[ Action, Voice ] .058

[markofthebrave]

[Somewhere in all the excitement of the past month, it... sort of didn't occur to her that she's now been in Luceti for two years. That's had some time to sink in now, along with the new announcement and - home. Actually getting to go home. Even if it's just for a day...

...but then it means that the Malnosso were lying to them, doesn't it. They do have the power to send them home. And all this time, they'd said it was random...]

[Filter to those who had been here when she arrived: Two years back or more.]

Hey. I think that I just... wanted to apologize. I know that when I got here two years ago, I wasn't very respectful about all the things everyone had tried to do in order to get out of here. It must have been so hard to hear that then, and to keep hearing it from every New Feather that we get when we know that we've tried everything we could.

But we have to keep trying. What they're doing, no matter what they say, no matter what they promise us, is wrong. We can't give up hope that we'll find a way out - we have to keep looking. There's a difference between waiting and giving up, and I know it's hard, but so many of you are still doing that, still trying to find a way out while making things as comfortable as you can for all the new people who are stuck here as we are, and I admire that so much.

So, thank you.

[/filter]

[And then, taking a deep breath, she'll continue:]

And hey, if anyone was using the sled tracks I made, I haven't had a chance to check on them since the ice storm. I'll probably be decommissioning them tomorrow and just turning it all into a giant snow hill, so if you go out there, please be careful, all right?

[Thursday is one of the days Katara goes to spar with Nami, so after making this announcement after school, she and Nami will meet up by the river to do battle with their staffs. Feel free to stop by and watch these two sexy ladies practicing, if you like.

If not, after dinner, Katara heads off someplace she very rarely is. The remembrance garden. This place has always made her uncomfortable... she's not sure it's right, but it's... something. Better than those things that reminded her of gravestones. And the perfect place to pour over her journal, flipping back until she finds an entry of Aang. It's been so long since she's seen him... she's all but forgotten what he sounds like. She feels almost bad about it, but... she misses him so much and yet... it's easier not to miss him.

And eventually, when her time in the remembrance garden is done, Katara will return to her house for an hour or two of bending practice in the back yard.]

Comments

[markofthebrave]

Deal.

[Katara is not quite panting but she and Nami have long-since passed going easy on each other, and she flops down beside Nami with relief, letting the bo fall from her hands.]

It's been a while since we've gotten to do that.

[What with you being all. Younger. And then gone.]

[mikangirl]

That explains why it was more effort than usual. Though you know, most people would say we're nuts for hitting each other with sticks out in the snow.

[On recent goings on, she has nothing to say. Well. Yet.]

[markofthebrave]

Most people are missing out.

[She just closes her eyes in happy-work-out satisfaction.]

[mikangirl]

[Nami's doing much the same. And thus, they both died of exposure-- well, give her a minute to get her breath back. She does want to mention something.]

Heard your post earlier.

[markofthebrave]

[Katara pops open an eye to look at Nami.]

Yeah?

[mikangirl]

Time flies, huh? [Regarding the apology itself, she says nothing. Nami didn't hold those views when she first arrived, but that's only because Luffy had already been here a year. Ergo, she knew from the beginning that everything had been tried.] But you're right. Eventually, we'll find an opportunity we need.

...guess I've known you for two years now.

[markofthebrave]

I guess so. Give or take.

[Since, you know, you got to go home.

She moves to sit up now, since the snow on the back of her head is cold.]

[mikangirl]

[She's aware. Not much consolation, you know.

Nami stays where she is, staring up at the clear sky. She'll see more and more of it now that winter's coming to a close. She's really tempted to tell Katara outright of her own plans for them to get out of this place, but...

...nope. The less people that know the better. And given it's such a slim chance, she'd rather not give any false hope.]

I never thought I'd be here longer than a few months. But these days... you know, I promised Luffy I wouldn't leave without him. And he won't leave without everyone else.

[And her eyes flick to Katara as she says Luffy's name; Valentine's with her captain would at least not be traumatising, but she's wondering about other fallout.]

[markofthebrave]

[Yeah, well, on hearing Luffy's name there's the sort of thing one might expect. A slight flinch, a discreet tension, and the sort of thing one might not - the slumping of her shoulders. But no blush, no shrinking inwards of the serious trauma and left-over feelings kind. The most awkward thing, really, was the leftover remnants of their physical intimacy, and... it was Luffy, so that was only as awkward as she'd let it be. He'd already gone to war against it, so she didn't imagine that it would last long.

Katara glances over at Nami, her gaze sober.]

I don't really think that's the kind of thing you can promise. It's not as if we can control when we come or go.

[mikangirl]

[Well, that thoroughly distracted her. Nami lifts an eyebrow, irritated more than she should be. But then, maybe she's not that un-stressed after all, so she keeps her voice mild.]

I've been here nearly three years, Katara. You think I don't know that?

[markofthebrave]

[...ah. The fake mild tone. She's touched something off, and hadn't meant to.]

I think you should know it better than most. [After all, you've come and gone.] Which is why I was surprised to hear that you'd said something like that. I didn't mean it as a criticism.

[She looks down, her voice small and directed inward.] ...I'm just tired of empty words.

[mikangirl]

Mm. [Nami closes her eyes, irritation gone just as fast. She's not being fair. So:]

To be fair. I promised Luffy that I wouldn't leave without him if I had any choice in the matter. To stay as long as I could. We both know I've got no control over it, but ... it was something he really needed to hear at the time.

[She puts a hand on Katara's, squeezing gently.]

Really, it's just an attitude. If I find a way out of here, I won't take it without my friends. The people who want to go.

That, I do have control over. At least, I'd like to hope so.

[markofthebrave]

[Ah. That makes more sense. And makes her feel infinitely better. Promises that can be kept - there's something solid in those.

Katara reverses her hand to return Nami's squeeze and smiles at her friend.]

I'd like to hope so too.

[mikangirl]

[Nami smiles back, before stretching out and linking both hands behind her head. She's too lazy to sit up, but okay, the snow is cold.

And for a moment or two, there is peaceful silence!




...yup.]

So I noticed we had a lurker today.

[markofthebrave]

We did?

[Yeah, she was a bit focused on not getting her head knocked off. Which worked, but at the same time, whoever it was must have been far enough away that she wasn't paying attention.]

[mikangirl]

Ah, you didn't notice? I should've said something earlier, then. [Though she sounds more mischievous than repentant.] Masaomi-kun. I understand you know him.

1/2

[markofthebrave]

[This would be Katara, face faulting. Without a blush that's quite that intense.]

[markofthebrave]

...yeah. He's a friend of mine.

[And she waits to see if Nami will mention the entry or... anything else.]

[mikangirl]

Very interested friend. Want me to break his legs?

1/2

[markofthebrave]

[Ack.]

[markofthebrave]

[And also, yeah, there it is.]

No, I think I've got the leg-breaking handled if it becomes necessary.

[Because NAMI IS TOTALLY KIDDING, RIGHT?!]

I'm guessing you saw his post?

[mikangirl]

Heck no, I totally failed to see that drawing of my captain.

[markofthebrave]

[Wince.]

No, why would you pay any attention to that?

[mikangirl]

Why indeed.

[Eheh.]

Do you like him?

[markofthebrave]

[There really isn't any use even hiding it.

Katara sighs and looks... pained.]

Not the same way he likes me.