savedtheworld | Book 6: When the Well is Dry [Voice/Action

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Book 6: When the Well is Dry [Voice/Action - Dated to 08/19]

[It started off as another ordinary day for Aang. After firebending with Zuko, he headed up to the other Avatar House for Airbending training with Tenzin and the kids. But he arrived to find only Jinora. There was no sign of Tenzin; his room was as bare as Suki's had been. Aang knew what that meant. He felt that there was so much he could learn from his elder son, but that time was over. At least he could take care of his family... except that Jinora was still here. Looking over the blankness of the room... his heart tightened as he went to check the other absence.

Jinora had told him that she woke up alone in the room that she shared with Ikki. He checked her bed and found only the prayer beads that he had given to her. He gripped them tightly as he exited the room and crumpled onto the floor outside the door, as he did after Suki had left, but this time he felt so much more crushed. He knew he should feel happy for her. Ikki was just a child, and she was going back to her family before this place could do something horrible to her. But he felt so much emptier without the other Airbender around. Unlike with Suki... Aang already knew that he would never meet her. Yesterday was the last time he'd see her, and he wasn't able to give her a last goodbye. There was so much he still wanted to tell Ikki and teach her.

Is this how Gyatso felt?

No, it wasn't the same. Gyatso couldn't have had any idea that Aang was alive after he ran away. But Aang knew that Ikki was still alive back home, safe and sound. Korra had saved the day. With his grip still bearing the prayer beads, he made a prayer that she had found her way home safely, and that their family would be okay. That things really were on the road to peace back home. And he reflected on their times together... first meeting at the fountain, bending her nightmares away, reading her beautiful drawings, watching her antics at Katara's birthday, getting lemonade with her from the Pokemon trainers, introducing her to Moro and cheering her on at the volleyball game... Ikki had been the first person he met from the future, the one who had first told him everything about this beautiful family. If it weren't for Jinora staying... he'd be left wondering if any of it was really real.

He took some time to try to comfort Jinora, despite how overwhelmed he felt. He was possibly accosted by any of the remaining housemates as he left, but he eventually bolted off and spent most of the day sailing aimlessly on Appa. No adventure this time, just an escape.

There was still something he knew he had to do. He thought about all of Ikki's friends, and he opened his journal with trembling fingers, before he started to record a message. He only took the foresight to filter it from Jinora, so that she would be spared any further pain.]

[Voice / Filtered from Jinora]

Ikki has gone home. A lot of you know have known her by now, so I... I thought you should all know. She wasn't here for long, but she made so many friends. Out of all the people I know she's met here, there wasn't one person who she didn't like. That's the kind of person she is.

She didn't go alone, either. Her f-father Tenzin has also gone back to take care of the family. We... we should be glad that Ikki was sent home before this place could really hurt her. I know that she has a loving family waiting back home. And a... a wise and kind father who has gone with her. It's where they belong. From what I know of the future... they're going back to a happy time. I just want to thank all of you who listened to her and gave her a chance as a friend, and to ask you to just remember her... okay? [In case I get sent home and back again and forget all this.] I didn't know her for long, a-and I may never get to meet her back home, but I know she's going to be a great Airbender, and I'm already proud of her. She earned the title of Avatar princess without even trying and I miss her already.

Her older sister Jinora is still here. The only person left... from [my] that family, and I hope that you show her the same kindness you showed Ikki.

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[He stands still, numb from the day's events, looking on warily. He can't get himself to put up a strong front.]

I'm... I'm back.

[She doesn't come any closer. Not yet. Not before she knows more about how he's feeling. She doesn't want to rush into things.]

What now?

[He bows his head in shame, his hands still tightly gripping the prayer beads that Ikki had worn everywhere.]

It's... it's like we talked about. She's gone and I couldn't do anything, and it's like she w-was never here.

That's not true.

[That's when she decides to take a few steps closer. If she's going to have an intimate conversation with him, he isn't going to do it shouting across the yard.]

[He hesitantly takes some steps towards Toph and looks towards her, his joints tense.]

How?

[She pauses and turns, as her resolve weakens for a moment. But then she nod towards the house.]

I'll show you.

[He blinks, confused, but he walks with her wordlessly towards the house.]

[She leads him into her room, where she promptly turns to her dresser and pulls something out of the top drawer.

It's a wire sculpture, of Toph and Ikki made by Ikki herself. They aren't the only ones, either--she begins pulling out tons of them, used as decorations at Katara's birthday party, and she sets them on the dresser for him to see.]

[Aang's eyes widen as he looks over the wire sculptures. He remembers seeing them at the party, but he didn't give them the attention they deserved then. Now he slowly picks them up and examines them, his eyes wide and watery as he does so. They're all there. Even two shapes of people who Aang can't really figure out - that is, until he remembers two figures that Ikki told him about.

Kya. Bumi. My... my daughter and first son...

He sinks to the ground, embracing the wire sculptures tightly as he tears begin to flow down his face, leaning back against Toph's bed.]

[She keeps the original in her hands before sinking down next to him. She might not be able to see, but she can tell from the way he's shaking slightly that he's crying. It makes it hard for her to stay focused and not lose her grip on her own emotions, either.

Helping Aang would help her. She just doesn't want to break down on that journey.]

She was the first person who ever thought of making me a picture before. I know she wasn't here for long, but...that meant a lot.

She thought so much about... about everyone. She did leave little things all over the place. She had her... little treasure box, a-and she made this. [He raises his right arm, which has a shell bracelet wrapped around it.] It's a... a bracelet made of seashells. [And he's definitely not taking it off anytime soon.]

I guess that's kind of how she was, huh? Always doing stuff for other people because she thought it was so fun.

[It makes her reflect. She's been doing so much thinking about herself lately, and it's part of the reason why she did this in the first place. Why she reached out to Aang, regardless of how upset she still was at him. They're friends, and right now, demonstrating that friendship is what is most important to her.]

[He sniffs and starts to wipe away his tears.]

Yeah, I... couldn't be prouder of her. She's only seven and she already has all the pride I could have in someone. And n-now I can only hope that I can... see her again, someday.

[She knows that has to be the hardest part for him. After losing all his people like he did, finally meeting more airbenders--his successors--only to have all but Jinora gone again. He'd see Tenzin again, obviously, but unless Ikki came back to Luceti...

Or maybe not.]

You know, if our futures really turn out different than they remember...maybe you will get to meet her someday. Back home.

[Maybe he won't die so young. Maybe things would be different. Maybe.]

[Ever since he had found out, he had these moments, these fantasies where he wondered what it would be like. Family life with Katara and three children. What would it be like? Would they really be happy together? Korra seemed to think so.

But he had always stained within the restraints of what he knew of the future. He never dared to imagine beyond this. Him... living past his time. Growing old with Katara. Watching with pride as Tenzin brought up those four beautiful air children. And one day helping them all to apply their tattoos, holding Ikki close to tell her how proud he was of his granddaughter.

But it was wrong. Wrong to imagine. He can't... he couldn't. It was hard to accept alternate versions of their earth. Even if he couldn't remember Bad End Toph and didn't know about the version of the world Masaomi experienced, what he knew about the world of Avatar Sokka was enough to dishearten him. There could only be one world, one time for them to live through. Even if his future self was capable of defeating Amon and squashing the Equalist threat... there was still one truth he held.

His life was not worth more than another's. And he had no way of knowing whether or not his living on would prevent Korra from even being born.]

D-don't say, that Toph. I can't except the future for anything other than it is. If things are different in any way, even if it can make us happier in one way, there could be something else to make it worse. And I will never agree to live in that time unless I know that K-Korra will have a life, too. [What would her life be if she was born a Waterbender or a nonbender? With that rumor he knew, it could be worrying... but with all the variables it would hard to tell.]

Maybe it won't be your decision.

[It's more cryptic than she's trying to be, but she can't help but say it. Her attitude on fate had changed, and she'd really seen the dark side of Luceti the last few months. The way it could deconstruct your heart with a simple act like momentary sight or meeting your future daughter. It's cruel, and she wouldn't have asked for any of it. But she's learned some things. She's adapted. And it's returned her confidence and made her willing to reach out, to convince him, instead of lashing out because he was afraid again.]

Did you ever think that...the futures we have back home? Maybe they are the way we are because we were here. Maybe what we do in this place is what decides what kind of future we have there. And it could be changing all the time.

[But this is a possibility which frightens Aang to his core.]

Toph? That's... no, I can't believe that. Then it's - it's like they're not real, j-just temporary. That it's not home they wen- it can't be! There can only be on future. And here's... here's a distraction. It has to be that way. For all of their sakes.

Well...think about it like this. You think time is like earth, right? Steadfast and immovable. I used to think that, too. But after everything I've been through and everyone I talked to, I think it's more like...waterbending. Ultimately, it's always the same water, right? But the waves and ripples are different.

[She knows it's scary to believe in. It's scary for her, too.]

[He stops for a moment in thought.]

It's hard to consider. After all... once we go back, isn't it like we were never gone? Maybe... maybe there is some way that things can change, even a little, but... it's hard to think about. I guess I see time and the future like air instead. It's the wind that blows at us. And like a leaf, I change direction to match that wind. And right now... I'm matching the only future I know of for our own world.

Look, I know we're probably not gonna agree about it, but I just wanted to be sure you know I felt that way. Maybe the future turning out differently--or even if we go back home remembering Luceti--isn't the worst thing that could happen. And maybe it doesn't even mean that the end results will change. Maybe some things are fixed, but others aren't.

[There's so many variables to consider. And he can't make a concrete decision without knowing more details about the future. What if a longer life will wind up jeopardizing his future with Katara, his family or Korra's existence? What he has now, even if he won't be alive to experience parts of it... he has to hold onto.]

I can see the value of thinking it, Toph. And I don't think less of you for believing it. I just... don't feel like I'm there. Even with all the bad things I know about, I... I feel comfortable with this future. With... destiny. After all, I had a vision of you before I even met you. Stuff like that? That gives me hope.

[There's a pause.]

And I can feel a little stronger with it all.

I guess that's Avatar stuff.

[And as they well know, Luceti is no respecter of persons. Aang is no less susceptible to this weirdness than the rest of them--weirdness that could change their fates. She can hope that things still work out the way he's planned, because it seems like a good life for him--for all of them.

Maybe they'll never know for sure.]

But if it makes you feel better, then...that's good.

I don't know if it's Avatar stuff. It's the world we live in. Before we met you, that wise man in the swamp told us that everything was connected. He said... time is an illusion, and so is death. [He also said the same thing about pants, but that's neither here or there.] So it's hard to think of time as being anything other than one whole. But maybe it does work in some way.

[He tightens his hold on the prayer beads while looking down on the shell bracelet.]

Either way... no matter what time, what turns out to be true... I swear I'm gonna meet Ikki again and the rest of the family. And I'll find a way to be with them, even if it's just through Korra.

[And the thought of time being an illusion only makes her think about it more--if time passing didn't even matter, then what was destiny? If it didn't matter, it couldn't be fate. So what was constant?

It's all a bit more philosophical than she tends to be, and this has already been a pretty deep discussion about it. At least his last words are reassuring, and she smiles.]

Glad to hear it. See? You'll get to meet tons of people because of Korra and the Avatar spirit. So don't be too sad about it, okay?

[He gives a sad smile and managed to get his feet.]

I won't, Toph. I'll just keep thinking of hopes like that and maybe I'll feel better. I'm pretty smart, right? So I can figure out a way to see Ikki and all of them back home, even Katara and... [He puts a hand on Toph's shoulder for a moment.] anyone else who's around.

And in the meantime, here... I still have to learn metalbending, don't I? I think I know what'll be the first thing I make.

Book 6: When the Well is Dry [Voice/Action - Dated to 08/19]

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