Test Drive Meme

[cyclicalitymods]

	♥ 1. Where did you come from? You may not know anyone else on the boat, but you've all got one thing in common; you're headed to Republic City. ♥ 2. It's your first day in Republic City. You might wanna get a job lined up or you'll be living on the streets. ♥ 3. You're the new person in the city. You gotta make some friends, right? Go find someone and strike up a conversation.
	♦ 4. Feeling a little crafty? Maybe you could make a quick yuan. Sell information for money or do a little threatening. ♦ 5. Vines. Vines everywhere! They're like the heads of a hydra. What are you going to do about the vines that just invaded your apartment? ♦ 6. Triads, Equalists... thugs in general. Welcome to the aftermath of losing a fight. Are you gonna go find a healer or are you gonna tough it out?
	♣ 7. You've got a job. What is it? How are you going to get customers? You better get some soon. More customers equals more money. ♣ 8. You're a bender, right? Then you better practice it. What's that? Oh, a non-bender? You can still find a partner to spar with, right? ♣ 9. It's late. Have a drink at the pub! Get to know one another. Let it all flow freely!
	♠ 10. Yeah! You've got a driver's license! Everyone else better watch out... ♠ 11. Entertainment's just rolled on into the city! Watch the ostrich-horses race or the acrobats perform. Or maybe you're one of them! ♠ 12. It's a long line at whatever vendor you're at. Make small talk with nearby civilians or try and haggle the vendor down to a better price.
	• Make up your own scenario!

Useful Links
Application | Calendar | FAQ | Powers | Reserves

Comments

[lordhotman]

I've been walking around the city, and there are statues of my friends everywhere.

[He's not sure if he should be amazed or disturbed.]

I heard that Aang and I founded this city, and that I'm... still alive.

[teaspirited]

I've seen some of those statues. Aang's statue has a museum under it with a lot of information, if you've been there.

[He's not entirely surprised that Zuko's still alive in this time, but this opens up some unusual possibilities that really shouldn't be possible.]

It might be best to exercise caution if you think you might meet... yourself. I can't say I have experience in such matters, but there is no telling what could happen. Not that I think you would bring yourself any harm.

[lordhotman]

I've seen it from the bay, but I haven't been there yet.

[Iroh's words about his older self is a little disturbing but it makes sense. He hadn't even thought of the idea that something bad could happen upon meeting his future self.]

I'll be careful, uncle.

[teaspirited]

[No matter what age he found Zuko here, he'd always be on the lookout for his best interests. He was maybe a little concerned if some future enemy they knew nothing of saw Zuko with his older self, they might put things together and get ideas. He knew his nephew could take care of himself, but he didn't have any royal guard here to assist, and Iroh couldn't rightly attach himself permanently to his side.]

That is all I can ask. Now, let's see if we can find that tea shop.

[lordhotman]

[Zuko nods and follows his uncle with that small, content smile of his. Even in a weird place like this, it could feel like home with his family and friends around him. So long as his uncle is there, he feels a lot more at ease.]

[teaspirited]

[It took a while and some directions from a beat cop that was walking through the park until he found the shop. He wondered vaguely if they took Earth Kingdom currency. If not, he would be more than happy to work off whatever was owed. If they were hiring, he wouldn't mind working here in the least. It was a cozy little shop, about the size of Pao's back in Ba Sing Se, but it was nicer and had more of a warm, home-y vibe. All it was missing was a Pai Sho table to be perfect.]

This is more like it.

[lordhotman]

[Following after his uncle, Zuko pauses when they reach the shop and looks around. He doesn't look nearly as impressed as the older man.]

It's just a little run down shop like back in the Lower Ring. There are better places, Uncle.

[Maybe he's been spoiled by the Jasmine Dragon and his own royal living. Or maybe he remembers how terrible the tea was a Pao's place. Either way, he knows they can do better than this.]

[teaspirited]

Haven't I told you that not everything is always as it seems? Perhaps that is how it looks, but you cannot judge a tea shop until you have tried their tea.

[Shh Zuko shh, Uncle will take you to a better place when he has money again. He takes a seat at an empty table near the door and waves to the one opposite him. But if Zuko pushes the matter, he'll follow him out the door.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko sighs in a relenting manner and follows his uncle into the shop, sitting down across from him at the table. If he insists on giving it a try, that's fine. But maybe he will be the one to take his Uncle to a better place later. When he actually finds one. Oh and gets some money himself. He had to get use to the idea of being penniless again.

Eventually someone comes over to take their order, and Zuko decides to have whatever his Uncle is having. He can take a pretty good guess at what that might be.]

[teaspirited]

[You better believe you know it.]

Jasmine, please.

[He'll wait until after their tea has arrived to bring up any deep questions regarding their situation so they don't get more weird looks or interrupted.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko keeps the scarred side of his face turned away for the most part, not making eye contact with the server.

When they get their tea, he then looks back to his uncle. Not touching his own steaming cup for the moment.]

Uncle, do you know anything about how we got here?

[He keeps his voice down of course, not really wanting to be overheard.]

[teaspirited]

[On the other hand, Iroh thanks their server and takes a moment to taste his tea before speaking. It's not bad, but there's still something left to be desired. He's more than happy to keep his voice low, leaning slightly over the table.]

I do not, but there must be a reason. Nothing happens without a reason.

[lordhotman]

I know, but this shouldn't be possible!

[Zuko hisses this back over the table.]

We're not supposed to be here!

[Traveling to the future like this? It's just crazy! He has a freaking statue in the middle of the city for crying out loud.]

[teaspirited]

I know we aren't, and getting agitated over our situation won't solve anything. We should try to keep a low profile, like we did when we were traveling through the Earth Kingdom.

[Remember that? That was loads of fun.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko sighs and sits back in his chair with arms folded and a bit of a pout on his face. He knows his Uncle is right, but its hard not to get agitated over something like this. Sometimes he doesn't know how his Uncle can stay so calm.

But at the mention of the Earth Kingdom, Zuko looks back at Iroh with a blink. Oh yes he remembers that.]

I guess you're right.

[teaspirited]

[Wisdom and patience, nephew. Give it time. But before speaking again, more tea.]

I know it won't be easy, but we must be patient.

[lordhotman]

Patient for what? What are we waiting for, Uncle?

[They don't know anything about how they arrived here. How would waiting even help? They just couldn't sit around and do nothing. Right?]

[teaspirited]

For the answers to our questions. How are we here and why, for a start. [And because he can smell the retort coming from a mile off, he quickly adds:] I'm not suggesting we sit around and do nothing all the time, but we need to be careful who we ask. And running around every day isn't the right way to go about things either. If there's anyone we should find first, it's the current Avatar. They may know more about what has happened.

[Which he's heard is someone new, but details are very fuzzy. It's definitely someone of Water Tribe heritage though, that much he knows in relation to the cycle.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko opened his mouth with an oncoming retort, but Iroh swiftly cut him off with an answer to his unspoken question. So he closed it again. Falling into thoughtful silence, Zuko looked off to the side as he considered this. It seemed like a reasonable plan. Surely the Avatar here had to know something.]

Okay. But how are we going to find them?

[He's pretty sure that's easier said than done in a big city like this. If they're even in the city at all.]

[teaspirited]

If we can find out who the Avatar is first, then we can try asking where to find them. It's too bad we don't know any friends in this city to make things easier.

[He paused for a moment. ...Or do they? Maybe there was some future continuation of the Order. All he needed was a Pai Sho table with someone waiting behind it to find out.]

We'll find a way.

[lordhotman]

[Zuko nodded in resignation. It didn't seem like there was much of anything else they could do, right?]

And what are we supposed to do until then? We don't really have any money.

[Zuko had learned rather quickly that he didn't have his money on him when he came here. He had left it all with his things and Appa.]

[teaspirited]

[Iroh stopped to think for a minute. He didn't have any money either, all of it back in the Jasmine Dragon. There only seemed to be one person working in the shop, ferrying tea and pastries back and forth between the kitchen and small dining room.

Hm...]

The money problem is easily solved, and at the same time, it will give us something to do when we aren't looking for answers.

[Do you know what he's suggesting, Zuko, with that crafty smile slowly forming on his face? This time he won't speak for his nephew, but Iroh would love it if he'd join him.]

[lordhotman]

[At first, Zuko doesn't get it. He just blinks at his Uncle. How is this easily solved? What is he talking about?

And then he sees that crafty smile, and Zuko's gaze shifts back out to the tea shop they're in. Oh. He should have figured as much.]

You can't be serious.

[But he knows he is. Zuko didn't mind working in the Jasmine Dragon with his Uncle, but that doesn't mean he's looking forward to working in this little hole in the wall either. But... desperate times call for desperate measures, and it would give them a source of income. Still, there's a long suffering sigh from Iroh's nephew as he relents.]

All right.