火: [another damn action post.]

[exiled_torch]

[Zuko meanders off to the beach again to train, because it's still the most private and least flammable of all the mansion's areas. When there, he discovers all the junk washed up on the shore. This is weird, this is most definitely weird. Weirder still is a picture frame jutting out from the sand. He instantly spots it, grabs it, and stares at the

Comments

[usskickass]

[Not too far away, Beiste is struggling with her "gift" from home. It's not too heavy or anything, but it's pretty well buried and it's probably too unwieldy for her to take back to her room on her own.

For now she's working at unearthing it with a shovel.]

[exiled_torch]

[What is that thing? Zuko's mildly curious about the weird object she's digging up. He idly notices it seems to big for one person to carry, but he's not one to pry into the business of other people, especially people he doesn't know. If she asks him to help her or begins struggling with it, however, he'll probably comply.]

Uh..hey..

..Do you know how all this stuff got here?

[usskickass]

[She shrugs.]

Prob'ly something to do with those windows into our worlds.

[She glances over at him, eyebrow raised.]

Mind if I ask what you got?

[exiled_torch]

But those places weren't really our worlds.

A portrait from home..

[He's not about to spill his life story here, but he does sound pretty upset while mentioning it.]

[usskickass]

I guess not. But they had the right stuff anyway.

[She nods.] That's nice.

And...portable.

[Why'd she have to get something so unwieldy? Sheesh.]

[exiled_torch]

I guess I could..uh..help you carry it back to the mansion, if you want.

[That's what good people do, right?!]

[usskickass]

[She smiles, grateful.]

I'd appreciate it.

Do you, uh, know what this is?

[exiled_torch]

..No, but it looks like some kind of armor.

[usskickass]

Eh, kind of.

[She picks up one side carefully, motioning for him to grab the other end.]

It's a machine that helps people with paralysis to walk.

[exiled_torch]

[He tucks the portrait under his arm and grabs the other end as instructed.]

Oh.

..Why do you want it, anyway?

[It can't be very..practical for her.]

[usskickass]

I guess I didn't want it, but...

[She pauses. She's never talked to this kid so she doesn't know if he actually cares.]

I got it as a Christmas present for a kid last year. Guess this place just knew it was important. Either way it'd probably be a bad idea to leave it out here on the beach.

[exiled_torch]

[Zuko knows about being sentimental. Hell, he kept a smelly old sandal with him for a very long time. He doesn't really mind what her reasons are.]

You think this place actually..picked important stuff out for us?

[usskickass]

Sounds like it.

[She gestures at his picture.]

Guessing that means a lot, right?

[exiled_torch]

..Yea.

[His voice lowers, and he seems much more melancholy.]

[usskickass]

[She notices his sudden change in disposition and winces a little.]

Sorry. Wasn't tryin' to pry or anything. I just meant, chances are if we both got important stuff...

Maybe the mansion's bein' nice for once?

[exiled_torch]

But it's never really been nice to us before..

[He still sounds miserable.]