markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .042

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[ Action, Voice ] .042

[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.]

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"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."

...you're seriously worried about Zuko losing it. Zuko.

[How many times has she seen you two get into mock-fights before your war wound, Jet? And was she blind or did you honestly just pull the 'arrange a meeting and then ditch so the two of you can have a chance to talk' maneuver just a few days ago?

What is going on?]

[...because he is, isn't he. She heard actual fear in his voice before Jet switched it to video. And that... that... wasn't good.]

...look, the journal isn't a good place to talk about something like this. Do you want to meet somewhere?

[Jet keeps on wearing his hardened stare, so absorbed with the conversation he's barely blinked at all.]

"No!.. alright, yes."

[Meeting Katara could be dangerous, what if she's a lie too? What if she's IN on this- this- whatever THIS is. Maybe she'll tell Zuko where he is- it could be all be a clever ploy to lure him out into the open!.. But she IS giving him the clear to choose the location. Okay, calm down Jet... He takes a deep breathe, looking away from the screen.]

"...Meet me south of the fountain, in half an hour. Alone."

[...What is with him?]

All right - I'll meet you in a half hour. Alone.

[And Katara doesn't bring her yari - too conspicuous - but he's acting very strangely, and her dad has taught her better than ignoring her instincts when it comes to things that are this strange. So she does take her waterskin, a secondary weapon and it's normal enough to carry arms around Luceti Valley...

...so she heads out to meet her friend who's acting crazy.]

[It's the expected hour when Katara shows and despite having made this plan himself- KNOWING she would show- Jet feels himself nearly jump out of his skin. He's just a ball of nerves and anger and he can't figure out WHY! Jet notes the waterskin, swallowing subconsciously.]

"..Hey."

[Katara was concerned, but went to see him smiling. The smile fades quickly, however, when she sees the state he's in.]

Hey.

[...dreams are dreams, and though she is determined to dismiss them, it is just barely enough of an influence to keep her from walking over and just hugging him.] You look like a mess. Haven't you been getting any sleep at all?

[A wilting look to the side.]

"A bit."

[When he would nod off without thinking about it. Those dreams were always worse; it was hard to tell when he woke up. Harder still to understand why he couldn't stop picturing a wrecked version of Sheena's teashop every time he did while working. Jet turns to Katara suddenly.]

"I'm going after the beasts."

[And he knows what you might say about it. He also knows he doesn't want to sound any crazier about Zuko.]

"Sure no one's reported an incident; yet. But if they leave... things will go back to the way they were."

[...hold up. Katara thinks you are missing several important connections there, buddy. Including the part where you have to walk with a cane.]

You're not going to go after the beasts, Jet. [This said with finality. And so she moves on.] But what do you mean 'back to the way things were?' What's changed?

Edited 2011-05-01 01:09 (UTC)

[Screw the cane- he'll beat their faces in with it! Jet snaps, sounding more desperate than he ever has.]

"Someone has to. If I don't, no one else will!"

[Oh, you know what it is Katara, don't you dare pretend you don't feel it too! The suspicion collecting on the youth's face only grows.]

"There's something in the air, something wrong. And I can't place it, but I know it only started when those things showed up. It doesn't matter what it is-! I'm going to put a stop to it! You have to have noticed it too. Don't hide it."

Edited 2011-05-01 01:27 (UTC)

I'm not hiding anything! I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with you. Are you talking about the dreams or something else?

[Deep breath.] You're not alone here, Jet. We're friends. If you can tell me why you want to do this, if it seems like it's a good idea, we'll do it.

If not, then I'm going to ask you listen to me, because I don't want you getting hurt doing something stupid.

"The dreams are nothing, Katara, just a ruse to make us doubt the Malnosso! They started happening during the celebration, didn't they? There's something much larger at work here; I can feel it."

[There's just- There's no other explanation for why he can't stop feeling.]

"People are going to start to act crazy. While their influence is around, none of us is safe. I'm not falling for them."

["People are going to start to act crazy?"]

Are you even listening to yourself? You're telling me that a bunch of beasts - who haven't even come into the village - are going to drive people crazy? Do you even know how far-fetched that sounds? Think about what you're saying!

[Jet dismissively scowls to the side. Far-fetched. Crazy. He's NOT crazy, he's not.]

"It doesn't matter, I know when I'm right."

[He shakes his head, trying to get a grip. There's a question slowly enveloping his conscious, one he'd rather not know the answer to and give anything to ignore]

"What ideas did they put in your head? What do you see at night?"

[Katara feels as if she's handling a powder keg. Where is the suave, confident, 'always has a plan' guy that she's been friends with for so long? Why does that question feel so disturbingly invasive?]

...are you talking about the dreams? I thought you just said that they didn't matter.

"They don't!.. But I want you to understand me, Katara. If there's something in them that's making you not-"

[Spirit's, he doesn't want to know, but- 'Spirits', when did he start thinking that? The next part come blurted out of it's own accord]

"I'm in them, aren't I?!"

["I want you to understand me, Katara." - She pales a little, though it's hard to tell with her skintone... that feeling of unease, of loss, of betrayal returning in full force from her nightmares.

Katara refuses to live in her dreams. She takes a half-step closer to him.]

I'm trying to understand you now, Jet. But I don't understand why you're so upset. You're my friend and no dream is going to change that, no matter what you think. So why are you acting like this?

"You so sure about that? If you're my friend then you'll trust me. You say you don't believe the dreams, but how am I supposed to believe that when you're doubting me now?”

[Jet shies away from Katara's approach. It can't be real- if it is, than all he has to do is make everyone forget. If he prevents it all coming back- it's like it never happened. No one would ever have to know. If he could just make it stop]

“We've had weirder shifts before, it makes sense the visions are connected to the beasts somehow. And I don't want to believe he's part of this, but if you're already affected enough to start doubting me-

[Jet slings a sack of supplies over his shoulder, mind made up.]

“Don't. See. Zuko.”

Edited 2011-05-15 19:24 (UTC)

[Oh there is just no way that he honestly thinks this is going to be that easy.]

That's not fair, Jet. [And she makes to keep pace beside him.] You can't just tell me what to do and say that I have to do it because we're friends. Trust works both ways - and I'm telling you that you're acting strangely. How can you think Zuko has anything to do with this? You guys grew up together!

"We did grow up together- that's why I'm telling you, I know he's dangerous! Maybe he hasn't even realized it yet."

[He just has to take away Zuko's chance- the firebender won't betray them if he doesn't have the chance to!..firebender?
Jet increases his pace, which isn't much, considering. Katara clearly has the advantage to this.]

"You're right, I can't tell you to do anything! You think I don't know I'm acting wierd?! I never said I was above being affected- All the more reason for me to stop it!"

[Jet approaches the boundary of the town and forest's edge.]

"You're either with me or against me. I don't expect you to follow- but don't trust him."

[And now she's properly pissed. She speeds up the necessary steps to take him by the shoulder and tug him around.]

What do you think you're doing, delivering ultimatums like that? I'll trust who I want to trust, but that doesn't mean I'm choosing to be against you - it means you're choosing not to see that I can be on both your sides. Of course Zuko's dangerous! You're dangerous. I'm dangerous. But we're friends. We're not going to hurt each other. And if you realize that you're acting strangely then just - stop it, Jet!

[For a moment, her annoyance cracks, and Jet can see the very weirded out, scared girl underneath.]

I don't want to lose you. But I'm not going to let you try to determine my choices. Come back to town, we'll find Zuko, we can all talk about this.

[It's that look that breaks him. So close to the one with tears running the cheeks that have been haunting his memory all week. He won't become that guy who Katara thinks is a monster, he won't become the guy L- Zuko was fighting to kill. Even if he doesn't know why..]

"No."

[He doesn't want to die ~~again, or ever~~. He can protect everyone, he can stop it from happening if he just ends this experiment. Jet grabs Katara'a wrist, squeezing with not so much force as it is desperation for finding the will to. He slowly lifts it off.]

"... He can't know. Not yet."

[The freedom fighter shakes his head, stepping back into the shadows.]

"It's what has to be done, Katara. One day you'll see that."

[And if you won't listen- then he'll just have to get the job done before you even have a chance to see Zuko. Pushing himself harder so she can't follow, Jet takes off into the trees.]

Jet, wait--

[But... he's already gone.]

[...]

Stupid. You're just going to wear yourself out like that. Stupid.

[And Katara slowly turns to go, sick at heart from the conversation.]

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[ Action, Voice ] .042

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[ Action ] Think I can finally wrap this up~

[ Action ] w00t!

[ Action ] >< it doubleposted

[ Action ] No worries!

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[ Action ] 1/2 /wibbles at the poor insane Jet

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