[Action, Voice] .012

[markofthebrave]

[Painstakingly filtered to the Straw Hats, Toph, Zuko, Sokka, Ginko, Allen Walker, Nash, Smithy Workers, and Caesar Silverberg, even though she's still a bit mad at him. 72 percent.]

If anyone knows how to make the filter higher, I'd really appreciate it.

Someone arrived from my world today who it would be a good idea to be cautious around. Her name is Azula, and she is a very powerful firebender who can also bend lighting. I don't know what she'll do without a Fire Nation here, but I can bet that it won't be anything good.

Don't trust her.

[And so after stalking Azula's entrance into Luceti and conversation with Roku, Katara decides that about now is a good time to interrupt them. So she will gingerly make her way over to where Roku is.]

Hey, Roku? Can I get your help with something?


ETA: And after about 2 minutes, that filter will have been bumped up to 100 via Ginko.

Comments

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

For the most part, we agreed just to stay out of each other's way. [Read: I left him no choice.]

And then... Luceti happened. [Hey, Ginko - remember that love experiment?] And he was kidnapped and I had to spend all that time healing him... we were stuck in the house together for a month.

And you really get to know someone when you're with them every day, while they're... like that. [It had been scary. Zuko had always been strong, always been a fighter. Seeing him like that...] And it turned out that... [That his first instinct when there was trouble, even though he was in pain, was to rush out and try to help Sokka.] that everything they'd told me held up to be true. He knows that he was on the wrong side. And he worked to change it. He really has earned it.

[Action]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Hmm. [a wry smile at the description of that time spent together. He knows what that's like-- as often as he tries to avoid it. It's human nature.

And he makes a quiet guess at the love experiment, actually-- but has no desire to know whether he's right or not. He smiles a little.]

I'm glad to hear it.

The difference must be real indeed if he managed to earn your trust. [...because it seems a hard thing to earn, even if for good reasons]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[And that feels unexpectedly like a slap.] What do you mean by that?

[Action]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[raises an eyebrow] He belongs to the people who destroyed your village; disrupted your world. He's their leader's son. Your last memories would have been of him as your enemy.

[he tilts his head a little to the side, thoughtfully] And it seems to me that when you feel strongly about a person-- good or bad-- it's a feeling you hold onto very tightly.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

...

I haven't really thought about it. [Pause.] I know everything that Zuko did - what his family did. And for a long time, whenever I thought of the face of the enemy... he would be the one I'd see. And after Ba Sing Se...

[Her heart is heavy with the weight of her memories, and all the things she wouldn't say. Then, abruptly:] You're right. I didn't forgive him easily. It was personal, what he did. And I can never forgive - not the Fire Nation, but the people who hurt us most, who would continue to hurt us, and who don't care. But Zuko proved himself. One of the wounds on his body is for me. Heh - or will be.

But it's true - there are some things that an apology just won't fix. You have to prove it, or your words don't mean anything. And Zuko did. Here in Luceti - I couldn't have gone just by what they said. [She shakes her head.] I just couldn't.