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

Entry tags:

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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?

[It is Aang. I don't care what they've done to him. It's still Aang.

And that's a different kind of pain in her heart, but it's a relief too.]

No, it wasn't a trick. You're... probably not ready to hear why it worked. But if you like, we can try it again?

[Have the most beaming, hopeful smile. Can you resist that, Aang?]

[He is still and unresponsive for a moment. He wanted to learn how to curb his powers, not to suddenly gain new ones. Yet something about this felt right. His deal was cemented when he looked up and saw that smile, which had to be among the brightest he'd seen.]

...Yeah. Yeah. Can you show me again... Katara?

It would be my pleasure.

[She wonders if she should bring up Zuko and firebending, but... one thing at a time.

She enters her the form again.]

You hold your hands like this...

[Aang once more entered the form and relaxed as he mimicked Katara's movements. This time, he didn't let go so easily.]

Wow. This is... pretty nice.

You're a natural.

[This reminded her so much of when she'd first met him, when they were figuring out waterbending together... except now she was a master in her own right and he...

...he didn't even know what he was doing. Or why he was able to do it.]

How does it feel?

It feels kinda... relaxing. I can really feel the water as it shifts and changes, and it... I don't really feel so unstressed that often.

[She smiles a little, feeling her heart clench again. What kind of other life have you had that you've been so stressed?]

That's good - that means you're doing it exactly right.

Thanks. I'm a pretty good learner. And you seem pretty used to teaching.

Thanks. I haven't had much of a chance to teach waterbending, but I did have one student once...

[She hesitates, but in the end, decides to go for it - as if there was any other choice.]

His name was Aang. He was - a very dear friend of mine.

Oh. [His concentration slips for a moment, and some of his water drops.] He... he was your religious figure, right? [He really did have the same name. What am I getting myself into?]

What? [Her concentration also slips, and she lets the water drop and turns to him, one hand on a hip.]

Did Robin tell you that?

["Religious figure" her Gran-Gran.]

He... he said something along those lines! [Aang drops the rest of his water for the moment. He wasn't used to dealing with religious/spiritual people - aside from some particularly zealous supervillains.] I'm sorry. Is that... offensive?

[Ugh, that boy.]

Being the Avatar doesn't have anything to do with religion. Yes, the Avatar is the bridge between our world and the spirit world, but in our world the spirits are as real as me and you. One time, a spirit even kidnapped my brother, and Aang had to find a way to pacify the spirit and get him back. I think I can understand why Robin got that impression, since his world doesn't have an Avatar, but he's wrong.

I see. Robin just likes to put things into categories. It's all part of the detective process. He didn't mean anything by it. I guess, religion is really all about belief in a higher power, and you must have believed in him. [pause] Just like I believe in my own mentor.

[Oh. Oh ouch. Oh, that actually physically hurt, and her hand goes up to her heart as Katara lets out a little gasp.]

I did believe in him. I still do.

[This won't be forever.]

[She turns back to the water, streaming it up again.]

What's your mentor like?

[What was that warmth in his chest? It was quickly forgotten. He told his story as he resumed his own streaming.]

He's a normal guy who trained himself to be something more. Where I came from, Gotham City, it was probably the worst place in terms of crime. My mentor became a symbol of justice and called himself Batman. He not only saved my life from a burning building, he decided to give me shelter and raise me up. He's not... always kind. He's often harsh and serious. But he gave me my life. He gave me everything when I had nothing, and he waged war on crime to make Gotham a better place.

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action - 1/2]

[ action - 2/2]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ] 1/2

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ] 1/3

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]