markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .028

[So today? Katara cuts short her usual routine with a cheerful wave and ducks out on her housemates. Aang showing up pushed so many things out of her mind, and now they were all crowding back in, along with the strangeness of Zuko's return.

She misses the Straw Hats. Going camping right now sounds wonderful. And she really wants Aang to meet them! She thought about trying to contact them over the journals, but... didn't really want to interrupt. Besides, it was better... to get used to people being gone.

She can handle this by herself. Katara is not given to introspection, but at her favorite spot by the South bridge, Katara has gathered a fair amount of smooth stones, and is alternating between stone-skipping and staring at her conversation with Nephry. She only knows one way to deal with this, and that's facing it straight on and adapting.

Water is the element of change. Water adapts.

And so, to find some way to remind herself of this and gather up the courage and mental clarity to sort things out, Katara will eventually step off the bridge and walk a ways beside the river. Once there, she closes her eyes and very slowly begins to practice basic forms, the water streaming about her in constant change and accompaniment to her thoughts, until she can almost see it in her mind's eye, overwhelming the flames.

Much, much later, she takes a seat, and makes a filter. She only hopes that she truly means what she says.]

Nephry, it's Katara. If you'd like to meet sometime today, or later this week... I'm ready now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hard to live without it. [A wry grin.]

Of course. [ This time, he just sets the stone to the side instead of tossing it. One more for you, how about that. Chouji pushes himself back to his feet so that he may shortly continue on his wandering way ~~like a boss~~. ]

I'll let you get back to thinking, Katara-san.

[There's someone else who's attaching something to her name, except that one's different. She is distracted enough by this to look up at him and - finally - ask.]

Chouji? What does 'san' mean?

[ Ah, Katara will never be able to escape suffixes, will she. Scratching at a spiral and grinning. He never gets asked to explain stuff. ]

Aah- it's an honorific. We add them onto names where I come from, to be polite or respectful. [ That's the best he's got :| ]

Oh. Like... Mr or Miss?

...what about 'chan' is that like that too? Or is that not in your world?

Yeah, like that. [ See how awesome he is at explanations. ]

Chan? [ He never uses that one, personally. ] People usually use it for...little kids. And girls, most of the time. If they're younger or really good friends. I guess how they use it kind of depends on the person.

...so, like... it's not something you'd call someone you just met?

[Ooooooooooh, Kida, you are in so much trouble.]

[ Headscratch. ] Well, I wouldn't, but I know a couple of people who probably would.

[ You know, that depends on the person thing. Manners are hard. ]

Oh. [/PONDER. She will have to ask the other '-chan' user in her life.] Well, thanks. But you don't have to call me '-san' if you don't want to. Katara's fine.

[ He'll consider it a matter of her own personal preference :|a ]

Okay. It was really nice to meet you, Katara.

[She smiles at him warmly.] It was nice to meet you too, Chouji.

[ ^__^ later, Kataraaaaa.

He thinks he shall go to the store for more chips :|a ]

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