Test Drive Meme

[cyclicalitymods]

	♥ 1. Where did you come from? You may not know anyone else on the boat, but you've all got one thing in common; you're headed to Republic City. ♥ 2. It's your first day in Republic City. You might wanna get a job lined up or you'll be living on the streets. ♥ 3. You're the new person in the city. You gotta make some friends, right? Go find someone and strike up a conversation.
	♦ 4. Feeling a little crafty? Maybe you could make a quick yuan. Sell information for money or do a little threatening. ♦ 5. Vines. Vines everywhere! They're like the heads of a hydra. What are you going to do about the vines that just invaded your apartment? ♦ 6. Triads, Equalists... thugs in general. Welcome to the aftermath of losing a fight. Are you gonna go find a healer or are you gonna tough it out?
	♣ 7. You've got a job. What is it? How are you going to get customers? You better get some soon. More customers equals more money. ♣ 8. You're a bender, right? Then you better practice it. What's that? Oh, a non-bender? You can still find a partner to spar with, right? ♣ 9. It's late. Have a drink at the pub! Get to know one another. Let it all flow freely!
	♠ 10. Yeah! You've got a driver's license! Everyone else better watch out... ♠ 11. Entertainment's just rolled on into the city! Watch the ostrich-horses race or the acrobats perform. Or maybe you're one of them! ♠ 12. It's a long line at whatever vendor you're at. Make small talk with nearby civilians or try and haggle the vendor down to a better price.
	• Make up your own scenario!

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Comments

[savedtheworld]

[This guy seemed kind of funny! And kind of oddly familiar. But then he gets angry. And Aang shrinks back, quickly intimidated. He's not sure what he did - although he has been used to people being angry at him just for being gone those hundred years. Could this be another person upset by something like that?

Aang's a little afraid, but he tries to address the man calmly.]

I - I don't know. I'm just- trying to take a look around?

[abitofawildman]

Uh huh. Look kid, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but Avatar Aang Groupies went out of fashion fifty years ago. And while I'm sure you're wearing those arrows "ironically."

[Oh yes, there are finger quotes.]

It's actually really disrespectful to just go and appropriate someone's culture like that.

[savedtheworld]

[That actually does sound like something that he would get angry about himself. But being on the other end of it? It's more than a little disheartening.]

Groupies...? But - this is my culture! I earned these arrows fair and square! [He points at his forehead arrow to make a point.]

[abitofawildman]

Uh huh, I'm sure.

[Oh how his eyes do roll.]

I bet that even works on most people, but...I know all the Air Benders. By name even.

[savedtheworld]

Really? But then you have to know my name! I mean... I'm the only airbender I've known for a long time now! [Around a year is a long time when you're the last airbender.]

[abitofawildman]

[He opens his mouth to make a smart-alec response when something over the boy's shoulder catches his eye. It's an image of his father at roughly the same age as this kid is now. And...they're standing in the same position...making the same face.

Bumi's jaw drops and he staggers back a half step.]



...dad.

[savedtheworld]

[Now something about him is just weirding him out. But he also looks kind of adorable and funny. It's weird.

Aang rubs at his neck sheepishly. And obliviously.]

Um... What?

[abitofawildman]

{Bumi continues to back up, his mouth opening and shutting as if trying to find the right words, but failing over and over again. Until finally he stops...and as luck would have it, not far from the family picture he was looking at not that long before the encounter began, which can now be seen over Bumi's shoulder.]

...i don't believe it. Aang. You're...you're here.

[savedtheworld]

So you do know me! Yep, I'm here!

[He still doesn't get what this guy's deal is, but at least he's not angry at him anymore. He starts to do a little jig as if that demonstrates his Aang-ness!

But then, he stops mid-dance, as he finally notices the portrait behind Bumi.]

Wait... What's that? [Now to step closer!]

[abitofawildman]

[Bumi remains utterly flabberghasted as he rubs at his eyes just to make sure he's seeing what he's actually seeing. His father. Here. On his own memorial island. As a kid.]

mom's gonna have kittens.

[He mutters mostly to himself as Aang approaches the family potrait in question. Save for Kya and Tenzin, there's no mistaking who anyone in that picture is, even with the age differences.]

[savedtheworld]

[He just steps forward like a ghost towards the portrait. And he responds almost absentmindedly to Bumi's statement.]

Your mom's a cat...?

[But his eyes are all on the portrait. A tall, bearded airbender and a group of the most adorable children he's ever seen. But one person is definitely recognizable to him, even older.

He stares blankly at it, processing it all. There's only one monk who ever met that girl]

Cat... Cat... Katara?

[abitofawildman]

[Bumi slowly turns to see what's gotten Aang's attention so.]

She is indeed a Katara, yeah.

[So there's a beat before Bumi shifts tactics.]

Whelp, at least we're equal in the confusion department. So there's that.

[savedtheworld]

I can't believe it. So this - this really is the future? Are... are these all my- my...?

[He blinks in disbelief, looking at the faces of the three kids. Feeling some mix of confusion and a vague sense of pride. Then he looks back up at this man he's been talking to... and he finds his gaze shifting back to the older boy in the photo.

And now his eyes are ping-ponging between the two. He can see the kid beneath the wrinkles.]

[abitofawildman]

[Hard earned wrinkles, every single one. But yeah, smooth them away and it's hard not to see a family resemblance in the warm, yet lopsided, smile that follows.]

And there it is. The ol' Air Nomad Quick On The Uptake'dness. Welcome to the party, Dad.

[savedtheworld]

[His eyes are widening as he tries to process all of this. There's no doubting who this man is. And the firstborn, no less.]

Dad. [He repeats it to himself as if that will make it easier to understand. And then he just stammers on uncertainly, seeing if that will help him recognize this sudden impossible truth as reality.]

You're my son... but you're old! You're - you're my old son!

[abitofawildman]

[Okay the smile is all Aang, but that smirk? That smirk right there? That's 100% Sokka. And if we're being honest Hakoda, but chances are better Aang's seen it on his eventual brother-in-law more. He even goes so far as to straighten his coat and square his shoulders.

Bumi is tall for someone who looks mostly like a Southern Watertribesman.]

I prefer to think of myself as finely aged, like a nice wine, but sure...to you I probably look ancient.

[savedtheworld]

[It's definitely a familiar looking smirk, and it just adds to the epiphany to a familiar characteristic manifest on this man's face. Aang does his best to regain his cool.]

You really do! But... in a good way! You know, the first time I went ahead in time, my best friend went from a kid to an old man! So- so I guess this is kinda similar! [He laughs a little, hoping that's enough to make things feel less weird.]

Did you ever hear the name Bumi before?

[abitofawildman]

[It starts out slowly, the wave of laughter that ends with Bumi doubled over. First it's just a twitch of the side of his mouth, then barely restrained snickering. Soon though...the doubled over laughing thing. He even goes so far as to cry tears of absolute mirth.]

[savedtheworld]

[Aang blinks at that.][He does a few week laughs, but he doesn't get what the old boy finds so funny. If Aang doesn't get this guy's name soon, he's going to end up calling him Mr. Beardy Son. Although the gratuitous laughter did seem almost reminiscent of a cooky king he just mentioned...]

[abitofawildman]

I...I...

[He's trying to catch his breath. Really truly he is. Between wheezes of laughter he's finally able to make out.]

I'm Bumi. Commander Bumi, formerly of the Second Naval Division of the United Forces.

[savedtheworld]

[Well. There's another surprise. Aang points right at him incredulously.]

Bumi? Your name's Bumi, too?! And... Wait, did you say United Forces?! [As if he didn't have a lot to process already...]

[abitofawildman]

It is, and I did.

[In that order.
Bumi finally manages to pull it together.]

You know, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if you somehow knew the whole time that we'd meet like this again, and named me that way on purpose.

[savedtheworld]

I guess I'm funny like that, huh? [He shrugs lightly.]

So... so, um... This is a lot to take in.

[He's been displaced in time before, but this time it's different. Instead of losing people... It looks like he's gained some.]

[abitofawildman]

Really? You think so? Doesn't seem like that big a deal to me.

[Sarcasm: one of the sharper weapons in his arsenal.
Which isn't saying much...]

[savedtheworld]

[That sharp sarcasm is currently jabbing well over the flabbergasted Aang's head.]

But I... I have a family now! And not just Katara and Sokka and my friends. I have... [He motions to the picture.] All- all of you! And people keep saying there are more airbenders now. It's all so much! [But not anything he feels bad about, necessarily.]