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Post by taka on Mar 5, 2007 21:44:10 GMT -5
Yasu was LAUGHING at him! LAUGHING! This wasn't funny, he wanted to yell at her. This hurts like crap! He was angry at her, for the first time. He couldn't reason out that he was the one who hurt himself, so he didn't, of course, do that. He couldn't believe that she was laughing at him.
"I'll be right back," she said. Then, her eyes changed, a harsh tone in them. "Don't move."
And she wandered off for some reason. He groaned, still angry. She was probably ashamed to be by a boy crying. He tried to stem the flow of tears, but they kept coming. It hurt badly, but it was starting to stop hurting so badly. He held his head in his hands. Suddenly, his head was jerked up, causing his hand to bump into his nose (he stifled a yelp). She forced his hands away from his nose long enough to put a bag of something... extremely cold... over it. It hurt even more initially, but eventually started to feel better. "That should help," she said. "Its ice; I was surprised the Inn even kept ice. But it does!" He had no idea what she was talking about. He'd never heard of this 'ice' stuff. What the heck was that?
But he didn't want to sound stupid in front of her, so he just nodded. "Just put it on your nose, it should numb the pain," she said. She glanced back at him, and then back at her plate. He smiled at her, his tears starting to stop. She hadn't been running off to leave him; she cared about his well being, at least.
"Thanks Yasu. You're a life saver." He gave her a short one handed hug, his other holding his ice bag up, before trying to eat left handedly. It was kind of hard, but it wasn't terrible... until he failed to pick up meat. He had to really concentrate on it to do it, but finally managed to get it into his mouth. It was cold by now, but it still tasted good. He continued smiling fondly at Yasu...
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Post by yasu on Mar 6, 2007 21:08:45 GMT -5
Yasu refused to look back at him; her blush was rising to her cheeks. Oh, Agni, she thought bitterly, I hate being so pale. My blush shines through like a fire. And in honesty, she had been surprised they had ice--or even knew what ice was. She had only known it from little dessert place she had been in a few months back. She had gone to some little, broken-down place that was known for its endless supply of ice in a sculpture. Sand-benders were supposed to be there to haggle with her and a few other Rebels, but they never showed. BUt she had gotten a lovely drink in an ice-cup while waiting!
"Thanks Yasu. You're a life saver." She looked at him just as he gave her a short one handed hug. Yasu felt herself tense on contact, and she silently cursed her prude-self-conscious. When he moved to begin eating again, she held in a sigh of relief and she began eating as well.
"It's no problem, I thought it would help," she muttered. She glanced over at him; he was trying to eat with one hand, and was failing miserably. Especially when he got to the meat. She blinked a few times at the look of total concentration on his face, one hand holding the chopsticks, the other holding the icepack to his nose. She blinked a few more times, trying to hold in her laughter. She really shouldn't be laughing; she should have known he didn't know what ice was. She placed her elbow on the table, setting her chin in the palm of her hand she watched him.
He finally got the piece of meat, and he smiled at her. Fondly? Bah. She couldn't read face expresions to save her life. "You know," she began softly, "you could place the pack down and just eat. Put it on your nose after you eat. Though in this heat, the ice will probably melt soon enough." She tilted her head, and then giggled a bit. She turned back to her place, her elbow falling from the table, her arm back in her lap as she gingerly finished up her food.
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Post by taka on Mar 6, 2007 21:48:33 GMT -5
She was being very nice to him, even though he hadn't been to her. He respected that. She laughed at him a bit. "You know," she began softly, "you could place the pack down and just eat. Put it on your nose after you eat. Though in this heat, the ice will probably melt soon enough." Taka continued to struggle with the food stubbornly. I can do it just fine!
Now, the rice was okay, he could get through that okay. But the meat was harder. The rice stuck to the chopsticks, but the meat just slipped right through them. He groaned, continuingly losing time eating. Or trying to. By now, most people were gone from the Inn, lunch, for them, being over. But they continued eating. Darn it, he thought, I can do this!
However, after getting only a few other pieces of meat (after a long while of effort), he started sBAD!ing at himself until he laughed quietly. He gave up, after all that work. He then decided Yasu needed some waking up. But how to do it? Hmmm... And then it clicked. "I think I'll take your advice Yasu!" he exclaimed suddenly, cheerily removing the pouch from his nose.
He put the icefilled bag directly on her head, and it balanced.
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Post by yasu on Mar 6, 2007 22:15:28 GMT -5
Yasu had taken her mind off of watching Taka (unsuccessfully) try to eat, and instead looked at her now empty dish. She should go take it to the kitchen, she figured, but she was so comfortable sitting down, and she figured she could take Taka's dish once he was done, too. So she just took her time in watching her plate, her eyes slowly beginning to half-lid themselves. She wasn't tired, per se, but she hated times when she just thought.
Because when she thought, most of the time, those thoughts weren't happy ones.
After a while, she looked up and around the dining room place. It was nearly empty, save for Taka and herself, and a few people working in the kitchen. She glanced over to Taka, to see how he was doing. He was still trying. She sighed heavily and once again placed her elbow on the table, her chin in her hand as she gazed un-seeingly at a column in front of her.
A voice in the near distance brought her half-way back into reality:"I think I'll take your advice Yasu!"
All she gave in return was a quisitive: "Hmm?" without even moving her head. Her out-of-it attitude swiftly took a turn when she felt something wet, cold, and floppy flop onto her head in perfet balance. Her eyes widened, and then she glancd at Taka, who was grinning from ear to ear, no icepack in sight.
Yasu's face became one that was fighting back laughter, and one that was completely stricken by the face that she had something wet and extremely cold on her head. She turned her body so that she was facing him, and she lifted one finger to her head, pointing at the bag. "There something you want me to do with this?" she said allowed, and even though her voice was nearly dead-pan flat, her golden eyes were shining with the laughter she was trying to (unsuccessfully) hold back.
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Post by taka on Mar 6, 2007 22:29:59 GMT -5
She looked stunned for a moment, then she looked like she was trying to stifle the laughter that bubbled up and out of her. He laughed as well. The few people left glanced their way and smiled, perhaps remembering times when they used to do things like this. Yasu finally stopped giggling enough to say, "There something you want me to do with this?"
Uh oh. She SAID something. He hadn't been expecting that. He'd actually been expecting her to NOT say anything. But this worked too. These thoughts occured over about a quarter of a second, and then next three quarters were devoted to finding something clever to say. But nothing was found. And that was a bit problematic. ...After another fifth of a second, he had it.
"Oh, I was wanting some rain, actually. We haven't had any in a very long while!" he said. It wasn't funny necessarily, but situations that could develop from it might be. He of course, had no idea of knowing that his words foreshadowed what was to happen later.
...
Taka's father watched things from out of his window. Up on the fourth floor, he could see a long way, and he saw something on the horizon. A thunderhead cloud, already large, and getting larger.
Rain.
Lots of it.
But not the good kind.
No, the good kind of rain came from fluffy, gentle looking clouds. These were clouds bearing icy winds, flashing lightning, roaring thunder, and piercing rain. And it wasn't going to be pleasant either.
He sighed, and got up. Time to take the elevator, and warn the others.
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Post by yasu on Mar 6, 2007 22:45:43 GMT -5
Yasu laughed harder when he began laughing, even through her speaking, she could hardly hold it in. It had been such a random action by Taka, him placing the pack on her head, and it was so unexpected that she just had to laugh. But after she had spoken, he semed taken-aback. HIs laughter seemed to pause...Was it something she had said? Maybe it was...She mentally retraced the words she had just spoken, puzzled.
This process ddn't last very long, you see, because after a minute Taka spoke again. "Oh, I was wanting some rain, actually. We haven't had any in a very long while!" he said. It wasn't that it was funny, she knew it wasn't funny, because she had heard of a drought somewhere around here, and she knew hthey could be dangerous, but she couldn't help the laughter that began to bubble out of her again. She covered her face with her hands, a blush rising to her cheeks slightly at the mirth of the situation (had to use mirth, its a word that's never used, hehe).
Slowly, her laughter died down to a few giggles and she lifted a hand and removed the pack from her head; she must have looked like a bloody idiot with that thing on her head. "Heh," she tried to begin talking, butshe giggled instead. She coughed, choked, and then smiled shyly at Taka. "I haven't laughed like that in a while, I'm sorry," Why was she sorry? NO idea. She fingered the pack in her hand and then she looked at Taka offering it to him quietly, "You still need this?"
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Post by taka on Mar 6, 2007 22:53:33 GMT -5
To Taka's complete surprise, she started laughing worse. She held her hands up to her face, and continued laughing heartily. It made him happy to see her laughing, and he kept doing so too. She looked so giggly, her face was all red, and she couldn't stop laughing. 'A good laugh's good for everybody.'
After another few moments, she looked ready to talk, but as she removed the ice pack from her head, she sputtered, and started laughing again, until she coughed a bit, and then smiled up at him.
"I haven't laughed like that in a while, I'm sorry," she said.
He was concerned about this. Why was she always sorry? She didn't need to be. She'd been sorry this morning for getting lost in a place she'd only been once or twice before. Was she SCARED of him or something? He didn't like it. She needed to be more outgoing, and less sorry, he thought. Thus, ignoring her last question, he grabbed her shoulders and turned her face to his. "You don't have to be sorry for everything Yasu. You know that right?" He felt that she needed to realize it wasn't her fault. He couldn't believe that she said sorry over something so little.
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Post by yasu on Mar 6, 2007 23:05:53 GMT -5
Yasu smiled at him, offering the pack to him once more. BUt he wasn't speaking, and he was looking at ehr strangely. What had she said now. She began to lower her hand and turn away, but suddenly she felt hands on her shouders and the next thing she knew she was facing Taka once more.
"You don't have to be sorry for everything Yasu. You know that right?" He looked so...intense?...determined?...She didn't know. She frowned at this reaction. She had said 'I'm sorry' as a reflex, just something she had always done. She couldn't help it. For a long time at the Fire Nation Academy for Girls she always said 'I'm sorry' because she always felt she was letting someone down. She was unsure of herself there, and it became reflex to say those two words...even if she had done nothing wrong.
Her eyes were wide at his action, and then slowly her lids fell half-way and she glanced away from him. Right then and there, she felt small compared to him. Very small. LIke, 2 inches small. Smaller, even. "I'm sorry," she said softly. I mean... She lifted her head and smiled brightly at him...though if it was a truthful smile, she had no idea. "I know that, but its a hard reflex...err...habit to break. I'm sorry, I'll try harder..." And with that she moved her shoulders so that he was no longer grasping them and began to stand, but in doing so she knocked over ehr drink, allowing a small squeak of surprise. "I'm sorry!" she cried out as she desperatly tried to mop it up. In doing this, she knocked a chopstick down ("I'm sorry!"), and in doing that caused a bit of rise to fly up and stick to Taka's face.
This causing Yasu to sputter out: "I'm so sorry!" while breaking out in laughter.
Quite a chain reaction.
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Post by taka on Mar 6, 2007 23:19:24 GMT -5
"I'm sorry," she said softly. He was about to scold her (jokingly), but then she looked up at him and smiled. "I know that, but its a hard reflex...err...habit to break. I'm sorry, I'll try harder..." She stood, but suddenly knocked over her drink. "I'm sorry!" she cried out. She quickly tried to mop it up. But in doing this, she knocked a chopstick down ("I'm sorry!"), and in doing that caused a bit of rise to fly up and stick to Taka's face.
This causing Yasu to sputter out: "I'm so sorry!" while breaking out in laughter.
Taka watched the whole thing without blinking an eye. He managed to keep a straight face until the rice stuck to it. He sighed, and then sputtered out laughter, completely forgetting himself. He felt as though he'd never stop laughing.
~~~~
Taka's father was angry. A little bit more than just normal angry, too. The stupid earthbender had taken off without asking. Now he'd have to take the stairs. Granted, he could, but it hurt him. He sighed, as he creaked down the stairs, one by one. After about 15 pain filled minutes, he was able to start down the next set of stairs. He groaned, and started down, creaking his way down to the second floor.
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Post by yasu on Mar 7, 2007 21:10:25 GMT -5
Yasu had just started to calm down again when he began laughing, which made her start laughing again. She fell bakc into the seat and held her head in her hands, taking in deep, sputtering breaths. Finally, after breathing calmly for about a minute and swallowing her laughter, she looked up at him with a bright smile. "I'm sorry about that. Here, I'll get our plates." She took the plates in hand and then picked up her napkin and set it on his head. "You might want that," She tapped her cheek with her index finger with an innocent smile, "You got a little somethin'-somethin' right there."
And then she turned and, with the plates, walked to the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later, and sat in her chair. She looked at Taka expectantly. "So, anything exciting planned for today?"
She wanted to take anything away from her own attention, to the fact that she had just embarassed herself to the limit. She had never been a big clutz before, and she silently cursed her own stupid stupidity. It was probably all Taka's falt...him and his smiling. Inwardly, she moaned.
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Post by taka on Mar 7, 2007 21:45:14 GMT -5
After nearly choking to death on laughter, Taka finally stopped to see Yasu trying to stifle hers. She got up and managed to stop laughing.
"I'm sorry about that. Here, I'll get our plates." She picked up the plates and sat a napkin on his head. "You might want that," She tapped her cheek, saying "You got a little somethin'-somethin' right there." He turned a bit red. He'd forgotten about the rice speck. He quickly cleaned it off with the napkin. A few minutes later, Yasu returned. "So, anything exciting planned for today?" she asked.
Taka thought a moment. Not really. He hadn't much to do. But he didn't especially want to tell her that. So he thought a moment, trying to think of something to do. Then he heard the rumbling off in the distance. He raised an eyebrow. "Hm...?" He motioned to Yasu to come with him to investigate. "Cmon, I don't like the sound of that. Let's check it out."
~~~~
Meanwhile, Taka's father was still on the second floor...
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Post by yasu on Mar 7, 2007 21:59:42 GMT -5
Yasu leaned back in the booth as Taka thought, her arms crossed across her chest. It ould be boring, wouldn't it? Without a mission to be on? From missions, her mind track went off course, leading to the Water Tribe soldiers she had "met" back in the forest. What had that one's name been? Chamir? Yes, it was Chamir. He had been nice enough to her. Not so prejudice...but...she could still see the small distrust he could have held for her. Either that, or her mind was playing rude tricks on her again. She was Fire Nation, though, and they had reason to mistrust her.
A rumble off in the distance, jus barely heard in the Inn's diner where they were, but it was there. It was enough to bring Yasu Al back into the present. She looked to Taka inquisitively; what had that sound been? Surely it wasn't what she thought it was...because...she hadn't heard that sound in some time.
Taka's eyebrow was raised, questioning as well. "Hm...?" He motioned to Yasu to follow him, and she stood. "Cmon, I don't like the sound of that. Let's check it out." She followed him to the entrance of the Inn, and they stepped outside. The wind had chilled some, but not enough. It was sweltering, and to top it off, it was humid. Yasu swiped at her brow; it was so humid, it was making her feel all sticky! Her golden eyes scanned the horizon in shock.
"A storm?" she thought aloud, "That was thunder? Look how big that head is!" She pointed to the large thunder head. "That doesn't look good," she commented quietly.
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Post by taka on Mar 7, 2007 23:00:48 GMT -5
As they went outside, the storm came into full view. It was large, grey, and dark. It's cloud, though many miles away, were already towering ominously over the landscape near the Inn. Many people in the streets stood transfixed, watching the storm build, all the while coming closer and closer...
"A storm? That was thunder? Look how big that head is!" She pointed to the large thunder head. "That doesn't look good," she commented quietly.
It sure doesn't. he thought. The last time a big storm had come through, the Inn had suffered major damange, mainly because it acted as a lightning rod. It was tall and large, and lightning was attracted to it. Also, this storm promised high speed winds, and drenching rain. That was okay, but the rivers nearby would overflow and flood the streets.
This was bad.
He looked at Yasu. "This is bad," he said, worried. "We need to stay inside." He quickly turned, and walked back inside. This wasn't going to be a great ordeal.
~~~~
Only 5 steps to go. Only 5 more steps of pain before I can tell everybody.
He took a step. CRACKPOP. "Ow." He limped. CRACKPOPOP. "Ow."
...
This was getting annoying. But a few seconds later, he was at the bottom of the stairs. He saw Taka walk past. "Taka, stay inside there's a-"
"Storm. I know."
Taka's father sighed. I'm useless as usual.
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Post by yasu on Apr 3, 2007 16:24:39 GMT -5
Yasu's eyes were wide as she came into sight of the large storm clouds. The clouds, miles away from where she stood, were huge. The towered above, so large were they, and intimidating. It was huge, and getting bigger. People were pausing in the streets to look in the direction of the clouds. A movement caught Yasu's eye, and she glanced in the direction that had caught her attention. A woman was ushering her two children quite swiftly into the little hut a ways away. People were beginning to scatter; Get home now, and maybe they won't be hurt too badly by the storm.
The humidity was getting better, but the wind was getting a bit stronger. It was getting quiet now. "We need to stay inside." His voice made her jump, but Yasu looked to Taka and nodded. As he turned, so did she, and they walked back inside.
That storm looks terrifying, Yasu Al commented to herself in wonder, but a drought could do that. The water builds in the heavens, and then explodes in such a way that a storm could become so devastating. A few years at the Fire Nation Royal Academy for Girls had taught her that. They walked past the stairs, and just as they did so, someone called out. Yasu paused to turn to the man, and recognized him as Taka's father. He seemed....out of breath?...in pain?...he seemed exhausted.
"Taka, stay inside there's a-"
"Storm. I know." Taka finished for him. Yasu looked to Taka a little shocked. She would never interrupt a man like that--but then again Taka wasn't a woman (thankfully, how awkward would that have been?). Yasu flushed slightly at the thought and quickly bent at the waist in a quick bow to Taka's father.
"Thank you, Sir," she said softly, shyly, "and thank you for allowing me to stay in your Inn. Its getting even more lovely every time I come back." She lifted herself from her position and smiled shyly. She didn't know what else to say, honestly. What was she to say? She just felt so bad for the man, because he seemed to exhausted and a little put-out by his son.
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Post by taka on Apr 3, 2007 17:07:01 GMT -5
Taka, hurrisome, turned and said, "Cmon Yasu!" His father grinned after him, smiling. I'll catch up later... he thought.
Taka wound around the hallways back to a secluded area. "Cmon, down in here. It's a shelter. There're lots of em, and this one is for those in our hallway. Mom and Dad will probably stay up though, helping people." He sighed. "They'll make out okay though." He looked down, and saw that it was completely black. He sighed again, then looked around the hallway a moment, before walking a ways down and taking a candle off the wall. He then took another one, just in case the first went out. He held them both in their holders, and then put them near the opening of the shelter. Lightning split through the night, foreshadowing the coming rains. He quickly looked inside: a bunch of dirt, with rock surrounding some parts of the area. There was also a built in cabinet with a few candles extra. That was good... they might need them.
Foretunately, no biscuits. Taka would rather have starved.
He held the candles in one hand, and got down into the shelter using a small ladder mounted on the wall of the underground shelter. He hopped down into the shelter. It was considerably cooler than above ground, but it wasn't bad. He stepped back, waiting for Yasu. Then he put the candles he had into candle holders on the walls. They didn't light well, but just enough. Taka sighed. All done, and ready for the long haul...
Another crash of lightning split through the silence, as it turned into rumbling, and the first drops of rain could be heard.
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