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Fritter hates any animal that isn't her. Don't take it personally.
[ Is he talking to the bird, or Vyng? It's unclear!
He's still kind of getting over his absurd laughing fit. Absently, he reaches up to smooth down Fritter's puffy fur, and she huffs in protest about it. ]
What's so important about the bag? And the... whole trip over here?
[ Is he talking to the bird, or Vyng? It's unclear!
He's still kind of getting over his absurd laughing fit. Absently, he reaches up to smooth down Fritter's puffy fur, and she huffs in protest about it. ]
What's so important about the bag? And the... whole trip over here?
There's a present for you in there. And carrots for Sven, too.
[The thunderbird would get closer if he asked. But it's in Vyng's nature to try finding a compromise that makes everyone happy.
So, he turns to Fritter. And in tiny little raccoon barks and grunts, he says:
"Hello there. So terribly sorry for our rudeness. I come bearing gifts. Of berries. And other sweet treats! But as your discerning nose can likely tell, these foods aren't on my person. You see, they're in that bag up there. So, allow me to make you a deal: If I send that big bird away...would you be willing to climb up there and push the bag onto the ground?"]
[The thunderbird would get closer if he asked. But it's in Vyng's nature to try finding a compromise that makes everyone happy.
So, he turns to Fritter. And in tiny little raccoon barks and grunts, he says:
"Hello there. So terribly sorry for our rudeness. I come bearing gifts. Of berries. And other sweet treats! But as your discerning nose can likely tell, these foods aren't on my person. You see, they're in that bag up there. So, allow me to make you a deal: If I send that big bird away...would you be willing to climb up there and push the bag onto the ground?"]
[ What an absolutely wild series of things he's describing, Mako thinks, trying actively to picture these things and, largely, failing. Fighter birds could mean anything from literal birds to ostrich-horses that Manabu's platoon outfits in armor the way Earth Kingdom troops used to.
Asteroid sweeps, too, could be anything at all, and magnetic storms. Pirates, at least, make sense.
He notes the goosebumps, absently, and leans on the counter across from Manabu and starts pushing heat into the air around them. It's not an easy thing to do by any means, but he can do it with enough concentration, and it's something else to focus on. ]
You're gonna have to explain a few of those things. Asteroid sweeps. The trains are how people get around your universe, right? Are they all that dangerous? How many are there?
Asteroid sweeps, too, could be anything at all, and magnetic storms. Pirates, at least, make sense.
He notes the goosebumps, absently, and leans on the counter across from Manabu and starts pushing heat into the air around them. It's not an easy thing to do by any means, but he can do it with enough concentration, and it's something else to focus on. ]
You're gonna have to explain a few of those things. Asteroid sweeps. The trains are how people get around your universe, right? Are they all that dangerous? How many are there?
[some time after this, Manabu's going to find it weird that he knows two different people who seem capable of heating a space just...at-will. for now, though, he's barely aware that's Mako doing that -- could very well just be the oven on!
...or. y'know. fever stuff. he doesn't know how diseases work here, so who's to say?
that aside, another flood of questions comes. it's nice to be able to talk about things he knows, though Manabu's a little worried he won't be able to keep up with the pace at which these questions are getting shot his way.]
Well, um. I... [he grimaces.] Okay. How...much do you know about how space works? [does he know?]
...or. y'know. fever stuff. he doesn't know how diseases work here, so who's to say?
that aside, another flood of questions comes. it's nice to be able to talk about things he knows, though Manabu's a little worried he won't be able to keep up with the pace at which these questions are getting shot his way.]
Well, um. I... [he grimaces.] Okay. How...much do you know about how space works? [does he know?]
[ For a long, quiet moment, Fritter just... stares at Vyng, her little beady eyes slowly narrowing.
She's thinking about it. Sweet treats are a compelling offer, after all, and this is a highly food-motivated little raccoon. An apology is nice, too. Soothes some of her affrontedness.
Mako is also staring at Vyng, but for a very different reason. ]
Are you. Talking to Fritt–
[ He starts, and then Fritter chitters and leaps from his shoulder and he lunges after her, but she's already skittering toward Vyng to sit at his feet, looking up at him.
Send the bird away and she's all yours, Vyng. ]
Uh.
She's thinking about it. Sweet treats are a compelling offer, after all, and this is a highly food-motivated little raccoon. An apology is nice, too. Soothes some of her affrontedness.
Mako is also staring at Vyng, but for a very different reason. ]
Are you. Talking to Fritt–
[ He starts, and then Fritter chitters and leaps from his shoulder and he lunges after her, but she's already skittering toward Vyng to sit at his feet, looking up at him.
Send the bird away and she's all yours, Vyng. ]
Uh.
Edited 2021-04-16 20:46 (UTC)
[ Mako's a human oven, or at least he's been called that at this point by both his brother and also by Wu and probably by anybody he's managed to spoon with over his short years. The boy makes heat when he's not even trying to, and right now, when he's trying to? There's a lot of it. It is a gentle kind of radiating heat, like a steam radiator in the dead of winter.
Mako pauses, though, raising a slow eyebrow as he lets the countertop take more of his weight. He should get back to making the tea, at some point. ]
There are planets, and the moon. In my world the moon has a spirit associated with it. Every 10,000 years every planet in the system lines up, [ he says, like this is a normal space thing because as far as he knows it is ] and... there are comets.
That's it.
Mako pauses, though, raising a slow eyebrow as he lets the countertop take more of his weight. He should get back to making the tea, at some point. ]
There are planets, and the moon. In my world the moon has a spirit associated with it. Every 10,000 years every planet in the system lines up, [ he says, like this is a normal space thing because as far as he knows it is ] and... there are comets.
That's it.
Okay.
[that's not as terribly low a bar, he supposes. he even knows about systems, which is more than he could say about some other encounters. he'll take it.
so...asteroids.]
Um, so...Asteroids are clumps of rock and metal that typically orbit around a star, and usually in big clusters. Like comets? Except comets are more like hunks of ice and rock, not metal. [hyper details not important. moving on.]
Anyway, usually asteroid fields stay in their systems, just floating around the way everything else does...but there's a notorious field that has a huge orbital swing that spans multiple systems. It can put trains at risk depending on the time, so every once in a long while...SDF members have to go out and do a sweep. Basically just...shooting down some of the larger and more threatening asteroids that could come do some damage to the trains or connecting stations.
They...don't seem like much from afar, but...some asteroids can be larger than a city or country, so getting hit by that...
[no bueno.]
[that's not as terribly low a bar, he supposes. he even knows about systems, which is more than he could say about some other encounters. he'll take it.
so...asteroids.]
Um, so...Asteroids are clumps of rock and metal that typically orbit around a star, and usually in big clusters. Like comets? Except comets are more like hunks of ice and rock, not metal. [hyper details not important. moving on.]
Anyway, usually asteroid fields stay in their systems, just floating around the way everything else does...but there's a notorious field that has a huge orbital swing that spans multiple systems. It can put trains at risk depending on the time, so every once in a long while...SDF members have to go out and do a sweep. Basically just...shooting down some of the larger and more threatening asteroids that could come do some damage to the trains or connecting stations.
They...don't seem like much from afar, but...some asteroids can be larger than a city or country, so getting hit by that...
[no bueno.]
[Vyng's expression brightens. For a second, he honestly thought the raccoon was gonna tell him to get fucked.]
Aw, you've got a very helpful little friend here.
[He looks upward, toward the roof. The thunderbird makes eye contact with him, and a silent understanding passes between the two. Without another word, his bird friend spreads his magnificent wings and propels himself into the air. He circles around the house in a sort of "farewell" gesture, before soaring up, up, up, and...mysteriously vanishing into the sky, as if swallowed by the clouds overhead.]
["It is done," Vyng solemnly chitters at Fritter.]
Aw, you've got a very helpful little friend here.
[He looks upward, toward the roof. The thunderbird makes eye contact with him, and a silent understanding passes between the two. Without another word, his bird friend spreads his magnificent wings and propels himself into the air. He circles around the house in a sort of "farewell" gesture, before soaring up, up, up, and...mysteriously vanishing into the sky, as if swallowed by the clouds overhead.]
["It is done," Vyng solemnly chitters at Fritter.]
[ There are definitely a lot of words in there Mako doesn't know—orbital swing chief among them—but again, he can pick up on the context clues and form a fairly rough mental image. Like a debris field, like the kind of thing the Earth Kingdom used to drop into their seas to try and stop invaders getting too close. Like the rocks guarding Kyoshi Island or Serpent's Pass.
Okay, he can get behind this. So Manabu and his platoon are the people who get rid of the threats ahead of the trains so the trains can pass through safely. ]
You're like a strike team. Go out, deal with the problem before it becomes a bigger problem, no matter what the problem is. How'd you get involved in that?
[ He definitely still wants to hear about the ghosts but there's a lot of other stuff here, groundwork he'd like to know about. ]
Okay, he can get behind this. So Manabu and his platoon are the people who get rid of the threats ahead of the trains so the trains can pass through safely. ]
You're like a strike team. Go out, deal with the problem before it becomes a bigger problem, no matter what the problem is. How'd you get involved in that?
[ He definitely still wants to hear about the ghosts but there's a lot of other stuff here, groundwork he'd like to know about. ]
[with the chill quite quelled by the warmth in the room, Manabu can sit up and feel a little less gnarled up with discomfort in his own skin. he nods, looking over to where Mako's leaning.]
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Other teams go out looking for trouble before it starts, but if the fire's already started, we get sent to put it out. [is that a bad analogy to use around a fire bender? who knows. Manabu doesn't. his head is empty even without flu in the mix.]
I always wanted to be part of the SDF. My dad used to be captain of Big One, and he led the platoon I'm in. Hell, my big brother was part of the SPG, which are like the boots-on-the-ground division. [his mouth tugs on one side.] You don't grow up seeing stuff like that and not want to follow along, right?
[or...maybe you do, considering their grisly fates. but that didn't stop Manabu. as said before: head empty.]
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Other teams go out looking for trouble before it starts, but if the fire's already started, we get sent to put it out. [is that a bad analogy to use around a fire bender? who knows. Manabu doesn't. his head is empty even without flu in the mix.]
I always wanted to be part of the SDF. My dad used to be captain of Big One, and he led the platoon I'm in. Hell, my big brother was part of the SPG, which are like the boots-on-the-ground division. [his mouth tugs on one side.] You don't grow up seeing stuff like that and not want to follow along, right?
[or...maybe you do, considering their grisly fates. but that didn't stop Manabu. as said before: head empty.]
[ Fritter, who is not above pettiness (being that she is only a baby, and also a raccoon) hisses in a sort of good riddance way as the bird disappears.
Mako is watching this whole exchange with absolute bafflement. He is way too tired to even start to comprehend what's happening here, especially when Fritter locks eyes with Vyng, nods, and then scampers up the side of the house (clumsily, almost falling a few times) to go nudge the bag off the edge. She doesn't warn Vyng or anything, just sniffs around it a bit, nods, and pushes it off with her little paws before leaping after it. ]
Fritter!
[ Mako practically slams himself forward to catch her, alarm shooting through him. ]
What do you think you're— you can't fly!
[ Probably! What does he know about raccoons? Not a lot, it turns out.
At least the bag is down. ]
Mako is watching this whole exchange with absolute bafflement. He is way too tired to even start to comprehend what's happening here, especially when Fritter locks eyes with Vyng, nods, and then scampers up the side of the house (clumsily, almost falling a few times) to go nudge the bag off the edge. She doesn't warn Vyng or anything, just sniffs around it a bit, nods, and pushes it off with her little paws before leaping after it. ]
Fritter!
[ Mako practically slams himself forward to catch her, alarm shooting through him. ]
What do you think you're— you can't fly!
[ Probably! What does he know about raccoons? Not a lot, it turns out.
At least the bag is down. ]
Shiro, are you... okay? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm happy to, you know, talk to you. This is just kind of weird. For you. Specifically.
[ "Thank you!" Vyng says in Raccoon, while scooping the bag off the suede ground.]
Nice catch there, bud. [...He then says to Mako, admiration in his voice.] Man, you sure think quick on your feet!
[After rifling through his stuff for a moment, Vyng presents an open mason jar full of purple grapes to his furry helper. ]
A gift! For your little friend's trouble. She seems sweet...when she's ruling the roost, hahah.
Nice catch there, bud. [...He then says to Mako, admiration in his voice.] Man, you sure think quick on your feet!
[After rifling through his stuff for a moment, Vyng presents an open mason jar full of purple grapes to his furry helper. ]
A gift! For your little friend's trouble. She seems sweet...when she's ruling the roost, hahah.
Hey, this Maul guy on the network. Should we be doing something about it?
[ Mako lets out a long, slow breath at his desk. ]
It's not the first time he's hurt someone, and it won't be the last. He killed a friend of mine last month. Varian. Also just a kid.
That time it seemed like Deerington made him do it, but if you ask me that's a pretty convenient excuse considering what he's doing now.
[ Short answer: Mako doesn't know. ]
I know one thing: if we were in Republic City I would've booked him already.
It's not the first time he's hurt someone, and it won't be the last. He killed a friend of mine last month. Varian. Also just a kid.
That time it seemed like Deerington made him do it, but if you ask me that's a pretty convenient excuse considering what he's doing now.
[ Short answer: Mako doesn't know. ]
I know one thing: if we were in Republic City I would've booked him already.
So there's a child killer stalking the city and no one's doing anything? Who's in charge here? Ironwood?
Nobody. That's the problem, there's literally no one in charge and no accountability when stuff like this happens. Half the people here are so concerned with hurting anyone at all that they won't even hear that there needs to be some justice.
Not even a council. It's bad.
Not even a council. It's bad.
That is bad.
I kind of thought the dream girl would be queen or something but maybe we need a democracy. It will be just like back home.
Wu definitely thinks that's the answer. No matter what we need some kind of justice. "Just let it keep happening" isn't an answer.
We can't even be sure the guy who killed Wu isn't going to end up doing it again.
We can't even be sure the guy who killed Wu isn't going to end up doing it again.
And taking them out won't even finish it because they'll just come back to life.
This is tough.
But I agree we need justice.
So I guess we just vote for a leader and form a government?
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