avocado_love (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
avocado_love) wrote2010-03-14 03:08 pm
avocado_love) wrote2010-03-14 03:08 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: Fire And Water (2)
Note: I've never actually written for Kakashi or Gai before (other than a sentence or two). Let me know if they seem out of character?
******
Miles out to sea, an armada of steel-plated warships tugged steadily northwards – billows of coal-choked air rising from each one.
And deep within the bowels o one random ship stood a man, leaning idly against on of the warm boiler room walls, his nose stuck in a little orange book. Or at least, what could be seen of his nose. The lower half of his face was covered by a thin, dark mask, and his right eye hidden by a jauntily angled bandanna emblazed with the Fire Nation insignia. He stood there quiet and undisturbed… but waiting. Clearly waiting.
Suddenly the torches along the walls and the kerosene lamp at his side flared Dramatically. Another figure leapt into view – the flickering light seemed to turn the new-comer’s red and gold uniform a garish green for the briefest of moments.
“Ah! I have found you at last, my most esteemed rival!”
The first man made no reaction at all, his half lidded eye trailing slowly over the page in front of him. “Yo.”
"You are just too youthful and hip for me, Kakashi!" Commander Gai said, striking a pose with his thumbs up. His bright teeth glinted in the firelight. "I swear to defeat more waterbenders than you or I will run the length of this ship twenty times on my hands! I have come to offer you a challenge!"
When Kakashi made no move, the smile slipped slightly from Gai’s face. He cast a glance around and spoke quietly (for him). “Don’t tell me you are concerned about our upcoming glorious campaign? We are led by the brave Admiral Zhao, who has advanced in rank faster than no other! Not to mention the esteemed Dragon of The West, who, even in his time of grief for his precious nephew—”
“I served under Iroh at Ba Sing Se,” Kakashi interrupted, casually flipping another page. “I have seen him grieve before.” And all the earthbender’s who fell as a result. The whole platoon…
“While General Iroh is not in the springtime of his youth, I’m sure the flame of honor burns—” Gai stumbled to a halt as his brain caught up with his mouth. Despite what some may say about him, Kakashi knew the other commander to be surprisingly perceptive. “Ah,” he said, with a knowing nod. “You believe The Dragon of The West has something of his own planned.”
Kakashi rolled a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “I think something interesting may happen.” A pause. “Have you happened to notice the moon, recently?”
“Yes! I find it most invigorating to train by the light of the moon. It strengths my eyesight and fans my inner fire ever hotter—”
“It is nearly full.”
“Ah!” Gai exclaimed again, punching his fist into the air. “As we draw our power from the brightly burning sun, so do the dishonorable barbarians seek theirs from the moon. Very clever, my eternal rival!”
“Well, that is why I am a genius.”
Then Gai fell silent for a moment, thinking. When he spoke, his voice was as solemn as Kakashi had ever heard it. “We have better ships, more youthful and vigorous crew. Yet the sun does not shine so brightly in the poles. We are being sent into a disadvantage. Why?”
Kakashi glanced up. His visible eye was hard and flinty. “Why, indeed?”
“Hmm. Then I vow to train even harder than before!” Gai beamed. “I will run fifty times around the ship and perform no less than five-hundred hotsquats! You must spare with me, my eternal rival, so that we will be at the very peak of our strength against our foe!”
Kakashi hesitated, and then shut his book with a snap. “I think I will.”
******
Next time: "Master Pakku wants you see him at once," the girl -- what had her name been? Karana? Katana? Katara. -- said, "He wants a list of your best students, to help on the wall."
Iruka stared at her, at her bright, innocent blue eyes and wondered if she knew she just asked for him to provide a list of children to send to war.
******
Miles out to sea, an armada of steel-plated warships tugged steadily northwards – billows of coal-choked air rising from each one.
And deep within the bowels o one random ship stood a man, leaning idly against on of the warm boiler room walls, his nose stuck in a little orange book. Or at least, what could be seen of his nose. The lower half of his face was covered by a thin, dark mask, and his right eye hidden by a jauntily angled bandanna emblazed with the Fire Nation insignia. He stood there quiet and undisturbed… but waiting. Clearly waiting.
Suddenly the torches along the walls and the kerosene lamp at his side flared Dramatically. Another figure leapt into view – the flickering light seemed to turn the new-comer’s red and gold uniform a garish green for the briefest of moments.
“Ah! I have found you at last, my most esteemed rival!”
The first man made no reaction at all, his half lidded eye trailing slowly over the page in front of him. “Yo.”
"You are just too youthful and hip for me, Kakashi!" Commander Gai said, striking a pose with his thumbs up. His bright teeth glinted in the firelight. "I swear to defeat more waterbenders than you or I will run the length of this ship twenty times on my hands! I have come to offer you a challenge!"
When Kakashi made no move, the smile slipped slightly from Gai’s face. He cast a glance around and spoke quietly (for him). “Don’t tell me you are concerned about our upcoming glorious campaign? We are led by the brave Admiral Zhao, who has advanced in rank faster than no other! Not to mention the esteemed Dragon of The West, who, even in his time of grief for his precious nephew—”
“I served under Iroh at Ba Sing Se,” Kakashi interrupted, casually flipping another page. “I have seen him grieve before.” And all the earthbender’s who fell as a result. The whole platoon…
“While General Iroh is not in the springtime of his youth, I’m sure the flame of honor burns—” Gai stumbled to a halt as his brain caught up with his mouth. Despite what some may say about him, Kakashi knew the other commander to be surprisingly perceptive. “Ah,” he said, with a knowing nod. “You believe The Dragon of The West has something of his own planned.”
Kakashi rolled a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “I think something interesting may happen.” A pause. “Have you happened to notice the moon, recently?”
“Yes! I find it most invigorating to train by the light of the moon. It strengths my eyesight and fans my inner fire ever hotter—”
“It is nearly full.”
“Ah!” Gai exclaimed again, punching his fist into the air. “As we draw our power from the brightly burning sun, so do the dishonorable barbarians seek theirs from the moon. Very clever, my eternal rival!”
“Well, that is why I am a genius.”
Then Gai fell silent for a moment, thinking. When he spoke, his voice was as solemn as Kakashi had ever heard it. “We have better ships, more youthful and vigorous crew. Yet the sun does not shine so brightly in the poles. We are being sent into a disadvantage. Why?”
Kakashi glanced up. His visible eye was hard and flinty. “Why, indeed?”
“Hmm. Then I vow to train even harder than before!” Gai beamed. “I will run fifty times around the ship and perform no less than five-hundred hotsquats! You must spare with me, my eternal rival, so that we will be at the very peak of our strength against our foe!”
Kakashi hesitated, and then shut his book with a snap. “I think I will.”
******
Next time: "Master Pakku wants you see him at once," the girl -- what had her name been? Karana? Katana? Katara. -- said, "He wants a list of your best students, to help on the wall."
Iruka stared at her, at her bright, innocent blue eyes and wondered if she knew she just asked for him to provide a list of children to send to war.