trans_9 | Emergence [Open]

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Emergence [Open]

Katara had only HEARD of the Statuary and suggested team Sierra go meet there. She hadn't had time to inspect it herself tough, so she decided to go check it out on her own today, happy to finally do some exploring on her own. It was quiet when she arrived, but there was a feeling she had when she looked up at the figures: they all had a story to tell, and they all had their place. When she observed Elfangor's, she wondered if she should ask Ax about his story. Would it not be something he'd want to talk about? Would it be like bringing up her mom dying too? She was unsure.

Still, she continued looking on. She only wanted to make sure the place was fine to meet, but she found herself lost in all she saw. She closed her eyes and was still a moment, then continued exploring.

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There is a faint wind blowing all of a sudden, just a breeze. Perhaps from one of the many vents around the ship? Most likely, it isn't even worth noticing, but the sharp whistling of the wind makes it sound as if somewhere it's blowing through a crack in stone.

Where exactly is it coming from?

Katara feels the wind, and feels wistful now, remembering she hasn't really had a chance to FEEL an air current. She hasn't come to the city that often, and even so she hardly ever feels anything like that. But now, feeling it, she feels a longing in her heart, a faint hope that maybe she just overlooked, and maybe he WAS here. She turned to the stone where she felt the current, investigating.

Where WAS that wind coming from?

Following it leads to a small doorway set in the room that leads to another part of the Statuary. Emblazoned on it are four very familiar symbols.

Air. Water. Earth. Fire.

In fact, the entire design of the doorway is familiar in design. It looks like something that would be in one of the Air Temples. It leads to a tunnel.

Katara approached the doorway and found her heart thudding in her chest. When she saw the all too familiar symbols, it definitely skipped a beat. For a moments he felt home, or at least in one of the airbending temples, except she wasn't in the Sensorium. This WASN'T her imagination though, this was actually happening. She didn't think Stacy could remake things based on their memories.

At least, she hoped that wasn't the case, because that was both intrusive and really creepy.

Katara started to walk down the tunnel, wondering what she would find next.

The tunnel...opens up to a very familiar chamber from the Southern Air Temple. It rose up and up to a massive ceiling that seemed an impossible distance away, and spiraling down, down, are statues of Avatars past.

Here, it's just like it was when she saw it last, all of them posed in a placid gestures, in the order of the Avatar cycle, Earth, Fire, Air, Water, faces calm and gentle or harsh and stern, but all of them with stone eyes carved in a way to look wise.

In the center of the spiral on the floor, there are the last few Avatars, Yangchen, Kuruk, Roku, and...

There is one that wasn't there before.

Katara is shocked to see the Southern Air Temple backdrop that wasn't pulled from her mind. Then again, that was the shock: it WASN'T a backdrop, it was really there. What did that mean, and why could this place pull things that were in different worlds? Katara didn't get it, but was drawn to it at the same time. She hadn't visited this temple since Aang found the bones of Monk Gyatso, and she had wanted to get a better look at the Avatars.

She examined them now. She had only heard bits and pieces of Yangchen and Kuruk, and of course Warrior Kyoshi and Avatar Roku. But to Katara's surprise, there was one more figure. It was one that, unlike the others, lacked a look of aged wisdom, but was no less impressive: he stood strong and tall, and eluded a maturity that transcended his age. Katara lifted her hand to touch the arrow on his head, and found she was trembling a little. Her heart felt heavy, but happy tears spring to her eyes.

"Aang," she whispered, smiling. "I knew you'd make it."

Whenever this place was preserved--or copied--if that were the case, it must have been from her future. The statue had been carved when he was older--and taller than her now--but he still relatively young compared to the other statues of Avatars carved while in their prime, largely because the world had not wanted to forget the fact that the Avatar that had stopped a hundred years of war had been hardly more than a child.

Unlike the other statues, his had the slightest of peaceful smiles in its stone features, as if the sculptor just couldn't bear to leave out some indication of his true character.

But who had carved it if the Airbenders were all gone? Was this the real chamber, stolen away from their world or a facsimile?

"You really shouldn't wander around alone," says a gentle voice, near the doorway, but when she looks, she'll see that Jaime Reyes' eyes are pretty much transfixed on the the statues here. It is certainly an impressive sight.

Katara startled, and wiped her eyes vigorously. "I'd be able to take care of myself fine!" she answered hauntingly, a little embarrassed to be caught like this. He must have seen her crying and thought she was lost. There was no way she'd ever be that emotional!

Then she saw who'd said it. "Oh, hi Jaime," she said. "I thought you were another adult, thinking the poor little girl shouldn't be wandering around. But you don't have to worry. I'd be more than capable of taking someone if they fought me...and especially if it were here."

Katara observed Aang's statue. It was him, make no mistake, but why did he look so different? He looked older and taller. But Aang hadn't aged overnight when she saw him. What did this mean? She stared at the statue, almost transfixed.

"We had someone die before, after wandering off. He was armed and a soldier and everything. The whole point is it could happen to anyone--even I don't wander around alone that much."

Which implies certain things about himself.

"They get like that a lot with us kids. It's best to just ignore it and try to keep acting responsible until they get it." He snorts. "And sometimes I have the opposite problem, where they trust me with all these responsibilities because of how I act and forget I'm still just sixteen, so it surprises them when I act like it."

"Wow I...I didn't know that," Katara said. "Just for wandering? What kind of place is this, that you can't even walk around by yourself without something bad happening to you!?"

Not that Katara would do it under normal circumstances, but the ship dragged her here to begin with, and now it could't even guarantee her safety from walking by yourself? There was WAY too much that could happen in this place!

"I don't normally go on by mysekf unless its to the Sensoriums," Katara said. "I only wanted to check this place out because I'm supposed to be having a team meeting here soon. I wanted to see it for myself. It would have been quick, but...then I saw that this place is actually a part of my world."

"It was a little different then. We weren't alone on the ship--there were these giant...bug-monsters. As far as we know, Stacy got rid of them all, but there's a lot of places for someone or something to hide here, so it's a good idea not to get too complacent."

Still looking around, he wanders more into the room.

"What is this place? And who are all these people? Whatever it is, it's beautiful."

Katara was NOT calmed by that news. They were invaded by giant bugs who might or might not still be on the ship?! She was going to have to start training double time now, and made a mental note to join any endurance and training sessions "school" through her way. It was important that she didn't forget all she learned. For a moment, that determination was set on her face, overshadowing her usual friendly demeanor.

That changed with Jaime's question though. She looked over at the statues and smiled. "Do you remember me telling you about someone that was like your Jesus? In my world, there is a person born who can bend all four elements and bring balance: that person is called The Avatar. They not only have all the elements at their disposal, they can also channel the Avatar state, which is a powerful incarnation where they are practically unstoppable. Their purpose is to lead the world to times of peace and understanding...and that last one there is my...friend, Aang. He's the last Airbender."

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