eachdraidh | 1st Element ☲ Video

[It's helpful that so many people have been fiddling around with their lockets, and that Aang's given himself some time to try figuring the thing out. There are only three false starts before he manages to properly turn it to video.

A twelve-year-old bald boy with arrows tattooed on his head, arms, and legs sits in a lotus position. To those who would recognize it, his clothes seem similar to those of Tibetan monks.]

Is this thing on...?

[The locket's also upside-down as he works on it, his tongue sticking out with concentration, before he blinks.]

Oh! Hi!

[He puts the locket down upright and tries to look like he knows what he's doing, but the image is kind of ruined by his somewhat sheepish smile and the way he waves.]

I'm Aang! [He puts his hands in his lap, gray eyes bright and curious.] I don't really know many of you, but I'd like to! I kind of what to say something to everyone on both sides of this.

[The smile begins to fade.] In my world, there's been a war going on for a hundred years. I still don't know why it began. From what I hear, one nation attacked the others, and the others are now just trying to protect themselves. I've always wondered why that first nation attacked. [The smile's completely gone now. The eyes have lost some of their brightness.] But now... we have these lockets. So we can talk to each other, and we can find out why we're being told to fight each other.

So I came on here to ask... [He puts his palms together and closes his eyes. Just a twelve-year-old boy, trying to fulfill his duty to achieve peace and harmony.] that before we start fighting, that we talk first, and we compare what our separate sides have told us. That we try to learn about each other. I'll start.

[The boy unfolds his legs and picks up a wooden staff from the ground, using it to get to his feet and leaning on it while he speaks.] Like I said, I'm Aang. I'm an Air Nomad. That means I'm a monk, and I was taught to respect all life. [Perhaps conspicuously to those who know him, he doesn't mention his status as the Avatar. That seems like heavy stuff to tell people who don't even know what that is.] When I came here, I was told that I had to kill people who were chosen by the Unseelie to steal their Shards, and if we didn't do that, then everything I ever loved would be destroyed. They said that this is a kingdom that represents light in the world--things like honor, courage, love, justice... that kind of thing. And that the Unseelie are going to destroy all of it.

So... what about everyone else? Seelie and Unseelie? Who are you? Where are you from? Why did they tell to fight?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Likewise. Air Nomads are taught to only fight in the defense of self or others.

[He sits down slowly, needing to use his glider to ease downwards.]

I don't think this war is really ours. There's already a war back home that I need to help with, and this feels a little like it's beyond humans.

Hmmm, I'll have to disagree there. Light and darkness seem to always be at war with each other across different worlds. Maybe yours was just one of the lucky ones that the Heartless didn't snuff out or invade yet. [Oh Kingdom Hearts I, wonderful memories.]

And...I doubt everyone brought here is human. [BUT ANYWAYS--] Besides, maybe you could learn some things to bring back to your world to help with the war.

Well... I guess you could say it's at war in my world, but it's people at war, not spirits as powerful as ones representing light and darkness. [Aang, someone needs to explain Raava to you.] I don't think the spirits really care at all about how the war at home ends, except the Ocean and Moon ones.

What could I learn? The tools I need to win are all back home.

...You know, saying it like that makes the war in your world sound insignificant in comparison. [Just sayin'.]

It's a new world for you. [Shrug, even if Aang can't see it.] You might be able to learn something you never would in your own. Different experiences, techniques, perspectives. All that stuff.

What?

[...Excuse him?

Aang's voice drops. There is no cheer. And slowly, it begins to climb in volume] Of the four nations that are supposed to live together in harmony, one is trying to take over the world, one is conquered, one is halfway destroyed, and the fourth... [Beat.] There isn't a fourth anymore. An entire people were burned. The Fire Nation tried to destroy the moon! They managed it, and the world would have been completely impossible to put back into balance if someone hadn't been ready to die for her world! People are dying, the world is collapsing, and you think that sounds insignificant?!

[Yeah, he's mad.]

I'm sorry that the spirits and literal forces of good and evil actually care about the physical plane where you come from! I didn't know that was the only way you could tell how important a war was! Because of course, spirits ALWAYS CARE ABOUT HUMANS AND THEIR SUFFERING!

Edited (typo) 2014-04-12 04:47 (UTC)

[Beat. Deep breath. He's glad this isn't video, because there are tears in his eyes.

And he immediately feels ashamed, because he's the Avatar and he shouldn't lose his temper. Especially with a guy who clearly has no idea the pain a little comment like that could cause, as if the genocide of everyone he knew and loved were insignificant.

As if all the things he feels when he wanders onto the empty grounds of an Air Temple or watch the people he abandoned suffer don't matter.]

...Sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper.

[Well, THAT didn't go over very well, but it's not like he was really thinking about his choice of words. The sudden burst of anger was unexpected but valid. Most of that went over his head though, even with...so much info. The only thing he can really do is stay silent until Aang calms down.]

No...It's fine. I probably shouldn't have said that, anyways. [The sigh he lets out sounds tired.]

I just meant that...the balance between light and darkness affects all worlds. I've been to many, and I've watched as a world get swallowed up by darkness too. It's not pretty, but if this war will somehow tip the balance, it may cause problems for all the worlds connected to this one. No matter what's happening in your world, everything will disappear if darkness wins.

But I've been talking to people who are from the Unseelie, and it doesn't sound like they are the darkness that the Seelie court thinks they are. It sounds more like they feel like they believe in change and following your own heart and things like that. That doesn't sound evil, just different.

...True. Not everything from the darkness is bad. [So why is he on the Seelie side again?]

I don't want the Seelie court to win, though. Neither should. If keeping either side from winning is what keeps the worlds from being affected-... [Nope, nope, nope. Ending that thought right now.

Ahem.]

Anyways, as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to be looking for a way out rather than fighting.

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