route_1065 | First Steps

WHO: Katara (

scalded)
WHERE: Pallet Town Harbor
WHEN: Friday, April 12th, 2013 -- Morning
SUMMARY: After taking the ferry to Kanto, the two water tribe teenagers and their fire nation friend are together again for the start of a new adventure.
RATING: G
LOG:

Maybe this place wasn’t so bad. The food was decent (aside from that bento thing that crazy ‘mom’ lady gave him. How dare she call it complete without any meat!?), the animals were kind of cool – well, when they weren’t trying to kill him anyway – and Katara was there. From what he’d heard, Zuko was there too. How this place worked and took people was kind of freaky, though. It’d be something for him to work on figuring out while they were travelling and training and stuff. The world had a nice laid-back feeling to it though, as if it had never seen war. It made him worry about back home, and what his dad, Aang, Toph, Suki, and everyone else were up to, but... It felt like this was where he was needed right now. Katara was here, after all, and he had to look after his little sister still – even if she didn’t always think she needed it. He had to make sure she’d be ready to take on the things that she hadn’t learned to already herself, and big brothers were there to help with that until their little sisters were ready for it, right?

“Hey, the town’s there,” Sokka grinned to himself as he saw the horizon coming up in the distance, leaning on the side of the boat with his Joltik riding on his head. Okay, him and Super Spider had a rough start, but he thought they were sort of getting along now. He wasn’t getting hog-tied by spider webs anymore anyway. And the cruise to get over to this ‘Kanto’ place was really nice too, even if it was a little lonely. It gave him time to study up, and now he thought he sort of got how this world worked; there was a lot of fighting, sure, but it was all in fun and... Maybe they sort of needed that, to just have fun again. Not to mention Katara said that time pretty much stood still whenever they were there, and considering that he’d never noticed Katara going missing into a place like this back home... Well, he still had to figure out how that one worked, but he believed that it was true. He would have noticed if it wasn't.

At long last they reached the harbor, Sokka grabbing his things and stepping off of the ship before he caught sight of the familiar water-tribe girl and fire nation boy, “Ready to meet my little sister, Super Spider?”

He heard a little hiss and just assumed that meant yes before he cupped one hand at the side of his mouth and called out, “Hey! Katara! Zuko! We’re over here!”

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It was a pretty busy time, but then Katara was accustomed to the back and forth of Johto life. Moving to a different region really didn't change anything. She kept Jet on hand for travel for exactly this reason.

Honestly this was almost too exciting for her to really contain herself. For a long time it was just her and Sokka, during her last visit. It was pretty considerate of this world to bring her brother and one of their close friends in so soon after her own arrival. And before that Korra and Robin had also arrived the same day that she had. She wouldn't have expected it, more accustomed to disappearances than arrivals in this place. Maybe this time she'd be able to introduce Zuko and Sokka to Korra, and Sokka to Winry, and- well okay, the list just sort of went on and on, but that was alright. They'd make the most of their time here.

She hopes that the string of good fortune continues, that Suki will arrive, Aang and Toph too, so that they don't have to miss them. For now she's just eager to welcome her brother back, though.

When the ship comes into view she feels her excitement spike, and the Marowak at her side notices too.

"There he is!"

She flashes a bright smile and starts through the crowd, barely slowing down enough that she won't knock him over with the force of her hug- arms moving to throw around him mindful of the Pokemon perched on him.

"You made it! How was the trip?"

Zuko was too distracted by his little follower, a Tepig. He was crouched down in front of her, reaching out to poke at her pig-like nose when he heard Katara call out. Tepig grunted and mumbled to herself. Picking up his backpack from the ground to sling over a shoulder, Zuko stood and glanced down at Tepig before hurrying after the excited waterbender to meet with her brother.

Unable to help himself Zuko threw a look over his shoulder to make sure Tepig was following. He figured after the brief explanation from Katara about the pokémon and this world that Tepig would follow him everywhere he went, stay by his side and keep him company. Things were a little unsure between them; Zuko was still in the process of figuring out his breeding guide and understanding how this world worked and the why behind it.

Thankfully he was becoming adjusted to the annoying background music that seemed to go forever on repeat.

Coming up behind the two Water Tribe siblings hugging, Zuko lifted a hand in greeting.

[[OoC: ... Not like I'm any better, shh.]]

He couldn't help it and hugged Katara back tightly, his face splitting into a wide grin as he started to explain, "It wasn't too bad! I got some reading done, so I think I know at least a little about how this place works. And the food was pretty tasty too."

Sokka stopped when he was about to say something else, his eyes having found Zuko before his smile returned and he waved to the fire nation prince - no, fire lord as well. Even with some of the bad blood they'd had in the past, it wasn't enough to make him not happy to see another familiar face as well, "Good to see you!"

(ooc: We'll all make up for it from here on out.)

"Perfect. And I can fill you on anything the guides might have left out."

This is going to be great! Like old times, minus the whole Sozin's Comet thing looming over our heads. It's unspoken, but sort of implied in between the lines. It was just so good to have him back that she couldn't stop herself from smiling, or laughing at the food comment. If she'd had any reason to worry at all then that would have absolved it, pretty much.

"And this is Super Spider, right?"

Her attention turns to the starter resting on his shoulder. Surprising, he'd gotten-- was it a bug type? That wasn't a species she was familiar with. She hadn't been familiar with Tepig, either, but it was easy to gather that he was a fire type.

"It's just good to see that we're all okay," Zuko returned to the other boy, nodding, "even if we're still missing a few."

He hoped that Toph and Aang would find their way here. And Mai. But one could only hope with how things went in this world.

Eying the bug on Sokka's shoulder, Zuko said nothing about it, he only frowned.

"Yeah, he's a pretty cool little guy. Don't let his size fool you, he can handle himself," Sokka had spoken about the spider almost proudly, grinning from ear to ear as he nodded to Katara, then turned to Zuko.

The friendly wave would probably be all he needed to tell that Sokka indeed remembered the same things he did, if not a little more.

"I've heard a lot of different things and read up on how this world works, so I guess the only thing to really decide is what we're doing from here. I've gotta admit, it's kind of nice to travel without any deadlines to worry about."

She recognized the tone, and she was glad to realize that the two had already started bonding so strongly (not that it was entirely surprising after how quickly Sokka had gotten attached to Hawky).

"I'll bet. He's an electric bug type, right?" Katara smiled, but rolled with the new subject easily enough as she straightened up, adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "We have a house in Celadon City. That's where Zuko and I were headed when I saw your video. It's just us right now, but Korra might stop in once in a while. I thought it would be nice to have somewhere to relax in between traveling."

Though they could make their plans right then, later on the road, or at the house. Katara wasn't picky. Now she was glad she'd invested in a home, though. If their group expanded again it would be much easier and cheaper than staying in inns twenty-four-seven.

Not to mention there was another reason, and she hoped to get a chance to tell them about it behind closed doors. She'd mentioned needing to talk to them both to Zuko already on the way here, but... serious talks could wait. Right? It wasn't urgent.

"We're better off just pitching camp near some woods off the road if that were the case." He was referring to the mention of staying in the inns everywhere they went.

Zuko felt a nudge at his calve and looked down. Tepig was peering up at him, grumbling questioningly before looking over at Sokka and his pokémon. "He's harmless, and he's a friend. Stop giving me that look."

"He doesn't like me?" Sokka blinked at the Tepig by Zuko's feet, but it was easy to turn his attention back to Katara with a nod, "How long have you been here that you already have a house? Are you like really rich here or something? Because I could use some new clothes, and some food, and maybe a new bag... This one's not my style."

Katara gave Tepig what she hoped he'd take as an encouraging smile.

"I've been back since last month, and I'm not rich, I just worked and saved up. I was here before and I realized it's cheaper to have a house than to pay for inns every night when you're not on the road much."

But she would end up helping him out anyway. That was a given, considering they were family and he needed help.

"Well, it's technically not ours just yet. I've been renting it, but as soon as I save up enough I plan to buy it."

Since it looks like they're all ready she'll start them in the direction of town again. New Bark won't have much to offer, but the sooner they start the sooner they'll reach a spot to camp, or reach the next town.

Edited 2013-05-20 10:08 (UTC)

First Steps

As I am the latest ever. /THROWS SELF AT YOUR MERCY

No I'M the latest ever! /at both of your mercy

You're both guilty of the crime of being late. Time to spin the wheel of punishment =T

WAIT NO don't we get a trial first detectivesokkaHELPUS.

8(

Hey at least it landed on community service?

... That's... good... I certainly didn't wanna be fried in oil.

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My tracking notifs died and I didn't realize. And doing a minor bit of retconning