[SL] An Unusual Problem

[Narye Matsuya]

Unlike the bright and bombastic fronts of many other entertainment clubs, or even the reserved yet recognizable signs of the high-end lounges, the facade of the place known as "The Monkey's Paw" was damn near impossible to notice if you were not already looking for the place. Situated on a row of nondescript industrial buildings, assumed to be a variety of machine houses or old shops, was yet another abandoned-looking building. The only thing that separated this front from the ones next to it was a piece of graffiti. In red paint next to a metal door, a single primate hand was drawn, with the last two fingers folded down.

Between the low, quiet rumble of the city and the lateness of the night, the area exuded a sort of malevolent feel. There was not another soul in sight, not even a whisper of movement, which was somehow worse than the rustlings of bums or possible muggers. Just a feeling of loneliness in the middle of a row of old abandoned buildings. This is what the city looked and felt like when the people up and left.

This was the address the group of young "entrepreneurs" had been directed to by the "Associate" they had met on the docks earlier that night. Given that this place was supposed to be some kind of club or lounge that was stealing business from another, this place was situated in an odd area, far from the usual nightlife districts. Then again, it was patently obvious that both their hirer and his rival were not the most upright citizens.

(Please do 2 rounds of posting, then I'll post again. Again, PM if you have any questions.)

[Konei Kozuki]

Konei had thought he was beyond doing dodgy jobs for money. Mercenary work and questionable errands used to be his main source of income before he came to Republic City, but with his rent payment coming up next week and still being a few hundred yuans short from the motorcycle payment to his boss last week, Konei had been pretty desperate. There was no other reason why he'd looked into the job.

The 'HELP WANTED' signs had been everywhere, and it hadn't taken long for him to yank one off the wall and read it over. The prospect had been interesting if not a little shady, for the wanted poster said nothing about what the job actually entailed. The clandestine meeting down at the docks hadn't inspired him with any confidence that this was honest work. In his years of experience, however, he'd found that dishonest work was higher paid.

This was a one-time thing, he told himself. He wasn't going back to slitting throats, and this place put him on edge. He was wary enough about this job to have brought his knives with him and stuck a couple of smoke bombs into his pockets.

Konei pulled up to the pavement under a street lamp and parked the motorcycle, sticking a lock over the brake disk of the front wheel so that the vehicle that had put him in debt in the first place couldn't be hauled into the back of a van and driven away. Then he walked the rest of the distance to The Monkey's Paw. The place would have gone ignored if he hadn't been looking for it directly. In fact, in the years he'd spent living in Republic City he'd neither heard of nor seen the place before.

He stood on the opposite site of the road to the graffitied door and pulled his hood lower over his eyes, so that all that could be seen of his face was a nose and stubbled jaw emerging from the shadows. He was the first here, and he supposed now he should wait for the three others who had been desperate, or curious enough to take the job.

[Karura Kotoko]

Most of Karura’s life was shady business, but not the kind most would think of when using that word. While commoners worked, slept, feared and hoped, she took action, trying to amass a trusted group of non-benders who would first deal with the oppressing force of bender gangs before ambitiously moving forward to do something about how non-benders were being treated in society. Avatar Aang had died several years ago and with him, whatever chance there had been at fair treatment from the governing body, now composed of benders solely.

After going to the docks to investigate the suspicious job offer, she had all but turned her back on the whole endeavor and her work “partners”. Her eyes had been on the young man delivering their work orders and in future they would come to search for the establishment that directly suffered from the Monkey’s Paw’s existence. The mentioned establishment had rung a bell, a place she had thought to visit when time permitted, for everything that lurked in shadow and inspired doubt was within the realm of her interest.

Perfectly certain there would be no compensation to be had from an unnamed employer you had no way of contacting, she made her way to the obscure little club, all the while wondering how to get rid of the others, especially the little girl. She rode her mongoose dragon across rooftops, keeping away from light, dressed in obsidian and with a mask to match - a queer ball mask in the shape of a sculpted face with thin lips without a smile. Her long hair was woven into a braid and hidden under a hood. Earlier, she had gone through the trouble of removing the note she had pinned to one of the job advertising posters, berating herself for the lapse in wisdom.

Armed with sword, a dagger and her usual assortment of usefully packed pouches, Karura climbed down from Komo after nesting him in a patch of darkness on the roof of the building opposite to the establishment in question. She came down from the building by means of the fire escape, as quiet as an alley cat stalking a mouse. The scene was dark and brooding like her aura, as moments passed making her feel less and less concerned how she or they would handle the situation. It took but a glimpse of the club’s door to inspire her she wanted to close it down before going after their “employer”.

Coming from behind and noting Konei, she studied his build, his pose, her gloved hands coming across one another as she tried to figure if he was of the cause or someone else. Stalking quietly towards him, she kept alert, impossibly aware of anything lurking about. When she reached close enough that he would hear her without difficulty she gave him a simple "Hey."

[Kalanni]

Not one to get involved in suspicious deals, Kalanni was rather reluctant in seeing the help wanted signs. She didn't want to have anything to do with unidentified people, but the word yuans on the notice had just been too temting. Yuans meant money, and money meant food. And food...meant living another day. And right then and there, food was one thing Kalanni did not have any surplus of. Having run away from home, without the knowledge and experience of living on her own, she had relented to the offers. If I survive through this mess, then I will never take money from strange people again, she vowed.

As Kalanni approached the designated place, she looked up curiously. The Monkey's Paw. What kind of place is this? The uncrowded and lonely area did not comfort her as she looked around with her crystal blue eyes. Empty. She saw no one there. All she could here werelost voices in the night, waiting to strike their prey. The place was starting to scare her, as she was exposed and anyone could simply sneak up on her out of no where.

In need of comfort, Kalanni felt her water pouch with her hand. She could sense the presence of her one defense system. The water splashing around in the pouch tickled her fingers, easing her suspiciousness. Slowly, her fear turned to confidence. As long as I have this, no one can hurt me.

Kalanni looked around, and saw two other people that she had not noticed before. The dark place had kept them hidden from her prowling eyes. The first thing she noted about them was their age. Great. Maybe they weren't looking for a fourteen-year-old waterbender for whatever job they wanted to do. Why else would older people show up here? "H-Hello," she greeted uneasily.

[Kantaro Xu]

Dammit, he had to hurry up! He had lost track of time eating and having a couple of drinks at a local restaurant, and hadn't even noticed that the sun had gone down. The company was good, the conversation interesting, so it was no wonder the time flew. He hesitantly excused himself from the small gathering they had formed, knowing that he needed the money from this job. He didn't know how much it paid, but from the sounds of the poster that was tucked in his back pocket, it wasn't going to be a small amount. Well, hopefully anyways.

He had left his apartment prepared for this job, his water pouch tucked away under his jacket. It was a little warm to be wearing one, but the fabric was thin and breezy so it actually wasn't that warm. Along with the pouch he had a knife tucked away. With his bending and chi blocking, the young man probably wouldn't have to revert to using the knife if things took a turn for the worst.

With a slight jog, he made it to the destination, but not before the other three apparently. Well, he wasn't too late, anyways. He took a moment to study his surroundings. It wasn't much different from what he expected, really. The area definitely had a very shady feel to it, especially in the darkness. The water bender had actually visited here a few times before, doing some odd jobs for some odd men. Kind of like what he was doing now. "Well, looks like we're all here, then." he announced as he approached the others, a smile lighting up his features. They formed a pretty weird looking team, he was excited to see what kind of job had recruited such a odd assortment of people.

[Konei Kozuki]

Konei turned to the greeting of another, and found himself staring at an unsmiling mask. He turned a little more, into the lamplight, the sheath of his sword under his jacket pressing into the curve of his spine. The voice had been female - no doubt about that - but why would any person want to wear a mask? Couldn't a hood and scarf do?
He silently nodded his head in reply, and turned back towards The Monkey's Paw. They were waiting for two others now; there wasn't much worth saying until the whole team turned up.

The next to show up was a young girl, a waterbender by the looks of her colouring and the pouch at her side. What shocked him most was her age; she was a kid, and couldn't have been any older than fifteen at the most. She should have been indoors, doing school homework at this time, not hanging around shady corners agreeing to shady deals for the sake of a few yuans.
Konei felt uncomfortable with her around, he didn't want to have to risk the life of a child.
The girl said hello with a mild stutter. He could feel the unease in her voice; she either hadn't signed up for this or she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

The last member of the team arrived jogging, as if he thought he'd be late. Actually, he was right on time. Another waterbender by the looks of things, which made Konei wonder what the woman in the mask was; bender or non-bender? Eyeing her sword, Konei would have guessed non-bender, but some benders did use weapons to augment their style.

"Seems so," he said. "Our main goal is to put this place out of business, which to me suggests getting in and busting the place up, but some of you might have more diplomatic ideas. The rooftop is clear, or it seems to be. I did a few loops of the block before I parked." He turned to the young girl and the guy who had arrived last. "You're waterbenders, right?" He looked down, and stamped the heel of his boot against the grille that led down into the sewers. "I don't suppose either of you know how to do a waterspout?"