Game-Changers & Grudge Matches

*Roatha does not look up.*

"Of--of course. So...they're here. We'd better not keep them waiting. How about you take care of Noctis, and I'll go get Euryale?"

*The last 2 sentences were way more chipper than entirely necessary.*
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*Venezuela follows her.*

"Hopefully more quickly than those scrolls took to write. And what did that Ma-rie person mean? 'The next debate is after the Game'?"
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"It's not that...don't worry about it. So, do you know who you're playing in the next Pro-Bending match yet?"
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<It really doesn't look that serious....>

*One officer starts cuffing her hands.*

"How would you like it if some crazy Purist tried to slash your throat?" Dalia snapped. "...It really hurts. And all the heat..."

"I was just joking," Gabe said, "And I'm not too sure. I'll have to check again later. I've been a bit distracted as of late."

--

"Sure," Mortal said. She then made her way over to Noctis, "Ms. Talea. Hello."

"Remember how I said that I was running to be part of a group of chiefs?" Noct said, "Well, to see who is qualified to become one the candidates debate each other on a range of issues. Whoever the city agrees with gets voted in." She then looked up at Mortal, "Hello. Can I help you?"

"My name is Mortal," She replied, "I'm Gabe's friend. She is this way." She then began to walk towards the direction of the group.

Noct followed along.

*When Mortal isn't looking, Roatha releases a flame from the hand holding the bouquet, quickly engulfing it. He then holds the charred remains of the flowers over a trash can & shakes them so that they fall apart into unrecognizable pieces before letting them go. Some time later, he shows up in front of the others with his hands in his pockets.*

R"Hey. They're here."

*He jerks his head in that direction.*

E"...How about you guys go ahead? Roatha & I will catch up."
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*Ven follows along.*

V"Are you my Earthbending teacher, then?"
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*The cop sighs.*

<I'm just saying that we'll be able to take care of it easily. You just have to get in the back of my squad car.>

*Once her hands are together, he lifts up on the cuffs gently, trying to direct her to said car.*

"Ah, sure," Astarte nodded after a brief hesitation.

"Fine, fine," Dalia tried to cooperate, reasoning that this time at least she didn't have anything to hide.

*Tirea runs over to give Noctis and Ven big hugs*

<Yay, you're here!>
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Eve:<I'll just have a pair of gold then.>
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Monu:<Your total will be 60 yuans, please.>

Noct gives Tirea her scowl, though it was somewhat more subdued due to the shades. "While I think you're a sweet person, Tirea, I would appreciate it if you didn't try to crush the air from my lungs every time we met," She said. The fact that she returned the hug might have made her words seem pointless however. She then looked up at Gabe, and shook her hand when she extended it.

"Aren't you the girl from the coffee shop?" Noct asked Astarte.

"Where is Euryale, and Roatha?" Mortal asked Gabe.

"They said they'd catch up," Gabe answered. She then extended her hand to Ven, "Nice to see you again."

*Tirea looks kind of embarrassed, and lets go*

<Oh, I just thought....that was how you're supposed to greet friends....>

*Tirea wanders a bit away from the group*

Noct looked at Gabe, wondering if she really was being mean or something, then said to Tirea, "It isn't that I don't like you, but I enjoy my personal space. I hope you can understand."

Gabe took a step over to Tirea, and put an arm around her, "There are a lot of ways to greet friends, just as there are many kinds of friends. If it makes you feel better, I don't mind the hugs."

*Tirea gives Gabe a quick hug before turning back to Noctis*

<You're right, I'm sorry Noctis, I just get really over-excited when I see friends.>

Astarte had just nodded at Noctis when she was addressed.

*Euryale scratches the back of her head.*

E"Listen, I'm really sorry. It came up all of a sudden when I was in the hospital, and I guess I just kinda...forgot about you?"

*Roatha looks up at her sharply with an unreadable expression. He crosses his arms as she continues.*

E"Well, I didn't say I was proud of it. Anyway, I wanted to tell Mortal about you, and you about us, but I just didn't get the time. I didn't want to make things uncomfortable for either of you. Are you going to be okay?"

R"Yeah. Peachy."

E"Well, that's good."

*She starts to go, then looks back.*

E"Umm...are we going to be okay?"

R"Of course we are. We've been friends for a long time now. We'll adjust."

E"I'm very relieved to hear that. Need an excuse to slink away for a few minutes?"

R"Yes. Please."

E"Okay, I'll tell everyone I sent you for a snack run. Come back with some drinks in about 20 minutes."

*They then head off in opposite directions.*
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*Euryale finally catches up with them.*

E"Roatha will be back in a few, I sent him to get us drinks. Hello Ms. Noctis, and I guess you must be Venezuela? I'm Euryale. It's nice to meet you both. Ven--can I call you Ven--"

*She holds her hand out, first to Noctis. Venezuela shrugs.*

E"I'll...take that as a yes. I'm going to be your Earthbending trainer."
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<...What am I supposed to do, give them to you over the phone? I'll bring 'em when I'm down there.>

*He hangs up.*
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<Regular or wide-lensed model?>
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*And so they drive Dalia down to the station. She is put in an interrogation room and told to wait there. The officer waves his hand, opening a panel on the wall that reviews a phone, which she is told that she can use for any local call. After a few minutes, the wall in the interrogation cell is opened, and a Healer comes in, a man in a blue medical coat & porkpie hat armed with a bucket of water, which he places on the table. As the officer closes the room back up, he says that he'll be back after the Healer has finished.*

<Hello, Ms. Dalia. Do you have any wounds besides that one on your chest?>

<Regular.>
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*Monu puts down the phone*

<Pleasant.>

*Monu starts on the order in the kitchen*
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Tirea:<Can we watch?>

Astarte kind of wished she had gone with Roatha, as he was the only one besides Gabe that she had actually spoken to on more than one occasion, if at all. She crossed her arms.

"There are a few little ones down the front of my body from throwing knives," Dalia replied. She had made a brief call to her parents a minute earlier to tell them that she had been attacked by a Purist and was being held by the police as a suspect. They had mixed feelings about this news.

Mortal looked at Astarte, and chuckled, "You alright there? You seem kind of stiff."

Noctis shook Euryale's hand and said, "A pleasure to meet you, Euryale. You're friends think very highly of you."

Gabe stifled a laugh when Tirea asked, 'Can we watch'. She then looked at Noctis, who had walked up to her and Tirea.

"This is your contract," Noctis said, "I'm going to need a signature from you," She handed Tirea another contract, "You," She then held up another contract, "And your manager, who I'd like to meet. You'll notice that they just put into writing everything we agreed upon."

Gabe withdrew her arm from around Tirea, and asked, "Uh, sure, do you happen to have a--" She took a pen Noct handed out, "Ah, thanks." She then went about signing her name next to a few 'X's.

*Tirea takes the paper, and politely waits for Gabe to finish with the pen*

E"Well, I think highly of them, as well."

*She moves to hug Ven, but Ven holds up her hand.*

V"Not again."

*Euryale slowly drops her arms & holds out her hand. They shake. Awkwardly.*

E"So...I've heard you're a sandbender? Do you know a lot about sandbending? Would you mind teaching me some?"

V"I suppose that is a fair trade. And I am one of the most capable in the Si Wong."
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*The Healer withdraws some water in one hand, & begins healing the wound.*

<Hmm...the bones have been cut, but not deep. They might take a day or so to fully heal after I'm done here.>

*He flicks the wrist of his free hand, & a tendril of water rises up out of the bucket, splashing on his hand & forming another healing glove. He holds it over her abdomen, finding the wounds through Chi Pathways & patching them up.*
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<All right. That'll also be 25 Yuans.>
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*At 4:00, a trio of men in black trench coats enter the cafe. When they walk up to the counter, one gruffly says that they're the 30 sandwich guys.*

Gabe hands over the pen, "So, I assume everything is working out with Ven as a house guest?"

"She is lovely company," Noct said with a smile, "I'm sure you'll get along great on the team."

"Yeah, I'm alright," Astarte nodded and forced another smile in response to Mortal. "I just get nervous with people I don't know too well. Silly, really."

"Okay, thanks," Dalia replied. After a few more moments of silence, she spoke again. "It occurs to me that if the Purists want Benders gone so badly, they mustn't value Healers very much. How stupid."

By 4:00, Hector and Eduj had returned to Sidon's home. Hector was using the telephone, finding out about the insurance for his shop.

"Well, we've hung out a bunch now," Mortal said, "We don't know each other that well, but we're all friends here."

Noctis held back a 'speak for yourself'.

E"Yeah, what Mortal said."

V"You're too kind, Noctis."

E"Let's see...we need a source of Earth that it would be okay for us to practice with...I don't suppose anyone's brought any actual Pro-Bending discs?"

*At this moment, Roatha staggers back onto the scene with an armful of drink bottles. Somehow, he's done enough guesswork to at least approximate everyone's favorite drink.*
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<Not sure what they have to do with anything, but I think they rely on crime doctors for everything. Like that Aamon guy. Though I wouldn't put it past them to force a Waterbender to perform a Healing, and then kill him.>
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*He is on the phone with a woman with a nasally voice.*

<Ah, yes, I am familiar with your case. And you claim that the pharmacy was destroyed by...what was it, again?>

Mortal takes a bottle of OJ while avoiding Roatha's direct gaze. Gabe takes a bottle of water, and thanks Roatha.

Noct takes nothing because Roatha is an asshole.

"I don't have any disks on me, but isn't there a river close by. I'm sure we can find some rocks over there," Gabe said.

Astarte took some iced tea, and also thanked Roatha. She likely noticed that Roatha wasn't as cheerful as he had been on the way here, but didn't mention it.

"Explosives," Hector said.

"It was just a thought I had," Dalia said quietly. "They really are horrible."

<Explosives planted by...whom, Sir?>
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E"I suppose we could. If we find an empty sandbox, Ven can show me something too."

V"Sandbox?"

*Euryale & Venezuela take an Egg Cream & a simple Spark Water, respectively. Venezuela sees Euryale shaking her bottle, so she shakes hers as well.*

R"You're not supposed to--"

*Roatha stops talking when Ven tries to open her drink & the excess carbonation fires a bottle cap that he's forced to duck so it doesn't hit him in the eye.*

V"Oh dear. I'm very sorry...what is this?"
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<Are they the ones who attacked you?>

Astarte jumped a little when the bottle cap flew off, and then giggled.

"It is suspected that the Purists were responsible," Hector replied.

"Yeah," Dalia nodded. "I was coming back from a job interview, and a lone Purist came out of an alley and attacked me without warning."