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

[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.

[avatar_state]

She laughs, quietly.

"Secret Avatar powers?" But she shakes her head. "No, not really - but a lot of facts are adding up. And...it feels right. And I've learned enough to trust my instincts."

[rediscovering]

"'Facts are adding up?'"

It earns a puzzled look, still a bit startled, but not ill at ease. He's learned already to trust those Secret Avatar Instincts. If he hadn't, he'd have been eaten by a dragon long ago, probably, he thinks. But Aang said dance, so he danced. So if Korra thinks something's going to sink in, that they'll glean some latent wisdom they can't place once they return home... It's not so unlikely a theory. It would be a shame to erase it all entirely; it's a heavy-hearted thought when it comes to him.

[avatar_state]

"The dragon, some of what you're picking up...what are the odds of that occurring, naturally, a second time?"

She looks at him, a half-smile on her face.

"So I'm pretty confident you're taking this place with you, somewhere in your mind, and heart. Maybe your soul, too. But I don't think consciously, based on what I know."

[rediscovering]

"Hmm..."

He meets her eye a lingering moment, but lets his gaze drift aside once more in thought as he leans back against the edge of the springs. It's what he'd hoped for, for some time now, too... Having a spiritual figure like the Avatar confirm his hopes based on some cosmic instinct is validating. Zuko's not so much a superstitious person, but he is strangely trusting, despite how closed off he can be. Once he invests some merit in something, or someone, it's hard to shake it.

"...I think you're right. Well— I hope you are. I trust your instinct — you're the Avatar... I, uh— kind of have to, right?"

Is that a joke? Sort of? How are so many of Zuko's jokes typically just... factual?

[avatar_state]

His humor was a lot like how he spoke in general - forthright and delivered with a sort of genuineness that made you smile more than laugh.

"Trust yours, too," she replied, with a chuckle. "They'll get you where you need to go."

[rediscovering]

The remark earns a low, short chuckle from him, smirking at her without facing her quite. So far so good, he supposes... He'd managed to wander off course and back on course and off course again and back on course again, so, clearly, something was steering him right. If his nation is better off for him being fire lord, too, now that he knows this as fact, then he's confident he's got some sense that doesn't always deserve a second guess. He skips a beat, feeling quite full enough by now with so much to chew on in such a short time. He... won't be sleeping well tonight. But he's enjoying it anyway.

"So, uh— do you still have elemental magic here...? I do— me and Sokka and Toph are kinda like Avatars ourselves, now, in a way. It's weird. I just want my fire back."

Pointblank. That's most of what he cares about on a daily basis. His raison d'être in Avalon. He's not thrilled about being an Avatar; he's happy being a firebender. Well... not happy. He's never happy. But he's definitely not happy being an airbender.

[avatar_state]

Well that put a finger on things.

"Uuuuugh," she replied, leaning back against the rocks and throwing her hands up in the air. "Maybe. I guess. But that's the universe for you. I'd just figured out what it was to be the Avatar and now I have to start all over again figuring out what I can do and have to study again."

She crossed her arms over her midsection, looking up at the sky.

"Me too. I was good at firebending. It was the second type I mastered, right after waterbending. Might have been first, but Katara was an excellent teacher."

[rediscovering]

"Wait, Katara taught you waterbending, too? Really?" Go, Katara! Two for two! Zuko's so proud to know this girl, just another feather in her cap Zuko can brag about behind the waterbender's back (while never telling her how he brags about her behind her back)...

"Firebending wasn't... difficult for you? Being a waterbender, originally, I take it? I'm struggling with water here — and Sokka's struggling with fire... But at least he can do it, even if it's— not great..."

He brags about Sokka, too, okay, swear. But truth be told, a little more about Katara. Sorry, buddy.

[avatar_state]

She smiled, nodding. "She started teaching me when I was little. I always thought she was another grandmother. Still sort of do."

Which makes things here a bit strange. "I mean, to everyone else she's the Katara, you know? But to me she's the woman who trained me. And healed me, when I was at my worst."

She shook her head at the latter, though.

"Oh, no. I've always been strong and, well, probably a little too bold, so firebending came pretty naturally to me. The secret to waterbending is a smoothness behind the forcefulness, so learning firebending after that really helped - but no, airbending was the tough nut to crack for me."

[rediscovering]

"The Katara, huh..." he muses, the edge of a smirk barely on his lips. Imagining Katara as a grandmother is strange; he'd never thought about it before. Essentially meeting her granddaughter, apparently, who's also the Avatar and Aang's reincarnation, in another fold of reality — just randomly chilling in a hot spring on a winter's night, no big deal — it's a doozy.

The idea of a fiery bold Avatar, compared to Aang, is naturally endearing — especially from a waterbender. He knew by now, though, that water was not at all calm, and knew Katara to be just as sharp and hotheaded as many firebenders could be, frankly. There was no room to judge personality. But he's always been a little too bold himself, in his far terser ways, and had worked hard to attain any kind of smoothness behind the forcefulness. Smooth was not his style. He has a deepness, a profundity, a philosophical nature that was so nurtured by his wise uncle, but some element of chaos remains a major force within Zuko; perhaps that's what fuels such thoughtful flames.

"Why do you think airbending was so hard for you?"

He has a particular interest in this now that he, farther the furthest stretch of his imagination, is now himself an airbender. Chatting with the Avatar about airbending; no big deal. Only in another fold of reality, indeed.

[avatar_state]

She smiled, shrugging her well-honed shoulders.

"I was never exactly a subtle child," she replied, with a slight sigh. "I always played into my strength, and boldness. Airbending required a lot of subtlety and being able to, well, think much more flexibly. And when I found it difficult, I convinced myself I didn't really need it. But I did. Luckily, I had..."

She catches herself before she makes a rather big revelation.

"An excellent teacher for airbending. He laid the groundwork, and, come a crisis, it was able to come through, finally. I learned to adapt."

[rediscovering]

Zuko naturally assumes somehow Aang taught her airbending because... well... who else could, right? He doesn't think so deeply about it. He nods as she explains though, listening carefully.

"Adapt... Yeah." He sounds a bit far off, thoughts elsewhere that he's not sharing so outright.

"What about earthbending? That's a much more direct kind of thinking, I imagine."

[avatar_state]

"Yeah, that was pretty straightforward," she said, agreeing.

She pauses, then raises an eyebrow.

"And ok, there's one thing that I have to know." She paused, pursing her lips.

"Have you met Toph, and is she...well, very...Toph?"

[rediscovering]

"Yeah! Toph is my friend, she's here, too. She can't use her seismic sense here but she's still... very Toph, yeah."

That wording yields the first genuine smile Korra's gotten out of Zuko. Talking about his friends, generally he enjoys, but it's not always lighthearted, for example talking about Katara or Aang can be quite nuanced; but talking about Toph somehow is always just... brighter. He's got his very-normal, very-non-magical, very-over-privileged friend Hikaru accidentally convinced that she's some kind of superhero. And, really — she is.

[avatar_state]

"Free preview?" she says, with a wry smile.

"Toph is never not Toph. She just gets stronger and grumpier, like each year just adds it on. Tree rings, I swear."