This wasn’t the first time Aang had found himself somewhere surprising. At least this time he hadn’t been locked in ice for a hundred years! At least, he didn’t think he had. He was alone though and that was much, much worse. He’d sped off from the waypoint on an air scooter the second he’d opened his eyes to this unknown forest, shouting out names and blowing his bison whistle.
“Kaataaaara! Appa, where are you?? SOKKA? Tooooph?! Zukooo! Where IS everyone?”
This went on for a few long minutes as his airbending kept him bouncing from tree to tree, ground to branch, skipping across ponds and creeks. Finally, he came to a stop, genuine worry crinking up his expressive features. A branch snapped behind a bush nearby and he dropped down into a defensive stance, silent as the grave.
Well, silent except for the quietly squeaked, “...Momo?”
The wolf behind the push stepped ever so carefully, trying not to spook the young boy flying around the forest. Unfortunately, trying to be quiet had left him on the opposite spectrum, as he heard that squeak and Atreus winced behind sharp teeth.
Without knowing what he was facing, it was easier to step out into the clearing as a wolf, instead of a man, and he tried not to look shameful as he did that. Atreus did brighten up visibly as he got his eyes on the boy in the crouching stance, and he walked forward slowly, without any aggression showing on his otherwise harsh features.
The wolf that stepped out from behind the bush made Aang gasp in joy. He’d never seen one quite like this one, with its pitch black fur and supernaturally blue eyes. And just like that he was temporarily knocked out of his frantic search and buffeted closer by a burst of airbending that let him land lightly next to Atreus. It would’ve been more graceful with his staff, but that was another thing that seemed to be missing. Still, he practically floated with energy as he ran his hands over Atreus ears.
“Oh wow, you are amazing! Look at your fur! Is this where you live?” His rambling was punctuated by grinning and scritches and no actual expectation for a response. It was also followed up by Aang climbing onto the wolf’s back. He’d ridden things much larger and much more hungry looking, after all. “Can you show me how fast you can go? I’m looking for my friends!”
It was a first for Atreus, to end up with a child (young adult?) on his back as he was shifted. Even as a lion, Shiro and Keith had just kept to petting him, and kids were usually wary when he was anything larger than a fox.
So this was new. And if a wolf could have a surprised look on his face, he was at that point. His blue eyes widened, and he faltered. At this point, it was too awkward to shift out of his wolf form, so Atreus just did what any tame-god-wolf would do.
He took off running at high speed, in the direction of the Crossed Quills.
Aang was addicted to racing along at high speeds, feeling the wind in his face and the air coiling around him with power. Every stride was like gliding seamlessly through the air, easier even than just his own airbending because of Atreus’s own strengths. Not that Aang knew anything about that. All he knew was that the wolf was strong and fast and the speed pulled high-pitched laughter from him with ease.
Korra, meanwhile, had woken up in a field that was… okay, it was pretty. In a way. But considering she liked where she'd fallen asleep a lot more, it was a severe letdown. She hit the ground with both palms and launched herself to her feet, exhaling an exhausted sigh. Her vacation had ended early, then a gang war, then the Earth Empire tried to rise back up... She was used to the world just pulling her where she was needed, so this wasn't much different.
Stil, she didn't like being in an unknown place and she certainly didn't recognize this particular forest - not that she knew what every forest looked like. Still, she stopped in her tracks as a large black wolf crested the small hill she'd been climbing for a vantage point and shot past her. More than that, he had a laughing boy that was clearly an airbender clutching his fur and holding on to the ride for all he was worth. Only he was bald with Master tattoos.
"Meelo?" she called out, shock registering in her voice. Okay, maybe give six months, not take. She didn't know he had grown up that much already.
Aang almost didn’t hear the girl as they flew by. But a flash of blue out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he instinctively nudged Atreus back in the direction they’d come.
“Oh…” he said, a little disappointed when he realized the girl was not the member of the water tribe that he was hoping she was. “I mean, hi! Sorry. I thought you were someone else. But maybe you can help me find my friends?” He climbed off the wolf, pressed his fist into his palm, and gave the wolf a monk’s bow. “Thank you. Your forest is very nice.”
Atreus backed up a little, letting the two have their space as the boy seemed to get excited about meeting someone new. He didn’t know exactly if that’s just how his new friend was - and he had no room to judge. Not wanting to make things weird now, Atreus just leaned forward and pressed his head down to the ground in a dramatic bow.
When he came back up, he pushed his snoot forward to nudge Aang’s hand in a friendly boop, before turning and running back into the forest.
First, that wolf looked way too intelligent to Korra. And letting a Bender ride him and it being called his forest? Must be a pretty strong spirit. Not knowing what else to do and since his attention wasn't on her, she just kind of offered a lop-sided smile and a wave as the wolf ran off.
Then she turned her attention on Meelo - he turned when she called his name, that was confirmation enough. Switching to a full smile, she put her hand on his head and rubbed it playfully. "Look at you, way more grown-up than when I last saw you. And you got your tattoos! Tenzin must be so proud."
The wolf bowing delighted Aang. He must’ve been very smart. Aang waved and shouted a cheerful goodbye before turning to face the girl wearing water tribe colors and finally catching on to her words. His face collapsed into a frown.
“I think maybe you have me confused for someone else too? I don’t know a Tenzin, sorry. My name is Aang!” He grinned warmly at that, hoping to keep this introduction positive. Most North and South Water Tribe members liked him well enough. She didn’t look familiar at all though. He tipped his head to the side. “Do you know Katara or Sokka?”
Eyebrow quirked, Korra put her fists on her hips. She'd never known Meelo to roleplay his grandfather and now that she thought about it, some of his facial features weren't exactly right. And, to be honest with herself, Meelo had always been more self-important and boastful and less willing to put on an act about not knowing things he should know. "Uh," was her well-thought-out response. So maybe there was another younger airbender that she didn't know about yet and that kid liked to roleplay Aang.
Okay. She could play along. So, with a more genuine smile, "I do! They're some of my closest friends. Toph and Zuko, too. Are you out on an adventure, Aang?"
Her response made Aang frown. There could absolutely be people that knew one or two of the people listed without having met Aang. Befriending all four and not even being able to tell Aang apart from this Meelo person seemed not just unlikely but impossible. Especially if they call them closest friends.
“I’m…not sure. I was at Zuko’s coronation and then I was here, by a large crystal.” He float-stepped a few feet away, like he was merely lost in thought and wandering. The only evidence that he was creeping towards suspicious was the squint of his eyes. “What’s your name? How did you meet my friends?”
Okay, now it was Korra's turn to frown. Was this some kind of dream, maybe? How could this kid know who Aang is but not know who Korra is? And wait a minute, Zuko's coronation was probably seventy years ago. Was Raava helping her reconnect with Aang? Is that what this was? Her pulse quickened and she plopped down into a crossed-leg position to stop looking downwards.
"You're really Aang? Hi. I'm Korra. I'm the Avatar. Like you. After you. Your friends helped me train-- some more than others," she amended the end after a short pause. "Are we in the spirit world, then?"
“After?!” Aang had been in the spirit world often enough to feel like he’d know if he was there. But would he know if he was dead? Looking at Korra, he stopped floating and settled to the ground like a rock. His young face fell into somber contemplation before he finally broke out into a peal of laughter.
“You had me for a minute! Is Sokka behind this?” He glanced wildly around, hoping a familiar face would peek out from behind a bush. “The Avatar after,” Aang repeated. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anything else.
Korra really wanted to smile, it was infectious with Aang. She'd seen candid pictures of him and heard stories from Bumi. Even Katara sometimes smiled and shook her head at some of the tales of just Aang, not Aang the Avatar. The only things she'd ever managed was seeing him at his prime, when he was serious and giving helpful advice. Honestly, seeing him like this made her feel better about her own journey.
But she didn't smile, though it may have danced in her eyes for a moment. She just shook her head. "No Sokka, sorry. It's just me and you, I think."
“Oh.” Aang’s narrow shoulders sagged. In retrospect, she carried herself like someone who had truth on her side. He maybe wasn’t always a good judge of that, but he’d been lied to enough, he was getting better at spotting the type. “I just...thought I’d have more time. Or at least see it coming!”
At least he had the comfort of knowing Katara was okay, and the others Korra had befriended too. And he’d accomplished what he needed to as the Avatar! It straightened him up a little and he managed a wobbly little smile. He repeated the bow he’d done for Atreus. “I’m sorry if I was rude.”
"You're apologizing to me for being rude, when I'm the one talking about--" Korra shook her head and dropped her hands into her lap. "Trust me, you had a lot of time. And you accomplished… probably more than I will. But if we're not in the spirit world, I don't know if I'm back in time somehow-- or you're forward in time somehow. But either way do I risk ruining your future if I tell you things?"
Air had been the hardest element for Korra to learn, because she was so rooted in her physical self and less so on her spiritual self. It had been near the opposite for Aang. So in retrospect, maybe there was a reason the two of them were both here. The Avatar cycle was always full of surprises.
“Oh! Oh. That’s…good. To know." Aang didn’t ask how long was “a lot of time”. He felt like he would obsess about any details she gave him and it would ruin the time he had. It was enough to know he probably wasn’t dead right now. It was also really confusing. His smile bloomed and faltered as he looked at her, then at the forest, then off after where Atreus had gone.
“How bad do things have to be for the world to need two Avatars?” He frowned. Would his connection to his other lives and the spirit world even still hold with her here? He closed his eyes and the arrow on his head lit up as he reached out across the forest around them with all the earthbending power at the Avatar’s disposal. It was overkill, but it was also a test, to ease his mind.
He felt a group of people approaching far off, armed but not moving with stealth or malice. His glowing eyes blinked open and then faded to normal. “Someone’s coming. Soldiers? Guards? Maybe we can talk to them?”
Watching Aang enter the Avatar State sent a weird resonance through her, kind of like a call to do the same. She resisted, though, having never really seen it from the outside- other than visions, which weren't the same. While that was probably entirely because the same energy inside of him was also inside of her, it led to some possible concerns about having Raava here twice.
Aang was right. What kind of situation would need two Avatars? His comment snapped her out of her thoughts. "Talking to soldiers and guards hasn't ever really worked out for me, but I'm willing to give it a shot if you think it's best."
“They don’t always like me either,” Aang whispered conspiratorially. “I’d feel better if Appa were close.” Just to be sure, he pulled out his bison whistle and blew into it, but there was no sign of Appa over the treetops after a minute. He frowned and tucked the whistle away. He wasn’t going to panic. Not yet anyway.
“I’m not sure what else to try,” he admitted with a shrug. “If they can cause us any trouble, we can just--” A smooth wave of his hands and he’d drawn up the ball of air he called an air scooter and popped it underneath him to spin around her in a circle. “Okay?! Let’s go!”
With a similar gesture, Korra followed suit with her own air scooter and nodded. "Let's do this!"