trans_9 | Morning Ritual [open]

Ax stood alone on the grass surrounding the Garibah that Stacy had abducted from his homeworld. The ship lacked the sunrise he needed to properly perform the morning ritual, but he had decided that the Garibah would make a more than adequate substitute.

< From the water that gave birth to us, > he began, dipping his right forehoof into the dish of water he'd brought with him. The lack of running water in the vicinity had been the second problem he'd faced. He wasn't particularly fond of the ritual, but he certainly wasn't going to perform them in a room devoted to waste elimination.

< From the grass that feeds us, > he continued, crushing a tuft of grass under that same hoof. < For the freedom that unites us, > he spread his arms wide and looked up at the branches of the Garibah and up further to the ceiling of Stacy's City. < We rise to the stars. >

Ax bowed low. < Freedom is my only cause. Duty to the people, my only guide. Obedience to my prince, my only glory. The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn vow. > Rising from his bow, he stepped into a fighting stance and drew his tail blade against his own throat. < I, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, Andalite warrior-cadet, offer my life. >

The ritual complete, he relaxed his tail and closed his main eyes. This was the part where he was supposed to meditated on the ritual and whether or not he was living up to it. He'd never been particularly good at that part, not being a big believer in the rituals to begin with. But he was an Andalite, and he did intend to be a warrior, to continue being a warrior, and so the ritual must be performed.

Perhaps it would give him some direction.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Zuko still had a bit of a long way to go in his meditation, so Ax would have to wait.

At least he'd have something interesting to watch as he did, because after the initial period of sitting and breathing, Zuko rose to his feet in a single fluid motion and began to go through his firebending katas, the graceful, sharp movements terminating in bursts of fire of different shapes and intensity.

Never once did he strike the tree, slowly and carefully as he moved.

Ax had seen martial arts performed on his television more than once, and he'd seen Rachel perform gymnastics during team meetings. But he was still utterly amazed by the sort of things that humans could do without falling over like he was sure they ought to.

He took a few steps back to give Zuko more space to move.

Such are the benefits of lifelong training, and a highly specialized inner ear.

When Zuko was done - the katas he could do here had to be simple, as opposed to the ones in the Sensorium, where he could call up a non-flammable dojo and really cut loose - he returned to a standing position and exhaled, drawing his chi back into his center. He exhaled once more, then nodded to Ax again.

"I hope I wasn't bothering you."

It was the polite thing to say, even if he didn't necessarily worry about bothering people very often.

Humans would never cease to amaze him, really.

Ax nodded back in acknowledgment. < You weren't bothering me. I hope I didn't interfere with your practice. >

He inclined his upper body in a bow. < I also wanted to apologize for my earlier confusion about your title when we last spoke, Prince Zuko. I hope I did not offend you too deeply. >

See, this is where things get hilarious, because that whole Philip-Ax thing? Zuko missed that. He blinks a few times before answering, though his expression doesn't change.

"No, it's fine," he says, assuming that he's . . . forgotten speaking to the blue manhorse spirit thing. "There was no offense. Please forget it ever happened."

And he bows politely, racking his brains to remember when he spoke to this guy last.

< Of course, Prince Zuko, > Ax said. This whole "prince" thing was going to get confusing, especially if there were too many other princes on board. Elfangor would certainly understand; as would Prince Jake, if he was on board and released from stasis; but it was just so strange to call someone "prince" when he didn't have to take orders from them.

< May I ask about the martial arts you were just performing? The humans I am familiar with aren't capable of manifesting flames like that. >

"It's called firebending," Zuko says, glad to be on more familiar ground. How many times is he going to have to explain this? The ritual of explanation, strange as it is to have to go through, has gotten oddly comforting. "It's an art native to my people."

He breathes in, lifting his hands palms-up as he pulls chi from his center. "Our breath becomes energy in the body." He steps backwards into a stance. "The energy flows through our limbs and becomes fire." He extends his fist to nothing beside him, and produces a burst of roiling flame.

< Very interesting, > Ax said thoughtfully. It sounded as if Zuko didn't know the science of it, or as if there were no science required for it in his universe. The latter made him more than a little uncomfortable, but he didn't want to press too hard. < And it's an inborn ability? Not granted to your people by outside sources? >

"My people learned he true art from the dragons, long ago. But it's an ability you have to be born with."

Dragons, dragons... ah, yes, dragons.

< Dragons are large, winged, fire-breathing lizard-like creatures, yes? > Ax asked. < Those never existed on the Earth I'm familiar with. There were dinosaurs, but they died millions of years before humans even existed. >

And Ax was prepared to thank many things for that. He never wanted to be chased by a Tyrannosaurus Rex ever again.

"Yes. They're extinct now. But only for a few years."

< I'm afraid after my experiences with dinosaurs, dragons sound rather terrifying. >

Ax was still thinking about the T-Rex, currently imagining it with the ability to fly and breathe fire. He was a little surprised that humans managed to evolve sharing a planet with something like that.

Zuko shrugs. "The Fire Lords used to keep them as a mounts for riding, before my great-grandfather started the tradition of the dragon hunt. They were difficult to tame and kill, but enough firebenders managed it that now they're all dead. My uncle killed the last one."

He thinks for a moment before adding, "What do dinosaurs do?"

< It is always a shame to lose an entire species, > Ax murmured, shaking his head. Especially one that they had apparently been able to live peacefully with up until relatively recently.

He scuffed a hoof against the ground, a little embarrassed. < I didn't get a very good chance to study them, but for the most part they seemed concerned with the same things most animals are. Our encounters tended to be mostly with predators, which saw us as easy prey. My prince -- my leader -- was nearly eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and my nephew and another teammate were eaten by...I believe he said it was a Kronosaurus. I can ask him later, he was very fond of dinosaurs when he was younger. >

Morning Ritual [open]

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