Winter Wonderland: Southern Tribe Style

[kaya_waterwave]

She thought it would be impossible at first: the idea of keeping the area around the Outsider's hotel that cold, and keeping snow on the ground with just the use of water? It sounded crazy, and Katara had been wondered if she was skilled enough to do it. It was why she and Sokka hadn't had their Southern Water Tribe thing: it would have just been

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Hotel Lobby

[kaya_waterwave]

Here Katara decided to get creative. While there are Christmas, Hannakah, Yule and Kwanzaa decorations, there are seal pelts and beads and faux animal rugs on the floor. There's a cheery fire burning for people who want to warm up and relax, maybe tell a story or two.

[morphitudinous]

Billy had enjoyed the snow for a good long while, but he soon decided to greet everyone in the lobby and speak to everyone there. All that work had been exhausting, but the happiness he saw on the faces was well worth it.

He greeted anyone who chose to come in with a small smile and cup of hot water. The crudely built mugs worked, and the drinking water was a test of his completed purification system. If only he could offer tea or coffee.

"Hey," he'd say, engaging the others. "What's on your mind?"

[kaya_waterwave]

And one of the first people to come in is the person who's been working at this to begin with: Katara's hair is definitely less shiny, her nose looks fairly red, and there's a definite droop to her shoulders. Nevertheless, she is glad to see the warm spot she'd decorated in water tribe motif, and even happier to see who is gathered here.

She walked over and took a long drink of hot water, then put down her mug, taking a breath. "It's pretty cold out there now. There's not a whole lot of people though: I had hoped for a few more."

Not that it bothered her: thanks to Alex, she was actual;ly feeling a lot better.

[morphitudinous]

Billy managed to smile at her, his posture noticeably straighter and mood lighter after the shadow's removal. "I noticed---but at least the mountain's not overcrowded. You have room to do all of your waterbending tricks!"

He flicked some of the melted snow out of his hair, watching as it hit the fire. So it seemed that both of their burdens had been lifted. Peering at her, he noticed that her confidence was restored. Did Alex take his suggestion and eat other shadows?

"You look better," he noted. "And I suspect that it's not just the snow."

[kaya_waterwave]

She nodded. "Well, if some of the kids happen to come by later, it'll make it all worth it. I've always hoped I could manage a genuine winter celebration. Thanks to you, I was able to manage a lot easier than I thought. And yeah, that part was really fun!"

Not to mention revealing: it made her realize exactly what she needed to work on.

She nodded. "Yes, Alex thought it might be a good idea, and I agreed with him. I hadn't realzied how much I'd been keeping inside until he ate my shadows."

[morphitudinous]

Billy imagined their yells of delight. How wonderful it would be to hear them whoop and chase each other around. They still stood strong in this bleak universe.

Ah, he thought so. "He ate mine as well. When I first found him, I wasn't sure that I could stay and talk---what was the point? I was even thinking about giving up on making new friends entirely. Alex grabbed me and ripped the shadow away before I could resist, and it was as if I finally started to see again. It hurts, and I still wish Renne was sliding through the snow with us, but I know I can't give up like I planned to. We have more to live for."

That said, Billy settled down on the pelt. "So, what techniques are you working on?"

[kaya_waterwave]

It would be a comforting thought to her too, but for different reason: she still was motherly, and wanted the kids here to enjoy themselves at times.

She hadn't know that Billy was feeling quite that way though, and she was sure he knew that by the change in her demeanor.

"I'm sorry you had to face those feelings, To be honest though, it took an equal toll on me too: it wasn't just Renne. Renne was just in a long list of people I've lost, and it was starting to get to me. When he saw me, I was like a zombie, just sort of trying to sort all of this out. I had a lot of people looking out for me though, him included. That's why this is for anyone who wants to have fun!"

She thought a moment. "I have to get back to my normal speed. Because I was concentrating so much on the sword fighting, it slowed me down. I need to start back on my bending again."

[morphitudinous]

Billy agreed. "I know the feeling. There are people I've lost that I can't remember, and the more recent friends...the Doctor more than once, Arha, Allen, Goliath, and now Renne. I didn't have any friends from home taken from me, but at the same time I can't say with total certainty that they're still alive."

He mock-pouted at that. "Aww, and I almost caught up with you! That means you do have to train, because my speed being in any way comparable to yours would be completely unacceptable." The note of self-depreciation is less serious and more humorous than usual.

[kaya_waterwave]

Katara nodded. Losing Arha had hurt pretty badly, especially after their last fall out: she had acted like a mindless student, not even standing up for what she'd believed in. And Goliath and Allen...she'd remembered the two of them fairly well.

"I miss them too, although I didn't get to talk to the doctor much," Katara admitted. "But I'm glad I did it. I didn't realize what this was going to do to me if I let it go on."

Katara gave him a deliberately teasing grin. "I said I was slowER, Billy. I'm not that bad!"

But she was teasing, of course, just as he was. "What do you think of the decorations?"

[morphitudinous]

Billy nodded. "I was headed down a dark path. If I'd stayed there much longer, I'm not sure I would have been able to come back." He was extremely grateful for Alex right then.

He kept pouting. "I'm wounded, really. No mercy for the sloth?"

...did she have sloths on her world?

"They're captivating," Billy answered, tracing a finger over one of the pelts softly. "This is home to you, right?"

[kaya_waterwave]

Katara tried not to look alarmed, but it did cause a thrill of fear to think of Billy not coming back to them. It was bad enough to have lost Renne, but Billy too? That would have killed her. She'd have to make sure to do something nice for Alex the next time she saw him.

She giggled, sticking out her tongue. "It's your own fault and you know it! You can do better than a sloth!"

Yes, yes she did.

She nodded. "I didn't ask permission from the rest of the guys about this, and I know Beastboy might freak out a little because of all the animal skins...but yes, this was home. It actually reminded me of when he met Bato, our dad's friend, after traveling with the Avatar for a long time. The moment we stepped into his hut, we were taken back to our village all over again. I hoped I did a good job reproducing that here."

[morphitudinous]

"I'm trying! I just need to get my energy levels back to normal." Billy looked down at himself shamefully. That he was too thin was obvious, though he had forced himself to eat his meals at a normal level since that night.

"Bato had decor like this, so...what did you do in his hut?"

[kaya_waterwave]

"It always helps to regularly exercise," she said in a lecturing tone, then gave him a wink. "Not that I don't understand why you might be a little thinner lately."

She had a clue.

"Well, he told me and Sokka stories, and we talked about the village. He had gone with dad to join with the Earth Kingdom in fighting the Fire Nation. It had helped him, to hear stories and tell them about how things were back home."

[morphitudinous]

Billy ducked his head, nodding meekly. "Right. I've been working on that between construction shifts, but I know I have to add more hours. And eat my meals." He wasn't getting faster from all this work, but stronger was a more realistic possibility. Time to work on speed.

"So were you imagining telling stories?" He glanced around at the room, trying to imagine what stories all the decorations might hold.

[kaya_waterwave]

"Yes, you do!" Katara said, now clearly scolding him. "And if you don't start making sure of it, I'll have to start making your meals, and I WILL make sure you eat them, ok?"

She could help him with speed, he would only need to ask.

"Well, yes and no. I just wanted this place to act as the hearth from everything outside. Here we can just sit, talk and laugh. That's what I think of when I see this room. It's home to me in a way, but more a place we can all just relax and warm up."

[morphitudinous]

Billy simply kept his head down and nodded. "Understood. I'll make sure I reach my normal weight."

And train, too. There would be lots of running in the mornings.

"Relaxation sounds good. Does it call up happier memories?"