bolincredible | IC INBOX • EACHDRAIDH

[ she's not expecting bolin to answer this early, but leaving a message never hurt anyone.

even though there's a 110% chance he's going to hear it from mako, korra... wants to make sure she can deliver the message herself, too. ]

Hey... Bolin, I just wanna let you know that I'm gonna be [ ...??? in enemy territory?? ] ... out of town for a little while. Could you watch Naga for me?

[ Because he always thought he was safe from voluntary early-morning anything from Korra. Just goes to show what happens when a guy assumes. ]

Yeah, of course. Naga-watching is pretty much second nature for me. [ Like he'd even have to think about it. He's been missing his regular dosages of animal companionship, anyway. ] Is everything okay? Not that I'm worried, because you're a handling-yourself master who can handle... yourself. Just, you know.

[ And a pause.

...

Crap, he can't think of another word for "worried" on the spot. Crap crap crap. Why didn't he plan for this? Oh, right. Because he's him. ]

Uhhhh. Haha, wow, you know what, I guess worried was kind of. Kind of what I was going for after all. A little bit.

[ Like are you going to get amnesia and disappear again or is this like a friendly trip to the nearest cool meditation mountain....... ]

[ yeah, the fact that there was any message at all from korra at said insane morning hour is a definite tip-off that there's something not right going on in the world of avataria. which is a word i just made up right now and totally exists because i said so.

and when korra finally speaks up on her end she seems a little winded, and there's the definite sound of twigs snapping beneath her feet. ]

Everything's fine! Nothing to worry about— [ except??? there's the rustling of more leaves and korra's cursing and dropping the locket back around her neck.

is she firebending?

yeah she's firebending.

that's definitely the sound of concussive fire hitting the body of something large, and now korra's actually growling. ]

Tui, they just don't know when to give up, do they!?

[ she might... have forgotten about bolin on the line. ]

[ He'd know the sounds of concussive firebending and Korra being frustrated anywhere!

This is a dilemma. On the one hand, there are clearly some intense things happening here. Things that might merit some nail-biting. And he's not sure if this is a sign that he should be answering right away because she thought this was the most time she would get, or if she just has really bad timing and he should wait. If he could read minds, this would be so much easier.

On the other hand, firebending and engaging in huge general fights are kind of Korra's element. Her fifth element. Plus, this means she didn't completely fall off the face of the planet in a few hours. Getting an answer is way better than getting nothing at all, and Bolin's always pretty inclined to look on the bright side. There's another obligatory pause, during which he probably frets over his locket like a twelve year old, or has a one-sided conversation with Naga by making faces at her or something. ]

Probably not? [ Is she even listening, was she talking to him??? How does he know, he just likes talking. ] You sound kinda busy over there, Korra. Just for the record, you're totally free to hold off on the commiserating until you're done beating down your immediate dangers.

[ it's six of one, half dozen of the other, bolin. this is pretty much all the down time that korra's gotten since she and bilbo have been thrown out into the wilds of the unseelie's territory, and at the very least she wants to make sure that bolin and mako aren't out of their minds with worry.

though, with the way this is going... that's probably not at all going to happen. spirits, this was a bad idea. par for the course, she figures.

but a look of surprise crosses her face when she hears bolin's voice again, and she quickly scrambles for the locket, lifting it up. ]

Don't worry, I got 'em. They're gone now.

[ but for how long, korra. ]

Right, right, gave 'em the old Water Tribe one-two punch! [ He assumes. Or perhaps more accurately, he hopes. Whatevs. ] You okay? Pretty short notice for a trip out to fight territory.

[ Urgent Avatar War Business? Possibly. ]

[ haha... hahaha.... spirits, how is she going to explain this, UM.... ]

... Well I kinda didn't... plan? on coming out here.

Ohhh. [ HE GETS IT, KORRA. He... he's confused. All the time. 95% of his waking hours since getting here, he is confused. The other 5% has been, surprisingly, mostly worry. He's more than used to being confused, of course. Being actively worried about something in such a capacity that he knows what he is and why he is, is not quite his usual cup of tea.

(Bright side: she didn't think on it and then deliberately decide not to ask her earthbending bro who would have totally gone along while she ran into mortal peril. And maybe it's selfish to feel a little better about that distinction, but it still kinda helps.

Dark side: she didn't get to think on it at all. Korra sometimes does that anyway, but it's usually more of a choice.) TRYING TO SOUND REASSURING OVER HERE. ]

--kay. [ He clears his throat like a cool guy. ] Okay! I'm gonna come right out and say that's not good. Unless you suddenly decided to elope, but I don't really think... [ That your whirlwind wedding would involve so much running, growling, and firebending?????

...

Okay, so he's 6% worried. ]

[ ... ]

Bolin, what?

[ argh, no— ]

Nevermind, that's not important. [ she rubs at her head for a second, sighing. ] There's something weird going on at the castles... How well did you sleep last night?

[ He was just checking. She's been here for a month or something, right? Things happen. Even long-running wars and strange new worlds can't stop love, okay!! Ask every old person who ever told a legend. It's kind of a huge deal.

He has no idea what he would have done with the information if she did actually elope, though... it just sort of escaped his brain and ran from his mouth before he could really pick up on it. Like most of what he says. But no harm done! They live to see another day, probably. ]

Uhhhh, I slept, I guess. It's a nice place. [ Needs a few more hat racks, obviously. ] There was sort of a creepy otherworldly moaning going on? But that also could have been a dream.

[ He's trying not to label those right out of the gate after the "i dreamed an evil bloodbender kidnapped Korra oh wait" incident. ]

[ that's not her kind of legend!!! no matter what bryke says, i swear to go—no wait we're off topic.

it's that "living" part that's more "probably" than "guaranteed" right now. korra intends on hanging on by the skin of her teeth each day she's out here. she's hoping, really really hoping (somewhat in vain), that it's not for long. maybe she and bilbo got lucky and they were dropped off just outside the mountain range along caer glaem's property. that would be an easy (and kinda fun, in her expert snow-traversing experience) way to get back to the castle. ]

It wasn't a dream. [ yyyyeah, no time wasted in confirming that for bolin. ] Don't go searching for it, just stay in your room at night. I don't know what this thing's capable of, but considering where I am, I don't want to take any chances.

Edited 2014-06-14 02:08 (UTC)

... okay. [ He doesn't like anything about this, wow. Except for not chasing down creepy spiritual sounds, which is kind of less horrifying than it used to be even then. ]

But are you sure we couldn't just try to ask whatever it is to... do the opposite of whatever it... does? [ Like being quiet and summoning people from the vast reaches of nowhere, or... whatever... the opposite of what it does is.... ] Or me and Mako could just head out and meet you halfway once you know which way you need to go! It's not like we've got a bunch of stuff we'd have to reschedule. We could see some nature, bring some supplies... not even almost a problem. It would be totally problem-free.

[ baggin all the loyal waifus, korra, damn. ]

[ that... actually makes her laugh a little (albeit tiredly), especially after dealing with the headache that is a pushy mako thinking he knows best. thankfully, korra's already covered this with him, so she knows better what to say to keep people in line. ]

No, it would be better if you didn't. [ she still replies a little snappishly though. whups. ] I have to be able to concentrate on what I'm doing out here, so I can't be worried about what you guys get into on your way to find me. I need you guys to stay safe at the castle.

[ knock knock! better go get that doo— ah nevermind, mako's not gonna wait. please don't be jerking off, bolin. mako doesn't care how bad your morning wood is, this is more important. (and if you make a crack about him and blue balls he's going to shave your eyebrows in your sleep, bro.) ]

Hey, Bo...

[ Have another pause, because damn it, it's logic. Not just that, it's the kind of logic he's most accustomed to complying with: slightly snappy and coming from someone with a very full plate of Serious Survival Concerns. The kind that builds up those old, familiar "I need you to stay safe" boundaries, which. Well, which is fair enough. She's Korra, and she's kind of the Avatar and everything, so these are her boundaries to establish boundaries in.

And maybe he doesn't like that, and maybe that kind of logic has been pulling at him like a second skin that's almost too tight lately, but neither of those things change the facts. He's not a great liar, even to himself, and the truth is, there's kind of... nothing that they can do to actually help her. Bolin's not the smartest dude around, but he knows this tune. If running into the unknown wilds will help get Korra out of the unknown wilds faster at any point, she'll ask them to do it. Like, probably not as soon as Asami would ask, but way sooner than Mako would probably ask? There's a scale in there. Just like there's a silver lining stuck in here... uh, somewhere.

He trusts that. ]

Well hey, I'm your go-to safekeeping guy! Seventeen years and counting. Great with animals, as talented as he is dependable, the mighty hero of the South! [ Yes that is the sound of a bicep being patted, he's so manly and totally a thousand percent serious right now hdu imply otherwise.

(Guess who's putting all his eggs in the "Korra will clearly handle Mako's handling" basket and making zero plans in the event that she didn't. This guy right here.) ]

[ ugh mom you never wait for the okay this is why you know so much about my morning wood!!! And please don't shave the eyebrows, they're my legacy :'|

But nah, he's still about 1/4 asleep, digging around under the bed for his shoes, and moderately confused by everything that has happened since he woke up. Whoop. And maybe worried. And like, Naga probably needs to go out for a walk. Or to eat a small mammal or... something. That's usually sort of a thing she does. There really are more important things happening today. That said, he immediately scrambles back into the open for brotherhood's sake. ]

Hey, Mako. [ And there's some very genuine pep in there because YEAH, YOU'RE NOT IN A MAGICAL COMA AND THE EXCITEMENT STILL HASN'T WORN OFF, GOOD JOB BEING AWAKE. And good job not being mysteriously transported into monster territory? Yeah. He also tacks on (pointlessly but w/e): ] Come on in, I guess.

[ bolin knows better than almost anyone else (save mako) that korra would be the first to tell them if she needed help in any way that they could offer. the problem is that korra, at this red-hot second, doesn't see any option they could take. hunting down the spirit to teleport them somewhere is completely out of the question because the possibility remains that the creature could send them somewhere entirely different, like the mountains, another forest or worse—directly into the "enemy" castle. korra's not convinced that everyone in the unseelie court is inherently evil after her conversation with gale, but she doesn't trust the monarchs. if they like kidnapping people for their own goals then who knows what else their capable of.

but the monarchs are the least of her concerns, especially when it comes to mako, bolin and a magical mystery tour out to find her. she knows they're talented benders, but she also knows they're... to put it lightly, untrained. they've gotten better in the many months since she first met them, but after unfairly pitting them against unalaq, korra doesn't want to take any more chances with their lives. the creatures out here in the unseelie land are incredibly dangerous, even with naga on their side.

plus there's one.

huge.

reason that korra's not bothering to tell either of them.

azula, the former princess of the fire nation is currently housed within caer scima, and now that aang's gone from this world, korra's taken it upon her shoulders to deal with the princess. ....she just wasn't planning on the possibility of dealing with azula so soon.

unfortunately, bolin's nuktuk reference goes right over her head, too concerned about keeping them safe to bother recalling the fact that bolin's now a major movers star. ]

... Thanks, Bolin. [ if she sounds a little distracted it's because she is: trying to focus on centering herself so she doesn't overexert her chi, keeping an eye on her surroundings to keep her and her friend safe; she takes in a slow breath, exhaling a small spark of fire. ] There's a river a few miles outside of Caer Glaem, you can let Naga fish there.

I will. [ She's so much better at fishing than him anyway. Maybe he'll pick up some tricks if he watches her, that could be fun. Nature activities. Sure. Get pumped. He loves earth, it'll be fine. ]

Just remember we're here if you need us. [ And that you owe him a hug when you get back tbqh. ]

[ sweet summer child, bolin... ]

Heh, how could I forget? You two are my best back-up. I'd be lost without you guys.

[ AND IS, KINDA LITERALLY. HA HA HAAA.... oh god she's so screwed isn't she. ]

[ the cats skitter in soon after mako does, slipping in before he finishes closing the door properly. dinner immediately goes to say hello to bolin's ankles, while scraps sticks closer to mako... cat preferences, who understands them? ]

I just got a call from Korra.

[ and he knows you did too... ]

Yeah. Me too. [ Guess he was right to trust that Korra would handle the handling of Mako's longstanding desire to... handle. At least there's that much going for them.

Mostly it's going for him personally, because he wasn't sure how he'd even do that.

Bolin reaches down to give Dinner some attention, because priorities or something. Animals are generally pretty great when you might be down, no matter who they like best, even when they're terribly named and nowhere near Pabu's level. Plus, he totally just found his shoes under his pillow. Should have known that under the bed was a false lead. What was he thinking? ]

Looks like I'm pulling Naga detail for her for a while. [ While she's out struggling in the wilderness. Without them. Whatever. ] You know, got experience on my side and... stuff.

[ Womp. ]

[ ha ha hahaha yeah probably. but she won't hear it from this guy. ]

We do our best. And I know Pabu's usually the real crutch of Team Avatar, so I'm trying to take the extra steps to make up for him.

[ this isn't a video but

he totally winked lbr we know who we're dealing with here ]

[ wow, THANKS for the vote of confidence. ]

You probably won't have to do that for long. [ looks like korra can drop some good news! ] With any luck, the woman who runs this place can bring Pabu here.

[ hopefully it goes better than mako's last nagasitting session, where she got mean at all of the werewolves when they got within ten feet of mako.

scraps mrows from her position at mako's ankles, standing on her back legs and kneading the top of his boot with her claws. ]

I know. She told me we could stay in her rooms, since they're bigger and all.

[ this of course, was discovered AFTER they had a small argument and korra got into a confrontation with some beastie and told him she didnt want him (or them) coming to find her. ]

IC INBOX • EACHDRAIDH

voice; 6/14, early morning.

voice; on a saner morning hour wow

voice; a ... short while later, because lol unseelie creatures.

voice; actual best conversation timing skills

voice; more like actual best conversation period.

voice; it could only be better if one of them was also in a movie theater

voice; and narrating the movie for the other person.

voice; i literally applauded it's perfect

voice; I'M SO GLAD. 1/2

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action; SOON AFTER KORRA CALLS

voice;

action; SOUNDS LEGIT.

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