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video; un:mako

Uh, hey. Mako here.

[ Nailing it so far, right? Mako's standing in front of a half-blue, half-green wall, dotted with small lunar sconces. Everything looks kind of dusty and half-finished, and the watery afternoon light illuminates yet more dust drifting around him.

Notably, a small dragon, red-scaled and content, is draped over his shoulders like a scarf, watching the Omni with bright eyes.

Mako glances momentarily off the screen, mouths something, and then looks back, clearing his throat. ]

It's come to my attention that a lot of you have been setting things on fire left and right since we washed up here. Obviously, this is dangerous to you and the people around you. If that's you, you need to make an effort to control it immediately before something worse than singeing your clothes happens.

For those of you who just washed up, I'm a firebender. That means I can do—

[ He holds up his left hand (scarred with strange marks) in front of himself and splays his fingers, making a small puff of fire appear and hold over his palm. It flickers there like a candle flame, dancing between Mako's fingers, before he drags it in a small arc and lets it go out. ]

—that, and—

[ Another flick of his fingers, this time producing little purple-bright sparks that zap between the tips and then dissipate. ]

—that. And a lot more.

So. If you need help learning to control your powers, and you do, come to the Raccoon Room in Cellar Door on Wednesdays. You'll see the sign. I've been doing this since I was a kid. Anyone else who wants to help, feel free to drop by too.

[ Finally, he looks up, his serious expression dropping just slightly. ]

Trust me. If a bunch of snotty six-year-olds back home can learn how to do it, you can.

[ The little dragon huffs in agreement, fire puffing out of its nose, and Mako reaches forward to cut the feed. ]

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So you don't notice it's happening... until it's actually already happened.

[ Mako shifts up onto his knees, looking at Manabu's bare skin. He gets the cold thing—he feels a little like he's been plunged into icewater sometimes—but he can't fathom not being able to feel the energy under that.

It must be hard. Like learning to use a limb you just grew. ]

You noticed any patterns yet? Like, what triggers it?

[he rubs at his forearm.]

It gets bad when I'm having a bad time... [beat.] I mean, like. Worked up. Angry. Scared. Annoyed? [he shrugs.] I don't know. I mean, does that even make sense? Suddenly...bursting into flames because the stairwell you were walking on gives out and sends you down a flight...Is that a thing?

[because if it's not clear: it was indeed a thing two days ago.

he sighs, now rubbing at the back of his bowed head, feeling the weight of the seemingly impossible.]

I don't know, Mako... Stuff like this? This...it doesn't happen to people like me. I don't get it.

I know.

[ There's real sympathy in Mako's tone, at least. ]

Seriously, I get it. Varian was freaked out too. Waking up with ice powers I shouldn't have was bad enough. It'd be a lot worse if my bending was completely new. That what you mean by people like you? Does anyone have abilities like this in your world?

No way. [he shakes his head, looking back up. there's a slight hesitation after that, though.] ...Not...not without converting some of yourself into a machine, at least. And even that's a choice. [supposed to be.] Not something that just...happens.

I mean-- [he grimaces for a second.] For humans, you know? As for other species...I guess anything's possible, right? That's why people made all the different advances in technology - to make up for things like that. [...well not...spontaneous combustion specifically! but. jeez, Mako's on the same wavelength; he doesn't have to spell it out so precisely!]

So... you're freaking out about this because having powers means something pretty different, to you.

[ The more they talk about it, the more it kind of seems like a mental block to Mako's ears: the kind of thing that was holding Korra back from learning airbending, so fundamentally opposed to her nature that it was nearly impossible until she learned to adapt. ]

Because it isn't supposed to happen, and now it has, and that's... hard to deal with.

I mean-!

[Manabu makes another face, accompanied by a soft, frustrated sound. he doesn't like the way he seems to be coming across, but he isn't the most eloquent of people around, either. so what the hell can he do about it? just rub at his face and try again.]

I mean...it's more that...not only isn't not supposed to happen, it's that...it happening at all can't be good, right? I'm not. Made for it. Designed for it? [eugh. he huffs in exasperation.] You know what I mean, right?

It's like when something changed in Deerington. I can't really think of a time when something changing was ever for the better, you know? So...

[ Understanding dawns on Mako all at once—or something like it, anyway—and with it, a whole lot of sympathy. He nods, holding Manabu's gaze for a second. ]

When Wu first found this place— [ Mako waves a hand back at the Raccoon Room, or what will become the Raccoon Room, now just a run-down building with shabby paint and an old sign ] —he was so excited, and... all I could think about was that it was going to go wrong somehow. Nobody just hands you a free house.

It's... not exactly the same thing, but I think I get it.

[it's not exactly the same, but it's close enough to give Manabu a bit of hope and relief that Mako's picking up on what he's putting down. he shudders a bit with a relieved exhale, nodding.]

No, that's--it's pretty close to what I mean in a sense, though. So like, me having to...to deal with this now, that's not like...it's not the sign of things getting better. It's...more...things warping to get...worse...

[...even if he has gone through bouts of jealousy in not having powers at all. being jealous and knowing it's not practical to have powers go hand-in-hand for him!]

So I guess it's more a matter of...how do I stop things from getting worse, right?

...yeah. That's what we're aiming for. If this is already bad—and I'm with you, I... don't think it can mean anything good—then we have a duty to stop that as much as possible. Which means figuring out how you're controlling it. Because you are, somehow, even if you shouldn't be able to.

[Manabu shivers, which prompts himself to fidget. honestly? sitting still this long is a feat for him these days. a feat, a gift, just for a friend.]

Right. Yeah. It's--it's gotta be something I can master, right? Since it's not...not happening all the time. Like right now.

[beat.]

I guess...sitting and talking to someone helps? Since between you and Vira-Lorr... [he hesitates.] But that's no good in the long run, right? I can't just...force people to sit down and talk to me any time I'm sparking up, you know?

[grabbing a friend to talk to when wigging out - who does that?]

[ Mako is HONORED. Truly. If only he knew what an honor it really was. ]

I mean... you can call me. Or, you know. Text, or just come find me.

[ He scratches at the side of his nose, glancing away like offering to help a friend is an awkward thing to do. ]

[Manabu fidgets again, definitely feeling his own kind of awkward about the offer because of course. such things are nice to say, but actually following through? isn't that too much of an imposition? it'd seem that way...Mako's got so much going on as it is! and Wu.

he rubs at his neck, looking away in another direction.]

That's...I mean, that's a nice thought, but...I think I oughta...I mean, it's not like you have to bug people any time you're about to do some fire stuff, right? I need to figure out how to have that kind of control on my own, too.

[the dog laying by Mako whines, wondering why boys are like this.]

[ Mako makes brief, understanding eye contact with the little dog, his face twisting in something like frustration. Why is it so hard to be nice? ]

...Manabu, I'm a firebender. I've been doing this since I could walk. Of course I'm not gonna bug somebody about it, but that's not—you're my friend, alright? I want to help.

[quickly, hands up:] I know! I, I know, I'm just! Just saying... [powers aren't like...platoons, right? teamwork isn't actually a core part of having fire powers, is it?

he ought to take a moment outside himself and question why he's even this flighty about the help, especially when he's here specifically for help.

he sighs, trying to chew through this hefty serving of humble pie.]

Thanks, Mako. I'll...listen to whatever you've got, since...I mean, it's not like I'd know what to do myself without probably making a bunch of bad mistakes.

Yeah, you and everybody else stuck in this shitty boat.

[ Mako reaches out a foot to nudge it into Manabu's knee. A kick of friendship. ]

We all got a lot to learn. I'm gonna train with Korra on the ice stuff because I'm tired of freezing stuff out of nowhere. It's... a lot. And I hate it. I shouldn't be able to use ice like this, but now I can, so.

[ But he kind of gets it, he realizes, and looks up at Manabu after a moment. ]

Look. I... hate getting help like that. It wasn't exactly an option for most of my life, and I figured most people would try and... get something in return, you know? That's what people do. But Korra kind of changed my mind about that. We're not gonna get anywhere if we try and go at this alone. As much as it sucks to know you can't figure something out yourself, it's worth it. At least, to me.

[Manabu's attention is pulled by the prod, blinking. it's a very familiar, brotherly gesture he doesn't expect from Mako who strikes him as a more reserved sort compared to hangs-on-you-at-even-the-slightest-inclination Wu. perhaps why they compliment each other.

that aside, Manabu's a little surprised by the gesture...and the words that come with it. it makes his stomach flip, feeling as though he'd done something wrong to cause the change.

We're not gonna get anywhere if we try to go at this alone.

oof. talk a little more like the Sirius Platoon, Mako; maybe Manabu can miss it more. he swallows, face flushed with shame and gaze downcast.]

Y...yeah... [he shivers.] Yeah, I-I know you're right.

Thanks, Mako.

Do you?

[ Muttered more to the dog than to Manabu, really, and it's not like Mako can blame him. It's not like Mako accepts offers of help with open arms: he hates feeling like he owes people, like he can't do it on his own. He should be able to do it on his own, even when other people can't.

But he's trying. Letting those notions go, bit by bit. ]

Just. Keep it in mind, alright? For now I want to see if you can make ice on purpose.

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