008 [Video]

[alwayscomeback]

Who: Sokka and YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: The Blue Fish
When: Not too long after the shuffle

[When Sokka turns on the feed he looks a mixture of annoyed and miserable. It's hard to tell, but if you squint, it seems annoyance is winning out. He is SO DONE right now. There is a strange looking bird perched on the back of his captain's chair, which seems disinterested in everything. He also appears to be eating some weird goop out of a bowl? Maybe it's ice cream?

(Spoilers: it's not ice cream)]

So for those of you keeping track, my world still seems the favourite for Most People Leaving In The Shortest Time Possible award. Both Zuko and Toph have gone. I even checked to see if Zuko was off emo-ing somewhere, but nope, he's gone.

[He waves his spoon at the screen and some of the greeny-goop drops from it with a wet splot. Sokka doesn't care, though. He's going into Rant Mode.]

As you can see, though, I'm still here! YEP. I don't go anywhere. I'm stuck here, forever. Nooooo going home for me. Nope. But hey, there's a girl from the future who's the reincarnation of my someday-dead friend, so wooooooooooo, I'm not completely alone. That's swell. Isn't that swell?

[That might be a bitter and slightly crazy laugh as he slouches back into his captain's chair, swinging it back and forth a little. Hawky screeches and flaps his wings a little, trying to regain some balance. Sokka reaches up to absently pat his little hawk head.]

Now all I need is Azula coming back and it'll be the best month ever.

Comments

[sonofgold]

[Zuko and Toph at the same time? It's a while before Al can bring himself to open the communication channel, but he still looks a bit devastated.]

... I'm at a loss for words.

[alwayscomeback]

[At least Sokka's calmed down a little. But he's still pretty miserable. ]

Tell me about it. This sucks.

[sonofgold]

Yeah. I guess I just... kinda took for granted that Zuko would be here for a while.

[alwayscomeback]

Me too. But...it's probably better for him back home. I mean, he has a whole nation to run now, and it's not exactly been easy for him .

[Plus he has to try out the mess that his family life currently is. Sokka really doesn't envy Zuko right now. ]

[sonofgold]

Mmhmm. He's told me things about his life back home... he had a hard job to get back to. I have every confidence he'll make it through, but it sounds like he's got a lifetime of work ahead of him.

[alwayscomeback]

He really has. After everything the Fire Nation has done...he has to convince the world they can be good again, while dealing with the people within the Fire Nation who were perfectly happy with taking over the world.

It's a mess and I really don't envy him.

[sonofgold]

It's definitely not easy for the government to rebuild trust after something like that happens- something similar happened in my country. We were at war with the Ishbal people when I was little, and some of my friends in the military were tasked with returning the refugees to their holy land and rebuilding a connection between our countries. There was a lot of resentment on both sides that will take generations to repair.

[alwayscomeback]

Yeah, it really will be. But it'll be worth it in the end. To work towards a better future for everyone, right?

[That's their plan, and if Korra is anything to go by, they succeeded. The world is unified. As it should be. ]

[sonofgold]

That's the hope, yes. I just want our next generation to not have to know war, like we have for centuries. Having lived through it, I wouldn't want it for my and Brother's kids.

[alwayscomeback]

I hear you on that one. Just to have some peace and quiet and grow up normally.

[sonofgold]

It would be great- and I'd love the chance to spoil any nieces and nephews Brother has with Winry. It'd be my duty as an uncle.

[alwayscomeback]

I hear that. I mean- I guess being an uncle is inevitable for me, but I'd like to think I'll be their awesome uncle Sokka.

Maybe even kids of my own...one day.

[God, he misses Suki. So much. ]

[sonofgold]

Katara wants kids of her own, huh? It sounds fun... being a parent. Tough, but rewarding. Since my dad wasn't around and my mom died when I was young, I've always known that I want to be there for my kids no matter what.

[alwayscomeback]

She's a mother through and through. And the way she and Aang are...ugh, it's an inevitability.

[He;s just come to accept they are a Thing and that's not going to stop no matter how much he grumps about it. ]

I can understand that. For...actually the exact same reasons. Dad- he was fighting a war so it's not like it was his choice, but...still.

[sonofgold]

[Al laughed.]

Very happy and affectionate, I assume?

[He then nodded.]

My own dad had a good reason for being away, too, but it was still hard for us, and he regretted having to leave me and Ed behind and apologized to us before he died. ... When I first came back to my real body, I think he gave me most of what was left of his life force. To help me heal and regain my strength, and to do something good for me as a father.

[alwayscomeback]

Pretty much. Bossy too, on man, so bossy.

Wow, that's... that's really something. [Confusing Avatar-level stuff, really. ] I'm sorry he died, though. Mine's still alive, at least, even if I haven't seen a lot of him since we won the war. It got to be hard, not having him there any more.

[sonofgold]

[Al laughed.]

Brother and Winry aren't that bad, though they can both be stubborn and hot-tempered and quibble over little things. They do it with love, though.

[He then heaved a sigh as he thought of Hohenheim.]

I'm glad he was able to give me that gift. He knew he was dying, and he just... wanted to do something for me and Edward before he joined Mom on the other side. Granny said she found him kneeling in front of Mom's grave with a smile on his face, so at least when he went, he was at peace with himself. And while it is hard sometimes not having a parent... I still have my friends. And Brother.

[alwayscomeback]

That's...kinda nice. Aang puts up with a lot of Katara's bossyness really well naturally, so I guess they work.

[Dude. Dude that's really depressing. Dude.]

I guess you have to be happy with what you do have, right? It's okay being sad about the people you've lost, but it's never going to bring them back, huh?

[sonofgold]

Yeah... it's all about learning to complement each others' worse parts, learn how to bear them and love each other anyway.

[It is, but Al's seen so much death in his life, and Teacher had taught him that death was an inevitable, inescapable part of life anyway.]

Mmhmm- bringing people back to life is impossible. I'll cherish the memories I do have of them, though. And be glad I still have people around me who love me and support me.

[alwayscomeback]

Yeah, that...actually sounds pretty right.

And that's what's important. Enjoy the time you've got with them. Make the most of every day.

[sonofgold]

I'll have to keep that in mind for here, too. Zuko was one of the closest friends I had here... one of the next best things to having Brother.

[alwayscomeback]

That's...really good to hear. He didn't really have many actual friends before he met us. He's not great at making them y'know? Doesn't warm up to most people.

[He heh, warm up. ]

I'm glad he made some here.

[sonofgold]

He knew another me in a place called Adstringendum, but still- I didn't remember him, so it took some work to rebuild some of that closeness. But I also felt like I could trust him right away because of that, so I think that helped.

[alwayscomeback]

Oh right, he did talk about that place sometimes. Not a lot, so I'm guessing it's not the best place in the world. Most of these kidnappy-worlds don't seem that great, honestly.

But yeah, seriously, that's great to hear.

[sonofgold]

They really don't. Adstring sounded like a miserable place- it was a bit of a wasteland, from what I understand. I mean, kidnapping is never pleasant, but at least Atroma provides for us.

Yeah. I'll have to carry on without him, but I'm glad I was here for him, too.