¤ 7 - Saying goodbye

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[all this talk of people disappearing has made Zuko a little paranoid. He finds where he'd jotted down a couple important room numbers and decides to go walking through the halls. After checking up on his uncle, the Avatar's room is next on the list.

...And whoever is on the eleventh floor will very clearly know the exact moment that he realizes that Aang is gone, and the rest of the Castle is treated to it via journal, as it falls open]

NO!

[that crash is him kicking down the door. And that other sound is a fireball. ...A big one.]

You can't do this!!

[more explosions, a rush of fire spilling out into the hall in a tidal wave]

Can you hear me?! ...LET ME GO!

[and then, with a furious roar, the outer wall of one of the rooms on the eleventh floor is violently demolished, a fiery blast punching right through to the outside]


((ooc: Sorry for the smoke, eleventh floor. Part of your hallway is scorched and one of your rooms destroyed. ...Approach at your own risk. D:))

Comments

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[going up the stairs, headed for the 12th floor, when she hears the explosions. She immediately turns and runs towards the noise, eyes narrowing at the smoke.

Slows down as she tries to peer through the haze, cautiously edging closer.]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[he's... not done destroying. There's isn't much left to ruin in there, but that apparently doesn't matter. Flashes of hot light and angry sounds are still coming from that room]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[that's certainly not a good sign. Flexing her hands, she summons her guns and then peeks carefully into the room, ready to leap back if necessary.

Her eyes widen when she sees this particular occupant.] Zuko. What are you doing?

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[hearing someone, he glances back. Ever see someone breathe fire, Natsuki?

...Well, now you have.]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[dumb question, then. Whoops.

She steps into the open, still wary.]

Whose room is this? [lack of door, etc. Briefly wonders if she's provoking you.]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[more fire and an angry yell-- at least this time it's heading through the already-broken wall and out into the air over the castle grounds.

...Yeah, you might be provoking him.]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[tightens her grip on the pistols and decides that now would be a good time to keep her mouth shut.

Her eyes dart about the room, trying to see if anybody is dying in there or something.]

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

[Iroh will be entering the room now, parting any fire that may be headed in his direction. He gives a slight nod to Natsuki before fully focusing his attention on Zuko.]

Zuko... [You know better than this.]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[luckily there's no one else in there but him... and whatever this room looked like before he got to it. Hearing his uncle's voice, he whirls, fire erratically following the motion]

He's gone!!

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[starts a little when Iroh shows up, but she'll almost kinda guiltily lower her guns. She wasn't about to shoot your nephew, honest!

But she keeps 'em out. Zuko's crazy antics is reminding her of somebody else who had lost it and started burning up buildings.

...Of course, the other person went crazy because her (kinda) most important person had died. Suddenly wondering if you're gay, Zuko.]

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

[Blocking that fire. See? This is why you need to stop this.]

Who's gone, Zuko?

[Yeah, he has no idea whose room this was.]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[sorry, Natsuki... it's probably going to be a little while before anything he says makes sense to you. To Iroh, however...]

[the currently-burning fires flaring up explosively as he answers]

The Avatar!!

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[mentally shakes herself. This is really no time to be wondering about that, especially with the fire still going.

Aaand she decides to slide behind Iroh a bit more. Fuck yeah, fire blocker. (firewall?)]

The avatar? [can't help but echo him, while filing away the information on Zuko's...friend. Yes.]

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

[That news both startles and saddens him. He's sorry that Aang left before Zuko had a chance to come around, but ultimately it was better that he returned home anyway.

And, of course, he knows now what his nephew is going through. Even here, worlds away from Ozai, Zuko was still seeking his approval. The Avatar was represented hope. And that hope was taken away from him yet again. Iroh looks down for a moment.]

I'm sorry, Zuko. But this [gesturing at the burning room] won't help anything.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

And what will?!

[the fire continues to roar as it feeds on his frustration]

I can't follow him! What am I supposed to do??

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[will be hanging the background. Listening in and trying not to make assumptions. Or doing something like wondering what this avatar person looked like that has Zuko so worked up. Etc.]

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

And how has this changed the situation, Zuko? What good did having him trapped here with you do? Your father is worlds away right now.

All we can do while we are here is live our lives as best we can. It's time you began focusing on what that means to you.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

Live our lives??

[fists clench, flames flashing around them briefly]

I don't care about this place!

...I don't care about what's going on here! I don't care about the people here!

[it builds and builds, like magma spitting through cracks in the earth until it finally erupts. As if the ferocious flare of fire isn't enough of an illustration, Iroh should know exactly the amount of weight behind this, all that he really means--]

I want to go HOME!

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[ugh. She has no idea what you're talking about, just that pretty much /everybody/ here wants to go home. And really, throwing a temper tantrum? Even if this avatar guy is important to you, at least he's not dead or whatever.]

Brat.

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

[Not the most helpful comment, Natsuki.

But, yes, he understands and it breaks his heart.]

I know you do. And you will someday. [It's out of his mouth before he can stop it. He really doesn't want to tell Zuko about his future, so he's hoping that his nephew just takes it as a reassurance.]

But there's nothing we can do about that here. We just have to manage in the meantime.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[yeah, he takes it as an empty promise. Just one more empty promise.

For a moment, he seems set for another explosion... but, at the last moment, with a frustrated cry he turns and unleashes his anger in one fiery punch against the wall.

The fire in the room flares up with the strike, but then immediately flutters out in its wake, leaving only a few crackling flames scattered around. Hands fisted at his sides, he keeps his back to the door, glaring out through the gaping hole in the outer wall]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[hey, it's not like anybody was expecting her to be helpful.

Watching, she keeps an eye on Zuko while keeping the other on the flames. Seriously, the castle needs to start putting fire extinguishers in the hallway. Aren't there building regulations and stuff?]

[pai-sho-master.livejournal.com]

[Well, at least the fiery blasts are over with.

He'll just silently walk over and stand beside Zuko, placing a hand on his back.

He's there for you, no matter how many times you try to distance yourself.]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[she waits until it's quiet, both fire and shouting calmed, before she quietly steps inside. Natsuki gets a surprised look - had she been in here with the fire this whole time??? - but since she seems unharmed, Jilly will leave Iroh to be there for his nephew.]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[he doesn't say anything, or make much of a reaction at all. For now, he just glares sullenly out over the castle grounds, fighting down what remains of his anger]