Sokka the 17th - [Voice/Action]

[markofthewise]

[So after going around breaking hearts and fighting evil demons, Sokka has found a new hobby to get his mind off of how annoying Luceti can be. That hobby? Cooking!

Surprisingly enough, despite the fact he's used the smithy as his personal kitchen for the past few days, Sokka has managed to complete a batch of eel jerky (or rather, a dish of mán xiāng consisting of salt cured eel) that actually doesn't taste absolutely horrible. It's nothing exceptional, but it is rather tasty. He's set out a plate of the stuff in the smithy, along with some vinegar bowl in a display that looks nowhere near as nice as this picture. At the very least it looks edible. Anyone who for whatever reason decides to drop by the smithy today are more than welcome to try some of Sokka's latest cooking experiment. Otherwise he's going to be inviting people over the journal.]

Hey Sanji, Brook! I finished the eel jerky I told you about. If you want to drop by you can have some. Anyone else who wants some can drop by too, but it probably won't last long if everyone does, though.

Comments

[markofthewise]

Conversations about paint are amazingly dull. Not going to lie. But anyways, at least you didn't go with Foggy Swamp Green like I told Zuko I was planning to use.

[markofthebrave]

[Right, Sokka. Sure, she'll buy that.] No. No green. So all my conversations were boring, huh?

[markofthewise]

[He thinks about that for a bit.] You seriously need to stop talking to Ami. That girl is crazy.

[markofthebrave]

[Oh look, he anticipated her next question! Darn. But...] Ami? The girl with the blue hair? She told me her name was Mercury.

[markofthewise]

Well Ami is how she introduced herself to me. Back when she used to have this whole fake smile routine like Joo Dee.

[markofthebrave]

Mind control, huh? Do you think that's what it is? Because there's something seriously wrong with her. She wants to murder these people from her world -- but at the same time she's calling them her friends! And talking to her is a lot like trying to talk to a wall sometimes.

...do you think she came here brainwashed? All her thoughts seem to be centered on defeating her 'friends,' here or at home. You don't think there's another Lake Laogai around here, do you?

[markofthewise]

If it's mind control, I think she was messed up before she got here. I'm pretty sure she showed up around the same time I did, after all. When I met her, she seemed... different. Like maybe she was trying to make friends, despite the whole creepy smile thing. Or maybe not.

Although now that I think about it... [He trails off as something begins to click.]

[markofthebrave]

What? What is it?

[markofthewise]

My friend Mayoi was attacked about a month ago by a 'Saturday morning villainess' or something. I don't know what that first part meant, but she did mention blue hair, a skimpy outfit, and a sword.

[markofthebrave]

A 'Saturday morning' what now?

Hmm... that does sound like Mercury.. who's Mayoi? Was she all right? Did she give any reason why she thought she might be attacked?

[markofthewise]

Yeah, no clue what that part meant. But Mayoi is just this kid [who Sokka recently found out was a ghost for ten years] I know. Apparently Ami, err, Mercury stole her ah... [and suddenly Sokka feels a little embarrassed about this.]

[markofthebrave]

Stole her what?

[markofthewise]

[What a relief! Apparently Katara didn't know what it was either. Well then, he'll just enlighten her.

Wait, this is a weird subject to talk about with your sister.] Not important. Her energy was drained. It was like she'd ran into Ty Lee or something.

[markofthebrave]

Ty Lee. [Unlike her brother, Katara has no pleasant memories of the girl to balance out the feeling of utter helplessness she caused. There's a frowny pause at the name.] But she doesn't steal energy. She blocks it. How could anyone take someone else's energy? And what would they do with it?

[markofthewise]

That's the real question... [And something worth mulling over. She was definitely the kind of person worth upgrading to one of the potential threats in Luceti.] I'll have to do some more digging, I guess.

[markofthebrave]

[Way to be villain bait, Katara! Meanwhile, they begin to approach their house.]

Digging how? You're not thinking of talking to her again, are you?

[markofthewise]

I'd just as soon not. But I recall there were some people talking about some attacks around when Mayoi was hit. I'd like to talk to whoever those people were... and Mayoi too. And probably Nami. She's the resident expert on villains, apparently.

[markofthebrave]

Nami is? Really?

[A pause.] I can keep talking with her. If she's really been brainwashed, then maybe there's some way to help her.

[markofthewise]

Well, I think it's more of a situation where villains seem to be fixated on her. That and she's where Toph and I got our list of villains from, so.

[As far as that goes? Not a fan of the idea.] I'm not sure that's a good idea. She might start thinking of you as a 'friend' that needs taken care of too.

[markofthebrave]

Fixated on her? What do you mean? [Concerned Katara is concerned.]

She might, but I don't think so. She said she was involved in some sort of war...

[markofthewise]

[Sokka just kind of shrugs.] Not sure. It's just a pattern I've picked up on.

Azula was in a war too. I'm not about to go tell my friends to try and make friends with her. [Oh and look! They're at the house now.]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara makes a note to talk to Nami about this later. Meanwhile, she stops at the threshold of their house to confront her brother.]

But what if something is making her fight her friends against her will? Like with Jet?

[Read: I couldn't help him. Maybe I can help her.]

[markofthewise]

We don't know if that's what's going on. We could just make things worse, Katara. The best thing we can do is warn people about her and don't get involved unless we have to. We already have enough to worry about with Yuber and Aku running around.

[markofthebrave]

But Sokka, I'm not talking about doing crazy! Just trying to find out more about where she's from and who her friends are. All I'm saying is that I don't think I should quit talking to her when there's so much more that we need to find out!

[markofthewise]

[Sokka pauses. This is Katara. If it involves doing something stupid and reckless, well, then it practically has her name written all over it. Maybe there's a different way he could handle it.] If someone is going to talk to her, it should be me. The last time we talked, it was friendly. [... too friendly.] I'd have a lot easier time talking to her than you would.