(I was inspired to write a little Foggy Swamp Avatar ficlet about the Water Avatar after Korra's cycle.)
Bao pressed his palm to the cold metal surface of the ship’s wall, listening for any sign of its spirit. A dull mechanical hum answered him, devoid of any life. He sighed heavily, green eyes shifting listlessly to stare at the sterile, crisp lines of his cabin. The room was completely devoid of life, an empty metal shell floating in the cold vacuum of space. “Ah wish ah were home,” he murmured.
A sharp hiss of air startled Bao, his head twisting around to watch as the door to his room slid open. The bright light of the hallway silhouetted the figure of Mission Specialist Chang, her trim form hidden beneath her bulky uniform jumpsuit. “Hey kid,” she called, voice full of gentle sympathy. “Enjoying it way up here?”
“Ah hate it,” Bao scowled. “Space is dead.”
A soft chuckle escaped Chang, her boots thudding softly against the metal floor as she walked towards the teenage boy. “It’s the truth,” she admitted with a shrug. “But when was the last time a kid from the Foggy Swamps got to see a view like this?” Striding over to the control panel embedded in one wall of the cabin, Chang pointed to the opposite side of the room. “Just watch,” she instructed. As her fingers deftly pressing a few keys, a soft mechanical whir filled the room. The metal wall began to retract, revealing a large window.
Bao gasped rushing towards the glass and pressing his palms and face against the transparent surface. His eyes immediately fixated on the swirling ball of green, blue, and white that seemed to float effortlessly before the window. “It’s beautiful...” he breathed. “Ah ain’t never seen nothin’ like it!”
Chang laughed softly. “There’s not a view in the ship that can beat this one.” Watching the boy, her expression sobered as she added, “We thought it would be fitting for the Avatar.”
Turning to look at the mission specialist, Bao smiled and bowed his head polietly. “Thank you, Miss.”
“No need to thank me,” Chang admitted. “After all, I didn’t come here to show-off the view.” She tapped her watch. “It’s time for training.”
Bao’s smile instantly vanished, his lips pulling into a deep frown. “Ah still don’t see no point to all this. Can’t even learn Earthebendin’ up here where there ain’t no earth to bend...”
Sighing heavily, Chang beckoned the boy towards her, returning his frown as he stubbornly refused to follow. “You know the point,” she replied in an exasperated tone. “We need to study the Avatar’s potential within a controlled environment. The data is important to unlocking...”
“The nature of bendin’ an’ the way it’s affected by the energy found on the planet.” Bao scowled. “Ah know. Y’all told me before. Still don’t make it make sense.”
“It’s hard to explain...” Chang trailed off for a moment before she quickly added, “To someone who’s never had a formal education in the biology, physics, and chemistry of the bending arts.”
“You mean to a stupid kid from the hick swamp?” Bao cast an accusatory glare at the women, frown deepening.
“To anyone who’s not read and versed in our research,” Chang corrected. “And that includes plenty of people from the Capitol.” She beckoned to the young Avatar again. “Now come on. The sooner we get to training, the sooner it’s over. And the sooner it’s over, the sooner you can return to this view.”
Bao looked longingly out the window one final time before heaving another sigh. With a muttered curse, he strode slowly towards the mission specialist, still scowling. “Bein’ the Avatar was different back in the day,” he informed her. “Used to be people looked to the Avatar for spiritual guidance. Didn’t treat ‘im like no science experiment.”
With a nod, Chang held her arms out before her, bowing her head with theatric flourish. “Well then, Mister Avatar. Guide us to training.”
The pair’s footfalls echoed hollowly down the metal hallway as they moved through the ship.
(Note: If the Avatar world's technology can progress so quickly between Aang and Korra, I only assume four Avatar's after Korra will be Avatar in Space.)
Re: Laying Aang to rest at the Southern Air Temple, Part 7/7
Bao pressed his palm to the cold metal surface of the ship’s wall, listening for any sign of its spirit. A dull mechanical hum answered him, devoid of any life. He sighed heavily, green eyes shifting listlessly to stare at the sterile, crisp lines of his cabin. The room was completely devoid of life, an empty metal shell floating in the cold vacuum of space. “Ah wish ah were home,” he murmured.
A sharp hiss of air startled Bao, his head twisting around to watch as the door to his room slid open. The bright light of the hallway silhouetted the figure of Mission Specialist Chang, her trim form hidden beneath her bulky uniform jumpsuit. “Hey kid,” she called, voice full of gentle sympathy. “Enjoying it way up here?”
“Ah hate it,” Bao scowled. “Space is dead.”
A soft chuckle escaped Chang, her boots thudding softly against the metal floor as she walked towards the teenage boy. “It’s the truth,” she admitted with a shrug. “But when was the last time a kid from the Foggy Swamps got to see a view like this?” Striding over to the control panel embedded in one wall of the cabin, Chang pointed to the opposite side of the room. “Just watch,” she instructed. As her fingers deftly pressing a few keys, a soft mechanical whir filled the room. The metal wall began to retract, revealing a large window.
Bao gasped rushing towards the glass and pressing his palms and face against the transparent surface. His eyes immediately fixated on the swirling ball of green, blue, and white that seemed to float effortlessly before the window. “It’s beautiful...” he breathed. “Ah ain’t never seen nothin’ like it!”
Chang laughed softly. “There’s not a view in the ship that can beat this one.” Watching the boy, her expression sobered as she added, “We thought it would be fitting for the Avatar.”
Turning to look at the mission specialist, Bao smiled and bowed his head polietly. “Thank you, Miss.”
“No need to thank me,” Chang admitted. “After all, I didn’t come here to show-off the view.” She tapped her watch. “It’s time for training.”
Bao’s smile instantly vanished, his lips pulling into a deep frown. “Ah still don’t see no point to all this. Can’t even learn Earthebendin’ up here where there ain’t no earth to bend...”
Sighing heavily, Chang beckoned the boy towards her, returning his frown as he stubbornly refused to follow. “You know the point,” she replied in an exasperated tone. “We need to study the Avatar’s potential within a controlled environment. The data is important to unlocking...”
“The nature of bendin’ an’ the way it’s affected by the energy found on the planet.” Bao scowled. “Ah know. Y’all told me before. Still don’t make it make sense.”
“It’s hard to explain...” Chang trailed off for a moment before she quickly added, “To someone who’s never had a formal education in the biology, physics, and chemistry of the bending arts.”
“You mean to a stupid kid from the hick swamp?” Bao cast an accusatory glare at the women, frown deepening.
“To anyone who’s not read and versed in our research,” Chang corrected. “And that includes plenty of people from the Capitol.” She beckoned to the young Avatar again. “Now come on. The sooner we get to training, the sooner it’s over. And the sooner it’s over, the sooner you can return to this view.”
Bao looked longingly out the window one final time before heaving another sigh. With a muttered curse, he strode slowly towards the mission specialist, still scowling. “Bein’ the Avatar was different back in the day,” he informed her. “Used to be people looked to the Avatar for spiritual guidance. Didn’t treat ‘im like no science experiment.”
With a nod, Chang held her arms out before her, bowing her head with theatric flourish. “Well then, Mister Avatar. Guide us to training.”
The pair’s footfalls echoed hollowly down the metal hallway as they moved through the ship.
(Note: If the Avatar world's technology can progress so quickly between Aang and Korra, I only assume four Avatar's after Korra will be Avatar in Space.)