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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[There's not much Sokka can do now. So he just... stands to the side, in case Ginko needs him to fetch something. It's times like this he hates feels so useless.]

[Not much Toph can do either, and it's even more frustrating by the fact that she can't even see any of this. She crosses her arms angrily and waits.]

[She relaxes a little at his touch and turns her head towards his voice. Just dropping her other hand is hard, but she does it. And - just to clarify - she says in a voice much smaller than she'd like:] You want me to open my eyes?

Just for a moment.

This mushi breeds in the darkness-- by covering your eyes and hiding from the light, you'll make it worse.

[over his shoulder to Sokka and Toph-- he knows how they must feel, so his request his practical on two levels]

I'm going to need some heated water.

[Sokka cringes at Ginko's explanation. So he had just managed to make it worse making the room dark.] Heated water, got it.

[With that, he slinks off to be useful.]

[Sokka can get heated water better than she can, so she just stays back, still crossing her arms.] What are you going to do with it?

[It breeds in darkness. By trying to avoid the pain... she'd just been helping them make it worse. Well. She's not going to stand for that.]

All right.

[She squares her shoulders, exhales, and opens her eyes. It burns, but she manages to hold Ginko's gaze for a few seconds before shutting them again and shaking her head, almost instinctively. She tastes blood from where she bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from making a sound.]

Do I need to do it longer?

I need it to mix the medicine.

[When Katara opens her eyes, he looks fixedly into them-- seeing what only his eye can see. One hand rests on the side of her face, gently tilting her head back.]

No-- thank you, Katara.

[a brief smile] You're going to be just fine. This is the Makano no Yamimushi-- a parasite that swims between your first and second eyelids.

[he says it like he's talking about the storm outside-- moving away from her to open his box and pull out the herbs he'll be needing, along with mortar and pestle.] Medicine alone might be enough to cure it.

[Sokka is standing in the door, holding a pot full of hot water. He only hears the last part, which he isn't pleased about at all and his frustration is all too apparent.]

What do you mean 'might'? Is that all you can do?

[his tone doesn't shift in the slightest as he moves to take the water from Sokka]

If the medicine alone isn't strong enough, there's another method that I've used before. One that will require moonlight.

[he sits on the floor beside his medicine chest-- fingers sorting and crushing dried leaves and stems with the deftness that only comes from years of experience.

After a moment, he sifts something into a small cup form his box that he's filled with the water, and presses it into Katara's hand]

This should take most of the pain away. I'm going to open one of the curtains, now.

[She can't see - so she's listening very closely. And she latches on to just one thing: You're going to be just fine. He wouldn't say it if he didn't mean it and at those words she slumps in relief. She's too tired - and hurting too much - to snap at Sokka when he interjects, but then Ginko responds and it's all right again. No offense taken. The cup is warm in her hand and she focuses on that. Gratitude and relief are evident in her voice when she speaks.]

Thank you, Ginko.

[A sigh of relief, and she lifts the cup to her mouth. It doesn't smell very good and in her hesitation the other things click into place. Parasites. Swimming between-] What's a second eyelid?

[It's simple curiosity in her voice and very little pain - she is trying to let everyone know that she will be okay. She drinks the medicine -- bleck. At least she'd be okay if she never had to taste that again. She makes a face.]

[something between a wince and and an adolescent grin] ...ah. It's a little bitter.

[he settles himself back on the floor again, mixing the medicine for her eyes now. He slips into a storytelling tone of voice to match the measured motions]

Well, there are two kinds of darkness.

The darkness when you close your eyes-- or that you experience on a moonless night... and then there is total darkness. The true absence of light. That is the darkness you see when you close your second eyelid. Every living thing remembered how to do it, at one time. [he glances up at her, pouring a little water into the mixture with one hand] Perhaps it's for the best that most have forgotten, though-- for after you've looked into the total darkness for a little while, you'll eventually see the River of Light itself.

[he soaks a fold of cloth in the mixture for a moment, before standing with it and motioning to her to lie down-- so he can place it over her eyes]

[Katara's listening closely, letting his words fill the place where fear is trying to dwell - if she can crowd it out with other things, fear will have no place in her.

Ginko's cadence is soothing and - more than that - it's filled with a hidden message. 'I know what this is. I know what I'm doing. You're going to be okay.'

And as he speaks she can feel her breathing start to calm, the tightness in her chest and the screaming fight-or-flight impulses start to ease. She starts a little when he touches her shoulder, but then obediently ~~rare word to use, that~~ lies back.]

The River of Light?

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

Mm.

A stream of Kouki-- embryonic mushi-- that runs on forever in the darkness beneath our feet. [a pause as he leans over to press the cloth over her eyelids, carefully]

I knew a girl who was much more strongly affected by the same mushi that you're feeling now. So if you should happen to see the River in your state take care-- and don't look too long into the light, or you'll forget how to see the sunlight.

[one more press and he steps back, gathering his things again]

I'm afraid I can't stay here with you-- but you should get some rest. I'll be back this evening to see if the medicine was effective.

[... Sokka had been hoping you'd stick around.]

What should we do?

[Oh Sokka...that face...

but there's complete confidence in his smile]

Just let her rest.

I'll be back just after sunset, I promise.

[Sokka just nods. He'll go looking for you if you don't come back.]

[...you'll forget how to see sunlight.' He means you'll go blind.

...Right. Don't look too long at the River of Light. No problem.

One hand flails out blindly to catch - hopefully - Ginko's.]

Thank you. [Those words are said softly, but the next with a bit more emphasis.] I'll see you then.

[it does catch his hand-- and her presses hers warmly for a brief moment before pulling away.]

______________________maaaaagictimeskip_____

[...and it's a hell of a day he has, too.

But he keeps his word to the letter, and arrives at the Avatar house just after sunset-- this time pausing to knock.]

Hey, Ginko.

Katara hasn't moved from her room.

[he does so, with an answering smile. As he slips off his shoes]

-- how is she feeling? has her condition improved?

[he makes his way back to her room]

...

No, it doesn't look like she has.

[Ginko glances over his shoulder-- tone making it very clear that the news doesn't disturb...or even much surprise him]

Ohh?

Well.

We'll just have to try something different, then.

What are you going to try this time?

[an odd smile]

...we'll see what moonlight can do, this time.

I think the clouds have dispelled enough for that.

[Action, Voice ] .020

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