You know me?

How could I forget you! One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! It was eight or nine hundred years ago.

I didn't know that. Why did he... or I, try to kill you?

Oh... it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved.

It was strange. That was the only thought that struck the young Avatar vividly as he stared at the beautiful face impassively. It was not because his safety literally depended on not revealing his emotions towards such an old and dangerous spirit, but he couldn't for the life of him place the name of that girl, the one his past self once loved. She was familiar and very beautiful, but no memories of such feelings for that woman ever came to his mind.

For Aang, she was a complete stranger.

He faced almost a similar concept of losing the person he cared for the most when General Fong tricked him to use the Avatar State by attacking Katara. Surely the horror that Koh cruelly inflicted on his past life should have such an impact for him to at least remember it.

But there was nothing, and it bothered him.

He talked with Roku about that much later, when the opportunity arose that he and his predecessor met during the summer solstice, after viewing the past life of a young man who was once a friend to Fire Lord Sozin.

"I don't think we're supposed to be burdened by the tragedies of our past lives, Aang, considering that we have our own problems to worry about." Roku replied, after giving it much thought when the younger Avatar told him about Koh. There was a pained expression on the old man's face, however, when he added, "Of course, if that had happen to my wife, it would be much different. I cannot imagine what it was like back then..."

Aang winced. He didn't dare to think what he'd do if it was Katara's face Koh went after either, he decided that its time to change the subject to distract him from such a terrible line of thought. "Did you know about the Avatar before you? What her life is like?"

Roku laughed. "Avatar Kiyoshi is quite a character." He admitted wryly. "She is also very intimidating; I never realized until much later that I have very huge shoes to fill considering her legendary prowess in her lifetime."

"Do you remember about the people she loved... the people she hated?"

"I'm afraid I never got the chance to talk to her about it." Roku looked at him in interest. "But no, I do not remember them. Does this trouble you?"

"I'm just wondering if three lifetimes from now, that other Avatar would even remember the things I've been through, the people I love, and the war we suffered in. I've seen that woman Koh cruelly uses... and felt nothing. I saw the wife that you loved all your life but I felt nothing, What if that other Avatar sees all those abandoned Air Temples and felt it had nothing to do with him, when I felt so much more pain that time?"

Roku gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm afraid that future Avatar will lead his own life and discover his own love away from our own. Just like I did, and just like you will."

So that was it? Everything he and his friends did for the world would be nothing more but a distant memory centuries later? "It's disheartening."

"Look at it this way. It gives you an excuse to enjoy your life as much as you can, to have as many memories as you can possibly have." Roku smiled kindly. "So that you will tell your story one day to the next Avatar, and make him remember."

Aang smiled in spite of himself, he felt slightly better. "That would be something."

The two Avatars bowed, knowing it was time for them to part and suddenly Aang found himself blinking at the setting sun of the mortal world. Sighing, he stood up from his meditative pose and returned to his friends, to the people he was sharing his only life and memories with.