Catch-all: Zuko

[ercnerd]

Comments

[cuedoves]

[ .... ]

Well, I'm not in any position to judge. I've done some pretty messed up stuff, too.

But you weren't in control, right?

[ercnerd]

[He nods.]

Right. I was completely wild.

[cuedoves]

How do you know?

[ercnerd]

I was out of control, but that was still me. I remember everything.

[cuedoves]

[ why does he look smug about it... ]

So what happened that night? Tell me everything.

[ercnerd]

[It's called resignation.]

That night . . . I left the room and saw Flayn in the lobby. She tried to run, but I chased her into the gift shop. [He lifts his left hand.] Rin was right; the cut was from a snow globe. And the dent on the wall was probably my doing.

[His hand lowers.]

She tried to lose me at the butterfly garden, but I tracked her down. That's where I snapped her neck.

[cuedoves]

[ hearing it recounted like this is a little... unsettling, almost. just. 'i tracked her down and snapped her neck.' it's not like he knew flayn, but still.. she seemed kind enough. ]

.. At least it was quick.

[ he doesn't know what else to say. ]

Why her?

[ercnerd]

[At least it was that. But . . . it wasn't quick enough.]

Because I saw her. I would've gone after anyone else if I had them in my line of sight.

[cuedoves]

That's it? You didn't pick her out or anything?

[ercnerd]

I had no intention of killing until then. There was no reason to pick anyone for anything.

[cuedoves]

You just saw her and the... murder urge... happened?

[ zuko trying to make sense of this since it's an entirely different murder mechanic ]

[ercnerd]

More or less.

[Hateful. Utterly hateful.]

[cuedoves]

I see.

[ he doesn't, quite, but. ]

What about after?

[ercnerd]

After . . . all I knew was that I couldn't confess until the verdict—not if I wanted to keep Mari safe.

[cuedoves]

Your hostage, I'm guessing?

[ yeah, he wouldn't want to confess if it meant hilda could be hurt, or worse... ]

[ercnerd]

[He nods.]

You know the rest.

[cuedoves]

... Yeah.

Your hostage. Did you hear anything more about her? [ was she safe? this was before the announcement that killing guarantees their safety ]

[ercnerd]

No. All I know is what the shadow promised me at the beginning—that it'd help ensure her safety. The rest came as a feeling without guarantees.

[cuedoves]

So, it controlled you and promised she'd be safe...?

[ tilting his head ]

[ercnerd]

. . . Something like that.

It didn't speak to me after that. In regards to Mari's status, I don't know anything.