Prince Zuko 🔥 祖寇 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rediscovering) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
isleofavalon2022-01-25 02:23 pm
rediscovering) wrote in isleofavalon2022-01-25 02:23 pm
OTA; i feel numb most of the time
🧙 WHO: Zuko & you?
⚔️️ WHAT: ice fishing, yelling yetis, moping at school, apartment hunting, training manically in a creepy forest by himself, uh... generally brooding. (+ a couple closed top-levels)
🕒 WHEN: catch-all January
🗺️ WHERE: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ out and about?
⚠️ WARNINGS: all is kosher. just sad. :|
a. ice fishing
[ Zuko's no stranger to swimming in polar waters. This lil firebitch once swam upstream against a geyser inside an iceberg in the North Pole and managed to to burst out of the ice with still enough energy and vigor to scream at some barking seals to shut up. He's survived more things than most people have been in danger of. He has full confidence he can catch a ton of these fish... it may or may not be well-placed confidence, but he's at least fairly sure he can survive the cold waters, so it's worth a shot. In fact, this maybe-maybe-not misplaced confidence is so strong that he's endeavored on this quest alone... If you happen to see him come up to deposit a captured fish in the basket he brought and left above water, it'll be clear he's by his lonesome.
May not be the smartest to leave a basket of expensive fish unattended while deep-diving on a challenging hunt, but, uh, Zuko may not be the smartest. Formidable, though, if he catches anyone trying to steal them, he'll be out of that water and shooting fireballs so fast... But if someone meets him underwater or offers to help him out, he'll surely be at least slightly friendlier than that. ]
b. yelling yetis
[ This quest, too, seemed like easy cash. He's not scared of large, ferocious beasts, either. He figures it's also not a bad bet to just treat them like you're scaring off a platypus-bear or something. So catch him charging a yeti uphill, shouting (almost more like roaring, from the gut, man, with force!) at the top of his lungs, and waving his arms wildly; if the yetis don't retreat because this guy seems crazy and indeed is pretty scary, he'll go the extra step to scare them even further by either shooting fireballs or using a stream of fire as if it were a whip, striking at their feet to drive them off. If one does charge him and attack back... well... he's also brought his twin dao blades. He's got this.
He's had pretty good success with driving the present one back up the mountain, until, at last, another he'd already driven up ahead does suddenly turn on him and seems to be getting ready to charge back down the mountain at him, clearly unnoticed as he's whipping at the current one's feet with his flames. Maaaaybe he does need help. Scratch that. ]
c. school
[ Zuko's feeling pretty lonely at school now that Aang's gone. The Avatar had been his study partner and they had a majority of their classes together as they were both elemental mages, apart from their secondary magic classes. They walked to school together every day, both early to rise, and walked home together almost every day — being that they were roommates, too! And now his best friend was gone. The school feels empty suddenly, even though he knows other students... He's spending more time there lately, because it's better than going home to an actually empty home.
He spends a lot of time pouring over textbooks on elemental magic and siphoning magic in the school library, even on lunch breaks. Likewise a lot of time in study hall after school. He's always early to class, one of the earliest students to arrive to school in the first place, really, so in the mornings he takes to the courtyard to... yeah... guess what... study. In fact, even if he's never spoken to them before, any classmates of his will likely notice that Zuko's not speaking to anyone at school anymore. He stopped volunteering in class, stopped raising his hand to contribute, is especially curt and terse if called upon by the teacher, and in any downtime, constantly has his nose in a textbook. This is all the exact opposite than the over-eager, outspoken, undaunted, action-oriented student who'd all year been inseparable from his now-missing lighthearted, enthusiastic, talented, goofball bald friend. He's gone virtually silent for the last few weeks. But still spends all this extra time at school...? Frankly, to a friendly soul, strangers and acquaintances and friends alike, it's pretty blatantly concerning. It's not hard to guess what's caused this change, but... it's still worrisome.
The only remotely "social" act he's taken up, outside his near constant magic studies, is checking out the school bulletin board for any eventual upcoming sports team sign-ups. He doesn't need to be best buddies with anyone on any team he'll try out for, once tryouts begin... he just has to be good at playing. Volleyball, baseball, soccer, kendo, something to occupy even more of his time. Something physical, competitive, something he can throw himself headlong into. As many distractions as he can let himself be absorbed by, he wants the stimulation. And really, any team or club that gets him will be lucky... He takes even a fun, friendly, casual game way... way too seriously... let alone being on an official team. He might not be the funnest or friendliest, but he'll be an athletic asset in whatever he picks up. ]
d. househunting
[ Find Zuko at a bulletin board in the main inn. He's looking visibly grumpy and uncomfortable, a resting scowl on his face. He's maybe a little underdressed for the weather but looks comfortable; but with his hair done-up in a tidy topknot, it just draws attention to his sour expression. A rather strange creature is perched on the boy's shoulder, making funny little chirps and purrs, chittering to itself quietly. He's pinning up a rather plain piece of paper, advertising that he's looking to buy or rent a one-bedroom apartment. The flier lists the usernamefireprince as the contact info. He can't live in the Team Avatar house by himself. It's too sad. It's too empty. Approach him offering to sell your space, telling him to lighten up, asking him about his weird animal companion...? He doesn't look all too approachable, but hey, he's at a bulletin board, he's on a hunt. Closed mouths don't get fed. ]
e. zuko alone
[ He can't be in school all the time... So when he's not at school, he's still distracting himself with his studies. In the forest near his home, somewhat on the outskirts of the city but not terribly far, just enough to be comfortable he won't be putting others at risk, he's set up a sort of training area of his own. There's evidence of this by scorch marks on tree trunks, fallen branches, raised stones, large patches of snow missing, puddles of sleet and smud, you name it. All the tell tale signs of a... clearly overzealous... but just as clearly well-practiced elemental mage. Maybe you hear or see him training and catch him in the act, furiously abusing the innocent winter landscape, and choose to approach him. Maybe you stumble upon his little set-up here and he stumbles upon you. But for any wayward travelers in the woods, this spot is really... wow... quite a sight. Also might be mildly worrisome to see, for those who know him, especially those who know how obsessed and self-isolating he's been at school. But he's most certainly putting all this extra studying to good use, at least...? ]
f. wildcard!
(( Hmu on plurk @![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
summerdive if you'd like to chat or plot or set up any closed toplevels together! ☆ ))
⚔️️ WHAT: ice fishing, yelling yetis, moping at school, apartment hunting, training manically in a creepy forest by himself, uh... generally brooding. (+ a couple closed top-levels)
🕒 WHEN: catch-all January
🗺️ WHERE: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ out and about?
⚠️ WARNINGS: all is kosher. just sad. :|
a. ice fishing
[ Zuko's no stranger to swimming in polar waters. This lil firebitch once swam upstream against a geyser inside an iceberg in the North Pole and managed to to burst out of the ice with still enough energy and vigor to scream at some barking seals to shut up. He's survived more things than most people have been in danger of. He has full confidence he can catch a ton of these fish... it may or may not be well-placed confidence, but he's at least fairly sure he can survive the cold waters, so it's worth a shot. In fact, this maybe-maybe-not misplaced confidence is so strong that he's endeavored on this quest alone... If you happen to see him come up to deposit a captured fish in the basket he brought and left above water, it'll be clear he's by his lonesome.
May not be the smartest to leave a basket of expensive fish unattended while deep-diving on a challenging hunt, but, uh, Zuko may not be the smartest. Formidable, though, if he catches anyone trying to steal them, he'll be out of that water and shooting fireballs so fast... But if someone meets him underwater or offers to help him out, he'll surely be at least slightly friendlier than that. ]
b. yelling yetis
[ This quest, too, seemed like easy cash. He's not scared of large, ferocious beasts, either. He figures it's also not a bad bet to just treat them like you're scaring off a platypus-bear or something. So catch him charging a yeti uphill, shouting (almost more like roaring, from the gut, man, with force!) at the top of his lungs, and waving his arms wildly; if the yetis don't retreat because this guy seems crazy and indeed is pretty scary, he'll go the extra step to scare them even further by either shooting fireballs or using a stream of fire as if it were a whip, striking at their feet to drive them off. If one does charge him and attack back... well... he's also brought his twin dao blades. He's got this.
He's had pretty good success with driving the present one back up the mountain, until, at last, another he'd already driven up ahead does suddenly turn on him and seems to be getting ready to charge back down the mountain at him, clearly unnoticed as he's whipping at the current one's feet with his flames. Maaaaybe he does need help. Scratch that. ]
c. school
[ Zuko's feeling pretty lonely at school now that Aang's gone. The Avatar had been his study partner and they had a majority of their classes together as they were both elemental mages, apart from their secondary magic classes. They walked to school together every day, both early to rise, and walked home together almost every day — being that they were roommates, too! And now his best friend was gone. The school feels empty suddenly, even though he knows other students... He's spending more time there lately, because it's better than going home to an actually empty home.
He spends a lot of time pouring over textbooks on elemental magic and siphoning magic in the school library, even on lunch breaks. Likewise a lot of time in study hall after school. He's always early to class, one of the earliest students to arrive to school in the first place, really, so in the mornings he takes to the courtyard to... yeah... guess what... study. In fact, even if he's never spoken to them before, any classmates of his will likely notice that Zuko's not speaking to anyone at school anymore. He stopped volunteering in class, stopped raising his hand to contribute, is especially curt and terse if called upon by the teacher, and in any downtime, constantly has his nose in a textbook. This is all the exact opposite than the over-eager, outspoken, undaunted, action-oriented student who'd all year been inseparable from his now-missing lighthearted, enthusiastic, talented, goofball bald friend. He's gone virtually silent for the last few weeks. But still spends all this extra time at school...? Frankly, to a friendly soul, strangers and acquaintances and friends alike, it's pretty blatantly concerning. It's not hard to guess what's caused this change, but... it's still worrisome.
The only remotely "social" act he's taken up, outside his near constant magic studies, is checking out the school bulletin board for any eventual upcoming sports team sign-ups. He doesn't need to be best buddies with anyone on any team he'll try out for, once tryouts begin... he just has to be good at playing. Volleyball, baseball, soccer, kendo, something to occupy even more of his time. Something physical, competitive, something he can throw himself headlong into. As many distractions as he can let himself be absorbed by, he wants the stimulation. And really, any team or club that gets him will be lucky... He takes even a fun, friendly, casual game way... way too seriously... let alone being on an official team. He might not be the funnest or friendliest, but he'll be an athletic asset in whatever he picks up. ]
d. househunting
[ Find Zuko at a bulletin board in the main inn. He's looking visibly grumpy and uncomfortable, a resting scowl on his face. He's maybe a little underdressed for the weather but looks comfortable; but with his hair done-up in a tidy topknot, it just draws attention to his sour expression. A rather strange creature is perched on the boy's shoulder, making funny little chirps and purrs, chittering to itself quietly. He's pinning up a rather plain piece of paper, advertising that he's looking to buy or rent a one-bedroom apartment. The flier lists the username
fireprince as the contact info. He can't live in the Team Avatar house by himself. It's too sad. It's too empty. Approach him offering to sell your space, telling him to lighten up, asking him about his weird animal companion...? He doesn't look all too approachable, but hey, he's at a bulletin board, he's on a hunt. Closed mouths don't get fed. ]e. zuko alone
[ He can't be in school all the time... So when he's not at school, he's still distracting himself with his studies. In the forest near his home, somewhat on the outskirts of the city but not terribly far, just enough to be comfortable he won't be putting others at risk, he's set up a sort of training area of his own. There's evidence of this by scorch marks on tree trunks, fallen branches, raised stones, large patches of snow missing, puddles of sleet and smud, you name it. All the tell tale signs of a... clearly overzealous... but just as clearly well-practiced elemental mage. Maybe you hear or see him training and catch him in the act, furiously abusing the innocent winter landscape, and choose to approach him. Maybe you stumble upon his little set-up here and he stumbles upon you. But for any wayward travelers in the woods, this spot is really... wow... quite a sight. Also might be mildly worrisome to see, for those who know him, especially those who know how obsessed and self-isolating he's been at school. But he's most certainly putting all this extra studying to good use, at least...? ]
f. wildcard!
(( Hmu on plurk @
beta testing; closed to gokudera
househunting; closed to lan wangji
no subject
It's enough to make him pause in his step. Purely out of curiosity. A thought he had been turning over in his mind more often recently but had not thought to act on yet. Is it not time to move out of the inn, to have a little more space for themselves and for their increasingly frequent guests? Not that he does not
sufferenjoy having Wei Ying so close. Very much the opposite. But he, too, shouldn't be contained in such a small space for long. And their guests deserve to get all the space and focus they need. Focus Lan Wangji perhaps has been struggling with, a little, when it is so hard to center himself amidst the neverending pressure of strangers and their noises overfilling this place.This is what he ponders, more so than the actual images and description of a sprawling mansion he is looking at, expression as distant and aloof as always.]
apartment viewing; closed to established cr
But a six-bedroom three-story mansion with a private suite out back and multiple acres of land is way too large for one boy, a dragon, and a flying lemur. He can't stay there. Too many memories with his friends, both happy and unhappy. He can't move back to the inn, either. Too many memories with his family, both happy and unhappy. He's never lived on his own before, but after losing his roommates all one by one in succession... He's not sure he'd want to put a friend through that. Finding themselves in an empty home spontaneously, should Zuko himself disappear. At least if he lives alone, no one will be uprooted. Really, though... He kind of just... wants to be alone. It's gonna take some time for him to process this loss fully.
But in the meantime, he's really not as despondent as he could be; not nearly as heartbroken as he was when he lost Azula and Iroh. He's had the support of his friends through every disappearance, friends who have gladly distracted him from his troubles and eagerly given him their company; he's happily in a new romance with two wonderfully comforting, comfortable people, in their different ways; he's meeting some new people, getting closer to friends he hadn't seen in a while since his family's disappearance laid him so low. He's trying to keep his wits about him — at least with his closest friends. But he knows the solution: Push forward. As always. He's arranging to sell the house, and if he can occupy his weekends before this happens by apartment hunting, then he'd naturally want his friends' input. He's never lived alone before. It was a profound yet simple realization, for someone who's felt so alone for so long; he's never been alone. And even if he gets his own apartment by himself... just picking it out with his friends here likewise proves he's still not alone.
He's no clue what he's doing, anyway, so having their input is also necessary. He's lined up several showings and every single one will feel utterly surreal as soon as he meets his friends at each address. He's not even sure what he's looking for exactly, so winging it is not really the best approach to real estate... But when has Zuko ever been great at thinking ahead? C'mon. ]
no subject
So he's here, device in hand and notes to take down. With the way he's dressed, it looks like he's here to impress but no. He's here to show that he's got high standards and it's hard to meet those.
Once he sees Zuko, he walks over and shakes his head.]
Zuko, did you even read the ad for this place? Or did you just pick whatever said 'one room'? [He's shaking his head, going through some other ads for apartments as he waits for the person to show them the apartment.]
E
She wasn't in her world, and she missed a lot of her family back home. Trying her best to shake off the feeling of loneliness, she decided to check out the training grounds.
It was then that she spotted a boy using his elemental magic. Hope Zuko doesn't mind a little watching him in awe!]
b also hello new son
As for the kid, he looks like he can handle himself without her help for the most part. Those fire attacks? He's a natural at them! If she wasn't worried about distracting him, she'd have been cheering him on or complimenting him... But speaking of distractions - does he not hear the upcoming enemy? Oh no! ]
Watch out! Double trouble, headed your way!
[ In case he didn't understand that lingo, here comes Della, moving to lob a pretty huge rock with her Kinetic magic right at the opposing Yeti! ]
c.
Stretches, then running to warm up, in a way it is the kinda after-school activity Juza pictured when he signed himself onto the list. Though, if running were all he expects he should've better signed up for that. It's not stamina or general fitness that he lacks, but once the first sweat dries beneath an unzipped tracksuit, he's like a fish outta water.
His pitch is only just good enough when playing with Kumon... And nothing to match the guy he's paired up with suddenly. His throwing too hard, trying too hard, reminds Juza of the kinda person he'd butt heads with as well. ]
Oi– [ In the gruff tone that heralds the rise Settsu—tch, usually—gets out of him, Juza halts this pitching warm-up by keeping the ball in his glove. He's been trying his best, but there's a history of people putting their chip on Juza's shoulder; he's sensitive to it... if not a bit too easy to provoke. ] –got a problem?
c
He's in the library that day pouring over a few of the shelves as he tries to find a book or two on some advanced alchemy techniques. Dressed in normal clothing (a plain white t that says "book shirt" on it) and has nothing that would denote he is a knight at all. He just looks like a normal boy in a school library.
There is a small white goat that is trotting along at Izuku's legs.]
Ah- Zuko-kun?
[He sees the other boy studying and gives a small wave. They've only chatted a few times in the past but it's good to see him? He's going to try and say hello!]
It's- It's been a while!