savedtheworld | Case 2: Down-to-Earth Logic [Written / Action]

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Case 2: Down-to-Earth Logic [Written / Action]

Good evening, Luceti. Robin here. I've been investigating the cases of the missing day, lost possessions and misplaced people. No leads yet and no signs of any criminal activity, but I am ever vigilant, as is the original Robin. Even my own crimefighting gear went missing, and it turned up back at the item shop. Looks like people's possessions are "resetting" within this world, for unknown reasons.

I'm ready to mark this down as another case of Malnosso wrongdoing. Whatever went down yesterday, it must have been some battle. I didn't make it back to my own room... but thanks to the kind people at House 56 for giving me shelter.

Feel free to contact either of us for any further inquiries as I start my nightly patrol. Robin (II) out.

[Aang has been AU'ed to the Teen Titans world, where he was taken in by Batman and raised as a second Robin. Here's some basic info. Just imagine he's wearing something more Robiny (keeping the headband/without tattoos). He does have a domino mask, but he's not wearing it, being open with his identity within Luceti.

You can run into "Robin" at any point of the night at one of many spots throughout the town, as he skulks around and tries to patrol unseen with varying degrees of success.]

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A 'metahuman.' [Oh. Wow. This hurts.] What's that supposed to mean? Is he talking about my bending?

[Oh, Aang, how can you not know about my bending? You were the first one, the very first one, who believed I could do it.

How can you not know me? How can you not know this part of yourself?

She blinks rapidly, glancing away for a moment. She knows how these things work. If she breaks down and starts crying, or calls him crazy, or tries to remind him who he is, he'll just think that she's lost it and then she'll lose him, even this him, and she won't be able to help him. She has to keep it together.]

It's not a bad thing! It just means that you have special powers that originate genetically. Is bending a term you use for... your... powers?

[Katara smiles. She hopes it doesn't look like a crack in a marble facade, because that's how it feels.]

Something like that. Walk with me, and I'll tell you about it.

Sure! Explain away.

[Katara starts walking, continuing on the path, but with a change of destination in mind. Sorry, Nami, she has bigger worries. Katara will subtly direct them towards the river, but it's a good ten minutes away from their position.

Explaining this...

Breathe.]

In my world, there are - were - four nations, and each nation is aligned with one of the four elements. There's the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, and [she glances at him searching his face for any sign of recognition] the Air Nomads.

[There is no recognition at all. He's a bit puzzled, not knowing what world history has to do with special powers. But the story is oddly captivating. He was never one for history, but Aang always did love to study other cultures, maybe as a way of dealing with Gotham life.]

Four elements, huh? Interesting.

[...nothing. No recognition at all. She drops her gaze back to the ground in an uncharacteristic gesture. Okay, so. You can do this. Just take comfort from the familiar words, this will be over in a week.

It has to be.]

There are people in each of the four nations who have a special connection to the elements. We can learn how to control them. I'm a waterbender.

[Those words, for once, are said hollowly, without joy.]

[He's a bit troubled by her obvious shift in tone, but he pays more attention to her actual words.]

A waterbender, huh? So you can control water? Just like Aqualad... sounds cool.

Something like that - I don't know who Aqualad is. [She looks up, smiling again that smile that she doesn't really mean.]

So - why did Robin want you to talk with me?

Well, you see... it's this secret I've been keeping, even back home. Robin's the only one whose known, and he's tried to help me, but it's not enough. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but you... look like someone I can trust.

Because, see... I'm a metahuman too.

[He then punches forward and releases a burst of air that flies forward and hits a tree, shaking a branch loose.]

See?

["I'm a metahuman too."

Oh, Aang. You're so much more than that.

"Metahuman." She already hates the term. Like it means better instead of just different, instead of just another kind of expression of the natural order of the world. She hates it.

You're more than that. You belong.]

Yes, I see.

[She's not very impressed. She's seen Aang bend before - all control, grace, and confidence. Joy too. There was joy in his bending. But this...]

That's very similar to airbending.

You don't say. I think most of these worlds have variations on the same basic powers. I was hoping that... maybe, y'know, you could teach me some pointers that could help me to control my wind powers.

[A pained look crosses her face.]

Sure, I'd love to - but like a good friend of mine once told me, there's just one little problem. I'm a waterbender, not an airbender. I could give you some pointers on your stance from what I've observed, but I'm not sure how much that would help.

[They are, by this time, approaching the river.]

I bet there's something else I could help you with, though.

[As she pins all her hopes on the fact that maybe, maybe something as familiar as their bending lessons would shake something loose.]

[He nods in understanding with her explanation.]

What's that?

[She moves down to the riverbank.]

Follow me, and I'll show you.

[He could guess already it was some display of her waterbending and followed her.]

Sure.

[Coming to the river's edge, Katara assumes a basic waterbending stance.]

All right - can you stand like this?

["Robin" might recognize it as a derivative of Tai Chi.]

Edited 2012-04-04 02:19 (UTC)

[He arced his eyebrow curiously. It resembled a type of martial arts maneuver. Regardless, he went to mimic the stance.]

Yeah, simple.

[She gazed at him critically. She wants him to get this right the first time.]

Good. Now just - bend your knees a little bit more and find your center.

Hmph. [He adjusted his knees to her specifications and tried to focus. What, was this some kind of special yoga exercise?]

Okay, now - watch this. [She begins to move her hands, drawing not from her waterskin, but from the river.] It's a simple move, and the first one I made up myself. It's called "streaming the water."

[And she makes the water dance between her hands.]

Now you try. Watch my movements, will the water to follow you, and mimic what my hands are doing.

[At this point, he did feel relaxed, comfortable. He was a bit confused by Katara's actions. I thought she said her teachings wouldn't apply... still, he gets to it. As he focuses on the water, he starts to feel at one with it, and at the same time some deep spiritual yearning aches within him. Aang follows her movements, and he finds that the water, not the air, follows him.]

[He is shocked by what he is doing and abruptly drops the water back into the river.]

This... wasn't a trick, was it? I actually... moved that water?

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