Down by the River [Open]

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

Mai, as always, was short of something interesting to do. The Sensoriums just made her miss her own home more than she thought she ought to and as much as she loved Zuko, spending all of her time around him was a bit much. Even for her. She needed space occasionally. Not that she would've minded his company right now. She'd been wandering around the city for a few hours, even dropped by to say hi to Sokka. So many buildings, all dead and empty. It was depressing. Well, it would have been depressing if she cared all that much. Instead, she'd regarded them as curiosities - empty artifacts without meaning or emotional investment. Like objects in a museum.

Her bored wandering had taken her back down to the river after as the hours passed, the sky overhead turned to night and back to day. That was weird. So she settled on the bank, idly skipping stones across the surface. Almost as good as knife-throwing and it gave her a bit of entertainment. Ah, life on Stacy. So full of intrigue.

Comments

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

Mai shrugged and picked up another stone, examining it. "I guess. It's just dull."

She didn't mind peace and quiet, really. It just tended to be very boring.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"The way I hear it," he said, picking up a rock himself, "We should be thankful that we've gone so long without any enemy engagement. That once our friends do make another appearance--"

He threw the stone in his hand across the water, but got either the force or angle wrong. It sank into the river with an audible plunk.

"...we'll be wishing the break was longer."

Well, maybe that would be true for other members of the crew.

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

Mai watched his rock sink out of sight and then flicked her wrist, sending her stone skipping out over the surface of the river. She's had a lot of practice.

"Maybe. I just want it to be over with. I want to be on a planet again."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He watched her throw more carefully this time, selecting his next missile with a little more care.

"What planet is that?"

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what you'd call it. It was home."

She shrugged and fingered another rock. "We only knew about our world."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi sent his latest stone into motion, watching with satisfaction as it dipped briefly into the river several times before sinking.

"'We'? So there are other people from your world above the ship?"

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

"A few."

And that was all she had to say on that subject.

Oh, derp, sorry.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Well," he said, dusting off his hands, "If I run into any of them, I'll be sure to say hello."

"So how do you usually spend your time aboard the ship? Not throwing rocks all day, I hope."

No problem.

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

"...I don't."

Honestly, she spent a lot of her time with Zuko or just wandering. It filled up time, anyway.

"It's all just as dull anyway, no matter what I do."

Re: No problem.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Oh? What have you tried?"

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

"Everything," Mai replied dryly.

Well, not really. But everything else was boring.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Okay, he could take a hint.

"Ah. Well, good luck."

[knifeurrib.livejournal.com]

"Thanks."

Not that she sounded incredibly enthused, but she never did.