markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .024

[ Action, Voice ] .024

[Tomorrow. Tomorrow is tomorrow. Today, she has plans.]

Hey, Winry - do you still want to go get pizza today? I can make it for lunch, but... I can't hang out the whole day.

[She will also be making a point to visit her friends today, specifically the Straw Hat House. She wants to check in on Sanji, now that she knows what's happened to him, say goodbye to Nami... and she has a feeling Ginko will be there as well. If not, she'll try to contact him over the journal.

She also needs to stop in the item's shop. Being given a gift from the water of the river of light... Katara wants to find something similar to the container she used for the spirit oasis water so that if they get out there and she needs it, she'll have it.

The chances are good that she is also going to make a token effort to track down Buffy. She's heard enough about the last fight that she knows what happened there, and she wants to ask a few questions before heading out there - and she wants to hear about how this same mysterious Third Party General had died. It was the mystery that was bothering her - not knowing what they were really going up against or why they were really doing this. If she could talk to someone who'd fought them before, then maybe, maybe... the feeling of being used wouldn't be as strong and she'd be able to focus on what was really important.

She thinks about going over Caesar's house as well, but decides that a journal message will be good enough. He's probably busy preparing - or sleeping. And she had a feeling he wouldn't be able to do as much of that as he'd like, once they got out there.]

[Filtered Voice 90%]

Hey, Caesar. Ready for this?

[After her various conversations, she goes back home to make dinner and she, Sokka, and Toph have a surprisingly normal meal before slipping out a little earlier than normal for her accustomed practice time. She's not sure why they're going out to fight or why the 'why' bothers her so much - and she's a little scared, strung tense with nervous energy. The forms are soothing and precise and tonight there is just that extra edge, just that smallest bit of ruthless passion that gives away just how strongly the drums of her fathers beat within her - this is about war. And war is something Katara knows very well.

But when the sun starts to set she takes a break and takes a seat, watching it go down not thinking about very much at all. It's beautiful.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From what I hear of it, your home world must be really fascinating. If I had the chance, I'd love to visit.

[A quick grin.] Thanks, Winry. That is one good thing about this place - getting to meet so many different people, and learning about their worlds.

What was it like where you grew up?

I grew up in a quiet farming town. Beautiful scenery, but nothing real exciting.

And is that where you learned how to work with automail?

Yes, at first. My Grandmother taught me what she knew, but I continued my education in the field as an apprentice in Rush Valley.

[Katara orders an iced tea, unsweetened, and turns back to Winry.]

What was it like in Rush Valley? It sounds like a busy place.

Oh Rush Valley was a wonderful place! It's the place to be if you're an automail engineer. The whole town is dedicated to selling, repairing, commissioning, and basically anything concerning automail. It's like heaven for anyone who works in the field of metal prosthesis. I really miss being able to go there. I still need to finish up my apprenticeship.

[She nods in interest.] Did you get to pick the person you were apprenticed too? What were they like?

Actually I wanted to study under a man called Dominic, however he wouldn't take me as his student. Although he did recommend me to Mr. Garfiel. Mr. Garfiel's a nice man, but a bit eccentric at times.

Why not? [You may notice a faint trace of indignation here - she's had her own issues with men refusing to train her.] Why wouldn't he take you?

He said he wouldn't take anybody. He also seemed to know my Grandmother, but I guess that wasn't enough to convince him.

Oh. [She takes a moment to process that.] Something similar happened to me when I went to learn waterbending, but Master Paku wouldn't take me because I was a girl, not because he just didn't want to teach anyone. Are you learning what you'd like to from Mr. Garfiel, or have you been trying to think up a way to change Dominic's mind?

Just because you were a girl? Well that's stupid.

I'm learning what I need to know from Mr. Garfiel, and I visit Mr. Dominic from time to time. I don't think he'll ever change his mind, but I'm glad he recommended me to whom he did.

Yes, it was stupid. [She shakes her head.] So I'm glad it wasn't anything like that for you, and that you still found a way to learn what you wanted.

Thanks! I guess you learned what you wanted?

Yeah, he agreed to teach me in the end, but... it didn't really have anything to do with me. I tried everything I could to change his mind, but he was so caught up in his stupid 'culture' to realize that I needed to learn how to fight. It wasn't until he saw what his culture had cost him... that he was willing to give me a chance.

At least in the end it worked out.

[She nods.] We were able to get in a good couple of weeks there, before the Fire Nation came. Aang and I both got a lot better!

[A quick beaming smile of pride.] Master Paku declared me a waterbending master when we left.

That's great.

You must be really impressive without the limits here.

[She shrugs, still smiling.] It's mostly the same thing, really. The only difference the limit makes is how much water I can bend, and how quickly I get tired. But the more I've been practicing the better my stamina has gotten, even with the power cap, so it feels a bit like normal even if it's.. not.

[She gives Winry a quick glance.] Did you get a chance to meet Aang when he was here?

No, I don't think I did. You mention him a lot, though. Was he a good friend of yours?

Aang is a good friend of mine, yes. Sokka and I found him trapped in an iceberg a few months - well, almost a year ago now.

Trapped in an iceberg?

[Katara nods.] Yeah - Sokka didn't tell you any of this?

No? Yes?

Maybe? He likes to talk at me while I'm working, and if I'm concentrating on something I tend not to hear anything. Most of what I do happen to hear though is just bad jokes.