[Thread] This much negative energy is bad for your skin.

[banishment]

Characters: Prince Zuko (OU) and OPEN [new character = new thread]
Where: the park, near the pond
When: morning
Summary: Zuko's angry and attempting to let off some pent-up steam.
Warnings: The usual amount of angst and emo-ness that comes with the Zuko package, with a side of rage, father issues, and some flashbacks.

Comments

[darkrangerqueen]

Privacy was nearly impossible in Econtra, Sylvanas had come to realize. Too many people close together who were strangers, without a common culture to unite them. What remained of her ranger instincts buzzed whenever someone's attention swung to her...which was often. Thankfully, none had bothered her in her tireless investigation of the grounds and its citizens.

It was not the young man at the edge of the lake, but the arc of fire and hiss of evaporating water that caught her attention. The boy was throwing flame carelessly. She watched, curious. He had great skill, but he was being sloppy, clearly in a rage. The boy had an extensive burn-scar along one half of his face. She watched with interest from across the park.

He finally sat in the water, exhausted. The breeze carried his words to her long ears: "I'm not like you. I'm not a monster

[banishment]

Having been someone who was trained to listen to footsteps, he heard hers before she spoke. They were footsteps he didn't recognize, though, as everyone he knew walked in a way that was unique to their person and thus could be used to identify them. He didn't have an answer for who this person was, however, and the unfamiliar female voice did nothing to help him name her.

Reluctantly and with a heavy sigh, he stood in the water and turned around, pushing his hair out of his face and regarding the long-eared girl curiously. He'd been bothered several times while out here venting, but no one had said something quite like that before and despite his anger, it piqued his interest. That curious side that wanted to know things, that had been stunted and shoved aside after the earning of his scar and the task of hunting the Avatar had been given to him.

"I'm sure a lot of people have," he said. "But there are few who say it and actually fear being it."

[darkrangerqueen]

She lifted a bony shoulder in what might have been a shrug, and moved towards the water's edge. But her white-fire eyes never left his face, and her voice held an edge of bitter pride. "I've done what I must in order to survive. I've killed without remorse. Whatever was necessary to keep my enemies at bay." She stopped before the water touched her feet. "But I was not always like...this." Sylvanas gave him a moment to take in her appearance: too-pale skin, ragged hair. A walking corpse. She finished in a near-whisper, "I did wonder, at first. Not anymore."

[banishment]

"I hunted a twelve-year-old boy and almost killed him and his friends more times than I'd like to try counting. I've burned down villages. All in the name of the lies my kingdom feeds those born to it."

Somehow, Zuko felt he could relate to that statement. He didn't always have his scar, after all. He'd overheard some of the courtiers at the place when he was back home during those few months following the capture of Ba Sing Se. They'd whispered about how handsome he would have been if not for the scar, if he had flawless skin on his left like he did on his right. He was a child born to an ancient line of Fire Lords--he was practically bred to be physically appealing and the scarred flesh and mangled ear distorted all of that.

A hand came up and he closed his eyes, touching the edge of the scar where the marred flesh met his pale skin on the side of is face. "I wasn't always like this, either. I understand it now, but I'm still not happy about it."

[darkrangerqueen]

In reply, Sylvanas simply nodded. "At least you know them to be lies." She realized she had half-expected him to cringe away at her appearance, but the undead elf detected no trace of revulsion or fear in his body language. Surprising. The scarred boy had strength in him, despite his fears. She could respect that.

"I am Sylvanas Windrunner, by the way."

[banishment]

Something like respect came over the young man and at her introduction, he put his hands together--one fisted against the palm of a flattened hand--and bowed to her. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself and spoke to him, but he felt the need to bow and didn't feel quite like fighting off the urge. Sometimes, doing things on instinct weren't always followed by dire consequences. Or so he hoped.

"Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

(( ooc: sorry about the delay! having my mother-in-law fluttering about me made it difficult to focus on rp-ness. >< ))

[darkrangerqueen]

Zuko...? Sylvanas returned the courtesy with a lesser bow of the shoulders and head. Her appreciation grew. "Brother Mhenlo told me you were one of the few who had not given up on finding a way out." The elf-woman raised her chin slightly: it was an expression of pride. The glow of her eyes intensified. "I have no intentions of becoming complacent either."

((ooc: It's okay! I'm glad you eventually came back!))

[banishment]

Zuko's good eye widened. Someone had spoken highly of him? That was something the traitor prince wasn't used to. He was better at responding to threats and insults than he was to compliments. Though, they did do wonders for his damaged ego and after a moment, he grinned slightly and made a mental note to thank Mhenlo for the mentioning him in such a manner.

He nodded. "That's good to hear. There are far too many in this compound who have just accepted being here. They have forgotten that we are prisoners."

[darkrangerqueen]

"I have been here for only two days, and it already seems that way." She wasn't used to getting positive reactions from people either, these days: her "subjects" either responded to her with sychophantic worship or respect and awe. So this young man's smile confused her, for a moment -- at least the part of her that was The Banshee Queen.

In an unusual gesture, the undead woman crouched -- her feet were still on the ground -- and touched the surface of the water with her gloved fingers, watching it tremble. It was warm. "I can lead," she offered. "I've been a general for many years." The dim glow of her eyes was reflected in the water. "Once I know more information, I can figure out what to do about our situation here."

There were long-dead fish in there. She could sense them. Fragile-boned. Useless. She withdrew her hand and looked up at the fire-adept, simply waiting for his reply.