Author's Note: It's been a while, but fortunately, I'm starting to realize where I want the story to go (which I know is kinda late considering that I'm on chapter 10). Also, this chapter is a strange amount of infodumping, or not. I'm not sure what makes up a large amount of infodumping. Also, I'm starting to regret the name of this story. I do not know what it's supposed to mean.

Aang paused after the question, for what seemed like weeks in his head. "Just let me think for a couple of minutes okay?"

"You've been 'thinking' the entire time we've been on this rock. What's a couple more minutes going to do? You can't just think your way out of this one. Try something different, come at the problem from another angle or something." Toph's tone grew more consoling, and Aang caught a glimpse into what she was probably like as a teacher. Unfortunately, Aang had gotten used to not having a teacher. For the past few years, he hadn't been talked down to like that, and he hadn't missed that. Aang wasn't twelve any more, when he had to solve all of his problems by going to his friends, or even his past lives.

Past lives.

It was obvious. If he wanted to learn what really happened all those years ago, he could just talk to someone who was there. So he ignored Toph's blind stare and arrogant smirk, closed his eyes, and found the part of himself he had trained to go to.

Inhale.

Exhale.

He took stock of himself and loosened his shoulders, realizing they had been tensed the entire time. There was tension in his forehead, and he got rid of that too, until the only thing keeping him upright were the supports Toph had bent to hold him. His muscles relaxed, he focused on his own heartbeat, using it's noise to drown out the sounds of Toph yelling at him to stop ignoring her. As he slipped farther away, he could just barely make out an exclamation of "Aang, I swear, if you're going to the spirit world just-" before he lost awareness.

Toph never really understood how Aang's meditation worked. He wasn't in the Spirit World right then, not needing to go to the spirit world in order to access his past lives. They were always with him. He thought for a while on who would know best about the central air temple before finally calling on Roku. Roku would've understood the last years of the Air Nation better than anyone. In a burst of smoke, a wispy Avatar Roku came from inside Aang to land, sitting, on the floor. Aang inclined his head in respect as the previous Avatar cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Aang, I see you're bound up in rock and have decided to call me up instead of getting free. Dare I say you're having a moral dilemma more pressing than tons of stone?"

"Yes, Avatar Roku. I need to ask you some questions about something that happened a while ago. Something that I think you would know about that I wouldn't. I need you to tell me about the airbenders, or how they were before the war." Aang's head remained bowed, so he could keep his eyes lowered. Even now, it was still difficult for him to talk about his people.

"Aang, you're an airbending master in your own right. I would be surprised to know any bit of information that you yourself did not already know."

Aang took a glance around at his surroundings, and gestured to Roku to do the same. The pillars around him were full of unmistakably Air Nation carvings. "A friend showed me this place, an air nation temple which I had never been to, somewhere in the middle of the other air temples. Do you recognize it at all?"

Roku glanced up. "You've never been to the central air temple? I can't speak much about it, but I can assure you that there's nothing malicious about this place. Have you seen a spirit here? I wouldn't be surprised if a temple like this was connected to the spirit realm in some fashion."

Aang simply shook his head. "I just needed to know about the temple. And . . . there was no one else I could ask."

Roku took a breath, his words stopped mid-speak. He turned towards Aang with a softer expression. "I . . I think I understand. I'm sorry, but I think I cannot help you further. Perhaps Avatar Yangchen would be more helpful? I am . . . pleased that you thought of me, I have not heard from you in a while. You have grown quite tall, young avatar."

Aang bowed again in farewell.

After some focus, an air nun appeared, his predecessor Avatar Yangchen. He bowed again, more unfamiliar with Avatar Yangchen than he had been with Roku. Aang was surprised to realize that he was taller than her now, at least sitting down, but he found himself slightly cowed by her presence still. Everytime he talked to her, he remembered the teachings of the Air Monks, as he learned their culture's philosophies. Yangchen was a fierce defender of humanity, even against spirits. Her fierceness often caused her to neglect some of the pacifism that the air nation tried to espouse. Nevertheless, she was looked up to by those who followed her. Except for Aang, the last time he talked to her. To be fair, he neglected to follow the advice of all the past avatars he talked to that day.

"Avatar Aang, I assume you've already gone through three or four other avatars before coming to me? Have you met Avatar Szeto yet?" He couldn't tell if she was angry at him or making a joke. He thought about it a bit more and realized that he didn't know if she knew how to joke. He decided that he should take it as very real criticism.

"I apologize, I seriously considered it but-" He was stopped as she broke out into peals of laughter.

"Young Airbender, I am more than proud of the way you handled the situation all those years ago. There are many situations I wish I could have solved as non-violently as you did. However, I can sense that the matter here isn't one of conscience. You seem to have quite a solid conscience already."

"Yes . . . no? Maybe? What do you mean by conscience?" She opened her mouth to respond, but he continued his thoughts. "I needed an airbender to talk to, and . . . well . . . you're it."

"I understand. Well, it would be my honour to assist you." She wasn't real, but he could swear he saw her eyes grew moist.

"I need to know about the central air temple."

She pursed her lips, and held them for a while. "You were young when you left the temple. It's easy to forget when you have your master tattoos, but in the time I came from, you wouldn't have been old enough to learn about the central air temple until now."

She paused and the world around changed, mirages of airbenders appearing, dressed in clothes he hardly recognized. The temple itself became clearer, tents and banners hanging all over the area. The atmosphere hit him like a solid wall. Swarms of airbenders, chatting, flying, roaming around with each other. Even when he was living in a temple, he had never seen this many people, this happy. Then he realized just how unusual the sight really was. Although he couldn't tell for sure, it looked like Toph was right, and men and women were both allowed at this temple.

"Why?" he asked, waving his arms at the surroundings, trying to indicate just how abjectly wrong the whole situation was.

Yangchen glanced at him suspiciously, trying to read his questions from a single word. "Young airbender, did you think that our people did not love?"

"Of course we love. We love the world and our people and our sky bisons." Aang recited some teachings that Monk Gyatso had taught him. Love had always been encouraged to him. From what he had been taught, Yangchen had loved the world the most.

She laughed, loudly. Almost insultingly. "Am I to believe that you've never felt romantic love at all?" She left the question hanging in the air for a few seconds, then stared at Aang until he answered.

"I have. I was . . . in a relationship. For years. It didn't work out." His heart still twisted a little thinking about it.

"My condolences. There is no need to feel bad about a simple lack of compatibility, though." With her wispy hand, she gave Aang a few gentle but awkward pats on the head.

"There is a need, though. I tried so hard . . . I wanted to be everything she wanted." He tried to keep the hurt out of his voice. He could still hear it.

Yangchen laughed even harder. Aang was about to complain, but her laughter was sweet and genuine, not mocking at all. "Why try to be someone else? Who were you that was so bad to be?" She turned the question over in her head before asking a follow-up. "The person you were involved with . . . a waterbender?" Aang nodded, confirming her suspicions. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. My waterbending teacher, a lovely woman, told me that there was no higher form of love than trying to be the best match you could be."

Aang nodded along.

"She was wrong. Well, she wasn't exactly right. Maybe she was right for her, but not for everyone. Aang, there's only one person you can be. While it's a complicated person, I'm sure, there's no point in you trying to change yourself into someone with different facets. Be peaceful, be free, and most importantly, be who you are. When you concern yourself too much with others, you tether yourself to them. We were taught this when we were old enough to come here, but you never had the chance, did you?"

"And here, this place? The central air temple?" Aang gestured to the world around him, a world that had existed in the past.

"Is it too hard to believe that my-our people would create a temple just for us, to be free to do as we please?" Yangchen smiled, and Aang became aware of just how young he was. He smiled larger than her and bowed his head.

"Thank you, Avatar Yangchen. You've been very enlightening as a teacher." Aang wasn't entirely sure what he had learned, but he was happier than he had been in years.

"You can come to me anytime, young Avatar. I'd be honoured to teach you as much about our people as I can. Although it may be a while out of date."

Aang took a second to focus again, on the sensations that were present in the real world. The restraints on his arms were replaced by nothing, as Toph must've taken them away. Instead, he began to feel a repetitive tap on his forehead.

Thunk.

Thunk.

Thunk.

He flinched, and was rewarded with a shout. "Glad you're awake, Twinkletoes. I've never been as bored as I am now. I can't believe you've left me alone for an hour." As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Toph throwing small rocks at him.

Aang launched himself towards her, wrapping her in a hug. "I'm back, I'm not going anywhere for a while."