text; un: fireprince

[rediscovering]

1. what do you know about job interviews?
i didnt know you have to interview to get jobs. even if it's just at a restaurant!! regardless of whether the job itself involves talking to people at all!!? stupid

[ Guess who's been bombing interviews as a part-time busboy all over town. And who's only bothering to ask about proper employment beyond random quests, um, now, after several months of just getting by...? He must be getting tired of stealing hotchips from the cornerstore. ]

2. what do you know about going to school as a full-time student here?
i heard you can make a living like this
insight about going to school in other worlds could be useful too. i was homeschooled....

[ But at least he's thinking in terms of solutions. ]

Comments

[rediscovering]

she left.

[whatsamada]

[Once again, there was a long pause on his end before he responded back]

I hope that she left for a good reason.

It must have been difficult seeing her do that.

[rediscovering]

there was. i don't know the whole story. but i think i get the gist.
i was eleven. it was hard.
...thanks

[ He so seldom talks about his mom. It's disarming to have some internet stranger comment so frankly, earnestly, and tenderly on the matter. He'd rather redirect, touched as he is... He's uncomfortable. ]

what happened to your mom?

[whatsamada]

[There was a long pause on Ken's end. He wasn't sure if he should discuss it with someone he barely knew but at the same time? It was only fair when the stranger disclosed his own experience.]

She died protecting me. It's strange to think it's been 6 years now.

private;

[rediscovering]

[ Zuko is feeling similarly conflicted. But hearing that... it’s too uncanny. They’re already this far in, after all. He does make it private, though. He’s not tryna air this about himself necessarily, either. ]

....my mother did what she did to protect me too. i don’t know if she is still alive or not. she was banished. she may well be dead.
it’s been about six years for me since then as well though


how old were you when she died

private;

[whatsamada]

[Ken was shifting his weight a little after he just wrote about his past to a stranger. Was it a good or a bad thing, he didn't know but hopefully he would be able to help this person out.]

I hope that she isn't! I'm sure that she just has to be somewhere out there if there's no evidence of her death!

But I was about 8. I guess I've been taking care of myself since then?

[rediscovering]

it's possible.....
when i return
i'm going to look for her.
i don't know how but i need to know what happened.


eight.
im sorry.

[whatsamada]

I'm sure that you'll find out. Like my leader would say, never give up!

And it's okay, I'm use to it by now. And I learned how to be mature and take care of myself, right?

[rediscovering]

leader??

yeah i understand
it becomes the new normal
made it so you grew up a different way
my sister was only nine when our mom left so..... i know it's hard.

[whatsamada]

Yeah! A leader where she helped us lead a group of us into battle?

I didn't know you had a sister. That makes it twice as difficult. That's all the more impressive that you're managing well. I hope that your dad was able to take care of the both of you.

[rediscovering]

oh. was there a war in your world too??


no.
he wasn't.
...but his brother helped raise me, at least.
she wasn't as lucky.

[whatsamada]

Something like that. It's pretty complicated to explain.

I guess your dad wasn't the nicest father around, was he? But what happened to your sister? If you don't mind me asking.

[rediscovering]

no pressure

and no.
he's the worst father in the history of fathers.
and she was his favorite.
when i was thirteen i left home to travel the world and my uncle started raising me instead
she stayed home with father
which i didn't realize until very recently was probably actually worse

[whatsamada]

Uh...what exactly happened? If he truly is that bad, I just hope your sister turned out okay! She is well, right?

[Right??]

[rediscovering]

he never laid a hand on her
he'd never. she's perfect. in his eyes she can do no wrong.
but that's the problem in itself. his brother is very different from him. so was our mother.
so we were raised with different values in the end. that's all.
she's fine. just........ intense.

[ The nicest fucking way he could put that. ]

[whatsamada]

Define intense.

If she's anything like one of my leaders, I can't imagine what kind of pressure she must have gone through.

[Granted, he was thinking about Mitsuru who felt the need to be perfect in the eyes of everyone. Surely, she and Azula can't be too different, right?]

[rediscovering]

yeah
under pressure
thats it
if you grow up being perfect all the time by comparison to someone who's seen as a failure all the time
(me)
and then alone
cuz i left home with uncle when i was 13
but still under the harsh gaze of the person who dictates whether or not you're perfect enough
.....thats a lot of pressure.
for a fourteen year old especially. she's older here but when i left home she was fourteen.
im only just starting to see this clearly, now that we're together again.
it was hard being hated by our father. but it must have been hard being loved by him, too.

[whatsamada]

Wait, who said that you're a failure? What kind of father would say that to their own children?

I might not have a dad but even I know that just isn't right! No wonder your sister (and you too!) was under a lot of pressure! It can't be easy to have a dad who keeps saying all these things about you.

Isn't that a form of bullying? What kind of father would bully you two? Even if you hate or love him, it's just a terrible relationship!

[rediscovering]

yeah
Father is a bully
we have a terrible relationship
and always have..
but my sister was his favorite. she got treated totally different.
our family is uh..... kinda messed up.

[whatsamada]

It sure sounds like it.

If your dad ever shows up here, it's going to be interesting. Really, really interesting.

[rediscovering]

dont even say it
you'll tempt fate......

[whatsamada]

But I already did.

Is it too late?

[rediscovering]

i just dont want him here
it'd ruin everything :|
i don't even know if i'd want my mom here..
it's not impossible they could show up but...... it'd confuse us all too much.
it's confusing enough having my sister and uncle here together
they don't get along either
i just really don't need a full family reunion in a random parallel reality

[whatsamada]

That's a good point.

I'm not even sure if I want my mom here either if she does show up. It would be awkward and dealing with the issue of death.

...And having her to confront her killer too.

[rediscovering]

"confront her killer??"