savedtheworld | Book 9: Refreshed Air [Action/Video]

Book 9: Refreshed Air [Action/Video]

[Action]

[This morning, Aang did not wake up in his bed. No, he woke up some ways outside of the village, with an old friend. It took soe time for Aang and Suki to come to grips, but eventually the facts became clear. Suki had come back to Luceti without memories. At the same time, Aang had spent an overnight trip home. He lived out several days at home, where he saw the Yu Dao conflict through to its end and founded the air acolytes.

And now he was back. In Luceti. He knew who Ikki was again. One of the first things he did upon realizing what happened was scribbling a journal message for everyone at home - assuring them he was still around. It might be hard to tell he was gone if anyone was awake that early. After all, he didn't have many possessions, and his room was shared with Roku who was keeping a more irregular sleeping schedule during the draft. The only visible evidence would be the absence of the prayer beads which he had given to Ikki.

So Aang spent most of the morning helping Suki to adjust, hoping that her memories of her previous stay would be awakened. He wasn't really so familiar to people returning without memories. But eventually they parted ways so that Suki could be reunited with Sokka. Once he saw that only a night had passed during his absence, he had guessed that he might have been the only one to go home. The others might still be there. The same as he left them. So he headed to House 56 to check in with everyone next and give the physical proof of his presence. He came fully clothed in his air nomad robes, wielding a set of prayer beads that were notably missing a Fire Nation emblem.

Once all the bases are touched, Aang tries to go about his daily schedule as usual, probably being late for school and skipping out on the Welcome Center to instead explore the forest. Now that he remembers, he looks around carefully for any sign of Moro's presence.]

[Video]

[And this video message is recorded before dinner, when he stops back at the house between forest treks.]

Hey, everyone. It's me, Aang. This place is really weird sometimes. I used to think when people went home, they stayed home, at least for a long time. But sometimes people have been gone for just a few weeks, and me... I was just gone for one night. I doubt anyone noticed, but I'm still sorry if I worried anyone. And my friend Suki came back too. Really unpredictable, right?

Still, some of you might be pleased to know that at home, only a few days passed, but things are really turning out for the better. Things are even more at peace, and I feel more connected with my people than ever. I hope everyone's having a great autumn, while it lasts.

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It was, but... it's not, anymore. He took it back, so it doesn't even really matter. [It's a weight off his shoulders. He probably should have told Sokka, but he's not sure if he should, now that it's irrelevant.] And I know he's going to be a great Fire Lord from now on.

If you say so. What was the promise?

[He's all curious now, after all. Aang can't hold out on him at all.]

[Well there it goes. He's going to have to mention that promise one more time. He looks away as he remembers.]

After the war ended... when we had that party at Ba Sing Se, Zuko made me promise that if he ever started to become like his father, I should... end him.

[Sokka stares at Aang for a second, somewhat bewildered. Of course, he realizes Aang doesn't mean what he thinks he means. So Sokka clarifies.]

End... the attitude, right? That's good. Nothing like a good healthy conversation between friends to get things sorted out.

No. [He answers bluntly.] He wanted me to stop him like I stopped his dad. But... but for good.

[Sokka squints at Aang, waiting for the punchline. When one doesn't come, Sokka shakes his head and rolls his eyes.]

That's a stupid promise, Aang. Why would you even agree to that? Why would Zuko even ask you to? I couldn't even get you to kill Melon Lord, much less Ozai. And then you agree to kill Zuko?

[He just. Sighs.]

Did I go along with this? Because that's crazy. Dumb and crazy. Why would Zuko even become like his dad? [A beat.] Is that why this whole almost war thing happens?

[That's a lot to think over and process, so he slowly starts to cover it.]

A lot of it's confusing and complicated. Zuko admitted that it was a mistake after he took it back. It had something to do with his dad being in prison, and he said he was trying to use me as an... escape hatch, instead of just as a safety net. I guess maybe we were both thinking about what we knew about Roku and Sozin. Sozin caused so much pain after Roku let him live. I was afraid if I messed up... more tragedies like the one Sozin caused would happen again. And it'd be even worse because it was Zuko. I guess... Zuko wouldn't want to live on with himself if he was like that. Energy bending would stop him, but if he became like Ozai... he'd still be a monster on the inside.

But at the same time... I didn't think it would happen, back then. I had faith in Zuko, and I thought nothing would really come of the promise. [He pauses and looks at Sokka.] You all had faith in my judgement.

And... yeah, the war thing was kind of connected to that. We didn't see him at all over the course of the year, and he was kind of being secretive. Right before I came here for the first time, he tried to break off the Harmony Restoration Movement. He wanted the oldest Fire Nation colonies to remain, because of how long they'd been there, and how much they'd lived together with the Earth Kingdom people. It was still imperfect, though. The Fire Nation people had a social advantage, and... Zuko tried to attack us, but he also wanted to set up a peace talk after he calmed down. Everything was just really confusing. And then it was the Earth King of all people who tried to turn it into a war. He didn't want to be stepped on anymore.

Edited 2012-11-14 22:15 (UTC)

[You all had faith in my judgement. Sokka realizes at that moment why his response now was so different than what it must have been for Aang. For over two years, Sokka had to forget about Aang. There was no hope for the world in the form of a young boy. No last minute victory. For all the faith Sokka had in Aang at the end of the war, he'd now lost it and placed it in himself. And even that was all but gone.

The more things change.

For all that Aang was telling him, Sokka found it hard to connect with it. He may as well have been hearing about some other world. He wondered if this was what it was like for his dad, when he and Katara told him about all the things that had happened back home. It had been that way with all the men, hadn't it? They had such a nostalgic look in their eye as they thought of home. Yet as much as they liked hearing about it, they seemed so. Disconnected.

All of this was hard to grasp. Events he was involved in, but felt like he didn't matter to. Not because of his part in them, but because they had already happened while he was in Luceti.]

The Earth King. Wow. I never would have thought he had it in him. [Sokka just shakes his head.] I don't think you guys ever had to worry about becoming like Roku and Sozin. They spent, what, ten years apart? You guys wouldn't do that. There's no one to make you do that. And besides that, you and Zuko are way different people than they are-- were.

Edited 2012-11-14 22:25 (UTC)

Thanks, Sokka. It just took us a while to realize that for ourselves. After all... [He tenses, and some steeliness slips into his voice.] Roku actually did think we were like them again. He thought Zuko was in his clearest moment when he made his promise. That it should be upheld. That the world's balance was more important than his own grandkid's life! [He pauses, not noticing any manner of slip, before going on quietly.] So now I'm forging my own path as the Avatar. Without any guidance.

Roku...

[His eyes widen hearing that. Of course, he had to remind himself that the Roku Aang knew was so much different than the one Sokka had gotten used to. But this confession Aang was making. It worried him. Especially with how angry Aang seems.

Roku. Willing to see Zuko die...]

Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean... sure, sometimes that's been working out for you. But that doesn't mean it always will. Roku was wrong about that. But to be fair? The guy spent a hundred years watching his mistake cause suffering all over the world.

I know. [Some conflict appears in his eyes.] I still appreciate everything I've learned from him over the years a-and the friendship we've had, here, but I couldn't go on learning from him anymore. It turned out our views were that different. I'm accepting my flaws, that my attachments to people I care about will always hold me back.

And... his advice can't help me with the new direction the world's going into. He's stuck in the old way of thinking, of the different nations being separate but balanced. What we learned from the Yu Dao stuff is that the nations should be allowed to come together, but in a way that's more equal and neutral. That's why in the end, we decided Yu Dao can't belong to either nation anymore. It and the other old colonies that're left'll have to become something else, something new.

... Republic City. [A pause.] Since, you know. We've already been given spoilers.

[But he supposes he can't argue that. Still, it worries him, Aang taking it all on himself.] So what about our Roku?

[He blinks for a moment as the connections start coming together.]

Republic City. Wow, yeah... the future really is all starting to come together. [When he first heard everything about the future, it seemed so far away. But now, there was already the groundwork for potential city, the foundation of the air acolytes, the future that the Katara back home was already seeing for them... it was all so much closer than he thought.

He was ready to bring up the air acolytes, but then Sokka mentioned Roku, and Aang looked more pensive.]

He's... he's not that Roku yet, right? I share a room with him. We're friends. He's nice. I can't... It's hard for me to separate them in my head, still. But... when I first came here and I was mad at Zuko... I stopped myself from letting that effect the way I treated the Zuko here. After all, he hadn't lived that far yet, to us fighting at Yu Dao. I... I guess I owe Roku the same treatment, don't I?

[Sokka just nods.]

When Roku first showed up here, I was nice to him. But it was so easy to just want to hate him. I mean, I knew the story you told us. About how he could have stopped the war. How I could have... [Still had a mom...]

I had a lot of time to think about Roku, even after he left the first time. I couldn't blame him for what he did-- will do. If I was him, maybe I'd do the same thing. I mean, I already know first hand I'd make a crummy Avatar. So I can't exactly hate him for it. Especially when he's stuck with a future that he can't change.

[If anything, all of the people in the future just made him feel bad for Roku. The poor guy was stuck with such an awful future.]

[He listens carefully, and this time he puts a hand on Sokka's shoulder.]

I know. It's hard for me to look past that, too, what he'll do. [And he'd still have his people.] But I know it must be hard for him. After all, it's... it's not like he has people like Ikki or Tenzin, to give him hope for his family's future. When I think of the last time I saw Roku back home, I can't tell if I'm more mad at him or sad for him. Because... because of how lonely he must have made himself. I don't think he ever got over how much he feels he let the world down, so he thinks the world in general is so much more important than attachments. Maybe that's why... he never asked about Zuko. Even when Zuko was traveling with us and being friends with us, Roku never asked to see him.

But now that I'm back here again, I know even more why I don't want to be like him. [He brings his hand back and looks down.] When the time comes for me... I know I'd want to see my family. I'd find a way with Korra. I don't want to change like he did. I wouldn't - don't want to be alone.

[Sokka never communicated with Roku as the Avatar. But he was aware of what he did. And it gave Sokka a different sort of context to things that he doubted anyone else really got. Roku killing Sozin, his best friend. What an impact that had. Roku was a villain. For a reason other than the one Aang and Sokka were discussing now.

Damned if he did, damned if he didn't...]

Then we shouldn't tell him. You shouldn't tell him. He's closer to you than any of us. With everything else hanging over his head, I don't think he needs that too, ya know?

You're right. I'm going to be careful with him. I know when Zuko was here, I waited months before I told him about the promise, only when I thought it should be... fair that he knew. But I'm going to be... I'm definitely going to be even more careful with Roku about this.

At least... aside from that, everything back home has been going... really, really swell.

[Ha. Home is swell. Home. Swell.

It's amazing how little that means to Sokka. He puts on a false smile.]

Well... good. At least things are swell somewhere.

Yeah. [A hesitant nod. He tries to think of examples.] Did you ever try that type of tea that has little tapioca balls in it? I think it's called... bubble tea or something. Iroh just invented it at home! [He looks on thoughtfully.] I hope he invents soda soon, too...

[Inventing soda. Ha. It's weird how... Sokka can't even really bring himself to speculate.]

Is it weird, Aang? Being back here?

[His smile fades at this.]

Yeah, it... it is, in a way. I mean, it was only a few days of memories back home, but it's still like having... two sets of memories. And things are still so different now. I already told you about the Roku things. But there's... there's who I returned with, and... and [He looks hesitantly towards the house] Katara.

... yeah. [Katara. This will be so rough on her, won't it?]

You'd have been happier staying there.

We all would. [He states plainly.] We all are, back there.

Aang. That person you left there... me. It's not who I am here. You know that, right?

[He knew Aang did before. But Aang had gone back. And. Well, maybe he'd forgotten.]

[He can already remember that this is a topic he's tried to avoid with Sokka. Ever since Suki had left...]

I... I know. But it's complicated. You're still Sokka. Just... on a different path. You still have to... wanna be happy.