Regarding Storyboards and Spoilers for Episode 4

[abitofawildman]

No, I don't want to talk about it.
Yes, I'm fine.
That was a private moment you just went and stomped all over, thanks kindly.

Just...leave me be.



...


And you might want to consider dusting in here every now and again. Stuff keeps getting in my eyes.

Comments

[burnedbrighter]

[She shudders. Water is never her favorite subject]

A reasonable tactic. If I can't overpower him manipulating him through co-operation may be my only respite.

[abitofawildman]

I prefer to think of it as topping from the bottom.

[Yes,...you would, Bumi. You would.

[burnedbrighter]

It's all in how you present it.

A further question. In the latest game I'm being sent to...I would be losing my ability to firebend. As you have lived your life surrounded by benders but lacking it yourself I would find your thoughts on the matter...enlightening. Though not comforting. She will never get used to the idea of not having her fire.

[abitofawildman]

[He blinks at her, head tilting slightly with just the smallest hint of confusion.]

No one who wasn't looking to start a fight or an excuse to talk down to me has ever actually asked me that question before.

[burnedbrighter]

Fighting you would be pointless.

And I want information from you, which means I can only talk down to you so much without losing the opportunity.

Also I doubt you'd care.

[abitofawildman]

Not particularly, no. This is hardly my first trip to Earth Rumble.

You really want to know what I think? A'right, benders are lazy. The more skillful they are as benders, the lazier they tend to be. It's not always true, but it's true enough that you can count on it in a fight.

They always draw their power from the same source, and once you cut that source off...they fall like a house of cards.

[burnedbrighter]

[A smirk]

Well at least I don't need to worry about myself falling into that same trap.

I was brought up to have a well rounded set of skills, including combat without my bending. Obviously I'm stronger with it but the more skills one has the better prepared they are to adjust to a situation.

[Her look darkens]

It will however be a large addition to my stress and irritation. It's bad enough he's leaving my mind less...focused. But taking away my greatest comfort is adding insult to injury.

[abitofawildman]

See? That's exactly what I'm talking about. Your bending shouldn't be your greatest comfort. It's a neat trick for sure, and handy in a pinch, but...it shouldn't be what tuck you into bed at night.

[burnedbrighter]

...

My skills as a bender were what my father was proudest of. Having them to fall upon was always a comfort. Not the same as having confidence in my mind or other skills. My fire bending was a natural talent that came to me as easily as breathing. It's impossible to not think of it as a comfort when everything else in my life was falling apart.

And now I don't even have that. The one skill I never thought would fail me even when all the others did. It was more then a trick.

[abitofawildman]

How about you stop thinking of things in terms of your father and start thinking about things in terms of yourself.

...

Yes the irony of me saying these words is not lost on me.

[burnedbrighter]

[Her glare is sharp and cold for a solid minute before she forces herself to look away]

I'm still working on that.

[abitofawildman]

Me too, and I've got at least fifty years headstart on you. So you're in good company.

[burnedbrighter]

[Looks back at him]

I would hope that when I reach your age I've sorted these things out so I can enjoy myself.

...I would also hope to be less scruffy.

[abitofawildman]

What ever you do, don't wait until you're my age enjoy yourself. And certainly don't wait until you've sorted things out before you enjoy yourself, or you'll never do either.

[burnedbrighter]

I won't be able to enjoy myself until I deal with...at least some of these issues.

My Paranoia especially. It's difficult to enjoy myself when every moment of every day I feel like I have to be on my guard. Despite every bit of logic telling me otherwise.

[abitofawildman]

Join the military. We call that life.

[He shoots her a wink.]

No, I'm just kidding. I understand. But...those kinds of things, they don't just go away. You just get better at dealing with them.

[burnedbrighter]

You don't strike me as the kind of person with many worries.

[She has to bite back her usual proud boasts about the fact that she was more effective then most of the fire nation military at completing her missions]

[abitofawildman]

I'll have you know I have an entire fleet of worries. Not all of my enlisteds go home as solidly as they began.

[burnedbrighter]

Ah...so you're that kind of leader.

I had less concerns when I was in charge. I trusted that they were happy to take whatever came their way for the glory of the fire nation.

And if they didn't survive, well that was their own fault.

[abitofawildman]

It's far easier to use that method of leadership when one is trying to conquer. It's a whole different ball of blubber when you're maintaining the scales, rather than trying to tip them.

[burnedbrighter]

I see...curious.

And just what sort of challenges have you encountered in your efforts to maintain that...balance.

[abitofawildman]

Well we have to work within the confines of various treaties and diplomatic channels, for one. For another the memory of the Last Avatar is beginning to wear thing as we await the arrival of the new one.

[burnedbrighter]

Red tape, bane of every warrior serving a civilized government.

So where do you draw inspiration from with the last idol of peace and unity fading away?

[abitofawildman]

The hope of the next one, and the promise I made to my family that I'd protect them or die trying.

You know, honor blah blah blah.

[burnedbrighter]

[She actually smirks]

Yes...I am intimately familiar with those kinds of people. Honor can be such a burden for some.