[ 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

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.]

[markofthebrave]

[In a yet unwritten thread, she will have a chance to get up close and personal with them. But at least then, it won't be alone.

She nods.]

Big. But they're not very aggressive.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Not right now they aren't. But they look half-starved. [frown] And purposeful; they don't act like wildlife.

[markofthebrave]

[Ignoring that 'now,' running a somewhat distracted hand over her hair.]

And they're new too. How did they get passed the barrier?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

-- maybe we're not through with shifts, quite yet. [somewhat ominously]

[markofthebrave]

[...]

I don't think we are. You've had to have seen how busy the journal network has been with people talking about their dreams.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[glancing away]

Have-- you been having strange dreams, Katara?

[markofthebrave]

Yes. [It's an answer without a hesitation. She doesn't see any reason to hide it.] And...

[Well, leaving aside the fact that they match in strange ways with her brother (the papers crinkle in her pocket) - he's here, so she might as well ask now what she couldn't ask before.]

Ginko. [The word - his name -has curious weight.] Have you ever heard of a parasite that... lives inside a person's eyes and steals their sight?

[It can be cured by moonlight, but only if...]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[he stiffens, briefly, still looking away]

-- a species of mushi.

[why is that word heavy like the key to a lifetime? Why does it have so much significance? Why does it make him feel like this waking reality isn't anything weightier than just...

a dream.]

[markofthebrave]

...mushi? [She knows she's never heard that word before, not in all their classes.

...why it it familiar?

I thought it was just a nightmare.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

I've seen something like that.

In a dream. [he's staring very hard, now, at nothing]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara abruptly decides that now is a very good time to sit, so she does so - her head hurts, like there's something so key that she's missing and it's trying to find its way out-

But they were just dreams.]

I... guess it's not too surprising we shared something similar in a dream. You were in the dream I had about that one. And Sokka and I shared a bunch of dreams...

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Hnnn. [so it's like this for more than just... ]

They're surprisingly-- connected. Less like dreams and more like... [he shakes his head] ... like a whole different reality shifted into our minds while we're asleep.

[markofthebrave]

[She crosses her arms defensively for a moment, running her hands up and down her arms.] I don't like this Shift. I never like the ones that aren't obvious, but this one just seems...

[Why are they so real?

And she thinks hard about showing him the lists in her pocket...]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[he does look at her, now]

I know what you mean. [a sigh, and he rubs the back of his head] All we can really do is just-- wait.

[markofthebrave]

[...he's right. So is there even any point in showing him?]

...you look tired.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[he glances over] ...yeah, a little.

[he sighs] Hard to dismiss some ideas, once you've entertained them.

[markofthebrave]

What do you mean?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[he shrugs and shakes his head] Ahh, I don't know. It really isn't even worth talking about. [a half-smile]

[markofthebrave]

[Haha, yeah. Zoro tried that half-smile on her once too - OK, it was more like a half-snarl, but still.]

It is if it's upsetting you.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[he manages a little more sincere of one, this time]

Fair enough.

... But let's give it a few days. [because then, he'll know for sure]