tushanshu | 004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

[ The audio clicks on and there's a long pause. When Kyle speaks, his tone is calm, perfectly controlled. It's his Business Voice, blank save for the barest hint of anger. ]

This is Kyle Rayner of the Green Lantern Corps. I apologise for the inconvenience, but our clinic at EA-3B is currently undergoing repairs and won't be able to take more patients at this time. We'll be temporarily operating a backup at WA-1A. [ He attaches a map, showing where it is. ]

Any and all hands with medical experience or healing abilities are always welcome.

[ Another long pause. ]

And if someone could come collect Avatar Korra, that would be appreciated.

[ There is a brief pause, as though he's debating what more to say, before the audio clicks off. ]

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. . . You're not telling me something. No one freaks out over self-defense posters.

[Headtilt.] And yeah, I am. Earthbender.

[Among a couple other related things, but Toph will always primarily think of herself as an earthbender.]

Occasionally blow stuff up, but I don't do fire.

[That one's a joke, even though technically it's also true.]

[His expression is completely blank.]

I can't do this.

[Please understand I just want you to understand why can't you see what's right in front of you.]

[She pauses a moment longer to clear away the remnants of a wall before she speaks again. It's a tricky subject: the worst of the anger is gone in the face of her removed bending, and its subsequent return, but she chooses her words carefully nonetheless. It's a feeling that's hard to forget.]

One of the bloodbenders who had his bending removed was a crime boss by the name of Yakone. Even with his bending gone, he taught his sons, Amon and Tarrlok, everything he knew.

I don't have all the details. Like it or not, you'd have to talk to Korra or Tarrlok to get them. But by the time Amon arrived in Republic City, he'd managed to perfect the art of removing someone's bending via bloodbending. He hid his status as a bender and gathered a following, claiming that bending was the source of all evil and that he'd been given his abilities by the spirits to nullify it once and for all.

He started with triad leaders and a few small-time bullies himself. Gathered popular support. Then he destroyed the pro-bending arena and went for the city's leaders--to say nothing of the Avatar herself.

[What the hell am I doing wrong? He's not used to this. He's not used to meeting people that constantly and consistently beat his self confidence down just by being someone he can't reach. He reaches everyone, it's what he does, it's in everything he does, he moves worlds and it bothers him so much that he can't-- change this, or fix it, or whatever the hell.

It's why he keeps trying, but it's also why he sometimes wants to walk away.

Jim wipes his mouth with a napkin, drops the napkin on his cleaned plate. There are so many things he wants to ask, he wants to go at this from all angles and work it until it's fixed, he's a problem solver at heart. I told you how I beat the Kobayashi-Maru, right?

But he doesn't. He just nods tiredly. Compromise.]

Sure. Let's get you back to your clinic.

[One Kal has talked to Jor and make sure he's alright, he replies to the post.]

I have no medical experience but if you're really short on people I've read a lot of books about it? I'd do my best.

And of course you can count on me for repairs if it's needed. Is everyone alright?

[Say what]

Is she okay?

If you and Doctor Soranik Natu wish, I've got a three-floor suite in Water Sector and most of it's already set up for medical work--not your style, maybe, but I'm sure some of the infrastructure and supplies are similar. [Bandages, if nothing else?] If it's easier to manage until repairs are made, you're welcome to share.

[Pause.]

I may be able to help with repairs, too, if you want. [He's bored.]

[Now that the powers are back, Jaime's in full-on Beetle mode-- just to give poor Khaji Da some air after the mess that was Malicant.]

Everything okay, Kyle? [He frowns.] My powers are back, by the way, so the Scarab can help with detecting injuries and that sort of stuff.

[For Jaime? Kyle turns on video.]

We're good, no one was injured. [Then, he grins.] That's useful, s'long as you don't use it to make me go see a doctor.

We've got most of the repair work already settled but thanks for your generous offer. We'll definitely transfer any patients who need more space to your facilities.

[A pause.]

You're Sep, right? A healer?

[Dryly:] She's fine.

[That's it? he wants to ask, but they're both so tired. Even Kyle is, of his own mind, and of his own darkness. Of all people.. Damian understood it. Dick, and Jack were horrified by it, maybe even feared it. Spock had some inkling of its depth, Jim thought he saw it all. Rose-- Rose didn't even try. She just came and put light wherever she could, and it worked.]

[He gets up, and on impulse, squeezes Jim's hand, and kisses him on the side of the mouth. He doesn't care that this is completely public, outside the pool place was, too. It's not like it means anything other than thank you for being here, anyway.]

I... kind of don't count how many.

[A light shrug.]

Roster and team name keep changing. One thing that's the same: once a Titan, always a Titan.

[That's new, and it makes him arch an eyebrow, but he doesn't comment on it. Instead, he just gives Kyle's hand a similar squeeze in return. Funny how the weird, random shows of intimacy bother him less after being tortured beside this guy. Kyle saw him bleeding and half delirious on top of everything else he already knows, it kinda breaks down a few barriers along the way.

So Jim drops the payment down on the table and gets up so he can gently bump Kyle's shoulder.]

Wild horses couldn't drag me away, Angel.

[After everything, he's still trying. But Kyle needs his space, and Jim... is learning. Even when it costs him.]

Don't tempt me, Princess, I have constructs now.

[He's a little more at ease, but he is still quiet, thinking.]

[Once they're outside the restaurant, Jim... considers his options. And then he gives Kyle a bracing smile.]

I'm gonna hold you to that whole 'paint' thing later.

[That pause tells him so much more about bloodbending than her words ever will. Kyle knows the feeling of your own body being turned against you and it's not something he would wish upon his worst enemies. Not being able to move, or speak... it had been his worst nightmare. One of them, anyway.]

Tarrlok's been.. informative about this but it's not wise to trust anything a politician says.
[Or does, for that matter.]

[A beat.]

Popular support doesn't come from nowhere. People must have been hurting, and angry, and they get behind somebody who can give them blood. I'm not excusing anything that happened, I'm saying there was a point to it and [he waves to the now-being-fixed-house] it can't be drawn in such black and white terms.

[He smiles for the first time in this conversation.]

Looking forward to it.

[Jim returns the smile, and then he just gives Kyle a salute and turns to head back to the Fire Sector.]

[A short, humorless laugh. Politicians, amirite.]

Tarrlok exacerbated the situation, if anything. He instated a curfew on non-benders, cut electricity in non-bender districts, and made association with Equalists punishable by law. Suddenly people who were perfectly fine with benders before were a lot less friendly, and I can't blame them for throwing their lot in with someone who appeared to care about them.

[She shakes her head.] You're right. It's complicated. I'd resigned by that point. Amon had captured my best officers and Tarrlok had the rest in his pocket. I wasn't going to sit still when being outside the so-called law at that point was the best place to be.

[Don't even start him on politicians.]

No doubt some plan to make himself look like the City's saviour in time of need. [HUFF PUFF he hates those kinds of people.] I'm sorry about your men [from anyone else, this might sound like pity, but from Kyle, it's compassion, and recognition. He's lost people too.]

This is why the Corps answers to no government, but directly to the people we serve.

[She nods, if a little stiffly.] He was a bloodbender, too--just more willing to play by the rules until he was confronted.

It sounds like it'd be a better system, as long as it doesn't turn into a personal army in the wrong hands.

I've been warned.

[And he takes it very seriously.]

There's always that risk, honestly.

[And a shrug.]

Of all people, you'd probably actually be able to guess the real reason Amon is permitted to remain on my premises.

Hell, sign me up. This place needs as many medics on hand as it can get.

[ Totally bitter about being stranded on a backwater planet? Noo, never! ]

Would be happy to. [And he nearly leaves it there, but wait, "medic"?] What experience do you have?

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004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

video also forever, etc.!

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