In ricochet.

You have to do the opposite of what people expect. How else will you surprise them?

disregardedscar​:

“I see,” Zuko replied, not seeing at all. He figured in that case, she had to carry him for a time before he’d gotten used to it. He scowled, imagining her hands in his as she held him up.

It’s just - everything about her rubbed him the wrong way. He had no proof, but there was something nefarious about the woman, despite her helping Sol and the other boys.

He wondered what lives Mars and Pluto lived before coming there. They must’ve been fairly bad for them to decide to stay permanently. No family to return to, or they were too rotten to bother with. He understood.

“So no one has ever decided to leave?”

His choices still lay before him - stay or go. His uncle - well, if he stayed, it seemed he’d be able to visit him still. The idea of Iroh coming with him was also appealing, though unlikely.

..This was definitely something he’d disapprove of.

But - Sol was there.

He adjusted his grip on Sol and looked at him. The thought of leaving, perhaps never seeing him again? It made his chest ache.

Sol eyed him carefully in between gazing below at their route, wondering what the other boy was thinking of it all.

“No, but — I’ve only asked those you’ve already seen, and they’ve all had their doubts, at least, at one time or another.”

They had considered leaving, of course, but no one had done or really tried to do so… Saturn, perhaps, had come the closest to that, having more and better attachments on the mainland than the rest.

Neptune had thought leaving life might be better, sometimes.

Sol was uncertain how much he ought to reveal, however, given that those were not his stories, and they could still be told by the others if they, naturally, wished… some information he felt was appropriate enough, when everyone else knew it anyway, and it was only a matter of time and being new to the island rather than something more secret or — possibly — personal. 

“If you’d like, you can ask them about it once we return,” he suggested openly, gripping Zuko more tightly as he moved his hands so that their connection wouldn’t be severed.

Zuko closed his eyes briefly as a sudden gust of wind struck them. It occurred to him that while having been in the sky more than once, he hadn’t attempted to touch clouds. And today was fairly cloudless. Next time.

“Yeah, maybe.”

He was reluctant to speak to any of them. Talking to people he wasn’t familiar with didn’t come naturally, and as a result, he barely had friends. Zuko found the boys interesting, but the possibility of a genuine friendship felt very far away.

So the others had considered leaving, but something convinced them to stay. It was intriguing and terrifying, like he was being.. seduced by the place.

There was some relief in being elsewhere for now, with only Sol for company. Zuko glanced at where Sol held him, keeping him from plummeting to his certain death, and his face flushed.

He let his imagination take the reins, only for a moment. He thought of Sol holding him simply because he wanted to. Taking him places because he preferred Zuko’s company over everyone else’s.

“Have you traveled far?”

He imagined, having been a prince, Zuko would have some experience with other places, even if it was only different environments in his homeland.

He wondered if he would tell the others, of his prior status on the mainland but for him, it seemed like something that would appear only if it was relevant to the subject at hand... Sol didn’t know why he would lie about it, aside from being exiled. 

It would hardly prove to be a danger on the island, in any event, such things made no difference there.

disregardedscar​:

Zuko didn’t try to hide what was likely a disappointed look on his face, both by Icio’s inability to answer his question, and the name ‘New Holland.’ He’d hoped that it was called something better. Perhaps in another time.

His mood shifted once Icio began to whisper, the look in his eyes now electrifying, and he moved closer. Icio spoke of leaving as if he was truly considering it.

But they both knew it was nearly impossible. A last resort. Did Icio know something he didn’t? Had they reached that point already?

Or, was he just getting lost in a fantasy? And that it was pointless after all?

He reached for Icio’s hand and held it to his chest.

“Do you - do you really think we can do it?” Up to that last bit, anyway.

Something, anything to have some sort of hope cling to, instead of sinking deeper into despair day by day.

If it really was possible, then they had around a year and a half to see it through. A year and a half to find people who were loyal and be sure that their plan would stay in their circle. They’d have to make sure to measure the time it would take to reach New Holland and gather enough supplies to last.

Although he had precisely no inkling of how they could manage it, Icio grasped Zuko’s hand back, at least wishing to demonstrate how much he wanted it, too.

“..I want to. I can’t think of a way without far more allies and resources, but..”

Fayelynn and Seruni would help, though he was uncertain as to what extent they would be willing to. Icio could think of a few others like them, and more possibilities, yet even with all of those he doubted their likelihood of success.

“We can seek to obtain them, of course.”

Certainly, there were others who wanted the same and had tried ( perhaps triumphed, if powerful in either numbers or abilities ) to achieve it in the past; it was convincing them it would be worth the fight enough to fight for it themselves, and now that would be an issue, for most and it would still be difficult finding them in addition to the few it wouldn’t be an issue for.

However deeply they desired it and were willing to try, the vampire was not confident, nonetheless at this point. 

They would begin to gather these things, and hopefully, true confidence would follow.

For a moment he was still and silent, absorbing what was said and determining if it wasn’t a figment of his imagination. Though Zuko wasn’t going to give up, it felt like reality was chained to his ankles and he was fighting with every step forward.

Zuko smiled. It was risky. It involved having to trust others. But it was a plan. One that didn’t sound entirely impossible. Icio having even enough hope to mention this gave Zuko renewed energy.

“Yes,” Zuko agreed. “..And what better place than here?”

Actually, it was the best and the worst place. They’d be able to make the most connections there, but potential allies were in mixed in with enemies. The Tsarina herself lurked the halls. If they sought someone out, they couldn’t be wrong.

The thought of it all now, though, left Zuko feeling dizzy. He held onto Icio’s bicep as he steadied himself. The library was quiet, but it didn’t shield him from the buzz of activity he felt within the castle. It was overwhelming.

Still low, Icio pressed on,

“...Considering that, we don’t have a lot of time.”

Not that they did anyhow.

“We should speak to those who may speak to others first, those who are more likely to feel the same. I have only heard of a few that wouldn’t be here, that we could send for once we return.”

Very old or powerful creatures with very sound reasons not to come were the only ones allowed their absence, if the Tsarina or her court desired them to be present... and they were often so few and so far removed from society, even vampires as old as Icio had never met them.

“We can ask them who else we ought to ask, as well.”

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