An Offer that Can't be Refused (Zuka)

[Neva]

September 2nd

8:50 PM

Okay, you’ve got this. There is nothing to worry about, it’s just a meeting.

Neva took a deep breath as she made her way down the street. After running into Zuka on the street (literally), the girl found herself with a job offer and an invitation to a high end club owned by her now acquaintance. It was safe to say that out of all the situations Neva had ended up in over the years, this was one of the strangest. She’d spent the rest of her day wandering about the district, asking a few people that made conversation with her about the club. The answers she’d gotten supplied her with enough information to confirm her vague ideas about the place. They weren’t bad ideas, not at all, but she couldn’t say that she wasn’t intimidated.

She returned home with two hours to spare, and tore through her closet until she could find something presentable to wear. Neva hadn’t brought many formal clothes with her to Republic City, since coming was an in the moment decision. Her lack of income hadn’t allowed her to buy anything expensive either. But Neva had managed to pull out one outfit, a clearly Water Tribe distinction, and made it work for the occasion. Even though she felt out of place, she wasn’t about to back out from the invitation, her curiosity and adventurous streak getting the best of her. With half an hour left she made her way to the Golden Phoenix District, keeping her pace relaxed and trying not to rush.

By the time she made it close to The Blue Dragon she was ten minutes early, but Neva was always one to be ahead rather than behind schedule. Stopping on the sidewalk she peered at the club, seeing a few people go inside. Luckily for her this wasn’t like downtown, so if she stood alone like this no triad member would think about trying to grab her, stealthily or obviously. Her nerves started to get to her again as the feeling that she didn’t belong crept up her spine once more. She took a deep breath, brushing her hair over her shoulders.

You’re being ridiculous, Neva. Absolutely ridiculous. Don’t keep Zuka waiting.

Sure, The Blue Dragon seemed to be for the rich and Neva wasn’t even close to that. But she was invited, and while she might get stares...oh it didn’t matter. Considering it was Zuka who had offered her a job, that didn’t seem like a good idea to be late. Pushing back her nerves Neva entered the club, forcing her step to not be hesitant. Once inside she looked around; the club was well decorated, definitely well maintained, and Neva was impressed. That was better than being nervous, she supposed. Not sure whether to take a seat or walk around, Neva walked a little further into the room to get a better view of the place and to not awkwardly hang by the door. As she looked around she kept her eyes open for Zuka; the woman seemed like she had a busy schedule when she left in the afternoon, and Neva wasn’t sure if she was there yet.

[Zuka]

Zuka was indeed there only she was caught up in her manager duties to the club. A lot of people asked her why she didn’t hire someone to run the club for her and while it would clear up a lot of time and headache for her the truth was, Zuka liked it. She liked being here, she liked knowing that this was something she had built and to be frank..she didn’t trust the club in someone elses hands. It was a pride thing and that was a good enough reason. The Dragon was her baby and if something happened to it at least she would know that it would have been by her doing than someone elses.

Once she left Neva earlier that afternoon she had returned to the club for some business, handled things there and then went home for a few short hours to shower and change into something more proper for the night ahead. Zuka arrived back at the Dragon in a deep purple dress, and her hair pinned up and go right to work, making sure the band was ready, that their entertainment was on time, dinner preperations were running smoothly, the bar was covered, the cash till was full..all the usual things and once 8 rolled around she was starting her walk through the crowds and visiting tables, making sure everyone was enjoying their evening. Zuka made sure to pay special attention to the judge and other high ranking officials that were there tonight, as it could never hurt to have more in her back pocket just in case.

As it got closer to nine Zuka kept her eye on the door, wondering if Neva would actually show. She did sort of throw a lot at the girl earlier and if she didn’t then well, that would be the end of it but if she did then that showed innative, drive…it was a test of sorts. When she spotted the familiar face enter the club and look around lost Zuka smirked a little bit, seemed like her hunch about the girl had been right. Excusing herself from the table she had been chatting with Zuka made her way to the front entrance and greeted her new friend. ”Neva, I’m glad you could make it.”

[Neva]

At hearing her name, Neva turned her head and was inwardly relieved to see the woman who had invited her to the club. Seeing how Zuka was dressed made her feel like she didn’t stick out as much as she had thought before; Neva maybe didn’t quite blend in but her outfit was enough to suffice. A small smile came onto her face and she clasped her hands in front of her. “I found my way. It’s good to see you again.”

It really was; she had liked being in Zuka’s company before and she didn’t regret coming tonight. Maybe she’d get to know more about the mysterious girl, and that curiosity was enough to make her stay. Looking around the Dragon once more, she then said, “Really nice place you’ve got here.”

That was a genuine comment, and not one of pure flattery. Neva couldn’t help but admire the club, with such a huge crowd that it was no wonder she couldn’t pick out Zuka immediately. It was loud, but not in the way that she was used to hearing. This was just the sound of music and conversation, not yelling and threatening of fights that usually filled the room. The Dragon was calmer, and yet livelier, and she liked the atmosphere a lot more than anywhere she’d been, or worked in the past.

[Zuka]

"I'm glad you like it" even if Zuka knew that her club was a hot spot in the city it was still nice to hear it from other people. A lot of hard work, sweat and tears went into making the club happen so it made her swell with pride when people talked highly of it. Taking a moment to look behind her Zuka beckoned one of her doormen over to take Nevas things if she came with a coat and purse. Once that was taken care of she gently linked her arm with Nevas and began to show her around, weaving between tables and pointing out various people of interest until they reached a reserved table in the center and near the back, close enough to still see the stage but far enough to not to right in the middle of everything.

"Take a seat" Zuka said as she dropped arms and slid into the booth and waited for her guest to do the same. As soon as the two women were settled a waitress in a mid length blue silk uniform steeped forward to take their drink order. Zuka ordered her usual glass of torch, neat and the waitress turned to Neva and waited for her decision.

(meh)

[Neva]

As she walked around with Zuka, Neva nodded as the girl pointed out some of the notable figures present in the Dragon. The woman clearly had an array of important people in her reach, people that she could ask favors, Neva imagined. She’d learned certain things about the triads, and understood the basic operations. She slid into her seat at Zuka’s request, and it felt like she had only blinked and then a waitress appeared at the table.

It wasn’t often that Neva did much drinking, which was peculiar for someone who worked with liquor. She’d never seen the appeal in it, and decided it was simply a social action that didn’t really need a reason. Of course, watching others drink themselves under the table dissuaded her desire to drink herself; what enjoyment people found in being impaired she couldn’t grasp. Even still, she wasn’t completely opposed to it. Neva chose a lighter drink; perhaps it was silly but she wasn’t one for the strong stuff.

When that was over she turned to Zuka with a half smile, “I hope you didn’t have to change your plans for me. Looks like you’re always busy.”

[Zuka]

“I hope you didn’t have to change your plans for me. Looks like you’re always busy.”

She waved it off "One thing you'll come realize about me..I always keep myself busy with something or another" she knew that probably wasn't exactly what Neva wanted to hear but it was true, Zuka was always doing something "but, I am never too busy to help a friend. New or old." Hopefully that put her mind as ease. Seconds later the waitress was returning with their drinks and set them in front of each woman before disappearing again as soon as she was sure nothing else was needed.

Zuka picked up her glass and took a small sip before turning slightly so she could speak to Neva "I do have to say, I am rather surprised you decided to come tonight. I have been told I can come off as a little strong but, I've learned that in my line of work you have to take opportunities as they present themselves. If you wait too long someone else will come along and snatch them up..so, I tend to work fast."

another sip "but, I think I can take you being here as a good sign."

[Neva]

It wasn’t surprising to hear that Zuka was always busy; Neva had the impression that she made sure to keep herself occupied with something or another. But she also seemed like a good person despite that, the type that would lend a hand if needed. At least, that was Neva’s experience so far. She gave a nod at Zuka’s words with a small smile, though she didn’t expect to be considered a friend so quickly. Perhaps she wasn’t yet, and it was just a possibility. She shoved that debate aside as Zuka began to talk to her.

“Well, you are a little intimidating,” Neva said honestly, though not hesitatingly, “which is probably a good thing if you run something like this.” Or since she was involved with the triads, but Neva didn’t bring that up. It was messy business, and unless Zuka wanted that as a topic of discussion, Neva wouldn’t mention what she had figured out earlier in the day; not that it had been too difficult of a discovery to make.

Neva set her hand on her glass, tracing the rim as she continued, “But that’s not really why I came. When you struggle to make ends meet for a few years and suddenly someone offers you a job, it’s not exactly a smart idea to say no. That’s not a chance that drops out of the sky every day.”

[Zuka]

Zuka smirked slightly when Neva said that she thought she was intimidating but she didn't go any further into the subject. The other woman was right though, you had to be tough and intimidating in this kind of business if you werent'...well then people would walk all over you and take what was yours, they still tried to even after all this time which was something she would have to tell Neva. Even if the Blue Dragon was a step up from the Monsoon owned bars along the docks it still had its fair share of crime and unsavory business..just of a different caliber.

But, that could come later.

Neva seemed to have her mind made up already, she wouldn't have come all this way otherwise but there was still much she wanted to know about this girl. Taking a sip from her glass Zuka set it aside for a moment and looked across the table "So tell me a little about yourself. Where do you come from, what brought you to Republic City?" There were two kinds of people that came to Republic City..those looking for a new start or those running from something and she wondered which one Neva was.

[Neva]

Anyone that knew Neva well would have been able to pick up the slight change in her demeanor, but she was quick to take a sip of her drink to hide it.

“What brought you to Republic City?”

It wasn’t the first time someone had asked her that question, but it still sent a shiver down her spine to remember why she had come. What had transpired here years before should have acted as a deterrent and kept her away from the city. Remembering her brother’s face, the betrayal in the way he’d looked at her while knowing it was he who had betrayed them all still felt like a fresh wound in her heart. If she wasn’t so good at shielding that part from the public eye, she would have shuddered at the memory.

“I grew up in the Northern Water Tribe,” Neva said once she had set her glass down. “I lived there for most of my life, then did a little travelling with my father. We came here once, and that’s how I found out about the city.”

Those had been the good days, and she smiled a little at the thought of it. Khuno had never been an unhappy man, but at sea he was in the best of spirits. That had been a valuable learning experience as well as some adventures that she would always call to mind when things got tough. “But then I came to be of the marrying age, and I wasn’t really one for settling down that young. I avoided it for a while and eventually I left to escape being engaged to anyone, and I ended up coming back here.”

There were many things left out, many holes in the story, but Neva glossed over them often. Sometimes it was easier to pretend that none of it had ever happened and she really was still avoiding betrothal. If Zuka knew the truth, or rather the unsaid facts, Neva wasn’t sure what her reaction would be.

[Zuka]

Being in control of the gambling in the city has given her a lot of insights. Zuka had become very good at reading people, she could tell when someone was holding back and not showing their hand and Neva had not laid all of her cards on the table. The girl was hiding something but..then again, who was she to judge.

"I came here with my father too, we would visit often and I feel in love. This city has a way about it"

Republic City had felt more like home than home did, it was much more welcoming than the Fire Nation had ever been. Even if Zuka did occasionally have homesickness it was a fleeting emotion, all she had to do was remind herself of what she had left and the feeling quickly passed. "It's a place full of freedom, opportunity and power if you're ambitious enough but also dangerous and cruel for those unprepared." Another drink and a moment before her next question "how did you end up working in Triad territory? The docks can be a difficult place and have a terrible reputation, the bar could not have been easy, there must have been better places." Zuka did not want this girl to lay her life story out on the table, that would be asking too much but she did want to know more about her. Had she been working with the Red Monsoons? Did she owe them money? Was she an addict? These were things she needed to know.

[Neva]

Neva held in her surprise at Zuka having also been introduced to Republic City by her father. She hadn’t thought that the two of them had anything in common whatsoever. Considering the different positions they were in, it had felt right to assume that they were totally opposite people. But there was only so much she knew about Zuka, and that was very little. Hearing that they shared at least one similar aspect of themselves made the whole night feel more realistic. “It does, though I can’t place exactly why.”

"It's a place full of freedom, opportunity and power if you're ambitious enough but also dangerous and cruel for those unprepared."

Don’t I know that. When she had first come to Republic City she had felt like there was every chance for her. So much to see, so much to do; it had been a maze of dazzling lights and nontraditional excitement that had kept her awake for days. Of course, then the reality of the place had set in, and she became exposed to what was behind that golden glow that had blinded her and made her foolish.

At Zuka’s next question, Neva resisted a shrug. It must have seemed so odd that someone like herself had worked down at the docks. It wasn’t where Neva had imagined herself, either, but she hadn’t ever imagined her life to be was it was now. “My father knows many people around the area, so I don’t get confronted nearly as much as I should, and they offered me work. They’re pretty accepting of me, and if some people aren’t I can fend for myself.”

[Zuka]

Zuka had learned many skills since she left her gilded cage that was her home, each of them had their uses, some more than others but one of the most useful was knowing when someone was bluffing. Having the claim on the gambling in the city gave a woman a certain insight and she knew when someone was not showing all their cards. Neva was hiding something and whatever it was Zuka could only guess but judging by how she spoke about her family she had her suspicions.

"What kind of work is your father in, may I ask?"

If he was that predominant in the city that people kept their distance from his daughter it would be in her best interest to find out everything she could about him. Was he a member of the Red Monsoons? It would make sense if he was but it would also put Neva in the middle of things if that was true and could ruin her and the Monsoons working relationship.

(meh)

[Neva]

They were beating around the real questions, Neva knew that. It was strange that people didn’t confront her more often in such an area, and that mention of her father usually cleared up any problems. A believable explanation would be that her father played a part in the triad dealings; it was a question that Neva had wondered herself after noticing how freely she was welcomed. In all truth, Neva hoped that he was an oblivious benefactor rather than knowingly dealing with the Monsoons.

Even still, Zuka had every right to be suspicious; she was certainly not the first person who had been. There was nothing that Neva had against keeping the conversation casual, but she preferred to get to the point rather than dance around the question.

“He’s a sailor. Imports, exports, that kind of thing.” Nothing too interesting, she sounded as though she was waving away the answer. After a momentary pause, however, she added, the shrug that she didn’t visibly display present in her tone. “Whether he works with the triads or not is beyond my knowledge. I never asked.”

Sure, she had travelled with him before, but she’d never questioned what was inside the crates or what cargo they were carrying. That seemed like a small detail, almost an unimportant one, when she had all the world to see. Neva sipped her drink and paused in bringing it down from her mouth as she held it in the air and continued, “I like to think that he’s well known instead of involved in that sort of business. He’s a good man, and I can’t imagine him taking part in something like that.”

[Zuka]

Now they were getting somewhere. Generally speaking anyone that was a sailor in the city worked with the Red Monsoons on some level, if her father had managed to escape that it was a miracle from the gods because not many were that lucky. Neva didn't seem to care for that sort of thing, funny considering who she was sitting across from. Zuka took a moment to take a drink from her glass as her eyes scanned around the room to give a quick check on things. Even if she wanted to she could never turn off the business part of her, she always had to make sure things were going smooth and as planned.

"What are your thoughts on the Triads?" She asked while sitting back slightly and relaxing. This was not a trick question and she wasn't going to do anything if she didn't get an answer she liked but since they were on the topic Zuka wanted to know for her own benefit. You couldn't do anything with a person that was against her chosen line of work and it was better to figure out where Neva stood on that now before trying to push the subject later.

[Neva]

“Well…” To be honest, or to be open minded? She wasn’t sure if Zuka had caught on that Neva had figured out who she was or not. Then again, she was probably used to people knowing exactly who she was. This was probably to settle the triad leader’s curiosity, if she even had an interest into what a simple civilian thought. Neva doubted that being truthful would get her into any serious trouble; Zuka didn’t seem like the kind of person that would have her ambushed just for saying how she felt.

“My experience with the triads hasn’t been anything pleasant.” That was the bare minimum of describing what they had done. She’d lost count how many times a triad had trashed her workplace or threatened the owners for senseless reasons. Thinking about the days she had had to step in and help defend someone or diffuse an argument caused her to narrow her eyes as she spoke. “I’ve watched innocent people be tormented and get caught in the line of fire. It’s all just senseless violence to me, and for what? Money, territory?”

Neva sighed, “It’s tiring to have to walk down the street and watch your back all the time, wondering if you’re going to be targeted next. Wondering if you’re going to have to step in before someone gets hurt.” Because really, that was all it felt like anymore; having to keep looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t about to be cornered. There was a constant war within the city, and sporadic fighting that could put anyone in the wrong place at the wrong time. She’d be lying if she said that she felt completely safe, because no one really was.

She lifted her gaze and looked to Zuka, “As far as I’ve been exposed to it, they cause more destruction than good. So I can’t say that I have a high opinion of them.”