breezing | nine whirlwinds. JOINT WITH AANG, VIDEO + ACTION.

nine whirlwinds. JOINT WITH AANG, VIDEO + ACTION.

[ action; locked to aang; ]
[The 2nd of April marked not only the homecoming of the draftees - well, all right that had been yesterday - but the end of something Ikki had been waiting on for months and months. The completion of the Airbending Gates she’d asked Hiccup to make when he asked people to give him projects in July of last year. He’d stopped when she left, and then he’d had his leg changed to automail, and...well, suffice it to say there were plenty of reasons it had taken this long.

It was a bit late for a Christmas gift, and a bit early a birthday present, but Ikki wasn’t about to wait any longer for revealing the ultimate surprise to her grandfather. So she’d suffered through school (yes, suffered, bouncing in her seat and waiting for the morning classes to be through so they could be released into the afternoon freedom) and instantly accosted her grandfather after, which...wasn’t hard, admittedly, since walking home together was sort of a forgone conclusion.

Ikki latched herself onto Aang’s arm, and started dragging him in the direction of Hiccup’s project. ] Grandpa! I have a SURPRISE for you!

[ video; ]
[ Hey, Luceti! Here is a cheerful airbender. Specifically here is the smaller cheerful airbender, since differentiation is needed. Ikki’s beaming widely, and is clearly excited about something or another - and of course she can’t hold it in for long. ] Heeeeeeeey everyone! This is Ikki, and I have the BEST news! Hiccup finished a project for me, and that is...this! [ She’s swinging the journal around to show everyone the airbending gates. Ikki will hold the journal there for a while, to give a good look, before turning it back around. ]

These are airbending gates! I asked Hiccup to make them for grandpa. They’re a training tool, and they’re my favorite training tool! They’re super fun! Annnnd because they’re super fun - or just ‘cause people ask me about airbending sometimes, and it’s easier to show than tell - other people are definitely allowed to use them! You need airbending or air magic to get ‘em going properly, but anyone can try to make it through them. It takes quick feet and skill and trusting yourself!!

Oh, I didn’t explain. By "making it through" I mean this! Graaaaaandpa!

[And Aang pops up with one of the brightest grins on his face.] The air gates are the most fun thing ever! Well, at least next to air-ball. But everyone should try it! Now watch this!

[He sends a light breeze at the Gates to get them moving and starts going through them in the background of the video while Ikki continues to talk.]

See? You can’t touch any of the gates when you go through, and if you don’t follow the current, you’ll get knocked straight out! Grandpa’s obviously not gonna show that part ‘cause he’s a MASTER, but! We’re probably gonna be here all day, and if any of you wanna try, we can set them off for you. Soooooo anyone who wants to try can come over! They’re not located toooo far from our house. Or if you just wanna see them, you can come over too.

Oh! But you CAN’T ruin them!!!! If you burn them down or something I’ll be REALLY angry!!!! They’re important air nomad treasures! [ Not that she’s naming any names KORRA. And with that she’ll end her little PSA. Video replies may come from either of them. ]

[ action; open to all; ]
[ And true to their word, the airbenders of Luceti can be found at the airbending gates, taking turns going through them - or setting them spinning for anyone who wants to give it a go themselves. Or just talking to anyone drawn in by the spectacle. Talk to Aang while Ikki takes a turn, Ikki when Aang’s going through, or both of them at the same time as they break or discuss the last run-through. Tags with both of them will go You > Ikki > Aang. ]

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[ Oh, good! Someone who appreciates the gates, and someone she likes, besides! Since he acknowledges her grandpa by name, Ikki assumes they're already acquainted, and waves cheerfully. ]

Hiiiii Chouji! You and grandpa are friends, too? And they're one of my favorite training tools! Ah, other people have tried them, too!

[Aang grins as steps out from the gates to greet Chouji as well.]

Hey Chouji! They really are a good training tool. And yes Ikki, we've met! Chouji's a good friend of Shikamaru, after all.

Aang was the first person I saw here who wasn't from my world.

...Your grandpa? You're from Korra's time, right? [That would make Aang one of the great heroes of the past that Korra told him about. Chouji isn't really surprised by the revelation. Aang seems just as stubborn in his optimism and friendship as Naruto, even if they express it differently. Some people underestimate how powerful that is.

As for Ikki, she is as adorably charming in person as she was the first time they talked, and he can see the family resemblance.]

I thought I'd come see how the gates work in person. It's not the same over a journal.

Yeah! I'm a loooong time ahead of grandpa and the others, but that's okay! Korra's grandpa, you know?

[ ...It's more complicated than that, but hey, AIR GATES. ]

Did you want to give them a try???

Right - she's from the future! And she's my family. [He rests a hand on Ikki's shoulder.]

And you might as well try! It's the best way to see how they work!

[Chouji is very confused at the "Korra's grandpa" part of that, and he looks it. He lets the subject shift back to the gates, though.]

I'm not sure how good I'll be at this, but sure, I'll try! [Chouji has a ninja's training, so it could be worse. He's known more for his strength than his agility, though.]

You'll have to start them spinning, since I don't know wind jutsu.

I can definitely do that much!

[ Ikki likes this part. Stepping forward fast, and spinning with her palms out, and then -

woosh.

It's fun to be an airbender! ]

[Aang grins proudly at Ikki's movements and then looks back to Chouji.]

Isn't that great? Whenever you're ready, Chouji!

It is! [The gates are even more impressive when they're functioning.] Nice job, Ikki!

Here goes.

[Chouji has the patience to watch for a moment rather than barreling in immediately, and he reacts and dodges well enough to weave between a few of the gates successfully. It's clear that he is reacting to the gates rather than the air currents, though, and he can't hope to keep up that way. With a couple of dull clangs as they strike his armor, which Chouji neglected to remove, he's knocked out.]

Ah, sorry, I didn't think. The metal won't damage them, will it? [Granted, being hit by the gates is probably mildly unpleasant out of armor, but Chouji wouldn't want to harm anything that was made with as much craftsmanship as the gates obviously were. Especially taking into account how Ikki and Aang value them.]

They should be fine! [ Ikki doesn't spot any damage, at least, on either the gates or Chouji, whom she stops beside. ] They're pretty tough, unless you set 'em on fire.

You were following the gates rather than the air!

[Aang hops over and checks the gate anyway.]

It looks fine! Ikki's right - these are very well crafted. And she's also right that you gotta follow the air! Maybe it'd be easier without your armor, too.

Has someone done that, then? [Who would set the gates on fire? For a minute, Chouji thinks about what Ikki told him with regard to the Fire Nation in her world. That was a long time ago, though. He almost regrets the question, hoping there is an explanation that isn't quite as serious.]

I'm not really used to paying that much attention to air currents. [Enough to manage thrown weapons, but never enough to actively follow it through a sequence. Chouji can deal with the wind for a second or two, but he doesn't predict it. Not the way he pays attention to things like shadows, anyway, after so many years as Shikamaru's friend and teammate.]

You're right, taking off the armor might help. [He does, leaving just the red lightweight jacket.]

Korra burnt them down the first time she tried them! [ IKKI: FOREVER TATTLING ON KORRA. ] But that was at home and I don't think she really remembers it, so it's okay. Anyway, it wasn't on purpose. She just lost her temper!

Remember, the air's circle-y. So walk in a circle!

"She... she did?" He asks in blank confusion, caught up in that little detail. Ikki seems to be doing good at the explanation part anyway.

"...Korra lost her temper and burned them down?" That isn't nearly as bad as what Chouji had imagined, at least, and comes as a relief. He's a little dismayed by Korra's destruction of property, but Korra seems so much more inclined to action than patience it almost makes him laugh. "Was it because she was having trouble following the air?"

He understands the need for putting that condition on use of the gates now, he thinks. Aang seems as surprised by Chouji, though, so apparently Ikki didn't tell him before.

"Alright, I'll try circling." Chouji's a little doubtful, but he will do his best to follow the air in circles like Ikki's telling him to do. He waits for Aang or Ikki to start up the gates again.

"Yeah! She wasn't being the leaf!" Ikki shrugged. "She got better, but...right now, I think she's closer to when she burnt 'em down than she isn't."

Ikki was busy spoiling the rest of Aang's future while not telling him about the air gates, until just now.

"Okay! Remember, be the leaf on the wind!" The little girl is the one who steps forward to set the gates spinning once again.

"That's... kind of disappointing. But I'm glad she got better."

But he brightened up at the prospect of cheering Chouji on. "Go ahead, Chouji! You can do it!"

Chouji reaches up to touch his forehead protector, remembering only belatedly that it no longer bears a leaf symbol. "I am a Leaf shinobi," he muses, "so I guess I can try to be a leaf."

This time, Chouji has a little more luck, his movements smoother and his path more curved as he tries to follow the wind. He still isn't used to reading air currents of quite this complexity, though, and doesn't make it quite all the way through. The light thwacks of the gates don't really hurt. Chouji doesn't fight it as they knock him out of the area, and he grins up at Aang and Ikki from the ground when he lands. "Your advice did help a bit."

"That's great! You got further this time!" Ikki's pretty enthused about it, even despite the knock-out. It happens, especially in training. "It can be a bit hard, I think, to figure it out for people who don't have the same training we did. Circle-walking's super useful once you get it down, though; just ask Grandpa!"

"Ikki's right!" He does go over to pat Chouji on the shoulder and will also offer a hand to help him up. "You're on your way to being a leaf alright. Even if you just get a little better each time, every improvement helps!"

He takes the offered hand gratefully. Chouji doesn't need help getting up, of course, but the gesture is a thoughtful one and he pats Aang's back afterwards in thanks.

Ikki and Aang's enthusiasm is contagious enough that he's willing to keep trying a bit longer. He smiles back at them. "I was born a leaf, I just don't float on wind like one. Yet." He can see how the movement style would be useful in evasion and maneuverability. Chouji did want to train more, that desire reinforced by the draft, and this is as good an opportunity as any. It's something new, something that he wouldn't have tried on his own, which is all the better.

"Right, yet! That's the way to think of it!! You have the leaf in you, so being one is absolutely something you can do, too!" Infectious enthusiasm is pretty much ninety percent of what airbenders are made of, so far as the Luceti contingent goes.

Ikki's never considered airbending in terms of the drafts; those are things, to her, which people go on and sometimes come back from worse for the wear. She doesn't often get details on them, just...knows they're bad things. And she wants all her friends to have as much knowledge as they can to come back safe and sound from them.

"That's right!" Aang says supportively. "You've gotta let your full leaf out, then! I know you can do it, Chouji."

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