markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .045

[Raine was right. A draft had come, this one worse than before - and in a place where she could be more useful than any other location. And she wasn't going.

She took a good long look at that list. And there are some people that she has to visit.

...okay, there are a lot of people she has to visit.

First stop - Shikamaru and Chouji's place. If she can't go herself, then she has to do what she can to help the people who are going out out, and that means talking with the strategist going out there who she trusts.

Next stop - Casa de Freedom Fighter. She may have put it off if her talk with Shikamaru hadn't made her realize how absolutely necessary this was.

From there... spirits, so many people... Katara takes out her journal and stares at it a bit before making a general voice post and then crafting some filters.]

If anyone - needs me for anything, or if there's anything I can do to help out before you go, I'm around. I've fought in swamps before, and although I don't know anything more about this one, I'll try to answer what I can.

[And now it's time for filters. She doesn't have anything specific to say to these people, not over the journals anyway, so the message is the same.]

[Filtered to Ginko, Masaomi, Raine, Kurt, and Sanji]

Hey. If you have time, I'd like to see you before you go.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I said go on. [ and he's trying hard to sound bossy and bratty... aaand it's just not working. ]

Shuri.

[Can you resist this patented 'motherly firm concern' tone? She's got it mastered.]

What's wrong?

[ ... definitely not. ]

... I don't want to go!

[Her voice is calm and measured, and it indicates that she's still listening.]

There's nothing wrong with that. No one should want to go to war.

This isn't fair.

Shuri. [She says, as if a name had magical 'pull yourself together' properties.]

I know it's not fair. None of what they do is fair. So we have to make the best of it and just do all we can.

[She remembers, now, where she heard this tone of voice before. Their first draft...]

So what is it you know you can do, Shuri? Not what you've been trained to do, or what you think you should be able to do - what do you know you can do?

I can do anything! [ there's a desperate note in his voice. He's an Oak damnit. He's not used to this. He wants that strength. He wants that infallible confidence he had when he'd run the simulations, before he had to consider the possibility of being smashed and killed. ]

[Her tone is patient and firm.] Okay. So then what will you do?

I...

[ well. he has no clue. ]

[Deep breath.]

Listen. There isn't anything wrong with being scared. What matters is overcoming your fear and supporting the people around you. If you're not sure that you can fight, don't say that you will. But if you say that you'll do it, make sure you follow through.

[ a hard swallow. ]

I'll just stay back and protect the people. That's what begleiters do.

[Katara definitely thinks that staying back is probably a good thing for Shuri. But she's not sure he should be putting himself in the position of defending anyone.]

There will be plenty to protect at camp. The noncombatants. The cooks and the medical staff and all the spare supplies...

I promised I'd protect Mikado...

Oh. [She didn't know he and Mikado were so close. But if he'd promised, then...

...okay, Katara's not completely up to speed on the intensity of Masaomi's yanning ability, but there's been enough hints dropped that. Hmm. Hmm.]

Who did you promise that to?

Mmm. Masaomi and Konatsu. [ not really to konatsu, but he'd promised he'd protect the people and mikado is the people. ]

[Well. That could go horribly wrong. She'll just. Sidestep that.]

Who's Konatsu?

[ SUDDENLY BRIGHTENING. ]

You don't know?

[...are those sparkles coming through her screen?]

No. Is he someone from your world?

[ fabulousness is oozing. ]

Yes! He's the most amazing soldier ever!

[...and now amusement.]

Is he really?

He is, he is! He saved my life!

He protected me at the risk of his own life, he defeated the whole army singlehandedly just for me! No one could hope to stand up to the power of Konatsu!

[...defeated the whole army just for you, huh?]

And he's here in Luceti now?

He is!

One day, I'm going to be just like him.

Then I guess now's a good time to start practicing, huh.

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