[ Stories of death, and dreams, and tragedies-- shortcomings and ambitions... Ginko's life is made of up of these, a patchwork of other peoples' stories. He walks through them, like the weather.

But these aren't quite normal circumstances-- and the alternating moments of pain and fond remembrance are not crossing the face of a stranger. And so wile he listens to the story, piecing together the history of a world and it's people-- he is also deeply moved for the girl who sits in front of him. And the weight of fear and apprehension and loss that is not conveyed by her words, he feels in the moments of silence, and the tension in her fingers against the cup. He makes especial note of the foul memories that "they came back" must be saturated in.

He has seen total destruction before-- not of war, but of natural disaster. But nature does not hate, or plan. And it returns what it takes with the impassive regularity of the seasons.

She's so determined... but on such unstable ground.

So he takes everything that she tells him like a gift, not saying anything until she's finished. Then he smiles faintly.]

So. And from that destroyed village came their only waterbender-- and she fought for every skill she could learn. And in the end helped to restore balance to all the nations.

["dad was thrilled" ....quietly] Your father must be very proud of his children.