markofthebrave | [ Action, Accidental Voice ] .032

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[ Action, Accidental Voice ] .032

[For the past almost two weeks, Katara has been struggling to regain her balance - even struggling to want to regain her balance. Aang's second return home hit her hard, on top of Zuko's mallynapping and Toph's return... Toph who doesn't remember. It's good to see her, but it's terrible as well. Now more of them are trapped in this horrible place. And she still hasn't been able get back to wearing her regular clothes because the 'phasing' keeps happening, as randomly and as annoyingly as ever.

It's been almost two weeks since she's returned and her shoulder hasn't been in any pain in days. The experience of having her bending completely taken away in the Malnosso facility was one that's almost beyond words, and now that she's back where she can feel even just half herself again, the desire, the need to bend has been growing under her skin like an itch.

She can't take it anymore. So Katara goes out just after dinner to one of her favorite practicing spots between her house and the barracks, and begins by doing very simple forms that don't require a lot of movement. She pauses when Momo finds her and sits down to take a break.

It's not long before she begins talking to the lemur about their adventures. It feels good - to talk to someone about home, to talk about all the things that happened, to remember who she really was, despite what this place wanted to make her. She doesn't notice when Momo knocks the journal opened when he moves to chase after what could be a fallen nut. ~~He might not be the best listener ever.~~]

--Sokka sent Aang in to steal the book. Remember riding on top of Appa's back so Aang and I could shape the clouds? It was too bad that we had to go through all that just to get them to listen to us. So after we made the skull in the sky, we dragged out Aunt Wu to see it - the sign for volcanic doom. Then the villagers listened. All the earthbenders worked to dig trenches and everyone else grabbed shovels to help out as best as we could.

And then when volcano exploded, we got back as far as we could, but it flowed right through--

[There's some excited chatter by the book, and suddenly the picture is filled with this face. It flickers from voice to video and back again.]

Momo, what are you doing? Get away from that!

[The video shows Katara shooing Momo away from her journal and then automatically shutting it. She gets back to her practicing, but will open up the journal later and see that it accidentally recorded. Way to go, Momo.]

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[She's an expert on that 'tries to sound happy' tone, but - she doesn't really know him well enough to know for sure. So her voice is a little questioning, but... she doesn't bring it up.]

By my house? I usually practice between there and the barracks. ...Or we could meet by the river, if you'd rather.

Eeeh~ Which one's your house again Katara?

56. It's got a giant stone in the shape of Sokka's face out front. It's hard to miss.

Okay! I'll be right then, Katara.

[The walk gives him extra time to think, even. Sure it's ditching Mikado but he does that all the time anyway]

[And hey, since it's fall and brisk and all probably near twilightish by this point, Katara's inside the house. It IS next to impossible to miss the giant smiling Sokka!face in front with an inscription in Avatar!script that the shifting translation could helpfully arrange to read 'Happy Valentine's Day, Sokka!'

Do you dare pass this fearsome guardian to knock on the door?]

[SO SCARY.

Only not really. He just walks on up and knocks on the door, tbh only barely noticing the rocks there]

[And the door opens! Katara smiles at him in greeting, and opens the door wide for him to step inside if he'd like.] Hey, Masaomi! Ready to go?

Of course I am, Katara! [And here he scoots aside to make way for her in the exiting the house capacity]

Right. [And she turns to the side to pick up... a hot thermos! And hand it to him.] Hot tea. Do you want a blanket too?

[After all, she'll be fine 'cause she'll be moving, but he'll just be standing there.] Unless you think you'll only be out there for a little while.

The warmth of your affection is more than enough for me, Katara! [That said, he takes the hot tea. Because bravado or not that is a nice idea]

[Katara rolls her eyes and steps outside as she does so.]

So have you ever watched anything like this before?

Not really. I've seen Terra-chan do some magic, but this is different, right?

[He said calmly. It is different... he thinks. Based on what Toph did]

I think so. I've never seen Terra do magic, but I know she's really strong in it... and I think she's from a world with different elements too.

And I don't really think of bending as magic anyway.

[She says as she leads them towards one of her practice spots.]

-Then what would you call it? [Curious-! As he follows, that is]

[She shrugs a little.] Just bending, I guess. I grew up hearing about how it was an important part of our culture... there's nothing really special about it, since people in every nation can do it. You still have to find a teacher and study like everything else.

I'd still call a talent like that pretty special, Katara~ [He laughs lightly here, giving an overly dramatic motion with his free hand]

After all~ It's nothing I could have dreamed of doing.

That's just because you didn't have it in your world. [But she's really lighting up from the inside just talking about it, so it's obviously special... to her.

And this particular spot is not very far from her house at all, so they should be nearly there.]

[He shrugs here as he walks, oh well~] Of course, Katara~

[Once they're obviously there though he's going to slurp on up to a seat]

[Well, there's not much there. It's just a clear little spot somewhat off the path where there's a tiny stream. Probably a comfortable tree there to lean up against if he wants, though.]

This is kind of weird. I've never had anyone come specifically to watch before. Usually if people do, they just end up stumbling across me.

[Oh he will, and lean against it too. And then slide into a sitting position]

Eeeh... is it awkward for you?

A little. [She shrugs.] I guess I'll just run through some basic forms?

I am a fly on the wall! [And here he freezes up. And pretends that he's not here!]

[Pfff.] Very convincing.

[She does feel a little bit better, though. Even if it still feels just... a little weird.]

[He's too busy fake not moving to answer her. FREEZED]

[Her tone is wry.]

You can move, Masaomi. [She turns a little to her side and closes her eyes, exhaling and trying to find her place of balance so that this can be a useful practice session as well as just - a demonstration? She's still not sure why he even wanted to see... not that it really matters.

After a moment or two of standing quietly, she moves into a ready stance.]

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