The streets I used to own [OPEN]

[Sitka]

Sunday evening

Sitka had finally decided that he had to take a day off. Of course Sundays couldn't be considered days off, but when you tended to work seven days a week to make ends meet then yes, Sundays were days off. His back had been killing him as he had to pull double sifts for three days in a row at the port as an extra hand loading on and off ships and he just had to take a break. So here he was, feeling rather nostalgic as he walked the streets of the Phoenix District on his way to the Pro-bending arena. He had missed watching the matches and he had dearly missed competing in them. It had been so long since he listened to a game on the radio in full rather than just catching snipets of it while passing by. It had been even longer since he had walked these streets ever since his accident. 

At the time it had felt as if he no longer belonged there. Taking in the appearance of middle and upperclass citizens that swarmed towards the golden dome of the Arena, eagerly talking about who was going to win today's match between the Eel Hounds and the Tigerdilos, he fidgeted with the stone in his pocket. It was obvious he didn't belong there based on his weathered blue shirt and plain grey pants and boots. It screamed low working background, but he didn't care. Right now all he wanted was to soak in the excitement that was in the air. The feeling of anxiousness and adrenaline he felt from the audience on their way to the match reminded him of how he felt when he had been an athlete, waiting to get out in the ring. It brought back bittersweet memories, but he would take those anytime over his dull present. 

The warmth over his left chest pocket made him smile faintly. MeiLin had fallen asleep in his shirt's comfort while he had been at work and he didn't want to wake up the small sugar glider from its slumber. On the upside, Zuko wouldn't be hunting the small rodent, at least for a while. He really ought to teach the pygmy puma cub not to try and eat a member of their pack, but his thoughts quickly strayed as he took a shortcut towards a spot he knew from a really young age, where you could clearly hear the commentary of the match and feel the vibrant atmosphere of a game night without having to pay. That was his destination as the only way he was ever going to watch a match at his current situation would mean he would have to go a week without food. He was not willing to do that just yet. 

Several people he passed by took longer looks at him, squinting as if trying to decide whether they knew him from some place or not. He couldn't blame them. He had been pretty popular back in his pro-bending career, but back then he was smilling more, his hair were longer and better kept and he was dressed much nicer, in green and copper. Now dressed in water tribe colors and with his hair cut short and spiky, he didn't really pass as an Earthbender. He paused as he reached the entrance to the Arena. He was tempted to just attempt to slip in when the employee at the entrance wasn't looking, with the citizens pouring in it would've been easy to just blend in. He decided against it however as he had enough troubles as it was. 

Taking a spot slightly out of the way, he watched as the crowd slowly got inside. People watching would have to do for now, so he pulled out his river rock and began tossing it in the air, quickly willing it to change basic shapes while airborn before catching it again and turning it smooth and round as it originally was.

[Neva]

Neva supposed that most people would take advantage of a day off of work to enjoy themselves. In her case, a day off from work meant she could do work elsewhere. She enjoyed her time at the Blue Dragon, loved working there enough that it was a little difficult for her to actually accept a day away from the place. But when she didn't have to be there, she had the time to go to the pro-bending arena. Zuka had been true to her word, and through her connections was able to get Neva in as a healer. It wasn't her main job, but it was a nice change of pace, and an interesting environment for sure.

She supposed she had it lucky, considering she mingled with the pro-benders and got to see all the behind the scenes action. Not only that, but she could see the matches as well. There were a decent amount of perks, Neva had to admit. But she truly enjoyed talking with the other healers, getting advice and tips from their experience. Neva liked that she could learn and better her own skill through this job as well, and she found their input to be valuable. Overall, working here on occasion was a pleasant experience, and so she didn't mind spending another day working.

That day Neva sat with the other healers as they took their bets on who they'd be seeing that day, and who would come out the most bruised. Neva didn't know the players all that well, considering she didn't work with them on that frequent of a basis. But she listened to them talk, nodding along to the conversation. She'd been there early to check up on the benders and see how they were doing, making her rounds to the teams. Now she was just waiting for the match to start, and then wait to see if she'd be called in at any point, whether that be during an intermission, after the game, or in the middle of the match.

But there was still time before the match started, and the healers all went off in different directions. Neva supposed she could find her place to sit and watch the match, but she felt the need to stretch her legs and get some fresh air. The only problem she had at the arena was that it involved a lot of sitting around and waiting, and Neva wasn't one to sit still for very often. She was used to being on her feet, and so she headed outside through one of the back doors, taking a stroll down the street. 

As she walked she watched the crowd filling in the arena excitedly. Pro-bending always got people excited, even those who weren't die-hard fans of any particular team. Neva stayed out of their way, walking around the lines for the entrance and heading down the street. She wasn't concerned about getting back inside, especially since she was wearing the designated uniform for healers. She was more concerned at the moment of not getting swept into the arena by the crowd.

She managed to get out of the way, stepped off to the side and leaning against the wall. It was then that she saw a young man tossing a rock in the air and making it change shape. She tipped her head, watching with intrigue. Benders often did little things like this with their bending, and she found them amusing--in a good way. Figuring she could at least make conversation, and since they were standing by the arena, Neva spoke up, "Waiting until the crowd thins to get inside?"

[Sitka]

Sitka turned slightly startled to look at the woman, sporting the familiar medic's outfit, who was leaning back on the wall he was currently the only one occupying. "Not really. I'm just watching them go in. I enjoy the atmosphere before a match. When they thin enough I'll move to a spot that I can actually hear what's going on inside." He replied to her casually as he caught the rock one last time and began twirling it in his palm instead.

He took in her appearance for a moment before tilting his head slightly. "Shouldn't you be inside just about now? The boys could use some checking before the match." He asked, refering to his old teammates from Eel Hounds that were about to compete tonight. "How are they doing by the way? Are the Eel Hounds in shape or are they going to get their butts kicked out there?" There was curiosity in his voice. He was interested to hear the backstage happenings after being away for so long.

[Neva]

Neva nodded in understanding, looking back to the crowd. There was something about watching them, how they filled the area with a hum of excitement. The area around the arena was always filled with smiling faces and gossip. When it was all packed inside the stadium seats, it was as if stepping into a whole different world. Neva could see the appeal of watching everyone prepare to see the game. 

At his next question she turned back to him.  "Already made my rounds, so I'm just getting some air before the match."

The Eel Hounds, hm? Neva hummed, thinking back to when she'd been in the room with them earlier, and what her fellow healers had been saying. She didn't know the team all that well, but their names and faces came to her after a moment of thought. "They stand a good chance I would say, but they better not get too sure of themselves. In my opinion Katsu's leg hasn't fully recovered from his injury, but he's determined to play. I think that's the biggest problem they're going to have."

Neva smiled playfully. "Don't let the reporters know I told you that. I'm guessing the Eel Hounds are your favorite team?"

[Sitka]

Sitka shook his head at the news about Katsu.The man always had a knack for being stubborn and insisting to play even though the odds of him being useful instead of the weak link were thin. He tossed the rock in the air when the woman smiled at him, asking him not to let the reporters know. He willed it to change to the crude shape of an Eel Hound and allowed it to hover there. "Katsu had always been stubborn like that. I hope his injury isn't too serious, he is a good athlete to go out like that." His eyes were focused on the hovering brown stone as he spoke about it. There was genuine concern in his voice. He wouldn't wish the same fate as he had to any probender.

Releasing the stone from his control he allowed it to rest in his open palm as a statuete of the mascot animal his former team had. "Oh believe me, I won't be dealing with reporters anytime soon, if ever again. I'm asking because I used to be on the team. So yeah, you could say they are my favorite.Though Zaroh used to get on my nerves at first." He chuckled as he felt movement from his chest pocket. MeiLin had began to stir from her nap, but her head didn't pop out just yet.

---
OOC: Neva might or might not recognise him now. It had been on the news when it was announced he wouldn't be able to compete again, but it depends how much attention she paid to the sport at the time. Or if she remembers him from the time he used to spend time in Zuka's probending parties. It's completely up to you <3

[Neva]

"As long as he can get through this game and takes some rest after, he should be alright," Neva said, watching him bend the stone in his open palm. The probenders were tough people, most of them never willing to sit out a game unless they had absolutely no choice. It wasn't uncommon for them to dismiss advice from the healers, so Neva had learned. Still, she wished they would heed their warnings more often. They might be tough, but they certaintly weren't invincible.

When he mentioned that he used to play for the team, Neva's gaze moved to his face, and she looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. She hadn't been involved with the probenders for that long, and she didn't spend a huge amount of time with them. Still, she tried to see if she remembered him. Neva knew she'd never healed him before so he must have been a probender before her time at the arena. He seemed vaguely familiar--maybe she'd seen him in passing or at the Dragon. "I must not have been here when you played. Zaroh's...rough around the edges. He may have mentioned you before. What's your name?"

[Sitka]

Sitka had nodded in acknowledgement of her assessment of Katsu's injury. It relieved him to know it was nothing Katsu wouldn't shake off with some rest. Then again Katsu was stubborn enough to push himself for the team. They all did. But that was beyond the point of this conversation as he felt her thoughtful gaze on him. "That's putting it mildly." He commented casually about Zaroh's attitude towards people. The firebender had high expectations of the people around him, but he meant well most of the time. They might've gotten on eachother's nerves at first, but they had grown on one another. There was respect between them, one that had come from an all-out fight during a practise session once upon a time.

"I'm Sitka. I used to fill the position of earthbender, but that was before the craze with Amon and the spirit fight in the harbor took place. I think I would've remembered you too. I used to butt heads with the healers often, just like Katsu does with you right now." Introducing himself, he stood up from the wall he was leaning on and offered her a hand to shake. Curious by the movement of her hiding spot MeiLin poked her head from the pocket, tiny paws rubbing her eyes and head in her awakening grooming routine before taking in her surroundings, blinking and making soft chattering noises.

[Neva]

"Seems to be a common trait among the probenders," Neva said teasingly. Some were more open to healing than others, but none of them ever liked to hear when they were too hurt to play. Even though they were just trying to be helpful, the competitive nature of probending often got in the way of health, and Neva saw the first hand. It was frustrating when they didn't take the advice and then went off and made it worse, or just outright disregarded their injuries and insisted they were fine. Neva hated having to let them walk away, but there was only so much she could do, and forcing them wasn't an option. She took Sitka's hand and shook it with a smile, "It's nice to meet you, Sitka. My name is Neva."

She released his hand just as a small animal popped its head out of his pocket. Neva looked towards the animal in surprise and then laughed, bending down a little with her hands on her knees to look at the sugar glider. "Oh, hello there. It's nice to meet you, too."

Then she straightened up again, her hands clasping behind her back as she looked to Sitka once again. "You look pretty young to quit probending so early. Did you decide it wasn't for you?"

[Sitka]

When the sugar glider saw the looming face leaning down, she squeaked in alarm and dived back in the pocket, eliciting a chuckle and a soft smile from Sitka. He nodded in acknowledgement as the woman introduced herself as Neva. He placed a couple of fingers in his pocket, gently petting MeiLin in a comforting manner. Honestly the sugar glider had always been so jumpy it was a miracle she had stayed his pet for so long. Zuko always loved to pounce and play with her like all felines do. Like a predator chasing their prey. As one could imagine, the gentle and meek MeiLin didn't appreciate this sort of play.

Straightening up a little, Sitka shook his head. "No probending was the best time in my life. It had it all, more than decent money, acknowledgement, adrenaline, team spirit. Anything I could ask for. I didn't quit. During a game against the Wolf Bats I was thrown over and straight into the water. Thing is, I hit my back so hard on the rails on that fall that they had to fish me out and rush me to a hospital." The soft smile that had been there only moments ago faded and was replaced with a rather hollow expression. The hand kept the petting of the sugar glider, who was letting happy noises come from its safe spot, but it had turned quite mechanic as he was having a small flashback of that day.

"The healers said I was extremely lucky to be able to walk again. It took forever to recuperate and I could no longer compete. So, if you see Katsu again before the match starts, tell him I will be on his ass if he doesn't rest enough."

---
Neva

[Neva]

"Oh," Neva said softly as he explained the reason he was no longer in the ring. Her expression softened as well, eyes looking to him sympathetically. Now that he told her, she was certain she'd heard some of the players mention him now and then. A nasty injury, they'd said. She could tell all the youth seemed sucked out of Sitka as he told her his story, perhaps even bitterness about his situation. Neva didn't blame him. He'd lost so much, and the ability to follow his passion. That was enough to make anyone close up. 

"I'm so sorry," Neva said. She knew it wouldn't change anything but she felt the need to say it, even if he'd heard it a thousand times before. "That must be terrible to lose something like that...especially so suddenly."

Neva glanced over her shoulder at the crowd, slowly thinning as more and more entered the arena. Since he wasn't in line she suspected he didn't have a ticket and wasn't planning on watching the game. Maybe it was too hard for him to watch the other probenders, the metaphorical wounds still too fresh. Seeing his other teammates taking a win, or even a loss, must hurt to some degree. She motioned towards the arena, raising an eyebrow, "Have you ever gone in to visit them? Since you're a former player they may let you in without a hassle."

[Sitka]

Sitka's posture hardened as Neva told him she was sorry. It wasn't her fault, hell it wasn't even his fault. Wolf Bats were known for their extremely rough play and he had always known what he had signed up for was potentially extremely dangerous. But it wasn't that that made him feel empty. No what made him feel the most regret, the most anger he had ever felt was what had followed after his injury. The death of his family. He shook his head. "It's not your fault." He replied cooly and followed her gaze.

The last remnants of the crowd lingered at the entrance, yet he had made no attempt to fall in line. He didn't need to and he couldn't afford it. He just wanted to relive some of the excitement before settling for listening to the commentation of the game. Neva asked him if he had ever gone to visit his former team. His eyes sifted. They had tried to reach out to him, especially after his family's tragic death and he had pushed them away. He had told himself it was for their own protection. He was about to go into war with the Triads and he didn't want to drag them into this. He had said some pretty harmful things. Things he only meant in his pain and anger. He had tried to burn every friendly bridge that the Triads could use to hurt him. But perhaps he had done all that for his own protection. To shield himself from anymore pain. "No. Too many things have happened since that day. I doubt they would want to see me again and I wouldn't blame them."

He looked at her again, his hand leaving his chest pocket, causing MeiLin to complain and poke her head out again to look around. "Besides I can't afford to get in. I just came by to take a taste of the air before a match again. You should probably head back in. The match should be about to start." And indeed he could not afford the ticket to get in the Arena. Getting backstage would've been possible since he had been a former pro-bender, but he would have to get past the checks at the main entrance and he really could do that.

---
Neva

[Neva]

Poor guy, he seemed so worn for someone so young. Neva could sense the sudden coldness rolling off of him, a bitterness about what had happened in his past. It seemed that no one could escape tragedy of some sort around here. It was a shame that he'd lost his career, and she knew there wasn't much she could do for that. There were some things in her power, but completely turning a life changing injury so that it was nonexistent was far out of her reach. Her healing abilities only went so far. 

She listened to him explain and nodded a little, knowing he was right. It was important that she got back, but she felt bad leaving him here. The nostalgia was probably worth it to come and see the outside of the match, but maybe...maybe she could bend the rules a little. He seemed resistant to going to see his old team, so he might say no. She decided it was worth a shot, and said. "I do need to get back. But, if you'd like to see the match, I could sneak you through my entrance. Once people saw you there I'm sure they wouldn't question it. And if you don't want to see your old teammates, I'm sure you could watch from my area. You'd just be surrounded by gossiping healers."

She gave a smile and took a step backwards towards the direction that she needed to head. "What do you say?"

[Sitka]

The offer was tempting. He would be able to see the match.Maybe even get the chance to chat with some people he used to know. It would've been fun and fun was what he needed no? Yet something held him back. Was it the pain of his recent stress from work? Was it still too soon for him to see what he had lost forever? Maybe it was the pride in him that didn't allow him to show his face to people he used to know now that he was at an all time low.

He took an instinctive step back as Neva smiled and motioned for them to get a move on and go inside. "I...Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass. I should probably go home and get some rest. My back is killing me." He replied and even though he tried very hard to not appear scared, some of it leaked in his voice and mannerism.

----
Neva I'm sorry it took so long D:

[Neva]

His reaction had not been what Neva was expecting. The fear in his voice was evident to her, especially in the way he stepped backwards, as if she'd threatened him. Poor kid. He didn't appear to be that much younger than her, but he seemed to have endured a decent amount of suffering. She wouldn't force him to come with her, of course. The last thing she wanted to do was drag up bad memories. f he'd rather stay away, that was his choice. Neva could only extend an offer that he was free to turn down. 

The mention of his pain, however, caught her attention. That was something that she couldn't just ignore. He might have just said it as an excuse or maybe it was residual pain, but the possibility that she might be able to help was enough to make her consider it. Neva gave a slight nod at his response. "I understand. Do you need a healer, by chance?"

[Sitka]

Sitka rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. In an ideal world, he wouldn't have to work so much and put strain on his back and he would have weekly sessions with a healer. But this was not an ideal world and he had barely been able to make ends meet, much less pay for a healer on weekly basis. So his solution when his back hurt him like that would be to curl up on his bed and slowly relax his back muscles to a lieing position and never move until it was time to get to work again. "I am supposed to have sessions every week or so. At least that's what I should be doing. Can't afford it though, so I just go home and try to relax. Give it as much rest as I can before having to work again." He pointed out and just stood there, not really knowing what else he could say or do at this point.

---
Neva Short, but it should get the ball rolling again