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

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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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But you should at some point...

[Lightly, as he trails off reading. It's a short message; he reads it twice to make sure he got it right... and snorts.]

[He just keeps staring at his own not open letter, until Shikamaru snorts and then he looks up-]

What, you got a joke?

[Aang raises an eyebrow and frowns slightly.]

It didn't sound like a joke...

She called me a 'weird kid'.

[This is obviously the part to take offense at!! But he can't really find it in him to be irritated. Someone who knows him better might call it fond frustration.]

A kid? [Okay, he can't help it, he bursts out laughing at that. Not a loud roaring laugh or anything, but a distinct laugh]

[And he finds himself smiling and chuckling along a little.]

Well you're not an old man. You just sound like one sometimes. [Says the 100-year old.]

[Not the first time he's heard that; won't be the last. He's really only met one person who's told him otherwise.

Well. Maybe two now.]

But a kid? [He folds the letter back up, carefully.] She's at least five years younger than me.

[Not to mention a soldier. A side-grin remains on his face as he watches Shikamaru and drifts his eyes back to his letter. Huh]

[Aang shrugs.]

She probably knows what she's talking about. Does that mean I can't call you a kid either?

[...smiiirk.

He slings one arm around Aang's shoulder.] Definitely not.

[And for that you get a noogie.]

[You know if she called Shikamaru a kid, what did she call him. ...What did Aang know she called him. He frowns deeper, crumbling the letter a little from his intensity, before Linda hisses and goes to rip it out of his hands]

-Hey!

[While Aang is focused on the noogie problem, trying to squirm his way out while laughing.]

Hey - but now you're definitely acting like one! [For that, he's actually glad.]

I had a request to fill.

[Take care of them, she said. But there goes Linda, and he stops what he's doing and releases Aang.]

Oi, oi, Linda.

[He wonders if this is a jealous thing or Masaomi being dumb thing.]

What, are you going to tease me?!

["No, just let me destroy it if you're going to antagonize" is what she basically says with her piis and failed sparking and pulling. As they tug of war on the letter]

Someone requested you be a kid-?

[But then he's also diverted by the Linda events as he's released.]

Careful with that letter...

[Paper is kinda fragile, so...

He kneels, and in the same movement his shadow stretches to nab Linda's.]

[WHAT, YOU DID NOT JUSt.

She tries to release electricity, it doesn't work and instead she just tries to struggle in the shadow. Masaomi tugs it out of her paws though]

[Even though Shikamaru had explained his ability to Aang in a satisfactory way, he still shoots him a look of concern. It's so weird to see it being used so casually.]

[He holds it just long enough to make sure Masaomi has it back out of snatching distance from her before letting her go with some hidden concern. That keeps happening.]

Relax already.

[She actually coats her tail in metal and is about to flip over to attack Shikamaru when something hits her. And thought she grits her teeth, she turns to Masaomi, begging him with her eyes to let her go beat up Shikamaru for slighting her like that. Masaomi shakes his head, and she pouts. But-! But!!]

[The bits of conflicted feelings are gone when the shadows are released, and Aang tries to wave his arms passively.]

Yeah, let's all calm down. Nevermind whether or not Toph would've wanted to see a good fight...

[Well Linda would see anything he says as further antagonizing her, even if it isn't. He unbends his knees to let himself fall back on his rear, and leans against the wall with his arms up behind him.]

I get pride, but you've got to stop hitting things which aren't me.

[Even if she never did that before. He knows her nerves are flayed, which is why she had that reaction, he assumes. So he instead pets her head with the hand not holding the letter]

[Aang sees things seem to be cooling down, so he watches Shikamaru and tries to mimic that cool way he unbended his knees to get himself to fall and lean against the wall. Although he does so a little too fast and winds up banging his head on the wall right next to Shikamaru.]

Ow! ...I'm okay.

[He snorts again. Aang, you dork.

He probably doesn't get what's going on between the other two in the room either, he thinks. He waits to see how Linda responds to that.]

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