As your feet, they touch the ground

[alphatar]

Characters: Korra (alphatar), Open
Date: June 9th, Late evening
Location: Brazen Turtle (Center of Keeliai)
Situation: Doing her job
Warnings/Rating: N/A

With the recent bombings and need for the kedan to have safe housing in the foreigner’s former suites, business at the Brazen Turtle has taken a dip. Food isn’t easy to come by, though the bar managed to get enough to serve its patrons. As barback, Korra’s tending to the bar since the drinks don’t need too much stocking.

Overhead is the scale model of the Starship Enterprise she had gotten Jim for Christmas and it has her attention when there’s little to no customers. At a simple, sullen command it flies sporadically or circles over the bar where she’s at. Depending on her mood, something that’s she’s distracting herself from by wiping down the bar, even if it doesn't need it.

The ship's lights and occasional sounds are soft, but poignant as always.

Comments

[sophos]

Annabeth doesn't frequent the Brazen Turtle - bars and alcohol aren't really her scene. But she did help Bryn out with the building when the woman first started up, so she does like to check in now and then.

She ducks inside, taking a cursory glance around the room, but her eyes land on the spaceship, distracted by it for a few moments. She's aware of Korra over at the bar, but it takes a moment to get hold of her ADHD and pull herself from staring at the model.

"I'd say sorry for intruding, but it looks a little dead in here tonight."

[alphatar]

Rearranging the rack behind the bar, Korra had a bottle in her hand when she heard someone and she whipped around. "Annabeth, hey!" She set the bottle down and put a napkin while grabbing a glass from under the bar to put on it.

"Yeah, it’ll probably start picking up after everyone knows that food’s safe to eat again. Have a seat, can’t intrude if we’re open. Food, drink or both?" Though Korra already made her mind on giving Annabeth a free drink, she tended to do that.

[sophos]

She lifts her hand in a little wave, closing the distance over to the bar and hopping up easily into a stool.

"I could do both. Doesn't hurt to eat out now and then. I'll pass on anything alcoholic, though." The least she can do is give the tavern a little business right now. "What do you recommend?"

[alphatar]

"I’m not big on the alcohol either, so I got just the thing." Like clockwork, Korra got down bottles from the rack without missing a beat and whipped out a glass from underneath the bar. Mixing the fruit juices, carbonated water and syrup was all too easy and Korra even went to show off bending the liquids instead of pouring them.

"There you go." Holding down both corners of the napkin the drink was on; Korra slid it over to Annabeth. "Beached Turtle. I think it tastes sweeter without the alcohol." She grabbed one of the menus at the bar and set it next to the drink. "How’ve you been? With the whole soul lantern and explosion thing going I mean."

[sophos]

Annabeth's drawn into watching the process of how it's made, curiosity and distraction both. It's interesting, at least, especially with the way Korra uses her bending. It reminds her of Percy, but the thought makes her happy instead of morose.

She grins when it's set in front of her. "Beached turtle. Named after our friend down there?" And she gestures are the ground, reaching for the class in the same moment.

A sigh. "Not too bad, considering. Is it sad that incidents like that feel kind of standard here?"

[alphatar]

Korra only gave a seemingly innocent shrug of her shoulders, looking up at the small starship sailing between the lit lanterns above them. Which of course gave away that the drink was indeed named for Asti.

"Yeah, it really is. I was hoping our attack on the palace was going to be successful and we could change everything back to normal; but this is normal..." Since the bottles were already out, Korra started making a drink for herself.

"And I know it sounds silly, but I really miss my suite."

[sophos]

"It's actually kind of a standard normal for me, in terms of crap still happening, but it'd be nice to have some... normal-normal." Safer normal. She doesn't miss the way Korra's glanced shifted upward, but she doesn't draw attention to it.

Annabeth immediately shakes her head. It's a little more open a response than she's usually inclined to give, but she's more inclined to commiserate right now. "No. It doesn't. I lived in mine for almost two years. Kinda sucked to have to... leave it."

She had routine. Comfort. With so many shake ups about being here the last few months, losing the security of her house hasn't been all that great on her either.

[alphatar]

"Wow, just a little over a year for me. Who'd you get for roommates?" She grinned before adding: "Aside from Mrs. O'Leary." Once she finished her drink, Korra sat down on the chair behind the bar and took a sip. The only person she ever got to talk to like this had been Zatanna, so she was happy to see if maybe Annabeth would indulge her curiosity. Something Korra usually had an abundance of.

[sophos]

"Frank," she says instantly, with the flicker of a grin. "And a guy named Dick. I had a bit of a zoo follow after me too, though, beyond just Mrs. O'Leary." Fortunately Blackjack prefers the roof, so long as it's not raining, and fish are pretty self-sufficient.

She doesn't mind the curiosity or question at all. Normally, it'd be the other way around, because Annabeth doesn't do idle talk. But it's a lot easier to chat with someone when you already like them and you're kinda lonely. "What about you?"

[alphatar]

Korra smiled when she heard the names and gave a satisfied couple of nods.

There's the slightest hesitation before Korra gave out the first name, and her mouth moved to one side in an attempt to not smile too much. "Rex, Casey and Ava." She didn't miss that quick grin. "Dick's a good guy, and well, you already know Frank. Sounds like we both got lucky."

[sophos]

"I'm honestly not sure what I would have done if it'd turned out differently." By different, she mostly means worse. Being surrounded by complete strangers, or an entirely new sector. She's having a hard enough time adjusting to the move - but having Frank as a neighbor helps. "Are you still in Metal?"

[alphatar]

"Yeah, Rex and I got lucky in that. Casey and Ava too." Korra smiled at that, she didn't want to give up the sector after living in it for so long. But when it hit her that Annabeth was probably asking for a reason, her smile faltered. "Uh- oh. Did Evandau move you somewhere else?" Good thing she had her drink on hand just in case she needed to wash down the possible foot in her mouth.

[sophos]

"No, fortunately I'm still in Metal. Maybe he knew how pissed I'd be otherwise." She says it as mostly a joke, but there's still a very real chance she would have gotten more than a simply snippy with the man for it. "I'm not sure he's ever liked me much though."

[alphatar]

"I don't think he likes anyone." Korra said it with an amused, wry tone. Not anymore anyway, but she didn't want to bring up Eshai's name. "But I guess I can't be too hard on him. I mean his home kind of got swept out from under his feet too."

But she added somewhat dismally "Though he just turned around and did that to us. But it's helping the kedan I guess, so not much I can say against it." Even though she wanted to.

[sophos]

It gets a snort out of Annabeth. "I'd toast to that," she says dryly, even lifting her glass to slosh around the liquid inside.

The grumpiness resumes. "I understand why it might have been necessary to move us - but I've had enough uprooting in my life already, thanks. The kedan part is probably the only reason I'm not more annoyed than I already am."

Because she might not be Evandau's biggest fan, but for the most part, Annabeth's grown to like the kedan. "I just... really miss my suite, I guess." She feels a little awkward admitting it out loud, but it's been picking at her, and the current tone of the conversation makes it easier to say.

[alphatar]

"And the suites are the safest place for them while that freak’s in the palace." Korra wasn’t bitter, she-

Okay, she was bitter.

But she somehow managed to take a sip of her drink out of the small line her mouth turned into. Basically, it was indefinite and that all hinged on eliminating Malicant; a great evil Korra couldn’t take down on her own.

She hated dwelling on it.

"...You get to fly often?" Asked with a growing smile and a raised eyebrow as she set her nearly empty glass down on the bar.

[sophos]

She sighs. "It makes sense. But we can still be annoyed."

When Korra switches directions entirely, Annabeth raises her own eyebrow to match. "Assuming you mean literally, I do actually. Why?"

[alphatar]

"Because," She wanted to feel lighter than air, everything was weighing her down. "I've been behind this bar for hours and could use some fresh air."

Korra reached into her pocket and put on her green power ring and snatched up her metal glider from under the bar. "Need a hand, or are you like Invincible or Superman?"

[sophos]

Annabeth's attention is drawn right away to the power ring, though she doesn't ask about it outright.

"I'd definitely need a hand. My only mode of flight is a Pegasus, though I could call him over - he's probably not far."

[alphatar]

"So a pegasus is kind of like a sky bison then?" Flying animal large enough to carry a person; it had to be her earth's equivalent.

"But that's up to you. I've gotten pretty good at taking others flying." Something she was rather proud of now that she had some practice with the ring.

[sophos]

"Less of a bison and more of a horse with wings. His name is Blackjack."

Annabeth contemplates it for a moment - but honestly, it's not hard to decide. She shakes her head. "I'll call him for backup, but it might be fun to try it your way."

She's all about new things, right?? If it's coming off the wings of a reckless streak, she'll ignore that.

[alphatar]

Korra took a moment to try and place what she’d been told a horse looked like and tried to put wings on it in her mental imaging.

Which really only left her with an all too concentrated look at nothing in particular.

"Can’t wait to see him." Because her brain was starting to hurt. Brandishing her metal glider with ease, Korra hopped over the counter and beckoned Annabeth to follow her outside. "You get one too, but I hope you like green."

[sophos]

She can only imagine herself what Korra is trying to picture at the look on her friend's face, and she grins as they make their way outdoors. Annabeth whistles for the flying horse - he probably hadn't gone too far, given he was her ride back home.

But she raises one eyebrow neatly. "Does color make a difference? Though - I've never flown on one before."

[alphatar]

"It doesn't, but, you kind of don't get a choice unless you're an airbender."

Not one to wait for the mysterious creature to appear, Korra opened up her glider and created a green one fitted to Annabeth's height.

"And don't worry, it's easy. All you have to do is hold on." She took off into the air and willed the green construct to do the same. As soon as her feet were off the ground she checked to see how Annabeth was doing and kept an eye out for this pegasus animal.

[sophos]

She copies how Korra holds on to her own glider; the green construct is familiar enough, at least in the sense that she drove a construct chariot in a similar fashion over a year ago.

But the air holds her up, or maybe that's all Korra. Either way Annabeth is fighting off a smile as she soars.

In the meantime, Blackjack approaches - as he gets closer, his shape comes into focus. Like his name implies, he's a solid black horse, just with a set of wings, and he looks confused at the sight of the two of them in the air.