Life After the War

20. Ashen [offline]

angle_on_it — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:11:02 GMT

[It takes him time to return to the scene, but Sokka forces himself to leave Suki's bedside, even if it's only for a few hours. The up-and-down of seeing her live and die, die and live was more than enough to cast a pall over the tribesman's day, and since they're all having trouble sleeping at night, it's a never ending cycle of upset.]

[But he isn't prepared for the damage he faces at his house on Queen Anne's Row. Much of the back is collapsed, and everything is powdered black from the soot and ash and smoke.]

[At first, he tries to salvage. A fork here, a dirty glass there, but before too long, he realizes it's almost a complete and total loss, at least on the ground floor. So much of what he has is in this house, but none of it seems to really push through the numb barrier he's constructed until...]

[It's a drawing (or what's left of one.)An illustration from Bubbles, torched to the corner where all it can reveal is half of two smiling faces pressed together. Sokka realizes immediately which drawing it is, and with a terrible dawning realization, that he's probably lost much more permanent things than just his sleep in this entire mess.]

[Anger bubbles and Sokka doesn't hold back. He begins kicking, shoving, pushing at anything and everything in his way, dragging himself through the carnage piece-by-piece. He has to see what's left, if anything.]

[He'll bring the place down if he has to, but he's going to get up the stairs if it kills him.]

[[Offlines only, please, but anyone's welcome to stumble by and see what's going on.]]

19. Belated Celebration [video/offline] [backdated]

angle_on_it — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:41:52 GMT

[Sokka's been feeling down, despite the cheer brought on by all these holidays. He knows it's important to reconnect with his family and friends, but it hasn't been easy to find a way. Fortunately, Animus provides him the perfect excuse.]

[The familiar tents and igloos cropped up near the frozen lake early in the week, but Sokka's preparations take more than a few days. He's surprised to find everything he wants and needs, but making everything perfect takes longer than expected.]

[Video | Filtered to Katara]

I have a surprise for you. Meet me at the lake before sundown.

[Video | Filtered from Azula & Katara]

So, I know it's a little late, but our people have a Winter Solstice Celebration every year. If anyone would like to join me , you can come by the lake after sundown. We'll have food, drinks, and traditional Water Tribe clothing for everyone to try out.

So, um, yeah. Everyone's welcome, for the most part. Hope to see you there!

[[OOC: Backdated to the holiday event! Also, the doll-maker's neat but a little hard to use. If you can't figure it out but you want to make your character an outfit, just PM me and I'll do my best to help!]]

18. For Us, There is No Spring [Text | Filtered]

angle_on_it — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:12:44 GMT

[text | filtered to Jet, Katara, and Zuko]

So... I hope you're all happy now that you've driven Ty Lee away.

I'm disappointed. In all of you. Being peaceful and understanding /isn't that hard/ -- I've seen you all manage it before. I'm reminded of something Aang once told me, and I thought I'd share the wisdom: "He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself."

Anyway, leaving for a while, too, since you guys can't seem to get over this silly vendetta and learn to live together /in peace./ Call me if you need me.

[text | private | filtered to Usagi]

Can I come stay with you for a little while?]

17. The Light of Truth [Video] [Backdated]

angle_on_it — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:38:13 GMT

[The network feed clicks on accidentally, transmitting darkness and a quiet but insistent voice whispering conspiratorially.]

...proof, proof... They want proof and I can give them proof. I can give them proof and then they'll see... We can't be treated-- they can't make us go through i-if they have proof...

[After the sound of stirring, the scene lights, revealing a very disturbed looking young man holed up in a dark room. Sokka realizes instantly that his PCD is recording and he leans in with his light, shaking some papers at the camera.]

See? See, they're watching and I have proof of the truth... [He shakes the papers.] You think-- you think they care? They don't care, they just want to take away our proof. C-Can't you see it? Every day-- every day we're here, they take more. Moreandmoreandmoreandmore until before you know it-- [Sokka gestures grandly and the papers go everywhere.] --poof! There goes your proof, there goes your truth a-and then what?

[Sokka shakes his head and dips off screen to collect his papers. The feed continues to transmit his mutterings well after his tirade.]

...get the proof, gotta prove it, can't let them down... There's no truth too small, no proof too minor. Gonna take it all, gotta get it, gotta keep it safe...

[[OOC: While Sokka is dealing nominally with his asylum world, he is having a little trouble with reality. Backdated to late Thursday/early Friday morning.]]

16. Matters of the Heart [offline] [backdated]

angle_on_it — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:51:43 GMT

[Returning from his meeting with Jet, Sokka stops at #4 Queen Anne's Row in hopes of catching his sister before she can slip away under the cover of broad daylight.]

[He enters the house with no pretense, immediately calling through the very empty rooms instead of seeking her out.]

Katara, I'm home! Are you still here?

15. Homecoming [Video/Offline]

angle_on_it — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:15:47 GMT

[Sokka has been putting this off for too long already. There are precious few reasons and excuses good enough to keep him away anymore, so this young man has gathered his things from his temporary asylum at the forge and returned to #4 Queen Anne's Row. Home. For now.]

[Returning home is not without its own steps. Sokka is making an effort to clean house and he's finding he is in need of much less now that he's come back to the it a single man. In an effort to not waste anything, the young tribesman appeals to the network first, an array of furniture, found clothing, and various other trinkets laid out around him.]

So, I have a house full of stuff and I'm thinking about having a swap meet. I'm looking for a few things, too: salt, a shovel, a foot ball, maybe a few other things to help prepare for winter. If you're interested in seeing what I've got here, just let me know.

Also, winter's coming up very soon. I've been stockpiling and preserving fish, but I'm keeping it all in a secret location. If... if you guys don't think you'll be able to make it through the winter or your stores run out, you can send me a message. I can only do so much because I have a family of my own to feed, but I'm glad to share what I have.

[Private Video to Suki, Katara, Jet, and Iroh]
If there's anything you want from the house, just let me know and I'll set it aside.
[ / ]

[Private Video to Hazel]
I've been meaning to check on you. Did you get settled?
[ / ]

14. Lifting the Veil [Voice/Offline]

angle_on_it — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:07:14 GMT

[It hasn't been hard for Sokka to avoid the influence of the Animus. Throughout the week, when presented with tombstones in the mist, he's avoided looking or lingering, ignoring everything Adstringendum is trying to force upon him. It's worked for the most part until some voice tried to convince him just how terrible and useless he was to the city. The last thing he needed was another reminder of how bad things could be, but there were plenty abound..]

[Sokka hadn't been having a very good month. He since started to perk up a little, but his mind has been focusing a lot on the dark and the macabre, settling on one morbid thought after another. Eventually, he just can't keep himself from checking to see what truths and lies awaited him in the fog, especially since the Animus has been cruel enough to extend the temptation by a few days.]

[Armed with some paper and some crayons, young Sokka takes to the open on Halloween and finds himself a quiet, foggy spot to wait. When the tombstones begin appearing, he seeks out one in particular and sits against it, taking comfort in familiarity. Aside from standing to investigate new graves, it's there he remains, cataloging what he sees around him.]

[He's waiting it out, sticking around until he's presented the people he wants to see. It's not the kindness to anyone involved, no, but if the Animus is going to offer visions, then Sokka is going to take advantage of any opportunity to see once-familiar faces again.]

[Just another terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day in Adstringendum, right? Better to make the most of it than let it get you down.]

[Voice]
I think if I wait long enough, this fog stuff will show me anyone I want to see. I've been making a list of the dead and keeping notes if anyone wants to know what I've seen.
[/end]

12. Pacing the Cage [Offline] [Current/Forward Dated]

angle_on_it — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 03:02:53 GMT

[Sokka has done his damage.]

[In a short amount of time, he has managed to burn several buildings within the walls of the city, to make some ripples in the life of dozens, not to mention his accomplice, Harry Potter. He has destroyed poetry, bricks, books, buildings, everything in his path. His intentions are nothing but bad and misguided, and for that, he's going to need to be punished.]

[Adstingendum Police Officer Usagi has brought the troublemaker in, ending his reign of fire. Sokka will be spending his time incarcerated, open and available to the public.]

[Ladies and gentlemen, come lodge your complaints.]

[[OOC: This will encompass the remaining time of the event (Friday night through Sunday) as well as incarceration post-event and through this following week. Please tag in to the appropriate thread for all your Sokka needs!]]

11. Flipside Fiasco [Video/Offline/Text/Etc.]

angle_on_it — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:51:33 GMT

[Sokka turns on his PCD with the express intent of speaking directly to the network. He's not dressed up for a show, he doesn't appear to be at work, and he may or may not be under the influence of something. Despite his state, he speaks with little enthusiasm.]

Y'know what? The Animus is bad news, but you guys are worse. You're not beautiful, special people, you're just flesh and blood and minerals and dirt. It's sad really. At least I can acknowledge I've got little to offer the world.

[He leans in to point at the camera.]

But you could make a difference. If anyone's interested, I've got a bucket of paint and an urge to perform some 'urban renewal.' We can paint the town red -- literally.

Or, you can all continue to suck at life. Either way. [He shrugs and sits back from the screen, waiting for any replies. This ought to be... slightly more interesting than watching said paint dry.]

10. Tales of Adstringendum [Video/Offline/Text/Etc.]

angle_on_it — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 01:21:32 GMT

[Here's Sokka's awake, alert face for the network.]

Now that everyone's back and things are kinda normal, why don't we take this opportunity to catch up? Or even meet for the first time, if we haven't.

I'm pretty much available indefinitely, so c'mon, get hold of me if you want to get some of these plans back in gear.

[Now that the water's receded and the sun's come out, Sokka has decided it's time to get things done.]

[He's got a couple days before he can expect trouble again, and lots and lots of projects: Fences to be built; livestock to be corralled; parties to be planned; friendships to make and mend; scraps to gather... not to mention, he is still very seriously attempting to track down the culprit or culprits behind Aang's murderer.]

[It will be a busy week, definitely, but Sokka needs something like that after a week cooped up.]

[Meanwhile, he has other things to attend to:]

[Video - Private to Harold Saxon]

I got your name from Juliet and I was wondering if we could talk. She said you've helped her, so maybe you can help me.

[Video - Private to the Doctor]

If someone I knew were hurt, could I bring them to you? Are you that kind of doctor?

[[OOC: This post is meant to take place throughout the week, so people can feel free to fit these events in wherever they may please in their timelines. Offline, Text, Video, etc are all acceptable formats. If you've got a setting or project in mind, feel free to note that when you tag in, or send a PM letting me know that's what you want to play out. Also, have fun!]]

09. Lost and at a Loss [offline/text] [Backdated]

angle_on_it — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:27:50 GMT

[Appa & Sokka ]

[Appa has never been a pet. His bond with Aang is something far more than that, to the point that they’ve shared dreams and been able to know when the other is near. And this connection is why Appa is outside Sokka’s window, bellowing up at him.]

[The connection has been broken. He felt it happen before when Azula struck Aang with lightning, and again here. But Katara fixed it before, so maybe if he could get Sokka to realize what was wrong and find Aang, it could be fixed again.]

[Waking Sokka is not easy, okay? Thankfully, since his time in Adstringendum, he’s learned to be a little more... attuned to the world around him. The bellow comes through as a horn at first, but as he awakens, it filters much differently.]

[Half-awake, he stumbles to the window and tugs it open with a great pull.]

Hey, it’s not breakfast yet! You wanna keep it down?

[Except, he doesn’t expect and answer because something is definitely amiss.]

Appa...?

[Appa turns in a circle outside and bellows up at him again. He’s half-tempted to stand on his back legs and try to pull him out through the window, but even he can tell how unsteady a lot of those buildings are. He doesn’t want to break it and have everyone in there be hurt.]

[There’s something very serious in his eyes and he’s annoyed by the gap between him and Sokka. Not the physical gap, either. Aang understands Appa; Appa understands Aang. They don’t need to find a way to make the other understand the exact problem most of the time. He and Sokka don’t have that exact connection.]

[Sokka huffs, unsure why Appa’s coming to him. Just where is Aang that he’s not taking care of his buddy? Feeling he won’t win this war (sometimes Appa’s just as stubborn as he is,) the young man sighs and rubs his eyes.]

Okay, okay, I’m comin’, I’m com-- [Yawwwwwwn. It’s late, okay?]

[He grumbles his way through the whole process, but it doesn’t take Sokka more than a minute to find his way out the door, still mostly dressed for bed.]

I can’t believe you’re already hungry -- I thought you ate late! Are you that hungry?

[Appa snorts at him. Even if he’s hungry (and he could really go for some of that fruit Raphael just summons into existence), this is more important. He heads a few steps away from Sokka, going towards the road, and bellows at him again.]

[Follow me. Or come now. Or stop yawning. Take your pick.]

That’s... odd.

[Yes, he’s talking to himself... so sue him. Sokka rubs his chin thoughtfully, glances back at the house, then steps forward a few steps, testing a theory. Sometimes tells him he’s supposed to be following this giant sky bison; if Appa acts like this is the appropriate action, Sokka will definitely take the hint.]

What’s wrong, buddy?

[Appa paws at the ground and takes another few steps away. He’s glad the human has caught on to what he wants. There’s a missing Aang to find and that broken connection is really agitating him.]

[Sokka tightens the grip on his PCD as he glances back over his shoulder. Everyone’s asleep, right? As long as he’s got a way to get them a message, he doesn’t see a need to wake anyone else up... yet.]

[Following after Appa at a jog, he catches up pretty quickly and pats the side of the massive beast.]

I’m right here, don’t worry. [As if he isn’t worried already; with Appa so intent, this can only be spelling trouble for Aang.] Just show me, okay, Appa? Show me what’s wrong.

[Appa takes off at a run. He’s not flying; the event has been making his flying shaky. The scent goes this way and over here and-]

[He stops. Where is the scent? Where is it? Where’s that guru guy who could see the connection? That would be helpful!]

[There it is!]

[He takes off again and stops outside of a building. He cries at Sokka; it’s a quieter version of the bellow he woke the human up with. He doesn’t think there’s anyone else around, but he can’t be sure.]

[By now, there’s no doubt in his mind that something is desperately wrong. Appa isn’t known for his flights of fancy, and Sokka isn’t known for charging in without-- oh wait, nevermind, it’s Sokka. But Appa is obviously very concerned.]

[A plan is out of the question -- no time -- so he nods at the bison and pats his friend on his way past. He wishes he had been wise enough to bring a weapon as he ventures off to look for an entrance, but at least he’s brought the PCD. For some reason, Sokka feels like there’s about a dozen voices in his ear telling him to call backup. No time to talk now, he reminds himself and moves on.]

[Hands sweating, he loosens his grip on the communication device and tightens it again just to remind himself that it’s there. Help is just a shot away, it’s just a shot away...]

[Sokka doesn’t really need any help. There’s no one else in the building those unknown assailants are long gone, and the ones following the trail of clues to find the bomb have already left. Of course, there wasn’t anything the later group there could have done for the de-powered Avatar.]

[Aang is on the floor and ‘peaceful’ isn’t really the word for it. There’s bruising around his neck from where he’d been strangled with a scarf, which is conveniently on the floor. His shirt is across the room in a careless heap from where it was tossed aside and his chest has been cut open. It was post-mortem and there are broken stitches in his skin. Whoever killed him and cut him up took the time to sew him back up for someone else to do it again.]

[There’s definitely nothing ‘peaceful’ looking about him.]

No...

[What is this? A trick -- it has to be a trick. Sokka clears the distance between them and practically slides into the body of his friend. Aang’s not moving, not sleeping, not breathing.]

[Sokka practically loses his lunch, but between his concern and confusion, he only manages an intense and numbing worry. At a loss for what to do, he rests shaking hands on Aang and finds him cold.]

Aang, Aang, no! No, what-- what happened? What could’ve... [He doesn’t have enough fortitude to ask more than that before he notices the stitching and the cloth and the obvious tampering with the Avatar’s recently-passed form.]

[His attention turns toward the empty room only briefly. They’re alone, which is both fortunate and unfortunate considering the emotions Sokka feels rumbling deep down inside. As carefully as he can manage, he pulls Aang into his arms and holds him close, tears falling freely.]

[It doesn’t matter how long it takes now, does it? Sokka doesn’t cut the moment short, though he finds himself feeling guilty for leaving Appa alone so long when he returns to the bison with the body.]

[They’ll all go to the clinic. Together.]

[Text]

Aang's dead.

[[OOC: Backdated to some time around/during/after the bomb plot. Sokka will likely not be answering texts, but offlines at the clinic are welcomed and encouraged if your character would think to find him there.]]

08. Warpaint [Video/Action]

angle_on_it — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:47:30 GMT

[Since Katara's unexpected departure, Sokka has been keeping himself busy. Busy and quiet and absent. Absent from most any place he generally ventures, and engagements he might be expected to attend. He's even spending evenings away from the house, only returning to sleep for a few hour before dawn, and gone not long after sunrise.]

[He is definitely up to something, though he isn't letting anyone in on what it is until now.]

[Sokka's face shows up on screen and he's got his back to the early morning sun, a stone-faced expression, and a focus he generally reserves only for very serious occasions.]

In light of recent events, I thought I'd offer my services to anyone who wants to learn to fight. I know how to use a sword and a boomerang, and I've got some skills in hand-to-hand combat.

I'm glad to teach everyone what I know, but I'm asking for donations if you come out today. It can be anything: food, a skill, clean water, whatever you can offer that might make life a little easier for someone else here. All donations will go back to the people at Adstring, so consider doing this as benefit for everyone.

It's time we start helping each other out a little more, and I want to do my part.

[[OOC: Forward-dated to the morning of July 18, since I won't have time to post it then.]]

07. Sucks to Be Ewe [Video]

angle_on_it — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 01:22:03 GMT

[The feed opens up, centered on a card that looks like it was written with Bubbles’ crayons.]

The Adstring City Players Proudly Present:

Sucks to be Ewe

The True and Riveting Tale of One Man’s Fight Against the Forces of Not-Really-Evil-Anymore

By: Aang and Sokka

Starring:

Aang as Aankka the Hero

Sokka as Spikka the Not-Evil-Now

And Introducing:

ZUZU as “The Pig”

(some facts have been changed to protect the innocent)

Act I

[The curtain rises on this production mid-evening. The stage is bare, save for some salvaged scraps of broken furniture. Some poorly constructed walls are dirt-covered, and over the center of a stage hangs a sign reading “Secret Lair.”]

[Enter one ‘Aankka’: Aang, dressed as Sokka, complete with a badly made ‘wig’, made of scraps of dark material to look like Sokka’s ‘wolf tail’. He creeps across the stage, taking overly dramatic steps. He looks back at the ‘audience’.]

I see the Not-Evil-Now Spikka! I’ll kick-a-pow him into next week for attacking my friends! [This comes complete with some really hammed up over-acting.]

I am being bloody moody because I am a vampire and I am really bloody pale and blond. Hmph! [Cue Sokka, dressed as the Not-Evil-Now Spikka, perched on a chair, pouting and looking as moody as he proclaims. He wipes at his face with a sleeve, barely keeping himself from toppling the white(ish) wig made of Appa fur.]

And bloody. I need to learn to use a napkin!

[Aang jumps out at Sokka and brandishes his boomerang.] Spikka! I’ve found you and your secret lair! Whoopa! [And he’s brandishing the boomerang in some bad kung fu-like moves.] You’ll pay for your bad, moody evilness!

Pay? But I don’t have a job! Besides, I was... [He extends a dramatic arm into the air to accent his thought.] HYPNOTIZED!

Well, well-! You can’t go around hurting my friends just because you’re.... [And he pauses dramatically before parodying Sokka’s tone.] HYPNOTIZED. Besides, you’re just sulking in the dark instead of doing something about it!

[Sokka puts on a pathetic face.] It wasn’t personal, and therefore it wasn’t my fault! Right? I was a bloody victim, too!

[Aang takes on a heroic pose.] You weren’t a victim at all! [Aang rushes at him, and before the Big Fight Scene can happen, another set of cards pops up on the screen. BAM! POW! Ker-SMASH!]

[The cards fall away to reveal a disheveled looking Sokka and a triumphant Aang.]

Yeah, I really Sokka’d it to him! [Aang gives the PCD a big, theatrical wink.]

[The curtain falls.]

Act II

[When again the curtain rises, a new scene is set. More rubble is added and the walls are now splattered with dripping gray mud, as if to signify stars against a dark sky. A paper moon hangs in the corner. Zuko’s sheep, Zuzu, is standing on the stage. A pair of poorly made wings have been stuck into its fur.]

[Aang, still dressed as Aankka, comes onto the stage.] Ha! A present for my friend! I’ll take you home with me for her birthday! [He ‘throws’ the boomerang, which floats along as Aang airbends it over to the sheep and drops it on him.]

[Sokka, still playing Spikka, sneaks on stage, an evil and over-expressive grin on his face. He addresses the “audience” in a stage whisper.] It is my nemesis, the great and powerful Aankka! I will ruin his gift with my bloody super-speed and dour attitude toward partying. WOOSH!

[With the aid of their Special Effects Department, Sokka is carried by Bubbles to steal the sheep at “super-speed.”]

[Aang goes closer so that he can ‘see’ the sheep in the ‘darkness’ and sees Sokka there.] Hey! That’s my sheep! [He makes a overly dramatic pose, the back of one hand to his forehead.] That was for my friend! For her birthday! How can you be so cruel?

Cruel is my middle name! Spikka the Bloody Cruel Vampire! Now I will take away your gift and your friend will hate you forever. MWAHAHAHA!

[At this point, Sokka tries to flee with said gift, but he must pass Aang along the way.]

[Aang holds his ground, holding out one hand in the customary ‘stop’ position.] No, Spikka! Even if she would hate me forever, I won’t let you ruin this for her! [He holds up a fist dramatically.] The PARTY is counting on this!

A party doesn’t COUNT unless I’m invited! Prepare for battle, scrawny human-thing!

[Sokka strikes a pose, bringing his hands up to cover his face, and when he pulls them away, he’s wearing a angry, deformed mask.] VAMPIRE POWERS, GO!

[Aang does his best to not snicker at that.] SWORD AN BOOMERANG POWERS, GO!

[He rushes at Sokka to have their Great Fight Scene. This scares the sheep, who bolts, running into the pair and knocking them both over.]

[Aang looks at the PCD and then at Sokka before muttering.] What do we do now?

[Sokka scratches under his wig and shrugs at Aang.] Improvise, I guess? [And he jumps to his feet and strikes a pose] If I cannot have the pig, then you can’t either! Neener-neener-neener!

[Aang comes to center stage and falls to his knees, his hands up to the sky.] Nooooo! I’ll never find her a gift in time now! You’ve... ruined it all, you Bloody Cruel Vampire!

[Aang covers his face with his hands, drama-crying for the PCD as the curtain falls.]

[A card pops up that says The End.]

OOC:

THE CREDITS

AANG as Aankka the Hero

SOKKA as Spikka the Not-Evil-Now-Guy

Special effects and sound provided by Bubbles' Magical Effects Studio, LLC

[[This is a joint post for Aang and Sokka! Insert muse in comments, receive one or both in reply!]]

06. The Ruse ["accidental" video]

angle_on_it — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:13:19 GMT

[The video feed flickers to life and there's plenty of whispers and giggles, but no one on screen yet. It's daytime and the empty scene plays against a backdrop of a bright sky over a dusty and barren piece of flat land. The video comes through from a worms-eye view, as if the device is propped up on a rock.]

Shh-shhhh... it's on, it's on! Go, go!

Okay, Sok--

[A pause.]

I mean, okay, got it!

THE RUSE
by: Bubbles and Sokka

[A moment later, a somewhat familiar figure steps into the frame. In this wacky place, it's probably not that shocking to see Bubbles dressed as Sokka, complete with mittens too big for her hands~~, and a hat (not pictured) left somewhere offscreen~~. What might be shocking, though, is her dedication.]

[Bubble's interpretation of Sokka's voice might actually be lower than Sokka's real voice, and she has a hard time not laughing at herself as she recites her lines very carefully.] I am Sokka and I am going to practice my amazing ability to boom-- my amazing ability to eat and throw my boomerang. Here I go!

STOP! [Enter player two, stage right. Sokka -- the real Sokka -- dressed as Wang Fire! He's blocking Bubbles' path.] You will be defeated!

Oh, no! It is my arch nemesis! Good thing I brought my boomerang!

Boomerang attack!

Oh no!

[There are sound effects (provided by Bubbles) as the boomerang is carried at Sokka and forced to make contact. He falls to the ground, defeated, instead.]

[She turns back to the audience.] Phew, that was tough and I worked up quite an appetite! It is another good thing I brought this tasty snack from my good friend Bubbles! [Is anyone expecting a cheeky wink here? Well, she's consummate professionals, folks, and manages to pass on the opportunity in favor of holding onto the ruse for as long as possible.]

[And, much like Sokka would do, she continues to thoughtfully eat at her snack, keeping the feed on long enough for everyone to see Sokka getting back to his feet in the background.

OOC:

THE CREDITS

Sokka as WANG FIRE
Bubbles as SOKKA

Special effects and sound provided by Bubbles' Magical Effects Studio, LLC

[[This is a joint post (backdated before all the weather stuff) for Bubbles and Sokka! Insert muse in comments, receive one or both in reply!]]

05. A Date With Despair

angle_on_it — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:26:38 GMT

[The concept of time is eluding Sokka. How long has it been since Fran forced him in fall to pieces? Five minutes? Fifty minutes? Five hours? He's got no idea, but it's nearly night now, and Sokka can't get the picture of Fran or those inky black figures out of his head long enough to crawl out of his safe place to go home.]

[Hunched down and hugging his legs, he sits under the light from a window, hoping to ward off the darkness, but that fear's still gripping his heart like a vice, squeezing it in an iron grasp. Those faces -- familiar faces of faithful friends -- they haunt him in a way he's never experienced thanks to Fran's parting gift. Behind closed eyes, they accuse him just the same as before, and the more time he spends with them, the more he starts to think they're right. Had he really done enough? For Zuko? For Katara? For any of them?]

[Just those thoughts are enough to make him reel, forcing his head down lest he finds himself feeling ill again. He needs to get home -- he knows that -- but it's not happening yet.]

[Not yet. He just needs a moment. Not yet, not yet, not yet...]

[He just can't face it all.]

[Not yet.]

[[OOC: This takes place after Sokka's run-in with Fran. Aang's going to be taking Sokka home, so if you want your character to come see him, please note whether it's BEFORE he's left for home, or AFTER he's home! ENJOY!]]

04. Eulogy [Video/Action]

angle_on_it — Sun, 29 May 2011 04:10:10 GMT

[Sokka had been thinking long and hard -- something that generally didn't work out positively for him. In this case, however, long thoughts on the matter seemed entirely appropriate. He had the time, and the thoughts weren't leaving despite his best efforts to focus his attentions elsewhere.]

[Zuko's death was hitting him hard. So many questions unanswered, so many feeling unchecked. Why had he gone alone? Why hadn't he asked for help? Where were their heartfelt and tearful goodbyes shared among friends? The answers always came up the same: Zuko was Zuko.]

[Was. Everyone had tried to convince Sokka that Zuko would be back, an it had worked, in a way. But Sokka still mourned -- still felt the consequences, the hurt, the almost sickening heartache. How could this have happened? No. How could this have happened again?]

[When finally it was too much, Sokka took ink to paper and stumbled through his emotions, trying to compose something worthy of his friend's memory. He thought long and hard, collected more than just his thoughts and feelings, and and made preparations for a eulogy.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[It begins at dawn, just before the rise of the sun over the horizon. The breeze is cool, the grass green, the sky clear; it's just the kind of day Zuko would take pleasure in grumping about. Sokka, too, but to a much lesser degree, as he finds waking up early to be an insult to sleep.]

[The altar is small. Decorations, if they can be called that, are at a bare minimum, though he's taken care to place everything precisely on the white cloth. No flowers, no poetry or declarations, just what he considers essentials. The unlit candle held the center, and with it, samples of the other elements: a down-turned glass of air, an upturned glass of water, and a smooth piece of volcanic rock.]

[Sokka doesn't feel nervous standing next to the altar, dressed up in his finest armor. At least, not until it's time to start and he pats himself down, coming up short.]

[He swallows hard, resolve beginning to crumble, and turns his blue eyes to those gathered.] I had something written, but, I, uh... I lost it.

[Typical Sokka. In a moment of indecision, he considers calling the whole thing off, but most of the work's already done, and most of the people already waiting. Steeling himself, he straightens his spine and takes a deep breath.]

Anyway, it doesn't matter. I, uh... I wanted to do this for-- [A pause.] For Zuko. N-not just Zuko, though. I wanted to do this for us.

[He clears his throat, already sounding more and more confident.]

I've been told all my life that people who die aren't gone. They move on, they watch over us, they pass over. No matter what it's called, it seems to be a constant. The same can be said here at Adstringendum. Maybe more so with one caveat: Our loved ones aren't gone forever.

Recently, something occurred to me: Death is nothing to take lightly and should never go unmourned. Zuko will be back, yes. And when he is, we'll give him a hard time for being so darn stubborn. But that doesn't change the fact that he's gone. Or the fact that for both him and us, things will never be the same. That, alone, has a certain gravity -- a force that deserves respect and attention.

I considered this for a long time. Slept on it several nights, trying to decide what I could do to show that respect. It wasn't until last night that anything shook loose, but when it finally did, I felt so much more... serene.

[Sokka moved from one spot to another, removing some spark stones from his belt.] It shed some light-- [He sparked the stones and lit the candle, holding it out for all to see.] on my thoughts about all of this.

I realized, kind of late as I'm sure you'll all recognize soon enough, that it's hard to fight what we are. Or who we are. Zuko, as flawed as he was, epitomized that which is fire. It builds itself, growing of its own will, and without interference, will inevitably consume everything and burn itself out. It doesn't hesitate. It doesn't stop until it's done.

Fire goes alone, so does Zuko.

[He stops, trying his best to hold off the emotions lingering just below the surface. Sokka places the candle carefully onto the altar, completing the grouping of the four elements.] But we know it doesn't have to be this way. Separate, we're never as strong as we could be together, and that's what we mourn today.

[[OOC: Post-dated to after the zombie mess has died down, and open to the public for mingling or whatever.]]

03. Secure the Homefront [video]

angle_on_it — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:48:11 GMT

[High alert, woop woop! The already busy feed crackles to life with Sokka's concerned face. He's all business.]

We've established our own safe zone here-- [He fumbles around with his PCD, but manages to transmit the coordinates anyway.]

[X,Y]

The perimeter's secured and we've got people on constant watch. There's plenty of room and supplies, too. So if you want or need somewhere to go, you can come here.

[Filtered the the Residents of his house]

I'm staying to keep guard here, but if any of you need me, you'd better call. No excuses. [He points, because darn it, he's serious!] I'll be there.

A-and, stay safe, guys.

[/end ]

-------------------

And then later....

[Private to Zuko, Toph, Bubbles, Usagi]

Are you okay?

[ /end ]

02. Gone Fishin' [action]

angle_on_it — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:01:14 GMT

[It probably hasn't escaped the attention of any familiar residents, that Sokka's already found himself feeling a little less useful than usual. Sure, he's pretty good at settling down amidst all the craziness, but that doesn't mean he's particularly comfortable with his level of usefulness. Or, in this case, uselessness.]

[He's been thinking a lot about his sister, thinking a lot of home, thinking a lot, period. Which is never a good thing for Sokka.]

[On this particular day, he's decided he needs a distraction. Taking his rudimentary tools, Sokka has set himself out into the world in search of prey. It's only fortunate that he stumbles across a flowing stream, because of all the types of hunting there are, fishing just happens to be his favorite.]

[Sadly, the fish don't seem to be biting, so the young man's sitting on a rock outcropping over the stream, his line laying pathetically in the water. There are fish -- he can see them, but they just aren't biting for some reason.]

Ffft. This is a lost cause... as per usual.

01. At a Loss [video]

angle_on_it — Sun, 08 May 2011 07:55:18 GMT

[What's this? Accidental audio, at first!]

--can't tell me I'm somewhere different from where I went to bed! That's-- that's crazy!

[And here comes the video, as Sokka digs through what belongings he has with him and uncovers the PCD he doesn't even know he has. He's confused, concerned, and obviously out of sorts.]

There's gotta be something here -- something! A map, a note, something!

[He stands again, looking around the unfamiliar area at a loss. When he'd last closed his eyes for the night, he'd been safe and home and near by his family. Now? Well, now he's got no idea!]

C'mon, who kidnaps a guy like me? [Frustrated, he flops down in front of his pack and rubs his eyes. It's going to be a long day.]