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Sheriff Woong hurries our heroes into his parlour, destroys the potentially incriminating document they have brought back to him, asks if anyone saw them approach, and then at them, flabbergasted. Po, Opal and Kallik say that they weren't observed on their approach, but want to know why the Sheriff was delivering this paper outlining the partition plan to them.
Woong says that when he saw that they were nosing around in his plan to get Yong and Pushi to safety, he was hoping to put them onto something that was actually more relevant to their goals. Po, refusing to mince words (straight shooter), tells Woong that coded messages and subtle signs seem like an obviously worse approach than simply telling them, with words.
Woong confesses that when he discovered his daughters gift at waterbending, and simultaneously realized that his wife had waterbending heritage, he was overcome with pride, but also horror. He had never cared much about the nation-mixing ways of Zeng Chu Cove, but as the tensions had been rising of late, it was obviously becoming a major issue for everyone in the village. His only thought had been to protect his family, and to keep his head down until they were safe. If he steps out of line, the mayor can simply replace him, and he's having enough trouble keeping order just with the refugee influx, and rising gang violence, and so on. He doesn't want to see this partition plan put in place, but he doesn't know what he can do to stop it. When he saw some hopeful idealists gearing up to try to make changes, he figured they should know what was coming.
Opal used her long trained skill of reading people (suspicious mind) to get a read on how forthcoming he was being. Woong genuinely doesn't want the partition plan to come to fruition, but his primary goal is to protect his family. His pessimism about his chances to effect change mean he won't be the strongest ally, and can't be fully relied on, but he will put his thumb on the scale in small ways, when he thinks he can do so.
He lets the three of them look at some dossiers he has of a few people of interest, since he wants them to wait to leave until later in the evening when there is a smaller chance of them being seen. Dusty Miller, the council member who represents the port interests and who has postured as sort of ambiguous when it comes to Earth Kingdom First vs. Integration rhetoric, had a number of individually non-suspicious but jointly concerning items in the dossier which the gang sorted together and realized point to possible involvement with or backing of the Greenbands. Council Member Kyung, who represents the farming and fishing interests, seems to be an all-around affable and likeable workaholic, who genuinely cares more about meeting people's needs than any political divisions. And Beryl Qiang, of Beryl's Barrels—who Hanna wants Opal to support for an expanded council seat— seemed to be having money trouble before the Tsunami but not any more, and seems to be signaling Earth First loyalities ("Barrels Proudly Made in the Earth Kingdom", etc.). The file just has a question mark about these financial irregularities, as the Sheriff's department hardly has time or manpower to track down something like this.
The group heads out when it is late enough for Woong's comfort, and as they get back to their part of town, they hear other footsteps. Suddenly, they are encountering a group of five Greenbands coming out of an alley.
- Greenband Punk: What are you doing out this late in our neighboorhood?
- Opal: This is my neighborhood, what do you think you're doing?
- Greenband Punk: We're the neighborhood watch!
- Opal: We don't have a neighborhood watch!
- Greenband Punk: Oh yeah? Watch this! starts earthbending
The leader of this Greenband Gang put up a suit of rock armor. It became clear that one of the group was a little kid, hardly old enough to be doing anything, let alone joining a militant gang. The other three advanced forward to engage Po, Opal, and Kallik. One of them tried to pin Kallik in a pillar of earth, but Opal, sensing the danger to Kallik sliced that pillar through with a pillar of her own (using a hold she had from Kallik being her ward). Next, Po threw a net at one of the two non-bending attackers, and they each tried to stab Opal and Po with knives. Kallik created a patch of ice beneath the three that had advanced on them, and Opal flung a rock barrier at the leader, which he strode through, wearing down his armor. Another round of blows was exchanged (which I don't remember in full detail!). The forward three were stunned and thoroughly out of commission, the little kid took off, and the leader said "oh, no, I'll be in big trouble if I lose track of my little brother. I'll get you lot next time." And skedaddled. Two of the other three gang members also retreated when they stopped being stunned, but the one trapped under the net was not quite able to get away.
Po and Opal play a little intimidating cop, less intimidating cop with their hostage, and agree to free her if she answers some questions. They realize from how she is dressed that she is a refugee from an Earth Kingdom village that was destroyed in the Tsunami, and has started up with the Greenbands because it is hard for a late teen refugee to make their way in Zeng Chu Cove. They suggest she (her name is Fern, they learn), would perhaps have better luck as a member of Hanna's organization, rather than the Greenbands. She seems open to the suggestion. They remove the net and let her go.
Upon their return to Continental Drift, they discover that Garnet Cho, the merchant, has requested a meeting with them, and that Beryl Qiang has made reservations for an upcoming night. They decide to schedule the meeting with Garnet after the dinner with Beryl.
Beryl comes in for dinner, and seems to be hinting at something about Opal's intentions to attend the Feast of the New Moon. Opal tries to get a read on the situation, but comes up short. It's clear that Beryl is saying something about Opal getting her hands dirty in politics and how it's better to run a kitchen with clean hands, but Opal can't really figure out what Beryl is on about, and anyway, Beryl seems like a jerk!
The meeting with Garnet is more interesting. Garnet is a bit older, and wants to know lots about Opal's business. Why did she hire a refugee as a waiter? Is she planing to get involved in politics? How does her restaurant's niche demographic relate to the political tensions in the town? His fish investment would benefit from a more integrationist tide in the city, so he is keen to find out her plans, he says. Po has questions about his plans, so she puts it to him straight. Is this really just about the money for him? Well no, he says. It's not just about money. It's about one's job or role. Everyone has a job and it is important to do your job well. He wants to excel at his work. Who doesn't? So that's why he puts so much effort into learning how things work here from top to bottom! Po decides (again) that Garnet sounds like a spy, rather than a simple merchant, but doesn't say so to Garnet's face.
The group tries to learn a bit more about Aster Li, the other merchant who sounds suspiciously like a spy from people's description of their behavior, but Aster is hard to get ahold of...seemingly intentionally so.
Hanna reaches out to thank Po for the referral, and to remind a hesitant Opal of the benefits promised for trusting her and following along with the plan: Patrols to protect business and family, cheaper supplies for the restaurant, and Hanna's help with her goals for the town.
