isleofavalon | It's heartache every moment / From the start 'til the end

Not long after Aang arrival, the two guys met up to hang out and talk about things. Mostly about Avalon and catch up with what was going on. But first, it was time for a hug! Which Sokka promptly gave Aang when they met.

"It's so good to see you." Momo switched from Sokka's shoulder to Aang's while the hug was going on, to greet the airbender happily.

It felt good to see him - more so for being in another universe. There was nobody you wanted on your side more in the face of mind-blowing weirdness than Sokka.

"And you!" he replied, then looked towards Momo. "And heeey, Momo! Everybody is here, huh?"

Momo chirped happily, clearly glad to see Aang too after such a long time. Though then he started looking around for Appa, because Sokka had told him he's around too. Surely someone so big would be easy to find...?

"Yeah. You're the last from Team Avatar we needed. I mean, Toph also arrived now but she had been here before", Sokka explained excitedly. "Even Suki's here.... but man, are you as old as me now or am I imagining things?"

That might be in part because Appa was discovering the one benefit to his smaller size, which was stealthy approaches. He was, in fact, beelining for Momo from above and, well, they'd sort that out on their own, really.

Appa: now with fighter plane mode.

Aang, for his part, blinked a few times.

"I'm...wait, what's the last thing you remember? From back home?"

Momo wasn't told about this size change so he sort of screeches at the surprise Appa!! But he is glad to see his friend either way.

"Me, Suki and Toph were just about to invade the fire nation airships. So probably quite a bit from the past in your books."

He manages not to wince. That is...a significant difference. But they've also been here for months so..does that balance out? Ugh, time and space give him a headache.

"Ok, yes, so....well,"

He pauses, brow furrowing.

"Should I...tell you what happens? Or....is that bad?"

Sokka gives a thoughtful look. "I mean, Katara pretty much told me how the war ended so I know things up until Zuko's coronation."

Then he shrugs. "Maybe tell me all the important bits?"

He smiled a bit.

"Well, that's the biggest thing," he said, "the rest is...well, it works out ok. You and Suki are doing fine. Pretty much everyone is, really."

Sokka smiles at that, widely. "That is the most important detail of them all. That everyone is doing fine." Not just him and Suki even if he was biased.

Then the smile turns sheepish. "Guess we have to save our world again though. Here this time."

He thought about that, then shrugged.

"I guess so. Let's just hope it's something that gets easier with practice."

"Oh, it is at least in terms of magic learning." Sokka casually forms a fireball on top of one of his palms.

"Bet you never expected to see me use elements."

It is amazing, and he's suddenly bent in, hands on his knees, looking at it.

"And good form and everything! I sure didn't, but it's great to see!"

"Thanks, Aang." Sokka smiles, letting the fireball slowly disappear. "When I first found out I had elemental magic, I refused to use any of it. Especially since I started strongest with fire of all the elements. Now I'm starting to be okay with it."

He tilted his head.

"Why would you? I'd have thought you'd be thrilled."

"I've come to terms with being the only one without powers. My strengths lie elsewhere, you know?" Sokka explains and then sighs. "And you know, with all the history we have with the fire nation... starting off with fire was a shock."

He smiles, reaching out a hand for his friend's shoulder.

"Sokka, in many ways you're the strongest of all of us. Don't forget that, ok?"

But he can move on - but some things are important to say.

"I'm not surprised - you've got the emotions for it. Always right there when you need them."

Sokka smiles genuinely at that. "Thanks Aang."

He's glad Aang's finally here. It feels good to have your best friend back.

"Haha, you don't even want to know how many times my temper came in the way of training. At least Zuko came along and helped with that."

He grins.

"I'm gonna guess the answer there is 'a lot,'" he replied. And it's so strange thinking of Sokka and Zuko training together. Time really does change things, doesn't it?

"I bet the two of you made a pretty good team."

After hearing Harry had trouble with fire magic, Sokka decided he'd try and help him out. It was a good distraction for him and some good extra practice too.

"So, the main thing about fire - for me at least - is keeping your emotions in control. I've noticed the more upset I am, the more likely I'm going to burn something on accident. But on the other hand, the more calm I am..."

He forms a perfectly round ball of fire on top of his hand. "... the easier the fire is to control."

“Oh, that really makes some good sense now,” Harry nods in as he listens to him and sees how he is able to conjure a fireball without losing control of his emotions, “I have been struggling to keep my emotions in check when it comes to trying to do fire magic.”

Back home, he wasn’t that great in checking his emotions in check especially with the last few years passing by. And that is what Zuko has told him back in March too. He decides to try to mimic Sokka’s demonstration by taking a deep breath first then trying to think of a fire ball on his right hand. Then nothing came out. Maybe he should have think harder first.

Sokka watches him try to mimic him, smiling a little because he feels like a long time ago since he was in Harry's shoes. He's come far, somehow.

"If imagining a fireball doesn't help enough, try imagining the warmth. That you're holding something warm on top of hand without touching it... or like you'd be holding your hands over a fireplace."

“Okay then, I’ll give it a shot in thinking about the warmth,” Harry quickly takes note of the advice Sokka has told him.

So he tries it again, this time thinking more about feeling the warmth he often gets from sitting by the fireplace at the Gryffindor Common Room or at the Burrow, but it wasn’t the accidental cases of burning stuff that he often has for the last several weeks since picking up elemental magic: it was one of comfort and home that he always has from fireplaces.

Of course, he is doing his best to not let his emotions get super messy, and while he is thinking of said warmth, his right hand is starting to produce a surprisingly good fireball the size of his fist.

Sokka grins. "You did it!" He sounds very proud of him. "Your very first fireball. That's a great size, too."

“Why thank you, Sokka,” Harry couldn’t believe his eyes: he is able to conjure a fireball without causing a disaster for real.

There is so much pride in his eyes and smile as he gazes at the fireball, “So what’s next for me to do with the fire ball? Should I make it into other shapes or throw it at a target?”

"Might be easiest to start with throwing it at targets. Changing shapes is a bit more difficult and you might end up burning your fingers on accident. Trust me, I've got experience."

Good thing his sister has healing magic.

“Throwing fireballs at targets is it,” Harry agrees since he doesn’t want to accidentally get himself burnt while attempting to shape the fire into something else and he just manages to create a fire ball properly right now, “By the way, where can I find some viable targets?”

He doesn’t want to hurt somebody by accident while throwing the fireball at his selected target. The he looks at a withered dead tree in front of him; determined, Harry throws it at the tree and it manages to land on it surprisingly well.

"... yeah that tree is a good one", Sokka says as he watches the fireball hit it. "There are some training dummies, too, that withstand the fire enough to be used over and over again."

“Oh wow, that’s really brilliant! I can try them out right now,” Harry’s smile just got bigger upon hearing this from Sokka that he decides to take them on.

Stepping in front of one training dummy, he goes into a quiet moment to think the warm feeling of fireplaces as he conjures up another fireball and proceeds to throw one at it. He watches in amazement as the dummy catches fire without burning down completely.

Sokka is usually very in control of his fire magic, but after realizing he truly had lost Suki he chose not to be in control completely. Or maybe controlled chaos is a much better term for such a thing.

In the corner of the common training grounds, Sokka has set up several training dummies and then he starts punching and kicking them with fire added to each and every move he makes. The fire is massive, but he has plenty of water buckets nearby and some minor control over earth magic to help deal with it when needed.

It probably doesn't help with the heat wave they're dealing with.

Edited 2021-06-05 05:50 (UTC)

Even Xiao can tell that there is something amiss here. One would think that this child simply can't control his magic. However, the movements are too deliberate. Too purposeful. They have been practiced numerous times before. Thus the heat can only be the result of someone not wishing to maintain themselves. That will not do. Excessive heat can just as readily harm others as fire itself can.

Best to do something about it now, Xiao thinks. Before people begin to succumb to something like heatstroke from their proximity. That's why he approaches with spear in hand, though rarely would someone see him without it.

"Do you not think it better to practice with another that can potentially fight back?"

Sokka pauses his movements when someone talks to him. He lets the fire cool down enough so it isn't as hellishly hot right now. Just a bit unbearable.

"I'm mostly venting out my frustration. I didn't want to bother anyone so this was the next best option."

"So then vent your frustration with someone willing to be 'bothered,' as you so put it."

As if to prove his point, Xiao takes a stance. His spear points down, but forward. He can handle one human child, right?

Sokka looks at him for a long moment. He did bring his sword with him which he walks over to, after a moment of thinking. The black sword is pointed at him.

"Fine. Does my opponent have a name? I'm Sokka."

"Xiao."

That is all Sokka is going to get. In fact, that's the only time he receives to prepare himself. Once this introduction is finished, the Yaksha immediately takes off after him. Hopefully Sokka is quick, because Xiao strikes hard and fast.

Luckily, Sokka has pretty good reflexes and instincts so he has time to adjust his position enough to block his attack. But he has to admit, this guy would be a hard opponent.

He attempts to push him away enough to do a counterattack.

It had been a while since Sokka had met Ken, so getting to do a quest with him was nice. Sokka wouldn't have wanted to deal with this one alone, considering all of the tentacles..

"How do we wanna do this? I have my sword and boomerang with me... and fire magic of course."

It was a good thing that Ken had experience with fighting creatures much bigger than himself. Otherwise, the idea of fighting a giant octopus would be something he didn't want to do.

"I have animal magic so I can at least try to talk to it? I don't want to fight it unless we have to." That and how does one fight it anyway?

"Hmm... yeah, let's try a peaceful approach first. Maybe it will actually listen to sense." He hadn't interacted with octopi before so he wouldn't know. "I'll cover your back in case it tries something."

Finding a house to live in was a nice distraction. There were plenty of places they could look from and it let them explore Camelot and surrounding areas.

"So, let's mark those that interest us, check them out and then let others know what options we came up with. That way they can check them out and tell us what they think."

It's a really nice distraction. Even if she thinks it may come up with some moments of him thinking about things he'd do with Suki in their new home... But that's okay, fine really, it's all part of the whole process of someone leaving or being away from here.

"Yeah, that's a great plan, Sokka! Let's do that. I can't wait to see all of these, let's go now."

Come on, slowpoke, she's going already!

Sokka is still looking at the list and making some sort of last moment notes to his phone. Then he looks up and... Katara is already further ahead. "Hey, wait up!" He runs after her.

At least he's quick on his feet.

It's heartache every moment / From the start 'til the end

May / for Aang

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for Harry

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for Baku or Xiao

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sorry for the lateness

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for Ken / Quest: Overgrowth

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for Katara / house hunters

laughs at matching icons

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