Sokka the 55th - [Action/Voice]

[markofthewise]

[This Lucetian has been returned from the Malnosso, after not too long a stay with them. He's kind of bruised up and is leaning on his left leg a bit much. But you'd never notice it from that kick in his step. With a big grin on his face, he's walking from the north end of the plaza on his way home, looking all around him at all the snow the recent snow storm left. And those icicles hanging on the trees! Beautiful! What a winter wonder land he's found!

And look, is that a stray squirrel in his path? Sokka will happily say hello to it until it runs away on twitch reflex. Oh well, that squirrel had important things to do! And that stray cat. And that deer. And that bird and- oh, he must be in the woods. Time to go back to the village. You know what? Despite not feeling all that well, after he gets to House 56 and informs his sister and girlfriend and that wonderful old chap from the Fire Nation he's home, he's got other places to visit. He has to let his friends know he's home. All his friends. Like his smithy buddies. His Straw Hat friends. People he's met randomly at the smithy when they go work orders. Xion, of course requires a visit. He doesn't exactly know where Frey lives these days, but darnit if he isn't going to work out and drop in on him too. He doesn't exactly feel bad about his argument with Haruhi. It was all a silly misunderstanding. So he'll just drop in on her too. And his teachers and, oh, did he ever find out about Regal's proposal? And then there's the pirate the slayer and other friends and... yeah, catching up with everybody is kind of an all day thing. He'll drag himself home that night.

Oh, but fortunately before he arrives at home, he does leave a voice message for everyone.]

Man, everyone says those Malnosso people are real jerks. I don't know what they're talking about. The dropped me off near town, gave me my clothes back - with all the holes I put in it stitched back, thank you very much, and were even nice enough to make sure I was clean shaven before dropped here. These are good people, am I right? Right? Right?

((ooc: If not completely obvious, the Malnosso have returned Sokka from his kidnapping lacking in ANY kind of negativity. There is no downside to ANYTHING. He is perpetually happy. He still, of course, loves his jokes and sarcasm. But he's happy, happy, happy. He's having a wonderful time! This will last until... well, however long it takes for Sokka's happiness to make me start vomiting.]

Comments

[markofthewise]

Of course I believe in wishes, why wouldn't I?

[Said like this is the most obvious thing ever.]

[all7seas]

Because your wish has gone and buggered my chances of...OH! A counter-wish! I'll have to remember to make one, later-like. Once you're in your right mind and I've had a bit more rum and your Katara's seen to your dastardly headwounds.

[markofthewise]

I don't think counter-wishes work like that, Jack.

[all7seas]

Oh? How do they work, then?

[Because he really really wants to know.]

[markofthewise]

They don't work at all. Wishes wouldn't be very special otherwise.

[all7seas]

.....Right. "Special." Your Katara will have other ideas, I'm sure. [And perhaps she'll know what to do about this Rainbow-Loving Wee Girl Doom-Wishing Not-Thunderous-At-All Sokka.]

The Malnosso---did they ask any questions, boyo?

[markofthewise]

[He considers.]

Nope. I guess they didn't need to know anything.

[all7seas]

[In tones of supreme sympathy:] Didn't ask me anything either, lad. Bastards.

[markofthewise]

They're probably just busy.

[all7seas]

Bah! Busy bein' sadists, is what. And don't ask what that is; Jack's in no mood, lad.

[markofthewise]

Maybe you'd be in the mood with a song?

[He clears his voice and starts to sing... better than the original singer of this song, even.]

♪ Two lovers, forbidden from one another ♫
♫ A war divides their people, and a mountain divides them apart. ♪
♪ Built a path to be together. ♫

[all7seas]

[At first this singing merely irritates an already-irritated Jack, but then he cottons on to the lyrics and begins to think.]

Thunderaxe: these lovers---does this path work for them, then? Are they brought together in the end?

[markofthewise]

Well, I was getting to that part. Eventually the song goes....

♪ Secret tunnel! ♫
♫ Secret tunnel! ♪
♪ Through the mountain! ♫
♫ Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel! Yeah! ♪

1/3

[all7seas]

Ah. So.

...

Secret tunnel, then.

[all7seas]

[all7seas]

Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful, isn't it? What does it all mean?!

[markofthewise]

It's all kind of metaphorical. On the mountain, they learned how to earthbend from the Badger Moles. So they created that secret tunnel so they could continue to be in love, without their two villages knowing. In the end, the man died in one of the wars. The woman was so enraged, she nearly destroyed both villages with her powerful earthbending. In the end, she spared them and said the war was over. In their honor, the city of Omashu was established.

[all7seas]

Ah, so a metaphor is useful in bringing parted lovers together?

...

BADGER MOLES?!

[markofthewise]

Yeah. Big badger moles. They really like music too!

[all7seas]

[Just keep walking, Jacky. Quick-like. Check the compass, yes, that's it; keep to that heading. Lick a finger, test the wind, make certain you can get him there before anything untoward blows up out of the east.]

So---how will Katara go about making this right, Thunderaxe?

[markofthewise]

Waterbending. Very good at healing, you know. And not even all waterbenders can do it. She's lucky to know how.

[But that's only for surface wounds. No brain altering for her.]

[all7seas]

Is this "waterbending" at all useful at sea, mate?

[markofthewise]

Very useful! When we did our invasion of the Fire Nation, we were able to hide our fleet because all our waterbenders surrounded our ships with fog, making them invisible to our enemies.

[all7seas]

Hmmm. And any chance your Katara might be interested in signing on with a pirate crew, like?

[markofthewise]

Possibly! [A pause.] But probably with Luffy or Law's crew. [She doesn't like you, Jack.]