Mission: Burying the Past in Zompania

[lucetimods]

Who: Anyone who volunteered
What: A very special mission that will bring you honor. Or maybe just traumatic memories. Whatever.
When: July 20th - July 24th
Where: Zompania, or what's left of it
Summary: Mission detailed here. There are graves to dig and buildings to raze, and plenty more for the volunteers to stay busy with.
Rating: PG-13 for probable mentions of gore and other sad things

Direct further questions here!

Comments

[lordhotman]

[Zuko folds his arms and frowns.]

Yeah, and then burn yourself out. This isn't a competition you know.

[He remembers how much of a disaster it was the last time Zuko tried to force Wan into calming down. So he's trying to be a little more diplomatic about it. Thus his voice is stern but not raised.]

[justdid]

I know it's not like that.

[It's just... something. Dealing with emotions he isn't very good at articulating at the moment.]

I'm just not tired right now.

[of course, this is a load of bullhorse crap unless you only count "falling over from exhaustion" as tired.]

[lordhotman]

[Yeah he knows that's not true, and its written all over his face.]

I'm telling you this as your firebending teacher. You need to take a break.

[justdid]

[Wan's first instinct on being told what to do is to not do it. He marches to the beat of his own drum. As much as he'd like to argue the point that no, really, he will be okay... he is tired. They both know it. He mulls it over for a minute before letting it go.]

Fine. Let's head back.

[it was getting late anyways. He could use a place to rest and some food after a long hard day of burning things. Preferably not in the middle of all the gore either. He had enough of that the first time around.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko lets out a sigh of relief when Wan isn't looking. He was starting to worry that Wan would lose control again and burn something down he shouldn't. Like one of the other volunteers.

As they start to head back, Zuko allows a few moments of silence before he speaks up again.]

I know how you feel about being here. I feel it too. But putting that much anger into your bending is dangerous.

[justdid]

[Wan goes quiet, trying to deal with his conflicted feelings. He hates this place and he will never be okay with what happened her. But he doesn't want to hurt anyone either. This isn't exactly the first time he's been told what he's doing is too dangerous.]

What am I supposed to do then? Our mission was to destroy this place, and now that I'm doing it everyone says it's too dangerous.

[It's frustrating.]

[lordhotman]

It's not what you're doing, its how you're doing it. The most important thing about being a firebender is knowing how to control yourself. Fire is powerful and destructive. One careless move can seriously hurt someone.

[Both he and Aang have had experience there.]

[justdid]

I am in control!

[Yeah, he's totally in control. That's why he's getting defensive and snippy.]

[lordhotman]

No. You're not.

You're angry and its fueling your firebending. I know. I've been there.

[There is a powerful seriousness in his voice. He has been there, and he knows how bad it can be. He doesn't want Wan to make the same mistakes.]

[justdid]

[Wan sighs, frustrated. He's still defensive, but at least his outbursts are short lived. It helps that he's taken his anger out on buildings all day.]

Then you know what it's like.

[it's not like he can just stop being angry.]

[lordhotman]

Yeah.

[He looks to the side in regret.]

And I know how destructive it can be.

[justdid]

[Wan goes quiet again, he doesn't know much about Zuko's life before they met or what he means by that, but he does know that whatever happened was painful. Even if he hasn't burned anyone yet he knows how it feels to regret.

Which is why he tries to reassure him instead of arguing.]

You once said "we all make mistakes".

[so it's okay]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko looks back at Wan and gives him a small smile.]

Yeah, and I learned from mine.

[And they were hard lessons.]

But what I'm saying is, if you can't control your own feelings, they'll take control of you. I know its frustrating and its hard, but if you can't overcome your anger you'll end up hurting someone you care about. It's the same with firebending.

[justdid]

How did you learn to control your feelings?

[Because if that was something he knew how to do then he would have done that from the start. But the feelings that are being brought to the surface since their arrival are raw and wild, more like natural disasters.]

[lordhotman]

It's a long story.

[Really... it was. It took years for him to find the peace he has now. And whatever is bothering Wan, he has a feeling it won't be easy for him either.]

[justdid]

You say that like we don't have any time.

[Since he is done for awhile there is plenty of time to talk.]

Because I'm too lazy to type out his entire story lololol

[lordhotman]

[Wan does have a point, and Zuko sighs, sitting himself down on a piece of debris.]

All right.

[And then Zuko starts to tell Wan of his story. Of his father, the Fire Lord, the agni kai, his banishment, his quest to restore his honor. Which ultimately led to mistakes, betrayal, failures, and lots of anger. But eventually to friendship and redemption.]

... and then Wan stopped calling him Sifu Zuzu because why is Azula so terrifying

[justdid]

[Wow, Zuko wasn't kidding when he said it was a long story. But Wan will sit next to him and listen intently.

He doesn't really say anything when Zuko is done talking. Because in truth he isn't sure what to say. He thought families were supposed to look out for each other, and that royalty lead perfect lives, and even if he knew he had to get that scare from someone he would have never imagined it would be his own father.

But in the end he doesn't bring that up, because Zuko is only telling him this so he has an idea about what he should do about his own emotional problems. So he will stay on topic.]

So what you're saying is, I have to confront what makes me angry if I want to let it go.

[Well, under normal circumstances he is really good at this. But this isn't some bully he's dealing with, it's anger coming from the inside, and from places he would really not think about if he had the chance.]

[lordhotman]

[Zuko looks over at Wan, trying to judge his reaction to the story he just told.]

Yeah, I guess that's what I'm trying to say. And to confront yourself too.

[justdid]

[Wan doesn't bother trying to hide his feelings. Zuko's story is... messed up, and everything else is confusing and upsetting right now. He's tense, and the upset is written all over his face. Unfortunately Zuko won't get much of a look, because he promptly stands up and starts stretching.]

It's getting late, we should head back.

[and with that he starts walking.]

[lordhotman]

[When Wan gets up, Zuko does as well, having more than noticed Wan's reaction to his story. But he says nothing about it.]

Okay.

[And he'll walk with Wan back towards camp.]

[justdid]

[Once Zuko joins him, Wan will start talking again.]

Thank you for sharing everything with me.

[lordhotman]

Sure.

[He looks over at Wan.]

Did it help?

[justdid]

I think so.

[At least it gave him direction. He had to confront what had happened, which is the reason why they are here to begin with, as well as confront himself. Wan goes silent again as he mulls it over. It's not something that was going to be painless or easy. But... it was something he had to do.

He decides the first step is to share more about his own story, since Zuko was kind enough to share his.]

I was banished too.

[lordhotman]

[Zuko hadn't been expecting that. He's surprised and it shows on his face.]

You were?