savedtheworld | 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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[He's not sure how to tackle that. Not when she sounds so fragile.]

A-Arietta...

You sound like you need a hug.

[His current fear shift is just a bit of a detriment against delivering on that.]

I don't think so... I just want to be able to go home with him.

[He pauses for a moment - taking a few difficult, ragged breaths.

It's becoming harder to think that this could be referring to anyone other than Ion.]

I... I understand that feeling. [He feels somewhat similar regarding a different sort of conflict. He knows his granddaughter, Ikki, will be safer at home. But he also knows he'll have passed on by the time she's born. He may never get to meet her at home.] I wish it were possible for things like that to happen peacefully.

But... Have you thought about what he wants?

He told me to be by his side. I was supposed to protect him forever...

[ She's conflating the two Ions again but it's really hard not to when she's upset. ]

He - he did, huh? And this... Are you sure this is what he still wants? [He's not sure. If he knew that his end was near, wouldn't he try to change things? Aang wonders.]

It should be. It has to be...

[ She has nothing else to believe in if she doesn't believe in her usefulness to Ion. ]

You should make sure if you can. [He's sure that she can still be useful to Ion or whoever this is as a friend or ally. But only if she's doing a function that goes with his ideals. And revenge doesn't sit well with him; Aang's sure that it's the same for Ion.]

Make sure that if you try to help him... It's not in a way that'd hurt him.

I'd never hurt him! [ HOW CAN YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT ] I'm not like meanie Anise!

[ but that doesn't mean she realizes when she hurts him, whoops ]

Anise...? [Of course. It's easy to remember; the first time Aang had ever talked to Ion, it was to give him advice about how to deal with his friends who were arguing with each other: Arietta and Anise. Only now did he see that this was much more complicated than he had assumed.]

Nevermind. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come across like that. I'm just saying that... It's possible. There have been times for me, too, when I've tried to do what I thought was best for the people I love, because I thought I knew it was best. Sometimes, it's been right. But other times... It hasn't. And it did make them hurt. Even when we're trying our best to look out for each other, we can still hurt each others' feelings. So we should do our best to make sure that doesn't happen.

I always do that. I always try not to hurt him...

And it's good to try. But talking things out... That can help even more.

Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

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