can't take a good day without a bad one

[blood_royal]

[action, makeout point]

[Zuko is sparring with himself. Why is this a problem?

Because he's practicing his firebending on one of the highest spots in town, which tends to send fireballs shooting out into the air at random. He hasn't set anything on fire... so far. But he's got some frustrations to work out, and meditation just isn't helping. Usually a good old-fashioned workout at least makes him tired enough to stop focusing on what a shitty place Mayfield is.]

Comments

action

[werejew]

[yeah just... observing. she brought beer and snacks. it's like a family picnic but terrible.

WOW IS THAT TREE ON FIRE]

What, you're not happy just burning down your own house now? You too fucking good for that now?

Re: action

[blood_royal]

Shut up, this is none of your business! I have to keep up my training even though my-- my teacher isn't here!

[Zuko whirls on the tree, trying to slow his breathing enough to bring the fire back down. He has to close his eyes to do it, but slowly, he manages to lower it, to pull it back into his lungs. Breathing. Practice your breathing, Zuko.]

Re: action

[werejew]

I feel weirdly responsible for making sure you don't fuck up and die, so it is kinda my business. [maternal instincts over here you're like the scarred little runt of her litter zuko...]

You probably had a shitload of fancy trainers and shit, being a prince.

Re: action

[blood_royal]

...No. Just one. My uncle.

And why should care whether I live or die? My life is none of your business.

[werejew]

... Oh. What, were your parents cheapasses or something?

Yeah, when I don't care? You burn the house down. I'm keeping an eye on your stupid ass from now on.

[blood_royal]

My family is also none of your business.

[Sullen forever.]

I don't need your supervision. I only did that once.

[werejew]

Psh, you need to learn to open up more. And once is enough. [lol hypocrite

She holds a beer can up to him and pats the ground next to her.]

C'mon, enough training for now. Come sit with your fake mom a while. Fake bonding and shit.

[blood_royal]

If it's fake then why bother? I don't need your pity. I don't need anyone's pity.

[werejew]

Because fake shit is all we've got in this fucking town.

Now, sit.

[blood_royal]

I'm not interested in fake.

[He does sit, though, panting just a bit. He's been up on this hill for a really long time.]

[werejew]

You'd better start getting used to it, then.

[take the beer zuko

take it]

[blood_royal]

[fine he'll take a beer but he'll crinkle his nose when he tastes it.]

So what do you want to know?

[werejew]

Hm...

What's your uncle like?

[blood_royal]

Why?

[werejew]

'Cause you mentioned that he trains you and shit. You two must be pretty close.

[blood_royal]

...

[Zuko sighs. This information is pretty harmless, right?]

We are. Ever since he came back from the war, he's been making me stronger.

[1st_superhero]

[Gilgamesh exits the bushes he had stumbled into just in time to almost get a fireballl in the face. Instead of running away or even complaining like a normal person, he just whistles and grins.]

Cool! How do you do that? Are you a fire mage?

[blood_royal]

It's not magic, it's bending. I can make fire, then control it myself.

[Man, it's nice to be admired for once.]

[1st_superhero]

...Then it's really strong elemental magic.

[Although he had heard about mutants being able to make actual fire, smoke and all.]

I have like zero happy icons

[blood_royal]

[Okay, he can puff up a bit. He is proud of what he's managed to accomplish.]

I don't think it's the same for us, but I've been training my whole life. Only people from my country can bend fire.

Re: I have like zero happy icons

[1st_superhero]

Hm...so you live in a country with only fire mages? I hear about villages specializing in certain types of magic, but I've never heard about an entire country doing that. I'd like to go to your country sometime!

[blood_royal]

That's just how my world works. There are four nations, and each one has its own element. Fire is the most powerful, though.

[Yes, he still says four. For some strange reason, he prefers not to think about the genocide he's inheriting.]

What's it like where you're from? People can use more than one?

[1st_superhero]

I'm not sure on that, actually. I don't know much about magic besides the basics. I do know that there's what, seven elements? And it doesn't matter which country you're from--everyone works with the same elements. But there are those guys who get really strong elemental affinities and can do cool stuff like you did.

[blood_royal]

[Okay, a rare smile. More of a smirk, really, but it's as close as he can come to happiness as he can come.]

I'm proud of my training. I just can't let myself get lazy.

[1st_superhero]

Dedication is always good. As for me, I've never been big on magic. I'd like to learn how to summon some cool stuff, but I always make a huge mess, so Morgan refuses to teach me spells.

[blood_royal]

If you can't control yourself, why should she? It sounds like those abilities require a lot of focus.

[Oh, Zuko.]

[1st_superhero]

Because it's awesome. Besides, it's not as if I can learn control if she won't teach me, right?

[ippotsuko]

[Accelerator sees the stray fireball coming his way, but rather than making any attempt to avoid it stands firmly in place, leaning on his cane.

While it may look like he's going to get hit, the fireball goes flying back in Zuko's direction at the last moment...and at twice its original speed.]

Tch, you should watch what you're doing.

[blood_royal]

[Zuko drops to a crouch, swiping his hand and sending the fireball off into the air away from the both of them. He's scowling, though.]

Maybe you should stay out of someone's way when they're training! How did you do that, anyway?!

[ippotsuko]

I have a field around my body that automatically redirects anything coming towards it. [He shifts his weight boredly.] When it's active, anyway.

Anyway, this is a pretty public place to be doing that kind of training.

[blood_royal]

There's no private place to do it. The fire had to go somewhere.

[Obviously.]

[ippotsuko]

So you're just going to let it go anywhere?

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

[Shadow's perched on a higher ledge atop Makeout Point, watching carefully as Zuko demonstrates his power.]

Impressive.

[blood_royal]

[w-what is this]

What are you?

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

Tired.

[He hops down from his perch, landing in front of Zuko.]

Of hearing that question.

[blood_royal]

Find a way to cope. I've never seen anything like you before.

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

I'm a hedgehog. Shadow the Hedgehog.

[He crosses his arms, giving Zuko a hard stare.]

And what are you supposed to be? There aren't many who can create fire as you can.

[Well, except maybe Blaze, but she is a cat. And Zuko is a human.]

[blood_royal]

Zuko. I'm a firebender, which means that my people can control fire. All of the four nations can control one element, but ours is the strongest.

[Hey, information for information.]

[thegoddamnhedgehog]

The four nations.

[He frowns.]

What elements do they control?

[polariity]

[Oh, Makeout Point. The place him and people he knew- and people he didn't know- went to after a day of idiotic hijinks when they reverted to the mental age where they were all chronically stupid.]

[Sad, really. The age thing, not the specifics. Surprisingly, as he looks back at it, what they did was kind of fun. If only he hadn't been a little twitchy wreck of a troll, he could have appreciated the moment.]

[So, he's coming up here just to check things out, relax a bit-]

[Huh, that sure is a fireball rushing towards his face.]

[Without thinking twice about it, the Psiioniic throws up a blazing red psionic shield against the attack while simultaneously sending a ragged, sparking psionic blast of blue towards the source aka Zuko. Instinctively, he bares his teeth, forgetting that he's still human and thus just looks more silly than threatening.]

Wow, I'm on thomeone'th badthide already?

[blood_royal]

[Zuko drops to a crouch and spins, holding one foot out to drag a circle of fire around himself. He stays in that crouch, even as he clarifies.]

That was an accident.

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

[ Another firey person. At her point. Shana glares at him, just a small black haired girl, walking up to Zuko with a pronounced scowl on her face. ]

Mou! This is my spot for using unrestricted method. Find your own.

[blood_royal]

It's big enough for two, and there aren't any other spots. Find a way to cope.

[thebirds]

Whoaaaa... Did you just shoot fire from your hands?! [Today was a good day to actually go outside it seems.]

[blood_royal]

[Zuko straightens, smoking slightly. It's been a long training day.]

I did. My people can do that.

[thebirds]

Seriously? Wow, that's platinum cool!

Human btw

[shesapir8]

[While she's not stranger to extra additions in mental powers, the fire bending does catch her attention and Mindfang decides to find Zuko, raising an eye at the boy.] Well isn't this interesting.

[blood_royal]

Yes, I know, no one here has heard of firebenders. Do I have to go through it again?

[shesapir8]

If you would... It would be, appreciated.