savedtheworld | Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

Entry tags:

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.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Thunderaxe.....

[Frankly Mai wasn't sure whether she ought to address this or not. She wasn't close to any of them after all and when it comes to comforting Mai was better at distraction than any real emotional help.

But... well, the Avatar had been eager to befriend her before. The least she could do if she had to be caught here with the rest of them was sort of be friendly.]

He was here a long time. He's probably happy to see home again.

Edited 2013-11-25 03:24 (UTC)

[He frowns at hearing Jack's sad voice. It takes him a moment to remember why he's saying "Thunderaxe". And he gets sad to realize Sokka's going back to a world where he won't know that name at all.]

I'm sorry, Captain Jack.

[It actually feels a little comforting to hear kind words from Mai particularly. It raises his mood just a little.]

That's right. He always wanted to go home, and how he's made it. [He knows Sokka wouldn't really be satisfied - not that he went home alone and left Katara here, not to mention the rest of their group. But it was easy to see the bright side. Sokka was "reset" at home. So he never died - never did all those cruel things from when he lost his soul.] The war's over for him back home now, too. So... things should be looking up for him from now on.

[ Well shit. ... No really. The bottom falls out of his stomach at this one, and he has no idea if it's his place or not to go there. He's assuming not, but then he's also not entirely sure he can avoid it. He doesn't respond to Aang, but spends a lot of time waffling about if to go down and see how Katara is doing or not until eventually (largely because Shikamaru is too sick to coach him out of it, he begins a slow walk down to House 56.

And frankly, he's almost a little relieved to have run into Aang before her. Not a smile-relieved sense, but definitely a mild relief which means he can distract himself some by waltzing over to interrupt... whatever the guy is doing]

[He's sitting cross-legged in a meditative stance. And looking towards the statue expectantly, as if listening to it. But he perks up as he hears someone nearby. He feels that anxiety he's been feeling around people creeping back. So when he looks up towards Masaomi, it's with a bit of distressed surprise.]

M- Masaomi! ...Hi!

Hello, hello, my man. [And he flicks him in the head. There we go. Hey hey hey ]

You were all doing pretty well after the war and the coronation from what I remember anyhow. I can't say I've really spoken to any of you much though.

[And now he is visibly afraid. Even though it's just a flick to the head, he finds himself skittering backwards a few feet like a turtle crab.]

S-sorry! [He gasps slightly, breathing more than usual. Aang has definitely been much less visible around the village lately - aside from when soaring through the sky on his glider or with Appa - for pretty much this whole month.]

[ Wow what the hell man. He freezes at that one, standing up proper from his crouch and frowns. ]

Jeez, are you more sensitive than usual?

That's right. I didn't speak to you much after that party, either. I'm sorry if I should have talked to you more, but I didn't think of it. I'm from the same time as you though, so I know things'll be okay! I mean, there was some roughness with all that Yu Dao stuff, but everything worked out for the best. And Sokka actually looked like he was having fun doing his part!

Sokka would look like he was having fun even if he was unconscious.

Hm, you're right! Even when he's unconscious, he does look like he's having fun! [Of course Aang knows firsthand.

A thoughtful pause.]

Except when he's dreaming about food eating people.

... He dreams about food. Eating people?

[His eyes are still widened, but he tries to control his breathing. Luckily, he's talked with some people about this fear already, so he's not trying so hard to hide it.]

No! I mean maybe, in a way. It's just... right now, I'm afraid.

You're afraid, Aang-san?

That's right. I - I don't know why! But I haven't been able to stop feeling like this, whenever I'm... you know, near people!

Once he did! It must have been really scary. But at least he probably still had his pants!

So he has finally gone home. My condolences to you and your friends, but I am glad to hear that he has happiness awaiting him.

[Even if it means that Souji has lost his only student, and someone he considered a friend.]

[... Well. That's not something she can respond to verbally. Though she's also aware of Aang's little problem, there are others at his house that she intends to visit as well.

So sometime later, she'll head down to the house, with Noishe, and with a small plant. Luckily Sokka wasn't one of those who had died at home, but... she knew it was difficult on people who had their family or close friends surrounding them, to "lose" them unexpectedly. Especially when it had been such a long time, long enough for them to lose faith in the idea of being sent home themselves.

If no one is outside when she arrives, she'll go to the door to knock. Or set down the plant, there, if no one answers. Hm.]

Thank you, Souji. I honestly don't know a lot about his future, but my present is at least already a year ahead of his time. So know he'll be happy then. Even if he can't remember it, I'm sure that he will miss you in some way.

As long as he finds happiness, whether he remembers me or not is irrelevant. It might be better that he forgets, perhaps.

But you will see him again some day - and grow to old men together as friends, yes?

[Aang is indeed outside, near the Sokka head statue, but he keeps quiet as he watches her approach. He does feel the anxiety start to come back to him as she comes closer. But he does manage to crack a slight smile at seeing Noise and raises his hand in a greeting wave.]

I wouldn't say that. It's always better to remember a good friend. But you're right. His happiness is the most important.

[And that's a large comfort of him going home: that he won't be remembering any of the horrible things he endured while in Luceti. Especially everything related to his death.

But speaking of death, the second part of the message gives him pause - as it makes him very sad. He knows a lot about the future, after all. He knows that he himself will only live to 66 - which could be considered to be old, but not really what Souji has in mind. He doesn't know how long Sokka will live... but it has sounded like he'd be gone by Korra's time]

I'll see him again someday. And we're going to have a lot of time together as friends.

Then I hope you can treasure that time together when you have it - even if you never remember my saying so. You and your friends, Sokka-kun especially, I always saw such hope for a better future in you. I still do.

[A hope he knows his world doesn't have, not for the foreseeable future. Himura Kenshin has told him as much - they changed the world, he and his friends died, and everything was still as awful as it was before.]

For however much time you have, I hope it is wonderful.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 17

Book 16: Drained [Voice/Action]

voice

voice;

voice

voice;

no subject

no subject

no subject

voice;

no subject

no subject

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

no subject

no subject

no subject

voice;

written

[action]

written

written

[action]

written

written