[What's a man to do?] [Open]

[theregularguy.livejournal.com]

Sokka would call himself a rational man. However, being randomly deposited on a living ship that travelled through the stars, being given clothes that were apparently alive and being surrounded by a bunch of strange people was not at all a rational thing. So he did what anyone else would have done. He went to the sensoriums to try and pretend he wasn't where he really was.  He was in the eerily accurate courtyard of Master Piandao's extensive home. It was kind of relaxing, being somewhere familiar to him.  Still, the thoughts of this strange new place were all that ran through his head  He was going to have to look after Katara, even if she was probably one of the best waterbenders to ever walk the planet. He was her older brother and it was his responsibility to get her home, no matter what happened.  The people were strange and wonderous and he had seen things he didn't know how to explain.

He sighed, shook his head. Clear your mind, Sokka. He paused, still for a moment before he drew his sword in a single fluid movement and dropped into a stance before working elegantly through a series of movements, flowing easily from attack to defense and back again, blade humming as it cuts through the air. This was the best way to work off stress and keep focused, exercise and practice, pure and simple.

Comments

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

"That's prettier than most of the fighting I'm used to," Roxie comments from somewhere behind Sokka, her voice dry and even almost to the point of coldness. She's standing with her hands folded together behind her, her unbuttoned and oversized jean jacket with far too many pockets hanging open against her plantsuit.

[theregularguy.livejournal.com]

Sokka pauses, sword point dropping as he turns to look at Roxie before he continues the movement, shifting slightly so he can see her while he continues.

Well, it might be pretty, but it's dangerous too."

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

"But most of the people I've seen just fight ugly," the girl says. Her body is still, but her eyes follow his movements adeptly... or rather, those of the edge of his sword, ignoring the actual movements of Sokka's body entirely.

[theregularguy.livejournal.com]

"What do you mean by 'fight ugly'?" Sokka raised an eyebrow, going through the ritual movements, every repetition ingraining the technique on his brain, so that when he needed them most they would be second-nature, no thought required.

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

"No elegance to it. Straight for whatever the weak points are." Her hands fold together behind her as she continues watching Sokka. "To kill or cripple an enemy as quickly as possible."

[theregularguy.livejournal.com]

Sokka is taken completely aback by the statement. So much that he stumbles during one of his movements. He stares at her for a moment.

"How else are you supposed to fight? If you do anything else, you give your enemy a chance to kill or cripple you</i." Yep, staring at the girl like she's nuts.

[toariversodeep.livejournal.com]

"But more of a focus on the brutality of it," Roxie says levelly, in a way that seems somewhat disturbing coming from a girl of her age.

One might get the idea that the kind of fighting she's talking about wouldn't just incapacitate an enemy, it would leave them blind and missing intestines.