tushanshu | Video

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[ As the video starts up things are pretty quiet at first. There's a clear view of Zuko's face, his one eyebrow furrowed as his eyes flick back and forth studying the console. He got the explanation of how this worked, he knows what he's supposed to be doing with it... but it doesn't make the contraption any less bizarre to him.

After a good fifteen seconds of silence before he starts speaking. ]

Hello...

[ There's just a moment of hesitation here before Zuko stands up straighter and looks directly at the screen. ]

My name is Zuko. I am the prince of the Fire Nation.

[ A frown. ]

I don't know if that means anything to most of you here, and if it doesn't then this doesn't concern you.

[ Nice, Zuko.

He's still having a little difficulty with the idea that people here won't know what the Fire Nation is. It's a pretty big part of his world... it's a pretty big part of the entire world where he's from.

He takes a deep breath, and in the gravest tone he can muster up (which is pretty damn grave) says- ]

I need to know if anyone here has seen the Avatar.

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Yeah.

[She suspects he will. For whatever reason, in spite of the ribbing, Toph has a measure of confidence in Zuko. He'll get it done; he'll just be an idiot about it a good part of the time.]

[To his question, though, she gives a quick shake of the head.]

Nope. It's just been Aang and me.

[Pause.]

. . . Except your uncle kind of came recently too.

[ Being an idiot before getting things done is the way Zuko do.

He's quiet for a bit after she says that. If she had any questions about his exact point in time, this'll definitely help clarify to her about where he's from. ]

I... see.

[ He's got so much he wants to say, but he doesn't know how to verbalize all of it. ]

Has uncle-- have things been going well for him here?

Yeah, he's good.

You know how he is. He talks to everyone, drinks tea. It's kind of like an adventure for him, I think.

He'll be glad to see you.

[Maybe that's Toph's attempt at reassurance right there.]

[ It's kind of appreciated, but... ]

How could he possible be glad to see me after everything that happened?

[ After everything he did, but he doesn't really want to get into all of that over this console thing where other people might be listening in. ]

I don't know.

[Her tone isn't for condemning his past, but more to say, "Why are you asking me all your existential questions like I know the answers? Seriously."]

I think you should go talk to him. Ask him yourself.

[Get the two in the same room together. Toph would like to see Iroh happy.]

Just do it soon and don't waste a bunch of time brooding about it, okay?

We'll worry about figuring out the thing with Aang later.

[ He wants to, he really does, but... ]

I can't. Not right now.

[ He's got a meeting with Korra to get to. ]

But I will soon. In the meantime, just let Aang know that I want to arrange a meeting with him in the near future, and I have no intentions of hurting him. I know he won't trust me, but maybe he'll believe it if it's coming from you.

I think it's probably going to take more than that. But yeah, okay.

[She'll try, at any rate. It's not like Aang and the others listened to her the first time about Zuko either.]

[A pause.]

By the way. Don't think this counts as the life-changing field trip you owe me. You're going to have to do better than that.

[It's Toph. Gotta add the humor back there somewhere.]

[ Has she gotten tired of hearing him sigh yet? Because he's sighing again hanging his head a little right now. Really? At a time like this? ]

Let's worry about the issue with Aang first. Then we'll worry about that.

[ Maybe. It's not like he plans for these trips to be life changing or anything, he just sort of ended up going on adventures with people. He's pretty sure that's not something you can plan for, but Toph's brought this up more than once now, so clearly this is something she wants from him.

Shame he's like 90% sure he won't be able to deliver the way she wants him to. ]

[Toph is only half-serious. But hey, she'll take it if he offers. Can't turn down a good life-changing field trip.]

[So she grins.]

I'll stop by and help you figure stuff out later if you want. I've been here the longest, so I'm pretty much used to it by now.

[See? Sometimes Toph is helpful. ~~Generally if there's no one else to do it.~~]

[ She can be, when she wants to. Zuko would never argue that though, it's only thanks to Toph that he's part of the group now. Sure, him helping to fight against the assassin he himself hired to take them down helped, but she was the only one that would speak up for him when the others were so unwilling to let him into the group.

Never gonna forget that, and he won't forget her help here either. ]

I'll let you know when I'm done taking care of some other business first.

[He's close enough to hear, and to see the light in the room shift as the conversation ends, but not close enough to show up on camera.

He's heard it all.
And to be honest, he's not entirely sure what to make of what he's heard.]

[Toph knows he's there. The house is made of stone; it's hard not to know. So she calls over her shoulder,]

Okay, you really shouldn't try to sneak up on blind people.

[She twists in her chair, facing his direction. Her body language is deliberately casual, but firm, too.]

As you probably guessed by now, Zuko's here.

[Aang leans against the wall. He's not pouting, exactly, but it's clear from both his posture and his tone that he's displeased.]

I wasn't sneaking.

Yeah, well, not like you just popped out, either.

[But whatever. It's not a big deal to her. There's a larger issue at stake. The Fire Nation prince is here, and last Aang knew him, Zuko had opted for Azula's side.]

[Katara could so probably word this better. But Toph will have to do her best. Both Aang and Zuko are important.]

This Zuko's from my time. He's kind of whiny and kind of really awkward, but he's a decent guy. He worked some stuff out between when you came from and my time.

[Did she just call Zuko a decent guy?]

Good for him.

[Yeah, she did. And she'll do it again, too, if she has to.]

[For now she puffs out a breath.]

He's going to want to talk to you. Actually, he already does. And I think you should at least go and hear him out.

[Aang doesn't say much of anything after that.
He doesn't move a whole lot either.]

why?

[Toph keeps her voice even, unmoving. Matter-of-fact.] Because in your future, he's a friend. Our friend. That includes Katara and Sokka too, and you know that was a hard sell.

He's also your firebending teacher . . . which right now, you kind of need. And before you say anything, yeah, you do. That M-guy is supposed to be almost as bad as Ozai, and if you've got another weapon you can use, you should use it.

I'll go with you if you want, just to make sure things are good. But he's not going to try anything.

[And Aang had better know she damn well wouldn't risk him if she thought otherwise.]

You can't know that for certain.

[General Iroh didn't think Zuko would turn on him, but it still happened.]

[Toph is nonplussed.]

I said I'd go with you, didn't I?

If the two of us can take on Korra, Mako, and that other guy, we can take some dorky Fire Nation prince.

He's not Azula.

[Sorry, Zuko. But you're not.]

[It's the mention of Azula that rankles him past the point of his calm.]

This isn't a game, Toph.

You. You all had time to process this. To deal with this. To change. I haven't. For me it's still fresh. For me it hasn't even been a year since Sozin attacked my people.

And now you want me to just go and sit in a room with a Zuko?

[You're asking too much. Too soon.]

[In spite of the apparent casualness of her approach, Toph has stayed serious, her tone even. She keeps that now, refusing to rise to his level of emotion.] I never said it was.

[Being heavy-handed about it didn't seem to be the ticket either, though. She knows it's difficult for him. The more weight she piles on the matter, the more weight he takes on his shoulders. He needs a friend in this, not a whip-cracker.]

I was thinking outside, actually. [Less feeling like he's trapped, and plenty of people around.]

I'm not asking you to be all buddy-buddy with him. I'm asking you to meet him and listen. You know. Talk.

[And yeah, she's hoping he'll renew his contract with Zuko being his firebending teacher. But first things first.]

[Her voice goes quieter.]

Yeah. I know he's Sozin's grandkid. But he's not Sozin. And he's not Ozai.

Think about it, okay?

[He might not be Sozin or Ozai, but he is Zuko: Betrayer of Iroh, ally to Azula, and relentless hunter of the Avatar.

Aang's nostrils flare as he attempts to breath his way down from agitation. Only after he does so does he speak again]

Fine.

[But if he's going to think about it, which he's not going to make any promises about, it's not going to be here. He turns and begins to leave the room.]

[She lets him. She gets the need for space. She'd want it too.]

Thanks.

Here if you need to talk about it later.

[A pause. There's something more she wants to say, something important, though it comes almost at the point she seems like she isn't going to say anything else at all.] You know I wouldn't ask you for stuff I really thought was going to hurt you, right?

[She's not digging for an answer about Zuko yet. She just wants him to know this fact. He's her friend, her family, and she's always going to protect him the best she can.]

Edited 2014-01-23 21:43 (UTC)

[Her interjection gives him pause. He doesn't turn to look at her, but he does stop walking away.

Maybe she can see that the hard line of his mouth has given way to a small smile.]

Didn't you once tell me that I should have given a boulder the satisfaction of crushing me?

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dustonmyfeet - 2014-01-23 22:46 (UTC) - Expand

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