Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 21, 2010 22:56:19 GMT -5
Alexei had dropped Zuko here before making his rounds among the markets of Paris. He fiddled with his cup, which was filled with tea. He looked older than he had a few months ago--a little tired.
He was honestly a little worried about what Azula would say, given he had kind of abandoned her here. With good intentions, of course, but still, he hadn't said anything.
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Post by Azula on Apr 22, 2010 23:17:32 GMT -5
Azula was dressed in her second best causual clothes, red tunic, black pants, boots, and her hair flowed freely around her face, framing a calm expression as she slipped into the chair oppisite her brother.
"I was going to sneak up on you and declare a faux Agni Kai on you for abandoning me without a word," she admited with a slight smile while gesturing for service, "But then I saw your face and realized you're under more than enough pressure at the moment. So, dear Brother, how's life at home as the Avatar's lapdog?"
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 22, 2010 23:32:40 GMT -5
His face was apologetic. "About the whole... leaving thing, it sort of happened suddenly and I was worried Alexei would disappear, and when someone can teleport how are you supposed to find them again later, plus you were doing a lot better here than in that institution, so. Yeah. Nice to see you."
He rubbed his forehead.
"Avatar Aang doesn't do very well under pressure." This was Zuko's way of saying he had ended up shouldering a lot of the burden of reconstruction, in his own nation and the Earth Kingdom, whether that meant sending money or sending help. The Water Tribes built everything out of snow, and were pretty much set as long as nobody was attacking them.
In fact, the Water Tribe had opened up trade with the Fire Nation within months of the end of the war, though that could have been due to the considerable influence Katara had amassed in what passed for the government of those Tribes.
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Post by Azula on Apr 22, 2010 23:46:56 GMT -5
"Somehow I'm not terribly surprised. He always struck me as..," Azula trailed off as a waitress showed up, "Tea. Earl Grey. With a slice of lemon please."
She continued once the waitress left, "...One of the Palace Guards suddenly being told they were promoted to Firelord and that everyone expected him to solve all their problems at once. Even *with* the personal power to enforce his will, would you expect that to end well?"
She let her smile fade, serious, "And, yeah. I'm doing good. Better than good even."
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 22, 2010 23:54:14 GMT -5
"He was twelve when he was told that it was up to him to save the world. It's not his fault, but I really shouldn't have to worry about Earth Kingdom provinces fighting with one another. It's sort of his territory."
He looked at her directly.
"And I'm glad. Uncle was certainly glad to see me back. He was back at his tea shop within the week."
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Post by Azula on Apr 23, 2010 11:07:33 GMT -5
Azula snorted, between her family's aparently genetic predilection work in tea shops and the Avatar's incompetance, she wasn't missing a whole lot at home, especially with Li Zhu's stall allowing her to experiment with some traditional Fire Nation recipes.
"How are you selling that intervention, Zuko? From the stiff-necked pride of all those Earth Kingdoms, I'd assume they'd see any sort of Fire Nation help as 'Imperialist meddling'," she inquired, drawn slightly into the foolish-sounding policy of her brother's reign despite herself.
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 24, 2010 11:56:18 GMT -5
"That's exactly the problem. It's been my policy not to intervene in anything, but trade is being interrupted when the other province tries to place blockades. The Avatar seems convinced they'll "work it out on their own". Both Water Tribes have cut off all trade to the Earth Kingdom until the violence stops, but if I do that it'll be seen as reneging on my promise of aid in reconstruction."
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Post by Azula on Apr 24, 2010 12:22:40 GMT -5
Azula had to roll her eyes at that one. "There's an obvious solution to that problem," she offered, "Help the ones who cooperate, ignore the ones that don't. Bring the Avatar and the Water Tribes into that arrangement as well, wrap it in 'promoting the mutual benefit of the world' and you should at least start making headway while saving a little on relief supplies in the time it takes them to get the idea straight."
She smiled grimly, a gleam in her eyes, "Same policy we used to hold much of the Earth Kingdom except replace 'set on your crops on fire until you surrender' with 'no relief supplies until you play nice'."
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 24, 2010 12:33:05 GMT -5
He considered this.
"I hadn't thought to consider each province as a separate entity."
But now she mentioned it, it made complete sense. And with their air-travel capabilities, it wasn't difficult to transport goods without worrying about port and river accessibility.
"I'll pose the idea to the Avatar and the two Chiefs next time I get a chance to." He gave her a grateful nod.
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Post by Azula on Apr 24, 2010 13:11:56 GMT -5
She smirked, nodding sidelong as her tea arrived, "You can now return the favor by asking polite questions about my life as the good sibling should in these reunion affairs."
She defty squeezed a her lemon slice into her cup, raising it to her lips. Well, good to see her Father's lessons hadn't been all psychotic rants.
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 24, 2010 13:20:48 GMT -5
"Um. How are... things?"
Okay, so he kind of sucked at "polite." To be fair, for most of his formative adolescent years, he'd been on a ship with a bunch of sailors, and despite Uncle's efforts, he'd ignored any instruction in manners.
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Post by Azula on Apr 24, 2010 13:41:38 GMT -5
"Well, I eventually moved out of Billy's apartment after Micaela and Noh disappeared and into Yomiko's," she began, "Took a job in the Paris Fire Brigade to pay my half of the expenses, join Yomiko on her bi-weekly patrols of the neighborhood where the police fear to tread, drill myself six hours every saturday morning to keep sharp and improve myself... Oh, and I've kept working on that redirection technique you started showing me before you left, alien to my style of Firebending as it is."
She ticked off the points on her fingers, affecting a distracted mask as she dissected his reaction from the corner of one eye.
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 24, 2010 13:51:48 GMT -5
"Wait, disappeared?" That certainly didn't sound good.
He wondered if she'd made any progress with the redirection thing, though she was one of only two firebenders known to be able to generate lightning in the first place. Uncle Iroh was the other, and he refused to use the ability anyway.
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Post by Azula on Apr 24, 2010 14:05:41 GMT -5
"Disappeared," confirmed the former princess grimly, "There one day and gone the next morning, Micaela first and then No a few days later. Never could find any sign of them even with Billy's help. It... wasn't a good time for me and if it wasn't for Yomiko's support..."
She trailed off, not wanting to think about those few weeks and how close she had gotten to the abyss after losing her two anchors. Some of that pain even made it into her gaze for a few heartbeats before she regrouped her mask.
"Let's just say she was a big help in keeping me my charming, collected self and that I owe her a lot," she finished, lips quirking bittersweetly.
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Zuko
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Post by Zuko on Apr 24, 2010 14:23:46 GMT -5
"I... I'm sorry that happened." While the words weren't exactly inspiring, he was genuine. He worried that she'd placed her trust in only one person, but before she hadn't trusted anyone, so perhaps she'd traded up. "But I'm glad you've recovered.... so. What is the Paris Fire Brigade? I assume they don't set fires?"
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