TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 5

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's slightly chilled waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, but seems to be focusing on coordinating a band of chia manatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Chia manatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plantlife growing on its back. While some are fully green, others sport small flower blossoms that haven't yet grown in or various types of mushrooms. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the manatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of earbuds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. The Isle of Avalon is abuzz with excitement for the upcoming Spring Equinox (though some of the more posh citizens will insist it's the Vernal Equinox, tut tut). Unlike the very specific rituals of the Winter Solstice that require much preparation, the Spring is welcomed throughout the month through a variety of small rituals to help the world along as it renews itself, growing new plants and allowing nature to make new life. A ⦿ The Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies Throughout February, the Frost Fairies were running amok and keeping things chilly, even awarding those who gave them treats last month. These fairies create ice crystals on contact and can be spotted by the beautiful ice crystal patterns that form in their trail. They cause frost bite if you physically touch them, so capture isn't recommended. They seem to be sticking around a little too long this month, as they're normally supposed to leave at the end of February. No one seems alarmed, as it seems that this happens from time to time. It's easy enough to deal with-- and so, people throughout town are being asked to perform a ritual called the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies. It's perfectly safe, and lets these invisible little creatures be sent on their way until the next winter. The first step: create bait. Fill a planter with dusty miller and silver sage, with a night-blooming flower at the center. The silvery-white leaves pique the curiosity of the Frost Fairies because they look snowy, yet when they see the flower bloom, they know it cannot be. The plants won't be damaged at all in the ritual, so you'll get a moon garden out of it, which can be incidentally draw adorable little moon rabbit kits in to play inside your home while the moon is out. They're friendly, though they do tend to enjoy pack-sized snuggles-- you may find yourself stuck with no fewer than 15 rabbits attempting to climb on you for attention and need someone's help to pull them off. You may need to get them under control before you continue with the ritual. Once you've assembled your miniature moon garden, you'll need to find a stranger to perform the ritual. You need to bring a new energy into your home in order to let the Frost Fairies know that it's time to meet something new. Take hands with the new person and dance in circles around the miniature moon garden. The plants will start to glow and the Frost Fairies will become visible-- short, fat, all-white penguin with flamingo-length legs and icicle crowns. They will immediately challenge you and your summoning partner to a duel! Though, you can pick what kind of challenge it is as their culture dictates. They're pretty overconfident, just remember not to pick something that involves touching them unless you want to end up needing a healer. B ⦿ The Language of Flowers Once the Frost Fairies are properly banished, flowers are starting to crop up all around Camelot, the Broceliande, the fields in between, and those who come back to the White Cliffs after arrival will even find the Cliff Beast in a pleasant mood from all the lovely little flowers hanging off of his clifftop. (No one's quite sure how a cliff seems happy, but that's the sense everyone gets.) Wherever you may be, there are flowers starting to crop up. Normally, this would be when people would start gathering decorations to cover the buildings and make flower altars, but a lot of the wild flowers normally accessible... well... It looks like a brood of dragons hatched a little early and, upon seeing all the flowers start to crop up, decided that these flowers are the treasures that they want to hoard. The baby dragons didn't fly too far down from their mountain, but once one of them flew past the Lands of Rot and found the fields of flowers, it got its siblings. Now there are a handful of baby dragons claiming different areas as their hoard and making it impossible to get around without being attacked by an admittedly cute fire-breathing menace. No one wants the baby dragons slain, but the baby dragons need to be brought back to their mother's cave in the Ash Mountains. The safest way is through the half-dead area between the Dusklight Woods and the Lands of Rot. The dragons will attack anyone who comes into their area but seem to be friendly toward anyone wearing a flower crown, as they seem to accept them as a part of their hoard if the flowers send the right message. Use the language of flowers to communicate with the dragons and try to get them to follow you by wearing a flower crown that matches one you offer to the dragon. A flower crown that says sympathy and sadness might not be as effective as something that says virtue and bravery. Just be careful not to woo them the wrong impression with something that says eternal love and devotion, or you might have a different kind of dragon problem... Regardless, since the dragons are guarding the flowers you need to make the crowns out of, you'll need to find a way to get past their attacks to gather flowers to begin with to find the flowers you want to make your crown with. Flower crowns need at least two types of flowers to communicate with the dragons, so it's recommended you work together with others to try to gather as many flowers as you can to find the flowers you need. Thankfully, since dragons are sacred, most of the Dusklight Woods creatures will leave you alone, so it's best to hug that side of the mixed path. You and whoever you're working with only have to worry about fighting alongside the baby dragons to fight off the Land of Rot creatures that hang around the edge: Skeleton warriors that can only be scattered but not killed, Fogueria (a lion made of fire that likes to play with its food in sadistic ways), and rattlesnakes. Once you're at the foot of the Ash Mountains, the baby dragons will fly back up to their cave on their own. With the baby dragons returned to their nest, you can head home, and the townsfolk can start decorating for the Spring Equinox. C ⦿ Spiritual Cleansing The frost is gone, the flowers are free, and rabbits are running around town like they own the place. All of the physical and symbolic spring equinox preparations are made, now it's time to look within. As the season of renewal and rebirth, a huge part of that is personal reflection and growth. As such, outdoor meditation and yoga flash parties are all the rage right now. Get caught it one and you and anyone around you will be stuck in a barrier until you complete at least 5 yoga poses and hold them for 30 seconds each. Some of them are a little challenging.. thankfully, no one is going to stop you from getting help holding them from someone else who's stuck with you. A plague of smoothie hockers has also cropped up around town, which means portable carts offering different magical smoothies is going around selling their fruity and flowery spring flavors for a refreshing boost of your spirit. No, really boost it. The magical effects are in small text underneath the flavors, so they may be easy to miss. Hibiscus-Berry: Vanity Spirit (person may become temporarily obsessed with appearance, finding cute clothes, getting their hair and nails done, needing to be their ideal of attractive) Strawberry-Rose: Romantic Spirit (flirtiness, desire to be romantic with someone) Jasmine-Peach: Friendship Spirit (go out of your way to make new friends, make grand friendship gestures to people you've already befriended or have known for five minutes and want to befriend) Lavender-Mulberry: Distrusting Spirit (paranoid, may start fights because they think someone is out to get them) Butterfly Pea-Lemon Tea: Meditative Spirit (fall asleep easily, peaceful/relaxed about alarming things, sudden penchant for Big Thoughts about the universe) Dandelion-Apple-Banana: Surivival Spirit (sudden desire to do everything yourself, whether that's hunting/gathering food, getting really into DIY projects like making your own soap or building your own chicken hutch because you're going to get your own eggs, or really wanting to live outside for a while) The effects only last for an hour or two, so it's unlikely any real damage can be done (hopefully) but it'll certainly give you a new outlook on life! Spring is in the air, the Equinox is coming, and prep is underway. But all work and no play can get a little boring, right? Avalonians have come together and set up a few activities for Adventurers. While all of these activities can be completed and enjoyed without using magic, participants will be encouraged do to so, don’t worry if it goes a little haywire. There are magical force fields around the play zones to contain any mishaps. A ⦿ Keep it Rollin' Rollin' The first area set up for fun and games is a barrel rolling contest. Participants are split into pairs to compete against each other to see who can roll their partner inside the barrel down the hill and across the finish line the fastest. Springtime is when geysers start bursting around the bottom of the hill though, so you'll have to watch out for those and any boulders to make sure your barrel doesn't burst before you reach the bottom! To make things a little more interesting, the planners had a bit of mischief with the barrels... As barrels reach a quarter of a way down the hill, the outside will burst into flames. Surprise! While they are enchanted so that the flames aren't actually hot, participants are not aware of this. Sorry, the guys running this game aren’t that big on explaining; after all, it’s just rolling a fire barrel down the hill; what’s so complicated? Fire makes it look like it's going faster and is way more exciting to watch! B ⦿ Hop Skip and a Jump Everyone loves hopscotch, right? Well, whether you do or don’t, that next zone is all about the hop, the skip, and the jump. Two hopscotch boards about the size of a basketball court each are laid out side by side for participants. The object again, to see who can complete the task that fastest. If you reach a spot with a magic symbol, you have to cast a spell at your opponent or you can't proceed. This is combat hopscotch! Of course, once more, the folks running the show forgot to mention one tiny thing, a quarter of the way into the board, random spots will drop away as you go, leaving holes in the ground! Yikes, better take that leap! Don’t worry, if you miss, the bottom of the hole is filled with marshmallow fluff in bright pink, yellow, and pastel purple. (Kind of reminds you of something, huh...?) Down in the hole are rungs and footholds to get yourself back out, but boy, will that put you behind the other guy if they didn’t fall. Well, guess victory will have to be a little sweeter than you planned! C ⦿ Gettin' Brewy With It Now, this activity probably seems a little safer. Welcome to the “Brew” tent. Participants will be given ingredients, space, and set up in pairs to brew up a tasty drink! A variety of ingredients are available and with it, participants will be taught the Recipe: Brewery. This spell can be used to accelerate brewing and distilling processes for alcoholic drinks. Of course, if someone who is too young to drink according to their world's rules, any alcohol in the drink will evaporate, so it's really only a spell that's useful for adults... but everyone can participate in making drinks. You can pick any ingredients you want, but all participants are instructed that a sprinkle of that magic at just the right time will make it perfect. When asked what the right time is, all they will be told is they’ll know when. Some may get it right, depending on instinct. Others might sprinkle too much and cause the drink to burst all over them and their partner, and their workstation or have some other silly side effect, like make them hiccup uncontrollably or catch a case of the giggles. Or maybe they cast for too long or too short a time and the drink turns sour, turns to ash, grows wings on the cup, and flies away. Brewery magic can be fickle, so there's lots that can go wrong.. but get it right, and you can have one heck of a drink to enjoy! MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Comments

red spring;

[rediscovering]

Zuko only occasionally visited the springs — really, only when he was depressed, in fact, after yet another fruitless search for his uncle amongst the new arrivals on the shore. He'd made a habit of searching for the old man, ever since Sokka and Katara had found Zuko himself on his first day and told him that they regularly checked the shores for their loved ones, which struck him as a great idea. And while Zuko and Sokka and Katara all shared a majority of loved ones from home, really, Zuko just searched for Iroh. After two months being here, the long ride, the long day searching the crowds, and the long time spent thinking alone afterwards, he's tired. He looks tired.

More noticeably, very young. Zuko's not yet seventeen, not the old man Korra once knew. His hair is cut short, wellkempt, chic, clean, his skin clear but for his scar, looking overall healthy and handsome in a simple beige yukata the inn had leant him as a robe for the springs. It's seldom that Zuko is ever alone, particularly when he's feeling upset and put out like this, comforted by the company of his own familiar — a small red dragon, about the size of a ferret, with a much similar temperament, too.

The little creature scurries ahead of the boy quickly while the fire prince fusses from afar to prepare himself for a dip in the water. The dragon is meantime making trouble behind its master's back as almost always, circling the edge of the hot springs before climbing up onto the nearest rock, posing regally as if claiming this rock for itself. And that one. And that one, too. In fact, the dragon just struts all along the stone lip of the springs, back and forth — all right beside and behind Korra, too. If she looks to it or speaks to it, eventually it will stop and stare her in the eye for a long, maybe slightly disconcerting moment. But it is quite more majestic up close, despite its small size, its whiskers waving curiously while it refuses to look away from her, and inches closer til it's right up close to her face. Rude? Awkward? Um...?

AND A ZUKO?! With teeny dragon!

[avatar_state]

It was probably the beige that ensured she didn't see it was him right away. Instead, her attention was riveted on the dragon. She pushed to the edge of the spring, resting her arms on the ground and watching it as it approached. And it might rude to some, but for her.

"Hey there, fella. Aren't you a pretty dragon! Figuring out which rock is the best? Warmest maybe?"

She lifted a hand from the water as it approached, so it could get a sense of her scent. "You're beautiful, you know that?" It took a few moments to notice the man beyond the dragon. At which point she rocketed up to a standing position, an incredulous look on her face, waving her arms in a very enthusiastic - or very Korra - manner.

"Zuko?!"

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ c: hello hello and welcome!!

[rediscovering]

Oh, the dragon takes all this doting in stride. It just raises its head high, turning slightly as if to show off another angle. It had found the best, smoothest, warmest rock, thank you for noticing. Finally, someone who knows how to compliment a dragon right...! "Beautiful" doesn't hurt either. When Korra calls Zuko's name, however, the dragon shoots off in turn, running to meet the boy as he approaches. Hello, you're welcome, just a harbinger of destiny over here, finding the Avatar for you, kid, no big deal... Spiritual sense is a mysterious thing; thankfully, the dragon can't talk, and the best he can do is to just scurry over to the prince, proud of the new friend it's made him.

Zuko, on the other hand, is none the wiser. He's disrobed by now in red bottoms, yukata folded in his hands with his cell phone carefully placed on top, body about as well-trained and muscular as Korra's in his spry youth as he is. He, however, is also physically taken aback, halting in his tracks, even slipping one foot backwards in a firmer stance unconsciously. You can take the boy out of the war zone, but... Even though he's already well familiar with these spirited away timey-wimey shenanigans, he's not been on the receiving end of this before. He has no clue who this woman is. And it's disconcerting to him when a stranger knows his name. Especially a strong stranger. Even if she seems happy, he's already gotten beat up in a similar situation since being here, with the tables flipped; he's learned to expect anything. He doesn't drop his things, nor does he set them down, just stands still and stays cool, but his resting scowl deepens, eyes narrowing, tone steely.

"...Come again?"

Korra, he was different as a teenager, okay. We all were. This is not the worst chapter of his life being here, but it's still far from the best. It's rough, buddy.

[avatar_state]

"You're Zuko! Sorry if I startled your dragon, they're lovely. Is that Druk?!"

She'd met the fully-grown version of Druk on the occasions she'd met the retired Fire Lord. A truly impressive animal. But she slapped the water, in disbelief.

"But you're so young, does this...this place does that? Changes you or...mixes us all up?" She's half talking to herself by that point, trying to work it out.

[rediscovering]

Zuko's flabbergasted, suspicious, a little nervous? Like— this is reasonably kind of a scary situation, naturally, right? Not that he'd admit to it, but he's confused at best as he listens to her questions.

"...I have no idea who you are, woman!"

He's having a bad day, Korra. For many days. However disgruntled he may be, though, there's no reason to be rude and cut her off like that. The dragon stretches out its neck and bites the side of Zuko's foot, which he pulls back in pain with a dirty look down toward the little beast. Why does his familiar scold him, yet misbehaves so much itself? It always works, though; the dragon knows best. Zuko casts his gaze aside awkwardly, setting his things to the ground before he gets into the water. He needs to remember how he felt when his best friend from another world didn't recognize him here; it was heartbreaking and disorienting. He has no idea what his relationship to this woman might be — he's "young" to her, apparently? — but it's probably best to be respectful of it, having been in a similar boat not so long ago himself. He settles in not far from her, but not near her either, leaning back against the edge. The dragon comes and sits on the best rock it'd found, rather between the two.

"...The worlds mix up time. If you know me from our home world, I don't know you. I'm sorry."

He may not meet her eye, keeping his eyes downcast into the water, but at least his somber, even tone is more respectful. He's clearly trying to reel himself in.

[avatar_state]

She is very close to working up a 'listen here, bucko' style of speech at the 'woman' when the dragon takes matters into its own talons.

"You wouldn't," she said, instead, swallowing that for later, if needed. "I know you from...a lot further on. When you're...well, a lot, lot older."

[rediscovering]

"...I see."

He turns narrowed, suspicious eyes back to her, but with less heat than before, defused some by the calming waters already. He knows time travel is possible within this world-hopping stuff. Azula is now his older sister, which still doesn't sit well, and he has no clue what happened in those years between them; she won't tell him. However, Toph is also from his future, and totally told him what happened. If not for them, and his other time-traveling, world-hopping, friendship-forget-y ex-friend/new friend, he'd be much more alarmed about these timey-wimey mysteries. But in a world like this, being his second time spirited away now... It takes a little more to shock him.

"So how far in the future? How old am I then...?"

[avatar_state]

She pauses, halfway to answering him.

"Umm. Before I tell you that...how...much are you comfortable knowing? And if you're as far back as I'm suspecting, you should know, first - I'm the Avatar. I'm the successor to the Avatar you know. I'll tell you everything, if you want. But you need to know that first, I think."

In case it means he doesn't want to know.

"So, yeah. Avatar Korra. Southern Water Tribe. Successor to Aang. One of my heroes."

[rediscovering]

It doesn't matter that they're sitting in calming hot springs. Zuko's whole being is frozen still as all calm shatters within him. It takes a moment of silence, an intense look of incredulous shock on his face, before disbelief screws up into a far stranger, hotter stare. He doesn't mean to come across as angry, but, uh, that's how a lot of his rather complex emotions seem to manifest, even with how much progress he's made with it in the past several months. This is a particularly tender spot forever. His perception of destiny has become so warped and mangled, redefined how many times over, and this was... some kind of cosmic joke, surely. His uncle always said destiny is funny; but this is downright sarcastic.

"What?! You're— the next Avatar?!"

No chill, no manners, no volume control, and no interest in anything else in the world but this suddenly. Like a vacuum sucked the wind out of him; like that gnawing void he felt inside, where he'd once felt a constant burning flame like a second heartbeat, was suddenly agitated, sore, inflamed, but still empty. He knew it was his destiny to find the Avatar, that their destinies were linked... But this linked?! In an alternate plane of reality he stumbles across Aang's next reincarnation?! Enough to make the mind reel...

"I—...I don't know what I want to know! My sister won't even tell me what happens a few years in the future, let alone decades...! I'm not even Fire Lord yet! What does this mean?!"

He's taking this well...

[avatar_state]

A few years ago, she would have reacted in much the same way, right back. Strange how much a few years does for someone - then again, they aren't exactly destined for normal lives. And so she meets it with calm, striding closer, crouching down, so they're at a similar eye level.

Showing she isn't a threat - and that she isn't afraid.

"I don't know if it's my destiny to tell you. I am willing, but the choice is yours, as is the choice in what you'd want to know. But what I will say is that the Zuko I have known is a good man. He achieved greatness, but, like his uncle before him, figured out there is more to a life than that."

[rediscovering]

His chest feels tight and his pulse is racing, face flush and awash with torn emotions. He feels the distinct need to sit down, but for the fact that he's already sitting... He just looks her straight-on for a long, silent moment, conflict and conviction saying in his eyes what words can't manage. Whoever this Korra is — well, uh, he knows who she is, she's the Avatar — she's seeing him eye-to-eye in many ways now, and perhaps it's some latent wisdom as an Avatar or just a wise words from a young woman who knows how to strike the right chord with him, as just two people, however abnormal they may be, but whether spiritual or just smart, her words resonate. What else could one really say appropriately in this scenario?

He's embarrassed, alarmed, preemptively ashamed somehow; he has to stack up against his own future self now... who apparently was a deep and humble man; it's one thing to be great, it's another thing to be good. He feels so far from both from where he sits now. He literally just snapped at the Avatar and called her "woman," oh god, oh man... At least she knows he grows up better than that, can look past this first rough interaction, like his uncle has looked past much rougher... or rather than look past them, taken them into account as part of the whole picture. Which reframes matters in an important way, too, suddenly, before he can formulate a more relevant response. His head is swimming; but this is one detail between the lines that can take precedence.

"Wait— you... knew my uncle, too? But wouldn't he have—...?"

He doesn't finished the sentence, but from how she's speaking, it sounds like Zuko must be an old man by the time she knows him — someone whose accomplishments are behind him, who has figured out what makes a life, old enough to know the next Avatar, surely many decades later... He has no idea how long Aang will live, already being 112 after all, but no one can live forever. Not even Uncle.

[avatar_state]

She's learned, the hard way, to figure out that people are complicated. It took time for people to find their way, and Zuko's path was more trouble than most. Having seen what he became, of course, made it easier. But she owed it to him, as he was now, not to be too harsh on him.

"It's a long and...complicated story," she replied, gently. "Involving the spirit world and him helping me to...save myself, and probably the very idea of the Avatar. But also..."

She paused, her eyes moistening.

"Helping me when I was lost, in every way. I'll never forget him. Never."

[rediscovering]

"...It sounds like there's big trouble in the future, too, then, huh."

Cheerful fellow, that that's the first take he gleans. But it's easier to comment on the fact that the Avatar as an entity was in danger, than to comment on the profound resonance of learning his uncle helped to save the world somehow, even from beyond the grave, from the sounds of it. It's heavy information to bear. But what's still harder to comment on, is that of course Zuko could relate to Korra saying Iroh helped her find herself, save herself, when she was lost in every way. That was the story of Zuko's life in a large way. His uncle helped him help himself. He'll forever be touched by this unique, eccentric man — and apparently so will the Avatar, from now on. Korra may have just arrived here and has a lot on her plate to chew over herself, but she's certainly sharing her load with Zuko now in unexpected ways. Although, all of this was unexpected, of course. Destiny likes to joke on Zuko, after all.

[avatar_state]

It says a lot, yes. But it's not like he's wrong.

"There's a reason the Avatar reincarnates," she pointed out. "Chaos, darkness, evil; they don't ever stop. All that changes is its face, the precse methods."

She carefully moved to settle in next to him. Again, a gesture meant to speak volumes about her lack of fear. And Korra was nothing but openness.

"So," she added, with a sigh. "Do you have any questions you'd like to ask me? Or maybe you need to think about it for a while?"

[rediscovering]

He doesn't seem so on edge as she takes her seat beside him, but duly notices her forwardness, openness, something firmer than friendliness. Something he doesn't have. His eyes fix to the water, as if searching for his questions and his answers there, but glances to her when he does speak after a beat.

"...Yeah. Is it the Fire Nation that's still causing such chaos?"

That's what he cares about, which speaks to his leadership, his patriotism, even despite all the horrors his nation — his family — had inflicted upon the world for so long. He'd never been able to share pride in his culture, his people, with others around him, because either they were also Fire Nation and so it felt moot, or because they weren't Fire Nation and thus despised the Fire Nation and likely wanted to hear nothing about its virtues. Since being spirited away, however, there was no prejudice against him or his home, and he's been able to openly share his culture with his friends. It's kept his pride in his nation strong, and stoked his flame as future fire lord even from several universes and layers of reality away. That said — it's also his first assumption that the Fire Nation is at fault again, or at least his first fear, stomach in knots at the idea that they could be once again responsible for scarring the world despite all the efforts in his present. He knew his side had won the war. That his father was deposed. He'd hoped that was enough to secure some peace for some time; he trusted himself that he'd never send his nation into war again in the future, right...? But who knows — maybe his great-grandfather imagined the same.

[avatar_state]

There, at least, she can easily put his fears to rest. She shakes her head.

"No. It's a very different Fire Nation. Some of my best friends are firebenders, actually."

She wishes she could say: And it's that way because of you, your wisdom and leadership.

She'd read the books, in her training. Political writers, philosophers, historians - they were in awe of the man Zuko would become. And he hadn't disappointed. Him nor his relatives.

[rediscovering]

"Really? Do people, um— like firebenders now...? In general...?"

Had forgiveness outweighed bias? Had memory softened some? Were his people accepted outside their world, without fear or hatred, just as anyone else? He'd valued so much his opportunity to see other cultures and places, get to know other peoples' perspectives on the world, even if he was completely at odds with it while he did... But now, it'd served him well, and he'd learned so much more about other people's cultures from other worlds since being away. It opened the mind, it opened the heart, and has become something he's seen as pivotal in his own transformation. That his people should be robbed of that openness — that a firebender would be resented anywhere else except the Fire Nation — he didn't want that kind of future... Hearing that Korra has firebender best friends, even if she's probably far more open-minded than most people being the Avatar and all, was reassuring. These sorts of thoughts about his nation's future did keep him up at night sometimes; he always had thoughts to keep him up at night.

[avatar_state]

She smiled, and laughed a little bit.

"Well, put it this way. One of the friends in question is an officer of a combined fleet with people from all four nations - defending a principle together."

She nodded, though, understanding where he was coming from.

"It took a while, once things were...resolved. But the Fire Nation was led to a better place, and the world was ready to welcome them back when the time came."

[rediscovering]

A rarity more than she knows, her words draw a soft smile on his face in turn, though perhaps more bittersweet than her own. He liked the sound of that. Of her friend and whatever this fleet is — and of the idea of the century's worth of bias melting away in time.

"That's good to know..."

His tone is pensive, gaze still swimming in the water before them, but indeed seems bit by bit calmer. Knowing his people aren't outcasts for another century is a comfort, for sure.

"...I'm not sure how much I want to know. I know we're told we'll forget everything about this place when we go home, but— I'm not so sure if it's true or not... I have reasonable doubts lately. If we remember— what if knowing the future early messes it up? But at the same time, what if this is the hand of destiny and the future won't unfold as it should unless I know about the future early so it happens? I had a friend like that... Somewhere else. He's here, too, but— this hasn't happened to him yet, he's younger here... But back in his home, at some point he time-traveled and gained some kind of latent firebending powers, sort of, with some technology his future self made, but he couldn't access this power without intervening in his future like that. ...Actually, I think he's an Avatar, too, now that I mention it. He had to teach himself all the elements, but he doesn't know how he did it, cuz it happened in the future. He's amazing. But in any case, his future kind of hinges on itself like that. Knowing now that something like that is possible— I don't know how to gauge this... Meeting you here, I mean. I don't know what to know."

Maybe it's the magical effects of the waters, or just the personal effect of Korra by his side, but this is Zuko opening up quite earnestly, which, while his earnestness may not be rare, is something special to unfold so quickly. There's something authentic, youthful, raw about the way he speaks, even if he's nervous and rambling a bit. It's a lot to chew over, though, after all. All this timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly stuff is enough to break the brain, and he's spent many a sleepless night breaking his head about it for hours on end for the past half a year. But this takes the cake.

[avatar_state]

And there is the Zuko she recognizes. Thoughtful, putting pieces together. Insightful, working out things as he speaks. And willing to admit the hardest thing of all: I don't know.

"Heh, tell me about it. You're told as the Avatar you're this force of destiny and everything, but it really doesn't come with a map - you can barely figure out what you're doing until it's already on top of you, sometimes. So short answer? I don't know either, not for sure. But I have to think destiny sorts itself out. Maybe you learn things, go back, and they sort of stay, you know, sort of unknown but still there?"

She shrugs her shoulders, looking off into the distance.

"All I know is that things work out. And I can hope about what comes next."

[rediscovering]

"Yeah... That's what I've landed on, too. I'll have to think about it more."

Her words hit their mark. It doesn't necessarily answer his question — or unveil any more. But it helps. He can't say exactly how, but it does. He knows for sure destiny unfolds pretty wonky, especially for Avatars — poor Aang, Zuko's poor alien Avatar friend, and probably poor Korra, from the sounds of it... But they all made it work, despite the chaos — no, because of the chaos. That's one thing they can always count on.

"I actually haven't seen our home in a long time... Like— over half a year. But... I've learned a lot. A lot of useful stuff, too, for when I'm fire lord. I think I'd rather forget this whole experience, because— it'd be too hard keeping these memories when we return... Missing people in another universe I'll never see again. People at home would think I'm crazy if I ever admitted something like this happened to me. Or I might go crazy. But— certain things I wish I could remember. For example, that Avatar friend designed a secret code for himself to write in, only he can read it — that's a really brilliant idea for me as a politician. I probably wouldn't have thought of that on my own, though, y'know? Stuff like that. I've also been studying this world war that happened in his world, there are a lot of parallels to our world war — I mean, my world war, I guess, not yours — but I wish I could keep those insights I've learned from him. But I'd rather forget him when I go home, and everyone else... Just remember the effects. Like you say, things sort of stay, unknown but still there..."

He'd given this a lot of thought for all the months he's been away, and given it even more thought since arriving in yet another world but keeping his memories of the first world he'd been spirited away to, which was not something he'd counted on, and threw a wrench in the "you'll forget everything when you leave" theory. Or rather, just reframed it as "you'll forget everything when you go home," because clearly, that's not the immediate destination on this wild rollercoaster ride of twisted fate.

[avatar_state]

She listened curiously to all of that, turning it over and again in her head. She wondered, given what she knew, if some of it did make it through, in some way. She looked over at Zuko's dragon. And wondered.

"I think I'd like that, too," she said, drawing up a knee and resting her chin on it, folding her arms around it. "Pick up some wisdom without consequences, for once."

[rediscovering]

"Yeah— that's a good way to put it."

He pauses, looking to her as she rearranges herself, then following her gaze to his dragon, whom he reaches out a hand to, the dragon stroking itself affectionately against his fingers. This was a surprisingly good conversation, it turns out, for how, uh, distressing it was to begin with. He'd talked these ideas over a few times before, with various people, friends and strangers alike — Korra followed him on this line of thought easiest out of anyone so far, though. It was refreshing — and maybe the pools, too.

"...By the way. I don't know what you called him earlier— But this is Zunyan... At least that's what I call him. 'Dignity.' Or Zun for short — written like 'Honor.' He doesn't talk, so I don't know if that's his real name, or if he even has one, but— that's his name now." And clearly, he doesn't seem to object. Could be worse, right?

[avatar_state]

"Druk," she said, watching the dragon and speaking absently. "I called him Druk."

Could the universe be that obvious, she wondered? A signal on one side of a divide, signalling another like that? From a small dragon here to the companion of Lord Zuko over there?

She closes her eyes for a moment, and just breathes. Listening to the universe. To the stirring of the wind, the rustling around them. The swirling of the water. And awaits her instincts. Finally, she opens her eyes, smiling.

"You'll take the knowledge with you, in the back of your mind," she said, decisively.

[rediscovering]

"Huh? How could you know?"

Not that he doesn't believe her — or that he doesn't want to believe her — but Zuko's always the type to ask questions and talk back right away. But he liked her decisiveness, directness. And he'd be a liar to deny that he hoped she's leaning on some otherworldly Avatar-y spiritual link to destiny and citing some latent natural wisdom. An Avatar is far more in tune with the universe than he is, he imagines. He of course has no idea about his future dragon; if he did, he'd, too, be suspicious about signals of destiny and how delicately these plural realities lace together.