Life in the Apocalypse

[markofthewise]

Characters: Sokka, Azula
Setting: Post-apocalyptic Fire Nation Capital City
Summary: Continuation from this meme. After seeing Katara killed, Aang went into an unstoppable Avatar State that devastated the world. Two survivors, once enemies, have put their past behind them to fight off loneliness in a sparsely populated world.

Comments

[markofthewise]

[He begins setting the pieces in their appropriate tiles. He's come to know this old board quite well. As always, he uses the lotus tile that was given to him by Piandao.]

Well if you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear them, Azula. Would you like to cuddle by the fire instead?

[unstable]

Oh, yes, that sounds just lovely.

[ She rolls her eyes, setting her hands on her knees as he sets up the board. ]

That's just how I would like to spend our days, in your arms by the fire. This arrangement will blossom into a romance where we do nothing but stare into each others eyes and repopulate the earth with weird little children.

[markofthewise]

[The grimace on his face is obvious. Mostly because in the past, he's actually thought about it. After all, who else was there?]

Trust me. I'm holding out on finding another girl I can repopulate the world with.

[unstable]

[ Azula's attention focuses on him as she narrows her eyes, setting her hands on the board in front of her. ]

Are you, now? What's wrong with me?

[ Not that anything like this would ever happen between them. ]

[markofthewise]

[He raises an eyebrow. He really shouldn't be surprised. It was pretty rude, yet...]

Well, I mean. I'm not yet convinced you aren't evil. [Though unlike before, he was open to the idea of her not being evil. Progress.] Besides. We don't even like each other.

[unstable]

[ She crosses her arms over her chest and looks over at the fireplace. That wasn't a sufficient answer, but she wasn't going to push it. Why should she care? ]

Make the first move.

[markofthewise]

[There was a moment of skeptical pause as Sokka realized that for once his subtle jab wasn't getting turned back on him as he had grown accustomed to.

He made his move. A cautiously moved tile.]

If it helps, I don't think you're really that evil anymore?

[unstable]

[ Ah. The princess watches him move a tile, trying to figure out why it mattered. And she knew why. He was the only person that would ever know her like this, the only person that would ever spend actual time with her. The rest of the world, whoever was still alive within it, hated her. She would never get a chance like this again, a chance to know somebody. As soon as Sokka decided to travel elsewhere, whenever that may be, she would be alone again.

Regardless of her opinion of Sokka, not as a person but of his status (because did it even matter anymore? could she even consider herself a princess?), he was all she had anymore. Not that she wanted to have children with him, or cuddle with him by the fire, but she at least wanted them to like each other. She thought she was doing a good job of trying to be likeable. Would he have ever dreamed of poking fun of her before all the time they had spent together?

Azula stares at the tiles, deciding which route she was going to take for this game as she speaks. ]

I've never been evil.

[ She brushes her fingertips against one for a long moment before moving it. ]

[markofthewise]

[Sokka is at a loss. He knew that this was eating at her. What was stranger was the fact that he could tell. As if a certain familiarity had settled enough that he could read her mood now.

He felt bad for saying something to upset her.]

Yeah, I know. [He moved a different tile forward.] You were doing what you thought was right for the Fire Nation.

[He'd never agree with it or condone it. But it was what it was. And it was in the past, belonging to a world that no longer existed.]

[unstable]

[ He was already losing, or maybe she wasn't judging him properly. Regardless, she moved a tile that was definitely in her favor. ]

Regardless of what you or anyone else thought, I was doing what I knew was right for the Fire Nation. Since you've been here, you haven't seen me string up any defenseless animals or try to hurt you for my own amusement. I was only evil to you then because I was on the opposing side, and you should know better to only see black and white.

[ She sets her hands in her lap and looks back over at the fire. ]

[markofthewise]

Okay, okay. I get it. Honestly? I used to hate you.

[He moves the White Lotus. He has a new tactic in mind by playing on her expectations of him to do poorly. By making it look like he's doing just that.]

But I don't. Not anymore. [He scratches the back of his neck.] I'm not saying that I forgive you or the Fire Nation. But. I don't hold it against you.

[unstable]

[ It's a smart strategy, partially because she's already too upset with him to realize he's being deliberate in his mistakes. Nor does she really care (until she loses later, that is). She doesn't even shoot him a glance when she moves a tile in retaliation to what was perceived as a bad move. ]

I'm not asking for forgiveness, anyway.

[ The princess combs her fingers through her hair before she looks over at him. ]

How long were you planning on staying here with me until you head off on your adventure to find your future lover?

[markofthewise]

Well. You know. I haven't made plans. I'd need a boat that could make it to the North Pole. Which isn't easy to come by.

[Though he has no idea what the North Pole is like. He moves another tile. A meaningless move, it's just to use up a turn. ]

So. No rush. I guess you won't be rid of me anytime soon.

[unstable]

Ah.

[ The princess looks back down at the board, trying to analyze his movements. He seems to have no idea what he's doing or that is his strategy-- regardless, it just seems like he's making a row of mistakes. He had gotten better at this... did he just not wish to play as much as she had thought? Perhaps he was already bored of the game.

Not that she mattered. She already regretted her last few moves, wishing she would have taken the game in a different direction. Azula moves a piece and sets her hands back in her lap. ]

You would probably have to craft the boat yourself.

[markofthewise]

Well it's not like I don't know how to do that.

[Okay, so, he only mostly knew. He patched a lot of boats and was involved in gaining the materials, but he hadn't been strictly taught how to do it. But he had confidence. And that was key.

The game seemed to be working in his favor. A few more rounds and his trap would be set.]

[unstable]

I doubt you know enough to be able to craft a sturdy enough boat that would get you from here to there without any problems. Or you can just wait around until a boat of people arrives here, murder them all and steal their boat.

[ Which sounds easier, honestly. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and absently moves a piece, paying little attention to the board now. Her interest in this game was already gone, and Sokka was never going to pose a challenge to her.

If she had been paying more attention she would have realized she was definitely losing, but instead she's playing right into his hands. ]