ENDPLOT | ROLL THE BONES, PART 1

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: Early/Mid November
Location: Under the shell
Situation: It's either Malicant or the Foreigners... and their worlds.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

The Foreigners had begun their counterattack by trying to possess the Great Turtle whom Malicant had taken, and although the movement had failed, some vital information had been uncovered. Under the shell lay Malicant's weakness, and inside the Dreaming was where he could be fought.

Any help from the kedan is uncommon. They're wary, watching, as a group beginning to lose sight of the community. Their family groups are more tightly-knit than ever, and any approach from the Foreigners is answered by suspicion at best and violence at worst. That makes daily life difficult, when the majority of the city refuses to have much to do with them. Why aren't you doing anything? they seem to say. What good are any of you? All you've done is make things worse. We'd be better if you'd never come.

The Foreigners are unwelcome in Keeliai. The cultists are becoming a majority. Now is the time.

There aren't many left of the Foreigners left, but inside the Dreaming the limitations of the waking world no longer exist. For every Foreigner and their worlds, their loved ones, this is the chance to make themselves safe for good. And all of them will be needed.

---

LINKS
Beneath The Shell/Midnight Hotel | Malicant’s Tools/The Vilii Stone | OOC Plot Post

OOC
There are two main headers, one for preparation at the Hotel where Milyn and Eva will be available to speak with The second section where they will be able to search the caves beneath the Shell inside the Dreaming to find the Vilii Stone, and where the boon'd characters will be affected. If you are threading something that doesn't fit one of those categories, just add it to the bottom of the post. Questions go to the plotting post, please! Once the Stone has been acquired the second half of the plot will go live in the logs comm.

Comments

[oceanblue]

With a yelp, Katara fell with Zuko, releasing his arm only once he was down on the ground. Her hands immediately went to his shoulders as she pushed herself up on her knees, looking him over with obvious concern. If she had to, she'd physically detain him.

Something deep in her chest told her this wasn't over.

Katara nodded, then looked up the path they had been following. "We've got to finish this...One of us needs to stay with him," she sighed, her voluntary tone clear.

[lordhotman]

Zuko is going to have a big painful bump on his head from that. Thanks a lot Sokka. He'll gripe at YOU when he wakes up with a headache. Though really, he'd much rather have to deal with that than the guilt of having hurt anyone he cares about. Again.

For now, the fire prince is very much out. His body limp and unresponsive. Have fun carrying around that extra weight for now.

[theideaguy]

Hey, do you expect Sokka to feel sorry about this one? Nuh uh. There's no sorry to be had. Gripe at him later all you want; Sokka will be totally happy to either not listen or follow up the boomerang with some sarcasm.

"Stay with him? Well, yes... and no. These tunnels are complex, and we've chosen one of the more windy paths to get through here," Sokka says as he shows Katara and the others are particularly complex series of tubes hallways. "While we are chalking the path we took, there's no guarantee we won't be forced to follow a different path on the way back.

"What's more, there's no way of knowing if you'll be found out down here in the middle of the tunnel or not. And I'd hate for anyone to run into a group of those creepy cultists on their own." He waves his hands all spookily at that for emphasis. "If he doesn't wake soon, I'm with Iroh; someone should get him back to the Hotel." He's clearly looking at his sister since, in effect, she was volunteering.

[lordhotman]

While they all discuss what they're going to do, Zuko's eyes open and he moves quickly. A hand reaching for one of his swords and thrusting it in Iroh's direction. While he aim's to knee Katara in the stomach.

"Did you really think that could stop me?!"

Inwardly Zuko screams in a panic as he watches himself attack his Uncle.

[whitelotustile]

Iroh had been keeping an eye on his nephew, and he did have his reflexes. Which meant that he could drop Zuko and sidestep. Dangerous to weaken his hold; he made a grab for Zuko's free arm, both to avoid the sword coming backwards him and to get him to drop the sword. "You would be better served to stay quiet," he advised Malicant. "You might like my nephew's anguish, but I don't think you like the headache we are giving him."

"We need to keep him restrained before we move on. And disarmed."

[redlightgreenlight]

That won't work, Valdis said as she approached the group, her green eyes fixed upon Zuko. It was possible that Malicant affected everyone differently, but she was certain that Zuko was in there, probably frightened and feeling lost. It had taken effort on her part to break Malicant's hold on her body and power, but only she had been able to break it. No one else could do it for her.

Zuko, She said, sitting down to appear non-threatening, knowing that though Zuko and Katara would hear her, the other two would probably be confused. Do you remember my promise to you? Though it would ruin me, if you cannot break free, then I will fulfill it. But think of what it would do to those who have fought so hard for you. Can you not fight just as hard for them?

[lordhotman]

"AGH!"

When Iroh grabbed Zuko's arm, it twisted in an odd direction as he tried to move. The sword easily dropping from his hand. He turns to glare at the old man.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?!"

He looked about ready to attack but then paused as Valdis' words reached him. Having pulled his other hand from Katara, he gripped his head, his expression strained.

"I'm... trying!"

But he had always tried before, and he had never been able to stop himself. And that same hopeless feeling was consuming him now. Even now Malicant's presence taunted him, told him that he was weak and that he couldn't do it. He hadn't been able to break Malicant's hold before, how could he possibly do so now? Surely there was only one option...

"RAAGH!" Zuko roared as his leg lashed out, aiming to knock Iroh's feet out from under him. Then with another series of kicks sent blasts of flame at everyone and anyone. His hand reaching for his other sword.

[oceanblue]

She sighed and closed her eyes; Sokka was right. They shouldn't have brought him down here in the first place, she thought to herself, regretting her encouragement. When he repeated Iroh's suggestion, she looked up at him, read through his pointed look, then nodded, ready to reach down and somehow bring Zuko to his feet so she could get him back to the hotel. "I'll take him ba--"

And then he attacked again.

The knee to her stomach was quick and unexpected, and she doubled reflexively with a sharp yelp, her grip loosening on his shoulders and allowing him to twist out of her hold. She was on her feet just as quickly though, prepared to help Iroh and protect her brother, even with the sinking fear in her stomach, bringing up streams of water yet again, until Valdis arrived.

At first, she was thankful for the wolf-girl's appearance, glad for the extra help to keep him contained, until she spoke. "What promise?" she demanded, her gaze switching between the fire prince and the old queen.

Her full attention went back to Zuko once more when he lashed out again, and she readied herself to defend until he paused and held his head.

He was fighting it... he was still fighting it, just as he had always fought within himself. Just as he was always destined and cursed to do.

"ZUKO...!"

Fear, again, overwhelmed her when she saw the decision in his eyes, and when he moved, she followed, throwing herself through the flames and wrapping her arms as tightly around him as she possibly could as she buried herself against him. The water she carried surrounded them, ready to be called on.

He was good.

Even through his scars and the taint... he would choose good.

[theideaguy]

As Iroh manages to disarm Zuko, Sokka is not one to take any chances; he is totally going to scoot that sword faaaaaaaar away from Zuko by kicking it away and then holding it in his own hands. He may not be used to this type of sword, but he will use it indiscriminately if he has to.

Well, cue one for Sokka being confused. There was certainly some prolonged moments of silence that just didn't make any sense. Malicant was clearly keeping a strong hold of Zuko no matter what, but those weird moments of silence when the wolf was just staring into Zuko was... disconcerting. He kind of nudges Katara gently with his shoulder. "Uh, you know what's going on?"

Whether or not she gets a chance to answer is up in the air as Zuko is trying... to what? And there's a promise? WHAT? But if Zuko is trying to fight back, he certainly does. But before he can make anything happen, Katara is right up against him, holding it. "Katara!" he calls out, though it's no use, he knows; she won't listen to him when it comes to matters like this. Even if she criticized him for doing the exact same thing over a month ago.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis growled softly at Zuko's feebleness and she stood, taking his flames as if they were nothing. She ignored Katara, ignored Sokka, ignored the old man. She took a step toward him, head lowered, lips curled back to show her teeth, ears flat against her skull, hackles raised in anger. Even as Katara wrapped her arms around Zuko, Valdis would continue her advance without hesitation.

You are so weak, she snarled, Do you truly believe that you cannot win? There is no 'try'. Another step You can either do or die.

There was a chance that Zuko did not value his own life as much as the others. After all, he had asked her to kill him if he lost it, so perhaps threatening his life would not be enough to snap him out of it. Her gaze shifted from Katara to Iroh to Sokka, contemplative. Malicant wouldn't care if she attacked anyone, but Zuko would. She spun on her haunches and launched herself at Iroh.

[whitelotustile]

Iroh had managed to step back enough to keep his balance, but it meant he was focused on Zuko, and not Valdis. Valdis's hit landed, and it was enough to knock him back. He dropped his grip on Zuko, bringing up his arms to shield his face and neck, and, dropped into a roll, hoping to dislodge the sudden wolf attack.

[lordhotman]

Katara suddenly launching through the fire and latching onto him made him stumble. For a moment he was surprised, but only a moment, before he tried to fling her off. Though something in what Valdis said made him pause.

Weak?

That was something he had heard all of his life. His father had always thought he was weak. His compassion and lack of talent in firebending was considered a flaw. Even the entire Fire Nation thought he was weak. Thus that accusation didn't seem to do much. He had heard it many times before. Maybe he was weak. All the more reason to end this with his life.

But then Valdis did the unthinkable. Instead of attacking him, she went after Iroh. Panic inwardly gripped Zuko again as he saw his Uncle go down.

"NO!" he shouted, reaching out in their direction. He then yanked himself out of Katara's grip and ran towards Valdis. "STOP!"

[oceanblue]

Katara released him the moment Valdis launched toward Iroh, her eyes going huge and the water around her and Zuko swirling around them to become one full stream. She immediately directed it at the wolf with every ounce of hurt and frustration within her knowing subconsciously that it connected, it would be enough to knock the woman off her feet.

[theideaguy]

Sokka is terribly confused. There's no clear shot on any of them, and he doesn't even know who the bad guys are any longer. Everyone seems to think that the proper way to deal with evil possessed people is by hugging them. How oogie. He can't attack Zuko because of Katara. And after Valdis surprises even him with an attack on Iroh, he can't attack her now because of Zuko throwing himself her direction.

What are these people I don't even—

"Will you people guys stop getting in Boomerang's way!?"

Find, he'll just have to do this a different way; he draws Space Sword finally and cautiously closes in. Even at melee range, there's just too many innocents to rush headlong into this.

Warning for blood

[redlightgreenlight]

As Iroh rolled with her lunge, she shifted her weight so that she wouldn't crush him. She didn't actually want to injure anyone in order to shock Zuko into beating Malicant. She heard Zuko yell and dipped her head to tear open her leg, allowing her blood to splatter across Iroh, enough to make it appear as if he was injured.

Katara's water struck her in the side and she felt her ribs crack as it threw her from Iroh. She hissed when she hit the ground, but quickly scrambled to her feet. She was certain that everyone thought she was insane, but this was Zuko's last chance and she had to give it to him.

[lordhotman]

Zuko stopped short just before he reached Iroh, clutching his head again as Malicant's influence continued to struggle for control. However, when he looked up and saw the blood, his eyes widened. Just in time to see Katara attack Valdis as well.

"ENOUGH! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Zuko yelled this, his will overriding Malicant's and causing the darkness to lose its hold. Now free of his oppression, Zuko ran to Iroh's side and knelt down beside him.

"Uncle!"

[oceanblue]

When she was sure Valdis was down and far enough away from the others, she rushed to Iroh's side, reassured to have Sokka there with his space sword as she knelt and moed her hands over the man's side, checking for damage. When she found very, very little, she drew back, confused.

"But this..."

[theideaguy]

And then, everything changed after Valdis "attacked." Sokka's readiness shifted when Zuko cries out and Katara rushes to Iroh's side with a confused look. The steadiness of Sokka's raised sword wavers and then falls as Zuko finally comes to. Nothing is happening like he thought it was; were either Zuko or Valdis possessed at all?

Still, it paid to not be caught unaware. He raises his sword and continues to eye Zuko and Valdis oddly. "Okay, will someone explain what in the world is going on!?"