Welcome to Republic City!

[cyclicalitymods]

It was a bright and sunny normal day in Republic City. Children were playing, spirits were chirping about, and everything was going along like normal. Well at least that's what everyone seemed to think. That is until so many people seemed to be appearing out of nowhere. For some reason Republic City seemed to be more lively and the crowds bigger.

The spirits have grown restless as if something important was about to change, and to try to fix that change, the spirits with their big long tree like limbs dragged people into the world left and right. Even the vines covering Republic City seemed to help. Although the spirits had the best intentions in mind, some people were more affected by the grab than others. There's talk that people in this city don't even know what this place is. People who have never heard of the words "bender" or "non-bender."

Welcome to Republic City! And to those who already live here: Happy Saturday. Please make yourselves at home and don't mind a little spirit gunk. It's mostly harmless. Go enjoy yourself a classic mover. Maybe you're the athletic type. If that's the case, come watch a few Pro-bending matches or form your own team. Just watch out for any Satomobiles. They can be deadly no matter how pretty the driver is.

Please remember to enjoy your stay and don't cause too much trouble. The Republic City Police don't need more riffraff to take care of. And don't stray too far. To make the the peace is kept, there's a huge spirit barrier around the perimeter of the city. It seems pretty strong, but it won't be able to last forever. Still, it's worrying. Radio signals and telegraphs don't seem to be getting past it.

[ OOC: The game is officially open! From this point on, feel free to make any posts you want or tag into this. Please remember to tag your posts with Canon: Character. Finally, although the game has no real network, you're free to respond with prose or brackets, whatever you're comfortable with. With that said, have fun! ]

Comments

[wolfstrike]

A.

For Yuri this is just another day in the life of a poor guy in Republic City. While he had been pulled here with a bunch of other people, his memories had been altered and he believes to have lived in this world his entire life. Though not exactly long in Republic City, but he was starting to get pretty comfortable with this place.

Today he's just walking along, minding his own business. And some might notice that he's not at all afraid to show that he has a weapon in public. The long fancy katana dangling by a strap from his left hand as he went, or he let it rest casually on his shoulder.

Beside him is a... very interesting looking dog. Repede following his master's side with that pipe clutched between his teeth. They're quite the interesting looking pair.

B.

After having completed a job and getting a bit of money, Yuri decided to treat himself at one of the local pubs. He's not exactly a heavy drinker, and just goes for the heck of it when he feels like it. So he's casually sitting in a chair with his drink and a bit of food he had ordered. Repede is waiting outside as people don't really take kindly to animals inside their establishments.

He's just keeping to himself, but he wouldn't mind a bit of company if someone decided to join him.

B...ish

[redcladidealist]

Okay, so Colette's the one who's more likely to go up to random dogs and try to pet them. That doesn't mean Lloyd can't like dogs, too. He's really just passing by the pub when he sees Repede sitting there. Waiting. All by himself. Maybe a little lonely, which Lloyd can empathize with completely. Being stuck in an unfamiliar city can do that to you.

Never mind what the dog looks like. Lloyd has a skewed sense of what a normal dog looks like anyway.

"Hey there, buddy," he says, tone friendly as he approaches with open hands. "You out here waiting for someone?" What? Dogs are smart! Of course he expects to be understood, on a base level if nothing else.

[wolfstrike]

Dogs are totally smart, especially this dog. Repede looks over at Lloyd as he approaches, seemingly unimpressed, but at least tolerating him. He woofs at him in reply, as if he trying to talk to him but unable to cause well... he's a dog. He definitely understands what Lloyd is saying though.

He then tilts his head, as if motioning towards the pub. His partner is inside, and he's just waiting out here for him to come back out.

[redcladidealist]

Tolerating is good. Tolerating means Lloyd will take the risk of holding his gloved hands close enough for Repede to sniff. And if the tolerating continues, he will scratch the dog's neck, all the way up to that spot around his ears that never fails to make Noishe melt whenever Lloyd scratches there.

"He's inside, huh?" Reading Repede's body language isn't that much different from reading his own dog's. Granted, he doesn't always know what Noishe is thinking, but he feels like this one's a pretty safe guess. "Think he'll be in there long? Or she?"

He's got no reason to meet the dog's owner, but then, he's got no reason not to. He figures he'll just play it by ear.

[wolfstrike]

The hand to sniff he is okay with. But when Lloyd reaches out his hand to scratch him, Repede gets to his feet and moves a couple paces away. He then sits down again and yawns widely. Sorry dude, he's not that kind of dog, at least not with guys he doesn't know. No offense or anything.

"Repede doesn't really like strangers."

This said from behind Lloyd, from a man who is leaning against the entryway to the pub.

[redcladidealist]

There's a flash of disappointment when Repede rejects the neck scratching, but really, Lloyd understands that not all dogs are as friendly as that. Not unless your name is Colette, but he has no idea how she manages that.

He drops his hand, though he doesn't have long to ponder his next move before someone speaks up behind him. Startled, he blinks, turning his head to look behind him at the guy who's standing there. A quick impression of dark clothes, wiry build, a katana - mercenary, maybe? Or just a traveler like Lloyd who knows better than to travel unarmed?

Either way, that's not what Lloyd responds to first. "Oh, is this your dog?"

[wolfstrike]

Repede retains his aloofness as Yuri appears, merely giving his partner a glance. Yuri grins with some amusement at Lloyd, and stands up from where he was leaning against the wall. He approaches, tilting his head with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, he's with me. You like dogs, huh?"

Not that Yuri can blame him. He prefers dogs over cats any day.

[redcladidealist]

Lloyd straightens up, too, turning his whole body now so he can face the other guy. He smiles, just shy of a grin. "Yeah. I have a dog, too. Well, not with me - I left him with my Dad - but you know what I mean. What's your dog's name?"

If dogs could talk, he probably would have asked Repede for his name earlier, but since that's not the case, this is the next best thing.

"Mine's Lloyd Irving."

[wolfstrike]

The dog actually chimes in with his own bark when Lloyd asks for his name and introduces himself.

"Repede," he tells the guy again. Figuring he probably just hadn't heard him the first time.

And then Repede gives another series of barks.

"Good to meet you. I'm his partner, Yuri. Yuri Lowell."

It's almost like Yuri is translating what the dog is saying. And wow this guy sure wears a lot of red.

B

[windfire_donuts]

It's the dog that caught his attention. A very unusual-looking dog, to be sure, especially since it doesn't appear to be a combination of animals. The fact that it has a pipe clenched in its jaws did nothing to shake the sheer strangeness of the creature.

Nezha knelt to investigate the animal, careful to stay a far enough distance away to avoid getting bitten should the dog be unfriendly. He'd left his spear at home, after all, and while he was confident in his firebending, the weapon was a comforting weight to carry, and being without it put a slight damper on his willingness to jump into conflict. But only very slight.

"You're a strange animal."

[wolfstrike]

Repede noticed this guy right away. After all, there's no getting past a dog's nose. So he knows about Nezha even before he walks up to him. An approaching scent from among many that were passing. Thus his one good eye peeks open and he lifts his head to look up at him, before sitting up from where he was laying down.

While Nezha might be armed, the dog actually is. There's a dagger in a holster that's strapped around Repede's shoulder. Yeah, he's definitely not your average dog here.

The comment is replied to with an indignant woof. Hey buddy, you're pretty strange yourself.

[windfire_donuts]

Could he understand, he'd ask the dog to elaborate. But since he's only human, he simply cracks a grin.

"Are you a spirit?" Because that obviously makes more sense than... whatever other explanation the dog might have. There's all sorts of odd spirits hanging around, and while Repede certainly struck him as odd, he was positively mundane compared to some of the others.

[wolfstrike]

Again the dog woofs in reply. Nezha might not be able to understand him, but Repede definitely know's what he's saying.

"Definitely not a spirit," comes a voice from behind Nezha. From a guy with long back hair and a little bit of a smirk on his face as he leans against the doorway of the pub.

[windfire_donuts]

Nezha looked up at the stranger from his kneeling position. The creature's owner, perhaps?

"Is he yours? He's a very odd creature." The teen asked as he straightened up, brushing his clothes off as he stood.

[wolfstrike]

Repede again woofs indignantly as he's referred to as odd, and Yuri grins a little at his partner's reaction.

"Hey, show a little respect. He's got feelings too you know."

Yuri then walks over, the dog standing as he did so.

"Yeah, he's with me."

[windfire_donuts]

Sorry if he's not quite convinced of the sentience of Yuri's pet just yet.

"What is he?" Sorry, Yuri, you're less interesting than your dog.

[wolfstrike]

So... this guy really doesn't know what a dog is? It's not like they're all that rare. He's seen dogs in Ba Sing Se all the time.

Repede does a series of growls and barks. Not at all aggressive. Just Repede's way of talking.

"Repede is Repede," Yuri replies.

[lufthansa]

It's nearing evening when Albert unceremoniously slides into a seat at another table across from Yuri in the crowded bar. He's got a beer and a deep frown, deeper than usual, and the aura of someone who just wants to be left alone and drown his frustrations in peace. He doesn't notice Yuri, or if he does he says nothing, even if that dog out font had looked somewhat familiar. Albert's too busy being stressed and done with people, but he can't even go home at the moment, not with so many of these... what are they, tourists? Displaced? Foreigners? What does he even call them?

Either way they're clogging the streets, making it impossible to drive his truck virtually anywhere.

[wolfstrike]

While in the middle of drinking his own beer, Yuri sideglances as he catches something out of the corner of his eye. A man moving past his table and then sitting down at one nearby. A very familiar looking man. It looks like he's seen better days too.

"Man, this place brings in all types."

Yuri is now waltzing over to Albert's table, and plops himself down in the chair across from him. Taking another swig from his beer mug while he's at it.

[lufthansa]

The voice is familiar and though Albert's first instinct with the mood he's in is to tell whoever it belongs to to shove off, instead he looks to see who it is first. And blinks.

"Yuri?"

That is not who he expected to see at all.

"What are you doing here?!"

[wolfstrike]

That's a really good question actually. He should be back in Ba Sing Se, where he's been his entire life. But things kinda happened there.

"Havin' a beer."

He says this while holding up the mug and then placing it down on the table.

"It's good to see you too, Al. So you managed to get out, huh?"

He had heard rumors, but nobody could ever really confirm if Albert really made it out in one piece or not.

[lufthansa]

Same laconic Yuri. It used to irritate him a bit way back when but right now it's more like a balm to soothe his frayed nerves.

Until he brings up the escape.

Albert looks down into his own beer without expression.

"Yeah."

Not all in one piece, and fully alone. He doesn't like thinking about it but he knows it's inevitable he's going to have to explain to Yuri. He'll want to know. But he can't bring himself to do it voluntarily.

[wolfstrike]

Yeah... Al here isn't exactly like Yuri remembered him, and he watches the guy for a moment with a quizzical expression.

"Sooo... where's that pretty girl of yours?"

[lufthansa]

Albert's silent for a long time, seeming intent on finishing his beer before answering Yuri's question, if he ever heard the question. He doesn't give any indication either way, not until the mug is set down and he stares into its mostly empty contents as if he could divine some sort of meaning from the amber liquid.

It hurt to think about, and he always thought about it on some level, her ghost lurking quietly in the back of his mind where he holds her memory safe, the only part of her he could keep safe and sound.

"She didn't make it."

He finishes the rest of the beer in one pull and orders another.

[wolfstrike]

There was a slow blink as Yuri took in those words. And suddenly his expression turned more serious and solemn. Lifting a hand, he rubbed at the back of his head. That hadn't really been what he'd been expecting.

"Damn."

There's a bit of an unspoken apology there. He didn't know. But Yuri also knows that words like 'I'm sorry' and such didn't really help, so he didn't say them. But there's a definite sadness there. He had liked Al's fiance. She was a nice lady, and they'd always gotten along.