Even Cripples can fight.

[Sitka]

It was dark and except for a few drunken companies and thugs, the streets were for the most part quiet and empty. Sitka was making his way home after a long day at work in various constructing sites. Caked in a mud of sweat and dust he just couldn't wait for a shower and then to stretch and just lay down and sleep. He sighed as he thought of the cold water washing away all this grease. He would also have to wash his clothes while he was at it. When you worked in construction or moving companies, it didn't matter to them how you dressed, as long as you were strong or reliable bender. Nevertheless, Sitka had grown up to value the importance of being clean and presentable as much as possible. His mother and father had made sure of that. They had also instilled in him the importance of helping those in need. Treat others as you would like yourself to be treated. That was the one lesson he had been keeping the most dearest and the one that had gotten him in the most trouble. Just like now.

Pleas for help and mercy made him perk up. They were coming from some side alley just up ahead. Picking up his pace as much as the pain on his back permitted him to, he came up to see a group of Black Hand Triad thugs. Sitka had no idea where this new Triad had come from and he had distanced himself from this side of the city once he found out that the people he sought to kill had died in the process of this new Triad being born. However that didn't stop him from meddling in their affairs whenever he was present. He had been thoroughly beaten up at one point because of that, but the young Earthbender was a stubborn one and seeing a young couple being threatened to pay up their dues or face the consequences was enough of an excuse to meddle in their affairs once again.

Pulling his trusty river stone from his pocket he willed it to change into the form of a small spike. A spike he aimed at the knee of the nearest thug. With a flick of his wrist he threw it at the man in high speed, resulting in the spike embedding itself on the back of the man's knee, eliciting a painful cry of surprise and forcing him down on his well.... knees. "Now then. The rules are simple. You either leave them be and walk out of here unscathed, or you stand your ground and get beaten into a pulp. Fairly simple if you ask me." Sitka said cooly and recalled his bloodie spike to hover a few inches in front of him, its aim changing from one thug to the next as the young couple cowered together at the far side of the dead end. There were five of them in total and Sitka knew the possibilites of him being ganged up on and possibly killed were greater than he would like, but his posture revealed none of that. For the Black Hand thugs knew, he was a very dangerous bender or even an undercover police officer.

Except they knew. Unfortunately for Sitka, two of them had been in the group that had beaten him to the ground to teach him a lesson. "It's funny for a cripple to make threats he can't realise. Don't you think?" One of them spoke and took a step forward, conjuring a flaming fist in the process. Sitka tilted his head, trying not to reveal his surprise at that knowledge being known amongst this particular group. His river stone weapon whirled in preparation for the fight to come. "Huh? I'm standing aren't I? The only cripples I see are you if you don't get the fuck out right now." He pointed out and switched into a fighting stance. "Get him!" 

Thus the fighting began. Sitka fought with a lot of improvising. His river rock was his primary weapon, the small object alowing for versatile moves even as he stayed stationary himself. For quite a few moments he had been able to stand his ground with relative ease and minimum dodging required on his part. Willing the ground beneath his opponents to sift as they moved, to trip them, Sitka had been able to avoid having to overarch his back. Until finally they managed to breach his defences and land the first punch. That's when Sitka started to feel exactly in how much of a tight spot he had landed himself into. 

Suddenly he was swept off his feet and hit the street face first. With all five of the men now gathered above him, ready to teach this insolent boy a lesson, the couple found an opening to make a run for it.

---
Leaving it open for anyone wanting to jump in.

[Zuka]

Even with Neva’s healing it had taken a long time to heal. After her capture and rescue from Jaya and the Black Hand Zuka had disappeared from public view for weeks. At first it was to mend the wounds from her near death encounter, then it was to make sure no one would spot her and try again or follow her. Jaya had made her plan for her clear when she took her as bait but Zuka doubted Jaya would try the same gag twice, at least not so soon. Never the less the others were understandably on edge so Zuka remained hidden to help ease their minds.

But, she had never been one for captivity.

Running away to Kyoshi island had been bad enough but at least there she could walk freely this, this was torture. Zuka tried to occupy her time working on club business and (at the insistent nagging of Kenji and Zula) hiring a building company to finish work on the second club. It had been a nice distraction for a while but eventually that work was finished and she was once again left pacing. Zuka tried to ignore the cabin fever but as the 3rd week started she had had enough.

Once night fell Zuka said to hell with it left the safehouse and headed for the Blue Dragon. While her bruises had healed there was still one that stung. Zuka’s ego had taken a major blow, as formidable of a fighter she knew she was Jaya’s goons had gotten the upper hand and because of that she had put all of them in danger. It was safe to say she had a lot of aggression to work out and knew just how to do it.

Slipping into the club unnoticed via the back loading dock Zuka went to the basement and to the hidden room where she kept a spare Talon suit. Once she was suited up Zuka checked everything and made her way down through the tunnels Kenji had carved that could be used as a escape route if ever needed. The tunnels snaked all over the city and Zuka followed them until she judged her location as far enough.

It had been so long since she had been out as the Talon, when they arrived back in the city Kenji and Zuka both agreed to let the Ghost and Talon rest a bit so not to draw suspicion but…since that was out of the question now that they knew who their enemy was Zuka saw no more reason to hide.

Quickly she made her to the rooftops and began running the highway they created, keeping her eyes and ears open for any signs of trouble. When she reached a pretty central spot in the industrial district Zuka camped out on a rooftop and listened.

It didn’t take long for her to find what she was looking for.

A few alleys over there was a commotion and she silently made her way toward it, crouching on a fire escape she was ready to jump down and stop the Black Hands from shaking down the couple when someone called out from the opening of the alley. Zuka’s mask turned toward the sound and she arched a brow as a young looking kid stepped up and tried to scare off the Hands.

The kid had guts but it wasn’t hard to pick up that something was wrong with him the way he moved and shifted weight. It looked like he was in pain but, the kid put on a brave front but it was time to step in before he got himself killed. Zuka began to stand was ready to drop down when she heard a cry below and saw that the kid had struck one of the Hands with something and then again and again. Curious she knelt back down in the shadows and wondered if she had been wrong about him.

He lasted longer than she expected but soon the Hands had had enough of the games and had stepped up their game and moved in for the attack. The kid went down and the Hand moved in to finish him off. Well, it was time for her to put a end to this.

Standing Zuka grabbed the railing of the fire escape and removed a few smoke pellets from her belt. Jumping over the rail Zuka threw the pellets that erupted into smoke as soon as they made contact with the stone. The smoke bellowed out providing the cover she needed and she landed in the middle unseen and struck her hand out at the closest Black Hand to her.

[Sitka]

Sitka grunted and swore as he tried to protect himself from the beating that had ensued, yet all thoughts of resistence were pushed out of his mind when one of them kicked him hard on the spine, close to the height of his crippling injury. He howled in agony as he felt like nails were pushed into his spine.

He vaguely understood that the couple had escaped and he clenched his fist around the river rock that was now red with the blood of the Hand's goons. As he tried to clear his mind from the pain and focus on escaping, smoke covered the alley and someone, or something, was fighting with the Black Hands. Sitka would've joined in, but as he tried to get up he fell back down again, curling up in pain. His back refused to cooperate and instead kept shooting wave after wave of pain up his spine.

---
short, but it gets the ball rolling again
@zuka

[Zuka]

With the cover from the smoke Zuka had the advantage and she was able to put the Hands down with brutal ease. The amount of force she used was a bit excessive but Zuka had some things to work out and beating up on Jaya’s pawns was a good way to help her feel better.

When the smoke cleared Zuka was standing alone in the midst of the unconscious bodies and she rolled her shoulders back to let out some tension. The fight had made her feel better but it was short lived so she was going to have to find something else to set her sights on…lucky for her, this city was overflowing with crime.

Speaking of..

Zuka had been so caught up in the fight that she had almost forgotten about the kid but his cries of pain brought her back and she remembered what he tried to do. Turning, the Talon looked at Sitka as he was curled in pain and she took a few steps toward him and knelt down so she could get a better look at him. He was beat up and bruised but Zuka didn’t see anything outwardly that would cause him so much pain. ’Where are you hurt?” Zuka asked, her voice distorted thanks to Teo’s tinkering. She wasn’t going to just leave him and if it was serious she would have to find a way to get him help without being seen.

(meh, still trying to get back to the swing of things)

[Sitka]

Sitka groaned as he tried to adjust his position on the ground as his savior knelt down next to him. The voice sounded wonky and Sitka was afraid that the pain was finally getting to his head, but then he saw the mask. He had heard about it. The Talon or possibly some of the other vigilantes. "Besides everywhere?" He asked with a pained smirk. It was not the best possible moment for him to be sassy, but that's how he was.

Finally managing to get himself in a position where he laid mostly on his back, so he could face up to the masked person "It's my back." He grimaced. "An old injury that never really healed." He explained and did a lot of effort to calm down his breathing and slowly ease himself into an upright position with minimal success. "Thanks for saving my ass...."

----
Zuka It's fine. Don't worry XD

[Zuka]

Now that she got a good look at the kids face Zuka thought he looked familiar but couldn't quite place him but she saw so many different faces a day that it was hard to place them all. When the kid gave a smart remark Zuka rolled her eyes behind her mask, it was that kind of attitude that got him in this mess to begin with.

As he slowly moved and shifted his body Zuka to find a less painful position she took note of where his pain seemed to be the worst and when he clarified that it was his back her jaw set tight. Great, she was stuck with someone with a back injury. Something about that rang familiar in the back of her mind, kind of like his face but nothing jumped out. 'Are you able to walk at all?" She couldn't just leave him here, he would be a sitting duck once those Black Hands came too or more happened along or any other garden variety thug but she couldn't stay here all night with him.

[Sitka]

Sitka knew he had to get up even if he just wanted to curl up and wait for the pain to pass. "I can't stay here. I'll walk even if it kills me." He grunted as he pressed his hands on the brick wall behind him. Using his bending, he more or less dug his palms in the wall and forced himself on his feet. He had to choke a howl of pain and the effort made his face glisten with sweat. He didn't move away from the wall. He didn't make an effort to take a step.

He did try to bend though, releasing one hand from the wall he willed as much sand and rocks he could sense nearby to make a small plate on his back, near the tailbone, in such an angle that it supported the area that hurt him. He was still in pain, but at least now he could stand upright and breathe in somewhat comfortably. To make sure he would be able to walk without the plate falling though he had to take a couple of chunks from the wall and turn them into a very uncomfortable, but practical belt.

He looked up at the masked person again, trying to see through the mask. He was curious and he was grateful. "I guess you're leaving now?" He asked as he tried to make a tentaive step forward, only to realise that his makesift splint of rocks had only been good to keep the pain in check when standing still and not when walking. He stopped short of finishing that step and grimaced, growling and hissing in pain and annoyance.

----
Zuka I finally sat my butt down to write this all over again XD

[Zuka]

She took a step back as he began to get himself to his feet, letting the kid do what he needed to do to make sure he could walk. While he was doing that Zuka was going through a list of names and faces in her mind trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar. Her mind wandered back to a few years ago when she was still the boss of the Dolls and hearing about a injury from one of the probending teams. Some kid with a back injury that made him unable to play and pretty much crippled any chances of that team advancing.

Sitka.

The name finally clicked. Zuka had known him when he was still a probender, her position in the Dolls gave her lots of influence in the probending circuit and she had rubbed elbows with all the professional teams. She didn't know Sitka well but she knew enough to know that he was just a kid.

Now that he was finally standing Zuka thought he would be on his way but as he took a step she realized she wasnt going to be that lucky. "Spirits help me" she muttered as he asked if she was going to leave him. 'I'll help you if you tell me what someone with a crippling back injury was doing picking a fight with Black Hands." The Talon crossed her arms and leaned against the wall while she waited for his answer. "Because, by the looks of it, if I hadn't to be close by your back injury would be the least of your problems."

[Sitka]

Sitka shrugged as much as his back allowed him to, which was basically not at all. "The Kai's murdered my family for debt. Black Hand is no different. I just happened to come by a couple in need." He explained as he studied the blood covered stone with a deep frown. "If I wasn't as lucky as to escape with that couple then so be it. We all die sooner or later." Clenching his fist he looked up at the masked person leaning on the wall, listening to his response.

"Turns out I was lucky enough to walk away, even if it means I'll probably be out of commision for the next couple of days." He forced a small smirk upon his features. "So thank you, whoever you are behind that mask."

---
Zuka

[Zuka]

Zuka really wanted to smack Sitka upside the head for his misplaced bravery and stupidity but she kept her hands to herself. "So, your a injured kid with a grudge and a death wish." Zuka turned her masked gaze to him and looked directly at Sitka what would have happened is that you would have not only gotten yourself killed but that couple as well. Not only that, once they found out who you were the Hand would have hunted down any one close to you and killed them to send a message. Think about that the next time you want to play hero." Hopefully she could scare him from trying something like this again.

(meh)

[Sitka]

Sitka rolled his eyes at her summing up of who he was. She wasn't that far off from the truth, but she hadn't gotten everything in that sentence. "It's not the first time I have crossed paths, or fists, with the Black Hands. One of them knew me. But they couldn't send a message even if they wanted to. I have no ties with anyone. The ones closest to me are already dead and so are the people responsible for it." His eyes darkened and the frown on his face deepened.

"Not everyone can wear a mask in their free time to avoid being detected by the Hands. I don't actively seek the Hands, but when I foil their plans.... life gets a new meaning. A better reason for sticking around." He looked at the masked person with interest. "Maybe you understand what I mean. Maybe you don't. But is it really a smart idea to chit chat in the crime scene? The police isn't exactly forgiving of these things either."

---
Zuka No worries XD It came just when I needed it the most. Thesis sprinting is killing me slowly and not at all sweetly

[Zuka]

Zuka was *this* close to grabbing Sitka and throwing him against the wall for his arrogance and stupidity on the matter. Funny how she kept finding herself on the other side of this conversation now that she wore a mask. Zuka knew that she would have the same attitude if the roles were reversed but...they werent and she was the voice of reason and wisdom here and she didn't like it. Suit yourself" was all she said. There was no use arguing with him right now and she doubted it would do any good anyway, he seemed to have his mind made up.

His comment about the police made her sigh. He was right, they were going to have to move. "Well, since you have everything under control Im sure you wont have any trouble getting back on your own." The Talon started taking steps toward the back of the alley. If he was so sure of himself he would be able to get on just fine without her help.

[Sitka]

Sitka was mildly surprised. He was expecting a lecture. He didn't really know why. Then again, whoever was behind that mask probably had been in his place in some way or another to be doing what they were doing. "That was not the deal." He muttered but didn't really do much else. He had grown used to being alone. To count on himself for everything.

He briefly watched the Talon's back before bending a small earthen cane and talking painfully slow steps out of the alley. He knew it would take forever to leave the crime scene and by the time he managed to get home his back would've killed him. But if anything, Sitka was stubborn and he refused to give up. He had survived so far. He could survive a bit longer.

Zuka