@Skai

Wu sat hunched on the seat next to Eska. He looked around to make sure there was no one else that could overhear their conversation. He was uncharacteristically nervous as he looked at Eska. She was smiling at him, and that reassured him. He relaxed slightly.

"Remember last week, when I was telling you about the great Shun-Li's unfortunate incident with one of the gym equipment? That was a good story. But after you left, I remembered how my young son loved to hear about Shun-Li's adventures. I don't know but... a huge grief overcame me. I... I needed release from my own mind."

He took out a string of beads from his pocket. The beads were made of pentlandite - and very rare. They were a gift, given to him by the Grand Abbott after his initiation. Old man Wu had taken to clicking and rolling the beads in his fingers every time he was agitated.

"As you know, I am an acolyte of the Temple. Initially, I didn't believe in all this Raava nonsense. But then, my Mili forced me to join what I thought was a cult. But after a few sessions at the temple, I was beginning to find peace. When my Mili passed away, I spent hours in contemplation at the Temple halls. It gave me the strength to move on. The abbotts and the other acolytes helped me like you did, helped me get through some difficult moments in my life."

Wu could not imagine life without the temple these days. Every evening, after work, he would catch a train and go to Avatar Aang island, where the Temple of Raava was situated. He would meditate for hours, and sometimes chat with his fellow acolytes. It was a place of peace. Or, at least, it had been until a week ago.

"So when I felt heavy with grief for my son, I decided to visit the temple and meditate for a few hours. I went to the temple, found my usual dark corner in the meditation hall, and soon lost myself in the thoughtless peace. I lost track of time. By the time I ended my session, it was very late in the night." Wu scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "And... I may have gone to sleep while...ahem... meditating."

"Anyway, when I got up, there was no one in the temple. It was strange. There usually is one or two acolytes roaming about. But I heard voices." At this point, Wu's voice dropped in volume. "Not human voices. They sounded...guttural. Like that of a beast. Initially, I thought it was someone's pet bear-dog. But the voices were growing louder in argument. I saw light from a half-closed door at the end of a hallway. I really didn't want to get myself involved in anything, but I just couldn't help my curiosity. So I looked."

Wu grabbed Eska's hand and gripped it tightly. He was breaking out in a sweat as he recollected the events of that night.

"I... I don't know how to put it, Eska. But I saw... I saw a man. Only, he was not a man. He... he had horns. And a fierce muzzle, like that of a bull-deer. But he was standing on his legs like a man, and I could hear what he was saying. He was arguing with someone I couldn't see. But I knew the voice very well. It was the voice of our Grand Abbot, Father Guran. The abbot seemed to be pleading with him. But the bull-man was angry. He was talking about some prophecy. And about the City Center bomb blast that happened last week. The man... the way he was talking... I think he knows who did it. And he seemed bent on doing it again. 'Bigger than ever' he kept saying. 'We have to use the prophecy to our advantage,' he was saying. But suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air. He then said, 'Someone's here'. My heart was hammering in my chest. I stumbled backwards. I did not know what gave me strength. But I tumbled and ran like my pants were on fire! I didn't look back till I reached the bridge."

Wu was heaving as he relived that night. His knuckles were fight as he gripped Eska's hand, his own legs trembling and shaking.

"Since then, I have been living in fear, Eska. I am too afraid to go back to the temple. And I don't know if going to the police will be the right decision. I may be an old man waiting to die, but I certainly don't want to be dismembered or tortured by some maniac. You... you are a smart woman, Eska. What do you think I should do? Will the cops even believe me if I told them a bull-faced man was planning a terrorist attack with the Grand Abbot of the Temple? Even when I hear myself say it, it sounds ridiculous. Like an old man's overactive imagination or something."

Eska watched with a worried eye as the old man sat before her. His anxious glance made her uncomfortable. Her own eyes darted around the room before settling back on the poor worried janitor. Who did he expect to be lurking in the shadows? What could possibly make this docile man so scared to speak? She gave him a soft smile, and she was happy to see him visibly relax just a bit more than before.

"Remember last week, when I was telling you about the great Shun-Li's unfortunate incident with one of the gym equipment? That was a good story. But after you left, I remembered how my young son loved to hear about Shun-Li's adventures. I don't know but... a huge grief overcame me. I... I needed release from my own mind."

Eska felt her heart ache inside for Wu. She couldn't imagine what it was like to lose a son. Wu's son should have been around her age, after all. She watched him pull his pentlandite beads from his pocket. It was something she only saw him do when he urgently needed to distract his mind from what was troubling him.

She listened intently as Wu explained his journey to the temple, nodding every now and then to let him know that she had heard every word. She was glad to hear that he was seeking solace in a place as peaceful as the Raava temple. She'd only visited a few times in her life. A few of those times had just been a field trip for school, but she had also gone a few times on her own personal venture. As Wu shamefully mentioned that he'd slept during meditation Eska couldn't help but knowingly smile. She'd always found it easier to fall asleep at night if she mediated beforehand. Whenever she felt truly at peace, she could sleep soundly.

What Wu told her next made her brows furrow once more. She felt him grab her hand and hold it tightly and she almost flinched at the touch. Instead, she gripped his hand just as tightly as he held hers in an attempt to comfort her elder and also herself. Her eyes focused on the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. In all of her time with Wu, she'd never seen him this scared. Deep down she could feel her own fear forming within her. It grew slowly as Wu described the creature. Her blood began to run as cold as ice. She'd never heard of a creature like the one Wu described, and was completely shocked to hear that the Grand Abbot was speaking with him.

The abbot seemed to be pleading with him. But the bull-man was angry. He was talking about some prophecy. And about the City Center bomb blast that happened last week. The man... the way he was talking... I think he knows who did it. And he seemed bent on doing it again. 'Bigger than ever' he kept saying. 'We have to use the prophecy to our advantage,' he was saying. But suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air. He then said, 'Someone's here'. My heart was hammering in my chest. I stumbled backwards. I did not know what gave me strength. But I tumbled and ran like my pants were on fire! I didn't look back till I reached the bridge."

Eska pressed her lips together into a tight line, her eyes displaying her worries for the man as easily as her body displayed that she was confused. Wu seemed to display the same signs, except he also looked utterly terrified for his life. Her hand was going numb within his, but she held his tighter as she realized that the man needed far more comfort than she did. He was trembling in fear, and that made Eska suddenly feel very protective of the old janitor.

"Since then, I have been living in fear, Eska. I am too afraid to go back to the temple. And I don't know if going to the police will be the right decision. I may be an old man waiting to die, but I certainly don't want to be dismembered or tortured by some maniac. You... you are a smart woman, Eska. What do you think I should do? Will the cops even believe me if I told them a bull-faced man was planning a terrorist attack with the Grand Abbot of the Temple? Even when I hear myself say it, it sounds ridiculous. Like an old man's overactive imagination or something."

As Wu finished speaking, Eska took a few moments to breathe and think over what he'd just revealed to her. It was a crazy notion that the Grand Abbot could have something to do with the bombing of republic city, nonetheless plan a second more intense attack as well. Wu's worries were as sane as could be, and she ran each option and it's potential outcomes through her head before she came to a conclusion that didn't seem as delusional as the others.

Slowly, Eska took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She looked up at the old man before her. Their hands were still locked together. "Wu, I... I can't believe what you must be feeling right now. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that alone." She gave him a sad smile, wishing deep down that she'd been with him to uncover such a terrible secret. She also wished that she had been there to protect him. "I'm not sure what you should do, Wu... I've never been in a situation like that, and I'm not sure if the police are to be trusted."

With that said, Eska looked him in the eyes, her determination to protect him shining through the fear that was settling within her. "You are not going crazy, Wu. You are just as sharp as you were when I met you. Please, for your own safety, keep this between us. Just keep your head down, come to work, but let me know if you see anything or anyone odd or suspicious."

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Wu, but I promise you I won't let any harm come your way if I can help it. Any accusations towards the Grand Abbot will surely turn their attention towards you, but for now they don't know who you are. Keep it that way, okay? For the both of us."

Eska stared at him, hiding any notion that she wanted to confirm his suspicions on her own. She didn't want him to worry for her own life as well. In fact, she had an urge to visit the temple as soon as possible, or at least to do some digging on her own at a safe distance.

@Leah Gao looked at the woman a little more warily but tried his best not to appear to hostile towards her. People usually weren't this idealistic...maybe she was hired by an old gang he messed with back in some city, or another. But maybe she was hopeful...maybe he was just cynical? All the same he had no reason to lie to her about anything at the moment. "I hold no claim to honor, or being a good person in truth. I am still as much human as anyone. My name is Gao. It is nice to meet you Maika. That is not a name I hear often it is not very common." Gao said as a passing comment as he drank more of his soup. "If you seek a hero you will not find it in me. I have no need for a grand crusade. No passionate speeches to hand to the masses. And certainly no interest in war which only profits the weapon makers." Gao said to Maika. He wanted to make a difference but in his own way. In his own belief a man will not accept change except at the tip of a blade, or by their own choice to. The former was considerably less effective in his mind.

However all the same he reached over and shook Maika's hand with one of his own. It was a firm handshake he didn't discriminate between a man, and a woman. A lady should be expected to live up to the same expectations of a man if she wishes to be equal to one. Many people still saw women as objects in some places. He endeavored not to do so himself as much as possible but he only acknowledged those who actually tried to, and didn't preach 'fairness' in the disguise of ugliness. "My father, before I left, told me this once: 'A simple act of kindness can change a life.' With that thought I saw a way to live life. To act, and to help others that have no help from those above them. To that end I am not unselfish with each challenge I better myself, an those around them. And with each friend...I fin myself getting closer to understanding just who I am. I am not devoid of attachment, sins, or emotion that is the reason I am able to act like I am." commented Gao as he looked her in the eyes he was wearing a calm, and indifferent face a casual one devoid of challenge. "But now I am just preaching, and I have a feeling that I am boring you greatly. If you would mind I would like to finish my ramen before we go there." Gao informed her rather simply he was trying not to be submissive but he was calm, and collected at the moment. His legs, and hands were tired he was hoping for a simple night.

@Leah@Exit

Moments before the ring of the gong, Shu temporarily broke his usual personal rule. He actually spoke to his opponent, "Whatever it is you're after, you won't find it here. Just pain, and maybe some blood for good measure." very surprising to most of the viewers, as that was something he rarely - if ever - did. Most of his fights followed the same general bullet points. His opponent arrived - some taunting him, others trying to be equally stoic - and with no words nor acknowledgement of them, Shu would beat them half to death with rock, stone, and sometimes his bare hands. But this one? If this one was going to insist on being unconventional, then so would Shu.

His opponent widened their stance. Shu considered launching them up into cage's ceiling by Earthbending the section of the floor he stood on, but quickly ruled that strategy out. The direct approach was probably not the way to go - a shame since that was his usual forte. Oh well, he'd have to be more direct at a later time. For now, though, cunning was required more than brute force. As soon as he heard the ring of the gong, Shu shifted his feet and used his arms to make a quick motion as if to grab at the air and pull it toward him. From somewhere behind his opponent, a lance of solid rock jutted upwards, angled to punch into the spine between his shoulder blades. This motion was followed by a forward thrust of Shu's fist, and a second lance of earth shot up from the ground, this time from his opponent's front.

Shao remained unfazed under the scrutinizing eye of the detective. He mostly right about everything save for the money. There was enough to get Shao for a week. While it was more blunt than the wording he would have used, he indeed here to make use of his military training. He also believe in doing what is right which was one of the situation that landed him in the first place. Patiently he waited for the signal to speak or at least loosen his posture.

Shao shortened to the gap between his feet and dropped his arms from behind his back in a mechanical motion. He could practically already smell the nicotine and other chemicals of the cigarette as the detective looked around in vain for a lighter. It was a frequent vice of his father and one he would always be able to recognize. The fact that this entire room smelled strongly of it suggested the detective had a similar appetite for the narcotic.

A brief look of apprehension flooded Shao's face before he composed himself once more. Would it be best to give him his real name, or use a constructed one? It would not be a good start lying to his employer, but it would mean one less way to track him down. The second part of the question was easier to answer. There was already a chance to showcase his fire-bending.

After gritted his teeth for a split-second, he responded "My name is Shao Jin-Hwan." He began exteneded his hand towards the detective, and snapped his fingers for a little flair as a small flame seemed to rise from the tip of his thumb. Carefully he lit the cigarette and with a swift motion, extinguished the flame and returned his hand to his side with the first smile shown "I am a capable fire-bender. My education is top of the line and I have extensive knowledge of military tactics, theories, and practices. I have never once failed to complete an order from my superior. It may not matter much, sir, but I had the top combat marks for my former unit." He recited without a single break. Perhaps it was pride or foolishness, but Shao would not cast away his name. His eyes burned with a hidden passion that was not expressed in his features.