Republic City

Rakka had stopped near the exit, and was looking back, trying to watch the others. And Bast had done his attack. He frowned a bit, and made his way quickly over to the two to help carry Bael out. The park was where they were headed. Rakka had absolutely no clue where they were, since they had been blinded when brought here. But as they would walk, he would slowly get his bearings.

Leta sat in the middle of the park, petting Taru who laid on her lap, looking about her. There was actually a worried look on her face as her eyes scanned around her. Waiting.

Bael was a little out of it when Bast helped him up, because he'd taken a hit to the head. Thankfully they manage to get out and away, with both boys helping Baelfire make it to the park. He seemed woozy, and his shoulder was definitely dislocated, it hung limply at his side and he winced every time it was jostled.

"Is everyone alright?" He knew he was confused, because he was sure he'd seen Bast water bend, but Bast wasn't a bender! He just needed to get home and get some rest! If the boys helped him to the park, he'd just sink down and then flop over onto the ground, laying on his back. "What the hell just happened...." That wasn't a typical meeting at all!

Bast's heart was still definitely in his throat right now, but he was getting used to breathing with it there. He had most of Bael's weight slung over his shoulder, and Rakka had the rest. It was hard for Bast to navigate so he was relying on Rakka for that portion. Tanaf was running some distance ahead and signalling that it was okay to go that direction. Who knew how many chi blockers might be crawling through the streets and looking for the escapees.

When they finally got to the park, Bast wasn't sure where exactly to go, but he saw a girl sitting near the middle of the park. "Leta?" He would steer the other men toward her and let Bael lie down. "Uhm Leta, I think his arm is hurt. Can you help him?" He backed off, not wanting to try his hand at it in case Bael freaked out.

Leta stood when she heard her name, and she looked over them, relief apparent now that she knew they were okay. Seeing Bael lay on the ground, and Bast explaining how hurt he was, she quickly made her way over to him, taking out her water skin. She motioned to Bast to come closer, to help her put his shoulder back into place.

"This is going to hurt, I'm sorry..." she said, and then gave a nod to Bast. When he was done, she would push on Bael's chest, telling him to lay down again. She bent the water from its holder, and she brought it up to his shoulder. The water would give a soft glowing light as she began healing him.

"Leta, where were you?" Rakka asked, seeing that things had calmed down. He was doing his best to hide the bending from sight... just in case.

"I went to find you... and I saw you talking to some people. And then you were taken away..." she said softly, recalling when Rakka and Tanaf were kidnapped by the Equalists. "And I went back to find Bael and Bast, and they weren't here. I thought the same thing happened to them. So I just waited here... hoping you would return." Honestly, she might have gone looking for them, if she knew the city a little better.

"Taru was worried too..." she said, watching the fire ferret jump up into Bast's arms.

Bael is still feeling out of it, and if he'd touch the back of his head, it came away sticky with blood. He'd taken a pretty hard hit to knock him over. They have to put his shoulder back into place, and he can't help the yelp of pain when they do so.

Leta is healing him up, and he's biting his lip, before looking at all of them, even Tanaf, one by one. "It's not usually like that. That isn't...that isn't what the movement is about..." He almost looked as if he might cry, which wasn't something Bael did often, and he hung his head. Rakka had been right, he could have gotten Bast seriously hurt or worse. Of course...if he hadn't been there, Rakka and Tanaf might have lost their bending, so at least there was that?

"I do not like that masked man. He was evil." Bast's normally child-like face was hard with seriousness. He crossed his arms and watched Bael be healed with a frown. Shifting his weight from foot to foot he was thinking over everything he had just seen and he shivered.

"I can't imagine if.." He shook his head. Taru was now perched on his shoulders since Bast had stopped squeezing the life out of him. Falu had felt the way Bast did in the rally and kept inside his person's shirt. Now he seemed to bolster some courage and joined the ferret on Bast's shoulder. Apparently their earlier feud was forgotten.

Leta looked between them all, a little confused. "What happened? Where did they take you?" she asked, as she continued to heal Bael. His shoulder had received all she could do for it, and she sat him up, looking him over more. She saw the spot on the back of his head, and began to heal that as well. Rakka frowned a bit, but knew that it was all necessary. He felt the cut along his face, from where he had hit the floor, and didn't feel he needed as much attention as Bael. The male had saved him from losing his bending after all.

Rakka explained what he knew to Leta, and by the end of it, she was standing, looking rather worried. "He can take bending? Forever?" That wasn't something that seemed equal at all. She turned back to Bael. "Does it feel better? Is there anything else that hurts?"

Bael let Rakka explain while Leta healed him, and when she was done, he pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. "Thanks Leta..." As for the bending question, he'd just nod, "It looks like it. I didn't stick around to find out from the one guy he got. We untied the people on stage and ran."

He'd look up at Bast and he just looked sad, "Nobody is getting their bending taken away. That's just stupid. He's lost sight of what we wanted in the first place." He hugged himself tighter, knowing that none of them were likely to believe him now.

Bast's heart broke for Bael; he didn't want to see his friend sad but he had the suspicion that the Equalists were not the group Bael thought they were. Even if the chi blockers who attacked the ports were unusual, they had to have been commanded by someone.. had some sort of plan. Bast shook his head, causing his dreadlocks to fly around his head.

"Rakka, can I just have a word with you?" Bast tugged Rakka to the side and turned his back and Rakka's to the group. "Could you just, not.. Not tell Bael?" He had his arm around Rakka's shoulder to shield his actions. He lifted his hand and around it was a stolen small portion of water from Leta. He lifted his hand to Rakka's face and healed the cut there. "Don't tell him about this."

Leta looked at Bael as he curled up in front of her. She tilted her head to the side a bit, and placed her hand on his shoulder gently. "Don't worry, Bael. I know you wouldn't want that. Just like you should know we don't want to oppress you."

Rakka followed Bast and listened to the man, letting him heal his cut. Taru was interested in the water, and climbed up his arm and reached out for the water, wondering what it was.

Rakka touched his cheek when Bast was done, and then looked at him. "You are a water bender..." he said quietly, frowning. "You very much led me to believe you weren't when I was trying to find one!"

Bael just buried his face in his knees, he was having a hard time because he'd had his beliefs very abruptly ripped out from under him. The slump of his shoulders just gave off the image of someone who had been defeated. "I came to republic city because I heard it was this great place of peace and prosperity. That benders and non benders from all nations lived here in harmony, just like Avatar Aang wanted. But it's not any different than where I came from..." He'd hug his knees tighter and he'd fall silent. Thankfully the conversation between Rakka and Bast went unnoticed.

"I don't like to fight," Bast said to Rakka firmly and turned back to Bael. He sighed heavily and crouched next to his newly uninjured friend.

"I'm sorry Bael. I thought it was like that too, but the whole idea of the equalists... it didn't feel right." he would have said more, but he didn't want to upset Bael.

"It was at one point..." Leta said quietly, and watched Rakka rejoin the group, standing just behind Bast. "But then things changed somehow. Just because it isn't like you pictured... doesn't mean you can't make it that way. You can make the change this city needs. You understand now, and so do we. Together... maybe we can make a difference. The real difference this city needs. Just because the people you followed turned out to be something different, you shouldn't give up. You can still make the change you want." She knelt down beside Bael, opposite Bast and she rested her hand on his head.

"I don't want you to give up, Bael. I don't want to see that spark inside of you die. I've seen it happen to many times in the North. I almost lost my own spark once... but I found inspiration. Just find your own inspiration, and I'm sure things will be okay." She gave a soft smile to him.

Rakka, besides being jealous that Leta was touching Bael, was also astonished. That was the most he had ever heard her speak... ever. He knew what she was talking about too. She had almost given up being anything but a healer... But he had come there, and stole her from that life. He had kept her spark alive...

Bael eventually looked up at Leta, and he just looked sad. "How? Who is going to listen to me now with these...extreme equalists ruining our name?" He'd go back to resting his chin on his knees, "We should all go home, it's dangerous out here right now. The chi blockers and the police both present a danger to us."

He'd stand up, and he'd give Leta a slightly wobbly smile, "Thank you again for healing me."

Bast chewed his lip and listened to the two of them talking. He wished he could have said more, or been the one to really help Bael, but he was afraid. He sighed and got to his feet.

"We should get you home, Bael."

Leta stood and looked down at Bael. She couldn't answer him how he might do such a thing, but at least the thought was there. She stood with him, and would agree with Bast.

"Yes, I am glad you are all okay." She turned to Rakka, showing she meant it for him as well. He scoffed, crossing his arms and turned to walk. He'd walk with her at least, to the place she was staying at least. Taru hopped down from Bast's shoulders, and ran to Leta, following behind them.

Bael waited until Leta stood up, and before she could walk off with Rakka, he'd grab her arm and he'd pull her into a hug, lowering his voice so only she could hear him, "Thank you Leta. I mean it." It wasn't just for the healing, but the words. He'd let her go then, so she could go with Rakka, and he'd watch her until she disappeared from sight.

He'd look over at Bast then, "Yeah...let's go back." He'd stick close to Bast, "Next time I tell you to run, you better run. You could have gotten hurt really bad..."

Bast waved to his friends who were leaving.. Tanaf trailed after Rakka. Bast barely remembered the guy was there half the time!

Bael is telling him he should have run. Bast wanted to point out he wasn't the one who got hurt at all, but instead he ducked his head and blushed. "I can take care of myself when I need to.. And I couldn't leave you there.."

Maybe it was the faint lights from the park... or maybe it was the fact that his vision was still swimming just a tiny bit, but Rakka might have thought he saw a small blush on Leta's cheeks after she pulled away from Bael's hug. He cleared his throat, deciding not to let it get to him. But of course, that was easier said than done.

He grabbed her hand before she left into the inn, and he looked at her firmly. He opened his mouth, but the words he wanted to say didn't come out. Instead, he said, "Be safe, okay?" He would let her go, and turn to walk home. Leta watched after him, until she couldn't see him anymore, just to make sure he was fine, before she made her way inside.

Bael must be in a really strange mood, or maybe he took the hit to the head harder than they thought, because when they got to his door, he's stop and pull Bast into a hug. "You have to stay safe." It was probably an awkward hug, because Bast was so much taller than he was, but Bael didn't care.

He'd let Bast go then, and he'd let them inside before locking up behind them. He'll just go flop on the bed, "There should be leftovers in the fridge if you are hungry." Bael just wanted to sleep forever.