026 ~ [Voice/Action] | Forward-dated to Sunday

[distressedude]

[It's been two weeks since the incident with Arietta, and there was still no sign of Anise in the village. They never even had a chance to speak before she left for a mission, likely in an attempt to put some distance between herself and Ion after their argument. It's strange to think that the last time they went this long without speaking to each other by choice was around this same time last year, though for a very different reason. He's been so caught up in dealing with all of this that he actually let the anniversary of the day he first confessed his feelings for her pass by without a single thought!]

[It was strange to think so much time had already passed. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it really.]

[But sometime in the late afternoon, he opens his journal. There's no need to bother with a filter while Anise is still out of the village, and it isn't as though Arietta is the one he's trying to reason with here. Her anger is easier to understand and deal with. There's an uncharacteristic hint of exasperation in his voice when he speaks, having spent the last week and a half mulling over this without any obvious solution coming to mind.]

How do you stop two people who hate each other from continuing to hate each other? [Not a very eloquent way of asking, but it's the simplest way he can think of to explain the situation.]

Though this isn't the sort of problem I'm expecting an easy answer to, I was hoping someone might be able to offer some suggestions. Or perhaps if anyone's had any experience in dealing with a situation like this, it might be of some help.

[And regardless as to whether he's heard any solutions to this problem or not, he'll be spending the remainder of the evening in various places around town. He spends about an hour at the library, not quite able to concentrate on his reading. Giving that up, he goes for an aimless walk, lingering on the various bridges around town for a few minutes before moving on again. He probably looks more spaced out than he usually is, and the cold chill in the air probably isn't helping matters. By the time he arrives back home, it's been dark for awhile and he's shivering quite a bit. He probably should have worn his winter coat today.]

Comments

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Uh... not really. Once me and my friend tried doing that with apology letters instead. I think it could have worked, except we forgot it never could work because one of them was blind. I can't believe we keep forgetting that.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[He'd make a comment about that forget-that-they're-blind thing, but Ion didn't even know Toph was blind until she actually said something. So he doesn't have much room to talk there...]

But what if they discovered the letters were fake? Wouldn't that have just made them even more upset?

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

You're right. I wouldn't want anyone's feelings would be hurt more. That's why candies sound like a better idea! In the end, they'll be more glad that they got to eat some candies.

[Voice]

[distressedude]

I don't think they would even be willing to accept a gift like that if they were told it came from each other. They might assume something had been done to them.

[Not that he thinks either would honestly stoop to the level of giving each other poisoned/tainted candies...]



[...well, maybe not Arietta. She's a little too direct for something like that.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

It sounds like they don't trust each other very much. Maybe you should just lock them in a room together, and they'll talk long enough that they'll like each other! [Didn't Katara and Zuko almost become friends when they were locked up together? So this has got to work.]

[Voice]

[distressedude]

...wouldn't they just spend their time trying to get out?

[There is no doubt in his mind they wouldn't tear down a building just to get away from each other.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Well if they're somewhere they can't get out of, they'll have to give up trying and just talk to each other eventually! ...Or you can make it so they can only get out by working together!

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[Working together seems to be the most popular answer here... but just how would he create a scenario where Anise and Arietta would be forced to work together rather than just try to out-do one another?]

I think your second point sounds like a more likely solution, but how would someone go about creating a scenario like this? They're not the kind of people you can just lock in a room. I'm sure either one of them would just break the door down first.

[Why are all his girlfriends so dangerous...]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Sounds like some of my friends. But still, hm... Do they have any special abilities?

[Voice] //filtered 2% (not unlike a glass of milk)

[distressedude]

They're both skilled users of fonic artes. It's a kind of magic unique to our world.

[This second part is under the tiniest of filters:]

And one of them is able to control a giant doll that she can use to fight, while the other is capable of understanding and commanding monsters. They're both very strong.

[Spoken with a strange mix of pride and defeat -- after all, that strength is the reason he's so concerned about the prospect of them challenging each other. Just what would happen if they ever got into a physical fight here?]

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

Oh.

Guess it's kinda hard, then, to think of some kind of way to lock 'em so they'd both need to specifically use those abilities together to get out...

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

I suppose it would be possible to get creative using the battledome, but I'm not quite sure what situation would require both of those skills... and even then, it's entirely possible that they may still refuse to work together, even if it were the only way to get out.

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

It does sound really though. I mean... What if you just... asked them to talk to each other?

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

If I could actually convince them to have a civil conversation with each other, I think it would help. But talking things out isn't quite Arietta's strong point. And Anise... I don't think she even wants to talk to me right now.

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

[His face brightens up for a moment.]

Wait! What if you trying sending each of the- [And then it sinks.] Oh, I already said that. I don't know either of their names, but if one of you's mad at them... maybe it won't work. Unless you can find someone who they'd both listen to.

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

I thought that "someone" would have been me, but so far that doesn't seem to be the case... though I suppose I still haven't really tried talking with Arietta.

[Who would probably be ecstatic to learn that he and Anise aren't on speaking terms right now.]

[Sob.]

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

Then maybe you should! Maybe your solution could come from that and you don't even know it.

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

It's worth a try. I just need to find a way to explain things to her so our conversation won't end like my conversation with Anise did...

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

Well if you remember the things that upset your Anise friend, you can try to be more careful and sensitive about it with your other friend!

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

In that case, I should probably try and figure out what went wrong in my conversation with Anise... to be honest, I only really remember that both of us were angry at the time. I'm not entirely sure if anything in particular upset her other than perhaps the topic itself.

[And it's kind of hard to talk about a topic while trying to avoid talking about the same topic...]

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

That sounds tricky, but I'm sure if you put your heart to it, things can work out for the best. Figuring out everything that's bugging them can definitely help you take steps towards helping them. What's your name by the way?

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

Oh, I suppose I should have mentioned that earlier. My name is Ion.


[You know, that guy Toph is totally all oogie for.]

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

Ion?! You're Toph's friend who plays with her in the forest?!

[Why did he expect someone... more man-like?]

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[distressedude]

[Plays with her in the forest what--]

I... guess that would be me, yes. Does that mean you're a friend of Master Toph as well?

[Voice] //filtered 2%

[savedtheworld]

Yeah, she's one of my best friends, and we live in the same house, and we come from the same world, and she's my earthbending teacher, and now she's teaching me metalbending! My name's Aang, by the way. It's great to finally meet you, Ion!