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[burningdownfate]

[It's fairly obvious that whoever is holding this journal has absolutely no clue how to use it. The sound is muted at first, the journal is held awkwardly, and he's not talking to anyone but himself.]

I don't even know what this is. ...Besides a book. I got that much. It's a book. It talks. It has my name on in.

[A beat.] Why are you so

Comments

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[markofthebrave]

[It's been a hell of a day, and Katara doesn't use those words lightly, even in thought. First Michael's return, then Sokka's mallynapping... she goes out a little further into the woods to practice tonight, by the river, just to get her head straight.

You'll probably hear those familiar waterbending sounds before you see her, Zuko.]

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[markofthebrave]

No? [She stops as well, and turns to look at him.] Why would I make any of that up? Or do you remember me with wings?

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[markofthebrave]

[Sigh. Calm down, Katara. It's not his fault he doesn't remember. You've got no right to feel this way. No right at all to feel betrayed.]

Look, I know it's a lot to take in. If you don't believe me, try bending.

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[burningdownfate]

[He stares at her for a long moment, because as impossible as this all seems -- is -- he knows good and well that she's speaking truth. It's been slapping him in the face since he got here.]

It's not that I don't really believe you... [He trails off, prefacing his settling into a familiar stance with that statement. He doesn't want her to think he doesn't believe her; they're on shaky ground as it is.

Back home anyway. Sort of. He's not entirely sure, come to think of it.

The familiar heat of the fire is comforting -- at first, before he realizes that there's simply not the power behind it that he's used to. It doesn't take long at all for him to realize it.]

... Whoa.

[Shocked, he lets the fire dissipate. In a moment, if she doesn't answer the unasked questions, he'll give them voice.

Until then, he'll... be thinking about this one.]

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[markofthebrave]

It cuts all of our powers in half. [If hers didn't seem cut strictly in half from what you saw of her practicing, well... she's had over a year's worth of practice. She's gotten stronger.]

I know - it's... frustrating.

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[burningdownfate]

Frustrating is one word for it. [He was thinking more along the lines of "impossible." Maybe even "frightening" with a side of "rage-inducing."]

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[markofthebrave]

You get used to it, and you learn how to work with it. [And just then, she abruptly notices that he's still wandering around barefoot. She stops. Frowns.]

We've still got a ways to walk. If you tear off strips from your pants we can make some make-shift moccasins.

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[burningdownfate]

[It wasn't until she said something that he notices how cold it actually is -- and how his feet are not happy with him at all. He kneels to tear strips off his pant-legs.]

You said you've been here a year? What about everyone else?

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[markofthebrave]

Sokka has been here a few months longer than I have. He and Toph arrived at about the same time... [a shadow crosses her face] the first time Toph was here.

[Not to change the subject or anything but...] Your feet aren't cut up or anything, are they?

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[burningdownfate]

So I'm not the only one who's come and gone.

[He actually takes a moment to look over his feet.] Eh. They're not bad. [And he's not lying; there's a few small scratches here and there, but not worth fussing over.]

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[markofthebrave]

No. You're not the only one.

[Aang.]

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[markofthebrave]

Suki's been here for a little while, and Toph got here earlier in the week. Smellerbee and Longshot are both here too. [And she knows they remember him - and watches him carefully to see if he recognizes their name.]

Do you need any help wrapping them?

[Wrapping things... not usually a guy's expertise.]

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[burningdownfate]

[Yeah, he sees that look, Katara, but there's a certain course of action he's trying right now: discretion.

That and "don't ask if one doesn't want their head water-whipped off." All in all, it amounts to the same thing.

Not asking.]

Uh.

[He looks at the strips of cloth in his hand, looks at his feet, considers how he might best accomplish such a feat and... holds them out to Katara.]

That might be best.

[He can see how well they'd go up in flames even now.]

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[markofthebrave]

[She takes the strips from his hand and matter-of-factly crouches down.] Put your foot on that rock.

[When he complies she'll wrap first one, then the other, in thoroughly practical make-shift moccasins with more wrapping on the bottom than the top.]

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[burningdownfate]

[He complies, stalwartly not asking why she even seems to care so much. Once upon a time -- not that long ago -- he's fairly certain she would have simply told him to walk faster if he didn't want his feet to get cold.

This is very different and he has no idea what to make of it.

He tilts his head and looks down at his now-wrapped feet and shakes his head, just a little.]

I am not entirely certain how you managed that, but thanks.

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[markofthebrave]

[Frostbite is serious. And so is the infection you could get walking around with cut feet. She's actually saving herself time here.]

Practice. [Don't strain your brain thinking about it too much. She straightens up, brushes off her hands, and keeps walking.]

Are you with me so far?