dictated;

[waterbends]

This has probably been asked a thousand times before, so, um - sorry for that pre-emptively, I guess. But I've been here over a year, and I've noticed as much as we're all alike in a lot of ways, there are a lot of little things, too, like -

Bending. So far, only people from my exact world seem to have any idea what bending is. And before you ask, it's the ability to control and manipulate the elements, I guess.. is the best way to put it. I'm a waterbender, and my friends Toph and Zuko are earth and firebenders.. bending is really, really important in our culture, and it's hard for me to even think about worlds where that's not the case.

Does anyone else have something like that? -- things unique to your own worlds, I mean. These little differences are really fascinating to me.

Comments

dictated;

[wilder]

Well, I'm sure we have differences if you looked hard enough. For stuff like bending, you already know about my magic.

dictated;

[waterbends]

Yeah, but I've heard about magic from a lot of different worlds.

dictated;

[wilder]

Oh.

[Cheerfully]

Then I'm outta ideas!

dictated;

[waterbends]

[ SNORT. ]

The whole Chosen thing seems pretty unique to me.

dictated;

[wilder]

[EYEROLL]

That? Oh please. In this place I bet you can't throw a rock without hitting some chosen one or prophesied somebody or something.

dictated;

[waterbends]

Blah blah blah, Aang was sort of the "Chosen" one, too, but the circumstances were special.

dictated;

[wilder]

Oh yeah the avatar thing. It's cause he can bend four elements right?

dictated;

[waterbends]

Mmhmm. Only the Avatar can bend more than one element.

dictated;

[wilder]

Heh. I admit that's weird for me to think about. My world's got eight primary elements and it's pretty normal for magic users to use multiple ones. Then again, I don't think we can manipulate them as easily as benders can. [CAN YOU TELL HE'S EVADING TALKING ABOUT CHOSEN STUFF?]

dictated;

[waterbends]

[ SHE MAY HAVE PICKED UP ON THAT. ]

Earth, fire, water, air, and.. ?

dictated;

[wilder]

[IN HIS DEFENSE, ITS ALL DEPRESSING. ALL. DEPRESSING.]

Lightning, Ice, Light and Dark.

dictated;

[waterbends]

.. lightning and ice are just fire and water, Zelos.

dictated;

[wilder]

Hey, I didn't make the rules okay? Eight elements, eight summon spirit temples. That's how it works. Take it up with Undine and Celsius if you want them to merge.

Though I'm preeetty sure fire and lightning aren't the same thing.

[ruined_jaw]

Might say that, yeah. People in my world can be born with all sorts of special abilities, if the genes are there.

What I've got's a bit like firebending, though a bit more extreme than what Zuko can do.

[waterbends]

Zuko's showed you his firebending?

[ruined_jaw]

Not directly, but I've seen it. Fire doesn't have the same effect on me it does most folks, so I've never made a ruckus about it.

[waterbends]

What are your powers like? If you don't mind me being nosy. I'm curious about the difference between them and firebending.

[ruined_jaw]

No worries, luv. I gave up the right to be modest about my powers the day I stopped wearing a mask to hide them.

Anyway, what I've got's called "psionic biokinesis". Basically, my body's a container for energy in it's purest and rawest form, such that when my powers first manifested, I blew out all of my internal organs, and took out my lower jaw while I was at it. I don't have to eat, drink, or breathe, and I have to use telepathy to speak. That's why my voice's in your head, rather than being something you can hear from the journal.

I can focus my powers into a destructive blast of energy, or just sorta...blow up, if it comes to that. I've only ever done it once, and I don't know that I'd ever like to do it again. I can give people headaches, if I concentrate hard enough, but it's more work than it's worth.

[As a journal-based demonstration, he allows the flame in his body to hit the page, leaving distinctive spiral-shaped burn marks that look like something out of a Tim Burton movie.]

If you'd like to see how it works, that'd be fine. I need the practice anyway.

[waterbends]

[ And Katara is speechless for a moment, honestly impressed, before she sort of shrugs.. even though he can't see it through the journal. ]

Sure. I'll show you my waterbending, too, if you like. If you haven't seen it before.

[ruined_jaw]

Meet you out front of the castle, then? I've a spot I like to use for target practice, since the shooting range isn't really my style. You'll know me when you see me. My name's Jonothan.

[A little while later, he can be found outside, leaning against a low stone wall that he's set several empty soup cans of varying sizes on. He's distinctive in that he looks like he's actively on fire.]

[ino]

I've known what bending is for years, if only because of you guys. Or rather ... a different time when you were here.

But we have plenty of techniques and powers that are unique to where I come from. In fact, a lot of the things that I can do are unique to my own family, actually.

[waterbends]

[ Hold up. There's one part of that she's going to focus on. ]

You knew me before?

[ino]

... Yeah. I mean, I knew Sokka and Suki better, but yeah.

[waterbends]

.. Suki was here, too?

[ Oh, spirits. It's been over a year since she's even heard her name. ]

[ino]

Yeah, a long time ago. A lot of people from your world have been in and out of here several times.

[waterbends]

.. how were they? Sokka and Suki, when they were here?

[ino]

They were fine. Great, even.

[waterbends]

You're sure? How long were they here?

[ino]

I'm sure. They've been around a couple different times, but I think the longest was probably a year or so. [a pause] I actually have some pictures, if you want them. I mean, I'm in them too, but you can just cut me out, or whatever.

[waterbends]

- I wouldn't cut you out! But I'd love to see them. Really.

omg i thought i replied to this already .... /smacks self

[ino]

Just let me know when you aren't busy, then.

[blazing_stag]

I have my magic. I don't know how unique to my world it is though.

[waterbends]

I've heard about magic from a lot of different worlds, and I'm starting to think it might be a case of the same word used to mean different things.

[heliotroping]

As far as I know, I'm the only one from a world where Solar magic is vital.

[waterbends]

What in the world is Solar magic?

[heliotroping]

It's a form of magic that harnesses the energy of the sun and concentrates it to purify the filth of the land.

[waterbends]

.. yeah, I can definitely say I've never heard of anything quite like that. What do you mean by "filth" of the land?

[heliotroping]

Oh! I meant the undead. They... really are poisonous to humans.

[waterbends]

-- oh, wow. We don't have anything like that at home.

[heliotroping]

Consider yourself lucky.