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Post by zuko on Jun 8, 2006 22:02:46 GMT -5
As Zuko watched the girl's body being taken away, he couldn't help but feel slight pity for the girl. Sure, he didn't know her, but wasn't it just natural instinct to feel pity? Zuko's face remained emotionless, but held some frustration in his eyes.
Suddenly, Zuko's eyes caught sight of someone coming toward him, and when he looked, it was Sho. Zuko pushed his thoughts away once again. Sho seemed agitated by Zuko's presence, but when Sho spoke, it caught Zuko off-guard for a second. He wasn't expecting a 'thank you' exactly.
"...Your...welcome," Zuko said as he glanced away from Sho. Zuko had never really intended on getting the servant's body once he realized that it was impossible to help her. He felt slightly guilty by this. He didn't deserve a 'thank you.'
Quickly nodding to Sho, Zuko hurriedly walked past and headed to the navigational room to speak with the Capitan. He needed to get his mind off of the guilt and frustration that was growing in him. Hopefully, concentrating on the amount of things they would need at the port would keep his mind away from it all.
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Post by sho on Jun 10, 2006 20:46:30 GMT -5
Sho looked after Zuko as he made his way to the Navigation Room, his posture slumped and his overall standing somewhat awkward as he was left alone on deck. The young man shifted the weight on his feet and tilted his head slightly as he examined the prince and pondered over the short encounter. The prince seemed in a hurry to be off… perhaps he was just stressed. Well, it was only natural. Sho had certainly been buzzed by the day’s activities. A stowaway, a death… That was more than he was used to keep up with. And to be at the head of it all like Zuko… that was on the bridge of flames.
After standing alone with a dazed stare for a few moments, Sho blinked and began to walk off into the kitchens to search for the helmsmen to see if there were any other things that were needed to be done before the end of the day. Or maybe just to sneak something to eat. Sho’s stomach was hurting and cramping he was so hungry. He just felt like he had to eat something, do something. It was the stress. Quickly and restlessly, Sho began to stride to the depths of the ship.
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Post by zuko on Jun 10, 2006 21:40:46 GMT -5
"Nadai Island would be the closest place to stop, sir...but I hear it is not the safest place for Fire Nation ships; it has many Earth Kingdom soldiers," said the Capitan as he observed the map that lay in front of him. "Or, we could continue a little further and find a port on the mainland. That would take about two days and maybe half a day as well..."
Zuko scanned the map, his eyes searching for any port that was in reasonable reach. He needed to get new supplies, hand in the stowaway...and the servant's body was another problem. The galley was burned to a crisp, and much food was once stored in there. He and his crew would get hungry soon if they didn't find somewhere to stop. Zuko sighed and rubbed his knuckles against his temple trying to get all of his thoughts together. Nadai Island was the closest, but they probably wouldn't receive much help there.
"Let's see how far we can get with our supplies. If we have less than what we may be able to live with, we will have no choice but to stop at Nadai Island. If we can go farther, lets head to the mainland," Zuko answered pointing to the map as he explained. The prince suppressed a yawn, trying hard not to appear exhausted in front of the Capitan. His mind was tired, but there was still things he needed to get done first.
The Capitan nodded. "Only time will tell..."
Zuko discussed what they would need once they reached land as well as what was needed to do. When that was done, Zuko left the Capitan to graph the route the ship would need to take to reach land the quickest. Once he was out of sight from the Capitan, Zuko let out his nagging yawn and headed toward the kitchen. He was so thirsty, that his voice was becoming weak. The whole crew was spread out and busy with other ordeals, so Zuko decided to get himself something to drink. 'Maybe Uncle still has some tea left over...'he thought tiredly. Zuko couldn't make tea very well and he learned that the hard way by drinking it himself a while ago.
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Post by sho on Jul 18, 2006 22:36:03 GMT -5
Sho quickly strode into the kitchen, egged on by his prickling stomach. When he got there, however, he abruptly stopped into the doorway and let his eyes widen slightly and wander. The kitchen was indeed charred; black scorch marks flared up the walls and furniture, while the air in the room was still a bit thick with the smell of smoke. The stowaway certainly left his mark… Sho only hoped he had spared enough fire to leave enough food for a quick snack to satisfy his hunger.
Slowly, Sho began his way around the kitchen – examining a burnt pan there, a crate now made of ash there... all the while searching for anything that could possibly quench his hunger. Not all of the food had to have been completely burnt up! There had to be some kind of food or beverage that had been saved, it was all a matter of finding it…
The young man continued his search, meanwhile wondering if food would be stored any place other than the kitchen.
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Post by zuko on Jul 18, 2006 23:02:21 GMT -5
Zuko made his way toward the kitchen, his throat begging for something to drink. He thought about the fire that had engulfed the kitchen when the stowaway was discovered; he only hoped that the damage wasn't as bad as he thought. There hopefully would be barrels of water still left...
But as Zuko abruptly turned and stood in the doorway of the galley, he cringed. It was worse than he remembered. Half of the kitchen was black and ashes lay on the floor where food was once packed away. Everything was scarred in some fashion by the fire. Zuko then peered over to the other side of the room and stepped back slightly. It was Sho, and apparently he was looking for food.
Zuko strode into the kitchen and gave a small nod of acknowledgment to Sho. Of all people, Sho was the last person Zuko wanted to talk to at the moment. Guilt began to wave over him again and in order to cover it up, Zuko spoke while shuffling a burnt pot away with his foot:
"Is there...any food left?"
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Post by sho on Jul 18, 2006 23:39:39 GMT -5
Sho turned around, startled, when he heard someone approaching; he supposed he didn’t think anyone would show up to look around the kitchens, that everyone would be too distracted doing something else. Suddenly the young man was afraid that someone that might stumble upon him would think he was trying stir up mischief or steal something. He had to look kind of suspicious in the room all alone, sneaking about. However, when Sho spotted the visitor he found himself surprised to see Zuko standing inside the kitchen with him. Sho watched silently as the prince approached him, not sure how to react. He simply clasped his hands behind his back after restlessly running his fingers through his hair, trying to ignore the stabbing pain of his starving stomach.
“I certainly don’t see any.” Sho replied, keeping a business-like tone and facial expression. As he spoke his eyes took another hopeful glance around the kitchen, but he spotted nothing of interest. “Is there any other place food is stored besides the kitchen?”
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Post by zuko on Jul 19, 2006 21:15:32 GMT -5
The prince glanced around the charcoaled room as Sho took his formal stance every time Zuko approached. Zuko was used to the high authority "manners" that people kept around him, but sometimes it grew irritating. That's when Zuko noticed how tense he was as Sho spoke. Zuko didn't want to talk and wasn't expecting to, but seeming that he had no choice, he relaxed a little.
"There should be food down in the storage..." Zuko said as he glanced at the barrels that kept the water, but of course, they were burnt to a crisp along with everything else. Zuko swallowed and cleared his throat. No fresh water. Hopefully there would be some in storage somewhere.
Zuko squinted in frustration and disappointment. Now seeing the damage on his ship and seeing how there was hardly any food left in the kitchen, Zuko knew he would have to stop the ship sooner than expected.
"I'll go see what remaining food is left," Zuko said as he turned to head toward the storage room. He glanced back, half expecting Sho to follow and half hoping he wouldn't. Nonetheless, the prince kept walking and began to head down the hall.
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Post by sho on Jul 20, 2006 13:40:41 GMT -5
Sho didn’t move from his previous position as Zuko began to leave for the storage room, but it turned out to be only a hesitation. If there was food anywhere… Sho wanted to be there. He hadn’t had much to eat that day, and his stomach continued to be an irritating reminder. Swiftly, Sho picked up a smooth stride and followed the prince, keeping a few feet’s distance between them. He wasn’t sure if the prince would be fond of him tagging along.
While walking along, staring at the prince’s back, Sho began to think about Zuko. He seemed pretty isolated – words had been spoken among the two, but nothing personal, just business. In fact, Sho hadn’t seen Zuko talk too much of anyone his entire stay. It made him wonder if Zuko had a single friend on the entire ship. Or had he lost them all when he was banished?
Sho continued along through the bleak, metal corridors, following behind Zuko with his head slightly tilted at the prince’s back. He stayed silent, wanting to say something but not knowing what.
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Post by zuko on Jul 20, 2006 14:43:52 GMT -5
Zuko glanced back at Sho, not entirely surprised that he followed. Sho, along with everyone else on this ship, was probably hungry. Zuko could use some food too, but since supplies were limited and he wasn't as hungry, he would have to hold off.
It seemed strange; having run into Sho recently on certain occasions. Zuko was never really social when it came to his crew, or anyone really, so, having to meet someone on his ship that he has encountered a few times was new.
Zuko continued on his way and finally stopped until he reached the door to storage. Pulling out a key (which he kept with him for these sort of purposes) he unlocked the door and was slightly relieved when he saw barrels of water and a good enough amount of crates with food as he entered. The room was not that large and didn't hold the best supply, but it would do until they could reach shore.
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Post by sho on Jul 20, 2006 21:34:04 GMT -5
A relieved smile broke out into Sho’s cheeks as he spotted the barrels and crates. In wasn’t an amount for a great feast, but it was surely enough to give him and the crew enough energy until they got to land. And definitely enough to satisfy his ravenous hunger.
Hastily Sho made his way into the room, examining the crates with deep interest… and almost excitement. It was strange the attraction food could hold when one was starving. Containing himself, Sho directed his attention back to Zuko. He rested his hand on the top of a stack of dusty wooden crates and leaned against it, tilting his head slightly at the prince.
“I suppose we should separate rations for the whole crew….” Sho said, casually glancing around the room. Truthfully, he’d love to dig right in to the first thing he saw, but he had to think reasonably. He wasn’t the only one on the ship.
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Post by zuko on Jul 20, 2006 23:24:51 GMT -5
"Just take what you can live with until we reach land..." Zuko said as he approached a barrel, opened it, and smirked as he saw delicious water floating inside.
"The cook will have to separate it for the crew," Zuko added as he began looking around for a ladle or a glass of some sort to drink with. The prince peered around the room, until he noticed a crate that held kitchen supplies. Digging through the box, he found a canteen and filled it with water. As he was filling it, he glanced at Sho then concentrated on the canteen. All Zuko wanted was something to quench his thirst; he wasn't in the mood to talk, but it seemed that Sho was going to try and say something eventually. Zuko could tell by the awkward silence there was in the room.
Ignoring his thoughts, Zuko finished filling the canteen and took a long drink of water, enjoying the feeling of the cold liquid wash down his parched throat. He glanced around the room and tried to ignore the silence between the two, until he turned and slowly began to walk toward the door to leave, feeling slightly embarrassed and irritated.
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Post by sho on Jul 21, 2006 9:44:09 GMT -5
At the prince’s words, Sho eagerly began to examine the contents of the crates more closely. He quickly stumbled upon some bread that appeared rather fresh, and picked up a single loaf. The smell was almost intoxicating alone… warm and inviting, especially to the nose of a hungry crewmen. Sho hurriedly ripped off a chunk and stuffed it in his mouth, sparing little to no hesitation. His lips curled into a calm smile, and his eyes closed in enjoyment for just a few seconds. Even the small bit of food was satisfying, and being bread, it would expand in his stomach and fill him up quicker than most other things could.
Now at a somewhat more relaxed peace of mind (and stomach), Sho stared softly over to the prince who was gathering up some water for himself. The young man quickly noticed the awkwardness that seemed to hover over them and cleared his throat, just to put a nose into the quiet room. It didn’t poke a hole in the awkwardness… so Sho decided to strike up some conversation after ripping off three more chunks of bread and wiping his mouth against his forearm.
“So… ah… Do you have an idea where we’re heading next to get supplies?” Sho attempted, only now noticing that the prince was leaving the room.
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Post by zuko on Jul 23, 2006 0:28:41 GMT -5
Zuko stopped in his tracks as Sho spoke. The prince knew this was coming, so he halted as expected and turned halfway to look at Sho and answer his question flatly.
"Probably Nadai Island because its the closest. I would like to go further, but..." Zuko glanced around the room and made an obvious pause that they couldn't go very far with these scrap supplies. "...it seems that might not be an option." It seemed really pitiful to Zuko that this was how he could handle a ship. Two deaths, his ship catching on fire, and a destructive stowaway...all in a matter of a couple days. Zuko sighed silently glanced back around the room; supplies only enough for a day and a half maybe. It left a disappointing feeling in his stomach; he couldn't even manage a ship correctly and ended up mentally scolding himself for it.
Zuko snapped back again in an instant and now felt even more irritated because he got lost thinking again. He glanced back up at Sho and quickly straitened his posture, finally realizing that he was still standing there. But for some reason, Zuko didn't leave the room. He stood for a moment, then without saying a word he leaned against the cold metal wall of the room and stood there, staring strait ahead and not looking at Sho, as if he was the only one in the room.
The awkward silence began to develop again, causing Zuko to sigh frustratingly and take another long sip of water.
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Post by sho on Jul 23, 2006 13:02:55 GMT -5
“Oh. I see.” Sho replied simply, his eyes glancing down for a moment before taking another quick scan of the small room and its contents. He shifted his weight off his arm and the crate, standing up firmly, but with a relaxed posture. Hands hanging at his side, Sho’s soft auburn eyes wandered back over to the prince, who had again drifted into a deathly silence, seeming to be contemplating his own thoughts. Sho tilted his head slightly as the rushing awkwardness began to, yet again, fill up the room.
So much for conversation.
Still, even with the sudden outward silence, Sho’s mind couldn’t stop rushing with sudden questions regarding the prince and him as a person. He knew of the banishment of course… As one who worked at the ports and Hokage palace with random visits from the royal family, it was hard not to hear the latest news or gossip. There was some mishap at a meeting… and the prince had left with a scar. That was about as far as Sho’s knowledge on the subject went.
“What are you thinking about?” Sho burst suddenly. Instantly he regretted his words; it was quite a rude question to ask to anyone, especially to one he hardly knew and a prince at that… even though a banished one. Still, he couldn’t help perking up suddenly at the thought of an answer, wondering if something he said could perhaps put one of his restless wonderings to rest.
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Post by zuko on Jul 24, 2006 14:17:10 GMT -5
Zuko glanced incredulously at Sho, definitely not expecting a question as this. Servants on his ship would never ask a higher authority what they were thinking; it was out of place. Still, Zuko narrowed his eyes a bit at Sho and tried to decipher why he asked such a random question. Zuko couldn't really blame the servant though; the prince must have seemed to be a bit awkward just standing there off in his own thoughts. But still, why did someone that Zuko has ever really spoken too need to know what he was thinking? It wasn't any of his business.
"...Why are you asking?" Zuko replied with a curious, but slightly irritated tone. He tried to keep a firm glare, but confusion could be seen on his face as he spoke. He didn't understand why anyone would be interested in what he was thinking. Only Zuko's uncle ever asked him questions like this and he was comfortable with it. But when a stranger, a servant no less, asked him such a thing...it seemed a bit...odd.
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