genessia | vii ⚜ video + action

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vii ⚜ video + action

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[ unbelievable. of course weiss would sign him up for this, and of course he'd get stuck having to get a gift for his girlfriend's could've been love interest of all people. zuko very much didn't want to do this, but he promised weiss he would play along and at least try to be festive. the latter likely wasn't happening, but he could at the very least (begrudgingly) participate in the secret santa she went out of her way to organize, even if that meant getting a gift for neptune vasilias.

which was where a certain pink loving ~~circus freak~~ contortionist came in. ]

I need a favor.

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Zuko wasn't going to have much of a direct hand in selecting Neptune's gift, but he was in the selection of others. Which was why he could be found window shipping with Weiss's Charizard in tow, walking through the Genessian mall as if doing so with a dragon-like Pokémon at your side was the norm. And when he paused to look at something in a window display, Char would peer over Zuko's head to see what he was looking at, huffing out a puff of hot air through his nose and fogging up the glass.

"Too close, back up," he told him, elbowing the beast until he stepped back with an unhappy rumble. "You're going to leave nose prints on the glass."

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[ a smirk that's often too much like ozai's for his comfort spreads across his face. oh, zuko has his secrets. he has lots of secrets. he'd yet to have a reason to show just how good he was at what he did, just how formidable of an adversary he could make himself should someone give him good enough reason to be one. ]

A good strategist is always paying attention to the strengths and weaknesses of others, as well as keeping the bulk of theirs under lock and key.

[ Not that she was planning on using any information she got about his abilities any time soon, but it never hurt to be prepared. Even knowing that she doesn't know everything is something important. It tells her he's smart and that he's got plenty up his sleeve that he isn't willing to tell a stranger. Cinder didn't exactly tell them to keep an eye out for everyone who could be a problem or the strong people like they were meant to do in Remnant, but hey. It doesn't hurt to take a few mental notes. ]

So you think of yourself as a good strategist? [ She reaches up, tapping her mittens against her lower cheek repeatedly like she's thinking. ] Okay, what do you see about me?

You're fast. [ he answers without hesitation. ] You prefer clothing that's non-constricting and doesn't get in your way. It allows you to be quick on your feet with less of a risk of being heard, or so I'd wager.

Too bad the weather's forcing you into bulkier clothing.

Close, but I'm not one for sneaking around so worry about noise isn't my thing. When I fight someone, I do it face-to-face.

[ Usually with Mercury nearby because double-teaming people is fun and he'd probably complain if she murdered someone without him. ]

I'm used to wearing that clothing because I'm from a desert country.

[ Aaaand because people find it hard to suspect you of theft if you don't look like you have anywhere to put what you stole in the first place. It also provides a distraction if she's trying to steal something. Nothing Zuko needs to know.. ]

You were right about me being fast and that I don't like to be constricted. 2/3 isn't bad.

[ nothing he needs to know, but enough that he suspects and is opting not to voice. accusing someone of being a thief when they may not be one and he has no reason to draw attention to that possibility isn't his style. he knows all about looking like you can't carry a thing on you, yet managing to smuggle out plenty. his blue spirit uniform was skin tight, yet he managed to steal his fair share in spite of it when he was in his denial phase, stealing what he needed to get by instead of dealing with the reality of his situation. ]

I grew up on a chain of volcanic islands. Were I not able to regulate my body temperature, I'd probably hate this weather as much as you do.

[ It's too bad she didn't know that, but even if he did... Him thinking she's a pickpocket (which she is) instead of one of the people helping to orchestrate basically the worst problems in his girlfriend's world right now? She could deal with that if she found out he thought she might be a thief. ]

You're really lucky then. [ She holds her mittens up, making it clear she has no access to her fingers. ] I can't even use my Scroll- phone, unless I'm indoors.

[ zuko wasn't a touchy-feely person unless you were weiss (or his sister, depending on whether the two of them were willingly to tolerate/act within the boundaries of normal sibling bonds), but frozen fingers weren't fun. he grabbed a mitten-clad hand in each of his and bent a bit of heat into the fabric. ]

That any better?

[ weiss doesn't call him her walking heater for nothing. ]

You'd better be careful or your girlfriend isn't going to get you back. That's great.

[ Emerald is, of course, joking-- she wouldn't date Zuko in a million years, but warm hands? That was nice. She quickly pulled them back to her face to warm her nose up with the residual heat. ]

[ that comment had zuko snatching his hands back as if he'd burned himself, and he could feel his good ear going pink in embarrassment under the mop of his hair. at his side, charizard chuckled and zuko shot him a scandalized look. he was just trying to help! ]

Relax, you're not my type.

[ At least she gave the Charizard a laugh. And she will probably give Mercury a laugh when she inevitably tells him later. ]

I didn't think I was!

[ so there, he might as well have added to that. zuko's distinct lack of proper social skills shined in situations like this. he had no idea how to handle them or what to do in response. there was no royal training for it, and no soldiers to boss around as a way of taking attention off him and his folly like he'd done in his youth. ]

Have you never been teased before?

[ She wasn't sure she'd call him that, but he'd be able to handle it a lot better if he had experienced it. ]

Would you tease the heir to the most powerful nation in the world?

[ that would be a no. beyond weiss, the closest he'd come to being teased was aang's friends and he just kind of sat there and took it on account of having tried to almost kill them a few times. azula tormenting him didn't count. ]

Edited 2015-01-05 00:29 (UTC)

I just did.

[ She gets what he meant, but the friendly teasing should continue, clearly. Zuko needs it, she's happy to oblige by messing with him in a way that's a lot nicer than Mercury ever would. ]

I'm surprised no little rascal had the guts to when you were a kid, but I admit I don't know much about upper society life.

Were my father here, you wouldn't even think about making the attempt.

[ issuing such a statement makes his stomach churn unpleasantly. throwing his weight around by way of reminding people that fire lord ozai is a cruel, ruthless man wasn't his style anymore, yet there was something about having hid in his father's oppressive shadow for so long that had it tumbling out before he had time to process what he was saying.

he snorts, crossing his arms. ] Obviously, otherwise you'd know that royal children don't exactly have the luxury of being around other kids.

[ She wants to say "You'd be surprised" but not caring about authority or legality, regardless of how harsh the consequences or risk, would be a bad thing to admit... Especially so to a Deputy Guardian who's dating one of the pain in the ass kids that interferes with their plans a lot. ]

Then it's a good thing your father isn't here.

[ his silence is his agreement. were ozai here, depending on where his father hailed from, zuko would have to fall in line and play conqueror at his side along with azula. that's not a fate he'd ever wish on any part of this world. ]

That bad?

[ Well at least she's stepping out of the store finally. The shopkeeper seems to be starting to look at her for trying to stay in the doorway. Oh well, subject change. The silence tells her enough to know not to question it more than that. ]

What are you out shopping for?

Edited 2015-01-10 21:51 (UTC)

My nation is a conquering one. You do the math as to how bad that would be for everyone were he to make a grand entrance.

[ ozai wasn't nearly as understanding or willing to settle for truce/peace like his daughter was, and had never approved of zuko's almost docile demeanor that was too much iroh's influence and an unnecessary reflection of the avatar whose bloodline he was partially bred from. ]

Gifts. Weiss is having a party for this Christmas holiday that some worlds celebrate.

Lucky for us, if he shows up here, he doesn't have an army. It doesn't even sound like his own son's got his back.

[ She looks thoughtful for a moment, scooting closer to Char's tail-- entirely so she can warm up near it with a little wave to him. ]

I was thinking about popping in on that.

No, but he has Azula and I.

[ that's enough to inflict serious damage were zuko on board, and he's quite honestly on the fence in that scenario when it comes to sticking to his illusion or standing defiant against his father like he did down in the catacombs. whichever would be more beneficial to genessia would be the road he would take. ]

You should. It could be fun.

You three must be really strong together if you're that confident. Seems to me there are a lot of powerful people here.

[ The kid heavily implies it's bad then says he's on the guy's side. It is family and some people value that above all, but Emerald's trying to figure this out now. Trying to figure him out. Conquering family, rich prince, and he even implied he'd stand by a guy it seems would be pretty bad for the world. Seems just up the Ice Queen's alley as far as Emerald knows. Definitely the type of person she'd see on a hit list for the people she works with. As much as she and her group had their own ideas and desires, she would still put the White Fang's form of justice above the people in charge any day. ]

I'll make an appearance then. I'm sure Mercury's going anyway.

[ zuko's a conundrum, both deliberately and unintentionally. but standing with ozai would only be done if it would benefit everyone for him to do so. were ozai here and being at his father's side would help to keep them safe from his father's tyrannical wrath? he'd pull that hood of lies on tighter over his head and play the dutiful son for as long as was needed. just as he was playing the loyal brother who'd never dare to stand against the fire nation when in reality, from the point in time he was last standing in, he already has. ]

You know that guy?

Mercury? Of course I know him, he's my teammate-- I didn't mention that?

[ She doesn't exactly hide it- there's no reason to, not like their fun relations with Roman and Neo. ]

[ he looks as if he's eaten something very sour for a second. ]

Oh. No, you didn't.

vii ⚜ video + action

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