[ actiony placeholderish ]markofthebraveJanuary 13 2011, 07:26:57 UTC
[By daylight, Katara's doing pretty well. She's extremely busy, going to her classes and spending her free time split between the Welcome Center and resident snowblower - making paths from the village to the forests, generally being useful, friendly, and pleasant - if not happy, there are few around to call her on it. They're gone.
By night, she's not doing so well. Unwilling to lay awake at night, she's taken to extending her practice sessions, to the point of working herself to exhaustion before stumbling home. It's now past ten o'clock at night, and it doesn't look like she's showing any sign of stopping. There are crumbled rocks all around her, the ground is nearly swept free of snow - if soaked, and she is in the process of brutally slamming a dozen foot-long ice spikes into the rock that remains.]
[Oh, she seems pissed off. Funny how he was venting his anger through fighting himself, just a few hours ago. But he won't say anything-not sure if that's what someone would want, being that they could've stopped showing their deeper feelings to strangers they don't know are there-but he doesn't interrupt her anyway.
Because he knows she needs to finish through on her work.
But he'll be here in plain sight, when you're done pummeling that rock to turn around.]
[ action ] 1/2markofthebraveJanuary 14 2011, 05:57:21 UTC
[Yeah, that rock didn't stand a chance.
She's not done. Not while she's still awake, and angry, and hurting, and helpless. She regathers the water unto herself, streaming it from ice into water and whirling to find a different target--]
Re: [ action ]not_a_bluesbroJanuary 14 2011, 06:22:24 UTC
[On second thought, maybe he should've just left her to her work; to be fair, he's an easily mesmerized kind of guy, when it's something as mystical as bending the will of water with your hand.
His features soften into an apologetic, sympathetic smile.]
Re: [ action ]not_a_bluesbroJanuary 14 2011, 06:56:32 UTC
[Don't worry about it, Wolfwood is pretty good at that, himself. But he figures that, with all that rage and her inability to sleep... she was thinking. Working some mental wheels over a thing she was enraged or confused or pained or everything about.
Familiar...
His smile picks up a little more.]
I guess I have a lot on my mind, too. Makes me too anxious to sleep.
[Sour glance. Hello, you're out in the same weather too, and who died and made you the arbiter of what was healthy for her anyway?]
I'm used to this kind of weather. I'll be fine - I'm not the one who grew up on a desert planet.
[There might be some awareness and concern buried deep down in there. After all, she saw his entry after they'd had their snowball fight. He was newly 'returned' to normal. And out walking the woods at ungodly hours. None of these things point to happy and healthy.]
Re: [ action ]not_a_bluesbroJanuary 14 2011, 07:56:55 UTC
[Funny how the main issue was Legato and Vash, but it was true-a few of those points where a little helpful in dampening his spirits. He's pretty unaffected by her sourness, anyway; used to those sorts of looks. Learned how to just smile and wave 'em off.
He shifts his cross on his shoulder-oh yeah, he always has that as an adult, in case it's been a while, miss. His kid self was a little lighter, weight-wise, eh?
And yet, his shoulders feel heavier than usual, even with the cross in mind.]
Ouch, you're ready for the rebuttals and everything, aren't you? Then again, you have a pretty good point.
...But-ah, well. I guess I'm finding myself more comforted by all this open green space, rather than a room.
[I know trees can light on fire real easy, right? They're really rare, so I don't wanna see anything bad happen to 'em.
With a sigh, she streams the water coating her arms towards a tree - the movement is casual, but it does hit her target precisely. Her shoulders slump a little in the release, as if now that she's no longer holding her weapon it's all she can do to hold herself.
But he was standing there watching and now he's standing there talking, smiling, and she has the feeling that unless she tells him to leave he'll just keep standing there. And for some reason, she doesn't want to do that. So she will make an attempt to be more civil, even though she's been civil all day and really just wants to wear herself into a state of unconsciousness. It's too bad she hasn't discovered that there are more fun ways of doing this than working yourself to the bone, but she still only orders hot chocolates at the Good Spirits.]
The wind settled down earlier - it's not so bad if you keep moving.
Re: [ action ]not_a_bluesbroJanuary 14 2011, 22:06:29 UTC
[He itches the back of his head at that, suddenly a little more awkward. Maybe even a little more like 'Nicholas'? He can't help but find the name so outdated and unwanted, which was pretty cruel to his childhood, not that he could really help himself. Wasn't much of a childhood to begin with.]
Mmm... well. I don't really go much by Nicholas anymore-it's part of my name, but not something most people call me.
[I ditched the kid a while ago.]
But I'm not about to correct you on anything any time soon.
[He gives her a quick look, and then gives that tree a once-over, before straightening up. You're not the only one wanting to know if something's wrong. But Wolfwood's a little more blunt than that.]
[That was frustrating in that - it didn't answer her question, didn't tell her whether or not he actually remembered anything, and then followed it up with invasive poking and guess-taking. Because she somehow hadn't managed to make it clear, out in the middle of the forest past midnight, doing her best to work herself into a state where she couldn't resist sleep, that poking was unwelcome.
This, sadly enough, will result in a small explosion.]
That doesn't answer my question. And if you're going to be insulting [Everyone's upset at them, (why do you think I'm out here!), just calm down silly little girl, your emotions are getting in the way again - you're transparent, your pain is obvious and just like everyone else's - I can see right through you - you're seeing the wrong me.] you can just go enjoy the green open space somewhere else.
[She is really, really tired of people who are older than her thinking they have the right to question her, to make assumptions, simply because of their age. She's even more tired (due to her
( ... )
Re: [ action ]not_a_bluesbroJanuary 14 2011, 23:50:48 UTC
[His expression remains about the same, but then, everything around his eyes seemed exhausted from all the mental gnawing. His gaze, though, is firm and unsurprised.]
You can call me Wolfwood now... but if you wanted to know more than that, you should've just asked about more than just what my name is. I'm not very good at answering subtle things, even when I hear them.
[After meeting her gaze for a moment, he sits nearby, setting the cross on his shoulder.]
I remember everything-a lot of things I would have preferred to just forget about, even. I'm not as fond of my childhood and everything it involves like other people are. I'd rather avoid it, if it's possible.
[He figures you deserve it. He's not... exactly... like Vash is. He'd prefer to keep things hidden, but if someone really wants to know? He'll let them know. He doesn't mind digging out a few skeletons. Not all of them-certain ones, never-but if it answered her questions, he really was just too tired to fight that off.]
[She sighs again, some of the fight leaving her because - hey, she's mature enough to recognize that he's not one of the ones she's actually angry with. Her eyes go a little dull with disappointed weariness all the same, though.]
If I wanted to know the other things, I would have asked. [She is perfectly capable of asking horribly personal questions if necessary, after all.] And maybe I'm curious, but for now all I really wanted to know is -
[And just then, the wind picks up. Katara wraps her arms around herself and shivers]
- what your name is now. And why you're out here, if you want to talk about that. That's all.
[Because, yeah, even exhaustion and pain and grief can't quite squash her 'Want to help' impulses and she feels somewhat responsible for you now, Nick. Wolfwood. Whoever you are.]
Re: [ action ] 1/2not_a_bluesbroJanuary 15 2011, 00:18:58 UTC
[He laughs a little under his breath at that. A sort of resigned, unsure one.]
Why I'm out here... I guess I'm trying to out-walk all of my convictions and fears.
[He knows part of this is Vash's business, and it's hard to say whether or not Katara knows Vash as well as she could to know personal problems, but fuck it-that spikey-headed fool needed to just let things naturally flow.
Wolfwood was a private man. But not right now. Right now, he didn't even really mind it, with everything finally emptying his system. He'd been through the same thing Katara's been doing right now, at the dome. Hell, if someone had come up to him, he might've had the same sharp response, the same underlying rage that seemed to transfer to weapons and skills all too easily.]A few nights ago, someone's life was in danger, and in order for me to make sure everyone came out of it safely, I had to say some pretty horrible things to a close friend of mine... Beyond the regret of talking to them like that, I'm more alarmed that it felt like I was just talking
( ... )
By night, she's not doing so well. Unwilling to lay awake at night, she's taken to extending her practice sessions, to the point of working herself to exhaustion before stumbling home. It's now past ten o'clock at night, and it doesn't look like she's showing any sign of stopping. There are crumbled rocks all around her, the ground is nearly swept free of snow - if soaked, and she is in the process of brutally slamming a dozen foot-long ice spikes into the rock that remains.]
Reply
Because he knows she needs to finish through on her work.
But he'll be here in plain sight, when you're done pummeling that rock to turn around.]
Reply
She's not done. Not while she's still awake, and angry, and hurting, and helpless. She regathers the water unto herself, streaming it from ice into water and whirling to find a different target--]
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An audience. Great.
A familiar sort of audience.
All grown up now, huh, Nick?]
Oh. Hello.
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His features soften into an apologetic, sympathetic smile.]
Having an off-day?
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I couldn't sleep.
[She's becoming very good at this 'not lying and not telling the truth' thing. It's very sad.]
What about you? What are you doing out here so late?
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Familiar...
His smile picks up a little more.]
I guess I have a lot on my mind, too. Makes me too anxious to sleep.
But should you be outside in this weather?
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I'm used to this kind of weather. I'll be fine - I'm not the one who grew up on a desert planet.
[There might be some awareness and concern buried deep down in there. After all, she saw his entry after they'd had their snowball fight. He was newly 'returned' to normal. And out walking the woods at ungodly hours. None of these things point to happy and healthy.]
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He shifts his cross on his shoulder-oh yeah, he always has that as an adult, in case it's been a while, miss. His kid self was a little lighter, weight-wise, eh?
And yet, his shoulders feel heavier than usual, even with the cross in mind.]
Ouch, you're ready for the rebuttals and everything, aren't you? Then again, you have a pretty good point.
...But-ah, well. I guess I'm finding myself more comforted by all this open green space, rather than a room.
Reply
With a sigh, she streams the water coating her arms towards a tree - the movement is casual, but it does hit her target precisely. Her shoulders slump a little in the release, as if now that she's no longer holding her weapon it's all she can do to hold herself.
But he was standing there watching and now he's standing there talking, smiling, and she has the feeling that unless she tells him to leave he'll just keep standing there. And for some reason, she doesn't want to do that. So she will make an attempt to be more civil, even though she's been civil all day and really just wants to wear herself into a state of unconsciousness. It's too bad she hasn't discovered that there are more fun ways of doing this than working yourself to the bone, but she still only orders hot chocolates at the Good Spirits.]
The wind settled down earlier - it's not so bad if you keep moving.
...So what should I call you now?
[ ( ... )
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Mmm... well. I don't really go much by Nicholas anymore-it's part of my name, but not something most people call me.
[I ditched the kid a while ago.]
But I'm not about to correct you on anything any time soon.
[He gives her a quick look, and then gives that tree a once-over, before straightening up. You're not the only one wanting to know if something's wrong. But Wolfwood's a little more blunt than that.]
Upset at the Malnosso?
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This, sadly enough, will result in a small explosion.]
That doesn't answer my question. And if you're going to be insulting [Everyone's upset at them, (why do you think I'm out here!), just calm down silly little girl, your emotions are getting in the way again - you're transparent, your pain is obvious and just like everyone else's - I can see right through you - you're seeing the wrong me.] you can just go enjoy the green open space somewhere else.
[She is really, really tired of people who are older than her thinking they have the right to question her, to make assumptions, simply because of their age. She's even more tired (due to her ( ... )
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You can call me Wolfwood now... but if you wanted to know more than that, you should've just asked about more than just what my name is. I'm not very good at answering subtle things, even when I hear them.
[After meeting her gaze for a moment, he sits nearby, setting the cross on his shoulder.]
I remember everything-a lot of things I would have preferred to just forget about, even. I'm not as fond of my childhood and everything it involves like other people are. I'd rather avoid it, if it's possible.
[He figures you deserve it. He's not... exactly... like Vash is. He'd prefer to keep things hidden, but if someone really wants to know? He'll let them know. He doesn't mind digging out a few skeletons. Not all of them-certain ones, never-but if it answered her questions, he really was just too tired to fight that off.]
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If I wanted to know the other things, I would have asked. [She is perfectly capable of asking horribly personal questions if necessary, after all.] And maybe I'm curious, but for now all I really wanted to know is -
[And just then, the wind picks up. Katara wraps her arms around herself and shivers]
- what your name is now. And why you're out here, if you want to talk about that. That's all.
[Because, yeah, even exhaustion and pain and grief can't quite squash her 'Want to help' impulses and she feels somewhat responsible for you now, Nick. Wolfwood. Whoever you are.]
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Why I'm out here... I guess I'm trying to out-walk all of my convictions and fears.
[He knows part of this is Vash's business, and it's hard to say whether or not Katara knows Vash as well as she could to know personal problems, but fuck it-that spikey-headed fool needed to just let things naturally flow.
Wolfwood was a private man. But not right now. Right now, he didn't even really mind it, with everything finally emptying his system. He'd been through the same thing Katara's been doing right now, at the dome. Hell, if someone had come up to him, he might've had the same sharp response, the same underlying rage that seemed to transfer to weapons and skills all too easily.]A few nights ago, someone's life was in danger, and in order for me to make sure everyone came out of it safely, I had to say some pretty horrible things to a close friend of mine... Beyond the regret of talking to them like that, I'm more alarmed that it felt like I was just talking ( ... )
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I don't confess these sorts of things too often, sadly.
How was that?
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