Book 14: Autumn Breeze

[savedtheworld]

[Action]

[The day is off to a normal start for Aang, starting with airbending practice. He also spends some of the morning using airbending to play around with the leaves on the front lawn of House 56.

After school, he then spends some time cooking at the bakery. He puts together a mix of cookies, cupcakes and some fruit pies of different flavors, and anyone can pop in while he's working on that. He leaves some at the bakery and takes the rest to the Welcome Center, where he sets them up as treats for visiting New Feathers. He spends some time lingering there to do what Welcome Center-ing work there is to be done. And before heading home for dinner, he takes Appa out for a ride flying in the air over Luceti.]

[Video]

[While Aang's at the Welcome Center, he sets up a video. The treats he prepared are visible on a table in the background. Those who met him during the last experiment can probably pick up over the video that he now looks 15-ish rather than 12, although it's easier to tell the difference in person.]

Hello. How is everyone? It's Aang here, and I've got a few things I wanted to say. First of all, isn't it great that it's autumn now? That's like the best time of the year! Does anyone know any fun things you like to do in autumn? I'd like to try out all kinds of new things.

I... also wanted to say something about the way I was a few weeks ago. When I was littler again. I lied and told some of you I wasn't the Avatar, but I really am. I'm sorry about that. [He pauses for a moment.] Other than that... I left some treats out in the Welcome Center to help greet any New Feathers! If you have any questions about this place, one of us there will do our best to help you. I know lots of things can be confusing and unfamiliar in this place. Come to think of it... Is it just me, or is this New Feather cycle going on longer than usual?

Comments

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

She really is. She's a friend from back in my world... well, kind of. She hadn't met me yet in her time, but we ended up friends here anyway.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

Really?

[From the future, huh? He totally knows how this goes.]

Is she your mom?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[His brain screeches to a halt so suddenly that he could almost swear it was audible.]

Wh-what? No! She's just a friend!

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

Oh! Okay. So you're a... future-friend to her! That's still neat! I never met anyone who's a future-friend before. [Unless you count his reincarnation's friends.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Kind of like that. I come from a couple of years in her future, which is why she hadn't met me yet before she came here. I guess it would be pretty weird, though. I was acting like I knew her, but she'd never even seen me before.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

I'm sorry you had to experience that. My friends' memories have been different... but never as much as them not remembering me at all. [Aside form during certain events or mallynaps.] It must have been weird for her, but it had to be sad for you, too.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

It was pretty sad at first. I knew all of these people here, but none of them recognized me except for Richter. In a way, it was almost worse than not knowing anyone at all.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

[He gives a soft silence at that, having just swallowed his cinnamon bun. And then he gave a reassuring smile.]

But they know you now, right? It's not in the same way, but... you still have their friendship.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Yeah. We're friends now, even if it isn't exactly the same friendship we had back at home. And I'm okay with that. I'm happy just as long as we can be friends here.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

That's a really mature attitude, Emil. I'm happy for you, and for your friends.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

You really think so?

[This is not the first time he's heard that praise in the past few months and he still isn't quite sure what to think of it.]

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

Of course I do! I wouldn't say if I didn't mean it.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Thanks, Aang. I know it sounds strange, but when I hear things like that, it makes me feel like my time here has been worth it.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

In a place like this, that kind of feeling means a lot. I think I'm feeling it a little right now... Helping people feel like that helps me feel the feeling that's like that - you know? [Pause] I guess it's easier to just say, every bit of happiness we can find is the best victory we can have in a place like this.

R[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Yeah, I think I get what you're saying. It makes you happy to know that you've helped someone else feel better about themselves, right? I'm the same way.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

That's right! I guess we're kind of alike like that, Emil.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I guess we are. But if you ask me, I think that's a pretty good way to be alike.

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

It is! It'd probably be neat if I had hair that was alike yours too, but that's okay! I can't grow my hair out.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

... you can't? Why not?

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

It's part of my culture. I can't grow hair so that my arrow can show. [He says as he points to the tattoo going to his forehead.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

That's kind of a weird rule to have about a birthmark... I mean, I have one too, but I usually keep it covered up.

[And he tugs the collar of his shirt down to reveal a small star-shaped mark on the left side of his collarbone.]

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

[Aang's about to correct Emil when the sleeve is rolled up. Aang leans over to get a good look at it.]

Whoa! That's really neat. But, my arrows aren't birthmarks! They're tattoos I got for mastering airbending!

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Wait, you got a tattoo on the top of your head? Don't people usually get those on their arms or on their back?

[Not that Emil really knows that much about tattoos, but the pictures he's seen in books with pirates and stuff tend to have them on the bicep.]

Didn't that hurt?

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

Well I got it on my arms and my back, too! And on my legs! [He raises his hands to show the arrows pointing towards his knuckles.

And then he makes his face at the question.]

Yeah... You could definitely say that! I mean, there's a bunch of techniques like meditation to help it not feel as bad, but I can still remember the sting!

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

It looks like it would really hurt a lot to get that many tattoos done. Were those all because of tradition, or were any of them because you wanted them?

[He peers at the tattoos on Aang's hands, noting that the other boy really does seem to be covered with tattoos.]