(no subject)

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Some time after talking with Steph, Zuko still has no idea how to go about approaching the many people who he should proably talk to.

Instead, he's focusing on something that puts it all off very nicely, and practicing firebending forms out in the training field. They really do make much more sense after visiting the Masters - without having to spend to much effort on brute force and anger to produce the flame, everything flows more, and that in turn is levelling out his thoughts.

So. Another version of him had children. And they're here. They also seem to think he's their father- at least, the version that they knew. He should talk to Mel first, then. He's not sure what she thinks, but he should ask, in any case. And Iroh should know.

Later. He finishes off a form, and moves onto the next.

Comments

[slayer_fray]

He looks different. Moves different.

And that isn't just because Mel's husband was wheelchair bound for months. She knows firebending; what it looks like, how it flows - or at least she thought she did.

Zuko moves differently. Things flow more. She sees a connection with the fight she'd never quite seen in her Zuko. And treacherously, she relates to it.

She pauses at the edge of the field, leaning on the handles of the twin buggy, and watches him finish off.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

It takes a moment, and he comes to the end of the form before he slows and stops, to see Mel - and proceeds to look very awkward. But he promised himself. You have to face your responsibilities. Even if they're this confusing.

He takes a breath, and heads towards her.

[slayer_fray]

Mel - utterly oblivious - does that thing where she smiles then remembers to tone the smile down a bit, before she starts to wonder why he's coming over in that manner.

She's completely expecting more leadership stress, when all she wanted to do was stake throwing practice.

"Hey."

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

"Hey," he says back, and pauses briefly, wondering how to begin.

"I met your friend Steph," he says first of all, figuring it's as good a place to start as any.

[slayer_fray]

"Kinda something, isn't she?" Mel says.

Though why that would prompt him to be all awkw...

Oh.

Oh oops?

Mel facepalms

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

...huh.

Okay, that's kinda cool.

Val pauses to watch for a few moments, and somehow finds herself sitting in the grass on a chair made of glowing white tentacles, studying how he moves and the way the fire flows from his feet and hands.

Some of what Steve gabbles on about sticks in her little brain. Enough to make her wonder about the science of this ability. Somehow it doesn't quite look like he's a mutant.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko catches a glimpse of the glowing out of the corner of one eye, and almost stops immediately, but since she's just sitting, he carries on to finish the form first, before stopping to look over at her.

He bows slightly, fist curled under a flat palm held vertical, to start with. No harm in being polite.

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

She nods back, amicably informal.

"Hey. What is all that?"

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko straightens, and stretches out an arm absently, eyeing her... tentacles?

"They are firebending forms," he says. (Plz to not be referring to it as dancing.) "What about yours?" he gestures at her seat.

It's... shining.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

And, you know, while he hadn't been consciously avoiding Zuko, it was kind of coincidental that Sokka is only just now coming across him.

After all, he was consciously avoiding Iroh. There's a list of people Sokka consciously avoids and it's getting disturbingly long.

But Zuko had not been on it, really, and he has a spectator now, trying to stay out of the way, but curious in watching all the same. Like Mel, he can see the differences in the firebending, the smoothness of his movements in the kata. And it's all so terribly, completely different from the firebending he remembers a similar scarred young man doing.

And that's... kind of comforting, honestly.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko completes the form unhurriedly, even after he notices Sokka. It gives him a few moments to consider the possibilities. One, Sokka is in no way an enemy, but Two, it's entirely possible that this one doesn't know it.

Also, he might get poked with a stick again. >:(

He slows as the form finishes, and ends facing the other boy.

"So," he says, just a little dubiously. "Which Sokka are you?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

If it helps, this particular Sokka does not have a stick.

...at this time.

The Sokka who is tall with no necklace, short hair, jeans and a t-shirt, and also has scars on his face (which, admittedly, may not be visible from where Zuko's standing), arches a brow and smirks.

"The one that totally isn't surprised by you being here," he offers. "And isn't going to scream at you. If that helps."

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Well, it's certainly a different look. But disguises are not unknown!

"I'd hope the other one wouldn't either," he says, approaching unhurriedly. "You're the one who came from the same place as Steph and Mel?"

And the freaking babies?

[serinusniger]

OH HAY IT'S NORTHERN SHAOLIN.

With pyrokinesis. Dinah goes pfffft at pyrokinesis. She's more interested in the style and the technique.

OK, so watching a few Shaolin katas and the flames they produce kind of help her figure out how firebending works: the flames follow the flow of the qi, it's simple. And kind of cool.

She's not standing and watching, though. She gets all this on her walking approach.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko sees her approach, and continues, but alters the path of his current kata to bring him to a finish reasonably close to her line of approach.

IT IS CAN HAS BE SPARRING NAO?

[serinusniger]

LOL IF HE WANTS TO.

Dinah's certainly dressed for it - by her standards, which think fishnet tights are TOP NOTCH training gear, so possibly shouldn't be trusted.

She grins as he finishes, and bows to him - one student of the way showing respects to another.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko doesn't grin, as a rule, but he certainly smiles slightly, and bows back.

(Her tights are stunning, but don't get a glance today.)

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

OH GOD WHY DID NOBODY TELL HIM ZUKO WAS HERE THIS IS NOT FAIR WHAT IS GOING ON OH MAN D: D: D: D: D:

Well ... well ... well ... WELL HE CAN TAKE ZUKO ANYWAY.

Even if the other boy seems to have gotten suspiciously better at firebending.

Sokka frowns, deeply, leaning on a fencepost at the edge of the training yard. Glare glare glare glare. C'mon over, Zuko. This glare is for you!

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

...

O HAI.

For this, Zuko'll stop, oh yeah. Stop a fair way off, but within speaking distance, and stare suspiciously.

"You'd be the other one, then," he says, after a suitable period of macho glaring.

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

"No," Sokka snaps. "I'm Sokka. The other one's the other one."

SO STICK THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT >( >(

The urge to flail is VERY STRONG. What is Zuko DOING HERE and why didn't anyone TELL HIM and D:! But the necessity of remaining Manly And Glaring is stronger.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko gives Sokka a patronising patient look.

"You're both Sokka. I've already seen your double, and heard about mine."

Well, there's the return of that characteristic bitchiness!

"Don't be childish."

...And the personal remarks.

[dragonreturned.livejournal.com]

Iroh watches for a while, smiling to himself, before eventually calling out. "You have improved, Prince Zuko.

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko brings his form to a finish before turning and answering. Basics are important.

Yes, he finally figured that out.

"I'd hope so," he says, with a smile for his uncle. "I can't teach well unless I do well myself."

He heads on over.

[dragonreturned.livejournal.com]

"An excellent lesson to learn," Iroh says with approval. "Who is it that you intend to teach?"

[firesifu.livejournal.com]

Zuko shrugs as he gets close enough to talk normally.

"Anyone who wants it. Dinah... one of the women here has begun group training. I agreed to join, so I can learn and teach anyone who needs it."