Day 246 [Open]

[daughterofursa]

Who: Zuko and anyone
Open: Open!
When: Day 246
Where: Around the Bastion
What: Daily Zuko stuffs
Format: I'll match
Warnings: Honor

Zuko keeps herself pretty busy around the Bastion. She likes to get involved in whatever's going on--not because she's a social butterfly, as anyone who talks to her can figure out, but because she feels it's important. Even if there isn't anything special going on, she's unlikely ever to be found lazing around. Her typical mornings have developed a certain routine to them.

A) Pool
This is one of the closest things Zuko has to a hobby, and she still approaches it entirely too seriously. Well, aside from the fact that she has yet to obtain a swimsuit and is in fact swimming laps in pants and a halter top. She's not remarkably fast or doing any fancy strokes, but she can make quite a few laps before stopping to rest, unless someone wants to interrupt her.

B) Training Building
Somehow, Zuko seems to keep picking up students. At the moment, it's just Rin and Rob whom she trains with any regularity, and she makes herself available at the training building for part of the morning if they or anyone else is interest in practice.

Personally, she prefers to train out of doors, so until anyone shows up, she can be found outside the building running through firebending forms (sans any actual fire).

C) Lake
Around midday, Zuko picks up some food from the distillery and makes her way over to the lake. There, she sits down crosslegged to eat, tossing crumbs of her bread out to the turtle ducks. It's about as relaxed and leisurely as Zuko gets doing anything, and a good time to grab her before she sets some other task for herself.

Comments

[kuma_killer]

Takamura was still getting used to being stuck here on the Bastion though nothing helped like having a routine and his training regimen was just the sort of thing to help with the adjusting. His constant running had helped him to learn the layout of the Bastion as well as where different buildings were located.

It's while passing the training building that Takamura notices what looks either a young woman or young guy with long hair going through some sort of martial arts movement. Being the nosy inquisitive soul that he is, and it's not like the Coach is there to chastise him anyways, so Takamura makes his way towards the figure

[daughterofursa]

All right, so probably no one would describe Zuko as 'feminine,' but it's still been a while since she was mistaken for a boy.

She pauses in her routine as the stranger approaches, eyeing him curiously though she doesn't greet him. Maybe he just wants to use the training building, after all.

[kuma_killer]

"Hey! What were those movements you were doing a minute ago?"

Even after Zuko's stopped, Takamura still isn't quite sure of what he's looking at. The longer hair has him leaning more towards female but it's still not conclusive in his mind.

[daughterofursa]

"They're firebending forms." Voice: inconclusive. Could still be a boy with a higher-pitched voice.

"I take it you're a fighter?" He certainly looks like one from his build.

[kuma_killer]

"Heh, that's right. You've got a good eye. How do you bend fire?"

Zuko may notice that Takamura's eyes keep looking at various parts of her body. He's trying to find something, even if it's small, to verify her gender.

[daughterofursa]

If Zuko notices, she's more likely to assume he's looking for concealed weapons or something because she's just that oblivious. Just wait for her to fold her arms, that should make it clear enough.

"Maybe you've heard of magic? That seems to be more common on other worlds, even if it's not the same thing. My fire comes from my chi."

[kuma_killer]

While there's no magic in his world, they actually have chi...just not to the extent that Zuko's world does.

"Huh, that sounds pretty impressive. Can you show me?"

[daughterofursa]

"Well..." There you go, arms folding, definitely a girl.

"I could, but it's limited here. I usually try to save it for the Skyway."

[kuma_killer]

Ah hah! There they are!

"Limited how? Like you can't use it whenever you want?"

[daughterofursa]

"More like I can't use it as long as I want. I have about fifteen minutes a day. After that, no more firebending."

[kuma_killer]

"Oh....that's not very impressive. Why would you want something like that to be limited?"

[daughterofursa]

"I don't," she states flatly. She's heard the 'not very impressive' line before, and it's annoying when she isn't trying to impress anyone. Besides, it's not like anyone here has any firebending but her.

"It's just something that happens with the world being out of balance. If you had any powers, you'd have the same problem."

[kuma_killer]

"I've got plenty of power. I guess the world just decided mine was more useful."

Yeah, cause clearly having a human flame thrower around isn't the least bit useful in a world populated by monsters.

"I'll make sure to make use of it to help keep this place safe though."

[daughterofursa]

"I wasn't talking about muscle."

...does she really need to be picking fights with another arrogant newcomer? Zuko sighs and drops her hands back to her sides.

"Just don't get overconfident. Even the best fighters can run into trouble on their own."

[kuma_killer]

"Well it certainly doesn't hurt having a nice strong man around, does it?"

She doesn't need to, but Takamura is pretty arrogant.

"Oh yeah, I've run into a few challenges here and there. I was just able to overcome them.

So, what's your name?"

[daughterofursa]

"It doesn't necessarily help either."

Actually, she's pretty sure it can hurt if said 'strong man' is stupid enough. Also she may have missed what he was trying to say with that.

"It's Zuko."

[kuma_killer]

"I can be lots of help around here. From what I've heard, you people need all the muscle you can get. I just provide a lot."

He gives a nod before giving a bit of a smirk.

"Well, Zuko...why don't you show me a bit more of what you can do?"

[daughterofursa]

"If you're looking for a show, then look someplace else. I'm here to train. Unless training is what you're interested in."

Maybe his question didn't warrant that degree of defensiveness, but she's not keen on people viewing her efforts as entertainment. It's one thing to know your allies' skills, it's another to treat them like performers.

"What am I supposed to call you anyway?"

[kuma_killer]

"You can call me Takamura."

His smirk actually grew a bit in spite of what could be perceived as defensiveness. He took it as a sign that she took what she was doing seriously.

"I'm always training. Wouldn't mind a sparring partner though, if you're up for it."

[daughterofursa]

Of course she takes it seriously. Zuko takes everything seriously.

"I'm up for it." There's no hesitation in her reply; she's clearly not intimidated by his bragging or his muscle.

[kuma_killer]

The lack of hesitation's also a good sign.

"Does the training place over there have boxing gloves?"

[daughterofursa]

"Boxing gloves?" She's a little thrown by the question, but it doesn't take her long to figure out what he means. "There should be some in Ippo's gym. Do you always wear those when you fight?"

[kuma_killer]

"I do when I'm fighting another person. These fists are too dangerous to use otherwise."

He actually sounds serious this time rather than all the loud boasting he'd been doing earlier.

"I'll be back soon."

[daughterofursa]

Whatever his tone, he's talking to someone who literally wanted lightning to strike her so she could practice redirecting it. The concept of protective equipment is a little far removed from how Zuko's mind works.

"If you insist."

She's so hardcore!

[kuma_killer]

"Thanks."

He runs off and, after maybe ten minutes, he returns with the gloves dangling from his neck. He's already wrapped his fists so all he has to do is slip the gloves on and tightens the lacing.

Hitting them together, he seems to like the feel.

"Any sort of rules? Time limits?"