[She gives a contemptuous scoff at that- she'll believe it when she sees it.]
Fine. First, your wise and precious new Avatar decided she'd rather trust her fate to poison than allow me to heal her, as if I hadn't been healing these worthless fools since I arrived. But oh, when I defend myself against a gelfling assassin attacking me with a hammer, I'm the monster.
[She folds her arms and glares defiantly at him as she spits out the explanation, as if daring him to chastise her, as she's certain he intends to.]
[Ugh, no. She can't get sidetracked. She snaps, very suddenly-]
That's not the point. Everybody here refuses to acknowledge the threat these creatures represent, and acts as if I'm some sort of rabid animal just for pointing it out, no matter how many times they act to subvert us. Working beside them is a waste of my time.
[ He nods. Good. She didn't randomly kill. That's... better than he thought. ]
I can see how the people here might be a threat, yes, especially since they all seem content to live under Vaeros's rule. But the ones brought here? None of them are content with Vaeros, as witnessed by the ones who stormed the castle with us.
Which... she expected, but it still bothers her, rankles her to a surprising degree. She'd thought for a moment that he- Ugh. Zu-zu was always an idiot, after all, why should it frustrate her so much that he still doesn't get it?]
Of course they do, up until it comes to these pathetic wretches we're forced to live with! The goblins and gelflings brainwash us, sabotage our efforts to oppose Vaeros, they attack us in broad daylight, and still when I suggest something as simple, as obvious, as simply maintaining a modicum of separation in order to protect ourselves, they react with indignation and outrage!
[Okay, she's ranting. She's ranting. The loss of composure is unacceptable, humiliating. She hisses a breath, tries to restrain the frustration, to regain her composure.
It... sort of works. She at least manages to level out her breathing a little.]
[ He sighs. He's seeing her point. Unfortunately, he also sees the other side. He has to see the other side. ]
While you're not wrong, Azula, there are some here who've never faced the opposition of an invasion force. They will not understand if you try to shove it down their throats. I believe a peaceful solution must be tried first and militarily last, but the keeping separate? That has to be an individual choice.
I don't believe that we should become too integrated, that's giving up on the possibility of going home. Something, I am unwilling to do.
Precisely. It is an individual choice, and if nobody else will make it with me, I'll make it myself.
[She doesn't sound like she approves, there's still plenty of resentment lacing her voice. When she speaks again, though, she seems to have resumed her usual neutrally smug demeanor.]
So. Let the defense force and the clinic continue wasting their time protecting spies and sycophants who will inevitably stab us in the back at every opportunity. I'll do what I should have been doing all along and work alone.
[ It's asked reasonably. Because he's still holding his temper. ]
However, you bring up a good point. We have been betrayed, and it would be foolish to believe there are not spies among them. But the presentation is what's lacking.
[ He frowns, thinking about it. ]
Let me speak to a few friends, see what I can do. Perhaps the way to do it is to change one mind, not all.
[Hrmph. As irrational and absurd as it is, he has a point- he certainly seems to have the edge when it comes to being liked, a skill Azula largely considered useless but which seems to be all that matters here.
She regards it as a failing of this place.]
Fine. But don't be surprised when the bleeding hearts get upset with you for not being nice.
Princess Jasmine. I had thought her the most reasonable of the moralizing fools, but she was among those who scolded me for defending myself. Little wonder that her council accomplished nothing.
[... At least, it accomplished nothing by the standards of somebody who measures action in military and state terms.]
I may as well warn you. If you do talk to her, she will be insufferable.
I'm not particularly interested in trying to persuade the whole village at this point, even if I thought you were capable of it. If you somehow manage to convince the princess to stop being a fool, she'll likely be more persuasive than you to the rest of them anyway. But I'm not holding my breath.
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no subject
And why would they believe that Azula? You've done nothing, have you?
[ He's asking because he needs to know how she thinks. ]
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[And boy, she sounds bitter when she says it, the weary attempt at smugness having utterly dissolved into a sudden snappishness.]
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If you say you've done nothing, I will believe you, Azula. Unless brought proof, I don't automatically assume you're guilty.
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Fine. First, your wise and precious new Avatar decided she'd rather trust her fate to poison than allow me to heal her, as if I hadn't been healing these worthless fools since I arrived. But oh, when I defend myself against a gelfling assassin attacking me with a hammer, I'm the monster.
[She folds her arms and glares defiantly at him as she spits out the explanation, as if daring him to chastise her, as she's certain he intends to.]
no subject
Then that was Korra's choice. I cannot blame you for that, or for defending yourself. Is the gelfling dead?
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No, he- he was supposed to-
What?
What?]
...I was persuaded to spare it.
[Ugh, no. She can't get sidetracked. She snaps, very suddenly-]
That's not the point. Everybody here refuses to acknowledge the threat these creatures represent, and acts as if I'm some sort of rabid animal just for pointing it out, no matter how many times they act to subvert us. Working beside them is a waste of my time.
no subject
I can see how the people here might be a threat, yes, especially since they all seem content to live under Vaeros's rule. But the ones brought here? None of them are content with Vaeros, as witnessed by the ones who stormed the castle with us.
no subject
Which... she expected, but it still bothers her, rankles her to a surprising degree. She'd thought for a moment that he- Ugh. Zu-zu was always an idiot, after all, why should it frustrate her so much that he still doesn't get it?]
Of course they do, up until it comes to these pathetic wretches we're forced to live with! The goblins and gelflings brainwash us, sabotage our efforts to oppose Vaeros, they attack us in broad daylight, and still when I suggest something as simple, as obvious, as simply maintaining a modicum of separation in order to protect ourselves, they react with indignation and outrage!
[Okay, she's ranting. She's ranting. The loss of composure is unacceptable, humiliating. She hisses a breath, tries to restrain the frustration, to regain her composure.
It... sort of works. She at least manages to level out her breathing a little.]
no subject
While you're not wrong, Azula, there are some here who've never faced the opposition of an invasion force. They will not understand if you try to shove it down their throats. I believe a peaceful solution must be tried first and militarily last, but the keeping separate? That has to be an individual choice.
I don't believe that we should become too integrated, that's giving up on the possibility of going home. Something, I am unwilling to do.
no subject
[She doesn't sound like she approves, there's still plenty of resentment lacing her voice. When she speaks again, though, she seems to have resumed her usual neutrally smug demeanor.]
So. Let the defense force and the clinic continue wasting their time protecting spies and sycophants who will inevitably stab us in the back at every opportunity. I'll do what I should have been doing all along and work alone.
no subject
[ It's asked reasonably. Because he's still holding his temper. ]
However, you bring up a good point. We have been betrayed, and it would be foolish to believe there are not spies among them. But the presentation is what's lacking.
[ He frowns, thinking about it. ]
Let me speak to a few friends, see what I can do. Perhaps the way to do it is to change one mind, not all.
no subject
And even if I had the slightest faith in your ability to be persuasive, why would you do that?
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Abrasive and-
[How dare. How very dare. Her frustration and indignation is momentarily forgotten in a moment of very mundane sibling irritation.]
Like you have room to talk! All sullen and pathetic all the time, and that's when you aren't getting bent out of shape over nothing!
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Neither of us is the most diplomatic, but you have to admit my diplomacy - which is needed here - is a little better than yours.
no subject
She regards it as a failing of this place.]
Fine. But don't be surprised when the bleeding hearts get upset with you for not being nice.
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[ Which is the fight, honestly, and he knows it. He knows that he'll have to work at this. ]
Who's head of the council?
no subject
Princess Jasmine. I had thought her the most reasonable of the moralizing fools, but she was among those who scolded me for defending myself. Little wonder that her council accomplished nothing.
[... At least, it accomplished nothing by the standards of somebody who measures action in military and state terms.]
I may as well warn you. If you do talk to her, she will be insufferable.
no subject
I'll talk to her. She sent me a tea set. We have a report even if it's a shallow one.
[ He scratches at the back of his neck. ]
anyone else?
no subject
[She rolls her eyes.]
I'm not particularly interested in trying to persuade the whole village at this point, even if I thought you were capable of it. If you somehow manage to convince the princess to stop being a fool, she'll likely be more persuasive than you to the rest of them anyway. But I'm not holding my breath.
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[ He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. ]
Thank you, Azula.
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[...She sounds like she really believes that.]
If there's nothing else?
[She doesn't wait for a response before she turns and starts to leave.]