An Offer that Can't be Refused (Zuka)

[Zuka]

Zuka appreciated the honesty. Very few people would be so honest about such a topic in this city and that was a mark in Nevas favor in Zukas book. She let the girl finish and once she had Zuka rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward slightly so she could speak. ”How much do you know about me Neva?” Zuka had a feeling this girl knew more than she put on and she wanted to know how that would affect her work. If she was as against triads as she said how would she feel working for one?

(meeeeeeeeeeeeeh trying to get back into the swing to things)

[Neva]

How much did she know? In reality, not much. Neva had only been going off of clues and hints from her surroundings, putting the pieces together as she went. It must have seemed a little strange; how she said she didn’t like the triads but was fine talking with Zuka. Maybe it even looked contradicting. But there was something different about this scenario than it would have been in any other triad, and so Neva didn’t feel all that threatened. Deep down there was a bit of nervousness, that paranoia of what would happen if she revealed what she knew and thought, but she didn’t feel like she needed to be on her toes that much. She was willing to take her chances this time around.

“I know that you own this place,” Neva said, nodding to their surroundings. “I know that you offered me a job and that you don’t seem like that bad of a person.”

She paused momentarily, then met Zuka’s gaze and continued, “But I also know that you’re a part of the triads. Which, surprisingly, doesn’t bother me the way I would have thought.”

[Zuka]

"If your smart enough to know all of that then you are smart enough to know that you may come across some..delicate things here. Discretion will be required if you choose to stay." While Zuka did not do any of her triad dealings on the main floor of her club she assumed her employees were not stupid. Which is why she made sure they all knew that if they talked to the police against her then there would be consequences. She may not be one of the more violent Triad Bosses but she still had a business to run and a empire to build and had to protect her interest. "If you can live with and honor that then I think you will make a fine addition to this club."

[Neva]

Neva gave a small nod of understanding, though she did not break her gaze with Zuka. Even if she’d never been involved with triad business before, she wasn’t foolish. Crossing a leader only spelled trouble, and Neva had spent most of her life trying to stay out of that. If she really stuck to her instincts, and the knowledge that told her it was best to keep her head down and nose out of the triads, she would have politely declined the offer when it was first given. But Neva had a sense of loyalty that made her willing to keep Zuka’s secrets. If it was any other triad leader talking to her, she knew she would have walked away earlier. But with Zuka, she was willing to make an exception, to the only triad affiliated person who had ever shown her kindness, and see where the path led.

“I think I can manage all of that,” Neva said confidently. “You have my word.”

[Zuka]

“I think I can manage all of that, You have my word.” "Excellent". Zuka said while clapping her hands together "my assistant will be in touch with you tomorrow. She will get you set up with the proper paperwork and uniforms and then you will be ready to start. Welcome to the Blue Dragon" she swept her hands across the room as she finished. She had a good feeling about this girl, Neva would be a good addition to her little family. "But...tonight I want you to enjoy yourself. Eat, drink, dance..whatever you'd like. Zuka snapped her fingers and a waiter who had been standing close by waiting quickly came to the side of the table and grabbed the bottle of liquor that had been chilling in a ice bucket and refilled the womens glasses.

[Neva]

Neva followed the motion Zuka made, taking in the sight of the Blue Dragon. She took in the laughter, the buzz of conversation, the flashes of expensive clothing and jewelry that shone under the lights. Despite the danger that this place could house, Neva couldn’t help but feel enchanted by the club. It was different, exciting, and Neva couldn’t kid herself; happiness bubbled up inside her at this new opportunity. Yesterday she was a girl trying to make ends meet in shady parts of the city, and tomorrow...tomorrow would be different. For the first time in so long, life would take a different course.

“Thank you,” Neva said, turning her gaze back to Zuka with a bright smile. The gratitude was directed at both hiring her and the invitation to enjoy herself for the night. She lifted her glass once the waiter finished refilling her drink, “To new beginnings.”

[Zuka]

Zuka raised her glass to Neva and took a drink. This would be a good fit and if Zuka could get the girl out of the dive bars on the docks then that was enough. Zuka was sure Neva would pay for herself in time, nearly everyone that worked under her had something to offer. Some people had family that worked in the police force or the government, some had ties to other nations which made her able to get deals on certain things that were hard to come by. Everyone had a use and eventually Neva would show hers.

"So, Neva" Zuka decided to pry some more, she didn't like not knowing things about the people around her. Mostly a habit but it was always good to have knowledge in her back pocket if a reason ever came that she would need to use it. "You said you came here to escape home and being tied down but what do you want in life. I know my club is awe inspiring but its hardly a place a young woman such as yourself would strive to be at. What do you want to do?" The girl had to have dreams and aspirations, something she wanted to do besides being a waitress at a nightclub.

[Neva]

It wasn’t a hard question to answer, but Neva knew her response wasn’t exactly concrete. She’d spent so much of her life trying new things and avoiding a life she didn’t want that she never really thought about what she’d do if she became free. It was why she ended up working in bars and shops around Republic City instead of working towards something else. She didn’t like to consider herself lost, since she didn’t feel like she was, but uncertain would be accurate. “I just enjoy living life right now. I wanted to be free for so long that when I finally got to that point I didn’t know where to go from there.”

She took a sip of her drink and then continued, “Originally I thought I’d want to travel but I realized that I didn’t like staying in one place for a short time and then having to pack up and leave it all behind. So what I really want is to find a purpose, you know? I think I’d like to help people somehow. I’m not sure how I can do that yet, but I feel like it’s something I’d enjoy doing.”

Then she shrugged, though with a smile present on her face. “But maybe that’s not what I’m meant to do and there’s something else in store for me. I’m just a girl trying to make a living right now. I’d just like to figure out what I’m here for and follow through with it.”

[Zuka]

Zuka listened to Neva and she chuckled a little. She saw so much of herself in this girl, all she had wanted to do when she left home was to get away. There was no plan, no long term goal it was just get as far away as quickly as possible and once that happened Zuka had no idea where to go from there.

”If there was nothing stopping you and you could help people how would you do that?” She asked while sitting back in her chair and getting more comfortable. If this girl worked out then Zuka could help her in ways, she was generous with a lot of the shop keepers in her territory and Zuka always remembered her friends so if it was in her power to help this girl then she wanted to know what she could do should that time ever come. Of course, Neva would have to prove herself first but it was nice information to have in her back pocket for another time.

“But maybe that’s not what I’m meant to do and there’s something else in store for me. I’m just a girl trying to make a living right now. I’d just like to figure out what I’m here for and follow through with it.”

Zuka reached forward and picked up her glass and went to take another drink before pausing ”take my advice as you will, but figuring things out and waiting to figure things out are two different things. By all means, figure out what you want to do but let nothing hold you back while you do it because, the longer you wait and decide the more and more familiar you will get with what you are doing until you are just..stuck.” As she finished she took her sip and set the glass back.

[Neva]

Neva gave a half smile, unable to hold it back. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to give her some advice, and just as long a time as someone had been genuinely curious about what she wanted to do. It was nice to be able to share what she often thought about with someone else and get their opinion, in some way. She raised a hand and gestured to the crowds of the Dragon, “Based on what I can see I’d say that taking that sort of advice from you is a wise choice.”

She then lowered her arm and traced her finger along the rim of her glass, humming a moment to herself as she thought on Zuka’s question. “With nothing to stop me, huh? If I was a metal bender I probably would have joined the police academy a while ago. But that’s not in my arsenal, so that option is out. Honestly, I’d just want to protect innocent people from the more aggressive Triads. But I also don’t know that I’d want to get involved with the Triads to do such a thing, no offense.”

As much as it may allow her to have more opportunities, it wasn’t worth it to her to get mixed up with the drugs, money, and territory that came with being a member of any Triad. She didn’t want to become them to fight them, and fighting them on her own usually left her outnumbered. It was why she usually didn’t step in until it was impossible for her to turn a blind eye to the wrong being done, and the fight in her overpowered any other thought.

Neva brought her hand back on the table and leaned forwards a little. “If I was back at the North, I think I would have ended up becoming a healer. If I can’t protect people from harm on my own I might as well try and fix them when the bad things happen.”

[Zuka]

“Based on what I can see I’d say that taking that sort of advice from you is a wise choice.”

Zuka held up her arms slightly as if to say ‘I try.” She didn’t know if her advice was sound advice but it was what had worked for her…then again, Zuka had been properly motivated and had a questionable set of ethics so that may have worked in her favor more than anything else.

As Neva explained what she would like to do in the world Zuka listened and when the girl told her not to take offense at her statement Zuka chuckled slightly ”none taken” their business was not for everyone and it was certainly not for the faint of heart and as Neva had mentioned, she had problems with the more aggressive Triads and at least they could both agree on that.

”So you’re a healer then?” Zuka asked thoughtfully, she could always use another healer connection ’the world will always need healers, even without the Triads the world is a dangerous place.”

[Neva]

Neva gave a nod, brushing her hair behind her ear. “My mother taught me. I was the only one of my family patient enough to learn, so she did her best to pass down what she knew. It was pretty convenient though to not have to go running to her every time my sister and I sparred.”

Training with Shiya had always been exhilarating, and neither of the girls had ever gone easy on one another. When Neva picked up healing it only made the process easier, and less worrisome, and gave her a chance to practice both sets of her skills. Not to mention that she was the one both her sister and brother called on to help hide their injuries when they went off to get into trouble. Healing had come naturally to her, and she had never minded taking time out of her day to sit and practice the calmer side of waterbending. If she could have a successful sparring match and then fix the injuries after, she considered the day to be complete.

Now she found that healing was the one way she could offer a helping hand, even to those who were simply sick and not injured. “It’s the least I can do to give back to the world, I suppose. If I have the ability to help people in a way others can’t then I may as well use it.”

[Zuka]

"I have lots of respect for those that can heal. My Grandmother is a healer but I could never quite get the hang of it, just minor things. So anyone who can deserves recognition for it." Healing was the one thing that was in her way from her being a true waterbending master. Healing just went against everything Zuka had been taught growing up, it was calm and slow and nothing in her firebending teachings left room for something like that. Maybe one day but it was not something Zuka was too beat up over, she was on her way to mastering bloodbending and she would take that over healing any day.

Zuka listened to Neva and she tapped her fingers against the table a few times while she thought something over. "If you'd be willing to pick up some more work I can get you into the probending area. Healers are always needed there during the matches and the pay is good." Of course this favor would have to be repaid eventually, Zuka would not do anything drastic to the girl or make her do anything she wouldn't want to do but if she needed to call on her for her healing abilities in the future she would.

[Neva]

“Working has never been a problem for me,” Neva replied with half a smile. She didn’t really know why Zuka was willing to do all of this for her; find her jobs and help her get started doing something she really wanted to do with her life. Maybe she should have been suspicious, but Neva didn’t really know what Zuka would have to gain by helping her out. Sure, Neva would be indebted to her for quite some time, but she wasn’t sure what she had to offer that could be valuable. Still, she would trust that Zuka wasn’t doing this for solely her own personal gain. Until she was given any reason to believe that, Neva wouldn’t allow those suspicions to get in the way.

“You’re offering me quite a lot today for just meeting me. I’d never be able to thank you enough for that. But my first priority would be the Dragon, of course.”

[Zuka]

"I take care of my friends and I can tell we are going to be good friends." It was true enough and she didn't feel like she had to give more than that, she assumed Neva was smart enough to know what this could possibly mean in the future since she had been working around Triads before. "Of course. " Zuka raised her hand to signal the waiter to refill their drinks but instead of the waiter coming over one of her Dolls came to the side of the table near Zuka and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"There's a situation downstairs. Some chump tried to cheat the house." Zuka did her best to hide the glare that came with hearing that news. She hated cheaters, especially ones that tried to cheat her and the Blue Dragon was partically vicious when it came to dealing with them. Waving her hand slightly Zuka dismissed the Doll and she looked over across the table to Neva.

"I'm afraid I am going to have to excuse myself, club business to attend to. Please, stay as long as you like, enjoy yourself, see what the Dragon has to offer and my assistant will be in touch with you tomorrow about filling out the proper paperwork and getting your uniform." As she finished speaking Zuka pushed her chair back, stood and side stepped so she was no longer behind the table "I look forward to seeing you here Neva, I know you will be a good fit. I hope you enjoy your evening." As she finished Zuka excused herself and headed toward the back of the club where the hidden entrance to the underground casino was. Time to make a example out of someone.