markofthewise | Sokka the 78th

[After ditching Ed in the tunnels, Sokka has had some thinking to do. He's lost Suki and now he's lost Edward. His relationship with other people has seemed strained too. When it comes down to it, he doesn't particularly feel bad about this, but he is worried about ending up alone. Being alone is bad. But then, so is the life he had before. Well, if the journals are good for one thing, it's for sorting out dilemmas without giving yourself away. So he heads to the journal, disguises his handwriting, and asks:]

[Written (Disguised)]

If you were changed in a way that made you happier, but pushed other people away, would it be worth staying that way? I mean, it's not worth it to make yourself miserable just for the sake of other people, right? That'd be ridiculous.

[Yeah. Totally ridiculous. That was stupid of him to even ask. He stares at the page, shakes his head, and pushes it away. Later he'll reply to it, but for now, he decides to do work instead of wallowing in pointless contemplation.

For people who might want Sokka in person, he's up to his usual routine.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I think it'd be worth staying that way. If you're happier, why does it matter what other people think?

That was my thinking. It's their fault for not liking the new me.

Selfish of them to want you to change for them, too.

[Written. Small, neat, precise.]

If you could change in such a way where you were genuinely happier, then it would be worthwhile. If you told yourself you were happier but were not truly so, then no. Telling which the truth is, would possibly be much trickier. But if seeing you happy is not enough for those who would call you friend, then perhaps they are not as good a friend as one would think.

I didn't think of it that way, but you're right. If I've lost some friends, then it wasn't worth having them.

[He wonders at that. How much happier is he? Certainly he's not been upset since he changed, but he's not been happy. He's enjoyed things, found pleasure in the right activities. But happiness...]

What about happy enough?

Sound enough thinking to me.

Besides, in this place? Friends are overrated. They can be gone at any time, at the very least.

Only you could determine that, I'm afraid. If the loss of your companions does not outweigh your current happiness, then happiness wins, doesn't it? Whether it's truly happy, or happy enough.

If there's one thing life has taught me, it is that people come and go. Some companionships last a lifetime, but most will depart in months, or years, to find new friends and new lives. We might miss their passing, but new people will step in to fill those gaps sooner or later.

There's always a fresh supply of new ones coming in, every other one.

There's no shortage of new people here.

[Would he still be happy if he lost everyone? He mentally goes through the people he knows. Some would be harder to lose than others. After all, they were powerful allies or useful in other ways. But they could all be replaced. All of them.

Well. Except his sister. But surely she'd accept him no matter what, so there was no issue. He accepted her as a bloodbender, after all. She owed him one.]

Even then, they'll usually leave or turn on you. Better to keep the ones who think you should change away than deal with them telling you you're wrong.

That is very true.

The only personal advice I would offer is to not burn your bridges too badly, if those you once called friends are no longer welcome. A too-badly scorned friend can swiftly become an enemy, and enemies are no fun for anyone. Especially in this place, where almost everyone and their pet has superhuman powers.

I can't stand the preachy ones. Losing them will be great.

I don't know that it's worth it. You pushing everyone away or just a certain few?

They'll still preach. Trust me. Just easier to ignore them if you aren't trying to get in good with them or play nice.

[Edward Elric. He was very dangerous and very angry. While Ed may draw the line at attacking him, it did occur to him that he might try to sabotage his alchemy.]

You're right. It's not like I want to get rid of them all anyway.

[But he needs to be stronger, too. If he's going to make enemies, he needs to step things up a notch and he needs to do it sooner rather than later.]

Not everyone. I still have other people.

I've been playing nice. It's not always working.

I tried it. Didn't work for me. Still just kept telling me I should be like them.

I don't want them thinking something is wrong with me. They'd try to do something about it.

Think over the actions you take carefully then, don't neglect the usefulness of a good plan for the future, and good luck with the new path you've chosen.

[Putting your own happiness before the happiness of others? For someone like Ion, that's just crazy talk!]

[But if it's someone else doing it, that's a different story. He can be a hypocrite like that sometimes.]

I suppose that would depend on whether or not you're happier without the people you've pushed away.
Are they not important to you?

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

They're important, sure. But no one is worth making yourself miserable for.

[It looks wrong written out like that. But when it comes down to it, that's how he feels.]

Probably wouldn't listen to being told to back off.

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Sokka the 78th - [Action/Written]

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