viii ⚜ action + voice

[banishment]

ＡＣＴＩＯＮ, ＯＰＥＮ ＴＯ ＡＮＹＯＮＥ

Zuko hadn't been to work in a while. He took a temporary leave of absence following Weiss's kidnapping and subsequent rescue, determined to keep a watchful eye on her in case Torchwick was foolish enough to go after her again. But time had passed and Torchwick had yet to make a move, and Weiss had recovered enough that he felt comfortable with backing off a little. (Besides, he was sure she knew that he had essentially spent the past month tailing her.) And while the dragon problem in Fayren wasn't as much of a dilemma as it had been, it was still something that required attention.

Which was why the Deputy Guardian could be found in various parts of Fayren throughout the day, from the streets of the city itself to the more mountainous and forested areas where the dragons tended to dwell. It was important to ensure that the native populations remained unharmed and those human-like dragons that had seen to capturing virgins were eradicated.

ＶＯＩＣＥ, ＬＯＣＫＥＤ ＴＯ ＫＡＴＡＲＡ

You said we were supposed to be friends now, that you forgave me for what I did in Ba Sing Se and, you know, everything else? If that's true, then I would like to ask you for a favor.

[ awkward... ]

Comments

[mintchip]

Emerald watches him. It's always interesting to see just what he's going to do with that firebending of his, even if she doesn't personally care for it. No need to be a hot-head with her, Zuko.

"We should've asked them for some towels before we hid out here."

[banishment]

"There's no need for us to burden them. They have enough to worry about with their crops."

Zuko understood a thing or two about farming, not just from listening to reports from the Minister of Agriculture, but from working the fields while he was staying wtih that kind Earth Kingdom family. The family who was kind to him up until he brazenly declared himself son of the Fire Lord. Funny how a name can instill such fear and hatred in people, just like that.

He shrugged out of his shirt, hauling it up over his head so he could wring it out and give it a good shake in attempt to get as much water out of it as possible.

"Their corn fields were burned down by those creatures masquerading as dragons. What you helped them cover up is pretty much all they have left until these rains help to restore what was lost."

[mintchip]

Emerald wasn't especially familiar. She grew up in a desert area. While it had plenty of commerce, and there were likely farms a little ways away, her life was on the streets typically. Her food sources were what she could snag. It was how she ended up getting as good as she was at theft.

"I'm surprised you haven't taken the easy solution to that dragon problem, by the way. Most people would've slaughtered them all by now, just the same as we take out Grimm or criminals."

Well, that last part wasn't true in her case. Sometimes. She didn't particularly care who it was, if she was so inclined and Mercury was in on it, a little bloodshed was fun sometimes no matter what species it was. For a brief moment she considered asking if he thought it was out of compassion or incompetence, but that seemed like it'd be a little too close to revealing any bit of her attitude.

"It seems compassionate anyway."

[banishment]

Zuko pulled his shirt back on. It was still damp, but at least it wasn't clinging to him like a misshapen second skin.

"I respect the dragons, they don't. That's the difference between me and most people."

[mintchip]

"Sounds like you need some dragon respect seminars," Emerald joked, but added a little more seriously, "How do you show respect for dragons without getting eaten?"

Emerald finally took her jacket off, but she couldn't exactly take off more than that without flashing Zuko, given her usual garments. There wasn't much left to the imagination as it was. She hung her jacket over some wood, not bothering to check what it was, then hurried over to Zuko.

"Would you mind starting a fire for me? I don't think either of us want me to take anything else off."

[banishment]

Zuko snorts, partly because he's campy enough beneath those layers of badass to have considered something along those lines, but enough of a realist to know that those efforts would be wasted and would likely make matters worse. It's better to combat the faux dragons while they're around, and protect the native population until things calm down. Then, hopefully, relations between the human and dragon populations can return to normal.

He almost responded with sarcasm, remarking on how he wasn't a walking spark stone, but went to gather an armful of straw for kindling instead.

"Sure," he said as he dumped the pile of straw to her left and bent fire at it. The straw would keep it burning without him having to pay much attention to it. "How's that?"

[mintchip]

Hey, she asked nicely. Emerald seems pleased with the fire and moved to sit on the ground near it, crossing her legs and holding her hands out to warm up.

"It's perfect. Thanks."

Emerald still hadn't gotten the answer to one of her questions though, despite the snorting at her little joke.

"So how do you show respect to dragons? Besides how you're supposed be respectful to others on a daily basis."

[banishment]

"Not hunting them down and killing them is a good start," Zuko said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "They're intelligent. Just because they aren't human doesn't mean they don't have the ability to think like us. If you respect them, they respect you — don't invade their territory, respect their boundaries... They'll pretty much leave you alone if you do that. It's not hard."

[mintchip]

"I'm doing a pretty good job of being respectful. I've been in the Maw a couple of times, but I've never run into one but.. if I do, none of that sounds too tricky."

She knows that Mewtwo is in there too now. The Maw's huge, though, it's no wonder she hasn't run into either Mewtwo or any dragons yet. It's a good thing she's talked to Zuko about this before though. Getting on the bad side of the dragons sounds like it's a good way to raise a red flag.

"I like exploring, what should I do if I accidentally invade their territory? Rather, what signs should I look for in trying to figure out if I'm about to? I don't have any plans to kill anything that doesn't attack me first, I'd rather keep out of their hair... if they have hair."