|
Post by atalanta on Jan 3, 2006 20:07:52 GMT -5
Mesheiko chuckled a deal. So either Midori really wasn't fond of the idea of sleeping in that bed, was trying to be polite, or both.
"I insist you have it. A lady needs her rest.", Mesheiko said with a smile playing on his lips. He hardly wanted to sleep in that old, chewed on, worn bed. Then again, it couldn't be much worse than sleeping on the ground.
"Right now, I wouldn't care if you meant offense to Banshee. Sleeping's only the tougher with that bird in my face. Honestly, it's great having him during the day, but at night when I'm trying to sleep, and any little thing wakes him up..well, I think you can put that together yourself.", Mesheiko said, rolling his eyes at the thought of Banshee's night-alarm screeching. He felt extremely sorry for anything else sleeping in the old stable.
"Face it, Midori, neither of us want to sleep on that bed. I'll flip a coin, if necessary.", said Mesheiko. The couch looked a lot more appealing at this moment.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 3, 2006 20:27:47 GMT -5
Midori rolled her eyes a bit (especially when Mesheiko had called her a lady), but smiled none-the-less. She glanced again at the disgusting, infested bed. It was almost cruel to force anyone to sleep there, especially a friend. But still, flipping a coin for it seemed like a fair way. Midori observed her dirty fingernails and hands, ready to accept, but suddenly, her face twisted into a grin. Midori had a better idea.
"How about," she started with a sly smile. "we have a little competition to see who deserves the sofa."
Midori rested hand on the old table, sliding the pile of food to the corner. She scooted the chair she was sitting on closer, and leaned forward. On the table she layed her elbow and raised her forearm.
"Arm wrestling match. Winner gets the sleeping unit of their choice."
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 7, 2006 14:38:11 GMT -5
Mesheiko grinned, nodded, and then placed his own elbow upon the old, rickety table. His own hand gripped Midori's tightly. "Sounds fair enough. Bring it on." said Mesheiko, brushing a little dust off the table with his free hand.
Mesheiko was a little surprised that Midori wanted arm wrestle for it, but to each their own opinion. Back when he was in the army, it certainly wasn't unheard of for someone to simply burst out with a challenge over nearly anything, the last piece of dessert, first water break, etc. Mesheiko suddenly took a realization to himself. He missed those days. It hung heavy in his heart, because he was now starting to adjust to this life, but he missed those days deeply. In this, Mesheiko's mind made a desicion. He would go back one day.
"5...4...3...2...1!" Mesheiko said, his hand tensing up.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 7, 2006 14:54:02 GMT -5
Midori's sly grin twisted as she gritted her teeth and pushed her hand against Mesheiko's. Her muscle wasn't large and bulky, but it was firm. She closed her eyes, focusing deeply and calling her strength from inside her. Mesheiko was strong (and she expected no less from an ex-soldier) and she needed to consentrate on every ounce of strength she possessed. Their hands were a bit wet from sweating and it made it difficult to push down. She had participated in matches like this before, and while she wasn't the best, she had managed to win a good portion of the time. Biting her tounge, she opened one eye to glance at Mesheiko.
Her hand pushed against Mesheiko's forcefully in one, swift motion. The sudden movement and complete use of muscle sent a firey burn up her arm. However, the strength she had just used up wasn't worth it. Her teeth gritted harder as she felt weakness in her shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 7, 2006 15:29:51 GMT -5
Mesheiko felt the tug against his hand forearm from Midori. He gave a harder push back against her, hoping to bring her hand against the table. He didn't feel like sleeping on that bed tonight, and intended to win. Mesheiko wished he had given it a good investigation before he and Midori engaged in the match. Perhaps it wasn't so bad. In fact, compared to sleeping only on his coat most days, it didn't seem so bad.
"Midori, if you really find the bed that repulsive, I'm not going to make you sleep there. The couch looks fine. And I can always just roll out my blanket somewhere." Mesheiko said. The bed couldn't be that bad.
Either way, he pushed a great deal harder than he did before at her hand. The strain went further up in his arm, causing a searing pain into the back of his arm. Mesheiko had put a lot of stress on that arm earlier while guiding Banshee, and was coming back to bite him.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 7, 2006 15:51:16 GMT -5
Midori made a little squeak of surprise as Mesheiko began to push against her harder. She considered his offer as she tried to keep her elbow pressed firmly against the table and her forearm upright. It was hard to think of much when searing pain kept making itself up her arm and wrist.
"But I don't want you to have to do that." Midori said before releasing another forceful push with her arm. "I don't see that it's very fair if we just decide. We've both done well today and been through a lot and we both deserve a good night's sleep."
She gasped for a little breath of air as she continued to try and keep her hand steady. It was getting harder every second and she knew she was going to give out soon. She could take the sofa or lose.
"But..." She said as she bit her lip. "You're right. I don't feel like sleeping on the bed. You sure you don't mind?"
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 7, 2006 16:15:36 GMT -5
Mesheiko smirked slightly, Midori had given in. Didn't take too long, either. He didn't mean to hurt her or anything of the sort. "No; I don't mind." said he, releasing his grip on her hand. Midori's certainly a worthy opponent., Mesheiko thought, feeling blood starting to pump back into his hand.
"You're a lot better than I'd thought you be, Midori, considering what's happened to the both of us over the past days. My arms are both pretty tired and sore. You're a worthy opponent." Mesheiko spoke out, putting one hand on his right shoulder socket and moved his arm around. Just a little stretch. He reached over and grabbed his pack from the couch and tossed it on the floor. Mesheiko plunged a hand in, and rummaged around until he found something. "Aha! There we go." Mesheiko said, pulling out the large, tough blanket. It wasn't exactly soft, but it made excellent for traveling and rolling it out anywhere.
He took a good look into the bed, it didn't seem that bad. Just throw the big blanket over, as Mesheiko did so. He reached in the bag once again, pulling out a smaller, lighter blanket, something he could use to pull over himself. Mesheiko rolled that out on top of the first one. Both were a dark green, both battered and worn, but they would do. They always did.
"You know, Midori, there was a girl in my ranks once.." Mesheiko said, trying to fill the silence.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 7, 2006 16:39:09 GMT -5
Midori grabbed herself a moon peach before slumping onto the couch. She watched as Mesheiko got the bed arranged and was glad to see that he would probably be sleeping very comfortably. Satisfied, she took a bite out of the peach. Some of the juice splattered down her chin, and she wiped the juice and a few chunks off with the back of her hand. When the peach had disappeared, she stretched out along the sofa. Midori was a bit worn out and it felt very good to lay down.
"Really?" Midori replied lazily to Mesheiko as she positioned herself in a comfortable spot. She pondered over his sentence, wondering if their was a secret meaning to his words. Midori couldn't read the emotion he spoke in.
"She must have been quite a young woman. Going to war and everything. Were you two good friends?"
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 7, 2006 20:03:39 GMT -5
Mesheiko gave out a nod. He sat for a moment, wondering over what to say and how to say it. So much time it happened in, yet so little to describe it. "We were. Yitsuma was a very extrodinary person, for more reasons than you think. Women are strictly forbidden from the direct army. She snuck in, and was able to keep it hidden for two years, until she confided in me deep into one night. The next day, our camp was ambushed and a handful of our numbers, one of them being Yitsuma was captured. I do not know her fate." Mesheiko said, his voice going quiet at old memories.
That fateful day. The day that instilled a passionate hatred of the Fire Nation. Before that, he had always been just fighting, never really held the prejuidice that some of the older soldiers had. Some of the soldiers always talked about how there was one day, one battle that would change you forever.
But he couldn't dwell on the past. It had happened a long time ago, and no doubt Yitsuma was dead now. "Is there a place Earthbending captives are taken? In mass numbers?" Mesheiko said.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 7, 2006 20:26:21 GMT -5
Midori shifted to look over at Mesheiko. Her eyes were wide with mixed sympathy and fasination. Quickly she rose from the couch and sat down near him on the bed, which was now a comforting green color. She tried to catch his gaze but her eyes shifted down to the floor. Why was everything depressing suddenly slapping her in the face? Midori wanted to say something comforting, bring good news, but she had nothing to say, no information to bring.
"I'm sorry, Mesheiko.. but... I don't know. I've lived pretty isolated from war, and the last thing I know would be something like that. The Fire Nation has only infested my village once. And I was pretty small."
Midori brought her knees up to her chin as her gaze drifited out into space. Suddenly, she felt bad that she couldn't sympathize; she had no terrible experiances like Mesheiko. Midori closed her eyes for a moment before her eyes returned to him.
"Well. I suppose the best we can do is remember the good in people and hold onto that when those people are out of our reach."
Midori stood up, about to return to the sofa. However, she felt suddenly overwhelmed by sad emotions that seemed very alien to her. Midori turned and gave Mesheiko a small hug.
"I'm sorry."
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 15, 2006 20:59:27 GMT -5
Mesheiko shook his, then pressed a finger to his right temple, massaging it slowly. "No need to be. What's happened to me isn't your fault." said Mesheiko.
"Be lucky you've kept away from the war this long, and stay away from it, Midori. Brings nothing but pain."
He stretched one arm, then the other as he prepared for sleep. Then, loosening up his legs, Mesheiko fell back onto the bed, it's springy material beneath it making creaks against the wooden frame. Dragging his pack across the floor, it being in arm's reach from the bed, and hauling it up, Mesheiko forced a hand in through all the junk, feeling around. Pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment, he realized it was the first letter he had received while in army ranks. A letter from his father. Mesheiko smiled remembering the comfort his father had provided in his letters while Mesheiko endured twelve months of training.
"So, Midori, what about you? Do you have a family?"
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 16, 2006 16:28:26 GMT -5
Seeing how Mesheiko was preparing himself for bed, Midori drifted back over to the small comforts of her little sofa. Midori let out a heavy yawn when she reached it which triggered a much-needed stretch. The tenseness of the stretch crawled up her arms and out to her fingertips, causing a feeling of great relief. Once her whole body had relaxed, she crashed onto her 'bed' in one, swift motion.
The couch was very soft and bouncy, as if it had no support at all. As Midori landed on it, she felt as if she had hit the floor, for she had sunk in a considerable distance. Midori sat up, legs crossed and feet underneath her knees. She placed her hands lightly in her lap as she leaned into the back of the sofa.
"Oh yes. I have a family." Midori replied to Mesheiko in a pleasent tone. "Much so. My mother is wonderful at making little things. Most of them are completely useless, but beautiful and fun to look at. My father... well let's just say you'll never meet a cleverer man. Together they make quite a good pair.... and bussiness partners." She added with a smile that looked as if it was concealing a laugh.
"They're good people too." She continued more seriously. "Both were raised with very good morals. My father was never sent to war though; guess it was because he isn't a bender. His dad is though. Quite a good one too. Trait has skipped a few generations, much to my grandfather's dismay."
Midori took a second to release a "well that's life" shrug. "He's always has a story to share though. Most of the elderly do. Very interesting to listen to, my grandfather. Although, some think of him as getting a bit loopy in his old age!" Midori giggled a bit at this, but her eyes glistened as she recalled old memories that had been stored in the back of her mind.
"My village is very nice." She said as she started to conclude. "Well.. except some of the boys. It's not really their fault though. I'm just to hyper for my own good. When I would hang around them, they'd get annoyed; they were always glad to get rid of me."
Midori flashed a mischievious grin as she turned back to Mesheiko. "So what about you, Mesheiko? Surely you've been a big hit with the ladies."
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 17, 2006 21:12:50 GMT -5
Mesheiko couldn't stifle a laugh at Midori's last words. A hit with women? Hardly. Laughing without restraint, Mesheiko tried to string together a sentence.
"Well..I don't really know. When I was younger, I was surrounded by my sisters-rather snotty ones at that-, village girls who were too old or too young. In the army, there's not many ladies to be a hit with. It's basically nurses and washwomen on a regular basis. When we come near the villages and cities, the women look for captains in their 20s and 30s with a good muscular physique, not scrawny teenage infantry soldiers with minor Earthbending abilities." said Mesheiko, his laughs beginning to die.
"But I don't think I would be."
Unfurling the letter held loosely in his hand, not really concentrating on it, read the letter silently. His eyes moved over the letters quickly, not wanting to seem rude to Midori, but this did bring back memories. Father wanting him to come home, Mesheiko needing more time..old news to him now. Contact between them slowed, and eventually ceased.
"It sounds like you have a wonderful family, Midori. I'd give anything to see my father and sisters again." Mesheiko said, then thinking he was setting a depressing air.
"Well, maybe not my sisters." said he, attempting humor.
|
|
|
Post by midori on Jan 18, 2006 8:29:50 GMT -5
Midori released a fresh laugh at Mesheiko, but her eye lids flickered dangerously. Long days had always tired her, exhausted her more like, and today had been very long. Midori preformed a final stretch before she slunk her body into a laying position on her sofa, head tucked beneath the arm rest and back relaxed into the side. She took a few deep breaths, absorbing the comfortable aura of warm slumber that was slowly taking her. She went over what Mesheiko had said, about girls wanting muscular men in their thirties, but when Midori pictured someone as such, she snickered and decided she'd rather take a scrawny teenager anyday.
Midori's thoughts began to fog as sleep continued to wrap her. Still, she didn't want to be the one to end the conversation.
"Well.. being home is nice, but it does get a bit dull after awhile. It's nice to be out and about, not cooped up in some town. That's why I decided to do something that involved some travel." Midori stopped to yawn before continuing. "But it must be hard not seeing family for so long. Where is your family?"
|
|
|
Post by atalanta on Jan 23, 2006 21:37:25 GMT -5
Mesheiko's eyelids felt heavy; as if an anvil weighted each one. His family? It must have been 7 or 8 years since he was separated from the village, though his father did come to visit him during a village patrol, just a few years back.
"My family?" Mesheiko said, words flashing across his mind, but no outlet to voice them.
"I guess..I can hopefully assume they're still safely residing in the village. Though what with all the des- let's get some sleep." said Mesheiko, with the realization that he couldn't help talking about the topic when it leaped at him in a conversation like that. He always tended to ramble on about the war, the genocide and destruction of Fire Nation troops, etc., when he had the chance. It probably irks everyone to no end as well., thought he.
Sleep was taking him in a slow, trudging fashion. Surprising for the day he had been having. Mesheiko folded his arms behind his head, and did a long slow stretch, lying on the blanket.
|
|