rctimes | Test Drive Meme

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!test drive meme

Test Drive Meme

	♥ 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!

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Then that makes two of us. I do not judge a man by the contents of his glass, but by the contents of his character. [Yeah, he noticed that nervous look at the wine.

Then he gestures to the board.]

Would you like the first move?

[That seems to settle him down somewhat, though...this can't possibly be REAL, right? A real thing that's happening? Can it?]

I wouldn't dream of it, you take the first move. If memory serves I'm going to need any advantage I can get.

If you insist, it would be my honor.

[He couldn't help laughing a little as he collected his tiles to set them up on the board. No White Lotus code shenanigans here, even if he did carry that particular tile around with him everywhere. Just a friendly game today, but he'd play to win.]

[It was a good move. The perfect choice for a master player to deploy right out of the gate. Seemingly innocuous, and yet belying a greater strategy.

Or perhaps Bumi was over thinking this.
He raises a single bushy eyebrow as he considers where his first tile will go, and seems genuinely pleased when he finally makes his decision. He's just about to take a drink from his cup when he realizes he hasn't offered any to his guest.]

Care to join me?

[He gives the small carafe a swirl, indicating there's more than enough wine left for two, should Iroh have any interest in that sort of thing.]

[He studies he board, but looks up early at the question. Iroh considers the offer for a moment, almost refuses politely, but a little won't hurt.]

I am not much of a wine drinker, but perhaps a little tonight will do no harm.

[A minute's careful study of the board and another tile slides out.]

[Bumi, who always has an extra cup on hand, just in case, sets to pouring as Iroh moves.

Only when it's his turn does he ask.]

Do you remember me at all?

[He'll consider his next move as Iroh answers.]

Thank you.

[He bowed his head in thanks as Bumi pours.]

I'm sorry, but I do not. Though I wouldn't mind getting to know you again.

We met many years ago, when I was just a kid. My father, mother and I would come and visit you in Ba Sing Se.

[The narration has no idea how old Iroh is comparison to Bumi's 60 some odd years of age.

Bumi, for his part, carefully chooses the next time to place. It's a risky move, and not one often played, but then...Bumi never did like to play things safe.]

[Ohoho! Such a bold move, and definitely not one he expected to see.]

Ahhh. So you've been to the Jasmine Dragon?

[The pride and joy of his later life, even if it always came second to his nephew and friends. Though he does hope business is doing well there, even if he's assuming he's not around to run the place anymore.

Iroh's next move, however, is built on a favored strategy, keeping closer to defensive positions and waiting to strike at an opportune moment.]

I have! Many times over the years. Always the best brew in the city, if not the Earth Kingdom. I'd say the world, but there was this upstart in the Fire Nation that gave it a run for its money for a while there.

[Bumi smirks at his own joke, but the smirk is short-lived. What with the move Iroh just made.

The calm before the storm, that move is.]</small.

I would be most grateful for competition, knowing someone else in the world feels so passionately for tea to brew it to perfection.

[He finally takes a small sip of wine. Not quite to his liking, but not terrible either. Tea is definitely preferred.]

May I know my host's name after he is done pondering his next move?

[Bumi's brow is furrowed, his face a mask of pure concentration.]

Maybe.

[He says it almost absently.]

But depending on how horribly this next move sets me up, I may give a false name. It might be the only way to hide my shame.

[Here he looks up and offers Iroh a smirk, before looking down again. He picks up a tile, slowly raises it over the board. One might think, by the way he's carrying on, that the tile could up and explode at the slightest mis-jostle. Eventually though, he finds it a home.

A good home. Not the best home by any stretch of the imagination, but...it's decent. Okay, it's not great.

Bumi exhales, bomb defused. He looks up and offers his forearm for clasping in the traditional Water Tribe style.]

Bumi. Commander Bumi.

[The idea of a false name to hide shame over a game of Pai Sho made him laugh. But before even contemplating where to move next, Iroh reaches out to match the greeting, grinning broadly.]

Bumi, you say? That's not a name you hear often, but it's a very good one. I have a good friend that shares your name, and I would imagine it's no coincidence.

[He releases Bumi's arm to consider his next play. Strange tactics after such a bold move before. He finally slides a tile out to continue his defensive line but so a piece from behind can quickly jump in to attack if necessary.

So did my parents, and considering everything.

[He here holds up his hands as if to indicate everything about himself.]

They thought it was a good fit. I've seen pictures of the guy. Not entirely sure how I got his hair, but...here we are.

[Actually, Bumi's fairly certain that the reason his father really remained bald was not to display his tattoo, but because Aang had cowlicks even worse than Bumi's.]

I would say they chose well for you.

[Given some of those Air Nomad beards seen in flashbacks, Bumi may be on to something.

He almost considers not posing a question some may find personal, but something tells him he'll find out at some point anyway. And while he's in this new time, it wouldn't hurt to learn what he could.]

But now that I think about it, there is something familiar about your face. Not in its whole, just features of it. Please forgive my curiosity, but who are your parents, Bumi?

[His eyes are mostly downcast, as if considering the board. That is, of course, until after he answers the question. Hell look up then to catch Iroh's reaction.]

Curiosity is seldom a thing that requires forgiveness. I'm the oldest son of Avatar Aang and Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.

[The surprise crossing his face is faint. He remembers the young love blossoming in front of his shop, not too long ago from his perspective. He chuckles merrily and leans back in his seat.]

I am pleased to hear their love has held strong. But if you're the oldest son, am I right in assuming you have a brother?

[He nods, and smiles a lopsided smile. Rather than playing his next piece, he rolls it along his fingers.]

Tenzin, the resident airbender of the family, and my younger sister Kya is the waterbending master.

It's good to hear the Air Nomads won't die out with Aang. The world would likely have tipped out of balance without them.

It's even better that Tenzin and his wife seem more than happy to repopulate the world themselves. They've got four little ones, and I've no doubt in my mind Pema will talk Tenzin into a fifth if he's not careful.

[Speaking of "careful," Bumi finally decides where this tile is going to go, and it's going to a defensive position to his front line assault.]

So there are six airbenders now? [Yes he's counting the Avatar, even if they're not Aang.

He spends a good minute staring at the board and stroking his beard. Another piece added to his defensive line in case of a flank attempt. Yes, that will do nicely.]

Counting Korra, yeah.

[Bumi begins to eye his cup. There's still some wine left in that, and well...thinking of the Avatar makes him thirsty.]

[He set aside his own cup after a second sip, done with it for the moment.]

I've heard the girl's name mentioned a few times since I arrived. Korra's the new Avatar, isn't she?

[Bumi nods once, drinks, and then wipes his mouth with the back of one hand. Even seventeen years later he still feels the hollow ache left from the loss of his father. Still, when he pulls his hand away there's that smirk again, as if it'd never left his face at all.]

Real spitfire of a girl that one. Of course no one's really surprised by that, she's from the Southern Tribe after all.

[Losing family often leaves an ache that dulls, but never completely fades. Some of the expression he recognizes, but it's quickly gone.

His description of Korra though... She sounded like Aang's opposite, but it made him smile anyway. She likely still had much to learn, but then again, that held true for many people at all sorts of ages. Bumi's remark did get him to laugh.]

If she's got any of your mother's or uncle's fighting spirit, I'm sure the world is still in good hands.

[...That was actually a bit weird to say, especially since he can only picture Katara and Sokka as they were just after the war, still so young with the rest of their lives ahead of them. It was how he last saw them, after all. And suddenly realizing they'd both be older than him in this time (given they were still alive) was a little staggering.]

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