In my element [Open]

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

After all, here was where water was plentiful, and she had lots of space to move. The past few days had been amazing of course: she got to know several different people and experience certain parts of their world. If anybody stepped in here though, they would know the part of Katara's world she stopped being a child. Her inquisitiveness was a way she coped with a truth she knew, and was sure some of the other "kids" shared: certain experiences were adult, and they called for adult action.

She had her hair free, and was breathing a little to ready herself. She'd already flexed and stretched enough: she planned to get a workout. She entered the nearest Sensorium and closed her eyes.

"The Earth General who went too far," Katara said, and the world materialized: there were the Earth Nation banners towering, and there were members of the Dai Li, coming at her full force. This was of course not accurate: there WERE no members of the Dai Li when they approached earth general Fong that attacked Aang in order to force him into the Avatar state. Still, Katara wanted them a part of this program anyway: it would be harder to get to that Earth general.

First they erected the rock pillars, like the day they'd uncovered Lake Laogai. That was fine: Katara knew what move would come after. There were fifteen strong: seven at the back and eight at her front. They hovered on the rock, waiting a moment, and then the ones at her back slid down quickly, the rock hands coming for her, the ones in front following suit.

She froze the hands first, then crouched down and arose with water tentacles. Katara hadn't gotten her octopus water attack down just yet then (that would happen when she fought Azula) but she did now, and the several tentacles went toward those at her back, knocking three down. Katara jumped up from that formation and rode a wave from the lake nearby, going to meet with the front attack of the Dai Li. She met them with a tidal wave and froze them all for several seconds before thawing, and the men, in a state of shock, fell uneasily to the floor, cold and beaten. Katara turned to the four remaining Dai Li and took them out with a far reaching water whip. Once they'd fallen, she turned her head toward General Fong and rose with a wave again. He looked shocked for a moment, then came at her with a rock pillar aiming toward her head.

"HA!" Katara grunted and split the rock easily in two: she'd learned a thing or two from Toph, a true Earthbending master. She flung her whip to the ground beneath the kings feet and froze, making him slip and ruining his stance. Katara was there in an instant, outstretched hand to his neck, her face grim with determination.

"You lose," the girl said, and froze the bottom part of his body. He growled and tried to free himself, but could not, of course. This was how Katara would have like their terms to end. In reality, General Fong had caught her by surprise and used her to push Aang into the Avatar state against his wishes.

If there was one thing Katara hated, it was being a victim. If there were another thing...it was being used to hurt Aang.

Comments

[cardsharkgambit.livejournal.com]

Leave it to Gambit to be strolling through the hallway outside the sensoriums and to wander into one at random and have it be the same one that Katara was practicing in. And leave it Gambit to wander in just as Katara was taking out four of her opponents with a massive water whip. A water whip that also slammed into the Cajun, knocking him off his feet.

"Oi, petite," he called out, sitting on his butt on the hard ground where he'd landed. Tendrils of his soaked hair was plastered to his face and droplets of water dripped from his nose onto his chest. "Were dat really necessary?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara had no idea anyone would actually try to enter the Sensorium while she was training like this. It was bound to knock a few heads around, and Katara preferred to do THAT in imaginary world.

Unfortunately, anyone could enter the Sensorium, and Katara, for no fault of her own, felt immensely guilty having hit somebody while practicing her bending. She walked over to him, looking generally concerned.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She said. "I really should put up a sign or something!" She put her right hand palm down and bright her hand back, and any water on Gambit's face and hair came to Katara's hands, and she cupped it into a swirl of water that looked ready to jump out at anyone.

"Are you all right?"

[cardsharkgambit.livejournal.com]

"Gambit'll live," he answered with a nod.

It took him but a moment to realize that the water that now swirled in her hand had come from his face and that he was--aside from his plant-suit and brown duster--completely dry.

"You a mutant, too, petite?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Well," Katara was unsure what to say. The man looked...well, not like many men Katara had ever seen anyway. The hair was kept back, and the eyes were definitely weird, but there was more that Katara couldn't place. She stared at him a moment, trying to figure him out.

"A mutant? I don't know what a mutant is. In my world I don't think they exist. But there are some of us born with the ability to bend the elements, and you were just watching me do that with water." She sighed and hunkered down to the ground, and all of the Dai Li agents along with general Fong disappeared.

"Are you a mutant? If you are, what does that mean?"

[bluerose-knight.livejournal.com]

That's something that Sparhawk has never seen before. The broken nosed knight stands in the doorway, trying to keep the look of surprise from his face. He shouldn't be surprised that other people allow their womenfolk to battle, after all, Mirtai was one of the most capable warriors he had met.

It goes against what he stands for to see a child battling. Children are meant to be protected, to have a childhood, to chase hoops and catch polliwogs. Not to fight.

She is very, very good though. He's also very curious to know what sort of magic she was using, and so he steps out from the doorway, and shifts his hand so that it should catch her eye.

"Neighbour?" he says in his usual quiet tone.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara paused, and looked to see who was flagging her down. It was an older man, but he looked pleasant enough. At least he didn't get hit in the crossfire. She changed the water tide she was riding to ice and slid effortlessly until she flipped over to him, her right hand sliding back. The ice immediately turned to water and went into her pouch, and she gave the man a small bow.

It was hard to tell Katara's mood. On the one hand, he was definitely polite enough, and hadn't really disrupted Katara. On the other hand, she was getting a little annoyed with the older people's perception of children and what they should be doing on the ship. It was as if they cared more about their age than their actual stories and experiences, which made Katara wary with some of the older folk (Jean Luc excluded, for now).

"What can I do for you?" Katara asked nonchalantly.

[bluerose-knight.livejournal.com]

Sparhawk knows when he may be about to fight a losing battle, and in this case, he won't even start. The girl has shown herself to be a warrior, and Sparhawk will treat her as one. How could you fight water, anyway?

He watches as the water changes to ice, and back to water again, before he bows formally to her.

"I was simply curious about your abilities, neighbour. I've not seen anything similar before. You have skill. Although if I am interrupting you, I would be content to just watch, with your permission?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara was really go9ing to have to get used to explaining what she could do. A lot of people on the ship all had different abilities, but hers always seemed to need a little clarification. She couldn't just say it was "magic" because it wasn't. It wasn't easy to just explain what she could do on something she was just born with either.

"Oh, that's OK," Katara said. "In the sensoriums, I've learned people can be interrupted at any time. But yes, I have skill, and it takes a lot of practice. If you want to see, I can show you."

Which was just as well, because Katara was moving from this to an actual scene Katara did remember: the actual storming of the Earth King's castle in order to talk to him. Here the Dai Li agents DID belong, as they were the ones trying to prevent the gang from reaching their objective. The difference here was there was no Sokka or Toph or Aang to help, so she had to do it on her own.

She started with the jump across the bridge, where she formed an ice bridge in mid air as leverage and slid down effortlessly. The ice fell to water behind her and sprung into her hands in the form of the waterwhip, and she attacked the Dai Li with it relentlessly now, spinning and moving closer and closer toward the steps. The Dai Li came at her with the rock hands, so she changing the water into ice and had projectiles counteracting their far ranged attacks with her own. She rode the water now instead of using ice and ascended up the stairs, moving her arms to come up and hot any Dai Li members standing in the way.

Once she reached the steps she became the water octopus again and knocked any of the remaining members out of the way with furious intent and wrenched the palace door open with a loud yell.

She took a deep breath and the scenery changed to the western Air Temple again: quite, tranquil.

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

Roxie was drawn by the sound of fighting, and now she pauses in the emtrance to the Sensorium, hands in two of her jacket's many pockets, head tilted at just the right angle for her glasses to glint cruelly in the light.

She doesn't speak up to interrupt, and stays mouse-like quiet, just watching for now.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara breathed in, and then the scenery changed. Now she was in the actual Earth King's chambers, and she was facing down two very familiar enemies: Mai, with her sharp knives and quick reaction, and Ty Lee with her ability to attack a bender's pressure points and render them useless.

Katara ducked the knives and ran toward Mai quickly, lacking any water or pools to ride a wave toward the girl. Ty Lee came at her in her pursuit and Katara stopped on a dime, adjusting her position so she wasn't there where Ty Lee tried to hit her points. She water whipped at the girl's face, and when she jerked back Katara froze her hands and legs to the ground. She ran at Mai again, but she was in for a rude surprise: the girl had plenty of time to ready herself with more sharp weapons, and Katara crouches deeply, sucking air in sharply.

Still, down on the ground was also a way SHE could ready her water again, and now she shot some ice projectiles of her own. Mai was now dancing away from her and Katara advanced, moving quickly. She and the girl moved at each other in a flurry, but a moment later Katara had broken through the girl's projectiles and had her arm at Mai's throat. Mai looked stunned, but nodded in her direction. Katara bowed, and the ice holding Ty Lee melted, as did the recreation.

She turned, and saw she was not alone. "Oh, hi Roxie! How are you?"

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

"I've been looking around," Roxie says, hands still in her pockets. "There's all kinds of interesting things in the city. It's like a collage except with neighborhoods. You fight well," she adds in a disrinct non sequitur, steppping forward to look around the simulation a little more. "It's almost like watching a performance."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara nodded. "I've only visited the city once so far with my friend Luna. It was just a ruin, but I think it was some kind of ruin. I'd definitely be interested in exploring more of it though."

Katara looked a little pleased. "I haven't been able to practice in awhile. Those two were our enemies a little while ago, and they're really fast! I'm just glad I've gotten that good. Master Pakku would be pleased."

[telekinetic_badass]

"Hm... Not bad."

He hadn't bothered to interfere with her workout, what with him still being temporarily powerless. But he had been watching for a little while. She was on his team, apparently, so he decided to talk to her. But at least this afforded him a chance to see what she could do.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara turned. Another interruption, but by now she was used to it. This guy was new, though she'd definitely seen him before...didn't he have a collar then? Not that it mattered, though she was curious as to why he was here, like anyone else who'd come.

"Who are you?" She asked.

[telekinetic_badass]

He still had the collar on, actually. And he'll be far too happy to get it off.

Despite that, though, he was admittedly in a good mood.

"Name's Julian. And according to Stacy, I'm your team leader."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Team leader huh?" So he still had the collar on: so much for her observational skills. She was a little more than slightly annoyed that she had no indication of what team she was on or who she'd even be teaed with. That was a little annoying, and definitely not a good way to start off a team.

"Well, you've at least been on the ship longer than us, right? I'm sure you know what's what around here."

[halfa-hero.livejournal.com]

"Wow, that was pretty cool."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara stopped here and turned. Yes, it was another interruption, and yes, she was pretty much getting used to them. She was not, however, prepared for a boy that seemed to be floating in air, black and white except for glowing green eyes. Katara looked at him sideways.

"Ok, I give up: how are you doing that?"

[halfa-hero.livejournal.com]

"By defying the laws of physics through a healthy application of ghost powers."

[cabbage-butt.livejournal.com]

"Is this your world?" says a green-skinned, somewhat odd-looking young man, as he peers in the doorway, admittedly curious. He's tall and sort of...stretched-out looking. Skinny for his height, with long arms and legs. There are strange white things on his face that Katara will probably have difficulty figuring out the purpose of.

"How...quaint."

It's kinda dusty and... well, he's noticing a distinct lack of electric lights and combustion engines.

[theregularguy.livejournal.com]

Sokka had been lounging near the doorway, keeping an eye on his little sister but not wanting to bother her. She needed to concentrate when she practiced bending, after all. He looks up at Brainy and raises an eyebrow. Weird green guy. Okay.

"What's quaint about it?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara didn't even bother trying to be annoyed. She had no idea what number of interruption this was, but it was likely she'd have to put an "Enter at your Own Risk" sign up the next time she was practicing bending.

She turned and saw there were two people watching her: one was obviously Sokka, the other was a taller looking gangly green guy with white things on his face and a look as if he smelled something faintly unpleasant.

"This is a place in our world," Katara said, answering his question. "The Earth Nation specifically. Have we met? My name is Katara, and this is my brother Sokka. We're natives of the Southern Water Tribe."

[grayaura.livejournal.com]

Mai watched from the doorway for a few moments and then stepped forward, arms folded. Her voice was the same, bored-sounding monotone, "Not bad."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara was not bothered at all by the voice. She knew who it was, and was actually happy that there was at least one girl from her world here. Still, it did make her a little sad to know that this Mai only knew her as an enemy. Though Sokka told her what Mai had done at Boiling Rock, she wished she'd been there to see her actually defy...that girl.

Wow. Even thinking about her made Katara a little angry and scared at the same time.

"I'd better be good by now," Katara said, smirking. "I got stronger since the last time you saw me. Have you practiced on this thing too?"

[grayaura.livejournal.com]

Mai shrugged. Honestly, she didn't really hate the Avatar or any of his friends. She'd just been helping out a friend. Well, she'd been a friend once, anyway. Now she wasn't so sure. Azula was different these days.

She toyed with a knife and arched a brow, "You mean the Sensorium? Yeah."