milliways_bar | (no subject)

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There's a man by the bar.

He's got his wallet out, and seems to be making a point to the bar.

"Put this on Bruce Banner's tab, please. And, I'd sooner you kept it anonymous, thanks."

Those with attentive eyes, will notice either the 4 $10 bills vanishing from the bar top, or maybe the $40 of credit that then goes onto the tab of one B.Banner.

"And I'll have a pint of Kopparbergs. No, not the cider, the beer."

So, there's one scientist, with a pint, at the bar. Eminently botherable.

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That wide grin of his turns bittersweet in no time flat.

"They used to be. Not so much anymore. Now I live with Appa, and we travel with Katara and Sokka."

Erik's smile drops off as well.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?"

Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked...

"There's a war and my people were killed."

"Oh. I'm sorry," says Erik. "You survived, and you're travelling, now though?"

Edited 2012-12-12 21:38 (UTC)

Aang nods, and as he does his jaw sets and his expression hardens.

"And I'm not going to let them hurt anyone else like they hurt my people."

"Forgive me if this is impertinent, but, what can you do about it?"

Sorry, he's still not quite with the whole 'multiverse, who knows' thing. Despite dwelling on it for some time back at home.

"I'm the Avatar."

It feels as though there should be some weight behind this statement. Maybe a swell of music should rise from out of no where, or a breeze should dramatically blow through so his robes flutter.

Something.

Because...without it, Aang's just a kid in monk's robes.

"I'm sorry, what does that mean. Asides from that you feel responsible for others."

Which, is all well and good, but it needs power behind it. See: Thor.

...

Oh.
Right.

"It um...it means that I'm the one who can master all four elements, and that I'm the one that's supposed to bring the world back into balance."

"..."

Ah. Right.

"Oh. Who's pulling it out of balance?"

Aang reaches out and pokes at the origami lemur.

"The Fire Nation."

"How long has this been going on?" Erik asks.

Because, the kid can't be older than, what? 14? if he looks really young for his age?

The fidgeting ceases.

"Hundred years?"

Oh.

Sorry, Erik just lost control of his jaw for a moment, there.

Yeeaaah, he gets that a lot.

"I kind of got...detained."

And now Erik really freezes.

"You were alive back then?" he asks.

Aang takes a deep breath, and then exhales it slowly.

"Yeah. I, kind of ran away from home and then got caught in a storm and frozen in an ice burg for a hundred years. And while I was gone the Fire Nation started taking over."

Oh. right.

Now Erik thinks he understands why Aang is taking it so personally.

"And now you're back to set it right."

"That's the plan, it's just...I don't know how."

"Well, start with one step at a time."

"That's what I've been trying to do. I even went to the Spirit World to ask for help, but then the blue light the monkey told me to follow lead me here where I fell out of the fire place."

It makes sense...if you squint.

"Uh. Okay."

"You fell out the fireplace?" That's kind of the more shocking bit to Erik. He's getting used to parallel universes.

"Right over there, yeah."

Aang doesn't even look backwards when he gestures in the direction of the hearth.

"That's where I met Faithful and his boy Alan."

The phrasing catches his ear.

"Faithful and his boy?"

He's read Lewis, but maybe it's not that.

"Yup. A talking black cat with purple eyes, and a boy with red hair and purple eyes."

There's an earnestness to his tone, almost as if he expect Erik to think him crazy.

"I think Faithful is a spirit, I mean...why else would it be just a cat?"