[VIDEO; an hour after dark]

[deformed]

[ A messy line of text streams across a rampant new post on the network, apparently something of an accidental keysmash that reads, IM~H W#RHR AH [KTRARRR[#'APAA??/ Moments later, the Video kicks in and shows someone upside-down in reds and golds, the bottom of a disapproving grimace visible over the edge of the screen. He doesn't look pleased, probably wouldn't even without half his face melted into a permanent squint, but there's something else wrong.

His shirt is burned through and one hand is clutching a nasty mess in the centre of his chest, trembling badly as blue sparks shiver through him at odd moments. ]

— ey! Can anyone hear me? Who are these guys? [ Standing some way from the Greeter unfortunate enough to find himself serving a shift with one very pissed off prince, he hoarsely tries to be heard. ] Don't they understand? I have to finish the — ungh! The Agni Kai, I can't go and hide in a house somewhere! I —

[ Coughing in pain, he turns over the NV to inspect it, fortunately righting the screen by accident as he pauses to catch his breath. ]

K-Katara, are you okay? Did she get you — huh? Who's there ... ?

[ It's dark outside, that much is apparent from the off. Throughout his heated rant, Zuko's wandering has taken him outside the baseball diamond and straight into the path of something that welcomes him the good old-fashioned Darkness way; the NV clatters with a tinkling of brass as he throws himself into a ferocious attack, flames flaring to scare off the moving shadows across the street.

Scooping up his communication device, huffing and pounding footsteps can be heard for a few seconds before his back hits a wall and he hisses urgently, golden eyes wide with alarm and pain. Slumping down to crumple over his knees, he gasps and fights for calming breaths, tiny electrical shocks zipping over his skin and the dao swords strapped over a shoulder. ]

Can't — Can't keep moving. [ Teeth grit against the sting of being forced into combat so soon after sustaining a blast of redirected lightning back home. To the normal eye, though, it looks like something tried to chew through his gut. ] That's it. I've had enough of these games, I want answers. Now!

Comments

[deformed]

I don't know those names. They're months, right?

[treehopping]

Mmhm. July is two months after May. That's how long I've been here.

[deformed]

Do you live here alone?

[treehopping]

I have some friends from my world that I live with.

[deformed]

This all sounds really, really crazy.

[treehopping]

It is a bit. But outside of nighttime it's nice.

[deformed]

Why do the spirits come out at night? They're all so violent.

[treehopping]

I'm not sure, I think it's something to do with the Core, the magic machine that brings people here.

[deformed]

Are there any good spirits around to help? If there are bad ones, the opposite has got to be true.

[treehopping]

[You're using terminology she's not quite used to, but help she understands.] There's all sorts of people round here with amazing powers! Talking animals, people who can fly, superheros, even some Gods, they help others.