intenz | 001 // [ video ] backdated to 7/12

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001 // [ video ] backdated to 7/12

[ Hey, these are just things that happen to everyone. Waking up with wings in unknown barrier-surrounded nature, finding one of your children playing in the fountain perfectly at ease and getting the majority of your information from her. Very fast-paced, quite nonsensical seeming information at that.

Luceti, thus far, could not make any less sense. This probably shows on his face. Which, depending on Luceti citizens' art recognition skills, may be somewhat familiar. The odds are... what they are.

Tenzin is grateful for the little communications crash-course Ikki so happily provided, though. He passes on writing out a message in pink marker, though. The journal will catch the end of this conversation before he diverts attention to the pages again. Clearing throat and 3, 2, 1. ]

Jinora, if you can hear this, respond immediately. Korra, Asami, the same applies to you. I've found Ikki- [ If the featured airbending child securely latched onto his neck is anything to go by, of course. And the 'please' after that "same applies to you" is implied, all right. ] I would like to make sure everyone else is all right, and hear about what's happened.

[ You know, to see which elements corroborate with what he heard of Ikki's experiences. Especially regarding who she's been staying with. Which he'll be seeing for himself in person later, of course, once his daughter goes through with all plans to march him to Avatar House like a new pet. So there's that much. ]

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[Aang was flipping through the journal when a video came up, and he froze in place. None of the words the man said reached him. Instead, he was fixated on his appearance.

An adult airbender..

His eyes widened, his pulse quickened. There were many obvious clues to this man's identity - Ikki's descriptions and drawings, the names he was listening, but these were all filtered out by a distant and ancient hope that was beating within him. Aang found himself only focusing on two memories:

A vague shadow of a memory, in which an air nun holds up a baby. A man and a woman stand off to the side. If he focuses on the memory, he feels like that man has a beard.

And he finds himself thinking of Hakoda, accepting Sokka and Katara into his arms at the end of the war.

Aang doesn't notice that his finger is on the record button. He doesn't notice the thought that he proceeds to breathe out into the journal.]

Dad...?

[ You do get used to seeing your father's face as it once was on a daily basis, living on Air Temple Island, really. The features, the arrow... a bit different in the flesh than in stone, but that's not surprising.

Avatar Aang.

None of them should be here, any of them, and he's suddenly fiercely sure of it. The past Avatar, living, breathing, young- seeing him is the slightest bit painful. He lived on in so many ways after his passing, of course, in the city, in his family, in Korra, completing his turn in the grand scheme of things, and Tenzin's known for nearly all his life that nobody is ever truly gone when they've moved on. But that doesn't make it very easy in practice. He doesn't imagine there's an age you reach where you see a lost loved one's face and don't miss them. Simply another part of living.

Maybe the deep spiritual aspects of this particular message can be contemplated later. For the time being, he's resting a very cautious hand on the page and staring at it as it deserves. ]

Father?

[ ...oh, that was probably not the greatest way to address him with his age being what it apparently is, but Tenzin and groundbreaking surprises have never quite gotten on well. ]

["Father?"

The word snaps Aang out of his trance. One hope is replaced by another. Breathing every other sentence, he stares at air nomad's face intently, and he starts picking up on the resemblance to Ikki's drawings. Instead of responding, Aang quickly cuts the feed and opts instead to replay the first video twice. The first time, he actually listens to the message, picking out Ikki and Jinora's names. The second time, he just takes in how he moves and talks, exists, absorbing what his voice sounds like. So deep, but full of warmth. Then he takes a closer look and sees the detail which settles it.

He has Katara's eyes.

Aang returns to the video feed for one quick message.]

I know where you are. I'm coming, Tenzin.

[Moments later, Aang has sped through the door and is making his way to the plaza on his air scooter as fast as he can.]

[ He spends that cut feed time more or less staring dumbfoundedly at the journal and possibly resigning himself to a loss of sanity.

A gentle loss, hopefully, but he won't expect too much. Tenzin starts when Aang comes back over the line, and it's hard to fall back into a mystified sort of trance when there's just a brief message and his first immediate thoughts go straight to he's coming here?

But that. But. Here? Now?!

Luceti, this is completely uncalled for. ]

[ ...

And he has to go and ruin the impostor theory by using an air scooter. Oh, Ikki told him this was the situation, but he hadn't actually expected... and he knows his name, he knows who he is, but how old is he, he shouldn't know that (his granddaughter and his next incarnation are both here, Tenzin, and being who they are can you be very surprised?)

What is he supposed to do? But then, is that something he can feel entitled to getting an answer to? Tenzin puts forth his best efforts in collecting and steeling himself, rising from his seat when he notices Aang's arrival to the plaza. Nothing he can't handle. Or at least, if he can handle wings, he can handle this much.

He just looks so small. ]

[Aang stumbles out of the air scooter across the plaza from Tenzin. He slowly steps across the plaza, taking in the adult air nomad with the jagged beard who looms above him.

He's old. Real old. And Aang's getting closer to him. But he doesn't know what to say. He comes to a stop some feet a way and just stares, while he tries to wonder where his words went.]

[ Tenzin has no qualms with silently staring back down at Aang, even taking a step or two forward on his own. Definitely not yet out of his teens, nowhere near married with children or Yakone's trial.

How impossible. He's lucky there isn't a limit to how many times he can apply the word to what's happening to him. His face stands as a bit of a warring ground between awe, apprehension and pained familiarity, and he just lets it play out because there are much larger issues at hand.

This meeting shouldn't be happening, but here they are. He speaks up softly.

You know, eventually. ]

...hello.

[Aang trembles. This is my son. He said hello. How is he supposed to greet him?

He wants to try to hug him, to feel his presence, but he feels too frightened to step forward, to not be the man this bearded son remembers.

So he slowly and weakly goes into a bow and manages a smile at him.]

Hi. I... I'm Aang.

Yes. Of course. [ He can certainly see that. Tenzin offers a belated bow of his own, wondering how much inner panic is too much inner panic. ] I'm... Tenzin.

[He hesitantly takes a few steps forward.]

You're... you're my son. [He takes a raspy breath as he looks all over Tenzin's form. Did I - will I do those tattoos?.] It's... really really nice to meet you.

[ He'd imagine the entire village will know his family history with the help of his daughters. But then he's still that much more grateful for Aang having the knowledge ahead of time. At this age, the last airbender living- Tenzin coming up with something else to say for himself would have been difficult.

Very, very difficult. ]

I didn't expect- [ This. You. Mother. ] Of course, not many people would. [ Yes, yes, very smooth. No wait what if that sounds like he isn't happy to see him-- ] But likewise.

[ And saved. ]

I... I didn't expect it either, even with everyone else coming from the future. I really love your kids. They're amazing. But as bad as it is for people to be here, knowing them made me... really want to know you, too.

[He takes a few steps forward so that he is directly in front of Tenzin and looks up at the beard.]

When did you get so old?

[ "I really love your kids. They're amazing."

That's around when he finally manages a brief smile of his own.

He's always thought his father would think so. ]

[ ... Straight to the deep questions, then- the sort of thing he's heard all his life, sometimes joking, sometimes less so. It went hand in hand with having a more serious nature. And... with getting to a certain age. Possibly.

He can't be offended by it, honestly. Even if honest observations tend to be the most hard-hitting. Namely because of the fact that it's Aang, with his opinion of Ikki and Jinora earning a grand addition of leeway points besides. ]

I'm not sure I could tell you.

Sorry, that- it slipped out. It's just that, you're my- my- s-son, so I was expecting you to be younger. But there's nothing wrong with that! [He calms down and shuffles nervously. Come on, don't bring your son down.] I... I like your beard.

[ ABORT, ABORT ] It's all right- I'm not upset.

[ Very much not upset, he does hereby swear it. He puts his hands up to indicate this status and everything. ]

[This not only assures Aang, it amuses him, and he gives a small laugh.]

Oh, that's good. I think I actually like that you're old. [The thought that he'd have a son who could be so long-lived... hopefully even moreso than himself, it makes him feel really proud. He pauses to collect more of the thoughts related to his son that have been rushing through his head.]

And... I've heard a lot about you, Tenzin. [It was still so weird, after hearing that name tossed around a lot, that it now has a physical form that he is talking directly to. This is his middle-aged son.] That you're doing a lot to keep our culture alive, and that you trained the Avatar to learn Airbending.

I have. Everyone has seen their share of obstacles, but Korra's been progressing. [ Recently. Korra didn't have much of a choice in teachers, of course, and she likely would have benefited more from a teacher less... stubborn and prone to butting heads with her. But it's still true, and the sentiment behind everything he has to say relaxes his shoulders somewhat. ] And working to revive the Airbending culture has never been anything less than an honor.

[ He doesn't think he could quite express that enough, not to this boy (man, person, survivor- no, absolutely just a boy). They've had to compromise on some older traditions over time because of their lack of numbers or information, bring in outsiders to contribute- but the acolytes are kind and devoted, a constant sign that any number of people exist who are wanting to put life back into the lifestyle again instead of leaving artifacts to sit in a memorial.

And it is reviving. A new start, instead of just preservation. They're all trying. This Aang likely hasn't gotten to the point where he begins all of that work either, has he? No, very unlikely.

Always something to look forward to. ]

[To hear this in Tenzin's voice, in his own words, instilled Aang with a new sense of warmth, of hope and assurance. He had heard enough from Ikki to realize that there had been changes already, but he understood that they were necessary changes, considering that air nomad culture was now based around a single family. And even though air nomads were sent to different temples as children, the part of Aang that was just Aang wanted to selfishly grip onto this new concept of family that he had learned from his friends. And he was so glad that you could still be an airbender with one.

Aang looked up at Tenzin, to look into his eyes, with Katara's coloring but shaped like his own, with his own eyes shining brightly.]

Thank you.

[There were no more doubts. Aang could feel this warmth now, and he's going in to hug-bend.]

[ Oh, there certainly is hug-bending today.

As luck would have it, Tenzin has plenty of experience in this ancient art- and he can understand why it's being initiated. And he happens to be very fond of his father, age difference or not. ]

[It's a strange feeling, almost like what he'd imagine it would be like to hug a father. But this isn't his father, it's a fully grown son whose beard possibly brushes against the top of his head. Amongst all the weirdness, it still had the comfort he sought.]

There's... so much we could talk about.

You're right. [ Oh, there are years' worth of things they could talk about. Which could be good or bad or neither. Possibly both. ] If word of mouth is to be believed, I won't be going anywhere for some time.

[ So why shouldn't they talk about them eventually? ]

[Aang softly releases his hold and steps back a few.]

Yeah, that's how it works. Sometimes... sometimes, people disappear back to home quickly, but others have been here for years. Like your - yuh- Katara, and Uncle Sokka. I've only been here a few months. So you've... just arrived today, right? How are you settling in?

I've been here for a few hours. As far as settling goes... everyone seems to be all right. Nothing has tried to eat me. [ Which, hey, sometimes you have to anticipate. ] It could be much worse.

001 // [ video ] backdated to 7/12

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