markofthebrave | [Action, Voice ] .020

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[Action, Voice ] .020

[After doing everything she could at home to deal with the fact that Zuko was gone, Katara headed out to the lake where she proceeded to bend and cry until she was exhausted. The storm feels good. She made her weary way back to the house with something of a headache, but she didn't think much of it. So what if the lights hurt her eyes? That was normal after so much crying and rage, right?

She fell into a deep, exhausted sleep as soon as she hit the bed. When morning light first entered her room, Katara shifted uneasily. Soon enough she opens her eyes to start the day - and screams. This was beyond a headache, it was like a screaming in her eye, a shooting pain, a burning.

Katara immediately slaps both hands over her eyes and sways back and forth a little to comfort and distract herself from the pain. After a moment of panicked breathing, her adrenaline kicks in and Katara shifts one hand to cover her eyes and fumbles for her journal with the other. Filtering is hopeless right now, even if it had occurred to her, although she'd much rather keep this private. Her voice is scared and filled with suppressed quivering.]

Ginko? I think something's wrong.

[And with that, she clings on to the journal and hopes that someone answers her soon. She can't see anything and it hurts.]

((OOC: This is forward dated to about 6.30am, Tuesday morning, for tagging convenience. Also, a warning: Housemates may commandeer her book.))

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[Katara is just as blind as Toph now, her eyes are tightly shut. She can't see Toph reaching out for her. And as she's about to answer she hears Sokka - and her throat closes up for a minute - what if - no. She has to be strong. She takes a deep ragged breath and tries to speak calmly.]

There's something wrong - I can't open my eyes. It hurts.

Is there something in them?

[Sokka moves to put a hand on Katara's shoulder, so she has some indication of where he is.]

Can you try to open them?

[Deep breath. She doesn't think that's a very good idea. But she feels Sokka's hand on her shoulder and she can't think of anything else that might help so, she nods and moves to sit up, one hand still covering her eyes.]

All right. [She drops her hand - she doesn't even make it to opening her eyes when the unfiltered light hits her eyelids, she immediately stiffens and claps her hands over her eyes again. She doesn't scream, but her face has gone very pale.]

I don't think - that's a good idea. It's the light - the light hurts them.

...If you were in the dark, could you open them? [Toph's trying to understand this whole 'light and dark' thing, but she figures that sounds like a good idea.]

[Sokka can't help but wince when he sees her go pale.]

That's a good idea. [Sokka gets up to close the curtains on Katara's window, blocking out most of the light. Not all of it, though.] Toph, can you get the light?

Sure. It's over by the door, right? [Toph has to guess the exact position, but she knows where people stop to flick the switch, and finds it quickly enough after a couple seconds checking the wall for it.] Okay, got it. Can you open them now?

[She really, really doesn't want to do this again - it hurts. But she takes a deep breath. And drops her hand. The light is still enough to make her flinch, but it's better than before. So she tries to open her eyes.

She can't help but make a small pained noise as soon as she does so - one that she muffles as quickly as she can. Katara immediately shuts her eyes and clamps both hands over them and shakes her head violently.]

No.

Edited 2010-06-15 03:30 (UTC)

[Annnd she's getting more and more worried.] Okay. We need to call a healer, then. Or...do you think you could help them if you had some water?

[This can't be happening. He didn't even want to think about the possibility that she could be...]

[With the curtains closed, he goes back to her side, for the moment sitting on the edge of the bed.] You're going to be okay, I promise. Toph is right. It's probably just... something in your eye. I'll be back. [He leaves to grab a bottle of water.]

OK. [And so - Sokka leaves. And she's scared.]

It's OK, Toph - [She's talking more for herself than anything.] Ginko said that weird stuff could start happening. That mushi were here. That's probably all it is. I called him. Or maybe I'll be able to do something myself. But it'll be okay.

[It doesn't feel right. It feels like there are things inside of her, things that she can almost see - and they're hungry.]

Is it just me, or are everyone else's spirits from their world more annoying than the spirits from OUR world? [She crosses her arms irritably.]

[Sokka is back soon enough. Since Katara can't see, he'll sit down next to her and open the water bottle. If he knows her like he thinks he does, she should be able to sense the water with just her bending.]

You never met the wrong ones, Toph. [Like the ones that attacked Sokka. Even if he started it. Not the point, thouh. He turns back to Katara.] If there's something in your eyes, you're supposed to rinse them out. Do you want me to help?

[She couldn't help but laugh at little at Toph - half just to release some of the pressure in her chest. But then she hears Sokka come in and he sits beside her and she subconsciously leans towards him just like when they were younger for warmth.

She does feel the water beside him - and that's good, it gives her something to focus on. And - for a moment - yes she wants help. But they have to be just as scared as she is and - OK. OK. - she can do this.]

I've got it. [With one hand, she bends the water out from the bottle and lets it coat that hand before bringing it up to her eyes and slowly changing place with the other. As soon as the water makes contact with her eye - she feels them. Swimming around in there - somehow. But no place that she can reach. Just - twirling, joining together, growing, feeding--]

Gah! [And she moves her hand forward quickly, sending the water directly across from her.]

[Toph leans forward at the sound of Katara crying out.] What? What is it?

[He had been so confident that would work until the water goes flying. He instinctively pulls her back towards him as he looks over her eyes, not sure what to expect.]

Did it hurt you?

[Woah - unexpected movement from Sokka's side. She grabs hold of him just to steady herself.]

No, it's fine. It's - definitely mushi. I think. They're... someplace I can't reach. Swimming around inside of me.

[And, yeah, now she's grabbing hold of Sokka's arm and curling a little bit around it. She's not going to tell them what else she felt. But - creepy. So, so creepy.]

Swimming around inside you? [Toph pulls a disgusted face at that. There's nothing she can do about things swimming around inside someone, not with her bending or with her bare hands. Which renders her helpless, again. She hates that.] Well, Ginko can fix it, right? When's he getting here?

[Sokka can't help but feel sick at the thought of something swimming inside her. The mention of Ginko is a welcome distraction.]

I'll find out. [He goes for Katara's journal, since his own is sitting in his room and he doesn't want to get up again just yet.]

I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he can.

[It doesn't hurt when her eyes are closed, and a hand covering them, but it still takes an effort to keep her voice even and calm, filled with her normal confidence. Now that she knows... what's doing this...

Ugh.

Ginko must be very brave, to face this sort of thing all the time.]

[Toph reaches out and tries to take Katara's other hand- to reassure herself as well as her friend. Katara's here. She's going to be okay.]

[Oh look, Ginko has replied. Sokka will just start filling Ginko in on what's going on.]

[Katara jumps a little at the touch of Toph's hand - she's not used to not being able to see. But then she just shifts to grasp it firmly. She's scared, and it's dark, and there are things inside of her - but she's not alone.

It will be okay.

It will.]

Edited 2010-06-15 23:17 (UTC)

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[Action, Voice ] .020

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