markofthewise | Sokka the 79th

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Sokka the 79th - [Action]

Over two months ago, Sokka died. His penalty was something incredibly intangible. It took from him his empathy, his ability to love, and so many other things. He didn't have a way of describing it, but he was empty. In truth, he wasn't sure he felt anything. There was nothing that truly touched him on the inside.

More than a week ago, Sokka left for a mission. A week and a half with the Depot where they instituted the kind of justice he could appreciate. He certainly felt no remorse when he shot a man for stealing water. When bandits attacked the depot, they rounded up most of them and then strung them up for their trouble. It was a simple morality and for a short while, things actually made sense. Not like the gray morality in Luceti, where people were stupid enough to think that sparing the lives of murderers and thieves meant anything.

And then he got his reward. Cashing in the bulk of mission points he'd accumulated for over a year, he was given what he really coveted the most. Power. And now he had it. As he walked into Luceti, he imagined that he could feel the difference. It was not quite so dramatic as what he had been given by the Rogue Malnosso, but he was content with the knowledge that he'd be keeping what he'd earned. There'd be no scientists taking it away from him this time.

It's mid-day when Sokka returns to town and he's still wearing the cowboy hat he took to the Depot with him. Maybe it doesn't exactly mesh with the Water Tribe clothes he's accustomed to, but he likes it. The hat makes him feel gritty and intimidating. He'll eventually get tired of hat hair, though. Just not today.

So today for his time spent back in Luceti, he heads home to greet whoever might be there. He checks in Foo Foo, the saber toothed moose lion he received from Christmas. It's getting quite big now, having reached the size of medium-sized dog. The tips of his antlers are even starting to become a bit more visible. Although the animal does seem quieter around Sokka, its at least obedient and follows him as he goes about Luceti. For today that includes the Smithy until evening, the Library for an hour, back at House 56 for dinner, and then out in the forest to try and teach Foo Foo to hunt.

The next morning, he makes sure that Okita Souji will meet him for their training session. Sokka is looking forward to seeing the results.

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"I do say so. Loudly and proudly and..."

Oh, now she was just giving him a look. A weird and suspicious kind of look.

He tried to ignore it for several footfalls. But eventually and inevitably:

"... what?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. A little tired, maybe. Why?"

"It just kinda struck me that you seem...different. That's all. A little unlike yourself."

Maybe Sokka was simply tired. Exhaustion brought out the cranks in the best of us, Buffy thought. And she likely never would have noticed the depth of the difference had she not been on the lookout after Suki's own observations.

"I've been getting that a lot." He smiled and played it off with an affectionate glance. "I guess I've just been having a rough time after that last draft. I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

"N-no. I think it's been since before the draft, hasn't it?"

Because Suki had voiced her concerns well before they'd gone to TERRACE.

Crap. He shrugged. "Oh." He paused a moment. "Well, it's Luceti. There's always something bringing us down."

"Amen to that, brother."

The agreement was simply given, but her suspicion did not automatically evaporate. It persisted on the fringes of the moment. Waiting. Watching.

Well, that was that. Time to change the subject before she pressed further. As they crossed the second bridge, he spoke up again.

"So... how's things been?"

"Lonely, actually. Up until just recently, I was all on my lonesome at the house. You know what sucks? Making a meal for just you and then having to do the dishes, too."

"Oh right. Jack." He recalled, vaguely, that the pirate had been kidnapped. "So he came back?"

"At long last. He was gone for a while. And they...well -- they did a number on him, this time."

He really wasn't interested. But the house was still a little walk away. "How bad?"

"...Do you know what I mean when I say the following words: nerd; geek; pointdexter; egghead?"

He stared at her until he worked it out. "... his head is an egg now?"

"It's about as scrambled as one. He's all..." A huff. "He's not himself, obviously. Super non-confident, he snorts when he laughs, and I'm pretty sure he's entirely forgotten how to flirt."

"That does sound awful. He's not making you still... you know. While he's like that?"

Clipped: "Jack doesn't make me do anything." It's knee-jerk. It's almost cold. But Buffy eventually came 'round to the fact that it was Sokka she was speaking with, and so -- "God. Even if he did, I'm not sure this version of him would make it through a single booty call without stammering himself into a coma."

As it turned out? The shy guy thing was really not revving Buffy's engines.

"So you've got him back, but can't do anything with him. Haven't we all been there before?" He could certainly think of more than a few instances of that himself. Luceti could be hard when you were romantically entangled.

"It's...not like that. Not like that at all. I don't need to...do anything with him. If anything, I'm trying to grateful this is all they've done to him."

"Hey, I'm not saying it's all bad. But kidnappings are just a pain in general. I mean, remember that time when I came back super positive? That was obnoxious."

Even more so now when he looked back at it. Just thinking about it made him want to shudder.

"While weird, it certainly could also have been worse. If someone comes back annoying instead of tragic, I consider it a win. Or a quasi-win. And Jack might be getting on my very last nerves, but he's...no one's getting hurt. Ditto you and your glass-half-full approach. In these parts, that's a good day."

"Point. It's true, I've seen worse." He thought back to that time that Winry thought her arm was automail. He still had nightmares about that.

Or rather, he used to. Back when he still dreamed.

She proceeded through the next few steps in silence: just long enough to solidify the self-delusion and believe for good that it could have been worse. But deep down, she knew she was doing wrong by Jack. She was hurting him. She just didn't know how to...stop.

Eventually: "I met that new girl from your world. The one who was here before, I think...?"

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