Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 21, 2021 0:40:01 GMT -5
Zuko didn’t know that Sal was testing him. He was just running, trying to catch up with him, not really caring why he was playing this game. It was clear that it was a game to Sal, but you could always win a game if you gave it the due thought and consideration. This wasn’t a game of luck, it was a game of wit. Unfortunately, Zuko had a lot of practice losing those to Azula. Hopefullly, Sal wouldn’t prove to be quite that skilled. Hopefully, Zuko could catch him in the middle of something. Hopefully, he could make him share what he knew about the Survivor, and then they could all be on their separate ways. Well… Sal wouldn’t be allowed to go right away, if only so he couldn’t run away to warn the Survivor that Zuko and the others were coming. He surged forward, keeping pace beautifully. He had more speed to pour into it = he could probably catch Sal, if he really wanted to, but he found he didn’t want that. If he caught Sal, he would have to face the Survivor, and he doubted he was ready for that. He would be killed on the spot. He needed time, but time was one of the things he had no access to at the moment. He bit his lip in annoyance, making sure to keep just a few steps behind Sal. This was interesting, he realized. Neither was running their hardest. They were figuring out the other as best they could without exchanging any words at all. Whoever prevailed in their next meeting (as it seemed this one was an impasse) would win. Whoever won would determine the fate of Lutahdel.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 22, 2021 9:17:38 GMT -5
Was Zuko trying to catch him? Was he really trying as hard as he could? He didn’t seem to be giving it his all, just like Sal wasn’t. Without speaking a word to each other, they’d managed to make this a mutual game, it seemed. A game of wits and a game of speed and dexterity. Sal was good at this, and he was desperate, too, more desperate than Zuko, or so he assumed. He didn’t know Zuko’s past, but he was aware that being caught would probably mean death for him, or at least a lot of pain. Zuko was noble. He wouldn’t be above torture to get what he wanted, Sal had no doubt. And who could blame him? Sal was just a regular Skaa boy, who would miss him if Zuko took it too far? It wouldn’t matter. No one would care. Blue or not, his hair would rot the same. He turned a corner, leading Zuko deeper into the city. His goal was to get him as lost as he possibly could, hopefully so he could ditch him and let him have to figure his own way out again. That would waste a lot of his time, and annoy him a lot, while also stopping him from finding the Survivor. Which was pretty much Sal’s entire goal here. He slowed, just a little, trying to look like he was tiring. He may as well make this as exciting as he could, to try and keep Zuko thinking he had a chance.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 22, 2021 11:06:03 GMT -5
Zuko was waiting to see what Sal was going to do. What his strategy was, here. The boy had to have a strategy. Somehow, he’d known that Zuko was coming. It wasn’t too much of a surprise – Zuko hadn’t trusted the person who had directed him towards Sal, and it was clear that Sal had some sort of information, otherwise he wouldn’t be running. Still, h=if he had been caught off guard by Zuko chasing him, he wouldn’t be making this a game. It was a game, after all… it was a life and death sort of game, and not one Zuko would have ever played for the fun of it, but it wasn’t a real chase. This was a game of wits. Sal was slowing. Zuko’s eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what that meant. In most situations, he would assume that Sal was just getting tired and this was Zuko’s chance to catch up to him. It didn’t seem that simple here, though. Sal seemed a lot like Azula – always one step ahead, always setting traps and waiting to see if anyone fell into them. Zuko slowed too, trying to figure out what Sal’s strategy was. He was desperate, too. He had to get home, he had to prove himself… it all hinged on getting to the Survivor. He didn’t want to have to hurt anyone in order to do that, but he would do what he had to in order to get the information. He may not have had very much money to offer, but part of him was hoping it would be enough to pay Sal off. Assuming he managed to catch him.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 24, 2021 9:48:04 GMT -5
L didn’t know what to do with Orpheus anymore than Orpheus knew what to do with him. He didn’t want to discount him on account of being Skaa. He also couldn’t treat him like nobility…he wasn’t even close to being noble. That left L wondering how to interact with him, on even the most basic of levels. He didn’t know how to speak to him…maybe he just didn’t know how Orpheus wanted to be referred to. Maybe he could ask…or maybe it would be impolite to ask if Orpheus wished to be treated badly or not. No…he couldn’t do that. He was going to have to just treat him like a person without much of a title. Maybe like someone of equal standing to him. Not that he had much of a sense of how standing worked, but…never mind that. He would figure it out. “I’m not Skaa,” he replied thoughtfully, looking at Orpheus with interest. “So I wouldn’t be the correct person to ask. But you are. Do you have pride? Can you feel things, like being hurt? I would feel uncomfortable asking you to prioritize my feelings over your health. That doesn’t seem right to me. But…I’m not Skaa. I don’t really know, I suppose, what’s fair. It’s just that, talking to you now…I find it difficult to believe that you’re all that different. That’s all.” He hoped he hadn’t crossed any lines. He didn’t actually know what he was doing, he didn’t know whether this was an okay conversation to have, only that he thought maybe Watari wouldn’t have been completely approving. Or maybe he would have encouraged it. L felt a bit out of his depth here. He just didn’t know.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 24, 2021 20:23:00 GMT -5
Orpheus tilted his head, uncertainty filling him as he looked at L. He wanted to tell him how to go about this situation, but Orpheus himself didn’t know. This wasn’t easy to navigate. It wasn’t as simple as noblemen are dangerous and Skaa need to be careful. Orpheus knew that the nobility often didn’t even consider the Skaa human. He knew that he was human, and he knew that his life was fragile and in danger if he spent too much time around the nobility. He also knew it was one of the only reliable ways to get a good, living wage. “I think I feel pride. I don’t like being hurt. But if I’m Skaa and we really don’t feel pride, then maybe what I feel isn’t really pride. I don’t know. I don’t want to believe that the nobility are right about Skaa, but there’s no way to prove for sure that they’re wrong. I don’t… I don’t know. I just know that in order to do my job, I have to prioritize your feelings over my life and wellbeing. Otherwise I won’t have a life to worry about in the first place. At least… when it comes to most of the nobility. Excuse me for saying this, but you don’t really seem like you would be willing to kill me for messing up, unless I did something horrendous that put either yourself or Lord Wammy in danger. Which… I won’t be doing, for the record. I don’t want to see you or him hurt, either.” Orpheus hadn’t expected to be allowed to speak so freely, but once his tongue was freed it didn’t really seem to be able to stop. He opened his mouth to say more, then seemed to think better of it. “Is there anything I can do for you at the moment, Master L? If not… I would like to do as Lord Wammy has requested.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 25, 2021 16:57:30 GMT -5
Sal knew this was a game. He knew it wasn’t the intense, focused chase Zuko had probably assumed it would be. He assumed that people generally ran for their lives and spared no trick to escape when this sort of thing happened. Maybe, in another world, or time, or situation, maybe that was exactly what Sal would have been doing now. But if that was the case, he’d have been a whole lot harder to find in the first place. Surely Zuko could tell that much. Did he think Sal was just stupid enough to be waiting around a deserted street for someone to catch him? Did he think it was a coincidence that his location had been leaked and he hadn’t moved? Did Zuko really assume that he was stupid enough to start running at the first wing of trouble? Maybe he did. They hadn’t ever spoken, after all. He couldn’t hold it against him. But he probably wouldn’t think that for very long. How desperate was he? How deep did the need run? If he wanted the Survivor, he could afford to let Sal go and how there was an easier way to get to him. But if he needed him…which was what Sal was betting on…then he couldn’t let a chance to get him to. He wouldn’t let Sal slip away. That was the game they were playing. Wits, not speed. It didn’t matter which of them was technically faster, or even smarter. It mattered which was more desperate. He glanced over his shoulder as he slowed, noting the way Zuko did, too. So he did know this was a game. Good for him. He grinned at the other boy, then sped up again, his wild blue hair whipping freely behind him as he darted around a corner, hopefully out of sight for just a moment. Then he grabbed onto the side of the building and began to scale it as fast as he could.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 25, 2021 20:43:27 GMT -5
Zuko hated that Sal was making it a game, but if playing it was how he got to the Survivor, that was exactly what he would do. Sal was right – he was desperate. He couldn’t let this opportunity pass on the off chance that there might be another way to get to the Survivor. This was the way that was right in front of him, and Zuko was nothing if not stubborn. He would fight tooth and nail to make this way work. Of course Sal had known he was coming. It should have been obvious when he had just been out in the open. If he hadn’t been, though, Zuko thought the blue hair would have been a dead giveaway if he even stayed in the area. If he knew where the Survivor was… if he worked with him… then there was no doubt he was going to stay in this area. It also meant that the Survivor was probably nearby as well. Although… they had already run through a decent portion of Luthadel. It would take weeks for him to search every house on his own, and even if he did, the Survivor could switch between houses. If Zuko had an army, maybe… he bit his lip, trying to ignore the frustration building up inside of him. His eyes narrowed and he focused solely on Dal, trying to make sure to keep him in sight. He cursed as Sal ducked away, picking up his speed so he would be able to see where he went before he disappeared. Only… when he rounded the corner he saw… nothing? He glanced around, trying to figure out where Sal might have gone. It wasn’t like there were many places for someone to disappear to… unless… Zuko’s gaze shifted upwards. It wasn’t as though Sal was a coinshot or a lurcher (or if he was, Zuko hadn’t been informed), and indeed, he wasn’t up high as an Allomancer would be. He was clinging to the side of the building, scaling it with the sort of efficiency that implied he had done this before. It didn’t take Zuko very long to clamber his way onto the wall, eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out how to climb it without falling and losing all of his progress.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 25, 2021 22:56:32 GMT -5
Sal was counting on the difficulty and confusion chasing him was going to give Zuko. His purpose here was simple. He needed to distract Zuko and get him as mixed up and far from the Survivor as he possibly could, while wasting as much of his time as possible. So far so good. Zuko seemed to be as determined to catch Sal as he’d anticipated he would be. So as long as he didn’t give up…they were going to be fine. He knew the building was a risk. He knew climbing it was a good way to get himself cornered. But he had a plan, and this was a dangerous game already. Why not play it to its full potential? Besides…he was curious how Zuko would react to it. He risked a glance down, rigtht as Zuko began to climb. So he was determined, then. Good…this was going well, so far. A little bit too well, in fact. He kept climbing. He could do this. It didn’t take too long to reach the rooftop. He stepped back, away from the edge, and looked around. It was bare…he doubted many people came up here, unless they were Allomancers themselves. It didn’t seem like a very nicer place to be. But thar might have been because Sal was currently on the run. He moved to the edge and waited for Zuko to appear. It wouldn’t take much. Just his head poking over the edge of the building.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 0:11:17 GMT -5
Zuko knew where he was. He didn’t know for sure that getting him lost was one of Sal’s goals, but he couldn’t really see any other reason for the boy to be so erratic in the way he was leading him. He didn’t take the most obvious paths to run down. He seemed like he was trying to lose Zuko, except he always waited to make sure that Zuko saw where he was going. No, he was most definitely trying to get Zuko turned around. It wasn’t going to work. It just… wasn’t giving Zuko any ideas of where the Survivor might be. Sal was a decoy, but he had information. He was the only solid lead that Zuko had been able to hunt down in years, and he wasn’t going to get up. He wanted to go home. Eventually he would catch the blue haired boy and he’d have a chance to do that. Eventually… Zuko realized as he was climbing that this was likely a trap. He had been lured here, and the Fisher boy was ahead of him, and if he wasn’t careful, he could get thrown off the rooftop. He wasn’t a Coinshot, he couldn’t push himself back up into the air with a well-placed coin if he fell. If he fell, it was over. He stayed where he was on the wall as he watched Sal crest the top, landing on the roof. His eyes narrowed. How could he do this without getting himself thrown off the building? This seemed like a test of sorts. One that he had to pass if he wanted to get home. One that his father would be disappointed in him for if he didn’t attempt it. Better a dead child than a coward. It took a few moments for Zuko to work up the courage, but he launched himself onto the rooftop, ignoring the fact that he was still several feet from the top. His hands hit the ledge of the roof, and he used his momentum to carry himself to his feet on the top of the roof.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 0:28:47 GMT -5
Getting Zuko lost was a possible bonus, not an end goal. He understood that it very well might not happen. Zuko seemed…well. Sal would have been very surprised if he didn’t know the city well. He had almost certainly been born here, if his impression of the other boy was any good. He was good at reading people, usually. He was pretty sure he had a good sense of Zuko so far. It was a trap. It was a test, more. Could Sal throw someone off the roof if it came down to it? In self defense…yes, he thought, he could. In protection of others, yes. And he was in danger, here. This was a game, but the stakes were life and death. He didn’t know do sure what would happen if he were caught, but… Zuko was desperate. Desperate people did desperate things. So he wasn’t sure what he was going to do when Zuko’s head appeared over the side. He didn’t have much time to figure it out, though, because it only took a moment for Zuko to join him, and then it was too late to push him. He backed away, eyes steady as they watched Zuko, his face masked and hidden and his bright hair tangled at his shoulders. Plan B it was then. He saluted Zuko, then leaned back, tipping off the building. It took about half a second of pure adrenaline for his fingers to find the upper edge of the open window he’d spotted and grab on, using his momentum to swing him inside, where he landed as quietly as he could and made straight for the door. If anyone was home, he’d be sure to apologize later, but for now… Now, he made for the stairs.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 0:39:18 GMT -5
Zuko turned, expression determined. He didn’t know if the fall was high enough to kill someone, but it wasn’t a risk he had wanted to take. He didn’t want to be pushed off a building, and he had just barely managed to make it over the side in time to avoid that fate. At the very least, he thought, looking down at the ground below, a fall from this distance would lead to a few broken bones. It might even lead to death, though that wasn’t a risk Zuko wanted to take. He took a moment to catch his breath, silent as he looked across at Sal. He had finally caught up to him. They were both on the same rooftop, and it would take a lot of skill to get down safely. Sal had lured him here to push him off the roof. What was his plan now that Zuko was still alive? He opened his mouth, half prepared to just ask, but Sal’s salute took him by surprise. What…? And then Sal tipped. “NO!” Zuko screamed, rushing forward to the edge of the roof and grabbing for Sal’s hand. It wasn’t the scream of someone who had just failed a mission. It was the scream of someone who had just watched someone else die when there was no need for death. It was the scream of someone in shock and rage and utter helplessness. He rushed to the side of the building, looking down to see if he could spot Sal anymore. To… to see if he could spot a too-small body lain down below at a crooked angle, red blood providing a sharp contrast to blue hair. He saw no such thing. He hoped for a miracle. He doubted one had occurred. It wasn’t about finding the Survivor. It was about the fact that Sal could have died. He had almost willingly died to keep that information a secret. It was possible that he had died. And that would be Zuko’s fault. He felt it, in his chest. He felt the guilt burgeoning there, though he tried to ignore it.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 12:56:39 GMT -5
Sal heard the scream, and it froze him in place. It was sharper than he’d anticipated…much, much sharper, and far more emotional. It wasn’t the anger of losing a game. It was… Was that terror? He didn’t understand. Zuko sounded genuinely terrified for him…maybe it was just for the information. Maybe he was just angry that he’d lost his lead on the Survivor. But he had to know Sal was still alive, didn’t he? He had to know there’d be another chance. It had been a dangerous move, but as far as Sal was concerned, getting caught just wasn’t an option. Who knew what lengths Zuko was willing to go to get the information? Sal hoped he could hold onto against torture, but if he were honest…he just didn’t know. He didn’t really want to find out, either. He kept moving with some difficulty, his steps slow at first, then faster as he raced down the stairs. He didn’t think Zuko was behind him. - he’d have to be insane to pull the stunt Sal has just pulled - but he didn’t want to stick around to find out just in case he happened to be insane after all. It didn’t take him long to make it to the floor. He didn’t see anyone…hopefully no one was home. Hopefully, they were all out doing…well. He didn’t really want to think about that. He headed out the door instead, closing it behind him and moving out into the middle of the street, where he looked up, trying to see whether Zuko was still at the top.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 14:42:01 GMT -5
Zuko had seen people die. He’d been kept separate for it when he was little, his mother not wanting him to be exposed to the worst part of the nobility. He had believed for a long time that the nobility were righteous, that everything they did was right… he had missed the bloodshed. He had grown up blissfully ignorant of it, and when Azula tried to tell him about it, he didn’t believe her. Azula always lies. It was true, but she was right. The nobility killed the Skaa to make an example of them. When Zuko had been exiled, when he had been forced to leave home with Iroh… well, it was the Skaa who had been kind to him. He had to believe that the Lord Ruler was truly the best option for peace. He had to believe that without the Lord Ruler, the Skaa would turn against each other and it would be a massacre. He had to believe that the Skaa needed their guidance. It was the only way his life made sense. The thing was, he didn’t like watching the Skaa die. He saw them as people – it was a side effect of using them as servants and guards in his exile. It was a side effect of relying on them to keep him safe and keep him fed. It was a side effect of actually having a chance to talk to them, to get to know them… he wasn’t friends with them, they were still underneath him, but they didn’t deserve death. Maybe Azula was right. Maybe he was weak. But maybe, if he eventually took over for his father… the Skaa would be the people he had to keep alive. The people who would be looking to him for guidance. Zuko didn’t breathe until he saw Sal emerge from the building. He glanced at him, his shoulders slumping in relief as he saw him leave from the building entrance. He wanted to go after him, but he wouldn’t, now. He needed to let his racing heart recover from almost seeing someone else die. Almost seeing someone else die because of him.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 15:25:22 GMT -5
Sal had disappeared after he’d successfully evaded Zuko. He knew how to hide, even with his striking appearance, and it hadn’t taken long for him to vanish. But now…now, he was on the street again, his attention on the sky. He was alone, once again, same spot and time he’d been before, and he was waiting, if Zuko looked here…it wouldn’t be long now. He couldn’t see the stars, of course, but he had a decent sense of what time it was, and this was when Zuko had found him last time. He tried romoook busy, walking around with no destination, but he knew it wasn’t exactly hard to see he was waiting for something to happen. Zuko already knew it was a game anyway, so it didn’t matter.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 15:31:45 GMT -5
Zuko had hardly dared hope that Sal would be in the same place as the night before. He hadn’t looked there first, actually… he had scoured the part of the city they had raced through, trying to find any glimpse of him. There were a number of times he had thought he had found him, only to realize it was someone completely different who had just… decided to cover their hair for reasons that were completely unrelated to it being blue. When he rounded the corner to see Sal, though, his eyes widened. So he was there. Zuko cleared his throat, deciding that, if it was a game, it was only fair to let Sal know he was there instead of just ambushing him. This was completely unnavigated ground. He didn’t know where he was going with this, only that he needed to talk to Sal, and if he wanted that, he was going to have to catch him fair and square. The issue was, only Sal knew the rules of the game. Well, Zuko was going to have to catch on quick.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 15:37:22 GMT -5
Sal wasn’t sure Zuko was coming. He didn’t know for sure that he was even going to continue this, after he knew how committed Sal was to escaping. He was well aware that this wasn’t an ordinary game…and to Zuko, probably not a game at all. It was cat and mouse, as long as Sal didn’t let himself get eaten. If he were caught…he didn’t know what would happen then. He just knew that Zuko was going to do his absolute best to make it happen. He looked up at the noise, blue eyes catching on Zuko. So he was here after all…he stood still for a moment, watching him. Then he turned and began to run. If Zuko was here, he really was desperate. That made this game even more intense,
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 15:47:09 GMT -5
Zuko was desperate. That much was true. He needed to get the Survivor, and he needed to either kill him or bring him back to his father. He had a feeling (from what he had heard about the Survivor), that he might actually appreciate an audience with the Lord Ruler. Of course… he needed to find the Survivor first. It would be easier if he went of his own free will. Zuko would need to betray him at that point. He would need to Soothe him into letting them chain him down, and then… and then Zuko would get to go home. More realistically, though, he knew he would have to face the Survivor and kill him. It wasn’t ideal, but if it got him home? It didn’t matter. He was running before he even had a chance to think. He couldn’t let Sal get away this time. He couldn’t let him trick him like he had before. He had to be the one who was one step ahead his time. He could feel his breath coming hard – he was pushing more this time than he had before. He didn’t have many nights to waste running around like this, especially if it turned out this was a false lead. Why would anyone risk themself like this if they didn’t have actual information, though?
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 15:54:30 GMT -5
Sal knew he couldn’t let Zuko anywhere near the Survivor. He couldn’t let him close, or…well. He thought the Survivor actually had a fair shot at killing Zuko, but he couldn’t risk that. He couldn’t risk the chance that he would be caught unawares and taken away. That would be catastrophic. He could tell Zuko was trying harder this time. They were getting a sense of each other, and that meant Zuko was going to start trying much, much harder. He ran faster, his feet hitting the ground and bearing a rhythm into it as have ran, determined to keep ahead of him. Getting caught, that wasn’t an option. He couldn’t let himself be caught. He turned a corner and kept running. He knew this city, he would avoid the dead ends. It would be fine. Zuko wasn’t going to catch up.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 16:10:04 GMT -5
The Survivor meant hope, and he meant maybe things didn’t have to be the way they were now, maybe cruelty wasn’t the only answer. Maybe things could be better, maybe…maybe Sal could have a life that wasn’t hunted. Maybe he could be free, like the rest of his people. He ran, listening to the footsteps that were Zuko’s behind him as they chased after him. This felt…different than last time. More serious, more intense, less gentle by far. Zuko was catching onto the game, and he was getting into it. If he caught Sal, it was all over. But he wouldn’t. He didn’t know this part of the city as well, he discovered. He hadn’t been here many times before. He kept going, or course…there was no other option now. He could hear Zuko close behind and he sped up, trying to get a better head start. This was dangerous. He didn’t want to be caught, he couldn’t be caught, but heKd chosen this, and he wasn’t backing down now. This was a game he could win. And it was keeping Zuko busy, wasn’t it?
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 16:17:02 GMT -5
Zuko didn’t believe in the hope the Survivor presented. He thought it was probably tempting to the Skaa. If he had never been exiled… he was afraid he would have ruled with even more of an iron fist than his father did. He would need to be strict, of course, to prevent rebellion, but he would be kinder than the Lord Ruler. He just had to bide his time. He had deserved this punishment by being kind. He was supposed to have learned a lesson, but he had a feeling he didn’t learn the lesson his father had intended him to. Instead, he had learned to hide his kindness for when there was nobody to question him about it. For when there was nobody to speak out against, because he was the one in charge. He just… hoped that he didn’t end up smothering the part of himself that his mother had fostered. He was well on his way to doing that, though he tried to deny it. They were getting closer to some of the noble houses. A small, determined smile appeared on Zuko’s features as he wound around a building, hoping to stay out of sight of Sal for a few moments. If he could disorient him… he raced ahead, hoping to cut in against Sal right where the only way to turn was a dead end. That would trap Sal. And maybe… maybe he’d be willing to give up the information if he was caught. And if he didn’t… there was always bribery. Zuko didn’t have much, but he had more than most of the Skaa. He had enough to live on for almost a month. There weren’t many people who wouldn’t cave for that.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 16:27:01 GMT -5
Zuko wasn’t Skaa. He didn’t know what they went through every single day, he was just…noble. How could he understand what the Survivor offered? How could he possibly know how deeply the Skaa hurt? He didn’t have a clue. He was just following orders, or so Sal assumed. He didn’t know Zuko’s past, of course, but he knew that there was no way a noble boy could understand the pain of a Skaa boy. They were in very different lives, and Sal had no intention of letting Zuko anywhere near the Survivor. He wouldn’t be caught. No matter what, he would never be caught. It only took a moment for him to realize Zuko had vanished. He slowed, looking behind him, searching…dread grew in the pit of his stomach, but he pushed it down. That was fine. He was fine. He just had to figure out how to evade an invisible enemy…he could do that, no problem. He kept running, because what else could he do? It wasn’t safe to stop. This felt like a trap. He just didn’t know how to evade it. So he fell right into it. He turned the corner, then swerved as he saw Zuko, his heart leaping into his throat. He was fine, there was a way out, he just had to - He saw the dead end after he turned and froze, No. No. No. He ran at it ans leapt, trying to grab onto the wall and hoist himself up it, trying desperately to scale it and slip away. He held on for a long moment, scrambling for a hold, then fell, hitting the ground and slipping to his knees for a moment before he stood and backed away. No.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 26, 2021 23:52:08 GMT -5
In Zuko’s mind there was a very clear distinction between noble and Skaa. His father had chosen the nobility specifically from those who had helped him in his darkest hour, who had helped him save the world… and everyone else had been allowed to live, though they hadn’t helped. It was a fair deal, back then. The Lord Ruler had created the Skaa so that they couldn’t have Allomancy. Sometimes Zuko wondered why he hadn’t made them so that they wouldn’t fight amongst themselves, but maybe the Lord Ruler hadn’t held the power long enough to make that happen. Maybe he didn’t foresee that as a possibility. It didn’t count as a big enough hole in the story that Zuko was actually going to question it. Sal did exactly as he had expected. Zuko moved forward, edging closer to him and successfully blocking his way out of the dead end. The buildings were almost impossible to climb, especially without a guide or experience. “You won’t get very far that way,” Zuko commented, crossing his arms as he stepped forwards. His swords were still sheathed – he didn’t think he would need them. He didn’t want to threaten Sal into getting information, especially since a threat rarely worked unless you actually intended to follow through on it. Zuko wasn’t going to kill Sal here. He was still the only source of information that he had, and he would much rather get the information willingly. As far as he was aware, torture didn’t really work anyway. People tended to spill whatever they thought you wanted them to say, not the actual truth. “And if you cooperate, you can walk right back out this way in no time. I’ve been told that you have information on the Survivor. I need it.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 26, 2021 23:53:24 GMT -5
L listened quietly, nodding as Orpheus explained. That made sense…he understood. He couldn’t tell because he’d never experienced it, and Orpheus couldn’t tell because he’d never experienced anything else. Naturally, they were a bit stuck. “If you think you feel pride, I’m hardly in a position to argue with you,” he replied simply. “And most living things dislike being hurt, so that’s not surprising either. Watari doesn’t hurt people, however, and neither do I without cause, so…as long as it’s just us, you’re as safe as anyone can realistically be.” He didn’t like the idea that Orpheus was going to prioritize L’s feelings over his own life. That just felt…wrong. He opened his mouth to argue, then paused, processing what the other person was saying. “Is there any way I can convince you not to call me that?” He asked hopefully. “Never mind. I suppose you can keep doing what you were doing now.” He stepped back, awkward as he tried to remember which direction Orpheus been going so he could get out of the way. He shifted to the side, slipping back into the room he’d come out of to make free up the hall again. He still intended to keep an eye on Orpheus, of course. But he would do a better job of being invisible this time.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 27, 2021 0:15:44 GMT -5
Sal knew the story. He knew the way the Lord Ruler claimed to have rose to power, rewarding those who had helped him and…well, it didn’t say punishing those who hadn’t in the actual tales, but from Sal’s point of view, that was exactly what had happened. Maybe those ancestors hadn’t wanted the Lord Ruler to rise to power. Maybe they’d understood what a very poor leader he would end up being. He hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, that was all. He hadn’t seen Zuko’s foresight coming, though he should have. He didn’t know this place as well…he rarely came here. He hadn’t known there were any dead ends nearby. He hadn’t known he was so close to one. Which were all excuses to mask the simple fact that he’d screwed up and he was going to pay for it. He backed away as Zuko stepped closer, bright blue eyes searching the other boy’s face. His own was masked, as always, his hair tied up and out of the way, though it still caught the light and betrayed its hue now and then. His heart raced. This was a game, still. This was a game, but now, Zuko had the upper hand. Sal could have led him anywhere. Now, Zuko was in control. He wanted to try and leap free again. He could scale it, he knew he could. But what if Zuko used that opportunity to grab him? He didn’t have much of a choice, did he? He turned and leapt at the wall, fingertips clutching at the slick surface, trying to get a hold on it. Again, he slipped and fell, a curse slipping between his teeth before he could swallow it.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 27, 2021 12:39:57 GMT -5
-- Orpheus was late. The first week had gone by without a hitch (although it had taken him a day or two to get into the swing of things and really start understanding how to do his job well), but he had a feeling Lord Wammy wouldn’t be very forgiving of his tardiness. It hadn’t been his fault, per se, but the end result was the same. He was late for work, and his vision was rather blurry. He tenderly touched a finger to the tender skin underneath his eye, trying to ignore the fact that it was already beginning to bruise. He breathed out, opening the door to the Keep, then moving immediately for the cleaning supplies. Hopefully, if he did the work quickly enough, nobody other than L would notice that he had been late. L wouldn’t say anything, he assumed. Orpheus had gotten used to the idea of L watching over his shoulder, though he had a feeling the young man thought he was invisible. He was, most of the time, but there were moments when Orpheus caught a glimpse of him. He didn’t see him now, as he headed for the more difficult rooms to clean. He was hoping nobody mentioned it. He was hoping he could make up for being late by doing his job more efficiently today. He kept his head down as he began to dust off the bookshelves, gingerly removing each book so he could dust their spines and pages as well.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 27, 2021 12:45:33 GMT -5
Zuko frowned, biting his lip a little bit as he pressed closer, making sure there was no clear way for Sal to leave. He had him cornered. He had him trapped, which meant he had won this little game of theirs, right? Or maybe he had just created a new round. A verbal round. The thought of torture hadn’t even crossed his mind – he didn’t know why Sal looked so terrified, but he needed to get his answers. He didn’t have time to coddle the other boy and make him feel better for having lost round one. This was life or death, and Zuko refused to apologize for surviving. That was one thing he had in common with the Survivor. As far as he was aware, that was the only thing. The curse surprised Zuko a little bit. His brow quirked up and he took another step forward, wanting to make it inescapably clear that there was no escape. “Look,” Zuko said, his voice rather sharp. “Just tell me what I need to know and you get to go on your way. You don’t even have to scale a building again.” He crossed his arms, trying to make himself look as big and intimidating as possible. That was one thing the scar was good for, at least. It told others that he wasn’t the sort of person to mess with. He had sustained that scar and survived, so he could sustain whatever they had to throw at him. He wouldn’t back down. He wasn’t afraid. Deep down, he was just a boy who wanted to go home. A boy who missed his mother and believed that, if he made it home, he might be able to find her. He might be able to make her proud, wherever she was. A boy who had been told since birth that he was destined to inherit an empire, who had done his best to be prepared. A boy who was too kind to kill but had to squish that kindness as thoroughly as possible. That boy was hidden behind as true a mask as the one hiding Sal’s face. Zuko looked every bit the soldier.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 27, 2021 12:52:58 GMT -5
L did his absolute best to be invisible. To Orpheus, mostly, but it didn’t hurt to be invisible to everyone else too. Which…in this case, was merely Watari. But it was good practice, in case he ever needed to actually be invisible for some reason. He knew Orpheus was late immediately, because he’d been watching for him and he hadn’t arrived. He had never been late before…he didn’t know exactly how long he had been working for them, but he didn’t think it had been that many days. Still, his pattern had been solidified. He didn’t like it being disrupted. So he knew immediately when Orpheus arrived. He headed down, carefully, trying to see if he could tell what had happened without calling any attention to himself. He was good at being quiet, after all. He watched Orpheus for a long moment, eyes scanning the other person’s back and neck and shoes for any clues. He was just about to shift his position when Orpheus turned and he caught sight of the black eye that was forming. “Someone hit you,” he said without thinking, startled into forgetting he was supposed to be invisible.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Jul 27, 2021 13:12:29 GMT -5
The wall was too slick. There were no holds for his fingers to grab onto, much less his feet. He wasn’t above going barefoot to scale a stubborn wall, but he didn’t think even that would help him here. There just wasn’t any way to support his weight. The builders evidently had done their jobs too well. It didn’t stop him from trying it one more time. He leapt as high as he could, digging in his fingernails as he connected and clinging on like a spider, his muscles shaking from the effort of holding his full weight up for even a minute. He grit his teeth and reached up, digging his nails into the wall and pulling himself up just a little bit higher before he slipped and fell, gritting his teeth harsher as he hit the ground and stumbled to his knees once again. So he wasn’t getting out of here by climbing. He straightened up and stepped back, giving Zuko his undivided attention, eyes fierce and more than a little bit afraid. Zuko looked younger, up close. He couldn’t have been older than Sal himself was…thought, Sal didn’t actually see himself as a kid anymore, and he guessed Zuko didn’t either. He didn’t speak. He wouldn’t speak. He just lifted his chin and stood still, eyes daring Zuko to approach. The worst he could do was kill him, and if he did that, he would lose his information. He wouldn’t risk it. And while Sal breathed, there was hope of escape. He could still get out of this in one piece. He just had to keep believing that. The minute he gave up, it was over.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 27, 2021 13:17:17 GMT -5
Orpheus looked up, startled to hear L’s voice. He hadn’t heard the young master speak except for his first day, and that had been… he blushed, uncertain if that conversation had gone well or poorly. He wanted to believe that it had gone well, but he was still on uncertain ground with the young man. They were so different, Skaa and nobles. They weren’t equals, though they were both human. They had no way of knowing what the other felt, and they couldn’t rely on the words they shared, unless they decided to take everything said at face value. Orpheus didn’t know if he could experience pride. He didn’t know if there was any real difference between Skaa and the nobility. He had to believe there was, though… he wanted to believe that one day the Skaa could rise up and take over and take their lives back, but they had a long way to go before that was possible. The Survivor brought hope. One day, Orpheus hoped to bring him a song. That day was a long way away. “Oh,” he murmured, lifting a hand to touch his eye again. He looked away, almost as though he was trying to hide it. “Yes,” he said after a moment, keeping his eyes downcast. “Please don’t worry, Master L. It won’t impede my work.”
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