Fandom 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖘 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖊 | 𝖎𝖈

[Fill]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Nomura

Location

Aang's Popsicle Stand (Formerly); Auntie Katara's Cabin (Currently)

Interactions

Anime Fox Girl ( KaramelKarma ), Lon Fa ( leviohsa ), & Everyone Else

It seems she bled like anyone else. A small pool of blood began to build up from the pin prick. His hand held his chin as his eyes narrowed. If what he had heard about his dad and the gang's original adventures in the North Pole and the events that had happened were true and if he used that as evidence for what laid before them, then perhaps there was an explanation before them. It, however, based itself upon one assumption, but it was the only one that could be made. The other explanation would be that there was a new species of human or that, well, beyond the stars. Each more outlandish than the last.

So, sticking to the simplest and most logical, Nomura took a small droplet of blood from the woundsite.

Right before a pair of hands snatched the hand he was examining.

While his cousin Lon Fa began ranting about his untoward behavior, which was not at all too untowards from a medical standpoint, Nomura simply picked up a vial from a small satchel attached to his hip. All he had to do was put the blood in the vial before doing his usual chemical study. It would be easy enough to determine whether what he had procured was indeed blood, although he doubted the test was needed. Still, it paid to be sure.

Then he noticed the limb traveling towards his head. Instincts, both medical and soldier, kicked in. Flipping the vial out of his left hand and clamping his teeth around its glass frame, Nomura's left arm swung up as he leaned back, taking the slap against his arm. He would have winced, if the pain had registered at all. His eyes widened, not towards his cousin's behavior, but aimed towards the needle. The singular drop of blood balanced precariously on it.

And not at all disturbed. A mix between a sigh and an exasperated growl reverberated past the glass vial in his teeth.

"Arf yoo swerious? Noqk if uoff."

Lowering her hand and his arm down, Nomura spat out of the vial before opening its top, pouring the singular drop inside. Both put away in his satchel before he began examining the fox girl's hand once more, pulling from under the sheet's his female cousin Lon Fa had oh so helpfully used to cover her. His finger pressed on the small wound, counting down the time before lifting it up. Pressure and covering the wound, the two absolutes that helped with it clotting and stop bleeding. Afterwards, all it took was a small handkerchief to wipe whatever blood had escaped. And there. Only a small red dot. He took out a small bandage and wrapped it around the digit.

"Lon Fa . . . "

With a sigh and placing a hand on his knee, Nomura shook his head as his stood at his full height. His hand reached out.

And tussled his cousin's hair.

"You goof! Save the wisecracks for Zhao!"

A small smile found itself on his face before he turned away, opening the curtain. The red mark on his left arm where her hand had stung still sat against his skin. His eyes darted about the room, taking into account Yuka had returned. He would get to that later. For now, his arms began working to pour himself a portion of eel soup before leaving it to the side to set up a little more hot chocolate. The heat wafted off of four more cups being poured out. He grabbed the bowl of eel soup and a fifth cup of hot chocolate he made extra.

"Extra hot chocolate if anyone wants some."

Before taking the soup and eel in hand. He set it on the table before digging into his bag. There was usually a little bit of-Ah hah! There it was! Taking the cap off a vial with a particular compound, he tapped a small bit into the vial with the drop of blood. Putting the other vial away, his fingers began to swirl the two ingredients together, back and forth between his fingers of his right hand as his left limb began to work on eating the eel soup and taking a few tender sips of the steaming hot chocolate.

His eyes widened slightly when the blood became a certain blue color.

"Huh, that's curious . . . "

It perfectly coincided with the fact the fox girl's wound had not immediately healed after his little medical poke. A fact that he made sure not to miss earlier.

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Boscha

the spirit guide

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

Lon Fa directly & everyone else tangientially

"You're either more foolish than I ever took you for, or mad. Madder than a March hare."

Boscha met Kanon's scathing eye. Despite the anger in his hushed growl, exhaustion bled through every pore. It lined every muscle in his injured body, the gashes seemingly making it hard to even stand. They both stood at the very edge of her section of the Library. It was a mite cruel, to ambush the old Knowledge Seeker the way the dark spirits had with this plan of hers. But looking upon his weakness, Boscha only felt her resolve strengthen.

"It's there, Kanon, I know it! You agreed with me before, that scroll could lead us to the boy. You know as well as I do that he is the key, the key to saving both our world and theirs. Besides," Boscha softened. "Master listens to you, Kanon. You're one of his favorite Seekers. If I retrieve it, we could convince him to give it to the humans together---"

A snarl burst from Kanon's throat. "No, Boscha! Listen to me. Do you not understand? Wan Shi Tong will not heed a word from you or me. He will see it as treason. That is what this is, you daft youngling, treason of the highest order. You---"

Just then, two Keepers passed by, books balanced neatly on their backs. They glanced at the pair, returning Kanon's supervisory nod with a respectful dip of their heads. Once they were out of earshot, he turned back towards his unruly inferior, haunches raised.

"You do this," he growled, leaning close, ears flat against his skull. "And the Owl will hear about it from me. The other Seekers tell me I've been too soft on you, I've entertained your delusions for far too long. They are right. They were right all along. You are nothing but a lowly Keeper. Know your place and stay there."

Silence. His words felt like venom in her veins. She knew why he had said them; it was poison trying to drive out poison. Drive the determination out of her heart, drive the plan from her mind, drive her very dreams to the ground. Force her to turn away from this suicide mission, this fool's errand, this chance to do what she was born to do: save and preserve.
Yet she could only stare back, one question in her mind. Did he really mean it?

"No."

A flash of split-second anger melted into a pool of sadness. She was right and gentle, but the answer was nonetheless heavy enough to make him falter. Finally, he spoke.

"I've already lost enough."

The grief in his voice rang as clear as the Library's glass panes. Boscha grazed her cheek against his chin, her own sorrow for their fellow fallen fox spirits emanating in waves.

"Then please," she murmured. "Let me go."

BOSCHA!

What dwells in man? Kanon's voice echoed in the darkness.

What is not given to man? The air filtered through her, fueling the incessant flap of her new fur in the piercing winter wind.

What do men live by? Ahead of her, a beam of snowy light danced. Growing closer and closer as she fell farther and farther, until finally---

A gasp of air. Boscha's leg jerked upwards. The pain of face-to-foot contact forced her eyes open, blurry vision closing back instantly as the piercing light of fire hit. A score of new, unfamiliar smells and sounds assaulted her senses. The clang of spoon against bowl, the crack and snap of log and fire, the boil of liquid, the chime of glass, the noisy, long slurp of soup and chewing. Most of all, the gasps and scents of less than a dozen humans sprung from every angle around her.

Tentatively, Boscha opened her eyes again. Her back against the wooden wall, she clutched the cloth around her close, head swiveling from side to side, ears pricked, as if trying to gauge why the sudden onslaught of gasps. The answer came from right next to her, in the form of a human girl with rivulets of dark brown fur erupting from her crown, hand against her face. The same face Boscha's now human foot had hit just moments before. Boscha's eyes widened.

"Nose," came the spirit-now-turned-fox-girl's first word, stranged by a dry throat, an overwhelming sense of worry and burning curiosity. She gestured, almost wildly as her sleeping brain struggled to find the words. "No, no. So sorry...are you alright? D-did I break your nose?"

Tags

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas
mi casa Fill Squad141

 

[leviohsa]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Lon Fa

location

Katara's Cabin.

interactions

Bo

Sharp pain, beginning at her chin and just as quickly bleeding into her nose, the force tilting her head upwards and forcing her secure posture to falter. Steady feet become unsure, stumbling backwards a few steps before finding solid footing again. The warm, throbbing pain was all-too familiar for Lon Fa, her own awe-struck chuckles were quickly met with a quiet gasp, the soreness of her nose becoming more and more apparent as seconds passed.




"You know, Lon Fa.. it pains me to see you hurt yourself like this." The somber voice of her mother, albeit spoken gently, rang loudly in her mind against the comforting whispers of the fire. Katara's hands expertly went to work on healing Lon Fa's nose, her daughter's head tilted back, blue eyes welling up with tears from the impact of her first broken nose.

"Mom, I'm not a little kid anymore!" She hissed, annoyance evident in her (now nasally) voice. Knowing silence fell between the two.

"I know this. But you must show restraint. There is just as much power in rest as there is in fighting." Lon Fa wasn't buying it. A quiet huff of disapproval leaving her lips. "Lon Fa.." Katara was at a loss. As a mother, she knew why her daughter went to such great lengths. It didn't stop the terrible, gnawing feeling in her chest whenever she saw her husband train with her. Didn't she and her friends aim to make it so their children wouldn't fight as they did, all those years ago?

"What, mom? If Hakoda gets to have the water bending, then can't I be able to fight some way too?! I'm tired of just cooking and making pottery! I am capable of more. I want to protect our tribe. I'm tired of hearing what they're saying about you-"

"That's enough of that, Lon Fa. You're right. But there's no need in fighting for me. I am more than able to handle a few doubtful politicians-"

"Then what else am I good for, mom?" This time, annoyance crumbled to reveal the sound of Lon Fa's true feelings, her own voice now wavering. The tears that were merely welling up were now falling down the sides of her temple. Lon fa felt that she knew the answer. The one no one would dare say out loud. If she can't serve the tribe as a Chieftess, or a protector of some kind, then what else could she possibly provide?




Bringing her head back down, Lon Fa felt a tickling feeling, a small dribble of blood making its way to her lips. "Nose-" Lon Fa wiped off the blood haphazardly with her thumb, still managing to get the familiar taste of copper on her lips. Lon Fa blinked rapidly, letting a few tears fall down her cheeks. It was all normal, her body's reaction to such a shock to the face.

"D-Did I break your nose?" Lon Fa laughed again, bearing the pain she felt as her breath still escaped through her burning (and quickly swelling) nostrils.

"You wish!" No, Lon Fa knew what a broken nose felt like. And this wasn't it. Close, possibly sprained, but not broken. Either way, she'll have to reluctantly request her mother's assistance once again. Letting out a groan, she used the back of her hands to wipe away the hot tears that stained her freckled face. "Didn't think you'd have such a kick after nearly freezing to death, but, here we are."

Despite the burning sensation, Lon Fa couldn't help but ask, "So, who are you?"

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Boscha

the spirit guide

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

Lon Fa directly & everyone else tangientially

Boscha felt her muscles loosen, almost in relief at the sound of the human girl's laughs of incredulity. At the mention of freezing to death, her heart skipped a beat, the memory of the portal, the dark spirits, the iceberg, and Kanon flickering across her features.

Boscha looked down at herself, seeing that unlike before, her new body was now covered in cloth. She felt a supporting undergarment wrapped around her chest, silently marveling at the red dye of her new...what do they call it? Oh right, shirt. Shoving the blanket aside revealed a rather oversized pair of trousers fitting loosely around her new hindlegs, with room for her tail to poke out.

Who are you?

The question startled the fox spirit, lifting her out of her gawking reverie. At once, the knot in her core made itself known, animal instinct enveloping itself tighter and tighter around it as Boscha took note of all the other faces around her. Most still had shock embedded in their expressions, but it was clear that the question of who she was had been hanging in their minds and in the room for some time.

"Bo," came the answer. "I mean...I like to call myself Bo. It's short for Boscha."

Boscha glanced at her tail, her fox ears lowering. What else could she say? The transformation may have changed her physical reality temporarily, but in her mind, the default was still fox spirit. She was mortal now, that was a fact. But she could not say she was human, and her mortality meant she was no longer a spirit either. More troublesome than all that, would they believe her if she told of her true origins?

Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, Boscha spotted the seal peeking out of the blanket she shoved off earlier. Four nations, four elements, all blended into one symbol.

The scroll!

Boscha reached over and gently grabbed it, holding it close to her chest. A sense of peace and firmness washed over her as she continued.
"I'm from the Spirit World," she said, feeling like a heroine in one of her favorite books of legend. "And I'm on a mission. A mission to save the Avatar."

Just then, a long, drawn rumble reverberated from the pit of her stomach. The smell of soup and hot chocolate overpowered nearly everything else. Feeling the heat rise to her cheeks, Boscha smiled self-consciously, the embarrassment stealing away the rest of her breath.

"And uh...I'm really hungry."

Tags

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas
mi casa Fill Squad141

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Hakoda

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

leviohsa mi casa and KaramelKarma

Hakoda was not sure about Himari's idea about moving the creature from where she was, especially if it prevented it from escaping. If the fox girl woke up and its first reaction was flight or fight, the last thing they wanted was to make her feel cornered. The ferocity of cornered animals is of course common knowledge and their wasnt any doubt that it was doubly sure when it came to spirits. However, making it more comfortable would lessen the chances of trouble.

"Well maybe, we could..." He went to say before Lon Fa, true to form, acted before the the discussion was completed and went to help the fox girl despite the danger. He groaned but didnt bother to stop her, again not wanting another argument with her that would end with her doing what she wanted anyways. Besides, technically there wasnt really anything wrong with what she was doing, she was being kind which he could not fault her on. Still he wished she was more careful, if she did something to wake the creature up it might not end well.

His fears were confirmed when the creature seemed to woke and before anyoen could react seemed to kick Lon Fa straight on the nose. Hakoda reacted quickly, getting up and uncorked the water skin he had on his belt, ready to fight the creature if necessary. This was his home and his family, he might not able to harm a spirit but certainly it didnt mean he wouldnt true. However he had the presence of mind to not the fox creature not be in any fighting form but even apologise for the kick. He relaxed, letting himself stand more relaxed rather than his fighting stance. Relaxing more when it seemed that Lon Fa was taking the hit on the nose in good humor and no permenant damage was done.

He listened to the interaction between them and wondered what to do. Finally, he sighed and descided to relax, moving to the fire to grab and other bowl of soup and moved over to the two of them. "Well, not many people could sucker kick Lon Fa like that. I think you earned this much." He said to Brosca kneeling down and offering the bowl. "I am Hakoda, the only other person who could do that to her. You said you were on a mission for the avatar?"

 

[blankcanvas]

Yūka

Yūka leaned back against the walls of the room and looked at the dull-red flower in her hand. It was quite amazing that this small plant was able to survive in the cold tundra and grow like it did.

The girl let out a small sigh.

There was a lot of information that she had to digest, and not enough time to properly file it away in her mind. She was currently mixed in her feelings about what had transpired on the way back to the resting grounds. She knew what the older water bender was attempting to do, and while appreciated was most likely a waste of time.

She was the daughter of Azula after all.

It was highly unlikely that anything would change - if ever.

Bringing her hands up to her neck, she still felt the scarf that the elder Katara had wrapped around her. She looked toward the window and onto the clear, starry night. Still, it would be quite rude to disregard her elder completely, right?

Finally getting up from the floor, Yūka began to walk towards the handle, intent on walking out of the dark, isolated corner of the room. However, an unexplainable fear washed over her, halting all progress that she made and forcing her to take a step back. She wasn't sure what was stopping her from simply stepping out and joining the group.

Just reach out...pull the door...and step outside...

There it was again, the chains of the past pulling her away from the future so that she would be unable to do anything in the present. It was a frustrating yet terrifying feeling all the same, and it didn't help that she wasn't at the comforts of her own space to resolve this struggle.

All she hoped for at this point was that nobody would have use of the room she was occupying, at least until her body was able to function properly again.

Collapsing to her knees, Yūka felt the all-familiar pressure beginning to constrict her heart, tightening up at every beat of her heart. She knew it was only a matter of time before her consciousness would become enveloped by a shroud of darkness.

?!

Yūka looked over to her left arm and saw an old, worn-out Fire Nation doll. A brief hint of a smile cracked the corner of her lips as she gently picked up the toy. She had no time to be indecisive, not when there was someone who was constantly pushing forward, looking toward the next day with a giant smile on her face.

She had no excuse to be here, tied down by her own mental anguishes.

Cough cough

Looking over at her hands, the black-haired female saw the telltale signs of her heart being overexerted. Not wanting to get the flower dirty, she carefully poked it into the scarf before wiping the blood away from her fingers. While it was a painful price to pay, at least she could move on her own free will once again.

And the door was open as well.

Scrambling to her feet once again, Azula's daughter slouched over as she slinked out onto the barely luminated hallways. Now that she thought about it, she wondered why this part of the cabins was so dark compared to the rest?

Well, it didn't matter, she preferred to stay in the shadows, that's where she was for most of her life.

Himari was the one that shined brightly, the star and hope for the future of the Fire Nation. Yūka was merely the ugly part of the Fire Nation, the side that nobody wanted to remember and everyone wanted to bury and forget.

It wouldn't...no, it couldn't change. Not with who the two of them were and represented.

The black-haired female stumbled about for a few minutes before coming across an interesting sight. In front of her was the very subject of a conversation that she had with Katara. Of course, that wasn't the main reason why she found this particular girl to be intriguing.

Yūka had already been exposed to the pure chaos and shenanigans that the water tribe siblings usually caused in their wake.

No, it was more along the fact that Lon Fa was walking around with a bloody nose. A bloody nose!

There were times when she saw the wild, brash girl have some cuts, bruises, and her clothes torn apart to where she would be exposing herself in an unlady-like manner. None of this phased her at all, and aside from some swelling or marks, there was hardly anything to show for it.

But to not only see her in this shape, but to also observe her fidgeting and looking a bit out of place amused her. Still, it would be remiss of her to ignore the plight of the elder water bender's kin. Thinking about the situation for a second, she took a look at herself before letting out a small sigh.

Yūka silently stayed within the shadows and came up from behind the other girl before wrapping the scarf that was previously on her around Lon Fa's neck. She then shook her head before saying in a quiet, accented voice, "Here...for your nose."

Returning to her own business, Yūka made her way out of the location and onto the next room.

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Zhao Cheng Liang

the protege of Toph

location

Katara's Cabin (Dining Room)

interactions & mentions

Himari (I), Yūka (I), Lon Fa (I), Hakoda (I), Boscha (I), Nomura (M), Soyou (M), Katara (M)

"What the..."

Mouth still full of soup, Zhao leaned forward, squinting. From where he sat, the scroll's seal lay at an angle next to the sleeping fox creature, but there was no mistake about it. Four elements blended into one...

He'd seen that symbol before. Soyou's ever-growing library back home in Gaoling came to mind. Illustrations of the symbol on tattered pages of various ancient books and scrolls, some of his brother from another mother's most prized possessions. Why? Well, despite purportedly coming from different eras, they all shared one common theme: the Avatar.

But what does she have to do with a parchment like that?

Flitting between creature and scroll, questions churned like butter, with no answers to satisfy them. They'd just have to wait until she, or it, regains consciousness...

Still hyperfocused on the fox girl, Zhao absentmindedly reached over to the side and fished for the soup ladle. Having poured himself a third helping, the shadow of another arm drew his attention away. He looked over his shoulder. It was none other than Himari, reaching for the ladle at the same time.

Raising the bowl to his lips and the ladle away from her, Zhao wiggled his eyebrows at Zuko's daughter. A playful, coy smile decorated his face.
Come and get it, princess.

After a few rapid-fire dodges, the wrestler found himself ladle-less on the fourth try. Accepting defeat was a hard pill to swallow, but luckily they both had the soup to wash it all down.

"Oh ho, there he goes," Zhao murmured, eyes now on Nomura, glinting with dry amusement. Spooning the last remnants of soup in his mouth, he continued in a louder voice, mimicking an Earth Rumble host. "Doctor Nom, Water Tribes' finest chemist in the house, ladies and gents!"

The last of the eel went down his throat. "Oh? What's this the White Wolverine sees?"

His voice was quieter now, almost whisper-like. Eyes softened somewhat, though the act was still going strong. "Lon Fa, Doctor Nomura's longtime rival and apple of the Southern Water Tribe's eye, has joined the fray..."

A slow grin itched at the corners of his mouth as she approached her cousin. "And---there she goes! Well-said words and well-put disciplinary action from the Doc's opponent. Sure to leave a bruise!" All good Earth Rumble announcers knew a little exaggeration at the end never hurt.

Of course, it wasn't the end. But Zhao's mind was already on other things, mostly pertaining to Katara's hot cocoa. He stood up, bowl in hand. A tsk rolled off his tongue at the mention of him and wisecracks, followed by a goodnatured salute as he walked off into the kitchen.

And immediately hit his head.

Well, it was more of a bump. At least, that's what Zhao walked it off as, glancing over his shoulder in the hopes that Himari, who was the only one at the right angle to catch it, didn't.

If she did, then he could only hope that the heir to the Fire Nation found it funny. Many girls did, including Lon Fa. She and Zhao even coined a name for it: thick skull syndrome, with a Water Tribe twist in this case. The cause? Too much of a mother's love, leafy greens, and time well-spent with the Boulder. 'Blame the doors', went the classic joke. Often told by Zhao, who'd admit it to all but himself and his wrestling opponents that even the White Wolverine had his 'off-kilter' days.

Zhao looked down at his robe, the loaned slippers, and the giant cup he had intended for Katara's hot cocoa in his hand. A pang of guilt hit him. 'Off-kilter' was right; this past year was a strange pattern of losses and occasional wins for the White Wolverine. Yet here he was, indulging in steamed baths, hot cocoa, flirting with fire...

He shouldn't have come. He should be training; little stunts like his lunges at the beginning of the hike weren't enough. At the end of the day, people paid to see him fight. And in order to fight, the personal feelings of Zhao Cheng Liang needed to be pushed away. Feelings of burnout, exhaustion, confusion, emptiness---all locked in a box somewhere at the back of the mind. Unimportant and irrelevant details in the grand picture that was the career of the White Wolverine.

But it was tradition and it was the will of Master Toph and Chieftess Katara, two women he knew better than to cross. There was a third reason too, a third girl. At the thought of Lon Fa, Zhao tensed, placing the cup down. First at the bitter hurt beating in his heart, then at the sound of her sudden yelp of pain from the dining room.

Immediately, a metal spoon sitting on the low dining table came flying into the palm of his hand. Arm raising and senses alert, Zhao rapidly emerged from the kitchen entryway, colliding almost squarely with Yūka.

The force was enough to stumble the Fire Nation royal. Zhao's reflexes shot out to try and stabilize her, hand wrapping securely around her arm.

"Careful."

The word and tone were friendly enough. But his eyes did not match them and neither did his grip. A flash of quiet disdain flickering across his features, Zhao let his vicelike grip around Yūka's arm go. Turning around towards the dining room, his eyes zeroed in on the source of all the commotion: the fox creature.

She was wide awake now, talking with Hakoda. Next to her sat Lon Fa, looking like she had just gotten over a good bout of laughter despite covering up a bleeding nose with a scarf. As he approached, Zhao recognized the scarf. It was Yūka's.

The sight of blood must have made her queasy.

Nobility often had weak appetites for such things. Brushing the critical thought off to the side, Zhao placed a hand on Lon Fa's shoulder, eyes glinting in amusement. "Looks like a new contender did you in, hm?"

Crouching down, his eye roamed her face like that of an Earth Rumbling coach assessing the condition of his fighter.

"It was one hell of a kick," he nodded in agreement, grinning slightly at Hakoda's characterization of what just happened. "Definitely not broken, but it'll sure be sore for the next couple of days."

Zhao looked over his shoulder towards the fox girl, remembering the name Boscha floating around. A spark of recognition lit in her eyes, followed by an expression of momentary incredulity. No doubt now that they were up close, she was startled by his abnormal appearance compared to the rest of the group. Boscha's mouth opened to say something but then her gaze turned to Hakoda, clearly salivating at the prospect of soup he was giving to her.

Wait, what did he just say?

A mission? The Avatar? There was a way to save him? Now, it was Zhao's turn to be incredulous and in disbelief. Only one word came out of his mouth.

"How?"

There was a lot packed into that one word.

How, after nearly a quarter-century since the end of the War and thus, the era of the Avatar, was it possible to save him? How does she know there is still an Avatar to save? How did she come by this information? How could they believe her?

Boscha took a deep breath. The moment had come.

"The key is this."

Taking a few sips of soup and then setting it aside, she popped the seal of the scroll off. Slowly but surely, it was unraveled and carefully placed in front of her.

In it, a sprawl of well-preserved ciphers greeted their eyes.

"You won't fully understand these characters. It's written in the ancient language of your ancestors. I know because it was my job back in the Spirit World to keep and preserve hundreds of scrolls like these."

"Job?"

Boscha glanced up. It was the same eccentric-looking Earth Kingdom male again, grey eyes wide with perplexity. At the thought of her old home, a lump began to form. but instead, she smiled, looking at all of them.

"A Knowledge Keeper. One of the two types of fox assistants to Wan Shi Tong the Owl, He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things. I know that Avatar Aang and my master came across each other many years ago before---"

Pause. Uncertainty tainted her features for a moment. No, there was no need to mention the Knowledge Seeker rebellion. Boscha looked around, realizing a wave of recognition passed between the humans at the mention of Aang and Wan Shi Tong. They'd heard of the story before.

"Before he moved the Spirit Library back to the Spirit World. After your Hundred Year War ended. That's where the trouble all started.

Both our worlds believe the Avatar is dead. But the truth is that he's trapped, trapped in my homeworld. My master has known this for a long time, but he...he's never taken kindly to humans or their affairs."

Boscha pointed to the seal, with the four-elemental symbol on it.

"This belonged to your first Avatar, Wan. His people, the ones who became the Fire Nation you know now, kept it until Wan Shi Tong collected it after the nation unified.

It's a guide. A guide for navigating the Spirit World. Wan wrote it after closing the portals forever between our worlds, for the next Avatars. It's true; even I as a spirit don't know where Aang is, but this---"

The fox girl circled a certain large section, fitted with faded illustrations of various objects and some sort of navigational tool.

"This can help to find him. A spiritual compass, made from the toys of the Avatar. Parts from a clay turtle, a pull-string propeller, a wooden hog monkey, and a wooden hand drum. Aang chose these toys too. I know that after they realized he was the Avatar, as per tradition the four toys were all sent to the four Air Nomad temples for safekeeping."

"But the Air Nomad Genocide," spoke up the Earth Kingdom male. "You know about it, don't you? If the people had no chance, what makes you so sure those toys survived?"

Boscha met his eye, firm but honest.

"I can't tell you that I am. But if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's the fact that the seal of this scroll is drawn to all things connected spiritually to Aang. The seal glowed. It led me to the iceberg, it led me to you all. It'll lead to the toys."

A lengthy pause ensued. Boscha eyed everyone, seeing that her spiel was not having the overall effect she wished it had. But what else was there to say?

Then, she realized what was missing. The truth. Her truth.

"Look...I know I took a risk. I know that. I could have stayed where I was meant to be. But the truth is my home is cracking apart, my kind killed or corrupted by dark spirits without a claw lifted from my master. I know it's been the same here. Without the Avatar, the lines between both our realms, between light and dark itself, are blurring. Soon, there may not be a line to speak of."

Just then, Boscha heard the sound of a door closing. The group shuffled away somewhat, revealing an older woman dressed in Water Tribe attire at the end of the room. Her eyes locked onto Boscha's, looking as if she'd heard every word. The enormity of what she had just said settled over them all like a thick cloud. Undeterred, Boscha continued.

"Back home, I was alone. Alone when I risked it all to get this scroll, alone when Wan Shi Tong banished me, alone in facing dark spirits here. But this---"

Boscha stood up as if to make her point, gesturing to them with the scroll.

"---This I can't do alone. It led me to you all, I know there is no mistake in that. So will you? Will you help me save Aang?"

Tags

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas
mi casa Fill Squad141

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Hakoda

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

KaramelKarma and everyone else there
[/comment]

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Hakoda listened closely to what Boscha had to say, explaining why she was here and the earth-shattering information she held. He kept a stern neutral expression in his face as he crossed his arms and paced back and forth, unable to sit still the more he heard. It was indeed a lot to take in, after so long, an entire generation had been born and came to adulthood, the three nation having gone through so much and in the brink to drown in internal troubles and here she appears out of nowhere. More so she seemed to have the answer to returning the avatar to his body, something that would bring his mother such joy and mean so much to the world at large. It seemed too good to be true.

What worried him the most is the mention of the Owl, Wan Shi Tong, didnt make him feel any better. That particular misadventure was often recounted as a cautionary tale by Katara regarding greed, jelousy and obsession. Wan Shi Tong has a grudge against aang and his team so could they really trust a servant of it even if she claimed to disobey him? Than again, the old owl spirit didnt seem like the type to go fo elaborate plans like this though he had the intelligence for it, he seemed more of the reclusive type prefering to be left alone. Still he may be after Broscha and might be trouble for everyone especially if they were going to enter the spirit world.

The scroll was pretty convincing and the girl had a conviction to her that was hard not to be taking in by it. Also if there is any chance that they could save the avatar and stop the dark spirit issue did they really have any choice not to try it out. He had a couple of questions but didnt want to say anything just yet. "We you certainly dropped us a lot to think about. What does everyone else think?"

-->

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[Fill]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Nomura

Location

The Mountains (Formerly); Aang's Popsicle Stand (Currently)

Interactions

[Mainly] Auntie Katara [briefly mentioned via dialogue] ( KaramelKarma ), Lon Fa ( leviohsa ), Yuka ( blankcanvas , Hakoda ( ThatGuyWithSouvlaki ), Kameko [briefly mentioned] ( RikuXIII ), & everyone else

Enough sparing sessions with his little cousin let him know intrinsically and instinctually each sound she made whenever he landed a blow on her. Enough to know when she had too much, when he had applied too much pressure. As soon as his cousin's gasp echoed out, Nomura's hands put away the utensil and vial away instantly before settling one hand on the table. His eyes momentarily narrowed as he watched the exchange. The older brother in him screamed to go to his cousin's side. The warrior in him ordered for him to immediately get between his cousin and the source of her pain. But the strategist and doctor told him to wait. To observe before acting. It took every fiber to sit there, every muscle subtly tensing along with his hand sitting flat on the table.

Then, the next few words put him at ease as he relaxed slightly in his seat. It was an accident. His eyes flashed to each person. A few people were gathering food while Hakoda was dealing with Boscha the fox girl's hunger predicament. It seems even Yuka had been touched by Lon Fa being harmed, offering her scarf before bumping into Zhao.

Although, it wasn't that Nomura snickered at for quite a few minutes. Rather, the humor had been aimed at Zhao knocking his head against the top frame of the doorway. Nomura thought the giant would learn to at least subconsciously duck whenever he saw anything even near head-level. Oh well, not everyone was quite as perceptive as the nonbender himself. Speaking of perception, Nomura almost had to pat himself on the back for his one time of restraining himself. His eyes scanned the room, listening to the conversation all the while. Every face, every person, he read and saw how they reacted. How they took in this information. His own feelings could wait, could process this a little later. Right now, Nomura's mind and eyes clocked in every single person and each of their questions. He remembered every response the fox girl gave and, in turn, every answer the group gave as well. There was no point in him asking any questions if everyone else would ask the same one. The only questions that would matter is the ones he would have once everyone was done interrogating the poor girl.

And, when they were done leaving their first impression of her, which of course meant he would need to leave his own, wouldn't he? Of course he would.

Setting his half-eaten bowl and quarter-full cup of hot cocoa, Nomura began rummaging through his belongings left aside inside the cabin before pulling out a small empty jar. Glass, which would work well enough. He undid the lid before exiting the door to go outside, brushing past Lon Fa, Hakoda, and Zhao interrogating the girl, before scooping up a jarful of snow. He sealed the lid before tapping the glass with his finger. It would be chilly soon enough. He looked up, glancing at the edge of the cabin roof before leaping up and snagging an icicle.

He entered inside before sparing a glance at this Boscha girl, flashing a quick smile, before speaking to Lon Fa.

"Hey, Lonny! Got you some ice for the nose. Put it on and keep it there for as long as you can before it melts. I got you some snow that you or Hakoda can use to make some more ice."

Nomura simply tossed the icicle to Lon Fa before passing by and setting the jar of snow on the table. Either it would melt or simply be used as is to create more ice, Nomura did not know or care. He trusted the twins could make more ice from water and use it to help minimize the swelling of the sprained nose. His eyes glanced over his shoulder, smirking at Boscha once more. He would have to ask her a few questions, as a doctor, but his attention was slightly divided and spent upon one other person. Still, Nomura had a duty, did he not?

"Boscha. Bo. Right? That's your name? Tell one of these knuckleheads to get me if you experience any pain or discomfort. I'll help you out-."

Someone else had entered the room. Instantly, his head turned away from Boscha and saw. Aunt Katara, silent yet watching. No wonder some of the group began moving out of the way as she approached.

"Or, y'know, ask her. She is the best healer I've had the pleasure of being rival too."

A joke to offset the tension. All his thoughts, everything he had been pushing away until now so he could stay impartial, stay unbiased, began flooding into his head as the girl asked for help. It only began to sink in further as Hakoda said his own phrase. That one phrase. Nomura had a quick answer for that, didn't he? Against all other reason, against all common sense, Nomura had a reply, instinct rather than readiness in the way the words could just slip out of his mouth.

But, instead, he settled for a quick laugh and a joke. Because that's what kind of guy he was, wasn't he? Nomura swallowed everything down before speaking.

"Yeesh, the girl pours her heart out, and the best you can say is 'you've given us a lot to think about'? No wonder you're still single, Hakoda."

His hands instantly raised up, open palms facing towards Hakoda in defense, as Nomura chuckled.

"Kidding, kidding. But you did say Ms. Fox over here was cute. That's definitely on you."

Oh yes, that was most certainly a lie. The kind of tricksters and pranks Nomura was definitely either leaving the room awkward or in a uproar, almost jogging to avoid any swipes or weaponized water or ice thrown his way. The young man would like to see their always uptight and collected leader Hakoda retain his composer now. Nomura wondered if Aunt Katara would scold him later for his uncouthness in such a serious time. Still, Nomura had other things to do such as trying to slip away and find Yuka. Well, after grabbing another bow of soup and a cup of hot cocoa and wandering off with items in both hands. Did she go too far? Had she stuck around? Nomura began looking for the silent girl, hoping to find her and strike up a conversation. A little odd of him, wasn't it?

The moments in-between gave him time to think. Information to process. If his first impression, well, if his entire first remark was him being goofy over saving the world, fending off dark spirits and Avatar Aang's life along with whatever else the fox girl Boscha's explanation implied, and Aunt Katara and everyone else hated him for it or disliked that, Nomura could deal with the wrath of his friends and family. Even Kameko would not be as glib about this situation as he had been. She would sure lord this little scene over him, wouldn't he? The thought brough a small smile to his face.

No matter what he had said, his thoughts on the matter weren't as focused as to be about whether to help the girl or not. It was much more complicated than that. So much information, so many possible connections. His hands tightened and his face darkened for a moment as a few certain words the fox girl had spoken passed through his head before relaxing a moment later. Instead, his face settled on becoming more stern however with each step.

Nomura shook his head, dispelling his mind's overthinking before returning to look for Yuka. And, if and when he found her, the first thing he would say with a soft smile on his face would be . . .

"Hey. Have you eaten yet? I got you some soup and cocoa. Both still hot."

 

[leviohsa]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Lon Fa

location

Katara's Cabin.

interactions

Mention: Yuka, Hakoda || Interaction: Zhao, Bo, Nomura

Lon Fa hung on to every word Boscha spoke, curiosity evident in the way her eyes intently watched the lost spirit. It was this very curiosity that caused her to not notice the sound of Zhao and Yuka colliding. Nor did she hear their mutterings. It wasn't until Yuka's softer voice spoke just behind her, the gentle fabric of her beloved scarf nimbly being placed around Lon Fa's neck.

"Here... for your nose." Blue eyes glance down at the gift, before Lon Fa quickly turned around, curls swaying with her as she looks for the mysterious Princess. Her mouth opened for a moment, about to speak up, before she realized that Yuka had just turned a corner, now out of sight. Her lips pressed together again, teeth biting the inside of her cheek as the water bender thought for a moment. Why was she being helpful now? And why leave when the stranger had finally awoken? Guilt laced with confusion prompted a rather annoying amalgamation of emotions to stir up within her. How irritating..

Either way, there wasn't much time to deliberate. Instead, she chose to gently press the scarf against her nose, in hopes that the bleeding would subside. Thankfully, the familiar prescience of her former love brought her out of her stupor. "Looks like a new contender did you in, hm?" Her gaze met his, never losing the look of confusion upon them. For the second time in a row that night, she didn't know what to say. Being in such close proximity to Zhao made her chest ache, leaving her irritated with the fact that he was still able to look her square in the face after all that had happened. The brunette simply rolled her eyes, thankful that the scarf was covering up most of her face. Nomura came back inside soon after, tossing the container full of ice from her peripheral.

Reaching her arm out, Lon Fa caught the jar without even turning, carefully wrapping the container with Yuka's scarf, half-listening to Nomura's instructions. Lon Fa glanced over at him, smiling softly at him before nodding in thanks. He may be a pain in the ass, but she was always thankful for his help, regardless.

For once, Lon Fa decided to stay quiet as the boys talked amongst themselves, more so wanting to listen to what the foxlike girl had to say about her mission in "saving" The Avatar.

"The key is this..."

Lon Fa stayed quiet as the new arrival spoke of her mission, not really paying anyone else in the room any mind. Especially at the mentioning of the infamous Wan Shi Tong. The thought of being able to be a part of the legendary stories her mother told her all those years ago, made the dread she felt mere moments ago dissipate. All that was left was an eagerness to learn more.

She admired the honesty that permeated from the spirit in front of her. The bravery it took to defy everyone else around her. However, Lon Fa knew that the rest of the group would be skeptical. Especially her brother, who eventually spoke up: "...what does everyone else think?"

It didn't take very long at all for Nomura to step in and poke fun at Hakoda, making Lon Fa giggle underneath the makeshift icepack pressed against her nose. It was still painful as hell to laugh, but she couldn't help it. Nomura's antics typically put a smile on her face, unless they were at her expense. Thankfully, though, it had been quite a while since she fell victim to her older cousin's pranks.

"Well, I'll join you. Even if you did kick my face in." Lon Fa teased, her voice playful and energetic despite the circumstances. She could feel her mother's prescience behind her, already expecting a long-winded lecture about how she shouldn't go, it'll be too dangerous, blah, blah, blah..

It wouldn't stop her though. Boscha finding the group was no coincidence, and Lon Fa wasn't going to let her mother force her to ignore it.

 

[RikuXIII]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Kameko

Child of Sokka & Suki

location

Aang's Iceberg

tags

leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki Fill KaramelKarma

Kameko wasn't giving her cousins and friends much attention as her mind raced as she watched the sleeping fox girl. She causally avoided the sparring match, taking a seat on the floor, using the hot cocoa she had to warm her hands. Steering her thoughts away from the thoughts of monsters intent on eating people, she contemplated what the arrival of a possibly friendly spirit could mean. She wanted a closer look at scroll Aunt Katara found. What could this mean? Obviously, the Avatar could be a part of all this, him being the bridge between the worlds and all. Was this the Spirit World sending some kind of guide to fix the situation on this side? Eating people still seemed the most likely option, but...maybe there was something to hang some hope on.
The teen troublemaker almost missed the new voice in the group, looking up to see the fox girl awake. With attention firmly on the mysterious guest, Kameko huddled up and listened carefully to what Boscha had to say. The name Wan Shi Tong rang through her mind, sparking memories of her father's stories. That's where he found out about the day of Black Sun. And Wan Shi Tong had taken that poorly. But the true bomb shell was when Boscha mentioned that the Avatar wasn't dead, just lost. A flood of conflicting emotions came over Kameko as she consider the implications. They could bring him back. Just like their parents before them, they could bring the Avatar back to a world that desprately needed him.
"And you can finally feel like you're making a difference." A treacherous part of her mind thought.
Kameko grimaced, trying to push those thought down. She probably wouldn't be much use on Boscha's mission, but she would hate herself if she didn't take the chance to prove herself like her father had.
"Okay, this is your chance." She thought. "Now, say something badass to show your in, but avoid anything that makes you sound desperate."
"Well, I had plans to wrestle Lion Turtles, but I suppose I could help you save the world." Kameko said aloud, trying to sound nonchalant and not really nailing it.
"Heh, nailed it."
She moved to take a sip of the hot cocoa, remembered why she had it, and jumped up. Pushing in closer to Boscha, Kameko gave her older brother a "I was here first" look before offering the hot beverage to the exiled spirit.
"Here, I made this for you." She said. "Just, don't drink it too fast. Do spirits have hot drinks? Do you even eat? Wait, you mentioned you were hungry, so must likely yes. Speaking of hungry, you aren't gonna eat us are you?"
The small part of Kameko that realized she was rambling heard the last question and mentally face palmed.

 

[blankcanvas]

Yūka

Consciousness slipping through her fingers.

Odd pixels of pigments that appear to be splotches of recognizable color hues to the human eye.

Losing focus. Short on breath. Another relapse.

Leaning against a nearby wall, the young woman closed her eyes and let out a shaky cough. Usually, her body's tolerance threshold for these painful bouts was stretched to the limit during these yearly anniversary trips. However, for some reason, she was having trouble controlling herself. The only respite she had was that usual soulless, animosity-filled gazes of the Fire Nation were currently absent.

Yūka slowly dragged her weight across the unlit portion of the corridor, hoping against all odds that she wouldn't bump into anyone. Just a few more steps and she would be able to...

!!!

Did she underestimate the distance to the door and crash into it? Or did someone place a gigantic boulder in her way as some sort of prank? Perhaps she had been so lost in her own thoughts that her senses had dulled to a minimal degree.

Regardless, it appeared as though her clumsiness and lack of self-awareness had caused her to start falling backwards, with nothing to help cushion the plunge. Preparing for the absolute worst case scenario, Yūka closed her eyes and attempted to brace herself for the inevitable impact.

However, it seemed as though she had somehow defied gravity and had managed to stop midway - or at least that's what the perception was for that instance. But, once she was able to quickly gathering her bearings, she felt an oddly tight pressure forming around her arm, and an oddly familiar voice that growled at her.

"Careful."

Yūka almost wished that this particular individual wasn't the one to save her, and that she had instead taken the hit to her backside. Instinctively, the young woman opened her eyes to face him and immediately regretted doing so.

His eyes. They were the same as the rest of them.

Yes, she shouldn't forget her place in life. She was Azula's daughter. Everyone hated her. The brief interaction with Zhao had given her the harsh reminder that jolted her back to reality.

Once the Earth-bender released his vice-like grip on her slender arm, Yūka collapsed to the floor and immediately began to cough out blood. Her condition was deteriorating, and her surroundings were that of a foreign land surrounded by those that wished not for her wellbeing.

The only saving grace at this point was that the anniversary event would soon be finished, and she would be able to go back home. The sooner this happened , then the faster she could recuperate and rest for her upcoming duties.

However, fate would not be so kind to her.

As Yūka curled her knees into her chest, another round of coughing fits escaped from her lips. Letting out a small groan, she placed her head against the wall and did her best to catch her breath. This was when she heard the entire story climb into her ears and deposit itself into her mind.

The exotic creature that was discovered earlier in the day was still alive and was now spouting some nonsense. Worse, it was about putting the fate of the entire world on their shoulders.

Her mind was racing at the implication of it all. There were so many threads, paths, and theories that she could conjure up and try to dissect in her mind. While the black-haired female had no idea if what this thing had stated was fact or plain lies, none of that mattered to her.

No, the one thing she knew for a fact was that Himari would absolutely, 100% guarantee, join them on this venture. She would tab it under 'crazy adventure and experience that she would need in order to grow up to be a better Fire Lord like her father in the future, and what better way then to actually emulate him and go on a quest to actually save Aang'.

Absolutely not.

Yūka knew that she had to somehow persuade her cousin from declining this foolhardy trip. Even if it meant that their relationship would be outright destroyed, she had to at least stop Himari from joining.

Just as she was about to plan out her next series of moves, another voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Hey. Have you eaten yet? I got you some soup and cocoa. Both still hot."

She was, once again, not prepared for another person to actually seek her out and then directly make contact with her. This group usually interacted with the Fire Lord's daughter and tended to ignore her.

Hearing this made her jump to her feet, which incidentally had the top of her head knock straight into Nomura's nose. This, in turn, made the hot food and beverage go flying into the air. Then finally, the cocoa in question simply spilled all over Yūka's top, scalding her in the process.

An accident? Yes.
Huge misfortune? Definitely.
Big misunderstanding? Of course.
Bad timing? Heck yes.

Even with all those factors in play, Yūka had no time to ponder any of it as she was simply annoyed, frustrated, uncomfortable, and angry at the current situation at hand.

Stumbling to her feet, the black-haired female took a few seconds for the sense of balance to readjust itself before slapping Nomura's arm away. She had no time for any of this, she had to reach Himari immediately.

Yūka swayed and staggered into the room where she suspected her cousin to be located. Covering her mouth with the sleeve of her robe, she coughed into it before taking a look around the area. Finding the person she was looking for, she gave herself a quick second to calm her posture and poise before gracefully walking over to Himari.

Reaching her, she then whispered to her in the native Fire Nation dialect, "We should leave, your parents want you back home. Also, this seems too dangerous, and that...thing isn't trustworthy at all."

Tugging at the other girl's top, she then continued speaking in the same language and tone with a bit more urgency. "You don't need to do this...think about your parents, your country, your position."

 

[Fill]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Nomura

Location

Aang's Popsicle Stand (Formerly), The Cabin (Currently)

Interactions

Yuka ( blankcanvas ), Himari [in mention] ( mi casa ), Kameko [in mention] ( RikuXIII ) & Everyone else,

A mess. One that could have been avoided. Although, in hindsight, how could it have been? He only said hello. What a way to teach him to always keep his guard up. His eyes widened as Yuka simply jumped, towards him in fact! Training took over, instincts kicking in to prevent the two from falling or hurting each other. His head and upper body leaned back and to the side as his arms tried to snap the drink and bowl away from her. What he did not expect was Yuka's arms and legs snapping and striking with his own, knocking the bowl and drink out of his hands, as she quite obviously tried to save herself. While the damage was mitigated--and, if Nomura had been in top form this very form, would have been completely prevented--it did not stop the boiling liquids from pouring over the both of them.

All he could do was stop himself from falling and try to get ahold of Yuka, dropping the bowl and cup. She was just out of reach as his fingers brushed her arm.

Just his luck. The one time he tried to get some food for someone, the both of them ended up wearing it. This is why he usually let everyone grab food on their own. People got hungry on their own time. The young swordsman would have laughed it off at first, if his eyes did not catch Yuka's gaze. His face instantly snapped to inspecting her. Was she hurt? No, of course she had been. Hot liquids had struck the both of them, even he felt the tingling of pain. Although while he may work through it, it might have been foolish of him to always expect the same from his friends.

Offering his hands out, Nomura's voice snapped the panic out of his face. Focus on fixing the problem first, worry later.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry! Here, let me help you-!"

His hand was slapped away before Yuka tried getting up. It might have been deserved, but was there time to act like this during a simple accident? They needed to clean her up, and she needed to check herself for any burns. Or she could just walk away from him, just as she was doing now. The tenseness in his shoulders left as soon as she turned the corner before his shoulders slumped. His head lowered, eyes closing, as he sighed. Just perfect. He knew his luck was not perfect, but a mess like this? No use worrying. Fix the problem and move on.

The shuffling and clanging of cabinets and cupboards began to sound from the kitchen as Nomura began getting to work. Messes happened and grabbing a few of the cleaning supplies would be easy. He set them to the side next to the mess before picking up the bowl and cup and setting them aside. Undoing the buttons of his clothing, Nomura removed his overshirt before tossing it onto a table. Ruined but it would suffice as an impromptu towel. Speaking of towels, Nomura snatched one along with a handkerchief and began walking over, scanning to find Yuka. Once he did, he simply set it aside for Yuka to see. Himari could help cleanup her sister if Yuka had calmed down enough. His ears picked up a few telltale words of conversation from the group before beginning his exit.

"For you to clean yourself up. Sorry."

A sigh escaped his lips before shaking his head. Disappointment, and much more than from just the mess he made. No use crying over spilt soup or anything else for that matter. What was done was done. All that could be done would be how he handled it. Nomura started by cleaning his own clothes quickly, dabbing at them and drying them with his already ruined overshirt. Why not? He would have to wash these and the stains out later and he might as well have only one piece of clothe to scrub thoroughly instead of more. His short-sleeved undershirt would have to suffice as he tossed his overshirt aside once more. The whole affair took a few seconds as he cared less about his clothes and more about his mess on the floor.

Before he got to work. Wood was porous and could sometimes absorb stains if one was not quick or careful. He would have to work fast and dry the floor before attempting to clean it. Perhaps he could ask Auntie Katara to use her abilities or steam bend the stains out. It would be better and leave less risk of warping the wood if eh tried scrubbing it with a sponge or mop and water. With a dry sponge as his main weapon of choice and a towel on the side in case he needed it, the young man soon got to work, cleaning up his mess. He might as well be thorough since they only came here once a year. Besides, it would give him a moment to work out some of the thoughts in his head. Yuka would be upset but it had been an accident. He was sure she would just glare at him a bit extra. He'd find a way to make it up. He always did with everyone.

"Don't touch me."

Nomura simply winced at the memory, cursing himself and maybe once more extra measure for even bothering to remember that particular memory and for cursing himself before, and finally settling on shaking his head, hoping to throw the more invasive thoughts out of his head this way. Nothing could be done. What was in the past was in the past. Such thoughts made him question the present right now for good reason. Because he had heard a lot in his brief visit to where the group was holding its conversation. And he could still hear some of it now. A chuckle began escaping his lips before getting a little louder. He was sure no one would hear him. But after hearing Kameko's little dialogue of bravado, Nomura could only remain amused at his sister. A smile grew on his lips as he pushed the sponge against the floor, scrubbing as he simply listening in on occasion.

 

[mi casa]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Princess Himari

daughter of Zuko & Mai

location

Katara's cabin

interactions & mentions

interactions: zhao, yuka || mentions: bo, nomura,

tag list

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas Fill Squad141 KaramelKarma

As she enjoyed her soup multiple questions were running through her mind, all of which would have no answer until their guest woke up. Curious eyes glanced over to the symbol that laid on the scroll next to the creature. Himari had seen the symbol before, old books and ancient scrolls she enjoyed reading coming to mind as she stared at it. All elements blended into one. It didn’t take a genius to recognize that the symbol represented the avatar, but the real question here was what did their little fox friend have to do with Aang?

Himari figured there was no real use speculating what the creature was here for, or what she wanted. She would wake in due time and have no choice but to answer all of their questions.

Turning her attention away she glanced down towards her bowl noticing that she was almost finished with her first helping. She reached for the ladle, intending to pour herself some more but just before she could grab it someone else beat her too it.

Golden eyes glanced up, meeting Zhao’s gaze as he stared back at her. He smirked and moved the ladle out of her reach. She stuck her hand out, intending to grab it from him but just before she could he moved it further away. For a moment she simply stared at him, her eyes slightly squinted as she wondered if they were really about to play this game. After coming to the conclusion that Zhao really had no respect towards her appetite at all Himari decided to humor him and play his game.

The first and second time she reached for the ladle she barely managed to graze her fingers against the spoon before it was out of her reach again. The fourth time, however, she managed to grab hold of the ladle, snatching it out of Zhao’s hand before he could react. A smug smile fell on her lips as she poured herself more of the warm soup.

For a bit she retreated into her own mind, enjoying her meal and idly listening to the others as they talked. She was content to stay like this, after all what could be better than warm soup, a nice fire, and listening to the aimless chatter of old friends? It was nice to be somewhere and only be known as Himari. Not a princess or the future leader of anything. Moments like this only came once a year and in a few days she and Yuka would return to the f where she would be back to playing the perfect princess. She didn’t mind though. Himari would do anything for her nation and if that meant putting on an act for her subjects than so be it.

The soft sound of a thud caught her attention and she glanced to her side to see that Zhao had quite literally walked head on into the top of the doorway leading into the kitchen, his height once again betraying him. Rolling her eyes she lifted her bowl to her lips.

What a dork..

Just then a yelp of pain rang in the air and Himari’s head swiveled around to see that the strange creature had finally woken up and I’m the process kicked Lon fa square in the face. If she wasn’t so shocked she might have laughed from the imagery. At the very least Lon fa seemed okay, laughing it off and teasing the fox person.

She listened in as the creature, or rather Bo as she called herself, explained the real reasoning behind why she was here. For a moment she had to admit she was a bit skeptical. How were they supposed to trust a complete stranger like this? But on the other hand her story did make sense and everything lining up to now did help prove her innocence.

Bo’s question on whether they would all help her or not rang through her head, imagery of Aang’s body encased in ice along with it. Of course Himari wanted to help but this entire situation was much more complicated than that. She had duties and responsibilities to attend to in the Fire Nation, she was a princess first and foremost. She wasn’t like Nomura who could travel the world at his leisure, or Lon fa who was the daughter of a chieftess but wasn’t the next in line to inherit the title. As much she wanted to join in on the adventure she knew her place was back home.

Although…

Himari did want to become the best future firelord she could possibly be and what better way to do that than to follow in her father’s footsteps and help sue the world. Sure she might not be saving the world with the avatar but saving the avatar from an eternal sleep was close enough she supposed. She was sure that her parents would understand.

However before she could voice that she too would join them she felt a presence beside her and turned her head slightly to see Yuka standing behind her. "We should leave, your parents want you back home. Also, this seems to dangerous, and that…thing isn’t trustworthy at all.“

She understood Yuka’s hesitation and while she a part of her agreed she also knew that her cousin was being a little bit paranoid. Fully turning around in her seat she grabbed Yuka’s hand, offering the girl a calm smile. “Yuka I’ll be fine, I can take care of myself.“ Her entire life she had to worry about people who wanted to kill her out of revenge or other reasons, it was part of the reason why she worked so hard to hone into her bending abilities. Besides it wasn’t like anyone would recognize her as being the heir outside of the fire nation capital and if they did she wouldn’t be alone.

Though the more Yuka seemed to pester about her not going Himari grew worried. Why did she want her to go home so badly? She pulled back for a moment, taking in Yuka’s dirty attire and the way she looked as if she might pass out then and there. ”Are you alright? Why are your clothes so dirty?“ It looked as if someone had thrown soup and hot cocoa(?) all over her clothing. Standing to her feet she beckoned Yuka to follow her towards the sleeping area. “Come, we can talk more once you’re cleaned.“ Though Himari was sure that Yuka wouldn’t be able to persuade her into changing her mind she would at least hear her sister out first before shutting her worries down.

 

[blankcanvas]

Yūka

Note: Dialogue that is not in common tongue will be in parenthesis (Kind of like this)
==========
“Come, we can talk more once you’re cleaned."

Yūka dully stared at Himari as she felt herself getting dragged by the arm to another room. What did she want to discuss? The last time this had happened...

It had been a perfectly average day for the young girl.

The citizens of the Fire Nation were outright ignoring her, the children were glaring at her, and she still had to go through a grueling tutoring sessions with the royal instructors. She still had no idea why she was struggling to do a simple kata or even perform a basic routine stance. On top of that, the material she had been given to study was rather difficult, since it had been written in the old-traditional style. Seriously, how was Himari able to do all of this so easily?

Yūka looked around to make sure she was alone before she crossed her arms and huffed in frustration. However, the indignation quickly dissipated as she knew that her whinging would mostly fall on deaf ears. It wouldn't have mattered if she had acted in front of the guards as they would do what they always did - ignore her and tend to the heiress.

A small sigh exited from her lips as she clutched the doll on one hand, and a literature scroll on the other as she wandered off to a different corner of the playground. Yūka felt a tinge of jealousy and envy beginning to surface as she knew that the Fire Lord's daughter was doing some sort of outreach, community service where she spread goodwill to the capital's people. She already knew from past experience that if she requested to join them, then not only would it ruin the mood, but they would disperse from the other girl.

Better for her to suffer alone then to drag Himari down as well...besides she had plenty of studying to do! At least, that was the initial plan until she overheard a peculiar conversation.

Much of it was a blur, since she was only able to catch snippets of it. But essentially, the guards rotation was compromised and this would be the perfect opportunity to do something with the girls they were keeping safe. She wasn't sure of the exact details, but all she knew was that they had to leave. Now.

Scampering over to Himari as fast as her stubby little feet could take her, Yūka reached her blood-related relative and began to pull at her dress.

"(Yūka?)" the shorter princess cried out in surprise.

"(We can't stay here! We have to leave!)" the other girl said in between her panting breath. Shaking the heiress, she continued with an added mix of desperation in her voice. "(You have plenty of time to do this later, but right now...we can't...stay...)"

The Fire Lord's daughter warmly smiled as she bowed to the less fortunate people she was helping before turning her attention to Azula's daughter. Taking her by the hand, she then replied, "(Come, we can talk more once you're more calm.)"

For a moment, Yūka thought that she was able to get through to her cousin's thick skull, but that hope was immediately dashed when all she did was shake her head and respond, "(Well Yuka I am the future fire lord and what fire lord would I be if I didn’t help my people? Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean I can’t get my hands dirty.)"

Yūka stared at Himari in disbelief as she saw the princess walk back to the group and yell to her, "(It’s up to you whether you want to go back to the palace or not but I’m staying here and helping out. Your choice.)"

It was at that moment, a burly masked man came barreling down where the heiress was standing, hit her on the head, and then immediately scooped her up and shoved her into a bag. While this was unfolding before her very eyes, all she could do was stand there, helpless to stop it from happening.

Eventually, Himari was rescued by an elite group of guards and everything had returned to normal. However, Yūka had been the one that was punished for this particular event. Worse, when she tried to reveal what had transpired before the kidnapping, Zuko merely mirrored the same exact expression to that of his daughter before spouting off nonsense about how they should always think about the people of the Fire Nation.

Yūka felt a sense of cold indifference completely washed over her as she knew that her cousin, no, the Fire Lord's daughter had already made up her mind. Just like before, she wouldn't listen to her. The other girl would take the opportunity of the majority over a single entity.

'That's right,' Yūka thought to herself, 'Like father, like daughter...'

Azula's daughter stopped them in their tracks and slapped the arm away from her. Looking up, she stared at Himari with the same blank and void expression that she shared with her tormenters.

"Please don't touch me, your highness," Yūka said in a thick-accented common tongue that had a dead and flat tone to it. Turning around, she walked back and headed for the washroom.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Hakoda

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

KaramelKarma and everyone else there
[/comment]

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Hakoda was not surprised when he heard the responses from his sister and cousins. He doubted physically tying them down would be enough to keep them from joining a big noble sounding adventure. True to his family bloodline, despite not showing it and being hesitant to speak it, he to saw appeal of adventure, travel to the other nations and the slimmest chance of shaving the Avatar from his froze prison. However, as the eldest and future chief of their tribe, he did not have the luxury of acting impulsively and what appealed the most. He had to be the responsible one, the one that had to think about it logically and weigh risk and potential rewards. Be the leader even if the others did not want him too.

He saw his mother in one corner of the room, looking at the other silently. She was not weighing in her opinion about it all, with her usual small smile. It may have been his imagination but he felt her eyes bore into him expectingly as if waiting for him to make a descision. He wanted to ask her her opinion about what to do, what would she do and if she trusted the spirit. However, he had a feeling he would get an answer. This was his descision his alone, a test of what he would do, what leader he was and if he can make the right descision. Well if he could not stop the other, than he would not leave them behind.

"Sigh... I make one turn of phrase now, i am accused of having a crush on our new guest. Followed by a coment about wrestiling with lion turtles." He comment with an exagerated sign and an amused half smile on his face. "If this is the sort of humor i have to look forward to, it is going to be a long and painful bit of travelling and that is without the dangers along the way." He looked down back and Broscha "If i can help you in the quest I will... I just hope you have a better sense of humor than these three kin of mine."

He looked at the others in their group, seeing that the fire nation princesses have been particularly quiet about the matter. More so there seemed to have been some trouble between them. "Is everything alright there, princess Himari?" He asked with a little concern.

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[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Boscha

the spirit guide

location

Katara's Cabin (Dining Room)

interactions & mentions

Nomura (I), Kameko (I), Lon Fa (I), Zhao (I), Hakoda (M), Himari (M), Yuka (M), Soyou (M)

Boscha didn't know what to expect.

So her imagination filled the blanks. Would her message come as a tumbling wave? Crashing against the cliffsides of their psyches and awakening them to the state of their world as she was for her own? Or would it be a lightning bolt? Striking behind the eyes of these young humans, stoking the fire of determination and savior complexes---

Boscha blinked.

No great waves or earth-shattering lightning bolts greeted her eye. Instead, what she did notice was a pin drop. The silence should have startled her, but in a strange way, it was comforting. Most of her speeches were only ever heard and tolerated by a very unenthusiastic Kanon, so to hold an entire room (full of humans no less!) to her word seemed like a feat all in itself.

Then, a familiar voice spoke up.

Soup Giver!

Boscha turned, tail beginning to wag ever so slightly at the sight of the long-haired Southern Water Tribe boy. Wait no, no. Ha...Hakoda. Yes, that's it.

She listened to his comment, happy that at the very least, it did not make her feel like a fool. A good sign!

Ears perking, Boscha's attention swiveled to the door. Jar of snow? Lonny? What a strange term of---well, she'd have to guess endearment. Actually, now that she thought about it, they all seemed quite close. Were they all family?

Just then, the boy in question turned toward her. He looked to be Water Tribe too. Despite the frightening scar emblazoned across the right side of his face, both brown and blue eyes exuded a warm friendliness.

"That's right," answered Boscha, touched by all this concern yet curious at the extent of his casualness. How much of her message had he heard?

Wait, what did he say?

Boscha followed the boy's gesture. At the far back of the room, cloaked in partial shadow thanks to the waning light, stood the older woman Bo had noticed earlier in her speech. Half her body faced them while the other half faced the window nearby, the Iceberg a darkening jewel in the distance.

Katara.

The fox girl's breath caught in her throat. Her name was only known to Boscha through the tales of Aang documented in the Spirit Library. But she had only been a child then. Now in her place stood a matronly woman; whose shoulders spoke of an invisible burden and whose eyes, which met hers in that instant, spoke of invisible grief.

But what was more, the boy had called her Aunt. Boscha glanced back at him. Then to Lon Fa, who at that moment flashed the fox girl a playful yet genuine smile, expressing her desire to answer the call of adventure.

Or danger.

What small, almost nostalgic smile tugging softly at the older woman's lips was immediately dashed. Boscha was sure that Lon Fa could sense Katara's reaction just as well as the fox girl could see it. It was no better for the younger girl Boscha remembered to be Kameko, whose offer of a hot beverage and slew of questions were a welcome distraction from Katara's sharp, reproachful gaze.

Boscha took the cup with a thankful dip of the head, willing her newfound digits to keep it steady as she listened to Hakoda.

The way he said a few words, like the word crush, dumbfounded her. Being called cute was also puzzling, though Bo was sure that the more time she'd spend in this body, the more she'd come to understand the human standards of beauty.

Hakoda turned to her, his dry humour infectious. She wanted to smile, but Katara's gaze stilled her lips.

At the mention of kin, the pieces clicked. Boscha looked around. Hakoda and Lon Fa look the most like her, she thought. That must mean Kameko and...her brother, must be the children of the one and only Sokka!

The realization left her with a sense of excitement. Oh, what a clever universe, what a clever scroll! To guide her to the very children of the previous saviors of the world, it was almost poetic.

Boscha brought the cup to her lips. A wave of pleasure glided down her spine. Her eyes widened.

Immediately, Kameko's friendly warning was seemingly thrown to the wind. Before they both knew it, the heavenly hot drink was down her throat like it was nothing.

"Oh, spirits!..." Boscha couldn't help but breathlessly laugh at the end. "Oh n-no. As a Keeper I've never had the urge to drink or eat. My old friend, he...well as a Seeker, he used to be allowed to accept treats from humans. But this? Never! What...what do you call this?"

"Hot cocoa. One of Chieftess Katara's specialties."

She looked up. The voice was a male one. It belonged to the large earthbender. Since the questions he had posed during her speech, Boscha had not heard from him. It seemed that for a little while now, he had been crouching down and stoking the fire in the hearth, as if in deep thought. The Earth Kingdom native raised himself back up, a wooden ladle now carefully balanced in his grasp.

Boscha's mouth watered. He reached them both in two or three easy glides, pouring a fresh helping into her cup. For Kameko, a baked clay cup moved from the nearby low dining table and into the hand behind his back, which was then filled and offered to her.
Then, he did something strange with his left eye. The one with the strange markings over it. In a split second, it closed and opened again.

Boscha craned her neck. Was something wrong with his eye? No, his smile was still there, unchanged. Was she supposed to do it back? Keeping her right eye wide, Boscha scrunched her left one, trying to imitate it before glancing at Kameko, who did nothing and actually did not seem all that fazed by this friendly gesture.

"Ah. Haha...uhm, thank you...?"

"Zhao Cheng Liang. Of Gaoling City."

The earthbender, whom she now knew as Zhao, visibly puffed up a little, looking as if he was smoothly reciting a familiar script in his head. "Most know me as Zhao, or the White Wolverine. You've probably heard of m---"

He blinked, catching himself in time. But time would be no help here as a cheeky reaction from Kameko was imminent. "---Right! Right, spirit, you're a spirit. Nevermind. You can just call me Zhao."

"Zhao," repeated Boscha, glad to finally have a name to the face. "From the Iceberg. You, and..."

He nodded warmly. "Soyou. We both sensed you first, and then I carried you back here. It was a team effort really. Wrapped you in Nomura and Hakoda's coats, warmed by the flames of the Fire Nation princesses, Himari and Yuka. Daughter of Firelord Zuko and daughter of---"

The pause was small. But it was enough to break the expressiveness in the earthbender's gesturing to all he had mentioned. Boscha followed his directions, eyes landing first on the short-furred head of the boy who had teased Hakoda earlier: Nomura, shoulders bopping up and down as he worked to clean something off the floor. Then, she eyed the two figures sitting neatly together at the low dining table not too far away, deep in conversation.

Both had hair as dark as charcoal, a stark contrast to the various shades of brown (and the odd off-white) crowns of fur in the room. Boscha's eyes widened.

Fire Nation! Did he say daughters? Daughter of Zuko, and daughter of...

"Azula."

Boscha nearly flinched, startled at the sheer bitterness she heard from Zhao. Glancing at Kameko, it was hard to tell if she had picked up on it too, or if it was her animalistic sensitivity to tones. Boscha looked back at the one he called Yuka.

She was a pale wisp of a human girl, with striking features and an aura of mystery around her. Despite her mother, she did not look like much of an object of hatred or envy. But then, the state of the nations since the death of the Avatar and the end of the Hundred Year War was more or less muddy waters for Boscha. Knowing only the severity of the spiritual imbalance between the realms, she could only guess that certain things have gotten much worse.

Naturally, questions began to spring up in her mind like frogs onto lilypads. Burning, simmering like they always did. But somehow, Boscha stopped herself. If she started, she knew she'd never stop. And something told her Zhao was not in the mood to indulge so much in so little time.

How strange, she couldn't help but think, watching the humans. To have such love and such hatred side by side...


Boscha turned back to Zhao. There was still one question she knew she could ask. One almost everyone gave their heart response to, save a few. She'd get to them sooner or later.

"Hey, Zhao? I...never got an answer from you. Will you help us to save him?"

Tags

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas
mi casa Fill Squad141

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Zhao Cheng Liang

the protege of Toph

location

Katara's Cabin (Dining Room)

interactions & mentions

Hakoda (I), Boscha (I), Nomura (I), Kameko (I), Himari (M), Yūka (M), Lon Fa (M), Soyou (M), Katara (M)

Us.

Zhao glanced back down at the fox girl. The names rolled off in his head like dice. Hakoda, Kameko, Himari & Lon Fa. With just a few well-placed words, emotion, fox tail, ears, and a very authentic-looking scroll, Boscha managed to get half of them to audibly agree to this worldwide mission of hers in the span of an hour.

If nothing else, the spirit had spunk. The White Wolverine could always admire that. She had the kind of conviction that Zhao remembered coursing through his own veins not so long ago. Taking an all-or-nothing chance against the Boulder, alongside six other earthbenders. One tiny sapling amid fully grown trees, with nothing but wits, reflexes, and sheer luck to guide him through. By the end, the Boulder was all smiles and teases too, but the spit-greased hand he offered the boy was firm. Taking ahold of it meant a promise. It meant a friendship, lifelong and forever.

So what was it that had kept him on the fence until now? Or more accurately, next to the hearth, watching the fire?

Doubt? There was already plenty of that going around the room. Logistics was another thing altogether. The idea of flying on Appa or one of his children and getting a chance to visit the Air Temples was positively exhilarating. But one glance towards Katara confirmed that any minute now, there would be no 'us' to speak of, or air bison to ride.

Disbelief? Also a good contender. If Lon Fa hadn't rightfully interfered earlier, Nomura could have gone as far as try to confirm that her tail and ears truly were real. The dreadful old seamstress, the hike, the lunges, candles, and speeches all seemed so distant now...

No, no.

He could call it a thousand different things; heroism for the Avatar, a thirst for adventure, a drive for challenge. But its true name lay deeper than that. In the midst of matches or visits to Mother, it would rear its head like an ugly memory. Because it was an ugly memory. A beast that grew bigger each year, bigger than any opponent in the ring. Growing and gnawing at him. Right in the dead of night, to do something about it.

So he did. Tooth and nail, blood and bone, Zhao trained. When no one was looking, he searched. All for a dream he thought could drown the desire of a small boy to find the truth of just that: a simple, ugly memory.

The fox girl looked down at Zhao's open palm. His was much larger than her own. But unlike the wink before, the meaning of his outstretched hand seemed to be much easier and quicker for her to figure out.

Spit flew with all the grace of a storm into her hand, meeting his reluctantly but with purpose. With a nod and a good-natured smile forming on his face, Zhao set the ladle down, the other arm crossing over to extend another spit-greased hand toward Kameko. Beckoning her to join the pretzel, all the while oblivious that he was still shaking Boscha's arm a little too vigorously.

"Even if we ever come across a beast like it, ten gold pieces says you wouldn't last ten seconds on a lion turtle," went his familiar, friendly little challenge to Kameko, hoping the love gone sour between him and Lon Fa this past year hadn't wrapped its tendrils too far into the rest of the family. "Shake on it?"

Just then, mere moments after registering Kameko's reponse, a loud thwack onto the floor reverberated across the room. The chatter fell away as every eye turned towards the source.

"Oh, bloody badgermole..." murmured Zhao. Eyes flashing with ire, Katara slipped her water tendril back into the canister hanging around her hip. It seemed that out of everyone, hearing her eldest son agree to all this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Hakoda."

Her tone was a bow's string: taut and drawn, as if at any moment she could unleash a tongue-lashing like no other, upbraiding the living hides out of them all.

"The hour is late. You can show our new guest to the spare room, I'm sure she'd welcome it after hours on the floor. Lon Fa."

The shift in tone was apparent. Or at least, Zhao recognized it all too well, gleaned from the months living with them. Whereas he knew her brother would be dutiful to his mother's word, when it came to Lon Fa...

"Help your cousin clean his mess. It was just an accident, but you've been neglecting your waterbending lately, so it will be good practice for you. Ask your brother for help if you need it."

There it was. Suppressing the temptation to wince, Zhao threw a glance at Lon Fa. Not so long ago, he was her refuge against her struggles with bending. He knew she would never accept pity for it. Least of all from him.

They'd always agreed on that front: pity was a stranger's game. So Zhao deterred his gaze, knowing that if he looked on at her any longer, he would be playing it.

"Kameko, Soyou, you'll help clear and clean the table. Zhao, the extra bedding and pillows for you and the others is in a wooden chest near the wash chamber; set them down here as close to the fire as possible. It's up to you all to choose who sleeps where, as long as girls and boys stay separate. Princess Himari and Yuka can choose to help with either task. And you---"

Zhao felt Boscha tense up. Her hand slowly slipped from their handshake and returned back to her side.

"Boscha," Katara softened somewhat, though it was clear that she still didn't know quite what to make of the fox girl. "Tomorrow morning, once we've all returned back to Umiak, I will take you to the Council of Elders. You and your scroll. You can make your case to them, but it will take time, a month at most. Sokka, Suki, and Toph will want to hear of this, too. The elders will need confirmation, so I'll be sending for an expert from overseas to examine the scr---"

"Oh-oh, no, no. You don't understand!"

The urgency in Boscha's voice was piercing. Zhao found himself unable to look away as she took the scroll and held it near and dear to her chest.

"I can't afford to lose time. The Avatar scroll, my banishment---my transcendence to the mortal realm, was no ordinary one because of it. This is the first time in years some living part of the Avatar's spirit has come back to the human world and the dark spirits I encountered knew it. Not only here, but from pole to pole; they will follow the trace of Avatar's revitalized spirit and try to destroy it. If I don't get to the temples first, they will, and then...Aang...Aang will truly be..."

"Lost."

The bow's string loosened. Her voice was small now. Small enough to make Zhao narrow his eyes for a moment, realizing that Katara never really denied any of what Boscha had said. She too, wanted to believe. Or perhaps she always did.

"Well," Katara turned towards the cabin door, hiding what Zhao could only catch a glimpse of. A glimmer of tears, though not in an entirely sad way. "You'll all need your strength for tomorrow anyhow. The snow seems to have died down, so I'll be back soon with some more wood for the fire. Son, as usual, you're in charge. Make sure everything gets done. Goodnight, everyone."

With that, the Chieftess fastened a cloak around her shoulders. With the closing of the door, the silence that followed was broken by none other than Boscha, who was ambushed by a rather loud yawn. Zhao gave her a pat on the back, delivering Hakoda a small nudge before prompting the sleepy fox girl to him. Zhao turned towards the hall himself, recalibrating so he could actually remember what his task was.

Bedding. Right...

After two or three trips wherein Zhao's unfortunate weight made the wooden boards sing for sleepy Boscha to no doubt hear, a neat pile of heavy furs, quilts, and cushions accrued in the dining room. As the wrestler made quick work of the furs and cushions, the quilts were left alone. Himari was his first choice, even though theoretically, as per Katara's instruction, he wasn't supposed to care which of the princesses helped him.

Squat, stand, squat, stand. Furs, cushion, furs, cushion. Then, at one point, Zhao saw the perfect opportunity, right between his legs: Nomura's head, in the perfect range for revenge...

Think fast, Nom!

Arm raised forward, pillow in hand, poised to strike. The only warning? The faint whistling sound it made, flying across the room...

Tags

RikuXIII leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas
mi casa Fill Squad141

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Hakoda

location

Katara's Cabin

interactions

KaramelKarma and everyone else there
[/comment]

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Hakoda could hear Zhao take his turn with Boscha behind him, he had noted the big brute was unusualy quite on the answer to the question of joining the quest. He would have thought it was something he would have jumped to join, he was the adventurous man of action type. Especially when he was trying to impress his sister, it was not hard to ssee Zhao still had something unresolved with Lon Fa, and it was not unreasonable to see the chance for the two reconect. Not that it was something Hakoda was keen on but it was something he knew he had little influence on. He might have misjudged the man if Zhao was actually considering all the facts first before joining, he would give him that.

He felt the water tendril move before it struck the ground. Hakoda had been on the recieving end of his mothers tendril during training more times than he cared to admit that he became sensitive towards them even when he was not targeted. Combined with his mothers gaze earlier, he knew that the storm finally broke. He had made the wrong choice, not only him and but the others as well and they were going to hear about it. He groaned and turned to look at his mother, seeing the tightness and the cold look in her eyes. Yeah, his mother did not need to shout anymore to make either himself and lon fa to feel small and cowed even if they were entering adulthood.

"Yes, mother. "Hakoda dutifuly responded to his mothers instruction. She seemed particularly mad with Lon Fa to mention waterbending, something Hakoda thought was particularly unfair of her. He knew that once again, not long for now he would be in the was in the inenvioble middle position between his mother and his sister, cousins and freinds. Either to argue for or against the adventure, upsetting once side or another. The cost of being the eldest and responsible one of the group. Luckily he had a rebrive from that choice for today. Boscha had impresively interjected and removed the wind from his mother sails given her pause for thought and hope.

Still for now he would have to obey especially with the unnecessary nudging from Zhao. He smirked hearing Boscha yawn and moved to approuched her, once close he found himself hesitant. Was he meant to carry her on just lead the way, the former thought made him feel a little awkward. He clearled the thought from his mind, considering it childish, he was to help her whatever that involved. He offered her his hand. "Dont worry about my mother, i said i would help you and i will were i can, even if it means talking to her." He said kindly to her. "Do you need more of a hand? It is not a long walk to the spare room."

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[leviohsa]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Lon Fa

location

Katara's Cabin.

interactions

Mention: Yuka, Zhao, Hakoda, Katara || Interaction: Nomura

"Lon Fa."

Ah, there it was. Lon Fa had already felt the burning gaze of her mother, blue eyes that matched her own observing the call to adventure. It seemed that Lon Fa's surprise at her brother's decision was shared by their mother, who now decided to dampen this momentous occasion. Rolling her eyes, Lon Fa stood up, turning to face her mother. Thankfully, her nose had stopped bleeding, and her makeshift ice pack that was previously pressed against her sprained nose was sitting on a small table next to Boscha. The water-bender made a note to herself to get Yuka's scarf cleaned up, or possibly replaced.

"Help your cousin clean his mess." Irritation became evident in the younger sibling's face, brows furrowing whilst she crossed her arms. Alas, she stayed silent as her mother continued. "...you've been neglecting your water-bending lately, so it will be good practice for you. Ask your brother for help if you need it." Dear, beloved, Hakoda. Water-bending prodigy. Pride and joy of the village. It took everything in Lon Fa not to roll her eyes at the all-too-familiar suggestion. The feeling that simmered deep within her each time.

Like clockwork, Lon Fa could feel Zhao's gaze on her, only making her previous irritation compound. It was quick, to her relief, but she still couldn't wait for her mother to be done with her little spiel. Once Boscha's voice piped up, however, Lon Fa's irritation melded with curiosity, her head turning to fully listen to what the spirit had to say. It was only her mother's voice that beckoned her to turn around again. Her mom's voice was much less stern now, her back facing the group as she leaves Hakoda in charge... again.

Lon Fa stared at the door, even after her mother had left. Leaving everyone else to follow orders, the novice bender brought her arms back down to her sides, letting out a quick huff before following the rhythmic sounds of Nomura cleaning the floorboards.

The sound led her to the dimly lit hall, where Yuka had scurried off to earlier that evening. Her stern gaze lowered, finding Nomura hunched over, dutifully scrubbing the floor like he was being paid to do so. The sight would've been more amusing to Lon Fa if she didn't have to help the doofus clean it up.

"Nomura." Lon Fa spoke up, sure that he heard his aunt's commands. "It's your lucky day." She didn't exactly give her cousin time to move, her voice low and clearly unamused. The bender lifted her arms slightly, palms up whilst she closed her eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, she began to bend the water out of the wood, strings of soup melding into one sphere. Opening her eyes, she continued,

"Your mistakes are mere training opportunities for neglectful ol' me." She muttered, brows furrowed as she focused on making the sphere more reformed, and less wobbly. Her emotions were making this, difficult, however. Lon Fa knew it. Nomura knew it. Hakoda knew it. Zhao knew it... Ha. How ridiculous. No use in thinking about all of that. As long as she gets this stupid task over with, she can go to bed and focus on getting as far away from here as possible.

Her impatience created the opposite of her desired effect, making the sphere fall to the ground with a quiet 'splash', right in front of her cousin's face.

Great.

Lon Fa raised her arms again, closing her eyes again. She could feel the burning feeling of anger in the pit of her stomach. She can hear the echoes of her mother and brother's instruction. This did nothing to calm her frustrations, but the soup was in the air nonetheless. Opening her eyes, Lon Fa sighed, carefully guiding the blob of cold soup into the bathroom that resided at the end of the hall.

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Boscha

the spirit guide

location

Katara's Cabin (going towards the Spare Room)

interactions & mentions

Hakoda (I), Zhao (I), Lon Fa (M), Nomura (M), Katara (M)

It was a good thing Hakoda told her not to worry about his mother. Boscha's mind was always merciless in that regard.

All the frantic energy coursing through her veins left as quickly as it had appeared. Just picked up its things and went out the door, leaving behind a hole as wide as Xai Bau's Grove back in the Spirit World. Closing her mouth again, Boscha tried to blink through the bleariness. Fatigue draped like a curtain over her tiny frame, as if remembering the absolute unit of a day it had had.

Ears faintly drooping to one side, she let herself be nudged towards Hakoda, grabbing ahold of the hand offered. Another yawn emerged, though this time with a spark of fascination laced in.

"Soh shis..." Boscha waited for the yawn to pass, a small smile forming on her lips. "So this is what mortal fatigue feels like..."

Boscha nodded her assent. No matter how vexed Katara appeared to be, the fox girl still thought it was very nice of her to offer the spare room. She threw a look over at Lon Fa, who was going over to help Nomura. The girl and her nose seemed fine (thankfully!) at a glance, but something in the rest of her body language radiated subtle tension. As usual, the questions seemed to form before her mind even knew them, with little care as to whether she was bone-tired, or if they'd started moving towards the spare room or not. At the very least, Boscha's voice was somewhat lowered...

"Hey, is your sister alright? What did your mother mean by 'neglecting' water bending? Is Lon Fa not a bender? Why would she 'neglect' the art of your tribe?"

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[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Hakoda

location

Katara's Cabin (going towards the Spare Room)

interactions

KaramelKarma [/comment]

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Hakoda could help smirk, he knew this will be misconstrued if he admitted it to the other, well it already had, but he found something cute about her. More like a pet or better a little sister about her rather than anything romantic. It meant it was harder to be suspicious of her but he knew he had to be. She may be coming mortal as she claims, but she was still a spirit and may still turn to a dark spirit. Whether intentional or otherwise she could still be dangerous, he had to remember that and act accordingly. Still that didnt mean he couldnt be hospitible or friendly, jus tbeing mean to her would just increase the chances of her going against her. A balance, like with most things, is best.

"Oh weariness was just a start. You have a lot to look forward to know both good and bad, anger, love, jealousy. " He said with a smirk before wistling to tease her a little. "You are really into quite a ride. Humans have their whole lives to handle it and few still dont manage it." Still he turned more serious and earnest, squeeing her hand more firmly to give her some security. "You can talk about it with either myself and others about it, it helps. Well, it helps if you talk to someone like me more seriously. Zhao not so much." He chuckled.

Hakoda expected more questions as they moved closer to the spare room but didnt think it will get so personal mentioning Katara's pointed comment to Lon Fa. He frowned unsure how and whether her should answer. He hesitated for a few second before answering. "It not so much not wanting to or not being able to, just she found her calling somewhere else. She is will be fine, she is a tough one and If we are going to travel together you will see." He explained. "Dont worry about my mother, you just caught her on a bad day." He added before reaching the spare room and pulled aside the curtains for her. "Here we are."

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[RikuXIII]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Kameko

Child of Sokka & Suki

location

Katara's Cabin

tags

KaramelKarma leviohsa ThatGuyWithSouvlaki blankcanvas mi casa Squad141 Fill

"Oh, good!" Kameko replied to Boscha. "I didn't think that was the case, but just thought I'd ask."
If she was very, very lucky, that would be the end of that faux pas. Zhao was giving her a bit of guff for the lion turtle comment, but that was frankly the lessor verbal problem she had created for herself. She stuck her tongue out at the earth bender.
"Hey, we don't have time for that now, Zhao." She replied. "Fate of the world and all."
As Boscha answered questions, Kameko felt a knot form in her chest. Excitement, apprehension, and longing twisted in her heart. Was this how Dad and Aunt Katara felt when they found the Avatar? While she had been on many trips with her father, something like this was so much bigger. A chance to do something great. Prove her worth. Even...
"Kameko, Soyou, you'll help clear and clean the table." Aunt Katara's words cut into Kameko's day dreams.
"Ugh. Chores."
"Yes, ma'am!" Kameko answered with a salute. "Soyou! Get your elbow grease ready!"
With Katara laying out instructions for the teens, Kameko started gathering dirty dishes together. She might try to guilty Lon Fa into help washing the dishes with her bending. But for now, she could get a start. She paused as she caught sight of Yuka heading to the wash room. An old pang of guilt ran through the teen. She never understood Yuka, not since losing her puppy. But what if this was how Azula got so...well, Azula like. Kameko wondered if she tried harder, if she'd know what to say to the fire nation royal. She would have to talk to Himari about this. Maybe this journey could proved new opportunities for everyone.

 

[Fill]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Nomura

Location

The Cabin

Interactions

Lon Fa ( leviohsa ), Zhao ( KaramelKarma ), Himari ( mi casa )

A sigh of exhaustion escaped Nomura's lips. Still, his arms worked hard, never stopping, never tiring. His entire body firing on all its cylinders. Nothing else registered besides everyone's voices. Everyone talking. And then, the silence. Words spoken once more, no longer formed of comradery but commands. And, while respect was given, Nomura made no look or sound towards Aunt Katara. His eyes only slightly widened before returning to the task at hand; an eyebrow rising curiously for a second before settling down. He kept working. No use doing anything or speaking about the matter with anyone until all were settled down.

He had half a mind to say something to Katara right then and there. A certain resolute feeling felt its way through him. But the way she stepped away--the uncertain sounds of her feet against the wood before leaving the group be--it certainly gave him pause. His ears picked up on a small voice, a murmur, as footsteps made their way toward him. Lon Fa.

"There are no mistakes. Only happy little accidents, Lon Fa."

A small saying. One of many he developed. After all, everyone sometimes got down and out. It paid to be prepared with a witty remark he can always fall back on to try and alleviate a situation. His eyes shifted as his back straightened, and his gaze kept on the way his cousin began manipulating the water. She was trying to condense it into a sphere, he believed. He smiled. She was doing good work. All she had to do was work with the water a little more and-.

It fell, splashing across his features. Nom wiped his eyes before smirking. Then smiling. Then full out bursting with laughter. Not a laughter directed at her or her inability. A laughter that was more inwards toward himself. Towards this whole situation. He needed this.

As he doubled over a little, a few words slipped out between gasps of breathe as he bent over a little and wheezed here and there, "Thanks, Lon Fa. I needed that."

Everyone made mistakes. Speaking of mistakes, Nom's hand snapped out as he caught a particularly fluffy projectile headed his direction, the ends of the pillow snapping around his arm as he caught its center. His back straightened out as his head turned to Zhao. Nomura raised an eyebrow. Right now was not a good time, but, even still, it would be a boiling day in the North and South Tribes before Zhao ever got the jump on Nomura. Accidents were one thing. One or two were bound to slip by Nomura's reflexes. But pranks? Tricks? A silly, little battle like this? Never. Nomura was king here. This was his domain.

Nomura's eyes scanned around before smirking. His cocked his arm back, aiming directly at Zhao, before spinning and turning on his heel at the last second. The soft projectile fired forth, past Zhao and towards his little helper Himari when she was not looking. It would strike her in the back of the head if it connected, if Nomura's aim kept true--which it always did. Unless Himari had a third eye or unnatural reflexes Nomura had never seen before, she would feel the pillow impact against her skull or, by some miracle, flying past the side of her face and impacting the wall next to her head.

And, if she looked around to find the culprit responsible for such a pillow assassination attempt on her life, she would find Nomura--grinning the whole time--dashing after Lon Fa as he quickly spoke out a few words before disappearing after his cousin.

"It was Zhao! He'll try and say it was me, but it was Zhao! I'm going with Lon Fa! Byyyyyyyyeeeeeeeee!"

Nomura ducked into the hallway, following Lon Fa. A couple steps from his quick dash and subsequent jog brought him to her side. The young swordsman found himself putting his hands behind his head, interlocking them together behind his skull, before tilting his head to the side with a casual look and even more casual smirk.

"Now, if I remember correctly, there was this little waterbender who was up to my knee in height who figured out how to rapid-fire snowballs." Nomura grinned at the childhood memory, "Buried her opposition, her brother, in a tomb of cold ice. You know where I can find her? I could use her help in my next prank, and I hear she's quite the crackshot."

His smile soon simply revealed itself to be softer, much more kinder as it lost its usual snark, "How's the nose?"

 

[KaramelKarma]

♡design by sirnateunknown, coded by uxie♡

Boscha

the spirit guide

location

Katara's Cabin (going towards the Spare Room)

interactions & mentions

Hakoda (I), Lon Fa (M), Nomura (M), Kameko (M)

Good.
Her books, though they had always been so much more.
Bad.
Shadow flitted across the memory. Vaatu and his terrible agents of darkness...
Anger, jealousy…
The Owl. A master she both deeply feared and admired, though most days it was the former. Then there was Kanon. Distant as they were, he had always had her back. But with that his back turned, he was also blind. Blind to the jealousy she harbored like a precious pearl, blind to the longing to rise above her station and join him as an equal.

Love.

A strange blank. Boscha knew she knew of it. Heck, some of the most sacred and famed pieces in the Spirit Library were ancient romance myths, like that of Oma and Shu. They were some of her all-time favorites!

But there was no true understanding of the word, at least not in the human sense. For as long as she could remember, love was for mortals and the mortal realm; it had very little place in the Spirit World, especially the Library. Of course, there were certain spirits, who'd perhaps had been human once themselves, who understood it and still spent their time meddling in mortal affairs. But these were few and far in between. Certainly, Wan Shi Tong always thought of these spirits with disdain.

Maybe this is my chance...

An unexpected wave of warmth came over her as Hakoda gave her hand a little squeeze. It was a little confusing at first, but Boscha soon realized that it was simply the fact that no one had ever offered to be a listening ear for her before. Kanon was almost always an unwilling participant to hearing whatever crazy notions she had in her head.

Boscha nodded. Her eyes were wide and bright.

"Thank you, Hakoda. I'll definitely try to take up on that! And your sister...I think...well, I think she, and your cousins too...they are like rare flowers---not like the rest or perhaps not as common, but they are capable of blooming just as well as anyone else! All that is needed is for the right sun to come out and for the right rain to fall."

Upon finishing the sentence, they'd arrived. At the sight of the spare room, Boscha's fatigue made a second wave. Her amber eyes zeroed in on the neat cot in the corner covered in seal skin. Wasting no time, Boscha flopped onto the bed with a flourish. Her hand grazed the beautifully large, ornate Southern Water Tribe rug hanging on the side wall, adjacent to the window.

Her first instinct? Yawn.

Second instinct? Dive into the blanket and circle around, hands kneading into the bedstead before lying down, stomach curled, tail wrapped around her legs.

Just then, a shadow flitted across the corner of her gaze. Boscha followed it, turning her head to peer outside. A peaceful, snowy darkness greeted her. Boscha held her gaze for a moment longer before the rustle of curtain drew her away, remembering he was still there. Head lowering in relaxation, Boscha's last sentence was now a murmur, barely finishing as sleep slowly lulled her eyes to close. The ears were still pricked, listening in for his goodbye.

"Goodnight, Soup Gi---I mean...Hakoda..."

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