Answer to the following prompt: "Death: Realism, Characters, Emotions" The prompt was actually much longer on each of those points, but I've decided most readers of this series don't care all that much. Save space, anyway.

In more interesting news, this is a quasi-sequel to "Han and Death: A Remix" which means this is another crossover.


If It's All the Same to You

"Hello? Anyone?"

HELLO.

"Who's there?"

'WHO' IS NOT THE CORRECT QUESTION.

"It's very dark down here."

WELL, WE ARE UNDER QUITE A BIT OF OCEAN. YOU DON'T NEED REFLECTED LIGHT IN ORDER TO SEE, ANYMORE, BUT YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT YET USED TO LOOKING PAST ALL THIS WATER.

"Wait... I was fighting Zuko... is he here?"

OH, NO. YOU ACTUALLY SAW TO THAT YOURSELF.

"Yes... he reached out. But... I was being taken by the Ocean Spirit... oh."

YES.

"It had its revenge. For an accomplishment that was taken back from me. What a waste."

I'M AFRAID THAT YOUR OPINION IS A MINORITY VIEW.

"What? What are you talking about?"

I SUPPOSE, AS LONG AS WE HAVE A MOMENT, I CAN TRY TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING. WHILE YOU WERE BUSY FIGHTING WITH YOUR LITTLE FRIEND, OTHERS WERE AT WORK TRYING TO FIX THE MESS YOU MADE OF THINGS. THE PRINCESS YUE GAVE UP HER LIFE TO BECOME THE NEW MOON SPIRIT.

"How is that possible? That's ridiculous."

DO YOU REALLY WANT A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE MECHANICS INVOLVED? IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE- THAT IS TO SAY, MANY MOMENTS OF INFINITELY SMALL INCREMENTS OF UNTIME- TO WORK IT ALL OUT, AND FRANKLY, I'M NOT SURE I GOT IT ALL RIGHT. ACTS LIKE YOURS MAKING THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES AKIN TO JUGGLING, A HOBBY I HAD FOR A WHILE. I SUPPOSE THAT IS WHY THEY SAY YOU THREATENED THE BALANCE. ALL THE BALLS WOULD DROP, IF I MAY BE FORGIVEN FOR INDLUGING IN METAPHOR.

"Just... never mind. So the Water Tribe has a new moon spirit. As I said, I waste."

TO YOU, PERHAPS. OTHERS CONSIDER YOUR EFFORTS TO BE QUITE EFFECTIVE AT WHAT THEY SAW AS YOUR PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR BEING.

"Stop speaking in riddles."

I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT RIDDLES. THEY SAW YOU AS AN ENEMEY, ADMIRAL ZHAO. THEY SAW YOU AS A FORCE OF EVIL. YOU ARE, NOT TO PUT TOO FINE A POINT ON IT, AN ADVERSARY. THEY SAW YOUR EFFORTS AS A SPITEFUL AND IGNORANT ATTEMPT TO UNBALANCE THE WORLD TO THE POINT OF DISASTER, AND LATER, AS MURDER. EVEN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I MUST ADMIT THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

"I was-"

IF THE PHRASE 'GLORY TO THE FIRE NATION' IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED, I'D RATHER YOU NOT SAY IT, IF IT'S ALL THE SAME TO YOU. GLORY IS A HUMAN INVENTION, AND ANOTHER THING I AM NOT VERY GOOD AT.

"That... that wasn't the only reason. I was supposed to be greater than the Spirits. So many people, at war for so long, fighting and dying for the sake of nations that forget them within a lifetime. I was always taught that service was the greatest ideal, but shouldn't there be more? Service should beget reward. I chose, for mine, eternal infamy. Who else had ever slain a Spirit? Who else could?"

AH, HYPOTHETICALS. I SEE THEM OFTEN, IN MY LINE OF WORK.

"Just who are you, anyway?"

WHO ELSE COULD I BE? I AM THE LONE VOICE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN. I AM THE FINAL AUDIENCE. I AM THE END OF CAKE. I AM, BUT SOMEDAY, I WILL NOT.

"Oh. You're..."

YES.

"Have you ever... was it truly possible? Can someone ever be remembered forever?"

OF COURSE.

"Heh. Then it wasn't a complete waste. At least I tried. And I came so close."

AH, YOU MISUNDERSTAND ME. YOU DID NOT HAVE TO TRY. I REMEMBER. I REMEMBER YOU ALL. I WATCH THE SANDS FALL, AND I AWAIT THE TIME. I GIVE THIS SERVICE TO YOU ALL. THERE WILL COME A TIME, THE LAST TIME, WHEN THIS TASK WILL BE COMPLETE, AND THE FINAL TASK WILL BE AT HAND. THERE WILL BE AN END TO MEMORY, EVEN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SLAIN AND UNBALANCED AND ETCHED THEIR WAY INTO FLEETING HISTORY. ONLY MEMORY WILL BE LEFT, AND ONLY I WILL RETAIN IT.

SO, YOU SEE, YOU COULD NEVER BE ANYTHING BUT THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE. I DO HOPE YOU TAKE THIS AS A COMFORT.

"...I don't."

GOOD.

END