Day 285 [open]

[fireburn]

Who: Azula & anyone
Open: Open
When: Day 285
Where: Northern Bastion
What: Azula arrives in Bastion.
Format: bracket-action but happy to match
Warnings: n/a for now.

[Azula was angry. Whether or she actually believed that her world had been destroyed, blah blah blah was a different question entirely. It all sounded crazy (this whole world sounded crazy - maybe it was all just one giant hallucination and that's a terrifying thought), but more importantly she had better things to do. If this was some kind of spirit-world shenanigan, she wanted no part in it. She had been in the middle of something important, damn it.

Which is why, naturally, she gets herself quickly and fairly easily from the Skyway to Bastion. If anyone was capable of figuring it out, it was her. And when she's on a mission to get to the bottom of something, that drive can move mountains.

When she questions the person who told her about this "calamity" she doesn't get answers she wants and sets a tree on fire in retribution, but the action is...oddly taxing? And for the first time in her career she actually feels like it's difficult to firebend which angers her more, RIP patches of grass.

Since all of that is clearly getting her nowhere she proceeds to go question anyone who is around in the most tactful and personable way possible:]

You there! Tell me what is going on here immediately.

Comments

[daughterofursa]

[It says something about how comfortable Zuko's grown within the Bastion that even with the tensions of the other day's discussion, when she sees the smoke, her first thought is that maybe Paarthurnax is trying to cook again. It doesn't occur to her that it could be someone with malicious intent, and certainly not her sister.

At least, not until she approaches to make sure everything's all right and spots Azula in the vicinity.

Azula, who she last saw broken and sobbing, who she thought was dead, who she could only have dreaded seeing again. She has a lot of regrets when it comes to her sister, but her immediate reaction is still to prepare for a fight, before she can completely process this.

... She quickly tucks the baby dragon with her into her shirt and waits for Azula to notice her.]

[fireburn]

[It takes her a moment. She's not expecting a "sister" - or a brother, for that matter - not when last she'd heard was that Zuko was still at Boiling Rock, being lectured at by Mai. But when she does see her, the scar is unmistakably Zuko's for all that slightly longer hair falls around it.

Azula's eyes narrow. This would almost make more sense if it was a hallucination, because that would explain why Zuko is suddenly of the fairer sex.]

What happened to you.

[it doesn't end like a question because it's more a demand, and because she has too many questions to even know which one is the most appropriate to ask.]

[daughterofursa]

[Not that Zuko has ever been good at predicting her sister's actions, but that wasn't what she was expecting.

She's not even sure what the not-quite-question means. Azula isn't someone who'd be confused by a change of wardrobe, and there isn't much else different about Zuko from the last time they met.

Or is there? When Toph came, she wasn't the Toph that Zuko remembered.]

What do you mean?

[scary_music]

... You've arrived in the land of donut trees and magical jerky cows?

[... Because that's clearly the most important information to give to a new arrival? Yeah, Ibuki doesn't like talking about the calamity]

[fireburn]

What.

[This is literally the least relevant information to Azula ever.]

What do those things have to do with this "calamity?" I don't need my time wasted about trees and cows.

[scary_music]

Weeeeelll... you should've said you wanted to know about the calamity! Ibuki had noooo clue that's what you wanted to talk about until just now!

But, but, well, the calamity! It's a bad thing that happened! Now we're all stuck here!

[hellpyre]

[Huh. Another person with fire powers. What's that make now? Three? Something like that.

Not that it's really all that important right now. As it is, Rin really didn't want to talk to anyone. She was still in a foul mood from the past few days, bitter and upset and a million other negative emotions pushing her back in to anti-social tenancies.

But she had been in the right area for none of that to make a damn bit of difference, walking with Oshawott in her arms and Kintaro the Tepig padding along next to her when she found that finger pointed in her face.

Apparently Oshwott took offense to the tree being on fire and with a huffy "Ohsa ohsa!" he wiggled out of Rin's arms and waddled over to it, launching a dousing blast of Water Jet at it.

Rin blinked at the pointed finger, not even bothering to stop her brother's former partner. Instead she put a hand on her hip, head canting to the side.]

Y'know I got about as much manners as a rat but even I know how to say "please".

[fireburn]

[Hold up she's too busy staring at what just happened with some tiny animal putting out her fire. That was almost downright offense.

Okay, moment over. She turns her attention back to Rin.]

I don't have time for pleasantries. Even if everyone else on this godforsaken lump of a rock seems to have given up to the fact they're stuck here forever, I refuse to become complacent.

[hellpyre]

['scuse you Oshawott is adorable, not offensive.

He's also incredibly proud of himself for putting out the fire.

... okay he's adorable and arrogant.

Rin's brows furrow at that, tail twitching noticeably beneath her skirt. Kintaro let out a concerned whine, looking from Rin to the new arrival worriedly.]

Thaaaaat's 'cause they're right? I mean, unless you've got a magic world blown up fixer thingie hidden in your hair, you're pretty much in the same boat-- ... Bastion with the rest of us.

[notfell]

[ It's just one thing after another with this place. Big lizard things that don't want to eat people, exploding metal bulls, and the feeling like he'd drank that asp venom all over again without eating anything off, and now Sudden Fire?

Moon shifts, mostly because fire doesn't bother him nearly as much when he has scales, and cautiously looks around an untouched tree. ]

Someone doesn't like trees, apparently. [ Suddenly glad he isn't living in one.

... Oh and it stinks of burning sugar. Gross. He flicks his spines as he shifts to get the scent out of his mouth. ]

[fireburn]

My problem isn't with the trees.

[obviously. although she's really surprised that she's talking to something that doesn't look anything like a human at all, but she powers through that anyway. literally everything has been weird since she got here why should one more thing stop her.]

It is with this place. I will not simply allow myself to be abducted and made to believe that there is no way to escape.

[notfell]

Sure.

[ He.. doesn't believe that. And rude, he has two legs, two hands, and a face. Just added with wings, scales, tail and a mane of spines and frills (and the sheathed claws on those hands and feet-) ]

We're not keeping you here - feel free to walk out to the Skyway again.

[bastionpc]

[Normally it would have been Nathaniel who would have complained about someone setting parts of the Bastion on fire, but Nathaniel was busy, so Zahi decided to fill in as 'designated whiner' for the day. Except with less whining.]

Oi, you shouldn't set things on fire so carelessly. You'll get some of the residents here worked up.

[Zahi is very visibly in his 50s or so, so he's much older than most of the population here. He's probably the most responsible of the adults, outside of the dragon.]

[fireburn]

Oh no! I would hate to get them worked up.

[No she wouldn't]

What do you think they would do to me?

[bastionpc]

The last I heard, community service is a popular punishment.

[He chuckles at his own joke.]

If you're done burning down grass 'n trees, come sit down for a bit. I'll tell you anything you want to know, so long as it's something I know the answer to.

[freedom_engineer]

[If Azula's tempted with sticking her head in a building, Colin's busy in his workshop, putting together some devices on one of the workbenches.]

[He'll glance up at her, and he'll nod at her.]

You're going to have to be more specific. There's been too much stupidity here in the past six months, I couldn't explain all of it.

[fireburn]

[Oh, totally, buildings are always full of interesting information. Especially buildings with potentially much more advanced technology than anything the fire nation's got.

but his disdain about going-ons here garners her interest!! maybe a potential ally in hatred?]

Specifically, the part where everyone seems to have been tricked into thinking they're never leaving.

[superdrowningskills]

[Now Alucard isn't exactly known for being tactful or personable himself, but even he expects strangers to at least pretend to act with some level of social etiquette. Really, between that and the apparent pyromania, it's no wonder that instead of an answer, all he gives is a highly unimpressed look.]

[fireburn]

Are you going to answer or just stare?

[she knows she's a lot to look at here but really, pressing matters!]

[cyan_maid]

[Really, today was supposed to be normal for Jane. She spots smoke on the horizon while going in and out of the Cannery, and with a promise to come back, she goes northeast to check it out. It's as she's just seeing the burning tree that she passes Azula, and she hears the other girl's question.]

Hm? Me? Well, er...there is something on fire over there, if you haven't noticed...

[The idea that this might be a new person, let alone someone who started that fire, does not occur to her. Hey, Jane hasn't met everybody yet.]

[fireburn]

[oh jane, you beautiful naive tropical fish.]

Is there? I can't imagine who might to such a thing to those poor defenseless plants.

[twinked_witch]

[The redhead Azula happens to have run into, with the split-leg dress and all, is frankly kind of annoyed with the woman's tone. Still, she'll try to be polite, this black-haired lady who kind of looks like she could be from Zuko's homeland has just had a stressful run from the Skyway most likely.]

Welcome to the Bastion, where survivors from a multiple-world-spanning apocalypse gather to try and rebuild. It's the only place where the monsters can't come, and we've built up quite a bit over time.

I'm Megaera D'Ashland. And you?

[OOC: As soon as Megaera hears Azula's name, she's going to be extremely suspicious thanks to things she's learned from Zuko, and will consider using one or more of her succubus powers. May I have permission for her to use something on Azula? I can and will gladly continue down a different line if you don't wish her to do any of this.]

[fireburn]

I am Azula.

[she takes a moment to try and decide what was relevant in what she's just been told. naturally, it's whatever has to do with more power.]

What did you build to keep the monsters out?

[ooc: you can definitely let her try! she'll want to fight back, i'm sure, but feel free to engage her.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Eventually, either through wandering around or having the location pointed out to her, Azula will likely enter the Distillery. There she will find a long-haired man sitting at a table with three leatherbound tomes, some kind of green and black scroll or tablet with one faintly glowing section that he occasionally writes on while he reads, and the empty plate and cup from his last meal, which was a few hours ago. He's broad-shouldered enough that he looks like he could do some serious damage in a fight, though with the tank top he's wearing it can be seen that his arm muscles aren't as visually impressive as one might expect. Said man visibly jumps when Azula speaks, and the thick curved barbell through his septum bounces as his head shoots up.]

Going on? Uh, going on where?

[He glances around to check if some shenanigans have been underway while he was reading.]

[fireburn]

Here. In this ruined world. No one seems to have very good answers.

[except for maybe colin he's been helpful. azula picks the best friends]