Plan D | [Action/Text]

[theideaguy]

[Action]

[Ever since the event ended, Sokka has not been in the best of moods. The university shift has messed with his head in some pretty violent ways, and the current shift isn't treating him much better. While he certainly struggled with coping with university classes and the whole thought of being in school again (which, to be honest, there wasn't much of a school to be had i the Southern Water Tribe before the war ended), it's girl issues that have got him down... and namely the sneaking sense that somehow he's betrayed or jilted Suki, his girlfriend from back home who isn't here. All because, for some reason, the recent Shift made him fall head over heels (actually, that's an understatement) for Asami.

Not to mention the fact that he's seeing ghosts of Suki (and even Yue) practically everywhere in Luceti, there's no real safe haven. But the least safe haven is House 56... because everyone he knows—Asami included—are all there. And even if it wasn't his fault (a lot of people have been saying they've been acting weird), well... it certainly doesn't help that some of his dreams aren't of Suki.

So Sokka is spending A LOT of time not at home. For the most part, he will be at the Smithy, Seventh Heaven (no, he's not eating at home right now), the village square, or at the beach. If you run into him, you might notice he's not his usual loud extroverted self and definitely has three shades of guilt written across his face.]

[Action / Smithy / Locked to Leon and Jane Foster]

[One of the primary projects Sokka has been working on in his spare time is figuring out how Poké Balls work. He remembers quite well that Crystal broke one a long time ago, and thanks to Ash and Jane Foster, he's come up with a plan to try to actually create Poké Balls so that, maybe... just maybe... he can understand them enough to fix them. Not that he's told Crystal any of this, mind, but it's a project of passion for the time being trying to reverse engineer technology.

Granted, he's not gotten far yet. However, if someone were to invade upon the inner sanctums of the forge, one might find Sokka in the finishing touches of molding and assembling two metallic half-spheres together, complete with a clasp and a release button. It's not a functional ball by any means; though there's clearly an effort to try to somehow power it inside (there's some wires sticking out of it for good measure). There's also a couple of obviously failed attempts to create two perfect half-spheres. At least his latest creation resembles the real thing.]

[Action / House 56]

[Because Sokka is beating himself up on the inside, he's avoiding confronting the problem, and that means sneaking in and out of the house at a couple of odd hours. The door to his room is locked, and generally he isn't doing lunch or dinner at Avatar House like he usually does. Instead, there's a series of tied together sheets sticking out of his window during the daytime hours.

It's not that Sokka doesn't want to talk to anyone there. It's just that Sokka doesn't want to talk to anyone there. It's that Sokka would prefer to reason it out himself before confronting the situation, but honestly... given how tired he looks, given how little sleep he's been getting, maybe it's a good idea for a few good friends to actually talk with him. Were someone going to be mean and remove the makeshift ladder to his room, he's going to go up the slide and have to pick the lock to his room, and that's... going to take a small bit of time.]

[Text / Locked against Asami]

So hypothetically, let's say that someone has a girlfriend waiting for them back home. And that that girlfriend isn't here in Luceti. And hypothetically, let's also say that, well, maybe due to forces completely beyond your control, like maybe during a shift, that person happened to get into a rather... deep relationship with someone else.

So then (hypothetically mind!), is that considered cheating?

Even more so, is it considered cheating if that person is still having dreams about that new relationship? That they weren't responsible for?

Oh yeah, and this person is also seeing ghosts or spirits of both this current and his former girlfriends everywhere here. Wherever he goes. As he's going to work, as he's eating lunch, at the beach. When he wakes up they're in his bed. Sometimes it seems like they want him to follow them, but then they turn around a corner and disappear.

I'm going insane.

It's driving this person insane. Hypothetically.

[Good save, Sokka. I'm sure they're not going to figure it out.]

EDIT: [Action / House 56 (a day or two later) / locked to Asami]

[After doing a lot of thinking and a lot of talking, Sokka has at least come to a few decisions about where things were. He still didn't entirely know where he felt, and he especially didn't where Asami was after it was all said and done with, but he did know deep down that he had to resolve this whole thing with her, partially for his own sake (and also so that he didn't feel like he had to keep sneaking through the house to avoid awkward meet-ups).

And so finally, instead of climbing up through the window, he comes into the front door and... hoping that he's lucky to catch her at home, knocks on Asami's door. While during the shift he practically could come in uninvited, he wasn't going to do that here.]

Hey, Asami, you in?

Comments

[Action]

[clumsyduck]

[Duck was walking around in the village square. She had just gotten some groceries since it was her turn to shop. That and she kind of took over most of the baking stuff while practicing. At least she didn't make a huge mess this time. Seeing Sokka, she walked over to him.]

Hey Sokka!

[But then she noticed something was wrong. Just from the way he carried himself and the way he looked right now. She couldn't help but feel concerned.]

Is everything alright?

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka happens to be coming back from lunch en route back to the smithy. He looks a little tired and more than a little spooked out too. His shoulders are slumped a little, and he's walking a little slower than normal. And generally, he's pretty oblivious to anyone else around.

Until little Duck calls out to him. It startles him slightly and he swings quickly her direction, only becoming less alarmed when he sees that it's his sort-of daughter.]

Oh, it's just you, Duck. Hey.

[Sokka thinks for a moment to see if he can think up the most sarcastic way possible of answering her question... but in Sokka's current state of being, there's just nothing. A Sokka without sarcasm is just a cruel fate.]

No, nothing's alright.

[ Action ]

[friendshipfirst]

[ Ash is currently out and about in Luceti with Pikachu and Snivy (no Charizard. Hard to walk around a village with a five-foot lizard following you) simply enjoying the outdoors. Also he was hungry, so he was considering maybe going to Seventh Heaven and possibly getting a bite to eat. But hmm, Cilan's food sounds good too...

Before he can really think of the possibility of food for much longer Ash notices Sokka and his train of thought changed as he made his way over with Pikachu on his shoulder and Snivy in tow. ]

Hey! Hey, Sokka!

[ He'll wave to try and get Sokka's attention. Although he doesn't notice that something seemed off about Sokka quite yet there is someone else without that group that seemed to notice something as they got closer.

The question is which one is the one noticing hmmm ]

[Acción]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka is definitely in deep thought. He's actually working his way from the Seventh Heaven (coincidentally enough) back to the Smithy so he can hammer out some frustrations as he works. It's at least one of the ways he can use to keep some of the figurative (ha!) distractions at bay while he works through his emotions.

Sokka is so deep in thought that he completely doesn't hear Ash cry out to him. In fact, it seems like his attention is pulled elsewhere for a moment, completely in a different direction. Only after a few shouts and some dramatic waves does Sokka finally reign in his focus and see Ash.]

Oh... Oh! Hey... Ash...

[He wanders over and immediately starts fumbling through his pockets for something.]

[Voice/Private]

[lordhotman]

[Forget the text. Zuko knows exactly what Sokka is talking about, and he's going to do the voice option. But keep it private for his friend's sake.]

What happend to "Whatever happens here, stays here?"

[Voice/Private]

[theideaguy]

[Okay. He'll do voice. With some annoyance.]

Hypothetically!

[There's a pause before he finally knows the jig is up. At least with Zuko.]

It's not the going home part I'm worried about. That's still the same deal. It's what happens if Suki were to come here.

[Text]

[foundafamily]

[Firo has strong opinions about these matters.]

It's cheating. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

[Well that's unkindly-worded medicine that won't go down well.]

Believe me, don't need help on that one. While you're at it, why don't you offer to show me a nice cliff I can fall off of?

Action

[notsosolo]

[Han's never been very good at staying still. He gets out fairly often. And eventually he wanders by the smithy and finds Sokka with the look of a man who is immersing himself in mechanical work to avoid something that doesn't make as much sense.]

Quite the set of projects you've got going here.

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Certainly Sokka is up to tinkering when Han comes. He's actually doing some of the last bits of assembly on what would appear to be a Poké Ball, should Han be familiar with them in any capacity. Sokka's got something similar to a jeweler's monocle as he looks does some delicate tweaking to the device with a small screwdriver. It's certainly not a mechanized device like Han would be familiar with, but it's still something that he's been working on for quite a while.

Though there do seem to be a number of newly created weapons in some of the aisles. Yes, Sokka's been markedly busy for the past bit.]

Yeah, it certainly makes the time pass by fairly well. [He finishes tightening a screw on the Poké Ball mockup before looking up to Han.] Besides, you never know when we're going to be in need of this given the way things are here.

[Written]

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor's handwriting is neat but quick cursive, and it pauses occasionally as she thinks about what she wants to say.]

Given the way this place manipulates us, I don't think you can really hold it against yourself. Once it made me believe I had a brother and a sister here. That's...the feeling...has never entirely gone away.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

Yeah, I've indirectly experienced something like that. My past self apparently was made to believe that he had a daughter. And she... or rather, a second version of her got readopted... [scratched out] Okay, never mind, that's too complicated to explain without entire paragraphs, but needless to say, I kind of sort of not really have a daughter here now?

That's not really the same thing, but...

So what you're saying is that, were you in those shoes, you'd understand?

Action

[tea_lover64]

[Iroh sits and waits underneath the roof for Sokka to climb down. He had seen it here before, and it was rather silly way to leave. This morning, technically speaking, he waits underneath part of the roof sitting with a cup of tea in hand. This was most certainly a sign, and needed to be addressed]

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[And here Sokka thought he was being clever. Silly, sure, but definitely clever. And early enough. But then again, having a dangling set of sheets hanging down out your window all day long would be kind of a give away, would it be. Clearly, he should have taken the slide.

So begins the morning ritual, and Sokka opens his window yet again and throws down the set of knotted sheets. But before he clambers down, he looks out and sees Iroh just casually sitting there with tea.

That wasn't supposed to happen!]

Iroh? What are you doing up and outside so early?

[That's right, Sokka. Play it cool.]

[Written]

[fortunesgun]

The general consensus seems to be that we lose all memories of Luceti upon returning to our homeworlds, so the first question is unnecessary, regardless of the answer.

[Not that answer particularly concerned Naoto, or that she had an opinion on the matter. Relationships were not something she was well-versed on.]

However, this matter of seeing "ghosts" probably warrants more investigation. It would be best to see a professional about those matters.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

Yeah, having been sent home once already, I've already figured the memory loss bit out.

Do we even have a professional on these matters?

[Great, someone just told him to go to a psychiatrist. Simply great.]

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

[Sokka's been scarce lately, so Aang's concerned. Especially with Katara and Wan both having been taken by the droids. So he spends some time searching the village for his friend. One of the first stops, by instinct, is the smithy. And so he pokes his head on in on through the door.]

Hello? Is anyone there?

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Aang happens to catch Sokka at a rare point where he's not at the forge and instead out front. He's been working on things that aren't just swords these days, starting to diversify his skill set slowly and surely. At the moment, he's currently got one of the cases open alongside the wall and is taking putting a machete along with its sheath within it.

Sokka doesn't really notice the door open. And so when Aang finally speaks, it completely startles Sokka. He bumps into the case's cover, causing it to slam down. Sokka's arms go flying through the air in an oddly defensive gesture as he spins to see who just came in.]

Oh... Aang, it's just you.

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

I don't think people can be held responsible for things they do because of a shift. Everyone believed that's how things were in the moment and acting accordingly resulting in people acting out of their usual norm. That said, it doesn't make any feelings, guilt especially, left after the shift any easier or less valid.

Is it cheating by definition? Sure, but unless you would get in that relationship as you are now and hide information about having a girlfriend back home, then it doesn't really count.

You and the other person need to sit down and talk. That's going to be the most important thing.

[A pause.]

As for the ghosts, rest assured you aren't the only one seeing them.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

Yeah, I think you're right. I've read about all of these shifts before, but this is the first really big one I've experienced here. It's crazy how absolutely totally it changed our perception of things. I figured that all the talk about them was just hyperbole.

[He pauses here too, thinking about things.]

I definitely need to have a talk over with her. As far as what happens yet, I still don't know what I want to happen yet.

written

[wipesfaith]

It doesn't count if a shift made you do it. It's not like you had any control over it, and it's not like you wanted it. It just kinda happened, right?

[This is what he chooses to believe, anyway. But it doesn't undo the knot of guilt that tightens in him when he remembers similar shifts that he'd suffered through. The mistletoe, and that Valentines holiday. The Malnosso seem overly fond of meddling in people's love lives - not that he has much of one to meddle in, but still.]

I don't know if you were here last winter, but there was this plant hanging up all over the place that if you walked under it, you'd get stuck there and it wouldn't let you leave until you got a kiss from somebody. It was stupid. Anyway, what I'm saying is none of it meant anything, and it's the same with what happened to you.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

[There certainly are a fair number of interpretations on this one. Though Jean's interpretation aligns with most of the others. And it certainly aligns with Sokka's... outside of the intense guilt he's been feeling otherwise.]

It certainly didn't feel like I had control over it. I certainly didn't have any conscious memories of ever having ever not been here in this place. And really, not this place but... this place as a school.

No, I wasn't here for winter but... that does seem like a cruel and stupid joke. Why would anyone associate kissing someone else with standing under a plant? I mean, there are assuredly better places to do that.

[smithy action]

[fellpool]

[Leon's been looking for ways to keep his mind off of the recent reality shift and, fortunately enough, been largely successful; with the start of school just around the corner, he has some notes to prep and nerves to get over.

But that doesn't mean that he doesn't have time to drop in to the smithy. While his role in the smithy has diminished since becoming a teacher, he still goes in to take stock of supplies in the back so that the tinkerers had stuff to work with.

In any case, it's as he's dropping off a box of bolts and screws in a particular corner of the forge that he notices Sokka -- and, perhaps more notably, the object he's working on.]

A Poké ball?

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka had seen Leon around, though admittedly very briefly. He hadn't really had the chance to really talk with him much at all; most of his reintroduction to the smithy was handled by Raven instead of Leon. Nevertheless, Sokka had been keeping this side project on the down low for a while, and only now that he was beginning to reach a milestone was he a little less careful with it.

He spins around when Leon mentions the sphere, and his eyes flit from Leon to the Ball and then back to him.]

Actually, yeah. It... doesn't work obviously, but I've finally figured out how to make the shape of them.

beach action.

[spiritwalking]

[Jinora saw the post her Uncle Sokka made and made an effort to seek him out. Turns out that when it became apparent that he wasn't in the village, she figured she'd just try to talk to him when he came home. Furry-Foot was invisible to Sokka and she could ask her spirit friend to keep an eye out for him.

But when she heads to the beach for her weekly connection with the water spirit of Luceti, there he was. Jinora sits down next to him silently, picking up a stone to skip it three times over the waves.]

I think...if Suki was here, she'd understand. Both about what happened during the shift and about feelings that shift might have caused.

And you aren't the only one seeing people. I keep seeing Ikki.

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[It's true, Sokka's been spending a lot of time clearing his head and getting out and away from things. While the forge is one of the places where he can distract himself from the apparitions and work on understanding his feelings, the beach was quite the opposite: She was here too, and Sokka used this moment to somehow connect with that, even if all these ghostly things were nothing but façades. He's sitting on the beach with his knees pulled close to his chest, and it's obvious that his attention is called out somewhere, possibly to a vision.

Unlike most of the other encounters that day, Sokka actually notices Jinora before she says anything, but he doesn't say anything until she finally begins the conversation.]

I'd like to think that's certainly true. It's never been easy, all that time away from her. But she's always trusted me to always look out for and care for her from afar. [He chuckles ruefully though.] Even despite knowing how much I still care about Yue.

You're seeing Ikki? [That brings an even bigger bittersweet smile.] I miss having her around. I only started getting to know her before she went back home.

[ Written ]

[generalflirt]

Of course you're accountable. Reality isn't kind enough to accept excuses.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

That usually is the way of things, isn't it? Although I certainly don't have to give my "professors" any excuses for not doing all their homework, so I'm lucky there.

[Sure, he's going to be a little sarcastic, though no more than usual. Masaomi at least didn't come on as strong as the other kid berating him.]

[action - beach]

[raavatars]

[ Korra had been looking for Sokka for a while now, especially since it became apparent that he was actually trying to avoid his housemates. She had a feeling she knew what it was about and since she was herself no stranger to the weird relationships that had developed during their "university stay" Korra wanted to try and talk to him… but it was difficult when she had such trouble finding him.

It wasn't until she finally decided to check out the beach that she'd heard about that she finally succeeded. ]

You sure you're not a waterbender? [ She asks, taking a seat on the sand next to him and punching his shoulder gently. ] Moping by the water, and everything?

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Yes, he's certainly been caught. He's not entirely surprised; so many others have managed to catch up with him, especially those that know his schedule a little better. It's not like Sokka didn't want people to catch up to him; it's just that he wanted to do it on more neutral or slightly more advantageous terms than being cornered in his room about things.

Nevertheless, when Korra comes up to him and gives him a gentle punch to the shoulder, Sokka sticks his tongue out at her for that.]

Really? A waterbender? [He imitates a waterbending motion that he's seen his sister all the time, imitating something that might make Korra wet if he actually could bend water. No such luck.] Hot happening. And before you even suggest it, I'm not a tearbender either.

written

[stilldontgotit]

It can't be helped. The Malnosso went and re-wired your memories. Gave you a new life. Even if you know it's a lie, it'll take a while to shake those memories. It's still too fresh.

[It's a good thing he's opting for written, honestly. It means he can mask the somber tone he'd no doubt speak.]

You're not the only one seeing ghosts of the people you love. I don't know what's happening, but just try to hold it together. I know that's a tall order, but there's gotta be a reason behind this.

[Written]

[theideaguy]

I guess I'm thankful I'm not the only one? [Ugh. It still doesn't make him feel better.] Doesn't help much, but at least it's the nice consolation prize?

Tell me, really, is Luceti normally this... wacky?

[ACTION]

[pendantry]

[Sokka really should've asked Raven about the pokeballs. Too late now; she sees his prototype after a while, reads that (embarrassing) text entry of his, and wanders around the smithy afterward until she finds him.]

Hey. [The standard greeting, but she doesn't like to hesitate when she can help it, so:] You have a girlfriend here now?

[Action]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka is at his desk at the moment, where he's been for a decent part of the time since the university shenanigans stopped. He takes a gander over Raven's way and is about to say hello to her before she follows up the follow-up question. And Sokka's eyes roll so far up his head and that.]

Ha ha, very funny. [Actually, that's probably the closest she's come to humor so far.] No, not yet. Or I did. Maybe. I don't think so now.

*SO LATE IT HURTS*

[misstechnobender]

[Things had been going just about as well for Asami as they had been for Sokka over the past few days. Though she hadn't been avoiding the house as obviously as the young water tribe man, she had most certainly kept to herself.

Just as Sokka had been plagued with conflicted emotions and memories, Asami had spent her recent nights curled tightly in her bed, burying then unburying her face in the pillow every few minutes as she tried to sort through everything.

She had not expected to have feelings like this so soon.

It went against every small but ever so present conclusion she had come to after she had broken things off with Mako again. She hadn't planned to seek someone out. She certainly hadn't planned to feel so strongly about someone she had just met... again. The entire shift had thrown her off just as she was starting to gain a proper footing in her new surroundings....now everything was unstable again, and she didn't like it.

While confused, she had, in the end, decided she needed to approach Sokka. One way or another, they needed to address what had happened between them. Thankfully things between them hadn't progressed as quickly as Korra and Zuko's 'faux' relationship had-- THANK. SPIRITS-- but oddly enough... her strange and too familiar longing to be around him remained, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same. If he didn't, it would be somewhat of a comfort, she supposed, though that odd emotion piqued each time she convinced herself of that; part of her actually still wanted him to feel that way about her. But no... that couldn't be genuine...

...right?

Regardless, she had taken notion to seek him out, each time finding herself unsuccessful; he was either never home or always asleep. The moment she hears his voice at her door, she blinks and immediately stops what she's doing, freezing a moment before she finally response.]

Yeah, I'm around... Hey, Sokka.

[Her tone is light and kind; things may be confusing, but while it's still relationship struggles and her track record with them is a bit lacking, she's willing to keep a level head about things. There's no need to make things anymore awkward. She turns her gaze to the door and closes the journal in her lap as she sits on the edge of her bed. It's just them now. ]

*BETTER LATE THAN NEVER*

[theideaguy]

[Though Asami doesn't know it yet, Sokka is similarly conflicted on so many accounts. No matter his attempts to clear his head and come to exactly one opinion on the matter, it has just not been possible. Everyone else was right; he had to talk with Asami to at least clear the air and try to move forward with it... whatever it was. But all the same, he still felt a strong attachment and an obligation to Suki back home... and yet, he just couldn't clear his head of what clearly was a strong attraction to Asami.

Sokka pushes open Asami's door, and at once his face is revealed. It's conflicted, confused, uncertain. The confident and cocky side of Sokka of last week has vanished and been replaced with a much more humble one. He enters in and takes a seat on the floor, almost echoing their first encounter the week before, but he doesn't want to be forward after what's happened, and he wants to respect her space.]

I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I was—I was trying to clear my head of all this. But I've come to realize that I can't really do that without talking to you. So... we should talk.

[He finally looks up from the carpet to see Asami's face. Just looking at her makes his stomach move in weird ways, but... he needs to face the music.]

So... want me to go first?

[He'll let her choose, but at least he'll be the man and offer.]