(no subject)

[all_four_wan]

There's been more men coming from Wan's city, more hunters with fire, and it seems like every time they come they're less interested in hunting and more interested in causing chaos. Wan doesn't know if the Chous are telling them to go after spirits, or if it's just that after nobody-even-knows-how-long of being all but trapped, the humans are getting frustrated.

Either way, it means he needs to make sure his firebending is up to snuff, and that means training. So Wan's out the back, going through the movements of the dragon dance, with gouts of flame issuing from his hands or feet with every movement.

It's a good place to start his training, but it's not enough, which is why somewhere over at the side he has about twelve watermelons and stick figures ready to be set up. Everyone knows you train on watermelons. That's just - that's just common sense.

Comments

[makesthings]

Sameth found Milliways after a long session trying to make sense of all the Southerling refugees' needs and he's ready to be outside.

When he enters, he heads outside, planning on going to the beach but stops when sees Wan bending. He has seen bending before, but its always fascinating to watch. He's still in his surcoat and looking slightly princely.

[all_four_wan]

Wan is - okay, not used to being watched by humans. Being watched by spirits is different. A lot of them don't have facial expressions. Some of them are mushrooms.

So if the wave he gives Sameth is a shade awkward, that's probably why.

[makesthings]

Sam waves back, "I hope I'm not bothering you, its a nice night and you're really good at that."

[all_four_wan]

"Nah, you're not bothering me at all. I don't usually have an audience. Or I do, but some of them are mushrooms."

Obviously.

[makesthings]

"Mushrooms? How does that work?"

[all_four_wan]

"They're very attentive mushroom spirits," Wan says, by way of explanation.

[makesthings]

"That's good. I didn't realize mushrooms had spirits. What are they like?"

[all_four_wan]

"... They're fun guys."

[makesthings]

"Right, um, are you getting ready for a fight?" The dummies with watermelon heads make it seem that way.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Don't look now, Wan, but there's a dog watching you warily from nearby.

In Dogmeat's experience, things that make fire usually wind up having to get bitten a lot, but then in Dogmeat's experience things that make fire usually smell of metal and grease.

[all_four_wan]

A dogthing. Yay!

(Wan can't figure out what its other species is, yet. Doglion, maybe? Dogazelle? Tortoisedog?)

He pauses to peer at it, and then cast around for its owner, although it does occur to him it might be an intelligent talking dogthing.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The dogthing is clever, but intelligent may be stretching it a bit, especially since that usually implies survival instincts. It does, however, have a nearby human; she's grey-haired and scarred in a few places, including an ear notch, and wearing dark green. "Dogmeat!" she calls as she comes trotting up. "There you are. How many times have I told you not to bother people when they're doing things out here? -- I'm so sorry, he tends to assume everybody's likely to give him food."

[all_four_wan]

"Oh, it's alright. I have watermelons if he wants some," Wan says. "What kind of doganimal is he?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"I don't think he eats those," Ellen says doubtfully, "if only because I've never seen one. But knowing him he might try anyway."

It's Dogmeat. He bites robots. Who knows what else he'd try.

"Um. I don't- I don't really know much about ... dog-animals... other than him, and I only know him because I found him after his last human died," she says. "I think someone called him a cattle-dog once."

That counts, right?

[all_four_wan]

"Like a dogpig?" Wan asks, glancing at him.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"I.... maybe?" hazards Ellen. "I always thought he was just a dog. We didn't really have any animals where I grew up, so I don't really know. His name's Dogmeat, if that helps?"

It probably won't. But what can you do.

[all_four_wan]

"Huh," Wan says. He pauses. "Wait, no animals?"

[abitofawildman]

There's a spring to his step and a song in Bumi's heart as he makes his way from the Bar towards the Lake, fishing gear in hand. He's not far from where Wan's Melons are lined up, and so they get a bit of a side-eye as he moves past.

It's the firebending that makes Bumi stop.
Blink.
And then back up.

Firebending.

The prospect of fishing suddenly become secondary to satisfying his curiosity about this New Guy.

"Hello there," he calls over as he approaches.

[all_four_wan]

Everything does change when the Not-Quite-Fire-Nation attacks, it's true.

Wan pauses, a few flames flickering at his fingertips before they blink out, and gives a wave. "Hey there. Sorry, I'm not getting in the way, am I?"

[abitofawildman]

"Oh no. No no no. Plenty of room out here for everyone."
He shifts the fishing equipment in his arms, head tilting to one side as he considers the firebending kid.

"That's a nice looking Dancing Dragon you've got there."

[all_four_wan]

Wan pauses. Also, squints.

"It has a name?"

Nobody told him it had a name.

[abitofawildman]

"What has a name?"

[all_four_wan]

"The ..." he makes some gestures that are bastardised, flailing versions of the Dancing Dragon, to demonstrate.

[abitofawildman]

Bumi blinks.

"Well...that I'd call Drowning Mooselion."

[all_four_wan]

Wan can't deny this, so he just nods solemnly.

"I just - does that mean other people have trained with the dragons too? I don't think anyone else from my city would even go near one."