milliways_bar | (no subject)

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autor

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There may be a small earthquake occurring outside.

Or a giant mole.

Or a localized gravity problem.

...

Or, more correctly, one Earthbender taking out the day's frustrations on a patch of what appeared to her to be unused land, her well-practiced motions heaving slabs of dirt and rock around as easily as breathing. She's put her uniform off to one side, the soft cotton of her sleeveless shirt and drawstring pants much more comfortable for this sort of workout.

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Autor glides above her on his carpet for a while, transfixed by her skills. He floats down into her line of vision a little ways away, waving at her when she seems to take a break. "Are you an earthbender?"

It is so very weird to be asked that question. She has to bite back the first, sarcastic response - anyone asking this in her world would be trying to give her hell.

"I am.. you've heard of earthbenders?"

"Oh, yes," Autor says, his legs dangling off the edge of his carpet. "I've met the Avatar Korra, and she was an earthbender, too. Can you bend anything other than earth?"

"We can't all be Avatars." Lin retorts dryly. She knows of Avatar Korra, of course - it's hard to get Tensin to shut up about the girl, and he doesn't even have the responsibility of training her yet.

Autor blinks at her. "As far as I know, there can only be one at a time," he says, uncertain where this conversation is going. "My name is Autor. What can I call you?"

"I am..." 'Chief' is probably un-called-for here. "Lin Beifong. I take it there aren't a lot of earthbenders around here?" This is both a good and a bad thing - so far the only person she's seen that she knows is Tahno... but at least she doesn't have any of her own officers to worry about.

"There aren't a lot of benders around here, period," Autor says, tilting his head. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Beifong. How are you liking the bar so far?"

"It's... bizarre." Lin shakes her head, giving the building a bemused glance. "I'm not sure why people seem to think this place is a bar."

"I think it started out as a bar, and gradually turned into something else," Autor says, cupping his elbow and adjusting his glasses with his free hand. "But I understand it being bizarre. It takes a while to adjust. Is that your uniform? Are you a soldier?"

"I'm a police officer." Some would argue that the city's police force is more like an army than a band of watchmen. Some people need a swift kick in the ass, Lin believes.

"A police officer?" Autor says, nodding. "I see. Do you like the work?"

"It's not so much a matter of liking. It is important work." Lin was never one of those who follow the creed of 'do what you love'.

And it is important. She knows she is making a difference.

That... is enough.

"That it is," Autor says, inclining his head. "How did you get into police work?"

Now that's a question she's never gotten. With her last name, she's pretty sure it would be more of a surprise if she was doing something else. Some of the surprise probably shows on her face before she manages to get control.

"Same as everyone else, I suppose." This isn't entirely true - not too many kids try to live up to the Chief. "What do you do?"

Autor blinks at her again, shifting up on his carpet. The surprise is new; he didn't think this woman could be surprised. On the other hand, her non-answer isn't a shock at all, so Autor gladly takes the subject change.

"I'm a music student," Autor says, "at the Goldkrone Academy of the Arts. I play the piano and interpret compositions."

Lin tilts her head, not entirely sure what he's getting at.

"You speak music?" No, that still sounds ridiculous, but she's not sure how else to interpret it.

Autor chuckles, shaking his head. "Sort of? I can sight read the notes off of sheets well enough, and can figure out what people meant to say by writing them," he says, resting his hands on his knees. "How long have you been an officer of the law?"

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