin opened their mouth. "Thank you for your hospitality." They drug their gaze downward. An Upper Ring girl would be demure. And the real Jin felt oddly nude under that stare. "I apologize for staring… I've never met anyone quite as striking as you." The best lies had grains of truth peppered in them. Jin felt the smallest prickle of sweat beading the back of their neck. Exit    A cautious curtain was briefly pulled to the side as Hunang allowed herself a genuine smile. "You do not need to thank me... and you do not need to be nervous."

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

This has serious “Bitching Thread V3.0” energy, but if we all act like adults maybe it won’t get locked.

@BrokenPromise

I'm genuinely surprised this is a thread that still exists. Maybe we're doing it. Maybe we're actually doing a character development everyone.

I had peeves. I think I had two major ones, but ever since I caught the old, I've learned that my day to day is easier just letting things be. The first peeve I had were character sheets that were obsessively too long. Packed to the brim with information that was neither needed or ever going to be used. I found that they ended up being a waste of time (especially when an RP never got off the ground) or robbed players of organic interaction within the game. All the information is already there. I think a part of that peeve came from my inability to write a detailed backstory for every character I came up with, especially when I first started roleplaying. It was a lot of work trying to dream up a whole previous life in a new world I'd never been in before. I couldn't figure out how so many people were so quickly turning out the volume of information they were, and back when I was in upwards of ten games, that much prework before we even got started was daunting. But then I learned what I thought was happening wasn't always the case and CSs aren't all made for the same reason. For groups that have been going on much longer than others, these long CSs were a record of their past. All the organic information has already been hashed out beforehand is now being put to paper. This also includes characters created outside any game that are then used in any number of RPs the player thinks they can fit their character in. Maybe across all those worlds the character has walked, some of the stories made there stuck and the writer made it a part of their past. Then, all they had to do was copy and paste it into the next world and they were ready to go. Then, there's simply the love of character creation. Writing is an artform, and the character you're going to play is an essential part of the picture you want to paint. It's got to be right. The more information you have for them, the more fleshed out they are, the more the writer knows this character and the easier it will be for them to play as them. It's why long CSs can be good. It's also why I spend hours character creating in BG3 and giving my creation a backstory that no one is ever going to learn about.

And this leads into my next peeve which is players refusing to let players RP the way they want to RP. The need to judge other people for wanting to play someone perfect, someone edgy, someone too happy or too sad is missing the whole point of roleplay. This also extends to games that use character sheets that are obscenely long. It's what they want and that's okay. They want all the information or they want to play a specific type of character and if I don't want to, I don't have to join.

What Are You Listening To?

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	O V E R A G A I N 2024 _____________________ sir chloe _____________________ over again _________

^{did you know...}

What Are You Listening To?

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	T O P D O G 2023 _____________________ magdalena bay _____________________ mini mix vol. 3 _________

^{or any of their stuff reallly.}

What Are You Listening To?

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	D A Z I E S 2023 ____________________ yeule ______________________ softscars _________

^{i'm a little sleepy}

What Are You Listening To?

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	P O L L E N S O N G 2023 _____________________ tennis _____________________ pollen _________

^{mahz returned today.}

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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__Evening · |@Exit] |@Fiber] |@DreamingFlowers] |@FunnyGuy]Evening · @Exit @Fiber @DreamingFlowers @FunnyGuy ____________________________________________________________________________. Fiber    Taiichi spoke after Lana. He was shaking as he rose, and the first words came out uncertain. He was one of the less experienced members of the advisory council, and seldom spoke up. He said. “I have some strong feelings, but I think it helps for me to explain some about why I feel this way. I had a half-brother. He came from my father’s first marriage, but he died before I was born. The first time my father told me about him he broke down crying, that was when I was ten; before then I had never seen him cry, nor had I heard even a word about my half-brother. When we went to the family mausoleum I looked for where his place would be, but I knew it wasn’t there. The ashes of generation after generation of Satos were around me, amidst the work of the finest artisans our fortune could afford, on a hill that stood tall over the rest of the city cemetery, but there was no room for him. He had died before his tenth birthday, and his ashes had been scattered in the city canal; even if we had collected them we couldn’t have interred him in the city cemetery, for he was a Bender. You can tell something is off when you visit the mausoleum, how my branch of Sato family has so many blank spaces compared to the other branches. Family reunions are emptier, our history more sensitive, and we grow up learning there are subjects we will politely refuse to discuss. If you total up the “blank spaces” in our branch there may be more than official members, no one, not even my father knows the true count, but both of his siblings are among them.“ Sweat dripped from his brow and he clenched his hands to stave off the nerves. Taiichi looked the advisors in the eyes as he said the next part of his speech ”The next memory I’ll discuss is from when I was twenty, and some of you may have I heard the details. That day started with my parents and my younger brother walking through the concrete hallways of an RSF facility, until we reached the place where we would witness my elder sister’s execution. She was seven years older than me, and while she was alive I never heard anyone say an unkind word about her. I remember how my father was so proud of her, how he was actually excited to reach the day where he could retire and pass his title to her; it even made me a little jealous. That jealousy melted in an instant when I was with her, because one thing that Himiko never failed to do was figure out how to cheer someone up. There were no goodbyes exchanged, no last rites, and whatever she tried to shout through the glass I never got to hear. I could see the tears rolling down her face when they put the blindfold on her, how they flowed even though she tried to stop them, but what I remember most was how she tried to smile at the end, even as she was about to die, she didn’t want us to be sad. After that day we hardly spoke of her again, all of our mourning had to be done outside the public eye. My father had spent tens of millions of Yuan to try and keep her alive, and all those bribes, faked records, and schemes managed to do was buy her time. After that I’d have nightmares about them taking my brother too, even after he was old enough for the tests to be reliable; it took years for those to go away. I have many more stories, how I spent most of my twenties falling into a life of substance abuse and hedonism to forget all of this, how I grapple with all of the truths and lies about ancestors who died a hundred and twenty years ago, how I’ve spent millions of Yuan on genealogy studies and consultations just to try and figure out if there’s a way I could have a child and know for certain they wouldn’t be a bender, how I gave up on that hope but am still haunted by one question: if I had a child that was a Bender would I hate them for how they were born, or would I love them in spite of it? What I’m left with at the end of all of this is one question: What have I done? Through all of this, through all of my life until now I’ve sat by and accepted this as the way things have to be, I’ve been afraid to bring any more shame by speaking up, by standing for something. That changes tonight, where I am putting my unequivocal support behind this new proposal. I don’t know if what I’ve said will change anyone minds, I know many are still set in their ways, but all that I am asking is that we let them live. How can we condemn them all to death, young and old, sinners and saints, snuffed out all the same, and still call ourselves a just society?” FunnyGuy    Tao cleared his throat as if he were reserving his turn to speak next. Seated strategically across from Lana and beside his predecessor Nahalia. His eyes had only been affixed to Taichi as he spoke for a short moment. Utter ignorance. “Mr. Sato's words should not fall on deaf ears. What he and his distinguished family have experienced is something we should all acknowledge…” His eyes returned to Taichi while giving a respectable nod to the man who stood courageously before then. “Yet this should not be what supports the decision to allow the free roam and continued procreation of Benders. In fact, my honorable king, we should celebrate the sacrifice that the Sato family and many others have made to maintain our just society. We cannot fall into the mistake of placing the needs of the few over the needs of the many, and as a product of recent developments, we are all aware of what damage a single bender can do to the many. Our city is not perfect, all at this table can agree but we should be proud of how far we have come. Where are the warring nations? Where is the desperately sought after Avatar? Where is the fear of being under the thumb of men and women that can raze homes and slaughter many with simply a wave of the hand?” He shut his eyes and sighed. “Gone. Nonexistent to the world we now thrive in. We've made grand strides after the purge of Benders. We've maintained a peace the world hasn't seen. So I also ask this. Why jeopardize that? We did not make these laws on a whim. There was a reason for it, and if we have forgotten or grown complacent, allow the recent explosion caused by a Bender to return yourselves to reality. Allow the murders of our people to remind you why we remove the weeds from our garden of a city we are still trying to cultivate! It is my absolute duty to ensure the safety of our people and with all due respect King Wu, I am sure you wish to ensure the same.” Exit    ”Well spoken.” Nahalia commented. ”We’ve laid the groundwork necessary to ensure a future as peaceful and as safe as the one we’ve enjoyed for a hundred years. Generations who will never have to fear tyranny at powerful hands and we enforce the laws we’ve created to protect that future. I will not see our work thrown away because of one accident, regardless of the cause. Regardless of the people affected. We can only ensure that our system continues to work if we trust it.” ”Trust that we’ve sent a good person to die?” The last to add their voice to the room finally spoke. A woman with piercing blue and glowing eyes. If one stood close enough, they could see the irises shift as she looked around the room. Mina was seated next to the one empty seat at the table. ”What did Xiu do to deserve that, hm? Her only crime being that on a random day in the middle of the week, she woke up a Bender. Xiu, who spent many years seated here with us, working to improve this city. Working to solve the issues that have plagued it since before her time.” She turned to Tao. ”We speak of sacrifice to protect our way of life but what of her sacrifice? What of the bright spot on this council that has been smothered. Tossed to the side and forgotten as if she never existed. What of those of us who refuse to forget?” She turned to Taiichi. Her bright eyes became empathetic. ”Those of us who are left with the loss. Truthfully… I mourn Xiu, I will not deny it. Xiu was a dear friend of mine as I’m sure she was to others here and yet, despite everything she did for us and for Ba Sing Se, we have condemned her for fear of an act she never committed. Worse still… I look around this table… I look at everyone outside this room and understand that anyone has the potential to cause others unimaginable harm.” She shook her head. ”But only Xiu had the potential to do as much good as she did. Imagine what our city would be like without her. Imagine what our city could be like if we consider everyone in the same light.” She gestured toward Lana. ”Medicine for instance. Spirit water is limited to the Upper Ring and those in the Lower Ring suffer because of it. What good may come if there were more people who could effectively treat with it. Or industry, Over a century ago, Firebenders were employed to generate electricity. Imagine what a Bender could create today.” Finally, Mina looked at everyone at the table. ”I too stand with the King in looking toward a better future. Of looking for change. If we don’t give it a chance, if we don’t give our people a chance… and I mean all of them, we’ll never be free of the world we created outside the walls. We’ll never be free of our fear and we’ll never know what could be.” Vyska nodded, as did the king who turned to the man seated next to Lana. Song Cheng nodded as well. ”As we share this seat, it should come as no surprise to anyone that our opinion on this matter is shared. I think change is good. Allowing Benders to live within the city can help drive our economy.” He gestured loosely at his wife. ”Medicine, science, work…” Song shrugged his shoulders as his voice trailed off, struggling to find another thing to add to his list. However, he was saved when another entrance interrupted his shallow speech. Double doors at the far end of the room were opened and a woman stepped inside holding a tray with a pot and several tea cups on top. As she approached and walked past some of those seated at the table, the air around them became tainted with the scent of roasted rice. She circled around to stand beside the king and placed the tray down nearby before pouring a cup and passing it to him. ”Thank you…” He said. He gestured at Song to continue before sipping at his tea. The woman rotated around, moving next to Lana and Song. Song declined the cup. ”I think it’s a good idea.” He stated simply.

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Evening · |@Exit] & |@MistressDizzy] CollaborationEvening · @Exit & @Mistress Dizzy Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    ”The hell?” Like at the entrance to the club, Jin and Nelu were greeted again by two individuals, these ones standing ahead of what looked like a heavy steel door. And again, like before, one of the individuals was rather large. This one, however, clearly had some work done as one arm was metal in make. Rivets, wires and steel bars made up the skeleton and muscle of the man’s left arm. It was slightly unwieldy and longer than his right. The person standing next to him was a woman, the same one with a blue cloak hanging off their shoulder from the bar. Or was it teal? It was hard to tell in the light. ”You lost?” Came the unusually deep voice of the larger male. ”Wait a minute… Aren’t you two the ones trying to get water earlier?” The girl tried not laugh. ”You’re not going to find any down here.” ”No. We uh… we’re… looking for someone? We’re….” Nelu hesitated for a moment and gestured at both himself and Jin. ”...We’re Benders.” The woman raised a brow and the man next to her laughed. ”You expect me to believe you’re Benders? Dressed like that? You look like you’re from the Upper Ring and no one from the Upper Ring survives in the Lower Ring, much less all the way down here.” He said. ”Prove it.” ”Sonam…” ”Boss says anyone.” Her eyes bounced from Nelu to Jin. ”And that means anyone, no matter where they’re from.” She sighed and her eyes softened a bit. ”I’m sure it’s been rough for you, especially coming from the Upper Ring if… that’s actually where you’re from. Which regardless of where that really is, we’ll still need proof… Of course, if you can’t provide it…” The man smiled. ”...Then you won’t be leaving this place.” Nelu glanced between the two and then back to Jin, before giving them a confident and reassuring nod. ”We’ll need some water.” He said, turning back to Sonam. Sonam moved to the wall where in the dark was a shelf and a bowl. She picked up the bowl and brought it over to Jin and Nelu before placing it down at their feet. The liquid inside was not clear but an opaque brown, nearly black. Sonam nodded toward it. ”Go ahead.” Mistress Dizzy    By the time the pair of them reached the area where the meeting was to take place, Jin had overcome their embarrassment - at least outwardly - and gotten back on the mission. After all - the sooner they got the faces and info the LSF wanted, the sooner they could get back to the surface and forget this night ever happened. Jin had gone over a plan to get the two of them in the door without the risk of having Nelu bloodbend in the open. As soon as Nelu sensed the two figures they were approaching, Jin's persona shifted yet again, morphing like warm plastic in a shell. They stepped closer to Nelu as if trying to use him as a shield. Their shoulders drooped, and their body turned in on itself. It took a very short time for Jin to go from a relaxed stride to a nervous step. By the time they reached the door, Jin looked like an Upper Ring girl seeing her first taste of the real world on the outside. While Nelu did the talking, Jin hung back in his shadow, silent. They were angled so that they could get a clear shot of both guards with the hidden camera. With their gaze looking this way and that, all but jumping at shadows and dust bunnies, the motions Jin had to make to scope out the scene were masked. A name pricked up Jin's ears, and they almost made eye contact with the blue-cloaked woman on reflex before letting their gaze sweep though them to gawk at the large man's mechanical arm like it was bizarre. But their mind was kicking into a new gear. Sonam? Things had just gotten… interesting. The former thief and the capable supplier were nearly the same age and had run in similiar, sometimes overlapping circles. Jin hadn't worked with the woman face to face since they were both skinny, no-name brats cutting their teeth in the criminal underworld. Thanks to the RSF snatching away 4 years of their life, almost everyone Jin had ever run with in the old days thought they were dead. They'd even found an old memorial shrine to the Flying Frog in one Underground tunnel. It would be impossible to be recognized after so long. Right? As the bowl of "water" - honestly, it was more like wet silt than anything else - was placed down, Jin exhaled nervously. That was no act. These two guards had to buy what came next, completely. "Right." Jin raised both hands, then moved through the motions that Nelu had described of an early waterbender. They made them grander than necessary, full of wasted energy and flourish. And they finished at the bowl of water with a "Ha!" to the effect of… absolutely nothing. "Wha-" Their face screwed up into a girlish pout. They repeated the last steps in the routine and - the bowl stayed unbothered. Tears began to glisten in the corners of blue eyes. "I-it was… it was working before. The day the power went out, that day with the pink mist… I busted a pipe at Daddy's house and-" A sniffle, and then, to really seal the deal - a sudden cough with a distinct, airy wheeze. It was one of the first signs that an Upper Ring idiot had wandered too low - a symptom of the subterflu. Between the low quality oxygen, lack of sunlight, and carving out a living among other things that made their home in dirt, the Underground life could be hard on the lungs. Truthfully, the subterflu was less an actual disease, and more of an allergic reaction. But the effect was the same. Jin gasped for breath before shooting a teary, weary look at Nelu. "Why doesn't it work? This water isn't clean enough! We need real water.” Exit    Sonam’s face suddenly turned serious, as did the man’s next to her. Nelu reacted by placing a reassuring hand on Jin’s shoulder. ”It’s alright.” He said, turning from Jin to the others. ”She’s been through a lot the past couple of days, trying to stay under the radar and not give herself away when she started bending. She… hasn’t had time to practice in between trying to get out of the Upper Ring and make it all the way here.” ”And what about you?” The man asked, focusing now on Nelu. Sonam kept her eyes on Jin, studying her carefully… almost too carefully. Her eyes narrowed. ”I’ve had time.” Nelu raised his hand above the bowl and spread his fingers wide while twisting his wrist and pushing his fingers to a point. It traced an invisible shape in the air like that of a circle and as he repeated the motion, the water in the bowl began to shift unnaturally before suddenly spiraling upward and into the air. It formed a spinning sphere and remained suspended above the ground. Almost immediately, both Sonam and the man next to her focused on Nelu, watching in surprise at the precise control he was exerting on the water. ”At least enough time to do that. And I’ve been careful enough to remain undetected for years but this…” As he continued to speak, the motion of his hand began to slow and the sphere began to drop out of the air. It floated down gently back into the bowl and resumed its original shape. ”...This is… it’s dangerous, especially where we’re from and we needed a safe place to hide or at least a safe place for her to practice enough so that she could control it. We heard that there were others like us gathering down here.” ”There are… but very few are as able as you are…” Sonam said, staring intently at Nelu. ”And there are none who cannot.” The man gestured at Jin. ”If you can’t bend, you’re not getting in.” ”Right…” Sonam turned back to Jin, studied them for another handful of seconds and then sighed. She reached behind herself and pulled out a small vial, placing it on the ground next to the bowl. The liquid inside was perfectly clear. ”Try again with this. I want you to push the vial. Even if you can’t do that, the liquid should glow if you’re trying. And you…” Sonam pointed at Nelu. ”You keep your hands down.” Nelu nodded and then turned to Jin. ”You’ve got this.” Mistress Dizzy    While Nelu weaved a mastercraft of lies, then did his demonstration, Jin couldn’t help but watch. There was rarely time to just observe him when he was bending. It was actually kind of beautiful. Too bad that the same thing could be so deadly. Looking at him kept them from looking at Sonam. They could practically hear this woman's mind working. One of the few people they knew from the old days was suddenly 5 feet away. Of course, it had to be one of the few people Jin could truly match wits with. But there was nothing they could do. No way to warn Nelu. If Sonam got even a hint that Jin recognized her… it would be trouble. Sometimes the spirits had a bad sense of humor. So far, the story was believable. Now to bring it home. Jin exhaled slow, noting the nervous shudder in their breath. It was quite real. "Alright. I- I can do this." They stretched out a hand, screwed their eyes shut and pushed at it, palm whooshing through empty air. Exit    As Jin pushed at the vial, the liquid inside began to glow, although it wasn’t very bright. It did however wobble slightly. ”Huh…” ”See?” Nelu said smiling. ”She’s got it.” He placed a hand on Jin’s shoulder. ”Good job.” Mistress Dizzy    "Oh… Thank you." The flustered schoolgirl look that Jin gave him back, dropped hastily as if they’d just remembered they weren't alone, was a subtle touch. The guard with the metal arm would miss it. Sonam, though, probably wouldn’t. That was the point, of course. Jin only hoped it would be enough to throw her suspicions to the side. The Jin that Sonam knew would never lose their wits over anyone. Funny how things changed. Exit    The man next to Sonam looked a little disappointed but otherwise relaxed. Sonam, however, did not. For a moment, she continued to study Jin as if there was something else to see. Her eyes narrowed slightly as Jin performed her charade and it was obvious Sonam was a little confused and a little suspicious, but eventually she too relaxed. Whatever alarm had been sounding in her head was silence when she glanced back at the vial. It had moved and she had her orders. She nodded before picking up the vial. ”It’s probably better that way. Easier to hide at least. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone so disappointed that they couldn’t bend. Most of us… Well, you’ll see.” She waved the man to the side. [color=whtie]”What are your names?”[/color] She asked, placing a hand on the door. ”Jasmine.” Nelu gestured at Jin and then at himself. ”And Nemu.” ”Jasmine and Nemu?” Sonam asked, raising a brow and slowly nodding her head as if the names were the strangest things she’d ever heard. ”...Okay.” She knocked on the door three times and a panel in the front slid open. Behind it, a pair of eyes appeared and bounced between the four people in the room. After a moment, the panel was shut and there was a mechanical click in the frame of the door as a bolt was undone. ”Come on.” Sonam pushed the door open and led the two into the next room. The change was immediate. What little light had been filling the previous corridor was replaced by warmer brighter lights that echoed across a large chamber. This chamber was not made of metal or concrete and was instead entirely carved out of the earth. The ground was dirt and divided into various platforms raised to different heights at either side of the room. On top of these platforms were several groups of people. In total, Nelu counted a little more than a hundred heads. He figured there were more he could not see but there were far to many for him to count accurately with his bloodbending. The people gathered here were from every ring of Ba Sing Se although it was clear that there were more here from the Lower than the Upper. Most were wrapped in well worn clothing, stained by a life lived in the shadow of the city. Some wore clothes that were more clean and kept and even seemed somewhat prepared for a trek. They had with them backpacks and food and water. A select few were like Jin in that they had arrived dressed up for the Gala in the palace. They too seemed rather lost and nervous but were otherwise safely tucked away in their own groups. All of them seemed tired and stressed and paid the two new arrivals no mind, save for one. A woman, who had just finished showing the man Jin and Nelu had been following to one of the groups, turned to them as they arrived. Her bright green eyes regarded them curiously. Cautiously. "Welcome." She said, standing up and making her way over. She hopped down one of the raised platforms in a smooth leap, her long white hair trailing behind her like a shadow of ice and snow. Her clothing was loose and left her arms and midsection bare. Part of it was because of the heat, Nelu was sure. The other he could only surmise was to show off the effort she'd put into keeping herself fit. The muscles under her skin were defined in the shadows cast by warm light. She looked as though she could snap a man in half. "So... what do we have?" "Waterbenders. Both of them." Sonam replied. She pointed at Nelu. "And this one seems rather good too... we might want to consider..." The woman nodded her head as she studied the both of them. "Don't worry you two... you're safe now."

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LSF HQ · |@Dog] & |@Exit] CollaborationLSF HQ · @Dog & @Exit Collaboration ____________________________________________________________________________. Exit    “Good Evening, 141.” There was a tap against the capsule and from the other side of the frosted glass pane, a number of concealed faces could be seen. After a few moments of muted voices and a series of electronic beeps and chimes, there was a hiss of gas and the lid on the pod popped free from a latch. Another button press and it slowly began to rise, giving 141 an unobstructed view of a familiar room… again. He was back and surprisingly so soon. “I hope you got enough rest. We’ve got new orders for you today. It’s a little different this time.” Came the familiar voice of the male doctor in the room. ”Are you sure this information is correct?” The female chimed in, same as before. ”If it is… then they’re going to need him.” The male doctor pressed a button on the panel in the center of the room and an image of a familiar face populated the air in front of 141. Katakuri stared back at him. ”Katakuri Soran… is not joining you for this.” The male doctor began, filling in the missing information. ”He is the target. Now normally Captain Nelu would fill you in on the details but he is currently in the middle of his own mission with Jin. So, I’ve been tasked with catching you up.” The man hit another button and the face of Katakuri was replaced with a render of the city. In the space below the city, the known corridors of the Underground were highlighted and about a third of the way down was a small red flashing dot. ”Katakuri’s last known location and…” The portrait of the rogue agent returned along with a picture of a little girl. ”... this is Chosah. A firebender who is accompanying him. Kill him. Capture the child. Understand?” Dog    Object-141 stands still as his body and mind starts to process the mass amount of data fed to him by screen and neuro-ports. In an instant, 141 understands what must be done. Katakuri must die. The firebender’s combat forms and manners were already being predicted by the monster. How fit the man was. How many steps he could take within the span of a few seconds and other hundreds of factors on combat with Katakuri were being calculated by 141. There were only thoughts of how quickly and effectively 141 could take down Katakuri. Nothing more or less.

_Prompt:

End Chapter Two.

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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____________________________________________________________________________. The next two days brought heat and sand and a cold night. Feyi led the group across the endless desert, stopping only for short rests or during the night they had to make camp. She’d spend the majority of the day answering questions and catching them up on the world outside, or at least the parts of the world she knew about. Outside the walls of Ba Sing Se, a world thought dead was still thriving, though it was very much changed. Pockets of civilization created by survivors of the war had sprung up, opting to take their freedom in the waste rather than live in the confines of the city. Trade flourished, people were happy and more than anything else, Benders were not so heavily persecuted. Places existed where they were protected and even worshiped. Hailed as protectors and sought after so as to find safety in their watch from the threats born of a changing world. Like in the city, they were few and far between, and while life was still difficult for them, it was not so oppressive as it was within the walls. There of course were still those who did not want for a Benders well-being, but Tu Zin was a place of safety. In fact, Tu Zin was home to two Benders. The leader, Unye, was an Earthbender and had been for years. It wasn’t the most well kept secret but not all the ears out in the wild were not given to Ba Sing Se. Raiders and other dangers alike usually gave the place a wide berth for fear of his reprisal and in this way, Tu Zin thrived. Not so much as to draw attention but enough that those who knew it knew they could seek solace and a place to rest if needed. The other was a recent addition to the settlement having arrived in Tu Zin nearly a year earlier. It was also someone quite close to Feyi. Feluna was Feyi’s little sister who at the age of seven, had discovered she was a waterbender. --- Late into the second day of travel, the scenery began to change. Rolling hills of sand turned to flat, sunbaked land. Loose pebbles turned to gravel and eventually compacted dirt and the barren world of the Si Wong Desert slowly transformed into a land where flora could once again thrive. Dry bushes and small shrubs marked the landscape until eventually, some small amount of green began to stand out in the brown of a mostly dry world. There wasn’t enough to make shade or take the dust out of the air, but it was a noticeable difference from before. And, it was a sign that the riders could break their circle formation as the threat of attack by a sandworm passed. Eventually wayward dirt became a trail and after two days of traveling, the first sign of civilization beyond the wall appeared under the horizon. A mountain pierced the darkening sky splitting the colors of a setting sun in two, and at its base were unnatural shapes crowding in the mountain’s shade. As they approached, these shapes became buildings made of stone and wood and metal and eventually, standing in and around and on top of these buildings were the silhouettes of people. They were greeted with a mix of emotions. Some cheered, greeting the arrivals with shouts of joy and welcoming home the hunters and the food they’d returned with. Some gawked at the newcomers with awe and curiosity. Children ran up to the Kyoshi to try and peer through the metal shutters of the windows and see who was riding inside. Worried parents would run after them and fetch them away, admonishing them for being so brazen. Some stared into the distance behind the group, out into the desert in the hopes that there were others who were not far behind. But no one else arrived. To the side, standing atop a raised platform, was an elderly man with graying beard and white hair who held a striking resemblance to one of the drivers who had been at the outpost. He was wrapped in thick blue cloth and dark leather straps and held himself upright by the cane in his hand. He paid no attention to the Kyoshi or the returning hunters and only stared into the desert. The setting sun illuminated weary, sad eyes in golden light. --- The group had been given rooms at the local tavern and a day to rest and gather themselves. Food was provided along with water and any amenities they needed. The following day, they were allowed to explore freely although they were informed that later that day, Unye would be returning and would want to talk to all of them. Although smuggling Benders out of the city was not new, the arrival of a group of Benders had never happened before. He would want words as their arrival was unprecedented. He was also currently away as Tu Zin itself was in the midst of its own celebration of the end of the great war. Their celebration differed slightly from the city. Hunting parties were formed to seek out and hunt the largest prey in the sand and the group with who returned with the largest kill was rewarded. Feyi had been in one such party before they were diverted, and although their rescue also rewarded them with a kill of their own, the worm was an adolescent and quite small. Word had been received that Unye had managed to get a kill early and was quite happy with the size. He and his group were already on their way back, but until his return, everyone was free to do as they pleased. Tu Zin itself was rather large to those unfamiliar with it. The settlement was built into the base of the mountain and was also partially carved into it. Much of the remains of the expanding city it once was still survived to the current day. Buildings, streets, street lights and power lines from a bygone area remained frozen in time, scarred now by the elements as a result of disuse. Much of these structures became the skeleton and the veins of the settlement built over it, as those who moved in transformed it into the haven it was now. A safe place at the edge of one the most inhospitable environments in the world. Of course from the outside it was hard to tell. The outer walls were simply the old abandoned buildings of the original ghost town. These had been converted into a kind of ‘wall’ with towers and guards patrolling the perimeter on a regular basis. There was a main entrance, but there were also many other smaller entrances and it seemed there were no procedures or checks to enter. Within the walls, the settlement was stained by the sea of sand it sat on the edge of. The streets were ever covered in a layer of loose dust and the town itself seemed covered in a brown haze that persisted. Despite this, life brought color toTu Zin by way of the people who lived within it and those people thrived. Families flourished and trade was good.

_Prompt:

I want to open up the opportunity to allow for creation of part of this settlement from the players. Specific buildings and businesses exist, but you are free to add to Tu Zin. Keep in mind that people who live here now would have most likely migrated from cities nearby, including the now destroyed Gao Ling. Gao Ling would have at one point rivaled Republic City with a population hailing from various nations. Tu Zin will not have an identity to any one specific nation however, some people may have been able to keep track of their lineage and may present as still being a part of that nation. The group has been given the day to do as they please. Players may interact with each other or explore and find more information about the world. There will be no joint collaboration doc for this posting period. Places that currently exist: The Thirsty Cactus, the tavern where the group still has rooms and free food for the rest of the day although the proprietor insists he can’t keep giving out his stock for free even if it’s for Benders. There is a gun/weapon smith named Bartus who owns the Platinum Blade. A doctor named Sarah. A square where various goods are traded at stalls from vendors and peddlers. There is also a town hall where Unye resides that exists within the part of the city under the mountain. It is currently off limits.