unfringed | File#001 :audio:

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File#001 :audio:

H-hello? Hello. Hello, my name is Walter Bishop. Dr. Walter Bishop. I-I-I was just in my lab, you see, and now it seems I'm wandering around your town. I've lost my cellphone - and my coat. I don't have...I don't have his numbers. I can't--

Oh my. This book is fascinating, isn't it? Like a tablet computer, intranet only. Lacking in a few necessary functions, but it is certainly interesting.

...

I'd thought the LSD had worn off, but I suppose perhaps it had not after all. How quaint a hallucination this all is. I'm rather proud of thinking it all up. Even a bakery. Wonderful.

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But I've been here since before you, so if anyone's real, I'm real, right?

A New Feather is just someone who's new here. So, you're one! I was one too, a year ago.

Well, I suppose that logic is true, but--

Wait, what do you mean by new here? Where, exactly, is here?

This is Luceti! People get pulled here from all different worlds and times. I'm from the world with the bending.

Pulled? Pulled how? What machinery? I didn't see anything - did it fall into the lakes?

....

Bending?

Nope! It's the world itself!! I dunno how it works.

Oh, hang on. [ It's always easier to explain bending if she shows it.

After a second, there's an image of a young girl. She's probably seven or eight (hint: she's eight), and she's just outside her family's house. She has her journal propped up for the moment, so she can bend a ball of air between her palms - spinning a few leafs picked up for this purpose. ]

I'm an airbender. I can bend air!

[WHOA WHOA WHOA. Give him a minute to turn his on after he watches what she just did. When he turns his on, he's holding the journal close, staring into it.]

Fascinating! You can bend the air like-- telekinesis? Were you born with this ability? Can you move anything else with your mind?

I dunno what telekinesis is, but I was born an airbender! I can just control the air. I mean, you can move things with that...

At home, you can be born an airbender, a waterbender, a firebender, or an earthbender! Or a nonbender. You can be born like that, too.

A natural mutation... How wonderful!

I-In your world, there are classes of these mutations associated with the four natural elements? This is fascinating. S-so you say you were born an-- an airbender. Can I assume the other benders are able to bend their elements to their will?

Yep! Before I was born, it was because of the place you came from. Like...airbenders were from the Air Nomads. Firebenders from the Fire Nation. Waterbenders from the Water Tribes. Earthbenders from the Earth Kingdom. ...But for a long time people've intermarried ever since the end of the war, so now you can find some of them everywhere I guess!!

Except airbenders. There are only my siblings and my daddy and I, of those. And Korra.

You can probably get to see the other bending here if you want. There's at least one person from each bending style here, and two Avatars.

A mutation tied to the soil...No, genetics. It must be in the genetics. Tell me, are these-- what do you call them -- nonbenders more prevalent or less? Is it more likely that two nonbender parents would have a nonbender child?

A-- [And he was about to ask another question, but what she said next worried him. Airbenders were down to a single family?]

Was there some sort of extinction event for airbenders?

Ummmm, I dunno. There are probably more nonbenders than benders, I guess. I dunno if having bender parents makes it more or less likely. My Uncle Bumi isn't a bender and my Aunt Kya is a waterbender and my daddy is an airbender, and my grandpa was an airbender and my grandma was a waterbender.

A long time ago all the air nomads were airbenders, every one of us, but that's not it any longer.

And yeah. A long time before I was born, the Fire Nation killed all the air nomads. Except one.

[While she's talking, he takes out a pad of paper and starts writing, the pen moving quickly as he listens.

Her father took after the paternal line, but the aunt took after the maternal. A third child, however, was a nonbender...

It had to be genetics that determined such things. He'd need more data to be certain.]

Do you have siblings? Are they also-- also airbenders? Can you tell me--

[Wait, no. He was getting this wrong. Her people were all killed. She was the last of a nearly extinct 'species.' He should say something. After a somewhat long pause, he says.]

...I. I'm sorry. A-about the nomads.

I have three siblings! Jinora's my older sister and she's an airbender, and Meelo's my younger brother and he's an airbender, and I dunno if Rohan is because he's just my baby brother right now but GranGran said he'd probably be an airbender 'cause he had a strong kick when he was in Mommy's tummy.

[ Ikki answers the questions straight off. ]

It's okay. ...It was a long time ago, and I don't remember it. And I like where I live now. I mean, at home. If it were like it was when grandpa was an airbender, I never would have gotten to meet my daddy or my brothers like this.

And Mommy's not a bender. I dunno if that helps.

[ She's not sure why he's making notes but... ]

[He's distracted as he works out the genetic sequence in his head.

Siblings all possibly benders, taking strongly after that of the father - the lone airbender. A non-bender parent, despite being the more predominant half of the population... The genes must be recessive, excepting that non-benders tend to marry other non-benders. Grandfather was an airbender, grandmother was a waterbender... Definitely a recessive gene then. It was fascinating, if it wasn't also so sad.

This was how species became extinct - an entire genetic line disappearing, if it weren't for this little girl and his family. He looks up at the journal suddenly, as if just now remembering that it existed.]

You're a very strong little girl. [Whatever her name is. ...He heard it earlier. He can't remember it.] Tell me, child, have you ever had a licorice?

Licorice? I don't think so. Is it candy?

[ the important questions in life. ]

The very best candy. I have yet to find some in the village, but perhaps you would like to accompany me in searching?

Sure, I don't mind!! If there is any, it's probably at the grocery store or the convenience store. Or maybe the vending machines at the battle dome would have some?

A...what? Why would a village this size need a battle arena?

...

O-ooh! Are you all gladiators? I heard their matches were full of unbridled brutality. Can I watch?

You can, but I don't think we are. I mean, there are viewing rooms...but we're not gladiators. I'm a pacifist. All air nomads are. I mean, we fight stuff, but only if it attacks us first.

Anyway, it's there for...training, I guess. People can make all sorts of simulations there - I've been to a party that was inside the Dome.

Simulati-- It's a holographic projection chamber? T-tell me, do the projections also have physical presence?

[Because if so, he might just move into the Battle Dome, reconstruct his lab, and never leave.]

Yep! I mean, people do battle training there, and everything. Oh, but you can't make like, food that you can eat. At least I don't think you can. I'm not that good at programming the things yet but I know lots of people who do it for me.

D-does anyone live in these rooms? Perhaps one could be taken over permanently?

Oh! And the licorice, yes. I'll get you the licorice in exchange.

I don't think so? I know that three of the doctors work at the clinic there, but I dunno what else goes on. I don't spend a lot of time there.

In exchange? You mean you want me to take you there?

As a pacifist...I imagine not.

But yes! If you can find me lodgings in this holographic projection, then I will find you licorice! It's the most delightful treat.

I- I...can't go on my own. I often get lost. Peter gave me numbers to call, but I no longer have a phone.

Well, I can show you to them. I dunno about living in them - we can always find you a house or something, and I dunno about asking people about living there. I mean, I don't know who's in charge except maybe the doctors.

But it's okay. If you just show me around where you are, I can come and get you.

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