005 [training center]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Since the incident down at the beach, Katara has been mindful to keep her bending under wraps, careful to only utilize her ability when in the Training Center. It's rare that she even tries to bend the waters of the pool anymore-- it doesn't feel right anyways, the water weighed down with an unnatural substance.

Katara is in the heart of the Training Center now, standing at the edge of the creek which runs through the jungle setting. The area around her is devoid of monsters-- the Grats and T-Rexuars seem to be roaming elsewhere at the moment, which is just fine with her. Instead, she uses the opportunity to meditate, her body moving through the familiar waterbending poses, though dramatically decreased in speed to allow her to really feel the water-- without looking, she knows that the water of the creek has risen to mimic her body movements, slowly threading through the air.

Her eyes are closed, breathing even as she continues this exercise.]

Comments

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[It was a restless night for Zuko. One of many recently. If there's not a war in his own world, then there's one here in another. It's almost inescapable. War. And it irritates him to no end. But there's little he can do about it regardless, so Zuko's taken himself to the Training Center. He's unaware of Katara being there, really just thinking about what his sister had said at the Dollet Pub at that girl's party about the Avatar.

He's almost wondering if maybe he should find Sokka and warn him. Or even seek out Aang himself to tell him.

Since that time at the pool where they'd all come together, Zuko had found Katara's necklace at the bottom of the pool. And since then hadn't exactly bothered to find her to return it, the necklace the least of his worries. It hung from his left wrist, wrapped around twice. And speaking of the waterbender - there she was, he could make her out through the foliage, eyes narrowing and watching her move through her exercises, stealthy and as silent as ever. He crouches down behind the thicker bushes and watches her still, remembering their first encounter here. As well as their fight in the Old Catacombs.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[If she had been paying attention, she might have noticed the smallest change in the atmosphere, the sudden dryness to the previously humid air-- but Katara is far too focused on the act of meditating, mind concentrating on the flow of chi coursing from her core and into her movements. A step forward, an extended hand, a twist of her palm, refocusing the center-- they're familiar movements which she hardly needs to think twice about.

The water behind her swells, unconsciously pulled forward by her movements. And though it's moving, there's a stillness to the element, the volatile waters calmed through her meditation.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko continues to watch her, as silent as before. He's reminded a little of what his uncle had told him when he had taught him to redirect lightning. The movements they'd gone through together, the fluidity of the motions, the calming feeling that had overtaken him. He wonders if that's how she feels now, eyes watching her face then, catching the look of serenity and calm on her features.

Unconsciously he leans a little too forward and a twig snaps beneath the shift in his weight. And freezes, eyes widening.]

Damnit...

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[The snap of the twig is all that's needed to break her out of her reverie. On edge giving her current setting, Katara immediately whips around to face the source of the sound, expecting to be met by the sight of a Grat-- but instead, it's Zuko.

Close enough.

Her body stiffens and her arms are still held out in a defensive stance, blue eyes narrowed as she gives the Firebender a wary look.]

Why are you hiding behind the bush?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko actually has the grace to look a little embarrassed, having been caught. Not enough Blue Spirit training it seems. He stands to his full height and seems a little hesitant on coming out from behind the trees but he does, meeting her eye for a moment and then takes to looking around the area she's taken to practice in.]

I wasn't 'hiding'. [Shrugs.] I couldn't sleep.

Going to use this as the promised meet up, okay?

[xiiicard.livejournal.com]

[It had taken Ryoji some time to find the creek that Katara had mentioned in her bulletin post. It probably wouldn't have taken him as long had Ryoji brought along a weapon of some sort, but as he was still hesitant about fighting, he didn't think it would have mattered much. Weapon or not.

Still, he eventually did make it to the creek in one piece and without, whether due to luck or fate, meeting up with any of the monsters. He didn't see anyone right away, but he wasn't discouraged. Following the creek a little ways, Ryoji finally did see a female figure in the distance. Not being able to see much else, Ryoji decided to project his voice and give a little warning.]

Hello there! Are you Katara?

Excellent! I was going to leave a link in the other post, so this works out great

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[The voice startles her out of her meditative trance, enough to cause her body to tense up in reflex and for the water behind her to splash back into the creek. Opening her eyes, Katara sets her gaze in the direction of the voice, spotting a male she didn't recognize. But the brief look of confusion lights up as she realizes who he could be.]

Yes! Are you Ryoji?

Sweet! There's a line about this, I believe

[xiiicard.livejournal.com]

[Steps quickened now that he had a positive that the young lady before was who he was looking for, Ryoji beamed. In short order, he was standing in front of Katara, taking in her full appearance with a quick eye.]

Yes. I'm glad to finally meet you in person. Though, if I had known that you were the beauty behind the art, I would have tried to meet up with you sooner.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She's caught off guard by the compliment-- Katara isn't use to hearing such flattery. She gives a small, hesitant smile and ducks her head for the briefest of moments before standing tall, giving a small shrug of her shoulders in an effort to shake off the awkwardness.]

Oh, uhm... thanks! And it's nice to meet you, too.

...Holy crap, this tag got long. Sorry!

[willnotsubmit.livejournal.com]

[A little further upstream, someone else clearly has the same idea. It's a good day for training; as far as Mitsuru knows, she's the only one who has claimed this particular stretch of land and creek, although the heavy vegetation makes it hard to be certain. Still, there's nothing around to interfere with this latest attempt at working with Artemisia.

Mitsuru closes her eyes, trying again to visualize what Satonaka was talking about. The image of a card doesn't come easily, however; instead, she keeps imagining a gun, and pushing it up against that border of her mind and slowly trying to pull back on the trigger...

Artemisia reacts much more quickly then she did last time. The transition still feels rough, and her thoughts swim for a moment as the Persona jolts through her thoughts and out of her head. And the effect she was going for...It doesn't quite turn out how she expected. Her aim was to just try and freeze some of the water in a single spot, but instead a lance of ice forms along the current, and keeps growing out as it streaks off downstream.

She'd dearly like to understand why that just happened, but Artemisia doesn't stay long enough for Mitsuru to get her thoughts in order and ask. Instead, the Persona fades away with a blue glow, although not without leaving Mitsuru with an impression in her thoughts. If she could put it into words, it would have to be something like...]

Another.

[Her legs shake for a moment as Mitsuru gets to her feet, but they hold. In another moment, she can start a proper investigation...And figure out where that ice spell went to.]

No worries!

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Her meditation is disrupted when she feels a chill from behind, the feel of the water she had subconsciously been controlling icing over. Katara slowly opens her eyes, brows furrowed as she turns to survey the creek. Had she been the one to freeze the waters? But she had been mindful of her breathing, conscious to keep her temperature even...

Her eyes travel up the stream, curiosity taking over as she slowly follows the path of frozen water, wondering what or who exactly caused this.]

[willnotsubmit.livejournal.com]

[Mitsuru really, dearly hopes that she isn't going to be violently ill, despite what her stomach and balance is telling her as she moves downstream. Right now, it isn't so much walking as it is barely controlled stumbling, and she winces at the commotion she must be making. Still, she's able to follow the trail of starting-to-thaw ice.

She keeps one hand out for balance, and the other on her rapier (it would be pure folly to come in with only her Persona, after all) when she reaches a place that doesn't have quite as much undergrowth. And also contains one person, who has apparently noticed her work.]

"...My apologies. I wasn't aware someone else was here."

[A glance between the ice and the girl. She doesn't seem harmed, but it still feels prudent to ask.]

"Are you alright?"

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She hears the rustle of noise of an approaching individual, and curious, Katara glances up to see a girl who seemed a bit disoriented. Posed by the question, Katara quickly shakes her head, though it's cock to the side in a curious manner as she assesses the female.]

Oh, no-- I'm fine. [Her eyes flicker to the creek, before settling back on the girl.]

Did you do this?

[fierybluebird]

[Marco just watches quietly from a distance as water still makes him a bit nervous in general.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She isn't aware of him just yet, all her attentions focused on the act of meditation. The movement of her arms are fluid as she takes slow, smooth steps forward, the water raising from the creek and twining with her limbs as she shifts through the familiar bending poses.]

[fierybluebird]

[Perches up overhead in a tree, still watching cautiously.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[A lift of the knee, a pointing of the toes, a slow step forward, and the body follows. Her movements are much like the element she controls-- fluid, with an underlying strength she has simmered down for the purpose of meditation. As she brings her arms overhead, the stream of water rises as well, and without her knowledge it nearly brushes the branch of a nearby tree.]

[bitterfire.livejournal.com]

[ Azula's favorite thing to do?

Break others concentration. ]

It's a pity we have to resort to this dreadful place to practice. I don't know about how the Avatar and your little earthbending friend are doing, but I know the sun and the moon being so different makes it a bit unsettling to bend.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[A cringe strikes through her body as Azula manages to disrupt Katara from her meditative state, all the previous peace she felt rushing out of her body. Her eyes flutter open and immediately her shoulders tense, hands held up in a defensive stance, just in case Azula tries anything. But at her words Katara regards her in a wary manner-- she had noticed that the moon was different, nothing like the one from their world, devoid of the Spirits she had an affinity to. Was it the same for the Firebenders and their bond with the sun?]

You've been having problems with firebending?

[bitterfire.livejournal.com]

I never said I was having any problems.

[ While Azula may not have been as spiritual as her Uncle had been, she wasn't exactly an idiot either. Firebenders had a strong link to the sun whether they wanted to believe it or not-- after all, the day of the Black Sun proved it. She wasn't having any problems, that was true, but it was unnerving that the sun she was used to firebending beneath was no longer hanging above. ]

Just unsettling.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

Hm.

[Her hands lower slightly as she sees that Azula isn't making a move to attack her, though Katara won't fully let her guard down. She's wary all over as she gives Azula a scrutinizing look-- is it just her imagination, or is Azula initiating a civilized conversation?]

Yeah, it is.

[tardytardis.livejournal.com]

[ The Doctor--errr, John Smith, rather--he isn't very keen on fighting. Combat isn't his favorite thing, obvious by the way he's chosen an intelligence field. So when he's in the training center, it's usually to cross into the secret area. He doesn't need to fight with his robot toddling after him. The only reason he'd need to is if he found someone else willing and raring to fight him, and thankfully, he's not very popular on the fight list. As he makes his way across, however, he notices how suddenly void of monsters a certain area is.

And, well, blame his curiosity or don't. he approaches the creek. in just his striped shirt, bowtie, suspenders and pants, he probably doesn't look like the teacher he's going to be. he watches the creek, then his eyes flicker over to her, not speaking a word, not making a sound as to not interrupt. ]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara is completely unaware of the silent audience her bending has drawn. Her expression is serene as she shifts her body through the water bending postures, her mind focused only on the way the air enters and leaves her lungs and the way the energy courses through her body. Her sense of peace is reflected in the way the water barely makes a sound as it rises from the creek, not even a drop falling back into the body of water as she has complete control of the steady stream.

A push of her hands, and the water follows suit, flowing forward. A step backwards, and the suspended liquid retrieves, copying the Master. The game of mimicry continues as the water can only obey what her body commands.]

[tardytardis.livejournal.com]

[ Then this is "Katara"--he can easily tell, she said something about bending water, and it makes sense as he watches. Bending an element, bending it to her will. Made sense, but how? Maybe binding of spirit, concentration... oh, he'd figure it out later. He'll clap in the meantime. ]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She hears the faint noise of applause, and it takes a moment for Katara to realize that she's the one they're aimed towards. Eyes slowly opening, she looks around with a slightly confused expression before spotting the tall, lanky male standing just a ways away. He was applauding her?

Katara smiles, hands dropping from their bending pose and the water along with it to give a small bow.]

That's a much nicer reception than the last time I was caught bending.