Avatar: The Legend Of Korra



>>> To The OOC <<<

The battle that raged between "New Team Avatar" and the "Equalists" is now over. At least it is for now. Both sides have suffered a terrible loss. Amon and the Lieutenant have been defeated, yes, but in that battle Korra lost her friends, Bolin, Tenzen and Asami - she also lost her lover Mako. Korra went on to return the bending to all of those who were unjustly 'cleansed' by Amon, though this took quite a toll on the avatar and not soon after she passed away. The "Equalists" not ones to miss an opportunity as the lack of Avatar muscle have once again gone on the offensive with what they have left to try and rid the world of bending - but with no ability to remove bending, well, they are not taking any prisoners.

Now, just a few months later, Republic City has become a battle ground where no one is safe. While the Equalists and the United Army battle for control of the city, another opportunistic bunch are taking their own attempt to claim power from the already shredded city council and bring the Triple Threat Triad gang to be the leadership of Republic City. Once a place for benders of all elements, and non benders alike to gather has become a battle front - with no side earning a decisive victory the fate of Republic City seems for ever lost.

How ever, many still cling to hope. There are those who wish for the United Forces to reclaim Republic City and bring it back to what it once was, and these people fight valiantly - and tirelessly to do so and protect the neutral people. They also seek the next Avatar, for they know that the Avatar alone can bring a swift end to the disaster that has befallen the once glorious city.

Another group wishes for all benders to be wiped out, or cleansed. The Equalists and the believers in this cause seek to gain control of the city and become an example to non-benders everywhere that it can be done, that benders are no stronger then the average man or woman. With technology heavily favouring the equalists, and continuously expanding, this fate seems possible as well.

Then of course there are the gangs, the Triple Threat Triad. They wish to gain power over the city and not only wipe out the equalists and their ridiculous ideals. But to tear the power out of the hands of the United Forces and place themselves at the helm of the politics in Republic City - leaving the army no choice but to allow this to happen, or else the loss of life in a bender on bender brawl could be horrendous.

Finally, there are those who pull for no 'side' in this conflict. Or at least they do not yet, these individuals have yet to be affected personally and would prefer to keep it that way for as long as they can. Can this group of civilians, benders and occasionally the 'retired' equalist truly stay neutral? Or will eventually everyone be forced to pick a side.

Only one thing is for certain, you are now faced with this choice. Will you decide now, or remain neutral for a while longer? Eventually the time will come and you will have to choose of course. Though it is understandable to avoid it for as long as one can.

Still...one must wonder, where do you stand?

Non-Benders

Originally Posted by Tobi

User:Tobi
Name: Abby
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Bender or Non-Bender: Non-Bender, but useful with technology
Affiliation: Bending supporter! I may not be a bender, but I always try to imitate what they can do with my technology. Not because I follow the equalist regime, but because I admire what benders can do, and would love to be able to perform some of the same stunts they can! With the help of my tech, of course.
Biography: A passion for technology runs through his family. In the early days of new weaponry, his parents and parents before that were early competitors to Cabbage Corp. and Future Industries. Abby’s family quickly fell out of the competition since their technological focus wasn’t exactly commercially popular. This left his family with a fairly expensive hobby. Whatever money they did have when starting their business dissipated quickly and in a matter of years and soon enough his family was left to find odd jobs to keep their hobby up.
Abby still lives with his parents, though he is out most days every day. He works to support them, and is ashamed to ask for money to spend on making new things. He’d become accustomed to working with scrap materials, and can frequently be found dumpster diving to find new pieces for his works.
Weapons: Toolbox is probably his most powerful weapon. From it he makes weapons that can imitate what benders are capable of, even if it is less efficient.
Picture: (the one on the left)

Earth Benders

Humans first learned earthbending by observing and imitating the geokinetic powers of badgermoles that naturally inhabit the mountains in what is now Earth Kingdom territory. According to a legend, known widely as "The Legend of the Two Lovers", two star-crossed lovers named Oma and Shu, who hailed from separate villages that were at war with each other, learned the art from these creatures so that they could meet within the mountain that divided them. To make sure no one could ever find them, they used their new abilities to create a labyrinth of tunnels inside the mountain which only they could navigate. One day, after many meetings in the series of passageways, the man did not come to see his lover, as he had died, a casualty of the villages' quarrel. His lover showcased a devastating assault of her powers and ultimately proclaimed the feud over. Then, the villages collaborated to construct a city, Omashu, in their honor. The pathways they made by earthbending became known as the Cave of Two Lovers.

Accepted Earth Benders

User: Smores
Name: Lyon
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Bender or Non-Bender: Earth Bender - Also a Metal Bender
Affiliation: I am a neutral party, though I try to protect people at all costs, regardless if I am keeping them safe from an Equalist, Triple Threat Triad member, or a disgruntled United Forces solider.
Biography: Lyon was raised by both of his parents for a while, that was until they went to join the United Forces army in liberating Republic City. He had lived their all his life and was imbued with a great pride in his city. Both of his parents were dedicated police officials in republic city, they planned to stay that way.

They only joined the United Forces when they thought that a better way to protect everyone and stop the Triple Threat Triad. Both of them eventually lost their lives in the fighting that took place with the gangs and the Equalists. At thirteen he lost his parents, and what seemed so solid as the earth he bended - crumbled.

At that point Lyon become somewhat of a vigilante, not really working for either side but for the people. The benders and non-benders alike who were being trodden upon in this war, seemingly forgotten. With his powerful earth bending and his metal bending powers he brings those who commit wrongs to justice. Regardless of who they are.
Weapons: They are not truly weapons in their form, as they are just metal coins and other metals I wear under my clothes. But they provide me a constant metal to bend.
Picture:

Fire Benders

It has been revealed that firebenders learned firebending from the sacred dragons that had once populated their land. The first people to learn from the dragons were the Sun Warriors. In the remains of their once great civilization, it was discovered that firebending represents energy and life, not rage and anger as the modern Fire Nation would have its citizens believe.

Accepted Fire Benders

Name: Ashlynn
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Bender or Non-Bender: Fire Bender ( with lightning advancement )
Affiliation: I've been on the side of the United Forces since day one, no question there.
Biography: My mother served under the United Forces up until her death during the beginning of the equalist uprising, so I've lived with my eccentric uncle in Republic City for the majority of my life while she traveled as necessary. We were never close, but her death was still unnerving. It seemed that after incident, much of my once-sturdy life fell apart, as did the city. A gang has recently begun to steal revenue from my uncle's restaurant, where I now work to help fill in the new gaps in our income. Some days, I can fend off those vultures, but they seem to be increasing in number and activity every day. I hold my head high and bear most of the surrounding tragedy, but I secretly fear that my uncle will be coaxed into aiding the gang for the sake of keeping up a living, no matter how strong his loyalties to the United Forces truly are.
Picture:

Originally Posted by WherededIGo

User: WherededIGo
Name: James Benson
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Bender or Non-Bender: Fire
Affiliation: He's not officially on a side, (because of his age) but he's definitely not on the equalist's side, and he likes to cause them a lot of trouble.
Biography: James' mother was a water bender, while his father was a firebender (Thus the style) but he inherited firebending. That was the only thing he inherited from his father, aside from his eyes. Everything else he got from his mother.
His parents weren't involved with the ongoing war, and they barely used their bending, only in abandoned places where no one get hurt. But during an Equalist attack, they were murdered, leaving James orphaned at 9.
He had no family nearby that would/could look after him, how ever he did not wish to move cities, since he held Republic City so dear. So he was left to live in the gutters.
James is a Gaang and new team avatar nerd, and he read up everything he could about them, and could tell you anything about them. He even learn't some of his bending moves from the writings. Though he idolises Mako the most, being a firebender and all, and he thinks of Mako like the big brother he never had.
James' ultimate dream is to bring the equalists down, how ever he doesn't do anything major, only small pranks here and there, as he doesn't to seriously injure or kill anyone.

Picture: (Did not get time to shade oh well)

Air Benders

Airbenders first learned their bending from the sky bison, a sacred creature in the Air Nomad culture. The bison typically use their massive beaver-like tail to create gusts of wind and, as the name suggests, can fly without any visible means of propulsion. It is also said that the airbenders had borrowed the arrow mark from the flying bison for their traditional tattoos. These tattoos symbolize one's mastery of the airbending art, and are given to a practitioner once their training is complete. Unlike other nations, all Air Nomads are born airbenders, due to the high amount of spirituality infused in the culture.

Accepted Air Benders

User:Ri'Stara
Name: Ri'Stara
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Bender or Non-Bender: Air Bender
Affiliation: Neutral - Ri is new to Republic City, having traveled here to possibly study with Aang's descendants to better his bending. He hasn't been in the heart of the political drama long enough to take sides.
Biography: He was born to two non-benders who lived in the Si Wong desert. One, a descendant of the sand benders who live there, the other's slightly lighter skin, manner of dress and speaking obviously marking him as an outsider - though he never knew his own family history himself.

Stranger things had been shown to happen as a result of genetics, to be sure, but Ri soon showed a propensity for the element of air. For many years, what he knew of his bending was frowned upon in his family - for they were superstitious folk who were afraid of what it meant, since everyone knew that the descendants of Aang were the only Airbenders around - or were they? Somehow, his father's old ancestral line back to the air nomads won out against the far more closely related sand benders of the desert his mother's family resided in.

Seeking inspiration and guidance with his gift, he took to "training" (mimicking) the sand benders around him - to no avail. It wasn't until he took up his pass time of dance in his teen years that he found that the secret to the art was constant movement and a circling, light-footed kata.

But there was only so much he could learn on his own - without a proper teacher. And so he went off to Republic City in order to do whatever it takes to be accepted as an acolyte at Air Temple Island.

Pictures: http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...ictures/Ri.png
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...s/Untitled.jpg
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...20120623_1.jpg
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...20120623_2.jpg

Water Benders

The people of the Water Tribe first learned waterbending by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides of the ocean. They then learned how to simulate the effect themselves. As such, they have a strong spiritual connection to the Moon (and its counterpart, the Ocean), and any adverse effects on these mediums can affect them too. This makes waterbenders the only type of benders who did not learn bending from an animal, although since the Moon and Ocean Spirits take the form of animals, they could possibly classify as the animal waterbending originated from.

Accepted Water Benders

Name: Alaria Aquata
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Bender or Non-Bender: Water Bender
Affiliation: United Forces
Biography: She lived with her parents until she couldn't stand it anymore and got mad one day when she scared them, almost hurting them badly. She had three brothers (half brothers) and a step father, and her mother. She realized later on while growing up that no one really showed her love like they did in other families and she is kind of screwed up because of it. She doesn't believe in death and will protect others to no end. She has no care for her life (well she does, but, she doesn't commit suicide or nothing) she is kind of emotionless when it comes down to something she doesn't know how to act towards and it makes her sound shallow. She can be seen as a b*tch but is really nice and easy to get along with. She hangs out with whoever she pleases and refuses to let anyone hurt them and her friends are now her family.
Picture:
Alaria
Alaria's Outfit and hair (which is normally up)

Originally Posted by LaClef-a-Verite

User: LaClef-a-Verite
Name: Vega Rathok
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Bender or Non-Bender: Waterbender
Affiliation: She prefers to be on the neutral zone. She knows that the warring sides haven't affected her little bubble of life that she had wrapped around herself just yet.
Biography: Vega has lived most her life in the Northern Water Tribe, living a pretty normal life with her younger brother. But when she got older, her mother had decided to teach her bloodbending in order to pass the gift down the family line. She has never used it on anyone else and have only practiced on small animals.

When she was eighteen, a rogue firebender infiltrated the seemingly strong fortress, Vega and her brother had to run to their secret hideaway, but not before her brother was scorched. This event channeled her anger to her bloodbending and she had taken control over the firebender.

She was about to kill him if it weren't for the horrified cries coming from her younger brother.

Vega ran away from her home in search of a new life. She still kept her name, but made sure that it was covered in obscurity.

She now works as a singer at one of the bars downtown.
Weapons: A Turtleduck-Shelled Knife from her father in the Northern Water Tribe
Picture: Vega (art isn't by me but it's by ryky)
Role Play Sample: Bloodbending

Link: Saving Tomorrow, Today

Equalists

The Equalists follow the teachings of Amon, who began spreading his ideas after allegedly receiving a vision from the spirits that the Avatar had failed humanity in its duty to bring balance to the world. The main cause of this imbalance is bending, which is used to bully and oppress the world's non-benders and which has been the cause of "every war". The only way to bring equality back to the world is to remove the abilities of the world's benders, who exploit and marginalize the non-bending majority, and then overthrow the "bending elite" in a wide-ranging social revolution. Accordingly, the spirits granted Amon the ability to permanently remove a person's bending powers. Through eliminating people's bending ability, their aim is to create a society free from bender/non-bender divisions, where no person has an innate advantage over another. Although Amon's final goal remains unclear, he has expressed an eventual plan to export the Equalist revolution beyond the borders of Republic City to the rest of the world.

Accepted Equalists

User: Smores
Name: Felix
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Bender or Non-Bender: I am a non-bending Equalist. I use chi-blocking and the unique Equalist fighting style, plus Equalist technology, to assist me in bringing down any and all benders.
Affiliation: I am an Equalist.
Biography: My parents trained me in the was of chi-blocking and hand to hand combat since I was a child. Long before Amon had brought the unfair treatment of non-benders to light did my parents prepare me to be able to stand up for myself. When Amon came into the spot light, I along side my parents, were enthralled.

Quickly did my parents join the Equalist side and begin to work for Amon, and I did soon after. We believed Amon a genius and a gift from the spirits. That is, until it was revealed he was a bender. Bending away others bending. Now is time for a true solution to the bending that plagues the world.

Kill all the benders. My parents fight valiantly against benders from the Triple Threat Triad and United forces. I too, fight as well as I can. Though my parents forbid me to openly fight on the Equalist side. That is why my appearance is that of a common civilian. I only show my true fighting potential when I feel that a bender is too powerful to be left free to roam, or live.
Weapons: I tend to favour just using chi-blocking moves, though I am known to throw electrified weapons to ensnare my enemies. I also sometimes use those magnificent gloves.
Picture:

Sea foam green hair lay in a mess over the pillow, a casually dressed man covered in a thin sheet lay upon the bed in a restless state. Asleep but not truly relaxing, his mind racing and body ever alert. In Republic City it was uncommon for a sleep to be peaceful as it once was - like it use to be. The streets were over run with violence, the three 'sides' of this struggle were using the once symbol of peace as a battlefield. The United Forces, The Equalists, and the Triple Threat Triad - all of them were trying to weed out the other two and obtain power. Ironically, they all were doing so to help the people, yet it was they who had endured the most pain and suffering.

The fights between the benders were the worst, all of that bending caused a lot of damage. Sadly it was damage that both the Triple Threat Triad and the United Forces deemed a necessary evil. Expected from the gangs, but not so much from the United Forces. Sure they tried to make up for what they had done afterwards, but the damage was already done.

Letting out a sigh Lyon pulled himself out of bed, sitting on the edge with his feet touching the floor. His eyes glanced out of his room window at the Republic City that had changed into what it was now. Pulling himself to his feet he made his way to a night stand across from the door. Dragging his hand atop of the furniture he grabbed some metal coins and divided them up, dropping some in both his right and left pockets.

His less then fancy clothing was what he usually wore, he prefer to be comfortable if he was going to be on the look out for his and everyone else who was around him. Keeping the people safe is what he liked to do, it was something both his parents had done as members of the metal bending police force.

Headed out the door, he was in his usual clothes and had no shoes. Like all earth benders they were stronger when they were connected to the ground, and walking barefoot was nothing knew. It was something all of the greatest earth benders did. Turning around he locked the large door behind him, not that it would stop any bender or Equalist from getting in if they wanted too. His every day stroll had never changed it was a routine, he checked on the stores near his home as always to ensure they were running under there own influence and not that of a gangs, and not to mention they tended to give him things to eat for his voluntary service. It was not why he did such a thing, but it didn't hurt.

Casually bringing his arm to his head and making the messy hair a sort of organized messy he made his way to the darker parts of town. Though just two streets he frequented. He was a great bender, but exploring new places to keep safe was not only dangerous - but it was better to not over extend ones self and lose all of the progress made. Smiling to the woman across the street who walked her several children almost as routinely as Lyon did, it was a reminder that he was doing something good.

Every day could turn into a battle, and it tended to do so. Though on the odd day it was a relief to not have to beat up some thugs who were attacking innocents instead of fighting for the cause they so annoying proclaimed of. Letting out another sigh, followed by a quick yawn, Lyon approached a woman whom he did not recognize and raised his arm to wave hello, but as he did so the woman quickly threw off her cloak and revealed herself to be none other then an Equalist.

The woman proceeded to quickly throw those annoying electric wires that wrapped around a person and knocked them out, as she did so Lyon knew what to do. Quickly he earth bended a wall of earth between them, serving as a shield to her attack but causing minimal damage to the street. The woman had the advantage, as out of the two of them she cared not of anything but capturing or killing him.

In his left ear he heard a familiar buzzing sound, those electric tonfa. Turning sharply to his left he threw out all of the coins in both of his pockets, turning them into round balls that upon contact shifted into wires that constricted the attacking Equalist. He quickly fell to the ground but in the corner of his eye he saw that woman coming towards him, and very swiftly. She threw out a string of those strange chi blocking punches and before he could react he had lost the feeling in his right arm. Quickly bending and pulling the shield he made earlier into boulders he threw them at the woman, and carefully avoided his own person. She was nimble and dodged them effectively, somersaulting a little distance down the street. With only one arm it seemed as if maybe Lyon had finally run out of luck. Shaking his head and that thought out of he bended the boulders back into the ground, repairing the street to what it once was before the battle began. Then it was a staring contest, between him and that chi blocking woman.

There they stood on a street of vendors and shops, and Lyon with one arm out of commission. There was only time for a sneaky move, as she was faster then most Equalists Lyon had fought before. Though Lyon also chalked up his lack of usual avoidance to just waking up, and not yet eating. But that was an entirely different matter.

As Lyon went to throw his left arm out to begin his bending, the woman was already on the move. Though to Lyons surprise a water bender had intervened and froze the Equalists lower body to the street. Turning behind him, he had just noticed the United Forces had come to his aid. Taking the Equalist Lyon had captured and the woman whom had temporarily disabled his right arm. Bending the metal off of the Equalist man now in custody, he regained his coins once more but this time they only graced his left pocket where his one capable arm could reach. Leaving the scene quickly he was able to avoid questions, and avoid the need to give thanks. Poking his incapacitated arm he knew it would take time for the feeling to come back. Though that would not stop him.

Getting some complementary food from the vendor with earth bender delicacies, he ate at it quickly while grasping it in his good left arm. He still had some rounds to make before he could do what he really wanted, which was to sleep or eat, so it seemed a good idea to go on. Nothing else much to do anyways... besides waste the day away that is.

James sat patiently on the top of a nearby building as he watched the equalist and the earthbender fight. He swung his legs over the edge, deciding whether or not he should help the earthbender. He was about to when they were having a stare off, but he noticed the United forces coming, and figured it would be best to avoid them. It wasn't like Aang's time, when 15 year old benders were appreciated. Nowadays they were treated more like a nuisance, being stereotyped to have little to no skill and maturity. Well it was true for most 15 year olds. But not for James. Probably because he had been forced to fend for himself from a youngish age.

When the group left he climbed down from the building, using pipes and various growth on the walls, and followed them, hoping to ask the earthbender if he could help him. James had noticed him patrolling the area many times before, helping out the people. James wanted to do that kind of stuff, it seemed almost like being in the gaang.

James finally caught up with the earthbender when he was eating, but decided he'd watch him for a little longer, behind poles, and rubbish bins and walls.

Finishing his food and wiping is hands of crumbs Lyon turned his attention to the sign that was placed outside of a store, reading it carefully. Something about signs always got Lyons attention - it was almost a bad habit to have to stop and read the whole thing. Though admittedly, it was mostly to see if there was some new kind of food he could try or a special on foods he liked. Sadly that was not the case, the sign was just a copy of the menu and so nothing about it was new.

Continuing his walk down the streets he usually strolled he began to move his right arm more and more. Being able to once again move his arm was great, and he then split up the metal coins into both of his pockets per usual. His amber eyes searching the streets it seemed to have been a nice day. Well, besides the earlier problem with those two Equalists trying to take him down. Which was again only difficult because he just woke up, was hungry, and cant earth bend to his will without destroying a neighborhood. Those Equalists had a big advantage fighting him in the city.

While rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he could over hear an elderly couple speaking of a restaurant run by an older man, being taken advantage of my the gang members. Lyon used his earth bending to soften the ground under his already bare feet to ensure his footsteps were dead silent in his approach to hear them more clearly. Of course, re-solidifying the ground behind him as he walked. As he eavesdropped on the conversation he learned that the restaurant was not too far, and that it was indeed a place with food he had yet to eat at. Two reasons to go there.

Slowly leaving the elderly couple to go about there ways he made his way back home, sure it was a little earlier then usual, but he had a few maps that together covered the entirety of the city. This way he could get there as fast as possible and avoid any unnecessary routes he knew would attract some trouble. Despite his urge to run or jog, he just continued on with his slow and leisurely walk. Last thing he needed was to draw any attention to himself, especially that of the United Forces, they would only tell him to stay out of there way and to let them deal with the problem. Though that wasn't bad, they would deal with it, but they would do it eventually when nothing of more importance was to be done. At times like these, there was always something else.

Down along one of the more ‘pleasant’ streets of the city, the stillness of the air was shattered as a man was sent flying backwards out through the glass front of a local restaurant. He landed in the street, scrambling backwards through the shards as a woman leapt swiftly through the hole in the glass to follow him into the street. Seeing what was soon to be a bender-on-bender battle begin, the few people walking along that street fled. While this particular neighborhood avoided many of the clashes between the United Forces and the Equalists, what it was bountiful in was gang activity. The Triple Threat Triad had taken total control of most of these parts, under the noses and out of the way of most of the United Forces.

One exception to this string of gang-owned businesses was Ashlynn’s uncle’s restaurant. While it was settled among what was believed to be the more peaceful parts of town, she knew far better than to think it was safe. The only reason these streets were quiet was because of the strict gang control, lead by patrols of common thugs such as the one laying before her. Ashlynn could more than handle making one or two of these lowlifes scramble at a time when they came knocking on their door, but when they began to group was when real problems arose. So, as the man she had forcefully thrown out of her uncle’s restaurant fled, she felt just a tad wary when she spotted the car of his accomplices near to join in.

Sighing softly, Ashlynn stretched her arms out as she waited to see the man she had already taken down be pulled unto the car as its driver and other passengers hopped out in an orderly fashion. It took but a moment more for the driver to rush towards her, one of his fists rising as a ball of fire was directed her way. So, this time it was another fire bender-- interesting. Typically, they sent only water benders, knowing well of her abilities by now.

Grinning slightly, she dodged the flame easily and swept her left foot before her, flames rising high up from the earth in its stead. The first man had to stop and re-direct himself to avoid this, but another two that had arrived in the car came around the side with small chunks of the street in tow. This time, she acted more swiftly in attacking, knowing full well that dodging all of those flying chunks of earth would prove trying. So, throwing two punches to send flames in their direction then kicking one of her feet up to do the same, she would watch as they systematically dodged her fire bending and drove her into a barrage of rock. Leaping backwards to avoid them best as she could, Ashylnn took a couple of hits to her shoulder and right side despite her agility.

Once they paused, she stood firmly before the three of them, who ran forward for an attack again. This time, the fire bender ran towards the middle with the two earth benders flanking his sides. Closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself, Ashylnn would reopen them quickly to see a weak stream of lightning come from the man at the center. Without a second thought, she received the bolt through her fingers and redirected it with more strength towards one of the earth benders, who received the blow straight-on. Then sending a quick stream of flames towards the fire bender, he was also sent down, leaving her dodging another array of rock from the last man standing, an earth bender.

Already, Ashlynn felt herself growing tired again. The action never seemed to stop in the city anymore. Just this morning she had gone to aid the United Forces in bringing in more warships to the harbor against the Equalists and their chi blockers, whose attacks she had just been recovering from as she had headed home to work at the restaurant. Now, there were bending gang members standing in her way. This exchange of fighting between the three sides had had her actively involved for weeks straight now, and just the wear on her body was enough to tire her out most days. Today was no exception and her movements were beginning to slow down as she faced the earth bender.

Cursing under her breath, she prayed that today wouldn’t be one of the few where she would simply have to allow the gang to take away her uncle’s revenue.

Opening his door only half way to prevent people from looking in, Lyon slid in and closed the door behind him. The walk was not too long but it felt nice to have his feet on the sandy ground of his home. His parents, also earth benders, never tiled or put anything over the sandy floor in the home. It was truly an earth benders home. Letting out a small sigh, still tired from the restless sleep, Lyon made his way over to the large chest in the main room which served as general storage now. There was no lock on the large metal chest, it had to be metal bent open and so it held many valuables. Placing both of his hands in the middle of the large metal chest, he pulled in opposite directions and created a large hole in which he quickly rummaged through family heirlooms and treasures. Grabbing the maps in hand he thought of his parents, the owners of these maps. The maps were from the days when order ruled and the metal bending police force had mapped out the city. Quickly Lyon scanned the maps and put them back in the chest once he learned of his destination, quick so that no one could ever see what kind of things were in the metal chest.

Maps in the chest, he now slid his hands over the cold metal and pulled it closed. The memory of the maps still fresh in his head he went over to the sink in the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, then proceeded to fill it with sand. Throughout his child hood he would sand bend little figures out of the sand floor and make them fight each other. Now with the sand in the bowl Lyon went on to sand bend the map in his head into the sand, and bending it once more into a more solid substance. Now he had a map to use and one that was not useful to anyone if they approached him for he could just break the map with his hands or bend it into a mess.

Standing to his feet he did not brush himself off, there was no shame in being covered in sand when you were an earth bender. It was his element anyways, though in hindsight it probably would have been a good idea as to not attract any Equalists. Still that was a conclusion he would come to later, Lyon was already out the front door and using his map in a bowl to take him to this new destination. Though it was odd, most people said the area was corrupted by gangs but at the same time one of the more peaceful areas. Either way Lyon would know soon enough.

Following his sand map he went unbending the blocks that he walked so if someone was watching it could not be traced to his home. It was just a habit to be careful when both of your parents were members of the metal bending police. They always warned of the dangers of being to brash or undisciplined so it was something Lyon, as much a slacker as he looked and was, tried to do.

As he neared his final destination he could feel something weird under his feet, it was familiar. It was someone earth bending. Lyon collapsed the map and held the bowl tightly in his arms and ran towards were he felt the earth bending. As he approached the scene he witnessed some girl who could bending lighting. It was an admirable feat, like his metal bending. He hesitated to help almost hypnotized by her lighting bending, something he had not see very often - though he came back to his senses soon enough.

She could definitely handle herself, taking out two benders like she did, but there was still one more bender. Glancing over her quickly with his amber eyes he could tell she was not up for anymore fighting, and this earth bender was clearly a gang member based on the fact his friends and vehicle scream Triple Threat Triad. As that earth bender began to move his feet Lyon reacted instinctively to help the girl.

Throwing the bowl of sand behind him, he lifted his right leg and took a step forward with it - slamming it into the ground and made the ground between the other earth bender to ruin his stance. You needed to be decisive to bend earth and it was hard to be decisive if you could not count on the ground beneath you to hold you up. Following up Lyon did an uppercut like punch with his right arm, creating a spire of earth and propelled the earth bender into the air. Though it did not end there. Digging both his hands deep into his pockets he threw all his metal coins towards the man - assuming he could not bend metal seemed a safe assumption on a gang member - and as the metal coins flew through the air and got close to the man falling to the ground Lyon slammed his fists together in front of him and bended the metal coins into steel wires that squeezed the man as he hit the ground with a thud.

Brushing his hands together with a grin on his face he was quite proud of the fact that he could beat up a gang member who was clearly abusing his bending on business on the area. At least... Lyon assumed so. He really had only shown up at the end of the fight and assumed the girl the victim. Turning his head to the girl with a grin still on his face he scratched the top of his head with his right hand. "Hey, what exactly happened here?" A silly expression on his face he could only hope she was the victim here. Though... those guys really did look like gang members, so who was she?

James had perched up on a rather high light post to see this fight. He could watch this all day it was amazing! Especially when they brought out such skill during the fight. He stared at wonder at them, he could tell they were speaking, but he was too far away to understand what they were saying. Did they know each other?

James slid down the light pole, and ran up to the side of a building. He pressed himself against it, trying to remain hidden. Now he could make out what they said slightly, and not get caught.

Just as Ashlynn had braced her scuffed right arm forwards in a position as to keep on fighting, the ground trembled beneath her and she lost her stance. Much to her relief, it didn't seem that this jolt came from her opponent, however. If not from him, then from where was her next question. Quickly her gaze locked onto the green-haired guy who had just arrived at the scene. At first, she would watch their fighting hesitantly, unsure of what exactly to expect of this. Was he another gang member? A United Forces soldier off-duty? Should she just retreat for now? She shook her head at herself, denying herself the pleasure of simply escaping the situation. She didn't want to leave these two be, anyways. It was only in her nature to want to know what was going on now that her fight had been interrupted, whether the other man was a friend or foe.

Then, shortly after it had begun, them Triple Thread member went down with the the metal wires wrapped tightly around his body. It was then that Ashlynn caught the grin on the guy's face, which relaxed her a bit regardless of what may come later. She still didn't know who this was, after all. Still, seeing the silly look on his face and hearing the obvious question, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. One of her hands rose to her side, which had a dull pain in it now as she returned his grin with a small smile. Still, as she replied her semingly calm facial expression couldn't help but falter a bit. A sigh escaped her lips as she let her gaze fall to the ground, as if embarrassed to have to explain her situation. "The Triple Threats have been trying to control my uncle's revenue," she gestured towards his restaurant casually as her gaze lifted back up to look at him directly, a renewed, fierce look in her eyes now. "They were here to 'collect'," she went on the explain, then raised an eyebrow at him slightly, "Now, exactly who are you? Why did you get involved?"

It weren't as if Ashlynn weren't grateful for his presence- she was, if not a bit embarrassed to have accepted his help- she just wasn't sure about how to perceive it yet. It wasn't often that a stranger moved in to help her with driving away the gang from teh restaurant. Especially not now, with the city in complete chaos. At one time, with team avatar out and about, she might've been less hesitant about seeing an act of kindness like this. If that were what this was.

The faint sound of the girls laugh brought ease to Lyon's mind. She seemed to be the victim here, and it was only made much more clear when she began to speak of the the Triple Threat Triad trying to take her uncles revenue. It was not all that uncommon, but it was still not something Lyon liked to hear about. Especially when the United Forces boasted such power and presence in the city. "These guys are always up to no good." Walking over to the gang member that Lyon metal bended into submission, he pulled of the metal with some quick bending and once again placed them methodically into his pockets. Stomping his right foot on the ground and punching both his fists forward he covered the gang members in coffins of earth that carefully held their heads in place. Lyon would leave them like that, eventually the United Forces would get to them and take them away. Or they would play victim to an earth bender and be let go... either way Lyon did not wanna stick around to explain his metal bending.

"Oh me?" Almost caught off guard by her question, Lyon remembered he had spaced out on introducing himself. "I'm Lyon." Giving a half hearted, and slightly embarrassed wave, he gave that silly grin. He had not thought that maybe he would run into a little skirmish. Well, he had come to see what was happening... but he had hoped too to just be able to try some food he had not yet eaten. "Ah well..." Pushing his two index fingers together gently, he looked down a little at the ground. A little embarrassed to admit his true intentions. "I came to try food at this place... your uncles place you said." Scratching his head with his right hand he placed his left casually on his hip. "And to check out the rumors of gangs in the area..." He let out a casual chuckle before turning his attention back onto the gang members immobilized on the ground. "Hey can we talk more in private? I don't really wanna be here when the United Forces show up." Giving his shoulders a shrug, he knew it was an odd request. It would only add to the confusion of who he was and what he wanted, but hopefully he would come off a little more innocent then say, a gang member.

Though something crossed his mind quickly and he turned his head back to where he had come from, in the little skirmish with the gang members he had dropped his bowl of sand. Not that the map was needed, but might as well keep the bowl. Casually walking over to the bowl, and picking it up in his hands he decided it best to try and lighten the mood with a little joke. "Hey, can I bring my bowl too?" Pointing at it with his free hand like it was a pet, and giving a small chuckle. It was all Lyon could think of to try and be friendly with out getting to close to the girl and making her uncomfortable - or worse, make the her feel threatened. After all, she was a fire bender.

As Ashlynn's gaze followed the earth bender's movements to remove the coins from the men and replace their constraints with earth-style coffins, one of her hips slinked upwards and she placed her hand firmly upon it. It wasn't as much a show of attitude as it was one of confidence. While she agreed with what he had said about the gang members, she still couldn't help but be a bit wary of this guy's sudden presence. Him being a metal bender only furthered her suspicion. What in Korra's name was he planning now? Her eyebrows dipped forwards slightly, showing her distrust but her features remained otherwise calm. For now, she would simply wait to figure out who he was before assuming he was trouble or asking more questions. Her voice came out smoothly in reply as her eyes trailed after him, "Seems that way. Gangs never were any help around here." Even when Korra was alive, and active around the city, they had still caused trouble. Not as much as late, but they were still quite a handful. Before this full-scale battle broke out across the city, Ashlynn had helped to protect ordinary citizens from gangs and had had some great success. Now, with her hands full working at the restaurant and volunteering for the United Forces, she was feeling weary and the gang proved to be a hassle.

Still, thinking this way and seeing the silly expression cross his face lead Ashlynn to lighten up. If she hadn't seen him been earlier, she would've figured him to be harmless. Then again, he had helped her with his bending, and help wasn't something she was used to getting any of. One corner of her lips quirked up into a grin as he introduced himself and explained his purpose. She wouldn't be softening up enough to loose her sense of alert quite yet, but she did visible relax her tense muscles and let go of the need to bend anything. There was no immediate threat here, that was plain to her. "Checking out rumors of gangs... got some vigilante justice over here?" she asked almost playfully, not meaning to grasp an answer before she removed her hand from her hip and moved it to instead rub her injured shoulder. Fighting the gang was one thing, but avoiding the United Forces was strange for her to hear. Yet, she knew enough to know that he was no Equalist, so she let her caution slip. Just this once. "Sure, come on in," she gestured for him to follow with her free hand, then paused to see him point at something. A bowl? It took her a moment, but again after a blink of surprise, a soft laugh left her lips and she nodded. "Yeah, of course you can take your, uhm... bowl," she replied with a small smile, and was about to turn when she paused and locked her gaze intently on the nook between two buildings on the other side of the street. Was that a shadow? Not to mention, she could've sworn she'd just heard a brush of movement come from that direction. Going with her instincts, she called out, "You, in the shadows, there-- you're free to come, in too."

Then turning abruptly, she would walk on casually into the restaurant that rested beneath a few layers of tenants. Inside it was warmly-lit, the walls lined with windows and bordered with fabric wall-paper displaying pieces of the story of Aang and his friends. Customers sat in groups around wooden tables and in pillowy lounge-style booths against each wall. They seemed relatively unphased by the commotion, oddly enough, but that was a sign of a regular around here. All in this part of the city were used to the gangs, and those who frequented this particular restaurant were accustomed to seeing Ashlynn fight them off a few times a week, if not more. One spoke up as she walked on in and passed their table, saying, "Off duty now, Ash? How're the Forces doing?" She would wave them off, replying simply, "Got a break for the night." After checking to see if this Lyon character was following her, she would duck behind a curtain near the rear of the shop and pass the open door to the kitchen to head up a narrow set of stairs.

The next level appeared just like the lower, but the tables were now few and the chairs had been replaced by pillows and mats for the most part, taking on a more casual and secluded feel. In one corner was a cabinet equipped bountifully with medical supplies, which she neared right away to open up and remove ointment and bandages from. "So, you conquer the gang, avoid the United Forces..." she began more casually now, her gaze cast away from him as she bandaged the couple of nicks she had received up. Then turning to face him - and the other person that she assumed had been listening in earlier, if they had come along up and she wasn't imagining things - she would ask, "What's your part in this?" Leaning back agains the closed cabinet now, her gaze would rest calmly on him as she waited for an answer.

(( WherededIGo Mule: Just pinging myself as well ))

James slammed his back into the brickwall, making himself as flat as possible, not daring to breath. She'd seen him? He tried to listen in on them again, nothing else about him, so she wasn't positive that she'd seen him he guessed. He let out a sigh of relief, and peeked back around the wall. But he saw nothing there. They had both moved on, and he hadn't seen. "Drat!" He cursed, rolling his eyes, and scampered off to see if he could find where they went.