He wouldn’t call it STALKING…
Even though, where most people came from, it probably was considered as much.
But long had the young Avatar gone in a world so foreign—so unalike that which he was born into and sworn to PROTECT—without even the faintest hint of familiarity in anything, ANYONE. Without a shred of comfort to be found in the towering infrastructure, the busy streets, the flashing lights around every turn. It was no surprise the instant he felt some odd sense ofNOSTALGIA after months, he’d go chasing after it.
Though Aang hadn’t a clue who she was.
Wildflower was the name the city gave her. Or maybe the name she gave herself. He was still trying to catch up with this whole HERO business the modern world had crafted: secret identities and the like (not something he conformed to, strutting about with a blatant blue arrow on his head, but the prior seemed to be the norm). She was hard to find, everything considered, and his knowledge of her only existed due to a chance broadcast on one television in a storefront window. But it had been all he needed.
Because he saw that girl—that complete STRANGER—through the pristine image and was met with a strange feeling that he knew her. From another world. Another life. And his goal for the week that followed had been finding a way to MEET her.
Which meant finding a way to actually FIND her first.
He had concocted numerous ideas on just how to do that: hoping he’d catch her performing her heroic deeds and intervene, making note of her various locations throughout the city and hunting for clues that would lead back to her… quite the handful of scenarios relying far too heavily on PROBABILITIES. Aang even had half the mind to cause a bit of mischief himself for the sake of drawing her attention, but was ever quick to scrap the idea for all the OBVIOUSreasons. On the verge of giving up—assuming that warmth in his chest at first seeing her was naught but imagination—was the day LUCK just so happened to be on his side.
It was during a stroll through one of the city’s parks (nature a RARITY nowadays, apparently) that he FELT it. An abrupt and jarring tingle at the base of his head, down the length of his spine. Fingers in a loose hold around his glider TIGHTENED for the beat it transpired, and the Avatar only realized his feet had stopped moving when his surroundings stilled.
He angled his head to the side as if to LISTEN, though his eyes soon followed in a slow sweep of the trees and bushes ornamenting the path. Passersby skirted around him in his stationary pose, though the feeling persisted—dull, but hardly easy to ignore. Like havingFORGOTTEN something moments after reaching a desired destination.
Aang turned, deliberate, and set his attention upon one of the only people aroundMOTIONLESS as him.
And at the precise moment of looking at the stranger seated atop a nearby bench, that sensation so close to COMFORT found its way back into his chest.
Perhaps in any other situation, the Avatar would have mulled over just how to approach someone who, for all intents and purposes, was a stranger. Perhaps he would have handled it with more tact—more GRACE as to not scare her off by coming on too strong. But it had to be desperation—a need for a companion who SOOTHED his nerves without even trying—and overwhelming curiosity that caused him to march right on up to her.
Only to discover he hadn’t a CLUE what to say.
“Uh—” His first attempt, marked by a hand on the back of his head while digging for the right words. “Hi.” His other hand lifted in a FEEBLE greeting, and a nervous smile played across his lips as his gaze fell. “This is going to sound weird, but um… are you”—Aang peered over his shoulder once before lowering his voice, though keeping CASUAL as possible—“familiar with Wildflower?”
It wasn’t often that a new heroic presence made itself known. Spring herself had been met with a moderate amount of resistance upon her first appearance from citizens and law enforcement alike; it had likely only been silenced so quickly because both parties recognized her genuine compassion. As soon as she’d donned her hero mantle she’d decided to reach out to any heroes who might appear in her wake. She wholeheartedly believed in the power of friendship and teamwork and that both would only benefit the city she loved. But for years no others had come to light.
She would never forget the moment she first saw him on television. Having heard about the mysterious boy in the iceberg from a patron at the flower shop, Spring had rushed to turn on the news as soon as she’d gotten home, only to be overcome with the oddest feeling when she saw his face.
Recognition. More than that: relief, comfort, friendship. The whirlwind of feelings had been so strong that she’d been left gaping. With startling certainty Spring had felt like she knew him, though she was sure they’d never met before. And she’d felt the inexplicable urge to find him.
Unfortunately, doing so had proven more difficult than she’d thought for a boy who walked around with strange clothes and an arrow on his head. She had yet to cross him in her hero guise, and each time she heard of an incident that he’d assisted with or an appearance he’d made, by the time she’d rushed home and donned her costume, he’d been gone when she returned.
As such, she’d been dealing with her confounding feelings for weeks. Was something wrong with her? Spring was a compassionate person, yes, but there was no reason for her to feel so drawn to a boy she didn’t know. After her attempts had proven fruitless she’d done her best to put the thoughts out of her mind. It wouldn’t do her any good to dwell on what she didn’t understand.
Craving a dose of comfort, Spring found herself venturing out to a public park not far from her apartment. She’d always felt most at home surrounded by the plants she loved; when she couldn’t find the time or money to leave the city in favor of one of her favorite forests, the parks dotted about the metropolis were a workable substitute.
The entire park seemed to sing the moment she stepped foot within its boundaries. Flowers perked and opened wider, the leaves of trees and blades of grass brightening half a shade of green. Each plant greeted her as she walked along the concrete paths, bringing a smile to her features despite her tremulous thoughts as of late. The change in the park’s nature was noticed by others as well; Spring caught snippets of praise echoing across open expanses, compliments following drawn gasps and hushed awe, and her heart swelled with pride. Yes, immersing herself in her element had been just what she needed.
Uncaring was she of the time that passed as she wandered. The gentle voices of nature in her mind were as soothing as if they belonged to her own family—truly, they may as well have. She let them ease her troubles with kind words and idle chatter, eventually settling on a bench near the center of the park to best hear the most of their voices at one time.
Looking out but not quite seeing, she sat content, mind distracted by things no one else could hear. To any passersby Spring would appear to just be enjoying the peacefulness of the park—a truth, yes, but not the full truth. That strange tangle of feelings tried to rear its head as a dull buzz in her chest, but she was quick to force it down, unwilling to compromise her moment of peace.
At least, until a figure stepped into her field of view.
Only then did her attention drift from her own mind, startled eyes of glittering emerald landing on...
So shocked was she by the boy’s sudden appearance that she could do little more than gawk. After so long of trying to find him, he’d materialized in front of her by mere happenstance. Relief and an indescribable warmth washed over her as she watched him struggle with his words.
“You...you are the one they call ‘Avatar!’” she exclaimed in lieu of a reply. “Oh, I have been so hoping to meet you!” A bright grin lit up her features, only to fade a moment later when she actually processed his words.
Wait...he knew she was Wildflower?
Eyes giving a cursory glance around them, thankfully no one else seemed to be paying them any mind. Spring gave a nod, though her smile melted into something wry. “I may be. But...how did you recognize me?” she couldn’t help but ask, a touch of concern bleeding into her tone. If her secret identity was obvious enough for her to be spotted in the middle of a crowded park, it would surely cause her problems.
