♖ 003.

[summerschild]

Who: Bran Stark and YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: The Dusty Moon
When: 9/23

[Just a short broadcast, as this tiny wolf child makes some Serious Contemplations...]

What do you... What makes a person good, do you think? Is it something they can control?

[He can be found out by the stables, getting as close to the horses as he can in his chair, without rolling over their feet. He wishes so hard that he could just climb up and ride one - almost as much as he wishes he could shift into his wolf's skin, and run with the strange fox-dogs out in the desert sand. Today is not a very happy day.]

Comments

action;

[bolder]

[Toph doesn't give a crap about the horses, but she does give a crap about Bran. She hears the broadcast, she goes out of her way to track him down. Of course, she'll never admit to that.]

Hey, Bran!

[summerschild]

[Bran looks behind him, and gives a little nod of acknowledgement. He isn't the plaintive, self-righteous child from the Marsiva right now; he looks much more like the little lord who lost his castle.]

Toph.

[bolder]

[Oh, so he got boring. Lame. Toph walks up to him, minding the stupid riding beasts.]

What're you doing?

[summerschild]

I'm just thinking.

[Boring is good. Boring is safe.]

[bolder]

[Augh no. Uuuuugh. She sucks it up.]

Why?

[summerschild]

Why does it matter to you?

[bolder]

[Wow. Wooooow. She's trying to be nice. Don't make this harder.]

I guess it doesn't. [Toph turns to leave.]

[summerschild]

[Bran lets her leave for a second, and then-]

Have you ever killed anyone?

[bolder]

[Well, that stops her. Toph turns around to face him, a little more curious.]

Not that I know of... Why?

[summerschild]

[She's the last person he'll tell this to. Just Allen, and Ino, and Toph. His family here.]

I didn't look them in the eye. I didn't know their names. Father always said I should make sure to do those things.

[bolder]

[Oh... Well, that sucks. Toph sighs and shifts her foot on the dusty earth. The ground beneath Bran's chair shifts a little, moving him away from the animals and towards her.]

What happened?

[summerschild]

I shot people, during the attack. And Allen got mad at me, because I told him I enjoyed it, and I didn't think about their families.

[It all comes out in a low, pained whimper.]

But I didn't enjoy killing. I just wanted to feel like I was strong, because I can never defend anybody. I can never defend my family. So I killed people, just like I have at home, and I don't think I like myself very much anymore.

[bolder]

[Note to self: Seal Allen in his room on the ship. For a week.

She scowls, both at his statement and tone of voice. Toph keeps walking, heading god knows where. Bran's metal chair trails along beside her.]

Stuff like that's a rush. You're really in the moment with power and exhilaration. It takes a lot of practice not to let it overwhelm you. [It might be weird for Toph to have a straight talk with him. but she can tell he needs one.] Your family might not want you to have to protect them. And I know they wouldn't want you not liking yourself. [A brief pause.] I know I don't.

[summerschild]

[Bran gives a look of protest at Toph moving his chair, but it's half-hearted. His reaction to her words, however, is anything but. His ears flush, and he starts to twist his hands back up.]

I'm a useless cripple and my whole family left me.

[It's said as a challenge, a sort of "How could you like me?" Like he's fighting with the acceptance he's receiving.]

[bolder]

No, you're an annoying kid, and we're right here.

[She doesn't look over, she doesn't need to. Even if she can't see his reactions, she can guess well enough. Plus, her own forcibly neutral expression is more than enough for her.]

Come on, we're getting food.

[summerschild]

[It takes him a second to realize what she's just said, and when he does he clenches his jaw, trying to keep it from shaking. He misses his family so much, but Toph is right. He has more of one now than he's been able to have since the day Robb left for war and never came back. And they care for him. He doesn't know why, but he can feel that they do - Ino, and Toph, and sometimes Allen. He turns his head a little - even though Toph couldn't see his tears, he feels like he needs to hide them.]

Alright.

[bolder]

Good. What're you in the mood for? [She pauses a little.] What do they even serve here? It better be good. None of that gelly stuff. Blech.

[They're reaching the edge of town, and she twirls her finger, his chair turning away so he won't get a face full of the oncoming dusty breeze.]

Any ideas?

[summerschild]

I don't know what they eat on this planet. A lot of food is still strange to me.

[Like sandwiches. He just doesn't understand them.]

[bolder]

[Oh you sweet su-- Never mind. Toph taps her foot in thought before continuing towards what seems to be a salloon type of thing.]

This is a food place, right? [There's a loud crash and shouting from inside. Please stop her.]

[summerschild]

I don't think so. It's very loud.

[He winces at a particularly loud thumb, which shakes the door.]

[bolder]

[Toph sighs heavily, almost disappointed. Good call, though.]

Fine. Point me in the direction of one that looks acceptable.

[summerschild]

[Toph don't you know that choosing a restaurant is literally the most stressful friendship experience.]

Um...

[He looks up and down the street. They are at a major disadvantage here.]

How do I tell if it has food?

[bolder]

[Boy, she has faith in you.]

Try smelling. If you can, look inside. There'll be people sitting down, likely not a huge crowd at a table. If there is, they're probably gambling. We can avoid those places.

Also check out their body language. Are people relaxed or tense? I know I'm feeling pretty good when I'm having a good meal. Don't you? Tell me not only what you see, but what you think it means.

[Somehow this turned into a lesson as well. Why not.]

[summerschild]

[Bran tries it as they pass the next one.]

I smell...

[He isn't actually sure.]

Ale, I think. And something bad.

[He takes as good of a look as he can, and whatever he sees makes him shake his head rapidly.]

We shouldn't go into that one.

[bolder]

Good call. What about the two up from that? It's a food place. Notice anything saying we should avoid it?