mixingbowl | Can't close my eyes, I'm wide awake

Can't close my eyes, I'm wide awake

[When Korra walks into the Spirit Portal, her immediate thought is, it shouldn't feel like this. There's an intense sort of heat that almost feels like it's burning right through her, though she can see that her skin remains unmarked. Korra barely has time to wonder what's going on before there's an odd snap of pressure that knocks her out.

(Unknown to her, a burst of light had lit up the Briggs mountains around her when she arrived, alerting anyone in the area.)

The world is white around her when she comes to, the heat from before replaced by the familiar cold of a snow storm. Korra staggers to her feet, hugging her arms around herself as she examines her new surroundings. This...definitely isn't the Spirit World. Korra knows she's going to have to find out why the portal had acted so weirdly, but first: finding out where she is is the priority.]

Hello? Is anyone around here?

[Korra calls out, not really expecting a reply.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Really? Wow, then maybe I should be looking to you for guidance after all! This is the first time I've been somewhere as cold as this, not many people come to Briggs unless they have to.

[And not just because of the snow, nobody wanted to brave Major General Armstrong either.]

[She's oblivious to Alphonse's thoughts, perking up with curiosity when he mentions Briggs.]

Why not? Is it because of the snow?

[Sure, the weather can be difficult to adjust to for some people, but Korra knows that hasn't stopped people from visiting the Water Tribes either.]

Not just the snow, there are a couple of other reasons too.

[He shrugs and spreads his hands in a helpless gesture.]

There's nothing here but a military base, and it's not very friendly to visitors, so nobody comes unless they have to.

[ Well, the military base may not be so friendly, of course, but Al sure seems to be. To the chagrin of his elder brother, of course, who has managed to slip out from under the General's too-watchful gaze and go seek out his brother. They still had to get answers, of course, for many things here at Briggs, but that doesn't mean he'll neglect Alphonse's safety.

Which may well be why a rather red-faced, flustered young man comes stomping up across the way, trudging through the snow even though his automail creaks occasionally. He doesn't expect his brother to be with someone, and although Al's posture is not defensive, necessarily, Ed approaches warily. If they don't see the flash of red coat and golden hair that both flutter in a sudden, sharp wind, they'll see a bright flicker of light. At their side where the wind might have barreled them over, from the ground a wall of mud and ice rises, blocking them from the sharp wind. Figures he'd go out right when a little storm is starting to kick up. ]

Al!

Edited (whoops writing fail) 2015-07-25 20:31 (UTC)

[Military base, huh? While Korra herself hasn't had much trouble with those in her world, she wonders if something's happened with the one occupying Briggs. It hasn't been too long ago that she saw exactly what a group like the Dai Li could do under the wrong kind of leader. It's with those uncomfortable thoughts in mind that Korra first senses Ed's approach, immediately putting her on edge. Light glimmers at the corner of her eyes, warning her.]

Look out!

[Korra immediately reacts, placing herself between Al and the stranger in case he decides to try anything else. It takes a second before the name sinks in. Al, he'd said. Which means...]

Oh. [She looks at Al sheepishly.] You guys know each other?

[Al whips around when he hears his name being called, and barely has chance to feel a rush of gratitude for Korra instinctively protecting him before irritation swells inside him.]

Ed!

[Man, is he annoyed.]

What are you doing out here? You were supposed to stay back at Briggs!

[He is obviously still fuming, but he doesn't want to ignore Korra when she is lost here and had tried to stand in front of danger, so he whispers an aside to her in a carrying sort of voice.]

That's my idiot brother.

[ oh, if Al's mad, then Ed's anger has to be triple the amount, maybe. he stomps across the snow (which is comically high on his short legs), ignoring the irritation he hears in his brother's voice. ]

And you were supposed to come right back! General says there's a storm coming!

[ well, it's been a bit since they've had a tussle, so why not here, too. but Ed's arm and leg do not like the cold, and he'd lose to his brother faster than usual, most likely. he finally reaches them, all tension and huffing-puffing breaths, and red cheeks. ]

Are you crazy? [ whoops, there's Korra and he pauses to look at her. ] Who are you?

[Korra's eyes glance between the brothers as they argue, only piping up when Ed turns his attention to her.]

I'm Korra. [What should she say, she wonders. The new brother's temper hasn't escaped her notice, for one, and Korra gets the feeling she might not be out of the woods yet, no matter how much Al vouches for her. Is that what Tenzin, Lin, and the others saw when I first got to Republic City? Yeesh.

In the end, it's easier to go with the truth. Korra smiles in Al's direction.]

I got lost out here and your brother was helping me out. Sorry about keeping him. [She adds a second later.] We were just heading back to Briggs now.

You don't have to apologise for that, Korra, I'm supposed to be out here.

[That was a non-too-subtle jab at Ed. If there was a storm coming, then his brother should have been sensible enough to stay inside and realise that Al was one of the only people who would be fine no matter how cold it got.]

I was going to take her down to the village at the foot of the mountains, you know General Armstrong doesn't take kindly to visitors.

Yeah, he likes to help people. That's great and all, but he's also pretty bad about following directions. All that heavy metal armour messes with his head!

[ because nope, he's still just as cross as Al is, and although he wants to be way more wary of the newcomer (which he is), he has to focus on the fact that his brother is no doubt angry with him. ]

She doesn't take kindly to visitors, you're right. I doubt she'd take kindly to either of us being gone too long, too, you know.

[ because he's needed at Briggs, despite what it may seem. there are things happening there that need their attention. ] Besides, I was worried about you, okay? If something happens to you I won't stand a chance when Winry arrives. [ he huffs a bit, folding arms over his chest, realizing the ache in his arm even now. ]

[Listening to the brothers talk, Korra finally catches onto something that explains Al's presence out here. She points at them, frowning slightly.]

The two of you are with the military?

[Another plan forms now, one that wouldn't make Korra feel extra guilty about Al clearly going out of his way to get her to the town.]

Why don't I just go back to the base with you? Maybe I could work something out with the General and stay there while I...figure out how to get back home.

[Al has to tamp down the urge to punch his stupid big brother. He forces himself to calmness, or at least the semblance of it, and turns back to Korra.]

My brother's with the military, not me, I just travel with him. But we really can't take you to base with us, General Armstrong isn't, uh, the most friendly person. Actually, she'd probably put you in jail and not care where you came from.

[He keeps his gaze on her, but his next words are more pointed and clearly for Ed's benefit.]

Which is why we need to go down the mountain to the village.

[ as much as he wants to be mad at Al, he has a point. Korra likely wouldn't be welcomed at the base, and besides, there's enough going on there that it's best to avoid it for now anyway. Ed and Al had a habit of trailing trouble along with him, and this is no doubt going to be similar. ]

Yeah, fine, Al's right. The village is closer, and it's getting late. The temperature will be dropping before long and we don't want to be out here then.

[ he shrugs then, as though he hadn't been raging mad a second ago, looking over to Korra once then to Al. ] General Armstrong would put us all in jail, likely. So c'mon, have to pick up the pace before it gets dark, after all. It's nice to meet you, Korra.

In jail? Just for showing up with someone? That's harsh.

[Whoever this General Armstrong is, she must be pretty paranoid to have a reaction like this. Back home, General Iroh and Bumi were both fairly easy-going, and it's a shock to see such a difference in attitude here.

Unless... there's something else going on. Korra smiles back, just a bit less brightly than before.]

Nice to meet you, too. Ed, right? It sounds like I'm just causing trouble for you guys... sorry.

Yeah, she's kind of...

[Terrifying? Horrifying? Sincerely brutal?]

...strict. She's already put Brother and I in jail once, and that was just for showing up with a letter from her brother. We're better off going down to the village anyway, so you don't have to be sorry about it. I'm just glad that you ran into me, uh... us, that way we can make sure you're safe while you figure out what's happened.

[OOC: I am sorry for making you wait for my reply. I was unavoidably away. ):]

She's pretty insane.

[ because nearly everyone in the Armstrong family is eccentric. at least she didn't rip her shirt off like Alex. ]

You're not trouble. [ he sighs and gives in to being a little nicer, of course. ] But yeah, I'm Ed. It's nice to meet you, too. Sorry, it's just that my little brother here likes to be adventurous. [ a very pointed look, but there's no heat behind it like earlier, no. in fact, Ed actually smiles a little. ]

But at least adventuring keeps us out of jail, right? The village isn't far, we can find somewhere to stay then. It's freezing!

Seriously...thanks. You guys didn't have to help me out like this.

[She flashes them both a huge smile before turning her attention to the snow storm that's getting steadily worse.]

The village is this way, right? I can't get rid of the snow completely, but I can keep the worst of it away from us until we get there!

[Eager to be of some use to the brothers, Korra steps forward, moving her hands in a continuous, circular sort of motion as she bends the snow away from them.]

W-Wow!

[He stands transfixed as she begins to water bend the snow, frozen solid by sheer disbelief. He knows that they have established her being from another world, but this is much stranger.]

How did you do that?! It's like alchemy, but you didn't even make a transmutation circle with your hands!

Of course we did, what are you talking about? [ he sighs. they always help those in need, especially when no one else is willing.

but when the snow begins to move away from them, when she clears the way with a simple motion of her hands, he tenses. ]

What... what kind of alchemy is that? [ it can only be alchemy, surely, and he looks between Al and Korra, unconsciously putting himself between the two just in case. ]

[Ah, right. In the flurry of activity that followed Ed's arrival, Korra's forgotten all about explaining her predicament to him. She lowers her hands slightly, glancing at Al.]

Actually, that was what we were talking about before you got here. I'm lost...really lost. [She bites her bottom lip.] 'In a different world' sort of lost. What I'm doing now is called 'bending' where I'm from. I've never even heard of alchemy until Al mentioned it.

[He shifts a little guiltily when Korra has to explain that she's from another world - he should have done that, but he had been too concerned with bickering with Ed about coming out in the snow.]

I know it sounds crazy, Brother, but I believe her. I think this has something to do with a portal, but... I don't know how.

[Not Truth, he knows that much.]

How does bending work? Where do you pull the power from if you don't use any kind of transmutation circle?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Can't close my eyes, I'm wide awake

no subject

sorry that took so long!

no problem at all!

i hope this works okay!

perfect!

yayyy

whoa sorry, my paid ended and took my notifs with it

no worries!

Re: no worries!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject