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1st Element: Written

[Wan decided to test the book with something written. It was better than looking like a fool and talking aloud to himself in a place full of cold-shouldered strangers who were obviously looking for more of a reason to fight him. He didn't know what he'd done to upset the town he woke up in, but it was clearly enough for them to be threatening to his person. And he really didn't want to get into a fight with anyone and risking harming bystanders.

Raava's silence was also a concern, but she had grown less talkative the longer they were joined. They didn't need to talk that often anymore. So he didn't put much thought behind that. Not yet, anyway.]

To the book that speaks back: Hello.

I have recently woken up in this place and I don't know or recognize anything about it. I've traveled all over my world and nothing like this village exists. I would like to learn more about it, but the people aren't very friendly and most refuse to speak to me.

So I ask you, hopefully helpful book, for your aid.

I'm not really concerned about my safety, I can handle myself. But I have a friend... an animal friend. She's a catdeer and she answers to the name 'Mula'. If there are a lot of catdeer in this place, she'll be the one with a bedroll and small travel pack tied over her back. Please don't hurt her, she'll do you no harm. If she runs, that's okay. Just tell me where you saw her and I'll get her.

Thank you.

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Yeah, the "native" people don't exactly like us.

[Hang on, though. Catdeer named... Mula?]

There aren't any catdeer around here. You wouldn't happen to know what 'bending' is, would you?

[Because everyone else around here just knows about cats and deer. Which is weird. She hasn't even made the association with Wan, yet. That's just completely out of the question, in her mind.]

Edited 2014-05-11 01:06 (UTC)

It's when you bend something, right? The way you wrote that makes it sound like it's something else. That I don't know about. I'm sorry.

[Ugh, major letdown. Here she thought she was on to something.]

Not really, no. I asked because it's a huge part of the world I'm from, but nobody here seems to know about it. It's the same as the animals. They have cats and deer here, but no catdeer. I know what they are, but no one else does, not including my friends from home.

Oh. I'm sorry.

[He felt oddly like he'd personally let whoever was writing to him down.]

It sounds like there are a lot of worlds I never knew about. I only knew of two back in mine and I used to be able to move between them fairly easily. I'm not surprised to learn there are more, but I am surprised to have been brought to one without some sort of event to herald it.

Maybe that means Mula didn't come at all.

Well, my polar bear-dog came with me! She became smaller, for some reason, but she still remembers me and all of my friends. So there's a chance.

There are a lot of other worlds, yeah. I only knew of two where I'm from, as well. There was a lot going on between them, before I left, so I figured it might have had something to do with it.

Was she there when you woke up or did you have to go find her?

Naga was the one to wake me up! She was right at the fountain with me.

[So... Maybe there isn't a good chance for Mula. Sorry, man.]

[That's the same assumption he's making.]

So she's probably not out there. Which means she's alone right now. She's smart enough to keep herself safe, but it's really cold at the south pole and there's not a lot to eat. I hope she'll be able to find somewhere to stay warm.

I wouldn't be too worried. As far as we've gathered so far, time works differently here. Yeah, it's crazy, I know. But I was sent home after being here for a while, and I appeared right at the same moment from which I left.

Really?

[Wan muttered to himself, his voice just barely audible.]

How does that work?

[He paused as the question appeared on the page for him before letting out a somewhat louder 'Ah!' and quickly scribbling:]

That wasn't supposed to be written down, book-that-speaks-back! I'm sorry! I wasn't asking you that!

Unless you know?

Well, it's-

[Korra's writing stops, and she laughs and begins to speak.]

It's not the book talking to you. Everyone else who wasn't originally from here has a book of their own, and they're all... connected, somehow. You can even talk to other people through them, like it's on a two-way radio.

And for the record, nobody knows how it works.

Oh. I see. Thank you.

What's a two-way radio?

[She sighs.]

It's a machine that puts out a signal that other people can hear. Like... communicating over a long distance!

[...That voice is familiar. But no, it can't be...]

But they don't have those here, either, so don't worry about it too much.

Talking over a long distance. Without yelling, you mean. That sounds amazing.

[His voice went really soft when he said 'amazing', full of energy, but like he was trying so hard not to be too loud.]

So... if you aren't the book, then who are you? I'm Wan.

[Excuse her for a moment, Korra's heart just stopped.]

Wan...?

[The name comes out in little more than a shocked whisper. Fire-tossers, was that what they'd called them? Either way, it wasn't called bending! Not then! Not in Korra's visions! There's a shot of guilt to her chest simply at the name'e mention. But really, it can't be...]

Wan... looking for a catdeer Wan?

[GULP.]

Yeah. That's what I said.

Are... Are you okay? You sound like you just got hurt.

Do you know Raava?

[Korra blurts it out, almost completely ignoring Wan's question. No, she... doesn't feel okay. Not really.

But she has to make sure.]

[The question takes him by surprise, but he doesn't hesitate to answer.]

Yes. How do you know her?

[Korra pauses for a long moment. When she speaks, her voice is unsettled.]

My name is Korra.

[Deeeep breath, girl.]

I'm the Avatar. Ten thousand years down the road in your place.

[Did they even use the term "Avatar" back then? She can't even remember right now. What does this mean, that he's here? That he can be here? She had thought... She doesn't know what to think.]

Edited 2014-05-11 04:51 (UTC)

[The sound that followed was the very distinct sound of the book dropping to the ground as Wan stared at it, completely stunned at the declaration. The silence remained for several long moments, interrupted only vaguely by the sound of a breeze in the the distance.

Korra. Who knew Raava. Who called herself the Avatar. Ten thousand years from him. Ten thousand years. There was still an Avatar in ten thousand years.

He didn't question it. How could he? She knew Raava. She knew of the Avatar. In a world where he knew nothing else familiar, she had spoken the words that meant the most to him.

Wan dropped to his knees before the book and leaned on his hands.]

Then I failed to bring peace and balance. I'm sorry, Raava.

...Raava?

Raava, please, speak to me.

[His voice became quieter as he begged his soulmate to reach out to him as he was reaching out to her. But only silence answered him.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Raava. Please. Just say something. Please.

Wan, stop-

[Korra barely manages to choke out the words. How can he call himself a failure? Really? She can remember that distinct feeling of having what she had thought was her everything torn from her body, beaten and battered until there was nothing left of the Avatar as the world had known it.]

She can't hear us, here.

[And Korra is still convinced that it's her fault.]

She can't, she... Something happened. I thought it was going to be okay... sort of... but something happened. And I broke the connection. It was me. Everything you built, the entire line... It's all gone.

[But now he's here.]

[She couldn't see it, but he was clutching his heart.]

No. She's still here. I can feel her there.

[There was a deep intake of breath as he sat back, head tilting backward as he touched her power and pulled it outward.

When he spoke again, his voice was echoed by only one other.]

Bonded forever. I-

AAAHH!

[Pain wracked his body, like he was being torn apart from the inside. He had barely the strength to pull himself out of the joined state. Collapsing on the ground, his body spasmed for a moment more as he caught his breath and fought to keep awake.]

Raava... how? It was supposed to be forever...

[It's silent, on Korra's end of things, as Wan tries to connect. She almost can't take it.]

Wan, I'm serious. At Harmonic Convergence, Raava was torn out of me and... destroyed completely. The line of the Avatar was broken. I was able to pull her from Vaatu and merge with her again, but I still have no connection to you. Or to any of the past Avatars. I think... I think that did something. To her. To us.

[Korra's next words are a choked sob. She's hardly even taking into account that this is public.]

I'm so sorry.

[Even in victory, she's failed.]

[Wan's breathing took some time to even out. He remained where he was, curled up next to the book as he listened to her words.

There had been a whole line of Avatars. Not just him. Not just her. But so many in between. All of them bonded to Raava. All of them... him? His soul bound to hers. Forever.

And ripped away by Vaatu.]

Vaatu.

[He murmured the word with such disgust it would be hard to believe he didn't actually hate the creature. Hating him would be justified, but it would only give him power. Add more darkness to the thick cloud that already surrounded humanity.]

Did you stop him?

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