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

[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.]

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[She sets about making the tea while he does so, Jasmine it is.]

How are you otherwise, all things considered?

[Dancing around the bad news, for the moment.]

[And while she's making the tea, he pulls out the enveloped letter and peers absentmindedly at it before setting it on the table.]

I've been fine. Things were starting to be good again yesterday. It just... changed, today.

[She pours two cups and sets a steaming clay mug in front of him before taking a seat.]

I understand. My friends Harry and Gambit departed recently as well. And...Toph.

[She picks up her cup and sips, a sad look in her ageless brown eyes.]

She was a wonderful friend.

[He smiles slightly at the cup of tea, which fades somewhat at the mention of Toph.]

I'm sorry you had to say goodbye to that many friends. Toph is a great friend. And... she left something for you. [He said, sliding the letter across the table to her.]

I'm sorry that you had to say goodbye. I know you are good friends. And she always talked about you.

[Saori blinks at the letter and accepts it. When she opens it, she does so with slightly shaky hands. And by the time she's finished reading, she's not able to hold her cup straight anymore.]

It's okay. It's not really goodbye... just for here. I'll still miss her...

[He already does. And he looks on in concern as she reads the letter.]

Are you alright, Saori?

[Saori nods slowly and sets down the letter]

She...does me great honor. I've never had someone say something like this to me.

[Her head shakes, but her hand steadies as it comes to rest on the table.]

I hadn't known she felt this way. But it makes me glad, knowing it.

[He takes a moment to sip his tea as he takes in her words. He does know the contents of the letter, due to having transcribed it, but he prevents himself from directly referring to it in order to be sensitive.]

Now you know. She always cares about people more than she says. It's her way.

[She gulps down the remainder of her tea.]

Thank you, for delivering it. She's very fortunate, to have a friend like you. And I'm fortunate, to have had the chance to get to know her, and give her something.

You're welcome. Someone had to do it, and I just... figured it had to be me. I feel like I'm the lucky one to know her. But I do feel good that you all could be friends.

She's...very strong. I've never met a group of young people quite like those I've met from your world. I'll remember Toph, and I may continue her manliness lessons, if you don't mind. The village could do with some laughs.

It could. And I think she'd like that. If you think you're up to it, Saori... go ahead.

In time. When the memory is less raw, I will.

[She sighs]

That makes two, this month. Harry as well. It feels strange, having blessings suddenly...vanishing.

Edited (Lazarus keeps messing up) 2013-02-10 15:19 (UTC)

I see. I didn't know a Harry, but... I'm sorry he's gone. I'm not sure if it'll help, but I like to think of it as the blessings going somewhere else instead, to other people who need them. We had our time with them here, but there are others who might need them more. And there's still pieces of them left in our hearts.

[Saori laughs, a soft, tired sound that she doesn't normally share with people she doesn't see daily.]

It's true. Toph has things to do. It just feels strange, suddenly having a blessing cut off. I hope that means she took it with her. A little piece of me, to help her.

It's hard to say, with the way things work around here. [He had his brief trip home, in which there weren't any Luceti-induced differences to note.] But I like to believe it's possible. That the people here still are touched by the people they meet here when they leave. Even if it's in a way... that can't really been seen or anything.

Well, that's how blessings go, isn't it?

[Quite literally, in her case]

I know she'll do well at home. She's a tough girl.

I guess you're right about that.

She is. She's the toughest person I know. And... we do know already that she'll get a lot done in the future.

Oh? What does she do?

Well in our time, she's already invented metalbending, and no one else could figure it out. She's already started teaching people, and when she grows up? She'll make a police force based on metalbending and be its chief.

I knew she could bend metal. But to make a police force? That sounds like a fantastic idea.

It does, right? I guess I'll see it for myself someday, but it sounds real impressive. She always was good at bossing people around. And as much as liked to look otherwise, she's always good at helping people, too.

She's definitely bossy. In a good way. And she's really a lot kinder than she'll ever admit.

Those are both true. She's the best boss I can think of.

And the manliest young lady I've ever met.

She taught me many wonderful insults.

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