savedtheworld | Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

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Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

[Voice]

[It had been easy enough to assume that Sokka had still been kidnapped - that he'd be back any day. It was worrying, but there was still the assurance of his eventual return. Except that eventually, his room was checked. And found empty. There wasn't even a sign of Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. It was hard to believe - when Aang had first gotten to Luceti, he had gotten used to Sokka being the man with the answers. And also a beard. He was like a big figure of the town. And now he was gone. Katara wasn't in a state to announce it herself, so Aang eventually did it. Making it quick and to the point.]

Hi everyone. This is Aang. I'm sorry to tell you all this, but Sokka has gone back home. I know we're all gonna miss him. I already do. But at least at home... the last time I saw him there, he was happy.

[Action]

[Aang spends some time over by the statue of Sokka's head located House 56, studying the image of his best friend. He tries to meditate and tries to imagine the inspiring words that Sokka would usually say. Because he's still afraid of being around other people. And right now, the people dear to him may need him more than ever.]

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[...Probably because statues can't, you know. Talk.

But he nods. Go on. Or take your time. ...He's keeping quiet and letting Aang speak on his own terms.]

[Luke keeps his town soft and light. Aang clearly could use the solidarity, after all.]

Yeah? You know what's in store for him, then? Tell me about it.

[It may help, thinking about life away from this mess.]

Really?

[Well... damn.]

I just sorta took it for granted that he'd always be stuck here.

[Oh Zuko, you always have such a way with words.]

I guess I did, too. Or, I mean, until we found a way home. And maybe he'd be the one to finally think it up.

[A thoughtful pause.]

...It'd probably use a catapult and a boomerang.

I see. [He pauses.] I know it can't be easy for any of us. And... and Foo Foo is gone, too. [At least they won't have to worry about his future wellbeing anymore.]

[He gives a slight sniff, wipes his sleeve across his nose and nods.]

I understand what you mean, Raine. Thank you. I do feel ad for everyone who won't be able to see him again while he's home. But... [He remembers what happened this year. Sokka's death, and the horrible things he did without his soul. How he thought he'd never recover.] Maybe it's better that he's back there and back to the way he was.

It's just gonna be... harder, here. He really was like our team leader here. And - and he's Katara's brother. [Not to mention being the closest thing he has to a brother of his own.]

Well... In the time he came from, it was right after we finished the war. And beat - the fire lord. [He just has an odd pause. Sometimes he just has this weird feeling that he can hear a hint of something sounding like Ozai's voice in Luke's. But that's just crazy.]

I'm already a year ahead of him. He's still with his girlfriend and helping us with diplomatic stuff. He has lots of fun and is happy. I don't know too many details about all of his life... but I do know that one day he'll be a councilman. He'll probably do all kinds of cool and great things, and be funny at the same time.

[He takes deep breaths, as if meditating. And he glances towards the statue again. This time, he gets an idea on where to start.]

You know... When I first came to Luceti, that statue was already there. And so was Sokka. It was so weird, because I hadn't been apart from Sokka or Katara for long ever since I met them, but in this world they'd been here without me for years. Sokka even had a beard. He taught me so much about this place and helped me with a lot of the problems that I had. I always thought that when we found a way back home... he'd still be there, leading us.

[Sigh.]

No, everyone keeps their pants. I've had weird dreams before.

[A moment of thought, then:]

After we quit chasing you, I dreamt about that flying bison of yours for days. I blame it on having to pick all that fur out of my clothes though.

[...]

Usually my dreams are... sometimes about home. Nostalgic things, I guess.

[Being a kid again playing hide and seek on the Palace grounds, Azula zapping them out of their hiding places because she was a cheat like that. Sometimes darker, sadder things.]

I know. It'll be very rough for her, for a while. [It would have been easier for all of them to go together, not be torn apart bit by bit, even if at home, they didn't realize it.

Time, in this place. Guilt in this place. Gently, she'll place a hand on his shoulder - if he'll allow it. If he jumps, she'll pull back to herself.]

[That would be crazy, completely crazy. ~~Mark Hamill's vocal range aside...~~]

See, that's probably better than him being here, wouldn't you say? Sure, it makes our lives easier having friends...but if he's able to be happy, enjoy himself, and do important work...well...then he should be there doing it. At least, that's how I feel about it.

[Because we all deserve a little rest, don't we?]

[He chuckles a little at that part.]

That's Appa for you! He always has a way of leaving an impression.

[But he gets quieter, thinking on what she said. It touches something in the air nomad, and he gets increasingly nostalgic as he goes on.]

I guess that makes sense. Lately... a lot of my dreams have been about home. It's been so long since I've seen our world, that I dream about visiting all kinds of different places. All the most beautiful places I can remember. And in my dreams, I fly around between all of those different places... with flying lemur wings...

I don't know how-

[He does wind up wincing and pulling back from her touch, but he looks immediately apologetic.]

Sorry.

[His frown gets deeper.]

I don't know how to help her.

You're right, Luke. It's good to remember that part. It does help me feel a little better to think about that. [There's still a hole. It doesn't replace the void left by his best friend.] We still have a bunch of friends here, too.

[She clicks the voice function on, but it takes her a while to say anything. It's difficult to swallow this. Hell, she doesn't even want to acknowledge it. However-]

Do you need... company?

... All you can do is support one another, and try not to fall to complete despair.

Yeah, I know. Sometimes it just takes a little reminder.

[He knows the feeling all too well.]

Leia went home recently as well, though she wasn't here as long as Sokka. But like with him, it's better she's at home. She didn't have to deal with experiments, and she gets to go home to Han. I imagine they'll both be happy.

And us? We will have to make do with what we have. Giving in to despair seems easy, and it is sad, but by the sounds of it, Sokka wouldn't want you to. What do you think?

Avatar Aang-san, the loner rebel without a cause. [Said with some sense of drama that he laughs at the end of because clearly it was a brilliant joke entirely befitting off the somber mood of the moment. But really he never knows quite what else to do so why not]

[The question's harder to consider than it should be. Sometimes Aang preferred to cope through solitude, but the loss of a friend makes one time he wishes to have another friend around. At the same time, he was afraid of being around people. But the biggedt concern for Aang now is whether ir not Winry needs someone. He answers uncertainly.]

It... it might help.

Only if... you'd like company, too.

... Probably. He might have gotten more inventive than that.

[At least the programs at the battle dome would make him think so.]

Are you sure he's gone for good? Sometimes people come back, right?

[...Almost like Gold. A lot of people have come and gone, but he's always been there- and he's been there for a long time. He was bigger and stronger... But he wasn't exactly helpful and matured.

But now Aang's friend isn't here anymore. He doesn't have that kind of leader anymore. So what is he planning to do now?

Silver nods in acknowledgement. Go ahead, Aang. Continue.]

[As usual, the joke goes completely over his head. And he's not sure what to make of it in this context. He manages the hints of a smile, but he can't quite get himself to laugh along.]

I- I guess I don't know the cause. But I'm not trying to rebel against anything.

[He closes his eyes as he takes it in and nods before he opens his eyes again.]

You're right, Raine. [For some reason, he remembers the desert. He remembers Katara holding them all together while they were falling to grief and anger and cactus juice. He remembers Katara holding him down and keeping him from falling to such a complete despair. He knows he has to at least try to do the same for her.]

Sometimes... that's the best you can try. Thank you.

[He starts to move towards Noise.]

You're right. People do come back sometimes. Once, I went home and came back here overnight. But... there's no way to tell for sure. This place is more unpredictable than anything else.

As much as I'd like to believe it... I think it'd hurt me if we kept hoping for him to come back and it wound up to be false. [Especially for Katara.] He's safe at home, at least.

Leia... Your sister? I didn't even know she was here. But I'm glad she was able to go back home soon. I bet you're right that they're happy. [He knows Luke must still miss her.]

I think you're right, Luke! I don't want to give in to despair. I want to find more hope. For... for me, and for my friends. Because... him being gone, it really is a good thing.

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Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

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