(no subject)

[markofthebrave]

Appointments


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For all your "Getting in touch with Katara" needs. Any extraneous voice, action, or written posts, flowovers, invitations (present drop offs, etc) can go here! Please label the thread using the following format:

[written, March 11]
[voice, June 6]
[action, December 15]

Comments

october 4th; action

[breezing]

[ Ikki's days were more or less structured, and the structure was undoubtedly familiar to everyone in house 56 - in addition to telling everyone where she was going (and getting permission), she typically talked non-stop about her daily activities to any of the teenagers who would stop to listen. It was easier to miss things she was doing in the sheer wordiness of it all than it would be to miss them by Ikki saying nothing, because, well, saying nothing wasn't something she was all that great at.

Lunchtime was usually spent at the bakery with Chien Tenebro and Soren the swellow. Ikki didn't get sweets, because she could only have so many in the day, but she'd normally get a sandwich or a muffin, and they'd practice their reading on a variety of children's books, and practice their writing in notebooks procured for the activity. Ikki normally spent an hour or so on this pursuit daily, unless one or the other of them had something to do, and she'd come back and present her notebook to whoever was around, or would summarize the stories she'd read, or would describe some new "airbending" trick Soren had done.

Today she'd barely spent any time at all at lunch. Chien hadn't come, and she hadn't been able to get in touch with him, and then Soren had flown down out of nowhere when she left the bakery, and while she'd never been able to understand the swellow in the same extensive way Chien seemed able to do, Ikki had spent weeks of afternoons with the bird pokemon, and she could read her own distress mirrored back at her.

She knew where Chien lived, and Soren'd taken her there, and it'd been empty, empty, empty.

So when Ikki did come home, a lot earlier than usual and a great deal more frazzled and upset, it was with a swellow in tow, flying behind her.

Katara was the first person she spotted, and that was something of a relief, because Ikki was near to tears and she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at one of her grandparents. ]

Katara!

[markofthebrave]

[Katara turned instantly at Ikki's voice.]

Ikki!

[That was not the sound of a happy air child. Katara immediately scanned her for any sign of injury and - noticed a Pokemon behind her. She eyed the Pokemon - Soren, wasn't it? - and then held out her arms to Ikki.]

What is it?

[breezing]

[ Ikki wrapped her arms around Katara's waist, hugging her tight, and Soren glided to the ground nearby, clearly concerned. When Ikki does talk it's half muffled and choked, and at least she knows Asami and Zuko went back to live happy lives. ]

...Chien's not at his apartment.

[markofthebrave]

Oh, sweetie.

[Katara's voice was soft, and she wrapped her arms back around Ikki to hold her closely.]

I'm sorry.

[breezing]

I dunno what he went back to. [ It wasn't like she didn't know him. She did. They talked about things - but Ikki did a lot of the talking, or Soren communicated in his own way, and Chien had always been reticent about home. ] I...

[ don't know for sure if he's someone I'll ever see again. ]

[markofthebrave]

You know that whatever he went back to, he went back to be brave through.

[Katara smoothed her hand across Ikki's shoulders.]

You're going to have to trust him to be strong. You can do that, right?

[breezing]

...Yes. [ Her voice is small, but she nods, and she feels a little less at sea, grounded by Katara's touch. ]]

He and Soren didn't...they lived alone. I don't think Soren had anywhere else to go.

[markofthebrave]

[Katara glanced over Ikki's shoulder to the Pokemon.]

So he followed you home?

[breezing]

Yeah. [ ...Aaaaand she kind of gets a look on her face. Like she's done something she maybe should not have done, although technically having told Chien and Soren they could come over if they ever needed help wasn't a bad thing. Chien wasn't that much older than her, and he'd lived alone and mostly played hermit, and probably would have done it even more if it weren't fro Soren. ]

...We're friends, after all.

[markofthebrave]

[Katara smooths a hand down Ikki's cheek at that, and tucks her hand under the girl's chin to hold her eyes. There's nothing but love and steady concern in Katara's eyes. But you don't get to squirm away after giving her that look.]

What is it?

[breezing]

IkindatoldthemiftheyneededhelpI'dtryan'helpthem'causewe'refriendsandtheylivedaloneandwellyeah? [ ...Okay, yeah, she knew that was too fast. ] Since Chien lived alone and always was goin' off training without worrying about what if he got hurt or needed something after an experiment, so I made him and Soren promise they'd come over if they needed to, and...

[markofthebrave]

[Katara dropped her hand when Ikki started talking and just - did her best to absorb all that.]

I see. [She sighed a little.] Well, I guess we'd better contact someone who knows about Pokemon.

[Bending down, she kissed Ikki's head.] You didn't do anything wrong promising that, Ikki. You know we'll always help anyone who needs it. But you should let me know who you make that promise to in the future, okay? This way I can look out for them.

[breezing]

Just Chien! [ ...right? She has to think about it. ] Well, I think sometimes Xzana gets confused about human things, so I told her to contact me if she needs someone to read her stuff or bring her bread or something. I think she's not used to having anyone to talk to like that, 'cause apparently she's some sort of mutant at home?

[ Honestly, Xzana's world sounds pretty harsh.

Otherwise, pretty much everyone she meets has a support system. There's just something about the people who don't that makes Ikki want to help out somehow, even if it's just badgering them into being more social.

She has to think about the Pokemon thing for a second. ] Like Masaomi?

[ Masaomi means Linda, which definitely earns a disgruntled reaction from Soren, in the background. That's the only person Ikki knows who she's spoken to often enough to feel comfortable asking, though. ]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara nods.]

Like Masaomi. Why don't you go give him a call?

[Or Gold or Silver, but... she'd rather Ikki see Masaomi first.]

[breezing]

Okay. [ She can do that. She can totally do that! He probably even knows where Soren can go or maybe what Soren can eat since he probably hasn't had anything all day. And...it's easier to focus on Soren than it is to focus on Chien. ] ...D'you think he's busy right now?