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Plot Update 10 March 2021

A year has passed since Fire Lord Zuko ascended the throne, and it seems like trouble is brewing between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom once more. The Fire Lord and the Avatar began the Harmony Restoration Movement to restore the Fire Nation Colonies to their pre-war state by bringing any Fire Nation nationals back home, but for many of the citizens — of mixed Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom … Read more ›

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Turning the Circle

Anonymous
Apr 17, 2017 12:42:15 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2017 12:42:15 GMT -6

Air Temple Island was quiet without the airbenders, more so in this early hour. The first ferry had been almost empty, and the biting cold kept the acolytes inside. There was no birdsong to be heard, as the weather had driven them inland, south, not to return until there was better warmth to be had. Even the clouds seemed still in the winter air, vast gray blankets hanging high in the sky, motionless without breeze to catch them. A light layer of snow had fallen overnight and seemed to swallow sound and energy.

Mei Ling had climbed the long staircase nonetheless, her weathered boots successfully keeping her feet dry and herself from slipping on the snow. Her training flats, less water-resistant, had been tucked neatly in the fold of her robes, which were a plain brown in a similar style of the acolyte robes... Though sashless, of course. Underneath she had donned the long-sleeved training garb, dull gray, which she'd received as part of the RCPD staff uniform and admittedly rarely worn in her administrative role; and she protected her hands with a pair of dark gloves, which occasionally cracked in the cold despite being warmed by chi.

Beside her flats was the scroll, borrowed some days past from the temple's library, generally useless in that it was one of many copies of a more ancient artifact. In it was contained basic forms taught to novice acolytes and children - the library's page had seemed amused but pleased when she brought it up. Though it had been brought to Mei Ling's apartment, there was not enough space to practice (and tended to make her feel dizzy), and so the young firebender led herself to the training platform on Air Temple Island.

It had been a long and stressful week, and she was eager to meditate.

Though Mei Ling had reached where she knew the platform to be, with its Yin and Yang symbol and eight trigrams, but the snow had covered its face. Were it not so early, or had she been elsewhere, she might have painstakingly brushed the snow from its surface, with a broom or her feet or her hands. Instead, she opened her stance, and crouched low to the ground, body angled at the platform. She inhaled. She exhaled, She swept her arm over the snow, and an smooth arc of fire rippled over it, spreading to melt and clear the snow away. She brought her other arm in the same motion, sending another flame to dry the water.

Already feeling relieved, Mei Ling straightened up with a pleased sigh, and stepped out of her boots and into the circle. In moments she had the scroll before her in the center of the platform and her training flats on her feet. She practically knew the forms by heart, but seeing a form and doing it were entirely different things. If the airbenders had still been here, they might have been able to teach her... But she closed her eyes and cleared her thoughts, not daring to consider it.

The firebender stepped into the first row of Li. She entered the first stance, then slowly, surely, began the circle walk, feeling through its transitions and the movement of her hands. Her eyes were on her feet for only a moment, watching how they stepped on black, then gray, then black again, but she was soon watching the tips of her fingers, the empty space before her, as if the scroll hung at eye level in the center of the platform. The rest of the island began to fade away until she only saw the circle, Yin and Yang, the edge of each trigram as she passed. Mountain, then Water. Earth, and back to Fire.

Her chi flowed strongly, for the first time in a long time.
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Last edit by Deleted: May 4, 2017 11:43:44 GMT -6

Post by Ren on Apr 27, 2017 17:18:54 GMT -6

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Ever since the Lantern Festival, Ren had made a once-weekly trip back to Air Temple Island to try and acclimate back into the swing of Air Acolyte life. She still couldn't stay for very long on the Island without her memories overwhelming her, but she looked forward to the once-a-week, all-day meditation. The head acolyte, for all their disagreements, had been very understanding and accommodating of her needs.

Today, however, Ren couldn't sit still. She excused herself from the stifling walls of the temple, fighting hard not to hear the screams of frightened acolytes echoing in her head. The last few steps out to the grounds were taken at a run, and Ren kept running until she reached the training area. To her surprise, she was not alone. To her even greater surprise, the person in the training area wasn't an acolyte.

"U-um..." she said tentatively, blushing as her stutter resurfaced as it always did when she was nervous. "H-hello there!"
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Anonymous
Apr 28, 2017 6:34:10 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2017 6:34:10 GMT -6

A voice broke into the young woman's trance, and it took her only a moment to recover. She turned to see a gray-haired woman behind her. She was tall she noticed immediately, feeling half a child. And the light hair, normally indicative of old age, belonged to someone quite a bit younger than expected. Maybe she was one of the higher-ranking acolytes?

But the woman didn't seem upset - on the contrary, she appeared a bit nervous, to Mei Ling's surprise. For this reason, the firebender smiled. The world seemed to spin just slightly around her; she hadn't realized how hard she'd worked, with her cheeks bright pink and her breath hot and fast in the cold air. Her eyes still had to get used to not seeing circles. She clasped her hands politely before her and bowed, grounding herself on the still platform.

"Hello," she replied gently. "I hope I'm not intruding." The taller woman was certainly dressed in acolyte colors, and Mei Ling clearly did not belong. "I was just practicing some forms."

She gestured to the unrolled scroll, and realized how well the Ba Gua circle stood out as one of the few snowless surfaces on the grounds. She tried not to think about it. "My name is Mei Ling. Would you like to join me?"
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Post by Ren on Apr 30, 2017 17:18:41 GMT -6

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"N-no, not at — at all." She bowed a little. "Ev-everyone is welcome to — to the temple."

The young woman — Mei Ling — invited her to join her in practicing forms. Behind her, Ren could see a circle in the snow created by her movements. With a smile, Ren shook her head.

"Thank — thank you, but no." Instead, Ren moved off to the side and, brushing the snow off the seat, sat on a nearby stone bench. "I'm t-two left feet, I'm — I'm afraid," she said with a soft, smoky laugh. "I'd love to w-watch, though, if you don't m-mind."

She tilted her head to the side, a nagging feeling that she'd forgotten something. After a few moments, it hit her. "Oh!" she said, blushing again. "Oh! I'm s-sorry, I forgot to — to introduce myself." Hastily, she stood and bowed, her messy braid swinging over her shoulder with the motion. "I'm — I'm R-Ren. I'm an — an acolyte here. Uh, w-well, I mean, I guess that's ob — obvious."

Ren winced inwardly, wishing that the ground would open up and swallow her whole. So much for first impressions.
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Last edit by Ren: May 2, 2017 13:13:56 GMT -6
Anonymous
May 2, 2017 13:15:14 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 13:15:14 GMT -6

Mei Ling inclined her head politely in return, grateful for the woman's kindness. Still, she had to admit she was a little surprised at the acolyte's timid demeanor, being as tall as she was. The firebender supposed it was a bias she had, that taller people were more aggressive or straightforward, and felt a bit embarrassed. Despite her apparently shy nature, the tall woman smiled, and even gave out a soft laugh as she asked to watch.

"Of course, please feel free," Mei Ling replied. "I'm not too graceful myself, so I'm sure you'll be able to tell me if I mess up!" She grinned, hoping that she didn't come off as intimidating herself. She was about to resume her forms when the acolyte suddenly stood up and bowed so quickly that Mei Ling thought she'd done something wrong. Instead, the woman introduced herself as Ren, stammering out an apology.

Again, the firebender chose to pretend not to notice the other woman's "mishaps". It may not have been the correct choice, but she quite felt that she didn't know the acolyte well enough to speak up. "It's good to meet you, Ren." She returned to Li, fire, and brought her hands before her again. It would be good to practice while speaking with Ren - she'd have to focus both on her form and the conversation.

Mei Ling began again, moving slowly and deliberately. Firebending, at least in her mind, was far less structured, but she found that she rather enjoyed the way she could count the steps between the turns. Its rigidity was somewhat calming; it seemed that mastering the strict control of the forms ironically led to more freedom and flexibility in doing them. "So Ren, how long have you been an acolyte?" As she walked, she tried to make sure she looked at Ren, but occasionally had to glance back at her hands or the scroll or, of course, turn away with her back to the woman. "It's a beautiful island - feels very spiritually-connected. And everyone seems kind here."
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Post by Ren on May 2, 2017 21:35:35 GMT -6

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She watched, fascinated, as Mei Ling resumed her training. There was always a part of her that wished she had been born with the ability to bend an element. But, like other things she wished she was born with, she had to accept her lot in life. At least, unlike her assigned gender, not being able to bend did not cause as much strife.

Mei Ling asked her how long she'd been an air acolyte. "Oh, um... just a l-little under two — two years now," she said, blushing. She wasn't the newest recruit by any means, but she was still relatively new. "I j-joined shortly after my, my twenty-seventh birthday, and I'll be tw — twenty nine soon."

When the other girl said everyone seems kind, Ren nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes, v-very much!" She leaned forward eagerly. "The a-acolytes are all very ac — accepting and sweet. They go out — out of their way to welcome n-new acolytes and g-g-guests. N-no one forgets what it was like b-before we r-recognise the c-call to join. It's l-like one big f-family."

She tilted her head quizzically, her messy braid swinging to the side. "M-may I ask why a f-firebender would be inter — interested in air bending t-techniques? Isn't — isn't it very dis — similar?"
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Anonymous
May 4, 2017 10:01:00 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 10:01:00 GMT -6

Mei Ling found Ren's description of acolyte life quite interesting, and smiled at her (as best she could, at least), hoping she was being encouraging. She wondered what Ren meant when she said "what it was like before". She turned, made a mistake, and froze for a second before continuing on with her walks. She could fix it on the way back around.

But then the acolyte mentioned that Mei Ling was a firebender, and she paused, heart pounding. How could Ren know such a thing? She didn't let it slip, right? If it weren't cold and her cheeks already flushed, Mei Ling's face would be bright pink. She forced herself to continue the turn, take deep breaths, shoo away the anxious thoughts. She was going to be okay. Hadn't Ren just said that acolytes are all accepting? She probably wouldn't be asking about benders if she was against benders... right? Perhaps she'd seen her clear away the snow earlier, or Mei Ling's hair and eyes gave her away.

"Well," she began, trying to think about the question and not the fact that she'd been so easily outed, "I've always found other bending forms to be something one can learn from instead of something to divide us. It's... it's a very spiritual act for me, learning about different bending types. And yes, they are pretty different... but there are a lot of similarities, too."

She glanced back at the scroll for her next turn and mimicked it, then looked back at Ren. "So, for example, firebending and earthbending both tend to use strong stances and powerful forms. And airbending has a lot of circular motion," she said as she conveniently went through another turn, "and it's very evasive. Firebending is much the same. We move a lot to avoid getting hit, since we don't have a lot of defensive maneuvers. Or we can sometimes use a circular block - " and here she demonstrated the motion with her hands, as if clearing away a burst of fire. It even felt similar to the way some of the turns felt.

"Even waterbending shares some aspects. When bending lightning used to be rarer, getting ready to bend it was very similar to some of the waterbending forms I've seen." Mei Ling shrugged while moving. "Though, now that it's a little more common, it's a little better understood, too - so we don't have to use as much movement to make lightning anymore." "We" was used a bit facetiously, as Mei Ling had never bent lightning before.

She hoped she wasn't blabbering on. On the one hand, she wanted to ask whether the temple accepted non-airbending benders; on the other, she didn't know if it would be rude, given the disappearance of the airbending family. "What was your call to join, if you don't mind my asking?" she politely inquired, breath misting in the air. "Did you want to learn about the airbenders?"
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Post by Ren on May 5, 2017 16:51:49 GMT -6

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If Mei Ling displayed any signs of discomfort at her question, Ren was oblivious. She listened to the explanation with rapt attention, her eyes wide and bright. She leaned forward, as if eager to consume everything that was being said.

"That's fascinating," she said, a little breathless with awe. Her left hand, fingers permanently stained with ink, twitched. She wished she had brought some paper and a writing implement to take notes. While there was an air acolyte on the Island that was a waterbender, she had never spoken to her, much less asked her views on learning airbending techniques with her own waterbending style.

When Mei Ling asked about her call to join the Air Acolytes, however, Ren's smile became frozen to her face. Her spine stiffened, and she leaned back just a little in her seat. Her calling had been a deeply personal one, and Mei Ling — as kind as she seemed — was still a stranger. While no one had ever given her grief about her authentic self, it was still something she struggled with on a daily basis. The body the Spirits had given her didn't match the soul that lay within, and every day was a small fight against the negative thoughts that always tried to push themselves in, particularly when she was dressing herself for the day or looking in a mirror. It was not a thing she shared lightly; she had not even told Johar, though her friend had not given her cause to think he would change his opinion of her. The only person she had told outside of the Island was Hangetsu and... well, he would never tell a soul without her permission.

Wouldn't have ever, she corrected herself.

Not wanting to be rude, however, Ren offered a small explanation. "I was called here for other reasons," she replied evasively. "I wasn't born in the city, and when we came here my soul was troubled. My father suggested I inquire about the meditative practices here on the Island, but I wound up staying."

Eager to change the subject from her personal motivations to something more broad, Ren continued. "The Air Nomads are fascinating, though. I'm a scribe here on the Island, so a lot of my work is transcribing speeches Avatar Aang gave during his lifetime, and re-writing the content of ancient scrolls other Acolytes recovered from expeditions into other Air Temple ruins."
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Anonymous
May 9, 2017 10:04:30 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 10:04:30 GMT -6

Mei Ling nodded as she moved, understanding having a "troubled soul". She didn’t mind Ren’s bit of secrecy; she wouldn’t have minded if she hadn't answered at all. She could only imagine that some had deeply personal reasons for changing their life, though others might consider it about as private as going to work every day. The younger woman's immigration to the city had been a very open event, until the anti-bending sentiment grew to a boil. These days she couldn't remember the last time she told someone that she was a firebender.

However, she froze, almost comically with her foot toeing the ground and hands stretched out in different directions, when Ren mentioned what she did on the island. "No way," she cried, forgetting the forms entirely. Her eyes, wide, sparkled like gold. "I'm a scribe, too!"

She abandoned her pose and snatched up the scroll before scrambling over to the bench, seating herself beside the acolyte. "Well, I'm technically a 'records keeper', I suppose." Without hesitation or apology, she continued on with a grin. "Did you write this scroll? I can't imagine reading the writings of the Nomads. And you... You're making sure they aren't forgotten or lost... So people like me can learn..."

She sighed wistfully and pet the scroll in a somewhat fond way. Emotion was written on her face, and she said solemnly, "thank you, Ren. With all of the tragedy in the city, and with the airbenders missing... Even Avatar Korra..." She trailed off, staring out towards the trees and the ocean beyond, gathering herself. Mei Ling looked back at Ren, composed once more with a smile. "It's my belief that people like you make the world a better place, even in times like these.

"What do you like to transcribe the most? I've never read Avatar Aang's speeches... Though I've heard accounts that he was a bit of a funny guy, actually - he liked to make jokes and be playful. Is that true?"
She could hardly help herself from asking more questions, but with a stroke of self-awareness she clamped her lips shut and her hands tight in her lap, intrigued and waiting with the most patience she could muster.
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Post by Ren on May 10, 2017 19:51:51 GMT -6

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Ren's eyes, already larger-than-most behind her thick lenses, widened. "Really?" she squealed, clapping her hands together in delight. She had yet to meet another scribe outside of the acolytes.

Or "records keeper" as Mei Ling amended. Ren waved a hand in dismissal of her clarification. A scribe was a scribe was a scribe, no matter what pretty words modernity liked to dress it up in.

Mei Ling asked if she had transcribed the scroll, and Ren shook her head. "No, sorry, I mainly deal with re-writing the teachings of the Nomads from a philosophical and spiritual level, and Avatar Aang's teachings on a historical level." The hierarchy of Acolyte scribes was muddled, but all in all each scribe wrote to their interests. While Ren was interested in bending in a semi-envious way, none of it made sense to her and she gravitated more towards the philosophies and histories of her adopted people.

The other woman's thanks made her blush. It was a sweet thought, but Ren couldn't see how her preservation work helped improve the world. But soon Mei Ling asked her what she liked to transcribe most, and asked whether or not Avatar Aang was a funny guy.

She laughed, her smoky voice ringing through the courtyard. With an embarrassed giggle, she clamped her hands over her mouth. It was still the meditation hour, and while there was no mandate for her to participate, she still needed to be mindful. "Avatar Aang is a very cheesy guy," she said. "Even when he's speaking seriously of the Hundred Years War, or the Galgori Hunt, he manages to squeeze in some sort of joke, or pun. I've heard rumours that he and Master Sokka had competitions for who could deliver the most terrible joke, much to Sifu Katara's chagrin. There's a record of one of his speeches that I always have to skip over about three minutes of, because the laughter and groaning from the audience is too disruptive in the library."

Tilting her head to one side, she pondered the other question. "I would have to say I enjoy Avatar Aang's comments on the Galgori the most." Her eyes looked far away. "Truth be told, his experiences are probably the most detailed information we have about the Galgori — I mean, barring anyone who is still actively involved with old-fashioned Galgori traditions, if any one like that even exists."

Ren hadn't noticed, but speaking of her passions had caused her stutter to fade entirely.

Her voice dropped to a whisper and she leaned in. "The Galgori Hunt of Avatar Aang's time was considered to be an abomination, he said. The leader had recruited nonbenders and benders alike to track him down, and when the leader made the decision to aid the Avatar in stopping Fire Lord Ozai's conquest, the Six killed him." Ren's eyes were wide and solemn. "There was no proof, obviously, but when he next met the Hunt, the second in command — the leader's wife — was in charge. She didn't speak of her husband at all, but wore almost all white."

The symbol of mourning.

"And Avatar Aang looked, after the war, and never found him. Not a trace."
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Last edit by Ren: May 11, 2017 4:20:23 GMT -6
Anonymous
May 11, 2017 8:20:47 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 11, 2017 8:20:47 GMT -6

The idea of a record shattering the innocent silence of the library with bursts of laughs and groans, with equal numbers of acolytes glaring at the record and trying to stifle their own chuckles, made Mei Ling join Ren's amused laughter. "Amazing," she muttered, unable to keep a smile from her face. She was so happy the acolyte had interrupted her - she was not even a bit disappointed that Ren mentioned she didn't work on the airbending scrolls. "I'm... kind of jealous, actually," she said, giggling.

But she grew more serious when Ren began describing the Avatar's Galgori notes. Though the acolyte stared into the distance, much like Mei Ling had moments ago, she seemed suddenly more focused. Her nervousness almost disappeared, the firebender thought, as she listened intently. It was a bit strange to hear someone speaking so openly about the Six. One tended to avoid the topic on the mainland, and it was quite taboo in the station.

She took a moment to process the new information. The few accounts she'd found had almost no mention of the Six in them at all, and those that did considered them more of a leadership concept than a group of six individuals. It was common knowledge - or, as common knowledge as anyone with an ounce of information on the Galgori may have - that the Hunt was dispatched to find and kill the Avatar. Even Rohana only seemed to know somewhat more about the Six than any of the historical texts. "Wow..." she whispered as she gathered her thoughts; then one struck her suddenly.

"I've heard from one source," Mei Ling began carefully, "that their leadership - the Galgori Six, I mean - changed right before the Solstice. Do you think the disappearance, or murder, I guess, of the Hunt's leader might have had something to do with that?"
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Post by Ren on May 11, 2017 14:25:38 GMT -6

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Ren tilted her head to one side, considering Mei Ling's suggestion. "It's possible," she replied slowly. "Avatar Aang doesn't seem to know much about the inner workings of the Galgori beyond what the Hunt's eventual partnership with his allies revealed." She frowned, trying to remember her scribing sessions.

"Let's see... he was aware of the existence of the Six. It's not clear if he knew whether or not they were an actual group of people or if they were something more nebulous, but he was aware that they were the governing body of the Galgori."

Tapping her chin, Ren continued. "The Hunt's second leader, a woman named Nanashi, was less open than her husband, Halaku, had been. Avatar Aang did question her on his disappearance, but her response didn't ring true to him — something about having been killed during the course of another mission. The Avatar mentions that it seemed to be one of those responses someone might give if the truth was too painful, or too confidential."

Shyly, the woman smiled at her new acquaintance. "T-t-there are more books ab — out Avatar Aang's sp-spe-speeches on the Galgori in the, the library," she said, a flush creeping to her cheeks as her stutter returned. "If — if you'd like to, to s-see them?"
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Anonymous
May 12, 2017 13:27:39 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 13:27:39 GMT -6

The firebender nodded, figuring it was fair enough that Avatar Aang wouldn’t know a whole lot about the Galgori. A little disappointing, but fair. The accounts, those that mentioned Galgori at all, implied that they themselves were unclear on their organizational and governance structures. After the talk with Rohana, though, Mei Ling’s interest in the nonbender faction had been piqued.

As Ren continued, Mei Ling began to absentmindedly pat her pockets at first, fingers scrambling more frantically after a few moments as they sought out pen and paper. Aha! she thought, pleased, drawing the wrinkled scrap and well-used instrument into the winter air. She scribbled the names quickly (Halaku, Nanashi, hoping she spelled them right) with precise, elegant writing, and wrote numerals for one and two above their names. For a moment, thought, then wrote the Hunt beside the names, underlining it in case she forgot.

"Hmm..." she intoned as Ren finished, dabbing her lips with the non-ink end of the pen. She tried to recall if she'd heard the names before, and unfortunately came up blank. Thankfully, the older woman offered her an invitation. Mei Ling's heart leaped.

"I'd love to!" she blurted out. She sprang to her feet, catching the half-forgotten scroll (miraculously!) before it fell to the ground. The firebender practically hopped out of her training slippers, tucked them, the scroll, and her notes into her robe, and padded over to her boots. The cold stone hardly bothered her thin-bestockinged feet before she shoved the snow boots on. Mei Ling exhaled quickly to try to vent out her excitement and grinned at her new acquaintance. "Thank you very much for the offer!"
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Post by Ren on May 21, 2017 12:24:08 GMT -6

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Mei Ling's excitement was infectious. Ren grinned at her as she stood from the bench, brushing off any snow that may have attached itself to her robes. Wordlessly, she motioned for Mei Ling to follow her.

Ren led the way through the Temple, nodding her head every so often to various acolytes that passed. The acolytes were not unused to visitors in the temple, much less the library, though its inner sanctums were not accessible to the general public. Frequently, the library saw an assortment of visitors — from the university scholar home on leave, to the occasional councilmember (though much less frequently now that Master Tenzin had passed), or even to the occasional vagabond who found themselves inexplicably drawn to the temple.

Two acolytes opened the large double doors ahead of them; turning to Mei Ling, Ren smiled again. "The library," she said, her voice lowering to just above a whisper. She continued to lead the way til they got to a small section filled with bound books. She pulled a tome, relatively thin in comparison with the others, from the shelf. The spine simply read The Galgori Hunt.

The first page listed the time and date of Avatar Aang's speech; it was dated several months before he passed away. Within its pages was a controlled, neat script written with a slight leftward slant — Ren's own writing. She pointed to a few passages. "Here we have Prince Zuko and General Iroh's names as part of the Hunt." She moved he finger down the passage and stopped again. "The bounty hunter, Jun."

Avatar Aang also mentioned an earthbender and waterbender duo in passing, as well as a few run-ins with Princess Azula and her friends. There were several passages where Avatar Aang spoke of a conversation he had with Halaku before he disappeared, though the information was considerably thin with regards to the Six. It wasn't particularly illuminating, though Avatar Aang seemed convinced that the Monks really could sense the bending in a person, including in an unborn child.

"We have a few others," Ren added. "Avatar Aang seemed to talk more about the Hunt and the Six right before his death. Maybe he sensed something would happen."
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Last edit by Ren: May 24, 2017 20:46:35 GMT -6
Anonymous
May 23, 2017 9:37:43 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 23, 2017 9:37:43 GMT -6

[ooc: Whether "infections" is a typo or Freudian slip, it's kind of funny =) ]

Mei Ling followed Ren's suit, trying not to skip as she bobbed along behind the acolyte, and smiled or nodded at the residents as they walked. The pair approached the library doors, and the firebender was almost sure her heart was about to beat out of her chest. The library, though quite smaller than the Republic City public library, was dazzlingly beautiful, rich with the smell of worn paper, of ink, of the dust of other nations. It was bitter and cold outside, but warm and cozy within, equally quiet but exponentially welcoming. Whenever the younger woman entered such a knowledge-filled place, it was as if she entered a trance, strangely focused as if her mind were preparing itself to learn. It felt almost as if she were reading a particularly engaging book, one which drew her full attention.

Still, she followed Ren to a little nook and gazed at the book, The Galgori Hunt that she withdrew. As Ren began pointing out pages and sections, Mei Ling leaned in absently, craning her neck to read and watch the acolyte's finger as it skirted across the text. "Fire Lord Zuko?" she asked quietly, confused. "But..." She stopped herself, thinking. Of course there was the famous story of Lord Zuko's exile, his quest for redemption by seeking to capture the Avatar, with General Iroh as his mentor. But she couldn't recall reading that the young prince hunted with the Galgori. Why would the Hunt have enlisted the help of two benders, much less the crown prince and war hero of the nation that had once enslaved their people?

The firebender nodded her head regardless, letting Ren finish. As she glanced over the words voraciously, Avatar Aang's comment about the Monks also stuck out to her. The Avatar had always seemed to be intuitive, keen. The idea that the Monks of Koh could "feel out" if one were a bender or not was widely considered an urban legend in the city. But if Avatar Aang believed it...

Mei Ling took a moment to gather her thoughts, eyes scanning the words again. "So... Did Avatar Aang ever mention why the Fire Lord and General Iroh were in the Hunt? They were firebenders, of course... Wouldn’t they be, I guess, natural enemies?" Her grandmother spoke often and fondly of the reign of peace following Fire Lord Zuko's ascension, an era in which, she explained, she was lucky to have been raised.

A notion struck her, and she continued, keeping her voice soft even as her questions became little more than a vocalized train of thought. "Why do you think he would have thought of the Hunt? They would have disbanded... decades ago, right? I mean, I'm not surprised that he felt something... But why them? Avatar Aang passed peacefully... Why would he be worried about the Hunt?" Perhaps it was the sense of the unease in nonbenders, of the rise of a nonbender faction or a social leader like Amon... But what did that have to do with the Six?
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Post by Ren on May 24, 2017 20:46:18 GMT -6

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ooc; this is why you don't type when you're half asleep lmao

Mei Ling's question was a common one; why did the Fire Lord and his grandfather join the Hunt? Unfortunately, it wasn't an answer that Ren had in its entirety. "I'm not sure, honestly. I don't think Avatar Aang knew either. But if I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the Hunt had special exemptions. Avatar Aang said their mission was to capture the Avatar — capture, very specifically, not kill so as to not cause another reincarnation — and in this they and Fire Lord Zuko were in agreement. I suspect they intended to betray the Fire Lord at a later date, if it weren't for Fire Lord Ozai's ambitions."

The other woman had some hypothesis of her own, but Ren shook her head. "I'm not sure if it's the Hunt that Avatar Aang was worried about, but all of his information about the Galgori came from the Hunt's leader."

Ren pulled another thin book down, and this time it was an accounting of a particularly interesting battle between the Hunt (and then-Prince Zuko and General Iroh I) and Avatar Aang and his allies. There were more names here than Ren knew what to do with; the acolytes had tried to find the descendents of the people named, but to no avail. Either they had perished, or they had not had any children.

"This particular story is interesting," Ren said flipping the first few pages. "There are two other benders here, a waterbender and an earthbender, as well as the Fire Lord, General Iroh, the two Galgori, and the bounty hunter, Jun. We know that Jun was not of Galgori descent, as far as we can trace the old records from the Earth Kingdom, so that means that of the seven members of the Hunt, four of them were benders."

Ren sighed and shook her head, her braid swaying with the motion. "I don't understand it, really. If the Hunt did indeed have special permissions to work with benders, then what was the reason for killing the first leader? Why did his wife say that he was killed on another, unrelated mission? Avatar Aang seems to imply — at least, in my opinion — that the Six were responsible for the man's death, contrary to what his wife said."

She ran her hands down her face. "Honestly, I wonder if Avatar Aang's concern was that the Six weren't finished with their plans. It does seem odd, does it not, to fail the Hunt, leave the Avatar to do his own thing, and then allow him to reincarnate."
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Last edit: Jun 10, 2017 4:52:43 GMT -6
Anonymous
Jun 28, 2017 7:51:25 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2017 7:51:25 GMT -6

Mei Ling listened, brow furrowed in concentration, and looked back and forth between the acolyte and the text, eyes scanning the page quickly when not watching Ren's own. The words didn't seem to make sense - almost like a tale from the spirit world instead of recent history. The young firebender shook her head as well, mirror the older woman's swaying locks. In a way, she felt like there was a riddle sitting between the two, hanging in the air, but several words were missing.

"Maybe that was it. If the Hunt didn't have permission... maybe the, uh, the Six thought..." She paused for just a second, fumbling for the scrap of paper in her pocket, "Halaku was out of line. It would explain why Nanashi would tell a different story. If she told Avatar Aang that the benders weren't supposed to be there - allowed to be there - maybe they'd turn on her. After all, she'd be outnumbered, right? If one of the benders thought she was going to hand them all over to the Six, how could they trust her again...? Maybe the Hunt didn't fail... Maybe they defected."

Mei Ling trailed off, starting to wonder if she was barking up the wrong tree. She shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed as she stared down at the text. "If the Hunt stopped hunting, I guess it makes sense that Avatar Aang was worried about the Six. If their plans were to finish what the Hunt started..."

She looked up, head tilting, at Ren. "I mean, maybe the Six came too late. They knew where Avatar Aang was, but not Avatar Korra. And with all of the rumors about the Six..." She blinked, gazing away, feeling a bit guilty. The RCPD had censured all discussion of the Galgori Six, especially among its own employees; Mei Ling wasn't one to stir the pot, and even outside of the station, the words felt taboo, forbidden. She felt her sinuses start to tingle, and her lips wanted to pull to the side. Her eyes would start to well up soon, and she forced herself to take a deep breath. "Maybe they're responsible for Avatar Korra going missing."

The young firebender was horrified at herself, and she massaged one side of her nose, attempting nonchalance as she tried to chase the impending tears away. She'd always had such a fondness of the Avatars, she held Avatar Korra in the highest regard being so close to her own age. "Sorry," she said after another deep breath, and she smiled. Mei Ling always found smiling, real or fake, to help her become just a bit more calm. "It's just a silly thought. The station doesn't allow people to talk about the Six, but you still hear rumors. It can be hard to separate the stories that people tell out of truth and the ones people say out of fear." She gazed at an open page, touched a word with her fingertips. She wondered if other villages and hamlets around the world felt the same fear about the Six back then as Republic City did today.
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Last edit by Deleted: Jun 28, 2017 7:52:25 GMT -6

Post by Ren on Jul 1, 2017 14:44:39 GMT -6

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Ren shook her head. "I don't think it's a silly thought," she said quietly. "If the Six are out there — and honestly, I don't think the absence of direct proof is particularly useful in this case, since they were pretty elusive during and before the War, by all accounts — then I don't think it's too far of a stretch to think they have something to do with Avatar Korra's disappearance. Or even if they don't yet, I think they would try to. After all, if she were to die her soul would simply reincarnate into a new Avatar."

She looked over the meager offerings of information and suddenly felt inadequate. "But if the Six are behind this, then what's the deal with the Monks? The legends always spoke of the Monks being a... a sort of guide, or advisor to the Six. But they've done nothing but help since the end of the war."

The woman felt frustrated. The city — no, the nation — was standing on the edge of a precipice, it seemed. A twisting, writhing feeling in her stomach seemed to say that before long, things would come to a head and someone, somewhere would make the first open move. Not one with hidden motivations, but one with clear intent and perpetrator.

Despite the warmth of the library, Ren shivered. "Sometimes the waiting seems like it's the hardest part," she said, her voice dropping down to a whisper. "No one wants to openly do something, on either side. It seems... terrible to say, but I wonder if it wouldn't be easier if something did happen, so we would stop wondering."
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Jul 19, 2017 12:43:20 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2017 12:43:20 GMT -6

Mei Ling pondered Ren's theory, glad they were thinking along the same lines. It was nice to be able to discuss these concerns with another person when it was so taboo in her daily life. In fact, it was downright relieving, though the subject matter was quite depressing. The idea of the Avatar coming back, and therefore keeping the concept of "Avatar" safe, would be soothing if it didn't involve Avatar Korra's death. Plus, it would create a pattern of the Galgori hunting the Avatar. If it were the case, and if they were behind Avatar Korra's disappearance, then there was no questioning whether they'd return for the next Avatar. Given that the most recent history had little to say on the Galgori, even less so the Six, it wouldn't be surprising if they hunted Avatar Roku, or Avatar Kyoshi before him, and there simply were no records of it.

But before she gathered her thoughts, Ren mentioned the Monks. The firebender nodded absently, thinking as Ren whispered. Yes, she knew the feelings too well. An anxious person, the idea of imagining what might happen was often far worse than something happening at all. "But something did happen. Is happening, I guess," she replied, looking not at Ren but at the few bits of text. "What if we just don't know who's doing it? The missing probender. The death of the police chief. And the temple..."

She trailed off, face crumpled in concern. Perhaps because she worked at the station, she was exposed to increasingly more of the issues with violence. "I mean, you're right. The Monks have only helped... on the surface. If they haven't done anything wrong, so why would they be a target?" As a train of thought caught her, Mei Ling's voice, still appropriately hushed for the environment, took on a fervent tone, and her eyes seem to flash as she looked up at Ren. "Because they're threatened by how 'charitable' the Monks are? If the Monks were doing the bidding of the Six and actually attacked those benders, wouldn't that make more sense than, like, a random assault on innocent people?"

A flash of sudden self-consciousness passed through her, and, embarrassed, she rubbed a hand on her forehead. She shook her head, taking a deep breath through her nose to calm herself. There was enough turmoil bubbling in the station that it was becoming difficult to separate fact from rumor. "I am so sorry. I must sound like some conspiracy theorist. I just hear so many things it's hard to keep it all straight." Abashed, she mentally fumbled for words, found none, and chose to glance around, hoping no one heard her ramblings.
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Post by Ren on Jul 23, 2017 13:34:11 GMT -6

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"Well," Ren shook her head, "that's not what I meant. Everything that's happened has been covert — who is doing all this stuff? We don't know. Someone's got to make the first open move, and part of me would rest easier once there was an easily identifiable opponent."

She offered a little smile. "I don't think you sound like a conspiracy theorist," she added. "It's only natural, no? We don't know. But I don't think the Monks are involved. I mean..."

Pulling the few books closer to them, Ren rifled through the sparse pages. "We may not know a lot but I think the Monks are just a convenient, obvious target for retaliation. Historically, the Monks of Koh were the face of the Galgori people." Ren's lips twisted into a wry smile at the pun. "Pretty much all we know of the Galgori of the past are from Avatar Aang and the limited interaction people had with the Monks of Koh."

Ren tilted her head sadly. "I don't think that anyone cared whether or not the Monks were actually involved or not. It's more a symbol of what they stood for, no matter what's happened since then."
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