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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[-oh jeez. This is some sober news to come back to, even though he knows he should be happier that Ikki's back home. She was a great kid.

Oddly he doesn't regret that he got to know her, even if chances are he won't see her again.]

[...and Tenzin too. This probably sucks double for Aang. Shikamaru sits on this for a bit, before coming back later.]

Oi, Aang. What're you doing tomorrow?

[It does feel a little good to hear from Shikamaru again, with all the time he spent away, despite the circumstances. He hesitsates before answering.]

Hey, Shikamaru. I- nothing out of the ordinary.

Aa-a. In that case, you should hang out with me.

[Does he want to hang out? Aang's not that sure if he even wants to talk to anyone, even if he ignores that creepy rumor. But...]

Yeah, that... that could be fun.

I can bring my pai sho board to the rec center. Or maybe we could head out to the lake? [He hums, thinking on that.] Stop by the Battle Dome on the way out and abuse their vending machines.

I think I like the lake better. [He can't muster the concentration for pai sho.] We.... we could get stuff from the machines, sure.

I am sorry to hear that Ikki returned home. She was a bright and lovely young girl who was very, very kind to both myself and Grandmaster Sunrider. I will wish her well in my meditations, and endeavor to help Jinora as much as I can.

Aang, if you...need to talk, or want something to take your mind off this, I'm willing to listen. I know...what you're going through.

She's a wonderful little girl, Aang. I do not think it is possible for us to forget.

Thanks, Luke. You were really nice to her.

You do? But, I... I'm not sure if I feel like talking more.

[He feels some heartwarming when he considers the impact that little girl had. But he still responds quietly and weakly.]

Thanks, Mia.

[Even if she hadn't surely heard it from one of them, or Ikki herself, it's not hard to infer at least part of why this is affecting Aang so strongly. They must be family.]

Part of me feels it is a terrible thing to wish on a child [though Aang isn't much more than a child himself], maybe you will see each other here again.

It... it is definitely possible. Anything is here in Luceti. [And it's a wish he has felt too, but one that he feels guilty about.] But... I-I don't think it would be worth the ways this places can hurt her.

[This was heavy. Korra lived with Ikki and Tenzin back home, and she was related to them through Aang, but he'd never get to see the young girl again. He died before seeing his grandchildren. He died, and she took his place. Korra doesn't know what to say. Is there anything she can say? Man, she'd just screw anything and everything up. How does one handle this situation? She sits there with the book open for a long time before-]

No practice today? [Even though he was already at the house Korra didn't take the time to ask him then. She guessed he needed time to be alone for a while.]

I know that feeling as well. When...my father was sent home I was a mess.

But I won't pry. My door is always open for you, Aang.

[Oh... it's Korra. As much as appreciates her, he can't help but look at her selfishly in light of what's happened - not as hope for the new generation but his only hope for seeing them again. He dwells on the thought momentarily until he processes her question.]

Practice? Oh, I'm sorry. I... I musta forgot.

No, it's fine. One day off shouldn't kill us.

Right. I... guess I could use a break. Maybe... you could still practice some meditation without me?

[Whenever Aang gets back from flying around on Appa, Toph will be waiting outside their house. No, she isn't bending or building sculptures or playing with Momo like she sometimes used to on idle afternoons around here. The idea seems far-off and flippant. She's just sitting, not-quite-meditating but uncharacteristically quiet for hours, waiting. Reminding herself she needs to do this. She needs to be out there for when he gets back.She needs to...be strong. And take this one day at a time.

No matter how painful those days might be.

Lin had gone a couple weeks earlier, so she has an idea of the inestimable pain Aang must be feeling. It had bludgeoned her, made her felt cold for days like a wind that wouldn't stop blowing. She hadn't been able to say half the things she wanted to, she hadn't been able to do half the things she wanted to. But she'd know Lin, someday, when she went back home and grew up. And that distant truth, no matter how unobtainable it seemed at the moment, was a comfort. Aang would see Tenzin again, too, but Ikki...well, she knows what her departure implies. He may never see his youngest granddaughter again. She'd lit up their lives and made their strange predicament almost laughable with her sheer, and now she was gone. Toph is still angry--she's still furious at him, for telling her not to believe in him and seeming scared when she'd needed him to be strong the most. Things hadn't been the same since then, but the resolve of her anger was chipped away by these departures. They'd made her heart vulnerable in a new way.

And after all the anguish they've been through recently, maybe a little healing in the heart could help.

She can do this. She had to do this. So she will wait.]

[Ikki was gone? Her heart sinks. They'd had such grand plans with their art club and she'd been so much fun. She feels for Aang, too, who sounds quite sad about all this.]

She's gone? ...I'm sorry, Aang. Is there anything I can do?

[So some people are already gone. Tarrlok isn't sure whether to think them lucky or not. But there is one thing certain.]

They have a lot to go back to. They will be fine back there.

[If Korra succeeds as he hopes she did (and as he assumes she did) then yes, everything should go back to normalcy.]

[Toph is one of the people he's afraid of seeing the most. He had still been showing up for metalbending practice, but he he was painfully aware all this time since her talk that he had been letting her down. He couldn't be hat strong Avatar here, and... now one of the hypotheticals they discussed had happened. As he guessed, he feels as weak and powerless and ever.

He doesn't want a reminder of how low he's fallen. He doesn't want Toph to "see" him like this. But he doesn't expect to have to. Aang quietly touches down with Appa at some point when the sun is setting to consider slipping in for dinner. He doesn't expect Toph to be already sitting near the house.

It was too late to step back the moment he set his feet on the earth. At the moment, he just looks towards her hesitantly.]

It's okay, Rapunzel. If there's anything you want to do, just... just don't worry too much about it. Ikki wouldn't like us all getting upset about us being gone. She just wanted everyone to be happy.

[He's glad to hear another assurance from someone of the same time. It helps him to believe they're really going back to something that might be decent.

But he doesn't feel so good hearing from a bloodbender, even a depowered one. So Aang answers with an edge in his voice, as if talking with someone who had the power to mess up the situation back home if he tried.]

They better be.

Your... fuh- fah...? [He briefly remembers for a moment when he first saw Tenzin and dared to believe he was the father he never knew.]

I'll think about it, Luke.

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

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