Awakening [Unintentional Video/Action] - 01

[tea_lover64]

[The morning had a dullness to it, a sort of dreariness that just seemed to make time go slowly. Even nature seemed to be having a hard time getting started today. The clearing in the forest was still and quiet, except for the stirrings of an old man who was slowly coming back into consciousness. He has a long beard, and a far receded hair line. Despite his age, he is well muscled individual. As his eyes slowly open he stretches a bit and winces. There is a moment or two as he gazes around his surroundings, taking everything in and sizing it up.]

This is certainly a strange place to wake up. I don't recall drinking any wine yesterday.

[He strokes his beard thoughtfully for a moment. He gives another wince and stretches his back a little. It is clear something strange has happened. It is then he turns his head for a second, and then startled turns it again]

Wings?! Since when do I have wings?!

[He shakes his head a second, and gives his cheek a pinch. It would seem he wasn't sleeping. When he had journeyed to the spirit world before he had maintained his shape, though that was the closest approximation he could make]

Mmmmm. I could use a cup of tea, and perhaps a bit of breakfast. Although I suppose that would be a bit much to ask.

[His gaze goes to the book which had a strange look to it, curiously he moved forward and taps it and... the feed cuts out]

Comments

[twodragons]

Yeah... I should ask some of them if I'm concerned, huh?

At least that would get me somewhere.

[tea_lover64]

That would generally be the first step, yes.

[Iroh will pause for a moment, because there is something very wrong ]

So is beginning with tea not a usual thing here?

[twodragons]

Oh!

[How appalling. He'd completely forgotten to ask!]

I'll call the waiter back over.

[tea_lover64]

Ah, very good.

[Priorities Zuko, you got to have them]

[twodragons]

[Zuko flags down the same waiter, who is able to retrieve tea for them in a relatively short amount of time.]

Sorry about that, Uncle.

[tea_lover64]

No problem.

[He has a refreshing sip]

Ah! That is much better.

[twodragons]

I'm going to start doing that more, I think. Asking and keeping notes.

[He says this, but he's never really done much note taking outside of his studies as a kid.]

Can I get you anything else?

[tea_lover64]

Good idea!

[Privately he doubted that Zuko would be taking physical notes. He was more of an experience learner]

No no, that is fine. How has your bending been progressing?

[twodragons]

My bending? I've been keeping up with it.

...Still haven't had any luck with lightning, but I'm looking at other alternatives.

[tea_lover64]

Glad to hear it.

[Iroh nods]

It makes sense. There is still inner turmoil within you. It is not something which can be solved easily.

[twodragons]

I figured that part out, at least.

[Turmoil from difference sources is still turmoil. He sighs.]

[tea_lover64]

[Iroh gives an encouraging smile]

Do not worry, given time I am confident you will overcome any difficulties.

[twodragons]

I hope so. At least time is something we seem to have a lot of here.

[For better or worse.]

[tea_lover64]

Mmmmm. That certainly has its benefits.

[Like using that time to drink tea and play Pai-sho]

There seems to be a large amount of people from home here.

[twodragons]

It's kind of strange. There are more people from some places than others. A lot of residents here don't have anyone else from their home at all!

[Their soup has arrived, with a promise that the duck will be out as soon as it's done.]

[tea_lover64]

Ah, that is unfortunate for them.

[Iroh gives a nod of thanks]

Ah, very good!

[He takes a big spoonful. It suited him just fine, though he wasn't in a particularly picky mood today]

[twodragons]

I wonder why that is, though. Maybe they find something particularly interesting about our worlds. Like I bet bending has something to do with it.

[tea_lover64]

Bending could have something to do with it. Discovering the origins of bending and attempting to recreate them for military use perhaps.

[twodragons]

You'd think with all they can already do they wouldn't need that sort of thing, but then we really don't know a whole lot about them.

[He stirs around the contents of his bowl with his spoon, not really eating any of it just yet.]

[tea_lover64]

[Iroh has another couple of spoonfuls]

The key to a victory in a lengthy engagement can be a very subtle thing. Knowledge has a habit of branching off and providing useful information in unusual circumstances.

[A pause]

You should try the soup, its pretty good.

[twodragons]

[Zuko nods. He knows where his uncle is coming from, and perhaps he should pay more attention to which worlds have more inhabitants from them also.

He starts on his soup finally. It would be a waste if he let it get could.]

[tea_lover64]

[It had actually been a little while since he could do such a simple thing with Zuko. There was something very family oriented about sharing a meal with someone. With the needs of the Fire Nation and the world at large in his hands, he hadn't had a lot of time to visit him in Ba Sing Se. At the very least, they could spend some more time here together.]

[twodragons]

[The duck finally arrives, and even though Zuko thinks it's perhaps a little too much for just the two of them it still looks delicious. He gives his uncle a smile over the top of it, trying to lighten the mood back up. His uncle had just arrived. He shouldn't be making things gloomy right off the bat.]

[tea_lover64]

[Iroh is ravenous. And roast duck is one of his personal favourites. He makes a few careful cuts to begin with, and breaths in a little]

Ah, that is truly a heavenly scent!

[twodragons]

I haven't had duck since I got here. I never thought about it.

[He didn't know how to fix it properly himself, and sometimes he feels weird asking these people who aren't servants and aren't getting paid to just make food for him.]