Book 3: Fire of Rememory [Action / Accidental Voice]

[savedtheworld]

[Action 1 - for Robin]

[The morning. Aang woke up in bed slowly as every memory he ever had filled his head, feeling fresh and vivid yet as if he had lived through it so long ago. And everything from his other life followed by the past week started trickling away. He remembered Robin, pizza, faint memories of a Batman and a butler. What were their names? He felt like he knew so... less. But some memories from the week stuck out. His friends... his real friends, all worried and hurt. There was one particular face that he kept seeing over and over again, each time accompanied by a twinge of inner pain. Now that he was himself again, viewing his memories of their meetings through his own mind, he could see every instance of pain and anguish in her face.

Katara.

His eyes were open. He quickly examined his surroundings. ...This was not his room at the Avatar House. Not a good start. Was he himself...? Aang grabbed his head for confirmation. He was bald. He was himself. But he was not in his room. Still, he decided to test the waters, or maybe he just felt like saying the name aloud in his own voice.]

Katara!

[Action 2 - for Avatar House (plus Winry?) / Accidental Voice]

[Aang sprinted from the community building towards House 56, enhancing his speed by bending the air behind him despite the relatively short distance. He came to a stop outside the door and steeled himself. His excitement burst through his body in the form of a cry - one which was caught by the journal.]

Guys! It's me, Aang! ...Avatar Aang! I'm back!

Comments

[reoccurred]

Yeah... yeah, I remember that. You know- Or, well, I guess you don't, but...

My hair really isn't this color. It's actually blond. I dyed it to fit in with the people of Omashu when I "grew up" there.

[savedtheworld]

Sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. But I can tell already that you must have been a good friend back in that version of home.

[He grins and points to his bald head] And don't get me started about hair. Yours didn't change back to normal?

[reoccurred]

I ended up trying to redye at just the wrong moment. What luck, huh? [She tries to smile. It's kind of funny if you think about it.]

It'll wash out in a couple weeks, I think.

[savedtheworld]

[He chuckles a bit.] That is weird! But it's not like it's bad. You get to carry a piece of your other self around for a while. It'll probably just confuse some of your friends.

[reoccurred]

[She laughs with him, feeling a bit of Deja Vu from when she "remembers" having been his friend.]

Oh, do you think I should act like I'm still shifted to throw them off?

[1/2]

[savedtheworld]

[He laughs more.]

Yeah! That could be great! Maybe even pretend you've been shifted into someone even more different!

[But then, a memory flashes in his mind: Katara's face upon first seeing the other him.]

[2/2]

[savedtheworld]

[His laughter and his face drops.]

But... no. If your friends have been worrying about you... they should know you're yourself as soon as possible.

[reoccurred]

[Winry puts a hand on Aang's shoulder.]

Yeah, I know. But the idea itself is harmless and a little funny. And- you know I'm kind of glad I got to experience your world. I've known Sokka, Suki and Katara for a while now in Luceti, but... I'd like the chance to be your friend again, Aang.

[savedtheworld]

[This is enough to comfort Aang.]

Sure, Winry. I'd be glad to be your friend. I can tell you're a nice person. And any friend of my friends is a friend of mine! [Which Aang has been coming to realize is quite the list.] And hey... we can probably come up with plenty of other jokes to play on our friends!

[reoccurred]

Just watch your back. The next joke may be on you.

Sokka may say I don't have a sense of humor, but don't listen to him.

[savedtheworld]

Hey, not if I see it coming!

I wouldn't believe him so far. Sokka's not that much of a master himself. He should definitely get some kind of prank to prove him wrong.

[reoccurred]

If you have any ideas I wouldn't be opposed to helping.

[savedtheworld]

[He took unusually serious thought in this. It had been far too long since he performed acts of mischief.]

I did play around with him earlier by humming a song that aggravates him. Back home, there were these nomads who traveled with us for a while, and their songs really drove Sokka crazy. Maybe we could find a way to annoy him with that.

[reoccurred]

Ohhhhh, sounds good! Teach me and maybe I can sing it at work?

[savedtheworld]

Sure! I don't know how to do the instruments, but the main song I remember is called "Secret Tunnel." It starts like this:

[He begins to sing lightly]
Two lovers,
forbidden from one another
A war divides their people
And a mountain divides them apart.
Built a path to be together...

[reoccurred]

[She listens quietly. This... is actually catchy. She likes it.]

[savedtheworld]

I'm not really sure most of the rest of it goes, but the real catchy part of the chorus goes like this...

[He takes a deep breath and begins to sing in a mockingly deep tone, but he's mindful of keeping it down due to the sleeping Katara.]

Secret tunnel!
Secret tunnel!
Through the mountains
Secret secret secret secret tunnel!

[reoccurred]

[Winry giggles and gives a quiet applause.]

Too bad you don't know the whole thing.

[savedtheworld]

[He grins and bows at the reception.]

Yeah... they didn't really remember the whole thing either. ...Except for one part where he says, "And die!". Because I guess... the cave was supposed to kill us? It was a weird day. ...But worth it.

[reoccurred]

Sounds like a fun time. I'll be sure to remember that, and repeat it.

[savedtheworld]

It was. I [he looks both ways, suddenly making sure no one is near.] had my first kiss that day. ...And good - Sokka won't stand a chance!

[reoccurred]

First kiss, huh? Who was it?

[That kind of thing is important. She remembers "both" of hers. Both of them were Sokka. One of them was in Ba Sing Se when he rejected her because he had become an item with Suki. The other was an experiment here when she kissed him because of a magic flower.]

[savedtheworld]

[Although he had just made sure there was no one nearby, he checks again to be doubly cautious. Winry herself has proven herself trustworthy.]

Well, it was... [his voice drops down to a barely audible whisper, and he indicates the closed door of her room with his eyes.] ...Katara.

[reoccurred]

[Winry's eyes grow wide and she puts a hand over her mouth. Really? Katara? She remembers how well Katara and Aang got along from her memories of the Avatar world, and she just imagines them togeth-

Oh god it's almost disgustingly cute and she loves it. A smile spreads across her lips and her expression falls into a grin. Awwwww yeah.]

Katara, huh? You sly dog, Aang.

[savedtheworld]

[Her reaction increases her blush. He has very rarely spoken these things aloud - but now that he remembers everything again, why not to an impartial new friend? He still spoke slowly and carefully]

Yeah. It wasn't really... back then, we kissed mostly because we were lost and thought it would solve the riddle of the cave. Sokka and everyone else don't really know about it. [He put some emphasis on Sokka's name.] We've had a kind of a confusing relationship. And Luceti hasn't really helped either.