aangin_loose | 008 § Video/Offline § A House For Appa

008 § Video/Offline § A House For Appa

[The feed comes on and there's a rather good sized pile of junk around Aang. Some rocks and stones and bricks from broken walls, some bits of wood and metal, and a bucket from the mom and pop shop Reno talked about that has some nails and hammers and things.]

Now that the water's gone, I'm gonna make a house for Appa! It's gonna be sorta made of everything, but it'll work!

If anyone wants to help me, they can! Or they can just come by and hang out!

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Well... I was thinking something like this. [Aang earthbends some dirt into a little pavillion (http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2010/09/24/living-pavilion-governors-island-united-states-1_oLkwZ_11446.jpg) sort of building with an open front and back.]

Then our work here is done! [Even if it's waaaay too small, Sokka puts his hammer on his shoulder and appraises it appreciatively.] We do great work, Aang!

Um, Sokka... that's too small for Appa. It's too small for you, too.

[He rubs his chin, observing the structure for a long time while thinking over Aang's statement. Sokka finally nods.] You're probably right. Guess we'd better get started, then.

Yeah! We can make the sides with the bricks and stuff I found! And the top with the longer pieces of wood!

Then I guess I don't need this hammer. [He drops it, and what's that underneath it? Something soft? Yep! It's his toe. Sokka makes a face because ouch! What comes next is airy as he works through the pain.] Nope. Don't need the hammer or that toe...

Are you okay, Sokka? [It's a good thing Usagi isn't here, too.]

As long as we can pretend that didn't just happen, I'll be fine.

[He grins.] Nothing just happened.

You're a good friend, Aang. [Sokka laughs a little and grabs up a brick.] So, where do you want to start? Do you have a place in mind?

So're you, Sokka. [He smiles. It worries him sometimes, that he's losing them all here. So hearing this makes him feel so much better.] I thought we could build it over here! [He points to an area that's fairly flat. He's done a little earthbending on it, flatting it out and leaving a bit of an outline for where the walls should go.]

Looks like as good a place as any. [And now the "fun" part... Sokka takes his brick, walks it over, drops it, and goes back for more. Repeat, repeat, repeat, right?]

Appa's going to be so happy -- it's just a shame we couldn't keep him in the house with the rest of us.

[Aang does the same, keeping pace with Sokka and doing it by hand, not with any sort of bending.]

I don't think he'd like to be in the house. He likes to be out in the fresh air.

[That's very thoughtful of you, Aang! Sokka appreciates the extra work, since he knows his friend can likely do everything four times quicker with his Avatar skills!] Why is that big lump of fur, anyway? Has he been making friends around here, too?

Yup! Lots of them! A lot of people here have never seen a sky bison, so they come over to see him and they think he's really awesome! And Raphael makes him fruit! I think he's really fond of her.

Wow, fruit? Really? I could totally go for some of that... [Wait. He's the meat and sarcasm guy, what is he saying?! Sokka shoots Aang a look.] Keep that between us, yeah? I've got a reputation to uphold here.

The next time she brings him some, I'll see if she minds if I keep some. [He laughs.] I won't tell anyone!

Thanks, Aang! [As he continues to move bricks.] You know what's odd? Nothing seems to move... forward here. I mean, we do, as people. We build houses and stuff, right? But how come no one's managed to make any shops? Or do any serious trade? There are a whole bunch of those funny cows and no one's thought to build a fence and herd them for food and stuff? Seems weird. Where's the progress? Where's the desire to have better things all around?

I don't know. I think people are just so uncertain about what might happen here. But we can build a pen for them! Zuzu could have company then!

That's a good idea, but it's not quite what I meant. I just think it's odd that we aren't trying to make a society -- we're still these little pockets of self-serving groups. Sure, you and Katara and Toph help out and stuff, but if everyone picked something they were good at and offered their services, we could be a community.

[A pause.] If that makes sense... [He's not so sure now.]

Yeah, we could be. I think, for a lot of people, that's too permanent feeling. Most people are still fighting to go home and, I think, if they did something like that, it would be like saying 'oh, okay, then I'll just stay'.

[Deep breath.] I think Katara feels that way. But it's kind of... backwards. We're supposed to make the best of what we have, not hope for a solution to come along.

Yeah. [He pauses, thoughtfully.] You know, we could try! We could ask people if they want to try to make a community!

We should! And we could let them know what we can offer. Like, I could teach people how to use a sword, or you can teach them how to be all spiritual, or we could build or fix things for people or whatever! Like give-and-take.

Yeah! And even when people leave, we can still work the new people in and fill up the spots. It doesn't mean we'd forget those people though.

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