Book 11: Memories Down the Stream [Voice/Action]

[savedtheworld]

[By now, it almost seems like a way of Luceti - that whenever good news happens, it will be followed by bad before long. Just yesterday, Katara had come back to the house. As herself. But today? The house woke up to a different empty room. Toph's.

It seemed like so soon since she had given him his last metalebending lesson. He still had so much to learn. And he still remembered so clearly when she showed up, tunneling from the earth like the little badger mole she was. Her original presence in Luceti may have precluded his, but when she came back, she was from the same time as him. He know that aside from missing one of his best friends, he'd miss being able to relate to one of the few people from that time.

But in a way, Aang knew this could be for the best. He remembered how she had worried about her life, with everything the future had shown to them. The short time that her daughter was around. How Toph feared the possibility of having to live her life in Luceti without ever returning home, that she might not become the person she thought she was supposed to be. But now she didn't have to worry about that anymore. She could live that life for herself. And hopefully, she'd find peace and happiness in that life. They could all still be friends there, too, in that lifetime.

Aang spends a little time wallowing in his grief, first. After all, he misses her already. Then he remembers one of the first things she told him when arriving. "Missed me? After only a month? Come on, don't get sappy!" With a faint smile, he nodded before he rose to do what he had to do. Toph had put her hopes in him.

And he soon addressed the journals.]

Hi everyone. This is Aang. You should know that Toph Beifong is... She's gone back home. I guess our world can only go so long without its greatest Earthbender around. She left some letters to hand out, but everyone who knew her should know... She cared about you a lot more than she says. Even her punches had friendship in them.

[He grabbed the letters that she had left behind, knowing all too well what they all said. After all, he was the one who had to transcribe them for her.

And so, Aang starts to play the distribution game. He first gives out letters to those around the house. If there were any who did not find about Toph's absence at the same time as him, then he would give them the letter and the news prior to the journal announcement. Then, he seeks out Suki, Ion, Fenimore, Shikamaru, Masaomi and Saori to deliver their letters. If there's any he can't find, he'll leave the letter at the door of their house. Or in their mailbox. Do we have mailboxes?

He tries to go about his normal daily activities afterwards, showing few signs of anything wrong. Places to frequent include the Welcome Center, library, tea shop and item shop. And in the evening, after dinner, he takes some of the remaining metal sheets lying around the house out to the forest to do some metalbending practice on his own. Still, every time he messed up, he could almost feel the punches.]

Comments

[savedtheworld]

She was? I didn't know that. Toph was here even before you? [Even though Sokka had mentioned that even he and Katara brief previous stays in Luceti that neither imagined, it was odd to imagine, having grown used to seeing Sokka as the Luceti senior of the group; although Toph probably would rock the beard better.]

[markofthewise]

Just be a few days. That's all. Still, it was a whole other month before Zuko showed up.

[They were undeniably close in that short period. But then. they never really thought too hard about what Luceti was really about.]

[savedtheworld]

Oh, I see. [It was also weird to imagine what Toph would be like if she hadn't been sent home ever. He'd really be left in the age dust then.] I don't know much about her previous time here... but I guess that this time, a lot happened to influence her on letters. From people she became close with, to - to y'know, the things she found out. [Lin.] It must've given her a lot more to think about.

[And he also wonders if leaving a Sokka and Katara who had to endure her departures many times in the past also factored into leaving them something to remember her and their friendships by this time around.]

[markofthewise]

Yeah. I guess so.

[She'd... not been very happy lately, he knew that much. Luceti was an easy place to be miserable in.]

Thanks for the note, Aang.

[When it comes down to it, he's upset. But he's had to harden himself to these kind of things to be able to survive. Especially when this is the fourth time he's seen Toph vanish. He's upset, but it's not visible.]

[savedtheworld]

[It bothers Aang to see Sokka like this, seeing so... closed off. Especially since Aang's trip home wasn't so long ago; he had fresh memories of how openly emotive Sokka could be. But here in Luceti, it was something to get used to, while Aang still resolved to keep his heart on his sleeve.]

You should be thanking Toph. But I guess she can't answer now, so... you're welcome, Sokka.

[markofthewise]

Yeah, I know. I just meant delivering it, that's all.

[He turns his attention to Toph's room. Empty again. He wondered how long that would last. Zuko's room had been filled by Bolin not long after he left.]

Are you going to tell Suki?

[savedtheworld]

Y-yeah. She has a letter, too, after all. ...Or do would you rather deliver it?

[markofthewise]

No. I don't think she'd want to see me. Especially not with bad news.

[savedtheworld]

You're right. I'll take care of it, then. [A hesitant pause.] But I'm sure she'll want to see you, when things are better.

[markofthewise]

That may not be for awhile, Aang. I messed things up pretty bad.

[savedtheworld]

It's... it's really that bad? [Suki's account had left him confused. He was left assuming they just needed some time apart; that it would be settled by now.]

[markofthewise]

I lied to her and broke her heart, Aang. This isn't one of those "I'm sorry, please come back home" situations.

[savedtheworld]

But it has to be fixable, somehow. You... you guys are great! [Those two had almost always been mutual... so Aang was sure they'd have a better chance here than him and Katara. Especially after how close they were the first time around. He still knows very little details from Suki's account... except that it had to do with the difference in her stays.]

[markofthewise]

Were great, Aang. I don't know what will happen now. [He shakes his head. He doesn't want to go into this. Not with Aang. Or anyone. But it's worse for those people who put so much faith into what he and Suki had.]

[savedtheworld]

It can't be that hopeless. No matter what happened... you've gotta still get along eventually. E-even as friends. It'll just take time.

[markofthewise]

Friends, maybe. But beyond that? I don't know. We talked, Aang. I know she'd be happy if things could go back to how they were. But I don't think I can do that.

[Maybe Suki could forgive him, eventually. But Sokka's point was that he didn't think he could go back to that relationship.]

[savedtheworld]

You can't? But... she'd be happy. Isn't that what you want?

[markofthewise]

That's just it, Aang. I don't know what I want. As much as I want to be with Suki... [He shakes his head.] Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this.

[savedtheworld]

It's okay. I shouldn't have bothered you about it. It sounds like you just - got a lot to think about.

[markofthewise]

It's only going to get worse. It's almost that time.

[savedtheworld]

What time? [Definitely not a good one.]

[markofthewise]

The yearly Valentine's experiment. It sabotaged things with me and Suki her first year here. And we were doing great then. Just think how much worse it will be this time.

[savedtheworld]

Right. The Valtentines. [He almost forgot. And it was hard to imagine - it made him afraid - that even when Sokka and Suki were doing great, they could be torn apart by it. The effect was still impossible for Aang to properly imagine.] Maybe it won't be so bad.

[markofthewise]

First time's always the worst, Aang. Unless you just don't get hit.

[Last year... wasn't so bad.]

[savedtheworld]

It'll be both of our first. But... Maybe it will skip us!