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 Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:28 pm
((The following is scrawled clumsily, on very expensive paper)) Quote:
Shen-Ru,
Hey man. S'been a while.
I gotta note from the Ol' Man that you left the circus an' went to this new address. You got a job and stuff, right? You're okay? Nobody, like, ******** you up there, right? I shoulda known the place would go all to hell without me there to hold it together.
I still have money from the old shows if you need anything, and hell knows I don't gotta use for it right now, so- yeah. Lemme know. Whatever.
Man, I know I'm awesome an' all, but you're gonna have to take my word on how cool it is out here, 'cos I don't got no dictionary on me fer big describing characters. There's leaves and- stuff. They're red. Being by the sea means I can do all kindsa great fire stuff without burning nobody up. All the docks are stone so they don't burn.
Write back, if you wanna.
~ Tingzhe
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:15 am
Quote: Tingzhe,
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I was to receive a letter from you. Where are you heading? I want to know where I should send my next letter.
I have a tiny little house in the capitol, near the art district, and I'm able to take care of myself rather well. My uncle left me some money and I draw on that to pay for the house. Things are a bit tight, but comfortable.
The circus just... It wasn't the same without you, Tingzhe. I left and settled, so I could be somewhere steady when you decided to come home. It would be hard to meet up with both of us traveling about. And, no, nobody... ******** me up. I'm just fine.
I should send you a dictionary, or make one for you, so you can describe things to me. I would like to see what you are seeing, as best as I could. Be safe, all right? And write me again.
A certain dullness
Time passes differently
Patience, hopeful heart
With worry,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:18 pm
Quote: Shen-Ru,
Where'm I heading? Heh. That's a good question! Man, there is like, no one out here who can handle my totally sweet skills. I'll have to find a new job soon if I wanna keep paying for lessons. They'll be linin' up around the block!
I'll keep you posted.
You I don't know what you don't gotta worry about me, really. You don't gotta stay in one place 'cos you think we'll never see each other again, neither. It's always easy to find a star if you're lookin' for him, right? That's some prime navigational s**t. An' I'm the one who chose to leave, so I can't expect if you wanna travel, you shouldn't give that up.
Hope you like that house. Or whatever. Are you writing stuff? Tell me what book I gotta buy for words. I hope it's not big.
Tell Qiao to make the Ol' Man buy her more makeup. I bet the whole circus is sick of lookin' at her stupid face. I kinda miss
~ TIngzhe
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:48 pm
Quote: Tingzhe,
You are so sure of yourself! I'm glad that you seem to be confident in where you are going... You will have to tell me about all of your adventures, I really would like to hear them!
To be honest, though... I really just want to stay here. I do not have any place else to go, and I would just like it if I could settle and wait for you to come back. I do not mind waiting - truly. Should I go anywhere, though, I promise to do my best to try and find you, if just to see you for a little while. I would understand entirely, if you would not like me to intervene on your journey.
There is a simple dictionary you can find for now - a basic one, available almost anywhere, I am sure. You can build up from there. I wish I could be there to actually help you learn them...
I will extend the message to Qiao - I am sure she will appreciate the message.
Please, take care.
A flower of hope
Lingering in the garden
Loneliness remains
With worry,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:43 pm
((This letter is in markedly worse condition than the last one. The paper is thin and cheap; the characters are wobbly and more roughly drawn than usual. Obviously something has happened. As an OOC note: I'm sure you realize this, but the real incident did not involve any bears. XP)) Quote: Shen-Ru,
Saw a BEAR this week. Not a skunk-bear, or an otter-bear, and an armadillo-bear, but a plain ol' goddamn BEAR. Haha, man, those things really pack a punch. Not like my old shirshu at all.
So like, I tried to whip at it, right? On account it it was headin' straight for me, charging up fer the kill. Turns out bears are tougher than whips. Lucky for me I still got hands to set s**t on fire.
It was- uh. Guess ya had to be there. It was pretty funny. In its own way.
Bein' confident's easy. If you do somethin' long enough it stops being fake becomes a habit. You should be more confident. That's cause an' effect, right? If you expect good things to happen, the universe will unfold that way.
Heh. So, yeah. I'm not good at stayin' in one place, but we gotta hang our or something. When I'm done. But... I don't know when that's gonna be, man. Whenever I feel safe in my own skin, I guess.
That's some, uh, poemy stuff there. Flowers are pretty. You been sellin' that? To, um, poem-buyin' people? I don't know nothing about your market.
~ Tingzhe
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:16 pm
(( xD I figured, yes. <3)) Quote: Tingzhe,
A BEAR? Tingzhe, I am sure you could have found a way to get a way without taking it on... Please tell me you are okay. You have taken care of any wounds properly, and are well? Goodness, it scares me to hear of these things, but do not take that as a signal to stop writing such things.
Confidence does seem to come you quite easily... Perhaps I can learn from you some time.
When you come home, we hopefully will do more than just 'hanging out'? I was hoping we could... Well, perhaps I was hoping for a few ridiculous things. I can wait until you come back, Tingzhe. I am far more patient than you!
I have been selling a little... But it seems not many are in the mind for amateur poetry. I will have to continue improving to make a truly decent income.
Be safe,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:32 pm
((This letter is written in quick, swift brushstrokes. Tingzhe's grammar hasn't gotten any better, but it's clear he's had some practice writing. One way or another. Included with the letter is a fancy carved brush. It's stolen property, but as far as Tingzhe is concerned, Shen-Ru doesn't need to know that. XP)) Quote: Shen-Ru,
Hey, man. It's been- a while, yeah? Too long. Sorry I didn't write much for the last few months, I've just kinda...
My head was in a bad different place, is all.
As a kid, when you first learn your words, you think you know what they mean, right? You're all fulla definitions for things like "kidnapped" or "Avatar" or PAIN. But you don't know. Not really. Not until you experience s**t firsthand. We learned that. Words are pretty, like smoke and firelight, but they ain't really there. They're just puttin' on a show. An' you can't get your act straight until you know the feeling behind what you're tryin' to convey.
I've been learning more about what words mean. Lots of words. Things I can show the whole damn world, once I'm good enough ready. And things I wish I didn't know.
I- uh, I mean, yours are better than mine. I looked for somma your writing around here. You're doin' better'n you think.
You're right. We won't hang out. We'll have a frikking adventure; like old times, eh? I can't have you thinkin' I've let myself go an' got boring just 'cos my best audience ain't here.
Sent you a thing that- uh, well, it came up at work. Figured you'd like it. I don't got much use for fancy pens. They don't go with my outfits like they do yours.
~ Tingzhe
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:51 pm
((This letter is written on expensive paper, with fine brush strokes and smooth ink.)) Quote: Tingzhe,
I cannot thank you enough for the brush - it is gorgeous! It writes so smoothly, and I used it for this letter. It has been a while, as I am sure you know, since I have written, but things have been busy. I have been working hard on writing more and... well, just keeping things bustling.
Tingzhe, tell me you are going to come home soon. I worry for you. Your last letter frightened me a bit, and I wish I could be there with you, to see what you are experiencing as you are seeing it... I want to be there for you, because I feel you are not telling me everything, and I am afraid that... I am afraid that one day, I will not receive any more letters.
I have a room for you, when you get here. Silly, isn't it? It is a bit small, but it is a room, and you can decorate it as you please when you arrive.
You found some of my writings? Where at?
Thank you, again, for the pen. I shall cherish it.
Be safe,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:15 pm
((This letter was sent, not as paper, but as a scroll of rolled parchment. There is a bit of wear and tearing at the edges.)) Quote: Shen-Ru,
Hey, now, c'mon man. Haven't I said not t'worry?
Trust me, you don't wanna be out here.
I've never had a room before. Seems kinda nice. Guess your house is bigger than it y'said at first.
Y'know, I gotta say - we write all these letters, but you don't tell me s**t about what yer doin' with yerself out there. Maybe I'm the one that oughtta be worrying.
I got a new job the other day. Same as the old job, more're less. Puff myself up, put on a show, make the people clap. I guess it's not really clapping they're doing, but... Performance is a funny kinda industry. When you burn out in one place, you always gotta new market to move on to.
~Tingzhe
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:07 am
Quote: Tingzhe,
You know I am a worrier. I wish I knew more about what was going on out there, and then I might not worry quite so much...
It is not all that big. The room is sort of smallish, but... I am not going to be living there much longer, I do not thing. Qiao is taking over the house - if you could, Tingzhe, I think she would like to receive some letters from you too. She misses you almost as much as I do.
I met a handsome very kind man at the Avatar Day celebration. It... it was crazy there, Tingzhe, so much happened, and the Avatar showed herself once more. I could barely think, when the fighting started. Someone tried to kill her, when Toshiro was performing with the other archers. But things turned out well.
The man is named Ghazan, and he seems to be a rather important figure here in the capitol. He said he gives advice to the Fire Lord, I do believe... and he has become my patron. Can you believe it? My first patron! I will be moving onto his estate soon, I do believe, so that is why there is room for you at the house. I gave you my old room, though I will definitely be spending a lot of time at my house, still. Simply have an official residence at Ghazan's.
What sort of performances are you doing? Where? I wish I could keep track of where you are and where you are going...
With love
With adoration
Keep safe,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:45 pm
((The printing on this letter is almost too neat to have come from Tingzhe. Perhaps he revised it several times? Struck passages have been physically singed out of the paper, and are impossible for Shen or anyone else to decipher.)) Quote: Shen,
I, uh. A patron. Hunh. I see where you're goin' with that. Was never sure if you were the type of guy who liked-
Well. It doesn't matter now.
So you an' this "Ghazan" guy. You've moved in. And now you're together. Time really does pass when yer not lookin' at the clocks. Sounds like a real whirlwind kinda thing, like outta a story or what the hell ever.
I don't-
I never-
I hope you're happy. Doin' whatever it is you do with a patron. If he's not treating you good, I will burn his goddamn arms off, handsy son of a b***h.
Trust me when I say that the shows I'm doin' now ain't ones that'd impress you. I mean, they're impressive, like everything I do, but cultured prodigy guys like you ain't really the target audience. You got alla that high literary stuff goin' with your writing now, right? And I can't even read good enough to-
It's- we're just in two different worlds. I always knew that, in my head, if not in my gut. It's good that you have someone who understands you. Listen, I like - when we were kids, you were my best friend. The thing with the room made me happy. But you gotta let go of me if it's holdin' you back. I'm glad I left the circus, so you didn't feel trapped there by some kinda stupid obligation.
I'm not the guy you think I am. In this whole world, I don't think anyone really knows me. You were close, you and Tosh and Qiao, but I couldn't let that happen, I had to go, I won't be weak.
But I'm getting stronger.
~Tingzhe
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:33 pm
((This letter is roughly written, unlike Shen's usual writing. There are more things scratched out, meaning this letter was only written once and unrevised.)) Quote: Tingzhe,
Your last letter was burned up... Is everything all right?
I am a bit perplexed by your use of 'together' when you spoke of myself and Ghazan, Tingzhe... especially when it goes along with the rest of your letter.
A patron supports an artist. Ghazan is simply expanding my horizons when it comes to selling my poetry... There is nothing more than that. Why does it matter? You are the most important
Tingzhe.. nothing about you is trapping me. I live for you look forward to the day that you come home. I refuse to just... let you go. There is too much between yourself and I, and the thought of losing you to anything makes my hands sweat and my heart drop makes me feel so sick terrifies me.
I apologize for this letter being so messy.
I feel more than a little lost right now.
My uncle sent me a letter. He plans to visit soon, if he has time. This means something has gone wrong at home.
Be safe,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:20 pm
Quote: Shen,
The burnin'? Nah, that was a bending exercise. Scorching paper without letting it burn up's a way to practice gettin' real precise. You should see the way people scream when I- I gotta show off where I can, yeah?
It's okay. The "Ghazan" thing. Y'don't owe any explaining to me.
I understand.
Speakin' of things that look off, what the hell happened to yer writin', man? Is everything okay from there? You don't gotta sneak letters offa that estate the way you did when you were livin' with yer parents, do ya?
~ Tingzhe
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:45 pm
((This letter is shakily written, on expensive paper and contains a small pair of gold earrings.)) Quote: Tingzhe,
You will have to forgive me for having not written. As I am sure Qiao will also tell you, an incident has happened, which I'm still recovering from.
My mother... My mother is a b***h, and has apparently lost her mind. She sent a servant to my home, instead of my uncle... My uncle is dead, from what I am hearing. Her hand held the blade, and the servant's hand held the blade that made short work of two fingers on my right hand.
I can only be thankful that he took the fingers from that hand, and not my writing one. I have only recently become well enough to write without too much pain from holding the paper down.
The earrings. I bought them for you, with the money from an expensive poem I managed to sell. It was so long... but I was tipped well. They seemed like something you would like.
Be safe,
Shen-ru
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:51 am
Quote: Shen,
It's been a while, hasn't it? Couldn't write ya right off, 'cos I- hell. I didn't know what to say. An' posting letters between the Earth Kingdom an' the Fire Nation takes forever.
Yer family's even more screwed up than mine, an' that's sayin' a lot. I understand how you must feel with that missing finger s**t better than you think. Though I wouldn't blame ya fer not believing me. I'm invincible, right?
Get better. Let Qiao an' your patron-man take care of you. Qiao thinks yer repressing stuff, so fer Spirits' sake take an afternoon off from yer letters and go bend some rock inta dust or punch a guy in a bar or somethin'. You can be stronger than you think.
I'm wishin' ya luck whenever I pass by the shrines, man.
~ Tingzhe
P.S.:Those earrings are pretty stylish, in a Shen kinda way, so I'll remember you when I'm wearin' em.
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