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trans_92010-09-25 09:03 pm
found-myway.livejournal.com) wrote in trans_92010-09-25 09:03 pm
Entry tags:
[closed to Hiccup]
According to the standards of the 24-hour time period that the omnicoms operate on, it's very early in the morning. Too early for most people to be up, though Zuko always is at this time. Even without a sun to rise with, old habits die hard.
Today he rose feeling a little slower than usual. From this, one could assume it would be a bad idea for Zuko to push himself - but Zuko is not good at listening to his body when it says no.
So he's fighting his sister. And as usual, she's winning.
Her blue fire fills his vision, and Zuko counters it, the concussive power of the blast knocking him off his footwork so that he has no stance to counter with. He has scratches on his face from her nails. There are bruises on his back where he's fallen, and with every step his heart jitters, anticipating lightning.
Azula is, of course, cool and composed and her smile never wavers. "You know, Zuko," her cool, delighted voice is a mocking parody of sisterly concern. "If you're feeling under the weather, you ought to have challenged a lesser opponent. Or did you think an honorable death in battle would make everyone remember you more fondly than if you were to curl up and die like a weakling in your sickbed?"
"Shut up! Stacy, don't make her talk!"
Azula the Simulation smiles, and Zuko wonders how, even without words, she can still make him feel all at once so furious, and so powerless, and in his moment of hesitation, the simulation dives in to take advantage of this.
This was a bad idea. The simulations are very accurate, and Zuko, who should have forseen this, only realized it just recently. The real Azula, the one he will have to face one of these days, would try to kill him. This one is trying, too, and even on his good days, Azula could take him. He will have to call the fight off, or a memory of his sister will kill him, smiling.
But if he stops the simulation now, then he will have to live with KNOWING he is still not good enough until he's rested enough to try this again, and there is nothing Zuko hates more than feeling like this - weak, defeated, and a failure, so a fight that should have been called off long ago goes on.
Today he rose feeling a little slower than usual. From this, one could assume it would be a bad idea for Zuko to push himself - but Zuko is not good at listening to his body when it says no.
So he's fighting his sister. And as usual, she's winning.
Her blue fire fills his vision, and Zuko counters it, the concussive power of the blast knocking him off his footwork so that he has no stance to counter with. He has scratches on his face from her nails. There are bruises on his back where he's fallen, and with every step his heart jitters, anticipating lightning.
Azula is, of course, cool and composed and her smile never wavers. "You know, Zuko," her cool, delighted voice is a mocking parody of sisterly concern. "If you're feeling under the weather, you ought to have challenged a lesser opponent. Or did you think an honorable death in battle would make everyone remember you more fondly than if you were to curl up and die like a weakling in your sickbed?"
"Shut up! Stacy, don't make her talk!"
Azula the Simulation smiles, and Zuko wonders how, even without words, she can still make him feel all at once so furious, and so powerless, and in his moment of hesitation, the simulation dives in to take advantage of this.
This was a bad idea. The simulations are very accurate, and Zuko, who should have forseen this, only realized it just recently. The real Azula, the one he will have to face one of these days, would try to kill him. This one is trying, too, and even on his good days, Azula could take him. He will have to call the fight off, or a memory of his sister will kill him, smiling.
But if he stops the simulation now, then he will have to live with KNOWING he is still not good enough until he's rested enough to try this again, and there is nothing Zuko hates more than feeling like this - weak, defeated, and a failure, so a fight that should have been called off long ago goes on.
no subject
Astrid sighs sympathetically, thinning her eyes on Zuko a moment. "Hey. You're condoning this? I understand you have an obligation to help him, but he won't be any use to you dead."
Now back to the boy. Her eyes bore into him harshly. "What are you thinking! Really. How do you expect to get better like this? Keep pushing yourself to your limit and you'll really die!"
no subject
And now he was short of breath and his lips were nearly blue. Good going, Hiccup. Though all the running from Astrid hadn't helped.
"I was doing okay! You're being overprotective." A pause. "Speaking of overprotective, please don't tell dad. He kind of told me...not to do this..."
no subject
Zuko stands up abruptly, glaring at Astrid. "And you're one to talk. I'm not the one throwing axes. Just . . . get out of my sensorium, both of you."
He's a little more red-faced than usual, and that's never a good sign. Is it, Hiccup?
no subject
"Hmph. That was nothing," she shot back at Zuko. It really was nothing. Just a bit of scare tactics, is all!
She side glances at Hiccup. Overprotective? Bah!
"You say that, though it seems like this guy isn't fond of your company right now." Nor hers, but she won't mention that.
no subject
They'd pissed Zuko off enough. Hiccup went to retrieve Astrid's axe, dragging it along the ground until he could hand it to her (gods, he was whipped), and then poked her in the arm and nodded towards the Sensorium door.
Turning to Zuko, monumentally embarrassed, he bowed. "Sifu, I know there's a no 'I'm sorry' rule, but this was disrespectful. You have my apologies. This won't happen again."
Neither the interrupting Zuko's own (insane) practice, nor his girlfriend interrupting his practice.