After the war's end. I don't know that's all I got.
The air is stale and unmoving. It almost hurts to be standing there, with it feeling so dead. He knows he should be paying attention to the tour, and really, they are in a beautiful building, but this is unhealthy. Katara looks worried, probably because she can't tell why he's staring forward with such an… expression. But he's not sure what to do.
Most of the world has unhealthy air; it's not the first time he's had to deal with an unusual problem. He's felt wind so anxious to play it almost knocks him over. He's dealt with wind so angry it's almost impossible to reign back in. He's had air so lonely it's heavy, and cold. There was even that random tornado, which he couldn't get through at all.
But, besides that tornado, the wind usually seems to perk up when he shows up. He's an airbender; thus, they're friends. This air… isn't perking up. Hey, he tries to say. I'm here, and I'm going to work with you later, okay? You're going to be alright.
He doesn't get a response. Not a breeze, not a change in air pressure, not anything. Katara puts her hand on his shoulder. "You okay? We're moving to the next room."
The wind is so stale, he almost can't hear her. "Right. Sorry." He almost wants to try to explain it to her, but what would he say? "I think something with the airbenders happened here."
Katara nods. "Okay. Do you… need a minute? Or, do you want me to stay here with you?"
"Just… give me a minute, okay? I'll catch up with you in just a minute." He is not at all sure what's going on, but it's weird enough it's probably important. Katara leaves, which means he's allowed to focus now. Hopefully she isn't mad later, but this is important now.
Hello, he tries to say. You ready to work with me? He gets no response. He sighs and pulls out his marbles. Usually he forms a connection before bending, but this air does not want to connect. See, he says, as he spins them. See, I'm here. I'm a friend. The air spins the marbles, and spins them, and isn't quite sure what it's doing.
After a moment, he lets the marbles fall dead. Don't you remember what it's like to move, he asks. And finally, there's something. Me? He breathes out a sigh of relief. Yes. You. You're the wind, and you're usually alive. Your breath is what gives me breath.
There's a pause, and he's worried he's said something wrong. Then, Didn't you all die? I thought… I saw… They told me not to move until they came back. But then they didn't.
He breathes, and the wind breathes with him. Okay. Well, I've come back. I'm here now. He holds out his hands. Would you like to play? This time, he waits for the wind. But this time, it responds.
It responds, and he moves, and it follows his lead. Together, they go through a kata, and the wind is alive. And for the amount of death in both of their worlds, that's more than enough.