markofthebrave | [ Action, Video ] .051

[Toph's taken. Masaomi's gone. Shikamaru and Nami and Chopper are all still gone. Suddenly using the rest of her free time at the beach as Katara has been seems to have lost its appeal completely. She needs to be doing something. She's had this on her mind for a while, but... this just brings everything to a front.

She makes this post shortly before her regularly scheduled practice time - just about seven o'clock.]

Hey, everyone. My name is Katara. I'd like your attention for something serious for a minute. I've been here for about a year and a half now, and there are some things about Luceti that are really great which are easy to take for granted - like the grocery store. But a few weeks ago you all saw how easily things in Luceti can change. [And they did change, once. Last August. But she's not trying to scare people here.] And the drafts have changed as well, so that those who go out might have to either carry or catch their food supplies. So I thought I would offer to see if anyone was interested in lessons on how to live off the land.

I know plenty of people who could teach hunting, and back in my village at home I learned all about how to prepare game and use every part of the animal so that nothing was wasted. If anyone's interested I could teach that, along with different ways of cooking outside, and give some basic lessons what kind of plants are and aren't good to eat.

[She tries - and succeeds - in attaining a more cheerful tone now.] And I thought that maybe at the end of the month before school starts we could go on a camping trip with everyone who wanted to learn! This way we could all test out what we've learned and have some fun too. If you're interested in learning or teaching, or if you have any questions, just let me know.

[And Katara will keep her journal opened for the next two or three hours as she alternates between answering it and going through her bending forms. She'll remain mostly off-camera here, but since it's opened it won't be hard to see the outline of the barracks or occasional glimpse of a girl waterbending.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She's going to throw that in his face, is she? He stops, only a step or two in front of her.]

That so? Then explain to me why I'm not trying to kill you right now.

[Because he did change, Katara. He did change and it partly because he remembered a dark-haired girl who believed that he could be far more than what he was.]

[Blink.

Oh.]

I'm not sure. Why aren't you?

[Because say what he likes, she knows how things were. And why Zuko changed was one thing that they'd never really discussed. And if he was really saying that it had anything to do with her...

...well, he succeeded in distracting her, anyway.]

[She would make him spell it out.]

Because someone showed me that standing up to the do the right thing is rarely the easy road. And she showed me what courage and compassion really are. You, Katara, and my uncle and Aang... All of you showed me what a family is and should be. It was you who showed me how to stand up for the right when everything's coming down around you, so don't stand there and tell me that believing in me didn't make a difference.

[Another step closer.] You pushed me and you challenged me and you believed in me, if only for a moment.

[Pause, then quietly:] It was enough.

[No it wasn't.

And once, she might have said that out loud. When it had counted, when it had really mattered, Zuko had chosen the other way. It wasn't enough.

But he was standing right in front of her now. And just because he hadn't changed in time didn't invalidate the fact that he had changed and he was trying to make up for it - to make up for everything.

...

Is that enough? Deep down, had she ever really forgiven him? Or had it just been swept away under... everything else. It would be so easy to point that out right now, but he was standing here talking to her on her word that they were friends. If she hadn't forgiven him yet... then she could forgive him now.

That, at least, was something that she could do.]

...I'm glad.

[He lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He had no idea how she'd react to that and, in fact, had no idea what he would say until it was said. He nods once and lets his shoulders slump.]

I'm sorry, Katara. About them and about Toph. And I hate that there's nothing I can do. [Pause] I'm guessing that you understand that one. I've got nothing for you. A spar sometimes, maybe. An ear if you need it.

[Another pause, as he remembers how this turned out earlier.] I'm not trying to be a jerk, but you gotta tell me when you want something like that. I'm not that good at reading people.

[In fact, he kind of fails at it.]

[Yeah, and you haven't had to suffer through a month of her being constantly at your bedside. Before they'd known each other's tells because of all the time they'd spent together, constantly, with her fighting to keep him alive and able to bend. But now... now there were little things that were different, she didn't know him the same way. And he didn't know her.

What he was saying made sense.]

I can do that. [She takes the last step that's between them and briefly embraces him.] Thank you, Zuko.

[It's not an apology, which he probably deserves, but it's... real and it's her and it's the best she can do.]

[Uh. Okay. Hugging is good. Definitely better than a water-whip. He manages to actually respond and wrap his arms around her shoulders for a moment before she steps back.]

You're welcome. [Pause] You want me to go on my way again? Don't want to interrupt your practicing too much.

[She closes her eyes and exhales. And when she opens them she's smiling a bit.]

That would probably be better. I still need the time.

...unless you want to stay and run through some of your forms too?

[Bending is like life to her, like breathing, like love - it forms her at her center and this is why she practices it. It's the most calming, focusing, beautiful thing in the world. She knows that it's probably not the same thing for him. She's had to long and wait and want it for so long. He grew up competing with Azula. And that's enough to drive anyone a little bit nuts. But... the familiarity of the forms might at least help him a little.]

[It's a long moment before Zuko shakes his head. No, running through forms won't be relaxing for him. He needs to and he wants to, but he'd rather be somewhere where he can channel some of that frustration without people around.

Better for both of them, he thinks, if he doesn't take her up on that offer.] Nah, I'll go take care of a few other things. Not quite my best time to practice anyway.

[She wonders why that stings. She'd offered to let him share in something precious and then... well. His choice.

All the same, she doesn't like his reason.]

That's why you should think about it. You won't always be fighting in the day.

[But whatever. He can do what he wants. She turns to the side and starts streaming up the water that she'd left discarded on the ground from their fight. No point in calling it a spar.]

Yeah, I know. And I'm going to. [He shrugs helplessly.] I'm really too frustrated to do this now, honestly. Nothing'd work right. I gotta do something else before I practice.

[By which he means try to meditate. But he also fails at meditating, so it will inevitably turn into blowing something up. Then he can be productive at running through forms.]

[She is not going to be irritated and snap at him over nothing. She is not.]

All right. See you later, Zuko.

[He raises a hand in a small wave as he turns to go.] Later, then.

[ Action, Video ] .051

[Action]

[Action] 1/2

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action] 1/2

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]