[ Action, Voice ] .042

[markofthebrave]

[Even Katara can only deny the effects of the dreams so long. It wasn't so bad at first when they were just vivid and of a different Luceti... but this other world, with these strange people she feels connected to, and the strange consistency of them, as if they were actually telling a story...

...and she knows the dreams have been effecting her dad too. And that it hasn't been good. So... she's going to take today to do maybe what she should have done from the start.]


[Filtered to Sokka]

Hey, I need to talk to you. What time can I come by?

[Filtered to Zuko]

...can we meet later?

[Filtered to Chouji]
I know this is weird, but have you been dreaming that we--

[Filtered to Shikamaru]
Did we ever--

[Filtered to Masaomi]
Don't take this the wrong way, but I had a dream about us, and we were fighting. You broke my rib, but it wasn't a bad thing and I can't stop thinking about--

[Filtered to Nami]
...have you been having dreams that we were friends, once?

[Filtered to Ginko]
Ginko... have you ever heard of parasites that... live in the dark and steal sight from people's eyes, and can be drawn out by moonlight?

[Filtered to San]
I dreamed you had come into my house for food, that you drew a knife and nearly attacked Sokka, and I had to knock you down.

[Filtered to Sanji]
Sanji, did we ever...

[Filtered to Jet]
I - you - there was a dam that -

[Katara abruptly shoves away from her journal, scribbling through her filters madly. Checking with Sokka and Zuko would be enough. She didn't want to go and get people upset or excited about something that may or may not be true. She hesitates for a long moment at the doorway to her father's room, contemplating knocking and asking him-

What have you been dreaming about, Dad? They haven't stopped. Do you think they mean something?

-but eventually she just writes a note that she's going to spend some time practicing, picks up her yari, and heads into the forest. She's almost hoping to see one of the beasties everyone's been talking about. She could do with a good fight against something she can actually touch.]

Comments

[Filtered]

[markofthewise]

[Hmm, he can detect something in her voice, in just the way she says that. It's worrisome.]

I can be home in about an hour. It that good for you?

[Filtered]

[markofthebrave]

['Home.' Did he mean their apartment or his house? Was this something she wanted to talk to him about where Suki and the kids could walk in... or even their dad?]

How about I meet you by the smithy and we walk back then?

[If it's silly, then they can just keep walking. If not, they can stop along the way...]

[Filtered]

[markofthewise]

Sure, we can do that. [That does suggest she wants to speak somewhere a little more... private, after all.]

It's important, right? [It probably is. It's just a matter of whether he should finish what he's doing and then meet her or just put it aside from now.]

[Filtered]

[markofthebrave]

It's not an emergency or anything, but... yeah, it's important. It's about these dreams.

[Filtered]

[markofthewise]

... right. Those. [He's been trying to just... not think about those. Just a Shift, right?] I'll be ready when you get here.

[Filtered]

[burningdownfate.livejournal.com]

Tell me when and where.

[Filtered]

[markofthebrave]

[...he sounds so serious.]

After dinner okay with you? I don't want to take you away from work or anything. We can meet by the middle bridge.

[Filtered]

[burningdownfate.livejournal.com]

[It's been a long day, Katara.]

Yeah, that's fine. It'll give me a little time to finish up a couple things.

[Filtered --> Action]

[markofthebrave]

All right - 7:30. I'll see you then.

[And she closes the journal with a brief smile at him before continuing on her day. She doesn't bother to do more than the most basic freshening up before meeting him at the bridge later.]

[Action]

[burningdownfate.livejournal.com]

[He's there early, idly throwing rocks into the water. He sees her coming, drops the last few pebbles in his hand, and gives her a small wave. It's a little subdued, but he's genuinely happy to see her.]

heh, lemme know if this is ok

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[that's funny. Because when he was looking at his journal, sitting around somewhere outside, he thought a message briefly blinked into life, filtered to him. But then it was gone. Hmmmmmm

Oh well.

He's going out today, as usual, but not into the forest. Those things are asking for trouble. He skirts it, to keep tabs on the growth on the edges-- especially medicinal things. But maybe he'll catch her on her way back.]

seems OK to me!

[markofthebrave]

[Looking for trouble, you say?
>>
<<
Mebbe. She shifts her yari on her back and raises her hand in greeting.]

Hey, Ginko.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Hey. [glances around]

You out here by yourself?

[markofthebrave]

[...and what is that supposed to mean?]

Yeah. You?

[Because at least she's carrying her great big honking stick with a sharp pointy thing attacked.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Not in the forest. Have you seen any of those creatures up close? [yes, yes, you're very badass. But those things are just un-settling. And anything new is an unknown variable.]

[Action]

[endgames]

[If she does make it into the forest, she's in luck. There's one Beasties sniffing around on the ground, and a second trying to climb into a tree after something.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara sees them and pauses before she rushes in. Two would be a bit much. But why would one be climbing a tree, unless...

She gives a loud shout-]

Hey!

[And the Beasties both turn towards her for a moment before continuing on as they were.]

[Action]

[endgames]

Oh, that got them.

[Familiar voice might be sounding just a little annoyed. It's not your fault, Katara, honest. It's just a little irksome, getting chased into a tree by a pair of overgrown hairless wonders.

Said hairless wonders continue their attempt to sniff him out, the one stuck on ground level circling the tree.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[...sometimes she really hates being right.]

It got you talking, anyway.

[And she puts two fingers in her mouth and makes a piercingly loud whistle. The Beastie attempting to climb the tree loses its hold and falls to the ground... they appear to be realizing that they are going to need to deal with this noise-maker, and the one which fell down begins to pad over to her.

...still not overly threatening, but low to the ground...]

And if you were planning on doing anything other than hide in a tree, now's a good time.

[While they're separating and all.]

[Action]

[endgames]

[Grumble, grumble.] I was workin' on it.

[And hiding. But also working on it. Katara might hear the sound of a zipper as he removes some things from his backpack. In the meantime, there's a shaodw sliding down the trunk of that tree.]

[Audio]

[paranoidpatriot.livejournal.com]

“Katara? Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”

[There's an awkward pause. It isn't like Jet to not be using video]

“...L- Zuko's not with you is he?”

[Audio]

[markofthebrave]

[...well, this was unexpected. Why did he want to make sure Zuko wasn't there?]

No, I'm by myself. What's up?

[Audio]

[paranoidpatriot.livejournal.com]

"He's been acting kind of funny lately."

[Yes. It has to be Zuko's fault. Jet can't pinpoint why, but every day he's been waking something has been very off about the other being there. Something wrong. He- he wouldn't feel so threatened unless the guy did something, right?]

"...I'd stay away from him, Katara; he's dangerous. Whatever shifts going down must be getting to him."

[Topic change go-]

"You been keeping safe from those monsters roaming town?"

[Audio]

[markofthebrave]

[Wait a minute, wait a minute -] What do you mean, 'he's dangerous?' How can you say that? You've known him your whole life.

[Unless... has Jet been having dreams too?]

[Audio >> video]

[paranoidpatriot.livejournal.com]

"I can't explain it just- just trust me, okay?!"

[Jet lets the panic subside, wills his voice to stop shaking. Maybe audio was a bad choice, it'll make Katara focus on it too much. He switches over to video, even if the sleepless rings below his eyes are all too apparent.]

"I have known him my whole life- so I know. Look, everyone else around here's been going kind of crazy with those things roaming around; if he does- things could get very bad, Katara."