savedtheworld | [Appointments] March 2012-February 2013

[ after this, Ikki's going to be looking around the house for Aang, looking - well, a lot less insanely chipper than usual, and more worried and frown-y. She has questions about the whole "back in a week" thing. Also, death. 8| ~~she has no appropriately serious icons in general~~ ]

[Aang is just relaxing on the couch when he sees Ikki. He can immediately tell from her decrease in energy that something's wrong, and he stands up facing her, with his own face mirroring her concern.]

Ikki... What's wrong?

[ Ikki bites her lip. She's not sure how to put the questions, for once, but holds out her journal for Aang, and then sits down on the couch, drawing up her knees as she looks over at her grandfather. When she speaks, her voice is uncharacteristically small. ] Grandpa, do people die here a lot?

[He can feel his heart breaking already. He grabbed the journal in one hand and listened to the message, playing it as quietly as he could. He then sat back down on the couch and wrapped Ikki in a hug. How was he supposed to answer this? He remembered Katara in the medical bay on the moon.

"I found a friend of mine after I dropped you off here yesterday. ...I found her body, I mean."]

Sweetie, people... it's the same as it is anywhere else. Death doesn't happen all the time. Just... just sometimes. [When you least expect it.]

[ She knew death happened. It was just - something about the casual remarks she'd heard (that mention of corpses, earlier), maybe. And she didn't know all the rules yet, although she was collecting them in her head and trying to line them up so she didn't break them.

Ikki hugged Aang back, half-crawling into his lap like she would have done if he were Tenzin. She asked the next part of her question, uncertain. ] Why's he coming back next week? Did he really-really die?

[Katara would know what to say. Aang felt his insides freezing up. She was only here a few days and already this place was causing her pain. He doesn't really know why death works that way here. But when he thinks of what he learns back home, an explanation comes to him.]

It's... it's because we all belong to the world we come from. When we... go, we're really just becoming part of the planet again, part of its life force. But this place... this world isn't where we belong. We're not part of this planet's life force. So once this planet realizes it... it takes a week. Then it sends the person back. But... it will take something away from the person, too. It's.. it's like going away and coming back. [Like I did..]

So...if you guys get hurt in the war, you'll come back? [ Her grasp on the war itself is shaky, but Ikki does understand people here fight it. She's not sure how, exactly, or what happens, but she gets that, just a little. She's mostly trying to understand, and wondering how much it hurts the people who have to go away and then come back. Is it okay to be relieved that they do revive? ] What does it take away?

[He closes his eyes for a moment at the very possibility.] We'll... we'll be back, Ikki. Don't worry. And what it takes away is... I don't really know. I hear that it's different for each person, almost random. Like... powers or senses.

[ Ikki nods again, a little jerkily. ] 'Kay. [ Then, looking at Aang again, moving a bid suddenly. ] If you don't come back ever I'll get really, really mad and - [ she pauses, clearly at a loss for an appropriate threat ] - throw you in a volcano, and it won't be the ones Jinora says are romantic. [ ...wait there's logical issues with this, hang on while she realizes that and frowns again, clearly just trying to think up better threats. :| ]

[He's quiet for a moment.]

If I ever let you down, Ikki, you can throw me into as many volcanoes as you want.

[ That answer makes Ikki silent for a moment, which is a feat in and of itself. ] ...I don't think you will. I mean, I know you won't.

[ She wraps her arms around her legs. ] Sorry, Grandpa.

[He hugs her again.]

Don't be, Ikki. You're our responsibility now. It's my fault if anything bad happens. I have to take care of you.

[ Ikki frowns, just for a second. ] I haveta take care of you, too! 'Cause you're family. I just... [ Ikki hugs Aang, and sighs. ] I love you lots, Grandpa. I still think this place is good, even if this stuff is bad. 'Cause there're good things. So. [ her voice might be sad and quiet still, but she does smile. ]

You... you don't have to, Ikki. You do so much just by being here and being you. I love you too, Ikki. You're so many good things here just by yourself.

I do! 'Cause you're my good things, too. All of you are some of my best things here.

[He smiles fondly, a warmth building up in his heart again.]

It does make being here a lot more bearable to have all the best things here in this house. [Pause] I'm gonna give you something, Ikki.

[ Ikki brights up and looks curious. ] A present?

Yeah. I want you to have these. [He reaches into a fold of his robes and pulls out his prayer beads - a set of beads that have four wooden medallions linked to it, each bearing the symbol of a different nation.]

These are my prayer beads. They can help keep you safe. And whenever something worries you, you can say a prayer into the beads, and the Avatar spirit will do what it can to take care of it. It'll help things to be more okay.

[ Ikki reaches out for the beads, hesitating. Is this really okay? She knows how to use prayer beads, though, has grown up around a temple and knows the feel of them in her hands. ]

Is it okay to take them? [ she sounds more awed than worried, and bites her lip, then jumps up. ] Wait here a second, 'kay, Grandpa?

[ Ikki runs off without much more warning, and then comes back with a box. Aang can probably see the treasures inside as Ikki sorts through them, eventually coming up with a childishly crafted bracelet of the little white shells she and Vivi collected on the beach yesterday. She holds this out to Aang, expectantly, and speaks very firmly. ] So you have something to keep you safe, too.

[He receives bracelet as if it were a sacred treasure.]

Thank you so much, Ikki. It's beautiful. I'll wear this all the time. [Pause as he places the bracelet around his right wrist. Aang goes on acting thoughtful.] But y'now, maybe you're right. Those are special Avatar beads. I can't give them to just anyone. I'm afraid there's only one way to solve it. [Another pause, and he grins.] I have to officially give you the title of "Avatar princess".

[ Ikki grins when Aang puts on the bracelet, although it turns thoughtful as he goes on speaking. They are special Avatar beads (as far as she knows, at least) and they look important. She definitely didn't expect the next part, and looks stunned and then gleeful, clapping her hands together in sheer happiness. ] Really?

Yep! You're related to the Avatar, after all, so I'm sure it'll be allowed.

[ That logic is pretty darn logical when you're seven. ] I'll be the best Avatar princess, I promise!

[ ...she's not sure if she has to do anything really, but she does accept the prayer beads, and runs her fingers over them, passing them through her smaller hands one by one, hearing the monks and nuns' prayers in her head. ]

You're doing a wonderful job already, Princess Ikki.

[ She grins, and then throws her arms around Aang, basically tackling him. ] Thank you, Gr - Avatar Aang! [ she changes the wording to sound mock-formal back in response to "Princess Ikki". ]

[ action, July 6th ]

savedtheworld - 2012-07-08 07:20 (UTC) - Expand

[ action, July 6th ]

breezing - 2012-07-08 07:22 (UTC) - Expand