video;

[bookbending]

[The video reveals an unimpressed girl--far more pleasant than some of the videos going around the network.]

I hate these machines. They only show horrible things or tells me that people left and every time I try to get rid of mine, it comes back.

[She taps the device's screen, just in case anyone had doubts about what she was talking about.]

I threw it in the ocean and then found it on my bed. Then I smashed it and buried the pieces, but it came back again. Is there a way to make them go away? Permanently?

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

They certainly don't run on batteries.

I'd know. I checked.

[bookbending]

Batteries?

[No, they don't have those back home.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Sigh. Yes, why not make this more awkward. ]

Batteries are little containers with cells that carry an electric charge. They're used as a source of power. [ Pause ] Don't, um. Ever lick them, though. Especially the 4.5 Volt ones.

[bookbending]

Why'd you lick a battery?

[Because Li obviously speaks from personal experience.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ So very guilty. ]

I was -- well [ recharging it via his ability ] It was a dare. A stupid one.

[bookbending]

Why do you do stupid things? You can be smart.

[Sometimes. She's seen him do it, like, twice.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Li scrubs an awkward hand through his hair. ]

Maybe it's a gross generalization. But...

Most boys are stupid more often than they're smart. [ What? At least he admits it. ]

[bookbending]

That's discouraging.

[mortemscintilla]

It can be.

That's why it's important not to have extra-high expectations.

[bookbending]

I'll never have a boyfriend.

[mortemscintilla]

[ There's a moment's deja vu in witnessing that bit of childish obstinacy. He tries to ignore it. ]

Well. You have a few years to decide if you want one or not. But the important thing is not to hinge your life around an ideal boy. Or any boy. More on what suits you when you're older.

[bookbending]

[siiiiigh]

Then I'll always have airbending.

[mortemscintilla]

And your books.

[ Yes. Books are relevant. ]

[bookbending]

[She brightens.]

And my books. That doesn't sound bad.

[mortemscintilla]

There's no reason why it should be bad.

Everyone has different standards to measure happiness by. Some are happy with pets or books nearby. Some with friends and families. And some with none of those things. Or with everything at once.

[bookbending]

What are you happy with, Li?

[mortemscintilla]

[ He takes a moment to ponder this. At this point Happy is just a word to him. ]

....Um.

Food, I guess. [ Clear skies and real stars. Dreamless naps. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, et alia. ]

[bookbending]

That's... okay. If it makes you happy.

[mortemscintilla]

It does. [ Cheerfully!!! ] And I like feeding other people, so that's always a plus.

[ .......Feeding them rat-poison maybe. ]

[bookbending]

Li? Would you teach me how to cook? Just easy things. Tohru used to do all of the cooking, but she left.

1/3

[mortemscintilla]

Cooking?

[ Oh. Well. That's. ]

[mortemscintilla]

Of course. [ One day he'll be offering cooking lessons to all the ladies in the Avatar-verse. ] We'll start with something simple. Like salads or fifteen-minute brunches.

[mortemscintilla]

[ A little sheepishly, he confides, ] I already know a few Water Tribe dishes. From back when Korra and I were, um, cursed to be engaged. [ Wait - does she know about that? Well. She does now. Oopsie. ] But if there's anything from home you'd like whipped up, you can always share the basic recipe, and we'll try that too.

1/2

[bookbending]

She never told me you were engaged.

[This is the kind of thing Jinora feels that she is entitled to know.]

[bookbending]

Salads and things are good. I don't want to learn how to make anything with meat in it.