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Amon     REPUBLIC CITY
    EVENING

The man referred to as Lightning Bolt Zolt was pretty grateful for not having his superpowers taken away. Although he's definitely a sketchy sort, he must adhere to /some/ kind of honor system because he's gone out of his way to invite anybody who remotely had a hand in his rescue to dinner.

The venue is something out of a 1920s mobster movie, albeit with a substantial East Asian slant that distorts the aesthetic just enough to be distinct. Ordinarily this restaurant would be positively buzzing this time of night, but... it's been rented out.

Entirely.

Lightning Bolt Zolt himself is a large, middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair, broad-shouldered and well-built. His clothes are a deep rich purple with yellow and white trim. Pristine white tablecloths are accompanied by elaborate (and sometimes, gold-laced) plates, silverware, and chopsticks in a relatively strange assortment.

Zolt himself is seated at the head of a long table that's been set up in the center of the dining room, and the first of several courses is in the middle of being served. It appears to be some sort of calamari dish, although it's subtly /off/. Not quite the calamari you're used to, if indeed you're used to it.

The restaurant is filled with... gentlemen, who are well-dressed but have vibes that range from 'actual legitimate businessman' to 'con artist' to 'absolutely hired muscle'. A slim man dressed in blue seems to be keeping overwatch on things.

Not stopping him from drinking, though.

Once enough guests have arrived, Zolt raises his hands, "Alright, alright... quiet down so our guests can hear themselves think. You're all extraversals, so you've probably got some questions. You did me a big favor, so I'm gonna give you answers. Might give you more'n that, depending."
Mei Hatsume      Arriving at the oddly quiet restaurant, Mei looks quite out of place even with her attempt at fitting in. The goggles might fit the general aesthetic of the world she's in, but her clothes... Well, maybe not necessarily the mob movie location, but a mechanic's jumpsuit?

     She's not even trying. She's got more important things to focus on! "Hey there, Mister... What's your name!"

     Apparently, she's already forgotten. Taking a seat at the table, she at least has enough sense not to just start gobbling or smear up the table with grease.

     She's actually clean today. "Yeah, a few. Like... What do you know about that guy that kidnapped you? His group? Or the tech they used to do that thing to those other people?"

     She's also making quite a few assumptions already.
Finna     Finna has absolutely no trouble adapting her appearance to the local customs, and so today she's dressed as the locals in more ordinary clothes. No trace of the tattoos and picking out the foxy features is much harder than before - though Zolt, who might've caught quite a glimpse of it before, might notice!

    For everyone else here? Probably no chance, right?

    Who knows. But Finna's found a seat near Zolt, and she doesn't seem to mind that there's something Weird up for a meal. She eats with only the barest amount of manners one can get away with.

    "I'd like to hear how he was doing what he was doing... and, the truth of his motives. I'm not too concerned about arbitrary notions of justice and fairness... but a man like that, one would think his motivation is something painful. Something long-lasting. So this 'inequality' that bothers him so... I'd like to hear your view on things here."
Android 17 Android 17 sits a the table, he seems to go along with the flow of the evening, enjoying the meal and eating. He is reserved, not rambunctious, though responds well enough to the rowdier members of the goings on until the boss calls for silence. It isn't the same dish he is used to, but at the same time, there is an interesting flavor to it all the same. He's not unhappy with it, in fact, he seems to enjoy what he is eating all the same.

However, as the boss calls things to order, he looks up towards Zolt himself.

He doesn't ask questions that he more or less has the answer to, self admittedly from the mouth of Amon and his followers himself. Instead...

"That man seemed to have a grudge with you, as well as those who follow him. I would say there is truth to every side of a story, so I would hear what you have to say about your hand in 'terrorizing' the folks of the city."
Gilgamesh      The King of Heroes stands out wherever he goes.

     It's not a matter of /trying/ or /not trying/. Even when he bothers to restrain his aura of palpable, physical glory, which he almost never does, he just doesn't *look* like other people. He lacks the little physical blemishes, the little imperfection that flesh-and-blood humans are supposed to have. His hair is too well-kept. His blood-red eyes are too mystical, a sense of magic about them as they look around. Even his mundane long coat, sweater, and beige dress pants look ludicrously fine upon him, as if just by wearing them things like thread count and stitch quality improved tenfold. It's not something he consciously *does* so much as something he unconsciously *is*, something woven into the fabric of his existence.

     Heads turn when he walks into the restaurant. Heads have been turning since he entered Republic City, but now, in this crowded place, he stands out even more. A little trail of people try and follow him into the restaurant, undoubtedly stopped by the hired muscle, with looks of disappointment on their faces, like druggies being held back from their fix. Gilgamesh pays them no mind. He simply snaps his fingers.

     A comfortable-looking throne of gold falls with a quiet *thump* onto the restaurant floor out of a ripple in the air. The King sits down on it and reclines like a cat, languid, liquid, and quiet. People have already asked questions he wants to ask, so instead he explores the food.

     It's interesting.

     That's a virtue.
Varrick     Of course Varrick is here. Who in the heck do you think employs the dockworkers that Lightning Bolt Zolt has to bribe in order to run half his smuggling operations? Not /Cabbage Corp/, that's for darn sure. That's why he's sitting around like he owns the place -- or at least probably enough stocks in the franchise to have someone on the directors. He's also dressed rather appropriately, and seated off to one side already. This is a little bit confusing because as far as anyone would know, he wasn't there -- at the very least, not as he is right now.

    Zhu Li is with him, as she always must be. She's handling his food.

    "Did me a heck of a favor too! You know how much trouble it is figuring out who to actually /pay/ the kickbacks to in a big Legitimate Businessman power vacuum to get anything through these darn harbors?" He says, leeeeaaaaaning forward at Finna for some reason. "Tons! Every Chan, Lee, and Ip from here to the Water Tribe decides you owe him the same rate the last guy got!" He gesticulates gregariously. "So it's a good thing Zolt got through on this."

    He jabs a fork in Mei's direction like he's fending off a fencer's assault. "Good question. And the answer is, I don't know! What kind of guy walks around with technology like that without /selling it/? To me!" He looks distraught at the idea, like it's tragic. "Maybe spirity, maybe technology, who knows. I will soon! Just gotta hope my deal goes through with the council."

    He regards Gilgamesh with a frown, and squinted eyes. He leans back briefly. "Zhu Li. Remind me to get one of those." He whispers, well within Gil's hearing, pointing his fork at the throne. Android 17 is a recognized voice, now that they've been at the rally and on the radio together, but only loosely, so all he gets is the quick look of recognition. Which is, honestly, getting off easy around Varrick.
Amon "They call me Lightning Bolt Zolt. That one over there is Shady Shin." Zolt replies to Mei, "As for the /kidnapping/... well, those Equalist nuts are all over the place. They make a habit of gettin' in the way of my business. Their whole deal is pretty self-explanatory. Got a chip on their shoulders because they weren't born with power. Can't say as I blame them for makin' toys to bridge the gap a little, but that Amon..."

He shakes his head, "There isn't anybody like that except the Avatar. Wasn't tech, he said it was some kinda spiritual power. Shouldn't be possible, but looked like it worked pretty well to me. Actually..."

He jerks a thumb at Shin, "That one was put under it a while after you left. Can't bend or nothin' now. Good thing his good point was always his way with words, eh?"

He regards Android 17 shrewdly, and shrugs, "We sell protection services. Move goods. Only reason they got a problem with it is because some of us have powers to do it with. Regular man isn't much good against a lightning bolt, eh? Personally, I like to think I keep things cleaner than they should be."

"But," he shrugs, "'Whatever lets you sleep at night' is usually what people have to say to that."

He taps the table with an index finger in response to Finna, "Equalists have a problem with powerful people usin' their power. Want a little slice of it themselves, if you ask me. That's all there is to it from my perspective. Only good thing I gotta say about them is that they don't usually put anybody underground, if you catch my drift."

Lightning Bolt Zolt just sort of stares at Gilgamesh and the ridiculous display of both his entrance and his chair. He chortles, "If /I/ had a solid gold chair, I'd take it with me everywhere, too."

He eyes Varrick, more than a little nervously.

"Deals with the council, huh?" He asks, /clearly/ suspicious.
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh looks actively bored at Zolt's statement. "Of course they want a piece for their own. They are a powerless mob being led by a few with the will to change the mob. Little more than rats and scavengers hoping the bigger beasts will make a fat enough kill for them to feast."

     "Like all criminals."

     The meaning is pretty clear as those red eyes stare at Zolt. Gilgamesh fiddles with the food without looking at it. It's not an accusation.

     He glances at Zhu Li and Varrick briefly. The King's lips quirk upwards in a smirk. "Yes," he says to both them and Zolt, "If you had a throne you likely would bring it everywhere."

     Gilgamesh raises the food to perfect lips and takes another thoughtful bite. He eats with absolutely impeccable table manners. When he's done, he sets the utensils down and steeples his fingers over his lap, crossing his legs in the process. In an instant he looks less like a cat and more like the King he always claims to be. "But if you dismiss that man in the mask as a simple fool looking to take a slice of power for his own you will assuredly regret it. He is not a rat. He is a hunter looking to slay a great lion in order to change the world. A man with a spear who has walked into the wilderness to kill a dragon for what he believes in."

     "That man is dangerous. The rest are so much chaff. Take out the lieutenants and even all the will in the world will not stop the cowards."

     Gilgamesh picks up his fork again and holds it outwards to the side, like a pencil. "Or slaughter his support until it becomes too dangerous to support him. Collapse his infrastructure. Even a powerful man with a powerful will is nothing if following him means a certain death. He is, after all, only a human."
Varrick     "Yeah, trying to deal with the Council. What? You want those crazies wandering around?" Varrick gestures out the door at Gil's groupies as if they're somehow the Equalists, which for obvious reasons makes no sense whatsoever. "Who knows what that whacko can do! He'll come kidnap me in the night and take away my moneybending! The important part is making sure we know where they are, or at least where they were, you know. It's not like it'll be a problem for you!"

    Yes, for a while now he's been busy on that Varrick Industries idea for surveilance systems here, and he's even put proposals at the Council for them. One hopes things will go through... soooooon. He doesn't /actually/ have any investment in stopping the Equalists for various reasons, not the least of which being that he isn't a Bender, but he HAS recognized an important business opportunity that also honestly probably won't piss the Equalists off that badly. At least at Varrick himself.

    He regards Gil's statement critically, like he's examining a piece of art. "Gotta motorize it too. Like a Satomobile." He says to himself, nodding firmly. What a wonderful piece of wisdom to take away from this conversation, Varrick. For now, he kicks back and keeps attentive to the extraversal questions and conversation. Varrick is local, after all, and has all the context he needs.
Mei Hatsume      Finna's talk of motivations and Android 17's query about Zolt's side draw a mildly intrigued look from Mei. It's certainly not her priority, though, if Varrick's talk of tech getting a more forceful nod AND a broad grin from Mei is any indication. Gilgamesh's summoning of the golden throne, meanwhile, draws a wide-eyed stare from Mei as well, although more because...

     Well, it's /gold/ How much wiring could she make with just a leg from that thing?!

     Focus Mei, focus! Catching Zolt's name for the second time and Shin's for the first, each of them gets a charming grin and nod that's definitely not what would be given by someone that's just going to forget their names again. "Recurring issues, then? They've got to have something, though, right? Minds to think up those tools, hands to make 'em, silver tongues to sell 'em?" Shin being a good mouthpiece is something, at least, but even that's not enough to have Mei make proper sense of it all.

     Other worlds really can be quite strange. The comment about 'protection services' draws a slowly raised eyebrow from Mei, as does Gilgamesh's straightforward problem-solving suggestion, but she'll let those slide for now. Zolt's a useful contact to have, and Gilgamesh has SO MUCH GOLD and all those other weapons stored in his weird magic door thing.

     Zolt's suspicion towards Varrick is a source of curiosity for the young inventor. "A council, you say. Tell me more. Do these Equalists have any ties to them? Or... Are they butting heads, too? And is this Council more of a secret conspiracy council or a high society new money council?"
Android 17     "Or your make martyr's so his cause grows stronger, and everyone who fights under his banner has a warcry to rally behind," Android 17 says, putting another piece of the kalimari into his mouth, "So what is this? It's different than what I am used to eating from my world." He asks, breaking the tention of countering Gilgamesh's point with his own. He puts another one into his mouth.

    "But yes, I am not unfamilar with people who want to change the world. They're willing to do whatever it takes, take measures against whoever wrong them. They'll use anything, and anyone, to do what they want..." He says, his gaze just slightly distant, before he continues.

    "Let me make something clear. If he had a good reason to want to take away your power.." he says, looking towards Bolt, "Like using it to crush people who can't stand up to you into submission, or hurting people to make yourself richer.." he says, with a tone that seems to indicate he's not afraid of the people around him. "I'd throw you back to him myself. I suggest not making me into a liar. It'll also be good for you in the long term. Working with the local authorities, and not being the man they claim you are...kinda will erode whatever message he's on about, right?"
Finna     The moment Gilgamesh wanders in, Finna's head swivels at high speed to take notice. She could practically FEEL him after all. A radiant warmth tickling the periphery of her senses. Something almost familiar about it. ALMOST... but what?

    She turns to listening to Zolt's explanation, giving a thoughtful nod as he finishes, and folds her arms. But it's hard to seperate her attention between everyone present.

    Picking up on Varrick's lean, she turns to him at just the right moment to lock gazes with him and flashes a playful wink meant to trip up his groove with 'I cannot get that face out of my head, augh!' for a bit.

    "... That does add up with what I've found." She notes in a musical and thoughtful lilt, tapping a finger to her chin. "I suppose those with strength naturally gravitate towards the top, period. So then if you want to rise, strength is what you have to have. Nothing special about that. This crusade of his though..." Her lips close tightly, pursing fiercely as she picks her next words.

    They come out a bit coldly. "When he spoke, it gave me the willies. There's something about that man... he probably has many secrets. No typical revolutionary."
Amon Zolt eyes Gilgamesh with a certain measure of annoyance, but he doesn't comment. He's disciplined enough not to incriminate himself-- there are people who could be listening. He waves a hand, "I know that Amon is dangerous, trust me. Well, trust me about /that/. I also know when I'm outta my league. His people are better-armed than mine are, and he's got more of 'em. I go after him with real blood, and I'm gonna get killed."

"I'm perfectly fine with being the top frog in the well." He adds, gesturing at the restaurant around them.

His attention swivels from Varrick, to Gilgamesh, to Gilgamesh's turned-away groupies.

"I know you, Varrick. Somebody takes away your money, and you'll turn up a month later a continent away with some crazy nonsense I don't understand." He seems to consider that for a moment, then adds, "I'm sure it's awfully inconvenient to turn that around though, for sure. Not going to complain about extraversals this time 'round, but I can see how they'd be trouble."

In response to Mei's questioning, Zolt sits up and shakes his head, "Half the industrial leaders out there ain't benders. Maybe most of 'em. If I know industry tycoons... and I /do/ know industry tycoons."

He looks at Varrick.

"... Probably half of 'em are bankrolling the guy on the side and waitin' to see where the dice fall."

"Anyway, the Council don't like the Equalists. Amon's public enemy number one around here."

Android 17's threats provoke a roar of laughter out of Zolt, who shakes a hand at him, "You got guts. Mind, I figure you got a good reason for havin' guts. Truth is, I can't go gettin' all friendly with the authorities. Could find another line of business, but cozying up to the city... ah.. that ship's sailed. I'd be safer if you /did/ throw me to Amon."

"Then I'd just be poor ol' Lightning Bolt Zolt, who had his spark stolen."

At last he arrives to Finna, to whom he says simply: "This is Republic City. Except on the outside, I don't reckon..."

"That there's many places with more people who have secrets they want to stay buried."
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh rolls his eyes over his food.

     "Yes. That is the rallying cry of the weak-willed and the cowardly. It is right and moral when they take action, but when action is taken against them, it is immoral."

     "Martyrs are not made by mass slaughter."

     Gilgamesh drums his fingers on the table. "Martyrs are made by stand-out men. Martyrs are heroes by another name, those who have the will to sacrifice themselves. It will first be played as a tragedy to rally more to his side. Then it will be played as a sacrifice to rally the anger of families. Then it will be grasped as a desperate ploy, speaking of oppression in the hope that righteousness will fan the flames of revolution. Then..."

     Gilgamesh snaps his fingers, and a blade so fine it makes even the throne look like a pitiful toy stabs straight down into the table next to him. The craftsmanship is beyond flawless. It's beyond priceless, too. And it's magical as *hell*. It pierces through, sinking in, like some sort of sword in a stone. It's sharp, silvery, shimmering with splendorous mystic might, a single ominous red jewel staring out of a dark black-iron pommel. It's a hell of a punctuation mark. "Then at last morale will die, and no one will support him, because his cause will have ended before it could begin."

     Gilgamesh takes a bite of his meal and looks over at Varrick and Zhu Li. A smirk quirks at his lips as his eyes pass over Zhu Li, then, to Varrick, says, "I doubt it. You have a fair fortune, merchant. I doubt even he has the power to drain it from you in a single motion. Though doubtless he would likely enjoy trying." Gilgamesh drapes his fork like a pencil again. "Money would buy more loyalty and morale for him than all the spit that falls from his mask."

     His eyes turn back on Zolt. Those red eyes are...unnerving, to look right into. Intense. From a time beyond this one, something old and primordial and *dangerous*. The King takes a sip of the water in front of him, then sets it down with a slow, purposeful click next to the black-hilted blade.

     "Top of the well?" He asks. A silken napkin appears out of thin air. It wipes his lips.

     A moment later, a massive axe goes *shooting* past Zolt's face. It comes within an inch of cleaving it off. Those red eyes are horrible to look at, now, radiant and cold. "You are not the top of anything. You are the lowest of the low. A criminal who believes he wields some tiny bit of power because he is moderately clever."

     Gilgamesh's fingers drum against the table again. Another blade stabs into the table at a diagonal angle, a shortspear that extrudes through the wood and extremely close to Zolt's...not-fun places. "You peddle drugs to desperate people looking for escape from the pains of their lives from the hospice down the street."

     *Thunk*. Another axe embeds itself in the table. "You pay children to work the streets and spill illicit coin into their pockets, where none would ever think to look, because humans have a remarkable tendency to imagine children as innocent of all wrong-doing."

     *THUD*. A heavy blade embeds itself *directly* in Zolt's chair. He can feel the greatsword's edge against his back. It's sharp. Dangerously sharp.

     "And you want us to solve your problem? You won't complain *this time around*?"

     "Fool." Gilgamesh sips from his glass like he didn't just attack a mob boss. "You wish to be protected from the so-called Equalists without shedding a drop of your own blood? Then spill something useful, else suffer the wrath of the King."

     His eyes flick to the men around the room, who might be about to protest that he just outright threatened their boss. "Stow your weapons and lower your fists. That is an order from your King."

     Then he cuts another slice of food. "Start talking, mongrel. I despise your kind almost as much as I hate the Equalists. You will find no mercy from me."
Varrick     Varrick briefly flinches when Mei mentions people to sell the technologies. It's one tiny quirk of the eyebrow but it's there, however small. The only sort of person who might notice it is someone with... Enhanced vision, perhaps? It dies as soon as it lived. He answers her question directly. "Pfff. Ties with the Council? Hah! Council's nothing but the bendingest benders around ever since Sokka got replaced by Tarrlok." Varrick says, waving his hand vaguely. "They'd never run with that kind of crowd, they've already got enough dang control on this city you know. They're the guys who run it! Or at least, you know, make the laws."

    He regards Android 17 critically. "Sheesh! You guys. I can't tell if you brought your tiger shark with you, or your rabid goat dog." The tone of voice he has, at least, makes it sound like he's not sure if 17 is brave or crazy, but those hybrid animals make it a bit complicated. He's not the subject of ire, though, which is good for him!

    "I built this fortune once, and you're darn tootin' I could build it again! Started this with a raft and a dream!" Varrick looks prideful about that, like he's about to launch into a story, when the conversation moves quickly past it. Thank goodness nobody needs to hear the rags-to-riches Varrick story right now, they're going to get enough of it when he eventually writes his... *Shudder*. His memoirs. He tastefully avoids the topic of bankrolling the guy.

    Gilgamesh gets a wide grin. "The biggest in the Southern Water Tribe, and that's a guarantee! Name's Varrick, head of Varrick Global Industries! I'm the guy who moves what needs moving through whatever kinds of danger keep it from getting there!" He knows Gil appreciates the /adventurous/ side of business, and Varrick is very much an adventure capitalist, considering the business he's in is one where menacing sea-spirits are a real threat.

    When Gil's contempt explodes, Varrick performs a stylish maneuver known to The Modern Youth as a "Tenzin Slide", though the source of such a name is obscure. He sort of... scoooooooots back to give some space to the heated air between Gil and Zolt, because the area between a thunder-spewing mob boss and a gold-slicing god-king is not a smart place for a man like him to be. He does look with /fascination/ at Zolt and Shin, in hopes that they have some great morsel of intel to drop to get Gil off their backs.
Amon Zolt gets up when the first blade embeds itself into his chair. He's faster than he looks-- and especially faster than his age would suggest. He's out of his league here, and he knows it. The stance that he assumes is defensive, and he mostly stood up because he didn't get where he was going by staying still in a situation like that.

He does not lower his hands when commanded, but he does gesture towards the many other men who drew their own.

"Ain't askin' you for anything. You lot did me a favor, whether you meant to or not. I'm answerin' questions, I'm payin' for dinner, might have some other favors I can do dependin' on what you need. You want to help me? I got things people like you can do. You want a job? Same idea. You, I doubt there's anything of mine you could possibly want, and I didn't expect anything in particular."

"You wanna kill me? You've got the firepower for it. You really the type to kill somebody who's just sayin' thank you?"

"An' you guys!" He gestures at his men, "What've I told you about fighting over dinner? It's not dignified."
Android 17     Android 17 smiles, because he got a laugh as part of his comments.

    "Yes. I am told I am very gutsy." He says, with a smile that stays somehow neutral the entire time. He leans over, ready to continue...

    AXE.

    Well, it seems that Gilgamesh has a question to AXE him. Well, more like a statement to make. Several axes later, and Android 17 has started to put the kalimari back into his mouth again. He looks back towards Varrick, as the situation slowly goes out of his control and shrugs.

    "Isn't the first rule of business to always exude confidence? I'm confident in my ability to deal with this," Android 17 says, "Also, I did walk into that rally alone, and wasn't expecting back up. So I will leave the judgement of my judgement in your hands, though expect a critical peer review from me." He says, with a whimsical smile. @emit

    When things REALLY start get ready to explode, Seventeen moves to assist Varrick and his assistant who he hasn't gotten the name of yet. He positions himself infront of them, though he hasn't drawn the barrier up yet.

    "Your gesture of thanks is appreciated," Seventeen says, "But I must suggest heavily that a change in careers is in your future." is spoken to Zolt. He looks back to the two people behind him. "I hope you know how to handle yourself in a fight between powerful people."
Finna     Finna FREEZES in her place when the first axe goes flying. But her senses are incredibly sharp and she realizes the weapon's path. So the pause is only a half-second before she stuffs another hunk of the weird seamonster meat into her mouth, chews, and swallows.

    While the weapons go sailing by, she keeps scarfing down food. Although... just slightly slower than earlier. She's being VERY particular about studying those weapons stuck in everything, after all.

    It's also VERY difficult to tell exactly what she plans on doing next from body language. Looking at her, one can only get the faintest sense of a cheshire grin in her smile.

    Gilgamesh has just managed to both EXCITE and TERRIFY at the same time though, that's for sure.
Gilgamesh      "Yes," Gilgamesh says flatly, "I do want to kill you. Sitting across from you offends me."

     "I am waiting for you to make it worth my while not to. You are someone who knows things that others cannot know."

     "The only reason I have not done my duty and executed you and every man of yours in this room is that there is the slim potential that you know something that may help in killing the man in the mask, a pleasure I am far, far more interested in than snuffing out your life."

     Gilgamesh leans forward. "If you can provide me the keys to executing him, then you live. If you cannot..."

     The Gate of Babylon yawns wide.

     Gilgamesh makes a motion. "You and every one of your men in this restaurant will die a pointless and messy death for the authorities of this town to look at and say 'what a shame, we should really catch the killer' and then quietly sweep beneath a fine rug."
Amon Lightning Bolt Zolt grins. It's clear that he knows something which can get him out of this. He lowers his hands and nods, "Yeah. Yeah, I can give you somethin' that'll put you on the right track. That girl who busted in and started yellin' at Amon, she's the Avatar. Kind of a spiritual leader figure, only she has crazy powers nobody else does. Sorta like Amon, actually. I don't know if she's got it in her head to kill him, but she's going to be his biggest target sooner or later."

"There's a couple islands to the south, just outside the mouth of the bay. One's got a statue of the last Avatar, and the other's Air Temple Island. You go there, you have a chat with the Avatar. If she don't want to help you, you can just wait. 'Cause sooner or later, those two are gonna come to blows."
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh considers this information for a long, long, heart-rendingly long moment. Another napkin appears out of thin air. He brushes his lips with it.

     "Yes. The Avatar."

     "She's very attractive. I had already planned to track her down for my own interest."

     "How unfortunate for you."

     The Gate of Babylon's yawning weapons come shooting out. Some of them pour into Zolt. Some of them pour into Shin. Some of them pour into his goons. Not one of them comes anywhere near 17, Finna, Varrick, Zhu Li, Mei, or anyone else at the table not associated with Zolt. As the weapons pour forth like an unceasing rain, the King of Heroes stands, wipes himself off as if he wasn't cold-heartedly murdering a restaurant full of men, allows his throne to evaporate, and then turns. He tilts his head backwards at Android 17, Finna, and Varrick.

     "There is probably a reward for exposing his den of poison down the street. It is the small hospice with the comforting sign on the door. Feel free to claim it for yourselves. Do some good with your evening."
Mei Hatsume      Varrick's eyebrow nudge is not lost on Mei, although she has enough sense not to make a big show of it. Like him, however, her grin drops just a smidge: Hard to notice casually, but it may very well be noticed by someone with stronger senses or simply paying close attention before she returns to her usual bright-eyed cheeriness. "Makes sense! With enough power, they'd probably have ties with..."

     Right. Mob styling all over the place. Not bothering to finish that sentence, her attention shifts when Gilgamesh get a little more pointed with Zolt. There's some flinching on the inventor's part, partially from how quickly those weapons are zipping about and partially from how much she'd like to test their sharpness with whatever's lying around, but... Priorities.

     "Gilgamesh. /Are/ you planning on bringing the fight to them yourself? With stunts like that just now, you probably could!" Mei gestures at the weapons briefly, then turns to Gilgamesh with a... Not grin? A neutral expression, even. "... But there's rules we have to follow. We can't just do what we want and expect to still be Paladins. Same with the authorities here. If they take the Equalists head on, who knows how bad it could get for the people living here? Collateral's a big problem when you get lots of explosive people like us around!"

     A brief grin, and then she's back to the neutral expression. Speaking of collateral, more of those weapons go flying towards Zolt and his crew, and Mei starts moving as fast as she and her gadgets can take her. A spike shoots out of her harness to propel her /towards/ Zolt, and she tenses up to try and shoulder-check him out of the immediate path of the flying weapons. A second spike shoots out from the other side moments later to thrust her back towards where she was, aided by a burst of air from that same side of the harness. It's not fast enough, though, and she gets her arm and back mildly chopped up in the process.

     Howling in pain follows that, naturally. After the initial shock winds down, however, she starts to speak again through pained hisses. "L... Like that! Things get bad enough with... People with power getting the weaker civilians or whoever involved, and... And then the civilians start losing faith in the people that should be protecting them. Get enough of that, and then-hah, that really stings, alright!"

     Talking a lot may help alleviate pain with people like her. "They start thinking that maybe doing things the wrong way is right. Like these guys!" Mei gestures towards Zolt and his crew, notwithstanding how many of them might be red stains by that point.
Android 17     He's willing to let these evil men bite it...

    However the flash of a red haired android staring at him that fateful day on that island. He sighs, speaking to himself, "Yeah yeah...I know Sixteen," He says and then with a burst of speed nearly impossible to follow, Seventeen is standing directly in the path of those weapons. Shots fire from his hands, attempt to shoot down the weapons he can't immediately interpose, before a green barrier surrounds himself. The barrier pushes out, aiming to sheild the men...as many as he can, against the onslaught of weapons coming from the Gate of Babaylon. The barrier and his own toughness are not something to be taken lightly, but he puts everything on defending the criminals, and nothing on his own personal defense. More than a few weapons will cut and slice through his body, electing pain responses in the form of grunts and groans of pain. He grits his teeth, trying to push through until the onslaught ends.

    Bleeding, and now holding his right hand the Android stands, ontop of the dinner table and stares straight ahead at Gilgamesh.

    "Hey. Can we not go around taking the law into our own hands. You might have been king once, and you might still be a king...but this is not your lands, right?" He groans, hoping he doesn't have another one of those in him. Still, he stands upright again, both hands coming up and getting ready for another one. Just in case.
Finna     Weapons go flying EVERYWHERE now, and this time Finna can tell they're aimed to kill. She finally SPITS out her food. Of all the things that could have happened, THIS?!

    "Goldy, one simply DOES NOT murder their host in cold blood! ... Who's going to come forward with information NOW?" She yowls at him, a fair amount of aggravation contained in a disgruntled half-growl.

    Of course she ISN'T moving to get in the way. A part of her wants to do SOMETHING, and yet... she doesn't move.

    But she does angrily stab a fork into the table surface for emphasis, her ears flattening out and tail starting to twitchy-halfwag as her shoulders bunch up.
Amon Lightning Bolt Zolt is fast to react. Electricity crackles between his fingers but the weapons are going to get there faster than he aims-- the only thing that /saves/ him is two people full on putting themselves and their superpowers between him and the hail of weapons. Of the dozen or so gangsters that were hanging out, about half of them manage -- either by their own skill and luck, or because Android 17 was coincidentally along the correct axis to intercept the attacks at them as well -- about half of them are left, plus Zolt.

This is, for the moment, a reprieve. It's clear the gangsters don't have the stuff to meaningfully defend themselves here-- if Gilgamesh lets up they'll be able to leave, if not they're going to need escorts.
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh's eyes are cold and hard. The instant people get in the way the Gate of Babylon stream towards them is at least cut off. Gilgamesh will not kill the innocent. Nothing's going to save the gangsters but further intervention, though. There's a look of unbelievable disgust on his face as Mei and Android 17 save Zolt.

     "I am the King. Everything is my land." He looks 17 in the eye. He means it. Then he turns his crimson gaze on Mei.

     "Each and every one of these men is knowingly and purposefully involved in selling men and women on the docks. Illegal. Each and every one of these men is knowingly and purposefully involved in the sale of lethal poisonous drugs five blocks away from this very spot. Illegal. Each and every one of these men is knowingly and purposefully involved in drawing children into their organization and stealing the future from bright and promising youths. These are not human beings. These are sicknesses. Plagues. Each day they live is a day food and coin and blood and soul are stolen from the innocent. Each day they live is a day someone else does not get back."

     "And your objection is that it is /wrong/ to put an end to them because, why, I am not doing it in a manner you approve of? Because you would have them to go some ridiculous prison and take jobs away from the very people they abuse?"

     Gilgamesh's voice is cold and hard. "You would have me look into the eyes of a man who is exactly what you criticize and tell me that I am wrong to protect the innocent because I am not doing it in a *manner according to your liking*? You would have me turn them over to the city to be fed and cared for and poured back into society because you think it is *wrong* to end their lives?"

     A blade appears, hanging over Zolt's head. His eyes flick at Finna. "The laws of hospitality do not extend to a business. If it was his home I would have walked out without a word. That he spent money for my food and drink does not excuse him from his crimes, and to cite the law at the King is a foolish thing to do, for I hold it in far higher regards than any of you."

     "I asked him for a reason to keep him alive. He gave me something I already knew, with a self-assured smile that he was clever enough to escape any fate." Gilgamesh's eyes flash. "Tell me why it is right that I should let him walk free when he could not even accomplish that much with his own life on the line, giving the barest minimum of effort despite knowing exactly what was at stake. A man like that is not a useful resource. A man like that is a man who will smile and tell you exactly enough not to do anything of meaning, just in case word gets back to the man in the mask."

     "Because," Gilgamesh's voice is cold, "You will not follow through with your threats. And thus he has nothing to fear from you."

     "But he has everything to fear from me."
Android 17     "Because I saved him," Android 17 says, "That means it IS my responsibility, and not yours. You do not know me, thought you might know many LIKE me. The difference, oh King, is that I do what I say I am going to do," He says, firmly, even barely on his feet from absorbing the attack recklessly like that.

    "I do so because I believe everyone deserves a chance to change. Everyone deserve a chance at a better life, and a chance to fix their mistakes." He looks backwards for a moment. Shit...can he even stop that..?

    "If he does what you are saying, then it's on me to fix, and I will fix. However, I still believe...deeper than anything, that he at least deserves a chance to fix his ways first."

    "I at least owe that much to those who did the same for me, even when they had no reason to."
Finna     "O King," Finna exclaims in an almost teasingly-dismissive tone, "Your law might say one thing, but if you eliminate everyone who knows about the criminal underbelly of a place, when they owe you a life debt, you can be sure that anyone else who gets disgruntled at this masked man of ours will NOT come forward and speak."

    She actually decides to STARE at him. Fiercely! ... or at least, the best she can manage of 'fiercely' in the crcumstances. There's no bite to the look.
Mei Hatsume      Is that the extent of their crimes? Mei furrows her brow as she looks from Gilgamesh to the gangsters, listening to the former's words while regarding the latter with more suspicion than earlier. It's not as if she's oblivious to the sorts of things mobsters get up to, but having it spelled out that way...

     Now she's not sure what to think. Wasted injuries, perhaps. It's not as if taking the law into their own hands is any better, but considering the circumstances? Maybe there's some kind of point in there despite the way Gilgamesh is putting all of it.

     Then again, maybe Android 17 has some good points as well. Not necessarily the points she would be making herself, but points nonetheless. Mei doesn't respond right away as she weighs their arguments, taking into account all the weapons and the people involved.

     "... Hmm! You know what? I should probably get this taken care of." Laughing again and glancing behind herself at the wounds, she pointedly ignores the corpses while walking right for that door. It's easy to tell that it's an incredibly fake laugh, though. It's the sort that one uses to (Badly) hide that there's no clear answer that would satisfy their own minds, never mind convince anyone else.
Varrick     Varrick regards the slaughter with the sort of controlled panic of a man who has experience with being shot at by crazy people rather than authority people, but who hasn't gotten used to that sort of thing in general. Zhu Li, on the other hand, handles it with utmost calm, making sure to yank Varrick's jacket the moment it looks like he might accidentally flail his way into the line of fire. He thought that was going to happen!

    With the restaurant effectively shot up, he's denied much cover or material too. Best he's got is his style, his winning smile, and his words. Well, he's moved mountains with two of those three. Or at least shipped most of the ore out of one. Once he's done flailing, he snaps his fingers and says, "Zhu Li, do the thing." She straightens out his hair quickly, and /then/ works on helping out with the wounded. Varrick takes a moment to collect himself in one big breath, and then steps forward. "Bingo! You're right. It's tough out in the city! Hard to make ends meet unless you bend things the right way. And you're plenty right, people are gonna fall right in and get their futures taken."

    He plants one foot atop one of the wrecked chairs and puts a finger in the air. "And that's the problem! If you're seeing something bad that's only natural, you're not gonna stop it by taking bits /out/, 'cause they'll just grow back! That's a lesson I sure learned the hard way with my pet starfish." What? He leans forward, almost pressing his entire torso horizontal to push his nose closer to Gil. "My /point/ is that killing brings up the status quo because killing /is/ the status quo. The man in the mask's figured out the /real/ way of making change and putting the status quo at risk because he /doesn't/ kill, he takes the bits and he changes them."

    "That's why everyone's so darn scared of the guy! Kill the guys stepping out of line and all you do is jostle things back into the line, Goldie, it's when you bring out the game-changers that anything shakes up. The problem with the guy is he's playing a /different game/. He's winning crowds! But... but..." Something flashes in his eyes. There's a gleam in them. "Hold on. Hold on. Imagivation's going. Zhu Li, stop bandaging an idiot, take down this idea. You! Gil! Conference me a second." Varrick gets close -- uncomfortably close to Gil, maybe, probably putting an arm over a shoulder to get the Privacy Huddle -- and whispers tensely.

    "I've got a brainstorm here, Goldie, a grade-A idea. This Amon fellow's not just playing a spiritual game, he's playing a culture war game. Now, if you're really gonna ice Zolt for misdeeds, that puts power on the table we can work with. But /he/ got away from the /rally/, and he's a /big name/. That gives us something to work with. That means you can take that authentic murder threat you've got and try to use him to swing things around with the people. You're a leader, right? A big, ehhh, kingly kind of guy, right? What do you think? What could you do with that kind of figure, up in the /narative/ Amon's building here? Repenting anti-hero? Atoning community leader?" His eyes are shining with the possibilities of spin that could be done, and the chance he might have to get in on the ground floor of a major culture war (on this side, at least).
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh gives Finna a long, distant, imperious look. "You presume that the word of criminals and liars holds any value to me that I cannot pluck from their lips with pain."

     Oh yeah. He is *completely* willing to torture criminals. Gilgamesh is a man who genuinely does not care about the value of human life, and in this moment it is *abundantly* clear. This is not even a person who puts real value on defending the innocent. There is no such thing as 'defending the innocent' in those cold red eyes. This is a purity of justice from long ago, a purity of justice that sees evil men punished and made examples of.

     "Humans," Gilgamesh says slowly, "Do not cheer when you put evil men in prison. They wonder why they must bear their burden. They do not applaud when you save the lives of evil men and think that all lives deserve a second chance. They curse your name, and blame you for protecting the wicked, and forcing them to shoulder the burden. Humans do not cower when powerful men crush the darkness in the street. They cheer at righteous justice. They do not call those who use their power to slay the guilty /monsters/."

     "They call them just, and they cheer their names."

     "There are no second chances. There is no such thing as a second chance." Gilgamesh's eyes flash again. "A life has what value it has-"

     Varrick interrupt. Varrick's nose is suddenly in Gilgamesh's face. Varrick's arm is around his shoulder. Gilgamesh is, for perhaps the first time in his life, completely befuddled by this. He listens, because Varrick is extremely good at making people listen. He listens, because Varrick is very persuasive. And then, calmly, his lips split in a smile.

     He straightens. He puts an arm around Varrick's shoulder.

     Zhu Li probably feels an ambient sense of dread.

     "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

     The countless weapons of the Gate of Babylon vanish into gold sparkles. Zolt lives another day.

     And Varrick most definitely just earned himself a place at the King's hand.
Android 17     "Yeah, the problem with what you're saying is easy. What about those who are drawn into stuff like this because they have no choice. People forced into it against their will." He says, even as the gate closes. He sighs in relief. "It's not my place, or any man's to judge the value of another."

    Still, he looks back towards Zolt.

    He doesn't say anything, but those eyes level at him.
Gilgamesh      Gil, still arm-in-arm with Varrick, waves over his shoulder at Seventeen.

     "How fortunate, then, that I am not a mere man."

     But Zolt gets to live. Zolt is Useful now. Zolt is Helpful now. This is the best bargain Zolt possibly could've hoped for.

     As part of a stepping-stone to a far more permanent and greater pleasure.
Android 17     "Funny, I've heard that out of the mouths of many men," Android 17 shoots back.
Gilgamesh      "That does not make it wrong," comes Gilgamesh's cheerful reply as he produces a pair of goblets of ridiculously sweet-smelling liquor out of thin air, handing one to Varrick and keeping one for himself.
Finna     Finna can't help but just STARE at Gilgamesh. At first she was terrified and a bit excited! But as the sheer stream of self-importance and unyielding confidence continues...

    Well. She can't do very good of a job at hiding it today. A deep look of alarm and disgust is spreading on the foxgirl's face.

    Because Gilgamesh is a complete MADMAN. Can he even be negotiated with?
Varrick     "We got a deal!" Varrick cries out, putting both hands up into the air, grabbing the bottle of wonderful liquor and taking a /divine sip/. "WOW, that's got a punch! I like it! Zhu Li, note to future Varrick, gotta start digging around for a Babylonian wine cellar. Hey, Zolt! We got a deal! We'll figure out the details later. Let's get you sorted for it!" Varrick zips right over to Zolt, immediately shaking his hands and taking another quick sip from the bottle. "Always depend on your /best friend Varrick/. You'll never felt so wrong that you doubted me!" He stands up, beaming and happy about this.

    Yet more opportunities and yet more ground-floor entry points. "Zhu Li! Do the, uh, the thing!" She's immediately busy heading outside and getting a car pulled up. Varrick knows when he's ahead, and this is a good chance to quit while one is ahead. Time to get everyone out of here before tensions or questions or both result in bad outcomes.