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Description
Hiding from the Hidden

The water sloshing over my back and shoulders is icy and numbing, both of which is a relief from the hot, flaming sensations that have coursed through my muscles all day. I hadn't expected such a workout from today's simple chi-blocking class. But then again, what should I have expected? The Equalists were looking for premier fighters for their cause, not just simpletons from the streets. I sigh as the let the wave run over my head, rubbing my face vigorously before switching off the water and wrapping a towel around myself before stepping out of the shower.
Thankfully the woman's bathroom is empty, leaving me to prep myself in silence. I stare at my blank face in the mirror as I run a comb through my tangled mat of dark brown hair. I had never been good at choosing sides. My philosophy was based on cash; whoever had the most to tempt me with is who I chose to go with. And in this situation it was Tarrlok and his task force. Infiltrating the Equalists had been so easy, especially for a non-bender like me. Too easy is what I had initially thought, but so far so good for me. No one suspected a thing.
"Bring back whatever information you can." Tarrlok had said. "But make sure you concentrate on Amon. We need to know who is behind that mask."
"Yeah fat chance," I said to myself as I clipped my wet hair up to my scalp.
I had yet to even see the Lieutenant, Amon's second in command, let alone the infamous masked man himself. At this rate I would never collect the handsome bonus Tarrlok had dangled in front of my nose. I needed to move up the ranks at a faster pace, playing around in the first level class of chi-blocking wasn't going to get me anywhere. I had to get close to the top, very close, almost too close for comfort.
People have always said I have a way of making people drop down their barriers when I'm around. That I can coax the deepest, darkest secrets out of any man, or woman. I take pride in my work for that reason. I like to describe my job as information distribution. My brother always said it was stealing, but is it really stealing if they readily give up the information? I think not, I was merely the messenger.
I frowned in annoyance as I pulled on my clothes. My muscles were protesting at being required to bend and stretch more than they wanted at this particular moment. Despite my soreness I had easily dominated my chi-blocking class, which wasn't surprising given the fact that my grandmother had been a Kyoshi warrior. She had learned chi-blocking from a member of the Kyoshi warriors years back, and she passed it on to my mother who in turn passed it on to me. She always said I needed a way to protect myself if I was ever attacked by someone, I couldn't exactly use earthbending like my older brother Shao.
It didn't take me too long to master the basics as a kid, I had always been very persistent and patient with my training. While my brother was learning from my father how to earthbend I was being taught by my mother how to chi-block and fight without the help of bending. Sometimes when we were playing together we would practice our fighting. At first my brother always bested me because of his strength and prowess. It took me a couple years of training to catch up and finally start beating him. I never surpassed him and he never surpassed me again after that point. We both became evenly matched when it came to fighting when we finally went our separate ways when we left home.
Despite our differences I had never held a grudge against my brother because of his bending. In fact, I couldn't care less that I couldn't bend. When it came to benders and non-benders and their problems with equality I really couldn't care less. Every time I was handed a piece of Equalist propaganda or I heard their local protester in Republic City park I just rolled my eyes and continued on my way. When I heard Tarrlok cursing the Equalists and Amon I just shrugged it off with a bored look. For me it wasn't a problem so I just blocked it out.
Slinging my bag over my shoulder I departed the bathroom feeling cleansed and optimistic about the next day. Tomorrow the best fighters from my class would showcase their talents to Equalist scouts who would choose who advanced to the next class based on their fighting abilities. I would be one of the last people to do so, and I had a plan for how I would wow them with my skills. I had been holding back so far, but tomorrow I would let everything come out. Who knows, maybe I would finally get close enough to start snooping around Amon and the other higher up Equalists.
That night I spilled the contents of my bag onto my kitchen table. An electrified hand glove clattered out of it's hiding place to land in front of me. I smirked as I picked it up and activated it with an electrified buzz. Normally you weren't given a glove until you were at least at level four, and even then you couldn't use it against other Equalists in training.
"Screw that," I said to myself, brandishing the glove with ease. "I follow my own rules."
However, as I studied the glove I felt myself begin to scowl as I realized how bulky and hard to conceal it was. I wasn't going to be able to use it in the ring tomorrow without people seeing it beforehand. I had to find a way use it though, without it my plan was ruined. My mind went into overdrive as I scanned the glove for how it operated. I immediately focused in on the round circles that were implanted on the back of the hand and on the palm. That was where the electricity came in and out of the glove. The wires running along the glove is what supplied the power. The glove's shape was just a way to easily slip the entire contraption on, and wasn't really necessary to the overall function.
A slow smile spread across my face as I realized how I would conceal the glove from everyone's sight. I was going to have to start work quickly to get the glove ready for tomorrow's reveal.

Description
Hiding from the Hidden

The water sloshing over my back and shoulders is icy and numbing, both of which is a relief from the hot, flaming sensations that have coursed through my muscles all day. I hadn't expected such a workout from today's simple chi-blocking class. But then again, what should I have expected? The Equalists were looking for premier fighters for their cause, not just simpletons from the streets. I sigh as the let the wave run over my head, rubbing my face vigorously before switching off the water and wrapping a towel around myself before stepping out of the shower.
Thankfully the woman's bathroom is empty, leaving me to prep myself in silence. I stare at my blank face in the mirror as I run a comb through my tangled mat of dark brown hair. I had never been good at choosing sides. My philosophy was based on cash; whoever had the most to tempt me with is who I chose to go with. And in this situation it was Tarrlok and his task force. Infiltrating the Equalists had been so easy, especially for a non-bender like me. Too easy is what I had initially thought, but so far so good for me. No one suspected a thing.
"Bring back whatever information you can." Tarrlok had said. "But make sure you concentrate on Amon. We need to know who is behind that mask."
"Yeah fat chance," I said to myself as I clipped my wet hair up to my scalp.
I had yet to even see the Lieutenant, Amon's second in command, let alone the infamous masked man himself. At this rate I would never collect the handsome bonus Tarrlok had dangled in front of my nose. I needed to move up the ranks at a faster pace, playing around in the first level class of chi-blocking wasn't going to get me anywhere. I had to get close to the top, very close, almost too close for comfort.
People have always said I have a way of making people drop down their barriers when I'm around. That I can coax the deepest, darkest secrets out of any man, or woman. I take pride in my work for that reason. I like to describe my job as information distribution. My brother always said it was stealing, but is it really stealing if they readily give up the information? I think not, I was merely the messenger.
I frowned in annoyance as I pulled on my clothes. My muscles were protesting at being required to bend and stretch more than they wanted at this particular moment. Despite my soreness I had easily dominated my chi-blocking class, which wasn't surprising given the fact that my grandmother had been a Kyoshi warrior. She had learned chi-blocking from a member of the Kyoshi warriors years back, and she passed it on to my mother who in turn passed it on to me. She always said I needed a way to protect myself if I was ever attacked by someone, I couldn't exactly use earthbending like my older brother Shao.
It didn't take me too long to master the basics as a kid, I had always been very persistent and patient with my training. While my brother was learning from my father how to earthbend I was being taught by my mother how to chi-block and fight without the help of bending. Sometimes when we were playing together we would practice our fighting. At first my brother always bested me because of his strength and prowess. It took me a couple years of training to catch up and finally start beating him. I never surpassed him and he never surpassed me again after that point. We both became evenly matched when it came to fighting when we finally went our separate ways when we left home.
Despite our differences I had never held a grudge against my brother because of his bending. In fact, I couldn't care less that I couldn't bend. When it came to benders and non-benders and their problems with equality I really couldn't care less. Every time I was handed a piece of Equalist propaganda or I heard their local protester in Republic City park I just rolled my eyes and continued on my way. When I heard Tarrlok cursing the Equalists and Amon I just shrugged it off with a bored look. For me it wasn't a problem so I just blocked it out.
Slinging my bag over my shoulder I departed the bathroom feeling cleansed and optimistic about the next day. Tomorrow the best fighters from my class would showcase their talents to Equalist scouts who would choose who advanced to the next class based on their fighting abilities. I would be one of the last people to do so, and I had a plan for how I would wow them with my skills. I had been holding back so far, but tomorrow I would let everything come out. Who knows, maybe I would finally get close enough to start snooping around Amon and the other higher up Equalists.
That night I spilled the contents of my bag onto my kitchen table. An electrified hand glove clattered out of it's hiding place to land in front of me. I smirked as I picked it up and activated it with an electrified buzz. Normally you weren't given a glove until you were at least at level four, and even then you couldn't use it against other Equalists in training.
"Screw that," I said to myself, brandishing the glove with ease. "I follow my own rules."
However, as I studied the glove I felt myself begin to scowl as I realized how bulky and hard to conceal it was. I wasn't going to be able to use it in the ring tomorrow without people seeing it beforehand. I had to find a way use it though, without it my plan was ruined. My mind went into overdrive as I scanned the glove for how it operated. I immediately focused in on the round circles that were implanted on the back of the hand and on the palm. That was where the electricity came in and out of the glove. The wires running along the glove is what supplied the power. The glove's shape was just a way to easily slip the entire contraption on, and wasn't really necessary to the overall function.
A slow smile spread across my face as I realized how I would conceal the glove from everyone's sight. I was going to have to start work quickly to get the glove ready for tomorrow's reveal.