done with having dreams

[resistivity]

Who: the avatar cast! (+ custom starters for folks)
Where: all over!
When: catch-all october log
Rating shouldn't be much!
What: the atlas and loks have a nice dinner together, and a few custom starters. if you want to toss a starter my way please do! or if you'd like me to write one for you just drop me a PM! c: we don't need pre-existing cr, just happy to oblige! also if anyone wants super awkward dates...

Comments

[insubordination]

[ without another moment of hesitation, roy raises his right hand and snaps his fingers, creating a small spark from the cloth of his pryotext gloves. the transmutation circle immediately activates, compressing the oxygen density around the spark to create a bolt of flame, which darts forward at an impossibly high speed, snaking through the air before hitting the dummy. and, for a split second, it seems like nothing happens, before there is a sudden explosion as roy expands the oxygen and hydrogen levels around the spark to create a bomb-like condition, leaving nothing more than a ragged sorry excuse for a dummy in his wake.

after a moment or two of considering his work, roy lowers his right hand, looking somewhat annoyed with himself, his eyes narrowing slightly to squint, to really place out where the explosion properly landed. ]

Three inches off.

[ finally, with a soft huff, annoyed. ]

I'm more accurate with my left hand, but I'm sure my vision isn't helping.

[ it's three fuckin inches roy jfc ]

[resistivity]

Wow.

( that's actually pretty impressive, and mako's a hard man to affect in that manner. firebenders by and large are more... spray and pray type combatants. very few bother with precision at that level.

to say nothing of the dummy itself and its sad, unfortunate fate. it's... not unlike combustion bending, the way the flame moves, the explosion that follows. the sound that hollows out the air in a crack. )

That's a lot more precise than most people I've ever seen.

[insubordination]

[ roy dusts off his hands, tiny sparks falling from the contact of the gloves against one another, and he glances over at mako, amused at the surprise. it's most people's reactions, when they see him work -- and given roy almost never goes into the field unless absolutely necessary with his craft, seeing the flame alchemist work is a rare occurrence. and most people who see it usually wish they hadn't. ]

I've read a lot of books.

[ vaguely enough, but the compliment is heard, and accepted in kind. ]

I can also create flames by themselves, or create explosions. It depends on the enemy and what's most effective. Most enemies tend to run after the first attack, but some are stupid enough to stay and fight.

[ or smart enough to beat him, like gluttony. ]

[resistivity]

( mako jogs over to examine the charring, smoking remains of the dummy, nudging at it with his foot before he crouches down. he's kind of republic city's leading authority on fire-related crimes, thanks to being its highest ranking firebender and all.

he rubs his fingers through the soot. the temperature necessary to cause it to this extent is intense, far beyond what a street-level bender could manage on their own. any fire is to be respected, but mako... is beginning to understand why roy would have the reputation he does on his world. there are thousands of firebenders of varying ability in republic city, but if there were only one and he could do something like this... yeah, that would be pretty terrifying.

he dusts his hands off against his thighs as he stands. )

I've only met one firebender that could cause explosions. As far as we know, it's the highest sub-level mastery available. ( combustionbenders are incredibly rare, probably on par with earthbenders that can manipulate lava. ) But allowing for differences in our worlds and the application of abilities, I'd still put you on par with the best masters in mine.

[insubordination]

[ there’s a soft noise of approval, at the compliment, before roy makes his way over to the dummy, sliding his hands into his pockets as he peers down at the wreckage of where the dummy once was. It seems to be taking a moment or two to replicate itself; apparently, whatever astoria’s magic is doesn’t necessarily regenerate dummies at a very fast growth rate. ]

My master used to tell me that I was a hopeless idiot, so know the compliment is well taken.

[ in a dry tone, but roy is amused at the notion of being called a master. berthold hawkeye is rolling in his grave. ]

I’m surprised that combustion is the most excelled of arts; not hitting something is far harder than blowing it up.

[resistivity]

( mako hmms thoughtfully as the dummy rights itself. )

Mm. Honestly, it might just be a matter of if and where it's being taught. Bending subsets are incredibly rare to begin with — maybe one in a hundred, and in most cases they still have to be taught, rather than something people can accidentally stumble on. People learning on their own without guidance... maybe one in several thousand. As far as I know, only two firebenders have mastered combustion in the last hundred years, but it may honestly just be a matter of it being a closely guarded bloodline secret.

[insubordination]

I’ve only known one other person that can wield alchemy like I can.

[ berthold, who refused to teach him properly, and died beore he could impart his secrets, only informing him that riza held them all. roy had to teach himself most of what he knows, and has developed his own techniques through practice, through combat, and through (now) self-defense. he knows that he’s a genius beyond compare, but roy never feels the need to advertise that when people tend to assume the opposite. let them think he’s dumb; it works to his advantage more often than not.

roy shrugs his shoulders. ]

But it’s for the best, that way. It’ll die with me.

[ that was the promise he made. ]

[resistivity]

( it'll die with me is a sentiment that hits him a little harder than it used to, now. roy's resolve is the bitter taste of iron, it's on his tongue when he swallows. he doesn't — wouldn't, even for a moment — doubt the truth of it. certain things you just take as a universal constant.

he flexes his fingers, and then as if he's decided on something he rolls his sleeves up. he doesn't need to (it's been a long time since he singed his hems) but given how much abilities are on the fritz he'd rather not risk his only good shirt. the gloves come off too, he bunches them up and tosses them aside. the breeze feels strangely on his left arm, the healing scars twinge faintly in the open air. but his bending isn't blocked any more, so it won't affect the show.

the dummy is still... smoking faintly but seems otherwise back to normal, and mako tips his head at roy. )

Give me some clearance. My control is good, but there's no saying what'll happen if my firebending cuts out in the middle of it.

( and once roy's backed off to the point that mako's satisfied about his safety — )

Firebending is about power. It's the only purely offensive style on my world, all the others have elements of defense to them. Traditional firebending is pretty much always attacking or using fire to your advantage to set up for the next attack.

( he cycles through the steps of mid-level form, arcing kicks and punches that resonate from the meat of the shoulder. fire curls into being and rather than waste energy creating it anew each time it just flows between one move and the next, being reshaped by the chi of his current focused blow. it's not exactly traditional per se, but it also isn't obvious he's largely self-taught.

once he feels he's done an adequate demonstration he'll lapse into a neutral stance and draw a breath. most benders require a moment's clarity and focus for lightning, but he's never needed that. he just calls it, and it comes. a sharp crack of blue streaks from his outstretched fingertips and hits the dummy. it splits like a tree with the sudden heat, but rather than explode like roy's had, it just sits slumps, burning from the inside. the entrance burn is just a small, precise spot between the dummy's 'eyes'.

he dusts his hands off. and... flattens his hair down, since it always likes to go a bit awry with the energy build-up, sticking in a colorful variety of directions. )

Anyway. That's lightning.