savedtheworld | Book 4: Winds from Tomorrow [Action: May 30th-June 1]

[Action: Days 5-7]

[It's odd for Aang, waking up in House 56. What is this, some sort of bunked bed? He can't remember whatever led him to sleep there. Doesn't this violate his decision to maintain some distance from his younger friends? He slips out of the house early in the morning, or tries to. It's possible that anyone else in the household could have caught him before he was able to leave.

Aang spends the rest of the day and the next two days going back to his daily routine. He meditates in the forest near Avatar House. He goes through town, either casually strolling or zipping through on his Air Scooter, to stay social. On Day 5, he also has to set up his tent near his meditation spot again. Where could his old tent have gone?]

[ooc: Aang is aged up (kinda)-canonically to around his 40s. He also remembers Luceti in an alternate way where he was brought here at this age. The shift has also caused some memory fluctuations (who's that Yakone fellow again?), although the possibility always remains that he's actually from a somewhat alternate version of canon (aka my handwave if my few assumptions get jossed)

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[He gives an attentive nod as he silently follows the movements. He appreciates it as a good show, but at the same time he thinks over her movements on a more technical level, comparing them to his own knowledge from over the years.]

[She shrugs.]

There are a few modifications on the other moves, but some of it just comes down to different response time and slightly different results. The Northern Style water whip is a little bit better at precision, and the Southern Style is a little better for a wide spread.

[He lightly applauds.]

That's really intriguing. It's great that you're still picking up new tricks even here, Sifu Katara.

[She smiles a little at the name 'Sifu Katara' - it sounds so strange coming from someone so much older.]

Well, I had an advantage. I got to meet someone who grew up in the Southern Style.

Really? This was someone from our world? [He was definitely at a loss to think of someone who would match - unless it was someone from the past, or her future.]

Sort of. [She shrugged.] It was Sokka, but he wasn't our Sokka.

[Assuming you are her Aang.]

This version of him came from a world where the Fire Nation never attacked... and he was the Avatar.

[And a Class-A jerk.]

[He's gonna need a minute to process this.]

Sokka. Avatar... Sokka?

Yup.

[She's met the guy twice, and no, it doesn't really get any less weird. Less strange, maybe, but not less weird.]

As in Sokka, your brother. Sokka, who never stops talking about his boomerang. There's a world where he is the Avatar? [Pause. Blink.] And... you say the war never happened?

[Heh.]

Yes, Sokka my brother who never stops talking about his boomerang.

[She shook her head.]

And not that work. In his world, Roku stopped Sozin, and you grew up and fulfilled your time as the Avatar in a time of peace.

[He goes still as he imagines this world, focusing on a particular detail.]

That means... my people were alive.

[Ah... she should have guessed he'd think of that.

Katara nodded slowly.]

Yes, they were.

[He looks on nostalgically, this time to life before the iceberg.]

That me must have lived a great life. Without war. With... Monk Gyatso and all of my old friends. It sounds perfect. [He wouldn't have to run away, he wouldn't be frozen in an iceberg... but this halts his vision. Images of three children appear in his head, and he closes his eyes for a moment.]

Almost perfect. [He remembers all that time ago, being comforted by Katara in the ruins of the Fire Nation ship, as a lost 12 year old. He opens his eyes and looks at Katara with a frown.] I wouldn't get to meet you.

[...I'm a pretty poor trade for your entire people, Aang.

She smiles softly, her heart aching for him and feeling very small with the weight of his regard.]

Well... you wouldn't have known what you were missing.

[He knows it's wrong to consider ti that way... but it's so hard for him to dismiss all the happy times he had after the iceberg.]

That's true. [Pause.] And a little sad. If all of you guys were there with the air nomads, I'd be the happiest monk in the world. [He then looks towards her curiously.] Do you know anything about what happened to you in that world?

[What would Katara be like if she never met me? And, since there is no war... her mom would still be around.]

[Her face becomes guarded.]

I heard a little bit about it, yes. It wasn't very good.

[I die because they were trying to assassinate "Sokka" for being an utter jackass, along with the rest of our family.]

[He might not have met Bad End Toph yet, but he can still tell that he shouldn't inquire further. He shuffles uncomfortably in his seat.]

Definitely not a perfect world, then.

[She smiles a little sadly.]

No, but even in that world there were people who cared about each other. So I'm sure that if they're real, they'll be all right.

[He nods with a similarly sad smile.]

That's true. Even if one is denied happiness, another can still gain it. That's one way of looking at balance. [A light chuckle.] I still prefer the kind of balance where everyone gets an equal amount of happiness. But if that place isn't a perfect world, than it's still not a bad world either. It sounds like it was peaceful, at least.

[...]

Well, I don't know how peaceful it ended up. But I'm hoping that it will at least be all right in the end.

[Sadly, though, she just doesn't have the same confidence in Avatar Sokka as she did in Aang. Avatar Sokka was a jackass.]

[With a knowing grin.] A little hope never does hurt, does it? [And then regaining his composure.] I've probably put too much thought into this other world and this other life. After all... I've lived a whole life since I woke up from that iceberg. I'm too old now to worry about all the different roads our lives could have taken. My life is still a happy one, after all.

I'm glad to hear that.

You'll be even gladder once you get to live "the future". ...Again, assuming I'm not just another alternate self. It is at least weird that I'm the only one here from my time.

[...she does her best to ignore that insinuation.]

Not really. Roku's the only one here from his.

You're right about that. But even he's an old man now. Real old. Did you see him?

Book 4: Winds from Tomorrow [Action: May 30th-June 1]

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