Bloopers
PK wandered around, handing out the scripts for chapter 49. She hoped it was good as she had just pushed through three days of writers block to create it. Only one person was not given a script, Toph, as Katara or one of the others would read the blind girl her lines and teach them to her that way. She could feel the glares of the characters on her back as soon as she turned away from them. They were angry for being 'ignored' for so long and they had every right to. Still, with the writers block and the sudden transition to the life of a university student she had every right to have taken this long. At least, that's what she told herself. Inside she felt awful. She loved both her characters and readers. Sighing she stepped away. Praying that this script would be good.
"Action!"
Maddi stared quietly at the fire during dinner. The entire group were all quiet, barely any noise at all. The deaths had created a heavy burden for them, it was hard to justify all we did, for so many to die.
Over the last three days nightmares had spread like a virus among us. We were kids, young adults at best and yet here we were in the middle of a war... killing and trying to stop others from dying. Death seemed to be everywhere. It haunted our real lives and our dreams. All to often Maddi woke up several times in one night, only to see that Katara had 'gone on a walk', or hear the change in breathing as one of her companions woke from a nightmare, only to desperately pretend that they were still asleep for the others who were undoubtedly awake during that time but pretending as they were. Only a few of them were not effected. Jet seemed to be getting perfect sleep, not caring about those who died at all, and Su Sen who had lived through many battles and had killed so often it was second nature. The rest of the group weren't so lucky. Each of them had tried to find ways to lessen the effects of the nightmares. For Aang, Katara, Smellerbee and Longshot sleeping with their respective companion had eased the dreams. Toph seemed to be effected less then some of the others and only needed to pull up the rock tent to sleep peacefully, or perhaps she was just using it to hide.
The sound of a wooden spoon hitting a tree caused me to look up from Maddi's bowl. Zuko was looking down at everyone, eyes flicking around.
"What are we doing?" He snarled. Maddi blinked in surprise.
"Zuko? I don't-" He snarled causing her to back off quickly.
"What are we doing?" He asked again. Everyone was watching him now, confusion mirrored in their eyes. Toph began to snigger.
"Toph what-"
"I can't believe the author made you say that!" Toph howled, falling over off the log she was sitting on, clutching her sides in pain from laughter. Less then a few seconds later everyone else joined them with the exception of Zuko and Maddi.
"Really?" Maddi asked, glancing at Zuko in exasperation.
"Its better then some things I've read off a script, but for this author its pretty bad." Zuko agreed.
"I didn't think-" Maddi started.
"You're her OC, you wouldn't think her writing's bad." Zuko pointed out a small smile playing across his lips.
"Oh shut up." Maddi huffed. Before a smile ran across her face.
Take 2
"What are we doing?" He snarled. Maddi blinked in surprise.
"Zuko? I don't-" He snarled causing her to back off quickly.
"What are we doing?" He asked again. Everyone was watching him now, confusion mirrored in their eyes.
"Stop moping," he hissed at Aang who looked shocked at Zuko's words but the fire nation prince wasn't done.
"Those people may have died needlessly but that's why we're fighting! To stop this war and stop the deaths! You're all acting like you thought this would be easy! Its war for Agni's sakes!" He threw up his hands, eyes sharp. Su Sen's eyes brightened and he placed his bowl down beside Katara.
"Zuko's right, these deaths shouldn't deter us, if we stop fighting they really would have died for no purpose, fight and we'll be honouring them." A few half-hearted smiles passed around the fire. There wasn't any more inspirational speech but it picked up the mood. Zuko though wasn't done.
"Maddi," he sat down beside me, "I'm sorry." Maddi gaped at Zuko in shock. What on earth was he apologizing for?
"Zuko-" A laugh burbled out from one of the people back at the fireplace. Maddi turned, suddenly glaring.
"Really?"
"I'm sorry, its too corny." Katara giggled. She clasped her hands together and attempted to copy Maddi's voice.
"Oh Zuko, I'm so sad, all these deaths are my fault and I'm full of angst-"
"I don't sound like that!" Maddison cried.
"Sounded perfect to me," Toph sniggered.
Next scene
"No way." Princess Kassie groaned and shoved the paper back at Katara.
"Just read the script, I know it isn't my best work-"
"You've made me seem like a crybaby with an attitude problem-" Katara began only to be cut off by PK.
"Just read the script you don't have to like it!" With an angry glance at the waterbender the author in question stormed off set.
"And action."
After the group finished eating Katara and Maddi cleaned the dishes in silence. Things were awkward between the two girls again and for good reason. Maddi was still hurt by those words Katara had said and they had made the nightmares almost unbearable. Rubbing a handful of sand through the dish thoroughly Maddi noticed the fourteen-year-old waterbender glance at her.
"Maddi." She looked at Katara in shock, this was the first thing Katara had said to her since their fight.
"I'm... sorry." A wave of resentment rushed through Maddi. What right did the waterbender have to be 'sorry', she had been having horrific nightmares every night because Katara had dredged up memories that Maddi had almost successfully repressed.
"Fine." The nonbender muttered coldly. She noticed Katara's expression change from hopeful to crushed. Katara knew she wasn't forgiven. Sighing Maddi turned.
"It's not that easy," Maddi finally admitted, "I can't 'just forgive you', but... I'll try." Katara nodded, accepting the older girl's words as the best she was going to get. Maddi may have been the older one and she should have taken a more mature path but it had hurt and it was still hurting because Katara had been right. It was her fault that those people were dead.
"I guess sometimes its hard to remember just how stupid the author is to make us say this." Katara admitted, before taking another glance at the script.
"Damn it Katara! Cut!"
PK glanced around the set. It was completely abandoned from any of the characters.
"Hello?" She called. No reply. Grunting in frustration she stormed off the set to go character hunting. They had been fighting her every step of the way with this chapters script and with not only adjusting to another time zone in addition to University life verses high school she didn't have the time or the patience to put up with any more of this.
She walked into her room which was dark besides a brilliant light from her computer screen, the perfect environment for a writer on the internet. Then the light flipped on. All the main characters were there from the Gaang, to Jet and the freedom fighters to her own OC's.
"What's going on, you should be on set."
"We're on strike." Sokka stated. PK stared at them.
"No seriously, get back to work, there's only six, maybe seven more chapters and this story is over!"
"Not happening." Maddi determined, "We hate this script and until you rewrite it we're not doing this chapter, plain and simple.
"But the readers-"
"They'll thank us in the end." Jet stated, "unless you want to loose them all you won't show this pathetic quality of work." PK stared at them silently before throwing her hands up in the air.
"Fine, but no more fighting me until this story is done. Okay?" The group nodded and sat down, waiting for the author to begin a new script. Hopefully one that showed more promise then the last one.
