first flame ☀ video

[restorehonour]

So that's it. My entire world... gone. My country, my people, everyone...

[A teenager in red and gold clothing slumps dejectedly onto the steps in Traverse Town's first district. A moogle carrying the communicator is hovering beside him.]

I'm sorry, kupo. For now, you'll have to make a new life here!

[Zuko looks up, showing his mismatched eyes; one side of his face is covered with a burn scar. His anger flares as his gaze fixes a little above the camera onto the moogle.] I didn't want a new life! How many times do I have to lose everything?!

[He moves to stand abruptly. Bad decision; the still-fresh wound in his midriff jolts and he has to sit back down, gritting his teeth in pain. The moogle flutters beside him, worried.]

Are you okay, kupo?!

...Yeah. [Zuko runs a hand through his hair, obviously agitated.] Sorry. Getting mad at you won't fix anything. [He accepts the proferred phone from the moogle and looks at it with a blank expression.] What are you giving me?

It's a communicator! Maybe you can contact your friends with it!

How--? [He's curious, even in spite of his situation. He presses a button experimentally-- and the feed ends.]

Comments

[ramendate.livejournal.com]

[This all sounds painfully familiar.]

We can fight to try and get everything back... at least, that's what people keep saying. I'm going to try. I'm tired of losing everything, too.

[restorehonour]

It's like one big joke. Whenever I'm happy, the universe wrecks everything. [Literally, this time. At least this is someone who understands the feeling.] But if I have to keep fighting, I will.

[ramendate.livejournal.com]

When you're this low, it's the only thing you can do. Fight as hard as you can and claw your way back up again.

[restorehonour]

You got that right. It's something I've always had to do... and I'm stronger for it.

[ramendate.livejournal.com]

It's good that you recognize that. A lot of people can't or won't respect that hardship is what makes us stronger.

[restorehonour]

I can understand that. No one wants to suffer, no matter how much stronger it might make you in the end.

And LJ finally lets me comment!

[ramendate.livejournal.com]

That's true. I've met a few people in passing who seem to welcome the opportunity to wallow in misery, but it's not a common theme. Still. There is definitely something to be said for overcoming hardship.

I'm Akihiko, by the way.

/kicks LJ

[restorehonour]

I'm Zuko.

Have you been around here long, or did you just get here too?

[ramendate.livejournal.com]

A few months. Finally starting to feel a little less out of place around here, for what it's worth.

[restorehonour]

Months... [That's longer than he expected, but it does sort of make sense -- it's not like the worlds began disappearing all at once.] You got anyone you know here?