markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .031

[If you are passing by the Southmost bridge at just the right time, you will find it hard not to notice the girl in an unusual dress and boots facedown on the ground. One shoulder is strangely disjointed, and there are bruises up and down her arms, particularly violent ones around her wrists. She looks like nothing more than a broken and discarded doll.

As the sun continues to set, the coolness in the ground will cause her to start to stir. When she sits up, she grimaces, moving as if there might be something wrong with her ribs. If you happen to be looking at her as she does, you'll notice the sickening blue and yellow bruise spread across her right collarbone, the lovely shiner on her eye.

The wonderful thing about Luceti? Sometimes there's a journal right where you need it. She barely has enough presence of mind to make sure the picture points away from her face, but her voice is very tired.]

Sokka, Aang - I'm back. [Sorry Suki, Zuko.] I'm okay.

[10 100 (thank you, Shikamaru) percent filter to Chopper, Raine]
Hey guys, if you're there - I could use a little help.

[She doesn't want her brother and Aang to see her like this.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He does sit. Mostly to give himself time to muddle through the combined stress of Halloween and this. Don't want to go saying something else to make himself look more the fool.

Unfortunately, that doesn't leave much for him to say right now.]

...Thanks.

[Add some awkward silence and then-]

It really is good to see you again.

[She smiles a little - that's nice to hear.]

Thanks. It's good to be back.

[Don't expect too much conversation. She's in pain, she's exhausted, she's had a hell of a time, and she's trying so hard not to break down in relief. The lie of safety - because it's not safe here it's never safe here - presses down on her. But at least... at least here is better than there. And with Michael at her side, Katara allows herself the luxury of closing her eyes.]

[That's the only reason he's trying to keep talking, really- it's something to think about besides the pain and the stress. Michael nearly asks her to open her eyes again, worried about the extent of her injuries; She's clearly lucid however, so he slumps against the side of the bridge, only breaking the silence with a long sigh of relief.]

[The silence stretches unbroken before the journal speaks up and she has to respond to friends again. And after a moment, she remembers something and her gaze cuts to Michael.]

Chopper should be here soon. Have you met him?

[He glances upwards, studying the sky as he goes over the people he's gotten to know here.]

Can't say I've had the pleasure.

[...well, the best way to say this was just to say it. She shifts a little, wincing uncomfortably as she moves.]

He's a reindeer.

Huh. [He smiles and nods. Michael's seen enough weird stuff here already. That's not enough to throw him.] And a doctor to boot? Impressive.

Yeah. He's a good friend.

[...but you have no idea how weird it was to meet talking meat. They eat reindeer in the South Pole, you know.]

[He's probably never so much as SEEN reindeer outside of Christmas decorations. Which speaking of, will probably be a real head-trip for Katara, won't it?]

In spite of everything... it's nice to know there are at least some good people here with us in Luceti... and reindeer.

[Her gaze warms before she drops it, the smile at the corners of her mouth hardly pulls at the side of her face which is bruised and swollen. These are the things she chooses to hold onto. It's good to hear them coming out of someone else's mouth. Something about her softens, revealing how deeply she holds her agreement.]

I think so too.

[He cuts his eyes to the side for a moment to catch that simle, then returns to staring off towards the sky.]

It really killed me to see one of them kidnapped too. Even more so to see them beaten, bruised, and dumped on a bridge after being put through who knows what else.

[...

This... is unexpected. And though it stings her pride to have what happened to her categorized in this way, she's not going to deny it. He already saw it, anyway. Her chin lifts up - she was beaten, but not defeated, and that is the important part.

...but as for the rest, Katara is not exactly sure what to make of it. She supposes... that she hasn't really seen Michael around with many people in Luceti and maybe she is one of the closer friends he's made here.

He has a good heart, to want to look out for people, even if she's not sure how she feels about him wanting to look out for her.]

I'm sorry. I know it's hard to be the one left behind... [Toph. Zuko. Sokka.] ...and I wish that I'd been able to be here for this week.

[He smiles, though weakly. A part of him has a dozen things to say to her- none of it anything that would get past his facade unedited, if at all.

Hadn't he been meaning to tear down that wall he kept between himself and others anyway? There had been progress, at least. He was getting to know the people here, and would certainly call at least a few "friends" by now- but a few was all he really wanted. That, and something more... substantial.]

Well... you were certainly missed. But the week might not have gone much better for you here- and what's important is that you're back, and safe.

[She shakes her head, a shadow of a smile on her face. That wasn't what she meant at all - she wishes that she could have been there for everyone else. It must have been hard...

She just closes her eyes again for a moment.]

I'm glad you're okay too.

[ Action, Voice ] .031

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