avaricious | Nine To Go

[Well, someone is getting married. Here, of all places! Ling thinks it's a bit reckless, but there's no harm in a little fun. So he devises a filter and doesn't even bother disguising his voice.]

[Filtered To Males Only]

Hello! My name is Ling Yao. I'm sure most of you heard about the recent wedding about to happen. I've been thinking about marriage myself. After all, I do have to eventually pick out fifty wives when I return home. But it wouldn't hurt to find someone here as well. I could be here for a very long time and Luceti does happen to have an exceptionally stunning population of women. So, what do you say that some of you suggest your top five most beautiful women for consideration. Feel free to elaborate on what makes them an excellent candidate for marriage.

And please, let's not get into the matters of Xingese politics. It's really just the way things are, so I'd rather not talk about it much.

[It would ruin the fun!]

(ooc: Please, please, please go all out with the thread jacking! I'm not even kidding. I want to see shit hijacked all over the place up in here. Hell, Ling himself might not even reply to some of these threads unless they interest him personally. Go wild, please! It'll be fun, honest.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He hasn't met Tenzin? A slight mental note.]

I... I don't think I can really know how I feel until it happens. But I know none of us want to hold her back when this place causes her pain. And I'll make sure she knows that.

Good. To be frank, I'm worried about her concerns for you.

It worries me, too. She's so helpful to me when I need someone to talk to, and sometimes I'm able to help her back... we can talk on the same level, but I still feel like she's trying too hard to protect me sometimes and holding back on things that are bothering her. I want to help her back a lot and I feel afraid because of how she can be hurt even when something here's just making me like tea a lot.

You're precious and irreplaceable. And someone she's "responsible" for, right?

[...Sigh] I'm jealous, really.

You... you are? It's hard, too, to be that i-important. Because it makes the bad things worse, too.

[He remembers the Avatar State attacking her on the moon. He remembered when he gave himself up to the Fire Nation after they first met, giving a daredevil grin as he was taken into their ship, confident that he'd outwit them and escape. And how one look at Katara's tear-stained face extinguished that.]

It makes it easier to cause pain, and guilt and like I can never match how much she cares, even if she doesn't feel the same way here.

Again and again with the "same way" nonsense. It's not different, it's no different. Love is love is love, squirt - it's just manifesting in a different direction. As long as you life until she decides to bring you back down to Earth, you'll never match up to her ideology.

[Love is love is love. It seems almost too easy, too convenient to think he's already there. Because then... why can't they be together already?]

You really think that, Masaomi?

I think you're both exceptionally emotional and exceptionally silly people, to be honest. [Sigh] And I wish my love could have been as simple as that or Chouji-kun's.

I can't tell if that's a compliment or not, but I guess we are really silly. [A mild laugh. As for the second part... things did seem so simple back home. Once the war ended, everything just... came together. But he still had trouble seeing it as simple here in Luceti, with new obstacles appearing all the time.]

I'm sorry. I used to think it was simple for everyone to just find someone. But in the time I've spent here, it's... been a lot more complicated with that. [Pause] I don't think I've met a Chouji.

It's okay, Aang-kun. We're all ignorant in our youth. Willful and stupid with opinions that hurt other people simply by existing. [A light tongue click] If the world were "fair," that might be the case. But it's not- there's no justice on this world or your world, or my world, or any world.

But... but it should be. [That's supposed to be why he exists.] Everything needs balance.

The world isn't made on wishes. But fine, I'll agree.

Good, that's... good. Changes at least start from wishes, after all.

[Maybe now's a good time to slip away, Aang. You've agreed on something, isn't that enough for now- oh. That can't wait, can it? Do you have any idea what you-]

But... going back to what you were saying at the beginning. I could swear that one of the names you said sounded like "Korra".

That I did. Stocky, buxom, attractive, talented, strong?

[Alight hum, smirking. He doesn't agree changes come from wishes. He doesn't think they mean much. So he's glad to have this]

[Buxom? Aang is horrified.]

B-but... Don't you know who she is?

And incredibly attractive girl that I helped get in some summer clothes. [ In a sing song voice ]

Y-you... dressed her? But she's... me! Well, not really but... the next Avatar!

Well yes, I know this.

Oh. So, it's... it's not weird for you.

Why, are you getting some residual feedback from her, Aang-kun?

N-no, it doesn't work like that!

Theeeeen, what's your concern, Aang-kun?! Afraid you might fall for me?

That's... no! That's not even... possible!

Hoooh. Well, that's fortunate, it might have ended up awkward if that's the case.

Yeah... awkward... you know, this has been a real enlightening chat and everything Masaomi, lots of- lots of things to think about! [Unfortunately most of those thoughts involve the piece of Korra's soul that is his screaming eternally at the thought.] But, uh, the time! Time to bend practice! ...Practice... bending. I gotta go do it!

Nine To Go - [Voice]

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