¤ 39 - The Noble Steed

[honorinflames]

Make sure you hold on tight. Don't let go or you'll fall.

Okay!

Now just give him a little nudge with your feet...

Okay!

[in some hallway, there is a firebender, a little dark-haired toddler... and a miserable-looking husky wearing a makeshift saddle. And a makeshift set of reins, which the little girl is obediently hanging onto. She bounces in the saddle a little, but the dog doesn't budge]

[and Natsuki walks in, a bag of take out in one hand and drinks in the other. And stops.]

What the hell are you doing to my dog?

Uh... [then, as Zuko shoots a glance over his shoulder, the little girl giggles and kicks her feet into the dog's sides! ...But the poor thing just... flops over onto the floor and despairs]


((ooc: open over the journal or in person, either before or after 'mommy' shows up))

Comments

dictated

[waterbends]

Adorable. Really.

[honorinflames]

[shut up.]

...I'm just trying to keep her occupied.

[waterbends]

You sound like you're doing a pretty good job.

-- do you mind if I visit her?

[honorinflames]

I don't mind. [--maybe said a little too quickly. you are the best babysitter, Katara]

action

[spongetastic]

[Mary is watching the family with a confused look on her face. That girl is riding a dog like it's a horse. That's really weird]

[honorinflames]

[yeah, she is, and it looks likes she thinks it's awesome. You should be jealous, kid]

Go! go go!

[and, since the dog isn't really going by itself, Zuko kind of... gently tugs him forward a couple steps]

[spongetastic]

Why are you riding a dog?

[honorinflames]

Ostrich horse! [--actually managing to not butcher the words too badly.

...Which leaves her daddy to actually explain]

Because he's big enough.

[spongetastic]

[Mary puzzles this out] Can I play with the ostrich horse?

[honorinflames]

No.

[she clutches the reins a little tighter to her chest, but Zuko sighs and tugs the dog a little closer to the other girl, trying to encouraging him to be friendly]

Yes.

[spongetastic]

Thank you.

[Mary reaches over, offering her hand for the dog to sniff]

[honorinflames]

[the dog sniffs her hand... and gives her the most pleading look ever. save him. D:]

His name is Blitz.

[spongetastic]

Hello, Blitz. [poor little thing. She wants to save you but doesn't want to run off with someone's dog]

My name is Mary.

[honorinflames]

[when the unfriendly-looking girl doesn't say anything, her even-more-unfriendly-looking father prompts her]

Go on. Tell her your name.

[after a somewhat mulish frown--] ...Amai.

[spongetastic]

Nice to meet you. [she's polite despite the unfriendliness]

[sexyhitchhiker]

[she places the food on the floor and doesn't turn away from Zuko. She's still waiting for an answer.

On the other hand, the dog pads up to Natsuki - apparently, she's the only one in the 'family' who isn't out to get him. He's whining, but it looks like the little girl is having fun. She flicks the make shift reins, giggling.]

Yip-yip!

[honorinflames]

What?

[don't give him that look]

She wanted to ride.

[sexyhitchhiker]

He's a dog, not a horse. They might pull sleds, but they don't carry people.

[and he slumps to the floor again. What is life.

She eyes the makeshift reins and saddle.] Did you make that?

[honorinflames]

[horse-creatures and dog-creatures equally carry people where he's from, so your argument is invalid]

She's small enough. And she was having fun.

[he's leaving that last question alone, though]

[sexyhitchhiker]

[your world is fucking weird, so your argument is even more invalid]

He's not trained for it. [gods be good, don't let him roll over.

She sighs though and kneels, digging out a packet of dog treats from one of the bags. And the dog gets a smile, a light, happy tone of voice, and earscratches.]

There's a good dog. Up. [he gets up, ears perked up and tail wagging a little.] Who's a good, smart, handsome boy who can carry kids around like nothing? That's right, it's you!

[as she gives Blitz a treat, Amai reaches forward and pets the dog on the head.] Good boy!

[honorinflames]

See? It's fine.

[he's left just standing around now, arms folded defensively.

...whatever, his idea was great.]

[sexyhitchhiker]

[the glare she's giving him should be speaking volumes.]

You're lucky nothing stupid happen and the dog didn't try to bite her or something.

[it's difficult to go into detail about what could have happened had he rolled over or sat without saying those specific words]

[honorinflames]

He wasn't going to bite her. I know what I'm doing.

[if he was riding mongoose dragons at her age, she could ride a dog.

also, she's now looking up at mommy daddy fighting, now]

...Bite?

[sexyhitchhiker]

Well that would be a fi -

[she grimaces when the kid pipes up. Arguing isn't going to solve the problem and she doubts the kid would be willing give up this new toy anytime soon.

Zuko gets a dirty look, but she kneels and speaks to Amai as seriously as possible.]

Okay, remember what we said about not pulling his fur because it hurts him? This is the same thing, alright? Don't kick him too hard or yank on the reins. He won't like it and then he won't want to give you rides anymore.

[well. Not that he wants to give rides in the first place, but maybe this way she can get the dog through the week without overly traumatizing him.]

[honorinflames]

[Zuko manages to mostly hide the eyeroll by turning away, going and picking up his journal from where he'd left it]

Whatever. It's your turn to take over anyway. Do whatever you want.

[sexyhitchhiker]

[she gives the kid a look and then rolls her eyes. Amai giggles, and Natsuki finds herself giving the kid a smile.]

Food's here if you want it. [she gestures to the take-out and then walks off with the dog treats.]

C'mon, Blitz. [the dog follows, more or less happily. The kid laughs and nudges the dog's side with her feet.]

Faster! [Natsuki keeps the same pace, though their epic journey around the lobby area is frequently punctuated by rest stops to give treats to the dog.]

[honorinflames]

[Zuko does divvy up some food for himself, settling down to sulk and sullenly watch his pretend family make their trip around the lobby. He'll busy himself with looking at the journal too, just so he doesn't look like he's finding some enjoyment in watching them or anything]

[moonlightmagician]

[ There's a magician coming down the opposite end of the hall carrying two toddlers under his arms and saying something about how they shouldn't run off before noticing the dog with the saddle which causes the twins to squirm. They want to ride too! ]

...I don't think that's good for the dog's back..

[honorinflames]

[and the toddler riding the dog grips the reins a little closer to her chest. She doesn't want to share.

Zuko, meanwhile, gives the guy and his kids a sideways glance]

He's a strong dog. It's fine.

[moonlightmagician]

[ She has nothing to worry about because Kaito isn't about to let his kid ride a dog. ]

Doesn't matter if he's strong or not. Dogs aren't meant to be treated as pack-mules. They're not built the same at a horse.

[honorinflames]

[he's obviously never seen a polar bear dog, then.]

He's not your dog, so he's none of your business. [--say the guy who is also not the owner of the dog]

[moonlightmagician]

That maybe so. But I tend to get bent out of shape over people mistreating animals. -You're condemning the poor thing to a bad back later on in life.

[honorinflames]

It's one ride, and he's fine, so get lost.

[oop, the little girl is looking between the two of them with big eyes. Daddy's getting mad...]