watermarks | IC In Box

[Looma's mostly over the adverse side-effects of mist exposure, at least enough for her to stubbornly get back to work despite conventional wisdom saying she continue to rest. Which is probably why she still sounds just a bit worn out when she leaves her message.]

I request your assistance. It involves your brother.

[Wait no that sounds kind of ominous, even she knows that]

He is fine- as far as I know- but this is not a matter I wish to involve him with. As his sister, I was hoping you might be of assistance. It should not take long, but I would be grateful if you would meet me aboard the Bishop when you are able.

[And for a while, she's content to leave it at that- muttered utterances doubting Sokka's ability to stay out of trouble and all- before she does see the wisdom in sending over a second part to the message a few moments later.]

Oh, and do not bring anything edible with you. You're safer that way.

[It's a... good thing Katara can't really respond to this message until it gets to the end. Because there are so many sketchy things about it that she--

Don't bring anything edible?

...what is even happening...

Well. She. Told herself she'd make an effort to get to know Looma better so.]

Sure, I'll come over in a bit. How does four o'clock sound?

Perfectly acceptable. There should be enough clearance to dock a shuttle with the Bishop, if you wish to avoid trying to find your way here on foot.

[Plus, the alarm system would let Looma know when she arrived, no need to call and fly. Definitely one of the more thoughtful inclusions on a ship that more often than not, looked only partially finished.]

Sounds like a plan. See you in a little bit.

[ And so, around four o'clock, Katara docked on the Bishop. She vaguely wondered if she should have left a note, or a last will and testimony, but she was going to try to Behave for Sokka's sake. His face really did light up whenever he talked about Looma. She was going to try to see what he saw.

She disembarked and glanced around. ]

[Honestly it's probably for the best that Sokka had no reason to believe Looma was the sort to obsess over keeping things neat and orderly, because...well, the cargo hold's a mess. Not filthy of course, Bakugou's weirdly emphatic cleaning sessions were doing an admirable job of keeping the ship spotless, but seeing as how most of the floor space was devoted to salvaged, ship-mounted weaponry that anyone had yet to make use of, someone might come away with the impression Looma was subletting the place for use as a scrapyard.

Looma was already waiting of course- the benefits of an alarm system that signaled whenever someone was docking with the ship- and looking a little better than she did over the network a few days earlier. She's even got fresh bandages on her arm, around the wound Sokka gave her back in...well, the last system. Although, why that was in need of first aid treatment again was a question that probably didn't have a good answer. She at least manages to muster up a small smile and a half-hearted wave in greeting, even though it's certainly less warm and welcoming when the person giving it looks absolutely drained.]

Are you well? This system is not quite as hospitable as the last few- the ship is without one of its crew because of it. And no, I do not intend to keep you until he recovers.

[ She waves in return before her brow furrows. ] I wasn't really worried about that. [ Although now she IS concerned - both about the fact that Looma seems injured and about her crewman. ] What's the matter with him?

[ She glances around the cargo hold, taking in its haphazard order and wonders if the crewman she's down was the one responsible for keeping things together here. ]

He went Mist diving, as he put it. He was apparently in there long enough that the hallucinations still haven't subsided. He is apparently suffering other complications as well, but had enough sense to make his way to one the hospitals. He will be fine.

[But she didn't call Katara over just to talk of Mantis' foolishness, so she'll wave her after her as she turns to head further into the ship.]

But I did not call you here just to discuss that. Come along- I need input only you are in any position to provide. If I asked your brother, it would spoil the surprise.

I spoke with Loki. No need for any soup, he's fine now.

Edited 2018-07-27 11:17 (UTC)

[ Teasing: ]

You healed him with the power of an honest conversation? That's pretty impressive, Thor.

[ And then just after. ]

I'm glad he's better. How are you?

Now that would be a feat.

I'm fine. I would not recommend getting caught in that mist though. The stories they tell about it are true.

I know. I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital.

I don't understand why they stay here when they have the option to leave.

If this has always been their home, they may not wish to, no matter how inhospitable it may seem to us. They have built their cities around making use of the mist and keeping it at bay.

...it is hard to leave someplace you've made a home. But the mist is so insidious and creepy, and the hospital has people in it who are suffering from madness all the time. And have you seen the monster?

Not yet. I am trying to hunt the thing down so I can get the measure of it.

[Read: he's gonna fight it.]

[ She kinds of squints at the text. The problem is... she's seen his chi pathways, but she's never seen him fight. So. A little skeptical here about the brightness of this idea. But at least... she's pretty sure he'll heal quickly. ]

Okay. Are you going by yourself?

[ Is Loki going with you? ]

I have been looking around by myself, yes.

[ Oh. Well. That. Yeah. ]

Okay. Be careful. And if you want back up, let me know.

I will.

[That may unfortunately take the form of a network-wide broadcast while he's already mid-fight, but. It's still informing her.]

hey so where are you right now

[ben "subtle like a brick" douglass at it again]

[ She.

Doesn't get this.

For a really. long. time.

Eventually, she'll have to go back to her bunk, though, and she glances at the communicator by habit and then finally sees his message. But everything is awful, you see, and has been for years, and doesn't seem to be improving. So at first she tries to ignore it. Then she can't and texts him back. ]

Going to bed.

yeah nah put a hold on that
im coming over

You don't need to do that. I'm tired. I'm going to bed.

[ And so, in a fit of optimism, she manages to change into her pajamas and crawl into bed before Ben arrives.]

too late im here
dont make me embarrass myself out here
ill do it
cmon i drove over here without my glasses and everything

[he may be lying about that last part but look, he's trying to bait her out]

[Ding. went the communicator. Ding. Ding.

Katara shut her eyes.

Ding.

Maybe he will go away?]

[sure enough, there's a knock on her door not five minutes later, like he waited a required amount of time, got impatient and said "fuck it" and now he's going to be himself about it]

Katara.

[ ...seriously?

She sits up and moves to grab a bathrobe and put it over her bindings and sleeping pants, because Ben won't care, but she doesn't need to make yelling at him any more awkward than it already will be.

She pads over to the door to open it a crack or two. ] I'm sleeping.

[ See? Look at all the sleeping she's doing. She's so convincing. ]

[this is the face of someone who totally believes her.

Totally. Completely. Srsly]

Don't bullshit a bullshitter, kid.

You gonna invite me in or am I gonna have to be rude and invite myself?

[A long, baleful look.

He's just trying to help.

She doesn't move yet, though.]

...I really don't feel like talking right now.

[he shrugs, crossing his arms]

We don't have to talk. Never said anything about talking.

[ ...he really wasn't going to go away, was he.

Part of her wasn't sure if she wanted him to. It was very quiet, by herself.

Still, it's with a scowl that she steps back and allows the door to swing open. She doesn't quite invite him in, but she won't stop him if he enters. She goes to sit on her bed. ]

[nope, he won't go away.

He follows her in and nudges the door shut behind him, figuring she doesn't want any other intruders. And then he reaches into his jacket and pulls out two bottles, setting them both on whatever flat surface is nearby - alcohol (of course) and something non-alcoholic that sounded like something she'd like.

And then he just sits down against the wall with a grunt, because even if he set out to TRY TO BE A GOOD FRIEND he sucks at it and he didn't think the rest of this through]

[ She blinks at him as he sits down. And then stares at him for a minute. Her eyes start to water and she quickly grabs the bottle of cream soda to cover it. ]

[it dawns on him that maybe he should have brought along Gent, who is a dog and dogs are much better at this than emotionally stunted idiots like him. Then again, he can always go get him later if that comes up as an option, or he fails miserably.

Still, if he notices her quickly grabbing the drink or anything like that, he pretends that he doesn't - all he does is pull his glasses out of his pocket and slip them on, blinking a few times to adjust before pulling out his device, as if he has shit to check.

(he doesn't have shit to check. he's desperately looking for distractions for her)]

[ She takes a sip of her soda. And says nothing for a long moment. Then she takes another sip. And starts to talk dully. ]

You know, there is no soda in my world. It was one of the first things Sokka showed me in Luceti. He and Toph and Zuko were all there before I was, and then Toph went home... and then Zuko... and that happened, three or four times with Toph and Zuko and with so many other people... but Sokka was always there... until he wasn't. About two months before I showed up here. And then he was here. [ And she's crying quietly. ] But he'd spent so much more time at home. And he didn't know anything about Luceti. And that hurt, but it was still Sokka, you know? So it didn't really matter.

[he lifts his head to look at her as she speaks up, listening quietly and giving a quiet snort when she finishes. He doesn't acknowledge the crying; not yet, anyway]

Yeah, I get it. [he doesn't, but he can at least understand what it'd feel like, mabe] Doubt he would've left if he had a choice.

[ ...no, he doesn't get it. But he's trying and that's sweet.

She wipes at her cheeks. ]

He might not have. He'd built a life here. [ She felt badly for Looma, for the friends he'd left behind.

And she felt angry, because it was never her turn to go home. ]

Yeah, but - doubt he would've left without you, if it was up to him. Figure you come first before the rest of it, given you're his sister.

[at least, that's what he figures siblings would do. He doesn't have one, and the siblings he does know . . . well, the're weird] Memories of other places or not.

[ Katara shakes her head. There's a lot that she wants to say, but in the end she boils it down. Her voice is sharp and heavy. ] It doesn't matter what he would have wanted. He wasn't given a choice. None of us are.

[you know, he's just. Going to sigh and thunk his head back against the wall and blow out a sigh] You're making this whole - me trying to comfort you and shit thing really hard, you know.

But yeah, I know. that's what I hear. It sucks.

IC In Box

[audio] 7/18

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text. around early July

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text; after he sees riona's post like a GOOD FRIEND

what a good friend!!

he's TRYING

a Good Friend!

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