tushanshu | Video

[ 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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[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?

[A small smirk crosses her lips in turn.]

Well, yeah, but that's just because you were being stupid and not stopping it when you could.

[He can also note that he never got crushed in any of those lessons either, thank you. Toph is a benevolent, if demanding, dictator-sifu.]

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