Gozu had just gotten off his shift at work he was had other things to do today so he had to get to it quick. He left his job and met a guy in an alley way after some talking they parted ways him with a nice bag of yen.

He went off to go get himself something nice as he just made a nice deal. He had a wide grin on his face and time to spare so he was looking for something to do for the rest of his day.

Sek had not been walking long when someone caught their eye: it was normal shift ending times, so the average labourer was returning from a hard day of work, but one particular worker had caught their eye.

Unlike the wave of workers heading towards the nearest tram or pub, he seemed to immediately exit into an alleyway, coming out mere minutes later with a hefty bag of what Sek guessed as money. This set off a few internal alarms in their head, so, they took action.

And let out a harsh whistle.

"You there! With the bag! Stop, I'm a detective from RCPD!"

As he exited the alley way he looked around for something more to do or people to interact with. He would start observing the nearby area looking for anything that would catch his eye, just then he heard a loud yell from someone out in the crowd. The yell seems to be for someone like himself.

He quickly shoves the large pouch in his shirt and join the mass of people going to blend in with the crowd going away for the detective. until he is able to get away from the detective as quick as possible. After some time he breaks off the crowd running into an alley way that leads off into a more secluded but still populated part of town looking for somewhere to go.

As soon as the man caught wind of their voice, he booked it directly into the crowd.

In their defense, they only asked him to stop. In his defense, benders aren't well liked these days, let alone Earthbending police. Still, he had only ran, and there was absolutely no need to escalate the scenario.

Very carefully, they followed him through the crowd, looking out for missteps and bumps and labourers looking at him rather than the man himself. Sometimes, looking for the abscense of a subject rather than the subject itself was far more superior.

Thankfully, the runner soon brook off, leaving the dense tide of blue collar and exiting into yet another alleyway. What was with this man and alleyways?

When he was in earshot, they called out again. "Sir, please stop, I only want to ask you some questions. Lets not tire ourselves out and cause chaos this late in the work day."

After he broke off into the second alley way to a new open area he would hear the lady shout again turning around with a smile.

"Hello there, how are you doing today?" He would say with a smile. He looked at his surroundings before looking back at the woman trying to take in his surroundings.

He made sure he was ready for anything that could come next but tried to look as casual as possible, "Do you need something? he asked while making sure his bag was completely hidden in his shirt.

"Please, do not fret." They said, making sure they assumed a nonthreatening posture. They had no idea if they were a bender or not, and they did not want to impose and frighten a nonbender. "I just saw something possibly illegal, as you entered an alleyway and came out with a sack of money."

Their eyes traced their body, to the bulge just under his shirt. "Just be honest, and we will have no problem." It was the honest truth: there was no need to cause a scene, and no need to go thoroughly violent.

"Let me introduce myself: I am Detective Sek. Who are you?"

Gozu sighed resting his arms at his side as he looked at the detective multiple different thing going through his head but mostly just how this could go in his favor."You can call me Chance for now." Gozu wasn't ready to give a detective his name so he decided to stay safe and give them a fake one.

"By the way nothing illegal was going on just mutual exchange that's all." Hasn't sure exactly what the said, he wasn't sure exactly what the detective saw so he decided to be safe and not mention anything to specific. "I just was in the alley because it was less crowded then the streets that's all."

He then took the pouch from inside his shirt holding it at his side. "So detective what is it you need?"

Sek internally sighed when Chance loosened their posture, thanking the spirits that it would not devolve into a chase. "Chance, thank you. I'm just making sure nothing illegal is going on. Can I search your bag? What did you exchange?"

They didn't make a step forward, and decided to let Chance approach them instead. Scaring Chance off lead to a chase, and an Earthbending capable officer using full force to arrest someone for a minor mishap will only lead to bad reputation.

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_{OOC: Hey, meant to add this in the last post but got distracted. Sek is neither a man or woman, they're nonbinary and use genderless signifiers! If you need help with this, let me know.}

"Okay, but you won't find anything." Gozu walked over to the detective handing them the pouch. "And I exchanged knowledge for all of this, so there's nothing illegal about it." The pouch would be filled with only coins and there where no other bags on Gozu.

Gozu let her look through the bag not making giving the detective any trouble seeing as Gozu had nothing that could be deemed illegal. "So is that all you need, because I have nothing else on me." He said in peaceful manner not trying to get a reputation with the police.

After searching through the bag and finding nothing that was questionable, they handed it over. "I do apologise if I scared you, its not often you see someone go into an alleyway and walk out all the more richer. One can only assume criminal activities."

They backtracked through the conversation a moment, and when they remembered the world 'knowledge', a lightbulb appeared above your head. "You mentioned knowledge, did you not? Information, all that. Would you be offended if I offered you a business proposal? Information for money, kind of thing? I'm looking for informants and people who deal in information to make my job much easier." They took a step back, making sure to give Chance some space. "Naturally, you are free to refuse and I wish you a safe day."

Gozu took his pouch back leaving at at his side "Thank you". Gozu listened to her offer and was immediately intrigued, he thought about all the perk's of being allied with the police but most importantly he thought about the information he could get in return.

"I agree but I have some conditions for this deal." he said. "First I will not only need money but information as well, this will help me help you more, I will also need protection which means if I need your assistance you will help no questions asked." Gozu knew if he messed this up it could get him in lots of trouble but he also knew that if this went well he could accomplish his goal of equality.

Gozu stuck out his hand "deal?". He smiled at the officer knowing that with this handshake a chain of events that could change the city where going to be in play soon, and he was going to make sure he gained from it.

As soon as Chance started listing his conditions, Sek immediately knew what their answer was going to be. And honestly? They were a little affronted that people could ask such a thing of an officer of the law so confidently.

"Absolutely not." Sek answered. "First of all, I don't even know where your information is going. What happens if I hand you information that compromises a victim? An operation? An investigation? If it goes straight into the hands of a criminal?"

"Second of all, my services cannot be bought for favours. I am a detective, a follower of the law, not some mercenary, despite how certain officers behave. If you need the help of the police, ring us. You will get patched through to the nearest center, and emergency services will be sent to you."

"Third of all: there is more to the world than you. I know you looked at my offer and thought of what you could gain, rather how you could help, and that, to be frank, is sickening."

"Now, what do the kids say these days?" They snapped their fingers upon remembering. "Jog on. Reconsider some of your life choices."

Upon finishing their speech, they stepped to the side, and gestured towards the still busy thoroughfare.

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(OOC: this would be better formatted but I'm on mobile, so, I apologise on that front, but Sek is nonbinary and uses they/them/their pronouns, please try to use them. I brought this up once already. If you need help with this, let me know.)

Gozu was surprised by them. He would think a detective would be more open to make deals for information but they seemed very off put by it. "Okay then suit yourself, I was just thinking with all the commotion having a simple citizen help you might get you what you need." Gozu had to make sure he kept them interested in the offer because this may be his only chance.

"You know we could have just talked about what terms you where fine with, I wouldn't want to hinder your work." As he said that he would make sure they where still interested in what he had to say.

"Beside now that we have been acquainted it might be hard for me to forget your face, and if I may slip up and talk about you then your job might be much harder then it needs to be and neither of us want that." He would be holding a grin on his face as he spoke but stay talking in a more serious tone so they would know that these where promises not threats.

"Now if we where able to talk about how we could mutually help each other I may be able to keep my mouth shut, but if not then you may catch me with loose lips."

He looked at the detective in their eyes making sure they knew he meant business "Now before you yell at me for being disrespectful to an officer of the law I want you to think about what could happen if I where to say something."

With that final sentence he waited for a response and because of their earlier answer was unsure of what was to come next.

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OOC: Sorry if i haven't been using their pronouns when talking its hard to incorporate those phrases when talking one on one but i am sure to incorporate them when talking about them in general such as "They seem to.." or "Their very..." hopefully this clears things up

At the half threat, Sek rolled their eyes. "You won't be the first person to threaten me, nor will you be the last. I have gone after politicians, and arrested crime lords, it will take a lot more to scare me off. Also, you won't be the first complainant either. The law is absolute citizen, you'd be best if you adhered to it."

They stepped aside even more, and gestured once again to the main street, where the pavement was slowly getting less and less packed. "Consider yourself free to go. Please try to stay within the lines of the law, it's for everyone's safety."

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_{(OOC: it's no problem! I wanted to ask first, in case it was a language barrier problem or you simply never encountering nongendered pronouns before. Hit me up if you need examples of this pronoun usage in sentences. thank you!)}

Gozu realized that nothing seemed to be getting through to the officer, they seemed to stubborn to listen and he knew that having an officer at his side could help him immensely. Gozu thought that if he couldn't convince them now that he would have to keep them here until he could, but just then he had an idea that could help him.

"Safety what would you know about safety." He said with a smug look on his face"Last I checked during the last attack no officers where seen trying to keep anyone safe, in fact I heard that officers where called and still didn't come." Gozu had noticed their attitude towards justice and was hoping to use that to get his point across.

"I've even heard some people thought the police helped since none of you came to stop it, if you think about it you might be some of the last people that should talk about safety,"Gozu said. He then pointed at them in an accusing matter "So tell me why weren't you there, why didn't any people fighting for so called justice come and help innocent people in their time of need."

"The Koh Festival Attack? I heard the explosion, I helped the injured, but they didn't want bender intervention. If a person refuses aid, or help, there's not much we can do, speaking as a bending officer. I wish I could help, but we must respect the victim's wishes. If they wish to be treated by a nonbender, or refuse bender intervention, we must listen."

It was the honest truth: while the Koh Festival Attack had been tragic, bending intervention was disallowed, and instead the Koh Monks asked for charity and donated items rather than waterbending healers, or security from the RCPD. The last thing that nonbenders needed to see was benders muscling in on a potentially incredibly sore wound.

Ignoring the accusing finger pointing at their chest, they said, "did you not read the Republic City Times? You can read all about the reaction and sociological effects in there. Also, if you think you can guilt trip me, you can keep going. I've said my truth."

Gozu lowered his finger and instead started stroking his chin "Hmm, your pretty clever, a little stubborn but clever none the less." Gozu was surprised by how unmoved this officer was but he couldn't do anything about it now. "I realize I won't be able to change your stance on anything, you seem like a person with some unwavering morals, even if those morals have flaws." Gozu stopped stroking his chin and looked at the officer.

"Being a detective it's gonna be hard for you to find people to give you information, but I respect your stance on things so I have a deal." Gozu said "I'll take your original offer with no added bonuses, and no the terms." Gozu would then hold out his pouch of money and hold it out "How about I give you this to start your search, you'd be surprised what people say to just get a little richer."

"I've been on this job for 20 years, if I wasn't clever, I'd be struggling." Sek simply stated. "And I will not take your money either. Never in my life, on this job, have I took a bribe. If you're not happy with this offer, you are more than welcome to leave. I will respect your decision, and leave you be."

Is Sek's absolute faith in the law and the morals themselves will always have flaws. It's a fact of life. Everything requires balance, and Sek thoroughly understands that too.