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[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Zuko's in a hurry on his way to the forge. The sooner he has real swords, the sooner he can get back to training.

(He could always use pretend ones in the Sensorium, but that feels like cheating.)

On the way, he's thinking of what, exactly, he's going to pay Dustin with. They danced around the subject of reimbursement, but Zuko knows, nothing's ever free.

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[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

There was a young man on the roof of a house as Zuko passed by. (He was checking to see if they could possible put a smokestack up there.

"Hellooo," he said cheerfully as Zuko rushed by.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Zuko slows to a stop when the person on the roof waves to him.

"What are you doing?"

If it's fixing a roof, Zuko's not helping. Just sayin'.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"Trying to figure out if--oh hey, it has a smokestack--trying to figure out if this building can be converted to a forge."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"Dustin's rules aren't working for you?"

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"If I don't share half with the house, I have to supply my own tools and materials, and considering I don't intend to charge, I have nothing to share with the house. The tools part is what's tricky, lugging them back and forth."

He slid down the roof to a ledge, and waved his arms before catching his balance again. Fortunately, this little building was close to the ground anyway, if he did fall.

"People here have so little to even give. The most I'd feel comfortable asking for is for lessons on how to do things--nothing material, nothing that could be split with anyone. How could I take away the last possessions people have? For a blacksmith, there's no honor in asking for pay during wartime--especially if that's all you can do to contribute."

Gobber never charged during dragon attacks. And when it was a bad winter, he just bartered for what he needed--some sheep for a sword worth an estate, some eggs for pots and pans.

This was a bad winter, in Hiccup's eyes.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"That's very honorable." It's the sort of thing he'd want to hear from a blacksmith in the Fire Nation . . . if the Fire Nation had unlimited, free food and housing and clothing, like Stacy does. "But nothing's ever really free."

Zuko crosses his arms, wating for Hiccup to rebut.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"It is when Stacy's providing food, housing and clothes."

Ha ha, Zuko, an honorable blacksmith. Your pessimism can suck it.

"If I needed things, I'd ask for barter to get it when I needed it. But I don't need things. See, all you other people are fighting, that's what you're doing. And you're doing it for free. This is what I'll do. And I'll also do it for free. Being useful is my payment."

[silverduelist]

Yzak turned a corner, just in time to see Zuko closing in at a distance enough to move out of the way. Despite the easy move, however, he scowled.

"What are you in such a hurry for?!"

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

A guy can't run in a city?

. . . is how the old Zuko would have reacted. The new Zuko says, "There isn't enough road for two?"

Okay, some things don't change right away.

"I have something to pick up." And he's stopped to talk, but really, he didn't NEED to run - he just felt like it.

[silverduelist]

"Yes, but I can't exactly see you from around the corner."

Whatever, as long as Zuko didn't actually run into him, Yzak didn't really care.

"Oh," he said, and then curiously, "what?"

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"New swords."

Yeah, interesting, right?

"My old ones were destroyed in the last battle."

[silverduelist]

"I'm not very surprised."

A short pause, before elaborating. "After meeting those things for myself. Even things like our mobile suits were damaged, and they're build pretty damn tough."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"Mobile . . . what?"

[silverduelist]

"Ah..." Right, swords meant not getting much of a view of the former space battle.

"Mobile suits," he elaborated. "those are the ... bipedal weapons we use to fight with..." Yzak trailed off, sounding a little hesitant. He wasn't sure how familiar Zuko was with terms like that, and didn't want to just outright explain them as "giant robots."

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

She was walking down one of the alleyways, chomping on her last apple from Planet Vacay, and sidestepped neatly as Zuko closed in.

"You look like a guy who's got somewhere to be."

That was something she couldn't quite comprehend yet; they were all enclosed on a ship, so why all the rushing about?

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Maybe sometimes, after months of being cooped up on a spaceship, a boy just feels like running.

"I've got weapons to pick up."

Aaaand her hair is green. And that's possibly only the most obvious on her list of strange features. Zuko tries very hard not to look like he's staring, because staring is rude and this is one of the branches of etiquette drilled into him at a young age that he has learned not to ignore.

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

Choline smiles. "Oh yeah? What kinds?"

See those hilts on her thighs, Zuko? Those are daggers the size of small swords.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"Dao."

Zuko tries not to stare at the thighs of ladies not Mai, Choline. But he'll make an exception, because he can't quite tell if those are daggers or swords.

"You, ah - you duel-wield too?"

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

Choline arched a long eyebrow and smiled. "It's the only way to go, as far as I'm concerned."

With a swift movement and a little twirly flourish, her daggers were in her hands. The blades were long, but wide, designed to stab or be used in dirty fighting.

"How long have you been doing it?"

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

She's good. Zuko's used to seeing people who are good with weapons being good with their weapons, but still, she's good.

"Since I was old enough to be taught."

So, since he could stand an make a fist.

"You?"

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

"The daggers? Not long. A decade, maybe? Before this, I used to dual-wield heavier swords, or do the sword-and-board thing." She smirked. "When my family was killed in the war, I had to take up a sneakier line of work to stay alive."

She won't bother you with the story of the war, Zuko. With a scar like that, she figured he'd probably been in at least one himself.

[grayaura.livejournal.com]

"You're in a hurry."

It's simple, matter of fact, and delivered in that familiar, bored monotone. Hey Zuko.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"New swords," he says, by way of an explanation. "Want to walk with me?"

It's not a very exciting activity, but what around here is?

[grayaura.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I should keep a pair on hand when I want to get your attention," she responded, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She paused for a moment and finally nodded.

"Sure."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

He smiles sheepishly. "You don't need to do anything to get my attention."

He slows to walk beside her, hand brushing hers as they do.

"What have you been doing?" With him, the answer is bound to be training.